Vaunted Benson Sound for Your Setup
Benson has historically produced some of the most coveted boutique amps and effects of recent time. MixWave set out to faithfully and accurately model an offering of some of Benson’s finest Portland-based products, leveraging an array of technologies to capture all of the nuances of these handmade amps and effects in for the form of a virtual model that received the stamp of approval from Christopher Benson himself. Thus, the Chimera Collection was born: a plug-in package that includes amplifier, reverb, fuzz, boost, preamp, and EQ modeling, straight from the source. Sweetwater guitarists are impressed with the multi-speaker, 20-microphone virtual arrangement possibilities, granting an immense versatility in how you interface with these sought-after sounds. For the definitive Benson experience in your virtual rig, MixWave’s Benson Chimera Collection is the clear choice.
Related Videos: Benson Chimera Plug-in Collection
Benson Tall Bird Reverb
Modeled after its namesake hardware equivalent, the Benson Tall Bird plug-in faithfully re-creates the original’s unique, all-tube spring reverb, delivering a range of sounds from lush textures to massive caverns. MixWave employed proprietary convolution response techniques to ensure this plug-in accurately mimics the interactions between the spring tank and the signal, paying special attention to the way the original unit handles clipping and distortion. Sweetwater’s guitar gurus are impressed with MixWave’s decision to replicate two distinct reverb tanks, diversifying mixing potential with the opportunity for full stereo reverb. Standard highpass and lowpass filtering and level adjustments accompany a gate control and oversampling option, granting even greater fine-tuning over your mix for both stereo and mono work. The straightforward control scheme includes a bypass switch, a wet control for handling the reverb signal output, dwell and dry knobs, and a tube bypass switch. Engaging the dry control passively imbues the input with classic tube warmth, boosted all the way up and reduced as you dial down. The dwell feature replicates how much the tank is driven, adding saturation and harmonics as you crank it up.
Benson Germanium Fuzz
MixWave certainly isn’t the first to emulate a fuzz pedal, but they are the first to incorporate the effects of automatic thermal bias implemented to manage the temperature-sensitive nature of Germanium transistors. Sweetwater’s studio guitarists are impressed with the Benson Germanium Fuzz plug-in's ability to accurately emulate the changes in sonic texture you’d normally find with physical pedals that have Germanium transistors, with temperature fluctuations over longer periods of use impacting the overall sound. This simulated pedal can work just as effectively on mono and stereo signals, with dedicated highpass and lowpass filters for input and output signals. A streamlined interface includes a basic volume output adjustment, a highly dynamic and interactive gain control, and an impedance knob. The latter is designed to model the effect of dialing down a guitar’s volume without affecting the volume of the input signal, resulting in a tight, glistening character. From clean boosts to a wall of overdrive, the Benson Germanium Fuzz plug-in will light up your sound!
Benson Germanium Boost
A one-stop shop is always an appealing prospect, and Sweetwater’s production pros are happy to report that MixWave’s Benson Germanium Boost plug-in is exactly that. This deceptively simple compressor — designed to resemble a stompbox — features a comprehensive boost parameter to optimize the good stuff while tuning out the bad, with a single center knob to adjust its saturation. Keeping with the pedal aesthetic, input and output signals have dedicated highpass and lowpass filtering, as well as individual I/O level management and a host of presets. Sometimes, a jack of all trades is too much fuss — this no-frills plug-in is clearly a master of one.
Benson Preamp
Inspired by their own Chimera preamp, MixWave's Benson Preamp plug-in leverages circuitry that uses FET transistors, resulting in rich, full-spectrum harmonics that have left Sweetwater’s guitar gurus impressed. Dedicated controls for input and output levels, as well as high- and low-pass filters allow you to fine-tune your signals for every part of the mix. A straightforward UI boasts a simplified control scheme: volume, treble, bass, and drive. Each do exactly what they say, and they do it well, actively responsive in every register with plenty of dynamic interplay. Mono and stereo recording and output are supported with equal quality, promising versatile mixing and studio opportunities, including an onboard tuner, oversampling options, and a gate control.
Benson Chimera
Exclusive to the collection is the aptly named Chimera: a timeless guitar amp meticulously engineered to capture the signature Benson character. MixWave did such a good job that Chris Benson himself gave the go-ahead after one listen, entrusting the team with handling the rest of the gear featured in this collection. The amp is the heart of this virtual rig, including extensive cab, speaker, and microphone modeling options. A module of the vertical dove-tailed pine 2 x 12-inch Chimera Cabinet was captured with 240 impulse responses. Benson Custom Ceramic and Celestion G12H30 speakers can be paired with one of 20 virtual microphones that can be placed in a versatile array of configurations around the speaker.
Benson Chimera Collection Features:
- Full suite of Benson FX and amplifiers faithfully and meticulously captured by MixWave to get that vaunted tone in your virtual rig
- Tall Bird plug-in delivers classic all-spring reverb with vintage tube warmth
- Germanium Boost and Fuzz plug-ins accurately model the delicate temperature effects on Germanium transistors, mimicking a broad array of tones and textures
- Preamp plug-in replicates classic FET transistors for a diverse pedal effect that’s rich in harmonics
- Chimera amplifier anchors the effects with classic Benson character
- Versatile speaker and microphone configurations provide flexible virtual modeling and tones
- Onboard tuner and dedicated I/O management make for streamlined workflow
- Mac/PC VST3, AU, AAX, Standalone
