Slate Digital VMR 2.0 Virtual Mix Rack Reviews

As always Sweetwater is there by your side to get things going! Upon arrival of my download I needed an iLOK dongle to load it properly, since it wouldn't load with my iLOK cloud account. Sweetwater overnighted one to me to insure I could get it set up the next day!
The Slate software is amazing, Sweetwater support assisted me on some questions I had during the loading process and followed up several times to make sure all was okay! Mike Picotte my Sweetwater music partner has always taken the above and beyond steps over the years like no other! The Slate microphone and software is absolutely all it says it is. You could never buy all these microphones individually and what this microphone and software doesn't together, for the price is amazing!

I have been dabbling in the world of home recording drums the past couple of years and when the pandemic hit and gigs dried up, I started collaborating with musicians all over the world. I was doing the mixing and recently wanted to up my game by taking private lessons from a well known and successful musician and audio engineer. He showed me the Slate Digital mix rack and I was already a huge fan of his recordings. I followed his recommendation and I'm not only 100% happy with Slate's plugins, I'm blown away. So clean, so simple, and so worth it if you are serious about mixing. My game is next level as a result of Slate Digital.

I'm an amateur producer with 8 years of experience with recording and mixing. These compressors and EQs really make my mixes shine and give everything a unique sparkle that helps my instruments and vocals sit better in the mix. I've had several clients tell me "Wow! What did you do to make the song sound even better?" It gives me confidence knowing how easy VMR is on the eyes AND on my mixes. I eventually got the Everything Bundle (60+ compressors/reverbs/virtual tape machines and a LOT more) offered on Slate Digital's website for 15/month so CHECK that out too, if you love this.

Great quality and workflow

The compressors are great and sound very clean, but it's the EQ that really bring my vocals and instruments to life and let them sit right in the mix.

This is the first time I bought slate digital plugins they were there in my wishlist since long...when i installed and heard them I was blown away I am not even a single bit exaggerating...they are warm natural smooth and real analog sounding..they are now going to be part of my every session..Also I want to mention here the team at Sweetwater I think I spoke to Ben and Mike they were extremely helpful and professional in handling my
Installation process as I had some
Goofup..I am very excited to have slate plugs in my studio wish to purchase more in future...

This was my introduction to Slate Digital products and I must say it has lead to other Slate purchases. I'm not going to get into the additional modules available since they are ultimately additional purchases and I want to only touch on what's included in this particular product. Both eqs are excellent, I tend to lean toward the FG-N for most things because it just sounds great and it's a little simpler but the FG-S can give you a little more control for fine tuning. Both compressors are excellent as well. The FG-116 does a killer job on certain things especially drums and bass where the FG-401 seems to be a little more flexible in some instances where the FG-116 is not quite working. These 4 modules will handle most of your eq and compression needs on your tracks. While I'm not going to get into additional purchases I will say there are 2 additional FREE modules available for the VMR they are the Monster compressor which is much like the FG-116 on steroids, and the Revival which is great if you just need to liven up the top and/or bottom end. The VMR is a great addition to any home studio.

I've owned these since they were first released. In fact they're the reason I broke my "No iLok" vow. Simple and powerful, yet easy on the CPU. These aren't just gimmicks! Each module has it's own purpose, sonic character, and vibe. I have never used the gear these are based on or anything costing even CLOSE to what the hardware units go for. I have ZERO experience with vintage gear. All I know is that these have become my go-to plugs. Even non music people have noticed that my mixes sound more "radio quality". I used to own a bunch of Waves emulation EQs and haven't touched them in months! If you're on the fence, allow me to give you a little push. You won't regret it!

Virtually worked on all the plugins in the planet and now finally settled with this amazing VMR Rack. I would say this more than 5 star because the value for money is incredible. Makes my work easy because of Lunch-box technology bought in Plugin format. I have bought all of the Slate plugins now.

Virtually worked on all the plugins in the planet and now finally settled with this amazing VMR Rack. I would say this more than 5 star because the value for money is incredible.

