[Intro pricing extended] Available now: T-RackS Sunset Sound Studio Reverb

[Squids]

After testing it, I must say: KUDOS to IK for this wonderful piece of software.

It's very, VERY good! I really like the tone of the whole package. It has a special character that I can't find on other reverb plugins. I have UAD OWS which is great, but almost never use it because of a bug that doesn't remember the settings used when I reload a session... But even OWS didn't give me that "characterful tone" feeling.

Now if you can release the modeled consoles separately, I'm all ears.

I'll wait for a sale to get SSSR, not that the intro price is expensive, but just that I can't afford it yet.

Well done!

Happy to hear that not just because you like it but because you sat down with it and really tested it listening and looking for what it offers that's special. I totally agree and that's what I've been trying to say which is that its strongest attribute is its character. Lots of reverbs can look good on paper. I have some fancy reverbs that can do way more than I would ever do because I don't like to spend a lot of time tweaking a reverb in a mix. I prefer to pull it up, maybe set a few filters or decay time, the blend and just have it sound great ready to go. That's at least 90% of the time unless I want to do some kind of specific effect with Fab Filter or something. This, to me, is my most musical reverb.

I had an interesting conversation with Mark Linett about it, an engineer who remixed Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and did Smile with Brian Wilson. He's worked at Sunset Sound many many times and knows the studios, chambers and plates very well. He'd be the first to tell me it didn't cut it but he's loving it AND he even has some IR that he uses in Altiverb (possibly that he did custom himself) and he said SSSR sounded warmer and more alive. Closer to the real thing than what he had before. So, now he's using this instead. You can hear him say it himself next week if he comes by the studio for my streaming thing with Warren Huart. I'm working on bringing in guys like that to interview and maybe even pull up some multitracks and hear some instruments run through the real thing and the plug-in. I say maybe because that's not the easiest thing to make happen but I'm working on it. Just interesting to hear his perspective. None of these top guys get paid to like it. They're genuine. They either do or they don't and most of them have no problem telling you what they like and don't like.

[kj.metissage]

I agree, me too I don't like to do the "mad scientist" tweaking and automating every little parameter.
I think it's something of "our time", with the digital era.

But back in the days people made great sounding records with a few stuff, and without automating band 1 on the EQ when the piano is playing solo notes, and when it's playing chords, automating reverb decay and filters between this and that, changing the compressor threshold from -20 to -24 on the bridge of the song etc.

This is the thing with SSSR, chose a room, a studio, boom, done, big smile! Onto the next task.

[Squids]

I just got off the phone with Bruce Botnick, the engineer for all those Doors albums. He's THRILLED about the plug-in and can't wait to try it and what he said he's going to try it on I can't say but it's very exciting if you're a fan of his work and the music he's recorded. Anyway, I told him about the spectral image thing and he agreed with what I said before which is that you have to just use your ears and that's the main point. He even said "If you're spending your time looking at the screen you're in the wrong business!" and that when he taught at USC he would say that sometimes to people who got too caught up in analysis or specs. "Just listen".

Anyway, it looks like he'll be coming by Sunset Sound on Monday after a mastering session he's doing and we'll have a chat! Don't know if that one will be streaming live or if I'll just capture it on video and play it later. I'll ask this on Gearslutz but I'll ask here too, if anyone here has any questions about The Doors or Sunset Sound that you'd want to know from someone who made famous recordings and mixes there, let me know and maybe I can work that in. He's a super nice guy. I've never met him before. He's bringing me a bottle of olive oil that his family makes. I told him I'll have to find some of the good aged balsamic vinegar from Modena that's made right down the street from the IK Italian headquarters and give that to him in return. I'm really looking forward to talking to him. He's a character and his experience is priceless.

(By the way, I'm traumatized by KVRians who I expect to say "Aha!!! So you give him balsamic vinegar from Modena as payment for saying IK plug-ins are awesome! I knew it!!" I kid. But, a lot of these guys who still work and teach are not people would say something they didn't fully believe. They don't have to, for one thing. But, also they're respected and admired for their work and have pride in sharing their honest opinion. The ones who care want to help aspiring engineers).

[Squids]

This is the thing with SSSR, chose a room, a studio, boom, done, big smile! Onto the next task.

