Reviews

Lunacy BEAM 2.0 Review: Is This Creative Multi-Effect Worth It? Modern music production isn’t suffering from a shortage of effects plugins. Most producers already have more reverbs, delays, filters, modulation effects, and distortion plugins than they realistically need. That makes a plugin like Lunacy BEAM 2.0 interesting. Instead of simply giving you another collection of … Read more

SSL X-Limit Review: Is It Worth It for Hip Hop & R&B? Getting a mix loud is easy. Getting it loud without destroying the punch, low end, transients, and overall feel of the record is where things get difficult. That is especially true when producing Hip Hop and R&B. Between hard-hitting kicks, deep 808s, punchy … Read more

Roland JUPITER-8 VST Review: Is This Classic Synth Plugin Worth It? Few synthesizers have achieved the legendary status of the Roland JUPITER-8. Originally released in 1981, the eight-voice analog polysynth became known for its huge pads, silky strings, powerful basses, and unmistakably rich analog character. The problem? Buying an original JUPITER-8 today is unrealistic for … Read more

Waves Platinum Bundle Review: Is This 67-Plugin Collection Still Worth It? Building a serious collection of mixing and mastering plugins can get expensive quickly. You need EQs, compressors, reverbs, delays, vocal processors, stereo tools, mastering limiters, analyzers, saturation, and plenty of other utilities. The Waves Platinum Bundle attempts to solve that problem by putting 67 … Read more

Roland JUNO-60 Review: Is This Classic Synth Plugin Worth It? Few synthesizers have a legacy quite like the Roland JUNO-60. Originally released in 1982, the hardware JUNO-60 became one of Roland’s most recognizable analog polysynths. Its relatively simple architecture, punchy oscillator, warm filter, sub oscillator, and unmistakable chorus helped create a sound that remains relevant … Read more

Roland has created some of the most recognizable synthesizers in music history. From vintage analog instruments to digital workstations and modern production hardware, Roland sounds have appeared across hip hop, R&B, pop, electronic music, trap, and countless other genres. ZENOLOGY Pro takes a huge portion of that Roland DNA and puts it inside your DAW. … Read more

Roland TR-808 Review: Is This the Best 808 Drum Machine Plugin? Few drum machines have influenced modern music as much as the Roland TR-808. Hip hop, R&B, trap, pop, electronic music, and countless subgenres have all been shaped by its booming bass drum, crisp handclaps, metallic cowbell, snappy snare, and instantly recognizable hi-hats. The problem … Read more

Native Instruments FM8 Review: Is This Classic FM Synth Still Worth It? This article may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, Pluginera may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Some software synthesizers stay relevant because they are constantly redesigned. Others survive because their sound never … Read more

Sonarworks SoundID Reference for Headphones Review: Is It Worth It? Mixing on headphones is convenient, affordable, and sometimes unavoidable. But there’s one major problem: your headphones have their own sound. Some models exaggerate the bass. Others push the upper mids or treble. And even expensive studio headphones aren’t necessarily perfectly neutral. That means you can … Read more

Baby Audio Crystalline Review: Is This Modern Reverb Worth It? Reverb is one of those effects that can completely transform a mix—but it can also destroy one surprisingly quickly. Too much reverb can push vocals into the background, muddy melodies, soften drums, and make an otherwise clean production sound washed out. The challenge is creating … Read more