Well, it works well on snares...

 

I only use the effect knob on 100% (for kicks) output -0.20

 

Decapitator

 

eq compressor

 

Newfangled Saturate tends to be my go to now.. or SoundToys Decapitator.

 

Clippers tend to do this, right.

 

Hard-

 

Newfangled Saturate is a really good sounding clipper (more pristine than generic clippers), but adds tons of latency. So very unusable for mixing / tracking stage of production.

 

i do not watch many YT videos and so on, but I do remember someone posting one here on the subject. Probably because it was using the Elysia Alpha master plugin in a somewhat unique way.

the guy was using Elysia Alpha Master Compressor only for the soft-clip circuit (SC knobs both R+L), no/almost no compression from the Elysia, and then some regular limiter. The entire perceived loudness gain being accomplished with the SC parameter.

 

Limitless on Master and sometimes a touch of Softube Harmonics
Tracks - SIR Audio Tools Standard and sometimes Soundtoys Devil loc for distortion + increased RMS

 

Sonnox Inflator
Newfangled Saturate
Kazrog True Iron
Tone Projects Kelvin
K-Clip

 

Loving the ISM Aroma saturation plugin at the moment. It gives something appealing without getting to the distortion point. It's almost more of a tone shaper than a saturator. Similar to what you might use Spectre for imo.

I just wish Aroma had some sorta auto-gain compensation functionality in it like Kelvin has. All of the "flavours" increase in gain as you boost them, so it's hard to know if you're getting perceived loudness or just literal loudness. As you're boosting the "flavours" you gotta keep attenuating the output, which is a bit clunky with 1 mouse pointer.
Sounds surprisingly great though.

 

Acustica Audio Ash.

 

apogee free tape soft limiter lately, very unique sound, it's a soft clipper but with its own behaviour

 

UrsaDSP - Boost
Zynaptiq - Intensity

Both these plugins have become staples in my mixing templates. Oftentimes I find little need to add anything else.

I've also started to experiment with Yum Audio - Crispy Clip. I'm liking it for now.

At the end of the chain usually sits Sonible - SmartLimit.

 

intensity on stereo buss or single tracks?

 

I've used it in every possible way. Mostly on master tracks to give a final push, but it shines even on single instruments like DI bass.

 

What do you like about it?

 

The Arboreal Audio PiMax is doing incredible things for me at the moment. It gets that last few db's of that ''all up in your face'' right there and there's different options to tailor it to your needs. I'm very impressed by the output so far.

 

i think since it's been released it's my final stage on the snare channel. The harmonics generated are very "tape like" so i feel i clip the peaks while i tame harsh transients, very common on digital snares. But avoid using it on buses because i feel the distortion too much. There, for this task i use the good ol' StandardClip