ReaPlugs -- some free Windows VST plug-ins

[brok landers]

I'm lovin' this Reacomp! Very nice compressor! These will be for sale when?

I haven't read the whole thread, but $100 says that Brok asked for a brickwall limiter at the end of the chain. I agree: this plugin tends to clip in auto-gain compensate mode.

[brok landers]

eh? noone? deadbeef?

Brok Landers, do you know Chest Rockwell?

no, who is it? i bet this is some kind of a "brok flame" ...

[sinkmusic]

- I know it is not logical, but to me, a generic UI = a generic sound. I can't put together a sound, a bunch of features and a look, i can only rely on the name. And when you have a big list of plugins, i never know / can remember the one i have to choose (you know, a NordLead, it is "that red thing"... It doesn't make it sound better, but you pay attention to it, and remember more easily what it can do).
Another example, with VSTI : there are plenty of VA vst all around. When i see "another vintage analogue synth made in SE with generic SE interface", i don't even bother to try. But when i see http://www.northernbeat.com/temp/daedalus_preview.png, even if it is also a VA, and done into SE, it makes me salivating. And i think it is the same with guitars, houses, cars, hardware racks, etc. Same with what Grymmjack did with Oatmeal synth : it gave me more desire to use it, and i use it more. ANd it made the GUI more easy to read, so it made the plugin more easy to use.


- One thing really missing to me (as i posted some minutes ago on the Reaper thread about limiters), is more vumeters : visual feedback for both input level, output level, and reduction level. I know i have to "mix with my ears", but it gives me a better impression to have a more accurate control on what's happeninng, and in the case of compression, it can keep me far from "louder is better" if i see the reduction curve getteing crazy.


I don't really ask for facy stuff, just maybe a background's color, so i could remember if i like to use "the black comp" better than "the pink one"

[brok landers]

indeed, sinkmusic is not so wrong with his request-explanation ... a sweet gui can just make you wanting to use a certain plugin more ... though i have mixed feelings about guis ...
generally, on this particular plugin, i like exactly how it behaves/responds to what you do ... if that is _not_ changed by adding a decent gui (allthough it already has one, it's not the host's internal one), i'm all for a nice vintage gui ... guiwise i really like the bluetubes stuff ... if they'd only sound like they look ...
with the reaplugs (especially the gate and the compressor) it's exactly the opposite:
they sound incredible, the behave/response of the gui is just great ... i can live without a new gui on these without any problem ... but, it sure would be the ice on the cake if someone would do a gui the plugins deserve, i.e. if they'd look how they sound, too ...
and:

if the brickwall limiter i was requesting actually takes place! (i won't let go on this, deadbeef ) ... the compressor just sounds too great!

[kilroy]

...i can live without a new gui on these without any problem ... but, it sure would be the ice on the cake if someone would do a gui the plugins deserve, i.e. if they'd look how they sound, too ...

But brok, mate...to my ears so far, this compressor does sound alot like it looks.

Clean, precise and technical.

[brok landers]

eh? you think it sounds clean and technical? hmmm ... i find it to sound very analog-vca-ish, has a lot of colour if you ask me (i.e. the waves c1 sounds very clean and technical to me, i hate it) ... i can get exact the sound out of reacomp i want i.e. on drums, exept the limiter, i miss thatone, though i still hope deadbeef jumping in and saying "it's on the way ) ...
on the precise-thing:
i agree on thatone ...
but actually i like that a lot ..
i like, that, when i dial something in, the exact expected result comes out, so it does exactly what i want ...
no fishing in the dark, having to expect a surprise by trial and error ...
well, different ears, different hearing, i guess ...

[kilroy]

Well, I certainly won't say this compressor does not have *some* character, but so far, I see its primary strength being in the more technical department.

Wow, though brok...you don't think this thing can be clean? When I say clean, I am thinking of "transparent", or maybe smooth is a better word.



One thing I will say, this compressor can be shaped in many ways. There is *alot* of control here.

[kilroy]

And while I'm on about it...I might humbly suggest implementing a sweepable "band reduction" filter with adjustable gain into the detector side chain. This prevents the detector from "seeing" as strong a signal presence in a certain band of frequencies in the detection pass band. It would add some extra utility and tone contouring capabilities.

This is useful if, for example, you wish to prevent some prominent transient element from keying the compressor, but otherwise wish to texture the remaining material in a normal manner.

[brok landers]

When I say clean, I am thinking of "transparent", or maybe smooth is a better word.

well, now i agree ... smooth hits the nail, imo ... though it can get very punchy, if you leave the attack a bit open and use a lowpass for detecting only lower frquencies ... that really makes it snappy on snares or drumloops ... i love that ...

[brok landers]

And while I'm on about it...I might humbly suggest implementing a sweepable "band reduction" filter with adjustable gain into the detector side chain. This prevents the detector from "seeing" as strong a signal presence in a certain band of frequencies in the detection pass band. It would add some extra utility and tone contouring capabilities.

This is useful if, for example, you wish to prevent some prominent transient element from keying the compressor, but otherwise wish to texture the remaining material in a normal manner.

seconded.
also not only the gain should be adjustable, but the bandwidth (just like it is now with the high/lowpass combi), too, to reach the exact frequency range to surpass the compressor-detection ...

[bduffy]

I found this to be a quite transparent-sounding compressor, although I was testing with careful, more conservative settings. I agree it sounds like it looks (again, reminds me of Sonic Foundry/Sony), which is good; very to-the-point.

[whyterabbyt]

I answered the way I did because i was just being a dickhead, as I always do when reaper subjects come up

Thats about the size of it, fuckwit.

[wakax]

the compressor is really good.
could be the best free compressor around ...

[politcat]

answered the way I did because it was plain to see you were just being a dickhead, as you always do when reaper subjects come up

[whyterabbyt]

blah

My version sticks to the facts more accurately.