Paul Christopher Kozlowski the WA76 is certainly a worthy piece of gear. Some people get into the sound of the 76 based on the saturation effect of the components. I’m a bit more conservative when using compression; liking to use a little at each stage of the recording. Therefore, budget dictated the purchase with the Klark Teknik winning due to cost.
The NEVE really shines with multitimbral sources. It's much smoother, warmer and balanced than the WA73. There's a reason they're on the expensive side but personally, I think well worth the difference in price. Thanks for the demo.
Very interesting, to me the Neve sounds smoother and more balanced across the frequency spectrum and the warm has a more present midrange and harder transients. Interestingly the warm sounds more unprocessed and real where the Neve sounds like its has been processed somewhat. Thanks for the shootout, very insightful.
Personally I thought the Warm Audio sounded more smooth and kind of fatter sounding. The Neve was borderline sibilant sounding and a little shrill. The Neve had better clarity though. Both amps are good though
Nice video! I own a commercial studio, and have a few Neve 1073s and also Warm audio ones. The main thing that makes it noticeable is when you start layering many takes with the preamps. High end gear components have lower distortion (Or 'nice' distortion. That is why it can sound smoother or even lower in volume), so when you layer many takes it still sounds smooth and the sound kind of melts together. That is when you notice the harshness of the low end gear. That said, they all have their uses if you consider the cost. The great thing is: You don't need to use the high end stuff for everything, it depends of how 'important' that specific sound is on the track. So we now have a pair of stereo Neve classics, a pair of Neve DPXs, and 6 Warm audios! We use the Neves (or our APIs) for the main elements of the track, like main and backing vocals, piano, snare, kick, etc. And everything else goes on the Warm audios. Neve stuff sounds great, but it is expensive! As a professional, you need to consider the costs to run the studio.
Wow. Thanks for this no nonsense comparison. Even with youtube compression, you can here the neve is wider and more 3d and full lows and smooth highs. The warm was narrow, a little colder and crisper high end while also feeling like it was missing the low end. The neve almost sounds like it doesn't even need to be eq'd and sound like anything recording through it would sit perfectly in the mix.
Right, and I love warms microphones but this one isn’t as “3d” sounding as the neve. The neve sounds like is has a extra almost transparent layer surrounding the body of the sound. I’m getting the neve.
Omg the Neve just sounds streets ahead of the WA, so much more depth, clarity, vibe, mojo, quality….really? No, I’m just talking shite, they sound almost exactly the same, the differences are so slight as to be laughable. I bet if you used the exact same audio and simply showed a photo of the Neve then one of the WA people would queue up to tell you how much better the Neve sounded. People are full of shit when they say there’s a huge difference
Great comparison, Warren, thanks. The Neve sounded how audio should sound in every example, whilst being smooth and controlled. Some examples sounded virtually identical on the WA73 but in a few examples some strange things were happening in the lows and low mids, almost as if it was adjusting/compressing the mix/EQ (despite the EQ not being engaged I could see). However, it sounded more dynamic in places. I still love my WA73 for acoustics and vocals where low end control isn’t an issue
Nice comparison! Besides sounding warmer, te Neve sounds much more wider. Almost like the WA compressed the stereo image? When I heard the elec piano I almost thought there was a chorus effect turned on during the Neve example.
Freddy, Thanks for watching. I agree, The Neve presented a depth and width on certain frequencies that was absent on the Warm. Good catch! Thanks again for watching
I have to be honest, I was surprised at how different they can sound depending on the source - I thought they would be a lot closer. On some of the sources it sounds like the stereo width collapses on the Warm Audio. Did you hear that too? I don't want to seem like a Warm Audio hater because I like their gear, but the difference is more than I thought I would hear. I think you're correct when you say if you're on a "strict" budget you can't go wrong with the Warm Audio, but if you really want the higher quality you have to go with the Neve.
Roy, you are right about the way the Warm treated the stereo image. I have a theory on why the transients were less responsive on the Warm that I'll be sharing in an upcoming livestream. Hope you will tune in. Thanks for watching✌
They are close but the neve has that classic sound like the back music to a very nice cafe. The warm audio pops out from its surroundings and the neve settles in. Always in comparison, both units turn out to bot have a place in making a track. I think that the Neve would be a better buy when choosing one or the other. The EQ isn't that important of an add if you consider the sound. It's made me think towards a Neve 500 unit over the warm audio unit as I'm thinking of just two preamps for my input stage to production and I think I will have more uses because of the sound with the Neve. It's like adding a sure sound to a source, where the warm audio is very lively and would be good for weaker sounds. The only way I can describe it as what is jumping out to me is the Neve sounds like a finished movie, where the warm audio is like a live band. Both are good, but in the final choice, the Neve gets it as that bread and butter winner.
Hey man thanks for watching and subscribing. The BAE 73 is a good option that’s popular with guitar players. I figured if you’re going to spend that much then you might as well get an AMS Neve 1073. The good thing is with Sweetwater you have 30 days to return ✌🏾
Not sure if the proverbial neve girth would be matched that way. I'm finding that the overall design and the Neve proprietary Marinair transformers amplify and distort a lot more differently than the Carnhill St. Ives transformers. Thanks for watching✌🏾
The actual Neve has a bit more clarity to my ears whereas the Warm is a hair muddier in the midrange. But definitely a similar character. I applaud you for using sound clips that display a wide frequency range of bass/treble so that we can really tell the difference! Actually liked the midrange push of the warm a bit more for the "electric guitar" keyboard emulation haha.
Nice a b comparison, probably one of the best I've seen Bravo. I think the Neve preamp was better on most of the sources. I found the warm audio preamp was at least as good as the Neve about half the time and better in a few instances. I just picked up a wa73 yesterday it's not Neve but I'm still happy to have it.
Surprisingly I preferred the Warm for bass and drums. Although the Neve sounded smoother and fuller on its own, in a full mix the Warm with its harder transients and added presence might help those instruments cut through a bit better in a busy mix. The Neve definitely has that processed sound and colour which sounded great on everything else. Especially on the flutes and strings which added a really nice harmonic saturation and made those instruments sound way less harsh.