I use several quality (name-brand) mix/master products that I'm sure are incredible tools in the hands of qualified users. However, I am not that good at ratios and technical detail. Plus, investing time fiddling with compression and EQ settings inhibits my workflow and just is a distraction when I am trying to get ideas recorded quickly.
This is why the Slate products are what I usually grab first. The factory presets for vocals and instruments are usually pretty close to what I am imagining, so they are easy to use. Also, when I finally take the time to dial-in a more appropriate setting (EQ or compression) I can do so fairly quickly.
I have read a lot of the 'hype' about the touted analogue/vintage super powers that the VMR/VCC/VBC posses, and after owning them for a while now I guess I have to agree that there is something going on with these plugins that is a bit mystical...for me, anyway. They just make my recordings (vocals, drums and guitars especially) sound like I know what I am doing!
And my long-time Sales Engineer, Sean Geyer has been a great resource...like a personal trainer for recording. Sean is patient, and guides me towards the tools I need to accomplish my recording goals. He's more like a collaborator than a salesman.

The VMR eqs are very responsive to small control movement, and have a rather smoothing context to the tone. The GUIs are straight forward and easy to use and combine. The compressors can be pushed, and the sound just gets better. I got them primarily for drum mixing and I couldn't be happier with my purchase.

It saved me from the brink of quitting, and paying someone to finish it! Thanks Scott A. for all your help!!

The latency on this plugin is 0! If you take the time to watch the few videos Slate did you will gain a significant understanding of the VMR. Very easy to use, responsive, punchy, great presets,and did I mention 0 latency! Sounds great on all sources. I run this on pro tools 10 Native at 512 samples on a Mac Quad with 8 GB of ram and have no problem with CPU usage. If you want to spend hundreds more on Waves SSL that's great, but save your money and get this. You can't compare the two but this will get you great mixes and put a smile on your face. It's a steal for the price.

Is a pretty awesome Rack, I've used a bunch of plugins before, this rack of sure get things done easily and fast!!

I've owned this for several hours now and went back to apply it to a few tracks I've been recording on and it blew me away. On bass guitar the compression was fantastic, finally gave me a fat bass without needing to turn up. Acoustic guitars sat in the mix like never before, started with a preset and tweaked the eq a tiny bit. My only regret is not having known about this earlier. Would recommend to anyone needing a go to plugin.

I've never used the hardware versions of anything this emulates, but everything each of these modules does is so musical and so genuinely USEFUL. It's VERY rare that I need to add another EQ/Comp plugin to an individual track. I have others that I use regularly on sub-busses and the 2-buss, but this is a useful tool in those cases, too; especially Revival (a stunning bonus "harmonic exciter" module).

Truthfully, this mutli-module audio tool is worth the price of admission just for the mix control on the compressors. Say hello to inline parallel compression with infinite mix control and automation!

I truly enjoy every Slate plugin I own (VMR, VBC, and VTM) and feel that they are worth more to me than the price I paid to own them. Cheers!

The vmr blew me away. I took all of my plugs off of a track just added a few instances of vmr and it brought a nice livelyness that was there before but it made it easier to achieve. The 76 comp can rival any other model out there and hurt its feelings. Just a great bundle. Revival on a female vox track is stunning. I would recommend this bundle to beginners and professionals. I do mixes that make radio play and these will be on every cut we do from now on.

Listen guys, there are companies out there making plug ins to replicate hardware eq's, compressors, etc. right? We all know that.
However, the truth is, how many of us really know what a NEVE eq sounds like? An SSL eq? I'm sure very few of us know. I trust Slate plug ins because they spend years building what they put out. Most other companies create plug ins and don't spend nearly as long as Slate does. Slate get their stuff to sound REAL or they don't release it. Period. Since most of us don't know what the real hardware sounds like, trust a company that shows you by what they put out. The Slate software is genuine. Not saying you shouldn't use others, by any means, but Slate knows his stuff and it's the real thing. You can make a whole album using just Slate plugins , seriously. They meticulously work at creating the real sound of the genuine hardware, and they don't stop until it's 100%. How many other companies claim that? You gotta ask the right questions when your buying plug ins. This is the same truth when it comes to the new VMR. Do your research!

