Recommendation - Kush Clariphonic

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by jim1960

Doug, I saw your post and my first thought was, "There are presets?"
.

:-). I don't usually use presets (or if I do, I start with them and derive my own variants), but there's a huge set of them here, so it seemed like a good way to kick the tires and try a gamut of settings someone else is recommending without spending the time to find what I prefer.

If you want to show us what settings you would pick, my track is downloadable, and the 1st pass is untreated.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by jim1960

I thought most of the presets you used made the guitar sound too thin but I did like 4 and 6.

That was definitely my thought. After all, the original, before the Kush was applied, was my idea of how the track should sound. The Kush added more high end, but I didn't think it was needed for the track.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

If you want to show us what settings you would pick, my track is downloadable, and the 1st pass is untreated.

I'll try to find some time to do that later tonight or tomorrow.

[jim1960]

As promised, my own application of the Clariphonic plugin on Doug's performance.

Let me start by saying Doug's file sounds excellent from the get-go. There's not a ton of room there for improvement so I think this is more of an alternative vision (I know... odd phrase to use since this is audio) just to show what the plugin can do. The change is subtle and that's how I use this plugin. It's become part of my mastering chain and, as such, I'm not looking to do anything drastic ...just sweeten or perhaps bring a little focus.

Applying anything drastic to Doug's original recording would wreck it, so drastic is not the intent. That's also why I didn't care much for the presets. I think a couple were good starting points but neither turned out to be all that close where I ended up on my own. So like I said, this is a subtle change. I like it but it's really just a matter of personal preference because what Doug started with was already quite excellent.

[Doug Young]

Thanks for doing this, im out of town with no good way to listen. Ill check it out when i get back home

[Wrighty]

Very interesting plugin - I am trying it out on some classical recordings and quite like the tone so far.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

I played with it a bit more tonight, just checking thru some of the presets. It seems like one of those effects that once you get used to it on, things sound duller when you turn it off. I ran a short clip thru a handful of different stock presets (many of which use pretty subtle settings). Curious what people hear?

Here's the examples in order (screen shots for settings below, in order):
1. Raw track, No Kush plugin
2. "Airy Widening" preset
3. "Acoustic Guitar Duality" preset
4. "Classic Mastering 1" preset
5. "Acoustic Guitar Mid-Focus" preset
6. "Acoustic Guitar Lift and Sheen"preset

I like the "Classic Mastering 1" preset. Not sure if the enhancement is worth the $200 for the plug in though.

[DupleMeter]

The Clariphonic is nice. Others to check out:

Mäag EQ4 - set the Air band for 40K and boost 3-4dB. It's utter magic.

Dangerous Music BaxEQ - set in the traditional "boom & sizzle" settings (a little boost in the low end and up top), it just makes things better.

And for the ultimate in passive EQ goodness the SPL PassEQ is just so good. It's my goto mastering EQ.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by jim1960

As promised, my own application of the Clariphonic plugin on Doug's performance.

Sounds good, Jim. Pretty subtle, tho.

I did discover a nice use for this - I tried it on an R88 ribbon track, which is quite a dark mic. The Clariphone did a really nice job of lifting the highs in a way that I liked.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

Sounds good, Jim. Pretty subtle, tho.

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As I said, subtle is how I use this all the time. I don't think it really lends itself to any kind of big sound shift, at least not in the capacity I've been using it which is strictly as a mastering tool.

Originally Posted by Doug Young

I did discover a nice use for this - I tried it on an R88 ribbon track, which is quite a dark mic. The Clariphonic did a really nice job of lifting the highs in a way that I liked.

It's not hard to imagine the plugin being useful on ribbons or any dark mic to give a bit of a lift and brighten things up a bit. I'm sure there are other good uses for it. No doubt there are other great uses for this. Production Expert did a video on it where they used it on drums and were able to be more aggressive with the plugin (for anyone that might be interested, the plugin usually goes on sale for half-off in November).

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

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As I said, subtle is how I use this all the time. I don't think it really lends itself to any kind of big sound shift, at least not in the capacity I've been using it which is strictly as a mastering tool.


It's not hard to imagine the plugin being useful on ribbons or any dark mic to give a bit of a lift and brighten things up a bit. I'm sure there are other good uses for it. No doubt there are other great uses for this. Production Expert did a video on it where they used it on drums and were able to be more aggressive with the plugin (for anyone that might be interested, the plugin usually goes on sale for half-off in November).

Jim with the HW unit do you use it on your master bus also ? Or is it more for coloring a specific instrument ?

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Jim I don't remember do you have the hardware unit or the plugin ?
The reason I ask is if you have the HW do you use it on your master bus also ?

I own both but I use the hardware on the master buss. As nice as the plugin is, the hardware is a tad nicer. I'd describe my use for it as a sweetener. I find it's really great to make the vox shine in a mix or to give the upper mids and highs a bit of shine.

When I first got it, I had just finished mastering an entire album. I had sent it off to the client just the night before. I tested the unit on one of those masters and I was just floored by the improvement. I sent my client a note and told her I'd gotten a new piece of gear and I was going to send her a new set of masters and she could choose which versions she liked best. She chose the Clariphonic track every time.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

I own both but I use the hardware on the master buss. As nice as the plugin is, the hardware is a tad nicer.

Yes I just realized from your OP post you had the HW so you like the HW on the master interesting because as I noted in the Carbon thread the pre's and conversion are so good I am considering selling my MP2A and putting the proceeds towards a HW EQ So far I am considering the A Designs Hammer or the Clariphonic

But the Hammer is a grand more than the Kush ??????

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Yes I just realized from your OP post you had the HW so you like the HW on the master interesting because as I noted in the Carbon thread the pre's and conversion are so good I am considering selling my MP2A and putting the proceeds towards a HW EQ So far I am considering the A Designs Hammer or the Clariphonic

But the Hammer is a grand more than the Kush ??????

The staples in my mastering chain are the UA Curve Bender plugin and the Kush Clariphonic. The Clariphonic on it's own can't handle the EQ duties because it's not a full frequency unit. It really doesn't do anything for frequencies below 800Hz. My typical M.O. is to use the Curve Bender first, then the Clariphonic comes in like the cherry on the sundae. It's the final piece that adds that bit of something special ...subtle but noticeable.

I'd love to own a real Curve Bender one day but other things are higher on my priority list and I'm not when that happens. The Carbon is next. After that is whatever gets me to 16 or 24 channels. Once I move, I want a proper desk and a solid pair of mid-fields. The Curve Bender comes after those.

[jim1960]

The Clariphonic made it onto Pro Tools Expert's "5 Plugins Which Just Make Mixes Better" article.

Here's what they had to say...
Lots of people might reach for one of the many Pultec emulations available if they want some high end sheen on their mix. It’s a great choice, after all, decades of great records probably aren’t wrong but we’re going to choose the Clariphonic Parallel Equaliser from Kush. All of Kush’s products are aimed at vibe and flavour but this plugin is all about parallel EQ and using your ears.

Rather than conventional markings in terms of Hz, Q and dB, Clariphonic’s cream chicken head knobs offer unspecified amounts of boost (no cut option) at frequencies which are described rather than defined - Focus, Sheen or Shimmer, you get the idea. The very skeuomorphic UI mirrors the analogue hardware unit of the same name from Kush.

Clariphonic DSP MKII is a first call plugin for open top end without a hint of harshness. Its flexible too, with dual mono and MS modes and if you can figure out the various switches used to set it up it’s capable of addictive amounts of boost, not only at the extreme top end but lower down where harshness can be a very real hazard. Pultecs are great but give this a try.