Slate Digital:RC-TUBE $49 + iLok2

This is an outstanding deal!  For the price of an ILok2 device you get the ILok2 and the RC-Tube.  It is hard to pass that deal up if you do not own an ILok and are looking for a deck/tube emulation.

I had already purchased the Slate VCC, which in version 1.5 update now includes the RC-Tube.

Cecelius2

Any thoughts on this plugin?

Related to the RC-Tube Ilok2, Steven Slate (on the GS site) noted two new options coming:

"We will have a software only NO ILOK2 download available later today for $39 for those who already have an ILOK2."

&

"In a short time the RC TUBE will be sold without the ilok2. However, it will be the same price, but this way you won't have to worry about an extra ilok2."

Cecelius2

I am having a hard time deciding whether to get this RC-Tube w/ Ilok for $49 or X1 Expanded w/ Softube? I cannot get both and besides, how many tube saturaters do I need; being that ProChannel already has two. I also do not yet have an Ilok. An expanded Prochannel and the other additions in the upgrade look to be convenient. There's also the added stability I've read about that Expanded offers; although I don't believe that should have to be paid for, it should be part of a free update, but that's a topic for another thread. Does anybody have Experience with both of these that would like to comment?

My ilok arrived yesterday. I'm using x1 producer (not got expanded yet) and slapped on the rc-tube on a project with no apparent problems as far as stability goes. I need to rtfm to get a handle on it, though overall it looks pretty simple to use. More thorough testing later this weekend hopefully.

M@ B

After thinking a bit more about this, I'm going to wait on Expanded. I had pretty much decided when Expanded came out, not to spend anymore money on ProChannel until the intermittent compressor problem was fixed FOR FREE and Im going to stick to that decision. Now the question is, do I want to get this Slate plug within the next few days???

M@B:  I now have the new VCC 1.5.x, which has the new RC-Tube on it.  It is absolutely great; however, it is very subtle.  It is more like "sonic" glue and filling--it helps sweeten the mix just enough, just right in fact, but only a little.  Of the five recording desks modeled, the new RC-Tube is the most pronouced to my ears.  However even turning the drive all the way up, is nice, no distortion or clipping, just that warmness that fills in the mix just right.  Yes, the RC-Tube is really nice, and your mixes will sound slightly fuller, sweeter, but not over the top.  If you want to wait until Slate releases the non ILok2 version, then you could download that version and demo it for free and see for yourself.  Otherwise, for $49 + $5 for shipping ($54 total) you would get an ILok2 and the RC-Tube, which you probably would use.  BTW, Ilok2 would open up your toolbox to have other plugins that one day you might want to consider (like Waves for example).

Regarding PC Expanded--  RC-Tube is NOT like the new Saturator in the new Pro Channel Expanded at all.   The PC Expanded is also very nice indeed, but the new PC-Expanded Saturator is more dramatic.  A very little Expanded Saturator is all you need (I never turn up that Saturator knob more than 40%; higher levels than that sound closer to a nice distortion to me).

My personal advice--buy the RC-Tube whenever you can.  I suspect that you will use it.  Also get the new PC-Expanded when you can.  The new FX Chain is worth it, and many on this site (most) are reporting that Expanded is somehow helping with stability.

I am very happy with Slate's new RC-Tube;  I am also very happy with Pro Channel Expanded.  Both have made it much more easy to get a good mix.  Now if only I could remember how to play music; then I would have something really special in my tool box.

Good luck
Cecelius2
 

Have been using this all week, not only is it the best thing to happen to my mixes in a long time but you get a free ilok!. This is my first ilok and it was fairly easy to get set up, now it just works and it makes my mixes go from 2d to 3d. I love it, only downside is now I think I want to upgrade to full vcc for the other emulations. Very cunning slate

$49 people.......

I got the same email. There's probably a new sale in the works for the holidays involving upgrades to the full version.

I just bought this last night, installed the VST, but X1's scanner kept shutting down when it got to either this VST or Rhino's (I installed both VST's around the same time). I got a windows message saying something like "scanner has stopped working" on the few times I tried to re-scan. Vista actually gave a detailed description of the error, but I didn't log it down.
I'll try to remove one of those and see which is the culprit and then re-install this evening.

AHA!! (I didn't reboot before scanning). Thanks Olpal!!! Will do that tonight.

