With the IKMultimedia promotion on their plugs currently get 5 plugs for $99 I thought I would demo them since I mostly use the UA plugs when mixing. I thought I would do a little test against the Cambridge and their Linear Phase EQ. In a session I usually use the Cambridge on non-essentials but in this case I wanted to para-metrically remove stuff from a guitar track so I used it on that. In the test I set the eq settings exactly the same and at first they both sounded very similar but then I noticed the 'Linear Phase' button wasn't engaged on the TRacks so I engaged it. Can you say WOW...smooth sounding? And dare I say 'Analog'? Here are some samples with exactly the same settings:
First the sound with no eq, thus bypassed: http://www.creative…
Here is the Cambridge: http://www.creative…
Here is the IK Linear Phase: http://www.creative…
Here are the pic's of the settings:
http://www.creative…
http://www.creative…
I found the harshness was gone with the IK. Which then what I did was replace all the Cambridge plugs with the Linear Phase and I am literally amazed at how much better the song sounds now. I do realize that UA makes some much, much better EQ plugs than the Cambridge, and I do own a few of them, but for the IK plug that will cost me $19.80 I would say this is an amazing bargin. So why would I ever use the Cambridge after this...I have no idea.
And a side note I put IK's Fairchild 670 against UA's and with much dismay I would have to say the IK 670 sounded much better too - again more analog, rounder along with depth. I know this is only 2 plugs but for this 'gearslut' 5 plugs for $99 all I have to say is where is my damn wallet!
I'd like to know what all of you think.
Peace
Oh and no, this is not a promo for IK just thought you all would like to hear the difference.
Comments
leedsquietman wrote: In all honesty, the difference on the 2 E
leedsquietman wrote: In all honesty, the difference on the 2 EQ examples you provided was so close as to be negligible and besides, you'd have to try it on a range of sounds, with a range of different slopes and curves and filters to really judge them. I liked the T-racks linear phase EQ too though when I demoed it, but this one test is hardly conclusive.
As for EQ - You want an 'analog' sounding EQ - The Sonalksis SV517mkII is THE BEST I've heard for this purpose bar none.
http://www.sonalksis.com/index.php?section_id=517
you can demo it fully functional for a month and the Essentials Suite is really an awesome bundle.
Hey!
Yeah I've heard that about the Sonalksis before I'll have to check it out. In regards to the samples being to close - of course they are going to be close it's the same sound with the same EQ settings however the smoothness of the TRacks and hashness of the Cambridge is the point. It's not over powering however say you add 4, 8 or 13 Cambridge plugs to different tracks in a session now you have an accumulative 'harshness' in your mix that you bang your head wondering why you can't seem to fix it. I went into a session where I used the Cambridge a decent amount and replaced all of them with the TRacks and I was amazed at the difference of the end product. It sounded more 'album-like', more polished if you will - spent less time trying to 'fix' the master.
It's all about 'tools' isn't it? Sure it is and to have this nice EQ tool for $16.50 is simply a no brainer! Now I have a good EQ to go to when my UAD cards are getting full, sweet. Sure there is always going to be a different 'tool' that is better, like possibly the Sonalksis. But the Sonalksis is $259 too and not $16.50 is it? So how can you go wrong, it's all in the end results.
Take care!
Whoa laddie. I checked this plugin range out and found them to M
Whoa laddie. I checked this plugin range out and found them to MUCH improved on what I was expecting - However, the UAD Fairchild definately sounds better to me.
In all honesty, the difference on the 2 EQ examples you provided was so close as to be negligible and besides, you'd have to try it on a range of sounds, with a range of different slopes and curves and filters to really judge them. I liked the T-racks linear phase EQ too though when I demoed it, but this one test is hardly conclusive.
As for EQ - You want an 'analog' sounding EQ - The Sonalksis SV517mkII is THE BEST I've heard for this purpose bar none.
http://www.sonalksis.com/index.php?section_id=517
you can demo it fully functional for a month and the Essentials Suite is really an awesome bundle.