Essential VST Picks: Korg's New Vinyl Magic, Alesis Drum Update, and Mega Plugin Deals Under $30!

Hey gear squad! The music tech world's keeping us busy this week - Korg's breathing new life into vinyl with their handytraxx turntable lineup (complete with some sweet tube action), Alesis just gave their Crimson III e-drums a serious brain upgrade with BFD samples, and there's a stack of killer plugin deals floating around that'll barely dent your coffee budget.

LATEST IN MUSIC SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE

New Korg handytraxx Turntables Offer Versatility and Analog Sound

Korg is introducing four new models of its handytraxx mobile record player, building on the success of the original Vestax Handy Trax. The handytraxx play offers digital effects, a looper, and a high-quality fader for scratching, while the tube and tube J models use Korg's nuTube technology to provide a warmer, more analog sound. The 1bit model is designed for high-quality vinyl digitization, with a Nutube phono equalizer and support for DSD audio.

Alesis Crimson III Upgrades the E-Drum Experience

The Alesis Crimson III e-drum kit has received a significant module upgrade, now featuring 80 kits and 470 multi-sampled sounds from the BFD library. The new module includes a 6-fader mixer, MIDI and USB connectivity, and support for playing along with WAV, MP3 and MIDI files.

Viscount Combines Organ and Synth in the Legend One

The new Viscount Legend One is an all-in-one stage keyboard that combines Viscount's acclaimed organ emulation with a wide selection of piano, synth, and other sounds. Available in 61-key and 73-key versions, the Legend One features waterfall or semi-weighted keys, dual drawbars, and extensive connectivity options.

Dubreq Stylophone CPM DF-8 Filter Unit

Dubreq has announced the Stylophone CPM DF-8, a Eurorack-compatible filter unit with two separate filter types - the 2045 24dB/Oct lowpass filter and Dubreq's proprietary GEN R-8 filter. The DF-8 also includes two ADSR envelopes, a sample and hold circuit, and a tape-style delay effect.

Nobels Releases Compact CHO-mini Chorus Pedal

The Nobels CHO-mini is a new compact chorus pedal offering three distinct modes: a classic bucket brigade chorus, a stereo chorus with vibrato-like textures, and a subtle flanging effect. The pedal also includes tap tempo functionality and the option to switch between true and buffered bypass.

DEALS

• TS2 by IrcamLab, a full mono/stereo audio editor - 88% off, now $29.99 (was $249).

• The Snail by IrcamLab, a tuner and frequency analyzer plugin - 80% off, now $19.99 (was $99).

• Stomp Board by BBE Sound, a standalone application with 8 modelled effect plugins - 88% off, now $14.99 (was $129).

• Sonic Sweet by BBE Sound, a bundle of 4 BBE Sound plugins - 84% off, now $39.99 (was $249).

• Low End Toys by 10 Phantom Rooms, a unique collection of deeply sampled toy instruments - 70% off, now $29.99 (was $99).

• ArcSyn Synthesizer by SPC Plugins, an innovative instrument for sculpting original sounds - now only $17.99 (normally $89) for a limited time.

• The Eighty by XILS-Lab, the newly released plugin, a limited time offer of 56% off, $79 (normally $179).

• Future Wave Bundle by Future Samples, a collection that grants you access to 20 top-tier sound packs, overflowing with Drill, R&B, Trap, and Future Bass elements, all for the price of a single pack - 97% off, $20 (normally $799.80).

DEMOS, REVIEWS & TUTORIALS

Ziv Eliraz's overview of the Korg miniKORG 700Sm - Get an in-depth look at the features and capabilities of this updated version of Korg's classic miniKORG 700 synthesizer.

How to use one of the most legendary tube EQ's, and a free plugin to follow along! - Learn about the history and popular tricks of the Pultec-style EQ, and try them out using the free Warmy EQP1A plugin from Kiive Audio.

RockNRoller's Compact Keystand - See the details on this portable, height-adjustable keyboard stand that can support up to 275lbs.

Kurzweil K2061 & K2088 Synthesizers - Kurzweil is showcasing their updated K2061 and K2088 synthesizers at the 2025 NAMM Show, featuring an updated version of their Dynamic Variable Architecture Synthesis Technology (V.A.S.T.).

Warm Audio WA76-A and WA76-D Discrete FET Compressor/Limiter Demo - Explore the features and sound of the Warm Audio WA76-A and WA76-D discrete FET compressors in this demo video.

FREE

Excite Audio's VISION 4X Lite - a free spectral frequency analyzer plugin that can be grabbed for a limited time. This plugin provides advanced metering and analysis tools to help you make better mixing decisions.

The Spice all-in-one sonic enhancement plugin by Phil Speiser is free for a limited time. This plugin offers a wide range of tools to add character and depth to your audio.