Not only that, but I think it started as a way for someone in witness protection to still make a career on TH-cam, yet then in the end the damn puppet got him AND took over! Of all things. 🙄... 🤣👏🏼
What's the difference between plugins and hardware? Couple thousand bucks and hand-wired circuitry? If you can afford a Neve or a Avalon 737 DO IT! But if you can't, don't ever feel like your music is any less than someone that owns it!!! It's not the machine! It's the operator!!!
VERY well said! The FACT of the matter is its the ear NOT the gear! And lets be completely honest the AVERAGE consumer CANNOT tell a difference between the two! 100%
This is not true the difference is very evident and yes the listener can tell listen to underground music quality compared to comercial songs the quality gap is very evident
@@fashionlife5348 na I was with that bs too until I actually got good at mixing and mastering. I used nothing but analog emulations and I swear my stuff sounds better than some of the so called commercial records I hear people always ask where I record I tell them at the house and their like damn that's crazy. Granted my interface and mic and plugin Choices definitely aren't cheap but still I'm not using any outboard gear it really is how you mix and master if you know what you're doing and experiment with different plugins you really can create a great mixing and mastering chain I've done it
Guys at 3:55 Reid is reaching for the Neve with his right hand but in the close-up you can clearly see a left hand turning the knob. Something weird is going and Reid acts like it's nothing. Who is the mysterious third puppet?
Hardware sounds so much better, wow. The plugins sound much less open and alive. The hardware brings the vocal performance to life the way it rides the transients & the way the top end smooths out. Sounds like a demo vocal vs a polished vocal to my ears. You can say “regular listeners won’t notice” but the way the vocal FEELS from the hardware - you can’t fool the ear into not picking up on the emotion it adds. Just my opinion though
Of course it sounds better because he matched the settings, not the actual sound. You can totally see that the plugin was reducing even 20 db on some parts while the hardware version never went over 10dbs of reduction. Doesn't look like a fair test at all to me. The Softube CL1B is an amazing plugin for the price but like any digital effect, when you push it too much, it crumbles. You shouldn't compress more than 5-6 dbs anyway on a lead vocal no matter if you are in the analog or digital world and at that amount of GR, the Softube is really amazing. BTW, Serban Ghenea uses CLA76 as his main vocal compressor with GR between 3 and 6 dbs max. You guys knew that? Oh, one more thing - no hardware CL1B unit sounds the same as another and we don't know how the one the Softube team replicated sounds like.
I don’t know. The muddy build on the low mids and the pumping on that tube tech would make me dismiss that song any day if that plugin chain was the final mix choice. Our ears still want to hear things well..
Mountain Mirrors - heavy acoustic vibe I agree with you wholeheartedly. A good song is the origin. But a recording/mixing job is not to fuck it up and good tools that give fast and reliable results prevent those risks. A good song can be ruined. My only investment in analog is in recording. Hard to replace that. Mixing is entirely in the box for the same reason: speediness & reliability of results.
@@CLdwyer Yes are "ears still wan't to hear things well" however YOU are thinking from a producers perspective. I completely agree that us producers can hear that the hardware sound better but do YOU honestly think the average consumer can tell the difference? Because the truth of the matter is THEY CANT! I've NEVER heard one of my friends/family say oh yeah i don't like this song because the sound the plugin gave the vocal. LOL. Cmon lets be honest man.
E L I T E O N T H E B E A T so you’re telling me that people won’t feel the difference between a muddy vocal or one without clarity. That’s bogus. They do. You can accomplish something clear and powerful with plugins or hardware. The hardware is simply about the “time” you save getting there *in the recording phase*. If your levels, dynamics and eq is right straight into the DAW, you don’t really get much better than that. The time and CPU power you save, plus the “finished” sound from the start is worth the pennies spent on good stuff.
I've also noticed that. That would be true if the emulation is perfect and the meter is showing correct values. There are some plugin meters which don't work correctly. On the other side - If the metering is correct, the plugin had 15 dB of compression and the hardware only 7.
Can you remake this test by actually matching the sound, not the settings? Your hardware unit was reducing a maximum of 10 dbs while the software was doing 20dbs in some parts.
Exactly, this was a flawed test. If a compressor is pumping then that should be an easy fix by engaging the low end sidechain or lowering the input as you said. Hardware units often come out different and maybe it's this hardware that is different from the one Softube modelled for UAD. I've used the UAD TT MII and never got a pumping sound. I actually tried to make it pump but it was virtually impossible. UAD DBX however, try and stop that thing pump!
It could just be that the gainstaging was wrong on the software side, but I agree. Hardly a fair comparison when the sw side was being pushed way past the hw.
Most of these plugins sound great in isolation, it's when you pit them up against their HW equivalents you hear the 3D'ness of the hardware. However, it's kindof the law of diminishing returns, you can get 90% the way with skilful mastery of plugins. Great video!
3D. Depth. Plus working more intuitive and fast. That's all what is still exclusive to hardware. The rest can well be done with plugins, and those come with other great advantages like free routing and total recall.
7:30 the plugins really sound more muffled and boxed vs hardware open and help the vocal sit much better in the mix. The more plugins you add in your mix the flatter / boxed you get of course you can get good results in the end but the overall feel remains that Analog is more natural Another option => send it to analog mastering that will help a lot if you can;t get any hardware
My observation. You get the results you like faster with the analog gear. The plugins actually require you to grind out more time for similar results. Dropping $10.000+ on a signal chain makes recording faster and more desirable **into the DAW** (no fussing around later). The time saved over 10 years with this gear is the difference between albums recorded simply on the basis of time saved. #worthit Saving for my SSL chain now but that Neve vibe got me very interested :) thanks Reid.
The plugins sound perfect and don't have any flaws. Those minute flaws in the hardware create character. The vocal with the compression from Analog, had a more realistic feel, while the digital was a little more plastic. Overall, just having one real item at the end of the bus, could be a complete game-changer for digital production.
I feel you, i think a hybrid analog/digital setup is ideal for modern music. Having a handful of carefully selected pieces of hardware and then plugins to make the rest will save your bank for sure haha.
it can. not wanting to criticize him cuz it's a good video and he makes great material, but the plugin is actually more flexible. i'd love to have the real thing, but the plugin can do stuff the original cannot. ie sidechain low end and a mix control for parallel compression. both are very handy to have.
