Amazing how close this shootout was. Once all modules were engaged, it was damn near identical. Impressive. Gotta love SSL.

@MixingMusicAnalog

Жыл бұрын

They make really great plugins

Definatly much closer with the fat mode on the violet EQ to add that bottom end and an interesting watch. Thumbs up for me on this one.

@MixingMusicAnalog

10 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

I disover you only today...EXCELLENT test guys! !!!

@MixingMusicAnalog

11 ай бұрын

Welcome aboard!

This was helpful. Thanks!

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Excellent review! I'm listening on Focal Alpha 80 speakers in a treated room and the hardware has just has a bit more oomph to it in the low/mid frequencies -and as usual more open/depth sounding compared to the plugin, little smoother in the high-end.

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing!

Thanks David. I like the fusion hardware. Part of me is still leaning toward the Dangerous Music 2 bus+.. it’s got harmonics drive, has a built in paralimiter ( aka parallel compressor), and a transformer that can be driven and pushed harder. Yes the 2 bus+ is a summing mixer and can take 16 channels. . Although it has no eq. It’s different yet similar in many ways.

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Ok, then go with the Dangerous music. Its a wonderful piece of gear

Very good comparison video. You just made me a subscriber. Here in Germany the Hardware unit is less than 2000€. The 5 x Plugins are 1000€. I already have the WAVES Horizon Bundle, 25 of the best Plugin Alliance Plugins, and the Native SSL Channel, and Buss Compressor, so for me I would choose the Hardware to add to my studio. I´ve been thinking about making this move for a while. Also, although my mixes, and masters sound as good as most major studios, customers like to see some analog. I think they like the flashing lights. LOL

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for subscribing!

The Hardwear has a better bottom end and overall sounds better. However, the SOFTWARE has come an ALONG WAY and SOUNDS GREAT AS WELL. Nice Job.

@MixingMusicAnalog

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing and watching!

thanks for the video great job

@MixingMusicAnalog

9 ай бұрын

Glad you liked it!

Great vid! Thanks for the comparison. I noticed some phasing of the low end when the spatial plugin was engaged. With the final full comparison it was very noticeable. Low end on hardware a tad thicker and sits right in the pocket. Plugins are great tools, and I am sure with more tweaking you can get them closer, but hardware just gives you that extra 10%.

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Just ordered the Fusion before I found this video, so this video got me worried because I also have a SSL subscription for all plugins and didn't get the memo that they were out. Listening on Sennheiser HD660 headphones the depth and richness difference is very obvious. Regardless, i got the Fusion to 'premaster' my modular synth before it becomes digital, preserving all the analog power to the last moment. I also believe the analog circuits will handle the extreme dynamics better. When it's recorded too loud - this easily happens with a modular and you can't do retakes - no plugin can fix it (except RX maybe). I bet I'll be happy with the unit!

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

You will love the Fusion

Thanks, very good. Is very close. I am very happy with my subscription to ssl bundle for 14,99 a month (áctually i did pay the whole year for 149 ) there Is like 18 great plug Ins and they allways come with a new one. ( very usefull you video to me )

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Great 👍

Great ,thanks. Some month ago you talked about a comparsion for Wes Dione and Rhea Variante mu. still planned? If yes how about a analog shootout with: rhea vs dione vs. Manley vari mu vs. Ngbus Comp? All are designed for glue if i remember correctly - so im very Interested in esp. Rhea against dione. Thanks and all the best.

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Eventually

Interesting video. Thanx. I am pleased to know that they come as close to the hardware as they do. Regarding pricing. SSL plugins are very expensive, but they are also often on sale. I recently bought all 5 from Plugin Boutique for €175 (including VAT/Sales tax). I believe it's about the same in $. Be patiten and vigilent, and you can make a gret deal.

@MixingMusicAnalog

8 ай бұрын

YOu'll be able to get them free with the Slate Digital All access pass in about 2 weeks

interesting shoot out. I think its the lows and the low mids as well. just has a bit more fullness to the fusion. I have one its great. Sometimes I think its not doing much then when I bypass its like.. whoa.. what happened?/... great video

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much!

