To my ears, the best vintage-gear emulations are the tape machines from UAD. I know they are pricey, but in all honesty I haven't heard anything else give recordings that sound, however it can be described. They retail for $349 each ($199 this month) and $599 in a bundle (This month 50% off). However, UAD users get frequent discounts: I got an offer to buy any two plugins for $300, bought the tape emus, and the thank-you coupon afterwards and the (re)current discounts gave me Oxide, the entry version of UAD tape emulations (great on its own, BTW), for free. Of course, the UAD way means that you'll have to invest in their plugins. If you go for a second-hand UAD unit, consider the plugins the previous owner has already put in the account. The offer might include those licenses.

 

Last edited: Aug 15, 2016

Hands down Nebula and Acqua plugins. Trinity is my go-to EQ for sweetening. Anything. Anytime. It's almost unfair how you can boost +16 and it still sounds good. Doesn't work that way on any algo plug I know of. I love Klanghelm SDRR too. It's insanely beautiful and will give you that analog sheen you're looking for - even on vocals. Also the plugin Alliance VSC-2 is stunning but since Acustica's Tan and Pink bundle came out I have barely used it. Nebula reverbs are also the truth!

 

Oranges are Oranges... tomatoes, tomatoes...
VSTs must be use because the character you want ( and you musts test/compare to do so). Sometimes a vst its no good enough but maybe 2 solve the problem. Also its better if you have good hardware pres, comps and eq... with saturation. The great problem is to be only software dependent to achieve the sound you want. Sometimes 2 not so good vst can do the job better than the best vst (that most of the time is personal taste)
With todays cpus the possibilities are unlimited right?
I have some hardware that have emulations.... the emulations are shadows most of the time, but they have their qualities too... so the best way is not to compare hardware to software and just compare emulation of the same hardware...
here the complete list
http://www.audio-hardware-emus.com/
Each day that pass the software is better... so the hardware.
Another way to increase your power are slaves with VEP PRO!

 

Excellent link, thanks!

 

Anyone checked mturbocomp by meldaproduction ? How it compares ?
I am asking because I havent used any hardware in my life.

 

there are good software compressors but still they do not substitute a good pre with comp.
There are cheap hardware compressors that can boost your work and costs less that some software.... thats an easy dilemma!

 

Yeah I've heard good things about some of ART's compressors. They make good stuff for really cheap (Relative to what it is)

Mostly I just wouldn't want to work with hardware if I had a good software comp with a nice touch like Presswerk or MJUC. My ART Voice Channel has a comp built in. I've pretty much never used it except to limit vocals on the way in. Just not my thing. I'd rather have the flexibility of changing settings whenever I want.

 

For an 1176 flavor the Warm WA76 is crazy good, and also you cannot beat the price. If you can find one used, so much the cheaper. I am saving for the Great River eq1-nv because boosting mid to high software eq harshes my mellow. The Great River eq1-nv is freaking AWESOME.

 

Uhm...
Favourite analogue outboard gear emulation plugins?

 

Apologies. I was kind of going with the flow and was carried along with the current. Well, I certainly haven't used every emulation, but I have a few that I think highly of. The Klanghelm DC8C 2 just plain works for everything that you throw at it, be it if you need it be transparent or not, and the free version is wonderful though is program dependant and is less flexible. Back to Klanghelm, MJUC as it is so flexible, but when I use it always seem to gravitate to the MK2 emulation. Last but not least, Molotov is all of the 3Fs, free, fantastic and freaking awesome. The freaking awesome part is because it is free as well as a fantastic compressor. Here is the link https://vladgsound.wordpress.com/plugins/molot/

 

Oh, speaking on topic, the slate virtual console collection has become a standard component in every single track I use.

 

s gear, kuassa cerberus , mjuc, satin , presswerk , mcdsp 6030-6020, ni vc2a , slate vbc rack , softube fet, tla100a. arturia v collection,addictive drums2. you can do anything with these, retro and modern.