Fabfilter Pro-Q 4!

[mxbf]

even though this doesn't have a reverb feature yet, I am pretty blown away from the snake oil guy showing some of the features:

from a producing "mix as you write" perspective i think Schepps Omni Channel remains preferable. but for mixing a full project after writing, i would easily think this is a must buy. i will probably upgrade. i really want to see how the Dyamics features have changed and if it can somehow stand in for buying Pro-MB. Pro-MB has been on my want list for a long time but the price always makes me end up buying other stuff. ProQ is the only Fabfilter I own, I mainly produce and I just mix as I go usually, only occasionally I reach for it when Schepps Omni Channel EQ can't shape things sufficiently. I actually think this can replace Soothe for most people as well, and I think Soothe is overrated. it seems like this upgrade is actually very substantial but I don't personally think I would use it that much and would just prefer to keep using Schepps Omni Channel for my channel strip. but if I ever started to do stem mastering my own stuff, I would want this. looks like an incredible option for that.

also will curious to see the Soothe feature's CPU usage. Soothe is a CPU hog, I hope they didn't just copy that or it might be a real problem

[sl1200mk2]

Can you just enable it once from the analyzer settings and it stays on in subsequent instances?

Unless I'm missing something obvious, it's just an on/off toggle. The only way to enable it is to click the 'freeze' icon in the menu. It's the same process to turn it off. I'll get over it but it seems like a step backward in terms of workflow.

[mxbf]

useless features:
-sketch
-saturation (per-band would move this to very useful, i'll stick with Spectre)
-dyn eq (do people actually use this regularly?)
useful features:
-spectral EQ
-this:

7m.JPG

Those two features likely make it worth upgrading from 3.

Seems like they add in watered down features from Saturn and Pro-MB (I get it, Dyn EQ isn't multiband, whatever. Multiplicity combines them. DMG is for mastering. Oh, TrackComp is for every channel but - OK). I get the incentive to maintain the value of Saturn but from a consumer and mixer perspective you want the best tool. Schepps Omni Channel combines every single FabFilter function onto one screen: gate, De-ess, EQ, saturation, compression (FET, VCA, opto) and it's 30 dollars on sale. it feels like they add in these kind of watered down features to artificially boost the value of an upgrade but it's all kind of... just enough.

on the other hand, besides Neutron no other plug has that feature above, and Soothe is wildly expensive. So I think the criticisms are actually valid, but I also think it's still easily worth the money, especially for people who are mainly focused on mixing. But for people who mix their own stuff, it is also worth it. personally, I think I'd rather continue seeking alternatives to Schepps that are improvements on that concept. Maybe go Soft tube.

[VitaminD]

Can you just enable it once from the analyzer settings and it stays on in subsequent instances?

Unless I'm missing something obvious, it's just an on/off toggle. The only way to enable it is to click the 'freeze' icon in the menu. It's the same process to turn it off. I'll get over it but it seems like a step backward in terms of workflow.

Hmmmm. I hold down the left mouse button on the screen and the blue overlay shows up for me. I click the screen again and it goes away. I must not understand, sorry about that.

[Jac459]

useless features:
-sketch

Kind of agree but let's give it some times, maybe there is a killer use case

-saturation (per-band would move this to very useful, i'll stick with Spectre)

Definitely useful for mix bus and master bus but I agree, I have Saturn 2 and know it very well, I will probably continue use this one

-dyn eq (do people actually use this regularly?)

F...k yeah!
Dynamic EQ reacting to itself is a very subtle way to tame some frequencies (but it gives undistinguishable similar results than pro mb in my humble view. ==> Somewhat useful (it was existing in pro Q3).
Side chaining EQ: I use it a ton. I prefer that over compression most of the time. I will make some part of the sound react to the rest of my song (obviously the bass to the kick or some pad to plucks, even to snares....
Before I was using Bitwig EQ for that and it works perfectly fine. It was basically unusable in Q3. In Q4 it is much better and I will probably switch to that for workflow reason.

useful features[/it]:
-spectral EQ

Agree in principle, I don't have sooth so no idea how it will sound

-this:

Definitely

[Jac459]

On the topic of sidechaining EQ, one tip that I love in Bitwig is to create audio sidechaining modulations for my main instruments at project level.
This way, I can have multiple EQs reacting to one of them through the same modulation and not individual envelop followers which I guess would use more CPU.

I don't think that can't be done in Q4.

[Jac459]

(double post)

[perpetual3]

On the topic of sidechaining EQ, one tip that I love in Bitwig is to create audio sidechaining modulations for my main instruments at project level.
This way, I can have multiple EQs reacting to one of them through the same modulation and not individual envelop followers which I guess would use more CPU.

I don't think that can't be done in Q4.

Yeah, Bitwig is pretty good. I love it.

[Andreya_Autumn]

useless features:
-dyn eq (do people actually use this regularly?)

Only every day!

[Andreya_Autumn]

Can you just enable it once from the analyzer settings and it stays on in subsequent instances?

Unless I'm missing something obvious, it's just an on/off toggle. The only way to enable it is to click the 'freeze' icon in the menu. It's the same process to turn it off. I'll get over it but it seems like a step backward in terms of workflow.

It's just the default preset has it off! I think 3 had that also. Set your local default preset to have it on and it should do what you want.

[sl1200mk2]

Hmmmm. I hold down the left mouse button on the screen and the blue overlay shows up for me. I click the screen again and it goes away. I must not understand, sorry about that.

It's just the default preset has it off! I think 3 had that also. Set your local default preset to have it on and it should do what you want.

Thank you both. You need the 'spectrum grab' option enabled, which is not done in the 'default' preset for Pro-Q4. The weird thing is that I'm also using the default in Pro-Q3, and it just works. Maybe I overwrote it? I don't remember doing that, but who knows? Thank you for helping with that. The overall feel and behavior of the two are still different, but good enough. I can deal with it.

