I think anything can be a underrated plugin or software if you can get your sound or want you want to do out of it.

 

My new favorite underrated/forgotten plugin is Emulator X3/Proteus VX (with all the banks of course) but my all time favorite underrated plugins are the old Edirol ones. Hyper Canvas, Super Quartet and especially Orchestral. All of those have been used to create dozens and dozens of my favorite videogame soundtracks.

 

pspaudioware and klanghelm don't put much/any money into marketing, doesn't mean that they are worse than those who do

 

Plugins:
112db Morgana - old-school sampler https://www.112db.com/plugins/instruments/morgana/
Loomer Architect - crazy modular midi https://www.loomer.co.uk/architect.htm
K1v - kawai K1 https://www.nilsschneider.de/wp/nils-k1v/
hvoya audio Ribs - granular sampler https://hvoyaaudio.itch.io/ribs
Elektrostudio Analog Pack - many great analog synth emulations http://vstmuseum.com/grid_vst_Elektrostudio/
Audio Nebula AuroraFM - fm synth http://www.audionebula.ca/

Software:
Plogue Bidule - modular audio environment https://www.plogue.com/products/bidule.html
OpenMPT - future best tracker https://openmpt.org/
Wren Modular - more advanced Nord Modular G2 with crazy synth design abilities https://bluehell.electro-music.com/wren/
Audiomulch - interactive musician's environment http://www.audiomulch.com/
QasarBeach - virtual CMI Fairlight Sampler https://adamstrange.itch.io/qasarbeach
Orca - procedural sequencer https://hundredrabbits.itch.io/orca

 

Last edited: Dec 26, 2020

FrontDAW

 

Korg MS-20
Sonic Charge Echobode
Sugar Bytes Turnado
d16 Spacerek
Blue Cat Audio Destructor
Oeksound Spiff

 

Aly James Lab - VPROM (incredible Linn LM-1 emulation)... and all other Aly James's plugins:
https://alyjameslab.com/alyjameslabvlinn.html

 

• TC Works Native Bundle - Old gold. Still usefull in 202x. Reverb, EQ's, "Soft limiter" and amazing Sonic Destructor - best clipping/lofi !

• Digilogue Blue Line - Great "soft" filter (do not fear resonance!), Delays (use filters!), Chorus and more. Zero cpu consumption and great sound (ok, exception reverb).

• Steinberg / Waldorf A1 - Simple but very versatile "Virtual Analog", similar to Micro Q. Simple add FX!

• Ultrafunk Sonitus - Great reverb, mod fx and more.

• General Vibes Vector Sector - i like this gem more as Arturia Prophet VS. Thanks R2R )

• TC Works Mercury 1 - Roland'is Moog, digital, dirt and powefull.

• Antares Tube - Not sure is tube, but great saturation. Try combine with Digilogue Blue Line Filter LP6 @10khz > Antares Tube.

• Steinberg / MDA JX16 - Roland'ish but digital. Simple but musical (if you have hands!). Great chorus!

• GRM Tools - Digital, Anti-analog, Isoteric fx. Great for experimental music and good parther for Eventide's box.

• RgcAudio Pentagon - Cold, 90's sound of virual analog . Borring presets but this is sound gem! Also try as vocoder!

• Kjaerhus Audio Golden - Great sounding FX, simple and usefull.

• GForce imposcar2 - Great replica of great synth, lovely filter. Classic analog sound!

• GForce Oddity2- best ARP Odyssey in software. Organic, Analog, Raw. Sorry Korg )

• TCWorks SparkFX Machine - very interesting modular, horrible UI but great sound like old Roland gears like MKS. Sampled it!

 

Last edited: Dec 26, 2020

Don't know if they're actually that underrated but I don't see a lot of talking about these:

• MJUC - I still go to this one a lot of the time, it's just so versatile and the tube saturation is very on point
  
  
• D16 Frontier - loove it on vocal and BGV bus
  
  
• Kush Omegas - especially love the 458a on drum bus
  
  
• Kush Electra - great EQ, lovely on some strings and brass
  
  
• PSP E27 - great on pretty much everything but I use it on vocals and drums/percussion the most
  
  
• Aberrant DSP ShapeShifter - this one is new and I already mentioned it enough times on here that I probably annoy you by now
  
  
• Goodhertz Ghz Wow Control 3 - not your typical tape emu, more like a tape toolbox, great for all kinds of fx, automation etc.
  
  
• NoiseAsh Rule Tec Suite - my favorite Pultec emulation, the closest one aside from UAD IMO

 

V3.31 go to File menu - Zoom

I'm on PC and CB 11 Pro, I belive its exactly the same in Mac.

 

Good call on Frontier. idk if you can rightly call E27 or MJUC underrated. MJUC was voted Gearslutz' plugin of the year when it came out and almost every time there's a "best EQ" thread E27 gets mentioned.

 

Touché.
Haven't payed attention enough I guess.

The Frontier + ShapeShifter combo on BGV bus is killer btw, especially for more of a rhythmic style of BGVs.
Frontier with it's aggressive nature and the combo that ShapeShifter provides with it's upward compression followed by a regular comp, tone control and a transformer stage. Absolutely love how they compliment each other.

Cheers

 

MY TOP 2 FOR 2020:


ZPLANE - RETUNE POLYPHONIC AUTOTUNE (AKA REALTIME MELODYNE)


NOIR LABS - VOLUME BUDDY 2 - LUFS AUTOGAIN:

 

I'd never even heard of shapeshifter till now. Will check it out. Cheers

 

+1 for noiseash and can I say meldaproduction and airwindows ??

 

totally forgot about those, they are excellent

 

Fuck no. Resource hog and also lame copy protection.
Definitely not optimized at all.

 

Transcribe!

 

Also one of the most wildy overrated synths out there!

 

I don't understand some people. Underrated means not valued enough. How come plugs/apps that have been used to death like Camel Audio ones are underrated. Or any of the TC plugs or D16 that enjoy a healthy user base etc etc.
Anyway, i will not mention plugs. To me, the most underrated audio app is Acid Pro. It has always been a quirky app and lacking some feats other DAWs have included ages ago but when it comes to fast workflow, for me it is second to none.
Cheers

 

Last edited: Dec 27, 2020