I have two of Warm and they are pretty cool, especially the eq; however, the neves in this video sound definitely fuller and warmer than the warm audio. Excellent video thanks 🙏
Cami, My brother! thank for watching. No doubt the Warms are still killn'. I have a theory on why the Neve's treated the transients a bit better on certain instruments. I'll be sharing that in an upcoming livestream. Be sure to check back. Thanks again for watching
The stereo spectrum sounds way better with the warm. The neve has better low end but couldn’t that just be adjusted with the eq on the warm preamp? Or if you had the no eq version have a couple wa eqp’s in the insert , that would be fantastic
Listen to the synth @ 4:33 The difference between the two is pretty stark. Is that possibly because the player played the parts that much different? It doesn't sound that way to me. There was some depth the Neve captured that the Warm missed. That would be your thousand dollar difference by the time you buy a lunch box to power the Neve. Don't forget apples to apples the Warm unit that is the direct competitor to the Neve 1073 LB is the WA 73, no eq section although my guess is the op bypassed it on the pre and that is only $599 at VK. The thing is isn't that depth the whole point of a 1073?
Hi guys. I have just purchased a Neve 1073 3Lb preamp. And the manual says it was designed to work with the API Lunchbox. But the smallest API now is 6 slots which I dont need. So my question is this : Will the Neve 1073 3Lb work with a BAE 3Lb 3 Channel 500 series rack ? Or do I HAVE to buy the API 6 slot ?
I prefer the 1073 whenever available. Any test tone oscillator will allow you to calibrate your preamp. The 610 is a great classic preamp that has its place also among guitarists and bassist in certain genres. Thanks for watching ✌🏾
@@WarrenHenry so when I use the oscillator to calibrate the 1073 @ -18 with the red knob end -20 and the trim at 0 , I get a really quite signal , do I that point bring the trim up ?
Wow, not much between them overall (I did like the Neve on certain instruments though). No shame in owning the WAs if you're on a budget (like me). Hats off Sir, I appreciate your choice of audio samples...and congrats on the new studio space! ps. Hope you're not ditching the old outro ;)
Hey Thanks for watching. You are so right in you statement. The WA73's are definite a great bang for your buck. Not ditching the outro. Just a bit short on time. Thanks for watching, Thanks for stopping by, Thanks for checking in, Please subscribe (if you haven't already) and don't forget to say hello to the family for me. 😉✌
WELL DONE BRO! You know your stuff. i also like that you state that these preamps are just a "TOOL"... they are not "THE RULE". I'll be watching more of your channel. Good video!!
Love these thoughtful comparisons coming from a real PRO. I've been wanting to upgrade my preamp (primarily used for Vocals) and have been interested in the Warm Audio--sounds great to my ears. Curious though: I've notice you have the Focusrite ISA One in the background which I've also been curious about. When might you choose one over the other for a vocalist in the studio?
Jeremy, Thanks for watching, When comparing the ISA to the Warm you are essentially comparing a Lundhal transformer to a Carnhill. The (Focusrite ISA) Lundhal has a more transparent sound that I find works well on Pop vocals and acoustic instruments. In contrast, the Carnhill (WARM Audio) has a bit more color and a certain width in the mids that works better with R&B vocals, Electric Bass, Electric Guitars and Keyboards. You really can't go wrong with either though. ✌
@@WarrenHenry if you could only have one mic preamp which one would you go for, for recording pop rock music? Trying to decide what to go for my first one, thanks.
I wish I bought those focusrite 500 pres, now discontinued, how u like them? Anyway does 500 neve suffer from any headroom issues due to the limitations of 500? Or theyre fine
Hi thanks for watching. The Focusrite reds are great. I really love their character. The Neve preamps don’t suffer any issues at all. They’re great as well
Seems to me the Neve definitely does excel on the low end; however, the Warm are quite close and in some cases like the pads and strings, it did favor the open end of the WA73s. I guess it comes down to uses, taste and budget.
Warm seems to be sonically close in some of your examples there were virtually no differences in some the Warm is less tight than the Nevé but bang for the buck on budget, the Warm works fine.
No doubt brother. I am working on getting a WA73 and WA87 combo. I’m doing an entire studio overhaul. Everything you buy as an engineer doesn’t have to drain your pockets. Some dream pieces would so, for now they are dream pieces of gear.
So I opened the audio in logic. Something isn't right. The Neve is significantly more saturated sounding than the warm. Like it's not even close. Every test i've heard, the warm was at least in the same ball park. When I look at the wave forms, the peaks are more tamed on the Neve than the Warm. How did you go about routing the audio to your warm audio units? Was it via the wa73 mic input or the DI?
WA73 for my taste : more present and dynamic to my hears. Neve was butter silky nevertheless and is a great preamp too. At this level, I think it's a matter of taste and i try to stay away form psycho effect of brand name and price
Great comparison, really happy that you used many different instruments for this, in the end Neve has a bit more life to it and has a solid bottom-end but the EQs on the Warm could also be useful. If it was purely for tracking I'd go with Neve and do EQ ITB with something like Pultec by UAD (Which are better than the pultec hardware by the way)
Can’t say better then the hardware I’m running the APOGEE SYMPHONY with the officially license Pultec EQ software and it sounds very good but the actual hardware brings a fuller response UAD does make a version of Pultec but it’s UAs version of what it sounds like Apogee as far as I know are the only company the Pultec officially sponsors and made for that company.
I have a few Warm Audio units, WA-2A, a EQP-WA and a WA-47. The NEVE 1073 sounded better to me, it made the instruments more musical. The transients are leveled and sustained, the attack is a little compressed. For instances, the drums sounds almost acoustic on the NEVE but it sounds like average quality sampled drums on the WA73: miles apart. No question, I prefer the sound of NEVE, but with a little work on the mix it can get there. NEVE = Less work on mixing. Oh sh.... , I'm getting a NEVE, there goes the holliday money....
Hats down by a 1000 miles on the Neve! The WAudio sounds good but processed, lacking the bottom mid range complexity by far. Good for a leading track but pale in comparizon in my opinion as an all rounder like the Neve's complexity of tones.