It looked like your plugin was doing way more gain reduction than your plugin? Having a compressor hit -20db is going to cause pumping. Plus in most instances people are only hitting the CL1B for a couple Dbs gain reduction if its right after the mic preamp, not sure if comparing how it handles -20db gain reduction is all that relevant.
obviously lmfao thats not the point. its for people who can’t afford it to see what the difference is. if you already have the gear you probably aren’t watching this video unless you’re curious or a fan of reid
If we're smart, we'd want both...I liked how the vst EQ sounded & the vst compressor's saturation sounded better too shocking but I noticed the real EQ had more tight mid range saturation & the real compressor clearly compressed more musically. For the difference in cost, the plugins win the war for me...I have plenty of compressor options that can make up for what the vst compressor cant do.
anyone else notice a high pitched noise coming through on this demo? I hear it on all of my different monitoring options/soundcards. if true, may be worth taking care of re uploading considering it is a critical listening video.
I can hear the difference but I think adding another comp could make it pretty close, also using auto with the vl fader to compress less. this show that mixing with plugings is harder than mixing with gears
I get the plug-in Vs hardware but I don’t see where the slate and Sony mics are compared. Is slate mic using the plug in chain and Sony is using hardware or Vice versa? Honestly I was blasting this in my car without watching video at first and I didn’t hear thousands of dollars difference
Why I would love to spend 6k+ on a preamp/eq and compressor (not to mention that you are using a 10k microphone) but the difference is not a big enough for an EVERYDAY listener (not producers and/or engineers) imo if you got 16k+ for a vocal chain go for it but the gap is not worth the price(16k vs 2.3k).
Having the hardware allows you to burn in that sound. You’ll never have to spare computer resources on a plug-in, and the energy of audio signals going through real electrical circuits adds a level of character that’s hard to recreate accurately.
I have never heard a song called: Justin Bieber feat. Neve Preamp & Cl Compressor. Maybe its a GAS thing ... Bytheway: Taste comes from listening. Appetit comes from advertising.
However if u played this to causal listeners from start to the end. Without telling them, whilst switching the compressors they wouldn't notice. Let's be honest.
From what I've heard and what I've been told by others, the harder you drive the hardware, the larger the difference you'll hear between analog and software. Tubes and transistors made back in the day were handmade with attention to detail and some materials that aren't available for use anymore. Eventually the plugins might be able to model the saturation/warmth/fullness of high end analog gear, but for now they will have to be second place by a little bit. Then again, there are strengths to both sides
The difference is quite noticeable but I really don’t think that in this age of music the difference matters at all. Because most people didn’t even notice the way the hear music know a days only a person how does music production them self or are really passionate about music will care and not even there will even care if they don’t know the 2 different mixes. All what’s matters today is that the mix is good not the best. Mixing with analog is just nice to have and I would definitely use it over digital if you have the choice. But definitely not worth the price tag if you compare it overall with digital
the 1073 emulation sounded really really good to me even if it wasn't as bright and smooth, i think that tubetechs richness and and the way its able to deal with the peaks make it a step above the plugin, also i could hear a slightly different colour when the tube tech hardware was used, but all in all they are great plugins no doubt about it, I've been trying to incorporate the tube tech into my vocal chain, but I'm enjoying their LA 2A emulation rn
there is a difference and its easy to notice when its solo'd on 3:15 that switch, its like option had more high to high/mid frequencies, and i dont what im hearing, but it felt like Option A had some Stereo spreader on it cause i felt the vocals pop out more from the side like a background tracker with a stereo spread on it
this is the first shootout i've seen where i saw a difference that made me want to spend $4000 on the hardware over $150 for the plugin. typically i find most of the emulations do the job well enough but i'm actually kind of surprised by this one
I didn't even care if it was gonna be a good comparison. The moment I saw the puppet I clicked the like button. Especially when the singing puppet showed up and he started shaking his head to the music 😂😂😂
I can definitely hear the difference the hardware sounds more open and gives the vocal more definition. It also puts the vocal in a slightly better sonic space. You can still get away with using the plugin and getting a great sound.
Much less pumping on the hardware for me, the clarity and transparency seemed much better too with a more pleasing high end to my ear on the analogue gear! Great comparison, I like these direct comparisons, great vid
Software still sounds so much flatter than the hardware. In the past months it was mentioned so often where it was said, that Plugins are nowadays so close to their hardware Counterparts. To my ears? Nope! Plugins sound much better than 10 years ago, but they are still far away from making you throw your hardware out if the window. And referring to the CL1B: yes, I experience the same. The Plugin is so difficult to adjust. Pumping very soon
Great video, When it comes to instruments plugins are fine, but having hardware for a frontend for vocals and acoustic guitar is still well worth it. This video confirms it. Also for me, Vocals are the main focus of my music, if your doing electronica or instrumental music maybe it doesn't matter as much.
wow at 10:26 the difference is crazy what im noticing a lot is the dynamics on the vocal sound wired , i never thot it was that much of a difference , im using Austrian Audio hi x55 to listened
I've never seen your vids before but love the way you commit with puppet hand matching puppet talking/actions lol. Great stuff, fun way to find your niche. Oh, hardware sounded better. It pushes and distorts better and sounds more 3D. Might not matter in a mix but it def. is audible.
I think this comparison was best left to fewer plugins or hardware instances and done under more average conditions. The more devices you add, the more things compound and make any (often small) differences that do exist become compounded and more and more obvious. I feel like the mic and EQ stacked up fairly well. The biggest failing here was the Softube, Tube-Tech plugin which was much more pump-y than the real compressor. If I was Softube, I'd be rather embarrassed. That said, I don't feel it's fair or ethical for the Slate modeler to be brought down by the whole down-chain as if it was somehow to blame. The other video using the Slate Sony mic model and the real Sony mic showed that the differences were very modest at best. I think that we're kinda getting sloppy pile-on by the end of this video, making a claim that the analog is so much better than the digital. I even feel that the "test" was biased to reveal, intentionally, the shortcomings of the plugins (cranked) versus the strengths of the hardware (cranked). Besides, who cranks the hell out of every plugin when building sounds--I might, but most probably would not. That seemed to be a critical element of "making sure" these units failed, and failed miserably, in comparison. If kept at more normal settings, the differences were more minute and, without the compressor, things would have likely ended up in a very comparable place with the hardware probably edging out the software in a more subtle way--as it probably should, since an emulation of a real thing is generally incapable of equalling the real thing it emulates...let alone surpassing it. That's only computationally inevitable, from a philosophical and mathematical perspective. Perhaps a more important test is to shoot out the best analog units at normal settings, against the best plugins and see how they compare as tools and ways to achieve X. For instance, many would agree that, when it comes to limiting, software is, low and behold, clearly superior. That's why mastering houses master using Weiss and L2 and Fabilter versus a hardware limiter. There are some complex, especially multiband, compressor maneuvers that digital can do better than analog these days, I would argue. So to each technology goes its particular strengths and weaknesses. But it's clear that an emulation compared to the real thing must fail, as a mathematical certainty. Therefore, in these types of shootouts, the analog will almost certainly win. It's more valuable to see "by how much" it wins but I feel this test video was not done in a fair way to really test that hypothesis by mixing so many various devices, we can never be sure which device compared relatively better or worse except to say that it seems much of the failure was due to the softube emulation. Not much science going on here. Which is not to say that I don't generally love this puppett! Some of the best tips per the genres covered here that you will find, period!
