I'm just curious, anyone using a console to record or mix projects? I personally use a hot rodded 32 channel Soundcraft for both...I love mixing on these bloody things!! No itb vs otb or anything like that, personally I think they both sound great.

 

I like the interface of a console, as that is how I learned... and am faster on for some things... Depends on the console... not gonna turn down a neve 8048 or an ssl, helios, etc... I have used soundcrafts in the past, I don't remember them giving any particular quality I desired, not bad or anything, just not a "mojo" thing, but I could see them being a nice way to get OTB.... and helping out with workflow things, like bringing up stems and easily adjusting submixes and whatnot.. they are more like a bigger mackie board to me with probably noisier specs... but I am not dissing it, ... how is it hotrodded?

For recording, I definitely like consoles, flat or colored, in that obviously with recording drums and whatnot, I would rather have more hands on more faders then trying to adjust levels in an interface etc.. and for that, a soundcraft might be neutral enough.. but I guess I was spoiled in the past with expensive boards etc,.... but I don't know what board you are talking about or what was done with it... so it sounds like I am knocking on it, when I don't mean to..;)..

but yes, mixing/recording on/in consoles is nice, ..and if you told me 20 years ago that this would be a "novel" thing to some degree I would have scratched my head..... there was such blowback about ITB back then and how no way could it ever really get "there"...

 

I would go back to consoles anytime provided I have a budget, which means: a technician to fix it every time something breaks and some hands (with ears) to do the automation. Until then I'll prefer to mix itb for practical reasons.
Probably I should offer internships for aspiring producers, teaching them the vintage way of mixing.

(Anyway I will keep my V276 pre as my last piece from a console)

 

WITHOUT question... ;)

 

Yes I have two Yamaha 02R's, an 01V and a Philips (Dutch) microphone preamp/mixer driving 2 ADATs and 2 Pro Tools PCs. I am relatively new to Pro Tools but find myself using it more than the ADATs, meanwhile. I do a lot of acoustic recording, for which I employ an original Neumann U47, a partially rebuilt Telefunken U47, a partially rebuilt Neumann U47fet and also some Shure SM57's which are also great for vocal stuff (as well as almost anything else). I'm not always picky about the setup. Sometimes you just start recording with whatever you've got in front of you. Headphones are important though, good ones. I use David Clark SH10 (I think is what they are).

P.S.: the 02R I normally use one at a time of course, not in tandem although you can link them.

 

Last edited: Apr 22, 2017

Rebuilt power supply, upgraded caps and ICs...I'd love a Neve or an SSL but a little out of my league at the moment. I love the process of mixing on it (probably any other one as well) I find it inspiring and fun!!

 

I'll bet those 47's sound incredible!!

 

Not to derail he thread. But I noticed last week Deadmau5 bought a new Neve console. Like a full sized studio console.... Good for him if he just wanted it, but seriously dude. You make EDM. Lol!!!

 

I used to mix on a console alot and love it ... but for recall and all the work i do now is ITB on the Mixing side... i still record with my Tascam M520 its an old vintage analogue mixer .... ive services it from top to bottom and for a cheaper old console i love it... pre amps sound pretty damn good on it ! also it has VU meters on all channels ... Old style ;)

 

I used to use the o2R all the time with my old Protools/Studiovision rig... I liked it a lot.... But since I moved to 24bit in 2003 or whatever, I stopped using it.... still have it.... kind of a huge boat anchor for synth line mixer or whatnot... but the internal fx in it (essentially 2 spx90's), are worth more to me then selling it for peanuts...

 

nice, so it's a good clean signal path without a whole lot of color, and the hands on experience of mixing and routing... sucks for recalls (unless you just work at unity or whatnot, but it doesn't sound like you do!), but recalls are a pita, and most people who are making music just for themselves and whatnot either don't have to, are lucky to not have to care, and who the fuck cares anyway? ;)

 

Hi NextGenSound, well, microphones on their own really don't tell you much, it's where and how you set them up. Normal microphones can sometimes sound just as nice, depending on same. It's what you do with them. U47s require attention as they tend to sound a bit 'bassy" in proximity to a source, especially a vocal one, and their character can even get in the way of adequately compressing. They are loud too. There's usually a Hi Pass on them when tracking, with additional treatment in the mixdown stage. They are normally set to "unidirectional" but would sound much flatter in "omni" mode which I sometimes use, not often. I store different presets for all three U47s as no two will ever sound identical to one another. A U47's character is in the capsule, maybe even more than in the (unusual) tube type. Hard to say. The U47fet is on an extra tube preamp of its own, a Universal Audio 610 and it has no "uni/omni" switch like the other two do. And yes, the internal EQ and FX (hi Sisyphus) of the 02R are very good. I like using the consoles, as well as having the ADATs on, even when working in Pro Tools (which I am learning) for the availability of VU metering, all around, which is something I kind of like. I am not a truly professional recordist but I consider myself a good writer of songs, as well as a good player/singer, which I've done for years instead of working hard and I like being my own producer. My first "recordings" had guitars plugged more or less directly into Revox A77/TEAC 3440 recorders, with effects crudely added to the bounced-down result of layering up to 10 times. Later we got a Philips 8 channel mixer with three AUX channels that enabled a bit more sophisticated routing but it was still all 4-track. And then came the Yamahas and a couple of ADATs.

I wouldn't go back thirty years but I will always hold on to the hardware, if a bit outdated in some respects. Since recently becoming a member on sister site and meeting all you guys over here with your rather impressive knowledge of DAW recording I am seeing its benefits more, having Pro Tools 12.5 capacity filled with instruments and the complete Waves inventory .

P.S.: I couldn't do away with either approach anymore, I like both hardware and DAW recording and it's often fun just to explore mainly the latter these days, many thanks to ".....z".

 

Last edited: Apr 23, 2017

I use an SSL 4000G for both recording and mixing (in conjuction with ITB). It's an instrument on its own (with personality and sound), just like the instruments I'm recording. Love it!

Also have access to an API 1608, but I haven't used it as much lately. Both are great consoles.

 

Maybe he's trying to reinvent his sound? Either that or he's got a big pot of money and wants to spend it...Either way, he's probably loving his new purchase!!

 

Not much color but tight low end and nice eq, very clean path! Much less crosstalk, stereo field is MUCH wider! I'm fortunate in that I don't do many recalls and really only use the console eq's not much hardware (compression etc...) so I take a pic of the channels and save it with the session as a jpg...however my last project was for a dancehall/pop type band and they made me recall the mix 6 times!! That was a little frustrating lol but still worth using the console!!