Saturation plugins.. Where have you been my whole life!

[tombuur]

I read this thread around X-mas and immediately bought the PSP stuff. However, I am not that impressed. Recently I have started removing the PSP plugins again. Quite often that makes a track sound better.

Only recently I have become aware of Nebula 3. It is an amazing concept, and using the R2R package for tape I get a far better sound than PSP ever gave me. Still, Nebula is new to me, so my opinion doesn't count yet.

[White Falcon]

Originally Posted by Sphion

Here's another vote for Bootsy's plugs in genereal.
Tessla, Density and Booteq are amazing plugs.

And - he just released a plug for the KVR developer
challenge - FerricTDS - Tape Dynamics Simulator

That's why i revived this thread (se post #54)

[Schneider]

Originally Posted by sahiaman

A while ago I started using a vcr as a tape machine to inject flavor into sterile tracks.

wait.. you can do that!? :D
would love to hear any samples you've put through your vcr!

getting back on subject, im a big fan of my VintageWarmer2, but i havent heard any of the newer PSP stuff, will definitely check it out!

[HSLand]

Does anyone know of pros that use these plugs a lot? Not that that will sway my opinion any, I was just curious as to whether this is seriously a, sort of, necessity when mixing ITB. I just threw a saturation plug on a snare and the reverb return. It gave the snare a bit more of a fat sound and it got the 'verb under control, took away those nasty highs automatically. Not sure if this will work out for a whole mix but we'll see.

[Mozart]

Originally Posted by DP40oz

So i finally bought PSP MixSaturator2 and jesus! This is what ive been missing in every mix ive done ITB. Basically using the Charles Dye method of putting just a touch of them on almost every track and the mix bus has completely brought my mixes to a new level.

I never could understand why my mixes sounded too real. It was like watching a sitcom rather then film. For years ive struggled with my reverbs and delays being too present. I couldnt get why the singer always sounded just too up front and not record like. How are these plugins not talked about all the time. I own all the UAD stuff, the Waves SSL plugs and no matter how good they sounded i never could get "That" sound. Now my mixes gel and i can be way more creative without the fear that a hall reverb is gonna sound completely huge and fake, everything just sounds right now. Ive been mixing professionally for years and this has to be one of the biggest realizations ive ever had. Just had to post this because it seems like nobody talks about the power of these plugins enough. Needless to say i will be getting the URS Saturation plug ASAP.

Crane Song PHOENIX

[l.sicilian]

Originally Posted by Mr.HOLMES

...hardware like SPL Charisma...

That's a nice box.

[Lazz]

Originally Posted by DP40oz

Hey see this is what confused me with saturation plugins at first. People were always refering to these plugins as ways to "distort, dirty up, add grit" which I guess they do but thats misleading. Seeing what Charles Dye has done with them made me realize that you're using them more as a starting point not as an effect so to speak. Think of it as if i were mixing on a huge console with tons of outboard gear and effects, everything would be adding its own character to the sound so by the end of the mix the tracks would be coloured like crazy, which mixing ITB doesnt give you.

So for me ive put the saturation plugin in one of the valve settings on every channel in the first insert to start, including the mix buss. Usually just a little bit of saturation but thats totally up to you and the kinda music you're doing. Then just mix from there. Sometimes i'll add tape saturation on things. All in all just using it as if i were using a real board and real gear. Use the plugin in circumstances where the tracks would be going through Valves, tubes, tape but since you're ITB they're not. Its crazy how big of a difference this has made for me. Even my clients are booking more mix sessions because they can't believe how "radio" sounding their tracks are getting.

As far as PSP MixSaturator2 being a CPU hog. I use a quad core Q6600 processor and I just finished a mix with 48 tracks in which I used it on all 48 tracks, the mix buss and on some group busses and fx channels. Plus my normal mixing plugs, reverbs, delays, Waves SSL, Waves Ren series and Waves Vintage series and 3 instances of Drumagog and i was still flying with tons of CPU left. Gotta love Quad core baby.

This sounds awesome in theory and I would love to achive this effect but when I insert PSP MixSaturator2 in the first insert of a track I hear NO audio difference with it on or off while soloing any of the tracks or in a full mix??? What am I doing wrong here? On the 2bus...yea, huge difference but not sure I like it yet. Someone want to enlighten me?

