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I Tested 312 Plugins… Here Are 10 I’d Buy Again

Leo Brennauer

24,337 views

Over the years I’ve been producing music, I’ve bought and tested a ton of VST plugins. But which ones would I actually buy if I had to start over? Recently, Sanjay C made a similar video on this topic, which I found really inspiring. So during a recent livestream, I decided to go through the same question together with my community. But I wanted to take it one step further: what order would I actually buy them in? Enjoy this highlight edit of the stream, and I’d love to hear your top 10 picks in the comments! :)

🎁 Get the Free Alternative Plugins PDF → https://leo-brennauer.com/10-plugins-...

🎚️🎚️ My Top 10 Plugins in the order I'd buy them if I started over:
Some of the links are affiliate links and support me at no additional cost to you :)

Cinematic Rooms Professional → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/Hs55k6
Pro Q4 → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/BikVfv
Ozone → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/N2F3VT
Decapitator → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/1fD4dH
Echo Boy → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/7O6GZD
Bundle → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/tMEI6O
Blackhole → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/HOxLFU
Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/QdLaZJ
Crystalizer → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/fDnRXd
Tonal Balance Control → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/okCiey
Ampex ATR 102 → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/JYq0u3

🎚️🎚️ All other Plugins from this Video:

Kramer Tape → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/LMu6d1
Insight → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/7mfXeR
Youlean → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/tlFFor
AB Meter → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/Esj1DN
Butterfly Effect → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/KqTy1B
Sketch Casette → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/ra0y1y
Valhalla Shimmer → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/ugzmD3
SSl4000 → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/yhVeV7
Oxford Inflator → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/eSWCDL
Air Studios Reverb → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/l53KFf
Synchron Stage Reverb → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/vsl/u1...
Replika XT → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/r1SltZ
LA1176 → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/qbBADw
Pro C3 → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/1Y91Tn
Saturn 2 → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/IDPRIP
Bloom → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/MF6Akn
Pro MB → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/T4JhEn
Soothe → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/jVpFEi
Valhalla Vintage Verb → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/H9Xu5E
Lexicon PCM → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/YlFn1V
Seventh Heaven → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/RlkWvz
Pro R2 → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/4n0Oki
Relab LX480 → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/fT3clb

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📚 HELPFUL RESOURCES
Here are some helpful resources you might like.

🎼 Learn Cinematic Orchestration (my full course) → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/coe
🎁 Get my FREE PDF Guides → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/freestuff
🤝 Join our Discord Server → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/discord

-------------------

🎹 MY GEAR LIST
Some links are affiliate.

My MIDI CC Controller → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/mcceu
My DAW/Music Software → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/cubase
Full Gear Overview → https://leo-brennauer.com/mygear

Links for 🇪🇺

My MIDI Keyboard → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/mkbeu
My Interface → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/itfeu
My Headphones → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/hpoeu
My Shortcut Controller → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/scceu

Links for 🇺🇸

My MIDI Keyboard → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/mkbus
My Interface → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/itfus
My Headphones → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/hpous
My Shortcut Controller → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/sccus

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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:59 Defining Categories
02:37 10 - Tape
03:24 9 - Metering and Reference
04:21 8 - Creative
05:58 7 - Mastering & Channel
07:06 6 - Additional Reverb
08:42 5 - Delay
09:07 4 - Saturation & Compression
10:44 3 - Mastering
11:01 7 - Mastering & Channel
12:18 2 - EQ
13:43 1 - Reverb

-------------------

🪇 OTHER

Business inquiries → hello@leo-brennauer.com

Affiliate Disclaimer → Some links are affiliate links. If you buy something, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

This video is not sponsored. The video is funded by my Patreon supporters, my courses, and the digital products I create. If you'd like to support my work, here are a few options:

🎺 Get my Templates → https://leo-brennauer.com/#minishop
☕ Buy me a Coffee → https://link.leo-brennauer.com/coffee
🚀 Become a Patreon → Patreon: LeoBrennauer
🎼 Get my Courses → https://leo-brennauer.com/#courses

