U-He Repro 5 Vs Softube Model 80 - Blind Test Comparisons + Settings to Match Them
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 53 posts since 9 Dec, 2021
https://youtu.be/WzFlcAtNNZk
PART 1 - solo patches blind test - each patch is a basic setting intended specifically to demonstrate a certain aspect, such as pwm, fast envelope/resonance/bass, oscillator fm, filter fm etc
PART 2 - I put these sample patches into a simple demo jam so you can see also in a mix context - only basic bass cut eq, reverb, delay, and stereo imaging applied to create a mockup mix
PART 3 - At the end you see blind test results
TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK -
NOTE - To get the settings to match on Repro 5 and Model 80 there is ONE METHOD - and its not saturation or anything else - its setting the tweaks filter to ROUNDED - this is clearly the method which matches the closest to the Model 80 out of any other method I have tried. It must be a match of the specific chip set modeled. If you use the default "poly" filter its going to sound way different by far.
LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!
(Check out my Presets for Diva, Softube Model 80, and Many Others HERE: www.produktrecords.com)
PART 1 - solo patches blind test - each patch is a basic setting intended specifically to demonstrate a certain aspect, such as pwm, fast envelope/resonance/bass, oscillator fm, filter fm etc
PART 2 - I put these sample patches into a simple demo jam so you can see also in a mix context - only basic bass cut eq, reverb, delay, and stereo imaging applied to create a mockup mix
PART 3 - At the end you see blind test results
TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK -
NOTE - To get the settings to match on Repro 5 and Model 80 there is ONE METHOD - and its not saturation or anything else - its setting the tweaks filter to ROUNDED - this is clearly the method which matches the closest to the Model 80 out of any other method I have tried. It must be a match of the specific chip set modeled. If you use the default "poly" filter its going to sound way different by far.
LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!
(Check out my Presets for Diva, Softube Model 80, and Many Others HERE: www.produktrecords.com)
Last edited by Produkt_Audio on Sat Jun 10, 2023 1:49 am, edited 5 times in total.
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- KVRAF
- 3515 posts since 1 Sep, 2016
Agree about the low note priority. For me that's a deal breaker with any synth plugin. It's so damn annoying, I hate it. As for the sound, it's all much of a muchness, isn't it. The differences are very small, small enough to make the real choice between them about functions and GUI/UX, at least for me.
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Korg Supporter Korg Supporter https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=386399
- KVRian
- 1168 posts since 4 Oct, 2016
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vitocorleone123 vitocorleone123 https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=333504
- KVRAF
- 1885 posts since 30 Jun, 2014 from Pacific NW
Repro is a far, far better overall instrument, as well as the far better financial decision at list price, since it comes with Repro1, which is better (to me) than both Repro5 and Softube80.
Agree that Softube edges it out on sound, however, it's not on every sound. It's when it does edge out Repro that it does so by maybe 5% or so.
Model80 list price is $159 USD.
Repro list price is $149 USD.
Agree that Softube edges it out on sound, however, it's not on every sound. It's when it does edge out Repro that it does so by maybe 5% or so.
Model80 list price is $159 USD.
Repro list price is $149 USD.
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- KVRist
- 290 posts since 18 Jul, 2004
Under the law of diminishing returns, +5% in sound quality in favor of Softube is a BIG difference. Go to a hifi-forum, for example, there are endless discussions over the last 1-2%, or less...vitocorleone123 wrote: ↑Wed May 31, 2023 3:22 pm Repro is a far, far better overall instrument, as well as the far better financial decision at list price, since it comes with Repro1, which is better (to me) than both Repro5 and Softube80.
Agree that Softube edges it out on sound, however, it's not on every sound. It's when it does edge out Repro that it does so by maybe 5% or so.
Model80 list price is $159 USD.
Repro list price is $149 USD.
So that the repro would be a "far, far better overall instrument" may be your view, but not for the user that has the sound of the synthesizer as the first priority.
After all, most people that listen to the music made with the synthesizer in question, probably won´t give a toss about how convenient it was for the musician to produce the sound. It´s how it sounds that counts.
