Echoplex VST

[annode]

I know there are a lot of people who aren't crazy about Nomad Factary here, but has anyone compared the IK Echoplex to the versions contained in Nomad Factory's Echoes? As I recall, it was one of the two Nomad Factory plugins (Magnetic being the other one)that had a number of fans,-and received some good mag reviews.

I have them both, and did extensive comparisons. The IK version wins for me, every time!

I'd love to try both as well.
I tried the Nomad and I like it a lot.
If I knew how to dload and open the IKM 'Customer Store' I might find it more appealing.

So can someone post an IKM page link or dload link to the Custom Store?
I dloaded the CS host and installed it. (didn't install the Apple Quick Time player when it asked me to since I have it in my 'K-Lite pack already.)

I don't understand what IK wants me to do and what i'm doing wrong.

Thanks gents.

[annode]

To Ch00rD.

I listened to your capture. I have zippering noise on my pc between my audio card and the video card somehow, and it sounds like a zipper sound. What you posted doesn't sound like what I know as zipper noise. The noise should sound like a zipper...no?

[Ch00rD]

To Ch00rD.

I listened to your capture. I have zippering noise on my pc between my audio card and the video card somehow, and it sounds like a zipper sound. What you posted doesn't sound like what I know as zipper noise. The noise should sound like a zipper...no?

Perhaps don't take the term too literally; the term I'd use myself for the types of artefacts typically associated with actual audio card issues is more like "stuttering" or "clicks and pops", and sounds quite different; what I'm referring to here are the typical results of a lack of smoothing between changing parameter values. The issues associated with audio card issues would also not show up in the oscilloscope (as that shows the signal ITB, before it is converted and sent out), where you can visually confirm the sudden discontinuities in audio levels with tweaking certain parameters. That's what I was referring to; but I'm open to suggestions for a better term of course.

[Ch00rD]

The issue with the IK Multimedia Echoplex emulation (to keep the discussion somewhat on-topic) is very clearly audible and visible here (fwiw: recorded on a MBP, perhaps the most popular system for producing music, which does not show these issues with any other plug-ins in any host I have used).

I can confirm the zipper noise in those same circumstances here in Cubase 7.0.3, Mac (64-bit), although, I must say, I'm not sure I know in what circumstances one would actually need to sweep the input gain in realtime.. could you describe an example, please? .
I have quickly tried a few of my other delays, (RP Delay, and Melda MMultiBandDelay) and they have the same zipper noise on the input parameter, whereas the PSPAudio delays do not.
But, like I said, not a critical issue for me, for that parameter (and, as far as I can tell, the IKM stuff seems zipper noise-free on all the parameters where it could otherwise be a problem).

Thanks for confirming that the issue is also present on your system; I hadn't tested it with Cubase myself, yet more evidence that the host software is not to blame. Perhaps it is an Mac-only issue, not sure, in any case it is definitely a reproducible issue. IK Multimedia have admitted as much a while ago, so that's beyond dispute. However, although they say they can reproduce it on some system(s), they have not given any indication as to what type of system(s) that may be, even after I explicitly asked for such information, as that would be helpful to try and resolve or work around it on my end, if it would be caused by anything other then a flaw in their software. In my book, keeping such information secret is certainly not an indication of adequate product support to paying customers, but rather of a corporate policy that attempts to skew public perception in their favor.

As to the actual importance of such tweaking, well, I simply like to actually use the knobs on devices, instead of using static settings. In the example of the Echoplex, tweaking the input is useful, for example, to periodically feed a little snippet of sound into the delay. I also like to modulate the input with control signals from e.g. an LFO or some envelope follower or generator elsewhere - the modulation of effect parameters is often part of a bigger modular patch; for each note I play, gate, pitch and velocity may trigger envelopes that modulate/automate input and output level envelopes on various effects.

Also, people have been using the input level knob on real Echoplex devices without zipper artefacts, or very decent emulations such as the UAD one, which has been around for a while. So that's my standard of reference. Now along comes IK Multimedia claiming that it's as good or better than any other emulation ("we nailed it!"), but it does exhibit undesirable zipper artefacts. It seems to me that it is much harder to code the DSP for the emulation of a particular device than to prevent artefacts from parameter tweaking. Which, imho, makes it such a shame that usability and support concerns lead me to discard IK Multimedia's products, rather than the gear emulations themselves, some of which I do like in itself. Too bad.

[jancivil]

...issue specific to your system, as "zipper noise" is not typical with any IK plugins.

I use parameter automation in Amplitube kind of extensively for certain things [FX], I would absolutely notice zipper noise. Never happened. Let me be clear: I rely on moving 'tweaks' of parameters of the FX extensively. I have experienced no problems with the noise. so if the argument is there is a problem with this per se, it can't be true. there is no insisting I'm deaf to it, it never happens here.

+1 exactly here too. Extensive live tweaking with zero artifacts.

Well, *again*, please show me a screen cap with audio then. Video or it didn't happen. Posting opinions without factual evidence only serves to illustrate that cognitive bias issues may be at play - no offense intended to anyone, they are just a fact of life, and I'm not immune to them either.

'it never happened here' is not an opinion. I am personally not going to go do work to prove it to you. I think the chances are good you're going to remark 'see, that's a zipper noise, that's exactly it' in my audio, out of your cognitive bias, you'll find what you need. "It shows up in rendered audio so even if I'd be deaf to it, I can *see* it."

I'm not a big fan of IKMM, if you feel they aren't supporting you well, it's not me to enter into it. Objectively, this is a particular systemic issue IME.