Pure Heat. Zero Learning Curve.
Heatwave is a free plugin for producers who want instant attitude. Whether you need grit, saturation, or warmth, this one-knob effect gets you there fast—no setup, no fuss.
Instant Grit. Zero Guesswork.
Saturation That Hits Hard
Heatwave is the fastest way to add character. Drop it on a snare, bass, synth, or vocal—anything that needs grit. Your transients stay sharp. Your tone turns red hot.
From subtle warmth to full-blown distortion, the heat is in your hands.
More Heat, Less Hassle
Turn one knob. That’s it. Behind the scenes, Heatwave blends transient shaping, EQ, and compression to deliver punch without muddying your mix.
Drive: This is Heatwave’s main control. Use it to increase and modify saturation, EQ, compression…everything starts with this knob.
Input: Influence the overall sound of Heatwave by pushing audio harder into the algorithm. It can be used in tandem with Drive to customize the sound.
Clip: Clip the output sound ti keep unwieldy transients under control or create a more aggressive/distorted sound or bypass it altogether.
Output: Adjust the level coming out of Heatwave.
“Heatwave is a quick path to bitey distortion that fills out in depth as you push it. Especially nice on vocals for a super clear scorch. The lower end of the knob is subtle, so don’t be afraid to push the input gain.”
So Wylie
Producer & Composer FLAVIA, Lorelei Marcell, Olivia Reid
"I really love Heatwave on drums. Whether it’s subtle drive or more over the top saturation, it remains musical. I’ve found my new in the box go-to for warmth and character."
"I’m using Heatwave with my vintage modular synths and it quickly adds a wonderful presence and clarity to complex sounds even at low settings…it’s great!"
"The way Heatwave enhances beats with transients & punch is impressive. It brings an added dimension of pleasant lift to edge to vocals and instruments."
"Heatwave is a perfect, fast and simple solution to shape and put the heat on my kicks."
System Requirements
macOS
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum OS* | macOS 10.15 Catalina - 13 Ventura |
| Supported OS | macOS 14 Sonoma or later |
| Processor / RAM | Intel or Apple Silicon, 4GB RAM |
| Plugin Formats | AU, VST3, AAX (64-bit host) |
Windows
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum OS* | Windows 10 |
| Supported OS | Windows 11 |
| Processor / RAM | Intel or AMD processor, 4GB RAM |
| Plugin Formats | AU, VST3, AAX (64-bit host) |
iLok Requirements
- Complete Access licenses have two activations and can be activated on iLok Cloud, an iLok 2 & 3 dongle, or your local host computer (Machine-ID).
- Individual plugin licenses can be activated on an iLok 2 & 3 dongle or your local host computer (Machine-ID).
*NOTE: We do not actively test these older operating systems as they are no longer supported by their respective developers, but we currently know of no reasons the current versions of our plug-ins will not work on these systems. That said, your mileage may vary. If you need access to older versions of our products, please contact either Slate Digital Support or check the SSL/Harrison Legacy Plugins Download list.
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