Watch my Analog Vs Digital Preamp Comparison Video here, featuring the UAD Neve 1073 Unison Emulation and the Warm Audio WA73 Analogue Preamp: th-cam.com/video/t4Z3vAI38U4/w-d-xo.html
Your result here is much different than what I got when testing. The plugin sounds weak in this video, but in my testing it was very hard to tell them apart when they weren't distorting.
I use the plugins because it will be a long time til ill be able to afford the real ones, the plugins have substantially improved my mixes and I love the way they sound.
Great video Ed! Both sound really good, but I’ve got to say I preferred the Warm unit. Both have good “sound”, but the analog stuff just sounds more three dimensional and less sterile (to me). Especially on bass, the UAD sounded good, but a little lifeless. Keep up the analog vs digital comparisons, they are great!
The warm audio had a much warmer, full tone. Even with the gain increase the plugin just sound kind of lonely and not really pushed up and present. The hardware ads a “life” to the track the plugin fails to.
Great video as always Ed 👌 I think the clarity, body and warmth of the analogue wins out every day of the week. The warm audio cleans up the vocal whilst still adding in harmonics so it mantains it's richness. The UAD sounds muddy and lacks clarity in comparison. Only thing I will say is that I'm finding modern analogue emulations are focusing a lot more on that general cleanup and clarity that hardware gives. V76U73 & bettermaker eq being prime examples of that. However these just came out where the UAD la2a is over a decade old so I'd maybe try shooting out newer emulations if possible. The new brainworx, lindell and Acustica vs hardware would be the shootouts everybody is screaming for. However, getting your hands on an SSL 9000J, Neve console, bettermaker, u73b, chandler etc is gonna set fire to your back balance 🤣 so I understand its pretty limiting for you. I was trying to think of budget analogue gear and possibly API would be a good shout for you as acustica has the pink which everyone's been going daft for. Many use CAPI hardware which is like the warm audio of API. I think probably only the past 2-3 years digital has really started to bridge the gap where beyond that plugins were plugins. Only advice I could think of in terms of what videos I'd love to do 👍
Thank Paul, some good suggestions there. Personally, I don't see the fuss about Acoustica, I dislike the look and GUI. I much prefer the Brainworx stuff :-)
@@EdThorne I was sceptical but after a lot of my shootouts it's pretty clear that AA plugs have that clarity that many lack. There's a lot of options as well but it's a bit of a learning curve. I don't always use the channel strips, sometimes I just use the eq's and comps which have much more manageable GUI's. It's hit and miss in terms of what you'll use but when you do find those plugs that work for you nothing can match. I think if you have acustica & plugin alliance then you are pretty much sorted for analogue emulations. Might be cool to buy a vintage comp if you can get a good deal and do a modern and vintage hardware shootout?
I see that someone has got themselves a new toy - WA76 :-) A review of that beautiful device maybe soon? Great work, as always Ed. Your videos production quality is clearly getting better. Keep up the wonderful work!
I was thinking of getting hardware but to me there wasn’t much of a difference between them I’am sticking with UA pluckin preamp especially the API For my preamp and plus you have more room on your desk.. less hassle of equipment cluttering up your work area..just saying and Thank you so much for sharing your awesome! Video
Felt the same way until I bought my first piece of analog gear lol. Imo a mid level analog vocal chain beats out the most expensive digital vocal chain. Hardware just handles audio signals in a better way
@@TonyTana9905 I have both and use the UAD way more often because of how much easier it is to just select a plugin and how much of a pain it is to hook everything up on analog gear each time.
Thank you!! I'm considering of that purchase a analog compressor. To be honest I also want LA2A. but I can not afford that.. WARM AUDIO compressor has natural sound and warm this video helped me that I choose compressor gear
Try the klark tecnoc la2a. I bought it for vocal tracking and honestly it is sooo much better than the waves plugin I had. I adds a certain breath that the pliggin doesn't. Also really nice tracking in real time with analog. It's like a guitarist standing in front of an amp compared to using a pluggin
Alexey Soloviev Music Ah you’re definitely best going to a guitarists channel for that - I am not the guy for guitar sims (Although I am doing a video soon on UAD amp sims - with a guitarist) 🤣
@@EdThorne do you do cheap vs expensive comparisons? You ever gonna compare the ArtTubeMP to a high end pre-amp? Im so interested in what people would make of that!?
