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Post by gravesnumber9 on Jun 18, 2021 11:21:29 GMT -6
Yeah I know, this thread is like a million years too late (Silver Bullet is just so 2019). But I just managed to get my hands on one of these thanks to fellow Texan Bat Lanyard (thanks!!!) and I'd love to hear how people are using the routing. I've read maybe 25% of the 4,928,203 page thread on SB on the purple website but I imagine most people's process has evolved. So... if you would be so kind, fire away! (Also, am I the first person in history to get one of these used?) |
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Post by gravesnumber9 on Jun 18, 2021 11:23:09 GMT -6
Oh yeah, one more thing. "It's all subjective, depends on your needs, blah blah blah"
I know! But, I can't actually start plugging this thing into my system until later tonight so, for now, all I can do is daydream about routing schemes and start forum banter. I'm sure you all know the feeling.
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Post by svart on Jun 18, 2021 11:46:11 GMT -6
Usually through the heart of the nearest lycanthrope.
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Post by stratboy on Jun 18, 2021 14:10:25 GMT -6
I use mine pretty much as the manual suggests. The manual is available online at the LTL site. It is excellent, with lots of very useful information from Dr Bill. One or both mic inputs (it’s especially great for stereo setups) through to the A/D for tracking and overdubs. It’s my go to choice for API flavors. Then switch over to Mix mode where it serves as my analog 2-bus, with an IGS S-type and elysia xFilter inserted. Between those, the onboard Bax EQ and the A/N saturation and flavor, I can get a pretty nice result. The mix mode routing is D/A, SB + insert, A/D. The mode selection switch lets me leave everything patched, so I just twist the knob depending on what I want to do. Aside from a couple of preamps that I kept, it’s now the main analog tone tool in my simplified hybrid rig. If I ever want to juice a track or a stem, I can patch into the SB, adjust to taste and record it back into the session.
It’s really slick.
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Post by Tbone81 on Jun 18, 2021 14:11:31 GMT -6
I believe the SB has the I/O so that you can have multiple signal paths plugged in without having to use a patchbay. From what I understand you'd have your "mic ins" patched to your microphones, cable snake, xlr patches etc. And you'd have a separate "Line In", "Line out" pair patched to and from your DAW, or normalled to the DAW on your patchbay. That way you don't have to switch your mics when you want to use it as a line level saturation device. Hope that made sense.
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Post by nudwig on Jun 18, 2021 16:06:23 GMT -6
I use it basically as others describe, taking advantage of the different modes without repatching. Really fun using the preamps with stereo mics. In tracking if you're not already using the pre's it's really awesome adding a second stage. It's always on the mixbus when mixing. Really fun and quick to get satisfying results.
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Post by gravesnumber9 on Jun 18, 2021 16:55:52 GMT -6
I’m thinking I may start routing my drum overheads through the mic inputs. But for now, yeah I think I’m doing what everyone else is doing.
Mic inputs fed from snake.
Tracking in and out from patchbay.
Mix from DAW to bus summing to Mix in and back.
Can’t wait to get it all rigged up!
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Post by gwlee7 on Jun 18, 2021 19:25:19 GMT -6
I’m thinking I may start routing my drum overheads through the mic inputs. But for now, yeah I think I’m doing what everyone else is doing. Mic inputs fed from snake. Tracking in and out from patchbay. Mix from DAW to bus summing to Mix in and back. Can’t wait to get it all rigged up! You are gonna sum mixes in the craneborne ADAT 500 and then send the sum to the SB right? That seems all sorts of awesome. I pretty much use mine as a mix bus insert and have an Audioscape buss comp inserted on the SB. |
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Post by gravesnumber9 on Jun 18, 2021 20:18:35 GMT -6
I’m thinking I may start routing my drum overheads through the mic inputs. But for now, yeah I think I’m doing what everyone else is doing. Mic inputs fed from snake. Tracking in and out from patchbay. Mix from DAW to bus summing to Mix in and back. Can’t wait to get it all rigged up! You are gonna sum mixes in the craneborne ADAT 500 and then send the sum to the SB right? That seems all sorts of awesome. I pretty much use mine as a mix bus insert and have an Audioscape buss comp inserted on the SB. Exactly. Before I was taking 6 channels of the 500ADAT and then routing the summed mix back into two Chromas. A poor man’s SB. Now that I have the real thing I can sum 8 channels and send ‘em all to the SB. This is huge for me because I like to mix into my busses. |
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Post by gwlee7 on Jun 18, 2021 20:34:29 GMT -6
You are gonna sum mixes in the craneborne ADAT 500 and then send the sum to the SB right? That seems all sorts of awesome. I pretty much use mine as a mix bus insert and have an Audioscape buss comp inserted on the SB. Exactly. Before I was taking 6 channels of the 500ADAT and then routing the summed mix back into two Chromas. A poor man’s SB. Now that I have the real thing I can sum 8 channels and send ‘em all to the SB. This is huge for me because I like to mix into my busses. This is how I would want to use the ADAT 500 but I would load that puppy with Mr Focus MassDRVRs and have at it. |
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Post by drbill on Jun 18, 2021 22:16:45 GMT -6
I'd echo what others have said and say check the manual on the LTL site. Everything I would tell you here is in the manual. I've ALWAYS got one on the mix bus, where I go out a stereo "mix buss" out, into the SB, back into a stereo monitor / record track on input, THEN to the "official" master buss. Then I've got another 5 SB's in various places. LOL. Enjoy the SB!
