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moosers
Published on 08/29/11 at 14:46
Slate Digital's Virtual Console Collection is a set of two plug-ins, suitable for use on both Mac and PC systems. The plug-ins basically give you four different vintage console models to choose from, each found on the two plug-ins, one of which is dubbed the 'virtual channel' and the other which is the 'virtual mix buss.' The plug-ins are available in VST format for Windows and RTAS/AU/VST for Intel based Mac systems. The interfaces of each of the two plug-ins are simple to understand. The mix buss plug-in has a mode knob to choose between the four different virtual consoles - US A (API), British N (Neve), British 4K (SSL), and PSI (Trident) - and a drive parameter. The Virtual Channel plug-in has the same mode parameter to go along with input and drive controls, so as you can see these are pretty simple. You can also group the two of them together if you'd like. The manual shouldn't be necessary unless you're having technical issues.
SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE
I don't own the Slate Digital Virtual Console Collection, so I wasn't too involved with installing it, but one of the studios that I often work out of has this installed and I can't say that I've ever had a problem using it. It's an all Pro Tools HD system with a Mac Pro tower, and although I don't have the exact specs on the computer, it's very powerful and handles pretty much everything we throw at it. I wouldn't think that these take up too much processing power, but how well they will run totally depends on your system.
OVERALL OPINION
The Slate Digital Virtual Console Collection of two plug-ins are some of the best of it's kind without a doubt. They sound very realistic and it's super cool that you can choose between four major console modelers like Neve, SSL, API and Trident. I can't say that they sound like dead on replicas, but of course that isn't to be expected and they definitely sound good enough where you can hear the difference and assign them to each of these. The price won't make the Slate Digital Virtual Console Collection the cheapest around, but they're still not bad and often Slate will offer up sales as well. These are some of the best sounding plug-ins that I've used in recent memory and would definitely recommend them to anyone after some top quality console modeling plugs.
SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE
I don't own the Slate Digital Virtual Console Collection, so I wasn't too involved with installing it, but one of the studios that I often work out of has this installed and I can't say that I've ever had a problem using it. It's an all Pro Tools HD system with a Mac Pro tower, and although I don't have the exact specs on the computer, it's very powerful and handles pretty much everything we throw at it. I wouldn't think that these take up too much processing power, but how well they will run totally depends on your system.
OVERALL OPINION
The Slate Digital Virtual Console Collection of two plug-ins are some of the best of it's kind without a doubt. They sound very realistic and it's super cool that you can choose between four major console modelers like Neve, SSL, API and Trident. I can't say that they sound like dead on replicas, but of course that isn't to be expected and they definitely sound good enough where you can hear the difference and assign them to each of these. The price won't make the Slate Digital Virtual Console Collection the cheapest around, but they're still not bad and often Slate will offer up sales as well. These are some of the best sounding plug-ins that I've used in recent memory and would definitely recommend them to anyone after some top quality console modeling plugs.