Tag: plugin

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

Click image to purchase Total VI MAX at Plugin Boutique

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

Click image to purchase UAD Summer Mixtape Bundle at Plugin Boutique

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

Click image to purchase UAD Analog Classics Pro Bundle at Plugin Boutique

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

Click image to purchase Waves Horizon bundle at Every plugin

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

Click image to purchase Eventide ShimmerVerb at Plugin Boutique

Blackhole

Click image to purchase Eventide Blackhole at Plugin Boutique

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

Click image to purchase Revoice Pro 5 at Plugin Boutique

VocAlign 6 Pro

Click image to purchase VocAlign 6 Pro at Plugin Boutique

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

Click image to purchase BFD 3.5 at Plugin Boutique

BFD London Sessions

Click image to purchase BFD London Sessions at Plugin Boutique

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:

  1. Sensitivity: Automatically adjusts volume to maintain consistent levels, working independently of the compressor.
  2. 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).
  3. De-ess: Reduces sibilance by attenuating frequencies around 4kHz and above.
  4. Gate: Exactly what it sounds like—a gate! 😄
  5. 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).
  6. 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:

  1. 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.
  2. Bottom Red Section: Output filter to shape the frequency range of the generated harmonics.
  3. Harmonics: Choose between Subtle (finely tuned odd harmonics) or 2nd (includes even harmonics).
  4. Exciter Amount: Dial in how much of the effect you want.
  5. Width: Adjust the stereo width of the effect.
  6. 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~ 🙂

TC Electronic Intro Sale (Up to 79% Off, Until 4/14)

Hey everyone! I’m Jooyoung Kim, an engineer and music producer.

[link: https://www.pluginboutique.com/manufacturers/445/?a_aid=622ea9ee9160c]

TC Electronic has just joined forces with Plugin Boutique, kicking things off with an awesome intro sale! When I think of TC, reverb and delay instantly come to mind—they’re legends in the world of spatial effects. Now that they’re under Music Tribe (the parent company of Behringer), those iconic algorithms are finally hitting the plugin scene.

Funny thing, though—back in 2018 when stuff like the TC8210 first dropped, there wasn’t a standalone Native version. It was tied to hardware controllers, so unless you snagged one cheap early on, it kinda faded into the background. Music Tribe’s website wasn’t exactly user-friendly either…

But this time, I got some NFR (Not for Resale) codes from Plugin Boutique to test these out, and wow—they’ve nailed the spatial plugin game. So, I figured I’d share my thoughts with you all!

Oh, and if you buy through the links in this post, I’ll earn a small commission that really..really helps me keep going—thanks a ton for the support! 😊

Let’s dive in!

TC Electronic Sale Plugins Overview

(Note: PolyTune and LM2 are exclusive to the TC Studio Elite Collection bundle.)

Here’s a quick rundown of what’s on offer, sorted by type:

RolePlugin NameDescription
ReverbVSS4 HDAn upgraded System 6000 reverb algorithm—smooth and modern.
VSS3The classic System 6000 reverb algorithm—timeless and pristine.
NONLIN2A creative reverb for warped, nonlinear sounds—perfect for sound design.
DVR 250A vintage digital reverb inspired by the EMT 250.
TC 8210A clean, classic digital reverb with a nod to vintage vibes.
DelayTC 2290A recreation of the TC 2290 digital delay with tons of modulation options.
ModulationTC 1210Combines stereo expander with chorus, flanger, and vibrato effects.
DynamicsMD4 HDAn upgraded System 6000 multiband compressor with extra bells and whistles.
MD3The original System 6000 multiband compressor—still a beast.
DYN 3000A clean digital compressor based on Midas Heritage consoles.
MASTER X HDA modern take on the Powercore-era 3-band compressor.
BRICKWALL HDA True-Peak limiter built on System 6000 tech—mastering-ready.
EQPEQ 3000A 2×12-band parametric EQ inspired by Midas live consoles.
AnalyzerLM2A stereo loudness meter based on ITU-R BS.1770-3 standards.
TunerPolytune NativeThe famous PolyTune guitar tuner, now in plugin form.
PedalsStereo Chorus FlangerA chorus/flanger pedal with lush stereo effects.
Booster and DistortionA volume boost and distortion pedal combo.
XII PhaserA classic phaser pedal for swirling tones.
Dual Parametric EQA simple 2-band EQ pedal.
SustainerA sustain pedal to keep your notes ringing.

Phew, that’s a lot, right? Haha. Since there’s too much to cover in detail, I’ll group them by category and highlight the standouts.

