Channel Strip recommendation ??

peter m. mahr · Post by **peter m. mahr** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:10 pm

Hi,

what kind of channel strips are you using to record vocals, Manley, Pendulum, SSL, Milllenia, Avalon, Chandler etc.?

What do you recommend?

thanks in advance

peter

Lorenzo · Post by **Lorenzo** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 9:20 am

I'm sorry, in my little studio due to lack of $$$ I only use a MOTU traveler, the signal chain go from mic to motu traveler, out of it, then to the old fostex 350 that is really awsome to add some warmth to the voice and go back to the traveler... nothing else. Some times I use the Mackie Onyx 1620 to record the voice through its eq...
Maybe one day I'll add a focusrite isa when I'll earn more money, or, if not, just a voice master pro. We will see in the future!

laughing_bear · Post by **laughing_bear** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 9:38 am

Hi Peter

I do not think you will find many people around here using the gear you suggested Peter, however, I think it very much so depends on the style of vocals and the mic used.

http://gearslutz.com/board/showthread.php?t=16953

Diego · Post by **Diego** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 4:55 pm

Hi!

When I recorded at Noise Factory Studios in Milan with my band, I remember there was all Avalon and Focusrite pre-amps, going onto Digidesign interfaces, and the sound was really awesome. We used a Neuman mic and recorded some pop/rock tunes.

I'm with Bear, it highly depends on the mic used and on the final result you want.
Some combinations of pre/mic give a particular colour which fits perfectly for a style, but maybe it doesn't fit with the singer's voice.

A very good question should be "how to understand if the choice is right?"

regards

laughing_bear · Post by **laughing_bear** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:07 pm

Diego wrote: A very good question should be "how to understand if the choice is right?"

If you find the answer to that you'll be a rich man!

Experience, trial and error.... and sometimes coincidences as well.

P.S.
When will you finally start sharing nice pasta dishes.... or deserts? I am dying for some really good italian recipes.

laughing_bear · Post by **laughing_bear** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:08 pm

Manley, Pendulum, SSL, Milllenia, Avalon, Chandler

On the gear part....

If I would have to choose only four, I would add:

Neve
UAD
Crane Song
Groove Tubes

to the list of your already very noble names in business!

peter m. mahr · Post by **peter m. mahr** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:54 pm

laughing_bear wrote:Experience, trial and error.... and sometimes coincidences as well.

That is the stage I am in (trial and hopefully not to much of error).

I know gearslutz and there are of course some very knowledgable people. And of course I know the old rule, to test the devices in studio on your own... but I am looking for a starting point.

Does Crane Song have a channel strip? I have to check it, as they have some relly nice sounding equipment... but I also forgot to mention Neve

)

peter

peter m. mahr · Post by **peter m. mahr** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:43 am

Lorenzo wrote:I'm sorry, in my little studio due to lack of $$$ I only use a MOTU traveler, the signal chain go from mic to motu traveler, out of it, then to the old fostex 350 that is really awsome to add some warmth to the voice and go back to the traveler... nothing else. Some times I use the Mackie Onyx 1620 to record the voice through its eq...
Maybe one day I'll add a focusrite isa when I'll earn more money, or, if not, just a voice master pro. We will see in the future!

ciao lorenzo,

hope to get the traveler soon, too. mackies onyx did get some nice comments and seems to be a good value for money mixer. was using the sr24.4 years ago and whenever i listen to those old records i am surprised by the quality.

did you hear the focusrite isa?

peter

Lorenzo · Post by **Lorenzo** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:53 am

did you hear the focusrite isa?

