Slate Digital has released a new clipper effect plugin built for mastering. Bus Clipper delivers precision metering and true peak limiting to get your master across the finish line. The plugin can also be used on a drum bus, a snare track, or anywhere else you need to control transients and push level.
The Clipper stage works sample-by-sample. If a peak is too high, it gets turned down. Everything below the ceiling passes through untouched. No attack knob, no release, no lookahead. Three clipping modes, each customizable with the Shape/Harmonics knob, let you move between hard clipping, gentle saturation, and precision harmonic generation.
The Booster stage uses waveshaping to increase perceived loudness without raising the peak level. Quieter parts of the signal get lifted while louder parts stay put. The master sounds louder and more present without the intermodulation artifacts that come from time-based limiting. Featuring three booster modes (Mellow, Standard, and Aggressive) with a Gain knob and real-time transfer function display, you can see the exact curve you’re applying.
Bus Clipper features
- Stage 1: The Clipper – Effortlessly “chop off” imperceptible transient spikes to reclaim digital headroom.
- Stage 2: The Booster – Utilize advanced waveshaping to increase perceived loudness within the remaining signal.
- Smart Oversampling: Achieve the same pristine results at 16x oversampling that other clippers require 256x to reach.
- Lower Latency: Stay in the flow with significantly reduced CPU load compared to traditional upsampling solutions.
- Comprehensive Metrics: Monitor your Integrated Loudness (LUFS-I), Short-Term Loudness (LUFS-S), and True Peak levels in real-time.
- Familiar Workflow: Includes a “gain reduction” style meter, allowing you to monitor clipping with the same ease as a standard compressor or limiter.
- Delta Listen & CGM: Use Delta Listen to hear exactly what you’re removing, and Constant Gain Monitoring (CGM) to A/B processing without being distracted by volume jumps.
Available for Windows and Mac (VST/AU/AAX), Bus Clipper is on sale for the intro price of $49.50 USD until April 28th, 2026 (regular $99 USD). The offer is available at Plugin Boutique, AudioDeluxe, and from the Slate Digital store.
