Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
  • Guitars
  • Amps
  • Pedals
  • Drums
  • Synths
  • Software
  • Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Recording
  • Buyer’s guides
  • Live
  • DJ
  • Advice
  • Acoustic
  • Bass
  • About us
  • More
    • Reviews
Magazines
  • Computer Music
  • Electronic Musician
  • Future Music
  • Keyboard Magazine
  • Guitarist
  • Guitar Techniques
  • Total Guitar
  • Bass Player
More
  • How to make an AI cover song
  • 84000+ free music samples
  • Foo Fighters' new drummer
  • Ken Scott on recording The Beatles
  • First EVH Jump synth recording

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

  1. Home
  2. News

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

By Ben Rogerson
published 7 September 2011

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
PC, Mac/VST, AU €199

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
PC, Mac/VST, AU $79

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
PC/VST, €29.90

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
PC/VST, £14.99

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
PC, Mac/VST, AU, €169

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
PC/VST, $24

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

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. 

More about tech
Prince rock & roll hall of fame 2004

Prince's While My Guitar Gently Weeps solo wasn't his only great performance at the 2004 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony

IK Multimedia iRig Stream Mic Pro in home studio setup

IK Multimedia iRig Stream Mic Pro review

Latest
Picture of Bruce Springsteen and the TEAC 144

“Nebraska was cut on crap equipment…” How Bruce Springsteen made his most important album in his bedroom with just a Gibson J-200 and a TEAC 144

See more latest ►
Most Popular
Dua Lipa’s Barbie single Dance The Night lands with production from Mark Ronson: “This Ken helped make a whole soundtrack,” he says

By Ben Rogerson26 May 2023

Noel Gallagher reveals lost Oasis alternate Definitely Maybe recordings have been found and will be released

By Rob Laing26 May 2023

DOD/DigiTech assembles a formidable lineup of guitar effects designing talent for new R&D team

By Jonathan Horsley26 May 2023

Kirk Hammett: "My favourite version of Greeny is probably the Epiphone"

By Rob Laing26 May 2023

The 1977 Rainbow gig when Ritchie Blackmore played one of his greatest performances – after two long nights in a police cell

By Rob Laing25 May 2023

Show Us Your Studio: Share your home studio and get featured on MusicRadar

By MusicRadar25 May 2023

Sophie Lloyd becomes the first Kiesel Guitars female signature artist with the SL6

By Rob Laing25 May 2023

Dr. Sample becomes Mr. Sample as Blezz Beats recreates the 'holy grail of lo-fi beatmaking' in a sampler plugin

By Matt Mullen25 May 2023

Steinberg’s Dorico 5 improves the music notation software’s playback and note input features, and the free desktop and iPad versions have been updated, too

By Ben Rogerson25 May 2023

Steve Albini recalls the secrecy around the Nirvana In Utero sessions: "I had to do everything I could to keep it under wraps to make sure that we didn’t get overrun by fans and the added nonsense"

By Rob Laing25 May 2023

Guitarist creates a string-picking robot

By Rob Laing25 May 2023

  1. When Travis Barker couldn't play, four drummers on the line-up stepped up, including the new Foo Fighters member
    1
    Watch: the time Josh Freese sat in on drums for Blink-182 at Warped Tour ’99
  2. 2
    5 songs featuring Josh Freese on drums (that you might not know were him)
  3. 3
    The 6 non-album Noel Gallagher Oasis songs you need to hear (that aren't on The Masterplan)
  4. 4
    Kirk Hammett: "My favourite version of Greeny is probably the Epiphone"
  5. 5
    Steve Albini recalls the secrecy around the Nirvana In Utero sessions: "I had to do everything I could to keep it under wraps to make sure that we didn’t get overrun by fans and the added nonsense"
  1. Josh Freese
    1
    5 songs featuring Josh Freese on drums (that you might not know were him)
  2. 2
    Dave Matthews explains how Robert Fripp inspired his hit song Satellite and developed the guitar's role in his writing
  3. 3
    Steve Albini recalls the secrecy around the Nirvana In Utero sessions: "I had to do everything I could to keep it under wraps to make sure that we didn’t get overrun by fans and the added nonsense"
  4. 4
    Watch: the time Josh Freese sat in on drums for Blink-182 at Warped Tour ’99
  5. 5
    Kirk Hammett: "My favourite version of Greeny is probably the Epiphone"

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
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

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