Can you hear the difference ? Stock plugins versus Amek 9099 console plugin on a full mix!

Рет қаралды 5,470

Күн бұрын

In this video I compare the difference on a full mix between using the Cubase stock plugins for EQ and compression against using the Plugin Alliance Amek 9099 console plugin for those duties. Can you hear the difference?
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Table of Contents:
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00:00 Intro
00:21 Overview
02:23 The cubase project
04:33 The dual mixing process
05:46 Comparing the two mixes
07:26 Conclusion
09:33 Outro
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Пікірлер: 79

@LanewoodStudios 2 жыл бұрын

Can you hear the differences? What difference do you hear and which mix do you like better?

@nectariosm 2 жыл бұрын

More detail in the (high)mid range with the Amek mix and tighter lows and low mids So more upfront and tight the Amek... more loose and wooly the stock plug ins mix. The difference is instantly apparent on my monitors (Kii Audio Three) I prefer the Amek mix personally.

@LanewoodStudios 2 жыл бұрын

@@nectariosm I hear it the same. Some people prefer the mix with the stock plugins however so that is really a personal preference ;).

@nectariosm 2 жыл бұрын

@@LanewoodStudios for sure and the low mids give the stock plug in version a deeper sense of depth. But I hear a bigger, tighter, more detailed mix when it switches to the AMEK, just a bit less "3D". There is nothing wrong with either mixes and its telling that depending who you ask, you will simply get a different answer. At the end of the day, people mix tunes for the listener, not for engineers :)

@LightWthoutTheStatic Жыл бұрын

The stock plugins version sounded noticeably darker to me, mid heavy, and a bit muddier in the low end which head-fakes at a 'fullness' kind of feeling. The Amek version also sounds just a little bit wider and sweeter in the high end. More or less this all says to me that tools we choose also do more than just make it sound a certain way, the tool we're working with has an influence via the workflow and frame of mind. While the Amek mix doesn't sound as full, to me that would just be something I'd go after to fix when mixing. But I preferred the sound of the 9099, a little more gritty and open, definitely more intelligible to me.

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your detailed observations. I hear what you are saying 😉.

@LightWthoutTheStatic Жыл бұрын

@@LanewoodStudios Thanks for doing these videos! It was cool to hear and to think about.

@dnashofficial Жыл бұрын

spot on.

@mvh2275 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for your efforts and posting. I preferred the Amek mix personally. bx makes some pretty incredible plugins.

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and commenting!

@OHHnoYOUdidntMAN 2 жыл бұрын

great video, thank you!

@LanewoodStudios 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@pro_influence 2 жыл бұрын

First I have appreciate for this video because You have done greatly on this, for Me between the two I love the Cubase Stocked Plug ins because it sounds a bit Saturated and it sounds warm, I love the Crispy tone that it gives, on the other hand Amek 9099 Sounds bright on the top end and larks a bit of Low Mid in the mix but both sound beautiful, and I still prefer Stocked Plug ins Mix due to its Warm and Crisp Sound. Good job. 👍

@LanewoodStudios 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your input!

@phathal2577 Жыл бұрын

The Amek mix is livelier, deeper and tighter. Just have a focus on the guitar for example.

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your input! I also have a poll for this on my community page (a few posts down). Opinions seem to differ quite a lot, so everybody listens in a different way and prefers other properties of a mix.

@parrothouserecords 2 жыл бұрын

I thought that both mixes sounded good. On the intro to the video, I had a slight preference towards Mix B (stock), based on hearing a little more depth. The Amek has slightly brighter vocals IMO, so there was something to like each time a switch was made. I too use quite a lot of non-stock Vsts, in particular Softube's Console 1 with various analogue emulations. I love this system mainly for the sound, but partly also for the speed and convenience of a physical control surface. Quite recently I acquired a Mobi One from Qube audio which has now provided me with a physical controller for EQ, Channel Strip and plugins within Cubase and I am finding that I am using more stock plugs and EQ as a result. As always an excellent video, thanks and keep them coming ;)

@LanewoodStudios 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks again for listening/watching and your observations about the mixes!

