Do you buy hardware that you have a plug-in version of?

[Nerdyrocker]

So some may consider this a moral dilema.
If you own a plug-in that emulates a piece of analog gear, do you buy the hardware version if you find it for a good price?
The gear in question is the Focusrite Red 3 stereo compressor. I have the plug-in in Pro Tools and it sounds great to me but I have never heard the hardware. It seems like it is one of those pieces of gear that will last forever and always sound great.
I am interested in tracking through it. I use the plug-in for mainly bass, vox, and the stereo buss.

Right now, the only outboard compression I have is a pair of the DBX 903. I know this is a different flavor.

Thoughts?

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by Nerdyrocker

So some may consider this a moral dilema.
If you own a plug-in that emulates a piece of analog gear, do you buy the hardware version if you find it for a good price?
The gear in question is the Focusrite Red 3 stereo compressor. I have the plug-in in Pro Tools and it sounds great to me but I have never heard the hardware. It seems like it is one of those pieces of gear that will last forever and always sound great.
I am interested in tracking through it. I use the plug-in for mainly bass, vox, and the stereo buss.

Right now, the only outboard compression I have is a pair of the DBX 903. I know this is a different flavor.

Thoughts?

The plug in doesn't do it justice at all.

The real deal is in a whole other ball park.

Personally i think the plug sounds like trash.

Real brittle and small.

The real deal sounds flashy and makes the vocals pop through when used on the mixbuss.

My 2 cents.

[Flying_Dutchman]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

The plug in doesn't do it justice at all.

The real deal is in a whole other ball park.

Personally i think the plug sounds like trash.

Real brittle and small.

The real deal sounds flashy and makes the vocals pop through when used on the mixbuss.

My 2 cents.

That´s my opinion, too. The plugs are nice, but espacially on the compressor market the hardware is really superior to software in my opinion. Back to the topic, i listened to serveral micpreamp impulse respones for vocals and decided to get the manley voxbox. I know that the voxbox quality is hardly discussed at gearslutz, but i really like this unit. The impulse response was really in the same sonic direction, so software may give a good hint in some cases.

[max cooper]

If you had some porno mags would you get a girlfriend?

Or to put it another way, if owning the plugin version of a box pre-empted the need for the hardware, why would anyone have hardware?

You buy one 1176, you get one 1176. Not the same deal in plugin land. Must be some advantage to hardware, eh?

[Jay Kahrs]

Originally Posted by max cooper

If you had some porno mags would you get a girlfriend?

What if you had one of these?

http://www.fu-fme.com/





I've never used or heard a plug-in that really does sound like the outboard version that plugs-into the wall.

Not to say that the plugs are bad or unusable, but well...

They might be the same game but it's a different league and in a different ballpark.

Not to mention that compressing before the A/D is WAY different then doing it all afterwards, either ITB or OTB.

[pan60]

i am all for outboard gear, never can you have enough.
i do not get how it would be a moral dilemma though, just get it if it fit's your budget or make due with the plug in.

[AlexLakis]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

The plug in doesn't do it justice at all.

The real deal is in a whole other ball park.

Personally i think the plug sounds like trash.

Real brittle and small.

So it sounds just like the hardware version then?

But, yes, in almost all cases, the plugins are mere shadows of their hardware counterparts. I use the Waves SSL plugins a lot, they're handy, but the bus compressor ain't nuthin' compared to the real thing.

I say if you have plugins that you really like, that's all the more reason to check out their hardware counterparts. You'll probably like them at least twice as much!

[thenoiseflower]

Pretty much same as above, comps dont compare, IMO eq inthe box is useless.

Little OT
But the BOSS CE-1 an the UAD-1 version sound identical. accept for the Line hum

[rainsinvelvet]

Originally Posted by Jay Kahrs

What if you had one of these?

http://www.fu-fme.com/

Holly crap! That is some funny shit.. My wife and I were cracking up.

ERic

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by AlexLakis

So it sounds just like the hardware version then?

Don't know what Red 3's you've used in the past, but my modified Blue 230 sings on the mixbuss especially when side chained(I'm loving a pair of API 560's lately for this use).

[SoundEng1]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

The plug in doesn't do it justice at all.

The real deal is in a whole other ball park.

Personally i think the plug sounds like trash.

Real brittle and small.

The real deal sounds flashy and makes the vocals pop through when used on the mixbuss.

My 2 cents.

I have Agree with Thrill here! Plugins could makes things sound like ass especially in the High end.

[Jay Kahrs]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

Don't know what Red 3's you've used in the past, but my modified Blue 230 sings on the mixbuss especially when side chained(I'm loving a pair of API 560's lately for this use).

You're sidechaining the 2-mix comp?

Off what? Kick?

Or trying to push the vocal with the sidechain EQ and have it dig into that more?

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by Jay Kahrs

You're sidechaining the 2-mix comp?

Off what? Kick?

Or trying to push the vocal with the sidechain EQ and have it dig into that more?

When using it on the mixbuss a copy of the mix hipassed through the 560's.

[mixerguy]

Originally Posted by Nerdyrocker

.. (snip).....
The gear in question is the Focusrite Red 3 stereo compressor. I have the plug-in in Pro Tools and it sounds great to me but I have never heard the hardware. ..... (snip).....

I think you just answered your own question......



How do you know that it sounds "great" when you haven't heard the real deal?

Maybe it sounds much better than "great"

If you can - find a way to find out.....

I, for one, have never met a plug in EQ or compressor that I loved.

Hardware... now that is a different thing. I'm in love with plenty of hi-end hardware.

YMMV.

[Jay Kahrs]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

When using it on the mixbuss a copy of the mix hipassed through the 560's.

So you get the vocals driving the compressor rather then the kick & whatever else is on the down low.

Dig it.

And here I thought you had some nifty 'secret' trick up your sleeve! LOL

[RCM - Ronan]

One is a Focusrite Red 3, one is a digital compressor with a graphic interface that looks a bit like a Focusrite Red 3. They are not the same thing. You can like either one if it suits your needs (I have not liked any of the digital stuff that looks like focusrite gear my self) but they are not the same.

[Cojo]

I'm actually thinking of buying an ssl comp after hearing the plugin.

/Cojo