Comparing Software Compressors : WAV Samples

[ShaneFontane]

Hey Everyone,

I was going through my software compressors last night and recorded a 2 measure kick only of each compressor. The settings were as close to the same as they can be on different "boxes".

So, if you want to hear the different compressor samples and comment, please feel free. I probably should have uploaded the unprocessed clip but it was 4am and I just was thinking of doing this so, this is what is here

UAD 1176SE
http://www.shanefontane.com/compress/1176se.wav

UAD Fairchild
http://www.shanefontane.com/compress/fairchild.wav

Sonalksis
http://www.shanefontane.com/compress/sonalksis.wav

UAD LA2A
http://www.shanefontane.com/compress/la2a.wav

Waves SSL
http://www.shanefontane.com/compress/ssl.wav

[ShaneFontane]

well, for me - the sonksis and ssl sound much better; retaining the beef of the kick... and specifically the sonalksis seems to keep the most thwack at the attack of the kick... just my own 2 cents

[NewSc2]

I can't tell the difference between the LA2A and the SSL. The Sonalksis sounds almost like the SSL/LA2A but very very slightly meatier. The 1176 and Fairchild sound distant. BTW I think your SSL link is broken, 1 too many http's.

Could you post the original?

[ShaneFontane]

Originally Posted by NewSc2

I can't tell the difference between the LA2A and the SSL. The Sonalksis sounds almost like the SSL/LA2A but very very slightly meatier. The 1176 and Fairchild sound distant. BTW I think your SSL link is broken, 1 too many http's.

Could you post the original?

ahah... yeah... ill edit the link... sorry about that... and sorry i don't have the original... i just made a quick little piece to compare waves and at the time i wasn't going to post these so i didn't think about it, could have been helpful though.

i agree though, the la2a seems to hold up petty well which i did not think it would on a kick like such... actually, maybe i think i have dog ears but i think the la2a was a bit bottom rounder on the bottom vs the ssl which seemed to be more punchy?

and personally was hating the 1176 and fairchild... i mean, the 1176 sounds pretty good on snare and rock kicks and such but sucked the life outta the kick in this example...

[Reznik]

always interesting such comparison...
personally i think Sonalksis and LA2A sound best..
can i post that comparison in another forum?

[ShaneFontane]

Originally Posted by Reznik

can i post that comparison in another forum?

i don't see why not... shoot us a link so i can see what everyone thinks

[NewSc2]

Originally Posted by ShaneFontane

ahah... yeah... ill edit the link... sorry about that... and sorry i don't have the original... i just made a quick little piece to compare waves and at the time i wasn't going to post these so i didn't think about it, could have been helpful though.

i agree though, the la2a seems to hold up petty well which i did not think it would on a kick like such... actually, maybe i think i have dog ears but i think the la2a was a bit bottom rounder on the bottom vs the ssl which seemed to be more punchy?

and personally was hating the 1176 and fairchild... i mean, the 1176 sounds pretty good on snare and rock kicks and such but sucked the life outta the kick in this example...

had a quick listen on my etymotic er4p earbuds -- they've been my go-to for critical listening since i purchased them a week ago. i can't turn up the volume right now so i can't run it through my monitors, but my dyns never show as much detail as the er4p's have been. i was hard pressed to tell the difference between the sonalksis, la2a, and ssl, and couldn't tell the difference between la2a and ssl. i think the sonalksis was my favorite, but with such little difference i'd be happy with any of the 3.

i agree with the 1176, it killed the kick.

what comp settings were you using? which plugin did you use first to normalize the settings?

[ShaneFontane]

Originally Posted by NewSc2

what comp settings were you using? which plugin did you use first to normalize the settings?

the kick was a 24bit stereo audio file. no funny business.

then, i inserted each plug in and recorded each plug in separately. the settings for the plug-is varied. why? well because each plug in has its own parameters for tweaking that the others don't share. what i did try to do is keep the reduction by just a few db and keep the rms the same as possible across each recording by adjusting the make-up gain as needed.