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Post by jcoutu1 on Jul 25, 2019 7:30:15 GMT -6
Let's try something different. I'm sure that most of us have been there. Flash sale pops up. Smoking deal on a plugin that you've been thinking about testing out. You're under the gun and just pull the trigger without a demo. Now you're stuck with it and it just doesn't get your mojo flowing.
I'm not saying that these are bad plugins. Not bad emulations. Or buggy. They just don't seem to work for what you're doing, whatever that is. Every once in a while, you'll go back and try it again on something and again, you end up pulling it back off. Other people may gush over it, but it's just not for you.
Boz Digital Plus 10db Bundle. The compressor action never seems to work the way I want. The eq doesn't do anything special for me. It's just not a plugin for me.
Sound Toys Decapitator - EVERYONE has been gushing over this thing for years. I love the Soundtoys stuff and use it all over my mixes, but Decap is always a struggle for me. I'm just never really satisfied with what it does.
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Post by swurveman on Jul 25, 2019 8:05:30 GMT -6
I bought Greg Wells Signature Series by Waves. Not versatile enough for me. Fortunately, Sweetwater let me return it and buy something else.
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Post by Martin John Butler on Jul 25, 2019 8:34:19 GMT -6
I have many I rarely use. The thing that bugs me the most is UAD's no exchange or resale policy. Even with their easy access demo policy, it takes more time than that to really see if a plug-in works for you. I have their API 2500 plug-in. I want to like it, but it just grabs everything too hard for my tastes. I'd sell and rebuy another if I could.
Seven years ago when I was just getting started digitally, I bought a computer from a friend of a friend and paid $200 extra for some plug-ins he had installed. I had no idea they were worth much more. So I've had the Waves Mercury bundle since then, and barely use 5 of those plugs, meanwhile there are another 125 available at least. I looked at them a few times and passed using them. Many times I see some of those plugs being used in tutorials like Mix Like a Pro, and so I revisit them. Things like Renaissance compressor or de-esser for instance.
Having so many plugs, I hesitate to buy any more. I think I could use the Fab Filter EQ , a better Auto-Tune, and one or two others, but I'd rather put money in hardware like mics right now.
The free Soundtoys plugs work great, and over time I've gathered quite a few others.
But, getting back to the topic, the number 1 plug I regret getting is the Elysia EQ. I bought it on a recommendation and reviews, and the interface is so confusing, I have to revisit the manual every time I try using it. They have a dozen little buttons that make knobs do different things if you click them. IMO opinion, it's just a confusing mess to use. I'd sell it in a minute if it was worth the hassle.
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Post by gouge on Jul 25, 2019 8:45:37 GMT -6
i never liked the waves api eq or the h delay or the cla vocals.
very dissapointed.
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Post by Martin John Butler on Jul 25, 2019 8:49:58 GMT -6
Kind of agree gouge. CLA Vocals, and most of his plugs suck IME.
Funny thing though, I have all the UAD 1176's, but the Wave CLA 1176 does a better job of getting an acoustic guitar with lots of hard strumming to sit in the track better.
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Post by gouge on Jul 25, 2019 9:09:54 GMT -6
i like the waves 1176 too.
Reviews I've read tend to put the softube fet just ahead sound wise so next sale ill grab it and find out.
keen to try.
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Post by drbill on Jul 25, 2019 9:19:18 GMT -6
Soooo many that it's hard to actually list em all. Most Waves plugs are impulse buys for me, and as such, rarely get used. Keep at it with Decap j - it took me awhile to warm up to it, but I use it a lot now.
Soundtoys Echoboy - love the functionality, don't really like the tone. It only gets used when something else doesn't work.
That's just a few, there are probably hundreds more.... LOL
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Post by donr on Jul 25, 2019 10:07:09 GMT -6
I have lots of plugs I don't use much. The BOZ stuff would be included there. Also the D16 delay. Just too hard to use.
