# Must have Kush Audio plugins?



## ALittleNightMusic (Mar 14, 2020)

Kush is running a sale until Tuesday. I know Clariphonic is well-regraded for the master buss. Any others that folks enjoy?


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## kevinh (Mar 14, 2020)

ALittleNightMusic said:


> Kush is running a sale until Tuesday. I know Clariphonic is well-regraded for the master buss. Any others that folks enjoy?



I like Novatron and use it often. Recently bought REDDI which sounds great and adds great tone to basses. Clariphonic was first plugin I ever bought from Kush. Also own AR-1 which sounds nice on synths and drums.


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## vitocorleone123 (Mar 14, 2020)

AR-1
TWK
Novatron
REDDI

i recommend starting with those, in order


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## kurtvanzo (Mar 14, 2020)

Novotron, works well on almost anything. Clariphonic is actually my 2nd choice. Then Goldplate. Other than those I would look at the preamps. Omega N is my fav.


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## kevinh (Mar 15, 2020)

kurtvanzo said:


> Novotron, works well on almost anything. Clariphonic is actually my 2nd choice. Then Goldplate. Other than those I would look at the preamps. Omega N is my fav.


I don’t own Goldplate but just noticed it’s on sale on Relab website until 3/31 for $99 while at Kush its $119 on sale.


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## Henu (Mar 15, 2020)

Novatron is the best ITB compressor I've ever used.


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## JEPA (Mar 15, 2020)

Henu said:


> Novatron is the best ITB compressor I've ever used.


I know it! You have stated it a lot of times 😅. Could you please explain why? Am considering to buy, but have already El Rey (great on drums), SPL Iron (nice on everything, mastering), Shadow Hills (still exploring it). Other ones in my list MJUC (great on toms, mastering), TDR Kotelnikov GE (great on acoustic/orchestral, mastering).


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## Henu (Mar 15, 2020)

:D Well, to this date I have not encountered a compressor especially for mastering which does it "all"so transparently. It behaves very similarly to analog equipment (no pumping, etc) and with the harmonics and engaged does very pleasant things to both lows and highs and even to the stereo image.

I have quite much experience on how an tube analog mastering compressor sounds (I also have one myself), and I strongly state that Novatron is most likely the closest to the real deal you can find ITB. I have Iron as well, but it's a bit too transparent for my taste and it's also a bitch to nail with the settings- especially the release. With Novatron, you can get the sound right fast and it sounds incredibly good in 90% of the cases. It's a bit similar to MJUC in what it does, but I'd personally use MJUC for individual instruments and Novatron for mastering duties. 
If you haven't tried Novatron out, I strongly suggest demoing it, because you know pretty fast if you like it or not! 

That being said, do I need Clariphonic? The GAS is real.


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## ceemusic (Mar 15, 2020)

Check them all out. UBK-1 was my first Kush plugin years ago & is still one of my fav character comps. The only one I don't use is Pusher.
Omega 458a would be my one choice for a must have. Inexpensive & useful on poorly recorded tracks or ones that need to be focused in a mix.


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## JEPA (Mar 15, 2020)

ceemusic said:


> Omega 458a


love it!


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## ALittleNightMusic (Mar 15, 2020)

Grabbed Clariphonic, AR-1, and Novotron. All brilliant!


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## Ashermusic (Mar 16, 2020)

Clariphonic, marvelous plugin.


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## JEPA (Mar 16, 2020)

Henu said:


> :D Well, to this date I have not encountered a compressor especially for mastering which does it "all"so transparently. It behaves very similarly to analog equipment (no pumping, etc) and with the harmonics and engaged does very pleasant things to both lows and highs and even to the stereo image.
> 
> I have quite much experience on how an tube analog mastering compressor sounds (I also have one myself), and I strongly state that Novatron is most likely the closest to the real deal you can find ITB. I have Iron as well, but it's a bit too transparent for my taste and it's also a bitch to nail with the settings- especially the release. With Novatron, you can get the sound right fast and it sounds incredibly good in 90% of the cases. It's a bit similar to MJUC in what it does, but I'd personally use MJUC for individual instruments and Novatron for mastering duties.
> If you haven't tried Novatron out, I strongly suggest demoing it, because you know pretty fast if you like it or not!
> ...


I have tested Novatron against Kotelnikov at home not at studio. I don't like it :(. Too dirty in the bad way, adding colour doesn't mean to deform/deprecate the source of audio. I know that this compressor is beloved by lot of audiophiles at Gearslutz, BUT I've made an extreme/stress test and comparisson and I didn't like what I've heard...

