Analog Hardware SSL G Bus Compressor vs The Glue, Waves and UAD SSL Plugins (Dance/EDM)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 พ.ค. 2019
- AB Testing Starts at : • Analog Hardware SSL G ...
This is an AB comparison between my Analog hardware SSL G Bus Compressor and some of the most used SSL plugin recreations like The Glue, UAD, and Waves.
Keep in mind this is a test meant to be for the Dance, EDM, House Music environment and it is my own personal point of view, doesn't mean that is the absolute truth, it's what I hear, you might hear something different and that's ok.
Some comparisons might have slightly different gain volume altho I tried to be as close as possible with both setting and signal, this might make it for an unfair judgment, so I exported the different versions and can download .wav files here:
bit.ly/SSLvsSSL
this way you can listen to high-quality audio in your own DAW and try to match with whatever other plugins you like, included in the folder are the Hardware SSL, UAD SSL, Waves SSL, The Glue and Unmastered mix (keep in mind the song has a slightly different melody from the original for copyright reasons)
My buss Compression Tips and Tricks :
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Hey guys, hope you like the video, please check the description for some wav files and more in depth infos about mastering compression. ✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻
That Was Really Helpful Bro.... You Are Really Awesome
this was really helpful! Thanks for great insights and useful tips. Would love to see a comparison between this and the standard glue in ableton :))
You say you r a beginner? 😵😱
THEN WHO AM I 🔫
Thanku 😭
dude. you need a higher chair...
That chair is actually awesome! Like king sitting lol. But yeah needs to be higher.
lmao
yeah he literally looks like needs a child booster
Hahahaha
🤣😂🤣🤣
Awesome video David, I could here those distinct differences even through my phone speakers. Was also super surprised on the UAD vs the glue and waves ones.
I have the TK Audio BC501 (obviously a lot cheaper...about half the price) and absolutely love it. But still I found sometimes my UAD plug-in to have better response and maintaining the kick presence with some of the styles of songs on our recent album (more indie electronic/rock with some funky/R&B moments too).
All that to say, really comes down to your song and style, sample out a few different ones if possible and choose what works. Good job on the video again!
I had the video playing on the background while doing homework. As soon as the SSL kicked in, I immediately open the tab to see what the hell happened. It felt like magic begun. I cool hear the highs pumping harder as everything was guided by the transient of the kick.
Good vid, bro. Pure magic
What utter rubbish
just found you for the first time, i like your vibe man, I'm subscribing ))
So subtle but it really brings that clarity.
God bless you for your honesty and simplicity
Great comparison! Really really really well done!
your studio is so NICEH!!!
Nice one Dave! I had both and still use the UAD one after selling the hardware to buy a virus TI. Nice video!
Thanks for making this video bro, would be cool if you did one comparing the compression on individual elements of the track in each channel to see if there is still that muddy sound. But it was definitely helpful so thanks a lot!
Sure thing. I'd really dig if it was on high gain guitars, for example.
Thx a lot for very helpful video:) Now, I think many people won't feel confused too much about which bus compressor to use:) Thx!
Difference in perceived "width" is enormous . Even in my laptop . Hardware sounded like : " i can do it easy - let' s proceed to the next step " . Without saying of course you can't get really professional results with the plugins . Nice video !
Ooooo. I've been waiting for this one!
You can really hear the difference in the hardware version, as you mentioned those transients really pop out! I was surprised how poor the UAD came across, sounded dull.
Amazing video , thanks David !
The difference between the Glue and the hardware is so small that I'm goin to invest in other gear... The Glue retains more low freq in the kick, the SSL filters that out. Maybe they re a hair different, but not better or worse, espcially considering the price and wokflow difference. Thanks! Saved me from GAS (PS. do a blind test)
mannn.....the Warm Audio G Bus is the Answer....just got one of those 2 months ago....sounds...excellent
Good stuff man! 👌
thanks ma brother ✌🏻
You are so good and honest.Thnx for this great review !!
menki you are welcome 😊
The Analog Hardware SSL G Buss Compressor is Sick!You spent your hard earned money on the right thing
@7skies what else would you use in your master chain in addition to the analog ssl? Maybe an EQ before and a limiter after? Thx
That desk/ chair height ratio is bound to bad on the shoulders. Great vid.
great comparison, I really enjoyed it thank you :)
glad you liked it ✌🏻
great video, your contens are pretty awesome
This looked like a lot of work and thanks for that. I was looking at the Waves but decided to skip it. I have a good Drawmer bus compressor (hardware) so why am I fooling around?
Very nice comparison! thanks....
