PLUGIN OR HARDWARE - SOUND TEST | Maselec ML3 vs. Acustica Ivory Multiband Compressors
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- Опубліковано 4 вер 2024
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Now a few people have commented with there thoughts...here’s mine
“Pretty close but I like the low end of the hardware the most, it has tight sharp transients and is less cloudy than the plugin”
I was looking for the right word for the plugin and "cloudy" is exactly right...a bit muddy too in the mids
I agree 👍
Also the reverb sounds more natural on the hardware. A better sense of space especially in the top end.
The hardware seems more upfront to me, low end is much rounder and larger in general, sound stage immediately seems more open, the reverb on the snare hit is much more defined and doesn't dissipate as rapidly.
I'd like to make two notes, one in my experience the acoustica audio settings don't necessarily match hardware. For example on their EQP model, the 60hz cut actually ends up boosting before it's cutting oddly enough. You need to use something like plugin doctor to really see what's happening IMHO, because their knobs aren't 100% reliable to what you may expect.
Secondly, I'm curious if you still ran the Acoustica variant through your Lavry chain, as I'm wondering how much of an impact the Lavry sonic fingerprint has on the end product if it was rendered in the box only.
Streaky, what’s your favorite software multi band compressor? (And thanks for so many helpful videos) (and thanks for my new MLA-3)
Crazy how good the acustica plugins are 😨🔥🔥
If you keep focusing on the snare, you can really hear the analogue warmth/depth that the Maselec has compared to the Acustica.
It's questionable if that difference is worth 3k-5k. acustica does really really good work
Totally agree. The Snr opens up beautifully on the hardware and there seems to be more separation. If its worth 3-5k is a totally different question but on my system there is quite a big difference between the two. Yeah maybe a blind test would have been good but im not usually a hardware biased guy.
Yep , in fact the music that you make 99% listeners don’t know who’s analog who is software. Acoustica nailed it.
the average listener don't listen the entire song, he just keep focusing on the snare
True!
Should've done this as a blind test, then seen how convinced people in the comments were about the hardware!
Zackly!
Even a "deaf test" could justify hardware's superiority on this example. Sorry.
@@Cydelixization Don't be sorry. Impossible to prove. Have a great day.
If I was streaky I would have flipped the tracks just to have fun on listeners. But it sounds better the one labeled as hardware to my ears.
The Acoustica is noticeably warmer.
In a blind test I think most would think it is the hardware.
Certainly close, but to me the Maselec clearly had more extended low end and spatial detail. Listen to the bassline and snare in particular. There's also part in the chorus where a panned synth arpeggio plays and the spatial detailing really shines a bit more on the MLA-3. I suppose some of this could be slight differences in how the settings are interpreted between the units (i.e., maybe it's possible to get the same results heard here on the MLA3 with the Ivory), but just from a few critical listens MLA-3 does it best for me here.
Ivory is actually MLA -4. I still think you should've done a loopback with Ivory through your Lavy converters. I'm sure the converters have a certain sound a really good converters usually have a better stereo image. I know Acustica uses Mytek converters which aren't as good as the Quint
As i may know AA using Prism Lyra for loopback in their emu
Both are good, but the low mids on the Maselec sounds more fulfilling, honestly I’ve had similar experiences comparing plugins to analog hardware, and it’s always in that same area.
Was the pre activated on ivory4? Because when it’s on it makes quite a difference
Great comparison. Sounds a so close!...may sound as close as two hardware Maselecs would be from each other. The main difference to my ear is in the lower mids/upper bass. The Acustica is a tad more 'bloomy' and forward compared to the Maselec. It may simply be an issue with the settings being inexact, which is certainly to be expected. What a joy to be in an era where the differences between top outboard gear and plugins need to be examined under a sonic microscope!
I actually tended to prefer the plugin oddly enough. The hardware did feel a tad wider, but the highs on the plugin though were smoother and more natural, in my opinion.
I had kind of the same experience, the plugin sounded to me a bit more detailed in the highs and lows, but the hardware sounded better in the midrange around the snare.
Agreed but I'm listening on my Samsung phone.
