;) I'm new here as member, but I read every day this forum because the only Italian forum is now almost dead

 

however, I forgot the best plugin, the one that most of all can help anyone make a decisive improvement, as long as you have decent monitors and a good room ... SONARWORKS REFERENCE 4

 

@Toli you have quite the UAD plugins... nice. Very extensive review

 

UAD has most of the best emulations of the classics, if I look for a certain sound I know that with certain plugins I get it quickly and with the characteristics that I like. This is not to say that you won't get there in other ways even with the daw stock plugins!

I have done several tests in 12 years of activity done daily .. for example if I want the sound 1176 on lead vox (and I always want it;)) I can also get there with the CLA76 waves + a decapitator + True Iron, but with UAD 1176 rev A I immediately have that compression, that saturation and that definition on transients ... with a single plugin.
Another example on the master, since I purchased the Color EQ 3 I get that American tonal balance in 30 seconds. Try it, it's amazing. PRE engaged section, then 1 step boost on low, low mid and mid section .. no Hi freq boost because the PRE already increases the high frequencies in a pleasant way. If, on the other hand, the mix is already too bright, I turn off the PRE and maybe add a Massive Passive that gives me more control over the Hi Shelf intervention point.
These are the plugins beautiful in my opinion, fast, simple, and versatile! They always work one way or another. Like Gullfoss, put it on master buss, slightly increase the recovery and the tame .. immediately more defined and deeper mix, with less masked parts.

 

i only have the legacy UAD compressors, do you think they are any good?

 

I like to keep it pretty basic:


VST:
Kilohearts Toolbox Ultimate, FabFilter Total bundle, Valhalla DSP (Reverbs & Delays), Eventide Ensemble Bundle, Denise Perfect Room, Gullfoss, TBProAudio DSEQ.


VSTi:
Sylenth1 v3, Spire, Dune 3, Sytrus, Harmor, PianoTeq 6, Hive 2, Diva, Blue 2, Zebra 2.

 

I think they are good plugins, but not comparable to the relative Collection versions. You can use the demos to test them. Legacies are comparable to CLA or Puigchild or Puigtec waves, or to IK's T Racks. But in any case they are all different from each other. I use legacy version! But only for less important tracks, where I don't want to use too many resources.
Let's say today I wouldn't take UAD to use Legacy versions.
UAD is a system to be exploited to the maximum with the Apollo, some pre Unison, and the great classics (where possible in the most updated versions, I have been waiting for a 33609 updated version for years, but I must say that the current one does not behave badly despite age) .

 

actually Sausage Fattener works even better with Endless Smile

 

I'm astounded that you don't use more of the acustica audio channel strips. I most definitely prefer the sound of the newest generation of acustica audio plugins to the UAD emulations. I have the UAD SSL E Channel Strip and it's definitely not as good as the Sand 3 by AA. I love UAD compressors, but for overall analog sound and eqs, I think AA has them beat by a reasonable margin.

 

I have tried almost all Acoustic Audio software, they are amazing. Especially EQs!
But today I don't feel the need to have those software, I already have others that work really well.
Above all, I don't think I get anything from other eqs that I can't get from those I've already bought and that I know well
The eq is widely the most important tool in the mix ... at the same time I consider a good digital eq more important for my workflow, as 90% of my eq actions are in subtraction! and after correcting the sound, virtually a couple of analog eq plugins could be enough (being able to choose only 2 I would say Pultec and SSL). But UAD SSL and 88RS I want them to be able to use them in tracking, as well as the 1073 Collection.
The thing is, I don't consider AA ssl emulation better than UAD emulation .. but DIFFERENT.

 

Hey, I like Sausage Fattener Anyway, who doesn't want a fatter sausage. SO FAT!

 

I like this set up and use almost the same plugins except that I use the Waves or Slate Digital versions of the UAD plugins you have, because I don't have a UAD sound card... lol but yeah many of the ones you suggest are very good plugins. Actually, you always end up using these plugins because by experience you notice that they SOUND better than many others, that's how it works. So it's not surprising that the majority are a go-to for many of us.

 

exactly. for example I had always wondered why many pros still use rvox waves ... well simply because it WORKS, it is FAST, SIMPLE and LIGHT.
I use ALWAYS Renaissance Axx on GT or Rcomp on synth like plucks. Plugins who are 15, maybe 20 years old?
On master buss I use ALWAYS the old UAD Precision Limiter ... in combination with 2 other limiters (or one only depending on the song).

If I need to do manual volume automation, I use the NLS Channel fader only because it is BIGGER and I like its resolution ;);)

 

junkie xl list

Synths:
Arturia CS-80 V Arturia Jup-8 V Arturia (Moog) Modular V Arturia SEM V Arturia Synclavier V FabFilter Twin 2 Native Instruments Absynth NI FM8 NI Kontakt 5 NI Reaktor 6 Rob Papen BLUE-II Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2 U-He Bazille U-He Zebra U-He Diva

Plugins:
Audio Damage 914 Audio Damage Dub Station Audio Damage Replicant Audio Damage Ricochet D16 Redopter D16 Decimort Eventide Black Hole FabFilter Multiband Compressor Flux Bittersweet McDSP 6030 Ultimate Compressor Native Instruments Guitar Rig 5 Ohmforce Soundtoys Devil-loc Soundtoys Echo boy Soundtoys Phase Mistress Plugin Alliance Brainworx Plugin Alliance SPL Transient Designer Elysia EQ U-He UBG Universal Audio (UAD) Pultec UAD Dimension D Waves One Knob Pumper Waves Kramer Pie Waves API 2500 Compressor Fabfilter Timeless Delay UAD MXR Flanger/Doubler Valhalla Room Reverb Lexicon 224 Reverb

 

are u work @NASA??

 

haha no, but I share some licenses with another producer in the same studio. From some years it has become my full-time job and I enjoy sharing secrets or techniques .. the more we share the more we improve

 

A quick list for people who are just getting into production:

Mixing - Izotope Neutron (Sculptor), Izotope Ozone, Focusrite Balancer, Soundtheroy Gullfoss, Toontrack EZ Mix, Waves plugs, Fab Filter plugs
Effects - Xfer Serum FX, Toontrack EZ Mix, Nomad Factory Magma
Instruments - Toontrack EZKeys, Kontakt, Serum
Midi - Toontrack EZKeys, Scaler, Captain Plugins

 

the only person i know that uses fabfilter synths

 

Great list... no love for u-he Satin, Colour Copy? RC-20 Retro Colour?

Also wanted to ask you what's your favourite Chorus, the ones I've tried (TAL, Syntorus 2) sound cheap to my ears, I'm mainly looking for use on synths in electronic music.

 

my choices for tape emulations are UAD Ampex and AA Taupe .. but also Satin, McDSP Analog Channel are good.

I use sometimes RC-20 in sound design, rarely in mix, only when I have to radically change a sound that doesn't convince me and that I don't want to mute.

Chorus .. I think I have opened 2-3 chorus instances in the last 12 months if I need chorus, I try Echoboy ... but it's an effect I prefer to check in sound design, with stock plugin, echoboy or with effects implemented in synths.