I thought the video did a very good job of demonstrating how the chain started out very similar and got further and further apart. It started with just the mics and it was very similar, then added the pres at moderate and it was still very similar, then when they added the eq at moderate settings it got less similar but still really good, then adding more eq it got a little less similar, then the compressor got even less. It’s not like he went “oh here’s software cranked vs hardware cranked, look how different they are!”. He showed how things stack up as you add and push them further. I mean the software chain is basically what my tracking chain has been (but slate plugins) for awhile now. I appreciate the demonstration of how an all digital vs all analog vocal chain sounds.
For real though. After he tossed on that Softube the whole thing is warping back and forth terribly. Sounds awful. He may have shown what can happen under crazy circumstances but that's not even the point of this video. Anyone watchin it will now assume the plugins are junk. Which is not what you want to do.
The pumping effect on the plugins really turned me off haha. I'm still impressed with what plugins can do but ever since I started getting into hardware, I haven't looked back. Still plugins are very useful though. This was a very informative video, thanks!
the plugin is pumping because is reducing 20 db .... the hardware version is reducing only 7 / 10 db. the plugin version is way more sensitive . You can get a decent sound from the pluging actually , but of course if you crank the threshold knob it will sound pumping
the best way to match the software to the hardware is to oversample before going into plugins if possible and also set input volumes real low so the plugin doesnt add nasty noise and output it high if u got alot of headroom from recording
Incredible difference. Im wondering if you brought the vocal to more of a baseline with some basic compression/limiting, would you be able to render similar results with the plug ins? It seems it was just responding to the transients and peak volume levels? Thoughts? Anyone?
You clearly compress wayy more on the plugin you tune the hardware to match your ear but you dont tune the software to match your ear this test is not about if the plugin is exactly button perfect replica its about Sound
Just stumbled upon this channel and had to check that I didn't do any drugs this morning. Anyway great, creative content. In More and more videos I am watching the hardware is winning by a significant margin. It's when you push it hard that you can really tell. The nice hardware grins happily where then plugins tend to fall apart. I did a vocals test using the CLA 1176(bluey) vs the 1176 hardware clone from mixanalog. I definitely preferred the hardware. It sounds less tubby, more focused, and it grabbed much harder and in a more pleasing way than the plugin did. I am convinced that I need to get 1 good hardware comp and 1 good hardware EQ.
Let's see what the plugins *can do*. It would be great to see a video where you first try to make the plugin chain sound great, then after that make the hardware chain match. Not paying attention to settings as much as the sound. What do ya say!? 🤷♂️ Great vid, thanks for sharing.
The compressors definitely sounded different, but you were getting a lot more gain reduction with the plugin. They would probably sound closer if you would have matched the gain reduction instead of the threshold knob. Good video though. No need for thousands of dollars worth of gear, all you need is talent, a room that is acoustically treated and an inexpensive recording setup.
Thankyou Reid for clearing the debate of the lifetime :) TBH if it wasn't for Karra I wouldn't have taken the video seriously and might have skipped it! but you really got it . cheers mate !!!! i could really get the difference and really had a similar thought in the blind test before you even spoke Note for beginners : You don't have to use one plugin for multiple use like for instance cutting of low end in pre amp plugin, use another eq for that and let each plugin work at their potential . i know software replica might not bring out like hardware but you can do it with multiple plugins you just need to know your basics . that's it .
I appreciate this. But honestly, I find the Slate mic with any emulation to be sort of plasticy, dull and harsh in the high end. Of course Demi Lovato can still sing into a Slate and make a hit...... just think if one of the mic, pre or comp in the example are a weak link, they bring down the rest of the signal chain Theoretically, you may be able to get 99.5% there with a 1073 emulation, but then if a software compressor can't emulate the transients and it kills the whole test. I'd love to a test with all variables to rate find the weakest link in the chain I.E: Sony C800 -> UAD 1073 -> Tube Tech Sony C800 -> UAD 1073 -> Softube Sony C800 -> Neve 1073 -> Softube etc etc....with the Slate too
I understand it is difficult to level match always properly on the fly, but I felt the analog was at most times louder than the plugin preview which is giving it an unfair advantage in the previews.
Thanks for the education tip. My biggest takeaway is to understand what the hardware does and then dial in the correct settings for the plugins, which are good. Just not hardware!
I have the CL 1B plugin and was very disappointed on how it responds. I working on getting all hardware for my recording vocal chain. My questions is do run slate microphone directly into Apollo or do you use the slate pre amp than add a plugin pre? Thanks
I would've like to see the C800 vocals duplicate and processed. Wouldn't that be more accurate? I know the slate is close, but it could never truly replicate the signal.
This video was great and answered alot of questions for me!! One thing I wish was it showed the unison tech through UAD console with the ML-1 going through the plugins vs the C800 going through the hardware. I think I would get the software to have as a first step and something to practice on because both together are only 600 (plugins) vs about 5K for a Neve Preamp with EQ and a CL-1B. Buying the plugins IMO is a great first step in an investment towards the hardware
The difference is pretty huge. Plug vocal channel sounds quite harsh artificial and tethered , compared with the smooth and natural quality obtained with hardware. Wondering what a plugin like Soothe2 might do to help ameliorate those digital artefacts from the plugins. 🤔
definitely night and day, but the neve 1073 plugin seems like it held its ground the tube tech plugin fell apart on the dynamics and everything sounded darker on the plugin chain which I guess you would expect. would love to see a video where you attempt to make them sound exactly the same using any tricks in the book. Cheers Reid!
Are there birds in the background? Or is something funky happening with your VO recordings that's triggering some high frequency distortions? (edit: specifically it's R channel only. Can't be birds in the background.)
I wish u compared it perfectly vs just the settings like its been stated already. Thats stupid and u had to have known this. The tube tech plugin has like 20db GR while the hardware had 7 lol. Ofcourse its gonna sound pumpy. The plugin is seriously great.
no real way to do that.each engineer mix is not the same lol its cool to sound smart until you dont. if he did that you could say i dont like your mix. gear better period but is it worth it is the ?