Yes. I think people like 550A models for the same reason. There's only so much you can do with a 3 band eq with fixed frequencies BUT... it sounds fantastic and it's fast. You might only need to use a complex EQ when you need to do some fixing or if you have a very specific shaping that you want to do. I have all of the Fab Filter plug-ins and those are some of my favorites when I want to do that. However, most of the time I'd rather pull something up that sounds good without barely having to do a thing! Pultecs as well.

[El°HYM]

I tried this & put it Vs. against one of my most used Reverb Units with a very long reverb-tail. My Tail is so much longer that there aint even a Competition. So I will just skip this one, because I am more than fine! I just love Ambience.

The reverb tails in this plug-in would be as long as a real echo chamber or plate would do. It's not meant to do anything else. Other reverbs that aren't emulating things like a real echo chamber or plate would have longer tails but not sound like a real echo chamber or plate. So it's simply a trade off. If you love ambience this is another flavor of it.

Yepp, ur right... when it comes to Ambient, normally the one with the longest Tail is a Winner.

[glokraw]

This 30 minute vid gave me a nice frame of reference

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpiZCV5iUU4

[Squids]

This 30 minute vid gave me a nice frame of reference

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpiZCV5iUU4

Yeah that's a good one and Warren, the guy in the video, will be joining me on Wednesday at the studio for a live interactive stream talking about the studio and the plug-in and some special guests joining.

[Teneyetus]

Oh man, I just downloaded and installed the Sunset Sound reverb. I'm stoked on this one guys. Thank you to everyone involved for making this happen.

I have this one song with two drum kits, I wanted to try the two drum kits, because I love the Elliot Smith song "Coast to Coast." A long time ago, the assistant engineer on that recording told me that it was done in studio 3 - one kit was recorded in the live room, and one recorded in the booth. The drums sound awesome on that song - to me at least. Naturally the first thing I did after installing the plug in and quickly running through all the rooms was to take this song with the two drum kits and try that - of course it doesn't sound the same because it's two entirely different drum kits with an entirely different drummer - but to me it sounds awesome, and like what I would expect.

Then I took the lead guitar for that song, which I recorded in studio 3. When I mixed the song originally, I mixed it in studio 1 and ran the lead electric through a plate and a chamber. Did the same here, and it sounds like it did then.

Also ran a single drum kit snare through all the chambers and plates... Damn, I have to say, I haven't worked at a ton of studios, but I worked at Sunset a ton. This is where I learned what plates and chambers sound like. I've been looking to find this sound in plug ins for a long time, and never quite found it. Now, to me, I have chambers and plates that sound like what I know and have been looking for. Wow - just the chambers and plates for me make it worth it. YMMV depending on what you're looking for.

You know how a smell can take you back to Grandma's house? This plug in is taking me back and putting me back in the control room as we pull up a plate or chamber, it's what it sounded like. It's putting me back in the room as I walk by the drummer and he's smacking the drums while I'm on my way to check the guitar amp mics.

I've only had half an hour with it, but I will be using this all the time. You guys did good work.

[Squids]

You had tons of experience working at the studio. I did one or two sessions at Sunset Sound years ago and it didn't even involve drums. One was Smashing Pumpkins and was more to do with keyboards (I helped them with an Arp 2600 and Mellotron, Optigan and Chamberlin sounds). I forget the other session but it wasn't enough time to REALLY know first hand just how great it sounds. I just knew how many artists love the sound of this studio and many have raved about the chambers and the rooms. But, being involved in this project I got the chance to study the sounds of all the ambiences in the studio a lot more than most would... because, as you know, most artists who book the studio just book Studio 1, 2 or 3 at a time and they're not likely to run each track of their song through EVERY chamber and plate at the studio. Most likely they can't because quite often more than one studio is booked at the same time. But, even if it wasn't that would be kind of a luxury. Maybe Prince would have done it or more likely artists and engineers have bounced around from Studio 1 to 2 to 3 on different projects and got a general sense of which rooms and chambers they liked that way.

In any case, when I was there recording male and female vocals in the vocal booth and processing that plus guitars, drums, piano and other instruments through all of the chambers and plates I was blown away. It sounded so good! Even blending a chamber with a plate in parallel. I bought the Abbey Road stuff recently because I'm mixing a Pink Floyd tribute album and wanted it to sound like it was recorded at Abbey Road (it wasn't but at least most of it was recorded through an EMI desk). But, I didn't use that on any of my own album mixing to hear even that on my songs.

