Black Box Analog Design HG-Q - Walkthrough | Plugin Alliance

[@PluginAllianceTV]

Demo all of Plugin Alliance's products for 30 days. Start a free MEGA Plan trial here: www.plugin-alliance.com/mega?+organic_organic_bbad+hg+q+walkthrough

[@waynebo248]

Hey guys. I'm in expanded view and I want to adjust the Q of the cut separately from the Q of the boost. The manual says to click the Q button to disengage "ganged mode", but that isn't working. I also tried double clicking and it looked like it was giving me some sort of options, but I can't seem to figure this out. Should be simple. Why isn't it? Or, is this a malfunction?

[@waynebo248]

Nevermind...... I got it. Apparently, I wasn't clicking the button and releasing fast enough? Maybe I'm just old. Sheesh... 🤦🏽‍♂👴🏽

[@waynebo248]

Upon further review.... This thing is absolutely delicious! This will definitely find a home on my mix bus, drum bus, and on a few synth tracks as well! Well done indeed!

[@GloveBunniesVideos]

The Black Box Saturator has been a staple in my master bus since it came out. This one looks like a winner as well!

[@ej2796]

Yeah black box ends up on somewhere around 50% of masters too. But for this purpose we already have the LISA. I've tried spreading the word about it on the master...but so far it's still a barely recognized magic wand. Screw it, I don't believe in keeping trade secrets...but I guess I'll just enjoy having a true "secret sauce" lol. Thus us definitely worth trying tho

[@critical-thought]

Knee-jerk reaction: another eq, great. After a quick demo: ok, I can see a place for this

[@JK_EU]

Reading this comment: Hmm, someone can't write a simple sentence without putting garbage before the actual message. Thinking about it more deeply: Still cringe af to write like this instead of just saying: "At first I thought we don't need another EQ, but I changed my mind after demoing it."

[@critical-thought]

@ Did my post confuse you?

[@JK_EU]

@critical-thought Not at all. If anything, it made me feel sad for you. But don't worry, it was just temporary, cuz then I realized you're just another unimportant random weirdo on the internet. 😎👍🏻

[@bmyregaard]

Wow! Lot's of bells and whistles! The demo clips sound good, of course:)

[@ericjracy]

But only if you want them! One of the core concepts of the HG-Q is that it can go from a familiar, straightforward mastering style EQ (with the ability to cut and boost separately) to a crazy deep sculpting tool. The classic view / control mode starts with Q and frequency for cut and boost ganged together so anyone who has used a stereo EQ will be able to use it right away. Then you start down the rabbit hole, as deep as you want.

[@phildimopoulos6010]

Niceeeeeee... I use the HG-2 on literally every mix bus, and even in some of my vocal chains. I can imagine this will sound just as good, can't wait to get this!

[@brianlespoir6287]

Love the sound, instant buy, didn't even have to think about it and the price was a pretty awesome surprise. Thanx guys very well done.

[@pluginhoarder]

Incredible job on this one! Just posted a review 🙏 thanks for all the amazing plugins!

[@LightsOfSkadi]

Finally! This will be on all my mixes! Love my blackbox plugin!

[@Mike_Benz_]

Seems a lot like WavesFactory Spectre, bit different but very similar. Put your favorite parametric EQ before Spectre to reduce and boost, and you have something very similar with more saturation options.

[@DonClassico]

This is eq is very impressive, so musical and easy to use. Easily found it's place in my mixes next to my uad's manley massive passive eq

[@johnisrael5183]

Good Job Plugin Alliance...best EQ Ive heard in a while

[@dsess2001]

I immediately was like, "ugh, oh great, another eq" but this is a great conceptual eq

[@Fwuzeem]

Quite an astounding piece of gear

[@waynebo248]

3 cheers for the MEGA Bundle!!! 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[@aldrinsereno]

Now I'm curious-why didn't you include the TMT feature this time?

