The Most Popular Sound Effects Libraries Of 2018:

Posted December 27, 2018 by Adriane Kuzminski in New sound effects libraries, Sound community highlights

Want to know what sound effects libraries that have amazed sound designers this year? Here are 14 of the SFX libraries that were most popular in 2018, in no particular order:

Please share:

Magic Elements Vol.1

Magic & Fantasy Sound Effects Magic Elements vol.1 Play Track 770 sounds included
Rated 5.00 out of 5
$119
Please Note: You get a better deal by buying this library in the Magic Elements vol 1 – 2 bundle here

‘Magic Elements’ is a detailed collection of designed & source sounds of organic elements, actions, characters, items, spells & atmospheres in the realm of Magic.

DESIGNED:
In the designed section you will find 326 carefully crafted sounds.
Volume 1 of this magic saga is comprehensively focused on 6 elements:
Earth, Ice, Fire, Air, Black, and Generic.

Each element comes with a variety of spells, actions/movements such as whoosh, impacts, atmospheres, projectiles, along with many variations in intensity and speed.

All these sounds are carefully designed, edited and meta-tagged.

The ‘generic’ category contains handy neutral go-to sounds that are useful for any project.

SOURCE:
The source folder is packed with 444 useful sounds that cover a large spectrum; thoroughly edited and meta-tagged. They will support your creativity with materials such as choirs, dissonant metal, creatures, papers, debris, drones, cracks, textures, friction, LFE sub sweeteners,…
What’s inside:

Impacts, Whoosh, Air Swirls,

Fireball, Deflagration, Flame Thrower, Deep Sub Whoosh

Aura, Energy Stone, Old Grimoire, Healing,

Earthquake, Constant Debris, Falling Rocks, Ground Friction,

Haunted Books,Laboratory, Magic Box, Potion

Huge Ground Opening, Eerie Drones,

Dark Choir, Ominous Creatures, Dark Dissonant Metal Scrape,

Iceberg Destruction, Ice Scrapes, LFE Sub Sweeteners,

…
Choose how you want your sounds!
2 DOWNLOAD OPTIONS INCLUDED:

• GLUED (Multiple variations of the same sound glued in one file)

• SEPARATED (Each variations of sound are separated in different files)
Add to cart

'Magic Elements Vol.1' by Articulated Sounds is the most recent release on this list, and it's not hard to see why it quickly became a favorite. With intense elemental magical sounds of earth, ice, fire, air and dark sorcery, this library will not only get you on your way to designing your mystical elements, it will also likely influence the direction of your project's soundscape! You even get two options when downloading to suit your workflow with similar sounds on their own or in a single track.

Glacier Ice

Materials & Texture Sound Effects Glacier Ice Play Track 300+ sounds included
Rated 5.00 out of 5
$32

Glacier Ice is a library containing over 300 high quality sounds of ice cracking, breaking, shattering in various sizes of blocks – recorded entirely in the Italian Alps over the course of two winters.

The library contains sounds of all dimensions, from ice cubes being dropped in a drink to a designed iceberg collapsing.

The majority of the material was recorded at 192 KHz with a Sanken CO100K and a stereo pair of Sennheiser MKH8040, making this library greatly flexible for pitch shifting and all sorts of heavy processing.

A small section recorded at 96KHz features sounds recorded exclusively with contact microphones placed directly on the surface of a frozen water stream.

Bonus: Two extra libraries included for free: This library also includes two additional releases from Mattia Cellotto - for free: Crunch Mode delivers 230 crunchy sounds made with a variety of vegetables, fresh bread, pizza crust and a selection of frozen goods. The Borax Experiment gets you 158 squishy, gory, slimy and gooey sounds.

20 %

OFF

Add to cart

'Glacier Ice' by Mattia Cellotto is a classic library of Mattia's. You not only get sounds of ice shattering in the quiet altitudes of the Italian Alps, you also get crackling river surfaces and hollow ice, massive crashing chunks, exploding ice blocks, underwater sounds, and everything you need for a collapsing avalanche. Plus, on top of great sounds, you can stay inside this winter!

