To my ears, it seems to pulls the highs out.  Sort of like a BBE Maximizer.

I can definitely tell the difference!  God job!

The difference is subtle, but if you can hear the audio over a decent system, sometimes when it switches between the two options the difference is REALLY obvious.   I'd be interested in your take on the comparison...

Hey Craig,


I'm listening on laptop speakers... but to me... it sounds like the stereo image collapse a bit when Console Emu is engaged.  Sounds a little less wide and a little more fat with Console Emu on.

First of all thanks to Craig for taking the time to do the A/B mixes. I've always respected Craig's writings and opinions, not just on this forum but elsewhere. What I did was a blind taste test and listened to file in a studio using JBL 4408A monitors (which are not true near fields) but are quite flat and do not color the sound in my experience with them. Next I made sure when listening to the track I had my eyes closed and could not tell when the emulation was in or out the first two passes. Then went back and listened again, this time with eyes open. Bottom line, I was able to detect a very subtle difference between the two. The CE passages seemed to have a bit more depth to them. Just to be sure, I had another engineer here at work (we're a broadcast facility)do the same thing in my studio and he also heard a difference. He felt it was a slightly warmer sound, but also a bit deeper. This is IMHO a very subtle effect, and not meant to be extreme. PS I respect Jim's opinion as well. He's been very helpful to me and others here.

I'm listening on desktop speakers with sub-woofer. I really like what I'm hearing as far as the difference is concerned. I,too, am getting the enhanced top end sound and clarity during the on/off toggling in the video. I have been playing around with the CE in X2 on my setup, position,drive,tolerance,etc. I just am not getting the results that Craig is on his comparison. My results have been way less dramatic, for use of a better word. Craig is getting a very noticeable change that I am just not getting. The songs of mine that are similar to the sounds of his track are not getting the same results. That's why I wish he would give us more info per track and buss concerning placement, and actual settings to obtain the overall results. I am liking what I hear on my tracks with the CE but I need a tad more of it. It just is not as strong a change as what he demonstrates in his video. What I am hearing on his video is exactly the sound I am looking for. I know that it is supposed to be a subtle difference, I just wish there was a little bigger difference and let me control how much to use. Right now, I'm floundering around not getting what I want. There has to be something wrong in my placement or settings. Craig's tracks sound great with the CE engaged and my CE settings are not getting me there. I'll keep playing with it and hope that someone can assist some of us in how to get the most out of the CE. Maybe some more info about it from the bakers would help. Could someone possibly do a video and post on YouTube the proper use. I like this plug a lot if I could just get a little more out of it. Again, I feel it is something I'm doing wrong. 

I have found that the Console Emulation is way more noticeable on some kinds of sounds than others, in terms of cranking the drive up and hearing an effect. It's very noticeable on strings IMO. In the case of certain very clean synth sounds, I think it can add some very undesirable and unmusical distortion if you drive it too high. I had a synth sound that was distorting in a horrible digital clipping kind of way and I was like "what the hell is that?" I was tweaking the preset and the volume and the compression for ages before I thought to back the CE drive off a little. Problem solved. 

Hands down, the Console Emulator is the one thing I would not want to give up from X2. I like the subtle warmth and depth the mixes have now. I will pay more attention to the possible narrowing effect Jim mentioned. 

Experimenting around I found that there is a pretty big difference when I put the channel CE on the master buss instead of the Buss CE. Cranking the trim up really pronounces the effect more than anything I have tried in that buss. This makes me tend to think that my tracks are not hitting the buss hard enough for the Buss CE to really do its job. I will continue to experiment and see if I can unlock the secret to this quandry. I know everyone has posted their opinions about settings and placement. I just haven't found the sweet spots for this plug yet!

mike_mccue

jb101

Tests like this often tell you more about the people being tested (and the people doing the testing) than they do about the equiptment used, in my experience. 

Yes, I agree... anyone that takes a test while watching suggestions in big white letters either doesn't care or doesn't know how the big white letters makes the test seem more like entertainment and less like an actual comparison.



I've done a lot of ABX tests... they have taught me a whole bunch about what I think I think when I think I think I am hearing something.







It has taught me that the power of suggestion is a remarkable and effective way to promote an idea.



best regards,
mike

@Mike - Crossed wires, I was disagreeing with you.  - I was talking about ABX testing, and the people who suggest them..
 
As far as I know Craig wasn't doing this as a test, but just to share a great track and how he made it.  When asked, he kindly did the A B recording for people.
 
I am greatfull.  He does a lot to help people here, rather than insult and play childish games..
 
I also trust Craig's ears, as I know they're not cloth ones.  If he says he likes the Console emulation, then that carries some weight with me.
In fact, I knew that it was good as I have X2 Producer, and have ears to hear.
 
Thanks again, Craig.
 
@FBB - I hope your post wasn't aimed at me as well.  I hate the thought that people would think I agreed with McQ.  He only agreed with me because he didn't understand my post.
 
This can be a problem when someone changes what they see to fit in with their preconceptions - an edit filter, if ou will.
 

@FBB - I hope your post wasn't aimed at me as well.  I hate the thought that people would think I agreed with McQ.  He only agreed with me because he didn't understand my post.

No definitely not. I don't notice you posting negative drivel every other post.

FastBikerBoy

@FBB - I hope your post wasn't aimed at me as well.  I hate the thought that people would think I agreed with McQ.  He only agreed with me because he didn't understand my post.

No definitely not. I don't notice you posting negative drivel every other post.

Every other post?  I must be missing half of his contribution, then..