Way too many plugins and choices - Need advice to fight GAS/Huge plugin folder

[lobanov]

Notion is also scoring software from PreSonus that has been around since 2005. Older versions definitely load 32-bit VST2 plugins. So how was I supposed to see irony there?

Also? This is what have been written, I've just responded:

I have a Notion database with all of my plugins (and some that I don't have, that I am researching).

I drop my license info in there, my own notes, any links and quotes from threads worth remembering, any Youtube videos that are relevant or helpful, download links, installation notes, etc.

Beyond plugin category / types, I also have checkboxes for plugins that I keep on my desktop or laptop, and also a checkbox called "A-list" which are my most important plugins to reinstall if I want to get a system up and running quickly.

When I started making this database few years ago, I didn't know if it would be worth it, but I am almost always thankful I do a project like this afterwards.

You can embed the databases anywhere in Notion and pick how you want to view it and filter what you want to view, so I have separate category pages set up for like Reverb, Delay, Synths, Samplers, Compressors, etc. etc. etc.

When GAS hits, there are lots of ways to talk myself out of something new with this setup. And it is also helpful to identify the gaps in my setup, like right now I need some toneboosters mix plugins. But not from GAS, just from knowing my actual needs.

[El°HYM]

I really hope this video will not offend you in any kind of matter.

[Michael L]

I really hope this video will not offend you in any kind of matter.

Maybe, because the method he describes was developed by professor Marianne Ploger.
His friend who wrote the book learned the method as a student of Ploger at Vanderbilt.
So if you are interested, go to the source:
https://www.theplogermethod.com/the-ploger-method
also, many related discussions in the kvr Music Theory forum.

[El°HYM]

Thank you for the link my dearest friend! I would love to go for a tea & vegan cheesecake with that lady and get into some philosophical conversation about microtonality, or even the 9 solfeggio frequencies. Unfortunately, me has just started a new project which is supposed to include and make use of every plugin in existence, inside my plugin folder. This somehow went into a direction, I didnt expect as I am sitting here since a few days trying to load every single one into my DAW. It is mind boggling that a simple task like this is causing more crashes, endless loading time and GUI freezing than expected. So there is no time right now, neither for a tasty Earl Grey also in no way for further studying. However I have just bought the synthesizer she made for Moog and will try to give it a leading voice in my current project, just to show some respect & honoring to Marianne.

[kevinsparks]

This is the first step.

[Michael L]

This is the first step.

Ha ha. I’ve done that for years but it's a bit buggy so filters out buy/sell maybe half the time, but still helpful to remove excess plugins from your mind!

[Zeisner]

Nothing to really fix as all plugins have some form of aliasing.

That's not true, not even for all nonlinear plugins. And yes, aliasing needs to be fixed if it's not supposed to occur. It can be fixed in different ways but it comes at a cost like added latency or high CPU demands or design complexity (like having to use a crossover for every single overtone created with Chebyshev polynom waveshapers).

And I don’t hear any audible aliasing

Maybe you're driving that 1176 imitation so gently that the aliasing stays extremely low and/or extremely short. Maybe you're just used to aliased sound. Maybe you like it. Maybe you need to justify the money spent. None of that makes the issue go away though.

If you turn the plugin on and it sounds better ON than without, who cares!

If you mix for everyone then it makes sense to care. If you only mix for yourself then it doesn't matter what other people think because they're not going to hear anything anyway.

I remember people were saying Decapitator by Soundtoys was bad because it had aliasing issues, yet Decapitator sounds awesome and is used in great mixes and productions since it came out.

It does sound awesome if you're into aliased sound, sure. But for this price? You can get that sound with freeware "analog" plugins as well. And the advertising for Decapitator is simply misleading because it doesn't sound like analog hardware.

IMO tools like plugin doctor are used to drive people’s GAS through the roof!

If you suffer from GAS you'll end up buying new plugins no matter if you measure them or not, there is no difference (not even in measurement software). But if you're not suffering from GAS you'll shy away from buying anything new more than before.

[Zeisner]

The real demo period for a plugin occurs after you've bought it, maybe months later you can determine if it's worth using again and again but 15 days will never reveal that to you.

Maybe for a very complex modular plugin that also gets upgraded with additional functions. But for a limiter? Just make a test template containing several instruments playing different things and you're good after half an hour of testing if you take your time. It's just a limiter, it's not going to suddenly transform into its own DAW some day.

[Zeisner]

They were made to run on a processor with less power than your phone

What's wrong with efficiency?

and a screen with fewer pixels, too.

It's fine if you like to look at large fancy GUIs. I just have different priorities. Many plugins I use don't have nor need their own GUI - which frees CPU and RAM resources I like to use for sound instead of graphics. I automate most of the controllers anyway and then hide the plugins which doesn't leave much to see for later. If I really need a large fancy GUI I can make it myself, tailored to my needs. VST2 already supports resizing by the way. Look at Full Bucket plugins (because they have been mentioned in this thread before). There are also plenty of 64-bit VST3 plugins with GUIs you can't resize. It's not the fault of the format, it's the fault of the developer not using what the format has to offer.

And you can hear it.

I can't hear GUIs nor can I hear how 64-bit memory address space sounds (because both doesn't even have a sound). My measurement tools don't show any difference in quality if I compare 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the same plugins (at least of those who made it past the first steps of measurement). Internal 64-bit processing has been the standard for 32-bit VST2 plugins for quite some time now (like two decades) which explains a few things.

If you hear a difference that can't be measured then you're biased. I'm biased too, that's one of the reasons why I measure everything. Spectrum analyzers don't care about GUIs or famous brands or "Artist X used that" or "But it's 64-bit". If there is aliasing or filter cramping or automation noise or latency or whatever it will be revealed without mercy.