Vintage Coloration plugins

[shroom81]

how do the kush transformers fair against soundtoys decapitator and radiator?

Not really fair to compare those since the Transformers are pretty much just designed to do one task but they do that task really well.

I only got 1 of them so far but I'd say it's the most convincing tube emulation I've heard yet.

Decapitator and Radiator are excellent tools as well, little bit more flexible.

[djmino02]

good to know. i guess i'll just have to demo them.

[djmino02]

Anybody know of any plugins that emulate the Maestro Soundsystems? Esp the W2 for woodwinds

https://youtu.be/1jcJ2H5F3mU

https://youtu.be/7NSbg_c4-AM

[Mister Gibson]

I'm looking for some coloration plugins.

I downloaded a demo or Waves Redd and it seems cool but it gets really harsh.

This may seem sinful (especially here at KVR) but the results are undeniable:

Get yourself an inexspensive outboard tube, or tube & valve headphone amp and route your sound through it as an external plugin.

$50:
http://www.doukaudio.com/Uploads/Produc ... 51d9a9.jpg

Here's why: You can change the tubes to get different colors and different degrees of harsh.

Most will come with 12AX7 (High Gain) tubes but you can swap for low to lowest gain 12AT7, 12AU7, 12AY7, and others. Vacuum tubes are inexpensive.

[sinkmusic]

Nobody mentionned BlueCat Destructor yet ?
I find it very good for smooth coloration (tape/tube/softclipping/harmonics), as well as deep distorsion mangling...
With pre and post equing and a rather advance clipper plus comb filters, it's hard not getting the right sound.

[Tp3]

transformer & saturation features on PSP's ClassicQ for this purpose.

Also on McQ. and for 19$ as of end of 2/2017!!
(drive it with 12dB of SAT - even with no EQ at all - and back off with some gain plug. Get back to me with the results...)

Gotta say some of the programs on new Nebula 4 are outrageously delicious (warm coloration).
it may be a placebo but I can't remember Nebula ever sounding like this (I am one of the first Nebula customers - 10yr and still going !)

[MogwaiBoy]

Metric Halo Character

[do_androids_dream]

Variety Of Sound Thrillseeker VBL - instant vintage vibe

[djmino02]

distructor looks pretty rad

[Tp3]

distructor looks pretty rad

Yea, "LOOKS" is the correct term. an overloaded condensed LOOKS.

"Looks like you can do anything (with it), but end up doing noting..."

Airwindows' Fracture is outrageously good in that department (coloration), when used SPARSELY (START with gain staging it to -18dBFS. and then : Drive=1; Fracture=1, Gain= -12dB).

Camel Audio's CamelCrusher is another underrated (or under the radar) champ.
CamalPHAT is an extension of Crusher (ie. "Super CamelCrusher"), bringing about even more options (but not too much more) and more color/tone.

I guess the first place to start when doing "Vintage Coloration" is your EQ - roll off the lows and the highs and off you go

[Twrogstudio]

Destructor *is* brilliant, but yes, if more that two knobs send you down the rabbit hole you wont like it very much. For me, it's one of the best plugins released during the last twelve months.

[jens]

distructor looks pretty rad

Yea, "LOOKS" is the correct term. an overloaded condensed LOOKS.

"Looks like you can do anything (with it), but end up doing noting..."

No, I find it really easier to get the desired result than with something like Trash or Saturn (have both, love the latter, but for other reasons) ás the whole structure is completely generic. While there are presets for the three individual modules, there's no algos, no IRs etc. to load, which ultimately makes it - at least imo - a lot more accessible. It all comes from the same fixed structure and parameter set.

Even with Cobalt: Saphira (which has a generic structure too) you have several harmonic modes to choose from (and it's not nearly as flexible as Destructor) - actually Destructor is the only multi-purpose saturation-/distortion-plugin I can think of where you don't have to choose between different modes/algos/whatever - which makes it really unique.

[Tp3]

OK, I understand.

However, over the way-too-long years of me experimenting, I have come like simpler designs as MOST processors sound the same. yes, I repeat : THE SAME.

I just saw this video of Cobalt and I couldn't hear something that can't be done with other designs. that's why I miss so much Christortion in 64bit. very easy to achieve vast array of colorful results - with no eye-candy distraction.

But that's me.

If I want to achieve full-on distortion, I turn to Trash 2 (which I got for 29$. with DDLY !). if it's color that I'm after, it's Camel PAHT/Crusher/FUZZ (the last two are the same - but FUZZ comes with readout for values), or Airwindows stuff (Fraction is outrageously simple and effective), or even the PSP McQ (no EQ at all - just the SAT engaged and further does the road compensated).
There are much more in my arsenal.

And I haven't even started talking about Nebula...

[jens]

And now imagine one plugin that does that all - and a whole lot more - from the same generic single window Interface without having to use any dropdown-menus or whatever and it sounds fantastic and it is really easy for you (once you got the hang of it) to make it sound AND BEHAVE exactly the way you want it.

[Tp3]

Interesting.

I'll download the demo ASAP.

EDIT :

Played with it, and as for pure mix/instrument coloring it just forces a severe FOMO - can't help not feeling it.

I understand it might be nice for guitar players but for an electronic music guy... I just had to twiddle and fiddle with the controls, just to achieve a basic tone. I tried the presets but the story is the same there : as presets most of the time don't exactly fit your playing material (they only serve as a starting point), one is forced back to the endless options (and presets) within each module.

Also the gate and comp can't be disengaged (1:1 yields no processing at all ?).

Very nice to look at... less to work with. quantity (of controls) does not equal quality (if the workflow does not... well, flow).

But thanks anyway !