I have two Distressors (hardware) for more than 10 years and know them intimately well. I have been using the Kiive plugin for a couple of mixes now and I can get the exact Distressor sound I can get out of my hardware. Not necessarily with the exact same settings, but with the hardware I am also never really looking at the knobs, just dialing them in. With this plugin, the Distressors have become a "recording only" tool; I do not need it for mixing anymore. And yes, the added saturation function works really well, nice addition.
You hit the nail on the head.... it doesn't matter if it emulates with "identical" settings from the hardware, because each unit is slightly different anyway and you might need to tweak two units to get the same effect. What matters is, after you've tweaked the plugin, DOES IT ACT AND SOUND LIKE THE ORIGINAL. And I agree. The Xtressor seems to me to be the best of all, and like with the ignite amps (now stl tones) pultec eq emulation, sometimes the free version is the best of the bunch. This is certainly the case with the xtressor. Like another comment mentioned, the high end of the xtressor is where it really captures the tone of the hardware, whereas the other plugs seem to lack the realism on the top end. They sound fine, but they don't have that snap that a real distressor puts on the track. I will say the FG stress is probably my favorite outside of the xtressor, but I'd rather have the xtressor for sure. As somebody with some hands-on hardware experience, its a no-brainer. The xtressor may as well be a hardware unit.
Wow, they all sound great! We are spoiled for choice. What a time to be able to have so many excellent tools at the ready. Thank you for another fantastic vid!
I don't claim to be a Distressor expert. However, it seems to me that the Xtressor really captures the top-end sizzle that everyone loves about the Distressor. But ultimately, who cares how accurate it is? Do you like the sound of it? All I know is that I find it works really well on a parallel bus. That top-end sizzle I mentioned earlier helps liven up my whole mix when blended in parallel.
Totally agree with your assessment. Since all plugin distressors are basically in the same price range. I want to get the best one. Seems like Xtressor might fit the bill.
Here's a thought. The Distressor sounds better only becasuse the test has a tiny flaw. The first 2 snare hits of his loop are weak, but then from the third hit onwards there's a nicer snap in the snare hit itself. So right when you go from the Distressor to the Xtressor there's automatically a drop because you're comparing the snappy hits at the end of the loop with weak hits from the beginning of the loop.
I found the ghost strokes to be crucial in comparing because without them you can't hear how the compressors react when not pushed, and that's just as important.
Uad seemes to be very similar to the unit i use at work. But the kive has so much color control I love the saturation I get out of it. I think something people don't talk about is just how pleasing the color and saturation a real disressor has is. You can get just a bit or alot and the kive let's you dial that it.
Kiive is a beast, IK is good, UAD is a classic Slate just works, it does the Distressor thing. All 4 are good for different uses but the extra features on Kiive and IK give them an extra modern advantage
*NOTE* Kiive has released an update (patch notes below timecodes) that *changes the sound of the plugin!* Plus, they changed the name to XTComp and knob colors due to legal reasons. *KICK* 1:01 Dry 1:28 UAD 1:38 Kiive 1:47 Slate 1:58 IK 2:41 UAD 2:44 Kiive 2:48 Slate 2:52 IK *SNARE* 3:14 Dry 3:41 UAD 3:51 Kiive 4:02 Slate 4:12 IK 4:27 UAD 4:31 Kiive 4:35 Slate 4:40 IK *XTComp release notes* - Reduced CPU usage - Linear phase oversampling - Knee toggle switch - Hard - Hard knee relative to the ratio - Nrml - Follows the knee slope as the hardware - Soft - Soft knee relative to the ratio - Added missing automatable parameters - Fixed presets not loading on some systems - Added PT page tables - Improved compression algorithm to better represent the the hardware - Added Relative linking for IO - Fixed stereo link and dual mono modes (users can switch using the mode section)
Great demo! Since I do have the Slate Digital FG-Stress, I'm definitely buying the IK Multimedia, it has more in your face, and open brighter effect on both Snare and Bass Drum. Unfortunately UA doesn't support Windows 10 Pro.