One thing is maybe a bit misleading in this video is that UAD has actually three different plugin versions of the LA-2A and silver one used here is the fastest and brightest one. You can see and hear warm audio is much slower and darker in tone. Maybe using the gray version which is a bit slower and darker would have been more closer comparison. Anyway, i think UAD are the best plugins out there and i love them but have to say i like the warm audio much more. It´s better in every way, it sounds fuller, fatter and eh, warmer :)
Very interesting on the bass guitar - The WA seems to mask a lot of the unpleasant DI like qualities of the pick noise and give a rich and encompassing low end that would sit consistently and powerfully under a mix. The plugin leaves a lot to be desired. And It's true in isolation the difference is not massive - but put those elements in a mix and I guarantee using the plugin - the tracks will smoosh together and you won't be able to get the richness, and separation you are looking for between instruments. Really sounds great I'll definitely think about picking up a WA-2a I'm looking for a really great vocal compressor that doesn't brighten things up in an unpleasant way. Great review thanks!
I listened to this from a smart phone on ath-m40x. And even in such conditions I can clearly hear the difference in the operation of these compressors on the phrase: "Shine a little lite on the world". The analog compressor is really very soft and barely noticeable reduces the dynamic range, introducing a certain magic and groove, at this point it is especially obvious to me.
Not really a fan of warm audio however it sounded better than the UAD. Analog will almost always add something that digital just cannot match. I'm still learning but based upon what I witnessed and experienced setups need at least a few pieces of outboard gear in their setup. Yes you pay more but you achieve the sound for a lot less work and maybe cheaper in the long run because plugins are not cheap especially UADs.
@@finngrassietranscriptions5000 no problem it's because their sound from the products I have heard did not impress me that much and where much of their parts are assembled. This is further evidence in their resale value in comparison to better made items.
@@PurpleMusicProductions interesting. what aspects of the sound of which WA made you not very impressed? Just asking because I am in the process of seeking out some outboard gear (namely, a preamp with EQ and a compressor primarily used for vocals and bass guitar). Cheers
@@finngrassietranscriptions5000 Now of course preferences and tastes will vary from one person to the next. I have a specific sound and vibe that I like however your mileage may vary. I did not like WAs saturation and compression in comparison to the UAD and BAE hardware versions. I could hear the differences in the environment that I heard them. Now if you are seriously concerned about costs then they may work for you but keep in mind that resale is not going to be good if you decide to upgrade and in some instances they are not much less than some of the higher end offerings ESPECIALLY if you go on the used market which I highly recommend. If you are looking for a NICE piece of gear to meet the criteria you mentioned then check out the UAD MK610 II as it is a phenomenal world class preamp with an opto compressor which is great on just about everything you feed through it. You can find those for around $1200 to $1500 used and $1800 new. That one piece would take care of your pre and compressor needs and if you decide to sell it which would be weird you would get most of your money back. Put it this way that's the pre and compressor sound and features that others are chasing plugin and hardware alike. Another great pre to seek on the used market is the BAE 1073. I grabbed mine for $700 instead of the $1200 to $1500 price tag. Trust me you want that pre in your rack. Deals on great gear CAN be had IF you have patience and search different sites and will bring you far more satisfaction than a plugin. Hybrid is the future but the more outboard the better. Get the best one or two pres and compressors you can afford and you can go budget on everything else aside from audio interface.
Hi Ed, are you using the legacy version of the UA LA-2A or the version 2 one? And if you used the version 2 one, which one of the three choices that UA offers in version 2? Thanks!
Wow, to me the difference increases substantially the more gain reduction you apply. To me, the plugin just falls under pressure compared to the hardware version when you really crank them. After years of experience working with digital plugins I think all of them sound very, for lack of a better word, "digital"; and I guess the difference can be likened to that of digital vs analog synths. In summary: A really well made plugin can beat a lot of low-end hardware stuff. But in the end, they're playing in different leagues, and you just can't beat the real thing :) This might be a buy for me, but I'll check out your review on the WA76 first. Cheers!
Great comparison. I couldn´t hear too much of a difference but for the most part agree with your findings. That is also cos I don´t have the best monitors.... so, kinda off topic, but how do the KH120s compare to the a7x´s? I´m thinking about a pair of a7x cos they go lower than the Neumanns, are they professional/flat enough? A lot of people talk about the hole in the mids that they have... any advice? Thanks!
Amar Dev Sharma Thanks Amar. I really need to do a full comparison on my speakers. The problem is I have the older A7s, not the A7Xs so people would complain. Briefly, I mix on my Neumanns because with Sonarworks they’re lovely sounding and flat. And I reference with the Adams because the Beryllium tweeters are brilliant, super clear and the stereo imaging is fantastic. I can’t stand them, however, under 1kHz and they have a plasticky sound around 80-125Hz.
