Realistic studio dreams - Page 4

midwinter · #46 04-04-2018, 08:45 AM

Good to know!

jim1960 · #47 04-04-2018, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by midwinter

Good to know!

Just to give you an idea. A 5 foot Mogami snake with 4 channels and Neutrik connectors ran me under $75 ...I said "very reasonable" in the last post; perhaps I should have said "cheap as chips."

I tested my new Audio-Scape Opto last night and the unit is a definite keeper. We put it up against the UAD LA-2A and it was very close. I'm going to grab a second channel very soon.

midwinter · #48 04-04-2018, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1960

Just to give you an idea. A 5 foot Mogami snake with 4 channels and Neutrik connectors ran me under $75 ...I said "very reasonable" in the last post; perhaps I should have said "cheap as chips."

I tested my new Audio-Scape Opto last night and the unit is a definite keeper. We put it up against the UAD LA-2A and it was very close. I'm going to grab a second channel very soon.

Wow! I'm on it!

I'm reluctant to go for outboard gear on compressors (although I keep on on my channel 1 and 2 with a 2:1 ratio and a fast attack just to knock off any huge peaks going in); otherwise, I tend to do my eq and compression in the box.

jim1960 · #49 04-04-2018, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by midwinter

I'm reluctant to go for outboard gear on compressors (although I keep on on my channel 1 and 2 with a 2:1 ratio and a fast attack just to knock off any huge peaks going in); otherwise, I tend to do my eq and compression in the box.

The only outboard gear I have interest in are mic pres and compressors. I prefer to do everything else in-the-box.

As far as compression goes, for tracks that will have a wide dynamic range, I want to apply some mild compression on the way in. That way I don't have to record at a less than optimum level in order to compensate for the loudest parts.

rockabilly69 · #50 04-04-2018, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by midwinter

Wow! I'm on it!

I'm reluctant to go for outboard gear on compressors (although I keep on on my channel 1 and 2 with a 2:1 ratio and a fast attack just to knock off any huge peaks going in); otherwise, I tend to do my eq and compression in the box.

A 2:1 ratio won't grab any huge peaks

midwinter · #51 04-04-2018, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1960

As far as compression goes, for tracks that will have a wide dynamic range, I want to apply some mild compression on the way in. That way I don't have to record at a less than optimum level in order to compensate for the loudest parts.

Yep. That's why I run that little comp on my 1 and 2 channels (clean, usually for acoustic instruments). I record mostly voice and acoustic instruments, so I tend to use compressors in the box just to glue everything together. I'm *tempted* to grab an LA2A clone, just because that's basically the only plugin compressor I ever use, to see if I would use it outboard for anything.

rockabilly69 · #52 04-04-2018, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1960

I've been getting my cables through redco.com. Customized and very reasonable prices.

Redco is a pretty cool company, with great customer service, and their cables are well built and reasonably priced. I wanted a smaller length cable for my Lawson tube mic set and they built me a 7 pin XLR 10 footer for $46 shipped. That was a pretty good deal for a custom cable! I've decided that I want to incorporate my Mackie 1640i into my studio workflow and I need a custom cable to tap the analog outputs of my RME ADI-8 DS (which I route most of my better preamps through) and get those preamp signals over to my Mackie. I will be calling Redco to get one made!

rockabilly69 · #53 04-04-2018, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1960

Just to give you an idea. A 5 foot Mogami snake with 4 channels and Neutrik connectors ran me under $75 ...I said "very reasonable" in the last post; perhaps I should have said "cheap as chips."

I tested my new Audio-Scape Opto last night and the unit is a definite keeper. We put it up against the UAD LA-2A and it was very close. I'm going to grab a second channel very soon.

Did you compare against a vintage LA-2a or a reissue???

rockabilly69 · #54 04-04-2018, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1960

Just to give you an idea. A 5 foot Mogami snake with 4 channels and Neutrik connectors ran me under $75 ...I said "very reasonable" in the last post; perhaps I should have said "cheap as chips."

I tested my new Audio-Scape Opto last night and the unit is a definite keeper. We put it up against the UAD LA-2A and it was very close. I'm going to grab a second channel very soon.

I would like to compare the Audio Scape Opto against the STAM SA2A. I can't believe that these companies are building gear for such reasonable prices. It seems like the hottest market for recording gear right now is the pro-sumer.

rockabilly69 · #55 04-04-2018, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim1960

The only outboard gear I have interest in are mic pres and compressors. I prefer to do everything else in-the-box.

As far as compression goes, for tracks that will have a wide dynamic range, I want to apply some mild compression on the way in. That way I don't have to record at a less than optimum level in order to compensate for the loudest parts.

Why not include at least one EQ in the outboard so you can get the compressor to react the way you want it (ie side chain)???? If I didn't own my Voxbox (with built in Pultec), I would immediately find at least one good EQ.

midwinter · #56 04-04-2018, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

A 2:1 ratio won't grab any huge peaks

"Huge" is relative.

rockabilly69 · #57 04-04-2018, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by midwinter

"Huge" is relative.

that's what she said! But, why not set a a higher ratio with that same fast attack at a later threshold as a safety net peak limiter only when you need it. The reason I say this is a 2:1 probably won't save your bacon so to say.

midwinter · #58 04-04-2018, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

that's what she said! But, why not set a a higher ratio with that same fast attack at a later threshold as a safety net peak limiter only when you need it. The reason I say this is a 2:1 probably won't save your bacon so to say.

I'll give it a shot and go be erratically loud next time I'm there (tonight, probably).

I still want to pick your brain about patchbays and routing.

rockabilly69 · #59 04-04-2018, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by midwinter

Yep. That's why I run that little comp on my 1 and 2 channels (clean, usually for acoustic instruments). I record mostly voice and acoustic instruments, so I tend to use compressors in the box just to glue everything together. I'm *tempted* to grab an LA2A clone, just because that's basically the only plugin compressor I ever use, to see if I would use it outboard for anything.

The real deal outboard stuff is fantastic we should both buy one LA2a clone each. One Stam SA2A, and one AudioScope Opto and compare them and return the loser

midwinter · #60 04-04-2018, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

The real deal outboard stuff is fantastic we should both buy one LA2a clone each. One Stam SA2A, and one AudioScope Opto and compare them and return the loser

Is that before or after we each buy a UK Sound 1173 and have joint custody?