After watching this and playing the sound on my monitors, I bought one. Thank you for your video. I now own a WA76 pair, a WA273-EQ and after hearing your video I just ordered a Warm Audio Bus Comp that thing sounds so amazing.
Townhouse sounds great. I recently bought it despite having Slate Digital's compressor in their bundle and some other bus compressor plugins. When I compared them, Townhouse seemed to sound a bit punchier, with better transients (to me). Here, I can barely hear any difference between it the WA unit. Maybe my ear is not developed enough but to me, it means that it's not worth it. I have the WA73-EQ and I love using it. I can get basically the same sound with plugins as well (with even more control) but I do like being able to run the mics through the pre-amp and the EQ on the way in. This I find convenient. But running a drum bus or a mix through a bus compressor - I'm happy to use a plugin. And Townhouse, as well as some other ones are fantastic for this purpose.
The WA wins hands down. It is more dynamic, snappy, and brighter as well. It does not "smear" the mix in "even-ness". The plugs also lack the punch of the transformer.
For my ears even when passed the mix with transformers engaged and comp disabled it gives a nice flavour to the sound. Somehow a nice saturation, 3d like. I just bought one and this is my conclusion. Definetly a must have for the price.
Very good video! Just got the Bus Comp. But I don‘t really know how to connect it and run Audio through and print it later on in my DAW. Maybe you could do a video and show how everything is connected or routed? Greetings from Austria
Something magical happens with the audio goes through the warm audio. The tracks gets beefier and centered - at least to my ears. Second closest is the vca from brainworks
@@EdThorne That being said, I watched another comparison video made by Stonehenge here on RUclips, in that case they compared the SSL hardware against the warm audio and also the uad plugin. To be honest, the warm audio sounded a little better compared to the plugin and of course the original hardware unit sounded most open and was the winner
Newer ever will compare a plug in to the analog gear , analog gives you depth , warm , 3D widening and smooth top end. There is a point why analog is more expensive compared to the plug ins .
The transformers of the WA bus comp are very subtle. With unbalanced cables you will get that volume jump when engaging the transformers. There is no harmonic or tonal difference. I suggest (as does the manual) to use balanced cables.
Yes, I found that from my mixer, instead of using the inserts on the board, I run the main outs directly into the Warm Audio and that has leveled out the gain increase when using the transformers. Not sure if that is the best way to use this compressor but I really wanted to use the transformers without that gain jump. Has anyone else experience the volume gain when using the transformers and solved it?
@@suffjan If you use unbalanced cables you have volume jump (and the transformers are not working at all); you have to use balanced cables to connect the bus-comp to the mixer.
Thanks so much for this. I actually own all of these and it is great to know all that is available to me. I am definitely going to start using the Warm Buss Comp on mixes and not just my vocals.
It all works in the context of a mix (I may have EQ’d the top end a little in the final Buss stem mix session: open.spotify.com/album/6AlgJ2F9m2uk0CsOmWZZJy?si=tLCw5I4DSvmTV3Z36mnvBQ
Sounds like the Warm retains more of the high-end content of the signal, and the Brainworx sounds a little filtered. Does a great job of punching up into the class of analog gear though. VST's are getting scary good these days, unfortunately the best are expensive. This one costs nearly as much as a full fledged daw with multiple devices (some of which having their own copy of the SSL that is pretty decent in it's own right)
Great video Ed. I think they are both very usable and have provide some favorable results, take your pick and roll with it. The UA G Bus is also pretty cool. I own the WA BUS-COMP and love the unit. Better? It is subjective to the listener. I'm hybrid so I use both plugins and analog hardware. Most of the time I prefer the hardware and if all equal sound wise I go with the hardware as I like real world knobs, buttons and switches vs mouse clicks.
Shawn Lutz Thanks Shawn. The UAD version is also great. Someone else referred to it as ‘less noticeable’ - it does a great job but doesn't impose any tone. The townhouse definitely has a sound/beefyness. Have you seen the Tegeler stuff? Plugin recallable hardware? Game changing!
@@EdThorne Tegeler makes some awesome stuff. The first I heard recallability with the WesAudio when I took the dive into the 500 series chassis and checking out their modules. I think recall on the hardware side is going to take off bigtime with most companies :) No more logging or taking pictures of your settings to recall and waste time digging for them weeks later :)
Have to see something here.!!!! I am in the market for a stereo Buss Comp! However, there seems to be dozens of dishonest people running these channels man. This is the first one I have seen out of about 12 lol that shows the volume boost when the Transformer button is pushed. To me that's dishonest if someone edits the volume boost out!!!! THATS natural harmonic distortion is what that is not just a volume boost. It creates sweet sounding harmonics from what I understand. I may go ahead and get one BUT I am still on the fence. It's hard to make a decision when so many people can be dishonest so KUDOS to this guy for "not editing that volume change out" when pushing the transformer button!!!
