George Massenburg choses Digidesign Icon for new studio!

[Jules]

Big news in my book!



Please don't post up photos of his new room untill he has told us it's OK.

He's working at 96k most of the time these days I understand..

[Ruudman]

based on all the Digi bashing around here, I guess he must have bad ears....





ruudman

[shangoe]

i will commit suicide... ...



...my analog gear will be transmited to gearslutz around the globe....


godbye

[deft_bonz]

i'll forgive him if he uses it only as a remote control / automation unit and if he got if for free

[T_R_S]

Not such big news to me. I met him a couple of years ago at AES and his big quote to me was "I will never ever buy one of those again" (refering to a large format mixing console).
Consoles are becoming more of a non-factor with every year that passes.

[Volodia]

You have to consider the fact that he's replacing a Sony Oxford Digital Console so he was already an all digital guy . He replaced it because it wouldn't do 96k .

I don't think he does much EQ at mix time .

Volodia

[Igotsoul4u]

Has he talked about any sort of other details about the setup? Is he using outboard gear exclusivly? Summing system?

[djui5]

Originally Posted by Eric Greedy

NO.

in actual fact..the majority of all the internet digi bashing is relegated to the internet and far-flung project studios, et al. Check out Michael Bauer thread..what's he using ? Stock 192's.

192's rock. So does mixing ITB....muahhh ahhh ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[Lindell]

Good luck George. May the force be with you...

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by djui5

192's rock. So does mixing ITB....muahhh ahhh ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Young Jedi what's happened?????????

You are now on the----------->

[themaidsroom]

Originally Posted by Eric Greedy

NO.

in actual fact..the majority of all the internet digi bashing is relegated to the internet and far-flung project studios, et al. Check out Michael Bauer thread..what's he using ? Stock 192's. His studio (along with all the big studio's I know) have sold most of their 2" machines. Most all projects (I didn't say ALL) are being done mostly in Pro Tools. As Walter Cronkite used to say..."that's the way it is..."

the way it is is a drag for musicianship and sonic quality - we are not in the
middle of a musical renaissance - turn on your radio.......

as for massenburg, he was making thin sounding records back in 1989 -
this will be no departure.......



- jack (far-flung project studio owner)

[doorknocker]

Originally Posted by themaidsroom

the way it is is a drag for musicianship and sonic quality - we are not in the middle of a musical renaissance - turn on your radio.......

as for massenburg, he was making thin sounding records back in 1989 -
this will be no departure.......
- jack (far-flung project studio owner)

Whoa, who are YOU?

Right, thin-sounding stuff like Earth, Wind and Fire, Aaron Neville, Little Feat, Allison Moorer,etc

[themaidsroom]

i'm a human being with ears......

i love aaron neville....i love the "warm your heart" record - by the second bar
of the first track the record is screaming for tape, it sounds like metallic, thin
digital all the way through.... trajic

i love earth wind and fire - i have only old records of their's that are tape - if
he did those, he did a good job - i'd be frightened to hear what a recent
earth wind and digital thing would sound like.......

just my 2cents


be well


- jack

[JonCraig]

Originally Posted by deft_bonz

if he got if for free

nope. he bought it out of pocket. and the room (digi interfaces and all) sounds fantastic. just goes to show you how little the toys actually matter.

--jon

[Rodney Gene]

Originally Posted by themaidsroom

the way it is is a drag for musicianship and sonic quality - we are not in the
middle of a musical renaissance - turn on your radio.......

as for massenburg, he was making thin sounding records back in 1989 -
this will be no departure.......



- jack (far-flung project studio owner)

Joshua Judges Ruth...

Sonic perfection.

[raal]

i've had the pic now for awhile but was asked by digi not to post it or even mention the fact til they got the necessary clearance, but i guess the cat's out of the bag now eh? and yes, he paid for it from what i was told.

be looking forward to some hearing some mixes... times are changing no doubt.

[u b k]

Originally Posted by JonCraig

just goes to show you how little the toys actually matter.

so then, he'll be tracking with mackie pre's and rode mics, mixing itb with stock digi plugs?

personally, as a relative nobody with my own opinion and a modest number of mixes that sound fantastic, i find what george massenburg does to be interesting and, ultimately, irrelevant. likewise with any other human, famous or not. my ears tell me something, i honor that.

so i imagine mr. massenburg will enjoy his new digi setup; meanwhile, i'll stick with lavry's and the nicerizer .


gregoire
del ubik

[Slipperman]

God bless George.

He's a super smart and creative guy, who has made some really cool records over the years.

I think it's great he's getting an Ikon or whatever...

In the unlikely event that it lets him down.....

You can be sure you'll be hearing about it.

The OTHER thing I love about George.

HOHOHO.

Best regards,

SM.

[monrock halo]

Originally Posted by Eric Greedy

NO.

in actual fact..the majority of all the internet digi bashing is relegated to the internet and far-flung project studios, et al. Check out Michael Bauer thread..what's he using ? Stock 192's. His studio (along with all the big studio's I know) have sold most of their 2" machines. Most all projects (I didn't say ALL) are being done mostly in Pro Tools. As Walter Cronkite used to say..."that's the way it is..."

