New Software Review: bx_console Focusrite SC by Brainworx

Brainworx aims to deliver the classic sound of the Focusrite ISA modules in plugin form—does this digital emulation do the originals justice?

Back in 1985, Rupert Neve designed the original Focusrite ISA 110 modules to fit into Sir George Martin’s console at Air Montserrat. Eventually, this would lead to the design of the Focusrite Forte console of which only 10 were built, but the modules themselves were commercially available in a rack mounted design.

I can still remember the Cherrywood rack of Focusrite ISA 110s that appeared in the studio that one day. Striking with its wood finish and colorful panels, it was even more so when we plugged it in. The sound of those units and the console it inspired was big and punchy but had so much air as well. Nothing really sounded like this before, and that sound is here today with Brainworx‘ bx_console Focusrite SC plugin.

Distributed by Plugin Alliance, this channel strip features the ISA 130 VCA Compressor/Limiter, De-esser, and Expander module coupled with the ISA 110 four-band EQ module, along with filters and Brainworx’ master section. Let’s take a look…

Features

First up is the Dynamics section. Based on what originally was released as the ISA 130 in 1988, this features a Compressor/Limiter, and running in parallel is the De-Esser and Expander/Gate. Beginning from the left of the GUI, we have the Compressor/Limiter. Aside from a full set of controls found on most compressors, Brainworx has thoughtfully added a mix control so you can blend compressed and uncompressed signals. You’ve also got the option to run the module in linked mode or separately.

Next to the right is the Expander/Gate, which also provides you with a link option. One of the controls you will find is a “Key Function”, and when used with “Key Listen” it becomes easy to trigger from an external source.

Just under the Compressor/Limiter, you will find the De-Esser/Exciter. When the Sensitivity knob is turned clockwise, it acts as an exciter rather than a de-esser, the center frequency of which can be swept from 50 Hz to 20 kHz. The Focusrite SC also features a “listen option”, allowing you to focus for greater control of the De-Esser/Exciter.

At the bottom of the Dynamics section, you will find the Dynamics Filter section, providing you with high-pass and low-pass filters, as well as a peak filter. The peak filter can be swept from 60 Hz to 6.3 kHz with the addition of an “x10” button. Each of these comes with a position button which allows that circuit to be assigned to the side-chain of the Compressor/Limiter, the Expander/Gate, or both. There is also an “Audio” setting which assigns the filter to the audio signal itself, with the HP/LP filters in line just after the side-chain, before the VCA, and the peak filter just after it.

The EQ section emulates the original ISA 110 module which Rupert Neve built for Sir George Martin. First up you will find the Filter section. The LPF is selectable from 3.9 kHz to 20 kHz. When the “/3” button is engaged, the range is 1/3 of the selected frequency. The HPF is selectable from 20 Hz to 330Hz and includes a “x3” button to expand its range.

The EQ itself is a four-band setup. The HMF and LMF can be swept, and each features a “x3” button for expanded range. Both the HMF and LMF have adjustable Q for greater control and feature +/-16 dB of gain. The high shelf and low shelf have selectable frequencies with a +/- range of 18 dB. Each band has a separate gain control which is not labeled in dB, but a popup window shows the level once the knob is turning. You have the option of engaging all bands with an “all EQ” button for convenience, or selecting them individually through “in” buttons for each band. The EQ Post button places the EQ after the Dynamics section and is the default setting.

Next up is the Master section, where you have the opportunity to color the sound in several ways. There is “In Gain” which allows you to reduce a hot signal or push things a bit before you hit the Dynamics section. There is “V Gain” which allows you to add varying amounts of noise as typically found in analog equipment. A small set screw belies the powerful “THD” control. The addition of harmonic distortion adds color and depth, from warm to sizzling hot, and is a powerful feature that Brainworx has added. With a range of -120 dB to -30 dB, the default comes up at -60 dB.

The console channel numbers selector and indicator is where Brainworx ups the game. Like all their bx_consoles, their patent pending Tolerance Modeling Technology (TMT) is included here. This emulates the real world tolerance of the over 150-odd components to be found in an analog console channel, resulting in no two channels sounding exactly alike. So rather than having the same channel strip on every track, you can have a different one.