Miguel, the BAE's are great handmade preamps. I find that a lot of guitarist love them. If you can't find a Neve 1073 most people will request these as alternates. Thanks for watching.✌
In most application I hear a big difference in sound. As said in some application they sound very similar. This is not me saying one better than the other, as usual having them both would the the ideal world. I just noticed that I can hear quite a difference often.
Warren Henry welcome! That’s interesting..so you sent back the HA73 but kept the Warm? I’m deciding between the two currently, HA73eq verse Warm73eq..I want a warmer less bright sound , but still clear balanced and big ..early 2000s late 90s style of hip hop
@@Tim_ArtistName_Tallent I use the Wa-47 an Wa-251 mics an as much as I wanted to pair the Wa-73 with them the Ha-73 just sounded better to me no matter how I tried to convince myself it didn't ..workflow may be better because its more options on front but sound quality I personally like Heritage better
I have the WA73-EQ. It's obvious that the WA is thicker and warmer and the Neve is sweeter (more highs) sounding in this demo. Some of the thin sounding samples actually sounded better on the WA because it thickened the sample. The samples that were thick sounding were much better with the Neve, but there are easy ways to improve the sweetness of the WA. I love the way I can make my audio very sweet by raising mid and high frequencies (just a tiny bit) with the eq section. Even if you don't want to change the EQ on the WA, I highly recommend that you enable the eq section and set the eq flat because when you enable the eq section it directs the audio source through an additional transformer that sounds real smooth and sweet and sounds more 3 dimensional. One more tip: if you use the WA, don't use a compressor that colors the sound... use a transparent sounding compressor like the FMR Audio RNC1773 Really Nice Compressor.
Another great video. I hate that I like the Neve better out of the gate. If you bump a little mid bass and drop a little upper mid presence, then role off the top shelf treble and you have that Neve sound. Maybe the science is killing the magic, but I would rather have a bunch of the WA 1073 with a saved “Neve” preset EQs. I won’t deny, I would take a pair of Neves too.... if someone else is buying!
The Neve really sounds amazing :) I have the Warm and Heritage versions. Both are awesome. I have yet to try a real Neve in the studio. Thanks for the shootout Warren.
Great video Warren! Sounds pretty close to these old ears. I have the 73EQ and I love it. I was on the fence about whether or not to pony up the extra cash for the EQ and I'm so glad I did! There's sometimes no substitute for "boldly going forward" and tracking with EQ. As for transients - if I wanted pristine I wouldn't have went for a Neve clone but I also feel like I've got the best of both worlds, as both of these units, being new, are likely more versatile than a high-dollar vintage channel strip out of a '70's Neve console. At least that's what I tell myself....Thanks for the great content man!
Thanks for watching, You are so right in your comments. A lot of this is so subjective you would really have to nitpick to find fault. The 73EQ remains one of the better choices at that price point just because of the additional features. I believe once they have time to burn in. They, like classic Neves will take on their own character. Thanks again for watching✌
how good is the eq on the wa73? i recnely bought the pre-amp with the eq. im thinking about retruning it for the pre amp without the eq and just use a channel strips eq. what do yall think?
The EQ is really only necessary if you want to shape the tone going into the DAW or if you want to process a signal through the line inputs. If it seems like it's overkill to you trust your gut. Thanks for watching✌🏽
Once again, really nice job on your video, Brother W. 😉 Man, I do love watching videos with pro cats; people who know what they’re doing and talking about... calibration and level matching, using a well-chosen and diverse selection of instruments that can cover broad ranges throughout the frequency spectrum... unbiased opinions... And, I also dig that you take the time to make these “you have this much to spend, so here are your best options” videos. For now, I’m going to reserve comment on the sonic differences of these pieces, because I currently have the Queen Mother of all head colds, and there’s just no way I could do any type of critical listening right now -but I will give this another (and a better) listen, once the inside of my head doesn’t feel as though it’s packed with cement. 😉 Great job once again, Warren. It’s always a pleasure to tune in to your UA-cam channel and watch your videos, and to get your take on things. Be well. 🙏😉
Donny! what going on bro and thanks for the love🙏🏾. To your point, I wanted to make sure I totally leveled the playing field. That, to me is what's most important. After all, these were created in a lab so why not subject them to the same level of scrutiny. Thanks for watching brother and take care of that cold✌🏾
Both are well made my preference is the Neve. However, I’ve noticed that the BAE is popular among my guitar playing brothers. Can’t go wrong either way
@@WarrenHenry Thanks! I would be mainly be using it for vocals and you always give good and honest advice. Those RED1 (David bowie liked his Reds) are sexy and tempting to but going Neve 1073 with my United FET47
That's why I didn't want a channel strip from Warm. I chose to go with the WA12 MK2 (Black), and then chain a Tonelux Eq5P behind it. Bet that Neve 1073 can't touch THAT chain. 😂. Then I have an LL2A compressor limiter from Little Labs chained behind the first two. Killer chain so far, AND IM NOT DONE!!! I like building my own chains, I don't like channel strips. Thanks for the vid Warren.
I've heard some great things about ToneLux, the build quality and sound. You have a point about making your own chain. It's the ultimate in flexibility. Thanks for watching and your comment.🙏🏾✌🏾
i always listen to shootouts using just my laptop speakers because it helps me see if it really makes a difference. the neve has way more high end sparkle / energy
Much more mid and transients on the warm in general. Both sound like they'd complement each other. But thats missing the point as the warm is meant to kinda be a budget Neve remake. I'd be interested to hear the cheaper GAP and Alctron 1073 clone attempts as a comparison.
Thanks for watching. Try the GAP at your own risk. I had one crap out on me on a client gig and vowed never more. Luckily it was a loaner from a friend. They aren't very well made and the components inside aren't the best. The Alctron on the other hand, I've heard stellar things about.✌🏾
Neve by a mile. The warm sounded duller, muddier, flatter, less wide. And not by a little, you can really hear it on the second drum example. H thanks for the video, although I would prefer you spoke a little faster, but hey, thats a small critique on an otherwise stellar video. Cheers
I cranked it up and got in the sweet-spot of my Genelec's and without a doubt = Neve 1073. There's so much more dynamic range and far more of the musical harmonics with the Neve. In contrast, the WARM was small, hard, almost pixelated. The WARM didn't have the nice, round, harmonically deep lows of the Neve. I hane nothing against WARM, it's just that without a doubt, the Neve was an effortless win all around!
