12 Best Soundtoys Plugins to Improve Your Mix
- Plugins
- Kobe Cooper
- September 8, 2024
As music producers, we’re always searching for that next tool, and when it comes to VST plugins, Soundtoys consistently delivers. Whether you’re crafting complex mixes or simply adding that unique touch to a track, Soundtoys plugins are a must-have in any producer’s toolkit.
Their extensive range of creative audio effects gives us endless possibilities to experiment and push our production limits.
From shaping vintage warmth to adding wild distortions and modulations, Soundtoys plugins allow you to explore new textures and dimensions in your music. In this article, we’ll dive into some of the best Soundtoys plugins and how they can enhance your workflow, no matter your genre or style.
Top Soundtoys Plugins
| Plugin | Best for | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Little AlterBoy | Vocal Manipulation & Formant Shifting | Check Price |
| EchoBoy | Echo & Delay Effects | Check Price |
| Decapitator | Analog Saturation & Warmth | Check Price |
| MicroShift | Stereo Widening | Check Price |
| FilterFreak | Resonant Analog Filtering | Check Price |
| Crystallizer | Granular Echo & Sound Design | Check Price |
| PanMan | Rhythmic Auto-Panning | Check Price |
| Tremolator | Tremolo & Rhythmic Chopping | Check Price |
| Little Plate | Plate Reverb | Check Price |
| PhaseMistress | Analog Phase Shifting | Check Price |
| Devil-Loc Deluxe | Aggressive Compression | Check Price |
| SuperPlate | Plate Reverb with Customization | Check Price |
If you’ve spent any time exploring audio plugins, you’ve likely come across Soundtoys. The company is renowned for its innovative and high-quality audio effects plugins. They started with hardware emulations but soon became known for creating powerful digital tools that retain the character and warmth of analog gear.
Soundtoys plugins are more than just standard effects—they’re creative tools designed to inspire. If you’re making electronic music, film scores, or even podcasts, these plugins offer offer a playground of possibilities to explore and make your sound stand out. Let’s take a look at each plugin.
1. Little AlterBoy
Little AlterBoy is the go-to tool when you want to reshape vocals in creative ways. This plugin allows you to pitch shift and formant shift, making it perfect for manipulating the gender or tone of a voice. It even includes a robotic sound feature and a hard-tune effect that’s widely used in modern pop and hip-hop.
Its simplicity doesn’t compromise its power—you can use MIDI to control pitch and create vocoder-like effects, giving your vocals a fresh, altered sound with minimal effort.
2. EchoBoy
EchoBoy is the all-in-one delay and echo plugin for those who need versatility and vintage warmth. Whether you’re after a classic tape delay like the EchoPlex or something more modern, EchoBoy has you covered with 30 unique delay styles.
You can adjust everything from groove and swing to creating complex rhythmic echoes, making it a must-have for producers who want more control over their delay effects. If you’re looking for subtle echo or intense delay, EchoBoy delivers with incredible ease.
3. Decapitator
Decapitator brings the warmth and grit of analog saturation straight to your digital workspace. This plugin offers five different saturation models, each carefully modeled after analog hardware, allowing you to add everything from subtle warmth to extreme distortion.
Its ‘Punish’ button pushes the saturation to its limits, perfect for giving tracks an aggressive edge. If you want to thicken up a bassline or give drums more punch, Decapitator is your guy.
Read more: Best Saturation Plugins That Will Improve Your Mix
4. MicroShift
If your mix needs more width, MicroShift is the plugin to reach for. This stereo widening plugin is ideal for making vocals, guitars, and synths sound wider.
Inspired by classic hardware like the Eventide H3000, MicroShift uses pitch shifting and delay to create a spacious, immersive stereo field. It’s incredibly simple to use but comes with enough customization to fine-tune exactly how wide and focused you want your tracks to be. Add some width without losing clarity!
5. FilterFreak
FilterFreak is a resonant filter plugin that excels at everything from smooth sweeps to aggressive, squelchy filter effects. It faithfully recreates the warmth of analog filters while giving you modern features like tempo-syncing and envelope following.
Whether you’re after classic wah-wah effects or more intricate rhythmic filter sequences, FilterFreak delivers both control and creativity. Its dual-mode even lets you apply two filters simultaneously for truly unique sound-shaping possibilities.
6. Crystallizer
Crystallizer is your secret weapon for creating amazing soundscapes. Combining granular synthesis with reverse echo and pitch-shifting, this plugin can transform basic chords or melodies into lush, crystalline textures.
