Is There Any Way To Use Old Cakewalk .ax Plugins?

[david40]

I started using Cakewalk products from the beginning. And along the line I found a Chorus plugin that is the best of it's kind called FX Chorus created by Power Technologies.  I have all my old versions of SONAR, etc. and I found the FX Chorus plugin  in the old VST folder. It has a .ax file extension. I copied that into the VST folder for the latest version of Cakewalk, but after running a scan for new plugins it does not come up. Does Cakewalk no longer recognize .ax plugins? Is there any way to get it to work?

Thanks

[scook]

The plug-in is not a VST format so it will be ignored by the plug-in scanner.

CbB can load the 64bit DX plug-ins with an ax extension. At least the ones installed with 64bit versions of SONAR.

IIRC, FX Chorus is not one of them. Cakewalk did not port all the 32bit DX plug-in bundled with their products to 64bit.

DX format is host bitness specific. 32bit DX plug-ins require a 32bit host. 64bit DX plug-ins require a 64bit host. There is no 32-to-64bit bridge software for DX plug-ins.

It may be possible to wrap 32bit DX plug-ins with a VST shell and load the wrapped plug-in using BitBridge or jBridge but that's not a great idea.

Best look for a 64bit replacement. If possible one that also has a 32bit version (some manufacturers have stopped 32bit development entirely). This along with a 32bit version of SONAR will help the transition to 64bit for existing projects referencing 32bit DX plug-ins.

 

[Byron Dickens]

Don't waste time with outdated stuff like that. Nothing but headaches.

[sjoens]

.

Edited December 9, 2022 by sjoens

[Lord Tim]

I'll echo the comments above - that's a pretty old plugin, and you're asking for trouble even trying to make it work.

Have a good look though THIS thread: 

There's some excellent Chorus effects in amongst the posts here and are 100% free, and currently supported. The Melda stuff is probably a great first suite to check out, but the Bluecat chorus is really good too.

[Starship Krupa]

Download and install the freeware Acon Digital Multiply and you might change your mind about your old favorite being "best of its kind." There are many other freeware options available.

Get the Kilohearts and Meldaproduction free bundles. The Meldaproduction one has MFlanger, which allows chorus settings, and the Kilohearts bundle has a chorus. Between them, you'll get over 50 new plug-ins to experiment with.

The longer you cling to deprecated technology like 32-bit plug-ins, the more likely your favorite tools will stop working. At some point, you have to let it go.

[bitflipper]

Yep, I recall that the old fX:Chorus was pretty good. Fortunately, the plugin world abounds with cheap and free chorus effects. Here are a few  alternatives:

• The bundled Sonitus Modulator can do chorus effects. The mode is labeled "Ensemble" rather than "chorus".
• Acon Digital Multiply is a free chorus effect, although it, too, is more of an ensemble effect. 
• Vapor from Audio Damage has been superseded by a fancier version, but Vapor can still be downloaded - for free.
• Blue Cat Audio has a free chorus that may be the closest to the old fx:chorus in terms of controls.
• D16 Group's Syntorus isn't free but goes on sale periodically. It is a particularly deep and configurable chorus.
• Meldaproduction has a nice multiband chorus called MChorusMB, that's currently on sale for $29
• SONAR came with an effects suite from Nomad Factory than included a useful chorus called BT Analog Chorus. This will only be available if you have a previous version of SONAR installed.
• Overloud has a basic chorus plugin called VKFX Chorus, which, iirc, was a freebie.
• If you've got fifty bucks, the ultimate chorus effect is UberMod from ValhallaDSP.
• Voxengo has a nice chorus that's currently on sale for $30.
• TAL-Chorus-LX from TAL Software is a freebie, an emulation of the chorus unit from the Roland Juno-60 synth. 

 

 

[david40]

Thanks all for the advice. I have abandoned any attempt to find an updated version of the old FX Chorus as the company that made it no longer exists. I'll be looking at alternatives, and I probably should have mentioned that I intend to use this chorus for vocals, not instruments, so if anyone knows of a plugin particularly suited for voice doubling please let me know.

[bitflipper]

ValhallaDSP's UberMod does it all - chorus, phasing, flanging, reverb, delay. Anything from subtle thickening to out-there wackiness. It isn't always the one I end up using, but it's always the first one I try. Price is always 50 bucks so you don't need to wait for a sale. 

 

[abacab]

18 Free Vocal VST Plugins for Mixing Perfect Vocals [2023 Update]

https://blog.landr.com/best-free-vocal-vst-plugins/

6. Vocal widener plugins:

• Acon Digital Multiply / Free chorus effect plug-in (also on Bitflipper's list above) https://acondigital.com/products/multiply/
• Izotope Vocal Doubler https://www.izotope.com/en/products/downloads/vocal-doubler.html

Edited January 12, 2023 by abacab

[Starship Krupa]

4 hours ago, david40 said:

if anyone knows of a plugin particularly suited for voice doubling please let me know

There's the often-overlooked VX-64 Vocal Strip that comes with Cakewalk. It has a pretty good doubler.

I think it's now included with the regular installation, but years ago, you had to go through some steps to make them visible: