Scope tube simulator devices compared to hardware

Crickstone · Post by **Crickstone** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 1:07 pm

Just curious how these wonderful tube sims offered to our community from our talented friends stack up to the outboard gear. I can't imagine it can sound any better...for example the spl Charisma and higher end stuff...any opinions?

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 2:53 pm

SPL Charisma is a psycho-acoustic fx processor - I wouldn't consider it a typical tube based outboard device, as it's main fx isn't based on tube operation.
As far as amplification is concerned imho there is no chance at all that an emulation can compete with a real circuit.

It can only model overtones, distortion and frequency response, but not the basic signal processing.
In a Scope board (or an A16) any Audio signal has to pass a couple of capacitors and 14 transistors within a 5532 Opamp before it gets converted to a stream of numbers.
This IS different from the path through only a few passive elements into the tube which then does amplification and 'enrichment' of the signal in one pass.
The emulation simply lacks that level of detail - imho - but it may be perfect on synthesized signals

cheers, Tom

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 3:38 pm

I can only say that the distortion and overdrive doesn't sound like the real thing at all, but the presence and fullness of sound I have been getting from these being used on samples and synths adds a loudness, and rounded out botttom. I can hardly listen to my old projects w/o having the FB5, or Tube Strip involved. The new mono insert Tube Strip is just as sweet. But I know of no emu to compare to, other than w/ or w/o projects of past.

MHO,

tgstgs · Post by **tgstgs** » Tue Jun 26, 2007 10:28 pm

HW tube respond different for frequencys;

and specialy the units i have respond different depending on the time they are aktive;
i guess its depending on temperature (they go realy hot you can cook on it!)
---
SW only cuts the levels of each sample being higher than a given value;

i tried to get a sound like my old tubedrives with a lot of filters sending to a lot of distortions/overdrive plugins;
but even with 6dsps full of filters i dont get close to that;
adding a lowlevel pinknoise at beginning of the circuit helps a bit;
(i wanted to rebuilt the noise my units makes without anything pluged in)

best results i got with simple amplifier in series with filter pluged between
------

i agree that a distortion/overdrive plugin is missing on our platform;
but who knows maybe its comming soon . .

good vibes from vienna

Shroomz~> · Post by **Shroomz~>** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 12:23 pm

Hi Crickstone,

my advice would be to pay the most attention to tube devices by Adern (Flexor), SpaceF's tube & valve stuff & also anything by Martin.

Personally, I still have a lot to learn, so anything I've done should really be taken as beginners devices. They can still be considerably improved in most cases.

btw, HelterSkelter by J9k is a really great (& free) distortion/overdrive imo. It's in the devices forum.

regards,
Shroomz

Crickstone · Post by **Crickstone** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 1:01 pm

thanks for all the great responses!

ReD_MuZe · Post by **ReD_MuZe** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 2:30 pm

if you want analog sound, you will have to use analog.
nothing can replace that.

having said that, if you like the digital tube sound, does it matter if it sounds analog or not?
all that matters is that it sounds good

bassdude · Post by **bassdude** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 2:42 pm

No tube plugin I've tried produces the same sound of a good quality tube stage as I know it to sound. But tube emulations can have a sound of their own that is certainly very pleasant and usable. I'm sure there will come a day when I will be able to say "that plugin sounds like a tube pre-amp", I just haven't heard one that does yet.