The Rupert Neve Designs 511 and Shelford is still the pinnacle of his work, the only Preamp that comes close is the 88R but there is just something so special about the work Rupert did in his later years at RND.
@@TheMelodyGod Its a great sounding preamp. All of the 500 series Rupert Neve Designs products are reasonably priced and are a great value for the money. But more importantly they sound just superb. Cheers!
BAE for me. Exactly the same as Neve 1073 but more balanced. I'd say, try the UAD 1084. I think it sounds miles better than their 1073, which is 8+ years old code compared to the 1084, I much prefer it to the 1073.
Yes. It jumped out to me as if it captured the sound of the guitar as I experience it when playing it. I am pretty sure you EQ those tracks to blend into the mix and would likely have to roll some of the bass out in most mixes. Nice comparison.
The test would be more controlled if you had an XLR splitter and tracked all at the same time with one guitar performance. Subtle difference in position and pick angle can make a massive difference in what is recorded. Regardless well worth the effort and it is BAE for me in this comparison.
For me there is no best or worst just different. UA Unison - balanced, smooth, broad Neve 1073lb - rich, sweet, tighter than UA BAE - weightier than Neve but not as "sweet" in the mids Api - forward, clear, open, balanced Art - less weight and sweetness, more neutral 511 - clear, open, similar to Api actually but a little brighter on top Warm - subdued, colored, similar to Neve and BAE but more hazy in the mids
yeah, this is such a great comparison! #1 for me is bae, the bass bloom is really nice, it's a sound that sits well with me. api 512 did well. I really dislike the others compared. Not what I expected. Worst imo is warm and art. although I love the art pro mpa ii if you replace the tubes. The 511 is a little too neutral bright for me on this source. the plugin lacks the bass bloom of the bae very clearly. The warm sounds stuffy and congested and makes me uncomfortable. Fun and helpful! Thanks
Looks like most comments preferred the Bae. It does sound very folksy - the 1073 was a bit too mid range for me on acoustic but if I had to choose one, probably the 511, it seems the brightest. Aside from my preference, I think they honestly all sound great - would just have to eq out some of those low mids in the warm audio and 1073
Id like to hear the warm audo one, retouched with 2 to 4 db the eq on each of high bands please.. Uad and ART lacked transients. I can't tell if the strumming or positioning of the mics changed much here. The neve 1073lb was the cleanest, most opened one.
Wow what a difference! I like the BAE best. Thanks for the video. Maybe an idea to supply the exports as a download so that people can listen in their own DAW. I often do this on my own channel as well.
Universe Audio usually does a really good job but there’s just no warmth to that plug-in. It doesn’t sound bad by any stretch and maybe if you rolled a little bit of the high EQ off it would help but they need to spend some time back in on that one.
The UA Unison 1073 was just fine, with that said I would go for the Rupert Neve then the API then the UA 1073. In the end, they would all work well for a final mix.
Reading the comments and thinking about how hilariously religious people get with audio gear. Some guy can hear nostalgia, other guy hears musicality... :)
1073 LB is so much warmer but it feels musical to me. BAE is nice API well expressed mid range. Rupert Neve is my second fav here. I should learn the sound of acoustic guitar better.
I think the BAE, RND 511 and the UA plugin sounded best. All of them are perfectly worthy to track any source you desire! Splitting hairs really. AWESOME video comparison. Cheers
OG 1073 sounded the best to me. The Neve Designs was maybe my least favorite because of the brightness but I can imagine some people might actually like that
It depends on the ohm the pre needs. Mic difference. It can pretty get a hole different situation with a Neumann u67 m49V Or shure 57. In this situation the neve and bae were a bit different but best. I know from self practice that a 50 ohm ribbon with a Neve portico shine the most but with a shure sm7 it is SO weak it is disgusting.
I love a good comparison like this. It's hard to tell for certain on UA-cam, but most of the hardware felt a bit more present. The API and ART were clearly different. The BAE is really a stand-out. The Neve and Warm hardware were also very close. I rarely use my UA Unison preamps, but the 1973, or so many others come usefully close enough to the hardware. Thanks for doing this!
The gain looked a bit lower than the rest on the UAD. I know plug-ins have a preferred gain level to perform at their best. I wonder if increasing gain a bit more would make it sound more like the hardware. It’s impossible to get an exact sound, but it may sound a bit more present.
