Auburn Sounds just released Psypan 2, a stereo panning and multi-effect plugin — and the Free Edition isn't a crippled trial. It's 10 real pan modes, five plugin formats, three platforms, forever, no subscription.
What Psypan Actually Does
Panning sounds simple — left, right, center — until you actually try to make something move convincingly in a mix. Psypan 2 is built entirely around that problem. It's not an EQ or a compressor; it's a dedicated panning and stereo-imaging tool with 17 total pan modes in the paid version, covering three categories:
- Binaural panners — simulate how your ears actually perceive direction, useful for anything meant to feel spatial rather than just "hard left"
- Clean volume-based modes — Balance, Dual Pan, Dual Rotation — the straightforward, classic panning behavior most producers already know
- Creative FX modes — auto-panning, rotation, and movement effects for pads, synths, and transitions
The Free Edition gives you 10 of those 17 modes — no time limit, no watermark, no "buy to unlock" nag screen.
"No subscription, no phoning home, no update fees" — that's Auburn Sounds' own description, and it matches how their other free plugins (Panagement, the original Psypan) have actually behaved.
Why This Is Worth Your Five Minutes
Most "free" plugins from bigger companies are lead magnets — free until you need the one feature that matters, then it's a paywall. Auburn Sounds has a track record of the opposite: genuinely useful free tools that stay free, with a paid tier for people who want the extra modes, not a trial dressed up as a gift.
Psypan 2 Free is a real option if you:
- Mix on headphones a lot and want panning that translates better than hard left/right
- Make ambient, cinematic, or spatial-leaning music where movement matters
- Just want a dedicated panning tool instead of automating your DAW's built-in pan knob by hand
Format coverage is unusually wide. VST2, VST3, AU, AAX, and CLAP, on Windows, macOS, and Linux. If your DAW runs on it, Psypan probably works with it — including Linux, which most plugin developers skip entirely.
The Paid Version, If You Want It
The Full Edition unlocks all 17 modes for $38.67 MSRP — discounted to $29 until 15 August 2026. That's the honest, non-manipulative kind of "free" release: try the real thing for free, pay only if you specifically want the extra modes, no artificial pressure.
| Edition | Pan Modes | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 10 of 17 | $0 forever |
| Full | 17 of 17 | $29 until 15 Aug 2026, then $38.67 |
Where to Get It
Download it directly from Auburn Sounds — no third-party installer, no bundled junk:
auburnsounds.com/products/Psypan.html →
Want to actually understand stereo width and panning?
MPL's mixing lessons cover panning, stereo imaging, and how to use tools like this one inside a real mix — not just in isolation.
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