The original seemed to have a wider stereo image, and has a bit of color/smearing in the upper mids. However, the Heritage sounded a bit more dynamic, responsive, and modern and kept more punch, but a bit darker and more center focused in the stereo field. Heritage sounds great!
Stupid guys that try to rate based on percentages by how much it sounds the same, *you guys are ridiculous*. Does it matter if it sounds the same? FUCK NO
People use words like “deeper” and “relaxed” like they actually mean anything lmao edit: also it’s hilarious how you said “the original sounds darker!” and then the comment right below you says “the clone sounds darker!” lmao just proves how bullshit this whole thing is
There's some different variations of the original Neve, which sound different. I assume Heritage Audio would clone the most popular model, which is not the one in de video as far as I am aware. With that said; I still personally prefer the 33609 over the HA609 in this case =).
Yeh, you always have to take into account that the tolerances on parts back in the day were way higher than now. So any two of the originals would likely have some variation even when new, much less after decades of use.
I think it sounds good. Even though it’s a clone and doesn’t perfectly represent the original, it sounds really good. And as a musician and producer, I’m not trying to replicate a sound as much as get a good sound that fits what I’m doing.
I think the Neve glued the sound a little bit smoother, but the Heritage Audio glued it with more air, which I would prefer for some things. Acoustic guitars, vocals and hi frequency drums, for example. The issue with non lockable cables could be fixed with som DIY solutions, but a weird choice of "price saving" imo. I might actually save up to this for bus processing, as it sounded great for a stereo unit with all these features. Hoping to hear how it sounds tweaked.. I have two pulteqs now and feel like those together with this and the great SSL software clones out now could be enough for most of the bus processing. Plus, of course fabfilters everything... Am I wrong, or what more should I look for on a mix bus chain?
The Heritage sounds fantastic! Yes, I've used many a 33609 in my day and they're built very well. Sonically, I think they're close enough. In the context of a mix, they're indistinguishable from each other.
I applaud your comparison- seamlessly A-B’ing back and forth without stops is soooo much better than many videos. They are close-ish, but you can hear the difference, even on my iphone haha. The heritage sounds damn good though- I don’t think I preferred either one for every task. $1800 still ain’t exactly cheap though still.
I felt the same way, listening on an ADAM SUB8 with Equator D5s and PSI A17ms here. (Switchable). AMS Neve Had a stronger center image with sub low frequency information, and the Heritage had a bit more mids/upper mids. I think this is due to the Carnhill standard Transformers Vs AMS Neve brand transformers (slightly different formula/design)? Snare feels great on the Heritage however. It's the Kick that shows the slight differences really. A little touch of EQ before or after would probably even things out.
@MomoTheBellyDancer Yes, the differences are slight, but easy to pick out. There's just more mids on the snare, so I get more of the crack of it with the Heritage, and there's better definition in the center imaging with the kick using the AMS Neve, which is probably due to the Marinair style transformers Vs the basic Carnhills in most Neve-clone designs. I used to own a pair of 1066 Channel strips and a bunch of rewired vintage 1272s that all had the original Marinair Radar LO output transformers and they all had that center imaging thing with more sub low frequency focus at around 60Hz. I currently own a WA273 with proprietary Marinair style transformers by Warm Audio, and I feel they nailed that low end precisely, again, at 60Hz. I'm hearing that 60Hz thing on the AMS for sure, etc. (So I'm pretty intimate with this sound due to a decade or so with vintage units at my old private studio). I think the Heritage is great, especially for the money, but you'd want a pultec style EQ or something to nudge a bit of 60Hz back into the signal, because the basic Carnhill transformers always seem to have a different focus on mid-range and upper midrange instead of that plush slight low end push from the Marinairs. Sorry for the novel, but yes I can hear the difference in a blind a test for sure. Would that matter in terms of a mix environment? Not really. Again you can compensate with the right EQ at 60Hz and you'll probably get that tight low end right back in a jiff (the trick is you need to know you're missing it first, and yes, I think it helps the mix overall on all these examples to have that tight low end).
Thanks for the video. It's always good to hear and see a Head-to-Head competition of classic vs modern takes. That aside I use them both. Just a quick addition to anyone's review of these units.The Neve is good for say a group of stems that need that extra Fatness or deep warmth, the vox or digital take that sounds brittle, the kind of track that someone would say it's missing that "umph". The Heritage is good for a good recording in the Hybrid studio (digital/analogue) sense that needs that lift to the clear crispy side, as in if there's already plenty of heft and warmth (yes there can be times where there is too much warm fuzziness, the suffocating kind). The units are by all means a good investment. The Heritage's power supply sucks but the overall versatility juuuust barely beats the Neve, as in the Heritage can be dialed up or down in both crispiness and warmth whereas the Neve can only go so far in the clean razor sharpness [boosting EQ or air-bands]. Maybe a beginner's decent EQ stage would be a pair of Maag EQ4 (Rack version Maag EQ4m) or API 560/API 5500 then it would give the Neve a very good High end rounded sound. That's Just my 2 cents. I have many Billboard tracks that have used either and or just one
I bought it probably received it the same day of this video release. After a week of using it in my home studio, I see this video in my recommended. I'm actually glad that I have the HA-609 already, otherwise, I'd have to buy it! Ha! (I also own a 33609 N at my commercial studio). I'm very satisfied!