@@raffeellerasheem4167 wait... wtf?! Your "trying to sound smart" comment applies to YOU bro lmao. Theres no real way to match gain when comparing software and hardware??? Not every mix is the same??? Hes using one song.. and can 100% get close enough to match both settings by ear to accurately compare the two. It literally makes no sense to dial in the same settings into both and expect the same result. Hardware and software are two different things and clearly react differently! He could've probably got it close if he went by ear instead of blindly turning a knob because it sounded good on hardware.. but yes, hardware is by far better. Ill agree with that out of all the dumb shit u just said lol
@@gusdee4844 a bunch of useless nothing again.as someone about to buy i got what i needed to know from this.if he would of did it your way i would not have.i will use both.i just hate to see ppl hate in comments.just give your opinion without all that man.peace
@@raffeellerasheem4167 are u drunk bro? Wtf wrong with u? Lol I just invested thousands into hardware, hardware blows plugins out the water everytime.. but when a plugin is showing 20db gain reduction while the hardware is showing 7db, thats not a true comparison to see if u can get the same sound from a plugin that youd get from the hardware. Idk wtf ur even talking about anyway. Have a good night
I think where I run into problems is when clients of mine have used the UAD apollo to record their own vocals but driven the chip-based pre really HARD and it's much less forgiving than hardware on that front. Some CARE when using the UAD and you can get great results!
I'm glad you really showed this. Because some of these mix engineers can be really misleading some of these younger engineers that work from home. If you want a professional sounding vocal you need to run it through some kind of circuitry. I'm planning on getting some kind of preamp to record vocals with.
@Test you dont "need" analog gear. But it does speed up the process. I've used both and I can say that having hardware is much faster to get the sound you want.
I think we equate different with better. I think both sound great and you wouldn't be loosing is you know how to mix well with plugins. I mean if i had unlimited funds i definitely would reach for the hardware first but im cool if all i have is plug-ins
Definitely, the difference is there. Hardware undoubtedly sounds more alive, rounded and convincing, while software lacks body and is harsh in the high mid and high frequency range. However, it must be admitted that plugins do sound close. But so far, plugins still sound as a really good and sometimes fantastic emulation of the hardware. Having said that, there is a reason why most of the industry recording and production stages are done with hardware - it is essential to give this natural, balanced 3D sound. However, in the mixing phase, plugins - due to technological breakthroughs - are sufficient enough to stay completely "in the box". This is just my humble conviction.
Before I spend the $3600 on a cl1b I want to be sure. It seems that the compressor does a lot to the sound here. I currently use an 1176 but I think it’s a little gritty for pop vocals. Are we sure that there isn’t anything that can make the plug in compressor sound closer? I’m using a Manley ref c - vintech 1073 - 1176 now.
Thank you for this. I was specifically trying to figure out what to do as far as a CL1B for my hardware 1073 and C800G chain. I'd already concluded that the Softube emulation wouldn't give me the smooth thickness I want from this chain and was looking to see if it was worth shelling out $300 for the UAD2 CL1B plugin while I work a new Tube-Tech into the budget. I still might get the plugin (for use in post) but I'm definitely getting the hardware for tracking. Just needed to hear it side by side one more time. Haven't used a real CL1B in a few years. Your videos also helped me feel more comfortable with my decision after I ordered my Sony C800G too so thanks for that as well.
anybody else concerned that this might be a real living puppet running this channel?
Not only that, but I think it started as a way for someone in witness protection to still make a career on TH-cam, yet then in the end the damn puppet got him AND took over! Of all things. 🙄... 🤣👏🏼
@@derekrose3328 LOL!
Concened? No, relieved? Much so!
Yah that girl puppet looked a little to young for him...
lol
What's the difference between plugins and hardware? Couple thousand bucks and hand-wired circuitry? If you can afford a Neve or a Avalon 737 DO IT! But if you can't, don't ever feel like your music is any less than someone that owns it!!! It's not the machine! It's the operator!!!
VERY well said! The FACT of the matter is its the ear NOT the gear! And lets be completely honest the AVERAGE consumer CANNOT tell a difference between the two! 100%
I agree😶
This is not true the difference is very evident and yes the listener can tell listen to underground music quality compared to comercial songs the quality gap is very evident
@@fashionlife5348 na I was with that bs too until I actually got good at mixing and mastering. I used nothing but analog emulations and I swear my stuff sounds better than some of the so called commercial records I hear people always ask where I record I tell them at the house and their like damn that's crazy. Granted my interface and mic and plugin Choices definitely aren't cheap but still I'm not using any outboard gear it really is how you mix and master if you know what you're doing and experiment with different plugins you really can create a great mixing and mastering chain I've done it
@@KeenApollo how you record without outboard gear
I feel like there’s such a noticeable difference between hardware and software. The highend brightness of the actual hardware is incredible
Somehow brighter and still warmer.
In this case the HW is WAY too bright for me. Much preferred the plugin version to tame the 8K; even it was too much.
Guys at 3:55 Reid is reaching for the Neve with his right hand but in the close-up you can clearly see a left hand turning the knob. Something weird is going and Reid acts like it's nothing. Who is the mysterious third puppet?
O shit conspiracy theory time
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
That puppets' name is B-Roll and he lives in cutaway footage lane.
Hardware sounds so much better, wow. The plugins sound much less open and alive. The hardware brings the vocal performance to life the way it rides the transients & the way the top end smooths out. Sounds like a demo vocal vs a polished vocal to my ears. You can say “regular listeners won’t notice” but the way the vocal FEELS from the hardware - you can’t fool the ear into not picking up on the emotion it adds. Just my opinion though
I noticed the same. The transient was not reduced by the plugin. It was not doing its job.
Couldn’t say it better myself
Was option B the hardware for the first test?
Agreed
Of course it sounds better because he matched the settings, not the actual sound. You can totally see that the plugin was reducing even 20 db on some parts while the hardware version never went over 10dbs of reduction. Doesn't look like a fair test at all to me. The Softube CL1B is an amazing plugin for the price but like any digital effect, when you push it too much, it crumbles. You shouldn't compress more than 5-6 dbs anyway on a lead vocal no matter if you are in the analog or digital world and at that amount of GR, the Softube is really amazing. BTW, Serban Ghenea uses CLA76 as his main vocal compressor with GR between 3 and 6 dbs max. You guys knew that? Oh, one more thing - no hardware CL1B unit sounds the same as another and we don't know how the one the Softube team replicated sounds like.
*Me looking at the menu at the restaurant
Me : so u got no lead vocal sauce?
The Waiter : What?
Me : What?
hahaha that was hilarious, i'm pretty tired, but I straight LOL'd when I read this 🤣
Lol!
