VST/AU plug-in instrument/effect round-up: Week 20
We're going to need a bigger rack
A full-on glut of new plug-ins this week; if you’re looking for a different way of processing your sounds, you’ve definitely come to the right place.
Also make sure you check out these regularly updated features.
The 17 best VST plug-in synths in the world today
The 14 best VST plug-in drum machines in the world today
If you've got a new PC or Mac plug-in, make sure you let us know about it by emailing musicradar.pressreleases@futurenet.com with all the details.
NEXT: PSP Audioware PSP NobleQ
PC, Mac/VST, AU, RTAS $59
PSP Audioware PSP NobleQ
PSP’s latest combines the features of a passive program EQ with a wide range of frequency settings and extended functionality. This includes an adjustable high-pass filter and the ability to switch high peak and shelf filters to Boost or Attenuation operation. That it’s designed to sound warm almost goes without saying. An extended version, PSP NobleQex, is also on offer.
PC/VST, €29.90
Sound Magic Meter Man
Four meter types are included here: there’s a traditional peak meter that has a maximum peak level of 0dB, then further meters that are designed for broadcasting, pop music production and home theatre use, and movie scoring. These last three conform to the K System.
PC, Mac/VST, AU, $75
The Sound Guy Spectral Machine
A frequency-domain plug-in that features several spectral effects. These include spectral freeze, delay spectral bands, 3-band amplitude modulation, harmonize and pitch quantisation. Both general purpose and monophonic effects are included.
PC, Mac/VST, AU, RTAS, $99
SoundHack Pvoc Kit
This four-plug-in bundle serves as an exploration into phase vocoding and granular synthesis algorithms. The included effects are known as +pitchshift, +spiralstretch, +pvocloop (pictured) and +phasemash and deal with pitch shifting, timestretching and more.
Mac/AU, $39
Sinevibes Turbulence
Looking like a souped-up Space Invaders, Turbulence is designed for creating rich, animated synth textures via its waveshaping algorithms. The waveshape modulation is driven by the 32-step sequencer, waveshape matrix and envelope matrix: use these to create wild and varied rhythmic patterns.
PC/VST, €10
Cableguys MidiShaper
A new plug-ins that takes Curve’s modulation engine and lets you use its LFOs and envelopes in a sophisticated matrix. The LFOs can run infinitely or be retriggered, and their waveforms are completely editable. MidiShaper is designed to be used on both your software and hardware instruments. The price will double after 23 August.
PC, Mac/VST, AU, $49.95
Voxengo BMS 2.0
Admittedly, the majority of people still mix their music in stereo, but if you’re a surround kind of cat, this second version of Voxengo’s bass management system plug-in could be worth a sniff. It can extract and manipulate low-frequency content of non-LFE channels in up to 7.1 surround configurations.
PC/VST, €25
Starplugs Vintage Diode Limiter
Billed as a ‘hard and precise’ limiter, this classically-styled plug-in promises a warm sound, steep transients and mega attacks. Starplugs also says that there’s “no pumping, no ducking, no fades, no delay and no attack times”. This is an introductory price - it’ll rise to €49.95 in due course.
PC/VST, $50
Bluenoise Plugins Bandecho
This tape echo is based on vintage units such as the Roland Space Echo and Watkins Copicat, but adds extra features of its own. There’s a Drive rack for adding distortion, an Effects rack, a Multiecho rack and an Output rack. 100 presets are included to get you started. The price will rise to $99 at the end of August.
Buy or download demo of Bluenoise Plugins Bandecho
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I’m the Group Content Manager for MusicRadar, specialising in all things tech. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 20 of which I’ve also spent writing about music technology.