bladetragic
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Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
For those who upgraded, I'm interested in opinions on how the Softube saturation fares against some of the leading 3rd party options like URS, Nomad, PSP, Nebula, etc. I particularly like and use URS Saturation and Nomad Magnetic which seem to be held in pretty high regard as far as sat plugs go.
URS Sat. is great and I like it a bit more than Vintage Warmer, but it isn't 64bit (and I don't think it ever will be) so there's a lot of bridging going on if you use a lot of instances which I'm not too fond of and I'm looking to steer away from bridging more and more as time goes on. Magnetic is my second favorite and is great in certain spots but it can alter the sound quite a bit more than desired sometimes so I'm looking for something that can be more of a subtle go-to like the URS. That's why the Softube Sat. has me interested.
Thoughts?
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John T
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/07 20:28:32
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I've just installed it tonight and had a bit of a fiddle. I really like it, despite it being the bit of Expanded I was probably least interested in on paper. It's done marvellous things to the synth bass on this thing I'm working on.
It's not especially subtle, though. Or rather, it can do that, but subtle warmth seems to be all in the first fifth(ish) of the range. After that, it starts to roar a bit. Sounds nice and analogue all the way round, though.
I think this makes it a good complement to the existing saturation module, which is less extreme.
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bladetragic
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/07 20:33:19
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Thanks John T. Have you used any of the plugs I mentioned in comparison?
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John T
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/07 20:40:09
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Yeah, I've used URS. Not any of the others. In operation, it's actually quite similar to URS, in that it's really, really simplified. Sonically, like I say, it's a bit more sort of hectic, to my ears.
Bear in mind I've only owned the thing for something like an hour, though. I've not tried it on a lot of different stuff.
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...wicked
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/07 22:50:15
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BIG fan of it here. It's already replaced Trash as my go-to bass-sweetening trick.
Plus, I had to emulate some old-time radio voiceovers today and made a quick little FX-Chain with a Gate, EQ, and Limiter, and then added a bit of the Softtube and voila!
I'm digging fx-chains 2.0, I actually now use the drag and drop of presets into bins, which I never really bothered doing for anything before.
Pro-Channel enhancements are cool...but more modules would make it even cooler. And ditto what many have said: LIMITER.
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michaelhanson
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/07 23:28:45
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Pro-Channel enhancements are cool...but more modules would make it even cooler. And ditto what many have said: LIMITER.
+1 on a really good Limiter and an LA 2A for Pro Channel..
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GIM Productions
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/08 04:12:58
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bladetragic
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/08 04:53:55
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GIM Productions
Hi all,here my post on Softube,http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=2402890,best.Roby
That link doesn't lead to anything my friend. However I did see that you use and like Satson. How would you compare the Pro Channel/Softube Saturation combination to Satson as it seems the goal for both is to create a console-like emulation.
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GIM Productions
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/08 04:59:36
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GIM Productions
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/08 05:14:21
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Ohh dear...it's one of the best purchase of my life.Add dimensional perception without become harsh and give a natural soft saturation used like a console emu.Very very nice. And finally at the right price.Slate digital VCC is very overpriced ,my opinion.But for me Softube Sat and Satson are different things.Satson is the first of the chain to emu the console sound (preamp stuff)and Softube (after PC if you are dynamic problem)will take a needed character to the instrument.On my working last prj i have tried this comb on bass and it's awesome!!!More depth ,presence and sit better in the mix. Best.Roby
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Razorwit
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/08 14:57:53
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Hi Bladetragic, I happened to be comparing the saturation sounds for myself earlier, so I put a quick A/B together if you want to compare also. You can get it at: http://www.fade.net/saturationtest.zip It's a short drum loop. There is a dry version and then versions run through the new PC Softube sat, the original PC sat, the URS sat and then finally driven through an actual tube pre (in this case a Sebatron vmp-4000e). I used the URS emulation that sounded closest to my ears. All files are 48khz/24bit wav files. Dean
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bladetragic
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/08 17:28:27
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Razorwit
Hi Bladetragic,
I happened to be comparing the saturation sounds for myself earlier, so I put a quick A/B together if you want to compare also. You can get it at:
http://www.fade.net/saturationtest.zip
It's a short drum loop. There is a dry version and then versions run through the new PC Softube sat, the original PC sat, the URS sat and then finally driven through an actual tube pre (in this case a Sebatron vmp-4000e). I used the URS emulation that sounded closest to my ears. All files are 48khz/24bit wav files.
Dean
Thanks. Will give this a listen.
