So? Who ya got? I'm bored so I'll start the thread with my very favorite topic, which happens to be my own opinion.

Image Line
I always give these guys a shout out. We have our differences (i.e. their plug-ins are buggy as a bastard in Live and S1) but they are still the reigning champ of powerful and unconventional processor in my opinion. Harmor is far and away the best sound design tool I've ever used, and things like free-draw amp envelopes in Maximus and the VST audio editor Edison really make them stand out among their peers.

Soundtoys
I just like their stuff. Crystallizer is a vastly under-appreciated plug-in. Radiator is magic on vocals. Decapitator ranges from pretty good to great for almost everything else. Echoboy is a universal favorite for delays. The first thing I noticed when I started using Soundtoys is that everything just sounds phenomenal. I guess that might be the analog modeling.

Xfer
What really needs to be said? Serum is in a class of sound design tools populated by... pretty much just Serum and Harmor IMO. SerumFX is the best multi-effect plug-in I've ever used, and when I need complex modulations, there isn't really a close second anywhere in sight.

U-he
It just sounds better. I'm sorry, it does. I've never worked with hardware, and I don't know analog from a hole in the ground, but I know the filters on Bazille are special. I've never used Diva but I'm sure the same applies, judging by producers' general consensus. I haven't used filterscape much yet but it looks like a good shoe-in to give SerumFX a run for its money as far as complex modulations are concerned. Snapshot morphing sequencers are a beatiful, beatiful way to modulate. Everything I've tried from U-he has just crazy crazy care and detail put into it. I'm saving up to buy a few more of their plug-ins. Definitely going to pick up Filterscape and Presswerk. Probably Satin. Maybe Zebra

Izotope
These guys just pack way too many useful tools into a single plug-in to be left off this list. Trash 2 is phenomenal. Before I got Trash, I didn't really pay much mind to Izotope and I'm starting to discover that all of their plug-ins are Swiss Army Knife style behemoths.


I wouldn't stop any of you from doing whatever you want, but in the interest of leaving some things for other people to add... I suggest we try to keep our lists to five or less.

 

Tokyo Dawn Labs, URS, Boz Digital Labs, 2C, Acon Digital.
Many more but outside of the big-names these rock. (for me.) ((cheers!))

 

Good one! I have Equalize. It's a great EQ that has pretty much replaced Fab ProQ2 for me. As I try move away from using warez, spending nearly $200 for a parametric EQ just feels stupid. You lose out on Spectrum Grab with Equalize, but you gain $80 and continuously variable slopes.

Multiply mindblowingly good for a free chorus plug-in too.

 

I agree with you Cav Emp, Uhe and Soundtoys plugins just sounds great, especially Uhe Diva. And IL Harmor is just a beast !

I'd add Klanghelm to the list, as SDRR and MJUC are wonderful sounding.

 

I'd give a plus for everything mentioned before me except 2C and Boz Digital. I know neither of them sadly.
Here's my additions to the list:

AIR Music Tech
What to say? Germans are everywhere in this industry. They truly are one the most active nations in this age. There are so many German companies, indie devs, composers, electronic performers that contributed a lot to both music and related technologies.
I don't really know why some don't like AIR Music. I could literally produce an album just using AIR stuff. They have everything you need to start your career but its not a super huge bundle like Komplete that may just confuse the newcomer instead of being to his benefit.

Schwa/Still Well Audio
One of my all time favorites!
You can find many effects in their collection. From reverb to a modeled classic EQ to a buss compressor or even an unusual resonator.
They also have a Synth. It's called Olga and it's interface takes you to the Cold War soviet era and optional Russian labels encourages experimentation instead of tweaking everything to perfection.
Oh and one more thing. Stillwell like Klanghelm, doesn't charge much for these quality plugins.

Sugarbytes
What happens when 2 geniuses form a team? They do crazy stuff!
If you're bored or in need of inspiration, this is the best source for creative and unconventional things.
No more words. Go check it out.

Kilohearts
This probably is my new personal favorite. With their modern interfaces, unlimited modulation possibilities and multi-band processing, these can be your go-to if you do electronic music. (No! I didn't mean dance music.)

Sonic Charge
Just a quote from Resident Advisor about this Stockholm-based team could say enough.

I'd like to give a special mention to Sleepy Time DSP, Full Bucket and Big Tick for their freeware catalog.
I think there are a lot more developers who care for quality and usability. But I already said too much. I hope someone else may write about them.

 

Last edited: Aug 16, 2016

Uniquely Waves !!!

 

Yeah. Shit, all of these are good companies. I've never really used Stillwell except when I first started out, but I know they make great stuff.

@The Koala agreed about Klanghelm. I almost put them on, as MJUC is my favorite vocal comp. I own everything that guy has made. SDRR is really nice too.

 

Last edited: Aug 16, 2016

Airwindows.
Many of the Airwindows plugs I love have no equivalents from other companies. The Console system is unique in what it does and how it does it. Compresaturator, IronOxide, Cojones, Logical, Energy, Pafnutty, NonLinearSpace . . . Just to name a few. The list of Chris' plugs I love is long.

They ALWAYS work and are frequently upgraded for free. And they're always super CPU efficient.

They used to be $50 a pop, but now Chris has moved to a Patreon payment structure and will be making all his plugs available for free. I'm giving him $5/month at the moment (or $60/year, what would have been the cost of 1.2 plugs previously). I'm gonna up that to $10/month when business picks up.

