I feel like I should ditch my Powercore or get a Sony bundle. Which?

[bobby yarrow]

So, I've had my original powercore pci for a while, bought it hoping for reverbs and was disappointed, and honestly just never use the thing for anything.

I have a pair of UAD's that get a lot of use, and the URS A&N eq's -- a URS eq & a UAD compressor is my basic channel strip, really. Otherwise (for regular-duty track and submix compression & eq) I have the psp masterq, the elemental audio plugins, gliss eq, waves c1 & q10, and a handful of the other regular VST contenders.

To my ears, there's something special in the UAD comps and in those URS eqs. Or maybe I'm just a creature of habit.

Getting to the point: what to do with this powercore? Seems like I have 3 options:

1. Continue to ignore it.
2. Sell for next-to-nothing.
3 Put a Sony bundle on it and see if something wonderful happens.

---

Demos don't really help me. I never feel like I know how a plugin (or anything else) is going to fit til I've made a record with it. A few hours fiddling doesn't do anything for me.

---

What do you think?

[aussie_techie]

the sony oxford stuff is great. to me it would be the reason to buy a poco. the inflator is a 'sounds good' button, that alone is worth checking out the sony bundle. the problem with a single origional PCI card is i dont knowhow many instances you could actually run.
still try a demo or go to your local dealer and try them out. i know you dont get the full experence from a demo but its a start.

[bobby yarrow]

The instance count on the dynamics & eq isn't all that bad on the original PCI with the sony stuff. Couldn't run it on every track, but I think it's in the 5-instances-per-chip range, and as is all 4 chips are always available . . .

As I've been mulling this over, I guess my concern is that I don't tend to reach for clean, hard-working plugins. What I use most is stuff with plenty of character and not a lot of knobs. I find MasterQ an incredibly boring plugin, for instance. It does what you tell it, but I don't find any extra goodness. Cf the UAD pultec; I have no idea what it does, but stuff sounds better.

It's also a lot of jack for what it is. I could buy waves SSL and still have enough left over for the Sonalksis comp & eq, just about, for instance. So I'd sort of need to think the oxfords would be MUCH better than those, or otherwise just worth it.

The idea that I'm throwing good money after bad bothers me. The idea that I've got this DSP card that I'm not using for anything also bothers me.

[Sergievsky]

Sell the powercore and buy a matched set of Oktava mk102 mics (or the 012 with all of the caps including the lomo).

[Ghost Logic]

Sell the powercore and by the native sony plugins when they are released later this year.

[bobby yarrow]

I'm selling the powercore, or keeping it as is. I hadn't thought about the native thing. Thanks.

[aussie_techie]

by native i aussue you mean VST/AU as they are already available as RTAS. where did you get info on a native vst/au version?

[bobby yarrow]

Just learned that, since I obtained an upgrade code in 2005, I can upgrade my card to the MKII at the discount as long as I do so by the end of this year. I've listed it on the poco site for $250, which about what the savings is as against buying the MKII outright.

[bugs]

Originally Posted by Ghost Logic

Sell the powercore and by the native sony plugins when they are released later this year.

Is this really true about the Oxford Plugs being released in VST/AU format?

[grassrootking]

Originally Posted by bobby yarrow

Just learned that, since I obtained an upgrade code in 2005, I can upgrade my card to the MKII at the discount as long as I do so by the end of this year. I've listed it on the poco site for $250, which about what the savings is as against buying the MKII outright.

Where did you get the info about the upgrade price being extended to the end of this year ? I also received my upgrade coupon in May of 2005 but it stated in the email that I needed to use it by 12/31/2005. If I can still use that coupon I will probably jump all over it. Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks,

GK

[bobby yarrow]

It's really hard to post the link -- it's 9 lines long. Go to the TC page, go to support knowledge-base, and search for "December 31 2006." You'll see it.

For what it's worth, if you don't have a coupon and want to upgrade, I could upgrade mine and we could work something out.


Anyhow, it says:


Question: How does the PowerCore PCI to PCI mkII upgrade work?
Answer:

First of all your PowerCore Element / PCI needed to be flagged for an upgrade event. At the end of the procedure you were given a unique upgrade code which is bound to your PowerCore card.

Bring the code to your nearest TC Electronic dealer (who has the PowerCore PCI mkII in stock). Give your upgrade code to your dealer who will then check if you qualify for the update. If yes, your dealer will sell you a PowerCore PCI mkII at a discount.

For pricing information in your country, please ask your local dealer or distributor.

Please note the following:

*
Only registered PowerCore cards can be upgraded.
*
Only PowerCore Element / PCI cards can be upgraded.
*
A given PowerCore card can only be upgraded once.
*
If you own optional PowerCore plug-ins, please take the time to read this answer.

Please note:

*
It is no longer possible to generate upgrade codes for Element / PCI cards. The offer ran from June to December 2005.
*
Until January 2006 it will still be possible to purchase a PCI mkII upgrade card provided you already have an upgrade code for your Element / PCI.

[bobby yarrow]

It's been thoughtfully pointed out to me that January 2006 is not the same thing as January 2007. It's my understanding from the poco forum that the update is still permitted, but I'm trying to get clarification from TC.

[bobby yarrow]

Whoops. Sorry. January 2006 is the one we already had. It can't be updated.

[aussie_techie]

Originally Posted by bugs

Is this really true about the Oxford Plugs being released in VST/AU format?

dont hold your breath.

[TheTruffleKing]

If you demo the MD3 and Brickwall Limiter, you'll find two indispensible reasons for owning a PCI MkII.

[vixapphire]

personally, i like the "character" plugin on the powercore. it's pretty useful for synths and just about anything; candies up nicely. the other top-of-field plug i've heard on it is the virus powercore synth plugin - it's really a worthwhile plugin to own if you do any synth music, and outshines native softsynths pretty embarrassingly. i used to think es2 was passably good...

i haven't put too many hours on my mkII card, but it's pretty much met expectations so far. of course, it has taken me until only recently in my life to realize that new gear really won't change my life...

[bobby yarrow]

Originally Posted by vixapphire

of course, it has taken me until only recently in my life to realize that new gear really won't change my life...

Except microphones, right?

[FOURTHTUNZ]

Originally Posted by vixapphire

it has taken me until only recently in my life to realize that new gear really won't change my life...

SEEZ Yoututt
I'm taller and better looking, and my hair is starting to come back dammit
All thanks to Digidesign! Ha!
daniel