The longest running quandary I've been in since starting with audio production has been to work out which tools work the very best for me. It became obvious very early on that there is no one tool for all situations, nor one tool that works for all people.
Here I wanted to gather your opinions on what your very favourite software solutions for all mixing/mastering purposes are.
Recently I've been trying many, many different types of plug-ins in search for the perfect set of tools for me. I feel like I'm coming very close, but there are still a few pieces missing.
Here is where I am at so far:
Transparent EQ:
Flux Epure: highly regarded almost universally as a transparent mastering-grade EQ plug-in.
Sonnox EQ: A part of almost everybody's toolkit over on GS. It seems this EQ has got quite the reputation for being very good for surgical cutting, due to its clean nature.
Colored EQ:
Waves SSL/API/V series: Highly regarded by many as sounding very close to the gear these packs attempt to replicate. The SSL pack has been my standard workhorse for years now. The V series I'm only getting in on recently & the API series I have not tried, though I hear some very excellent things about it.
Tritone Angeltone: Apparently some great impulse-based, analogue mastering-grade EQ emulations. Can pick a different type of EQ for each band.
Algorithmix Blue EQ: Have heard some great things about this being one of the most analogue sounding EQ plug-ins available. Haven't tried it yet, but it seems very highly regarded.
Dynamics
Waves SSL/API/V/R series: Not much more to say except you get almost every flavour under the sun with these packs. The SSL Bus Comp is a big favourite of many here, including myself. Lately the V-comp has been a big hit for me as far as parallel compression goes. The Rcomp sees a lot of use as a workhorse compressor on single tracks for me.
Sonnox Dynamics: Apparently a fantastic transparent compressor.
Sonnox Limiter: A fantastic, transparent limiter designed solely for max gain at minimum impact to source material.
Voxengo Elephant 3: What's to say here really. Amazing choice of algorithms and various parameters to get the sound you want for each and every project. Takes a bit to learn, and has a bit of a funky UI but sounds ace.
Gate
ReaGate: The best gate plug-in I've ever used. Easy UI, lookahead, side-chain, filters, flexible release times, additional features etc. Beats every other gate plug-in hands down.
Channel Strip:
Waves SSL E-channel: My workhorse. I tend to pull one up on every drum channel. I love having all the features consolidated into one window. Limitations arise like the comp being limited to a 100ms release time minimum, no way to precisely set attack and only 4 bands of EQ for each instance. I find this is mainly for overall shaping of a sound, rather than very precise nitty-gritty type stuff. Relies on source being good.
URS Console Strip Pro: I've been getting a lot more use out of this one lately. I still don't get the compressor modelling and how rather than different algorithms they just use different settings to approximate different types of compressors. With that aside, this is one very flexible tool, with many compressor emulation presets, 5 EQ types (all with a unique sound), filters & input emulations (static snapshots). I find the UI a bit wonky when trying to precisely set the virtual pots, but it can be worked with. The compressor section seems to really pump and the EQs give you quite a bit of color to work with.
Algorithmic Reverb
Breverb: The best algorithmic reverb I've tested on drums, apart from the venerable Freeverb 2. This one has longer tails than Freeverb and is more versatile, with multiple algorithms available and many options for shaping the response.
Arts Acoustic: My workhorse for vocals and leads. This one is fantastic for huge, surreal spaces. Not very dense, so not too great for drums and fatness, but very good for airyness and dimension.
Freeverb 2: Amazed that a free reverb plug-in made it on my top list? Don't be. Freeverb 2 is an amazing plug-in for drums and was my workhorse up until recently. Doesn't suffer so much from that brittle high-end as many other algo reverbs do, and doesn't give many options, so it reduces the amount you can mess up!
Convolution Reverb
Halls of Fame: This isn't a piece of software, but rather a collection of impulses from 2 great reverb units. This is the best reverb I've heard in the software domain, bar none. Dense early reflections, absolutely fat and 3d verb for just about anything.
Altiverb 6: Likely the best convolution reverb software available. Very tweakable, great UI & great quality.
SIR 2: For those on a budget and that don't mind less features, SIR 2 is a fantastic Altiverb alternative. Remember, it's usually the IRs you use, not the software, that determines the quality of your verb. With the Halls of Fame, SIR 2 is packing serious heat.
Everything
Nebula 3: Nebula is the only software that I know of which emulates analog gear with such high precision. The methods these guys use are revolutionary and have all the makings of a total revolution in the software processing arena. They are constantly at work, improving their software, with their userbase completely adamant that Nebula smokes anything at everything. I will be purchasing this tool in the near future because I know that if I get a craving for the sound of a particular piece of gear, all I have to do is load Nebula up, load the program and have at it. I expect this software to take over as the future of guitar cab impulses also. Nobody seems keen to pioneer this, so if it isn't done in the near future, I'll have to take the role on myself and see just how capable their software really is.
Anyhow, that's all for now. There are misc. plug-ins here and there where I normally defer to the Waves stuff. Enigma, MondoMod, RDesser, Rvox, IDR, REQ, Q10 etc.
This post was mainly a place for me to consolidate my findings so far and hopefully aid some of you who were in the same place I was at many years ago, looking for great tools (irrespective of price).
