Document Your Black Friday Carnage

[jim1960]

This is the least expensive BF I've had in many years.
I grabbed the Sonnox Claro EQ for about $30
...the Kush AR-1 Comp for $49
...and both the Kazrog True Dynamics comp and True 252 eq for about $56

So about $135.
But I went a little microphone happy in recent months picking up the Serrano 84 pair, the Beesneez BU67, and the Telefunken AR-51.
...and I picked up some thing for some other hobbies/interests like a Think Tank Photo Retrospective 30 V2.0 camera bag and a Hasegawa FSB cutting board for the kitchen. I also have my eye on a treadmill that I was hoping would get discounted this weekend but doesn't look like it will be. I'll pick that up either next month or January.

[KevWind]

Well I have been pretty good this year I have big broom I carry to beat GAS goblins away .. So I have spent zip, nadda, zilch---

Truth be told we have purchased a new piece of land and will (next spring) be building an arena with living quarters. And have already started excavating the building site and to improve the road into the building spot.

So not only are we now watching the budget closely but I am also thinking I don't need anymore stuff to move

Here the excavator is leveling the spot for the building

[SpruceTop]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Well I have been pretty good this year I have big broom I carry to beat GAS goblins away .. So I have spent zip, nadda, zilch---

Truth be told we have purchased a new piece of land and will (next spring) be building an arena with living quarters. And have already started excavating the building site and to improve the road into the building spot.

So not only are we now watching the budget closely but I am also thinking I don't need anymore stuff to move

Here the excavator is leveling the spot for the building

KevWind, a hockey arena?

[gmel555]

I posted the "tube microphone" thread a week ago. No surprise with Black Friday coming up, I was in search mode. Initially in the $2k range I looked closely at Pearlman's TM-1 & TM-47 before deciding to expand my search (and budget). Took a very close look at the sale on ADK Z-Mods and once in that $2.9 to $3k range a few other mics came into play. A demo/open box FLEA 47 Next at Vintage King enticed me to call them. (Fixed Cardioid should be all I need.) A short chat w-VK lowered the advertised prices by more than I expected and largely bridged the gap between the demo and a NIB FLEA 47 Next. I should have it by the end of the week. I've just heard so much "love" for the FLEA it's hard to ignore and hopefully I'm "worthy". I also managed to snag the MassDrop Sennheiser 6xx headphones for $179.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by gmel555

I posted the "tube microphone" thread a week ago. No surprise with Black Friday coming up, I was in search mode. Initially in the $2k range I looked closely at Pearlman's TM-1 & TM-47 before deciding to expand my search (and budget). Took a very close look at the sale on ADK Z-Mods and once in that $2.9 to $3k range a few other mics came into play. A demo/open box FLEA 47 Next at Vintage King enticed me to call them. (Fixed Cardioid should be all I need.) A short chat w-VK lowered the advertised prices by more than I expected and largely bridged the gap between the demo and a NIB FLEA 47 Next. I should have it by the end of the week. I've just heard so much "love" for the FLEA it's hard to ignore and hopefully I'm "worthy". I also managed to snag the MassDrop Sennheiser 6xx headphones for $179.

Two excellent purchases. My main vocal mic is a Flea 47. It's an amazing microphone.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

KevWind, a hockey arena?

Ha ! Yes it is pretty big , the excavation leveled area will be some 300 by 400

The foot print of the building itself will be basically 120 wide by 250 long
The riding arena will be 80 by 200 and there is 80 wide by 50 long stall area and the living quarters over the top of that will be 50 by 50
Then there is an additional attached shed 20 by 250 down the north side and a 20 by 50 on the south side

I don't want to hijack this thread any further so I will likely start a build thread in the Open Mic forum

[Cocobolo Kid]

This year I wanted to stay around $200, and surprisingly I stuck to my budget.

Based on Jim's recommendation I purchased the Kush Audio Clariphonic DSP MkII for $99.
I upgraded to Melodyne Studio v5 for $49.
I bought the Melda MAutoAlign for $27.
Finally the Klanghelm MJUC variable mu compressor for $25.
Total exactly $200!

Upgrades that fell by the waste side because they were too expensive or not enough value for me were:
Ozone 10 Advanced from v8 Advanced for $149.
Avid Sibelius Ultimate upgrade only 20% off.
Modartt Pianoteq 8 Standard upgrade from v7 Standard.

I also decided against new plugins from Murst Audio, Oeksound and Soundtheory Golfoss, even though they looked very interesting.

Thanks Jim! Your Black Friday threads are always a lot of fun.

[AcousticDreams]

A big congratulations to all! Especially KevWind for his future new place! Very exciting!

I am also at the end of my budget with purchases previous of BU-67(thanks to Jim1960's high praise), and Another symphony program & misc cable orders.

So Far:
* FabFilter Pro C $107 with BF member discount = Erick Skye put me over the top in his descriptions of this compressor.

*Kazrog True Dynamics $27 with BF 30% discount addition= Doug Young's test results with True Iron..made me have confidence in Kazrog.

* SoundRadix Auto Align $99 BF = Doug Young's & Jim1960's praise of this unit put me over the top.

As always..I also researched and each time these products came up top tier for reviews.

+ still hoping to buy Mass Drop Sen6xx...just seeing where I can squeeze out some more funds.

