Introducing Ash, Acustica Audio's new Clipping Mastering Converter plug-in

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Ash is the first Acqua plug-in encompassing a collection of classic clipping circuits of the most revered high-end converters.
You can achieve punchy, dynamic, loud tracks with this high-end clipping monster in a few seconds in a straightforward way!

It's the perfect choice to quickly achieve the sound you want by choosing from multiple circuits for the character you like the most.

One of the key benefits of clipping audio in the analog domain using high-quality AD/DA converters is that it can help to maintain the integrity of the audio signal, providing a more accurate and faithful representation of the original audio signal, resulting in better overall sound quality.

Digital clipping can often result in a very sharp and abrupt signal cutoff, which can sound unnatural and unmusical. Analog clipping, on the other hand, can provide a more gradual and smooth transition between the unclipped and clipped portions of the signal, resulting in a more musical and dynamic response.

Push the loudness of your mixes like never before with your new favorite clipper, Ash.


Ash includes two different GUI to choose from:


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Ash GUI



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Ash 'Flat' GUI




For the first time; we added a modern 2D interface that makes it easy to adjust settings and fine-tune your sound, while the classic interface offers a familiar, intuitive experience for those who prefer a more traditional approach.

NOTE: Choose the GUI you prefer at the outset. The plugin will not automatically replicate the settings if you change the GUI at work started

Ash is also special thanks to the presence of our best brickwall limiter, and it is highly responsive and ultra-light on the CPU.


Main features

• Two different GUIs to choose from (‘Ash flat’ and Ash).
• Five different skins for Ash 3D GUI version
• Five different families of classic and modern clipping circuits of the most revered high-end converters.
• Advanced metering system for RMS and LUFS.
• Acustica’s best brickwall limiter included.
• High-quality oversampling, up to 1024x (the highest and best on the market) with perfect phase response.
• Listening modes (Δ, LR, M, S).
• True peak mode to prevent inter-sample peaks.
• Auto-gain function on the clipper.
• Resizable GUI*

*Choose between 3 magnification values (1x - 1.5x - 2x) from the top right ▼SIZE drop-down menu.
Once the desired size is selected, the plug-in must be removed and re-loaded to apply the changes. This action affects the currently selected plug-in. New instances of the same plug-in will open with this magnification.



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What you get

For Ash, we sampled the most revered mastering-grade A/D converters and also some very unique custom ones listed under the ▼MODE drop-down menu.


- Digital Acustica 1
- Digital Acustica 2
- Digital Eco
- Digital Standard
- Gray 8x
- Gray d2
- Onyx Ens
- Platinum maker
- Stedal Fet
- Stedal Led
- Stedal neon
- Stedal trafo hard
- Stedal trafo soft
- Yellow k3 (+3)
- Yellow k3 (+6)
- Yellow X (+3)
- Yellow X (+6)
- Yellow x custom (+3)
- Yellow x custom (+6)


To get the most out of this plug-in, please download and read the user's manual.



Ash | Plugin Demo





Technical information:

• Plug-in format supported: VST2, VST3, AAX, and AU.
• All Available sample rates.
• Windows 10 and 11 compatible.
• macOS 10.15, 11, and 12 compatible.
• Intel, AMD, and Silicon M computer compatible.



Price and availability

Ash price: €169 | 15% OFF until January 10, 2023 (reg. price €199) Buy Now!


The product is at an introductory period for the first four weeks after release or until the first official version is released; this implies that the product may receive improvements, changes, or fixes available through Aquarius Desktop updates.


Try our FREE 30-Day Trial
Please remember that trials expire 30 days after authorization, and we strongly recommend not using trial products in commercial sessions or any important project.


Ash user's manual

Ash webpage: https://www.acustica-audio.com/store/products/ash

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Looks great! Are the first 4 digital modes the same as in fire the clip? I just bought fire the clip but now I’m thinking I should have waited one more week ;-P.

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HBIII wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 4:09 pm Looks great! Are the first 4 digital modes the same as in fire the clip? I just bought fire the clip but now I’m thinking I should have waited one more week ;-P.
Fire The Clip emulations are included under the Digital Acustica label, still, is good to have a "one-knob" option as a complement on the go!

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Tried it against my usual clippers. And they always won.

Sorry, but i don't see the purpose of this plugin. It's far more expensive, uses more cpu, has no offline rendering modes, and is fiddly to set up compared to every other clipper i tried it against. And even worse ; it doesn't sound better at all, in fact most clipping modes start distorting faster than other clippers i own.

The differences between the clipper modes are pretty minimal anyway, and also unclear (why not a clear description in stead of using vague terms). The added ceiling options are just as vague and even more fiddly to set up. And seriously, 2 different plugins just for another gui ? Omg.

It's either hit or miss with AA lately. And this is a huge and overpriced miss.

Hard pass.
The loudness war is over, loudness has won

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We recommend reading the manual to understand the product fully. It is being praised for its sound everywhere else.

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Acustica Community wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 11:15 pm We recommend reading the manual to understand the product fully. It is being praised for its sound everywhere else.
Like right here! :clap: Sits on my buss.

