A kick track compressed with a real analog Universal Audio 1176 Compressor, compared to a number of digital emulations : the Waves CLA-76, the Antelope Audio FET-A76, the Analog Obsession FETish, the Fabfilter Pro-C2 in Classic Mode, the JS 1175 and the Reaper Native ReaComp. All plugins have been gainmatched, the attack and release are the same, and the input/treshold has been set to get the same gain reduction.

A snare track compressed with a real analog Universal Audio 1176 Compressor, compared to a number of digital emulations : the Waves CLA-76, the Antelope Audio FET-A76, the Analog Obsession FETish, the Fabfilter Pro-C2 in Classic Mode, the JS 1175 and the Reaper Native ReaComp. All plugins have been gainmatched, the attack and release are the same, and the input/treshold has been set to get the same gain reduction.

A kick track compressed with a real analog Universal Audio 1176 Compressor, compared to a number of digital emulations : the Waves CLA-76, the Antelope Audio FET-A76, the Analog Obsession FETish, the Fabfilter Pro-C2 in Classic Mode, the JS 1175 and the Reaper Native ReaComp. All plugins have been gainmatched, the attack and release are the same, and the input/treshold has been set to get the same gain reduction.

Two vocal tracks, one with both the Waves NLS Channel and Waves NLS Bus plugin on, one with it bypassed.

From Andrew Chapman Creative video.

youtube.com/watch?v=SMp4oUjIQnY

"Six of the most popular Neve 1073 style microphone preamps go head to head in a true blind shootout to answer one simple question: Which do you prefer?
Featuring the Behringer 73, Warm Audio WA73, JHS Colour Box V2, Heritage Audio HA73, BAE 1073, and Golden Age Project PRE-73 Premier (...)"

This test compares a mix with The Analog Molecue + The Hot Summer (TAM-THS) ON vs the same mix with it OFF.
For the ON file, I used TAM settings: crosstalk on, Iron Mod Plus, Reference. THS settings are: Signature, Custom, Gravity at 30%.

Badly played stoner inspired guitar.

Strat -> Audient iD48 DI -> Bigg Muff plugin (volume at 6, tone at 4, sustain at 8) -> (with and without) Amplitube Orange OR-120 -> UAD 1176 5-7db reduction
Plugins: Amplitube, Tonex, Nembrini Audio Big Stuff, MixWave EHX Big Muff.

Badly played bass riff

Squier Affinity P Bass -> Audient iD48 DI -> Bigg Muff plugin (all settings at 5, 70% wet) -> UAD LA2A -2db reduction max

Plugins: Amplitube, Tonex, Nembrini Audio Big Stuff, MixWave EHX Big Muff.

Riff inspired by youtu.be/NZ4Of3lID84

In this listening comparison, more subtle settings were used across individual tracks in a mix context i.e. more real-world
The contenders are: UAD, Waves, Overloud, Softube, Tim Petherick

Each dbx 160vu emulation variety was used on kick drum, snare drum, and bass guitar and summed together. I tediously matched levels, settings, and gain reduction at the track level and finally the summed mix level of -22.5 LUFS.

Kick: ~ -1 to -3 dB GR, at 4:1
Snare: ~ up -5 dB GR, at 4:1
Bass: ~ -3 to -5 dB GR, at the limiter setting

Here is a stereo drum bus, set to really hear the action. This was very important in terms references to the 160 hardware.
The comparison includes UAD, Overloud, Softube, Waves, & one VCA compressor that is not a 160 emulation but I more or less matched and included for fun.

The reference is the dry, no 160 file at -22.0 LUFS, to which all others are matched.

Here is an EQ comparison of 4 other EQ's versus Mixwave Fearn VT-5. Heavy rock/metal basic rough mix.
2 of the EQ's are my own ITB chains of saturator color derived from Heritage Audio Lang EQ, using the preamp + digital EQ finely tuned to match the VT-5.
1 of them is not a tube EQ per se, but still a nice sounding contender.
1 is a tube EQ.

All EQ's were meticulously matched in terms of curves and level.
The dry mix level is the reference track, so all files are matched for -21.9 LUFS

All Studio 3 - Identical settings (no pres on Reverb 2)
- Drums: Live Room omni no dampening (no real room mics)
- Snare: Plate 2 (2300ms)
- Guitars: Chamber (+ touch of ISO booth on electric and live room on classical)

Reference = no reverb
Only FXs at the end.

Test for Studio 1: abx.funkybits.fr/test/ik-multimedia-sunset-sound-studio-reverbs

All Studio 1 - Identical settings (no pres on Reverb 2)
- Drums: Live Room omni no dampening (no real room mics)
- Snare: Plate 2 (2300ms)
- Guitars: Chamber (+ touch of ISO booth on electric and live room on classical)

Reference = no reverb
Only FXs at the end.

Test for Studio 3: abx.funkybits.fr/test/ik-multimedia-sunset-sound-studio-reverbs-studio-3