DMG Warmth & TrackWarmth (not out yet)
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- KVRian
- 888 posts since 22 Jan, 2022
I really like the functions and quality of DMG plugins, but the UIs really bother me. I definitely prefer modern interfaces over skeuomorphic analog designs, but I find the dark print against deep black backgrounds very hard to look at over time. Nitpicking I know.
The tools remind me of the new Brainworx plugins where I recognize that they're really good, but typically find there's a better plugin for any given purpose. And then there's the premium pricing. I respect the company and tools they produce, but the products are just not for me.
So far as a new saturation plugin goes, is there a market need for another one of these? Do I need a perfectly modeled germanium diode 1N34A on a track that's buried in a 48 channel mix? Can it really beat True Iron for sound, or Spectre's ease of use for band-limited saturation? Hard to bring something new to the table with all the quality competition these days, but I hope they release something novel and interesting.
The tools remind me of the new Brainworx plugins where I recognize that they're really good, but typically find there's a better plugin for any given purpose. And then there's the premium pricing. I respect the company and tools they produce, but the products are just not for me.
So far as a new saturation plugin goes, is there a market need for another one of these? Do I need a perfectly modeled germanium diode 1N34A on a track that's buried in a 48 channel mix? Can it really beat True Iron for sound, or Spectre's ease of use for band-limited saturation? Hard to bring something new to the table with all the quality competition these days, but I hope they release something novel and interesting.
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vitocorleone123 vitocorleone123 https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=333504
- KVRAF
- 2494 posts since 30 Jun, 2014 from Pacific NW
You found a use for True Iron? Huh. Interesting.
You think Brainworx plugins are really good? Also interesting.
Yes, there’s definitely space for something like this from DMG.
You think Brainworx plugins are really good? Also interesting.
Yes, there’s definitely space for something like this from DMG.
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- KVRist
- 250 posts since 13 Oct, 2018
I'm pretty sure TrackWarmth would be great, but to me Silver Bullet or HG-2 are also great plugins and you can buy through Plugin Alliance (not Brainworx, but you know what I mean...).vitocorleone123 wrote: Sat Jul 05, 2025 4:29 am You found a use for True Iron? Huh. Interesting.
You think Brainworx plugins are really good? Also interesting.
Yes, there’s definitely space for something like this from DMG.
It depends how TrackWarmth would be implemented. For now it doesn't exist so we can only imagine it.
I'm the same sucker as anybody else, so of course (whatever I said previously) if DMG Audio release TrackWarmth I could be tempted to buy it (even if I've got dozens of saturation plugins). But it's late to enter the game and the market is truly crowded.
And they need to update their plugins and come back to maintenance mode first (IMHO)...
- KVRist
- 475 posts since 26 Jun, 2024
I like HG-2 and I have both the regular and the MS version. What I mean is: I like the sound. What I hate is the operation where I have to continiously gain stage 3 serperate dials with my mouse whenever I want more/less pentode/diode.Calagan wrote: Sat Jul 05, 2025 7:11 am I'm pretty sure TrackWarmth would be great, but to me Silver Bullet or HG-2 are also great plugins and you can buy through Plugin Alliance.
It's a plugin.. why not use that to make it easier than the hardware since we can't operate a plugin with our fingers and both hands..
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- KVRist
- 250 posts since 13 Oct, 2018
yep, completely agree. It's typical Plugin Alliance : when they emulate some hardware, they copy the physical aspect in plugin land, without taking in consideration the fact that a plugin is not like a hardware gear (we don't use 2 mouses, we can fold L/R panel if stereo linked, we don't need so much space for screws or wood panels... etc.)Morty-C-137 wrote: Sat Jul 05, 2025 7:19 amI like HG-2 and I have both the regular and the MS version. What I mean is: I like the sound. What I hate is the operation where I have to continiously gain stage 3 serperate dials with my mouse whenever I want more/less pentode/diode.Calagan wrote: Sat Jul 05, 2025 7:11 am I'm pretty sure TrackWarmth would be great, but to me Silver Bullet or HG-2 are also great plugins and you can buy through Plugin Alliance.
It's a plugin.. why not use that to make it easier than the hardware since we can't operate a plugin with our fingers and both hands..
The worst PA plugin regarding this aspect is Lisa. It sounds good but it's an absurd GUI and the result is it's so difficult to use I neve use it (and the CPU use is huge)...
