Cubase stock plugins vs Third party (quality) – Page 2 – Effects Forum

Some of thestock ones are pretty standard and vanilla, but those are the type of pugins that are…standard and vanilla. I find their multitap Delay very good. Capable of some stunning delays and huge range of character. I mostly use it for dark or crunchy delays, somehow can’t get it sounding pristine and clear – but that’s its strength IMO. It’s almost modular in nature, though I have to say I don’t find it intuitive. Bloody byzantine sometimes, trying to get what I want out of it. And the feedback often seems to be all or nothing.

Their analyzer is great too. It’s the only one I use now. Stopped using Youlean and Span since Artist got the good analyzer.

A simple on I find good is their phaser. It has a good middle sweet spot though nothing different sonically from the rest. That Phazor, or Razor or whatever it’s called has it’s own character (the one based on the Virus phaser). Between those 2 I don’t need other phasers (I used to very much like Mobilohm back in theday).

Squasher is another outstanding one. Easy to use, intuitive GUI and can squash the living bejesus out of anything without ruining it. Dunno if it has a limiter on board (didn’t think so), but I find I don’t need limiters/clippers when I use Squasher. It’s OTT with a proper GUI that can be used for precision and subtly as well as flatlining.

Convolution – Cubase’s is fine. Depends on what impulses you put in rather than the plugin features, so if you have decent impulses I see no point whatsoever using 3rd party.

Dunno what it’s called, but that FX modulator thing is capable of some great things. Not easy to get what you want, and tbh I mostly rely on throwing the random dice to get useful patterns on it, but I’ve had some great modulation on drumbeats from it.

Straight delays, chorus, algorithmic reverbs are all pretty dull and I use 3rd party for those. Their comps are OK but exceptionally uncharacterful thouyh they do what they say on the tin quietly. Their maximizer is OK but only OK, same with limiter & brickwall.

Overall, I could happily use only Cubase ones, but I do like delays, and Cubase Multitap doesn’t do everything.