Crane Song Spider Summing test

[crillemannen]

Hello,

Even though i had my Spider for like 2years now i never actually used it to sum my mixes through it. I thought i'd give it a go and i did a test for you guys to hear.

The file labeled Spider Summing is just the stems
runned through the spider with the FAT button engaged, no gain on the preamps.

The file that is labeled Spider preamp is the stems bounced with the
preamps set at 24db gain and the spiders tape simulator on at -9db.

I grouped them like this:

Drums and Bass
Guitars
Vox

So there is actually only 3stereo files put through the Spider and
I forgot the lead guitars.. Ops my bad haha..
All files should be equally loud, measured with BrainworX BX meter.



My personal opinion is that the spider sounds like a better version of Slates VCC. The version that i ran with some preamp gain sounds the best to me. Smooths the highs a bit and just add some nice analogue meaty mids to the guitars. Not a night and day difference, and you could probably achieve a bit of the effect in the mastering but i think im gonna use the summing in the more important projects in the future '


http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12967127/Spider Summing test.rar

 

[Mikaël-ange]

I just did a quick listen so take what follow with a grain of salt.

ITB and spider sum are really close. Low end is much tighter on itb version (not big surprise here).
Spider with preamp gain have a mushy low end, not really digging it for be honest with you Christian.

So for this shootout I prefer itb sum.

Now for really get otb summing benefice (not saying summing box give you a night and day difference but more like a 5/10% difference imo) you need to mix through it from the start.
And don't forget to monitor your mix through the AD converter you will use for printing back to PT.

And only after doing that you will hear a difference (and no longer get this mushy low end).

Little off topic but I really digging more and more your mix Christian, nice one

 

[crillemannen]

^

Cheers for listening man. Well maybe the bass gets a little bit muddy in the Analogue summing but you get allot more glue and that nice highend rolloff. So for rock i think it works great. And thanks for the comments on the mix, that is from an album i did this fall. Think it turned out great

But as you said not that big of a difference.

 

[Mikaël-ange]

Highend roll off come more from the tape processing than summing imho.
Would work great for rock oriented stuff as you said, maybe too much for more heavy stuff.
But as always it's the driver, not the car (look at Colin Richardson for exemple: he mixed so many album on a neve vr while still get clear low end and not to overbearing low mid... And as you probably know low mid bump is typical when using vr).