Tag: plugins

Black Friday Sale Summary: 2025 Virtual Instruments & Mixing Plugins

Hi! This is Jooyoung Kim, a mixing engineer and music producer. Black Friday is right around the corner, so, as I did last year, I’ll summarize all the plugin sales that I want to recommend for composing, mixing, and mastering music.

This post is not sponsored by any of the plugin companies listed. However, I have an affiliate partnership with Plugin Boutique, so, I’ll provide their purchase links alongside my explanations for any plugins they offer. Furthermore, purchasing through the provided link earns me a small commission that helps support this content..^^ (It’s really hard to make a living these days…haha..)

Then… Let’s start!

1) WAVES

I always recommend plugins made by waves to people around me. While their update plan policy is incredibly frustrating, it certainly doesn’t detract from the quality of their plugins. Additionally, they usually offer significant discounts during the Black Friday season.

Click image to purchase WAVES’ Horizon bundle

I highly recommend the Horizon Bundle. This bundle features 93 plugins, all of which are highly versatile. The price is only $219(Tax Included), leaving no reason not to recommend it.

Specifically, the CLA series, the Renaissance Compressor, and the H-Delay are my favorites.

2) UAD (Universal Audio Digital)

Universal Audio has lots of useful plugins too. The LA-2A series, the 1176 series and the chamber reverbs are definitely my go-to plugins from UAD.

Click image to purchase 10 UAD plugins

I own quite a few UAD plugins, and they were really expensive before Universal Audio launched the native versions. Additionally, the 10-plugin bundle was also very pricey, if I recall correctly. However, for this Black Friday sale, you can get 10 plugins for only $108.90 (Tax Included). I must admit, I find that a little unfair….^^. It’s a really great deal, so I highly recommend grabbing this opportunity.

If you haven’t had any experience with UAD plugins, I will select my top 10 recommended plugins for you.

  1. Teletronix LA-2A Leveler Collection
  2. 1176 Classic Limiter Collection
  3. API 2500 Bus Compressor
  4. Teletronix LA-3A Classic Audio Leveler
  5. EMT 250 Classic Electronic Reverb
  6. Fairchild Tube Limiter Collection
  7. Pultec Passive EQ Collection
  8. UAD Sound City Studios
  9. Hitsville Reverb Chambers
  10. Lexicon 224 Digital Reverb

3) IK Multimedia

Unfortunately, IK Multimedia already concluded its “Group Buy” event last month, so it is unlikely there will be any additional sales during Black Friday. However, I have written about IK Multimedia’s virtual instruments and mixing plugins previously, so, if you have an interest in this company, please read this article.

Introducing IK Multimedia Total Studio 4 Max (75% Off Until 12/2)

4) Arturia

Arturia offers a wide range of virtual instruments and mixing plugins. They boast significantly high quality, tthe only drawback is their high CPU usage. However, as CPU processing speeds have grown rapidly, I believe this is no longer a critical issue.

Click image to purchase Arturia’s V collection 11
Click image to purchase Arturia’s FX Collection 5

The price of the V collection 11 is $383.90 (Tax Included), and the FX Collection 5 is $273.90 (Tax Included).

I have written reviews before, if you have an interest, please read these articles.

Arturia FX Collection 5 Overview & Sale (50% Off, Until December 10th)
Arturia V Collection X: Introduction and Black Friday Sale (50% Off Until 12/10)

5) Brainworx

Click image to purchase Brainworx’s plugins

Brainworx was founded by Dirk Ulrich, the same individual who established Plugin Alliance. They offer superb mixing plugins with remarkably good quality. They are also remarkably affordable, so you should definitely consider purchasing their plugins if you have a limited budget.

Click image to purchase Brainworx’s bx_digital V3

Specifically, I recommend the digital EQ, the bx_digital V3, from Brainworx. At just $11 (including tax), it is incredibly useful for identifying the frequencies where resonances occur.

6) Celemony -Melodyne

Click image to purchase Melodyne

I currently use three main pitch correction plugins: Auto-Tune, Melodyne, and Revoice Pro. However, I find Melodyne to be the most intuitive plugin. I use it on almost every project.

The Studio version is now $301.40 (Tax Included).

7) Native Instruments

Native Instruments sells a lot of virtual instruments. Their Komplete bundle is their most famous, and it features a 50% upgrade discount during Black Friday.

Click image to purchase Komplete 15 upgrade

8) Cableguys

I think you need Cableguys’ plugins if you want to create a modern-sounding track. Recently, many producers and composers are making the source audio groovy, and these grooves are created through artificial manipulation.

Cableguys’ plugins are made for these purposes.

I recommend Shaper Box 3 (at $97.90 including tax). Also if your budget is larger, the Cableguys bundle (at $163.90 including tax) is a great choice.

9) Eventide

Eventide’s reverb plugins are truly irreplaceable. The Blackhole reverb and the ShimmerVerb reverb are strongly recommended.

