KVR Audio

GFunk · Post by **GFunk** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 9:56 am

Has anyone got any experience of using these?

http://www.rspeaudio.com/No-Brainer-s/2420.htm

As you can see they are on offer at the moment.

sadkin · Post by **sadkin** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 2:07 pm

As a PC guy I haven't used it but I do know that Metric Halo has some well regarded lineage on the MAC side of things. Back in the day, maybe 14 years ago, back when I was a punk kid still using something called PARIS (I know, I know...) I was always curious and very intrigued whenever I would thumb through a Metric Halo review in MIX or Recording mags. The GUI looked sophisticated and esteemed, the reviewers described delight in its use and then there was the eye bulging price tag...yikes.

left me with the longing feeling of, "so that's how the other half live...wow".

In that time so much has changed, evolved and more thankfully - advanced. What was once unique to Metric Halo is no longer so unique...except the high price. They still are trying to be this high society sort of developer...perhaps Flux is in this same category. I read a review this past summer at SOS - check it:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul13/a ... bundle.htm

Sounds like most current DAW's are at a point where they are equaling what metric halo is offering....right out of the box. So I would guess it to be a perfectly polite, native channel strip and IMO overpriced for what it offers compared to what is now available.

Brainworx, Fab Filter, Sonnox ...not to mention your DAW, all covers this ground, they've almost squeezed this old 'Mercedes' out, rendering it...well, kinda 'banal' and not particularly relevant.

So is it any good? Yes, it is good, fine, wont ruin anything. Will it stand the hairs up on the back of your neck like UAD's API Vision channel strip does for me?...highly unlikely.

Eddie TX · Post by **Eddie TX** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 3:28 pm

sadkin wrote:So is it any good? Yes, it is good, fine, wont ruin anything. Will it stand the hairs up on the back of your neck like UAD's API Vision channel strip does for me?...highly unlikely.

That may be so, but did you notice that the MH strip is currently offered at 10% of the price of the API? I'd say that's a no-brainer for sure!

Cheers,
Eddie

sadkin · Post by **sadkin** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 4:06 pm

I have never, ever paid full price for a single UAD plug-in. For example, I bought the Teletronix LA2A collection (often referred to as the mkII) for $49.
...yes, $49.

You are right Eddie, those list prices are jaw dropping but w/UA, It is all about patience, timing and holding on to random coupons they send your way because I am sure they are encouraging you to buy, then waiting for the invariable sale.

Other examples ~
1176 mkII's (list $299) - i paid $79
Fairchild limiter Collection mkII (list $299) - $99, then they threw in the original fairchild...i mean, why not, right?
Helios EQ (list $199) - FREE - one day I opened my email and they just gave it to me.
UA610B channel strip (list $299) - FREE - again, one day I opened my email and they just gave it to me.

I wasn't telling him to go buy into UA, but he asked if the Metric Halo CS was any good. IMO I think it is probably (only) fine, a bit too polite and surgical for my tastes and that he probably doesn't have to buy it if he is running Live 9 or Cubase 7 or whatever. Seemed to me that in this day & age and based on the SOS review, the stock DAW offerings might just equal it.

Eddie TX · Post by **Eddie TX** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 4:27 pm

Wow, those are some good deals you got from UAD! I daresay not everyone gets those ... I certainly never got something like the Helios for free, or a free 610, or the API strip for $79.

They must really like you.

Edit: I see you've removed the price you paid for the API and a few others, so never mind about that. Lowest price I've ever seen for it is $249.

Anyway, I do think the MH strip is worth $30, but it's always good to demo against what you've got before making a purchase. Have fun!

Cheers,
Eddie

PALU · Post by **PALU** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 5:02 pm

GFunk wrote:Has anyone got any experience of using these?

http://www.rspeaudio.com/No-Brainer-s/2420.htm

As you can see they are on offer at the moment.

There is a demo that you can check out yourself. I was tempted by this offer, but after testing the demo I've didn't find anything THAT interesting in Channel Strip.

The Gate was the only thing standing out - it works nice and in musical way. The Compressor was not in my style.

