So I am trying to move a bit more out of the box (but not totally) for more tactile hands on feeling.

I am looking at some outboard gear to invest in. I have a Virus Ti, which will soon be complemented by a couple of other rack mountable synths, like the Model D, for example. However, I am looking to record everything into my DAW *Cubase Pro 10) and then push it out through my outboard gear for a more analog sound, and then back into my DAW. Effectively using the outboard gear as the master channel's effects.

I've been eyeing a couple of things up as I don't have an infinite budget and looking to invest wisely, and cheaply if possible. For this reason, two of my first purchases will likely be the Klark Teknik 1176 and LA2A compressor clones that seem to be getting great reviews, even off pro audiophile and studio sites. I may even buy 2 of each and run them in stereo. Klark Teknik also have made a Pultec EQ clone, but seems to be more difficult to get a gauge on how good that is. Therefore, not yet decided on my EQ.

I will be mainly using this setup for making techno and film scores, so I would appreciate any advice or recommendations on decent and affordable gear that fits the above parameters!

Cheers all

 

i see it also this way
---
manley comps can bring wtf analog saturation but these are really expensive

 

I really advise you to hear some examples and comparisons to the originals and to make shure you like them. If we take Softube for example they make reeeally close emulations of the tube techs and Plugin Alliance has some great emulations too (Vertigo).

The problem with clones is that they always differ in sound very much compared to the originals. So if you look for a clone you really should make shure you like it.

 

Last edited: Mar 17, 2019

This is why I referred to the two compressors but not the EQ. The compressors have numerous online written and video comparisons between UA, Teletronix etc and the Klerk Teknik’s. General consensus seems to be that they are ver6 hard to tell the difference and are probably about a 95% perfect clone. Granted, hearing them myself is best admittedly, but nowhere anywhere near me stocks Klark Teknik gear (who are now owned by Music Tribe, i.e. Behringer family, and we all know about the strong synth clone game they have going on!).

 

Hardware synths: go for them! Behringer is the new global quality/price bechmark. I own a Model D and it IS a Minimoog.

Hardware outboards: different feelings.

1. you're going to seriously complicate all your (former ITB) set-up. Complicate = $$$$
2. you need very good A/D & D/A converters to make this move really worthing: it will be very useless to spend on external gear keeping a standard prosumer USB2 audiocard. The minimum to start is an RME multi channel. [edit: your MOTU sounds already good]
3. as a serious and cheap alternative to real hardware try absolutely an Acustica Audio plugin suite (or any offical 3rd party developers plugs just like SteDal and London Acoustics). Night & Day from any algorithmic plugin. Indistinguishable or 98% close to the real thing. But with multipre instances (depending on your hardware) and fully recallable.

 

Correct . This is a thing I forgot. Converters are also a big price component.

 

Assuming you've got good converters.
Check out Creme by Tegeler Audio - Pultec like EQ with SSL style compressor, for a great price!

Another Analog Flavour box if you like with extremely versatile uses is the Louder Than Liftoff Silver Bullet.

 

top end plugins do a really good job of modelling hardware dynamics and eq processors, so think carefully before you drop serious money on something that might provide marginal benefits in sound. If you want a really hands on experience and something that will really compliment your hardware synths grab some moogerfoogers before the prices go stratospheric, or get a sherman filterbank, plugins dont even come close to that thing.....see also boutique pedals, software does a pretty lousy job of Modelling fuzz and distortion so that would be a worthy hardware investment too.

 

Getting a high resolution Motorfader also change the whole game. Not shure if you can learn it to plugin parameters in cubase as it is possible with logic or studio one. tho.

 

@Bunford
Take a look at Stam Audio products: a lot of vintage gear homemade replicas (mics - preamps - eqs - comps). Great sound and honest prices
http://stamaudio.com

 

Which Faderport alike do you have please?I'm thinking to buy one but I don't know which.

 

In all honesty I have to tell you to spend any money you have on improving your ITB specs. I have 14 keyboards which in turn requires a 32 channel desk which, along with guitars and basses going through a Line 6 Helix Rack and Vox amp, plus microphones and vocoders all routed into an Apollo interface.
And I barely use any of it.
For example; why power up my Minimoog, wait for it to warm up, steady the pitch, fiddle about with a Kenton Pro Solo, get the level right, get the midi timing synced when in less time I could have finished and moved on using Monark or Legend or dozens of others? Same with outboard gear. I had been weighing up purchasing an SSL Fusion until I mentally went through the process of routing it out and back in, then still needing to do finalising back in the DAW, all just to say it's got a bit of analogue when a single Acustica plugin can do pretty much the same thing. In fact Izotope can do what an outboard TC Finalizer can do and I used to save that for the last minute "Ta Da!!" moment for clients as they'd get that wow look and think what a genius I was.

