Precision Compressor / Limiter now available on T-RackS CS + AAX compatibility

[4damind]

The custom shop thingy is crap, some of the worst move IK makes the last time. I don't like it.

Anyway, the compressor is nice. A bit different to the UAD 33609 but this can have something to do with the different hardware devices they modeled. Not to mention that the UAD 33609 is a bit dated and I expect some optimizations they made because of the limited DSP power of the UAD-1.

IMO the UAD sounds a bit more linear while the IK has bit more bottom-end. I still prefer the UAD but the IK is a good option too.
I think for people without a UAD and with no interest for the Vertigo (which plays IMO in the same ballpark) IK could be another option.

[sorohanro]

If anyone want's an idea how it sounds on dance music but can't be bothered with the whole CS thing yet:

Nice video.

I actually don't mind the CS, for me works well and I can buy just the gear I want/ need instead of some random collections that would have one or two of the things I wanted and the rest just "gather digital dust".

[A.M. Gold]

Yeah, I have to admit, as much as I like the T-Racks processors, I think the whole Custom Shop thing is really awful. I haven't gone so far as to uninstall it yet, but I certainly won't update it or click "Restore my Gear" any more (since that downloads like all 40 or so processors, and I have to re-sort everything, just to get one update), and it's really unlikely that I will buy anything further for T-Racks until I can use it without having to deal with Custom Shop. It's just really unnecessary--I would rather stick with other plugins than deal with it.

Not trying to say you guys (IK) don't make great products, because you do. Just that Custom Shop is... well, it's terrible, and it's a huge inconvenience. Are there any plans to liberate T-Racks from the Custom Shop ever?

I've still never gotten Custom Shop for the T-Racks stuff. There are a gazillion little items for Amplitube and many price points, and a lot of mixing and matching because of stomps, amps, cabs, etc. Amplitube Custom Shop is great, and I think it makes sense and is necessary for such a complicated product if you break it all down. I've also never had any issues except minor glitches with it and will continue to shop there as new things come out.

I never understood why T-Racks needed a "custom shop", though, since there is nothing to customize (singles have been around for a while and I think that was always a better idea than force feeding the bundle to people). It's just virtual rack processors. The whole internet is a "custom shop" for plug-ins if they sell as DL's, which they do 95% of the time. Why not just have sales and demos of T-Racks singles on the regular IK site?

[b15fliptop]

Okay, I'll be the guy who says it. I've been using the IK Custom Shop model since they introduced it for Amplitube, and I've never understood the complaining about it. You download it once, you conveniently buy and try everything through it, and whenever they add new gear, you download it again to get the new stuff. It's 2013, it takes like 2 minutes to download if you're not on dialup. I just don't get what the big hassle is, and I've said it so many times on various forums now that anyone paying attention would probably think I was on the payroll. But I'm not!

Not saying anyone's opinion isn't valid, just trying to offer some balance to the argument.

[Aiynzahev]

Okay, I'll be the guy who says it. I've been using the IK Custom Shop model since they introduced it for Amplitube, and I've never understood the complaining about it. You download it once, you conveniently buy and try everything through it, and whenever they add new gear, you download it again to get the new stuff. It's 2013, it takes like 2 minutes to download if you're not on dialup. I just don't get what the big hassle is, and I've said it so many times on various forums now that anyone paying attention would probably think I was on the payroll. But I'm not!

Not saying anyone's opinion isn't valid, just trying to offer some balance to the argument.

It's like there is one more step that can go wrong. I've had problems with it before and while my ilok stuff or elicencer stuff was working fine I had to take the time to make the CS work just to demo something. It's yet another system to learn (of course it's simple once you know it) It's silly to make people go through the hoops.

That said once you've bought them things you get a VST version right?

[Compyfox]

Is it just me, or does the Neve pump a bit compared to the Glue?

Oh and... what did you use to record/edit the video?

[Aiynzahev]

Is it just me, or does the Neve pump a bit compared to the Glue?

Oh and... what did you use to record/edit the video?

The neve seems to be quite pumpy yes. But it's a matter of taste, I actually liked it. In the end my preference is for the IK bus comp and Neve in serial both in M/S mode. It would destroy regular music but for dance I thought it really opened up the track.

I used Camstudio which is free. I might be able to get a better quality picture with a better codec or something but it recorded the audio in 16-bit 44.1k wave so not bad.

That whole video was only 513mb.

Before my demo runs out I should do a vid on some drums maybe.

[bmanic]

Just had a quick go with the demo of the new 33609 emulation. Yeah, they pretty much nailed it in my opinion. It acts exactly like I remember the hardware reacting and also how I remember the UAD sounding/behaving.

Which makes it a very interesting compressor (at a ridiculously affordable price!) but it's most definitely not a "go-to" compressor. It's very hard to do subtle with this thing. Simply running any audio through it seems to change the signal quite a bit, without any compression going on.. just like the real deal. It's very easy to over compress everything you throw at it.

This makes it a bit tricky to use in a mastering context or any critical bus duties. Just like the UAD version I'd say this one will kick some serious behind on the drum bus as it fattens up pretty much any weak drums you can throw at it.

