Yes, I felt Acustica Audio wins again and for me I always go for the better sound even if it means sacrificing CPU to the point of needing to commit the sounds into the track like you would with hardware it's worth it, the hardware obviously gives that extra 1% extra magic but for the thousands extra you pay for hardware probably not worth it unless you were really after perfection... For me AA just hits that sweet spot and the fact they have very good sales, lifetime updates of any future releases (including their CPU enhanced upgrades which are really sweet) and their cumulative spending program where they send you continual and higher and higher discount vouchers the more you spend, I'm sold on AA everything love them!... Thanks so much for this review it was very good!
Thanks for making this video! I personally not like the sta sound, but in this scenario, I like the Arturia one on bass for its clarity and bottom, but like Acustica one on drums for its weight and vocal for its musical ADSR. But both not suitable on master bus IMO. And I really like what you deal with this vocal with Acustica Smoke, it sounds natural and in your face, though the recording is superb but some lyrics really do need some compression.
Acustica sound is brighter transparent and collected. Perhaps due to the fact that Arturia has more harmonics and cutoff at high frequencies.Thanks for the comparison
To me the Acustica sounds brighter and less controlled, the Arturia seems to do the STA level thing better which is just flat lining the signal without a lot of compression artifacts in a really musical way, adding some really nice harmonic saturation
ACUSTICA sound is like a miniature of a hardware but sounds plastic and the compressor reaction is not accurate... not realistic. ARTURIA is harmonically rich and fuller sound. I LOVE THE SOUND of arturia on vocals.... its natural and free while ACUSTICA IS MORE strenuous sound. losing dynamics...
Sorry arturia is good but acoustica is next to the real hardware unit arturia still sound digital and have that blanket sound that most algo plugins have where as the acoustica sound big open 3d and saturation just like the real machine
I'm curious what the peak levels are. If Acustica peaks higher while giving you the punch you actually lose headroom. Can you show us that? If Arturia sands off the peaks better and hence gives you more headroom for the make-up gain, that would be a more practical approach. Can you show us the difference with same time settings but matching peaks?
Hi actually I have a VU meter on the master that I forgot to put but both I got the signal working at 18dbfs the issue with AA is that you cannot manipulate the output volumen you can go only high and not low so I compensate that using a bit of gain on arturia to gain match both of them. But indeed both plugins react different.
Once again, the Acustica does a good job of capturing the colour - but the Arturia does a better job of capturing the movement of the compressor. Still think thats where the dividing line is. Algos are better at capturing compressor movement. Acustica captures the box tone. This is why I tend to use Its for EQ and preamp, Also for comp.
I tried acustica products so many times but I always get turned off by their super large files and super CPU consumption, wish they could do something about it..
at least they are starting to optimized their plugins for the CPU consumption, about the larger files well there are many off them that are less than 500mb like "El rey" or "Acquamarine" on so on. hopefully in the future they tri to reduce the size of their plugins without compromising their sound.
@@chrisaudio nice for the optimization.. yeah thats what i'm talking about half a Gig just for a plugin.. the whole reaper DAW very powerful is just 12MB ;D
@@nersonangelo I got your point but remember that Acustica audio is base in pure impulse response while majority of other plugins are base on Mathematic algorithym and that is the reason why some of Acustica Audio plugins outstanded another brands of plugins by public opinion not mine.
@@chrisaudio Yeah if you are very much into the world of analog and immulations like I was very much before.. Either way they produce results in the the end really tools.. not bad or good just different, like this thing needs coloration and this thing I want very transparent..
The Difference is Night and Day....Autiria is OK....but....AA kills it...Kush Audio AR1 and PA Neod U17 only 2 that come close and Smoke still sounds better....LOL
the point is you can 100% match the GR meter if they where the same but in this case is not the case. because even they supposed to emulate the same hardware but both of them take the transients differently + the acustica meters are always a bit weird but I calibrated this with a tone generator and external VU meter to uniti gain but even as I said they on the same settings take the transients different internally and that is something that we cannot change. thanks for the comment and let me know which did you like more at the end.
I had no way of telling which one was playing while testing so not sure which plugin the music was playing through! If you indicated which was which would be able to make a comparison but I hear the differences But I had no way of knowing which one was playing at which point so if you stated which one was playing either times I could have made a comparison but you just played them without saying This is the Arturia & this is the Acustica! Or even give a visual representation of what was playing at each point so not sure how everyone was able to tell which was which! So they could’ve actually preferred the other but are just going the brand names they personally prefer rocking with because I wasn’t sure which was playing! ♾️⚖️🪶⚖️♾️
Yes, I felt Acustica Audio wins again and for me I always go for the better sound even if it means sacrificing CPU to the point of needing to commit the sounds into the track like you would with hardware it's worth it, the hardware obviously gives that extra 1% extra magic but for the thousands extra you pay for hardware probably not worth it unless you were really after perfection... For me AA just hits that sweet spot and the fact they have very good sales, lifetime updates of any future releases (including their CPU enhanced upgrades which are really sweet) and their cumulative spending program where they send you continual and higher and higher discount vouchers the more you spend, I'm sold on AA everything love them!... Thanks so much for this review it was very good!
There is also a TImP STA-Level out there which is also worth of attention!
you are talking about the Vary level?
