Oldies but REAL goodies

[Luke]

I believe there's already a thread about old plugins that we keep using, but I can't seem to find it, so in advance, apologies for that.

Tons of reverbs to choose from over here, and when time permits, I like to dive deep. Today it's an intimate ambience piano piece and I thought I'd load up the quite-old-by-now Sonnox Oxford Reverb. I cannot believe how cheap it is in the latest sales.

The control over the Early Reflections alone is astounding. Just dialing it in with no tail at all, allows to precisely get the sound you are aiming for. Controls like ER Taper, Feed Along, and Absorption make a significant difference. You can also dial in the width of the ER, as well as the size and position. The Shape control is tantalizing insofar that I'd like to have more information over the measurements. But just by ear, it's quite flexible.

So which Oldies But Real Goodies do you keep going back to and why? Is it the sound, the ease of use, or something else?

I'm going to spend another 30 minutes on just the Late Reflections now...

[Guy Rowland]

The Clariphonic. (Is that ancient enough?)

There's a lot of ancient Waves stuff I use that just works and I know my way round it fast, but it's hard to think of stuff that hasn't been bettered or at least has many perfectly fine alternatives.

If we're including VIs, perhaps I might add StylusRMX. Although the factory library sounds like it's from the 19th century, I find it so fun to work with and its workflow is really unlike anything else. I'd love a replacement, but hope it keeps some of the old soul when it finally arrives in 2047.

[Linos]

The Clariphonic is also at the top of my list. I use it in one way or another on most of my mixes. Sometimes on a single instrument, sometimes on the mix bus. A good rule of thumb is to turn it up to your taste and then turn it down about 30%. It's very easy to overdo it. That's why it's important to use it quickly. Your ears will get used to the Clariphonic effect very quickly. If in doubt, take a break and do an A/B comparison afterwards. I often turn it back a bit after that.

I hear the Oxford Reverb is great. I have been meaning to check it out for a long time.

One oldie collection that hasn't been replaced for me is the TC Electronics Powercore X8 bundle. Especially the VSS3. It's just an amazing reverb. The Master MX5 multiband compressor is another effect from that bundle that I still use regularly.

The old WizooVerb is an outlier. It's been out of production for a long time, but my copy still works on my system. I still fire it up from time to time, and it rarely disappoints.

Finally, the Oxford Inflator. Apparently you can get the same results with other plugins. I still use this one because it's simple and effective.

[Luke]

Stylus RMX! Haven't used it in eons, but then again, not much use for the sort of thing in my line. I remember working with it years ago, Spectrasonics can be really special.

Linos, I got the native version of the VSS3 a few months back finally, and am still getting to terms with using it properly. The sound is pretty great and different enough from the TC8210 that I normally use. My one disappointment is that I would very much like a mix knob rather than having to deal with volume for ER and LR (have tried to find a "Mix Knob" plugin but nothing stuck, though Metaplugin has a useful mix feature built-in if you load the plugin through it).

[Geoff Grace]

In my case, it’s Altiverb and Omnisphere, which I’ve had since their launches decades ago. They aren’t the workhorses they once were for me, because I now have countless great reverbs and soft synths; but they still get used the most frequently of the plugins in those categories, because they’re so flexible, I know them very well, and they’ve continued to blossom and grow over the years.

Best,

Geoff

[Jaap]

For me the.Sonnox Inflator as well. It just works perfectly.

[Guy Rowland]

It's definitely Altiverb for me when doing post audio. Browse by picture and a good set of IRs - that's the simple magic. (I'm still pissed off about their 1 activation thing though, one of the very few left doing that).

Omnisphere - yeah. If it were the only synth I had, I'd be fine. Like RMX, I've just bonded with its ways. I think Spectrasonics as a company is the most musician-focused of any.

Curious to see two votes for Inflator. I've had a very chequered history with it. I used to love it until I discovered a) it doesn't limit and it was just squaring stuff off when pushed and b) when I gain-matched I couldn't really tell if it was doing anything on a blind test. I like Sonnox in general though.

[Luke]

It's definitely Altiverb for me when doing post audio. Browse by picture and a good set of IRs - that's the simple magic. (I'm still pissed off about their 1 activation thing though, one of the very few left doing that).

I'm currently installing plugs on a new system and don't get me started on this 1 activation-only thing! What the heck are they thinking? I will definitely be wary of companies that don't offer at least 2 licenses.

