KVR Audio

hibidy · Post by **hibidy** » Sun Jun 08, 2014 11:46 pm

I don't think it's market hype as much as it is a desire to have new things. I dunno though, maybe.

itneveris · Post by **itneveris** » Sun Jun 08, 2014 11:54 pm

hibidy wrote:I don't think it's market hype as much as it is a desire to have new things. I dunno though, maybe.

But then I refer back to my post about if you dont know if you need it, you dont need it.

I always crack up when I see the posts about the people new into production, asking if they need an outboard compressor. IF YOU HAVE TO ASK, YOU DONT NEED IT, PERIOD. I understand if you want to try to swing a variable into this, but I still wouldnt agree. If you need to ask, you dont need it.

I think it would be a lot better for OP to reach the limit with the basics(EQ, compression, dla, rvrb), and then begin to KNOW what and WHY he needs certain other tools.

Because as it stands now, He IS fooled by market hype, and it's the big ugly stamp that says WAVES.

But agree with the 'desire to have new things' in which case OP is going to fall into the same pattern in 5 weeks from now. He should only spend like 100 now, so he'll have some left to spend in 5 weeks. Cause even if he spends 2000 now, he's gonna be spending more in 5 weeks regardless.

But again, none of this matters, because he clearly doesnt need the bundle anyways; this thread exists, dosnt it?

AusDisciple · Post by **AusDisciple** » Mon Jun 09, 2014 12:40 am

To be perfectly honest, many years ago, I was a big Waves fan and used their plugins on most of my mixes extensively. That was fifteen years ago though at a time when ProTools was my DAW of choice and I was running a 400MHz Mac G4 along with McDSP plugs (I loved those and loved the green GUI's too).

These days, I use REAPER on Win8 with an RME Fireface UFX and between the stock ReaPlugs, Valhalla, Variety of Sound, Stillwell/Schwa, Anomaly (he makes some really useful free plugins for REAPER), Voxengo, iZotope, Arts Acoustic, Native Instruments, Klanghelm, Blue Cat and VladG, I have all the Waves bases covered at least as well, if not better and for a fraction of the cost. This whole rig is far more reliable and sounds much better than any of my previous ProTools rigs. REAPER basically never crashes, the RME is streets ahead of the Digidesign converters I was using and my current plugin collection gives me options I could only have dreamed of not that long ago!

I have two Waves plugins in my VST folder now (IDR and RBass) but I never use them because I have to have my phone tethered to my computer to use them!! They were activated using my phone for internet (because that is the ONLY internet access I have) and every time I disconnect my phone, the network connection isn't there and Waves won't run because the primary network adapter (Apple mobile ethernet) used for registration is not available!!
I contacted Waves support over this and they basically told me 'bad luck'!!
The only other option to run Waves on this setup is to use cracks and I'm not going down that path. I don't run cracks at all and all the non free stuff I use, I paid for.

YMMV of course but I could think of much better things to spend $2K on than Waves. I could buy an Octamic XTC to expand my RME setup for that money.

itneveris · Post by **itneveris** » Mon Jun 09, 2014 4:58 am

I totally agree, and am in the same boat, which is why I'm so adamant that OP knows what he's doing. As a user or Reaper, and many HoRNeT, Sknote, Overtone, Kuassa, and Sonimus plugs, I can tell you with full certainty that there is equal or better out there at a fraction of the price.

The only Waves plugs I have is SuperTap, RenBass, and Q10, all of which I got for like 10 buck each on sales, and my bases are more than covered with all of the above, and the addition of the many wonderful free, or otherwise cheap, but quality plugins out there.

I could never imagine buying a VTM for the price when RoundTone is just as good, or a SoftTube FET when the hornet one is identical to it. Only difference is price.

hibidy · Post by **hibidy** » Mon Jun 09, 2014 5:29 am

Some things I agree with, some I don't. I guess if you use a thing, you need a thing and most of the stuff I have I use.

Now, if waves could make the next generation amp simulator.......

Ah_Dziz · Post by **Ah_Dziz** » Mon Jun 09, 2014 5:53 am

I didn't read this whole thread so I don't know if you guys are still discussing whether or not the mercury bundle is a good value but I will go ahead and give my opinion. I've been using waves plugins since they first came out and feel that they are a very solid and easy to use group of plugins that vary from very straightforward precise surgical tools to things with a decent amount of useful character. That being said after years of using them in studios where I was renting time when it came time to buy my own I settled on platinum as the best value. It covers all the bases that waves does best without overwhelming me with a ridiculous amount of options that I might never use. I've supplemented it through the years with a few single purchases of waves stuff that I felt I could make good use of. If you're starting from scratch and know for a fact that waves is going to be your goto for the majority of your processing for the foreseeable future then you could do worse. It seemed like it would be a waste to me to not use so much of the bundle if I found something I liked better for a specific use. And the bundle can't be broken up if you decide there are 20 or so of them you don't like.

JJ

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Mon Jun 09, 2014 6:30 am

itneveris wrote:You could probably get like 5 plugins from the Mercury collection, and not be 'missing' anything in your setup.

For the KVR Mix Challenge, I used the following UAD plugins for everything:

1176 MK2
LA2A MK2
Neve 33609
SSL G Buss Compressor
Neve 88RS (for the gate only, any other gate would probably have been fine)
Pultec MK2
Harrison 32
Neve 31102
EMT 140
EMT 250

So yeah, 10 plugins covering 23 tracks.

