Members Lee Flier Posted January 1, 2012 Members Share Posted January 1, 2012 Hey all - Just wondering what everyone is using these days for EQ and compressor plugins. What are your faves for: - transparent plugs - "character" plugs - mastering plugs Preferably VST and don't require iLok or any other ridiculous dongles. Any details about why and how you use the plugs you use, and/or what you've compared them to, would be appreciated. Happy New Year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LRon Butterfly Posted January 1, 2012 Members Share Posted January 1, 2012 Fabfilter plugs rock. The EQ lets you choose m/s or stereo per band. The compressor has excellent sidechain options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted January 1, 2012 Moderators Share Posted January 1, 2012 Waves Phase Linear EQ for transparent master buss EQ.Waves Ren EQ for character track EQ.DigiIII EQ for transparent track EQ.Mackie CT4 for character track Comp.Waves Ren Comp for character master buss Comp. Combo of Massey L2007 Limiter to catch just peaks and Massey CT4 set with slow attack (in that order) for more overt and modern drum slamming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ernest Buckley Posted January 1, 2012 Members Share Posted January 1, 2012 Hey all - Just wondering what everyone is using these days for EQ and compressor plugins. What are your faves for: - transparent plugs - "character" plugs - mastering plugs Preferably VST and don't require iLok or any other ridiculous dongles. Any details about why and how you use the plugs you use, and/or what you've compared them to, would be appreciated. Happy New Year! All Waves here so... iLok alert. I use mostly compression plugs... Transparent compression: H-Comp Character plugs: CLA compressors Mastering: C6, L1, Renaissance Compressor The one reverb plug I really like more than anything Waves has is the stock MOTU reverb that comes with DP, called ProVerb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TBush Posted January 2, 2012 Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 - transparent plugs- UAD Cambridge EQ, Waves C1 compressor, Waves Q10 EQ Just good, basic track mixing- occasionally use the C1 on the tom sub, and the Cambridge is my go-to EQ right now for almost everything. I tend to use the Q10 on more precision, 'surgical' eqing. - "character" plugs- UAD LA2A, UAD Pultec, Voxengo Voxformer, Voxengo TapeBus LA2 on bass guitar and kick drum, Pultec on kick/snare sub, Voxformer on vocals, acoustic guitar, and electric guitar sub, and the TapeBus is killer on electric guitar! - mastering plugs- Voxengo Elephant, Timeworks Mastering Compressor, Timeworks Mastering EQ The Elephant is really cool on about everything, although once in a while I really like the Timeworks Mastering Comp on heavier stuff (it's really a clipper), and the Timeworks EQ still sounds really good to me, although I might be looking for another mastering eq. Honorable mention? Both the Blockfish compressor and de-essers get a lot of use, usually on electric guitars and vocals. I still regularly use the sub-generator and the 'combo' plugs from the old MDA VST set, and the stock 'Tape Echo' plug in Logic. Stillwell's vibe EQ is also pretty cool on guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted January 2, 2012 Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 I try to use the minimum amount of plug-ins possible. But I have a lot of them, so I have the luxury of right tool for the right job. UA has the most analog-sounding plugs. Sonar's ProChannel and LP-64 processors handle a lot of what I need. Ozone 5 is better for mastering than Ozone 4. Anything PSP Audioware makes is great. Some Waves plug-ins totally kick ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted January 2, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 Yeah, I prefer to use a couple of well chosen plugins as well, and not go nuts with them. But I'm picky about which ones I will use at all. Totally agree with you about PSP. Their stuff is great. I keep thinking I should pull the trigger on a UAD card... I really do like their stuff... but to this point I haven't done it. Guess I'm a little queasy about investing that much in plugins... I'd rather spend money on hardware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UstadKhanAli Posted January 2, 2012 Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 A cheap VST plugin that sounds good is the Stillwell Vibe EQ. I think it's something like $39, and is more of a character EQ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Geoff Grace Posted January 2, 2012 Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 Totally agree with you about PSP. Their stuff is great. Sure, you had to tell me this the day after their "buy one plug-in and get another one free" sale ends. Best, Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted January 2, 2012 Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 Guess I'm a little queasy about investing that much in plugins... I'd rather spend money on hardware. Well in a way, you kind of are The UAD-2 card is like a rack frame, and it's hardware, and you screw in your virtual plug-ins. It's a different "feel" from computer plug-ins because they act like hardware in the sense that they always are what they are - their performance doesn't change depending on what else your computer is doing, or how many tracks you're running. Here's an analysis piece I wrote for EQ magazine about the UAD-2 when it was introduced: Sometimes