Side note #1 - Plugins recommendation

In the first post i made on this blog i said i wasn't going to offer reviews of products nor keep you informed about products updates.  One thing i would like to do though is recommend you some plugins i use on a daily basis and tell you why i like them.  So here it is. This 4th instalment will be about plugins recommendation. Hope you find something to add to your toolbox.

1- Eq - TB Equalizer ( 25$ as part of the TrackEssentials pack )

I have to admit there's a lot of contender in this price range of the market. DDMF, Overtone DSP, even Reaper's own ReaEq ( just to name a few )  But the thing that makes the TB eq stand out for me is the work flow.  It has an auto gain function for each band which, if you haven't work with this kind of feature before, adjusts the output of the plugin in relation to the input.  In other words, unless you are using extreme eq setting, the volume will remain the same if you bypass the plugin. Because your decisions aren't based on volume changes it's a lot easier to ear how the curves you are dialing affect the tone of the instrument and it's placement in the mix.  Now that i'm used to it,  i can't see myself going back working without it.

Second thing about the TB eq i like a lot is how the mouse wheel works with the different parameter values.  I work a lot with the mouse wheel and this is the eq that is most comfortable to me. 1db increment for every  band in the bottom tool bar. Perfect.

There's also a spectrum analyzer that you can turn on/off.  Some might say that this is not a big selling point but to me it is. The ReaEq has it permanently showing. Great for finding troublesome area but you kinda end up eq'ing with your eyes and not your ears. The DDMF IIEQ Pro spectrum analyzer isn't very unstable on my system. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. IIEQ PRo was my go to eq before i got the TB eq.  It has some features that the TB eq doesn't have so i still use it.  It's by no mean a bad eq.

http://www.toneboosters.com/tb-equalizer/

2- Compressor- Hornet ChannelStrip MK2 ( Hornet MultiComp )
( 72 $ for ChannelStrip MK2, 43$ for the MultiComp )

Compression might deserve a status entry of it's own but what the heck...i'll try to keep it simple. 
The Hornet ChannelStrip features two MultiComp and one eq.  You can rearrange the order of the 3 processors.  I generally like to compress before i eq so for me it's Dynamic1 fallowed by Dynamic2 and then by the Eq.  There is some times where i might put Dynamic2 at the end of the chain and make it act like a limiter to catch some peaks here and there. You can, of course, switch them on and off individually.

The compressors can do a lot.  They both have 3 compression mode. Fet (1176), Opto (La2a),
VCA ( a hard knee feed forward rms comp a la SSL ).  These are generally the 3 types of compressor i think of when i need compression so it is very intuitive to me.  It's easy to set up the very popular  La2a > 1176 ( or vice verse ) > EQ chain in one plugin instance.  That's definitely a plus. The Eq is a mix between an SSL type eq for the mid bands, a resonant low shelf à la pultec for the low shelf and an " aggressive " console high shelf  ( which i'm not sure if it's supposed to be SSL or API like ) The eq makes it possible to clean up a track and give it some color at the same time.  An auto gain compensation would truly rock my world.  Still,  it's a great complement to the TB eq.  The plugin it self is light and easy to set up.  It sounds great and covers 90% of my compression needs

Also worth mentioning, when you turn the analog switch on, the plugin will engage 1 of it's 3 different saturation algorithms. A different one for each compressor and an other one for the Eq. There's also the very popular oversampling switch which is not that heavy at all compared to a wide range of other plugins i've tried.  Kudos Hornet !
The only difference between the MultiComp as a solo instance and the MultiComp in the ChannelStrip is an added hi pass filter in the detection circuit and a sidechain input.  Check out the new MultiComp Plus for some new features.

http://www.hornetplugins.com/plugins/hornet-multicomp-vst-compressor/

3- Reverb- Valhalla Vintage Verb ( 50$ )

I often use 3/4 reverbs Fx return per mix and more then often they are all provided by the same vst. A hall, a room, a plate and an ambiance sends are what i use 95% of the time.  Prior to working with Valhalla Vintage verb i was working a lot with Audio Damage Eos which i find out recently was coded by Mr. Sean Costello who is also the founder of Valhalla reverbs ( coincidence ?? )

This thing just sounds good to me no mater what.  Bunch of great presets to get you started.  I usually just tweak a few parameters and i'm right where i want to be.  The Shape Attack it's where it's at for me. It helps you place the wet signal far or near in the "virtual room".  A lot of attack will push the sound further in the
sound field and a short attack will bring it forward.  So once you have set how you want your virtual room to sound you can easily change the position of the sound in it.  Awesome !

I choose the VintageVerb over the Valhalla Room because it says that it is reminiscent of  the 80's reverbs and that RoomVerb was more of a real space kind of thing.  Since i make 80's inspired electro music i felt the choice was obvious.  You might chose otherwise but after trying them both i can honestly say that they are extremely well made and easy to use.  I wish they were a bit lighter on cpu but for the sound they provide i feel it is totally worth it. 

https://valhalladsp.com/shop/plugins/valhalla-vintage-verb/

4- Saturation - TB ( TB Ferox free, TB ReelBus 25$, TB time machine free )

I ear you.  Is this an add for Tonebooster's plugin or what ? No.... but it could be.  I mean i like his stuff very much. His track essential compressor ( even if it's not my go to ) is a really good and easy to set up general track compressor.  His Eq as become my go to Eq.  His bus compressor is a staple on my master bus since i got it some months ago.  His reverb used to be one of my go to reverbs for it's cool presets and lite footprint on the cpu ( of course i still use it ).  His limiter is again my go to limiter and his saturation tools are.... well,  the only ones i use.

Ferox and ReelBus are both tape saturation emulation.  Ferox is a more straight up saturation tool and ReelBus is a dedicated tape emu.  I mainly use Ferox on single tracks and on some busses ( try the tape compression preset on the drum bus ) and i use ReelBus on the master bus.  Ferox can also act as a tape delay ( very cool ) Of course ReelBus is heavier on the cpu being a more realistic emulation.  Most time i choose the preset that suits the song best and i tweak the big Drive knob so that the VU needle hits the center 0 db mark ( not the one before the redline ) It is the last thing on my master bus before the limiter and it contributes to the 'glue' factor a whole lot.

Time Machine is a bit crusher/sample reducer plugin.  Aside for some bit crunching on drums and on some synths i mainly use it for its analogue warmth preset. It sounds so good. It just compresses the sound a tiny bit, rounds it up, darkens it a touch.  Its what i feel hardware tools should sound like.

http://www.toneboosters.com/tb-ferox/