NEVE vs API LUNA Summing Console Comparison

[@EdThorne]

🎧FINAL MIX of Bright Lights: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYPaoIisiNaUarc 🎬NEVE SUMMING (PART 1): kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqqrmpeErbx6fZo 🎬LUNA - First Walkthrough: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5XEmYGKrZhpf8k 🎬HOW to SET-UP MONITORING in LUNA: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnW9fmyva9mgeLM 🎬UNISON PREAMPS: Unison Preamps: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hn6bh2yol553lZY

[@Embowafa2004]

I didn’t see much in these summing plugins. This tutorial changed my mind and taught me a lot about what the Neve sound is and what the API sound is. Well done. Right now I love the darkness of the API as he stated it did sound like a pop record on the API. Nothing taken away from the Neve sound, as it’s all dependent on the record. Let the situation dictate.

[@EdThorne]

Thanks, Lemar. I could have pushed the inputs harder too so there’s more exaggeration between the two available.

[@Embowafa2004]

@@EdThorne I definitely checked to see how hard you hit the VU meters. I think you properly tested your main point of Neve being full ranged, with the API being more mid ranged focused.

[@CLdwyer]

Neve had a looser/brazen mid range, tight lows, chest-like low mids and a gentle dip on the supersonic freqs to focus the presence (feels "honest"). The API had a compressed midrange, more air and thumpy lows (smiley EQ almost). I have Luna and often I want both of them, but sometimes neither. Gainstaging becomes uber important using these things too. Truly, I'm still waiting for an SSL summing option. That one lives in the middle of those two for me and it's my stylistic preference. They probably haven't released it yet cuz they know they have to get it right.

[@EdThorne]

I suspect an SSL is on the way 🙂🤘

[@CLdwyer]

@@EdThorne I sure hope so!

[@danya144]

The Neve sounds best on Vocals, The API , Drums and Bass. On the main mix I wasn't fond of either. Great video 🔥🔥🔥

[@nicolasetcheverry4129]

Man it really depends on what sound you’re going for using them more as a tool.. you could use api on vocals and neve on drums and still get a great sound. All to taste in my opinion. I try change it up.

[@sabothawk]

Loved the video! Great stuff: I liked the focusing influence of the API myself -- while the NEVE had an awesome 'scooped' sound with plenty of bite to it, I would likely prefer adding character saturation like that before reaching the summing stage, but both sounded great! The in-the-box mixing environment desperately needs lots of non-linear summing plugs like these!

[@karaorkundevecioglu]

in my ears nev is more warm and transparent and very subtle, but i feel API is more wide and breathy and has a character and audible, btw even with no summing track is already great

[@EdThorne]

Thanks Orkun 🙂🙏

[@guitar8617]

Been using the API Summing on a bunch of projects lately. Definitely depends on the project for me but I've got great results with both.

[@EdThorne]

Yeh, having both options is great.

[@drewschempf944]

You still use it?

[@guitar8617]

@@drewschempf944 Yeah, working on a few projects right now and the API one is on all the busses and master bus for that console feel

[@effeemmebimusic]

Thank you Ed for this shootout! The differences are yet very subtle, I'v never had the "real thing" in my hands, but I listened to some other stuff where these plugins were driven a little bit more. Why didn't you pushed them further? Did you notice any bad changes to your mix?

[@EdThorne]

Yeh, I could have pushed them further to introduce more saturation but on the drums, for example, it sounded more like digital clipping than saturation/distortion, on the guitars it altered the sound too much, and on the keys it didn’t really have an effect.

[@christopherdunn317]

UMMM ? plugin will never compare to discrete components ! there not bad but there not real ether.

[@CarstenGoeke]

I use the Neve. Don´t think that i have to spend more money on the API. Luna is great. ✌🏼

[@LodvarDude]

Those guitars are EPIC!

[@EdThorne]

Yeh man, @DavidDAndrade is a monster player with a killer sound.

[@ddandrade]

Thanks a lot mate !

[@didifischervideo]

I'm a non-mixing guy - just rehearsals and ideas - but I think you have to tweak the API knobs a lot more than Neve. And I add SSL Violet Fusion EQ ("Fat") to get the Neve "sound" (I do this, because I can't astoninglishy buy the neve summing on their homepage, although it's running in LUNA - without UA Hardware, but that's another problem. )

[@SuperIZL]

That keyz buss... Woohoo love it

[@EdThorne]

Yeh man, Jez Davies is the MAN!

[@JuanJacinto]

With these settings the differences are incredibly subtle.

[@EdThorne]

Yeh, I probably could have pushed the emulations a bit more.

