Digidesign Shoot-out: Waves SSL vs Real SSL

[Ermz]

Hey guys,

Ran into this on the gearslutz boards just before: http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?langid=100&navid=49&itemid=25669

Really really cool test. It's more of a Waves vs SSL thing rather than ProTools vs Analogue (since they tried to match the OTB sounds ITB with the Waves bundle).

It stumped me on the hard rock track. I only got 4 out of 7 on the loop test!

Try it and tell us how you go.

 

[ahjteam]

Thank you for participating in our Pro Tools vs. Analog Console Mixing Challenge: SmoothJazzLoop. You answered 7 out of 7 questions correctly, giving you a score of 100%




NOTE: I am using a mono laptop ATM and when the soundsource changed, it was quite clear on the snare which one was which. (I'll give you a hint; It starts with the analog)

 

[lolzgreg]

Anssi, you must have some beastly ears.

 

[Ermz]

You're right. I summed to mono and it's like night and day. Thanks for that tip! I was listening for the overall cohesiveness in stereo, and I have to say that matched it all fairly close. It's amazing how these things can come out more in lower fidelity.

EDIT: Did it again in mono and came up with 7 out of 7. Since Shipley changes his drum sounds depending on the section, it's a little harder to tell on the lower velocity bits, but all round the analogue one pops more and sounds a hair brighter.

Nice catch Anssi.

 

[ahjteam]

Anssi, you must have some beastly ears.

nope, it just sounds really apparent in mono. I failed to do it in stereo when I did this way back when it was new thing a few years ago. Also many mixes on the rate my tone thread frankly sound really awful in mono, thats why mono compatibility is still important. That is why I try to track my guitars in mono first, then spread them out when I have some tolerateable takes. It might not make the guitars sound as huge, but it immidiately shows if there is any phase cancellation because you played "too tight"

 

[Kazrog]

I did this test a month or two ago and got 7/7 on the hard rock track (in stereo on my studio monitors), and considerably lower scores on the other styles. It's interesting how much familiarity with a style affects my perceptions, even though I listen to a wide range of music, I only have mixed metal and hard rock.

It is amazing how close they sound, though. It's proof that the most important thing is what gets captured to tape/disk, rather than what happens in the mix.

 

[Line666]

Well I did the hard rock loop and got them all wrong (which I thought might happen) - which to save me from complete humiliation I must say is a feat in itself. Because statistically, if I was just randomly guessing I would have got at least one right.

But I chose them based on the sound that I preferred, with the assumption that it would be the analogue, and I honestly preferred the sound of the digital emulation each time. I just felt the analogue was more stuffy sounding.

 

[Ermz]

Well at least you were consistent, Owen. Doesn't really matter which you preferred, the point was that you could pick out those desirable qualities each time!

But yes this has shown me, if anything, that using a hybrid set-up with a ton of Waves SSL Channels, and Nebula SSL Programs manning the tracks and busses, I don't even need to consider going to a board.

 

[LeSedna]

I also made a bad guess (30%) because I prefered the sound of the first part which was Waves. I made a few inverted guesses though. I thought the snare had that little thing in its mids that made it sound more "real" in what was finally the waves tracks. Anyway, this plugin is really one of the best I know, I just love it and use it everyday as my go to plug, on every track, and this test confirm my love for it.

 

[Josh M.]

5/7 on Hard Rock Loop. I just listened for what I thought was "warmer" and went with that one as being the console.

 

[scorpio01169]

I got 3/7 and yes you can hear a bit of a difference...but it was hard.

 

[azursky]

So Waves SSL and the x-rack ssl is the same?
How can anyone even say so. I tried both side by side, and they
reacted the same on mall boosts and (naturally) cuts on the same
frequencys, but f.x boosting the bass....the difference was as to
compare a bomb to a fingersnap. Forget it.
Anyway, to Waves owners, good music on plugs still is better than crap
on any gear. But please dont try to say to anyone theyre the same!

 

[MatrixClaw]

So Waves SSL and the x-rack ssl is the same?
How can anyone even say so. I tried both side by side, and they
reacted the same on mall boosts and (naturally) cuts on the same
frequencys, but f.x boosting the bass....the difference was as to
compare a bomb to a fingersnap. Forget it.
Anyway, to Waves owners, good music on plugs still is better than crap
on any gear. But please dont try to say to anyone theyre the same!

Cool, thanks for bumping a 3 year old thread, that none of us can listen to the clips anymore (meaning YOU can't be comparing them objectively), because the link doesn't exist.

 

[hurdy]

My god, there has been a lot of noobs joining this forum lately
"I don't want to live on this planet anymore"

 

[MetalAges]

Well, I commend the person for using search (or probably finding the thread from a search on google) and adding to a topic vs. re-creating...

...but, yes, it kinda went nowhere since he didn't provide any substance to his reply (given the other files are gone).

 

[tempe]

It's actually a real shame the link is dead as I missed this the first time around and would have been really interested to hear it!

 

[pikachu69]

I Agree!

Would loved to have heard these examples.

Would still love to know if you all still feel the same way.

ERMZ

But yes this has shown me, if anything, that using a hybrid set-up with a ton of Waves SSL Channels, and Nebula SSL Programs manning the tracks and busses, I don't even need to consider going to a board.

You have gone to a board now thought eh? Why? if you dont mind me asking.
Is it workflow related?

Just asking as I have never used a 'real' board before.

 

[Ermz]

I don't use a mixing desk. Replace 'Nebula SSL Channels' with 'VCC SSL Channels' and that quote above still holds true.

 

[pikachu69]

I don't use a mixing desk. Replace 'Nebula SSL Channels' with 'VCC SSL Channels' and that quote above still holds true.

Oh, thought I remember reading here you did, oh well even better for ITB.
I have VCC and VTM and am really happy so, thanks for the reply Ermz.

 

[Darren "Jenk" Jenkins]

I record and mix on an SSL console all the time, I also own the Waves SSL bundle. The Waves plug-in is very good but it doesn't compare to the real thing. Anybody that's used an SSL board will know what I mean. The UAD SSL plug-in is the best and closest emulation that I've heard.