GAS, gear acquisition syndrome, is real. I am not immune. I want the shiniest next thing.
I try to stay calm and zen about music making. If you have not read it, my Zen Mixing post explains that mindset. Even so, the itch for new gear still shows up.
I am at the point where a new plugin almost never gives me something I cannot do already with my current setup.
The shiny update trap
Audio companies are brilliant at marketing. They are often great at interface design too.
Take a hypothetical Auto Tune 2026 update. It can feel like the same sound and the same workflow with a prettier UI and a bigger update fee. I will admit it. The UI can look great. It still will not make me happier, and it will not improve my sound.
That is the tension. I know it, and the lust still creeps in.
If the plugin does not solve a problem I can name, it does not belong.
My approved list rule
So I add friction. I keep a short list of five plugin developers I trust. If a plugin is not from that list, I pass. If a new developer shows up with something truly remarkable, I can make a case. Another compressor? No thanks.
For me, the rule is simple. If a new plugin is not from my five approved developers, it is a no from me, dawg.
Right now I am curious about Cradle Audio’s The God Particle. It is marketed as a simple mix bus tool with a green light for gain staging and quick results. But Cradle is not on my approved list, so I pass.
If you want to see what is on my current shortlist, it is all in Plugins I actually use.
It stinks for me that I will not try it, and it probably stinks for Cradle that they will not have me as a customer. The trade is worth it for me.
Fewer dependencies, fewer rebuild headaches
Keeping third party plugins minimal keeps my setup lean. When I rebuild a machine, a shorter list of developers means fewer licenses to wrangle and fewer logins to chase. It is easier to get back to a stable working state. There is less chance of a session breaking because one plugin did not authorize correctly.
Overall, it is not worth the drag on my workflow.
Friction beats willpower
Does this kill the desire for shiny plugins? Not really. It just slows me down long enough to think. That little bit of friction keeps my music making environment sane, and it keeps me focused on the sounds I already have.
Stay sane with me
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