I appreciate so much comments like this, that make me laugh out loud unexpectedly. xD
I can hear a difference. But it's not going to make me like or dislike a song, either way.
I don’t know. The muddy build on the low mids and the pumping on that tube tech would make me dismiss that song any day if that plugin chain was the final mix choice. Our ears still want to hear things well..
@@CLdwyer there's plenty of well-produced music I can't listen to and would never buy.
Mountain Mirrors - heavy acoustic vibe
I agree with you wholeheartedly. A good song is the origin. But a recording/mixing job is not to fuck it up and good tools that give fast and reliable results prevent those risks. A good song can be ruined. My only investment in analog is in recording. Hard to replace that. Mixing is entirely in the box for the same reason: speediness & reliability of results.
@@CLdwyer Yes are "ears still wan't to hear things well" however YOU are thinking from a producers perspective. I completely agree that us producers can hear that the hardware sound better but do YOU honestly think the average consumer can tell the difference? Because the truth of the matter is THEY CANT! I've NEVER heard one of my friends/family say oh yeah i don't like this song because the sound the plugin gave the vocal. LOL. Cmon lets be honest man.
E L I T E O N T H E B E A T so you’re telling me that people won’t feel the difference between a muddy vocal or one without clarity. That’s bogus. They do. You can accomplish something clear and powerful with plugins or hardware. The hardware is simply about the “time” you save getting there *in the recording phase*. If your levels, dynamics and eq is right straight into the DAW, you don’t really get much better than that. The time and CPU power you save, plus the “finished” sound from the start is worth the pennies spent on good stuff.
Not super clear but it looked like the plugin had about twice the gain reduction vs hw. So, yeah, vocals will pump then...
I've also noticed that. That would be true if the emulation is perfect and the meter is showing correct values. There are some plugin meters which don't work correctly. On the other side - If the metering is correct, the plugin had 15 dB of compression and the hardware only 7.
Exactly, and the threshold in the Tube-Tech plugin was at approx. -19, while in the hardware it was somewhere between -20 and -30.
@@Teddynasrmusicbut the input levels are kinda arbitrary - so what level the hardware and plugin are receiving might not actually match.
When i think it doesnt get more like a muppet show with epic skills in Ableton than i see this Karra puppet.
I should get more sleep
Love this Channel
Oh man, i think the Intro and the puppet are funny each and every time. Plus The content ist high quality. Win win
Can you remake this test by actually matching the sound, not the settings? Your hardware unit was reducing a maximum of 10 dbs while the software was doing 20dbs in some parts.
Exactly, this was a flawed test. If a compressor is pumping then that should be an easy fix by engaging the low end sidechain or lowering the input as you said. Hardware units often come out different and maybe it's this hardware that is different from the one Softube modelled for UAD. I've used the UAD TT MII and never got a pumping sound. I actually tried to make it pump but it was virtually impossible. UAD DBX however, try and stop that thing pump!
It could just be that the gainstaging was wrong on the software side, but I agree. Hardly a fair comparison when the sw side was being pushed way past the hw.
You had the plugins set to reduce gain by much more. That's why it was pumping.
Most of these plugins sound great in isolation, it's when you pit them up against their HW equivalents you hear the 3D'ness of the hardware. However, it's kindof the law of diminishing returns, you can get 90% the way with skilful mastery of plugins. Great video!
3D. Depth. Plus working more intuitive and fast. That's all what is still exclusive to hardware. The rest can well be done with plugins, and those come with other great advantages like free routing and total recall.
7:30 the plugins really sound more muffled and boxed vs hardware open and help the vocal sit much better in the mix.
The more plugins you add in your mix the flatter / boxed you get of course you can get good results in the end but the overall feel remains that Analog is more natural
Another option => send it to analog mastering that will help a lot if you can;t get any hardware
My observation.
You get the results you like faster with the analog gear. The plugins actually require you to grind out more time for similar results. Dropping $10.000+ on a signal chain makes recording faster and more desirable **into the DAW** (no fussing around later). The time saved over 10 years with this gear is the difference between albums recorded simply on the basis of time saved. #worthit
Saving for my SSL chain now but that Neve vibe got me very interested :) thanks Reid.
Collins O'Dwyer Hmmm.. they used to say “track on a Neve, mix on an SSL." So I guess you'd better buy both!
Exactly. I like to save time. Time is money.
I went for an SSLsix with a neve 1073lb u87ai works well together!!
0:57 That headbanging tho'
how about 10:20
@@Niowiad Lets not get carried away 😄
The plugins sound perfect and don't have any flaws. Those minute flaws in the hardware create character. The vocal with the compression from Analog, had a more realistic feel, while the digital was a little more plastic. Overall, just having one real item at the end of the bus, could be a complete game-changer for digital production.
I feel you, i think a hybrid analog/digital setup is ideal for modern music. Having a handful of carefully selected pieces of hardware and then plugins to make the rest will save your bank for sure haha.
Surely the plugin can be dialed in to pump less than that while still being aggressive? Thank for the vid!
it can. not wanting to criticize him cuz it's a good video and he makes great material, but the plugin is actually more flexible. i'd love to have the real thing, but the plugin can do stuff the original cannot. ie sidechain low end and a mix control for parallel compression. both are very handy to have.
It looked like your plugin was doing way more gain reduction than your plugin? Having a compressor hit -20db is going to cause pumping. Plus in most instances people are only hitting the CL1B for a couple Dbs gain reduction if its right after the mic preamp, not sure if comparing how it handles -20db gain reduction is all that relevant.
I have been told just to save up on hardware pre amps.
nah my sun said, ''AYE" at 9:29🤣🤣🤣❤🔥❤🔥 dope song for sure, slaps sonically
Let’s be honest with each other. Almost everyone here in the comments if they could easily afford all the hardware, they would buy the hardware.
obviously lmfao thats not the point. its for people who can’t afford it to see what the difference is. if you already have the gear you probably aren’t watching this video unless you’re curious or a fan of reid
If we're smart, we'd want both...I liked how the vst EQ sounded & the vst compressor's saturation sounded better too shocking but I noticed the real EQ had more tight mid range saturation & the real compressor clearly compressed more musically. For the difference in cost, the plugins win the war for me...I have plenty of compressor options that can make up for what the vst compressor cant do.
Aciustica audio mimic the real gears
No. It's about the possibility, flexibility, and automation of the settings. Do you really thing same settings will work for the whole audio?
I definitely liked the hardware chain better. The CL1B is goals for me when it comes to a hardware compressor. One day, one day.
