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Post by indiehouse on Mar 12, 2021 7:35:35 GMT -6
I was laying in bed the other night listening to the high hiss in my ears, regretting all the stupid things I did in my youth that I thought was so rock 'n roll at the time. Being right up front with Soundgarden at Lollapalooza, right next to the giant speakers. I couldn't hear for days after that, but I wore it like a badge of honor. So dumb.
All those band practices with Fender amps laser beamed right at my ears. And the cymbals. So dumb.
And all those shitty gigs where we were cranked up so loud that I couldn't hear vocals, so I stood closer to the mains. So. Dumb.
I wish I could take it all back. Here I am at 42. Wonder how bad it'll be at 62...or 82?
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Post by indiehouse on Mar 11, 2021 21:10:49 GMT -6
I have the same requirements, and I landed on a Motu 16a/828ES combo. Picked both up used and have a total of 1725 into the combo. I have a nice selection of outboard pre's, so I don't really need the interface pre's on the 828ES, but they are decent enough, I guess. Get a four banger like a Sebatron or build some CAPI's or an Access 312, or...there's so many choices these days. A couple of things to note. The Apollo 8p is not a 16 input device. It's 8 mic/line/DI OR 8 line ins, not both. If you need 16 channels of AD, then you'll need the X16. The Motu 16a doesn't have a main stereo out, so you'll burn two channels on monitoring, unless you have a dedicated monitoring DA that you can input via digital. I think the X16 does have a dedicated stereo DA. UAD likes to brag about the X16 having superior DA, but it's really only on the main outs. The line outs have the same DA as the others. I have considered a Lynx Aurora (N), but they are expensive. I just don't know if it's going to be THAT much better than the Motu stuff. And whenever someone says something 'blows it out of the water' (no offense Dan), I usually take that hyperbole with a grain of salt. It could very well be true, but one persons 'blows it out of the water' could be another persons 'minuscule difference'. The general rule of thumb these days is conversion is all good once you get away from the rock bottom cheap stuff. The MOTU 16a has a very good DA and an okay AD. DA is an ES9016 with LME opamps and it sounds really good and isn’t sharp, grating, warmed over like most ESS converters. The cheaper MOTU AVB sound a little different, warmer, and less detailed. The volume control is floating point and on the ESS chip itself. The AD on all of them is much worse than the DA and this is very audible to me. The AD is warmer and less detailed than the DA. It audibly hurts the sound on an DA -> AD -> DA loopback vs DA. The opamps on the AD are worse than the LMEs on the DA and the AD use gross multichannel digitally controlled analog volume control chips for attenuation outside the pad. This negatively affects the sound. You go from 3d expansive warm sound with a ton of depth to warmer sound with less depth on any MOTU loopback. The Lynx Aurora N has an equally good AD as it does DA ime. DA -> AD -> DA is much less harmful than any MOTU. The Hilo is very similar with maybe a tiny bit more detail (better parts and less crammed on the board) and mostly just a little different sounding. The Lynx thunderbolt drivers are also more reliable and easier to use after the initial setups than the MOTU’s weird web browser IMO. I have to factory reset my MOTU once every couple of weeks. I still think the MOTU AVB stuff is some of the very best bang for buck around. It just is cost reduced on the AD a bit vs all over like an RME Fireface or any Focusrite product. So in short for my opinion, Lynx DA mostly different and little cleaner ime but not a great deal better, Lynx AD much clearer. But you might not want that clarity or care at all, and it might hot be worth 3000 dollars to you. I’m in the MOTU Nation now but will leave it after upgrades to my computer, mics, and monitors. Nice write-up man! You make me want the Lynx now. I was seriously going to jump to the new UAD stuff, but ultimately decided to stay with Motu because they give you more options, midi I/o, digital I/O, etc. The Lynx on the other hand, costs a fortune and all you get is 16 I/O ADDA. No stereo outs, no ADAT in. Well, I suppose you can buy another card for that, but $$$. Been thinking about grabbing a Dangerous AD instead. I’ve got their DA.