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Post by gravesnumber9 on Jun 18, 2021 22:40:00 GMT -6
I'd echo what others have said and say check the manual on the LTL site. Everything I would tell you here is in the manual. I've ALWAYS got one on the mix bus, where I go out a stereo "mix buss" out, into the SB, back into a stereo monitor / record track on input, THEN to the "official" master buss. Then I've got another 5 SB's in various places. LOL. Enjoy the SB! Read the manual, and it's great. Actually, read it for like the third time today but this time with an actual unit. Much more fun when it's not speculative! I gotta say, I'm most surprised at how much I'm enjoying the Bax EQ. It really does remind me of my vintage stereo equipment ('79 Pioneer downstairs) and begs to be tweaked. Very cool. |
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Post by bgrotto on Jun 18, 2021 23:03:05 GMT -6
My mix buss is:
Silver Bullet > sometimes EQ (usually a pair of Maags, occasionally augmented with something digital > compressor (usually Obsidian, sometimes Smart) > whatever other crap I need (tape sim, zulu, another compressor, limiting, whatever)
Every now and then, I'll drop a 'smart' eq like Gullfoss or TEOTE in front of the Silver Bullet, but that's kinda rare. Sometimes it *seems* to help with the way the program hits the SB. I tend to run the SB pretty hot (ok, like, VERY hot) and so i have to manage the incoming signal pretty carefully.
9 outta 10 times I'm using one of the 'dual stage' amp settings. More than half the time it's A-N, though, on the record I'm mixing rn, N-A has been the easy winner. I like the way N compresses the bottom and low mids. A tends to add a nice width and can sound a bit more aggressive in the upper mids when pushed.
Tight button is cool. Except, it's poorly named. Doesn't make things tighter. DEFINITELY adds a pillowy bottom to the program, making the bottom end feel bigger. Think tape bump. Vintage is cool; I'm not convinced i actually hear it a lot of the time, but I think i "feel" it. But I wouldn't bet my house on it. Ha. It just seems to be a mellow-maker / undigitizer on certain tracks. Like the home-recorded stuff I'm mixing now.
I like the eq controls, though i basically never use the presence setting. The others get all sorts of workouts, boosting and cutting all willy nilly. Whatever the track needs.
Love my SB.
