Liquid Channel

[joek1972]

What's everyone's reaction to this piece of gear? Worth the $3000? Does it sound reasonably close to the original pieces of gear it's emulating? Does it sound better than the plugin versions of said gear? Discuss.

[sonikbliss]

The infamous " I wanted to hate it..." Thread

[joel hamilton]

I wanted to hate it, and instead I wound up hating the drama surrounding it.

Quote me on that....

[joelpatterson]

I wanted to hate it, and instead I wound up hating the drama surrounding it.

Quote me on that....

Oh shit! You didn't say "Simon says"!

[Rick Hunter]

I wanted to hate it, and instead I wound up hating the drama surrounding it.

Quote me on that....

What do you think is better, an 1176 or a liquid channel? like if you can have only one. But the 1176 had a spear.

But...the liquid channel had nunchucks?

[@?,*???&?]

I wanted to hate it, and instead I wound up hating the drama surrounding it.

Quote me on that....

What do you think is better, an 1176 or a liquid channel? like if you can have only one. But the 1176 had a spear.

But...the liquid channel had nunchucks?

Hey cool, another cryptic Rick Hunter comment...

[joel hamilton]

Here is a followup to the review I wrote:

I didnt buy the Liquid channel, even at the very, very reduced price they offer to the people who review stuff.

It simply did not fit the way I like to work. I like single use items.

The 8 zillion options did not really do anything for me, as I wound up just leaving the thing on the helios with the fairchild every single time I used it, if at all. I realized that I simply dont need, or want to go through 19 mic pre's to see "what is the best" foir a given source, ya know? I know what will work in my arsenal for pretty much anything, but that thing felt like a really amazing robot that wants to help you, even when you dont need any help, and it is just annoying. Like "here you go! I can do it! Hey look at me! I am a screwdriver now! Use me instead of the old craftsman you always use! Hey Look! Now I am a hammer! Awesome! that old estwing of yours can go in the trash now right!!!>!?!?!? Please!?!?! [sob]...[fizzle]"

Something like that....

If I did not have a bunch of choices already, I would consider getting a liquid channel. Maybe. I doubt it. The box is amazing, I still feel that way. The technology is amazing. So are spaceships and sharks and robot welding arms. I also think remote control sharks would be "amazing."

I realized this:

A screwdriver doesnt have to be amazing, it just needs to turn a screw to be useful.

[A.L.]

Hey cool, another cryptic Rick Hunter comment...

Jesus christ, shut the **** up.

You make shitty records and 're a dick on internet. Congratulations.

[Quest Poetics]

But how is the megapixel LCD Screen...If that box can display all of my dirty Donkey porn then I'm signing up for 2...I'm so interested in that box but I just cant get over the negative hype...I unfortunately cant exactly demo the thing here in K.C. and I'm not about to go into it blindly...I dont have tons of options around my studio so I wouldn't mind having an all in one box, even if the purists spit and laugh at me...

If it sounds "MUSICIAL" at all to me when and if I demo the thing I'm going to grab one right away...Everyone may bitch and complain about how it doesn't do their 1176 or whatever exactly...I'm not looking for exact copies of great gear...I just wouldn't mind having a kick ass "Musical" signal chain...If it can deliver that, then I'll just make it do what I want it to...We'll see....


Peace!

[A.L.]

On topic.

Yeah Joel, I see your point...

it's the same thing, film vs video, tape vs DAW.

Instead of making decisions you're stuck second-guessing every choice and splitting hairs that don't need to be split.

When I make movies I shoot film... the limitations of film (pissing away money for every wasted frame) forces me to make choices and stick with them in both shooting and editing. This results in better work on my part because instead of tweaking every little thing and reshooting for every dumb irregularity I'm forced to focus: to make every shot the best it can be with what I have and consequenty knowing my limited range of equipment better. Screw 'post', get it right the first time, make a fuckin' movie, you know?

Excellent.

That doesn't mean digital cameras, etc. aren't rad but they don't stimulate me in the same way.

[nacho459]

Hey Joel, I totally agree with you. I played with the Liquid Channel at AES to see what all the hype is and I realized when would I need more then a few flavors of mic pre. I don't want to sit in a session and say, "which sounds better the Neve or the API". I would rather have a sweet pair of pres and go with that.

Right now I have my 60's pre, my 70's pre, and my modern pre, a LA2A, a 1178, and a bunch of other crap I never use. Hey I would love a pair of Neve pres, but If I can't get it to sound good with what I have it's me, not my gear.

[rimbaud234]

I have one and love mine.
Some people might not be able to differentiate between or need 40 different preamps, but having one box that does a compelling Fairchild, LA2A, 1176, Joe Meek, etc. compressor is pretty f-ing awesome.
Plus I can save presets from a session and control it from my DAW.
Oh wait, DAWs are digital. They suck. And so does the Liquid Channel 'cause it's digital too.
Nevermind, I hate mine.

[Mr. Dipity]

Instead of making decisions you're stuck second-guessing every choice and splitting hairs that don't need to be split.

I would argue that this isn't the fault of the box, but a mind set cultivated to deal with the environment you are used to. My DAW is infinitely more complex than any pre/compressor simulator could be, and it takes discipline to focus on what I require from it, but I'm don't find myself constantly wading through my options, or meandering in indescision.

The way I see it, 'option anxiety' is an illusion. Douglas Adams creates a suitable metaphor in 'The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy', in his description of the room that the Earth was built in: the room is so big that it gives a better impression of infinity than the one infinity would. You always have infinite options: just because some box gives you a whole load more, doesn't mean that you didn't have an infinite amount of options to begin with.

That said, if someone would like to send me theirs, I would be happy to evaluate it's ablility to create option anxiety for a couple of years or so, until something newer comes along.

[Bear]

Hey cool, another cryptic Rick Hunter comment...

Jesus christ, shut the **** up.

You make shitty records and 're a dick on internet. Congratulations.

9.5

[tony moore]

I'm gonna wait for the plug in

Fantastic post Joel!