Ok, so, what else does what Dimension D does?

[bobby yarrow]

I've been playing with the dimension d trial on the UAD-1. Never used the hardware unit. It's a pretty remarkable plugin. It's a chorus, I guess, but I can't get close to it with any of my chorus plugins, including the gmo-1 and analogflux chorus. It's got a very subtle phasey thing going on, and some weird stereo widening business. I've tried delays, and even spectron, and I don't feel like I'm getting in the ballpark. The AF chorus actually comes closest, getting most of the phase thing at least.

I'd really rather not drop $150 on a sort of 1-trick pony.

Anybody feel like they can pull off the dimension d effect with anything else?

[AndrewSimon]

It's definitely a 1 trick pony.
I doubt anything can come close to it so don't waist your time.
It's almost like an inflator/enhancer not a chorus.


From UA web site:

The Dimension D is a one of a kind studio gem that adheres to the principle of doing one thing, and doing it extremely well. Its one and only function: some of the best sounding stereo chorus ever made. However the Dimension D is more than a chorus, it is really a unique sound enhancer for adding spatial and stereo widening effects. This classic 1979 Roland device has been heard on countless records, from luminaries such as Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads and INXS. Universal Audio went to great lengths to preserve this Bucket Brigade chorus with all its unique design elements and sonic characteristics. With only four pushbutton ‘dimension’ settings, the Dimension D is the ultimate in functional simplicity.

[bobby yarrow]

Yeah, it definitely doesn't do 'chorus.' It doesn't sound overwhelmingly 80's to me either, despite their references. It's a very nifty trick that pony has, especially on vocals.

I'm going to look at my inflator/enhancers . . .

[SJ_Digriz]

yep, 1 trick pony....but it's an awesome trick that you will have a hard time finding another pony that will get anywhere close.

[nuffink]

Here's some info on the real thing courtesy of Jürgen Haible

A different kind of Chorus

Less is more ...
The Roland Dimension D is the best chorus I ever heard - actually the only chorus I would use for 2-VCO-synths. It´s best described as subtle, rather than spectacular. It's quite different from the stereo chorus circuits Roland used in the Juno 6 or JXP-3 for instance; these produce a dramatic effect and give width to the otherwise rather sterile DCOs of these synths. I tried to use such chorus circuits on my OB-8 and Prophet 5, but I didn't like the result. They are "too much" - at least to my ears - and rather obscure the sonic quality of analogue VCO pairs.
The Dimension D is different: It was clearly designed not to create a drastical new sound, but to enhance the sound of any instrument, preserving the instrument's own sonic qualities.

Less ??
The circuit of the SDD-320 is quite impressive. In no way it's just a chorus with lower modulation depth or lower FX / dry mix (what I would have expected).
The secret of the Dimension D, as I see it, is a very clever equalizing of the various signal paths.
It has two independent BBD delay lines (true stereo), complete with companders and preemphasis / deemphasis for noise-free operation. The delayed signal is mixed in to the stereo channel it was derived from, and also cross-mixed to the other channel with opposite polarity. Normally this would result in a loss of lower frequencies, but the cross-mixing is filtered with a low-cut (HPF), and the direct signal is slightly bass-boosted. When you switch it on, not only a delayed (and equalized) signal is added, but the direct signal is altered, too, to be "complementary" to the the delayed signal.
The result of all this is that the overall brightness and bassy-ness is almost not changed when FX is switched on or off.

[Hermetech Mastering]

i use a boss dimension c pedal, very similar sound, and a lot cheaper. the boss digital dimension/space d also does a very similar thing, although doesn't sound as good as the dimension c/d because it's digital.

my favourite chorus of all time!

[bobby yarrow]

It's a remarkable plugin, I'll say it again. I'm not convinced that the subtle uniqueness of it will translate in a full indie rock mix, and so I'm hemming and hawing a little. I can get close with AFchorus and spectralive, chained, but if you A/B solo'd, it's not very close.

You all going to buy this thing?

[jens]

as i have no UAD1 I can't try this plugin but the only chorus I would usually put on vocals is Voxengo's Analogflux Chorus/Vintage Modulator
- dunno how Aleksey did this but it can work extremely subtle and can fatten whatever you feed into it without anyone actually noticing that it's there - not even the vocalists themselves!

[lion_cub]

[AndrewSimon]

You all going to buy this thing?

No I'll pass on this one.... but if I wasn't limited by funds I would buy it.

[ew]

Mike Daliot put a Dimension-D like expander/imager in Titan and Photone (both Reaktor ensembles; Titan's from EIv1 and Photone's from EIv2). I've therefore got it in a multieffects box that I built in Reaktor that I'm beginning to use with a lot of stuff...
ew

[bobby yarrow]

Hmm. Can't find Mike Daliot's FX at NI user library. Are they up someplace else?

[ew]

Hmm. Can't find Mike Daliot's FX at NI user library. Are they up someplace else?

Read my post- they're part of instruments in the Electronic Instruments collections. As such, you can use the macros in your own stuff, but you can't redistribute anything using them without permission.
ew

[jasonsantiago]

Very cool effect, but i got my usage out of just running tracks through the demo. I usually don't need a one-trick pony more than once

[püRe]

it's a really lovely (and unique) pony.....does miracles on [monoish] synths and pretty much everything else...