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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 7, 2017 14:04:05 GMT -6
Lemme do it now
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 7, 2017 14:25:58 GMT -6
Dang...much different on the monitors...who knew? lol
My guess would be A being a Vari-mu and B being an optical. A didn't sound bad to me at all this time...first time I heard I felt like it was a little to crushed. I thought A brought out this really nice low mid - like more 100-200...reminds me of what my sta does...and it seemed to handle the top really nicely.
B seemed to bring out more of the mids - like 900 or something. Both sound great to me...but personally, I would choose A with less compression - or maybe less attack. B also sounded like a slow release...was a little pumping going on I thought. This sounds somewhat like the difference I heard between the Sta and the 124
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 7, 2017 14:28:31 GMT -6
typing while I listen to 1... Little higher freq push this time - little further in the middle...but this sounds great. Digging some low mid-mid out and this seems like it would great.
2 Way too wooly...like some 300hz...
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 7, 2017 14:29:42 GMT -6
I should go back and X/or them...I listened to A again and it seemed more similar to 2 than I thought...oh well.
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Post by ragan on Aug 7, 2017 15:54:06 GMT -6
Word. Thanks for the feedback.
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Post by ragan on Aug 7, 2017 15:56:11 GMT -6
Compressor 1 - WA-2a Compressor 2 - STA
Compressor A - STA Compressor B - WA-2a
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 7, 2017 16:05:25 GMT -6
Interesting! Of course I got the first one backwards lol. What was your release and attack on the sta? You get the 6386? I've got one for sale if you want it
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 7, 2017 16:07:12 GMT -6
Shocked at how much bottom the WA2A gives. I will say that the fact you can't change the attack and release would concern me on the first one...
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Post by wiz on Aug 7, 2017 16:56:27 GMT -6
Compressor 1 - WA-2a Compressor 2 - STA Compressor A - STA Compressor B - WA-2a I picked the STA, which is kinda cool... so, you gonna keep it? cheers Wiz
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 7, 2017 17:44:28 GMT -6
I split (although my first inclination was to go with the Sta all the way through...)
Does that mean I have to sell the Sta again??
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Post by ragan on Aug 7, 2017 17:51:38 GMT -6
I am actually not going to keep the STA. I do like it, but as soon as I started testing myself blind, I was coming in at about 50/50 with the WA-2a. Not telling them apart, but liking one better than the other. For my workflow, they'd both be covering mostly the same ground and for the money the STA costs for a single channel, I need to prefer it a lot stronger than 50/50 with the WA-2a.
So I'm gonna return the STA and I've ordered the complement of NOS tubes our pal Bowie recommended for the WA-2a.
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Post by jcoutu1 on Aug 7, 2017 17:54:54 GMT -6
The second set was closer for me. I preferred the tone of the Warm, but the action felt a little questionable.
I'd love to check out a Sta sometime, just can't justify the cost.
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Post by wiz on Aug 7, 2017 18:12:48 GMT -6
Make sure you track through the STA before you send it back, as I just love singing with that thing in the chain.also track vocal through each into a finished song and mix them to see which one works best
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Post by donr on Aug 7, 2017 19:48:52 GMT -6
So I picked the WA-2a both times, but I mainly thought the settings were better respectively on the WA in each case.
The lesser of the choices in the numerical and aphabetical examples were sounds I wouldn't let out the door of my studio.
Ragan, is that the best you could get out of the STA? I have the plug from Klanghelm, and from memory it is better than the examples you posted, given the WA's to compare. OTOH, the STA is a program leveler, not a vocal flatterer.
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 7, 2017 21:01:28 GMT -6
and just to muddy it up more - I was kinda shocked that the sta was pumping that much midrange. Who knows if all these Sta-levels sound alike - I kinda doubt it, but one of the reasons I chose the sta over the rs124 was the sub/bottom the sta imparted in comparison to the more midrange from the 124. All that to say, I swear my sta sounds different from that. Do you have an dry pass of that? I'd love to run it through to see.