[evillain]

So....to experiment....I put the URS Saturation plug on every channel of a 16 track session. I put it on the first insert, put it on the 30ips setting, and turned it up to 100% Saturation. I put one on every buss, but put it on the British Transformer Setting, and turned it up to 100%. On the Master Buss I put one more on the 30ips setting, and again turned it up to 100%.

I then started bringing up faders and mixed "into it".

I thought it sounded fantastic. Added a softness, a depth, and warmth I had not experienced before. I have used the plug more sparse previously, but never like it that much. This seems to be an extreme approach, but i truly thought it was fabulous, and the high end attenuation was subtle, but just right. And any distortion that occurred was really pleasant.

Anyone else try this? if not, do so....you may like it.

[TC5]

I wonder why the need to put a saturation plugin on all individual tracks. Wouldn't putting a single instance on the master bus do the job for the whole mix just fine?

[Washington]

Precisely not. It's been my experience that a carefully chosen (and very modest) saturation on the tracks before summing makes an interesting difference.

[MarsBot]

Originally Posted by TC5

I wonder why the need to put a saturation plugin on all individual tracks. Wouldn't putting a single instance on the master bus do the job for the whole mix just fine?

Along these lines, the best saturation available ITB right now is the Harrison Mixbus. If you like saturation and you're on a Mac, it's worth the $80. There is no demo. I took the plunge and I'm glad I did. Check the Harrison Mixbus threads. People are raving about this thing and with good reason.

[TC5]

Originally Posted by MarsBot

Along these lines, the best saturation available ITB right now is the Harrison Mixbus. If you like saturation and you're on a Mac, it's worth the $80. There is no demo. I took the plunge and I'm glad I did. Check the Harrison Mixbus threads. People are raving about this thing and with good reason.

Thanks I'll check out the Harrison thread. Don't know how I missed such a huge thread...

[Mr.HOLMES]

Originally Posted by l.sicilian

That's a nice box.

Yes the charisma by SPL if for its price a no brainer and it helps the mix....

Everybody can listen here I ask myself why I mixed s long without it....bähhhh

Damm it helped so much to gel the sound....

Listen for yourself....

https://www.yousendit.com/transfer.p...c670ee918b5c9c

[FeatheredSerpent]

I posted this in the music computers section but there is a no-brainer deal starting tomorrow on the blue tubes analog trackbox, $15 instead of $189.

I've been trying it out and really like what it's doing.
the special price is from audiomidi.com. You can get a fully functioning demo to try first and then if you like it you've got 4 days to buy the license at that price.

Nomad Factory - Leader In Tube Emulation Plug-Ins

[l.sicilian]

Originally Posted by FeatheredSerpent

I posted this in the music computers section but there is a no-brainer deal starting tomorrow on the blue tubes analog trackbox, $15 instead of $189.

Nomad Factory - Leader In Tube Emulation Plug-Ins

Yes yes yes, it works great. Been using it for a while, highly rated. thumbsup

[carllock]

Originally Posted by Sphion

Here's another vote for Bootsy's plugs in genereal.
Tessla, Density and Booteq are amazing plugs.

And - he just released a plug for the KVR developer
challenge - FerricTDS - Tape Dynamics Simulator

These are some of the best plugs I have ever heard for ITB production period!!!
thumbsup

[Dtour]

I use the Cranesong Phoenix plug in daily, usually it's the first insert on the 2 buss or master fader, sometimes it works wonders on synth tracks to fatten them up. My two favorite are Luster and Dark Essence, turned up anywhere from 9 o'clock to almost 100%. Too much though and it will start to distort, you kind of have to mix with it on.

Unfortunately it's only TDM, has anyone used a Tape Saturation plug in the is similar that could be run RTAS?

[FeatheredSerpent]

Try the blue tubes. It's RTAS, AU and VST.

You get a lot of options, well you get 3 controls on the tube circuit but those 3 give you a pretty big palette: amount (mix), colour and a continuously variable control that takes you from single to dual diode.

It's a full-featured channel strip so you get a gate, comp, eq (shelves and 2 band parametric) plus input drive/output gain, and hi/low filters on the master section.

I don't really have anything to compare it to other than the older version of the antares tube plug, and it craps all over that, the antares is too 'all or nothing', and the difference between the two tube 'types' is just too drastic.

