McDSP lost me when they did a version upgrade and users had to pay ALMOST as much to upgrade as it did to buy them in the first place... ...and people complain about the WAVES update plan...
The only time they charged me was to upgrade to Ver 7.. and with Discounts...... And ver 6 still work...... Its just the updates where charged as far as im aware also for Alle silicon support... I dont get the McDSP hate... I love their plugs, and theres alot of Grammy winning producers that have favs of theirs that are in every project,,,,, Alas.... Also, its interesting to see so many uniformed posts here not knowing what this box actually does..... Actual Components that populate that board inside cost money....not even comparable to the cost of DSP's or just code...........
From McDSP version 6 to Version 7 after 9-1/2 years and mutiple CPU core change differences on Intel (Core Duo to iCore) & AMD (Bulldozer to ZEN) on Windows, and Intel to ARM on Mac they asked for $20 each and you surrendered your V6 licence for a V7 license? Thats actually not so bad. What you are saying is even though you have 15 inch tires on your old car you should be able to force those 15 inch tires on your new car that requires and 18 inch tire RIGHT? Grow up it was nearly 10 years!
oh no! we're back to DSP plugins again. I aint going back man. I spent $8000 on UAD back in 2012 and now I can't access most of it. I know this not technically all software, but the problems are identical. I used to complain when the UAD2 could only run 2 Neve 33609s , but that was $800 a card. $4000 to run 3 or 4 'plugins', analog or otherwise is just untenable today.
All these Uad plugs these days are getting so cheap. I asked Uad for a 50 pound voucher so I could buy the SSL comp and they gave it me straight away, gotta be cheeky haha, it only cost me £39
It's the people that have never tried this unit that have the loudest opinion. It's priced for the professional market - not newbies or wannabes. If you don't like it cool, but don't bash what you have no experience with. I know a Grammy winning engineer that bought the $8000 16 channel version because it gives him the value he needs and he can afford it of course! I have tried this and I can say confidently that it can replace a lot of hardware, yes it's that good. If you make your living from mixing, do yourself a favor and try it on your own material and make that decision for yourself.
That’s great take. Definitely good marketing angle… you dare to point out drawbacks and limitations (that are printed specs?) well… “youre not ALLOWED to point that stuff out and discuss it!”… Just silly, and telling. I’m sure this sounds cool, I’m sure it offers some convenience and neat flexibility… just like so many other dsp devices current and past. The built in expiration date, and implied costs of ownership are most certainly relevant topics for people who haven’t demo’d this particular device. I don’t need to drive a Cyberteuck to know they’re selling something other than a good value and high end truck performance, do I? LOL.
I've been working professionally in Audio and Video production for over 20 years and I think this thing is a total joke in todays DSP market. I heard absolutely nothing out of the ordinary of what good plugins can offer and its limitations speak VERY loudly to me.
@ I like the concept, but like you, it just seems to be a bit… well, when you have people getting defensive and saying effectively “well, you have to be a pro to really understand why this is good”… I just have to shake my head a bit. I’m waiting to see the people that are actually incorporating this into a busy workflow comment. If you can afford the 3-6 of these things youd need to really make a dent in a busy modern mix, probably aren’t using McDsp in the first place? I don’t know, I do like the idea. Same as the flock… just stuff gets lost in translation when the actual street prices/capabilities get focused on.
I use this unit for several years. It is the most amazing box in my studio. I use it mainly on groups and master buss. I am not quite sure if very important aspect of this unit was not missed - and that is working with the sweet spot of the output gain - saturation. That helps to bring the signal forward in incredible way, than it becomes st. incomparable to anything I know in the digital world.
I recently bought the APB-16 and it's a great unit. Is it expensive? Definitely. But the modules sound great and add the kind of weight and richness that you just can't get from plugins alone.
Worked in a studio with these as basically the daily drivers. I really liked them, and we worked out a great workflow with them, using DAW controllers like the S4/S6 and such. They sound really good, and I do agree that the interfaces should have a touch more precision to them, digital style. A few of these units covered enough analog processing for most scenarios. We had them in our server room so all our control rooms could use them. They are expensive, but think of the cost of buying each of the hardware units that are "modeled" individually, let alone multiples of those units.
How were you able to do that? Were they all connected to one Mac computer in the server room and then that was connected to the other computers with 10gbe networking and somehow they could all connect to the APB units?
This kind of product is more of a luxury if you have the money, do you need it? No. Is it nice to have? Sure. Can you make an incredible mix just inside the box? Every time.
@@pyratellamarecordingstudio1062 These plugins are cool, however, its not the tools, ITB outside the box war has been over since about 12 yrs ago when plugins have beat out their hardware counterparts or are good enough to work magic. Its not the tools but the person behind the tools, be it analog/digital. Its just down to your personal choice. What is the best mic? The one w a true artist in front of it. YOu can apply this to everything.
Apple are about to come out with the M4 ultra Mac Studio…. You are much better buying a maxed out Mac Studio than buying a DSP. Those DSP boxes are a big investment and often become unsupported after a couple of years. If you want outboard gear, buy real compressors or EQs that don’t require software support, will never become obsolete and will keep or increase their value.
@@timgreig1704 Yep, my mistake - there's no DSP on board, just 8/16 channels of ADC/DAC and classic THAT 2180A. Looks like EQ processing/band split works at VST level, not unit itself. Only question, why 8 channels of THAT 2180A cost 3500$?
well the saturation isn't that 'real' either, because half the processors are 'tube' when there are no tubes in the unit. so what is 'real'. even if its emulated in other analog hardware it's still not real. if you ask a hardware engineer if emulation tubes with transistors is acceptable they will laugh.