@@EdThorne Thanks for the insight Ed! My only concern with the Neumanns is the low-end extension. Do you use them with a sub? I already have some 5-inch monitors (decade-old Tannoy Reveals) and I am considering the Adams for the extra low end, they go down to 42hz I think. Neumanns to around 54hz if I am not mistaken, my current ones specify 64hz I believe, I can hear lower than that from them but I am not sure I can trust much of the low-end info coming out of them.... Dilemma! :D I found this video as I have just ordered a Klark Teknik 76KT and was curious to see comparisons of digital vs analog. Great vid, great channel, I´m about to sub!
Amar Dev Sharma Thanks for the sub Amar. Yeh, the Neumanns aren’t the lowest speaking but I don’t feel any more sub in the Adams tbh. I always intended on getting a sub to go with the Neumanns but haven’t got round to it yet. Let me know how you get in with the KT76 🙂
When you compare on bass - it's better to compare with UAD LA-2A or Uad LA-Grey, it works better on bass. To my opinion Silver not the best UAD LA edition for low instruments. Another moment: when you change settings and find the best setting on plugin - it's better to play all this track, to better understand. When you play guitar you find setting very cliose to analog sound, but it was only a few sec(
omg, the low end disapears on the plugin. But what you said about the plugin being more sensitive to low end, could it be that hardware is slow at handling low end ? Is the plugin actually compressing (so reducing) the low end ? So would the results be similar if it had a high pass sidechain filter ? Or is the hardware still compressing the low end and, and still has that hefty full bodied low end ?
can someone explain the empty socket in this thing. I read its so we can select our own tube for the black optical. I have no idea what that means. so is it something you need to buy in order for this to even work? thanks yall
I Would still prefer the digital LA-2A over any other copycat, in Conclusion WA-2A is 2D and LA-2A is in 3D I don't know what other way to describe. it's almost like the WA-2A makes the signal dull and the LA-2A makes it feel like you're in the room that its being played in just mho
I agree. I’ve added a few analog pieces to my set up over the last year and a half and it’s changed the game. Not only does it sound better to me, I get the sound I want much faster. I use the UA stuff but really considering the WA now.
Hi. My Vocals sound a bit distordet and harsh in the upper mid frequencies. Can you please show your preamp settings ? I have a 2a and a preamp from GAP. My Preamp settings are: Gain : 40-45 Output:1-2: Comp Settings: Gain 3-4 Peak Reduction 3-5. Gain reduction: 3-6 db.
Hi Emmo, Those look like decent compressor settings. 40-45dB is a lot of gain if you;re using a condenser mic, you may be overdriving the preamp. Most condenser mics (in my experience) need between 25-35dB gain. If you're using an SM7b, 40-45dB is a good amount of gain. The distortion could be a SPL problem caused by singing too close to the mic and overloading the capsule. If it's a mic like the Rhode NT-1 - the capsule doesn't work well with high SPLs and can sound brittle anyway.
I notice different amounts of gain reduction on the hardware compared to the plugin. On the bass, the plugin has almost twice as much gain reduction as the hardware, so then because of that it sounds quieter and more thin. Rather than matching the knobs, at least match the gain reduction on the meters. The entire comparison is somewhat invalid because of this.
@@EdThorne Well okay I guess I don't agree with the whole point of the video then. I would be much more interested in how they sound when having the same impact on the sound. 3dB of gain is way different than 7. How often would you look at a screenshot of knobs when using the equipment to copy someone else's settings? I hope never. I would set my GR for about 3dB. I get that there's this attitude that matching the knobs would show how close things are, but we should really match the effect of the processor as close as possible to see the differences. Who cares where the knobs are? I care how it impacts the sound.
@@JoshuaLauerMusician I get what you’re saying. This would also make for an interesting comparison. As the Warm Audio unit is designed as a clone of a Neve, I assumed they’d have measured the behavioural characteristics of a Neve to create a unit that theoretically behaves in a similar fashion. Obviously the UAD is a close reproduction too so I figured they’d react in a similar fashion, but apparently not. The primary point of the video though is of course to discuss which sounds better in general.
@@EdThorne I think the Warm sounds better, but find myself wondering if it’s because of differences in GR. Also as some others pointed out, the Warm is much louder than the plug-in, which might also cause us to favor it.
Digital plugins are good until some pushing is required. When you beat up a compressor plugin, it distorts in a different way than a hardware, a rather unpleasant one if you will. The coloring effect we're all after is only achievable by hardware, especially when we're pushing the audio towards higher levels.
