KVR Audio

Hermetech Mastering · Post by **Hermetech Mastering** » Fri Apr 02, 2021 3:57 pm

Happy to use clean ITB EQ and comps when needed, but still haven't found vibey compression & EQ, saturation, or tape to rival the real thing.

The_Ogre · Post by **The_Ogre** » Sat Apr 10, 2021 5:01 am

I work 100% ITB, but don't care that much about using only analog equipment emulation. I usually mix analog emulation with digital plugins, no problem with that. It really depends what I need to get the job done. However, I have a bunch of analog emulations in regular use here:
- I like to use tape emulation in the end of the chain when processing my tracks (prior to the mixing stage) and as the last plugin in the tracks of the mix chain too;
- I'm using the Sonimus Britson (console emulation) as the first plugin in the chain of every track of the mix;
- sometimes I use 1176 comps, LA2A/LA3A comps, Pultec EQs;
- recently started to use Acustica Audio' stuff too, specially the separated modules, as my computer handle them relatively well (but use only eventually the channel strips); and
- sometimes I use iZotope, Hornet or Tokyo Dawn stuff.

Regarding channel strips, I just tend to use them only when I need a fast solution. And when I do that, I like Brainworx stuff 'cause of their TMT circuit, specially the SSL 9000 J and the Focusrite.

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Sat Apr 10, 2021 9:14 am

I am very dogmatic. With the exception of pure utility plugins, everything I use is an analog emulation, and I reproduce an analog studio signal path from start to end, putting the same preamp, channel strip, and tape on each channel, even if I don't touch them at all. I only use amps/effects, synths and studio gear that models specific hardware that became available in the '70s, '80s, and (occasionally) '90s.

The reason is pretty straight forward, but also fairly philosophical: there's just too many choices out there otherwise, so I need to limit what I use and how I work. So I work with the same collection of "studio gear" for everything. This develops a consistent way of working, a consistent set of skills, and a consistent sound. Limitations bring focus and purpose. I write and record songs, not sounds, in a very classic sense, so I want everything I am using to be consistent with the tools of the classic rock album era, because I feel that the art is a product of the process.

Hermetech Mastering · Sat Apr 10, 2021 11:28 am

Do you feel the sound lives up to those ideals? I'm the opposite, I use real analogue gear and 95% of digital stuff I use is for as clean and transparent as possible. Best of both worlds. Don't you need a really nice mic and pre to achieve those 'classic rock album era' tones?

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Sat Apr 10, 2021 11:49 am

When it comes to synths, I definitely sometimes (or, actually... often) reach for more clean sounding, typical "digital" soft synths, rather than for my analog emulations.

As you say, the best of both worlds. I think there's definitely a lot of use cases for either/or.

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Sat Apr 10, 2021 1:52 pm

Hermetech Mastering wrote: Sat Apr 10, 2021 11:28 am Do you feel the sound lives up to those ideals? I'm the opposite, I use real analogue gear and 95% of digital stuff I use is for as clean and transparent as possible. Best of both worlds. Don't you need a really nice mic and pre to achieve those 'classic rock album era' tones?

I have a nice mic. And to me, the way I’m doing it is the best of both worlds. I get close enough to the sound and mindset I’m looking for to satisfy myself, without the cost, required space, or general inconvenience of analogue.

It’s taken a lot of refinement and a lot of technological advancements to get here, but I can confidently say that my current recordings sound a hell of a lot closer to my old-school reel to reel tracks than they do to my early Cubase VST mixdowns.

The biggest game changer was getting the CTC-1 in Studio One.

Analog Emulations in 2021