# Shadow Hills Class A comp opinions?



## jamwerks (May 3, 2021)

This plug's on sale today. I have the Slate buss comps & the Waves CLA's. Would this give me new sonic options ? How are you using it?


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## GNP (May 3, 2021)

Yes, it is subtle but tremendously awesome. It works on almost 98% of material on the master bus.


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## FireGS (May 3, 2021)

Man, I just got the email about it too, and that interface is atrocious. I can't get past that. Don't care how good it sounds.


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## muziksculp (May 3, 2021)

jamwerks said:


> This plug's on sale today. I have the Slate buss comps & the Waves CLA's. Would this give me new sonic options ? How are you using it?


Yes, it's a great master buss compressor. One of the best. 

Also lovely, and detailed GUI to work with.


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## muziksculp (May 3, 2021)

FireGS said:


> and that interface is atrocious


LOL.. Yes, it is smack in your face when you use it. I love it


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## muziksculp (May 3, 2021)




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## FireGS (May 3, 2021)

Oh my god.



muziksculp said:


> LOL.. Yes, it is smack in your face when you use it. I love it


Well, good to know I've learned something new about you today ^_^


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## asinla (May 3, 2021)

Download the demo and try it.

I have nearly all the compressors available from all manufacturers and I use this plugin on every mix. So worth it.


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## JEPA (May 3, 2021)

Love it! 3D Sound, glueing mix and taming peaks guaranteed on Master Bus. 100% recommended!


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## Stringtree (May 3, 2021)

Looks like a military radio receiver, but can do so many things elegantly. I love it on tracks or the master bus. Three flavors of transformer in the output. Nice.
By the way, I just got a $25 royalty voucher in my email, so you can probably knock that price down if you get one.


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## muziksculp (May 3, 2021)

By the way, the Stereo-Width knob does an amazing job at widening the perceived Stereo image of your mix. Give it a try if you haven't tried it yet.


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## SupremeFist (May 3, 2021)

I own this but haven't used it in anger yet, having become very accustomed to my beloved Puigchild. It looks a bit intimidating. Where do I start?


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## sostenuto (May 3, 2021)

Pleased with Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Class A since Intro purchase (_ incl GUI !_ ) 
----------------------------------------

May 2021 - Loyalty Voucher today ! _PLZ pardon related off-track inquiry !_

Have Black Box Analog Design HG-2. With Voucher, HG-2MS is net $ 45. Watched vids, etc, but still unsure re. updating. Seriously need user impressions, advices !!


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## Emmanuel Rousseau (May 3, 2021)

Never tried the plugin, but I've been lucky to use the hardware unit on a session once and it was an absolute beauty. Shadow Hills make incredible gear! I still have one of their 500 format preamp and it works amazingly well in 100% scenarios.


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## kgdrum (May 3, 2021)

jamwerks said:


> This plug's on sale today. I have the Slate buss comps & the Waves CLA's. Would this give me new sonic options ? How are you using it?


As other have stated this is a nice buss compressor but for the sake of clarity what I see on the PA website is this is on sale for $199. Is there a discount coupon people received taking the price down additionally?
I ask because I already have this & I haven’t received an additional discount via email. 
I bought this for substantially less I think $29 or $39 so I’m curious what’s PA’s current offer?


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## vitocorleone123 (May 3, 2021)

It's a bit on the dark side and can add some solidity. Be ware of the optical portion as that can have a large impact, and sometimes not a good one (it can be easier to use it as a VCA). It's easier to use than Iron, despite the complexity, though it isn't as easy as it could or should be to use. I prefer it on some tracks rather than mixbus, where I prefer relative transparency (e.g., Kotelnikov GE). I generally turn to other compressors, even for tracks, such as AR-1, MolotGE, Novatron, SSL, etc., but sometimes it's just right.

As usual, don't pay over $50 for a PA plugin unless you need a tax write-off.

EDIT: I make electronic music. Certain genres could benefit more than others from this plugin.


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## Dr.Quest (May 3, 2021)

@sostenuto It's brilliant! I started Mastering a simple folk album and was having trouble bring it to life. I finally put the Shadow Hills on it and it sounded amazing with some simple tweaks. Just brilliant. Best compressor I own.
It's clear some of you have never spent anytime in a mastering suite. The GUI is exactly how the hardware unit looks. That hardware unit is over $8,900 at Sweetwater.
I'm not a fan so much of Skeuomorphism but in this case I don't care - this thing is brilliant! Get it if it's on sale. The controls just take reading the manual, geez.


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## sostenuto (May 3, 2021)

*** .... any comment of my 'ot' inquiry re. Black Box Analog Design HG-2MS versus current HG-2 ?
wondering if enhancements make $45. upgrade well worth it ?


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## mscp (May 3, 2021)

FireGS said:


> Man, I just got the email about it too, and that interface is atrocious. I can't get past that. Don't care how good it sounds.