The hardware's changes are so much more transparent. Very impressive. With the plugins you can essentially hear them.
anyone else notice a high pitched noise coming through on this demo? I hear it on all of my different monitoring options/soundcards. if true, may be worth taking care of re uploading considering it is a critical listening video.
I lost it when i saw Reid jamming from behind the UAD plugin, i love this channel.
You could do it the other way around, equalize and compress well in the plugin and then copy the configuration to the hardware
😉
But then the results will be different. 😉👍
I come here just for the puppeteer work....fantastic ....The recording knowledge is icing on the cake..thanks Reid great Channel
I can hear the difference but I think adding another comp could make it pretty close, also using auto with the vl fader to compress less. this show that mixing with plugings is harder than mixing with gears
I get the plug-in Vs hardware but I don’t see where the slate and Sony mics are compared. Is slate mic using the plug in chain and Sony is using hardware or Vice versa? Honestly I was blasting this in my car without watching video at first and I didn’t hear thousands of dollars difference
Hardware will always give you that rich warmness! If you can truly afford it, def go for it!
Partly true.. but as an INVESTMENT Plugins are not that good.. used Hardware can be a very stabile Investment tho
@@guidosc3470 haha I just realized I used the wrong words. my bad! you're right!
Guido Scharmer-Choi I’m confused with what you said.
@@Kemite_Gaming that's because the main comment changed.. x)
Why I would love to spend 6k+ on a preamp/eq and compressor (not to mention that you are using a 10k microphone) but the difference is not a big enough for an EVERYDAY listener (not producers and/or engineers) imo if you got 16k+ for a vocal chain go for it but the gap is not worth the price(16k vs 2.3k).
When you put it like that, it's true. To some extent owing the gear has become an ego thing almost.
Having the hardware allows you to burn in that sound. You’ll never have to spare computer resources on a plug-in, and the energy of audio signals going through real electrical circuits adds a level of character that’s hard to recreate accurately.
I have never heard a song called: Justin Bieber feat. Neve Preamp & Cl Compressor. Maybe its a GAS thing ...
Bytheway: Taste comes from listening. Appetit comes from advertising.
@@joshuabrown6256 Yh I can really notice the difference when I'm stoned. However, it's stil a matter of preference.
However if u played this to causal listeners from start to the end. Without telling them, whilst switching the compressors they wouldn't notice. Let's be honest.
From what I've heard and what I've been told by others, the harder you drive the hardware, the larger the difference you'll hear between analog and software. Tubes and transistors made back in the day were handmade with attention to detail and some materials that aren't available for use anymore. Eventually the plugins might be able to model the saturation/warmth/fullness of high end analog gear, but for now they will have to be second place by a little bit. Then again, there are strengths to both sides
That is a lie and if you can't make it sound good with just plugins you suck and should quit plain and simple.
Wow... 3:04 a sleeve to make it look like the puppet is changing the knobs when its clearly your hand is super dedication to the puppet character...
I have a Neve Genesys with 1073s and I also use the UAD 1073 when I run out of analogue channels. SLIGHT differences, but different.
The difference is quite noticeable but I really don’t think that in this age of music the difference matters at all.
Because most people didn’t even notice the way the hear music know a days only a person how does music production them self or are really passionate about music will care and not even there will even care if they don’t know the 2 different mixes.
All what’s matters today is that the mix is good not the best.
Mixing with analog is just nice to have and I would definitely use it over digital if you have the choice.
But definitely not worth the price tag if you compare it overall with digital
Is this song ever going to be released? Been waitin like a year.
the 1073 emulation sounded really really good to me even if it wasn't as bright and smooth, i think that tubetechs richness and and the way its able to deal with the peaks make it a step above the plugin, also i could hear a slightly different colour when the tube tech hardware was used, but all in all they are great plugins no doubt about it, I've been trying to incorporate the tube tech into my vocal chain, but I'm enjoying their LA 2A emulation rn
Can you explain why there's twice as much compression happening on the software meter? Seems like it was setup to fail.
Hard to spot at first but by the end ... wow. Anyone got a few grand I can borrow? It's for a friend...
there is a difference and its easy to notice when its solo'd on 3:15 that switch, its like option had more high to high/mid frequencies, and i dont what im hearing, but it felt like Option A had some Stereo spreader on it cause i felt the vocals pop out more from the side like a background tracker with a stereo spread on it
this is the first shootout i've seen where i saw a difference that made me want to spend $4000 on the hardware over $150 for the plugin. typically i find most of the emulations do the job well enough but i'm actually kind of surprised by this one
I didn't even care if it was gonna be a good comparison. The moment I saw the puppet I clicked the like button. Especially when the singing puppet showed up and he started shaking his head to the music 😂😂😂
I can definitely hear the difference the hardware sounds more open and gives the vocal more definition. It also puts the vocal in a slightly better sonic space. You can still get away with using the plugin and getting a great sound.
wish you’d have compressed less with the plugin. It seems gain reduction was always more there than the hardware.
Much less pumping on the hardware for me, the clarity and transparency seemed much better too with a more pleasing high end to my ear on the analogue gear! Great comparison, I like these direct comparisons, great vid
Software still sounds so much flatter than the hardware. In the past months it was mentioned so often where it was said, that Plugins are nowadays so close to their hardware Counterparts. To my ears? Nope! Plugins sound much better than 10 years ago, but they are still far away from making you throw your hardware out if the window. And referring to the CL1B: yes, I experience the same. The Plugin is so difficult to adjust. Pumping very soon
That headbanging at the end gave me life
so keen to hear the comparison between the analog and software Tube Tech,
Great video, When it comes to instruments plugins are fine, but having hardware for a frontend for vocals and acoustic guitar is still well worth it. This video confirms it. Also for me, Vocals are the main focus of my music, if your doing electronica or instrumental music maybe it doesn't matter as much.
wow at 10:26 the difference is crazy what im noticing a lot is the dynamics on the vocal sound wired , i never thot it was that much of a difference , im using Austrian Audio hi x55 to listened
I've never seen your vids before but love the way you commit with puppet hand matching puppet talking/actions lol. Great stuff, fun way to find your niche. Oh, hardware sounded better. It pushes and distorts better and sounds more 3D. Might not matter in a mix but it def. is audible.