Sci-Fi Weapons (PSD)

Firearms Sound Effects Sci-Fi Weapons (Principle Sound) Play Track 2626 sounds included
Rated 5.00 out of 5
$50

The Sci-Fi Weapons library delivers more than 2600 futuristic weapon shots, charges, ricochets and other related sounds.

All of them were designed using exclusively recorded Foley sounds, synthetic layers, various sound manipulation and morphing techniques.

Single shots and automatic fire, reloading ammo, energy blasts, impacts and explosions, surface hits – it’s all there, ready to be used in your sci-fi projects!

Version 1.5 is out:
In v1.5 update we add 11 new weapons and two new reloads/ricochets packs. The total number of sounds in the library comes up to 2626.

50 %

OFF

Add to cart

'Sci-Fi Weapons (PSD)' by Principle Sound Design is an extensive library that is a no-brainer for anyone needing some firepower from the future. With over 1,000 sounds, you'll have coverage for single-shot and fully automatic weapons, as well as explosions, surface hits, ricochets, charging and reloading, and more. As one happy customer discovered, you even get rarer weapons like bows!

Diffuse City

City Life Sound Effects Diffuse City Play Track 116+ sounds included, 752 mins total $75

Diffuse City is the unique urban ambience sound effects library you didn’t know you were missing. It captures the urban environment in its many forms – all based around the idea of diffuse ambience.

The Diffuse City library is purpose-built for the times an environment needs to be felt, but not be distracting.

Every track in Diffuse City was recorded with some sort of real life “filter” in mind; be it distance, elevation, time of day, physical material – Anything to provide the feeling of city life with out the specificity of many urban ambience libraries. No distracting close car pass-bys or people talking; only great natural ambience beds.

Diffuse City was recorded in big cities, suburbs, small towns, and rural settings over a span of two years. It was largely recorded over very late nights, when very few people we’re around. Occasionally, however, a car would pass by… a gun would go off… While these were edited out of the recordings, they are included as “extras” in the library. Perfect for adding some flavor to a moment that’s authentic to the environment it was recorded in.

Metadata – and markers:

In addition to thorough metadata, each ambience in Diffuse City is embedded with markers highlighting unique moments that aren’t easily visible in a waveform. Software like Soundminer v4.5 and Reaper can display these markers, making it easy to identify distinct sonic moments in an otherwise nondescript waveform.

Markers in Reaper

There are 10 areas of focus in Diffuse City:

Elevated City • Distant Highways • Underground City • Distant City • Under Bridges • City Rumble • Empty Parking Lots • Alleys • Industrial • Window Contacts

Hear examples and learn more about each one below

Add to cart

'Diffuse City' by Collected Transients is the result of a quest to connect game and film scenes directly to reality. Each sound has incredibly detailed metadata and has been categorized into 10 focus areas. Not only do you know what recorder was used and where Stosh Tuszynski was when he recorded it, you also get markers in Reaper to note subtle details. If you're looking for accurate, no-fuss ambiences that will sit nicely in your projects, check this one out.

Mobile Game

Game Audio Packs Mobile Game Play Track 578 sounds included, 30 mins total $42
Inspired by app market hits like Clash of Clans and Candy Crush, we present to you Mobile Game – a truly fun and genuinely gameplay inspired sound effects library. Filled with a thorough selection of popular game ready audio assets, Mobile Game gives you sounds that you can quickly implement inside any game to give it a familiar “hit app” game feel.
- Includes 578 files
- All files in .Wav 96k 24bit
- Plus game ready mp3 files
- Inspired by today’s best App Games
- Includes Soundminer metadata
- 891.9 MB of samples
Mobile Game features sounds such as:

Bubbles • Building • Coins • Crafting • Mechanisms and Contraptions • Musical Stabs • Objective Completes • Pick Ups • Potions • Tonal Designed Organic fx • UI/Menu • Upgrades
14 %

OFF

Add to cart

Epic Stock Media is another sound design team that is no surprise when they show up on popular lists. Their libraries are consistently well-rounded, and 'Mobile Game' is one of their finest. This sound library gets you 578 sounds that are musical in nature with mallet instrument stingers, retro pickups, friendly tones, triumphant power-ups, and more. You also get sounds of coins, bubbles, and other fun textures. If you want to give your game an inviting aesthetic, look no further.