a review that covers only specs, pricing, and the reviewer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted January 2, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 Well in a way, you kind of are The UAD-2 card is like a rack frame, and it's hardware, and you screw in your virtual plug-ins. It's a different "feel" from computer plug-ins because they act like hardware in the sense that they always are what they are - their performance doesn't change depending on what else your computer is doing, or how many tracks you're running. Yeah, I know. I'm very familiar with them actually - a couple of studios I've worked at have them. But of course when I say I'd rather spend money on hardware, I mean analog hardware. And really, the value of having the plugs on a separate processor is debatable nowadays, though it certainly was a big benefit when the UAD stuff was first introduced. Not that I mean to disparage UAD's stuff at all - it really is cool. It's just that there are plenty of native plugs these days that are really good also, and with my current DAW setup I never push my CPU enough that the processing is an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BushmasterM4 Posted January 2, 2012 Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 Slate VCC and FG-X plus Waves Ren. plugs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members A. Einstein Posted January 2, 2012 Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 in the mean time all my plugins are custom made for us by Algorithmix, they have about every DSP and make us any combination and parameter adjustments we want, all you hear in most studio consoles and digital hardware processors i.e. SSL consoles is Algorithmix DSP' - and most important for me the GUI with my company logo, so the clients will never finds out how we make his sound, respectively doesn't get the idea he can do it himself next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members A. Einstein Posted January 2, 2012 Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 at the moment I am addicted to the k-stereo processor of Algorithmix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LRon Butterfly Posted January 2, 2012 Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 Algorithmix is tops but their stuff comes with a steep price (worth every penny if you ask me). Their EQs are my go to for mastering and Renovator is a revolutionary product. The product line is certainly made for professionals. Many of the better EQs on the market sold by other companies were actually coded/designed by Algorithmix. Disclosure - I've done some demo work for Algorithmix at NAMM and AES in years past. Back to the Fabfilter plugs - they come with a full 30 day evaluation period with no limitations. Give them a shot. IMO - they are as good as anyone out there and a very agile company (they announced full support for AAX in November 2011). http://www.fabfilter.com/ Softube is another excellent plugin company. I prefer their version of the Trident A-Range to the UA one. The TSAR-1 reverb is one of my favorites. The Tonelux Tilt plug is exceptionally good and has the finest transformer modeling I've heard. http://www.softube.com/ Slate Digital makes some fine plugs. I have the Virtual Console Collection and love what it does. I'll be trying some other ones from Steven when I get the chance. http://www.slatedigital.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted January 2, 2012 Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 Hey all - Just wondering what everyone is using these days for EQ and compressor plugins. What are your faves for: - transparent plugs - "character" plugs - mastering plugs Preferably VST and don't require iLok or any other ridiculous dongles. Any details about why and how you use the plugs you use, and/or what you've compared them to, would be appreciated. Happy New Year! I LOVE the Brainworks stuff for transparent and the M/S mode is great for mastering. I love Ozone for mastering in M/S mode as well. For Character plugs EQ wise, I totally dig the Waves API stuff. For general track transparent EQ I usually go with the built in digidesign stuff although there are plenty of good options out there. The Waves Linear EQ is great as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted January 2, 2012 Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 Well in a way, you kind of are The UAD-2 card is like a rack frame, and it's hardware, and you screw in your virtual plug-ins. It's a different "feel" from computer plug-ins because they act like hardware in the sense that they always are what they are - their performance doesn't change depending on what else your computer is doing, or how many tracks you're running. Here's an analysis piece I wrote for EQ magazine about the UAD-2 when it was introduced: Sometimes a review that covers only specs, pricing, and the reviewer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members A. Einstein Posted January 2, 2012 Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 I would rather call it sonics, boost or cut the amplitude free of sound coloration. Character us rather something I associate with the singers or musicians unique talent. Also today we record everything in crystal clear quality, huge, fat, three microphones on the kick, different vocal miks at the same time so we have a choice what we want to use... and to get that to the real world, down to 16-bit and mp3, we mainly cut, don't boost. I personally like the DSP' which