jimmarchi1's Reviews
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41028
a freeware SSL style bus compressor
This is another SSL bus compressor. But its free for those of you on a budget so chek it out guys. It behaves pretty right. Its cleaner sounding than Cytomic's glue to my ear but like the glue its got an expanded functionality compared with a real one or like a waves emulation that's slavish. Its not as expanded as the glue though. This is great for working fast, especially when you want less artifacts than Cytomic has. I sue this all the time on sub groups and mix bus when I want this kidna sound.... not bad on a channel insert either if you're in the mood. But these guys also have a freeware dbx/ssl G type channel VCA that's worth trying.
41028
this does so much for a 2 control freebie
My most used free effect. Hands down. This guy has 2 crappy controls but because of the distortion engine its so useful. The way it adds subtle harmonics at lower settings but can sound like an overloaded opamp when cranked up is marvelous. Throw in the ability to only distort the highs or lows and you have one of the most useful distortions ever. I like to use this in conjunction with other multiband saturation plugs sometimes to really tailor things.... I just wish it had a crossover control for the low to high split but beggars can't be choosers, they give it away for nothing, right?
41028
The Mpressor fitler stands alone!
As the other reviewer mentioned, this is a freeware standalone Mpressor fitler. Its fucking great sounding. Use it all the time for subtle mixing jobs or as an overt effect (try the x10 button). Bit of a CPU hit for how light it is on features, but it has sound quality. Sweep that freq knob around in real time and you do NOT hear aliasing making it ideal for wanking up your samples and stuff. Interestingly its not s much like a LPF/HPF or shelf array but more like a classic 2 band baxandall where sweeping one frequency will always have an audible effect on the other ban and the midrange center. I love stuff like that... like I said, as an effect try x10 mode and assign a midi controller to those nobs to create some whacked out effects.... apply some LFOs to those knobs and prepare for 'broken hifi system' effects although if you do that be prepared to slam it with comrepssion to avoid clipping because you can get some pretty wild volume jumps outta this thing. All in all another very basic 'tilt' kidna EQ that I just love.
41028
Still freeware to the ebst of my knowledge and worth a download.
This guy sounds pretty neat.... not your average VA plugin tonally though it definitely doesn't sound like an actual analog synth to me. I always like graphical envelope generators like this has. The built in effects are crap but they almost always are. Turn them off to enjoy this synth as it should be heard. Anyway, I should use this more but I seldom think to.
41028
best modelled roland/boss chorus going to my ears
this is a standalone insert version of the chorus simulation in TAL's fantastic U-no 60 plugin. It sounds just like the chorus in an old Juno or a Roland Chorus-echo unit. Same lack of controls but the additioon of a mix knob and width control is a nice touch. The thing is that this chorus is so warm and right that you won't care about the 3 preset depths/times (there are 2 buttons but you can layer them for a triple chorus effect). This is such a winner and I think there's still a freeware version around.
41028
not bad
this is a whole channl strip that reminds me in features, function and sound quality of my hardware Presonus Eureka. Really similar EQ and compression character. So I seldom use this unless its on a VSTi and even then? Meh. It would be useful for somebody though, just not me. Nothing wrong with it, its just very redundant,
41028
pretty good for free...
this thing sounds to me like tis trying to sit in the vintage USA tube stereo mastering camp like a Fairchild or Sta-Level. Its not a bad bus compressor but doesn't hold its own againstthe waves puig-child nor do I like it as much as some other freebies like Molot. I'm not sure I've ever used it on a finished mic but I definitely willshoot it out here and there because its not the same flavor as anything else in this camp.
41028
another great VoS freebie
does anyone dislike baxandall EQ? well I like it.... for big broad changes to make space in a mix by cutting the top and bottom and recentering the mid focus this EQ is a real winner. The curves and control interactions feel very right to me. It serves some of the purpose of a pultech simulation but its got a different sound altogether. Worth using on and anything where you need broad.... not bad on submixes either, particular guitar or string groups.
5453
Long live the Baxandall curves! Top 3 Swiss Army knife for mixing. Bax, Tilt, Parametric + good mic placement/ signal chain gets ya 90% home. No magic required...cough, Waves One Knob!
41028
actually, that old tryanor head on the guitar recordings I did for you over the weekend has a modified baxandall stack...
5453
It's all over most of my work.