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Post by mcirish on Jul 25, 2019 10:42:09 GMT -6
It's funny how I fall for advertising and thinking this next new plugin is going to transform my mixes. After the extremely short honeymoon period, they sit unused. I have a lot of Waves and Plugin Alliance plugins that were "great deals" but never ever get used. Still, I'm kind of a junkie and I'm always looking for something new. Maybe that's just my way of keeping fresh by constantly learning something new.
On a side note, I used to be a complete technical junkie. Back in the day, I used to love programming complex additive synths and that spilled over in to plugins. Lots of knobs must be better... right? Now, I must be getting lazy, but I grab the simplest plugins first and the ones with 100 parameters never get used unless I have some extreme case that can only be solved with that particular plugin. (rare)
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Post by geoff738 on Jul 25, 2019 11:03:10 GMT -6
Waves. Wup.
Cheers, Geoff
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Post by indiehouse on Jul 25, 2019 11:04:41 GMT -6
This is a great thread. Makes me feel good about passing up plug-in blowout sales.
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Post by sean on Jul 25, 2019 11:22:24 GMT -6
I can’t say I care much for Waves Abbey Roads stuff. I probably have it all and just don’t ever go for it.
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Post by drbill on Jul 25, 2019 12:16:15 GMT -6
I can’t say I care much for Waves Abbey Roads stuff. I probably have it all and just don’t ever go for it. I'm with ya there. The one standout one for me was the chambers. THAT one I liked. Plates not so much. But....I still don't end up using it a lot.
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Post by jeremygillespie on Jul 25, 2019 12:29:23 GMT -6
UAD 1081. Just doesn’t do it for me and I never use it.
Soothe. Possibly an unpopular opinion, but I was amped for and it never really does what I’m hoping it will do. FabFilter deesser gets me there easier and sounds better IMO.
Decapitator. I can’t say how many hours I’ve spent trying to make this plug work for me, but I’ll be damned if it’s ever wound up being used on a mix. I get frustrated with it and just wind up pulling it off.
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Post by donr on Jul 25, 2019 12:58:15 GMT -6
I can't say I regret anything that cost $29, whether it gets used or not.
I buy most plugins without a demo, or without a comprehensive demo anyway. Especially on a time sensitive sale.
To flip the thread, some not cheap software I'm digging now is the iZotope Neutron and Ozone packages. Lots of power in one instantiation, and fresh code, not emulations of classic stuff. Also, CLA bass is a winner and CLA mix if you want that SSL buscomp thing.
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elcct
Full Member
Posts: 36
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Post by elcct on Jul 25, 2019 13:42:35 GMT -6
Most of the Waves plugins I got. There are few that I like and use, that is: Torque Chambers Tune Real Time
Other regrets: iZotope Neutron Ozone I only found Tonal Balance Control usable
All Arturia stuff
Most of the NI stuff
AudioThing (Outer Space, Reels)
All Slate plugins
Some stuff from Plugin Alliance
FabFilter Saturn
Boz clipper
Most of Softube stuff except Weiss
Quite a lot of regrets...
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Post by NoTomorrow on Jul 25, 2019 14:28:10 GMT -6
Brainworx BX_rooms reverb plugin. Sux
I like and use other Brainworx plugs however
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Post by drbill on Jul 25, 2019 15:09:34 GMT -6
Most of the Waves plugins I got. There are few that I like and use, that is: Torque Chambers Tune Real Time Other regrets: iZotope Neutron Ozone I only found Tonal Balance Control usable All Arturia stuff Most of the NI stuff AudioThing (Outer Space, Reels) All Slate plugins Some stuff from Plugin Alliance FabFilter Saturn Boz clipper Most of Softube stuff except Weiss Quite a lot of regrets... Haha!! Different strokes, eh? Eric Valentine mentioned on his series a bunch of stuff he uses and likes - amongst them - the NI stuff and Saturn. LOL
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Post by ragan on Jul 25, 2019 16:19:19 GMT -6
I wish I could return about 75% of the plugins I've purchased. That said, I don't 'regret' any of them. They all, every one of 'em, taught me something. Sometimes that something was "this wasn't the solution you imagined it would be" which is still valuable to me. The cycle of Get Your Hopes Up, Purchase, Honeymoon, Get Disappointed, Realize More Processing Wasn't The Answer Or You Fell For A GUI Or Glommed Onto An Idea That Wasn't Really There In The Actual Product, Abandon...that happens over and over when you're starting out is a vital part of learning the real lessons that make you a better engineer.