Swordfighter

Cold Weapon Sound Effects Swordfighter Play Track 479 sounds included
Rated 5.00 out of 5
$25

Swordfighter is a robust package with sharp sounding swords, heaps of variations and all the extras you need to make a fight come alive. Build unique sword swings with various hits, swooshes, schings, different fighter vocals and impacts on various surfaces. All up there are 137 sword sounds, 93 surface impact sounds, 15 knife throwing sounds, 48 swooshes and 180 fighter vocals.

This version includes two sub-folders: one optimised for a film & TV workflow and the other optimised for video games workflow. Plus a few bonus sounds of a charging army.

Add to cart

For the third year in a row, 'Swordfighter' by Squeaky Fish has made the list of most popular libraries! And it's not hard to see why - in this collection you receive not only sounds of swords and knives being drawn, sheathed, thrown, and swung at various surfaces, but also vocals of male and female fighters and rowdy hordes. With a total of 479 highly useful sounds that have proven themselves year after year, you can trust the community on this one!

Bullet Impacts

Firearms Sound Effects Bullet Impacts Play Track 320 sounds included
Rated 4.00 out of 5
$35

Prepare for impact! This EFX Bullet Impact collection features a huge number of impacts into cars, metal, walls, water, body impacts, as well as passbys, ricochets and underwater passbys.

A must-have for for actual bullet and combat sounds – and for adding oomph to many other types of impact sounds too!

Add to cart

'Bullet Impacts' by Diegetix Sound LLC is an impressive collection that has also made the most popular list three times in a row! With over 300 sounds, you will hear impacts on cars, walls and bodies, making this a great library for video games and action films. You also get the elements you need for complex, accurate sound design with ricochets, underwater passbys, reverb tails, and near-misses. It's easy to see why this one has been so popular!

High Tech Interface Sounds

Sci-Fi Sound Effects High Tech Interface Sounds Play Track 290 sounds included
Rated 4.50 out of 5
$30

Looking for futuristic interface sounds? The High Tech Interface Sounds library is a targeted solution for just that. It features 280 sound effects in categories like Beeps, Buttons, Clicks, Data Processing, Micro High Tech and more – created by Sergey Eybog, who recently won an award for his user interface sound design.

Add to cart

'High Tech Interface Sounds' by Lesser Vibes is the last sound library in this recap to be on the most popular list three years in a row. With 280 user interface sounds, this one runs the gamut of hi-tech scenarios. You get sounds of buttons, clicks, data processing, transmissions, bursts, crackles, alarms, sparks, drones, and more! Whether you are designing UI sounds for your player to interact with or the sounds of your characters' ship command center, this one has what you need.

Footstep And Foley Sounds

Footsteps Sound Effects Footstep and Foley Sounds Play Track 812 sounds included $10

Footstep & Foley Sounds contains 511 high quality professionally recorded footstep sounds. Surfaces included: concrete, dirt, grass, gravel, metal, mud, water, wood, ice and snow. Plus 141 Foley sounds covering a variety of character movement sounds. A perfect addition to add realism to your footstep sounds.

This pack also includes a variety of 160 bonus sounds effects from our full library Pro Sound Collection. ALL sounds from Footstep & Foley Sounds are included in Pro Sound Collection so if you need more sounds be sure to check it out before purchase.

Add to cart

With this library, Gamemaster Audio has tapped into our needs with a specifically highly useful collection for newcomers and pros alike. 'Footstep And Foley Sounds' has 511 footstep sounds on 8 surfaces, and it also includes 160 bonus sounds of clothing and gear movements. It's hard to pass this one up!

Animal Hyperrealism Vol I

Animal Sound Effects Collections Animal Hyperrealism Vol I Play Track 290+ sounds included
Rated 5.00 out of 5
$170

Animal Hyperrealism Vol I is a library containing sounds themed animal vocalisations, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 1300 individual sounds in 290 files.

