Arturia V Collection vs the Real Hardware : Part 2

Part 2 of having some fun comparing the Arturia V Collection to their Hardware counterparts that I own.
No processing of audio is applied except for a dash of UAD EMT 140 Plate Reverb.
1. 1983 Yamaha DX7 vs Arturia DX7 V
2. 1983 Oberheim OB-8 vs Arturia OP-XA V
3. 1971 Clavinet D6 vs Arturia Clavinet V
4. 1978 Korg MS-20 vs Arturia MS-20 V
5. 1968 Wurlitzer EP 200 vs Wurli V2
#arturia #synthesizer #comparison

[@dagahanfdm]

I like software MS-20 more than HW. It's more "dirty" I guess. But all these analog pianos (or how they are called), Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Clavinet... are the weakest point in Arturia's catalogue.

[@ewwitsantonio]

It's the clav and wurli that FEEL so nice when real and well maintained. Overall, the Arturia collection provides a really cool experience in a compact format, so I appreciate what they do. Most of us don't have the resources, space, time, or dedication to have all that gear, so it's pretty incredible we can get super close with a simple and reliable set of digital tools. Great demonstration and thanks for sharing it with us!

[@xxPenjoxx]

Oh man, this is insanely good. Crazy how close they got them 😲

[@beherid5111]

Totally agree.

[@MrQuuze]

@@beherid5111 and last part is i bet realively easy get even more close with eq and other mixing and mastering tricks.

[@aharvey44]

the analogs are much wider, deeper and nuanced and generally more beautiful but to have a library of software synths is pretty amazing also.

[@bluematrix5001]

Mostly in the context of a mix and after the processing applied you would never know ….. but to collect HW synths is an understandable Joy

[@andreastheman142]

Also cost 100 times more

[@Pansenkalle]

blablabla

[@79Glitch]

@@andreastheman142also sells for 100% more. Edit: Actually, it’s worse than that … because vintage synths and gear appreciate. In the 90’s or much of the 2000’s, you could have bought the following gear for under 5 grand: a Jupiter 8, a TR-808, A Minimoog, and a Linn Drum … probably a few other things as well (That’s all together! Meaning, you could buy ALL that gear together for under 5 grand. A lot of that gear could be bought used individually in the $500-$1000 range, some for even crazier prices than that). In 2023, you could sell that same gear , conservatively, for $50,000. That’s a net of 45 grand. Imagine if someone walked up to you in 1999 and said, “we are going to give you these analog synths and classic drum machines for free. The only catch is … you have to use them, take decent care of them, make music on them, and enjoy them for the next 25 years. At the end of 25 years, you must give them back, but we will give $45,000 back.” Would you say no to that deal because … after all, who can tell the difference in the mix?

[@79Glitch]

@@bluematrix5001aside from this being the most trite and overused cliche on all gear videos comment sections … it’s blatantly false every time. In some cases, you could swap out hardware for vst’s and it’s hard to tell much of difference, especially if major portions of the track ARE coming from hardware. But on the sounds that you CAN tell there is a difference, that something is missing or doesn’t sit the same … it might as well be 100% difference … because the thing that you want the thing to do or sound like … can’t do the thing you want the thing to do or sound like. You can reverse engineer and use every producer plug-in in the world, but you often can’t make a vst sound like some of the great hardware instruments and recording hardware used on legendary songs we all know. Why is this such a hard point to concede, and why does it give modern DAW music makers sooooo much anxiety and insecurity? Is it because they realize that all their music-and the music of other typical modern music makers-sounds like it was produced and made by one person?

[@frittataficionado]

The synths were pretty good but the Arturia Clav and Wurly were noticeably weaker.

[@MRFThorne]

Yes - the digital synthesiser emulations by Arturia are almost 100% spot on, analogue synths a little further removed, but close for sure ( and ghetting closer, especially with the remodelled engines they are adding for the analogue synths, plus the dispersion mode to model the unpredictability of analogue synths), and even though the phyiscal modelling process (for organs, pianos) is getting better, there still a discernible difference between the hardware and software versions.

[@TheFamousMockingbird]

clav was garbage, wurli also, ive heard much better wurli plug ins but havent checked out a ton of differnt clavs

[@hexsecs]

Agreed. The synths sounded really close. The Wurly especially sounded weak. I haven't found anything remotely close to Keyscape in terms of a good Wurly virtual instrument. UVI keysuite 6 different sampled Wurlitzers but you have to put some work into getting the sound dialed in. Keyscape presets are out of the box bangers.

