Best
Synth VST Plugin
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Overall: Omnisphere is the best virtual instrument ever made
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Best Feature: Has Over 14.000 Sounds
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TedScore™: 10/10
Best
Reverb VST Plugin
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Overall: Blackhole is simpler than the Space and H9 processors
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Best Feature: Comes With Best-In-Class Reverb Effects
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TedScore™: 9/10
Best
Compressor VST Plugin
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Overall: easy-to-use controls on top of a helpful background
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Best Feature: Has 8 Compression Styles
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TedScore™: 9/10
VST stands for Virtual Studio Technology. The introduction of VST plugins has changed the game for music producers. You can play any instrument virtually just by using a plugin.
There are many VST plugins available today. It can be quite overwhelming to choose the best other plugins to use. In this article, we have selected the best VST plugins for you.
With no further ado, let’s get started!
Types of audio plug-in
Synth VST plug-ins
Synth VSTs are nothing but virtual instruments. They create sounds that are not natural (synth-like).
Reverb plug-ins
If you want to give a space and depth to your mix, a reverb plug-in is what you need. You can choose to place your mix in a ‘studio’ space, in a cathedral, church, arena – in fact, the list is endless.
Compressor plug-ins
If you want to decrease the dynamic range of your mix, a compressor plug-in is what you need. If your music has quiet parts, this plug-in will make them loud, and vice-versa. This, in turn, adds a volume ‘normality’ to the music.
EQ plug-ins
EQ mode plug-ins are nothing but equalizers. If you want to change various sound frequencies, you need an EQ mode plug-in. They have a great role in the music industry and bring the best out of every mix.
Plug-ins on a budget
If you’re looking for so many other plugins and have a low budget, you can’t really go wrong with these three. We have cherry picked them as we feel they are special:
The ultimate tool for live performances
DESIGNED FOR: FabFilter Micro is an extremely popular lightweight and sleek plug-in designed to give you the classic FabFilter sound in an intuitive and easy to use interface.
COMES WITH: Envelope follower modulating the cut-off frequency
FEATURES: Great features like the revered analog-style filter from the award-winning FabFilter One
FabFilter Micro
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Perfect tool for performing live when using the MIDI Learn function
- Sample-accurate automation
- Undo/Redo function for instant recall of previous settings
- None
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Compatible with original 106 SysEx commands
DESIGNED FOR: Giving you a great sounding emulation of a true classic, whilst also offering you a much easier-to-navigate user interface.
COMES WITH: Over 330 patches, includes original 106 sounds
FEATURES: 330+ custom presets, plus original 106 presets
Cherry Audio DCO 106
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Single key chord mode
- Amazing reverb algorithm with multiple modes
- Full MIDI control
- None
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
perfect for a subtle touch-up on any track
DESIGNED FOR: Klevgrand Luxe is a straightforward and effective enhancer plugin for mixing
FEATURES: offers two different algorithms to choose from.
Klevgrand Luxe
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Simple enhancer makes any source pop
- Compatible with Mac, Windows, and iPads
- Luxe or Finesse algorithms let you choose your flavour of enhancement
- None
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
How many plug-ins do you need?
If you are a beginner and have just started to mix music, you just need to get your hands on an EQ mode, Compressor, and Reverb plug-in. And if you’re wanting to create synth sounds, grab a synth plugin too. Those are great starting points.
Our list of the best VST plugins on the market
Best virtual analog synth
DESIGNED FOR: Someone looking for analog emulation
FEATURES: Has 5 different oscillators
PRICE LEVEL: £/$136.99
U-he Diva
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Has over 1,200 mouth-watering presets
- Best UI for analog users
- Supports 4k
- Has won many awards
- Quite CPU-intensive
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
This synthesizer is one of the best VST instruments and secrets of music producers. The sound on Diva is the best we’ve heard from a soft synth that imitates analog sound. This is one of the best synth VST plug-ins out there.
The analog sound is so real and close to the real thing that it’s hard to recognize it. One thing that sets Diva apart from everything else on the market is that its filters and envelopes sound better.
