Need killer Channel strip for Bass and Vocal

[gear is cool]

API makes good stuff, I believe they make a all in on box that has a pre/comp/eq.

The Channel Strip

I found it for you

[Schumannz]

:D Thanks!

[alexkemp]

DW Fearn!

[phatbeatstudio]

Originally Posted by Schumannz

Hi...can you please suggest me best channel strip for Bass and Vocal?

Whats your budget. 2/3/4/5,000
Best is a word that starts wars in this place .

$1500 used AVALON 737.
Great on both. alot of people love it on bass a lot of people love it on vox. A high end piece of gear found in a lot of the worlds best studio,s/. It has its haters and its lovers though. But is a easy resell later on if you decide a different flavour is what you need, and you won't lose a penny .Free to use it until you sell it. What could be better.

[Schumannz]

My budget is upto 5k USD. sorry forgot to mention that...

[L Diamond]

i'd definitely check out the retro intruments "powerstrip"

what style of music do you do?

[Schumannz]

I am into Rock and funk...

[fredouli]

I use UA 6176 for that on funk. Can have one pretty cheap too

[AllBread]

RND Designs Portico II channel strip is the most appealing one for me.

[Larry Villella]

When you say channel strip for Bass and Vocals, is it
Electric Bass or Acoustic Bass, Male Vox or Female Vox?

The entire analog front-end is important: Source > Room > Mic > Pre > Comp/Lim


The more we know about the totality of your 'front-end' the better we can advise you.

[Schumannz]

Thanks! Here is the information:

Bass: Electric Bass, mostly Musicman Stingray5 (1991), Musicman Stingray 25th anniversary and a Lightwave Sabor VL5 Fretless.
Vocal: Male, on the lower frequency (Chris Rea-ish :p)
Mic: AKG 414 B-ULS
Pre: Currently i own a JoeMeek, which i'm planning to change.
I record using Protools 8 LE with Digi 003 Rack Factory.

[Johnkenn]

I have a Heritage 1073 and a Sta-Level. Perfect for vocals and killer on bass.

[azwhofan]

I too, am on the hunt for the 'perfect' channel strip for bass.

subscribed

[madgansound]

Of course there is no such thing as the 'best'. But because you posted this in the high end section I would assume you are looking to spend some real money on one - meaning thousands? (Just saw your budget - sorry) Based on what you posted for your base set-up that would be the last place I would recommend spending your money. You certainly don't need a channel strip to capture great vocal and/or bass performances. A good pre or pre's with a DI would be a smart start. Spend the additional money you've now saved on a nicer mic perhaps? Better conversion? Who knows what else may be going on the the room, monitors, etc... Dumping close to $5k in a strip may been akin to putting a custom leather interior in a 1978 Mustang II.

[mml]

I'd say a Manley vox box if it's in your budget. Great on bass and uh, vox. Stellar on bass and I'm a bass player as well as engineer.

[Sqye]

.

Buzz Audio ARC.

Hands down - killer.

.

[tenkas]

Mike-E from Empirical labs (EL-9) is my favorite on bass and vocals.

Bass, you can dial in some sweet tone using the saturation circuit (1:1 ratio on the unit). It instantly makes the bass sit in the mix and if you want to get dirty, you can get some cool distorted bass sounds with the unit.

For vocals, activate the high frequency boost in the compressor circuit (hold COMP MODE button until you get a red light that flashes twice) and you have some real smooth compression that does not emphasis sibilance.


Also, this unit is capable of the most transparent of sounds to the most distorted tones you have ever heard. It really helps me get a "warmer" sound in the DAW, or if I just want clean, I can get clean (I got to admit the saturation circuit or compressor is always on when I use it... e)

[Sofa King]

Originally Posted by Schumannz

Hi...can you please suggest me best channel strip for Bass and Vocal?

Thanks

Schumannz

I like the Neve 31102, great for both.

[frans]

Depending on your taste an musical aesthetics you could buy any of the known and proven quality channel strips, Manley, Fearn, Pendulum, Buzz, TubeTec, Fink, etc.etc. and then it doesn't hurt you have a look at the SWR interstellar overdrive, a tube pre/DI/eq/distortion with mix knob/5watts power amp out/ - I find it very useful.

[RamblinRose]

Tube Tech MEC 1A

[mikeyman]

i would look into the new Ventura pre..never tried it but heard some good things about it

[tomdarude]

units to check out:

Manley Voxbox
Retro Powerstrip
BuzzAudio ARC
GML 2020
RND Designs Portico II Channel


all great...all different, buy the one you like most in your application...done

[Sqye]

Originally Posted by tomdarude

units to check out:

Manley Voxbox
Retro Powerstrip
BuzzAudio ARC
GML 2020
RND Designs Portico II Channel


all great...all different, buy the one you like most in your application...done

.

Yes, the Tube Tech and Pendulum units are great, as well.

.

[Schumannz]

Thanks a million for all the suggestions! Here is the list:


1. API: The Channel Strip
2. DW Fearn
3. AVALON 737
4. Retro instruments "powerstrip"
5. UA 6176
6. Rupert Neve Designs Portico II
7. Heritage 1073
8. Manley Vox Box
9. Buzz Audio ARC
10. Mike-E from Empirical labs (EL-9)
11. Neve 31102
12. Pendulum
13. BuzzAudio ARC
14. TubeTec MEC 1A
15. Fink
16. Ventura Pre
17. GML 2020
18. Millennia STT-1 Origin
19. Great River

The serial is not by preference, its just a serial number. Can you please vote on the ones you prefer? I cant tryout before purchase from where i live...so your feedback is really precious to me.

I agree with Madgansound, I do need a better Mic and Conversion. So many stuff to buy...so little fund! Sigh! :(

I guess i'll have to take one step at a time.

Cheers

Schumann

[Julian J. Ludwig]

GML, Fearn or Pendulum.

[Ward Pike]

Originally Posted by yotonic

Yeah skip the strip and get a 1073 and an 1176.

^ ^ THIS

[Schumannz]

Thanks everybody... I have decided to go for Tube. The following are my finalists...

1. Retro Instruments Power Strip
2. Millennia STT-1 Origin
3. PENDULUM QUARTET II ME
4. Tube-Tech MEC 1A
5. Manley VoxBox

Can you please help me choose from the above list?

Thanks

Schumann

[Fezzle]

The GML would be my choice. You've got high quality pre, surgical equaliser and dynamics, high speed, no mush, it will do as its told so you can make your music!

[EleKtriKaz]

The Retro Powerstrip is truly amazing on vocals. It really blew me away in a way that no new piece of gear has since...well I guess since the Retro 176.

I didn't get to use it on bass, but it's worth the price of admission for what it does on vocals alone. It was the most finished sounding vocal I've ever cut. I was absolutely abusing the compression on it, an it sounded fantastic. Used it with both a U67 and a Sony C37.

If I had the dough, I wouldn't hesitate to score a Powerstrip.