Audified STA Enhancer

[BONES]

First, thanks for recommending STA Enhancer – gonna to demo it. Second, as a hint ... YouWaShock (aka Soundgoodizer) is a simplified (stripped down) version of Maximus by Image Line.

Yeah, I know that but Maximus is a native effect, no VST version AFAIK.

[JerGoertz]

First, thanks for recommending STA Enhancer – gonna to demo it. Second, as a hint ... YouWaShock (aka Soundgoodizer) is a simplified (stripped down) version of Maximus by Image Line.

Yeah, I know that but Maximus is a native effect, no VST version AFAIK.

There is (was) a VST version.

[BONES]

Oh, well, another opportunity missed.

[kritikon]

I've been playing around with the STA enhancer a bit more last couple of days. You're right Bones - a wet/dry would be good - sometimes the effect is just a bit too much. I tried diddling around with some Eqs and must admit I got a similar-but-still-way-off thing with the big scoop. Just Eq'ing it retains more of the clarity in a mix but just lacks some magic IMO. I think there's more going on in the amplifier emulation thing - reminds me of some of the real old amps way back when - that kinda blunged things up ridiculously heavily but had a very listenable overall effect. LA limiters etc - really f**ked up mixes but just made them better with that thick syruppy squash. Not sure I'd want all styles of music that heavily effected - for instance my dub stuff - I suspect it won't sit that well - we'll see. Anyway - nice to be able to use the enhancer so that I can dial way back on things like Ozone limiting. I've had mixes out of it that "sound" really heavily squashed, but actually have more dynamics, though that sounds strange.

By the by - I tried out some of the grouped FX - meh, sadly. The delay seems almost unusable (unless I'm missing something you can't get any kind of decent feedback on it and the delays stick out of the mix from the dry sound like a dog's swollen bollocks), the phaser doesn't seem to do much phasing, the chorus is usable but nothing to write home about. Seems this amp + Eq scoop thing works well mainly with an enhancer, not standard FX. But I'm happy with the enhancer for $29. A steal.

[RikkShow]

The STA can do that Aphex type C top end sheen (as can Waves Abbey Saturator). Try on vocals.
The Audiothing sounds horrible. Sorry, but it really does.
The SPL goes lower in frequencies so good to bring out that upper midrange, use on lead synths, pianos and such.
Never used Aphex big bottom much as Waves RBass is king here. Waves just nailed it, and got a patent on it.

[BONES]

But STA won't do it without also scooping out the mid-range, because you have no control over that.

[parma]

Anybody try this "enhancer"?

https://www.audiority.com/shop/harmonic-maximizer/

[El°HYM]

The spl somehow also scopes out the Mids, also pretty tricky to set up as everything seems to interact with everything. Can get pretty good results though. Aphex and BBE may also use totally different concepts, one adding Harmonics, while the other more phase shifting and dynamic EQing e.g. one is adding something that isnt there, the other is using whats there and enhances it.

[briefcasemanx]

If it's genuinely an enhancer, there's got to be some kind of distortion happening, not just EQ curves.

Yes. But.. what I am saying is the primary effect of this thing is the EQ. The saturation is nothing special and it's not dynamic. It seems to be typical tube like distortion. I dont think there's magic - think its mainly just a sweet spot EQ curve.

There's a lot of "I think" in your posts about this. Probably shouldn't vehemently argue stuff that you aren't completely sure about.

[BONES]

Who f**king cares? It sounds f**king great and it costs f**k-all so what's the f**king problem? This obsession with knowing how something works, when the only thing that matters is that it does work, does nobody any good. There's a demo. You try the demo. You hear what it does. You buy it or you don't. That's it.

[plexuss]

Here's the close approximation of the STA curve using Slick EQ. I AB compared this sounds exactly like the STA to my ears. If you want the STA distortion then just add a bit of tube saturation using another plugin and save yourself $30 US from buying the STA bundle - they are old outdated tech by now anyway and the other products in the STA effects are not that great.

Screen Shot 2022-07-21 at 11.45.44 AM.jpg

[kritikon]

You're certainly right that the other STA FX are pretty crappy. However - I don't have a tilt Eq, so to get the right kind of shape I need SlickEq or similar - $50. STA enhancer - $29. Saved myself $21 right there.

I did try with the Cubase Artist Eq but there aren't enough bands to get the right kind of shape, and anything I came up with sounded close-ish but far enough away to be a completely different effect. SlickEq is kinda on the backburner list to buy but for my right now needs, I'm happy to get the cheap option. Admittedly I don't use the saturation on STA - can't see that being any better than anything I already have, in fact likely older and crappier. It's a quick, cheap, easy fix. I like quick, cheap and easy as long as it works. And it does...though enhancers are always completely subjective - for example I don't like harmonic enhancers, not entirely happy with tubes a lot of the time TBH (so I keep the process on STA very low indeed).

[plexuss]

If you want to save some money and avoid buying STA, you dont need anything fancy. To get the STA Enhancer curve you just need one simple mid cut. Here it is with Pro-Q3. I used SlickEQ in the first example because someone mentioned it. If you want the extreme shelf cuts, just add in a shelf for those.

Screen Shot 2022-07-28 at 1.50.38 PM.png

[kritikon]

Nah - tried that and it really didn't sound to me like the STA. A straight mid scoop definitely does SOME of what STA does, but definitely not all. Just Eqing doesn't give that artificial sheen that any enhancer gives. IMO, as always.

[El°HYM]

If its just for the Money, SlickEQ is actually free & the payware GE is often like 10 bucks or something. But if the STA has some kind of Mojo going on which suits your Production & Workflow. Obviously there isnt a real Successor for that exact kind of Enhancer, so far.