
Gobs of console saturation is one thing, but the Neve VXS channel strip is stacked with processing options: Compressor/Limiter, Expander/Gate, 4-band EQ, High Pass and Low Pass filters. This adds the kind of realism and elusive “3D” sound quality which is where less sophisticated analog emulations miss the mark. Combined, they make for a complete virtual console replica living on your DAW tracks. That means each plug-in instance sounds a little different. All 72 console channels are modeled, complete with the channel strip processors, crosstalk and component tolerances. True to form, Brainworx isn’t joking around when it comes to the emulation’s depth. Unfortunately, the relic of audio engineering suffered flood damage last year. It recreates a rare 72-channel Neve VXS console owned by Brainworx CEO Dirk Ulrich. Brainworx bx_console_nīx_console_n has to be the plug-in that put the Brainworx name on the map as a synonym for excellence in analog emulation. No matter which plug-in you choose, you are getting excellent value and more than a little of that coveted Neve sound for your DAW. Others delve deeper into Rupert Neve’s legacy to explore rarer, off the mark creations.

Some focus on the most essential Neve modules, the ones that many studios still swear by – the 1073 preamp, the 1084 EQ, and the 2254 compressor/limiter. The emulations below cover a lot of ground for not a lot of money. The fact we keep talking about these names some 50 years after their emergence is a testament in itself! Me, I’m an SSL guy, I like precision and punch. It’s only second because taste is subjective. Second, the sonic character – open, musical, and pleasantly colored. Chief among them is the brilliant craft that went into the late Rupert Neve‘s timeless works. Neve gear is the holy grail of analog mixing for many reasons. These are the finest emulations of Neve recording equipment that I know of. Below are 7 fine examples of that kind of magic in action.