The warm isn't bad but the Neve sounds fuller and richer. Side by side you definitely feel like you miss something. For my money I would spend it on the Neve.
As a WA73 owner I must say I was very pleased to hear the audio comparison with the 'real thing' - guess what? I preferred the WA73 ! Something about it, a touch more 'girth' as you put it. I would have loved to hear my other decent pre compared like this, the Black Lion B173 mk2, which I believe brings a little more 'air' to the sound. Great demo, thanks Warren!
Gurner, Thanks for watching. I'm still loving the WA73's I believe they will take on a character all their own as they age. Thanks for watching brother✌
Actually that's not far from the truth. I vaguely remember a blind test (Bob Ludwig?) with a few preamps and an audience. There was a huge debate about what sounded best, until it was revealed the audio had been played with only one preamp during the whole test. Perceived hearing. Audio is epicly subjective.
Without overthinking it, In the end, they're just tools to get a job done nothing more nothing less. If it sounds good to you IT IS GOOD!👍🏾
I don't see a WA76 Review on your channel, any thoughts on this clone?
Paul Christopher Kozlowski the WA76 is certainly a worthy piece of gear. Some people get into the sound of the 76 based on the saturation effect of the components. I’m a bit more conservative when using compression; liking to use a little at each stage of the recording. Therefore, budget dictated the purchase with the Klark Teknik winning due to cost.
I am familiar with the Dad face 😆
BEST COMMENT EVER 👌👍
the phase is wrong on the WA. did you have the EQ set differently for each channel? :/
The EQ is disabled
@@carlosgomezllinares6772man that's bad, then
The NEVE really shines with multitimbral sources. It's much smoother, warmer and balanced than the WA73. There's a reason they're on the expensive side but personally, I think well worth the difference in price. Thanks for the demo.
Thanks for watching 🙏🏾✌🏾
Very interesting, to me the Neve sounds smoother and more balanced across the frequency spectrum and the warm has a more present midrange and harder transients. Interestingly the warm sounds more unprocessed and real where the Neve sounds like its has been processed somewhat. Thanks for the shootout, very insightful.
Adam! Thanks for watching and your comment. ✌
Exactly my thoughts too, Adam.
Personally I thought the Warm Audio sounded more smooth and kind of fatter sounding. The Neve was borderline sibilant sounding and a little shrill. The Neve had better clarity though. Both amps are good though
Nice video! I own a commercial studio, and have a few Neve 1073s and also Warm audio ones. The main thing that makes it noticeable is when you start layering many takes with the preamps. High end gear components have lower distortion (Or 'nice' distortion. That is why it can sound smoother or even lower in volume), so when you layer many takes it still sounds smooth and the sound kind of melts together. That is when you notice the harshness of the low end gear. That said, they all have their uses if you consider the cost. The great thing is: You don't need to use the high end stuff for everything, it depends of how 'important' that specific sound is on the track. So we now have a pair of stereo Neve classics, a pair of Neve DPXs, and 6 Warm audios! We use the Neves (or our APIs) for the main elements of the track, like main and backing vocals, piano, snare, kick, etc. And everything else goes on the Warm audios. Neve stuff sounds great, but it is expensive! As a professional, you need to consider the costs to run the studio.
Great comment! Thanks for watching 🙏🏽✌🏽
is the harshness something you can process out of the audio or it is baked in with the saturation from the pre?
When you listen at low volume, the way jazz is usually consumed, you can really hear how much more 3 dimensional and beautiful the Neve sounds.
Yessir! totally agree. Thanks for watching✌🏾
Agreed
Wow. Thanks for this no nonsense comparison. Even with youtube compression, you can here the neve is wider and more 3d and full lows and smooth highs. The warm was narrow, a little colder and crisper high end while also feeling like it was missing the low end. The neve almost sounds like it doesn't even need to be eq'd and sound like anything recording through it would sit perfectly in the mix.
Thanks for watching🙏🏽
I was surprised that the neve sounds that much better. I even listen on an iPad and could still hear a big difference
John, yes on certain instruments, it treated the transients better. Thanks for watching✌
Same hear the neve stood out but Wa still sounds good
Right, and I love warms microphones but this one isn’t as “3d” sounding as the neve. The neve sounds like is has a extra almost transparent layer surrounding the body of the sound. I’m getting the neve.
Omg the Neve just sounds streets ahead of the WA, so much more depth, clarity, vibe, mojo, quality….really? No, I’m just talking shite, they sound almost exactly the same, the differences are so slight as to be laughable. I bet if you used the exact same audio and simply showed a photo of the Neve then one of the WA people would queue up to tell you how much better the Neve sounded. People are full of shit when they say there’s a huge difference
I AGREE!!!!!
lol. you almost had me there for a second. i agree though.
Great comparison, Warren, thanks. The Neve sounded how audio should sound in every example, whilst being smooth and controlled. Some examples sounded virtually identical on the WA73 but in a few examples some strange things were happening in the lows and low mids, almost as if it was adjusting/compressing the mix/EQ (despite the EQ not being engaged I could see). However, it sounded more dynamic in places. I still love my WA73 for acoustics and vocals where low end control isn’t an issue
Ed! Thanks for watching brother✌🏾
Can you provide the files please?
Good review. Just wondering were you only doing line level in? I don't think you ever plugged a mic in to hear the mic pre???
Thanks for watching. The sources were run via a direct box. There is another video where I compare both with a microphone✌🏾
@@WarrenHenry I couldn't find it. Could I please get a link to that video. Thanks!
Nice comparison! Besides sounding warmer, te Neve sounds much more wider. Almost like the WA compressed the stereo image? When I heard the elec piano I almost thought there was a chorus effect turned on during the Neve example.
