Soundtoys radiator, what are your thoughts?

[Klinke1]

Je suis made a petit bidule:
- In-Gain + Auto-Gain(-reduction) on output.. but also adjustable out-gain.
- Automatic latency-compensation
- 1 DAW vst slot used
Radiator rocks.

[stardustmedia]

Thanks for the video. For certain situations it's a helpful "system".

But you have to be careful when using such a system. Because driving the signal BEFORE the saturation plugin, may not end up with the same sound. Some saturation plugins use the input drive/gain like a macro control, that tweak different parameters in the background.

Extreme worst case scenario: You drive before so hot and end up with clipping the input of the saturation plugin

That system also won't work for driving the "output" of a saturation plugin, like Radiator. Because the output drive is post-EQ in there. The result won't be the same.

[Novalis]

Some saturation plugins use the input drive/gain like a macro control, that tweak different parameters in the background.

Well yes, maybe, but I doubt there are many like this
But even then you can experiment, if it sounds the same or not. Should be easy to find out.

That system also won't work for driving the "output" of a saturation plugin, like Radiator. Because the output drive is post-EQ in there. The result won't be the same.

The second Gain plug-in used in the video is just to reduce any volume increase caused by the saturation plug-in. You could still also use the "output drive" in addition, if it does more than just level control.

[realmarco]

the drawback of this plugin is that if u put it on recorded audio tracks(recorded with mics like acoustic drums, vocals etc)

is that you recorded thru your mic preamp(external or Sound interface) into your Analog to Digital Converter and with the plugin you're applying another preamp ontop of it

the advantage about the UAD2 cards "unison technology" is that the plugin makers know exactly how the preamp of those unison equipped audio interface will sound like

so their "unison tech" ,which is basically recording a mic on the card's preamp then into the Analog to Digital Converter and then onto the DSP chip with a preamp plugin loaded and then into your daw, is that

the DSP plugin already knows how the unison equipped interface's preamp will sound like.

the unison plugin will then compensates for the interface's hardware preamp so it will turn the audio as if u did use a boutique(or wutever) preamp into it

until native plugin makers ask what mic preamp you used for the Mic... it will be hit and miss

[stardustmedia]

the drawback of this plugin is that if u put it on recorded audio tracks(recorded with mics like acoustic drums, vocals etc)

is that you recorded thru your mic preamp(external or Sound interface) into your Analog to Digital Converter and with the plugin you're applying another preamp ontop of it

the advantage about the UAD2 cards "unison technology" is that the plugin makers know exactly how the preamp of those unison equipped audio interface will sound like

so their "unison tech" ,which is basically recording a mic on the card's preamp then into the Analog to Digital Converter and then onto the DSP chip with a preamp plugin loaded and then into your daw, is that

the DSP plugin already knows how the unison equipped interface's preamp will sound like.

the unison plugin will then compensates for the interface's hardware preamp so it will turn the audio as if u did use a boutique(or wutever) preamp into it

until native plugin makers ask what mic preamp you used for the Mic... it will be hit and miss

IF you use their preamps. But maybe I'd like to use my API, or Chandler...

Sometimes you realize afterwards that you want a change in tone, no matter how you recorded it. Then such plugins jump in. I use Radiator (and such) mainly for internal sounds. But it happened I used it on a recorded signal as well, to give an extra drive, that I missed to record in the beginning.

[Klinke1]

the drawback of this plugin is that if u put it on recorded audio tracks(recorded with mics like acoustic drums, vocals etc)

is that you recorded thru your mic preamp(external or Sound interface) into your Analog to Digital Converter and with the plugin you're applying another preamp ontop of it

the advantage about the UAD2 cards "unison technology" is that the plugin makers know exactly how the preamp of those unison equipped audio interface will sound like

so their "unison tech" ,which is basically recording a mic on the card's preamp then into the Analog to Digital Converter and then onto the DSP chip with a preamp plugin loaded and then into your daw, is that

the DSP plugin already knows how the unison equipped interface's preamp will sound like.

the unison plugin will then compensates for the interface's hardware preamp so it will turn the audio as if u did use a boutique(or wutever) preamp into it

until native plugin makers ask what mic preamp you used for the Mic... it will be hit and miss

IF you use their preamps. But maybe I'd like to use my API, or Chandler...

Sometimes you realize afterwards that you want a change in tone, no matter how you recorded it. Then such plugins jump in. I use Radiator (and such) mainly for internal sounds. But it happened I used it on a recorded signal as well, to give an extra drive, that I missed to record in the beginning.

That's why you will want clean pre-amps on the interface with a german-sound ... RME. Imho

[stardustmedia]

the drawback of this plugin is that if u put it on recorded audio tracks(recorded with mics like acoustic drums, vocals etc)

is that you recorded thru your mic preamp(external or Sound interface) into your Analog to Digital Converter and with the plugin you're applying another preamp ontop of it

the advantage about the UAD2 cards "unison technology" is that the plugin makers know exactly how the preamp of those unison equipped audio interface will sound like

so their "unison tech" ,which is basically recording a mic on the card's preamp then into the Analog to Digital Converter and then onto the DSP chip with a preamp plugin loaded and then into your daw, is that

the DSP plugin already knows how the unison equipped interface's preamp will sound like.

the unison plugin will then compensates for the interface's hardware preamp so it will turn the audio as if u did use a boutique(or wutever) preamp into it

until native plugin makers ask what mic preamp you used for the Mic... it will be hit and miss

IF you use their preamps. But maybe I'd like to use my API, or Chandler...

