Logic "Tube EQ" vs any other pultec emulation

[Etienne1973]

So my Softube Tube-Tech MK2 Bundle has no modeled saturation?

[martinjuenke]

How about Waves PuiqTec EQs?
https://www.waves.com/plugins/puigtec-eqs

[Ploki]

Since I left the UAD platform I'm still looking for a good Pultec emulation. Maybe the newer Softube Tube-Tech MK2?

i think you get both MK2 and legacy if you buy one. I got both.

Also MK2 is my fav "cleaner", and black rooster is my fav dirty pultec. both great.

[Ploki]

So my Softube Tube-Tech MK2 Bundle has no modeled saturation?

barely.
but afaik the hardware unit doesn't have much saturation either

[4damind]

Even the first UAD Pultec version had no saturation. But with the Mk2 it could be different.
The Pultec does something with the signal even if you don't set anything. This typical behaviour should be emulated.
I don't know how it looks with the Tube-Tech from Softube.

[Scarlet Pumpernickel]

Since I left the UAD platform I'm still looking for a good Pultec emulation. Maybe the newer Softube Tube-Tech MK2?

I am currently using "Rule Tec Heritage Pro" from NoiseAsh mainly because it has all three "boxes" in one plugin but the sound is also good (to my ears).

Before that I was using Black Rooster Audio "VEQ-1P" + "VEQ-5" - two different plugins that sound different from NoiseAsh but also nice.

TubeTech EQ from Softube doesn't have the same frequency selections as Pultec.

[Tendou]

So my Softube Tube-Tech MK2 Bundle has no modeled saturation?

barely.
but afaik the hardware unit doesn't have much saturation either

ofc it had saturation - thats what should happen when Pulse Technologies built in vacuum tube gain make up amplifiers in their units. The predecessor didnt have those but afaik they where from western electronics but those where made to be used over telephones.

[4damind]

Could this sorting of the best algorithmic emulations be correct?

1. UAD "Pultec MK2"
2. Noise Ash "Rule Tec"
3. Blackrooster "VEQ-1P" (& "VEQ-5")
4. Softube "Tube-Tech"

[Tendou]

Could this sorting of the best algorithmic emulations be correct?

1. UAD "Pultec MK2"
2. Noise Ash "Rule Tec"
3. Blackrooster "VEQ-1P" (& "VEQ-5")
4. Softube "Tube-Tech"

you cant rank them like that you need to know if you want the saturation or not. if not the curves of the softube imho better than the uad legacy ones. the ozone curves are better as well. if the tube saturation is important to you the uad offers the best of both worlds

[Ploki]

Could this sorting of the best algorithmic emulations be correct?

1. UAD "Pultec MK2"
2. Noise Ash "Rule Tec"
3. Blackrooster "VEQ-1P" (& "VEQ-5")
4. Softube "Tube-Tech"

err, noise ash felt wrong when i tried it. harmonics didn't feel like what a tube amp should sound. I only had hands on experience with MP1A from specifically tubetech, but in general didn't feel right. Imo it's not all that good at all, nothing it does feels like a vintage tube EQ should be doing.

Never used the UAD so can't comment on that.
But friend had hardware and said Softube is pretty spot on.
I don't think it's fair to compare the generally cleaner tubetech with other pultecs?

I personally use softube if i don't want dirt, and BRA if i want dirt.

[4damind]

Plugindoctor shows that Softube has less overtones and is not transparent.
Blackrooster has a crazy linear curve, there is by default a "low-cut" at about 50hz and a cut at 20khz... that means there is no oversampling or internal processing at a higher resolution? (Softube and Rule Tec do not have this).
Rule Tec has the most harmonic overtones.

This means... I would not use the VEQ-1P (Blackrooster) for bass and other sounds where you need the low end.
Rule Tec and Softube are both fine, considering that Softube is a tube tech emulation the difference is understandable.

[Obsolete462444]

Plugindoctor shows that Softube has less overtones and is not transparent.
Blackrooster has a crazy linear curve, there is by default a "low-cut" at about 50hz and a cut at 20khz... that means there is no oversampling or internal processing at a higher resolution? (Softube and Rule Tec do not have this).
Rule Tec has the most harmonic overtones.

This means... I would not use the VEQ-1P (Blackrooster) for bass and other sounds where you need the low end.
Rule Tec and Softube are both fine, considering that Softube is a tube tech emulation the difference is understandable.

Please consider examining PTEq-X by Ignite Amps as well, heavily underrated despite being a superb emulation.

[4damind]

Btw... total harmonic distortion THD (smaller value = more distortion)
Rule Tec Heritage Pro: -34dB
Blackrooster VEQ-1P: -48dB
Tube-Tech Equalizers MK2: -104dB

Here the crazy linear analysis of the Blackrooster (default settings with boost/att at "0"!)

blackroaster-linear.png

In comparison to the Rule Tec (Hi/Lo pass module and middle band module disabled, Softube is similar)

Rule-Tec Linear.png

[Ploki]

Plugindoctor shows that Softube has less overtones and is not transparent.
Blackrooster has a crazy linear curve, there is by default a "low-cut" at about 50hz and a cut at 20khz... that means there is no oversampling or internal processing at a higher resolution? (Softube and Rule Tec do not have this).
Rule Tec has the most harmonic overtones.

This means... I would not use the VEQ-1P (Blackrooster) for bass and other sounds where you need the low end.
Rule Tec and Softube are both fine, considering that Softube is a tube tech emulation the difference is understandable.

you need to learn to read plugin doctor graphs.
the DC filter is common with saturating plugins

-1.5dB at 10Hz. How much infra-sub do you need?
I have woofers in monitoring that actually extened to 10Hz fairly linearly and i can't hear the DC filter...

Also it's not only "amount" of the harmonics, it's how they behave relative to input and which harmonics are there and relationship between them.
RuleTec to my eyes looks wrong, not like hardware at all

i can't load Softube in my system, it crashes all the time for some reason.
and i already yeeted RuleTec off my system

[4damind]

Yes, a DC filter...
Are there comparisons to a real hardware Pultec?
You can say: the emulations are quite different, both in terms of THD and frequency response. But which emulation is the closest hardware emulation?