I notice that when I use any version in standalone and compare to what I am hearing when using through my DAW (Cubase) as a plugin, the standalone version sounds much better and much more “full”.
Am I missing something or a certain setting that may be causing the sound quality differences? I have the sampling on high for using without and within the DAW. All settings are the same within the standalone version as they are in Cubase when I add as a plug-in as well.
Yes…same here…the stereo delay bounces between my speakers in standalone…but in the DAW it all comes out mono sounding, no matter the track type. I was just looking about this issue. I have an Apollo Twin into Cubase Pro…I don’t know why, but I also don’t know enough to know what I’m missing.
Hello guys. In the Standalone version, the signal comes out as stereo by default (that’s why you hear the ping-pong delay). Within a DAW, it will depend on the channel mode of the track in which the Plug-In is inserted. In some DAWs you need to make a stereo bus to insert the Plug-In and set the output of your mono track to go through the bus track, in other DAWs you only need to hit a button/switch to change the channel mode. There could also be slight changes in volume between the channel modes of the track depending on the DAW, that could explain the sound differences you’re hearing.
If you think the differences are too drastic, please send us an audio example to support@neuraldsp.com.
I second this post. Can’t figure out why. Thought it was just me until I saw it wasn’t. Opened my neural plugins, played some stuff. Closed them. Opened a blank Abelton session with one stereo audio track and no processing. Opened the same neural plugins with the same patches and played the same stuff without moving from the chair. Sounds muddier…just not as crisp and good. Absolutely a noticeable difference. It has to be my settings somewhere since this makes no sense. Can you recommend anything to check in Abelton? I’ve tried every setting I can think of.
have you checked you are using the same samplerate and bitdepth in your daw as well as in your standalone version
and also check the output routings, perhaps your daw outputs to different channels on your interface than the standalone version
also, your DAW might react differently, when you run a Mono Signal (Guitar DI = Mono) into a stereo channel, than as if you are using the same approach within the Neural DSP standlone, which result i a different volume level = different tone
you can easily check this, by having a look at the input level meter at the neural dsp plugin, play the same riff in standalone and in the DAW, and the meter should be in the exact same range, if the meter shows a different level, you now know where you need to tweak
All settings are identical, including I/Os. Levels are nearly the same. Even after adjusting, there is still a difference in sound quality, not volume. What i’m hearing can’t be explained by volume or gain (I’ve tried tweaking both). I’m really not sure ho to describe it other than the DAW version is just muddier and less full.
thanks for confirming you did already thought about these,
thats than really weird
have you tried a different DAW or different DAW version, just to pinpoint it down a bit more
Hi @patricioblaquier. Which plugins are you using and how much of a difference you’re getting? As explained above, any difference between the standalone and plugin formats will come from the channel mode on the DAW and possible differences between the audio settings.
Hi Gonzalo, thanks or the reply. It is the Plini plugin and it is running in mono on both instances. The sound is exactly as they described it previously, not full or as bright. The different isn’t huge but it is definitely noticeable when I do an A/B comparison
@patricioblaquier When you’re using it as a plugin, you need to make sure to insert it on a mono-to-stereo track to match the sound of the standalone (do not confuse it with the mono/stereo switch). The output of the standalone will always be stereo, so if you insert the plugin on a mono track, there will be a difference caused by the channel mode of the audio track.
Antonio, did you ever get this resolved in Cubase? I am running cubase 10 and I am having the same issue with it. No matter the track type there is still a noticeable difference.
On a side note, I track my guitars at -18 to -12db and the signal coming out of the plug in is extremely hot. Did you experience the same thing?
Hi, anybody has any update on this? I spent an hour tweaking inputs and volumes, but the issue is undeniable, the sound is different, using the same preset created in the standalone. I checked stereo inputs, volumes, sample rate, buffersize, nothing makes a difference, the sound in ableton is noticeably worse, darker, flatter, muddier and more distorted.
I routed into ableton the standalone version using soundflower and compared it to the plugin using the same recording.
Even when selecting a mono track in Ableton the plugin still receives the audio differently compared to the standalone version, because the plugin accepts stereo input and the daw sends it, duplicating the same signal to both channels and so this cranks the input more and ruins the clean tone.
The standalone version actually only has the left channel input active, so to replicate this behaviour I added an utility plugin because there is no other way of setting this up that I know of, and now they actually sound the same. I’m attaching a picture for clarity.
Anyone know how I can fix this in studio one?
And also in Reaper? in Reaper is the other way around, The input is in stereo with the track set to mono in Reaper.
Hi!!
In my case, using standalone app sounds perfect, and using as a VST plugin in Cubase 12 Elements sounds a bit “degradated” (kind of “distorted”). I have a Focusrite 2i2 2nd gen.
The only way that works for me is using the stereo input in the stereo audio track. Using the mono input causes the sound issue.
Same issue here, I changed cables, sound cards, daws, vsts, guitars, wires but not able to get a full sound from any VST… the sound is always wavy and deep.
I’ve just had same thoughts here. Got a lovely solo tone on standalone Mesa plug-in but when I loaded it up in Luna it just sounds a bit thin.
I appreciate a lot of feel comes from stereo verb and delay but just the core tone sounds a bit limp.
I boosted the track in my DAW by about 2.5db and that seemed to match the levels of the stand-alone but still doesn’t feel quite right. In my understanding it should be identical?