[@Anonymousjoe64]

Wurli V not even cloooose

[@M1k1haus]

Close enough for me. Both sound great. Good demo.

[@killaken2000]

I imagine that with a bit more tweaking and possibly some audio processing vsts it would sound closer. To me the vsts sounded a little thin but it was so close I wonder if you'd notice in a mix.

[@davidefuzzati8249]

I know i am repetitive but... As for the Rhodes on your previous video, the Arturia Wurlitzer doesn't even get close to the original. OK for the synths: emulation is pretty solid (but still subtle differences on OB-Xa). Apart from this... Luke i can't stop watching your vids for your great skills, attitude, playing capabilities and your gargantuan rig! BRAVISSIMO!

[@Lantertronics]

In a lot of cases, they clearly sound different, but one doesn't necessarily sound *better* -- they just sound different.

[@judgedread-q4t]

Very close. I was surprised to hear Mr Oizo in there.

[@beardenbob6567]

Would love to see you do a blind A/B test for us viewers! 😉I suspect the virtuals would fare pretty well esp. for those of us listening on less-than world-class audio systems.

[@beherid5111]

A blind test would have been better and I think most people wouldn't know unless they played the real instruments.

[@sagnier]

@@beherid5111he actually swapped the audio so when you’re seeing the hardware you’re hearing the software.

[@dagahanfdm]

But that would result in mass suicide of all those "experts" saying that HW is much better and there is obvious difference and VST sound like shit.

[@gibsonflyingv2820]

@@dagahanfdm It's not about "sounds like shit" just different. They sound different and its very obvious. Also is your ear that untrained that you can't tell the difference in this video without it being blind test?

[@Mikas_Emil]

What an amazing collection you have - thanks for doing this. The DX 7 is spot on, Oberheim was pretty close. The others ... hmm.. But still a great collection. Really happy about the Juno, Prophet, Oberheim, MiniMoog and DX7.

[@Prod.4D]

I agree, the clav n Wurlitzer can be better by arturia

[@pixelwash9707]

No cigar for the Oberheim either to my ears, much more tinny and harsh.

[@adam872]

Loved the clip of Dirty Love. Great song. Some of these plugins sound so close the difference is imperceptable.

[@TheFamousMockingbird]

see i thought the dirty love was one of the worst plug in versions compared ot original. the plug in was so thin and did not respond nearly as well to the funky accents. granted i am absolutely obsessed with zappa, to like a really unhealthy degree and have his music scorched in my mind at this point so that might be from familiartiy

[@SharpblueCreative]

Hands down the hardware. The DX was the closest and the Oberheim not too bad. As for the others quite different

[@mudi2000a]

for me the "feel" counts and for example the sound of the MS20V absolutely good for me. Only the Wurli was a bit disappointing.

[@tjn0110]

The DX7 sounds pretty close to me, the others... not so much. There's obvious convenience factors and price point value with software, but at this point in time, with 20+ years of vsts being developed and massive leaps in computing technology, I am hesitant to believe it will ever sound indiscernible from it's analog predecessors.

[@ruk2023--]

Why does it need to sound indiscernible though? Surely the VST stuff just needs to be a good clav or good synth for it to be usable in music production. I love all the old analogue stuff but really I don't care if the VST is a semitone off as long as it sounds good in my mix. Nobody is going to like my music more because the OB8 is pitch perfect.

[@canastraroyal]

Hardware varies. Software copies ONE SPECIFIC piece of such and such model. That's why it will not always the same as ANY piece of said hardware. In most cases, EQ, saturation, compression and, most of all, context, will erase these differences. Having said that, Arturia's Wurlitzer is pure plastic.

[@user-rs1990]

A request; Recreate the 'Alvin & The Chipmunks' TV theme! 😁

[@_leivo]

many old synths don't even sound the same when being the same model, it could be that they sampled from a synth that sounded different.

[@mudi2000a]

Arturia doesn't use sampling (except the original synth uses sampling like SQ80V). All completely modelled. Which I think is the better approach, with sampling-based solutions the possibility to tweak is limited.

[@_leivo]

@@mudi2000a Thanks for adding data to what I said, I guess modelling still applies for my comment tho.

