Waves SSL EV2 Channel Strip - $39.99 (84% off)

[antic604]

Hold on! There's no way to apply filters to sidechain? Couldn't find it in either EV2 nor MixHub?

EDIT: F**ing Waves! I was installing the demo yesterday and had to update Waves Central, want to remove them now and I have to update it again? WTF?!

[jamcat]

I did a comparison against UAD&BX. For me it‘s a good sounding strip. Preamp sounds good similar to UAD the BX has no preamp you can adjust some THD but the harmonics are different and less prominent compared to the others, even driven its more or less placebo. Not a Waves Fan but this is a really good emu and for that price no brainer.

I went back and did some more tests.
This time, I used an existing song that has an SSL 4000 E model at the front of each channel, performing the role of the tracking mixer. This is the same setup as my previous test, but a lot more involved. Since this is a preexisting song, I already had it sounding the way I wanted, including some EQing, and I carefully copied each setting exactly to each of the SSL models.

Once again, the comparisons were between bx, IK, and EV2.

The first thing I noticed is the Waves preamp boost has a totally different scale than the others. I previously said it gets very crunchy very quickly. That's because a small tweak of the knob will send it up by 10 or 15 dB. So instead of matching the knob positions, I dialed in the same numbers, which was barely any movement on the EV2 knob. This resulted in much more sensible harmonic distortion from Waves.

Upon this second attempt, I found that the Waves sounds really nice. It actually ended up being quite close to the IK British Channel. They sound almost identical at the same gain settings, though the Waves has a little bit more hair on it. It's a subtle, fuzzy distortion that sounds a touch fresher and more lively. It does a good job of bringing the feel of a real console to the mix. I can't stress enough though, you have to use very small amounts or it overcooks everything. We're pretty used to grabbing a knob and turning it up in software. But don't do that here.

The difference seems to be that IK modeled the line input, but not the mic preamp. I believe this is because the British Channel is actually a model of the SSL Mynx XR425 and XR418 which don't have preamps. That would also explain why IK's SL-9000 "White Channel" is white—because it's actually the XR625/XR618.

As for the Brainworx, it kind of fell apart in this test. I'll try experimenting with the THD setting some, but the real issue is it doesn't provide the raw output volume that both the Waves and IK models put out, so it can't drive "to tape" the same way. Brainworx would probably say this is not a bug, it's a feature, but the fact is, unity gain processing is just not authentic. I very much like it for a mixing console, but it isn't suitable for emulating the tracking console.

I'm again interested to hear how IK's FAME mixer is going to sound, since it models the preamps of an SSL 6056 E, which should be exactly the same as an SL-4000 E.

I may have to reconsider the Waves EV2. Reluctantly. I'm just not sure that the difference between it and the IK is great enough to outweigh the massive downside to dealing with Waves.

[morphex]

Jamcat thanks for doing the tests and reporting your findings. That was very helpful information that was concise, detailed and without bias. That's the kind of posts that initially brought me to KVR years ago. Cheers!!

[sososo]

I did a comparison against UAD&BX. For me it‘s a good sounding strip. Preamp sounds good similar to UAD the BX has no preamp you can adjust some THD but the harmonics are different and less prominent compared to the others, even driven its more or less placebo. Not a Waves Fan but this is a really good emu and for that price no brainer.

I went back and did some more tests.
This time, I used an existing song that has an SSL 4000 E model at the front of each channel, performing the role of the tracking mixer. This is the same setup as my previous test, but a lot more involved. Since this is a preexisting song, I already had it sounding the way I wanted, including some EQing, and I carefully copied each setting exactly to each of the SSL models.

Once again, the comparisons were between bx, IK, and EV2.

The first thing I noticed is the Waves preamp boost has a totally different scale than the others. I previously said it gets very crunchy very quickly. That's because a small tweak of the knob will send it up by 10 or 15 dB. So instead of matching the knob positions, I dialed in the same numbers, which was barely any movement on the EV2 knob. This resulted in much more sensible harmonic distortion from Waves.

Upon this second attempt, I found that the Waves sounds really nice. It actually ended up being quite close to the IK British Channel. They sound almost identical at the same gain settings, though the Waves has a little bit more hair on it. It's a subtle, fuzzy distortion that sounds a touch fresher and more lively. It does a good job of bringing the feel of a real console to the mix. I can't stress enough though, you have to use very small amounts or it overcooks everything. We're pretty used to grabbing a knob and turning it up in software. But don't do that here.

The difference seems to be that IK modeled the line input, but not the mic preamp. I believe this is because the British Channel is actually a model of the SSL Mynx XR425 and XR418 which don't have preamps. That would also explain why IK's SL-9000 "White Channel" is white—because it's actually the XR625/XR618.

As for the Brainworx, it kind of fell apart in this test. I'll try experimenting with the THD setting some, but the real issue is it doesn't provide the raw output volume that both the Waves and IK models put out, so it can't drive "to tape" the same way. Brainworx would probably say this is not a bug, it's a feature, but the fact is, unity gain processing is just not authentic. I very much like it for a mixing console, but it isn't suitable for emulating the tracking console.

I'm again interested to hear how IK's FAME mixer is going to sound, since it models the preamps of an SSL 6056 E, which should be exactly the same as an SL-4000 E.

