Abbey Road Brilliance Pack demo

wurliuchi · Post by **wurliuchi** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 4:59 pm

Dang, I can't get the demo for this plug-in to work in DP6. I think I might have screwed up the install somehow. Nothing seems to be working right for me today. It's been one of those days.

I do have it registered to my iLok and the AU components pass examination, but when I try to insert the plug I get an error message in DP saying it can't load it or something. Bummer.

Has anyone tried it out and got it to work. What do you think of it?

Thanks.

Frodo · Post by **Frodo** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 5:04 pm

I got the Comp to work, but there was an issue with iLok that had to be redone once I had problems loading plugin. Not sure that this is your issue, but if a reinstall doesn't work, write to tech support. They're pretty good about addressing issues.

wurliuchi · Post by **wurliuchi** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:06 am

Frodo wrote:I got the Comp to work, but there was an issue with iLok that had to be redone once I had problems loading plugin. Not sure that this is your issue, but if a reinstall doesn't work, write to tech support. They're pretty good about addressing issues.

Thanks, Frodo.

I contacted Abbey Road support and they said:

"Sorry about this, the latest version of the Brilliance Pack software is coming up with this fault whenever used with Digital Performer. Our programmers are working on a fix for it and we should have a new version available next week."

That's cool. I can wait.

dogBoy · Post by **dogBoy** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 5:22 am

I didn't have a problem with the demo, other that time ran out......ha
It's expensive for what it is... sounds like a harmonic saturator for higher Feqs. It sounds good.. looks cool... The Brand name sure jacks up the price...

Curious of others opinions of the sound... hope you get it working

Century · Post by **Century** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 6:59 am

I have had the Brilliance plugin for a couple of weeks. It worked flawlessly in DP 4.61 but I'm having a problem installing it into 5.13. The plugin is great in my opiniion. You can get an edge to things in a really pleasing way, not grating on the ears. In "recording the Beatles" there was a section on the 127 box and it was often used at 10db at 10 k, so if you try that setting you can hear a little Beatle vibe. I noticed that running 2.5 gives you that kind of great drum distortion that the Beatles used. In my opinion this is a one of a kind tool.
Jay

willheim · Post by **willheim** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:41 am

i read about this plug in and was completely uninterested. i have no desire to sound like the beatles or abbey road. boring.

maybe that's why i am so unsuccessful?

but that's just me. i mean who cares. yee hah digital emulations of EQ used on a forty year old record! oooohhh.

but i can understand other people's interest and my opinion doesn't matter.

i just am reading the forums and avoiding work.
sigh.

dogBoy · Post by **dogBoy** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:48 am

i just am reading the forums and avoiding work.

I like when my e-mail beeps, "Hey, It's Unicornation".
Thanks for the distraction. Work can wait for Unicornation.
Facebook is a good distraction also.

wurliuchi · Post by **wurliuchi** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:02 pm

willheim wrote:ii mean who cares. yee hah digital emulations of EQ used on a forty year old record! oooohhh.

Abbey Road was thirty-nine years ago next month. Not forty. Don't make me older than I already am. Damn-it.

wurliuchi · Post by **wurliuchi** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:05 pm

Century wrote:I have had the Brilliance plugin for a couple of weeks. It worked flawlessly in DP 4.61 but I'm having a problem installing it into 5.13. The plugin is great in my opiniion. You can get an edge to things in a really pleasing way, not grating on the ears. In "recording the Beatles" there was a section on the 127 box and it was often used at 10db at 10 k, so if you try that setting you can hear a little Beatle vibe. I noticed that running 2.5 gives you that kind of great drum distortion that the Beatles used. In my opinion this is a one of a kind tool.
Jay

Thanks for the info. Ooo, I forgot all about my RTB book. I'll have to go take a look at it now.

When they put the upgrade up you should be able to use it in 5.13.

Thanks!

Frodo · Post by **Frodo** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 2:43 pm

willheim wrote:i read about this plug in and was completely uninterested. i have no desire to sound like the beatles or abbey road. boring.

maybe that's why i am so unsuccessful?

but that's just me. i mean who cares. yee hah digital emulations of EQ used on a forty year old record! oooohhh.

but i can understand other people's interest and my opinion doesn't matter.

i just am reading the forums and avoiding work.
sigh.

There's more to it than just the Beatles. EMI put out some great orchestral recordings as well, and some of the character of these plugins can take some of the "clinical" or "sanitized" character out of some of the more strident virtual instruments. These plugins are excellent for the way they add richness without sacrificing clarity. I've found it a challenge to get quite the same results with most other plugins of their kind. It's not totally impossible, it's just a challenge. They have a unique quality.

My biggest complaint is that as soon as names such as 'Beatles', 'Abbey Road', or even 'vintage' are used, it tends to impart a singularity of purpose where musical style is concerned and does nothing to convey the broader advantages of how the hardware equivalents were used in all their diversity. Also, a brand name fetish can too easily jack the price of such plugins, and the TG Chandler plugins just may be more expensive than many people find they're worth.

But even if the whole vintage warming is not appealing, perhaps some of the SSL plugins would prove to be more transparent. Dunno.

Century · Post by **Century** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 7:18 pm

Sorry to go on about the "beatleness" of the brilliance plug-in but I suppose that is the frame of reference that I used to evaluate it. I've used it on instruments that needed aa boost and couldn't get it with any eq plugs I own so that's why it works for me.

We could discuss the pros and cons of vintage gear for hours but there is something special about some of the older tube based gear and the Neumann mikes and thwe like that is more than just nostalgia or hype.
Digital is what it is but you can't dismiss what came before it in my opinion.
Whether its Beatles or analog tape there's a reason for the hype.

Frodo · Post by **Frodo** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:43 am

Century wrote:Sorry to go on about the "beatleness" of the brilliance plug-in but I suppose that is the frame of reference that I used to evaluate it. I've used it on instruments that needed aa boost and couldn't get it with any eq plugs I own so that's why it works for me.

We could discuss the pros and cons of vintage gear for hours but there is something special about some of the older tube based gear and the Neumann mikes and thwe like that is more than just nostalgia or hype.
Digital is what it is but you can't dismiss what came before it in my opinion.
Whether its Beatles or analog tape there's a reason for the hype.

Indeed. These are great plugins that are more than just "usable" or only geared towards 60's rock tracks of the mop-top type. I love 'em.

mhschmieder · Post by **mhschmieder** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 4:26 pm

Contrarily, I couldn't get the comp to work but was able to get both brilliance plugs to work in DP. I gave up, as the plugs seemed way too specialised for my current needs. But they really nailed the sound, for sure.

I think I might have had to reboot first (either the computer, or just DP). There did seem to be some bootsrapping beyond just downloading the iLok demo licenses.