i was testing these Eq's from AO last night and to me they are just as good as any of the top Dollar Devs on the market in Algo plugins... Same for the Comps >>> @Von_Steyr >>> truth is some will never get past mixing with their eyes... Take away the names like UAD and the pretty GUI's on the Top money makin plugins and they too will fall short hahaha \m/

 

Agreed. Call me lazy, but I like graphs on my EQs. I love Acon's Equalize, and I rarely go for other EQs. However, the tone in OA's comps is really beautiful. They could easily become my go-to comps for flavor and character. I don't need to really feed up the gain for the needles to move around. Just pasting them on an insert gives a track a liveliness that is hard to achieve with other plugins. In that regard they match up Acquas and UAD offerings, at least to my ears.

 

It aint lazy hahaha>>> its the truth >>>> i agree i like the pretty Gui's great working VU meter's too lol \m/ its in our Genetics as humans most everything we do is with our eyes lol >>> just like wen i landed on the Nebula platform for the first time ,i was like WTF with that Big Red Box of a Gui on every lib i was using lol >>> but times have changed in Nebula Land and just so happens that most of my favorite long time Libs From Nebula have Pretty Gui's now >>> like the ones from Tim P i posted on page 10 that have been my Favs even before now>>> the new pretty GUI's ;) >>> some how just looking at the new skins an what the units should look like just puts a bigger smile on my face hahaha \m/...\m/

 

@Von_Steyr using the Buster ive gotta say it kills waves version lol >>> but ive never likes waves SSL >>> back wen it was getting so much Rave i used it this was years and years ago i was like HUH??? sound like shit to me its a muddy mess of a plugin >>> Buster is way more transparent >>>very nice punchy and clean \m/ i always liked THE GLUE of all the SSL Comps and still yet it seems a lil flat to me... I think Buster give much more cleaner sound \m/

 

Last edited: Oct 22, 2017

Yeah, it's been years since I used hardware SSL in a studio so I don't have that frame of reference. Since I recently tested Buster against SAND before I tested L-Buss against SAND, I'll just quickly say that for me Buster and L-Buss were both different from SAND in the same way - if that makes sense. I prefer L-Buss to Buster, but the fact that Buster's in the same ballpark as L-Buss is impressive because I don't think that any of the other algo SSL comps come close to L-Buss. I should add though that I've never tried the UAD offerings. For a few years The Glue was my go to, then eventually bumped by SAND, which is now being bumped by L-Buss. I also really love Logical from Airwindows, but it's very much more it's own thing "inspired by the idea of SSL comps", than a faithful emu.

Speaking of Airwindows, I largely credit Chris for teaching me early on to judge plugins with my ears rather than my eyes. I actually think I'm more suspicious of plugins with great GUI's than shitty ones (or none at all)!

 

Last edited: Oct 22, 2017

First and foremost, I gotta say that I am a happy UAD user, and I love my Apollo Twin. I've owned quite a few interfaces over the years, and I'm yet to complain about it. However, today is not 2014, and plug-in development has gone a steep rise these few years. UAD plugins are no disappointment; they are great, but the boys' club admission ticket is a lot of money. If I had to start again, I might consider other brands. As of plugins, all of the developers discussed in this thread offer a lot of product from nothing to very little money. Take Airwindows, Acustica Audio, Charlie, now Analog Obsession, all of them have something to offer that rivals the big-boy pants. If any, the advantage of UAD above the rest is negligible unless you have pristine quality converters, high-end monitors, and the room to go along. For the rest of us, there is no plugin manufacturer supremacy anymore. I still love my UADs. I can't complain.

 

Im with you 100% the ears never lie>>> the eyes are deceiving lol >>> L-Bus Comp is my new favorite SSL as you have said like all of Tims Comps just beat out every Algo ive used even UAD... wen i see people say Nebula Comps Are useless i just set back an smile cause i know they have never used the ones i do \m/ Tim Petherick and Tim Cupwise are the Compressor Kings in Nebula land >>> Tims Opto 3a2a , Blue MU are ALGO killers along with the rest of his Comps >>> i have 2 DBX 160 XL hardware comps and His N60A can set in an A/B comparison with ease ;) only difference in my Hardware is the XL has the output transformers >>> His Opto 3a2a is second to none on the Real Deal>>> that pleasing distortion it gets on a heavy comp setting is unreal just like the Hardware versions>>> i was doing -15 to -20 db of reduction on a vocal and it was so crazy at how well it can hold a vocal up front and not kill any of the transients while adding such a luster to the vocal itself \m/ >>> Also i dont mention it Much because its a Gem to me is His BLUE MU >>>its Tims Tube Tech LCA 2B version.... it can simply do it all and is so versatile in my mixes i just constantly turn to it for almost anything \m/ Yes i Rave about his Libs but they are simply that good \m/

 

Bah ha ha ha ha ha!!! Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!
I thought I was done buying TimP comps, but BLUE MU's one I don't have! :P

 

Last edited: Oct 22, 2017

Who's Charlie?!?

