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Post by illacov on Dec 1, 2016 17:37:26 GMT -6
"Martin at some point I'd love to get you to send me a mix to run through Zulu. Regarding the slamming of the deck in reference to your meters, that all depended on how your deck was calibrated. Do you recall how you had your deck(s) set up? Thanks -L. It's been a long, long time, but I think I had everything +4 db. So when your needle was at -4 you were really at 0db? Or?? Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Nov 30, 2016 18:10:12 GMT -6
So for us little guys, could I achieve a similar tape compression sound by using the tape compression stuff in say, mcDSP's analog channel? Cause I really like what it does to my bus. I recorded to tape since I was 15. I don't recall any "slamming" of the tape, although no one worried if it hit the red a little now and then. I paid more attention to playing then, so it might have escaped me. I also had my own private small studio for doing music for radio and TV for a decade, and I must have completed 200 local spots there, before selling all my gear. My point is, my ears know tape when I hear it and the only plug that actually reminds me of tape is the new UAD Oxide. I've tried a dozen others, many were mushy, and in truth, they're basically EQ's. Click on a preset and it shifts the overall tone. So if you can use the UAD platform, go for Oxide, and you're in the right direction. Martin at some point I'd love to get you to send me a mix to run through Zulu. Regarding the slamming of the deck in reference to your meters, that all depended on how your deck was calibrated. Do you recall how you had your deck(s) set up? Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Nov 29, 2016 23:26:37 GMT -6
You do realize that almost 90 percent of the snare sounds from these classic records are saturated? That heavy low thud that was the classic 70s snare sound has gobs of transient shaping tape compression and saturation all over it. I just call it splat.
Regarding the Motown references, what do your ears tell you? I understand their intentions but the actual releases were pretty saturated, possibly because of their consoles or the tape decks in use. This is in no way a knock against them or Bob O. I think those records sound fantastic and they were part of my upbringing.
Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Nov 29, 2016 10:49:48 GMT -6
When it comes to popular music forms, you ALWAYS slam the tape!! It's part of the 'Studio Sound'. And like timcampbell says, tape is the best compression there is. That's the whole point. I've seen plugin developers who sell tape plugins say that this is not the way you actually used a real tape deck, back in the days. I'll let you fill in the blanks on that. I always slammed the inputs (especially on drums) to tape. It was how you got the glory out of the deck. Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Nov 28, 2016 18:29:53 GMT -6
As we used to say," Tape is the best compressor." Recording drums to tape I and everyone I knew would peg the meters. It was such a thick, wonderful sound. It took me a long time to find compressors that could emulate that. I've actually read people claiming that this is an inappropriate way to use a tape machine. Growing up in the recording world using a 2" 24 track taught me otherwise. With tape you could totally just slam the snare to tape and get all the oomph you needed without incurring the dreaded hi hat creep from hell that broadband compression almost guarantees. I don't track snares with compression to digital because of this. Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Nov 28, 2016 18:00:38 GMT -6
Hybrid or fully OTB with Zulu on the console master buss. Loads of printing during post. Very little actual mixing done ITB, the tracks and the prints do all the work. You totally hear the gear working. Ain't a plugin compressor I've met yet that makes me as happy as an ADL1000/LA2A on a U87/1073 chain. Not even close. Its amazing how I can use all sorts of parallel eqs and Pultec plugins chained on a mix ITB and then if I switch to my console 3 band EQ with 1db @ 16k, 1db @ 3k and 1db @ 60hz, its like an ENTIRELY different planet. WTF? Literally its like I need 3db of boost ITB to equate to 1db of boost OTB. Doesn't matter regarding the Q shape, its just bizarro how you can have the best phase equalizer in the world on your mix or emulation etc and it just susses out to be doing next to nothing besides screwing with your phase response. Its just a waste of time. Nothing elitist or snobbish about it. I just want my sounds dammit!! LOL Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Nov 28, 2016 17:43:53 GMT -6
I'm doing everything I can to give Zulu to the world right now Ragan. LOL Interesting thread. That's all I can professionally comment since its not about my product.
Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Nov 19, 2016 12:34:09 GMT -6
I use Reaper (user since 1.85) and the hardware insert engine is pretty much a thing of beauty for me on my system. I use an RME HDSP9652 with 24 channels. Hmm the only time I have an issue with delay compensation is when I have my Total Mix cue mixer set to send signal from a returning input back to the output I'm using for ReaInsert. So if you had some weird feedback loop going in your digital cue mix (pretty sure the Apollo has monitoring software) then you might want to check to see if your cue mix is interfering with your ability to ping properly. Did you have any tracking sessions recently? Punch a part over? Replace a syllable?
Food for thought.
Good luck.
Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Nov 18, 2016 12:49:19 GMT -6
Yesterday's high end gear is today's affordable used gear. My Wheatstone SP5A console cost me $700. That's a 52 input desk with post EQ and post fader direct outs! Transformers on every input, P&G faders. New the faders on this thing cost $99 each! We are sitting on a poor man's gold mine of affordable gear that performs like its life depended on it. No my friend this is the time to FILL those racks. Learn the same lesson I learned 23 going on 24 years ago. You don't need 300 individual 1176s and 50 LA2As to make a record work. You need reliable compressors (1 of each type is enough unless you do alot of stereo work, so get 2!) and those bits of time that you print your sections might seem slower than plugins but in reality they will end of being about the same or less time. If you keep going back to your plugin window and tweaking for 15 seconds or so at a time and in an hour you do that 3 or 4 times or if you adjust trim volume on a clip to get the vocal to sit right, nudging this, tweaking that. Those bits of time keep adding up. Versus, if you have a smoking good analog compressor for that source and you print it, might even be a cut and paste sort of thing ya dig? (Song dependent), but if you nail that print (so yes you have to get good at nailing prints!) then you'll hear that sound, smile and move on. A good portion of this printing can happen very early on in the mixing process. After you do your broomstick mix listen through, you could very quickly patch in 3 or 4 compressors where they need to go or EQ etc...and maybe even some mic pres and get to business very quickly. 8 channels per pass (or more) will take the same 4 minutes or 5 minutes that 1 channel will take. Its all about the workflow. It takes me 5 seconds to right click in Reaper and drop ReaInsert onto a track which is pre patched to whatever signal path I want. Sometimes I don't even touch the outboard LOL Its just doing its thing already, the rest is automation where its needed and away we go! Print. I can get some really great results with strictly plugins I just feel like something is missing when its all over, I just know things would be different if I used an actual SSL type compressor or even a dbx on the snare and the bass. Of course if you just had Zulu it would be a big change for you, but before you finally park it on the 2 buss, I'd suggest you go to town printing your tracks/busses with it. Even your reverb busses and delays. All that stuff benefits immensely from Zulu. And if you're like me, I always print tracks/busses this way DAC>Mic pre/Channel strip w. EQ> Zulu>ADC. Or DAC>Mic pre/Channel strip w. EQ> Compressor> Zulu>ADC. Things change very quickly for the better when you begin printing that way. Even on the clean stuff. And yes, if you have a strictly ITB setup but you add Zulu, it definitely modifies the way you approach your plugins and how you hit them. And it will sound pretty damn good this way. Not quite as mind blowing as using an actual tube compressor, a broadcast limiter on mono drum overhead or a real opto based device etc...but again that's a personal choice for everybody Thanks -L. You may missed the part that I use real gear? And with this I have all rights to disagree on the compression part for example. I very often picked the Klanghelm instead of real gear. And VCC, with a little bit of parallel two-bus compressions, acts a lot like my mixing console. I have to lay down music if I can work on different tunes in parallel its worth the hassle to rethink the workflow. If the future shows that VCC also can replace the console on higher track counts... - in this case the console will leave the studio. I didn't miss the part about you owning real gear, I said this was the perfect time to give that gear some company LOL Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Nov 18, 2016 10:51:48 GMT -6
