Sound design is all about fun and experimentation, and the right tools can help bring those creative ideas to life. Over the years, my plugin list has evolved as new tools emerge, replacing old ones. I test a lot of plugins, but despite my ever-growing toolbox, there are a handful I always come back to. These are my go-to plugins for sound design and pushing sounds to their creative limits.

Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs):

Okay, DAWs may not be plugins themselves, but they host the magic—and in the case of Bitwig, they also come with some of the best stock tools that are unavailable outside of it.

Bitwig Studio 5

Bitwig is my favorite DAW for generative sound design. Its modular environment, The Grid, is an absolute game-changer. I’ve built countless devices for generating trailer impacts, horror stingers, sci-fi guns, magic spells, and more. The modulation possibilities are endless, and the tools are lightweight yet powerful: Filters, convolution reverb (great for custom impulses), frequency splitters, and a fantastic sampler make Bitwig indispensable.

Pro Tools Studio

Pro Tools remains my go-to for post-production and putting everything together. It's reliable, powerful, and does what it needs to do without fuss.

Restoration Plugins:

Restoration plugins are essential, especially when pushing source sounds hard—whether they’re recorded in the studio or outside. When creating trailer impacts, braams, or other heavily processed effects, even the tiniest amounts of noise can become glaringly obvious once you start applying aggressive processing and layering.

Accentize dxRevive Pro / DeRoom Pro

If you’re working with voice recordings, there’s nothing better than these AI-powered plugins. dxRevive Pro is an all-in-one voice restoration powerhouse - removing noise, suppressing reverb, fixing artifacts, and applying EQ curves with incredible precision. DeRoom Pro: A multi-band reverb suppressor that works like a charm.

Acon Digital Acoustica 7.7

A fantastic noise restoration suite that works as both standalone software and a plugin. It’s now ARA-compatible in Pro Tools, which streamlines my workflow. I actually prefer this over iZotope RX, which I haven’t used in years.

Klevgrand Brusfri

Affordable and effective—Brusfri is a simple, reliable de-noiser.

RipX DAW

This standalone spectral editor is surprisingly good at surgically isolating sounds from complex backgrounds. It’s also an excellent de-noiser.

EQs:

An essential part of sound design, EQs allow precise control over the frequency spectrum.

FabFilter Pro-Q 4 (Upgraded from Q 3)

FabFilter nailed it again with Pro-Q 4. It's lightweight, versatile, and sounds fantastic with three distinct modes (clean, subtle, warm). The new Spectral Bands and sidechain options take sound shaping to the next level.

Kazrog Avalon VT747SP:

Primarily a compressor, but its EQ section is phenomenal. The 15Hz and 32kHz shelves are pure gold when pushed hard.

Compressors:

FabFilter Pro-MB

A multi-band compressor and a sound-shaping powerhouse. Great sidechain control and flexibility make it perfect for creative sound design.

Magg MAGNUM-K

A fantastic compressor for adding character and subtle color.

Limiters:

FabFilter Pro-L 2

My go-to limiter with plenty of modes to suit any project.

Clippers:

Kazrog KClip3

A multi-band beast with different clipping modes. Perfect for taming those sharp peaks - I always keep this in my chain.

BOOM Uberloud

More than just a clipper, this sound smasher allows you to use it as single or multi-band, includes built-in de-noising and dry/wet mixing. A perfect all-in-one tool.

Harmonics & Distortion:

reFuse Lowender

A favorite for adding controlled sub frequencies, especially on a bus.

Brainworx Subsynth

Similar to Lowender but with more control for sub-frequency enhancement.

FabFilter Saturn 2

This multi-band distortion plugin is a must-have for heavy processing.

Soundtoys Radiator

For that warm, tube-driven sound, Radiator delivers beautifully.

Reverbs:

Reverbs are crucial in sound design for adding space, depth, and realism (even to abstract environments), helping to blend layers together and evoke emotion.

Valhalla VintageVerb

A sound designer’s dream. It works on everything and features 3 modes (modern + 2 vintage) and 22 algorithms.

Valhalla Super Massive

A reverb-delay hybrid perfect for otherworldly, massive soundscapes.

Exponential Audio Stratus 3D / Symphony 3D

Solid, well-rounded algorithmic reverbs that I’ve used long before iZotope acquired them.

Delays:

The Cargo Cult Slapper

One of the most advanced delay plugins I’ve used. Control each "bounce" with surgical precision.

Soundtoys EchoBoy

A vintage-sounding delay that fits perfectly in the mix.

Resonance Suppressors & De-Essers:

Oeksound Soothe 2

No other plugin tames harsh and nasty resonances as effectively as Soothe 2.

McDSP SA-2

Originally for dialogue, it works wonders in sound design, too.

Futzing:

Futzing is all about making sounds feel like they’re coming from specific devices—radios, telephones, PA systems, or small speakers. It’s essential for adding realism or a lo-fi, degraded character to your sounds.

McDSP Futzbox

One of my favorites for adding radio, PA speaker, or lo-fi effects to sound design.

AudioThing Speakers

Super intuitive with flexible routing for creating custom speaker simulations and noise effects.

Modulation:

As I mentioned earlier, I handle most of my modulation needs using Bitwig’s stock devices, especially within The Grid, where the possibilities are virtually endless. That said, there are a few dedicated modulation plugins I reach for regularly when I need specific tools or unique results.

Soundtoys FilterFreak2

Two analog filters in parallel or series—perfect for creative filtering in sound design.

Soundtoys Tremolator

Great for adding tremolo to trailer impacts, horror stingers, and sci-fi sounds.

Pitch:

For the most part, I rely on stock pitch plugins to get the job done. However, when I want to push boundaries and have tons of control over pitch manipulation, these are my go-to tools:

Sonosaurus PaulXStretch

An amazing pitch and time-stretching plugin for creating drones, ambient pads, and evolving, otherworldly room tones.

Polyverse Manipulator

More than just pitch—it’s a sound sculptor with granular effects, FM, stereo widening, and precise harmonic control.

Synths:

While I primarily use Bitwig’s synths, especially in The Grid, where there are no limits to what you can design, I also own a handful of synths outside Bitwig’s ecosystem that I rely on regularly:

VCV Rack 2

A fully modular synthesizer that now works seamlessly as a plugin. With hundreds of modules—many modeled after their hardware counterparts—it's an endless playground for modular synthesis and sound design experimentation.

Serum

An old one but still a classic. I’ve been using Serum for over a decade, and it remains one of the easiest synths for quickly dialing in sounds. The built-in wavetable library is fantastic, and it’s perfect for creating modern, clean, and versatile tones.

Kilohearts Phase Plant

This synth is an absolute monster of a semi-modular design tool. With wavetables, samplers, granular synthesis, and flexible routing, it has everything you need in one place. The only downside? It can be extremely CPU-heavy if you go overboard—so proceed with caution!

Final Thoughts

These are the plugins I use the most in my sound design work. My toolbox is pretty extensive, and every now and then, I like to swap tools or tweak my templates. But these plugins? They’ve stood the test of time in my workflow. If you’re diving into sound design, give some of these a shot—you might discover your new favorite tools.

0 comments

Write a comment

24 hours left! All libraries 50% off. Everything Bundle $499 (3 Licenses left)

Everything Bundle with lifetime free updates $499 - only 20 licenses left!

Everything Bundle for $499 (Limited - 41/50 licenses left)

50% Off All Libraries + Everything Bundle $499 (Limited to 50 licenses)

Free SFX (First 200 Only) + UCS Updates + Black Friday Preview

See all posts from PMSFX