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Post by sopwith on Aug 14, 2014 5:48:42 GMT -6
Alrighty, I need to get my chain sorted to use with this sinsay mod CV4 that's on the way. I'm a few months away from buying any modules but I figure I should start narrowing it down now. Mostly vocal, but I'd also love to use the Miktek on acoustics (mainly Martin D35), piano, strings, and sax - at least until I get some sdc's. The music is...cinematic acoustic electronic. I'm on an island in the south pacific so chances to demo any of these modules beyond the standard API's are slim. That said, Buzz Audio is right down the street.
Is the VP28 tasty on acoustics? It gets so much love around here that I'm having trouble justifying anything else. No problem with the build as I can get some good help with that. Don't really need to record drum oh's though.
I also love the sound of the Pacifica, so would the P1 be a good choice for vocals and acoustics? And on the Neve end, the MA5 seems to be a standard, and I've heard the Phoenix DRS is good.
Which do you guys think is more important to get up and running for tracking - EQs or compressor modules? I'd love to get both but I've gotta do this piece by piece. In the beginning I really only need a mono chain, but ultimately I'd love to have a stereo chain for acoustic instruments as well as a couple of flavour/colour modules to spice things up.
Thanks lots, I've done tons of reading and it's kind of just becoming a cycle of the same module names! Time to really figure it out and start budgeting.
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Post by jsteiger on Aug 14, 2014 9:01:18 GMT -6
Customers have reported back to me that the Heider FD312 is one of the best acoustic gtr pre's they have used.
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Aug 14, 2014 9:27:04 GMT -6
Customers have reported back to me that the Heider FD312 is one of the best acoustic gtr pre's they have used. Well think of all the recordings that are ingrained in our brains that were recorded at Heiders, It's one of the few. places where you don't hear about somebody using an outboard pre. All those acustics, it's like are brains telling us that's what an acustic sounds like! Jeff what scares me about buying a Hieder is I know I'll want a rack full! Hey Jeff how''s the big move going? |
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Post by jcoutu1 on Aug 14, 2014 9:39:46 GMT -6
Customers have reported back to me that the Heider FD312 is one of the best acoustic gtr pre's they have used. Well think of all the recordings that are ingrained in our brains that were recorded at Heiders, It's one of the few. places where you don't hear about somebody using an outboard pre. All those acustics, it's like are brains telling us that's what an acustic sounds like! Jeff what scares me about buying a Hieder is I know I'll want a rack full! Hey Jeff how''s the big move going? Just to add some context, I didn't know what came out of there, so I looked it up. This is the place right? Lot of good stuff. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wally_Heider_Studios |
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 14, 2014 10:20:57 GMT -6
I was actually going to recommend exactly that - the CAPI Heider. There are certainly plenty of great options out there - but I find myself reaching for the Heider pretty consistently now. I've got this thing for Helios - just a warm blanket so to speak...I would buy this or that, but always end up coming back to the Helios. I think it's part obsession and part just knowing it so well. But lately, I've been choosing the Heider over it for everything. I hear smoother mids and it has TONS of headroom - something I've struggled with on the Helios. I've also got two VP28's and I find that the Heider seems to have a more detailed top end. I don't have the VP312 anymore, but I really liked that pre too. I don't have a lot of Pres - just because I don't need them...I've owned MA5's, Neve's, Heritage, Electrodyne, Chandlers, etc...but I'm definitely happy with using the Heider right now.
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Post by sopwith on Aug 14, 2014 20:10:30 GMT -6
Nice, the Heiders look great! Found the resonator samples, which are beautiful. Seems like it's got most of the body of the VP28 but I definitely hear that added clarity up top.
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 15, 2014 9:06:40 GMT -6
BTW - you absolutely can't go wrong with many of the reputable mic pres out there. The MA5 is great, all the Heritage stuff, etc. But the Heider is on par - if not better - for cheaper. Kind of a no-brainer.
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Aug 15, 2014 9:15:47 GMT -6
BTW - you absolutely can't go wrong with many of the reputable mic pres out there. The MA5 is great, all the Heritage stuff, etc. But the Heider is on par - if not better - for cheaper. Kind of a no-brainer. Agreed, Any quality pre will work, as JK knows its the journey of finding the color that works for you, When I fall in love with a pre I want lots of them hence, 8ch of Dan Alexander Neve, 8 of Jeff's VP26, and for Clean 24 of the Doug Sax Recomended Discrete Panasonic WZad96m! I have my eyes on some Demeter Tube and the Heiders And I'm afraid I'm going to need a another 500 rack and more rack space and I don't do much tracking! |
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Post by jcoutu1 on Aug 15, 2014 9:34:35 GMT -6
Not sure how the Heiders or VP28's are, but I've never been a big API on vocals guy. I had a pair of 512's that I ended up selling. Really like them on electric guitars and pop/rock acoustics, but they didn't do it for me on more intimate folk type acoustic or vocals. I had a Buzz SSA 1.1 (non-500, but a brand that you could demo) and just thought it was ok. Nothing special. I have a Nightpro PreQ3 (which is the precursor the the MAAG 500 series gear) and really dig it. It's clear with nice body and the Airband is really cool for adding a touch of sparkle. I'm really happy with this pre. I haven't tried any other 500 series pres, but have found most "high end" rack-mount preamps good and usable and would imagine that would apply to 500 series as well. For 500 series compressors, I own the Tonelux TX5C, Retro Doublewide, and previously owned the Brute. On vocals, I preferred the DW to the Brute but others, including Johnkenn I think, prefer the Brute. The Tonelux is much more versatile, but not as euphoric. Hope this helps. |
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Post by tonycamphd on Aug 15, 2014 9:46:25 GMT -6
I'm champing for the Heider! I wish jsteiger would offer it as a diy kit...please...pretty please..? I love the versatility of the vp28, i'm currently using red dot opamps on the input side, and the gar 1731's on the output side, on my Lc53a's as well, i've done a lot of messing with these and seem to be settling on this rather lovely combo, it's got aggression and smoothness, while more than satisfying my idea of the API vibe at the same time. (BTW, i have a bunch(20 or so?) of built and tested gar2520's i think i'm going to sell, they sound great, but i'm sold on the red dot/gar1731 combo, and going for a console/congruency thing with my multiple capi set up) btw sopwith check out this acgtr sample with vp28's abound realgearonline.com/post/23074/thread |
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Post by tonycamphd on Aug 15, 2014 9:51:17 GMT -6
btw, imo, the compression characteristic of a hard driven VP28 rivals some of the best compressors i've used! how come no one ever mentions this about the vp28's? They're really killer little tone shaping devices, almost impossible to make something sound bad.
