Tone Empire is giving away its OptoRED optical compressor, normally priced at $79, when you enter the code TONEFAMOPTO at checkout.
I verified the offer this morning The coupon reduced the checkout total from $79 to $0 and I was able to add OptoRED to my user account.
That said, Tone Empire has not published an end date, so it is best to claim the plugin while the code is still working.
OptoRED is Tone Empire’s take on the classic American optical compressor concept. This type of compressor is popular for smooth, program-dependent gain reduction that follows a performance naturally instead of aggressively clamping every transient.
Unsurprisingly, it worked very well for leveling vocals and bass during my test, but OptoRED also includes several modern additions that make it useful for drums and complete mixes.
The central compression section lets you drive the detector and set the amount of gain reduction, while the Comp/Limit switch changes the intensity of the response. AutoGain can compensate for level changes, and the output control is available for manual gain matching.
Tone Empire describes OptoRED as more of a transparent processor than something you should rely on for more obvious analog coloration. It lets you control dynamics without adding noise or changing the original tone more than necessary.
The built-in sidechain section and low-cut filter help prevent bass-heavy material from dominating the detector. This is very useful on drum buses and mixes, where a kick can typically, and very annoyingly unless you’re intentionally going for that kind of sound, make the entire signal pump.
The wet/dry control makes parallel compression easy, so you can push the optical circuit harder, then blend the compressed signal underneath the original to add density while preserving more of the attack.
OptoRED also provides A/B comparison and up to 8x oversampling. The latter trades additional CPU use for cleaner processing, so lower settings may be preferable while tracking, and you can always enable higher settings for mixing or rendering.
To claim the free copy, add OptoRED to the cart and enter TONEFAMOPTO in the coupon field. You will need to provide your name and email address and create a Tone Empire account. The newsletter option was selected by default during my test, but it can be deselected.
The checkout price goes to $0 when you apply the coupon, although it still displayed the usual PayPal and card panels before the final order step. Tone Empire emails the license and installers after checkout, and the plugin requires online activation. A license includes three activations.
OptoRED is available in 64-bit VST3, AU, and AAX formats for Windows 10 or newer and macOS computers with Intel or Apple Silicon processors. Tone Empire also offers a fully functional 15-day trial, but the coupon currently makes the complete license free.
Download: Tone Empire OptoRED (FREE with code TONEFAMOPTO)
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Last Updated on September 23, 2026 by Tomislav Zlatic.