And don´t underestimate the subtle differences, they add up and can make the difference between a lifeless boring track, and a fascinating one that is full of character. It may depend of the type of music, of course. If you play tarnce, you can ignore my entire post.
Last edited by hebex on Wed May 31, 2023 4:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- KVRAF
- 14985 posts since 26 Jun, 2006 from San Francisco Bay Area
I didn’t even bother to do a comparison. Just a few minutes was enough to get that it’s a more detailed and probably accurate emulation, but I fully agree with you. That accuracy at the expense of useful features makes Model 80 worthless to me. Somewhat helpful for use in Modular, but not enough for me to spring for it. Repro, OTOH, feels and operates like I need a plugin emulation to be. My only complaints are the tweak page needs to lose the faux circuitry and I’d appreciate being able to up the oversampling on the distortion.vitocorleone123 wrote: ↑Wed May 31, 2023 3:22 pm Repro is a far, far better overall instrument, as well as the far better financial decision at list price, since it comes with Repro1, which is better (to me) than both Repro5 and Softube80.
Agree that Softube edges it out on sound, however, it's not on every sound. It's when it does edge out Repro that it does so by maybe 5% or so.
Model80 list price is $159 USD.
Repro list price is $149 USD.
Zerocrossing Media
4th Law of Robotics: When turning evil, display a red indicator light. ~[ ●_● ]~
4th Law of Robotics: When turning evil, display a red indicator light. ~[ ●_● ]~
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- KVRAF
- 5044 posts since 30 May, 2006 from Hollow Earth
5%….
That makes Repro a 95% better choice
That makes Repro a 95% better choice
MuLab-Reaper of course
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Funkybot's Evil Twin Funkybot's Evil Twin https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=116627
- KVRAF
- 11508 posts since 16 Aug, 2006
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- KVRist
- 290 posts since 18 Jul, 2004
- KVRAF
- 2542 posts since 20 Apr, 2005
We’ll of course Unless it’s the main theme and has a section with almost nothing else playing.
Anyway, it’s hardly 5% better sounding, if it’s even sounding better at all…
I have the soft tube Juno and 101, but as a repro owner this one doesn’t make sense for me
- KVRAF
- 13186 posts since 16 Feb, 2005 from Kingston, Jamaica
So if I do a wave file with both model 80 and repro 5 playing different parts you can tell which is which right?
rsp
sound sculptist
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- KVRist
- 102 posts since 2 Jul, 2022
Didn't plugmon said a few weeks ago, after he finished the new Diva one, he wants to do a repro-skin? Maybe ask him about that...zerocrossing wrote: ↑Wed May 31, 2023 3:59 pmMy only complaints are the tweak page needs to lose the faux circuitry...
- KVRAF
- 3897 posts since 28 Jan, 2011 from MEXICO
you must be joking, people in hi-fi drink snake oil for a living.hebex wrote: ↑Wed May 31, 2023 3:55 pmUnder the law of diminishing returns, +5% in sound quality in favor of Softube is a BIG difference. Go to a hifi-forum, for example, there are endless discussions over the last 1-2%, or less...vitocorleone123 wrote: ↑Wed May 31, 2023 3:22 pm Repro is a far, far better overall instrument, as well as the far better financial decision at list price, since it comes with Repro1, which is better (to me) than both Repro5 and Softube80.
Agree that Softube edges it out on sound, however, it's not on every sound. It's when it does edge out Repro that it does so by maybe 5% or so.
Model80 list price is $159 USD.
Repro list price is $149 USD.
dedication to flying
- KVRAF
- 14985 posts since 26 Jun, 2006 from San Francisco Bay Area
I’d love to know how people (including myself) come up with percentages for these things. Like when they say that chimpanzees and humans share nearly 99% of our DNA. That 1.2% is doing a lot of the heavy lifting.
Zerocrossing Media
4th Law of Robotics: When turning evil, display a red indicator light. ~[ ●_● ]~
4th Law of Robotics: When turning evil, display a red indicator light. ~[ ●_● ]~