Does it sound different? sure, better? not really. You just have to dial it in differently. That "warmth" you hear is just tube saturation, which you need to add with a tube preamp plugin. If you do a recording straight DI in without it of course the plugin will sound colder. its supposed to. would you prefer they add that warmth to all recordings by default on the plugin? its a compressor, not a tube preamp. And by the way, you need a UA Apollo interface for UAD plugins to sound right with stock settings. On other interfaces the levels and settings will not be matched with the real thing. You will need to dial them in to make up for the offset. Test it for yourself and see.
Makes no sense making these comparisons without blindfolding people. It is high time we recognised in 2021 that people are biased towards the hardware options & more generally the most expensive option. Your ears will always tag along your bias. Blindfolded comparisons usually yield the most surprising of results
Why on god’s Earth would you compare two units of anything (in this case a piece of hardware and digital hardware emulation) and use the same settings? This like comparing two guitar amps with all of the dials set to 12 o’clock and then saying, “Well, amp A is a little brighter than amp B.” Okay fine. But that doesn’t mean anything. Every guitar player I know adjusts those dials to get the sound they like. Just because a comparison scenario can easily be made doesn’t mean it should be made. You’re supposed to be mixing with your ears, not your eyes and certainly not the values on some knobs. For each unit (compressor, EQ, etc.), you’ll likely use different settings on different instruments on different songs in order to create a desired effect. The million-dollar question is, can you get the desired effect (or something better) with each unit? Settings values don’t matter. The impact on the sound does. Please adjust the dials (just like you would on a real track) to get the best sound you can. Then make some judgements about 1) did you get the sound you wanted, 2) was the effort to get that sound quick and easy, 3) if you didn’t get the sound you wanted, what else might you do (e.g., add a little bottom end using an EQ), 4) does the unit offer enough options so that it can be used in many circumstances (e.g., on drums, vocals, buses, etc.) or is it a one trick pony? I look forward to your next comparison video.
Robert Corrington Hi Robert, thanks for your comment. You make some good points. The same settings was to demonstrate HOW the devices behave differently. If you watched all the way through video you’ll have seen I did make adjustments as I went (after the first example) to match the level of compression and output, whilst commenting on the variations in sound quality. The ease of use comparison, and whether I achieve the desired sound, are both good concepts I’ll consider in future videos. 🙂
You’ll find the level are identical PRE compression! How the compressors react/reduce the signal differently IS the point of the video. As a result the levels AFTER may vary.
@@EdThorne it just makes it more difficult for us viewers to hear the actual differences when the output gains are nowhere near each other. I trust your commentary but there's no doubt that this is not the best shootout simply because of the "louder is better" effect. Still nice to hear the wa2a though. Thanks for that!
Watch my Analog Vs Digital Preamp Comparison Video here, featuring the UAD Neve 1073 Unison Emulation and the Warm Audio WA73 Analogue Preamp: th-cam.com/video/t4Z3vAI38U4/w-d-xo.html
Your result here is much different than what I got when testing. The plugin sounds weak in this video, but in my testing it was very hard to tell them apart when they weren't distorting.
I just bought my first WA-2A but I’m excited to got in my studio and test it. Thank you for the video
Enjoy!
I use the plugins because it will be a long time til ill be able to afford the real ones, the plugins have substantially improved my mixes and I love the way they sound.
Great video Ed! Both sound really good, but I’ve got to say I preferred the Warm unit. Both have good “sound”, but the analog stuff just sounds more three dimensional and less sterile (to me). Especially on bass, the UAD sounded good, but a little lifeless. Keep up the analog vs digital comparisons, they are great!
Derek Farrington Hi Derek, thanks for the kind words. Yes, I agree with your assessments there. Three dimensional is the right description 🙂
The warm audio had a much warmer, full tone. Even with the gain increase the plugin just sound kind of lonely and not really pushed up and present. The hardware ads a “life” to the track the plugin fails to.
I think the UAD plugin captures the sonic texture of the original on the output gain, but the analog definitely has a more 3d sound.
Thats what i thought.
You are doing great work man
Really appreciated
Thank you 🙂🙏
Definitely like the plug-in more. Used them in real world on track music.
Great video as always Ed 👌
I think the clarity, body and warmth of the analogue wins out every day of the week. The warm audio cleans up the vocal whilst still adding in harmonics so it mantains it's richness. The UAD sounds muddy and lacks clarity in comparison.
