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Post by the other mark williams on May 14, 2021 8:14:18 GMT -6
Maybe, but Brice said in his second post on the thread that he's selling off all his 500 gear.
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Post by gravesnumber9 on May 14, 2021 12:37:29 GMT -6
How are the third party color modules for the Chroma? I've got two coming with the Hitmaker installed that I got second hand. Most of LTL's are out of stock, anyone know about others that are quality? New world for me here.
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Post by drbill on May 14, 2021 16:56:57 GMT -6
You'll like the hitmakers! Other favs for me are the implodes, smash and massdrivr's. Royal Blue and Pentode are great too, as is the super filter. It all depends on what you're looking for.....
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Post by gravesnumber9 on May 15, 2021 1:47:32 GMT -6
You'll like the hitmakers! Other favs for me are the implodes, smash and massdrivr's. Royal Blue and Pentode are great too, as is the super filter. It all depends on what you're looking for..... Well I just installed these but haven't really had a chance to play with them, tomorrow is the day! I got these after it became clear that a Silver Bullet was not in my future (at least for the next month or two) and saw a fair deal on Reverb. So I'd be interested in a color module to kind of go for the A<->N blend that the SB can do. Honestly, I didn't pick the Hitmaker but it's probably what I would have picked if I could have chosen. I'm a Neve guy first and an SSL guy second, just haven't spent a lot of time with API stuff or API type stuff. Really excited to give these things a whirl tomorrow.
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Post by parasitk on May 15, 2021 11:56:28 GMT -6
I spent some time with a pair of Chromas (500 series) in a studio I worked out of in LA and I really liked them. A and N modes had distinct, usefully different sounds, and the EQ switches and Colour slot added nice sonic options without being overwhelming decision-killers. I also have a pair of Mr Foci here with Mass Drivr and Super Filter cards in them, which I absolutely love. I'd most likely stick the Mass Drivr into a Chroma of my own, I love that sound.
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Post by gwlee7 on May 15, 2021 13:37:54 GMT -6
Mr Focus with Mass Drvr and super filter is on my radar. That would what I would want to run stems through on the way to my Silver Bullet.
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Post by gravesnumber9 on May 15, 2021 15:51:32 GMT -6
Ok, just ran some early tests. I'm impressed. Only complaint is that the units are significantly harder to seat than my other 500 series units. Not sure why. But that's a tiny nitpick. These things sound great.
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Post by OtisGreying on Jul 12, 2021 21:22:46 GMT -6
I haven't tried the Chromas yet but I have a Silver Bullet and 4 Mr. Focus hosts and love them all. The Silver Bullet's pres live right along side BAE 1073's and a modern 512. In tracking I usually reserve the Silver Bullet for a Vanguard v44s on OH or upright piano, works really well in that combo. I'm assuming they're the same basic preamp design, if so you won't be disappointed with transient capture. I can't remember if Dr Bill has already mentioned it in this thread but I wouldn't discount how handy the colour modules are in both tracking and mixing, I've been thinking of getting some Chromas just to double the use of my 500 slots. If you do go that route check out the Super Filter, that thing is surprisingly awesome. Outside of LTL and I guess it'd qualify as a super utility preamp I'd check out Teegarden. I'd call them a beautiful clean, can be big or small. All this said my next pre is definitely a Coil 286, thanks for reigniting that GAS. Thanks for the reviews guys. Yeah the color modules seem really cool, a lot of options. The tape emulation would probably one of the first I'd get. I see the SUperfilter has kind of a tape thing going on too, interesting. The Coil 286 is really great, I love it on acoustics, electric guitars. I'm still learning it and the 70s. The 70 is nuts for bass, kick, and pretty much anything though the Low end can be crazy on the 70s. There's an energy with the Coils, an attitude that's really pretty extraordinary. The 70 is a little more radical, the 286 is a little more polite, I've had other preamps that sound somewhat similar, I've never heard anything like the 70. I'm still not 100% sold on them for vocals but I think that's because I'm really used to my Tree audio Branch for vocals. The Branch is never super exciting but it really works for modern vocals. I was originally thinking about selling the Branch after getting the 286 but for now I'm going to keep it. The Branch seems to always work, the Coil are so much more colored that I'm not sure they'll work on every vocal. I'll see. Bryce, have you given the 286 any more tries on vocals? I'm wondering in which vocal situations you wouldn't use the 286, cause I have the 286 on vocals ATM, and am curious.
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ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 14,934
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Post by ericn on Jul 12, 2021 21:28:14 GMT -6
The Chroma + is in the family with the Silver Bullet that I developed with Brad @ LTL. Do you want my opinion, or should I stay out of it? LOL BTW, of note, the "+" 1RU rack version sounds significantly better than the standard Chroma's in my lunchbox. Just FYI. It's the hypermatter power supply. Other than that, the cards, parts and architecture are the same. If you want my take on the sound, I'm happy to chime in, but don't want to be presumptuous, cause I DO have a bias. The problem is your biased as hell my friend, of course you also know it better than just about anybody😁
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Post by drbill on Jul 13, 2021 0:03:21 GMT -6
The Chroma + is in the family with the Silver Bullet that I developed with Brad @ LTL. Do you want my opinion, or should I stay out of it? LOL BTW, of note, the "+" 1RU rack version sounds significantly better than the standard Chroma's in my lunchbox. Just FYI. It's the hypermatter power supply. Other than that, the cards, parts and architecture are the same. If you want my take on the sound, I'm happy to chime in, but don't want to be presumptuous, cause I DO have a bias. The problem is your biased as hell my friend, of course you also know it better than just about anybody😁 If you know you're biased and you admit it, does that null and make you not really biased?
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Post by bricejchandler on Jul 14, 2021 9:41:36 GMT -6
Thanks for the reviews guys. Yeah the color modules seem really cool, a lot of options. The tape emulation would probably one of the first I'd get. I see the SUperfilter has kind of a tape thing going on too, interesting. The Coil 286 is really great, I love it on acoustics, electric guitars. I'm still learning it and the 70s. The 70 is nuts for bass, kick, and pretty much anything though the Low end can be crazy on the 70s. There's an energy with the Coils, an attitude that's really pretty extraordinary. The 70 is a little more radical, the 286 is a little more polite, I've had other preamps that sound somewhat similar, I've never heard anything like the 70. I'm still not 100% sold on them for vocals but I think that's because I'm really used to my Tree audio Branch for vocals. The Branch is never super exciting but it really works for modern vocals. I was originally thinking about selling the Branch after getting the 286 but for now I'm going to keep it. The Branch seems to always work, the Coil are so much more colored that I'm not sure they'll work on every vocal. I'll see. Bryce, have you given the 286 any more tries on vocals? I'm wondering in which vocal situations you wouldn't use the 286, cause I have the 286 on vocals ATM, and am curious. I haven't been able to use it that much yet because I've been out of the country for work. The little I've used it has been great. The 70s is a game changer for me on stand up bass, kick drum. The 286 has been wonderful on mono overhead, acoustic guitar, electric guitar and some vocals. For the last couple of projects I've been working on, all instruments have gone through the 286 or 70, and most vocals through my BAE 1073. There's a bite with the BAE that I've been enjoying recently, the 286 sounds more balanced, nicer even but a little less "electric". For acoustic instruments though I like the 286 way more compared to the BAE, it sounds more elegant and real.
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