Groove tubes Vipre good for adding color to synths and drum samples or wasting money?

[Tom Sigmond]

Hello,


I sometimes do vocals but for the most synth sounds and drum samples.

Most of the time I have to give my synths some gain from my mixer (Ghost) to get a more decent volume level.
Then I use outboard gear to satisfy my tastes and record into my DAW.

I also do a lot with drum samples. Mush them up, slice them etc. Get them out of my DAW, use outboard gear and record them again.

I don't own a pre amp yet.
For the few times a record a vocal, bying a Vipre does not justice to the piece of gear.
I was wandering, becausse of its ability to give a lot of flavors, if its very usable to change the color/sound of my synths and drum samples in such a way that spending this money for the unit is worth it.

Color is relative. Is it just a bit noticable color on vocal recordings or can the Vipre give you some very noticable and perhaps extreme color variations which makes it an ideal piece to 'make' sound in the first place?


Thanks.


Tom

[denial]

The Vipre is relatively clean. If you want color you'll notice, try a Neve 10XX module. The EQ is incerdibly good too.

[MichaelT]

If it's color you want in various amounts you might want to check out Tritone Digital's Colortone Free and/or Colortone Pro plugins. Colortone Pro only has a Mac version out at the moment, but the free version is no slouch. Check out www.tritonedigital.com for more info...you can also download demos of the plugins before you commit to buying anything.

I know these are plugins and not outboard pieces, but it might allow you to think cheaper in the preamp department if you're stressing about the price of the Vipre. I also don't think you'll find too many people (if any at all) saying anything bad about Tritone Digital's plugins in general. They're one of those companies who are consistently making stuff that's turning heads.

Anyway, I hope this gives you a helpful, and different perspective.

-Mike

[Killahurts]

Originally Posted by Tom Sigmond

change the color/sound of my synths and drum samples in such a way that spending this money for the unit is worth it.

Color is relative. Is it just a bit noticable color on vocal recordings or can the Vipre give you some very noticable and perhaps extreme color variations which makes it an ideal piece to 'make' sound in the first place?

I think it is more noticeable on mics, but none of the VIPRE's flavors are extreme, IMO. They're all more on the subtle side...

But as M. Wagener has pointed out, everything you put through the VIPRE becomes BIG.

In dance music, I have only found it useful for the kicks/basses, so far anyway. But I highly recommend it for vocals, it will make the most out of your mics.

Is there any way you can try one out where you are?

[Tom Sigmond]

Originally Posted by Killahurts

In dance music, I have only found it useful for the kicks/basses, so far anyway. But I highly recommend it for vocals, it will make the most out of your mics.

Is there any way you can try one out where you are?

I can try it out here but then I have to play a game with the dealer.

They sell the Vipre here for (don't be frightened) around $ 3.850,-.
So I can try, like it, say no to the dealer and order in the US. Doesn't feel good to do that... .

Originally Posted by Killahurts

But as M. Wagener has pointed out, everything you put through the VIPRE becomes BIG.

That could be one of the reosons to use it. But then again, wahts BIG? Is it very noticable for samples and synths to track it thru the Vipre or is it more that recorded sounds like acoustic gitar, acoustic drums etc, sound big with it... .

I have read about Tritone but I don't believe those plugs will ad those (BIG) flavors you can achieve with a good piece of outboard gear.
I'm not a non-believer with plugins. I use them a lot but for the things they can do wel. I go for the best sound and on the moment it means ' hybrid' (analoge and digital) for me.

I also had thoughts about the Vintage 73i, Neve 1073 clones and alike.


gr. Tom

[octatonic]

We have a Vipre here.
It is my first choice preamp for just about everthing.
It is just a brilliant preamp, makes everything sounds huge.

[GearHunter]

If you are just wanting to colorize direct signals, not mic inputs, have you looked in to the Thermionic Culture Vulture? For one thing, it's stereo (the ViPre, as nice as it is, is mono and may be a bit overqualified for this application).

CultureVulture

[drosophila]

Do you really need a preamp to add "color" to synths? You've got filters, oscillators, and all sorts of goodies on the synth itself that will add plenty of color. I used to think I needed a preamp for this purpose, up until I really learned to program my synths more skillfully. Keep the preamps for vocals.

If you're after more control over the sound of your synths and percussion samples, grab some decent compressors, parametric eq, and/or filters. You'll get a lot more from a Sherman Filterbank or Purple Audio MC77 than a preamp that's been knocked into DI duties.

