Uinversal Audio 1176LN shootout analog or digital?

[zmix]

Originally Posted by WildCowboys

I did measure with the longest release time and lowest ratio. The 33609 (only full version) does saturate even before gain reduction, test this by putting it in a group track in a floating point software and driving a sine into it over zero. there is a point where you cannot avoid gr because the input is too high, but the saturation that is there is caused by the model of the input path, not just the gain reduction. It is also way more thd than the thd caused by the other comps gain red.

best,
pat

You can bypass the compression and the limiting and see the effect in isolation.

You need to send a signal 32dB above the compressor's operating level to see the slightest amount of 3rd harmonic appear at -95dBfs.

It's nothing like the hardware.

When I get some time I'll post a spectral comparison between the UAD and the actual hardware unit, then you'll see what I mean.

[WunderBro Flo]

Originally Posted by zmix

You can bypass the compression and the limiting and see the effect in isolation.

Ok, we are talking about something different here. Taking the compression out of the plugin does make the saturation go away, I know, I found this out as well. It is only there when the compression is switched in, unfortunately. I was just talking about the plugin with compression engaged. In this scenario even with no GR going on there IS saturation modeled (unlike the other compressor plugins). I guess this will be different with the hardware unit unless the hardware engages a hardwire bypass when the compression-switch is set to "out"....

Best,
Pat

[zmix]

Originally Posted by WildCowboys

Ok, we are talking about something different here. Taking the compression out of the plugin does make the saturation go away, I know, I found this out as well. It is only there when the compression is switched in, unfortunately. I was just talking about the plugin with compression engaged. In this scenario even with no GR going on there IS saturation modeled (unlike the other compressor plugins). I guess this will be different with the hardware unit unless the hardware engages a hardwire bypass when the compression-switch is set to "out"....

Best,
Pat

Pat,
Sounds to me like we are talking about *exactly* the same thing: compression induced artifact.

The 33609 has a very very soft knee and begins compressing well below the set threshold. Look at I/O levels instead of the GUI meter on the plugin and you'll see what I am describing. There is no 'modeled saturation' in the UAD plug.

To answer your other question, the hardware "limit IN" and "Compression IN" switches are not hardwire bypass, thy simply remove the signal from the sidechain.

[Empire Prod]

In my opinion this test really demonstrated the fact that emulation plugs are not a substitute for the real hardware. They should be thought of as their own thing. Upon listening to the clips, the plug handles complex program material in a completely different manner than the hardware. Those 2 clips are not very similiar. I am willing to bet that the plug performs differently with less complex material. The hardware sounded exactly how I would expect an 1176 to sound, while the plug could have been anything. I would not have guessed the plug to be an 1176. There just wasn't any of the 1176 grab.

[ZFire]

The "big" flaw in this clip test is...

The SECOND clip is labelled as mix ONE
The FIRST clip is labelled as mix TWO

So every time someone posted an opinion I was wondering which clip they were referring to and if they noticed this??

[WunderBro Flo]

Originally Posted by zmix

Pat,
Sounds to me like we are talking about *exactly* the same thing: compression induced artifact.

The 33609 has a very very soft knee and begins compressing well below the set threshold. Look at I/O levels instead of the GUI meter on the plugin and you'll see

Three reasons why I think you are wrong:
1) no way a compressor with a medium atk and 1,6 sec release is going to give equal amounts of THD as a fatso when the "pinned" led is on. It would have to be a lightning fast atk and rls to get even close.

2) I know the sound of saturation vs gain reduction artifacts. It sound like saturation.

3) the GR characteristics are modeled exactly the same in the SE version, which does NOT show the saturation I am talking about.

I will do more tests after the holidays.
Best,
Pat

ps - just thought of a way o find out, if lowering the input signal 12 db and loweringe threshold 12dB the GR must be the same, but according to your theory the THD amount must be the same as with a higher input signal&threshold...will try this after the holidays.

[slopeshoulder]

Mix 2 is analog and sounds better, but not enough to convert me to hardware. Fun for us. Earbuds collapse the difference.

[ZFire]

Originally Posted by slopeshoulder

Mix 2 is analog and sounds better, but not enough to convert me to hardware. Fun for us. Earbuds collapse the difference.

Nope... Mix 1 (ie. the second clip) is the hardware. If you preferred Mix 2.. lucky for you! Unfortunately I preferred the more expensive hardware version..

[TapeOp]

Yeah, you guys pay attention...
If you select both mp3 files and drag them at the same time to iTunes, sometimes Mix 2 will be placed on top of Mix 1 for some reason..! (and I don't mean the alphabetical sorting order)

I couldn't believe when I read the results. I really took it as if the OP was cheating to see how we reacted, but then I realized the first iTune track was actually Mix 2 and vice-versa!

[author]

This thread is solely responsible for the fact that I don't own an 1176.

Still can't figure out if that's a mistake.

[rpantoja]

As a couple of sane people already noticed, this thread is completely flawed. Mixes 1 and 2 are upside down, and therefore every time someone says "I like Mix 2 better", he's actually referring to the one that appears below (the second one), which is Mix 1 (I agree with it sounding way better...).
I must conclude that in this thread people picked the hardware 1176 as best sounding, and not the contrary, as many wished (me too, to be honest).

[piano]

WOW! I really liked Mix II - and hence thought it was the analog version.

Come to find out I liked the UAD-1 version better. Good thing too, that it the one of the two I have.

Really nice test.

[Stolle]

Originally Posted by rpantoja

As a couple of sane people already noticed, this thread is completely flawed. Mixes 1 and 2 are upside down, and therefore every time someone says "I like Mix 2 better", he's actually referring to the one that appears below (the second one), which is Mix 1 (I agree with it sounding way better...).
I must conclude that in this thread people picked the hardware 1176 as best sounding, and not the contrary, as many wished (me too, to be honest).

I thought about that too. However I imported them into my DAW so the names were correct for me. I was 100% sure that "mix 2" (the filename) was hw because I heard harmonic distortion. I still can't believe I was mistaken. It's good news that I prefer UAD since that's what I actually have. I just can't get over how mix 1 sounds like a plug-in compressor usually sounds in shootouts with hw. I'm humbled.

[Nrt]

Originally Posted by Stolle

I thought about that too. However I imported them into my DAW so the names were correct for me. I was 100% sure that "mix 2" (the filename) was hw because I heard harmonic distortion. I still can't believe I was mistaken. It's good news that I prefer UAD since that's what I actually have. I just can't get over how mix 1 sounds like a plug-in compressor usually sounds in shootouts with hw. I'm humbled.

The top file (Mix2) sounds better for most people including us. I would like to make sure if the top file (Mix2) IS the UAD.

[P-pangdrums]

EMPIRE PROD...ouch...thank's for pointing it out.
That's truly a big flaw in the test...wish I had noticed earlier.
Oh, well what to do
Don't know if there's any point in re-posting? In that case it should probably be done from scratch...eeeehh, maybe just leave it and make some music

BTW Mix 2 (the top file) IS the UAD

Happy new year slutz/
Jonas