What plugin 2 turn a sleeping pill into a warrior?
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- KVRAF
- 2452 posts since 1 Jul, 2021
Especially drums, bass and vocals often need some plugin to either make them more aggressive, more upfront or add more energy.
On drums the old Waves API 2500 still the best choice for me after so many years, either on drum bus or parallel track
Bass some LA3a with saturation for instance PSP Saturator work best for me and RBass is maybe one of the best plugins ever developed, don't need it each time, though.
BSS DPR 402 sometimes is the better choice on bass and drums, maybe one of the most unseen or underrated plugins.
Vocals, on my voice LA3a is the best choice, sometimes ReaComp, rarely a distressor emu when it needs to be very agressive.
On voice and bass guitar always some pultec eq for dipping and also boosting
For glueing on bus still The Glue makes the best job after so many years, sometimes Kotelnikov.
Sometimes no compression at all is needed, though. Compressors and reverbs are overrated imo, manual volume automation/ corrections instead of compressor, a good delay instead of 100 reverbs.
Even though I have Fabfilter ProQ, I prefer ReaEq for clinical eq and whenever I would need dynamic eq (rarely) I prefer NovaEQ over ProQ;
the reason is I get good results faster than with Fabfilter.
It is pretty interesting to see that so very old plugins still do the best job for me, I could say that most plugins I bought in addition were waste of money, but that's ok, I don't regret.
What do you use?
On drums the old Waves API 2500 still the best choice for me after so many years, either on drum bus or parallel track
Bass some LA3a with saturation for instance PSP Saturator work best for me and RBass is maybe one of the best plugins ever developed, don't need it each time, though.
BSS DPR 402 sometimes is the better choice on bass and drums, maybe one of the most unseen or underrated plugins.
Vocals, on my voice LA3a is the best choice, sometimes ReaComp, rarely a distressor emu when it needs to be very agressive.
On voice and bass guitar always some pultec eq for dipping and also boosting
For glueing on bus still The Glue makes the best job after so many years, sometimes Kotelnikov.
Sometimes no compression at all is needed, though. Compressors and reverbs are overrated imo, manual volume automation/ corrections instead of compressor, a good delay instead of 100 reverbs.
Even though I have Fabfilter ProQ, I prefer ReaEq for clinical eq and whenever I would need dynamic eq (rarely) I prefer NovaEQ over ProQ;
the reason is I get good results faster than with Fabfilter.
It is pretty interesting to see that so very old plugins still do the best job for me, I could say that most plugins I bought in addition were waste of money, but that's ok, I don't regret.
What do you use?
- KVRist
- 206 posts since 31 Mar, 2025
All the fabfilter /dmgaudio i own for clean results and then rooar ( ableton).
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- KVRAF
- 1894 posts since 9 Jul, 2014 from UK
This must qualify as the most rambling nonsensical opening question for a topic ever. Imo. 
I wonder what happens if I press this button...
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- KVRian
- 623 posts since 8 Dec, 2025
Theoretically someone could make a plugin that makes people so angry they turn from sleeping pills into warriors. Like an AI agent plugin that uploads all your sensitive data to the web and then wipes your entire system afterwards.
- KVRAF
- 10135 posts since 16 Dec, 2002
Check out the Silver Bullet Mk2
- KVRer
- 20 posts since 10 Oct, 2019
ReaEq gets way more use than Pro-Q 4 here. It is just so fast to dial in the frequencies and get the job done + it has unlimited bands. If it would have steeper hipass and lopass filters and autogain compensation (and the frequency spectrum would be open fully with the controls open at the same time) it would be pretty much the fastest EQ to use for any and all EQ tasks.
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- KVRist
- 414 posts since 26 May, 2018
I quite like ReaEq, but I like ZL Equaliser (1 or 2) better just because it also has dynamic features built in and you also have the option to use steeper filters (also for the peaking filters, it changes their shape and selectivity). ReaEq also suffers from cramping, although it's nowhere near as big as an issue as some people make it appear (and sometimes cramped filters are actually "better"! Sometimes you don't want to add air).
