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Post by jcoutu1 on Dec 27, 2019 13:18:17 GMT -6
Imagine that you've got a great studio space, nice live room, control room, and 3 iso booths. Strictly a tracking studio.
30k or so would be top of budget.
What sort of board would you grab? Ideal would be a 24-32 channel board with great preamps, nice eq, and at least 4 auxes for headphone mixes.
Vintage Trident 80B? New Trident board? Used 1608? Daking sidecar that's been on eBay for years? Let's have some fun.
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Post by Tbone81 on Dec 27, 2019 13:26:01 GMT -6
If I were in that situation I'd seriously consider an Audient console. A used Daking would be cool as shit though.
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Dec 27, 2019 14:34:09 GMT -6
New Audient, no question. Used well that’s about timing, transport condition and what you have for tech support locally. If you could find a used Daking or recent Neotech that would be awesome. Avoid anything that needs or has a built in computer, way to many support headaches.
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Post by christopher on Dec 27, 2019 14:49:43 GMT -6
As a customer I'd want something we can build the mix in analog while tracking and plenty of channels for working and blending experimental room mics in addition to live tracking the whole band. Also a patchbay and easy bussing for parallel processing while building up the right sound. Direct outs (pre fader) would ideal for capturing the raw mic pre's as a safety, however the goal would be capturing the busses with EQ/processing for a close to final mixed sound. I think the 80b makes sense, but I'd be happy with almost anything as long as it could do all these things.
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Post by drbill on Dec 27, 2019 15:07:52 GMT -6
D&R OrionX. Decent automation, very transparent, enough $$$ left over to get plenty of color outboard.
Built like a tank to last a generation or two, company still in biz, most of the parts of easily accessible, modular for service - if you ever need it, a financial sleeper - you can get an $80k console for under $10k easy. IF you can find one.
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Post by chessparov on Dec 27, 2019 15:58:31 GMT -6
How would you rate the Toft ATB-32?
Chris
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Post by drbill on Dec 27, 2019 16:09:15 GMT -6
How would you rate the Toft ATB-32? Chris At the risk of offending several here no doubt,,,,,the Toft would not even rate in my book. There are incredible pre-owned consoles out there for less than you can buy one of those for new. Wire, patch bays and interfacing will essentially cost you the same amount whether you are buying an SSL or a Mackie 8 Bus. Life is too short to skimp on a few dollars, or on a bit of maintenance if you're going to be living with the thing for 20+ years. PS - I would not suggest EITHER an SSL or Mackie.  |
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Post by chessparov on Dec 27, 2019 16:31:15 GMT -6
Thanks Dr. Bill. Just was curious. As you can tell, I have very little knowledge of consoles-other than Mackie Onyx's.  Chris |
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Post by soundintheround on Dec 27, 2019 16:37:38 GMT -6
I’d go for a 1608 or The Box II
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Post by EmRR on Dec 27, 2019 16:43:39 GMT -6
Man, this is hard. I haven't tracked on a console in 2 decades, I've been chaining preamps and processing straight into recorders. I use one for monitoring....sometimes.....
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Post by sean on Dec 27, 2019 16:54:31 GMT -6
Trident 70 or 80 would be something to consider. I like having the separate monitor section...you could hook up outboard to the busses and return them on the monitor section faders for easy parallel processing and blending.
I think, if buying new/newer, in that price range Audient is nice.
I’ve worked on a D&R console and it along with Neotek are good, transparent consoles with a lot of features.
Maybe a small SSL? A AWS900 is in that price range.
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Post by jcoutu1 on Dec 27, 2019 17:52:30 GMT -6
I'm surprised by the Audient suggestions. I assumed those were more of a clean mixing board. Do those things have any soul? I would assume they'd be very vanilla.
I'd really be looking for something with a little character. I'm a savage and twist eq's and slam compressors on the way in. Mainly tracking louder rock stuff.
