Review of Audio Damage Ronin: in contrast to the majority of the plugins from Audio Damage, Ronin is not an effect with a specialized use, but is rather a modulation toolbox aimed for the black belt audio ninja with a degree in audio pyrotechnics and sound mutilation.

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Seen from a technical point of view, Ronin is a multi effect built around two independent delays, two filters and two saturators. There are two LFOs and one envelope follower that can be used to modulate your sound in various ways. Although Ronin isn't really a difficult plugin, this was the first time I had to really read the manual for an Audio Damage product.

The reason for this is that the signal path in Ronin is not fixed, but open for the user to decide. This radically expands the use of the plugin but also it's complexity.
 
 
Sonalksis TBK3 review: The TBK3 is a compressor unlike any other. If you have a fetish for anything that sounds hard this compressor is exactly what you are looking for.

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From a structured point of view, creating music is a two-stage process. We have the creative phase where the actual material is created, and there is the production phase, where the material gets shaped and improved.

In my opinion one of the keys of successful music making (and here I use the word successful as in creating material of good quality) is to have a clear distinction between the two phases. There is nothing more effective to kill a creative session than spending time looking for that perfect setting for the compressor – or that perfect kick drum. It's an instant sleeping pill. The gourmets should hold their horses until the production phase. Creating is about generating new material.