PatchWork

The deal

$79 at Guitar Center (down from $99).

What it is

Blue Cat's PatchWork is a plug-in host and multi-effects patchbay that runs inside any DAW as a single plugin instance. It supports up to 64 VST, VST3, or Audio Unit plug-ins arranged in serial chains, parallel chains, or a mix of both. It also ships with 30 built-in effects and works as a standalone application.

Key features

• Hosts up to 64 third-party plug-ins per instance, with up to 8 parallel chains that can be activated independently
• Includes 30 built-in effects covering reverb, EQ, compression, delays, modulation, distortion, and more
• Macro controls and parameters mapping let you automate sub-plug-ins or connect them to hardware controllers
• Plug-in oversampling is configurable per slot, and latency compensation is automatic

Who it's for

Producers and engineers who regularly stack multiple plug-ins across complex signal paths and want to consolidate that routing into a single, portable preset. Also useful for running VST or AU instruments in a DAW that doesn't natively support a particular format.