- Has 5 filter modules
- Has 3 ADSR envelopes
- Has many effects and modulation options
Best digital synthesizer
DESIGNED FOR: Music producers who want to recreate the lush and magical sound
FEATURES: Has an integrated sequencer
PRICE LEVEL: £/$123.00
u-he Repro
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Its emulation is amazing
- The effects are fabulous
- It has 2 extra slots for modulation
- Few parameters are shown in percentage
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
This excellent, highly-detailed plugin reeks of vintage quality and flavor. The sound quality of the Repro plugin is immediately stunning and very similar to the originals.
In terms of appearance, reproduction produces a powerful impression. The Repro’s sound engine has a lovely oak finish. The “tweaks” part of both so many other plugins, which reveals the hardware’s inner circuit board, has a highly distinctive and intriguing design.
Repro by u-he is an absolute winner. It is one of the rare other plugin emulations that nearly resembles the analog charm and full, authentic sound of its vintage predecessor.
- Huge range of sound
- Amazing studio effects
Best wavetable synthesizer
DESIGNED FOR: Complex sound design
FEATURES: Has over 14.000 sounds
PRICE LEVEL: £/$399.00
Spectrasonics Omnisphere
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Can load own tracks samples
- Super oscillator shapes
- Great redesigner browser
- Loud presets
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Omnisphere is the best virtual instrument ever made, and it’s perfect for people who want to make interesting new sounds. The best thing about Omnisphere is its bigger collection of oscillator wavetables.
Omnisphere is a great sequel that takes the synth to a new level. If you want to get the best free version of sound design, you have to have this instrument.
- Has 15 FX units per patch
- Matric modulation of every FX slot
Best delay plugin
DESIGNED FOR: Mixing pop vocals
FEATURES: Has the best-redesigned interface
PRICE LEVEL: £/$108.00
FabFilter Timeless 3
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Excellent UI
- Has multiple delay taps
- Comes with fifth-effect
- Has brand new filter types
- CPU intensive
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
This is one of the best synth VST plugins out there. The way it works is great, the interface is simple and beautiful, and the new controls for effects add warmth, saturation, and more.
The customization options, like the LFO, envelopes, MIDI, filters, additional taps, ping-pong, and numerous presets, make this a surprise.
Timeless 3 has two delay lines, a feedback loop with various filters, a delay mechanism (tape-like or constant-pitch), and a modulatable freeze option.
Overall, Timeless 3 is an amazing delay plugin all the way through, and we recommend it as our favorite for delay modes.
- Has a very interactive interface
- Graphic acceleration is GPU powered
- Has a 6 dB filter slope option
Best drum VST plugin
DESIGNED FOR: Producing some amazing drum tracks
FEATURES: Has very powerful drum kits
PRICE LEVEL: £/$439.00
XLN Addictive Drums 2
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Very powerful and easy to use
- Also has a tone designer
- Includes brand new Fairfax kit
- It's expensive
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Addictive Drums 2 is one of the best drum VST plugins out there and is a must-have drum plugin. The most recent free version of the software has various new great features and enhancements that make it more effective and user-friendly.
The Drag and Drop MIDI function is one of Addictive Drums 2’s most noticeable great features. It also comes with various sound libraries of superior quality.
This software is so simple that even novices can create fantastic drum tracks. The user interface is quite basic and intuitive. This software does not require technical expertise to operate.
- Has great studio-grade effects
- You can create your custom kits
Most influential analog synth
DESIGNED FOR: Catch designs and sketching ideas
FEATURES: Comes with 3 interface modes
PRICE LEVEL: £/$125.00
D16 Group LuSH-101
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Has 32 polyphony voices
- Has a fantastic keyboard zone
- Its 2 envelopes have re-triggering modes
- You cannot browse for your favourites
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
The hardware upon which LuSH-101 is built is one of the simplest and most basic synthesizers ever created, but it sounds incredible. It has the most user-friendly presets we’ve ever seen in a synth.
The Lush-101 excels at producing larger-than-life sounds. While it is not as adaptable as other software synthesizers, it sounds excellent, and at least one example would likely fit into practically any song. Please take a moment to appreciate its amazing sounds!
- Moves swiftly from 0.1 Hz to 40 Hz
- It’s 8 layers multitimbral synth
- It comes with almost 8 voice unison with Tune, Cutoff and Panorama spread
Best distortion VST plugin
DESIGNED FOR: Modulated saturation fx
FEATURES: Has the best curve control
PRICE LEVEL: £/$108.00
FabFilter Saturn 2
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Improved UI
- Has amazing and classic sound in both subtle and obvious roles
- Very flexible to use
- Little complex
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Saturn 2 can make everything from low-key saturation that sounds like a tube to crushing distortion. This second version has a new user interface and a long list of important changes that are all explained in the user manual, which is easy to find on FabFilter’s website.