Yes and I love it. Maybe it's not the best out there but I think that you can obtain professional result with it for sure. Too much money for me though... maybe in the future...

peter m. mahr · Post by **peter m. mahr** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 9:10 am

Lorenzo wrote:
did you hear the focusrite isa?
Yes and I love it. Maybe it's not the best out there but I think that you can obtain professional result with it for sure. Too much money for me though... maybe in the future...

what is the best?

as stated above by laughing bear and diego, it depends on vox and mic (and on ones taste!). just wanted to know which combination or which channel strip people here are using, if any... just as a starting point. it is impossible to get some and for sure not all of them for testing here. but maybe i found the right tool, within the next two weeks i will hopefully know more.

peter

Vim · Post by **Vim** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 3:56 pm

Hi Peter,

as laughing bear has argued it really depends on the type of music you're doing.

Most producers will stand by an ISA430mkII or go for the higher end Focusrite stuff (green and Red series)

I'd prefer going into a nice clean preamp during tracking and then if necessary, re-amp to get the grit and warmth you want.

So i use a transparent pre (Grace 101 is really excellent) and then later on i use a UAD Solo 610/110 for re-amping if necessary. I seldom commit to eqs or compressors during tracking and if so then ever so slightly as i prefer to use mic placement for getting the 'sound.'

Chandler makes some great stuff as well.

I then use my UAD-1 efx to get the processed sound that i want in the box.

For multichannel work (8 mics), i prefer using a presonus ACP88 or two focusrite ISA428s (ADAT to DAW of course) or if one is available a UAD 8110.

Mic choice and knowing where to place it is the most valuable tool that you will have though so keep on experimenting with that. you may find certain combinations of mics and pres work best for particular types of sounds / vocals.

HTH

peter m. mahr · Post by **peter m. mahr** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 5:13 pm

Hi Vim,

meanwhile I have a Manley Voxbox which replaced the LA-610.

You are right, the mic, its placement and of course the singer are most important. But so far the Manley seems to fit well although I am not sure about the Compressor. Have to check this in the next session.

Read some positive comments about the Grace but also the Great River and as you mentioned, the Chandler... but I guess there are many pieces of high quality that would do the job. For now I am happy with the Voxbox, lets see how things are developing.

.. ah yes, forget Universals UAD, which in my opinion is one of the best pieces I own. Its Comps, the LA2A for example I like a lot. The Urei as well and not to forget the Cambridge EQ which all made me sell the Focusrite Liquid Mix.

SSL's Duende is still on the list as it would perfectly fit to the UAD. The later is one piece of gear which I would recommend everyone who is working with a PC or Mac, it is absolutely fantastic, especially for the price.

Did you check the Neve Comp? Unfortunately it needs a lot of processing which brings me to the only critisicm concerning Univerals UAD... no successor with more processing power. It is about time in my opinion. Maybe an external solution so that I can still use my Mac.

peter

Vim · Post by **Vim** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 10:44 am

Hi Peter,
Well Manley's are great but just remember one thing ... if you go tube all the way in then you are likely to get a very saturated sound with multiple harmonics - a phat sound but then it may not sit well in the mix at all ... point being, usually only 1 thing in the recording chain should be tube, all else should be discrete. eg, if the preamp is a valve/tube model then do not use a valve or tube mic (unless that is specifically the efx u r looking for). if the mic is a valve then use a 'clean' pre like the great rivers or graces.

Concerning the UAD ... yes i have used the compressors and the new helios eq and all i can say everytime i use it is 'dang.' Yes the chipset is old etc etc but dat thing still kills for bang for the buck. i am planning to buy my fourth UAD-1 card jsut so i can use those Neve comps/eqs and the other efx on all my inputs. Cambridge is 'good' but not as much as precision Eq for mastering purposes.

For your expansion solution ... pick up a magma chasis, stick in 1 group of 4 and another group of 3 UAD-1s and you should be ok for a long while.

Duende ... nah not really a fan of SSL - besides it costs too darn much.

peter m. mahr · Post by **peter m. mahr** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:50 pm

Hi Vim,

Vim wrote:Hi Peter,
Well Manley's are great but just remember one thing ... if you go tube all the way in then you are likely to get a very saturated sound with multiple harmonics - a phat sound but then it may not sit well in the mix at all ...