Dude. I agree with your analysis completely. It's 100% worth it if one can afford it but not 100% necessary when there are excellent emulations available. Now the next test is your SSL G Bus Compressor for $2,700 vs. the new SSL SiX Desktop Mixer (with built-in fixed G Bus Compressor) for $1,499.
technically SiX has fixed values which I HAAATE, it's the only reason I didn't get that one, I want to be able to change what I want, I'm too nerdy for fixed values lol
7 Skies I thought that might be the case but I'd still be interested in comparing it because it has all the most famous fixed values used on the mix bus. If I get a SiX, can I come over and do a comparison with you? 😎
Hi 7Skies!
Great video, where do you buy your analog hardware? Would love to check this compressor out!
Good vid. What if you set up oversampling for higher The Glue one? Have you tried?
If the waves ssl is too much for you, just use it as parralell compression?
Thanks for the time making this video!
I think the analog SSL is side-chain filtering non-musical frequencies. It has that filtered compression sound (and some hints in the manual). Sounds like the low end is excessively triggering those plugins and I can tell by how quickly and how long the plugins grab the track at the same settings. I'd test it again with your high pass filters around 22hz in the software. SSL measured the performance of that specific compressor from 22Hz-22kHz. A lot is happening in dance/edm below 22Hz. Not aligning that will easily skew results.
Cool video man 👍🏼🏴☠️✌🏼
Love this video! Would love to have a SSL Compressor to play with :)
Awesome, how were you able to a/b the devices with your keyboard?
Perfectly executed!
Cool test! Tell please if you make gain reduction 2-3 dB, then your break will be this 2-3 dB too. My question, do you use bus comp on Master channel from starting of creating track or in the end after putting bus comp you use automation gain for break? Trank you!
Maybe if you turned on the analog button on the waves it would have been more like the analog hardware dont you think
Hey 7skies! Hopefully you see this comment... can you share or re-upload all your One 2 Trance podcast episodes? I can't find them anywhere. I really liked them all !
In the Hardware I heard the clarity of the transient, and the clear readability of the mix
DjBanditOdessa Yeah it’s crazy
even the ssl bus compressor in Reason makes things sound amazing when used right.
Great content - thanks!
Bravo bel test! Anche per me il Cytomic spacca di brutto! Però quando vai OTB e comprimi è tutto meno "schiacciato" e mi sembra che il brano "respiri" meglio. Ma si può venire a sentirlo di persona?:) Ciao!
i have ssl duende, macbook 8.1 , logic studio 9, duende opens in logic studio, when i open a buscompressor, it says 'no driver found' whats wrong? tnx! im having now a month this problem :( :( pls someone help??
great video thank you. You should check out and compare Acustica Audio Sand buss Cuss Compressor
Can u do an update with reasons SSL?
In my DAW with caliberated levels, did A/B with Slate FG-Grey, FG-Red, PA Vertigo VSC-2, Cytomic Glue @X16 highest setting, Unison at pristine quality, and in blind test, it was too too tough to find which is best.
If I comped 1 sec each, nobody can tell which is which.
Maybe Maybe on extreme critical hearing Hardware had tad better tight low end, but overall, Every plugin compressor sounded as hardware good , each had slight diff colour and characteristics.
So Thank you so much for making files available.
I will appreciate if you can make similar with EQ sections and hardware gears. :)
@Germo .S if u read my comment carefully, I have compared softwares vs hardware.
surprised to hear how much the UAD shrunk the stereo image compared to the hardware!
duh....lol...Uad IS A RIP OFF....LOL
Good job!
I don't hear any difference in mobile that is, the cheapest is enough.
10:20 doesn't feel like the release is the same between hardware and glue to me making it messy.
What you think about Melda Production SSL?
I’m currently on a hardware binge, but I have to get an extra loud endorsement to the Glue...best (software) compressor I own, and I have Waves, UAD, and Slate.
THE WAVES...SOUNDS awesome!!!! my new favorite.....ssl comp vst
Maybe trying different settings on the plug ins you can have a closer result
Have you tried the Solid State Logic Native Buss Compressor yet? Curious of your opinion?
I’ve been so happy with the hardware that I haven’t really had the need to try / buy new ssl comp plugins . From what I’ve read online the blugin boutique one (townhouse I believe is what it’s called) is one of the best, I sure do LOVE their ssl channel strip, so wouldn’t be surprised if they also nailed the g-buss
@@7Skiestv Thanks for your reply. Understood. The hardware can't be beat (so far, lol!). Sounds great!
