Scheps Omni Compressor Styles

[jochicago]

I tried searching for this to no avail: is it know what type of compressors this plugin is modeling under the VCA, FET and OPT options?

I tried playing with it but I don't have enough experience with classic comps to pin this down. I'm also expecting that Waves would have just grabbed from their existing comp models instead of making new ones, but that's still a long list of options.

Also, it was clear that getting the compressors to match in GR/output so that you can audition them side-by-side must have required some tweaking to their algorithms. So my guess is that Waves grabbed 3 of their comps favored by Scheps, but then had to go to work on them a bit to put them together in this package. From that perspective, these may be a bit of their own thing.

I think the FET is an 1176, but it seems to have a different character to the CLA 76, and that's as far as I can say with some confidence. What are the VCA and the OPT?

[toonertik]

As they already do hardware emulations, I would not be surprised if in this plugin they just did some generic type/style...
For sure a famous FET is 1176... a famous OPT would be LA2 and a famous VCA is Dbx160 each has a distinct feel to compression.

[Scrubbing Monkeys]

Vca...very fast in attack curve. very fast release curve.
Fet fast curves with character
Opt slower curves.

best way to hear these is to really dig in with the threshold and listen to the responses of each.

I find these comps to be very useful. Scheps Omni channel is a true marvel

[Bouroki]

Vca...very fast in attack curve. very fast release curve.
Fet fast curves with character
Opt slower curves.

best way to hear these is to really dig in with the threshold and listen to the responses of each.

I find these comps to be very useful. Scheps Omni channel is a true marvel

This. Also make sure you use the entire range of the Attack knob without paying too much attention to the numbers. They don't remind me of any existing Waves comps (certainly not the CLA ones) so that's a good thing.

[jochicago]

Thank you for the opinions. You inspired me to look at this closer.

I was testing with the CM Attack Release tool by LetiMix (awesome, btw), and it seems that the Omni treats attack/release knobs as suggestions.

Attack/Release behavior (by graph analysis):
VCA
Attack: mega fast. The slowest you can make it is about a handful of ms with the knob all the way to full slow. The attack stage is so quick there's basically no curve, just hard grip.
Release: very fast, with a softer curve in the last third. What I mean by this is that the VCA makes a soft elegant long tail with the last 30% of the volume to be released, but the first 70%-ish of the volume gets released quickly.

FET
Attack: This one sort-of respects the attack knob to make an attack curve, but does most of the gripping in the first few ms regardless of the setting. It starts the attack phase fast but for the last stretch goes into a soft edge and maintains a lot of character while in compression.
Release: Pretty fast, but slower/longer release curve than the VCA. It goes into the last "soft" part (the long tail) in the last 25% or so and during that phase it also releases more gently than the VCA.

OPT
Attack: Kicks in faster than the FET, somewhere between the VCA and the FET, but once it decapitates the first half of the transients it gets a bit softer than the FET. What I means is that, if you set the attack a bit slow, the FET will allow more transients early while the OPT will jump on those pretty quickly on its way to make a reduction curve. Also, the graph line shows a lot of character once in full compression.
Release: Starts the release at about the same speed as the FET, but once it gets to about 60% it switches to a much gentler approach towards turning into a long tail.


How does it compare?
I tested the IK Black 76, and it is a very different compressor to the Omni FET. Black 76 does not allow the slow attacks at all - the slowest attack is something super snappy around 2ms. The Omni lets you set it slower, and if you ask for that it will allow transients through and go into a slower grip curve.
The releases are also very different. Black 76 has a much longer release approach, similar in duration to the Omni OPT except more linear in shape, in 2 stages, the first 50% or so gets released on a faster schedule, then the last 50% releases linearly over a much longer period.

(I'll update if I get a chance to compare with other VCA or OPT)

[toonertik]

This is the link to the above tool... looks well cool
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fUm ... mn9l65zjgr
and the first video is here (attack/release)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG4FeTQ8Ct0
second video here (threshold/ratio) published 15 Dec 2018, so fresh off the cam ))))
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnf3ON5LhTo

[Scrubbing Monkeys]

Looking forward to using that tool. Thanks

I spent some time trying to see how close SOC Fet was to CLA 76. They can quite similar if you really tweak SOC but it never really has the snap of CLA. Definitely not the same creature. There is no ALL in on the SOC but if you set ratio to max it does kinda act the same. I found the CLA super easy to dial in. Dont get me wrong, I still find FET on SOC quite usable. Exactly as metioned above the knobs are kinda suggestions. I find myself having to use my ears which is good.

