Hardware vs software

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SilverCarvin

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Over the course of my research on recording, I've read about many pieces of hardware used in the studio for tweaking a finished recording such as compressors, fx. etc. It seems that many of these pieces of hardware are available through plugins in the software editing programs, such as vst, dx etc. Is there a significant difference in the end result? I imagine it may be comparable to the amp debate (tube or ss). Solid state can emulate a tube sound pretty accurately in some cases, but you if you want the real thing, you have to buy a real tube amp. Is the case similar with production devices (ie if I want good compression or whatever, I have to buy a actual compressor)? I've seen plugins for sale, idicating they must do at least a decent job...

Minding that I have pretty mucy no recording experience, if I wanted a flange sound on guitar all the way through a track, lets say, I'd record directly with a flange pedal. I see where plugin fx might be useful for tweaking and spicing things up, but what differences should I expect from plugins vs. the real thing?
Thanks,
Matt
 
Truth is the software is pretty darn good. On a dollar-per-dollar basis software kicks the crap out of hardware because you can use multiple instances of the plug up to the limits of your processing power.

One 300 dollar software compressor is going to beat the crap out of 3 Alesis 3630's on both sound AND usefullness.

Granted high end hardware like Massive Passives, STC-8's and GML eq's are going to school software, but the cost of these pro items puts them heavily out of reach of any but the better funded professional studios.

Software plugins allow you to put more money in other areas that software cannot do--like mixers, microphones, monitors and preamps.

Note that there is a WIDE degree of difference between plugins. A Steinberg EQ that comes with Wavelab is going to be pretty crappy compared to a Waves EQ, much less a BombFactory Pultec plug. The good plugins are NOT cheap. You can drop thousands on good plugin bundles... Waves Diamond is 3k, and 5k for the TDM version (TDM's run on ProTools HD systems and use the additional card DSP).
 
I don't find a big difference between soft and hard reverbs, digital delays, pitch shifters as long as they are made by the same company. There are crummy ones out there but, (for example) a T.C. reverb sound pretty much the same either way.
Compressors are another story because a software one is capable of doing things that can't happen in the outside world. And it is hard to emulate the way a VCA handles different sounds.
As far as your flanger analogy goes, there is a big difference in sound between having the flanger between the guitar and the amp and putting it on in the mix. Both are fine things to do, but they are not interchangeable.
 
Yeah, I gotcha. That makes sense. If you want to shell out the big bucks, you'll get big results. I'm in the same boat as most home recordists, in the fact that I can't afford big bucks! :)
Farview, in terms of the differences with recording a flanger: Short of experimenting, I'm not clear on what would seperate the two. I wasn't talking about running a pedal through an amp and then miking and recording the amp; that would probably deteriorate in the mix. But what about going guitar > pedal > direct to the mixer? Would this yeild a similar, better, or equal result versus recording a clean guitar in whatever way (Direct box or miked amp) then adding flange in the mix using a plugin?
 
Many of the software compressors do a good job of basic compression. A few truncate the high end which makes the compression sound flat.

The really good software compressors however, impart the coloration of hardware which comes with transformers and tubes. These generally not only compress/limit but also add that extra flavor of sound that competes with the tones we hear on CDs and radio. There is a dramatic difference pricewise between these and your average plug in compressor.

Two products stand out as being at the forefront of plug in technology and these are the TC Powercors and the UAD-1 cards. These are true efforts at replacing hardware and come within 90% of accomplishing that goal. At least to the engineers who have done shootouts on hardware vs software. There are several magazine articles, one in TapeOp, that provide some opinions.
 
SilverCarvin said:
Yeah, I gotcha. That makes sense. If you want to shell out the big bucks, you'll get big results. I'm in the same boat as most home recordists, in the fact that I can't afford big bucks! :)
Farview, in terms of the differences with recording a flanger: Short of experimenting, I'm not clear on what would seperate the two. I wasn't talking about running a pedal through an amp and then miking and recording the amp; that would probably deteriorate in the mix. But what about going guitar > pedal > direct to the mixer? Would this yeild a similar, better, or equal result versus recording a clean guitar in whatever way (Direct box or miked amp) then adding flange in the mix using a plugin?
Click to expand...
That would only be the difference between the hard and soft flangers. It would work either way, but the plugin will sound different.
 
I wouldn't say that the Powercore and UAD-1 cards put us 90% there. Maybe 40 or 50%. I love my UAD 1, but I will never confuse it with a real La-2a and the advantages of having one. At the same time though, sometimes I like software a little better than it's hardware counterpart for certain things. Also, I would never give my UAD-1 card. I guess its like Taco Bell. I love Taco Bell, but I won't pretend its good Mexican Food:D
 
xstatic said:
I wouldn't say that the Powercore and UAD-1 cards put us 90% there. Maybe 40 or 50%. I love my UAD 1, but I will never confuse it with a real La-2a and the advantages of having one. At the same time though, sometimes I like software a little better than it's hardware counterpart for certain things. Also, I would never give my UAD-1 card. I guess its like Taco Bell. I love Taco Bell, but I won't pretend its good Mexican Food:D
Click to expand...

I was using the numbers from the magazine article where some top engineers did a comparison. In their words, they felt the UAD-1 was about 90% of the real thing.
 
Thats cool. A lot of people swear by the analog circuits in nice outboard boxes. Some even swear that just plugging in through them while they are bypassed even does things to the signal that they like. I am partly from that camp. I just love the real stuff I guess:)
 
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