Ok straight up Poll... Ik White VS Native instruments VCA2A

VST, AU, AAX, CLAP, etc. Plugin Virtual Effects Discussion
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Which of these would you buy for your limiting amp needs

IK White
37
45%
Ni VCA2A
45
55%
 
Total votes: 82

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TheoM wrote:
sonicpowa wrote:
Aiynzahev wrote:-- and there aren't many dbx 160's around native.
I hope SKnote's version will be good because NI VC160 is not so good, it doesn't have the punch that DBX is known for.
Edit: ah it's already out http://www.sknote.it/C165a.htm
Edit2: yep, it's better than VC160.
I agree. Disappointed in the VC160 :(
Hey Theo, just tried out SKnotes 165 tonight, it's awesome, I really like it. I like it a lot more than NI's version.

I just actually came to say that it's been a while since I tried out IK's white. I do remember liking it more than the black.

I am thinking of demoing it again actually since I started playing around with NI's La2a.

Black sounds quite a bit better to me in 96khz, but I don't always have enough power to run everything in 96kz.
Aiynzahev-sounds
Sound Designer - Soundsets for Pigments, Repro, Diva, Virus TI, Nord Lead 4, Serum, DUNE2, Spire, and others

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Peter - IK Multimedia wrote:At first I thought Theo decided on ours, but not so sure now... I hope so, though, as we do stand behind both the White 2A and the Black 76 and I don't think I stressed enough some reasons:

- Our models sound nearly indistinguishable from the ORIGINAL units and that the models should be compared to originals and not to other plugins, for the most realistic comparison.
- Compared to the original hardware, others may be distorting much more and sometimes perception and reality are a bit different as we found that for example the 1176 most of the THD is generated by the attenuation FET that is distorting the incoming signal when this gets of a comparable magnitude with the FET thresholds. We wanted to be more similar to the original units (of course) regardless of what extra "coloration" may be added by others (as we'd stand on our own against the real units and still do).
- From our tests it was more important to SOUND like the original hardware than to add harmonics that were not there in our maniacal measuring and testing with the real units, and we preferred to go this way because the models sounded nearly identical to originals this way, and without excessive (meaning not there in the hardware unit) distortion.
- You can hear in the processed material from the original units and our plug-ins (via the Slate shootout) and I could have Brian work with our development team to send get similar from the unit we modeled and our plugins for a blind listening test if people are interested in that.
- In our opinion, distorting way too much vs the real unit is contrary to how the real units distort so we respect how others may do it but we don't want to provide something of an extra overdrive unit to you, we want to provide something that SOUNDS REALLY GOOD and we feel we provided that.

Again, if interested we can have some sound files generated. With the upcoming updates and new gear, I hope it can come as quickly as you may or may not like (might not generate any interest, I've seen it go either way with blind comparisons) but we'll see what we can do.
Peter.. i am in a conundrum. I like the two La2a's equally. But the Ni stuff offers the extra features and they are useful especially in the 1176. I think their 1176 has the edge particularly in attack. It also offers variable ratio and sidechain AND parallel AND HPF. so...

I can get their whole pack for $120 including the VC160 which i admit i didn't like much in my tests *so far*. But i need to spend more time with it and the fact of the matter is at that price point i consider it a freebie.

i would spend MORE than that by quite a margin to get just the two Ik ones. And as i said i fear if i buy them now, that in two days there will be a special and i will curse myself.

I keep on waiting for IK to do a black and white special and maybe that's why i have held off for so long buying ANY 1176 and LA2A.

The thing is that my NFR of softube FET expires in a few months so i am firmly looking for "the duo". Both an LA2a and an 1176.

Will also have to see what waves offers this black friday.

I have to demo the waves and really pit all three against each other before i make a decision. I *really* do like the ik white though.

Sorry but so far i do prefer the NI 1176.

cheers

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TheoM wrote: Will also have to see what waves offers this black friday.

