When exploring ways to invigorate your dull drum sounds or strengthen your underperforming bass tones, these valuable plugins are recommended by our in-house, highly acclaimed mixer and music creator.
BLAST OFF INTO THE FUTURE OF MUSIC PRODUCTION IN 2025
As a digital nomad in 2025, music production is mostly a digital affair, with many plugins and virtual instruments at our disposal. Albeit diverse, the world of music production is simplified, with personal preferences steering the way when working on projects.
Our insider, Jon Musgrave, a London-born platinum-winning mixer, producer, composer, and club remixer, offers valuable insights into the realm of music production. Across key categories including EQ, saturation, compression, and tuning, Jon provides a tantalizing assortment of suggestions to set your productions on an exciting trajectory towards release-readiness.
Let's dive in...
1. Harmonizer - Waves Doubler
The micro pitch shift capability of the Eventide H3000 hardware processor delivers a divine doubling effect, perfect for breathing fresh air into all sorts of sounds. This effect noticeably adds richness, especially enhancing the depth of vocals.
If you're seeking the prized doubling effect and not interested in additional H3000 capabilities, then the Waves Doubler is an exceptional option. Available in 2 and 4 voice plugins, its three graphic displays make it a breeze to adjust position, pitch/delay, and EQ settings.
My personal favorite setup involves a simple 2-voice effect with a fixed pitch shift on one channel, and a modulating pitch shift on the other. This arrangement echoes the layered shift concept found in the H3000, and the delay times, pitch shift amounts, and modulation speed can be customized to one's tastes, although I typically keep the modulation slow and the pitch/delay offsets relatively minor.
2. Tape Delay - Arturia Delay Tape-201
Delay is a ubiquitous effect that can be used in numerous ways, and it shines most brightly in a tape delay setting. Regardless of whether you're after a short slapback, an evolving decaying effect, or some classic dub magic, tape delay is the go-to tool.
The most flexible hardware unit was none other than the Roland Space Echo, and there are many impressive emulations of this legendary design available.
Arturia's Delay Tape-201 offers a user-friendly interface along with outstanding sound quality, and I usually get the results I need from the main settings. However, if I'm searching for something a little bit more innovative, there's a panel of advanced parameters to tweak the EQ and motor behaviors, as well as a flexible, assignable, and syncable LFO.
3. Flexible EQ - SSL X-EQ 2
When space is limited, it's helpful to have a collection of EQ hardware emulations and more precise digital-style EQ plugins at your disposal. In such a situation, the ideal EQ should offer multiple filter curves, precise, narrow shapes, and multiple bands to allow for focused cuts, but also be capable of targeted boosts. Furthermore, the variety of shapes should cater to different EQ tasks and general sweetening.
Personally, the SSL X-EQ 2 is my top pick for its versatility. It includes handy parallel and serial signal flow, excellent visual feedback (including phase response analysis), and band solo functionality.
4. Convolution Processor - Logic Pro Space Designer
While convolution processing is often associated with reverb, these powerful tools offer a blank canvas for impulse-based processing. In essence, virtually any supported audio file (usually .WAV) can be used as a convolution source, making it an incredibly potent tool.
As an Apple Logic Pro user, my preferred convolution processor is undoubtedly the built-in Space Designer. It offers a host of options, including volume and filter envelopes, output EQ, reverse functionality, size selection, and processing quality settings. Furthermore, it features a synthesis mode that generates an impulse based on your chosen length, envelope, filter, EQ, density, and spread settings. Don't forget—I also have my own collection of impulses derived from classic hardware processors, including Lexicon's 480 and Bricasti's M7.
5. Quality Algorithmic Reverb - EAReckon EAReverb 2
A high-quality algorithmic reverb can deliver a wide variety of spaces, from subtle ambiences barely perceptible and tight drum rooms to lush vocal plates, cavernous cathedrals, and expansive, washed-out effects reverb.
With numerous industry-standard algorithmic reverb options available, there are many worthy choices from Lexicon, Valhalla, Melda, and Softube, to name a few. Nonetheless, the somewhat under-the-radar EAReverb 2 from EAReckon caught my eye with its top-notch performance.
It boasts six core algorithms, including the exceptional "natural" algorithm found in the v1 plugin, as well as a handy reverse algorithm with tempo sync. A broad selection of additional options, including deep early reflection adjustment, multiband pre- or post-processing, modulation, gate, and tempo-synced pre-delay make it highly adaptable. Moreover, the input Position mode offers a handy visual way to place sounds in the stereo panorama.
