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Archive for July 8th, 2010

Softube Valley People Dyna-mite

[ 0 ] 2010/07/08

Valley People produced some classic processors in the 70s and 80s, such as Kepex gates, Maxi-Q EQ and the Dyna-mite limiter/expander. The latter made use of Valley's patented transistor array VCA design, and now Softube have given it the full plug-in emulation treatment.

As well as a lookalike fascia, there's a display panel replicating the mode descriptions from the original's manual. At first glance, it looks like a pretty simple processor with limiting, expansion and gating (all externally sidechainable). However, the numerous combinable options mean there are over 18 operating modes.

Options include peak or average detection modes, pre-emphasised sidechain and a Range knob for adjusting the maximum amount of gain reduction, from 60dB down to 0dB. On the original unit, this only worked on the gate/expander, but in the Softube version, you can use it with the limiter too.

Dyna-mite includes VCA gain coupling (automatic makeup gain) when in limiting mode, and a form of program-dependent release that works in conjunction with the manual release control (50ms to 5s). Attack times aren't continuously variable but are determined by the detector setting. In average mode, the time can be anything between about 1 and 15ms, while in peak mode, it's a mere 50 microseconds.

Gain ratios are 'infinity' for the limiter, 1:2 for the expander and 1:20 for the gate. By combining settings, a few unusual effects can be had, such as so-called negative limiting.

Tech it to the next level

In addition to Valley People's own transistor array VCA design, Dyna-mite included two further bits of novel technology: linear integration detection and anticipatory release computation.

The first of these comes into play with the average detector mode, and it's basically a modified detector signal that allows some degree of transient overshoot. The resultant attack is less sudden than the peak detector, and it results in attack times varying from 1 to 15ms, depending on the material.

Anticipatory release computation (ARC) alleviates the issues of using fast release times and the resultant wave-following behaviour that can create a very distorted and unpleasant pumping. ARC introduces a correction factor to the release circuit, reducing this effect and improving listenability, even with hard limiting. You'll find you can select shorter release times, and therefore retain higher average levels.

Blowin' up the radio

As a limiter, Dyna-mite is anything but transparent, and this mode is where it excels. We found it best suited to adding pop and snap, particularly to snares, congas and kicks. The detection mode does affect how this sounds, but there's no getting around the fact that this is a limiter and although the averaging mode is less fierce, that distinctive snap is always there.

Unsurprisingly, it's also great for adding a fattening attack to picked electric guitar and bass, and it shares some common ground with dbx's 160, although we feel the dbx is more subtle. The pre-emphasis/de-ess mode is quite broad and high frequencies can sound 'clamped', which isn't particularly desirable for vocals, but it works excellently for smoothing out cymbals in drum kit overheads.

(2 pages; go to page: 2)

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Universal Audio Precision Enhancer HZ

[ 0 ] 2010/07/08

The headline plug-in for the 5.6 update to the UAD DSP platform is clearly the Manley Massive Passive. However, UA also slipped in this low-frequency enhancer, which might have escaped the attention of some, especially since it's easy to mistake it for its treble-enhancing older sibling, the Precision Enhancer kHz.

Precision Enhancer Hz (PEHz) introduces low-frequency harmonics, enhancing the bass fundamental and making the low end more audible, particularly on smaller speakers.

The underlying concept is pretty straightforward and combines a low-pass filter with a selection of material-tailored modes. The filter offers four slopes (6, 12, 24 and 36dB per octave) and is freely adjustable from 16Hz to 320Hz. As for the modes, they give you five flavours.

À la mode

To get the most out of Precision Enhancer Hz, you need to set the mode appropriately. The first two settings are aimed squarely at bass guitar: mode A adds low-end emphasis for acoustic and electric bass, while mode B is even more specific and is designed to help bring out DI/electric bass in the mix.

The three other modes all apply some compression to the harmonics signal, changing its timbre and increasing its level. Mode C is said to be fit for synth bass, bus processing or full mixes, while mode D has a short decay that's intended to make it suitable for kick drums and percussion.

Finally, the All mode has a similar frequency curve to mode A, but produces a much stronger, more audible effect. In use, we were surprised at how well the modes fit their intended purposes. Modes A and B give predominantly second and third harmonics, while in modes C and D, higher harmonics were also present.

Beyond this, PEHz includes a processing level control (0% to 100%) with a blue 'effect' meter to indicate the enhancement strength. You'll also find solo options for both the filter and effect sections (so you can listen in on their behaviour) and a simple level trim and meter on the output.

The Effect parameter isn't a dry/wet mix control but instead drives the signal into the enhancer effect stage, so the degree of processing will be dictated by this and the incoming signal level.

Bass in the place

Taking our lead from the modes' intended uses, we tried PEHz on electric bass (modes A and B), synth bass (mode C) and kick drum (mode D). This was very enlightening, and the solo options allowed us to easily discern the differences.

The cutoff point and slope influence things greatly. For example, in mode A, with a cutoff around 120Hz, electric bass gains bottom-end weight. But shift it up to 300Hz and the lower mids are far more dominant, although the low frequencies are still enhanced. Mode B is more restrained, even with a high cutoff point.