Having said that, I discovered that besides HOOPUS, EW was very quick in granting an additional license for all the other tools I own, so big kudos there. All it took was a quick email.

[Guy Rowland]

Oh that's good to know, thanks Luke.

I did take it up with Audio Ease when they released Altiverb 8 - IIRC it was to do with post houses. It was clear they were never gonna budge.

[Geoff Grace]

I actually looked into buying a second license when I finally got around to installing Altiverb 8 a few months ago. At the time, Audio Deluxe was offering a decent discount, shaving nearly $80 off of the $520 cost; but I decided to wait to buy until I needed a second license, which may be never. After all, up until now, I’ve gotten by all of these years with just one.

That said, I’m not fond of Altiverb’s one license policy either.

Best,

Geoff

[Jaap]

Curious to see two votes for Inflator. I've had a very chequered history with it. I used to love it until I discovered a) it doesn't limit and it was just squaring stuff off when pushed and b) when I gain-matched I couldn't really tell if it was doing anything on a blind test. I like Sonnox in general though.

I never used it as limiter, but more to add a bit of sparkle where it needed. I noticed that sometimes (specially when I wrote a lot of trailer music) I put it on the certain synth pads or ARP patterns (higher region) high strings, trumpets or choir to just give it enough edge to let shine through in the mix.
And when putting it on the master buss it just can brighten things a bit more and often that creates for me like it is opening up (and thus perceiving it as a bit "louder" I guess?)

[Piet De Ridder]

Loading two instances of the Sonnox Reverb, very soon after I start work on something new, is almost an automatism with me. If I were to use templates (which I don’t) a pair of Sonnox Reverbs would unquestionably be part of it. (For a really nice intimate ambience, just a touch of airy ambience really, check the Factory>Post>Office preset. Works great on, well, everything.)

- - -

About Altiverb: to those who are thinking about buying Altiverb, or considering a second license, I would strongly suggest to have a look at the Hofa IQ-Reverb v2 instead. A few months ago, I announced I would write something about this plug-in but I never got around to it, and now the demo has expired, but a line that would definitely have been included, would have been something like this: “If I didn’t already have Altiverb plus quite a few of other high-quality reverbs, the Hofa IQ-Reverb v2 is the reverb I would get before all others.”

A quick description: the IQ-Reverb has four (!) convolution reverb engines, PLUS another two algorithmic engines. That's six reverbs to be used in any combination you like. Or you can use just one, like you would if you were using Altiverb. On top of that, there’s an IR envelope shaper and IR-trimmer, a saturator, a compressor, an EQ and a gate. There’s also a positioner included but, as with Altiverb, that part of the software didn’t impress my SPAT-spoiled ears all that much. Everything else though is of excellent quality. IQ-Reverb v2 is like Altiverb-on-steroïds, times four, plus two additional algorithmic reverbs.

The IR-collection that comes with it covers most anything you could ever need (and there are also expansion packs available AND you can load your own or third party IR’s), and the browser is very well designed and leads you very quickly to what you’re looking for.
It’s a bit more expensive than much other reverb software, but considering what you get, I find the price insanely low (€249 standard version, 319€ for a version that includes all the IR-packs) and it is MUCH cheaper than Altiverb (€499, excl. VAT). And … you get two licenses, standard.

- - -

But back to the topic of this thread:

- Soundtoys’ EchoBoy and Plate. The 2 plates, Super and Little, aren’t that old so I’m not sure if they qualify for inclusion. EchoBoy definitely does though.
- Most of the DMG Audio plugins can be considered fairly old as well by now, I suppose. I keep using them as if nothing else was released since they were.
- Is Goodhertz old? Old enough? If they are, they MUST be included here. If I were ever forced to only keep 15 plugins and ditch everything else, 8 of those 15 would carry the Goodhertz name and logo.
- A few TC Electronics plugins: MD4 HD, VSS4 HD, TC8210.
- Definitely old: Acustica Audio N4 (Nebula), the only way to use Tim Petherick’s peerless dynamic processors and colour boxes.
- Oh, next to the Clariphonic, I also keep using a few other Kush plugins: Pusher, the REDDI, the Omega series, …
- From Universal Audio: the Little Labs VOG, the two EMT’s and the Echoplex EP-34 Echo.

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[Tanuj Tiku]

This is an interesting topic. I use very little plugins from back in the day. In almost all cases, I found better alternatives and things have moved along.