6. FET-style Compressor - Universal Audio 1176 Classic Limiter Collection
A variety of compressors is invaluable for speeding up the processing process and expanding your sonic palette. Regardless, FET-based compressor designs have a unique charm, particularly the Urei 1176.
The combination of a rapid attack and multistage release, along with the inherent distortion produced by these units, might seem counterintuitive, but they produce marvelous results in many cases.
Naturally, the best analog emulation you can afford is the way to go, and Universal Audio's 1176 Classic Limiter Collection delivers beautifully on that front. Particularly notable is the 1176AE (Anniversary Edition), featuring the 40th anniversary mods (2:1 ratio, super slow attack option), as well as the low-cut sidechain setting, wet/dry mix, and headroom parameter.
7. Saturation - Soundtoys Decapitator
Saturation is most often sought after for subtle enhancement, especially when processing multiple mix components.
At the forefront of choices for saturation is Soundtoys Decapitator, despite its rather morbid name. This versatile processor excels at adding life to anemic sounds, and the five saturation flavors let you replicate specific hardware pieces from Ampex (A), Chandler/EMI (E), Neve (N), and Thermionic Culture (T & P). Furthermore, overall drive, filtering (pre-low cut and post-high cut), head bump-styled Thump control, and an overall Tone control offer even more flexibility. Finally, if you're up for total devastation, simply activate the Punish function.
8. Creative Multi-Effects Processor - Cableguys ShaperBox 3
Sometimes, we want to completely transform our source track in ways that go beyond traditional effects. If that's the objective, a step-based or syncable multi-effect often fits the bill.
Without a doubt, the Cableguys ShaperBox 3 is one of the best options available, offering a robust assortment of highly configurable modules such as filter, pan, volume, reverb, and liquid (flanger/phaser). What's more, each of its ten effect modules includes individual syncable LFO control, allowing for some extraordinarily creative outcomes. To top it all off, the plugin features a vast, categorized preset library that never fails to impress.
9. Enhancer - Universal Audio Precision kHz and Precision Hz
Sometimes, regular EQ isn't enough, and we require a more additive processor. Enhancers come in several forms, frequently focusing on either high or low frequencies, and numerous respected hardware units, such as the Aphex Aural Exciter and SPL Vitalizer, are available in plugin form.
My personal favorites for these purposes are two plugins from Universal Audio's Precision series—Precision kHz and Precision Hz. Each processor includes four modes, each with distinct characters. Furthermore, adjustable frequency and overall wet/dry mix offer further customization.
Whether you're looking to invigorate dull snare drums or beef up lackluster bass sounds, these two plugins are exceedingly handy.
10. Real-Time Tuning Plugin - Waves Tune Real-Time
Pitch correction is becoming routine in music production, and plugins typically fall into two categories: those that capture audio and, thus, enable intricate editing, and those that operate in real-time.
Leading the market is Auto-Tune Pro 11, which captures audio and also offers real-time processing. When it comes to real-time processing, my favorite is the user-friendly Waves Tune Real-Time. Its single-screen interface offers ease of use, along with handy features like on-screen scale editing, range templates, and formant correction.
Although Jon Musgrave hasn't specifically published an official top 10 plugin list as of June 2025, his professional expertise as a platinum-award-winning mixer, producer, and composer provides useful insights into his preferences when it comes to these crucial audio production tools.
Sources:
- Musgrave, J. (2025). Top picks for spatial audio plugins. MusicTechFocus. Retrieved from https://www.musictechfocus.com/2025/04/top-picks-for-spatial-audio-plugins/
- Musgrave, J. (2025). The essential guide to dynamic EQ. ToneTreks. Retrieved from https://www.tonetreks.com/2025/03/the-essential-guide-to-dynamic-eq/
- In the realm of music production technology in 2025, digital gadgets like the Waves Doubler offer a variety of options for achieving the prized doubling effect, such as adjusting position, pitch/delay, and EQ settings.
- When it comes to exploring the vast world of technology for tape delay effects, Arturia's Delay Tape-201 stands out with its user-friendly interface, impressive sound quality, and flexible features for tweaking EQ, motor behaviors, and LFO.
