I use the Freqtube FT1 and prefer the sound, wideness and warmth compared to all my tube plugins. I have a lot of analog equipment also with tubes and the Freqtube sound is exactly that rich tube sound I get from my other equipment with real tubes.. Playing around with the Freqtube using the harmonics and filters makes this unit way more unique compared to my plugins. I love how it sounds on my digital synths when you crank up the drive a bit + the tight compression and warmth on my kick and bass. I always use it on my drum BUS. I do still use my Slate tubes occasionally... great plugins no doubt.
That Hollywood sounds Great. Like any difference between analog vs a plugin at this point…is width and depth. But there are work arounds, very hard work arounds to emulate that analog width and depth in the box. Stereo width plugins on individual elements like certain tracks and reverb and delay returns…in the box. I have a bunch of analog preamps for tracking and a handful of great outboard compressors for tracking and mixing, but to me it’s all about the ears and finding ways to emulate that stereo depth and width ITB that analog gives you very easily.
Hey there, LOVE your videos etc. - keep it up! As far as the Freqtube… I played with it for a week and decided to send it back - the impact/difference is too small in my opinion! For 1k you don‘t get a lot analog gear, but i decided to invest another 1k and with 2k you can def get some Wes Audio gear for example that WILL have an impact and improve my digital master-chain! Freqtube is not bad at all but it‘s that thang you wanna have after your basic-stuff like analog compressor etc. is already there!
Maybe the slate stuff would open up a little better with oversampling on? Either way, it’s really tough to compete with analog gear when adding harmonics since it never folds back into aliasing distortion. The Freqtube sounds great in these tests. Open and clear. I think they’re on to something 👍🏻
I think I’ve begun to hear the freqtube in use now.. and i have to say i find it a more warming sound than the Slate products, i guess that’s the point. I don’t hear any tone lifting when the freqtube is engaged and i think it sounds less compressed. I think I preferred the freqtube.
Loving the slate saturation but I do really like the freak tube. It has this more subtle density to me where it brings out certain frequencies without folding over as much.
Nice video! I agree with your assesment. I like the Hollywood in this mix the best, even over the Freqtube. I like the low bump with the Hollywoord, which indrectly results in giving the vocal a better place in the mix in this track IMHO. But its all subjective.
To me it sounds like the Freqtube kills the transients (a bit too much for my taste) but it makes more space for the vocal. However at the same time the whole mix sounds a bit muffled when engaged (imho only) The Slate sounds more pristine but i find it lets transients too untamed so in this example i feel like there are too many layers of information around and behind the vocal that pull my attention away from the actual vocal performance. I also find the Kick too „clicky transient“ for my taste to begin with. The Freqtube always made me curious but hearing it here now i dont know if i would trust it on the mater bus tbh. But as i said. Only my opinion. Thank you so much for your content. Great channel . The time you took to describe how to recognise when you are bypassing is already great let aside the video itself
Thank you very much!! Planning to buy Ft1, but not sure. You arethe best out there, no doubt! Looking forward to new comparissons. Have you concidered Ton Empire ValveKult2?
In these examples via RUclips, there is a very subtle difference but not a 1k difference, however I the Slates do weird things to her voice in certain spots and made it sound narrow. I agree with your hearing of that push. I am a hardware man through and through, but not at that price point for what it is.
For a small home studio would you recommend analog hardware if I got the Apollo twin quad with a lot uad plugins or should I just get an Apollo x8 , which will be better ? I also currently have the Yamaha hs8 . What will be a better upgrade for mixing in a 3m x 3m studio room ?
Try the new Acustica Pumpkin Pro saturation plugin, it sounds like an actual analog saturation, not a fizzy distortion pedal. The new GUI is top notch. Also the ToneProjects Kelvin is smooth saturation, especialy in "Pristine" quality mode.
@@HomeRecordingMadeEasy I hate them. But this last one is nothing like the old ones GUI and CPU wise. I really encourage you to get a demo or download the free Pumpkin non pro version to get an idea. And the sound, madre mia ...
Thanks for that comparison. I have always liked the Slate New York and still prefer it here, regardless of price difference.
You and me both!
I use the Freqtube FT1 and prefer the sound, wideness and warmth compared to all my tube plugins. I have a lot of analog equipment also with tubes and the Freqtube sound is exactly that rich tube sound I get from my other equipment with real tubes.. Playing around with the Freqtube using the harmonics and filters makes this unit way more unique compared to my plugins. I love how it sounds on my digital synths when you crank up the drive a bit + the tight compression and warmth on my kick and bass. I always use it on my drum BUS.
I do still use my Slate tubes occasionally... great plugins no doubt.
Thanks for watching. !
