Subject:TC Powercore?

Posted by: drbam

Date:4/27/2005 3:41:24 PM

I just received the latest Sony catalog in which there's a plug (pun intended) for the Oxford plugins – of course this requires a Powercore unit. Anyone using these? Any reports?

Thanks,

drbam

Subject:RE: TC Powercore?

Reply by: amikula

Date:4/27/2005 5:51:33 PM

If appropriate, I use the Oxford Dynamics, EQ and Reverb at the studio. However, it is on a ProTools HD system, not Powercore. I don't use the Inflator or the Transient Modulator. I go back and forth between the Sony Oxfords and the McDSP products (which I know is not supported by the Powercore).

As with any compressor, EQ or reverb, it is a matter of taste and application. I do like the EQ but I tend to use it as an overall EQ instead of a track specific EQ. It's a tweakers delight if you want to sit down and really learn how to use it. If I'm not going to a actual mastering house and need to quickly master a song on the HD system, I tend towards the McDSP plug-ins because they seems a little warmer. But that's not to say the Sony Oxford wouldn't do the job. We did a blind sound test and I liked the McDSP a little more then the Oxford for a quick master application.

The Dynamics plug-in has its own sound, just like any other plug-in. You can go from a range of compressing almost transparently to getting it to pump. It emulates, or at least you can adjust it to sound like, some of the various hardware compressors used. It does have a warmth section that is interesting. You can use this to get that ever elusive tube effect. What is also cool about this product is it has all your dynamics in one package...compressor, limiter, gate, expander and being able to EQ a side-chain signal.

Subject:RE: TC Powercore?

Reply by: drbam

Date:4/27/2005 6:10:08 PM

" What is also cool about this product is it has all your dynamics in one package...compressor, limiter, gate, expander and being able to EQ a side-chain signal."

Thanks so much for your detailed impression of the plugs and powercore in general. Obviously the Oxford plugs are quite nice (as is many of the other plugs included and available for the unit). My primary question/concern at this point is focused on how well the Powercore works with the Sony apps. It appears in the catalog that Sony is actually endorsing the Powercore – perhaps not formally, but the literature certainly gives that impression. Therefore one might assume that it has been fairly well tested with the Sony apps??? However, we all know the dangers of assumptions . . .

So is there anyone out there actually using these things or perhaps a Sony rep might wish to comment?

Thanks again,

drbam

Subject:RE: TC Powercore?

Reply by: jackn2mpu

Date:5/1/2005 2:58:42 PM

As amikula said, not all of the Sony plug-ins are made for the TC Powercore. Some run on ProTools, some run on the PoCo. The ones that run on the PoCO are killer apps, but are expensive. Unless you are going to be doing a lot of work where the Sony/Oxford plugs are needed, you may want to find something cheaper. A Powercore alone, assuming the PoCo Firewire, will run about $1200 US dollars. It's pretty much the top of their line - 4 dsp chips and a Power PC chip to oversee it all. Then add on the cost of the Oxford plugs. You could spend less in getting plugs from Voxengo which are nothing to sneeze at performance wise, and you don't need special hardware to run those.
That being said, I have both a PoCo and some of the Voxengo plugs, and use each where they are needed, as they each have their strong points. One thing to beware of with the FW versions of the PoCo stuff: they don't like to share data bandwidth with other equipment on the firwewire bus. Therer are PCI bus Powercore units also. I use the FW ones because I'm running a laptop here.

Subject:RE: TC Powercore?

Reply by: drbam

Date:5/1/2005 4:22:04 PM

Thanks for your reply. So the main question is: how does your PoCo and Sony apps get along? Any problems or issues? The primary thing I'm interests me in the PoCo is the verbs. There are several really nice ones, especially the TC verbs which are supposedly close to their hardware counterparts in quality. $1200 isn't even half of one of the TC hardware units so the PoCo seems like a good investment IF it plays well with the Sony apps. Thanks again!

drbam