Year in Software 2025 (what you've bought in 2025)

[billinder33]

B-tier:
Melda MTurboDelay and MTurboReverb - time domain rompler devices

Eh?

Yeah I was a bit confused also…rompler?

Yeah this is how I use them. If I want to sound design a reverb, I'll use ADPTR Utopia. Got other nice tools for building custom delays as well. But if I just want to 'romple' through a bunch of presets, then the Melda devices are great for that. Massive number and variety of presets in these devices.

But despite the insane amount of configuration options in the Meldas, I don't find them all that much that fun to do actual design in. Seriously, how many people are writing code just to create a reverb? Who can memorize all the novel delay devices in MTurboDelay and what they do? It's cool that they give you all these options, but I've realized over the years that spending a bunch of time configuring novel verbs and delays isn't a practical use of time. So I bought these specifically for the massive preset libs so I can use them as romplers.

What are some great custom delays?

When I'm sound designing a delay it's generally because I want a certain rhythmic motion, a specific number of taps, or I'm looking to automate a cliched 'echo' effect at the end of a vocal or instrument phrase. Obviously these things can all be done in Melda, but it's not the fastest/easiest thing to configure.

For very basic taps or echos, I often use Bitwig's built in devices. For more options like feedback ramping, scatter, etc. and/or basic delay FX (wobble, chorus, etc.), Minimal Audio Cluster Delay is my preferred choice. And if I want even more creative options with built-in modulations then I'll use Audio Damage's Other Desert Cities, which can do some really unique things because of its novel delay models. I like these two because they have simple to understand interfaces and are fast at implementing preconceived design ideas.

Like our discussion in the Nexus thread, I greatly prefer simple, predictable devices for sound design tasks. For 'happy accidents' my preference is to preset browse and that's where MTurboDelay comes in. Cluster Delay and ODC certainly have lots of great presets as well, but for rompling through a sea of presets using a randomization button, the Melda Turbo units are hard to beat.

[HAL76]

E-mu Morpheus :/

[dune_rave]

Bought some upgrds, but mainly swapped things. Last time Ace for MS-20.

[Kalamata Kid]

Years ago someone posted that they don't buy big plugins such as Omnisphere and Falcon.
They preferred smaller and highly focused plugins.
I for the most part have been following this advice.

To reduce the GAS I also focused on sample based plugins and ignored all others.
And in the last decade bought mostly super discounted plugins.
However they had to be under under $30 and I had to find them very desirable.
But there were many exceptions.
My plugin ownership list is much too long so now I buy only VERY desirable and needed plugins.
This filter still allows for too many plugins to pass through.

And now with Absynth 6 I must find a stronger filter.
With A6 I will need even fewer plugins.

I do spend money on Midi fx, utilities and such.
I fail to restrain myself so I sometimes I allow myself to spend on audio fx if very cheap.
But even then I still by too many plugins.
Death is the ultimate filter.
Developers, don't panic.
I am not suicidal.

[solvni_music]

Avenger 2 - current 2 - serum 2 - audiority guitar pedals and amps-reaktor 6-bitwig 6-roland tr 909 + 808 - battery 4- dmg audio compassion equilibrium +essence-shaperbox,a lot of united plugin ..last one aberrant dsp cataclysm.i m done now

[EnGee]

Well, I will end 2025 with an upgrade to SynthMaster 3. A great synth and a no brainer upgrade. I skipped Absynth 6, Cubase 15, Bitwig 6, Studio One 7 and even Zebra 3 intro price.
I might not spend anything during the coming year and concentrate on exploring what I have

[BBFG#]

Sans updates, upgrades, sound sets, and second hand market curiosities...

All that comes up in my mind is MAP, Kult, Kontrast.

add: I did pickup OPS7 in 2025 also.

[Echoes in the Attic]

IK Total Studio from 4 to 5
OPS7
Serum 2
Bloefled for iOS
Synclavier Go! for iOS
Swam Cell upgrade V2 to V3

I'll be buying/upgrading Ohmicide S when it comes out for sure.

Guess I was wrong. Don’t go for ohmicide after all. Bit pricey.

Did get iOS Korg M1, Cube and Microwave though. And for desktop the eventide spring as well as their distortion they gave away recently.

I find I impulse buy an iOS app every once in a while but can’t see much more desktop stuff I’d be into. Been thinking about about Dune 3 for some time, may eventually pick it up.

