ipad apps sound better than vst's?

[synnack]

The point isn't the brand of cable.

The point is that running the same thing through a cable and into your computer will sound different than running it from your computer.

You can deny it, but that's just how it is. Hell, even the software-slanted Computer Music Magazine admits this and did a 5-6 page article on it (not that it proves a lot, just saying)

Oh, and who did I insult? I do acknowledge that I called you two elitists, but that's how you come across...you have to be right no matter what, and you (especially Tone Deft) constantly start arguments about nothing.

And Tone Deft - since you're a guitarist, you should know that running your guitar through a longer cable can drastically changes your tone compared to a short cable, as can running your guitar through a BYPASSED pedal. You can say it doesn't, but it's a common fact among guitarists.

Dude I think you are confusing me with someone else. All I did was laugh at "cables and stuff". You are taking that to mean I don't understand something and lumping me in with another poster's comments. Please link me to where I "constantly start arguments about nothing". I thought something you said was meant as a joke and laughed. That's it.

Let's get back to talking about music stuff.

Many good points have been made on this thread. I do agree with the cognative dissonance point. Ultimately this thread has the same theme as the "hardware versus software" topic that is almost as useless as "pc versus mac". ( mac wins. :p )

My personal theory is that when people write apps for consumer hardware (like ipad) they boost the bass to enhance the sound knowing it will likely come through .3 cent electronics into $4 "ear buds" for most users. It's a way to socially engineer buyers.

For example. you can take a recording of a hardware mini moog, and an export of a software mini moog, put them side by side and in a blind test, someone will pick whichever has more bass as the "real" one. People have this notion that "if has more bass then sounds better". It's perceptual reality at play. The engineers know this. Pump the bass in your app and instant "sounds better" marketing.

[synnack]

Sorry to triple post, but...

I resampled a Saw wave in Live, played it back. I then played it back, but this time I routed the sound through a single 1/4" instrument cable (no mixers, eq, anything) and into my audio interface.

Yep, they look exactly the same...

No cable (inside DAW)-



Through a cable-



And, just so you know, I DID take both of those screenshots at as close to the beginning of the samples as I humanly could, so, by what you guys are saying, they SHOULD be exactly the same.

But they aren't.

Also, note that these aren't even bass heavy samples.

EDIT:

And yes, the one run through the cable was slightly quieter, but I didn't want to increase the volume or use a limiter or anything so that it didn't change the tone.

This test does not prove anything about the CABLE though. It proves that A/D converters matter and that the audio interface you have matters, wether it's one for your computer, one the one used in an ipad. However that does not prove anything about cables.

Maybe this is what you meant by "and stuff".

[Tone Deft]

The point is that running the same thing through a cable and into your computer will sound different than running it from your computer.

sure, and cables are messy.

Oh, and who did I insult? I do acknowledge that I called you two elitists, but that's how you come across...you have to be right no matter what, and you (especially Tone Deft) *constantly start arguments about nothing.

chill. you don't think you can come off like <insert stereotypical list of insults>?

And Tone Deft - since you're a guitarist, you should know that running your guitar through a longer cable can drastically changes your tone compared to a short cable, as can running your guitar through a BYPASSED pedal. You can say it doesn't, but it's a common fact among guitarists.

I left my reply general, this thread has been a fail on techtalk.

*you go on to rant about guitar pedals?


edit - christ you're still going on and on while I wrote the above... it's Saturday, go smoke a fucking peace pipe.

[humnumb]

Here's the thing though, on hardware versus software - hardware instruments DO have more depth without effects. To make a professional sounding song with plugins, everything prominent piece has gotta have stereo "depth" or else it sounds dry and sterile, no matter what. As I can say from experience, that's not how it is with hardware gear.

face, meet palm

Not sure what type of music you make, but I was mainly talking about EDM (sorry I didn't specify). With dance music, pretty much EVERYTHING has a stereo plugin of some sort applied on it, though usually with a send effect (so as not to muddy and "confuse" the low end). About the only exception is the kick drum, though there is often some reverb applied on a return track.

This even goes for the relatively dry-sounding Electro House genre.

Now if you were "face palming" my comment on hardware...well, from my experience that's true. It will depends on WHAT hardware you use, but in my experience it's true. You're aloud to disagree, I could care less.

Too much backpedalling. First you say "hardware instruments DO have more depth without effects" than software and now you're saying it "depends on WHAT hardware". You're waaaaay confused about audio signals work. Too many sad cases of gullible synthophile types these days.

[H20nly]

I've said my piece, it was a real turd.

fixed.

sorry, but you lost the last inkling of credit here:

Where's 3phase when I need him?

after reading this thread I have no choice but to express some form of disgust. now please excuse me while i plug in my long cable to roll off the low end.