Channel Strip Plugins

[Recycled_Brains]

I've been demo'ing the UAD API console channel strip on every channel of a session I'm mixing. Holy shit, where has this thing been all my life? I always kind of avoided these types of plug-ins for whatever reason. Maybe it's the sort of locked-in nature of it, but every component of the thing is useful and sounds great. The compressor is the only thing that I sometimes don't use because the limited controls don't always work for the source, but most of the time it works just fine on it's own or in front of something else. The efficiency of it, simply from not demo'ing different plugins to find the "right one" is so welcome to my workflow. It's also making me wish I had a fucking console and not just a piecemeal rack of outboard stuff that is all different.

What are some other similar things that are good?

[drumsound]

I did a mix using the API Legacy on every channel and had a similar experience. The mix came together really easily, I even used the gates on the floor toms. I believe the only difference between the Legacy and the current one is that the Legacy has 550b, but the 'new' version is 550A or 560, which is kinda cool. I tend to prefer having 4 bands of EQ, so I don't think I'll update this anytime soon.

I've heard a couple of people who like to do the same things with the Neve 88R strip, and with SSL strips from various plugin companies.

[Nick Sevilla]

I've been enjoying the Plugin Alliance channel strips. And the few Waves ones.

I am waiting to see how long it takes UAD to port to Native the plug ins I own... before deciding on buying a new CPU to use their plugins. My older Satellite FW800 is no longer supported by them on mac Big Sur and later, so I'm screwed there for now.

I once did a blind shootout between a few plugin makers, comparing their takes on API, Neve et al, and found they are very similar.

I sometimes mix with only one type of strip, as if I was in front of a console. Makes things simpler. Limitations are good.

[digitaldrummer]

I use the Waves SSL E and G channel strips a lot. I have some from Brainworx (Plugin Alliance) as well (SSL E, N, 9K, Focusrite, Lindell 50 and 80). They are all cool in their own way but I end up going back to the SSL E/G. I have the Waves Scheps omnichannel and the UAD API strips too. Waves even put out a "new" SSL (EV2) but I find it to be too hyped in the sub-bass (and the HPF always need more cutting and then don't sound right to me). So I always end up back with the Waves E/G. I also like the gates better in those. Maybe it's because I've been using them so long I feel like I really know them, but they get the job done 95% of the time when I want to use a channel strip. And when they don't then I have all of the above strips to try instead and if one of them can't do it then we did something wrong in the recording process...

other things I use on every final mix. Slate VBC (usually the SSL and Vari-mu bus compressors) and FGX (limiter). Then on most of them I am also using the Slate VCC (virtual console) - some of these are very subtle but when you put it across all channels and busses, it's noticeable when you take it away. I use that 75% of the time and then for others I will use the United Plugins FrontDAW or Sonimus Satson/Britson because I like the HPF/LPF that are built-into those and are handy during mixing.

[Recycled_Brains]

I did a mix using the API Legacy on every channel and had a similar experience. The mix came together really easily, I even used the gates on the floor toms. I believe the only difference between the Legacy and the current one is that the Legacy has 550b, but the 'new' version is 550A or 560, which is kinda cool. I tend to prefer having 4 bands of EQ, so I don't think I'll update this anytime soon.

I've heard a couple of people who like to do the same things with the Neve 88R strip, and with SSL strips from various plugin companies.

The UADx one that I'm using has the 550B. I kind of prefer the 3-band because it's just less "well what if I do this instead?" kinda stuff. The 560 is one of my favorite plugins ever though. Nothing does bass and kick like that thing.

I use the gate on kick and snare. I always manually gate toms because they seem to mis-fire more often. Expander is cool on room mics for making the snare and toms just slightly louder than everything else. I'm happy to use it because the Fabfilter Pro-G, while being a good, causes my CPU to spike every fucking time I open the thing. Actually, all of the FF stuff does that. Why I'm convinced the issue is graphics related. I digress...

[drumsound]

I did a mix using the API Legacy on every channel and had a similar experience. The mix came together really easily, I even used the gates on the floor toms. I believe the only difference between the Legacy and the current one is that the Legacy has 550b, but the 'new' version is 550A or 560, which is kinda cool. I tend to prefer having 4 bands of EQ, so I don't think I'll update this anytime soon.