@@galgogergo -- If I recall correctly, the HA-609 is more aimed to be a clone of the $8k vintage one. To me, the HA-609 has more character, but is on par, in terms of quality. It doesn't sound cheap and that's why I'm comfortable with owning a clone.
The wall wart reason is because of noise H,A shows a video and why ! but i tried my elite version eq 73 and i could hear no noise when my rack was running right underneath my warm 412 but on a meter it would !
You are right, as a broadcasting engineer, I reallyI don't like the saving costs of the power supply and XLRs. If you are able to shell out 1700, you probably have money enough to pay 2000 if that means a near perfect unit. Sounds killer tho.
I had a little extra cash and wanted to finally get one high-end hardware unit and was really close to pulling the trigger on the HA 609A or HA Successor Bus compressor,but instead went with two Distressors ELI8SX because they're in every studio. I like the HA image more because it sounded like true stereo/wide and the Neve didn't. HA image seemed clearer or brighter to me listening on Shure 1440s. I'm glad I didn't get the HA because it looks like they cut corners like you said on craftsmanship of this unit.
I ended up doing the same thing! I bought the HA 609A. The comp I received had a lot of background noise. Their specs say it produces a self noise of less than -75db & the unit I got was -62db with everything at 0. I sent it back, & this happened for two more compressors. I eventually gave up & got a refund & used the money to buy the distressors...
I noticed one thing with all the big brands out there, that budget brands tend to have a hard time emulating: Neve, Pultec, SSL, UA etc... They all have 1 thing in common ; High end control Some like to call it smoothness, etc ... But it's just that, everything around 5khz to 16khz gets a complete makeover and stays inside the frame ! It's not that you don't hear it, it is there, but it sounds good. While if you try to reproduce this with a pluggins or a cheaper unit: it will either sound too dull, or too harsh !
You can pre-order now. I'm wondering about this. I've had amazing luck with their KT2A and KT76. And I have Teletronix and UA1176s. These cheap pieces seriously rock.
The real question that begs to be asked is after you get done tracking,mixing and mastering,then get it uploaded to Spotify or TH-cam,can the end listener tell the difference (especially when they're listening with earbuds)? If not, then it's a worthwhile purchase.
I logged in to comment. This is exactly how reviews should be done. Compared to the original, literally. Well done. If you continue to do gear reviews by including the original they emulate, you would corner the ‘TH-cam review’ market and get maximum video views I believe. Well done. Compare the 1073. And SSL type bus comps etc
I thought the Heritage sounded like it had a bit more upper-mid punch on my system, although the Neve did sound slightly brighter overall. I also noticed the subtle stereo imaging differences. However, we normally run our group and bus compressors in dual-mono instead of stereo-linked mode. I wonder what impact that will have on the stereo field? We met with Heritage Audio at Winter NAMM 2020. They were lovely gents committed to creating great products for the music creator community. We'll definately be racking one of these in our studio! Thanks for the video! - chaz
Ciao! In my studio the difference is more than 95%. The first impression is that the clone has much more "forward" sound, which is not a bad thing. I can say is sounds more "modern". The fast transient on the vintage are smoother. It sounds a bit darker but deeper an wider. For my taste the original neve sounds more "musical". On the second track the way it glues vox and piano is really magical... And I can't hear the same thing on the clone version... just my point of view ! :-*
This has really became one of my favrouite channels, excellent reviw dude. I love the clone, i wouldnt be complaining if i had it, but the neve does have a more transparent sound with less harshness in my opinion. I think it is worth the money though.
I find it hard to believe that anyone can make an accurate assesement of audio quality from a You Tube video. You need at least a couple of WAV files for comparison.
Indeed. I get a chuckle out of the "I can hear a .27dB difference in the right side channel at precisely 1743Hz" crowd. I'm thinking it's a good example of The Emperor's New Clothes fable. TH-cam is an inadequate platform to judge accuracy.
@@laynehoward2870 yeah they sounded pretty much the same to me through all that youtube mp4 compression. to me that means it must be very very close to the real thing.
i can tell on my laptop speakers distinct differences. yes you can tell differences on youtube. and yes wav files would be better and more accurate. i may have better hearing than most people though so that might be part of it.
TH-cam compression glues the timbre of these two nicely into a homogeneous non comparison but maybe try pushing them harder and comparing the parameters to other parameters?
I've watched a lot of your videos over time and I've found them informative, interesting, and entertaining. I don't have any need at all for such a unit in my home studio, but it occurred to me that I'd never subscribed to your channel (as I try to increase the subscribership of my own) - so I did that today. Hope you are doing well where you are. All that said - I think that the Heritage actually sounds "better" to me from the TINY bit of difference that I heard. It also seems that the VU Meters are a bit more responsive than the Neve unit you presented with it. Thanks for the video.
3:05 + 3:30 The Heritage Audio compress the BassDrum and the rest of the Musik at the same time (pumping). It seems the Neve compress with several frequency bands. Because the BD is compressed and the rest of the Music stays much more at the same level. That's the difference!
I’m commenting before you get back on camera to see how our thoughts line up. I’m listening on ear buds but the Heritage opens up the top end for sure and I might be sensing that it has more dynamic range. More transparent overall.