Freddy, Thanks for watching. I agree, The Neve presented a depth and width on certain frequencies that was absent on the Warm. Good catch! Thanks again for watching
I have to be honest, I was surprised at how different they can sound depending on the source - I thought they would be a lot closer. On some of the sources it sounds like the stereo width collapses on the Warm Audio. Did you hear that too? I don't want to seem like a Warm Audio hater because I like their gear, but the difference is more than I thought I would hear. I think you're correct when you say if you're on a "strict" budget you can't go wrong with the Warm Audio, but if you really want the higher quality you have to go with the Neve.
Roy, you are right about the way the Warm treated the stereo image. I have a theory on why the transients were less responsive on the Warm that I'll be sharing in an upcoming livestream. Hope you will tune in. Thanks for watching✌
@@WarrenHenry Definitely, I'm curious. I'll be tuning in.
They are close but the neve has that classic sound like the back music to a very nice cafe.
The warm audio pops out from its surroundings and the neve settles in.
Always in comparison, both units turn out to bot have a place in making a track.
I think that the Neve would be a better buy when choosing one or the other.
The EQ isn't that important of an add if you consider the sound.
It's made me think towards a Neve 500 unit over the warm audio unit as I'm thinking of just two preamps for my input stage to production and I think I will have more uses because of the sound with the Neve.
It's like adding a sure sound to a source, where the warm audio is very lively and would be good for weaker sounds.
The only way I can describe it as what is jumping out to me is the Neve sounds like a finished movie, where the warm audio is like a live band.
Both are good, but in the final choice, the Neve gets it as that bread and butter winner.
Thanks for watching ✌🏽
Glad your doing videos on preamps. I’m in the market for a neve 1073 type. Sweatwater told me to look at the bae versions. Just subbed 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽
Hey man thanks for watching and subscribing. The BAE 73 is a good option that’s popular with guitar players. I figured if you’re going to spend that much then you might as well get an AMS Neve 1073. The good thing is with Sweetwater you have 30 days to return ✌🏾
This is fantastic, man. Thank you!!
Jeff! Thanks for watching🙏🏽✌🏽
Can you drive the warm audio unit to try and match the necessary warmth and girth?
Not sure if the proverbial neve girth would be matched that way. I'm finding that the overall design and the Neve proprietary Marinair transformers amplify and distort a lot more differently than the Carnhill St. Ives transformers. Thanks for watching✌🏾
The actual Neve has a bit more clarity to my ears whereas the Warm is a hair muddier in the midrange. But definitely a similar character. I applaud you for using sound clips that display a wide frequency range of bass/treble so that we can really tell the difference! Actually liked the midrange push of the warm a bit more for the "electric guitar" keyboard emulation haha.
Thanks for watching
Nice a b comparison, probably one of the best I've seen Bravo. I think the Neve preamp was better on most of the sources. I found the warm audio preamp was at least as good as the Neve about half the time and better in a few instances. I just picked up a wa73 yesterday it's not Neve but I'm still happy to have it.
Thanks for watching
I read a few reviews on the WA saying the buttons were not good. Did you find any issues with the knobs? Thanks
Surprisingly I preferred the Warm for bass and drums. Although the Neve sounded smoother and fuller on its own, in a full mix the Warm with its harder transients and added presence might help those instruments cut through a bit better in a busy mix. The Neve definitely has that processed sound and colour which sounded great on everything else. Especially on the flutes and strings which added a really nice harmonic saturation and made those instruments sound way less harsh.
Thanks for watching 🙏🏾✌🏾
Neve sounds well-bounded with nicely-trimmed edges and somehow musical, if that makes sense. WA sounds more open, and holds up really well.
Thanks for watching✌🏾
I have two of Warm and they are pretty cool, especially the eq; however, the neves in this video sound definitely fuller and warmer than the warm audio. Excellent video thanks 🙏
Cami, My brother! thank for watching. No doubt the Warms are still killn'. I have a theory on why the Neve's treated the transients a bit better on certain instruments. I'll be sharing that in an upcoming livestream. Be sure to check back. Thanks again for watching
@@WarrenHenry Hi Warren, i'd love to hear your thougths on why Neve "treated the transients a bit better" :)
The stereo spectrum sounds way better with the warm. The neve has better low end but couldn’t that just be adjusted with the eq on the warm preamp? Or if you had the no eq version have a couple wa eqp’s in the insert , that would be fantastic
I have the Warm EQ 73. The stock sound is bland and not that good. However when the EQ is on, it totally changes the amp and I like it.
They are both nice. 2 f different colors to choose from depending on the story you want to tell in your productions👍
Listen to the synth @ 4:33 The difference between the two is pretty stark. Is that possibly because the player played the parts that much different? It doesn't sound that way to me. There was some depth the Neve captured that the Warm missed. That would be your thousand dollar difference by the time you buy a lunch box to power the Neve. Don't forget apples to apples the Warm unit that is the direct competitor to the Neve 1073 LB is the WA 73, no eq section although my guess is the op bypassed it on the pre and that is only $599 at VK. The thing is isn't that depth the whole point of a 1073?
can u compare the same with Vocals and Acoustic guitar please. 🙏🙏🙏🙏
Thanks for watching we’ll do our best. Stay tuned 👍🏾🙏🏽✌🏽
6:57 - 7:05 where can I listen to this full mix
Hi guys. I have just purchased a Neve 1073 3Lb preamp. And the manual says it was designed to work with the API Lunchbox. But the smallest API now is 6 slots which I dont need. So my question is this : Will the Neve 1073 3Lb work with a BAE 3Lb 3 Channel 500 series rack ? Or do I HAVE to buy the API 6 slot ?
You can trust anything BAE Thanks for your question
thx this was useful. Love to hear some hand percussion etc or vocal if you do another vid. Cheers
Thanks for watching and your suggestions✌🏽
Great video Warren, cool way to show both units, like your content, greetings
Thanks for watching✌🏽🙏🏽
I like The neve 1073 Lb better , whats the best way to calibrate the neve1073, and what your preference between the 1073 and the 610?
