Channel Strip Plugin Recommendations

zed32

zed32

Re-Attached Member
i'm looking for a good Channel Strip type VST plugin that has EQ, Compressor, and maybe a gate and limiter all in one to use as a default plugin on all my tracks in REAPER. i'm still using pretty much nothing but free plugins, and i think i'm ready to step up and purchase something good that can add to my mixes. i think a channel strip would be cool because it could help my efficiency (not having to flip thru different plugins to adjust compression, EQ, etc.). of course i'm not gonna limit myself to using it exclusively, but i think it would be a nice starting point to have a good channel strip ready to go for each new track in a project.


i've heard great things about the Waves SSL E-Channel, but i don't wanna have to spend on the whole bundle (even though it's probably worth it to get all the plugs). how about the Wave Arts TrackPlug? any other suggestions?


thanks. :cool:
 
i don't want to have to spend a ton of money though, i'm kinda working with a budget here, so i'd rather just get a single good plugin.

i'm running windows XP with 2 gigs of ram and a AMD Athlon 64 FX-55 proc. this processor is pretty powerful, i'd really have to go overboard with plugins to bog it down. i've had projects with like 24 tracks and several instances of SIR and multiple plugins per track and it still runs pretty smooth. if i go overboard with certain reverbs and EQs it gets a little choppy, but then again i shouldn't be using that many effects in the first place!
 
URS has a channel strip you can purchase by itself for 250.00. How much you trying to spend would be the question here.
 
bigwillz24 said:
URS has a channel strip you can purchase by itself for 250.00? How much you trying to spend would be a better question here.
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if it's something really good, i'll drop maybe $400 max on it for a single do-it-all plugin.


that URS one looks pretty basic, but if it has a nice sound i would definitely consider it. i've heard lots of good stuff about URS plugins. i was thinking something with a parametric EQ built in, but the URS looks like it has a few options to mess around with. i also see they have a huge Classic Console Strip Pro! but it's not ready for PC yet...:( it looks like it might be pretty heavy on the CPU though, still might be a worthwhile investment.
 
You can find them at many online stores, theyre from around $150 to $400, depending on the plugin.

And there are some pretty big discounts on bundling.
 
bigwillz24 said:
Yeah but how much are they? I don't see a price which scares me. Kind of like if you have to ask you can't afford them.
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i'm pretty sure they cost more than URS, not sure by how much.



another thing that would be sweet to have on a channel strip plug would be a HP/LP filter built in. as it is right now, when i load up a track i'll throw on a filter, then a gate, then a compressor, then a EQ, . it would be nice to have that all rolled into a single channel plugin.
 
zed32 said:
i'm pretty sure they cost more than URS, not sure by how much.



another thing that would be sweet to have on a channel strip plug would be a HP/LP filter built in. as it is right now, when i load up a track i'll throw on a filter, then a gate, then a compressor, then a EQ, . it would be nice to have that all rolled into a single channel plugin.
Click to expand...

That would be the SSL Duende, but I think it will blow your budget.
 
Fishmed_Returns said:
That would be the SSL Duende, but I think it will blow your budget.
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oh man that is perfect! is it really worth the coin though? if it really sounds as good as it costs, i'll start saving for one right now. is this thing powerful enough to run multiple instances? i don't want it to peter out after running 3 plugins like the UAD1 does, haha! i mean give me at least 10-16 instances....
 
zed32 said:
oh man that is perfect! is it really worth the coin though? if it really sounds as good as it costs, i'll start saving for one right now. is this thing powerful enough to run multiple instances? i don't want it to peter out after running 3 plugins like the UAD1 does, haha! i mean give me at least 10-16 instances....
Click to expand...

I think I read somewhere it will give you about 32 instances.
 
bigwillz24 said:
I think I read somewhere it will give you about 32 instances.
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yeah it says 32 according to the website. that looks like a really interesting piece of hardware there...but is it better than the Waves SSL bundle?

...off to Gearslutz i go!!


:D:D:cool:
 
so maybe i should get a Duende, Powercore (with the Oxford plugs), and UAD card. will they all play nice together? haha


for all that money, might as well buy some outboard.
 
zed32 said:
so maybe i should get a Duende, Powercore (with the Oxford plugs), and UAD card. will they all play nice together? haha


for all that money, might as well buy some outboard.
Click to expand...


Stay away from the Powercore, I HEAR your money is better spent on the Duende or UAD.
 
UAD-1 has some SERIOUS driver issues, especially with multicore CPU's which have been mentioned to deaf ears at UA more than once. However, for many people, once they go UAD-1 they don't go back, and there are palatable ways of dealing with their crap drivers.

The UAD-1 strip, EX-1 and CS-1 have unchangeable routing which can make them pretty much useless depending on how you would like to order the eq and compressor.

