Soothe was always the best tool of its kind - and Soothe 3 refines the concept in all the right areas: better workflow, more flexibility and a more polished experience. The sound is noticeably more transparent than its predecessor, making it essential across production, mixing and sound design. Soothe 3 earns the Sounds of Revolution Award.

Decimort 2 models a complete AD/DA conversion chain, delivering authentic vintage sampler character with precise control. From subtle coloring to creative distortion, results stay musical. The jitter control is a highlight – small parameter, huge impact. Decimort 2 earns the Sounds of Revolution Award.

LANDR Studio combines AI mastering, samples, plugins, and distribution in one ecosystem. The mastering plugin builds a complete chain in seconds – fast, musical, and surprisingly capable.

Topos shapes sound with a unique morphing workflow, blending saturation and speaker tone into fast, musical results.

DB-30 Drum Butter by XLN Audio is a fast, creative multi-effects processor for drums. Six well-tuned modules, a smart Magnitude macro, and 260+ presets deliver instant results. The module lock feature is a workflow highlight. Fun, inspiring, and highly effective – DB-30 earns the Sounds of Revolution Award.

The best free plugins don't compromise – they simply cost nothing. This roundup covers hand-picked tools that earn their place in any session: from stereo wideners and reverbs to analyzers and mid-side utilities. No filler, no second-best solutions – just great plugins that happen to be free.

Grainferno turns any sample into evolving textures and playable synth tones. Its tempo-aware granular engine and intuitive workflow make experimental sound design surprisingly fast and musical.

LOVE 2 is my go-to tool for creating textures and atmospheres. With its granular engine and flexible effects chain, it feels like an ambient processor on steroids. Because of this, simple sounds quickly become wide soundscapes.

Duck 2 by Devious Machines is the most refined tool available for envelope-based volume shaping and sidechain ducking. Draw precise curves, use multiband processing, generate envelopes from audio – all within a fast, intuitive workflow. A standard in my own sessions for years. Duck 2 earns the Sounds of Revolution Value Award.

Filterverse is my go-to creative filter plugin for sound shaping. With its deep modulation options, it feels like a filter on steroids. Because of this, you can push sounds much further creatively.

Supermodal by Polyverse combines a classic state-variable filter with a true modal resonator engine - and the results are genuinely inspiring. Deep modulation, 27 modal models, and a musical character that stays controlled even under pressure. A perfect fit for electronic music and sound design. Supermodal earns the Sounds of Revolution Award.

Creative Filter plugins are my preferred tools for sound shaping. A filter with extreme modulation can be thought of as an EQ on steroids. Because of this, you can use filters more creatively than EQ plugins. A few of the tools listed below have a structure

Refractalizer by DataMind Audio is the most exciting granular synth available right now. It treats granular synthesis as a musical instrument: MIDI-driven grain rates, true sample interpolation across thousands of files, and a time domain that sweeps seamlessly from rhythmic grooves into pitched tones. Deep, alive, and unlike anything else. Refractalizer earns the Sounds of Revolution Award.

Cubase has been my primary DAW for over 20 years - not out of habit, but because it consistently delivers precision, depth, and reliability. From Hitpoint editing and advanced automation to the new Melodic Pattern Sequencer and expanded Modulators, Cubase 15 brings real workflow value. For sound design and sample production, it remains my first choice.

It’s a perceptual compressor focused on musical balance, transparent control, and practical mixing workflows. What sets it apart is its approach – it shapes dynamics by intent, not by numbers.

Lunacy Audio BEAM 2.0 is a creative multi-effect designed for inspiring sound design and musical experimentation – a powerful and versatile tool I truly enjoy working with.

Great studio monitors reveal the truth in your mix – and these picks deliver exactly that. My current No. 1 is the Abacus Mirra 14: a 3-way fully active monitor reaching down to 16Hz, with a defined, dry bass response and zero ear fatigue after 12+ hours. Also highly recommended: the Neumann KH 310 and Genelec 1032C – both outstanding choices for professional work.

iZotope Ozone 12: IRC 5, Stem EQ, Bass Control, Unlimiter & Master Assistant. The best, most intuitive mastering suite yet – and it easily earns the Sounds of Revolution Award.

A curated list of the best mixing and mastering plugins - tested over years, refined with input from professional mastering engineers. Highlights include iZotope Ozone, the Weiss Collection, Tone Projects Unisum and Michelangelo, Oeksound Bloom, and Acustica Magenta 5. Only tools that truly earn their place make the cut.

Baby Audio Tekno: 18 drum engines, punchy synthesized drums, randomize & humanize functions – a flexible, inspiring drum synth.

For me, iZotope RX 11 represents the gold standard in audio restoration, and it absolutely earns the Sounds of Revolution Award.

It's an insane multiband distortion, compression, EQ, and filter unit that lets you shape sound any way you want. What sets it apart is its character – it doesn’t just distort, it transforms.

These Plugins offer saturation to thicken, add warmth, draw pieces out of the mix, and create signature sounds. You may turn regular sounds into something utterly fresh and weird using some of these plugins. In general, when it comes to distortion, less is more!

Minimal Audio Wave Shifter is more than a multi-effects plugin, it's a sound-mangling instrument in its own right.

For quick fixes and deep mix sculpting alike, Sonible Smart Comp 2 impresses on all fronts. The AI suggestions don’t get in the way but provide a useful launchpad.

Sonible Smart EQ4 is an AI-powered equalizer that goes beyond standard EQ work. Its multitrack grouping lets up to 10 instances communicate in real time, reducing frequency clashes automatically. Add dynamic bands, adaptive profiles, and Auto Gain – and you get a fast, transparent, and surprisingly musical mixing assistant. Outstanding value.