Just felt in love with the voice of Christine Smith Sometimes Hearts Collide (Epidemic) Thanks Wietse. ;-) HA sounded to compressed and pumping sometimes.
While the heritage might be a good sounding clone, it's crazy to think that something that costs almost 2k euros in Thomann, would have bad build quality (the xlrs, the plastic buttons and the power connector/cable). Weird to have to make such compromises like that at that price point.
Audio Depot's Neve is more open and spacey and the Heritage is tighter and snappier. Both would be nice to have in the studio. Use the Neve for more rock and vintage mixes and Heritage for more modern dance mixes.
I hear stereo issues with the Heritage, and a perfect image with the 33609. As someone mentioned before, the Heritage performs "better" on quick transients, but do we need this? As far as overall sound goes, I will definitely not sell my 33609/JD for the clone. Yeah, it's a clone.
for me the original creates that sense of space in the midrange and thump in the low end that makes you feel like you can really crank up the volume without it sounding annoying. Might want some brightening after the fact but personally that's the place I'd rather start.
Please sir, what kind of audio converters are you using there?. I think this is an important information you can bring us. Thank you:-) Paying attention to the "lady song" (sorry, I unknow the song and band name): To me Heritage cut some important "air" in the mix, as well as mid-high freqs. I can hear that so clearly in the snare, with heritage we get a more compressed sound so much "artificial" rounded. Paying attention to the high freqs, these "tambourine bells" almost dissapear with Heritage, as well as a big part of the 3d sound . Less 3d, wich for me is an important thing(if I want 2d I only need to use any pluging I can find on the market)Other thing I feel is kick (low freqs in general) sound a little more muddy compresed with Heritage, and I can ear that in the drums breaks parts, where the Heritage "collaps" and make the mix sound much more compressed, 2d(so flat) and muddy. I can ear that prefectly in the chorus: Heritage is bombing too much, making the mix definitely more muddy. And boys and girls, this is my humble oppinion. Don´t forget to do not pay attention to me, because I´m nobody. Have a wonderful day!!!: Here I´m using krk v8S4 speakers and Grado Labs PS2000e headphones with the Rupert Neve headphones amp. (and apogee AD DA)Thank you so much and cogratulations for this chanel!!!!! P.D: this review has being so useful for me. Thanks again
Whyste, is there a reason why you have not added such a compressor to your arsenal? If memory serves me correctly, I don't think you have a diode bridge in your rack - yet. Not a fan of the flavor? I find the Neve 609 to be very useful for density duties. The gluey compression character (and people call the SSL Bus comp gluey but this is thicker to me due to the fast attack times) coupled with the low mid push of the transformer coloration makes it useful. The 2254 is every thicker and chocolatier, if that makes sense. Great for BVS, AGTR, and lightly on mixbus. Then you have the Zener diodes which have a totally different character. Any reason you don't work with any of these colors?
In terms of compression extremely close, but the neve circuits seem to add just a little extra to the overall tonality or "vibe" of the input material. Its hard to notice but I think Its a huge difference if you are aware of it.
If the heritage doesn’t sound quite as wide I would think that would have to do with tighter tolerances between the left and right components in the circuit possibly. The farther away from each other the more discrepancies or differences between the left and right...same reason 2 console channels sound wider than 2 of the same daw channel strips...I dont know if that’s true, but makes sense to me 🤷♂️
Frankly I find slightly better saturation and clarity in the mids from the Heritage unit. I found myself suspicious that maybe the Heritage was outputting a microvolt or two higher in SPL which makes it sound more saturated? Hard to tell without a voltage output comparison to be sure you've not unwittingly slightly favored one unit. I don't know any other way to be sure is to do an ouput voltage measurement and calibrate both units to the identical SPL.
Yeah, the Neve is much punchier on the EDM sounding track. The snare has a more pleasing radio ready sound and the chorus section with the tom fills REALLY punches on that section. Hard to say if that’s the release time setting.
They sound close, I think that without a side by side it'd be hard to tell. Neve sounds smoother, maybe even a bit warmer to my ears. the HA has more harshness, or in some cases clarity I suppose. It's all up to what you want out of it
from this demo I could say that heritage is great on drums because it preserves the transients better. Other than that, I could say that it lacks the stereo spread and the warmth of the neve. all in all, great piece of equipment.
Holy Shit!!! I just wanted to look for this exact comparison and couldn't find it. Then you make the video! You read my mind! ^^ PS: OK, NEVE 33609 - the bass is more focused. The separation in frequencies is clearer, that's why it gives the impression the stereo image is better, but that's a side effect. Above 15khZ on my ear, it sounds little bit sharper, better. Note: I hear this trough Adam speakers, so ribbon tweeters. I would say it worth just if you have extra cash for it. :)
Judging from this demo, I prefered the warmer/vintage sound of the Neve on everything except the last song. So I agree with others that said the Heritage would be good for modern music. However, I think with some EQ from something like Harrison Mixbus or other console EQ emulations, you can get the Heritage to sound closer to the Neve (even though it's not the exact variant that was cloned in this shootout).
I'm not a professional sound engineer, but to me the Heritage seemed to give a little bit more of the transient on drums. Could be due to minor differences in the attack though.