Sometimes you realize afterwards that you want a change in tone, no matter how you recorded it. Then such plugins jump in. I use Radiator (and such) mainly for internal sounds. But it happened I used it on a recorded signal as well, to give an extra drive, that I missed to record in the beginning.

That's why you will want clean pre-amps on the interface with a german-sound ... RME. Imho

Clean preamps? Ehm... no

[realmarco]

the drawback of this plugin is that if u put it on recorded audio tracks(recorded with mics like acoustic drums, vocals etc)

is that you recorded thru your mic preamp(external or Sound interface) into your Analog to Digital Converter and with the plugin you're applying another preamp ontop of it

the advantage about the UAD2 cards "unison technology" is that the plugin makers know exactly how the preamp of those unison equipped audio interface will sound like

so their "unison tech" ,which is basically recording a mic on the card's preamp then into the Analog to Digital Converter and then onto the DSP chip with a preamp plugin loaded and then into your daw, is that

the DSP plugin already knows how the unison equipped interface's preamp will sound like.

the unison plugin will then compensates for the interface's hardware preamp so it will turn the audio as if u did use a boutique(or wutever) preamp into it

until native plugin makers ask what mic preamp you used for the Mic... it will be hit and miss

IF you use their preamps. But maybe I'd like to use my API, or Chandler...

Sometimes you realize afterwards that you want a change in tone, no matter how you recorded it. Then such plugins jump in. I use Radiator (and such) mainly for internal sounds. But it happened I used it on a recorded signal as well, to give an extra drive, that I missed to record in the beginning.

Nope Cuz just the fact you recorded an Microphone it means you recorded thru some sort of preamp so its still a matter of your

mic create electric current from the Acoustic waves
Mic preamp aka the things that handles the Electric current(internal or external)
into your Sound-card/interface's Analog to Digital Converters(ADC)
into an audio track in your DAW(cubase,logic etc)

so radiator is still applying preamp "warmth" on top of the preamp you Had to use to boost the Electricity current generated by a Microphone for it to be recordable

Unless Soundtoys compensates their plugin with a "you recorded thru api" or "your recorded thru 1073" buttons(like UA did).
its still not technically replacing your Mic's preamp

[stardustmedia]

the drawback of this plugin is that if u put it on recorded audio tracks(recorded with mics like acoustic drums, vocals etc)

is that you recorded thru your mic preamp(external or Sound interface) into your Analog to Digital Converter and with the plugin you're applying another preamp ontop of it

the advantage about the UAD2 cards "unison technology" is that the plugin makers know exactly how the preamp of those unison equipped audio interface will sound like

so their "unison tech" ,which is basically recording a mic on the card's preamp then into the Analog to Digital Converter and then onto the DSP chip with a preamp plugin loaded and then into your daw, is that

the DSP plugin already knows how the unison equipped interface's preamp will sound like.

the unison plugin will then compensates for the interface's hardware preamp so it will turn the audio as if u did use a boutique(or wutever) preamp into it

until native plugin makers ask what mic preamp you used for the Mic... it will be hit and miss

IF you use their preamps. But maybe I'd like to use my API, or Chandler...

Sometimes you realize afterwards that you want a change in tone, no matter how you recorded it. Then such plugins jump in. I use Radiator (and such) mainly for internal sounds. But it happened I used it on a recorded signal as well, to give an extra drive, that I missed to record in the beginning.

Nope Cuz just the fact you recorded an Microphone it means you recorded thru some sort of preamp so its still a matter of your

mic create electric current from the Acoustic waves
Mic preamp aka the things that handles the Electric current(internal or external)
into your Sound-card/interface's Analog to Digital Converters(ADC)
into an audio track in your DAW(cubase,logic etc)

so radiator is still applying preamp "warmth" on top of the preamp you Had to use to boost the Electricity current generated by a Microphone for it to be recordable

Unless Soundtoys compensates their plugin with a "you recorded thru api" or "your recorded thru 1073" buttons(like UA did).
its still not technically replacing your Mic's preamp

Yes, it definitely does not replace it. That's impossible. I think I never said that, did I?

But if you record with another preamp than UAD's, the applied UAD-effect won't be the same. Because it relies on the information about the frequency and transient and whatnot response. That was what I meant about UAD.

If Radiator does not replace any preamp, it means it just applies the effect on top of it, yes. That can be a drawback, yes. It might be that it doesn't fit the sound, because there is already some API transformer on it, then some Massive Passive tubes, and so on... In such a case I don't use it. Nevertheless it might fit, then I use it.

[realmarco]

But if you record with another preamp than UAD's, the applied UAD-effect won't be the same. Because it relies on the information about the frequency and transient and whatnot response. That was what I meant about UAD.

On this we agree the UAD preamp plugins don't make sense if placed on a track that was recorded
on a other-than-uad preamp.

i'm a bit OCD with technical arguments( i should have been a Lawyer) i just wish people wouldn't call those plugins as Preamp plugins

it just confuses beginners

[stardustmedia]

i'm a bit OCD with technical arguments( i should have been a Lawyer) i just wish people wouldn't call those plugins as Preamp plugins

it just confuses beginners

totally agree

I'd call Radiator a distortion/sound-flava/hypa-transformer-saturation/etc plugin, but not preamp