Thoughts before your comments via Crane Song Avocet, Ns-10s/JBL 6328's Vintage Drive - HW is warmer and has a more pleasant smear. Violet EQ - More open probably because the Verbs aren't getting smooched, and more width and 3 dimensional. HF comp - Top is more open, You can hear the compressor doing its job. More forward. ST Image - HW is wider and verbs are better, more depth. Transformer - Same Full mix - HW more bottom, depth and puncher

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much for watching!

you'll be able to buy all 5 for 200 bucks now, as SSL is doing as sale as of the 27th nov 2023 and discounting each one in turn

@MixingMusicAnalog

10 ай бұрын

They have done this before as well. $50 per plugin is still a but high in my opinion for what they are but if you dig them and cant afford the hardware, its a good alliterative.

If you had the Black Box Analog Design HG-2MS would it go before the SSL fusion or after it in a mixbus chain? Thank you

@MixingMusicAnalog

Жыл бұрын

Yes

@TomMcDyne

Жыл бұрын

@@MixingMusicAnalog Yes before FUSION or Yes after fusion? Thank you

@user-ib2cl1zu3r

Жыл бұрын

@@TomMcDyne I think the point was either can work and listen to both to see

@DanielPestanaTranslations

9 ай бұрын

The Fusion hardware manual has a signal flow chart that will show you that. For M/S with the Blackbox, it will either go before the Stereo Image plugin or after (in both cases, before the Transformer plugin).

The Vintage Drive and the Violet EQ plugins seem to differ the most from the hardware. Some EQ's benefit from a 96kHz sample clock. Would you consider an 96Khz update on this test? Thanks for your trouble so far, on the verge of buying the Fusion.

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

You'll love the Fusion, trust me. Here is my SW link if you would not mind using it when you purchase studio gear. imp.i114863.net/c/2224454/792013/11319

Does the Apollo interfaces make a difference to these pugins? Sound quality wise.

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

no

I have the SSL Fusion… just got the SSL Bus +

@MixingMusicAnalog

Жыл бұрын

NICE!!!

Hey Dave I have a video idea that would really help me and im sure a few others out. Can you show us how (if possible) to connect a lunchbox to an SSL 2+?

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Hi there....what is an SSL2+? I don't think I have heard of that

@riggz1627

2 жыл бұрын

@@MixingMusicAnalog oh! The SSL 2+ is an audio interface that they came out with not too long ago

cant go wrong with either...good is good

@MixingMusicAnalog

Жыл бұрын

Yep, and we said that

Definitely more dimension with the hardware. However the plugins are pretty close that an untrained ear wouldn't notice

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Veery good point.

I think they heard you guys because every week for a month it was $29.99. They switched to each section of the hardware per week. This was a great comparison! 👊🏾💯 Very close!

@MixingMusicAnalog

8 ай бұрын

Yep, get them on sale

I'm not saying hardware is not better or anything, but most AD/DA converters color the sound, for some converters people define conversion differences as increase of depth or they say "feels more 3D" (and this is noticed more in the low end), and obviously depending on the unit other differences could be the sound stage getting wider or slight changes in frequency balance. I appreciate shootouts like this and enjoy watching them, but I think this side of the story is always ignored. The difference between a plugin and hardware could be just (or partly) in the AD/DA conversion, and I have yet to see any shootout that proves otherwise.

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Ok, if you say so. Thnaks

@futurefunksquadtv

2 жыл бұрын

I totally agree with this comment, especially with my Prism Titan! I have the hardware and plugins and use them all! :)

@patrickalphenaar

2 жыл бұрын

Yea totally agree, even the XLR Cables change or color the sound and dynamics. My whole studio is hooked up with “Mogami” and the difference between average pro cables is huge! So they had to send the plugins to the same signal path as the actual Fusion for better comparison. Anyway my Fusion is arriving next week so cant wait to work with it. Cheers

the transients are completely different in all cases. either the plugins crumple them or the hardware detaches them. For me the biggest difference is there.

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Hey just letting you know your comments are turned off on your newer videos incase it was an accident

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

It's no accident. All future videos will have the comments turned off.

@qlyde

2 жыл бұрын

@@MixingMusicAnalog are you comfortable sharing the reason why?

