Reply To: Plugin bundles. Worth it?

[Guido tum SudenKeymaster]

Hi,
if you've got Logic you really have everything you need.
The problem is, that some of the plugins are rather difficult to use, the distortion plugins that emulate tube or transistor distortions for instance.
What you don't have is a transient designer (the enveloper is used for that) and any kind of console or channel emulation.

I bought Waves Gold for $ 199 mainly because I liked the VEQ4. I used a lot of the plugins for some time, but now, two years later, I only use them occasionally. But they were a big help for me, not because of their sound, it's the many presets that helped me find out what you need to do with the plugins to use them effectively.

BTW, Logic's plugins are not shortcoming. You have a solid EQ which can even be set to M/S, just don't forget to turn on the spectrum analyzer which isn't on by default.
The compressor is really five compressors, a clean one and clones of LA2A, 1176, dbx160, SSL 2-Bus. The problem with Logic's compressor clones is, that you have much more possibilities than with the real ones.
The EQ, the Compressor and the Gain plugin is all you really need to start mixing.

As for effects: I've heard it said more than once that Logic's Space Designer alone is worth the price of Logic. But the other reverbs are good, too. There are lot's of delays, but again, you have to know how to use them. If you want a slap delay of a 15 ips tape you just dial in the preset on Waves H-Delay. You can make the same delay with Logic's Tape Delay but there's no preset for that, so you have to adjust the plugin yourself.

Guido