Only thing I will say is that I'm finding modern analogue emulations are focusing a lot more on that general cleanup and clarity that hardware gives. V76U73 & bettermaker eq being prime examples of that. However these just came out where the UAD la2a is over a decade old so I'd maybe try shooting out newer emulations if possible.
The new brainworx, lindell and Acustica vs hardware would be the shootouts everybody is screaming for.
However, getting your hands on an SSL 9000J, Neve console, bettermaker, u73b, chandler etc is gonna set fire to your back balance 🤣 so I understand its pretty limiting for you.
I was trying to think of budget analogue gear and possibly API would be a good shout for you as acustica has the pink which everyone's been going daft for. Many use CAPI hardware which is like the warm audio of API.
I think probably only the past 2-3 years digital has really started to bridge the gap where beyond that plugins were plugins.
Only advice I could think of in terms of what videos I'd love to do 👍
Thank Paul, some good suggestions there. Personally, I don't see the fuss about Acoustica, I dislike the look and GUI. I much prefer the Brainworx stuff :-)
@@EdThorne I was sceptical but after a lot of my shootouts it's pretty clear that AA plugs have that clarity that many lack. There's a lot of options as well but it's a bit of a learning curve. I don't always use the channel strips, sometimes I just use the eq's and comps which have much more manageable GUI's. It's hit and miss in terms of what you'll use but when you do find those plugs that work for you nothing can match. I think if you have acustica & plugin alliance then you are pretty much sorted for analogue emulations.
Might be cool to buy a vintage comp if you can get a good deal and do a modern and vintage hardware shootout?
@@PaulThird Yeh, that's a good idea. There's a place near me in London that hires old LA2As I think...
@@EdThorne that vid would definitely get a lot of interest
I see that someone has got themselves a new toy - WA76 :-) A review of that beautiful device maybe soon? Great work, as always Ed. Your videos production quality is clearly getting better. Keep up the wonderful work!
Thank You Hashim. I’ve done a few features with this device but I have a WA Bus-Comp to Townhouse Bus Compressor plugin planned soon.
Great stuff man!
Thanks for watching 🙂🙏
Further sold me on the hardware
Thank you!
Great to hear!
Great comparison! THX
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching 🙂
I was thinking of getting hardware but to me there wasn’t much of a difference between them I’am sticking with UA pluckin preamp especially the API For my preamp and plus you have more room on your desk.. less hassle of equipment cluttering up your work area..just saying and Thank you so much for sharing your awesome! Video
Felt the same way until I bought my first piece of analog gear lol. Imo a mid level analog vocal chain beats out the most expensive digital vocal chain. Hardware just handles audio signals in a better way
@@TonyTana9905 I have both and use the UAD way more often because of how much easier it is to just select a plugin and how much of a pain it is to hook everything up on analog gear each time.
Thank you!!
I'm considering of that purchase a analog compressor. To be honest I also want LA2A. but I can not afford that..
WARM AUDIO compressor has natural sound and warm
this video helped me that I choose compressor gear
Try the klark tecnoc la2a. I bought it for vocal tracking and honestly it is sooo much better than the waves plugin I had. I adds a certain breath that the pliggin doesn't. Also really nice tracking in real time with analog. It's like a guitarist standing in front of an amp compared to using a pluggin
I preferer the Warm Audio sound. The UAD is not as warm and full sounding and I can still hear that digital sound . Thanks for the vids Ed. Love it!
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching 🙂
I really love digital vs analog comparison videos! Great job as always my friend!
Alexey Soloviev Music Thanks buddy. Are there any comparisons you want to see?
Ed Thorne virtual amp vs analog :) for rock guitars
Alexey Soloviev Music Ah you’re definitely best going to a guitarists channel for that - I am not the guy for guitar sims (Although I am doing a video soon on UAD amp sims - with a guitarist) 🤣
@@EdThorne do you do cheap vs expensive comparisons?
You ever gonna compare the ArtTubeMP to a high end pre-amp? Im so interested in what people would make of that!?
JamEZmusic Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll look into it 🙂
One thing is maybe a bit misleading in this video is that UAD has actually three different plugin versions of the LA-2A and silver one used here is the fastest and brightest one. You can see and hear warm audio is much slower and darker in tone. Maybe using the gray version which is a bit slower and darker would have been more closer comparison. Anyway, i think UAD are the best plugins out there and i love them but have to say i like the warm audio much more. It´s better in every way, it sounds fuller, fatter and eh, warmer :)
I agree the UAD grey is better for individual tracks. I use the Silver for overall stereo mix.
