pre amp plugins

[Lee702]

Try Nebula 3 CM

[Roots Rock]

Although I agree that nothing beats a good pre...

I recently started running my soft synths (usually B4, Electric Piano, or some 80's analog type synths) through a Nebula Pre from a 3rd party library, Nebula Alex B mixing board emulation, and Nebula CDSoundmasters Tape simulation. Then I render each track which makes the settings permanent. This is a must as it frees up your CPU.

Another option is to buy a used inexpensive preamp clone (I bought a used CL 7602 for $500 & love it). I try to track as much as possible through that or my LA-610. I must admit, however, that the above approach with Nebula works so well for soft synths that I feel no need to go back out of the box into one of my pres.

I find that stacking these Nebula effects gives you a sum that is greater than its parts. It add harmonic content and gives you a very subtle HPF & LPF affect to round out the sound.

[Osten Powers]

Originally Posted by Roots Rock

Although I agree that nothing beats a good pre...

I recently started running my soft synths (usually B4, Electric Piano, or some 80's analog type synths) through a Nebula Pre from a 3rd party library, Nebula Alex B mixing board emulation, and Nebula CDSoundmasters Tape simulation. Then I render each track which makes the settings permanent. This is a must as it frees up your CPU.

Another option is to buy a used inexpensive preamp clone (I bought a used CL 7602 for $500 & love it). I try to track as much as possible through that or my LA-610. I must admit, however, that the above approach with Nebula works so well for soft synths that I feel no need to go back out of the box into one of my pres.

I find that stacking these Nebula effects gives you a sum that is greater than its parts. It add harmonic content and gives you a very subtle HPF & LPF affect to round out the sound.

Ampeg SVX is a great plug for bass! Try it!

[illacov]

Tessla SE kicks ass as a saturator. It has a really good harmonic saturation preset that is the bomb on bass and vocals. It can really add some hair to stuff thats tracked with a really fast and clear mic or preamp chain.

Its not magic but the difference is there.

It works well on drums as well.

Nebula does sound great to my ears but I have other tricks for those results. I use 2 different tape decks (Tascam 38 (8) track and Fostex 2 track mastering deck), all types of transformer coupled preamps (modded Yamaha pm700/1000, modded Dynamix 3000, Voicematics, Sony MX20), transformer coupled compressor (Gates Solid States Man AGC) etc...plugins can do certain things to audio that you might experience with hardware, but its a game of inches vs yards to my ears with plugins vs hardware.

You have to get used to the sound of both and marrying them together is the real fun of it all.

I find that when you are using a really bland plain jane recording chain, that you have to use some really phenomenal plugins to really give you that grit or girth, etc...that you might be seeking and sometimes they fall on their face for that. The Tritone and Nebula plugs seem to be a good starting point but they still are only going to do their thing but so well. Its really about getting it at the source if you can or using something thats quite heavy handed to make up for the lack of that character you're seeking.

Again we all are not equipped the same so I'm not trying to wave anybody's gearlist or available gear in their face. I'd much rather say try different things, break some rules and develop your methods.

You can always try dumping some stuff to cassette on a 3 head deck and recapture it into your computer for some dirt. You just may like the sound of it. Its not the same as 1/4", 1/2", 1" or 2" tape by far, but still for what you're seeking, it may be that extra edge that you want.

Plenty of options to choose from. Sorry if this isn't more helpful, but you kinda gotta stretch those legs a little.

I'd definitely read up on the Daptone stuff, they have some great advice for flavoring audio!

Peace
Illumination

[3rd Degree]

Interesting thread. I have been thinking about trying this out too but the second you bring up a mic or preamp emulator, people freak out and tell you it doesn't sound the same.

Just for the sake of hoping more people will volunteer information, rather than oppinion, I want to bring up one thing. Just because you are using something in software that immulates a hardware unit, that doesn't mean you expect it to perform like the hardware unit. For me, and maybe other people, I am more interested in using it as an effect, even if it sounds NOTHING like the real deal, in the hopes that it is something useable and makes something sound better.

[illacov]

Originally Posted by talontsiawd

Interesting thread. I have been thinking about trying this out too but the second you bring up a mic or preamp emulator, people freak out and tell you it doesn't sound the same.

Just for the sake of hoping more people will volunteer information, rather than oppinion, I want to bring up one thing. Just because you are using something in software that immulates a hardware unit, that doesn't mean you expect it to perform like the hardware unit. For me, and maybe other people, I am more interested in using it as an effect, even if it sounds NOTHING like the real deal, in the hopes that it is something useable and makes something sound better.

