What plugins will I need with ProTools LE?

[AdamWathan]

Can any of the PT users here chime in on what non-stock plugins I will need to grab to be able to operate at the same level I would be able to in the world of Windows and free VST plugins? I don't mind paying but I also don't think I need to drop $500 on a compressor plugin to make quality sounding mixes.

Which RTAS plugins are my best value for standard operations like compression, EQ, etc? What stock plugins are usable and which ones should I really replace with something by a third party?

 

[C_F_H_13]

http://www.mhsecure.com/products/ChannelStrip/ about 250 clams

http://www.soundtoys.com/products/SoundToysNative/ about 500

those are the few plugs I use in PT. The only other things I really use is TL SPACE for IR's....

That's really about it.

 

[LydonB]

Massey CT4 and Massey L2007.

 

[gabriel g.]

I would buy the waves native power pack 2 (or what it´s called)
It includes the full R-bundle with a great compressor/eq/and channelstrip + my favorite algorithm reverb + the best ready to go comp for vocals Rvox IMHO
+ L2

For like 200$ but you need a ilok

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Pretty much most of the stock Digirack stuff is completely useable, but the thing that irks me the most is the lack of a multiband comp in the basic M-Powered/LE setup :/ Other than that I'd look into MH Channelstrip and perhaps some different comps and EQ's if you need different flavours.

 

[AEL89]

digirack stuff is more than 'usable' in my opinion - I love it! Download all the Massey demos and then buy the licenses for the stuff you really like. The CT4 is a ridiculous compressor and works on almost anything. If you get the music production toolkit you'll get Smack! which is an amazing compressor as well. In opto mode - you're set for vocals.

 

[plague_rider]

I use quite a few of the stock plugins, the Reverb/Gate/Compressors

i believe Sneap likes to use the Verb plugin for drums

 

[slashvanyoung]

I would buy the waves native power pack 2 (or what it´s called)
It includes the full R-bundle with a great compressor/eq/and channelstrip + my favorite algorithm reverb + the best ready to go comp for vocals Rvox IMHO
+ L2

For like 200$ but you need a ilok

Getting such a Waves bundle to complement the really solid stock effects/plugs is the road I'd go down too, definitely.

 

[Trevoire520]

I like the T-racks stuff, got a clipper, multibad comp, opto and classic compressors and metering suite in IK's group buy the other month.

The Massey stuff is also very very very good at any price point, I really need to pick up the tape saturation, compressor and limiter tbh. Maybe the distortion too.

Getting the VST wrapper will get you all you free mac vst's.


Really though you'd be surprised how much you can get done with the stock digi plugs. Get a clipper, multiband comp and spectrum analyser and you should be pretty set. Probably also worth picking up the music production toolkit so you can use TL space for impulses (there isn't a free, mac impulse loader available)

 

[greyskull]

Mh channelstrip, mcdsp analog channel, sonnox eq, tlspace, waves cla, if you're going the uad route get the 1073.

 

[iraobryan]

I'm pretty sure that the Metric Halo stuff mentioned before is for Mac only, as I couldn't find it for PC. I use the RBass/Rvox/RChannel stuff and the URS 1980 Compressor. Both are good for the money, and compliment the solid stock digi plugins. You'll probably want a multiband comp as mentioned above. That's next on my list (probably C4).

 

[Metaltastic]

Yeah, MHCS is Mac only, though that now no longer matters for the OP!

 

[BLUElightCory]

You've GOT to get some Massey plugs. I really love Tape Head and the CT4 compressor. The L2007 limiter is great too.

McDSP Analog Channel is also an excellent plug (actually, it's two plugs) for adding some analog-style saturation/compression to your tracks. I've used it all over every song I've mixed for the past 7 years.

 

[gabriel g.]

Massey did a freeware tape-emulation AU.

I think multiband comps are over-rated....
And I heard bad things about UAD and protools LE or M-powered because protools LE/M-powered has no delay compensation.

 

[jval]

Digi EQ's, gates, and FX are good. Go get the massey compressor, tapehead, and L2007... ridiculously cheap and awesome. If you can spend a little more, get the Waves SSL and you'll be set...
Just don't buy it from their site - go here: http://highprofileaudio.com/

 

[iraobryan]

Yeah, MHCS is Mac only, though that now no longer matters for the OP!

Yup...I'm a dumbass! Guess I should read more closely.

 

[AdamWathan]

Alright so I have decided I'm definitely getting the Massey plugs, but aside from that I'm a bit stumped. Do I go Waves SSL or MHCS? The SSL includes the bus compressor which looks nice as I wouldn't have a dedicated master bus comp if I went Massey + MHCS... Just want to spend my money wisely on stuff that is going to be useful in the majority of my mixes...

 

[JeffTD]

I personally prefer the Waves SSL to MHCS - both are great, but the SSL bundle is more versatile and has more plugins in general, especially now that it has two channel strips!

 

[jipchen]

I would buy the waves native power pack 2 (or what it´s called)
It includes the full R-bundle with a great compressor/eq/and channelstrip + my favorite algorithm reverb + the best ready to go comp for vocals Rvox IMHO
+ L2

For like 200$ but you need a ilok

Which bundle do you mean? I can't find anything like that, just the Native Power Pack, but no native power pack 2 or something similiar.

 

[digitaldeath]

...For like 200$ but you need a ilok

I'm sure this isn't a problem since Pro-Tools also uses iLok!