 

Charlie bit my finger.

Prime Studio from Austria, many of their plugins are acustica core X engine. Charly is their free summing amp. You just have to sign up for their newsletter.

 

And I have to add. One don the goodies of this simple plug is that it adds perceived loudness without wrecking output levels. And the tone...

 

Good one i remember wen this was posted on AZ i downloaded it and made a comment or 2 ;) i have and use it aswell>>> i like to use 2 instances of this plug>>> one to drive the output and a second to bring the volume back down>>> sounds killer on the right material an gives great depth and fullness on a full mix >>> EDIT and also like @mercurysoto said about the loudness this thing can be very usefull for pushing volume just befor a final Limiter on a master track ;)

 

Buster is definitely a keeper.

Havent tried Charly yet though, have it installed , will use it soon.

@Jaymz Have to try the Petherick 3a2a tonight, cant wait.

So calm today, seems like the party crashers left.
Good times ahead.

 

AA Charly is so dope. I found out about it from the group sum post here a while back. Jaymz changed my master chain when he mentioned using two instances on the mix bus. One at the begining set to low gain and then one towards the end before the brickwall limiter with higher gain. It really adds depth and the crisp feel that AA plugs do well.

 

It Really does man thanks for mentioning that old post \m/ i still use this on my master this way \m/ its a secrete weapon to getting more power on a final master>>> that perceived loudness can give you 2 or 3db more headroom for volume \m/ and a nice tone with depth to boot ;) it pushes volume in a more pleasing way would be a better term of use \m/

 

Last edited: Oct 22, 2017

Ok finally was able to fire up cubase and install the petherick leveler.
Sounds really good and whats even cooler is containts TWO versions la2 and la3, tube and solid state. ( if im not wrong?)
You dont even have to run two version to try out what fits better on your track.
Dont own hardware but so far black rooster was my fav plugin la2 and 3, still great sounding, however petherick 3a2a is a lot more versatile, with the HPF, ahead and dry function, you get a true workhorse, so versatile, i also prefer petherick`s sound signature, no weak points and not hard on the cpu.

This is probably my last thread for a while. Got so much cool stuff that will keep me busy for a while. Will also be able to uninstall several plugins thanks to @Jaymz who introduced me to some killer sounding nebula tools.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Oct 22, 2017

Hey brother @mercurysoto >>> much respect \m/ that was a very good statement you made about UAD >>> it wasnt the usual turn off im used to hearing from UAD users yano like>>> UAD is the best anything else sucks lol>>> i am a former UAD user myself ;) ...i guess im a lil hard on them sometimes in a funny kind of way for many reasons other than the sound of them >>> Everyone knows they are great plugins>>>>but in all honesty they are top of the line Plugins ... i think for me the switch to AA was more of just wanting to go in a different direction than the usual Algo i guess>>>yano everyone likes store bought spirits so i make my own kinda thing lol >>> but seriously i just found more of what im used to hearing in my hardware in Acustica Audio land ;) that more true hardware kinda vibe and thats what keeps me pushing thier products cause their not the normal DSP sensation lol ... i love that Airy, Open, sizzle kind of sound with real depth that you can almost look down into the mix feeling>>> and i found it here in nebula land years ago \m/ im not gona say all thier stuff Rules... cause some of it is not usable to me >>>just like any other developer in algo has... But i will say im satisfied like you are with UAD in what my ears tell me is good in AA \m/ >>> Apollo Twin's are amazing quality \m/ I use a Pure 2 and love it aswell \m/ Cheers brother !

 

Last edited: Oct 24, 2017

Conflicting usage of Charly?

 

Both methods have a different effect. I have an SSL Xlogic channel strip and use the same principle, if I want a certain drive it sounds better to boost input and lower output knobs, or you can get another feel by doing the opposite.

 

its 2 ways i might use this plug...one in a mix session and the other in a mastering scenario \m/ of course theirs no rules in witch one may use charlie... but it pushes the Volume of the audio source in a good way to my ears ;) use a gain plugin to boost your audio on the master channel or any source material >>>>then use charlie to do the same and compare...\m/

 

Last edited: Oct 24, 2017