Why does Logic 10 sound different to Logic 9 ? Logic 9 seems to be better....!?

This calls for a null test, though I have seen no reports from anybody on three different Logic fora about this... it may well be a psycho-acoustic effect. You yourself actually used the word "feel".

preparation: in LP 9, first bypass all FX plugins (some could interfere with the test because some have been altered (like AdLimiter) and some use unsynchronized modulation, which will screw up the null test),

then bounce all instrument tracks in place, then delete (or mute) the original MIDI tracks,

then hit Save,

then bounce,

then open-convert the project into LP X and bounce that.

Close the project, create a new one with two audio tracks with No Input, drag your two bounces onto those, line them up sample-accurately, insert a Gain plugin on the second track, lower your main output to -12 dBFS, hit playback and invert the phase on the plugin - Logic should go completely silent, meaning the two bounces are identical. Any residual noises point to a difference between the two bounces.

Does this rule out changes in dynamics?

I've noticed it too and somebody mentioned this before on a forum(this one or LPH). There was a work around either by Apple or user.

CoinOP1 wrote:

Does this rule out changes in dynamics?

I don't fully understand what you mean by that, but if the dynamics plugins in LP X have been redesigned, then using those plugins with identical settings in a null test could yield differences ; but you'd have to do that test before you can say anything about it. However, the claim it is not about the plugins, but about the audio engine itself, which is part of OS X, not Logic. It could be that Mavericks sounds different from Mountain Lion. But I haven't got Mavericks so I can't test it.

I just performed a nulltest between LP 9 and LP X and they do in fact completely null. So any perceived difference is probably caused by differences in (default) plugin settings. Nulltesting the LP X vs LP 9 MultiPressor and AdLimiter also yielded a (near) nulled file.

.

Make sure Pan Law is set the same in both applications.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_law

http://help.apple.com/logicpro/mac/10/#lgcp5e18c108

Edit: I see you're already looking! 😉

.

Have you done the null test - without any plug-ins, as Erik described earlier in the thread?

This is the only way to test the audio engine. When that nulls, and it 99.99% will, you can begin to add plugs into each project to see what, if anything is changing.

I just installed Logic X. It was a very long, too long of a process. To my ears, Logic X definitely sounds different than Logic 9.

I am trying to get used to it. I am a professional audio engineer and inventor of 40+ years, and have mixed some of the biggest artists in music.

This is what I hear in X:

The very low frequencies are wider and clearer, mid bass freguencies / fundamentals seems to be a greater amplitude but clear, high mids 3k to 6k can sound harsh, very high freguencies seem reduced. I have done comparisons with headphones, several sets of monitors, and my vintage Westlake TM-3 monitors.

I mostly play orchestral samples to create orchestral soundtracks. To my ears, my orchestral samples sound more natural, clearer, neutral, more musical, and more dimensional in Logic 9. That being said, I am working on modifying my samples to sound better in Logic X. I can still get good results, but this software definitely sounds different, and maybe not quite as good as Logic 9. I will have to try more projects on X to finally decide.

It kind of reminds me of when I play through different consoles. Some rigs are more inspiring to play through than others, and are sort of like crayons.

I am surprised that more people have not noticed and said something about it. It sounds about 15% different to me, and that is a lot. I am grateful Logic 9 does not get overwritten by Logic X.

Have you tried the null test as described by Erik, earlier in this thread?

You might be surprised at the results if you do.....