I think you could make subtle tweaks to each plugin to sound nearly identical to the hardware. I find that just matching the setting can differ from analog gear to digital. The differences I hear all seem like setting tweaks, like, oh, that one needs slower release etc. and it will sound more like the hardware. Also, deadmau5 was pretty adamant in saying to never kill your dance mix with an ssl compressor. To me all of these seemed to squish it a little too much.
Yeah , I felt the same , if @7skies was able to hear the difference ,maybe he could have given us the Optimum dailed settings to emulate the effect of an actual SSL , but maybe the character does play a role in making the mixes muddier and you can really beat that।
Actually 500 series are said to sound different than 19” rack versions so I wonder if the SSL sounds different than a 19” version or the one actually in the desk
The UAD is so heartbreaking.... Im a UAD fanboy and The Glue and Waves Kicked its ass. Nothing quite had that hardware magic to me though which is why Im buying one now. Appreciate the video!!! Consider me influenced on the hardware!
I feel like im beginning to understand that as fast as computers can be, you can't compare to the real time processing of analogue which makes all the difference. They all mimic the effect, some obviously better than others, but i feel like there is a smoothness that comes from how fast and unburdened the audio gets transmitted through the analogue compressor? Could be talking out ma poo hole though
How did you dial in the settings on the plugins on the settings... because they do not sound even close it the low highs at all. . You can't just eyeball it till similar numbers because plugins are set up differently than that... I'm not saying the hardware isn't better... Just that they were not doing the same thing with the material
the same !!! I bought the Glue but then, when i listen the result in my car, there is a bad thing in the mid, the check is not ok for me.
Now i try the SSL compressor and it's magic ... the song become wonderfull ...... SSL compressor is a legend.
Inserts/Busses or Master?
I mean did you completely replace the Glue with the ssl even on single mixer tracks?
It would be great to compare with acustica audio sand2 fab4🙏
I don't have that one, but you can download the files in the description and try to compare it yourself the settings are the same as the ones in the video ;)
@@7Skiestv Hello! Today, i tried to compare all versions of ssl bus compressor. I was impressed how accurately AA SAND 2 copies the sound of real HW. In my opinion at 99.9 percent.
If you have time, I advise you to try the trial version, you will be as impressed as I am.
P.S. I do not know why you need it, but suddenly you will not be able to take analog with you on the road. Good luck to you!
the analog SSL definitely wins.
However, the price difference isn't worth it to me. (It's a pretty big price gap)
I'm actually amazed by the Waves SSL. Best one of the three plugins.
What do you think?
I think you doof doof people need your heads read.
This is informative. You should try out SSL Native Bus Comp as well.
I watched this before, and here I am watching it again because I'm tempted to buy a Stam SA4000 MKII. I think that, honestly, the TH-cam comparisons don't do it justice... I feel like the differences you hear in this video are maybe 5% of 5% in comparison to actually trying them out yourselves. When listening to the comparisons without seeing the prompt which compressor was which, it was hard tell a difference, it was only when I was reading when the changes were that I could hear things. For me, the real SSL opens up the mix more, and the stereo image gets wider, the plugins seem slightly more congested in comparison.
I've never used a hardware SSL-style bus compressor, but part of me thinks that the differences would be pretty minor (again, like 5% difference) and not worth the price difference between a plugin that maybe costs £200, at most, compared to a hardware counterpart that costs £1k+. It's just diminishing returns to pay £800 more for the extra 5% that you get with hardware. Maybe I'll eat my words if I actually buy the hardware and realise the difference is huge (coming from a guy that owns a few hardware pieces).
Saying that, you're at the mercy of plugin support eventually dying out as people inevitably get new computer hardware and realise that the plugins they bought are no longer supported, and the company then releasing a new version that you have to buy, with them saying that their new plugin truly is indistinguishable from the hardware this time. At least with hardware, you can plug it into any interface you buy, and it will always work regardless of you changing your computer.
Wow, what a long comment.
For Glue, have you set it on highest oversampled settings ? If not please redo the test, as it immediately improves the stereo width, compression characteristics and sounds better !
Hows ML-1 sounding by the way ? :)
Yes the exported file from the video is at maximum oversampling, also never been a fan of the stereo width that the glue produces, always sounded phasey to me . Never used the ML-1 so I don’t know 🤷🏼♂️
@@7Skiestv So at 00:34 which microphone is this ?
BTW awesome video and thanks for indepth comparisons. Hope to see some more preamps, 1176 etc other comparisons in similar way. Will be nicel if you add Slate emulations too as they do sound great! :)
Slate mic, highly recommended
@@7Skiestv That is Slate ML-1, i was talking about earlier.. its really an awesome one!
Hi! What mouse do you use?
Logitech mouse will improve your mix by 4.8% on average
I downloaded the stems and did a blind test. Every time i got the hardware right and for most part even the different plugins. The glue sounded best of the plugins to me.