I think this comparison was best left to fewer plugins or hardware instances and done under more average conditions. The more devices you add, the more things compound and make any (often small) differences that do exist become compounded and more and more obvious. I feel like the mic and EQ stacked up fairly well. The biggest failing here was the Softube, Tube-Tech plugin which was much more pump-y than the real compressor. If I was Softube, I'd be rather embarrassed. That said, I don't feel it's fair or ethical for the Slate modeler to be brought down by the whole down-chain as if it was somehow to blame. The other video using the Slate Sony mic model and the real Sony mic showed that the differences were very modest at best. I think that we're kinda getting sloppy pile-on by the end of this video, making a claim that the analog is so much better than the digital. I even feel that the "test" was biased to reveal, intentionally, the shortcomings of the plugins (cranked) versus the strengths of the hardware (cranked). Besides, who cranks the hell out of every plugin when building sounds--I might, but most probably would not. That seemed to be a critical element of "making sure" these units failed, and failed miserably, in comparison. If kept at more normal settings, the differences were more minute and, without the compressor, things would have likely ended up in a very comparable place with the hardware probably edging out the software in a more subtle way--as it probably should, since an emulation of a real thing is generally incapable of equalling the real thing it emulates...let alone surpassing it. That's only computationally inevitable, from a philosophical and mathematical perspective. Perhaps a more important test is to shoot out the best analog units at normal settings, against the best plugins and see how they compare as tools and ways to achieve X. For instance, many would agree that, when it comes to limiting, software is, low and behold, clearly superior. That's why mastering houses master using Weiss and L2 and Fabilter versus a hardware limiter. There are some complex, especially multiband, compressor maneuvers that digital can do better than analog these days, I would argue. So to each technology goes its particular strengths and weaknesses. But it's clear that an emulation compared to the real thing must fail, as a mathematical certainty. Therefore, in these types of shootouts, the analog will almost certainly win. It's more valuable to see "by how much" it wins but I feel this test video was not done in a fair way to really test that hypothesis by mixing so many various devices, we can never be sure which device compared relatively better or worse except to say that it seems much of the failure was due to the softube emulation. Not much science going on here. Which is not to say that I don't generally love this puppett! Some of the best tips per the genres covered here that you will find, period!
I thought the video did a very good job of demonstrating how the chain started out very similar and got further and further apart. It started with just the mics and it was very similar, then added the pres at moderate and it was still very similar, then when they added the eq at moderate settings it got less similar but still really good, then adding more eq it got a little less similar, then the compressor got even less. It’s not like he went “oh here’s software cranked vs hardware cranked, look how different they are!”. He showed how things stack up as you add and push them further. I mean the software chain is basically what my tracking chain has been (but slate plugins) for awhile now. I appreciate the demonstration of how an all digital vs all analog vocal chain sounds.
For real though. After he tossed on that Softube the whole thing is warping back and forth terribly. Sounds awful. He may have shown what can happen under crazy circumstances but that's not even the point of this video. Anyone watchin it will now assume the plugins are junk. Which is not what you want to do.
The pumping effect on the plugins really turned me off haha. I'm still impressed with what plugins can do but ever since I started getting into hardware, I haven't looked back. Still plugins are very useful though. This was a very informative video, thanks!
the plugin is pumping because is reducing 20 db .... the hardware version is reducing only 7 / 10 db. the plugin version is way more sensitive . You can get a decent sound from the pluging actually , but of course if you crank the threshold knob it will sound pumping
Funny thing is that you can see when the analogue is on. Since the appollo is getting an external input when the hardware is on :D
Why cant I find this song anywhere? Where is it?
the best way to match the software to the hardware is to oversample before going into plugins if possible and also set input volumes real low so the plugin doesnt add nasty noise and output it high if u got alot of headroom from recording
How do you oversample before going my into plugins?
Dude the headbanging makes me happy
When you add the tube tech plugin with the neve plugins its pumping so hard and it's really noticeable
That track and mix are bangin! (UAD monitoring via vintage LSR's/12" sub)
fantastic and very interesting! Maybe keep the UAD interface out of the picture next time tough (for the blind A/B)
The glitching of the plug-in made this a non-contest.
The plugin chain pumping and low end inconsistency is really noticable.
Thank you so much for teaching a beginner like me in music production 🎼 .
Incredible difference. Im wondering if you brought the vocal to more of a baseline with some basic compression/limiting, would you be able to render similar results with the plug ins? It seems it was just responding to the transients and peak volume levels? Thoughts? Anyone?
You clearly compress wayy more on the plugin
you tune the hardware to match your ear
but you dont tune the software to match your ear
this test is not about if the plugin is exactly button perfect replica
its about Sound
I actually preferred the backing vocals in option B, and then found out it's the plugin version...
Difference is phenomenal with good headphones. Insane
Just stumbled upon this channel and had to check that I didn't do any drugs this morning. Anyway great, creative content. In More and more videos I am watching the hardware is winning by a significant margin. It's when you push it hard that you can really tell. The nice hardware grins happily where then plugins tend to fall apart. I did a vocals test using the CLA 1176(bluey) vs the 1176 hardware clone from mixanalog. I definitely preferred the hardware. It sounds less tubby, more focused, and it grabbed much harder and in a more pleasing way than the plugin did. I am convinced that I need to get 1 good hardware comp and 1 good hardware EQ.
Let's see what the plugins *can do*. It would be great to see a video where you first try to make the plugin chain sound great, then after that make the hardware chain match. Not paying attention to settings as much as the sound. What do ya say!? 🤷♂️ Great vid, thanks for sharing.
I've tried that many times. Hardware wins.
The compressors definitely sounded different, but you were getting a lot more gain reduction with the plugin. They would probably sound closer if you would have matched the gain reduction instead of the threshold knob. Good video though. No need for thousands of dollars worth of gear, all you need is talent, a room that is acoustically treated and an inexpensive recording setup.
Can you do a compressor settings video for voiceover? Thanks
U know ur getting wise tips and info if the dude is a puppet some channels I’m not so sure but this channel is a must use
You literally have everything i wanted to know about music
crazy! i enjoyed the plugin more in the blind test wow
Us engineers can differently heard the that the hardware is much more crisp and shape.On the other hand people like my wife hears no difference.
yeah yeah.. as engineer you should see the flaw in the comparision for starters. btw there are engineers getting grammys with in the box mixing.
@@woodstocktc engineer opinion don't count. regular people are the ones that consume the music and they can't tell any difference loll
@@woodstocktc who?
@@theisnielsen3154 Dave Pensado, Jeff Juliano, etc. you can find through google a comprehensive list
Sounds like something engineers say for the sake of job security.
Thankyou Reid for clearing the debate of the lifetime :) TBH if it wasn't for Karra I wouldn't have taken the video seriously and might have skipped it! but you really got it . cheers mate !!!!
i could really get the difference and really had a similar thought in the blind test before you even spoke
Note for beginners : You don't have to use one plugin for multiple use like for instance cutting of low end in pre amp plugin, use another eq for that and let each plugin work at their potential . i know software replica might not bring out like hardware but you can do it with multiple plugins you just need to know your basics . that's it .
