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Mixing/Mastering Plugin Suites, Need Advice

Jeremy Spencer

Jeremy Spencer

Senior Member
I would like to invest in a good mixing/mastering suite. I have been using the stock Logic plugins for years (which are good), Spaces 1&2, and Waves Gold (which I have never renewed). I have narrowed it down to a few...

Kush Audio ($9.99 per month)

Fabfilter Mixing Bundle

Slate Digital ($15 a month) - I am not a fan of using another iLok

Waves Gold ($99 for updates to my existing collection)


There are plugins from all three of these developers that I like, but I'd like to get a collection and be done with it. I like my old Waves stuff, but there are other plugins they offer that I like (Kramer Tape, Puig Tec eq), but they aren't included if I renew. Open to suggestions!
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I've used Ozone since 2003, and while Izotope is ok, it's not by all means the best. For what it comes to your suggestions....


Wolfie2112 said:
Kush Audio ($9.99 per month)
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Kush is definitely a "character" product line, but as it's heavily leaning to the old school approach, you would lack all the surgical tools. For mastering, I'd definitely go with them, but for complete one-in-all mixing I'd advice something else. The Novatron might be the best ITB mastering compressor I have ever encountered.

Wolfie2112 said:
Fabfilter Mixing Bundle
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While you're definitely not getting any character (ok, maybe some with the compressor), the FF plugins are the best surgical tools in the market, period. For mixing and mastering, these are the things I'd recommend to anyone within a heartbeat. Their only caveat- and a huge plus as well- is that they are extremely transparent-sounding.


Wolfie2112 said:
Slate Digital ($15 a month) - I am not a fan of using another iLok
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75% real deal, 25% snake oil. Slate's very aggressive marketing is rather exhaustingly superlative, but most of their stuff is actually really good for mixing. A bit less "character" than what Kush Audio has, yet most of those are some very good tools. The original VMR is still holding up very nicely, and their tape is one of the best in the market. But there's not much stuff in Slate in general suitable for mastering.

Wolfie2112 said:
Waves Gold ($99 for updates to my existing collection)
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Unless you're coming from 2007 or so, there's no need to update the Gold. Instead, wait for the next sale and upgrade it to Platinum/Diamond for almost the same price which also resets your free upgrade period. There's sadly not much in Gold what you couldn't do way better with other plugins, but the Renaissance line (EQ+ comp) is definitely worth the price alone and still considered as industry standard to the date. I also use the modulation plugins a lot for quick and dirty work.

You may also want to consider Soundtoys, which is also a rather industry standard for more creative and characteristic mixing nowadays.

TL;DR: Fabfilter for surgical stuff and transparency, Kush for character mastering, Slate for cleaner character mixing, Waves for overall mixing and Soundtoys for character mixing.

I'd suggest you start by getting the FF EQ combined with the Slate subscription (yes, Ilok, I know), use that in combination with the Waves Gold and if you feel Slate is not suitable for you, try out Kush.
 
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@Henu thank you very much for the detailed response. Lot's to consider from everyone who has responded. I'm currently trying the demo's from several plungins; Kush is wonderful, as is FF. It also comes down to realizing what I already own....there's a ton of great content in the good ol' Waves Gold bundle that I'm rediscovering. I'm going to watch for the upgrade sales (which happen often), and continue looking around.

I also discovered the Softube Saturator (free), which is one of the sounds I was after.

Cheers!
 
I was going to suggest some of the Softube plugins, especially the Summit Audio Grand Channel, I use it constantly and the TSAR reverbs are great. Softube Tape is on everything I mix, best tape saturator i've ever used. I haven't tried the Softube Weiss mastering plugins yet, but have heard good things about them. Also, Relab has a subscription now for $7 a month and they are the best algo reverbs on the market bar none imo. I also use the Slate everything bundle on many projects, very solid plugins.
 
Slate is great value and gives you lots of good tools. Not really mastering-centric if you're a working ME, but everything you need for home use. The eiossis eq is now included which is cool.

I would probably consider a la carte if you want to buy--
DMG or Fabfilter have great options, but it's not cheap. Izotope may also have sales on Music Production Suite 3 right now which would also set you up including Rx and very very good reverbs and mastering tools (the spectral compressor competes with soothe easily). Just depends on budget and goals. I have all the above and use pieces from each daily.
 
I really like the Waves Puigtec compressor on the mastering buss and the Abbey Road Mastering suite for the tone and filter sections, but I never use anything I have in Gold.

Maybe it's my ears but I don't hear what a separate expensive EQ could do for me that Logic's options can't (especially since the Vintage EQs were added).

+1 for Softube Tape.
 
