Yep I did compare them and the Caribou is more detailed and defined, more in your face. plus more cpu. but I've but trying to justify not getting it because that Amek compressor is awesome. But the eq section is better on the Caribou. I believe it's from the Neve 1064 taken from the hit making console at Caribou ranch studio. You should study it , it's interesting

i understand, Neve 1064 eq must be very good

still i love the compressor and the filters, pres and eq and the incredible versatility in the amethyst though ,
and versatility is the key for me this time around
and this box really has its own sound
and the compressor will be even better at release
and Amethyst has that Rupert touch


and i already have so many great sounding Acqua eq`s including Pearl + all the incredible preamps, consoles, eq`s and so many other incredible tools in nebula
im gonna get where i want anyway sound wise i think

but i tend to love the Neves
so at a later time i will demo the Neve 1064
and i could end up buying it if i like it more than the 31102 eq

i have not bought the Amethyst yet but probably next week so i can use my loyalty coupon
79 eur for this strip is an incredible good price

Cheers

still waiting for that "wow" moment from AA comps... like I get from their EQ's

it actually wowed me on snare this thing Amethyst compressor on insane and hard knee, what a snap it gave

if you're looking for that pumping parallel comp stuff that ain't gonna happen,
but they are gonna make fixes to the comp though so it can happen later with the fix,

but for regular comp duties on tracks like snare and vocal this give me something i haven't heard in a ITB comp before, really nice

I can get AA comps to talk to me.. but the behavior is so erratic they're just not predictable enough for me, attack and release setting are just so hit and miss and source dependent...
I know what my algo's will do before i use them and choose accordingly, AA comps are just a mystery to me... I don't have time to play "lucky dip" all day when I'm backed up with deadlines

Even EQs exhibit some dynamic compression behavior. Perhaps this is one reason why algo EQ to me still sounds better in certain ways while Acustica sounds better in other ways.

AA EQ"s are a clear winner to me 100% of the time,, #NoBrainer #NoContest ... nothing algo comes close end of
AA comps however feel very different to algo's and take some time to get right.. time I'm not willing to give when working to deadlines

Yes exactly. We tested side by side caribou compressor with the original hardware, and it works that way. Guys at p studio tested the original compressor and found the compressor action very close.

Said that, we'll sample more attack and release points for this amethyst, so it can be more surgical still keeping the tone and sound. It happens also with our equalizers, and it is the same concept: if you want a surgical version you need to sample more. If you are looking 3.23 khz and you didn't sample it, maybe the interpolated and guessed step will not be accurate enough.
In the past it was a common complain to our equalizers, we simply raise the number of steps .

I see extreme positive comments on the amethyst compressor, and a bestester suggested to do our best for improving it, so we scheduled a further sampling session before the product release: we'll add missing positions so it will be even more matched and surgical. Today if you move the release knob most of positions are "deducted", so we we'll add more "real" spots in order to approximate the device in a better way.

Cool man...exciting progress. When you refer to interpolation and guessing, isn't that the same kind of thing as an algorithm? And I wouldn't be surprised if advanced algorithm developers are incorporating some of your sampling methodology. It strikes me that the divide between "algo" and "dynamic convolution" might be erasing these days and a hybrid approach may be best, so these warring camps of people who trash algo plugins or non-algo are kind of silly.

Acqua plugs are a hybrid if my understanding of the tech is correct. Engine Features

No it is based on sampling.
Let's make an example on the equalizer case. If the position 3 KHz was not sampled, it could be derived by close values, for example 1 and 2 KHz. Depending on the Q this factor could not be enough accurate for some user/audio source. The best solution is sampling more. Till white eq the higher number of samples was increasing the ram usage, loading time and also the cpu load. So it was a compromise.

For the compressor it is exactly the same. If a release shape is missing the engine is forced to create it from other two spots/samples. If they are too much different the resulting interpolation is poor. So you dial the release knob but you cannot find a "continuous" behaviour.

Said that, if the compressor was featuring a slow attack and a very slow release we cannot change this behavior. This is a matter of target gear. Like in the hardware realm, if you try to use a compressor for tuning an EDM bottom drum and the compressor is not suitable, you cannot change the character. You need a different hardware. In the software world it happens less frequently since an high number of digital compressors are featuring an huge excursion of parameters (on the eq side it happens too) so you can use almost all compressors for everything. But this is not what we are going to do: our focus is the analog feel, which is exactly what you are looking for using an analog console, leaving surgical actions to proper digital tools (I suggest them for this bottom drum example). The console shines on two different things: speedness/tactile (we cannot do it) and sound, so there is less need for processing audio sources further. In the past the outboard was poor. The console was not used for translating a pop drum to a dance drum, but for getting a "record" easily.

More sampling for the compressor release sounds like a great idea!! Exciting!! Nice one, GC!

+ 1 on Caribou Eq. I picked it up during the NAAM deal. Desert island plugin imo. I also picked up Hubbard which I find more appropriate for my needs (HP and additional amp options) and will probably retire Green. And Prime Compressor which behaves like an algo plugin but adds weight and a realism to signal that I found super appealing and really enjoy anything EMI 12345 related. Great stuff. I am offically broke but at peace. Just need AlexB's MLC and maybe Fenix just because Ive always wanted the hardware version.

