Pros
- Excellent sound
- CPU efficient, especially easy to use and learn, with an easy-to-understand built-in PDF that includes tips on the signal chain choices from a legendary producer.
Cons
- A little pricey
- Can’t be used in the Apogee Control FX rack.
Apogee's latest multi-fx from legendary producer Bob Clearmountain has a refreshingly simple approach to audio processing.
When notification of the availability of Apogee’s new Clearmountain’s Domain multi-FX plug-in arrived in my email box, my first thought was, OK Apogee, what do I need this for? I have great plug-ins up the wazoo, and I am not impressed when celebrity engineers are attached to products (OK, maybe I am a little.)
So why did I decide to proceed and check it out? In a word, curiosity. I love the compressors and EQs in Apogee’s FX Rack and they have replaced some of my UAD plugins in my regular workflow and as an Apogee Element audio interface user, it’s kind of an obvious fit. Finally, when I see that it recreates plugin tandems that Bob Clearmountain used on Springsteen recordings, among others, and well, I am all in with The Boss.
What Is It?
Clearmountain’s Domain is a multi-FX plugin, with a signal chain that includes convolution reverbs; a stereo delay with “Spin Time Compression”; EQs/De-esser, Pitch Shifter; a Mixer; a Ranzomizer, and a Real-Time Visualizer. Presets contain various settings of them that you can edit and create your own to save, with no fear of overwriting the originals. It requires an iLok account, but not a physical iLok. So if you are unalterably anti-PACE copy protection, you can stop reading here.
The Sound
OK, but how does it sound? Very good. Better than the UAD multi-FX plugins I have or offerings from other developers like Soundtoys, Softube, Waves and others? I will have to live with it for a while in the heat of real-world usage and see how often I start with it but end up swapping it out for another, and of course, it is subjective. Certainly, if you don’t already have a multi-FX plugin that you love, it is worth your consideration.
Fortunately, you can decide for yourself. Here you can hear some examples of the plugin on and bypass. Also, you can try it for free for 15 days, as long as you have an iLok account. If you don’t already own multi-FX plugins that you love, this is certainly a fine choice. Even if you do, you may well want it.
Read the full review over at Ask.Audio
