Pro Tools 12

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Pro Tools 12

Post by Recording Engineer » Tue May 26, 2015 2:20 pm

I'm putting together a cheap Pro Tools setup, strictly for mixing a modern Folk/Folk-Rock/Americana/Pop project. I'm thinking a new iMac, Apogee Duet 2, Pro Tools 12, and up to $1k of plugins.

Any recommendations on plugins? I'm still not clear what the stock PT12 plugins are.

I'm use to mixing on a PT 7.4 HD3 Accel rig. I mostly use URS Classic Console Strip Pro, Crane Song Phoenix, Massey L2007, ReverbOne, and EchoBoy, all TDM. And a little bit of Auto-Tune RTAS on vocals.

Thanks!

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Post by kslight » Tue May 26, 2015 3:32 pm

The stock plugs aren't bad really, but I use Waves Platinum for most stuff and several of the IK T Racks CS models for emulations. I bought the IK on mega group buy so I dunno what they cost in real life, but I should think $1000 would buy you a lot of plugins.

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Post by roscoenyc » Wed May 27, 2015 5:58 am

UA Apollo Twin as in interface over the Duet would give you the ability to run UA's plugins. I think they sound head over heels above the rest.

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Post by ott0bot » Wed May 27, 2015 8:37 am

roscoenyc wrote:UA Apollo Twin as in interface over the Duet would give you the ability to run UA's plugins. I think they sound head over heels above the rest.
I was going to mention the Apollo as well, plus when you buy an Apollo product I think they offer a plug in discount at purchase. Plus if you buy 3, the discount at 30% right now. The stock bundle isn't shabby either. Plus having the ability to track with plug ins is so nice when you are limited on outboard gear choices. The DI becomes incredibly unable with the unison preamps too. Also, if you ever want to upgrade you can link the Twin via lightning bolt to a bigger unit and use all I/O function. You know...in case you're recording all of Sweey's Men or something.

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Post by Recording Engineer » Wed May 27, 2015 8:53 am

I'm very interested in the UAD stuff... I'm just very confused about it all. The Apollo Twin seems perfect, but somehow I have a feeling that's not all I would need to run their plugins. Do their plugins only use their processing power? I want to make sure I have way more than enough processing power to run way too many plugins on way too many tracks, if needed for some stupid reason... Though this project has only about 50-60 tracks and I'll probably do a lot subgroup heavy processing.

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Post by roscoenyc » Wed May 27, 2015 9:44 am

You mentioned "cheap" that's why I mentioned the Apollo Duo as it's their least expensive box.

I have the Apollo Quad at home and I've done quite a bit of ITB mixing with it.
Most times I'm using their plugs almost exclusively.
Every once in a while you can get close to running out of processor space. If that happens I usually go back and use one of their "legacy" plugs and those take up less processor space.
It's a pretty awesome box. I'm sure glad I got one.

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Post by ott0bot » Wed May 27, 2015 5:47 pm

^^ Same here...picked up a Quad for home use. With lightning bolt it'll run super swell. I thought the Twin was comparable a to the Duet, but you also have the UAD stuff as a bonus.

You can use your regular plug ins along-side the UAD plug ins. The UAD stuff will used the SHAC chips for DSP processing allowing you to have more of your computers memory available for the other plug ins. It's a win-win.

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Post by Recording Engineer » Thu May 28, 2015 9:37 am

UAD Twin Duo it is! Good call... Thanks guys!

Besides the Classic Analog Bundle it comes with, what 3 plugins do you recommend, considering the project and how much UAD processing power I will have? I was thinking Ocean Way (for 1 or 2 instances), SSL E Channel Strip, but don't know for a third... Maybe Ampex ATR-102? Or?

By the way, instrumentation is drums, bass, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, Hammond/Leslie, cello, violin, viola, male lead vox, female backing vox... And style is Dylan, Greatful Dead, Petty, One Headliight-Wallflowers -inspired modern Folk/Folk-Rock/Americana.

Drums, electric guitar, and vocals will need the most of the plug-ins work.

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Post by roscoenyc » Thu May 28, 2015 9:56 am

I'd get the EMT 250 or the EMT Classic bundle over the Ocean Way thing.
The Ocean Way thing takes tons of processor space.

