Antelope Audio Plugins

[Download SOphist]

thanks for the input.

[jamcat]

A lot of their plugins look like rebadges of products also sold elsewhere - eg the Maag equaliser, and some of the comps look almost identical to PA products and this:

https://en.antelopeaudio.com/products/instinct-synergy/

is this

https://www.inertiasoundsystems.com/sto ... /instinct/

at over twice the cost

Holy crap. Thanks for the heads up.

[Tubeman]

A lot of their plugins look like rebadges of products also sold elsewhere - eg the Maag equaliser, and some of the comps look almost identical to PA products and this:

https://en.antelopeaudio.com/products/instinct-synergy/

is this

https://www.inertiasoundsystems.com/sto ... /instinct/

at over twice the cost

Holy crap. Thanks for the heads up.

The plugins might have the same developer. There's also similar plugins on UAD and PA sites, like the Engl, Diezel and Ampeg amp sims. So they're like "OEM" versions of the same plugin.

[Tubeman]

I signed up for some free plugin... and I never installed it. The truth is, between Softube, UAD, IK Multimedia and Arturia, I'm well stocked with everything I could ever need. Sorry Antelope. Too late.

MG4+ EQ? I got it through Plugin Boutique some time ago but didn't install it. Got the license on PB account and tried the code now and it won't register on iLok.

Edit. got it installed now. They have their own download manager and there was some delay registering to iLok.

[thecontrolcentre]

A lot of their plugins look like rebadges of products also sold elsewhere - eg the Maag equaliser, and some of the comps look almost identical to PA products and this:

https://en.antelopeaudio.com/products/instinct-synergy/

is this

https://www.inertiasoundsystems.com/sto ... /instinct/

at over twice the cost

[jamcat]

The plugins might have the same developer. There's also similar plugins on UAD and PA sites, like the Engl, Diezel and Ampeg amp sims.

The UAD plugins you're talking about are 3rd party plugins that were made for UAD DSPs. The versions sold by Universal Audio still carry Brainworx and Softube brands, but they're special UAD-2 DSP versions. That's quite different than what appears to be just reskinned native plugins with a jacked up price. It makes sense now how Antelope Audio could come up with 80 plugins out of nowhere.

I got the free MG4+ EQ with the "SKY" band. I recognized it was a knockoff of the Mäag Audio EQ4. But I didn't even consider that it could be the same EQ, just reskinned. But really, whether they're reskinning existing plugins and slapping on a premium pricetag, or just overtly knocking off every existing popular plugin and slapping a premium pricetag on their version, it's pretty shady either way.

[db3]

I wouldn't be surprised to learn they are licensing plugins/code from other devs to help rapidly grow the catalogue. Their tape plugin has a very Fuse Audio inspired look and sound. Niggles aside, I like having Antelope native plugins as an option, but I only plan to pick up no-brainer deals going forward.

[Tubeman]

I got the free MG4+ EQ with the "SKY" band. I recognized it was a knockoff of the Mäag Audio EQ4. But I didn't even consider that it could be the same EQ, just reskinned. But really, whether they're reskinning existing plugins and slapping on a premium pricetag, or just overtly knocking off every existing popular plugin and slapping a premium pricetag on their version, it's pretty shady either way.

I also got the MG4+ a while ago and yesterday tried it on some distorted guitars and I think it sounds pretty good. I like the 0.5 dB increment dials. No idea if it's the same as Mäag Audio/PA one.

[escalona]

I got the free MG4+ EQ with the "SKY" band. I recognized it was a knockoff of the Mäag Audio EQ4. But I didn't even consider that it could be the same EQ, just reskinned. But really, whether they're reskinning existing plugins and slapping on a premium pricetag, or just overtly knocking off every existing popular plugin and slapping a premium pricetag on their version, it's pretty shady either way.

I also got the MG4+ a while ago and yesterday tried it on some distorted guitars and I think it sounds pretty good. I like the 0.5 dB increment dials. No idea if it's the same as Mäag Audio/PA one.

The sky gain or air band is almost the same on both. However, for the rest of the filters, the Antelope eq adds double as much gain as the Maag eq.

[psycho45039]

I wouldn't be surprised to learn they are licensing plugins/code from other devs to help rapidly grow the catalogue. Their tape plugin has a very Fuse Audio inspired look and sound. Niggles aside, I like having Antelope native plugins as an option, but I only plan to pick up no-brainer deals going forward.

Most of the plug ins have been around for years on their DSP platform and are probably ports of those to run natively. On top of that most of the native plug ins have been around for years on their own.