That is the difference in impedance, the lower the impedance the more squashed it will look in your DAW so a 1000 ohm mic pre will look a bit more squashed compared to a 3000 or 5000 ohm mic preamp which will have more transient content in it. The average for modern mic preamps is 3000 ohms the Neve, BAE and UAD have 2 settings 300 ohms and 1200 ohms which means they will always look a bit more compressed or squashed in the transients compared to other higher ohm mic preamps. So they are actually volume matched but they don't look like they are. I prefer higher ohm mic preamps since they will be more open and less sluggish sounding compared to older designs like the 1073 which is from the mid 60s. But everybody has different tastes so what works best for you is great. Cheers!
The hardware Neve all the way. The Bae is close but lacks "soul" as all the bae(s). I had one 1073mp so take my opinion a bit higher. All the rest sound bad (except the rn) including the neve plug in
Warm audio is the best of bunch, as one with high end gear and expensive microphones, because I want the warm and profound sound the warm gives, unlike the too bright sound of the other mic pres.
I think too much empha$i$ is put on the color of preamps. For the most part, I like to color the sound later in the recording process. I tend to like clean preamps, and quite frankly I think the Unison beat all the rest in this example. Now, put a vocal on all of them and I might feel differently. But whose vocal? High, low, weak, strong? A colorful preamp will not work on all sources.
People listen to music through $30 little portable Bluetooth speakers or AirPods. They don’t care what you used to record with. They only care about how the song makes them feel. With that being said , you don’t need a lot of money to get started. You don’t need a lot of gear to finish. What you need as an artist is to be inspired by your surroundings in order to make music. That could be a cool picture hanging on the wall or a $1000 preamp. Tube , tape , digital , plugins , hardware or a Tascam cassette recorder. A Casio , a Moog or a free plugin. You can make music off your phone. Doesn’t matter. Just make music. Make sure your bills are paid , the kids are feed and if you got some extra cash then invest in something that inspires you. Whatever that is. There are folks with $100,000 worth of outboard gear that are no more talented than a kid with a laptop and a mxl mic. HAVE FUN!
I cannot think of a single use case where the convenience and objective excellence of the UAD would fall short? if your productions are relying on the subjective differences offered by this variety, i guess you own a really well-reputed analog studio whose marketing budget is covered in gear purchases somewhat..? the 511 sounded the best - it did not sound $400 better, and would sound ‘worse’ (than the UAD) on other sources. get an Apollo. And if you don’t want to get an Apollo, get your head out of your bum and focus on your ideas.
UAD Neve 1073 00:36
Neve 1073LB 01:08
BAE 73 01:30
API 512 01:56
ART 02:21
RND 511 02:43
WA73 03:08
UAD Neve 1073 03:33
Thank you....
Thank you
I just wanted to say thank you so much for taking the time to do this comparison and share it with us!
1073 + 512 = RN 511 body and beautiful hi frequency
the BAE sounds so musical, almost nostalgic.
Thats what I think of the ams neve. It has this unexplainable glue on the high mids. Nothing else sounds like it.
I love the definition with the 511
Thank you so much for this beautiful comparison and for presenting it to us!
For this song the API reminds me the most of what I think I remember the record sounds like
Great comparison! I think I preferred the BAE most.
Simple, the BAE makes the sound feels alive
BAE , 1 , RUPERT NEVE 511, 2 , API 512 , 3,
API gets my vote. Thanks for the comparison! I was surprised the differences were so pronounced.
The Rupert Neve Designs 511 and Shelford is still the pinnacle of his work, the only Preamp that comes close is the 88R but there is just something so special about the work Rupert did in his later years at RND.
I just got the 511 and my production partner bought the Shelford strip. No complaints at all
@@TheMelodyGod Its a great sounding preamp. All of the 500 series Rupert Neve Designs products are reasonably priced and are a great value for the money. But more importantly they sound just superb. Cheers!
Ty for creating this comparison. Just what I was looking for.
BAE for me. Exactly the same as Neve 1073 but more balanced. I'd say, try the UAD 1084. I think it sounds miles better than their 1073, which is 8+ years old code compared to the 1084, I much prefer it to the 1073.
Yes. It jumped out to me as if it captured the sound of the guitar as I experience it when playing it. I am pretty sure you EQ those tracks to blend into the mix and would likely have to roll some of the bass out in most mixes. Nice comparison.
That trim control isn't just a clean output, there's a transformer. Turn the trim up and the input down to get more of it in there, it sounds great.
1073lb and portico Together to the Top... from my ear!! Very useful comparison !! Thank you so much !!