Neve is a bit warmer, less sharp, almost more natural. The Heritage is a little sharper and almost too precise to be compatible to the Neve. Beginning to remind me more of the SSL sound.
They are both very nice. Due to clones coming out, it forced Neve to not take short cuts. They went back to their original specs and made sure they were providing their customers with a authentic piece of hardware. They got it right with the 33069 N compressor that is now available. I for one would gladly pay more money for the authentic compressor as well as helping keep company's like AMS Neve going strong. Having them go by the way side due to clones is not something I want to see. In regards to the sound, they are similar but the Neve is smoother. That's the one i would pick. The no interest at Vintage King and Sweetwater makes it easier to purchase as well. You also feel good owning the real deal. Plus the quality of the unit including the power supply and controls is important.
The Neve is warmer and less clear/bright. The heritage is nice tho, just different. A bit more forward sounding although also seemed like the “color” was more audible in the high mids whereas the Neve was more mids-low mids for color
Great review Wytse! I guess for a few euro you can add locked neutrik xlr's and a better power supply connector. The push buttons should also be a cheap fix.
Im listening on Sony headphones. They are VERY close, but the HA is barely brighter and that high end appears in the center. I think that's why some people hear it as narrower.
I like the Heritage better. I know that the original one does not have a make-up gain, but I wished you tried to drive it a bit harder to see how the output stage colours the tone.
One comment I haven't seen yet that was pretty noticeable was the sustain on the snare drum. The original neve seemed to have a longer sustain where as the heritage seem to have a punchier attack and less sustain. I mean, in a mix, the context does get lost so it would be a negligible difference so it's really not a fair bone to pick. EDIT: After listening to the pop song, I noticed a difference in the mid range too. The neve was brighter in the mids and the heritage was warmer. I actually liked the heritage here more.
3.31 ... the difference is enough there to judge it as a different sounding compressor . Maybe the behavior is close but the resulting sound is not . When 33609 came in it was like a different better mixed version took place . HA sounds closer to JD Version ( although JD retains the stereo width of the original ) . Great Video !
Idk man I kinda like the clone better. Sounds more crisp and clearer than the original. Has that nice and spicy kick to it. Not sure if its placebo either. (haven't watched full vid at this point)
The original seemed to have a wider stereo image, and has a bit of color/smearing in the upper mids. However, the Heritage sounded a bit more dynamic, responsive, and modern and kept more punch, but a bit darker and more center focused in the stereo field. Heritage sounds great!
The original sounds a bit darker/deeper, but the clone is at least 95% accurate, it sounds very very nice.
I find high frequencies more relaxed in original one...yes clone is about 80/90% accurate..neve sounds smooth. Clone sounds crisp
+1 for the original
Stupid guys that try to rate based on percentages by how much it sounds the same, *you guys are ridiculous*. Does it matter if it sounds the same? FUCK NO
The stereo image is very different though, doesn´t sound that alike over heaphones but I imagine it would be less of a difference with speakers
People use words like “deeper” and “relaxed” like they actually mean anything lmao
edit: also it’s hilarious how you said “the original sounds darker!” and then the comment right below you says “the clone sounds darker!” lmao just proves how bullshit this whole thing is
They sound really close, but I think the Heritage actually sounds a little clearer, yet more narrow. Maybe the clarity is down to age?
There's some different variations of the original Neve, which sound different. I assume Heritage Audio would clone the most popular model, which is not the one in de video as far as I am aware. With that said; I still personally prefer the 33609 over the HA609 in this case =).
Yeh, you always have to take into account that the tolerances on parts back in the day were way higher than now. So any two of the originals would likely have some variation even when new, much less after decades of use.
Goes to show how subjective music is because i feel the exact opposite!
I think it sounds good. Even though it’s a clone and doesn’t perfectly represent the original, it sounds really good. And as a musician and producer, I’m not trying to replicate a sound as much as get a good sound that fits what I’m doing.
Thank you!!! That!
Having trouble choosing my first 2 channel - this reply was super helpful. Agreed
Couldn't have said it better myself! 😊
I think the Neve glued the sound a little bit smoother, but the Heritage Audio glued it with more air, which I would prefer for some things. Acoustic guitars, vocals and hi frequency drums, for example.
The issue with non lockable cables could be fixed with som DIY solutions, but a weird choice of "price saving" imo.
I might actually save up to this for bus processing, as it sounded great for a stereo unit with all these features.
Hoping to hear how it sounds tweaked..
I have two pulteqs now and feel like those together with this and the great SSL software clones out now could be enough for most of the bus processing. Plus, of course fabfilters everything...
Am I wrong, or what more should I look for on a mix bus chain?
Hi whats the song playing 1:44 to 2:43 please...
The Heritage sounds fantastic! Yes, I've used many a 33609 in my day and they're built very well. Sonically, I think they're close enough. In the context of a mix, they're indistinguishable from each other.
I applaud your comparison- seamlessly A-B’ing back and forth without stops is soooo much better than many videos.
They are close-ish, but you can hear the difference, even on my iphone haha. The heritage sounds damn good though- I don’t think I preferred either one for every task.
$1800 still ain’t exactly cheap though still.
It kinda sounds like it changes the stereo imaging slightly - the original sounds more centred/glued
I noticed the same
Yass!