At this point, I would say the oldest things I use now are as follows:

* U-he Zebra and Diva
* Hollywood Brass (upgraded to Opus/Hoopus whatever it is recently)
* Stylus RMX - sound source only
* Microtonic (possibly it was a different version 15 years ago but I can't remember now)
* Trillian for some things
* Omnisphere 1 (occasional use and not yet upgraded to version 2)
* Some UAD plugins - almost forget to use them
* Sound Toys
* AAS Chromaphone 1
* Sample modeling (occasional use)
* Oxford Dynamics - Outlier

Oxford Dynamics is the only plugin which still does something unique. I have not found any other compressor do what this ones does to the sound. It is fabulous for parallel processing and you can really push it very hard.

[Luke]

Very cool to read everyone's favorites.

Piet, pleased to see Sonnox Reverb is still such a staple for you. I will definitely check out that preset. I had a blast working with it yesterday. It was almost like reconnecting with an old friend (that's sad, isn't it?)

Good call on Hofa IQ-Reverb 2: it's a beast and there really are lots of IR and algorithms to choose from. Unfortunately, it has never run very well on my rather old system, but luckily I'm upgrading so I'll finally be able to put it through its paces properly. Altiverb was never a huge appeal for me, though the IRs certainly made an impression.

Soundtoys EchoBoy definitely. Still use it, though Valhalla Delay has supplanted it somewhat, with its clear UI, great sound and many options. Such a great delay for FX too. More common ground on the TC stuff, MD4 especially. Kush Omega series too: each one a distinct color.

Not sure about Goodhertz being old enough? I know you are a big fan and that speaks volumes! I really should look into it more.

Tanuj, cool to hear you still use Oxford Dynamics so much. It really is a powerful channel strip. I went through a period where it was all over my sessions. Now I use it more occasionally but I would never consider parting with it. Compression with a little of that Drive...

Overall, I'm a bit surprised there isn't more love for UAD. They've been around for a long time. Once they went native, I bought the ones without proper competitors, but not much else.

Perhaps we should start a thread as a counterpoint to this one: which plugins have disappointed you after purchase?

[Guy Rowland]

Overall, I'm a bit surprised there isn't more love for UAD.

Oh I forgot! Use their LA-2A habitually on all vocals. It works and never causes any trouble so I love it.

Honestly that's about it from UAD these days. I sometimes use the RMX16 but tbh the Wave Alchemy Glow sounds pretty much as good. For that matter, if someone replaced the innards of the LA-2A with a competitor's, I may not notice that either.

Raum is definitely not old enough to be an Oldie, right?

[Luke]

Raum is definitely not old enough to be an Oldie, right?

Veto!

Looks like we need a definition for "old." How about a decade?

[Piet De Ridder]

A decade is good for me.
The Goodhertz' site/store opened just a year earlier, in 2014.

I use a lot more UAD's than the three I mentioned earlier, but only sporadically so, whereas those three are being used all the time. And UA's instruments, which I quite like and use regularly — except for the Ravel piano, which would be one of my entries in that new thread you're proposing, Luke — are much younger than a decade.


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[Thomas Mavian]

Well, had to think about it for some time but then it struck me, PSP Xenon! I must have had that for almost 15 years I think. I'm still using it today. Had a few years when I wanted to "try something else" but came back to it just because it always works and if you don't push it into the extremes you never hear it

[dbh]

On a PSP theme, their VintageWarmer is in most of my projects .. as other plugins have come and gone it's stayed strong..

[scherzo]

I wasn't around for the really early days of plugins, but I'll happily echo the love for DMG Audio. Equilibrium came out in 2013, I believe, so that's pretty old by software standards. I bought it fairly early on in my music dabblings and still use it everywhere on everything all the time, and I still can't see myself ever really needing another EQ (but ended up buying a whole bunch anyway).

That was my entrance into the DMG ecosystem. One might criticize their plugins for being overly complex and convoluted, but to me that's kind of an advantage - they're incredibly powerful and flexible, only really limited by my own competence (or lack thereof), and gives me something to grow into over time. Or so I figured anyway. Turns out I mostly use them in troglodyte simple ways, and I still barely know what half of the more esoteric settings inside Equilibrium are or what hardware unit most of the models represent - but I like knowing it's all there if and when I do need to geek out. I also really appreciate the company's business practices. They have demos, allow resales, use a simple .reg file for licenses and don't bog down my computer with yet another garbage software hub, and they have loyalty discounts instead of manipulative fire sale tactics. In an increasingly dystopian tech landscape, I think that part is quite important too and deserves to be highlighted and rewarded.

