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Find the Best Spectrum Analyzer Plugin for Your Music Production, Mixing and Mastering Needs Right Now Below

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The intention of this post is to help you find the best spectrum analyzer plugin for your music production needs.

Below you'll discover 3 all-rounder spectrum analyzers that can each in their own right be your go-to analysis tool that gets most of the production and mixing jobs you need to do,  done.

A quick note about this series:

The purpose of this series of posts is to provide you with only 3 good DAW audio plugin choices for the different types of available professional music production plugins.

This, as you can imagine, is no easy task given the sheer amount of plugins available in most of the various audio plugin categories.  Some really excellent contenders had to be left on the virtual cutting-room floor.

Why not just list more?

That would've been the easier option for me, but there are countless blog posts listing the 20 or 10 "best [.....] plugins".  While these types of posts have their place and purpose they can still leave you with a bit of overwhelm when it comes to making a choice. Even more so when you start comparing plugin features.

So, the general idea of these posts is...

... to narrow-down to just  3 top contenders in each of the popular DAW plugin categories.  This means you can start with a solid shortlist and demo the plugins which appeal to you most, knowing that these have been selected for good reasons.

So, how are the included plugins selected?

Nothing too scientific.  It's a mix of my what I've picked up in my experience in audio and music for the past 20-ish years, coupled with some light research on sites with ratings and reviews and various lengthy "what's the best plugin for... ?" music production and audio forum posts.  You know the ones. ;-)

So, you can think of it as my opinion plus a bit.  Take it with a grain of salt as you would with any opinion about music production software and gear in general. My hope is you'll find the 3 recommended plugins in each category a good starting point and find the plugin that suits you best,  faster.

Best Spectrum Analyzer Plugin - 3 Top Choices

1. SPAN by Voxengo

Voxengo Span Free Screenshot

First stop on our hunt for the best spectrum analyzer is SPAN by Voxengo.

It has a great price because it's absolutely free.  Don't let that fool you though.  This spectrum analyzer plugin is used by many of the top music producers and engineers on a daily basis.

It has the following applications:

  • Fast Fourier transform spectrum analyzer
  • Stereo, mid-side, surround spectrum analyzer
  • Stereo correlation meter
  • EBU R128, K-system meter
  • RMS, true peak level and clipping detector

Apart from the spectrum analyzer it features good meters and also has a phase correlation meter.

Now,  I'm not going to wax lyrical here about a spectrum analyzer but let's just say it gives you more than enough visual feedback to make proper mixing decisions you can rely on.

This is one plugin I suggest all producers download and use!

SPAN is available for Mac and Windows.

You can grab SPAN here right now.

2. Insight 2 by iZotope

Insight 2 Screenshot Screenshot

Next on our list of spectrum analyzer plugins we have iZotope's Insight 2.

Marketed at both the music and audio post production industries, Insight 2 gives you more than enough tools to make informed decisions when it comes to your mix.

With this spectrum analyzer you can, at a glance,  get an accurate read of your frequency spectrum, as you would expect.  Further than that you can check your levels and your loudness. It also features a spectrogram that gives you a 3D topographical representation of your sound and a sound field partition to help spot mono-compatibility phase issues.

This plugin is great for music production purposes but even better bang for your buck if you also do some post-production jobs.

Insight 2 is available for Mac and Windows systems and a free trial is available so you can try it out.

Learn more about Insight 2 and grab it here right now. (affiliate link)

3. MMultiAnalyzer by MeldaProduction

MMultiAnalyzer Screenshot

Our third spectrum analyzer plugin on this list is MMultiAnalyzer by MeldaProduction.

This analyzer provides some serious value for money when you consider the price point.

Now,  the price may be lower than other analyzer plugins but that doesn't mean it doesn't stack up in terms of powerful features.

Yes, of course you get the expected spectrum analyzer.  Apart from this it also features a sonogram, collision detector, loudness comparison, stereo section and oscilloscope.

It also includes features such as normalization, super-resolution and deharmonization, among other things, to make it easier to more easily understand what's happening in your audio signal.

Now,  it goes without saying,  that since this is a MeldaProduction plugin it goes much deeper than that and it's really customizable to suit your specific workflow needs.  Rather than reinvent the wheel by stating all features and benefits here I however suggest you take it for a test drive.  It's sure to impress!

MMultiAnalyzer is available for Mac and Windows systems and a free trial is available for you to demo.

Learn more about MMultiAnalyzer here and grab it right now. (affiliate link)

Best Spectrum Analyzer Plugin - Conclusion:

So,  there you have it!  If you've been on a quest to find the best spectrum analyzer plugin for your studio setup you have 3 solid options to start off with.

SPAN, while free will serve most beginner producer's needs and do it well.  The other 2 options mentioned each shine in their own way but if budget is an issue and you want great value for money I would strongly consider MMultiAnalyzer.

I trust this list will make your life easier.  If you wanted to check out other spectrum analyzer plugins then you'll find a great selection, sorted by rating for your convenience here.

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