SOUND ON SOUND

[Dr Huge Longjohns]

Title says it all. Sample Magic have just announced that they're no longer supporting AB Magic, which I use on literally every mix, so am looking around for alternatives for when it finally dies. Or any other automatic level matching reference plugs, of course. CHeers

Here's the link to Reference https://www.masteringthemix.com/products/reference

[Zukan]

I have it. Not used it yet but have watched all the vids and read the reviews. I like the fact that you can break it into bands and treat each band separately.

[Martin Walker]

Hi Dr Huge!

I suspect your best bet (assuming AB Magic is on longer doing what you need) is the rather more sophisticated ADPTR MetricAB, written more recently by the same developer (Marc Adamo), and marketed via Plugin Alliance:



https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/prod ... ricab.html

I bought this when it was on special offer for just $39 (instead of the normal $199), and it has revolutionised my mastering by giving me all the comparative features of AB Magic, along with plenty more, and an ongoing development schedule (there's a fascinating update due to appear soon).


Martin

[Zukan]

That looks interesting. Thanks Martin.

[Dr Huge Longjohns]

39 looks like a steal, 199 looks like a ripoff!

[Martin Walker]

39 looks like a steal, 199 looks like a ripoff!

I would tend to agree, and would never have bought it at the nominal price point :headbang:

Just carry on using AB Magic until Plugin Alliance pop Metric AB into their next sale ;)


Martin

[Dr Huge Longjohns]

I'll probably download the demo of Reference too in the interim as it's sensibly priced.

[Dr Huge Longjohns]

OK, had a play with Reference this afternoon. Very good indeed. Very intuitive interface so you barely need to look at the manual (hoorah!) and very easy to use. You can load up to 20 tracks as reference tracks and instantly switch as with Magic AB. But this lets you automatically match levels, which you have to do manually with Magic, and gives you LUFS as well as peak and gain comparisons. And as Zukan said, you can break the analysis into up to five eq bands to see how each compares with your reference. You can solo these too to see what's going on in each band and loop sections of your reference if needed. I think this is an excellent plugin in the short time I've been using it and £49 seems about right. One tiny gripe, the meters for the Original and Reference tracks are arranged as mirror images, whilst this is clearly aesthetically pleasing in a design sense it's slightly annoying when you're flicking between them visually. So on the left, the LUFS meter is on the left, the peak on the right. On the Ref side, these are reversed for no practical reason.

Check it out chaps.

[blinddrew]

That sounds like it might be one for the Christmas list. :thumbup:

[Dr Huge Longjohns]

I think £49 makes it an impulse buy almost. Your family can eat beans on toast for a few days and you're sorted.

[blinddrew]

Sadly my impulses currently have to be more constrained than this - primarily because one massive 'impulse' is in the pipeline. :)

[ore_terra]

I'll try that one. I didn't know Magic AB was being discontinued and it's also sticked into my mixing template...

[Dr Huge Longjohns]

Yeah, Sample Magic have ditched all their plugins.

[Martin Walker]

39 looks like a steal, 199 looks like a ripoff!

I would tend to agree, and would never have bought it at the nominal price point :headbang:

Just carry on using AB Magic until Plugin Alliance pop Metric AB into their next sale ;)

ADATR Audio MetricAB from plugin alliance is currently on sale, down from $199 to $49 for the next coupld of days.

https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/prod ... ricab.html

Get in quick if you fancied it but not at the full price! ;)


Martin

[Dr Huge Longjohns]

Cheers Martin, may have to take the plunge!

[Martin Walker]

:thumbup:

[Dr Huge Longjohns]

It's $49 plus vat in case any one is taking the plunge!