Slate Digital Virtual Console Collection 2.0 Review - TheRecordingRevolution.com

[@AlexandrTeder]

Graham's raw tracks sound better than my finished mixes...

[@garywingrove]

Ha! Yeah, I know that feel. But don't feel too bad, sometimes my own raw tracks sound better than my finished mixes :-P

[@Joe-mz6dc]

Graham has sick skills.

[@mensamin]

I'ts all about the recording... easy to mix later

[@strumlord]

I have to give you props for standing on your opinions about summing audio Graham. I first read about it on your Blog and found it to be very informative. The only thing I've always been at odds with is (from my take on it), you appear to discourage people from using analog summing. I'm not trying to start a debate about the subject as I know you've been down that road before. I just don't believe that anyone should be discouraged from experimenting as long as they recognize that summing is no magic bullet and that learning your craft should always be the main focus. FWIW, I have learned so much from what you share with the community and I'm very thankful that you take the time to do it. It just shows how passionate you are about it all. So thank you for that. My 2 cents.

[@andrewt248]

BTW, the VMR plugin itself is great (especially now that it includes VCC 2.0) for the "Console Mixing Workflow". I've been running VCC Neve > Neve EQ or VCC E-Channel > SSL EQ across all my tracks. Lots of fun (and zero latency/light CPU)!

[@al24121989]

I have these, these are very, very good plug-ins, Steven Slate is a genius, happy to buy anything that comes from here, gives such a rich sound. Luxury

[@andrewt248]

I bought VCC 2.0 about 4-5 days ago. I had never personally used the RTAS version before. I'm really digging the Neve emulation; lots of low-mid action happening there without muddy-ing things up. The new SSL E-Channel emulation is great, too. Thanks for the vid Graham!

[@patkilgore3603]

Great review Graham. I built a template around VMR, VCC2.0, VBC, and VTM. VMR on every channel and VMR, VBC, VTM on the master. I'm using this as a starting point and I can definitely hear/feel the difference. I really like the modular approach to VMR.

[@CIRCLEOFTONE]

Seems like a subtle stereo widener, slight distortion color and scooped when initially enabled. Sounds better. Steven Slate really knows what he's doing.

[@RobbDizzl]

As always, the way to decide if this is for you or not should be: can you honestly hear a difference and like what you hear or if you can't hear a difference at all (me). KZbin probably isn't the right platform to decide on that plugin though because it's to subtle for the low KZbin audio quality. Unfortunately you have to own an iLok key to even demo the plug in.

[@EZXG2077]

I honestly hear it's so difference for each console. ( i wonder why you don't) If you can't hear, maybe it could be your monitors. Even i listen to the headphone, I can hear the difference.

[@LukeIcardMedia]

Jirayut Janupiboon I can hear the differences and I'm on crappy laptop speakers. If you cant hear the difference this plugin makes you probably dont need to buy it or rely on it just yet.

[@vextract4662]

Digital alone as Graham states is all recorded the same way track to track potentially leaving mixes sounding cold, these analog plugins are a real difference maker provided you have well tracked/recorded material. These Help electronic drums sound warmer as well. Thanks for he review Graham!

[@tutubeos]

Graham, great review, very helpful and honest! Thank you very much. The plugin is very very cool. Your mix sounded very good at the beginning, but with the plugin on it sounds on another level, yes it's subtle but it's huge IMHO.

[@sejuyz]

subtle and huge don´t go together...

[@JimMcLean]

Very nice indeed. I wonder if you have looked at Sonar X3. It has had the Pro Channel for ages now which provides a similar thing - a customiseable channel strip for each track and bus. You can either use the standard tools or add to them. Check it out and compare.

[@lewisknudsen1]

This answered several questions for me, thank you for the thorough explanation

[@OPTIONALWATCH]

I thought I had a good ear, but I don't hear any difference between off and on in 1:13. I do like the intro of the song. Where can we listen to it?

[@StudioGoldsmith]

Listen to the hi-hat for instance. When the VCC is on, it seems to 'come closer'. Also the guitars experience a greater spatial separation. I can actually hear it better with my monitors, than with my headphones.

[@drschultz]

Good timing on this video Graham, as a beginner i've been waffling on whether to buy this.

