# BX_Console VS Satson/Britson Vs Slate VS Waves...



## SBK (Jan 4, 2018)

I was wondering if anyone of you has tried the Console Emulations by various plugin companies like

Waves - NLS
Sonimus - Satson / Britson
Slate - VCC
Brainworx - BX Console E,G,N
AirWidnows - Console5
Presonus Studio One - Console summing technique plugins (I dont remember how it is called)
etc


What are your opinions? Are these techniques good?
Has anyone tried all of the above?

Cheers!


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## 5Lives (Jan 4, 2018)

UAD > Brainworx > Waves for full console emulations in my opinion (SSL, Neve, API). Heard Console 1 is also good but I’ve not tried it.


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## SBK (Jan 5, 2018)

Uad? Does it have Console emulation system?


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## synthpunk (Jan 5, 2018)

UBK Transformers are another option. 
http://www.thehouseofkush.com/store

re: UA you could certainly use UAD Neve, API, or SSL on your channels but it would use allot of dsp power as well. I use UAD Studer A800 on some channels and buses.

I use Waves NLS, UBK, and Audiowindows. There all good in there own way. I would say demo them and choose the one (s) you like best.

Have heard good things about Britson as well (but no demo version).


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## wst3 (Jan 5, 2018)

I've focused on the UAD and Brainworx channel strips. I like both! Brainworx has talked a lot about their ability to make minor variations, but I'm not hearing the effect, so I haven't invested yet (probably the only Brainworx stuff I don't own!)

I did recently pick up a Console 1. It too sounds great, and I really like the control surface. I can substitute a bunch of UA plugins for the Softube plugins in Console 1, which is nice. I can control the UA Console application, and any plugins inserted there too, which is nice for tracking.

But what is missing - to me - is a really good plugin to provide whatever magic it is that a good 2-mix summing stage provides.

I also use, when I can, the Studer A-800 on most of my tracks, and the ATR-102 on the master, and that does something pretty cool, some of the time anyway.

As a guess, all of the mentioned vendors to a pretty good job, and there probably isn't one that is better or worse, they are just different at this point. Grab demos where you can and see what you think, your tastes (and ears) will likely be different than mine.


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## synthpunk (Jan 5, 2018)

@wst3 Bill give the UBK Novatron demo a try on your master buss. But I know what your saying, why no one has really tried to model the master section of a good console is baffling to me. Waves NLS can get you close using the buss plugin but still not quite there. J




wst3 said:


> I've focused on the UAD and Brainworx channel strips. I like both! Brainworx has talked a lot about their ability to make minor variations, but I'm not hearing the effect, so I haven't invested yet (probably the only Brainworx stuff I don't own!)
> 
> I did recently pick up a Console 1. It too sounds great, and I really like the control surface. I can substitute a bunch of UA plugins for the Softube plugins in Console 1, which is nice. I can control the UA Console application, and any plugins inserted there too, which is nice for tracking.
> 
> ...


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## benmrx (Jan 5, 2018)

Slate VCC still gets my vote for this task.


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## sostenuto (Jan 5, 2018)

Waaay out of my depth here, but was close to one of Plugin Alliance Consoles on sale (ends soon). Seems like Thread info would still push me to Tape plugin .... for me, likely Waves J37, or/and Kramer Master Tape. Could also just go with 'all' Waves and add NLS Non Linear Summer. Good to see PA Consoles mentioned here, but not much enthusiastic support ....


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## amnesiasound (Jan 5, 2018)

SBK said:


> Uad? Does it have Console emulation system?


Yes UAD does emulations... not exactly the summing portion and impurities you get of a console but again no plugin can really do that as it's all the same 1's and 0's and not varying voltages. That being said, after numerous I believe UAD does the best job at emulating different pieces of gear and channel strips. It is a complete game changer to my workflow my sound.


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## wst3 (Jan 6, 2018)

Emulating a summing amplifier is a non-trivial exercise! We can identify some of the non-linearities, and the Waves NLS does a decent enough job of that. However that is only part of the "magic". A bigger part, in my mind, is the cross-talk between tracks that happens before the signals reach the summing junction.

I think the Brainworx channel strips actually do a decent job of modeling the differences between channels, but it wasn't enough - to my ears - to make me thing "CONSOLE".

That crosstalk has been part of the secret sauce has been suggested by some of the best and brightest for years now. Making it happen is a little trickier. It will, I believe, have to happen in the DAW proper. Not unlike the microphone bleed feature in Toontrack Superior.


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## sostenuto (Jan 6, 2018)

wst3 said:


> Emulating a summing amplifier is a non-trivial exercise! We can identify some of the non-linearities, and the Waves NLS does a decent enough job of that. However that is only part of the "magic". A bigger part, in my mind, is the cross-talk between tracks that happens before the signals reach the summing junction.
> 
> I think the Brainworx channel strips actually do a decent job of modeling the differences between channels, but it wasn't enough - to my ears - to make me thing "CONSOLE".
> 
> That crosstalk has been part of the secret sauce has been suggested by some of the best and brightest for years now. Making it happen is a little trickier. It will, I believe, have to happen in the DAW proper. Not unlike the microphone bleed feature in Toontrack Superior.



Learning a bit going forward, and seems NLS can help at very low cost (vs PA _ Consoles). 
Will give it a shot, along with J37 Tape. 

THX !!


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## amsams (Jan 7, 2018)

synthpunk said:


> There all good in there own way. I would say demo them and choose the one (s) you like best.



I would agree with this. It all depends on the source material, the sound you're going for and your mix. Console emulations can add a depth or clarity to an already great mix--other times they either don't add much or aren't the right tool for the sound you're going for. I've recently been loving Console5 from Airwindows. In one recent mix it changed the depth and spatialization in a very pleasing way. It achieved something that I couldn't get from other plugins.


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