In music production, plugins are software add-ons that expand the capabilities of your DAW; these could be virtual instruments and creative effects, EQ and compressors, or tools that make editing a lot more manageable.
Below is a rolling list of the new plugin releases that we think you need to know about. We update this list every week, so be sure to check back regularly for the latest virtual instruments, effects, mixing plugins and more. If you want more info on free plugins and how to install third-party plugins, head to the bottom of this article.
Happy producing!
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This week’s new and noteworthy virtual instruments, effects and mixing plugins
(Last update: 3 Mar 2025)
IK Multimedia Grand Piano Y7
The latest addition to IK Multimedia’s Pianoverse, the Grand Piano Y7, brings the power and elegance of the Yamaha C7 to the digital realm.
Meticulously recorded at Fonoprint Studios in Bologna — previously graced by the likes of Andrea Bocelli and Ennio Morricone — using a late 80s model, this library gives you the nuanced expressiveness and rich total clarity that made the C7 a legend.
Running on IK’s Pianoverse engine, the sound of the Y7 is highly customisable with position, pedal noise, and harp resonance controls, along with a range of highly realistic reverb spaces. Want to get a bit weirder? You can even transport it to surreal landscapes like an iceberg or Mars, or dial in motion using dedicated LFOs and envelopes.
Grand Piano Y7 is available now for $88. You can also get it as part of Pianoverse Max — along with eight other world-class pianos — with a discount of $228 throughout March (full price $350).
Hit Factory Plugins HitVerb
Renowned recording studio The Hit Factory has released its new convolution reverb plugin, HitVerb. Developed in collaboration with Troy Germano, it features impulse responses recorded straight from the hallowed halls that shaped records by Stevie Wonder and Bruce Springsteen.
HitVerb features 12 rooms from The Hit Factory’s global studios, from the warmth of a classic vocal booth to the deep reflections of a tracking hall, bringing the iconic sound of these spaces to your productions — all without booking a flight to New York.
Simplicity is a core tenet of HitVerb’s design. Unlike some overly complex convolution reverbs, the intuitive interface offers immediate control of essential characteristics like mic placement, filtering, and tail length without overwhelming the user. On top, professionally designed presets deliver studio-grade reverb from some of the most sought-after recording spaces in music history.
HitVerb is available now from Hit Factory Plugins for $199.
Aly James Lab VPROM 3.0
For producers chasing the raw, punchy sound of early 80s drum machines, VPROM 3.0 delivers an unparalleled level of authenticity. First released by Aly James Lab in 2014, this plugin faithfully emulates the LM-1 and other classic EPROM-based drum machines that defined the sound of artists like Prince, Phil Collins, and Depeche Mode.
The new 3.0 update takes things further, offering enhanced circuit emulation modeled on rare OB DMX voice cards, variable sample rate decoding that recreates the quirks of vintage AM6070 DAC chips, and clock drift that recreates the subtle groove imperfections of vintage drum machines.
Even more exciting is new functionality that lets you load in and convert samples to create your own EPROM binary files for use in hardware drum machines.
VPROM 3.0 is available from Aly James Lab for €56, or a €20 upgrade for existing VPROM 2.0 customers.
Phantom Sounds Analog Drift
Designed for precise mixing and creative sound design, Analog Drift is a new delay plugin from Phantom Sounds that injects a bit of vintage unpredictability and organic warmth into your signal.
Three distinct flavours make up Analog Drift. Glass Delay offers clean and tight rhythmic echoes. But select Prism Shift or Vaporwave Bliss and you’ll be treated to shimmering, evolving textures with lo-fi character and subtle pitch modulation.
Dialling in the perfect delay is possible through parameters including Wow & Flutter, Dust & Wear, and independent left/right delay times for intricate stereo movement. And to keep everything tidy, there’s a built-in ducking feature to keep your mix clear and controlled.
Analog Drift is available from Phantom Sounds for introductory pricing of £59 (full price £79).
Plugin Alliance Vertigo VSS-2
If you’re looking for a high-end analogue console in plugin form, VSS-2 might be the answer. Based on Vertigo’s revered German-built hardware — found in the studios of Grammy-winning pros like Craig Buaer and Dave Cobb — this all-in-one channel strip combines some of the company’s finest handwired components into a single, streamlined plugin.
The effect’s premium signal chain comprises four sections. First, input filters based on the VSE-2 can be used to roll off unwanted frequencies. A VCA compressor based on the VSC-3 lets you control dynamics, before further tone shaping with the Gyrator EQ inspired by the VSE-4. Finally, you can enrich the harmonics of your signal with a saturation module that emulates the tubes from the VSM-4. From tight, glossy vocals to warm, punchy drums, VSS-2 has all the tools you need to clean up, enhance, and energise your mix.
VSS-2 is available from Plugin Alliance for introductory pricing of $89 (full price $129).
Last week’s best plugins
THR VoxGuru
One-man operation THR Audio has introduced VoxGuru, a comprehensive vocal processing suite designed to streamline both mixing and creative vocal production.
