KVR Audio

jens · Post by **jens** » Sun Sep 27, 2020 6:37 pm

Ploki wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 10:54 am
jens wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 10:35 am *lol*

After applying the discount code it's still 199$ - what a bargain - I want some of what they're smoking...
Yeah we got so used to price-dumping none of us can imagine paying a fair price for a good plug anymore.
Well there’s always waves and PA for you

You and me seem to have vastly different opinions in regards to what a "fair price" is.

Ploki · Post by **Ploki** » Sun Sep 27, 2020 8:00 pm

jens wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 6:37 pm

You and me seem to have vastly different opinions in regards to what a "fair price" is.

199$ is fair if the plugin is good and well-maintained and if the developer is responsive.

So far so good i have to say.
I didn't pay noticeably less than 199$ for u-he or fabfilter.

but yes, list price is insane. 199$ with occasional 50% off sales would be fair

ElevateAudio · Post by **ElevateAudio** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 2:48 am

Anyone using the clean comp setting on this?? Or is the purpose of this primarily to dirty things up?? Any tips for use on the master bus??

Hermetech Mastering · Post by **Hermetech Mastering** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 7:28 am

ElevateAudio wrote: ↑Wed Sep 30, 2020 2:48 amAnyone using the clean comp setting on this?? Or is the purpose of this primarily to dirty things up?? Any tips for use on the master bus??

I didn't like the plugin that much, but have been using the hardware almost daily for over a decade, for mastering. They have been used on thousands of tracks. I use the Clean Comp setting about 80% of the time, and the Dirty the rest, it only works on certain things, and that much harmonic distortion can make the bass sound nasty (or just right!), so it's totally source dependent.

Here is a good starting point for two bus/mastering use. This is just what I often do based on 12 years experience with the hardware, it's not prescriptive and I am not saying other settings wouldn't work well, or that these settings will work for you. The software will also sound different from the hardware:

Be extra careful doing more than 1.5dB of gain reduction, you are looking for vibe, groove and gel here, not obvious compression. Use your ears.

Clean/Dirty to taste (listen for too many harmonics added to the bass, and scratchy top end with Dirty, but sometimes it's exactly what's needed for a slightly more trashy sound).

SC HPF to taste, but I'm usually at 90, 150 or 300 Hz so the kick and bass aren't pulling the track down too much, and can breathe more.

Ratio on 1 or 2, extremely rarely any higher.

Curve on R Soft (very transparent), or Germ Soft (a little more vibe), 95% of the time. Very occasionally Germ Medium but it starts to get really "grabby" on this setting and it just doesn't work on a lot of things. I never use any of the other modes for mastering.

Mix 100% Wet 95% of the time. I use the parallel compression more for tracking/mixing, but usually don't like how it sounds in mastering.

Attack and Release are always completely track dependent (I mean ALL my settings are, but these two more than most). If you want a good starter setting for "honing in" on the best sound, then please read my article on setting up a compressor here:

http://hermetechmastering.com/compressors.html

My settings usually end up around 3 to 7 for Attack, and 0 to 2.5 for Release.

Germanium Drive and Feedback to taste, but I've settled on a position I like that works well with rest of my analogue chain, that I use most of the time: Drive 2, Feedback Max.

I hope that was somewhat helpful. They are my fave bits of kit of all time.

ElevateAudio · Post by **ElevateAudio** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 3:25 pm

Thanks for sharing such a detailed post Gregg. I'm getting started with the plug and was looking for more of the mastering side so your tips are greatly appreciated. I'm guessing the hardware must be clearly superior to the plug. Thanks again for taking the time to be so helpful.

Mike @ EA

Hermetech Mastering · Post by **Hermetech Mastering** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:13 pm

No worries, glad it was helpful!

FapFilter · Post by **FapFilter** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:21 pm

Just out of interest, where do you think this plugin (or plugins in general?) is lacking?
Your settings seem quite moderate, so it doesn't seem to be related to weak “ultra smash behavior“ where software often indeed doesn't seem to have caught up 100% yet

Hermetech Mastering · Post by **Hermetech Mastering** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 5:30 pm

Doesn't sound as good, pure and simple. If it did, they would have been straight up on Reverb.

Skyfall72 · Post by **Skyfall72** » Wed Sep 30, 2020 6:13 pm

I did compare this plugins against WA stereo VCA buss compressor but not apple to apple settings because they’re just not alike. What I’m looking for is just the vibe and the way they present the music at the end.

I must say I like them both about equally. The germanium has this way of gluing the song like no other compressor or plugins. I used to rely on TDR kotelnkov, sonnox dynamic or elysia Aplha to give a dynamic finishing touch but the germanium has the upper hand. The hardware compressor is just a bit more transparent and open sounding.

Hermetech Mastering · Post by **Hermetech Mastering** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 1:24 pm

Flash sale code: GERMANIUM52

I just picked it up for about £100, about 50% off. Been trying the demo again recently, and while it doesn't nail the hardware 100%, it's pretty good. I am looking to put together an all ITB mastering chain for portable/laptop work, and as I am so comfortable with the hardware, thought I'd take a punt...

fcamp · Post by **fcamp** » Sat Jan 22, 2022 11:43 am

Hi Hermetech,

One question related to how you use the Germaniums for mastering. Do you link them or use them in dual mono? Or it just depends on the song? I only havethe plugin but I was wondering, because I really hear how it can affect the stero width.

Thanks in advance.

Hermetech Mastering wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 1:24 pm Flash sale code: GERMANIUM52

I just picked it up for about £100, about 50% off. Been trying the demo again recently, and while it doesn't nail the hardware 100%, it's pretty good. I am looking to put together an all ITB mastering chain for portable/laptop work, and as I am so comfortable with the hardware, thought I'd take a punt...

Hermetech Mastering · Sat Jan 22, 2022 11:50 am

Always unlinked/dual mono here, I like the extra bit of stereo width it seems to give, and I'm compressing so little (never more than 1.5dB on the meter) that it doesn't screw with the LR balance in a negative way. Just taste though really!

fcamp wrote: ↑Sat Jan 22, 2022 11:43 am Hi Hermetech,

One question related to how you use the Germaniums for mastering. Do you link them or use them in dual mono? Or it just depends on the song? I only havethe plugin but I was wondering, because I really hear how it can affect the stero width.

Thanks in advance.

Hermetech Mastering wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 1:24 pm Flash sale code: GERMANIUM52

I just picked it up for about £100, about 50% off. Been trying the demo again recently, and while it doesn't nail the hardware 100%, it's pretty good. I am looking to put together an all ITB mastering chain for portable/laptop work, and as I am so comfortable with the hardware, thought I'd take a punt...

fcamp · Post by **fcamp** » Sat Jan 22, 2022 12:13 pm

Thanks a lot!!

Softube Chandler Germanium compressor