KVR Audio

MogwaiBoy · Post by **MogwaiBoy** » Sat Feb 12, 2022 9:56 pm

We all know them - those popular but powerful plugins that, in the wrong hands, can be hugely destructive.

I'll start: OTT

A recent thread about OTT alternatives reminded me of this Soundgooderizer alternative

People (largely the EDM crowd) have used this on individual channels, then buses, and then even the master... it truly is Over The Top. As a special effect, sure - but as a shortcut to good mix balancing practices, you gotta be kidding. If used in a heavy-handed manner, OTT is a surefire way to obliterate natural dynamics, punch and even phase coherence.

How could you, Xfer...

Runner-up: Sausage Fattener

FapFilter · Post by **FapFilter** » Sat Feb 12, 2022 9:59 pm

I wouldn't necessarily put it on my master either, but new(ish) stuff often gets misunderstood, even by experienced people.
It's a bit as if some Classic or Jazz mixing engineer tries to convince a Death Metal band to not use distortion, heavy compression and pitch shifting, because it's destroying the sound quality.

TL;DR: in the right hands and context, MB compression and even OTT can be the greatest thing

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Sat Feb 12, 2022 10:03 pm

whatever they used on st anger drums.

FapFilter · Post by **FapFilter** » Sat Feb 12, 2022 10:07 pm

well then, for me it has to be the obvious autotune-ish stuff, also often vocoders

thecontrolcentre · Post by **thecontrolcentre** » Sat Feb 12, 2022 10:07 pm

Autotune

Etienne1973 · Post by **Etienne1973** » Sat Feb 12, 2022 10:17 pm

Auto-Tune and everything sound alike that came after Cher-effect. Top 10 mainstream pop charts are still or even now full of that. I can't stand it. So unmusical and harmful to the human voice.

Edit: FapFilter and thecontrolcentre were faster.

Uncovered Pitch · Post by **Uncovered Pitch** » Sat Feb 12, 2022 10:30 pm

Not very glamorous but I found that the dithering algorithm on your final export can have quite a big effect on the overall perception of sound quality. At the moment I use GoodHertz Dither but before that I used another specialist plug-in that crunched up the sound in quite an unpleasant way.

Of course I should have A/B'ed the render/bounce with the live mix but I didn't and often wondered how I could have mixed a song so badly when listening back a few weeks later. And I thought it was me suffering from ear fatigue, having bad monitoring or simply being a useless mixer.

Now I mix with the dither plug-in on at all times so there can be no nasty surprises.

Runners-up: Sonible smart:limiter. I just can't get a good sound out of it. Always sounds veiled/constricted, even at low gain reduction. And Gullfoss which to me sounds clinical.

Really anything on the mix buss can do a lot of damage if not scrutinised and vetted properly. Piling on bettermakers is only good for a quick demo or songwriting mix or when used conservatively at something like 10-15% wet.

cantaloupe · Post by **cantaloupe** » Sat Feb 12, 2022 11:17 pm

Fabfilter Pro-Q

No_Use · Post by **No_Use** » Sat Feb 12, 2022 11:41 pm

I was about to say Waves L1/L2 but Autotune is a good contender also.

Guenon · Post by **Guenon** » Sun Feb 13, 2022 12:06 am

MogwaiBoy wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 9:56 pmPeople (largely the EDM crowd) have used this on individual channels, then buses, and then even the master... it truly is Over The Top.

That is standard use. Truly over the top is using 2-6 OTTs in series, to achieve something like 200 decibels of upward compression when really pushing it. (Basically bringing any regular signal to 0 dBFS regardless of the original level.) And it's absolutely great

But I agree, it's a special effect for sure

husker37 · Post by **husker37** » Sun Feb 13, 2022 12:50 am

vurt wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 10:03 pm whatever they used on st anger drums.

Funny, but agree 1000%. I actually just listened to a podcast on that album, and they discussed how Lars actually loosened up the snare to purposely get that sound. Ugh...

MogwaiBoy · Post by **MogwaiBoy** » Sun Feb 13, 2022 1:10 am

husker37 wrote: Sun Feb 13, 2022 12:50 am
vurt wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 10:03 pm whatever they used on st anger drums.
Funny, but agree 1000%. I actually just listened to a podcast on that album, and they discussed how Lars actually loosened up the snare to purposely get that sound. Ugh...

I think they found a trash can ("rubbish bin" as we call them) in the back alley and were like "Lars, this could totally be your snare"

and inbetween gum chews Lars was like "Totally"

And then they cascaded it through six 1176's, and Inflator, ofcourse

MogwaiBoy · Post by **MogwaiBoy** » Sun Feb 13, 2022 1:11 am

thecontrolcentre wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 10:07 pm Autotune

I forgot about this :O

Did Anteres invent it or iZotope (the "T-Pain" effect?). Cher for the win.

highkoo · Post by **highkoo** » Sun Feb 13, 2022 1:56 am

In bass music; OTT
In dance music; Sausage Fattner
In pop music; L1-L3

sQeetz · Post by **sQeetz** » Sun Feb 13, 2022 4:11 am

oh.. I like myself some sausage fattener... in doses... where applicable.

Hope it gets the Apple Silicon treatment soon.

Which plugin has done the most damage to audio quality?