Four new effects join the bundle, bringing Arturia FX Collection 5 to 34 dynamics, modulation, delay, reverb, filter and distortion plugins. It’s a fantastic collection but are the new plugins worth the upgrade?
Arturia FX Collection 5: Standout Features
- 34 plugin effects
- Analogue emulations and original, creative tools
- Four new entries: Efx Motions, Efx Refract, Bus Peak and Bus Exciter-104
- Excellent sound quality
- Good value for money when buying the collection
- In-app tutorials
- NKS VST3 and Apple M-series compatible
- Real-time text-to-speech feedback for visually-impaired users
- Hi-res 4K interfaces
Arturia FX Collection 5: Effects For Days
Arturia is probably best known for its soft synth emulations of classic gear like the ARP 2600, Oberheim OB-Xa and Moog Modular as assembled in the V-Collection (now up to number 10!). However, its hardware synthesizer department has been making very strong waves lately with the PolyBrute 12 currently turning everyone’s heads (including ours). There’s also the controllers division and not to mention audio interfaces.
So how about plugin effects?
Being the comprehensive company that they are, Arturia also offers a range of effects plugins. These run the gamut from delays to reverbs, modulation to dynamics, with both analogue emulations (as you’d expect) plus creative new creations. And, as Arturia is wont to do, they are all available in a single collection, which is now up to version five, Arturia FX Collection 5.
Arturia FX Collection 5 builds on previous collections, offering 34 effects plugins. They’re NKS VST3 and Apple M-series compatible, feature in-app tutorials and have real-time text-to-speech feedback for visually-impaired users. They also sport hi-res 4K interfaces, meaning you can resize them and they stay sharp and clear.
Arturia FX Collection 5: What’s New?
Arturia FX Collection 5 features four new plugins. Two of them – Efx Motions and Efx Refract – came out in the year since the last iteration. There are also two brand new ones, both part of the growing ‘Bus’ mastering series: Bus Peak and Bus Exciter-104.
Efx Motions: Rise From Your Rave
First released in the fall of 2023, Efx Motions is a multi-effect device designed with motion and modulation in mind. Like Cableguys’ ShaperBox or Baby Audio’s Transit, it’s an LFO tool cranked up to 10 and it’s perfect for adding movement to a signal.
There are five effects modules, including filter, noise, drive, volume and pan. Each of these has its own motion envelope. There’s also a Repeat/FX block at the end with a step sequencer for slow downs, ratchets and other spot actions plus two effects slots. Hit the Advanced button for access to three function generators plus macro controls, essential for crafting ravetastic risers.
As with many in the creative Efx series, Efx Motions is tons of fun and easy to use. It’s very deep with multiple circuits for many of the modules (various filter types, distortion models, etc.) but you can also use it simply as a volume LFO tool to quickly move a bass sound out of the way of a kick, for example, or for pumping effects. It’s the standout plugin in Arturia FX Collection 5.
Efx Refract: Modulate Wildly
Originally given away free at Christmas in 2023, Efx Refract is an unusual modulation plugin that’s a little hard to describe. It has two sections, the eight-stage, unison-like Refraction, plus a second area, which can be a harmonizer, distortion, bitcrusher, comb filter or bandpass filter.
In practice, it’s sort of like the 21st-century version of an ensemble effect or a Leslie but much wilder. As with both of those more traditional effects, Efx Refract has an LFO for adding movement.
Because Efx Refract is so unique, it can be hard to imagine how you might use it. Rather than acting as a go-to effect, it’s better to spend some time with it and see how it can alter signals.
Bus Peak: A Little Off the Top
Brand new for Arturia FX Collection 5, Bus Peak is a professional-grade limiter and clipper. As you’d expect from the name, it’s meant to sit on a bus – either for instruments/drums or the master – to help sounds sit together in the mix.
There are two main sections, a clipper and limiter (in that order). It can do clean and transparent as well as characterful dynamics shaping, with separate character sections for each circuit. Click the Tone Control button to reveal bass and treble limiting controls to target specific frequencies like a dynamic EQ. Metering displays peak levels as either true peak or full scale, with LUFS shown as well.
I tried Bus Peak on a drum track, instrument and master and it performed well in all situations, particularly on the drums and master. If loudness is your thing, you can really push Bus Peak to make things hot yet still clean.
Bus Exciter-104: Highs, Lows and Heavenly Blows
Bus Exciter-104 joins Bus Peak and the pre-existing Bus Force. While Force and Peak are original designs, Bus Exciter-104 models a famous rack unit from the 1980s, the Aphex Aural Exciter C2-104 with Big Bottom.
Unlike regular EQs, which can only boost or cut existing frequencies, exciters add additional harmonics. This makes them extremely useful for adding life to bland tracks but they’re really easy to overdo. While some exciters can get harsh quickly, the Aural Exciter – and the Bus Exciter-104 by extension – keeps things sweet. It works primarily on the highs and lows (the Big Bottom part), acting almost like a Pultec boost but with extra harmonics.
The biggest use for Bus Exciter-104 will likely be on vocals. Super airy vocals are all the rage now and this emulation will puff up your tracks nicely. I’ve long wanted an emulation of my own Aural exciter, which lived in my rack in the 1990s. Colour me excited.
Do You Need Arturia FX Collection 5?
I’m a big fan of Arturia’s effects plugins. I’ve been an owner of the FX Collection since version two and have used them in pretty much every production since. The new plugins in number five are also poised to enter heavy rotation, with Efx Motions now officially my favourite LFO tool. Bus peak tickles my ears and will surely find its way onto the drum bus. I’ve been wanting a new clipper and this fits the bill nicely. As for the aural excitement and big bottoms, well, it’s good to have that back in my (virtual) rack.
But the question is: do you need Arturia FX Collection 5? If you’ve been wanting a comprehensive collection of effects, both creative and standard, this is a very solid option. While the entry price is nothing to sneeze at, when you break it down it’s a good deal on a per-plugin basis. If you already own one of the previous Collections, the upgrade seems like a no-brainer as well. It’s worth it just for Efx Motions, which is $99 on its own.
Arturia FX Collection 5 Conclusion
There are so many great plugins in Arturia’s FX Collection 5, it’s not even funny. Pick this up and you won’t need much more, really. However – and here’s the issue – you probably already have hundreds of effects plugins. This is why, I think, the FX Collection is less lauded than Arturia’s other products. With so many effects already on the market (and in our DAWs) it’s hard to keep up.
However, this doesn’t have anything to do with the level of quality of Arturia’s plugins. The 34 effects here are of uniform high pedigree with many now my go-to versions of these emulations. The Efx series is also amazing.
I heartily recommend Arturia FX Collection 5. I felt the same way at version two. My love for the set has only grown over time.
Arturia FX Collection 5 is now available. Check your Arturia account for special upgrade pricing.
Pros and Cons: Arturia FX Collection 5
Pros
- 34 plugins
- 4 new offerings: Efx Motions, Efx Refract, Bus Peak, Bus Exciter-104
- Efx Motions is incredible and worth the upgrade alone
- Excellent sound quality
- Good value for money on a per-plugin basis
- Comprehensive offering of effects styles
- Hi-res 4K interfaces
Cons
- A lot of money to drop all at once
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