You can, and you should definitely know the stock plugins in your DAW because a lot of the time, they are going to be the lightest resources usage options available. But on the flip side of that coin, it's almost never someone who only uses stock plugins making that comment. (and the developers of whatever DAW they are selling).

Another facet to it, is that you are only going to get a limited understanding of a processor type only using one example. The differences between them are usually the best indicators of what to learn. Without other points of reference, you will have no experience to draw from.

 

@patatern what do you use? uad, waves?
@ptepper i understand what you mean, but i don't like the compressors in the DAW i use, and i would feel too "limited".

 

Last edited: Feb 17, 2025

Bugs and imperfections in most of plugins. Every plugin does a specific task not all imaginable ones.

People want sth that does everything but unfortunately this thing isn't created. If one day a plugin is built that suites all the needs, then people won't want more.

 

You have a point, stock compressors are usually less coloured so you'll always need additional flavour or five. Not to mention saturators...

There are so many different types of music, many more different production styles and workflows so any rules are often pointless. That said, I'm usually surprised how far I can get using practically any stock compressor followed by the right saturation plugin. But your mileage might vary...

 

@ptepper It also depends on the compressor in your DAW.. Logic compressor is awesome!

 

After decades of producing and mixing, I find this to be true. However, it seems like one of the most triggering statements to many people because, I suppose, it questions their fundamental knowledge and experience. I think maybe it also exposes the level of privilege and choice we have now with the quality of stock and free plugins, and especially if you use the embarrassment of riches provided by warez scene.

So you have access to potentially 11+ types of compression over 3 plugins. Is it possible others might have a preference for some alternative combination of dedicated individual plugins emulating or providing the same, or more functions?

 

Yes, you are right.. I am using quite a few compressors too!

 

Absolutely one could get by with stock plugins for a lot of purposes. But I would argue that, even if using a fancy eq over a stock eq that does the exact same thing amounts to nothing but a brain tickle placebo, a brain tickle placebo is good mental stimulation and good mental stimulation makes good music.

 

Last edited: Feb 18, 2025

Absolutely. But then I guess you were not referring to Logic when you wrote that you felt limited by stock plugins.

 

I don't actually want more plugins. I make do with the cream of the available crop. However, if certain current "unobtainium" were somehow magically able to be obtained, I would more than likely chuck out over 3/4 of the stuff I currently use, and just run the unobtainium.

 

Sure, but it can often be a result of the fact that not all third-party plugins are created equal. When you limit the comparison between the high quality third-party plugins which many people here use, against your DAW stock plugins; anyone with the option will acknowledge the third-party plugins are "upgrades". Be it sound quality, featureset, workflow, whatever.

Anyway, I think the real answer to the original topic of why people always want more plugins, is Effective Marketing. Why else would someone demo a plugin from W.A., Madrona, or whoever else; when they already have a UAD/Sonnox/Fabfilter/McDSP/DMG, etc plugin which does the same things? Not many people are going to hop in the Mercedes and go take a Kia for a free test drive.

 

My Ego wants those all Plugins not me.

 

Why do you always want more plugins?

Because. Just because.

 

thats doesnt matter because it's very personal, and the placebo effect is obviously strong, it is always strong in everything around music and art, and it will always be

Anyway I use many old waves plugins that dont have similar or modern clones, such as the R-vox for example, or the PS22 x-split, Pitch shifter, doubler, mondomod ad Linear Phase MB comp. I sometimes test new things but these waves oldies cant be beat, so I dont need more plugins in "this zones". I dont use anymore all the CLA compressors and stuff and the SSL channels. They are good but I have found better workflows.

I use UAD yes, relatively recently (started about 5-6 years ago)

I use a lot stock plugins. Thanks to latest addons and updates in Cubase more or less I got rid of the FabFilter suite, I dont use it anymore. I sometimes miss Saturn 2, but not that much. The only one plugin I could buy again would be Volcano, but not for now. I dont need more "technical plugins".

So as you can see I dont need more and more, I just try something interesting and decide if to keep or delete. For example, I am testing Wunderlich from PA, it has a very unique sound when driven and I am liking it.

so your original question in the main msg "Why (for example) do you have so many compressors?" needs a specific answer, because even in the digital world compressors are very different, instead if we talk "generally about plugins" I just dont need more, except something interesting and new.

 

You try different one and sort which one fit you the most because at the end less is more in life, it's even better for the cpu

 

over the years i went through waves, pa, ik, pulsar, acustica (the top dogs) and going almost only uadx was an eye(ear) opener.
They r slightly better than pa, much better than waves. Their 3 ampsims r top shelf.

 

Wrap of whizz and off you go

 

5% because i'm not getting what i want from one single plugin (of the same category)
65% because it's fun to try different stuff
30% because ooga booga shiny analogue knobs go brrrrr

 

It's still missing plugins that are very often requested by Logic users. They added AI features in v11, but somehow a dedicated Dynamic EQ and full-featured Soft Clipper were too much to ask for? No analog channel strip emulations, or a real tape emulation plugin like Kramer or Satin even (which have been around for seemingly forever). They took forever to add a saturation plugin (ChromaGlow), and no-one is going to be uninstalling their dedicated 3rd party saturation plugins because of it. People used to use Overdrive plugin, and neither are an adequate substitution. The MIDI FX are still severely lacking compared to third-party options like those from PItch Innovations or 510K. The enveloper plugin is still primitive when compared with Shaperbox or dedicated sidechain plugins like Kickstart or Devious Machines Duck.

I prefer that it is stripped down without every option under the sun, just like many Protools users on here like their 12.5 still. But that goes with a full understanding you are going to add many non-stock plugins to it. The only reason they added that AI stuff so timely, is because they would have fallen that far behind their competition in sales numbers.

 

Last edited: Feb 18, 2025