ProF.E.T. Free Download

ProF.E.T. is a free guitar overdrive and distortion plugin that gives you a flexible gain range for everything from classic overdrive to high-gain Metal tones. This free download from Ignite Amps solves the need for a capable, no-cost pedal emulation to process guitars directly in your DAW.

What You Get: A Flexible Drive Pedal

This works as a virtual overdrive or distortion pedal you can insert on a track. Its main job is to add harmonic saturation and grit to your guitar signal before it hits an amp simulator or cabinet impulse response.

Variable Gain Control You get a single gain knob that adjusts the amount of overdrive or distortion. The range is built to cover subtle drive all the way up to intense, high-gain sounds suitable for Metal. Four-Band EQ After the drive stage, a four-band equalizer lets you shape the tone. You can adjust the low, low-mid, high-mid, and high frequencies to fit your mix or guitar. Dynamic Reaction The plugin responds dynamically to your playing attack. It’s not a static distortion; it reacts to how hard or soft you play, which helps preserve some of the natural feel of a guitar. Harmonics Reproduction It generates harmonic content as part of its distortion character, adding complexity and weight to the processed sound.

How to Use It in Your Chain

The most common setup is placing ProF.E.T. in front of an amplifier plugin. It works well pushing a clean or crunch channel into saturation. For high-gain Metal tones, you can also use it without an amp plugin entirely, running it directly into a cabinet impulse response (IR). Another method is combining it with a separate power amp simulation and a cabinet IR.

Who Should Grab This Plugin

This fits guitar players recording direct into their DAW who need a straightforward drive pedal to go before their favorite amp sim. It’s also useful for producers crafting high-gain Metal tones who want to use a drive pedal and cabinet IR without a full amp model. If you’ve been looking for a freeware option to handle guitar distortion in VST, VST3, or Audio Unit format, this addresses that need.

Limitations to Know

It can sound harsh depending on the rest of your signal chain, especially with certain amp simulations. The developer does not recommend placing it behind an amp plugin or using it as a mastering saturation effect. If you run it at very high gain settings into an amp sim that’s already heavily distorting, the result may not sound convincing.

Final Verdict

If you need a free guitar overdrive and distortion plugin with a wide gain range for your DAW, ProF.E.T. is worth the download. It’s built for guitar tones, specifically to be placed before an amp or cabinet. Just be aware that it can get harsh with some amps, and it’s not meant for use on master buses or after an amp sim. For the price, it’s a capable tool to have in your plugin folder.