Arturia FX Collection 5 Review: Is It Worth it?

If you’re on the lookout for new tools and effects plugins that can help you with better mixing-mastering and creating better sounds for your beats, Arturia has a new update for you: Arturia FX Collection 5!

I’ve followed Arturia’s FX Collection releases over the years and have observed that each version has introduced something fresh, from spot-on analog emulations to innovative digital effects.

Their latest edition consisting of 34 plugins that can be used as processing tools, creative fx, and effects for buses and instruments. After spending some time with them, I am here to give you my review on them to help you decide if they are worth the price! Let’s start!

Arturia FX Collection 5 Review: Plugins List

Out of all these plugins, the Bus Exciter-104, Bus Peak, EFX MOTIONS, and EFX REFRACT are the new additions to the last ARTURIA 4 Collection.

First Impressions: Arturia FX Collection 5

Arturia’s plugins have always been reliable, but I wanted to see if the new additions could genuinely add something fresh to my workflow. After trying them out for a while, here are some things about the plugins that perked my ears up.

Bus Exciter-104: Subtle But Effective

I began with Bus Exciter-104, curious about what it could do for my mixes. At first glance, it’s a harmonics enhancer that lets you tweak specific frequency ranges to brighten things up or add depth. I tested it on drums, and while it wasn’t an “aha” moment right away, it did help polish the sound.

With some adjustments to the saturation and EQ slope, the kick felt a little more solid, and the high-end had a slight sparkle that cut through better. It’s not something I’d use on every track, but for drums or vocals that need a lift, it’s a handy tool.

I particularly enjoyed using the Big Bass and Exciter sections to fine-tune the low and high ends of my mix. I wanted to create a bass-heavy track, so I cranked up the drive on the Big Bass section while decreasing the mix level to prevent overwhelming the mix. I loved the result as it gave just enough saturation to create a more pronounced bassline without muddiness in the overall sound.

On the high end, the Exciter section brought out a subtle sparkle, which helped the track feel more polished. The ability to adjust the distortion profile and keep the bass in mono is a thoughtful touch, especially for maintaining compatibility on smaller speakers.

Bus Peak: A Simple Dynamics Fix

Next, I checked out Bus Peak, which is essentially a clipper and limiter in one. What I liked most was its simplicity. It has no endless tweaking or overcomplicated settings. I used it on a drum bus, and it helped control some of the peaks while keeping the punch intact.

The ability to link it to other channels is a nice touch, too. It’s not flashy, but it does what it’s supposed to do: manage dynamics without crushing the life out of the track. Another thing I found cool about this plugin is that it has different quality settings for Mixing, Mastering, Rendering, and Tracking, which saves you a lot of CPU load. It also allows you to set the limiter to dB Full Scale or True Peak.

When I started testing Bus Peak, I realized quickly that it’s more than just a basic limiter. It combines clipping, limiting, and tone controls into one straightforward interface, making it versatile for a range of applications.

I used it on a vocal-heavy mix and started by deploying the soft clipper. Changing the threshold tamed the peak without crushing the dynamics. The tone control helped with balancing bass and treble when the high end was aggressive.

Plus, I also liked the metering as it allowed me to see what was happening visually, while the Delta function is great as it isolated the clipped signal to hear the effect in detail.

The Bus Peak plugin is especially effective for taming peaks and adding glue to your mix. On drums, it brought punch and cohesion, while the visual feedback made fine-tuning simple. The soft clipper mode adds a touch of warmth without sacrificing clarity.

EFX MOTIONS: Creative Movement Made Easy

EFX MOTIONS turned out to be one of the more creative plugins in the collection. It’s designed to add modulation, movement, and rhythmic changes to sounds. I threw it on a static piano loop to test it out, and it brought the track to life.

With some filtering and panning effects, the loop went from being just okay to having a real sense of motion and energy. I can see this being useful for buildups or transitions, though it might take some trial and error to get it just right.

