Roundup: Channel strip plugins

Get your basic effects in one place from these do-it-all processors

Harrison AVA Vocal Flow £161

Offering exceptional vocal processing, this ‘analogue-ina-box’ vocal suite lives up to Harrison’s company legacy. Unlike other signal chains in this article, it doesn’t harshly colour the sound with analogue emulations and characteristics such as signal noise.

A vocal can make or break a track. Vocal Flow provides a transparent, polished signal that contains seven of their high-end console elements. Included are two EQs: firstly ‘Vocal Character’, two bands that follow the pitch of the vocal; secondly, a model of Harrison’s console channel EQ. An important De-Esser and Leveler control dynamics, and the vocal effects strip adds the final breath of fresh air.

AVA Vocal Flow is like a surgical tool – this is a bespoke product, great for mixing vocals, editing podcasts and film post-production. harrisonconsoles.com

VERDICT 8.5 Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 2.0 $149 (or subscription)

An expansive range of ‘holy grail’ processors in a compact and easy-to-use interface. Slate’s VMR contains 27 modules; up to eight used in the rack at any one time. Iconic modules such as the vintage ‘RevA’ FET compressor come included, each beautifully recreated.

Before selecting a module, a brief overview appears explaining its history and intended use. The presets instantly load a great sound, allowing the user to deconstruct a mix-ready signal and then apply the modules and parameters to their own channel strip. It does feel like it’s made to entice our inner gear junkie!

An ‘All Access’ subscription gets you their full range, including this. An industry-standard, affordable option for those dipping their toes into the analogue Atlantic… slatedigital.com

VERDICT 8.8

PSP InfiniStrip $199

Boasting outstanding analogue-modelled processors and an intuitive interface, InfiniStrip offers a well-sized arsenal of modules, with a range of preamps, EQs, compressors, filters and limiters included. Individual modules like the expander, gate, and de-esser add further strings to the bow.

We particularly like InfiniStrip’s parameter match function, which allows modules to swap out instantaneously while keeping the same settings. This is great if you want to compare the compression sound of a FET, OPTO and SSL-style compressor, for example. This ‘match’ function applies to all module categories, and is a well thought-out time-saver. The noise dial adds character to the preamp modules which we love.

InfiniStrip is for those who want a great analoguesound and a fast workflow. pspaudioware.net

VERDICT 9.0 AudioFB Daga’s Stripteaser $39

A versatile, no-nonsense channel strip offering a simple interface and a four-module rack containing an EQ, compressor, drive and filter. Stripteaser adds a pleasing modern polish; however, push it hard and you’ll achieve heat and grit that’s hard to resist.

All four rack modules are surprisingly functional. EQ filter-sweeps are precise, quick and easy. The compressor includes a handy switch that swaps the module between pre and post-EQ compression. The minimalist Drive module adds a fuzzy saturation that surprisingly doesn’t sound cheap. Combined with the LPF at the end of the chain, things get wild!

This plugin will add a subtle polish and sparkle to any sound. Great value. audiofb.com

VERDICT 7.8 IK Multimedia Mixbox €299

Mixbox’s user-friendly interface encourages a musician-like mind to build a channel strip from the ground up, putting your choice from 70 modules into eight slots. Here, IK aim to streamline the mixing process while offering a vast range of gear – including amps, delays and reverbs also featured in their T-RackS and Amplitube packs.

However, the quality of the analogue emulations doesn’t really sit. The EQs, and compressors miss the character and smoothness of other analogue-modelled processors. Despite a huge number of modules (and price tag), as a one-stop channel strip, the system isn’t slick enough: more like a multi-effect with a few emulations thrown in. ikmultimedia.com

VERDICT 5.4