You are absolutely right ! Both RupertNeve are very interresting...1073 on the 6 strings guitar and 511 on 12 strings guitars... What a dream! 💭
The test would be more controlled if you had an XLR splitter and tracked all at the same time with one guitar performance. Subtle difference in position and pick angle can make a massive difference in what is recorded. Regardless well worth the effort and it is BAE for me in this comparison.
Wow, Bae sounds really nice, way better than the rest.
The second one for me at least is the RND 511
Same here
I own both. Bae 1073 is so full and warm with a smooth midrange and 511 is crispy and brighter but still very full
Rnd was nice. It came off as how I would eq. Although a different flavor, another nice one was BAE. I also liked UA.
For me there is no best or worst just different.
UA Unison - balanced, smooth, broad
Neve 1073lb - rich, sweet, tighter than UA
BAE - weightier than Neve but not as "sweet" in the mids
Api - forward, clear, open, balanced
Art - less weight and sweetness, more neutral
511 - clear, open, similar to Api actually but a little brighter on top
Warm - subdued, colored, similar to Neve and BAE but more hazy in the mids
Unfortunately, this is the only comment that has any sense. Just reading delusional people writing some nonsense.
The top end heard on the RND 511 is magical. The 1073LB and BAE73 sounded similar to me, more mid rangy than the RND511.
yeah, this is such a great comparison! #1 for me is bae, the bass bloom is really nice, it's a sound that sits well with me. api 512 did well. I really dislike the others compared. Not what I expected. Worst imo is warm and art. although I love the art pro mpa ii if you replace the tubes. The 511 is a little too neutral bright for me on this source. the plugin lacks the bass bloom of the bae very clearly. The warm sounds stuffy and congested and makes me uncomfortable. Fun and helpful! Thanks
BAE is best but for the price you can't go wrong with the 511. Clear, not harsh or boomy, great balance.
"This pick", lol. Thanks for this, I was actually on the fence over a 511 or a 1073 pre, and now I'm confident I want a pair of 511's.
Looks like most comments preferred the Bae. It does sound very folksy - the 1073 was a bit too mid range for me on acoustic but if I had to choose one, probably the 511, it seems the brightest.
Aside from my preference, I think they honestly all sound great - would just have to eq out some of those low mids in the warm audio and 1073
Id like to hear the warm audo one, retouched with 2 to 4 db the eq on each of high bands please.. Uad and ART lacked transients. I can't tell if the strumming or positioning of the mics changed much here. The neve 1073lb was the cleanest, most opened one.
Wow what a difference! I like the BAE best. Thanks for the video.
Maybe an idea to supply the exports as a download so that people can listen in their own DAW. I often do this on my own channel as well.
The portico was amazing, gotta add a couple of those to my aresenal
Universe Audio usually does a really good job but there’s just no warmth to that plug-in. It doesn’t sound bad by any stretch and maybe if you rolled a little bit of the high EQ off it would help but they need to spend some time back in on that one.
Even the UA plugin sounds better than the WA73.. wow! Loving the Neve and BAE pres!
Would be so curious to hear where the Chameleon Labs 7603 X-Mod fits into this. Cool video, thanks for making!
The UA Unison 1073 was just fine, with that said I would go for the Rupert Neve then the API then the UA 1073. In the end, they would all work well for a final mix.
wow the 1073lb sounds so sweet. It feels really the best by far to my ears, what do you think?
It’s the 511 for me. I have the 511 so I have a bias but my second would be the BAE
Excellent, the ruper wow
Man... the plugin is not bad at all. I would take the API... anyone?
How was this shootout conducted? Was it the same performance split in to different pre amps or was each pre amp a different performance?
The ART Had the best sounding tone but the RND sounded the cleanest
I feel the same, but reading the comments we are the exceptions.
Reading the comments and thinking about how hilariously religious people get with audio gear. Some guy can hear nostalgia, other guy hears musicality... :)
1073 LB is so much warmer but it feels musical to me. BAE is nice API well expressed mid range. Rupert Neve is my second fav here. I should learn the sound of acoustic guitar better.
My trained ears really liked the BAE, however this guitar is so bright that it actually sounded best on the ART, and the Warm really sounded warmer.
I think the BAE, RND 511 and the UA plugin sounded best. All of them are perfectly worthy to track any source you desire! Splitting hairs really. AWESOME video comparison. Cheers
Great video! Thanks!
O BAE, soa incrível !
BAE 73 has good balance and warmth.
OG 1073 sounded the best to me. The Neve Designs was maybe my least favorite because of the brightness but I can imagine some people might actually like that
I think you are right and og 1073's low end different than others 😍
Thanks!
i like the API the best today. bae 2nd, then the neve.