Saturn is a powerhouse. It is one of the complete tools for saturation because it is made that way. Saturn 2 comes with 77 presets that use the plugin’s 25 different saturation models to make a wide range of sounds, from subtle warmth to total sound destruction.
- Has improved oversampling modes
- MIDI Learn is interactive
- A 50-slot modulation matrix
Best mastering plugin
DESIGNED FOR: Someone wanting to clear low-end sound
FEATURES: Has a unique mastering AI-based assistant
PRICE LEVEL: £/$249.00
iZotope Ozone 10 Standard
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- The visual interface has been redesigned
- Variety of modules
- The onboard assistant is amazing
- Vintage modules are a big plus
- The advanced version is pricey
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Izotope’s Ozone 10 is a huge improvement over the versions that came before it. It is one of the best mastering plugins out there. It comes with two new modules: impact and stabilizer. Impact controls the micro-dynamics of your own track to improve its rhythm and feel.
Ozone 10 from Izotope is very easy to use. The interface is well-made and simple to use. The modules are set up in a way that makes them easy to use. Izotope Ozone 10 has great sound quality. The imaging great features make your own tracks sound crisp and give them more depth.
- Has 12 mastering modules
- Comes with modern and vintage modules
Best EQ plugin
DESIGNED FOR: Attenuating aspects of the low-frequency range
FEATURES: Has the best dynamic control
PRICE LEVEL: £/$130.75
Fabfilter Pro Q3
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Has external spectrum visualisation
- Its filter types are new
- Also has brickwall modes
- Improvement required in dynamic EQ mode implementation
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Pro-Q has always been the most important product offered by FabFilter. Dynamic control is Pro-Q 3’s most significant new feature. Any band can add dynamics, allowing them to alter their sound even further.
In addition, there are new filter kinds. The Tilt filter permits the creation of linear slopes between two frequency extremes. With the “full” volume reduction option for the high-pass and low-pass filters, the Brickwall filter offers more extreme filtering than ever before.
The per-band mid/side or left/right processing is an additional innovative element. You will immediately discover that the tone of each band’s mid, side, left, and right signals can be altered independently.
- Can easily superimpose frequency spectrum over input spectrum
- Comes with surround sound support
- Creates dynamically responding frequency nodes
Best transformative power
DESIGNED FOR: Someone who wants to simulate spaces out of this world
FEATURES: Comes with best-in-class reverb effects
PRICE LEVEL: £/$178.00
Eventide Blackhole
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Has easy-to-use interface
- Great design
- A very streamlined feature set
- Has a dedicated function switch
- Slightly expensive
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
The Blackhole employs an algorithm that has existed for a minimum of ten years. We were surprised by the variety of emotions contained in one box. The machine is well-made, with sturdy metal housing and pots that move smoothly and allow precise control.
In terms of operation, the Blackhole is simpler than the Space and H9 processors, which also have Blackhole-mode sounds. Blackhole is not significantly more difficult than other games due to its well-designed controls.
- Has modulation parameters
- Small size panel with all the features
Best easy-to-use reverb plugin
DESIGNED FOR: Someone looking to create a very accurate space
FEATURES: Comes with a unique decay rare dynamic EQ mode
PRICE LEVEL: £/$149.00
FabFilter Pro R
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Has great unified space controls
- Awesome decay rate dynamic EQ mode
- Comes with 150 presets
- Control knobs are easy to use
- Does not have the same recreations of vintage plates
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
This company simplifies intricate controls and one-of-a-kind features like into a brand-specific, user-friendly interface. It is one of the best other plugins in the market. As with the rest of the FabFilter plugins, Pro-R is an ergonomic delight.
FabFilter Pro R’s interface is vintage, with fingernailed knobs and a colourful edge-to-edge dynamic EQ mode occupying most of the space. The UI will be familiar to any FabFilter user.
Each control employs a combination of numbers and descriptions instead of relying solely on a numerical system. Because there is so little latency, all changes are instantaneous, without pops, clicks, or significant CPU drains.
