1073 vs Helios - fair contest?

[bulls hit]

I'm trialling both of these plugs at the moment.

I've already decided to get the Neve bundle, and I'm going to pick up either the Helios or the Cambridge (which I'm also trialling).

My drums have always sounded pretty good to my ears. That was until I put the 1073 on the 2 track mix set to one of the presets. Wow. Speechless. I decided there and then to get the whole bundle.

Maybe I was expecting to much when I tried the Helios for the first time. Led Zep & the Who, how could I go wrong? But I remain underwhelmed. I did get quite a nice enhancement to a low reamped syth bass distorted track, but where's the Wow?

Is the Helios supposed to be more transparent than the Neves? If so I may as well just get the Cambridge for its surgical qualities

 

[Arys Chien]

I got both the Neve 1073 and Helios plug-ins, and both the 1073 and Helios hardwares. Both plug-ins sound inferioer to their hardware version in the same way, more boxed and plastic with a bit smeared in some frequencies, but both are close.

As for 1073 v.s. Helios, the Neve is famous for the excitement it adds to the sound, wihle the Helios has a darker, more hi-fi, \"dry and woody\" sound as Vintage King website describes it. They are totally different beast.

It's fair if you compare them in sound quality. Not if in character. The Neve can't touch the Helios for what the Helios does best, and vice versa.

 

[kleinholgi]

The answere is easy. If a Plug In doesn´t give you the kick you expected, just don´t buy it.

I have the Neves and the Helios as well and like both. For me it is not so much about different or better sound quality. Working with Helios is just fun for me, especially when editing bassfrequencies and even more special when boosting frequencies. I immediately liked that behavior of the Helios from the start and therefore went for it.

If this doesn´t fit in the way you work, maybe it is better to go for the cambridge. It´s the more universal tool and a nice EQ for analytic, surgical situations. I reach for it, when that kind mathematical workflow is needed.
The Helios is just the opposite of that.

 

[Paul Woodlock]

I got both the Neve 1073 and Helios plug-ins, and both the 1073 and Helios hardwares. Both plug-ins sound inferioer to their hardware version in the same way, more boxed and plastic with a bit smeared in some frequencies, but both are close.

As for 1073 v.s. Helios, the Neve is famous for the excitement it adds to the sound, wihle the Helios has a darker, more hi-fi, "dry and woody" sound as Vintage King website describes it. They are totally different beast.

It's fair if you compare them in sound quality. Not if in character. The Neve can't touch the Helios for what the Helios does best, and vice versa.

Wise words!!

Often Iv'e actually used both the Neve and the Helios on teh same track choosing different badns from each.

For example I actually prefer the HF of the Helios but prefer the midrange of the 1073/1081

 

[bulls hit]

Thank you gentlemen for your thoughts.

I've been playing with the Helios and yeah there's more to this than meets the eye. I took a bland DI'd bass track, and added a stupid amount of boost to the upper mids, and now it's sitting really well behind the guitars. I think it's the Helios for me

 

[electro77]

I got both the Neve 1073 and Helios plug-ins, and both the 1073 and Helios hardwares. Both plug-ins sound inferioer to their hardware version in the same way, more boxed and plastic with a bit smeared in some frequencies, but both are close.

Does sample rate make a significant difference?

 

[Fundy]

In theory it does, as it forces all bad stuff created in audio into the inaudible region; secondly, going by Shannon's Law by doubling everything it is how we should hear things. Science aside, it does allow for more changes and higher frequency tweaking without discolouring or creating unwanted digital artefacts.

Some of the plug-ins already feature internal resampling, so it may not be much of a benefit at higher sample rates; or indeed if it is any help, it should enhance what you are working with at any cost. Bit-depth plays a more important part than sample rate.

The only real disadvantage to working at higher sample rates is larger file sizes and more processing power needed.

 

[Arys Chien]

About the high end, I really think that Helios is hard to beat. The type 69 hardware is passive and is thus less harsh than the Neve.

The above is true when hardware v.s. hardware or plug-in v.s. plug-in.

Processing at higher sample rate helps, but it taxed the DAW's CPU and UAD-1's not-up-to-date DSP. Recently I got myself a bunch of good outboards and a great mixer, so right now I'm not considering mixing at higher sample rate.

The Helios looks limited at the first glance, but after getting familiar with it, sometimes I feel that I can finish a mix with only the Helios.

 

[imdrecordings]

I guess I'm the only one who doesn't really like the high-end of the Helios plug...
Almost too Airy and borderline harsh.
I still can't decided if I like any plugs top end..
hmmm..
The 1073's top end sounds the best to my ears.
Bottom end of the Helios is just sooooo juicy, fat and round. 8)
Most of the time I find myself using the Cubendo EQ (subractive eqing) and throwing the 1073, Helios or Pultec on for flavor.

-S-