Plugin Sale Info – Page 5 – Jooyoung's Music Blog

2025 Summer Virtual Instrument & Mixing/Mastering Plugin Sales Roundup (Part 1)

Hey there! I’m Jooyoung Kim, a mixing engineer and music producer.

I finally submitted a new paper yesterday after about a month and a half of work. It’s a pretty straightforward paper, but building the program took forever… ugh. It’s a tool for measuring crosstalk, THD, and stuff like that. I’ve released it on my GitHub [Link], but I’ll write a detailed post about the program later.

Also, the paper wasn’t that critical, but I’ve been so busy running around for listening experiments that I totally neglected this blog. I’ll get back to writing posts diligently until I find my next topic!

Today, I want to talk about summer plugin and virtual instrument sales. I probably should’ve done this earlier, but since these sales usually happen between June and July, I think we’re still good… right? Haha.

If you purchase through the links below via Plugin Boutique [Link], I get a small commission, which really helps me keep things going. So, let’s dive in!

1) IK Multimedia

Total VI MAX

You’ve probably heard of this one! I previously introduced Total Studio 4 Max , but Total VI MAX is the version that includes only virtual instruments.

Right now, it seems they’re focusing on virtual instrument sales. I’m guessing come July, they’ll shift to mixing/mastering effect plugins. Personally, I think IK Multimedia offers the best bang for your buck, so for beginners, I’d say just grab Total Studio when it’s on sale without overthinking it.

2) Universal Audio

UAD Summer Mixtape Bundle

Since the UADx (Native) versions came out, Universal Audio plugins have become super affordable. The Summer Mixtape Bundle, at about $100 for 10 plugins, is a fantastic deal for first-time buyers.

My recommended plugins:

Teletronix LA-2A Tube Compressor
UA 1176 Classic FET Compressor
Fairchild Tube Limiter Collection
Teletronix LA-3A Audio Leveler
Pultec Passive EQ Collection
Lexicon 224 Digital Reverb

These six are solid picks, and you can choose the rest based on your taste.

That said, after years of working with audio and music, I’ve noticed UAD plugins tend to have pretty aggressive saturation. They’re not like, “Wow, UAD is the best!!” for me, haha. Still, they add a punchy vibe to flat recordings or budget mics, so they’re great when used in the right context.

UAD Analog Classics Pro Bundle

If you want even better value, the UAD Analog Classics Pro Bundle is the way to go. The LA-2A and 1176 series get used in projects all the time, so they’re super reliable.

3) Waves

Horizon

Waves isn’t quite the value king anymore with IK Multimedia’s crazy sales, but if you want something lightweight and industry-standard, Waves is still the go-to. You’ll likely find the best deal at EveryPlugin .

Waves’ update plan gets a lot of flak (I’m not a fan either). Switching from Intel to Mac Silicon cost me like $200, which was annoying, haha. That said, newer Mac OS updates don’t seem to cause major issues with older Waves plugin versions.

Horizon is the best value, and if you feel it’s not enough, grabbing the SSL 4000 Collection or API Collection should cover you. Waves’ SSL compressor is really well-made.

4) Eventide Audio

ShimmerVerb

Blackhole

If you’re into ambient music, Eventide Audio’s ShimmerVerb and Blackhole are pretty much must-haves. They’re great for creating expansive vibes and are consistent bestsellers, so grabbing them during a sale like this is a smart move.

5) Mastering The Mix

EQ Excellence Bundle

Click image to purchase Bassroom and Mixroom bundle at Plugin Boutique

Mastering The Mix makes some really solid plugins, and I especially recommend their EQ series. Plugins like Bassroom and Mixroom visually show how frequencies pop out or sit back based on loudness, which makes tweaking super intuitive.

6) Native Instruments

Click image to purchase Komplete bundle at Native Instruments

Oops, this one’s got just one day left! I should’ve posted this sooner… sorry! Personally, I think getting the Standard version of Komplete is enough. Ultimate or Collector’s Editions feel a bit overkill, haha. You’ll barely use half the stuff in Standard as it is.

7) Synchro Arts

Revoice Pro 5

VocAlign 6 Pro

Synchro Arts’ VocAlign Pro and Revoice Pro are pretty awesome. I reviewed them last Black Friday,

Synchro Arts Vocalign 6 & Revoice Pro 5: On Sale (40-50% Off, Until Dec. 1)

and they’re still on a 50% sale. If you don’t have a tuning program, I’d recommend Revoice Pro over Antares Auto-Tune or Celemony Melodyne.

8) BFD

BFD 3.5

BFD London Sessions

BFD’s expansion packs are on a crazy 70% sale right now—never seen a discount like this! Grab BFD 3.5 and the London Sessions kit, and you’re set for most genres. If you need more, snare add-ons or jazz kits are great options.

There’s probably more coming in July, but these are the standout sales right now. Some of these end today, so if you’re thinking about buying, act fast!

I’ve got a ton of topics in mind, so I’m not sure what the next post will be, but I’ll see you there!

Pulsar Audio Vocal Studio Launch

Hey there! I’m Jooyoung Kim, a mixing engineer, and music producer.

