In 2020 Free Plug-Ins Surpass Paid Ones?

[chk071]

I think the main thing with a "good sound" is experience, and a musical ear, which many software developers just don't have, compared with the companies doing hardware. There are exceptions, like Eventide or Exponential Audio whose developers either developed good sounding hardware, or they had access to the hardware in a way which lets them copy the hardware pretty well.

[audiot]

TDR: Slick EQ, Nova, Kotelnikov

The TDR stuff is currently on sale at PluginBoutique. If you can afford it, you should think about supporting the developer.

https://www.pluginboutique.com/deals/show?sale_id=6969

In general i dont think that freeware has surpassed commercial stuff. PTEq-X is nice, but PSP NobleQ is nicer And in some categories you wont find free alternatives at all (creative effects like Sugar Bytes Artillery, iZotope Stutter Edit, CableGuys ShaperBox, Kilohearts Snap Heap). I also havent found a free delay that could replace my commercial plugins (Spaceship Delay sounds nice but i'm rarely using it).

[v1o]

Ten years ago there were people saying VOS stuff wasn't as good as commercial plugins from the likes of Waves etc etc. To my ears the VOS stateful saturation algorithms still haven't been surpassed today. Yet the majority of commercial plugins from ten plus years ago just don't cut it anymore. Most commercial plugins still use generic algorithms that are done to death and simple wave shapers to emulate distortion. And there's CHOW tape which is freeware and really on the cutting edge.

[audiot]

To my ears the VOS stateful saturation algorithms still haven't been surpassed today.

Haven't used VOS plugins since ages, but the saturation modes in TDR VOS Slick EQ were dissapointing (and i love the other TDR stuff). They simply dont add the air and dimension and silkiness that i'm used to from my favorite chacacter eq's. If you are looking for high class saturation, then check out Wavesfactory Spectre, Plugin Alliance VSM-3 and the Soundtoys stuff.

[v1o]

To my ears the VOS stateful saturation algorithms still haven't been surpassed today.

Haven't used VOS plugins since ages, but the saturation modes in TDR VOS Slick EQ were dissapointing (and i love the other TDR stuff). They simply dont add the air and dimension and silkiness that i'm used to from my favorite chacacter eq's. If you are looking for high class saturation, then check out Wavesfactory Spectre, Plugin Alliance VSM-3 and the Soundtoys stuff.

I have those plugins except Spectre. They all use pretty standard algos, not very dynamic, the way the saturation reacts to the source is pretty static. If you have a chance check out Sknote's Anytesla and phi-L Audio Tube. They are more alive like hardware.

[audiot]

I have those plugins except Spectre. They all use pretty standard algos, not very dynamic, the way the saturation reacts to the source is pretty static. If you have a chance check out Sknote's Anytesla and phi-L Audio Tube. They are more alive like hardware.

My plugin folder is saturated with saturation plugins but i'll keep the one from sknote in mind. Thanks for the suggestion!

[.jon]

But like everything, you get what you pay for.

This isn't really true when talking about plugins. Most commercial plugins aren't any better than freeware, it's just easy to part the fools and their money with marketing and paid endorsements. Software is algorithms, most calculations can only be done in exactly one way- nobody can use higher quality components to process the signals like in the hardware world.

Basically, in software world, the more you pay, the more bullshit you eat.

[audiot]

But like everything, you get what you pay for.

This isn't really true when talking about plugins. Most commercial plugins aren't any better than freeware, it's just easy to part the fools and their money with marketing and paid endorsements. Software is algorithms, most calculations can only be done in exactly one way- nobody can use higher quality components to process the signals like in the hardware world.

Basically, in software world, the more you pay, the more bullshit you eat.

What about creative effects? What about instruments? Could name some serious free competitors for ... lets say Stutter Edit or Kontakt or Bazille?

A fool

[chk071]

I'd also go for "you get what you pay for". Yes, there is no reason why freeware shouldn't be as good as payware, but, who in his sane mind wouldn't want to make a business with a competitive product?

As audiot says, there are loads of examples. I'd even say that there is no real competitor to Sylenth1, even though it is a relatively simple soft synth. There is nothing comparable which gives you such a round product in the freeware world. There is Synth1 which sounds... OK. But, the GUI kind of sucks, the voice count is way too low, and the filters aren't at all up to par with most payware either.

Magware is a different thing, but then, many of those plugins are either lower spec'd payware, or they have been payware some years ago.

