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mkII Eqs There Yet?

electro77

Venerated Member
1176 Collection demonstrated ITB compression has arrived sonically, but what about the mkII EQs? Are they ready to go head to head with outboard? There was a lot of recent buzz about Waves newest 1073 and Nebula, while cumbersome gets it soundwise.
 

LFranco

Venerated Member
I think ITB compression "arrived" when the UAD 33609 was released. As far as your question about MkII's being able to go head-to-head with outboard, I'm afraid we're not there yet. They have to also model power supplies, power cords, interconnects and maybe even air moisture for them to be the "real deal".
 

DrewMazurek

Venerated Member
I think the opposite actually. To me, ITB EQ has been usable for a while now whereas I still like hardware for compression, ESPECIALLY buss compression.

Between Massenburg, MKII Pultecs, even the 1081 and Harrison, along with the APIs, I have no issues with ITB EQ, but no plugin beats my API 2500, Smart C2, or Vari Mu.
 

sadkin

Venerated Member
1176 Collection demonstrated ITB compression has arrived sonically, but what about the mkII EQs? Are they ready to go head to head with outboard? There was a lot of recent buzz about Waves newest 1073 and Nebula, while cumbersome gets it soundwise.
I don't know. Aside from the shelving and/or limited freq boosts on either a previously owned Langevin DVC pre and UA 2-610 pre, I've never had, i suppose, a 'proper' outboard EQ so I am not sure I can really say. I do know that the UA API's sound pretty damn sweet to me, the Scheps 73 sounds better in the highs and mids than waves' older VEQ3 but some how emptier in the low end. I know I love the new UA Pultec mkII and find it markedly improved over the legacy. The most recent, riveting EQ, for me, is the IK Master 432. It is gorgeous. Very CPU hungry but now my 'go-to' mastering EQ, hands down.
 
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Emmett_Brown

Established Member
I think the opposite actually. To me, ITB EQ has been usable for a while now whereas I still like hardware for compression, ESPECIALLY buss compression.

Between Massenburg, MKII Pultecs, even the 1081 and Harrison, along with the APIs, I have no issues with ITB EQ, but no plugin beats my API 2500, Smart C2, or Vari Mu.
Drew, have you had a chance to try the Slate Virtual Buss Compressors (VBC)? I really like their take on the SSL buss comp (GF-Grey). It has a modded circuit which includes an extra transformer, and I really like the tone. Its different than the UA buss comp, but in a nice complementary way. I also really like the Slate FG-Mu. If you have tried VBC, does the FG-Mu come close to your Vari-Mu?
 

Eric Dahlberg

Purveyor of musical dreams fullfilled.
Agreed on the Pultec MKII and the API 550/560. I'll add the Harrison, I don't know how that compares to a hardware Harrison EQ's but I prefer the UAD plugin over most hardware EQ's I've used.
 

Strange Leaf

Active Member
I agree the 33609 was a stepping stone for ITB compression, I used it for a mix just a few hours ago. For ITB EQ I use Fabfilter Pro-Q for everything, because it sounds good and got a great user interface. But if I can sacrifice some speed, the new Pultecs sounds very nice. I never liked the Neves so much, but I know plenty of people who do so to each his own I guess. Waves have gotten lots of praise for their new 1073 emulation, but I have not tested it yet.
 

mpayne0

Venerated Member
I think Waves is kinda slick how everything they emulate is from someone's personal private collection, or some mod, or something no one but Kravitz has. No one can ever question how close it is LOL

You gotta respect UAD. Whether they are there or not, they are there to be compared with what they emulate.
 

cheerful hamster

Hamsterdamus
I think Waves is kinda slick how everything they emulate is from someone's personal private collection, or some mod, or something no one but Kravitz has. No one can ever question how close it is LOL
UA did that too with the Harrison which is modeled on one channel from Bruce Swedien's board.

