Plugin Alliance - Black Box Analog Design HG-2

[simon.a.billington]

I was disappointed when I couldn't take the opportunity to grab this one. Kids need to eat unfortunately, or so they keep reminding me!! haha!!

I was able use a voucher to pick up the VSM for $25 so that made it a no-brainer.

Such a pity the HG-2 does sound extremely awesome and looks totally bad-ass, which is what really matter right?!? Haha!!

Anyway. I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities in the future for me to be able to grab it at a latter time. Until then I can just envy everyone else as they use theirs.

[JohnnyA]

@ Black Box Analog: Thanks for chiming in here! I don't have notifications so I didn't see it until now.

Nice to hear that the Air isn't just a basic EQ. That misconception came from the intro video, which (at least as I remembered it) presented it like an EQ feature tacked onto the plugin version of the unit.

And yes, HG-2 is very capable of being gentle. When I said "wooly" I described it as "warm noise", so I didn't mean distorted and I definitely didn't overdrive it much. But nice to know that the Density knob can make it even more gentle and transparent.

As for the "Low/Flat/High" saturation selector, it gave me strange results. Whenever I set it on High, it was like all of the bass frequencies were being cut out. The bass became anemic.

Anyway, yeah it's a great saturation plugin with a fantastic sound.

Hopefully you'll work with Brainworx on a HG-2 Plus version (they've been doing a plus series of updates lately), where you throw out all hardware limitations and add even more control to expand its sound palette even further.

[JohnnyA]

...Now I'll be dreaming of that feature in Logic.

Since the introduction of "Dual Mono" option part of Logic X 10.3 last update,
you can do the same while using MSDE encode - decode capability.

Damn, so that's what that new feature does! I hadn't tried the "Dual Mono" choice yet.

I noticed that choosing "Dual Mono" instantiates two Mono copies of the plugin (instead of a single Stereo instance), and with two separate GUIs that you can toggle between.

But then you can just go into the settings for that "Dual Mono" instance and disable the Left or Right instance by muting it so that all audio passes through unmodified on that channel. As a result, you end up with a single instance of the plugin instead of 2.

And the Dual Mono feature even has a Mid/Side matrix, which splits, processes, and re-merges it. So that has the potential of ending the need for Voxengo MSED completely. Just insert the plugin as Dual Mono, then change its Dual Mono mode to M/S instead, and mute the mid or side, and voila, you'll only be processing the mids or the side (whichever you want). Awesome!

I'll have to play more with that later. Thanks all for telling me about it!

[MogwaiBoy]

Well damn. I got VSM-3 with the voucher for a great price (already owning Alpha comp) and thought that was it - give the credit card a break... but then the $9 plugin sales came along.. and adding a bunch to your cart brought the price of everything down, including HG-2 if you wanted. I couldn't resist. My credit card hates me and so will my wife when she sees the bill!

I haven't had time to delve into HG-2 yet. It's strange that we would even be discussing mid/side, considering Plugin Alliance pride themselves as delivering "M/S Mastering Tools & Audio Plug-ins" - as stated in the heading title of their own website

But as with the Maag EQs and several others, Plugin Alliance seem to omit mid/side options if the analog hardware being emulated doesn't have them. I'm sure they have valid reasons besides authenticity.

But maybe if we shout loud enough, Black Box themselves will listen

[Beatworld]

Having used HG-2 for about a month now I can say that, at no time, have I thought it would be great if it had M/S options.

There is a LOT going on under the hood.
I think playing around with M/S options is fraught with danger on this

[kj.metissage]

As for the "Low/Flat/High" saturation selector, it gave me strange results. Whenever I set it on High, it was like all of the bass frequencies were being cut out. The bass became anemic.

If you push the saturation and change the selector position, it may gives this impression, because High is the only setting that doesn't boost the lows.

But it you push the saturation on High and bypass the plugin, you'll hear that compared to the original signal, the bass content remains the same but the highs are more pronounced.

On Flat or Low, well the loudness is higher and the bass fuller so switching back to High gives the impression of sounding thin, which is not the case in comparison with the dry file.

[simon.a.billington]

...Now I'll be dreaming of that feature in Logic.

Since the introduction of "Dual Mono" option part of Logic X 10.3 last update,
you can do the same while using MSDE encode - decode capability.

Damn, so that's what that new feature does! I hadn't tried the "Dual Mono" choice yet.

I noticed that choosing "Dual Mono" instantiates two Mono copies of the plugin (instead of a single Stereo instance), and with two separate GUIs that you can toggle between.

But then you can just go into the settings for that "Dual Mono" instance and disable the Left or Right instance by muting it so that all audio passes through unmodified on that channel. As a result, you end up with a single instance of the plugin instead of 2.