The maselec is cleaner and overall produces a tighter sound in the bass. However, they sound almost identical. I wonder if the diference I hear is biased for what I see. Thanks for the demo
Huge reduction of stereo field with AA! I'm an AA fan, don't get me wrong! I love how their plugins sound and I don't care how close to the hardware they simulate they are, since no one gives a s**t! Ahah! Actually, if we really wanted to test, we should compare to the unit sampled for making this plugin. that would have sense. But again, it would be just for fun! These are all tools, wether they're analog or digital. And a tools is meant to making u fix something in the way you think you want to fix it! that's it! Thats audio engineering! No secret analog sauce! Love ur vids btw @streaky!
Listening on Audeze LCD-X through a Merging Anubis, the hardware is punchier in the low end, but I actually prefer the plugin on this particular track. I might feel differently about a different track. There is no best, there is only the right one for the job. I use the Ivory4 EQ and compressor plugin a lot. Not the multiband compressor though, just the stereo version (they have a stereo compressor in the pack as I am sure you know). The Ivory4 compressor has such a lovely warmth to the low end. Thanks for the video as always brother. Stay safe.
MLA-3 sounds more like a "Record"
exactly
exactly what I was gonna comment. that doesn't always happen, that piece of gear sounds like a record but here it jumps out here.
I’ve got the Ivory and It’s impressive. There are some differences but IMO due to the analog gainstaging. Probably a couple of these plugins and a very good analog gainstaging are a mastering gamechanger
Yo streak...can you do a review on plugin alliance AMEK 200? But the diff is not a 3k justification in my opinion!!
i prefer the hardware, seems more open and somehow the low end seemed clearer. manage to pick while listening blind.
Ive tried a few times with blind clicking into the repeated chorus around 8 minutes and then letting it play a few choruses and seeing if I can call it. I have so far called it correctly 2 times but this is subtle. Not sure I would be able to keep the correct calls up. One thing I'll note is that I generally prefer A/B tests that cut in and out more randomly throughout the song. I find that switches every 4 or 8 bars are a bit harder to compare for me since my brain kind of resets as each 4 or 8 bar musical passage resolves.
Absolutely! No one does it like this though 🤷♂️
Love this channel
Hardware! the software sounds like the stereo width had been narrowed, details in the highs stood out more too. Check out the Kush preamp range love to hear your opinion streaky
Listening from Genelec 1237A, Maselec sounds a tad more open and less cluttered. Very good emulation though, wow
You can definitely hear more of the low-mids in the Ivory
Oddly enough (listening through UA-cam) the plugin seemed to have more texture and sounded smoother.
The low end in the hardware is life .... subtle but totally appreciable differences ... this is mastering, gentlemen
Love these kind of vlogs 👍🏻
of course the MLA-3 is tight at the low end and sounds a little bit „warm“
lots of people are lying in the comments lol....Both sound great, the plugin is extremely close and I bet no one would have know which was which if the test was blind. Thanks @Streaky
Thanks for this Hardware version is best -> low end is more massive, 3D sound, more focus on all (plugin version = more confused sound, little stereo, (as more mono with phase artefacts) tiny basses). Viva MASSELEC !
Snare feels a little further forward I’m the mix on the hardware. So to me that gives a greater impression of space and a larger micro dynamic range.
Both sound good. But I personally prefer the Maselec. And I can defo only afford the plugin😂
Listening with cheap cans hooked to the interface - during quieter sections the hardware sounds a bit more "open" to me, with a tiny bit more separation and space between the elements; however, during louder sections the results are so close that I can't tell any difference blindfolded.
Next time make a b testing, and release results in next video. People just listen with their eyes)
Both are great! Of course the hardware adds something. It would be great to hear the un-processed signal.
Yes low end is more dynamic Great channel Streaky!
ML3 has to my ears more depth, ‘3D’ quality and more open sounding as well as tighter low end though the Ivory sounds great in comparison. Thanks for this Streaky! 🔥🎉
They both sounded great. I prefer the Hardware because it seemed to be more faithful to the recording. Less boomy in the lows and it revealed the artifacts of all that processing. Like the robot vocal tuning sound and the hissy reverb tails. The plug in might be better at diffusing heavily processed recordings. Where the hardware may be a little bit better at that magical putting you in the room with a string quartet thing.
Man, the Maselec feels so much better. Better separation.. image… the whole thing. Thanks for doing this demo!
