Recording - December 2017 - 44

Understanding the

AUDIO SIGNAL PATH
decent freeware plugins that you might
want to check out. I have enjoyed
Shattered Glass Audio's SGA1566 emulation of a vintage Altec tube preamplifier,
as well as a freeware version of one of
the legendary EMI REDD tube console
channel strips called Code Red Free. The
shatteredglassaudio.com website lists
them under "Digital Gear". See Figures 3.
I've participated in dozens of evaluation
sessions in my career. In many cases it's
not the most expensive piece of gear
that comes out on top. And almost every
vintage and modern preamplifier or
channel strip I've heard sounds good at
average levels. When they are driven
a bit is when they show their real sonic
imprint. Higher levels tend to reveal the
nonlinear qualities. Keep that in mind
as you audition preamps!

OVERBOARD FOR
OUTBOARD
Outboard processors (and plug-ins that
emulate them) can add warmth to your
recordings. Compressors and equalizers
often have unique and sought-after sonic
qualities-all due to unique designs
leading to unique nonlinearities!
Variable-Mu compressors offer very
smooth compression that is far from linear.
This type of compressor is somewhat
slow to react, and the ratio increases as
the signal gets hotter. These compressors
are great on material that doesn't have
a hugely variable dynamic range;
fairly constant signals get a very pleasing
smooth and glued-together sound. The
legendary (unobtainium!) Fairchild 670
and early UREI compressors have been
joined by the more modern and accessible
Manley Variable-Mu, which you can hear
all over your favorite recordings.
There are plug-in versions that are direct
clones of all these compressors. For
example, Waves, Universal Audio, and IK
Multimedia all have versions of the 670,
and Manley has authorized a Universal
Audio version of the Variable-Mu. Klanghelm Audio Plugins (klanghelm.com) has a
44

RECORDING December 2017

tasty compressor called MUJC that models
the 670, 2 UREI models, and the Manley.
It is a fantastic, inexpensive plug-in. As a
bonus there is a stripped-down freeware
version call MUJC Jr. that I use all the time.
Optocompressors use a photocell and
light bulb. Audio level intensity determines how brightly the bulb shines, and
the photocell converts this intensity to
gain change. Optocompressors are very
smooth-sounding, as they don't react
quickly to transients, and quite large
ratios can be used without destroying
the natural dynamics. They can average
out a performance very nicely without a
lot of apparent compression artifacts like
pumping. Optocompressors often include
tubes and thus add an extra serving of
warmth (and another opportunity for
distortion, if that's the effect you're after).
VCA compressors are ubiquitous.
They have very fast attack and release
times and are really great at taming
troublesome transients. You'll know
this sound: most DAWs' built-in compressors are based on VCA circuitry.
You can abuse these quite easily, and
sometimes that can add a vintage vibe
through overcompression.
They can also impart warmth and a certain larger-than-life feel to sounds if they
employ transformers on the input and
output. The dbx 160 and 165 and the
Focusrite Red Range are fine examples.
There are dozens of VCA compressor
plug-ins. Acustica (acustica-audio.com)
generously offers the excellent TAN
compressor for free. I've even seen,
though not tried as of this writing, a freeware VST version of the dbx 165 put out
by Xclusive Audio (xclusive-audio.com).
Finally, FET-type compressors are typified by the UREI/Universal Audio 1176;

in some ways it's the sound of rock and
roll-warm, thick, and incredibly effective
at managing gain. The color and control
the 1176 provides are unique and extremely musical, great for adding punch
to percussive sources and adding a bit
of grit and intimacy to a vocal. There
are dozens of clones including Universal Audio's software recreation, Waves
CLA 76, PSP FETpressor, and Softube's
FET compressor. Antress's Seventh Sign
freeware version gets great reviews,
though I haven't tried it.
Finally, you need to try Molot, which
has an amazing vibe all its own and is
free. Check out Limiter N0.6, its companion limiter, while you're at it... actually,
try everything on this site (vladgsound.
wordpress.com/downloads)! You may
be daunted by the user interfaces, but
your ears will be rewarded once you
sort out how the plug-ins work.
Vintage analog EQs are another
source of analog warmth and charm.
Again, the best ones being used today
have been stripped out of classic consoles or are modern (or plug-in) versions
of their modules.
Pultec's outboard EQP 1A, which was
introduced in the 1950s, can still be
found in many high-end studios. It's also
generated a few reissues and clones
that lean heavily on its eccentric design
and unique sonic imprint. Lots of plugins model or emulate classic designs like
the Pultec, and one of my favorites is the
free Ignite Amps ETEq-x (kvraudio.com/
developer/ignite-amps).
Tokyo Dawn Records' Slick EQ (tokyo
dawn.net) needs a mention as well. It
doesn't admit to modeling any specific

3
http://www.shatteredglassaudio.com http://www.vladgsound.wordpress.com/downloads http://www.vladgsound.wordpress.com/downloads http://www.kvraudio.com/developer/ignite-amps http://www.kvraudio.com/developer/ignite-amps http://www.tokyodawn.net http://www.acustica-audio.com http://www.tokyodawn.net http://www.xclusive-audio.com http://www.klanghelm.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - December 2017