You should try set Range to 50% on The Glue. It is for more "hardware" sound. And The Glue does not have added harmonics at all (sad)
Now that you spent a while with the 8351s please make a retrospective video. I’m planning to pull the trigger on the 8341 with a sub :)
Long story short I would say go for them BUT, don’t buy the sub, genelec sub are not that powerful and in order to pair them properly with a sub you d need to spend a LOT of money if you want to stay on genelec, yes they are fancy with glm and stuff but I would personally go with a KRK sub or something like that, at the end of the day it’s low frequencies...just me 2 cents
Buy the sub of rhytmik or Rel. Rel is maybe even more musical cause it blends perfectly. But both are best subs companies for sound quality.
Even with youtube compression i am able to hear the clear transients from hardware compressor, compared to washed out software plugins. Great job David!
washed out?? oh cmon man the plug ins sound really good for price difference alone, but they actually sound really good!! washed out, no hardware obviously better if you can afford!
The real one sound more natural and it give more of that slap and crunch really like the real one
You should increase the chair to table ratio on your ssl
IMHO you have too much compression taking place for the real "glue". It's working too hard for the glue effect. Glue isn't supposed to "PUMP". that's why it sounds like certain instruments are sticking out more in general because of the pumping effect taking place. In general, any bus glue compressor if it's compressing too much will make the frequencies sound harsh and brittle, especially if you already have a lot of air (over 20 kHz), which sounds like from the track I'm listening to. There's no tonal balance., way too much high-end, and a lot of saturation/ distortion that makes the track sound like compression abuse. Transients won't cut through if you have too much compression taking place. Your concept of "GLUE" isn't "Glue".
What I would recommend is to reduce the level of compression so that it "glues" the track the way it's supposed to. 4 dB of compression is just way too much. The compressor is working way too hard, especially when you have a plethora of compression taking place throughout the track. I'm surprised you can't hear the "pumping" sound that's very evident.
Glue is supposed to be "subtle." You are "compressing" because you have way too much threshold in place.
You can't configure the same glue settings for any type of genre. Even if you have 2 identical versions of the song, frequency to frequency, eq to eq, etc.,
You can have 2 identical hardware glue bus compressors, yet it won't in any way, sound the same.
Every vendor will have its own unique built-in harmonics, hardware, or plug-in.
The hardware isn't better than the plug-ins. It's all subjective. One's ear is different than another.
However, your concept of GLUE is not.
Is ableton live glue compressor same as the glue?
It's by the same developer so I'd expect it to be exactly the same. however if you want to do the tests yourself check the link in the description, you can download uncompressed, + ssl + vsts version of the song and compare it to whatever plugin you want ;)
Domas A. Ableton's Glue is made by Cytomic. Would be interesting to hear that comparison as well just to see if the stock Glue Compressor has been improved in any way but I guess we can try that one for ourselves.
@@LesVegasMusic
I like the original The Glue more, after Abletons Glue the sound becomes more muddy(with oversempling)
@@DJBANDIT I feel like you're right.
it all really depends on the program material that your running through all these plug ins will produce that transient thwak on the kik and snare it's how you dial in on each and everyone of these plug ins... they all have thier sound and you must remember that all these companies model on different hardware.. so not all SSL channels or compressors sound EXACTLY the same since Hardware made by neve and ssl are still to this day handmade and hand assembled to a certain degree.
why is your desk so high?
thanks!
Edit to my previous comment...buy the SSL SiX, that G compressor is creamy as lemon butter parmigiana shrimp
The uad had a much less wide stereo image, sounds very small indeed
I can't take anyone seriously sitting in a chair that low. lol
I wouldn't say this is a fair comparison - you would need to campare with different songs with different brightness etc., This song is very bright. Pretty good job though! Keep it up!
uad ssl is really great and close to the hw , i did comparison
After downloading the wav files and listening back, I found that the UAD one has the colour ALMOST spot on, but as you mentioned - Lacks the click/attack on the kick.
Waves just doesn't sound right (lack of low mids/mids)
The Glue sounds great, not the same as the ssl but definitely close.
After that I checked with phase inverting (note that the original ssl needs to be moved for 5 samples before inverting the phase). Now while the test isn't perfect because the sample rate and other stuff, it won't be +1 correlation - but 0.96 is good enough I'd say. As expected, the UAD nails the sound of the comp but fails in the punchiness. The other two have a nice attack to them but lack that colour, especially the waves one.
maybe try using the same settings on all of them
Hey boy.. the chair 😂
Great video thanks mate. One question, do you miss the sidechain function? The 500 version and many clones do have this feature. No low frequency problems?