- A non-technical label intuitive interface
- Comes with 6-band post-EQ
- Has manual pre-delay control
Best digital reverberation
DESIGNED FOR: Percussions and vocals
FEATURES: Comes with 220 amazing presets
PRICE LEVEL: £/$169.00
Lexicon PCM Native Reverb Bundle
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- It has great sound quality
- It is versatile
- Has various awesome reverb presets
- Comes with no surround support
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Lexicon reverb is a very important part of how modern recorded electronic music sounds. The algorithms and presets of the Lexicon PCM96 hardware reverb are used in PCM Bundle. Its best plug-ins are easy to use, and the controls are simple and well thought out.
It’s important to note that it doesn’t have all of the effects that the PCM96 does, but reverbs are pretty clear. The PCM Bundle comes in VST, AU, and RTAS formats, and it is protected by an iLok dongle that is easy to install.
- Has 4 classic reverb plugin
- Has full parameter control
- Has multi-platform compatibility
Best dynamic range
DESIGNED FOR: Someone looking for a noise gate
FEATURES: Comes with three pre-threshold attenuation settings
PRICE LEVEL: £/$109.99
Eventide Omnipressor Compressor Plugin
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Give sharp compression
- Very flexible limiting controls
- Gain metering is amazing
- Has bass music cut option
- Has bass music cut option
- All the processes are mutually exclusive
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
The Omnipressor will not let you down if you need an easy compressor to pump and breathe with. Most software compressors and limiters are either transparent or have their unique sound.
The Omnipressor is almost certainly the second one and is the best. It has many creative options when used with solo or mixed drum tracks. With Dynamic Reversal, music producers can use a steering wheel to change the sound’s level and length.
The Function control is the first thing you’ll notice when you open an Omnipressor for the first time. It works as a control that moves from gating (fully counterclockwise) to expansion and then to unity at 12 o’clock.
Omnipressor may not be the first choice for clear processing, but it has great effects. It’s great that this classic design is now available as a native plug-in.
- You can add vibe, punch, and character
- Has expanded continuous range
- Many presets
Best user interface
DESIGNED FOR: Compressing and amplifying different parts of your music
FEATURES: Has 8 compression styles
PRICE LEVEL: £/$134.00
Fabfilter Pro C2
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Hold up to 500 ms
- Comes with a custom knee
- Has a very amazing auto-gain
- Has the latest compression styles
- Not a good sonic character
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
The new version of their Pro-C is called FabFilter Pro-C 2. The crazy-flexible side-chain section is the only new thing about this plug-in that made us choose it.
The addition of four more compression styles is also a great addition. With Pro-C 2, FabFilter added Vocal, Mastering, Bus, Punch, and Pumping programs to the original Clean, Classic, and Opto styles.
The completely redesigned GUI has big, easy-to-use controls on top of a helpful background that shows the frequency spectrum and an animated level/knee display. On the far right side, big LED metres make it easy to see what’s going on with your levels and give you a lot of information.
- Has customizable HP/LP filters
- Very amazing side chain EQ
- Has a very smooth lookahead
Best parallel compressor
DESIGNED FOR: Someone looking for a reactive plugin
FEATURES: Has amazing variable mix control
PRICE LEVEL: £/$449.00
Lindell Audio 7X500VIN 500 Series Compressor
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Amazing mix control
- Easily blocks out lows
- Reclaims the dynamic control
- Quite expensive
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
The 7X-500VIN “Vintage Edition” compressor incorporates the sound of one of the most widely used compressors of all time into a compact and surprisingly affordable API 500 Series rack module. This FET compressor/limiter from the late 1960s may be modest, but it possesses all the desirable qualities.
Its mix function always returns you to the golden state. The 7X-500VIN contains a high-pass side-chain filter for focusing its response and a mix knob for customizing the combination of its dry and wet audio signal. The 7X-500VIN is a cost-effective compressor.
- Comes with 3 selectable compressor ratio
- Technology is FET-based
Cheapest reverb plugin
DESIGNED FOR: Someone looking for subtle and emphasised reverb sound
FEATURES: Has wet audio signal modulation
PRICE LEVEL: £/$55.99
Klevgrand Kleverb - Algorithmic Reverb
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Come with 64 factory presets
- Has separate rate and depth parameters
- Has built-in ducker for extra clarity
- Sometimes sound metallic
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Klevgrand has made a new algorithmic reverb-designed plugin that is both easy to use and powerful. It also works with iOS and PC platforms, which is a bonus.
