Huge announcement from Audio Assault...the suite

[pipelineaudio]

Right after our very discussion here about the problem of all these one off cash grabs, Audio Assault announces, thankfully!:

"
Moving forward all our amps will be inside one plug-in, the previous amps are being ported to this new system, including reamp as is.
Hopefully this will make updating a lot easier for me and we'll be able to put out more detailed amps.
(You will be able to use all the reamp amps from the current version in the new plug-in, but they wont be re-done sonically)"
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbi...HShpHCB0htLpEWm1frOXaZvoXTEjnMzo&__tn__=*bH-R

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbi...HShpHCB0htLpEWm1frOXaZvoXTEjnMzo&__tn__=*bH-R

 

[MirrorProfiles]

I like Audio Assault’s amp sims but in my attempts to find the most accurate input levels for various plugins brands, I got by far the most puzzling response out of any company from AA.

Kind of a shame because I liked their plugins, but the response was along the lines of:

“accuracy has absolutely no importance at all”
“it’s all dumb guitar stuff especially at the end when its head on dollar store headphones”
“I can’t stand little details”

etc.

From that perspective I think the plugins punch above well above their weight. But they’re essentially $5 hobbiest throwaway bits of fun than anything that shouldnt be taken seriously. I’m not even sure how it’s possible to make any emulation software without understanding this stuff.

Pick them up if you feel like it, but remember you get what you pay for. I’d recommend supporting the companies that take pride and ambition in their work.

 

[Lysander]

I know i'm being nitpicky, and that it has nothing to do with how the thing sounds, but that skeuomorphic SD-1 looks.... just off.

I've seen better Photoshop jobs posted here at TGF.

 

[pipelineaudio]

Alex is one of the best people at being lazy in the universe...he writes himself whole systems so that he can be lazy. His code is unreal, lightweight and very stable. I use XCTR in pretty much every mix. He was very very early on to the profiling thing, but for legal reasons doesn't or at least didn't say much about it. He's had profile players since the same time as overloud and the ability to capture at about the same time as that as well. I'm not super surprised at the level thing. I did have his test tones, maybe I can figure from there

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Alex is one of the best people at being lazy in the universe...he writes himself whole systems so that he can be lazy. His code is unreal, lightweight and very stable. I use XCTR in pretty much every mix. He was very very early on to the profiling thing, but for legal reasons doesn't or at least didn't say much about it. He's had profile players since the same time as overloud and the ability to capture at about the same time as that as well. I'm not super surprised at the level thing. I did have his test tones, maybe I can figure from there

are all the plugins working off some kind of profiling technique? I didn't want to pry to much into how they're doing things but it work make sense.

if so, then measuring the internal reference levels is 1 minute of work (if that). Laziness is no excuse IMO, its in the realm of a lack of care/disregard for the user experience. He told me an LUFS level of his test signal but that doesn't help anything - he would need to measure his reamp chain to be sure. The responses I get baffle me because SOMEONE must be signing off that the plugins are ready for release and working as expected. The emulations are either accurate and legitimate emulations of gear, or they are approximations with GUI's put on top to give the user the impression they are more accurate than they are.

My gut feeling is they sound great and close to what they are supposed to - therefore there is a correct internal headroom setting that will give the most accurate results. I just think Alex maybe doesn't understand what that is, or why it matters. I think for plugins to be taken seriously (and to command "pro" prices/attention etc), then this stuff matters a lot. If its just a hobby/bit of fun, then do what you want. I like their plugins, but its competitive and I'll always choose what gives me the most accurate and realistic response first and foremost.

 

[pipelineaudio]

I should put you in touch with him....Its not just you pushing him on some of the tech specs...I think its become a game with so many of us to try and get him to do some basic things or answer some basic questions, usually the breakthrough is whenever someone can show him that actually measuring or incrementing is a big benefit to his customers