All-in-one effects package - Hardware? Software?

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mrbowes

mrbowes

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I use an E-mu 1820m -> Cubase SX 2 for tracking. I am in need of quality effects such as reverb, delay, chorus, flanger, and a limiter would be nice, too.

I have been underimpressed with the effects using my E-mu's DSP, and equally dissapointed with the effects that come with Cubase.

What are good hardware products that offer quality effects for the $$$? Is software considered better on a budget? I've been reading about the UAD-1 cards, but it seems that since they've been out for so long, a new product is bound to appear shortly.

What is the best option for <$500ish?

again, i'm looking mainly for a good reverb(not ballad style reverb...i like just a soft touch of it usually), delay, chorus, flanger, and limiter all in one package.
 
Do yourself a favor and grab an M-One from TC Electronics.... this is your "best bang for the buck" option for getting solid smooth effects...

if your looking for a decent reverb, I've heard nothing but great things about the kurzweil "rumour" reverb box, but it seems to be hard to find, and I have yet to hear it with my own ears...
 
oh, and another thing--do yourself a favor and pass up the uad-1 card... I toyed with mine for a very brief period before i got rid of it... its emulations dont come anywhere near the real thing, and your better off toying with other options...

there are some good software options out there for effects, but I'm kind of spoiled with the Logic Pro effects on my setup... are you running pc or mac? are there any specific effects you want? Ever taken a gander at the bomb factory plug-ins or other stuff that seems to be set up for pro tools and pro tools le? Just be careful about the prices on the products--they will add up quick!
 
thanks for the comments - i've been looking at the TC M-One and it seems to go for ~$300 on eBay.

I use a PC w/ Cubase SX.

I use an RNC for compression, though it would be nice to have another option. The effect i'm dying for mostly is a NICE reverb, one which is gentle and almost unnoticable. Using the reverbs in Cubase makes my recordings sound like they were tracked in the sewers.

I think a nice delay would be #2, with chorus a close #3. anything else would be icing on the cake.
 
Sorry, I have to disagree on the UAD1. The emulations may not be perfect, but there are lots of high quality plugins, and a very reasonable price.

And yes it has been out a long time, but I don't think its going anywhere. Universal Audio is coming out with new plugins for it quite regularly still. There an awesome company, with great support.

Do a search, there have been lots of discussions on the card in the past.
 
Sure the UAD plugins don't sound exactly like the real deal. Whats important though is that they do share a lot of the same "characteristics". Whats even more important is that they are very affordable when compare how much you get to how much you pay. Whats even more important than that, is that they are quite likely the best software compressors on the market, or at least in the top 5. The Dreamverb reverb is very usable, and the Pultec EQ's are amazing for software. I have not used the Fairchild really so I cannot comment on it. Add a UAD to your shopiing list and then get a free convolution plug in with some good convolutions, and you will have a wonderful start:D
 
mrbowes said:
thanks for the comments - i've been looking at the TC M-One and it seems to go for ~$300 on eBay.

I use a PC w/ Cubase SX.

I use an RNC for compression, though it would be nice to have another option. The effect i'm dying for mostly is a NICE reverb, one which is gentle and almost unnoticable. Using the reverbs in Cubase makes my recordings sound like they were tracked in the sewers.

I think a nice delay would be #2, with chorus a close #3. anything else would be icing on the cake.
Click to expand...

In your budget range, I'd suggest a TC Electronics M2000. About $450 or so used on eBay. A definite step up from the MOne. Just make sure you get the Mark II version, they always start with serial numbers "111". It's simple to hook up SPDIF, no conversion, but the converters are decent anyway. However, only 44.1k and 48k sample rates though. Sounds great.
 
Thats funny, I didn't really like the M2000's that much. At least since the M1's came out. I always felt like I would rather have 2 M1's for the same price as 1 M2000. I just found them very similar sounding (indistinguishable actually) and just with different presets. Oh well:D
 
For your budget...

For your budget, I'd recommend Voxengo. Tempo delay is free and great and the pristing space convo reverb is excellent. Their other stuff is very affordable and for mastering, Tritone Hydratone and Valvetone should get you very close to as good a sound out of a home studio as you can get.
 
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