The Logic Off Topic list

I realize that this is a completely subjective question and opening a can of
worms, however, I am curious if anybody has ever run some comparisons on
hardware and software enough to comment on this:

Comparison Of The Basic Sonic Quality Of Various Hardware-Software...

Given: 
A "basic song" (24 tracks of  audio - some MIDI - some sampled Instruments -
that would be a 'reasonable size' song that did not completely tax the
system by being too large - etc.), and the same plug-ins available on each
of the platforms... With the ability to get as close to the same mix is
possible on all platforms... ( this would be a ' reasonable size' song that
did not completely tax the system by being too large - etc.)

- Hardware ...
Pro Tools HD - RME - Digi002 - mBox - Motu interface etc.
- Software ...
Logic - Pro Tools - DP4 -  Cubase -  waves plug ins - UAD -  etc...

THE QUESTION:
!!!Question: Does the final output of the finished - final product sound any
better sonically on one hardware-software setup over any other?

- This is not a question about features or the advantages or disadvantages
of one working environment over another - Simply About The Quality Of Sound
Of The Finished Output.

- Some Things To Consider Are Things Like...

-  This is more a question of hardware Sonics rather than software - however
it also might be related to software in that the final stereo mix may or may
not have imaging issues ...  Or some other sonic compromise issues etc...

- Does the expense Pro tools HD TDM system actually sound better than a less
expensive LE system with the equivalent RTAS plug-in's or the same on
plug-in's on another platform...

- Mastering -  possibly you would go to an official "mastering House" to
master the product. However - if the finished mastered product was mastered
on the same gear in the same studio - whether you mastered it during the
mix, or did a separate mastering session afterwards... This would be
important to note also...


--
Thanks - RevDave
CoolCat@...
[db-lists]

On 2/25/05 8:03 AM, "revDAVE" <coolcat@...> wrote:

> 
> I realize that this is a completely subjective question and opening a can of
> worms, however, I am curious if anybody has ever run some comparisons on
> hardware and software enough to comment on this:
> 
> Comparison Of The Basic Sonic Quality Of Various Hardware-Software...
> 
> Given: 
> A "basic song" (24 tracks of  audio - some MIDI - some sampled Instruments -
> that would be a 'reasonable size' song that did not completely tax the
> system by being too large - etc.), and the same plug-ins available on each
> of the platforms... With the ability to get as close to the same mix is
> possible on all platforms... ( this would be a ' reasonable size' song that
> did not completely tax the system by being too large - etc.)
> 
> - Hardware ...
> Pro Tools HD - RME - Digi002 - mBox - Motu interface etc.
> - Software ...
> Logic - Pro Tools - DP4 -  Cubase -  waves plug ins - UAD -  etc...
> 
> THE QUESTION:
> !!!Question: Does the final output of the finished - final product sound any
> better sonically on one hardware-software setup over any other?
> 
> - This is not a question about features or the advantages or disadvantages
> of one working environment over another - Simply About The Quality Of Sound
> Of The Finished Output.
> 
> - Some Things To Consider Are Things Like...
> 
> -  This is more a question of hardware Sonics rather than software - however
> it also might be related to software in that the final stereo mix may or may
> not have imaging issues ...  Or some other sonic compromise issues etc...
> 
> - Does the expense Pro tools HD TDM system actually sound better than a less
> expensive LE system with the equivalent RTAS plug-in's or the same on
> plug-in's on another platform...
> 
> - Mastering -  possibly you would go to an official "mastering House" to
> master the product. However - if the finished mastered product was mastered
> on the same gear in the same studio - whether you mastered it during the
> mix, or did a separate mastering session afterwards... This would be
> important to note also...


Personally, I hear a big difference with Pro Tools HD and find it superior
to the Native sound ­ even when Native goes through the same Pro Tools
converters.

Of course, that¹s not a double-blind comparison ­ it might just be the
placebo effect and observer bias.  I spent the money on Pro Tools, so it
must sound better to me when I compare because otherwise, I would have
wasted my money!

Well, that¹s true but not completely.  I hear a big enough difference that I
am sure PT hardware sounds better.  I think the reason is that the entire
system is built based on the timing of the data staying rock-solid.  There
are no other computer resource competition issues to get in the way of the
DSP.  It¹s also not vulnerable to adding to much processing and loading down
the system until it degrades.  If there is not enough processing power, it
will just tell you, and refuse to attempt something it cannot do.

I think it you search the archives on the Logic-TDM list you can find some
reports of users who have done A/B comparisons.

* Dave