WA Production recently released Heat 2, the successor to their earlier ‘Heat’ plugin. We are taking a closer look at Heat 2 and giving away a free copy to one lucky BPB reader.
Heat 2 is a twin distortion plugin with extensive controls and an intuitive design. You can get it at an intro price of just $14.90 (retail $49.50). You can also upgrade to Heat 2 with a $5 fee if you already own the original Heat plugin.
Heat 2 is a handy distortion tool suitable for any genre of music, capable of generating anything from complete fuzz to light overdrive and subtle amplification. It includes two different distortion effects with individual controls allowing you to target independent frequency bands with different results.
The middle portion of the UI is divided into two equal halves with the same controls. Each half corresponds to one of the distortion effects. There are Drive, High-pass, and Low-Pass filters and Makeup settings for each of the two distortions. You can choose between ten different distortion types (named A to J) and keep distinct settings for each half.
The Blend button in the center controls the mix between the two distortions. At the bottom of the interface, you have options to control input, output, and mix between input signal and output. At the top of the UI, the distortion outputs are represented with waveforms, each side being color-coded for clarity.
There is a latency-adjusted bypass switch at the top left for convenience; you can also bypass each of the distortions individually. The plugin includes several factory presets to choose from and makes the workflow quicker. I particularly liked the ‘Lead Synth Power’ preset.
The interface is intuitive but straightforward – a calm black with neon red, orange, and yellow accents, with white text. Along with being resizable, the UI feels snappy to use. Heat 2 is available for macOS and Windows in the VST2, VST3, AU, and AAX formats.
WA Productions is also offering the Ultimate FX Bundle for FREE with every purchase so that you can get nearly 2200 samples for free when you buy Heat 2 on their website. The Ultimate FX Bundle includes one-shots, loops, vocal FX, orchestral loops, and an ear training course. The bundle is automatically added to your cart upon purchasing anything from WA’s website.
I tested Heat 2 on various tracks myself, and I found that it’s indeed versatile – from guitars and synths to drums and vocals, I could do a lot with it. Even if you’re not looking for full-blown distortion, a subtle saturation effect sounds good on just about anything.
More info: Heat 2 ($14.90 sale price, $49.50 full price)
The Giveaway
We are giving away a FREE copy of WA Production Heat 2 to one lucky BPB reader.
To enter the giveaway, answer this question in the comments section: What is your favorite free distortion plugin?
We will pick the winners using a random comment picker on Monday, March 14th.
The winner is: Konstantin: k************@gmail.com
Congratulations, Konstantin (check your email)!
Everyone else, better luck next time, and thanks for reading BPB! ❤️
178 Comments
Smith
onTube Saturator Vintage by Wave Arts. Thank you for all your hard work guys. You’re my go to Guys for these kinds on news and deals, Thank you.
Enzo
onVediamo se ho fortuna!
Graffen Music
onthe choice is yours!!!!
Damon Eugene
onSzechuan saturator
YOUNG DD
onSame! but I use it as an AMP.
I rather iZotope’s Trash!
Max Dementyev
onTemper is my favourite free distortion. Though, I managed to snag a Trash 2 license for free during the last Izotope giveaway which is arguably the best distortion plugin that I own currently.
NIk Rom
onRift!
Andrew Hall
onRift.
Hell'ektrix
onNice !
My fav (or one of my fav…) free distortion plugin is Temper.
Alex
onRift
Maharaja .
onFruity Blood Overdrive (Stock FL plugin)
TRISTAN G.
onBPB Dirty Filter
Ivan Grigorov
onRift!
Ignacio Barraza
onI know it will sound obvious, but dirty filter by bpb is fire. And Saturation Knob by Softube 🔥
George M
onTrash 2
gf
onSoftube Dirty Tape
Bart
onTube Saturator Vintage by Wave Arts. Thanks :)
ASJ
onProF.E.T. by Ignite Amps
imstre jonas
onTemper
Julen
onRift is my favourite
Richard Bergman
onBPB Dirty Filter
Johan A.R.
onDefinitely Saturation Knob by Softube by far, the very best. I like WA Production stuff, very useful
Lucian-Calin Balintoni
onBPB SATURATOR
Cristian
onFor me os temper
Bogdan Bogdanov
onI think for me MeldaProduction Wavefolder Free Distortion aka Waveshaper plugin is the best
Eternal Kontrol
onCamel Crusher
JAMMAN Productions
onAbby Road Distortion by Waves
Al F
onMWaveFolder, it can even simulate Sonnox inflator with the right curves.
Priyanshu Kainthola
onCamel Crusher For President
sanghoon
oncamelcrusher
Aiv
onBerzerk by waves
Timothy
onBPB Dirty Filter!
Irfad
onFab Filter Saturn & BPB Saturator
Jason
onLike others, I really love the sound of Tube Saturation Vintage by Wave Arts, but I also got a free copy of Trash 2 during a promotion and so technically that one is my favorite free one, even though it’s not free anymore. So versatile and really well-designed.