[@davidmelton7268]

Luke, thank you so much for taking the time to create these comparisons! I doubt that I will ever have the space or funds to assemble a collection of analog hardware like yours, so i am very thankful that I can enjoy the Arturia collection every day! All the best to you, and thanks again!

[@lukemillionmusic]

Thanks David. The V collection is a great source of inspiration in the absence of the original hardware. I like to use both 😊

[@jami.m7074]

Ok that Würlizer was pretty shitty, but the others were pretty close, and just so much easier to use in production.

[@isaacedgardoperezjacobo4308]

The digital synths are more on point in my opinion. Analog behaviour is much more complex to imitate, the Oberheim is a clear example. The Oberheim emulation sounds good, but not as close as the Ob unit. Whereas the Dx7 vst sounds pretty much the same as the hardware.

[@sevchyk]

All Arturia’s pianos heavily suck. The onpy thing that doesn’t suck is D7. The rest plugins are lame.

[@thegroove2000]

The digital emulations should sound much closer compared to the analog hardware emulations.

[@gibsonflyingv2820]

The obx was the clear winner, the vst of that sounded awful.

[@missepicmandy]

hardware still better. juicy juicy not plastic

[@blandee]

Great video Luke ! As a 30 year plus dance music producer who has owned lots of classic synths , you can tell a slight difference on these BUT when processing is added (reverb delays saturation etc ) I'm betting you would be pushed tell the difference on a blind test ..also when plug ins in a used in a track no one would leave the dance floor trust me ! lol keep up the great videos ;)

[@lukemillionmusic]

Thanks mate. I agree with the processing. I also find with the originals you need to do a lot of EQ cutting to make them fit in a mix cause they sound so big!

[@blandee]

@@lukemillionmusic defo 🙏😉fantastic collection you have , so regret selling many , can’t beat twiddling the originals 👌🏻😝

[@russcontact]

After reading all the reviews I’m actually really surprised listening back to back with the hardware. Sorry but it’s not close at all. The value and convenience of the emulations are great, and you could use them to create music, but not for a lead instrument in a real song. And this is over youtube on earbuds, uncompressed on a big system would only make the differences even greater.

[@Sonikbytes]

The emulations sound less lifelike and I be the effect would be even more drastic when listening to it in a live solo piece. In a busy mix it may be less so. DX 7 is the most convincing being digital

[@jokkearnt]

Just realized how much I love Digital Love :´)

[@Goettel]

The synth emulations are good, the electric piano emulations are meh.

[@trevorwesterdahl6245]

I would love a list of the sythesizers and the songs that match them. Do the presets work in in Arturia, or do you have to pay to adjust the settings? Can anyone buy the settings to match the songs? Seems so hard to simply get the settings needed just so you can try and play a song.

[@michaelmoore1697]

Arturia sounds thin compared to the real thing.

[@darryldouglas6004]

Not reading the comments but I love these videos because of all the braggarts who will definitely comment on how much better the analog sounds even though no two analog’s sound exactly the same! 😃

[@mudi2000a]

They are the same people who say new analog synths don't sound analog enough. Just ignore them.

[@darryldouglas6004]

@@mudi2000a I know. Arturia has done a fantastic job with the modeling of these vintage synths. I think it’s more of a psychological exercise when people are shown two things side by side they feel they must declare one so far superior as to render the other into a pile of crap. Audiophiles excel at being annoying. 😃

[@darryldouglas6004]

@@mudi2000a And I liken them to people who love Mountain Dew but think Mellow Yellow is disgusting.

[@celiablanco300]

The minute 1:24 sounds exactly like supertrump

[@lmv3982]

This Daft punk track needs a recreation!!!

[@mikemarkoeVideo]

Also I haven't thought about flat eric in quite a while.

[@djmastergroove946]

I think mr oizo used the Lfo for the last womps 🤔

[@_mickmccarthy]

Sure they may not be 100% bang on accurate, but it's still pretty amazing the sheer amount and variety (and quality!) of sounds and effects that I can make use of from a tiny laptop these days.

[@lukemillionmusic]

Very true. We are so lucky to have so many software options available to make music 😊

[@sevchyk]

With possibilities come high demands. If everybody has those plugins, only master arrangers get 100 000 views.

[@ignaciopadilla-ts4jx]

Estoy seguro que en una mezcla, casi nadie puede distinguir si es un vst o un instrumento de hardware. Seguramente los analógicos transmiten algo mas de calidez al tocarlos... Pero hay que aceptar que los vst tienen una relación precio-calidad muy buena y entran 20 sintetizadores en una PC.