It’s been a whirlwind week with listening experiments, live performance recordings, and mixing, so I haven’t had much time to focus on the blog… haha. I worked on a pretty unconventional setup for a recent gig—more on that in the next post!

Today, I’m excited to introduce Pulsar Audio’s Vocal Studio, a new plugin designed specifically for vocals, brought to you thanks to Plugin Boutique.

If you purchase through the link on my blog, I’ll earn a small commission, which really helps me keep things going… thank you! 😊

Ready to check it out? Let’s dive in!

What’s Pulsar Vocal Studio?

Click image to purchase Pulsar Audio Vocal Studio

Think of this as an all-in-one vocal effect and channel strip. It’s packed with everything you need: compression, EQ, gain, saturator, gate, de-esser, delay, reverb—you name it, it’s here.

Top Section

Let’s break down the controls in the Top Section of the Pulsar Vocal Studio interface:

Sensitivity: Automatically adjusts volume to maintain consistent levels, working independently of the compressor.
Drive: A saturator offering three distinct flavors—Solid State (inspired by Neve-style circuits), Tube (emulating a pentode preamp), and Germanium (mimicking a germanium transistor preamp).
De-ess: Reduces sibilance by attenuating frequencies around 4kHz and above.
Gate: Exactly what it sounds like—a gate! 😄
Compress: Offers three compression modes—Natural (FET-based, smooth and transparent), Modern (faster attack/release with added saturation), and Gritty (the fastest and most aggressive for a bold effect).
Volume: Adjusts the final output level of the plugin.

Mid-Section

On the left, you’ve got controls for how much EQ to apply. On the right, the Focus section offers three dynamic EQ presets: Air, Edge, and Presence.

Bottom Section

Down below, the Special FX section lets you add creative effects.

Delay: Includes standard delay, ping-pong, slap delay, and more.
Reverb: Offers a wide range of types—hall, plate, spring, room, chamber, ambience, you name it.

All delay and reverb parameters are fully tweakable, of course.

Impressions

This plugin is a bit heavy on CPU due to its many effects, but if you think of it as a one-stop shop for an entire vocal track, it’s well worth it. Personally, I think the reverbs are so clean and polished that I’d love to see them sold separately at a lower price. They’re some of the best digital reverbs I’ve come across!

Purchase Pursar audio Vocal Studio at Plugin Boutique

Bonus Deal!

This month, if you buy any plugin from Plugin Boutique, you’ll get Wave Alchemy’s Pulse—a faithful recreation of the Lexicon PCM-60 reverb—for free. Don’t miss out!

If you’re in the market for a vocal channel strip, Pulsar Vocal Studio is definitely worth checking out.

Catch you in the next post! 😊

Softube Weiss Exciter Launch Sale (~50% Off)

Hey there! I’m Jooyoung Kim, a mixing engineer and music producer.

I’m thrilled to share that a new plugin, the Weiss Exciter, has just dropped in the Softube Weiss series, which I absolutely love!

Thanks to Plugin Boutique, I’ve got a 365-day demo to try it out and give you the lowdown.

If you purchase the plugin through the link on my blog, I’ll earn a small commission, which honestly helps me keep the lights on and means the world!

Ready to dive in? Let’s go!

What’s an Exciter?

Click image to purchase Weiss Exciter at Plugin Boutique

An exciter is a plugin that adds harmonics and tweaks dynamics by frequency band to make sounds more vibrant and exciting. The most famous ones? Aphex’s legendary exciters, of course!

Weiss is known for its super-clean digital hardware and plugins, and the Weiss Exciter lives up to that reputation, delivering a remarkably polished effect compared to others in its class.

Key Parameters

The controls are straightforward:

Top Blue Section: Set the High-Pass and Low-Pass frequencies for the input filter to choose the frequency range where harmonics will be applied.
Bottom Red Section: Output filter to shape the frequency range of the generated harmonics.
Harmonics: Choose between Subtle (finely tuned odd harmonics) or 2nd (includes even harmonics).
Exciter Amount: Dial in how much of the effect you want.
Width: Adjust the stereo width of the effect.
Mastering: A button to keep the frequency response as flat as possible.

There are additional parameters in the left, right, and bottom menus for deeper tweaking, but these six are more than enough to get you rocking this plugin!

How It Sounds

This exciter is great for final mix or mastering stages. Worried about phase issues? Hit the Linear Phase button to keep things aligned and smooth.

The saturation is punchy, and at higher levels, it subtly compresses like a soft limiter. The sound? Harmonics pop up clean and crisp—super satisfying.

The frequency response shifts depending on the harmonic amount and filter settings, so graphs aren’t the full story. But generally, expect a lift in the mid-to-high frequencies, with the low end staying untouched.

This exciter adds harmonics in a way that feels good, making it perfect for mix bus or mastering duties. It’s also a solid pick for sources that need a harmonic boost.

If you’re hunting for a harmonic exciter plugin, I highly recommend giving this one a spin.

Bonus Deal!

This month, if you grab any plugin from Plugin Boutique, you’ll get Wave Alchemy’s Pulse—a faithful recreation of the Lexicon PCM-60 reverb—for free! It’s a one-purchase, one-free deal, so don’t miss out.