Darcey
onUnfiltered Audio Dent 2
Kurt
oncamelcrusher
Christian GERARD
onCamel Crusher for me.
Thanks for your nice work!
Vedana
onMy favorite plugin saturation is Softube Harmonics Analog Saturation Processor, really great!
JOSEPH ACAMPORA JR
onSPAZ – TwoClicksAudio
Tyler G
onHeat 2 if I win! Got Trash 2 free recently and that’s a game changer
Tom Langton-Lockton
onrift
David
onFL studio soft clipper
Michael
onBit Crusher has been crushing it for me so far.
Devyn Key
onOutput Thermal
IB
onSoundspot – Ravage
Philip
onBPB Dirty Filter!!!
Alexander Rasumovski
onSoftube – Saturation Knob, Abletunes – Drive Knob, Diginoiz – TrapDrive, Wave Arts – Tube Saturator Vintage, Camel Audio – Camel Crusher, BPB – Saturator
Alexey
onFKFX Influx
SATYABRATA
onTRASH 2
Silvio
onSaturation Knob from Softube
Hubert
onSoftube Saturation Knob
lee
onsaturation knob softube
Aaron
onI like Camel Crusher for free distortion plugins
Scott
onThermal has been a big one in my tracks.
flip
onoftube – Saturation Knob, Abletunes – Drive Knob, Diginoiz – TrapDrive, Wave Arts – Tube Saturator Vintage, Camel Audio – Camel Crusher, BPB – Saturator
Jorge Sebastian Alvarez Herrera
onDacapitator :P
Wolfy
onBPB Dirty Filter for sure!
alex
onTSE808
Loki
onOhmicide by ohm force
Lokesh
onAmazing
Murray Fenton
onBeserker for Windows
Mr Aty
onPumper 3 for sure!!!
David B
onPumper
Nikita
onSpeaking specifically of free distortion, this is “Krush by Tritik”. I like to use digital distortion to mimic old school samplers. I also like the “Trash by iZotope” plugin, it’s often free, has four bands, and thus gives you the ability to distort a certain frequency range. But most often I use saturators.
Jason
onI really like the distortion in Vadim Taranov’s Peavey 5150 simulation. For distortion alone, though, I’d say Red Skull Distortion by audiorammer.
Andrew
onClon Minotaur
Todd
onDecapitator
Balam
onKrush, from Tritik :)
Konmario Romeo
onBerzerk By Waves
Patrick
onRift
Ru
onNembrini Clon Minotaur
Adam Rogers
onSDRR2 by Klanghelm
Lance Cox
onTrash 2, because it rocks and so do I!
Corti.Son
onHi, I like Krush by Tritik and BPB’s Dirty Filter.
Arshan
onBezerk by Waves
L
onTrash 2
Víctor Marlon Sánchez Mejía
onHola BPB, el Valvola de Hornet y el Black de Nembrini son mis favoritos, y eso que tengo distorsiones de pago pero con estos dos Muaaaac…!!! belleza de armónicos que me da en mis pistas.
Esteve
onReason Scream 4
Steffen
on👍🏻
Michael
onBerzerk
Francesco
onTrash 2
Versusliveact
onOhm Force Ohmicide Distortion Plugin
Adam Road
onCamelCrusher sounds like the old school orange distortion pedal so that is my go-to.
Viverosound
onel Krush me encanta !!! me gustaria probar este ,saludos
jay jay
onCamel Crusher
Oddbrother
onMy favorite is BPB Saturator.
Stanislav
onBerzerk Distortion
Marnix
onSaturathoooooor..(echo,echo)
Hammers it down for me! (thumb up)
Daedalus Wyss
onKlanghelm IVGI is my favorite free saturation/distortion plugin.
Chris Bailey
onIf we’re talking a strait distortion plugin, then Saturation Knob from Softube. If we’re talking a suite, then IK Multimedia’s AmpliTube 5 CS
Xaither
onPersonally a big fan of camel crusher but also a regular user of the bpb firty filter
Mitch
onFace Bender by Distorque Audio
Fazil Irak
onPumper
GSF0813
onIt’s Temper.
Regulus
onTemper & Rift Feedback Lite
xero
onSoftube Dirty Tape
Alfredo
onCamel Crusher from Camel Audio
xero
onpro tools heat
Spirit
onaudio thing wave box
Brett
onIzotope Trash2
Jan Silva
onBerzerk Distortion
Emmett WB
onI really like Trash 2, though I’d say Unfiltered Audio’s Dent 2 is my go-to
Stefano
onmy favorites sat plugins are: IVGI klanghelm, saturation Knob softube and BPB Saturator…thanks for all the good job Guys!!!
Falko Freund
onProF.E.T
Jamie M
onFuzzPlus!!
Synth Street
onMy favorite free distortion plugin’s comes from – Airwindows ”Distortion”
But there are also a bunch more there on the site.
imoyes
onKlanghelm’s IVGI2 has been fantastic to add subtle enhancement or full-on grit – love it!
suraj
onTRASH 2
gra
onTrash 2 !