Townhouse is my go to on drum bus. I’ve read people saying they didn’t like it and it’s almost always people who wanted it on their mixbus. I don’t like it there either, but man on drums it kills the dozen other SSL style plugins I have. Different tools for different jobs :)
It seems like every time you engage the transformers on the WA box, the cymbals start whooshing in rhythm (sort of) and I don't like that effect, at least not with this song and mix. I have a Chameleon Labs 7720 and I think I'll just stay with it. Thanks for the demo.
I vote Townhouse - though I’ll admit - I already have it in my list of go-to-plugins :) It’s a fabulous mix buss compressor - it’s got some serious attitude. I love it.
Dave Hall It’s a close one isn’t it. I feel the Townhouse is more transparent so would suit a mix bus better but the transformers on the WA give the sound some serious girth.
Unfortunately, on the comparison at the end, the audio from the hardware is slightly louder than the plugins so that to me, sounded best but I think it's not just because it's louder but also it sounds a bit more dense than any of the plugins but I'm a fan of the bx_townhouse and been using it on my MixBus lately
I may have forgotten to compensate for this, usually I make sure I do this so check the output meters to compare levels. Either way, I feel the analog is a thicker sound, as you’ve suggested.
Lows and highs punch more in hardware and are more defined no question. Hardware once again provides the snap. Same thing I have found between plugins and other hardware. Just have to decide if it is important enough to you and worth the cash. For me it is.
It's difficult to compare plugins to outboard gear based on settings alone, and I don't think this review was poorly done. However, I would like to hear the song mixed however each piece of gear or software sounds best, not putting the same settings on each. I did appreciate the comparison, though, and I think I would like to get a Warm Audio Bus-Comp.
I get your point. There are two ways to approach a comparison like this - either, to use identical settings, or to try to achieve identical sounds, however, the latter doesn't really highlight how the plugins and hardware react differently which is why I chose to do it this way.
The hardware is brighter but you can add that, the plugin wins because it’s cheaper, sounds just as good and you can run as many instances as you want. The tile you’d save mixing with the plugin is totally worth it.
Great comparison. What I took out of the comparisons was the fact I personally just don't like the sound of the SSL style bus comps. Each example, though subtly different, exhibited the characteristics that make this style of comp not to my liking. No doubt I'm in the minority here and no doubt the SSL bus comp has a place, just not for me. interestingly the Waves plugin seemed to be a little less "grabby" sounding, but it was still there. Really enjoyed your comparison series.
Excellent video! I recently bought a WA bus compressor. In your video when you engage the transformers there is an audible difference and you also note that the “Transformer adds approximately 6dB of gain.” When I engage mine, I can’t hear a difference whatsoever in volume or sound quality. Am I missing something? Thanks!
Thank you. The volume difference, I’ve since been informed, was a result of using unbalanced cables rather than balanced (which now in hindsight makes sense). In terms of the sound, it’s subtle but I feel there’s an extra depth and richness to the sound when the transformers are engaged.
It's like your doing the promo for warm module... Why dont you gain match them after turning on the transformers... Mostly what they do is bring the volume up beside adding harmonic saturation and gentle distorsion.. Let's hear it and compare it with the sound townhouse at the same circumstances. It also should emulate some saturation. Than add a separate warm satur plug-in after Bx an compare it with warm module at the same loudness level. Than we can decide about their compression performance.
The problem in this video was using unbalanced jack cables to connect the analog compressor. That was causing the 6dB gain increase when the transformer circuit was engaged. Regardless, you can hear the differences between the units without the transformers being engaged.
once the Townhouse gain was normalized with the warm unit, the difference was almost none. However i must point out that at this point for OTB depending on the converter, that punch factor can be either captured or lost when compared to ITB which will run into software limits. But then again this is 2buss and not master, so still some 1-2Db's left for manipulation. For DAW less jammin, sure the Warm or RNC is a no brainier (ext mixer with group buss needed)
Wow thank you so much Ed for making such an awesome video! I really love watching plugins and real gear comparison! To me real townhouse sounds much better than a plugin version :) But i still love using a plugin version in m mixes ;)
There is a major volume difference when you enable/disable the transformer on the Bus Comp. Mine doesnt do that. Have you set yours up with balanced cables?
