Need a nice front end. Console or no?

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kayagum
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Post by kayagum » Tue Mar 18, 2014 11:03 am

Going to the original post, if you're looking at preamps for ribbons, here's a good rundown:

http://www.royerlabs.com/preampconsiderations.html

Syteks are also great for high straight gain.

Maybe the Cloudlifter would be a good addition too.

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Post by mwerden » Tue Mar 18, 2014 11:54 am

Garges, sounds like a whole bunch of well reasoned advice. My particular situation is that I don't have the business or the money to justify buying a large console, but that is what I would want in a vacuum. I would make use of all the features you mentioned, in particular it would be great for monitoring and mixing.

Would you be able to put a number on the inevitable extra costs to get things running tip top? Would adding 10-15% be the right ballpark?

NumberThirty- If I need a killer tube DI for a certain bass recording I might consider buying and selling or returning. In my case I'm definitely keeping what I buy. I plan on making lots of recordings and we're talking nuts and bolts here. My recording situation will just be a laptop with an Aurora 16, pretty straightforward.
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Post by digitaldrummer » Tue Mar 18, 2014 3:24 pm

I don't think you mentioned which platform you were on (Mac/Win) or if you even had a DAW... but if you do then you may want to also look at the Universal Audio Apollo or Apollo 16.

I just picked up the 16 recently and it has the virtual console app that runs on your DAW and does pretty much everything a physical console would do and then some. it's worth checking out.

and then personally I have a bunch of 500-series preamps/effects and a few other rack outboard units. so far it's been working really well for me but I'm pretty good with the mouse...

edit: just saw you mentioned the Lynx Aurora 16. I tried it but the console app did not seem quite as flexible to me as the UA Apollo.

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Post by cgarges » Tue Mar 18, 2014 4:23 pm

mwerden wrote:Would you be able to put a number on the inevitable extra costs to get things running tip top? Would adding 10-15% be the right ballpark?
For me and two friends of mine who bought consoles in the last few years, it was MUCH higher than 10-15%, but it really would depend on the situation.

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mwerden
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Post by mwerden » Tue Mar 18, 2014 6:11 pm

Thanks Chris, very good to know. I'm assuming this was all large format stuff? More like adding another 30-40%?

I'm specifically looking at a studer 962 and was imagining 15% of additional work. Maybe I need to build in a bigger buffer, if I do that absolutely helps my decision making.
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Post by numberthirty » Tue Mar 18, 2014 8:29 pm

kayagum wrote:Going to the original post, if you're looking at preamps for ribbons, here's a good rundown:

http://www.royerlabs.com/preampconsiderations.html

Syteks are also great for high straight gain.

Maybe the Cloudlifter would be a good addition too.
Sytek is great for the money. They are an even better value used(as someone else mentioned).

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Post by jgimbel » Tue Mar 18, 2014 9:30 pm

digitaldrummer wrote:edit: just saw you mentioned the Lynx Aurora 16. I tried it but the console app did not seem quite as flexible to me as the UA Apollo.
They've got a new console app for the thunderbolt/AES cards (I believe it's AES too, positive about the thunderbolt as it's what I'm switching to). It looks a lot more like the Apollo one, and like the Firestudio one I came from before. That's a game-changer for me.
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Post by llmonty » Wed Mar 19, 2014 4:46 am

jgimbel wrote:
digitaldrummer wrote:edit: just saw you mentioned the Lynx Aurora 16. I tried it but the console app did not seem quite as flexible to me as the UA Apollo.
They've got a new console app for the thunderbolt/AES cards (I believe it's AES too, positive about the thunderbolt as it's what I'm switching to). It looks a lot more like the Apollo one, and like the Firestudio one I came from before. That's a game-changer for me.
I see it in the TB manual but can't seem to find any more info on it. Coming from a system with an AES16e and recently crating up my console, this would be awesomely helpful. Do you have a link or more information on it?
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Post by jgimbel » Wed Mar 19, 2014 11:07 pm