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

I got tired of reading through the nasty comments and keeping the comment section "clean". Its not worth going through that for me so I decided to shut them off moving forward. I will continue to post content as time allows and if it helps people great, and if not that's ok as well.

i think the SSL has some analog aspects to it but i think there is digital processing in the fusion and thats the fusion part. thats why the plugins sound the same bc the fusion is analog drive from a transformer with DSP processing in other words running the same plugins. think about it SSL Solid State - its a computer hard drive love the video!

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching!

Just bought all 5 plugins for 80% off !$175.00 basically.The hardware doesn’t sound 2x better than the software and most people will listen to music on cheap speakers and their cars,so they won’t hear the big studio speaker 3D difference either.

@MixingMusicAnalog

Жыл бұрын

Good for you! enjoy the plugins

@dannydaniel8975

Жыл бұрын

Even an old school 8 track cassette recorder sounds better than protocols and plug-ins when it's in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing and how to truly use it....

You forget to take off the bypass from the fusion hareware

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

i guess you did not listen to the video...LOL go back and watch again

I am just a Noob, listening in headphones, asking you - pros out there - is the difference subtle? Because I don't find it subtle at all 🤐

@MixingMusicAnalog

Жыл бұрын

Your ears are all that matters. If you hear a big difference and you like it, then that's all that matters

With recent sales, all of the Fusion plug-ins can be had for $150 (or 30 each)... definitely worth it at that price, especially the ability to mix and match on each track.

@MixingMusicAnalog

8 ай бұрын

$30 each is worth it for sure

I think if you want a better comparison you guys should run the plugins also through the Fusion in bypassed. Only then the comparison is more realistic as the plugins go through the same cabling and DA/AD conversion as the Fusion. Even balanced XLR cables have its own sounds and will color the sound somehow. I think the plugins will sound a bit closer then. I will get the Fusion soon for sure. Cheers

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

I disagree, but thanks for watching!

@patrickalphenaar

2 жыл бұрын

@@MixingMusicAnalog Sure and fair enough. Having comparisons with the exact same signal path and conversion is my thought. But just my opinion and nothing more than that. The Fusion sounds awesome! Thats what counts. Thanks for doing these awesome vids! Cheers

You got your wish you can get all 5 plugins for under $200!

@MixingMusicAnalog

Жыл бұрын

Maybe SSL actually listened to me...LOL

@shaner36

Жыл бұрын

Just got al 5 for 34.99 each . Own the hardware too. But looking forward to using the plug in on multiple tracks at the same time. Thanks for making the video.

everybody has a different EAR

@MixingMusicAnalog

Жыл бұрын

Yes, sir

I agree the plugins are overpriced for what they give you. I think Paul Third did some measurements and it seems like the big difference on the vintage drive plugin compared to the real thing was primarily in side harmonics. I own the 500 series UltraViolet EQ and there is just no comparison in the tops. You can push the top end without it becoming harsh in the same way a digital EQ will. As for price value of SSL hardware, their stuff is underpriced for what you get. The big six is not just a mixer but it's a full console with 4 full channel strips, 4 stereo channels and a bus comp and has conversion built in. It's actually a lot for the money.

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@jzilla_grudgegang

Жыл бұрын

The aliasing in the ssl plugins will always be the downfall compared to the hardware

I'll save everyone some time here. No they do not sound the same and you would have to be a bit naïve to believe so. These plugins are emulations of real hardware, while they can get close, they do not sound the same. $1000 for all 5 plugins vs $2500 for the hardware unit. (although its on sale right now for $2200 and some change at sweetwater). Now the plugins are def worth the price imo and do sound amazing but the hardware just sounds better in every way on every module to my ears. This is from personal experience with the actual hardware unit and trying out the plugins as done here.

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Well ok then. That is your opinion

@lightafluident.9950

2 жыл бұрын

I agree, plugins can't touch hardware.

You buy Fusion stricte for analog. Fusion plugin is like lickin plastic ice-cream. Looks good but no taste ;)

@MixingMusicAnalog

Жыл бұрын

Ok, thanks

Hardware wins and it's not even really comparable -YES, of course, they sound similar, but the plugin is an EMULATION. That's all plugins are... And, it's fine, but they're just emulations...

@MixingMusicAnalog

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!