10) BFD Drums

Click image to purchase BFD 3.5

I love the BFD drum plugin. My main drum VST is BFD, and their sounds are exceptional. While it has a steep learning curve, once you understand its complexities, it will provide truly realistic drum sounds.

The drum sounds on this song were created using BFD drums.

The basic components are quite good, but I highly recommend buying the London Sessions expansion pack.

BFD 3.5 is currently only $42.90 (tax included), and the expansion pack is only $20.90 (tax included). I strongly recommend these two products.

11) iZotope

Click image to purchase iZotope

iZotope offers famous plugins like the RX and Ozone series. They also have excellent reverb plugins. Currently, they are offering a 40% discount on their bundle upgrades.

12) Plugin Alliance

Click image to purchase Plugin Alliance’s plugins

Since a certain point, Plugin Alliance began including tax when they sell their products to international customers on their website. Therefore, there is no compelling reason to buy their plugins directly from their website. You can earn points and free plugins when you purchase plugins through Plugin Boutique. Thus, I highly recommend purchasing them there instead.

My favorites include the Maag EQ4, the SPL series, and the Bettermaker C502V plugins.

I believe that covers all the main recommendations. There are still a few plugins I would like to recommend, but they are either not currently on sale or have fully transitioned to subscription models (like Musio 1).

Honestly, these days, I feel that plugins are not the most crucial factor in music production. The ideas and concepts are the most important aspects. Sound design and engineering are just the finishing touches to the music.

So, if you want to make meaningful music, I would advise against spending a lot of money on plugins you might use in the future. Just buy what you need now.

Then.. have a nice Black Friday season!

Cableguys’ Snapback Introduction Sale (~Dec 2, $29)

Hi! This is Jooyoung Kim, a mixing engineer and music producer.

Long time no post…!

I was too busy studying English and doing other work. Unfortunately, I failed to achieve the score that I wanted on the TOEFL test. My plan was to apply to a Ph.D. program this year, but I may have overestimated my English ability…T.T..

But I think it is reasonable for graduate schools to have a high TOEFL score threshold. If someone studies in Korea, I think they may have a good command of Korean and need to be proficient in the language. From the opposite perspective, English speakers will think the same way.

So.. I have to study English harder than before..

By the way, today, I’ll introduce Cableguys’ new plugin, Snapback. (The plugin was provided by Plugin Boutique, and if you purchase by the links, I’ll get small commission from them.)

Purchase Snapback in Plugin Boutique

It’s a simple audio layering plugin. However, this plugin has great detection ability and adds many flavors to the sources.

It analyzes the input signal in real time, detects each transient with high precision, and triggers two types of layers: a pre-transient “Snapback” layer and a main transient layer. This allows users to enrich kicks, snares, claps, and percussive sounds without manually adjusting timing in the DAW.

By automating phase-accurate alignment and offering detailed controls such as pitch, timing shift, stereo width, filtering, and dynamics, Snapback makes drum enhancement faster and more musical than traditional manual layering.

Let’s find out more about it’s parameters.

In the analyzer, a blue audio signal appears in front of the main source, with a purple audio signal behind the blue signal. The blue one is ‘snapback’, and the purple one is ‘transient’. They can be adjusted using the parameters at the bottom of the plugin.

I presume that many people are already familiar with the attack, decay, pitch, and all related parameters. Thus I’ll not elaborate about whole things. However, shift parameters refer to ‘shift timing,’ which can be adjusted from -4 ms to 4 ms. Width can be adjusted from 0% to 200%, and dynamics from 0% to 100%. HP and LP means High pass and Low pass filter.

Snapback and transient presets are organized into several stylistic groups, each designed to emphasize a specific aspect of drum layering. So, you can instantly hear how different combinations affect the groove.

Purchase Snapback in Plugin Boutique

Overall, Snapback is a simple tool, but it solves one of the most time-consuming tasks in modern production: clean and precise drum layering.

Its transient detection, timing accuracy, and flexible controls make it a fast and musical solution for enhancing percussion in any genre. I think $29 is really affordable!

That’s all for today. See you in next post!

5 Brainworx Bettermaker Plugins Review (Bus Compressor, C502V, EQ232D, Passive Equalizer, BM60)

Hello! This is Jooyoung Kim, a mixing engineer & music producer.

Today, I’d like to talk about some plugins from Brainworx’s Bettermaker lineup:

  1. Bus Compressor DSP – Compressor
  2. C502V – Compressor
  3. EQ232D – EQ
  4. Passive Equalizer – EQ
  5. BM60 – Reverb

I originally planned to introduce these plugins last month when they were on sale, but things got a bit hectic, and now I’m sharing them when they’re not discounted… oops! 😅 Still, after testing them out, I can confidently say they’re really well-crafted plugins. If you’re interested, it’s worth keeping an eye out for a sale.

These plugins were provided to me by Brainworx via Plugin Boutique in NFR (Not For Resale) format. If you purchase through the links I’ll include later, I’ll earn a small commission, which genuinely helps me keep doing what I do. 😊

Ready? Let’s dive in!

