Blind Summing Shootout - Slate VCC 4K ITB vs ITB vs 32 Ch SSL Analog Summing Box

[imloggedin]

Soooo yah. 4 weeks and no results post?

[anguswoodhead]

I'm sending the results by pm....

[jrod9900]

1. VCC
2. ITB
3. SSL

I feel the bottom end is far superior on 1 and 3 then compared to 2. It's hard to say which is which between those two, but 3 seems a little punchier on the bottom (hopefully signaling analog gear). I think I like the image a little better on 3. Not sure if it's because it's the last I looked at.

Bottom line, VCC is a very powerful tool. Is it as good as summing? That depends on who you ask. Some people think that extra 5% is worth it. I'm curious to see the results.

PM me please!

JROD

[nathaniellr]

Listening on Neumann KH120's.

#1 ITB - sounds the dullest to me, seems lacking something the other two have.

#2 SSL - this sounds the smoothest to me, everything sounds very cohesive.

#3 - VCC - sounds close to 2, has something pleasant about it though.

i'd like the results too man when you get a chance.

thanks!

[jrod9900]

Boy, are you gonna be surprised...

Jrod

[ixtream]

Listening on Dynaudio BM6A's (not the mkII) - On #3 the highs sound really smooth and the cymbals seem to have a more natural decay which I'm going to associate with the ssl summing...#1 sounded a bit 'boring' to me...so I'm gonna say:

#1 ITB
#2 VCC
#3 SSL

Very curious to know the answers!

[csauter]

My vote was for # 2, didn't read anybody elses posts first, listened to them quickly so i couldn't be to skeptical... and #2 made me feel most analog, instantly... PLEASE PM ME THE ANSWERS!!

[Yummerz]

Originally Posted by AvS

1: VCC - I hear a lot of distortion on this one. Never tried the VCC but I'm thinking it adds some kind of distortion.
2: ITB - sounds the cleanest of them all. Sounds a bit boring and two dimensional.
3: SSL - I think this one stands out. Sounds seems more separated. I feel the sounds that are mixed in the center feels "more mono" and the stereo feels "more stereo" where in clip 1 and 2 its slightly more cluttered. I also hear crispier hi-mids.

My sentiments exactly. I'll be surprised if #3 is plain ITB.

Been listening to digital vs. analogue mixes a lot lately, and digital is usually 'warmer' and 'rounder' but more muffled and jumbled together, while analog is grainier but more open sounding, with more separation and more excitement.

[Yummerz]

Just got the results. I may have to send Slate some dough.

[csauter]

Originally Posted by Yummerz

Just got the results. I may have to send Slate some dough.

Yeah... what he said... WOW..

[ooohhh2]

Hello there, thanks alot for the shootout!
I'll take a listen when i get home, but I'm asking is there any possibility for me to get the stems, i would like to run them through nebula's 3rd party console programs. That would be really nice!

[ShadowAMD]

I got it right off the bat and did prefer number 1, although the differences aren't huge.

[T.V. Eye]

I cant´really tell which is which, I don´t have the Slate plugins and only hat the chance to work on an SSL 4000 console once about 15 years ago.

So for my personal taste, I liked #2 the best. To me it´s got the most depth. Assuming that analog is giving some positive extra I would guess that #2 is the SSL, #1 is ITB and #3 is the Slate plugin, but than again, that´s just a guess based on "analog=better", maybe it´s the opposite and i don´t like what the analog stage an the plugin does to the mix.

Anyway, I would not have a problem with all 3 of those. The different isn´t that big that I would say it makes or breaks the mix, and it would not make me buy expensive hardware if my favorite #2 is the SSL.

Really hope I´ll get the results soon. Thank´s!

[duvalle]

in order what i like best: 2, 3, 1
so i would guess 1 is itb, 2 could be vcc and 3 might be ssl .... ;-)

[duvalle]

wow - did not expect the results ....
thx for sharing!

[T.V. Eye]

Originally Posted by duvalle

wow - did not expect the results ....
thx for sharing!

Same here.

[jrhager84]

I never got the PM. I'm interested in the results.

