The 8 Best All-in-one Mixing Channels: Channel Strip Plugins

Channel Strip Plugins

Welcome to the world of channel strip plugins! These versatile tools are a go-to for mix engineers, offering a range of features from vintage classics to all-in-one convenience. Join us as we dive into the realm of channel strips, exploring their benefits and options that can elevate your mixing game.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting, channel strip plugins are a must-have in your audio toolkit.

What is a channel strip

A channel strip is like a toolbox for mixing sounds, whether it’s a digital plugin or a physical tool. It combines various mixing tools in a familiar setup, similar to an old-school mixing board.

When we say “channel strip,” we mean the lineup of tools on a single channel, like a microphone preamp, filters, dynamics controls, equalizer, and volume adjuster.

If it’s an old-style mixer, the channel strip might also have a pan control and extra options for sending and routing.

When the huge mixing boards started disappearing from studios, some engineers thought about breaking down single channels into smaller, rack-mountable units for a mix of old and new setups.

After a while, companies began making special channel strip tools. These tools gave engineers easy options for common jobs in music production.

At the same time, people who make plugins for computers started putting many features together. They made these plugins to copy the classic console strips from the really good old days of recording music.

Why use channel strips vs. individual plugins?

If you’re accustomed to stacking multiple plugins consecutively, you might be curious about the benefits of using a single channel strip plugin.

Firstly, there could be sonic advantages based on the desired sound. Today’s channel strip plugins often replicate well-known vintage consoles accurately.

Opting for a single channel strip instead of several different plugins can alleviate the sense of option paralysis.

If you want a smooth and rich sound like a Neve 1073 or a punchy mid-forward sound like American consoles, using a full channel signal emulation can help you get that sound.

Also, some digital-native channel strips combine different signal operations in one software, which can be technically beneficial.

And if you like to keep things simple, using a channel strip can be easy. Back in the old days, mix engineers didn’t have a ton of compressors or EQs—they used what they had!

Having these decisions made for you in some cases can make things less confusing.

The 8 best channel strip plugins for mixing

1. UAD Manley Voxbox

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