But TrackComp has sometimes the opposite problem : I find most models very easy to set, with this "proud to be digital GUI", but the LA2A to me is more difficult to set than the competition with their "like the hardware" GUI. The UAD (for exemple) is basically two knobs : compression and gain compensation (and few little adds, like mix knob or frequency sensibility). So It makes sense to reproduce the hardware because there's not much to tweak.
In TrackComp the LA2A is too complex, with the input gain, the threshold, the attack and release (I'm never satisfied with my attack/release settings) and doesn't reproduce the vibe of the original hardware when tweaking. Even if it sounds good, I rarely use it because of that...
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- KVRian
- 888 posts since 22 Jan, 2022
Yes. I like it because it's more 'fuzzy' than 'gritty' (PA's BBs) IMO. Great for broadband saturation on summing busses. Use a stereo splitter on a buss, load an instance into each side, and dial in different saturations. Pure magic.
Yes, I think BX plugins are 'good'. Well made. I could make great mixes/masters with them. But they are not 'elite'. I feel the same way about DMG. I would actually put DMG a cut above BX in terms of features. A cut below in UI aesthetic.vitocorleone123 wrote: Sat Jul 05, 2025 4:29 am You think Brainworx plugins are really good? Also interesting.
But there's no DMG plugin that I use over some other plugin for most use cases. There are rare occasions where I prefer Limitless over Pro-L because it has this 'smeary' sound that just works amazing on some things, but those are mostly edge cases. All my other DMG plugins mostly collect dust.
Last edited by billinder33 on Sun Jul 06, 2025 3:03 am, edited 7 times in total.
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- KVRian
- 888 posts since 22 Jan, 2022
Duple
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- KVRian
- 724 posts since 15 Feb, 2012 from France
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- KVRAF
- 1796 posts since 4 Sep, 2011 from England
I hope its got a massive spice modeled neve transformer. Would be great if Dave added some saturations to Fab Filter Saturn that thing should be modular and open to third parties.
- KVRist
- 206 posts since 31 Mar, 2025
thx for compassion and equilibrium...best plugins ever
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- KVRist
- 124 posts since 4 Nov, 2005
dave is great and his stuff sounds fantastic. But I can't look at those interfaces and accomplish anything. i'm not ashamed to admit that I'm in senior years now and my eyes just can't stand that. I like clean interfaces that can be resized where I want them to be. and yes TrackComp resizes just fine, but too many dark elements.
and I also agree with Calagan above. LA2A is great because of its simplicity. TrackComp just makes it hard for me as well. I have hardware and UAD that covers my LA2 needs just fine.
and one more old man rant! I'm over saturation plugins. done, finis, fork it, sayonara, au revoir, adios.
and I also agree with Calagan above. LA2A is great because of its simplicity. TrackComp just makes it hard for me as well. I have hardware and UAD that covers my LA2 needs just fine.
and one more old man rant! I'm over saturation plugins. done, finis, fork it, sayonara, au revoir, adios.
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- KVRist
- 420 posts since 6 Apr, 2014
Compassion doesn't resize at all, and that makes it completely unusable for me, for similar reasons.Seaside Music wrote: Fri Sep 05, 2025 6:23 am dave is great and his stuff sounds fantastic. But I can't look at those interfaces and accomplish anything. i'm not ashamed to admit that I'm in senior years now and my eyes just can't stand that. I like clean interfaces that can be resized where I want them to be. and yes TrackComp resizes just fine, but too many dark elements.
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- KVRian
- 888 posts since 22 Jan, 2022
Great interview, really smart guy. Did great work on Serum2. I hope he brings over some of Serum's UI aesthetics to DMGs platform.hey212 wrote: Wed Sep 03, 2025 1:59 pm This whole interview is brilliant, but he also talks about Warmth about 54 minutes in.
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- KVRian
- 698 posts since 9 Dec, 2021
Tweak the LA2A to your liking and save it at default state (built in), then you will never have to tweak it ever again. Just threshold and makeup.Seaside Music wrote: Fri Sep 05, 2025 6:23 am dave is great and his stuff sounds fantastic. But I can't look at those interfaces and accomplish anything. i'm not ashamed to admit that I'm in senior years now and my eyes just can't stand that. I like clean interfaces that can be resized where I want them to be. and yes TrackComp resizes just fine, but too many dark elements.
and I also agree with Calagan above. LA2A is great because of its simplicity. TrackComp just makes it hard for me as well. I have hardware and UAD that covers my LA2 needs just fine.
and one more old man rant! I'm over saturation plugins. done, finis, fork it, sayonara, au revoir, adios.
