I have the VCC and the FG-X. They are both really good.

VCC adds a touch of analog non-linearities. Very subtle but also very effective. Don't know why, but somehow it's easier to mix a song. Seems like everything finds it's own place in the mix much better.
It's the first thing I put on the inserts of a track...

FG-X is a very good limiter which can preserve the dynamics even when hard driven.

If you have an iLok you should download the demos and decide for yourself.

The FG-X is one of my favorite limiters (even above the venerable Waves L2). Like ouzo stated, even when you're really hammering the limiter, you still end up with a track that sounds like it has dynamic range. The worst thing a limiter intended for mastering can do is make a mix sound squashed, and the FG-X avoids that problem like the plague. I'd recommend it.

Slate also puts out the best drum samples around, so you may want to check those out as well.

VCC...is good, but isn't really worth investing in, IMO. Trigger's fairly standard. FG-X and his samples are where the real money quality is.

Ouzu's also right with the demos - pick up an [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.zzounds…"]iLok[/]="http://www.zzounds…"]iLok[/] if you don't have one, and try out the demos for a few days.

I prefer the waves console emulator over the slate. Plus you don't need a stupid Ilok. IMHO its bad business practice to treat your customers like they are thieves.

JeremyCox, post: 390919 wrote: I prefer the waves console emulator over the slate. Plus you don't need a stupid Ilok. IMHO its bad business practice to treat your customers like they are thieves.

You dont need to have ilok anymore to buy waves plug-ins

dzara, post: 390992 wrote: You dont need to have ilok anymore to buy waves plug-ins

Yeah, thats one of the reasons I like it

I have the VCC, VBC and the VMR, and they've pretty much taken over my mixing workflow now. VCC just adds that little extra coloration and glue to things, each of the console models is quite different too, for example the Neve fattens up the low end incredibly. The virtual bus compressors are the closest Ive heard to actually sounding like the hardware equivalents, with the SSL one in particular just adding something really beautiful. The virtual mix rack is now my go to for broad stroke EQ and compression (the waves Q10 still rules for surgical stuff). Im going to demo the VTM soon and see what that does, expecting good things and most likely expenditure. Overall they do a very good job of bringing some of the analog mixing experience inside the box.

I have the VCC - most recent version... (if you own VCC and haven't yet received notification about the update, it's free, visit Slate to DL it.)

I like it; I don't use it on everything I do, but then again I don't use all of my IK/T-Racks ad Waves plugs all the time, either. It depends on what sound I'm after at the time. I've done may mixes using nothing more than the stock EQ and GR plgs within Samplitude.

If you are looking for a "dramatic" difference with VCC, I can tell you that there's not really a "wow factor" to them, but they do add character and color, the degree of which is dependent on how much you drive it. I'm not always looking for huge differences either. Most of the time, I look for subtle sonic changes, little things that I feel make a difference but not in a jaw-dropping way.

I did try the VMR, I thought it was pretty decent, but in the end, I went with T-Racks for processors (like the LA2, 1176, 670, Focusrite Red and SSL Bus Compressor emulations), but, that's just a personal preference.
I will say that I do like that T-Racks allows me to also process audio in M/S if I choose (and I work quite a bit with M/S processing in my mixing style, so that was a bonus for me).

I'm not sure if Slate's gain reduction or channel strip emulation processors allow that option or not; I only had them for a short time ( 10 day trial) and at the time I was basing my decision strictly on their abilities as gain reduction on standard mono/stereo processing.

It wasn't until after I started working with the T-Racks stuff that I discovered the M/S processing with their processors, and that kinda sealed the deal for me.

I've grown weary of the whole iLok thing - which Slate continues to implement - and it's not that I have issues with these companies protecting their software from being pirated, because I think they should protect themselves. A lot of research, hard work and development go into those plugs, and they should be compensated at the price they've chosen to sell them for.
I just think that authorizing to your HDD should be enough. I have the most recent iLok, (obviously, I use it because I have Slate's VCC), but personally, I think it's a bit of a PITA to have to deal with.

I Think you wold probably find The VCC to be useful, as long as you aren't expecting gigantic and monumental results. ;)

DonnyThompson, post: 427022, member: 46114 wrote:
I've grown weary of the whole iLok thing - which Slate continues to implement - and it's not that I have issues with these companies protecting their software from being pirated, because I think they should protect themselves. A lot of research, hard work and development go into those plugs, and they should be compensated at the price they've chosen to sell them for.
I just think that authorizing to your HDD should be enough. I have the most recent iLok, (obviously, I use it because I have Slate's VCC), but personally, I think it's a bit of a PITA to have to deal with.

I've never had any issues with my iLok. I even prefer it to the IK authorization system.
Everytime you make a clean install on your computer or you get a new one you have to authorize each and every single IK plugin. Which is anoying enough. But you only have so many (I think 3-5) authorizations. After that I don't know what happens...
Maybe they changed the system recently. The last time I had to make a fresh install is over two years ago.
With the iLok I just have to install the iLok Manager software and I can use the plugins on any computer, though only on at a time.

IK makes great plugins (I own quite a few and use Amplitube a lot) but I don't like their update policy. I have the SampleTron and SampleMoog libraries for SampleTank, which I can't use anymore, because the old SampleTank is only 32Bits. If I'd like to use the sounds I paid for, I would have to buy the new 64Bit SampeTank... They do offer a free version of SampleTank 3, but you can't use old libraries with it. Only in the paid version...
On the other hand, Slate did update their plugins to 64bit and gave VCC2.0 to all existing users for free!
Though I'm still waiting for 64Bit FG-X...

I don't know about how samplitude use plugins, but with Sonar, I can load 32bit plugins in Sonar x64 and use them. (I just need to put them in the same folder or point to them in the plugin manager... Yes they won't get use of the 64bit architecture but at least I don't loose my investment.
I'm running Windows 8.1 x64 btw

I'm using Logic X. No 32Bit support.
In Logic 9 there was a "BitBridge", but I didn't use that, because it was kind of a workaround and not so great.

ouzo77, post: 427026, member: 27807 wrote: I'm using Logic X. No 32Bit support.
In Logic 9 there was a "BitBridge", but I didn't use that, because it was kind of a workaround and not so great.

Oh! sorry to read that.

pcrecord, post: 427028, member: 46460 wrote: Oh! sorry to read that.

No need to be. I love Logic X. And all other plugins are available for 64Bits.

pcrecord, post: 427025, member: 46460 wrote: don't know about how samplitude use plugins, but with Sonar, I can load 32bit plugins in Sonar x64 and use them. (I just need to put them in the same folder or point to them in the plugin manager... Yes they won't get use of the 64bit architecture but at least I don't loose my investment.
I'm running Windows 8.1 x64 btw

I'm also running W 8.1 64.
Samp Pro X (64) handles 32 bit plugs running along with 64 bit versions just fine - same thing with VSTi's like Garritan GPO, Native/East-West Colossus, B4, as well as my older 32 bit VST's from Waves.

There must be a bit bridge of some sort built into the code that allows this.