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Post by indiehouse on Mar 11, 2021 17:28:47 GMT -6
I have the same requirements, and I landed on a Motu 16a/828ES combo. Picked both up used and have a total of 1725 into the combo. I have a nice selection of outboard pre's, so I don't really need the interface pre's on the 828ES, but they are decent enough, I guess. Get a four banger like a Sebatron or build some CAPI's or an Access 312, or...there's so many choices these days.
A couple of things to note. The Apollo 8p is not a 16 input device. It's 8 mic/line/DI OR 8 line ins, not both. If you need 16 channels of AD, then you'll need the X16.
The Motu 16a doesn't have a main stereo out, so you'll burn two channels on monitoring, unless you have a dedicated monitoring DA that you can input via digital. I think the X16 does have a dedicated stereo DA. UAD likes to brag about the X16 having superior DA, but it's really only on the main outs. The line outs have the same DA as the others.
I have considered a Lynx Aurora (N), but they are expensive. I just don't know if it's going to be THAT much better than the Motu stuff. And whenever someone says something 'blows it out of the water' (no offense Dan), I usually take that hyperbole with a grain of salt. It could very well be true, but one persons 'blows it out of the water' could be another persons 'minuscule difference'.
The general rule of thumb these days is conversion is all good once you get away from the rock bottom cheap stuff.
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Post by indiehouse on Mar 11, 2021 17:12:39 GMT -6
So Reverb has stated in an email that they are in agreement with me that the damage was pre-existing, and not created during shipping. However, though they support a full refund, shipped at the seller's expense, they are telling me that they can't force the seller to do a partial refund. Anybody encountered this before? That sounds right. I'd tell the seller to either knock a hundred bucks (or whatever you think it's fair) off or you'll take a full refund. Easy as that. Yep. If you think you already got a good deal, and you want to send it to Vintech, I’d at least ask for all costs for that repair (shipping, etc). Plus maybe a little extra to cover your time that you spent on this, that you’ll spend packing and shipping this thing off to Vintech, etc.
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Post by indiehouse on Mar 10, 2021 20:51:26 GMT -6
I’m 42. I think it’s cool to see so many cats here the same age.
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Post by indiehouse on Mar 10, 2021 16:20:26 GMT -6
I've been in these exact situations before. Mainly from piss poor packing jobs (guys basically throw the thing in a box and call it good). Reverb will side with you. You will have to provide them a quote of what it will cost to fix it, and they will most likely refund you that amount. I would also ask for your original shipping costs as well. Poor packing jobs and pissy attitudes...urgh. Hey, it's a free world. But it'll cost them some dollars.
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Post by indiehouse on Mar 10, 2021 6:56:27 GMT -6
Our actual age, or the age we think of ourselves as?
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Post by indiehouse on Mar 2, 2021 16:00:30 GMT -6
Have any of you ever heard an open baffle speaker? I'm considering building a pair of speakers for home stereo setup and came across a pair that has the woofer sectioned from the tweeter, but the top of the speaker box is open, covered by a grille.
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Post by indiehouse on Mar 2, 2021 15:32:29 GMT -6
This is all fantastic info, thank you so much. How then, would you separate a good resonance from a bad resonance? For example, trying to eq out resonance from a vocal or acoustic? What is it that one should listen for? I often can find multiple areas where an eq sweep will reveal a boost in level at a particular frequency. But if I cut every one of those, then I am left with something less than desirable.
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Post by indiehouse on Mar 2, 2021 13:11:31 GMT -6
Ok, basic question, but I want to revisit/relearn like a noob. What is a resonance and how do you determine it's frequency? How do you differ between a resonance and a fundamental?
