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Hatsubai « Monitor and EQ »
Published on 06/15/11 at 14:30This is another plugin made by Waves that was modeled after a famous Eddie Kramer product. This plugin is based on the Helios mixing console that was found in London's Olympic Studio. For those that don't know, the London Olympic Studio is one of the most famous studios in the entire world when it comes to everything that is classic rock. This particular device is basically just a monitor with a somewhat primitive EQ. The main thing you'll probably be using this for will be the EQ portion as today's monitors are more accurate and precise. The EQ itself is pretty good, but it definitely leans towards the vintage side. Don't expect anything very clear and transparent. This thing is meant to add its own character to whatever you're EQing, be it good or bad. There is a good bit of saturation that occurs when you use this, so keep that in mind when you use it. The lows are a bit on the boomy side, but the highs on this unit are pretty nice.
SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE
Waves plugins are some of the most famous plugins out there, and it's for good reason. They're cross platform, and considering I'm a Mac user, that's a big plus for me. They're also extremely reliable. I've never had a Waves plugin directly crash my session when inserting it into a buss. The same can't be said for certain other plugins out there. I really wish it was 100% 64 bit, but I have a feeling it'll be a few years before we see that. On the other hand, Logic employs a special converter, so it's not a huge deal. It doesn't take up much memory like some plugins do, so you're free to use this quite a bit. I've been a long time Waves user, and I've had the Mercury bundle for a few months now. Can't say I ever read the manual simply because a lot of these plugins are fairly self explanatory.
OVERALL OPINION
I don't use this plugin nearly as much as certain other ones. I prefer a much more transparent EQ for the most part, and when I want character, I'll usually use some sort of compressor. I find that a nice vintage compressor will be much cooler on guitars than a vintage EQ for whatever reason. You'll probably want to use this sparingly, regardless. It's a pretty powerful plugin, so keep that in mind when selecting various settings.
SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE
Waves plugins are some of the most famous plugins out there, and it's for good reason. They're cross platform, and considering I'm a Mac user, that's a big plus for me. They're also extremely reliable. I've never had a Waves plugin directly crash my session when inserting it into a buss. The same can't be said for certain other plugins out there. I really wish it was 100% 64 bit, but I have a feeling it'll be a few years before we see that. On the other hand, Logic employs a special converter, so it's not a huge deal. It doesn't take up much memory like some plugins do, so you're free to use this quite a bit. I've been a long time Waves user, and I've had the Mercury bundle for a few months now. Can't say I ever read the manual simply because a lot of these plugins are fairly self explanatory.
OVERALL OPINION
I don't use this plugin nearly as much as certain other ones. I prefer a much more transparent EQ for the most part, and when I want character, I'll usually use some sort of compressor. I find that a nice vintage compressor will be much cooler on guitars than a vintage EQ for whatever reason. You'll probably want to use this sparingly, regardless. It's a pretty powerful plugin, so keep that in mind when selecting various settings.