Overview

PD Cleaner is a free Windows tool for restoring historical recordings, especially early 78s and public-domain material. It best suits collectors and archivists who want adjustable cleanup either in a DAW or as a standalone app. Its era-specific voicings and audio analysis make it a focused option; Windows-only support and standalone-only batch processing narrow its fit.

Key features

Drop in a recording and PD Cleaner analyzes its era, noise, and clicks, then offers a Clean dial to adjust the result. That gives users an automatic starting point while preserving control over how much cleanup to apply. Voicings for cylinders, acoustic 78s, and early electric recordings are tailored to historical media, while an uncoloured transfer option serves users who want to avoid those voicings.

A live before-and-after spectrum analyzer can show a curve, waterfall, or both. Users can also solo the clicks, crackle, or other noise being removed. These tools let restoration work be judged by both its visible effect and the sound being filtered, which is useful when preserving source character matters as much as reducing noise.

PD Cleaner handles WAV, FLAC, AIFF, Ogg, MP3, and Opus; a free optional add-on enables AAC and more. It supports 24-bit archival exports and says it never overwrites the original file. The app runs offline and uses the same instrument as a VST3 insert or standalone application. Batch processing applies one preset to a folder, but only in the standalone app, so DAW users needing folder-wide jobs will need a different workflow.

Pricing

Free — 0.00 USD per free. The plan is free and open source for Windows 64-bit, with no account and no trial. There are no paid tiers to weigh against it. The trade-off is platform reach: teams using macOS or Linux cannot adopt this Windows release.

Platforms

PD Cleaner runs on Windows and is available as a VST3 insert for a DAW or as a standalone app. Its standalone form adds folder batch processing with one preset; the plugin suits users who want the restoration instrument inside a DAW. The maker says it runs offline. The Windows build is unsigned and may trigger an “unknown publisher” warning on first run, a practical deployment consideration for cautious users and managed machines. The release is open source under AGPLv3, with source on GitHub, and the maker directs questions, bugs, and ideas to its Discord community.

Who it's for

PD Cleaner is a strong fit for collectors of historical recordings and archivists restoring old 78s who want era-aware cleanup without paying for a license. It is less suitable for teams that need a cross-platform tool or want to batch-process folders from within a DAW.

Pros and cons

Pros: Era-specific voicings and an adjustable Clean dial give restoration work a tailored starting point without forcing a fixed result.
Pros: A before-and-after analyzer and soloable removed noise help users assess what cleanup is doing.
Pros: Free use, offline operation, open-source licensing, and 24-bit exports suit independent archival work.
Cons: Windows-only support excludes teams on other desktop platforms.
Cons: Folder batch processing is limited to the standalone app and applies one preset.
Cons: The unsigned build may prompt a publisher warning at launch.

Alternatives

For a browser-based option, @audio/denoise is free, requires no account, and processes without uploading files. VinylRest is another free option for readers considering Linux, macOS, or web access. Cathar is a free alternative for Linux and macOS users.

Teams seeking a paid, configurable system can consider CEDAR Cambridge, a modular hardware and software offering with custom pricing. Neiro is a free alternative spanning Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web, and Windows platforms. For paid processing, Accentize DeRoom offers reverb removal and room resonance suppression, with a 49.00 EUR per once DeRoom License or a 249.00 EUR per once DeRoom Pro License.

SpectraLayers Pro is a paid alternative for spectral audio editing, audio repair, and AI-assisted processing. Wave Arts Master Restoration Suite 6 costs 99.00 USD per once and bundles five restoration plug-ins, but requires a host that supports audio plug-ins.

For broader discovery, browse Audio Restoration Software or AI Audio Restoration Software.

Verdict

Choose PD Cleaner if you restore historical recordings on Windows and want free, adjustable cleanup with era-specific voicings, audio analysis, and archival export support. Look elsewhere if you need macOS or Linux support, or if batch processing must run inside your DAW.

	PD Cleaner	PureRestore
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	Free	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	Windows	macOS, Windows
Free plan	Yes	No
Batch processing	Yes	Yes
Platform	—	web_desktop
Spectral repair	—	Yes

PD Cleaner vs PureRestore

PD Cleaner

PureRestore