Review of Sonnox Oxford professional plugins

Introducing Sonnox Oxford's professional plugins!! Sonnox Oxford is a plug-in maker independently launched by the core development team members for the Sony / OXF-R3, a famous digital console. It looks like a completely professional plug-in, and has a retro console. Despite the familiar design, it has a transparent natural texture and provides a very high-definition sound.

Released by the predecessor Sony Oxford in partnership with Digi Design (the manufacturer who developed Pro Tools), "SONNOX EQ" continues to reign as a must-have item for professionals to this day.

The Sonnox Oxford plug-in is still actively used, leaving its mark on the history of recording. This time, I would like to introduce mainly those included in the best-selling bundle, Sonnox Elite Native!

SONNOX OXFORD / Sonnox Elite Native

● Oxford Infrator

A unique and practical plug-in with a unique position. You can add overtones, presence and thickness to a track. It draws a line with saturators and exciters instead of comps and maximizers. It produces a wonderfully natural sound through a vacuum tube, and generally, I’ll try running any material through it to hear what it sounds like (lol). I've adjusted the sound with compression and EQ, but it's also great when you want to go one step further, when you’re searching for that “missing sound”. It is a magical piece of gear that makes almost anything sound attractive. Not only single tracks, but even if with the master, each sound will stand out and feel familiar. An addictive plug-in that you will overplay. (Lol)

● Oxford EQ

A 5-band EQ that plugs in the EQ section of the well-known "OXF-R3" console. The sharpness when cutting an unnecessary band is fantastic! You can cut the band you want quickly and easily. For example, when you want to remove the muddy band of vocal material, you can achieve a sharp cut like a sniper. The boost also separates the sounds to the extent where it feels good, so you can find the sound you like more easily. However, you can naturally cut or boost without changing the original sound. It’s light to work with and now I use it on most of my tracks (lol)

● Oxford Dynamics

A tool that integrates a compressor, limiter, expander, gate, side chain EQ, and WARMTH. The compressor / limiter is a natural effect that does not significantly change the image of the sound even when set deep. The WARMTH tool, which is a simple version of Infrator, will be a strong ally when you want to actively create sounds.

● Oxford Reverb

This is a transparent, beautiful high-grade reverb. It’s comfortable even in the super high frequency range. The settings can be set in fine detail, but there are plenty of presets, and when you do not have time, you may be able to find a reverb that you’ll get addicted just by searching for it through the presets. The clear reverberation without distortion does not muddy the original sound, and adds presence and depth to the track!

● Oxford TransMod

A plug-in that controls the transients of material by making the attack of the material stand out or making it softer. It is excellent not only for emphasizing a percussive attack, but also for reducing attacks that may sound annoying, making the end result easier to listen to. You can also use it to restore the vitality of a track by adding sharpness to a sound that may have been flattened by compression. And like the plug-ins introduced so far, you can make adjustments to the TransMod without compromising the original sound.

● De-Esser

A plug-in that reduces unwanted sounds such as vocal sibilance. Not only does it reduce sibilance, often heard in the mid-high range, but as a dynamic EQ, it also allows you to cut expanding mid-low range which is also a common problem. You can see the waveforms at a glance, the width being cut, and how much is actually cut. What’s more, you can adjust only the unnecessary parts in detail. This is another plugin I almost always use for vocal tracks!

● Oxford Limiter

Similar to compression, you can enhance and add harmonics like the Infrator. This allows for adjustment of subtle overtones at the mastering stage!

● Oxford Dynamic EQ

This is not included in the Elite Bundle, but it is a plug-in worthy of mention! The Dynamic EQ itself has become quite popular, but the Oxford Dynamic EQ stands out, having a great advantage in terms of its sound and usability! I will briefly explain Dynamic EQ.

[Normal EQ] → Always boosts or cuts as set
[Dynamic EQ] → EQ boost or cut is applied only if a specific band is larger than the set value

For example, with vocals, EQ is applied only when there is a moment where a low tone stands out too much at a certain point, or where a particular phrase hurts your ears. It allows you to solve the problem without changing the original sound. The Oxford Dynamic EQ displays the waveform of the sound, visually displaying the swollen band, and where the EQ is activated becomes very clear. Because you can set the Threshold and Dynamics (similar to Ratio) like compression, you can easily set the desired boost or cut. Moreover, because it is a transparent EQ like the Oxford EQ mentioned above, it’s like it magically solves problems in a natural way.

Above, I have introduced the SONNOX OXFORD professional plug-ins. Though I use it myself, I find something new every time, reminding me that it has great potential. Still, on the other hand, the interface is intuitive and easy to use, and the presets allow even beginners to experience the effects without feeling overwhelmed. In other words, it's a plug-in that I would recommend for all home-recording musicians! !