Bargain Center: discussion, gossip, etc.

[LoveEnigma18]

@Insanelysane and @Aiynzahev: Thanks for the heads-up on the Sonnox sale.

A few questions regarding Oxford Inflator if someone can help:

1. Can it be compared to T-RackS Classic Clipper or Black Box Analog Design HG-2?
2. Does it work in FL Studio? I could demo it, but I am away from my studio PC until night.
3. iLok USB dongle is not mandatory, right?

Thanks!

I don't want to be an enabler for plug-in hoarding, but at this price it's a super useful one to have in your folder. It's the kind of plugin you can just use all the time as you can use it on everything to varying amounts without really paying a penalty.

No, I do agree with you. At $35, it is a no-brainer and I certainly want to have it. It has been on my wishlist for some time, but I was not aware about the iLok Cloud thing, which is the only thing stopping me right now. I am going to send an email to Sonnox to know if there will be a possibility for machine activation in future. Sonnox still seems like the same old and conservative company.

[Ploki]

inflator doesn't do machine activation. annoying

It does cloud though right? I use it without the physical ilok key.

Edit, clearly I wasn't reading all the previous posts!

It does yes

I demoed it but i'm really not feeling what the fuzz is all about. I guess it was a cool thing when it came out, but now there's so many options i don't know if it's really worth it for me, even at 35$.
at the time i got to vocal doubler/thickener i got tired, i dont think ireally need any more plugins. i'm tired of all the plugin demoing and sales

[Ou_Tis]

Inflator was apparently used for:

- Post Malone's (recent?) vocals
- synth track in Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy"

[the-rippa]

I tested Inflator last night.

If you level match, bypass on/off, it does absolutely nothing. No difference in sound at all ?????

I just don't understand why it's gets sooo much praise

Didn't buy it...

[Tomgu]

Many people say Inflator is just an waveshaper: this video shows why https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0yd3amDn8s
But, is there more to it? Many people say it is more and what it does can't be made with a simple waveshaper.

[Ploki]

Many people say Inflator is just an waveshaper: this video shows why https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0yd3amDn8s
But, is there more to it? Many people say it is more and what it does can't be made with a simple waveshaper.

i'd love to see that people tell me what that "more" is without resorting to audiophile like descriptive nonsense

[LoveEnigma18]

It is indeed a Waveshaper/Clipper type plugin. I think Inflator is not meant to be an obviously hearable effect. It's sort of mysterious. But I just checked FL Studio's built-in Waveshaper and it seems to be doing a similar job.

[Insanelysane]

Many people say Inflator is just an waveshaper: this video shows why https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0yd3amDn8s
But, is there more to it? Many people say it is more and what it does can't be made with a simple waveshaper.

Great link, watched and learned. The waveshaping is clear, its surprising and disappointing there is no dynamic movement happening. They should call Inflator a waveshaper then! I will say as aiynzahav did, its the kind of plugin that doesnt do damage so you can add a bit of it towards the end of a chain ro just tuck it back into a mix where needed, its a helpful tool that has been used often precisely for bringing good tone back into a mix. Save your money if you prefer, there's so much good stuff out there and the recently released Molot GE for example at the same price is just an incredible compressor, so just 'inflate' your compressor folder instead

[Tomgu]

Yup, I think it probably is just that - a waveshaper and nothing else. Edit: with multiband mode for complex material (less intermodulation)

But there are a lot of posts around the Internet stating it's something unique, also from late 2010's.

Also there are some posts that confuse people trying to figure what it is about. For example this post from 2008. This guy writes like he knows how the plugin works: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/showpos ... stcount=20

"To best understand when/how to use the Inflator you have to look at what it does. On the simple side, what the Inflator does is increase the "density" of audio passing through it. It doesn't restrict dynamic range in any way. It is a wholly unique process without parallel in the audio world. The Inflator accomplishes this by examining the audio on a sample level. It gauges the distance in amplitude between the loudest and softest *SAMPLES* of the audio. It increases the volume of the softer samples by an amount set by the user.
Keep in mind, this is on a sample-per-sample basis!"

[the-rippa]

It is indeed a Waveshaper/Clipper type plugin. I think Inflator is not meant to be an obviously hearable effect. It's sort of mysterious. But I just checked FL Studio's built-in Waveshaper and it seems to be doing a similar job.

Exactly my point. I done loads of research on it last night, reading Gearslutz, watching YouTube vid's etc etc.... and there's a lot of people who say the same thing. Its a waveshaper...


Who gave me the thumb down vote !!!!!!!!!! I will find you !!!!!!!

Its not my fault. I didn't make you buy it.....

[gondii]

I've been demoing it the past 30 minutes and I don't think I need it..

