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Neve 88RS - Review

Plec

Venerated Member
Today I just went to the studio and spent 4 hours trying out the new set of plugins, comparing them musically to both the other UAD plugs and Waves SSL which I love. So let's get the show on the road!

Neve 88RS EQ:
In the \"opinions\" thread the neve strip hasn't got a lot of praise. People are underwhelmed by it.. IMO I'm overwhelmed :) I've been to heaven and it was every bit as good as I thought it would be :lol: . The very first thing that came into my mind when I first engaged the EQ on a guitar track was that \"this sounds extremely close to the action and vibe I'm used to with our Amek 9098 strips\". This is EXACTLY what I was looking for in a channel strip. A very clean sounding EQ for all the \"bread & butter\" stuff. It does that thing that the 1073, 1081, Helios and Pultec can't do. What I was missing in the UAD range was just this! All the other stuff is GREAT, but has so much vintage vibe to it that it just can't be used for the majority of processing that I've until now used the Waves SSL strip for. I also got to say that I think the SSL and Neve 88RS complement eachother beautifully. The SSL still has a character compared to the Neve that I find better in maybe 20% of cases, but I really did prefer the Neve 88RS on 8 out of 10 occations compared to the SSL channel.

When comparing the EQ to the other UAD EQs the thing that comes to my mind is that \"yeah, this is exactly how it's supposed to be\". You know, there is a reason why people have Pultecs and 1073's in studios with the large format consoles just because the console is there for the \"day to day\" stuff while character can be introduced with just patching in the right vintage style gear. So the bottom line is that.. yeah, this sure sounds like a console!

Neve 88RS Dyn:
Also a big fan of this section compared to the SSL channel. The SSL easily sounds \"cheap\" to me when using the compressor (although the gate and expander are pretty damn nice) but the Neve just blows it out of the water. It's again a superb \"middle of the road\" compressor for the day to day processing. Love the snap and agression you get with it on drums and the over-the-top squash that just sounds awesome on backingvocals! Again compared to the the other stuff like the 1176, LA2A, Fairchild it is a compressor with far less character and non-linearities. That's exactly what I want in a console channel strip! The Gate/Expander section is really nothing out of the ordinary to me, it just sounds very good and does what it's supposed to. It can be very quick and still sound great (which again the SSL channel has a little trouble with) and the expander is very smooth and lovely.

Neve 88RS Filters:
Sounds very smooth and musical compared to the SSL and other filters. I would've liked an 18db/oct slope personally.. but hey you can't have it all. 8)

In Use:
* Backing Vocals - It's so good for modern sounding backing vox. The high-end has the etheral modern sound that I was always missing with the other plugins and the dynamic squash with 25db on them sounded better to me than any other UAD compressor I tried.
* Drums - Really great for getting snap and attitude out of drum tracks. I do still prefer the 33609 since it adds an edge to the sound that the 88RS doesn't. For the modern clean sounding drums... great! For the old school vibe... get the old vintage plugins!
* Guitars - What can I tell you.. I'm still a sucker for the 1073 on rock guitars, but this thing KILLS on cleaner stuff like acoustic and clean electric. Beautiful! Again the modern sound that I was missing.
* Lead Vox - Again can't really understand why some people seem to hesitate putting it on a lead vocal track. It sounds killer if the modern/pushed sound is what you want. Sounds cooler to me than using the 1176 for extreme compression since I think it starts to sound fake a bit too early, but again this is a 33609 fav of mine!
 

Plec

Venerated Member
In most cases, when comparing dynamics processors I did prefer the LA2, Fairchild and LA3 to the dynamics section in the 88RS. They just added a musical character that stood up for itself a little bit more. If DSP wasn't an issue (like hardware vintage availability wasn't an issue) I would've probably picked those boxes instead of the 88RS. Although as I said, this monster KILLED on squashed backing vox! 8)
 

Giles117 DP

Active Member
olafmol said:
excuse me, but what exatly sounds "a console" like? sounds like a super-vague description to me....

Olaf
Not to be a wise ass, but you have to mix on one to know...

The SSL Waves sounds like an SSL 4000 Console.

I havnt tried the Neve yet, but from his descirption I get the idea it is what it is, a Utility knife... A console should be just that... A utility knife... Bread and butter and simple.... Yes we love the capricorns impartations on stuff, but do I want that on EVERY channel??? No. A good console is a neutral, effective unit.. AS the OP said the Color comes from the goodies in the rack, not the desk, else everything will sound the same... You'll get no color variety in your mixes....


A mix desk SHOULD be (IMO) utilitarian... and Faithful....

I actually start mixing 2 albums next week, and I look forward to the USEFULness of this plugin....

I Loved the SSL becasue 1- The analogue button... and 2-It was the generic SSL. when I neede a little more color, the G-series, else the good ole utility E series... Of course the SSL gear is about 20-30 years old now.... Whereas the neve is a newer baby....
 

Plec

Venerated Member
Yeah, pretty much like that. A swiss army knife of audio. Nothing too colored and nothing too neutral basically. That's what I like in a console! IMHO when you mix on a good console, the EQ should feel like it fits the majority of sounds you're putting through it. No use having a very distinct color on everything, if that's not exactly what you're looking for. Of course the 1073 or other modules are cool for adding color, but I can think of quite a few scenarios where the 1073 wouldn't do much good being used on every channel in a mix.
 

Arys Chien

Active Member
Nice review, as always, Plec. 8)

\"Bread & butter\". Couldn't say it better. In another thread I used the phrase \"nice little tools\", but \"bread & butter\" is more like what I have in mind.

