Effect Rack

Name: Effect Rack
Price: 299 USD
Author: Soundtoys

by Soundtoys · Multi-FX · Modular effects rack

vst3s Score 8.4/10 · rated #9 of 10 multi-FX & creative

A single plugin that holds 14 Soundtoys effects, including EchoBoy, Decapitator, Crystallizer, FilterFreak, MicroShift and PrimalTap, which you drag into a chain in any order.

Global Mix, Recycle (feedback) and tempo controls let you treat the whole chain as one effect. It is used for vocal throws, distorted delays, pitch and modulation textures, and quick creative chains on any source.

Best for: Vocals, Guitars, Keys & Synths, Drums, Sound Design. Genres: Hip-Hop & Trap, Pop, R&B & Soul, Rock & Indie, Electronic & EDM.

Keywords: vocals, creative, sound design, digital classic, electric guitar, hardware emulation, synths, 80s, ambience, drag-and-drop routing, drums, extreme, mixing, pitch-shifting, rhythmic, subtle, vintage.

What it does

Effect Rack is Soundtoys' multi-effects system: 14 of its plugins in one window, which you stack into your own chains.

Included effects: Crystallizer, Decapitator, Devil-Loc Deluxe, EchoBoy, EchoBoy Jr., FilterFreak 1 and 2, MicroShift, PanMan, PhaseMistress, PrimalTap, Radiator, Sie-Q and Tremolator.
Drag-and-drop chains: add and reorder effects freely to try combinations quickly.
Global controls: input and output level, a Mix knob to blend the chain with the dry signal, and tempo lock for the rhythmic effects.
Recycle: feeds the rack's output back into its input, for modulated reverbs, runaway delays and other ambient effects.
Presets: hundreds of chains sorted by instrument and sound-design category. Some use SuperPlate and SpaceBlender, which need their own licences to edit.

It is also part of the Soundtoys 5 bundle.

Source: Soundtoys product page

When to use it

Effect Rack is the most mix-focused plugin among the rated multi-effects. Infiltrator 2, Effectrix2 and Stutter Edit 2 are built around sequencing and modulation; Effect Rack is about chaining familiar studio tools (tape delay, saturation, pitch, filters) into one reusable preset. It has no step sequencer or multiband splitting like Multipass.

Best for: vocal delay throws and doubling, distorted or pitched delays, guitar and synth textures, and building signature chains you recall in one click.
Genres: hip-hop, pop, R&B, rock and electronic, anywhere Soundtoys effects are already common.
Look elsewhere if: you already own the Soundtoys 5 bundle (it includes Effect Rack), or you want sequenced glitch effects (Effectrix2) or deep modulation routing (Infiltrator 2).

What producers say

Few reviews cover Effect Rack on its own; most coverage is of the Soundtoys 5 bundle it came with.

Sweetwater presented the rack as the headline feature of Soundtoys 5, useful both for subtle enhancement and wild modulation.
KVR Audio lists it as a 2024 Readers' Choice Awards nominee.
How producers use it: Mike Dean (quoted by Soundtoys) pairs EchoBoy and Decapitator for distorted vocal delays.
Gripe: Plugin Boutique notes that SuperPlate and SpaceBlender appear in presets but can't be edited without their own licences.

Where to buy

Tutorials and reviews

Similar plugins

6060 Ultimate Module Collection by McDSP · Modular effects rack · $249
Snap Heap by Kilohearts · Modular effects host · $29
Molekular by Native Instruments · Modular multi-effect · $149
BEAM by Lunacy Audio · Creative effects rack · $59
Multipass by Kilohearts · Multiband modular effects host · $99
MOLT by Echelon Audio · Modular multi-effect · $99
Blockchain by Nuro Audio · Modular multi-effect · $99.99
Clearmountain Domain by Apogee · Reverb, delay and pitch-shift effects suite · $99.99
CLA Effects by Waves · Signature effects rack · $32.91
H3000 Factory Mk II by Eventide · Vintage multi-effects · $75

All multi-FX & creative