Antress Modern Plugins - Awesome!
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Posted on Jan 26, 2010 01:33 pm
Tadpui
I am not a crook's head
Member Since: Mar 14, 2003
Sorry if this has already been posted, but I just stumbled across a series of very high-quality VST plugin effects from Antress. I've only used the reverb so far, and it is good as far as freebies go. I've read very good things about the compressor (that's what got me searching for these in the first place).
I'm looking forward to putting these through their paces, and I thought that you all would like to know about them also. Their GUIs look great, very slick and polished.
antress.er-webs.com/
Enjoy!
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Jan 26, 2010 09:00 pm I've heard them called a lot of things besides "awesome" -- Although admittedly I've not tried the reverb.
I'm glad that they stopped (evidently) stealing copyrighted designs (allegedly, allegedly) though...
They have a "reputation" of sorts... It's not a good one.
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Jan 26, 2010 10:54 pm Well, think of it this way: I'm a hobbyist, and I use a lot of free plugins. Same goes for the vast majority of the forum members here. Keep in mind our budgets relative to each other. Compare these to any other freebie VST plugin compressors, limiters, and other dynamics processors and see how they stack up. Just because they don't sit alongside your Universal Audio, Crane, Manley, Pultec, ect. hardware in a professional mastering studio doesn't mean they can't be awesome to a hobbyist.
I haven't had a chance to use all of these yet. How do these actually sound? You didn't elaborate on their sound quality, you just say that they're not awesome, that they don't have a good reputation, and imply that they're involved in some sort of copyright infringement.
If you know of any good similar free VST plugins, definitely post them here. Us home recordists need things like this.
Jan 27, 2010 12:28 am That's not what I really meant... And I'm not particularly certain on this "honed down" selection -- I'm just going by past experience (which was exceptionally bad). The guy had "hijacked" GUI's belonging to other companies (it was really rather blatant in some cases) calling them "emulations" (when the controls weren't even right - much less the sound - which was pretty much the same - and fairly crappy - from one "emulation" to the next).
Free plugs -- There are so many I wouldn't know where to start. What's that one site -- KVR Audio (?)
Any of the Digital FishPhones stuff (Sascha is writing plugs for Samp/Sequoia now, but his old stuff is still the shizzle) -- GVST, Even Voxengo has some cool freebie stuff.
I'll admit - I'm biased as hell with this joker (mentioned above) just because of his "questionable background" (which pissed off a whole lot of people, lemme tell you).
(EDIT)
I notice his new site is one of those freebie sites based in China (where they don't give a rat's rear end about intellectual property rights) and he's *still* claiming emulations of products (that don't even come close) while he doesn't own the rights to be throwing those names around. I heard about some alleged lawsuits before... I guess this is his way of avoiding them.
It's a shame - He could make the greatest plugs in the universe and I'd avoid them just on principle.
BleakA small pie will soon be eatenMember
Since: Aug 26, 2004
Jan 27, 2010 12:31 am Great find Tadpui,
I'm never to busy to check out new plugins.
I've messed around with SO many and in a fair few cases the commercial ones aren't miles ahead of some of the freebies.
I'll give these a shot for sure.
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Jan 27, 2010 12:48 am Hey, no problem Massive. I'm in a foul mood tonight and I probalby came off more harsh than I intended. It's just so hard to find good freebies for a hobbyist's studio.
So what did the dude behind Antress do? Was it Behringer-style reverse engineering? Or just flat-out theft?
KVRAudio is the clearing house for plugs of all levels of cost: freeware, demos, shareware, commercial plugs. Their selection is vast, which makes finding quality things a little difficult. They do have a good advanced search though. It's been through that site that I've found pretty much every plugin that I use.
I haven't heard of GVST, I'll have to check them out. Is that an acronym, or will I be able to find their plugs by the GVST search term?
Voxengo I've had hit-and-miss luck with since some of their stuff on KVR is commercial demos and shareware. Do you know what all freebies they offer that are of any quality? I got frustrated with them because I'd be under the impression that I'd have a freeware plug and it'd do the intermittent beep thing or shut down after 30 seconds or something like that.
Digital Phish Phones I kinda like, especially when I'm using DAW software that doesn't have its own dynamics plugin.
My favorites for a while have been the Classic Series from Kjaerhus. Good GUI and pretty good effects for freebies.
I know there's an article in the tips section here at HRC that Flame did a few years back where he listed some free VSTs. I'm starting to think that we should either keep a sticky thread or a new article with links and maybe even reviews of freebie VST, VSTi, and whatever other plugs people around here use.
A good free VST is like gold to us home recordists!
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Jan 27, 2010 12:51 am Oh, here is the page for GVST. They look prett good and simple:
www.gvst.co.uk/
Jan 27, 2010 10:30 am Quote:
So what did the dude behind Antress do? Was it Behringer-style reverse engineering? Or just flat-out theft?
ALLEGEDLY, ALLEGEDLY (of course - but I've seen and used the plugs myself) -- The GUI's were pulled. On one or two of them, you could see where it used to say "UAD" on them, one was right off Manley's web site - And of course, (A) the controls were completely wrong and (B) they all pretty much sounded exactly the same (odd, for several of the most unique sounding compressors on the planet) although it was difficult to figure that out with all the controls not doing what they were supposed to do...
I'd have to assume that a few companies quietly got together and filed charges or CADO's or something. Which explains the sudden "move to China" also.
Quincysanhttp://www.unitedmusicians.infoContributor
Since: Nov 11, 2007
Jan 27, 2010 01:54 pm Sounds like a lot of effort and scandal on behalf of Antress to make a free plugin???
Why would you put yourself through all the hassles of developing a brand, offering 'rip-off' plugins, and moving base to China if you aren't making any money off of it? Wouldn't it make more sense to take all the credit (Made by John Smith vs Made by Antress) and make your product sound the way you want it to sound with a simple original interface. Seems like free plugins would be made by enthusiasts looking to gain notoriety in the field...why put up the emulator front?
Ad revenue? Inquiring minds want to know...
Jan 27, 2010 01:56 pm Quote:
Why would you put yourself through all the hassles of developing a brand, offering 'rip-off'
Hey, i thought we were talking about Behringer for a minute there...
Jan 27, 2010 07:36 pm I'd imagine he just thought it was "cute" and a way for people to take his plugs seriously without consideration for the numerous intellectual property and naming rights laws being broken.
Jan 27, 2010 07:40 pm Laws are overrated anyway.
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
Jan 27, 2010 11:50 pm dam windows fx. me needs mac.
J-botByte-MixerMember
Since: Dec 04, 2007
Jan 28, 2010 12:17 am I used to use the Antress stuff quite a bit in the past, but I think I've moved on from them in favor of using Bootsy's plugs over on Variety of sound.
Give those a check, particularly the epic verb. Very nice effects for what they are, and most of em I like a bit better than the Antress stuff at least so far. The gui's are very nice looking too.
varietyofsound.wordpress.com/downloads/
Oh, this is also the guy than won 1st place in the KVR '09 developer challenge for his tape dynamics simulator. (Ferric TDS) But check out his EQ and Epic Verb for sure. I haven't used Tessla, Density or Nasty yet, but I've heard good things about those too.
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Jan 28, 2010 12:44 am Nice, J-bot. I just grabbed all of them and I'll give 'em a try when I can!
Man it feels good to be back in the studio, even if its a cramped little room :)
