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Sonimus Satson
Sonimus Satson
4.25 4.25 out of 5, based on 2 Reviews

Surprisingly good, Sonimus Satson will help you achieve that analog console sound with almost no penalty to your wallet or your CPU.

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23rd January 2012

Sonimus Satson by Lights

  • Sound Quality 5.0 out of 5
  • Ease of use 5.0 out of 5
  • Features 4.0 out of 5
  • Bang for buck 5.0 out of 5
  • Overall: 4.75
Sonimus Satson

Sonimus is a small (one-man) boutique VST developer. Satson, Sonimus’ flagship product is a console emulation bundle that includes two plugins:

- A channel plugin which emulates the channel of an analog console and can be placed on individual tracks
- A buss plugin which emulates a console buss and can be placed on both group channels and the master channel

Both channel and buss feature excellent VU meter emulation with two metering calibrations: VU 0VU = -18 dBfs and 0VU = -14 dBfs. They also both have a FAT switch, which acts a bit like a colored compressor—reducing dynamic range and adding a bit of additional harmonic distortion. Both effects can also be switched on or off, allowing you to use the gain and metering only.

The channel plugin features a gain control to allow you to recreate analog saturation more aggressively. The effect is designed to go way into the red and produces a pleasing effect. A nice feature is the output compensation—when switched on, you can drive or lower the gain without changing the gain level coming out of the plugin. This allows you to drive the effect hotter without worrying about pulling down your DAW’s faders. It also has a smooth high and lowpass filter.

The buss plugin features a “Loud” feature which adds a little extra air or presence at the high end and bottom end (similar to the Fletcher-Munson loudness effect) and a stereo crosstalk feature. Unlike SKNote Stripbus, the crosstalk is only within the buss and doesn’t leak between busses.

Satson shines in the following ways:

1. The CPU impact is incredibly low and they operate in zero latency. Unlike other console emulations, you can comfortably put the channel or buss plugin on all of your DAW’s channels and busses without fear of overloading your CPU.
2. The channel high and lowpass filters are phenomenally smooth. I now find myself going to Satson’s filters to place my instruments first and only to a more precise paragraphic EQ when dealing with more complex EQ problems.
3. The channel and buss can impart anything between an almost imperceptible analog feel and an aggressive sound at your command.
4. For a fraction of the cost of the big-name console emulations (and a fraction of their CPU load) you can have your own analog console sound in an incredibly simple, easy to use, and very forgiving package.

3rd September 2015

Sonimus Satson by PB+J

  • Sound Quality 5.0 out of 5
  • Ease of use 5.0 out of 5
  • Features 4.0 out of 5
  • Bang for buck 5.0 out of 5
  • Overall: 4.75
Sonimus Satson

So this is a plugin designed to emulate the sound of an analog mixing desk/console. I'll say at the start I have no idea if it sounds exactly like what it emulates or how close: I can speak to how it sounds on your mix.

Sonimus makes two console emulation plugins, "Satson" and "Britson." They are identical in function and slightly different in sound. Britson I think emulates a Neve desk, Satson an SSL? I have both.

I got interested in Satson as an alternative to Slate VCC, which I liked as a stand alone plugin but disliked when it moved into the VMR frame.

Like VCC, this is a two part plugin. Satson/Britson comes as a plugin for the "channel", which you put at the top of each track, and one for the Buss, which you put on the out buss and on each aux buss, like on a reverb buss.

The channel plug has a hi pass and a low pass filter and a gain control. The filters sound great--really well done. The gain control can be configured as a "drive" knob, in which case the volume stays the same but the console effect increases. You access these features by clicking on the logo. It also has a "fat" switch which adds saturation and a small amount of compression. I use it sparingly.

The buss plug is the same: when you click on the logo you get access to a new set of features. In this case, you can activate crosstalk, the bleed that happens between channels, and choose "vintage " or modern." And you can activate "grouping." This lets you assign each channel plug to group--drums, guitars. keys, etc--and then you can make small adjustments to the gain and drive from the buss plugin. Nice feature: right clicking on the group names allows you to rename them whatever you like.

In use the plugin adds varying degrees of distortion, from extremely subtle to, depending on how hot the input signal, obviously distorted. I usually use it relatively clean, and find that it adds a nice element of depth and/or dimension to a mix, and a slight eq color. Britson, which operates the same way, has a slightly different eq color, a little more raw maybe: I sometimes prefer it and sometimes don't. Satson seems a little smoother to me. Britson also has an couple alternative eq profiles you can choose which are slightly different.

These are pretty subtle unless you push them, and even then what they add isn't "magic mix fixer" obvious. I find them to be an excellent alternative to VCC.

 
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