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Post by gravesnumber9 on Jun 18, 2021 23:21:44 GMT -6
My mix buss is: Silver Bullet > sometimes EQ (usually a pair of Maags, occasionally augmented with something digital > compressor (usually Obsidian, sometimes Smart) > whatever other crap I need (tape sim, zulu, another compressor, limiting, whatever) Every now and then, I'll drop a 'smart' eq like Gullfoss or TEOTE in front of the Silver Bullet, but that's kinda rare. Sometimes it *seems* to help with the way the program hits the SB. I tend to run the SB pretty hot (ok, like, VERY hot) and so i have to manage the incoming signal pretty carefully. 9 outta 10 times I'm using one of the 'dual stage' amp settings. More than half the time it's A-N, though, on the record I'm mixing rn, N-A has been the easy winner. I like the way N compresses the bottom and low mids. A tends to add a nice width and can sound a bit more aggressive in the upper mids when pushed. Tight button is cool. Except, it's poorly named. Doesn't make things tighter. DEFINITELY adds a pillowy bottom to the program, making the bottom end feel bigger. Think tape bump. Vintage is cool; I'm not convinced i actually hear it a lot of the time, but I think i "feel" it. But I wouldn't bet my house on it. Ha. It just seems to be a mellow-maker / undigitizer on certain tracks. Like the home-recorded stuff I'm mixing now. I like the eq controls, though i basically never use the presence setting. The others get all sorts of workouts, boosting and cutting all willy nilly. Whatever the track needs. Love my SB. I'm only an hour in and you're totally right... "tight" sounds pretty good on the mix I'm working on but I wouldn't call it "tight". Are you running a limiter after the SB? I'm just getting used to the gain staging but I had to throw something on the insert already just in case. I got into clip city pretty fast. |
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Post by lpedrum on Jun 18, 2021 23:32:38 GMT -6
I’m thinking I may start routing my drum overheads through the mic inputs. But for now, yeah I think I’m doing what everyone else is doing. Mic inputs fed from snake. Tracking in and out from patchbay. Mix from DAW to bus summing to Mix in and back. Can’t wait to get it all rigged up! That's exactly how I use it - drum overheads when tracking and external effect from the DAW when mixing (using the SB stereo insert for my Serpent comp.) |
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Post by bgrotto on Jun 19, 2021 8:15:52 GMT -6
My mix buss is: Silver Bullet > sometimes EQ (usually a pair of Maags, occasionally augmented with something digital > compressor (usually Obsidian, sometimes Smart) > whatever other crap I need (tape sim, zulu, another compressor, limiting, whatever) Every now and then, I'll drop a 'smart' eq like Gullfoss or TEOTE in front of the Silver Bullet, but that's kinda rare. Sometimes it *seems* to help with the way the program hits the SB. I tend to run the SB pretty hot (ok, like, VERY hot) and so i have to manage the incoming signal pretty carefully. 9 outta 10 times I'm using one of the 'dual stage' amp settings. More than half the time it's A-N, though, on the record I'm mixing rn, N-A has been the easy winner. I like the way N compresses the bottom and low mids. A tends to add a nice width and can sound a bit more aggressive in the upper mids when pushed. Tight button is cool. Except, it's poorly named. Doesn't make things tighter. DEFINITELY adds a pillowy bottom to the program, making the bottom end feel bigger. Think tape bump. Vintage is cool; I'm not convinced i actually hear it a lot of the time, but I think i "feel" it. But I wouldn't bet my house on it. Ha. It just seems to be a mellow-maker / undigitizer on certain tracks. Like the home-recorded stuff I'm mixing now. I like the eq controls, though i basically never use the presence setting. The others get all sorts of workouts, boosting and cutting all willy nilly. Whatever the track needs. Love my SB. I'm only an hour in and you're totally right... "tight" sounds pretty good on the mix I'm working on but I wouldn't call it "tight". Are you running a limiter after the SB? I'm just getting used to the gain staging but I had to throw something on the insert already just in case. I got into clip city pretty fast. I do mix into a limiter from time to time (usually if I’m working on heavier stuff, or on something that needs a LOUD master), but I don’t ever feel like I need one because of my SB. What do you mean by “clip city”? You mean in your DAW or in the SB? Why doesn’t it work to simply turn down the output knobs on SB? |
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Post by gravesnumber9 on Jun 19, 2021 8:30:48 GMT -6
I mean in the DAW. And it does work to turn it down of course! And I am.
Just kind of getting a handle for the limits. You can load up a lot of gain in a hurry on this thing. Man it really does shave transients though. Had a solid mix at about -12dbfs, bypassed it and without the SB a couple tracks poking up near peak on the transient strikes.
So I guess it’s doing something for sure. Thing sounds great. But it’s also insanely easy to use. Would be a great piece of gear for somebody who has never used any analog gear. It begs to be used.
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jits
Full Member
Posts: 28
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Post by jits on Jun 19, 2021 10:56:31 GMT -6
gravesnumber9 - as you were using chromas in place of SB for sometime, how do you compare the two? Is SB a big jump up from chromas for mix buss?