It has three different room sizes: small, medium, and large. It also has a filter that can be changed to show early or late reflections. In theory, the plugin can do modulation, damping, diffusion, and much more, making any kind of room sound like a real one.
Compression is sometimes used in the studio to get rid of reverb in heavily processed sources so that they sound clearer. Engineers like how Kleverb has built a ducker right into the plug-in.
- Type-selectable filters for both early and late reflections
- 0 to 25 seconds decay time
- Has a damping filter
Most versatile soft synth
DESIGNED FOR: Someone into electronic music production
FEATURES: Comes with a unison sound engine
PRICE LEVEL: £/$79.00
Reveal Sound Spire
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Has 800+ factory presets
- The filters are self resonating
- LFOs are amazingly outfitted
- Touchy menus
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Without a doubt, this is one of the best VSTs that has ever been made. The reverb is better than what comes with many DAWs, just like the other FX. It has a good range of filters, and the oscillators can make FM, AM, voice tones, and other waveforms, which can be combined in any way.
The sound of each oscillator is set by two drop-down menus: one for choosing the Synthesis Mode and the other for choosing the sample-based waveform to blend with it. Some menus are hard to open and need multiple clicks in specific places. Also, the envelope displays, as they are now, are a waste of space.
- It has a polyphonic soft synths plugin
- Has 2 multimode filters
- Modulation functions are very flexible
Best cross-fusion synthesis plugin
DESIGNED FOR: Urban music creation
FEATURES: It has 6 independent oscillators
PRICE LEVEL: £199.00
Rob Papen Blue 3.0
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- X/Y pad is amazing
- FM is too good
- Comes with wave sequencing
- Sample selection is very easy
- Misses sample import
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Rob Papen Blue III is amazingly built. It contains 6 oscillators that let you experiment with waveforms and sample handling in several ways to create unique patches. It includes a redesigned interface that makes it simpler to interact with sound design and eliminates menu diving and clutter.
Its on-screen waveform visualizer provides real-time feedback while synth patches are created. It also has rhythmic tools, such as an integrated sequencer and arpeggiator, which provide depth.
Rob Papen and other music experts have compiled over 5,000 presets for Blue III to create an intriguing sonic sandbox. It contains 2 multimode filters that may be configured to operate in parallel or in series, with each filter going to a different location.
- Has two independent routing filters
- Comes with 32 step arpeggiator
Best for perfect EQ curves
DESIGNED FOR: Someone who is a music producer
FEATURES: Has 31 band graphic input
PRICE LEVEL: £/$99.00
Kilohearts Carve EQ
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Allow you to find frequencies via movable peak
- Let you draw detailed and accurate EQ curves
- Can recreate the mastering curves of your music album
- You can only use a WAV file
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
The dynamic graphical interface of Carve EQ makes it easy to make the perfect equalisation curve. Use the Sculpting tool to trim or expand peaking bands with a width that you can change. Use the Pencil tool to draw freehand and the Point Select tool to change curve breakpoints.
Carve EQ also has a responsive spectral analyzer that shows the exact effect of frequency changes on the signal and lets you use genre-specific onboard profiles, imported WAVs, or a live side-chain input as a monitoring reference.
- Comes with a EQ match function
- Also has a Sculp tool
Most comprehensive distortion plugin
DESIGNED FOR: Someone who wants to create powerful mixes
FEATURES: Has 100 impulse responses
PRICE LEVEL: £/$78.00
iZotope Trash 2
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Has a customizable waveshaper
- Can combine dual and multiband distortion
- Very versatile plugin
- Distortion may sound digital sometimes
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Trash 2 gives you unprecedented control over distortion and features 6 processing steps. It includes 2 filter modules that provide 6 bands and over 20 filter options, ranging from clean and warm to saturated, screaming, and vowel varieties.
This plugin can alter the sound in subtle or significant ways. You have complete control over the waveshaper-style distortion envelopes, and each one may be applied independently to up to four distinct frequency regions. This allows you to be quite inventive.
