Analysis: C7's Strip Tube & Tape Saturation

[diogo_c]

Tape Saturation:

0db Drive (minimum)


0db Drive Duplex


+5db Drive


+5db Drive Duplex


+10db Drive


+10db Drive Duplex



Sound clips coming soon!

[Dappolito]

I clicked the pictures but I didn't hear anything.

However, I tested the strip in Cubase and the tape sat is not on par with Waves or Slate. But I don't know if it has to be. I think it has to be low cpu as it is on every channel and it can be used for mild saturation.

I for one will not use the channel strip at all tho. I would rather have more pre fader plugin inserts than the channel strip.

[dariva]

I wonder if the tape algo has any high frequency dampening going on too....Can you check that with with a noise generator when you get the chance? Thanks!

[diogo_c]

Originally Posted by Dappolito

I clicked the pictures but I didn't hear anything.

However, I tested the strip in Cubase and the tape sat is not on par with Waves or Slate. But I don't know if it has to be. I think it has to be low cpu as it is on every channel and it can be used for mild saturation.

I for one will not use the channel strip at all tho. I would rather have more pre fader plugin inserts than the channel strip.

Those are just basic plots to show the harmonics, nothing to hear there. I'll post some sound clips later on

I wasn't expecting the strip at all. When they announced it I was very skeptical about the sound, but it turns out to be OK-ish and its nice to have it there. Definitevely not on par with Slate, Waves and others but I feel like using it sometimes. As I said here, don't push it too hard and you can get some reasonable sounds out of it and it "looks" OK on the graphics - no aliasing.

Originally Posted by dariva

I wonder if the tape algo has any high frequency dampening going on too....Can you check that with with a noise generator when you get the chance? Thanks!

I'll run those tests and post the results, but the high-frequency roll-off is quite noticeable and not subtle at all.

BTW, can we merge this thread with the other one?

[Dappolito]

[QUOTE=diogo_c;8520913]
Those are just basic plots to show the harmonics, nothing to hear there.


What I tried to say was, that posting such pics is totally useless. We see harmonics. Great. So what do we know about the sound quality of this plugin ? Nothing.

[Ciaccona]

Originally Posted by Dappolito

What I tried to say was, that posting such pics is totally useless. We see harmonics. Great. So what do we know about the sound quality of this plugin ? Nothing.

This is to show what it actually does, nothing else.

It may be not interesting to you, but to me and others it is.

[diogo_c]

Forgive me if the sounds are not totally level-matched.

Drum Machine: No processing

01_Drum Machine RAW.wav

Drum Machine: Tube Drive (No EQ)

01_Drum Machine TUBE 1.wav

Drum Machine: Tape Normal (auto gain disabled)

01_Drum Machine TAPE 1.wav

Drum Machine: Tape Duplex (auto gain disabled)

01_Drum Machine TAPE DUPLEX.wav

Drum Machine: Tape Normal (auto gain enabled)

01_Drum Machine TAPE Auto Gain.wav

The Tape auto gain has a not-so-usual behaviour and it squashes things with distortion and compression when you push it. The duplex will crush things even further. You can get some very nasty sounds out of this thing and sometimes that maybe what you want.

Guitar: No processing

GUITAR RAW.wav

Guitar: Tape Normal

GUITAR TAPE NORMAL.wav

Guitar: Tape with duplex and auto-gain, highly distorted!

GUITAR TAPE DUPLEX AUTO GAIN.wav

Guitar: Tube Drive

GUITAR TUBE.wav

Guitar: Tube Drive + EQ, more distortion

GUITAR TUBE DISTORTION.wav

Originally Posted by Dappolito

What I tried to say was, that posting such pics is totally useless. We see harmonics. Great. So what do we know about the sound quality of this plugin ? Nothing.

Easy there mate, we all have the same objectives here: getting the best sound out of the tools that are available to us.

Graphs are valid just like internet discussion boards. What does the posts on on internet boards tell us about the quality of something? Nothing. Want to verify the quality of a plug-in? Listen for yourself, run some tests and make up your mind about it. Graphs are just part of my (and other people's) process of testing things, they can be useful on showing us what to expect from something, but of course they don't give us the whole picture - pun intended!

Bottomline is: the strip saturation will not make you drop the Slate, Sknote or Waves, but it can be useful. IMHO, the strip is a welcome and unexpected adition to Cubase 7.

Cheers!

[diogo_c]

Originally Posted by dariva

I wonder if the tape algo has any high frequency dampening going on too....Can you check that with with a noise generator when you get the chance? Thanks!

The HF is indeed a filter. Here is what happens when you run pink noise into it:

[stinkyfingers]

set the block size to max
show down to 1Hz for the sine wave/harmonics.
also show lower than -72dB, like at least -120dB...
why is your pink noise slanting back the wrong way?

[diogo_c]

Originally Posted by stinkyfingers

set the block size to max.
show down to 1Hz for the sine wave/harmonics.
also show lower than -72dB, like at least -120dB...

I think the pink noise is fine - got it from Bob Katz site. Its the "-20 dBFS RMS pink noise stereo 44.1" WAV file.

Thanks for the tip. Max block size with some overlap (otherwise it blinks) down to -130db.

Tape Normal (1kHz sine @ -10db)



Tape Normal when you push the sine to 0db



Tube 5db Drive

[dariva]

Thank you for the graphs and the audio examples!

To me neither the tape or the tube saturation are suitable for those two sources, but of course, it all depends on the context....

Let's hope the new vintage compressor and the new limiter are better.....Including CurveEQ is a good sign to me, that Steinberg might be inviting more outside developers on board.....So let's hope that someday they'll have another willing party to design better channel saturation....like Sonimus for example, ain't that gonna be sweet

[teknatronik]

I am now putting tat tube sat on hats and drums along with bass and I think it adds some life. Might not be as good as waves or whatnot, but with the little amount I use no way could you tell a difference.

[diogo_c]

Originally Posted by dariva

Thank you for the graphs and the audio examples!

To me neither the tape or the tube saturation are suitable for those two sources, but of course, it all depends on the context....

Let's hope the new vintage compressor and the new limiter are better.....Including CurveEQ is a good sign to me, that Steinberg might be inviting more outside developers on board.....So let's hope that someday they'll have another willing party to design better channel saturation....like Sonimus for example, ain't that gonna be sweet

I don't have high hopes for the limiter and I'm well covered in that area, but if it sounds good it will be handy. The tube and vintage compressors are useable now.

Might be placebo hitting on me but the Channel EQ sounds better now - or maybe I just took it more serious now than before.

Originally Posted by teknatronik

I am now putting tat tube sat on hats and drums along with bass and I think it adds some life. Might not be as good as waves or whatnot, but with the little amount I use no way could you tell a difference.

Agreed. They can't be pushed very hard.