The sounds were partly recorded with animals trained for media production, partly recorded in zoos and wildlife centers. The asset list includes but is not limited to: african lions, bengal tigers, horses, donkeys, cows, exotic birds, owls, bobcats, pumas, dromedaries, wolves, dogs, geese, lemurs, gibbons and many more.

All the content has been recorded at 192KHz with a Sanken CO100K plus a Sennheiser 8050 for center image and a couple of Sennheiser MKH8040 for stereo image. All files are delivered as stereo bounce of these four mics, though in some instances an additional couple of CO100K was added to the sides.

The resulting ultrasonic spectrum is rich and allows for truly extreme manipulation of the content.

Bonus: Two extra libraries included for free: This library also includes two additional releases from Mattia Cellotto - for free: Crunch Mode delivers 230 crunchy sounds made with a variety of vegetables, fresh bread, pizza crust and a selection of frozen goods. The Borax Experiment gets you 158 squishy, gory, slimy and gooey sounds.

Add to cart

It seems Mattia Cellotto can do no wrong when he takes out his recorders, and with his second library on this list, 'Animal Hyperrealism Vol I', it's clear his dedication to recording useful, diverse animals has put his library on top. This collection features close-up, clean recordings of everything from farm animals to African fauna to snowy wildlife and so much more. It's no surprise why this library has received so many 5-star reviews!

Designed Fire

Fire Sound Effects Designed Fire Play Track 255 sounds included, 34 mins total
Rated 5.00 out of 5
$25

Designed Fire features 255 cinematic fire sound effects, ambiences, swooshes, whooshes, fly-bys, drones, textures, glitches and more, that range from heavily designed to basic elements. It explores the further sonic realms of a powerful element.

Designed Fire highlights:

255 24bit / 96kHz WAV files / Meta-tagged (Soundminer)
89 Swooshes / Wooshes
75 Short elements
29 Impacts
28 Winds
34 Textures

17 %

OFF

Add to cart

'Designed Fire' by Gregor Quendel hit the sweet spot when it was first released, giving sound designers a unique blend of firey ambiences, swooshes, whooshes, textures, and drones that are realistic and dynamic with a hint of enchantment. With 255 sounds that can stand alone or be layered on top for delicious power-ups and magical abilities, give the demo a listen and see how you like it.

Granular

Materials & Texture Sound Effects Granular Play Track 400+ sounds included $15

GRANULAR is the ultimate source library for anyone looking to add compelling and distinctive granular textures into their sound design; it contains designed sounds, a large collection of processed sounds, and some additional raw recordings.
This library is the culmination of many hours of exploration and experimentation in the area of granular sound processing, using a variety of plugins, audio tools, recording techniques and processes.
GRANULAR features 395 24bit / 96kHz WAV files, each embedded with full metadata.

Add to cart

'Granular' by Barney Oram has been consistently popular since it was released. This collection takes you through Barney's creative process with raw sounds of grainy foods on different surfaces through the design pass with interesting textures and finally cut up into user interface sounds and impacts. As the description says, it came out of "exploration and experimentation" - two favorite tools of great sound designers.

Submersion - Underwater Library

Environments & Ambiences Submersion – Underwater Library Play Track 377+ sounds included, 383 mins total
Rated 5.00 out of 5
$70

Submersion is a sound effect library delivering over 1800 high quality sounds in 377 files (more than 10Gb), from bubbles and impacts over whooshes to ambiences, propellers sounds and many more, this collection has all you need to create an exciting underwater audio experience.
From raw recordings to ready-to-use sound effects, all the content has been recorded and designed at 24bit, 96 KHz, all fully tagged with metadatas, by sound designers Arnaud Noble and Benoît Marsalone.
This library is split in two different sections:

The Raw section:
Captured with the Aquarians H2a Hydrophone in different locations (pool, river or inside several props), the raw section allows you to sculpt, create, and edit your own sounds with more than 1300 individuals sounds, with many variations.
This is your toolkit for all your underwater scenes and projects.

