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Post by bricejchandler on Feb 21, 2024 2:33:17 GMT -6
To add to my recent purchase of a triangle and congas, I just bought Bongos (and stand) Claves Udu Vibraslap Doumbek No more sampled percussion for me, I can now physically play everything. It makes a huge difference to the feel. I agree! I don't mind sampled percussion for small additional things, but a lot of stuff I record, the groove comes from the tambourine or the shaker and real human feel is just unbeatable. |
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Post by bricejchandler on Feb 21, 2024 2:37:33 GMT -6
Was missing my IC Brute recently while doing vocals and had long been curious about Buzz gear so got an Essence. Damn, I should've bought one (or a pair) a long time ago. Does everything I liked about the Brute and so much more, what great action and tone! Also snagged a 441 from GC used for half price, I've always liked that mic but never owned one of my own. I used to have a Brute a long time ago and sometimes I really wish I still had it for that bright in your face female vocal sound. So you're liking the Essence better? It sure looks super versatile. |
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Post by christophert on Feb 21, 2024 3:53:38 GMT -6
Just received my Amtec 099.
Build is next level.
Cant wait to compare it to my BG2s - also really keen to put it post Coil CA70s on vocals, bass, Rhodes, drums.
I was not really shopping for another compressor at all, but having a PEQ-1A for a decade, and huge respect for Lukasz as a designer with his focus always on sonics, plus 15 years work to develop and refine the 099 design until he was happy, pushed me over the line,
Plus this is Amtecs last run of hardware.
No brainer.
There are some great short YouTube demo's showing it on bass and drums if anyone cares to listen - what one can do with it is amazing.
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Post by Hudsonic on Feb 21, 2024 8:56:37 GMT -6
Made a move on a UA Bock 167 tube mic. Has a noble sound. Very useful here for the man and the woman singer. A genuine vacuum tube goodness is imparted.
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Post by Darren Boling on Feb 21, 2024 9:14:43 GMT -6
Was missing my IC Brute recently while doing vocals and had long been curious about Buzz gear so got an Essence. Damn, I should've bought one (or a pair) a long time ago. Does everything I liked about the Brute and so much more, what great action and tone! Also snagged a 441 from GC used for half price, I've always liked that mic but never owned one of my own. I used to have a Brute a long time ago and sometimes I really wish I still had it for that bright in your face female vocal sound. So you're liking the Essence better? It sure looks super versatile. Well, early days and I'm still learning (and probably honeymooning a bit) but I'd say it's a bit more natural tonewise, overall a deeper sound with more polish and lots of control over the action, can get in your face or lay back. In researching I saw Tim also designed the APA Leviathan which is supposed to be brighter, that might actually be closer to Brute, but for what I want these days the Essence scratched my itch. |
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Post by earlevel on Feb 21, 2024 20:34:41 GMT -6
Made a move on a UA Bock 167 tube mic. Has a noble sound. Very useful here for the man and the woman singer. A genuine vacuum tube goodness is imparted. I tracked vocals with one at my friend's place last night. Well, also a few weeks ago (the intent of the sessions was to use a different newly purchased mic, but both times that mic and its replacement were faulty, and we fell back to his 167). Now that I think about it, he brought it over last summer when we got it, and I worked it against my Soyuz, so I guess I'm getting pretty used to it. Anyway, it does have a very nice sound, both detailed and smooth. It seems to deal with sibilant and consonant words well, I was being careful on tricky words last night but it didn't seem to make a difference (recording about six inches off the mic). |
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Post by poppaflavor on Feb 21, 2024 21:16:55 GMT -6
Just got a used Aphex 622. Whoo daddy! This sweet treat is too flexible. Still need to make sure all the goodies on this device work, but so far in terms of sound for the gate at least it's at least as punctual as the Drawmer DS101 (500 series) and the Rane DC24 (19").