Am I crazy, or does the Slate one sound thinner than the rest? Punchy, but a bit less present with the harmonics. The Comprexxor sounds very punchy, which is nice. I hate to admit it, but the UAD sounds best to me. Just based on GLS' settings, I'd have to rank them (best on down): UAD, IK, Kiive/PA, Slate.
I'm sorry but I find this blind tests a bit misleading. The attack position makes a huge difference and each of them has a different modelling approach, meaning you would have to play with the input/attack/output so you can have same perceived loudness and only then make a fair judgement. If you take the time to play with the parameters and set the volume right you'll notice less difference between them. Having said that I think UAD is the closest to HW from the time I compared to my distressor HW but at the time I think I only compared it to Slate. Last week I did an AB again with UAD and Slate with a little more tweaking and they were pretty close.
I would put UAD at the top of the list. In second place would be Kiive. Although Kiive is very close to UAD. FG-Stress is very bad. But T-Racks sounds thicker and more powerful than the first two, in some cases 🤔
@@addickkelders2265 To my ear, Slate sounds flat and has a bit of a licking transients. There's something weird going on with his release, too. Just my opinion.
There's a loudness difference between the samples. After I fixed it came out that I like FG-Stress and UAD the best, IK is fine and I don't like the muddiness of Kiive
fully and entirely agree. Like this is the objectively correct take (as someone who downloaded and analyzed the sounds as well, and owning a distressor) UAD and slate are best. Both sound excellent. If one has one of them, no need to buy another
To my own surprise, I liked the IK TRacks the best. Kiive and Slate are kind of "plasticky", it would be hard for me to choose whichc one sounded the worst. I disliked them both. The UAD was fine and sounded as expected on drums to me. I have the IK and never use it because I also have the Softube one, which is my usual one, but I was surprised about the IK (I'm not an IK fan at all, but credit where credit is due) and how beefy it made both the kick and snare.
I own all four. I am not an expert by any means, but I find the UAD one to be the best. I was excited to grab the Kiive version earlier this week because of the hype surrounding it and the native option, but in the end, I still like the UAD one the best. The UAD one is the tightest and the cleanest. The Kiive version always sounds dirtier. I have never liked the Slate one on anything other than parallel crush on the drum bus. The IK version is really nice on kick drum for some reason.
I think that the only factor is how each company modeled the attack and release circuits because the transient shaping these plugins are doing, all sound like what a distressor actually does with drums. Where each one more will probably have a noticeable "thing" is on things like guitars bass and vocals personally. But on this demo of drums alone, they all sounds like a distressor to me.
How about you Joe, which did you prefer? For me, either the UAD or IK on the kick, but the IK on the snare was the best to my ears. I've really been liking the IK a lot on sessions. Really versatile, especially with the Opto setting.
Couldn't tell much difference on the kick but the snare was pretty dramatic. I preferred the UAD and the IK best on snare. I actually think the IK version was my favorite. The Slate version killed the punch.
As someone who downloaded and analyzed the sounds as well, and owning a distressor UAD and slate are best. Both sound excellent. If one has one of them, no need to buy another Kive is loose and muddy, very uncharactaristic of stressors IK does not achieve the tight hot bullet point like precission attack that UAD and slate, and of course the hardware does. Slate or UAD for me.
I like them all... except, SSD has something I don't like. But, I think one would be happy with any of the rest. UAD or IK is find by me. Wouldn't be upset or mad to use any of them.
I only own the IK and I really love this plugin on bass and vocals.It's not my go to compressor for drums but on this shoot out I prefer the UAD and Kiive on kick. I like all of them on snare but prefered the IK for this
Strange,slate sounds more natural compared to the other's,surprise,surprise,t-racks is good but it's picking to much stuff,if you're working with samples,that's probably the best choice
@Green Light Sound now that is a good excuse! I agree it is more like a modded Distressor...that is basically what they had in mind. He doesn't like to make more of the same without making improvements. So the mods are things he said he would do if making a new hardware unit. I wouldn't be surprised to see a hardware unit turn up out of that, hell...it may have already happened. I'm working so much, it's hard to keep up with the industry sometimes!!!
UAD by a mile. Only one with life in the low level detail. The rest each sound like they are playing through plastic wrap as the preponderance of inexpensive plugs do.