[@sejuyz]

At first, I couldn´t tell any difference. Then I started reading the comments and someone wrote something about how the hi-hat sound become more present when the thing is turned on. I can hear but it´s subtle. I´m wearing Beats Mixr headphones on a laptop. Honestly, I need to hear something more dramatic in order to pull the trigger on this one.

[@victorbicudo1374]

I heavily second this. So much hype for a fraction of a tiny difference.

[@theaudiocooker2423]

To be fair to the plugins this is a poor review in terms of the plugins not really been used correctly. You have to use the plugins like you would a real console. If you’ve ever worked on something like an SSL then you should know the trick is that by the time you’ve reached the end of your mix you should be driving the mix buss well in to the red, you’ve got to hit it hard. These consoles have a sweet spot there where some quite pronounced magic happen. The reviewer was barely tickling the mix buss. The VU needle needs to be pretty much nailed to the right, at least well in the red, especially on the SSL and Neve models.

[@mikosoft]

When I first listened to the on/off comparison at the beginning I didn't watch the video and I couldn't really tell that there was an on/off comparison. The I relistened and yes, I heard a little difference. It's really very subtle and yes, probably listening on youtube isn't the best way

[@AstroGamerSteve]

Definitely. I've been able to recreate some tutorials and comparisons when I have software, and the actual difference is more noticeable than on KZbin processed videos.

[@noisesoundtonevibe]

The Brit 4k setting is probably the most transparent of the bunch. Also, you have to hit it pretty hard to get a more obvious effect. Graham is conservative with his levels, which is good, and had he been a little more heavy handed the results might have been more obvious, which you may or may not want. "Adjust to taste" is the key here.

[@bastischlonz]

Also depends on your speakers/headphones. I heard a big difference on studio monitors.

[@mikosoft]

earth display unit makes no difference to sound :) TVs themselves also have shitty speakers so surely you meant some other sound system?

[@Ben-sy3hf]

I deffo heard a difference..

[@datamasked623]

Slate makes the best plugs on the planet. I have all their plugs-ins. Metric Halo and Slate are the only two developers that I bought everything they make. LOL!

[@RECLYFE]

Instead of putting this on every channel would it work the same, If I put Virtual Channel on the Mix Busses like Drums, Vocals, Guitar etc... then put the Virtual Buss on the sub master track?

[@himynameistyler]

+Daniel Tuggerson It would not, when you just put it on your sub bus, it's taking all the sounds at once and reacting to that, as compared to when you put it on the tracks individually and having it react to your guitars, drums, bass, etc as separate items.

[@Salantsoundstudios]

That drive function rocks too!

[@RUINNYS]

Hey Graham, Question. For the master bus, Would you insert this before compressors and limiters or after? And as far as the channel bus, you would just insert that as the output of all your tracks or do you bus each track?

[@JeffEddy98]

You could do the same thing with the stock DAW parametric EQ on the mix bus.

[@izvarzone]

No you can't. Sound wont be the same.

[@TheOnlyJay_S]

I hope I can afford that Slate Digital pack someday so I can experience its richness in sound too.

[@TheOnlyJay_S]

***** Thank you very much for letting me know that

[@larrytate1657]

Just save and buy them, so u own them for good and they give you free updates when they upgrade them

[@TheOnlyJay_S]

Larry Tate I'll do that instead

[@DaMonstaMuzik]

+Larry Tate exactly. i decided to buy a VTM, ill get VCC soon. i like owning my plugins lol

[@Robdust]

Great plugin! I know it's tough to tell here, but run a mix with and then remove it... you will miss it. I recorded my tracks through my 1073DPA and then used the Neve Emulation... HOLY SHIT! Really took my mixes to the next level.

[@sKarredtoon]

Hey Graham, wheres the slate vmr review?

[@PubliusRutiliusLupus]

This seems so subtle to me. After listening a bunch of times on my AKGs I think I can tell a slight difference (more fattness in the bass mainly, maybe the left-panned electric guitars sound a little clearer too). But holy crap that is subtle. I would never have known it was being toggled on and off if I wasn't watching the video.