I own several outboard racks and a bunch of 500 series modules. I have always been a fan of Slate Digital plugins. This time they did not let me down! The VMR is even better than the real thing.

Steven Slate and his crew have delivered once again, making a plugin that rivals the outboard gear and blows away the competitors that make similar plug ins. Their attention to detail and focus on making affordable plugins is amazing. This is easily a plugin worth $1000.

Don't let the price fool you, this plug-in is legit and brings life into your DAW. bring the color back to your mixes without spending big coin on outboard gear. The Virtual Mix Rack delivers and knocks out the competition!

What more can I say? This rack operates exactly the way it is advertised to, and it sounds as authentic as I had hoped!

Absolutely a must have plug in, and it has become my go to tools for every mix.

This stuff just keeps getting better and better! You could spend a lot more money on other rival brands and still not be as satisfied as I think this Slate rack can make you.

In my opinion, the quality of this product out weighs its price.

Happy mixing�

The tone in this thing is amazing. As soon as you slap it on the mix buss or you use it on a single track. Just breathes life into a mix. Absolutely love it. I use it on vocals and on my mix buss, especially the revival plug in. The shimmer just brighten up the mix amazingly. Definitely recommend!

I was skeptic when I purchased this bundle, but I was in desperate need of something reminding me about the old mixing console I used to use live.
The result is above ANY expectations, the warmth and the saturation are not only comparable with the original hardware, but even better !
This became the only EQ I am using and I mean it, I use it in every mix every day.

I have been using the new VMR Bundle for a few weeks now and really like how each module sounds and reacts to audio. I highly recommend this product to anyone looking for top notch EQ and compressor emulations.

I kinda' knew that this Slate VMR would be good , but never expected it to
be this freakin' awesome! Wow - don't even stop to think about buying this - believe me - you will be reaching for this thing all the time!
The sonic quality of this is so close to analog sound , that you seriously wouldn't tell the difference in a blind test. The compressors are so spot on, the folks at UAD are gonna be shakin'! LoL
Seriously though, the Eq's are dead on realistic also. Slate is the king of the plugin world! You will be absolutely amazed! Get the extra Revival model for free! That unit in itself is worth using this bundle!
Thanks to Sean Geyer at Sweetwater for his help!

VMR is always my go to plugin. I sometimes try other stuff but usually end up referring back to it to fix any issue.
I own VMR, VBC, VCC, and Slate Trigger but got the everything bundle anyways because the eiosis desser is great.

The only thing I want to say is it's mis leading to show the fg stress in the picture because it doesn't come with a VMR purchase.

I use this mix rack on almost every song. The FG Bomber, together with the EQs, really bring things to life!

This is a brand new Slate plugin, and right away its a slam dunk! I am finding many uses for this plugin across my mixes. Depending on your needs for classic Analog-style EQ, Compression in the form of a lunchbox, may allow you to decide if this product is for you. If you like Slate products, you won't be disappointed. You cant beat the price for what's included... And if they add more to it, then this is an absolute must have. Don't let the need for an iLok keep you from getting this! You won't regret it!

This is an awesome plug in. Gives me a great work flow and its easy to use. I love the sound of all the modules that you can add to the rack. They are soooooooo SLATE. I am a big fan. The only drawbacks is that I would love one surgical eq and some gain staging functions on the rack/module. But these units are instant mojo and provide an expression that no other plugins can manage. Slate Kills it!

Slate Digital does more than drums! This is a wonderful addition to Slates suite of tools, which I love them all and have them all, but what else can you expect from the company that gave us VTM, VCC, FG-X and VBC. And with today's prices, there's absolutely no excuse not to own all of them, so call your Sweetwater engineer and order! Your recordings will thank you for it.

