Used on vocals, this plugin really breathes life into the sound, making it sound rich, bright and deep. The result is uncanny its sound really is indistinguishable from the hardware unit. Modeled after the tube-powered Aphex Aural Exciter, introduced in the mid-1970s, Waves got help from Val Garay who probably has the most experience with this exciter in the world. Create depth, brightness, vibrancy, and color with the touch of a button, and make your vocals more present – without raising your levels. This neat little plugin seems to do it all. If you were to ask “How can I make my vocals shine?”, we’d simply reply with “get the Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter, now.” Seriously. Make your high-end sparkle, warm up your mids and make your lows beautifully rumble, with this easy-to-use, incredibly powerful plugin.Ģ. On vocals, this plugin is essential for that extra boost. Included also is the Waves MS matrix that lets you apply different equalization to the mid and side stereo parts of your track. The harmonic distortions and overtones sound exactly like its referenced 1073 the differences are almost impossible to hear. It’s striking how similarly it emulates the original hardware. It’s a powerhouse, to say the least, and incredibly colorful – the main reason to get this plugin. This 3-band EQ features a fixed 12kHz high-frequency band, low and midrange bands for boosting and cutting, and of course an 18dB/octave high-pass filter. With the Scheps 73, enjoy the warm, fuzzy tones of the 1073 console’s EQ and preamp module cheaper, and right in-the-box.ĭeveloped and tweaked to perfection by master mixing engineer Andrew Scheps (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Black Sabbath, Lana Del Ray, Metallica, Jay-Z and many more), take your vocal mixing to the next level with this essential tool from Waves. There’s a sound to analog hardware that simply can’t be beaten – and now you don’t have to spend five figures to get it. In this list, we’ve compiled the absolute best plugins, ranging from stereo wideners to make your background vocals stand out, to powerful equalizers, compressors, exciters and more. Others choose to sell the vouchers through online marketplaces and pocket the cash.Professionally mixing your vocals requires the best VST plugins. Some people use that voucher to buy plugins and own the ones they love for life. Another one of my favorites is their Shadow Hills compressor, and even that is available in two flavors.Īs mentioned above, you get all that for $24.99 / month, but you also get a voucher worth $249.99 if you subscribe for 12 straight months (or pay for a year up-front). Aside from console emulations, you’ll get a ton of modeled EQs and compressors, top-notch mastering tools, amp simulations, instruments, reverbs, and more. For $24.99 per month (or save $50 and commit to paying upfront for a year at $249), you’ll get every plugin they offer (over 110), including their incredible console emulations-their new SSL 9000J is simply amazing. Plugin Alliance offers some of the best sounding plugins I have heard outside of the proprietary Universal Audio ecosystem. Slate Digital All Access is $24.99/month with a discount to $14.99/month with an annual commitment. The library includes a host of console emulations, pre-amps, virtual tape machines, classic compressors (including a Distressor emulation, FG Stress), EQs, Reverbs and more.Īdditionally, you also get access to Slate Academy, which contains over 200 videos hosted by some big names, including Just Blaze, Chris Lord-Alge, and Sevenn. Slate Digital All Access Slate Virtual Mix RackĪrguably the most popular plugin subscription offering, Slate Digital All Access gives you licenses to their acclaimed library of high-quality plugins. If you want to expand beyond the stock plugins included with your DAW, these are a great way to try out new flavors without making an expensive financial commitment. Those preferences have developed over time and through an arguably unhealthy obsession with testing hundreds, if not thousands, of plugins.įor those who prefer a simple, less time-consuming path, here are some popular plugin bundles that are available via monthly subscriptions. While I admit that I prefer to purchase my plugins outright and own them for life, I’ve also come to realize that, most of the time, I know what I want and never touch 90% of the other plugins in my library. You literally spend hours reading articles and watching YouTube videos about the best 1176 plugin, the best SSL Channel Strip, and even less-common stuff like Distressor emulations and more. If you’re like most home studio enthusiasts, there’s a good chance you suffer greatly from a condition I call “ plugin addiction.” It’s a never-ending quest to find the greatest plugins imaginable.