By all means chip in with your own findings.
Here I wanted to gather your opinions on what your very favourite software solutions for all mixing/mastering purposes are.
Recently I've been trying many, many different types of plug-ins in search for the perfect set of tools for me. I feel like I'm coming very close, but there are still a few pieces missing.
Here is where I am at so far:
Transparent EQ:
Flux Epure: highly regarded almost universally as a transparent mastering-grade EQ plug-in.
Sonnox EQ: A part of almost everybody's toolkit over on GS. It seems this EQ has got quite the reputation for being very good for surgical cutting, due to its clean nature.
Colored EQ:
Waves SSL/API/V series: Highly regarded by many as sounding very close to the gear these packs attempt to replicate. The SSL pack has been my standard workhorse for years now. The V series I'm only getting in on recently & the API series I have not tried, though I hear some very excellent things about it.
Tritone Angeltone: Apparently some great impulse-based, analogue mastering-grade EQ emulations. Can pick a different type of EQ for each band.
Algorithmix Blue EQ: Have heard some great things about this being one of the most analogue sounding EQ plug-ins available. Haven't tried it yet, but it seems very highly regarded.
Dynamics
Waves SSL/API/V/R series: Not much more to say except you get almost every flavour under the sun with these packs. The SSL Bus Comp is a big favourite of many here, including myself. Lately the V-comp has been a big hit for me as far as parallel compression goes. The Rcomp sees a lot of use as a workhorse compressor on single tracks for me.
Sonnox Dynamics: Apparently a fantastic transparent compressor.
Sonnox Limiter: A fantastic, transparent limiter designed solely for max gain at minimum impact to source material.
Voxengo Elephant 3: What's to say here really. Amazing choice of algorithms and various parameters to get the sound you want for each and every project. Takes a bit to learn, and has a bit of a funky UI but sounds ace.
Gate
ReaGate: The best gate plug-in I've ever used. Easy UI, lookahead, side-chain, filters, flexible release times, additional features etc. Beats every other gate plug-in hands down.
Channel Strip:
Waves SSL E-channel: My workhorse. I tend to pull one up on every drum channel. I love having all the features consolidated into one window. Limitations arise like the comp being limited to a 100ms release time minimum, no way to precisely set attack and only 4 bands of EQ for each instance. I find this is mainly for overall shaping of a sound, rather than very precise nitty-gritty type stuff. Relies on source being good.
URS Console Strip Pro: I've been getting a lot more use out of this one lately. I still don't get the compressor modelling and how rather than different algorithms they just use different settings to approximate different types of compressors. With that aside, this is one very flexible tool, with many compressor emulation presets, 5 EQ types (all with a unique sound), filters & input emulations (static snapshots). I find the UI a bit wonky when trying to precisely set the virtual pots, but it can be worked with. The compressor section seems to really pump and the EQs give you quite a bit of color to work with.
Algorithmic Reverb
Breverb: The best algorithmic reverb I've tested on drums, apart from the venerable Freeverb 2. This one has longer tails than Freeverb and is more versatile, with multiple algorithms available and many options for shaping the response.
Arts Acoustic: My workhorse for vocals and leads. This one is fantastic for huge, surreal spaces. Not very dense, so not too great for drums and fatness, but very good for airyness and dimension.
Freeverb 2: Amazed that a free reverb plug-in made it on my top list? Don't be. Freeverb 2 is an amazing plug-in for drums and was my workhorse up until recently. Doesn't suffer so much from that brittle high-end as many other algo reverbs do, and doesn't give many options, so it reduces the amount you can mess up!
Convolution Reverb
Halls of Fame: This isn't a piece of software, but rather a collection of impulses from 2 great reverb units. This is the best reverb I've heard in the software domain, bar none. Dense early reflections, absolutely fat and 3d verb for just about anything.
Altiverb 6: Likely the best convolution reverb software available. Very tweakable, great UI & great quality.
SIR 2: For those on a budget and that don't mind less features, SIR 2 is a fantastic Altiverb alternative. Remember, it's usually the IRs you use, not the software, that determines the quality of your verb. With the Halls of Fame, SIR 2 is packing serious heat.
Everything
Nebula 3: Nebula is the only software that I know of which emulates analog gear with such high precision. The methods these guys use are revolutionary and have all the makings of a total revolution in the software processing arena. They are constantly at work, improving their software, with their userbase completely adamant that Nebula smokes anything at everything. I will be purchasing this tool in the near future because I know that if I get a craving for the sound of a particular piece of gear, all I have to do is load Nebula up, load the program and have at it. I expect this software to take over as the future of guitar cab impulses also. Nobody seems keen to pioneer this, so if it isn't done in the near future, I'll have to take the role on myself and see just how capable their software really is.
Anyhow, that's all for now. There are misc. plug-ins here and there where I normally defer to the Waves stuff. Enigma, MondoMod, RDesser, Rvox, IDR, REQ, Q10 etc.
This post was mainly a place for me to consolidate my findings so far and hopefully aid some of you who were in the same place I was at many years ago, looking for great tools (irrespective of price).
By all means chip in with your own findings.
