Courtney LaPlante's Spiritbox Vocal Chain Is Now a Plugin
MixWave: Spiritbox - Courtney LaPlante puts the vocalist's seven-module vocal chain in one plugin, with rearrangeable processing and pitch tools. From $79.
MixWave has turned Courtney LaPlante's vocal chain into a single plugin. Built with the Spiritbox vocalist, MixWave: Spiritbox - Courtney LaPlante gathers seven rearrangeable processing modules into one window. The signal path behind her recorded vocals becomes a starting point you drop onto your own takes. It targets producers who want a modern, heavy vocal sound without wiring up a dozen separate plugins. This is a first look based on the official product page, not a hands-on review.
At a glance: The plugin is a modular vocal suite with seven movable modules, console-style EQ and compression on the input and output, and a proprietary pitch and formant engine. It runs on macOS 26 and Windows 11 as VST3, AU and AAX, needs a free iLok account, and includes a 14-day free trial. The introductory price is $79, rising to a $139 regular price.
What is the MixWave Spiritbox plugin?
MixWave builds signature plugins with specific artists, capturing a real studio chain rather than a generic preset. This one is the vocal chain of Courtney LaPlante, whose work in Spiritbox spans clean, airy singing and full screamed delivery, often in the same song. The plugin collects the processing that shapes that range, from pitch and distortion to reverb and delay, into one modular suite you can reorder to taste.
The idea is simple. You get a professional vocal chain as a single instrument, tuned by someone who uses it on released records, rather than guessing at gain staging across separate EQ, compressor, saturator, pitch and reverb plugins. It sits alongside other modern vocal chains such as Bogren A-Class Vocal and iZotope Nectar 4. The difference is focus, since it leans harder into heavy, contemporary vocals than a general-purpose chain does.
The seven modules
The core of the plugin is seven processing modules you can freely rearrange, so the order of the chain is yours to decide.
Pitch uses proprietary pitch-shifting and formant processing to reshape vocal character while holding on to clarity, articulation and expression. It also carries latency modes, one tuned for live tracking and one for mixing, so you choose between low latency and higher quality depending on the job.
Distortion adds harmonic saturation across a wide range, from a light texture that thickens a part to aggressive drive that helps a vocal cut through a dense mix.
Compression handles dynamics, density and consistency, and adds harmonic character while it does, so it sits closer to a colored studio compressor than a clean leveler.
Modulation brings movement, width and evolving texture, covering everything from subtle stereo enhancement to animated, obvious effects.
Reverb offers Room, Ambient and Plate algorithms, from natural short spaces to large ambiences, so you can place a vocal without reaching for a separate reverb.
Delay doubles a melody or throws cascading repeats, adding rhythm and dimension to a line.
Line Amplifier is modeled on classic studio line amps, and it adds harmonic richness and an analog-style color to the whole chain.
Wrapping the modules, a console-inspired EQ and compressor sit on both the input and the output, so you can shape the signal going in and polish it on the way out. The plugin handles mono and stereo sources and offers oversampling up to eight times for cleaner processing.
MixWave Spiritbox specifications
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Modular vocal processing suite |
| Modules | Pitch, Distortion, Compression, Modulation, Reverb, Delay, Line Amplifier |
| Routing | Modules freely rearrangeable |
| Input/output | Console-inspired EQ and compression on each |
| Pitch engine | Proprietary pitch and formant, tracking and mixing latency modes |
| Reverb modes | Room, Ambient, Plate |
| Channels | Mono and stereo |
| Oversampling | Up to 8x |
| Presets | Artist presets included |
| Formats | VST3, AU, AAX (64-bit) |
| System | macOS 26, Windows 11 (64-bit) |
| Licensing | iLok (USB, Cloud or machine); two activations |
| Trial | 14-day free trial |
How it compares
Signature vocal chains sit between two things most producers already know: the all-in-one vocal processor and the artist-endorsed plugin. What separates them is intent. Each one is tuned for a different kind of voice and a different workflow, so feature counts tell you less here than you might expect.
| MixWave Spiritbox | Bogren A-Class Vocal | iZotope Nectar 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Artist vocal chain | Modern rock/metal vocal chain | General vocal suite |
| Modules | Seven, rearrangeable | Fixed multi-stage chain | Many, assistant-driven |
| Pitch tools | Proprietary pitch and formant | Tuning included | Pitch and Auto-Level modules |
| Best at | Heavy, contemporary vocals | Rock and metal vocals | Broad, genre-neutral vocals |
| Licensing | iLok | Machine | iLok |
If you cut heavy, modern vocals and want a chain built around one artist's sound, the Spiritbox plugin is the targeted choice. For a broad, assistant-guided tool that suits pop, R&B and spoken content as readily as rock, Nectar 4 is more flexible. Bogren A-Class Vocal sits closest in spirit, aimed at the same heavy end of the spectrum.
Who it is for
The plugin suits producers and engineers working on modern rock, metal and pop-adjacent vocals who want a finished, heavy sound fast. It also appeals to Spiritbox fans chasing that specific vocal character as a believable starting point. Because the modules rearrange, it rewards engineers who prefer to build their own signal order instead of accepting a fixed chain. Anyone who mostly records clean spoken or acoustic vocals, or who wants deep metering and repair tools, will likely get more from a general suite like Nectar 4.
How much does the MixWave Spiritbox plugin cost?
It launched at an introductory price of $79, against a $139 regular price, as a one-time purchase. A 14-day free trial lets you test it on your own voice first, and it needs a free iLok account with two activations usable on an iLok USB, iLok Cloud or a machine. VAT is added at checkout for EU and UK buyers. You can check the current price and trial on the official MixWave product page.
FAQ
What is the MixWave Spiritbox plugin?
It is a modular vocal processing plugin built with Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox. It combines seven rearrangeable modules, from pitch and distortion to reverb and delay, into one chain, with console-style EQ and compression on the input and output.
Do you need iLok hardware to use it?
No. It requires a free iLok account and the iLok License Manager, but the two activations can run on iLok Cloud or a machine authorization, so a physical iLok USB is optional.
Can you rearrange the chain?
Yes. All seven modules can be freely reordered, so you decide whether, for example, distortion hits before or after compression. That flexibility is central to the design.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. MixWave offers a 14-day free trial that needs a name and email, so you can test the plugin on your own vocals before buying. For related vocal-chain reviews, see our look at the UAD Topline Vocal Tune.
