Whats the best VST effects package?

[Superhuman]

Looking for a high quality VST package effects to use in SX3.
Requirements:
1. Realism (as far as is possible)
2. Sound quality
3. Ease of use

Any recommendations?

[NL5]

U A D

[Jamz0r]

Willing to pay, or are you looking for free alternatives?

This company has both...here's the freebies.
http://www.kjaerhusaudio.com/classic-series.php

[Superhuman]

Willing to pay up to 1K max, lower is better;-) Cool link , downloaded those VST's and will experiment, if they are any good I might look at the purchase option.

NL5 Checked the UAD site, those plug-ins look great. You use any of them yourself?

[Reggie]

UAD Ultrapak. Done.

[studiomaster]

Originally Posted by Reggie

UAD Ultrapak. Done.

He said under $1000.

[Reggie]

Bah. Close enough. He can go sell some plasma or do one of them med-test things if he can't scrape the extra $$ together. He'll thank me later.

[studiomaster]

Waves Platinum Bundle...

[NL5]

Originally Posted by studiomaster

Waves Platinum Bundle...

Costs way more than UAD and not nearly as good.

Yes, I use the uad stuff. I have two cards in fact.

The compressors are probably the best software ones around.

[studiomaster]

Originally Posted by NL5

Costs way more than UAD and not nearly as good.

Yes, I use the uad stuff. I have two cards in fact.

The compressors are probably the best software ones around.

I have a dumb question...what's the use of two cards? I'm really clueless about the UAD stuff...also, how would you add plugins? do you have to get a second card for additional plug ins?

[NL5]

Originally Posted by studiomaster

I have a dumb question...what's the use of two cards? I'm really clueless about the UAD stuff...also, how would you add plugins? do you have to get a second card for additional plug ins?

The cards are DSP engines that run the plugins - no drain on your CPU. Each card can run only so many plugins, so more cards = more plugins. UAD authorizes whatever plugins you buy to run on all your cards. You can go to their website and purchase additional plugins at any time. Waves cost more, and run off your cpu - plus they don't have mojo like the uad stuff....

[timboZ]

Check out Wave Arts. I used the demos a while back. When I get the cash I am going to pick them up.

http://www.wavearts.com/
The also have a 50% discount if you qualify. (I think I do. I work for a school)

[scrubs]

Originally Posted by NL5

The cards are DSP engines that run the plugins - no drain on your CPU. Each card can run only so many plugins, so more cards = more plugins. UAD authorizes whatever plugins you buy to run on all your cards. You can go to their website and purchase additional plugins at any time. Waves cost more, and run off your cpu - plus they don't have mojo like the uad stuff....

Dammit! I need some mojo.

[warrengtype]

Originally Posted by NL5

Each card can run only so many plugins, so more cards = more plugins.

How many can one PCI card run? I've no experience with UAD, but I'm thinking my processor and memory can surely run more plugins than a PCI card... probably even more than two cards...

[studiomaster]

Originally Posted by NL5

The cards are DSP engines that run the plugins - no drain on your CPU. Each card can run only so many plugins, so more cards = more plugins. UAD authorizes whatever plugins you buy to run on all your cards. You can go to their website and purchase additional plugins at any time. Waves cost more, and run off your cpu - plus they don't have mojo like the uad stuff....

Awesome...so does that mean: more cards = better cpu performance?

I really need UAD for my PC as i run about 4-5 insert effects per track.

[NL5]

Originally Posted by warrengtype

How many can one PCI card run? I've no experience with UAD, but I'm thinking my processor and memory can surely run more plugins than a PCI card... probably even more than two cards...

It depends on the plugin. And your cpu can't run ANY uad plugs.

You can still run non-uad plugs with your cpu while using the uad cards to run uad plugs.

[NL5]

Originally Posted by studiomaster

Awesome...so does that mean: more cards = better cpu performance?

UAD cards run UAD plugs without affecting your cpu performance in any way......

[SpeedSound]

is the waves platinum bundle worth buying? Or is it not worth the money but is a good program?

[Massive Master]

It's kind of a living joke at this point IMO. 8 or 9 years ago, Waves was the sh*t.

Now, it's just really overpriced sh*t.

[Superhuman]

Thanks for all of the info guys, UAD UltraPak it is. Just before I take the plunge, tell me if I'm doing the right thing... I'm going to sell my Eventide H3000D/SE in order to get this. The Eventide has great effects but there is no flexibility - all destructive processing - as opposed to VST which can be tweaked and untweaked easily. Also, the Eventide has totally antiquated connections - no SPDIF or even 1/4" (easily solved with xlr to 1/4" jacks...). I don't need it in my guitar rig anymore so just have it hooked up as external effects in SX3 at the moment.
I don't want to sell the unit (which is 100% mint) if I'll end up regretting it in a couple of years - I could always try unloading something else or just take the hit upfront. Any opinions? Keep the Eventide or ditch it and go 100% VST?

[NL5]

Originally Posted by Superhuman

Thanks for all of the info guys, UAD UltraPak it is. Just before I take the plunge, tell me if I'm doing the right thing... I'm going to sell my Eventide H3000D/SE in order to get this. The Eventide has great effects but there is no flexibility - all destructive processing - as opposed to VST which can be tweaked and untweaked easily. Also, the Eventide has totally antiquated connections - no SPDIF or even 1/4" (easily solved with xlr to 1/4" jacks...). I don't need it in my guitar rig anymore so just have it hooked up as external effects in SX3 at the moment.
I don't want to sell the unit (which is 100% mint) if I'll end up regretting it in a couple of years - I could always try unloading something else or just take the hit upfront. Any opinions? Keep the Eventide or ditch it and go 100% VST?

I would keep the eventide, and get the flexi pak for now. Buy more plugins down the road.

[Reggie]

I'm not sure how the math works out on flexipak vs ultrapak, but I can't really imagine being without the 1176LN, LA2A, Cambridge, Precision Lim, or even the Fairchild. If I remember right, I started off with the studiopak or whatever it was called and then bought the precision lim later. I don't think the UAD would be able to replace the Eventide though....I even got a Powercore for its reverbs and for the occasional extra EQ/compressor.

And yes, CPUs are getting to the point where they can crush the processing power in a little DSP card; but it is the only way to get the UAD plugins at the moment, and it is still nice to have all that extra breathing room for the CPU. If I had something like a new Core 2 Duo, I would probably think a lot harder about getting the Sonalksis stuff and a load of Voxengo stuff instead, but I still have a lil ol P4 2.66 and it needs the extra help on bigger projects.

[BRIEFCASEMANX]

keep the eventide. You don't have to use it destructively in cubase. Get flexi pack, but for a limiter I'd go with voxengo elephant 2. It's only like 80 bucks or something stupid, and sounds as good or better than the precision limiter IMO.