There are 72 channels to choose from, with stereo instances using two adjacent numbers when running in “Analog Mode”. Under “Random Channel” you can select “One” to assign to that instance, or “All” to randomize each instance in your session. The Master section controls the plugin’s output in the form of a fader GUI. Left of the fader is the metering; here you can toggle between input and output. The meter simultaneously shows both VU and PPM levels, and there is also a meter to show compression/limiting and expanding/gating. The reference value for both level meters can be adjusted via the corresponding text fields in the info screen, which can be accessed by clicking on the Brainworx/Focusrite logos.

The toolbar at the top of the plugin has several features that are handy. There you will find both undo and redo buttons, along with settings for “A/B/C/D” where each instance can store up to 4 settings. The cool part is that you can automate between them! Copy and paste are handy if you want to tweak a previous setting and store it. When running in stereo mode, there are both mid and side solo modes available. There is also a “V Gain All” and a “THD All” control which adds to all open instances the chosen amount across all instances not set to 0.

In Use

The first thing I noticed was how good this plugin sounds. It is a very faithful recreation of the analog modules, and I could immediately identify the Focusrite sound. Having used several of their bx_console series offerings, I find that Brainworx does a great job of capturing the sound of the original console.

I listened to a variety of tracks using the Focusrite SC, including vocals, drum buss, toms, bass, Hammond organ, and electric guitar. The one thing I found (and I was listening in Logic) was that I could not simply type in the values I wanted for my parameters. Other than that, dialing in a good sound was easy for the most part.

I compared this plugin to another company’s version of the API 560 which is a very beefy-sounding analog piece, and having no other Focusrite emulations I felt it would be in the same ball park. The Focusrite sounded much fuller and present which was the case with the original gear in most instances.

Using the Dynamics section, the Compressor/Limiter sounded big and punchy yet very “open” on both bass guitar and vocals. With electric guitar, the sound was a bit mushy, and I felt it made the track less defined. (No compressor is the right choice for all tracks.) The Expander/Gate worked as expected and was easy to set up. It was a nice touch for the design team to allow the section to which you assign a dynamic filter to highlight when a filter is assigned. It keeps your visual focus on where the action is when you glance up. The De-esser/Exciter worked as expected, and the Exciter on the Hammond organ really made it pop like you were standing near the Leslie. The vocals had come in with some treatment already printed, so it was hard to discern how well the Exciter would work there—but my guess is, just fine.

The EQ section is an excellent recreation of the original ISA 110 unit, and as mentioned, tracks really sounded more up front running through the plugin. The bass had some LMF issues and the x3 button quickly allowed access to the frequencies we wished to address. The EQ was equally flexible when it came to digging into the drum subgroup, and the kick and snare quickly started to push more. The top end shelving was particularly sweet on a vocal sub group.

If you’ve never worked with Brainworx’ TMT, you should check it out for yourself. Having different channels across several tracks as opposed to the same one on each makes a tonal difference that is palpable. It definitely gets you closer to that analog console vibe. The THD control helped to make the bass fuller, and the guitar and organ got a little vibier—the added grit really helped with character on both.

To Be Critical

As mentioned above, being able to type in parameter values would be a big improvement. Additionally when looking for this plugin in your DAW’s drop-down menu, you must wade through all the consoles that start with the prefix “bx_console” as opposed to looking under items starting with the letter F for Focusrite. Personally I find this to be non-intuitive as it slowed the workflow down.

Lastly, when opening an instance of the plugin, everything comes up as engaged. This makes sense with certain switches like the “EQ Post” button, but again I don’t want to slow down to disengage those items that are more subjective choices.

Summing it Up

bx_console Focusrite SC is a faithful reproduction of some choice pieces of classic gear, with some great additional features from Brainworx. If you have never heard Focusrite ISA modules before, I urge you to try the free demo available via Plugin Alliance.

At $349 this plugin does not come cheap, but it is a powerful sonic tool that will be a welcome addition to the arsenal of anyone looking to inject some true analog character into their productions. Now if the folks at Brainworx could come up with a Master section that allows you to sum their console channels and lets you swap out, say buss compressors and summing amps, that would be game-changing!

I would like to thank Christoph Tkocz at Brainworx for his insights, and for he and his team bringing us the bx_console Focusrite SC. Thanks to AJ at The Wave Lab NYC for providing a great listening environment as always.

Rick Slater is a freelance audio professional, writer, and educator in the NYC Metropolitan area. You can reach him via his website and follow on Instagram here.

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