[@ryantheliving]

Good eye, ya why?

[@djorig]

Just bought it. I’ll be playing around with it later 🎉

[@glennloopez]

when do I have enough eq's? not yet. add to cart

[@ericjracy]

You might be pleasantly surprised. While it looks like an EQ and can be used as one, it’s really an entirely different type of enhancement tool when you dive into it.

[@sumitjaiswara31]

Legendary One and one of the best sounding.

[@JK_EU]

How is it legendary when they literally said it's a software version of an UPCOMING hardware unit?

[@eddyvilar]

Sounds amazing!

[@AlexCarter-dy9kr]

amazing plugin guys ,thx for this

[@busterevergreen9673]

TY sir very clear and to the point.

[@ericjracy]

Although it looks like an EQ, is built around an EQ topology and can be used as an incredible sounding EQ, to get the most out of it, don’t think of it as an EQ at all! The magic of the HG-Q is in the way you can create complex and musical interactions between the boosts and cuts as well as the saturation. You can push and pull areas of the mix, bring up details and energy and achieve surprising amount of enhancement without losing the integrity of the mix itself. For that reason, the cuts aren’t just ways to remove unwanted frequencies but a way to balance out the boosts and to create wild response curves that greatly enhance and re-contour the material in ways that other tools don’t. Once you start thinking of the HG-Q as a way to dig deep into the mix and reshape it in dramatic ways, you start using it entirely differently and suddenly your results will be far beyond what you would get out of an EQ.

[@Takato2527]

so basically a unique variation of "multi-band saturator" SIGN ME UP.

[@ericjracy]

@@Takato2527In a way but the controllable saturation is just one aspect of it. The interaction between tube boosts and solid state cuts, in series or parallel, with different Qs and even at different frequencies is an equally big part of the sound and approach. The heart of the topology is also the topology of probably the most famous mastering equalizer where every band affects the others and interacts. There is some pretty wild stuff going on under the hood.

[@Henrique_Dutra]

Same EQ principle as Pultec I suppose!?

[@ericjracy]

@@Henrique_Dutra The interaction created when you cut and boost simultaneously with slightly different frequencies and filter shapes is definitely where a lot of the Pultec magic lies. The HG-Q allows you to do that with far more control and flexibility but it’s only one part of what it does and the topology is entirely different than a Pultec. If you had to compare it to existing topologies it would have to be a combination of Sontec, Pultec and the parallel saturation circuit from the HG-2 on each band but that is an extreme oversimplification and still doesn’t quite get you there. It does kind of represent the spirit of it though.

[@JK_EU]

@@ericjracy Why is the framerate so terrible on this? And why does it drop the DAW framerate as well when the GUI is open? HG-2 doesn't do this. And why do I still see M/S in the GUI when I switch to L/R mode? Also, complexity does not necessarily equal better results. What's the selling point? What's unique in here? Besides "mysterious thousands of things going on under the hood".

[@alessandrotorres3537]

So is this a bit similar to the Michelangelo EQ?

[@rodneyplatinummix7798]

Anything as good as Michelangelo is very tempting 😂😂

[@kwamalascience]

@@rodneyplatinummix7798 🤣🤫

[@RollsRoyceEnvy]

Is it???

[@alessandrotorres3537]

@@RollsRoyceEnvy I’m still trynna figure out 🥲

[@CamariMusic]

Listening and hmmm. Normally I would get excited for the blackbox plugins because I own the others, however, I wasn't wowed. I'll have to demo it first. EDIT - Ok the Alt button gives me the tone of saturation I would want

[@murraywebster1228]

Very interesting

[@npinero1]

QUESTION: are there any presets to get people started before tweaking?

[@ericjracy]

Absolutely!

[@npinero1]

@@ericjracy Where? I have never seen presets within Alliance plugins.

[@ericjracy]

@ All Plug-in Alliance plugins have presets. Check the manual for where they are in your particular DAW.

