Anyone using their Germanium pre as an effect for mixing?

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T-rex
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Anyone using their Germanium pre as an effect for mixing?

Post by T-rex » Tue Jul 14, 2009 5:52 pm

I got my germanium pre last week and so far it rules. So after going back and rereading Mike's review in Tape op I started running things through it at line level. I reamped some bass tracks, ran it as a parallel on a drum bus into distortion and finally a whole mix, one side at a time since I only have one germ.

I know, I know, you get a new toy and you tend to over use it and all. But I am blown away by how good it sounds running line level to it. I would like to get a second one anyway but now I am thinking about once I get it, use them on the mix bus. Am I crazy? It feels like cheating, but it sounds sooo good.
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Post by Babaluma » Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:37 am

are you going into the mic ins or the d.i. ins? have you tried both?

i intend to do something similar to mixes once my earlybird pre arrives.

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Re: Anyone using their Germanium pre as an effect for mixing

Post by vxboogie » Wed Jul 15, 2009 10:42 am

T-rex wrote:I got my germanium pre last week and so far it rules. So after going back and rereading Mike's review in Tape op I started running things through it at line level. I reamped some bass tracks, ran it as a parallel on a drum bus into distortion and finally a whole mix, one side at a time since I only have one germ.

I know, I know, you get a new toy and you tend to over use it and all. But I am blown away by how good it sounds running line level to it. I would like to get a second one anyway but now I am thinking about once I get it, use them on the mix bus. Am I crazy? It feels like cheating, but it sounds sooo good.
What germanium pre did you get?
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Post by joninc » Wed Jul 15, 2009 10:58 am

i recently summed some mixes through mine and it helped smooth things out. it's hard to make something sound bad with the germanium.
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Re: Anyone using their Germanium pre as an effect for mixing

Post by Babaluma » Wed Jul 15, 2009 3:46 pm

vxboogie wrote:What germanium pre did you get?
i'm guessing the one mike reviewed in tapeop?

:roll:

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Post by joninc » Wed Jul 15, 2009 3:47 pm

chandler!
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Post by T-rex » Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:20 pm

Yep, the chandler germanium pre.

I am running into the pre with the pad in to accept line level. I haven't tried actually reamping through it, but I am guessing (I would have to check) the instrument DI doesn't have the input transformer love so i don't know if it would be as much fun.

Anyway, it's subtle, well not so much on the thick switch, but it really is like a tone control. It's nice being able to use it to beef up some previously recorded tracks that I am now mixing. Alas, I am keeping my N72 so I can't afford a second one right now but this makes me really want to try the germ compressor or any of the Chandler stuff really.
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Post by Babaluma » Wed Jul 15, 2009 10:09 pm

i use my pair of germ comps on my mixes all the time, sometimes with zero compression, just for the gain/feedback germ line amp colour.

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Re: Anyone using their Germanium pre as an effect for mixing

Post by Jitters » Wed Jul 15, 2009 10:46 pm

T-rex wrote: Am I crazy? It feels like cheating, but it sounds sooo good.
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Post by Marc Alan Goodman » Mon Jul 20, 2009 7:39 am

exactly. If it sounds good do it! I use a pair of MCI tape machine line amps on my stereo bus all the time, or the line amps in my Studer A820 without even running to tape. It's not really much different from that!

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Post by T-rex » Mon Jul 20, 2009 6:17 pm

Marc Alan Goodman wrote:exactly. If it sounds good do it! I use a pair of MCI tape machine line amps on my stereo bus all the time, or the line amps in my Studer A820 without even running to tape. It's not really much different from that!
Actually that makes a lot of sense.
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Post by kakumei47 » Tue Jul 21, 2009 11:09 am

I use mine sometimes like this especially on guitars when mixing stuff if they're a little weak. Do this with my daking compressors (often without compressing) with guitars and on the main outs of my board (line amps here are a totally different flavor but amazing). Or sometimes the 2-1176 with no compression. Totally a worthwhile option to keep in mind.

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Re: Anyone using their Germanium pre as an effect for mixing

Post by trodden » Tue Jul 21, 2009 3:50 pm

Jitters wrote:
T-rex wrote: Am I crazy? It feels like cheating, but it sounds sooo good.
All's fair in love, war, and making records! :)
totally.. i run my two mix out of the board and into the line ins of my api 3124. add some somethin somethin'.. at least in my world.

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