(Click image to purchase plugins at plugin boutique)

Reverb

VSS4 HD, VSS3, NONLIN2

[Bundle link: https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/81-Bundles/39-Effects-Bundles/14611-SYSTEM-6000-Native-Bundle/?a_aid=622ea9ee9160c]

For me, TC Electronic’s reverbs are the heart of this lineup. The System 6000 plugins (VSS4 HD, VSS3, NONLIN2) have a slightly tricky UI at first—it’s not super intuitive. But once you dig into the parameters, they’re familiar to anyone who’s done some mixing. For beginners, it might feel overwhelming, but mastering these could level up your reverb game across any plugin.

These deliver that crisp, polished digital reverb sound we all expect from TC—VSS4 HD and VSS3 for lush spaces, NONLIN2 for wild, creative effects.

DVR 250, TC 8210

[Bundle link: https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/81-Bundles/39-Effects-Bundles/14613-Icon-Series-Legacy-Native-Bundle/?a_aid=622ea9ee9160c]

The DVR 250 nails that vintage EMT 250 vibe—think early digital reverb with a chopped-off ultra-high end due to sample rate limits. TC 8210 keeps things clean but tames the highs a bit to echo that retro feel, while still sounding unmistakably digital.

Delay & Modulation

[photo: TC 2290 or TC 1210 interface]
TC 2290, TC 1210
[link: https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/2-Effects/39-Reverb/11535-Icon-Series-Legacy-Native-Bundle]
These are just as iconic as the reverbs. The TC 2290 is a delay powerhouse—you can slap on chorus, flanger, pitch shifting, or auto-doubling, plus dynamic effects like tremolo, ducking, gating, and even auto-panning. It’s insanely versatile.

The TC 1210 blends a stereo expander with modulation—think chorus, vibrato, flanger, and more. Both shine on electric guitar or electric piano, but they’re also perfect for sparking creative ideas during songwriting.

Dynamics & EQ

MD4 HD, MD3

These System 6000-based multiband compressors are more than just compressors—they’re like channel strips with EQ, expanders, limiters, and soft clipping rolled in. No built-in analyzer, so they’re not the most beginner-friendly, but the controls are detailed and powerful.

DYN 3000, Master X HD, Brickwall HD

[Bundle link: https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/81-Bundles/39-Effects-Bundles/14614-Mastering-HD-Native-Bundle/?a_aid=622ea9ee9160c]

These have friendlier UIs and feel more approachable. DYN 3000, based on Midas Heritage consoles, is a super-clean digital compressor—Adaptive mode keeps it pristine, while other settings add character. It’s got a gate, sidechain, and all the essentials.

Master X HD is a 3-band compressor with a cool twist: you can tweak the frequency curve directly. Brickwall HD, a mastering limiter, comes with a detailed analyzer (TC’s loudness expertise shines here) and soft clipping options.

PEQ 3000

[Bundle link: https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/81-Bundles/39-Effects-Bundles/14615-Midas-Heritage-3000-Native-Bundle/?a_aid=622ea9ee9160c]

A Midas-inspired 2×12-band parametric EQ. It’s standard stuff mostly, but the ability to shift the phase up to 180 degrees is a neat trick.

Analyzer

LM2

This loudness meter (based on ITU-R BS.1770-3) is the only analyzer I got to test—sorry, no scoop on the others! It measures LUFS/LKFS, True-Peak, and more with a sleek UI that lives up to TC’s metering reputation.

Tuner & Pedals

PolyTune Native

Guitarists know PolyTune—it’s a classic. I’ve got the clip-on version myself (though I dropped it once, and now the top’s cracked… oops). The plugin’s just as clean and reliable.

Stereo Chorus Flanger, Booster and Distortion, XII Phaser, Dual Parametric EQ, Sustainer

These are revamped versions of TC’s old Powercore-era Vintage Guitar Pedal bundle. Booster/Distortion comes from the discontinued VPD1 Pre-Drive pedal, and Stereo Chorus Flanger is based on the SCF pedal.

The others don’t tie directly to specific analog pedals but echo TC’s vintage series. They’ve got that retro flavor—great for electric guitar, electric piano, or synths.

These pedals scream “vintage” in the best way.

Final Thoughts

[link: https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/81-Bundles/39-Effects-Bundles/14608-TC-Studio-Elite-Collection/?a_aid=622ea9ee9160c]

This was a long one, huh! The TC Studio Elite Collection bundle includes everything I’ve covered, but there are also smaller bundles and individual plugins up for grabs.

My favorites? The reverbs, delays, and modulation effects—TC’s spatial magic really shines there. The rest are solid too, and the pedals are a nice touch.

If any of these catch your eye, the sale runs until April 14th—perfect time to snag a deal! Catch you in the next post! 😊