KVR Audio

007 · Post by **007** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 11:50 pm

Meanwhile: don't buy another eq.

bmanic · Post by **bmanic** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 11:50 pm

It's currently in PC beta testing. Testing it right now myself. Here is a really short audio demo of subtle spicing that the plugin can do. I took a screen shot of the exact settings I used on the clip. Feel free to download the original one and see what results you guys can get with other eq plugins. I know this little preview isn't a good example but it'll have to do for now.

http://cmt.siba.fi/nisilen/original.wav

http://cmt.siba.fi/nisilen/hydratone.wav

http://cmt.siba.fi/nisilen/settings.jpg

Cheers!
bManic

bmanic · Post by **bmanic** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 11:51 pm

munchkin wrote:Any chance of some before and after examples for us PC users?

Check my example above. I'll add some more radical ones later.

Cheers!
bManic

007 · Post by **007** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 11:55 pm

Oh yes, RTAS is included. I am a Bombfactory fan, but this sounds better.

munchkin · Post by **munchkin** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:03 am

bmanic wrote:It's currently in PC beta testing. Testing it right now myself. Here is a really short audio demo of subtle spicing that the plugin can do. I took a screen shot of the exact settings I used on the clip. Feel free to download the original one and see what results you guys can get with other eq plugins. I know this little preview isn't a good example but it'll have to do for now.

http://cmt.siba.fi/nisilen/original.wav

http://cmt.siba.fi/nisilen/hydratone.wav

http://cmt.siba.fi/nisilen/settings.jpg

Cheers!
bManic

Thanx! Yes, I can hear the difference. It sounds a bit sticky to me. Like some honey's been poured on to it. God knows what that means to anyone else but it's the only way I can describe it. Not unpleasant but certainly different.

I'm not sure whether it improves the sound or not but it sure adds a difference that I've not heard from an EQ before. It's like the sound is going through an old analogue EQ that has seized up a bit due to age. Maybe it needs some WD-40?

Stickiness - that's a new one on me...

munchkin · Post by **munchkin** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:04 am

007 wrote:Meanwhile: don't buy another eq.

Apart from the new Voxengo one.

Z3R0T0N1N · Post by **Z3R0T0N1N** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:09 am

interesting examples there.... I wonder if my ears are shot though, 'cause I didn't really hear any difference

bmanic · Post by **bmanic** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:13 am

munchkin wrote: Thanx! Yes, I can hear the difference. It sounds a bit sticky to me. Like some honey's been poured on to it. God knows what that means to anyone else but it's the only way I can describe it. Not unpleasant but certainly different.

I'm not sure whether it improves the sound or not but it sure adds a difference that I've not heard from an EQ before. It's like the sound is going through an old analogue EQ that has seized up a bit due to age. Maybe it needs some WD-40?

Stickiness - that's a new one on me...

What you are hearing is the FIRE knob. It does slight compression, slight saturation and slight magic.

Here's another example file, this time just pure EQ. No fire effect here at all. This one is a bit more radical as I've boosted the high shelf A LOT to bring out the hihats (note, this example is not meant to sound any 'better' than the original, just showing off the quality of the high shelf).

http://cmt.siba.fi/nisilen/settings2.jpg

http://cmt.siba.fi/nisilen/original2.wav

http://cmt.siba.fi/nisilen/hydratone2.wav

EDIT: just to be fair I have to mention that all eq examples are done in 96khz even though the difference to 44.1khz is very small (there IS a difference for sure but it's much smaller than on most other EQs, probably because of the convolution engine).

Cheers!
bManic

007 · Post by **007** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:18 am

It is a convolution based eq so, heavy on the CPU. More suitable for mastering. As convolution 'solved' the reverb question, so does this with eq. The same kind of difference.

Dr. Feelgood · Post by **Dr. Feelgood** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:20 am

This indeed is an amazing plugin. Convolution based. A PC version is coming soon.

while i most certainly cant wait to hear this myself i am a little hesitating about the fact that it is convolution based.

first of all i assume that will impose a significant latency to the plugin and making it unsuitable for live recording and tracking. Am I correct?

secondly this convolution thing combined with something else i have heard about the tritone plugins (that their controls are in "steps" rather than fluid motion) makes me wonder if they are in fact "just" a collection of static convolution impulses packed in an atractive interface? i would have nothing against that if it sounds good, but then i might concider whether i could find a cheaper solution...like just sample some hardware eq's myself.

i am not trying to slash the tritone plugins!!! I bet they are really good but I would just like to hear your comments on these thoughts.

bmanic · Post by **bmanic** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:21 am

spoonboiler wrote:interesting examples there.... I wonder if my ears are shot though, 'cause I didn't really hear any difference

Yes you better have your ears checked or monitors replaced!

Cheers!
bManic

munchkin · Post by **munchkin** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:21 am

bmanic wrote:
munchkin wrote: Thanx! Yes, I can hear the difference. It sounds a bit sticky to me. Like some honey's been poured on to it. God knows what that means to anyone else but it's the only way I can describe it. Not unpleasant but certainly different.

I'm not sure whether it improves the sound or not but it sure adds a difference that I've not heard from an EQ before. It's like the sound is going through an old analogue EQ that has seized up a bit due to age. Maybe it needs some WD-40?

Stickiness - that's a new one on me...
What you are hearing is the FIRE knob. It does slight compression, slight saturation and slight magic. Here's another example file, this time just pure EQ. No fire effect here at all. This one is a bit more radical as I've boosted the high shelf A LOT to bring out the hihats (note, this example is not meant to sound any 'better' than the original, just showing off the quality of the high shelf).

http://cmt.siba.fi/nisilen/settings2.jpg

http://cmt.siba.fi/nisilen/original2.wav

http://cmt.siba.fi/nisilen/hydratone2.wav

EDIT: just to be fair I have to mention that all eq examples are done in 96khz even though the difference to 44.1khz is very small (there IS a difference for sure but it's much smaller than on most other EQs, probably because of the convolution engine).

Cheers!
bManic

I like the second clip more than the first so the EQ must add something nice. The snare and the hihats stand out more. It seems to add depth to the mix. It's not excessive but slight. It helps drive the loop along a bit more IMO.

007 · Post by **007** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:31 am

Dr. Feelgood,
Yes there is latency, yes the controls are in fluid motion. It can not be compared with a bunch of ir's.
It feels and sounds like a real hardware eq to me, apart of the latency.

bmanic · Post by **bmanic** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:31 am

Try boosting with any other plugin eq high shelf nearly 10dB. I bet that the snare won't sound 'solid' any more!

That's the power of hydratone (and the power of good analogue hardware eq).

Cheers!
bManic

electro · Post by **electro** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:35 am

The Hydratone plug is based on impulses right? Does it do 192Khz?

TritoneDigital.. hydratone, Voxengo and Kjaerhus, Fear it!