@MarvelJAM Жыл бұрын

This video made me log into the Plugin Alliance website. I was curious if I was sitting on the Amek. Sadly, I do not have this yet. It will be purchased. Thank you

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Enjoy!

@jjones7837 Жыл бұрын

I put the AMEK 9099 on my mix bus just running through signal through it and turned up the THD. I've been listening to it now a/b for like 10 hrs with other plugin. It sounds amazing. If you mix into it...it rounds off the top very silky. And Yes...I can hear the difference. A lot. I'm on Dynaudio 5's with an antelope Zen Q and and M1. It's night and day.

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Thanks for your input. I hear it like that as well.

@realcasper81 Жыл бұрын

Amek 100%

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the input.

@zuider77 Жыл бұрын

I thought the Amek sounded a bit more open and defined. The stock sounded darker by comparison and not quite was exciting. Excellent head to head, thank you for posting this.

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and commenting!

@paulpaul00 2 жыл бұрын

Both mixes sound great. It doesn't matter that much anymore what kind of plugins you use. It's how you use them and - most important - on the quality of the recording, arrangement and performance.

@LanewoodStudios 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your input 👍

@sevchyk 5 ай бұрын

Stock plugins mix sucked. Amek won.

@djboriginal Жыл бұрын

I like the Amek more. The stock mix still sounds great. A few tweaks with the stock plugins and it'll sound just like the Amek mix. Good work!

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@Al69BfR Жыл бұрын

Even on the bad PC speakers I’m listening now I can hear a difference. The Amek sounds more exciting as if there is a little more saturation going on. It‘s sounds more open and has more high frequencies. While the stock mix seems to me a little bit darker sound wise. And the vocals are sitting a little bit more back in the mix but a little bit too much in my opinion. But both are good mixes with a little bit different sound. For the style of music and the arrangement I prefer the Amek over stock plugins.

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Thanks for listening/watching, I hear it mostly the same.

@missepicmandy Жыл бұрын

This channel strip is insane. I tried it it gave me that wide pro sound. I just placed the amek strip on the stereo buss. I tried lots of stereo widespread plugins but this one wins. I think it's as good as ozone or maybe better. It gives that smooth sound

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

I guess you do hear the difference 😉

@albiss1164 3 ай бұрын

The smoothness must be from the Rupert Neve-designed analog sound which the plugin is based on.

@thePunkRockMix 2 жыл бұрын

I like the snare way better in the amek-version. I dont know if its because of a general frequency problem in the stock-mix. but you can clearly hear that the snare has mor 300-400 sound in the stock-version and maybe also the bass-guitar - i quess. also the bass-dr. sounds a bit smoother in the amek version to me. Thanks for that great comparison!!

@LanewoodStudios 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for listening!

@lovtscho Жыл бұрын

The Amek mix is much more detailled amd once you switch a lot is lost. That is my opinion! Tried it on two headphones and three speakers

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Thanks for listening!

@abolit Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video. I use third party plugins because I can use them across all my DAW's and I have a few. For example I like to use Logic Pro for "quick ideas" because it opens fast. Cubase 12, in other hand, counts and validates all licenses during startup and watching this process is not fun :) Sometimes I'm in a mood using my Ableton for awhile and I can still use the same set of plugins. And, to be honest, Plugin Alliance products designed much better than the ones Steinberg developed for Cubase - the latest look lifeless, uninviting and depressing plus they are not resizable . I've never used Cubase plugins and I so far have no plans to...

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Yes if you use multiple daws and want to use the same plugins that is definitely the way. Like I said in the video I also don’t use the Cubase plugins a lot but just wanted to see what the sonic differences would be.

@mobthegamer5391 Жыл бұрын

The Amek mix is a tad bit brighter with a more low-end attenuation, while the stock mix sounded a bit darker specially in the low-mids which gave it a sound of muddiness but not much, just sounded warmer, I prefer the Amek mix, it was more detailed in my opinion. Great video, btw. Thank you.

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Thank you and I can see (hear) what you are saying.