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Post by indiehouse on Feb 26, 2021 20:17:01 GMT -6
What libraries have you been digging lately, John? Honestly, I haven’t really used it a bunch lately…it’s been all real drums and less home stuff. But I still really dig the Bob Rock stuff - one or two of the kits. There’s a Nashville Something or another preset that’s great when it’s tweaked a little. I really like the less roomy Hansa stuff the live room one really really sound like a real kit. And the vocal booth is killer thumpy dry stuff. There are things I like in the Allaire or Hit Factory ones - might be a little in both. I really like stuff in The Classic and Southern Soul one. Decades is Cool, but I find myself only using one or two of the kits. The 70s soul kit is pretty cool. Indipendent is cool but I don’t think it sonically sounds as good as some of the others. I have Indiependent as well as Bob Rock and Decades. I agree with you. There is more depth and detail in the newer stuff. But I like the tone of the kits in indie.
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Post by indiehouse on Feb 26, 2021 17:22:58 GMT -6
I need to learn SD3 on a deeper level. Problem is I don’t have an e-kit. Also, I don’t play drums...
But, I do use midi and the replacement. Actually just yesterday I imported a stabbing synth from a demo track and triggered some toms off it.
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Post by indiehouse on Feb 26, 2021 17:13:59 GMT -6
Man, maybe all I really need is a KM84 and U47...and this ashtray. And this paddle game. And that’s all I need. And this remote control...
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Post by indiehouse on Feb 26, 2021 6:25:19 GMT -6
one of my decision criteria when choosing a mic is: if it should sound small in the mix, use a SDC. if it should sound big, use a LDC. hence for tamburine, handclaps, percussion i almost always use a SDC or a ribbon mic. Interesting. That thought has crossed my mind. But is it true?
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Post by indiehouse on Feb 25, 2021 16:10:38 GMT -6
Kind of a silly topic. But I’ve been tracking a lot of ancillary stuff lately (handclaps, tambourine, floor tom hits), and it seems like a waste of tube life to fire up my 67 or 47. The only other LDC I have is a 3U GZ47fetV. I had my KM84 already up in a stand, so I just rolled with that.
Any missed opportunities or regrets I’ll have later by using an SDC as a workhorse? My room is small, but dead. I should really pick up an 87 style mic to add to my locker.
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Post by indiehouse on Feb 19, 2021 8:35:08 GMT -6
What am I missing between the Output desk and the Spatial desk that would justify the price difference? They seem really similar, just stylistically a bit different.
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Post by indiehouse on Feb 18, 2021 19:10:55 GMT -6
Both of those are really nice. Nice to see some options that are a little more decor-friendly than the typical studio desk. ericn - have you ever had something like this built? I have no idea even the ballpark of what such a thing would cost, I'm curious. No I have built a few though, every market is different but the advantages of first having something made out of hardwood vs particle board. Then truly built for your space and how you work is priceless. Even if you started with a heavy duty frame that was from some office furniture recycling place and just had the top built you would be ahead. The other thing is shipping all the manufactured stuff gets expensive and back in my gearpimp days I just assumed it would show up damaged. I have seen very few of the manufactured desks that age well, lots of sagging tops and bridges, nothing worse than a 3 space rack that is only useable as a 2.75 space because of sag. That’s another major complaint about manufactured desks, the racks are often spec’ed at exactly the size of the rack panels no wiggle room for that slightly to large panel. Most of them also have the racks set back a bit and some gear can be hard to use. Wouldn’t you say this is a bit atypical of the standard Sweetwater MDF manufactured desks, though? These look like solid pieces of plywood. No description on the Output desk, but the Spatial desk touts 1” thick, hand-selected birch.
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Post by indiehouse on Feb 18, 2021 19:08:11 GMT -6
That first one, a guy copied it and has a diy build Video on YouTube . Make no mistake, I’m DIY all the way. It’s just these days, time is scarce. Like, really scarce. I barely have the time to actually play and record. Which is super depressing. But hey, at least I’ll have time in retirement when I’m old with arthritis and have lost most of my hearing.
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Post by indiehouse on Feb 18, 2021 17:27:15 GMT -6
Before I spent a penny I would find a local cabinet builder and sit and see what a true custom solution would cost. Yeah, but you gotta admit the price point of that Output desk is gonna be hard to beat. Had a builder friend offered to build me a desk a while back for 700. I paid double that for the Sterling.