+1 on you have to have worked on a console to know why working with some plug-ins feels like working on a console. (+1 on not tryint to be a wise ass....)

Why no plug-in on lead vocal? Because I'm a Chinese making Chinese pop music. The lead vocal for Chinese pop music needs way more high end and openness than western pop music. Plug-ins kill that. That's why I never used a plug-in on lead vocals after I got myself some brilliant outboards.
 

Middleman

Active Member
I completely agree with your assessment. I think it may be one of the most utility i.e. useful plugins UA has created. It has a console tight and focused effect on the sound. It's not heavy handed but just right for a lot of things.
 

Mikem

Active Member
Thanks for the review(s).

But all this \"bread and butter\" talk is making me hungry. Off to lunch!
 

LFranco

Venerated Member
Yup, props for the in-depth review.

When using a console, you want the features of the console to augment the outboard processors you have (depending on your style of work, obviously) and that's what I am expecting this to be, for my setup and I that's what I've perceived from your review.
 

Dave Bourke

Active Member
Thanks for the review, Plec.

Thanks to truly outstanding customer service from Uncle Eric and the folks at JRRShop I now have a UAD-1e equipped Mac Pro. They shipped the card to me in record time to take advantage of the UA promos so I've just downloaded the authorisations for the Neve 88RS, the Helios, and the LA3A. It's really useful to know what to expect from these plug-ins and what not to expect.

BTW, I've been using the WaveArts PowerSuite with TrackPlug for over a year now and I can say that it's really excellent. Used it on every project of mine. But I suspect the Metric Halo ChannelStrip might have the edge on it though (not sure if they do a version for Windows?)

I'm not an engineer, as I've said before, merely a composer. So being on this forum is a real education for me. For which I'm grateful. So thanks guys.

Kind regards.
 

neil wilkes

Venerated Member
Great review - have you ever considered doing this sort of thing for publication? It's amongst the most concise & relevant write-ups I have seen in quite a while!

I have to admit that I am also blown away by this strip. completely. Admittedly, I am a Neve junkie, always have been, probably always will. One of the killer features for me is the Gate hysteresis. It works seriously well on Ride cymbals and reverbs where you really do not want the beast to close at the same threshold as it opens. Wonderful.
I also like the ability that really should have been in CS-1 - being able to switch the EQ/Compressor sequence around. Nice touch.
I wish I could compare it to the \"Real Deal\" (I wonder what unit was modelled? The Skywalker Sound one pictured in the manual, perhaps?) but I have not had the pleasure of working on one of the real consoles.
 
yep exactly... the 88RS EQ and Dyn made me thinking of my Amek DMCL... as I was playing around with the plugin, this just came up - really, cool. Beside all the vintage plugs, I think the 88RS is an excellent extention. I really like it.
Something else: Adjusting the gain knobs in the EQ during playback gives kind of *digital* noise... haven't heard it on other plugins...

cool review, thanks
Pat
 

Dan Duskin

Established Member
So far, I've only tried the 88RS on kick and snare (comparing it to the WAVES SSL 4000 channel strip). I am in love with the 88RS! It doesn't \"replace\" the SSL 4000 strip, it's just very different... yet equally clean and transparent (just transparent enough for a general channel strip, like the SSL 4000). On kick drum, the 88RS kicked my ass back into my seat! FUCKING BRILLIANT!!! On snare, it was just another colour to the SSL 4000 (like I wanted).

Worth every fucking penny!!!
 

Eurocide

Active Member
Thanks Plec for your detailled review.
After spending several hours I can also confirm this typical \"consolish\" character and feeling the 88RS has. But Neve consoles are made for \"handmade\" music in the 1st place and so this excellent plugin is like the real thing, i.e. it is not that suitable for aggressive electronic music.
Subjective opinion: For me the 88RS EQ has its strength in the mid bands (lead synth & arpeggio bass lines) and the compressor gives this nice snap - but I like the character of the 1176 more. I cannot get that threatening deep low-end thump that I achieve with the 1081 + 1176 combo or that sparkling in percussion and sawtooth synths where the Helios has got its power.
EDIT:
I have to apologize. The 88RS IS suitable for electro and rocks like HELL!
 

Fundy

Established Member
I suppose you're all right however don't you think it's great you can a \"console quality\" within your host application. Well I do.
 
the 88 RS is just wonderful!!!!
the lowend is really nice and clean (really great) +supersweet mids+ his and filters.
i used the eq before the comp (little edgy compression) and the sound was -- wow!!! BIG with BITE. my new go to guitar tweaking eq. the lows on electr. guitar ... another wow..

i also like it on buss or even master fader. nice \"console\" sound ( i worked on real ssl 4000 e)

really great UA!!

kev
 

Dan Duskin

Established Member
I just did a mix from scratch with the 88RS, then reset the mixer and did it again with the SSL 4000.

The SSL 4000 mix had a little more \"pop\" and \"snap\"... and the 88RS mix was way more \"open\" and \"clean\". Normally I go for more pop and snap, but they both had lots of it, just that the 88RS mix mostly sounded more open and professional. Not a good A/B test really... but a good test to see what works best for me... the 88RS!
 

Plec

Venerated Member
Dan,

Had the same experience while testing it out. The Waves SSL has a little more bite, snap and pop but seems like it doesn't really get up there in the high-end to make it sound open. Compared to the Neve it sounds a bit tired, low-resolution and just a little more like an emulation than the real thing if you know what I mean. Basically, the Neve just sounds a lot closer to analogue while the SSL sounds like they really did cut some corners along the way to save DSP. Kinda gives me some of the graininess of them 16bit Blackface ADAT's :lol: , in a very cool way of course.
 
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