What makes the new UAD Harrison 32c channel eq special?

[perx]

a question, not a statement. ;-)

I own all the other UAD EQs and Im very happy with what I got. This has got to offer something UNIQUE in comparison to their other EQ´s If im gonna get it.

Unfortunately I cant try it until after new years when I get my new DAW all up and running. So thought I´d ask here if nyone tried it yet and what you think makes it special (or not..)

Thanks in advance!

[shaneoconnor]

marketing

[BLueROom]

That horrendous color

And it's a color EQ with a soft and clean top end.

[perx]

anyone else had the chance to test this EQ?

[Whitecat]

my feeling, and I am not a UAD user, is that they are trying to sell this to people who think they "know" the harrison eq sound. maybe it's an attempt to make inroads into the post/broadcast world?

it just doesn't seem like a plug that n00bZ would buy I guess. they'll immediately gravitate to the Neve stuff for sure, but Harrison is a bit esoteric.

that, and Bruce Swedien fans I guess.

[redroom]

What makes the Harrison special is the filters

[lllubi]

you have to wait and try out Bruce Swediens presets
then you have to ask yourself why do his presets work and
other endorsers not

[buzzjoe]

Did a quick test yesterday. In most cases I prefered other EQs (1073, Pultec, Helios) on acoustic guitar and vocals.

Oliver

[4damind]

What makes the Harrison special? The price and the marketing with Bruce Swedien
Funny to read some comments of users who worked with a real Harrison (eg. on Prosoundweb) about the worst sound of this console...

I could not find much usage for this eq. In most cases I preferred the Neve or the Pultec.

[perx]

Originally Posted by 4damind

What makes the Harrison special? The price and the marketing with Bruce Swedien
Funny to read some comments of users who worked with a real Harrison (eg. on Prosoundweb) about the worst sound of this console...

I could not find much usage for this eq. In most cases I preferred the Neve or the Pultec.

yeah.. they really push this plugin with "countless of hit records have been mixed on this console" and ofcourse.. with Mr. Swedien.

Thats one of the reasons this thread exists. They make the promo sound like the Harrison has a unique and "high class" sound.

I had to check that with all you Gearslutz. :-)

Anyone else tried this EQ out?

[princeplanet]

Originally Posted by 4damind

What makes the Harrison special? The price and the marketing with Bruce Swedien
Funny to read some comments of users who worked with a real Harrison (eg. on Prosoundweb) about the worst sound of this console...

I could not find much usage for this eq. In most cases I preferred the Neve or the Pultec.

Be careful there grasshopper, don't believe what you read (and take what I say with a grain of salt also), but I owned a Harrison 4032, the older version with the trafo in and out of each channel. Bought it on Butch Vig's recommendation and grew to adore it's sound. The pres are not special, but the way the eq interacts with the filters is a sound you can not get elsewhere (yes I have real Neves). Unbeatable for gtrs bass and drums (maybe not overheads).. Saturated color, a kinda "brown" sound.... There were transformerless subsequent versions which ran on less voltage. Stay away from those as they have severely tainted the rep of the classic Harrison "sound".

Pulled the console apart as the mute/solo logic stopped being reliable but have many channels left to sell if anyone's interested... ( sorry) ...

[Never1]

I've got the harrison in a mix on my electric guitars and it really gave them a full thick tone withOUT that annoying sizzle crap or muddy bottom end. I feel it's a great plug with some great uses. Just another tool for the toolbox. WHere the neves may get edgier and the Pultecs may get more sparkly, the harrison gets thicker.

[Ashermusic]

I think the Harrison will be my new "go to" EQ.

But it is a specific sound that may or may not be to someone's taste.

And princeplanet, Logic's mute/solo is still reliable in LP8 if you understand it and adjust your workflow but it has changed significantly from 7.

[Ashermusic]

Originally Posted by Never1

I've got the harrison in a mix on my electric guitars and it really gave them a full thick tone with that annoying sizzle crap or muddy bottom end. I feel it's a great plug with some great uses. Just another tool for the toolbox. WHere the neves may get edgier and the Pultecs may get more sparkly, the harrison gets thicker.

I am assuming you meant to type "without", not "with", correct?

[phillysoulman]

I happen to love the Harrison plugin.
Ive worked on Harrison desks for many years and imho,it really captures the essence of the 32 series.

[Never1]

Originally Posted by Ashermusic

I am assuming you meant to type "without", not "with", correct?

Correct. I'll edit that. I type faster then I spell check e.

[perx]

wow. lots of interesting feedback.

