Three overhauled effects

MAGNETO MKIII

While 9.5 isn’t bursting with new plugins, three of the best have been given an overhaul with new looks and features. Every Cubase user’s favourite tape saturation plugin gets a significant stroke of the brush, with bigger, bolder controls. Most obvious is the pair of actual knobs provided for Low and Hi Frequency Range.

VINTAGE COMPRESSOR

We have to confess being a little disappointed in this one. Not because it isn’t improved – it is. However, we always dug the familiarity of the faux 1176 interface, which made it easy for old studio hounds to get around it! Still, the newly Neve-ish veneer is pretty swanky, and it does have that new Mix knob to make the change easier to swallow.

TUBE COMPRESSOR

This one must be the most welcome revamp of the lot. The gaudy, garish brushed-metal look of the old version has thankfully been dispatched, swapped out for a more austere, almost-Avalon facade. The sidechain features can be revealed or hidden with a single button click, and a Character function is now onboard.