My little compressor on drum loop comparison

Discussion in 'Mixing and Mastering' started by No Avenger, Aug 9, 2019.

  1. No Avenger

    No Avenger Moderator Staff Member

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    Every now and then I compare some plugins. Mostly eqs, reverbs and compressors. And mostly I'm doing this just for myself. But this time I thought, why not share it? So, here it is.

    Apart from one, these are all supposed to be analogue emulations.
    Where possible I set the attack to 20ms, release to 100ms and the ratio to 2:1.
    Where this was not possible, I tried to get at least close to these settings.
    I adjusted the gain reduction to ~ 5dB and set them all to the same peak of -1,4dB (+/- 0,1dB).
    This way you can also hear what they are doing to rms level pretty well.


    These are the ones I tested:

    [​IMG]


    01 'untreated' Drum Loop
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1UVeAM0OfxEMg3iQVkR9smWVRRaOl5yJx

    02 Klanghelm MJUC, Mk2
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1mn60BFqDVy38KXC1rzGWNrD1mNmClf01

    03 elysia mpressor
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=19I0xoCFQ-wcgOK3Cy_S_yVDzF9d95zeF

    04 Arturia TUBE-STA
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1IxGOnlVJeaCb4HXg_iS8lBbR1O944_0R

    05 N.I. Supercharger GT x86!
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1vSOlM-BYgZhALXrQKeZCqeF4BY_PSpDD

    06 Black Rooster Blueface SC-5
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1h56jV_AQ1NY0Vlzs5FKdB5LK_DY8hdLl

    07 Voxengo Deft
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ofchC2lwzdrM_gBvqZpgSQi2jd0iyFhL

    08 Arturia VCA-65
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1_htIH04ntTYueUrbx97b8jfcjLVlg3-2

    09 N.I. VC2A
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sY_hLt90xLTIh_95sGRG-MSSU9_wcPJe

    10 Black Rooster VLA-3A
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1wvtuaW7W2AWa6pDKlGTEARBKG6jHvN7S

    11 Softube Tube-Tech CL 1B
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=114lXLYs2UIB5-GwhuvYU9VuOcHtc9ImR

    12 Voxengo Marquis
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1tqfCq6BMRwXbF10v_MuzqZxx--jVXJH8

    13 Black Rooster VLA-2A
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1wK0U1ZYG5svStdMXW78zk6p6WmgD0-Sl

    14 Arturia FET-76
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Yua3KlkTanVPnJHH4WGlWA8uQEleusru

    15 Black Rooster VLA FET
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=13Hcosojw5cX7tg9FtDy7XX4zPGWu5PFu

    16 Analog Obsession YALA
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1bdrUp0XdkZED9qz8P1ajIhYU2r-duE9h

    17 Softube TLA-100A
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=11JATD14BX_i4qrMD8KCAtNk_ZpkVf8nO

    18 elysia alpha
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Cb-MxqYoKB9duUzT4fCyxhYbtjEiFE0g


    The next ones are a bit special in one way or the other:

    19 Reaper Wavesh + ReaComp
    Waveshaper is set to 12%, RMS in ReaComp to 240ms
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1OsjpcGpp-wqntgyoROm4fFb-imEy0d5u

    20 VFX Provoker x86!
    Used to be my go-to rms compressor. The handling is almost as easy as can be. Boost is set to 10/100! At 100/100 the rms is risen by additional 5dB
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1n8CaGnCwgGobDXw_ETCapoFCHnfj1_Bu

    21 N.I. Supercharger x86!
    Punch and Dirt off
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=13AoeMaMCm8KZOQI6i9Hge7nsvN7tfE_n

    22 N.I. Supercharger x86!
    Punch on, Dirt off
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=188NFqLpRKI8E07w07t1YIJz_pQjRBVxk

    23 N.I. Supercharger x86!
    Punch and Dirt on
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=18v1vD0pfrmgv0x5XwClNsmkugch19zfT

    last, not least a very special sound from
    24 Royal Compressor
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1nJ1KFoUZyE7f0LFwW_LHcwozMUPkfWN_

    Finally, here are all the wavs zipped
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1f0la4H1lX9QP2cHaUhwSRMFUpkra_qQl

    Here I sorted the comps by CPU use

    [​IMG]


    I hope all links will work for you.

    If you find inconsistencies or a mistake, just tell and I'll try to fix it.


    EDIT 1:
    [​IMG]


    Interestingly, I can hear a difference between them, although I adjusted the settings as close as I could
    25 Audio Acustica Tan
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1dViyCkJZPFSLxu4PgQmxeW3mxmBeZPPt

    26 Audio Acustica Tan ZL
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1f8zt1jKvowjTrNLk-AWtbjgLNxOUDwBF

    Acustica style of CPU use :winker:
    [​IMG]


    EDIT 2: I just tested Empirical Labs Arousor. With the above mentioned settings it sounds like elysia alpha, same CPU consumption, but no latency.


    EDIT 3:
    I added some more compressors and some All Buttons modes.