Maselec sounds smoother. The Acustica emulation is close but if you had not heard the hardware you'd go for software. The hardware device handles the low frequencies far better and has more depth and 3D spatial. Great comparison test. Thank you.
I closed my eyes and heard it on my phone speakers. Even on my phone, I picked the hardware. There’s some fidelity lost with the plugin, or there’s some fidelity added with the hardware? Can’t say, the hardware is more upfront and ‘open’. What a sound.
Close, but of course the hardware wins in the definiteness of the position in space and in the clarity of the transients. The sound is more pushed forward with the ML3. Also, all the tails are sharper. Thank you!
Amazing sound from the hardware, the snare sounds way better and the depth of the unit is amazing. Thanks for the video!. Cheers from Mexico!
The depth with the hardware is undeniable. Incredible open midrange, plugin is destroying that range.
sounds identical on iPhone lol. On 4-way speaker system the biggest difference is mids (which was difference in hardware/plugin calibration, etc). And how about exact settings, Streaky? Thanks!
I’ve used the Acustica Ivory on every master since I’ve bought it!! The hardware is an amazing design, the low end does sound quite a bit better than the plug-in, would love to try it on some masters
Hey streaky thanks for video. I repeated the video twice. Second time, with eyes closed, i could pick up the harwdware 8 out of 10 times. Harwdware to me sounds better without fooling myself with the "hardware superiority" bias
Thanks you very much for showing us this which I knew you would eventually!
It's tough to focus on comparisons when the mix is great and the composition is sweet already. However, the hardware has a depth to it that is inexplicable
Thanks for the demo , i really like the song as well!!!, please share details about the song too.
STREAKY!!! loving this video. Love the little studio tour!
Yeah no prob I can also use the MLA3. Send it over streaky!
I hope the "PRE" knob in Ivory4 was engaged...
I just purchased the plugin version Ivory 5. I love the air in the midrange to highs on the plugin but in the low frequency's, not bad but it does not have that analogue warm bass and and punch expansion that effects the mids and highs in a smooth overall cohesion of the low mids tonality . That's why when you use a mastering engineer that uses analogue gear they have all the magic and tricks to make your track really shine. The plugin is a steal for the price though.
Love the clear sound of the ML3, not as muddy as the software in the low end and more details primarily in the mids imo.. would love to win this gear - btw really nice song!
I would love to see you hit 50K subs and I would love an old Maselec ML3… for a long time…
I really enjoy your videos, actually learned a lot from them. My experience with plugins that emulate analog gear, is they do add some color, and some nice harmonics, but are never exact replicas of the analog gear. Some even add.... "air" the air noise into a clean digital mix, and that sucks to me. Back in the day we "hated" that noise, and now they bring it back to make it sound like gear? Smh. At the end of the day, it is best to try to get the best digital mix you can get. I mean in today's times you can get great digital mixes, which sound arguably better than analog mixes of the past. All of that is a matter of opinion. I used to get hyped for the next analog emulating plugin, and found them all to be mostly crap. I just use SSL Native plugins now, and they are just copies of the algorithms they put in their digital consoles. So it's the SSL "digital" sound, and to me it sounds perfect. No color, just good filters, great compression, fantastic gating, good clean EQ. They do a have a saturator, but I never use it. You can get a good clean natural punchy sound with digital plugins. There's a lot to be said about Metric Halo's plugins as well. Great clean digital sound, with all the characteristics you would want from an analog console except that of pushing the desk, and getting all that harmonic distortion. I don't think that is needed much for the music I do anyway.
Ive been subbed since 2k I think! It's nice watching small music channels grow!
On my Kii Audio Three there is a difference in the transients. Its small, but its there.
Would I be able to hear this difference on cheap(er) speakers? Maybe.
Would I be able to hear this difference on my phone? Absolutely not.
Would clients be able to hear this difference, or care enough if they did? Most probably not.
Would I prefer an MLA-3 over Ivory? You bet..
Would I prefer recalling sessions with the Ivory over the MLA-3? You bet.
Is the Ivory good enough to keep the clients happy? You bet.
I still want an MLA-3 though because I can hear the difference and I love hardware....and I would still get the Ivory to "store" the MLA-3 presets with each project.
