Best Plug In Expander?

Keith Moore · 11th November 2009

What have any of you found to be the best plug in expander? TDM/RTAS. If there's a hardware suggestion I'm open for suggestions. Mostly for use on snare drum.

j2dafo · 11th November 2009

I always got good results with the standard Waves gate/expander. Once I dialed in the attack time anyway. Even the digi gate gets used on occassion.

Recently though, I picked up a Valley Gatex (4 channel) and although it is not packed with features, is now my go to gate. Using the variable range control allowed me to more quickly and more musically gate me snare drums, toms, kicks, drum rooms, etc.

I always thought that I would never need/want hardware gates, as I was completely satisfied with software, but the difference was enough to make me take one more step down the path towards a majority stake in hardware over software.

Keith Moore · 11th November 2009

Can anyone offer information on the differences between an expander and a de-esser?

j2dafo · 11th November 2009

an expander is, simply put, a type of gate.

a de-esser is a de-esser. use it to control sibilance on vocals.

RiF · 23rd November 2009

For all my gating/expanding, I use McDSP Channel G. The gate/expander is very similar to the Digirack one, but without the latency.

T_R_S · 24th November 2009

Drawmer Dynamics TDM. Lots of expander plug-ins are not smooth when the close.
Drawmer is totally smooth

kittonian · 24th November 2009

McDSP Channel G. The plug just rocks.

Keith Moore · 1st December 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by kittonian

McDSP Channel G. The plug just rocks.

I have the Channel G, never even realized it had an expander in it. Duh! I also have a Valley People Dyna-mite I'm gonna try as well. I'm mainly looking for getting some of the cymbal bleed out of the snare without having to gate it too much.

Keith Moore · 1st December 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by T_R_S

Drawmer Dynamics TDM. Lots of expander plug-ins are not smooth when the close.
Drawmer is totally smooth

From the looks of the Drawmer expander there doesn't seem to be a way to sweep through frequencies. Am I not seeing it or do you just use the gate with the frequency selection?

b0b · 1st December 2009

My favorite expander would be the Flux Solera II (full dynamics) or just the Pure Expander. All the Flux plugs are top class.

china jam · 1st December 2009

Sonalksis.

Their Expander/Gate is seriously good. Well thought out.

Keith Moore · 1st December 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by china jam

Sonalksis.

Their Expander/Gate is seriously good. Well thought out.

The SV-719? I have a few of there plug in's. I wonder if I have that one.

Sigma · 1st December 2009

any gate --no biggie whatever i see first..waves ..oxford ..drawmer

a downward expander is just a gate whose range is bet like -2 and -9 rather than -80 great for toms when ya wanna set them apart from the constant bleed

11th November 2009	#1
Keith Moore Lives for gear Join Date: May 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 837 Thread Starter	Best Plug In Expander? What have any of you found to be the best plug in expander? TDM/RTAS. If there's a hardware suggestion I'm open for suggestions. Mostly for use on snare drum.

11th November 2009	#3
Keith Moore Lives for gear Join Date: May 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 837 Thread Starter	Expander vs De-esser Can anyone offer information on the differences between an expander and a de-esser?

24th November 2009	#6
T_R_S Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Canuk Posts: 5,161	Drawmer Dynamics TDM. Lots of expander plug-ins are not smooth when the close. Drawmer is totally smooth __________________ ========== Surplus Sale

1st December 2009	#10
b0b Gear nut Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Berlin Posts: 148	My favorite expander would be the Flux Solera II (full dynamics) or just the Pure Expander. All the Flux plugs are top class. __________________ Andy

1st December 2009	#13
Sigma Lives for gear Join Date: May 2006 Location: phallicdelphia Posts: 4,617	any gate --no biggie whatever i see first..waves ..oxford ..drawmer a downward expander is just a gate whose range is bet like -2 and -9 rather than -80 great for toms when ya wanna set them apart from the constant bleed __________________ "The notes I handle no better than many pianists. But the pauses between the notes, ah, that is where the art resides." Artur Schnabel http://miketarsia.com http://www.myspace.com/miketarsia https://members.grammy365.com/users/mike-tarsia

11th November 2009	#2
j2dafo Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 861	I always got good results with the standard Waves gate/expander. Once I dialed in the attack time anyway. Even the digi gate gets used on occassion. Recently though, I picked up a Valley Gatex (4 channel) and although it is not packed with features, is now my go to gate. Using the variable range control allowed me to more quickly and more musically gate me snare drums, toms, kicks, drum rooms, etc. I always thought that I would never need/want hardware gates, as I was completely satisfied with software, but the difference was enough to make me take one more step down the path towards a majority stake in hardware over software.

23rd November 2009	#5
RiF Lives for gear Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Germany Posts: 1,445	For all my gating/expanding, I use McDSP Channel G. The gate/expander is very similar to the Digirack one, but without the latency.

24th November 2009	#7
kittonian Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,310 1 Review written	McDSP Channel G. The plug just rocks.

1st December 2009	#11
china jam Lives for gear Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kent, England Posts: 571	Sonalksis. Their Expander/Gate is seriously good. Well thought out.

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