don't change the color, spectrum and timbre., but only shape and scupture free of sound coloration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted January 2, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 My partner has the blown out UAD Quad and the plugins when compared side by side to the Waves CLA versions are superior and I love them!! Also, love the Neve stuff!! KILLER plugs and really a hardware replacement at this point. Yeah, it's probably inevitable that I will end up getting this...lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted January 2, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 I would rather call it sonics, boost or cut the amplitude free of sound coloration. Character us rather something I associate with the singers or musicians unique talent.Also today we record everything in crystal clear quality, huge, fat, three microphones on the kick, different vocal miks at the same time so we have a choice what we want to use... and to get that to the real world, down to 16-bit and mp3, we mainly cut, don't boost. I personally like the DSP' which don't change the color, spectrum and timbre., but only shape and scupture free of sound coloration. Yeah, I understand. I want that too at times, but a lot of the type material I record benefits from a more "flavored" sound. So that's why I asked for both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bookumdano2 Posted January 2, 2012 Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 As far as uad, I'll probably dive in too at some point. I've really been dragging my feet. For some reason, I was under the impression that pci express slots were going to disappear, which was one thing that delayed me in seriously considering the ua stuff (I'm on pc, so their firewire versions won't work). After a bit of research, I see I was wrong. Pci express is alive and well. The 3.0 spec is out now looks pretty cool and whoever the committee is that comes up with specs are well into figuring out what 4.0 will be for eight or nine years from now. I even see a couple of companies planting solid state drives on pci ex cards for supposidly faster-than-sata response. So I guess there's a lot of innovation still happening there and the interface isn't going anywhere soon. In regards to Craig's "back to the future" comment, here's something I was thinking about the uad hardware...... It's a dongle. A dongle with power of course. But considering the world piracy problem, I wonder if UA is working on adapting their cards to ... well ... rent out dongle space on their cards to 3rd party app makers that are native now. It would sure stop the piracy angle for plug makers who tie into the uad card. Probably provide a nice jump up in power and response for those independent apps too. Woah ... is UA a public company? I might want to check their stock prices if something like this is in the works. Wiat a minute. Why don't I invent a card for that? Craig... you still got your soldering gun? Spose this idea would be sort of like creating apps for an iPhone. In this case, creating an app for a uad card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted January 2, 2012 Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 Some of the best "character" plugs are the Duende plugs from SSL. You either love them or hate them because they really do color the sound, but they produce a sound unlike anything else - even the EQ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted January 2, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 Bookum, much as I hate dongles I really don't have a problem with what UAD does, because at least their "dongle" is adding value in the form of processing power. And you're right, it might be a nice income stream for them AND for some other pluging manufacturers if other companies could write plugins for UAD cards. I don't know whether UAD would be convinced that was a good idea though, since I'm guessing they make more on the sales of their own plugs vs. just the hardware. Then again their own plugs are really good, and a lot of people wouldn't care to buy other plugs once they have the UAD stuff, so then it may not make sense for the other companies to bother doing such a deal for such a small market slice. They can just make their plugs work with (gag) iLok and that's the end of it. Of course, they're still losing market share to people like me who refuse to get an iLok, and anyone who really wants to pirate those plugs can get hold of a cracked copy anyway, so all they're doing is punishing paying customers and alienating potential customers. But I digress. In my world, dongle bad, UAD card, no problem. Added value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members A. Einstein Posted January 2, 2012 Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 my dongle is bigger then your dongle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Anderton Posted January 2, 2012 Members Share Posted January 2, 2012 And you're right, it might be a nice income stream for them AND for some other pluging manufacturers if other companies could write plugins for UAD cards. This is already happening - Manley, Moog, Roland, MXR, Brainworx, SPL, Lexicon, Studer, Ampex, etc. UA has quite an installed base of cards and apparently these collaborations pay off for all concerned, particularly as UA (obviously) has a lock on the distribution chain for UA-related products. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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