With so many effect plugins on the market, it can be hard to know which to choose. How do you know that the ones you buy will be an improvement on those you have already and that you’ll actually use them?
Fortunately, Arturia’s FX Collection 4 answers this question at a stroke. This latest version of the company’s widely-acclaimed bundle contains 30 plugins, four of which are new, and is totally focused on giving you the effects you need to make your music sound better.
FX Collection 4 contains both emulations of classic hardware and new, cutting-edge designs. It covers everything from reverbs, delays, filters and choruses to compressors and EQs, effectively putting an entire studio’s worth of gear at your fingertips.
There are more than 1,000 presets, too, ensuring that you can get release-quality sound in seconds.
The list of new plugins kicks off with Dist COLDFIRE, a dual-engine distortion that blends all manner of dirty flavours with a modern workflow that makes it ideally suited to sound design. Filter MS-20 gives you the bite of the legendary filter from the Korg MS-20 synth, while the Rev LX-24 goes back to the ‘80s to recreate a classic reverb.
Speaking of classics, there’s also the all-new Rotary CLS-222, a loving homage to the Dynacord CLS 222 Leslie speaker emulator that can be used to add movement to everything from organs and guitars to vocals and drums. And as well as these new plugins, FX Collection 4 also brings updates to four existing ones.
It’s also worth saying that all of the effects here are highly approachable, offering straightforward interfaces that won’t leave you scratching your head. They’re accessible, too, with the text-to-speech feature ensuring that visually impaired producers can enjoy them, too.
And ‘enjoy’ really is the operative word here. These aren’t just functional mixing and mastering utilities - they’re creative tools that encourage exploration and experimentation. Whether you’re a musician, a songwriter, a producer or an engineer, FX Collection 4 will help you to get the results you want via a genuinely pleasurable workflow.
Also, let’s not forget that, by buying these plugins in a bundle, you’re saving a significant amount of money in comparison to purchasing them individually. In fact, FX Collection 4 is currently available for the bargain basement price of just €299 (regular price €499), and if you’re already a registered Arturia customer you may be eligible for an even bigger discount.
