TBProAudio: CS-3301 - Channel Strip Plugin for Windows and Mac OS X

[aMUSEd]

It also reminds me of DDMF's The Strip... But i guess many channelstrips share a similar set of features and are inspired by similar hardware gear

Yep they're all channeling SSL in various ways

Does the oversampling work for plugin synths too? I mean if you added this to the chain with a synth in would it oversample the synths output and reduce aliasing?

[SeeingInMidi]

This is pretty sweet. I primarily love the output fader, it actually goes down to negative infinity. I like it for gain staging and volume automation especially since you guys implemented Studio One's plug-in extension which makes automation so much easier..

A little off topic, will we ever see a simple utility plugin from you guys? A plugin with simple stereo functions, phase inversion, some type of output meter and a fader that can go all the way down to negative infinity and up 12 dB like the one in this channel strip? That would be incredible, I wouldn't have to bust out a channel strip just to use the output fader.

Also, a little on the OCD side. In my opinion, the input knob and output fader should display "-∞ dB" instead of "-144.0 dB" when turned all the way down.

Anyways, love the work that you guys have put out recently.

Edit: I'm also a huge fan of the GUIs of the newer plugins that you guys have put out. Very Clean and slick.

[TB-ProAudio]

Does the oversampling work for plugin synths too? I mean if you added this to the chain with a synth in would it oversample the synths output and reduce aliasing?

Sorry, no. You need to run the synth oversampled (or better the oscillator) to suppress anti-aliasing.

[TB-ProAudio]

This is pretty sweet. I primarily love the output fader, it actually goes down to negative infinity. I like it for gain staging and volume automation especially since you guys implemented Studio One's plug-in extension which makes automation so much easier..

Anyways, love the work that you guys have put out recently.
Edit: I'm also a huge fan of the GUIs of the newer plugins that you guys have put out. Very Clean and slick.

Thank you for this feedback.

A little off topic, will we ever see a simple utility plugin from you guys? A plugin with simple stereo functions, phase inversion, some type of output meter and a fader that can go all the way down to negative infinity and up 12 dB like the one in this channel strip? That would be incredible, I wouldn't have to bust out a channel strip just to use the output fader.

Well, thanks for the hint, we will think about it...

Also, a little on the OCD side. In my opinion, the input knob and output fader should display "-8 dB" instead of "-144.0 dB" when turned all the way down.

This fix should not be big issue

[TB-ProAudio]

One major fault I found with the oversampling option: It has happened several times over where the right channel of my soundcard (RME Babyface) would just blow out (beyond clipping) after enabling the 2x oversampling button. I have also noticed that enabling the oversampling introduces a lot of latency.

We investigated this and found out that there is unfortunately no quick fix: This happens if the plugin changes the latency from something to zero. The DAW mutes (zeros) the signal during the switch for some time. Then the signal could jump from 0 to anything (depending on the source signal) which could cause the spike.
So the advice is, to move the track fader down to avoid the disruption of the signal.
BTW; this happens also with other plugins, allowing latency change on the fly.

[TB-ProAudio]

Update to 1.1.0:
Alt + left mouse resets knob/fader
Input/Output knob/fader shows -INF instead of -144.0
Gate LED reverted
CPU optimization for mono config

[TB-ProAudio]

Update to 1.1.1:
RTAS crash fix
RTAS/AAX mouse handling optimized

[TB-ProAudio]

Update to 1.1.2:
GUI fresh up

[Yudaidhun]

Bought days ago and almost satisfied, thanks!

Few ideas and issue report from me.

Request) Smart switch ON function
It's pretty annoying for me to click ON/OFF switch for every modules.
e.g. Compressor should become ON when I tweak the compressor threshold.

Request) More Oversampling Settings
Online & Offline oversampling option should be nice.
Higher oversampling rate option is also good.
BTW, I also don't like having the glitch while switching oversampling ON/OFF.
Can you put simple fade in-out while switching?

Issue) Some texts are dirty in ClearType disabled computer.
The text "version xxx Registered to *** " is dirty without ClearType.
I guess font size is too small for non ClearType.