@@chrisaudio yes i think thats it. TimP has some good Nebula libraries.
Thanks for making this video! I personally not like the sta sound, but in this scenario, I like the Arturia one on bass for its clarity and bottom, but like Acustica one on drums for its weight and vocal for its musical ADSR. But both not suitable on master bus IMO. And I really like what you deal with this vocal with Acustica Smoke, it sounds natural and in your face, though the recording is superb but some lyrics really do need some compression.
Acustica sound is brighter transparent and collected. Perhaps due to the fact that Arturia has more harmonics and cutoff at high frequencies.Thanks for the comparison
To me the Acustica sounds brighter and less controlled, the Arturia seems to do the STA level thing better which is just flat lining the signal without a lot of compression artifacts in a really musical way, adding some really nice harmonic saturation
Thanks for your review, really helped me decide on this unit!
which one did you like more at the end?
@@chrisaudio the acustica, it’s the most pleasing to my ear! And, I’ll be honest, I like how smoke looks too :)
ACUSTICA sound is like a miniature of a hardware but sounds plastic and the compressor reaction is not accurate... not realistic. ARTURIA is harmonically rich and fuller sound. I LOVE THE SOUND of arturia on vocals.... its natural and free while ACUSTICA IS MORE strenuous sound. losing dynamics...
Just bought the Comp, its like having a physical, Manley, right in your DAW
I've got both--or had both. Acustica has replaced most of my plugins.
Sorry arturia is good but acoustica is next to the real hardware unit arturia still sound digital and have that blanket sound that most algo plugins have where as the acoustica sound big open 3d and saturation just like the real machine
Yes indeed Smoke sounds awesome I'm agree it sounds more 3D and I love more the sound over Arturia, hopefully someday AA Will get more CPU Friendly.
AA smokes them all 😂
Very good test, bruh.
Thank you.
I'm curious what the peak levels are. If Acustica peaks higher while giving you the punch you actually lose headroom. Can you show us that? If Arturia sands off the peaks better and hence gives you more headroom for the make-up gain, that would be a more practical approach. Can you show us the difference with same time settings but matching peaks?
Hi actually I have a VU meter on the master that I forgot to put but both I got the signal working at 18dbfs the issue with AA is that you cannot manipulate the output volumen you can go only high and not low so I compensate that using a bit of gain on arturia to gain match both of them. But indeed both plugins react different.
Once again, the Acustica does a good job of capturing the colour - but the Arturia does a better job of capturing the movement of the compressor.
Still think thats where the dividing line is. Algos are better at capturing compressor movement. Acustica captures the box tone.
This is why I tend to use Its for EQ and preamp, Also for comp.
I tried acustica products so many times but I always get turned off by their super large files and super CPU consumption, wish they could do something about it..
at least they are starting to optimized their plugins for the CPU consumption, about the larger files well there are many off them that are less than 500mb like "El rey" or "Acquamarine" on so on. hopefully in the future they tri to reduce the size of their plugins without compromising their sound.
@@chrisaudio nice for the optimization.. yeah thats what i'm talking about half a Gig just for a plugin.. the whole reaper DAW very powerful is just 12MB ;D
@@nersonangelo I got your point but remember that Acustica audio is base in pure impulse response while majority of other plugins are base on Mathematic algorithym and that is the reason why some of Acustica Audio plugins outstanded another brands of plugins by public opinion not mine.
@@chrisaudio Yeah if you are very much into the world of analog and immulations like I was very much before.. Either way they produce results in the the end really tools.. not bad or good just different, like this thing needs coloration and this thing I want very transparent..
@@nersonangelo I agree with you. to be honest I only guide myself if it sound good I do not care if is a stuck plugin to be honest.
The Difference is Night and Day....Autiria is OK....but....AA kills it...Kush Audio AR1 and PA Neod U17 only 2 that come close and Smoke still sounds better....LOL
😎👍🏻🙌🏻
Hey JC 🥳🥳🥳
Level matched but not GR matched 🤔
the point is you can 100% match the GR meter if they where the same but in this case is not the case. because even they supposed to emulate the same hardware but both of them take the transients differently + the acustica meters are always a bit weird but I calibrated this with a tone generator and external VU meter to uniti gain but even as I said they on the same settings take the transients different internally and that is something that we cannot change.
thanks for the comment and let me know which did you like more at the end.
Acustica smoke is way better. So much nicer to listen to.
The „Lit Boccle“ ?! 😅
Did I miss anything?😂
No- don’t worry- it’s a really nice comparison! Just at 06.21 we move on to the „Lit Boccle“ instead of the Lead Vocal 😅👌
I had no way of telling which one was playing while testing so not sure which plugin the music was playing through!
If you indicated which was which would be able to make a comparison but I hear the differences
But I had no way of knowing which one was playing at which point so if you stated which one was playing either times
I could have made a comparison but you just played them without saying This is the Arturia & this is the Acustica!
Or even give a visual representation of what was playing at each point so not sure how everyone was able to tell which was which!
So they could’ve actually preferred the other but are just going the brand names they personally prefer rocking with because I wasn’t sure which was playing!
♾️⚖️🪶⚖️♾️
Match setting with plugin dr, not knobs