McDSP is an interesting company. Pensado has praised them for years and I like a couple of their plug-ins quite a lot. However, I do feel they are overpriced in general and products like this definitely don't speak to me. For $4k there are a ton of analog pieces and microphones I would purchase before this box. Not to mention I agree with the concern that many have expressed that in time the digital support will likely cease... bricking it completely. This feels to me more like a $750 value.
I don't understand why you need so many plugins from other manufacturers, I only use Izotope and those from Cubase Pro. I also have a few selected rarities, but these are very rare and mostly in the direction of saturation, reverb or delay. Well, to each his own^^
Personally, I enjoy messing around with a lot of free, experimental plugins, you find some gems every now and then. This MCDSP box just seems like it does pretty standard stuff, not worth it, in my opinion, especially since it seems to only be about 30% analog, in its functioning.
@@meronyach. I see it the same way, but I still find this flood of plugins quite annoying. I think the McDSP is way too expensive. The idea behind it is nothing new either.
@MrGerardBeatz Oh yeah, for sure, the stuff this box can do really isn't that special. It gets pretty annoying just seeing the same thing in a shiny new package, with barely anything added to it.
The C673 looks like an analog simuation of T-Racks 😅 I liked half of the processors on this track. It is a good box for those who can afford it. If they added a good 1176/LA-2 I might start saving up.
Amazing how quick people are to hate on something just because it’s out of their budget or don’t fit their workflow. When this was announced six years ago I thought it was a really cool solution. Something I had been thinking about for many years, and I’m happy McDSP went for it. Will I buy it? No. There are things that I could spend that kind of money on that would make much more sense for me personally. And it doesn’t really fit my workflow. But I wouldn’t laugh at anyone who decides to go for it. It’s a really cool solution for those who want analog sound in a digital workflow.
I bought some of the McDSP plugs a while back. As I was watching this, I realised that many of the plugs I have are contained in the 6060 Ultimate Collection which is more like a mini-rack that contains a lot of vertically stacked units. So, they appear a little different, but are essentially the same thing.
And then I saw the Moo Limiter and the 673....got those in a Reason Rack native plugs which are quite outstanding. Watch for those around the holidays because I got them in a bundle that was slashed for a fraction of what they list for. Highly recommended.
Snake oil. All of it. I almost got sucked into the plugin rabbit hole but found that the stock plugins in Logic were mostly all ever really needed, I just use a mastering suite and that’s it. $150 bucks, done. Plug-ins are like IRs, it’s a never-ending pursuit of having an infinite amount of options you’ll never use.
@@annekedebruyn7797 but given the fact there is a tube processors amongst these 'plugins' where there are no tubes in the hardware means some emulation is taking place. it looks to me as if they are still emulated processes with just an added analog signal path. Also same problem as UAD anyway. Software controlled hardware that won't work in 10 years.
I've used UAD since the beginning, there is much better stuff today, Kazrog, Korneff, Kiive, Mixland & other newer companies, I have replaced my UAD stuff except for Luna.
@@annekedebruyn7797 i see, theres some cool sounding stuff in here but i dont think if i had that level of disposable income i could ever justify spending that much on this, it doesnt excite me all too much, neat concept though
i'm absolutely convinced that piece provide a very good response in your studio, but in my headphones trougth the h264 of youtube don´t feel diferent of a good tuning of Wave pluggins
@ oh yeah, about that device I know , thanks. I just remembered my feeling when I first opened and tested McDsp plugins and was like wow, that’s must be how analogue equipment sounds
I've saved myself a lot of money by reducing my studio setup analogue list to just the APB-16. Everything else can come later when money is coming in... lol
Thanks alot for your great work! Have been waiting for you to check this OUT. Way above my budget but very curious. C673-A compressor was pretty MUCH BRILLIANT!! Maybe the best compressor sound character I have ever heard.
I don't use any analogue gear, but I print my mix in Reaper, I just route the output of my 2-bus to another track and record the output..., which means I have all my mixes in the DAW, too. I assume that would work with this device...
At first I thought this would be some kind of next generation UAD box. And then I made the mistake of trying it out for half an hour. And now I want one. It sounds really great. You get a very good sound in no time at all. And digitally recallable. Compared to buying a lot of analogue compressors and saturators, the price is actually pretty good!
The APB is an interesting tool. I suspect hybrid mixers (like me) will feel pretty at home with it, while folks wanting more tactile control will pass. IMO - it’s a clever product, it’s probably not for everyone, it’s definitely quite expensive, I’d love to see a future unit expand into analog EQ (that’d probably cost more). I’ve ordered two of the 16s because of the flexibility it provides.
I'm a little confused. What about the signal processing is analog? DSP, DIGITAL signal processing, is just that, digital. Isn't this essentially just a bunch of proprietary plugins in a box that are EMULATING analog processing? Is there anything LEGITIMATELY analog about this?
Ummm....it's analog circuits. Resistors, capacitors, transistors....etc. not emulating analog...it is actually analog. The plugin gui allows for digital control of the analog hardware. It isn't a DSP box.
They just need a universal controller for the plugins and this is definitely gonna change things, Moreso than 500 series. Don't invest quite yet tho. other companies start implementing this and it will get significantly cheaper. I have a feeling 19" rack gear is on its way out almost entirely in the next few years
Genuinely wondering what is a point of buying something that combines both flaws from digital and analog : Analog flaws : - Can’t recall from anywhere, you have to be in be in the room with it (afaik, I could be wrong). - Limited number of instances. - Pricey. - Requires space (1U is still a lot more space than 1000 Native plugins). - Consumes electricity (very minor « flaw » but still). - Hard to service (probably all SMC inside). Digital : - Rely on hardware technology that could become obsolete (Thunderbolt). - Rely on software that could become obsolete (update for OS etc…). - Retains low resale value. - Cannot operate without a computer (not a big pb nowadays but still). - Probably relies on some chip that are impossible or tough to service by ourselves (it’s like swapping a tube or even desoldering/soldering a cap or a resistor). - Can become an abandonware, ending up not being usable anymore while computers will keep on evolving. I am not hating, I am just genuinely wondering how one could justify having flaws from both world, we usually pick the flaws from one of the other. I am probably completely missing the point and would be happy to be educated about it. P.S. : I am a pro making a living doing this, so I am not new to big expenses for studio stuff.
