Jump to content

What VST2 plugins work better than their VST3 counter parts?


TheSteven

Recommended Posts

Based on your personal experience - what VST2 plugins work better than their VST3 counter parts?

I'd like to build a list of these, posting here because the Deals forum seams to get more traffic than the Instrument & Effects.

I'll start - off the top of my head:
Plugin Alliance Triad - in the CbB Track Bin had several times where when muting the VST3 version it would go into permanent bypass mode until removed and reinserted.  Haven't had that issue (yet) with the VST2 version.

 

Edited by TheSteven
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lot of Plugin-Alliance plugins that use the standard preset setting (drop-down list in the plugin header). With these plugins it is painful to load presets with the VST3 version 🥵, because you always have to select the correct folder manually!!

It is valid for bx_bassdude, bx_rockrack, Noveltech Vocal Enhancer, SPL De-Essers, SPL Vitalizer MK2, Lindell 254E, Millennia TCL-2, Vertigo VSC-2, bx_hybrid V2, bx_panEQ, SPL Transient Designer Plus, SPL Attacker Plus, bx_meter ...

By the way this is also valid for other plugin manufacturers!

Edited by marled
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, marled said:

A lot of Plugin-Alliance plugins that use the standard preset setting (drop-down list in the plugin header). With these plugins it is painful to load presets with the VST3 version 🥵, because you always have to select the correct folder manually!!

It is valid for bx_bassdude, bx_rockrack, Noveltech Vocal Enhancer, SPL De-Essers, SPL Vitalizer MK2, Lindell 254E, Millennia TCL-2, Vertigo VSC-2, bx_hybrid V2, bx_panEQ, SPL Transient Designer Plus, SPL Attacker Plus, bx_meter ...

By the way this is also valid for other plugin manufacturers!

That must be a CbB/SONAR thing?, I don't use CbB and haven't used Platinum in over 4 years (and can't recall back that far), but in Studio One the presets are available via the normal method, no need for manually directing to correct folder or anything like that. All the ones I have that you list above work fine as I described, and all my other PA plugs that come with presets are the same. The individual presets are also available via the plugin browser under the plugin in question (via drop down), ie you can load say Bassdude with '6 Paula Riff English4x12' (or any other preset for that matter) pre-selected.  VST3

 

Edited by ensconced
Link to comment
Share on other sites

u-he have resommended using vst2 versions of their plugs in the past, their website now has this faq item "Known VST3 issues":

Quote

 

Unfortunately, due to limitations in the VST3 standard, some features found in the VST2 versions of our plug-ins are not available in the VST3 version.

We removed the MIDI Learn functions. While the MIDI Learn interface is available in VST3 versions, nothing happens because VST3 does not use raw MIDI data. In order to receive MIDI control changes (CC), the plug-in needs to report hundreds of special parameters to the host, one for each CC per MIDI channel. Until this is directly implemented in VST3 hosts, MIDI Learn is only available in the VST2, AU and AAX versions of our plug-ins.
Note: Settings assigned in the other plug-in formats will be adopted by the VST3 version. This means you can set up your controllers using the VST2/AU/AAX version, then replace it with the VST3 version afterwards.

A single MIDI CC only controls a single plug-in parameter due to limitations of the VST3 standard.

Presets with dot (period) character in name may not display the name correctly and navigation may jump to first preset in folder.

When using Cubase (before 9.5), if the MIDI programs folder is used, the first preset from this folder is loaded on startup.

GUI resizing does not work correctly in some hosts.

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, pwalpwal said:

u-he have resommended using vst2 versions of their plugs in the past, their website now has this faq item "Known VST3 issues":

 

I remember seeing that, and as a result have their VST3 "hidden".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

this seems like a typicallyuseful u-he workaround:

Quote

"Note: Settings assigned in the other plug-in formats will be adopted by the VST3 version. This means you can set up your controllers using the VST2/AU/AAX version, then replace it with the VST3 version afterwards."

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, marled said:

A lot of Plugin-Alliance plugins that use the standard preset setting (drop-down list in the plugin header). With these plugins it is painful to load presets with the VST3 version 🥵, because you always have to select the correct folder manually!!

I reported problem very long ago to them, seems they do not care... Well, I do not even try to use their VST3 ...

One of serious disadvantage of using VST3 (but again it is manufacturers fault) is in many installs we can pick directory to install for VST2 but not for VST3...

So hard to keep plugins on other location than OS disk... using installers...

5 hours ago, marled said:

By the way this is also valid for other plugin manufacturers!

