Reviewed: Pluggo 1.0.7
The never ending plug-in from Cycling '74
by Jeffrye Glenn Tveraas
December 15, 1999
You know, if I were a developer and manufacturer of outboard recording gear I'd be more than a little concerned right about now. Reason being that I'm looking at my own personal digital recording studio setup that has its share of single-space rack mount EFX processors and pre-amps, some very new and some dating back almost ten years. They may share duties from time to time but they also have one big thing in common these days - they're not getting used, at least not like they used to. Why? Not because they don't perform well, believe me they do. Lovely analog-digital beasties they are.
It's just that software developers, some of them the very same that programmed many of your outboard EFX units, are making it more expedient and more adventurous to create stand-alone programs and plug-ins that expand the capabilities of the software you may already own, taking advantage of the ever-increasing CPU power residing on our desktops (and sometimes our laptops) and allowing us to edit and modify audio files in easy and extraordinary ways without ever leaving the digital domain (or ever getting up off our butts). No A/D or D/A conversions to mutate our pristine AIFF's, no matter how ever slightly.
In the last few years, many developers have created lots of fine plug-ins for our computer sequencer/recorders. Many of them have emulated their hardware counterparts expertly, whether dynamics processor, reverberator, modulator, distorter, or sometimes combinations thereof. And they can cost almost as much too. Not that they're not worth it, they most certainly are. But I'm here to tell you that the value bar has been raised to a new height, at least if you use a Macintosh for your digital recording and processing. PC folk don't worry, these things have a wonderful way of migrating to wherever they're wanted. And next month, who knows? But if you're still with me let me tell you about the best processing value I've run across since Sabrett hot dogs.
Cycling '74 software presents Pluggo - the never ending plug-in. Why never ending? Well at first it seems like it because they give you 74 (!) plug-ins to install in your VST-capable recording software and brother, thems a lot o' plug-ins. I've experimented with them for hours and I know I've just scratched the surface of their potential. Second, if you have Opcode's MAX and Pluggo's MSP software you can create your own plug ins to suit your own desires and become a bona fide software developer yourself. This review will concern itself only with the Pluggo package as is - if you want to go the extra mile to roll your own you'll have to go to their web site for more information. There is a special offer for MAX and MSP for Pluggo owners available though.
There's no way I can do total justice to the wealth of options this package provides on these pages so first (after you read this) I strongly suggest you go to their web site and download the functional demo that will give you a meaty taste of the entire package. In demo mode the plug-ins will have periodic dropouts, but there's plenty of time to get the idea. If you like them (and I strongly suspect you will) you will have to fork over a grand total of $74 to register them and have full functionality. That's right - only a dollar a plug-in!!! That's how I spell VALUE! If you buy the package outright you do get a modest but informational and entertaining users manual and all the files on a CD including a MAX/MSP demo - same price. Either way there is an Acrobat file that explains every plug-in and what all the adjustable parameters are and what they're likely to do. And we all know how much you love to read about your software, don't we? That file is also available from their website if you want additional in-depth information on the functions of the plug-ins.
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| The Generic Delay Effect Plug-In |
So, what do I think of this huge toolbox of goodies? I think it's the best $74 you can spend on your Macintosh HD recording setup, especially if one of your favorite words is transmogrify (who says you don't learn anything from the comics? Thanks, Calvin!). Check out the sidebar - there's the list of all the included plug-ins and the names themselves should start your imagination running. Sure there is the requisite reverb (Chamberverb) plug-in, and it's a fine one too. Delays, filters, pitch EFX, modulators, even a light organ that does nothing else but generate pretty pictures to your music (remember, they're only a buck apiece!). Some of these are pretty much your standard ranch stash but some others are modifiers from another planet. There's real fun inside this package and these days that's a big thing. I've included several audio examples using the same acoustic guitar file just to wet your appetite, be sure to check them out.
Pluggo easily installs and works with any VST plug-in capable software. I use it with both Cubase VST 4 and Opcode StudioVision Pro 4 but owners of Cakewalk's Metro, Emagic's Logic Audio, Opcode Vision DSP and TC Electronic's Spark will find Pluggo works fine with them as well. And since VST is becoming a most popular plug-in format for the Mac I'm sure more will follow. You must have a Macintosh (or Mac clone) PowerPC 604 or G3 running at least at 150Mhz, 20 MB of HD space, 32 MB of RAM and OS 7.5.3 or newer. My system is a G3/266 with 128MB RAM and OS 8.6 in case you're keeping score. CPU power is the bottom line with digital processing, faster means more, more is better. Your mileage may vary. Void where prohibited. Tax and license extra.
A word about how plug-ins are used by different host applications. Some like the Cubase channel mixer inserts the plug-in in parallel, adding its signal to the buss along with the original signal. Others like Opcode's Vision, SVPro and the insert effects buss in Cubase VST run in series. That is the audio track goes thru the plug-in and then to the virtual mixer. Knowing this can change how you use these effects and modifiers. Read your manual to better understand how yours operates.
I found in SVPro4 If I have the audio track set up in stereo, the plug-ins show up as stereo in and out effects. If I have the audio track set up mono, the plug-ins show up as mono in - stereo out effects. Pretty handy. Not all of these plug-ins actually create or directly modify a sound. Some of them allow you to control other plug-ins automatically or in real time using your mouse. You can even control other VST plug-ins you might have with Pluggo modifiers to enhance their functionality as well.