Best free 64bit alternative for VOS Thrillseeker LA and DLM SixtyFive (SOLVED!)

[sleepcircle]

I took a look at his website; I don't see anything there that even somewhat resembles what I'm discussing here.

https://fuseaudiolabs.de/product.html?id=300799857

The name hints at what this is an emulation of. I mean, it's an LA-4, not a LA-2A, but it's in the same general vicinity. Maybe that's not close enough.

But it is QUITE good. Raymund Dratwa did superb work for a bunch of big companies before striking out on his own. You don't have to take my word for it, though; there's a demo and all. (He did an actual LA-2A plugin for another company, which is spectacular, but also it costs 129 dollars and has slightly aggravating installation/copy protection, so you're out of luck there.)

I still don't think it's such a time-sucker to paste the code from your email into the registration window a single time upon reinstalling. I mean, how many times can your computer crash in a year? But again, you could always just buy the plugin and then use a cracked version so that you don't have to spend time registering it.

As for a 1176, Fuse doesn't do anything like that, but since you have Reaper, there should be a script plugin in your JesuSonic folder already, called 1175 which … well, it more or less does what you think, and it's certainly 64-bit. I don't know about its saturation.

There's also a plugin called 'Master Tom' which I am told is based on a DBX and can also be made to act like an LA-2A when you switch it to feedback mode. You thought S.LA.X was too limited, though, so this probably isn't for you, either.

You probably actually could get Kotelnikov to act like a 1176, btw. You'd just need to tweak the settings, theoretically. It has a .02ms minimum attack which is what the 1176 had.

As for an LA-2A, if you won't use S.LA.X or Master Tom, I really don't think anyone can help you. The only thing I can suggest is Klanghelm's DC8C which—if you switched it to expert mode—WOULD allow you to make something very very close to the LA-2A sound, to the point where it might not make any difference. It costs money, BUT, and you may be happy to hear this, there is NO ACTIVATION. Once you download the program from the site, it runs straight away. The problem with that is that—because there's no DRM—there is no trial version.

[crimsonwarlock]

it's an LA-4, not a LA-2A, but it's in the same general vicinity.

Aha, but I have that part already covered now with ADHD Leveling Tool

maybe you tried them already and found them lacking.

This. They are pretty good in their own regard, but not for this specific scenario. Remember, I still have DLM SixtyFive as long as I don't have a replacement and that one is pretty impressive in this setup. Probably hard to beat actually.

[sleepcircle]

Sorry, I edited my post to bring again to your attention Kotelnikov, which does in fact have a .2ms attack time, meaning that with some tweaking it might be able to pull off a convincing 1176 (without all-button-in-mode), and the insanely customizable DC8C which is not free but is only 20 euros and has no activation or serial what-so-ever, and can also do smooth or 'smash' compressing, for the la-2a and 1176, respectively. Because the plugin is just download-and-use, however, there is no trial.


.........if all else fails, maybe a community effort with donations could convince the fullbucket music guy to make them for you, since you seem to be friends with him.


EDIT:

Buttercomp2 by airwindows is Extremely Free and, by its fans, hailed as one of the smoothest, most delightful compressors out there. (I admit, it's definitely got a nice nice vibe). It might do you for an LA-2A. It's not based on a specific compressor but it still wouldn't hurt to try. The guy also made a now-12-year-old plug-in called "Elation" which is meant to be based on an LA-2A but is for OS X only. The developer might consider re-vamping it though, if asked. He's supported entirely by patreon and often takes requests.

Past this, I'm afraid I have no idea.

[acYm]

instead of the fr-comp 87 you could install CM-comp 87 which is found in the computer music bundle and is much less cut-down than the free one.
I think it's the same as the full version except no external sidechain.
it's quite good indeed.

[MogwaiBoy]

Just to make this clear (again); this is a very specific setup with a very specific result. It is of NO use to just throw every possible compression option into this discussion. It basically needs something that is (very) close to a LA-2A and something that is pretty close to either a 1176 or a DBX 160.