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yorolpal
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/08 18:38:38
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The Softube is more "wooly and scratchy" which, for the right sound, is a great tool to have. I still prefer Nomad's Magnetic and my URS saturator...or even the deadly but essential SoundToys Decapitator... but really those are four entirely different colors of saturation (although you can get almost anything from ol Decapitator). Can't hurt to have them all in the coloring box;-)
If I had to have only one tho...it's Magnetic for me.
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Zo
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/08 18:50:46
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mmm Pal you're intreging me with that magnetic .... Also nobody compared it to the nice tape sate of mpx ? Will install expanded soon ...until i'm having fun reading impressions ... by the way do we have to install x1c before intsalling expanded ? or is it already in ?
post edited by Zo - 2011/10/08 18:57:07
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yorolpal
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/09 00:34:02
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MPX is better...but requires more tweaking.
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bladetragic
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/10 23:41:51
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Still would like to hear more opinions if anyone's got 'em.
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Jonbouy
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/10 23:44:32
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bladetragic
Still would like to hear more opinions if anyone's got 'em.
Eric did this comparison against the std PC sat module.. http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=2404629 I'd go along with the ones already mentioned but I'd also throw in Ferric TDS which I like and is also painless on the wallet. Like most other tape sims it also imposes a virtual ceiling where the good stuff happens to counter the roofless ruthlessness of digital. Olpal's suggestion there of Decapitator or even something more fundamental like Camel Crusher can provide a rich pallete of thickening effects whilst not being saturation as modelled from an analogue circuit they can often provide the exact required colouration especially dialled in as subtle or not so subtle amounts via a send. After all this is digital we can do what we like without being slave to rusty ol' boxes from yesteryear.
post edited by Jonbouy - 2011/10/11 00:02:41
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musicroom
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/11 19:23:45
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Razorwit
Hi Bladetragic,
I happened to be comparing the saturation sounds for myself earlier, so I put a quick A/B together if you want to compare also. You can get it at:
http://www.fade.net/saturationtest.zip
It's a short drum loop. There is a dry version and then versions run through the new PC Softube sat, the original PC sat, the URS sat and then finally driven through an actual tube pre (in this case a Sebatron vmp-4000e). I used the URS emulation that sounded closest to my ears. All files are 48khz/24bit wav files.
Dean
Thanks Razor. Your efforts has left me thinking I want to get Softube sat. It also led me in an exercise that ended up in a new fxchain here - consisting of bx_cleansweep, Voxengo Lampthruster and Tal-Tube. Lot's of tweaking and I have something good to throw on a drum track that I didn't have before. Thanks
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rmfluzon
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/11 19:33:50
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+1 for Ferric TDS (as well as some of the other Variety Of Sound plugs)
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digitalboy
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/11 22:50:19
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I have the Ferric TDS and Nomad Magnetic but there's another one that's also very good... The Ferox from Toneboosters sounds great... In fact - ALL of the plugins that this guy codes are excellent because he is one very smart dude... Anybody looking for a set of fantastic sounding plugins should definitely check them out... The quality is top shelf and the price is so low,it's almost criminal... Very highly recommended. and as good as ANYTHING out there.... BTW : I thought that the drum loop that was posted sounded best without anything added.... Because the levels were so high - that was not saturation - that was distortion  http://www.toneboosters.com/ http://www.toneboosters.com/tb-ferox/ http://www.jeroenbreebaart.com/
post edited by digitalboy - 2011/10/12 21:38:47
Sorry - I don't use Autotune :)
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pwal
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/12 13:57:14
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Freddie H
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/12 15:56:22
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Nomad Factory Magnetic rock! so do Softtube too... ..... I can tell you the big secret...if you promise not to spread it out to everyone.. ;-) It is your own knowledge and how you combinate all these plugins together that is the trick. Best Regards Freddie
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ba_midi
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/12 16:03:54
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yorolpal
The Softube is more "wooly and scratchy" which, for the right sound, is a great tool to have. I still prefer Nomad's Magnetic and my URS saturator...or even the deadly but essential SoundToys Decapitator... but really those are four entirely different colors of saturation (although you can get almost anything from ol Decapitator). Can't hurt to have them all in the coloring box;-)
If I had to have only one tho...it's Magnetic for me.
I like Magnetic a lot too -- though it's a bit CPU hungry. I also really like Voxengo's "Varisaturator" which, for some reason, isn't mentioned often around here. It has a strong feature set and Voxengo is no slouch company. This is one reason why simply making ProChannel an "all-in-one" approach would never quite do it for me - unless it allowed ANY 3rd party plugin to be a 'module'.
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pwal
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Re:Expanded users: How does Softube compare to the competition???
2011/10/12 17:31:05
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