Personally I have had a UAD-1 since they became available, and though fun to play with, not once has a single UAD-1 plugin made it to the final mix for me, usually owing to driver issues. I keep one around for testing though.

All that said, BillyBK has some great tips on using the UAD-1 in REAPER, even with multicore CPU's and he loves his UAD-1 plugs

Honestly, I'd avoid any DSP solution at this point. Computers are getting stupidly fast, and DSP systems are now just for Dongling purposes. The native version of the Oxford plugs' LOW CPU use prove this old myth busted without a doubt.

URS plugins are also of SEVERELY high quality and ultralow CPU use, as are the Sonalksis.

You know you can save track FX chains in REAPER? Make your own channelstrip you can load at will. Don't discount the included plugs either. They were made, among other reasons, because I wasn't happy with the plugins offered, at any price. ReaGate fills a need I've had since I got stuck on computers. ReaComp is pretty freekin versatile, and both of these can use sidechaining which has been all but ignored by DAW and plug makers who have never seen the inside of a studio, yet have been telling us what to do for the past decade and more.
 
pipelineaudio said:
UAD-1 has some SERIOUS driver issues, especially with multicore CPU's which have been mentioned to deaf ears at UA more than once. However, for many people, once they go UAD-1 they don't go back, and there are palatable ways of dealing with their crap drivers.

The UAD-1 strip, EX-1 and CS-1 have unchangeable routing which can make them pretty much useless depending on how you would like to order the eq and compressor.

Personally I have had a UAD-1 since they became available, and though fun to play with, not once has a single UAD-1 plugin made it to the final mix for me, usually owing to driver issues. I keep one around for testing though.

All that said, BillyBK has some great tips on using the UAD-1 in REAPER, even with multicore CPU's and he loves his UAD-1 plugs

Honestly, I'd avoid any DSP solution at this point. Computers are getting stupidly fast, and DSP systems are now just for Dongling purposes. The native version of the Oxford plugs' LOW CPU use prove this old myth busted without a doubt.

URS plugins are also of SEVERELY high quality and ultralow CPU use, as are the Sonalksis.

You know you can save track FX chains in REAPER? Make your own channelstrip you can load at will. Don't discount the included plugs either. They were made, among other reasons, because I wasn't happy with the plugins offered, at any price. ReaGate fills a need I've had since I got stuck on computers. ReaComp is pretty freekin versatile, and both of these can use sidechaining which has been all but ignored by DAW and plug makers who have never seen the inside of a studio, yet have been telling us what to do for the past decade and more.
Click to expand...


Are the Multicore issues on Mac, PC, or both?
 
pipelineaudio said:
UAD-1 has some SERIOUS driver issues, especially with multicore CPU's which have been mentioned to deaf ears at UA more than once. However, for many people, once they go UAD-1 they don't go back, and there are palatable ways of dealing with their crap drivers.

The UAD-1 strip, EX-1 and CS-1 have unchangeable routing which can make them pretty much useless depending on how you would like to order the eq and compressor.

Personally I have had a UAD-1 since they became available, and though fun to play with, not once has a single UAD-1 plugin made it to the final mix for me, usually owing to driver issues. I keep one around for testing though.

All that said, BillyBK has some great tips on using the UAD-1 in REAPER, even with multicore CPU's and he loves his UAD-1 plugs

Honestly, I'd avoid any DSP solution at this point. Computers are getting stupidly fast, and DSP systems are now just for Dongling purposes. The native version of the Oxford plugs' LOW CPU use prove this old myth busted without a doubt.

URS plugins are also of SEVERELY high quality and ultralow CPU use, as are the Sonalksis.

You know you can save track FX chains in REAPER? Make your own channelstrip you can load at will. Don't discount the included plugs either. They were made, among other reasons, because I wasn't happy with the plugins offered, at any price. ReaGate fills a need I've had since I got stuck on computers. ReaComp is pretty freekin versatile, and both of these can use sidechaining which has been all but ignored by DAW and plug makers who have never seen the inside of a studio, yet have been telling us what to do for the past decade and more.
Click to expand...

yeah i use my own track FX chain presets in REAPER all the time. and the way i have it set up right now, ReaEQ goes on every single new audio track that i add by default. don't get me wrong, i love the plugins that come with REAPER, they are pretty damn good!

it would be AWESOME if justin threw together a plugin called ReaChannel or something like that which includes a HPF/LPF, ReaGate, ReaEQ, and ReaComp all in one plug. imagine how sweet that would be to have on every track by default. so instead of having 4 FX windows open for every track, i can see just one, letting me open and adjust multiple FX across multiple channels more easily.

i like the way the channel on the SSL Duende is set up, with the Hi and Lo shelf, and 2 sweepable mid bands, plus filters and dynamics. maybe you can get Justin to give us something like that for REAPER 2.0. :cool:
 
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