if we can settle down with one Daw, can't we settle down with One EQ, Reverb, delay?

is that something that wouldn't make sense? to settle down with one EQ for example?

 

If you feel all eqs are the same and only one is needed (same for reverb, or anything really even synths) then you most definitely only need one.
If you hear differences and you can imagine that different eqs typologies can have different uses then you should have several.
In the end it's more about what YOU need and enjoy than anything else. I don't need the hundred of eqs I have (thirty of them would probably be enough to cover everything), but I enjoy having them, comparing, etc, like I do with all audio things.

 

Only thirty? I don't know man...

 

You're right. More around 50. A few redundancies, but also precious nuances that change everything, even to people who can't obectified what they're hearing.

I mean why so many guitars manufacturers, D.I models, and all that crap ? Maybe cause they are different, I'm sure a metal head like you can both understand and explain that....

 

One EQ? Which one? Minimum phase, linear phase, analogue phase, m-s, stereo, dynamic, static, digital, or which of the dozens of different sounding analogue emulations?

 

I agree that people have too many plugins--as I've mentioned in other threads, I make myself go through and remove plugins that never get used--but one of each plugin seems a little ridiculous, the opposite end of plugin insanity, if you will.
I have a couple go-to, utilitarian EQs, Compressors and Reverbs and then some that add character or something unique to the mix; they all have different uses. You're not going to get the same sound from, say, one of Fuse's EQs as you would from Fabfilter's ProQ. Hell, sometimes I actually use two EQs, one with some color that *just has an additional Low Cut. Or, I kinda slap the VHL-3C, Black Rooster's HPF/LPF, on a lot of tracks as it lends a nice warmth to everything. (Black Rooster VHL-3C--best *free plugin ever? Maybe. )
Even if you make the same kind of music day in and day out, you're probably still going to want to change up plugins. Using Magic Death Eye and using McDSP's Compressor Bank on, say, a Drum Buss, gives you two very different tones. Or, using Valhalla's VintageVerb and using Eventide's H8000 will, again give you two different results.
Not to be an asshole, but this seems like common sense to anyone who has spent even a moderate amount of time mixing.
Also? Not everyone only uses one DAW--just sayin'...

 

One DAW.
One EQ.
One Compressor.
One Delay.
One Reverb.
One Synth.
One Bass Preset.
One Lead Preset.
One Pad Preset.
One Kick Sample.
One Clap Sample.
One HH Sample.
One FX Sample.
One Limiter.

Done. Why not?)

 

Neve 1073 and Lexicon PCM 96

I chose these because this is what i use, but as always the options are endless.

https://vintageking.com/neve-1073-cv

https://lexiconpro.com/en/products/pcm96

 

Last edited: Nov 10, 2019

Yes and no.
For a beginner that would be the best decision. Choose 1 versatile EQ and try to squeeze as much out of it as possible. The same goes for compressor, gate, delay, reverb, etc.
But: at some point you will reach the limits of what is possible with this plugin. And then it's time to look for a plugin that expands the possibilities.

 

I think it would be a great way to smooth out your workflow. If it sounds good, waht does it matter how many gizmos you use? I have a lot of crap, but I usually go with what's in the DAW. You can sit up all night many nights trying out plug ins. I've done it.

 

Like this -
Daw = Kitchen
Plugs = Spices
Sometimes I like to cook with alot of spices
But one kitchen is enough

 

Some EQs offer multiple modes to cover many bases. E.G, ozone & toneboosters.

 

Some even offer multimodes and the possibility to choose the shape of your eq (like dmg audio equilibrium).
It's interesting, in a direction related to the OP question, to be able to realize that things such as phase issues are actually a important part of why analogue sound the way it does, if you compare for instance the pultec boost eq in equilibrium, in minimum phase and its equivalent in emulation, say Purple 2 from Acustica Audio. It's not just the result of its circuitry that colors the sound, every aspects of how the analogue realm work comes into play...
Not really such a thing as "just an eq"...

 

i know this was a joke...but i know someone who does this, and while his music is good, it all sounds the same. Variety is good!

 

One Love

PS I only eat One Food (potatoes), and I take One Bath every One Year!

 

Last edited: Nov 11, 2019

One EQ?
DMG EQuilibrium, can handle almost anything.

 

• Reverb: Slate Digital VerbSuite Classics
• Delay: Izotope DDLY
• EQ and the rest: Izotope Neutron

By the way, this is not just a hypothetical situation. In reality, I use mostly these three.

 

One DAW is not a given as suggested by the op's title. I use Reaper for just about everything but I now use the brand new super duper wonderful (thanks mono et al) Cubase 10 pro (almost), for midi and expression maps instead of Cubase 5. I used to have loads of plugins due to not having much choice with waves loading them all up but now with VR's version you can pick what you want, about 10 plugins . Perhaps you could always do this and I just hadn't noticed.

 

The very first control room I worked in, in 1979, we had a compressor. I wasn't allowed to touch it, but I could look.

I wouldn't go back, now.