The only catch is that outside of the orchestral and ethnic libraries, I didn’t find much use for the rest of the software package. Still, the difference is negligible for most uses. In terms of quality, these libraries fall just a few ticks below offerings like LA Scoring Strings or the amazing range of Spitfire libraries in my order of preferences. The libraries-particularly the orchestral libraries-breathe in a beautiful way and sound totally convincing. That’s not a bad thing, but much like Softube’s Volume 1, I didn’t find myself reaching for the Kush plugins to accomplish simple tasks.Ĭlearly, the value is incredible, but the sound is even better. Most of the plugins are focused on character and vibe, and less on utility functions. Once again, this bundle does not offer the everyday versatility of the Slate bundle. This plugin can be pushed to extreme limits and still maintain a very musical characteristic. Based on the hardware unit by A-Designs, the Hammer is a beautiful 3-band equalizer that just never seems to sound bad. However, I found myself going back to the Hammer EQ the most.

The Electra EQ was amazing for dialing in the top end on snare drums, and the Clariphonic EQ was ideal for adding just the perfect touch of high end polish to an entire mix. Trying out the bundle, I immediately gravitated towards the EQs included. Kush’s plugins are some of the most unique and best-sounding I have ever heard, and it’s rare that I mix or master without using at least one plugin from this bundle. While the advertised dollar value isn’t as high as some as the others on the list, they are easily worth double the asking price. The upcoming FG-Stress (an emulation of a Distressor) does bring a bit of additional promise to the compressor side of things, however. While Slate has done a fantastic job emulating classics like an 1176 or the famous SSL Bus Compressor, I often find myself moving more towards offerings like the CLA-76 or the Waves version of the SSL bus compressor. The compressors included seem to be the weakest link here to me. However, I find myself gravitating more towards the saturation type plugins than anything else in the bundle. Plugins like the Virtual Tape Machines and the newly released Verbsuite Classics are staples on every single mix I do. If you have ever used one of these trusty tools, that should come at no surprise.

What’s even better is that Slate Digital’s plugins sound absolutely amazing. Stack that against $14.99 a month, and it would take you nearly 10 years to to pay out that much for the plugins-and that’s not including the new plugins that are being added throughout the process. The value here is probably among the best out there: To purchase all of the plugins currently in the bundle, it would run you $1,771.

Uad plugin bundle vs waves