Yeh it’s about 6dB. I’m using unbalanced cables, figuring it was still getting two inputs. If you’re suggesting balanced would provide mic level input/output, this makes sense re the 6dB difference.
Although thinking about it, it’s the Transformer circuit that’s introducing the gain, regardless of the cables... I’ll try balanced and see what happens. Thanks for the comment 🙂
@@EdThorne Do that. I think i had the same issue when i had mine patched through my patchbay. And one of the inputs was damaged and "unbalanced" the signal. And it is so much easier to compare what the transformer does when the level is matched. :)
Preferred the townhouse in most cases. Depending upon the program material the transients sometimes sounded better with the Warm. If you hadn't told me which was which I am confident I'd still lean plugin on this. Excellent overview. Love your analysis.
Ed, since you're so well versed on WA products, if you were just building up your studio, owned a WA47 mic and could only get one Warm Audio compressor, and you were more concerned with recording than mastering, which would it be? Assuming your analog recording would be vocals, acoustic / electric guitar and bass. Thanks PS: Also interested on your thoughts regarding the Klark Teknik 2A-KT. Many swear it's just as good as the WA-2A at less than half the price.
Hi Chaplin. I’d go for the WA2A. It sounds great on bass! And of course vocals. You will need a preamp in-line before it to boost your input to line-level (or reamp out of your interface). I’ve been in a studio with the KT stuff but I’d have to A/B to asses properly. Usually you get what you pay for though…
@@EdThorne - Thanks very much! That's the one I was eyeing the most, in part because I have a small collection of NOS 12xa7 and EL84s due to my VOX amp. How do you like WA's preamps? I hear their preamps withOUT the EQ are better. I am currently using an inexpensive ART Tube Pac preamp / compressor with a NOS tube upgrade. Not sure if that's enough of a pre for now or a WA pre would be night and day better
@@ikigai47 The ART stuff is decent for the money. I like my WA preamp but yeh the EQ does suck so I never use it. It’s great on sources like vocals and acoustic guitars but it does weird things below 100Hz. Tracking bass, for example, I’d always go through my Apollo pres over the WA.
@@EdThorne - Thanks. Yeah I heard people say they wish they bought the WA preamp without the EQ on it. All this talk of preamps being important to the compressor's signal has me considering the UA LA 610 mkii since it has the 610 tube mic pre AND a high quality compressor for about the same price as the WA comp and WA pre haha. I'm on a mission to empty my wallet, but I'll be the best sounding homeless guy under the freeway. I'm going to compare. I'd prefer to support WA since they're local to me.
At The Source Studios The cropping in and out is simple key framing. The highlighted sections are black generator frames with the opacity at 85%, then an inverted shape mask over the area to highlight. Check out this video: ruclips.net/video/49s0G4E9dZA/видео.html
The townhouse seems a bit more controlled and tamed to my ears, but the warm comp has a vibe about it. Also I full was expecting a heavy metal rhythm section accompanying those drums 😂😂
You can't compare analog and plugins. Analog effects have a soul to them. They are realistic. You feel and touch their effects. Plugins are computer emulation of analog gear like 'shadows' or 'spirits' of analog gear. No matter how rich or warm or how close plugins sound to analog, plugins have no soul. Think of a drum machine and a acoustic drum kit... the acoustic kit has soul to it. The drum machine is just that... a machine. Plugins are all about convenience and not much else.
I actually disagree regarding your assessment of analog vs digital. I always notice analog can take harder compression while staying musical than plugins. If you're not getting as much GR as you want, just boost the input/output from DAW. Easy fix.
I agree about the hardware being able to take more and remain more musical sounding. I find with these units there's a limit to the peak reduction you can achieve before, as you suggest, cranking the output gain from your DAW which can introduce distortion. Great if that's what you're going for.😀
Interesting. I suspect you're hearing a fuller body over a phone from the 6-900Hz gentle boost the WA gives over the 150-300Hz boost the Townhouse gives. Let me know if you have a listen on full speakers too, I'd be interested to hear your comparison :-)
Listening on my monitors the first obvious difference is that the Townhouse really gets punchy in the low mids. I love it, it’s why it’s my go to ITB drum bus compressor. The Warm audio is introducing more harmonic distortion in upper mids and at lower thresholds than the Townhouse does. But it’s a really really musical distortion. Townhouse also condenses the stereo image more (not always bad but notable). For me, I’d choose the Warm Audio for mixbus duties but probably still go with Townhouse on drums more often. It’s just so hefty feeling and you can get away with really smashing things with it. But now I want that outboard unit too haha
Mr Nelsonius This is an accurate assessment of both devices. Having the best of both worlds is nice. I might try running my drum and mix busses through both in my next song 🙂🤘
🎬 ANALOG vs DIGITAL - PART 1 - PREAMPS: ruclips.net/video/t4Z3vAI38U4/видео.html 🎬 ANALOG vs DIGITAL - PART 2 - 2A Opto Compressors: ruclips.net/video/hQWA1xqivZc/видео.html 🎬 UAD Apollo SOLO Full Review: ruclips.net/video/lYDFQP3kBcE/видео.html 🎧 SONG FEATURED: 'The World Falls Out Of The Sky': open.spotify.com/album/6AlgJ2F9m2uk0CsOmWZZJy?si=Sv-dSq1FQXql_v2bmtQKAA
Not enough difference to buy hardware and open that costly can of worms that only satisfies Gear Aquisition Syndrome. Plug ins do the job just fine (imo).