[LoveEnigma18]

It is indeed a Waveshaper/Clipper type plugin. I think Inflator is not meant to be an obviously hearable effect. It's sort of mysterious. But I just checked FL Studio's built-in Waveshaper and it seems to be doing a similar job.

Exactly my point. I done loads of research on it last night, reading Gearslutz, watching YouTube vid's etc etc.... and there's a lot of people who say the same thing. Its a waveshaper...


Who gave me the thumb down vote !!!!!!!!!! I will find you !!!!!!!

Its not my fault. I didn't make you buy it.....

Haha, you are one of them who helped me avoid buying it, so thanks. Not sure who downvoted you, but I upvoted you here.

But as I said, Inflator is a really mysterious plugin. So much so that I have uninstalled it now. What started as a curiosity and then an interest to buy it ended up in just a demo run. Glad to have saved $35. iLok Cloud also helped in avoiding it, so thanks to it as well.

[the-rippa]

It is indeed a Waveshaper/Clipper type plugin. I think Inflator is not meant to be an obviously hearable effect. It's sort of mysterious. But I just checked FL Studio's built-in Waveshaper and it seems to be doing a similar job.

Exactly my point. I done loads of research on it last night, reading Gearslutz, watching YouTube vid's etc etc.... and there's a lot of people who say the same thing. Its a waveshaper...


Who gave me the thumb down vote !!!!!!!!!! I will find you !!!!!!!

Its not my fault. I didn't make you buy it.....

Haha, you are one of them who helped me avoid buying it, so thanks. Not sure who downvoted you, but I upvoted you here.

But as I said, Inflator is a really mysterious plugin. So much so that I have uninstalled it now. What started as a curiosity and then an interest to buy it ended up in just a demo run. Glad to have saved $35. iLok Cloud also helped in avoiding it, so thanks to it as well.

..... returned

That's exactly how it happened with me.

I installed it, put it on a few tracks and was like "WOW" this is amazing. Then i thought, actually i need to level match this and do the bypass thingy...

There's absolutely no difference in sound. Nothing. I was really disappointed.....

Uninstalled...

[soundbylaura]

It is indeed a Waveshaper/Clipper type plugin. I think Inflator is not meant to be an obviously hearable effect. It's sort of mysterious. But I just checked FL Studio's built-in Waveshaper and it seems to be doing a similar job.

Exactly my point. I done loads of research on it last night, reading Gearslutz, watching YouTube vid's etc etc.... and there's a lot of people who say the same thing. Its a waveshaper...


Who gave me the thumb down vote !!!!!!!!!! I will find you !!!!!!!

Its not my fault. I didn't make you buy it.....

Haha, you are one of them who helped me avoid buying it, so thanks. Not sure who downvoted you, but I upvoted you here.

But as I said, Inflator is a really mysterious plugin. So much so that I have uninstalled it now. What started as a curiosity and then an interest to buy it ended up in just a demo run. Glad to have saved $35. iLok Cloud also helped in avoiding it, so thanks to it as well.

..... returned

That's exactly how it happened with me.

I installed it, put it on a few tracks and was like "WOW" this is amazing. Then i thought, actually i need to level match this and do the bypass thingy...

There's absolutely no difference in sound. Nothing. I was really disappointed.....

Uninstalled...

Same. Got the demo. Put it on some drums. Huh, stuff is louder. A/B'd it with MV2 and it sounded exactly the same. Uninstalled.

[the-rippa]

It is indeed a Waveshaper/Clipper type plugin. I think Inflator is not meant to be an obviously hearable effect. It's sort of mysterious. But I just checked FL Studio's built-in Waveshaper and it seems to be doing a similar job.

Exactly my point. I done loads of research on it last night, reading Gearslutz, watching YouTube vid's etc etc.... and there's a lot of people who say the same thing. Its a waveshaper...


Who gave me the thumb down vote !!!!!!!!!! I will find you !!!!!!!

Its not my fault. I didn't make you buy it.....

Haha, you are one of them who helped me avoid buying it, so thanks. Not sure who downvoted you, but I upvoted you here.

But as I said, Inflator is a really mysterious plugin. So much so that I have uninstalled it now. What started as a curiosity and then an interest to buy it ended up in just a demo run. Glad to have saved $35. iLok Cloud also helped in avoiding it, so thanks to it as well.

..... returned

That's exactly how it happened with me.

I installed it, put it on a few tracks and was like "WOW" this is amazing. Then i thought, actually i need to level match this and do the bypass thingy...

There's absolutely no difference in sound. Nothing. I was really disappointed.....

Uninstalled...

Same. Got the demo. Put it on some drums. Huh, stuff is louder. A/B'd it with MV2 and it sounded exactly the same. Uninstalled.