Lesha
onTube Saturator Vintage by Wave Arts, it is a bit CPU heavy but the drive is so fine.
Vlad Hoshenko
onTrash 2
JEFFERSON ALMEIDA
onFiltro sucio BPB es mi favorito seguido de izotope trash
Lokesh
on(((((((HEAT 2)))))) OBVIOUSLY
(((((((HEAT 2)))))) OBVIOUSLY
((((((HEAT 2)))))) ACTUALLY
((((((HEAT 2)))))) ACTAULLY
Jorge
onWhat is your favorite free distortion plugin?: Free Burier by Kitplugins
Jim Achen
onTemper
EZ3
onWaves Berzerk is the “free” one I use the most. It’s not free all the time, but it was free for a while a couple of years ago, so it was free to me
Jerry Yang
onWhat about make your sound BETTER?
Derrick Zambrano
onRavage Lite de Soundspot es mi distorsión favorita.
Jerry Yang
onW.A Production!!!
$-K-Mo
onMy favorite free distortion plugin is Trash 2 by Isotope.
vish s
onCamel Crusher
Arnideno
onBPB Dirty Filter.
Fabio
onTrash 2
Chris
onTrash 2 for me.
Haliax
onRift
chulang
onTrash 2 is good! :)
Derrick Zambrano
onRavage Lite de Soundspot es mi distorsión favorita.
Jay
onStock Ableton Live Saturator is the best for me. Various modes to choose from with soft clipping option. It’s simple and works nice on a lot of things.
Matthew
onFruity blood overdrive
Nakura
onCamel Crusher!
Wil Harris
onCamel Crusher is still my go to.
Steven R.
onNot counting bit-crushers, I’m really enjoying Punish Lite from Heavyocity. Sounds good, and it’s free. What more could you want? :P
samuel
onamplitude 5 cs
use it on guitars as well as 808s
gabriel salgado
onIzotope trash
Daniel
onTrash 2 sin duda
Sam
onTemper!!!
yiyao
onOf cause it’s izotope trash 2!
Nguyễn Mạnh Cường
onFree BPB Saturator, can enhance bass sound.
Quet0
onTrash 2
Fyloh
onWaves Berzerk Distortion and DistoFX
hehe2
onDecapitator by Soundtoys
Carlos Torres
onBlack Box Analog Design HG-2
Radu Bostan
onTemper by Creative Intent
Albert Nwokoro
onTube Saturator Vintage by Wave Arts
Rico
onI really like Camel Crusher
stiffmink
oncamelcrusher
Orderly Chaos
onSoftube´s saturation is 10/10
Jerome Fernandez
onRift
Jon
onDirty Filter
Xiu
onI don’t own any, kinda never needed that sort of effects, since I mostly get distortion from using Fruity Soft Clipper and then boosting any sound.
Auxbeatz
onI would say decapitator by the sound toys.. but I love anything that will give me a great sound.. I stay using dirty filter and dirty spring by BPM!!
liam ryan
ontrash2 by izotope. (yes its usually a paid for item, but either this year or late last year it was free for a limited time. so this is my fav free distortion plugin) :)
Randal
onReally enjoying a couple of recent(-ish) freebies, Burier from KIT Plugins and The Klone from Fazertone.
Luna
onMWaveFolder smashes sound into pieces
Pedro
onSoftube Saturation Knob
Nikolay Korovenko
onRift Lite
Tom
onrift
Duane Davis
onZupaa by Analog Obsession:)
august
onTBProAudio GSatPlus!
itisme
onTrash 2
Laura
onWaves Berzerk
Success Ajayi
onSoft tube Saturation
Trash 2
Tom2
onTube Saturation Vintage, Fuzz Plus 3 and Spaz.
MARIO PL
onTHE UNBALANCE CABLE!
Rodger
onSoftube Saturation Knob is definitely my favorite free plug in.
Ioannis Mermigkas
onBPB Dirty Filter
Steffen
onBPB Saturator.
Rick Domina
onScreamo by W.A. Production is my favorite free distortion plugin. It’s amazing.
jose
ondecapitator, although Trash 2 trumps it, if its now a free plugin (got mine for free…)
Shwan
onRift Feedback Lite
Dr Tiger
onMi plugin de distorsión favorito es Krush de Tritik, ya que tiene varios parámetros interesantes.
Max
onRift Lite is killer
Yannis Fotis
on“FreeAmp” by KLEVGR. Although it is subtle, maybe too subtle for some cases, it sounds awesome and does a fantastic at enhancing several different types of sounds. Therefore it quickly became my most often used freeware plug-in.
Konstantin
onBPB Saturator
Patrik Roncolato
onActually BPB Saturator :)
Konstantin
onI think it’s other Konstantin wins, but Im confused, cause my name, and not only first email letter matches, but amount of symbols too :D
But Im lost my memory if I participate in this one. Or did I? It’s funny ))
Tomislav Zlatic
onHi, it was a different Konstantin (different email address). :)
Xaither
onanybody win?