Its just nice to push hardware, will not miss any piece. If you have the money to buy gear than its nice, otherwise its also nice to stay itb. Before hardware i hated the hunt to make my crab digital recorded focusrite preamp drums , guitars and vocals sounds better with saturation and many other steps. Now i turn a few knobs and it sounds like i wish. Amazing imo. Something like a carnhill saturation is something else...
The addition of the Cinemag transformers in the WARM Audio bus sounds fantastic!!!
After watching this and playing the sound on my monitors, I bought one. Thank you for your video. I now own a WA76 pair, a WA273-EQ and after hearing your video I just ordered a Warm Audio Bus Comp that thing sounds so amazing.
Awesome! Enjoy your analog gear 🙂🤘
@@EdThorne it arrived and it's fantastic. Best money I have spent in a long long time.
@@dab7963 That’s great, James. Enjoy. Feel free to share music you make with it too 🙂
I'm with you James! I have the Warm 273 and the Buss Comp. I was using it just on my vocal chain but Now I'm going to be using it on a LOT more!
@@toddstudio79 love it great value. Now saving my pennies for an SSL Fusion.
The depth and snap of the WA is amazing by comparison,
Townhouse sounds great. I recently bought it despite having Slate Digital's compressor in their bundle and some other bus compressor plugins. When I compared them, Townhouse seemed to sound a bit punchier, with better transients (to me). Here, I can barely hear any difference between it the WA unit. Maybe my ear is not developed enough but to me, it means that it's not worth it. I have the WA73-EQ and I love using it. I can get basically the same sound with plugins as well (with even more control) but I do like being able to run the mics through the pre-amp and the EQ on the way in. This I find convenient. But running a drum bus or a mix through a bus compressor - I'm happy to use a plugin. And Townhouse, as well as some other ones are fantastic for this purpose.
Thanks for commenting Jacob. I think a lot of people will agree with you on all your points there.
The WA wins hands down. It is more dynamic, snappy, and brighter as well. It does not "smear" the mix in "even-ness". The plugs also lack the punch of the transformer.
Smear. That’s a good word to describe some compressors, I like it.
This is awesome. I first heard this on my phone and honestly the difference was there. The warm audio piece is solid and packa the punch for sure
Leandro Costa You’re the second person to say that, maybe I should have a listen myself on my phone 🤣
For my ears even when passed the mix with transformers engaged and comp disabled it gives a nice flavour to the sound. Somehow a nice saturation, 3d like. I just bought one and this is my conclusion. Definetly a must have for the price.
It’s a subtle flavour but you’ve nailed it, it feels 3d. 👌
@@EdThorne It has a width and depth to it.
Very good video!
Just got the Bus Comp. But I don‘t really know how to connect it and run Audio through and print it later on in my DAW. Maybe you could do a video and show how everything is connected or routed?
Greetings from Austria
Thanks, Mike. Which DAW and interface are you using? I can probably explain it. You’re right though, that would make a useful video.
@@EdThorne Thank u for your quick reply. I am using FL Studio and I al using the Arturia Studio Fuse. Thank you!
Something magical happens with the audio goes through the warm audio. The tracks gets beefier and centered - at least to my ears. Second closest is the vca from brainworks
I agree. It sounds thicker, more 3d
Thanks for the review! I didn't expect this but the UAD SSL plugin clearly had the best focus in the mid/low, its a winner!
It's a good plugin for sure.
@@EdThorne That being said, I watched another comparison video made by Stonehenge here on RUclips, in that case they compared the SSL hardware against the warm audio and also the uad plugin. To be honest, the warm audio sounded a little better compared to the plugin and of course the original hardware unit sounded most open and was the winner
Newer ever will compare a plug in to the analog gear , analog gives you depth , warm , 3D widening and smooth top end. There is a point why analog is more expensive compared to the plug ins .