[@1acidwash]

Subtle changes are what make a mix....Dont mix with your eyes, mix with your ears

[@darkmaer]

Yeah it is subtle, which only makes sense. It only emulates one thing in the chain. Same with slate's vtm, but you add both of them along with the vbc and vmr it essentially completes that audio chain. All those add up to quite an amazing sound as long as you know how to use what you have. But vcc, vtm and vbc are always on all my tracks, now I'm getting to know the vmr modules.

[@LowEndSessions]

In my opinion its lacking a bit of focus on the calibration (the "needle" on the bottom of the VU), since by default its not calibrated to 0 VU = -14dbFS (EBU R68), and to people who use "digital" VU meters and other analog emulation plugins this makes a lot of difference. From what i know from the Slate Digital Tech Support, its not possible to calibrate VCC (Track or Buss) and save it as a template in VMR, you have to calibrate every track if you wish to use another calibration level. This said, i'm a VCC user since earlier versions and i use it a lot, along with VTM and VBC, small price for a good plug-in.

[@jackeyyow]

Hi , i got chance to own dangerous D box few years ago just for curiosity, is there anyone using Slate Digital Virtual Channel Collection(or any other mixer emulation) but still summing out thru D-box? do i still need those mixer emulation when summing thru D-box? Thanks

[@larrytate1657]

If you need more info, I believe that's exactly what David from Home recording made easy uses.

[@TheeRocker]

nicely explained,,, I could only grab the RC Tube, nice it came with the iLok2 this month,,, And even the RC Tube adds, it's own, to what already sounds great,, I went through a couple previously mixed songs, and popped this on choice tracks, main out and I'm leaving them on, lol,, Can't wait to grab the whole VMR bundle,,, S12 baby !!! Yyyyeeeooowwww!! (lol,, had to)

[@rykerblade_snb]

So this raises a question to me: If in the digital domain you want to record with a level between -16dB and -10dB, but in the analog domain you want to try and hit 0, what level do you go for on this plugin? -16 to -10 seems too low but I also don't want to record too hot and risk ruining a good track

[@stompeee]

+Ryker Blade It's emulating hardware, so gain stage as if it is hardware.

[@rykerblade_snb]

So try and peak around zero then?

[@stompeee]

In plugin, yes. Don't make the instrument peak around zero in the DAW's mixer before running through plugin.

[@HR2635]

when recording just keep it low.. its digital.. there is no noise (well.. not more than your signal chain), so you can always turn the raw track up later (unlike analog gear where that would add all kinds of noise, flutter, and what not).. as Stompy says: the plugin?.. use it as if it was hardware.

[@Dampa33]

Hi Graham, I have had the VCC for a while now and really enjoy using it. I was just wondering do you put any instances of the virtual channel plugin on your drum buss, guitar buss etc, or only on the individual channels? Cheers in advance!!

[@Guitarpima]

This is the most informative video I've seen yet. I've been putting the grey one on all the busses and now I know better so thanks for that. This may be a subjective question but should the VCC be before the other VMR plugs or after?

[@GarnetBernard]

Guitarpima I agree, best detailed explanation of a plugin, it’s relation to the real thing, and it’s application that I’ve seen. Again, thanks for that.

[@joshmiller5374]

Would you recommend this or the Waves NLS? I've been trying to decide which one I should use

[@Actionmen1234]

Josh Miller nls for 26.1 bucks with ck901 coupon code, so maybe wanna try it out ;)

[@DraskoPopovicMrgud]

I have to choose between getting this or VBC plugin. I'd like to hear some opinions :) Both plugins deliver subtle but vibe-y and cool details to our mixes I'm just not sure witch gives you more. I'll get them both eventually but I really need help in deciding witch one should be first. I do own several master-buss compressors but ended up not using them (I do use Native Instruments VariMu from time to time as a parallel). Cheeres!

[@JamesClark1991]

I'd go for the VBC personally (and I did). I find the VCC just makes everything a little louder and applies some weird EQ curve, I can live without that. I don't use the VBC on the mix bus all that much but I *love* what the FG-Grey does to my drum groups. I parallel compress them with the FG-Grey and use them on room mics and it makes them rock.

[@indiejohn]

To my humble ears it sounds exactly the same as slapping VOS Rescue mk1 plugin on master buss, which is free BTW.

[@dulla8469]

how do you know if you dont compare it with the same track,

[@rich6653]

Getting G.A.S. (gear aquisition syndrome) seeing this review. Is it as friendly on the cpu as VMR?

[@Feelingawesome0]

listening in 1080p with apogee duet and mackie hr824s in an acoustically treated room and I can't hear any difference... maybe I'm going deaf?

[@ENONBEATS]

When there on focus more on the low ends.. It gives it a more fuller and warmer sound. Very nice

[@Feelingawesome0]

ENON Ye your right. Second time round I heard more separation between sounds. The top end seemed slightly airier and the bottom end a bit fatter and warmer. It's very subtle though. At least to me, I guess all of our ears are different and some people can hear differences like that easier. I've heard good things about these plugins though I don't know whether the price is warranted. Still pretty amazing achievement to replicate the sound of those old desks .

[@VinnyG_Music]

Must be.

[@PatrickPleau]

BTW any KZbin video resolution from 240 to 1080p only the video size and quality that change. audio is the same. ultra compressed 128kbps. at least last time I checked.

[@Feelingawesome0]

***** weird comment...

[@dayboyy1]

What is the difference between pushing the drive and the input?? I'm confused

[@h.gjones2862]

drive add coloration...input controls volume

[@PureAmbientDrone]

+dayboyy1 Drive adds harmonic distortion, whereas the input should be pushed until you see the meter hit around 0db so you can keep all your input levels even to start with. After that you would use faders for each channel to balance the mix.

[@ThatOneGirlDrummer]

This explained a lot for me, thank you!

[@stormshadow2k]

Anyone know how much cpu power having 10-15 (or any other number) of these in your mix will consume?

[@AbirTarafdar]

Not much. I throw it on all audio tracks and have plenty cpu left.

[@CardboardGuitars]

Hey, when you buy the VCC do you access it from your VMR or does it show up as a seperate plugin?

[@amberleycosmo]

CardboardGuitars You access it from the VMR. And you get a couple of other free plugins bundled into the rack when you buy the VCC 8-))

[@adamlewis976]

would this be good for an electronic/dance musician as well?

[@manicpanic9391]

+Adam Lewis might be late but yeah it's a mixer standard now.

[@spade2heart]

I find it funny that you don't make any mention of even order harmonics or self noise. Now, this plugin is fantastic and it's really done wonders for my past couple of mixes, but please don't amount something that's measurable to such a wide range of "vibe."

[@DaMonstaMuzik]

For those who have experience with Slate Mix Rack stuff, do you gain stage before entering or do you use VMR/VCC to do your gain staging?

[@DeOrestes]

im also curious

[@larrytate1657]

Before it.

[@DaMonstaMuzik]

+Larry Tate yea figured that out. Im gonna get VCC soon

[@kfir26]

Use 1080p and good soundcard to hear a difference

[@henrikhansson1]

Did anyone count how many times the word "super" was used in this review? ;)

[@DatAnydex]

Very good job. Thanks.

[@Jabskin]

im not sure i can hear a difference :(

[@StudioGoldsmith]

Listen to the hi-hat for instance. When the VCC is on, it seems to 'come closer'. Also the guitars experience a greater spatial separation. I can actually hear it better with my monitors, than with my headphones.

[@theaudiocooker2423]

To be fair to the plugins this is a poor review in terms of the plugins not really been used correctly. You have to use the plugins like you would a real console. If you’ve ever worked on something like an SSL then you should know the trick is that by the time you’ve reached the end of your mix you should be driving the mix buss well in to the red, you’ve got to hit it hard. These consoles have a sweet spot there where some quite pronounced magic happen. The reviewer was barely tickling the mix buss. The VU needle needs to be pretty much nailed to the right, at least well in the red, especially on the SSL and Neve models.

[@firstmile]

Very helpful. Thanks

[@LANewsMusic]

Do you HAVE to use that VMR format? That's ugly...and this is the only Slate plugin I'll ever buy.

[@Luiz125876]

Great Plugin, one more Slate Product for me.

