Neve EQ: Which plugin nails it?

[rasmusklump]

Softube British class a for console one.
I like this one the best. And it's a breeze to use in console one.

[martinjuenke]

Waves Scheps Omni Channel?

[DCrown]

I compared Softube's new release of British console 1 to PA Lindell 80.
Softube has a limiter, a 200 ms release, Lindell jumps from 100 to 400 and the drive and character option is superior to Lindell's drive knob, it's more musical, also the eq is generally more musical imo. So I am surprised to see posts stating that these plugins are pretty close!?

[simon.a.billington]

Waves Scheps Omni Channel?

Thats a great channel strip, one of my favs. It doesn't really do the Neve thing though. The broad band eq settings are kind of based on it, but I believe they may have taken a bit of artistic license with it too. Possibly.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

I compared Softube's new release of British console 1 to PA Lindell 80.
Softube has a limiter, a 200 ms release, Lindell jumps from 100 to 400 and the drive and character option is superior to Lindell's drive knob, it's more musical, also the eq is generally more musical imo. So I am surprised to see posts stating that these plugins are pretty close!?

I remember reading a post on Gearspace from a former Neve employee who was there in their heyday, and he explained that Neve went through many iterations of transformers (Mariner, St. Ives, Carnhill) based on what was available. They didn't think about transformers as adding a drive character the same way we do today. So Neve's can really vary in sound, I believe even within the same console series. And that's just the vintage stuff [then there's also AMS Neve, Rupert Neve Designs, clones like Brett Averill, etc.]. When people talk about the classic Neve sound, that had more to do with Rupert Neve's ears and talent for creating great sounding gear that had a character he liked versus any homogeneous Neve sound. Of all the gear out there, I'd be least surprised if two models of 1073 or Neve consoles sounded different.

I'm not saying either gear is a perfect model either, just basically: use what sounds good and don't worry too much about it.

[martinjuenke]

use what sounds good and don't worry too much about it.

Well said