I felt the same way, listening on an ADAM SUB8 with Equator D5s and PSI A17ms here. (Switchable). AMS Neve Had a stronger center image with sub low frequency information, and the Heritage had a bit more mids/upper mids. I think this is due to the Carnhill standard Transformers Vs AMS Neve brand transformers (slightly different formula/design)? Snare feels great on the Heritage however. It's the Kick that shows the slight differences really. A little touch of EQ before or after would probably even things out.
@@CaryMillerOfficial Well said!
@MomoTheBellyDancer Yes, the differences are slight, but easy to pick out. There's just more mids on the snare, so I get more of the crack of it with the Heritage, and there's better definition in the center imaging with the kick using the AMS Neve, which is probably due to the Marinair style transformers Vs the basic Carnhills in most Neve-clone designs. I used to own a pair of 1066 Channel strips and a bunch of rewired vintage 1272s that all had the original Marinair Radar LO output transformers and they all had that center imaging thing with more sub low frequency focus at around 60Hz. I currently own a WA273 with proprietary Marinair style transformers by Warm Audio, and I feel they nailed that low end precisely, again, at 60Hz. I'm hearing that 60Hz thing on the AMS for sure, etc. (So I'm pretty intimate with this sound due to a decade or so with vintage units at my old private studio). I think the Heritage is great, especially for the money, but you'd want a pultec style EQ or something to nudge a bit of 60Hz back into the signal, because the basic Carnhill transformers always seem to have a different focus on mid-range and upper midrange instead of that plush slight low end push from the Marinairs. Sorry for the novel, but yes I can hear the difference in a blind a test for sure. Would that matter in terms of a mix environment? Not really. Again you can compensate with the right EQ at 60Hz and you'll probably get that tight low end right back in a jiff (the trick is you need to know you're missing it first, and yes, I think it helps the mix overall on all these examples to have that tight low end).
Thanks for the video. It's always good to hear and see a Head-to-Head competition of classic vs modern takes. That aside I use them both. Just a quick addition to anyone's review of these units.The Neve is good for say a group of stems that need that extra Fatness or deep warmth, the vox or digital take that sounds brittle, the kind of track that someone would say it's missing that "umph". The Heritage is good for a good recording in the Hybrid studio (digital/analogue) sense that needs that lift to the clear crispy side, as in if there's already plenty of heft and warmth (yes there can be times where there is too much warm fuzziness, the suffocating kind). The units are by all means a good investment. The Heritage's power supply sucks but the overall versatility juuuust barely beats the Neve, as in the Heritage can be dialed up or down in both crispiness and warmth whereas the Neve can only go so far in the clean razor sharpness [boosting EQ or air-bands]. Maybe a beginner's decent EQ stage would be a pair of Maag EQ4 (Rack version Maag EQ4m) or API 560/API 5500 then it would give the Neve a very good High end rounded sound.
That's Just my 2 cents. I have many Billboard tracks that have used either and or just one
I bought it probably received it the same day of this video release. After a week of using it in my home studio, I see this video in my recommended. I'm actually glad that I have the HA-609 already, otherwise, I'd have to buy it! Ha! (I also own a 33609 N at my commercial studio). I'm very satisfied!
how do they compare in your view? :) Listening shortly to the above, I preferred the HA on electronic music, and the Neve on acoustics.
@@galgogergo -- If I recall correctly, the HA-609 is more aimed to be a clone of the $8k vintage one. To me, the HA-609 has more character, but is on par, in terms of quality. It doesn't sound cheap and that's why I'm comfortable with owning a clone.
The wall wart reason is because of noise H,A shows a video and why ! but i tried my elite version eq 73 and i could hear no noise when my rack was running right underneath my warm 412 but on a meter it would !
You are right, as a broadcasting engineer, I reallyI don't like the saving costs of the power supply and XLRs.
If you are able to shell out 1700, you probably have money enough to pay 2000 if that means a near perfect unit.
Sounds killer tho.
I really want that thing! Great demo! To my ears it sounds identical. Great demo!
Man the production quality of your videos is really stepping up!
I had a little extra cash and wanted to finally get one high-end hardware unit and was really close to pulling the trigger on the HA 609A or HA Successor Bus compressor,but instead went with two Distressors ELI8SX because they're in every studio. I like the HA image more because it sounded like true stereo/wide and the Neve didn't. HA image seemed clearer or brighter to me listening on Shure 1440s. I'm glad I didn't get the HA because it looks like they cut corners like you said on craftsmanship of this unit.
I ended up doing the same thing! I bought the HA 609A. The comp I received had a lot of background noise. Their specs say it produces a self noise of less than -75db & the unit I got was -62db with everything at 0. I sent it back, & this happened for two more compressors. I eventually gave up & got a refund & used the money to buy the distressors...
When "pushed to the limit", the Neve just shines ... Like with all of things in life, the copy can do so much than comes the original ...
I noticed one thing with all the big brands out there, that budget brands tend to have a hard time emulating: Neve, Pultec, SSL, UA etc... They all have 1 thing in common ; High end control
Some like to call it smoothness, etc ... But it's just that, everything around 5khz to 16khz gets a complete makeover and stays inside the frame !
It's not that you don't hear it, it is there, but it sounds good.
