Modern essential mix tools?

[adamaudio]

Okay, apart from the usual compressors and eqs I'd like to open the floor to the coolest gadgets of today. I'm thinking Transient Designer, Stereo field editor type thingy, vari phase tweaker of some kind, tape emulators. My lame - o - meter is very sensitive to answers like Pro Tools, plug ins, and a little less but still twitchy to converters. That's all over the forum in various forms or another. New ideas please. Go for it! Gimme the goods! Cheers, adamaudio.

[RoundBadge]

Barefoot MicroMain 27's and good room treatment.
Best investment I've made in yearsstike





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[chrysb93065]

Hope it's not too lame - occasionally running the drum mix or guitar stem through an Aphex Aural Exciter. (Flame On!)

[leaper]

Modern things that help my mixes:
Abundant organic coffee
LC screens
Silent fans (nothing more distracting than a screaming computer or power supply)
Silent fans (nothing more distracting than a screaming 16 year old girl...)
Mix automation that doesn't crash
Clients who stay at home and check out mixes through internet
A buyers market for analogue consoles
Hydroponic weed
Avantone mix cubes

[Jenz]

Originally Posted by leaper

Avantone mix cubes

Are these really better than the originals? I mean, making a copy but "with better sound" seems to ruin the whole point with the Auratones? I'm asking, since i'm about to get a pair of original Auratones.

[leaper]

They are both useful..i have the avantones because my wife accidently knocked my original one over and the fall totally ripped the thing! (now aka "ex wife"..tutt)
the new ones are more extended frequency wise, but are just as useful to me as the original soundcube. Just another point of reference.

[leaper]

what i like about the auratone and avantone is that with just one speaker cone you avoid mid cross over inaccuracies that 2 or 3 way systems maybe have.
you can check mid frequencies and overall balance level with both.

anyway..back to the thread..lame o meters at the ready!

[adamaudio]

Great posts so far, thanks everybody. Keep 'em coming; Where are the transient designer guys? stike Got my bolt of lightning ready for the next reading off the lame-o-meter. adamaudio.

[juniorhifikit]

Most places I mix have the toys I want - that's why I mix there. If not, I usually bring a couple of SSL stereo compressors, a 4 channel Transient Designer, and my speakers.

I guess essential would be in this order: good acoustics, my speakers, classy lead vocal chain, classy stereo buss compressor (classy=to each his own)

[kooz]

Fresh ears and an open mind...coolest gadgets EVER.
with those 3 things, you can make anything sound as great as it can be with any other gear you might have at hand.

[nandi]

Santa brought me a little box from Lavry called miniPRS2. It is a stereo preamp pair without phantom power and 16/44 A/D converters in a smal box. After rejecting it for being to noisy I did some check with all three setups that I have at hand and Lavry is the winner! I am selling all other stuff! Thanks Dan Lavry for making devices so cool sounding! It allows music to pass through. thumbsup