I´ll end up buying this anyway I guess. Since i suffer from the "I must own all UAD plugs" syndrome. Im a gear slut after all ;-)

But cool to read the feedback so far.. :-)

[Tube World]

For UA to be profitable, they have to get us to keep buying more plug ins that we don't need for our studios. The way they do it is by slightly overcharging for the plug ins, giving a voucher to encourage you to buy another EQ or compressor, and trying to create the big fan fare on "now you can really get great sounds in your studio if you buy this new one". I already have over 10 EQ and 10 compressor plug ins from Waves and UAD. I think I have enough, and I am not buying. Of course UA have other things to check out like chorus effects, de-esser, that may be worth looking into if your DAW does not provide you with some good plug ins for effects. Thankfully Samplitude does, and I have the Waves de-esser and the UAD. They both seem good but the UAD a little cleaner though the Waves has done a better job in some situations.

[Toad]

Originally Posted by buzzjoe

Did a quick test yesterday. In most cases I prefered other EQs (1073, Pultec, Helios) on acoustic guitar and vocals.

Oliver

+1!

[princeplanet]

Originally Posted by Ashermusic

I think the Harrison will be my new "go to" EQ.

But it is a specific sound that may or may not be to someone's taste.

And princeplanet, Logic's mute/solo is still reliable in LP8 if you understand it and adjust your workflow but it has changed significantly from 7.

can't tell if you're having a lend of me here, but in case you're not, I actually meant the solo and mute switching on the actual Harrison console.....

oh, and I can't believe that the UAD plugin could sound anything like the real thing. Neither do the Neve and Helios, SSL, plugs etc . It's a scam kids....

[MiliteStudios]

Originally Posted by princeplanet

can't tell if you're having a lend of me here, but in case you're not, I actually meant the solo and mute switching on the actual Harrison console.....

oh, and I can't believe that the UAD plugin could sound anything like the real thing. Neither do the Neve and Helios, SSL, plugs etc . It's a scam kids....

It's not a scam buddy. The UAD plugs are actually quite impressive and surprisingly close to the original hardware they emulate.

There's a thread on here somewhere where someone did a shootout between an original UA 1176 compressor against the UAD software version. The hardware obviously sounded better, but the UAD was pretty close! Go see for yourself.

[larry b]

Originally Posted by MiliteStudios

It's not a scam buddy. The UAD plugs are actually quite impressive and surprisingly close to the original hardware they emulate.

There's a thread on here somewhere where someone did a shootout between an original UA 1176 compressor against the UAD software version. The hardware obviously sounded better, but the UAD was pretty close! Go see for yourself.

Agreed 100%. While they arent axactly like owning the hardware units, each UAD plug that ive used really does retain some of the unique qualities and sonics of the originals.

[Ashermusic]

Originally Posted by princeplanet

can't tell if you're having a lend of me here, but in case you're not, I actually meant the solo and mute switching on the actual Harrison console.....

oh, and I can't believe that the UAD plugin could sound anything like the real thing. Neither do the Neve and Helios, SSL, plugs etc . It's a scam kids....

If that's what you meant, that is what you should have written. I am not a mind reader.

And the UAD plugs are not scams. While they certainly are not identical to the hardware, they are as close to the real thing as any plug-in is.

If you think that a guy like Bruce Swedien, perhaps the most famous Harrison lover, puts his name and reputation out there to recommend a "scam", then you basically are calling him unethical and a prostitute.

I don't think Bruce would be amused.

[princeplanet]

You guys have not been doing your homework, there's been a few threads recently pretty much PROVING that nearly all software EQ either sounds the same or can be made to sound the same as any other software EQ. Not that I ever needed convincing, I've been saying it all along. It's a scam, sorry. If you don't believe me and can't believe your own ears then, then do a search.

Oh if any one out there actually believes that CLA or Sweiden etc would actually use their signature EQ sims instead of the real McCoys, then
.......

[baikonour]

Originally Posted by princeplanet

You guys have not been doing your homework, there's been a few threads recently pretty much PROVING that nearly all software EQ either sounds the same or can be made to sound the same as any other software EQ. Not that I ever needed convincing, I've been saying it all along. It's a scam, sorry. If you don't believe me and can't believe your own ears then, then do a search.

Oh if any one out there actually believes that CLA or Sweiden etc would actually use their signature EQ sims instead of the real McCoys, then
.......

