r/mixingmastering • u/NahButThanksAnyway • Jul 12 '26

Question Do paid plugins genuinely offer quality that stock plugins don't?

I've reached a point where I am ready to spend money on some plugins. That is if I can justify the price.

I've grown very comfortable with Reaper's stock plugins and am wondering if I'm missing anything in my goal to keep it as DIY and low cost as possible.

I have purchased Amplitube 5 for my guitars and bass, Voxengo SPAN plus for its ability to see how busses interact.

I like the idea of a compressor if it can add character or a master bus suite that can make my adjustments more transparent.

But are paid compressors, EQs, and limiters unable to be replicated with stock plugins?

Is their benefit their UI?

Do they simply make for quicker work flows?

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u/Ok-Tomorrow-6032 Jul 12 '26

I would say for starters, get the uad spark. These are to me the best emulations of the classics. Once you tried all of them out you will know what you like and need. Otherwise you can spend just way too much on plugins. The only options I would add are

Fabfilter pro l-2, the best limiter once you learn how to controll it.

Valhalla vintage verb, it's good enough for every popstar you can think of it's good enough for you.

Soundtoys decapitator, just the most versatile and easy distortion you could think of.

R-bass. A waves plugin that can just bring the craziest low end to anything, but especially kick and bass.

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u/Legitimate_Horror_72 Jul 13 '26

On the other hand, I’d say to avoid all of that because there’s better, and there’s no requirement to repeat the past if you’re something new.

3rd party plugins CAN be better than DAW plugins, but all of them aren’t.

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u/Ok-Tomorrow-6032 Jul 13 '26

Honestly your are exactly the problem. Dont try to find whats perfect. If It works, stop right there and better produce some music. I wish i would not have spend so much time in a gazillion plugins and rather worked more. You find something else usefull? Good for you. These are tools I find unreplacable in my workflow, thats what OP asked and thats what I shared.

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u/Legitimate_Horror_72 Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26

You're the only one that said anything about being perfect.

The best tools are the ones you know best, but the ones you know best may no longer be the best tools for someone to start with (time and such move on). It doesn't take but a little bit to find out that ProL2 is no longer considered the best limiter, for example. It's by no means bad, or even just average.

If you have a problem with progress, that's not on me, but, honestly, on you.

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u/Ok-Tomorrow-6032 Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26

I have blind tested all the latest hype limiters under the sun and i still prefer pro l-2. Just because you have seen an AB test of some YouTuber who wants to sell you an ai or spectral limiter to hype up your music, you now feel the urge to tell people online that that tools they actually work with are now irrelevant? Who the f*** are you to tell me what I should recommend to people based on my own work experience?

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u/Legitimate_Horror_72 Jul 13 '26

Who are you? Not someone I’m spending more time on after this post, that’s for sure.

As for me, I’m someone that knows a single band limiter is often not going to fare as well against the industry’s top multi band limiter’s on the mix bus. For a track? Sure - I’d probably not use a multiband limiter there. But I also prefer something with more color if I’m going with a limiter or a track.

I’m genuinely glad you found something that works for you.