    [​IMG]


    Two new ones

    27 Empi Labs Arousor Ratio 2 (compare with elysia alpha)
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1hasryPxptE9LXC45z7wfiWr8lre1FL8K

    28 Audiority LDC-2 with NSL-32 tube, attack 55ms, release 80ms
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=17e8ZXXLDRcII-yZdkRQZKGtWcChZTb6A


    Here are the All Buttons:

    29 Empi Labs Arousor Rivet
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1q92qI-DEx0qnsJU47aHQigmSr6FfGWj5

    You may wonder about the next one. VLA-2A is labelled 'Levelling Amplifier' and VLA-3A is not, but in fact it's the other way around! VLA-3A doesn't alter the sound if you turn Peak Reduction up, but listen to this:
    30 Black Rooster VLA-2A PeakRed90
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1bzAvJLfWRHleiLw6oGGXThtgpG4tvwbz

    31 Arturia FET-76 All Buttons
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1lT-S6ZM09dI2LXePqHCzPnkOczS9AbP7

    32 Black Rooster VLA FET All Buttons (err...)
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1PIae9wLJenGsBcJ5fO9n0G7hKUhWk4EN


    Last not least again a new one
    33 Airwindows Compresaturator Drive 4dB
    https://drive.google.com/open?id=1HqouXtkLnWQpVFxXRZdc7wecJ3SI4xKT


    And here's the CPU consumption
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2019
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  3. digitaldragon

    digitaldragon Audiosexual

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    This is awesome! Nice work!

    If you wanted to include one of the Acustica compressors as a comparison, TAN is free from them. I think it's one of the early old cores (engine), so don't really know how it stacks up to the newer Core 14 compressors.
     
  4. SceleJohn

    SceleJohn Producer

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    I'm not an expert, but I love how "in your face" N.I. supercharger GT sounds. In my opinion the Arturia FET-76 sounds the best, it sounds as if there's more "weight" on the snare.
     
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  5. No Avenger

    No Avenger Moderator Staff Member

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    I tried and skipped it, due to most heavy CPU consumption, but...
     
  6. Xupito

    Xupito Audiosexual

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    You forgot the analog-warmth-8D-colosaturation-mojo score :rofl:

    Nice work man :wink:
     
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  7. No Avenger

    No Avenger Moderator Staff Member

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    Absolutely right, but I didn't find the effin menue in Reaper. [​IMG]
     
  8. Xupito

    Xupito Audiosexual

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    Oh, you should have said that before. Reaper doesn't have that because it's the only that doesn't try to BShit the user :rofl:

    Damn, again I couldn't help it... ++OT
     
  9. No Avenger

    No Avenger Moderator Staff Member

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    Reported. :hahaha:
     
  10. lcp

    lcp Noisemaker

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    this is why i dont understand using compressors. they either sound the same or they sound worse.
     
  11. The Pirate

    The Pirate Audiosexual

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    @No Avenger Thanks for the effort you put into this comparison as well as for sharing it. Great reference material. I am curious as to what are the specs of the CPU handling those plugins. Those Acustica plugins are CPU killers.
     
  12. No Avenger

    No Avenger Moderator Staff Member

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    If I got your question right, it's already answered. In the second pic in the thread and second pic in the second spoiler it's sorted by CPU use. :unsure:
     
  13. SceleJohn

    SceleJohn Producer

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    I think he's asking what CPU you're using
     
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  14. The Pirate

    The Pirate Audiosexual

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    :like:
     
  15. No Avenger

    No Avenger Moderator Staff Member

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    :facepalm: My bad (English), now that you mention it...

    I already wondered if those of his avatar are his real eyes. :winker:

    i5-3470 3,2GHz
     
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  16. mild pump milk

    mild pump milk Russian Milk Drunkard

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    Nice test of:
    VCA vs FET vs Opto vs Tube vs Stability vs Performance vs PDC...)

    Why not to make test of Sound of EQs using spectrum analysers and ears vs Sound of EQs without analysers but using ears vs EQuing by using analysers without listening the sound vs AI machine learning EQ vs LANDR?)
    And mark which version of these Bob Ludwig vs Bob Ohlsson like more vs like less (in blind test, of course)

    Joke, but thanks, useful)
     
    Last edited: Aug 9, 2019
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  17. tzzsmk

    tzzsmk Audiosexual

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    very cool comparison!
    I wonder if those all plugins have same lookahead and phase setting (which does affect PDC), and oversampling (affects cpu noticeably)?
     
  18. Tob

    Tob Platinum Record

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    Well, a blind listening test showed me, I have a preference for black cock. I mean rooster.
     
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  19. Xupito

    Xupito Audiosexual

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    That would be the analog-warmth-8D-colosaturation-mojo score :rofl:

    Don't even think of it!!! Or I'll skin flat your fluffy hair until you look like a (fat) lamb... :dont::hahaha:
     
  20. No Avenger

    No Avenger Moderator Staff Member

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    ReaComp is the only one which comes with adjustable lookahead and oversampling, which I didn't use, ofc. Apart from the fact that it's oversampling has no effect...

    With the other comps I didn't find these parameters.

    But I just made some phase measurements with plugindoctor and found some interesting results.
    Some are completely flat, some alter it a bit, mainly below 50Hz and some screw it up completely like all three Arturias and the Royal Compressor.
    The Softubes Summit and Tube-Tech twist the phase at ~ >15kHz.
    EDIT: sorry, I made a mistake, it's above 15kHz, not below.

    Good question.
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2019
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  21. No Avenger

    No Avenger Moderator Staff Member

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    Ok, in this case I've to shoot Oly before he can react to the report. Back in 10...
     
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