Sample Magic Boost, Accusonus Era-N, UVI UVS-3200 and 13 sample pack reviews

Web www.samplemagic.com Format PC/Mac

Billed as a “mix finalising utility”, Sample Magic’s streamlined multieffects VST/AU plugin is built to deliver intuitive, uncomplicated master bus processing, with the user operating a variety of under-the-hood parameters via a bank of just four ‘macro’ knobs, two buttons, and Input and Output level controls.

The four modules beavering away in the background comprise a multiband compressor (Compress), a four-band dynamic EQ (Colour), a stereo widener/narrower (Stereo) and a Limiter. Simply turn the governing knob clockwise to dial in each process, increasing the compression amount, frequency shaping (Colour boosts the lows and highs and cuts the midrange), stereo spread (from mono to overly wide) and limiter threshold. Activating the Boost button repositions the EQ after the limiter – we’re surprised there’s not also the option to swap it with the compressor.

63 presets are included, clearly labelled and categorised, and making solid starting points on which to base your tweaks. Thehe Output level is overly hot by default, but happily, both Input ut and Output knobs stay put through preset changes, so lowering the latter by about 5dB when you first load Boost t up, assuming the mix is peaking at around -3dB, seems to be a must. ust. Alternatively, you can hit the Brick button to activate a brickwall limiter on the output.

Boost’s combination of processes proves very effective ve at increasing and improving the impact, presence and tonal balancealance of all kinds of mixes, and depending on theh source material,i l the results can be really quite impressive. Of course, it’s not infallible, and we often found ourselves wishing we could get our hands on those EQ frequencies or multiband crossovers, for example; but that’s inevitable with any plugin of this kind, where such decisions are automated and constrained to ranges put in place by the developers. For quick demo mastering, experimentation with broad dynamic and tonal treatments, and tarting up group busses within the mix (it’s particularly handy on drums!), Boost could be a godsend for those unwilling or unable to work with the discrete components of a full-on mastering or pre-mastering effects chain.

8/ 10