Well I’ll wrap it up and say that I did get Dune 3 after all.

I resisted gas so far for Korg collection upgrade, Acustica synths, Arturia Collection X to 11, and Roland mono synth collection. And never did splurge on ohmicide. Even resisted the Absynth upgrade (until the next Komplete), and Splice 50% off I avoided so far. I didn’t even upgrade Bitwig from 5 to 6! I think I’m doing ok against GAS.

I am considering Reason 12 for the rack that is for sale second hand.

So I guess the final tally is:
IK Total Studio from 4 to 5
OPS7
Aly James Eprom 3
Serum 2
Swam Cell upgrade V2 to V3

Dune 3
Lush-2
Omnisphere 2 to 3 upgrade
Eventide Spring
Phonec 2 to 3 upgrade pre-sale

And I don’t know whether my 2 Roland lifetime licenses count as I purchased the cloud year on dec31 last year, but I guess I claim them this year - so that would add the JX-3P and the Jupiter-8.

[Lotuz2019]

Just added Serato Sample today. That thing is one cool beat slicer.

I mainly use the almost 6 years old LE version of Serato Sample for the great sounding timestretching/pitchshifting algorithm. Chopping is something I rather do myself than by clicking on a Find Samples button. I don't really feel the need to upgrade to the full version.

This year I've done only a few purchases above € 10:

AudioThing RES-09
AlyJamesLab VProm3

[sin night]

I upgraded from V Collection 9 to 11 and upgraded to the full CableGuys bundle, both at BF.

I also bought an AKG P120 microphone from Thomann at BF because they bundled it with the Lexicon PCM reverb plugin suite and it was the cheapest way to get those reverbs. I didn’t need that microphone (I have better ones!) but the price was worth for the plugin alone; this was probably their way to clear their inventory of a few models of microphones.

Other new tools added to my setup are Array by Sinevibes and Shade by UVI (I think it was a “gift” at PB and I purchased HX Oddy in order to qualify for the gift); I updated to the latest version of Spectralayers… and I think that’s it; there are probably some other small bits I don’t remember right now, but I didn’t buy much software.


I skipped the update to Cubase 15 so far (I’m still in 14), I don’t know yet if I’ll upgrade to Temperance Pro (last few hours to decide, but I’ll probably skip it as well)… I’m also into hardware (also diy), so that was a factor too (but I didn’t buy much hardware either, I’ve been quite picky because it requires actual physical space).
I’m slowing down on making new purchases, I already own enough tools collected in past years. I’m not stopping, but I don’t need loads of new things.

[E_Anderson]

Avenger 2 - current 2 - serum 2 - audiority guitar pedals and amps-reaktor 6-bitwig 6-roland tr 909 + 808 - battery 4- dmg audio compassion equilibrium +essence-shaperbox,a lot of united plugin ..last one aberrant dsp cataclysm.i m done now

Arrest this man, he's attempting to build a sonic weapon!

[dexrow]

most under $100 bundle packages... buy one get one free stuff on a couple of the sites... hard to find stuff I don't have except some live coding that can be run as vst..

[Benjamin923]

Well, I will end 2025 with an upgrade to SynthMaster 3. A great synth and a no brainer upgrade. I skipped Absynth 6, Cubase 15, Bitwig 6, Studio One 7 and even Zebra 3 intro price.
I might not spend anything during the coming year and concentrate on exploring what I have

SynthMaster 3 totally deserves it

[EnGee]

SynthMaster 3 totally deserves it

Yes, it is a very capable synth. Although most of the presets are not that great (for me). So, I find it better to make my own. It is easy to make it sound bad! But with careful choices/design, it can produce great sounds (this takes time however).
With some synths I have, I find it easier/faster to achieve what I want. Anyway, SM3 has its original character and that what attracts me to it

[Benjamin923]

SynthMaster 3 totally deserves it

Yes, it is a very capable synth. Although most of the presets are not that great (for me). So, I find it better to make my own. It is easy to make it sound bad! But with careful choices/design, it can produce great sounds (this takes time however).
With some synths I have, I find it easier/faster to achieve what I want. Anyway, SM3 has its original character and that what attracts me to it

SM3 is very underrated, SynthMaster in general is such a longstanding feature rich product that it almost gets forgotten sometimes. What kind of music do you make/what kind of presets are you looking for?