Townhouse sounds Good over UAD/ Waves..
The transformers of the WA bus comp are very subtle. With unbalanced cables you will get that volume jump when engaging the transformers. There is no harmonic or tonal difference. I suggest (as does the manual) to use balanced cables.
Yeh, I’ve since realised this was the cause of the volume jump. Thanks for the comment.
Yes, I found that from my mixer, instead of using the inserts on the board, I run the main outs directly into the Warm Audio and that has leveled out the gain increase when using the transformers. Not sure if that is the best way to use this compressor but I really wanted to use the transformers without that gain jump. Has anyone else experience the volume gain when using the transformers and solved it?
@@suffjan If you use unbalanced cables you have volume jump (and the transformers are not working at all); you have to use balanced cables to connect the bus-comp to the mixer.
thank fuck for that, I thought mine was broken!
Was going to say this! Thank you!
Thanks so much for this. I actually own all of these and it is great to know all that is available to me. I am definitely going to start using the Warm Buss Comp on mixes and not just my vocals.
Great shout. It definitely adds punch.
Thanks so much for this video, made my decision easy to get the Warm compressor
Excellent. I’m glad the video was helpful 🙂🙏 Enjoy the compressor.
Geez, those hats are super loud and splashy! Excruciating when you kick in the transformers on the hardware. Thanks for the content. 🙂
It all works in the context of a mix (I may have EQ’d the top end a little in the final Buss stem mix session: open.spotify.com/album/6AlgJ2F9m2uk0CsOmWZZJy?si=tLCw5I4DSvmTV3Z36mnvBQ
On my Focal Shapes 65 with treated room the sound difference is kinda huge for the Warm
Sounds like the Warm retains more of the high-end content of the signal, and the Brainworx sounds a little filtered. Does a great job of punching up into the class of analog gear though. VST's are getting scary good these days, unfortunately the best are expensive. This one costs nearly as much as a full fledged daw with multiple devices (some of which having their own copy of the SSL that is pretty decent in it's own right)
You can usually find this plug for 40 bucks. PA always puts this one on sale.
Great video Ed. I think they are both very usable and have provide some favorable results, take your pick and roll with it. The UA G Bus is also pretty cool. I own the WA BUS-COMP and love the unit. Better? It is subjective to the listener. I'm hybrid so I use both plugins and analog hardware. Most of the time I prefer the hardware and if all equal sound wise I go with the hardware as I like real world knobs, buttons and switches vs mouse clicks.
Shawn Lutz Thanks Shawn. The UAD version is also great. Someone else referred to it as ‘less noticeable’ - it does a great job but doesn't impose any tone. The townhouse definitely has a sound/beefyness. Have you seen the Tegeler stuff? Plugin recallable hardware? Game changing!
@@EdThorne Tegeler makes some awesome stuff. The first I heard recallability with the WesAudio when I took the dive into the 500 series chassis and checking out their modules. I think recall on the hardware side is going to take off bigtime with most companies :) No more logging or taking pictures of your settings to recall and waste time digging for them weeks later :)
@@shawnlutz7008 Exactly. Game changing. I haven't looked into Wes Audio yet.
Have to see something here.!!!! I am in the market for a stereo Buss Comp! However, there seems to be dozens of dishonest people running these channels man. This is the first one I have seen out of about 12 lol that shows the volume boost when the Transformer button is pushed. To me that's dishonest if someone edits the volume boost out!!!! THATS natural harmonic distortion is what that is not just a volume boost. It creates sweet sounding harmonics from what I understand. I may go ahead and get one BUT I am still on the fence. It's hard to make a decision when so many people can be dishonest so KUDOS to this guy for "not editing that volume change out" when pushing the transformer button!!!
I love the townhouse on my drum bus. As long as I turn the V Gain down. It's pretty noisy lol
MixChecks Yeh I had it off for all these examples.
Townhouse is my go to on drum bus. I’ve read people saying they didn’t like it and it’s almost always people who wanted it on their mixbus. I don’t like it there either, but man on drums it kills the dozen other SSL style plugins I have. Different tools for different jobs :)
@@mrnelsonius5631 cannot agree more
Huh that 6dB gain boost when engaging the transformers, why doesn't my unit do that?
I realised I was using an unbalanced cable.
@@EdThorne ah that should be it. It has been emotional Ed!
WA got this hands down
It seems like every time you engage the transformers on the WA box, the cymbals start whooshing in rhythm (sort of) and I don't like that effect, at least not with this song and mix. I have a Chameleon Labs 7720 and I think I'll just stay with it. Thanks for the demo.