I don't totally disagree, but MWB also states on that forum that he throws a Crane Song plugin specifically on every PT track that was not originally recorded to tape...to help it up a bit.

Stock 192s are being used in major studios because they are the least expensive of the converters options with PT HD that pro clients are okay with. Few clients are willing to pay more for a studio because it went with more expensive converters. But many engineers I know wouldn't mind better converters, given the choice. Just like many folks would track to tape if the budget allowed for it and make other production decisions differently as well.

Personally, on the multitrack side, give me a good analog console to mix with and I can live with mediocre converters. The critical converters for me are on the mixdown machine.

You're right, most projects going into the major studios are recorded to ProTools at this time; budget, convenience and portability/compatibility being the drivers of that. But in most cases it is not a decision based on sonics and never really has been.

Hey SM, hope you're well over there.

[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by themaidsroom

i'm a human being with ears......

i love aaron neville....i love the "warm your heart" record - by the second bar
of the first track the record is screaming for tape, it sounds like metallic, thin
digital all the way through.... trajic

That album's digital? He's more of a genius than I thought--definitely one of my desert island discs. (There were some latter day digital Little Feat records I took issue with, however.)

-R

[themaidsroom]

Originally Posted by Rodney Gene

Joshua Judges Ruth...

Sonic perfection.

i guess my early onset dementia is getting to me - i did love that record.....
it sounds good.....it does sound digital......but it sounds good.....
i think the record is good enough to transcend the medium......
i wonder what digital console they had at ocean way in 1992 ?



be well


- jack

[themaidsroom]

little feat without lowell george is inherently problematic.......on any format




- jack

[JonCraig]

Originally Posted by u b i k

so then, he'll be tracking with mackie pre's and rode mics, mixing itb with stock digi plugs?

you misunderstand me... great gear certainly makes a sonic difference, but it's the *music* that makes it good. i'd much rather hear a great song, played by great musicians and sung by a great vocalist through 57's & 58's through a mackie board recorded to adat (or cassette four track), than to hear a shitty song played by shitty players recorded with names like neumann, api, studer, and manley.

do i strive for great sonic quality? you betcha. does a great sound matter if the music sucks? not a bit. sorry for the misunderstanding.

--jon

[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by themaidsroom

little feat without lowell george is inherently problematic.......on any format




- jack

When they first came back with Craig Fuller they were still an awesome live band. Barrere and the rhythm section are no slouches. (and i love the fact that you can see them these days in small clubs).

But yeah.


-R

[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by JonCraig

you misunderstand me... great gear certainly makes a sonic difference, but it's the *music* that makes it good. i'd much rather hear a great song, played by great musicians and sung by a great vocalist through 57's & 58's through a mackie board recorded to adat (or cassette four track), than to hear a shitty song played by shitty players recorded with names like neumann, api, studer, and manley.

I really think that goes without saying, and it could be used to pretty much end any thread on gearslutz.

However, taking that as a given, then . . . .

-R

[Lynn Fuston]

Originally Posted by RKrizman

I really think that goes without saying, and it could be used to pretty much end any thread on gearslutz.

However, taking that as a given, then . . . .

I'd take George Massenburg with a Mackie over lots of other engineers on Neves anyday.

[JonCraig]

Originally Posted by RKrizman

I really think that goes without saying, and it could be used to pretty much end any thread on gearslutz.

while i agree that it *should* go without saying, i think there is a large problem with people expecting the gear to make them sound better. how many times have you read, "my drums sound thin. which preamp will give me a fat, beefy, huge, etc. etc. etc. sound?"? it's not the preamp... it's the drummer!

that said, george massenberg could have recorded ewf on a couple of adats and it would still be ewf, and still be great. he could also use an icon & hd rig.

--jon

[monrock halo]

Originally Posted by Lynn Fuston

I'd take George Massenburg with a Mackie over lots of other engineers on Neves anyday.

Yeah, or even with an Icon!

[RKrizman]

Originally Posted by JonCraig

while i agree that it *should* go without saying, i think there is a large problem with people expecting the gear to make them sound better. how many times have you read, "my drums sound thin. which preamp will give me a fat, beefy, huge, etc. etc. etc. sound?"? it's not the preamp... it's the drummer!

No, actually, on Gearslutz it is the preamp. I think any discussion that seeks to compare or discuss gear has do do it with the "all other things being equal" presumption.

When I use the preamps on my C24 my drums sound thin. When I use 1073's they sound fat, beefy, huge.

(But, yes, by all means use a good drummer and a good kit in a good room.)

-R

[RCM - Ronan]

Originally Posted by JonCraig

i'd much rather hear a great song, played by great musicians and sung by a great vocalist through 57's & 58's through a mackie board recorded to adat (or cassette four track), than to hear a shitty song played by shitty players recorded with names like neumann, api, studer, and manley.

I always find it strange when people talk about SM57's as some kind of comprimise piece of gear.