I am very satisfied with what Sonar Platinum provides but for some very nice 3rd party plugins I really like everything from Variety of Sound (Bootsy), Limiter6 is a killer tool IMHO and also Molot although the latter adds a lot of color to a track which is sometimes good and sometimes not so good. Limiter6 however is becoming a main "go-to" plugin for me.

sausy1981

Bristol_Jonesey
Just as an aside, if you do have spare money burning a hole in your pocket, look at other aspects of your studio before spending on plugins which might, or might not be what you want.
 
Look at your mic locker, room treatment, monitors etc.
 
Upgrading in these areas will make an immediate and significant difference to your music.

This could be the best advice you've been given. If you have the money, don't buy plugins, treat your room.

This is so true. Budding engineers often take forever to get around to improving their monitoring situation, but as soon as they do, they realise it's the first thing they should have done.

I'd rather mix through a budget Berhinger live desk with only the built-in EQ in a good room with good monitors than on a Neve 5088 in a bad room with bad monitors, and I'm not joking.

Geo524
I am very satisfied with what Sonar Platinum provides but for some very nice 3rd party plugins I really like everything from Variety of Sound (Bootsy), Limiter6 is a killer tool IMHO and also Molot although the latter adds a lot of color to a track which is sometimes good and sometimes not so good. Limiter6 however is becoming a main "go-to" plugin for me.

The Variety of Sound stuff has come up a lot, interested, but it appears to be for 32 bit use only...  I'm not sure about how this all works yet, but I loaded in the 64 bit Sonar, and assume these 32 bit VST's wont' work for me... 

John T

sausy1981

Bristol_Jonesey
Just as an aside, if you do have spare money burning a hole in your pocket, look at other aspects of your studio before spending on plugins which might, or might not be what you want.
 
Look at your mic locker, room treatment, monitors etc.
 
Upgrading in these areas will make an immediate and significant difference to your music.

This could be the best advice you've been given. If you have the money, don't buy plugins, treat your room.

This is so true. Budding engineers often take forever to get around to improving their monitoring situation, but as soon as they do, they realise it's the first thing they should have done.

I'd rather mix through a budget Berhinger live desk with only the built-in EQ in a good room with good monitors than on a Neve 5088 in a bad room with bad monitors, and I'm not joking.

noted, and thanks

Wow... overwhelming response...  thanks so much, all.  I'm holding onto my skinny piggy bank for the moment, trying to figure out and make do with what I have, and can pick up for free. I don't want to give you the impression I'm into too much effects. I try record everything as close to the desired result as I can, then just polish a bit with eq, compression, reverb, delay...  but it's like a candy store out there.
Just on the eq scene, I recently tried out the Melda Mequalizer, and am rather fond of it... super quick to manipulate, very powerful, with spectrum display and all that. So far, it seem like a real gem to me, and it's free. Will try that for a while and see how it goes. So thanks for the suggestion. Now looking for a great reverb, free if possible, don't like the Sonitus one, or the BlueVerb, seem to color the sound. Any suggestions? Want to try the Limiter 6, but it seems all the Variety of Sound stuff is for win32 ... or will it run on my 64 bit Sonar anyways, but just with 32 bit resolution?
 

Chevy
Wow... overwhelming response...  thanks so much, all.  I'm holding onto my skinny piggy bank for the moment, trying to figure out and make do with what I have, and can pick up for free.

 
Also a smart move. I make myself not buy any gear really, until I've identified a clear use for it.
 

 
 
Now looking for a great reverb, free if possible, don't like the Sonitus one, or the BlueVerb, seem to color the sound. Any suggestions? 

Which version of Sonar do you have? The included Breverb is pretty good, but not sure what versions it does / doesn't come with.

Hmmm... have to take another look at Breverb, tried it before and discounted it pretty quickly, didn't like it...  forgot it was there, will have to re-evaluate, as there have been a few recommendations here for it. I have Sonar X3 Studio. Any comments on the old Lexicon Pantheon that came with Sonar 8? I recall it being mentioned as a cpu hog, but did get some decent sounds from it. 

I never really got along with the Lexicon, though I know others rate it highly.
 

Hi Chevy,
 
The 32 bit VOS (Bootsy) plugs work fine for me in Sonar 64 bit. Most all my 32 bit plugins work in 64 bit Sonar for that matter so I wouldn't be all that concerned. I've never had a problem using 32 bit plugins. Limiter6 is by Vladg/Sound and is both 32 and 64 bit.

twaddle

TheMaartianI surely don't know how you came to that conclusion. Here's what I read in the OP.

 
I think what John was alluding to and what you must surely have missed was the fact that the Op was asking for Economy plugs and you're suggesting the most overpriced bundles on the market, not to mention ilok. If waves are economy what the hell do you call expensive pro plugs?
 
Waves, (as you pointed out) are ridiculously priced.
 
I would suggest the OP steers well clear of waves and takes the advice of Bristol_Jonesey and pwalpwal and gets to know how to get the best from what he has because what he has can do a pretty good job and the are oodles a tutorials from cakewalk about mixing and mastering.
 
Maybe if he feels he wants to spend some more money for that extra polish something like Izotopes Ozone would be worth looking at as an all in one solution.
 
 
Steve

Something is seriously wrong with this post Steve.
 
Not one mention of BFD3.
(I crack me up)