Instead of reading threads just try by them by yourself...There's not much in common sonically between say a UA1073 and the UA Pultec...Different Q, different freq points, different interactions between the filters...It's the same in the analog domain, EQs are EQs, what make them different is mainly the choice of frequencies and the shape of the Qs...There's no black magic there. Maybe you can aproximate/emulate a UA EQ using a high quality complex digital EQ like the Blue or Red Logarythmix plugs...But for me it demonstrates the power of high end digital EQs more than proving that they are all the same...But why would you spend hours trying to emulate a plug in EQ with an other plug-in EQ instead of say MAKING MUSIC is beyond me.
And by the way I don't give a shit of what CLA or his mum is using....
The UA collection of EQs are great for what they are...Digital EQs with different set of filters based on trusted/useful hardware design. They all have their use.
The Helios has the best high pass filter for bass, the 1073 is just a great all rounder EQ, the Pultec is great for the drum buss and snare etc...I haven't read that in threads on the internet but rather by trying them by myself...I know it's a concept wish is sooo 20th century.

[Never1]

Originally Posted by princeplanet

You guys have not been doing your homework, there's been a few threads recently pretty much PROVING that nearly all software EQ either sounds the same or can be made to sound the same as any other software EQ. Not that I ever needed convincing, I've been saying it all along. It's a scam, sorry. If you don't believe me and can't believe your own ears then, then do a search.

Oh if any one out there actually believes that CLA or Sweiden etc would actually use their signature EQ sims instead of the real McCoys, then
.......

My opinion on this is that yes, you probably can take one digital eq and set it to sound exactly like another one by going through the various filters and notches and tweaking all the parameters until they match.

I feel the point of having all these plugs that model certain characteristics of specific eq behaviours is so that we can get to work and not have to spend hours tweaking a thousand paramaters.

I want to put the Neve plug on and have it sound more or less like a neve strip should.

I want the same from the pultec and the Helios and the Harrison..etc..

To call it a scam is missing the point, and if we follow your logic we would decide that any and all plugins or software for that matter is a scam as they are all trying to sound like their analog counterparts.

[slopeshoulder]

Originally Posted by princeplanet

You guys have not been doing your homework, there's been a few threads recently pretty much PROVING that nearly all software EQ either sounds the same or can be made to sound the same as any other software EQ. Not that I ever needed convincing, I've been saying it all along. It's a scam, sorry. If you don't believe me and can't believe your own ears then, then do a search.

.......

I have twin brothers. They are the same and not the same. Their wives picked one, not the other. I love 'em both, and most of the time they serve the same purpose.
I think real is 5% better.,and 10x more money (for just one instance, with no recall). Life is full of tradeoffs, but hopefully small and conscious trade offs. But I hereby solemnly swear that If I win the $100M lottery, I'll build a world class old skool hardware studio and make it available for free to artists via an application/audition process. Until then: UAD and Waves have changed my life. Scam, my ass. You know, if it were up to audiophiles and Walter Seer, we'd all sit around saying, "I suck" rather than making music. Fight the tyranny. Make the tunes. Thank you UAD.

[perx]

thanks for the feedback about this plugin so far. This is about the HARRISON EQ..

so anyone that wants to post.. please try and stay on topic...........

Thanks again.

[Tube World]

Originally Posted by perx

a question, not a statement. ;-)

I own all the other UAD EQs and Im very happy with what I got. This has got to offer something UNIQUE in comparison to their other EQ´s If im gonna get it.

Unfortunately I cant try it until after new years when I get my new DAW all up and running. So thought I´d ask here if nyone tried it yet and what you think makes it special (or not..)

Thanks in advance!

If you have UAD plug ins, there is a demo periord that you can try out the plug in. What do you think of it?

[Ashermusic]

Originally Posted by princeplanet

You guys have not been doing your homework, there's been a few threads recently pretty much PROVING that nearly all software EQ either sounds the same or can be made to sound the same as any other software EQ. Not that I ever needed convincing, I've been saying it all along. It's a scam, sorry. If you don't believe me and can't believe your own ears then, then do a search.

Oh if any one out there actually believes that CLA or Sweiden etc would actually use their signature EQ sims instead of the real McCoys, then
.......

I don't need to do internet homework as I have been using software EQs for years, so I know that they sound different. The fact that with a lot of work you can make them sound almost the same is irrelevant. If you boost/cut exactly the same frequencies on the different EQs, they sound very different, period.

No one is saying that someone with the money to buy lots of expensive hardware and mix out of the box would choose the plug-ins instead. But for most potential buyers, that is not an option, so these are a decent alternative.

And I will state this simply: If you cannot do a decent mix using this caliber of plug-ins, you simply do not know how to mix.