Korg, XLN Audio, Mastering The Mix: 3 Strong Plugin Deals for Synthesizers, Drums, and Mix Referencing
All Korg Synths at 55% Off, Plus a Drum FX Plugin and Smart Referencing on Sale
Korg, XLN Audio, Mastering The Mix: 3 Strong Plugin Deals for Synthesizers, Drums, and Mix Referencing · Source: GEARNEWS
Korg kicks things off with a big one this week: every individual synthesizer plugin in the KORG Collection, from MS-20 to Mono/Poly, is now 55% off. Next up is XLN Audio with DB-30 Drum Butter, a multi-effect plugin built specifically for drums, now 31% cheaper. Rounding things out is Mastering The Mix REFERENCE 3, a referencing tool that compares your mix directly against professional tracks, now 25% off. Worth checking out.
Software Deals of the Week
Korg Synthesizer Plugin Deals: Now 55% Off
Korg has built up a genuinely impressive lineup of synth emulations over the years with the KORG Collection. MS-20, Polysix, Mono/Poly, ARP Odyssey, ARP 2600, microKORG, M1, TRITON, and a handful more are all available individually, not just bundled into the big collection. Through July 21st, every individual plugin is 55% off at Plugin Boutique. So if you only need one specific classic, you’re not paying for the rest of the catalog.
Korg builds the whole collection on its own CMT technology, short for Component Modeling Technology. Instead of just recreating the output sound, Korg digitally simulates the individual transistors, capacitors, and resistors of the original circuits. On the MS-20, that’s what gives it the thick, slightly aggressive character that made the hardware famous, along with the unpredictable patching options on the semi-modular patch bay. The Polysix brings six-voice polyphony and built-in chorus, phaser, and ensemble effects that already made for rich pad and string sounds back in 1981. Mono/Poly packs four VCOs that switch between mono and poly operation, including oscillator sync and cross-modulation.
In practice, buying individually makes the most sense when you already know exactly which classic you need. Looking for aggressive, edgy sounds for techno or acid? Grab the MS-20. Want warm pads you can dial in fast? The Polysix has you covered. And if you work with the ARP Odyssey or ARP 2600, you get two of the most influential synths of the ’70s in your studio without any hardware maintenance or tuning headaches. Every plugin in the collection runs as VST3, AU, and AAX, and you can upgrade to the full collection later for just the difference in list price if you end up wanting more.
Through July 21, 2026, grab all the individual Korg synthesizer plugins here at Plugin Boutique* with 55% off.
XLN Audio DB-30 Drum Butter: Now 31% Off
You probably know XLN Audio from RC-20 Retro Color, the plugin that pretty much single-handedly defined lo-fi production over the past several years. DB-30 Drum Butter takes that same workflow philosophy and points it directly at drums. Six effect modules can be freely reordered and deliver more punch, character, and space in seconds, without building out a long effects chain. Through July 7th, DB-30 Drum Butter is 31% off.
Boom Shack is one of the smarter modules: the inner knob adds sub-bass weight, usually for the kick, while the outer ring layers character-heavy noise over snares and hi-hats to fatten them up too. Shift bends frequency and formant, separately or together, making drums sound bigger or tighter. Space brings in everything from natural rooms to weird vintage hardware reverbs. Compress gives you six drum-tuned compressor flavors, including the always-popular OTT mode, and you can crossfade between single-band and multiband processing. Saturate adds harmonic warmth or full-on distortion through six saturation types, from Console to Tube. More rounds it off by combining a waveshaper and clipper for extra density and loudness.
In practice, DB-30 Drum Butter delivers exactly the fast workflow the name promises. Drop it on the drum bus, turn a few knobs, done. Over 260 presets give you a quick starting point, and the lock function lets you freeze individual modules while browsing through others, so you can tweak just the parts you actually want to change. The Magnitude control scales all six modules at once, which works great for dramatic transitions, like building into a drop. If you regularly work with drum loops or full grooves, this is a plugin that genuinely feels fun to use instead of just another chore.
Through July 7, 2026, grab XLN Audio DB-30 Drum Butter here at Plugin Boutique* with 31% off.
Mastering The Mix REFERENCE 3: Now 25% Off
Mastering The Mix has had one of the more genuinely useful tools for anyone who checks their mixes against professional reference tracks for a while now with REFERENCE. Version 3 expands on that significantly. The plugin sits as the last thing on your master bus, compares your mix to imported reference tracks, and shows you exactly where adjustments are needed. Through July 20th, Mastering The Mix REFERENCE 3 is 25% off.
Smart Reference Tracks is the biggest new addition: the plugin analyzes your mix automatically and suggests the four best-matching references from your library, with the loudest section already looped. Every reference gets Mix Descriptor tags covering tonal balance, stereo width, dynamics, and loudness, which helps you pick the right comparison from the start. The new Master Scope brings all the visual analysis into one place: Level Line shows exact EQ adjustments, the Width Display maps out stereo differences, and there’s phase analysis and overcompression detection built in too. Mix Instructor translates all of that into plain-language suggestions per frequency band. Mix Balance goes even further and suggests specific level adjustments for vocals, drums, music, and bass.
In practice, REFERENCE 3 takes a lot of the guesswork out of mixing. Instead of wondering why your mix sounds thin or muddy next to a reference track, you see immediately which frequency and which part of the stereo field is actually off. Automatic loudness matching keeps you from reacting to volume differences instead of real tonal differences, which is a trap that’s easy to fall into without it. You can manage and switch between up to twelve reference tracks in real time. If you’re ever unsure whether your mix holds up outside your own studio, REFERENCE 3 gives you something close to an objective second set of ears.
Through July 20, 2026, grab Mastering The Mix REFERENCE 3 here at Plugin Boutique* with 25% off.
*Note: This article about Korg, XLN Audio, Mastering The Mix software deals contains affiliate links that help us keep Gearnews running. The price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we receive a small commission. Thanks for your support!
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