Hello lads. I decided to test my SSL plugs after reading some threads here. I went with Waves and T-Racks. So, the mix itself is a simple drumtrack (SDX Metal Foundry, SDX Avatar, 50/50 with shell samples I found on ultimatemetal, MIDI from Mr. Tempesta). All I used on the tracks is Channel Strip (E Series). The mix is slightly boosted & limited, but the settings are the same. 100% ITB. I won't tell you which track is Waves or T-Racks, so tell me your opinion on the sound and guess which plug you are listening to

 

i prefer drum 1 it's darker but more body and sounds warmer and more of an analog sound

 

Doing some processing on vocals would probably be a better more revealing test, especially in the mid-upper to upper frequencies.

You should also add SSL Duende, Native Instruments Solid EQ, Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack, URS S Series EQ, URS S Mix EQ, McDSP Channel G, and the Nebula libraries AlexB Classic Logic eQ (SSL 4000E Brown 02 eq), and AlexB Modern Logic eQ (SSL 9000K) to the test for a comprehensive shootout.

 

What is this? Testament's Low?

 

Second sounds like a completely destroyed garbage. Could be operator's error in matching settings against one another. Wouldn't surprise if first one was clean and just a bate..

 

Last edited: Jan 31, 2016

1

 

Hard to tell since both are very very "thin" mixes. Almost all highs. But since version 2 is super thin, I prefer #1 over #2, whichever plug it is.

 

Yevheniy
I'll add those as soon as I get my hands on 'em. Slate, Duende and NI should be soon

kouros
Exactly

Adrianus Antonius
I can ensure you the settings are multiple times checked and are 100% the same

lexeed
I beefed just kicks, third rack and floors, as I usually do in full mixes. Also the snare will get some beef with pre-delay and some natural & artificial room reverb

 

Last edited: Jan 31, 2016

How much gain reduction both plugins are reporting? Sometimes on different emulations attack times differ, if set to the same time based on GUI, even more so release times.

 

I remember watching the clip on tv in the 90's

 

I'll make another check tomorrow and I will also add more plugs to shootout

 

2 Sounds like Waves SSL to me. I prefer it over 1 because it has more punch and crisper highs. It just feels more lively whereas 1 sounds a bit liveless and muddy to me.

 

Drums #1 not only sounds more beefier in the lows, but also somehow richer in the mids too but darker overall.
#2 sounds thin and mid-scooped but richer in highs with a "open" feeling only if you ignore the lows lack. If you boost some highs on #1 i think it would sound better than #2 as it already does., although with a bit of EQ you can make #2 sound good too.
I think
#1 = T-Racks
#2 = Waves

p.s. i personally don't use neither, tried Waves once but didn't stick to it.

 

depends of the other tracks in the mix.. 1 sounds better.. but maybe 2 sounds better in the mix... who knows..

 

1

 

In 1 beefier, BUT 2 sound's are more Separation and more Resolution

 

I have no idea which is which as I don't use either. That said, B sounds like it needs a long night's sleep while A could probably swim past the breakers and back, hence it must be the Waves plugs from my water reference, while A is really scary bad sounding, scary like a T-Rex coming to eat you for breakfast. I much prefer A but would also like to hear it in context of the full mix to confirm my choice.

 

There's a huge difference if both these plugins are supposed to be on the same settings.
Example 1 is rather flat. as opposed to the low end roll off and narrow boost in the upper mids/highs of plugin example 2.
That said, both products are modeled from two different versions of the same hardware.
They're modeled from whatever hardware each developer had access to at the time.
I don't think that's the reason for the drastic difference but it doesn't help.
I do think the settings are mismatched. Check them again.

As for different models, let me better explain.
I asked an SSL rep in NY, what they thought about the Waves versions when Duende dropped and he said, it isn't as good as Deunde
because of the hardware Waves modeled their plugin from. Duende is the best SSL emulation
because we at SSL, have the very best SSL hardware to emulate from.

 

I guess the trend in preference is clear now. Time to reveal which is which?

 

I prefer 1 and I love that thread, great idea ! No clue which is which though !