[@briann5001]

They all pretty much sound the same except for keys at the end

[@refillproduction]

Sinths are good, clav and wurly no

[@_P_M_]

The reason to own hardware is because it's fun to play and has a rich history. If all you want is the sound then software is all you need.

[@prijackcastro]

Amazing, it's really very similar, now I have all the possible sounds with Arturia Collection using just a keyboard controller.

[@brianp7022]

We can find fault in anything but we have to agree…if 20 years ago people said you would have sounds this close to the original then we would have been blown away…good enough for most people .IMO vintage gear is literally about the object itself and what it represents…i was born in the 70 s so I love the old synths but even when they new they weren’t perfect, they had flaws and idiosyncrasies …certainly does not justify their ludicrous price tags , merely museum pieces ( and yeah I am jealous 😂)

[@TheFamousMockingbird]

yeah because the technology didnt really exist, the fact that it does exist now and is below the scruff and also the fact that most of these things sell for 200 bucks a unit (when they are non physical devices just software, so they arent building an entire synth and all that resource intensive stuff to make one sale) you can see how much they are actually overcharging for the price of these individual units

[@crazymage9636]

Surf City, Battletoads

[@vfx7t]

Just Yamaha DX 7 yes and true !

[@RivieraOrthodontics]

"Flat Beat" by Mr. Oizo 👏👏

[@geoffk777]

In general, I think that the Arturia Digital emulations are excellent and nail the originals. The analog emulations are Ok and usable, but not the best. And the acoustic and electrimechanical emulations are disappointing. For Hammond, EP and piano, VSTs like B-3X, Keyscape and Pianoteq are far better. And for the analog models, various instruments from GForce, Softube and Cherry Audio are often superior. However, all are usable, and as a cost-effective bundle, it's still a great deal. And some of their instruments like the Buchla, don't have a lot of alternate choices.

[@afterjoe3042]

Anyone know the song from 1:16 ? I know it from Daft Punk, but what's the original?

[@killaken2000]

George Duke - I Love You More I think

[@lukemillionmusic]

It is 😊

[@afterjoe3042]

@@lukemillionmusic I always thought it might be a sample ha. As always, amazing playing! I love your channel

[@tir208]

LOL I looked specifically for the Wurlitzer comparison specifically because of the Digital Love bridge

[@BladeJones]

You need to hear in person to really appreciate the analog gear.

[@vaiman7777]

Unless you are using an amp, there's no difference. Playing in person yes. Sound no. And I'm fully hardware

[@gibsonflyingv2820]

@@vaiman7777 You arent fully hardware lmao, also who wouldn't use an amp? As opposed to what? you need an amp to hear the synth.

[@vaiman7777]

@@gibsonflyingv2820 Wrong, unless my 15 hardware synths, mixing desk and console are deceiving me… I’m hardware lmao And there’s things called keyboard amps, for performance needs. Those would potentially colour the sound, relating to OPs claim. I’ve been recording since the 70s btw, so there’s no need for further advice 🙂

[@gibsonflyingv2820]

Lol you’ve been recording since the 70s and apparently have learned nothing since. That shows since you’re incapable of being willing to learn more. That’s the sign of an arrogant fool who knows ZERO. Btw your mixing desk and console probably sound like ass compared to my Arturia polybrute plugged direct into an 80s Peavy cab.

[@gibsonflyingv2820]

Also your crappy old ears can’t hear a thing anymore clearly. The side by side comparison in this video speaks more than enough as proof. VSTS can’t match.

[@nikolaj550]

then i like more the real hardware

[@brainhamster]

Finally...somebody who.doesn't put a sh!tload of delay and reverb on their obx when they play 'jump'!! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@salrusso3843]

I call that education.

[@brendantravers1044]

Y'all can we crowdfund a CS-80 for Luke can't think of anyone more deserving of preserving the beast

[@banigrisson]

Can't touch that wurli, man. I liked the digital DX7 more, but the rest were better in analog. Which is surprising because all other videos were almost half and half.

[@КэтэлинПетраке]

Difference might gone if envelop in exitor,microdelay,add white noice and rerecord on magneto tape. P.s. may be tuning was not sharp similar.

[@lukasketner]

It's wonderful to have these comparisons, thanks! Also, I'm available to house-sit. Just saying.

