Pro Channel compressors compared to their hardware counterparts (with examples)

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Razorwit
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2010/12/08 23:25:56 (permalink)

Pro Channel compressors compared to their hardware counterparts (with examples)

Hi folks,
A while back I mentioned that I happen to own both of the hardware compressors that the Pro Channel seeks to emulate and a bunch of folks asked me to do some quick comparisons.  I ran a quick drum mix and a bass guitar through both prochannel and my hardware versions and have posted wav files so you can compare:
 
http://www.xmission.com/~razorwit/CompTests/CompComparisons.zip
 
Once you D/L the zip file you'll find clean, 1176HW (HardWare), 1176PC (Pro Channel), SSLHW and SSLPC versions of both the drum phrase and bass git phrase.  Have a listen and see what you think.
Drums are Superior Drummer 2 and bass guitar is Scarbee Pre Bass through Amplitube 3.  You can see the hardware I used here:
 
http://www.xmission.com/~razorwit/CompTests/hardware.JPG
 
It's the SSL Bus comp in the X-rack below the monitors and the 2-1176 in the rack below the mic on the left.  I tried to match attack, release, and amount of gain reduction as best as I could without spending too much time on it, but of course there will be some differences.
 
Edit:  One more note.  I didn't really do much level matching, so to avoid the "louder-is-better" bias, import the individual tracks into a DAW and then make sure you adjust so that the volumes are all as equal as you can make them.  Also look up Fletcher-Munson if you haven't already :)
Thanks Jose for the reminder.
I'll see if I can post an example of the HW SSL and ProChannel SSL on a full mix a bit later as well.
Dean
post edited by Razorwit - 2010/12/09 01:34:03

Intel Core i7; 32GB RAM; Win10 Pro x64;RME HDSPe MADI FX; Orion 32 and Lynx Aurora 16; Mics and other stuff...
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    Living Room Rocker
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    Re:Pro Channel compressors compared to their hardware counterparts (with examples) 2010/12/08 23:47:37 (permalink)
    Great, dude!  Now you ruined it!  Who's gonna get X1 now?  Dang, ProChannel was my only hope.

    Kind regards,

    Living Room Rocker
    livin' in a van down by the river
    #2
    jamescollins
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    Re:Pro Channel compressors compared to their hardware counterparts (with examples) 2010/12/08 23:48:33 (permalink)
    Thanks for taking the time to do this, will download once I've finished with X1...

    I'll have three fingers of Glenlivet, with a little bit of pepper... and some cheese.
     
    allthekingsmen.band
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    A1MixMan
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    Re:Pro Channel compressors compared to their hardware counterparts (with examples) 2010/12/08 23:51:07 (permalink)
    Can't wait to check this out. DL'ing now.

    Thanks!

    I've never said this to a guy before, but Nice Rack!

    A1
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    Jose7822
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    Re:Pro Channel compressors compared to their hardware counterparts (with examples) 2010/12/09 01:18:58 (permalink)
    Thanks for the files Razor.  But this test is already flawed due to level mismatches.

    I think, based on what I heard so far, that one could get pretty close to the hardware counterpart with a bit more time tweaking the settings.  And again, matching the levels is crucial, otherwise the louder files will fair better (and they do).

    Take care!

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    Scott Lee
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    Re:Pro Channel compressors compared to their hardware counterparts (with examples) 2010/12/09 01:23:37 (permalink)
    I agree with ya Jose.



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    Razorwit
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    Re:Pro Channel compressors compared to their hardware counterparts (with examples) 2010/12/09 01:30:30 (permalink)
    Hi folks,

    Glad you like the examples and hope you're finding them useful. 
    Oh, and A1MixMan...um, my eyes are up here :)

    Jose, yeah, the louder is better thing is certainly possible with these...I took only a cursory stab at equalizing volume.  My hope was that the folks here were aware of the bias towards louder (yay Fletcher-Munson!) and would import these tracks into a DAW (say, Sonar for example) and then do an adjustment for volume as appropriate.  In any case, you raise a good point.  If I can manage to figure out how to edit my original post I'll include a bit about needing to equalize volume.

    Dean

    Intel Core i7; 32GB RAM; Win10 Pro x64;RME HDSPe MADI FX; Orion 32 and Lynx Aurora 16; Mics and other stuff...
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    Freddie H
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    Re:Pro Channel compressors compared to their hardware counterparts (with examples) 2010/12/09 02:21:50 (permalink)
    Hardware sounds more light... I don't know but it seems that you drive it thru harder with PRO CHANNELS comp, giving it more compressor. Overall the "sounding" of the compressors sound the same...not the files....


    As you perhaps already know, the graphical level meter of the compressor doesn't work correctly yet. Graphical bugs. For some users like me, it doesn't work at all?


    -Highly developed spirits often encounter resistance from mediocre minds. -It really matters!
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