This Aphex 622 is actually insanely incestually inception-esque. I was moseying along, trying some bog standard sidechain gating of a mono vocal to a stereo mix when I made the mistake of reading the instructions.
They weren't instructions, they were a roadmap to a ridonkulous rabbit hole.
Turns out, I can (and did) run a mono source (A) in to channel 1 of the 622 (used a vocal), expand it using a external mono source key (B) for expansion (used a snare as the key), or duck it or gate it, and also use that original first mono source (A) as a sidechain to the 622's second channel that is receiving a second mono source (C) (used a kick in) to gate the kick with a extended envelope (622 has attack, release, hold for it's gate). Then I got dizzy and gave up for the day.
Aphex actually has an admirable manual, they give some seriously compelling examples, but the examples mostly have concepts and the actual routing/button pressing described is just wrong in some examples and some words are missing. So lots of exploring to do.
This thing will be fun for sure, and the unit I got sounds fairly clean in initial testing so far, and so may be a great shaper for tracks and maybe even a buss helper at some point.
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Post by sean on Feb 22, 2024 12:36:27 GMT -6
I'm out of my gourd and bought a Gretsch Tennessee Rose...too good a deal to pass up. I sold off my Gibson SG that had a Bigsby...just not really the sound I wanted with it...but I just love a Gretsch as an option in the studio and been waiting for one to come along at the right price for, oh, 20 years haha  |
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Post by chessparov on Feb 22, 2024 12:49:35 GMT -6
I'm glad people are enjoying their UA 167's. Yet... I still trust "Bock QC" more than "UA QC". Not everyone has "the ear" that Plush and Earlevel has. Me? I don't even fully trust... Myself!  Chris P.S. To be fair, even Neumann early on IMHO... Had a higher percentage of anemic U67 RI's... Pre-Klaus' detailed Mic Review.  |
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Post by ab101 on Feb 22, 2024 13:06:00 GMT -6
I'm glad people are enjoying their UA 167's. Yet... I still trust "Bock QC" more than "UA QC". Not everyone has "the ear" that Plush and Earlevel has. Me? I don't even fully trust... Myself! Chris P.S. To be fair, even Neumann early on IMHO... Had a higher percentage of anemic U67 RI's... Pre-Klaus' detailed Mic Review. When a Bock mic was purchased, it was likely the Bock would repair it or check it out if there were any issues. I am not sure how this works with UA. Who is their mic tech? And who is doing the UA QC - to make sure that mics match a particular standard? |
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Post by chessparov on Feb 22, 2024 13:36:41 GMT -6
FWIW I'm confident that Drew is a "Nice Guy". But UA's general Track Record with their Plugin "Customers" concerns me. At least they're NOT Sony! Chris |
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eq
Junior Member
Posts: 81
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Post by eq on Feb 22, 2024 23:26:26 GMT -6
Ordered a pair of Ingram Engineering 500 eq/filters and a pair of Kush Tweezers. I’m switching to a three-mic overhead setup, so I want more drum-friendly options. I also sprang for the Zen Pro Phoenix DRS-Q4 preamp/eq deal. I’ll be selling my single DRS-1R, LA500, PEQ500, and Cranborne Camden to make room in the rack. Hit me up if interested! Yup ! QRS-4 came in yesterday very pleased so far, only had a chance to run some synth patches through it but very pleased so far. I was in the market for TG2 or 1073 but this deal was too good to pass up. Hopefully will have time next week and hook it up to the AS Opto and 76F. |
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Post by bubblejackets on Feb 23, 2024 0:28:17 GMT -6
I’ve been enjoying the Phoenix Ascent Two (assume it’s similar to the DRS it’s based on). I like that it retains punch and transients but can still give some rounded saturation. Level matching L and R for stereo uses is a little fidgety but at least it’s got detents on the output knob to help a bit. I find that “tuning” the output down from “above” gives a higher level than tuning from “below” if that makes any sense.
