Slate Digital FG-X Mastering Processor

[Ermz]

So far in my limited 2 hours of use I can definitely see its place in an arsenal of mastering tools. I'm not necessarily blown away, as it isn't an all-in-one fix tool, and one still needs to maintain proper frequency balance running into it. With that said, I really like the flexibility of the transient controls on the FG-Level and that alone could tip things in its favor. I foresee myself using it in conjunction with the tools that Ozone 4 offers. These are still early days, and only more projects and more experience can reveal its true worth IMO.

Also please note that none of the masters I have posted here are my own mixes. The first master was mixed by Dave from Cold Divide, and the 2nd master was mixed by Splatt88 (and also roughly mastered by him too). My involvement here is purely mastering related.

My own mixes, ironically, are rarely ever mastered by me

 

[nwright]

I didn't say it was useless. It's a nice transparent comp. I just don't think I'd use it too much. I like the sound of the waves ssl master bus comp.

sorry, I didn't mean to put words in your mouth. I thought that was what you wrote earlier in reference to your mastering chain (not the plugins comp in general).

 

[Josh Burgess]

I gotta be honest. I don't hear any special, magic "finishing touch" effect with FG-X. It isn't blowing me away. It's a good plugin, no doubt, but in the tests I've done and listened to the differences between masters done with FG-X and Ozone 4 are really subtle. Any differences people are hearing are being picked out, because they are really looking for them. I seriously don't think anybody would say anything negative about a nicely balanced, GOOD mix mastered to -10dB RMS with Ozone 4. I don't think that FG-X can be pushed louder than Ozone with any less degradation to the mix. They both start sounding squashed and losing the snare at about the same levels.

Now, when using less than perfect mixes for comparison, I think the edge might even go to Ozone. A few people on the gearslutz thread talked about how FG-X started having distortion... some pretty unpleasant crackling noises, and Slate said it was due to the low end of the mix. That's fine... many things can be blamed on the mix needing tweaking... I don't expect a mastering plugin that magically makes the mix better, but the problem is Ozone didn't have the same distortion. So, I really don't think FG-X is any sort of saviour for poor mixes.

I also have to say I don't really like the detail knobs or think they all that useful. They are meant to help the transients poke out more on the kick and snare, but this doesn't end up sounding very natural to me at all... I especially noticed it when you start pushing to levels where the snare starts disappearing... I think that's the time when most of us would want to use something like this to help the transients stick out more. Well, I tried it, and I found that it added a pretty unnatural hyped kind of crispness to the initial transient of the snare, but it did nothing to help push the body of the snare back up. So, the body of the snare is still disappearing, and you're left with a high pitched little crack that helps the initial transient stick out a little. I think that is particularly noticeable with the kind of snares most of us are using here (low tuned, beefy snares). I think it sounds pretty weird hearing the body of the snare disappear, but being left with a high pitched little thwack at the beginning of each hit... I can't say it's something I'd ever really want to use to try to pull a snare back up when it's disappearing, and if we are making quieter, less squashed mixes, there would be no need to use something like that in the first place...

I think it's important to think objectively and not give in to the hype machine at gearslutz. Keep in mind that MANY people at gearslutz think the limiters that guys here are using are total trash... Andy, Lasse, and probably a few other guys on here use the TC Finalizer and get great results, but you'll never see people on gearslutz praising that like some are praising FG-X. The same thing goes for Ozone, which Joey Sturgis and a bunch of other guys on this forum use. I personally couldn't care less about the stigma or prestige associated with various plugins. I just care about the results.

 

[Joshua Wickman]

I use Ozone and the finalizer. I almost gave into the hype and just bought this plugin without even a demo. Now im going to take the time and see if its worth my 300.00. Thanks for the reviews guys!!

 

[nwright]

I'll buy your Finalizer and then you'll be able to easily afford it...Haha!
























*for real, should the time come...dibs

 

[Melodeath]

Joshua, I agree with a bunch of your points. I'm glad someone posted that Ozone mix on Gearslutz. I didn't actually listen to it, but it was comforting to finally see someone else mention the crackling in FG-X that I am hearing in my own usage of the plug-in.

Frankly, I'm a bit surprised by all the praise FG-X is getting. I don't mean that in a disrespectful way, either, b/c I'm basing my judgment on my own experience, and maybe most people aren't getting crackling with FG-X. (Although, maybe they just aren't noticing it. Multiple people I showed the crackling to couldn't even hear it at first). I just haven't been able to use FG-X and get to a reasonable dBRMS without tons of crackling. Maybe it's my mixing style, but I've never had crackling issues with Elephant, and I can push this mix even above -8RMS without any noticeable artifacts. So maybe FG-X is great for other people, but I can't say it's been very useful for me. At -10dBRMS, sure, FG-X sounds a little more 3D to me than Elephant, but it's coming at the expense of crackling. And I can't get it much louder without the crackling becoming ridiculous. So, a little more life in the mix, but it comes with crackles and less volume? It's not worth it to me in this case. If I can tweak the mix so that FG-X doesn't get crackly, that's cool. But the point is, I don't have to tweak my mix just to get it loud without artifacts when I use Elephant.