But there are some who are preparing better their plugin for use, as well ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

VST3 plugins shouldn't let you choose a directory to install to on Windows.  That's the way it's been designed.  They are only supposed to be installed into

Program Files\Common Files\VST3
Program Files (x86)\Common Files\VST3

With Program Files being the Windows PF directory, which oddly enough doesn't have to be C:\ but is usually.

Plugin developers are encouraged to install their other files in the various user and app data directories.  Cause otherwise there is a good chance it won't work.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, Matthew Sorrels said:

VST3 plugins shouldn't let you choose a directory to install to on Windows.  That's the way it's been designed.  They are only supposed to be installed into

Program Files\Common Files\VST3
Program Files (x86)\Common Files\VST3

With Program Files being the Windows PF directory, which oddly enough doesn't have to be C:\ but is usually.

Plugin developers are encouraged to install their other files in the various user and app data directories.  Cause otherwise there is a good chance it won't work.

To be honest I believe it is horrible rule and idea... Part of wider topic...

I would like to keep all my plugin on different disk than OS one. All on the same one. Maybe even share it in future through Internet for my different locations (or in easier variant mobile one) to stop forcing me wasting lots of time for managing plugins in the same way on few my computers... Installing, updating, removing, whatever..

It is the same 'brilliancy' to force install application things on OS disk as long time ago assumption 1MB RAM is absolutely enough... And we were experiencing results of that design in very strange tricks in CPU architecture to keep everything like it was for old apps and provide more memory for new with additional mode of CPU...

Good design is when OS disk is small, dedicated only for OS and application can be independent on OS filesystem and they do not interfere each other. 

Unfortunately many creators don't care and probably are not quite familiar with some good practices (like give user a choice ).

For instance in my job I have seen apps which are using /tmp filesystem to keep there their data, quite usual example of a bad is when way growing app data is put directly put /var filesystem... etc... While these were Linux world examples they have many in common with designs for apps in Windows world... Mindless installers putting every possible version of plugin everywhere, forcing assumption there have to be installed AAX etc... Leaving lots of areas for not required interaction between OS and apps because of sharing resources where they shouldn't or there is a choice...  Lots of still the same issues even after 10-15 years :(

Often some manufacturers do hard and great work with what app is doing or GUI but completely ignore of reasonable design for data placement, installers, plugin management etc

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Carlos said:

I have all my vst3 plugins on D : //

I just cut them and paste them there, lol.

Don't ask. 😂

Sure, we can do many things manually and by ourselves, Carlos ;)

But  - call me lazy and spoiled guy - I believe I have computer to do work instead of me not forcing me to do anything instead of it ;)

So every workflow issue, lazy design I consider as not-finished-job by creators (or job bad done ;) 

No matter it is related to plugin, OS, DAW, WWW browser or whatever...  :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, Piotr said:

Sure, we can do many things manually and by ourselves, Carlos ;)

But  - call me lazy and spoiled guy - I believe I have computer to do work instead of me not forcing me to do anything instead of it ;)

So every workflow issue, lazy design I consider as not-finished-job by creators (or job bad done ;) 

No matter it is related to plugin, OS, DAW, WWW browser or whatever...  :)

We love smilies 😂🤣😅

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was disappointed to learn that VST3 must be installed to a certain path: I try to keep my C drive for Windows and program files only. Regardless I ended up just going to the install location, moving the contents to another drive, and then creating a symlink in it's place; it's working well for me so far.

For anyone interested and on Windows, look up the command mklink

  • Like 1
  • Great Idea 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, antler said:

I was disappointed to learn that VST3 must be installed to a certain path: I try to keep my C drive for Windows and program files only. Regardless I ended up just going to the install location, moving the contents to another drive, and then creating a symlink in it's place; it's working well for me so far.

For anyone interested and on Windows, look up the command mklink

Yep, it is very good advice.

I used this method in the past for something but forgot what it was... 😄

Thanks for recalling me that I need to look for what I have linked to and where :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, TheSteven said:

Based on your personal experience - what VST2 plugins work better than their VST3 counter parts?

I'd like to build a list of these, posting here because the Deals forum seams to get more traffic than the Instrument & Effects.

I'll start - off the top of my head:
Plugin Alliance Triad - in the CbB Track Bin had several times where when muting the VST3 version it would go into permanent bypass mode until removed and reinserted.  Haven't had that issue (yet) with the VST2 version.

 

Did you try to download the beta version? It fixes a lot of issues and has a more scalable GUI. There’s a download link on kvr.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...