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Post by chessparov on Feb 23, 2024 3:04:16 GMT -6
This one's a whopping "under $4"! The 'lil J4T App, that can go on your phone and/computer. It's a simple 4 Track Recorder (Along with some optional Effects) Anyway... I'm experimenting with what you could call "Expression Sketches" on it. Trying different Phrasing/Keys vocally on Songs in Progress. And the like. Without dragging out even a small USB Interface/the usual LDC or Dynamic etc. etc. Just like the Olde Days of prepping for the "real Studio". Where (Studio) time wa$ money. Rather "freeing" really. Including where to Practice Record. And ought to decrease my recording Stage Fright! Chris P.S. Like Yin/Yang, also finally transferred my small number of UAD Native Plugs, to my recent laptop PC. To upgrade typical Compression and Reverb. (Bye usual MuseFX!) |
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Post by subspace on Feb 23, 2024 14:38:54 GMT -6
I’ve been enjoying the Phoenix Ascent Two (assume it’s similar to the DRS it’s based on). I like that it retains punch and transients but can still give some rounded saturation. Level matching L and R for stereo uses is a little fidgety but at least it’s got detents on the output knob to help a bit. I find that “tuning” the output down from “above” gives a higher level than tuning from “below” if that makes any sense. No detents on the DRSQ-4 Mk2 output knob, but loving the fully detented EQ settings, didn't realize it would work so well for matching/recall. Also didn't realize the knobs were all anodized metal, pleasant surprise opening the box today.  |
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Post by poppaflavor on Feb 26, 2024 0:29:50 GMT -6
She's here! Beautiful in all her glory. gyraf G25 VocalShape
This is going to be a journey. I can tell already that it's really quite intuitive and easy to dial in some sweet settings for vocals.
But, I got distracted and went on a tangent... Couldn't resist!
I used Voxengo MSED to encode a finished mix (publicly available from a Lewitt mic page) from LR to MS and then ran the Mid channel through the G25 VocalShape followed next in sequence by the Side channel. Then decoded it back to LR after balancing the M and S channels and ensuring good correlation and mono compatability.
Wow! What a blast! The Drive, Comp, filter, Bax, Tilt and that Clipper are incredibly useful!
On the mid channel medium input drive, fast release, HPF 50, + little bit of low Bax shelf, little bit of tilt to lows, tiny bit of high Bax shelf and drive the output into the clipper with lots of De-Resonance Pot at 200 Hz to clip the kick after the compress had tightened it up.
On the side channel moar input drive, a very slow release on the comp, HPF 120 Hz, no low Bax shelf, Tilt toward the highs, medium + Bax high shelf, drive the output into the clipper at 8khz to get some hats and snappy stuff sparkling.
Driving the output into the clipper at a particular frequency is really interesting.
Both versions are matched to -17.5 LUFS (integrated), but the dynamic range and true peak is higher in the G25 M/S version. The dynamic range of the original is about 1-2 db less than the G25 version.
Even though the integrated LUFS are almost identical, the G25 sound much louder. And it has a tight well defined bass along with crisper sides that have more HF sparkle.
It's a bit rough experiment as I've only had about an hour with the G25, particularly I (ironically) deemphasized and spread the vocal a bit too much. But it was a good proof of concept to convince myself that this set of features it's particularly interesting. The clipper is just lovely!
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Post by kcatthedog on Feb 26, 2024 1:53:47 GMT -6
Just looking at it would make my vocals better ! Wow! |
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Post by doubledog on Feb 26, 2024 7:44:30 GMT -6
Picked up the SSL LMC+ plugin for $17. I know, cue the parade!
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Post by robo on Feb 26, 2024 10:56:54 GMT -6
Refining my opto compressors:
Bought a JLM MAC 19” opto (stereo LA500’s). I’m gonna sell my 500-series unit.
Also got an Audioscape V3A on the way. I spent a long time deciding which style of opto I wanted in stereo, and decided the JLM was more universal.