That’s all for now! Catch you in the next post~ 🙂

Brainworx May Sale (2) – Ampeg SVT-VR Classic, SVT-3Pro, V-4B, B-15N, Gallien-Krueger 800RB (Until May 31)

Hello! I’m Jooyoung Kim, a mixing engineer and music producer.

Yesterday was the announcement day for artist grants in Korea, and as expected, getting selected is getting tougher… I was hoping to buy some cables for research purposes with the grant, but those plans went up in smoke. Times are tough these days… 😢

Find out brainworx plugins deals

Anyway, today I’m continuing with the Brainworx May sale. This time, I noticed a lot of bass amp plugins are included in the sale, so I’m introducing five Brainworx bass amps commonly used in mixing and composing.

I own the Ampeg SVT-VR Classic and B-15N, having purchased them myself. The other plugins were provided as NFR (Not for Resale) copies through Plugin Boutique. Also, if you purchase through the links in this blog, I earn a small commission, which helps me keep creating content and survive. Thank you for your support!

Let’s dive in!

Ampeg SVT-VR Classic

The Ampeg SVT (Super Valve Technology) is a tube-based bass amp head from the late 1960s, developed to meet the demand for powerful bass amps during large concerts. While most amps at the time were under 100W, the SVT delivered a whopping 300W.

The SVT-VR is a vintage reissue (VR) model based on the 1969 SVT. The Classic plugin is a simplified version of the SVT-VR plugin, designed for straightforward operation.

I use this one a lot when writing songs or when a mix source comes in as a DI signal. It has minimal controls, which makes it super easy to dial in the tone I want.

Some bassists I know prefer a brighter, more attack-heavy sound, but I lean toward a darker tone with subdued highs. Setting it to Normal for the input signal and enabling Ultra-Lo gives me exactly the deep, grounded sound I love. With a little EQ tweaking, it sits perfectly in the mix.

You can choose from three cabinet options, but I find the default 8×10 cabinet sounds the best. This plugin sometimes pops up for free or during events, so keep an eye out for it!

Ampeg V-4B

The Ampeg V-4B is a tube-based bass head from the early 1970s, designed for smaller venues. Think of it as a compact version of the SVT with 100W output.

Its tone isn’t drastically different from the SVT-VR, but it has slightly more high-end presence and sits a bit higher in the stereo image. It’s great when you want a tone that’s just a touch lighter than the SVT-VR’s Ultra-Lo setting. Of course, switching cabinets changes the sound quite a bit! 😄

Unlike the SVT-VR Classic, this model includes a noise gate, filter, and EQ, which are handy for tone shaping.

Ampeg SVT-3Pro

The SVT-3Pro is a modernized version of Ampeg’s SVT series from the 1990s, combining tubes and transistors to create a lighter hybrid head amp.

With 450W of output, it has less frequency loss compared to other heads in the series, so it can feel higher in resolution when you first hear it.

You can also adjust the harmonic structure using the Tube Gain control. (Cranking it up increases odd harmonics over even ones.)

This makes it especially useful for tracks with fewer instruments, where its clarity shines.

Ampeg B-15N

The B-15N is a reissue of the first model in Ampeg’s Portaflex series, where the amp head can be tucked into or removed from the cabinet.

It includes 1964 and 1966 input and bias settings, which significantly affect the sound. The 1966 bias emphasizes highs more, and the 1966 input adds a bit more high-end, lifting the sound slightly in the stereo image. These differences are hard to show on a frequency response graph in Plugin Doctor, unfortunately.

Compared to the SVT-VR or V-4B, the default sound is noticeably lighter with more prominent highs, making it a great starting point for tracks featuring solo bass performances. As always, swapping cabinets changes the sound dramatically.

Gallien-Krueger 800RB

The Gallien-Krueger 800RB is a solid-state amp from the 1980s, designed with bi-amping (separating high and low frequencies) used in hi-fi systems, allowing connection to two cabinets.

In the plugin, you’ll see it split into 300W (lows) and 100W (highs). You can choose the Crossover Frequency to determine how frequencies are divided or use it in Full Range mode without bi-amping.

In its default state, this amp has the lightest sound of all the amps covered here, sitting higher in the stereo image. As with the others, EQ and cabinet tweaks can drastically alter the tone.

Find out brainworx plugins deals

Today, we explored these five bass amp plugins. Bass amp plugins aren’t just for electric bass—they can also enhance synth bass or acoustic bass for great results.

All of these are solid amp plugins, so grabbing a few during this sale would be a smart move.

See you in the next post! 😊

1) IK Multimedia

2) Universal Audio

3) Waves

4) Eventide Audio

5) Mastering The Mix

6) Native Instruments

7) Synchro Arts

8) BFD

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What’s Pulsar Vocal Studio?

Top Section

Mid-Section

Bottom Section

Impressions

Bonus Deal!

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What’s an Exciter?

Key Parameters

How It Sounds

Bonus Deal!

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Ampeg SVT-VR Classic

Ampeg V-4B

Ampeg SVT-3Pro

Ampeg B-15N

Gallien-Krueger 800RB

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