Neve 1073 Plugins

[s.d. finley]

to get the gate working right you have to gain stage into the gate and mess with the hyst on the 88rs. I like the UAD SSL much better than the waves, YMMV as they say. Don't pay attention to the setting, just listen while tweaking

[simon.a.billington]

IK Multimedia also do a 1073/81 and Plugin Alliance also do a Neve VXS console emulation which has an eq section designed after the aforementioned, i believe.

The Waves V-Series is also very good. However the compressor could do with a built in HP filter, it certainly isn't a deal breaker. The gain staging in that unit is also a bit dodgy, but thats because its modelled to closely follow the original design.

The trick with the 2254's is leaving the input at 0dB and gain staging to get the appropriate input levels. Apparently, the original unit grits up the signal a bit too much if you move it away from it's sweet spot. Then again, that may be an effect you might intentionally want to go after.

[adam79]

Originally Posted by s.d. finley

to get the gate working right you have to gain stage into the gate and mess with the hyst on the 88rs. I like the UAD SSL much better than the waves, YMMV as they say. Don't pay attention to the setting, just listen while tweaking

I Googled gain staging with the Neve 88RS...I came up with a few things, but nothing that informative. I'm really interested in getting it right, cuz as I mentioned about, the kick sounded amazing when it was breaking thru the gate.

I've really been digging the UA Neve 1081 plugin. I'm probably gonna scoop that one up once the demo ends. Still messing around with the Studer 800 demo; I haven't made a final decision on in it yet.

Also been testing out the UA Neve 1073 demo for the past few days. I definitely like it, but I'm not sure that I need both that and the UA 610A/B. For the price of the 1073 I could buy two plugins.

[VRW]

Originally Posted by adam79

Is the UAD Neve 88RS way better than the Legacy version?

Yes. A lot better.

The Legacy version ain´t bad for mixing as well (on the quality level of some Waves or MCDSP plugins imo) but the new 88RS channel is one huge step up as for sonic quality and musicality.
It´s the first software plugin I personally have heard which can get one serious step closer to the hardware if the original sources (voices, instruments, mics) are of decent quality as well.
Even if it´s definitely worth it this channel plugin needs a good portion of DSP though. So be prepared. Needs a lot more than the Legacy version. You better may have lots of DSP power to
to use multiple instances of it at once.

Cheers.

[adam79]

Originally Posted by VRW

Yes. A lot better.

The Legacy version ain´t bad for mixing as well (on the quality level of some Waves or MCDSP plugins imo) but the new 88RS channel is one huge step up as for sonic quality and musicality.
It´s the first software plugin I personally have heard which can get one serious step closer to the hardware if the original sources (voices, instruments, mics) are of decent quality as well.
Even if it´s definitely worth it this channel plugin needs a good portion of DSP though. So be prepared. Needs a lot more than the Legacy version. You better may have lots of DSP power to
to use multiple instances of it at once.

Cheers.

Damn! You weren't joking about the DSP! Legacy has 32 instances and the actual 88RS has 4! I wish I had an extra five hundo when I bought my Apollo; I had to settle for the DUO. Now I'm seeing the Apollo units come with a free Satellite QUAD and it makes me nauseous! I was all ready to buy the 1081 and 88RS, but now I have to rethink the 88RS. I was really excited for these two new plugins too....

[VRW]

Originally Posted by adam79

I was really excited for these two new plugins too....

If you are recording via the Apollo Unison preamp the 88RS still might be very interesting. With a high quality microphone you can get close to high end hardware results.
I recorded vocals and other stuff using a Blue Cactus Tube Mic, a Neumann U87 and other high quality mics through the 88RS in Unison mode and the results were absolutely amazing.
Also Bass guitar sounded fabulously recorded via DI and the 88RS.
So it´s worth getting it for recording only. You can get a Satellite later and then use it in your mixes as well. The Legacy version which comes with the 88RS Bundle is useable in mixes
as well (even if not being half as good as the 88RS unfortunately).

Just as food for thought.

Cheers.

[adam79]

Originally Posted by VRW

If you are recording via the Apollo Unison preamp the 88RS still might be very interesting. With a high quality microphone you can get close to high end hardware results.
I recorded vocals and other stuff using a Blue Cactus Tube Mic, a Neumann U87 and other high quality mics through the 88RS in Unison mode and the results were absolutely amazing.
Also Bass guitar sounded fabulously recorded via DI and the 88RS.
So it´s worth getting it for recording only. You can get a Satellite later and then use it in your mixes as well. The Legacy version which comes with the 88RS Bundle is useable in mixes
as well (even if not being half as good as the 88RS unfortunately).

Just as food for thought.

Cheers.

