Weiss Gambit For Softube’s Console 1 is Luke Goddard's Software Product Of 2020, he explains why.
I had been aware of Weiss digital processors for many years, albeit through the words of one of my go-to bookshelf favourites by Bob Katz! It is also pretty safe to assume that at least some of my collection will have been through the EQ1 or DS1 boxes at some point,
The intriguing prospect of a code port from Weiss hardware for Console 1 is something that Softube made a reality back in May 2020 with the release of Weiss Gambit Series for Console One. WGS swaps out analogue euphonics for high-end esoteric digital processing- a first for the ecosystem- and brings it to Console 1’s one-control-per-function ethos.
Having been a devoted Console 1 user since 2014, the WGS channel was not the first expansion to turn my head, but this time a direct port of exotic digital hardware presented a unique opportunity to essentially use the boxes with a dedicated hardware interface. While the feature set of WGS may have been scaled to fit Console 1’s existing control surface, I see this as less of a restriction and more of a liberation from deliberation!
What do I love about it? The transparency of the processing and the ergonomics in use.
On channels, the Shape section does a take on upward compression which adds pleasingly controllable density or obvious "size" which is different to other tools I have.
The peaking filters on the EQ are so incredibly narrow without unreasonable artifacts for surgery, and the shelves encourage a less-is-more approach thanks to their tasteful resonance. The compressor does the “wow is that really XXdB of reduction?!” thing that the SSL G Series hardware buss comp does so well. It might seem strange to like how a comp doesn’t sound, but I love it all the same.
My rule is that if I can hear any difference between different limiters I am using far too much. That said the Weiss limiter is a welcome alternative that certainly takes more provocation than most before it sounds gritty.
I bought WGS for music mastering and “mixtering” duties, but I have quickly found its usefulness extends into any mixing job and beyond. For my money, it delivers "sounds like a record" sheen to mixes that I would not be without and gives me something else that drops neatly into my workflow; world-class mastering tools with knobs on! What’s not to like?