I’ve always liked the idea, but for the price, I dunno. I currently mix hybrid using the I/O plugin in logic and recall analog gear using Session Recall. I have one master physical patch for mixing, and generally leave everything set at one setting for an album
I wonder how this compares to the Anamod gear just in terms of the sound of the tape emulation? I presume they work in the same way.... I'm not really sure how they do I work but I imagine they take a digital impression of an analogue piece of gear the same way you would make a plug in and then extrapolate that data onto the design of their own analogue circuit?
It’s 1 analogue processor but not led on it . It’s come with graphics plugins all the same sound but the graphics and colors make the affect on our brain ! I think there is. No more space for another. Plugins. That’s it. No need more we need people back to buy. Speakers at the home and listen
Would "slots" be a better term than channels? To me 8 channels implies that one can route 8 mono channels of audio into the box, and apply some number of effects to each channel... But I am not a pro.
You know who else makes digitally controlled / recallable analogue stuff? Wes Audio and Bettermaker. And you can still use it even if the software is outdated. And for "gain dance" - Purple Audio mc77 has it covered with a simple link in-out button. By the way - I really like this version of Sandstorm. What's that?
On the face of it the value proposition is not bad. Eight channels of AD/DA into eight channels of analog processing. You could easily spend that much on a single compressor and 2-channel AD/DA. I am also curious about how this box works internally. The UIs tend to look like holdovers from 2004 but that's forgivable.
500 a channel for analog compression and saturation is fairly cheap considering cost per channel. That said I own one and don’t like the sound 4000$ worth lol
Although the GUI has *a lot* of work to it, the concept and the sound is pretty sweet. Not as heavy-handed as in this demo as you might imagine. But I suppose it could do great things with stem mixing.
I found this box intriguing since before it was released... a collection of inductors and transistors that configure depending on the Applied "Plugin".... Electro - Circuit Plasticity? ~of sorts... Digitally configured analog processing. the Holy Grail
I’ll just stick to my babyface pro and some external processing from my MX-1 at 96khz to achieve that sort of over the top processing in real time. Analog is useless unless timing is everything.
Wow I didn't realize McDSP was actually a brand, used to have quite a few of those plugins inside Reason 10+ years ago. The Moo Tube skin reminded me again haha.
Reminds me soundwise of the old liquidmix - different modules but all of them have sort of the same fingerprint. Basically a very cool idea, but for me it would be too one-sided for the price. I would rather buy a specialised box.
I'm thinking of changing my SSL 12 for a Heritage i73 Pro Edge interface as it has DSP and VST processing plus the Neve 73 style transistors, Icon has a partnership with Harrison selling a similar thing and is even cheaper. Any chance you can review these interfaces please Wyste? 😎
Difficult to setup and expensive, esp for a 32 or 64 channel version. You should speak about products that hit EOL because of the limited audience for this. Then with a new computer OS (or new computer) it’s a 4k block of metal. I see this coming and going quickly.
Whats bugs me here is that we have analog gear…. That cannot connect whatsoever with other analog gear. And for me that’s a big part of the whole « analog experience ». I know the unit is pricey as is, but having rear D25 connectors giving access to both the analog processors and the converters would open a whole new world of routing (and also turn the unit into… an actual soundcard) It would probably mess up with sync/latency report in the daw, but the idea of controlling an actual analog chain within the daw before the first conversion would make sense.
I used the McDsp plug-ins back in 2003 on a 22 track album and it sounded great. Problem was they got way too expensive to maintain over the years with newer plug-in manufacturers coming into the game. If you can afford it, you should try it first to see if it provides the value you desire. A lot of pro studios still use McDsp set ups. I don't any longer and haven't in 10 years. So, try it before you knock it. For me, it's an ex plug-in I used to know. I'm out. Deuces.
Because those plugins aren't analog. Are you saying analog hardware has no use? Well the whole industry still runs analog hardware in one way or another. This ain't for a bedroom hobbyist mixing his friends songs. 4k is not that expensive as you think if you are doing it professionally. For an audio post, all you need is just one film project or one commercial, which highly likely that's all you have for a year. it will take just a few days in a project to have this all paid.
@@youareliedtobythemedia it's a real analog what are you on. It's just an analog gear without tangible pots. All the electronics is inside and they aren't "softwares".
At the end of the day, it’s all a matter of opinion and use case. For me, I saw some great things and minimal drawbacks, but I can honestly say, it’s not for me and what I do. It is a good product nonetheless, but in today’s market of engineering tools, there are so many options and alternatives some even cheaper.
They've been in business since 1998, one of the oldest and most respected plugin companies, a lot of the top mixers use them , and also used in major film mixing.
@ Congrats to them, doesn’t stop that box from redundancy if anything goes wrong. At least with other digitally controlled stuff (WES, Cranbourne etc..) you still have tactile knobs, therefore a working piece without the digital integration. It could be Apple making this and I would still never buy it.
No trafo, no valve, only for mac, not usable in real time, 500 € per channel. For me is no. A little question, noisefloor level per channel ? Crosstalk in stereo module?
