Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Drums Week 25
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Guitar Amps
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Artist news
  • Drums
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • Santana on Beck
  • Friday, I'm in Love
  • Knopfler's 4-note secret
  • 95k+ free music samples
Recommended reading
Pluginweek logo
Plugins Plugin Week 2025: Exhibitor A-Z
Plugins Future owns
Plugins Our resident platinum award-winning mixer and producer shares 10 of his go-to plugins
plugins
Tech The ultimate soft synth showdown: Serum 2, Pigments 6, Phase Plant, Vital and Massive X: But which is best?
plugins
Tech "It's a stupendously powerful tool": 10 of the best sampler plugins in 2025
Sonic Charge Synplant 2
Software & Apps "This really is the ultimate sound design tool": 6 of the most creative plugin synths for sound design
Future Sound Awards
Music Industry “The award for best AI song goes to…”: The Future Sound Awards are new music awards for AI music
synths
Tech 5 innovative synth plugins daring to do things differently
  1. Tech
  2. Software & Apps
  3. Digital Audio Workstation

MIA Awards 2015: Computer Music Software of the Year award

News
By The MusicRadar Team ( Computer Music ) published 5 October 2015

Your shortlist of the year's best DAWs, synths and effects

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

FabFilter Pro-Q 2

FabFilter Pro-Q 2

On 12 November, members of the UK's Music Industries Association and other assorted luminaries will convene at the Hilton London Metropole hotel for the annual MIA Awards ceremony, at which the very finest new gear releases of the past year will be celebrated.

Quite rightly, music software is being recognised in its own category, which is sponsored by our sister magazine Computer Music. For the past month, we've been asking you to vote for a winner, and now, based on your votes, we can present the final shortlist.

Browse through the gallery for an alphabetically ordered rundown of the products that have made the top 10. We'll reveal the winner on Friday 13 November.

First up, an awesome EQ plugin from FabFilter...

Our verdict

“Possibly the best EQ plugin on the market. Even without Spectrum Grab, Pro-Q 2 is amazing, but with it, it's unstoppable.

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: FabFilter Pro-Q 2

(Reviewed in Computer Music)

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
Image-Line FL Studio 12

Image-Line FL Studio 12

Our verdict

“Feature-packed and gorgeous, FL Studio 12 sees a leap forward in the design and usability of this hugely popular PC DAW.”

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Image-Line FL Studio 12

(Reviewed in Computer Music)

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
iZotope Ozone 6

iZotope Ozone 6

Our verdict

“Yup, Ozone's still the greatest software mastering system money can buy. The Advanced version rules, and the standard version is an absolute bargain.”

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: iZotope Ozone 6

(Reviewed in Computer Music)

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
Plogue Chipspeech

Plogue Chipspeech

Our verdict

“Clearly a labour of love, chipspeech is a powerful and polished product that's practically impossible to fault.”

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Plogue Chipspeech

(Reviewed in Computer Music)

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
PreSonus Studio One 3

PreSonus Studio One 3

Our verdict

“V3 of this impressively mature DAW proves well worth the wait, with a raft of clever new features and plenty of usable soundware.”

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: PreSonus Studio One 3

(Reviewed in Computer Music)

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
Renoise Redux

Renoise Redux

Our verdict

“In bringing the essence of Renoise to your DAW, Redux opens up a new world of audio software - its tracker workflow is something you'll either love or hate, though.”

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Renoise Redux

(Reviewed in Computer Music)

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack

Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack

Our verdict

“With superlative signal processing in an intuitive interface, VMR is one of the finest classic hardware emulation setups to date.”

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack

(Reviewed in Computer Music)

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2

Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2

Our verdict

“Omnisphere 2 is an absolute triumph of virtual instrument design, perfect for those looking to create exciting new sounds.

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2

(Reviewed in Computer Music)

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
Steinberg Cubase Pro 8

Steinberg Cubase Pro 8

Our verdict

“Cubase Pro 8's innovative new features and smoother performance represent a further step forward for this superb DAW.”

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Steinberg Cubase Pro 8

(Reviewed in Computer Music)

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
Xfer Records Serum

Xfer Records Serum

Our verdict

“Serum needs to be immediately put at the very top of any synthesist's shopping list. It's insanely powerful and sounds phenomenal.”

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Xfer Records Serum

(Reviewed in Computer Music)

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
The MusicRadar Team
The MusicRadar Team
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the internet's most popular website for music-makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, DJs or producers.

GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high-quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts.

TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars.

STARS: We talk to artists and musicians about their creative processes, digging deep into the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music-making that no other music website can.

Get over 70 FREE plugin instruments and effects… image
Get over 70 FREE plugin instruments and effects…
…with the latest issue of Computer Music magazine
More Info
Read more
Pluginweek logo
Plugin Week 2025: Exhibitor A-Z
Plugins Future owns
Our resident platinum award-winning mixer and producer shares 10 of his go-to plugins
plugins
The ultimate soft synth showdown: Serum 2, Pigments 6, Phase Plant, Vital and Massive X: But which is best?
plugins
"It's a stupendously powerful tool": 10 of the best sampler plugins in 2025
Sonic Charge Synplant 2
"This really is the ultimate sound design tool": 6 of the most creative plugin synths for sound design
Future Sound Awards
“The award for best AI song goes to…”: The Future Sound Awards are new music awards for AI music
Latest in Digital Audio Workstation
Auto Filter Tutorial
6 ways to bring your tracks to life with Ableton Live’s revamped Auto Filter
ua luna daw
Universal Audio's Luna DAW updated with AI tools, including voice control and instrument detection
fl studio
FL Studio 2025 introduces AI assistant that offers music production advice
ableton
8 things you can do with Ableton Live's updated Auto Filter device
linux
14 of the best plugins and DAWs you can use on Linux
mixing desk
“Learning how to mix is almost as important as hitting on your original musical idea”: New to the mixing process? Start here
Latest in News
Josh Homme
What’s on Josh Homme’s to-do list when Queens Of The Stone Age play Sheffield next week?
Pino Palladino and Miley Cyrus
How Pino Palladino turned the demo bassline in Miley Cyrus’s End of the World into something "so much better"
Paul Mccartney Smoking A Cigarette At London In England On June 19Th 1967
“We decided that our audiences would come along with us”: Paul McCartney on how the avant garde influenced the Beatles
Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who perform at Parco Della Musica on July 22, 2025 in Milan, Italy
The Who are forced to postpone Philly date on final US tour due to “illness”
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score a massive $1,000 off Roland V-Drums, up to $320 off a range of Fender guitars, and so much more
Dave Navarro (L) and Perry Farrell (R) of Jane's Addiction perform at Trinity College Park on June 28, 2024 in Dublin, Ireland
“Back At It”: Are the rump Jane’s Addiction recording an album without Perry Farrell?

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...