Outboard compressor, gate, EQ. What you using and why?

UKRuss · Post by **UKRuss** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 10:29 am

I like the stuff I have for a vocal signal path before going into Live, but I know its not strictly necessary. (Cheap behringer gear...)

Anyone else using outboard gear pre-daw for instruments or vox? What are you using? Why? How much? What do you think of your results compared to daw only processing?

logic_user99 · Post by **logic_user99** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 10:43 am

I used to use a Focusrite Penta (the 2U mic pre/stereo comp). It was crystal clear, and sounded really good with my Rode NT1. Had a digi-out, too; bonus.

The gain stage was a little noisy if you wound it right up, but it never really needed to go that far. Having loud source material always helped.

Kinda regret selling it now, but there ya go! Retrospect's a bitch.

Johnisfaster · Post by **Johnisfaster** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 10:44 am

comparing outboard gear quality to software quality can only come to this conclusion

it's not always about what sounds best but rather what was more fun to use.

that being said i do have a alesis 3630 that I haven't plugged in in months

UKRuss · Post by **UKRuss** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 10:52 am

ooooo, sold the focusrite!!

Yes, sorry, i didnt mean this to be a hard vs soft debate at all! Just wondering about the outboard set ups for recording signal paths and why people made those choices really.

Johnisfaster · Post by **Johnisfaster** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 10:54 am

UKRuss wrote:ooooo, sold the focusrite!!

Yes, sorry, i didnt mean this to be a hard vs soft debate at all! Just wondering about the outboard set ups for recording signal paths and why people made those choices really.

I was really just kinda yankin ya

I got the alesis 3630 cause it was only 50 bucks used. But I actually don't like it in the least and my rack was full so I took it out.

so all I can say is I don't recommend it.

moreofmorris · Post by **moreofmorris** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 12:53 pm

I'm hopefully getting a JoeMeek SixQ channel soon (http://www.joemeek.com/sixq.html), to go with my newly purchased M-Audio Profire2626. It's mainly to have that particualr 'joe meek' sound when recording stuff like guitars or vocals... I'm doing a few demo recordings for people soon (mainly voice + guitar) which I will record one at a time through the Meek. It has a very nice musical EQ (great for toning the vocals/guitar) and a decent compressor too. So I'll have really nice non-clipped lightly pre compressed material that shouldn't need too much change after it's in the box. I find, in situations like this, it's seems kinda logical to have a decent hardware outbox to do this snizzle...

dj superflat · Post by **dj superflat** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 3:45 pm

millenia STT-1. why? if you're doing serious vocal or instrument, there's still no SW that comes close to a really good HW channel strip, and most sound cards aren't enough on their own (they're pres may be transparent enough, but generally won't color the sound the way people expect on certain types of inputs).

oh, and many people seem to focus on the mic as the critical part of the signal chain, but it's really the pre that matters more (if you can't get both a great mic and great pre). even running a dynamic shure through a great pre can give stunning results compared to a good tube mic through a mediocore pre.

http://www.mil-media.com/stt-1.html

moreofmorris · Post by **moreofmorris** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:12 pm

dj superflat wrote:millenia STT-1. why? if you're doing serious vocal or instrument, there's still no SW that comes close to a really good HW channel strip, and most sound cards aren't enough on their own (they're pres may be transparent enough, but generally won't color the sound the way people expect on certain types of inputs).

oh, and many people seem to focus on the mic as the critical part of the signal chain, but it's really the pre that matters more (if you can't get both a great mic and great pre). even running a dynamic shure through a great pre can give stunning results compared to a good tube mic through a mediocore pre.

http://www.mil-media.com/stt-1.html

Too expensive for me... But looking for this type of thing (hence the JoeMeek)... Anything similar (obviously not as good!) that is in the below £400 price range? ... Or is Joe Meek a good alternative?

dj superflat · Post by **dj superflat** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:16 pm

lots of people love the joe meek alternative. and i wasn't suggesting that spending tons is worth it for most people, just always find it odd that this seems to be an overlooked, but critical, part of signal chain for people who want to get into more serious recording (e.g., people will worry endlessly about whether live's audio is "pro" enough, even though they're willing to put up with a fairly junky signal going in, in which case doesn't really matter whether live's up to snuff, because the signal going in isn't).

j2j · Post by **j2j** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:27 pm

logic_user99 wrote:Retrospect's a bitch.

British idiomatic expressions, never cease to amaze me. I take my hat off to you, for the way you have phrased that.

Life's a bitch. In retrospect, its something you probably shouldn't have done.

Hidden Driveways · Post by **Hidden Driveways** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:38 pm

I have a single Empirical Labs Distressor. It used to not get a lot of use, but since I got Live 7 I started using it every time I work.

Sometimes it's useful, other times it doesn't do anything useful. I'm starting another thread on this topic...

oblique strategies · Post by **oblique strategies** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:43 pm

I have the following gear, but I haven't really used it since most of it is new to me.

Listed in no particular order:

Presonus MP20 two channel preamp
Dominator II multiband peak limiter model 720
FMR Audio Really Nice Compresser RNC 1773
Drawmer Quad Gate DS404
Symetrix SX 201 parametric EQ/preamp
Speck Electronics Model EQ16-32 semi-parametric EQ

I guess that's the main gear I'd use for recording a clean signal. I might also use other hardware for processing the signal as it's being recorded, such as filters, delays, phasers, multi-effects, reverbs, etc.

One of these days I'll have it all patched together, but I've not been focussing on recording lately due to where I live: a bit too noisy in general, plus this place doesn't inspire that kind of creativity. Bummer really, but I'm looking to move. I really want to get back into recording!

dcease · Post by **dcease** » Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:48 pm

dj superflat wrote:even running a dynamic shure through a great pre can give stunning results compared to a good tube mic through a mediocore pre.

for vocs, i use a sm7b, thru a ua solo 610, into a distressor. i like it

to me, it sounds "fuller" than just using my interface's pre's. i don't squash the fuck out of the signal, just pump it up a bit. i also use the 610 and distressor for soft synths coming out of my "soft synth computer", into my daw comp. i dunno, i really like this combo.
although i am sure the distressor is not needed, one could achieve quality results with a good mic and pre, and then use plugs for processing... i like having physical knobs, plus i can bypass native processing while recording. besides, the distressor just sounds so fucking nice... i'm not sure about outboard eq, i'd rather use plugs, if needed. prolly too expensive of a recording chain for what i do, but it makes me happy. fuck everyone else