So... DMG is still the first place I look anytime I need something, and I've never been disappointed. Project needs a compressor? Went and bought TrackComp. Dynamic EQ? Multiplicity. Simple limiter? Went straight to TrackLimit without passing go. In fact, I need a noise gate for my current thing and my only dilemma is whether to grab TrackGate or splurge for the full Expurgate. Not even tempted to investigate alternatives. Awesome company.

Also tempted to nominate 2C-Audio's B2. It came out in 2012 and was my go-to reverb for a long long time. But I'm sad to say I'm not using it anymore as it hasn't been updated in ages and the company seems to have imploded due to internal drama, and with VST2 being phased out by Steinberg I felt it was time to move on. Bit of a shame as it's a really good 'verb, but it's not like there aren't other options out there these days.

[Luke]

PSP! Went through a Xenon phase but ended up moving on. I use Weiss Maximizer a lot and have been very happy for the last few years. Though I am now trying out Smart:Limit for more transparent limiting on gentler pieces of music.

dbh - I remember using PSP Vintage Warmer years ago and really liking it, though I'm pretty sure I didn't have a clue on how to use it properly - now, that's genuinely old, along with the WizooVerb mentioned by Linos. Prehistoric in software terms! I should revisit it. Good mention.

So that's two now with high praise for DMG, which of course is merited. I admit to not using TrackComp enough, despite liking it. And as highly regarded as Equilibrium is - and what a great name for an Equalizer - my arsenal is stocked with every possible choice, so hard to justify more.

scherzo brings up a good point though: I tend to favor complex plugins that allow near infinite ability to tweak with tons of flexibility, even if it means taking quite a while to properly learn. But then there are simple one-trick-ponies like the Kush Omega Series, which I wouldn't want to do without despite having something like Saturn 2.

Are others as happy to flip between these two extremes, is it not on your mind at all when considering a purchase, or do you prefer simple, straight-forward tools?

I'm really enjoying reading about all your cherished tools - there are some that slipped my mind and others that I didn't even know.

[Luke]

- Is Goodhertz old? Old enough? If they are, they MUST be included here. If I were ever forced to only keep 15 plugins and ditch everything else, 8 of those 15 would carry the Goodhertz name and logo.

Ok, Piet, time to spill the beans: just received an email from Goodhertz about Pie Day (apparently I'm on their email list). What are the ones you cannot do without and why?

[Piet De Ridder]

Reading what follows, keep in mind that, in 8 of the 10 pieces that I do, I’m going for a sound — somewhat retro-ish, I guess, often with a nod to the early>mid 70’s — which may not be all that appealing to someone who does orchestral mock-ups, trailer-type stuff, epic extravaganzas, contemporary sound design, or who wants to blend in with today’s popular/commercial trends.

1. Tupe(/Wow)
Tupe, as the name indicates, is a blend between tape- and tube-simulation. I don’t believe in tape simulators (especially not when the bulk of your audio sources is sample-based or modelled make-believe) so I don’t use Tupe for tape simulating purposes, I just love how it sounds, no matter what the process, to arrive at that sound, is supposed to be.
Tupe also includes a meaty Opto compressor (part of the Vulf-code) and a slightly unusual but very effective EQ, plus an Emphasis-page where you can push specific frequency areas into being processed more than others (or pull them out, so as to be processed less). With this Emphasis-feature, you can colour the processing in all sorts of subtle or not-so-subtle ways.

Since quite some time, there’s a version of Tupe (called Tupe/Wow, free for Tupe owners) that expands Tupe with all the functionality from what is also available as a separate plugin ‘Wow’. Giving you the wow-flutter thing.

It’s a mistake to assume that anything processed with Tupe will inevitably come out sounding noticeably saturated, dirty or gritty or tube-y. It does all that very, very well of course, but it can also sound quite clean and well-behaved. Obviously never transparent though. (Important when working with Tupe, I learned, is to get familiar first with its internal gain staging. Calibrating the levels and the targets rightly — or deliberately wrongly (which is another form of rightly) — has a big influence on what happens next inside the plugin.)

