10 of the Best FX Plugins released in 2023
by The Press Desk
Audio Ease Altiverb 8
Audio Ease took everyone by surprise with the release of Altiverb 8 more than ten years after the release of its predecessor. For those unfamiliar with this classic, Altiverb is arguably the first reverb made of actual places’ impulse responses and is self entitled as ‘the original convolution reverb’. Highly acclaimed when it first came out and praised for its return Altiverb brings users everything in the reverb realm from classic outboard gear such as EMT plates to everyday modeled real spaces like restrooms and kitchens passing through world famous studios and cathedrals, enjoy the ride!
Cableguys FilterShaper XL
Cableguys FilterShaper XL is a fantastic sound design tool that provides infinite possibilities from adding a little movement to completely destroy a sound by mutating it into something completely different at the user’s will. The plug-in can be applied to literally any sound source and the sky is the limit of what you can do with its dual-engine design made of two highly tweakable filters featuring independent drive, pan, resonance and volume controls to be mixed and/or modulated by two combinable LFOs.
Kazrog Avalon VT-747SP Native
Kazrog collaborated with Avalon designs to bring this iconic piece of gear to the digital realm and the results were satisfied costumers and nice reviews. The Avalon VT-747SP Native was meticulously modeled upon multiple hardware units over the course of 2022 and 2023 until the release of an ultimate software version of this unit that features a stereo tube opto-compressor, a six band program equalizer, VU-style gain reduction meter, the ability to change from full tube signal path to class A discrete transistor sound, side chain listening and more.
Klanghelm TENS
Another company who took its time in a new release was Klanghelm with TENS Studio Spring Reverb. Klanghelm TENS has its roots on different spring reverb hardware models from AKG dating from the 1980’s but with expanded tweakability, it even gives users the ability to choose from each model's unique sonic signature. Other than that it’s possible to change the tank routing and control tone, timbre, pre-delay and decay values, woosh, tension and much more. A cool feature is the ability to modulate every continuous TENS parameter by an LFO or envelope target. Continuing Klanghelm's tradition, a free version with less features called TENS Jr is also available so those who are short on cash aren't left out of this lovely spring party.
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Softube Bus Processor
Softube’s Bus Processor goes beyond traditional bus compressing offering saturation, spatialization, wide side chain control and that sought after nice sounding glue factor. Available as native and also compatible with Console 1 Mixing System, this highly anticipated Bus Processor was designed with a classic SSL large console built-in compressor in mind but turned into a complete mixing and mastering tool with all the parameters needed to improve your sounds.
Solid State Logic 4K E Plug-in
Speaking of ‘SSL large console’s processors’ the company itself released a stellar software version of its coveted SSL 4000 E's channel strip responsible for uncountable hit albums since its release in 1979. The plugin authentically reproduces the original hardware sound featuring multiple Jensen transformer-balanced preamp saturation modes, the ability to choose from SSL’s 4K console signature ‘brown’, ‘black’ and even the rare ‘orange’ EQs, Revision 4 dynamics section, 360° Plug-in Mixer and seamless integration with UC1, UF1 and UF8 hardware controllers.
Soundtoys SuperPlate
Another long awaited company comeback was from Soundtoys. This year the company released SuperPlate combining the tonal character of five different electromechanical plate reverbs. SuperPlate is modeled after classic plate reverb hardware units such as the EMT 140, EMT 240, Audicon, Stocktronics RX4000 and EcoPlate III, users are able to choose from three different analog colors; tube, solid-state and clean. The plug-in also features expanded modulation controls, full-featured EQ, a decay ducking option and much more.
Tone Projects Hendyamps Michelangelo
The original Michelangelo hardware unit is a class A tube-based stereo EQ equipped with Jensen transformers primarily designed to bring analog coloration to a track or mix rather than be used as a simple frequency attenuator/booster. Officially endorsed by the original manufacturer, Tone Projects transposes this Hendyamps’ ‘beautification’ machine to the digital realm and expands its capabilities with the introduction of new features and controls such as multiple tube type options and blending, dynamic equalization with transient/body separation and sound stage enhancements.
Universal Audio Sound City Studios
California based Sound City Studios, renowned for housing legendary rock ‘n roll bands such as Nirvana, Metallica and many others has just been turned into a plug-in by Universal Audio. Now users all around the world will be able to place their own instruments and/or voice inside the studio’s famous Room A, not only that but also have access to all of its mic locker glory, outboard gear and iconic reverb chambers.