You couldn't pay me to use this thing. I doesn't do anything the thousands of native plugins we have at our disposal can't, you lose offline bouncing, the UI seems sluggish, and it's severely limited in the amount of processing it can do. Also, a 1u rack device that's light as a feather that supposedly creates all that analog 'magic', 'saturation', 'warmth' and other intangibles that the analog brigade likes to convince themselves they hear? For a YT channel that made a name off throwing around the 'snake oil' label, this is a bit of a let down. The lack of offline bounce alone would cost me more in a year than this box-of-plugins-with-a-converter-strapped-to-it.
These "plugins" sound AMAZING... due to the fact that they are real analog (no aliasing, etc). But personally, I find it silly to make a box that sounds analog without having hands-on control of the buttons/knobs/faders. It's just so weird to think that people want analog sound controlled by a mouse. It feels like upside-down world.
Knobs, buttons and faders are free in the digital realm, but costly in the analog one. 24 motorized faders alone would probably double the cost of the unit. SO they're digital.
@@poissonpuerile8897 For the cost of the unit they could do 100 knobs, faders and switches and still come out way ahead. I like McDSP but they inflate their price like crazy!
What? The ease of use and quality of life of digital (presets, recalling, precise control etc.) and the ”superior” sound of analog? I see the best of both worlds and nothing upside-down. I get that it’s nice to have real tactile knobs but they surely aren’t more convinient than digital plugins
@ like the TC, it needs a plugin and the related connection in order to work.. it’s not a matter of analog or DSP. If the plugin is not updated or the connection is not anymore available in future computers it will not work.
Thanks so much for the awesome video, Wytse! We really appreciate your feedback and we're happy to see you enjoyed the APB🔥
For 4k you can get a decent 500 series setup with some really nice units in there.
Why waste your money on 500 series crap when you can get 2 Waves complete bundles for $4000
@@hithere4289 waves lol...its 2024
@@hithere4289?? What? Lmfao!!!
Without the D/A A/D converstion and the plugin's total recall
4k will get you 8 pieces of budget 500 gear and no converters. Apb wins no contest
McDSP lost me when they did a version upgrade and users had to pay ALMOST as much to upgrade as it did to buy them in the first place...
...and people complain about the WAVES update plan...
What version update? I mean I own the original and never had to pay for a version update.
Really ????
The only time they charged me was to upgrade to Ver 7.. and with Discounts...... And ver 6 still work...... Its just the updates where charged as far as im aware also for Alle silicon support...
I dont get the McDSP hate... I love their plugs, and theres alot of Grammy winning producers that have favs of theirs that are in every project,,,,,
Alas.... Also, its interesting to see so many uniformed posts here not knowing what this box actually does.....
Actual Components that populate that board inside cost money....not even comparable to the cost of DSP's or just code...........
definitely i agree. their upgrade prices are so insane. you should be able to upgrade for a little bit of money and not as much to re buy them
From McDSP version 6 to Version 7 after 9-1/2 years and mutiple CPU core change differences on Intel (Core Duo to iCore) & AMD (Bulldozer to ZEN) on Windows, and Intel to ARM on Mac they asked for $20 each and you surrendered your V6 licence for a V7 license? Thats actually not so bad. What you are saying is even though you have 15 inch tires on your old car you should be able to force those 15 inch tires on your new car that requires and 18 inch tire RIGHT? Grow up it was nearly 10 years!
oh no! we're back to DSP plugins again. I aint going back man. I spent $8000 on UAD back in 2012 and now I can't access most of it. I know this not technically all software, but the problems are identical.
I used to complain when the UAD2 could only run 2 Neve 33609s , but that was $800 a card. $4000 to run 3 or 4 'plugins', analog or otherwise is just untenable today.
This is not DSP, its analog
@Whiteseastudio I know I said that. The same problems will arise though.
All these Uad plugs these days are getting so cheap. I asked Uad for a 50 pound voucher so I could buy the SSL comp and they gave it me straight away, gotta be cheeky haha, it only cost me £39
@@Swiftopher755they make their money back quick, then with these sales they get to customers...I think is what happens. I always wondered why
@@Bthelick Never had your problems and I've had UA plugins since 2011.
It's the people that have never tried this unit that have the loudest opinion. It's priced for the professional market - not newbies or wannabes. If you don't like it cool, but don't bash what you have no experience with. I know a Grammy winning engineer that bought the $8000 16 channel version because it gives him the value he needs and he can afford it of course! I have tried this and I can say confidently that it can replace a lot of hardware, yes it's that good. If you make your living from mixing, do yourself a favor and try it on your own material and make that decision for yourself.
That’s great take.
Definitely good marketing angle… you dare to point out drawbacks and limitations (that are printed specs?) well…
“youre not ALLOWED to point that stuff out and discuss it!”…
Just silly, and telling.
I’m sure this sounds cool, I’m sure it offers some convenience and neat flexibility… just like so many other dsp devices current and past. The built in expiration date, and implied costs of ownership are most certainly relevant topics for people who haven’t demo’d this particular device.
I don’t need to drive a Cyberteuck to know they’re selling something other than a good value and high end truck performance, do I?
LOL.
I am professional, can afford it, and have a loud opinion.
Its the people representing the people they are not, that have the loudest opinions!! 🤣
I've been working professionally in Audio and Video production for over 20 years and I think this thing is a total joke in todays DSP market. I heard absolutely nothing out of the ordinary of what good plugins can offer and its limitations speak VERY loudly to me.
@ I like
the concept, but like you, it just seems to be a bit… well, when you have people getting defensive and saying effectively “well, you have to be a pro to really understand why this is good”… I just have to shake my head a bit.