In ordinary everyday headphones....get the free or cheap one because it doesn't really matter unless you are the type to pay 29.00 bucks for an extra shake of cheese on a 4 cheese pizza. Plugins are 95% gui now let's be honest.
I have two Distressors (hardware) for more than 10 years and know them intimately well. I have been using the Kiive plugin for a couple of mixes now and I can get the exact Distressor sound I can get out of my hardware. Not necessarily with the exact same settings, but with the hardware I am also never really looking at the knobs, just dialing them in.
With this plugin, the Distressors have become a "recording only" tool; I do not need it for mixing anymore.
And yes, the added saturation function works really well, nice addition.
You hit the nail on the head.... it doesn't matter if it emulates with "identical" settings from the hardware, because each unit is slightly different anyway and you might need to tweak two units to get the same effect. What matters is, after you've tweaked the plugin, DOES IT ACT AND SOUND LIKE THE ORIGINAL. And I agree. The Xtressor seems to me to be the best of all, and like with the ignite amps (now stl tones) pultec eq emulation, sometimes the free version is the best of the bunch. This is certainly the case with the xtressor. Like another comment mentioned, the high end of the xtressor is where it really captures the tone of the hardware, whereas the other plugs seem to lack the realism on the top end. They sound fine, but they don't have that snap that a real distressor puts on the track. I will say the FG stress is probably my favorite outside of the xtressor, but I'd rather have the xtressor for sure. As somebody with some hands-on hardware experience, its a no-brainer. The xtressor may as well be a hardware unit.
Yes, to my ears Kiive sounds with greater dimension and depth, the other three sound harder and always in your face, with little depth.
I don't know what Kiive do in their algorithms but as always they win the game by far.
The UI in the UAD is the cutest.
Wow, they all sound great! We are spoiled for choice. What a time to be able to have so many excellent tools at the ready. Thank you for another fantastic vid!
I don't claim to be a Distressor expert. However, it seems to me that the Xtressor really captures the top-end sizzle that everyone loves about the Distressor.
But ultimately, who cares how accurate it is? Do you like the sound of it? All I know is that I find it works really well on a parallel bus. That top-end sizzle I mentioned earlier helps liven up my whole mix when blended in parallel.
Totally agree with your assessment. Since all plugin distressors are basically in the same price range. I want to get the best one. Seems like Xtressor might fit the bill.
Have you compared it to softube Mike-E?
Here's a thought. The Distressor sounds better only becasuse the test has a tiny flaw. The first 2 snare hits of his loop are weak, but then from the third hit onwards there's a nicer snap in the snare hit itself. So right when you go from the Distressor to the Xtressor there's automatically a drop because you're comparing the snappy hits at the end of the loop with weak hits from the beginning of the loop.
I found the ghost strokes to be crucial in comparing because without them you can't hear how the compressors react when not pushed, and that's just as important.
All mostly very close.
Kick - 1, Kiive & UAD tie 2, IK, 3, Slate.
Snare - 1, IK 2, Kiive & UAD tie 3, Slate.
Uad seemes to be very similar to the unit i use at work. But the kive has so much color control I love the saturation I get out of it. I think something people don't talk about is just how pleasing the color and saturation a real disressor has is. You can get just a bit or alot and the kive let's you dial that it.
That's what I hear too. I heard some harmonics in the Kiive version that makes the samples a bit more present in the mids to my ear
Kiive is a beast, IK is good, UAD is a classic Slate just works, it does the Distressor thing. All 4 are good for different uses but the extra features on Kiive and IK give them an extra modern advantage
I think, you left the saturation button on with the Kiive, that alone explains differences in the clean department...
*NOTE* Kiive has released an update (patch notes below timecodes) that *changes the sound of the plugin!* Plus, they changed the name to XTComp and knob colors due to legal reasons.
