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+1 for Spectre.
That and some of the Voxengo Warmifier are my most used exciters :)
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escalona wrote: Tue Mar 31, 2020 4:03 pm
LoveEnigma18 wrote: Tue Mar 31, 2020 5:55 am ^ Lol

Does anyone find PA Black Box Analog Design HG-2 good? I downloaded its demo yesterday along with the demo of other plugins I mentioned, and to my surprise, I only really liked HG-2. Really beefy sound if my ears judged it right at midnight. I already have the Soundtoys stuff, but I think this might be a good addition. To some extent I did like the Masterdesk too, but I need to explore Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain first to see if I really need it. I did like bx_saturator V2 last time I demoed it, so, I just need to decide between bx_saturator V2 and HG-2.

Any opinions?
I've had both the Saturator and the HG-2. Within a year I never used them once (that's my main reason to let go of plugins). I always ended up reaching to different plugins. The HG-2 sounds better to my ears. The saturator V2 honestly just sounds plain, boring and unpleasant to me on every occasion. As someone else mentioned already, the HG-2 will give you the sensation that it always sounds better. It always makes everything louder, so you may get tricked more often that you think.
Someone else mentioned Spectre... after using that one I never looked back. The oversampling feature is awesome.
Someone else mentioned the Contemporary Color and I find it very juicy. It does have some issues with aliasing when used heavily... but so do all the good ones (including decapitator)
I will personally add the Audified U78 saturator. Not a lot of controls, but smooth saturation that sounds soooo good. Use it within a multiband plugin (like Blue Cat's MB-7, for instance, or using the splitter if you use Studio One) for full control.
Like most PA things, I think that the ratio of unreasonable hype versus potential for true honest use of a tool is infinity to zero (perhaps one or two), particularly with the latest plugins. Many will tell you that they use plugin X from PA in all of their mixes, and so it happens with everyone on their facebook page (quickly jump and see). I think it would be hilarious to actually see those tracks...
When I see these "mega-uber-bigger-than-god" PA sales, my brain goes straight to thinking "need to take advantage of this... when will I ever buy the HG-2 again for $19?" ...now I think "if I buy this, I'll be $19 away from getting something that I will really use". My disinfected $0.02.

One last thing about the Asperger's video kid, just like Uncle E said, take it with a grain of salt... the size of Nebraska. :hihi:
Great advice. Thank you for your time and sharing your experience with these plugins. :tu: It was indeed the case of jumping on a great deal than anything else, although HG-2 did impress me for those few minutes. I will better stick to the 4 PA plugins that I have and forget about getting any other.

Spectre is getting some good love, and I just saw that Dan Worrall has done the video - awesome. But it is beyond my budget (and also no good reason), so that helps me to avoid it for now. :)

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Ploki wrote: Tue Mar 31, 2020 4:15 pm +1 for Spectre.
That and some of the Voxengo Warmifier are my most used exciters :)
I have the Warmifier and really rate the Voxengo plug-ins, but this one was very subtle - which again I suppose goes back to perceived differences and wondering whether I got the ears to really hear what these subtle things are doing, or whether they're just louder !

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dzilizzi wrote: Tue Mar 31, 2020 3:15 pm
Insanelysane wrote: Tue Mar 31, 2020 9:16 am
LoveEnigma18 wrote: Tue Mar 31, 2020 9:06 am
Insanelysane wrote: Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:59 am Saturator on the other hand does have better control and blending the mix elements.
You mean bx_saturator V2 , right?
Just consider whether you 'need' these. Only do processing if you feel it needs it rather than because the button/knob is there.

I agree. These days I am questioning myself a lot on that before buying anything. I think I have moved away from impulse buying, for good. I might just buy one plugin if I am really happy with it after demoing.
Yes bx_saturator V2. Just wondering what you are looking at using these specific plugins for versus what you already have in that camp? Interestingly, being a bargain hunter I always am drawn to a sale and the prospect of gain I feel about a great deal and the worth I got it for - but sometimes I'll pay say $40 for something reduced from $100 when another plugin at $25 would've been better, not on sale. Have you looked at Contemporary Color as a saturator/color option? its permanently at $29 even though at release it promised to be an intro price with a higher pricetag of $89 (that never seemed to happen, frustrating in some way for early adopters, but a good plugin used a lot here)
https://endeavorfx.com/contemporary-color.html
No, no, no! You do not mess with the GAS by talking about need. :borg:

Need only comes into it if you are broke. Then you really don't need much because stock plugins do almost everything now a days. :wink:
:lol:

