Armin van Buuren has said they use Logic Pro as the main DAW next to Ableton Live, with Universal Audio plugins such as the Precision Limiter and Lexicon 224. In the studio Armin has said they use custom Mischa Jacobi monitors and Mackie HR824s, plus Pioneer CDJ-2000s for DJing.
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“Logic is my main DAW next to Ableton. I've been using it for about 15 years and not a day goes by when I don't learn some new Logic trick.”
“ES2 in Logic can make almost any sound you want.”
“If I really look at the essential stuff that we use, it's all about ES1, ES2 and EXS24, and that's it!”
“We usually only have the Precision Limiter plug-in, and sometimes a Teletronix LA-2A”
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“Logic is my main DAW next to Ableton. I've been using it for about 15 years and not a day goes by when I don't learn some new Logic trick.”
“ES2 in Logic can make almost any sound you want.”
“If I really look at the essential stuff that we use, it's all about ES1, ES2 and EXS24, and that's it!”
“I recently got into the Xfer Nerve software drum machine, which lets you combine sounds to make your own kick drum.”
“The main lead of my track with Sophie Ellis Bextor for example was done with the FabFilter Twin 2!”
“Takes some time to get to know but it's great if you don't want to draw notes into a sequencer but play drums real-time.”
“Great for analogue summing and if you want that special Toft EQ sound.”
“My mainfield monitors are by Mischa Jacobi. They're the most essential part of my studio thanks to the acoustic treatment.”
“I've had the Mackie HR824s for years and now use them as an alternative to the Mischa Jacobi speakers.”
“We usually only have the Precision Limiter plug-in, and sometimes a Teletronix LA-2A”
“The Teletronix LA-2A sounds amazing on vocals as well.”
“I like to use it without any boost”
“It breathes magic into a track.”
“I use the SPL Transient Designer plug-in on almost every one of my drums.”
“I also love the Precision De-Esser plug-in, and those are usually on our vocal tracks.”
“I really like the Wave Arts multi-band dynamics plug-in”
“Still a classic, especially when you overdrive the input or output with a special cable and get feedback - the filter goes nuts!”
“I love the TR909, for example.”
“The JD800 isn't necessarily a very good synth, but I've created a lot of my own sounds in there, and it's very hands-on.”
“I love that Roland 2080; a lot of producers have that still.”
“The Alesis Andromeda sounds amazing, but that thing can go a lot further than the presets tell you.”
“The TX81 is the one I used for 'Blue Fear'”
“This is my DJ setup: I still mix 'old school' without any sync.”
“I've always been a big JBL fan given the brand's legacy and superior sound on stage and in the studio.”
“After my passport the first thing I take on the road with me is my headphones”
“I really love the Interlooper album of Carbon Based Lifeforms. It's ambient.”
Armin van Buuren has said they use Logic Pro as the main DAW next to Ableton Live (MusicRadar, 2012), and a Universal Audio interview says most of the work happens in Logic Pro X.
Armin van Buuren has said they use Universal Audio plugins including the Precision Limiter, Teletronix LA-2A, Pultec Passive EQ, Lexicon 224 and SPL Transient Designer, plus Xfer Nerve and FabFilter Twin 2.
Armin van Buuren has said they use Logic's ES2 for most sounds and keeps hardware such as a Moog Minimoog Voyager, Roland TR-909, JD-800 and JV-2080, Alesis Andromeda and Yamaha TX81Z, used on Blue Fear.
Armin van Buuren has said they use custom mainfield monitors by Mischa Jacobi, with Mackie HR824s kept as a second, different-sounding pair (MusicRadar, 2012).
As a JBL ambassador, Armin van Buuren has said they use the JBL CLUB ONE headphones they helped develop (2020). Before that Armin co-created the Philips A5-PRO DJ headphones (2014).
Armin van Buuren has said they use Pioneer CDJ-2000 players and mix without sync, and has been seen using a Pioneer DJM-2000 mixer to sync live visuals (MusicRadar, 2012).
Armin van Buuren is a Dutch trance DJ and producer and host of the radio show A State of Trance. This guide covers the DAWs, plugins, synths, monitors, DJ setup and headphones named in studio features, brand interviews and the artist's own quotes.
truerecs put this guide together from public videos, interviews and posts. Each item says how we know and links to the source. Armin van Buuren didn't write it or choose anything on it. How we source gear guides.
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