Check it out and see if it sounds right to you and if it fits your workflow. For me it wasn't any of these factors.

sadkin · Post by **sadkin** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 5:48 pm

Eddie TX wrote:Wow, those are some good deals you got from UAD! I daresay not everyone gets those ... I certainly never got something like the Helios for free, or a free 610, or the API strip for $79. They must really like you.

Edit: I see you've removed the price you paid for the API and a few others, so never mind about that. Lowest price I've ever seen for it is $249.

Anyway, I do think the MH strip is worth $30, but it's always good to demo against what you've got before making a purchase. Have fun!

Cheers,
Eddie

Eddie TX wrote: Edit: I see you've removed the price you paid for the API and a few others, so never mind about that. Lowest price I've ever seen for it is $249.

I still stand behind ALL those purchases at those prices. After my initial post, I just felt listing ALL the plug-in purchases was a tad gratuitous. Afterward I felt that I had said what I needed to say even with a shorter list of plug-in purchases so I quickly moved to truncate my response. But yes, as part of a bundle ~ API for under $100.

A patient and prudent shopper can reveal that deals can be had. Also, patronizing off topic debates can quickly unfurl but I digress, 'szalonykp' has corroborated some impressions I had with the OP inquiry.

chokehold · Post by **chokehold** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 6:16 pm

@Metric Halo Channel Strip: I have it and I love it.

It looks fugly (methinks) and I tend to go for single-module plugins (single comp, single EQ, etc.) because I'm usually after a certain sound or characteristic. But as a generic all-in-one channel strip solution, I like this best of the three "big native ones" (this one, Waves SSL, WaveArts).

There is iZotope Alloy, which has great dynamics, saturation and EQ modules, but regarding workflow I prefer the classic "everything in sight" layout, so I'm not counting Alloy here.

If you're after a decent channel strip and you don't mind the iLokery - get it.

EDIT:
The MH has a limiter on board, which makes it very easy to tame jumpy signals without additional plugins, and it has several switchable compressor characteristics.

Waves SSL has no limiter and to switch sound characteristics, you'd have to switch plugins. (E vs G channel)

I think the WaveArts has different compressor characteristics, at least Vintage and Modern, but the interface is just way too cluttered with things I don't need and so compact that everything's sitting right on top of something else.

Alloy looks more modern and has some really nice sounding processors on board, but it's somehow too fiddly for me. Constantly switching tabs and pages and flashing bypass buttons and alll that.

So out of all those, even if it doesn't look too impressive, I think the MH offers the best compromise.

Tricky-Loops · Post by **Tricky-Loops** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 6:36 pm

Good plugins but keep in mind that they only sell AAX and AudioUnits versions, so you can only use them in Pro Tools or with a Mac.

Compyfox · Post by **Compyfox** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 7:45 pm

Tricky-Loops wrote:Good plugins but keep in mind that they only sell AAX and AudioUnits versions, so you can only use them in Pro Tools or with a Mac.

This is a detail that I overlooked. Thanks for that.

Then again... since RSPE now seems to be the former AudioMIDI.com - does that mean, that we can now buy from all over the world, with PayPal? This was a definite restriction before (and they only sent out private links as exception). In case another NoBrainer is popping up.

But dammit, if this would be available as VST, I'd get it. Channel strips with 6band full parametric EQ's, gate/comp/limiter combo are rate these days. Especially if they are low on CPU usage.

GFunk · Post by **GFunk** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 8:00 pm

Tricky-Loops wrote:Good plugins but keep in mind that they only sell AAX and AudioUnits versions, so you can only use them in Pro Tools or with a Mac.

And me

I guess this rules this one out

murnau · Post by **murnau** » Fri Apr 04, 2014 8:10 pm

really? metric halo never ever released a single VST since 15 years or so..

realmarco · Post by **realmarco** » Sat Apr 05, 2014 1:28 am

http://mhsecure.com/metric_halo/product ... demos.html

murnau · Post by **murnau** » Sat Apr 05, 2014 6:54 am

sorry to be vague: i meant VST for Windows OS.

i add: "Make a Win version of your Plugins Please"

ClubHo · Post by **ClubHo** » Sat Sep 27, 2014 3:47 am

I think they have the VST version out now.

http://mhsecure.com/metric_halo/product ... undle.html

Metric halo Channel Strip any good?