REQ: Acustica Audio Sand 4
Acustica's SSL console emulation, redesigned from scratch.
Acustica are some of the best and most natural sounding plugins out there, but Sand 3 wasn't one of their best. Additionally, Acustica have been traditionally known for resource hogging.
Both these problems seem to have been solved by Sand 4. Sound wise, a new engine, redesigned from the ground up, and the introduction of the new Hyper technology that makes it a lot more CPU friendly.
49 different pres, for mix summing, 2 different compressor models, plus a brand new frequency analyzer.
Definitely one to try.
Sand 4 Ultra is the latest Acqua plugin suite (VST/VST3/AAX/AU) based on the third-generation Hyper technology and the New ‘Aria’ engine. It reproduces the sonic behavior of a series of high-end British consoles that dominated the pop and rock scenes from the 1980s onward. Sound engineers from all over the world swear by their forward, slightly aggressive sound, and their logical layout.
The Sand 4 Ultra suite is the natural choice for all those who “mix in the box” and musicians in need of authentic emulations of classic devices, improved with Acustica technology and equipped with new parameters. It is a powerful bundle consisting of 3 different plugins: a Channel strip, an EQ and a Compressor.
What you get
Sand 4 Ultra is a Acqua plugin suite that includes:
Sand 4 EQ Ultra
A re-designed 4-band Parametric EQ, with wide-ranging High Pass - Low Pass filters, several preamp options and a powerful interactive EQ display with adjustable parameters improved with our Hyper tech. The Sand 4 EQ Ultra draws inspiration from a legendary parametric equalizer, the core of one of the finest British mixing consoles ever developed in the Pro Audio industry. This iconic equalizer has been utilized on numerous hit records and remains a preferred choice among elite engineers and globally acclaimed artists.
Sand 4 Comp Ultra
3 switchable comprehensive Compressors improved with our Hyper tech, including new powerful controls adding new contemporary features lacking in the original hardware counterparts. The Sand 4 Comp Ultra combines inspiration from two high-end British compressor modules, enhanced with our Hyper technology for optimal sound quality and unmatched versatility:
Comp A (CA) mode meticulously replicates a line channel compressor from one of the most celebrated British consoles first introduced in 1987.
Comp B (CB) mode emulates a VCA unit known as the quintessential bus compressor. It captures the distinctive British sound characteristic of one of the premier mixing consoles from the 1980s. This bus compressor is unparalleled in its ability to cohesively blend your tracks, making it a standout choice for your mix bus and likely to become your new go-to compressor.
Comp B with Auto Release (CBA) mode is an alternative version of the Comp B compressor, including an auto-release function.
Sand 4 Hyper Channelstrip
Full channel strip with EQ, High Pass - Low Pass filters, Compressors and preamp options, re-designed with our Hyper EQ tech to deliver sonic excellence with very low CPU usage. The Sand 4 Hyper Channelstrip is a must-have plugin thanks to its precise and powerful tone, embodying a legendary console that has earned its reputation as the gold standard in rock music production over the years. Its versatility also makes it ideal for genres like electronic, R&B, and dance, which require dynamic control, clarity, and definition.
Key Features
Hyper 3 technology.
New Anti-Aliasing algorithm that significantly reduces the plugin’s aliasing issues.
The new 'Aria' engine includes support for dynamic/real-time and metering displays, featuring a flexible high-definition spectrum analyzer with adjustable parameters that allow you to showcase spectral content in various ways (including one-third octave bands).
New Option to show ideal IIR equalization frequency response curves.
New interactive EQ display with adjustable parameters.
New totally re-sampled EQ, Filters, Comps and Preamps.
Listening modes (Δ, LR, M, S).
New resizing feature and responsive GUI.
Factory Presets available.
The Hyper technology
Hyper 3 technology is a groundbreaking advancement in the world of Acustica equalization. It brings forth a new era of sonic perfection, offering astonishing results that surpass traditional methods and unlock new levels of quality and efficiency. At its core, a Hyper 3 equalizer is a sampled equalizer that utilizes convolutions using a series of mathematical tricks.
It combines both IIR (Infinite Impulse Response) and FIR (Finite Impulse Response) to handle the impulses’ tail with IIR and keeps the significant section in FIR mode. This approach overcomes computational limitations, allowing for exceptionally long FIR lengths that were previously unattainable.
We ensure that the transient, which is the most audible part of the IR (Impulse Response), remains completely identical to the FIR version, and the reconstruction of this IR through the IIR does not change in any way.
Instead, we now add a part of the IR through IIR that was not handled correctly by the FIR approach.
This improvement enhances the response at lower frequencies and the result is a harmonious blend of the advantages of both methods, delivering superior audio quality across the frequency spectrum.
With Hyper 3 equalizers, high frequencies remain identical to the original machine, while low frequencies are significantly improved, offering a level of sound quality that is indistinguishable from the reference analog equalizer. Notably, fewer artifacts, such as ripple, are present, resulting in a more authentic and natural sound.
From Sweden to Italy: The Remarkable Journey of a Mint-Condition Console
The emulations included in the Sand 4 Ultra suite are the result of a resampling of a console in near-mint condition, a real gem located at Digital Lake Studio S.r.l. in Italy. This console has an interesting origin, having been commissioned from Sweden. Swedish Radio Television ordered 12 nearly identical consoles between 1994 and 1997. The sampled console, dated 1997, was installed in a mobile broadcast van (OB Van) based in Ystad, in southern Sweden. It was used approximately three days a week for two years before being decommissioned. Prior to its transfer to our studio in Italy, it was finely calibrated to a tolerance of 1/10 of a dB between channels using a sophisticated and highly professional system, and it has always been meticulously maintained to keep the mixer in perfect technical and functional condition. As it was commissioned by a broadcaster, it features several customizations tailored to its use, including a master section that is more compact to fit within the 200 cm width requirement of an OB Van.