Yesterday's high end gear is today's affordable used gear. My Wheatstone SP5A console cost me $700. That's a 52 input desk with post EQ and post fader direct outs! Transformers on every input, P&G faders. New the faders on this thing cost $99 each! We are sitting on a poor man's gold mine of affordable gear that performs like its life depended on it. No my friend this is the time to FILL those racks. Learn the same lesson I learned 23 going on 24 years ago. You don't need 300 individual 1176s and 50 LA2As to make a record work. You need reliable compressors (1 of each type is enough unless you do alot of stereo work, so get 2!) and those bits of time that you print your sections might seem slower than plugins but in reality they will end of being about the same or less time. If you keep going back to your plugin window and tweaking for 15 seconds or so at a time and in an hour you do that 3 or 4 times or if you adjust trim volume on a clip to get the vocal to sit right, nudging this, tweaking that. Those bits of time keep adding up. Versus, if you have a smoking good analog compressor for that source and you print it, might even be a cut and paste sort of thing ya dig? (Song dependent), but if you nail that print (so yes you have to get good at nailing prints!) then you'll hear that sound, smile and move on. A good portion of this printing can happen very early on in the mixing process. After you do your broomstick mix listen through, you could very quickly patch in 3 or 4 compressors where they need to go or EQ etc...and maybe even some mic pres and get to business very quickly. 8 channels per pass (or more) will take the same 4 minutes or 5 minutes that 1 channel will take. Its all about the workflow. It takes me 5 seconds to right click in Reaper and drop ReaInsert onto a track which is pre patched to whatever signal path I want. Sometimes I don't even touch the outboard LOL Its just doing its thing already, the rest is automation where its needed and away we go! Print. I can get some really great results with strictly plugins I just feel like something is missing when its all over, I just know things would be different if I used an actual SSL type compressor or even a dbx on the snare and the bass. Of course if you just had Zulu it would be a big change for you, but before you finally park it on the 2 buss, I'd suggest you go to town printing your tracks/busses with it. Even your reverb busses and delays. All that stuff benefits immensely from Zulu. And if you're like me, I always print tracks/busses this way DAC>Mic pre/Channel strip w. EQ> Zulu>ADC. Or DAC>Mic pre/Channel strip w. EQ> Compressor> Zulu>ADC. Things change very quickly for the better when you begin printing that way. Even on the clean stuff. And yes, if you have a strictly ITB setup but you add Zulu, it definitely modifies the way you approach your plugins and how you hit them. And it will sound pretty damn good this way. Not quite as mind blowing as using an actual tube compressor, a broadcast limiter on mono drum overhead or a real opto based device etc...but again that's a personal choice for everybody Thanks -L. You just described my workflow, pal. Now get off the Internet and go approve them cases so I can get my greasy little hands on that Zulu! Ragan Definitely worth the wait. And what a delicious workflow it is! Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Nov 18, 2016 9:40:11 GMT -6
Analog gear is a shorter path to success if you really know how to use it. Nothing beats it in my opinion during tracking or mixing. Cut a vocal with compression to digital, add some analog eq, push play sounds great move on. And yes to my ears, analog compression sounds better, has better grab and better long term benefits in a production, ESPECIALLY during tracking. Here's my major complaint through it all. Plugins exist in a vacuum. They don't interact. A standalone Neve 1073 to an LA2A is literally the output transformer of the Neve connecting to the input transformer of the LA2A. To negate the phenomenon implied by this is to deny physics. This is true for many recording chains and scenarios. Somehow this is not part of the grand scheme for the digital plugin world. It's also why during mixing, if I'm using a hardware insert in digital, I always hit a preamp (via line in or DI) before the compressor if at all possible. This way I can get the audio to act like it just came off the mic preamp to the compressor, rather than the 50 ohm or 250 ohm rated output of a DAC going to said compressor. Gets the audio "live," again IMHO. Thanks -L. In normal times I would agree but we are living in the middle