Very interesting on the bass guitar - The WA seems to mask a lot of the unpleasant DI like qualities of the pick noise and give a rich and encompassing low end that would sit consistently and powerfully under a mix. The plugin leaves a lot to be desired. And It's true in isolation the difference is not massive - but put those elements in a mix and I guarantee using the plugin - the tracks will smoosh together and you won't be able to get the richness, and separation you are looking for between instruments.
Really sounds great I'll definitely think about picking up a WA-2a I'm looking for a really great vocal compressor that doesn't brighten things up in an unpleasant way. Great review thanks!
I listened to this from a smart phone on ath-m40x. And even in such conditions I can clearly hear the difference in the operation of these compressors on the phrase: "Shine a little lite on the world".
The analog compressor is really very soft and barely noticeable reduces the dynamic range, introducing a certain magic and groove, at this point it is especially obvious to me.
Interesting thoughts, thanks for commenting 🙂
Not really a fan of warm audio however it sounded better than the UAD. Analog will almost always add something that digital just cannot match. I'm still learning but based upon what I witnessed and experienced setups need at least a few pieces of outboard gear in their setup. Yes you pay more but you achieve the sound for a lot less work and maybe cheaper in the long run because plugins are not cheap especially UADs.
Just out of interest, what is it about the warm audio stuff that makes you not a fan of them?
@@finngrassietranscriptions5000 no problem it's because their sound from the products I have heard did not impress me that much and where much of their parts are assembled. This is further evidence in their resale value in comparison to better made items.
@@PurpleMusicProductions interesting. what aspects of the sound of which WA made you not very impressed? Just asking because I am in the process of seeking out some outboard gear (namely, a preamp with EQ and a compressor primarily used for vocals and bass guitar). Cheers
@@finngrassietranscriptions5000 Now of course preferences and tastes will vary from one person to the next. I have a specific sound and vibe that I like however your mileage may vary. I did not like WAs saturation and compression in comparison to the UAD and BAE hardware versions. I could hear the differences in the environment that I heard them. Now if you are seriously concerned about costs then they may work for you but keep in mind that resale is not going to be good if you decide to upgrade and in some instances they are not much less than some of the higher end offerings ESPECIALLY if you go on the used market which I highly recommend.
If you are looking for a NICE piece of gear to meet the criteria you mentioned then check out the UAD MK610 II as it is a phenomenal world class preamp with an opto compressor which is great on just about everything you feed through it. You can find those for around $1200 to $1500 used and $1800 new. That one piece would take care of your pre and compressor needs and if you decide to sell it which would be weird you would get most of your money back. Put it this way that's the pre and compressor sound and features that others are chasing plugin and hardware alike. Another great pre to seek on the used market is the BAE 1073. I grabbed mine for $700 instead of the $1200 to $1500 price tag. Trust me you want that pre in your rack. Deals on great gear CAN be had IF you have patience and search different sites and will bring you far more satisfaction than a plugin. Hybrid is the future but the more outboard the better. Get the best one or two pres and compressors you can afford and you can go budget on everything else aside from audio interface.
Oh and cheers by the way
Hi Ed, are you using the legacy version of the UA LA-2A or the version 2 one? And if you used the version 2 one, which one of the three choices that UA offers in version 2? Thanks!
Hi Sharon, this is the full beans LA2A (not the legacy version) and the main grey face version (not silver or other).
Wow, to me the difference increases substantially the more gain reduction you apply. To me, the plugin just falls under pressure compared to the hardware version when you really crank them. After years of experience working with digital plugins I think all of them sound very, for lack of a better word, "digital"; and I guess the difference can be likened to that of digital vs analog synths.
In summary: A really well made plugin can beat a lot of low-end hardware stuff. But in the end, they're playing in different leagues, and you just can't beat the real thing :)
This might be a buy for me, but I'll check out your review on the WA76 first. Cheers!
Damn I need to get some hardware
Great comparison. I couldn´t hear too much of a difference but for the most part agree with your findings. That is also cos I don´t have the best monitors.... so, kinda off topic, but how do the KH120s compare to the a7x´s? I´m thinking about a pair of a7x cos they go lower than the Neumanns, are they professional/flat enough? A lot of people talk about the hole in the mids that they have... any advice? Thanks!
Amar Dev Sharma Thanks Amar. I really need to do a full comparison on my speakers. The problem is I have the older A7s, not the A7Xs so people would complain. Briefly, I mix on my Neumanns because with Sonarworks they’re lovely sounding and flat. And I reference with the Adams because the Beryllium tweeters are brilliant, super clear and the stereo imaging is fantastic. I can’t stand them, however, under 1kHz and they have a plasticky sound around 80-125Hz.
