Best channel strip plugin that's NOT emulation of SSL, Neve, API, Amek, etc.

[antic604]

Izotope stuff?

It's even mentioned in the OP, so yeah

[MC-909]

Well, don’t look any further then haha

[jens]

No mixer in history has had k strips, each with five knobs that each control one very specific aspect of a complex effect, that is only useful in some limited context, with each knob mislabeled with some undefined audio term. One knob compressors, sure.

But certainly not with a fixed 1:1.5 ratio - I never tried it (and have zero interest in doing so) but I bet the compressor in the Focus One plugin still allows for a wider range of useage than the one in Blyss.
So what if so? Is the flexibility of the EQ more important than that of the compressor? I would argue both matter just as much. And even for a bus-compressor 1:1.5 is not AT ALL enough. My point was NOT at all that Focus One is a channel strip, but that neither Blyss is!
Both are - most obviously - just too effing limited for that.
We don't need to argue about their specific differences, parameter-names and what not to come to that conclusion.
So if you rule out Focus One (and rightly so) but allow in Blyss, this whole thread becomes a travesty.

It would mean to argue that the compressor does not really matter in a channel strip, and then I can start bringing in the Arturia preamps and basicallly any EQ that also has controlleable saturation. Or is the saturation perhaps not so important either? Hell, let's simply list all the EQs that come to our mind, that's gonna be fun...

[dblock]

Kush Audio Blyss. After demoing it I didn't much care if it does this or that. I didn't buy it for anything else but the sound. It just totally suits my taste.

[Omkar]

Not emulating the usual suspects,
I got plugins from Kiive Audio at intro price and now they are way up.
I think sales are coming now and then.
One emu (usual suspect) is free btw.

What stands out for me are the implemented distortions and the overall sound.
The CS is named Filkchannel Strip.

Super low cpu mixing tool
that translates very well on mixes (including parallel, busses, master bus etc.)

My fav investment in 2021 (value/cpu ratio).

https://www.kiiveaudio.com/

[_leras]

here, more or less like Plexuss is saying, the mixing is the sound design is the orchestration is the composition.
it's art, it's not commerce, 'average reaction' doesn't enter into it really. I don't think people really have objective criteria, everyone brings their filter in, and I'm not them.

Clearly mixing is none of sound design, orchestration or composition.

Sure you can mix as you go along, it might even work well for you.

Fact is though, taking an objective step back and doing a final mix, checking it on other systems etc, like mastering as an objective.final step, can make a massive difference to the final quality of a track.

If it wasn't such a key part of audio engineering, there wouldn't be a bunch of very highly respected mixing engineers out there.

I suspect anyone who thinks mixing is part of sound design and composition is missing out on some ways to improve the overall sound quality of music they work on.

[_leras]

I'm working with mixing a 7 track electronic piece using Blyss on every channel and the mix buss. It sounding pretty good, I think its an improvement over my last version of the mix, which I have worked hard to push the audio quality as far as I can go with it. Blyss seems to help me push it further.

Aww, you listened and added a specific mix focused phase

But seriously how much was blyss Vs taking the the big picture and doing a mix? Could another strip, such as omni channel or an emulation have worked as well?

[hitherepeople]

What's the best - easiest to use, fastest, most intuitive, flexible, low CPU etc. - channel strip plugin that's NOT an emulation of big-format hardware desks?

I'm thinking of things like:
TBProAudio CS-5501 - https://www.tbproaudio.de/products/cs-5501
Scheps Omni Channel - https://www.waves.com/plugins/scheps-om ... ni-channel
iZotope Neutron - https://www.izotope.com/en/products/neutron.html
Eventide Ultrachannel - https://www.eventideaudio.com/products/ ... trachannel

Out of this list I'd say the Omni Channel by light years. It's not expensive, it's really reliable, it's flexibility is unparalleled, no big hit the CPU and it's pretty intuitive.

Now for me, I'd ask the question of why your not into the modeled ones? I demoed and promptly bought the SSL set from SSL when they were 50 bucks. I've never used a channel strip that is as good. The waves SSL is really quite nice (stood the test of time) but it's smaller and harder to read. Anyways, just my 2c, but the Omni Channel is really good.

[dblock]

Not emulating the usual suspects,
I got plugins from Kiive Audio at intro price and now they are way up.
I think sales are coming now and then.
One emu (usual suspect) is free btw.

What stands out for me are the implemented distortions and the overall sound.
The CS is named Filkchannel Strip.

Super low cpu mixing tool
that translates very well on mixes (including parallel, busses, master bus etc.)

My fav investment in 2021 (value/cpu ratio).

https://www.kiiveaudio.com/

I'm impressed with what I'm hearing on these plugins. I may pick up a few. Low cpu but high quality sound.

[antic604]

Well, don’t look any further then haha

I don't like it, though. Separate screens for different functions and too much visual feedback, that distracts me from actually listening.

[MC-909]

Well, don’t look any further then haha

I don't like it, though. Separate screens for different functions and too much visual feedback, that distracts me from actually listening.

Fair enough, I like visual feedback along listening closely

[Dasheesh]

Pulled out these absolute beauts' early this morning.

https://www.overtonedsp.co.uk/download/ ... index.html

https://www.overtonedsp.co.uk/download/ ... index.html

[Dasheesh]

Nomad Bluetubes is fantastic, but the install is a bitch. Not sure they can separate the two anymore, after the takeover. Great plugs if you are ok with install managers tho.

[Dasheesh]

A lot of folks will swear by these. https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/prod ... nnelx.html

[The Noodlist]

What about Kilohearts' Snap Heap and HOFA System? More like modular strips.