Is Powercore Master X3 any good?

[tombuur]

I have read a lot of threads here and come to the conclusion that I need to get a UAD-1, more or less the studio pak. However, a single card probably will make me run out of resources too quickly. So I consider adding a Powercore. As far as I can see from posts it has better reverbs. Also, I can get a used PoCo PCI with Master X3, and UAD-1 has no multiband compressor for mastering.

My question is whether that X3 is any good. Is it worth like $125? If not I might just buy I new PoCo Element without it. Perhaps add a X5 at $250 or so? Or even a native plug-in of some sort. What do you guys use?

Please, post while we sleep over here in Europe. I will come back and read when I wake up.

[Scot Solida]

I use the X3 all the time. It gives me the same results that I got from the Finalizer in the pro studio. An excellent plug, worth the cost of a Powercore by itself.

[jdg]

scot, you sure can hurt my bank acount with your recommendations.

[Scot Solida]

scot, you sure can hurt my bank acount with your recommendations.

So I probably shouldn't tell you about the Oxford EQ and adaptive mulitband EQs and compressors in Kyma?

Seriously, though, Powercore is a no-brainer. The price of these kinds of tools in their original hardware boxes would amount to some folks' yearly salary. You can have 'em all for few hundred bucks!

[original flipper]

HI

Soon to be availible is the "UAD-1 Ultra Pak" - this will have ALL the UAD plug-ins and cost just over a $1,000 bux - it might be worth looking at.

I have a poco and think the X3/5 does a nice job, if you want more level there is also the Sony Inflator.

I have to say that the Virus synth is ASTOUNDING - if you use soft synths this is an essential purchase, I ordered it within seconds of hearing the demo!

Flipper.

[jdg]

KYMAAAAAAA DAMMIT U

[tombuur]

Sound like I should go for that deal. You can't buy a new Powercore PCI anymore, only the Element without X3. I can get a used PoCo PCI at about 3/4 of the price of a new Element. But if X3 is worth the whole price of a PoCo then the second hand deal is worth about 175% of the value of a new Element without X3.

Do you own math. The point is, if I am not gonna use X3 for mastering, then I'd rather pay those 33% more for new card.

[Alan]

As far as I can see from posts it has better reverbs.

Well,that was before UAD released their Plate 140($149.00),but then recently TC countered with the equivalent to their TC 3000($649.00).Although GC has a blowout this month(Jan)on the Element($319.00),I'd say you have to pay way more in 3rd party for quality in the end with the Element as opossed to UAD where most extra plugs average $149.00,and even then,is there an EQ or comp equivalent to the Pultec/La2a/1176/Precision EQ apart from the ultra expensive 3rd party Oxford plugs? Iv'e been going back and forth myself between the 2 cards and from what Iv'e heard with my ears UAD seems to win on all counts.Sorry to throw a wrench in the gears.

[ericj23]

the problem is to get all those lovely plugs you have to buy the studio pak - for that money the original poster can buy the second hand pci and the sony eq and compressor - then i'm afriad the poco comes with the best eq, compressor and reverbs (after all who wants a plate on everything - this isnt the 1950's you know)


still i'm sure thay are both good - and the master x3 is a useful finaliser -

[AndrewSimon]

The plate emt-140 is priceless.

[tombuur]

Just to clarify. I AM getting the UAD-1 project. That gives me LA-A2 on registering. I will then buy 1176LN, Fairchild, Cambridge and Pultec Pro. Why not studio pak then? Because we pay a lot of sales tax over here, but I can buy plugs from the UA site at American prices once I have a card. In Denmark the price difference is $680 between project and studio pak. That can buy you 4 1/2 plugs.

Now, one card probably won't cover processing needs. So the question is: One more UAD, Poco or even some native plugs? I can get a used PoCo PCI which also has the X3 and hopefully reverb so I don't need Dreamverb or Plate?

[Alan]

the original poster can buy the second hand pci and the sony eq and compressor - then i'm afriad the poco comes with the best eq, compressor and reverbs

I would say the Sony is the best transparent EQ and not neccessarily the best EQ,and the comp is rather average compared to UAD's offerings,and all at an outrageously high seperate price(check out Sony's prices).Reverb? I'll say the Poco has the advantage if you leave out UAD's Plate 140,but not much over freely avalible convolution if at all.My solution is to get the Studio Pack with the Plate 140 and and use convolution for most other needs.I can't really justify TC's prices v/s quality anymore,including what they charge extra for the Master-X 5($249.00)US.

[ericj23]

the thing you may not have been aware of is tc sell through retailers - you can buy tc plugs a lot cheaper than list - jrrshop is the place to go - mention your from here and get a furhter 10% discount and he will web-deliver if your worried about taxes

the sony comp is just different to the uad stuff - it's just very transparent again - it's no vintage warmer - but hell it isnt 1970

but be clear if the space echo is even vaguley good i'm getting a uad - but my advice is if someone is offering a cheap poco go for it - the basic plugs are very good - particulalry the reverb

and the massive advantage over convolution is that you get reverb tails that alter and you have contorl over many more parameters - but if you can find an impulse that fits your needs it will defintely sound better

[klagga]

Have you tried stuff from Voxengo?

I was earlier into buying UAD and Powercore, but after having tried Voxengos products and listened to opinions by those who have tried both Voxengo and DSP-cards, I came to the conclusion that Voxengo has more flexible and better priced products than both UAD and Powercore. And the quality from Voxengo is on par with both of the cards, it´s just a matter of taste what you choose.

There are those who find that the Voxengo Crunchessor, Soniformer, Polysquasher and Elephant take care of every compressor/limiter need you´ll ever have, and for EQing the Gliss and Curve do the same. If you want reverb, you have Pristine space. All these plugins for a fraction of the price of a UAD.

Also, if buying a UAD or a Powercore, you´ll inevitable be locked to a PCI-card, a dongle in itself, that probably will be out-of-date in just a year or two. (Powercore has the option of firewire, but that is also a form of a dongle.)

As I said, I was into buying both UAD and Powercore, but now I´ve changed my mind.

[SOLA]

The TC Powercore is a super DSP card but the optional plug-ins are more expensive than the ones for the UAD-1. I miss only a multiband compressor for the UAD-1. The Cambridge EQ is almost like the Oxford EQ from Sony. There are just little differences but the Oxford EQ costs more than the double of the price of the Cambridge EQ. MD3 costs about 1000 dollars for the TC Powercore. Ok. That´s the best multiband dynamic effect you can get for this card but it is too expensive. Instead of buying one MD3 I prefer to buy a native multiband compressor and the Precision limiter for the UAD-1. If I had not an UAD-1 and if I had the choice between an UAD-1 Studio-Pak and a TC Powercore Compact than I would buy an UAD-1 Studio-Pak because you get all necessary good plug-ins you need without only a multiband compressor and the Precision limiter.