I prefer the 1073 whenever available. Any test tone oscillator will allow you to calibrate your preamp. The 610 is a great classic preamp that has its place also among guitarists and bassist in certain genres. Thanks for watching ✌🏾
@@WarrenHenry so when I use the oscillator to calibrate the 1073 @ -18 with the red knob end -20 and the trim at 0 , I get a really quite signal , do I that point bring the trim up ?
Make sure your oscillator is outputting a signal at +4db and adjust your levels accordingly on your preamp
Warren my brother how do you connect one of em Neve 1073 pres to a USB interface ?
All connections would take place via the. XLR connectors on your interface
Will sell my WA73 after this. The real thing is the real thing.
Thanks for watching ✌🏽🙏🏽
Try the golden age premier, they sound amazing!
Will do! Thanks for watching
Is this a comparison without the tone button pressed in on the warms? Or are the tone button pressed in on this comparison?
Hi and thanks for watching. The tone buttons were not engaged on either unit. ✌🏾
I guess I'm the odd man out. I preferred the W.A. on quite a few samples. Sounded more 3d
Same. I thought the warm had more vibe.
Maybe I am crazy, but the Neves gave a stereo picture while the Warm Audio seemed to fall to the center. Am I wrong?
No you are correct on certain instruments I found that to be the case as well. Thanks for watching 🙏🏽✌🏽
Wow, not much between them overall (I did like the Neve on certain instruments though). No shame in owning the WAs if you're on a budget (like me).
Hats off Sir, I appreciate your choice of audio samples...and congrats on the new studio space!
ps. Hope you're not ditching the old outro ;)
Hey Thanks for watching. You are so right in you statement. The WA73's are definite a great bang for your buck. Not ditching the outro. Just a bit short on time. Thanks for watching, Thanks for stopping by, Thanks for checking in, Please subscribe (if you haven't already) and don't forget to say hello to the family for me. 😉✌
@@WarrenHenry haha understood :). Thank you, best regards to you and yours as well!
WELL DONE BRO! You know your stuff. i also like that you state that these preamps are just a "TOOL"... they are not "THE RULE". I'll be watching more of your channel. Good video!!
Bee Gee! My brother ✊🏽thanks for watching. I’m live-streaming tonight at 7pm EST hope you can make it ✌🏽
Love these thoughtful comparisons coming from a real PRO. I've been wanting to upgrade my preamp (primarily used for Vocals) and have been interested in the Warm Audio--sounds great to my ears. Curious though: I've notice you have the Focusrite ISA One in the background which I've also been curious about. When might you choose one over the other for a vocalist in the studio?
Jeremy, Thanks for watching, When comparing the ISA to the Warm you are essentially comparing a Lundhal transformer to a Carnhill. The (Focusrite ISA) Lundhal has a more transparent sound that I find works well on Pop vocals and acoustic instruments. In contrast, the Carnhill (WARM Audio) has a bit more color and a certain width in the mids that works better with R&B vocals, Electric Bass, Electric Guitars and Keyboards. You really can't go wrong with either though. ✌
@@WarrenHenry THANK YOU!!
@@WarrenHenry if you could only have one mic preamp which one would you go for, for recording pop rock music? Trying to decide what to go for my first one, thanks.
I wish I bought those focusrite 500 pres, now discontinued, how u like them?
Anyway does 500 neve suffer from any headroom issues due to the limitations of 500? Or theyre fine
Hi thanks for watching. The Focusrite reds are great. I really love their character. The Neve preamps don’t suffer any issues at all. They’re great as well
Seems to me the Neve definitely does excel on the low end; however, the Warm are quite close and in some cases like the pads and strings, it did favor the open end of the WA73s. I guess it comes down to uses, taste and budget.
Thanks for watching and your comment 🙏🏾✌🏾
Great video ! Thanks for all the detail. Great playing too!
Both are very clean.... wa73 sounds a tiny bit warmer in the lower mid frequencies that’s the only difference I’ve heard ....thanks for this
Thanks for watching ✌🏽
I'm interested in hearing the comparison when they are both driven a little harder to see how the color/break up in each unit is.
Thanks for watching.
When you calibrate the 1073 do you calibrate with the front xlr or the back one ?
Doesn’t make a difference. Thanks for watching ✌🏾
Warm seems to be sonically close in some of your examples there were virtually no differences in some the Warm is less tight than the Nevé but bang for the buck on budget, the Warm works fine.
Bee Smith, My brother! True true!! outside of the transient response on certain examples, they are virtually indistinguishable. Thanks for watching✌🙏
No doubt brother. I am working on getting a WA73 and WA87 combo. I’m doing an entire studio overhaul. Everything you buy as an engineer doesn’t have to drain your pockets. Some dream pieces would so, for now they are dream pieces of gear.
So I opened the audio in logic. Something isn't right. The Neve is significantly more saturated sounding than the warm. Like it's not even close. Every test i've heard, the warm was at least in the same ball park. When I look at the wave forms, the peaks are more tamed on the Neve than the Warm.
How did you go about routing the audio to your warm audio units? Was it via the wa73 mic input or the DI?
I could definitely hear the richness of the neve. The clarity and depth is unmatched. The WA still sounds pretty good but man...
Thanks for watching ✌🏽🙏🏽
When You increase the output of the warm and decrease in the same time the input gain, it will sounds more similar to the Neve I guess.
Thanks for watching
WA73 for my taste : more present and dynamic to my hears. Neve was butter silky nevertheless and is a great preamp too. At this level, I think it's a matter of taste and i try to stay away form psycho effect of brand name and price
Thanks for watching. ✌🏽🙏🏽
This is the reason i sold my WA73EQ and started save money for a Neve! Very good shootout! 😊
Thanks for watching ✌🏽🙏🏽
Great comparison, really happy that you used many different instruments for this, in the end Neve has a bit more life to it and has a solid bottom-end but the EQs on the Warm could also be useful. If it was purely for tracking I'd go with Neve and do EQ ITB with something like Pultec by UAD (Which are better than the pultec hardware by the way)
Thanks for watching🙏🏽✌🏽
Can’t say better then the hardware I’m running the APOGEE SYMPHONY with the officially license Pultec EQ software and it sounds very good but the actual hardware brings a fuller response UAD does make a version of Pultec but it’s UAs version of what it sounds like Apogee as far as I know are the only company the Pultec officially sponsors and made for that company.
