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Shadow Hills is going native
- Thread starter shimel
- Start date
Insanelysane
Active Member
Brainworx have added MIX Dry/Wet knob as well as sidechain options. Im going to download the demo and compare with my UAD, will be interesting to hear opinions/comparisons!
zvenx
Established Member
UAD one had also been programmed by Brainworx
"The Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor plug-in for UAD-2 and Apollo interfaces provides everything from a velvet touch to an iron fist — making it a go-to on records by Muse, Green Day, Gnarls Barkley, and more. Designed by Brainworx, the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor plug-in is a thorough emulation of the high-end hardware."
"The Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor plug-in for UAD-2 and Apollo interfaces provides everything from a velvet touch to an iron fist — making it a go-to on records by Muse, Green Day, Gnarls Barkley, and more. Designed by Brainworx, the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor plug-in is a thorough emulation of the high-end hardware."
Insanelysane
Active Member
Ok this is going to divide opinion - Im demoing them side by side on a rough mix with drums/bass/guitar and they sound different. PA gentler and sweeter to my ears. They do indeed look identical apart from the PA version having Brainworx written on the VU meters and the mix and sc filter knobs positioned on top right outside the GUI where PA plugins always have the A B C D settings so you can compare and try different setups. Im monitoring with Sennheiser HD650 through my Apollo Silver.
They sound different based on identical settings on all knobs I tweaked- the good thing with S Hills compressor is all settings are numbered so its an easy 1 to 1 setting comparison getting them in identical positions. What Im hearing isn't drastic but its undoubtedly there and here are my thoughts:
On all three settings of Nickel/Iron/Steel I find the PA version to be not as muddy/bassy and more feather soft and light on the highs, sweet and forgiving for mids and highs which is more pleasant than the UAD one. I also found myself enjoying the glue it was giving more than UAD, tracks feel smoother and less separated. Must have to do with subtle release movements on the compressors or at least one as I have both Optical and Discrete engaged at around 1db compression each (not much I know, I wanted subtle effects).
The UAD is grittier and bassier and PA definitely doesnt have the same low mid push but the highs on PA are nicer. UAD highs are a bit dull. This is on Iron setting but on Nickel too where this difference really is obvious.
I think I should upload some audio so you guys can hear rather than just read comments. I'll try to do that now.. would love to hear what others think when they've done A B comparison too.
They sound different based on identical settings on all knobs I tweaked- the good thing with S Hills compressor is all settings are numbered so its an easy 1 to 1 setting comparison getting them in identical positions. What Im hearing isn't drastic but its undoubtedly there and here are my thoughts:
On all three settings of Nickel/Iron/Steel I find the PA version to be not as muddy/bassy and more feather soft and light on the highs, sweet and forgiving for mids and highs which is more pleasant than the UAD one. I also found myself enjoying the glue it was giving more than UAD, tracks feel smoother and less separated. Must have to do with subtle release movements on the compressors or at least one as I have both Optical and Discrete engaged at around 1db compression each (not much I know, I wanted subtle effects).
The UAD is grittier and bassier and PA definitely doesnt have the same low mid push but the highs on PA are nicer. UAD highs are a bit dull. This is on Iron setting but on Nickel too where this difference really is obvious.
I think I should upload some audio so you guys can hear rather than just read comments. I'll try to do that now.. would love to hear what others think when they've done A B comparison too.
Kcatthedog
Hall of Fame Member
I see the problem, it’s those crappy Senn 650’s!!
Hey ( I have some too always perplexed at the quite negative things people say about them!
)
Perhaps, they just tweaked the code?
Hey ( I have some too always perplexed at the quite negative things people say about them!
)Perhaps, they just tweaked the code?
Interesting. Try printing them both and doing a blind A/B/X test and see if you can pick out the sweeter one 10 times in a row!
I did this recently with the CLB1 mkII vs HW. Oh I could hear a difference when I knew what I was listening for, but in a blind A/B test, I failed horribly. My colleague sold his hardware!
All indications point to the brainworks native release is the same code. If they did even the slightest improvement, they would have marketed it. They only state mix and key sidechain as “improvements”.
Insanelysane
Active Member
I appreciate that my eyes and predetermined mind clutter reality and subtly bias my opinion - I'm really interested to know if others can hear it. Perhaps I'm deluded though its definitely not the Senn 650s that are the issue!
I've gone to the trouble to upload a playlist with the files, feel free to check it out and report back. Its not comprehensive and I didnt blind test A/B so that'd be the next thing to do.
On the first comparison between Nickel I definitely hear the difference! There is more glue to the PA one, thats what my ears tell me. Listen to the percussive sounds at start drop/release after the reverb, UAD one drops faster and more sudden.
Here it is:
https://soundcloud.com/insanely-sane/sets
I've gone to the trouble to upload a playlist with the files, feel free to check it out and report back. Its not comprehensive and I didnt blind test A/B so that'd be the next thing to do.
On the first comparison between Nickel I definitely hear the difference! There is more glue to the PA one, thats what my ears tell me. Listen to the percussive sounds at start drop/release after the reverb, UAD one drops faster and more sudden.
Here it is:
https://soundcloud.com/insanely-sane/sets
Deckard
Active Member
Wasn't the Shadow Hills compressor marketed as "exclusively for UAD" ? I think something like this happened in the past from Softube. I made screenshots from some of their products, so I know for sure in the future. I find it misleading and in some sense a fraud to market a plugin as exclusively that will be released anyways for other platforms.
And the Ampegs.
I think Dirk hinted on Facebook that "a couple of bass amps" was going native. Must be the Ampegs.
Anyway, I don't see any reason to get mad. The UAD platform is not about exclusivity, or having what others can't have, but about DSP and the Unison technology. For me at least.
UniversalAudio
Official UA Representative
Hey all,
Just making sure everyone understands that all DD (Direct Developer) plugins are entirely created by the DD, not us. Been this way from the beginning of the program.
We were inundated with requests to "open up" the platform and did so, but the plugins, manuals, etc are all their doing.
Just making sure everyone understands that all DD (Direct Developer) plugins are entirely created by the DD, not us. Been this way from the beginning of the program.
We were inundated with requests to "open up" the platform and did so, but the plugins, manuals, etc are all their doing.
Emmett_Brown
Established Member
In the past, I remember Plugin Alliance offering cross grade offers for UAD owners to get the native version. Anyone know if this is still the case?
Deckard
Active Member
But the Ampegs are advertised as EXCLUSIVE. And if that's not the case, then that's a fu cking lie. And that's a reason to be mad to me.
I'm of a different school of thought I guess. I personally got into UAD because of the quality of the plugins and it's exclusivity, not really because I was trying to save DSP. I'm certainly not mad at seeing some of UA's plugs going native, but it does kinda water down the 'privilege' of owning UAD equipment.
Kcatthedog
Hall of Fame Member
What does it really matter ? Use the UA version or native. What’s to complain about, if you have the exclusive benefit of using a plug in for 3-7 years, when others couldn’t ?