Channel strips that you actually use

[mothra]

Used to use the Waves SSL E/G on every channel until my WUP ran out a couple years back and I got the PA SSLs. Now have the E/G/J, but lately its back to Waves when they released the Ev2. Sometimes I'll pretend Im running an API and use the Lindell strips instead, but usually its the Waves E v2. Got all the PA channel strips at this point and have to say the Focusrite and N channel were pretty bleh. Would love it if Waves would do a full API channel like the SSLs, or PA would break out the compressor from theirs so we'd get a separate 2500 to use without the rest of it.

[Unaspected]

Does anyone have experience/impressions of the Fuse VCS-1? Using channel strips is a very new concept to me for working in the box, but after picking up the white/black channels in the IKM Group Buy, and then upgrading to the PA 9000 J soon after, this work flow is really a revelation for me. I've been enjoying Ray's code a great deal via the PA and NEOLD stuff so really interested in the VCS-1. Is it attempting to emulate any classic gear specifically?

As far as I'm aware, the VCS-1 isn't modelled after anything. I've yet to demo it though I am sure it's good.

[Agreed]

Cool songs, kevingham I dig the contrasting sound elements a lot. I like the graphics you picked for your tracks too, incidentally.

I'll post some musical examples of what I'm doing with channel strips:

I used the SSL9000J pretty heavily in this track, both for the stuff it generally does well but especially for its gate/expander. The percussion one-shots in this are Optigan samples from the '70s run into a panner & delay, and they originally had a lot of noise/hiss on them but I was able to use the 9000J with downward expansion to clean up the hiss and noise and fit the percussion elements I liked into this track which otherwise has pretty crisp percussion:
https://soundcloud.com/user-612970086/w ... al_sharing

I used the 9000J on my drum bus (I like it so much for that) and Amek 9099 as mentioned in my earlier post in this thread, for final EQ moves and the second to last step in the final dynamics chain for this track:
https://soundcloud.com/user-612970086/s ... al_sharing

[Bodhisan]

Would love it if Waves would do a full API channel like the SSLs, or PA would break out the compressor from theirs so we'd get a separate 2500 to use without the rest of it.

You probably already know this, but Waves has the 2500, which imho is pretty good.

So I set up at least 2 console views in Studio One. One console view is 'Tape' the other is 'Mix'. Tape channels get sent to a companion Mix channel in the other console view.

Maybe because I use Logic, I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this, as I'm a visual learner. Does anyone know how I would do this in Logic? Maybe I'm already doing it and don't know it...but what I'm visualizing is if I've got 14 tracks with my "tape" plugins, then where would my 14 mix tracks be? Busses? Send each track to its own mix bus? 99% of my tracks go through their own bus, anyway, so would I route that tape bus to its own mix bus?

Yes. Create a Bus (or Group) channel, and send your Tape track to it, treating it like a single return channel on a mixer. If your DAW lets you create different “mixer scenes” make one scene with only all your Tape channels, and another with your Mixer return channels, if you want.

Another useful aspect of splitting like this is it splits your processing over 2 threads which in Studio One, at least, is more CPU efficient.

Thanks for that. I guess, in a way, I'm doing that by running my "tape" tracks into the bus (of course) which is where I put additional "glue," though, lately, each track uses the same strip or e.q./compressor combo, which, theoretically, also gives them the continuity of glue. I don't think Logic can do different scenes like Studio One.

[Halonmusic]

NastyVCS

https://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/20 ... sed-today/

[jamcat]

Would love it if Waves would do a full API channel like the SSLs, or PA would break out the compressor from theirs so we'd get a separate 2500 to use without the rest of it.

You probably already know this, but Waves has the 2500, which imho is pretty good.

So I set up at least 2 console views in Studio One. One console view is 'Tape' the other is 'Mix'. Tape channels get sent to a companion Mix channel in the other console view.

Maybe because I use Logic, I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this, as I'm a visual learner. Does anyone know how I would do this in Logic? Maybe I'm already doing it and don't know it...but what I'm visualizing is if I've got 14 tracks with my "tape" plugins, then where would my 14 mix tracks be? Busses? Send each track to its own mix bus? 99% of my tracks go through their own bus, anyway, so would I route that tape bus to its own mix bus?

Yes. Create a Bus (or Group) channel, and send your Tape track to it, treating it like a single return channel on a mixer. If your DAW lets you create different “mixer scenes” make one scene with only all your Tape channels, and another with your Mixer return channels, if you want.

