Plugin Alliance - Black Box Analog Design HG-2

[legendCNCD]

Yeah I made a MS rack in Ableton Live, using Voxengo MSED for splitting the signal in two. Then add HG-2 or whatever you want on both chains separately and make the sound sing

[simon.a.billington]

Seeing as a number of people wanted mid/side for HG-2, I made a Patcher preset for FL Studio users but forgot to share here.

https://unaspectedstudios.com/sharing/P ... idSide.fst

The GUI has been recreated using Control Surface, with the response of all stepped controls matched using Formula Controller. There are two panels, one for mid and one for side; which can be switched between.

In Logic you just need to run it in Dual Mono mode, then select mid-side as the option, You can link the controls or unlink them for independent settings. I usually link them until I’m in the ballpark then unlink the mid and side components so I can fine tune them independently.

[Unaspected]

Seeing as a number of people wanted mid/side for HG-2, I made a Patcher preset for FL Studio users but forgot to share here.

https://unaspectedstudios.com/sharing/P ... idSide.fst

The GUI has been recreated using Control Surface, with the response of all stepped controls matched using Formula Controller. There are two panels, one for mid and one for side; which can be switched between.

In Logic you just need to run it in Dual Mono mode, then select mid-side as the option, You can link the controls or unlink them for independent settings. I usually link them until I’m in the ballpark then unlink the mid and side components so I can fine tune them independently.

That's a good point. I should probably provide a method for linked tweaking at some point - if the developers don't get on this first. Though I know it's unlikely they'll be providing a version for this kind of processing based on forum replies.

It certainly would be useful if Image-Line would provide such functionality for FL Studio in the future. I think there are a number of basic things that still need addressing before embellishments though.

[jens]

I finally came around purchasing this... and it really is fantastic. It's such a shame that this has been made/released by PA. Their insane pricing policy never really did it justice. I now paid 18$ for it and it is worth a lot more than that. Just never in the world the MSRP (except you are a very successful pro perhaps). And until now I never tried it, because amongst the flood of same-old same-old PA plugins I had been too lazy to even try it, not really expecting anything special... (even though they DO have the ocassional outstanding gem but since they seem - bugs aside perhaps - to basically have a non-existant quality-control... )

[cprompt]

I now paid 18$ for it and it is worth a lot more than that.

I like it a lot too, and probably paid $18 or less, I can't remember. I wonder who coded it? Oh yes, it's Ray from Fuse. That would explain it

[jens]

Yeah, but even then... I think him doing that is a guarantee that it's coded realy well... if it's PA however, it nonetheless doesn't mean that:

a) the GUI is any good (that pathetic Museq POS comes to mind - oh wait - he didn't code the DSP for that one
- then let me mention VSM-3 instead (which is great otherwise). It seems Dirk has no shame at all.)

b) that the emulated hardware is much to write home about

However in this case here it - coincidentally, I am inclined to say - fully delivers.

But as I said: with a virtual closet full of unused PA stuff I got on the cheap, I nowadays am usually too lazy to even demo the stuff. As a developer, I wouldn't even touch PA wih a bargepole.

[Cro-magnon]

I finally came around purchasing this... and it really is fantastic. It's such a shame that this has been made/released by PA. Their insane pricing policy never really did it justice. I now paid 18$ for it and it is worth a lot more than that. Just never in the world the MSRP (except you are a very successful pro perhaps). And until now I never tried it, because amongst the flood of same-old same-old PA plugins I had been too lazy to even try it, not really expecting anything special... (even though they DO have the ocassional outstanding gem but since they seem - bugs aside perhaps - to basically have a non-existant quality-control... )

A priced plugin isn't ensuring in any case it's that good,in the same way as a low cost plugin doesn't mean it's bad,in my world.

[cprompt]

However in this case here it - coincidentally, I am inclined to say - fully delivers.

I would agree that some of the PA stuff is great and some... less so. The HG-2 is definitely a jewel in the rough and worth every penny.