I have a few Warm Audio units, WA-2A, a EQP-WA and a WA-47. The NEVE 1073 sounded better to me, it made the instruments more musical. The transients are leveled and sustained, the attack is a little compressed. For instances, the drums sounds almost acoustic on the NEVE but it sounds like average quality sampled drums on the WA73: miles apart. No question, I prefer the sound of NEVE, but with a little work on the mix it can get there. NEVE = Less work on mixing. Oh sh.... , I'm getting a NEVE, there goes the holliday money....
Did u get one?
Hats down by a 1000 miles on the Neve! The WAudio sounds good but processed, lacking the bottom mid range complexity by far. Good for a leading track but pale in comparizon in my opinion as an all rounder like the Neve's complexity of tones.
Neve 1073LB for the win Good work on this video Thanks
Thanks for watching
Hey man have you ever looked into the Bae73?? What are your thoughts on that pre??
Miguel, the BAE's are great handmade preamps. I find that a lot of guitarist love them. If you can't find a Neve 1073 most people will request these as alternates. Thanks for watching.✌
Warren Henry Thank you for your time!
@@miguelowls Most definitely brother, anytime! Thanks for watching🙏🏾
The difference really showed up on the clav sample. Thanks for this great video Warren
Alex thanks for watching brother ✌🏽🙏🏽
Neve sounds amazing! Totally a pro sound and the warm audio sounds bright and less professional sounding IMO.
Thanks for watching ✌🏽🙏🏽
In most application I hear a big difference in sound. As said in some application they sound very similar. This is not me saying one better than the other, as usual having them both would the the ideal world.
I just noticed that I can hear quite a difference often.
Thanks for watching. Believe me, nowadays the differences between each actual unit is small✌🏽
I've been on the fence on a mic pre. This really helped!
Glad it did and thanks for watching. I appreciate it🙏✌
Quality video brother! Question..where does the Heritage Audio 73 stand in this competition ?
It's right up there with them all. I had the HA73 and sent it back only because it didn't fit my workflow. Thanks for watching
Warren Henry welcome! That’s interesting..so you sent back the HA73 but kept the Warm? I’m deciding between the two currently, HA73eq verse Warm73eq..I want a warmer less bright sound , but still clear balanced and big ..early 2000s late 90s style of hip hop
@@Tim_ArtistName_Tallent I use the Wa-47 an Wa-251 mics an as much as I wanted to pair the Wa-73 with them the Ha-73 just sounded better to me no matter how I tried to convince myself it didn't ..workflow may be better because its more options on front but sound quality I personally like Heritage better
Meko Grigio dang, thanks for sharing that. Can you describe the differences you heard ?
Tim Aka TAllent it just had better sound to my ear with those mics also listened with a wa47jr an shure sm7b an they all sounded better to me
I have the WA73-EQ. It's obvious that the WA is thicker and warmer and the Neve is sweeter (more highs) sounding in this demo. Some of the thin sounding samples actually sounded better on the WA because it thickened the sample. The samples that were thick sounding were much better with the Neve, but there are easy ways to improve the sweetness of the WA. I love the way I can make my audio very sweet by raising mid and high frequencies (just a tiny bit) with the eq section. Even if you don't want to change the EQ on the WA, I highly recommend that you enable the eq section and set the eq flat because when you enable the eq section it directs the audio source through an additional transformer that sounds real smooth and sweet and sounds more 3 dimensional. One more tip: if you use the WA, don't use a compressor that colors the sound... use a transparent sounding compressor like the FMR Audio RNC1773 Really Nice Compressor.
Mark, thanks for watching and commenting✌🏽
Another great video. I hate that I like the Neve better out of the gate. If you bump a little mid bass and drop a little upper mid presence, then role off the top shelf treble and you have that Neve sound. Maybe the science is killing the magic, but I would rather have a bunch of the WA 1073 with a saved “Neve” preset EQs. I won’t deny, I would take a pair of Neves too.... if someone else is buying!
Thanks for watching. Having heard the Neve, Warm, Heritage and BAE the differences are so minimal. Hope you had a great Holiday. ✌🏾🙏🏾
The Neve really sounds amazing :) I have the Warm and Heritage versions. Both are awesome. I have yet to try a real Neve in the studio. Thanks for the shootout Warren.
Thanks for watching ✌🏾
I think i had this same keyboard tant You are using une this vídeo. Lol. What is this a Roland?
Great video man! Congrats!
Nando! Thanks for watching bro. Yes! it was the Roland JV10-10
Great video Warren! Sounds pretty close to these old ears. I have the 73EQ and I love it. I was on the fence about whether or not to pony up the extra cash for the EQ and I'm so glad I did! There's sometimes no substitute for "boldly going forward" and tracking with EQ. As for transients - if I wanted pristine I wouldn't have went for a Neve clone but I also feel like I've got the best of both worlds, as both of these units, being new, are likely more versatile than a high-dollar vintage channel strip out of a '70's Neve console. At least that's what I tell myself....Thanks for the great content man!
Thanks for watching, You are so right in your comments. A lot of this is so subjective you would really have to nitpick to find fault. The 73EQ remains one of the better choices at that price point just because of the additional features. I believe once they have time to burn in. They, like classic Neves will take on their own character. Thanks again for watching✌
how good is the eq on the wa73? i recnely bought the pre-amp with the eq. im thinking about retruning it for the pre amp without the eq and just use a channel strips eq. what do yall think?
The EQ is really only necessary if you want to shape the tone going into the DAW or if you want to process a signal through the line inputs. If it seems like it's overkill to you trust your gut. Thanks for watching✌🏽
Once again, really nice job on your video, Brother W. 😉
Man, I do love watching videos with pro cats; people who know what they’re doing and talking about... calibration and level matching, using a well-chosen and diverse selection of instruments that can cover broad ranges throughout the frequency spectrum... unbiased opinions...
And, I also dig that you take the time to make these “you have this much to spend, so here are your best options” videos.
