Waves SSL vs. Smart C2...who can pick the outboard?

[Lasse Lammert]

yeah, this is tough.

one is Waves SSL Comp, the other one is Smart C2.
Settings were the same on both compressors, close to 4 dB GR

A

B

who can hear a difference? And who wanna have a guess which one is the C2?

 

[Williamn]

B sounds more open to me.. no idea which is which and I don't dare to guess ha.

 

[crillemannen]

Without doing to much listening i think A Sounds better. A bit warmer and better glued. B sounds flatter to me so im guessing that is Waves.

 

[~BURNY~]

B waves.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Tough one. B sounds just a bit more clinical and less punchy, so I'm gonna B is Waves and A is C2. No preference, though.

 

[El_Gato]

B is more compressed so I'd say B is the plugin cause I always have the impression you have/can to push hardware comps a bit more than plugs, and 4 GR can turn the mix muddier with a plug. A shame I'm listening on a laptop. Still no network @ the studio.

 

[Ermz]

A sounds better to me. It's less 'pokey' and feels rounder and more glued. Hoping that's the hardware.

 

[Charles J]

A = C2
B = Waves

=D

 

[Charles J]

^^^^, Ermz beat me to it! Haha.

 

[Soundlurker]

'B' sounds unnatural and suffocates the vocals.

 

[26]

don't know why, but A = SSL

 

[Wisheraser]

I'm just on headphones over here, but A definitely sounds better. B sounds a bit muddy in comparison.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

I'm impressed!
pretty much all of you got it right, didn't know it was that easy.

 

[TonyS.]

For me A is much much better. B is very muddy, like Wisheraser said. Hope A is the plugin, haha ...but think its the hardware.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

bisserl spät, wa?

 

[Charles J]

i have to admit though, the difference really aren't the huge to me... granted I only listened on computer speakers but it doesn't take $$$$ monitors to hear what a 2BUSS comp is doing to transients when a/b'ing like this.

the trick for me is to listen very closely to what's happening with the SNARE.. that's what i'm always listening for.

and on the topic of 2BUSS comps, I'm demo'ing the Duende Buss Comp and I fucking LOVE ITTTTTTTTTT. Didn't dig it at first because I am so used to the Waves incarnation and The Glue but JESUS they got it RIGHT!!! it's like instant GLUEEEEEE and SHEEEEEEEEEEEN. well, when setup correctly...

 

[TonyS.]

bisserl spät, wa?

Ah wicked, hatte die Seite schon so lange offen und erst späte rgehört, da kam dein Post früher.
Also doch noch Outboardcomp zusammensparen.

 

[Fabrice]

For me the B sound more transparent, i did no say better than A.

 

[C-Martin]

I hope A is the plugin but my guess is it's the hardware... Everything just sounds smoother and more glued together. If this is true then i hate you for inducing me with more GAS to get me one of those lol I've been wanting one for months but i just can't come to spending that much money when i have the waves version and IMO is very usable. Now that i hear them side by side i'm starting to think it might be worth it...


Thanks for doing this btw, your shootouts are always interesting and fun to follow.

 

[Boerboel666]

Drums slightly more separation and umph on B . Bit smoother sound on A . In fact Version B has more separation on all elements and more pop . Version A has better 'glue' I guess , over all smoother . I guess that means A is hardware .... .