@@EdThorne Thanks for the insight Ed! My only concern with the Neumanns is the low-end extension. Do you use them with a sub? I already have some 5-inch monitors (decade-old Tannoy Reveals) and I am considering the Adams for the extra low end, they go down to 42hz I think. Neumanns to around 54hz if I am not mistaken, my current ones specify 64hz I believe, I can hear lower than that from them but I am not sure I can trust much of the low-end info coming out of them.... Dilemma! :D I found this video as I have just ordered a Klark Teknik 76KT and was curious to see comparisons of digital vs analog. Great vid, great channel, I´m about to sub!
Amar Dev Sharma Thanks for the sub Amar. Yeh, the Neumanns aren’t the lowest speaking but I don’t feel any more sub in the Adams tbh. I always intended on getting a sub to go with the Neumanns but haven’t got round to it yet. Let me know how you get in with the KT76 🙂
When you compare on bass - it's better to compare with UAD LA-2A or Uad LA-Grey, it works better on bass. To my opinion Silver not the best UAD LA edition for low instruments. Another moment: when you change settings and find the best setting on plugin - it's better to play all this track, to better understand. When you play guitar you find setting very cliose to analog sound, but it was only a few sec(
omg, the low end disapears on the plugin. But what you said about the plugin being more sensitive to low end, could it be that hardware is slow at handling low end ? Is the plugin actually compressing (so reducing) the low end ? So would the results be similar if it had a high pass sidechain filter ?
Or is the hardware still compressing the low end and, and still has that hefty full bodied low end ?
When are you doing the wa76 comparison?
Good question. I have no idea. I’m slammed for live shows at the moment so TH-cam is getting down when I can but slowly.
The vocals and bass really showed up how warm and thick the hardware vs the plugin is. I prefer the hardware once again.
Yeh the WA2a, LA2A style compressor is great on bass and vocals. It really thickens the sound.
can someone explain the empty socket in this thing. I read its so we can select our own tube for the black optical. I have no idea what that means. so is it something you need to buy in order for this to even work? thanks yall
I Would still prefer the digital LA-2A over any other copycat, in Conclusion WA-2A is 2D and LA-2A is in 3D I don't know what other way to describe. it's almost like the WA-2A makes the signal dull and the LA-2A makes it feel like you're in the room that its being played in just mho
The WA definitely has more body in all examples.
Analog always has more depth in my experience.
I agree. I’ve added a few analog pieces to my set up over the last year and a half and it’s changed the game. Not only does it sound better to me, I get the sound I want much faster. I use the UA stuff but really considering the WA now.
Hi. My Vocals sound a bit distordet and harsh in the upper mid frequencies. Can you please show your preamp settings ? I have a 2a and a preamp from GAP. My Preamp settings are: Gain : 40-45 Output:1-2: Comp Settings: Gain 3-4 Peak Reduction 3-5. Gain reduction: 3-6 db.
Hi Emmo, Those look like decent compressor settings. 40-45dB is a lot of gain if you;re using a condenser mic, you may be overdriving the preamp. Most condenser mics (in my experience) need between 25-35dB gain. If you're using an SM7b, 40-45dB is a good amount of gain. The distortion could be a SPL problem caused by singing too close to the mic and overloading the capsule. If it's a mic like the Rhode NT-1 - the capsule doesn't work well with high SPLs and can sound brittle anyway.
@@EdThorne thxxx
I notice different amounts of gain reduction on the hardware compared to the plugin. On the bass, the plugin has almost twice as much gain reduction as the hardware, so then because of that it sounds quieter and more thin. Rather than matching the knobs, at least match the gain reduction on the meters. The entire comparison is somewhat invalid because of this.
Not really, because that’s literally the entire the point of the video - to assess how they compare/respond at the same settings...
@@EdThorne Well okay I guess I don't agree with the whole point of the video then. I would be much more interested in how they sound when having the same impact on the sound. 3dB of gain is way different than 7. How often would you look at a screenshot of knobs when using the equipment to copy someone else's settings? I hope never. I would set my GR for about 3dB. I get that there's this attitude that matching the knobs would show how close things are, but we should really match the effect of the processor as close as possible to see the differences. Who cares where the knobs are? I care how it impacts the sound.