The Designed Section:
This section provides you ready-to-use sounds (over 593 individuals sounds in 172 files), all created and designed from the Raw section materials.
From huge to tiny, this collection delivers Cinematic Impacts, Ambiences, Whooshes, Explosions, Propellers, Lava sounds, Sci-fi sounds and many more.

Included sounds / Keywords
Ambience – Impact – Explosion – Movement – Whoosh – Swim – Bubble – Propeller – Air release – Stream – Scrape – Squeak – Creak – Crack – Waves – Ice – Lava – Hot – Embers – Sizzle – Crackle – Acid – Soak – Quench – Combustion – Organic – Fizz – Pulses – Plunger – Bottle – Drip – Boil – Drain – Pour – Rattle – Bounce – Slide – Hollow – Crush – Plonk – Snap – Metal – Plastic – Wood – Realistic – Sci-fi – Abstract – Alien

Add to cart

'Submersion - Underwater Library' by Spectravelers is a library with expertly recorded textures that will give you the right elements for your... you name it! Designing a quiet scene with happy underwater creatures? What if an alien ship emerges from the depths only to be countered by an zealous defense system? You are covered with this artistically designed selection!

Polarity

Electricity Sound Effects Polarity Play Track 975 sounds included
Rated 5.00 out of 5
$72

Polarity delivers more than 950 sounds of electricity, science and technology – captured in several locations around the world, from electricity museums to science labs. About 50% of the library is all about electricity, with various types of Jacob’s Ladders, Tesla Coils, Ruhmkorff lamp and all sorts of impactful bursts of energy.

Then we go through welders, plasma spheres, 3D printers, starting to cover a more broad technology theme – like old phones, telegraphs, dynamo wheels, rotary dials, whirling watchers, alarm, lab centrifuges, something scientists call a roller and a rocker, servo sounds, neon lights, a wimshurst machine and sparklers.

Many sounds in this section were captured from vintage equipment, from a 1928’s tram to old telephone switchboards, high voltage levers and control surfaces.

All content was recorded at 192KHz with a Sanken CO100K, a couple of Sennheiser 8040 and a Neumann 81i, translating into final assets that have plenty of ultrasonic content, ready for the most extreme manipulation.

Bonus: Two extra libraries included for free: This library also includes two additional releases from Mattia Cellotto - for free: Crunch Mode delivers 230 crunchy sounds made with a variety of vegetables, fresh bread, pizza crust and a selection of frozen goods. The Borax Experiment gets you 158 squishy, gory, slimy and gooey sounds.

20 %

OFF

Add to cart

'Polarity' by Mattia Cellotto is a wonderful collection of all types of electrical and technological sounds. In it, you can find Jacob's Ladders, Tesla Coils, Ruhmkorff lamps, a Wimshurst machine, sounds of welding, dials, phones, wheels, alarms, servos, and so much more with nearly 1,000 sound effects. As Mattia's third library to make this year's list, you can trust you are getting the best!

Please share this:

THE WORLD’S EASIEST WAY TO GET INDEPENDENT SOUND EFFECTS:

A Sound Effect gives you easy access to an absolutely huge sound effects catalog from a myriad of independent sound creators, all covered by one license agreement - a few highlights:

Cloth and Fabric Sound Effects Rummage & Loot Play Track 203 sounds included $18

The Rummage & Loot Sound Effects library contains 203 sound effects for looting and searching for items.

Instances include:

Search Backpack/Inventory
Search through Drawers/Cupboards
Search Trash/Rubbish Bins
Search through Bushes/Foliage
Search Toolbox/Metal Items
Search Wallet/Coin Pile
Search Corpses

Other case uses include:

Equip Clothing or Gear
Inventory Sounds
Item Collect/Pickup
Handling various objects/items

28 %

OFF

Add to cart
Cloth and Fabric Sound Effects Movement Foley Sound FX Play Track 704 sounds included $19.95

COMPATIBLE WITH ANY VIDEO SOFTWARE

CRAFTED BY INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS

INSTANT DIGITAL DOWNLOAD
100% ROYALTY FREE

Introducing “Movement Foley,” your ultimate sound library for immersive audio experiences. With 176 meticulously crafted recordings captured at 96kHz and 24-bit resolution, every sound is delivered in crystal-clear quality.