As ginormous as the actual hardware minus the bottom. lol.


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## José Herring (May 3, 2021)

So much praise for it. Maybe I'm not using it right but I didn't like the diffusion it brought to the sound. But then again, maybe it's not the box but the user. Will give it another shot.


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## vitocorleone123 (May 3, 2021)

sostenuto said:


> *** .... any comment of my 'ot' inquiry re. Black Box Analog Design HG-2MS versus current HG-2 ?
> wondering if enhancements make $45. upgrade well worth it ?


YES.

I deleted the old one from my computer even before the new one came out. The new one hits the sweet spot for me between features, ease of use, and sound. Do a demo, but I suspect you'll find it worth $45.

The controls have a lot of interdependency and a serial nature to them. It's designed to be tweaked by ear.


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## Dr.Quest (May 3, 2021)

José Herring said:


> So much praise for it. Maybe I'm not using it right but I didn't like the diffusion it brought to the sound. But then again, maybe it's not the box but the user. Will give it another shot.


I find it exactly the opposite. It brings a clarity that I really didn't expect. I have the Mix and Master bundle so I have a lot of options but I am settling on a handful of great ones in the bundle.


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## JEPA (May 3, 2021)

sostenuto said:


> Have Black Box Analog Design HG-2. With Voucher, HG-2MS is net $ 45.


is this an upgrade voucher from HG-2 to HG-2MS?


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## JEPA (May 3, 2021)

JEPA said:


> is this an upgrade voucher from HG-2 to HG-2MS?


nvm, I logged in and saw the price reduced! Thanks anyway!


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## sostenuto (May 3, 2021)

vitocorleone123 said:


> YES.
> 
> I deleted the old one from my computer even before the new one came out. The new one hits the sweet spot for me between features, ease of use, and sound. Do a demo, but I suspect you'll find it worth $45.
> 
> The controls have a lot of interdependency and a serial nature to them. It's designed to be tweaked by ear.


Cool to read ! Will likely add. 

Also have Sales Support request in at PA .... noting no 'crossgrade' for HG-2 purchasers, especially with HG-2MS coming fairly soon after HG-2 release. _Not big deal, but saves Loyalty Voucher for later.

THX!_


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## José Herring (May 3, 2021)

Dr.Quest said:


> I find it exactly the opposite. It brings a clarity that I really didn't expect. I have the Mix and Master bundle so I have a lot of options but I am settling on a handful of great ones in the bundle.


Yeah, I'm doing the same. I think I'll get the bundle for about 2 years and every year using the voucher to purchase my go to plugins. 

I loved SPL Iron but now finding it a little heavy handed. Great on drums though but killed the overall mix. I'll give Shadow Hills another shot. Maybe I was using the other one.


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## sostenuto (May 3, 2021)

JEPA said:


> nvm, I logged in and saw the price reduced! Thanks anyway!


Right, but May 2021 PA _ $25. 'Loyalty' Voucher email just arrived as well.


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## SupremeFist (May 3, 2021)

Dr.Quest said:


> It's clear some of you have never spent anytime in a mastering suite. The GUI is exactly how the hardware unit looks. That hardware unit is over $8,900 at Sweetwater.


You got me, I've never so much as set foot in a mastering suite. In a similar spirit, I propose that no one be allowed to ask questions about string libraries unless they have conducted a symphony orchestra.


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## jamwerks (May 3, 2021)

I don't have any PA at present but recently signed-on to the mailing list. Got an email this morning saying this version is on sale for $99 for 48 hours. Don't know if I would qualify for other discounts.

My main use for a mastering plug-in would be for orchestral-cinematic. Currently have only Ozone 8 pro.


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## Trash Panda (May 3, 2021)

What’s the big difference between this and the regular Shadow Hills comp besides being newer and shinier?


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## kgdrum (May 3, 2021)

jamwerks said:


> I don't have any PA at present but recently signed-on to the mailing list. Got an email this morning saying this version is on sale for $99 for 48 hours. Don't know if I would qualify for other discounts.
> 
> My main use for a mastering plug-in would be for orchestral-cinematic. Currently have only Ozone 8 pro.


Unless you have a $75 voucher imo that’s not a real PA deal. I think between now and the holidays you will be able to find a much better price. I paid either $29 or $39 (I can’t remember).
Is it a good plugin,sure but at $99 imo I’d advise patience.
In case you’ve never heard the term PA Poker is a necessary skill that must be developed to successfully navigate the ever changing landscape of constant PA sales and promotions.
If you are not receiving monthly vouchers yet I’d recommend buying only really good sale items until you start getting the monthly voucher. I can almost guarantee within a few months if you buy this for $99 you will feel like you were burned and lost an early round of PA poker.
To give you my perspective if I didn’t already have this and I saw the offer with my available $50 monthly voucher,I’d still pass I wouldn’t even consider buying this at $49........
@$99 never


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## sostenuto (May 3, 2021)

Trash Panda said:


> What’s the big difference between this and the regular Shadow Hills comp besides being newer and shinier?


