Soundtoys radiator, what are your thoughts?

[sadriabi]

I recently used it on vocals on a metal track, ended up with great results.

[modernrockstar]

I'm also kind of new to the whole distortion thing

Yet you claimed:

I think it sounds very digital on must stuff

I just love logical inconsistencies

As for the plugin: it sounds great on anything really- drums, bass, guitar, vox, trumpet, kazoo, frog SFX. A little drive here, a little bump there. Having said that, I do think it benefits having prior experience with different types of distortion. Then you could probably tell analog-style from digital, and where to use either.

Haha yes, you got me there!

But while comparing it with logic X's stock plugins I think it sounds as good or bad (as in similar) as their distortion plugin, while I think logic's Distortion II sound better than both of them (as in more natural, and glues with the source sound better).

How hard do you hit these things? I will watch more tutorials on it today...

[do_androids_dream]

I used to think it was a good saturation plugin.. but it quickly became yet another 'better in bypass' one for me. It sounds very 'software'/thin/flat to me after a while.

[e@rs]

^Should we all go to digitalfishphones.com now?

[audiosabre]

How hard do you hit these things?

How long is a piece of string?

As with anything, it might not work on a sound. The whole music production thing is using your taste and aesthetics to create a sound you like. If that means using or not using Radiator, hitting it soft or hard, that's entirely up to you.

Personally, when I do use it, I'm hitting low end stuff a little harder than high-end rich sounds. Other times I'm turning the input down, mainly using it as a character EQ, and using the output to makeup.

Of course, none of this is right or wrong. If you prefer Logic's distortion plugin, then that's fine.

[malachy5]

The manual for the original is also online, showing off features like a hinged front panel so you could fix it without taking out of rack or unplugging anything:
http://www.greatplainsaudio.com/vintage ... Part_1.pdf

[stardustmedia]

Sounds great on anything. Use it a lot, on different sources. I even leave the noise on with the Mic setting, just adding a noise gate after it.
I'm not sure if I would say it sounds analog, it just adds a nice "flavor" to the sound. If the original sound is already digital sounding, Radiator won't help at all to make it sound "real analog". There is no plugin that can do that. Analog sounds different (not saying better )

The only thing that's a bit "annoying", when you also or just drive the output, you need to add a gain plugin after it. That's the same with all ST plugins. I wish they add a neutral "normal" output knob to all of their plugins. The output now should be then relabelled.

[statue]

The only thing that's a bit "annoying", when you also or just drive the output, you need to add a gain plugin after it. That's the same with all ST plugins. I wish they add a neutral "normal" output knob to all of their plugins. The output now should be then relabelled.

I agree. I do like that the output also saturates the signal, but there also should be a clean gain knob.

Like with almost all saturation plugins, don't drive the signal in too hot.
When Radiator is driven too hot, it begins to create quite terrible digital artifacts imo.
But when used carefully, I think it gives a very pleasant color.

[e@rs]

The only thing that's a bit "annoying", when you also or just drive the output, you need to add a gain plugin after it. That's the same with all ST plugins. I wish they add a neutral "normal" output knob to all of their plugins. The output now should be then relabelled.

Word!

[modernrockstar]

Thank you guys! Helped a lot to hear your thoughts and tips on how one can use it

[Novalis]

The only thing that's a bit "annoying", when you also or just drive the output, you need to add a gain plugin after it. That's the same with all ST plugins. I wish they add a neutral "normal" output knob to all of their plugins. The output now should be then relabelled.

Hi guys,

hopefully you'll find this useful

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOznYyUP ... e=youtu.be

(How can one embed a video here?
SOLVED )

[Aloysius]

Change https to http

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOznYyUP ... e=youtu.be

[Novalis]

Oh, many thanks

[Aloysius]

Thanks for the video.

[Novalis]

You're welcome

The method described in the video is even more useful for plug-ins which don't have an output knob at all - like the SoundToys Devil Loc, for example.