Plugheads, Meet ZL Inflator: Your New Secret Weapon for a Louder, Fatter Mix
What’s up Plugheads,
today I’ve got something special for you.
If you’ve been hunting for a loudness boost without smashing your mix to pieces, this little plugin is gonna blow your mind.
Let’s talk about ZL Inflator — a free tool that sounds way more expensive than it should.
What is ZL Inflator?
Imagine you could make your mix bigger, fatter, and louder without killing the punch or ruining the vibe.
That’s exactly what ZL Inflator does.
It’s a clone of the legendary Sonnox Inflator, a plugin that’s been a go-to for top engineers and producers for decades.
The technique behind it?
It mixes nonlinear saturation with a perception boost, making everything feel louder and richer — without acting like a regular compressor.
In simple words:
You get all the loudness you want, and none of the ugly side effects.
Why I’m Excited About It
Because finally — we have:
- A free plugin
- That actually works
- Sounds amazing
- And is super easy on the CPU
And you know, Plugheads, we’re always chasing real tools, not just the hyped-up ones.
How to Set It Up for a Loud Mix
Alright, here’s my go-to settings to get that loud, clean, pro sound:
- Wet: 30–60%
- Weight: 50–70%
- Low Split: 60–100 Hz
- High Split: 5–8 kHz
- Curve: 60–80%
- In Gain: +3 dB
- Out Gain: -1 dB
- Style 1: Cubic
- Style 2 : SineMod
This setup brings more thickness, more presence, and a nice push in the loudness without messing up your dynamics.
💡 Pro Tip:
Always place ZL Inflator before your limiter, and use a True Peak Limiter after it (set the ceiling to -0.1 dBTP).
This way, you’ll get max loudness without distortion.
Who Should Use It?
If you’re mixing:
…ZL Inflator is gonna be a game-changer for you.
Trust Me, Plugheads — This Plugin Hits Different
I’m already dropping it on mix busses, vocals, drums, and even full masters.
It just makes everything feel more alive, more powerful, and way more pro.
Go grab it, throw it on your next track, and let me know what you think!
I can’t wait to hear how you Plugheads flip it into your own style.
🚀 Catch you in the next plugin, Plugheads!
🚀 Catch you in the next plugin, Plugheads!