" 
The VCA section is much punchier on this version. Brainworx added even more features to the emulation of the already modded hardware version. The RED version is punchier, faster and more versatile than the GREEN.

With the limited-edition Shadow Hills Industries included an updated Class A discrete compressor section utilizing Lundahl input transformers as well as hand wiring each compressor with Mogami Cable, an important factor when Brainworx Audio modeled one of these limited units as it gave the limited edition version a different character to the original.

During rigorous shoot-out tests against the Shadow Hills Industries Mastering Compressor, our pro audio engineers observed time and time again that the Class A features a smoother compression sound, punchier VCA, a more pronounced sonic dimension and overall larger size and perceived depth. Another interesting difference between the Shadow Hills Industries Mastering Compressor and the Class A version is that with the gain set to identical values on both units, the Class A version clocks in roughly 1 to 3 dBs higher, matching the emulated hardware and as a result, delivering a thicker and richer tone to whatever is running through it. " PA Site comparison ......


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## Breaker (May 3, 2021)

kgdrum said:


> Unless you have a $75 voucher imo that’s not a real PA deal. I think between now and the holidays you will be able to find a much better price. I paid either $29 or $39 (I can’t remember).
> Is it a good plugin,sure but at $99 imo I’d advise patience.
> In case you’ve never heard the term PA Poker is a necessary skill that must be developed to successfully navigate the ever changing landscape of constant PA sales and promotions.
> If you are not receiving monthly vouchers yet I’d recommend buying only really good sale items until you start getting the monthly voucher. I can almost guarantee within a few months if you buy this for $99 you will feel like you were burned and lost an early round of PA poker.
> ...


Are you sure you are not talking about the older version, “Mastering Compressor”?
I don’t think the “Mastering Compressor Class A” has ever been $29 yet.


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## kgdrum (May 3, 2021)

Breaker said:


> Are you sure you are not talking about the older version, “Mastering Compressor”?
> I don’t think the “Mastering Compressor Class A” has ever been $29 yet.


Yeah I’m sure I have the original via UAD,if I remember correctly I got Class A during a PA sale where all qualified plugins were $29.

*edit* Yeah I just checked: PA had a LEAP Year Sale 2020 all plugins were $29,I got the SH Class A,Focusrite SC and the Lindell 80 for $29 each. 👍


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## Thundercat (May 3, 2021)

This looks amazing. I can't stomach spending $129 for it, which is "my" price when I log in.

That said, I've been well-pleased with my waves PuigChild...best damn compressor I own!!


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## Breaker (May 4, 2021)

kgdrum said:


> Yeah I’m sure I have the original via UAD,if I remember correctly I got Class A during a PA sale where all qualified plugins were $29.
> 
> *edit* Yeah I just checked: PA had a LEAP Year Sale 2020 all plugins were $29,I got the SH Class A,Focusrite SC and the Lindell 80 for $29 each.


Went through my mail archive and that seems to be the only time that Class A has been included in these $29 sales. Makes me wonder if it was on purpose or not.
Good for you in any case


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## kgdrum (May 4, 2021)

Breaker said:


> Went through my mail archive and that seems to be the only time that Class A has been included in these $29 sales. Makes me wonder if it was on purpose or not.
> Good for you in any case


The rule I try to adhere to is never pay above $29 for most PA plugins,if a newer “premium “ plugin is really interesting I occasionally will stretch to $39 (rarely).
Between PA’s constant stream of sales,promotions and vouchers and adhering to this premise I always work on the assumption no matter how tantalizing a current PA sale is if the price doesn’t fall within my comfort zone,I will pass knowing there will be another sale in a few weeks.
I have at last count I think 55 plugins from PA only a few of the priciest were $39 most were $29 or less, several substantially much less than $29………………
The summer is coming,Black Friday and the Holidays are around the corner. There’s always another PA sale coming with a better price,patience I say patience.


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## Jack Weaver (May 4, 2021)

I owned the hardware version. Didn't really get on with it. Sold it. 
I have the UAD software version. I find little use for it. 

.


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## Trash Panda (May 4, 2021)

sostenuto said:


> "
> The VCA section is much punchier on this version. Brainworx added even more features to the emulation of the already modded hardware version. The RED version is punchier, faster and more versatile than the GREEN.
> 
> With the limited-edition Shadow Hills Industries included an updated Class A discrete compressor section utilizing Lundahl input transformers as well as hand wiring each compressor with Mogami Cable, an important factor when Brainworx Audio modeled one of these limited units as it gave the limited edition version a different character to the original.
> ...


Yeah, I read the description on the site, but it sounds like snake oil.


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## vitocorleone123 (May 7, 2021)

Trash Panda said:


> Yeah, I read the description on the site, but it sounds like snake oil.