of a change. I say that since I made a very very positive experience with Slates VCC and VBC. It shows me that someone can create great sounding digital tools. It does not mean that I sell my hardware tommorow but its a sign that I will downsize my rack. Your Zulu could be one tool running on the 2 bus - why not. Yesterday's high end gear is today's affordable used gear. My Wheatstone SP5A console cost me $700. That's a 52 input desk with post EQ and post fader direct outs! Transformers on every input, P&G faders. New the faders on this thing cost $99 each! We are sitting on a poor man's gold mine of affordable gear that performs like its life depended on it. No my friend this is the time to FILL those racks. Learn the same lesson I learned 23 going on 24 years ago. You don't need 300 individual 1176s and 50 LA2As to make a record work. You need reliable compressors (1 of each type is enough unless you do alot of stereo work, so get 2!) and those bits of time that you print your sections might seem slower than plugins but in reality they will end of being about the same or less time. If you keep going back to your plugin window and tweaking for 15 seconds or so at a time and in an hour you do that 3 or 4 times or if you adjust trim volume on a clip to get the vocal to sit right, nudging this, tweaking that. Those bits of time keep adding up. Versus, if you have a smoking good analog compressor for that source and you print it, might even be a cut and paste sort of thing ya dig? (Song dependent), but if you nail that print (so yes you have to get good at nailing prints!) then you'll hear that sound, smile and move on. A good portion of this printing can happen very early on in the mixing process. After you do your broomstick mix listen through, you could very quickly patch in 3 or 4 compressors where they need to go or EQ etc...and maybe even some mic pres and get to business very quickly. 8 channels per pass (or more) will take the same 4 minutes or 5 minutes that 1 channel will take. Its all about the workflow. It takes me 5 seconds to right click in Reaper and drop ReaInsert onto a track which is pre patched to whatever signal path I want. Sometimes I don't even touch the outboard LOL Its just doing its thing already, the rest is automation where its needed and away we go! Print. I can get some really great results with strictly plugins I just feel like something is missing when its all over, I just know things would be different if I used an actual SSL type compressor or even a dbx on the snare and the bass. Of course if you just had Zulu it would be a big change for you, but before you finally park it on the 2 buss, I'd suggest you go to town printing your tracks/busses with it. Even your reverb busses and delays. All that stuff benefits immensely from Zulu. And if you're like me, I always print tracks/busses this way DAC>Mic pre/Channel strip w. EQ> Zulu>ADC. Or DAC>Mic pre/Channel strip w. EQ> Compressor> Zulu>ADC. Things change very quickly for the better when you begin printing that way. Even on the clean stuff. And yes, if you have a strictly ITB setup but you add Zulu, it definitely modifies the way you approach your plugins and how you hit them. And it will sound pretty damn good this way. Not quite as mind blowing as using an actual tube compressor, a broadcast limiter on mono drum overhead or a real opto based device etc...but again that's a personal choice for everybody Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Nov 17, 2016 23:53:51 GMT -6
Analog gear is a shorter path to success if you really know how to use it. Nothing beats it in my opinion during tracking or mixing. Cut a vocal with compression to digital, add some analog eq, push play sounds great move on. And yes to my ears, analog compression sounds better, has better grab and better long term benefits in a production, ESPECIALLY during tracking.
Here's my major complaint through it all. Plugins exist in a vacuum. They don't interact. A standalone Neve 1073 to an LA2A is literally the output transformer of the Neve connecting to the input transformer of the LA2A. To negate the phenomenon implied by this is to deny physics. This is true for many recording chains and scenarios. Somehow this is not part of the grand scheme for the digital plugin world. It's also why during mixing, if I'm using a hardware insert in digital, I always hit a preamp (via line in or DI) before the compressor if at all possible. This way I can get the audio to act like it just came off the mic preamp to the compressor, rather than the 50 ohm or 250 ohm rated output of a DAC going to said compressor. Gets the audio "live," again IMHO.
Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Nov 17, 2016 11:59:25 GMT -6
Just listened to the per control clips on the handsomeaudio site and I got all excited again. That's a cool way to hear what this thing can do. illacov any update on timeframe, Langston? I know we're not past your last predicted timeframe, I'm just eager We are still expecting our cases circa 11/23 per the case factory's lead time. If there's a change in plan, I of course will let everybody know. Part of the culture of working with US factories is that they celebrate holidays! The crunch before Thanksgiving always is a variable and a touch unpredictable. I'm fully committed to manufacturing in the USA, sometimes this means delays. This is also part of why rather than doing the Kickstarter model of business where we collect everything up front and then people hope and pray everything goes well, we decided to front every dime of this process ourselves and the only investment we need from our pre-order/reserve family is just their time and patience. When I say that we have gone to every measure to ensure you're getting a quality product, I mean it. While we haven't disclosed the name of our transformer manufacturer, I can guarantee you that its a WELL respected name in the industry that makes iron for some extremely respected names in the music industry. The Triads while they were nice, are actually pale in comparison to what we accomplished with our custom coils. The overall build quality and sonic benefits of using these new pieces is well worth the weight and investment. One thing that I will be working on in the coming days is releasing some new promotional videos as well as some new audio that demonstrates the Calibration modes. The modes are basically preset configurations that are part of the secret sauce behind how these classic machines were setup. Based on my research, tests and simple observations, this is component that's missing from tape simulations. Not necessarily the ability to "calibrate," the tape sim, but the ability to actually adjust the parts of the building blocks that matter to the end user. In a day and age where turn around time is a major factor in record production, it just made more sense for us to design 4 fantastic sounding calibrations for Zulu that not only park you right in Swiss, Japanese or Cassette Multitrack territory but also the ability to go beyond those deck behaviors and enjoy texture and behavior that exists on other machines that we've used. We of course can't sit and model every tape machine and try to squeeze it into Zulu but because we've really got the core of what makes the 3 machines we modeled in Zulu, we could then take those cores and get existential with those core functions and tonality. So the Calibration switch gives you more like 12 different tape machines. Each one has a different range of frequency interaction, compression behavior and saturation character. Because Calibration will be a highly used control, we even silkscreened a chart on the top panel of Zulu so you can "tell," where your calibration control is at without looking at it. Currently our boxes at receiving their artwork and I have to fly to the assembly house to review the work. Should be fun, I'll be sure to take pictures and share them with ya'll. On a studio note, last night I recorded some vocals that were performed to an instrumental. Typical for people cutting demo tapes or vocal reels. I normally would just keep this session all digital but I decided to burn up the extra 4 minutes or so a song and print with Zulu on the 2 buss. The instrumentals btw were ALL MP3s. Let me tell you, where I thought it was beyond a possibility that Zulu would make a difference, I was extremely shocked to find that it made a huge difference. Especially is marrying the vocal to the backing track. Just beyond real. Back to Zulu, our quick start guide and recall sheet are completed. I'll be adding them to our website and sharing them online once we have a final review of them. Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Oct 26, 2016 16:25:41 GMT -6
Ericn, You might consider a Warbler IID. If you're not digging the capsule (which sounds pretty good to my ears) an upgrade to a Thiersch M7 would set you back around $400 or a Heiserman HK47 for $250??. You'd still be clocking in under $700 and the mic offers some major versatility with the pattern, voicing and pad options.
Another candidate that I dig in this category is the JJ Rottweiler 47. Cinemag out tx, K47 capsule, high quality caps. On groupbuy they go for $650, at least they used to. I could put my Rottweiler inside a kick drum and man it was insane in there.
The Warbler is plenty interesting. Their stock capsules sound pretty sweet.
Thanks -L
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Post by illacov on Oct 26, 2016 16:19:33 GMT -6
I recently recorded a punk band, with a limit of 8 available tracks.
For drums I had an SM57 clone on inside kick and a snare focused overhead mic, the CAD D82. Ive owned some sweet ribbons and dammit this mic has impressed the hell out of me time and time again.
Ive cut some wicked electric guitar with it, vocals and now overhead.
Mind you not overheads for cymbals but overhead because I couldnt mic toms, snare, cymbals like I normally do. In a mission critical application, this thing kick major butt.
No transformer upgrade, just factory stock. Ill post a video in my Zulu thread later. Smoking good!