EDIT: I've used the demo trial


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## vitocorleone123 (Mar 16, 2020)

JEPA said:


> I have tested Novatron against Kotelnikov at home not at studio. I don't like it :(. Too dirty in the bad way, adding colour doesn't mean to deform/deprecate the source of audio. I know that this compressor is beloved by lot of audiophiles at Gearslutz, BUT I've made an extreme/stress test and comparisson and I didn't like what I've heard...
> 
> EDIT: I've used the demo trial



Depends a lot on the instrument(s/ation). You can actually use Novatron pretty cleanly, depending on your settings, but it does have analog vibe all the time. In a good way, in my testing. But that isn't always desired  If your music is pristine, it's probably not the right compressor. I also have Kotelnikov GE, recently, and love it and use it! There are definitely compressors that live sonically between Kotelnikov and Novatron.

If I was only going to have one compressor, I'd also make it a clean, hard-working one like Kotelnikov (or Pro-C2, which was one of the first I bought, etc.). After that, it's flavors that may or may not work.

As for other Kush...

I found Clariphonic nice, but maybe redundant with other tools I have already. Also SUPER easy to overdo, as it cautions. It's on my list to get some day, but no rush.

Omega N is DARK - it really rolls off the high end. I have N, TWK, and 458a (just purchased on this sale). N works great on wavetable synths, but otherwise I don't use it (I don't do vocals). TWK has serious mojo if you keep it < 40% or so, and seriously good distortion as you go up. 458a really adds a nice high shelf.


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## JEPA (Mar 16, 2020)

I have Kotelnikov GE at studio. Here at home only the free version, but they have the same algorithm. I have tested Novatron in extrem settings against Kotelnikov in extreme settings. It's incredible how Kotelnikov doesn't damage your source until the last extrem setting, that you won't ever use. But Novatron begins to damage your sound's source quite prior to the extrem limits...


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## vitocorleone123 (Mar 16, 2020)

JEPA said:


> I have Kotelnikov GE at studio. Here at home only the free version, but they have the same algorithm. I have tested Novatron in extrem settings against Kotelnikov in extreme settings. It's incredible how Kotelnikov doesn't damage your source until the last extrem setting, that you won't ever use. But Novatron begins to damage your sound's source quite prior to the extrem limits...



It’s not “damage” if you like the way it sounds. Other than that, spot on.


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## JEPA (Mar 16, 2020)

vitocorleone123 said:


> It’s not “damage” if you like the way it sounds. Other than that, spot on.


don't get me wrong, I like distortion, saturation, low fi, damaged audio, but as you say it is the way the audio source behaves that I don't like, specially from a compressor. The saturation option of the Novatron I don't like also... Without any doubt this plugin fill in lot of contexts, but not what I was expecting for. Its mainly my own qualification for my needs.


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## ALittleNightMusic (Mar 16, 2020)

I like both Novotron and AR-1 on non-classical sources and songs (even on like trailer or action cues they are interesting). For classical, something like UAD Precision Buss Compressor or FabFilter Pro-C2 may be preferred. I tried the Kotelnikov briefly but need to try it some more (didn’t seem to do anything new for me).


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## vitocorleone123 (Mar 16, 2020)

ALittleNightMusic said:


> I like both Novotron and AR-1 on non-classical sources and songs (even on like trailer or action cues they are interesting). For classical, something like UAD Precision Buss Compressor or FabFilter Pro-C2 may be preferred. I tried the Kotelnikov briefly but need to try it some more (didn’t seem to do anything new for me).



I don't know anything about UAD, but Kotelnikov GE can be 100% transparent (or let you add a couple harmonics high, low, or both), but also has simultaneous peak and RMS compression. Almost all other compressors do not have that. It outperforms most other compressors for transparent compression - and it only costs ~$33 USD for the GE version - the free version is good, too. It's a true gem, though it may require a bit of time investment to learn to use. I'm still learning it. I use GE now as my final/only compressor on the mixbus.

Another Kush plugin to consider demoing is Electra EQ. It's meant for group/mix/master type EQ rather than per track, or maybe the finishing touches on a track, as it's fairly broadband. The Hammer is more complex... but didn't sound as good to me. I don't own Electra, but it's on my wish list somewhere. I believe they're working on updating UBK, as well. Also they're slowly removing iLok dongle requirements.


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## Beat Kaufmann (Mar 18, 2020)

Every day new plug-ins are released - with even more beautiful front panels and they emulate even more rare and mysterious hardware...
Many believe that this new plug-in will finally bring your mix to the top level you've been wanting for so long. My experience over all the years: Better only a few effects, which cover all the possible situations, but which you know by heart and which you can use correctly and professionally. 

I admit that I too "fall for" new GUIs with famous hardware emulations here and there. Most of the time these new plugins are praised by some Grammy-Award winners. Nevertheless: 
Almost without exception I am disappointed again and again. Not because the new plugin does a bad job, no. But it doesn't do it better than the one I already own. 

So what you need is a workhorse and two or three specialists per effect genre... and you can live with that for years and make good mixes. 

So no problem if you don't have a Kush Compressor. Good for the person who works with one.

Beat


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## Joël Dollié (Mar 18, 2020)

The UBK-1 is really amazing on rooms/drums. Always grab it before anything else.


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