SupremeFist said:
Maybe it's my ears but I don't hear what a separate expensive EQ could do for me that Logic's options can't (especially since the Vintage EQs were added).
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Those Vintage EQ's are nice, but I can't get them to send comparable to the Puigtek EQ I've been trying out...which is on my wishlist now.

I checked out the Softube Tape, it is a hidden gem.
 
Hi Wolfe! I got super serious about my mixing game several years ago and it really paid off. I have WAY too many 3rd party plugins but I can tell you what works great for me.

Fabfilter Q2 (now 3) - it just works for all
My subtractive EQ needs.

Slate Everything Bundle. The console emulations go on either every track or all my stems. The EQs are great for adding color as are the saturation plugins. Great tape emulation for adding serious weight to the low end. The Reverb is stupid-great for presets and they have become my go-to in general, even though I have like 8 other reverbs. Bottom line, you really can do about anything with this bundle.

Kush. Great stuff FULL of character. If nothing else, subscribe or buy for Novatron. I can’t think of a project I didn’t drop this thing on the tail end of. It is the best magic bullet saturated/compressor I’ve ever used on the mixbuss.

Plugin Alliance has amazing stuff too. If they had the reverbs, then I’d say it’s a toss-up between it and Slate. That said, it has a TON of other stuff too. I’m just now running a trial for some of their stuff, but there are one or two you really should buy. Maag EQ4 is pretty amazing. So is VSM-3. Either are with buying.

Delay. I love my Soundtoys stuff but rarely use Echoboy ever since I bought U-he’s Colour Copy. It’s the most beautiful delay I’ve ever heard.

Oh, and Fabfilter Saturn is stupid-amazing.

Hope this helps
 
Fabfilter is the best on your list (and really the only one there I would consider), transpararent, clean, just takes a bit of work to find the right settings. I use them all the time but wish they had as many good presets as:

Ozone. I realize you don’t gell with them, but I started with Ozone 5 and the amount of great presets and having everything in one plugin is a pretty great combo. Just quickly flick through presets until you find something close, then tweak it. A lot faster for those that hate setting multiple mastering plugins. I’m on Ozone 8 currently and it’s very solid for music mastering.

Kush Audio also has excellent plugins, love them and use them all the time, but none of them are really mastering tools. Novotron is my favorite compressor by far, real character that adds warmth, fatness, and even some clarity to a track, but I don’t think I would put it on a master but unless I was going for a particular sound. A multiband compressor (like FF MB or the one in Ozone) is really better suited for mixed material.
 
I have a small collection of plugins that I use when I want what I'm doing to have a certain "vibe." I've basically tried to duplicate my fantasy hardware rack in plugin form: the Native Instruments/Softube Manley emulations, the Brainworx Neve, and the aforementioned Softube Tape. The Logic Vintage EQ's and compressors also get some use. For effects, I have everything I need with Valhalla Room and Delay, and Logic's plugins. Logic is also totally sufficient for any "digital," surgical EQ'ing etc.

I try not to go crazy with these things in general, even though there's a strong temptation to. I want all the cool toys, whether as hardware or software. The only way in which I'll allow myself to go further down this rabbit hole is to eventually get all the UAD versions of what I have now.
 
Plugin Alliance have some amazing plugins...

The New SHMC Class A is a phenomenal plugin.

I own most of the plugins and and they really are quality tools.
 
X-Bassist said:
Ozone. I realize you don’t gell with them, but I started with Ozone 5 and the amount of great presets and having everything in one plugin is a pretty great combo. Just quickly flick through presets until you find something close, then tweak it. A lot faster for those that hate setting multiple mastering plugins. I’m on Ozone 8 currently and it’s very solid for music mastering.
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To be fair, I've been trying out Ozone 9 Advanced...sold! It is the "fairy dust" I was after for final mixes. Now I'm going to grab a few more a la carte plugins, so many great suggestions in this thread.
 
If anyone's interested, Waves is having a sale (surprise!). Buy one plugin, get any $29 plugin for $1. I grabbed the Puigtec EQ's and Kramer Master Tape for $29 total.
 
Honestly, Fabfilter is a need.

you don't "need" timeless or pro-R, but pro Q/Pro C/Pro L/Pro MB/Saturn

If you're not good with an EQ - that's the one to use. Infact sometimes I use the EQ within kontakt but if it's something surgical I'll find it with pro-Q2/3. The main reason being, even if you don't have the knowledge - fab filter is one of the best laid out and transparent tools. This also means you're essentially forced to learn how to use them properly - so if you do go to reach for a "flavor tool" you'll actually know how to use it.
 
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