Thanks for reading,
Yudaidhun

[TB-ProAudio]

Bought days ago and almost satisfied, thanks!

Thank you for this!

Request) Smart switch ON function
It's pretty annoying for me to click ON/OFF switch for every modules.
e.g. Compressor should become ON when I tweak the compressor threshold.

This sound interessting. We will investigate this idea.

Request) More Oversampling Settings
Online & Offline oversampling option should be nice.
Higher oversampling rate option is also good.

From our perspective there is no sense to have different options here, as OS could change the sound dramatically.
Our 2xOS provides excellent quality, but is already very CPU hungry. The CPU costs for higher OS rates do not stand in right relationship to quality increase.

BTW, I also don't like having the glitch while switching oversampling ON/OFF.
Can you put simple fade in-out while switching?

There is nothing we can do here, as PDC buffers are handled by the DAW. You can try your self: set output fader to -INF (no sound from CS-3301) and toggle OS switch. Spike is still there.
You can avoid the spike by lowering the track fader during OS switch.

Issue) Some texts are dirty in ClearType disabled computer.
The text "version xxx Registered to *** " is dirty without ClearType.
I guess font size is too small for non ClearType.

We will have a look at it, thank you.

[fese]

Testing the current demo of CS-3301, seems like a nice channel strip, but i found a bug with my (yes, quite old) Cubase 6.5: every time i engage the oversampling button, Cubase either hangs completely for 10-15 seconds ( stuck GUI, no playback) or hangs for a while and then crashes. I haven't found a real pattern why it crashes or just hangs yet, tried clicking while stopped and while playback.
This is Cubase 6.5.5 64bit on Windows 7 64bit.
I'd really like a dedicated makeup gain knob for the compressor which would make loudness-compensated comparisons switching the comp on/off much easier. DDMF's the Strip which covers similar grounds sadly has that same omission. A compressor should always have its own make-up gain, if you ask me.
One other thing: I found the installer a bit irritating at first, when it presented me with a whole shitload of paths for every plugin type possible, most of which i don't want, and only after that let's me choose which type i actually want. The user-friendly way would be to choose the type first and then the paths only for that type, IMHO.
Else, it looks nice and usable, the knobs work well and the size of the GUI is good (at least for me).

[TB-ProAudio]

Testing the current demo of CS-3301, seems like a nice channel strip, but i found a bug with my (yes, quite old) Cubase 6.5: every time i engage the oversampling button, Cubase either hangs completely for 10-15 seconds ( stuck GUI, no playback) or hangs for a while and then crashes. I haven't found a real pattern why it crashes or just hangs yet, tried clicking while stopped and while playback.
This is Cubase 6.5.5 64bit on Windows 7 64bit.

Thanks for your nice feedback.
Well, Cubase 6.5 has some issues with PDC and VST3 plugins. Maybe you try newer Cubase version or the VST2 plugin.

Comp, Makeup: Well we think about. It is not a coding issue, more GUI related.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

GUI reminds me of the Eareckon stuff



Did you guys by any change hire them to do the GUI?

I have DDMF's 'The Strip', but wish it had 'makeup' on the compressor. It seems this TBP plugin has the same issue. However, I see from this pic that Eareckon have included one

In favour of DDMF & TBP (pre/post ?) is the ability to reorder the comp and eq sections. Eareckon doesn't seem to have that

And it seems Eareckon is the only one with switchable eq type for low and high. I might be wrong

I do like CS plugins. I miss the one Reason Lahalla was involved in, and also wish I had never sold Wavearts 'Trackplug'. Kinda hoping that Logic 11 will come with some kind of console/strip functionality

[TB-ProAudio]

And it seems Eareckon is the only one with switchable eq type for low and high. I might be wrong

LF/HF of CS-3301 have switchable eq type (Shelf/Peak).

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

And it seems Eareckon is the only one with switchable eq type for low and high. I might be wrong

LF/HF of CS-3301 have switchable eq type (Shelf/Peak).

Thanks

I think the GUI is beautiful - So clean. But maybe one of the casualties is something like that not being so distinct. Of course, it could just be me