Professional Analog Mastering.
Professional Analog Mastering.
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The Spice is a unique exciter - it combines shelf filters with aggressive compression and saturation to achieve a distinct timbre; one that’s unlike any exciter I’ve heard before.
In the middle is the intensity of the effect, and an XTRM mode which can be engaged to create something incredibly aggressive.
So the basic function is best for subtly to moderately exciting a track, whereas XTRM is best for creative processing.
Spark sounds like a high-shelf filter introduced before the effect—I could be wrong, but when engaged, it sounds like I’m amplifying high frequencies into the processing.
With all 3 filters set to varying levels, this exciter is really versatile.
Lastly, you can adjust the overall mix of the effect, introduce a HP filter after the primary processing that attenuates up to 100Hz, and adjust the input and output.
Let’s listen to it on some drums, and notice how it can range from subtly emphasizing highs, to completely altering the instrument’s timbre.
Watch the video to learn more >
Vox Samples doesn’t make super complicated plugins, but they’re almost always useful - and that’s definitely the case with Bouncer.
It creates the same ducking effect you’d achieve with a side-chained compressor, but without having to set up the side-chain, the compressor, or mess with the compression parameters.
Just place it on the instrument you want to have periodically ducked, and it’s as simple as that.
The effect syncs to the host's BPM, and 7 different shapes mimic popular compression settings used for creative ducking.
This isn’t a good tool if you want to duck vocal reverb, or maybe subtly compress the bass whenever the kick hits, but if you want a quick rhythmic ducking effect its fantastic.
Let’s listen to it and notice how it could be used creatively on an instrument.
Watch the video to learn more >
Tymee is an interesting plugin - at first glance, you might think it's an FFT editor or maybe a simple delay plugin, but it’s a strange combination of delay, audio degradation, and resonance filtering.
Delay ranges from 1ms to 10 seconds, feedback and degrade combine to create a distinct lofi effect in which the returning signal has its bit depth reduced, and the lowpass filter keeps the process signal from sounding unpleasant.
The resonance filter introduces a lot of tonal ringing, which when combined with degrade can completely change the timbre of the instrument.
It’s definitely not a plugin to use on every track, but if you want to automate a really unique effect to keep listeners entertained throughout a song, I highly recommend it.
Let’s listen to some of the presets, and notice how the delay needs to be adjusted to make some of them work well for the source material.
Watch the video to learn more >
LowFire Lite is the same as the paid-for version of the plugin, but with a text box that pops up every now and then.
It doesn’t affect the audio, but I can imagine it might be annoying to some.
The plugin includes 11 different processors and a wet/dry for the overall effect.
Input and output gain, bit and sample reduction, high and low pass filters with resonances, mono focusing, noise, and soft clipping.
Although these filters seem basic, combined they quickly add up to a completely destroyed sound. Fortunately, each filter can be individually enabled or disabled.
Similar to the last plugin we covered, it’s probably not for every instrument; but it works well as a quick way to introduce a lot of character to an instrument or vocal, maybe for a short section of a song.
Let’s take a listen to how it completely alters the timbre of the drums.
Watch the video to learn more >
Unlike some of the previous plugins, this one is super practical.
It has everything you need to quickly monitor a channel, adjust phase relations by swapping or phase rotation, adjust the mid and side ratio, and more.
The HP filter includes 4 different slopes, the mid and side can be adjusted collectively or independently, and mono monitoring is available.
The low frequencies can have their side image attenuated up to 1kHz, and you can monitor what’s attenuated.
If you have a mono signal and want it to be stereo, you can delay the left or the right channel by a few samples, or delay them collectively to adjust the processed signal’s relationship to another signal.
Individual panning for the left and right signals is available, and an output and correlation meter lets you monitor the status of the processed signal.
Honestly, I plan on using this a good amount for quickly cleaning up, panning, and adjusting the width of a track, so it’s awesome to have all of these features contained within one plugin.
Let’s take a listen to it affecting our signal.
Watch the video to learn more >
Not everything about this plugin is fantastic, but what works, works well.
The sound is slightly lo-fi but with a nice emphasis on transients that’s really enjoyable.
The input and output trims can be linked to drive the effect, 2 tape types are available with subtle differences in their ADSR, and age and hiss add some additional distortion and noise.
What I don’t understand fully is the middle function. It seems like it's an impulse response that can be blended in, but it sounds like weird modulation that doesn’t offer much value, but maybe it's best at lower settings for subtle wow and flutter.
All in all it’s a good-sounding plugin and that’s what matters most.
Let’s take a listen.
Watch the video to learn more >
This plugin is a little difficult to control at first, but once you get the hang of it it’s a useful effect.
It’s a multiband Doppler effect that allows for the lows, mids, and highs to be processed independently.
Odd is the speed of modulation to the left channel and even is the same but for the right.
The third dial is a cutoff filter to shape the effect in that frequency range.
The effect can be synced to the BPM, and Invert controls if the doppler effect sounds as if it’s coming toward the listener or moving away from the listener.
Freeze increases the sustain of the modulated reflections, which can be useful for pads, or to create something unique.
Lastly, I’d be careful with the Bottom slider; it waveshapes the lows below 200Hz, but can quickly amplify the signal aggressively.
Let’s take a listen and let me know if this is something you’d use creatively on a mix.
Watch the video to learn more >
Sala reminds me a lot of the popular free Valhala Supermassive reverb - it’s sound is unique, bordering on the extreme, but in my opinion, Sala is a lot easier to control.
The interface is really cool, in my opinion - the wet/dry being a room you can fill or drain, and the reflections that can either decay or become amplified with time.
The room size and overall decay time can be adjusted, as can the tone, which sounds like a simple LP filter.
It may not be a reverb to use on every track, but if you enjoy creative reverb, similar to Valahala’s Supermassive plugin, but with a distinct character, I think you’ll really enjoy this one.
Let’s take a listen.
Watch the video to learn more >
This one genuinely impressed me - it’s just about everything you’d need in a distortion plugin, designed in a logical and easy to control interface.
It includes 4 modules: Saturation, Clipping with 6 shapes, waveshaping with 4 shapes, and sample and bit depth reduction.
Each distortion type can be blended in with independent dry/wet dials, or bypassed.
The signal is routed through the processors from left to right, starting with the general saturation and ending with the bit crusher.
At first glance, it seems like saturation, clipping, and waveshaping are different ways to discuss very similar types of processing, but each module offers a unique sound.
By blending them, you can achieve just about any timbre, and any level of distortion you want for a signal.
Oversampling is available up to 8x to avoid aliasing, the overall effect can be blended with a slider, and the right level for output compensation is shown with the white triangle to the right of the output.
Let’s take a listen to it.