Right! It is so fat that I would need a lot of EQ to make it fit in the mix.

Surprisingly I am not a big tube fan, but I like the combination of the Voxbox together with the Brauner Mic. The Phantom has strong highs and until now - what I have heard so far - those two build a nice couple. Next time my singer has to prove that

.

What do you use for keyboards? For those which do not have digital outs I am using Avalon U5s. Although I have the Manley DI box I will sell it soon as there is no real need and the tube sound is as you described it. Even the MM Voyager I prefer when recorded via the U5s instead of the tubey Manley box. For Korgs OASYS I even prefer the U5s against the ADAT lighpipe connection.

Maybe I will invest some money either in a Grace or Great River as I have seen to many people making good comments about both. Here I do not have access to test and compare them... but I will see, at the moment the Voxbox is all I need... beside some creative moments.

Vim wrote:Concerning the UAD ... yes i have used the compressors and the new helios eq and all i can say everytime i use it is 'dang.' Yes the chipset is old etc etc but dat thing still kills for bang for the buck. i am planning to buy my fourth UAD-1 card jsut so i can use those Neve comps/eqs and the other efx on all my inputs. Cambridge is 'good' but not as much as precision Eq for mastering purposes.

For your expansion solution ... pick up a magma chasis, stick in 1 group of 4 and another group of 3 UAD-1s and you should be ok for a long while.

Which PC or Mac are you using? I was already thinking about a solution like that, but was sceptical... not sure whether it is reliable... I agree, the UAD is excellent. ... hm I guess I have to surf the net for the magma chasis

Vim wrote:Duende ... nah not really a fan of SSL - besides it costs too darn much.

That´s the reason why I did not buy myself, but I really liked what I have heard. On the other hand the firewire port is blocked by motus traveler and I do not like to have multiple devices running by usage of firewire.

thanks for the recommendation !

peter

Vim · Post by **Vim** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 1:36 am

peter m. mahr wrote:Hi Vim,
What do you use for keyboards? For those which do not have digital outs I am using Avalon U5s. Although I have the Manley DI box I will sell it soon as there is no real need and the tube sound is as you described it. Even the MM Voyager I prefer when recorded via the U5s instead of the tubey Manley box. For Korgs OASYS I even prefer the U5s against the ADAT lighpipe connection.

The Avalon U5s are great DIs. I played around with them for my keys and even guitar and they sound ultra clean yet somehow have character. For keys now i just use the inputs on my MOTU896 or go through whatever the studio has. I go direct because i use ITB tools to make the sound 'fit'. Choice would be the UA 2-610 though. Other times i go through a guitar stack and mic the output ni multiple rooms including the bathroom for verb and early reflections and stuff like that. Really depends on what the client wants or what i want to achieve with the sound.

peter m. mahr wrote:Which PC or Mac are you using? I was already thinking about a solution like that, but was sceptical... not sure whether it is reliable... I agree, the UAD is excellent. ... hm I guess I have to surf the net for the magma chasis

I'm using a P4 2.8 (intel 875 chipset on Asus mobo) with 4 gigs of Ram. multiple raid arrays and scsi discs for recording. Yep i am still using Logic 5.5.1 (if it aint broke why change it) and this system has been rock solid for days now. I think that you should invest in Magma chasis if you have the $$$ to spare as they are darn expensive. They come in either PCI or PCI-e flavours and from what i have used and seen they are rock solid. 1 guy i know uses 2 of them and has 4 groups of 4 UAD1s (has a lynx card as an interface though and that's rock solid). With his protools hd setup the sound he gets is awesome mate.

peter m. mahr wrote: On the other hand the firewire port is blocked by motus traveler and I do not like to have multiple devices running by usage of firewire.

well as long as they are not on the same fw input they should be ok.

take care and have fun.

Vim