Previously known as Nova 67P, Vladislav Goncharov’s excellent dynamic equalizer plugin ranked as the #1 freeware effect in the 2014 edition of our freebie round-up. The plugin is now called TDR Nova (re-released by Tokyo Dawn Labs) and, having been updated with a brand new user interface and a variety of improvements across the board, takes the number one spot on our list, second year in a row.

Compared to the old version of the plugin, TDR Nova features a slick new GUI, a slightly extended frequency range (10 Hz – 40 kHz), improved filters with a smoother sound optimized for mastering purposes, a more precise real-time frequency analyzer, additional stereo modes, as well as M/S mode. These improvements come at the cost of a somewhat higher CPU usage, however the plugin is now mainly intended for use in mastering projects, in which sound quality is definitely more important than the plugin’s consumption of available CPU resources.

Combining the core functionality of Nova 67P and the updated features from the new version, TDR Nova is one of the best equalizer plugins you can download for free at the moment. An alternative paid version called TDR Nova Gentleman’s Edition is available for users who would like to expand the plugin’s feature set with two additional bands, steeper filters (up to 120 dB/octave) and several other improvements.

More info: TDR Nova (13 MB download size, ZIP archive or optional EXE installer, 32-bit & 64-bit VST/AU/AAX plugin formats for Windows & Mac OS)