All PA plugins sounds like snake oil in the marketing descriptions 

The optical section really reduces the high end and isn't appropriate for all content/contexts. The VCA section can be pretty good depending on the material, especially bass-heavy things.

This plugin is in my "I hardly know why I still have it but am still hanging on to it... for now" folder. I'd highly recommend a thorough demo before purchase. I 100% would say do NOT pay more than $30 for it. I'd also recommend TDR MolotGE as an alternative.


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## Ndee (May 7, 2021)

rarely use it on master for the energy loss on high end (which is sometimes very much what i want), whereas i use it almost on all instrument and vocal tracks. It really helps on bringing audio to life. I also use an SH 500 series hardware stereo comp religiously, esp. when adding analog saturation & eq to my softsynths.


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## Ndee (May 7, 2021)

vitocorleone123 said:


> All plugins sounds like snake oil


fixed it for you!


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## Fatlip (Aug 13, 2022)

hi ., i know its an old post but i thought i share a link to the product at $80 
https://www.vips365.top/ProductDetail.aspx?iid=85818677&pr=70.88
https://www.vips365.top/products.aspx?cid=55&cname=shadow+hill+compressor


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## liquidlino (Aug 13, 2022)




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## Alex Niedt (Aug 13, 2022)

Acustica Aquamarine is way, way better than either Brainworx emulation, IMO. I even recently tried for half an hour one night to match either to Aquamarine, and it was impossible to get that punch and movement. Wait 'til Aquamarine's on huge discount again, and then you get a great EQ and preamps, too.


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## GtrString (Aug 13, 2022)

I've used it in mastering on an old guitar instrumental rock mix that was on the bright and sharp side. For that particular use, it glued well, took off some tops and boosted the low mids nicely.

I would never use it on pop or orchestral mixes, so it depends on what you are working with. It's a bit on the vintage/ gritty side of things, imo.


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## Laurin Lenschow (Aug 13, 2022)

GtrString said:


> I've used it in mastering on an old guitar instrumental rock mix that was on the bright and sharp side. For that particular use, it glued well, took off some tops and boosted the low mids nicely.
> 
> I would never use it on pop or orchestral mixes, so it depends on what you are working with. It's a bit on the vintage/ gritty side of things, imo.


Are you referring to the Aquamarine or the Shadow Hills Class A?


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## dgburns (Aug 13, 2022)

Trash Panda said:


> What’s the big difference between this and the regular Shadow Hills comp besides being newer and shinier?


The red version compared to the green version?

The red version is supposed to be a class A version. It also has TMT and stereo widening controls, plus bass mono’ing, which can be very useful.

In use, for me, I found the red sounds clearer and gives more sonic possibilities given the extended features. I found the green version darker but still feels like the same compressor. I would use the green if I wanted something to come out darker, but honestly I haven’t found a situation where I didn’t prefer the red.
In general, I find the gui not intuitive, but I find dialing in the sound is mostly controlled by how hard you drive the gain. I honestly have not spent much time with it, and generally start by dialing in a preset that gets close first. It’s not sitting on my 2buss, even though I tried it plenty there. It mostly sits on instrument subs, especially bass, and sometimes drums. It’s a good tool to have, but my sense is that there are other tools out there that do similar but different. Waves Puigchild is every bit as relevant as this, but again different. 

My current favourite on 2 buss comp is the TC MD4. It’s just more my kind of thing these days, I guess.


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## vitocorleone123 (Aug 14, 2022)

I sold my copy long ago and haven't ever missed it. Something like the SSL Bus Compressor (picked up on sale) is far, far, far better to me/my ears, and far, far, far easier to dial in quickly. In fact, using two separate plugins, optical and VCA, are faster and easier to dial in than the one Shadow Hills - which really needed a digital UX, not a direct translation of the hardware.

I'd love to play around with the hardware, though!

KoltenikovGE is locked onto my mix bus. There's only been one compressor for that duty that I've tried that would surpass it if I were to really be an engineer, and that's Unisum. KGE is much easier to use, and being inexpensive didn't hurt, hehe, so I'll stick with it as the final compressor on that bus. I've taken to sometimes using Kush Blyss ahead of it, since it has a compressor I can get going to 1db or so.


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## nas (Aug 19, 2022)

Love the Class A version and use it quite a bit , not only in mastering but also for single tracks like the opto section on acoustic guitars for example and other individual tracks etc.. actually it's quite a versatile unit and I like it better than the regular green version. 

It is not however, what I would call "transparent". For something like that, the Softube Weiss Compressor/ Limiter is superb.


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## Bee_Abney (Aug 24, 2022)

Alex Niedt said:


> Acustica Aquamarine is way, way better than either Brainworx emulation, IMO. I even recently tried for half an hour one night to match either to Aquamarine, and it was impossible to get that punch and movement. Wait 'til Aquamarine's on huge discount again, and then you get a great EQ and preamps, too.