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- KVRian
- 888 posts since 22 Jan, 2022
In loud music, if your kick and snare are weak everything else dies right there. A tanh (Inflator) soft clip followed by a hard clipper on K&S can get you some massive aggression that didn't exist before. Most other reasonably designed instruments - hats, vox, synths, etc. can be mixed right into a hot kick & snare without issue.
For the non-drum instruments, a dose of Spectre targeted at the right frequency range can be magic.
For the non-drum instruments, a dose of Spectre targeted at the right frequency range can be magic.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2452 posts since 1 Jul, 2021
It is interesting to see, PA and AA plugins are generally not mentioned any more so often, I remember they were hyped so much about 6 years ago, whereas Waves, I know there are haters, but when I look how old some of their plugins are and especially their Renaissance plugins still one of the best ones, well...
ReaEq is also good, cuz light on cpu, it loads fast, no distractions because of too many options, it does what you expect an eq to do.
ReaEq is also good, cuz light on cpu, it loads fast, no distractions because of too many options, it does what you expect an eq to do.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2452 posts since 1 Jul, 2021
First I thought, interesting suggestion, let's check.
Then I saw it's PA haha
It won't happen I will ever buy some PA plugin again, but on the other hand, never say never.. let's see if PA will still exist in 2 years...
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- KVRian
- 623 posts since 8 Dec, 2025
It's sad that they didn't release updated VST versions with proper support for samplerates higher than 44,1 kHz and with additional filter slopes. It could be such a great EQ.DCrown wrote: Sun Mar 01, 2026 8:25 pm ReaEq is also good, cuz light on cpu, it loads fast, no distractions because of too many options, it does what you expect an eq to do.
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- KVRist
- 470 posts since 2 May, 2015
So, will you mock everyone who gives you a valid answer to your question? Maybe you should add the brands you don't want to hear anything about.DCrown wrote: Sun Mar 01, 2026 8:30 pmFirst I thought, interesting suggestion, let's check.
Then I saw it's PA haha
It won't happen I will ever buy some PA plugin again, but on the other hand, never say never.. let's see if PA will still exist in 2 years...
Louder than Liftoff - Silver Bullet Mk2 is programmed by Unfiltered Audio
Also available at:
https://louderthanliftoff.com/products/ ... mk2-plugin
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 2452 posts since 1 Jul, 2021
I was kinda shocked to be directed to PA, cuz I never go there for a reason.AGIGA wrote: Sun Mar 01, 2026 10:43 pmSo, will you mock everyone who gives you a valid answer to your question? Maybe you should add the brands you don't want to hear anything about.DCrown wrote: Sun Mar 01, 2026 8:30 pmFirst I thought, interesting suggestion, let's check.
Then I saw it's PA haha
It won't happen I will ever buy some PA plugin again, but on the other hand, never say never.. let's see if PA will still exist in 2 years...
Louder than Liftoff - Silver Bullet Mk2 is programmed by Unfiltered Audio
Also available at:
https://louderthanliftoff.com/products/ ... mk2-plugin
I had a one year PA subscription, so I know exactly what I am talking about.
You might have devs you like and devs you more or less just ignore, I don't care about Softube, Arturia, PA and AA products any more, their products just aren't for me. Wouldn't download and install one of their products, even if they were all for free.
You will hardly find a dev offering as many very bad plugins as PA (yes and I do know PA is an alliance of different devs). They are not for me, there are hundreds of better choices for almost every PA plugin, anyway imo PA's future doesn't look bright imo. Transfer your money to PA if you like PA products, they even offered PayPal payment as far as I remember. Ever heard of freedom of speech or are you posting from ShuttaUpb4Talkeen? Imagine there are people who could have a completely different view and opinion than you, just try imagining, even though in your world everyone might always agree with you, I know it's hard, just try!
Oh, you re- post a link, kinda free PA promotion.
Wait, I am going to post a link, too, to make you buy your first good plugin
https://www.waves.com/plugins/scheps-omni-channel
Thank me later.