[simon.a.billington]

I’ve heard Scheps say they’re not modelled after anything particular. He doesn’t really get caught up on specifics like that a lot. He doesn’t buy into what is the best plugin, for example. It will be futile trying to find what the emulate as they don’t emulate anything.

The Omni compressors were just designed to be flexible with a transparent VCA, smooth Opto and an edgy FET. You can, however, see how they compare against your other maninstays to get a better grasp of their sonic qualities.

[trmupstage]

It's kind of funny.. I bought Omni Channel when it came out and I've literally never used it on anything. I'm not sure why that is but when I need a channel strip, I always reach for something else. Maybe it's the interface. Maybe I will give it a try again on something.
What are you finding it good for? The bx_console SSL 400 is great on drums and I use a Softube Summit Grand Channel or Softube Tubetech channel on most other things. What does the Omni Channel bring to the table?

[jochicago]

When you start without a recipe. When I'm not thinking "this is for vocals". Instead you just start a track, and decide what you want to do with it. That's when the Omni shines, since it does it all with a few clicks. Perhaps the way to try it is to go into a project that is different from your regular stuff.

I use it nearly all the time to start a track. Say I have an acoustic guitar. First thing is some filters and saturation (the saturation tool alone makes it a go-to channel strip). Gate to clean up the recording (having settings on the gate/expander again makes it a go-to channel strip). Sometimes I'm not sure if I want character or clean compression, that's another time that the Omni comes in to help A/B and make a choice.

But I've gotten into the habit of using Opto to shave off 2-3db before another compressor comes next in the chain with more character. So most of the time for me, the Omni does clean-up (gate, filters, eq), and thickens the track with saturation and a touch of optical compression. That immediately makes my track sound much more "studio quality" coming from a home-studio recording, then I can apply a typical chain of effects for that track (guitar, vocals, etc).

[trmupstage]

When you start without a recipe. When I'm not thinking "this is for vocals". Instead you just start a track, and decide what you want to do with it. That's when the Omni shines, since it does it all with a few clicks. Perhaps the way to try it is to go into a project that is different from your regular stuff.

I use it nearly all the time to start a track. Say I have an acoustic guitar. First thing is some filters and saturation (the saturation tool alone makes it a go-to channel strip). Gate to clean up the recording (having settings on the gate/expander again makes it a go-to channel strip). Sometimes I'm not sure if I want character or clean compression, that's another time that the Omni comes in to help A/B and make a choice.

But I've gotten into the habit of using Opto to shave off 2-3db before another compressor comes next in the chain with more character. So most of the time for me, the Omni does clean-up (gate, filters, eq), and thickens the track with saturation and a touch of optical compression. That immediately makes my track sound much more "studio quality" coming from a home-studio recording, then I can apply a typical chain of effects for that track (guitar, vocals, etc).

Thanks!

[simon.a.billington]

When you start without a recipe. When I'm not thinking "this is for vocals". Instead you just start a track, and decide what you want to do with it. That's when the Omni shines.

I agree. If people already have workflows that might contain a signature console sound combined with a few other signature processes all doing specific things, give or take a little adjusting, and if their ear is used to hearing this, well of course the Omni isn't going to compare well.

After all, they have a pre-expectation and they're thinking that a completely tool is supposed to compare quite closely. That's not going to work at all!!

First they must clear their mind of expectations and be open to something new with the possibility of using new techniques. It's only then they are going to realise how powerful tool like this can really help a production.

I've heard comments in the early days that the "eq wasn't coloured" and how that was a bad thing. The Omni was designed to be a flexible tool, which meant it had to be capable of doing "transparent" as well. Colored eq is a terrible decision if you are looking fro a transparent sound. They did, however give you a choice in color with their compressors, plus three different types of saturation. There's your color there. If you still wanted more you can add another 3rd party plugin.

This thing is a beast and has heaps to offer. it just won't imitate what you've been already doing... But if you're already doing it, why do you need to buy Omnin to keep doing it?!?!!!

[Scrubbing Monkeys]

I have been using Waves SSL g for years. But SOC is quickly becoming my default strip. in most cases its the only thing on a channel other than NLS or Satson. The work flow is a bit different but all of my desired options are on screen in one place. I am learning my way around the Eq as I had to with SSL. It can get to all the same places. All the M/S options are great as well.

I find my self using the insert slot for mainly two things....A second SOC comp or a second SOC eq if I need more tight bands for sculpging.