SOLVENT — Free Dynamic Resonance Suppressor Plugin (VST3, Windows)
SOLVENT is a free dynamic resonance suppressor plugin for Windows 10/11 (64-bit), available as a VST3 and a standalone app. It finds the harsh, boxy and whistly peaks that poke above the spectral envelope and dissolves them only while they flare; SELECTIVITY decides what counts as a resonance and DEPTH decides how hard it melts. It is a free alternative to oeksound soothe2 and part of BSMT.DSP, the free suite by Dr.dawgOG, a mix engineer from Anand, Gujarat.
What SOLVENT does
Every recording has resonances: a nasal 1 kHz honk in a vocal, a boxy 400 Hz ring in a room, a whistling 5 kHz edge from a cheap microphone. A static EQ cut removes them, but it removes them all the time, thinning the sound even when the resonance is not there. A dynamic resonance suppressor watches the spectrum continuously and only reacts when a narrow peak pokes above the surrounding envelope, dipping that exact frequency for exactly as long as it flares. That is what SOLVENT does, and it is why mixes suddenly sound professional after one plugin.
SELECTIVITY decides what counts as a resonance: low settings react only to sharp, narrow spikes; higher settings treat broader bumps as targets. DEPTH sets how hard each detected peak is dissolved. At default settings SOLVENT is transparent, taking the edge off harsh vocals without changing their character; pushed, it becomes surgical enough to tame a bad room or a piercing cymbal.
Harsh vocals, boxy rooms and cheap microphones
On rap vocals recorded in untreated bedrooms, which is most of them, put SOLVENT after the de-esser and before compression. Start with DEPTH low and raise it until the honk and the boxiness stop jumping out on loud words. Because it only acts while the resonance flares, the vocal keeps its presence in the quiet moments instead of sounding dull the way a static cut would leave it.
It earns its place on beats too: sampled loops full of vinyl resonance, harsh hi-hat loops and overly bright synth leads all calm down without losing air. On a mix bus, a light SOLVENT pass is a subtle way to remove the sharpness that makes a loud master fatiguing. It loads as a VST3 in FL Studio, Ableton Live, Reaper, Studio One, Cubase and Bitwig on Windows.
How to use SOLVENT
- Insert SOLVENT on the harsh source, usually after the de-esser and before the compressor on a vocal.
- Play the loudest, harshest section and raise DEPTH until the peaks stop poking out.
- Adjust SELECTIVITY: lower to target only sharp spikes, higher to soften broader bumps.
- Bypass and compare at matched level; if the source sounds dull, back DEPTH off until the harshness only just disappears.
SOLVENT features
- Dynamic detection of resonances that poke above the spectral envelope
- Dips each peak only while it flares, never a static cut
- SELECTIVITY defines what counts as a resonance
- DEPTH sets how hard the resonances dissolve
- Transparent at default, surgical when pushed
- VST3 and standalone for Windows 10/11 64-bit, free with no signup
SOLVENT vs the alternatives
How SOLVENT compares with the free and paid dynamic resonance suppressor plugins producers usually shortlist. The row for SOLVENT is highlighted.
| Plugin | Price | Windows formats | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOLVENT (BSMT.DSP) | Free, no signup | VST3, standalone | Automatic dynamic resonance suppression with selectivity and depth controls |
| oeksound soothe2 | Paid (around USD 229 list) | VST2, VST3, AAX | The paid anchor and the tool that defined the category |
| Baby Audio Smooth Operator | Paid (around USD 69 list) | VST2, VST3, AAX | Spectral smoothing with a simpler interface |
| TDR Nova | Free | VST2, VST3, AAX | Manual dynamic EQ: you find and set each resonance band yourself |
Prices are vendor list prices as seen in August 2026. Formats listed for Windows only.
SOLVENT specs
| Plugin | SOLVENT (dynamic resonance suppressor) |
| Category | EQ & FILTERS |
| Price | Free. No account, no email, no trial, no watermark. |
| Formats | VST3 (64-bit) and a standalone app |
| Operating system | Windows 10 / Windows 11, 64-bit. macOS build in progress (the download button switches when it ships). |
| Works in | FL Studio, Ableton Live, Reaper, Studio One, Cubase, Bitwig and any other VST3 host on Windows |
| Installer | One BSMT.DSP installer for all 27 plugins; tick the ones you want. It detects and updates older versions in place. |
| Version | Shown on the download button, fetched live from the releases repository. |
| Developer | Dr.dawgOG (BSMT.DSP), Anand, Gujarat, India |
| Support the project | buymeacoffee.com/dawgog (optional) |
SOLVENT FAQ
Is there a free alternative to Soothe 2?
Yes. SOLVENT is a free dynamic resonance suppressor for Windows, delivered as a VST3 and standalone app in BSMT.DSP. It automatically finds and dips harsh, boxy and whistly peaks only while they flare, which is the job soothe2 is known for. No signup or account is needed.
What is a dynamic resonance suppressor?
A processor that watches the spectrum and dips narrow peaks only when they rise above the surrounding energy, then lets go. Unlike a static EQ cut, it does not thin the sound when the resonance is absent. SOLVENT does this automatically across the whole spectrum.
Where should SOLVENT go in a vocal chain?
After the de-esser (MUZZLE) and before the compressor (KNUCKLE or MOUTHPIECE). That way it removes harshness before compression can bring it forward, and the compressor sees a smoother signal.
Is SOLVENT really free?
Completely. No trial, no watermark, no account. It ships inside the BSMT.DSP installer on GitHub Releases, where you can install SOLVENT alone or all 27 plugins.
Does SOLVENT work in FL Studio, Ableton Live and Reaper?
Yes. SOLVENT is a 64-bit VST3 for Windows 10/11 and loads in FL Studio, Ableton Live, Reaper, Studio One, Cubase, Bitwig and any other VST3 host on Windows.
Install, SmartScreen and Mac questions are answered on the BSMT.DSP suite FAQ.
More from BSMT.DSP
See all 27 free BSMT.DSP plugins, the guide to mixing rap vocals with free plugins, and the list of free alternatives to paid vocal plugins. Need the vocal mixed by the person who built these? Mixing and mastering is open.