Hearing the echo chambers at Sunset Sound was really the big revelation for me. I knew I wanted it because I want every cool vintage studio thing that was part of records I like but I didn't realize how much I would want it and be able to use it. Then, of course, I was hoping that the plug-in would sound as powerful to me as it did in the studio. It does! I mean as much as you can expect from it. The Chambers and Plates are the main thing that's incredibly realistic. The Spring too. The Rooms and ISO are except that with acoustic spaces where mic and source move around the possibilities are two much to replicate every aspect of what could happen so you just get the overall flavor of that ambience to apply and, for me, that's useful and cool enough. I'd still want to record a drummer or full band AT the studio if I could... but if I couldn't then I don't mind recording in my dry live room and putting one of the 3 live rooms from SSSR on it afterward... or record vocals in my very dry vocal booth and process it with an ISO booth (although I'm lazy and just record vocals in the control room if it's me singing... only if there's another singer do I suggest going in that little vocal booth. But, now there's an extra reason I have to do it.

Anyway, I know only certain people reading this here appreciate what I'm saying from my perspective and others might just think "well of course he's gonna say he likes it he's affiliated with the product" and if you think it's just that well... you'd be wrong. I'm not saying you should think I'm totally objective. It's true I wouldn't talk negatively about the product. But, since it's 1:30am and certainly no one is paying me to talk about it, I do it simply because I'm sharing my genuine excitement about it and what I see and hear in it as well as the studio. It's been a fun discovery and it continues to be. Next week I'm going back to the studio and I'm going to explore the back rooms as well to see what vintage gear is lying around among other things like checking out track sheets to classic albums and talking to the guys who recorded and/or mixed The Doors, Van Halen, The Beach Boys and more. It's educational to me and I try to find out things I can share.

[Teneyetus]

If anyone can tell me how to attach an MP3 I can share some comparisons of recordings in actual rooms at Sunset and through their St. 1 chamber vs the plug in.

I posted them at GS, but I thought people here might enjoy the comparison as well.

The attachments tab isn't recognizing my MP3s when I try to attach.

[jinotsuh]

In your reply, click the "Full Editor & Preview" down there next to the 'Submit' button, it will expand into a more advanced shindig, you'll find stuff at the top of the message box and down below you will see the 'Attachment' tab.

[Edit]I didn't see the part where the attachment tab wasn't working for you, you can't stick them on something like dropbox and link to them? I seen the ones at GS

[Teneyetus]

You had tons of experience working at the studio. I did one or two sessions at Sunset Sound years ago and it didn't even involve drums. One was Smashing Pumpkins and was more to do with keyboards (I helped them with an Arp 2600 and Mellotron, Optigan and Chamberlin sounds). I forget the other session but it wasn't enough time to REALLY know first hand just how great it sounds. I just knew how many artists love the sound of this studio and many have raved about the chambers and the rooms. But, being involved in this project I got the chance to study the sounds of all the ambiences in the studio a lot more than most would... because, as you know, most artists who book the studio just book Studio 1, 2 or 3 at a time and they're not likely to run each track of their song through EVERY chamber and plate at the studio. Most likely they can't because quite often more than one studio is booked at the same time. But, even if it wasn't that would be kind of a luxury. Maybe Prince would have done it or more likely artists and engineers have bounced around from Studio 1 to 2 to 3 on different projects and got a general sense of which rooms and chambers they liked that way.

In any case, when I was there recording male and female vocals in the vocal booth and processing that plus guitars, drums, piano and other instruments through all of the chambers and plates I was blown away. It sounded so good! Even blending a chamber with a plate in parallel. I bought the Abbey Road stuff recently because I'm mixing a Pink Floyd tribute album and wanted it to sound like it was recorded at Abbey Road (it wasn't but at least most of it was recorded through an EMI desk). But, I didn't use that on any of my own album mixing to hear even that on my songs.