Key detection isn't just for matching vocals - it's essential for layering samples cohesively. This roundup covers three top tools: zplane TONIC with its Keyboard View and reference tuning detection, Waves Key Detector with seamless plugin integration, and Mixed In Key Studio Edition for fast, flexible analysis. All highly recommended for sound designers and producers alike.

FabFilter Pro-Q 4 is the best EQ on the market - precise, versatile, and remarkably easy to use. Key additions include spectral dynamics that rival dedicated tools like Soothe, adjustable attack/release for dynamic bands, a multi-instance session view, and an intuitive draw mode. A true all-in-one plugin that replaces several specialized tools at once.

Softube Flow is unquestionably a fantastic method of mastering and provides outstanding outcomes in no time. The rent-to-own model is the ideal compromise between ownership and subscription models.

With Backbone Steinberg has succeeded in creating an innovative VSTi. It’s one of the most powerful creative tools for drum changes. I love its ground breaking AI technology for my sound design.

With a combination of amazing effects and remarkably simple operation, Yum Audio Ember adds character, warmth and lively tones to the sound.

The Black Box HG-2 adds saturation, harmonics, natural compression, and increased RMS for mixing and mastering. It's one of the best saturation plugins available.

I have been using and following Waves plugins for decades. Since Waves has had a significant influence on my sound design and is used by countless producers around the world, here is my list of the best plugins.

Zynaptiq Orange Vocoder 4 is a limitless sound design toolbox. None of the Vocoder VSTs, in my opinion, sound as precise and thorough as this one! I've never seen or heard a vocoder with so much detail. It's the greatest available!

The Microwave 1 Plugin never fails to impress with its distinct sound. I really enjoy these slightly gritty, broken wavetable tones. It's simply a fantastic recreation of a classic!

Transit 2 by Baby Audio is the perfect tool when you want to quickly and intuitively create transitions between individual parts and sections in a track.

A Multi FX plugin works much like an instrument rather than an ordinary signal processing plug-in. By combining various effects, you may increase both the creative and operational options. These tools should, above all, be flexible - a type of Swiss knife for sound designers and a playground for sound enthusiasts at the same time.

At this point, I would like to talk about synthesizers that have a special appeal to me - be it the unusual basic sound, the unique concept, the affordable price tag, or simply the ease of use, etc.

BA-1 is simple to use and invites for tweaking. This little synth looks like a toy but sounds like a beast! It’s a real highlight in my arsenal.

I’m always looking for new, creative ways to produce unique samples. Hundreds of VST Plugins are installed on my audio system and the number is constantly increasing. This is my current list (updated regularly) of the Best Sound Design VST Plugins.

Even though there are already a few other morph plugins on the market, in my opinion this one is by far the best. It is a real weapon for my sound design and not “just” recommended for game and film sound design! With MORPH, nothing sounds like you are used to – promised! This Swiss Knife comes highly recommended!

Becoming an accomplished music producer is a process that can often take years. There are many ways to improve your own music production. Mixing music takes both technical skill and creativity to make a song interesting to the listener. These music production mixing tips show simple ways to improve the sound of your production.

iZotope Ozone 11 has certainly been the best-known and most successful program for many years when it comes to AI-based mastering. My projects have improved in quality thanks to this amazing tool, which has also inspired my creativity in ways I never would have imagined.

One of the best mastering tools available is the Weiss Complete Collection. You can get all the necessary elements at a great price, including compression, limiting, de-essing, mix maximizing, and equalizing. Very strongly advised!

I like to add Saturn2 behind Pro-R2 when mixing to give the reverb a certain color and uniqueness. In general, the combination of these two plugins is one of my secret weapons. For me, Pro-R2 is one of the most flexible and easiest-to-use plugins on the market. Last but not least there is no iLok hassle. Highly recommended!

In my opinion, Forever 89 Visco is the Synplant2 of drum machines, and it has some similarities to the Zynaptiq Morph. With this tool, samples can be altered in ways that were previously impractical. It really intrigues me a lot.

I've produced thousands of drum loops under my label Sounds of Revolution (SOR). It's just my biggest passion and the main theme of my sample packs. I find it crucial that my samples sound original and don't sound like they've been heard a thousand times. To create my signature sound, I heavily layer sounds to give the loop a unique shape.

When you hear the terms "smart" or "intelligent" plugins, they're referring to a group of technologies that combine forensic audio analysis, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. These programs can react individually to the input signal.

The joy of experimenting always has the highest priority when creating the sample packs of Sounds of Revolution. This is my current list of the Best Reverb Plugins.

For me one of the most intriguing methods for developing new sonic textures is granular synthesis. It’s a unique method and an invaluable tool for sound design.

I like the imperfections of analogue recording equipment. These Plugins are great for adding some dirt to your production, giving your sound a unique shape.

When mixing music, delay is an essential audio effect alongside reverb to create space. I always love to use delay in a creative way to give my samples a unique shape. This is my current list of the best delay plugins.

This subject is underestimated by many. Here are some production techniques that will improve the quality of your mixes. Tuning Drums has a massive impact on the feel and groove of your tracks.

I am sure that you will agree that sometimes it is not that easy to be creative. Creativity depends on many factors. I've put together a few tips on how to get inspiration while composing music. Some tips are simple and obvious - others are more complex.

I have compiled basic things/considerations on how to produce music creatively.  Some of the following things that are actually taken for granted and yet are often forgotten.

Here are some basic tips for music production and a few considerations that are actually obvious and yet are quickly forgotten.

To be able to judge a mix well, you need fresh ears that you can rely on. Therefore, the ear should not tire too quickly. To prevent this from happening, you should follow a few rules for the perfect volume to mix music.