There's no hater at least by my side.

I listed a few names of brands that I use daily so I answered before even reading your post.

I did blind tests when after having analyzed and replicate freq/phase/ir/harmonics/dynamics plots I couldn't distinguish Nebula programs from algo counterparts so I know for a fact that we're already in an era where, as it is for now, is simply an inferior technology given the limitations it has even when we're talking about sound quality.

Ever heard a guitar distortion/fuzz in Nebula/Acqua (with their original technology)? It's laughable. They had to develop the new "Terra" technology (Ai/machine learning) to release a guitar pedal suite.

Compression? Only in the recent months/years Nebula managed to do something that wasn't weird, and I could be mistaken but IIRC they don't use simple Volterra Kernel Synthesis but it's an hybrid approach for latest compressors, still comps like Relab 176 do it better in algo land for example.

EQs without noise/saturation: simple convolution do the exact same without the CPU hassles. With a tool like DMG Equilibrium you could recreate virtually any curve/phase plot you can think of in algo. Would you need it? Of course no. Want to have saturation/Eq interactions? Plenty of alternatives just sounding as good.

Replicate the sound of a 5150 or a Mesa dual recto (just to name 2) with simple Nebula Volterra Kernel Synthesis: good luck!

Replicate the intricate interactions that happens with an analog gate: you can't. Where's the gate section in Sand/Pink etc? There's no one, did you ever ask yourself why?

Use whatever you like but please stop calling other people haters and please stop spreading the incorrect information that Nebula can replicate analog hardware in general better than algo/neural/etc... modeling because in many cases this is simply not true at least in these days and with the computational power available at the moment for the majority of people. Hybrid/other approaches inside Nebula/Acqua are not to take in consideration of course, they are simply another technology, a better one in fact!

 

Anyone using Nebula on Apple Silicom? Is it running native or on Rosetta? (can see from the Activity Monitor's "Kind" column).

 

What nebula plugins did you tr/compared exactly ? Out of curiosity !

 

This place is nuts. The original post was 'tell me your favourites'. What's with us now having the great honour bestowed upon us with the 'I'm a little bit triggered' (I'm assuming) professional? audio engineers who just can not bring themselves to accept we know what we are hearing - the fact that Nebula gets us where other things can't. No one asked. AlexB does the SSL gate with mind-blowing precision and TimP some amazing transient control. NAM is in its infancy, unable to replicate compression but very promising. You watch - this post will be quoted and countered with the usual opinion dress as fact rhetoric. Have a 35 year recording and high end audio and studio electronics manufacture / restoration career and get back to me. Oh and also - tell us your favourite Nebula libs.....!

 

Last edited: Feb 25, 2026 at 3:14 PM