Liquid Mix & Duende anyone using one?

[quincy72]

http://www.solid-state-logic.com/music/duende.html
http://www.focusrite.com/product/liquid_mix/

Originally I was looking at getting a 3rd UAD card, but come across these two other products.

Any feedback would be great! Thanks in advance!

 

[quincy72]

No worries, I think I just found something that will answer my question. Feel free though to post any opinions you have

http://www.chrismilne.com/uadforums/vie ... de&start=0

 

[Eric Dahlberg]

The Duende plug-ins are the exact algorithms out of the C200 console. It's obscenely powerful, providing 32 channels of EQ AND compression from a single unit, but will currently only work with Macs & even then has compatibility issues. It maxes out at 96K.

The Liquid Mix plug-ins are the exact EQ & compression algo's out of the Liquid Channel. It features a wide range of good quality plug-ins (https://www.jrrshop.com/eric/liquidmixmodels.pdf) but it's understood that the compressors don't react nearly as accurately as the UA plug-ins do.

 

[beubbo]

...but it's understood that the compressors don't react nearly as accurately as the UA plug-ins do.

how are its EQs against UA's ones (PultecPro, Peq, 1073...) & the competition ?

it seems that convolution gives better results with equalizers and it's also possible to *build* a 7 custom bands EQ (ala Hydratone from Tritone Digital...)

may be LiquidMix could be used just for its EQs in conjunction with UAD-1 cards living their power mainly for compression & FXs tasks, just some thoughts !

what da ya think ?

Thanks
B

 

[afone1977]

i think seriously about it, for more color tone, to preserve UAD-1 's DSP,...

and for patiently waitin for this futur UAD hardware....

plz plz UA announce it !!!

 

[neil wilkes]

Liquid Mix looks awesome on paper, and I have read 2 reviews of it so far over here (mac versions as no PC until October-ish) and both could not find enough superlatives.
Apparently you can run 32 mono instances of compression/EQ at the same time at 44.1/48KHz, or 16 stereo.
At 88.2/96 it drops to 8 mono & 4 stereo
At 176.4 and 192 it drops to 2 mono & 1 stereo.
There will be an expansion card that will double the count at higher sample rates - but it won't give you 64 mono channels at 44.1/48, although it is possible, I suppose (Don't know how it works and hope someone who does can jump in here) that you might be able to use 2 units and double up that way - but this may not be possible (I really don't know & am guessing).

Free mode looks fun too.
The emulations in default mode will give you access to the same controls as the original hardware, so for the LA2A you will get just the 2 controls we all know- but in free mode it enables all the threshold/Ratio/attack/release controls even on models that did not originally have this feature!
I wonder how that will sound?

The hybrid EQ looks like fun too - you can build this \"Super EQ\" from any of the emulations, and can do this for all 32 EQ you will use as well!

Me?
I'm definitely waiting for this one with much excitement.

 

[Eric Dahlberg]

For me, the irritating thing about the Liquid Mix is that, in my limited experience with it, I found the knob box to be less useful than you'd imagine. The knob box is good but confusing to use, especially when the functions keep changing from model to model. They explained to me that these non-standardized functions are also the reason the parameters get lost when you change models, my second beef with the unit.

In the end, though, this is the price of versatility & that's definitely the Liquid Mix's strong suit. It's probably the kind of thing where it becomes more useful as you become more familiar with it, as opposed to the better UAD plug-ins that knock you off your feet the first time you use them. Also, $799 for a box that gives you 32 compressors AND EQ's of this quality at the same time is stellar by any measure.

 

[Dan Duskin]

For me, the irritating thing about the Liquid Mix is that, in my limited experience with it, I found the knob box to be less useful than you'd imagine. The knob box is good but confusing to use, especially when the functions keep changing from model to model. They explained to me that these non-standardized functions are also the reason the parameters get lost when you change models, my second beef with the unit.

But how did it compare to being stuck with controlling one knob at a time with a mouse?

 

[Eric Dahlberg]

But how did it compare to being stuck with controlling one knob at a time with a mouse?

The benefit of having access to more than one parameter at a time is offset by the fact that it's easy to get confused about which band you're adjusting at that given time. That said, it will probably become less confusing as I get more familiar with the unit.

 

[The Beatsmith]

I have a Duende. I love it, i wouldn't replace it.

I have a pci-e mac and will still purchase a uad-1e (but i'll be grumbling about the dsp power as i do it) as i still would like to run some la-2a's, plates, 1176se's, etc. They go hand in hand, as i see it.