While if you try to reproduce this with a pluggins or a cheaper unit:
it will either sound too dull, or too harsh !
I'm noticing the same thing!
I liked how the low end bloomed on the Neve. Nice and pillowy.
Do you regret sending it back yet? I love mine, purchased because of this video. Thank man!
Behringer is soon to release their version of the 33609. I hope you do a comparison video with that replica
You can pre-order now. I'm wondering about this. I've had amazing luck with their KT2A and KT76. And I have Teletronix and UA1176s. These cheap pieces seriously rock.
The real question that begs to be asked is after you get done tracking,mixing and mastering,then get it uploaded to Spotify or TH-cam,can the end listener tell the difference (especially when they're listening with earbuds)? If not, then it's a worthwhile purchase.
Can we get a review on the
heritage ha81a Channel Strip
Really close. Think the Neve is a little smoother.
I agree with you on this. I believe the 3 custom transformers on each channel of the Neve is what gives it a smoother sound.
I logged in to comment. This is exactly how reviews should be done. Compared to the original, literally. Well done. If you continue to do gear reviews by including the original they emulate, you would corner the ‘TH-cam review’ market and get maximum video views I believe. Well done. Compare the 1073. And SSL type bus comps etc
The bite on the original is noticeable though heritage has a nice smoothing sound. They sound very similar.
I thought the Heritage sounded like it had a bit more upper-mid punch on my system, although the Neve did sound slightly brighter overall. I also noticed the subtle stereo imaging differences. However, we normally run our group and bus compressors in dual-mono instead of stereo-linked mode. I wonder what impact that will have on the stereo field?
We met with Heritage Audio at Winter NAMM 2020. They were lovely gents committed to creating great products for the music creator community. We'll definately be racking one of these in our studio!
Thanks for the video! - chaz
Heritage sounded like it had a bit more upper-mid punch on my system............ EXACTLY !
Ciao!
In my studio the difference is more than 95%. The first impression is that the clone has much more "forward" sound, which is not a bad thing. I can say is sounds more "modern".
The fast transient on the vintage are smoother. It sounds a bit darker but deeper an wider.
For my taste the original neve sounds more "musical". On the second track the way it glues vox and piano is really magical... And I can't hear the same thing on the clone version...
just my point of view !
:-*
Agreed. I hear the same
This has really became one of my favrouite channels, excellent reviw dude. I love the clone, i wouldnt be complaining if i had it, but the neve does have a more transparent sound with less harshness in my opinion. I think it is worth the money though.
Id say the same
I find it hard to believe that anyone can make an accurate assesement of audio quality from a You Tube video. You need at least a couple of WAV files for comparison.
Indeed. I get a chuckle out of the "I can hear a .27dB difference in the right side channel at precisely 1743Hz" crowd. I'm thinking it's a good example of The Emperor's New Clothes fable. TH-cam is an inadequate platform to judge accuracy.
@@laynehoward2870 yeah they sounded pretty much the same to me through all that youtube mp4 compression. to me that means it must be very very close to the real thing.
@@doctorscoot I think they sound way different. Dynamics are close, but 3D space and tone are different.I prefer the Neve by far, more "alive"
i can tell on my laptop speakers distinct differences. yes you can tell differences on youtube. and yes wav files would be better and more accurate. i may have better hearing than most people though so that might be part of it.
@@pyratellamarecordingstudio1062 nice one.
that's some awesome camera work at the beginning
I was really surprised how close they sounded to each other. Wow.
I was surprised by how different they sounded and definitely prefer the Neve, would buy it. Would not buy the Heritage. Neve is worth the extra money.
Wow they sound almost identical on my iPhone! 😂
As far as I know there are two different AMS Neve versions of this compressor. After which was the Heritage modeled after, that is the question.
TH-cam compression glues the timbre of these two nicely into a homogeneous non comparison but maybe try pushing them harder and comparing the parameters to other parameters?
I've watched a lot of your videos over time and I've found them informative, interesting, and entertaining. I don't have any need at all for such a unit in my home studio, but it occurred to me that I'd never subscribed to your channel (as I try to increase the subscribership of my own) - so I did that today. Hope you are doing well where you are.
All that said - I think that the Heritage actually sounds "better" to me from the TINY bit of difference that I heard. It also seems that the VU Meters are a bit more responsive than the Neve unit you presented with it. Thanks for the video.
Excelente comparacion, como tiene que ser, en paralelo con el mismos audio y que hable el compresor!
They sound nearly identical, but I think the Neve has a bit more clarity in the high end.
3:15 was REALLY noticeable on the stereo image. opened up a bit. strange
where can I find the second song?
3:05 + 3:30 The Heritage Audio compress the BassDrum and the rest of the Musik at the same time (pumping). It seems the Neve compress with several frequency bands. Because the BD is compressed and the rest of the Music stays much more at the same level. That's the difference!
I’m commenting before you get back on camera to see how our thoughts line up. I’m listening on ear buds but the Heritage opens up the top end for sure and I might be sensing that it has more dynamic range. More transparent overall.
Great review, the Neve seemed to be more "open" sounding in the high end. But the HA-609A sounds clearer, and had more punch.
Thank you so much for that and all of your reviews!