AND, he's now making all his AU plugs available for the first time in Mac and Win VST. It's a good time to discover Airwindows. ;)

Also extremely fond of:
SKnote
Boz Digital
Klanghelm
DMG
FabFilter

 

Last edited: Aug 16, 2016

DMG Audio!
Eq Quick and Equilibrium are EQqs, that have work flow, sound, function and aesthetics combined.

 

softube, ni, slate, ik, u-he, klanghelm, presonus.

 

OMG! I dont believe what i see! Nobody mention Native Instruments!
Kontakt is sampler monster!
Massive one of top three synth!
Also Reaktor is Huge!

 

Yeah, you know... something about NI just makes me feel uninspired. I think it has something to do with them being the ubiquitous, big corporate developer. I understand they have great plug-ins at good prices. But the artist in me is yawning even as I type this. Definitely not a knock against them as a developer. Just one guy's visceral reaction to the NI brand. I don't have anything from NI

 

Audio Damage
Unique and useful plugins. Pure and simple. I can find a million different ways to be creative with their plugins. Plus Chris Randall is the fucking man.

UAD
Despite their sometimes wacky decisions that piss users off, cant beat the quality of their plugins. Dedicated user since 2004.

Native Instruments
They probably don't get as much love as they should but I cut my teeth on their plugins. I spent many days locked in my studio playing with Reaktor 3 and FM7 which in the very early 2000's were IMO probably the best virtual instruments you could get.

U-he
What can I say that hasn't been said already. Everything Urs makes is platinum.

Applied Acoustic Systems
Another company whos been around for fucking ages and consistently makes awesome plugins. I'm not sure why these guys never really blew up the way NI did. Tassman at the time that it was released was a fucking beast and probably one of the best modular vsts available to this day. Everything IMO is solid, especially Ultra Analog and Chromaphone.

Xfer
I've only recently started using Xfer stuff over the last two years but I couldn't be more impressed. As much as I think Serum is fucking amazing, I couldn't live without Cthulhu and LFO Tool. Everything Xfer makes is just sick.

 

Fab Filter... Do I need to explain?

DMG Audio..underrated

UAD. Quality is always top notch

AIR Music Technology. Hybrid and Loom are some of my go-to plugs. Another underrated bunch.

FXPansion.

 

I think a lot of that has to do with the sheer amount of volume that NI has in terms of software. I just think its too much. I've never liked companies that try to be everything for everyone and they could easily get rid of 90% of all the bloat they have in Komplete (aka Kontakt libraries) and I'd still pay close to the same amount of money for Kontakt, Reaktor, FM8, Massive and their creative FX plugins.

 

Native instruments,Uhe,Fabfilter and Waves are the best for me.Particularly NI & Uhe who make very accomplished products.I have never had a bug with one of their release.And their products are efficient,less cpu consumption and innovative.What else?!! I use their products in every track.
Waves make super effect plugins,super quality and sound,but their synthesizers are far from the performance of NI & Uhe,I think.
I like so much the simplicity but powerfull & sound of Fabfilter plugins too. I would love a super synthesizer from them !

 

Most of the already mentioned developers.

AudioThing
Nice little company with cute and useful plugins that are fun and easy to use. And actually sound nice.

Togu Audio Line (TAL)
The TAL U-NO-LX is probably the best Roland Juno 60 emulation to date. Made by one man. Simply amazing.

May I state why I'm not too fond of Native Instruments? No offense intended.

I've use their Kontakt (and other products of this company) since version 1.0 To me it feels like they tend to bloat their program code with the result of being buggy and inefficient, eating unnecessarily CPU. Kontakt v1 was quite nice. v2 was buggy as hell. Then I stopped upgrading.

Today with Kontakt v5.5.2 - sometimes there's no way around it - there are still old bugs. They simply refuse to fix them. Probably the program code is bloated as hell and nobody seems to be able to fix certain bugs without risking the whole thig falling apart. At the time of Kontakt 1, Steinberg bought the filter algorithm from Waldorf and put it into Halion 2. Halion 2 filters sound gorgeous and are amazingly CPU friendly. Even with todays Kontakt 5.5 their filter sound is nowhere near that of Halion 2 that came out mid 2000.

To me sound quality is essential, but NI is adding bloat after bloat and script GUI and other bling-bling to attract unknowing customers. That makes me sad. because they are able to produce fantastic plugins.

EDIT: by "mid 2000" I mean between 2000 and 2010, somewhere around 2006 or 2007 .. can't quite remember.

 

Last edited: Aug 16, 2016

Yes you're right,Kontakt often bugs.I don't use it a lot.But I've no bug with other NI releases.
Otherwise Kontakt is a monster sampler.I don't know an other sampler as sophisticated as Kontakt.

 

Agree with most/all of your calls on this CavEmp! Especially in the sound toys department. I use them everyday. I have never really used the Image Line stuff, but will check it out due to your high accolades ... perhaps I have been missing something from them!

I would absolutely have to add Valhalla... best verbs for buck out there. From pedestrian/functional, to insane awesome Eno stuff.....

NI is a complete staple for me, so I don't even consider them like a regular dev, because I am so entwined with their products like Kontakt etc, that I almost think of them as part of my daw! But they are great. Kontakt is absolutely the flagship sample-playback machine with a TON of tremendous instruments by third party devs... like... OUTPUT!!!

agree on U-he, (even something simple like Hive has been invaluable, and has kind of replaced Sylenth for me for that kind of thing...)...

Sonic charge makes great stuff, and like Klanghelm, Sugarbytes, Izotope (saved my ass more then once!), Xfer, ...all good!

 

What's wrong with Twin2? It has great modulation flexibility.