Spectralive NXT

Well this review is not focusing that much on the plugins sound. The main reason for this is that the latest "bug-fixed" version 3.5 simply won't load in Wavelab. I have of course contacted Crysonic 'support' and 'info' email. But I haven't heard anything, and I have to say this was expected, as I have had trouble with this plugin since its v.3.0 release and have contacted Crysonic again and again during the last months, but they simply don't answer my emails.
It such a sadness, that they try to run a business this way.

The first version I installed of Spectralive NXT 3 (the 3.0) did actually "play" in Wavelab and I was also able to get pretty good results using the plugin, judged by the playback sound alone. It was able to change the sound in desirable ways, although it has to be said, that most of the knobs don't tell what they do, and since the documentation is ehh, not very informative, it's simply trial and error for the most part.

What I did find out though was that using Wavelabs render function (which is what you use when you want to make a mixdown with all FX to a file) the results were very, very far from the sound at real-time playback.

So I don't know what to say. Bad coding I guess.!?

If the Crysonic staff was willing to help I would accept trouble, if I knew it was actually going to be fixed.

But as things are I would not, under any circumstances recommend this to anyone. With so many fine choices both sound and support-wise in the plugin field, look elsewhere. Going Crysonic with this plugin is most likely a waste of time and money!

If you really like what you hear - please remember to judge the sound you get in a mix also (using render, mixdown etc.)

BTW: I got it at a hefty discount rate, but that doesn't help if it doesn't work.

A big dissapointment!



UPDATE - UPDATE

Since my above review, a new version 3,5 has been released fixing the loading issue in Wavelab.

That said other problems remains:
There are still issues when it comes to the sound of rendered audio, compared to the realtime playback. And don't forget that I wrote to Crysonic support about this several times over the last months, so they really should have been aware of this issue and fixed it.

The result: Even though I used all the plugins limiter buttons [and there are many] the sound was peaking at +2,1 db instead of Odb, on the rendered audio-file, which means that the limiter doesn't work.
Moreover these passages had audible distortion..!?

So my warning concerning this plugin remains!Read Review