How Are YOU Using Your Massive Passive

[audiomichael]

I've got my MP on the 2bus before a VariMu. I've never heard anything I like so much on the 2bus.

[sdd17]

personally I think the low end on this thing is pretty sick.
narrow bandwidth and significant db push and the lows explode

[AdamLazlo]

A friend of mine who just a few months out of building and working at his mastering studio asked if I wanted to buy his Massive Passive but I didn't have the money for it, and passed. When I talked to him a few months later (with cash in hand) he decided to keep it cuz he liked the option of using it, if need-be. Since then (over the last several years) him and his partner use it in some capacity for every mastering session.

I'm not a mastering engineer, I'm a recording engineer and when I've had access to the Massive Passive I use it... if I can't get what I want, to format, from a specific mic and/or pre. I rarely use EQ during tracking but if I do, I prefer the Massive Passive... or GML if available.

I'd like to get a Massive Passive but it's not a huge priority for me right now. I can definitely understand the advantages of using it on the stereo buss but I generally stay away from that as well.

Mostly I've used it to sweeten up (respectively) overheads, snare, kick, or on a drum sub mix. So I guess, mostly drums, during a mix. It has a really nice cradle to it. The only other thing that usually needs a lot of eq tlc would be the bass guitar and the Massive Passive excels at smoothing it out (pre or post usage).

-- Adam Lazlo

[burst]

Lately I've had our MP patched right after the Atomic SqueezeBox for mixdown duties on lead vocal... typically insert any corrective eq plugs in PT before hitting the ASB, then sculpt the mid-range on the vocal, post squish, with one side of the MP. Very smooth, very nice, very silky.

With both the MP and and ASB in the chain, it can get to be a lot of "tube glue/fuzz", which can be a bad thing or a good thing... been dealing with it during tracking by not using a tube mic all that often. SM7 of late.

[syra]

Bass and Vox primarily for me...

[cdog]

It amazing on guitars. I think thats where it truly shines for me. Midrange CRUNK.

Bass, kickdrum, and vocals are also fantastic but the high end can add some grit which doesn't work for everything.

I feel like adding .5-1db with the MP high shelf gives a beautiful harmonic high end almost every mix loves.

[seaneldon]

guitar, kickdrum. usually, anyway. sometimes i'll put something else into it. sometimes i don't put anything into it.

[tree]

Voc and bass mostly.
Have never heard such a sweet 1k region on a voc eq - ever.

[JamesTinney]

Does anyone use the MP just to put the stereo bus through its tubes (if you did want to eq)?


www.thebarchord.com - music for media

[modulation]

I am not using it, but i am currently taking donations so that i can start using it.

[rashadrm@hotmai]

Originally Posted by audiomichael

I've got my MP on the 2bus before a VariMu. I've never heard anything I like so much on the 2bus.

Same Here......With a pinch of HEDD192

[picksail]

The mastering engineer, at my former studio in New Orleans would occasionally use it for the express purpose of adding distortion in the chain. He often used the GML 9500 for the same reason. Just passing signal!!!

[CorkyTart]

My MP was one of the tools that has been able to get me the bass sound I've always strived for. I use the MP and the Fatso with the tranny on and I completely happy with it. Joy....

[M. Carr]

I'm not using mine anymore. Someone else is.

[Greg Heimbecker]

Usually on guitars while tracking and often on vox while mixing.

[stellar]

transferring mix from tape to pc. bass. drums. also have experimented with using the input as a brickwall limiter.

[WEAPON_X]

also have experimented with using the input as a brickwall limiter.

please tell more about the brickwall thing. thanks !

i use the massive as a 2 buss eq, for sweetening.

[stellar]

well i dont know if anyone else is doing this or not.....i stumbled upon it by accident, but just try cranking the input with a compressor or something. it seems to brickwall it at about +11.8 which is right around 0 on my coverters which means you can't do any boosting with the eq unless you attentuate the signal afterwards. I'm not sure why it does this...it could be the input transformer or perhaps the tube circuit. maybe Manley built a limiter into the circuit to not kill the tube stage.... I wish someone could explain it actually. anywayz if you boost after doing this it will distort at the output stage....it seems that the input wall is right before the output clips.

[paulbystereo]

Guitars, Bass, Room mics, 2 Buss. I love it on the 2 bus, even if it's barely doing anything. It just gives the mix a bit of magic... Damn I love that thing!

[Dan]

Originally Posted by stellar

well i dont know if anyone else is doing this or not.....i stumbled upon it by accident, but just try cranking the input with a compressor or something. it seems to brickwall it at about +11.8 which is right around 0 on my coverters which means you can't do any boosting with the eq unless you attentuate the signal afterwards. I'm not sure why it does this...it could be the input transformer or perhaps the tube circuit. maybe Manley built a limiter into the circuit to not kill the tube stage.... I wish someone could explain it actually. anywayz if you boost after doing this it will distort at the output stage....it seems that the input wall is right before the output clips.

Here's a partial spec from Manley's site.

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Ins & Outs Balanced XLR & 1/4" (accepts unbalanced)
• Level +4 dBu nominal, internal switches for -10 operation
• Bypass Switch bypasses EQ & tube circuits (not hardwire)
• 44 Frequencies (roughly 1/4 octave spacing)
• Frequency Range: 22 Hz to 27 Khz
• EQ Boost/Cut Range : 20 dB boost, 20 dB cut
• Nominal Q range: 1.5 to 3 (uniquely active in shelf modes)
• Frequency Response: +/- 2 dB: 8 Hz to 60 KHz
• Maximum Output @ 1.5% THD +37 dBv; +26dBv @ 20 Hz

My interface is currently calibrated to +18=Odbfs, and I have no limiting or headroom issues with my MP. It strikes me as odd that you're getting some sort of limiting out of the unit, especially that far under spec.

I've used the MP in a variety of things, on the mix bus, but I quit putting any eq on the mixbus, bass, gtrs, whatever. I really dig it on string orchestra, and synth orchestra, for different reasons respectively.

[stellar]

Originally Posted by Dan

My interface is currently calibrated to +18=Odbfs, and I have no limiting or headroom issues with my MP. It strikes me as odd that you're getting some sort of limiting out of the unit, especially that far under spec.

yeah I thought it was weird too. FWIW, the headroom issues have only occured when driving it to the max to begin with. otherwise it has headroom for days. maybe you could give it a try and let me know what happens?

[ArcCirDude]

I use it for tracking bass and vocals and often on 2 bus before an SMC2B. However, sometimes I don't use it and just use the SMC2B. Depends on the music. Nice piece of gear, El Massivo....

[mixerguy]

anyone else?

[midnightsun]

1. Guitar distortion effect. This is guarenteed to blow your mind if you haven't tried it. guitar into channel one> out into a distortion pedal > ped out into channel two of the MP then into tube power amp. Usually I will do the opposite to channel two that I do with channel one. For example, if I boost at 200 hz one one I will cut the same amount at 200 hz on two. This really allows me to sculps the tone of the distortion. It is pretty unbelievable.

2. Final stereo mix from a Tonelux > Pendulum ES 8 > Massive Passive > Hedd 192 > TASCAM DVRA 1000.

3. TRACKING-- for Delta blues. My goal is that I want to get clarity on the low end alternating bass pattern. I find the low frequency that I want to bring out. Paradoxically, I use the cut rather than the boost with the shelf and turn the Q know all the way clockwise. I get the nice bass bump right where I want it and then a bass shelf cut. I love the way the MP can give one a pardoxical bump or cut when using the shelf. Initially, this was confusing for me but once I got used to the MP I found I really liked it.