[@danymalsound]

Is this an original concept or based on existing hardware? I've never heard of this piece

[@brianlespoir6287]

existing hardware

[@GuardianPressureWashing]

The hardware was developed alongside the plugin, but it hasn’t been released yet.

[@TerryMeighan]

The hardware unit has been 7 years in the making, and the plugin has been developed and modelled alongside it. The hardware is still unreleased, but it's coming.

[@Arcessitor]

GAS intensifies

[@charleeparkerxo]

Man I swear lmao 😂😂😂😂

[@LuiiMisfit]

No tmt?

[@solo943]

May i ask why u dont put oversampling is it that hard to implement ?

[@JoeyFTL]

Oversampling is present under the hood. This plugin is as clean as a whistle

[@solo943]

I have done test and the aliasing is audible , so don't be so hyped about under the hood marketing strategy quotes. But with proper oversampling from 3rd party plugins such as DDMF metaplugin or similar ones which give u options to oversample any plugin its works good.

[@JoeyFTL]

@@solo943 I don't know what you're talking about, but I haven't found any information regarding oversamplinging anywhere on the website or the manual. I was sharing the results of my tests and opinions, not reciting someone else's. Since mine returned great results (not much worse than the HG-2 itself in fact), I should very much like to hear what kind of tests got you yours and what level said artifacts reached and under what conditions (for me they topped out between -60 and -70 dB when I pushed it quite hard). Especially since your test did not decisively show that the plugin had internal oversampling. What kind of source material did you try the plugin on where you experienced audible aliasing? Btw I'd be careful with applying the Metaplugin's os function indiscriminately - while it does come in handy on occasion, the filter they chose for their os can make some material quite harsh indeed.

[@solo943]

@@JoeyFTL for my tests if the aliasing is not below-90dbfs then its considered audible bc that's where my hearing threshold is. everything above that range doesn't make my plugin list , only in some specific cases were the plugin is hard to replicate with other ones then i decide and oversample them with 3rd party plugins such as DDMF ones . The source material to test aliasing is always linear sweep for me , the fastest easiest and correct way to test it . then i do 10k test tones and different frequencies played at the same time . Harmonic and non harmonic combination . and i am not happy with companies who charge a lot of $ for their plugins and don't even implement a way to oversample for those users who might hear a change by using oversampling ..

[@FTmusic84]

Oversampling?

[@krobo]

I have not installed to try yet, but these plugin-alliance guis are very sluggish on my Mac m2, and updates just do not come for them. Anyone have the same issue?

[@JK_EU]

A lot of PA GUIs look nice but perform terribly. And customer support doesn't give a damn at all. Wrote them several times already, no reaction. And I'm not on Mac, but on a high end PC.

[@unsaved6]

native oversampling please.

[@mthomas1091]

So frequencies increase/decrease when you turn the knobs 😳

[@sancessounds]

PLEASE tell me you guys plan to add the mono maker and stereo width knobs. Those a crucial for these plugins being an all in one great tool. Without it, there’s no real benefit to using this over things like spectre. With those additional controls, I’m sold for this sitting on my mix bus and some busses

[@easymoneymakingvideos]

Yup i totally agree. Hope we can hear back on this question as these are the only answers which will determine whether i will pick this up(upgrade) from my other 2 blackboxes or not. And i can't seem to see the/any input/output adjustment knobs so is there going to be any in the future. But heck yea i hear you on the mono maker and stereo width knobs. Would like to do as much as i could with this plugin on the stereo buss instead off adding more plugins after, in the chain. Man! I really wish they can answer this, the anxiety is killing me! These guys have some fire plugins! And i think the answer might be a no on our questions because they are trying to match the forthcoming software hardware exactly, as i read in one of the comments below. I wonder how far they are in the actual hardware and will they be adding more stuff like mono-maker, stereo width, input/output knobs or not. So Eric please if you don't mind, very curious here. Thanks!

