Why go FULLY itb, rather than hybrid?

I don’t know man. The average multichannel converter still messes with the sound too much for me. When I was using all MOTU, man the DA was good yet a little colored but the AD was lofi that could build up. Added warmth and dulled the tracks. It wasn’t painful but wasn’t worth hitting the AD again at all.

The RME Firefaces are the opposite with awful treble and dirty power supplies. Why go through it twice? 

Now I’m on an Apogee Symphony Desktop, which is great but only 2 in 2 out like most good converters. I will upgrade when I get a new computer.

Perhaps, but math doesn't get my mixes done.    For what it's worth, I'm using my ears to make the judgment.  I've worked all kinds of systems from ITB to big consoles to hybrid, and I have zero issues with noise in my current hybrid setup.  Definitely quieter than most larger console setups.

Agreed completely - but as I mentioned earlier, this is not an ITB vs. Hybrid noise argument.  You'll still have those noise issues ITB.  My comments on the Hybrid brings noise with it comments were that for me, those issues are moot if you properly wire your studio and have proper gain staging.  Cheers,  bp

This is what its about right here for me! 

I just love doing it. 

Even on the mixes where i have to work fast and know I'll make tweaks. I still bare minimum use my Silver Bullet. But certainly lean on plugins a lot for some projects. 

Lol. Sorry. Had to do it.  

I doubt big time that RME uses dirty PSUs.
And the new UFX or the 802 just sounds right to me.
Clean HF range but not awful at all…

But teach me wrong. Show me a measurement video of an 802 dirty PSU. I bet the staff at RME will freak out and would love to join the discussion.

I am out guys…

I have been all ITB for years at a time in the past and have gotten results I was very happy with. Having said that, I have more outboard gear now that I ever have and like others have mentioned, I just enjoy it. I also personally work faster on a hybrid set up.

This is my thing. The analog gets me the right sound WAY faster than plugins. But everyone’s bar for “the right sound” is different. I’m constantly referencing 70s records, records I know we’re done with great engineers and equipment, as my benchmarks. So that bar may definitely be lower for someone hired to work at a minimum rate. But I do think the great sonics come out of analog gear much faster with less margin for error, IME, so I feel mixes come together much simpler and faster so I can focus on the music.



Which is why it puzzles me as to someone in the same room mixing wouldn’t at least incorporate some static mix buss chain if it sounds better? But I guess literally everyone is happy with Serbans skills for example and so there’s no urge to do that sort of thing.

I love this answer, but I know some Ben Folds and Magnetic Fields fans who would disagree 😎

Dr. Bill & John nailed it. Time is money. Artists & Producers are in short supply of both.

However, classic analog gear is a good investment. I have some pieces that have appreciated in value enough to buy several Mac computers and a pile of plugins.

Aw, shucks.  Thanks  

I don’t have much gear at home, I do have 1x 73EQjr and an old RME fireface, 90s broadcast board, MCI jh110
.. the console VCA compressors was hard to tell whether I was gaining very much for a long time vs plug-ins (after decades of doubt, yes it’s helping final answer ha), but the 73 is different. I’ve experimented beyond any sane point whether it’s worth the effort to run stuff through the 73. Every time I go through it, it’s like it’s reversing a generation loss.. as in it sounds ‘closer’ to source*. The highs have less hash, the lows are tighter and cleaner, the mids are glassy. I have had the experience of printing tracks through it and forgetting to name them. Then months later wondering why those tracks sound so clear, only to find there are two of the same tracks in the project, a quick AB I realized easily what happened. I wish I had more channels. I do always at at least slightly adjust the Eq, really makes the lows silky and worth it. 

(*the only time I really felt there was generation loss on the 73 was full mix after tape, then 73.. obvious damage…still sounds musically interesting though)