[@taxmoneyyy]

I don't understand how a mixing engineer would gamble with their fine-tuned work and add that massive-and-unpredictable bus processing to their mixes. Even if the whole deal is to mix "into" this plugin, as any side artifact (say, that Neve setting that introduces a huge low shelf boost at 40 / 50hz) would only result in more corrective EQ/leveling work and more time burnt away at fixing something you yourself introduced in the first place.

[@Subholik3]

honestly can't hear anything !! maybe YT compression

[@9thaspect9]

Subtle difference but quite clear on Monitors

[@thisisamirmusic]

Actually With A Real Console You Still Need To Have A Good mix To Get Best Results

[@DEADLINETV]

This made complete sense to me. I'm not buying it... Back to the drawing board.

[@rawstarmusic]

I miss the vocals for that song, it sounds good. I think the snare is to deep though. I can't detect the nuances in plug-ins like this, even if I compare.

[@theahch]

is it weird I want to rap to this track?

[@mitchrelf957]

Couldn't you just put 2 of these on the mix bus? Why every single track? Save your CPU

[@mcnitt]

VCC doesn't shine on this rough mix. A better A/B would be on a finished song, of which there are plenty of examples on KZbin. Agree with the review though. VCC is the best plugin I've purchased in years and it has a permanent spot in my mix templates.

[@specialkcitizen6263]

100% agreed. Maybe they are frightened to actually mix something because then we can tell if they have the chops. KZbin is filled with snake oil salesmen.

[@datamasked623]

FG-X 2.0 is coming soon, too. Once you use that, you'll understand just how terrible Waves' mastering tools are.

[@apinakapinastorba]

Song arrangement was jumpy so I could not spot the difference easily

[@vadimmartynyuk]

very very very very cool. kinda

[@aleknostar]

Slate is all hype and this is his most overrated plugin imho. VCC is very CPU heavy, who would really wanna waste CPU to get a more than a subtle enhancement... stop the madness people, think for yourselves.

[@aleknostar]

+Mike Whissell I totally disagree about the CUP hit. To answer your question, of course i've tried the plugins...I own everything by Slate digital, except for VMR. The only one i still often use today is the VBC Red.

[@AndresGarcia-kj3cr]

Slate digital has great plugins, but their customer service is is horrible.

[@bloodlord1989]

Man why you have to tell us about all these plug in's then tell us to forget these plug in's then tell us if aren't old enough (not mature yet in mixing, meaning don't know how to mix)we shouldn't get these plug ins. Lol i'm just messing around and as a matter of fact i learned how to mix better on these types of idiot proof plug in's because i started into sound design when producing music and took mixing the wrong way setting extreme values. These types of plug ins are great for beginners in demo mode (if they can't afford it) to learn how to mix if they are making extreme changes, well at least for people who learn that way. But yea plug in addiction is worst then crack, heroin and all that bad stuff (not really since it can't kill you) because it takes over your mind making you have to use that one compressor that cost 500 bucks and get more and more plug ins. Even plug in rehab doesn't help which is going to free plug in web sites and downloading those because of being broke. I know this all sounds like a joke,but it's a seriously bad habit that can stop productive work. If anyone is reading this and is addicted to plug ins just mix, make music or work already, think about your poor cpu being overloaded with all these plug ins stacked up and use less plug ins. Also think about all the time your wasting on picking an EQ from 100 of EQ plug in and think about making better music which is the motto of recordingrevolution.

[@bloodlord1989]

Btw I love plug in's a lot so i went through my phase and even got so bad at one point i tried to make my own which was cool,but was better used for making a lot of noise. I can still appreciate all the great analog plug ins,but i don't go crazy about them if they don't help the mix on every track. I don't use only analog emulations on every track ,but both analog and digital including stock plug ins to save cpu.

[@1acidwash]

wtf are you going on about dude.....

[@bloodlord1989]

1acidwash Plug in addiction

[@1acidwash]

Must be an amateur condition....

[@OzziePete1]

blood lord "Plug In Addiction": a variant of G.A.S. that afflicts guitarists who set up their own Home Studio...

[@suryamoorthy4924]

i cannot believe u cant appreciate analogue - its like infinite bits at as high a sample rate as u like - right now u have 24 bits --- on digital - an inferior system.