rack v. free plugins for low-end users

tc4b

tc4b

Yeah I been drinkin, SO!?
Wondering what your opinions are regarding physical rack units vs. free plugins for low-end people like me. I have two outboard compressors I really like, but frankly I'm not convinced they're any better than some I've gotten for free (no, not illegal, there's actually a lot of free stuff out there). For people spending, say, <200 per rack unit, is the free stuff just as good if not better? In my opinion, yes, especially for reverb; nothing I can afford comes close to Bootsy's epicverb. For compression I'm on the fence, basically deciding whether I can bear to part with my two cheap compressors I actually like (unlike the rest of my cheap shit I don't so much) in order to help finance a new interface.

I know it might be a matter of how good one's ears are, and how serious one is about recording. I don't doubt that an la-2a would whoop ass all over any free plug, but I'm not going to be spending the money to get one or the time it would take to get good enough to be able to use it to its full potential.

BTW, the compressors I'm talking about are the RNC and a Symetrix501 (no, not the valley people one with the toggle switch).
 
tc4b said:
Wondering what your opinions are regarding physical rack units vs. free plugins for low-end people like me. I have two outboard compressors I really like, but frankly I'm not convinced they're any better than some I've gotten for free (no, not illegal, there's actually a lot of free stuff out there). For people spending, say, <200 per rack unit, is the free stuff just as good if not better? In my opinion, yes, especially for reverb; nothing I can afford comes close to Bootsy's epicverb. For compression I'm on the fence, basically deciding whether I can bear to part with my two cheap compressors I actually like (unlike the rest of my cheap shit I don't so much) in order to help finance a new interface.

I know it might be a matter of how good one's ears are, and how serious one is about recording. I don't doubt that an la-2a would whoop ass all over any free plug, but I'm not going to be spending the money to get one or the time it would take to get good enough to be able to use it to its full potential.

BTW, the compressors I'm talking about are the RNC and a Symetrix501 (no, not the valley people one with the toggle switch).
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Those compressors (I have both in a rack) are not bad for the price point. Arguably, the RNC has been touted as one of the best (transparent) compressors anywhere near that price point.

However, for the same price you could pick up plug-ins that are much better and far more sonically versed (IMO) than either of those hardware units. And, the beauty is you only pay the cost once yet you can get multiple instantiations (number varies dependant on computer assets).

If you only mix in the box, and have limited budget, you'd be far better off getting plug-ins than using external hardware units. But that's just my opinion.
 
I'd sell everything I own to upgrade a less than stellar interface... that's where the rubber meets the road... Doesn't matter how good the hardware or plugins sound if you can't get them in and out of the box relatively unscathed
 
From what I've read, the RNC is killer.

But generally speaking, freeware plug-ins are much better than cheap rack gear.

Rack gear doesn't subjectively bypass plug-ins until you start getting in the big bucks.
 
Seafroggys said:
From what I've read, the RNC is killer.
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Killer? Don't know about that, never used a 'killer' piece of gear in my life, but I certainly am fond of it. Just wondering if I need to have it around, especially when my interface itself is lacking.
 
Bootsies Density mkII is an awesome free compressor (as you are probably aware of ). Haven't compared it to a RNC but Density mkII is the best compressor I've tried free or commercial!!!

Also he's releasing a channel strip very soon which will also have an onboard compressor.
 
MOFO Pro said:
I'd sell everything I own to upgrade a less than stellar interface... that's where the rubber meets the road... Doesn't matter how good the hardware or plugins sound if you can't get them in and out of the box relatively unscathed
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You can't argue with that.
 
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