The Best Places To Buy U-he Plugins
There are a multitude of places to buy new synth and effect plugins. But with so many options on offer it can be difficult to find the best deals whilst also ensuring you're getting your plugins from an authorised retailer.
Buying music production plugins from an authorised retailer means you'll get support from both the reseller and the developer. It also ensures you'll be eligible for free or discounted upgrades to future versions directly from the plugin developer.
But... not all online retailers are authorised to resell u-he plugins. You also run a huge risk buying audio plugins from sellers on auction sites or other 'marketplaces', where the seller may not be authorised to sell at all.
So if you're looking for the best places to buy u-he plugins and you want to be sure you're buying through the correct channels, this guide runs through the main options and where each one is strong or weak, whether you care most about cost, rewards or support.
SOUND7
Link: SOUND7
Yes, this is us, so take this entry with the appropriate pinch of salt. SOUND7 specialises in sound design and music production software: audio plugins, sound banks and sample packs. We're an authorised u-he reseller, and our u-he prices are often lower than the big retailers. We also design sounds ourselves, including factory sounds for u-he's Repro-5, and our Diva and Repro bundles include free SOUND7 packs.
- Upsides: Often cheaper than the big plugin stores. Plugin bundles with free SOUND7 sound packs. Support from people who actually program these synths. No ads.
- Downsides: Not instant. Your u-he licence activation code is sent by email after the order rather than appearing at checkout. A smaller range than the big retailers, and no loyalty points scheme.
u-he Direct
Link: https://u-he.com/
Buying directly from the u-he website gets you the software straight from the developers, with support from the people who wrote it. u-he also run their own seasonal sales, so it's worth keeping an eye on their site.
- Upsides: u-he receive the full purchase price for their efforts, with no retailer taking a cut. Support straight from the developer. No ads.
- Downsides: Outside u-he's own sales you'll usually be paying full list price.
Plugin Boutique
Link: https://www.pluginboutique.com/
Plugin Boutique is a big, well known online retailer specialising in audio plugins and software, with a wide selection that includes u-he Diva. They run frequent promotions, discounts and bundle deals, which makes them a popular choice among producers.
- Upsides: Their Virtual Cash scheme gives you a percentage of each purchase back as credit to spend on future orders. Very wide range.
- Downsides: Not always the most affordable place to buy. A busy website with a lot of promo tiles competing for your attention.
Gear4music
Link: https://www.gear4music.com/
Gear4music is a well-established UK music retailer, known for its vast inventory of instruments and studio gear. It's primarily a hardware shop, but it also lists u-he plugins, often at competitive prices.
- Upsides: Often competitive on price. A big, established retailer, handy if you're buying hardware at the same time.
- Downsides: Not a plugin specialist, so technical support for software may vary.
KVR Marketplace
Link: https://www.kvraudio.com/marketplace/
The KVR Marketplace is the shop attached to the KVR Audio site and community, and it sells new u-he licences such as Diva. Just don't confuse it with the forum's separate 'used' classifieds, where people sell on second-hand licences. If you go down that route, check the seller carefully and follow u-he's own licence transfer rules to avoid problems.
- Upsides: Sold through a long-running, trusted site in the plugin world.
- Downsides: Prices are often listed in US dollars. Busy pages with plenty of ads to distract you.
Wrapping up
Whether your priority is cost, support or loyalty rewards, you can now head to the right outlet for your u-he plugin purchases.
What's more, buying new licences from the above sources means you receive an original, legitimate, licensed version of the plugin, so you get full support and future upgrade options whilst safeguarding the income streams for the developer and the music production ecosystem.
u-he plugins at SOUND7
Our Diva and Repro bundles cost about the same as the synth on its own and come with free SOUND7 sound packs. For all u-he plugins and bundles, the licence activation code is sent by email; our sound packs are an instant download.
u-he Diva + SOUND7 Sound Packs Bundle: the spirit of analogue in software, plus two free SOUND7 Diva packs
u-he Repro + SOUND7 Sound Packs Bundle: Repro-1 and Repro-5, two classic analogue synths recreated, plus two free SOUND7 Repro-5 packs
u-he Zebra 3: u-he's flagship, rebuilt from scratch with five synthesis engines in one plugin
u-he Hive 2: the streamlined, CPU-friendly one, built for fast results
u-he Satin: tape machine plugin, from multitrack consoles to humble cassette decks
u-he Presswerk: compressor toolkit with the warmth of classic analogue units