This is revisionist now, but I thought A sounded a good bit better than B...and while 1 sounded a lot better than I thought on the monitors, 2 is really hard to argue with. But it's funny - Don preferred the exact opposite. So - go with what makes you stop thinking about it. If this test scratched your itch and you're getting out of it with money in your pocket - that's awesome.
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 7, 2017 21:06:06 GMT -6
And btw - I'm not defending a purchase. Hell, I'd love to pocket some dough. But I've tried and tried and tried. And rebought and rebought and rebought. I actually think this is my fourth Sta. I caint quit ewe. Did I mention I bought a CL1B a month or so ago? Great gain reduction, but I totally missed the bottom.
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Post by ragan on Aug 8, 2017 0:02:55 GMT -6
So I picked the WA-2a both times, but I mainly thought the settings were better respectively on the WA in each case. The lesser of the choices in the numerical and aphabetical examples were sounds I wouldn't let out the door of my studio. Ragan, is that the best you could get out of the STA? I have the plug from Klanghelm, and from memory it is better than the examples you posted, given the WA's to compare. OTOH, the STA is a program leveler, not a vocal flatterer. Yeah I don't know. I think I'm running up against the unforgiving reality that I'm neither a great engineer nor a great singer. My voice is just kinda pointy and peaky. Hard to manage. Fucking around with the STA more tonight... PS: I've got Klanghelm MJUC too but I can never get plugins to sound as good as hardware, across the board.
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Post by ragan on Aug 8, 2017 0:59:24 GMT -6
@johnkenn wiz Got go-to vocal settings?
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Post by wiz on Aug 8, 2017 1:15:46 GMT -6
@johnkenn wiz Got go-to vocal settings? I use input at 1pm output at 10 double release... mmmmm cheers Wiz
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2017 3:21:48 GMT -6
Great thread and kudos to warm for competing so well in this company .... ( wish you had a Stam too Ragan )
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 8, 2017 8:11:05 GMT -6
Can I do that annoying backpedal thing that people do when they hear the results? LOL but – listening in the car, to the first set. I definitely hear more of a "tightness" or a "zing" whereas the second one sounds more relaxed. Just sounds like the release is slow on the second one. I usually end up at around 10ish o'clock on input, noon on output. I'll usually select double...sometimes single for attack. And 1 to 2 o'clock for release.
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 8, 2017 8:11:35 GMT -6
Btw - great tune and singing as usual.
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Post by drsax on Aug 8, 2017 15:56:16 GMT -6
I took a listen to this when you first posted it. Personally, I prefer number two. The smoothness and lack of sibilance in comparison is much more desirable to my ear.
And now, after reading through the entire thread, and seeing which was which, it makes sense to me. Both compressors sound nice, and there can be a case to argue that the price difference may not be worth the difference. But I have found in my experience, that in this industry, it's a game of inches. And that extra goodness that we can gain from higher end gear comes at a great expense. But nonetheless every little bit helps when we're trying to compete. To some, the price difference isn't worth it. And it won't keep anyone from making good music, but, for me, I've always been willing to save the extra dough and shell out more money to gain those extra inches. To each his own though. I really dig the STA
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Post by wiz on Aug 8, 2017 16:49:53 GMT -6
raganlet us know your thoughts when you have tracked through both of them please. cheers Wiz
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Post by guitfiddler on Aug 8, 2017 23:24:57 GMT -6
B sounds better to me in this two source mix. You said you wanted to tame your mids more, then B. If you gave us another recording with a more dense rocking mix with different material that would be interesting. A - might just be better in that mix. They both sound good to me used in different contexts. Not to detract, but the Highland Dynamics BG-2 comp is kick ass on vox. I think you can get one for around the same price as the STA, and they are located out on the West Coast. I would love to get your opinion on that one next to the STA and Warm. Check it out. Just a thought...sorry. That's why I don't post much on these kinds of threads...lol. You are splitting hairs and I add other variables...like we don't have enough variables already, lol. Btw...I didn't read much in this thread before listening to the second set of files. Now I will go back and read this thread.
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