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hotmitts wrote: Tue Mar 31, 2020 6:20 pm
I have the Warmifier and really rate the Voxengo plug-ins, but this one was very subtle - which again I suppose goes back to perceived differences and wondering whether I got the ears to really hear what these subtle things are doing, or whether they're just louder !
warmifier is extremely subtle :) it's really really hard to push it into obvious... i mean, not obvious, "easily detectable"? :D
depends on where in the chain you put it. The "lvl dpt" setting can be "driven" from the outside (i.e., you can push it hotter)
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Ploki wrote: Tue Mar 31, 2020 6:48 pm
warmifier is extremely subtle :) it's really really hard to push it into obvious... i mean, not obvious, "easily detectable"? :D
depends on where in the chain you put it. The "lvl dpt" setting can be "driven" from the outside (i.e., you can push it hotter)
thanks Ploki, I'll try that later

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Last edited by Vortifex on Sun Apr 16, 2023 11:05 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Edit: Voucher delivered.

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Audio Plugin Deals wrote: Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:14 pm NEW: 49% Off SYNTHS 3 POLYSCAPE by Karanyi Sounds

Get the all new Synths 3 POLYSCAPE now for only $19.99. Limited time offer, don’t miss out!

Sparkling ambiences. Dystopian landscapes. Vintage synth beds. This is all POLYSCAPE – Karanyi Sounds latest synthesizer pad instrument

POLYSCAPE is inspired by 90s liquid electronic underground electronic music, synthwave artists and classic 80s film scores.

With POLYSCAPE, you can create wide, deep, enormous neo-futuristic soundscapes for your next track.

Promo page: https://audioplugin.deals/synths-3-poly ... yi-sounds/
Promo ends: April 13th
This deal isn't really a deal because it was on sale for the exact price for around a month on Pluginboutique, expired two weeks ago. So you're not per se getting that extra special deal pricewise.

On the other hand, if you are a familiar with Karanyi's other libraries and love them (I sure do) then this is an opportunity to pick this one up at the regular sale price that you missed :)

Very good ambient pads in this one, plenty of potential too with the four simultaneous layers to play around with.

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I really like Karanyi's stuff too, I just wish the libraries of his I bought on sites other than his counted towards his 'everything' bundle (and presumably at some point discounts when new things are added). Moan aside, they're all top notch and make a nice companion piece with the freebie Analog Dreams library that NI dropped recently especially if you want to add another set of Bladerunner soundtrack rip-offs to the garbage fire of human history like I do.

Are you safe?
"For now… a bit like a fish on the floor"
https://tidal.com/artist/33798849

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InkSFX wrote: Tue Mar 31, 2020 12:01 pm Btw Uncle E, any insider knowledge whether the ROLI sale for Cypher2/Strobe2 upgrades will be joined by FXpansion as well? Would suck if they'd leave OG DCAMmers out of the fun...
No information yet, unfortunately

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hotmitts wrote: Tue Mar 31, 2020 6:20 pm I have the Warmifier and really rate the Voxengo plug-ins, but this one was very subtle - which again I suppose goes back to perceived differences and wondering whether I got the ears to really hear what these subtle things are doing, or whether they're just louder !
If it clips off transients without audible distortion, that will allow you to get your mixes a lot louder. One of the easiest ways to improve a mix is to get rid of those super short spikes of energy that uselessly eat up dynamic range. If anyone remembers to group Justice, they had some of the loudest mixes in history because all the audio were square waves.

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Uncle E wrote: Wed Apr 01, 2020 12:57 am If it clips off transients without audible distortion, that will allow you to get your mixes a lot louder. One of the easiest ways to improve a mix is to get rid of those super short spikes of energy that uselessly eat up dynamic range. If anyone remembers to group Justice, they had some of the loudest mixes in history because all the audio were square waves.
Warmifier is not a clipper. Idk what it does, but if you send 30dBs into it, you will get 30dBs + saturation out. :D
Voxengo does have a 128x oversampled clipper tho, with a hardness control. Interestingly, it's an incredibly good saturator (no aliasing whatsoever, and definitely better than the non-oversampled stuff PA crams into their plugins and calls it THD), and as far as i've tried different clippers, it seems to be the most transparent when used as a clipper pre-limiter.
Totally under-rated plugs, Voxengo.
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Jrrshop offering Audified RecAll for free https://www.jrrshop.com/audified-recall

I actually would find this software super useful for use with my students, but realised after adding to the cart that it is Mac OS only, anyone here have experience with an alternative Windows compatible standalone program that can quickly record my impromptu jam? bug free and visually appealing gui would be priority, features less so.

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How does the KUASSA EQ - Bundle compared to other Pultec - clones & how musical are these?

Currently on Sale via jrr.shop for about $30.

Thanks.
The art of knowing is knowing what to ignore.

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