And the Dual Mono feature even has a Mid/Side matrix, which splits, processes, and re-merges it. So that has the potential of ending the need for Voxengo MSED completely. Just insert the plugin as Dual Mono, then change its Dual Mono mode to M/S instead, and mute the mid or side, and voila, you'll only be processing the mids or the side (whichever you want). Awesome!

I'll have to play more with that later. Thanks all for telling me about it!

This is an idea I've already been exploring.

It would have already been possible working in Surround, but not terribly practical unless you do film/tv.

Dual Mono is a great addition to Logic.

Now to convince Black Box to give me a free HG-2!!... haha

[simon.a.billington]

Well damn. I got VSM-3 with the voucher for a great price (already owning Alpha comp) and thought that was it - give the credit card a break... but then the $9 plugin sales came along.. and adding a bunch to your cart brought the price of everything down, including HG-2 if you wanted. I couldn't resist. My credit card hates me and so will my wife when she sees the bill!

I haven't had time to delve into HG-2 yet. It's strange that we would even be discussing mid/side, considering Plugin Alliance pride themselves as delivering "M/S Mastering Tools & Audio Plug-ins" - as stated in the heading title of their own website

But as with the Maag EQs and several others, Plugin Alliance seem to omit mid/side options if the analog hardware being emulated doesn't have them. I'm sure they have valid reasons besides authenticity.

But maybe if we shout loud enough, Black Box themselves will listen

Bloody Plugin Alliance and their sales!! Haha!!

That's the main reason my PA plugin count is getting close to 40!! I've successfully avoided getting a few though.

Yep surprisingly I'm one of those few who don't have bx_digital or bx_hybrid!!

[sacer]

there is a trick to buy it for $59

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/new-pro ... in-17.html

[pixel85]

Mamma mia! This plugin is awesome! Black Box Analog & Brainworx did an amazing job. It makes wonders on Cinematic/Trailer Drums and Master Bus. It's so easy to get this 3D depth so much missing in ITB world. I can add depth, fullness, air and badass saturation in one simple virtual black box
Kind of similar results I've heard when I've got back my track after mastering with use of hardware unit of Culture Vulture and Maag EQ (of course just similar because these are two different units than Black Box HG-2).

tbh I was very skeptic when I d/l demo. Just another tube emulation right? Absolutely not!

[LFO8]

I was very impressed with this as well and was lucky enough to be able to buy it at a steal for $56,-

All drums must now go through this : )

[kenobi77]

I think it's really cool that PA have emulated a modern piece of gear that is not something that most ppl would be familiar with.

My initial thoughts after a bit of experimenting with it on the master bus is that it achieves something I've wanted / like but previously didn't know how to. It's feels like a bit of a cheat. But I'll post back my thoughts after some more time with it, after I've learnt and used it more and any halo effect has subsided.

[kenobi77]

Deleted

[malachy5]

Well damn. I got VSM-3 with the voucher for a great price (already owning Alpha comp) and thought that was it - give the credit card a break... but then the $9 plugin sales came along.. and adding a bunch to your cart brought the price of everything down, including HG-2 if you wanted. I couldn't resist. My credit card hates me and so will my wife when she sees the bill!

I haven't had time to delve into HG-2 yet. It's strange that we would even be discussing mid/side, considering Plugin Alliance pride themselves as delivering "M/S Mastering Tools & Audio Plug-ins" - as stated in the heading title of their own website

But as with the Maag EQs and several others, Plugin Alliance seem to omit mid/side options if the analog hardware being emulated doesn't have them. I'm sure they have valid reasons besides authenticity.

But maybe if we shout loud enough, Black Box themselves will listen

Bloody Plugin Alliance and their sales!! Haha!!

That's the main reason my PA plugin count is getting close to 40!! I've successfully avoided getting a few though.

Yep surprisingly I'm one of those few who don't have bx_digital or bx_hybrid!!

I'm exactly the same as that, lots of toys except those two, just can't resist the super bundles. They took that extra bundle discount off for the Xmas sales though. Glad to see it was still allowed with voucher this time. They must know it triggers uncontrollable GAS

I ended up with HG-2, NSEQ, Dent and the SPL set for about $125 + VAT so they got more than I planned to spend but I'm very happy with the bundle. Great tools.

I still really love the drive knob on Soundtoys Sie-Q though for all round fattening, now that was bang for buck!

[kenobi77]

^^^
...tell me about it, I was only going to use my voucher to get a freebie, but ended up with Fault, Sandman Pro and HG-2

'Lucky' I sold my copy of the Alpha Comp recently as I know I would have thrown the VSM-3 into the mix! GAS, I thought I'd got over it