Very super close example, thanks, Plug have more wide on the low end respect the Maselec, I've the same in my studio, and compared several times. This means the Maselec mid midfreq are more pronunciate than the plug. This could be easily fixed using a Ivory eq for cut the Low end in the side after Ivory multi band. :-)
That isn't how they create plugins though is it? Feel free to correct me if i'm wrong but they don't create them by running audio into them like we would using hardware as an insert. Also Acustica make a point of saying they don't create "emulations" like other plugin companies anyway and use a sampling based approach to increase the accuracy.
Good comparison Streaky.
I suppose you use whatever sounds best in any given situation.
👍🏿
What people forget is that your eyes play tricks on you as well, blind tests are better for this, a point I often make is have you ever had a piece of gear or plugin switched off, not realised and changed settings and thought you heard a difference? I'm not saying there is no difference between hardware and plugins but I do think people get influenced by their eyes first and so them the analog version must always sound better, another thing to keep in mind is that even analog units have tolerances and no 2 hardware units would sound the same even side by side , unless you can compare the actual unit this plugin was modelled on, it's hard to say how close it is, I know it gives you a generel idea, and lastly... Do a loopback through conveterters because the conveters themselves can add to the sound as well.
but I feel like these are some things people can keep in mind also
Been happily subscribed for while! The Maselec definitely sounded better here but I've used the Ivory many times and never had it close things off like that. It's always been pretty transparent. Perhaps the Maselec just adds more openness so it would be good to hear the original track
Don't know what the fuss is all about, I've never used any exotic hardware like the ml3, but
the two EQs sounds really good. Of course the Hw is superior but the emulations are coming very close.
The experience of turning one of those knobs is a dream for me, one GREAT day I will acquire one.
Mr Streaky what was the item you and Matt took out from the car?
Great vid as usual sir keep it up. I WILL BE CALLING FOR YOUR MASTERING SERVICES VERY SOON.
I need that Maselec ML3 Streaky. . I will pay any shipping . I use strictly analog gear in my studio and I record to analog tape. I also donate all my mixing to artists who can't afford to record. I can hear the cool vibe and mid control of the ML3. Cheers and fingers crossed.
building my 1st mastering room. i would love to add the mla to my set u
good luck everyone
I like the plugin brings the bottom end out
the plugin is quite surprisingly accurate. i hear more movement in the elements in the hardware version. i can really hear it especially in the pads, they seem to interact with space in a more dynamic way. the difference im noticing is similar to the tip you posted a while back about using dynamic EQ on a master actually, the way it makes the parts kind of dance together. The plugin is fantastic, but it doesnt win. maselec all day long. there's a reaosn why the analog emulation plugins are so popular. this is a dragon we'll be chasing for a long time. Even if the difference is very nuanced, the devil is in the details.
Just started watching your videos. In your mastering room, there's nothing between you and your mains? If so, I love it! Hoping to build a new room some time in the next few years and hoping to get it perfect!
Sweet on the Vinyl cutting. Just for the love would be ace to have a record cut of songs we send in for master . Hope you start offering that
The Maselec wins! but Acustica Audio is very close but never as like analog, Thanks for the video.
Both are great but the most obvious difference to me is in the low mids, the separation and space is just better on the hardware.
they are a bit different, i hear a difference in the high mids and the low end between the 2, thank you for the videos! i watched one of your videos because i got the avantone gauss 7 and yours was one of the only videos online to tell me a bit more about what i had bought :)
Funny how digital plugins had come a long way... they sound the same to my hears! good stuff
The plugin version seems to be more focused, stronger middle perception. Transients on the hardware on kick and snare sound nice.
Listening with nearfields - the two are so similar that I can't reliably tell them apart with eyes closed.
What's the song?? It's rrrrrrrrrreally good! Both comps sound good, I prefer the Acustica oddly enough.
The AA one gets more narrow and smaller sounding compared to the hardware.
The mid-range depth flattens a bit when it hits the plugin. The hardware creates an amazing space in the stereo field. But still, the plugin comes close. Very impressive. Thanks for doing this test. Cheers!
The Transient on kick sounded Nice and meaty on The hardware compared to software. Overall I fellt the mix sounded more gluey with the hardware. 😀
Would sit nicely in my studio rack 😉 great stuff! As usual 🔥
Excellent one, thank you! Can you also compare the Maselec EQ vs the Acustica one? EQing is where Acustica Audio excels at, than in compression. Thanks in advance!
