BIG Saturation test - Mbassador/RBass/MaxxBass/bx_subsynth/LoAir etc

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ahhh f**k! i hate saturators, eenhancers etc. maybe it's my imagination but i always find something nice about the different saturators.

1. here is my 1st test with a C2 (65 Hz) SINE WAVE Signal

dry
https://clyp.it/jivlrldd
Image

Mbassador
https://clyp.it/iiymtjxk
Image
clearly adds Harmonics, what i dont understand why it adds harmonics to
G3 - E4 - A4 - D5

-> doesnt this bring unbalanced harmonics to the bass? shouldnt it be C3 - C4 etc.?

bx_subsynth
https://clyp.it/qljcmqrd
Image
- the knob "LOW END just raises the Volume
- LOW END + SQUEEZE + DRIVE adds also Harmonics
G3 - E4 - A4 - D5 - F5 - G5 etc.
- but it sounds more harmonized and not so dominant like Mbassador where you hear more prominence from the lower harmonics

LoAir (Range set to 100Hz like Mbassador)
- on LoAir at 0 it looks like this
Image
--> the LOW End gets raised!
-adding more LoAir it transforms to this
https://clyp.it/oofyvrel
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- the C2 Note gets totally lowered (why? wont it be unharmonized in a mix where you but C2 as the bass line for example?)
G2 - G3 - E3 - A3 - D4 etc.
-- totally different harmonics?

MaxxBass
https://clyp.it/dxxu2ccz
Image
- adds prominent harmonics each octave C3 - C4 - (G4) - C5
- raising the ratio it generates even more upper harmonics E5 - F5 - A5

RBass
https://clyp.it/vtsv3v0f
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- adds a lot of harmonics even raises the low end pushed a lot in settings
C3 - G3 - C4 - E4 - G4 - A4 - C5 etc.

IMP-Pusher
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- Just raising the LOW to max following harmonics come up and subtle change
C3 - G3 - C4
- with PUSH all the way up it really gets a LOT of harmonics and you can vary it with BODY and MAGIC parameters
https://clyp.it/bf0etn15
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- massive harmonic increase G3 - E4 - A4 - D5 - F5 etc

Magnetic II
https://clyp.it/wg1lgqtm
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- raising the TUBE Mode
G3 - E4 - A4 - D5 etc.

Image
https://clyp.it/buyh5twe
-raising the TAPE Mode less harmonized sound, more static but with more linear peaks
C3 - G3 - C4 - E4 - G4 - A4 - C5 etc.

PM Analoger
https://clyp.it/gdekkghq
Image
- raising the TUBE Mode
C3 - G3 - C4 - E4 - G4 - A4 etc.

[img]hhttps://i.imgur.com/SRMmTx8.png[/img]
https://clyp.it/0hokwtgu
-raising the TAPE Mode less harmonized sound but more peaks than on magnetic 2 (ok here it is a bit simplified)
G3 - E4 - G4 - A4 - D5 - F5 etc.

Tube Saturator 2
https://clyp.it/mfonfkgg
12AX7 Mode
Image
- adds a lot of harmonics
C3 - C4 - E4 - G4 - A4 - C5 etc.

Image
- 12AU7 Mode lessens the mid/upper harmonics


2. big questions, seems all are working differently, how do you use them and why do you choose a over b or b over c?

;)
Last edited by Caine123 on Fri May 25, 2018 9:10 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Caine123 wrote:how do you use them
Use your ears, and not analysers :shrug:

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el-bo (formerly ebow) wrote:
Caine123 wrote:how do you use them
Use your ears, and not analysers :shrug:
yeah i know ;) but as im sorting out my plugins i always wanted to test myself what these really do instead of always following marketing blabber. thing is all are somehow different ;D. i dunno want to try to each mix all 5 plugins, maybe some have experiences made themselves what they use for what? and why?
DAW FL Studio Audio Interface Focusrite Scarlett 1st Gen 2i2 CPU Intel i7-7700K 4.20 GHz, RAM 32 GB Dual-Channel DDR4 @2400MHz Corsair Vengeance. MB Asus Prime Z270-K, GPU Gainward 1070 GTX GS 8GB NT Be Quiet DP 550W OS Win10 64Bit

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1. bx_subsynth because in my opinion it fits very fast in a very musical way
2. MaxxBass because its synthesized harmonics in between add a nice warmth and the way these harmonics fall off, affect mainly the bass area without much bleeding into the upper areas.

edit: I'd like to add fabfilter saturn (multiband saturation) to the list because it has a dozen algorithms and features which could also be applied to the bass area only.