This may be caused by the added harmonics in the upper mids created by the transformers causing the compressor to kick in earlier…
I vote Townhouse - though I’ll admit - I already have it in my list of go-to-plugins :) It’s a fabulous mix buss compressor - it’s got some serious attitude. I love it.
Dave Hall It’s a close one isn’t it. I feel the Townhouse is more transparent so would suit a mix bus better but the transformers on the WA give the sound some serious girth.
The warm audio does have a little extra mojo with the transformers for sure......But the townhouse sounds great for a plugin solution
Unfortunately, on the comparison at the end, the audio from the hardware is slightly louder than the plugins so that to me, sounded best but I think it's not just because it's louder but also it sounds a bit more dense than any of the plugins but I'm a fan of the bx_townhouse and been using it on my MixBus lately
I may have forgotten to compensate for this, usually I make sure I do this so check the output meters to compare levels. Either way, I feel the analog is a thicker sound, as you’ve suggested.
Lows and highs punch more in hardware and are more defined no question. Hardware once again provides the snap. Same thing I have found between plugins and other hardware. Just have to decide if it is important enough to you and worth the cash. For me it is.
WA sounds better but BX is pretty impressive
I liked the BX on Keys for sure. Something in the mid range there.
It's difficult to compare plugins to outboard gear based on settings alone, and I don't think this review was poorly done. However, I would like to hear the song mixed however each piece of gear or software sounds best, not putting the same settings on each. I did appreciate the comparison, though, and I think I would like to get a Warm Audio Bus-Comp.
I get your point. There are two ways to approach a comparison like this - either, to use identical settings, or to try to achieve identical sounds, however, the latter doesn't really highlight how the plugins and hardware react differently which is why I chose to do it this way.
Can you record vocals with the WA or is it only used for mastering stage
The hardware is brighter but you can add that, the plugin wins because it’s cheaper, sounds just as good and you can run as many instances as you want.
The tile you’d save mixing with the plugin is totally worth it.
100%
So the makeup/ output gain doesn’t affect the transformer output? Not sure why boost 6 dB to level match throws off really comparing them the best..
The Warm seems to have more width and depth. Maybe that's a hardware thing.
Absolutely. I think it’s a hardware thing.
Great comparison. What I took out of the comparisons was the fact I personally just don't like the sound of the SSL style bus comps. Each example, though subtly different, exhibited the characteristics that make this style of comp not to my liking. No doubt I'm in the minority here and no doubt the SSL bus comp has a place, just not for me. interestingly the Waves plugin seemed to be a little less "grabby" sounding, but it was still there.
Really enjoyed your comparison series.
Thank you 🙂
I noticed that the stereo image was a bit wider on the warm audio
Good observation.
@@EdThorne
Thanks.
@@EdThorne
And like you said before, the townhouse is the best plugin Bus compressor I've heard, thus far, at least.
Excellent video! I recently bought a WA bus compressor. In your video when you engage the transformers there is an audible difference and you also note that the “Transformer adds approximately 6dB of gain.” When I engage mine, I can’t hear a difference whatsoever in volume or sound quality. Am I missing something? Thanks!
Thank you. The volume difference, I’ve since been informed, was a result of using unbalanced cables rather than balanced (which now in hindsight makes sense). In terms of the sound, it’s subtle but I feel there’s an extra depth and richness to the sound when the transformers are engaged.
@@EdThorne Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it.
Mines does the same thing and now it distorts the mix at times
Good question because mine definitely don’t do that! It’s a subtle effect
It's like your doing the promo for warm module... Why dont you gain match them after turning on the transformers... Mostly what they do is bring the volume up beside adding harmonic saturation and gentle distorsion.. Let's hear it and compare it with the sound townhouse at the same circumstances. It also should emulate some saturation. Than add a separate warm satur plug-in after Bx an compare it with warm module at the same loudness level. Than we can decide about their compression performance.
The problem in this video was using unbalanced jack cables to connect the analog compressor. That was causing the 6dB gain increase when the transformer circuit was engaged. Regardless, you can hear the differences between the units without the transformers being engaged.
once the Townhouse gain was normalized with the warm unit, the difference was almost none. However i must point out that at this point for OTB depending on the converter, that punch factor can be either captured or lost when compared to ITB which will run into software limits. But then again this is 2buss and not master, so still some 1-2Db's left for manipulation. For DAW less jammin, sure the Warm or RNC is a no brainier (ext mixer with group buss needed)
Wow thank you so much Ed for making such an awesome video! I really love watching plugins and real gear comparison! To me real townhouse sounds much better than a plugin version :) But i still love using a plugin version in m mixes ;)
You’re more than welcome buddy 🙂 Thanks for watching
There is a major volume difference when you enable/disable the transformer on the Bus Comp. Mine doesnt do that. Have you set yours up with balanced cables?