Simply put, I needed a replacement for my current SSL Pluging as my license had run out. Fits the bill! I of course looked at the other big names, and was worried coming from the Waves SSL (student version that cant upgrade to aax) that I couldn't possibly be happy. But I am wrong and very happy to be wrong. Now I am not going to tell you they are the same, they aren't at all. And that's a GOOD thing. The sound is really spot on. The price is amazing. And resource wise it is comparable in my daw (PT 10+11). The separate compressor took some working with to get to sound close enough to what I was hearing in my head. But really versatile plug. I found myself reaching for it on any track I want to pop. There are some little things that bug me/ take some getting used to.
I'm not a preset guy as a rule, but I will try them from time to time. These are very good built right in. It is odd though that a lot of them use the neve and SSL emulation console with each other. Have a hard time with that one. Second I wish I didn't have to load the whole rack if I am using a module or two. Small complaints, I just need to adapt. Easy on the ears, system, and my wallet. I gave this guy a 4 overall becuase the waves plugs have some things I prefer. They also cost 4 times as much. So dollar per dollar this plug would rate much higher. So thank you Slate.
Lastly thank you Sweetwater! I have had nothing but years of great experiances. Talk to Robert Koch, he's pretty much the man.

I am digging this new plugin from slate digital. I just did a few mixes with this on every channel and wow. I'm excited by the sound. Thanks

Overall, the modules in the Mix Rack are great sounding emulations; the eqs and compressors all sound great; the SSL clone EQ is very clean transparent, and the Neve clone EQ gives lots of character. The 1176 style compressor works great as does the other one (can't remember what it is modeling); the options compliment each other nicely. The free monster comp (imitates the "all buttons in" mode of the 1176) is great too, and the free revival plugin (basically an exciter) is often very handy. My only real gripe with the VMR is that you can't load the modules individually, so you have to open the rack which loads all the modules, and by default it also loads all the modules you haven't purchased. They stick around and act like bloatware, constantly reminding you to buy them when you just want an eq really quick. I was able to remove the modules I don't have licenses for, but still it is quite a resource hog when you just need one effect. As such, I rarely use it and always opt for other options. The rack is way more of an obstacle than a convenience, and as such, I almost never use it anymore. It really just wants you to mix the whole song in the rack, but if you have a large library of plugins from other companies, it is just a headache. If you are only going to use the Slate rack, the modules are high quality, but if you have other plugins you like to use, I really don't recommend it. You can easily get similar quality emulations of the same hardware from other companies that don't tie you down to a bloated mix rack.

They use the outdated, defective, slow, and extremely annoying iLok. So I'm letting my subscription end when it's up. I don't see why some companies still cling to this awful ancient technology. It's an insult to their users. Sometimes takes 20 minutes for it to phone home and make sure that I'm not ripping off Mr. Slate. So I launch something else.

Sounds great. But there are lots of other equally competent options that don't use iLok.

Did I like having the "everything bundle" and use all the plugins like the VMR? Yeah, I did. Used Slate plugins on all my tracks for about 2 years up until this week when I had a major technical issue where the slate plugins crashed Logic Pro X. Had a project that was on a deadline and was dead in the water. Slates tech support is basically nothing. Schedule a phone call for support in 3-4 business days, or email them and someone answers you in 24 hours with a link to the same chat thread thats listed on their website. Yeah, tried that already. Canceled my subscription and buying the Waves Diamond bundle.

This product is no better than the Waves plugins. Yes, it looks really good and realistic but this is not enough for the serious producers. It's just one of many.

There's a reason why waves versions of the 1176, neves, and ssl are still king. 1. the Cpu hit on these things are ridiculously high, and 2. the waves version of the ssl just sounds alot more like a real ssl in terms of it gluing the sound together and saturating really nicely. That's why there more expensive. To me these sounded too clinical