I need 3 more!
Thanks L.
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Post by illacov on Oct 23, 2016 10:33:40 GMT -6
Hey Wiz, I own a 52 channel Wheatstone SP5A console, plus a 24 channel summing mixer and I was really impressed with the sound of your modified Delta. Care to explain your mixing process and also the mods to your console?
Compression was analog or digital? Etc... Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Oct 23, 2016 9:49:49 GMT -6
Actually its very similar to how you can run Zulu. DAC> Line Ins on Wheatstone SP5A (EQ off) post fader direct output> Zulu Inputs> CAL Switch set to MX mode, Deck set to Hifi/"Swiss," Bias set to Bright, Enhance set to 75% Enhance, Headroom set to HiFi. I adjusted the signal from the DAW to the Line Input for clarity, I just wanted gain not character from the Line Input. MX mode is a very nice, clearish and compressed Calibration. Without the Enhance set to 75% the highs would be softer and I liked the air on the vocal but not the looseness of the low mids. So 75% Enhance gave me both the air and that nice grab of the tape machine. There are even higher fidelity calibrations than MX but it sounded delicious on this example. I really loved the phat splat that Zulu gave the snare, your vocal had gorgeous presence post Zulu as well. Sounds like analog magic. Thanks for such an awesome example. When you get a final rendition, Ill be glad print that through Zulu too. Thanks -L. It sounds great. One quick question.... what level does it expect to see... what level will its 0Vu point be? +4dBm? cheers Wiz Zulu is definitely happy with +4dbm, but its not what I'd call a 0Vu point for it mainly because Zulu can be driven with extremely high levels beyond what we idenitify as 0db, far beyond what most DAC can deliver without artifacts. I have one power user who uses Zulu in HX mode, with the Enhance control set to 100% and with him slamming the mix into the input from his Amek console. I mean really pegging the crap out of it. Those input transformers definitely earn their pay at his studio! But the sound is gorgeous and I'd be a fool to argue with his results. I have to check my notes but if I recall correctly I had your mix leaving ReaInsert at around -9db but then applied another 15db or so of gain via the console line amp into Zulu's inputs. It gets even further interesting because if you do it by numbers, you'd be ignoring the concept of the sweetspot. Truly what we should be listening for is the sweetspot for each source or mix. Between the different calibrations of Zulu, the different tape decks and the different headroom settings, each outcome will vary by several magnitudes. In the example I posted, I did it based on what your mix and Zulu agreed upon. With the Enhance control set to 75% I had more energy when I drove your mix and that gorgeous spongey energy that I always drool over when I listen back to print off the Studer A810. I will say that if you send a mix "like yours," to Zulu without any other equipment involved just DAC/Zulu/ADC, then somewhere around -6 to 3db on the send is a good starting point. But the different calibrations will impact how soon you hit the sweetspot, so for example with TK mode you may be in the sweetspot right at -6db whereas with MX mode or HX mode you might be feeling the joy circa -3db. The CAL switch allows the user to configure Zulu for any scenario to best take advantage of the tape circuitry. TK mode is far more sensitive to level and better suited when you want to hear the tape effect without too much effort. However it incurs the most loss so for quieter material its not optimum. But if you start to dial in enhance you gain back some information and volume so it isnt so severe. TK is great on stuff thats already close to full scale like a loud kick drum, an in your face vocal or a full sounding bass. For someone who doesn't have alot of fancy equipment, TK offers the most opportunity for saturation and special effecty BroFi tape scenarios. Its also the most compressed Calibration so in the hands of an evil genius, some really wicked tones are waiting. The other 3 Calibrations offer increased headroom and fidelity, along with program dependendent sweetspots. I hope this adds some insight. Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Oct 20, 2016 18:55:58 GMT -6
Actually its very similar to how you can run Zulu.
DAC> Line Ins on Wheatstone SP5A (EQ off) post fader direct output> Zulu Inputs> CAL Switch set to MX mode, Deck set to Hifi/"Swiss," Bias set to Bright, Enhance set to 75% Enhance, Headroom set to HiFi. I adjusted the signal from the DAW to the Line Input for clarity, I just wanted gain not character from the Line Input.