Hi. Would you mind saying a little more about the difference between Aquarmine and Shadow Hills? I use the Shadow Hills Class A on a little more than half of my compositions at the moment, so I like the general approach. But I do have some trouble sometimes getting things to stay clear and distinct, so it might be worth it for me to try Aquamarine.


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## webs (Aug 24, 2022)

Bee_Abney said:


> Hi. Would you mind saying a little more about the difference between Aquarmine and Shadow Hills? I use the Shadow Hills Class A on a little more than half of my compositions at the moment, so I like the general approach. But I do have some trouble sometimes getting things to stay clear and distinct, so it might be worth it for me to try Aquamarine.




Until Alex chimes back in, you could download Acustica Aquarius (the installer) and do a trial of Aquamarine and A/B compare them directly on your tracks. 

They are pretty generous with the the trials (4 weeks I think it is?) 






Analog sampled plugins for mixing and mastering - Acustica Audio


We develop the world’s most advanced audio plugins for professional mixing and mastering, based on sampling technology and Artificial Intelligence, trusted by Grammy® Artists and Sound Engineers.




www.acustica-audio.com





A few observations from personal experiences that may prove helpful to know going in to it...

* Acustica products often sound quite good and provide character and soundstage, but that comes with tradeoffs...
* Many Acustica products seem to use more CPU than other products. (Acustica in my experience is more like using PA's Tomo Lisa as opposed to PAs neve or ssl E/G/J)
* Acustica products can sometimes be a bit buggy (weird meters, odd UIs, etc.) Shall we be kind and call that "quirky" like vintage outboard gear? 
* I have a few times encountered issues with the trials not working at all (on mac). When I raise a support ticket, I am informed of a "workaround" of "buy the plugin and get a refund within a week or two if the "full" version doesn't work." Somehow, the trials aren't always the same as the full versions, and so while a trial may not even install, the full version may work great. Little odd...
* You may find it nice to know that they can be resold I believe. (Haven't tried it, but have heard it is possible with some limitations. This also means if you end up wanting one, you may be able to purchase it secondhand.)
* Much like PA... they have sales often. Recommend waiting for a flash sale or periodic sale.
* Personally, I like some of their products. I don't have Aquamarine so I can't offer any comparison to the Brainworx. Due to processor hit, I have to use their products sparingly, but I'm on an older system, so if you're on a more powerful/current system, you may have great success with them.


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## KEM (Aug 24, 2022)

webs said:


> Until Alex chimes back in, you could download Acustica Aquarius (the installer) and do a trial of Aquamarine and A/B compare them directly on your tracks.
> 
> They are pretty generous with the the trials (4 weeks I think it is?)
> 
> ...



Acustica plugins are basically IRs of hardware, that’s why they are so CPU intensive as anytime you move a knob it essentially has to reload a new IR based on what you changed. That being said, their plugins are incredible, Gainstation is my favorite distortion ever, the El Ray compressor gets a ton of praise so I’m sure Aquamarine is amazing as well. As far as the Shadow Hills goes my mixing/mastering engineer used to use it but now he just uses The God Particle, as do I


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## Bee_Abney (Aug 24, 2022)

I'll give Aquamarine a try and I'll report back. I'll also look into The God Particle; I have before, but I need to refresh my memory.

Thanks!


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## KEM (Aug 24, 2022)

Bee_Abney said:


> I'll give Aquamarine a try and I'll report back. I'll also look into The God Particle; I have before, but I need to refresh my memory.
> 
> Thanks!



There are 2 plugins on my master bus:

1. Gullfoss
2. The God Particle

That should tell you everything!!


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## Bee_Abney (Aug 26, 2022)

Aquamarine is splendid! So is Shadow Hills, but Aquamarine seems to clarify what to adds analog character too - the EQ/preamp is at least as good as the compressor.

Next up to try, The God Particle - but I can't afford any more plugins for a while!


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## webs (Aug 26, 2022)

Awesome glad it worked out! 

I got the bonus of learning about the God Particle, which was a plugin I did not know about. (thanks @KEM )


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## KEM (Aug 26, 2022)

webs said:


> Awesome glad it worked out!
> 
> I got the bonus of learning about the God Particle, which was a plugin I did not know about. (thanks @KEM )



Do yourself a favor and try out the demo!! I’ve been encouraging everyone to try it out. A lot of people don’t like the whole “one knob, put it on and instantly sound better” plugins but I promise this one actually delivers, load it up on the end of your mix bus and if you have a good mix it’ll be even better, and if you have a bad mix it’ll make that very apparent, you should never touch a single knob on it other than the limiter. I have it permanently at the end of my master bus on my composing template so that I’m always hearing my music in a more polished state (and my mixing/mastering engineer uses it at the end of his chain too so it translates to his system perfectly), it really has made my life so much better


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## Bee_Abney (Aug 27, 2022)

I've checked out The God Particle for a bit this morning, on piano and cello so far. I compared it with a combination of either Zynaptiq Intensity or Noveltech Character, Aquarmarine EQ, Aquarmarine compressor or Shadow Hills Master Compressor Class A.

