VST/AU plug-in instrument/effect round-up: Week 51

Behind the headlines

There’s been some big news in the plug-in world over the past couple of week – the launch of FXpansion’s DCAM Dynamics suite, u-he’s decision to release a Hans Zimmer/The Dark Knight version of Zebra, Cakewalk’s announcement of a Mac version of Z3TA+2 and the arrival of XILS-Lab’s Oxium.

This is by no means all that’s been going on, though, as you’re about to discover.

Also make sure you check out these regularly updated features:

The 20 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: Sonimus Sweetone

Sonimus Sweetone

A simple EQ that looks like a piece of vintage hardware. However, as well as sounding ‘old’, it promises modern characteristics too. There’s a preamp section that’s here to add gentle colour and warmth, and the plug-in is said to put minimal strain on your CPU.

Buy or download demo of Sonimus Sweetone

EGP Audio Bitcrusher Suite

If downsampling and distorting are your things, this could be your plug-in. You can apply aliasing effects to any audio material, with the simulated valve circuit being on hand to add grit and punch, and the low-cut and low-pass filters here for fine tuning.

Buy or download demo of EGP Audio Bitcrusher Suite

SKnote Mattertone

SKnote describes this as a multiband envelope shaping effect. Its job is to increase or decrease attack and/or sustain on selected frequency ranges, so you can use it to add colour and dynamic control to complete mixes or single tracks.

BuySKnote Mattertone

XT Software XTS1

If you were looking for one word to describe the interface of this new synth, you might well go with ‘clean’. It’s said to be optimised for making “awesome sounds” with just a few controls, and comes with saw, pulse width and phase modulated waveforms.

Buy or download demo of XT Software XTS1

Homegrown Sounds Mesh

With Mesh, the developer wanted to create a Minimoog-style synth with an additional five tempo-based LFOs to give you additional rhythmic potential. There are three oscillators, a sub-oscillator, a Moog-style filter, three envelopes, effects and an arpeggiator.

Buy or download demo of Homegrown Sounds Mesh

G-Storm String Concerto II

The Logan String Melody II was a string synthesizer from the ‘70s, and here it is in plug-in and standalone software formats. Expect lush orchestral, simple organ and cheesy accordion presets, all produced by synthesis and effects rather than samples.

Buy or download demo of G-Storm String Concerto II

G-Sonique 7inch Nails and Envelophase

Two new guitar effects from the G-Sonique stable. 7inch nails is designed for makers of progressive and industrial metal and can produce both atmospheric and heavy sounds, while Envelophase combines an analogue-sounding modern phaser with an envelope follower.

Buy or download demo of G-Sonique 7inch Nails and Envelophase

Softrave Vintage Analog Filter

Designed to emulate the analogue instability of vintage filters, VAF was inspired by Electroharmonix’s guitar pedals. You can control the level of analogue detune and drift, and the modulation options enable you to create psychedelic, cosmic, disco and house effects.

Buy or download demo of Softrave Vintage Analog Filter

Sinevibes Array

Eight band-pass filters can be sequenced here, enabling you to create rhythmic special effects. More specifically, you can reconstruct and transform drum and percussion loops and turn any static sound into something that’s full of movement.

Buy or download demo of Sinevibes Array

EGP Audio Pedro

Pedro is its name - emulating a bass amp is its game. We’re told that punk rock bass sounds are its forte, though this is by no means the only sonic trick that it can pull. A built-in phaser unit can help you out when you want to recreate those modulated sounds from the ‘80s.

Buy or download demo of EGP Audio Pedro