Just felt in love with the voice of Christine Smith Sometimes Hearts Collide (Epidemic) Thanks Wietse. ;-) HA sounded to compressed and pumping sometimes.
Tanks for encoding audio in 128kbps and 16bit....
Awesome brief review. It’s sad they use the soft step pots. I mean, warm audio doesn’t; they use really great stiff loud click type.
wow it sounds amazing on the electronic track. It's definietley not quite as silky smooth as the neve, but that's what i like about it
While the heritage might be a good sounding clone, it's crazy to think that something that costs almost 2k euros in Thomann, would have bad build quality (the xlrs, the plastic buttons and the power connector/cable). Weird to have to make such compromises like that at that price point.
Exactly what I thought.. like how much extra would it cost for locking xlr sockets and slightly better buttons? Pocket change
Agree 100%
Feels like a cash grab building cheap when they charge 2400 EURO in sweden! I would get a used Neve for 2200 Dollars all day!
@@carljohnson9096 Where on earth are you finding a used neve for 2200?
the neve doesnt even have locking connectors
Remember boys and girls that there were quite a few revisions of the 33609 which all sounded a bit different
Audio Depot's Neve is more open and spacey and the Heritage is tighter and snappier. Both would be nice to have in the studio. Use the Neve for more rock and vintage mixes and Heritage for more modern dance mixes.
They sound close, but I zoned out so I could feel the songs and the original Neve added that extra energy that helped breathe more life into the song.
To me, Heritage Audio sounds a little darker and with less stereo spread.
Yes yes
I thought the opposite the Heritage is brighter, re-cap the Neve they may sound the same. In a mix you would never tell anyway.
Exactly!
yes the Neve is darker but more coherent than HA
Is there anyway to get the audio files to this test to listen in the studio and test is against plugins? Thx
I hear stereo issues with the Heritage, and a perfect image with the 33609. As someone mentioned before, the Heritage performs "better" on quick transients, but do we need this? As far as overall sound goes, I will definitely not sell my 33609/JD for the clone. Yeah, it's a clone.
I noticed a little more midrange in the
Hieratite Audio
I have one and it emphasizes the highs in the mid. That is the image issue everyone is noticing. Just reduce -2db in the mid. I prefer it though.
Low end seems solid on the replication but the high end seems a little too open
The difference is really noticeable with the first audio sample
for me the original creates that sense of space in the midrange and thump in the low end that makes you feel like you can really crank up the volume without it sounding annoying. Might want some brightening after the fact but personally that's the place I'd rather start.
2:17 what version of Sandstorm by Darude is this man? Sounds great
I recognized it instantly, it's Sandstorm by Darude.
The Neve sounds like it has a little more "movement" in the sound. The clone does sound good but it is a little "deader"...if that makes sense.
Please sir, what kind of audio converters are you using there?. I think this is an important information you can bring us. Thank you:-)
Paying attention to the "lady song" (sorry, I unknow the song and band name): To me Heritage cut some important "air" in the mix, as well as mid-high freqs. I can hear that so clearly in the snare, with heritage we get a more compressed sound so much "artificial" rounded. Paying attention to the high freqs, these "tambourine bells" almost dissapear with Heritage, as well as a big part of the 3d sound . Less 3d, wich for me is an important thing(if I want 2d I only need to use any pluging I can find on the market)Other thing I feel is kick (low freqs in general) sound a little more muddy compresed with Heritage, and I can ear that in the drums breaks parts, where the Heritage "collaps" and make the mix sound much more compressed, 2d(so flat) and muddy. I can ear that prefectly in the chorus: Heritage is bombing too much, making the mix definitely more muddy. And boys and girls, this is my humble oppinion. Don´t forget to do not pay attention to me, because I´m nobody. Have a wonderful day!!!: Here I´m using krk v8S4 speakers and Grado Labs PS2000e headphones with the Rupert Neve headphones amp. (and apogee AD DA)Thank you so much and cogratulations for this chanel!!!!!
P.D: this review has being so useful for me. Thanks again
is your mixcube passive or active?
Whyste, is there a reason why you have not added such a compressor to your arsenal? If memory serves me correctly, I don't think you have a diode bridge in your rack - yet. Not a fan of the flavor? I find the Neve 609 to be very useful for density duties. The gluey compression character (and people call the SSL Bus comp gluey but this is thicker to me due to the fast attack times) coupled with the low mid push of the transformer coloration makes it useful. The 2254 is every thicker and chocolatier, if that makes sense. Great for BVS, AGTR, and lightly on mixbus. Then you have the Zener diodes which have a totally different character. Any reason you don't work with any of these colors?
In terms of compression extremely close, but the neve circuits seem to add just a little extra to the overall tonality or "vibe" of the input material. Its hard to notice but I think Its a huge difference if you are aware of it.
3:22 you can hear how the original retains all of the low end punch while compressing
Yup ! that song i could hear a difference in low end mid punch increase, the other's sounded fine !