*KICK*
1:01 Dry
1:28 UAD
1:38 Kiive
1:47 Slate
1:58 IK
2:41 UAD
2:44 Kiive
2:48 Slate
2:52 IK
*SNARE*
3:14 Dry
3:41 UAD
3:51 Kiive
4:02 Slate
4:12 IK
4:27 UAD
4:31 Kiive
4:35 Slate
4:40 IK
*XTComp release notes*
- Reduced CPU usage
- Linear phase oversampling
- Knee toggle switch
- Hard - Hard knee relative to the ratio
- Nrml - Follows the knee slope as the hardware
- Soft - Soft knee relative to the ratio
- Added missing automatable parameters
- Fixed presets not loading on some systems
- Added PT page tables
- Improved compression algorithm to better represent the the hardware
- Added Relative linking for IO
- Fixed stereo link and dual mono modes (users can switch using the mode section)
Thanks for this!
Yes, thank you. I wondered why it didn't seem to exist anymore.
Great demo! Since I do have the Slate Digital FG-Stress, I'm definitely buying the IK Multimedia, it has more in your face, and open brighter effect on both Snare and Bass Drum. Unfortunately UA doesn't support Windows 10 Pro.
Am I crazy, or does the Slate one sound thinner than the rest? Punchy, but a bit less present with the harmonics. The Comprexxor sounds very punchy, which is nice. I hate to admit it, but the UAD sounds best to me. Just based on GLS' settings, I'd have to rank them (best on down): UAD, IK, Kiive/PA, Slate.
I'm sorry but I find this blind tests a bit misleading. The attack position makes a huge difference and each of them has a different modelling approach, meaning you would have to play with the input/attack/output so you can have same perceived loudness and only then make a fair judgement. If you take the time to play with the parameters and set the volume right you'll notice less difference between them. Having said that I think UAD is the closest to HW from the time I compared to my distressor HW but at the time I think I only compared it to Slate. Last week I did an AB again with UAD and Slate with a little more tweaking and they were pretty close.
i agree with timmm down air. the ik gave me a little more thump on both trax. always great jose.
For me uad sound so good. Slate was dry or idk flat. Two other was decent
I wonder which you like the most ?
I prefer UAD in this situation.
Crazy how similar are Kiive and Ik Multimedia compared to the other. Especially on high mids
I would put UAD at the top of the list. In second place would be Kiive. Although Kiive is very close to UAD. FG-Stress is very bad. But T-Racks sounds thicker and more powerful than the first two, in some cases 🤔
Whats so very bad to the FG? I really dont hear that. Would you pass the blind test?
@@addickkelders2265 To my ear, Slate sounds flat and has a bit of a licking transients. There's something weird going on with his release, too. Just my opinion.
"FG-Stress is very bad."
A large thread of users over on gear space begs to differ.
@@dimabiser can I hear a musicproduction by your hand?
I also felt that Slate was particularly flat in this test. I liked the UAD followed by Xtressor. Just my humble opinion.
Oooh, I like the IK Comprexxor the most on the kick, and the FG-Stress most on the snare! Wish the Softube one could have been included in this.
Never tried the Softube version - I'll have to check it out.
There's a loudness difference between the samples. After I fixed it came out that I like FG-Stress and UAD the best, IK is fine and I don't like the muddiness of Kiive
fully and entirely agree. Like this is the objectively correct take (as someone who downloaded and analyzed the sounds as well, and owning a distressor)
UAD and slate are best. Both sound excellent. If one has one of them, no need to buy another
@@elianmusic7452 Have you tried Softube Mike-E for comparison?
To my own surprise, I liked the IK TRacks the best. Kiive and Slate are kind of "plasticky", it would be hard for me to choose whichc one sounded the worst. I disliked them both. The UAD was fine and sounded as expected on drums to me. I have the IK and never use it because I also have the Softube one, which is my usual one, but I was surprised about the IK (I'm not an IK fan at all, but credit where credit is due) and how beefy it made both the kick and snare.
Softube makes a distressor plugin?
agreed
I own all four. I am not an expert by any means, but I find the UAD one to be the best. I was excited to grab the Kiive version earlier this week because of the hype surrounding it and the native option, but in the end, I still like the UAD one the best. The UAD one is the tightest and the cleanest. The Kiive version always sounds dirtier. I have never liked the Slate one on anything other than parallel crush on the drum bus. The IK version is really nice on kick drum for some reason.
"Dirtier" is how it's supposed to sound.