© 2026 | Leo Brennauer | Peiting | Germany

20 Comments

@leobrennauer Creator 3 days ago Pinned

@EDW_in 3 days ago

You mocking people for using ai thumbnails is awesome. They are just so ugly

@danol5749 2 days ago

The only vsts/plugins I would purchase again as a music composer for film and games:
MIXING/MASTERING
1. ProEQ by Tone boosters
2. Valhalla Vintage Verb

VSTs:
1. Storm Drum 2
2. Spitfire Audio Epic Choir
3. Spitfire Audio Epic Strings
4. Bigfishaudio Ancient Greece

Everything else I use is free, and I've made hundreds of professional tracks

The best investment was truly my senheiser HD 600

@FFB-3675 2 days ago

More of an urban music (hiphop, rnb, trap, drill, reggaeton, dembow) hobbyist, but my 2 cents:

These 3 bundles i would buy every time no question (won't mention their plugins in the categories, but assume i also use the ones from these bundles):
- Wavesfactory bundle.
- Soundtoys bundle.
- Fabfilter bundle.

Two very special for me and my workflow. i couldn't live without them:
- StandardCLIP
- Tone Projects Basslane Pro

Meetering:
- Klanghelm VUMT deluxe (not only meetering, is a full utility plugin for mixing and gain staging. for me i find this to be a jewel.)
- ADPTR AUDIO Metric AB
- SSL Meter Pro

Vocals:
- Melodyne Studio
- Autotune 2026
- Minimal Audio Evoke

Synth:
- Omnisphere 3
- Pigments 7
- Serum 2

Samplers libraries:
- Kontakt libraries from Komplete 15 Ultimate

Saturation:
- XLN RC-20 (mainly for samples i chop and flip)
- Black Box Analog Design HG-2MS
- Softube Harmonics Analog Saturation Processor

For the rest of the categories I have many reverbs, delays, ... UAD and Softube analog emulations of compressors, tape machines, passive EQs, etc...
I couln't choose one, it depends on what i'm gonna use it for. don't really have a single go to. Like if i had to choose a compressor i would probably just choose the pro-c for being the most versatile and transparent i guess. Same with the rest in these categories. i own many i couldnt just choose one, not clearly anyway. in every case i guess i would have to choose the most generic/transparent/versatile one.

@DrMax0 2 days ago

Love this. So here is my list:
(Rev) Valhalla VIntage Verb (it can do it all with the mode button, soft, bright, lush, ....)
(Sat) Soundtoys Decapitator
(Del) Soundtoys Echoboy
(Eq) Fabfilter ProQ 4
(Comp) TDR Kotelnikov
(Strip) BX Console N
(Master) Wave TG Mastering Channel
(Eff) XLN RC20
(Tape) Slate VTM
(Multiband) Fabfilter Saturn

@gabriele4449 2 days ago

amazing video as always

@ΘοδωρήςΧατζόπουλος-ω9κ 1 day ago

Reverb: Acustica Audio - Nebula
Eq: Fabfilter - Pro - Q4
Mastering: Ozone 12
Saturation/ Compressor: Sonic Academy - SA76
Delay: H-Delay
Additional reverb: Eventite - Temperance pro
Mastering Channel: Tone Projects - Uni-L
Creative: Cableguys - Shaper box3
Mastering reference: Steinberg - SuperVision
Tape: Analog only (i need money)

@kkaridi 2 days ago

OTT
Soundgoodizer
Delay-Llama
Sausagefattener

and the waves complete collection

@shawnroberts5634 2 days ago

Man I have a lot of plugins but all the ones I actually paid for get plenty of use from me. I learned quick that you can't just go for the next big thing you have to focus on stuff that might actually help and you can actually understand enough to learn how to use it well.

@MBynum 1 day ago (edited)

Got two in my top 10 that may get replaced around Black Friday. Reverb has been the most decisive for me to use because there are so many.