[Obsolete462444]

To my ears the VOS stateful saturation algorithms still haven't been surpassed today.

Haven't used VOS plugins since ages, but the saturation modes in TDR VOS Slick EQ were dissapointing (and i love the other TDR stuff). They simply dont add the air and dimension and silkiness that i'm used to from my favorite chacacter eq's.

The VOS stateful saturation models were implemented in a rather subtle way in the TDR VOS Slick EQ, but you can definitely hear their impact. I guess it was a conscious decision to separate Slick EQ from the rather overdone saturation present in most wannabe analog "character EQ" plugins.

If you have a chance check out Sknote's Anytesla and phi-L Audio Tube. They are more alive like hardware.

I almost forget the phi-L Audio one. If I recall correctly the sound was quite good but it was rather buggy, right?

[audiot]

The VOS stateful saturation models were implemented in a rather subtle way in the TDR VOS Slick EQ, but you can definitely hear their impact. I guess it was a conscious decision to separate Slick EQ from the rather overdone saturation present in most wannabe analog "character EQ" plugins.

If you find the time, please do a comparison between TDR VOS Slick EQ and my favorite wannabe analog character EQ called PSP NobleQ (there's a demo). If you still prefer the TDR, then we might have a completly different definition of analog sound.

[heavymetalmixer]

The VOS stateful saturation models were implemented in a rather subtle way in the TDR VOS Slick EQ, but you can definitely hear their impact. I guess it was a conscious decision to separate Slick EQ from the rather overdone saturation present in most wannabe analog "character EQ" plugins.

If you find the time, please do a comparison between TDR VOS Slick EQ and my favorite wannabe analog character EQ called PSP NobleQ (there's a demo). If you still prefer the TDR, then we might have a completly different definition of analog sound.

SlickEQ isn't supposed to be an emulation, TDR even says it's "proudly digital" sound.

[eytanmich123]

But like everything, you get what you pay for.

This isn't really true when talking about plugins. Most commercial plugins aren't any better than freeware, it's just easy to part the fools and their money with marketing and paid endorsements. Software is algorithms, most calculations can only be done in exactly one way- nobody can use higher quality components to process the signals like in the hardware world.

Basically, in software world, the more you pay, the more bullshit you eat.

WORD !...

I would even go further and say that most plugins - AS A WHOLE - sound extremely close one to another... you (read: the developer) just need to murmur the magic words : "Pink Floyd" and "Beatles" and you got yourself your sales share.

To the OP:
Your plugins quality (free or paid) is as good (or bad) as your talent (or lack thereof) in MUSIC MAKING. it's as simple as that.

But like everything, you get what you pay for.

With today's extremely short shelf-life of products (day/s to weeks. those who are lucky earn months of "fame") - it is a FALSE notion. the market is flooded, over-saturated, chaotic and in state of perpetual flux. one can close his/her eyes, pick random plugins and STILL make VIABLE, satisfactory music. there are just too many of 'em "tools", you just need to mix and match. that's all.

I vividly remember Urs Heckmann stating that he stumbled upon free synths that made him go "they can't give THAT for free !..." (of course he didn't mention those sytnths names). it's all marketing... all marketing...

[audiot]

SlickEQ isn't supposed to be an emulation, TDR even says it's "proudly digital" sound.

Oh, my fault! But this makes the concept even weirder. The majority of the useres will automatically associate mode names like "british" or "american" to an an analog sound. Then they better should have given names like "rubber duck" or "unicorn" If they market it as "proudly digital", then this is not the eq i'm looking for. I already have enough digital sounding stock eq's in my daw. Maybe I expect to much, but if i load up a character eq i expect some ... um well ... character

As i said: i love the other TDR stuff, but Slick EQ is not for me.

[audiot]

I vividly remember Urs Heckmann stating that he stumbled upon free synths that made him go "they can't give THAT for free !..." (of course he didn't mention those sytnths names). it's all marketing... all marketing...

Show me a free VA that sounds as good as Repro or Lion, or a free wavetable synth that is as flexible and usable as Serum. Is there something like Reaktor available for free? In some departments you dont want spare time DSP programmers.

And even if you just do mixing, you wont find something like Soothe or Plugin Alliance DSM. I havent seen a good FET compressor in the freeware department If you were a spare time DSP programmer, would you spent thousands of bucks to buy a classic hardware unit, to emulate it's behavior?

Sorry, but this discussion is I'm out.