@@JoshuaLauerMusician I get what you’re saying. This would also make for an interesting comparison. As the Warm Audio unit is designed as a clone of a Neve, I assumed they’d have measured the behavioural characteristics of a Neve to create a unit that theoretically behaves in a similar fashion. Obviously the UAD is a close reproduction too so I figured they’d react in a similar fashion, but apparently not. The primary point of the video though is of course to discuss which sounds better in general.
@@EdThorne I think the Warm sounds better, but find myself wondering if it’s because of differences in GR. Also as some others pointed out, the Warm is much louder than the plug-in, which might also cause us to favor it.
@@JoshuaLauerMusician hahahaha analog beats digital end of story bruh!!!
any one compared the warm audio wa 2a to the audio scape Opto comp? trying to decide which one I should get
this is beyond dramatic difference unfortunately. warm audio sounds like what i want to hear
j f It’s a fuller sound isn’t it.
Digital plugins are good until some pushing is required. When you beat up a compressor plugin, it distorts in a different way than a hardware, a rather unpleasant one if you will. The coloring effect we're all after is only achievable by hardware, especially when we're pushing the audio towards higher levels.
Thanks.
yup no cap
Does it sound different? sure, better? not really. You just have to dial it in differently. That "warmth" you hear is just tube saturation, which you need to add with a tube preamp plugin. If you do a recording straight DI in without it of course the plugin will sound colder. its supposed to. would you prefer they add that warmth to all recordings by default on the plugin? its a compressor, not a tube preamp. And by the way, you need a UA Apollo interface for UAD plugins to sound right with stock settings. On other interfaces the levels and settings will not be matched with the real thing. You will need to dial them in to make up for the offset. Test it for yourself and see.
Makes no sense making these comparisons without blindfolding people. It is high time we recognised in 2021 that people are biased towards the hardware options & more generally the most expensive option. Your ears will always tag along your bias. Blindfolded comparisons usually yield the most surprising of results
Lucky I filmed this in 2020 then 😜
@@EdThorne haha indeed! Thanks for your videos, outstanding quality as always. Cheers
@@taxmoneyyy Thank you, I hope they’re helpful 😊🙏
@@Petolooo Check the release date on the video Mr Thumbs Down 😉
Analog forever...
analog is better , changed my mind
I agree - so I can't 😜 Although they both have their uses. Anolog in and out, and mixing in the box for me.
Lol the analog is louder not the best way to a-b
Check the master output, they’re the same level.
idk what it is with us gingers, but we all have huge forheads. feels bad man
Haha. It’s true isn’t it.
Why on god’s Earth would you compare two units of anything (in this case a piece of hardware and digital hardware emulation) and use the same settings?
This like comparing two guitar amps with all of the dials set to 12 o’clock and then saying, “Well, amp A is a little brighter than amp B.” Okay fine. But that doesn’t mean anything. Every guitar player I know adjusts those dials to get the sound they like.
Just because a comparison scenario can easily be made doesn’t mean it should be made.
You’re supposed to be mixing with your ears, not your eyes and certainly not the values on some knobs. For each unit (compressor, EQ, etc.), you’ll likely use different settings on different instruments on different songs in order to create a desired effect. The million-dollar question is, can you get the desired effect (or something better) with each unit?
Settings values don’t matter. The impact on the sound does. Please adjust the dials (just like you would on a real track) to get the best sound you can. Then make some judgements about 1) did you get the sound you wanted, 2) was the effort to get that sound quick and easy, 3) if you didn’t get the sound you wanted, what else might you do (e.g., add a little bottom end using an EQ), 4) does the unit offer enough options so that it can be used in many circumstances (e.g., on drums, vocals, buses, etc.) or is it a one trick pony?
I look forward to your next comparison video.
Robert Corrington Hi Robert, thanks for your comment. You make some good points. The same settings was to demonstrate HOW the devices behave differently. If you watched all the way through video you’ll have seen I did make adjustments as I went (after the first example) to match the level of compression and output, whilst commenting on the variations in sound quality. The ease of use comparison, and whether I achieve the desired sound, are both good concepts I’ll consider in future videos. 🙂
Levels is not the same !
You’ll find the level are identical PRE compression! How the compressors react/reduce the signal differently IS the point of the video. As a result the levels AFTER may vary.
@@EdThorne it just makes it more difficult for us viewers to hear the actual differences when the output gains are nowhere near each other. I trust your commentary but there's no doubt that this is not the best shootout simply because of the "louder is better" effect.
Still nice to hear the wa2a though. Thanks for that!
@@HIGHHOPES The point of the video is to compare how they react AT THE SAME SETTINGS…