[@anth3346]

So glad you played Jump on the Oberheim. There really is no truer test.

[@jaxman1235]

That Jump sound is a litmus test for me also. But even the original doesn't have enough bite for me. I layer it with other VSTs like Diva and it comes to life. Same goes for "The Final Countdown" intro.

[@NexxuSix]

Arturia does in fact make some very convincing software. The only trade off of course is having the feeling of the actual synth (and not to mention the weight of lugging it around, and the maintenance aspect) in your hands. But, the cool thing is, I can put an entire collection of vintage, very hard to find, let alone very expensive synths, all on my laptop, and not have to fuss with programming patches like you would on the modular synths. You just need a good controller, and a good audio box. Thank you for the comparisons!

[@TheFamousMockingbird]

huge difference in dirty love by zappa, the first two sounded pretty close but dirty love had way more deptha nd funk onthe original than the plug in

[@periurban]

I appreciated the George Duke/Zappa riff at 0:42. Nice sound too!

[@matthewferguson7084]

I have a real OBXA and DX7....Arturia for the rest is great (for now)!

[@Twobarpsi]

Plug ins are 60% there. I can hear a big difference compared to the real thing.

[@mack_solo]

IMO just like in the first part, some are emulated better that others. In fact I thought I preferred DX7V over the original, whereas the Wurli V was a bit of a disappointment as presented ( i don't know how tweakable it is to improve it). Thanks Luke 😃

[@mudi2000a]

I think in general Wurli V is not the best option for Wurli sounds. But it can be tweaked so maybe just the preset was not ideal.

[@TheFamousMockingbird]

arturia has a widely accepted bad wurli compared to others, and even still the OG wurli really is the tops

[@arvinsim]

That real Wurli sound is great! But I am satisfied with the Arturia equivalent!

[@zafod101]

Software synths certainly take up less space 😊

[@C86-x5r]

The wurl sounds miles apart, the others are pretty much there

[@andreastheman142]

I think arturias synth and strings are a little better than the more electric piano stuff

[@joshuastar850]

whoa, Zappa! thanks for the comparison.

[@IIeTpOc9H4uK]

How do you find the corresponding patches on Arturia synths? Please share names if them

[@lukemillionmusic]

I made them myself to try and match my original synths. I think I might put them up as a free download for those who are interested.

[@evertmeurs]

The Wurly vst sounds not good.

[@ademckinlay4946]

mr oizo!!! 🙂

[@ademckinlay4946]

Hi Luke, I would like to hear you do 'Behind the wheel' by Depeche Mode? Consider it a favour for an old North Terrace House comrade... 🙂

[@mikemarkoeVideo]

Man you have a collection of cool stuff

[@iamyourfuture808]

Close but no cigar

[@АлексейВискалов-и6х]

Real Hardware = BEST !!!

[@speedoflife9375]

Are some of these direct presets or you altered the sound to get it precise like this?

[@lukemillionmusic]

I have tweaked the software to get closer to my actually hardware units. The DX7 was a factory patch tho.

[@timothydahlin5321]

Please don't defile the multimoog by trying to recreate its sound in software. 😢

[@lukemillionmusic]

I don’t think there is a software equivalent? 🤔

[@timothydahlin5321]

@@lukemillionmusic All who've tried have to replicate it have gone missing. 😆

[@jaydenmalbroue7095]

What song 0:40

[@lukemillionmusic]

‘Dirty Love’ by Frank Zappa

[@jaydenmalbroue7095]

@@lukemillionmusicThank you😊

[@ontherhodes8088]

What was the song at 0.40?

[@lukemillionmusic]

‘Dirty Love’ by Frank Zappa

[@miltoeph]

"Give me - your dirty looove, like you might surrender to some dragon in your dreams ..." !!! Dude , this tune , King Kong and many many great Zappa tunes , are rare on the air-waves and net tubes... FZ is still alive in our souls . Miltos from Greece

[@jaydenmalbroue7095]

Whats this song? 0:22

[@TheKCsaba]

Van Halen: Jump

[@jaydenmalbroue7095]

@@TheKCsabathx

[@louisesollier1600]

Arturia's Wurli is horrible !

[@Amusiastudio]

Looks like they fixed the Wurli in V3

[@ManuelPerez-bu6zv]

It will cool that you try the free versions vs analogs. It will interesting to see.

[@chrisrevel2801]

In a full mix , arturia will be better and more convenient