What are your favorite mixing plugs??

 
  I am just curious. Sonar X-1 producer seems to have quite a nice variety of plugs. Several compressors,a choice of reverb if necessary.Vocal plugs,eq's,limiters...........so why do you buy anything else?
 
 I am considering updating my plug collection and have no idea what to look for.

SONAR comes with just about every processor you really need. The only thing I can think of that it lacks is a good mastering limiter.

So why do we still buy third-party substitutes? Convenience and features mostly. Some are easier to use, some have nifty added gimmicks.

However, I suspect a great many purchases are made blindly in hopes that a different plugin will somehow provide some missing magic. Spend some time over on KVR and see how they obsess over compressors. Some of those lost souls would do better to spend some money on a good book about compressors instead.

+1
for the pro channel, sonitus e.q and reverb and voxengo elephant.

i also like the the vx64 vocal strip for the all-in-one convenience, though not so much for the compressor.
been keeping it pretty simple lately.

would like to start to use the vintage channel. have never gotten around to that plug in yet for some reason. i have a feeling i'm missing out on a good one there.

Yup...this last year or so has been great for purchasers of audio software...which means probably suckville for the makers of audio software. 

 
  Appreciate that info Bitflipper. It is sad though...for the software designers.
 I have heard some good things too about the Izotope plug ins. If all I need to augment what I already have is a mastering suite. They seem to have a pretty decent set of mastering plugs....but some of it could be handled by my existing plugs right?

 

  I  think it could easily be another topic- Can a good engineer master? Clearly IMO most major DAW music software is designed to be a one stop music production center.

  Most stop short of saying that you can master on their software but I think that this is probably the goal of these manufacturers to make a product that a musician/engineer can use from start to finish.

  Now, I think I'll look around for a deal or two.......
 

 

 

 

 

When I look back at my path taken thus far,

I would say Izotope plugins were great although I find I'm not using them as much as I use to, by great I mean they were great to learn on and still are great. But as I grow in my understanding of mixing I don't rely on presets much at all anymore. What I've been using a lot lately are the Fabfilter plugins, Pro Q, Pro L and Pro C are all fantastic! If you're looking outside of Sonar's plugins, I"d highly recommend Izotope and Fabfilter plugins. And definitely experiment with the presets and learn how the changes you make to the settings affect the audio. 

Funny really... its the same process I've used to learn most of what i know about computers too... experimenting and seeing what happens!

Software - unless it is very poorly written - is the easiest part of the mastering process. Any commercial application can typically offer correct handling of digital audio. High quality convertors - Great monitoring environment - years of training - rested ears are the major part of mastering IMO.

I use Ozone and the cake default plugs mostly. I also have the Sheppi plug that I use in the master bus on occasion.

For mixing/mastering/polishing, that's about it. I try to keep it simple.

Been thinking about the OP's question and, as of right now, I'd have to say I would not want to be without my Chris-Lord-Alge Signature plugs from Waves.  While I have plugs that get more use and that if push came to shove I would have to keep (i.e. all my FabFilter plugs and some of my UADs) I really could not see getting the results I'm getting in my current CD project without my CLA signature series...they are just so...perfect for what I'm doing now.  My caveat, of course, is that every project is different and requires different tools and techniques.

 I think I will download some of these demos. Thanks!

I am just curious. Sonar X-1 producer seems to have quite a nice variety of plugs. Several compressors,a choice of reverb if necessary.Vocal plugs,eq's,limiters...........so why do you buy anything else? I am considering updating my plug collection and have no idea what to look for.

 
Sonar X1 comes with a lot of pretty decent sounding plugins.
That said, for specific things, there are (IMO) better 3rd party options.
I like Waves SSL bundle.  Great sound and all the basic tools you need to mix (sans ambience/modulation).
I like TRacks 3 Deluxe.  In particular, I like the Pultec EQ... 1176... LA2A... and the Peak-Limiter.
For reverb... Lexicon PCM bundle is excellent (the price reflects this).
For Delay, Fabfilter's Timeless-II sound great... and offers a lot of flexibility.
For correcting intonation, I prefer Melodyne to Vvocal or any other 3rd-party plugin.
 
Mixing is akin to sculpting and trouble-shooting...
A large part of preference is "comfort"... what's worked well for you in the past.
ie:  I like having a Pultec EQ... as I find it works so well... in so many situations.
I know how to use it to get sounds I want...