These Black Friday deals are just to good to pass up. I would most certainly be sorry later. The real problem is figuring out which is the most important. Many thanks to my AGF Brothers who helped me figure out What is most important.

[Daniel Grenier]

My black Friday carnage? Staid home. Saved 100%.

[AcousticDreams]

Originally Posted by jim1960

This is the least expensive BF I've had in many years.
I grabbed the Sonnox Claro EQ for about $30
the Kazrog TTrue 252 eq

Of all the processing knowledge I have, EQ is my weakest--the one I am most afraid of. I suppose that is why I have focused on microphones so much. Trying to get the sound right to begin with. But of course, that is not always possible. Other Factors involved such as the room and or rogue notes, rogue frequencies.

Jim, would you kindly tell us why you Picked up both of these units? What features do these units have that others don't? I just watched a demo on the Claro...and the Auto gain feature seems like a powerful feature. And also what other EQ's do you have?

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by Knives&Guitars

Jim, would you kindly tell us why you Picked up both of these units? What features do these units have that others don't? I just watched a demo on the Claro...and the Auto gain feature seems like a powerful feature.

A lot of times I'll pick up a plugin more out of curiosity than an actual need, and that's the case for all four plugins I grabbed yesterday.

The Claro just looks to be an entirely different type of workflow for an eq. I spent a few minutes with hit after I downloaded it just to be sure it was working and I had no idea what I was doing with it because it operates quite differently from any other eq I have.

The True 252 eq and the True Dynamics comp were simply priced right and from a company that made True Iron, one of my current favorite plugins, so being able to grab those at a substantial discount seemed the right thing to do. Also, I did like the character True Dynamics imparts based upon the samples I was able to hear. I felt that was something that could work for me, so I had that on my "maybe" list. The extra 30% off pushed me over the edge and I figured why not grab the 252 while I'm at it.

Originally Posted by Knives&Guitars

And also what other EQ's do you have?

I have a master list somewhere. I'll look for it and post it when I find it. Having been at this for 20+ years, I have a lot of plugins.

UPDATE...
Found the list and updated it. Keep in mind, this list doesn't include channel strips or de-essers.

Acon Digital Equalize

Acon Digital Equalize 2

Acustica CEIL
Acustica Coffee
Acustica CoralBaxter
Acustica Titanium 3 Basstard
AIR Kill EQ
AMEC EQ 200
Boz Digital Labs Bark of the Dog2
bx_cleansweep V2

Bx_digital V2
Bx_digital V3
Bx_dynEQ v2
bx_refinement
Kush Clariphonic MS
elysia museq
elysia niveau
Eventide Physion
Eventide SplitEQ
FabFilter Pro-Q2
FabFilter Pro-Q3
Fuse Audio RS-W2359C
Kazrog True 252
Maag EQ4

Millennia NSEQ-2

Newfangled Audio EQuivocate

Noveltech Vocal Enhancer
Noveltech Character
Overloud Gem EQ550
Soundspot Overtone
Soundtheory Gullfoss
Sonible freiraum

Sonible smartEQ2
Sonible smartEQ3
SPL Free Ranger
TDR Nova
TDR SlickEQ M and GE
TDR VOS SlickEQ GE

UAD API 550A
UAD API 560
UAD Cambridge

UAD Chandler Curve Bender

UAD Dangerous BAX EQ
UAD Helios Type 69

UAD Manley Massive Passive

UAD MDWEQ5
UAD Moog Multimode Filter
UAD Neve 1073

UAD Neve 1081

UAD Neve 31102

UAD Oxford Dynamic EQ
UAD Precision Multiband

UAD Pultec EQP-1A

UAD Pultec HLF-3C

UAD Pultec MEQ-5

UAD Tonelux Tilt EQ

UAD Trident A-Range

UAD Tube-Tech ME 1B

UAD Tube-Tech PE 1C

UAD 610-A

UAD 610-B
Waves The Kings Microphone

[BoneDigger]

I purchased a couple of Toontrack items I had been considering and a couple of the FabFilter plugins that I didn't have. I also bought the Valhalla Shimmer and Hall Reverbs. I would say I spent maybe $300 total.

[Doug Young]

My only purchase was the UAD Studer tape plugin, $350 full price (I think), and I got it for $75. So I mostly resisted adding more toys.

[Draft Guitar]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Ha ! Yes it is pretty big , the excavation leveled area will be some 300 by 400

The foot print of the building itself will be basically 120 wide by 250 long
The riding arena will be 80 by 200 and there is 80 wide by 50 long stall area and the living quarters over the top of that will be 50 by 50
Then there is an additional attached shed 20 by 250 down the north side and a 20 by 50 on the south side

I don't want to hijack this thread any further so I will likely start a build thread in the Open Mic forum

Please do, I'll follow that! Assuming you aren't actually building a hockey arena with stalls.

I spent no money on black Friday. I just spent the day moving firewood into my barn, so I guess the opposite of spending money.

[phcorrigan]

I just ordered all the components to build a new PC, including a 12-core i7 CPU, 8GB GPU, 32GB RAM, 1TB and 2TB NVMe SSDs, an 850 watt power supply, and Windows 11 Pro. I'm using an older case I already have because I can't find a new one that will serve me any better. Total was a bit north of $1,200.