[faeflora]

It's not an exciter. It's not a spatializer. It's just a preamp.

Rating the most "color" on a scale from 1-100-

100 - cranked metal guitar amp
80 - chorus
70- eq
50 - reverb
50 - mic
30- compressor
10 - converters
10 - preamp
1 - cable


You'll be wasting your money. You want a spatializer or exciter. Preamps aren't meant to be extreme. In general they're supposed to be quite subtle, relative to other pieces of gear.

[Killahurts]

Not to mention the VIPRE is expensive - for that kind of $ you could probably get into a nice 2 ch. compressor with plenty of color and smack, or even a Fatso or something.

Are you covered in that department already?

[Tom Sigmond]

Thanks for your responces people,


Seems like most of you advice me not to go with the Vipre.
Richmondjames, your advice is positive and you're an electronic musician too. Do you use it on synths samples or is it most vocals and gitar?

Originally Posted by GearHunter

If you are just wanting to colorize direct signals, not mic inputs, have you looked in to the Thermionic Culture Vulture? For one thing, it's stereo (the ViPre, as nice as it is, is mono and may be a bit overqualified for this application).

CultureVulture

Thanks Drew, haven't thought about that one.

Originally Posted by killahurtz

Not to mention the VIPRE is expensive - for that kind of $ you could probably get into a nice 2 ch. compressor with plenty of color and smack, or even a Fatso or something.

Are you covered in that department already?[/URL]

Well, I have some beauty's here; Massive Passive, Avalon 747, two distressors (plus Britisch mode), Alan Smart C2, Valey people 610, focusrite green compr/lim Eventide Eclipse, SSL clone and yesterday I bought an TC 1210 analoge chorus/flanger.

A lot of outboard gear to change my sound. I just wanted to know if such a piece of gear like the Vipre would make an significant difference when tracking thru that and then go to my other analoge gear.

About the Culture Vulture; still interesting for me when you read my list above?


Thanks.


grtz. Tom

[octatonic]

Originally Posted by Tom Sigmond

Thanks for your responces people,
Seems like most of you advice me not to go with the Vipre.
Richmondjames, your advice is positive and you're an electronic musician too. Do you use it on synths samples or is it most vocals and gitar?

Last week I used it on electric and acoustic guitars, vocals, DI'd bass, crunching a snare track and passing some Nord Lead bass patches through it.
The plan is to buy another Vipre this year for certain.
We have joked that a Vipre console would be fun...

I don't know if it will suit you, but I think this is a wicked pre.
It is only a preamp though (but a very flexible one.)
It is not our only piece of outboard though- you might want to check out the distressor, as I think this might be realy what you are after.
Get a matched pair with the Brit mod if you can afford it.

JR

[Tom Sigmond]

I have a matched pair of distressors with britisch mode.
I don't think they are that colorfull.
Its an versital compressor with some second and third harmonisch distortion but its
not that colorfull. Just a bit, at least, thats my opinion.



gr. Tom

[londontown]

By the by, if anybody decides they want one I'm selling mine...it's mint (used a total of three times on projects apart from the normal screwing around).

That said, it isn't because I don't like it...it's a great box (but at list it's way too expensive), most places selling for around 2700. It does have some colour to my ears, I think it's a middy richness that makes everything sound larger than life. I'm not sure I'd have it as my ONLY tool but if you have something very coloured or very neutral, it's a lovely thing to have as well. It did a great vocal session, rich, warm tone and plenty of colour - I'm not sure I'd necessarily call it subtle, but I think its effect is rather pleasant and thus you notice it somewhat less, if you see what I mean.

I did try it as a Bass DI with some rather neat results but only in the course of screwing around and seeing what it could do. Coolest thing I found for it was funnily enough, mandolin, which instead of coming out thin and irritating as I often find mandolin, it was nice, rich and full with a lot of detail.

When I have unlimited space, I'll probably buy something like it or it again second hand but that won't be for quite a long while......

It's in classifieds if yer interested. Probably around $2100 or 2000 ish (it's in absolutely perfect condition, original box etc.

I just don't do enough recording at the moment to justify it (writing mostly orchestral stuff and anything I record I usually do in a big aircraft hanger of a room) and the rack space would be better served by the neve 2254 on the way I'm simply trying to get instrumental music approved by clients in this room and I don't need four preamps to do that.

It just hasn't seen enough use, but solely because of my choice of things to do, and not because it isn't useable...far from it. I'm sure somebody could put it to much better use. Horses for courses.