Unfortunately my mic locker is pathetic at the moment. A pair of MCA SP1's, a SM57 and a crappy $40 Shure AXS 2. I'm mostly interested in the 88RS for how it sounds on the kick. The gate was cutting out alot of the kick hits tho. I'm sort of new to this whole mixing deal and from what I've heard you have to gain stage the kick into the 88RS for the gate to work properly...I'm still trying to figure out how to do this. I've been trying to research it on google, but haven't gotten very far. Maybe there a YouTube tutorial on it. If anyone has any suggestions to help me out with this it be appreciated. I think the Legacy version sounds pretty good; I can only imagine what the actual 88RS sounds like. I havent tried out the demo yet. I'm gonna be buying one or two UA plugins before this sale and the $25 coupon expires, so I've been demoing a ton of **** since it'll all reset once I buy the new plugs. I'm really digging the Neve 1081, especially that added Air preset. Sounds great on kick and guitar. I've been using the Glyn John drum technique, mainly cuz of my lacking mic situation, but I've been perfecting the mic placement over the past week. I've been stuck using that Shure AXS 2 on the kick, but I've been surprised what I can get out of it with the right plugins, especially with the 88RS Legacy when I can get the gate working correctly. Once I figure out that gain staging ******** it's gonna sound great. And then once I can afford an actual real bass mic and tune my kit properly it'll all come together. I really wanna get one of those vintage Sennheiser MD-421's. I always like them best on the youtube kick drum shootouts and they're really versatile. I've read that the U4 and U5 are the best out of all the original variants. I've also read from some people that the new ones are just as good as the vintage ones. I found a good deal on a vintage 421 U4, but I'm hesitant buying a mic I've never heard from someone I've never met.

[VRW]

Originally Posted by adam79

Unfortunately my mic locker is pathetic at the moment. A pair of MCA SP1's, a SM57 and a crappy $40 Shure AXS 2. I'm mostly interested in the 88RS for how it sounds on the kick. The gate was cutting out alot of the kick hits tho. I'm sort of new to this whole mixing deal and from what I've heard you have to gain stage the kick into the 88RS for the gate to work properly...

Well, mostly it´s important to get a well leveled, as clean as possible signal into your DAW, trying to avoid bleeding as much as possible. There you can do a lot with mic positioning and making sure
you get a good average level on your preamp finally. Not too hot but not too low either. It´s not kinda magic, it´s just trying out, getting some experience and knowing your gear.
Once recorded you can use the Trim plugin in the very first slot to correct levels if needed but you better should get an useable level of your signal on recording first.
In the plugin you just have to take yourself time and adjust the preamp section correctly and put in some filters if needed. The next step will be the dynamic section already. So you may try out to dial
in the compressor first followed by the gate or vice versa just how you feel like and how you can get the gate set up more quickly. Try out both versions and just see what will work for you best.
I leave you 2 You Tube vids showing the Neve 88 channel, in the first one the guy will adjust the gate to tom toms on the Legacy version. Maybe you can see there something which will help you further.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMYR7hzZMGo
...working with the gate starts at 2:00
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FDkf3iJi5c
...there you can see the new 88RS in action, starts at 19:00

Maybe you can get some inspiration by these vids.

Originally Posted by adam79

I found a good deal on a vintage 421 U4, but I'm hesitant buying a mic I've never heard from someone I've never met.

You know, basically vintage mics often sounds best but as you seem to be rather unexperienced being on a tight budget I would highly recommend you to rather get some new stuff. Doesn't´t have
to be the most expensive one but a good average quality mic for the particular purpose. The problem with used vintage stuff is that you never know how it had been treated before, how well it
had been maintained by the preowner(s) etc. and vintage mics most of the time have to be maintained properly to work as supposed it´s to. And in the case if there should be any kind of problem with it
with vintage mics it always gets expensive and difficult to find the right parts etc. If you got a new one there will be warranty, it will be easy and not too expensive to get it repaired and you don´t have to worry a lot about maintaining it correctly. Do yourself a favor and buy a new one. You will gain a much more trouble free experience with such a one at the end of the day for sure.

As for the UAD Neve plugs I just can repeat it that they are simply great. The 88RS Bundle is really fantastic for recording as well as for mixing. And the good thing is you will get both, the Legacy
version as well as the new super cool 88RS channel on buying the bundle and both will be useful depending on your particular DSP resources. However like you mentioned the other Neves aren´t that
bad either.

The best of success to you finally.


Cheers.

[ReynaldoPena]

Here's a thought, I'm looking for a 1073 emulator in AAX DSP

[simon.a.billington]

Originally Posted by wwittman

I don't think the V EQs are "lame" at all.

In fact I prefer the VEQ3 to the Sheps

I still find a use for them myself. You don't have a Mic/Line Preamp section that you can drive the same way as with the Scheps plugin, but it does have its own tonal and saturation characteristics that are just as useful in many different contexts.

It's still a great sounding eq.