As you know, there are a couple of DSP-based processing options out there including the POWERCORE series and the UAD1 as well as the APA from Waves and a few others coming. But Liquid Mix is very unique, yet highly affordable. Basically, this is taking the Liquid technology by giving you full compression but have added full-on EQ as well. Using dynamic convolution, it's a pain-staking sampling process. While I can't reveal all of the information, I can tell you that one particular preset had over 8,000 samples in it to produce that EQ emulation. Playing with the hardware, it's a very compact desktop control surface giving you actual knobs and buttons to get around and control the system. The screen display is quite nice and simple to operate (it connects via firewire). You can have a total of 64-plugins running, but that is divided into 32-EQ and 32-Compressors. The processing is handled on the unit itself, but like other native-based DSP cards (native based meaning you're still dealing with sample buffers), there are resources that need to be used. What I do not yet know is how much load this will run on your computer when running all 32-channels, but then again with a dual-processor G5 or the new Intel Macs...come on!!
Having gotten to play around with, it sounds really good and is highly powerful! The EQ emulations respond like traditional EQ's including the filters, additional controls, etc. What really impressed me was being able to take an EQ and create your own using the various emulations. Because I can't use the actual names, let's just say you want a mid-range EQ from a very popular British console but you want the high's from a particular outboard piece, all while maybe a high-pass filter from another console. There are sceenes that can be saved with each session, recalling your settings. Unfortunately if you're moving from one appliction to another, this is an issue. What I'm not sure of at this point are presets, hmmmmm. The only issue I had was there was a redraw lag on the computer screen but then again, this is a pre-production beta unit so that was expected. However on the display itself, it was pretty quick. A simple, yet effectve design, is the speed of the rotary pots---turn it slow, it moves in smaller increments but turn it quick and it jumps faster, nice.The Liquid Channel is an amazing box, a killer pre on its own. But add in the technology and it is one of the most versatile tools for tracking in the studio. Does it really sound absolutely identical to the real hardware it's emulating? No, although in some cases it is hard to tell. But IMHO I don't think that is the way to think of the Liquid Channel but rather, one box gives you so much tonal variety. Who cares if it sounds identical, because it just gives you a variety to choose from. That is how I feel about Liquid Mix, the EQ and Compression emulations are very good and close to the originals but whether they are the same are not isn't the point--it's about different sounds, tools, and a variety to choose from instantly. It's priced to be very affordable, will give you high quality tools and freeing up other resources, hands-on control, and a simple interface.
This will be released on the Mac first supporting Audio Units, so for DP users it will be ready to go when released this summer/fall. I'm on the PC running ProToolsHD, so I have to wait
The other issue for we ProTools users is it's not directly RTAS or TDM, it supports RTAS via a wrapper which I am not fond of. But I'll be testing the PC version with ProTools when those beta drivers are available. I've had a handful of people contact me privately asking my thoughts on this box, so I thought I would just bring that information here. I think it's going to be cool.
