KVR Audio

munchkin · Post by **munchkin** » Tue Jun 21, 2016 12:21 pm

Zynaptiq UNMIX DRUMS is on sale atm. Does anyone have any experience of using it? I'm interested in removing drums rather than boosting them. I also note that it uses iLok protection. Is this pretty straight forward to set up? I don't have an iLok dongle and will use software activation.

munchkin · Post by **munchkin** » Tue Jun 21, 2016 7:04 pm

On sale and no responses yet - not creating much of a buzz like the Pitchmap sale. Probably not much cop then? I was thinking of trying the demo but don't much like iLok. Is that very intrusive or destabilising nowdays?

Sim.Sky · Post by **Sim.Sky** » Tue Jun 21, 2016 7:07 pm

munchkin wrote:don't much like iLok. Is that very intrusive?

Yes.

munchkin wrote:or destabilising

No (at least from my experience).

munchkin · Post by **munchkin** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 12:18 am

Would you elaborate on how it's intrusive please. Does it mess with drivers or the operating system or gather data and phone home a lot? Does it need to be updated a lot otherwise it forces the DAW to freeze or close? I'm wondering if it's worth installing the iLok trial or buying a product with this kind of protection.

bmanic · Post by **bmanic** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 1:08 am

It's just very cumbersome to carry around your iLok. Unless they allow for a non-dongle version (quite a few plugin developers who use iLok have now started using the no-dongle licenses, but still it uses the Pace software suite).

For instance, I use Exponential Phoenix verb and the Lexicon bundle a lot less than I thought I would. Why? Because I forget to take the damn iLok with me from work! And even if you carry it around, there's always the risk of losing it.

This is one of the reasons I've completely stopped purchasing software that requires a hardware dongle. It's just so damn cumbersome and thus intrusive.

Sim.Sky · Post by **Sim.Sky** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 1:59 pm

munchkin wrote:Would you elaborate on how it's intrusive please. Does it mess with drivers or the operating system or gather data and phone home a lot? Does it need to be updated a lot otherwise it forces the DAW to freeze or close? I'm wondering if it's worth installing the iLok trial or buying a product with this kind of protection.

You would have to install the iLok license manager application, no matter if you would use a dongle or computer-based authorization (the latter is somewhat similar to c/r). As far as I know the iLok/PACE software is permanently running in the background, but the CPU-hit is pretty much non-existent. I would assume that iLok/PACE gathers data from you on a regular basis, although I really don't know.

If your HDD crashes while the license is still bound to it (i.e. you're using computer-based authorization, no dongle) you would have to contact PACE/iLok support and "beg" them to grand you a new license.

All in all it's similar to Waves, but even more intrusive. As long as it works, it's all fine so I'm not completely against it. But I tend to avoid software with iLok unless it's super tempting. And if I buy something with iLok then only if it supports bespoken computer-based authorization, because I hate dongles and will never ever use one in my life.

javahut · Post by **javahut** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 3:08 pm

iLok is no problem and works fine.

I would get unmix drums... except I can't think of any need I have for it... even creatively. I can't think of a situation I have ever needed to, or would ever need to adjust drum levels in material that's already mixed. it seems like a cool plugin... I just can't think of any way to use it in my workflow.

morph, on the other hand... very cool plugin for inspiring creativity.

Sim.Sky · Post by **Sim.Sky** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 3:18 pm

I think it works better as some kind of multi band transient designer or drum (bus) enhancer than as a general mixing/mastering tool. But that's just me. In the end, if you find some use for it I think the current price is pretty nice!

munchkin · Post by **munchkin** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 10:50 pm

Thanks for the feedback. It seems a bit of a gamble installing iLok just to trial UnMix Drums without knowing how effective it is at cutting drums and percussion. I wish there were more examples on their website or YouTube. I really don't understand why these companies spend significant resources developing a plugin like this and then can't be bothered to showcase it with before and after audio samples.

DJbrimLo · Post by **DJbrimLo** » Fri Jun 24, 2016 6:14 am

I was looking at this product as well. I've received the email notifications that the current pricing would end soon. I product most of my own stuff. Not really a Mixing Engineering per se. So I'm not sure when I would want to adjust drums in a mix, cause I can typically just go back into the multi-track session and adjust.

Also it would seem like such a plugin would augment phase. I may have to get it a fair demo before the pricing goes up.

stikygum · Post by **stikygum** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 6:22 am

So does is this able to add silence to individual drum hits in a sampled drum loop? Does it silence the step (like a 16th step of a 16 step loop) or does it do some Melodyne trickery and separate out each drum hit for you to attenuate?

Krakatau · Post by **Krakatau** » Wed Jun 29, 2016 6:41 am

stikygum wrote:So does is this able to add silence to individual drum hits in a sampled drum loop? Does it silence the step (like a 16th step of a 16 step loop) or does it do some Melodyne trickery and separate out each drum hit for you to attenuate?

real-time processor, not a good comparison with melodyne, look at a software like sonicworks isolate though, (from prosoniq ) that very likely inspired the current engine of unmix:drum