I’m waiting to see the people that are actually incorporating this into a busy workflow comment. If you can afford the 3-6 of these things youd need to really make a dent in a busy modern mix, probably aren’t using McDsp in the first place?
I don’t know, I do like the idea. Same as the flock… just stuff gets lost in translation when the actual street prices/capabilities get focused on.
He knows they know I know we all know….
I use this unit for several years. It is the most amazing box in my studio. I use it mainly on groups and master buss. I am not quite sure if very important aspect of this unit was not missed - and that is working with the sweet spot of the output gain - saturation. That helps to bring the signal forward in incredible way, than it becomes st. incomparable to anything I know in the digital world.
i actually like the song so much , that bass is fire
Sounded like the band "Glass Beams"
What’s the song
@@xanderpills lol, that's what I thought too!
Ha..same here ....i came for the rant and stayed for the music :)
Sounds like Glass Beams but is actually "Black Gold" by Hatsamitsunami.
I recently bought the APB-16 and it's a great unit. Is it expensive? Definitely. But the modules sound great and add the kind of weight and richness that you just can't get from plugins alone.
Worked in a studio with these as basically the daily drivers. I really liked them, and we worked out a great workflow with them, using DAW controllers like the S4/S6 and such. They sound really good, and I do agree that the interfaces should have a touch more precision to them, digital style. A few of these units covered enough analog processing for most scenarios. We had them in our server room so all our control rooms could use them. They are expensive, but think of the cost of buying each of the hardware units that are "modeled" individually, let alone multiples of those units.
How were you able to do that? Were they all connected to one Mac computer in the server room and then that was connected to the other computers with 10gbe networking and somehow they could all connect to the APB units?
This kind of product is more of a luxury if you have the money, do you need it? No. Is it nice to have? Sure. Can you make an incredible mix just inside the box? Every time.
Will you itb mix sound as good? Never.
@@pyratellamarecordingstudio1062 These plugins are cool, however, its not the tools, ITB outside the box war has been over since about 12 yrs ago when plugins have beat out their hardware counterparts or are good enough to work magic. Its not the tools but the person behind the tools, be it analog/digital. Its just down to your personal choice. What is the best mic? The one w a true artist in front of it. YOu can apply this to everything.
If you make money full-time from mixing music, then you can get a unit and write it off against the business with depreciation.
@@stewie3128 True, a good point. I’d say it’s still a luxury more than anything. The product is great don’t get me wrong!
is it nice to have?
Not going back to the past technology
Apple are about to come out with the M4 ultra Mac Studio…. You are much better buying a maxed out Mac Studio than buying a DSP. Those DSP boxes are a big investment and often become unsupported after a couple of years. If you want outboard gear, buy real compressors or EQs that don’t require software support, will never become obsolete and will keep or increase their value.
It's not DSP (digital signal processing), it's digitally controlled analog.
It’s both DSP and analog unit btw
@@mitallast There is no DSP, its 1005 analog plus converters except for the EQ which is plugin filters and analog color.
@@timgreig1704 Yep, my mistake - there's no DSP on board, just 8/16 channels of ADC/DAC and classic THAT 2180A. Looks like EQ processing/band split works at VST level, not unit itself.
Only question, why 8 channels of THAT 2180A cost 3500$?
It’s not dsp it’s analog with high end converters. Much better use of money
EQ on this unit is fully digital, only dynamic processing and saturation is real - just because for real eq there's no place at 1u
The filters are digital but it runs through the analog circuits providing analog saturation.
well the saturation isn't that 'real' either, because half the processors are 'tube' when there are no tubes in the unit.
so what is 'real'. even if its emulated in other analog hardware it's still not real.
if you ask a hardware engineer if emulation tubes with transistors is acceptable they will laugh.
McDSP is an interesting company. Pensado has praised them for years and I like a couple of their plug-ins quite a lot. However, I do feel they are overpriced in general and products like this definitely don't speak to me. For $4k there are a ton of analog pieces and microphones I would purchase before this box. Not to mention I agree with the concern that many have expressed that in time the digital support will likely cease... bricking it completely. This feels to me more like a $750 value.
I don't understand why you need so many plugins from other manufacturers, I only use Izotope and those from Cubase Pro. I also have a few selected rarities, but these are very rare and mostly in the direction of saturation, reverb or delay.
Well, to each his own^^
Personally, I enjoy messing around with a lot of free, experimental plugins, you find some gems every now and then. This MCDSP box just seems like it does pretty standard stuff, not worth it, in my opinion, especially since it seems to only be about 30% analog, in its functioning.
@@meronyach. I see it the same way, but I still find this flood of plugins quite annoying. I think the McDSP is way too expensive. The idea behind it is nothing new either.
@MrGerardBeatz Oh yeah, for sure, the stuff this box can do really isn't that special. It gets pretty annoying just seeing the same thing in a shiny new package, with barely anything added to it.
@@meronyach. Yes, it's really annoying.
Great demo, Wytse! Thanks. Question is - are you keeping it?
What song is that??????
The C673 looks like an analog simuation of T-Racks 😅 I liked half of the processors on this track. It is a good box for those who can afford it. If they added a good 1176/LA-2 I might start saving up.
They do have 1176 & LA2a style in 6060, which beat most versions of those plugins, They will probably make APB versions of those, which will be free.
Amazing how quick people are to hate on something just because it’s out of their budget or don’t fit their workflow.
When this was announced six years ago I thought it was a really cool solution. Something I had been thinking about for many years, and I’m happy McDSP went for it.
Will I buy it? No. There are things that I could spend that kind of money on that would make much more sense for me personally. And it doesn’t really fit my workflow.
But I wouldn’t laugh at anyone who decides to go for it. It’s a really cool solution for those who want analog sound in a digital workflow.