I may have to reconsider the Waves EV2. Reluctantly. I'm just not sure that the difference between it and the IK is great enough to outweigh the massive downside to dealing with Waves.

Want to add, the amount of saturation is related to input level.
Zero should be -18db RMS. Sent a sine thru it at 0 you´ll see colouration already.
Bx provides no 2nd order harmonics in every state.
I am not an expert but i guess to get this right or involved is crucial for the hole chain of eq,compressor and filters. Either for sound and how they react to signals.

[sososo]

to get finer control especially with mic preamp activated use the -20dB pad button.

[pixel85]

and remember to listen to uncle CLA: SSL is meant to be pushed hard, otherwise you're doing it wrong

[jamcat]

and remember to listen to uncle CLA: SSL is meant to be pushed hard, otherwise you're doing it wrong

I think that's more to do with the EQ, though.
SSL EQ has the reputation that it can be pushed further and still sound good.

[jamcat]

Want to add, the amount of saturation is related to input level.
Zero should be -18db RMS. Sent a sine thru it at 0 you´ll see colouration already.
Bx provides no 2nd order harmonics in every state.
I am not an expert but i guess to get this right or involved is crucial for the hole chain of eq,compressor and filters. Either for sound and how they react to signals.

What do you mean by "Bx provides no 2nd order harmonics in every state"?
Can you elaborate on this a bit?

It provides 2nd order harmonics in some states but not others?
Which ones?

[pixel85]

and remember to listen to uncle CLA: SSL is meant to be pushed hard, otherwise you're doing it wrong

I think that's more to do with the EQ, though.
SSL EQ has the reputation that it can be pushed further and still sound good.

The picture above is from the first Waves/CLA video that YT showed me, but there's one with CLA where he's pushing everything beyond the limits and he's saying that it's fine when Output (maybe also Input) is going to red and beyond I may disagree that pushing + 20dB to the next plugin is a great choice but I don't have even a pinch of CLA's portfolio so what do I know:)
If I manage to find that video, I'll post it here.

[sososo]

Want to add, the amount of saturation is related to input level.
Zero should be -18db RMS. Sent a sine thru it at 0 you´ll see colouration already.
Bx provides no 2nd order harmonics in every state.
I am not an expert but i guess to get this right or involved is crucial for the hole chain of eq,compressor and filters. Either for sound and how they react to signals.

What do you mean by "Bx provides no 2nd order harmonics in every state"?
Can you elaborate on this a bit?

It provides 2nd order harmonics in some states but not others?
Which ones?

Check it with a sine@1000hz and you should see that UAD&Waves adds at 2000hz this is the 2nd to 1000hz and basically both of them produces the same harmonic content in comparison and refered to the BX. BX didn´t claim to reproduce the preamp to be fair, unless it´s from my point of view essential to get the emu right.
Anyway the SSL Native seams to be also a clean as f**k emulation, just wondering again but they provide an additional plugin to emulate the console colouration;-)
Not every processor produce the same harmonic content, tape as example more related to 3rd order harmonics.
On the other hand this shouldn´t have relevance if certain material sounds better in the end. Just to get an idea what the tool is doing.

[alex_danilov]

How this one compares to CLA Mix Hub?

[antic604]

How this one compares to CLA Mix Hub?

It's basically the same plugin, minus the preamp that EV2 has, but MixHub obviously has buckets, easy visual reordering of modules, ability to go stereo / left/right / mid/side for each module separately and insert point for any of Waves plugin inside the audio path.

BTW, apparently you can match EV2's EQ and compressor to the original Waves SSL Channel (minus the cramping at the high-end) by tweaking the settings a bit - knobs will be in different positions, but the results are the same.

Paul's video sealed the deal - no purchase - for me:

[jamcat]

If they modeled it correctly back then and now, then of course you should be able to match the EQs and compressors. It’s the same console channel.

The difference is the EV2 has modeled preamps, and better sound from 15 years worth of improved modeling techniques.

And I would definitely choose preamps over buckets.

[antic604]

...and better sound from 15 years worth of improved modeling techniques.

And I would definitely choose preamps over buckets.

I might be (am) ignorant, but if 2 EQs or 2 compressors generate the same frequency response and transfer curves respectively, how would the "modelling techniques" matter? The change to frequency spectrum and dynamics profile is the same, no?

And yeah, don't care about the buckets but drag & drop modules to reorder, per-module ST/LR/MS processing and freely movable insert slot in CLA MixHub beat the EVs's preamp for me. I've several preapm plugins already.

[sososo]

...and better sound from 15 years worth of improved modeling techniques.

And I would definitely choose preamps over buckets.

I might be (am) ignorant, but if 2 EQs or 2 compressors generate the same frequency response and transfer curves respectively, how would the "modelling techniques" matter? The change to frequency spectrum and dynamics profile is the same, no?

And yeah, don't care about the buckets but drag & drop modules to reorder, per-module ST/LR/MS processing and freely movable insert slot in CLA MixHub beat the EVs's preamp for me. I've several preapm plugins already.

But man the moment he praise Acoustica Audio for their update philosphy I doubt this guy serious. Acoustica needs several iterations and still have significant bugs and on top latest Version has nothing to do with 1 anymore it´s kind of a new plugin all your mixes with older versions sounds very different. Only thing they are really good is to knock a Ryzen5670 out with a EQ Emulation.