Sometimes you find something that just "works" though... I picked up BX_Boom for free and it works really well, adds weight to a thin kick, or takes some of the flab out of a boomy kick. But... it all has to be demoed first (or, if you're so inclined, ignored) as there's no real consistency there, both in terms of quality and the GUI.

[stitchd]

Yeah I made a MS rack in Ableton Live, using Voxengo MSED for splitting the signal in two. Then add HG-2 or whatever you want on both chains separately and make the sound sing

Couldn't you just use Utility to split it?

[jens]

I finally came around purchasing this... and it really is fantastic. It's such a shame that this has been made/released by PA. Their insane pricing policy never really did it justice. I now paid 18$ for it and it is worth a lot more than that. Just never in the world the MSRP (except you are a very successful pro perhaps). And until now I never tried it, because amongst the flood of same-old same-old PA plugins I had been too lazy to even try it, not really expecting anything special... (even though they DO have the ocassional outstanding gem but since they seem - bugs aside perhaps - to basically have a non-existant quality-control... )

A priced plugin isn't ensuring in any case it's that good,in the same way as a low cost plugin doesn't mean it's bad,in my world.

Yes I agree. But then I never made any connection between these two topics.

It seems you must have misunderstood me. These are two different unrelated things I dislike about PA. One is the insane price-fluctuation and the other is the hetereogenous quality of the product-portfolio. It's like when you purchase a car that you actualy like but it uses too much fuel and has a few dents and scratches here and there - if mentioning both nobody should understand that as you saying it takes too much fuel because of the scratches or dents - or vice versa.

[jens]

However in this case here it - coincidentally, I am inclined to say - fully delivers.

I would agree that some of the PA stuff is great and some... less so. The HG-2 is definitely a jewel in the rough and worth every penny.

Sometimes you find something that just "works" though... I picked up BX_Boom for free and it works really well, adds weight to a thin kick, or takes some of the flab out of a boomy kick. But... it all has to be demoed first (or, if you're so inclined, ignored) as there's no real consistency there, both in terms of quality and the GUI.

Yes, BX_Boom does exactly what it says on the tin. It's a great example of what Mid/Side is capable of.

Exactly - I think there's a lack of consistency - adn having far too many plugins already I tend to just ignore these days.

But HG-2 - I can't get over just how great it is.
Had it been put out by a more respectable company (with a lesser but more consistent output) I'd have demoed it right away when it was released. Had they released it themselve sat a reasonable price (below 100$) I would have certainly demoed it at once too. I tend to give newcomers the benefit of a doubt and the chance they deserve.

[jens]

Actually I think HG-2 is exactly the kind of secret sauce, the kind mojo that all these console emulations, tape-plugins and transformer plugins seem to promise - I am still very much in the honeymoon with it but I would say it really delivers in that regard like no other plugin I tried before - because it's super convincing, highly adaptive (tweakable, yet easy enough to dial in) and not too heavy on the CPU so I can - and I will - literally put it on every (or at least almost every) track. I guess it'll end up replacing a lot of plugins here.

So well done!

[martinjuenke]

... the hetereogenous quality of the product-portfolio...

What are (besides Black Box) your highlights in their portfolio?
Really interested in your opinion on that topic...

[chagzuki]

Actually I think HG-2 is exactly the kind of secret sauce, the kind mojo that all these console emulations, tape-plugins and transformer plugins seem to promise - I am still very much in the honeymoon with it but I would say it really delivers in that regard like no other plugin I tried before - because it's super convincing, highly adaptive (tweakable, yet easy enough to dial in) and not too heavy on the CPU so I can - and I will - literally put it on every (or at least almost every) track. I guess it'll end up replacing a lot of plugins here.

So well done!

What similar plugins have you compared it to? You're making me feel like I'm missing out, and the clock is ticking (for this sale... even though it might just be a few days until the next). I'm not sure I'm alert enough to quickly demo it... bit sleepy.

[jens]

I have so many... far too many... I did not directly shoot it out against much though - I did compare it to the highly revered (also by me) VSM-3 though which is kind of similar in a way - and mostyl ended up preferring HG-2 for several reasons (creamier sounding, easier to set up, better GUI, less CPU hit) -so that alone already says a lot...