To my surprise I actually like the T-RackS the most. Slate was in my opinion the most “plastic sounding”
Something is up with the Slate in this example. Definitely different than the others.
I think that the only factor is how each company modeled the attack and release circuits because the transient shaping these plugins are doing, all sound like what a distressor actually does with drums. Where each one more will probably have a noticeable "thing" is on things like guitars bass and vocals personally. But on this demo of drums alone, they all sounds like a distressor to me.
Agreed!
How about you Joe, which did you prefer? For me, either the UAD or IK on the kick, but the IK on the snare was the best to my ears. I've really been liking the IK a lot on sessions. Really versatile, especially with the Opto setting.
I prefer the UAD, but IK is nice.
how can you not include arousor?
It's more like a modded distressor than a 1:1 emulation.
@@GreenLightSound its from the ppl who invented the distressor
@@sleepisoptional doesnt mean they know how to code a plugin. Takes 10 years to get good at Plugin coding - minimum!
@@GreenLightSound arousor is distressor replica own manufacturer, not the best but should be there.
That's a lot of white knobs!!!
UAD on the Kick, IK on the snare. Kiive is in the middle. Slate is the last.
The only one I have is the slate version, but I like the UAD better.
Couldn't tell much difference on the kick but the snare was pretty dramatic. I preferred the UAD and the IK best on snare. I actually think the IK version was my favorite. The Slate version killed the punch.
As someone who downloaded and analyzed the sounds as well, and owning a distressor
UAD and slate are best. Both sound excellent. If one has one of them, no need to buy another
Kive is loose and muddy, very uncharactaristic of stressors
IK does not achieve the tight hot bullet point like precission attack that UAD and slate, and of course the hardware does.
Slate or UAD for me.
I like them all... except, SSD has something I don't like. But, I think one would be happy with any of the rest. UAD or IK is find by me. Wouldn't be upset or mad to use any of them.
The Kiive has the saturation turned on, so it's not a fair comparison
The controls are at zero
The kive audio is FET not VCA
I only own the IK and I really love this plugin on bass and vocals.It's not my go to compressor for drums but on this shoot out I prefer the UAD and Kiive on kick. I like all of them on snare but prefered the IK for this
In my opinion, "Kiive Audio Xtressor" sounds better, it sounds clear and also warmer.
UAD and IK the best
Strange,slate sounds more natural compared to the other's,surprise,surprise,t-racks is good but it's picking to much stuff,if you're working with samples,that's probably the best choice
What no Arouser?! Nothing from the company that actually designed and built the Distressor?
Seems like a missed opportunity to me.
The UAD is exact the same like the Arouser, Both are designed by Empirical Labs,
@Pasquale obviously you haven't looked at them both or you wouldn't say that!
The Arouser is more like a modded distressor than a 1:1 emulation, so I didn't include it here.
@Green Light Sound now that is a good excuse! I agree it is more like a modded Distressor...that is basically what they had in mind. He doesn't like to make more of the same without making improvements.
So the mods are things he said he would do if making a new hardware unit. I wouldn't be surprised to see a hardware unit turn up out of that, hell...it may have already happened.
I'm working so much, it's hard to keep up with the industry sometimes!!!
@pvalenti the arouser is fantastic. The new softube one was supposed to be made with Impirical labs as well.
no test arousor ?
It's more like a modified distressor so I left it out.
@@GreenLightSoundThe kiive is also modified because there are additional options
Xtressor kiive is the best
UAD by a mile. Only one with life in the low level detail. The rest each sound like they are playing through plastic wrap as the preponderance of inexpensive plugs do.
so dramatic. prove it.
1:28 uad
1:38 x
1:48 sd
In ordinary everyday headphones....get the free or cheap one because it doesn't really matter unless you are the type to pay 29.00 bucks for an extra shake of cheese on a 4 cheese pizza. Plugins are 95% gui now let's be honest.
UAD
Xtressor is the best among the rest!
Kiive eats slate for breakfast, UAD is great, tracks is tied to Slate.
By the time you get it in the mix you’re not going to be able to tell much difference.
fair point - and even if so, you can always make adjustments. The settings dont have to be same unit to unit - that's what people get hung up on.
FYI, it's pronounced "Keeve" audio. No worries.