SSL-G Series EQ emulation shootout (audiofiles included)

[eugd]

There are quite a few SSL EQ wannabes out there now and I was curious to see close they come to a real SSL desk. Unfortunately, while I can afford a Duende and a Liquid Mix, I don't have access to a real desk. So all I can do is compare the emulations (but i'll post the original in case anyone with access cares to run it through). I was surprised at how much they differ from each other. I don't know how they can all claim to be the SSL sound if they all act so differently.

I'll post the files so anyone who's interested can hear. Obviously it's not a great way to let you chose which emulation you like best. One might be far from the real thing, and therefore have an EQ that actually sounds better on the test file I chose. But I was happy to know that I liked my most expensive purchase the most.

In the running: Duende, Liquid Mix, URS S-Series, Waves SSL EQ, and Flux (just for the heck of it). The low and low-mid EQ was selected to make the kick sound better. The high end was boosted plenty to test the hat and cymbal sounds. And the strings and piano are thrown in for more comparison opportunity.

Results randomized for now: answer given later.

[eugd]

(The analog switch was off on the Waves)

[eugd]

There are more files in this thread:

LIQUID MIX VS WAVES SSL, URS, McDSP, etc..

as well as 3 API EQ emulations compared.

[peeder]

I'm hearing some clippy clicks on the piano on the left channel. You're overdriving these plugins!

1: Nice and clear but no phase "magic". This is the linear phase Flux Epure. (sounds linear phase to me copperx, but maybe it isn't precisely)
2: Quite veiled and somewhat grainy. URS.
3: Forward and a little less defined than Flux, but with balls and a sheen, this is the Duende
4: Nice enough but a bit flat. This is Waves
5: A bit cheap sounding to me. Liquid Mix

All of them will do the job in a pinch. The relative levels might be a bit off which might be throwing me off... but hey I guessed!

Thanks for posting this eugd!

[copperx]

Originally Posted by peeder

1: Nice and clear but no phase "magic". This is the linear phase Flux Epure.

Wrong! the Epure isn't linear phase. Try again.

[Zuewi]

I ranked only by the drum sounds cause the string phrase doesn't make to much difference and the piano clips:

5 - Full with a bit color very nice and full, my favorite
1 - Little more natural and a bit on the cleaner side, without the nice color
4 - Big Bass maybe a bit too much, but sounds good
2 - Too much color for my taste, makes it sound a bit digital
3 - Something wired goes on there, mids sound very strange..

Did you make on all the same settings as on the screenshot?

[eugd]

I started with each plugin on exactly the same settings (as closely as i could) at first, but then actually changed parameters slightly to make them sound more similar. They were even more different when just typing in matching values. I gave Duende the benefit of the doubt and tried to make the other plugs match it. I'll post the settings for the other plugs after people have time to listen and guess (because they would actually help you distinguish them, i think).

[eugd]

01 - Flux
02 - Waves
03 - Liquid Mix
04 - URS
05 - Duende

You probably liked the Liquid Mix better because it had less of an extreme EQ applied. Because the high shelf cuts frequencies across the board, and the low shelf barely did anything. I pushed it to 15db boost and it didn't get nearly as bassy as the other 4 plugins. I'm assuming that's not a property of SSL desks - that you boost a high shelf and the other frequencies all drop. (see the attached photo)?? Had the same problem with API low end boost. The Liquid mix wasn't nearly as bassy as the Waves or URS models. Hope it's not a flaw of dynamic convolution. Maybe just a bug or something fixable with emulation updates?

[eugd]

You can see the curve that Liquid Mix is claiming is happening in the low end (the black one), which even after reductions from the high shelf is still claiming to be more than 10 db of boost. But listen to the files. I only had 6db or so of bass boost on the Duende and it has plenty more low end. Someone at focusrite: you tell me why I shouldn't get much bass out of my liquid mix EQs and then i'll tell you why you're wrong.

[Klotzi]

Originally Posted by eugd

(The analog switch was off on the Waves)

Why? It's only a "real" emulation (stupid word ) with analog on I think

[bradley]

This might well be far too late to join this discussion but I've only just joined the forums after getting hold of a liquid mix.

The issue with the low end response sound like it is due to the use of the 2.0 update. There is a long thread going on the SOS forums about it and focusrite are aware of it. Apparently the safe option is to use version 1.5 at the moment due to the issue with the eq low end.

Bradley

[mattianlaseppia]

could you reopen the waves preset and engage the analog button? i'm curious to hear the difference.

thanks

[Zuewi]

Originally Posted by mattianlaseppia

could you reopen the waves preset and engage the analog button? i'm curious to hear the difference.
thanks

There wouldn't be much difference.

[cebolao]

i didn't like the 2nd and the 3rd, rest is nice, different, but not bad

of course the boost is huge



... so what is what?

[dannycurtean@yah]

Originally Posted by eugd

There are quite a few SSL EQ wannabes out there now and I was curious to see close they come to a real SSL desk. Unfortunately, while I can afford a Duende and a Liquid Mix, I don't have access to a real desk. So all I can do is compare the emulations (but i'll post the original in case anyone with access cares to run it through). I was surprised at how much they differ from each other. I don't know how they can all claim to be the SSL sound if they all act so differently.

I'll post the files so anyone who's interested can hear. Obviously it's not a great way to let you chose which emulation you like best. One might be far from the real thing, and therefore have an EQ that actually sounds better on the test file I chose. But I was happy to know that I liked my most expensive purchase the most.

In the running: Duende, Liquid Mix, URS S-Series, Waves SSL EQ, and Flux (just for the heck of it). The low and low-mid EQ was selected to make the kick sound better. The high end was boosted plenty to test the hat and cymbal sounds. And the strings and piano are thrown in for more comparison opportunity.

Results randomized for now: answer given later.

Is it just me or did SSL actually spell "Equalization" in correctly (the s instead of z) in that pic?

[Billy Bush]

Originally Posted by dannycurtean@yah

Is it just me or did SSL actually spell "Equalization" in correctly (the s instead of z) in that pic?

it's how the brits spell it.. like colour.

[tone delux]

Originally Posted by Billy Bush

it's how the brits spell it.. like colour.