Preliminary thoughts:
The God Particle makes everything sound more professional than anything I can produce with these other plugins. It does this without effort or thought.
The God Particle can be combined with the other 'character' effects, but it sounds more conventionally good without them.
So if you aren't very good at mixing, or are in a hurry, or just prefer the convenience of getting a slick professional sound without great effort rather than crafting a distinctive sound on project-by-project basis, then I would recommend The God Particle.

At only $119, it is good value for what you get compared to similar plugins with similar quality levels. The site mentions sales by indicating that a certain code (a new buyer code) can not be applied to sale items. There is no sale at the moment, but that suggests that there maybe at some point.

I won't be buying The God Particle - at least, not yet - because I am trying to learn to mix myself and because it is not particularly good at the kind of sound I usually want. But, for all that, it is pretty wonderful.

These are first impressions only.


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## KEM (Aug 27, 2022)

Bee_Abney said:


> I've checked out The God Particle for a bit this morning, on piano and cello so far. I compared it with a combination of either Zynaptiq Intensity or Noveltech Character, Aquarmarine EQ, Aquarmarine compressor or Shadow Hills Master Compressor Class A.
> 
> Preliminary thoughts:
> The God Particle makes everything sound more professional than anything I can produce with these other plugins. It does this without effort or thought.
> ...



Well said, The God Particle can be closely replicated with other plugins but at that point you’re probably spending well over $500 for everything you’d need as it’s an eq, stereo widener, harmonic saturator, multiband compressor, and a limiter all in one, and it’s very good at all of those things as well. So you’re getting a great deal on top of a great product

I will say though, it’s actually a great plugin for learning how to mix as it gives you target points to hit, so you’ll know your mix is in good shape if you’re regularly hitting those targets. It’s really made to be the first thing you do whenever you go to mix something, put The God Particle on the very end of your mix bus before you even start and mix everything into it with a top down approach, make sure you’re hitting those targets as you go along and you’ll probably have a decent mix in no time

It’s even gotten me much more excited when composing as well as my music is always going through a great signal chain from the very beginning, so I’m much more inspired and enthusiastic about what I’m working on. Not to mention the limiter on it can get loud, and I’m talking really, REALLY loud, which everyone knows I’m a huge fan of, so that’s a big plus. Only things it’s missing is native Apple Silicon support and oversampling, the first they’ve already stated is coming and the second I reached out to them about and they said many users have requested it aside from myself so they’re definitely considering it, so it might happen, and if it does then it’ll really be the best thing ever!!


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## Bee_Abney (Aug 27, 2022)

A test of different processing on the same recording.
All tracks have the same reverb.
There was some level matching by ear/eye.
Track inserts were set with separate parameters for the piano and the cello.

1. Nothing further added
2. Cradle's The God Particle only on Master Bus
3. Zynaptiq Intensity inserted on tracks, Aquamarine (compressor and EQ) on the Master Bus
4. Noveltech Character inserted on tracks. Aquamarine (compressor and EQ) on the Master Bus
5. Intensity on tracks, Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Class A on the Master Bus
6. Character on tracks. hadow Hills Mastering Compressor Class A on the Master Bus


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## Bee_Abney (Aug 27, 2022)

KEM said:


> Well said, The God Particle can be closely replicated with other plugins but at that point you’re probably spending well over $500 for everything you’d need as it’s an eq, stereo widener, harmonic saturator, multiband compressor, and a limiter all in one, and it’s very good at all of those things as well. So you’re getting a great deal on top of a great product
> 
> I will say though, it’s actually a great plugin for learning how to mix as it gives you target points to hit, so you’ll know your mix is in good shape if you’re regularly hitting those targets. It’s really made to be the first thing you do whenever you go to mix something, put The God Particle on the very end of your mix bus before you even start and mix everything into it with a top down approach, make sure you’re hitting those targets as you go along and you’ll probably have a decent mix in no time
> 
> It’s even gotten me much more excited when composing as well as my music is always going through a great signal chain from the very beginning, so I’m much more inspired and enthusiastic about what I’m working on. Not to mention the limiter on it can get loud, and I’m talking really, REALLY loud, which everyone knows I’m a huge fan of, so that’s a big plus. Only things it’s missing is native Apple Silicon support and oversampling, the first they’ve already stated is coming and the second I reached out to them about and they said many users have requested it aside from myself so they’re definitely considering it, so it might happen, and if it does then it’ll really be the best thing ever!!


Those are all great points. It's a great plugin. It's likely something I'll come back to. Even though it can be used to improve your mixing, it is designed to achieve a kind of sound that I am not trying to get currently. So, it would be useful to learn from, but I'm happy to wait for a sale.


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## Living Fossil (Aug 27, 2022)

Bee_Abney said:


> Next up to try, The God Particle - but I can't afford any more plugins for a while!