- Has many distorted sounds
- Comes with 300 presets
Best modular synthesizer
DESIGNED FOR: Creating your unique sounds
FEATURES: Comes with 16 voice modular architecture
PRICE LEVEL: £/$106.00
u-he Bazille
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Has very powerful oscillators
- It is full of features
- The price is very reasonable
- Architecture is brilliant
- Less presets in the mapping generator
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
The reason Bazille is so famous is primarily due to its smooth construction. Like its spiritual progenitor, ACE, it cannot distinguish between modulation and incoming audio signals, and any output can be connected to any input.
The four oscillators in Bazille are extremely versatile. The default waveform of each Mapping Generator is cosine. However, it can be changed to one of the two editable Mapping Generators
These modes are important not only for general pitching but also when the oscillators are employed as FM modulators. It is a viable substitute for a semi-modular hardware system.
- It can run on Linux
- Waveshaping abilities are amazing
Best DCO-based synthesizer
DESIGNED FOR: Juno synth lovers
FEATURES: Has the best DCO sounds
PRICE LEVEL: £/$60.60
TAL U-No-LX
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Offers great sound filtering
- Simple to use
- Has many sync options
- Lacks in advanced synthesis
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
The best thing we can say about U-NO-LX is that all the praise usually given to the Juno 60’s sound also applies here. The TAL simulation sounds the most like the real thing we’ve heard.
Its fans will definitely notice small differences, but the sound is so close to the original that most people wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.
U-NO has a large sweet spot, just like the original Juno. Because it is easy to use, it is a good choice for people who are just starting out. This setup is almost perfect for someone who wants to learn how to program a subtractive synthesizer.
- Gives you zero playback delay
- Has a 24 dB low pass filter
Best auto-tune plugin
DESIGNED FOR: Someone who wants real-time tracking and live performance
FEATURES: Has very low latency
PRICE LEVEL: £/$311.00
Antares Auto-Tune
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Has real-time auto-tune graph
- Has live input low-latency monitoring
- Comes with various auto-tune settings
- Has auto and grid mode
- Only monophonic
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Since the beginning, Antares Auto-Tune has been the best software for tuning. It was the first plug-in of its kind when it came out in 1997, and many pros still use it today.
Antares has many versions and bundles that grant you access to more tools you can add to your arsenal of vocal production tools. It gives you much control and flexibility, making it a great tool for making small pitch corrections or getting that classic vocal track.
Best versatile delay plugin
DESIGNED FOR: Musicians and artists
FEATURES: Has 30 echo styles
PRICE LEVEL: £/$175.50
Soundtoys EchoBoy 5.2
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Amazing rhythm echo mode
- It can create very rich echo delays
- Many sounding audio effects
- Some audio effects sound cheap
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Soundtoys 5 is a great collection of VST plugins that make making music creative and fun. Every plugin works well and sounds great. Its AlterBoy works really well on vocal buses and is all over pop music right now.
They make the process of making music a lot of fun for a music producer. With the turn of a knob, you can do things you might not have thought of in pre-production. Give the Decapitator and Little AlterBoy a chance, even if you can’t justify the price.
- Comes with control saturation, tape flutter, and diffusion
- Lets you adjust shuffle, swing, and accent
Best cheap delay plugin
DESIGNED FOR: Someone who wants to convert dull sound or vocals
FEATURES: Has 61 presets
PRICE LEVEL: £/$44.10
Baby Audio Comeback Kid
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- It has no hidden menus
- It sounds great
- Prest's range is amazing
- The sound is good and varied
- Improvement required in flavour options
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Comeback Kid is a one-stop shop for delay and tools that work with delay. This saves you the trouble of setting up a chain of effects behind the repeats. Comeback Kid is ready to take one of your top spots for delays. It has all the old tricks and a few new ones.
The controls are carefully placed where you need them. This delay is at the top of the food chain because of how many different sound engines and textures it can make. Comeback Kid differs from the usual delay VST plugins and is great for music production.
- Comes with 14 control parameters
- Amazingly made analog-flavored plugin
Most affordable drum plugin
DESIGNED FOR: Auditioning drum sounds
FEATURES: Has 148 drum kits
PRICE LEVEL: £/$106.00
Steven Slate Drums 5
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Has affordable price
- Has many sound engines
- Amazing MIDI integration
- Very powerful drum tones
- Lacks customization
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Steven Slate Drums 5 has a brand-new user interface, a better algorithm for performance, and more than 50 new native instruments. The Deluxe 2 collection has the most detailed instruments. It has more velocities, alternate hits, and articulations than its predecessors.