I would say the recent UA EQs are plenty good but the best one I've heard is the DMG Equilibrium at the highest quality setting.
 

tsutek

Established Member
What about the Massivo? Didn't that one already take the cake? With good algos, I'd say we are already "there".
 

electro77

Venerated Member
I agree the 33609 was a stepping stone for ITB compression, I used it for a mix just a few hours ago. For ITB EQ I use Fabfilter Pro-Q for everything, because it sounds good and got a great user interface. But if I can sacrifice some speed, the new Pultecs sounds very nice. I never liked the Neves so much, but I know plenty of people who do so to each his own I guess. Waves have gotten lots of praise for their new 1073 emulation, but I have not tested it yet.
ITB compressors are getting there faster than ITB EQs are. 1176 Collection is the gold standard and 33609 stays on the master bus.

UA did that too with the Harrison which is modeled on one channel from Bruce Swedien's board.

I would say the recent UA EQs are plenty good but the best one I've heard is the DMG Equilibrium at the highest quality setting.
Equilibrium GUI is exactly what I do not want in a channel eq. I like UAD Helios Type 69 and SW34EQ by HoRNet.
 

mpayne0

Venerated Member
electro!! I bought the 34 2 days ago.

Holy sheeee**

Grab it and go type EQ, very sensitive. The ONLY thing is that it's Q switch is very chunky which kinda forces you into that console... but I think I like it :)
 

treason

Member
I think the opposite actually. To me, ITB EQ has been usable for a while now whereas I still like hardware for compression, ESPECIALLY buss compression.

Between Massenburg, MKII Pultecs, even the 1081 and Harrison, along with the APIs, I have no issues with ITB EQ, but no plugin beats my API 2500, Smart C2, or Vari Mu.
Completely agree with Drew. While I have real 1073s and 550a's, I put my hardware muscle into compression. I have 33609s, LA3As, 1176 blackface Rev Es, Retro, ShadowHills, Smart and Summit compression. I do use emulations of Fairchild, LA2A, 33609s and 1176s .. Even the Slate VBC comps on occasion ... But the hardware compressors have not been matched by software ... Yet.
 
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DrewMazurek

Venerated Member
Drew, have you had a chance to try the Slate Virtual Buss Compressors (VBC)? I really like their take on the SSL buss comp (GF-Grey). It has a modded circuit which includes an extra transformer, and I really like the tone. Its different than the UA buss comp, but in a nice complementary way. I also really like the Slate FG-Mu. If you have tried VBC, does the FG-Mu come close to your Vari-Mu?
Sorry, missed this the other day.

I do have the VBCs and they're pretty good, I use them often. The Slate FG-Mu seems to be WAYYYY brighter than what my Vari Mu sounds like although I haven't done hard comparisons.

Maybe if I get some time soon, I'll run a mix through a bunch of things and post them.
 

DrewMazurek

Venerated Member
Completely agree with Drew. While I have real 1073s and 550a's, I put my hardware muscle into compression. I have 33609s, LA3As, 1176 blackface Rev Es, Retro, ShadowHills, Smart and Summit compression. I do use emulations of Fairchild, LA2A, 33609s and 1176s .. Even the Slate VBC comps on occasion ... But the hardware compressors have not been matched by software ... Yet.
+1

Compression is a FAR more complex process compared to EQ, so it's perfectly natural that ITB would match analog EQ first.
 

electro77

Venerated Member
+1

Compression is a FAR more complex process compared to EQ, so it's perfectly natural that ITB would match analog EQ first.
1176 Collection does it and I can't see it getting much better.
 

mpayne0

Venerated Member
When it comes to details, we sometimes also underestimate each other's sample rates, bit depths and actually recording quality, I am sounding like a complete ass.
 

kj.metissage

Active Member
Well, while the curves may be spot on, the circuitry is still not modeled in most of the UAD equalizers.

Expcept these : Massive Passive, NSEQ-2, API, Pultec MkII.

While it's subtle, it makes a difference. So I hope they'll go revisite the "classics" (Neve...).
 

buddachile

Active Member
...I hope they'll go revisite the "classics" (Neve...).
I'm sure they will. It's a no brainer for UA to do a new Neve vintage series complete with pre-amp models (using Unison). No question they would make a nice profit on that, so I predict it is a matter of when, not if.
 

fogtop

Member
I'm sure they will. It's a no brainer for UA to do a new Neve vintage series complete with pre-amp models (using Unison). No question they would make a nice profit on that, so I predict it is a matter of when, not if.
I'm waiting with my wallet open. Just say when UAD!
 
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