I have to demo the waves and really pit all three against each other before i make a decision. I *really* do like the ik white though.

Sorry but so far i do prefer the NI 1176.

cheers
Theo,
its hard to me vote for these comps since AFAIK none of these 2A models /including Waves CLA one/ does proper ovesampling which makes usability of them very limited in 44kHz /yes Im one of these rare guys here who can hear aliasing and care about/
but there is another thing-becouse these comps when pushed are same time distorting units-I was interested how accurate the devs modelled structore of upper harmonics...Ive compared only waves and IK 2A models and to be honest I was shocked how big the difference between them is,waves nailed exactly harmonics what I would expect from good tube unit...but white 2A-sorry IK-only odd harmonics from clipping and plenty of alias-so I wander how can this sound good enough to you :?
but maybe your ears are very different...or are you testing it only with drums...who knows...but still I would prefer CLA2A anytime :)
Last edited by kvaca on Wed Nov 21, 2012 10:53 am, edited 1 time in total.

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It also offers variable ratio and sidechain AND parallel AND HPF. so...
Don't be fooled, the ratio is not variable, it only looks that way. (tested with Budde's vst plug analyzer)

also, the NI 76 doesn't have a sidech HPF unfortunately.

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^ The CLA2A also doesn't seem to have that "polished" attack IMO.
Of course I'm not saying that the CLA2A is bad, but for me, I surely would go with something else... like the VC2A for example.

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3ee wrote:^ The CLA2A also doesn't seem to have that "polished" attack IMO.
Of course I'm not saying that the CLA2A is bad, but for me, I surely would go with something else... like the VC2A for example.
yes,I prefer that smoother attack over polished IK white,which sounds maybe good for some drums but hardly anything else :)
but I have to try NI VC2A to get the full picture...

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maxxxter wrote:
kvaca wrote:...but still I would prefer CLA2A anytime :)

To my ears, CLA removes way too much bottom end and is a bit on the brittle side.
Both IK White and the NI don't do that, they sound much better in that regard.
its strange,becouse so far I thought that 2A when driven should have such impact on low frequencies-can anybody here with real hw confirm this?

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kvaca wrote:
3ee wrote:^ The CLA2A also doesn't seem to have that "polished" attack IMO.
Of course I'm not saying that the CLA2A is bad, but for me, I surely would go with something else... like the VC2A for example.
yes,I prefer that smoother attack over polished IK white,which sounds maybe good for some drums but hardly anything else :)
but I have to try NI VC2A to get the full picture...
Funny you should mention that. The White 2A can work great on snare...I've never heard of the real LA-2A being used much on a snare drum. Interesting...

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What about that MOTU LA2? Some people that use it in DP and/or in their interface DSP swear by it. The previous post made me think of it for some reason. I guess because it's supposed to "warm up," etc. and be a more accurate T4 emulation. I think it's only available outside DP in a bundle, though.
WEASEL: World Electro-Acoustic Sound Excitation Laboratories

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Oh well well with the current $40 special for IK black and my jam points i got both for exactly $100 USD so i decided to go for the IKS.

I thought that was a reasonable deal.

It's a shame being in australia we get penalised an pay in euros with Ik though, and there is no way to alter that.

For example, $39 ik black in USD or 35 Euros (i must pay 35 Euros), which after paypal's conversion fees was $47.

so.. whatever...

anyway....

I got them. I am getting real used to them and just felt good with them. The NI/Softube are sensationally strong contenders with tons of extra features, and actually cheaper when you factor the vc60 all for $120 for the three,
but, i went for the IK's. it just "felt" right I guess :)

cheers

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TheoM wrote:I got them. I am getting real used to them and just felt good with them. The NI/Softube are sensationally strong contenders with tons of extra features, and actually cheaper when you factor the vc60 all for $120 for the three,
but, i went for the IK's. it just "felt" right I guess :)

cheers
You could always get the SKNote 165 for another $30 and be right in the ballpark of having all three.

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