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Some good Psychoacoustic plugin??


pay_c

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Hi there!

At the mmt I´m *really* searching for some good psychoacoustic plugin. Talking about any Enhancer/Exciter or even Vitalizer - would be best, cause combination of all. VST/DirectX ...whatever  :D

The Spectralizer in Wavelab is at the moment the only I have and it does not work with Cubase SX (tell me why the **** ...)

Any help/discussion appreciated!  ;D

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heya pay_c!

I used to use VOXciter (VST) on some things back in the day, but I switched to multiband compression, to achieve better/more natural results than VOX or a BBE box would ever give me.

For me it takes way less time to get the type of exciter sound I want out of a tweeked multiband comp than with any of the exciters I have ever tried (and I have tried many, both real and virtual).  

BBE's should be left in the bass player's rack.  ;)

Best!

Smash

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Yeah, multiband is not bad, but I think only usefull for getting the dynamic down (especially in the bass and mid range). But the cool about exciters/enhancers is that they *add* dynamic range to the upper part. They do add more treble if there´s some high stuff playing (like hihats). The mix gets much more highlights. Multiband just brings it down, mixed with some EQ-like gain of the frequqencies - it´s really just not the same *I* think...

I´ll try that VOXciter, but as you stated, perhaps it´s not just the killer...

Did you ever try Spectralizer? It´s some veeery good tool and I really don´t think you´ll get the same result with an multiband compressor (as the compressor really does the opposite).

Thnx!!

Any other comments/suggestions/*Plugins* or does nobody use these effects here?  ;)

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I would have to say Izotope Ozone is hands down the best plugin I have ever used.

It is basically a mastering DX plugin that contains

Graphic EQ

Multiband compressor/limiter/expander

A nice band selectable reverb (Adds some crisp high end)

A multiband harmonic exciter (Also really nice for high end)

Stereo Imaging (Band selectable with phase scope)

Loudness maximizer

The interface is awesome, it reminds me of the the interface used in the playstation game Syphon Filter.

The stereo imaging and harmonic exciter are awesome, especially when trying to get that extra high end to come out. The reverb also gives the mix some sparkle on the high end when the band is selected right. I would recommend it to all

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:o

CEWL! Thnx a lot, that sounds awesome (in fact a whole hell lot of more than I was searching for!!). Will try that one definitely!!!!

All those plugins in one! I did use all those stated there (except the exciter) up to now in single plugins which were all together mostly be like barbeceuing my CPU.

:D :D :D

Will give feedback!

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I agree about the exciter, I used to steer away from them, but trust me Izotope has some nice features. The harmonic exciter has mix levels for each band, contains either 4-5 bands which is just a line superimposed over your input that you can adjust to frequency. You can make it however subtle you need to. When you put a subtle exciter and a tiny amount of reverb on the higher portion of your mix, and add a little boost with some compression and the maximizer it comes out really crisp.

The midrange on the exciter adds some nice qualities too and would probably make heavy guitar tracks crunch. Although I haven't tried it myself yet.

The stereo imager is the best I have used yet, It allows you to select your imaging by band, and allows you to widen and delay each band either to the left or right. Would be great for filling out the stereo mix for drums.  

I believe the website has screenshots and a bunch of info.

I would have to say that this is the only plugin that has ever really been useful to me.

I would highly recommend it even if you were to steer away from the exciter, the rest of the plugin lineup is really  top-notch and again the UI is the best I have seen.

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I already got the document for that Ozone and the plugin itself will be tested the next time. The document already is getting me excited - *damn* there are so many cewl features. You won´t find the most of them even in specialized plugins. Really good-looking up to now.

Back to that "Excite it, dont excite it, that´s the question" topic. Do not understand me wrong, I also *do* hate songs where the Exciter is nearly killing your ears and every other CD is sounding dull. Putting the Exciter to much up can kill *every* character of your song completely! But anyhow if you use it very gently and approach from the lowest Levels it can give your song some very good highlights. I think the Exciter is best used in a way that you nearly don´t hear it anymore. So in this point I think I agree with Sephult.

*Feedback to Ozone & Voxciter still on the way*

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Ok, tried it out yesterday.

The Voxciter is not so great, I think. It´s sound is very harsh and far away from being subtle. Very grandly changing your whole song...

The Ozone... *O* *M* *G*  :o

Really one of the best plugins I ever used. Everything is very easy controllable (real good GUI). Your changes are saved as Presets, the sound changes start at reaaaaaally subtle (you don´t hear anything changing) to absolute brutal (so a *VERY* interesting FX plugin, too! E.g. the radio voice generator is sooooo coool and much more than only some EQing). And: ALL you need for mastering, *ALL* in one plugin.

Only minuspoint: The CPU usage is heavy! Especially if you turn on all modules (like Sephult already stated them). But as it´s main-intend is mastering stuff, that´s not a heavy minus, just a slight one.