The plugin is designed around five modules, which can be chained in any order or used as standalone plugins:
Dynamics – Four characterful compression styles, de-essing, and tone control.
EQ – Four-band parametric equalisation in four styles including Modern and Vintage.
Saturation – Tape, soft clipping, tube, and fuzz algorithms for dialling in the perfect amount of dirt.
Time – Seven reverb algorithms and a tempo-synced delay, with ducking to keep your vocals front and centre.
FX – Six creative effects including Doubler, Phone, and Harmonizer.
Designed to keep you in the flow, VoxGuru offers both Simple and Advanced interfaces for quick and effective adjustments or deeper parameter control.
VoxGuru is available from THR Audio for introductory pricing of $49 until 15 March 2025 (full price $99).
Sosci
We’ve got something a bit different for you this week, in the form of Sosci — a highly realistic audio plugin that simulates an analogue oscilloscope from the 20th century.
Based on Neil Thapen’s free XXY Oscilloscope app, Sosci features audio upsampling with realistic artefacts, three-channel brightness input, and video sharing via Syphon/Spout. You can also record its output to an MP4.
Available as both an audio plugin and a standalone application, Sosci is available now for $20.
Spitfire Audio x BBC Radiophonic Workshop
The BBC Radiophonic Workshop, renowned for its groundbreaking electronic sounds that defined shows like Doctor Who and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, has unveiled a comprehensive sample library in collaboration with Spitfire Audio.
For the first time, musicians and producers can access the Workshop’s archive of sounds, featuring everything from vintage synths and tape loops to recordings from classic hardware and bespoke loudspeakers.
Alongside these historic samples, original Workshop members have contributed new performances and enhanced archival recordings to ensure they’re up to scratch for modern production. Powered by Spitfire’s Solar engine, the collection offers a cutting-edge toolkit for contemporary sound design built on the pioneering sonic experiments of the original Workshop.
The BBC Radiophonic Workshop library is available from Spitfire Audio for introductory pricing of £119 until 17 March 2025 (full price £149).
Flow Mastering Suite 2.0
Softube has unveiled Flow Mastering Suite 2.0, a significant update to its all-in-one mastering solution that can add instant polish to your productions through 16 high-end effects.
This latest version introduces user-requested features, including the ability to customise existing signal chains — known as Flows — and the option to build user signal chains from scratch. Users can now insert effects at any point in the chain, and create bespoke Flow macro controls to further streamline their workflows.
On top, there are new sidechaining and reference track features, visualisations for loudness and dynamic range, and additional workflow enhancements.
Current Flow Mastering Suite subscribers will receive the update at no cost, while new customers can get access to Flow Mastering Suite 2.0 for $15/month with a 14-day free trial from Softube.
Native Instruments Scene: Lotus
Native Instruments has released Lotus, the latest addition to its Scene series of premium cinematic sounds designed for media composers.
Drawing from traditional Japanese instruments like the shakuhachi, hichiriki, and koto, Lotus blends these authentic sounds with orchestral swells and modern synths to create a versatile hybrid scoring palette.
As with other Scene instruments, the design is centred around an intuitive X/Y pad that enables users to seamlessly morph between up to 16 layers, effects, and controls. Other features within this compact and streamlined instrument include a variety of scales and tuning modes, a selection of inspiring presets, and a randomisation function.
Scene: Lotus is available from Native Instruments for €29.
Are DAW stock plugins good enough?
Most major DAWs these days will come with a perfectly capable collection of ‘stock’ plugins for music-making: Logic Pro’s software instrument library is rich and varied; Ableton Live’s synth engines cover additive, subtractive and granular methods, and the Pro Tools suite of mixing plugins is still widely used by pro engineers.
Third-party plugins are there to give you access to sounds and workflows that aren’t bundled in with your DAW. Maybe you want the sound of a vintage preamp — try a plugin emulation by Arturia or Universal Audio. Want to shake up how visualise your mixing and production? Try a plugin by Baby Audio or MIXLAND.
A good producer isn’t their plugin folder, but their ability to make good decisions. Increase your knowledge: instead of buying synth samples, learn about the fundamentals of synthesis; kick drum sounding too skinny? Learn to compress properly.
Where to download free plugins and VSTs
Looking for free plugins? Our freeware section is an excellent place to start; each month, we also compile round-ups of the best free plugins and samples to download.
The production community is full of passionate developers who’ve given away instruments, effects and other plugins as freeware. Some of our favourites include Valhalla’s Supermassive reverb, Apogee’s Soft Limit and Matt Tytel’s Helm polysynth. Remember, most developers also offer free trials for their plugins.
How to install VST and AU plugins on Windows, macOS and iOS
If your plugin came as a .zip file, and not an installer, you may have to manually install it. Here’s how:
VST3 plugins:
- Unzip the plugin folder
- Copy the .VST file to your default plugin folder (Windows default: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3, Mac default: /Library/Audio/Plugins/VST)
- Start your DAW
- Rescan your plugin directory
AUv3 plugins:
- Download and install plugin from the App Store
- Insert plugin in your DAW
- Select the AUv3 plugin from the Audio Unit Extensions tab
