T- racks or waves?

Questions like this aren't going to really give you the answers you want to be honest. Not saying you're brand new... b/c I don't know you lol... but questions like this are usually made by people who are brand new to mixing, and only heard of the Waves bundle and T-Racks bundle, but don't know much else about mixing in general. I only know you're new, b/c I asked the same question to myself when I was new. I figured Waves must be unblievable b/c of how much it costs, and how many people talk about it.

I'll put it like this... both companies make equal quality plugins to mix & master your music with. One is not really better than the other in general.

It really depends on which specific plugs you're talking about in the bundle. Waves is expensive b/c there's just so many plugins in the bundle... but if you broke it down to price per plugin, then they cost about the same.

With that said... I really like Waves' API compressors. I used to like the SSL4000 bus compressor but I now like Stillwell's Bombardier better. I like C4, L2 limiter, soundshifter, and x-noise. Those are the ones I really use. I hear the Ren-Compressor is very good.... i haven't tried it yet. From IK... I think its the LA-2A comp that gets rave reviews.. and i guess the Puigtec? (I'm going from memory here.. i don't have them.) There's a few professional engineers here that have mixed #1 singles with them. Chris Carter is a member here w/ a lot of accolades... he swears by them.

You can't go wrong w/ either.... one isn't better than the next. It's moreso a matter of knowing how to use a compressor or other plugin to achieve the sound you want. Anything beyond that is for a certain character... but you need that experience first before you can appreciate it. Any of these tools are capable of completel f-cking up a mix if not used correctly.

This is gonna sound cheesy... but it's a better idea to use the stock plugins in you DAW first. Learn how to get a good mix out of those tools. Then... if you feel they are holding you back (which should take a very long time to feel that way), then you move to outsource the job to Waves, IK Mulimedia, Softube, etc...
 
Actually T-Racks as a whole gets rave reviews and is used by mastering and mix engineers the world over. The best thing to do in your situation is to download the T-Racks demo and compare for yourself. They definitely sound "real" with our component level modeling.
 
Well its more apples and oranges really. T-Racks does not offer the variety that any waves bundle does. That said I own T-Racks deluxe and I am very happy with it. I do not like the interface on waves plug ins personally. Feels too mechanical if that makes sense though the power of them cannot be denied. There are other plug in bundles worth giving a look at as well for example I use Amplitube and Guitar Rig for general fx I have most of the IK Multimedia stuff though. The nomad factory makes some decent plugs but their support sucks. I like the focusrite mixing plugs as well. The reverb is a bit limited in the Scarlett pack but I still like it because its limitations give it a different kind of feel/sound which I use sometimes but generally I go to the CSR reverbs by IK multimedia. Depending on your budget and what you want exactly you can get great variety going any way you want to with 3rd party fx. I hear Sugar Bytes makes some great plug in fx too but I don't own any of their stuff. The Fab Filter stuff looks interesting as well.
 
What about ozone? More expensive than t-racks, but folks seem to rave bout it. I don't have any of them, but I have my eye on t-racks cause the price seems to be closer to my budget.
 
T-Racks is a really quick and easy way to totally destroy a mix if you're not very, very careful with it. Waves is an immense bundle of all sorts of processors and tools that (in trained hands) can be irreplaceable. Personally, i use Waves on an almost daily basis at work. I only use T-Racks if i'm after that specific coloration that those modules can give. When it comes to "real world" tools, Ozone and Waves are the deal. Pricey? Yes. As the old adage goes: you get what you pay for. If you're serious about becoming a professional, get either Ozone or Waves and study. Learn all you can about audio engineering for real.
 
trkkazulu said:
T-Racks is a really quick and easy way to totally destroy a mix if you're not very, very careful with it. Waves is an immense bundle of all sorts of processors and tools that (in trained hands) can be irreplaceable. Personally, i use Waves on an almost daily basis at work. I only use T-Racks if i'm after that specific coloration that those modules can give. When it comes to "real world" tools, Ozone and Waves are the deal. Pricey? Yes. As the old adage goes: you get what you pay for. If you're serious about becoming a professional, get either Ozone or Waves and study. Learn all you can about audio engineering for real.
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ANYONE with ANY TOOLS can damage audio. T-Racks has one of the best clear and transparent brickwall limiters out. Saying that our stuff is only good for color is like saying the guitar is only good for rock. We just have earned a reputation for making some of the best emulations of real gear down to the individual components and circuits used. Same technology we use in the AmpliTube Custom Shop.
 
ObiK said:
ANYONE with ANY TOOLS can damage audio. T-Racks has one of the best clear and transparent brickwall limiters out. Saying that our stuff is only good for color is like saying the guitar is only good for rock. We just have earned a reputation for making some of the best emulations of real gear down to the individual components and circuits used. Same technology we use in the AmpliTube Custom Shop.
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Greetings! Granted, the brickwall limiter is highly acclaimed. Personally, i prefer Ozone for transparent brickwall limiting. I've worked with T-Racks in the past and enjoyed the well-thought out interfaces and attention to emulation detail. Still, most of the work that i do requires transparency. T-Racks can sound really interesting (if you know what you're doing) as a result of the coloration/character that it imparts. Still, that's not always what you want, isn't it?
 