It seems the crackling is finally being brought up over in the GS thread, though, by more people. Someone actually just mentioned crackling occurring even in the FG-X audio demos the Slate Team posted.

I'm not trying to be overly negative or a "hater." I mean no disrespect to the Slate team. In fact, Steve is being a really nice dude and helping me out, trying to help me eliminate the crackles by passing mixes through private messages. I respect that.

...and I'm still eagerly awaiting VCC

 

[Joshua Wickman]

Nate the only person I would sell this too is you!

 

[nwright]

haha! I sold it in a time of weakness. But you've turned out some great work with it, so I'm not complaining...too much.

 

[Max Morton]

Gave it a wild try. It did not work personally for me. Though I really love Slate drums and Trigger, this product did not make me feel like i can't live without it.

 

[Josh Burgess]

Joshua, I agree with a bunch of your points. I'm glad someone posted that Ozone mix on Gearslutz. I didn't actually listen to it, but it was comforting to finally see someone else mention the crackling in FG-X that I am hearing in my own usage of the plug-in.

Frankly, I'm a bit surprised by all the praise FG-X is getting. I don't mean that in a disrespectful way, either, b/c I'm basing my judgment on my own experience, and maybe most people aren't getting crackling with FG-X. (Although, maybe they just aren't noticing it. Multiple people I showed the crackling to couldn't even hear it at first). I just haven't been able to use FG-X and get to a reasonable dBRMS without tons of crackling. Maybe it's my mixing style, but I've never had crackling issues with Elephant, and I can push this mix even above -8RMS without any noticeable artifacts. So maybe FG-X is great for other people, but I can't say it's been very useful for me. At -10dBRMS, sure, FG-X sounds a little more 3D to me than Elephant, but it's coming at the expense of crackling. And I can't get it much louder without the crackling becoming ridiculous. So, a little more life in the mix, but it comes with crackles and less volume? It's not worth it to me in this case. If I can tweak the mix so that FG-X doesn't get crackly, that's cool. But the point is, I don't have to tweak my mix just to get it loud without artifacts when I use Elephant.

It seems the crackling is finally being brought up over in the GS thread, though, by more people. Someone actually just mentioned crackling occurring even in the FG-X audio demos the Slate Team posted.

I'm not trying to be overly negative or a "hater." I mean no disrespect to the Slate team. In fact, Steve is being a really nice dude and helping me out, trying to help me eliminate the crackles by passing mixes through private messages. I respect that.

...and I'm still eagerly awaiting VCC

Care to share the settings you use for Elephant? I'd like to try them. I like Elephant, but I usually end up using Ozone.

 

[Melodeath]

Care to share the settings you use for Elephant? I'd like to try them. I like Elephant, but I usually end up using Ozone.

Honestly, I usually just use the Master +6dB preset and then increase the input gain until I get the desired output dB RMS. Make sure to turn oversampling on. I dont bother so much with the settings bc I havent noticed any issues. My mix doesnt sound any different when I put Elephant on. It just sounds louder. I never lose a snare or feel my mix is suddenly unbalanced. It's so simple

What happened to you previous post about marketing? Lol

 

[xFkx]

Well, the way I see it, I'm not expecting it to bend the laws of physics, it's really good for what it does and I'm willing to bet that the troubles with FG-X have their root in an improper balance of the mix. I did get crackling in my mix, but it kinda revealed a mistake in my mix that i had a bit too much resonant low-mids on my toms.

Furthermore, a few moments I was listening to a sheryl crow song and I've noticed some crackling here and there, now I'm willing to bet that sheryl crow is pro mastered, so how did that happen? The guys are clipping converters that cost more than my future car ....and Like I said, laws of physics can't be even bent.

If you have a proper mix, and go around -10 and don't over do with the fancy transient enhancements , it really sounds great, better than GClip at least .. but If i were to evaluate fg-x in terms of value added to the mix, it doesn't add 100% or 50% (which you'd expect after Mr. Slate calling this a revolution in audio mastering ) it adds 5% or 10%. The question I ask myself is, am I willing to dish out 300 bucks for the final 5%, which probably no one will hear but myself

Decisions decisions...