It's also going to be awesome on any kind of synth bass or real bass signal, accentuating the attack nicely. It's also awesome for giving stuff a "controlled" feel, though it might pump a bit too easily. The auto-release things are also pretty weird and wonky, just like I remember them (you need to fiddle with volume automation if there is any kind of longer pause in the audio track, due to the massive surge in the first transient once the track starts again.. just like the real thing).

I'm a bit bummed they decided to go with the stepped knobs though. What the original lacks is any kind of fine control over how you want to setup the compression. This is of course a compromise that has to be made in hardware (or you'd never be able to match the channels on that damn thing!) but why not do it like Slate Digital did it with their compressors? Hold a modifier key and you get 0.1dB resolution on any of the knobs.

As it is, it's very difficult to A/B it to the original signal.

Also, the T-Racks rack thingy is still such a damn PITA to use. Major turnoff. It still doesn't have any input/output volume calibration forcing me to load up pre and post volume plugins (free-g or reaper's own volume_pan plugin) to properly A/B the thing. Why it hasn't evolved at all over the years is a complete mystery.

It boggles the mind.. and the way they do the parallel slots is ridiculous. Just add wet/dry knobs to the individual effects or slots. Sigh..

So much potential, so frustratingly non-professional workflow.

Anyhow, setting all the negative bits aside. This thing rocks! Well done IK Multimedia!

Cheers!
bManic

[Compyfox]

The neve seems to be quite pumpy yes. But it's a matter of taste, I actually liked it. In the end my preference is for the IK bus comp and Neve in serial both in M/S mode. It would destroy regular music but for dance I thought it really opened up the track.

Thing is, the audio is quite compressed already. So if you go for loudness, I don't think this is the way to go. But YMMV.

I used Camstudio which is free. I might be able to get a better quality picture with a better codec or something but it recorded the audio in 16-bit 44.1k wave so not bad.

That whole video was only 513mb.

Before my demo runs out I should do a vid on some drums maybe.

CamStudio is free, but there is no trial period involved or something. Unless you mean the IKM comp, or a third party codec.

[Aiynzahev]

The neve seems to be quite pumpy yes. But it's a matter of taste, I actually liked it. In the end my preference is for the IK bus comp and Neve in serial both in M/S mode. It would destroy regular music but for dance I thought it really opened up the track.

Thing is, the audio is quite compressed already. So if you go for loudness, I don't think this is the way to go. But YMMV.

I used Camstudio which is free. I might be able to get a better quality picture with a better codec or something but it recorded the audio in 16-bit 44.1k wave so not bad.

That whole video was only 513mb.

Before my demo runs out I should do a vid on some drums maybe.

CamStudio is free, but there is no trial period involved or something. Unless you mean the IKM comp, or a third party codec.

The mix is actually not compressed. There is little compression on this track at all. Just side-chain compression on various elements.

Some of the parts are a little distorted which makes it sound over-compressed. It's a work in progress.

But it's not the ideal content to show off a compressors potential. Usually house of minimal techno can be good for that. I'll see what I can do. The demo period is the IK stuff. It runs out sometime tonight. I don't think I'll get to it in time.

[Aiynzahev]

Sorry guys, really wanted to make you a longer dance music demo with the Neve comp on some different material but I just keep getting errors with Camstudio.

I made 2 really nice ones, kick, snare, bass, whole mix, the lot.

I think this comp is really, really good. I'll be picking it up for sure and that's a big deal for me because it's an NFR plug-in.

I got this done though, just audio:

http://soundcloud.com/aiyn-zahev/ik-precision-comp-test

As you adjust different release settings the volume jumps. It's gets very loud then quiets down. Also the make-up gain is stepped so I can't always match things right, but you can easily hear the compression vs the actual gain.

So you will hear lots of volume jumps then me trying to level match with the new settings.

[4damind]

People should not forget that the Neve 33609 is not a typical compressor for "big compression". Many using this compressor with only very small gain reduction (often not more than 4dB) to glue things together.
There is no sidechain EQ which makes it not the best solution eg. for Drums (I still prefer the Glue for such stuff but the new Slate SSL is working too).

I have not read the manual if the input gain has some impact of the overall sound (I think they modeled the input transformers too?), so it could be a important thing to play a bit with the input gain.
Btw. for this bit of edge on the master bus a good release time is IMO about 800ms with a ratio of 3:1 and only small GR about 3dB.

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

Any renewed interest in the three models that were reduced from 120 to 100 credits each? Those are quite nice modules too.

[A.M. Gold]

Yea, I'll take a serious look at your Ess Ess Ell model now. It's very good. I think it's better than Duende, from the online examples I've heard.

I always liked my UAD 33609 on rock guitar based tracks (subgroups) and mixes. Somehow gave kind of a "classic" sound, even though the original h/w doesn't date back that far (mid or late 70's?).

[Eddie TX]

Any renewed interest in the three models that were reduced from 120 to 100 credits each? Those are quite nice modules too.

What good does it do us to reduce these from 120 to 100 credits? You still have to buy 120 credits to purchase one, as there is no way to buy only 100 credits. More IK gimmickry.

BTW, your website is down again, thus CS doesn't work, thus I couldn't try or buy these plugins right now even if I wanted to.

Cheers,
Eddie