We don’t always get enough time in the weekly podcast to really dive in deep to your community feedback so in this case of an email that was set to us from Matt Russell which we read out on Podcast 210 we wanted to let you read his contribution in full...

Hey guys, Love the podcast. Thought I'd chime in and say that I was thrilled to hear most of you agree that the user interface (UI) on modelled plug-ins is by far the biggest area in need of work. They now sound great, but there's a lot of work to do with regards to UI. I've been saying this since the Bomb Factory plug-ins were first introduced. Like the nerd I really am, I remember saying, "Wow, look at that! It looks just like an LA-3A!!" It didn't sound a lot like one, but at the time, OK, cool a 3A and it even looks like one. It was a pain to use even with just two knobs and a switch.

What I really want is both options. For example, why can't we click a button and have an 1176 look more like say the Waves Renaissance Compressor with only the parameters and limits available on the 1176 they've modelled? The same goes for EQ's. Perhaps you have an API 550A modelled, I'd love to have an EQ with DOTS available that only provides the parameters of  that specific EQ.

This becomes more challenging with channel strips like the Waves SSL models, but their recent interfaces have left me more and more perplexed. They're smarter than that and that's clear - they've made what I would argue are the easiest to use plug ins ever with the Rvox, REQ's and (especially) the RComp, which I think is the best plug-in to teach what compression sounds like and how it works because it's so visually simple and clear. Anyway, I've been saying this for roughly 20 years now and I can't believe we still see knobs that one must use a mouse to turn. I saw Steven Slate preview his next VMR tools (76's) and I cringed. I bet they'll sound every bit as good as real ones and compete solidly with the CLA's, which are amazing. That said, I really don't want another plug in with knobs that I have to turn with a mouse and more and more, I'm leaning on very simple ones (S73 for example) or ones that have a modern interface that I can customize (make as simple as I want) and then leave it alone (like the DMG Audio, Equilibrium EQ). Thanks for everything you do. Matt.

Thanks very much for this Matt. We love it when you get in contact with us on issues that you feel are important. The other thing we love it that one mans chalk is another mans cheese. Discuss.