MX mode is a very nice, clearish and compressed Calibration. Without the Enhance set to 75% the highs would be softer and I liked the air on the vocal but not the looseness of the low mids. So 75% Enhance gave me both the air and that nice grab of the tape machine. There are even higher fidelity calibrations than MX but it sounded delicious on this example.
I really loved the phat splat that Zulu gave the snare, your vocal had gorgeous presence post Zulu as well. Sounds like analog magic. Thanks for such an awesome example. When you get a final rendition, Ill be glad print that through Zulu too.
Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Oct 20, 2016 16:09:09 GMT -6
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Post by illacov on Oct 19, 2016 15:25:53 GMT -6
I could download this and run a mix through Zulu. It would be extremely telling of what it can do for your productions Based on what you shared earlier, I've got a nagging suspicion that a nice Swiss print would sound fab! Thanks -L. Sure, but its just tracking stage atm, raw tracks....... but yeah, go ahead... If you like when I do a mix of the song, if you could run that through that would be great! cheers Wiz That's the idea. You can do a whole lot more than just mix with Zulu as a 2 buss tool. I print the whole session now, multiple tracks to tape in a digital environment sounds great, but then to mix down with tape and then to master from that print to tape again is a joy man! Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Oct 19, 2016 15:09:29 GMT -6
Been a while since we did this. Goto this link and download the zip (its about 285 Meg) Lay Down With Me ZipIn it is a song of mine, called "Lay Down With Me." Its the 48Khz 24Bit files These files are the "as mic'd" files... its tracking stage. Do what you want.. mix, replace parts.. I left a section for a solo... do what ever you want.. only caveat, can't use it to make money (hey If I can't make money from my music why should you.....8).........) and if you post it publicly, you must include a link in this thread. The tracks are kick, snare, floor tom, rack tom, ride, hat, bass, acoustic guitar, tele pretending its a steel, gold top les paul and vocal so 10 tracks in total. All the bleed, coughs (no farts), shuffling of feet are there in all their glory... so try out what ever your latest xyz plug in or hardware and share for all of us.. cheers Wiz I could download this and run a mix through Zulu. It would be extremely telling of what it can do for your productions Based on what you shared earlier, I've got a nagging suspicion that a nice Swiss print would sound fab! Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Oct 12, 2016 15:09:32 GMT -6
https%3A//soundcloud.com/tod-levine_handsome-audio/sp5-50-enhance-sushi-tk-50-drk-full-comphttps%3A//soundcloud.com/tod-levine_handsome-audio/sp5-100-tape-sushi-tk-50-drk-full-comphttps%3A//soundcloud.com/tod-levine_handsome-audio/sp5-50-enhance-sushi-mx-50-drk-full-comphttps%3A//soundcloud.com/tod-levine_handsome-audio/sp5-100-tape-sushi-mx-50-drk-full-compI ran some of my own tests with the Wheatstone SP5A smacking up the inputs of Zulu. These are more on the moderate extreme side but for creating some cool tones or adding character to drums in a mixing or tracking situation, these are definitely things to make you reach for Zulu. They definitely aren't examples of how I'd use Zulu for a Steely Dan or Joni Mitchell style of record but if I were doing some Led Zeppelin influenced stuff or Radiohead, anything that required some real analog character with an attitude, I'd be very inclined to use Zulu. Again whether you're coming from a computer signal or just the mic into the mic preamp into Zulu, these same concepts apply. Mic preamps unless you're mixing on a console, sit idle during most ITB mixing sessions, so put em to use! Wake up that digital audio with some analog tape phatness and lively energy. There's several ways to check this out. There's short clips in this set where its the dry clip, which is a drumloop I made from several bits to form the loop. Then there's the resultant clips after I sent the signal through Zulu. As well, I've posted the 4 full length clips where the dry signal is compared to the Zulu print, first with the dry and wet peak matched, then with the dry and wet RMS matched. Here's the link to the soundcloud playlist! soundcloud.com/tod-levine_handsome-audio/sets/zulu-sushi-drums-zulu-demoThanks Please enjoy the examples and let me know your thoughts! Thanks
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Post by illacov on Oct 12, 2016 9:57:34 GMT -6
Added in one final control called HX. We were going to release this in the deluxe version but decided to have it exist in the desktop version of Zulu.