[@hauntedbytheliving1175]

I worked for years with 8 channels of 80’s series racked Neve gear and API lunchbox units in a studio with an SSL Duality... These both do well representing the general tones one could expect from these companies, but the Neve feels a little flat, more like 1’s and 0’S and a bit more of a “caricature” of vintage Neve to my ear, whereas the API feels closer to the effortless, 3 dimensional and subtle sweetening one would get running through hardware. I’ve mostly moved on to Acustica for their accurate pres/summing ITB but this API sounds pretty great. Just my 2 cents.

[@EdThorne]

Thanks for commenting. Will plugins ever sound like analog? (I’m not saying one is better than the other, they both have uses)

[@samueloluyinkaojomu6548]

Good day Sir. I'm currently using M Audio air 192 4 audio interface. I'm having an option of getting a new Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen and a used Audient Id14 mki. Which do you think would give me a better audio quality. Meanwhile I only need 1 or 2 input at a go.

[@revelationsoundstudio]

With my Bowers and Wilkins PX8 headphones the subtle difference is it that impressive. The Real hardware Neve summing 16 channel sounds much better

[@billsstudio2528]

Hi Ed, If you had to choose one, what UAD API producet (both 699.) would you choose? The Console Bundle or the API Complete Bundle? What are advantages having one over the other? Thanks in advance!

[@klogg1987]

How is your demo 358 days long?

[@EdThorne]

You have a keen eye to spot that 👌 UA have generously given me access to all their plugins as a thank you for all the content I create about their products. (Note, these videos are not sponsored or paid for).

[@bvrbvs]

Something new coming from Neve today! Review coming? :)

[@EdThorne]

What’s coming from Neve today?

[@bvrbvs]

@@EdThorne this was announced. Bedroom producer summing HW , kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJ68p6J9qLeLd5o

[@EdThorne]

@@bvrbvs This looks beautiful! Dammit, just when I thought I didn't want any more gear! Who was I kidding, hey? Thanks for sharing.

[@bvrbvs]

@@EdThorne haha. We know the feeling. Would be interesting to know how it compares to UA Neve summing, but in all honesty, my "summing" ear is not there yet , regardless of brand, HW, SW. 😂

[@EdThorne]

@@bvrbvs Your summing ear is the same as your everyday mixing ear, which I’m sure is great my man 🙂 I have a feeling the analog Neve Summing would the winner in that comparison 🤘

[@echln3209]

API sounds best to me

[@mlg74]

Why didn’t you give us your thoughts? It all sounded the same to me on my Sony earbuds

[@yancikwei2386]

Neve has a little bit more mid and low frequecy, and api is much more clear than neve .

[@EdThorne]

I agree 🙂

[@Bezowinz]

I love the idea of Luna. If it ever goes native, I'm all over it.

[@subvertbeats]

Today is your day.

[@Bezowinz]

@@subvertbeats thanks for the heads up. I may grab the free version, but still waiting for some basic feature additions before investing any money and time into Luna.

[@faithhopelove6945]

This Summing Consoles are pure Nonsense, srry"

[@EdThorne]

Aaah but they’re really not. Can you not hear the before and after difference in the audio? The summing really acts like analog pres softening the peak transients and adding warm harmonic content on the Neves and punchy focus on the APIs. Made a big difference to my mix of Bright Lights.

[@clemdog76]

Literally heard no difference in this video... I swear sometimes folks are bypassing their master out or pre fader... a few other videos did the same in out comparison and the summing made a massive difference... this video, inaudible.

[@EdThorne]

How would you bypass the master fader or make a summing console pre-fader? The big difference in other videos is probably between API and Neve set to low impedance, which also comes with a 3-4dB volume jump, which I have accounted for in this video.

[@clemdog76]

@@EdThorne I have no idea... even sweetwater reviews that were very brief I could hear even subtle changes when conservative setting applied. I have had issues myself with interface settings that bypassed any signal processing. IDK. I’ll give it a closer listen.

[@EdThorne]

@@clemdog76 I have to admit, the difference is VERY subtle. I was hoping it would be more obvious having the the summing on both busses AND master output. Either way, the improvement on the dry audio is the important thing and I think that’s definitely audible 🙂

[@clemdog76]

@@EdThorne hmm, there was one video featuring a track that sounded similar to, say, like a Heartbreaker or stoner rock sound... and the neve even with very moderate settings added a TON of upper harmonics. I literally listened again and I’m just not hearing the difference with this track. Maybe I need a better headset.

[@EdThorne]

@@clemdog76 Yeh maybe they were driving the signal hotter into the summing. I found it very easy to over some it though. Buss faders were at zero for the buss comparisons and mixed a little different for the full mix.