During Plugin Week, explore the most unconventional sound design plugins that will transform pleasant noises into jarring cacophony, perfect for enhancing your audio toolkit.
In the world of digital audio, the upcoming Plugin Week 2025 promises to be a celebration of innovation and creativity. Jon Musgrave, a resident mixing guru, has curated a list of quirky and weird plugins that are sure to captivate the imagination of any audio enthusiast.
One such plugin is Permut8 from Sonic Charge. This digital delay plugin offers a variable sample rate (0 to 352kHz) and modulation by various operators, allowing for a wide range of unique and intriguing delay effects. The delay memory in Permut8 is changed by two operators in series, providing a level of customisation that is rare in this category.
Another standout plugin is Dumpster Fire from Freakshow Industries. This leftfield pitch shifter offers 5 animated parameter controls, a rotating background graphic, and ghoulish monochrome artwork. Dumpster Fire allows for pitch craziness and turning sweet sounds into ear-splitting discordance, with each dial adding further pitch craziness. The creator behind Dumpster Fire is Yasd, who is also responsible for the MCCallouts plugin series.
Morph 3 from Zynaptiq is a serious plugin with a high price tag, achieving highly original outcomes through audio blending. Morphing is controlled using the central pad, and there are a number of morphing algorithms like Interweave, Classic, and Enharmonic.
Lair by Aberrant DSP creates washy sounds, metallic shimmers, and complex echoes using reverb. With over 70 presets available, this plugin offers a wealth of options for creating unique and captivating reverb effects. Lair also allows for blending the input audio with either the side chain source or the onboard Modeler, and includes a number of preset audio sources and the option to import your own audio.
The plugin Brauer Motion by Waves allows for fine tuning of pathway behavior including depth, width, and tempo sync. This plugin combines 2 modulation controlled panners, offering classic panning, Circle, and Circle Phase.
Graindad from Sugar Bytes is a granular processor that transforms audio into something different. With stuttering, looping, time stretching, pitch shifting, reversing, and harmonizing playback effects, Graindad offers a wealth of options for experimenting with and manipulating audio. The effects section includes filter, reverb, and delay, and the Harvester processor allows for collective control and automation of 12 key knob parameters.
Dawesome Audio's Hate is a wavetable distortion plugin with a core engine, adjustable intensity, and control over which aspects of the signal are processed. The plugin includes options for saturation, limiting, filtering, and output feedback.
Finally, The plugin Dehumaniser Simple Monsters by Krotos changes voices into monsters, featuring a transform engine on the right and a convolution engine on the left. This plugin is sure to be a hit with those looking to add a touch of the fantastical to their audio projects.
With such a diverse range of plugins on offer, Plugin Week 2025 is set to be an exciting event for audio enthusiasts everywhere. Whether you're a seasoned professional or a curious beginner, there's sure to be something for everyone. So mark your calendars and get ready to explore the world of quirky and weird plugins!