@zachary963 Жыл бұрын

Listening to this in the background while I work on something else and even thou I was distracted I went “wow, that sounds MUCH better!” Came back to my computer and sure enough that was right when you switched to the Amek mix. The Amek console is apparently meant to be super clean and transparent. I’d love to see this with other consoles that maybe aren’t as refined. Maybe the differences will be bigger?

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Thanks for listening. I am planning to do more of these comparisons so stay tuned.

@StereotacticMusic Жыл бұрын

Amek sound more open/separate easier to listen and enjoy the depth

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Thanks for listening!

@indramoktanindy6128 2 жыл бұрын

I like both but Amek9099 adds little bit more analog warmth in mixing..🤘 i do live cubase stock plugins but have to add third party plugins to have some analog warmth in mixing as iam beginner in mixing catagory...🤘SSL 360 is also powerful..

@LanewoodStudios 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for listening and commenting!

@indramoktanindy6128 2 жыл бұрын

Welcome !🤘

@RaunoPaananenAudio 2 жыл бұрын

Well, Amek mix sound more open and more "colored", but both quality is good.

@LanewoodStudios 2 жыл бұрын

Great, thanks for listening and for your observations.

@wadebristow6060 Жыл бұрын

Hi the stock mix to me had better high details, dynamic range sounded better and Vox were clearer. Amek had nicer lows, might be a good lesson for right tool for the job

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Yes, part of this exercise is finding out what is good for what. I have another one of these being published today: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fZmYjZSAxL-nmXU.html

@el-bov8034 Жыл бұрын

Amek mix, in this case, is less veiled and more open. Hoever, I'd be surprised if you couldn't get closer with the stock plugins. I'm no plugin snob, and use stock stuff most of the time (Logic). But channel-strips are imo such a workflow boost, that even if they sounded exactly the same as stock there'd still be a reason to use them. Having all the units in one interface make a lot of difference to me, as I find multiple window management to be a hassle...something that gets exponentially worse with more tracks. In this case, I can just click a different channel and everything I need to mix a track comes up...in one window. Of course, that love of simplicity belies the fact that the 9099 is just packed so full of stuff, that it would need many plugins to replace. The Mono-Maker and Stereo-Spread, alone, are so useful.

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Yes channel strips are great!

@ampersand64 Жыл бұрын

The stock plugin mix has less saturation. There must be a way to add saturation using stock plugins! I definitely would if I was mixing normally, but I'm not familiar with cubase and its stock plugins. The saturation gives transients a smoother feel and gives the mix some cohesion. I think that any mix with subtle distortion sounds better than the same mix without. I have a problem with how you approached the comparison though. Mixing with console emulations generally guides one to mix a certain way, and mixing with stock plugins guides to a different workflow. Instead of copying settings, I'd have liked to see the differences in approach and not just in sound.

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Unsure if Cubase stock plugins can also be made to add more/any saturation, but there are some more saturation based plugins in Cubase as well. As for the differences in workflow, for me it's not so much that I use a different workflow between stock and console emulations. It is true for me though that a plugin probably guides me in a certain direction because of the way it behaves and what 'sound' (if any) it brings as part of that. And that's also definitely part of the difference that you're hearing.

@hr2186 Жыл бұрын

I have wayyy to many plugins but bought the Amek....I use it for almost everything even on the master buss. I'm down to 20 plugs now....really freed up my decisions and fuck aroundness. I could care less about brands but imo BX knocked the Amek out of the park.

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Sounds like a good idea to limit your choice to the good stuff and move on with it. 👍

@anthonyjunior3335 Жыл бұрын

I noticed little error. Your transition came up at the bridge. I felt the difference at the bridge. Very flat. I only realised it was at the bridge, We never hear the same bridge with amek. But toward the end when you switched both at the main verse and Chorus, cubase stock plugins was more open, clarity was there and Amek sound warmer in my opinion. Good job.

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Cool, thanks. You can also download the tracks to compare them in detail and in full.

