Analog Obsession releases PREDD, a free vintage mic preamp/DI plugin for macOS and Windows.
As if Analog Obsession hasn’t already given us enough, the generous developer is back with another nod to legendary analog gear.
This time, the gear in question goes all the way back to Abbey Road Studios in the late 50s to late 60s. The EMI REDD.51 console was instrumental in some of the famous studio’s most seminal recordings, in part, thanks to its exclusive valve amplifier module.
See also: BPB Saturator Is A FREE Tube/Tape Saturation VST PluginThe EMI.51 isn’t exactly accessible; you’d have a task finding one, even if you had the money. Chandler Limited later released the REDD.47 microphone preamp as a more accessible way to capture some of that Abbey Road/EMI magic.
While you’ll have no trouble finding one, it’s only accessible if you have a few thousand dollars to spare.
Thankfully, we have Analog Obsession and the PREDD plugin available to download free from the developer’s Patreon (donations most welcome).
The PREDD plugin looks great, and the GUI follows the REDD.47 layout pretty closely. It starts with the Mic(preamp)/DI switch and Voltage Gain knob. Next, you have a fully gain compensated -20dB pad, a 10dB High Boost, Pole Phase Invert, and Rumble Filter (20 to 180Hz Highpass Filter).
Last up is Fine Gain Set (Variable +/- 5dB) and Output.
The only significant difference in layout is that including the 10dB High Boost, which the REDD.47 doesn’t have, the Output knob moves from the center to the right-hand side.
I haven’t yet tested the PREDD plugin at the time of writing this, and that’s not usually a good starting point. While I won’t pull an opinion out of thin air, I can confidently assume that this plugin will sound fantastic and be shocked if it doesn’t.
I say that as someone who wasn’t using any Analog Obsession plugins earlier this year and now considers them some of the most accurate emulations around, free or paid.
Not too long ago, we covered Analog Obsession’s Room041 and dBComp, both of which were outstanding.
Musicians who are relatively new to recording/producing sometimes overlook preamps in favor of the more glamorous EQs and Compressors. But, If we go back to classic consoles like the EMI REDD series, these gain-stage modules really set the tone; excuse the pun.
My main go-to preamps right now (hardware/plugin) are a Universal Audio 710 Twin-Finity, which I have a lot of fun with, Arturia’s 1973-Pre/V76-Pre, or a couple from the Slate Digital Collection.
I can’t wait to get to work with the PREDD plugin! If you didn’t already know, ALL Analog Obsession plugins are available for free via Patreon, and again, donations are welcome. Huge respect to the developer, Rıdvan Küçük.
PREDD is available in AU, VST, and VST3 formats for macOS and Windows.
Download: PREDD (7.39 MB download size, ZIP archive, 64-bit VST2/VST3/AU plugin formats for Windows & macOS)
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Last Updated on October 22, 2021 by Tomislav Zlatic.