I've heard a couple of people who like to do the same things with the Neve 88R strip, and with SSL strips from various plugin companies.

The UADx one that I'm using has the 550B. I kind of prefer the 3-band because it's just less "well what if I do this instead?" kinda stuff. The 560 is one of my favorite plugins ever though. Nothing does bass and kick like that thing.

I use the gate on kick and snare. I always manually gate toms because they seem to mis-fire more often. Expander is cool on room mics for making the snare and toms just slightly louder than everything else. I'm happy to use it because the Fabfilter Pro-G, while being a good, causes my CPU to spike every fucking time I open the thing. Actually, all of the FF stuff does that. Why I'm convinced the issue is graphics related. I digress...

I had that same issue with Waves stuff on my old Mac Mini. I'm also convinced it was graphics related.

I generally and mot a fan of gating, and feel the drumset sounds better with things ringing... Buuut sometimes, well, you know.

[Recycled_Brains]

I did a mix using the API Legacy on every channel and had a similar experience. The mix came together really easily, I even used the gates on the floor toms. I believe the only difference between the Legacy and the current one is that the Legacy has 550b, but the 'new' version is 550A or 560, which is kinda cool. I tend to prefer having 4 bands of EQ, so I don't think I'll update this anytime soon.

I've heard a couple of people who like to do the same things with the Neve 88R strip, and with SSL strips from various plugin companies.

The UADx one that I'm using has the 550B. I kind of prefer the 3-band because it's just less "well what if I do this instead?" kinda stuff. The 560 is one of my favorite plugins ever though. Nothing does bass and kick like that thing.

I use the gate on kick and snare. I always manually gate toms because they seem to mis-fire more often. Expander is cool on room mics for making the snare and toms just slightly louder than everything else. I'm happy to use it because the Fabfilter Pro-G, while being a good, causes my CPU to spike every fucking time I open the thing. Actually, all of the FF stuff does that. Why I'm convinced the issue is graphics related. I digress...

I had that same issue with Waves stuff on my old Mac Mini. I'm also convinced it was graphics related.

I generally and mot a fan of gating, and feel the drumset sounds better with things ringing... Buuut sometimes, well, you know.

I don't mind the toms ringing a little, but I loathe the cymbal bleed. haha. If it's heavy stuff I do it 100% of the time, exception being parts where the drummer is really going off on the toms or riding on the floor or something like that. Other stuff it's a case-by-case thing.

[permanent hearing damage]

i have so many damn channel strips, but I almost never use them. I haven't used the UAD API in a good while, but when I did, it was to push the pre and use the EQ. I usually reach for the brainworx G series when I'm tracking just cuz it's a low CPU hit and I can usually put it on something without the audio dropping out.

I've honestly never found one with a comp I got along with. Granted, I never tried throwing one on every channel - dunno if my track counts would allow, even with my new beast of a computer.

[drumsound]

The UADx one that I'm using has the 550B. I kind of prefer the 3-band because it's just less "well what if I do this instead?" kinda stuff. The 560 is one of my favorite plugins ever though. Nothing does bass and kick like that thing.

I use the gate on kick and snare. I always manually gate toms because they seem to mis-fire more often. Expander is cool on room mics for making the snare and toms just slightly louder than everything else. I'm happy to use it because the Fabfilter Pro-G, while being a good, causes my CPU to spike every fucking time I open the thing. Actually, all of the FF stuff does that. Why I'm convinced the issue is graphics related. I digress...

I had that same issue with Waves stuff on my old Mac Mini. I'm also convinced it was graphics related.

I generally and mot a fan of gating, and feel the drumset sounds better with things ringing... Buuut sometimes, well, you know.

I don't mind the toms ringing a little, but I loathe the cymbal bleed. haha. If it's heavy stuff I do it 100% of the time, exception being parts where the drummer is really going off on the toms or riding on the floor or something like that. Other stuff it's a case-by-case thing.

YEAH, I do think we work on pretty different music. I did do some gating on https://adelphiset.bandcamp.com/releases but even then I generally let the toms ring.

[trodden]

Channel strips channel strips channel strips...