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Post by Shadowk on Feb 27, 2024 10:37:06 GMT -6
Unfortunately the Mono Gama was DOA, usually I'd just get a replacement but I've got a couple of days coming up and my house is in utter disarray whilst I'm re-doing my studio. Whilst I have some time the plan is to finish it all off this weekend. (I'm like 70% there already)..
So, SH is going back and I've asked KMR to send me a Chandler TG2-500. I'm a sucker for I/O transformer amps, the only issue with this going by the Opto is I'll probably want their channel strip as well.
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Post by drbill on Feb 27, 2024 10:44:26 GMT -6
Unfortunately the Mono Gama was DOA, usually I'd just get a replacement but I've got a couple of days coming up and my house is in utter disarray whilst I'm re-doing my studio. Whilst I have some time the plan is to finish it all off this weekend. (I'm like 70% there already).. So, SH is going back and I've asked KMR to send me a Chandler TG2-500. I'm a sucker for I/O transformer amps, the only issue with this going by the Opto is I'll probably want their channel strip as well. The TG-2 is cool - esp. for guitars. Never tried the 500 version though.... |
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Post by sentientsound on Feb 27, 2024 15:57:48 GMT -6
Our studio manager pulled a power-move and got a pair of Vacuvox u23m as well as the V41 dual channel preamp. Pretty stunning sounds on both after a few days of experimenting.
They have an incredible sense of depth and polish the upper mids in a beautiful way. Cymbals, guitars and vocals sound more vivid and lively without harshness.
The compression envelope is so musical, going between flowing glue with longer releases to urgency and excitement with faster release - the fast attack brings everything in a mix together while the slower times push drums up front without sounding unnatural.
It can bring a lot of impact with higher ratios or do smooth leveling at 1.5:1. Even at silly GR like 8dB things don't turm into mush. Ours has the original fixed 6kHz side chain boost de-esser which is very smooth and works well in tandem with the Maselec HF limiter to keep bright masters nice amd comfy.
Depending on the gain and input pad settings the lows can get BIG without feeling out of balance.
Using the V41 to get obvious saturation sounds really cool on line-level source too.
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Post by Bat Lanyard on Feb 27, 2024 22:04:46 GMT -6
Unfortunately the Mono Gama was DOA, usually I'd just get a replacement but I've got a couple of days coming up and my house is in utter disarray whilst I'm re-doing my studio. Whilst I have some time the plan is to finish it all off this weekend. (I'm like 70% there already).. So, SH is going back and I've asked KMR to send me a Chandler TG2-500. I'm a sucker for I/O transformer amps, the only issue with this going by the Opto is I'll probably want their channel strip as well. The TG-2 is cool - esp. for guitars. Never tried the 500 version though.... Goto for guitars for sure. |
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Post by Bat Lanyard on Feb 27, 2024 22:06:22 GMT -6
Our studio manager pulled a power-move and got a pair of Vacuvox u23m as well as the V41 dual channel preamp. Pretty stunning sounds on both after a few days of experimenting. They have an incredible sense of depth and polish the upper mids in a beautiful way. Cymbals, guitars and vocals sound more vivid and lively without harshness. The compression envelope is so musical, going between flowing glue with longer releases to urgency and excitement with faster release - the fast attack brings everything in a mix together while the slower times push drums up front without sounding unnatural. It can bring a lot of impact with higher ratios or do smooth leveling at 1.5:1. Even at silly GR like 8dB things don't turm into mush. Ours has the original fixed 6kHz side chain boost de-esser which is very smooth and works well in tandem with the Maselec HF limiter to keep bright masters nice amd comfy. Depending on the gain and input pad settings the lows can get BIG without feeling out of balance. Using the V41 to get obvious saturation sounds really cool on line-level source too. Wow on the Vacuvox u23m's! |
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Post by Bat Lanyard on Feb 27, 2024 22:08:36 GMT -6
Picked up a Sequential DrumTraks machine and bought the remaining Output stuff I didn't have.
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