EFX REFRACT: Experimenting With Sound

The final one was  EFX REFRACT, which works for more experimental distortion and harmonic effects. This one feels like a wildcard and can make sounds gritty and wild, but it can also get unpredictable if you’re not careful.

I tried it on some synth pads, and it added a warped, almost metallic texture that worked surprisingly well in a dense mix. Well, I can clearly say that it’s not something I’d reach for in every project, but for sound design or looking for something different to experiment with, it might be worth exploring.

The Rest of the Collection: Still Reliable

While the new additions to FX Collection 5 are exciting, the soul of the suite is still the core plugins, in my opinion. I still keep coming back to them for different projects as they are reliable, intuitive and sound pretty good. They clearly proved their worth in everything from subtle mix refinements to creative sound design. Here are a few that continue to impress me:

• Reverb INTENSITY

One of my favorite plugins for creating spacious, cinematic reverb effects is Intensity. From subtle room ambiance or a massive ethereal washes, it brings great reverb effects to your tracks. Plus, the modulation controls are great for adding movement and complexity when needed.

• Tape MELLO-FI

I love using Tape MELLO-FI when I want to add warmth and a lo-fi vibe to my tracks. It’s perfect for dirtying up drums or giving synths and pads a nostalgic, tape-saturated character.

• Dist COLDFIRE

This dual-engine distortion plugin is incredibly versatile. I use it for subtle harmonic enhancement on vocals or full-blown distortion on guitars and basslines. It’s a workhorse that feels like it can handle almost any distortion task I throw at it.

• EFX FRAGMENTS

This granular processing tool is like having a sound designer in your DAW. I’ve used it to completely transform vocals into glitchy pads or to add rhythmic stutters to percussive elements. It’s one of those plugins that encourages experimentation.

Compatibility

Final Thoughts: Arturia FX Collection 5 Review

Having spent some serious time with Arturia FX Collection 5, I can say it’s one of the most complete and inspiring bundles I’ve worked with. It doesn’t matter if you opt for that vintage hardware vibe or for modern, experimental sound design; I think everyone can find something in this bundle. There is also t a creative effects plugin and more transparent plugins for mixing-mastering effects. However, I would still call it more of a “producer” bundle.

Take the Bus Exciter-104, for instance. It’s Arturia’s take on the Aphex Audio Exciter Type C, and it does a decent job of breathing life into dull mixes. It’s solid for adding sparkle to the top end and beefing up the low frequencies with the “big bass” module. It’s a subtle but powerful tool that I keep coming back to when a track feels flat.

But honestly, where the FX Collection 5 really works for me is in the original plugins. For me, Bus Peak holds a special place, as it’s a great unit with a peak limiter and clipper plugin that’s as easy to use as it is versatile. I love working with it to create anything from transparently boosting the volume on a mix bus or dialing in some gritty, saturated distortion. It gets the job done without feeling overly technical.

Efx Motions and Efx Refract are where things get really fun. Motions inspire me when I’m stuck in a creative rut. It’s a modulation-driven multi-effect that can add movement and width or even build transitions effortlessly. And Refract? This one’s a delight for sound designers for stacking layers, adding wild effects, and creating textures that give even the cheapest synths a whole new level of depth and character. And, oh boy, its interface is super attractive.

What’s consistent across the entire bundle is how user-friendly it all feels. Arturia’s interfaces are beautifully designed, and their interactive tutorials are a lifesaver if you’re diving into a new effect. The presets are another incentive to buy the bundle. Whether you’re in a rush or just looking for inspiration, they give you solid starting points without feeling generic.

In a world where subscription models dominate, Arturia’s FX Collection 5 offers a one-time investment that packs significant value, from classic hardware emulations to forward-thinking creative tools.

Shaurya Bhatia

Shaurya Bhatia is a versatile content writer with a strong focus on music production, composition, and the technical aspects of audio engineering. With a deep understanding of the music industry, Shaurya specializes in creating insightful and engaging content around music production techniques, songwriting, audio engineering, and the intersection of technology and art in music. He loves to create content for musicians, audio engineers and sound designers.