When subtle differences matter

[MakerDP]

Other DAWs besides Mixbus that do actual "simulated analog summing" inside the actual mixing engine are Studio One with its MixFX engine and Universal Audio's LUNA with their Neve, API, Studer and ATR extensions. These are the only ones I am aware of.

I have not tried LUNA because I am not on a Thunderbolt Mac, but I have the Studio One CTC-1 and I don't really care for it - I much prefer Mixbus, especially when combined with Softube Console 1 on every channel/bus.

No plugin can match what these technologies do because these DAWs' summing is fundamentally implemented at the mixing/summing stage and not just another linear plugin in the chain on individual channels.

[Absolutely Last Efx]

Other DAWs besides Mixbus that do actual "simulated analog summing" inside the actual mixing engine are Studio One with its MixFX engine and Universal Audio's LUNA with their Neve, API, Studer and ATR extensions. These are the only ones I am aware of.

I have not tried LUNA because I am not on a Thunderbolt Mac, but I have the Studio One CTC-1 and I don't really care for it - I much prefer Mixbus, especially when combined with Softube Console 1 on every channel/bus.

No plugin can match what these technologies do because these DAWs' summing is fundamentally implemented at the mixing/summing stage and not just another linear plugin in the chain on individual channels.

Exactly. Create a linear summing stage is a thing, more mathematically related, but analog summing stage requires analog background and is another story. Harrison and Universal Audio have great background. 
P.s.
I’m not a fan of UAD, but non for the sound result, more for their hardware protection .... if I lose or stolen my Steinberg or ilok key with 40$ I can reload my license.... with UAD is a bit expansive to replace  their hardware... 

[MakerDP]

Well to be fair, the plugins are just 1/3 of the equation when it comes to UA. The zero-latency monitoring while tracking with their plugins is another 1/3 of the equation and the fantastic quality of the interfaces in another 1/3. Factor in LUNA and I guess it becomes 1/4.

[TheBassBagwhan]

I've been transferring my Studio One projects into Mixbus for mixing and love the results. But I recently got the Plugin Alliance bundle and I'm intrigued enough to use S1 and put an SSL channel strip with TNT on each channel and compare results. I'll need something to cover the saturation on the buses... there will be something in the bundle I'm sure.
My reasoning being that some of my S1 projects are complicated and take an age to convert to Mixbus-ready files.
Plus the experiment is fun.

[MakerDP]

I use Console 1 on everything... There is a difference between that and Mixbus alone. I immediately heard it on my mixes. Now, when I add Console 1 to everything in Mixbus I get the best of both worlds... the "channel strip sound" from the Console 1 plugin I choose AND the analog summing emulation that no plugin can give you. Really a fantastic sound.

I would suspect you would like it very much if you used the PA strips on everything in Mixbus too.

[TheBassBagwhan]

I use Console 1 on everything... There is a difference between that and Mixbus alone. I immediately heard it on my mixes. Now, when I add Console 1 to everything in Mixbus I get the best of both worlds... the "channel strip sound" from the Console 1 plugin I choose AND the analog summing emulation that no plugin can give you. Really a fantastic sound.

I would suspect you would like it very much if you used the PA strips on everything in Mixbus too.

I went through the exercise of tweaking everything in S1 to the Nth degree, using PA SSL console strips, and exporting the individual channels as "processed" stems (as it were) and maybe I'm overthinking this, but the results for me in MB were a very "flat" sound. No depth or nuance. It's like the stem export process killed the life in the audio. So I'm back to bringing in raw audio and mixing from scratch. Much, much better, although tweaking midi programming is painful.

[Theotherguy]

To me putting a "Channel Strip" Plugin on top of an MB32C track is redundant and in my opinion makes the mix cloudy.  The idea of MB's in-line, knob per function is defeated by adding another "Strip" on top. If you use Reaper then you need it, you need to heap on the plugins. Try using the tools that come with MB32c before automatically adding a plugin. Most of the tools you really need are right at you fingertips.
Peace 
Alex

[MakerDP]

Yep, I've done it both ways. Console 1 is not just about the "channel strip" vibe, it is also a workflow enhancer. Once I got used to the workflow, I won't work without it.