Continuing in the series of Apogee plugins designed with iconic record mixer Bob Clearmountain, his 8068 plugin is the newest addition to the Clearmountain plugin series. This plugin captures the sound of the Neve 8068 console that defined numerous hits recorded by Bob during his years at The Power Station in New York City, one of the most renowned recording studios in history. Clearmountain’s 8068 plugin emulates the harmonics, warmth, and sonic character of Bob’s personal Neve 8068 console.
As a young engineer working in New York’s music scene in the '80s, Bob used this console to craft hits including “Cuts Like a Knife” by Bryan Adams, “The River” by Bruce Springsteen, “C’est Chic” by Niles Rodgers and Chic, “Scary Monsters” by David Bowie, and “Avalon” by Roxy Music. With Clearmountain’s 8068 plugin, Apogee has meticulously modeled every detail of Bob’s personal console, preserving its character and sonics.
Unlike other Neve-inspired plugins, 8068 models the entire channel strip, not just the preamp. From the mic and line input stage to the EQ and fader module, this plugin recreates the complete signal path of Bob’s console. The channel strip promises the harmonics, frequency response, and musicality of the Neve 8068, including its fader module. With more EQ steps than the classic 1073, the 8068 EQ is inherently wide and musical and is fantastic for shaping drums, vocals, and strings. A high-Q mode offers additional precision when needed. Mic & Line Modes select between clean, detailed line-level operation, or mic mode for harmonically rich saturation.
Like the original Neve 8068 console, the plugin is very easy to operate and features Bob’s own presets in all the major categories. Acoustic Guitar, Bass DI, Bass Drum, Distorted Guitar, Female Lead Vocal, Male Lead Vocal, Piano, and Snare all give you a great starting point and some insight into the master’s approach.
Musicians have, for many years, wanted to achieve the analog sound within the digital domain. Apogee and Bob Clearmountain bring you two of the most respected names in the business to achieve just that. AAX Native, AU (Mac only), VST, or VST 3 Compatible Host Application. $99