This is true, however as an engineer there's things that you never quite get used to, no matter what it is or what its supposed to be like or sort of like lol.

Sometimes I feel like people would rather buy their way out of a problem but budgeting makes them buy shit that normally they wouldn't.

Like how many people would avoid a nice working 8 track reel to reel if it was $99? If it makes your recordings sound dope as hell, you'd use it all over the place I'm certain.

Now make that same deck $800 or $2000.

So now dude is using a "tape simulator," and learning to accept the sound of it but wishing for that extra 25 to 45% difference he heard when his shit hit tape (which he's not getting from the plugin).

I mean I guess he's "accepting," it.

Like one would accept wankin' vs hittin' off Sanaa Lathan.


Peace
Illumination

[miro]

i agree with PeeWeeGee...damn! what's wrong here?
Give the OP some plugins....

I know there's loads of plugins doing this (no matter if it's not the real thing or not!) some were mentioned.

Are you on PC or mac?

Besides that: Nebula is not static. It's working with a very complex technology. Nonlinear, dynamic convolution which applies an impulse response for each different input level= non static.

(But yes, i guess it just gets no attention for not having a world class GUI
or enough respect for not costing 700$.)

whatever....

[chrisma]

Originally Posted by Roots Rock

I find that stacking these Nebula effects gives you a sum that is greater than its parts. It add harmonic content and gives you a very subtle HPF & LPF affect to round out the sound.

^^^
This plus proper gain staging (between plugins into the mix buss) will take you a long way from digital sounding mixes. The added headroom plus the sum of harmonics/saturation added to each track does some nice things for the mix. Even the nebula free has a preset call "State of Logic 4kG (or something like that)" in the preset section. Use it on individual tracks to give the mix that nice low end and sheen on the hi end that you get from an SSL 4000G console. Also, Nebula is dynamic and not static so it responds to the program material like actual hardware does.

[arcanjoloco]

Originally Posted by TOR

you can do this with impulse responses

here's some to try out --> Noisevault Studio and Convolution Forums - ReMOSitory

Can u explain a little of how this works ? Forgive me if I´m too stupid but I never used impulse responses unless for reverb. What´s the plugin u talking about to use with this pre-amp impulses ?

[RonT]

Originally Posted by PeeWeeGee

At the risk of getting banned for actually having an opinion....

I did, in fact, read your post closely. I try to do that will ALL the posts I read. But the OP wasn't soliciting a comparison between hardware and software. He was asking for a GOOD simulator.

That is MY point entirely. Hell, everyone here knows that you and some of the other better-outfitted vets have hardware and software falling out of every crack. But while we progress at varying levels, we have to make due with what we have.

Every third (worthwhile) question here is answered with some HIGH BUDGET response:
- "Hire a real guitarist"
- "Get a real string section"
- "You'll need a real preamp for that"
- "You can't make music with that! You need PRO Tools HD...."
Blah blah blah...

To give a future-looking answer without addressing the immediate need is like telling a hungry man to plant a garden so that ONE DAY he'll have food.

And given that you have nearly all the plugins, why not offer your opinion on which of THEM bests serves the OP's purpose?

I'm really not getting the HH forum sometimes....

Although, I totally agree with Tony, PeeWee is spot on with this response.

The time has already come where pre-amps can be avoided via USB. Now don't get me wrong, most sound like sh$t! But never the less the tecnology is here. There are many plugs that add saturartion, distortion, eq, harmonics, etc..... Compressors have been modeled to the point where they are 90% there.......why is it such a strech of the imagination for techology to advance with the ability to capture the character of a pre and put it in a plug?

Blah Blah Blah the OP asked a question and as crazy as it sounded to some of you, it was not a crazy question at all becuase software vendors are already offering just what the OP asked.

[Tangible]

Originally Posted by talontsiawd

Interesting thread. I have been thinking about trying this out too but the second you bring up a mic or preamp emulator, people freak out and tell you it doesn't sound the same.

Just for the sake of hoping more people will volunteer information, rather than oppinion, I want to bring up one thing. Just because you are using something in software that immulates a hardware unit, that doesn't mean you expect it to perform like the hardware unit. For me, and maybe other people, I am more interested in using it as an effect, even if it sounds NOTHING like the real deal, in the hopes that it is something useable and makes something sound better.

+1

I don't really care if software emulation of hardware sounds like the real deal. All I care about is if it sounds good to me. We all make our music to impress ourselves and hopefully the masses, not to impress fellow gearslutz.

I really love Nebula for this. I'm going to look into URS and Soundtoys too.

[Chris Lago]

Nebula is such a CPU hog, It's unusable when you're dealing with 100+ tracks for mixing.