Plug-ins

This desktop version of Loudness Penalty does more than tell you how much streaming services will turn down your tracks!

This compressor aims to provide assertive yet transparent control over vocals and more.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ 4/5 Stars. DreamWaves is based on the sounds of electric pianos that have been modified and processed to make them sound ambient, ethereal, lo‑fi — and in some instances mildly disturbing.

Marketed under the United Plugins umbrella, Instant Audio’s BassRift is a split‑band processor designed to modify bass sounds (whether synth or guitar) in creative ways.

Available through United Plugins, Soundevice Digital’s Randomachine introduces adjustable random processing elements that can be useful in adding variation to an otherwise monotonous part.

The SP140 reverb is the first effect plug‑in from US company Iconic Instruments.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5/5 Stars. Described as a “percussive workstation”, OneShot comes with a large collection of acoustic and electronic sounds in over 200 presets to get you started.

Can it really be this quick and easy to tackle masking in your mix?

We check out the latest iteration of what arguably remains the most comprehensive audio repair software available.

This innovative six‑band EQ plug‑in applies a little music theory to the humble equaliser.

Spitfire’s first effects plug‑in captures the unique ambience of an iconic London studio: AIR Lyndhurst Hall.

Antares look to bring a little more harmony to their iconic pitch‑correction tool.

These plug‑ins are all about warmth and distortion, and the flavours on offer range from gentle saturation at the subtler end of the scale through to crunching overload and squelchy obliteration.

Available through United Plugins, FireEQ combines several EQ methodologies with a view to making mixing and mastering flexible but without adding too much complexity.

Minimal Audio's Flex Chorus offers up to 24 voices plus overall control over the delay time and modulation depth.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ 4/5 Stars. Supporting all the main plug‑in formats, Bloom Aether Vocal is based on samples of short vocal phrases, both male and female, that can be manipulated in creative ways.

Strokes has evolved from a clever MIDI sequencer to a sophisticated and original instrument in its own right.

A much‑loved creative distortion plug‑in is back from its sabbatical, and it looks like the break has done it good!

With an array of different modelled devices and controls you won’t find on the original hardware, have Pulsar breathed new life into the humble spring reverb?

Is there still a place in our plug‑in folders for the core algorithms from TC Electronic’s legendary System 6000?

Tired of the same old delay effects? With Lumina, you can draw, position and shape your repeats any way you like.