This is TH-cam in a nutshell these days. Sad times.
I bought some of the McDSP plugs a while back. As I was watching this, I realised that many of the plugs I have are contained in the 6060 Ultimate Collection which is more like a mini-rack that contains a lot of vertically stacked units. So, they appear a little different, but are essentially the same thing.
And then I saw the Moo Limiter and the 673....got those in a Reason Rack native plugs which are quite outstanding. Watch for those around the holidays because I got them in a bundle that was slashed for a fraction of what they list for. Highly recommended.
6060 is very good digital, some of the APB plugins are based on 6060 modules but analog circuitry.
Snake oil. All of it. I almost got sucked into the plugin rabbit hole but found that the stock plugins in Logic were mostly all ever really needed, I just use a mastering suite and that’s it. $150 bucks, done. Plug-ins are like IRs, it’s a never-ending pursuit of having an infinite amount of options you’ll never use.
Stock plugins are great. However this is analog
This came out in 2019... pretty dame good for the time... still a lot of people under the impression this is a DSP unit not a analogue unit
Highlighted wrong replies, playing devils advocate, then running in to virtue signal later on… no no no you… easy video to make for later
i wonder what the advantage of this is over the uad stuff
MCDSP is digitally controlled analog. UAD are essentially just plugins.
@@annekedebruyn7797 but given the fact there is a tube processors amongst these 'plugins' where there are no tubes in the hardware means some emulation is taking place. it looks to me as if they are still emulated processes with just an added analog signal path.
Also same problem as UAD anyway. Software controlled hardware that won't work in 10 years.
I've used UAD since the beginning, there is much better stuff today, Kazrog, Korneff, Kiive, Mixland & other newer companies, I have replaced my UAD stuff except for Luna.
@@annekedebruyn7797 i see, theres some cool sounding stuff in here but i dont think if i had that level of disposable income i could ever justify spending that much on this, it doesnt excite me all too much, neat concept though
i'm absolutely convinced that piece provide a very good response in your studio, but in my headphones trougth the h264 of youtube don´t feel diferent of a good tuning of Wave pluggins
Thanks for the video. Great box, McDsp plugins one of the most analogue sounding plugins I’ve heard
They are actually analog circuits inside green rack controled by your mouse
@ oh yeah, about that device I know , thanks. I just remembered my feeling when I first opened and tested McDsp plugins and was like wow, that’s must be how analogue equipment sounds
😂
I've saved myself a lot of money by reducing my studio setup analogue list to just the APB-16.
Everything else can come later when money is coming in... lol
What's the music? Sounds great!
Where can I buy it?
The song is Black Gold by HATAMITSUNAMI
It's probably royalty-free but yeah it's cool
@@johndoe_1984No, it’s on Spotify and all streaming services.
@@andreabrunori Thank you, man!
it's sandstorm by darude
Thanks alot for your great work! Have been waiting for you to check this OUT. Way above my budget but very curious. C673-A compressor was pretty MUCH BRILLIANT!! Maybe the best compressor sound character I have ever heard.
I don't use any analogue gear, but I print my mix in Reaper, I just route the output of my 2-bus to another track and record the output..., which means I have all my mixes in the DAW, too. I assume that would work with this device...
At first I thought this would be some kind of next generation UAD box. And then I made the mistake of trying it out for half an hour. And now I want one. It sounds really great. You get a very good sound in no time at all. And digitally recallable. Compared to buying a lot of analogue compressors and saturators, the price is actually pretty good!
I really love the track!😎💪🏼…its your production?
At 7:30 you say it's not possible to have tubes inside it... It actually does, though. Thats the whole point of the APB.
The APB is an interesting tool. I suspect hybrid mixers (like me) will feel pretty at home with it, while folks wanting more tactile control will pass.
IMO - it’s a clever product, it’s probably not for everyone, it’s definitely quite expensive, I’d love to see a future unit expand into analog EQ (that’d probably cost more). I’ve ordered two of the 16s because of the flexibility it provides.
I think we will remember the unit as being the start. Definitely something waves or plugin alliance should look into.
this and an interface with word clock is on my to get list 😅
I saw this demoed to me at NAMM 2020 by mr McDSP himself. I was impressed but also hated the fact it was MAC only. Also pricey af
I'm a little confused. What about the signal processing is analog? DSP, DIGITAL signal processing, is just that, digital. Isn't this essentially just a bunch of proprietary plugins in a box that are EMULATING analog processing? Is there anything LEGITIMATELY analog about this?
Ummm....it's analog circuits. Resistors, capacitors, transistors....etc. not emulating analog...it is actually analog. The plugin gui allows for digital control of the analog hardware. It isn't a DSP box.
@@jacobseal pretty confusing name for something that isn't DSP.
i absolutely loved the nope nope nope nope nope nope part!
They just need a universal controller for the plugins and this is definitely gonna change things, Moreso than 500 series.
Don't invest quite yet tho. other companies start implementing this and it will get significantly cheaper. I have a feeling 19" rack gear is on its way out almost entirely in the next few years
As most of the duties of that box are already covered in your studio .... are you going to keep the unit?
Genuinely wondering what is a point of buying something that combines both flaws from digital and analog :
Analog flaws :
- Can’t recall from anywhere, you have to be in be in the room with it (afaik, I could be wrong).
- Limited number of instances.
- Pricey.
- Requires space (1U is still a lot more space than 1000 Native plugins).
- Consumes electricity (very minor « flaw » but still).
- Hard to service (probably all SMC inside).
Digital :
- Rely on hardware technology that could become obsolete (Thunderbolt).
- Rely on software that could become obsolete (update for OS etc…).