Wait for a Waves sale.

[sleepcircle]

he wants something free or, at the very least, without DRM, so a waves sale isn't going to work


(that said, i don't like the sound of waves plugins. i've known them to take some ugly short-cuts and a lot of them don't oversample very well)

[digitalboytn]

I'm looking for a 64bit alternative to do the 'Level Amplifying' bit in my vocal chain. I looked at DC1A and SLAX but both have too limited controls for me..

Both DC1A and SLAX are great little compressors.

Looking at your replies to the suggestions people have made here,it is obvious that you are just too fussy...

Have you checked where your head is recently ?

You want something with this and that and whatever and you want it all for free...

The world of entitlement...

You need to be a little more grateful

I have a bunch of great compressors and SLAX is one of them and it gets used a lot here...

Why ?

Because it's dumb proof,with zero latency,a variable input and output and a nice saturation circuit...

Plus it's got an emphasis doo dah as well as a VU meter with a big fat needle that moves around to keep us all amused...

Just because something looks simple on the surface doesn't mean that there's not a heap of stuff going on under the hood

[crimsonwarlock]

instead of the fr-comp 87 you could install CM-comp 87 which is found in the computer music bundle and is much less cut-down than the free one.

Great suggestion, and for this specific use I don't need side-chaining. On the CM dvd I also found Hornet FatFet compressor so more to try out

Both DC1A and SLAX are great little compressors.

I didn't state anything to the contrary...

Looking at your replies to the suggestions people have made here,it is obvious that you are just too fussy...

What I'm trying to do is not fussy, it's just specific. Why would trying to do something specific be 'fussy'

Have you checked where your head is recently ?

Yeah...... demeaning comments don't work with me

You want something with this and that and whatever and you want it all for free...

You clearly don't have a clue, do you

The world of entitlement...

You need to be a little more grateful

Yep, you clearly don't have a clue

I have a bunch of great compressors and SLAX is one of them and it gets used a lot here...

...bunch of blabla snipped...

I have a bunch of great compressors as well. But as I stated (the obvious) before: not every compressor is the same. If that was the case we would need only one. By your own admission you have several yourself, why is that

So the simple fact that you don't have a specific use for a specific compression setup like I do, doesn't invalidate my need to use that specific setup. Your 'opinions' are meaningless to me, so your grandstanding here is pretty much moot

By the way, have you ever researched how great sound engineers achieved some very specific results in their mixes? Probably not, because that would be to 'fussy' for you I guess

[sleepcircle]

I think you perhaps misread part of his post. S.LA.X is an LA-2A emulation and, for free, it is a theoretical part of the chain you need. I don't know how it doesn't have enough controls for you to replicate the sound when the LA-2A used in the original chain only had 2 knobs.

That is what he meant when he said you were fussy: not because you were after a specific sound, but because you weren't content with a free emulation that didn't offer more customization than the original thousands-of-dollars piece of hardware.

You asked for the best. You may have to confront, at some point, the idea that people have found you the best there is.

[crimsonwarlock]

SLAX is not an exact LA-2A emulation, it is 'inspired' by it. It even has controls that a real LA-2A doesn't have. So for this specific setup I need either an LA-2A clone that is VERY close to the real thing (which is NOT available in the free realm) or something that comes close but has enough controls to dial in the specific behavior for this setup and interaction with the other compressor.

There are a lot of (free) compressors that are modeled 'somewhat' like a LA-2A. SLAX is one of them and actually the first one I tried in place of Thrillseeker in my current vocal chain to see if it could get close enough. It didn't. I have and use almost everything by Sonic Anomaly as those plugins are magnificent and replaced several other plugins. That doesn't mean they are the right solution in every possible case.

When I said before that SLAX didn't have enough options, it didn't mean that I just looked at it and though it wouldn't work. I simply tried it and it didn't perform in this particular case. I'm still using it for other duties though.