I appreciate this. But honestly, I find the Slate mic with any emulation to be sort of plasticy, dull and harsh in the high end. Of course Demi Lovato can still sing into a Slate and make a hit...... just think if one of the mic, pre or comp in the example are a weak link, they bring down the rest of the signal chain
Theoretically, you may be able to get 99.5% there with a 1073 emulation, but then if a software compressor can't emulate the transients and it kills the whole test.
I'd love to a test with all variables to rate find the weakest link in the chain
I.E:
Sony C800 -> UAD 1073 -> Tube Tech
Sony C800 -> UAD 1073 -> Softube
Sony C800 -> Neve 1073 -> Softube
etc etc....with the Slate too
this song is slappin for real❤🔥
I understand it is difficult to level match always properly on the fly, but I felt the analog was at most times louder than the plugin preview which is giving it an unfair advantage in the previews.
Thanks for the education tip. My biggest takeaway is to understand what the hardware does and then dial in the correct settings for the plugins, which are good. Just not hardware!
I have the CL 1B plugin and was very disappointed on how it responds. I working on getting all hardware for my recording vocal chain. My questions is do run slate microphone directly into Apollo or do you use the slate pre amp than add a plugin pre? Thanks
I went into this thinking that I wasn't going to tell the difference....and came out feeling like I'm glad I have the hardware.
Can you do a paid course on how to record use hardware mix master in abelton live 10
I would've like to see the C800 vocals duplicate and processed. Wouldn't that be more accurate? I know the slate is close, but it could never truly replicate the signal.
This video was great and answered alot of questions for me!! One thing I wish was it showed the unison tech through UAD console with the ML-1 going through the plugins vs the C800 going through the hardware. I think I would get the software to have as a first step and something to practice on because both together are only 600 (plugins) vs about 5K for a Neve Preamp with EQ and a CL-1B. Buying the plugins IMO is a great first step in an investment towards the hardware
The difference is pretty huge.
Plug vocal channel sounds quite harsh artificial and tethered , compared with the smooth and natural quality obtained with hardware.
Wondering what a plugin like Soothe2 might do to help ameliorate those digital artefacts from the plugins. 🤔
definitely night and day, but the neve 1073 plugin seems like it held its ground the tube tech plugin fell apart on the dynamics and everything sounded darker on the plugin chain which I guess you would expect. would love to see a video where you attempt to make them sound exactly the same using any tricks in the book. Cheers Reid!
Are there birds in the background? Or is something funky happening with your VO recordings that's triggering some high frequency distortions?
(edit: specifically it's R channel only. Can't be birds in the background.)
This is a very compelling and corroborating experiment. The hardware is favored in my opinion.
I wish u compared it perfectly vs just the settings like its been stated already. Thats stupid and u had to have known this. The tube tech plugin has like 20db GR while the hardware had 7 lol. Ofcourse its gonna sound pumpy. The plugin is seriously great.
lol thank u! the puppet's hitting is like twice as hard of course it's gonna pump
no real way to do that.each engineer mix is not the same lol its cool to sound smart until you dont. if he did that you could say i dont like your mix. gear better period but is it worth it is the ?
@@raffeellerasheem4167 wait... wtf?! Your "trying to sound smart" comment applies to YOU bro lmao. Theres no real way to match gain when comparing software and hardware??? Not every mix is the same??? Hes using one song.. and can 100% get close enough to match both settings by ear to accurately compare the two. It literally makes no sense to dial in the same settings into both and expect the same result. Hardware and software are two different things and clearly react differently! He could've probably got it close if he went by ear instead of blindly turning a knob because it sounded good on hardware.. but yes, hardware is by far better. Ill agree with that out of all the dumb shit u just said lol
@@gusdee4844 a bunch of useless nothing again.as someone about to buy i got what i needed to know from this.if he would of did it your way i would not have.i will use both.i just hate to see ppl hate in comments.just give your opinion without all that man.peace
@@raffeellerasheem4167 are u drunk bro? Wtf wrong with u? Lol I just invested thousands into hardware, hardware blows plugins out the water everytime.. but when a plugin is showing 20db gain reduction while the hardware is showing 7db, thats not a true comparison to see if u can get the same sound from a plugin that youd get from the hardware. Idk wtf ur even talking about anyway. Have a good night
Hey man love your videos!
I think where I run into problems is when clients of mine have used the UAD apollo to record their own vocals but driven the chip-based pre really HARD and it's much less forgiving than hardware on that front. Some CARE when using the UAD and you can get great results!
I'm glad you really showed this. Because some of these mix engineers can be really misleading some of these younger engineers that work from home. If you want a professional sounding vocal you need to run it through some kind of circuitry. I'm planning on getting some kind of preamp to record vocals with.
@Test you dont "need" analog gear. But it does speed up the process. I've used both and I can say that having hardware is much faster to get the sound you want.
I think we equate different with better. I think both sound great and you wouldn't be loosing is you know how to mix well with plugins. I mean if i had unlimited funds i definitely would reach for the hardware first but im cool if all i have is plug-ins
the difference is so noticeable! Full hardware !!!
Definitely, the difference is there. Hardware undoubtedly sounds more alive, rounded and convincing, while software lacks body and is harsh in the high mid and high frequency range. However, it must be admitted that plugins do sound close. But so far, plugins still sound as a really good and sometimes fantastic emulation of the hardware. Having said that, there is a reason why most of the industry recording and production stages are done with hardware - it is essential to give this natural, balanced 3D sound. However, in the mixing phase, plugins - due to technological breakthroughs - are sufficient enough to stay completely "in the box". This is just my humble conviction.
Before I spend the $3600 on a cl1b I want to be sure. It seems that the compressor does a lot to the sound here. I currently use an 1176 but I think it’s a little gritty for pop vocals. Are we sure that there isn’t anything that can make the plug in compressor sound closer? I’m using a Manley ref c - vintech 1073 - 1176 now.
Can you show us how you connect the C800g to the neve , pre amp , and interface ? Like the setup ?
Thank you for this. I was specifically trying to figure out what to do as far as a CL1B for my hardware 1073 and C800G chain. I'd already concluded that the Softube emulation wouldn't give me the smooth thickness I want from this chain and was looking to see if it was worth shelling out $300 for the UAD2 CL1B plugin while I work a new Tube-Tech into the budget. I still might get the plugin (for use in post) but I'm definitely getting the hardware for tracking. Just needed to hear it side by side one more time. Haven't used a real CL1B in a few years.
Your videos also helped me feel more comfortable with my decision after I ordered my Sony C800G too so thanks for that as well.