- Retains low resale value.
- Cannot operate without a computer (not a big pb nowadays but still).
- Probably relies on some chip that are impossible or tough to service by ourselves (it’s like swapping a tube or even desoldering/soldering a cap or a resistor).
- Can become an abandonware, ending up not being usable anymore while computers will keep on evolving.
I am not hating, I am just genuinely wondering how one could justify having flaws from both world, we usually pick the flaws from one of the other.
I am probably completely missing the point and would be happy to be educated about it.
P.S. : I am a pro making a living doing this, so I am not new to big expenses for studio stuff.
I’ve always liked the idea, but for the price, I dunno. I currently mix hybrid using the I/O plugin in logic and recall analog gear using Session Recall. I have one master physical patch for mixing, and generally leave everything set at one setting for an album
I wonder how this compares to the Anamod gear just in terms of the sound of the tape emulation? I presume they work in the same way.... I'm not really sure how they do I work but I imagine they take a digital impression of an analogue piece of gear the same way you would make a plug in and then extrapolate that data onto the design of their own analogue circuit?
Is the output makeup gain or is that automatically adjusted for the amount of reduction?
And I should have waited a few more minutes and found the answer lol
4K actually not too bad for everything you get BUT given most of it are emulations/DSP… think I’ll stick to actual hardware
It’s 1 analogue processor but not led on it . It’s come with graphics plugins all the same sound but the graphics and colors make the affect on our brain ! I think there is. No more space for another. Plugins. That’s it. No need more we need people back to buy. Speakers at the home and listen
Would "slots" be a better term than channels? To me 8 channels implies that one can route 8 mono channels of audio into the box, and apply some number of effects to each channel... But I am not a pro.
The C673 impressed me. The tape was ok. If I could get the c673 by itself, that's all I would want
You can most map the plugg-ins to a controller to use more than one knob at a time, right?
MCDSP Always been amazing colours.
Sounds beautiful
The Powercore Series from TC Electronics was a big desaster, because the software was very buggy......i am not sure if that will work.
You know who else makes digitally controlled / recallable analogue stuff? Wes Audio and Bettermaker. And you can still use it even if the software is outdated.
And for "gain dance" - Purple Audio mc77 has it covered with a simple link in-out button.
By the way - I really like this version of Sandstorm. What's that?
Does the EQ count against the 8 available channels since it's digital?
On the face of it the value proposition is not bad. Eight channels of AD/DA into eight channels of analog processing. You could easily spend that much on a single compressor and 2-channel AD/DA. I am also curious about how this box works internally.
The UIs tend to look like holdovers from 2004 but that's forgivable.
It's almost 2025 and they ask $4000 for something, that doesn't even do the auto-gain-dance by itself?!?
That's .. disorienting ..
Yeah... I'd pay €500 for this. Maybe even €750. No way I'd pay what they're asking.
500 a channel for analog compression and saturation is fairly cheap considering cost per channel. That said I own one and don’t like the sound 4000$ worth lol
Uli's clone must be underway and well within 1k range :D
How many Analog units do you own with auto gain?
@@djdanger9812 same
Although the GUI has *a lot* of work to it, the concept and the sound is pretty sweet.
Not as heavy-handed as in this demo as you might imagine.
But I suppose it could do great things with stem mixing.
Seems really interesting!
I found this box intriguing since before it was released... a collection of inductors and transistors that configure depending on the Applied "Plugin".... Electro - Circuit Plasticity? ~of sorts... Digitally configured analog processing. the Holy Grail
I’ll just stick to my babyface pro and some external processing from my MX-1 at 96khz to achieve that sort of over the top processing in real time. Analog is useless unless timing is everything.
I really don’t get it, how is this box housing all that analog circuitry, what am I missing, really asking
As always, your hearing and emotional judgment is your true 🎵 🎶 ❤️
Yeh, sounds good but for £4,000 i dont know if i would go for it. All luck to you if have the money, enjoy it!
8 channels of analog. It’s sounds ok but after having spent them money on one, not good enough yet. IMHO
@@SoundslikedenI rather to buy. An SPL mixdream + SSL fusion with 4000£
@ agreed! Totally and I wish I’d spent my 4000 on something else lol. That’s why I’m in the comment section say don’t do it
No Windows support and drivers
That tune is gold. Kraut-y klezmerish dub meets The Smile.
do you know the track ?
Wow I didn't realize McDSP was actually a brand, used to have quite a few of those plugins inside Reason 10+ years ago. The Moo Tube skin reminded me again haha.
Hardware controlled by plugins
You don't need the full bandwidth with the thunderbolt port so you could use the down streaming port on the back of the EGPU
Reminds me soundwise of the old liquidmix - different modules but all of them have sort of the same fingerprint. Basically a very cool idea, but for me it would be too one-sided for the price. I would rather buy a specialised box.
this looks to be an epic watch
I'm thinking of changing my SSL 12 for a Heritage i73 Pro Edge interface as it has DSP and VST processing plus the Neve 73 style transistors, Icon has a partnership with Harrison selling a similar thing and is even cheaper. Any chance you can review these interfaces please Wyste? 😎
Difficult to setup and expensive, esp for a 32 or 64 channel version. You should speak about products that hit EOL because of the limited audience for this. Then with a new computer OS (or new computer) it’s a 4k block of metal. I see this coming and going quickly.
Do I see the stereo Stam up there 👀
Whats bugs me here is that we have analog gear…. That cannot connect whatsoever with other analog gear. And for me that’s a big part of the whole « analog experience ». I know the unit is pricey as is, but having rear D25 connectors giving access to both the analog processors and the converters would open a whole new world of routing (and also turn the unit into… an actual soundcard)
It would probably mess up with sync/latency report in the daw, but the idea of controlling an actual analog chain within the daw before the first conversion would make sense.