It depends on the ohm the pre needs. Mic difference. It can pretty get a hole different situation with a Neumann u67 m49V Or shure 57.
In this situation the neve and bae were a bit different but best. I know from self practice that a 50 ohm ribbon with a Neve portico shine the most but with a shure sm7 it is SO weak it is disgusting.
Nice vídeo thanks
BAE лучший на гитаре!
I love a good comparison like this. It's hard to tell for certain on UA-cam, but most of the hardware felt a bit more present. The API and ART were clearly different. The BAE is really a stand-out. The Neve and Warm hardware were also very close. I rarely use my UA Unison preamps, but the 1973, or so many others come usefully close enough to the hardware. Thanks for doing this!
Bae just kills it.
The other ones its taste
The gain looked a bit lower than the rest on the UAD. I know plug-ins have a preferred gain level to perform at their best. I wonder if increasing gain a bit more would make it sound more like the hardware. It’s impossible to get an exact sound, but it may sound a bit more present.
That is the difference in impedance, the lower the impedance the more squashed it will look in your DAW so a 1000 ohm mic pre will look a bit more squashed compared to a 3000 or 5000 ohm mic preamp which will have more transient content in it. The average for modern mic preamps is 3000 ohms the Neve, BAE and UAD have 2 settings 300 ohms and 1200 ohms which means they will always look a bit more compressed or squashed in the transients compared to other higher ohm mic preamps. So they are actually volume matched but they don't look like they are. I prefer higher ohm mic preamps since they will be more open and less sluggish sounding compared to older designs like the 1073 which is from the mid 60s. But everybody has different tastes so what works best for you is great. Cheers!
For me UAD 1073, API 512V and the ART. I really like the API 500 Series products but that's just my taste
The hardware Neve all the way. The Bae is close but lacks "soul" as all the bae(s). I had one 1073mp so take my opinion a bit higher. All the rest sound bad (except the rn) including the neve plug in
Neve wins then a tie between API and Bae, Bae sounds more vintage Neve, RND is okay UAD is sadly last but still better than a regular Apollo pre?
The second one; Neve 1073LB. Wasn't even subtle. Would be even more profound when summing 10's of tracks with this device.
I have a warm audio wa73.
I wanna to update my preamp after watching this video
Warm audio is the best of bunch, as one with high end gear and expensive microphones, because I want the warm and profound sound the warm gives, unlike the too bright sound of the other mic pres.
As a songwriter they all sound good. I would just say to someone with a good ear "pick what you think sounds best".
API!
for me 1. BAE 2. API
I think too much empha$i$ is put on the color of preamps. For the most part, I like to color the sound later in the recording process. I tend to like clean preamps, and quite frankly I think the Unison beat all the rest in this example. Now, put a vocal on all of them and I might feel differently. But whose vocal? High, low, weak, strong? A colorful preamp will not work on all sources.
Yo why you change style and you play like beginner when you are on Warm Audio WA73 eq? 😅
He also changed up on the API.
People listen to music through $30 little portable Bluetooth speakers or AirPods. They don’t care what you used to record with. They only care about how the song makes them feel.
With that being said , you don’t need a lot of money to get started. You don’t need a lot of gear to finish. What you need as an artist is to be inspired by your surroundings in order to make music. That could be a cool picture hanging on the wall or a $1000 preamp. Tube , tape , digital , plugins , hardware or a Tascam cassette recorder. A Casio , a Moog or a free plugin. You can make music off your phone. Doesn’t matter. Just make music. Make sure your bills are paid , the kids are feed and if you got some extra cash then invest in something that inspires you. Whatever that is. There are folks with $100,000 worth of outboard gear that are no more talented than a kid with a laptop and a mxl mic. HAVE FUN!
True all that I got tons of gear from 20 years up to now..what really matters is the creativity and positive energy that goes into your performance.😊
To My ears the BAE sounded he best. Just MHOP.
had plugin was horrible ..Bae was king of the hill
Warm WA73 has kind of a boomy low-mid sound..
im shocked but i liked the plug in best. Although its 300 now
Engineers will hear a difference but casual listeners wont. Great comparison!
I cannot think of a single use case where the convenience and objective excellence of the UAD would fall short? if your productions are relying on the subjective differences offered by this variety, i guess you own a really well-reputed analog studio whose marketing budget is covered in gear purchases somewhat..? the 511 sounded the best - it did not sound $400 better, and would sound ‘worse’ (than the UAD) on other sources. get an Apollo. And if you don’t want to get an Apollo, get your head out of your bum and focus on your ideas.