VCA COMP is part of Softube's ICON bundle, but they are offering it for free until March 31, 2024. VCA COMP is a recreation of the classic dbx 160 compressor with a number of useful updates for tone shaping and workflow. Rather than providing an overview of controls, I thought I would share audio comparisons of three dbx 160 plugins from Softube, Waves, and Universal Audio, as well as a comparison to dbx 560A hardware. All performed well, but each has its own character and potential advantages for your applications. Let me know which one(s) you preferred and where you think they performed best. Cheers, Todd
Hardware in every instance by a long shot. Thank you for providing the comparisons. I thought it might be a bit closer yet as usual there was just no comparison to the depth, balance, and tone of the hardware unit. ✌🤟🤘
I'm grateful for the free Softube VCA and it's good. I liked the hardware DBX. The big surprise for me was feeling the Waves version in a lot of those examples.
Glad you enjoyed the comparison. The VCA COMP performs very well (like most Softube plugins) imo. I don't know if they will extend the free period and I understand they are using it to promote their other plugins, but to get this quality in a compression plugin for free was something I thought worthwhile to have in the toolbox...Cheers!
The only difference seemed to be in the weight of the low end that hw preserves. Nothing that other gear or vsts can't bring back, 9/10 I struggle with too much low end anyway xD. Great video helped me decide on few things, all of them sound like a punchy dox
Great video.. However, the UAD and Waves plugins have no way of messing with the attack, release and output saturation . So, I feel the comparison would've been somewhat "fair" had you put the attack, release and output drive of the Softube VCA compressor on 'normal'..
Thanks! I struggled with exactly that decision. Every time I add VCA COMP to a track, the attack and release come up by default with the settings I used it in the video (I even tried it on several DAWS). To me, "normal" would be the "default" setting, but in the end I decided to go with the way the plugin loads. I must say I do like the flexibility of the Softube version - great tone shaping options imo...Cheers!
VCA COMP is part of Softube's ICON bundle, but they are offering it for free until March 31, 2024.
VCA COMP is a recreation of the classic dbx 160 compressor with a number of useful updates for tone shaping and workflow. Rather than providing an overview of controls, I thought I would share audio comparisons of three dbx 160 plugins from Softube, Waves, and Universal Audio, as well as a comparison to dbx 560A hardware. All performed well, but each has its own character and potential advantages for your applications. Let me know which one(s) you preferred and where you think they performed best. Cheers, Todd
Hardware in every instance by a long shot. Thank you for providing the comparisons. I thought it might be a bit closer yet as usual there was just no comparison to the depth, balance, and tone of the hardware unit. ✌🤟🤘
I'm grateful for the free Softube VCA and it's good. I liked the hardware DBX. The big surprise for me was feeling the Waves version in a lot of those examples.
Glad you enjoyed the comparison. The VCA COMP performs very well (like most Softube plugins) imo. I don't know if they will extend the free period and I understand they are using it to promote their other plugins, but to get this quality in a compression plugin for free was something I thought worthwhile to have in the toolbox...Cheers!
The only difference seemed to be in the weight of the low end that hw preserves. Nothing that other gear or vsts can't bring back, 9/10 I struggle with too much low end anyway xD. Great video helped me decide on few things, all of them sound like a punchy dox
Great video.. However, the UAD and Waves plugins have no way of messing with the attack, release and output saturation . So, I feel the comparison would've been somewhat "fair" had you put the attack, release and output drive of the Softube VCA compressor on 'normal'..
Thanks! I struggled with exactly that decision. Every time I add VCA COMP to a track, the attack and release come up by default with the settings I used it in the video (I even tried it on several DAWS). To me, "normal" would be the "default" setting, but in the end I decided to go with the way the plugin loads. I must say I do like the flexibility of the Softube version - great tone shaping options imo...Cheers!
for me DBX 560A Hardware , all plugin versions sound little harsh
Dare you, throw, Acustica Audio Grey in this shoot out......
Bro..pick something not so busy. Lol