I'm no pro, but when I watch vids(or read articles)by pro engineers, they don't care. They use whatever tool for the task or specific track they're dealing with. Nobody says all I use is . . , they usually have all of them. The only time somebody says all I use is this when they are being sponsered. That said, t-racks seems to make good entry level product for the price. My only question should I just get a couple singles like the limiter or just grab the bundle. Of course, I would like all this stuff but that's not reasonable at this point for me.
 
Give free plugins a try too!

I'm thinking about Variety Of Sound and vladg/sound , but will probably find much more.

The price of a plug-in doesn't mean anything. In most cases you're just paying for the marketing campaign that made you think "hey, I need that!". :)
 
There are a lot of free plugins that sound amazing to get you started. I use some of the waves plugins and they work great for me. it's all about personal preference.
 
I really really appreciate the feedback on this post. I was leaning towards T-rack because cheaper,interface looks better and seem more user friendly. I have been using cubase stock plugs and its get the Job done i guess but i feel im ready for next level. Engeniusbeatz.net the first two tracks i mixed using stock plugs . Thanks again to everyone who responded. Follow me on twitter ill follow back.
 
what version of Cubase are you using I'm using Cubase 4 I'm wondering if I should upgrade to 6
I guess it's research time on that

I like IK stuff alot ...if they invest in more plug emulations like UAD it would be great



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Why do people ask questions like this?

IMHO plugins are tools that MUST be matched to the work.

Granted, we all have our personal preferences, but it is more about what your goals during the mix process are. While you are working, the mix along with what you are trying to do is the driving force behind what plugins one will use on any given mix.

For me personally I like some of Waves stuff and others I don't. I like a lot of T-Racks products, while others not so much. BTW I also use Bootsy's stuff too and a lot of other stuff too. I also have plugins from like 2002 that are no longer made that I may use once a year. It is good to have some variety in the ole mixing toolbox because you never know what you might need and when. Stock up with both.
 
mwandishi said:
I'm no pro, but when I watch vids(or read articles)by pro engineers, they don't care. They use whatever tool for the task or specific track they're dealing with. Nobody says all I use is . . , they usually have all of them. The only time somebody says all I use is this when they are being sponsered. That said, t-racks seems to make good entry level product for the price. My only question should I just get a couple singles like the limiter or just grab the bundle. Of course, I would like all this stuff but that's not reasonable at this point for me.
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Agree w/ everything up until you said *entry level* lol.
 
CPhoenix said:
Agree w/ everything up until you said *entry level* lol.
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Lol for real.

I kind of agree with what Moses said to an extent. You can't tell me a free plug in dev can put out the same quality of a full team with newly invented technology created by themselves and actually hardware to model that costs more than some artists and people make in a year. Just modeling our Fairchild 670 cost tens of thousands just for the compressor to analyze, test and compare our model to. Sometimes you are paying for the actual work and the actual technology to get the sound. Its not like we compare our T-Racks singles to other Fairchild plug ins. We compare all of our products to the real things.
 
Both T-racks and waves have their uses. In my studio I'm constantly using tools from both. It really depends on the application and what sound I want. I know with T-Racks I'm a fan of the 1176 emulation the 76 is just a go to compressor for me to really balance out dynamics or create specific effects like on drums snares basses vocals. I use it on a lot in the same way I use some waves plugs like the SSL emulation for it's workflow I use the t-racks stuff for really guiding the mix to get the sounds I want. For the cost you can't go wrong with any of IK's products they're just doing great work and I'm truly a fan.
 
mwandishi said:
I'm no pro, but when I watch vids(or read articles)by pro engineers, they don't care. They use whatever tool for the task or specific track they're dealing with. Nobody says all I use is . . , they usually have all of them. The only time somebody says all I use is this when they are being sponsered. That said, t-racks seems to make good entry level product for the price. My only question should I just get a couple singles like the limiter or just grab the bundle. Of course, I would like all this stuff but that's not reasonable at this point for me.
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I would not consider TRacks "entry level". Not even close. I use T Racks all the freakin' time on my mixes. As someone earlier in this thread mentioned, i just had a #1 single (my third) which had T Racks plastered all over the lead vocals. T Racks is as pro as it gets. It IS affordable, but in my experience pricing a plug-in has MUCH more to do with business model than it does with quality of plug. I can promise you that I'm not going to use something on a mix if i don't think it will help it sound like a hit. And I never say I use something unless I actually use it. Again, T Racks is as pro as it gets. There are mix engineers much bigger than I am who also use T Racks all the time.
 
I agree with u cats have said, but I think I misstated "entry level." what I meant is that compared to others like ozone or waves that I hear people talking about, t-racks is more affordable; especially considering that u can buy the singles for one bill each ( I know the bundle is like 2 bills and the delux is like 5 bills). So when I said entry level I was referring to more flexible pricing options than waves or ozone. I was not trying to make a statement about the quality of the product. I've heard many people speak very highly of the product. Just wanted clarify.
 
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again i really appreciate the feedback,i apologize for asking such an noob question and starting a waves vs t- racks war lol. but i mix with cubase 5.5 stock plugs and i feel its time to step up. this is a mix i did with all stock plugs. except i have free vst loudmax on master bus. also im returning brand new onmisphere to get t-racks so its either keep omni or get better mixing plugs. i feel i have enough sounds for awhile and better tools seem apparently needed. HERES MIX >>
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