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Desk

Mastering Plugin by Airwindows
MyKVRFAVORITE17WANT8
Desk by Airwindows is a Virtual Effect Audio Plugin for macOS and Windows. It functions as a VST Plugin and an Audio Units Plugin.
Product
Version
1.0
Product
Version
3.0
Effect
Formats
My KVR - Groups, Versions, & More
47 KVR members have added Desk to 21 My KVR groups 49 times.
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KVR Rank

Overall: 5411   4189   5126

30-Day: 4483; 7-Day: 3031; Yesterday: 1758

Desk takes the original 'Desk' plugins to a new level. Unique modes of analog overload give the ultimate dial-a-warm. The ultimate Airwindows saturation yet, and 96K ready.

Desk3 works really well as two things- as a 'generic analog console sound' with a really slick fat overdrive that can run 96K where BussColors can't, and as a 'internal mixer stage'. If you wanted to take BussColors (which already imitates a large format analog console exactly) and say, now let us model the wiring harness or longer mic cables or lower the power to the whole console, Desk3 is capable of making those kinds of adjustments, either on the 2-buss or on individual channels or busses (including busses you weren't including BussColors instances on).

The Overdrive control is what you'd think it is, but Airwindows style—articulate and fluid beyond what most software can do, thanks to the very latest generation of anti-aliasing algorithms. Push it to see what the tone is, then dial it back to use as a subtle enhancement. There is no 'clip point' to it, it's one continuous curve whatever the setting, so don't go too saturated by mistake expecting to hear a clipping edge appear—it won't.

The Hi Choke control is unique to Desk3. Go ahead and push it, but you'll be happiest if you keep this one subtle too. It breaks up in a really unusual way that might be good on snares, but it too is best used as a subtle tone shaper, as the original Desk plugins used it. It's just that now you can abuse it if you wanted.

Power Sag has two controls, Power Sag and Frequency. You can crank Power Sag to the max to hear where it's hitting, but then back it off to add dimension and articulation to your sounds in many interesting ways. It basically acts like an analog power supply crapping out, but over a range broader than you'd ever see in real analog gear. Very low values give the SSL haze, very high values do things to the bass. Experimenting is the key here, and you can always keep it extreme if you hit on something that really works:)

Latest User Reviews

Average user rating of 5.00 from 1 review
Desk

Reviewed By Barry Hufker [all]
May 5th, 2020
Version reviewed: 3 on Mac

Chris Johnson's plugins are always effective and unique. Desk is a fine example of his philosophy. The ideas behind the plugins are carefully thought out and are implemented simply but completely. You can tell that from the description he's given here with Desk. Chris does things no one else is doing or does them in a way that is refreshingly different. If you are looking for exciting graphic images of gear for your plugin you won't find it here. Instead you'll find software that uses minimal CPU, sounds good and is reliable.

There is a large range of Airwindows plugins which I have found to be useful in all my work whether I want to keep the sound clean or color it. Desk is another such tool. And Chris is always revisiting/re-working the software searching for improvements and useful features which enhance creativity. If you start here with Desk you will soon add others he has designed to your toolbox.

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