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Sam-U wrote:1. bx_subsynth because in my opinion it fits very fast in a very musical way
2. MaxxBass because its synthesized harmonics in between add a nice warmth and the way these harmonics fall off, affect mainly the bass area without much bleeding into the upper areas.

edit: I'd like to add fabfilter saturn (multiband saturation) to the list because it has a dozen algorithms and features which could also be applied to the bass area only.
thx a lot! very interesting experience.
sadly i dont have saturn so i cannot test results atm and demoed it some time ago.

i also found more lol Magnetic 2, PM Analoger, Tube Saturator 2 and IMP Pusher ;D have to update my list i guess
DAW FL Studio Audio Interface Focusrite Scarlett 1st Gen 2i2 CPU Intel i7-7700K 4.20 GHz, RAM 32 GB Dual-Channel DDR4 @2400MHz Corsair Vengeance. MB Asus Prime Z270-K, GPU Gainward 1070 GTX GS 8GB NT Be Quiet DP 550W OS Win10 64Bit

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Hmmmm LoAir in particular looks like just a big blobby lump, but actually that's a sub octave peak hiding under there. If you increase SPAN's 'Block Size' you should be able to see it in detail.

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el-bo (formerly ebow) wrote:
Caine123 wrote:how do you use them
Use your ears, and not analysers :shrug:
:tu:

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Check out Kush's Omega 458A and you'll quit hating saturators. :P

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You should care about the clipping (especially for Waves plugins)...
Exceeding 0dB would lead to unwanted results.

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This is actually quite helpful. I would not want, for example something that goes too much past the vocal ranges for bass. And the SHAPES of the harmonic content is nice to see too - noisy PM analoger vs. a more deliberating bx-subsynth, which looks more artificial than I imagine organic saturation would produce.

Much more to see perhaps, to a more seasoned professional. Thanks for all the work

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MaxxBass was the most useful and unique plug in the original Waves NPP. Maybe its different today, but here was never any VST equivalent.
https://ddmf.eu/plugindoctor/
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el-bo (formerly ebow) wrote:
Caine123 wrote:how do you use them
Use your ears, and not analysers :shrug:
Amen to that. You could waste half your life 'testing' plugins.. or do the thing you originally set out to do.
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@use your ears. i understand :)!

still the question is, when a C2 note gets upper harmonics eg. E3 - G4 - A5 etc. isnt it clashing and manking the C2 note's pitching strange out of balance? it's like i add small notes at those harmonics which could be out of my harmonics in the song? theoretically. i ask cause i really dunno! ;)
dont want to use saturators which are nonsense for this if thats the case at all!

also i tested in 3 mixes different saturators for each sub bass and man, this is tough, i guess i keep them all atm, cause it was always different, sometimes i added a distortion + saturation until i had nice bussing sounds. thought maybe some plugin could replace some others :/
DAW FL Studio Audio Interface Focusrite Scarlett 1st Gen 2i2 CPU Intel i7-7700K 4.20 GHz, RAM 32 GB Dual-Channel DDR4 @2400MHz Corsair Vengeance. MB Asus Prime Z270-K, GPU Gainward 1070 GTX GS 8GB NT Be Quiet DP 550W OS Win10 64Bit

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I picked up some useful recommendations here, and tried a few saturators. Wave Arts Tube Saturator (Vintage) and Klanghelm SDRR sounded the best to me. I also used Softube Saturation Knob, but, since i have Tube Saturator Vintage (which is free BTW), and Klanghelm SDRR, i rarely use the Softube one anymore.

IMO, saturation/distortion is very difficult to get right in digital/software form, and a lot of onboard saturations/distortions sound awful, so... you might want to take a look around to find stuff that suits your demands. My layman advice: Get Klanghelm SDRR. Only 23 €, and it is very versatile, with different modes, and controls over the harmonics and frequency response. For my hobby needs, it's more than sufficient.

I more or less use saturation on every sounds i do with synthesizers BTW. With time, it has become absolutely essential for me. A good onboard saturation/drive/distortion is, again, on Spire, which IMO has the best onboard fx of any VSTi.

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if you want decent saturation just use the Drop. Turn off all other parameters on it. Personally I think a bit of it or free Krush does good job and use Trash from Izotope otherwise. I also now like Blueface of Audiority at slight bit. I made many presets in the Drop just for saturation.

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