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Post by bgrotto on Jun 19, 2021 10:59:27 GMT -6
I mean in the DAW. And it does work to turn it down of course! And I am. Just kind of getting a handle for the limits. You can load up a lot of gain in a hurry on this thing. Man it really does shave transients though. Had a solid mix at about -12dbfs, bypassed it and without the SB a couple tracks poking up near peak on the transient strikes. So I guess it’s doing something for sure. Thing sounds great. But it’s also insanely easy to use. Would be a great piece of gear for somebody who has never used any analog gear. It begs to be used. Ha yes, you certainly can pile up the gain.... my approach has simply been to embrace it! It's a great way to make a mix more dense / louder / gluey |
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Post by gravesnumber9 on Jun 19, 2021 11:09:03 GMT -6
gravesnumber9 - as you were using chromas in place of SB for sometime, how do you compare the two? Is SB a big jump up from chromas for mix buss? Really good question. Here’s my take. Without the EQ it’s a moderate jump. The prime benefit being that it’s stereo so a lot less stressful (and faster) to dial settings and adjust. Plus the routing is significant for me. But sound alone? The Chromas are right there with the SB to my ears. Plus I enjoy my color module (Hitmaker) so I can get SSL sounds cascaded in there (although it’s always second in the chain). BUT. That’s without considering the EQ. That’s where the SB vaults up to mix bus champ. Factor the EQ in and it’s worth the price bump easily. As a stand-alone EQ I’d pay $1k for it. How many EQs can you actually use the full db range? Then you mix in the solid metering and great routing… a real bargain. TLDR: when you are doing the same things with them the chroma and the Silver bullet are virtually indistinguishable. When they are serving their intended purposes, each of them outshines the other in different ways. But you could do way worse than a pair of chroma‘s to do most of what the silver bullet can do. |
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Post by drbill on Jun 19, 2021 11:43:43 GMT -6
gravesnumber9 - as you were using chromas in place of SB for sometime, how do you compare the two? Is SB a big jump up from chromas for mix buss? Really good question. Here’s my take. Without the EQ it’s a moderate jump. The prime benefit being that it’s stereo so a lot less stressful (and faster) to dial settings and adjust. Plus the routing is significant for me. But sound alone? The Chromas are right there with the SB to my ears. Plus I enjoy my color module (Hitmaker) so I can get SSL sounds cascaded in there (although it’s always second in the chain). BUT. That’s without considering the EQ. That’s where the SB vaults up to mix bus champ. Factor the EQ in and it’s worth the price bump easily. As a stand-alone EQ I’d pay $1k for it. How many EQs can you actually use the full db range? Then you mix in the solid metering and great routing… a real bargain. TLDR: when you are doing the same things with them the chroma and the Silver bullet are virtually indistinguishable. When they are serving their intended purposes, each of them outshines the other in different ways. But you could do way worse than a pair of chroma‘s to do most of what the silver bullet can do. A couple thoughts. I've always tried to get Brad to do a stand alone EQ. I don't think that will ever happen. It's his prerogative. Still, one can hope.... On the Chroma vs. SB "sound" when set the same: I can almost always easily hear the difference. I'd guess that after you live with the SB for awhile, you will be able to as well. After 5+ years the SB has become a part of my sonic DNA.... |
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Post by gravesnumber9 on Jun 19, 2021 12:07:01 GMT -6
No doubt. I’m 12 hours in! I guess I’m saying I wouldn’t consider dropping the Chromas. I’m really excited that I can use them properly now. Now that it’s freed up I was able to take a hammond patch and really grind it out. Took about 20 seconds to get it to sound right. I’ve never been able to nail that with plug-ins.
And yeah, if you sold the EQ on the silver bullet as a standalone? I’m not sure how I could avoid buying one for each stereo bus. It’s not just good. It’s EASY (and good).
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Post by stratboy on Jun 19, 2021 14:48:21 GMT -6
Really good question. Here’s my take. Without the EQ it’s a moderate jump. A couple thoughts. I've always tried to get Brad to do a stand alone EQ. I don't think that will ever happen. It's his prerogative. Still, one can hope.... Didn’t Brad have something to do with the Kush Electra? I’ve always thought it was his design, or that he contributed in some way. |
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Post by drbill on Jun 19, 2021 14:52:25 GMT -6
yeah - Brad designed that. I still think an LTL EQ would do very well, but it's not my call. The EQ on the SB is fantastic and is almost worth the price alone just for the EQ. The Air and Vintage circuits are magic. (IMO).
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Post by stratboy on Jun 19, 2021 14:54:43 GMT -6
yeah - Brad designed that. I still think an LTL EQ would do very well, but it's not my call. The EQ on the SB is fantastic and is almost worth the price alone just for the EQ. The Air and Vintage circuits are magic. (IMO). I certainly love my SB! |
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