As far as Amethyst, I am enjoying it but for my needs it may not fit. I will really dig in during the trial period but my first impressions are it sounds really good. It has this sonic umami thing going on. Its smooth but not slow, warm but not dull, transparent but not sterile, u can get some thump out of drums but not quite as tight as ssl on the eq end. I love that I have 3 pre flavors to choose from. The compressor sounds good if you dialing in by ear but it can be a bit tempermental. My only gripe is that it nearly killed my speakers due to volume spikes. I dont forsee myself giving up using my UAD SSL strip due to cpu as I dont like freezing or bouncing during sessions which hinders creativity plus I plan to pick up AlexB's MLC, but if I was in the market for a clean strip I would be all over this like beans on rice. Im going to have go and find some records done on Ameks because Im finding it hard designate a particular tonal character to these consoles.

What is the big difference in the carribou neve EQ compared to Tim P classic blue(31102) in sound quality ?
i do of course expect some differences but i really find the nebula 31102 to sound fantastic,
i also have the MFQ neve 88rs eq which is also a great sounding and a very versatile eq
Love the neve eq's

Thanks

You where right about the 2500 eq
It really didn't dissapoint

Nice comp also, and more attack and release points will make it even better

Cheers

hey jfjer,

caribou eq has more "rounder" sound, with better identification
and 3D sound. Blue has very useful mid range and mfq is great universal tool useful for every track and both can live next to caribou.
caribou is not so surgical like navy and if you compare
these two so you can hear where has navy "toxic" sound while
caribou "makes things right" and you can use in stereo mode too.
If I compare caribou and amethyst, so amethyst has great filters, pre amp is little agresive, but I can find the place for him easily. If they will improve comp´s behaviour so I will think about purchasing.

The 31102 is my favorite eq from UAD and is the only reference I have. The eq has more plots to choose from plus the ability to be a bit more surgical in the mids and is not really thick but more hi-fi sounding. Caribou has that Neve "baby got back" thickness without being muddy and fewer eq plots. I also don't think Caribou is a sample of just the eq but the actual channel from the board plus two preamp options, left and right link or unlinked option, aaaaaand an eq all of which is why "I" grabbed it. Just passing audio through Caribou adds a bit analog depth and separation, thickness, realism, give me more adjectives...
Strictly speaking eq, between the two, I wouldn't hesitate and grab the 31102.

If however "I" was planning to use Amethyst as my main channel strip, I wouldn't find much use for a 31102 and would go Caribou since it is at the opposite end of the spectrum from Amethyst imo. Im using UAD's SSL as my main channel strip so I need to compensate a bit. So with Caribou on the front end into MLC before my SSL plug I can steer the ship back into the right direction.

Hi AB,

what about emi/sparkle bundle? have you tried that? my demo period is over and I what I remember it was great sounding package, but I can´t compare now
and I don´t know if I am wrong.
thanks

Worth bearing in mind Amethyst is a rebuild, and not the actual desk, which sound a bit more flattering still and rounder. This is a little cleaner and pointier than I remember the desk. But still superbly useful in my mind. The 2500 desk eq is outright magical though.

does amethist have band interaction ?

Had a go with the new Amethyst in mastering today; quite stoked about it especially considering its price!

No. White and (incoming) ruby feature it

Now i wish Alex B will make a console for it

I'm waiting for Alex B to do:
Amek 9098i
Trident A range & 80B
Focusrite Forte
API Vision or another classic API console

That will be great if he does.

Anyway, saw on AlexB site that 2 new revised compressors are coming soon. FNX Black (Mix Compressor) and FNX Red (Mastering Compressor).

The more Thermionic Culture the better IMHO!

The emi bundle sounds amazing but I couldn't justify buying the bundle over Caribou's eq as far as my workflow.The emi bundle adds a beautiful weight but not hazy or muddy nor does it take away from the signal at all. If you have had the opportunity to hear curve bender it its similar in tone. I feel however you dont need the whole bundle to get the flavor which I love. I bought the compressor which I haven't heard ANYTHING plugin wise that sounds this good. I slam lead vocals with it after something fast like an 1176 and it just holds the lead in place or I may use it at the end of my mixbus chain to get "that" character. The best part is it reacts like an algo plugin which is great. I plan to buy the "Mix" for its 100hz boost instead of using the traditional Pultec. Its low end sounds completely different. Heavy and when pushed too far can gives you this anxious feeling in your chest which I find super appealing. You "could" boost obnoxious amounts and it won't lose clarity BUT not recommended lol make sure you keep checking yourself cuz it can end up being a too much of a good thing type of deal. I won't be buying "Curve" as it is limited but also sounds really good. If you are interested you can send me something and I can throw the compressor on it with no compression.

If I'm reading correct from users here the prime studios carribou is the superiour sounding Neve eq over Nebula and Aqua so far (the comp too)
Very interesting, they are expensive but im gonna check them out when i get my new system, by the way are all prime studio plugins on core7 now ?

I'm loving Tim's 31102, reminds me of the hardware, I used many times at DARP, I cut 3 records with Rahiem DeVaughn and Jazze Pha on E40's "You Can't Stop The Boss" on one...... Tim nailed it big time.

With that said the Neve 1064 is my favorite Neve, so I'm very interested in demoing Prime Studios plugs too.

Not pointing any fingers... but I sniff a little "product championing" going on with the prime enthusiasts