llmonty wrote:
jgimbel wrote:
digitaldrummer wrote:edit: just saw you mentioned the Lynx Aurora 16. I tried it but the console app did not seem quite as flexible to me as the UA Apollo.
They've got a new console app for the thunderbolt/AES cards (I believe it's AES too, positive about the thunderbolt as it's what I'm switching to). It looks a lot more like the Apollo one, and like the Firestudio one I came from before. That's a game-changer for me.
I see it in the TB manual but can't seem to find any more info on it. Coming from a system with an AES16e and recently crating up my console, this would be awesomely helpful. Do you have a link or more information on it?
The most recent thing I had seen about it (last time I looked which was a month or two ago, I don't know what's out there since then) was this video from Lynx. The whole video is interesting, but they talk a bit about routing around 12:05, and around 12:50 they talk a bit about (and show) the mixer. They just touch on it, not a lot of detailed info, but this is where I got my first closer look at it that piqued my interest.

<embed src="//www.youtube.com/v/dUE7_4Jzk48?version=3 ... &amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed>
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Post by cgarges » Thu Mar 20, 2014 6:22 am

mwerden wrote:Thanks Chris, very good to know. I'm assuming this was all large format stuff? More like adding another 30-40%?

I'm specifically looking at a studer 962 and was imagining 15% of additional work. Maybe I need to build in a bigger buffer, if I do that absolutely helps my decision making.
Well, here's pretty much what we did right out of the gate with our Amek Angela.

http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopic.php?t=54906

We bought it back in 2008 and drove from NC to Laredo, TX to buy it in a Dodge Sprinter at what was pretty much the height of diesel gas prices, so there was $600 worth of gas right there. I also hired Brad Avenson to drive from Austin to Laredo to check it out before I went to go get it. Things like that factored into the equation for me, but other stuff did add up fairly quickly. Our console was in great shape, but we still spent some time customizing it to fit our needs and that just took time.

I imagine that if you weren't in a hurry to do the install and could do all the work on a smaller console in your own space, didn't really do any modifications, and did a minimal amount of wiring changes, you might get out with a smaller percentage. I've only been in charge of paying for a major console purchase once in my life (although I've been around for a couple of installs), so someone else might be able to chime in with their particular experience.

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Post by llmonty » Thu Mar 20, 2014 11:00 am

jgimbel wrote: The most recent thing I had seen about it (last time I looked which was a month or two ago, I don't know what's out there since then) was this video from Lynx. The whole video is interesting, but they talk a bit about routing around 12:05, and around 12:50 they talk a bit about (and show) the mixer. They just touch on it, not a lot of detailed info, but this is where I got my first closer look at it that piqued my interest.
Thanks! Sounds and looks great -- he mentions "coming out soon" or something like that.

Sorry to pull off topic
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Post by jgimbel » Sun Mar 23, 2014 1:55 pm

llmonty wrote:Thanks! Sounds and looks great -- he mentions "coming out soon" or something like that.
It does, and that video is from this past December. The card is out now, I'll actually be buying it (and a new computer) within the next couple weeks. Just finished the jobs I needed to cover them both, but now I need to find the right time between mixing projects to make the switch since not all of my plugins will be able to work with the new system. Trying to avoid having to remix projects!
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Post by I'm Painting Again » Sun Mar 23, 2014 6:46 pm

Seems to me like a full blown console with pres that can compete with ones you could get as outboard would be very very expensive..and then the cost of keeping it up is added on that..a lot can go wrong..

check out the Manley mixer..there might be a few others like it on the market now..i'm thinking inward connections..chandler..no frills high quality..and you can get the Manley with mic pres definitely for probably 5-8k..that thing rules and might be a really good solution for you..

you mentioned ribbons..

I will usually only use ribbons with DW Fearn VT2 and Altec 1566a pres as they sound best with those to me..(both tube)..the Fearn I need to turn the attenuation pretty far up for a ribbon though..the Altec is made for ribbon..most detail and natural with pleasing harmonics..these sound lush, big, fully detailed and most beautiful to my ears..acoustic instruments sound best with those two in general..though i use the API 512c on drum overheads now..the API type is very 70's rock sounding..sound great but not as full and thick as the tube ones..it also sounds decent and can handle a ribbon but not my first choice for overall sound..

millenia media makes the most neutral and hi-fi pre commercially available (i think)

there are so many options now-a-days it's crazy..you'll definitely figure it out..

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