[DNAudio]

First impressions of the feature I was most excited for: The nonlinearities/saturation.
I'm very disappointed.

First off, the noise floor increases to ~-127db. Low, but there's 0 reason to not allow that to be toggled off (I think it's just artificial noise to emulate old preamps?)
Second, it's just not implemented very well.
With "subtle", it only starts producing harmonics when it nears 0db peak, and fairly quickly approaches "distortion" territory, aliasing included, though never fully hard clips.
"Warm" is much the same, just with a nice 2nd harmonic even at low input levels. Interestingly, both produce even harmonics, but "subtle" doesn't implement any DC offset filtering. This mode in particular seems to crunch transients.
As for the frequency dependency, I think VOS SlickEQ does it miles better. In that, band generates harmonics much more relative to its region, whilst boosting a high band in Pro-Q4 injects a ton of harmonic content into the low end, similar to pushing an EQ into a soft clipper. I don't think it's that simple, but it sounds as naive under normal mixing/mastering situations.
VOS SlickEQ, has subtle nonlinearities that very, very gradually increase in level without EVER fully reaching "distortion" even at high overs, with very good frequency dependency that's also based on the gain of the bands, it adds a touch of depth into your sound that I find very pleasing when used across different busses & the master.
Pro-Q4 is linear when you want it to add a little something, crunchy when you want subtlety, abrupt & naive in its nonlinear filter implementation.

Now, they could just mean the saturation algorithm itself is frequency dependent and isn't based on the bands, and that my expectations were entirely misplaced, but I firmly believe the only "right" way to do this sort of thing is to play into the qualities of the EQ itself with band interaction, resonance drive, nonlinear filtering, ect. rather than just making a subjectively boring input/output saturator, which is what I personally believe this sounds like. VOS SlickEQ isn't the only plugin that does this btw, so it's not JUST that I'm a big fan of that specific plugin. This is just my POV, I'm sure some people will find the saturation a bit more to their liking.

[t.o.t.s.]

I bought the upgrade, but I immediately noticed they removed the ability to freeze the spectrum analyzer by just mousing into that area and holding the mouse button until it turned blue. I often use that feature, and now it's buried in the lower nav bar under the analyzer option. Pretty bummed by that. I really wish there was a key combination or modifier for it. :/

Otherwise, I think I'll enjoy the new features quite a bit.

Can you just enable it once from the analyzer settings and it stays on in subsequent instances?

Seems to work the same as Pro Q3 to me

[gjunk]

even though this doesn't have a reverb feature yet, I am pretty blown away from the snake oil guy showing some of the features:

from a producing "mix as you write" perspective i think Schepps Omni Channel remains preferable. but for mixing a full project after writing, i would easily think this is a must buy. i will probably upgrade. i really want to see how the Dyamics features have changed and if it can somehow stand in for buying Pro-MB. Pro-MB has been on my want list for a long time but the price always makes me end up buying other stuff. ProQ is the only Fabfilter I own, I mainly produce and I just mix as I go usually, only occasionally I reach for it when Schepps Omni Channel EQ can't shape things sufficiently. I actually think this can replace Soothe for most people as well, and I think Soothe is overrated. it seems like this upgrade is actually very substantial but I don't personally think I would use it that much and would just prefer to keep using Schepps Omni Channel for my channel strip. but if I ever started to do stem mastering my own stuff, I would want this. looks like an incredible option for that.

also will curious to see the Soothe feature's CPU usage. Soothe is a CPU hog, I hope they didn't just copy that or it might be a real problem

The snake oil guy does it again the spectral dynamics look great. Obviously soothe offers more control if you need it but agree this will probably be enough for most!

Pro-MB is a beast! I have been pushing myself to use it more lately

[DCrown]

even though this doesn't have a reverb feature yet, I am pretty blown away from the snake oil guy showing some of the features:

from a producing "mix as you write" perspective i think Schepps Omni Channel remains preferable. but for mixing a full project after writing, i would easily think this is a must buy. i will probably upgrade. i really want to see how the Dyamics features have changed and if it can somehow stand in for buying Pro-MB. Pro-MB has been on my want list for a long time but the price always makes me end up buying other stuff. ProQ is the only Fabfilter I own, I mainly produce and I just mix as I go usually, only occasionally I reach for it when Schepps Omni Channel EQ can't shape things sufficiently. I actually think this can replace Soothe for most people as well, and I think Soothe is overrated. it seems like this upgrade is actually very substantial but I don't personally think I would use it that much and would just prefer to keep using Schepps Omni Channel for my channel strip. but if I ever started to do stem mastering my own stuff, I would want this. looks like an incredible option for that.

also will curious to see the Soothe feature's CPU usage. Soothe is a CPU hog, I hope they didn't just copy that or it might be a real problem

The snake oil guy does it again the spectral dynamics look great. Obviously soothe offers more control if you need it but agree this will probably be enough for most!

Pro-MB is a beast! I have been pushing myself to use it more lately

I am surprised this guy still exists on youtube, never liked his sloppy reviews.
Well, his conclusion to have to delete lots of plugins now is funny, well, he always tries to be funny for his teenage audience.
Fact is there are better saturation plugins, beter spectral dynamics plugins, better dynamic eq plugins with att/rel control, so most most of the new features are additions I don't need, cuz I have them already, so frankly speaking the upgrade is making this plugin even less attractive to me. Pro q3 is just fine the way it is, that's my conclusion..

It's similar to following example what fabfilter tries to do:
You want to sell your mansion and you pimp it up by digging a hole in the graden's ground (you call it pool), by putting a dog house in the garden (you call it exclusive garden pavilion).