Big fat controversial take

[Starbright]

Ok, I have a big, big controversial take. Do we really need more retro eqs, compressors and limiters?
I realized that after working on some new music that I barely use classic/retro plugins anymore (one example beeing the tascam emulations from ik and the rc series from native).
And I wondered if most of the fixation in the plugin and producer world isn't a bit too much?
I mean there L2A's, 1176's, SSL's & Neve's eq and compressors on mass. So much it's ridiculous.
And in the end 9/10 times most of us use for mixing our stock tools and sometimes some more specific tools like some saturators,r-vox, r-bass, ozone, airwindows stuff...
And for making music we don't use that stuff at all (or barely).
And yet I see Plugin Alliance, AIR and UAD all promise "this modeled eq will change your mixes forever/make them better!".
And it's not that I hate retro vsts, but it's become an infection (I recntly observed that I had 20 LA2A's though bundles and giveaways).
I think what I realy would love to see more is some coll stuff that hasn't been emulated like the Sylvia Massey stuff (light bulbs as distortion, vegetables as filters and and silverware to enhance the snare rattle) or some of the experimental stuff at all (like a real 3d amp).
So what are the retro emulations that YOU don't ever wanna see again overpushed or remodeled by other companies?

[jules99]

I want an emulation of an L1.

[stoopicus]

I love the UAD Distressor plugin for exactly the same reasons people like the hardware version.

[Kai Enaki]

I don't mind if there are more emulations of old gear. I won't go as far as you and have 20 of the same thing. But if something sounds good and I have the funds, why not buy it?

[Old Norse]

And in the end 9/10 times most of us use for mixing our stock tools [...]

How can you possibly know this?

[Hoffstein]

This is not really a controversial take - people complain about too many emulations of the same vintage gear all the time. On the other hand, it’s a market system and you can simply vote with your wallet by not buying or using them. If enough people did the same, companies would produce other types of plugins or go out of business. The fact that they are continuing to produce more vintage emulations means that there is a demand, and your particular preference for stock tools complemented by a light bulb distortion plugin isn’t reflective of the general marketplace.

[whyterabbyt]

I think what I realy would love to see more is some coll stuff that hasn't been emulated like the Sylvia Massey stuff (light bulbs as distortion, vegetables as filters and and silverware to enhance the snare rattle) or some of the experimental stuff at all (like a real 3d amp).

So spend your money on lightbulbs, vegetables and silverware, then, instead of yet another LA2A.

[aMUSEd]

I think what I realy would love to see more is some coll stuff that hasn't been emulated like the Sylvia Massey stuff (light bulbs as distortion, vegetables as filters and and silverware to enhance the snare rattle) or some of the experimental stuff at all (like a real 3d amp).

Some convolution reverbs have esoteric IRs like lightbulbs and cutlery - eg Fog Convolver

[ampetrosillo]

This is not really a controversial take - people complain about too many emulations of the same vintage gear all the time. On the other hand, it’s a market system and you can simply vote with your wallet by not buying or using them. If enough people did the same, companies would produce other types of plugins or go out of business. The fact that they are continuing to produce more vintage emulations means that there is a demand, and your particular preference for stock tools complemented by a light bulb distortion plugin isn’t reflective of the general marketplace.

This take is psychologically, philosophically, economically simplistic though. Asking the individual to influence the market system by voting with his or her wallet is as naive as asking a barrier to stop the wind.

Also, the market creates a need, and people end up buying stuff they don't necessarily need because the market self-propels itself. People don't necessarily think they need vintage emulations, but the mere fact that software houses shove them in your face and promise that your mixes will become warmer, fuller, better leads people at least to second-guess themselves. If only unconsciously.

In the end, what counts is the end result and whether you liked reaching it. Fine, but let's not fool ourselves and think that it was all an independent, personal decision.

[Sonic Illusions]

It's a bit of a cult thing, I assume.

[kraster]

I want an emulation of an L1.

https://korneffaudio.com/product/el-juan-limiter/

[Ah_Dziz]

I'm not particularly interested in vintage anything, but I don't really care what DSP coders decide to do with their time. I use the softube/ni la2a all the time and a few others. I'm sure I have extras of all that stuff via bundles etc. All the crap I don't use is just wasted hard drive space. It doesn't particularly matter to me whether it's supposed to sound vintage or not.

[billinder33]

Duple

[billinder33]

I used to use the Analog Obsession suite of comps, but TB Audio's Impress 3 pretty much covers all styles of compression, so I've not really had an urge to go back to emulations.

It's nice to just have one versatile do-it-all tool and not have to remember multiple UIs, parameters, and quirks of different compressors.

[No_Use]

I want an emulation of an L1.

https://korneffaudio.com/product/el-juan-limiter/

https://www.yohng.com/software/w1limit.html