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Post by jsteiger on Aug 15, 2014 10:02:35 GMT -6
.....I wish jsteiger would offer it as a diy kit...please...pretty please..?..... Sorry tonycamphd but I don't plan to do that. The Heider is unique and special. Part of keeping it that way is not flooding the market with kits. If and when they pop up for sale on the used market, any buyer will not have to worry about "will this work when I get it?, who built this thing?" and so on. Just take a look on eBay. There are kit pre's for sale up the yang. Some of those guys are competent builders who have built many. Some are noobs that can barley solder a cable. Buying built DIY kits can be a gamble. There will never be any gambling when it comes to buying a Heider FD312. The cost is of course more than a kit but when you compare to anything else on the market, the Heider is a bargain!!  |
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Post by jcoutu1 on Aug 15, 2014 10:22:26 GMT -6
I'm champing for the Heider! I wish jsteiger would offer it as a diy kit...please...pretty please..? I love the versatility of the vp28, i'm currently using red dot opamps on the input side, and the gar 1731's on the output side, on my Lc53a's as well, i've done a lot of messing with these and seem to be settling on this rather lovely combo, it's got aggression and smoothness, while more than satisfying my idea of the API vibe at the same time. (BTW, i have a bunch(20 or so?) of built and tested gar2520's i think i'm going to sell, they sound great, but i'm sold on the red dot/gar1731 combo, and going for a console/congruency thing with my multiple capi set up) btw sopwith check out this acgtr sample with vp28's abound realgearonline.com/post/23074/threadStill loving that sample Tony. |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on Aug 15, 2014 10:24:22 GMT -6
.....I wish jsteiger would offer it as a diy kit...please...pretty please..?..... Sorry tonycamphd but I don't plan to do that. The Heider is unique and special. Part of keeping it that way is not flooding the market with kits. If and when they pop up for sale on the used market, any buyer will not have to worry about "will this work when I get it?, who built this thing?" and so on. Just take a look on eBay. There are kit pre's for sale up the yang. Some of those guys are competent builders who have built many. Some are noobs that can barley solder a cable. Buying built DIY kits can be a gamble. There will never be any gambling when it comes to buying a Heider FD312. The cost is of course more than a kit but when you compare to anything else on the market, the Heider is a bargain!! Have to agree with Jeff Half of my Vp26 a were bought used, great prices till you add the time to go through them, they taught me my solder skills are better than I thought! |
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Post by sopwith on Aug 15, 2014 18:27:05 GMT -6
Nice, thanks guys! tonycamphd, those rain song samples are freakin gorgeous (and one of my all time progressions ta boot). Nice build! Chalk one up for the VP28's on acoustic. |
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Post by cowboycoalminer on Aug 17, 2014 20:14:42 GMT -6
I'm partial to the Heritage 1073 with my CV-4. I bought a 500 AML 1073 off Jeff that sounds good with it too. I'm just a 1073 junky when it comes to vocals. I don't see how it can get any better than a good 1073 and I've tried a lot of others trying to one up them. Can't do it on this end for my taste.
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 17, 2014 20:19:15 GMT -6
Damnit...thanks for the gear lust again
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 17, 2014 20:20:59 GMT -6
Gonna have to try that Apollo 1073 again...
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Post by sopwith on Aug 17, 2014 21:31:22 GMT -6
ARG too many good options! Yea I'd love to try the Heritage 1073. Might be able to squeeze the 73Jr into my budget for this one. You guys think if I started with a Neve based module, it would have enough brightness and life up top on the acoustic? Ultimately, I'd love a 1073 clone plus something a bit brighter (Heider, P1)
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Post by cowboycoalminer on Aug 19, 2014 12:33:38 GMT -6
I use a 1073 on acoustic all the time hitting the input harder and backing off the output. Sounds wonderful. Don't get me wrong, I use other types of amplifiers too, but for featured tracks, I always go back to the 1073.
I hear those Phoenix Audio clones are nice as well. I might sell this AML 1073. If your interested, pm me.
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 19, 2014 12:38:45 GMT -6
You end up liking the Heritage more than the AML?
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Post by cowboycoalminer on Aug 19, 2014 22:32:20 GMT -6
You end up liking the Heritage more than the AML? Yeah. I keep going back to the Heritage. It's like heroin. Once you've had it, nothing else will do. |
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Post by sopwith on Aug 19, 2014 23:40:34 GMT -6
I use a 1073 on acoustic all the time hitting the input harder and backing off the output. Sounds wonderful. Don't get me wrong, I use other types of amplifiers too, but for featured tracks, I always go back to the 1073. I hear those Phoenix Audio clones are nice as well. I might sell this AML 1073. If your interested, pm me. PM'd. Yea those Phoenix sound really nice as well. I think it's just a matter of flavor and which order I get things in now. Thanks for your help guys, this has been really informative since I'm kinda starting from scratch here. |
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