I'm now trying them out along with too many other new things with the new protools license and new computer... My mix procedures that I've been using for the last 10 years are all changing in so many places. It's exciting again, but also, so many areas for questioning things, as well as being overwhelmed.

Are most of you using these channel strips towards the "beginning" of your plug in chains or afterwards? I've been messing with putting a trim plug first, so I can adjust how hard i'm hitting the channel strip (i like hitting it harder) before even applying gain that's in the plug itself. I'm also messing with (on the Lindell API/50) setting the channel calibration at -20 for the same reasons. How are you all going about with gain staging and these plugs?

Also...how much do I need to worry about "oversampling" when working at 24 bit at 48k?

I'm also finding myself using the SONNOX Oxford EQ before the channel strip to do any of my surgical cuts. But occasionally i'll move it to after and make a decision on where it sounds better.

Much of this is to help rid of me running out stems to my console and trying to keep it all in the box. I keep telling myself, how about treat pro tools as a console, since it's got one built in, especially with these channel strip and buss plugs.

Right now I'm enjoying the Lindell 50 (API) channel strip, a bit more than the UA API Vision as well as the Lindell 80 (Neve) channel strip.

[digitaldrummer]

I don't gain stage like that, but as I said before I like the Slate VBC and it allows you to push levels into the plugin but it doesn't actually change the level coming out of the plugin... There are others like United Plugins FrontDAW that you can do that, but it also has in/out levels that can change the output. I mostly use the Waves SSL strips on drums most of the time still. I don't usually push the levels unless I'm trying to get something out of the compression. Heat is also cool - I use just a little so it's subtle. I'm not usually trying to drive dirt into all my mixes but I understand that can be a thing..

[trodden]

I don't gain stage like that, but as I said before I like the Slate VBC and it allows you to push levels into the plugin but it doesn't actually change the level coming out of the plugin... There are others like United Plugins FrontDAW that you can do that, but it also has in/out levels that can change the output. I mostly use the Waves SSL strips on drums most of the time still. I don't usually push the levels unless I'm trying to get something out of the compression. Heat is also cool - I use just a little so it's subtle. I'm not usually trying to drive dirt into all my mixes but I understand that can be a thing..

I'm gonna be checking out HEAT this weekend. When I have some time to set in the studio for more than an hour... Try to soak in some HEAT as well as some of the new PT tricks i'm finding.

[Nick Sevilla]

Are most of you using these channel strips towards the "beginning" of your plug in chains or afterwards?

When recording, I've been using the Lindell 50 (Neve 1073) strip. On the 32 input busses, so their processing gets recorded. Nuendo has this cool feature where it has input busses where you can put plug ins ins to record their processing. Less involved than in other DAWs. On some I might put in a compressor, la2a or la3a or 1176, basically what I would use in a studio.

Once I am done recording, I remove all of the input buss plugins. Then I decide which "console" I'd be mixing in, and put that strip across all the channels. I also like using the Waves SSL compressor into a UAD ATR102 for the Master Stereo buss to print with.

All other effects, it depends on what they are, whether they go before the console strip plug in, or afterwards.

[T-rex]

It’s funny, as much as I bitch about not having a console and how fast I could mix with those limitations, I’ve never really jived with channel strip plugins.

I bought the Plugin Alliance SSL E and J when they were in sale, and I have the Lindell and the UAD API. I created a template with the SSL on every channel and first mix I got bored. I mean it works, but I don’t know. I think I am really tied more to each bus having its own thing. Based on the music I have a few go to tonalities for each buss so that the drums get the best I can give them, and then the bass and then the guitars etc. I was kind of bummed cause I really wanted to have a simplified workflow but just wasn’t giving me what i wanted to hear.

I do really like the API and if I had enough power to run it on everything that might change my mind.

[roscoenyc]

I use the UAD API strip on the kick a lot. For something like that it's great having everything there in one instance.

The SSL one is good too. They both get used a little more when I'm mixing something that I didn't record as I look at them as 'problem solvers'.

Another really good one if you have an Apollo is the UAD Century Tube channel strip. It has a mic pre, a subtle EQ and an opto compressor.
I've been using that lately at home for vocals and acoustic instruments.