Based on the legendary Eventide H3000’s “Reverse Shift” algorithm, Crystallizer brings retro glitch and shimmer effects into a modern, user-friendly interface. Whether you’re working on ambient tracks or sound design, Crystallizer opens up endless creative possibilities.
7. PanMan
PanMan turns the simple act of panning into an art form. With its rhythmic auto-panning features, you can move sounds across the stereo field in ways that feel musical and dynamic.
Inspired by classic hardware panners, PanMan lets you create everything from subtle stereo shifts to wild, sweeping effects. It even responds to the dynamics of your track, making it a powerful tool for adding motion and rhythm to your mixes.
8. Tremolator
Tremolator offers classic tremolo effects with a modern twist. Whether you’re emulating the tremolo from a vintage Fender amp or creating beat-synced rhythmic chopping, Tremolator has the flexibility you need.
Its rhythm editor allows you to create custom patterns, transforming it into a rhythmic gate for more creative uses. This plugin shines in both traditional and experimental settings, making it perfect for everything from retro guitar tones to modern electronic grooves.
9. Little Plate
Little Plate captures the lush, spacious sound of vintage plate reverb, specifically the iconic EMT 140.
With its warm and rich reverb tails, this plugin is ideal for adding depth to vocals, drums, and other instruments.
Soundtoys didn’t stop at just recreating the classic plate reverb—they added modern features like infinite decay time and low-cut filtering, giving you more creative control.
10. PhaseMistress
PhaseMistress gives you deep control over phase shifting with an analog vibe. Inspired by classic phasers, this plugin allows you to dial in silky smooth phase sweeps or more aggressive, swirling effects.
PhaseMistress offers 69 different phasing styles, as well as advanced LFO shaping for unique rhythmic modulation. It’s versatile enough to be used on anything from guitars to drums, adding a layer of movement and texture to your mixes.
11. Devil-Loc Deluxe
Devil-Loc Deluxe takes compression to the extreme, turning your drums into monsters. With its aggressive compression style and added ‘Darkness’ control for tone shaping, this plugin is perfect for adding serious impact to your mix.
Its mix knob makes it easy to dial in just the right amount of grit, while the ‘Punish’ button lets you take things even further. If you’re looking for a plugin that can turn polite sounds into something wild, use the Devil 😉
12. SuperPlate
SuperPlate brings the lush character of classic plate reverbs into your DAW, with models based on five famous hardware units. From the iconic EMT 140 to the more niche Stocktronics RX4000, SuperPlate captures the unique tonal qualities of these legendary units.
It offers deep customization with preamp choices (Tube, Solid-State, Clean), infinite decay time, and built-in EQ.
Whether you’re adding subtle depth or creating massive soundscapes, SuperPlate has the flexibility and realism to fit any production.
Final Thoughts
Soundtoys plugins have earned their place in the toolkit of music producers worldwide. Their combination of vintage analog warmth and modern digital flexibility offers something for every style and genre. If you’re looking to add subtle coloration, dramatic vocal effects, or otherworldly textures, there’s a Soundtoys plugin that can bring your vision to life.
Their plugins allow you to experiment and push the boundaries of your sound, all while maintaining the intuitive, musician-friendly interface that Soundtoys is known for.
Soundtoys Plugins FAQs
Soundtoys plugins combine the warmth and character of vintage analog hardware with modern digital flexibility. Their simple interfaces hide a depth of customization, allowing producers to achieve a wide range of effects without feeling overwhelmed.
For vocals, Little AlterBoy is the go-to plugin. It offers powerful pitch shifting, formant control, and even robotic effects, making it perfect for creative vocal manipulation. It’s widely used for the popular hard-tune effect heard in pop and EDM tracks.
Absolutely! Plugins like Crystallizer and FilterFreak are fantastic for sound design, offering unique granular echoes, filtering effects, and modulation options that can transform simple sounds into complex, atmospheric textures.
If you’re looking to add warmth and analog-style saturation, Decapitator is your best bet. It brings five different analog saturation models, allowing you to add subtle warmth or push your sound into gritty distortion.
MicroShift is the ideal plugin for adding stereo width to your mix. Whether you want to make vocals or guitars sound wider, MicroShift uses pitch shifting and delay to create a spacious, immersive sound.
Yes, Soundtoys plugins are compatible with most popular DAWs, including Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, FL Studio and more. They can be used as VST, AU, or AAX plugins, making them versatile for any studio setup.
Yes, while Soundtoys plugins offer deep customization for advanced users, their interfaces are designed to be intuitive and easy to use for beginners.