From what I've read, the God Particle is basically an old Ozone 4 setting recreated and sold as a plugin. (the ozone setting in question is floating around...)
Which of course may serve the material you use it on, but usually isn't exactly the right choice.
(or at least it's not a very concious approach to deal with the source material...)

Generally with all the plugins it's the same: there are differences in quality, but the biggest differences by far are made by the decisions of the user.


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## Bee_Abney (Aug 27, 2022)

Living Fossil said:


> From what I've read, the God Particle is basically an old Ozone 4 setting recreated and sold as a plugin. (the ozone setting in question is floating around...)
> Which of course may serve the material you use it on, but usually isn't exactly the right choice.
> (or at least it's not a very concious approach to deal with the source material...)
> 
> Generally with all the plugins it's the same: there are differences in quality, but the biggest differences by far are made by the decisions of the user.


Yes, I'd forgotten about that. Yes, I've read that too. I expect those Ozone 4 settings were themselves an attempt to do the same job but with different software. So, I imagine that it's the same 'setting' but with different underlying algorithms, more accurately/closely aiming to model Jaycen Joshua's mix chain, where the God Particle's algorithm's were designed especially for the purpose.

Equally, though, Joshua might only have come up with the mixing chain inside of Ozone 4 originally.

As I'm used to out of the box instruments played live, I'm also used to shaping my improvisation to the sound I'm hearing coming back to me. Indeed, like most guitarists improvising, I shape my performance to match how out of tune my guitar currently is! So, to the extent that I want to compose with my hands on an instrument, using something like The God Particle could also shape my compositions in a way that fits it's aesthetic. For good or ill: it could be a useful source of inspiration, if I want to make something that fits its sound; or it could be a limitation if I used it too often.


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## KEM (Aug 27, 2022)

I was using his Ozone preset up until The God Particle came out, but I’ve never done a direct comparison, but it is very obvious that The God Particle is at least partially inspired by/based off of his Ozone preset. Also @Bee_Abney get an Evertune on your guitars, you won’t regret it


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## Bee_Abney (Aug 27, 2022)

KEM said:


> I was using his Ozone preset up until The God Particle came out, but I’ve never done a direct comparison, but it is very obvious that The God Particle is at least partially inspired by/based off of his Ozone preset. Also @Bee_Abney get an Evertune on your guitars, you won’t regret it


Yes, Evertune would be wonderful!!


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## Living Fossil (Aug 27, 2022)

Bee_Abney said:


> Yes, I'd forgotten about that. Yes, I've read that too. I expect those Ozone 4 settings were themselves an attempt to do the same job but with different software. So, I imagine that it's the same 'setting' but with different underlying algorithms, more accurately/closely aiming to model Jaycen Joshua's mix chain, where the God Particle's algorithm's were designed especially for the purpose.


I would consider Ozone one of the few "must have" plugins (myself, I'm using it since version 3 – that was in 2004).
That said, I very seldom use it on the master bus, but rather the standalone modules (that come with the advanced version). 
It has a wonderful multiband exciter; a great multiband compressor (I'm just missing the gate option that was dropped around version 5) and an equally great multiband imager and some other goodies (like the vintage limiter etc.).
So, if you don't have it yet, I would save the money from the God Particle and wait for a sale on Ozone if you don't have it yet.


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## Roger Newton (Aug 27, 2022)

Fatlip said:


> hi ., i know its an old post but i thought i share a link to the product at $80
> https://www.vips365.top/ProductDetail.aspx?iid=85818677&pr=70.88
> https://www.vips365.top/products.aspx?cid=55&cname=shadow+hill+compressor


It looks like something from a 1950s sc-fi film like Quatermass and the Pit. It's awesome. No idea how it works or sounds though.


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## Bee_Abney (Aug 27, 2022)

Living Fossil said:


> I would consider Ozone one of the few "must have" plugins (myself, I'm using it since version 3 – that was in 2004).
> That said, I very seldom use it on the master bus, but rather the standalone modules (that come with the advanced version).
> It has a wonderful multiband exciter; a great multiband compressor (I'm just missing the gate option that was dropped around version 5) and an equally great multiband imager and some other goodies (like the vintage limiter etc.).
> So, if you don't have it yet, I would save the money from the God Particle and wait for a sale on Ozone if you don't have it yet.


I only have the standard version of Ozone, and I've never really warmed to it. But people such as yourself are convincing me I'm missing out, so I shall upgrade at some point and explore it more deeply.


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## Living Fossil (Aug 27, 2022)

Bee_Abney said:


> I only have the standard version of Ozone, and I've never really warmed to it. But people such as yourself are convincing me I'm missing out, so I shall upgrade at some point and explore it more deeply.


The standard version has basically all you need, just turn off the unneeded modules!
The combo of imaging, mulitband compression and exciting should give you pretty much the same (or even better) results as the G-Particle plugin.