HX adds in super HiFI tape harmonics and clarity. Excellent for mastering engineers and record producers alike. Offers the ability to go brighter than the source, along with adding superior bass response and super rich upper mid range energy.
Yesterday I ran signal to my Wheatstone SP5A channels here in my studio. A pre-order customer sent me some drum loops to run through Zulu with a specific request to slam Zulu's inputs.
I sent signal into the line ins on my Wheatstone and set the trim to allow for the most gain possible before clipping (on the channel strip of the SP5A). I then sent signal to Zulu via the direct outs of the board and proceeded to send something along the lines of +15db into the inputs of Zulu. The input transformers in Zulu are like tiny Clydesdales, they don't mind the weight. The cores of the input transformers were obviously dancing at this point but not to the point where they were cutting out. I had Zulu set to a preset I like to call Sushi.
ProFi deck (we used our Tascams here to be the modeling platform for this), ProFi Headroom, 50% dark Bias (12 oclock position), HX off, set to TK mode and Enhance set to 50% as well. This blends in some of the dry super funky input mojo with the tape saturation and bounce. The ghost notes on this one particular drum loop were super fuzzy but in that 70s pushed way and then by blending in some of the cleaner input signal you got punchy kicks, with a pronounced snare hit with crunchy ghost notes. This sort of setting made what was a pretty standard sounding drumloop, sound like a really produced and interesting sounding rhythm. In many instances, I've found that what's missing from vibey productions is actually the vibe of the old school gear when the circuits are bent, straining to please the mad scientist running the session. While there are some pretty amazing plugins out there when you consider how convenient they are, there's still the missing piece of the puzzle which is the results you want beyond the norm.
Plenty of people used tape simply in the archival sense, capture information, replicate (as best possible) information.
But when you listen to the veteran engineers (at least in my travels), you'll learn that just calibrating a deck, plunking signal to the channels and playing it back was the tip of the iceberg. I've had these guys brag about slamming decks with a vocal at +20db! Sure it was more than the deck contributing at that point but that IS the point. If you're already recording instruments and you already own mic pres, then you're 90% of the way there. All you're adding with a device like this is the medium for that distortion to live in. During tracking the rules are the same. Since you can peg Zulu with your mic preamps (if that's something you're into) then where you'd normally need to attenuate the output of the mic preamp, you can leave that puppy wide open if that's your vision.
For cleaner stuff then of course you wouldn't go to such extremes, but, some really bush-wacked drums with cleanish guitars and marbley bass with a velvety yet clear vocal was a damn fine sound and still is.
I've been collecting records that I consider super tapey, one of them is Kate Bush's "The Kick Inside." I just completely adore the way this record sounds, everything has this amazing round tone to it that's got a delicious dose of syrup on the mid range. Things are solid without being over the top and its got this perfect marriage of talent, space, console electronics and tape butter phat.
Anybody else have some super tapey records they're spinning lately?
Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Oct 9, 2016 18:53:54 GMT -6
BTW I hope the mods don't mind but for people who are having difficulty seeing the pre-order link on the handsomeaudio site, the top half of the screen on the website contains all the access points to the various areas of the page. Pre-order is about 3rd from the right and for posterity, the dashboard on the top follows you no matter where you are on the site. The link if you want a direct link is www.handsomeaudio.com/pre-order-zuluAgain you must be on a computer to pre-order. The security certificate on my form does not like mobile devices/phones or tablets. It must be done from an actual computer. Thanks -L.
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Post by illacov on Oct 8, 2016 6:04:34 GMT -6
To give you all some nerdy banter to ponder here's the extremely abridged version of how Zulu functions.
Signal goes in. Comes out awesome.
Thanks -L.
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