[@ericjracy]

⁠@@easymoneymakingvideos Hi guys, The plugin does have output attenuation that can be linked or adjusted individually per channel. It’s usually not needed because the saturation and gain controls have dynamic compensation that stops them from getting crazy loud. The cuts are also designed to be used to compensate for the boosts. That’s where the magic is! For all those reasons, I usually only end up needing 1-2db of attenuation on the output, if any. In terms of mono maker, we didn’t add it because it’s very important that this unit is 1:1 with the hardware. The reason will become obvious when we announce the hardware and some plugin related surprises. It’s also something that a ton of other plugins have and you only need it once on your mix bus. Additionally, you can add all the width you want or narrow it in a much more controlled way by putting the unit into M/S mode and manipulating the M or S. You can also attenuate them individually. One other thing to mention… I’m not sure why there seems to be a misunderstanding that this is an upgrade or update to the HG-2 in some way but they are entirely different tools with entirely different topologies, entirely different controls and most importantly, entirely different results. Aside from how they look and giving you saturation they don’t actually overlap in any way in terms of results. They DO work amazingly together though! I hope that helps 👍🏼

[@hiddenmaterial]

my wallet already screaming thinking about the hardware version

[@TheMelodyGod]

No need they’re saying it’s a one of one emulation.

[@hiddenmaterial]

@@TheMelodyGod yea i mean i'd be silly to not give the plugin a good workout first

[@7comando622]

It doesn't have. Gain. Of. Entrance. And exit or. Work. Con. Gain. Automatic??

[@7comando622]

But. I do not deny. It is heard. Very good

[@ericjracy]

There is an output attenuation control that allows you to attenuation both channels at once or individually. It’s the “att” control. In practice, you don’t need it very often because there is internal dynamic compensation between the saturation and boost controls, keeping the signal from getting wildly loud as you drive the saturation. The cuts are also designed to be used to compensate for the boosts and saturation. That’s where a lot of the magic is! Because of all that, I rarely need more than 1 or 2db of attenuation, if any.

[@7comando622]

@ericjracy Many. Thank you for. Explain. Soon I will add it to my perfect asseral. A beautiful plugin. Thank you for. Your Work God Bless You

[@JBrm]

The graphics are nice, but conceptual the UX is a bit subpar, imho. Double click functions on knobs? And again you're torturing my eyes by duplicating every single knob on the screen when stereo linked... Good thing it sounds nice in the demo, otherwise i wouldn't even bother trying it.

[@ericjracy]

As you may have read, the HG-Q plugin is an emulation of forthcoming hardware. For that reason, keeping the same interface that hardware users will be used to is incredibly important. While we aren’t used to double function buttons on a plugin, they are common and very intuitive on hardware. After some use, they actually become easy to use on the plugin as well but again, it’s important to allow for a 1:1 workflow between the plugin and hardware. That said, the expanded view is there so that all of the controls are available with dedicated knobs and buttons, in a format that will be familiar to plugin users. Of course you can also toggle back and forth between the view / control modes at any time.

[@JBrm]

​@@ericjracyI get that. But as a software (mostly frontend) developer myself I'm dealing with UI concepts every day. And thus I might have become a bit of a hippocrite ;) Those two things i mentioned in the OP would be considered deadly sins in my world, though 😢 But in the end it's about making music - and the way this thing sounds, so I can offer partial absolution 😊

[@ericjracy]

@ I absolutely understand. This was designed as part of a system (more on that soon) so that created some very specific requirements and we made decisions for reasons that may not seem obvious at first. Had we been designing a plugin in the abstract (not based on or tied to hardware) then we would probably have taken a slightly different approach. I think it will all make sense when we release the hardware! Anyway, thanks for taking the time to check it out!

[@tytansoundlab]

@@ericjracycome one with the hardware I need it next my Blackbox 😊

[@PavloDerenevskyi]

good