KVR Audio

stevemac · Post by **stevemac** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:11 am

I want but can’t afford the slate digital vcc, but already have some very capable plugins so I want to emulate an SSL or API drive/sound using my existing plugins (I think they’re good enough to get a similar result).

I use Alloy 2, which is excellent and has vintage EQ and multiband saturation. I use it on almost every channel (loads as default) and was just wondering what sort of EQ and Saturation type to include in my default setup to emulate what VCC is doing? Alloy 2 has tape, tube, retro and warm drive settings.

For API I was thinking subtle tape drive on the bottom end, tube on mids and highs, smooth EQ curve of about +0.3db at about 3k?

Any ideas?? Not that familiar with what the ‘API sound’ in technical terms, I just know it’s a sound I have always gone for when comparing the classic series of waves plugins. Same for SSL and I like the clean, punchy sound.

Cheers guys

soulone82 · Post by **soulone82** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 9:49 am

Do yourself a favour and purchase SKnote´s Stripbus. It´s the bee´s knees! Most sophisticated console emulation on the market imho!

stevemac · Post by **stevemac** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 1:24 pm

soulone82 wrote:Do yourself a favour and purchase SKnote´s Stripbus. It´s the bee´s knees! Most sophisticated console emulation on the market imho!

Great price but the simplicity of the satson and vcc attract me. I just want just a touch of desk colouration that's always on and hardly looked at / tweaked. Actively seeking less options here for sure!

If only using Alloy 2, do you think that a really small amount of tube drive on each instance is the closest available thing to what the desk emulation plugins are doing (albeit not exactly the same effect)?

cheers!

Kaboom75 · Post by **Kaboom75** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:11 pm

Wait for a VCC sale.

kbaccki · Post by **kbaccki** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:14 pm

With a general purpose plug you may be ablr to approximate specific hardware (that is, specific DSP models of hardware), but you also need to understand the target wrt. eq curves, saturation curves, compressor behavior (if inline), harmonics, etc. You also may not get other important details like stereo crosstalk. That's what's so nice about those emu plugs... They're black black box ready to go models....

soulone82 · Post by **soulone82** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:18 pm

stevemac wrote: If only using Alloy 2, do you think that a really small amount of tube drive on each instance is the closest available thing to what the desk emulation plugins are doing (albeit not exactly the same effect)?

Not the same effect as using Stripbus. That´s because Stripbus features inter-channel interaction. It emulates the console as a whole, which is a highly dynamic behaviour! This interaction between all channels/instances is what makes Stripbus special.

So adding saturation to each channel using Alloy 2 for example will never sound the same as using Stripbus.

kbaccki · Post by **kbaccki** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:20 pm

Kaboom75 wrote:Wait for a VCC sale.

$100 now at JRR... no addtl coupons tho...

stevemac · Post by **stevemac** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:29 pm

Hmmmm very tempting...

Whilst we're on the subject, I already have a [very] subtle master bus multi-band saturation setup. Again, using Alloy 2's tape or tube, 50% wet, maximum allowed drive of 4db. default setting on project startup is at 2db drive on each band (50% wet though)

I know there's no rules, but does anyone else do that? I have the same setup on each bus channel (drums, synths, FX etc). Tend to look to this method above compression more often than not.

murnau · Post by **murnau** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:52 pm

forget it!

stevemac · Post by **stevemac** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:54 pm

murnau wrote:forget it!

The thing I just mentioned or the desk emu plugs in general??

murnau · Post by **murnau** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 4:41 pm

you can't emulate the VCC with alloy2 or whatever. if you think so you are plain wrong about the technology behind. as an example: VCC does not emulate any of the actual processing features of a console channel strip (EQ an dynamics processing).

you should inform yourself better what those console emulations actually do with your entire mix.

stevemac · Post by **stevemac** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 5:28 pm

Hang on a minute dude, I understand well enough and I don't think it's that weird to try and use (mainly) saturation and eq based effects if you were trying to emulate it, despite it being different.

I clearly said that I know it's different. Perfectly valid question to ask what might TRY to sound similar.

Sorry if I've got your tone wrong, but you sound like I've annoyed you somehow!?

murnau · Post by **murnau** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 5:52 pm

you got my tone wrong. you want to gain something you can't. you said that you understand well enough, i dont think so. if you understand well you wouldn't ask such a question because your whole approach sound very unaware what VCC do to your mix. if you can't stand a straight answer i feel sorry for you.

stevemac · Post by **stevemac** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 5:54 pm

You sound like a real dick mate. Enjoy your internet anger.

See ya.

murnau · Post by **murnau** » Mon Jun 23, 2014 6:11 pm

stevemac wrote:See ya.

no thanks.

Emulating Slate VCC with existing plugins