Considering adding some new plugins to my PC
 

I have been mostly using UAD plugs and various other VSTs for awhile with my other DAWs but as I continue to use Pro Tools and enjoy working in it I'm becoming a but tired of my lack of AAX plugins and using a Blue Cat VST wrapper any time I want to step outside the AAX options. Since UAD is still off limits without a wrapper I'm looking for some other compressor/eq options in the AAX format. I'd like something more interesting than the bundled compressor and EQ but I'm not really that familiar with many of the AAX offerings.

Any suggestions? I'd like to keep the budget in the $300 range for an absolute maximum and I'd rather not spend that much for just two plugs but I gotta start building up the AAX library somewhere. Can it be done?

Re: Considering adding some new plugins to my PC
 

Tough to say without a clue as to what you have, or what kind of stuff you work on.:o A couple of things I am really happy with lately:
Waves JJP signature drum plugin(AAX native)
UAD SPL Transient Designer(not AAX yet)
Slate VTM(AAX should be out by next week)
Waves Puigtech or UAD Pultec(really any Pultec, but the Waves is the "silkiest")
Most any convolution reverb(load it up with the IR's that can be found on the web). Liquisonics has a bargain.
UAD's Lexicon 224 is tops on my wishlist:D

Re: Considering adding some new plugins to my PC
 

Check out Plug and Mix at dontcrack.com. I'm running a few of these...don't let the $39 per plug fool you. They work VERY well.
albee: I have the Lex 224 from Uaudio, meaning if I want to use it, it's either Bluecat Patchwork, or just use PT 10. And yeah, it IS that good.

Re: Considering adding some new plugins to my PC
 

I think this is exactly where McDSP can shine.

With the 6020 and 6030, you have a bunch of EQs and compressors with just two purchases. A hair over your budget - getting both will cost you $312. Or substitute Eventide Omnipressor for the 6030, and you're under budget.

If that's too much, consider the Metric Halo channel strip. It's $99, has multiple compressor models, great EQ, and a bunch more stuff. If the EQ is not to your liking, you can supplement with DDMF IIEQPro for $39.

For even more options, look at Plugin Alliance. Right now you can get almost anything in their store for $111. I highly recommend bx_Digital V2, Vertigo VSC2, and Maag EQ4.

Re: Considering adding some new plugins to my PC
 

I'm mostly doing acoustic rock bands; acoustic/electric guitar, drums, real organs/electric keys type stuff. I do some modern rock where there are lots of vsti and amp sims created by the band in logic and then we'll supplement them with real stuff. I like colorful eq's more than the ultra clean. I have a bunch of UAD plugs, neve eq's, comps, pultec pro (legacy), the new la2a & 1176 comps, the tape sims, plate 140. I like them all but sometimes I either don't have enough DSP (quad) at 96 to handle a whole mix with them or they're not precise enough to really sculpt.

I like the bundled eq but it's kinda... I don't know, not colorful or doesn't really have a personality or something. Same with the bundled comp. Very useful but not quite a feature piece.

McDSP has been on my radar forever but I've never had Pro Tools until the last few months. I've got some Nomad Factory plugs that I like but none of their EQs or comps. Not really sure what's AAX and what's not at this point.

Re: Considering adding some new plugins to my PC
 

Nomad Factory only has five AAX plug-ins, and only three of those come with the Integral Studio Pack. Magnetic, Magnetic II, ECHOES. Magnetic II actually does have EQ functionality, but it's very broadband. "Lows" and "Highs" are shelving EQ, and the Tape Speed acts (among other things) as a LPF.

If colorful EQ is what you're after, then the Plug&Mix line has a great set of API-style processors (Retro EQ, Retro Filter, Retro Limiter) and a few EQ's that are worth checking out. PSP Audioware has a color EQ that I think is pretty amazing, especially for the $58 price tag. It comes with two versions (3-band plus filters, 4-band plus filters) and can be made to sound very similar to the oft-mentioned Maag EQ4.

And, of course, there is the 6020 EQ I mentioned above.