The trackbox can be a hell of a lot more subtle, and is more pleasing when pushed hard as well.
And for $15, you can't really go wrong.
(Don't want to sound like an audiomidi advert! But this fad for 'no-brainer deals' is just too good.)

I was wrong in my post above, you've got one week to get it at that price, not 4 days, then it goes back up to $149 which is their actual retail price for it. The demo lasts 2 weeks so you can try it out right up until you have to get the license if you want to buy.

[jchadstopherhuez]

Originally Posted by evillain

So....to experiment....I put the URS Saturation plug on every channel of a 16 track session. I put it on the first insert, put it on the 30ips setting, and turned it up to 100% Saturation. I put one on every buss, but put it on the British Transformer Setting, and turned it up to 100%. On the Master Buss I put one more on the 30ips setting, and again turned it up to 100%.

I then started bringing up faders and mixed "into it".

I thought it sounded fantastic. Added a softness, a depth, and warmth I had not experienced before. I have used the plug more sparse previously, but never like it that much. This seems to be an extreme approach, but i truly thought it was fabulous, and the high end attenuation was subtle, but just right. And any distortion that occurred was really pleasant.

Anyone else try this? if not, do so....you may like it.

on projects that require i mix completely in the box...this is exactly what i have done may times. on a pt hd rig..i used to use the crane song phoenix...which, to my ears, is still the coolest sounding of all the "analog" simulator plugs.

for the last 7 months or so..i've been sold on the urs saturation plug. i setup my daw session like a desk....usually with the same eq plug on each channel...but always with the urs saturator on either 15 or 30 ips setting....as the first plug. i also use the urs saturation on every buss and fx return channel...and finally on my 2 buss.

works for me.

best,

jchristopherhughes

[FeatheredSerpent]

I'm thinking, if contrast is the name of the mixing game, which it seems to be, then isn't setting it up on every channel by default as described, actually denying you options?

I haven't tried slinging that kind of processing on every channel, and I'm sure I would like it if I did, but something tells me it would be more interesting to apply it to certain layers rather than just try and recreate the analogue world entirely.

Ah well, proof is in the pudding. I'll have to try it.

[hpp99]

Originally Posted by FeatheredSerpent

Try the blue tubes. It's RTAS, AU and VST.

I was wrong in my post above, you've got one week to get it at that price, not 4 days, then it goes back up to $149 which is their actual retail price for it. The demo lasts 2 weeks so you can try it out right up until you have to get the license if you want to buy.

Looks very interesting... but where can I find this offer for $15? I only see it for $189.
Is this special offer already over?

EDIT: Forget it... just found it on audiomidi.com

[Surbitone]

Originally Posted by carllock

These are some of the best plugs I have ever heard for ITB production period!!!
thumbsup

+1, Bootsy's Ferric is the best tape sim ITB at any price. Waves API 560 &v 2500 saturation sounds absolutely amazing too, I mix pretty much with just these guys, 550a/b, Squad, Chandler EMI TG comps, Old Timer, V series & T-Racks 3 pultec & 670 plugs. With the TEAC M15 on the way in to the lynx, I'm not lacking any warmth by mixing ITB anymore, absolutely love it.

[l.sicilian]

There is a URS Saturation on eBay right now, this seller's got some other interesting plugins for sale.

[chrisj]

I just released something about two hours ago that's all about the desires of this very thread

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/new-p...ml#post4843531

The idea is to fix the whole digital-sterile thing without ANY crunchy-ness or ANY loss of pretty highs- so, not the usual 'warm' or distorted sound but still totally fixing the DAW-iness issue.

I think it worked, so I'm pretty happy not a direct replacement for stuff like tape emulators, more sort of a 'you shouldn't need to use fake tape on everything to be happy, here'

There's a demo

[RARStudios]

I think we've become too obsessed with sterile clean sound - it's hard habit to break - but I think it's gone too far.

When you clean up noise, you are also cutting out alot of the musical content.

These words are exactly what I have been thinking
I am 19 years old...but HATE the sound of cds that come out..they get weaker...and weaker...Why so clean cut?!

This is how I feel about mixes nowadays...I actually prefer noisy demos over these "Pristine" sounding recordings...the crystal clear ones make me sick (and make bands that much worse when you see them live ).

I love the noisy edge... it adds character.

Even with my crappy gear, I feel my recordings are too pristine...will these saturation plugs help them??

-Ev