Revisit from the Shipley chronicles: How hard do you HEDD?

[nlc201]

Hey ladies and germs,

I'm curious as to how hard HEDD owners are hitting this box. I took some advice from a prior thread (closed) and started smacking the crap out of it and REALLY dug the sound. It seems to me that the "process" just works better. But how hard is everyone else hitting this thing? While I'm content with the sound I'm getting, I'm concerned with artifacts or other unwanted digital crap that comes with clipping an ADC converter.

I was actually ready to sell this box prior to changing my technique with it (I always loved the converters but it wasn't enough). The "process" at healthy levels just seems to add mud and unwanted overtones. But when you run it really hot, the box just sings nicely. I'm typically running 3-4 on the tape and pentode knobs.

Any comments, experience?

[mwagener]

during recording Tape @ 6-7 and Pentode around 5. The Triode is great to add some nice distortion to a clean-ish guitar amp. During mixing the Tape is around 4-6 and the Pentode around 4-6, depending on the overall sound of the mix. No Triode during mix. The red LEDs always come on 4-5 times during the mix. The process is switched to the A/D circuit (insert) after the STC-8 and the MP.

[jho]

I usually run pentode at the most at 3-5 and tape around the same...usually 2 and 2 on a final mix (or to taste, if unsure, then none). I try to use more during recording and less during mixing. I think too much of a good thing is...too much of a good thing and it can get blurry. I also haven't really found much use for the triode effect, anyone else ?

Still, I love my HEDD. Jules recommended to me a few years back here, even called me from across the pond to suggest some uses. It's so flexible with the AD/DA the way it is. Great meters. I'm using it off my summing mixer now, with AES going to mixdown and the analog outs going to my speaks...

It would probably be one of the last things I'd ever sell out of my studio.

PS: Hey this is my 500th post. I officially Live for Gear now.

[SoundEng1]

Hello!
How do you guys set it up while your Recording vocals? Do you hit the tape knob between 4-5?

[Jules]

I have stopped useing the process' when recording.

I just use em (and Phoenix Plug in) when I am mixing

I am wary of 'slamming' the Hedds input, but I havent done enough testing to justify this caution.

I have enough slamming going on in my mix so I am wary of 'uber gunk' and uber compression and uber loss of dynamics

..

But my methods change, they aren't etched in stone.

[jazzius II]

If you slam the Hedd input, you'll clip the signal before it gets to the process, 'cause the process is digital......there's no point in slamming the converters, unless you want to flat top the wave.

The process is also level dependent, so if you don't slam the input (so, turn the input level down), you'll need to turn up the process knobs to get the same ammount of goodness.

When, using a lot of Hedd (Pentode, Tape), you may need to pull a lot of energy out of the 100-500hz region, since the processing tends to thicken up this area considerably. You might also need to change balances as it'll bring some things forward (vox, snare etc)

[nlc201]

Originally posted by jazzius II
If you slam the Hedd input, you'll clip the signal before it gets to the process, 'cause the process is digital......there's no point in slamming the converters, unless you want to flat top the wave.

I know. But I can't seem to help myself! I remember running a mix at close to peak and then jacking the gain 5 dB goin' in. HOLY SH*T! Then I thought, "Of course dummy! You just turned the whole thing up 5 dB, of course it sounds better because it's louder." But then I went back and lowered my monitors 5 dB to compensate. I totally understand that I may just be fooling myself here, but as carefully as I could A/B, I did and the hot version sounded much better to my ears. Maybe I'm just a sucker for that wonderful sound of square waves........

Originally posted by jazzius II

The process is also level dependent, so if you don't slam the input (so, turn the input level down), you'll need to turn up the process knobs to get the same ammount of goodness.

Here's the one thing I don't really get about the HEDD. From what I understand, it basically works as an additive process. The original signal is passed through uncolored and the process knobs simply adds distortion harmonics to this signal. How can this account for that compression-esque sound that comes out of it? I suppose that it could be like a multed compressor where the compressed signal is mixed in with the original. I don't know how the distortion harmonics are generated in this box so I can't say whether they're obtained from any sort of overdriving process which would by its nature reduce the dynamic range of these harmonics.


I am fully aware that by clipping this thing, i'm passing through a shaved off waveform that will end up on the output, just with some distortion harmonics mixed in. But, that original clipped wave is STILL there. It all seems so wrong to me........but it sounds so right......


I love this box!

[SoundEng1]

When, using a lot of Hedd (Pentode, Tape), you may need to pull a lot of energy out of the 100-500hz region, since the processing tends to thicken up this area considerably. You might also need to change balances as it'll bring some things forward (vox, snare etc)

Very important you follow this rule, things could get very shitty in this area.

[The MPCist]

I've got my HEDD permanently in my mixing chain. I hit it hot but try not to light up the reds more than once or twice in a song...

TRIODE 0.5 to 2.5
PENTODE 1 - 4
TAPE - 4.5

That's what I use. Of course just before it hits the HEDD it goes thru an STC8!

[mardyk]

I've usually got it set to 4-4-4. Both during tracking and mixing. I avoid hitting the reds.
What is the difference when you set the circuit to A/D instead of analog? I can't really hear a difference. Tried to figure it out from the manual but I didn't get it. Maybe I'm dense.
I love the fact that the process is quite transparent when you turn it on but really obvious when you turn it off.