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Post by Tbone81 on Dec 27, 2019 17:59:44 GMT -6
I'm surprised by the Audient suggestions. I assumed those were more of a clean mixing board. Do those things have any soul? I would assume they'd be very vanilla. I'd really be looking for something with a little character. I'm a savage and twist eq's and slam compressors on the way in. Mainly tracking louder rock stuff. There's an HE edition console that, I believe, has some transformers in the master bus for added character. Similar to the ASP 880 "character" channels (that really sound quite nice). The Audients are on the clean side for sure, but not what I would call sterile or boring. The nice thing about the Audient product line is they all carry the same class A mic pres, across everything they make, so you can get a decent idea of what they sound like from one of their pres. |
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Post by drbill on Dec 27, 2019 18:25:15 GMT -6
I'd really be looking for something with a little character. That narrows things down considerably. Are you willing to do significant maintenance? That opens up the options.... |
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Post by jcoutu1 on Dec 27, 2019 18:31:38 GMT -6
I'd really be looking for something with a little character. That narrows things down considerably. Are you willing to do significant maintenance? That opens up the options.... Not looking for constant maintenance. What's a cap job on a console cost? 80B or something? Anyone know? |
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Post by ragan on Dec 27, 2019 18:41:28 GMT -6
I’m not a console expert by any stretch but two not-insane-money desks that I really jived with in the past were an 80B and a Quad Eight (not even sure of the model). The kind of thing where you pull the faders you and hit play and just kinda grin involuntarily.
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kcatthedog
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Post by kcatthedog on Dec 27, 2019 19:15:40 GMT -6
To have modules done professionally ball park $150, unless you just buy parts and do yourself.
Of course we have Jim Williams on west coast CA and I have also used Skip at a CreationAudio labs outside Nashville. As you are on the east coast, you could email him as he has a variety of console projects on the go and could maybe hook you up !
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Post by Blackdawg on Dec 27, 2019 19:27:19 GMT -6
I'd get the Looptrotter console.
Build it out to taste and flavor. Plus can always get different 500 modules. Can even have a recording setup with mic pres, pull the pres and swap in other stuff for mix down.
Automation is just around the corner for it too.
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Post by Blackdawg on Dec 27, 2019 19:28:55 GMT -6
I'm surprised by the Audient suggestions. I assumed those were more of a clean mixing board. Do those things have any soul? I would assume they'd be very vanilla. I'd really be looking for something with a little character. I'm a savage and twist eq's and slam compressors on the way in. Mainly tracking louder rock stuff. I have played on a nice Audient. It is nice actually, its a bit like an SSL honestly. Which is what it is based on. One of those and a SB on the masterbus and you're good to go. |
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Post by matt@IAA on Dec 27, 2019 19:49:23 GMT -6
That narrows things down considerably. Are you willing to do significant maintenance? That opens up the options.... Not looking for constant maintenance. What's a cap job on a console cost? 80B or something? Anyone know? Can you solder? We recapped a Soundworkshop Series 34 earlier this year in three days for around $3k. Included airfare, hotel, and per diem. I think the caps came to less than $200 of that. |
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Post by matt@IAA on Dec 27, 2019 19:55:36 GMT -6
To answer the OP probably try to buy something small, used, and obscure. I like the idea of a QE or Spectrasonics desk. For tracking I’m looking for vibe, less concern about flexibility for recall and mixdown.
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Post by notneeson on Dec 27, 2019 23:39:13 GMT -6
So, I know the exercise is just for fun, but I’d still skip the console format and get a great front end:
Couple Silver Bullets, bunch’s CAPI pres, maybe six 550A EQs, couple Coils, a TG2, couple Neve 500 series eqs, fet, VCA, and opto compression options. Basically a combo of the stuff I actually have, and the stuff I’ve used fairly frequently.
I’ve mixed on a 1608 and tracked on a big Trident TSM several times but I’d rather have the outboard for the money. Don’t mean to spoil the fun!
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Post by Bat Lanyard on Dec 28, 2019 0:04:34 GMT -6
Not to shit on the idea, but I'd expand what I've assembled after journeying for the past ten plus years: - CAPI SumBus expansion to 32 channels (currently 16)
- Burl B80 expansion to accommodate (currently 8x24)
- Choose one of the automated fader systems out there (currently viaFader 16)
That said, a used 1608 would sure be cool. I'm just drawn to the heat and physicality of the process too much to not have a hybrid system at minimum.
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Post by subspace on Dec 28, 2019 0:22:31 GMT -6
Imagine that you've got a great studio space, nice live room, control room, and 3 iso booths. Strictly a tracking studio. 30k or so would be top of budget. What sort of board would you grab? Ideal would be a 24-32 channel board with great preamps, nice eq, and at least 4 auxes for headphone mixes. Vintage Trident 80B? New Trident board? Used 1608? Daking sidecar that's been on eBay for years? Let's have some fun. I dig a vintage Trident for those close drum and amp mics, solid 80-70-Trimix EQs, and an Audient for cymbals and acoustics. Back to tracking tomorrow, living the dream I guess, wonder if the band would be down with shooting a modest desk tour. |
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Post by keymod on Dec 28, 2019 5:19:56 GMT -6
Hmm, someone get a nice Christmas bonus??? |
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