What's Your Favorite Plugin?

andrushkiwt

andrushkiwt

Well-known member
That's about all there is to it...no anecdotes or anything. Just - what is your favorite, can't do without, it must go in, it will be used, i can't leave it behind, plugin?

Thus far, it has been my DC1A compressor. I use it on the drum bus, vocal bus, and have tried it on the master bus for much less reduction. It has a lot of characteristic pump and color, and...it's free!

DC1A

You?
 
Oh, I meant that I wouldn't be providing any anecdotes...y'all can! ha.

I just downloaded some Rea stuff for my host. They aren't very pretty, but seem steady. I'll dig into the EQ more soon.
 
I have more than a few.

PSP Vintage Warmer almost always for bass guitar. It's combined comp and distortion just seems to work.
Fabfilter Pro-L and Pro Q2: Not much compares to these when self mastering. Pro Q2 is just an amazing/versatile EQ.
Soundtoys Microshift: Way better than a chorus for many tasks.
Waves API 2500 Compressor: My staple compressor. Likely because I have used it for so long that it is like my little buddy. I know his personality.
Waves H-Reverb: Every option possible for a reverb plug.

Recent vanity plugin has been the CLA Vocals but like all vanity plugs, be careful...

And by necessity, Melodyne. No explanation needed...
 
Having a tuff time with that as the 32-bit aren't getting used anymore. Synthmaster, and I really do use Magix stock plugs a lot.
 

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I'm not really hearing much advantage over ReaComp really. It seems more of a compressor than a limiter, with no way to adjust the ratio or attack. I'll play with it more, but what I'm really looking for as a very transparent limiter that will just reign in the occasional peak and leave the rest of the mix alone.
 
jimmys69 said:
I have more than a few.

PSP Vintage Warmer almost always for bass guitar. It's combined comp and distortion just seems to work.
Fabfilter Pro-L and Pro Q2: Not much compares to these when self mastering. Pro Q2 is just an amazing/versatile EQ.
Soundtoys Microshift: Way better than a chorus for many tasks.
Waves API 2500 Compressor: My staple compressor. Likely because I have used it for so long that it is like my little buddy. I know his personality.
Waves H-Reverb: Every option possible for a reverb plug.

Recent vanity plugin has been the CLA Vocals but like all vanity plugs, be careful...

And by necessity, Melodyne. No explanation needed...
Click to expand...
Interesting. Thanks
 
Robus said:
I'm not really hearing much advantage over ReaComp really. It seems more of a compressor than a limiter, with no way to adjust the ratio or attack. I'll play with it more, but what I'm really looking for as a very transparent limiter that will just reign in the occasional peak and leave the rest of the mix alone.
Click to expand...

Yup, two knobs. That's it! Transparent and drum compressor don't really seem synonymous, to me. Maybe someone else can chime in there, but most so-called drum compressors have excess punch and grit, some distortion as well - from what I've found anyway. You can near limiting levels by turning the input knob all the way up and the output knob all the way down; then there's the "negative" button - not sure how, exactly, and, again, someone else can chime in here, but that button takes it further. It can get pretty extreme with the compression. I've never had a need for that much with that compressor, although I've had a few vocal effects I've smashed to smithereens...like that megaphone FX. I'll crush that with the stock compressor.
 
Robus said:
...with no way to adjust the ratio or attack.
Click to expand...

The closest you'll get is with the "relaxed" mode on or off. I usually turn it on, especially on vocals, to give a little sound through before compression happens. But no, there's no attack/release times on this one.

Try this - Turn on relaxed mode, leave deep mode off (or else it'll respond too much to the kick), turn the input knob either way until you're seeing 2-3db GR, then adjust the output knob until the drums are at the level you want. Final step: enjoy the sound of the great, free compressor on drums :) Honestly, if you do that, and you still don't like it, then apologies. But it's a pretty tasty sound on the entire drum bus if everything within is well leveled to begin with.
 
ReaComp is a limiter! What do you want in a "mastering" or "drum bus" limiter that you can't get from ReaComp?
 
ashcat_lt said:
ReaComp is a limiter! What do you want in a "mastering" or "drum bus" limiter that you can't get from ReaComp?
Click to expand...

A good mastering compressor is so much easier than a generic dynamics processor to use for mastering. It "knows" what you're trying to achieve (e.g. no overs, transparency) and its controls are specifically designed to get that result. Usually that means a drive control and a ceiling control. Some old style compressors (1176) have similar controls but don't really get the same result. Limiters with threshold/makeup gain type controls can be made to work but it can take some futzing around. With a good mastering limiter you just set the ceiling/output and drive it until it sucks, then back off until it stops sucking and you're done. Often they have other controls to fine tune the response in ways specifically tailored for mastering.
 
There is no control with my stock "Mastering Suite" limiter plug other than on, or, off. It can get confusing
 
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