Stock vs. third-party plugins: Which do you use more?

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Stock vs. third-party: Which plugins do you use more?

I use stock plugins only.
5
3%
I do what I can with stock plugins and only resort to third-party ones in a pinch.
24
13%
I use stock and third-party plugins with roughly equal inclination/preference.
76
40%
I use mainly third-party plugins and only use stock ones if necessary for a certain sound.
61
32%
I use third-party plugins only.
24
13%
 
Total votes: 190

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slugware wrote: Mon Jan 24, 2022 8:44 pm in today's day and age its a false dilemma
It's not about it being a dilemma or not, but rather about a conscious and deliberate choice.

I voted #2, because that's the best way to get to know the DAW and 90% of the time sufficient enough (unless it's Reaper or S1, which have pretty poor native devices).
Music tech enthusiast
DAW, VST & hardware hoarder
My "music": https://soundcloud.com/antic604

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antic604 wrote: Mon Feb 14, 2022 9:29 am Reaper [...] have pretty poor native devices.
Eh, I find REAPER's stock plugins to be quite decent.
My solo projects:
Hekkräiser (experimental) | MFG38 (electronic/soundtrack) | The Santtu Pesonen Project (metal/prog)

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The effects range from good to excellent (except for the algo reverb), but instruments wise it‘s true that it‘s pretty poor in this regard
The GAS is always greener on the other side!

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Mainly third party. For other reasons that that fourth option suggests though: Effects which really alter the sound usually come in better quality with third parties. Things which only do surgical changes to the sound are not that important in terms of sound quality, IMO. They just have to do their job, and, most stock plugins do that.

So, for me, it's rather distinguishing between actual sound effect and mixing plugins. For the latter, I think most DAW's do a good job with the included plugins. At least I never had an issue with built in EQ's, compressors or limiters. DAW included reverbs, delays, phasers or chrous on the other hand, pretty hopeless in my experience...

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AsPeeXXXVIII wrote: Mon Feb 14, 2022 3:09 pm
antic604 wrote: Mon Feb 14, 2022 9:29 am Reaper [...] have pretty poor native devices.
Eh, I find REAPER's stock plugins to be quite decent.
The OP hasn't specified this, but "plugins" also include synths, samplers and FX other than the basic EQ, delay and compressor - and they're nowhere near "decent" in Reaper and just barely in Studio One (IMO obviously).
Music tech enthusiast
DAW, VST & hardware hoarder
My "music": https://soundcloud.com/antic604

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AsPeeXXXVIII wrote: Mon Feb 14, 2022 3:09 pm
antic604 wrote: Mon Feb 14, 2022 9:29 am Reaper [...] have pretty poor native devices.
Eh, I find REAPER's stock plugins to be quite decent.
They look like ass.

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Probably haven't used stock plugins for over a decade. Maybe with the exception of making sounds in Reason, or Ableton. But for all other work it's third-party all the way.

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In terms of my response to the survey, It is DAW dependent . I don't generally like Cubase plugins be they in the channel strip, VST or midi insert effects. Their better plugins have come late to the table after I have already purchased or found a freeware plugin that is more completely specified. Bitwig is a different case. I am not nearly as proficient with it it as I am in Cubase but when I get into it, it is to explore what it has on tap. Reason is the same for me. I like the built in sound generators and effects. Thus it depends.

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Azbest wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 5:40 pm
AsPeeXXXVIII wrote: Mon Feb 14, 2022 3:09 pm
antic604 wrote: Mon Feb 14, 2022 9:29 am Reaper [...] have pretty poor native devices.
Eh, I find REAPER's stock plugins to be quite decent.
They look like ass.
Visual aesthetic isn't everything. :wink:
My solo projects:
Hekkräiser (experimental) | MFG38 (electronic/soundtrack) | The Santtu Pesonen Project (metal/prog)

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AsPeeXXXVIII wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 3:13 pm Visual aesthetic isn't everything. :wink:
Reaper, in a nutshell.

Although it's a bit more than that. "Clear menus aren't everything". "Reducing yourself to less options, rather than a shed load them isn't everything". Etc.

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A Reaper user here. Over the years I have demoed most out there. Bought and used some waves stuff. Moved on from Waves to Indy devs like Tal, Klanghelm, TDR, Kazrog, Fuse, Valhalla among others. I got to know them well and really enjoy using them. But lately I find myself needing to share projects and using stock and JS plugs more and more.

In my opinion I can get to the same place either way. It is really a matter of workflow choices based on frequency of use.

Obviously all my Vst Instruments are third party.
We jumped the fence because it was a fence not be cause the grass was greener.
https://scrubbingmonkeys.bandcamp.com/
https://sites.google.com/view/scrubbing-monkeys

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chk071 wrote: Fri Feb 18, 2022 3:18 pm "Reducing yourself to less options, rather than a shed load them isn't everything".
What do you mean by this?
My solo projects:
Hekkräiser (experimental) | MFG38 (electronic/soundtrack) | The Santtu Pesonen Project (metal/prog)

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What I meant is that the preferences are CRAMPED full of stuff.

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Scotty wrote: Thu Feb 17, 2022 6:52 pm In terms of my response to the survey, It is DAW dependent.
You can't answer this question without reference to a specific DAW.
For example:
Scrubbing Monkeys wrote: A Reaper user here. Over the years I have demoed most out there. Bought and used some waves stuff. Moved on from Waves to Indy devs like Tal, Klanghelm, TDR, Kazrog, Fuse, Valhalla among others. I got to know them well and really enjoy using them. But lately I find myself needing to share projects and using stock and JS plugs more and more.
In Reaper we have the situation that the VST and SF effects are
fantastic and actually cover everything. However, Reaper does
not provide any instruments. :wink:
free mp3s + info: andy-enroe.de songs + weird stuff: enroe.de

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