[jens]

A lot of their plugins look like rebadges of products also sold elsewhere - eg the Maag equaliser, and some of the comps look almost identical to PA products and this:

https://en.antelopeaudio.com/products/instinct-synergy/

is this

https://www.inertiasoundsystems.com/sto ... /instinct/

at over twice the cost

Holy crap. Thanks for the heads up.

What a complete and utter nonsense - the mind boggles.


Yes, the "Instinct Synergy" is the Synergy version of the Inertia Synergy, i.e. it's a port that runs on the Antelope Synergy Core (the Antelope DSP system). They say so in plain words right on the product's page:

Powered by Synergy Core and developed by Inertia Sound Systems

They also have an Autotune port in their shop. Just like UAD have some Apollo ports of native plugins (or the other way around - it doesn't matter) in their shop. In both cases (Antelope & UA) you can purchase only the DSP-port in their shop and have to purchase the native version elsewhere. How is this controversial? (that's a strictly rethorical question cause it absolutely isn't.)

The other plugins (i.e. those that are sold as both "realtime"&native) are all original.
MAny of them most obviously look similar to the product's of other vendors because they model the same hardware. Again this is completely non-controversial.

[jens]

I got the free MG4+ EQ with the "SKY" band. I recognized it was a knockoff of the Mäag Audio EQ4. But I didn't even consider that it could be the same EQ, just reskinned.

It called "emulation" not knockoff - when UAD do the EXACT same thing, you sing their praise.

Sersiously: How utterly ridiculous of you! Like you have no shame at all.

But really, whether they're reskinning existing plugins

Which they are most obviously not - one must be really pretty pretty dumb to even consider this a posibility.

[...] or just overtly knocking off every existing popular plugin and slapping a premium pricetag on their version, it's pretty shady either way.

Again: they do the exact same as Universal Audio, yet for some reason you praise UA on every possible occassion for it but here you call it "shady". I hereby nominate you for the "Double Standard of the Decade"-awards.

[jamcat]

Like most people, I was completely unaware that Antelope Audio had their own DSP platform. How long has this been going on? I've been aware of Universal Audio's for 25 years.

So that at least makes sense why Antelope Audio is selling versions of some 3rd-party plugins at inflated prices.

However, selling a native-format Mäag Audio rip-off is not the same thing that Universal Audio is doing. Historically, UA has worked with the most esteemed brands to co-develop software versions of their most highly coveted products. There have been a few cases where those brands terminated their licensing agreement, such as Roland, which forced UA to release genericized versions in order to keep selling and supporting those plugins.

That seems a bit different to me than making an unauthorized native copy of Mäag Audio's EQ4, which is already available natively in software form from Mäag Audio, and isn't particularly expensive or unobtainable. That move is more Behringer than UAD. That example aside, on second look, it looks like Antelope Audio is mostly just guilty of unoriginality, plowing the same depleted ground that has been gone over by every other audio developer. Again, though, when Universal Audio was the first to do it 25 years ago, they obtained the license to make a Fairchild, not a Faux-Child or a Puig-Child or a Tube-Child.

But the more important conversion here, Jens, is look at psycho45039's reasoned, measured, and informative response to the same points presented by db3, while yours is, as always, over-the-top hostile and toxic. You even managed to attract a few thumbs up from equally psychologically damaged individuals, because misery loves company. I hope you find some peace and the help you need in the new year.

[psycho45039]

I remember when the DSP craze began. Besides UA you also had TC with the Powercore cards which were based on Motorola DSP similar to Digidesign HD cards at the time. This enabled them to even do ports of synthesizers like the Virus. Waldorf even got on the bandwagon with a vocoder as they all used the same DSP chips. Even SSL jumped in with a DSP card and plugins which is where their native plugins originated. Also if I remember correctly the UA Maag EQ4 is a Brainworx plugin which is how they were allowed to use the Maag name on it. The hardware manufacturers almost all have plugin makers they have deals with so you have to share the wealth to use the name or release model like AA did. If you look at the AA plugins they don't have Neve products they have a BAE 1073. For the most part the AA plugins sound good and I now have the native versions because I have the DSP versions. The DSP versions I received for free as part of a bundle when I purchased my Orion Studio Synergy Core interface a little owe 2 years ago.

[jens]

while yours is, as always, over-the-top hostile and toxic.

Exactly the kind of reply you deserve.

You even managed to attract a few thumbs up from equally psychologically damaged individuals, because misery loves company. I hope you find some peace and the help you need in the new year.

Lol... oh the irony.