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Post by indiehouse on Feb 18, 2021 15:06:54 GMT -6
Thinking about changing things up and getting a different studio desk. I'm currently using a two-bay Sterling Modular and two side racks that I built myself. I've been thinking about some serious downsizing.
I came across a couple of interesting options. Wanted to get your thoughts.
Here's a desk from Output. It's 900 bucks shipped. (https://output.com/products/platform). I know Output is this new-ish software company, so it's seems weird to think of buying studio furniture from them. Also, it's very hard to find contact info. Their website has a very corporate feel.
Here is a desk from a company called Spatial. I believe they are out of Nashville (Bobby Holland). This one is 1300 shipped. They seem really similar. This one looks to have a bit of a sloped desktop for reflections.
What do y'all think of these?
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Post by indiehouse on Feb 17, 2021 12:30:06 GMT -6
I’m not a vinyl expert by any means but there are frequently different pressings of vinyl albums, especially if you’re talking old stuff. Some are pressed on (what’s considered) higher quality 180 gram vinyl (vs 120/140 gram etc). That might contribute to the price difference. Yeah, I thought of that. But I can't tell any difference from the descriptions. I've tried to education myself as much as I can. I know there is a difference between a reissue and a repress. Not sure what it is. Also, I read that 180 gram doesn't necessarily mean better quality. It depends on the pressing quality. Also, some records are repressed (reissued?) from the CD and not the master. And I read that 180 gram might not play back optimally because you might have to adjust the height of your player's arm to compensate for the thicker pressing?
Dude, this rabbit hole is deep.
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Vinyl
Feb 17, 2021 9:02:17 GMT -6
Post by indiehouse on Feb 17, 2021 9:02:17 GMT -6
I'm 42 and I just started getting serious about vinyl. Wondering if there is a difference in the quality of vinyl between different sellers? I always try and buy from my local record stores first, but I have a lot of catching up to do on my favorites. They don't always have what I'm looking for, and it gets expensive.
So, I've noticed that Amazon typically has vinyl for substantially less than some of the other online retailers. Is there a difference in quality? For example, Amazon has Tame Impala's Lonerism for $22.43 w/free shipping (link) while Merchbar has it for $35.54 marked down from 39.49 with 3.99 shipping (link). So what am I missing? I am on a mission to educate myself.
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Post by indiehouse on Feb 14, 2021 21:42:39 GMT -6
I used a Tubecore 3U today on my stereo buss. It really adds an expensive sheen. Lifts the top end in a really pleasing way. You can really drive it too, by cranking the gain knobs. Stereo or M/S. I’ve got some 6386 tubes to swap in, but haven’t gotten to it. Maybe tomorrow.
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Post by indiehouse on Feb 14, 2021 18:46:19 GMT -6
?? Doesn't sound like you're doing anything wrong. When weird stuff happens that SHOULDN'T happen, I reboot - or trash pref's and reboot. <thumbsup>. Recently I had a first. Similar situation but on ONE interface (out of 8) with inserts on audio tracks. I eventually had to go into I/o setup and hit "default" on all the panes - input, output, busses and inserts. Then re-load my template and all was fine. Sounds to me like you've got a glitch somewhere. Urgh. Friggin' Pro Tools. I've trashed my prefs and now I cannot select any of my inserts because they all show as 'in use' when, in fact, none are in use. WTF. I've spent most of my day on this. What a waste. I think I'm getting closer to being done with HW and being done with Pro Tools. These strange issues have become an all too common occurrence.
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Post by indiehouse on Feb 14, 2021 17:22:12 GMT -6
Got a strange problem I’ve never encountered before when I use an insert on an aux channel. I get signal to the HW, and I can see the return on the aux levels. But there is no sound! It’s routed straight to the main out like everything else. Just no sound. So strange. And only on aux channels. What am I doing wrong?
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