Distressor Shootout EL8 Hardware vs UAD Plugin See how close they sound. There is a difference! 

Tone wise they’re very close but there’s a weight/fullness the hardware adds that’s not there on the plugin. I agree with the distortion being more apparent.

The amount of low and low mid information present in the hardware version is the extra 5% that really make me respond. It’s not subtle either.

They are really really close.....UAD did a good Job

The low end on the hardware is amazing, big difference. The plugin sounds flat and boring.

I have a hardware distressor and have use the plugin plenty of times. No comparison. I tell people this. If you can invest in one compressor, get a hardware Distressor.

Thanks for the video sir. Hardware is better but for the price and connivence as stated it’ll work! Have a great summer!

Make a blind test. Most of the users saying "hardware is better" would get close to 50%/50% vote results

The plugin just lacks that energy, feels a bit dull

I'm using the UAD Native Distressor with the SSL SubGen and Studio One. The plug-ins are in their own bus channel. I'm running Distressor in Opto 10:1, attack and release set to opto 10/0, distort 3 active. I don't have the hardware to compare, but what I get with this combo was what I wanted. SubGen to enhance the low end of this mix, Distressor adding some distortion and compression. I didn't want to just add a low EQ shelf boost. However with SSL X-DynEQ, I do use a single low pass to filter off everything over about 100 hZ.

When I first heard this I had to do a double take. I thought this was Tim Pierce. He kind of looks like Tim too. Thanks 4 the comparison. I heard the UAD ver on a dry lifeless vocal. If the UAD version can do this then imagine what the hardware sounds like. Im about to break the pink piggy bank.

hardware sounds way better in the lows. more chunky and solid. more "wild" and organic. the plugin seems tame and under control

Good video! However, when you say ‘same amount of gain reduction’, you must be talking about meters, as opposed to the actual audible amount of gain reduction. The hardware is being hit harder in the a/b right before that comment, compressing more and distorting more. That isn’t to say the plug-in will ever be quite the same as the hw, (it won’t) but it can get closer when matched by ear, since (like most plugins) it’s calibration isn’t 1:1 with the hardware. Plus, as you say, each hardware unit varies, especially with age.

The hardware has more bottom end/punchier and more crisp/more open high frequencies/more preserved instrument artifacts like the strings to my ears. Also more distortion with the hardware. Feels like a bit of the register gets lost through the software.

The hardware is way snappier and sounds less compressed.

Hardware is not better or worse.Hardware is the hardware !The differences starts going away as the Distortions kicks in.This particular hardware unit is a bit louder (although well adjusted) that's why you get a bit fuller sound.Great job overall

In hardware vs software comparisons the software always sounds less warm, so i wonder why software companies don't warm up their software to equally match hardware to make their software sound identical?

Would it help to bring the two units performance closer together by adjusting the headroom setting on the plug-in, as it’s onset of distortion is not as soon as your hardware unit?

Listening on AirPods (as millions of the end users do). I hear a boost in the lows, and a tad more distortion on the hardware. Worth the price difference? Nah. A few subtle moves gets you closer than Joe Blow can hear. Good job.

Great video thanks for posting!

Leaning towards hardware on this one, but man -that bass tone sounds so good! Who knew a simple signal chain would make a huge difference! I bet most people would find it hard to discern what’s hardware and what’s not in a final mix. Btw, what strings do you use on your bass?

I dont know but hardware has some frequency's humming. I think specially in the lower mid frequencies.

On a macbook pro i'm hearing the hardware a little louder... or maybe a little more distortion?

It almost sounds like the software is compressing sooner than the hardware. It doesn’t have the same ‘pop’ on the transient.

cool - thanks for this comparison! would love to see it on vacals as well, but thanks :)

Excellent!!Thanks!!!