Andrew Huang’s 2025 Plugin Power List: Streetwise Picks and Studio Slaps

Fraction lands at number 10, and it’s basically the synth equivalent of a killer food truck—simple menu, but every bite hits. Andrew digs that it’s sample-based, pulling from vintage synth sounds that always feel usable and a little bit vibey. You don’t have to fight with endless parameters; just load it up and you’re making music before your coffee gets cold.

The real sauce here is the shatter button, which randomizes settings but somehow never spits out a dud. It’s like rolling the dice and always winning—no wild, unusable sounds, just instant inspiration. If you want to get creative without getting lost, Fraction is the move.

Next up is Halo 3D Pan, a spatializer that lets you move sound around your head like you’re in a sonic funhouse. Andrew’s hype is real—this isn’t just left-right panning, it’s full 3D motion that makes your loops feel alive. Want your hi-hats to swirl above your head or your bass to sneak up behind you? This is the trick.

The controls are dead simple, but the effect is wild, especially on headphones. Andrew wishes it had built-in modulation, but even with some manual automation, it’s a game-changer for anyone who wants their mixes to move. And since it’s pay-what-you-want, there’s no excuse not to try it. Trust me, you gotta hear this one in action to get the full effect.

Andrew ties up the next two slots with a reverb face-off: Temperance Pro and Valhalla FutureVerb. Temperance Pro flips the script by letting you tune your reverb to specific notes, keeping everything in key and opening up new creative lanes. You can even control which notes are active with MIDI, so your reverb tail can follow your chord progressions. That’s next-level sauce for producers who want their mix to sing.

Valhalla FutureVerb, on the other hand, is classic Andrew—lush, easy to use, and packed with presets that just sound good. It’s got some unique modes like reverse octave and detune, but Andrew keeps it real: if you already have a bunch of Valhalla plugins, you might not need another. Still, at $50, it’s a steal for anyone looking to add some futuristic space to their tracks. Both plugins prove that reverb isn’t just background noise—it’s a creative weapon.

Andrew saves the crown for Serum 2, and honestly, this synth is like the Swiss Army knife of plugins—except it’s got more blades than you’ll ever need. He doesn’t even bother demoing sounds because the feature list is so deep, it’d take a whole mixtape to cover. Third oscillator, sample and granular modes, wild routing options, and a clip launcher that lets you trigger chords and phrases on the fly—it’s all here.

What really stands out is how Serum 2 pushes the boundaries of what a soft synth can do. The modulation options are bonkers, and the new effects and bus routing make it a playground for sound designers and beatmakers alike. Andrew calls out how people are already doing wild stuff with it, from physical string modeling to bird calls. If you want a synth that can keep up with your craziest ideas, Serum 2 is the one to beat.