SSD 5 is great for rock and metal music and has many great kits for other types of music. This is a must-have for producers of rock and metal who use sampled drums a lot.
Best AI plugin
DESIGNED FOR: Someone in love with AI plugins
FEATURES: Has intelligent cross-channel processing
PRICE LEVEL: £/$69.99
Sonible Smart: EQ 3
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Has a smart filter
- Helps in spectral mixing
- Has great EQ settings
- Has a problem with iLok
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Smart EQ 3 is an intelligent equalizer plugin that is powered by AI. It can analyse your universal audio and make decisions about how to fix it for you. It can help calm down annoying resonances and improve the balance of your own tracks as a whole.
It doesn’t influence an EQ curve on your music as other AI EQs do. Instead, it adapts to the profile of the genre you choose. It can be used for Rock, Pop, and even Classical music. Smart EQ can do anything, which makes it one of the best VST plugins out there.
- It is a 24-band EQ
- Comes with an AI assistant
- Has intelligent cross-channel processing
- Gives tonal clarity
Best for old-school music
DESIGNED FOR: Best for someone into vintage music
FEATURES: Amazing reverb controls
PRICE LEVEL: £/$85.60
XLN Audio RC-20 Retro Color
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- You can make anything sound old
- Has amazing processors
- Has best plugins
- A superfluous space module
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
This is one of the best VST plugins out there. The RC-20 is, without a doubt, the best way to listen to old and retro music. Producers and sound engines designer will love how quickly and easily it can be changed.
There are 6 effect modules for the RC-20. These modules do what you’d expect them to do, and each one gives you several style options and variable control over a few key parameters.
- Comes with a focus filter
- Has standard reverb controls
Most innovative EQ plug-in
DESIGNED FOR: Beginners looking to create music
FEATURES: Plano keyboard along each term
PRICE LEVEL: £/$131.85
Sonnox Toolbox Claro
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Great auto-gain feature
- Amazing style EQ
- User-friendly and powerful dynamic EQ mode
- Has very accurate EQ processing
- You may overuse the tools
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Claro achieves all of its objectives. It is a complete equalizer, and each of the three views provides something useful. High and low bands can be switched between peak and shelving modes. It has a place in every list of the best VST plugins.
Claro possesses a second EQ curve for the mid-side domain. When the plug-in is applied to a stereo recording, this curve is accessible. Claro’s processing is incredibly clean and precise, which is generally a good thing but may turn off those who prefer EQs with more colour and personality.
Best effect plugins
DESIGNED FOR: Performing deep modulation
FEATURES: Has a BBD-style delay
PRICE LEVEL: £/$99.00
Eventide Tricerachorus
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- It sounds amazing
- Has many effects
- Modulation editing is very easy
- Lacks some button labelling
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
The TriceraChorus accepts mono or stereo input and outputs stereo for a full spatial effect. It can function properly while having only a mono output.
There are so many different sound engines that it’s easy to get lost, but experimenting with the EDM’s 65 factory presets is a great way to learn how the different parameters interact. It also has 5 presets that may be accessed instantly through footswitches.
- Has bucket brigade delay style
- Has 3 modes of operation
Best effect plugins
DESIGNED FOR: Someone looking for a complete virtual instrument collection
FEATURES: Come with over 6,000 presets
PRICE LEVEL: £/$269.99
Cherry Audio Synth Stack 3
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Has 2 original synthesizer
- Has a massive synthesizer platform
- Quite pricey
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Synth Stack 3 comes with 16 virtual instruments from Cherry Audio at a shockingly low price. It is no doubt one of the best VST plugins out there.
It brings back the GX-1’s extra features and adds them to its descendant’s functions. They also brought the synth into the 21st century by adding many new interesting feature that make using the DCO-106 a truly unique experience.
- Has 16 virtual native instruments
- Has 13 vintage synthesizer emulations/li>
Best plug-in for a small budget
Fabfilter Pro-C2 is one of the best plugins you can get for a small budget. It costs only £/$120-140,in return for amazing compression interesting feature and amazing audio quality.