Ryan99 · Post by **Ryan99** » Mon Jun 09, 2014 10:53 am

I read all your comments and they are very interesting. In fact, what would be the main factor is how much plugins from the Mercury bundle I intend to use. At the price I could buy it, it would cost me around 13$ per plugin, which is a fantastic price if I end up using most of them. I was thinking in a long-term investment.

grahamsimmonds · Post by **grahamsimmonds** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 8:03 am

Ryan99 - I think a key message here is with $2000 you have many options available to you outside of the Mercury bundle. But then again, as you say, you do get an awful lot of plugins at $13 a pop.

Bitter experience has taught me to demo carefully before buying and not be persuaded by deals and what people like me say on forums. I take an existing mix and try using the plugin I am demoing in that context. Does it improve it? If my ears tell me its good, I buy it.

I personally would not buy a bundle of this size because I would have no hope of trying the plugins out first given the number. I would be concerned that there would be a lot of rubbish in amongst the gems.

I would pay little attention to the "cheapest is best" advice being given out here. A lot of the UAD, Exponential and Waves plugins I own are not cheap. But my ears have told me that they are worth having and I enjoy using all of them still. However, your ears do not care how cheap or expensive a plugin is or how it looks. All they care about is the sound and that is what counts.

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Tue Jun 10, 2014 8:09 am

Ryan99 wrote:I read all your comments and they are very interesting. In fact, what would be the main factor is how much plugins from the Mercury bundle I intend to use. At the price I could buy it, it would cost me around 13$ per plugin, which is a fantastic price if I end up using most of them. I was thinking in a long-term investment.

Get that free Eventide UltraChannel before you make up your mind.

Ryan99 · Post by **Ryan99** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 2:21 am

Well, with all your comments, I finally made up my mind. I will not buy the upgrade to Waves Mercury for now.

I thought that buying this bundle would complement what I already have and that I would not need to buy other effects plug-ins after that.

Instead, I will try to get the maximum from what I already get, and if down the road I decide I really need it, I will see.

Here's a list of some effects that I have: Komplete Ultimate 8, Plug & Mix VIP Bundle, Izotope Studio Bundle (Alloy 2, Nectar 2, Ozone 5), Amplitube 3, Breverb 2, Spaces, EZMix 2, Slate (VCC, VBC, FG-X), Nomad Factory Magma, Melodyne Editor, Softube Mix Bundle, TH2, T-Racks Grand.

I will also try to know better the effects coming with my DAW's: Ableton Live 9 Suite (with Max for Live effects), Studio One 2 Professional (with some mastering tools), Sonar X3 Producer (I have many Prochannel modules), Cubase 7, FL Studio 11 Signature Bundle.

Thanks for your help. I just saved a lot of money!

hibidy · Post by **hibidy** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 2:34 am

It's like geico up in here!

Eddie TX · Post by **Eddie TX** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 3:12 am

Ryan99 wrote:Here's a list of some effects that I have: Komplete Ultimate 8, Plug & Mix VIP Bundle, Izotope Studio Bundle (Alloy 2, Nectar 2, Ozone 5), Amplitube 3, Breverb 2, Spaces, EZMix 2, Slate (VCC, VBC, FG-X), Nomad Factory Magma, Melodyne Editor, Softube Mix Bundle, TH2, T-Racks Grand.

I will also try to know better the effects coming with my DAW's: Ableton Live 9 Suite (with Max for Live effects), Studio One 2 Professional (with some mastering tools), Sonar X3 Producer (I have many Prochannel modules), Cubase 7, FL Studio 11 Signature Bundle.

Um, yeah ... you don't need Mercury.

Now, if you REALLY have $2K burning a hole in your pocket, there are some good prices on UAD stuff right now ...

But seriously, you've got more than enough tools there to mix and master pro-quality recordings. Getting to know those intimately is a good plan. Have fun!

Cheers,
Eddie

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 5:13 am

Ryan99 wrote:Softube Mix Bundle

The Mix Bundle's FET Compressor and Passive-Active Pack will load into Console 1.

V0RT3X · Post by **V0RT3X** » Wed Jun 11, 2014 5:42 am

Ryan99 wrote:Well, with all your comments, I finally made up my mind. I will not buy the upgrade to Waves Mercury for now.

I thought that buying this bundle would complement what I already have and that I would not need to buy other effects plug-ins after that.

Instead, I will try to get the maximum from what I already get, and if down the road I decide I really need it, I will see.

Here's a list of some effects that I have: Komplete Ultimate 8, Plug & Mix VIP Bundle, Izotope Studio Bundle (Alloy 2, Nectar 2, Ozone 5), Amplitube 3, Breverb 2, Spaces, EZMix 2, Slate (VCC, VBC, FG-X), Nomad Factory Magma, Melodyne Editor, Softube Mix Bundle, TH2, T-Racks Grand.

I will also try to know better the effects coming with my DAW's: Ableton Live 9 Suite (with Max for Live effects), Studio One 2 Professional (with some mastering tools), Sonar X3 Producer (I have many Prochannel modules), Cubase 7, FL Studio 11 Signature Bundle.

Thanks for your help. I just saved a lot of money!

...

If you really spent time with what you have, you would know if you needed mercury or not.

Waves Mercury around 2000$... Good deal?