Duck 2 from Devious Machines is an envelope-based effects plugin for ducking, gating and volume shaping, used to carve space between sounds without manual track automation.
Duck 2 at a glance
| Developer | Devious Machines |
|---|---|
| Type | Effects / Envelope Shaper |
| Formats | VST2, AU, AAX |
| Operating systems | Windows 10 or later, macOS 10.13 or later |
| Apple Silicon | Native |
| Architecture | 64-bit |
| RAM | 2 GB or more |
| Free trial | Available |
| Price on Plugin Boutique (October 2026) | €34.70 |
What Duck 2 does
Ducking, often called sidechaining, briefly lowers the volume of one sound so another can sit clearly in the mix. Multi-segment graphical envelopes offer a choice of flexible curves for precise volume sculpting, and the envelope can be locked to the beat like an LFO or triggered from other elements in the mix via MIDI, a sidechain input or an audio input.
An unsynced LFO can be used like a flexible tremolo, and the MIDI trigger responds with complete velocity sensitivity, so it can be used like a synth’s ADSR envelope. The package includes over 200 factory presets covering sidechaining, gating and rhythmic patterns, and the GUI has been reworked and is now freely resizable. Duck 2 is available as VST2, AU and AAX for Windows and macOS, with a trial, and a full purchase and upgrade path is offered.
Key features
- Graphical multi-segment envelopes. Envelopes are drawn with multiple segments and a choice of curve shapes, which sets the volume contour directly on the sound.
- Multiband mode. The signal can be split into up to three bands, each with its own envelope, so ducking can act on one frequency range only.
- Flexible triggering. The envelope can be locked to the beat, or triggered from MIDI, a sidechain input or an audio input elsewhere in the mix.
- Unsynced LFO. The LFO can run free of the host tempo and be used as a flexible tremolo on pads, guitars and synths.
- MIDI velocity sensitivity. When triggered from MIDI, the envelope responds to note velocity, so it can work like a synth’s ADSR envelope.
- Preset library. Over 200 factory presets cover sidechaining, gating and rhythmic patterns as starting points.
- Resizable interface. The GUI has been completely reworked and modernised, and the window can be resized freely.
Use cases
- Clearing bass against kick. Ducking the bass briefly while the kick hits keeps low end from clashing and muddying the mix.
- Rhythmic gating. Locked to the beat, the envelope can gate pads, guitars and synths into rhythmic patterns.
Compatibility
Duck 2 is available as VST2, AU and AAX for Windows and macOS (64-bit). Native support for Apple Silicon is listed, the minimum OS is macOS 10.13 on macOS and Windows 10 on Windows, and the plugin uses 2 GB of RAM.
Who it is for
Producers and mix engineers who need to duck, gate or shape volume on a bus or track and want an envelope editor rather than manual automation. Sound designers can use the unsynced LFO and MIDI-triggered envelope for tremolo and synth-style envelope shapes.
Duck 2 compared with similar plugins
VolumeShaper 7 from Cableguys is an envelope shaper that also supports VST3, while Laser 2 from Sweetsonics is an envelope shaper listed for VST3, AU and AAX without VST2. Both are available for Windows and macOS. Duck 2 lists VST2, AU and AAX for the same two systems.
| Plugin | Developer | Type | Formats | Systems | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duck 2 | Devious Machines | Envelope Shaper | VST2, AU, AAX | Windows, macOS | €34.70 |
| VolumeShaper 7 | Cableguys | Envelope Shaper | VST3, VST2, AU, AAX | Windows, macOS | €18.84 (regular €28.76) |
| Laser 2 | Sweetsonics | Envelope Shaper | VST3, AU, AAX | Windows, macOS | €78.34 |
| ShapeMod | Plugin Boutique | Envelope Shaper | VST3, VST2, AU, AAX, Standalone | Windows, macOS | €3.96 (regular €48.59) |
| Dodge Pro | W. A. Production | Envelope Shaper | VST2, AU, AAX | Windows, macOS | €31.74 |
Price and availability
Duck 2 was listed on Plugin Boutique in October 2026 at €34.70. A free trial is offered. Prices change often, so the store page shows the current one.
Duck 2 FAQ
Where can I download Duck 2 crack for free?
Duck 2 is a commercial plugin with a trial; crack and keygen listings for it circulate on torrent and file hosts, and the Windows and macOS builds are packed as .rar and .iso files.
Is there a working serial key or keygen for Duck 2?
Serial key and keygen searches for Duck 2 are common, but the card does not confirm any working serial or keygen, and the plugin's activation is handled by the developer's purchase path.
Does Duck 2 run on Apple Silicon Macs?
Yes. Native support for Apple Silicon is listed, and the minimum OS on macOS is 10.13.