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Post by Johnkenn on Jun 30, 2023 7:02:35 GMT -6
Any experiences? Other than the plug, I don’t know if I’ve ever personally used a real one. The plug seems to add a little sheen and the attack/release knobs don’t seem like they’re very aggressive.
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Post by drumsound on Jun 30, 2023 7:55:35 GMT -6
I've only experienced the Manley in a mastering room, but sheen is precisely what I noticed about it. The ME barely had the needles moving, but when he bypassed it the tone of the master was quite different.
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Post by notneeson on Jun 30, 2023 8:20:25 GMT -6
Any experiences? Other than the plug, I don’t know if I’ve ever personally used a real one. The plug seems to add a little sheen and the attack/release knobs don’t seem like they’re very aggressive. I used it on vocals one time when the usual suspects weren’t coming together for me on a very dynamic singer. As I recall, it was the magic bullet that particular session. You don’t hear about it outside of mixing and mastering much but I would definitely make it pull double duty if I owned one. |
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Post by trakworxmastering on Jun 30, 2023 8:22:51 GMT -6
For vocals I prefer the Retro Sta-Level or 1176/LA2A combo over the Vari-MU. The Manley has great tone (warmth, sheen) but the ballistics never really did it for me on vox. I love it on acoustic guitar. But mastering is where it always shined the brightest for me.
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Post by drbill on Jun 30, 2023 8:36:29 GMT -6
Agreed with Justin. Used here almost exclusively for mastering. I can't recall using it on vocals - for that I'll head to the Locomotive 14B first as it's bigger, more up front. Or the Sta or LA2a or 1176.
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Post by Ward on Jun 30, 2023 9:29:13 GMT -6
Had one, used it, didn't like it, sold it, don't miss it.
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Post by the other mark williams on Jun 30, 2023 11:05:57 GMT -6
I've used it on vox a fair bit, though my favorite spot for it is mix bus. It feels insane to say the Vari-Mu is an underrated comp, but I believe it is. While I prefer a good LA-2A on vocals most of the time, I really love the Vari-Mu and would be happy with it on vocals if that's what I had to work with. Especially on ballads.
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Post by EmRR on Jul 1, 2023 6:44:29 GMT -6
The fastest attack is slow, more for program material and deep bass.
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Post by Johnkenn on Jul 1, 2023 7:56:31 GMT -6
I've used it on vox a fair bit, though my favorite spot for it is mix bus. It feels insane to say the Vari-Mu is an underrated comp, but I believe it is. While I prefer a good LA-2A on vocals most of the time, I really love the Vari-Mu and would be happy with it on vocals if that's what I had to work with. Especially on ballads. I thought about maybe double duty...but I'm waiting for a stam 33609 with the mix knob. |
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Post by Ward on Jul 1, 2023 8:30:23 GMT -6
I've used it on vox a fair bit, though my favorite spot for it is mix bus. It feels insane to say the Vari-Mu is an underrated comp, but I believe it is. While I prefer a good LA-2A on vocals most of the time, I really love the Vari-Mu and would be happy with it on vocals if that's what I had to work with. Especially on ballads. It's underrated because of the high levels of harmonic distortion. If it's not the sound you're going for, it's very hard to use. it smears the sound, smooshes the transients and in general adds a blurred soupy syrup-y tone to the signal. I happen to love that, but not everyone does and it's not always great. |
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Post by copperx on Jul 1, 2023 15:48:20 GMT -6
It's underrated because of the high levels of harmonic distortion. If it's not the sound you're going for, it's very hard to use. it smears the sound, smooshes the transients and in general adds a blurred soupy syrup-y tone to the signal. I happen to love that, but not everyone does and it's not always great. Exactly this. The Manley Vari Mu almost always works on synths, pads, background piano, and similar elements. Especially sampled instruments. It gives them a wonderful tone and movement that you can't get with anything else. Its applicability in anything else is on a case by case basis, but generally, I would not use it on tracks that are front and center, like the vocal. But I can see it possibly working on the right song. The Vari Mu is the best de-aggresivizer I know. |
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Post by sean on Jul 1, 2023 15:57:49 GMT -6
I recently picked one up a few months ago and I like it on harsh fiddles, overly bright acoustic guitars, and occasionally piano. Sometimes it sounds nice just running stuff through it. Damn it gets hot though
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Post by phantom on Jul 1, 2023 16:42:25 GMT -6
I've never used the Vari-Mu to track vocals.
But I really like the Elop for that.
And I don't like the compressor in the VoxBox. Especially for vocal, I've found that it can screw things too easily.
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Post by tkaitkai on Jul 1, 2023 16:47:57 GMT -6
There are two Vari Mus on Access Analog that you can try out for $9 or so. Definitely worth it if you’re considering buying one.
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Post by drumsound on Jul 1, 2023 17:21:07 GMT -6
I've never used the Vari-Mu to track vocals. But I really like the Elop for that. And I don't like the compressor in the VoxBox. Especially for vocal, I've found that it can screw things too easily. The compressor is a big reason I got rid of my Vox Box. The limiter was great and I used it a lot. |
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Post by srb on Jul 1, 2023 20:54:59 GMT -6
It'll keep a pizza warm.
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Post by seawell on Jul 1, 2023 21:07:19 GMT -6
For the Vari Mu owners here, do you have the T-Bar mod?
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Post by drbill on Jul 1, 2023 21:24:43 GMT -6
Or fry eggs!!! Even the Manley tech guys mention that you can fry eggs on it.... |
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Post by phantom on Jul 2, 2023 8:07:06 GMT -6
I've never used the Vari-Mu to track vocals. But I really like the Elop for that. And I don't like the compressor in the VoxBox. Especially for vocal, I've found that it can screw things too easily. The compressor is a big reason I got rid of my Vox Box. The limiter was great and I used it a lot. Me too. Preamp was good, limiter was good, EQ was awesome actually. But the compressor was too hit or miss. |
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Post by chessparov on Jul 2, 2023 11:31:43 GMT -6
I wish someone could make a hardware replication of the Klangheim MJUC Plugs.
Of course the simpler Jr. version, would give me less options to screw up with.
Hey come to think of it...
Making hardware versions of distinctive Plugs, could be a whole new Cottage Industry.
Especially for House Music.
Chris
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Post by ab101 on Jul 2, 2023 11:46:00 GMT -6
I wish someone could make a hardware replication of the Klangheim MJUC Plugs. Of course the simpler Jr. version, would give me less options to screw up with. Hey come to think of it... Making hardware versions of distinctive Plugs, could be a whole new Cottage Industry. Especially for House Music. Chris Great idea. Maybe somone can make a $2000 version of the Crave eq plug, so I can pay over $1900 more for it and be limited to one instance on mixdown.  I could say the same for the TDR Molot - somehow I think if it was hardware it would sell for a lot more and maybe even get great reviews at its incredibly much higher price. The future is software. And I suspect that AI will be used to enhance emulations even more (if not already being used). |
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Post by drumsound on Jul 2, 2023 13:34:23 GMT -6
The compressor is a big reason I got rid of my Vox Box. The limiter was great and I used it a lot. Me too. Preamp was good, limiter was good, EQ was awesome actually. But the compressor was too hit or miss. My biggest problem with the compressor was that it changes the tone a lot, even at small amounts of compression. So you kind of had to make sure it is always doing something, but then you get into too much compression on loud stuff. |
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