I think they sound nice. I've used them all on one thing or another.

jpetersen
They need a woodgrain skin to make 'em sound warmer.

Could be an interesting extension. Might get pulled though...

i don't like "one size fits all" typo of things ... it needs a few knobs to make it work for me - that's why I also prefer "Tube Saturation PC module" over Softube Saturation ... Softube may fit or may not, so it basically only works in binary on/off mode, Tube Saturation you can blend much better

These are the "MixStrip" (read Pro Channel Junior) tools that are provided with Music Creator 7.  They actually do use FX that ship with Platinum, but without all of the controls (attack, decay, wet, dry, etc.) to keep from confusing people who are new to recording in-the-box.   I use Platinum most of the time, but I do have MC7 on a travel laptop.  I found that the MixStrip tools were great for a first pass at a project. 
 
I am glad that Cakewalk decided to push these in Platinum releases as I do find them really convenient to rough things in early on in mixing.
 
Glen

You're writing a song. You want a quick effect but don't want to interrupt your creative flow. So you grab a Style Dial and keep on writing.
 
You're mixing a song. You want a really great effect and have the time to mess with it. So you replace the Style Dial with a carefully crafted effect.
 
The VoxTools effects chain was quite popular (if you believe that forum comments are a statistically valid sample), and that was just one-knob effects. Sometimes you replaced them later on, but sometimes you didn't need to, or in the case of FX that were a little off the wall, you left them in.
 
To each his own...different tools for different jobs.

Anderton
You're writing a song. You want a quick effect but don't want to interrupt your creative flow. So you grab a Style Dial and keep on writing.
 
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/...xpectation-reality.jpg

Hmm maybe style dials should be included with presets to speed up workflow :)

I agree with you, Craig.
 
When I'm writing (or "creating" or improvising, depending), I want as few interruptions to my maybe fleeting inspiration as possible. My time these days is severely limited and I welcome each real creative moment with joy.
 
I, conversely, resent every needless waste of that time on fiddling and workarounds and complications more and more fiercely. Just give me something that works ok right now.
 
I would love to be able to have my instrument available and ready to record as close to instantly as possible. The simpler the process, the better.
 
Then, I'd like to just throw on the general effect I will later probably refine.
 
On to the next instrument or voice I think may help the idea along.
 
I am after getting an idea recorded. What I do with it next, who knows?
 
At least I'll have the idea to refer to. If I'd spent half an hour of my available hour fooling with complicated effects, maybe I wouldn't have the couple of tracks and the kernel of a decent song.
 
If I hadn't had any effect available to throw on there, though, to give some atmosphere to the first track, maybe the next idea wouldn't have come up so fluidly.
 
So, hurray for quick effects.

Doktor Avalanche
 
Hmm maybe style dials should be included with presets to speed up workflow :)

Presets for just a single knob? You must be kidding!

Well I think I might have been ;) The conclusion I hope people might have read into is that you can get a sound up pretty quickly without having to use one knob.

Doktor Avalanche
...you can get a sound up pretty quickly without having to use one knob.

Uhm... you mean by using a preset? LOL