Also, it seems some people are hell bent on getting their say about some stuff that could do LA-2A duties, while I mentioned several times now that ADHD Leveling Tool performs VERY close to Thrillseeker, and not only in this scenario, so (again) that's already sorted.

Someone here indeed found the best there is.... and it isn't SLAX

[digitalboytn]

There are so many variables in a signal chain,that it is difficult to isolate one element without including all of the parts of the chain...

The quality of the input signal is critical and then there is the gain staging before it hits the first compressor...

Is there EQ before or after that compression ?

Then you have the rest of the signal path,before it hits the busses for the stems or out through the master for the two track mix...

So many variables along the way...

Most vocal chains include at least two stages of compression and the elements of the usual suspects that include the 1176 or LA-2A should be considered in that chain...

So it's not possible to just specify just one piece of that chain in singularity and say that it will be the solution...

The whole chain and how those parts interact with each other is the smartest way to come up with a workable and successful solution

[crimsonwarlock]

There are so many variables in a signal chain,that it is difficult to isolate one element without including all of the parts of the chain...

The quality of the input signal is critical and then there is the gain staging before it hits the first compressor...

Is there EQ before or after that compression ?

Then you have the rest of the signal path,before it hits the busses for the stems or out through the master for the two track mix...

So many variables along the way...

Most vocal chains include at least two stages of compression and the elements of the usual suspects that include the 1176 or LA-2A should be considered in that chain...

Of course. But you either didn't read the whole discussion. or didn't get where I'm coming from with this.

So it's not possible to just specify just one piece of that chain in singularity and say that it will be the solution...

The whole chain and how those parts interact with each other is the smartest way to come up with a workable and successful solution

Indeed. So I'll state the obvious again for you: I do have a complete vocal chain already, that is working extremely well (that's why I'm so picky) and includes OF COURSE all of the above and then some. I've been doing rock vocals for the last 40 years or so, both in recording and live on stage. So I do know this stuff. I spend quite some time over the last few years to build a great vocal chain with (free) software, and succeeded quite successfully. This discussion has been about REPLACING 32bit parts of my ALREADY PERFECTLY WORKING vocal chain with 64bit alternatives.

So YES, I can in fact replace one single piece in my vocal chain and tell if it measures up to the thing that I actually replaced in my vocal chain.

Maybe now you get it

[sleepcircle]

i feel like the two of you are trying to get each other back for being patronizing by trying to be even more patronizing in return

no-one is happy with this.

[crimsonwarlock]

So to make things even more clear, and for those interested in a well-performing vocal chain, here's my complete setup:

Hardware

- Microphone: Rode NT
- DBX 286s: very light pre-processing before the signal hits the converter
- Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 (paired with an OctoPre for more IO)

Software (all freeware)

- Sleepy Time Records MonoChannel: input gainstaging and high pass filter
- Reaper ReaEQ: surgical corrections if needed
- AXP SoftAmp 30D: input stage saturation (very subtle)
- Thrillseeker LA (now replaced with ADHD Leveling Tool): very lite leveling compression to get a smooth vocal
- DLM SixtyFive: fast compression to catch any peaks the 'leveling amp' couldn't catch
- Sonimus SonEQ: coloring/program EQ to sculpt the sound further
- Klanghelm IVGI2: additional saturation/distortion to heat up the vocals if needed.

So currently DLM SixtyFive is the last 32bit plugin in my chain.

There is no De-essing plugin in my chain because the DBX has a very good de-esser already.

[crimsonwarlock]

i feel like the two of you are trying to get each other back for being patronizing by trying to be even more patronizing in return

no-one is happy with this.

Hmmm... I started this discussion with a clear question. Since that, I have only stated where I'm coming from again and again because obviously some people don't read before replying (a common practice on this forum) and in addition stated my experience in the matter. Now where was I patronizing again?

Luckily there where also people in this discussion that where simply trying to help by pointing me to options, clearly for me to try and find out if they could work for me. It seems that that last decision is up to me, isn't it