Skip to main content
Become a MusicRadar VIP - it's free
- Join our community
SampleRadar
Access over 90,000 royalty-free samples
The MusicRadar app
Full access and custom feeds
MusicRadar Newsletters
The latest music and gear news inboxed
Earn Member Badges
Climb the MusicRadar charts
Coming soon: VIP-only Giveaways
Win pro-grade music gear and more
Join the conversation
Connect with other musicians and fans
BECOME A MUSICRADAR VIP
For the quickest way to join, enter your email below. We’ll send a confirmation email and sign you up to MusicRadar newsletters with the latest music news, gear reviews, tutorials and exclusive offers.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
Get VIP Access Quick

Become a MusicRadar VIP for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information, you confirm you are aged 16 or over, have read our Privacy Policy and agree to the Terms & Conditions. Geographical rules apply.

Welcome to Become a MusicRadar VIP !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Earn your first badge
Start reading to unlock your first badge
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Hot music news

Hot music news

The latest news from the hottest artists.

Explore
Make better music

Make better music

Explore tutorials, tips and guides for creating music.

Explore

Your membership perks

Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more

Explore now

Get the MusicRadar Newsletter

Get the latest music news, gear reviews, deals and tutorials delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign up here

Sign Out
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Recording Week '26
  • Guitars
  • Software & Apps
  • Controllers
  • Buying Guides
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • About us
More
  • Rodrigo's Cure
  • California Dreamin'
  • "Apotheosis of mediocrity" - Rundgren vs Swift
  • 95k+ free music samples
  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
kazu
Tech “If you buy one piece of music software this month, make it this one”: 5 plugins you need to know about
 
 
Steinberg Classics Collection
Plugins Steinberg marks 30 years of VST with the Classics Collection, which includes the first VST synth
 
 
Native Instruments Komplete 26
Soft Synths “We know you want it, but do you really (really) need it?”: Native Instruments Komplete 26 review
 
 
lucid
Tech Minimal Audio's Lucid is a granular powerhouse with scale locking, deep modulation and much more
 
 
A guitar VST running in Kontakt player on a computer
Plugins Best guitar VSTs 2026: Get the best simulated guitar tones for your next production
 
 
Acon Digital Acoustica 8 audio editor
Software & Apps Acon Digital’s Acoustica 8 audio editor is the company’s “most ambitious release to date”
 
 
Latest in Plugins
kazu
Tech “If you buy one piece of music software this month, make it this one”: 5 plugins you need to know about
 
 
bubblegum
Tech Bubblegum is a free Melodyne-style note editor for Windows, Mac and Linux
 
 
Baby Audio HyperWarp
Plugins Baby Audio HyperWarp wants to be your new quick-fix for glitches, stutters and out-there inspiration
 
 
cherry
Plugins "It's one of the rarest synthesizers ever made": Cherry Audio brings a forgotten ‘80s synth back to life
 
 
Mastering The Mix CARBON Q
Plugins Mastering The Mix CARBON Q balances your vocals, music, drums and bass – all from a single window
 
 
phoenix
Tech "This is a dream inspiration engine": BT and Spitfire Audio team up for Phoenix hybrid synth
 
 
Latest in News
JHS Pedals Reverb Shop: Josh Scott waves hello to the camera.
Guitars Josh Scott of JHS Pedals is getting rid of a (literal) truckload of rare gear on Reverb
 
 
Jimmy Page is playing a Gibson EDS-1275 double necked guitar.
Bands “This was a song that made sense to introduce the film to the world”: Stairway To Heaven is finally licensed to a film
 
 
Football: Super Bowl XXVII: Celebrity musician Michael Jackson performs halftime show during Dallas Cowboys vs Buffalo Bills. Pasadena, CA 1/31/1993 CREDIT: Damian Strohmeyer (Photo by Damian Strohmeyer /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X43853 )
Artists The story of Michael Jackson’s game-changing 1993 Super Bowl performance to be told in new documentary
 
 
The Jackson Legends Collection, a limited edition run of classic Randy Rhoads, Marty Friedman, Scott Ian and David Ellefson signature models.
Guitars Jackson unveils classic Scott Ian, Randy Rhoads, David Ellefson and Marty Friedman signature models
 
 
(L-R) Paul McCartney, Gregg Allman, and Bob Dylan attend a party, marking the conclusion of a North American tour by Faces, at the Greenhouse in Los Angeles on March 11, 1975
Singers & Songwriters “I’m too nervous to ring him up”: So who is the music icon Paul McCartney is too shy to suggest a collab?
 
 
Mike Love, Bruce Johnston and Al Jardine
Artists Former Beach Boys star Al Jardine reveals his sadness over ex-bandmate Mike Love’s very public decline
 
 

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...