Very very good plugin, I also do it recommend it to everybody here! If not used for mastering, it still can make some rumbling FXs!

Greetz & Thnx to all!  ;D

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I'm glad you like it, I lost all interest in other plugins when I started using Ozone.

Sorry I didn't point out the cpu load, I am running dual xeon 3.06's and have forgot about cpu loads. Now I'm just trying to balance bills  ;)

Still--- processing each section seperately (Batch like in wavelab) and then doing the same for succesive touch ups can be do-able for others using slower cpus. Although running realtime on multitracks makes izotope hands down the s*it

Pay C------What do you think about the spacial section?

I about crapped my pants when I heard the difference it has on the stereo field. I would love to try a mixdown with it in 6.1.

-Sephult

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Sorry to say this, but I do not have the slightest idea...

One of my monitor boxes is in repair at the moment. It started making weird sounds @ 340 Hz (was like something loosening or so). It´s away for two weeks now and I have no clue when it will come back.

So: At the mmt I´m mixing in mono (real hell) - stereo imaging? Errrrrr... yupp....   whatever...;)

And doing that over headphones is not the same result... especially when it comes to stereo imaging stuff.

But I´ll tell you as soon as my second box is here again.

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Sorry to hear about your monitor, I've had some recent problems with mine also. Seems my 1/4/xlr neutrix combo, seems to lack the 1/4", and I am reduced to hooking up the stereo mains from my mixer instead of the monitoring section. Every time I want to record hot, I  find myself having to turn off my monitors.

What type of monitors do you use/prefer?

I have been using my event 20/20's for about 8 years , and I believe Its about time to do some comparison :)

I have thought about suggesting adding a gear/software review section, maybe even start a post to in the  forum/.org.

I trust others opinions in the ucapps community more than  reading magazine reviews, I have yet to purchase something based on a mag review. So far it's working well:)

Well I hope your monitor comes back soon-

Later  

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Absolutely confirming with your opinion. Those magazine tests are sometimes so far away from reality (especially when they´re testing uninteresting stuff like the weight to power ratio or similar) you can think of being in some "Startrek" movie.

I have the Behringer 2031. The sound is really cool, they´re very linear (a measured frequency spectrum is delivered with every single box) and the price to "what you get" ratio is just great!! For near-field monitors the power is, in my eyes, just on the right level. More power would result in some diseases in some years I think.  ;D

You can also adapt the boxes to your room in some range, there are cutoffs for bass (0, -3, -6 dB for wide field down to corner) and heights. But you don´t need those normally. And there´s a option to bring in a subwoofer later for frequencies below 20 Hz, but that´s also not really needed (which car hifi goes below there? And even if - that´s sub hearing stuff - only for very special stuff).

The rest is standard stuff: Included limiter so you don´t fry them, bass cutter and height cutter (for debugging stuff), XLR & Headjack.

Minus point: I have them now 3/4 year and one of them got problems, so I had to send it in. That´s not very cool, I hope it´s not a big or even repeating problem.

So: I´m really convenient with them in overall. These are boxes for lifetime. *If* they hold that long, and the first one got a prob after 3/4 a year.

/modify: Well, perhaps we should really open up such a thread, or not?

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Guest Vercengetorex

If you want truly useful spectral manipulation (not just multiband compression, or an EQ and a compressor...) check these out:

http://www.soundhack.com/shapers.php

These plugins offer more power for spectral manipulation than most can imagine. You mentioned psychoacoustics in the inital post, well of all those plugs listed these truly are capable of psychoacoustic processing including a "moveable" binaural filter.

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Guest Vercengetorex

You were looking for mastering plugs? Sorry... I guess psychoacoustic (not really a mastering term BTW) just stuck in my mind...

Anyway, you CANNOT beat the plugs over at Elemental Audio Systems:

http://www.elementalaudio.com/

Thier newest, Neodymium, is simply the most amazing compressor ever...

It has the ability to set different compression curves, attack times, and release times for different areas in the dynamic range, instead of different areas of the spectrum like traditional multiband comps....

Firium is thier incredibly powerful phase linear EQ. It is kind of like a graphic EQ, except you design the curve with about 50 "points" that can be dragged anywhere in the spectrum (built in spectrum analyzer) and dragged vertically for gain or cut.

Both of these plugs offer incredibly unique capabilities beyond that of most traditional mastering plugs... but thier incredible precision and transparecy lend themselves well to that purpose.

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I guess psychoacoustic (not really a mastering term BTW) just stuck in my mind...

Off topic, and silly:

Description of the psychoacustics by an audio engineer knowing his stuff:

"Fixing things by turning a knob that does nothing, in front of a dissatisfied customer."

(Any pro knows: "It lacks something" - syndrome)

Bye, Moebius

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