41028
another great oen from the folks at soft tube
this is a unique processor that's like a buss compressor and enhancer in one.... I really love this for a rhythms section bus for some gluing and the bass punch setting or on softer, slower material in place of a more traditional bus compressor. The clarity 2 setting really tickles me a lot of the time. Anyway, this one was kinda pricey but I use it enough that its worth it. Even if you don't wanna use the gain reduction it can be useful for its subtle enhancement settings. If you have good program material and a decent mic or sub-mix pumping into this it will generally bring out the best parts without adding a bunch of artifacts. This is one of those 'extra sheen' plugins.
41028
everyone loves this and rightfully so
here is another great SSL style bus compressor! Its not a 1:1 clone but it has pretty damned good sound quality. I sue this quite a bit when I don't want to use the waves one.
41028
better than a lot of pay compressors
there are so many things going right with Molot that I don't know where to start....good metering, tons of detailed control set with precise readout of settings allowing for pretty precise adjustment of time constants (unlike many vintage inspired compressor plugins).... I could talk about the sound and feel and stuff but its free so go try it. The other things I really like about this guy are the midrange control, built in dry blend knob and variable sidechain HPF. My one caveat is that I wish I could type in precise values on the controls, mainly because I like really exact time constants on bus compressors and that's where this guy really shines.
41028
I love sony to peices
the sony plugins are the algorithms from the oxford digital consoles... this is their parametric and its great. it was one of the best EQ plugins when it came out and I still like its clean sound.
41028
its a graphic, what else can i say?
when I wanted a graphic this was my go to until I picked up the SPL Free Ranger which sounds a little better to me and 12 bands can be overkill anyway.... you either want more for live sound or less for recording and mixing... but not unlike the free ranger this is a lower CPU hit than the waves 560 and on top of that it is less guitar centric having so many bands.
41028
argh
this is one of the original fruity plugins.... it has a knob to change the time constant response and knee and it has auto release settings for all of those modes... it sounds pretty good but tis native interface means there's no emtering so even if you add a emter for the input in an insert slot before it you will only get the idea of where to set the threshold and what the thing's outputting at its peaks, there's no indication of gain reduction! If I don't need surgical precision this is a low CPU hit and I certainly will use it.... its also okay as a make shift RMS compressor with long attack and decay in 'vintage mode with the threshold and ratio WAY down.... but if CPU usage isn't an issue almost everything out there is easier to set up and will sound at least this good. Its a dinosaur from FL's growing pains metamorphosizing from a beat-box-sampling caterpillar into a full fledged DAW.
41028
an oldie but a goodie
if you haven't tried the sony inflator on every source and bus imaginable then you owe it to yourself to check it out..... its so many things at once and its hard to find a bad setting when you wanna 'embiggen' some music. Use caution though! This is a once in a while effect.
41028
good for what it is
a tempo sync multitap with detailed stereo control and filtering, waveshaper etc.... still manages to sound bland a lot of the time. The presets are awful! If you spend some time from scratch you can get some wild sounds and some 80s multitap sounds too but I wish it had a bit crusher on each tap to get it to soun even more 80s.... anyway, it comes with FL and you might as well sue it sicne it was part of the price of admission... it can be fun on DI guitar or in front of a reverb send like maybe a lexicon emulation.
41028
meh
this thing is cool, but its highly overrated... adds distortiona and compression and some subtle EQ... the lack of detailed control for the advanced user makes it pretty generic.... it would be cooler if everyone in EDM didn't use it . I tend to sue it on sends to shape delays or reverbs with short tails and that's it.
41028
great stereo dub delay
this free delay is in my opinion the best of TAL's freeware delays.... the modulation is pretty predictable but tis nice to have it.... I like the filter and I like the saturation effect too.... its worth getting all 3 of these delays though
41028
pretty fun freeware
this is modelled on a DIY kit synth from the 80s famously built and used by Joy Division/New Order (although they claim they never got it working quite right LOL)... I have no idea if the plugin is accurate but it sounds like nothing else I have in real analogs, VAs or VSTs so when I need this timbre I open this plugin and get programming.
41028
as much fun to program as it is to look at
this looks just like an Oscar, but I can't say if it sounds right! I really like the sound... Depeche Mode tour with it on their muse receptors so it must meet their expectations. I use this a lot. it sounds like nothing else but is still very analog.