Stereo Master at mixdown - what do you use?

Carl Cornelius

Hi all,

I guess this is more a question for those of you who leave your DAW at mixdown. I've gone through all sorts of equipment over the years, analogue tape, MD, DAT, CD recorders and DAW. At the moment I go from my digital mixer with analogue outboard inserted back in to Apple Logic Studio again on 2 tracks. I was just wondering what everyone is using at the moment. There's so much stuff on the market and I'm just curious to hear what you all use and what benefits/drawbacks you see with the different tools...

Cheers

Calle

madtheory

I stay ITB for mixing. I never use outboard across the main outs, only occasionally as channel inserts (apart from outboard reverbs used always).

Bluebirdstudios

Hi Carl,
This is my master bus chain -

Pro tools - audient console (stereo master out)
- SPL kultube stereo compressor / tube drive
- Rupert Neve portico stereo expander
- Rupert Neve portico tape drive
- Summit audio eqp 200 EQ
- API 550 eq
- API 2500 stereo compressor
- Emprical labs de-esser
- Bricasti reverb
- Benchmark AD converter
- Pro tools via Aurora 19

even with everything bypassed - get that glued mix sound !!


When mixing use below list on audeint console inserts.
API 512 c Preamps x3
API 550b x2 eq
API 5500 dual eq
API 525 compressors x 2
API stereo compressor 2500
ANAMOD AM660 compressor
AVALON VT737 SP vacuum tube mic pre, compressor ,eq
BUZZ AUDIO essence compressor
NEVE 8801 mic pre, compressor ,eq and gate
RUPERT NEVE 5043 dual compressor
RUPERT NEVE 5033 eq
RUPERT NEVE 5014 stereo expander
RUPERT NEVE 5042 tape simulator
FOCUSRITE ISA 430 MKII Channel strip compressor eq de-esser
EMPIRICAL LABS distressor compressor el8x
EMPIRICAL LABS derresser
CRANESONG TRAKKER compressor
CHANDLER LTD GERMANIUM COMPRESSOR
SPL channel one - voice channel
SPL transient designer
SPL kultube
UA 6176 mic pre and compressor
SUMMIT AUDIO MPC 100-A mic pre and compressor
SUMMIT AUDIO EQP-200B stereo eq
MILLENIA MEDIA TD-1 high grade di eq vacuum and solid state

If you have questions on any of above list I'll gladly give you my view on pros and cons etc..
-Declan

Carl Cornelius

Bluebirdstudios wrote: »

Hi Carl,
This is my master bus chain -

Pro tools - audient console (stereo master out)
- SPL kultube stereo compressor / tube drive
- Rupert Neve portico stereo expander
- Rupert Neve portico tape drive
- Summit audio eqp 200 EQ
- API 550 eq
- API 2500 stereo compressor
- Emprical labs de-esser
- Bricasti reverb
- Benchmark AD converter
- Pro tools via Aurora 19

even with everything bypassed - get that glued mix sound !!


When mixing use below list on audeint console inserts.
API 512 c Preamps x3
API 550b x2 eq
API 5500 dual eq
API 525 compressors x 2
API stereo compressor 2500
ANAMOD AM660 compressor
AVALON VT737 SP vacuum tube mic pre, compressor ,eq
BUZZ AUDIO essence compressor
NEVE 8801 mic pre, compressor ,eq and gate
RUPERT NEVE 5043 dual compressor
RUPERT NEVE 5033 eq
RUPERT NEVE 5014 stereo expander
RUPERT NEVE 5042 tape simulator
FOCUSRITE ISA 430 MKII Channel strip compressor eq de-esser
EMPIRICAL LABS distressor compressor el8x
EMPIRICAL LABS derresser
CRANESONG TRAKKER compressor
CHANDLER LTD GERMANIUM COMPRESSOR
SPL channel one - voice channel
SPL transient designer
SPL kultube
UA 6176 mic pre and compressor
SUMMIT AUDIO MPC 100-A mic pre and compressor
SUMMIT AUDIO EQP-200B stereo eq
MILLENIA MEDIA TD-1 high grade di eq vacuum and solid state

If you have questions on any of above list I'll gladly give you my view on pros and cons etc..
-Declan

Declan,

First of all, that's one lovely list of gear you have there. :P My original question was (although badly phrased I realise) was what type of Master Stereo Recorder you use if you don't mix down to 2 tracks ITB. Are you with me? Having said that though...now I'm more interested in what everyone has on their master bus instead Include both in your replies please ... :-)

At the moment all I have living on my master bus constantly is a Focusrite Red limiter...love it.

/Calle

Bluebirdstudios

Calle,

Mainly back into pro tools @ 24bit 88.2k
Also HHB Dual Burn CDR ( fast and reliable and sounds good )

Hoping soon to get a 2 track tape machine ( if I can find one in good condition )
-Declan

Dravokivich

haven't done much since college, but in college we just ran a stereo out from the desk into a "GINA" usb box for a pc and recorded into Sound Forge.

- Drav!

madtheory

Bluebirdstudios wrote: »

- Emprical labs de-esser
- Bricasti reverb

Nice collection Declan! Question- why are the above two on the main outs? And what's an Aurora 19?

Bluebirdstudios

Hi Tomas,
Ye the de-esser from empirical labs - very clever unit.
Example - maybe I might lift 8 - 10 k on a mix to sweeten up the acc gtr or vocals or whatever and find the hi -hats just got a little to zigging. I can patch the Derresser into the mid-side of the Portico expander and get control over the hi-hat without losing the whole balance of the mix.
Also the derresser has the ability to dynamically balance the high / low balance more than just a run of the mill De-esser.
I can ofcourse patch it in to the sum to tackle a toppy main vocal or gtr solo without barely effecting the rest of the mix -
Its very transparent and one of the very few analogue de-esser out there!
Bricasti reverb is absolutlety fantastic for real space reverbs. So I might put a stereo mix through along with the dry and see can I add dimension to the mix. Not something I do everyday but if something sounds a little flat I might experiment with it- I trust the quality of this reverb above any others I've tried.
The Aurora is a lynx product A 32 channel AD/DA converter which I use instead of 192 converters.
Hope all is well,
- Declan
Sorry I just spoted my mistake its Aurora 16 not 19 offcourse!!

trackmixstudio

I use outboard on an I/O plugin in logic then bounce in real time in logic.
As for Bluebird studios, nice list of gear but good luck doing recalls:D

I know outboard stuff sounds better but unless you are CLA with the resources to buy a new unit every time you want to change the setting and use outboard as "presets" that require no recall, I would prefer to stay ITB with my DRS across the bus for warmth and eq. All I have to take note of is the settings on the DRS and recalls are no problem