Another useful aspect of splitting like this is it splits your processing over 2 threads which in Studio One, at least, is more CPU efficient.

Thanks for that. I guess, in a way, I'm doing that by running my "tape" tracks into the bus (of course) which is where I put additional "glue," though, lately, each track uses the same strip or e.q./compressor combo, which, theoretically, also gives them the continuity of glue. I don't think Logic can do different scenes like Studio One.

Are you sending each tape track to its own bus channel, or just one, like a master or subgroup?

For my “glue” I put the TrackS G-Comp model on the master, and then to another tape for stereo mixdown tape.

[Bodhisan]

@jamcat - I send each track to its own bus, each with a channel strip, any desired effects, and AW Console 7. I use Toneboosters Sibilance (version 3) and ReelBus 4 on the master bus, along with the channel strip (or compressor) used for that particular template, ending with HoRNEt Magnus - for me, personally, I've found no need to e.q. on the master bus, as I should be able to handle that pre mbus.

[jamcat]

for me, personally, I've found no need to e.q. on the master bus, as I should be able to handle that pre mbus.

You know, I’m finding that with tape on each channel I don’t use much EQ or compression. I’ll drive the tape with the preamp/EQ model and that gets the tone you’re looking for. Any EQ or compression on the channel strip in the “Mix” console is just for some spotlighting/emphasis or LF cleanup. I’m really not doing any tone sculpting there anymore at all. I’m pretty sure that’s how it was in the analog era, so I think I’m on the right track. It seems that mix decisions are much easier. It all just makes sense and falls into place. The mix comes together much easier and you’re not fighting against it or struggling to figure out what to do.

[Bodhisan]

So is the SSL Native one worth getting?

https://www.pro-tools-expert.com/produc ... l-ssl4000e

Heaven knows I don't know what the heck I'm talking about, but I have the Waves SSL EV2, and here's an interesting test/comparison between that plugin and the actual console. One person, who claims to have spent time behind the console, was incorrect with half of his guessing on the blind test, which, I think, is a testament to the plugin. If I didn't have the Waves SSL, I'd get the SSL Native for $49 right now.

[airon]

Right now it‘s Channev by Analog Obsession. Love the Lindell 80, SSL Strip 2, Omnichannel and mostly what I put together from single component plugins.

[Erik_Lucas]

Love the UAD API and Neve channel strips.

[Fornicras]

So many people recommended VCS-1 here and I tried it, it really is good. Mixed a song with 16 tracks with only VCS-1 and it sounds really good, easy to use and understand unlike analog-modeled strips but I find it hard to mix vocals with it, maybe because of 5 band eq, I'm more used to working with unlimited bands. My vocals sound thin I can't give enough body to them with VCS-1, what I'm doing wrong?

Edit: Also VCS-1 being zero-latency made it 5 times better for me because I like tracking with EQ/Comp/Pre-amp on.

[crickey13]

TBProAudio CS-5501

[Bodhisan]

So many people recommended VCS-1 here and I tried it, it really is good. Mixed a song with 16 tracks with only VCS-1 and it sounds really good, easy to use and understand unlike analog-modeled strips but I find it hard to mix vocals with it, maybe because of 5 band eq, I'm more used to working with unlimited bands. My vocals sound thin I can't give enough body to them with VCS-1, what I'm doing wrong?

Edit: Also VCS-1 being zero-latency made it 5 times better for me because I like tracking with EQ/Comp/Pre-amp on.

Vocals are my main focus with e.q., as synths are - to me, simple to e.q. I, too, struggled with the console version of e.q. after having used the "unlimited" type of e.q. you're talking about, i.e. Toneboosters or Fabfilter. You have to use your ears instead of your eyes and ears with VCS-1, playing around, especially, with the q shape on your lower bands. Only cut out about 80-90 on your high pass. Keep adding back the lower end e.q. until you lose the thinness. Don't forget that adding at the 10k also helps take away muddiness (not just cutting at 200). Another resort would be if you have an e.q. analyzer, put that on your VCS-1 and try to get it to look like what your prior e.q. looks like on your vocal.

[_leras]

For my stuff I use several UAD and occasionally PA Neve if I am short on UAD processing.

For my band stuff (electronic) as we share projects I can't use the UAD and have really enjoyed working with the Waves Scheps Omnichannel. This thing is really a dream to work with - so flexible and so fast to work with once you get used to it.