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## KEM (Aug 27, 2022)

If anyone wants his Ozone preset I can give it to you


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## Bee_Abney (Aug 27, 2022)

KEM said:


> If anyone wants his Ozone preset I can give it to you


Yes please. It would be fun to compare if nothing else, and it might be really useful too.


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## Crowe (Aug 27, 2022)

KEM said:


> If anyone wants his Ozone preset I can give it to you


Yes please!


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## Laurin Lenschow (Aug 27, 2022)

KEM said:


> If anyone wants his Ozone preset I can give it to you


I'd be interested as well!


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## KEM (Aug 27, 2022)

Alright as soon as I’m home (in about 4 hours) I’ll send it over to you guys!! I’m using it in Ozone 9 but it should work with any standard or advanced version of Ozone, obviously Jaycen made it with Ozone 4 but since the modules are available in every subsequent update it should be more or less the same


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## kgdrum (Aug 27, 2022)

@KEM 

+1 

Yes please much appreciated 👍


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## sostenuto (Aug 27, 2022)

@ KEM _ will appreciate greatly !


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## vitocorleone123 (Aug 27, 2022)

Anyone liking Shadow Hills should also maybe try Molot GE (be sure to watch the Dan W video). Better UI, but more control and complexity. And better sound (to me).


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## Alex Niedt (Aug 27, 2022)

Living Fossil said:


> From what I've read, the God Particle is basically an old Ozone 4 setting recreated and sold as a plugin. (the ozone setting in question is floating around...)


People keep spreading this around, but they're really not even comparable. You will not get The God Particle sound/results from using that Ozone preset.


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## Bee_Abney (Aug 27, 2022)

Given that the thread started as a question about Shadow Hills, I just want to reiterate that I adore it. There are a lot of great different tolls that excel at different things, and Shadow Hills has a very distinctive sound, a lot of variations within its wheelhouse, and it brings a lot of character to a track. It works very well for an older (not lo-fi) aesthetic and really helps synths and acoustic sounds sit happily together.

Well, in my beginner’s opinion.

Plus, it is often available cheaply!


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## KEM (Aug 27, 2022)

Still not home, but this should be the same as what I have, it’s free here too









2probeats JJ Ozone 9 Mixbus 2021 - 2probeats


2probeats JJ Ozone 9 Mixbus Preset. This JJs mixbus chain translated from Izotope Ozone 4 to Izotope Ozone 9.




2probeats.com


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## Bee_Abney (Aug 27, 2022)

KEM said:


> Still not home, but this should be the same as what I have, it’s free here too
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you, kind sir!


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## webs (Aug 27, 2022)

KEM said:


> Do yourself a favor and try out the demo!! I’ve been encouraging everyone to try it out. A lot of people don’t like the whole “one knob, put it on and instantly sound better” plugins but I promise this one actually delivers, load it up on the end of your mix bus and if you have a good mix it’ll be even better, and if you have a bad mix it’ll make that very apparent, you should never touch a single knob on it other than the limiter. I have it permanently at the end of my master bus on my composing template so that I’m always hearing my music in a more polished state (and my mixing/mastering engineer uses it at the end of his chain too so it translates to his system perfectly), it really has made my life so much better


That's cool. Thanks again for the suggestion.

I did try out the demo (still trying it) and I do like the idea of the easy set-n-forget nature of it, and the inherent "consistency" of using it. And wow you're right, with the limiter it definitely can get LOUD.

That said, I feel I'm getting about the same results as with Ozone 9 or bx-masterdesk true peak, and overall am preferring what I hear with a multi-plugin chain, such as a melange of Acustica, PA, Izo and Fabfilter. Maybe I need to do things differently upstream to get the full benefit of it.

As apology for continuing the side-track from the OT... I'll offer that I really like the PA Shadow Hills Class A plug (much more than I thought I would)... and prefer it significantly over the older PA shadow hills, and over the UAD shadow hills version. Haven't tried the Acustica shadow hills yet.


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## Bee_Abney (Aug 28, 2022)

The Ozone version is good too. It immediately adds a professional sheen to proceedings. For when you want that sort of polished to shininess sound.

I compared it to The God Particle, adjusting no parameters except to bring the output on The God Particle down to level match. Who'd of thunk? The God Particle sounds (to me) many times better at doing the same basic stuff! Almost like it was custom designed for the purpose...


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## Crowe (Aug 28, 2022)

Meh, considering I just got the Isotope suite I think ill stick to that one for now. XD


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## Bee_Abney (Aug 28, 2022)

Crowe said:


> Meh, considering I just got the Isotope suite I think ill stick to that one for now. XD


Well, it is more versatile!

(Some crows 'caw!' and some crows 'meh'. Takes all sorts, I guess.)


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## Crowe (Aug 28, 2022)

Bee_Abney said:


> Well, it is more versatile!
> 
> (Some crows 'caw!' and some crows 'meh'. Takes all sorts, I guess.)


I'm definitely the 'meh'ing kind.


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