Actually, If you see the hardware you ll notice a “key” button, that engages external sidechain, I already set that up in my system, basically I can send the same song (but with the low cut) to the sidechain input while compressing the master and that will leave the lows untouched, not just that actually, I can send only the mids of the same song and compress only that, or only the highs, funny enough that little button makes it even more versatile that the HP you find in the 500
Ah I see thanks. Are you HP above 90hz? Or maybe 200hz? Did you also engage the HPF on all plugins?
I hardly use the HP unless the ssl really messes with the lows, I like to stay as true to the real thing as possible, but it is fun to be creative with it at times. Plugins had no hpf during this test as I wanted them to have the exact same setting as the hardware
Real SLL very fat sounding and smoothness in the bottom low freq. so the RMS level is pretty stable.
Hardware is suuuuper tight I love it
Great video 😀
Just because you use Ableton I would of loved you to of add the Ableton stock glue just to see how it does. I know cymotic make abletons glue but if the Ableton sounds like the glue why buy any 😀
Glad you like it! I wanted to compare plugins that everyone has access to despite the DAW that’s why the ableton one wasn’t in there, however if you check the description you ll find some downloads with .wav files and you can do the comparisons yourself, settings are the same as the video ;)
Thank you 😀
Glue Bus compressor all the way for me..Absolute gem among the vca bus comp emulations, more than decade on the market, and a still think it belongs among top 3 emus. Liked it over the hardware here, although the material was already pretty squashed. The thing comes close to Glue in terms of sound fidelity, action, handling transients, and stereo image is - Townhouse, + SSL Bus Native Mk2, and Vertigo VSC2. To be honest, I was never fan about the Waves Bus emu right from the beginning, (same goes to Waves.1176/LA2A). After got SSL Duende never used Waves SSL again.
Uad have different attack time and also have the filter try again.
Revive audio makes a fantastic g clone for $1050
It would be a complete test if you have tested also the duende native SSL bus compressor that is made direcly by SSL company, so should be the closest emulation of the hardware.
Other than that, nice video!
you can always buy me the plugin for me to test it...I've given them enough money :)
I mean you could also just try free demo , I don't have hardware to compare the two 🙂
I liked the cytomic glue punch in this video beside the hardware. For this purpose to get way more punch out of a sound and nice cohesion I use VSC-2 that is brainworx's emulation of VSC hardware, that is called the mercedes in bus compression, if you are lucky you can find it sometimes on sale for 39 bucks on plugin alliance web site. And for depth and frankly some magic I use the Duende Native version with release set to auto. 😉
That is the only emulation that really nailed the auto release settings for me, from what I've tried.
And last but not least the new Brainworx TownHouse compressor that emulates rare piece of hardware based on SSL bus comp. but claimed to add more colour to the sound also looks quite interesting.
Cheers!
I don’t know if it’s TH-cam video but I don’t hear enough major difference.
Listen very very carefully to the kick and the way the elements interact around it
Because there is no big difference.
If you have to listen so carefully, is it worth spending a fortune on?
That chair is ridiculous lol
The difference is SO subtle, I tried really hard to catch any...
agree. In case of blind tests i think it's really hard to tell which is which... Too subtle
That's how it always is in isolation. Take that same effect and multiply it by 48 channels and the difference will be profound.
You like a "glue"effect that keep things S E P A R A T E D...very interesting.
Think about a room where everything is really well designed tidy and clean , everything belongs in the room and nothing is out of place but at the same time each piece of forniture it’s clean and has its own space, now think about the same room but a little messier, clothes on top of the couch, sheets undone that touch the ground etc. kind of the same thing , the “glue” is the harmony that’s in the room and the separation is how the forniture has its own space and isn’t crammed together. It’s also 3am it’s kind of the best example I can think of right now
@@7Skiestv The room when my mother was around and the room now...But I was just kidding! Actually I watched the all video...that should say something already...doesn't happen often
Kidding or not your comment made sense , and thanks for watching all the video 🙏🏻
He's right though! Making it glued without compromising the stereo imaging is something that certain plugins can't do very well at all.
I grabbed the ssl six
Fuck. So why is it that hardware has always more space a dimension? Is it so hard to emulate still in 2021?
imo you would need AI to do it propely + spectral shaping mixed with dynamic proccessing. hardware is too intelligent for a rigid code to mimic.
Too bad your example track is super squashed already. Sounded immensly compressed with the comp Off -makes it hard to detect where the money at with these compressors
*Turn off the linear phase in the "the glue" settings and it will be the same as hardware SSL*
great video, thanks