KIT Plugins have announced the release of their latest software collaboration with Nashville’s Blackbird Studios, BB N73. The plug-in not only emulates the sound of Neve’s iconic 1073 preamp and EQ, but also features a master bus section inspired by the master bus of the studio’s Neve 8058 console.
BB N73's resizable GUI.The plug-in’s input gain can operate as a stepped control (in the same way to the original device), whilst a continuous mode allows the fixed steps to be removed. Additional gain staging control is provided by an output fader, with the output section designed to provide users with the “vibe and mojo” achieved by pushing a high signal level into a vintage consoles master bus. Helpfully, an automatic gain feature is provided, which will lower the level of the output fader as the input gain is increased in order to maintain a constant output level.
In terms of EQ, the plug-in provides a fixed high-shelf, a mid-range peak filter that can be placed at 0.36, 0.7, 1.6, 3.2, 4.8 or 7.2 kHz, and a low-shelf with 35, 60, 110 and 220 Hz options. There is also a dedicated high-pass filter, which offers 50, 80, 160 and 300 Hz settings. A set of central meters provide a visual indication of levels at the plug-in’s input, the input stage of the master bus section and the final output level. The master section also houses a switchable Analog Hum feature, which allows users to introduce noise at three pre-defined levels.
The GUI can be resized simply by clicking and dragging on the bottom right corner, and oversampling options of x2, x4 and x8 are provided, with higher settings offering increased processing definition, and the lower settings resulting in less CPU usage.
Compatibility
BB N73 is supported on both Mac and Windows platforms, and is available in VST3, AU and AAX formats.
Pricing & Availability
BB N73 is available now, and is currently (8 March 2023) being offered for an introductory price of $75, reduced from its usual cost of $150. Users who have purchased the company’s BB N105 V1 plug-in will receive BB N73 free for a year.