The vocals pop out better with the hardware comp but the reverbs of the intro sound richer with the plugin. Mixing both could definitely add to this (very good) song/mix. Great vid as usual 👍 (and super cool stable door 😁)
I skipped a part of the video just to listen to the comparison first without knowing which one it's the Analog and which is the digital : definitely LOVE the MASELEC MLA-3 now let's watch the whole video to see which one it's each
Low end has loads more texture on the Maselec and the snare is warmer and has a bigger body. High end I prefer on the plugin version though. More open and cleaner sounding.
Crazy close, at tim s find myself liking the plugin , then slapping myself awake, the low-end depth and control of transients edges on the hardware for me. Looking forward for the 50K subs i have all fingers 🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾 for this to makes its way to Cambridge 🤣🤣
I hope you get to 50k soon! I like your videos. I’m just getting into Acustica
Analog for the win!!!!!
For me the snare sounded much more aggressive in a really pleasing way, the stereo image is wider and the mids feel more glued on the hardware the tops were smoother in the software but more air on the hardware. Not exactly miles apart though, unlike the price difference. Would love to get my hands on one but no way I could justify the price tag right now.
OMG. Need that ML3! Sounds excellent! Great track too! That comparison sounded like switching from streaming to Hi-Res 24-Bit 44.1 kHz .wav. Great shootout. Thanks so much Streaky! See you at 50k!✌🏼❤️
The Hardware brings the vocal up closer and the low end is much tighter than the plugin, it also has better separation/not as smeared (listen to the synths). I think, @Streaky you should have put on the "Pre" button, on Acustica plugins it makes a difference to the sound (they say it has some of the hardware harmonics...).
But, damn Acustica did very well with this plugin. I mean, how many reading this have upwards of $5,000 for a mastering compressor/EQ? A few hundreds gets you VERY CLOSE. And their plugins are like "impulse responses" rather than computer modelled, so it's probably as close as it gets.
But I still like hardware :)
There is more of a difference than I thought there would be, plugin is still great though, thanks streaky.
Analog here has a bit more glue. Snare and vocal seem very exposed through the plugin. I prefer the analog sound slightly but I do feel like some air is lost.
Thanks Streaky. I preferred the hardware, the low end was tighter, firmer and less sloppy sounding. Also it had more depth, and better transients. From a frequency spectrum perspective, they sounded very similar. I think it's the dimensional stuff which hardware can add or retain in a mix better than software.
I feel with the hardware bass sounds tighter and a little fuller .. Maybe a slight dB increase? also a little more presence
That Maselec would fit so great in my studio 😍 that’s the only master bus processor I will ever need!
Both sound the same thing to me...an idea: next time try to also compare with the unprocessed signal as well.
if you don't hear the difference listening to this A/B, I highly doubt that what you suggested could help..
@@leoelias77Maybe, but that's not the point....he's comparing an hardware processor to its digital emulation, to hear differences and to determine which one sounds better
Your videos have been a great help to me!!!!! Is it possible to do this again against the Ivory 5 it sound much better than this one!!!!
Acustica Ivory and Leapwing StageOne together would be a closer sound to the Maselec I think.?
This! + an additional pre from another AA plugin which fits the needs of the track and maybe a touch of OEK Spiff in the right spots and we´re there.
I've been using Ivory and StageOne together recently and it sounds great!!
The plugin sounds great, but, when compared to the hardware, the presentation is a tad too "granular" - hard not to notice when performing an A/B comparison with such a killer hardware unit! Please sign me up for the drawing!
More punch on the low end on the Masalec and like someone said in the comments you can really hear the transient emphasis if you pay attention to the snare
AA sounds pretty good but thought the hardware had a little more depth and seemed more open on my Neumann studio monitors. Not a bad job by Acustica though, great sound fro being ITB.
the imaging difference is so huge. The ML3 seems to pull things back a bit without losing clarity. The Ivory don't have that. Could be the settings. Also ML3 rounding the transient nicely, while the plugin a little spiky I'd say.
Find that the Acustica Ivory Multiband Compressors is a little bit more open sounding, but at the same time the drums (esp. the snare) quite a bit less focused in my opinion - great work Streaky - greetz@peace