If the heritage doesn’t sound quite as wide I would think that would have to do with tighter tolerances between the left and right components in the circuit possibly. The farther away from each other the more discrepancies or differences between the left and right...same reason 2 console channels sound wider than 2 of the same daw channel strips...I dont know if that’s true, but makes sense to me 🤷♂️
Would be amazing if you could do a Noiseash NEED review :)
Who’s song was the female singer? I liked it
Frankly I find slightly better saturation and clarity in the mids from the Heritage unit. I found myself suspicious that maybe the Heritage was outputting a microvolt or two higher in SPL which makes it sound more saturated? Hard to tell without a voltage output comparison to be sure you've not unwittingly slightly favored one unit. I don't know any other way to be sure is to do an ouput voltage measurement and calibrate both units to the identical SPL.
Is there a reason you put the release at 400ms in the Neve and at 100ms in the Heritage Audio ?
Yeah, the Neve is much punchier on the EDM sounding track. The snare has a more pleasing radio ready sound and the chorus section with the tom fills REALLY punches on that section. Hard to say if that’s the release time setting.
They sound close, I think that without a side by side it'd be hard to tell. Neve sounds smoother, maybe even a bit warmer to my ears. the HA has more harshness, or in some cases clarity I suppose. It's all up to what you want out of it
from this demo I could say that heritage is great on drums because it preserves the transients better.
Other than that, I could say that it lacks the stereo spread and the warmth of the neve.
all in all, great piece of equipment.
Yeah the heritage does something weird to the stereo image and the center of the sound stage gets messed up, on the neve the center sounds solid.
Very interesting how it sounds when you crush it. That what you’re looking for in analog year, I think.
i miss these videos
Holy Shit!!! I just wanted to look for this exact comparison and couldn't find it. Then you make the video! You read my mind! ^^
PS: OK, NEVE 33609 - the bass is more focused. The separation in frequencies is clearer, that's why it gives the impression the stereo image is better, but that's a side effect.
Above 15khZ on my ear, it sounds little bit sharper, better. Note: I hear this trough Adam speakers, so ribbon tweeters.
I would say it worth just if you have extra cash for it. :)
Judging from this demo, I prefered the warmer/vintage sound of the Neve on everything except the last song. So I agree with others that said the Heritage would be good for modern music. However, I think with some EQ from something like Harrison Mixbus or other console EQ emulations, you can get the Heritage to sound closer to the Neve (even though it's not the exact variant that was cloned in this shootout).
I'm not a professional sound engineer, but to me the Heritage seemed to give a little bit more of the transient on drums. Could be due to minor differences in the attack though.
The Heritage sounds like a modern iteration of the 33609, very close tho! A Neve 33609 has been on my list for a long time what a compressor!
Neve is a bit warmer, less sharp, almost more natural. The Heritage is a little sharper and almost too precise to be compatible to the Neve. Beginning to remind me more of the SSL sound.
They are both very nice. Due to clones coming out, it forced Neve to not take short cuts. They went back to their original specs and made sure they were providing their customers with a authentic piece of hardware. They got it right with the 33069 N compressor that is now available. I for one would gladly pay more money for the authentic compressor as well as helping keep company's like AMS Neve going strong. Having them go by the way side due to clones is not something I want to see.
In regards to the sound, they are similar but the Neve is smoother. That's the one i would pick. The no interest at Vintage King and Sweetwater makes it easier to purchase as well. You also feel good owning the real deal. Plus the quality of the unit including the power supply and controls is important.
The Neve is warmer and less clear/bright. The heritage is nice tho, just different. A bit more forward sounding although also seemed like the “color” was more audible in the high mids whereas the Neve was more mids-low mids for color
I cared more about the songs in this review! The song at 2:44 was AMAZING so whatever was used on that song..... keep using that! :)
White Sea Studio -Hey! Could you review the Neve Portico stereo compressor? Thanks, man -great channel!
Love the last song
If you can't tell the difference, what difference does it make?
definitely seems like the stereo image changes between the two, the Neve definitely sounds more open
it is
nice hardware! please compare vs tr5 precision compressor!!!!
Great review Wytse! I guess for a few euro you can add locked neutrik xlr's and a better power supply connector. The push buttons should also be a cheap fix.
Im listening on Sony headphones. They are VERY close, but the HA is barely brighter and that high end appears in the center. I think that's why some people hear it as narrower.
That's what I was hearing as well. Seemed to make the dynamics more snappy in the mid
What’s that “quad” switch on the 33609 for??
I like the Heritage better. I know that the original one does not have a make-up gain, but I wished you tried to drive it a bit harder to see how the output stage colours the tone.
i'm listening on my macbook and the difference seems HUGE-- why does everyone think they sound the same??
One comment I haven't seen yet that was pretty noticeable was the sustain on the snare drum. The original neve seemed to have a longer sustain where as the heritage seem to have a punchier attack and less sustain. I mean, in a mix, the context does get lost so it would be a negligible difference so it's really not a fair bone to pick.
EDIT: After listening to the pop song, I noticed a difference in the mid range too. The neve was brighter in the mids and the heritage was warmer. I actually liked the heritage here more.
who wrote the second song?
3.31 ... the difference is enough there to judge it as a different sounding compressor . Maybe the behavior is close but the resulting sound is not . When 33609 came in it was like a different better mixed version took place . HA sounds closer to JD Version ( although JD retains the stereo width of the original ) . Great Video !
Thanks Audiodepot
Idk man I kinda like the clone better. Sounds more crisp and clearer than the original. Has that nice and spicy kick to it. Not sure if its placebo either. (haven't watched full vid at this point)