Audio Assault Sigma v2 & RVXX v2

Discussion in 'Software Reviews and Tutorials' started by Arabian_jesus, Mar 1, 2021.

  1. Arabian_jesus

    Arabian_jesus Audiosexual

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    I wasn't really sure if this is the correct section to post this but I guess it will kinda be a review.

    When I first tested a few Audio Assault plug-ins (Hellbeast, Emperor, Dominator) maybe 2 years ago I was not impressed at all. The tones you could get out of them were pretty much unusable. After that I didn't pay them any attention at all until they released their Sigma amp sim plug-in for free. When I downloaded it I was pleasantly surprised that it actually sounded quite decent and had a good amount of features for something I didn't have to pay anything for. I used it mostly as a tracking plug-in as it was very light on CPU usage and easy to set up quickly. The tone wasn't perfect and it did have some bug in the IR loader though.

    6 months or so later I received an email with a download link for Sigma v2 and at first I just thought it would be mostly a regular update, but after installing it I was amazed that they had probably scrapped the original plug-in and built a whole new, full fledged amp sim. The amp now had 3 channels (clean, crunch, lead) and a totally different and much better tone, a stomp section with gate, boost and overdrive, dual IR loader and a FX section with EQ, delay and reverb. The GUI is also much improved over v1 and is freely re-sizable without everything looking pixelated (unlike Softube :bleh:). Very similar to Neural DSP and ML Sound Lab. It did still have a bug in the IR loader section which caused it to not save the selected IR when saving a preset and the oversampling didn't do anything at all. I wrote to them about this and they thanked me for pointing it out and said that they will fix this in the next update.

    After getting the v2 update I also purchased their RVXX amp sim and the aIR impulse loader. I didn't like the tone of RVXX as much as Sigma but it is still a very good metal amp sim for $7! The aIR impulse loader is a very nice tool if you like to edit, blend and create your own IRs.

    A few days ago they did update both Sigma and RVXX and I'm glad to say that the IR loader bug is gone and from what I can see with Plugin Doctor the oversampling works as it should now!

    I'm a bit amazed over how fast they have improved from the first time I tried the old and awful amp sims to today when I use Sigma just as much as my (legit) Neural DSP plug-ins!

    Lastly, if you haven't heard of or tried Sigma and RVXX I definitely recommend you to demo them (which you can do now) and if you like them they are regularly on sale for the insane price of $7. I think Audio Assault has really become a developer that's worth supporting!

    Cheers
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2021
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  3. No Avenger

    No Avenger Moderator Staff Member

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  4. Donut Nyamer

    Donut Nyamer Audiosexual

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    Good review. The RVXX is modeled after a REVV amp. The rev Cab IR's I have a phenomenal & I really like Audio Assault's work.

    I definitely recommend their plugins, they are dirt cheap but they do NOT sound dirt cheap. They are well worth it. Tones are great for guitar or bass depending on plugin.
     
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  5. Recoil

    Recoil Guest

    Great plugins, especially Transient Shapers and D-Rez (Drum Resonance Remover) :yes:
     
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  6. Donut Nyamer

    Donut Nyamer Audiosexual

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    Never tried D-Rez but the transient shaper is sick. I have a thing for bonking the transients over the head like a whack-a-mole. Truth be told, I reach for transient shapers over compressors in most situations.

    That's just me though. Sounds like I need D-Rez, I love my ringy pig snout snares but it would be nice to tame those pig squeals coming off the snare ringing out into goat cheese territory like I make Gore Grind in the meat department of some grocery store.

    I still do use compressors the traditional way too for peaking, downwards/upwards, NY... But I really love compressors for the colored character they carry with their weight.

    Same for EQ's. I will always use surgical EQ's but then somewhere later in the fx chain I'll chuck in a hardware EQ emulation such as the AudioAssault FreakQ305, SSL or Maag.

    I use a lot of Duality Bass, Sigma & RVXX. But also like my Multitransient & Hellbeast too.
     
  7. Arabian_jesus

    Arabian_jesus Audiosexual

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    Thanks, forgot the link as usual!

    Been interested in buying the multi-transient and D-rez. Have been demoing multi-transient for a while and it's really handy sometimes, but I already have Boz Digital Transgressor 2 which can do all of that and then some. Might buy it and D-rez just to support them however :)
     
  8. darknight

    darknight Ultrasonic

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    Newer amps are better. Cool!
     
  9. Donut Nyamer

    Donut Nyamer Audiosexual

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    100 times better. I was completely surprised by their 180 degree turn. Especially on bass.
     
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