Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
fred again
Artists “I’ve spent so many thousands of hours wasted on plugins – it just doesn't matter”: Fred Again says all mixing plugins sound the same
Bitwig
Digital Audio Workstation Get a FREE Bitwig 6 8-Track license exclusively with MusicRadar
Baby Audio Grainferno
Tech Baby Audio's “most advanced synthesizer to date” is a granular plugin capable of creating “entirely new textures”
A pair of Boss Waza-Air guitar amp headphones
Guitar Pedals As a pro guitarist, I think Boss makes the most reliable pedals around, so with 26% off everything from the DD-8 to the Waza Metal Zone in Amazon's Spring Deal Days sale, it's time to stock up
Universal Audio Volt 876
Audio Interfaces Best audio interface 2026: For home recording, podcasting, and streaming - tested by experts
EarthQuaker Devices Towers Stereo Reverberant Filter: a very different take on reverb, the five-knob pedal has dual footswitches, a blue enclosure with cream graphic.
Guitars EarthQuaker Devices reinvents the reverb pedal once more with the Towers Stereo Reverberant Filter
Bitwig Studio 6
Digital Audio Workstation "A massive expansion of its abilities as a modulation and automation powerhouse": Bitwig Studio 6 review review
An Asus ProArt P16 laptop on a desk with music production gear
Computers Best laptop for music production 2026: For home studios and mobile music-making - tested by experts
jasper tygner
Artists "I put it on everything": Jasper Tygner on the Soundtoys plugin behind the "filmic" sound of debut album Blue
grainferno
Tech Baby Audio's Grainferno can transform any sound in your sample library into something entirely new
stem splitter
Tech I tested 11 of the best stem separation tools – and you might already have the winner in your DAW
An UDO Super Gemini synthesizer on a white table
Synths Best synthesizers 2026: Top analogue, digital, mono and polysynths
Neural DSP Quad Cortex
Guitar Pedals Best multi-effects pedals: Our pick of the best all-in-one guitar FX modellers
A pair of Audio-Technica in-ear monitors on top of a carry case
Studio Monitors Best budget in-ear monitors 2026: My pick of cheap in-ears for every type of musician
soundbox
Tech Audiomodern's Soundbox is a new kind of instrument ecosystem – and it's free for developers
More
  • Sly and Survivor
  • In My Life
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • One chord Diamond
  1. Tech
  2. Software & Apps
  3. Plugins

VST/AU plug-in instrument/effect round-up: Week 22

News
By Ben Rogerson published 7 September 2011

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

A six-pack of tools

A six-pack of tools

There are two fresh takes on our old friend the compressor this week, plus a vocoder, a couple of synths and a six-in-one processing tool that’s designed to help you give your music that professional finish.

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: Waldorf Lector

Page 1 of 7
Page 1 of 7
Waldorf Lector

Waldorf Lector

At its heart, Lector is a vocoder, but it also appears to be considerably more than that. There’s a multimode filter, three-band EQ and a 16-voice synthesizer, plus effects that include overdrive, distortion, chorus/flanger, delay and reverb. As such, it’s suitable for far more than creating robotic vocals.

Buy or download demo ofWaldorf Lector

Page 2 of 7
Page 2 of 7
Tone2 AkustiX Enhancer

Tone2 AkustiX Enhancer

This “one-click solution to make your mix sound professional without knowing about mastering-voodoo” comprises six tools in one interface. There’s Psycho EQ, Ultra Stereo, Phase Enhance, Multiband Exciter, Smart Filter and Stereo Width. Use it for mixing, mastering and signal restoration.

Buy or download demo ofTone2 AkustiX Enhancer

Page 3 of 7
Page 3 of 7
Sound Magic BlueTube Compressor

Sound Magic BlueTube Compressor

Inspired by a hand-crafted, vintage tube mastering compressor, this plug-in version promises ultra-low distortion. It sports Fatness and Gain sliders, plus Threshold, Ratio, Attack and Release dials. Peak and Reduction meters give you a visual guide to what’s going on.

Buy Sound Magic BlueTube Compressor

Page 4 of 7
Page 4 of 7
Minimal System Instruments Stereo Buss Compressor

Minimal System Instruments Stereo Buss Compressor

Another compressor, this one designed for those times when you want to put the finishing touch to your mix. It’s modelled on the legendary buss compressors of the past and is designed to glue the various elements of your track together, making the whole thing sound bigger and punchier.