Yeh it’s about 6dB. I’m using unbalanced cables, figuring it was still getting two inputs. If you’re suggesting balanced would provide mic level input/output, this makes sense re the 6dB difference.
Although thinking about it, it’s the Transformer circuit that’s introducing the gain, regardless of the cables... I’ll try balanced and see what happens. Thanks for the comment 🙂
@@EdThorne Do that. I think i had the same issue when i had mine patched through my patchbay. And one of the inputs was damaged and "unbalanced" the signal. And it is so much easier to compare what the transformer does when the level is matched. :)
@@Thomachinex Hopefully nothing is damaged, I can’t be arsed with that 🤣 I will try balanced cables. Thanks for the input.
I thought gentle compression is when the needle is barely moving.
Also, 30ms attack was missing :
I like hardware. Everyone perceives sound differently I suppose. Hands down The BX Townhouse is the clear winner for me.
Plugin over the hardware?
Man, i absolute loooove that BX plugin!
Yeh man, it's great. I use it all the time.
Once again #WARMAUDIO just being affordable and over the top impressive.
Great products for the money I think. Have you got any units?
@@EdThorne almost all of them ! And I absolutely love them ! They're work horses and actually add something . . .
@@nicholasflores8100 That’s awesome. I’m looking at the WA412s and a couple of tone beasts for my new studio next year (if it happens 🤞)
@@EdThorne not IF . . . WHEN it happens speak it into existence.
@@nicholasflores8100 Yes Nicholas! Love the optimism 🤜🤛
Preferred the townhouse in most cases. Depending upon the program material the transients sometimes sounded better with the Warm. If you hadn't told me which was which I am confident I'd still lean plugin on this. Excellent overview. Love your analysis.
Thanks Scott.
Ed, since you're so well versed on WA products, if you were just building up your studio, owned a WA47 mic and could only get one Warm Audio compressor, and you were more concerned with recording than mastering, which would it be? Assuming your analog recording would be vocals, acoustic / electric guitar and bass. Thanks PS: Also interested on your thoughts regarding the Klark Teknik 2A-KT. Many swear it's just as good as the WA-2A at less than half the price.
Hi Chaplin. I’d go for the WA2A. It sounds great on bass! And of course vocals. You will need a preamp in-line before it to boost your input to line-level (or reamp out of your interface).
I’ve been in a studio with the KT stuff but I’d have to A/B to asses properly. Usually you get what you pay for though…
@@EdThorne - Thanks very much! That's the one I was eyeing the most, in part because I have a small collection of NOS 12xa7 and EL84s due to my VOX amp. How do you like WA's preamps? I hear their preamps withOUT the EQ are better. I am currently using an inexpensive ART Tube Pac preamp / compressor with a NOS tube upgrade. Not sure if that's enough of a pre for now or a WA pre would be night and day better
@@ikigai47 The ART stuff is decent for the money. I like my WA preamp but yeh the EQ does suck so I never use it. It’s great on sources like vocals and acoustic guitars but it does weird things below 100Hz. Tracking bass, for example, I’d always go through my Apollo pres over the WA.
@@EdThorne - Thanks. Yeah I heard people say they wish they bought the WA preamp without the EQ on it. All this talk of preamps being important to the compressor's signal has me considering the UA LA 610 mkii since it has the 610 tube mic pre AND a high quality compressor for about the same price as the WA comp and WA pre haha. I'm on a mission to empty my wallet, but I'll be the best sounding homeless guy under the freeway. I'm going to compare. I'd prefer to support WA since they're local to me.
well.. on this headphones the WA sounds spacious! damnit!
so you did not send the Brainworx signal through the same D/A - A/D conversion as most do it... major flaw of most comparison videos
This is a good point. No, the Brainworx did not go through the same outward routed conversion - and the analog still sounds better - go figure…
Plugin wise Townhouse. But I think Warm Audio wins.
My thoughts exactly.
Shure SRH440 here and Warm wins by far.
No compare, that WA makes it sound very musical again!
Curious how you get the highlighted cutout of the close up views? I have obs but no clue how to get the cropped and highlighted view.