Using mode C with synth bass produces more aggressive results than the first two modes, and sweeping the frequency control at high slope settings gives the impression that the effect is applied in a band-pass manner.

(2 pages; go to page: 2)

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Korg iElectribe

[ 0 ] 2010/07/08

When Korg announced iElectribe on April Fools' Day, it was easy to mistake it for a cruel joke. Surely a £5.99 music making app couldn't transform the Apple iPad into a fully featured groovebox?

However, true to Korg's promises, iElectribe takes the original hardware Electribe ER-1's classic step sequencer format as its inspiration, allowing patterns to be constructed from four real-time synthesis parts and separate sample-based open and closed hi-hats, cymbals and clap/snare parts. Together, they provide plenty of options for creating loops and song arrangements.

Although iElectribe has 64 presets and 32 templates to get you started, it's easy to begin creating a new track from scratch, either by entering hits in step time or by recording parts in real time and allowing the app to quantise them for you. Most of the parameters can be automated using the Motion Sequencing feature, from pitch, pan and level all the way through to modulation, decay and low-end boost. It's a very intuitive system that makes it easy to get great results.

The central section of the music making app's neat interface allows a master effect to be chosen from eight options, including two delays, a reverb, a chorus/flanger, a low-pass filter, a grain shifter, a "talking modulator" and a bit-crusher with sample rate reduction.

The effects all sound good enough to be useful, though only one can be applied at a time. Next to the master volume control, you'll also find a knob for a (slightly digital-sounding) tube gain effect, which is always available. Unlike the master effect parameters, this distortion can't be automated.

In its present form, iElectribe's main weakness is its inability to sync to an external clock signal. A hardware Electribe would quite happily do this, but the iPad platform means that iElectribe can't really play with other equipment. Forthcoming iPad accessories will hopefully offer a solution to this problem, but for now, you'll have to bounce your patterns to WAV files if you want to be able to use them in your DAW.

Despite this minor inconvenience, iElectribe is an intuitive, great-sounding groovebox music making app that ably demonstrates the iPad's latent music-making potential. Most of all, it's simply gratifying and fun.

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Line 6 Pod Farm 2 Platinum

[ 0 ] 2010/07/08

Pod Farm launched a couple of years back as a replacement for Line 6's GearBox software. There are two versions - Pod Farm 2, which has 87 amps, cabs, stompboxes and studio effects, and Pod Farm 2 Platinum, which has a whopping 255. Both cater for guitar and bass players, and work in exactly the same way.

It's a download-only product that requires either an iLok dongle or compatible Line 6 hardware such as a TonePort or Pod Studio. Of note is that the iLok version does not work as a standalone program, unlike most competing products.

We tested Pod Farm 2 Platinum with an iLok, and once installed, you can either load up the full plug-in with its 'virtual room' of gear, or select from the list of 'Elements' plug-ins. The latter each offer a category of modules from the main plug-in (for example, amps, distortion, filters and so on) with a stripped down interface, to use like any other insert effect in your DAW.

The interface of the main plug-in is ergonomically neat, with two main sections. The upper can contain a carousel of amps, preamps, cabs and effects (the Gear View); the chosen amp with virtual knobs for editing; the two-channel output mixer; a presets browser; MIDI/ automation assignments setup; or the excellent tuner.

You can tab easily through these views using the buttons beside the Line 6 logo. The lower section shows the signal path of the modelled components you've selected. You can click on each component to enable/disable it, and edit its parameters in the upper section.

Apart from the two main sections, there's a drop-down menu for presets, a noise gate, and level pots for both input and output. There are around 40 cab configurations available too.

No tone unturned

Pod Farm 2's strengths are wide-ranging, which is perhaps not surprising given the enormous quantity of gear that's been (unofficially) modelled, including amps from Fender, Vox, Marshall and Orange, and effects from Electro-Harmonix, MXR and Ibanez. All the usual suspects are here.

The blues/rock tones are gritty and fairly realistic, as with many current amp sim plug-ins. Some presets are on the noisy side, with an undesirable yet authentic hiss like many real amps - luckily, the noise gate is efficient and takes care of the worst of it. The more saturated tones were still good but less convincing, and we preferred AmpliTube 3 for this.

Of particular note are the modulation effects - the choruses are some of the best we've heard in software, with lots of high-end sparkle. While Guitar Rig 4 might be your first choice for way-out processing setups, Pod Farm 2 does 'workhorse' effects superbly.

Clean as a whistle

Clean tones are mostly very usable, and if that's your thing, it's a big selling point because most amp sims we've tried have their strengths in blues, rock and metal sounds.

Pod Farm has just one dedicated EQ module, but EQ is always available from the various preamps, which include models of studio favourites like API and Neve pre/EQ setups - there's even an LA-2A. All of these audibly enhance your signal.

The bass amps should not be overlooked either, and we particularly enjoyed the Amp 360, which gave a rich tone reminiscent of its Ampeg inspiration.

The list of presets is vast and mostly named after well-known songs and gear. We found that most needed tweaking for dynamics, EQ and level - some presets are calibrated lower than others, as Line 6 points out in the manual.

(2 pages; go to page: 2)