For now, I’m going to reserve comment on the sonic differences of these pieces, because I currently have the Queen Mother of all head colds, and there’s just no way I could do any type of critical listening right now -but I will give this another (and a better) listen, once the inside of my head doesn’t feel as though it’s packed with cement. 😉
Great job once again, Warren. It’s always a pleasure to tune in to your UA-cam channel and watch your videos, and to get your take on things. Be well. 🙏😉
Donny! what going on bro and thanks for the love🙏🏾. To your point, I wanted to make sure I totally leveled the playing field. That, to me is what's most important. After all, these were created in a lab so why not subject them to the same level of scrutiny. Thanks for watching brother and take care of that cold✌🏾
I think the warm audio sounds better in almost every case. Interesting I guess I’ll save some money then!
Bae 1073MLP vs Neve 1073LB Anyone have a preference???
Both are well made my preference is the Neve. However, I’ve noticed that the BAE is popular among my guitar playing brothers. Can’t go wrong either way
@@WarrenHenry Thanks! I would be mainly be using it for vocals and you always give good and honest advice. Those RED1 (David bowie liked his Reds) are sexy and tempting to but going Neve 1073 with my United FET47
I'm thinking of getting a Aphex 207 preamp. Any experience with it?
I have no personal experience with that preamp but Aphex is known to manufacture quality equipment. Thanks for watching ✌🏽
Great job love your channel
Thank you so much and Thanks for watching ✌🏾🙏🏾
What's cool is I chose the Neve without knowing if it was the first or second recording. You can really hear the difference.
You’ve got golden ears brother! Thanks for watching ✌🏾🙏🏾
That's why I didn't want a channel strip from Warm. I chose to go with the WA12 MK2 (Black), and then chain a Tonelux Eq5P behind it. Bet that Neve 1073 can't touch THAT chain. 😂. Then I have an LL2A compressor limiter from Little Labs chained behind the first two. Killer chain so far, AND IM NOT DONE!!! I like building my own chains, I don't like channel strips. Thanks for the vid Warren.
I've heard some great things about ToneLux, the build quality and sound. You have a point about making your own chain. It's the ultimate in flexibility. Thanks for watching and your comment.🙏🏾✌🏾
i always listen to shootouts using just my laptop speakers because it helps me see if it really makes a difference. the neve has way more high end sparkle / energy
Ryan, thanks for watching ✌🏾🙏🏾
The intro...😂😂😂 Priceless
Needed a bit of comic relief. 😁Thanks for watching brother🙏✌
@@WarrenHenry Say hi to the family.
Sure will 😝
You brought it back with that electric piano and I am only 30 lol
Steven! You like that HA😂 Thanks for watching brother✌
Warren Henry 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
Neve = presence. Warm audio = warmth
Love the intro had me rolling
as always cool!
Soe, thanks for watching brother🙏✌
I liked the neve a lil more. But the price difference is too much for me to justify at this stage as just a home studio guy.
Thanks for watching
Much more mid and transients on the warm in general. Both sound like they'd complement each other. But thats missing the point as the warm is meant to kinda be a budget Neve remake. I'd be interested to hear the cheaper GAP and Alctron 1073 clone attempts as a comparison.
Thanks for watching. Try the GAP at your own risk. I had one crap out on me on a client gig and vowed never more. Luckily it was a loaner from a friend. They aren't very well made and the components inside aren't the best. The Alctron on the other hand, I've heard stellar things about.✌🏾
Obviously most of these weren't acoustic instrument sources - did you play back midi files etc through speakers and into mics for the tests?
Both will get the job done well. The Neve sounds smoother to me.
Most definitely,
Neve wins. Fat warm and balanced. Warm is slightly more strident and abrasive, but similar.
Neve by a mile. The warm sounded duller, muddier, flatter, less wide. And not by a little, you can really hear it on the second drum example. H thanks for the video, although I would prefer you spoke a little faster, but hey, thats a small critique on an otherwise stellar video. Cheers
Thanks for watching✌🏾
Great vid!
Mr. Morpheus, Thanks for watching brother🙏✌
Very good.
Thanks for watching ✌🏽
The Neve response of the bass track was worth the price of admission alone, but the different in transients on the drums? Yeah. Neve for a reason.
Steven, totally agree with you. thanks for watching.✌🏽🙏🏽
Great Video, Almost no difference on most samples Neve sounds a little bigger on certain things like Piano.
Peter! Thanks for watching ✌🏾🙏🏾
Neve... This man was a genious.....
Yessir, a once in a lifetime gem is Mr. Neve. Thanks for watching✌🏾
I cranked it up and got in the sweet-spot of my Genelec's and without a doubt = Neve 1073. There's so much more dynamic range and far more of the musical harmonics with the Neve. In contrast, the WARM was small, hard, almost pixelated. The WARM didn't have the nice, round, harmonically deep lows of the Neve. I hane nothing against WARM, it's just that without a doubt, the Neve was an effortless win all around!
Thanks for watching 🙏🏾✌🏾
@@WarrenHenry Thanks for this great comparison of the two pre's, really revealing. All the best to you!
The warm isn't bad but the Neve sounds fuller and richer. Side by side you definitely feel like you miss something. For my money I would spend it on the Neve.
Thanks for watching ✌🏾
As a WA73 owner I must say I was very pleased to hear the audio comparison with the 'real thing' - guess what? I preferred the WA73 ! Something about it, a touch more 'girth' as you put it. I would have loved to hear my other decent pre compared like this, the Black Lion B173 mk2, which I believe brings a little more 'air' to the sound. Great demo, thanks Warren!
Gurner, Thanks for watching. I'm still loving the WA73's I believe they will take on a character all their own as they age. Thanks for watching brother✌
Neve sounds warmer and deep than WA, even smooth but clear
It’s a mental thing when it comes to these machines. I bet you couldn’t tell which is what blind folded.
Actually that's not far from the truth. I vaguely remember a blind test (Bob Ludwig?) with a few preamps and an audience. There was a huge debate about what sounded best, until it was revealed the audio had been played with only one preamp during the whole test. Perceived hearing. Audio is epicly subjective.
Wow quite a difference. I could make my average music on either.😂
Thanks for watching ✌🏾