ThrillseekerLA mkII released

ThrillseekerLA mkII – bringing mojo back

ThrillseekerLA is an optical stereo compressor optimized for gentle mix bus coloring. It combines smoothest optical compression with vibrant coloration options that deliver a unique box tone in their own right, including thrilling bass and elegant top end void of any harshness in the mids. Its compression not only glues things together effortlessly but also enhances the stereo image by increasing depth and dimension.

10 years after – new in version 2:

• Technical redesign with advanced opto cell emulation
• Simplified gainstaging including automatic output gain compensation
• Streamlined coloring options: Interstage, Tube and Loudness
• New compress/limit option and reworked sidechain filtering

The mkII update is available for Windows VST in 32 and 64bit as freeware. Download your copy here.

Related Links:

• • the beauty of opto-electrical compression – volume 2

the history of Cubase

When Cubase 3.0 came out in 1996 and introduced VST for the first time with all its new and fascinating possibilities, that was the point where I decided to get more involved in music production and set up a small (home) recording studio. VST was the basis for all this and how I imagined a modern (computer based) studio production. What a revolution that was. Watching this video today brings up a lot of nostalgic feelings …

In case of VoS plugins not showing up in your VST host

On some Windows installations there are no Visual C++ runtime libraries installed by default anymore. Make sure then to just install that package – for a free and safe download at microsoft.com just lookup “Visual C++ runtime 2013 download”.

some FlavourMTC coverage from the net

Short review from Bedroom Producers Blog – Variety Of Sound Releases FREE FlavourMTC Passive Equalizer Plugin:

Variety of Sound is one of the legendary old-school freeware VST plugin developers, providing top-tier audio software that easily rivals the quality of paid plugins. Their incredible FerricTDS mkII is still my favorite tape saturation plugin.

If you’re looking for mixing and mastering software with a taste of analog hardware, I highly recommend checking out Variety of Sound’s plugins. It is one of the best freeware plugin collections for Windows-based music producers.

Thread over there at gearslutz gearspace –  A completely new plugin after a long streak of redesigned classics:

This sounds like analogue gear. Incredible.

… it’s a big fat lump of ‘ashish dissolved in a bucket filled with two parts honey and one part roasted sesame on a warm Himalayan afternoon. Dip yer finger, don’t forget to lick it and soon not only sesame opens …

ThrillseekerXTC mkII released

ThrillseekerXTC – bringing mojo back

ThrillseekerXTC mkII is a psychoacoustic audio exciter based on a parallel dynamic equalizer circuit. It takes our hearing sensitivity into account especially regarding the perception of audio transients, tonality and loudness.

The mkII version now introduces:
• Plugin operating level calibration for better gainstaging and output volume compensated processing.
• A reworked DRIVE/MOJO stage featuring full bandwidth signal saturation and a strong
focus on perceived depth and dimension. It provides all those subtle qualities we typically associate with the high-end analog outboard gear.
• Special attention has been taken to the mid frequency range by introducing signal compression which improves mid-range coherence and presence.
• Relevant parts of the plugin are running at higher internal sampling frequencies to minimize aliasing artifacts.

Available for Windows VST in 32 and 64bit as freeware. Download your copy here.

FerricTDS mkII released

FerricTDS mkII – the updated award winning Tape Dynamics Simulator

New in version 2:

• Introducing operating level calibration for better gainstaging and output volume compensated processing
• Metering ballistics revised and aligned accordingly
• Updated tape compression algorithms increasing punch, adding 2nd order harmonic processing, less IMD
• Updated limiter algorithm featuring ADC style converter clipping
• All non-linearities are running at higher sampling frequencies internally
• Adding a sophisticated analog signal path emulation

Available for Windows VST in 32 and 64bit as freeware. Download your copy here.

64bit plugin rollout started, announcing mkII plugin versions

The very first 64bit plugin versions are out now, starting with the plugins from the public beta test earlier this summer: epicVerb, BaxterEQ, preFIX, NastyDLAmkII, NastyVCS and DensityMkIII. All versions have been carefully revised, are backwards compatible and some includes bugfixes and improvements as well. VST3 versions are not (yet) included due to stability issues. For further release notes and downloads please refer to the download page.

The remaining VoS plugins are planned to be (re-) released one-by-one until end of this year. Most likely, they will reappear as mkII versions 🙂 First one will be FerricTDS mkII which is already in the finishing process and to be released early September.

stay tuned!

[CLOSED] VoS plugins 64bit public beta 1

Update 07/16/21: The beta has been closed. Stay tuned for upcoming info and releases. For the time being, the beta package remains available in the download section. Thanks to all here for contributing!!!

Until around mid July you can grab here the VoS plugin 64bit public beta package. Included are epicVerb, BaxterEQ, preFIX, NastyDLAmkII, NastyVCS and DensityMkIII in both 32 and 64 bit, VST 2 and 3 for Windows PC.

Please be careful using them since they are beta. They might crash, generate loud noises and things like that. Also do not use them in real productions since parameters and settings might change until release and break compatibility.

To report issues just create a comment right to this post and please include detailed information about the issue, which plugin is actually affected and in which host and version.

A brief update on the future of VoS plugins

First of all: I hear you!

While receiving so many questions and requests on this topic on all the different channels these days a brief update here seems to be overdue.

Plugin downloads might be online again as soon as I manage to find a decent free cloud space to offer hassle-free downloads without any traffic/bandwidth limits (or advertising). Hints appreciated.

There are no plans to make them payware.

Some of my plugin designs needs to be revised to assure that they will stand the test of time for yet another decade 🙂 and this means also that they are going to support 64bit of course.

With some selected VoS plugins, there will be a 64bit public beta which is planned to be held this July. I hope you’ll gonna join.

The story continues, stay tuned!

Herbert

A short review of the LIRA 8 VSTi

While currently having the original SOMA Lyra-8 hardware here on my desk I was curious how the VST emulation created by Mike Moreno DSP might appear in comparison. The release is available in VST formats for Mac and PC under “Pay what you want or download for free”.

In case you never heard of the hardware Lyra, it’s basically a 8 voice drone synthesizer, providing some LFO and FM modulation capabilities plus a basic delay and distortion FX. It does not provide any Midi control but solely relies on manual interaction with it’s analog interface (plus some quite limited CV support). It also does not have any sort of filter, mod matrix or effect structure. However, it perfectly fits for different styles of experimental electronic and ambient music as well as all kinds of sound design e.g for film scoring and such.

The VST plugin resembles the overall appearance and usage concept almost identical to the hardware. All parameters are accessible via host automation in your DAW which indeed turns out to be really useful. To trigger the sensors, Midi notes C1 to G1 can also be used instead of clicking the interface. Since the original sensors are sensitiv to skin capacitance/resistance, I would have expected the plugin sensors to have some sort of velocity or aftertouch control accordingly but this is not the case.

Soundwise the plugin was a real surprise. While it might not stand an A/B test with its analog counterpart, it amazingly captures its overall sound aesthetic and gives instant gratification in this regard. Wobbling drones, shimmering soundscapes and fizzling FM weirdness – it can all do that and much more. But maybe even more important it is real fun to twiddle with and it appears to be very inspirational, exactly like the HW does.

What the plugin itself can’t give you of course is the tactile experience. Beside that there is an issue when it comes to tuning sounds. The oscillator tune parameters actually do have just very imprecise control given the huge frequency range across all octaves. This becomes even more of an issue if you try to finetune something in its FM sweetspot area.

Overall verdict: Highly recommended for all sorts of sound design or pure inspiration – if you can live with its constraints.