(I haven't received my iLok yet, but just wanted make sure X1 saw the VST. I'm sure I won't be able to run this without the iLok attached.)

ba_midi

M@ B


I am having a hard time deciding whether to get this RC-Tube w/ Ilok for $49 or X1 Expanded w/ Softube? I cannot get both and besides, how many tube saturaters do I need; being that ProChannel already has two. I also do not yet have an Ilok. An expanded Prochannel and the other additions in the upgrade look to be convenient. There's also the added stability I've read about that Expanded offers; although I don't believe that should have to be paid for, it should be part of a free update, but that's a topic for another thread. Does anybody have Experience with both of these that would like to comment?

I haven't read the other replies in this thread, so maybe some of this is covered, but here's my take:

I have Expanded and I just got/installed RC Tube with the ilok2.

The ilok2 is working just fine.

The RC Tube seems like a total waste of money to me.  I find the softube in Expanded to be a better deal/sound.
The RC Tube just doesn't have 'umph' in my opinion.   I tried all kinds of ways to get it to impress me, but no go.

Others will have differing opinions, I'm sure;  but personally I feel I just bought a new ilok2 for 50 bucks ...  the plugin is useless to me.

 
I hear it a working a little, I was planing on checking out the demo on the full to see if there is anything there for me, if anything I'm looking at getting POD Farm, so I would hyave spent the 50.00 anyway....

ba_midi

I have Expanded and I just got/installed RC Tube with the ilok2.

The ilok2 is working just fine.

My ilok2 just arrived in the mail.  The package contained the little piece of hardware ... that's it.  Someone here said something about needing the latest drivers.  Drivers?  There were no instructions included and certainly no CD with software on it.  I don't mind reading instructions in order to get something working properly, but there is nothing to read.
 
So, Billy, did you just plug in the ilok, download the RC Tube and install and everything works from the get-go?
 
I have no previous experience with an ilok device.  I bought into this deal mainly because I thought I eventually would want something that required the ilok and if the RC Tube worked nicely, that was just a bonus.  But what happens when I eventually buy that ilok-enabled software?  Is there some standard installation trick that you need to know?  I bet I'm hardly the only one for whom this is their first ilok experience.

dmbaer, this is also my first iLok experience. I Googled iLok driver and got this http://www.ilok.com/download-ilok-software.html. Is this the correct driver update that all of you use? 
 
Thanks Bapu.

dmbaer

ba_midi

I have Expanded and I just got/installed RC Tube with the ilok2.

The ilok2 is working just fine.

My ilok2 just arrived in the mail.  The package contained the little piece of hardware ... that's it.  Someone here said something about needing the latest drivers.  Drivers?  There were no instructions included and certainly no CD with software on it.  I don't mind reading instructions in order to get something working properly, but there is nothing to read.
 
So, Billy, did you just plug in the ilok, download the RC Tube and install and everything works from the get-go?
 
I have no previous experience with an ilok device.  I bought into this deal mainly because I thought I eventually would want something that required the ilok and if the RC Tube worked nicely, that was just a bonus.  But what happens when I eventually buy that ilok-enabled software?  Is there some standard installation trick that you need to know?  I bet I'm hardly the only one for whom this is their first ilok experience.

First, you should go to ilok.com and create an account.   Here's the way it all works, generally:

When you purchase a piece of software that is ilok'd, the vendor sends a "redemption code" to ilok which you can retrieve (you'll probably get an email with instructions at that time).

So you log onto ilok.com from the computer that has the ilok and it will download the latest licenses to the ilok.

It's actually quite smooth and simple, not much different than auto-updating software in general.

I just keep my ilok in my DAW and use that to get the new/updated licenses as needed; but you can plug the ilok into any system and it will work that way just fine.

So as an example with the RC Tube ... Slate sent email with the redemption code.  I went to ilok.com and clicked on "redeem", pasted the code, and then I clicked on download license  (have the ilok inserted already of course).   That's it.  

I installed the plugin, then I ran my VST scan and it's done deal.

Hope that helps.

PS- yes, Bapu is right - on the ilok site you can download their 'drivers', which should be done as well.

Mesh


dmbaer, this is also my first iLok experience. I Googled iLok driver and got this http://www.ilok.com/download-ilok-software.html. Is this the correct driver update that all of you use? 
 
Thanks Bapu.

ilok.com always has the latest drivers.