 

ART Pro VLA II

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/art-pro-vla-ii

 

Good hardware sounds better,you can't say the contrary,but It costs too much for what you get compared to quality plugins.

 

What you will get with outboard processing can never be achieved ITB. I've been ITB for many years trying to achieve the same sound. I think it's pretty wise if you're going for quality production to invest into at least a couple of outboard pieces like compressors, amps and distortions - things that just still sound better in hardware.

Mixers can also do wonders for your ITB sound, for submixing, and they go so cheap these days. I mean quality stuff like Allen&Heath, or Soundtracs and Studiomaster [British sound lover here ]. But your AD/DA should be quite good, to get the most of it. Although, to tell the truth, I think most of them sound excellent these days. Times when AD/DA converters sounded distinctively different are gone. I'm using TC Electronic StudioKonnekt 48 for that and it's fantastic. The only problem is Firewire interface which is rather obsolete already, but IDG a F about that... Great converters will always be great converters.

I think your choice is great to start with, Bunford. I am myself looking into these Klark Teknik thingies.

One thing, though. I wouldn't obsess about having an outboard EQ that much... ITB EQs are excellent. Even compressors have become really good these days, but if you want a really nice analog flavour, you will be amazed with how nice an analog compressor can sound. Or amp, distortion, filter, overdrive, phaser, even delay and reverb.

I agree it's a PITA to work with outboard when you're just about to start making a track. My "war tactics" to fight the distraction is this: make the song ITB with what you've got, then, if it pans out well, make it better, work on it and use hardware to refine the sound where it's needed.

Analog, especially when it comes to stereo tracks, will give you that really nice "3D" sound that is very hard to achieve ITB. Small random changes in phase, EQ, loudness, and absolutely no aliasing, will give your tracks more life and smooth sound. Now... I'm not sure if people can hear these things, but I can, and I love it.

Cheers!

 

Last edited: Mar 17, 2019

Sure. But as many reputable reviewers have noted, a $10,000 Shadow Hills compressor doesn't sound $9,875 better than Acustica Ultramarine or the UAD2 Compressor. Maybe not even the Overloud version. And as far as synth plugins I think they've reached the point we're at with pianos. Why waste studio time to set up microphones to record a piano for 90% of jobs?

 

I'd like to add something to what I've said. When you're recording stuff through hardware, you don't need to apply any [or just a bit, if you find it good sounding for the track], of the saturation with ITB plugins. What you need to use is as transparent digital processing from plugins as possible. That's why I've started to use Voxengo plugins again. When you record something properly, you don't need no stinkin' digital artefacts on it.

So there went most of the freaking analog emulation plugins into the bin... at least on my side.

 

Last edited: Mar 17, 2019

The implication you are making is that applying a specific type of recording through hardware is going to yield better results. And I agree if the criteria was guitar, bass, drums and vocals going through good pre-amps and a good analogue desk. No question. But when almost all of your sound sources are still ITB you're really making life hard for yourself for little reward if you re-route and re-process all of your individual tracks just to say you analogued all of the digital out of your track.

Allow me to elaborate on this. Some of you may recall that I have professional experience going back to the late 70's. I still remember how much easier it was working with tape and a large Console. I now work ITB and it's a struggle to tame a digital signal from outside the box. Analogue components and tape were like butter....everything came out creamy. I have CD's I recorded that have a depth I can't imagine reproducing today. But I now have symphony orchestras at my fingertips, I have have a choice of Steinways. I have choirs and much more. Musicians have never been so lucky working "In The Box"

 

Last edited by a moderator: Mar 18, 2019

You do not need saturation components if you're "in the box". You can go "transparent" whenever you like. And you can use emulation plugins whenever you like too . There is no "too much analog" nor "too less analog". Only at the moment your signal to noise ratio is very low you should overthink the used methods.

I've stated this in another thread: Analog components are intented to have very low harmonic distortion otherwise no one would use them. The Fairchild is not good because he has something going on at -40db or something .

 

Spoiler: ?