BEST USER INTERFACE
DESIGNED FOR: Compressing And Amplifying Different Parts Of Your Music
FEATURES: Has 8 Compression Styles
PRICE LEVEL: £/$134.00
FABFILTER PRO C2
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Hold up to 500 ms
- Comes with a custom knee
- Has a very amazing auto-gain
- Has the latest compression styles
- Not a good sonic character
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Best plug-in for mixing vocals
Antares Auto-Tune is the best VST plug-in for mixing vocals and vocal processing. Antares has many imposters, some of whom are strong competitors. But as of 2023, Antares is still the best.
Best auto-tune plugin
DESIGNED FOR: Someone who wants real-time tracking and live performance
FEATURESH: Has Very Low Latency
PRICE LEVEL: £/$311.00
ANTARES AUTO-TUNE
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Has real-time auto-tune graph
- Has live input low-latency monitoring
- Comes with various auto-tune settings
- Only monophonic
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Best plug-in for professional mixing
Zotope Ozone 10 Standard is the best plugin for professional mixing and mastering. Master recordings now sound more even and spacious in music production, thanks to the new modules, both in terms of dynamic range and width.
BEST MASTERING PLUGIN
DESIGNED FOR: Someone Wanting To Clear Low-End Sound
FEATURES: Has A Unique Mastering AI-Based Assistant
PRICE LEVEL: £/$249.00
iZotope Ozone 10 Standard
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- The visual interface has been redesigned
- Variety of modules
- The onboard assistant is amazing
- Vintage modules are a big plus
- The advanced version is pricey
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
The benefits of plugin bundles
You can save money
Bundles might look like a huge investment for you in one go. But when you compare the cost of each plugin combined together, it is way more than the price of bundles. So in the long run, bundles can save money for audio engineers in music production.
Get hardware
While buying the bundle, you sometimes have the chance to get the hardware components along with the software components. This usually happens in the case of audio interfaces and keyboard controllers.
Extras to consider
As three little bonus plugins, we also love these – they’re fabulous, not too expensive, and do their job really well:
Best
for mixing and mastering
-
Overall: Great transparent sound combined with maximum loudness
-
Best Feature: External side chain triggering for stem mastering
-
TedScore™: 9/10
Best
for adding punch and volume
-
Overall: Band-split and Direct modes offers customisable response to unique instruments
-
Best Feature: Preserve transients and avoid pumping effects
-
TedScore™: 9/10
Best
for dynamic compression and limiting
-
Overall: Great for loudness control, "brick-walling", bus crunching.
-
Best Feature: Each module offers both fine-tuning more drastic controls
-
TedScore™: 9/10
37 Best VST Plugins
Summary
This is it! These were the 37 best VST plugins in the market for you. Producers, mixing and mastering engineers, and other music industry creatives will utilize most of these VST plugins. But don’t panic. you don’t have to buy them all at once!
Make a shortlist of the ones you need the most, and start from there.
Please do drop us a comment below and let us know which plugins you’ve chosen.
Good luck!
idk man, all these plug-ins sound cool and everything, but for someone just starting out, this article is kinda overwhelming. like, how do u even choose where to start? plus, some of these plug-ins are super expensive, and if you’re not even sure how to use them, it feels like a waste. wish there was more info for absolute beginners on what to pick up first without throwing money away.
i feel you, JeffH. it’s tough at the start. maybe check out some free plug-ins first to get the hang of it?
JeffH, starting simple is key. Focus on learning one plugin at a time. There’s plenty of good free software out there to cut your teeth on.
The segment discussing plug-ins compatible with original 106 SysEx commands caught my eye. It’s rare to see modern VSTs paying homage to classic synth communications protocols. Incorporating this feature not only broadens the interoperability with vintage hardware but also enriches the authenticity of the sound produced for those of us aiming to create period-accurate synthwave tracks. Well done on highlighting this aspect.
Absolutely agree with you. It’s thrilling to see VST developers embracing the roots of electronic music production. Can’t wait to integrate some of these into my setup.
yo is the best virtual analog synth really worth the investment seeing tons of mixed reviews online
Really appreciated the section on plug-ins for folks on a budget. It’s a jungle out there when you’re trying to find quality without breaking the bank. Thanks, Hugh , for putting this together. Found a few I hadn’t heard of and can’t wait to try them out in my next project!