Hearing the echo chambers at Sunset Sound was really the big revelation for me. I knew I wanted it because I want every cool vintage studio thing that was part of records I like but I didn't realize how much I would want it and be able to use it. Then, of course, I was hoping that the plug-in would sound as powerful to me as it did in the studio. It does! I mean as much as you can expect from it. The Chambers and Plates are the main thing that's incredibly realistic. The Spring too. The Rooms and ISO are except that with acoustic spaces where mic and source move around the possibilities are two much to replicate every aspect of what could happen so you just get the overall flavor of that ambience to apply and, for me, that's useful and cool enough. I'd still want to record a drummer or full band AT the studio if I could... but if I couldn't then I don't mind recording in my dry live room and putting one of the 3 live rooms from SSSR on it afterward... or record vocals in my very dry vocal booth and process it with an ISO booth (although I'm lazy and just record vocals in the control room if it's me singing... only if there's another singer do I suggest going in that little vocal booth. But, now there's an extra reason I have to do it.

Anyway, I know only certain people reading this here appreciate what I'm saying from my perspective and others might just think "well of course he's gonna say he likes it he's affiliated with the product" and if you think it's just that well... you'd be wrong. I'm not saying you should think I'm totally objective. It's true I wouldn't talk negatively about the product. But, since it's 1:30am and certainly no one is paying me to talk about it, I do it simply because I'm sharing my genuine excitement about it and what I see and hear in it as well as the studio. It's been a fun discovery and it continues to be. Next week I'm going back to the studio and I'm going to explore the back rooms as well to see what vintage gear is lying around among other things like checking out track sheets to classic albums and talking to the guys who recorded and/or mixed The Doors, Van Halen, The Beach Boys and more. It's educational to me and I try to find out things I can share.

I remember when Billy Corgan was in studio 3, I bet that was the session you were on, right? It was several years ago. I remember walking into the hallway to patch up a chamber or plate, or just use the loo, and wishing I could stick around to hear what was happening in there.

But yeah, the plug in captures it. I’m pretty blown away. The chambers and plates are all great, but man, I love the live rooms and booths. Crank some guitar through there and good things happen.

[Teneyetus]

In your reply, click the "Full Editor & Preview" down there next to the 'Submit' button, it will expand into a more advanced shindig, you'll find stuff at the top of the message box and down below you will see the 'Attachment' tab.

[Edit]I didn't see the part where the attachment tab wasn't working for you, you can't stick them on something like dropbox and link to them? I seen the ones at GS

I suppose I could but I prefer not to futz with public Dropbox access.

[glokraw]

The size limit is 1 meg, a frustrating limitation. Of course,
i'm not paying the bills, and I wouldn't want to moderate
the morons posting 25 meg cat-falls-off-synth videos

Thanks for sharing your many experiences

[Squids]

I remember when Billy Corgan was in studio 3, I bet that was the session you were on, right? It was several years ago. I remember walking into the hallway to patch up a chamber or plate, or just use the loo, and wishing I could stick around to hear what was happening in there.

But yeah, the plug in captures it. I’m pretty blown away. The chambers and plates are all great, but man, I love the live rooms and booths. Crank some guitar through there and good things happen.

Yes it was in Studio 3 with Billy. I even flirted with D'arcy on the way there! Haha. It was for the Adore record technically although they were recording two albums at the same time. The luxuries of the music business in the 90s! When you have a record deal and hits that is. Billy was nice though. Much taller than I expected.

I think that was the first time I did anything at the studio but there were a few other times I had been there I just can't remember. I was hanging around at a good time. I was at Ocean Way when JJP was mixing or mastering Jellyfish Spilt Milk album, for those who know it, and as I was walking down the hall he grabbed me and said "You gotta hear this" and cranked it at FULL THRESHOLD OF PAIN volume. Sounded amazing. "All Is Forgiven". Cool to hear something like that before it even comes out. This is all way before I did Ocean Way Drums so, being a fan of Allen Sides and that awesome studio, it was fascinating to me to really understand first hand the sonic qualities of those spaces and his mic collection.

Of course, all of these situations and people are to blame for my own semi-extravagant gear spending sprees over the years. I've tamed it back a little bit and decide what's going to be represented solely in software vs. in hardware. I have friends who mix completely inside the box and can't be bothered with the hardware anymore... but I'm still a believer in getting the best of both. I DO draw the line at having my own echo chamber and plate though. Although if I had hits and the cash I wouldn't be opposed to building that into a house or taking over a studio that already had it. In the meantime I'll use the plug-in.