UPDATE
You can download the audios of this test on the original format (48 kbps/24 bits) here (28 Mb .zip file). Decrypyion key: LKFGjEyKps7cfwQDggvdxh1i1setWO27M_B2VBux21g

Original drums:


Sample One:


Sample Two:


Sample Three:


Sample Four:


Recent discussions on the forum have dealt with the comparison among plugin developers. So instead of giving one more opinion, I have tried to yield some facts. I have put the following four 1176 compressor emulations side by side:

UAD 1176 rev. AE
Waves CLA-76
Bomb Factory BF76, and
Slate Digital FG-116 (from their VMR)

The sample is a drum groove taken from Steven Slate Drums 4. And the signal chain is as follows:

(1) SSD4
(2) Hornet's VU meter set at -18
(3) the compressor of choice, and
(4) another Instance of Hornet's VU meter to try to ensure consistent output among compressors

All four compressors were tweaked to the same settings:

(1) Input Gain up until the meter reads from -3 to -5 reduction
(2) Output Gain matching the source sample
(3) Ratio of 4:1
(4) Attack full counterclockwise (slowest)
(5) Release full clockwise (fastest)

The idea was to let the compressors impart their character and tone without mushing the original signal too much. I tried to match levels, keeping most of the audio at -3 on the output VU meter with peaks that varied among the compressors from 0 to +2.

Enough chit chat, listen out and vote away. In a couple of days I'll tell you which is which.


Peace to you all.

 

Last edited: Apr 29, 2016

Great show! Looking forward to the revelations....
(tough call, they sound very close, if not the same, but I made a decision after playing the samples really-really loud.) You should post the samples as .wav or flac for true comparison.

 

No.1's a bit too punchy for a 4:1 and no. 2 gives the highs too much attention. 3 & 4 are pretty similar, so personally I went with no. 4.

 

Last edited: Apr 28, 2016

I don´t know if it´s the best emulation because I don´t have any 1176, but, comparing the sound files with the original, I also like the best the number 4 , then the number 3, then number 2 and then number 1.

 

Let me say that I guess 1st is Waves imho - to my ear the best. very aggressive and top notch sound for rock/metal
#3 and #4 sound very similar to me but not so aggressive and tight like #1
#2 is good but I hear very subtle compression

 

Last edited: Apr 28, 2016

Number 4 seems perfect so... I chose number 3 (...I love a lil' bit of imperfection)

 

2 is my choice

 

Mm maybe on #4 max release time is a bit slower than on the others. Which fits the material more. I don't think this fully clockwise method of comparison is fair.

 

+ 100 kudo's for mercury Soto for putting in his time! great job man lets wait for the results

 

I went for 4 for the warmer but clear definition
3 miss a bit of clarity in the overheads - 1 & 2 looks roughly the same for me and I found these a bit cold

knowing my monitoring speakers aren't plugged with my web settings, I may be misleading

I suppose the settings are the same for the four emulations ...(?)

 

I'll upload a file somewhere with the complete set of files in 48/24, the original audio file resolution I used. I'm away now, but I'll get to it in a few hours.

Thank you all for your interest.

 

Yup. Exactly the same, but each one reacts differently to the same settings. As I stated before, setting them all the same way is unfair since each emulation is modeled after a different unit, and no two units will sound the same, the beauty of analog. Each plugin's sweet spot is different, but that would have made the test more subjective even.

 

3>4

 

First.

 

if i had to choose... I'd say 1-4.. for sure... and definitely 1,2,3 and 4 are better than none of them.

Now, I'm off to spend time doing something more useful

mmm.. perhaps counting banana chips or playing air guitar..

 

4 to me has a bit more transients than 3. I like 3 and 4, but voted for 4.
1 to me is too much pumping, very roomy and heavy-squashed. 2 is not so bad, but roomy and pumping a bit again, has some not bad punch, but better than 1.
so, 4>3>2>1

Listened on notebook built-in shitty-speakers

 

1- too agressive, doesn't breathe
2 - dont like it
3 - VOTE
4 - great, but too transparent

ps - I'm a video game (orchestral) composer, and don't have a clue about mixing drums

 

4 - great

 

Farce!

 

My fav is definitely 4, compact and still transparent, no mush