1) Bettermaker Bus Compressor DSP

Click image to purchase Brainworx Bettermaker bus compressor dsp

The Bettermaker Bus Compressor is a plugin recreation of Bettermaker’s hardware Bus Compressor. The original hardware allows digital recall and adjustments, and the plugin’s interface mirrors that design pretty closely.

The plugin’s parameters are similar to most compressors, but a few features stand out:

  1. You can listen to the sidechain.
  2. You can choose between Peak Level or RMS detection.
  3. You can dial in the amount of THD (Total Harmonic Distortion).

These three features are the heart of the Bettermaker Bus Compressor DSP. The sidechain splits the incoming signal, applies a filter, and uses the filtered signal as the key—pretty standard for bus compressors, but super useful.

The VCA THD feature adds harmonic distortion.

On the left, you’ve got the clean signal; on the right, it’s with THD applied. Looking at an oscilloscope, you’ll notice more changes—sonically, it starts to feel very mechanical. A subtle touch adds an edgy vibe, but crank it too much, and it feels overly distorted.

The frequency response is flat except in the ultra-low end, and the compression curve is smooth as butter. After messing around with it, I think it’s an incredibly well-made bus compressor. SSL-style compressors sometimes smear the low end or feel a bit hollow, but this one keeps the lows tight and solid without eating them up.

This one’s a winner. Out of the five plugins I’m covering today, it’s my favorite. It’s usually a steal during sales (probably around $29, so I’d recommend testing it out and grabbing it when it’s discounted.

2) Bettermaker C502V

Click image to purchase Brainworx Bettermaker C502V

This is another plugin modeled after Bettermaker’s C502V hardware. It offers three modes:

  • BM – Bettermaker Compressor
  • SG – SSL G-Compressor
  • DX – dbx 160 Compressor

Switching modes even changes the UI, which is a nice touch.

After testing, I could hear what each mode was going for. The SSL mode feels clean and polished, while the dbx mode has that signature gritty snap. The Bettermaker mode, though, sounds a bit different from the Bus Compressor DSP—it’s more forward and punchy, at least to my ears.

Here’s the harmonic distortion in BM mode with THD maxed out.

First is BM mode, second is SG, and third is DX. The differences in harmonic distortion and compression curves explain why this plugin sounds distinct from the Bus Compressor DSP. The C502V has a steeper knee, and it varies by mode.

I’d recommend this one too—it’s like having three compressor flavors in one. I especially liked the BM and DX modes. If you don’t already own a dbx-style compressor, this could be a solid solution.

3) Bettermaker EQ232D

Click image to purchase Brainworx Bettermaker EQ232D

This plugin recreates Bettermaker’s EQ232P MKII hardware—a super clean EQ with no THD, just pure frequency shaping.

It’s split into sections:

  1. A high-pass filter (HPF) for cutting lows.
  2. EQ 1, handling lows to mid-highs.
  3. EQ 2, covering mid-highs to ultra-highs.
  4. A P EQ section with Pultec-style frequency response.

Think of it as a mastering EQ (sections 1–3) plus a Pultec-inspired EQ combined into one.

On the left, I activated just the P EQ section and tweaked it a bit. The curve is as complex as you’d expect from a Pultec-style EQ. Harmonic distortion is pristine, and there’s no compression curve to speak of—it’s just an EQ, plain and simple.

It’s perfect for mastering when you need something ultra-clean. Definitely worth checking out.

4) Bettermaker Passive Equalizer

Click image to purchase Brainworx Bettermaker passive equalizer

This one looks like a Pultec clone at first glance, but it’s actually Bettermaker’s unique take on a valve-based passive EQ, turned into a plugin. The hardware allowed computer-based recall, and the plugin follows suit with a similar UI.

The frequency response is close to the Bus Compressor DSP.

But as a valve design, the saturation is intense! Left is the default state; right is with Heat engaged.

Looking at the compression curve and oscilloscope, it’s far from flat.

Honestly, it feels more like a saturation box with EQ tacked on than a pure EQ. And as a saturation tool, it’s got charm—the Heat setting is pretty tasty.

5) Bettermaker BM60

Click image to purchase Brainworx Bettermaker BM60

The BM60 is a reverb plugin based on the Lexicon PCM 60. The original hardware had intuitive controls, and this plugin adds extras like Predelay, Width, Monofilter, and a Ducker, making it really versatile.

It offers two reverb types—Room and Plate—with Size and Reverb Time split into four steps. The parameters are straightforward, and the sound feels just as intuitive.

It’s great for light, easy reverb duties. Reverbs and delays are tough to describe with numbers, but I’d recommend this one as much as the Bus Compressor DSP.

Purchase Brainworx’s plugins at Plugin Boutique

They’re not on sale right now, but I’ve left a link to Brainworx’s plugins for future reference. Take a look when you get a chance!

Bonus: This month, if you buy anything from Plugin Boutique, you can snag either Audiomodern’s Freezr (a freeze sequencer plugin) or Heavyocity’s MicroFX Refiner (a bus processor plugin) for free. Don’t miss out when you shop!

That’s it for now—see you in the next post! 😊