I got 2 Apb 16s I love it
Thanks for your support! 🙌
@ thanks for your creativity 🔥
I used the McDsp plug-ins back in 2003 on a 22 track album and it sounded great. Problem was they got way too expensive to maintain over the years with newer plug-in manufacturers coming into the game. If you can afford it, you should try it first to see if it provides the value you desire. A lot of pro studios still use McDsp set ups. I don't any longer and haven't in 10 years. So, try it before you knock it. For me, it's an ex plug-in I used to know. I'm out. Deuces.
This is analog though , so completely different than normal plugins
I got mine the other day. I’m at 12 minutes and I’m waiting for your reaction to the tape
It’s a small PC in a box acting as a large dongle! Given the power you can get a Mac Pro now why would anyone need this to power plugins, crazy idea.
Because those plugins aren't analog. Are you saying analog hardware has no use? Well the whole industry still runs analog hardware in one way or another. This ain't for a bedroom hobbyist mixing his friends songs. 4k is not that expensive as you think if you are doing it professionally. For an audio post, all you need is just one film project or one commercial, which highly likely that's all you have for a year. it will take just a few days in a project to have this all paid.
@@gregrodriguezIIIthe abp isn't really analog. The good thing about real analog is 0 latency.
@@youareliedtobythemedia it's a real analog what are you on. It's just an analog gear without tangible pots. All the electronics is inside and they aren't "softwares".
What's that track tho? Love the groove & vibe.
At the end of the day, it’s all a matter of opinion and use case. For me, I saw some great things and minimal drawbacks, but I can honestly say, it’s not for me and what I do. It is a good product nonetheless, but in today’s market of engineering tools, there are so many options and alternatives some even cheaper.
I can do the same thing with UAD...... Patch 2&3 out to 2&3 in load plugins in console.
Nice presentation, but maybe you should've used a cleaner track;
this one is already ''dirty'' enough.
Greetings from Macedonia
agree
you need a thunderbolt hub and put your PSU upstream of your laptop and it'll stop it getting too hot
the phase issue of the drive plugin made me instantly laugh 🤣
This sounds great. However I agree with you. The UI sucks. I would much prefer a modern UI.
Its designed for people who like analog, mostly they don't want a modern UI.
A £4000 door stop if that company ever goes under
They've been in business since 1998, one of the oldest and most respected plugin companies, a lot of the top mixers use them , and also used in major film mixing.
@ Congrats to them, doesn’t stop that box from redundancy if anything goes wrong. At least with other digitally controlled stuff (WES, Cranbourne etc..) you still have tactile knobs, therefore a working piece without the digital integration. It could be Apple making this and I would still never buy it.
bro smashed that thing on the table like a Dagestani
No trafo, no valve, only for mac, not usable in real time, 500 € per channel.
For me is no.
A little question, noisefloor level per channel ? Crosstalk in stereo module?
You couldn't pay me to use this thing. I doesn't do anything the thousands of native plugins we have at our disposal can't, you lose offline bouncing, the UI seems sluggish, and it's severely limited in the amount of processing it can do. Also, a 1u rack device that's light as a feather that supposedly creates all that analog 'magic', 'saturation', 'warmth' and other intangibles that the analog brigade likes to convince themselves they hear? For a YT channel that made a name off throwing around the 'snake oil' label, this is a bit of a let down. The lack of offline bounce alone would cost me more in a year than this box-of-plugins-with-a-converter-strapped-to-it.
Your native plugins aren't analogue.
@@hearmenow909 I know, that's why I use them
Dude chill,how did you threw the unit on the desk ?I almost had a heart attack !
looool
Glass Beams?
4k for this limited hardware analog/digital plugins? sorry, but this money is better invested in other stuff. (my opninion)
I've never heard anything but great things about the APB. So much confusion about it too. I personally want the 16 badly.
Definitely cool. It’s a little expensive, but if they were all racks it would be $2000 or more each.
What’s the song
These "plugins" sound AMAZING... due to the fact that they are real analog (no aliasing, etc). But personally, I find it silly to make a box that sounds analog without having hands-on control of the buttons/knobs/faders. It's just so weird to think that people want analog sound controlled by a mouse. It feels like upside-down world.
Knobs, buttons and faders are free in the digital realm, but costly in the analog one. 24 motorized faders alone would probably double the cost of the unit. SO they're digital.
There is aliasing, for some wierd reason, I’ve conversations with Mcdsp about it but no real answer.
@@poissonpuerile8897 For the cost of the unit they could do 100 knobs, faders and switches and still come out way ahead. I like McDSP but they inflate their price like crazy!
What? The ease of use and quality of life of digital (presets, recalling, precise control etc.) and the ”superior” sound of analog? I see the best of both worlds and nothing upside-down. I get that it’s nice to have real tactile knobs but they surely aren’t more convinient than digital plugins
@ sound ANALOG BUT it’s just OK. So what’s the point IMHO.
TC-Powercore 2024
Its not DSP its analog controlled by a remote plugin, as long as you have thunderbolt it will work.
@ like the TC, it needs a plugin and the related connection in order to work.. it’s not a matter of analog or DSP. If the plugin is not updated or the connection is not anymore available in future computers it will not work.
Missed opportunity on Royal Q to make it graphical like Kirchoff, Fabfilter etc
EQ is actually digital - great unit though
And passes though the analog Chanel it’s hybrid
@@blasegangbeats1865 yes it does!
@@blasegangbeats1865 where little fairies sprinkle some magic dust on the track that makes it sound bettererer.
what a nice track
i think i would just like to have a hardware compressor from them