Buy or download demo of Minimal System Instruments Stereo Buss Compressor

Page 5 of 7
Page 5 of 7
Hamburg-audio Nuklear

Hamburg-audio Nuklear

Nuklear is the vessel for ‘pulsar synthesis’, which the developer claims can create previously unheard sounds by disassociating the note pitch from waveform length. There aren’t currently any audio examples to illustrate this method, but you can download a demo and test the theory yourself.

Buy or download demo of Hamburg-audio Nuklear

Page 6 of 7
Page 6 of 7
De La Mancha Basic 65

De La Mancha Basic 65

In both look and sound, this monosynth is inspired by the Commodore 64 and its famous SID chip. It builds on said chip’s waveforms by adding an arpeggiator, a modulation envelope and two LFOs. There’s also pulse width modulation, ring modulation and oscillator detune/sync.

Buy or download demo of De La Mancha Basic 65

Liked this? Now read: Free music software: the best audio app and plug-in downloads on the net

Connect with MusicRadar: via Twitter, Facebook and YouTube

Page 7 of 7
Page 7 of 7
Ben Rogerson
Ben Rogerson
Social Links Navigation
Deputy Editor

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. 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, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it. 

Read more
Music technology gear of the year 2025
Tech Music technology gear of the year 2025: Our favourite new synths, drum machines, plugins and more
 
 
UJAM
Tech “I’ll be having fun with this for a long time to come”: UJAM's Voxcraft delivers creative vocal manipulation without the menu-diving
 
 
amenbreak
Tech AmenBreak VST is a break-slicing, sample-mangling junglist powerhouse - and there’s a free version
 
 
Arturia's Efx Ambient from FX Collection 6, being used in a studio
Tech Arturia's FX Collection 6 adds an ambient plugin specialising in "novel, emotive textures" and a souped-up H910
 
 
Deals of the week logo
Tech MusicRadar deals of the week: Score $200 off a whacky Gibson guitar, $150 off UAD plugins, and $200 off a must-have Moog synth
 
 
Hottest music tech gear of NAMM
Tech The best music tech gear of NAMM 2026: Epic polys, acoustic synths, budget samplers, a Behringer Juno and more
 
 
Latest in Plugins
Baby Audio Grainferno
Tech Baby Audio's “most advanced synthesizer to date” is a granular plugin capable of creating “entirely new textures”
 
 
Distortion and Saturation Plugins
Music Production Tutorials The difference between distortion and saturation and how to effectively get a gnarly sound
 
 
Arturia's Efx Ambient from FX Collection 6, being used in a studio
Tech Arturia's FX Collection 6 adds an ambient plugin specialising in "novel, emotive textures" and a souped-up H910
 
 
UJAM
Tech “I’ll be having fun with this for a long time to come”: UJAM's Voxcraft delivers creative vocal manipulation without the menu-diving
 
 
filter delays
Tech Ableton Live co-creator Robert Henke updates a classic Live effect with free M4L device Filter Delays
 
 
roland
Tech Cherry Audio’s SH-MAX takes on a trio of classic Roland monosynths called upon by everyone from Kraftwerk to Tame Impala
 
 
Latest in News
Melissa Auf der Maur and Courtney Love in 1998
Bass Guitars “It took me one second to understand that she's a survivor”: Melissa Auf der Maur on why she’s “proud” of Courtney Love
 
 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 01: Bruno Mars performs onstage during the 68th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 01, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.  (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Artists Why Bruno Mars' new single Risk It All could have ended up sounding very different
 
 
James Blake performs during the inaugural 2024 Gazebo Festival at Waterfront Park on May 25, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky.
Producers & Engineers "I’d say 95 percent of the work I’ve done was unpaid”: James Blake on the hit and miss nature of production work
 
 
Diane Warren and KPop Demon Hunters
Artists Songwriter Diane Warren’s Oscars losing streak goes on as KPop Demon Hunters’ Golden wins
 
 
AUSTIN, TX - DECEMBER 09:  Displayed in public for the first time is John Lennon's piano, used to write numerous Beatles songs and part of Indianapolis Colts CEO and Owner Jim Irsay's "Jim Irsay Collection" during a reception at the Four Seasons Hotel on December 9, 2021 in Austin, Texas.  (Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images)
Keyboards & Pianos "Lot after lot, we felt like we were making history”: John Lennon’s Broadway piano goes for £2.5 million
 
 
oneshot2
Tech "How real can drums feel inside a plugin?": Klevgrand promises to "redefine what a drum sampler can be" with OneShot 2
 
 

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

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • 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...