I would heartily suggest the Analog Classics Pro bundle.
That's all really great stuff that's on another level from the stock Classics bundle. You'll hear the difference. You'll use this stuff all the time.

As far as a channel strip goes both the API and the Neve 88RS come with the feature with the modeled pre-amp that you can use for recording (The SSL does not). They both sound great.

You get a 2 week demo on everything they make so you'll be able to try the stuff out. They also have a lot of specials that keep coming up from time to time.

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Post by Recording Engineer » Thu May 28, 2015 2:51 pm

So there's the stock Analog Classic Bundle and then there's an Analog Classic Pro Bundle? Would have never known! And EMT Classic Reverb Bundle or Lexicon 224?

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Post by roscoenyc » Fri May 29, 2015 7:08 am

The versions in the Analog Classis Pro are deeper in their choices. They have many more interesting pre-sets that give you good starting spots too.

I love the EMT 250 so much I feel like the price of the whole Apollo would be worth it for me for that one plugin.

Recording in the late 80's and early 90's I loved that reverb and as much as I loved the EMT 250 for its great sounds and its simplicity of use I hated the Lexicon for it's myriad of choices. I'll never get back all that time in my life waisted by engineers fumbling with that thing. Probably the #1 thing that made me want to learn and become a producer so no one would be waisting the artists time messing with crap like that.

Rant over ;)

Once you get the box you can try out anything you want. You don't have to pull the trigger on the 3 plugins as soon as you buy the Apollo.

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Post by Recording Engineer » Fri May 29, 2015 9:08 am

I appreciate all the info... I haven't thought about a new system or plugins for at least 10-years, so I'm way out of the loop!

Two last questions:

1. With around a $500 budget for other non-UAD plugins, should I just get a bunch of Waves (and which?) or get a bunch of cheap, but good plugins?
-http://www.eiosis.com/aireq.html $150
-Massey L2007 http://www.masseyplugins.com/#buy $100 (Is there a better limiter now for the same price?)
-http://www.klanghelm.com/DC8C.php $22
-http://www.stillwellaudio.com/plugins/m ... ompressor/ $50
-http://www.liquidsonics.com/software_reverberate.htm $77
-http://www.bozdigitallabs.com/product/10db-bundle/ $100
-http://www.ddmf.eu/product.php?id=4 $40

2. I need pitch-correction for vocals. What is the best now (I don't want to hear it; though it seems Auto-Tune always added a tonal enhancement that I actually liked) and easiest to use?

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Post by kslight » Fri May 29, 2015 10:28 am

If you can stretch it I've already established that I think this is a great value: http://www.waves.com/bundles/platinumbat $649 on sale now. (Normally twice that)
That has L2/3 etc and Linear processors which IMHO are great...plus all the utility stuff, reverbs, delays...big fan of H Comp, H Delay, and Vitamin especially... Oh and there's Waves Tune LT included. I'm not a big auto tune person so I've only actually used it once, so I can't say how it compares to the others.

When I tried to piece together "my own bundle" a la carte I found it quite a bit more to do it that way but depends on what you need.

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Post by Recording Engineer » Fri May 29, 2015 2:11 pm

Waves Platinum Bundle it is then; less someone else chimes in. I suppose the Diamond is the best bang for your buck, but I just want to make sure it's the best, sound-wise, Waves offers... Anotherwords, if it means I can have only a few plugin, in addition to the stock PT plugins, and three UAD plugins, I'm fine with it.

Thanks a bunch!

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Post by kslight » Fri May 29, 2015 3:49 pm

Recording Engineer wrote:Waves Platinum Bundle it is then; less someone else chimes in. I suppose the Diamond is the best bang for your buck, but I just want to make sure it's the best, sound-wise, Waves offers... Anotherwords, if it means I can have only a few plugin, in addition to the stock PT plugins, and three UAD plugins, I'm fine with it.

Thanks a bunch!
In all fairness, everyone's got their own preference for whatever reasons?my justification for Waves is a combination of familiarity (been using Waves for almost as long as I've been using Pro Tools), necessity (as my biggest client uses Waves on his HD rig) and that it gets me where I want to go. For all I know, there could be cheaper and/or better options, I only know what works for me.

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