Favorite Channel Strip (Console) Plugin for Analog-ish Vibe?

VST, AU, AAX, CLAP, etc. Plugin Virtual Effects Discussion
Post Reply New Topic
RELATED
PRODUCTS

Post

No mention of the amazing Analog Obsession hoard, which cost as much as you want to pay
Amazon: why not use an alternative

Post

I think the kind of complex multitrack send setups that Jamcat described would be most useful if the whole song is meant to be a specfic old genre of music like 60s soul or 50s blues or something. Trying to emulate the multitrack tape or consoles or whatever else they used as closely as possible could help the mix to sound like that.

I'm not saying that's the only use for it, but if you're not aiming for a specific sound like that for the whole mix, and you just want to add a bit of vibe then those complicated setups could be overkill or too much effort. I get that using templates means you only do it once, so I might try it out at some point.

Bypassing the console plugin on all tracks at once in studio one sounds useful. The mix fx in studio one are also great for multitrack stuff, and I think harrison mixbus is too but haven't compared them

Post

I know these guys are in the crapper right now but Scheps Omni Channel from Waves - is my defacto go to strip.

Excellent sounding, easy on CPU and infinitely usable.

VP

Post

"analog vibe" = saturation + marketing

Post

inkwarp wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2023 10:12 pm A slight digression, does anyone here use a channel strip on every channel? I have mucked about with a couple but only occasionally. Does having a channel strip replace a chain of plugins? It seems like a good way to totally cut back on the amount of vst's used. Is a project easier to deal with (and takes fewer resources?) if you only have one plugin on a track? Or am I misunderstanding how to use them?
Yup I pretty much just use Waves Omni on everything, except lead vocals which i have a different chain for

Post

inkwarp wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2023 11:16 pm That's what I am asking though. Is there a channel strip that replaces other vsts? A one size fits all sort-of-thing...
Sonimus satson cs , it’s awesome.
Eyeball exchanging
Soul calibrating ..frequencies

Post

Another vote here for the Softube console 1. I have at least some software from just about every manufacturer(except Waves) and have to say that for your standard meat and potatoes sound, I prefer that hands on feel of a real hardware controller to quickly dial in what you are looking for. Even the standard included SSL E strip will do it for 90% of tracks. Occasionally I'll pull out the API for more aggressive stuff. And of course specialized plugs are available as needed/lead sounds whatever.

Usually using 2-3 flavors of main channel strips is best as you get to really know the channel strip instead of having like 15 at your disposal that you know poorly. This coming from someone with way too many plugins and always trying something new. And with Softube it's pretty easy to dial in more or less saturation as needed. As a bonus, many UAD plugs can be incorporated into the Console 1 ecosystem for a specialized channel strip if one is so inclined.

So find 2-3 channel strips that you really like and try to just stick to those for awhile. Then after thoroughly learning what they do to your sound and how they work with your mix slowly start bringing others into your palate if you feel it's necessary.

Because if you've tried a SSL, Neve, API emu from any leading software company (think Softube/UAD etc.) and are not having any luck.. I doubt it's the software:)
W11 i9-13900K, 64GB Cubase, UAD/Motu Monitor 8 front end and more plugins then I ever actually need :D

Post

I use Snap Heap with snapins

Post

Just want to give a mention to Arturia's Bus Force - it's pretty powerful and is very well thought-out.

Image

Post

jamcat wrote: Fri Mar 24, 2023 2:14 am ... dial in your preamp drive and any EQ you may need.
Could you elaborate on this? I have a feeling there's something important going on here that I am missing. Basically, not knowing or understanding saturation etc. Are you turning up the input and turning down the gain to get this distortion/noise?

Post

inkwarp wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:52 pm
jamcat wrote: Fri Mar 24, 2023 2:14 am ... dial in your preamp drive and any EQ you may need.
Could you elaborate on this? I have a feeling there's something important going on here that I am missing. Basically, not knowing or understanding saturation etc. Are you turning up the input and turning down the gain to get this distortion/noise?
No, I'm just turning up the preamp gain knob on the channel strip.
Keep in mind, some plugins have built in "automatic gain compensation" and some don't. Lindell Audio plugins are rare birds that have a button to turn it on or off. I always turn it off, so turning up the preamp makes the plugin's output louder. If properly designed, like the Lindell Audio plugins, the amount of "saturation" (harmonic distortion) will increase with the volume as it would naturally.

This increase in volume will hit your virtual tape harder, assuming you're using one and it responds as it should to incoming signal level. So you get 2 types of saturation from this: preamp transistor (or tube) saturation, and magnetic tape saturation. You can adjust the input level on the tape plugin if it's coming in too hot.

If you're using a plugin that has automatic gain compensation enabled, you're not going to get the proper correlating tape level effect, and you're also more likely to overdo the preamp saturation. The idea is really to create multiple layers of subtle saturation which have a cumulative effect across an entire mix which just makes it sound like it passed through real kit, not to create a distortion "effect" on a single instrument.
THIS MUSIC HAS BEEN MIXED TO BE PLAYED LOUD SO TURN IT UP

Post

Another vote for Omni channel, waves nailed it with that one. Been trying to get on with Neutron 4 but haven’t found the sound to gel with me yet.

Also I haven’t seen it mentioned here but Rc20 can do a lot of basic channel tasks and I’ve used it like a strip before.

Post

Console 1 - either British Class A or American something. Neve and API basically.

Post

soulata wrote: Sat Apr 01, 2023 7:59 am Console 1 - either British Class A or American something. Neve and API basically.
American Class A.... :o :D
I was thinking about buying Console one (faders + control unit) for a while.... How is it?
void main(dumb)

Post

sQeetz wrote: Sat Apr 01, 2023 12:23 pm
soulata wrote: Sat Apr 01, 2023 7:59 am Console 1 - either British Class A or American something. Neve and API basically.
American Class A.... :o :D
I was thinking about buying Console one (faders + control unit) for a while.... How is it?
I don't use it enough to be really proficient. I could do without I guess.

I only mix rarely, I mostly compose, arrange and record stuff and leave mixing to others. Bought c1 before I got kids...

Post Reply

Return to “Effects”