@anthonyjunior3335 Жыл бұрын

@@LanewoodStudios thank you

@stephanecollin 2 жыл бұрын

Interesting. I must admit that when I go to a plugin, there is a mental process influencing not my hearing but my jugement. It is really a hard job to admit that an expensive plugin sounds less good than a cheap one. Yet I must often admit that too. That being said, there are plugins that with no doubt for me sound better on certain program. I think for example of the Softube Germanium compressor. To me it is clear, on heavy rythmic stuff, it does great. A contrario, none of the preamp plugins or tape simulation plugins that I tried did any obvious good to my tracks. Oh, short of the new Arturia mello-tape which I find very musical when used scarcely. Yet I hate the word subjective in this kind of discussion. It is just that our jugement is biased. I'm sure there is some kind of universal criteriums.

@LanewoodStudios 2 жыл бұрын

Sounds very similar to my experiences. I also get inspired by certain plugins even though I might very well be able to get the same sonics by just tweaking the stock plugins a bit more. The purchased plugin makes me gravitate towards a certain sound more easily though. Thanks for you input!

@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios 2 жыл бұрын

Brother, it's too bad that you're not on Twitter. I could share your videos, and tag you along with the organizations and people who you reference in the video. 🤷‍♀

@LanewoodStudios 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah I’ll think about one more social media channel 😉😎.

@Janomix 2 жыл бұрын

It's very relative an stock vs emulation comparison. Stock is essentially a digital processor with NO analog algorithm inside. While AMEK are a total digital to analog emulation from a real mixing desk. Obviously, you can get both diferente mixing sound... Try compare stock plugins with some other third-party digital plugins, like Pro-Q.

@LanewoodStudios 2 жыл бұрын

Well to me the goal was exactly to see what the differences are. Because you have to pay for the Amek so what do you get for that compared to the stock plugins. And does that analog character really make much of a difference.

@Gdude899 Жыл бұрын

The differences aren't that huge cos your using small increments of eq gain you need to drive the plugins more to fully hear its colour for plugin tests even if it makes it sound worse but yeh clear amek wins here sounds cleaner stock plugin have a boomy interference across the whole frequency spectrum

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

I’m driving the plugin saturation a bit more to get the color, but I did want to see the differences on a realistic mix. Not so much in extreme conditions 😉.

@Gdude899 Жыл бұрын

@@LanewoodStudios I could see that and I'm not talking about saturation when I said driving I'm talking about over compressing limiting or eq'ing when comparing to stock plugins with the same settings to see how much crap stock plugins may or may not produce compared to high quality ones. I'm pretty sure if you did that and showed your girlfriend she'll be able to tell why you went with amek😀

@ernestbuckley8671 Жыл бұрын

Interesting video, way too much talking though. Simply switching between mixes for 30 seconds would have been sufficient enough, then the reveal.

@LanewoodStudios Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback.

@pro_influence 2 жыл бұрын

@LanewoodStudios 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for listening and providing your observations.

@midnightwind8067 2 жыл бұрын

Hey there. I found this result to have a most unexpected twist. The Amelia mix was definitely brighter. Probably better for the earbud crowd. Still OK for the shelf speaker crowd. But the oddly unexpected depth and clarity in the stock mix is alluring. There was a colorful depth in the n midrange. I expected little or no difference over KZfaq. Who knows what our music gets played through or what the listener is accustomed to in the end. I seem to have more headphone types than Kellogg’s has cornflakes. I’m sure it’s similar all over the world. Is crispy better? For a mass functionality I would say yes. But if you are an old dude like me who used to bath myself in component stereo bliss, there is still the longing nod toward the stock mix. That depth can be a place where dreams come alive. I actually cannot choose between these mixes.

@LanewoodStudios 2 жыл бұрын

@@midnightwind8067 😂 well ok you are excused from making a choice 😉. Like I said in some other replies I mostly tried to get individual tracks to sound similar and was curious about the effect of it on the mix as a whole. Might have been able to get them closer by 'correcting' with EQ on mix bus as well. At the same time, I don't perceive the end result in the same way that you do. I definitely hear that the stock mix sounds thicker in the low mids but to me that registers as 'more muddy'. And somehow more 'bland' and 'straight', where the Amek mix sounds more exciting, polished and with depth to me. Like I said in the video, I guess I just like the color that the Amek adds. Just a personal preference I guess.