At The Source Studios The cropping in and out is simple key framing. The highlighted sections are black generator frames with the opacity at 85%, then an inverted shape mask over the area to highlight. Check out this video: ruclips.net/video/49s0G4E9dZA/видео.html
WA all day . You can hear the metal circuits . Its more musical
Good jnowlesgeable compressor.
Warm has a side chain input
It does, as a mono send, which is fine if you have flexible I/O. The high pass shelf filter is really useful on this unit!
Warm allday
The townhouse seems a bit more controlled and tamed to my ears, but the warm comp has a vibe about it.
Also I full was expecting a heavy metal rhythm section accompanying those drums 😂😂
Like Metallica S&M vibes or something else? 🤘
You can't compare analog and plugins. Analog effects have a soul to them. They are realistic. You feel and touch their effects. Plugins are computer emulation of analog gear like 'shadows' or 'spirits' of analog gear. No matter how rich or warm or how close plugins sound to analog, plugins have no soul. Think of a drum machine and a acoustic drum kit... the acoustic kit has soul to it. The drum machine is just that... a machine. Plugins are all about convenience and not much else.
You can compare - I just did 😜 But I get your point. And agree. It’s a matter of exponential gains vs convenience.
actually they are all machines
@taucetus3657
You kinda contradict yourself there. The Roland TR 808 is an a analog drum machine.
I actually disagree regarding your assessment of analog vs digital. I always notice analog can take harder compression while staying musical than plugins. If you're not getting as much GR as you want, just boost the input/output from DAW. Easy fix.
I agree about the hardware being able to take more and remain more musical sounding. I find with these units there's a limit to the peak reduction you can achieve before, as you suggest, cranking the output gain from your DAW which can introduce distortion. Great if that's what you're going for.😀
@@EdThorne I've never gotten distortion but yes if you're getting distortion it would be too much IMO
The Warm is far better IMO Can hear the difference even over the phone.
Interesting. I suspect you're hearing a fuller body over a phone from the 6-900Hz gentle boost the WA gives over the 150-300Hz boost the Townhouse gives. Let me know if you have a listen on full speakers too, I'd be interested to hear your comparison :-)
Listening on my monitors the first obvious difference is that the Townhouse really gets punchy in the low mids. I love it, it’s why it’s my go to ITB drum bus compressor. The Warm audio is introducing more harmonic distortion in upper mids and at lower thresholds than the Townhouse does. But it’s a really really musical distortion. Townhouse also condenses the stereo image more (not always bad but notable). For me, I’d choose the Warm Audio for mixbus duties but probably still go with Townhouse on drums more often. It’s just so hefty feeling and you can get away with really smashing things with it. But now I want that outboard unit too haha
Mr Nelsonius This is an accurate assessment of both devices. Having the best of both worlds is nice. I might try running my drum and mix busses through both in my next song 🙂🤘
Do you have a Warm endorsement now or what haha
Something like that. Warm Audio just makes sense financially if you're learning analog gear compared to a £4k LA2A or £1600 Neve Pre etc.
🎬 ANALOG vs DIGITAL - PART 1 - PREAMPS: ruclips.net/video/t4Z3vAI38U4/видео.html
🎬 ANALOG vs DIGITAL - PART 2 - 2A Opto Compressors: ruclips.net/video/hQWA1xqivZc/видео.html
🎬 UAD Apollo SOLO Full Review: ruclips.net/video/lYDFQP3kBcE/видео.html
🎧 SONG FEATURED: 'The World Falls Out Of The Sky': open.spotify.com/album/6AlgJ2F9m2uk0CsOmWZZJy?si=Sv-dSq1FQXql_v2bmtQKAA
Wow that wa 2 comp destroyed that weak plugin
The real question is will they ever have digital pomade? lol
??
Where Attacks in digital comp? Whats going on with punch?
elektorproject Attack is the middle green dial.
Not enough difference to buy hardware and open that costly can of worms that only satisfies Gear Aquisition Syndrome. Plug ins do the job just fine (imo).
GAS is a real curse.
Its just nice to push hardware, will not miss any piece. If you have the money to buy gear than its nice, otherwise its also nice to stay itb. Before hardware i hated the hunt to make my crab digital recorded focusrite preamp drums , guitars and vocals sounds better with saturation and many other steps. Now i turn a few knobs and it sounds like i wish. Amazing imo. Something like a carnhill saturation is something else...
WAVES SSL PLUG-IN FLAT OUT SUCKS. IT WAS THE WORST
I haven’t tried the new one yet but as it’s basically the CLA MixHub which sounds great, I suspect it will sound much better.
good comparison, the analog hardware retains bottom end better than the plugins
It sounds fuller doesn’t it.