Spaces 2 (Convolution)
Three Body Technology Kirchhoff EQ
UAD Manley Massive Passive
Three Body Technology Cenozoix
SSL X-Saturator
Cinematic Rooms (Algorithmic/tail)
Stealth Limiter
Soothe 2
Adptr Audio Metric AB
UAD Ampex ATR-102

Eventually, I'll replace Cinematic Rooms with Valhalla Rooms or Vintage Verb.

@StevenHadfield 2 days ago (edited)

This is the best, most structured take I've seen on 'If I was starting again with VSTs' idea.

My list is very much how it actually was in reality, with a bundle of the Waves plugins listed to get me started. I've got so used to using these now.

1) Reverb - Waves IR-1
2) Channel Strip - Waves SSL EV2
3) Mastering - Waves Abbey Road.
4) Compressor - APU Loudness Compressor.
5) Delay - Pulsar Echorec
6) Saturation - United plugins Plamen.
7) Channel Strip - Lindell Audio 80 series
8) Referencing - Metric AB
9) Tape - Waves J37
10) EQ - Izotope Ozone EQ (Free).

I've only bought around 10-20 plugins, as there's so many great free ones from UAD, Variety Of Sound, Melda, Tokyo Dawn, Tonebooster, Tukan (Reaper), stock plugins and open source JS plugins in Reaper.

@realunx 2 days ago (edited)

Goated video

@JamieHunter1980 2 days ago (edited)

In no particular order:
iZotope Ozone
Soundtoys Decapitator
Cinematic Rooms Pro Reverb
Output Portal
Softube Tape
Sonnox Oxford Inflator
Fabfilter Pro-Q 4
Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Class A
Baby Audio Smooth Operator PRO
Youlean Loudness Meter 2 (Paid Version)

@TheReal_E.IRIZARRY 2 days ago

1. Baby Audio Smooth Operator PRO (compressor and resonance smoother)
2. Soundtheory Kraftur (as a Limiter and Gain Stager, not as a Clipper - yeah you read that correctly)
3. ADPTR MetricAB (monitoring phase issues if any and LUFS loudness)
4. PSP Audioware (old school but hardware efficient sounding - delays, throws, echos)
5. izotope Nectar (for vocals)
6. Waves Ltd (all of them)
7. SIR Tools StandardCLIP Pro
8. Schwabe HiFAL 2 (mastering deresonator)
9. Baby Audio Spaced Out
10. TemeculaDSP Bundle suite

1. Omnisphere 3
2. UVI Falcon + goated libraries
3. Air Music Tech Xpand2!
4. u-He Zebra 3
5. u-He Diva 2
6. Kontakt + goated liraries
7. Maschine 3.0 + goated libraries
8. Spectrasonics Trilian
9. Rob Papen SubBoomBAss
10. Cymatics Shockwave

@ZolaniSamkeloMcaciso 2 days ago

Mixing and Mastering:

1. EQ - Toneboosters Equalizer Pro

2. Comp - TBTECH Cenozoic

3. Saturation - Airwindows Consolidated (Saturation)

4. MB Comp - TBTECH Future MB

5. Delay + Reverb - Nuro Audio Supernova

6. Creative FX - Nuro Audio Blockchain Ultra

7. Channel Strip - Nuro Audio Xvov Pro

8. Clipper - TBProAudio TBAClip

9. Limiter - Tone Projects Uni-L

10. Metering - PSP Mantra

@Not_Your_Friend_ 2 days ago

Saw your thread on the VI-Control. Waiting for solo cello blind test 👀

@Craftmaster3 3 hours ago

So nice to have AI to ask what 10 plugins so we can get in and out of these videos in 30 seconds

@EdGGutierrez 2 days ago

Fabfilter bundle for most things, Soundtoys for creative, Ozone or silver bullet for quick mastering, and Liquidsoniqs’ Reverberate is underappreciated… though admittedly I might use 7th Heaven a bit more.

@GoodGodGoose 1 day ago

Reverbs are like watches to a watch collector 😂😂😂. I don't know why I have so many... but I do, and I'll add another one with zero guilt. It's reverbs and saturation plugins for me.