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dblock wrote: Wed Dec 14, 2022 4:15 pm
Acustica Community wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 11:15 pm We recommend reading the manual to understand the product fully. It is being praised for its sound everywhere else.
Like right here! :clap: Sits on my buss.
:clap:

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dionenoid wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 11:07 pm Tried it against my usual clippers. And they always won.

Sorry, but i don't see the purpose of this plugin. It's far more expensive, uses more cpu, has no offline rendering modes, and is fiddly to set up compared to every other clipper i tried it against. And even worse ; it doesn't sound better at all, in fact most clipping modes start distorting faster than other clippers i own.

The differences between the clipper modes are pretty minimal anyway, and also unclear (why not a clear description in stead of using vague terms). The added ceiling options are just as vague and even more fiddly to set up. And seriously, 2 different plugins just for another gui ? Omg.

It's either hit or miss with AA lately. And this is a huge and overpriced miss.

Hard pass.
A matter of taste and material, I guess...!? :shrug:

cheers
Marcel

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hlecram wrote: Sun Dec 25, 2022 10:19 am
dionenoid wrote: Tue Dec 13, 2022 11:07 pm Tried it against my usual clippers. And they always won.

Sorry, but i don't see the purpose of this plugin. It's far more expensive, uses more cpu, has no offline rendering modes, and is fiddly to set up compared to every other clipper i tried it against. And even worse ; it doesn't sound better at all, in fact most clipping modes start distorting faster than other clippers i own.

The differences between the clipper modes are pretty minimal anyway, and also unclear (why not a clear description in stead of using vague terms). The added ceiling options are just as vague and even more fiddly to set up. And seriously, 2 different plugins just for another gui ? Omg.

It's either hit or miss with AA lately. And this is a huge and overpriced miss.

Hard pass.
A matter of taste and material, I guess...!? :shrug:

cheers
Marcel
Not really, no. A clipping function is completely stateless. what makes different DAC's sound different is their approach to designing reconstruction filters. There is absolutely zero point in a dynamic model of a clipper, even if it comes from a high end converter

A clipper with some variability overtime is called a limiter. I've been through my share of high end converters and settled on Antelope, but during my period of discovery, i never heard a converter that sounded like it was limiting when you hit it a bit hot and the clipping always sounded like clipping..sometimes the transition was really soft, too soft for me liking, but it always sounded like clipping to me.
I

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Tbf, saturation/clipping can be "stateful". They may introduce some DC drift so that saturators clip more strongly after being excited (eg. tube clipping in many/most topologies).

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That said, I really found clipping the converters akin to snake oil. You can and probably will achieve the same thing in software with much more control.

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ampetrosillo wrote: Sun Dec 25, 2022 11:24 pm That said, I really found clipping the converters akin to snake oil. You can and probably will achieve the same thing in software with much more control.
One of the critical differences with Ash relies on the transients you get when going loud without compromising audio quality.

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ampetrosillo wrote: Sun Dec 25, 2022 11:23 pm Tbf, saturation/clipping can be "stateful". They may introduce some DC drift so that saturators clip more strongly after being excited (eg. tube clipping in many/most topologies).
Not in a converters output there isn't, no. The Burl might be a special case, but that is an exceptionally coloured DAC
I

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Acustica's ASH Ultra is the latest addition to the ASH plugin suite, offering enhanced features and precision in audio processing with an emphasis on real-time monitoring and feedback, ensuring high-quality results for audio engineers and producers.


Key highlights:

Cutting-Edge Clipping: ASH Ultra introduces advanced clipping technology based on ourAria engine, offering real-time metering displays and a host of new features.

User-Friendly Interface: The plugin boasts a completely redesigned, user-friendly interface that simplifies control and calibration of parameters, ensuring precision and speed in audio processing.


Key Features:

• Hyper 3 technology.
• New Anti-Aliasing algorithm to reduce aliasing issues.
• High-quality dithering algorithm with 8 modes.
• 5 dithering bit depths modes.
• High-Quality Clipping Algorithm.
• Advanced Metering System with Real-Time Waveform Display.
• Visual Control and Precise Calibration for detailed adjustments.
• Instant Feedback for real-time adjustments.
• High-quality oversampling up to 1024x.
• Hard and Soft knee functions with low aliasing.
• True peak mode to prevent inter-sample peaks.
• 25 sampled analog clipping modes derived from ASH.

Dithering Models:

• Truncate
• TPDF
• TPDF 2
• Psychoacoustic
• Psychoacoustic 2
• Entropic
• Smoother
• Smoother 2

About Acustica's Dithering: ASH Ultra introduces a dithering algorithm with various models for optimizing dither and noise shaping efficiently, catering to different bit depths and sample rates.

Dithering Insights: Each dithering mode serves specific needs, with options ranging from conservative to aggressive, offering engineers the flexibility to tailor the audio production process to their requirements.


ASH Ultra is now available as a separate install in Aquarius, and the best part? It's available for free to all Ash owners! We believe in rewarding your loyalty by offering this incredible plugin at no extra cost.


ASH Ultra | Introductory video.




As a result of this major upgrade, the Ash plugin suite is now offered at a special price: €109* | 45% OFF until December 10, 2023 at 11:59 pm CET (reg. price €199) Get it here!

*This upgrade is FREE for current Ash owners.
Ash Ultra should be available in the Aquarius 'purchased' section.

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