Professional Analog Mastering.
Professional Analog Mastering.
226K+ subscribers
Poortec is a stripped-down Pultec EQ, which I really enjoy since, more often than not, I’d just want a couple of filters for tone shaping.
It lets you quickly introduce that Pultec low-end trick, in which you boost and cut a frequency, resulting in a boosted low shelf and a bell-shaped cut to the low mids.
When paired with a boost and cut technique in the high mids, you can achieve a more impressive and clearer mix almost instantly.
The kick is more impressive, the low mids aren’t masking the highs and taking up the mix, and clarifying ranges are amplified.
The plugin also introduces pleasant even and odd order harmonics, which can be increased by driving the input.
Let’s take a listen to it.
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This is a perfect 1176 emulation. It doesn’t try to reinvent anything, but it does add some great features.
The internal/external side-chain with mid-frequency emphasis or de-emphasis is a nice touch, and the variable ratio, as opposed to the set 4:1, 8:1, and so on, adds some flexibility.
Slam is the equivalent of pushing in all 4 ratio buttons, causing some aggressive limiting.
The distortion is aggressive, the dynamics are altered very similarly to the actual unit - all in all, it’s just a great emulation, and unlike with other developers, you don’t need to constantly pay for updated versions or subscriptions.
Here’s FETish on a snare track.
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Again, we have a great emulation of an often emulated unit - this SSL EQ is simple but does exactly what it’s supposed to.
We get 6 filters when we count the low and high pass filters. Everything else is a bell filter, 2 with variable Q values.
The plugin captures that mid-point between analog and digital, where EQs were becoming more precise but still had a lot of what makes analog processing enjoyable.
The plugin also introduces harmonics similar to what you’d achieve from subtle soft-clipping, and you can add some variation by driving the input.
Let’s take a listen.
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LALA is an LA2A emulation - like the 1176 emulation from earlier, it doesn’t reinvent anything, just adds some convenient functions.
Again, we have the internal/external side-chain EQ that allows for some extra control.
Faithful to the original unit, LALA has a roughly 10ms attack and a dual-stage release, resulting in a smooth sound. The complex harmonics create fullness and fill the frequency spectrum.
Also, unlike most LA2A emulations, this one has a wet/dry, making it a great option for parallel compression on bass guitars and vocals.
Let’s take a listen.
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This is an emulation of a mastering EQ by Neumann.
Its filters are some of the most gradual I’ve seen or heard in an EQ, making this a perfect EQ for tone-shaping and making broad changes.
Personally, I love the de-linked M/S functionality. With it, I can introduce a side-image high-pass filter up to 80Hz, making the lows mono.
From there, it’s really just making subtle changes until you achieve the final response for a master. Not great for precise changes, but it’s perfect for the last stage of EQ before limiting.
Let’s take a listen.
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This is one of my favorite bus compressors, especially for parallel compression. Like the original unit, it’s known for glue, or creating a really pleasant cohesion for all instruments in the signal path.
To get the most out of this plugin, I’d recommend heavy compression with a 10:1 ratio, a 10ms attack, and auto release. Turbo mode adds more aggressive compression, and Xformer some additional distortion.
Then use the wet/dry to blend in the effect and make up gain to bring the level back to unity.
You’ll get this super condensed sound in which details are brought to the front - meanwhile, transients still cut through.
Let’s listen to it on some drums.
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This is an emulation of an STA tube-leveler - but unlike some of the other emulations, this one changes the design a bit.
Instead of 3 modes, we get 4 ratios as well as variable attack and release times, which honestly gives you a lot more control over the compression than the original model.
Like the last plugin, we get a wet/dry and output dial for make-up gain, making it a great option for parallel compression.
But my favorite part of this plugin is the complex hamronics - likely imparted by the quick attack. They’re aggressive, cover both even and odd harmonics, and just result in this super complex and full sound.
The knee also includes some pleasant non-linearity in which the loudest aspect is slightly expanded after the threshold.
Let’s check it out.
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This is the most versatile and convenient plugin on this list. Additionally, it’s one of the most experimental and complex.
The 11 saturation types vary significantly. The harmonics, dynamics, waveshape, response to transients, and general amplitude modulation are all distinct.
For example, look at the processor’s behavior to changes in amplitude as I alter the model number.
The same could be said when observing the wave’s shape.
Clearly, a lot of care and attention have gone into this plugin, making it one of my favorite saturation plugins when I want to explore both expected and unique timbres.
Let’s take a listen.
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This is an emulation of the Redd preamps used in Abbey Roads back in the 1950s and 60s.
The sound is classic, distortion-heavy, slightly lofi but with a surprising amount of clarity and detail.
A strong 2nd order harmonic creates a perfect octave, making the signal sound more musical.
The 2 filters cut lows and accentuate highs, which perfectly balances the mids added from harmonic distortion.
And slight modulation during changes in amplitude affects dynamics.
It’s a straightforward plugin, but it adds an immense amount of character on any signal.
Let’s take a listen.
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This is a very amplitude-dependent preamp. With the pad on and at moderate input levels, the frequency response is pretty typical.
However, when the input increases, the frequency response drastically changes in tandem.
The same could be said for the harmonic amplitude, which is to be expected, the amplitude modulation amount and type, and the waveshaping.
Like Predd, a strong second-order harmonic creates a perfect octave, typically in the low mids, depending on the source.
Line and DI are your most neutral-sounding options, whereas Mic introduces significant changes to the response, while Toneshaping introduces the most drastic changes.
Again, it’s a simple interface, but a lot is going on behind the scenes. Let’s take a listen.