REQ: Brainworx bx_Console E (New Release)

Every Channel Sounds Different — Just Like with Analog

Typical channel strip plugins only model one channel and let you apply multiple instances of that exact same channel across your mix. bx_console E is different. It uses Brainworx’s proprietary, patent-pending Tolerance Modeling Technology (TMT) to accurately replicate individual component variations specified by the manufacturer and/or original hardware designer. This creates, in separate instances of bx_console E, the small channel-to-channel variances you would expect to hear in the original analog mixer. bx_console E’s intuitive interface allows you to recall up to 72 different-sounding channels that, when strapped across all your tracks, give you hyper-realistic “mixed on a big console” sound for the first time in the box.

Each channel includes a comprehensive Compressor/Limiter, full-featured Expander/Gate, powerful 4-band Parametric EQ, and wide-ranging High Pass and Low Pass filters—with incredibly flexible signal routing just like in the original analog console. But with TMT, each channel produces slightly different frequency and phase responses, as well as differing compression and gate characteristics—exactly like in a real analog console. These slight variations add the complexity, nuance, depth and width for which analog is so deeply treasured.

An extremely low CPU load lets you instantiate dozens of instances of the plugin across your DAW project—building your dream vintage mixer. You can manually select any channel number you wish to use on each track, or use bx_console E’s Randomize function to select the channel number by chance for one or all channels used in your project. (Quick tip: duplicate one instance of bx_console E across all your tracks and then click the Random Channel/All button to instantly create that big-console sound!) Select Digital Mode for any channel pair to bypass TMT and match the two channels’ responses exactly—useful when, for example, gating both sides of a stereo track in perfect synchrony.

Build a Hybrid Mixer!

The analog E Series console had different EQ revisions over time, and some engineers prefer one or the other. In bx_console E’s super-fast GUI, a click of your mouse is all it takes to swap models of the “black” and “brown” EQ revisions—which sound dramatically different—on any channel. That alone gives you a selection of 144 different-sounding console channels to choose from! And if you’d rather hear the later-released British G Series console’s compressor on some tracks, that’s also a snap. A simple mouse click toggles models of the VCAs for the colorful E Series and more pristine-sounding G Series compressors on any channel. And just like in the analog E Series console, both the Compressor/Limiter and Expander/Gate can be triggered by another track routed to their external sidechain input: gate a bass guitar track so that it voices only when the kick drum hits, creating super-tight rhythm tracks!

More Powerful Than the Original

bx_console E adds many features that greatly expand the power and flexibility of the plugin far beyond that of the original console. The handy Mix (Dry / Wet) control creates super-size parallel compression effects lickety-split, adding density to vocals and electric guitar tracks alike while fully preserving detail. Use the optional secondary release-time control to prevent the compressor from pumping on delicate acoustic tracks. The THD control adds colorful saturation and density (on a per-channel basis!) to more than just vocals, bass and electric guitar tracks: crank it up when compressing room mics for rock drums, for a more aggressive sound. Raise the Compressor’s dedicated HPF control on room mics to let the kick drum breathe more for a beefier sound, while still squashing the bejesus out of the snare drum and cymbals and jacking up the room’s ambience. Quickly hunt down undesirable distortion and phase problems on stereo tracks and auxes by alternately monitoring the mid and side channels, using simple mouse clicks in the plugin toolbar.

Two alternate threshold ranges for the Expander and Gate cover a whopping 70dB range, even letting you process whisper-quiet tracks barely exceeding -60 dBFS. And say goodbye to chattering gates: use the Hysteresis control to set a dedicated close threshold up to 25 dB lower than the open threshold, preventing sustained guitar notes and ringing cymbals from making the gate stutter. Activating the Expander Invert button lets you hear only the portion of the signal that will be expanded or gated, aiding your setting the threshold.

Shift the High Pass and Low Pass filters’ original frequency ranges by a factor of three to create a midrange bandpass filter, then crank the Virtual Gain and THD knobs to add noise and distortion to create the classic “old telephone speaker” effect on lead vocals. bx_console E’s powerful extra features create an E Series console on steroids!

No, it’s not just a channel strip model. bx_console E is hyper-realistic analog large-format-console sound for your DAW.

Legal Disclaimer: bx_console E was developed by Brainworx using its own modeling techniques, and one of the products studied was the SSL 4000 E. Solid State Logic and SSL are registered trademarks of Red Lion 49 Limited, which is unaffiliated with Brainworx. Red Lion 49 and Solid State Logic have not licensed any intellectual property for use in the bx_console E, nor have they endorsed or supported the bx_console E in any manner.

FEATURES

Models the classic British E Series mixing console, offering 72 different channels
Full-featured channel strip includes a Compressor/Limiter, Expander/Gate, 4-band parametric EQ, and wide-ranging High Pass and Low Pass filters
Tolerance Modeling Technology (TMT, Patent Pending) simulates channel-to-channel variances of electronic components for the most realistic analog sound
“Brown” and “Black” EQ revisions can be swapped independently per channel with the click of a mouse
HF and LF EQ bands can be independently switched to provide either bell-curve or shelving response
EQ can be placed before or after the Dynamics section (Compressor/Limiter and Expander/Gate), in the audio path, or routed to the Dynamics’ sidechain
High Pass and Low Pass filters’ frequency ranges can be independently shifted by a factor of three to reach far into the midrange band
High Pass and Low Pass filters can be placed in the audio path or the Dynamics’ sidechain
Compressor/Limiter features continuously variable Threshold, Ratio, wet/dry Mix and two-stage Release controls; a dedicated High Pass filter; and a toggle for Auto- and Fast-attack times
Expander/Gate features continuously variable Threshold, Range and Release controls; two alternate Threshold ranges; and an Auto-/Fast-attack toggle
Swap E and G Series Compressor VCAs independently per channel with the click of a mouse
Expander/Gate features continuously variable Threshold, Range and Release controls and an Auto-/Fast-attack toggle
Gate features continuously variable Hysteresis control that prevents on-off chattering when input signal level fluctuates around the threshold
Expander Invert function lets you hear just the portion of signal that will be gated or expanded, helping you set the most effective threshold
Dynamics section can be keyed by an external sidechain input signal
Continuously variable THD control adds colorful saturation independently per channel
Continuously variable Virtual Gain control adds simulated analog noise independently per channel
Comprehensive metering and monitoring facilities incl. M/S solo features
EUCON parameter mapping provided for Avid controllers, including the S6 control surface