 

[Scottxx]

xFKx you are right.

Based on Ermz files. FG-X gives a plus to the mix, a little better "pro" sound.
That is what my ears can hear.

 

[gabriel g.]

AWSOME AWSOME plugin!!!! Steven you totaly will get my money for it!!!!!
This thing is amazing. On of the most transparent and best ITB compressor, the Leveler is wonderfull too!!!!

here is a mix pushed between -6rms and -7rms (I normaly dont master that loud, this is just a test, of how loud this plugin will go, without totaly fuck up your mix)

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1425397/fx test LOUD.wav
This is only the plugin no other things on the masterbus!!!!!
hear for yourselves. This thing blows everything away!!!

I´ll no longer will use the waves api 2500 nor the waves SSL on my master bus!!!

 

[006]

Transparent? :zombie:

I noticed compared to everything else it is coloring more than any other. Maybe more than the SSL and API plugs from Waves, but far from transparent... lol

 

[gabriel g.]

the comp is realy transparent compared to the ssl or the api comps.
The colouring takes place in the leveler area.

 

[Melodeath]

AWSOME AWSOME plugin!!!! Steven you totaly will get my money for it!!!!!
This thing is amazing. On of the most transparent and best ITB compressor, the Leveler is wonderfull too!!!!

here is a mix pushed between -6rms and -7rms (I normaly dont master that loud, this is just a test, of how loud this plugin will go, without totaly fuck up your mix)

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1425397/fx test LOUD.wav
This is only the plugin no other things on the masterbus!!!!!
hear for yourselves. This thing blows everything away!!!

I´ll no longer will use the waves api 2500 nor the waves SSL on my master bus!!!

I swear I'm hearing crackling in the left channel at least. More during the opening.

I like the sound of this plug-in (FG-X), but I really feel like it's adding/coloring high-end, as opposed to being transparent. It also makes drums punchier than they are in the mix (IMO), which is not always what I want. Plus I'm constantly worried I'm going to hear crackling in the guitars

I just tried FG-X on one my mixes from a six months ago. It sounds great when the drums are hitting away, but during the more sparse parts where it's long guitar notes, the crackling totally kicks in. You would have to automate the ITP slider a lot. That's a lot of automation.

It definitely sounds cool - it's just a lot less simple than the levelers (aka limiters) I typically use in mastering, which I've had no issues with.

 

[Ermz]

I actually have the exact same concerns, Melodeath. It definitely does seem to enhance the impression of the high frequencies, which is not always what you might want.

 

[jinxtigr]

Anyone using Logic or Reaper for Mac needs to check out the new airwindows NC-17 plug... It's FG-X using 1/10th the CPU and for $50. Chris' plugins kick ass, airwindows is like the Cockos of the AU plugin world.

Oh hi- I'm a plugin cock?

I was hoping you guys had picked up on what I was doing. Any of you able to use AUs at all? I didn't know it was 1/10 the CPU but I don't doubt it.

I set up NC-17 so it's more forgiving when really clobbered, so rather than shattering and crackling it sort of roars and thickens. What it does have in common with FG-X is an ability to put forth low bass at elevated levels. If you don't mind it getting kinda dirty you can get a solid measured DB extra level over what FG-X likes to get. Also, the subs are faster and more aggressive, which is perfect for what you do. (I'm secretly a metalhead, don't tell Gearslutz )

I bet anything you care to name you can slam metal into NC-17 and not get the crackling behavior, and get a much bigger sound. The catch is that you'll also get some blurring and softening at stupid-loud levels as if you were hitting some sort of faux-analog plugin.

But it won't be anywhere near as picky about what the mix is, which has to be a relief for the three guys who ARE using Logic

Here, have a version of Slate's demo blasted to nuclear meltdown point-
http://www.jinxtigr.com/m/FGDEMO_NC17.wav

And here, have the demo of NC-17-
http://www.jinxtigr.com/f/NC17Demo.dmg (also in the full demo collection)

I'd post followups on some of your comparisons but you guys are all posting mp3s- can't do additional processing on something that's already an mp3, then mp3 it again. Maybe some of the comparison posters with access to the wavs or what have you can fool around a bit with the demo?

NC-17 is $50.

 

[Kazrog]

I'm a Mac/Cubase guy but I can use AUs in a variety of audio editors I have, so I will have to give NC-17 a test. I'm skeptical that a plugin with only one knob can do the same thing as a plugin with far more controls, though (it simply can't, it's basically the equivalent of the gain knob in FG Level, and that's it.) What I like about FG-X is the complete picture of what it does to the sound when you use the full feature set. The intelligent loudness aspect is important but not as critical to me, actually, as imparting character and width into the overall mix.