From the thunderous applause of a crowd to the subtle rustle of cloth, the collection features a diverse range of objects and human movements. Hear the precise cadence of military gear, bags and clothes swaying as you walk, the rustle of clothes being put on and off, and the unique sounds of belts, sunglasses, zippers, umbrellas, hats, and more. This pack also includes sounds of body touches, claps, handshakes, chair movements, and a variety of cloth-related actions with multiple variations for each sound.

Each sound was expertly recorded in a professional studio environment by renowned foley artist Hugo Milt. With a portfolio spanning major film productions, Hugo’s attention to detail ensures every sound in “Movement Foley” is authentic and captivating.

Enhance your projects with lifelike audio that transports listeners into the heart of the action. Elevate your storytelling, gaming experiences, and multimedia projects with the unparalleled realism of “Movement Foley.” Whether you’re creating a blockbuster film, a video game, a virtual reality experience, or an immersive audio project, “Movement Foley” provides the perfect sonic palette to bring your vision to life.

33 %

OFF

Add to cart
Foley Sound Effects Antique Hotel Reception Call Bell Play Track 20 sounds included, 2 mins total $2

67 %

OFF

Add to cart

Explore the full, unique collection here

Latest sound effects libraries:

Creature Sound Effects Sci-Fi Essentials – Sound Effects & Music Play Track 119 sounds included $19.99

This collection features an assortment of high quality sci-fi game sounds, from mechs to laser guns and interface sounds. It also includes a selection of original retro synth music, composed to suit a variety of moods.

33 %

OFF

Ends 1714687199

Add to cart
Destruction & Impact Sounds RPG Weapons Vol.1 Play Track 67 sounds included $25

Immerse your audience in the heart of fantasy battles with RPG Weapons Vol.1, the premier sound effects pack designed specifically for game developers, animators, and audiobook producers. This meticulously curated collection is your ultimate resource for bringing to life epic encounters and immersive fantasy worlds.

Featuring a diverse array of designed weapon sound effects, RPG Weapons Vol.1 includes everything from the clashing of swords to the twang of bows, the stealthy swoosh of throwing knives, the devastating impact of a meteor hammer, and the bone-crushing force of a club. Each sound has been crafted with precision, ensuring the highest quality and versatility for your projects.

38 %

OFF

Ends 1714514399

Add to cart
Cinematic & Trailer Sound Effects Death Space Vol.1 Play Track 100 sounds included $20

“Death Space” is a sound album about science fiction space horror. These cool sounds can be used in movie trailers, games, and online videos. The album is inspired by an old science fiction movie “Event Horizon” , “Dead Space” contains 100 sounds, 96K, 24bit high-quality WAV files, with a total duration of 11 minutes and 19 seconds. Hope you like it!

20 %

OFF

Ends 1714687199

Add to cart
Universal Category System (UCS) Hurricane Nicole Play Track 40 sounds included, 179 mins total $20

The Hurricane Nicole sound effects library from Eric Berzins captures the raw power of Hurricane Nicole as it made landfall in Florida in November 2022. You will hear strong and forceful gusts, moaning and whistling winds, and intense pouring rain. With 40 meticulously edited audio files, including three bonus recordings from Hurricane Ian in September 2022, you will have a large palette of hurricane sounds at your fingertips.

Delivered in 24-bit 48 kHz format, and accompanied by full UCS-compliant Soundminer Metadata, integrating these sounds into your workflow is seamless. With a total runtime of 179 minutes, “Hurricane Nicole” provides a wide variety of wind and rain textures, allowing you to easily evoke the visceral experience of a major hurricane. Add Hurricane Nicole to your sound effects collection today!

20 %

OFF

Ends 1714514399

Add to cart
Fabric Sound Effects Inventory Play Track 44 sounds included $10

The Inventory SFX Pack contains 44 sounds for Inventory/Backpack interactions, including Rummaging, Zip/Unzip, and general Inventory access sounds. Ideal for video game developers and animators.

23 %

OFF

Add to cart