Could we please stop designing plugs that look like leftovers from a 1950's Ham radio shack.
I like some of the Nomad plugs but the front panels are terrible.
One reason I like the Sonitus plugs is that they typically have a modern look with linear controls and bar-graph meters.
I love the graph on the Sonitus compressor.
Just because your Fairchild plug has chipped Bakelite knobs does not mean your mix is going to sound like Abbey Road.
Why not have huge knobs for faders in console view like the old EMI consoles if they are so cool.
At least add selectable skins and let the user decide , it is not that difficult.

microapp
Just because your Fairchild plug has chipped Bakelite knobs does not mean your mix is going to sound like Abbey Road.
Why not have huge knobs for faders in console view like the old EMI consoles if they are so cool.

That's a great idea!  Can you add it as a feature request?  

I don't know, .... I kinda like the vintage look. 
 
To each, his own I guess.

it's all about familiarity

I'm mostly with the OP. I love FabFilter stuff for that reason. However, if a compressor (for example) emulates a specific hardware item, it makes very little sense to have it look like something else entirely.

yeah i'm also with the op, being a geek, was just explaining why they do it...

Karyn

microapp
Just because your Fairchild plug has chipped Bakelite knobs does not mean your mix is going to sound like Abbey Road.
Why not have huge knobs for faders in console view like the old EMI consoles if they are so cool.

That's a great idea!  Can you add it as a feature request?  

While your at it could you ask if the next Sonar upgrade will be delivered with a (real Reel) Tape recorder with 2 32 track tape reels and a cutter for editing the tape before mastering.

I kinda like to know what the plug is actually doing.
I don't like the magic knob concept where the min setting is 'sucks more' and the max setting is 'sucks less' and you have no clue what is actually doing.
IMHO, theoretically any plug could emulate any other plug by changing a few parameters in the basic code.
There are software libraries which have standard filter code for creating plugs. Emulating specific hardware exactly gets a little more complicated but it is still just code.
The boutique plug market is just that .... market-ing.
It is reminiscent of the guitar pedal market.

joel77
I don't know, .... I kinda like the vintage look. 
To each, his own I guess.

Joel, You should be able to choose the vintage skin.
I should be able to choose the techno geek skin.
Problem solved.
There is a gazillion skins for WMP mostly user created.
Why not sell a plugin skin for $4.95? Or better yet since you can easily pay $1K for a few plugs, throw in a few skins FOR FREE.
uh-oh I said the F-word.
 

As far as any plugin is concerned all the controls could just be a table of data like a spread sheet.
Humans, on the other hand, respond best to visual stimuli.  It's easier to decide quickly if something is big or small by seeing an object that represents the size, rather than an arbitrary number.
 
So on a sliding scale between raw data -> virtual hardware controls,  the closer you move towards the virtual controls the easier it is for humans to use.  The may be a point where any extra realism adds nothing to the ease of use,  like chips on the bakerlite knobs.  But in general, added realism aids comprehension through familiarity.

I find a "hardware-like" interface many plugins is often easier to read at a glance and better laid out than many with a more so-called "modern" gui. You could design e.g. an amplifier plugin with just numerical entry boxes for gain, bass/mid/treble, reverb and volume but a "traditional" interface works much better. For me anyway.

It's true that there are some awful looking and confusing fake hardware plugin guis around and I agree that some of the Nomad plugs could look better but that's more of a colour/contrast/layout issue than a fault in the basic concept.