Best Plugins? TC powercore firewire?

[wonder]

I have yet to buy 3rd party plugins, but since a recent session in protools with GADS of plugins, i'm under the impression that that is the way to go.
I have contacted MOTU on which plugins would be best and they advised me to the TC POWERCORE FIREWIRE plug in bundles, which runs on its own processing.
Anyone have this? Anyone use this? Anyone like this?

Help me out since I'm used to the OLD way of OUTBOARD gear.

[danworks]

If you like "the old way", check this stuff out.
http://www.sonalksis.com/

I'm amazed very few people talks and knows about it.

[kittonian]

The Sony Oxford EQ for the Powercore destroys the Sonalkis stuff (IMHO of course). I would definitely go for the Powercore, especially with DP 4.5 compensating automatically for the delay now.

The Powercore Firewire is a pretty expensive way to see if you like the Powercore and the various plug-ins that come with it and are available for purchase. You might want to start with a Powercore PCI which will be quite a bit less expensive.

We had a couple in our showroom in various machines and actually have one that we are looking to sell due to one of the demo machines being taken out of commission. The card is brand new for all intents and purposes (besides sitting in a demo machine). If you are interested feel free to give us a call or send an e-mail to sales@audiolot.com.

[danworks]

Originally posted by kittonian:
The Sony Oxford EQ for the Powercore destroys the Sonalkis stuff (IMHO of course)

I love these " ...brandX destroy brandY" comments.

The easy way is to go to sonalksis web site, download the known EQ and Comp, plus the new multi band compander and equaliser CQ1 and DQ1, and use it for 30 days (if their policy didn't change).

The only way to try Sony is buying it, right?
By the way, "de gustibus non est disputandum" ... of course

[kittonian]

No, you can download a demo from both companies and check them out for yourself but when you do, the way to test it and see what you really think is to create 2 duplicate audio tracks, setup both plugins (1 on each track) and set everything exactly the same (freq., Q, gain, etc.). Then, A/B the tracks by muting and unmuting (even better if you can sit with your eyes closed and have someone else doing the muting stuff so you don't know which is which). I did this exact test with the Sonalksis, Waves RenEQ6, and the Sony Oxford EQ. The Sonalksis was better than the Waves but the Sony was the best overall. I found the other two to have harshness when you play with gain adjustments (especially in the high mids and highs) whereas the Sony was nice and soft.

Decide for yourself. Do the test. I can only tell you what I found as well as a couple other people who were here with me. We all chose the Sony over everything and we all agreed that the Waves was the worst.

<small>[ October 30, 2004, 12:20 PM: Message edited by: kittonian ]</small>

[wynsmth]

How do you demo the Sony without buying a Powercore or Pro Tools?

[danworks]

Originally posted by kittonian:
No, you can download a demo from both companies and check them out for yourself ...

Originally posted by Wayne:
How do you demo the Sony without buying a Powercore or Pro Tools?

You can't do it.

<small>[ October 30, 2004, 03:16 PM: Message edited by: danworks ]</small>

[kittonian]

That's true. To demo something made for a specific piece of hardware (i.e. Powercore or PT|HD) you would actually have to own the host platform in order to test something on it. I'm not really sure what the point is here because that's like saying I want to test a plug-in that is only made for the Mac but I'm on a PC. You would have to have a Mac to try it out wouldn't you?

Since Wonder doesn't have a Powercore the choices are pretty much one of three things. Either buy a Powercore and try the plugs out, find someone with a Powercore and try the plugs out, or base your purchasing decision off of answers on an Internet forum.

[danworks]

The points are ...

1- When you're out shopping for a plugin bundle, you've to consider sounds and price, otherwise will be like comparing apples and oranges.

2- downloading a Waves or Sonalksis bundle, you can play with it for 15-30 days, and make your own idea about it. On the Sony cases you can't try it unless you buy the box too.

3- considering the TC Powercore and Sony bundle price (EQ only is around 350 pounds), I'll personally would prefere to invest those money on something else, like a G5-2.5 for example, and then get a nice sounding Native MAS or AU plug.

But that's me ...

<small>[ October 30, 2004, 05:08 PM: Message edited by: danworks ]</small>

[wonder]

I quote Shaggy when I say YOWSAS!

Thanks for all the info...I am looking into GREAT compressors and EQ's and Verbs. I dont need TONS of other effects, just great sounding stuff.
Stuff that rival Universals 1176's, and Lexicons verbs, and...and...and...

The TC powercore firewire sure does LOOK cool....but will it take processing OFF the G5 and do all the work itself? Will it sound superb? It's a BIG investment so I wanna know I'm doin the right thing.

Are WAVES better?

[revi]

Just my two cents and then a question...

1.) I'm running PowerCore PCI and it is very handy to be able to offload effects from the processor...the PowerCore effects are very clean and the thing comes with a bunch. Maybe not the warmest effects, but very clean.

2.) There is a version of the Access Virus that runs on PowerCore...that is, the virtual instrument runs on the card...and it sounds _fabulous_. I mean _absolutely_fabulous_. And again, because it's running on the card, there's little CPU hit.

3.) The Universal Audio card UAD-1 has a bunch of fabulous sounding, and, IMHO, much warmer effects than PowerCore. I'm running both and they compliment one another very nicely.

My question: has anyone tried the Nomad Factory Blue Tubes bundle? It appears to run on DP (though there is conflicting info on their reseller's site). I've heard that their sutff compares sonically quality-wise with WAVES. Free trials and _reasonable_ (roughly $400 for the bundle) prices.

[wonder]

quick Q ... what is "IMHO"?

[revi]

One of the gazillion "convenient "acronym/contractions, for instance:

IMHO = in my humble opinion

FWIW = for whatever it's worth

BTW = by the way

and of course FYI = for your info

I know some people that use the stuff so much in IM (instant messaging) that it's almost impossible to talk with them in ordinary conversation!

[wonder]

TY

[Shooter]

Okay, I have NO idea which one of these sounds better, but, since certain plugins mentioned above have free demos, it would make sense to download those and see if you like what you're hearing. If not, then bite the bullet and pay for the Powercore module, and, as far as I know, you will have to have the hardware to test the plugin, or try to demo it at a local music store or with someone who already owns it. It just seems like that might be a good way to go...call me crazy!!!!

<small>[ October 30, 2004, 10:25 PM: Message edited by: Shooter ]</small>