Interesting. Maybe i misremember, maybe it wasn't a fluttery sound that i was hearing, maybe i had the settings on too strong and it was pumping/distorting/phasing too much or something. How subtly are you using it? What settings? I'll give it another spin now

 

Are you both referring to the same plugin? There is UrsaDSP Boost, and SampleMagic Boost.

 

I'm referring to UrsaDSP Boost and I usually don't use it that subtly (like I would with any other mastering limiter) cuz trust me it's extremely hard to make it distort (unless you're use the drive knob haha) it's not like your regular limiter, you can easily push 5db no problems. I usually stay around the 2-4db margin in the master chain. In the mix I let my imagination fly, 10b, 20b, etc...

 

1. DMG Multiplicity - I won't need a limiter since there's no loudness war on an island. But I still that need that glue.
2. DMG Equilibrium
3. Valhalla Delay
4. Valhalla Room
5. Kentaro Suzuki Particle Reverb

 

1. Hornet Total EQ
- I'm always a big fan of Hornet Plugin, not to say all of the plugins are super great, but a few of them are well designed. Simple and straightforward functionality is already good enough for my eq needs.

2. Acqua Sand Comp
- I have a lot of other choices for a specific use, but I don't want to waste my quota by bringing all compressors to a deserted island. So this would be my choice because I'm used to mixing only using console and this comp familiarity with the workflow is uncanny.

3. Valhalla Delay
- Another great simple and straightforward, after all, Valhalla has been my go-to delay for years.

4. Softube Harmonics Analog Saturation Processor
- Been using this a lot lately, just love the result. Had this for so long and only recently did I learn to appreciate it.

5. Exponential Audio Nimbus
- I got a few other choices, but I think I take this for its capability to be clean, subtle, and a little too obvious.

 

Agreed. I made some free sounds and a random preset generator for Ableton I like it so much:

https://www.hereticalaudio.com/product/preset-pack-for-valhalla-spacemodulator/

 

MeldaProduction MXXX.

The other four, I'll decide at the last moment

 

These Top Five plugins lists are weird to me, like "... if you only had five plugins. Period." The often detrimentally logical side of me demands to know how you'd complete a proper, modern mix with only five plugins. And the "... back in the day" argument isn't valid, as we're not making minimalist albums anymore—no offense to some of the sexy tube consoles back in the day.
But... Top Five that I've been using more in the last year for essential work, and ones that are always solid options on any mix:

Fuse Audio Labs Flywheel
Tokyo Dawn Labs SlickEQ GE
Voxengo EBusLim
Fuse Audio Labs VCL-4
Klanghelm SDRR

... and, I think it's only fair to have a free sixth slot for a basic metering plugin, so Klanghelm's VUMTdeluxe is coming with me too.


[sexy image of EMI REDD.51]

 

1. Sausage Fattener
2. Sausage Fattener
3. Sausage Fattener
4. Sausage Fattener
5. Sausage Fattener

 

I'm talking about UrsaDSP Boost too.

Gave it a spin tonight and i remembered why i dismissed it in the past. It's very pumpy. It's clean as far as distortion but certainly not transparent as far as altering the signal, the pumping is obvious and not subtle. Maybe i'm using it wrong, but you wont tell me your settings haha so i don't know. Overall it changes the tone too much when mastering for clients. Maybe it works on the mixbus mixing into it though

 

I've given UrsaDSP Boost a shot multiple times. It's a solid plugin, but I can use DMG Limitless for only slightly more CPU & latency and it sounds much cleaner to my ears.

 

I have no idea about the pumping youre experiencing, I dont experience it (tho I can set it for pumping if I want to) and Im not using any especial settings. Ive mixed and mastered entire tracks using Boost and I challenge anyone (even myself) to catch any pumping going on. Regarding tone, it barely messes with the overall tone, which is why its such a weird plugin (getting from -17 lufs-m to -8 lufs-m hearing just a tiny bit of compression is wild in my books) and why I rarely use it as final limiter in my master chain (I mainly use Limitless because of the tone shaping tools featured).

I think people need to differentiate "cleaner" from "better", Ursa is objectively cleaner than Limitless, that's a fact any informed person can verify with Plugin Doctor or whatever tool. Because Ursa doesn't work as Limitless or like any other limiter. But the fact that it's cleaner doesn't mean it's better or sounds better.

 

Last edited: Jun 28, 2023

Impossible. But the ones I use the most are probably (in no order)
FabFilter ProQ-3
Magic Death Eye
Soundtoys Echoboy/Audiotory Echoes (tossup)
Shadow Hills Mastering Comp
Eventide TSAR-1

But that doesn't even get into amps.

 

It's not in my arsenal, but DDMF's MagicDeathEye is a solid plugin. I find myself using his 6144 Neve-ish EQ a lot if I just need to affect higher frequencies, just small cuts in resonant zones and then a boost, usually on acoustic instruments like pianos or guitars.

 

I've become very good with that since I'm using Linux exclusively using native plugins, no Wine for me in this case.

1) TAL-Sampler
2) TAL-Drum
3) U-He Hive 2
4) U-He Uhbik
5) U-He ZebraHZ

If I could only have U-he Repro-1, Presswerk and Airwindows Cliponly, too daddy?

Oh yes, FirComp 1/2 is a brilliant, workhorse compressor. Replaced Waves Renaissance Comp for me in that department.

 

Last edited: Jun 28, 2023

Jon V Audio Fircomp2
TDR Limiter 6 GE
Fab Filter Pro-Q3
Valhalla DSP Valhalla Plate
Valhalla Delay

 

->

 

Curious. Why did you choose Plate over the other Valhalla verbs? I'm really on the fence about Plate vs Room. I think at this point I may have to buy them all.

 

I like plate for percussion, you can really let it shine without it becoming too harsh. It can be a bit harder to mix with more complex material though imo

Linux has a lot of great plugins now thanks to brands like TAL, U-He, Auburn Sounds & Audio Damage! You can pretty much make a complete mix without much issues, so long as your hardware works kindly with Linux ;)
Fircomp 2 is a favorite of mine, it is my goto sidechain compressor.

 

1. Izotope Neutron - all i need for mixing
2. Izotope Ozone - masterbus
3. Valhalla VintageVerb - all of my reverb needs
4. Devious Machine Infiltrator - all of my FX needs
5. WX Audio NANI - some of my needs

 

Last edited: Jun 29, 2023