That said, there are definitely some plugins I don't really ever use.
Waves SSL - used the hell out of it for a few years when I first got it but my ears just don't like it anymore Waves REDD thingies - but these were gonna make me sound just like the Beatles! Waves AR Plates - bought for $29 because I was missing UAD EMT140 and I just absolutely don't think it sounds good. Lindell 254e - I actually think this one sounds pretty cool I just never reach for it for some reason FabFilter Pro-R - Incredible design and super intuitive controls but I just never end up keeping it on, always switch to something else. I might just not really like its sound. Jury's still out on this one.
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Post by Blackdawg on Jul 25, 2019 16:32:24 GMT -6
Everything.
They all expire...or you have pay for updates...freaking annoying.
I use only a handful now.
Big ones I regret are
Omnisphere One of the Signature series. StylusRX Stutter Edit Practically all Waves stuff except the CLA comp bundle and SSL G EQ Nectar
My money is going to hardware now. Its a bit of a pain, but with some good thought, not that much more work to use and sounds better and never expires!
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Post by gouge on Jul 25, 2019 16:35:29 GMT -6
which ones expire. none of mine have expired after 2 years.
should i be worried.
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Post by jcoutu1 on Jul 25, 2019 16:45:05 GMT -6
Everything. They all expire...or you have pay for updates...freaking annoying. I use only a handful now. Big ones I regret are Omnisphere One of the Signature series. StylusRX Stutter Edit Practically all Waves stuff except the CLA comp bundle and SSL G EQ Nectar My money is going to hardware now. Its a bit of a pain, but with some good thought, not that much more work to use and sounds better and never expires! The amount of time that I save by using plugins over outboard for mixing more than covers the cost of the plugs and updates.
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Post by Blackdawg on Jul 25, 2019 16:58:35 GMT -6
which ones expire. none of mine have expired after 2 years. should i be worried. The biggest pain was why Avid switched to AAX. I lost all the RTAS stuff. Everything. Gone. Nothing is stopping anyone from that happening again.
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Post by Blackdawg on Jul 25, 2019 16:59:22 GMT -6
Everything. They all expire...or you have pay for updates...freaking annoying. I use only a handful now. Big ones I regret are Omnisphere One of the Signature series. StylusRX Stutter Edit Practically all Waves stuff except the CLA comp bundle and SSL G EQ Nectar My money is going to hardware now. Its a bit of a pain, but with some good thought, not that much more work to use and sounds better and never expires! The amount of time that I save by using plugins over outboard for mixing more than covers the cost of the plugs and updates. Yeah, but like i said, there is a good balance. If done right you can use hardware just like plugins to a point. just takes some thought and change of work flow.
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Post by Guitar on Jul 25, 2019 18:14:35 GMT -6
There are a lot that I don't like, but most of the time I didn't buy them. I guess I have a pretty good record of liking the things I end up paying for.
Some of the UAD plugs are slightly regrettable, because they are so expensive, and so DSP intensive on the weak-ass Sharc's.
So yeah, I regret UAD the most. Just because of the money lost. Even though I still love a lot of the ones I have. I don't want to call it a scam, but I will call it a racket. Without an Apollo, I am on Satellite now, a lot of the preamps and and amp simulators are much less useful. I doubt I will ever get another Apollo interface, maybe a Twin, who knows.
The $14 Waves and stuff like that, who cares, it's "whatever."
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