That Hollywood sounds Great. Like any difference between analog vs a plugin at this point…is width and depth. But there are work arounds, very hard work arounds to emulate that analog width and depth in the box. Stereo width plugins on individual elements like certain tracks and reverb and delay returns…in the box. I have a bunch of analog preamps for tracking and a handful of great outboard compressors for tracking and mixing, but to me it’s all about the ears and finding ways to emulate that stereo depth and width ITB that analog gives you very easily.
Thanks for your input and thoughts
Hey there, LOVE your videos etc. - keep it up! As far as the Freqtube… I played with it for a week and decided to send it back - the impact/difference is too small in my opinion! For 1k you don‘t get a lot analog gear, but i decided to invest another 1k and with 2k you can def get some Wes Audio gear for example that WILL have an impact and improve my digital master-chain! Freqtube is not bad at all but it‘s that thang you wanna have after your basic-stuff like analog compressor etc. is already there!
Thanks for sharing!
Maybe the slate stuff would open up a little better with oversampling on? Either way, it’s really tough to compete with analog gear when adding harmonics since it never folds back into aliasing distortion. The Freqtube sounds great in these tests. Open and clear. I think they’re on to something 👍🏻
Thanks for watching!
I think I’ve begun to hear the freqtube in use now.. and i have to say i find it a more warming sound than the Slate products, i guess that’s the point. I don’t hear any tone lifting when the freqtube is engaged and i think it sounds less compressed. I think I preferred the freqtube.
Thanks for watching!
Loving the slate saturation but I do really like the freak tube. It has this more subtle density to me where it brings out certain frequencies without folding over as much.
Thanks for watching!
Nice video! I agree with your assesment. I like the Hollywood in this mix the best, even over the Freqtube. I like the low bump with the Hollywoord, which indrectly results in giving the vocal a better place in the mix in this track IMHO. But its all subjective.
Yes, all of this stuff is very subjective
I can say from use the Freqtube blows Slate out of the water just with an aliasing test alone 🤘💀🍻🔥
Thanks for watching!
To me it sounds like the Freqtube kills the transients (a bit too much for my taste) but it makes more space for the vocal.
However at the same time the whole mix sounds a bit muffled when engaged (imho only)
The Slate sounds more pristine but i find it lets transients too untamed so in this example i feel like there are too many layers of information
around and behind the vocal that pull my attention away from the actual vocal performance. I also find the Kick too „clicky transient“ for my taste to begin with.
The Freqtube always made me curious but hearing it here now i dont know if i would trust it on the mater bus tbh.
But as i said. Only my opinion.
Thank you so much for your content. Great channel . The time you took to describe how to recognise when you are bypassing is already great let aside the video itself
Thanks for watching!
Thank you very much!! Planning to buy Ft1, but not sure. You arethe best out there, no doubt! Looking forward to new comparissons. Have you concidered Ton Empire ValveKult2?
Thanks for watching!!
In these examples via RUclips, there is a very subtle difference but not a 1k difference, however I the Slates do weird things to her voice in certain spots and made it sound narrow. I agree with your hearing of that push. I am a hardware man through and through, but not at that price point for what it is.
Thanks for watching
For a small home studio would you recommend analog hardware if I got the Apollo twin quad with a lot uad plugins or should I just get an Apollo x8 , which will be better ?
I also currently have the Yamaha hs8 . What will be a better upgrade for mixing in a 3m x 3m studio room ?
Either of those Apollos would be a great investment. Stick with their plugins, they are really great
@@HomeRecordingMadeEasy thank you .
I am using the Yamaha hs8 . What will be a better upgrade for a 3m x 3m room ? Will the Adam audio a77h be good ?
The Freqtube does sound great. Maybe it's a trick of the ears but maybe it seems a little bit wider. Could you do a comparison with Fabfilter Saturn?
Dont own it, sorry
Try the new Acustica Pumpkin Pro saturation plugin, it sounds like an actual analog saturation, not a fizzy distortion pedal. The new GUI is top notch. Also the ToneProjects Kelvin is smooth saturation, especialy in "Pristine" quality mode.
I'm not a fan of acoustca plugins.
@@HomeRecordingMadeEasy I hate them. But this last one is nothing like the old ones GUI and CPU wise. I really encourage you to get a demo or download the free Pumpkin non pro version to get an idea. And the sound, madre mia ...
Thank you for this video. If you have radiator or little radiator by Soundtoys could we compare them in part 2...?
Don't own them, sorry
I played your video through my studio monitors and I really cannot hear the difference between the FreqTube and the London by Steven Slate.
Thanks for watching!
They all sound good just different...like you said.
But that freq- tube has more of the analog thing
Thanks for watching!
Seemed like the low end of kick dropped alot with the saturation
Thanks for watching!
Analog all the way.....
Thanks!