2. The Vulf Compressor
The first and possibly the most famous Goodhertz plug-in. Outstanding, characterful and very versatile compressor. But here too: not transparent. You’ll hear it when it’s inserted. If you already have one or more compressors that you’re really happy with, I don’t know if this one still qualifies as a must-have, but if you like the round, creamy, punchy analog sound that Goodhertz and Vulfpeck are known for, this compressor is certainly the quickest and most convincing way to get you in that direction.

A few days ago, Goodhertz announced the imminent release of the Mastering Edition of the Vulf Compressor, “cut from the same cloth as the original, yet it unlocks a range of compression that is inaccessible in its predecessor: familiar, yet distinctly refined. It’s not for everyone, and … that’s kind of the point”.

3. TiltShift / ToneControl
Two tone shaping plugins. Unbelievably good. Also great examples illustrating why I like Goodhertz so much: only the right parameters doing only the right things. No parameter-overload, but a musically intelligent selection of only those parameters that make a meaningful difference.
Extremely well designed too. I don’t mean so much visually — the GUI’s of the Goodhertz stuff are apparently not to everyone’s taste — but operationally. There are EQ’s available which are more powerful or versatile, and for certain tasks like precision surgical work, you do need another EQ, but for medium-to-broad brushstroke EQ’ing, these two are extraordinary.

4. Tremolo
A deceptively simple effect, you might think, but when it’s done right, as it is here, surprisingly powerful. Goodhertz Tremolo does everything you’d expect a Tremolo to do — and it does it very well —, but I also often use it as a way to increase the dynamics of an entire bus: set the tremolo in sync with the tempo, alter the bias (viz. the tremolo’s curve) and curve symmetry so that only the first beat of the bar (or the first and third, or every quarter, or whatever) are accented, and enjoy the difference that this makes to the pulsing of the rhythm you’ve got going. And also part of the package: Goodhertz’ tube colouring.

5. MidSide
Comprehensive MidSide tool with separate tilt-EQ for the Mid and the Sides, plus a ‘Mono Below’ parameter (similar to Plugin Alliance’s MonoMaker). Maybe not a plug-in you can talk about in a deliriously ecstatic way like you can about Tupe or the Vulf but, to me, equally as important and used every bit as much.

6. Panpot
Same thing with the Panpot. Do we need this, you may well ask. Yes, I say. I have it set to open by default with the ‘Lifelike, Mono Compatible’ setting and that’s how I pan the majority of my tracks in a mix. (I work a lot with mono tracks as well and those obviously don't need a specialized panner.) Panpot also includes several other really useful parameters to control the stereo image of a track. So, not just a panner, but a serious stereo tool.

7. CanOpener
Great aid if you’re mixing on headphones. I never used to do that, but I changed my habits a year or two ago and while I still don’t actually mix on headphones, I now do frequently check on headphones where I am with a mix. CanOpener helps with telling you just a little bit more than a set of headphones on its own can. Not sure if the word ‘essential’ applies here, but I have it, I use it and I like it.

8. Faraday Limiter
Having three very good Limiters from other developers, the Goodhertz Limiter isn’t seeing as much use as the others. And I’ve never used it as an actual last-plugin-in-the-chain limiter. Whenever I use it, it’s more in the way that you’d use the Sonnox Inflator or a Maximizer or something like that. To beef up things a bit, or a lot. The Faraday has all the attitude and colour that Goodhertz family are known for.

9. DC19 Delay / Megaverb
These are the last Goodhertz plug-ins I bought. Not because I felt I needed them, but entirely out of appreciation for what the developer is doing and because my experiences with the other Goodhertz plugs have all been so satisfying. It didn’t take long though before I began appreciating these two as well, despite having lots of other great solutions for delay and reverb. It’s that Goodhertz vibe again that these two have going, just like the others, I suppose. It resonates with me like hardly any other plug-ins do.

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[Geoff Grace]

I also enjoy using Vulf Compressor and Tupe. Here’s a quick example of Vulf Compressor on drums:



Best,

Geoff

[Luke]

Thank you so much, Piet, for that eloquent, exhaustive and thoughtful list. I will have it at the ready as I inspect the various options on the Goodhertz site!

The theme jumping out at me with all things Goodhertz, or perhaps your particular choices, is that these appear to be bread-and-butter tools but with bonuses/twists, rendering them more useful than an initial glance, such as mine, would reveal. I do like the idea of the built-in character as well - I have enough "clinical" choices for most tasks.

Geoff, thanks for posting the video. Definitely hearing that character.