Well the new mix is definitely on the money through my monitor system…just perfect…well done mate…why did you dump your soundcloud page?
Kevin
Ah lol, don’t really need it tbh. Just an extra thing to manage, cba really. Still experimenting with settings in the new plugins that I am using now; Waves REDD, API-2500 and Kramer/J37 Tape Saturation.
Well it’s getting harder to spot any differences but …have you added a little too much tape saturation to this?..or maybe a bit too much “analogue warmth” from REDD? or maybe my ears just can’t do it any more, been spending 12 hours a day in my studio for the last 2 weeks… 
be carefull not to get too bogged down with “VST mania” I did…I’m only just coming out of “intensive care” now and recovering from spending too much money on stuff I’ve just realized I don’t need and the VST’s that come with Cubase are pretty good after all…everything you’ve bought could be done with a Cubase VST…
best mate…Kevin
Aye, still experimenting with settings. Been mulling that question over in my mind about the analog knob in REDD. The samples seem to already have hiss on (which is most noticeable on the pizzicato strings so I’m pondering whether it’s overkill having it on REDD. Though atm I’ve just left it at the default value which is -3.2dB. Overall the plugin is subtle, but it certainly adds a lot thta nothing in Cubase can.
You mean VST instruments or plugins, or both? You couldn’t write professionally with Cubase VST instruments, they sound terrible. If that were my only choice of VST instruments then I would rather just revert back to writing in notation a program. 
The Hollywood series can be picked up for a cheap price if you get the -75% off bundle anyway.
The Cubase plugins just can’t match third-party when it comes to trying to stand up against other professionals in the same field. Wouldn’t expect them to either since they are bundled in with the DAW’s price.
http://therecordingrevolution.com/2013/03/04/5-minutes-to-a-better-mix-iii-the-mix-buss-half-rule/ I mean, tape saturation gets used on many styles, though it’s just likely I need to dial it back a bit than remove it. ;p
Hi Jonathan…what I’ve learnt over the years of frustration with the learning curve that it’s how you use the stuff…not necessarily the quality of them…I believe Sherz uses only cubase plugins and the quality of his stuff is awesome,
a lot of “analogue” plugins just add a bit of hiss…
cubase’s Magneto and da tube are very effective and during a recent blindfold test I did on myself I could not tell them apart from all the other “analogue warmifiers” i have…
cubase also has tape saturation and I can’t tell the difference from the other tape sats that I have…I should’ve tested them properly before buying the “latest” best thing 
all i can see is that the expensive plugins have better GUI’s 
it is my intention to use less and less “stuff” and save my wedge 
best…Kevin
It’s always both the quality of the tools and the experience of the user (in any field.) 
Sherz is an experienced user so yeah, he can make the Steinberg plugins work for his sound and his stuff sounds good. Not every plugin will sound right or the best for every style/song/situation though. I happily use Steinberg EQ, autopan, delays and stuff, though if a plugin doesn’t have some things/controls that I want then getting the ones that do makes sense.
I do agree that simply rushing out and expecting to slap expensive plugins on something to make it sound good is obviously not gonna work if one doesn’t know how to use them properly but one plugin will never be the best for every genre or every song.
I’ve A/B’d the Magneto II and J37/Kramer tapes and whilst Magneto II can add a pleasant quality that is better than not using anything at all (on orchestra samples at least,) and it certainly doesn’t sound bad, it does seem to lack a certan body or character that the other two bring to the table at as closely matched settings as possible.
After more A/B’ing of the analogue knob/switches in the compressor, SSLEQ, and REDD I’ve decided to disable every analogue switch/knob and just add some mic noise in at the end with whichever tape plugin I use.
I couldn’t actually see a channel strip plugin in the Steinberg plugins folder, the plugins folder begins with D. D:
The reason I’m liking the API-2500 compressor for orchestra stuff is this;- Dropbox - Error The L/R channel link, HP/LP filters and tone controls.It’s a pretty flexible compressor which seems to work well for what I’m doing. The Steinberg compressors just don’t seem to have this kind of flexiblity for what I do/want.
