It’s Friday, and for some, it may be payday. That means plugin shopping is on the cards.

With new plugins launching left right and center, we thought it would be a great idea to do a weekly roundup of our favorite plugins that we report on every day.

We know that you want to find the best plugins that you can for your money. We have some good news because in these articles you’ll find plugins at introductory prices, discounts, and free plugins too. Not all plugins will be subject to such affordable prices, but they’ll be just as epic nonetheless.

So, let’s get started!

Core Compressor by KIT Plugins

In our top spot sits Core Compressor by KIT Plugins. The first in KIT Plugins’s Core Series, Core Compressor competes with “world-class compressors” with transformer modeling, as well as parameters such as threshold, attack, release, input, and output gain. On top of these standard compressor controls, other parameters include Crush (for bit crushing) and Body, a substitute for a Knee control.

Core Compressor brings analog coloration and tone to your input signal. It’s the first installment in KIT Plugins’ new Core Series plugins with more on their way, such as Core EQ which is hot off the press. Core Compressor is available at $30, and has been described as live-sounding and responsive to parameter tweaks.

Here’s what Core Compressor by KIT Plugins can offer you:

• Diverse tonal shaping ranging between super transparent all the way to crushing crush-ness
• CRUSH mode with fixed fast attack and slow release for serious punch
• BODY circuit applies a low-shelf filter at 250Hz with a fixed Q setting of .9 for precise tonal balancing
• Transformer modeling tames transients while compressing
• Wet/Dry knob for parallel compression
• Fully-resizable user interface

Violet EQ

Violet EQ is an emulation of the 2-band minimum phase-shift shelving EQ from the Fusion Stereo Analog Colour processor and is the first new Solid State Logic analog EQ design in over 25 years.

A simple design that houses powerful processing, Violet EQ allows us to add a quick touch of high-end shine or expand add more power to our bass… all with minimum effort.

Available for us to implement is a stepped high-pass filter (30Hz up to 50hz) with low bands (30 up to 90Hz) and high bands (8 up to 20kHz) that we can adjust at our own leisure.

But SSL didn’t stop there & added a ‘FAT’ toggle. While the high pass filter is engaged, ‘FAT’ adds a subtle bump around the filter’s cut-off frequency in order to bring back a little life to the signal after having rolled lows off of the signal.

On top of the EQ, Violet EQ includes presets made by producers, a well as cross-platform preset management, an A/B comparison system, and an ECO mode for low latency work.

Tape Mello-Fi

Tape Mello-Fi is completely free, it’s easy-to-use, and that’ll enable you to add that sweet, crispy, Lo-Fi character to your sounds from the get-go.

Tape MELLO-FI’s sound finds its roots in Mellotron V, Arturia’s software recreation of the legendary Mellotron instrument. A mixture of tape reels, analog circuitry, and time gave the Mellotron its distinct sound. Made of fluttering, grainy, and compressed qualities; the sound of the Mellotron V has become a revered one.

From subtle distortion and warm saturation to pitchy flutters and smooth filtered sounds, Tape Mello-Fi extolls the imperfect behavior of tape in digital plugin form.

Tape MELLO-FI isn’t just a one-trick lo-fi pony. It comes as a feature-rich tool for all musicians and producers to use. Here’s how, as reported by Ask Audio.

• Authentic tape emulator & lo-fi effect based on Mellotron V’s vintage sound & behavior
• Classic tape controls like Noise, Flutter, Wow, Wear, and Mechanic
• Added features like Distortion and Boost
• Interactive tape wheel with tempo-synchronized Tape Stop feature and optional Instant Tape Catch-up
• 12dB low-pass and high-pass filter section
• Enhanced Stereo Width feature introduces offsets to Wow & Flutter from left to right for an extra-wide sound
• Curated 25-preset library for instant access to retro & lo-fi effects

---

Now that your plugin library is exploding with epicness, can your sample library keep up?

The sampling revolution has risen in popularity and shaped music since the early 1970s. Sample culture continues to transform how millions of artists and producers do their thing in DAWs.

You too can break conventional norms, challenge the status quo, and open Pandora’s box of sound design.

Mixxed works with a growing number of sample labels and contributors to provide you with an affordable sample subscription service that’s more accessible than any before.

You’ll have access to our growing catalogue of loops, one-shots and sound effects that you can browse, download and keep forever for less than $3 a month.

Sign up today to find your sound!