[nexus77]

don't know which is which but I liked them in this order:
2 best
3 (close to 2) better
1 good

So, please do tell. Which is which?

[chip mcdonald]

Thanks for the test, educational...

[eterpr]

1.ITB (sounds a bit dull to me, narrow sound, no thump sound on kick drum, the keyboards sound centered)
2.VCC (louder than the other 2, more pronounced in the high frequencies, same width as 3)
3.SSL (warmth, same width as 2, not that loud, analog feel)

Please PM me

[jrhager84]

Originally Posted by eterpr

1.ITB (sounds a bit dull to me, narrow sound, no thump sound on kick drum, the keyboards sound centered)
2.VCC (louder than the other 2, more pronounced in the high frequencies, same width as 3)
3.SSL (warmth, same width as 2, not that loud, analog feel)

Please PM me

You are going to be VERY surprised hahaha

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Gearslutz App

[Lights]

I tried not to read any commentary and jump right to a post after listening.

#1 sounded the best--even, smooth, professional -- summing box?
#2 also sounded good but was a bit "crisp" to me so I'm guessing it's ITB.
#3 sounded like something bad happened to me--like an exciter that added too much unnatural distortion. I'm guessing this is VCC.

Whatever they are, I liked them in 1, 2, 3 order.

But the core mix was really nice!

[Gaurgle]

1 VCC
2 ITB
3 SSL

Really hard to tell the difference here... feels like 2 is a thad bit more 2D

[FredFraikin]

Originally Posted by anguswoodhead

As a follow up to my previous summing shootout thread.....
Here is a blind shootout between
Slate VCC 4k ITB (software L2 on 2 buss to prevent overs)
ITB (no VCC) (software L2 on 2 buss to prevent overs)
Analog summed - SSL converters, SSL 32 Ch mix box (hardware L2 on 2 buss to prevent overs)

mp3's are 16/96 320KB
There is no EQ and no processing at all on each 2 buss except the L2 (software or hardware)
The L2 was only holding about 1dB on peaks in each clip.

You decide which is which.
I've tried to level match as close as possible using the meters on the Slate FG-X mastering plugin.

Recorded at Erinwood Studios. Erin Ontario.
Mixed by Ted Gerber Zipthedog inc.
I'm A Carpenter - Larry Kurtz, Larry and the Lawbreakers.
I was given 9 stereo stems.

My guess:
A SSL a bit distorted...
B ITB nice one
C VCC slightly less bottom but much more 3D to me

My favorite is mix C

[eterpr]

Originally Posted by jrhager84

You are going to be VERY surprised hahaha

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Gearslutz App

Gotta give Steven Slate a phone call!

[Showcase]

1 ssl
2 itb
3 vcc

Really hard to tell, 2 ,3 sounded a little unfocused in the lows, not as punchy! 2 seemed to contain most low end but perhaps not so controlled

[devastat]

I am absolutely sure that number 3 is the SSL Box, you can hear the analog sound in the high frequencies. I would say that number 2 is VCC and number 1 is ITB. I prefer 3 the most, I think number 2 sounds quite nice as well. If number 3 is the VCC (which I do kind of hope) I will be VERY surprised and it will make me doubt if I ever will need real analog summing..

P.S Which device and model is this SSL Mix Box anyway? And I'd like to know the results as well..

[FredFraikin]

Yeah me too!

[jrhager84]

Originally Posted by devastat

I am absolutely sure that number 3 is the SSL Box, you can hear the analog sound in the high frequencies. I would say that number 2 is VCC and number 1 is ITB. I prefer 3 the most, I think number 2 sounds quite nice as well. If number 3 is the VCC (which I do kind of hope) I will be VERY surprised and it will make me doubt if I ever will need real analog summing..

P.S Which device and model is this SSL Mix Box anyway? And I'd like to know the results as well..

You are going to be surprised. Good job slate is all I can say lol

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Gearslutz App

[danceobsessive]

Having checked out the VCC demos, I would say 3 is the VCC.

1. SSL
2. ITB
3. VCC

Please pm me!