Re: Considering adding some new plugins to my PC
 

McDSP has a 14 day demo program (check out the Retro EQ)
SoundToys makes interesting stuff
Exponential Audio is the hot new reverb plug

Re: Considering adding some new plugins to my PC
 

As there has been posted all the other good stuff already ;)...
another nice (for many of you nothing new as I used to post it
several times yet ;)) option... http://www.hofa-plugins.de/pages/start_en.php
just love it and have found it to be very useable in several mixing situations...

All AAX, really professional+creative stuff, 14 days fully functioning demos,
worth giving it a try IMO... also some useful freebies available.
Anyway. :-)


Cheers, VRW


P.S.: the IQ-EQ (6 band) e.g. as a dynamic EQ can also be successfully used like
kinda Multiband Comp which works very well with multiple kinda sources/instruments... and it sounds nice.

P.S.2: the IQ-Comp is an interesting and very useful tool as you can even out material and at the same time
emphasize 2 different frequencies EQ-like which can be used either to make up for the lost low end/punch whatever
of a kick e.g. or to get a snare signal independently more present in a mix without making other bleeding stuff louder too
and so on (have to get into the "Flavour Expert-settings" of the plug for that). Or you also can attenuate specific/unwanted
frequencies only for the moment the Comp gets in, give a singer more "body" everytime the Comp is working, whatever...
can be really useful stuff once you get to know the plug better.



MacMini i7Quad, 16GB Ram, MBP Mid 2012 i5, 16GB Ram, MacOS 10.9.2, Apogee Quartet+Duet 2, Genelec Active, Yamaha NS10,
Pro Tools 11.1.2, Logic 10.0.6, Waves, MCDSP, Duende Native, Softube, HOFA, IK Multimedia etc

Re: Considering adding some new plugins to my PC
 

The Hofas are working fine with PT11, are low on the CPU, can be used
even in 0 latency mode (can be set up from 0 latency/live mode up to 32x oversampling/1411MHz
-and everything in between-but even the 0 latency settings are definitely sounding/working well)
and you get 2 independent licenses per plug.
That´s all I can say about those HOFA plugins.

Finally, I thought, if "colored" is what you are looking for at EQs and Comps, you also may
check out IK Multimedia´s whole range of T-RackS plugs.
All AAX and working well in PT11 and (though the IKs are not for everyone and
everything for sure) if the material fits it they are doing really nice things
to it!
The Comps/Limits are definitely worth giving it a try as there are a lot and they
are all a bit different in behavior and flavor.
But each of them can do a lot for you if it suits your source.

The EQs aren´t that bad either. Same principle.
It´s all nice stuff indeed. Kinda "vintage", "analog-vibe" style but pro quality.
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products...cks-processors

Saw on their website that they have some "promotion-thing" going on at the moment about
the T-RackS stuff. Maybe worth to check it out.
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/news/?item_id=3737


All the best,

VRW




MacMini i7Quad, 16GB Ram, MBP Mid 2012 i5, 16GB Ram, MacOS 10.9.2, Apogee Quartet+Duet 2, Genelec Active, Yamaha NS10,
Pro Tools 11.1.2, Logic 10.0.6, Waves, MCDSP, Duende Native, Softube, HOFA, IK Multimedia etc

Re: Considering adding some new plugins to my PC
 

Have you checked out v7.5 of the UAD software? It's now aax64 compatible and no longer beta. See here: http://www.uaudio.com/support/uad/75.html

As to plugins you obviously have either MB7-2 or Patchworks but have you checked out BC's other plugins? Good quality stuff and fully aax compatible. They have a free bundle of plugins that are pretty good - I particularly like the delay. The only thing BC doesn't really have is a reverb and for that there's Reverberate which I use and like. It's an ir type reverb with lots of tweaks and isn't expensive.

Also a big fan of the IK TRacks stuff. I have most of their stuff as well and have setup a 2-buss combo of BC Patchworks hosting MB7-2; MB7-2 I have set in 4 band mode and as inserts on each channel I use a compressor. Usually the TRacks LA2A emulation. Then back in Patchworks after the MB7-2 I have a TRacks brickwall limiter and soft overdrive. Nice multi-band compression. Lots that can be done with this setup if you're on a tight budget.