Help me spend some cash on analog gear

[xFkx]

So I've figured i'd dabble in the satanic, the morbid and the occult that is analog gear, worked up a budget of 500 euro more or less

The problem is that i'm very inexperienced in terms of analog gear, and what items are a must have, except the industry standard like a 1176, la2a or a distressor, but those are way out of my price range.

I think what i'd need is a bus compressor to warm up the ITB mixes, or maybe a compressor that I could use on the vocal or bass bus couse those have been giving me problems in terms of sonic quality.

So if you guys have any idea how to guide me in the direction of gear that will give me the biggest sonic benefit then i'd be very glad

 

[crillemannen]

What do you use for gear right now??

There are allot of ITB compressors/eq etc that will be more than enough. Andy does all hes mixes ITB and Nordström too.

Check out UAD 2 cards, they provide probably the best ITB plugins today.

 

[Metaltastic]

Well IMO the most important piece of analog gear is the source, so if your guitar, pickups, and/or amp/cab aren't up to snuff, no fancy schmancy outboard is gonna fix that! However, if that's taken care of (or not an issue, e.g. if you mainly mix other people's stuff), then I would vote awesome preamps (like an FMR RNP), or awesome plugins - I really don't see going outboard for mixing as worth it personally!

 

[egan.]

I think you'll have a hard time finding a nice 2-bus compressor for 500 euro. Not to mention you would be adding an extra state of d/a and a/d so you may be doing more harm than good if your converters aren't great.

 

[slashvanyoung]

My favourite outboard gear at the studio is probably the SPL Channel One. Awesome pre/channel strip which is currently available for almost have the price they used to be... I think they might being discontinued.

 

[xFkx]

Hey, thanks for the replies so far.

My setup right now consists of a saffire pro 40, a ssl duende and a uad on it's way. With the pro40 i think my d/a a/d is pretty good.

Anyway, budget aside, so what hardware bus or vocal compressor would you recommend ?

 

[GarethSE]

Budget aside I'd buy a distressor, but i dont have the money haha

 

[Glenn Fricker]

So if you guys have any idea how to guide me in the direction of gear that will give me the biggest sonic benefit then i'd be very glad

http://realtraps.com/


Not glamourous, but some real, honest to goodness analog gear that WILL give you the biggest sonic benefit.

 

[devouredremains]

http://realtraps.com/


Not glamourous, but some real, honest to goodness analog gear that WILL give you the biggest sonic benefit.

+1

It had to be said!

 

[Soundlurker]

A big +1 to what Metaltastic and OzNimbus said.

 

[Jackal_Strain]

You can never go wrong with acoustic treatment. Also, I don't think you should earmark your money for analog gear unless you know what you want. Save that money until you're sure what to spend them on.
You're running a big risk of blowing lots of cash on something you find out two months later you didn't really need.

 

[Pot]

A big +1 to what Metaltastic and OzNimbus said.

i know it´s redudant but this IS the right answer

 

[Exocaster]

Hey, thanks for the replies so far.

My setup right now consists of a saffire pro 40, a ssl duende and a uad on it's way. With the pro40 i think my d/a a/d is pretty good.

Anyway, budget aside, so what hardware bus or vocal compressor would you recommend ?

On the cheaper side, I like my FMR RNLA. It's usually an insert on my vocal channel or bass DI.

 

[Metaltastic]

with the pro40 i think my d/a a/d is pretty good.

Hmm, I wouldn't be too certain of that... It's one mighty cheap interface, and the converters only go to 96k (and all the highly-regarded ones go to 192, even if we always use them at 44.1) But for processing individual tracks I doubt it'd make a difference, just no outboard multichannel stuff (e.g. summing) I'd say!

 

[-Noodles-]

FMR stuff is the best way to go if you want to buy into outboard for that kind of money..

 

[WestCoastCrush]

+1.

Has anyone seen the new FMR PBC-6A? Check it out on www.mercenaryaudio.com and see what Fletcher has to say. And peep that price! Check out the samples posted on Mercenary as well. Not bad for $500 USD!

Aside from that, I agree with Marcus and OzNimbus to a certain degree, but I've gotten great, totally crushing sounds with a little 1980's Marshall Lead 12 solid state practice amp through my old Pacifica preamp. That Pacifica was the difference, dude! I'd recorded that little amp for demos a bunch of times with other and/or lesser pres, but the Pacifica was the first that could make it truly crush.