High end Tube Channel strip

SLy_drums · 10th July 2006

We were lent a Manley Voxbox yesterday, and it was so smooth I couldn't believe it. We tried on female vocals, bass drum, percussion... Each time it sounded so pure. I really loved it.

We have a bunch of great solid state pres in the studio that give us a great panel of possibilities. We now really want a tube channelstrip, especially to record vocals, with a great mic and the high end tube smoothness. I mean tube pre, tube EQ (Pultec style I guess), and a tube comp too.

The Tube Tech MEC1A looks great, and seems to be very versatile. The Manley VoxBox is killer and is another choice for us. What about DW Fearn ?

What can you advise me to look to ?

thejook · 10th July 2006

You named three really, really, REALLY good boxes (the DW Fearn I'm just going off of every person I've known who's used one-I've not tried it myself so that's my disclaimer)

Between the VoxBox and the Tube Tech, there's not one 'better' than another and you'll just have to (not to pull a Fletcher on ya) try each of them. Once you're at that high of an end (is that grammatically correct even?) it's all preference.

If you have no way of trying either the DW Fearn or the Tube Tech, go with what you KNOW you love, the VoxBox.

True North · 10th July 2006

I love my MEC1A - what an outstanding box. I am selling off all of my other 'strips' and moving towards individual components BUT I am keeping the Tube Tech.

It is my go to for vocals - smooth as butter

Sounds great on bass as well

GYang · 10th July 2006

Pendulum Audio.

eskay · 10th July 2006

The API 7600 is a great channel strip that I use a lot.
I'm pretty sure it must be a different flavor than the Manley. I haven't used the Manly though.

eskay.

JMWS · 10th July 2006

Tried MEC1A and Voxbox, either didn´t do it for me. Liked MEC1A more though.

Got Chandler LTD-1 ---> 1176LN ---> instant mojo!

GearHunter · 10th July 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by GYang

Pendulum Audio.

The Vox Box is still really great, better than most, and I would never tell anyone not to get one.

As my esteemed colleague has mentioned, you should also take a look at the Pendulum Quartet, which I think compares very well to the Vox Box (some like it better). The De-esser in there is great, and of course you can use all four sections separately (mic-pre/DI, opto-comp, EQ, de-ess). PenQuartet

Now, the ultimate Tube Channel, IM(not-so-humble)O is Pendulum's QuartetII. PenQuartet2

I personally have never heard a more versatile or euphonic-sounding channel-strip. Gorgeous!

But again, the good ol' Vox Box is tried and true, and is in the top two or three. There's nothing not to like about it.

by-tor · 10th July 2006

What about the Summit Audio MPC-100A Tube Preamp & Compressor/ Limiter? I have not used this particular box but I use summit Mic pres and eqs and comps and always like them!

Bat Head Sound · 10th July 2006

Haven't used the Pendulum, but I have used the Tube-Tech and liked it a lot.

Pasta4lnch · 11th July 2006

I had 2 737's, traded for a Manley dual mono/elop and I've used the tube tech pre's before and none REALLY blew my skirt up. All were good and very useful, but not exceptional. When I got my tg2 I didn't even make it a bar into the music before I smiled ear to ear and those other's didn't really make me do that. though, again, they are good and compitent peices . . .

if i had the chance/cash to do it again i'd check out the pendulum stuff. or the dw fern if i REALLY had the cash

funka · 12th July 2006

I have not heard it(I wished I had...), but many guys are raving about the requisite PAL plus. It seems an awesome piece of audio gear, another possibility...

Grizzly · 12th July 2006

Although I can't compare with the Tube-Tech nor Manley VoxBox, I must say I've been using my D.W. Fearn VT-2 extensively on many sources ever since I got it - so much air I keep on being stunned every time I use it, specially with all my condensers which I used to consider as being really too harsh for my needs before - now the most aggressive kids (C-414, U-87...) have turned to sweethearts !!!...

The beast sounds pretty with ribbons too (male/female vocals thru R-84 then Vt-2 is huuuge !) but lacks a bit of output gain, so it may bring up some bothering hiss at one point, but I've gotten so hooked up to the preamp that I'll take that bit of a hiss anytime and get the right sound on an instrument or vocals...

The VT-2 is not a channel strip though but I've never ever felt the need for any EQ while tracking with it - sometimes though, I'll send the VT-2 to my "mullarded" CL1B (mostly for vocal tracks)...

Probably the best investment I've made for my studio - highly recommended !...

Good luck !... thumbsup

tmcconnell · 13th July 2006

I have the q1 and auditioned most of the menitioned boxes. The compressor in the Quartet is not the vari mu type (its opto, but fast) which makes it more broadly usable, I think. It shines on mics that are a tad too edgy - which is a lot of mics. Its surprisingly clean, however, when you consider it has like 8 tubes in the full signal path. Using the gain stages to create distortion of different sorts can be wonderful, but must be used with care. I don't use the independent acccess to each function much simply because its a lot of messing around with patching but I have used the compressor as an insert to GR pre's and the results are nice. I used it with an AEAr84 with Harmonica last night and I it was heavenly. ted.

VoxPro · 23rd November 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMWS

Tried MEC1A and Voxbox, either didn´t do it for me. Liked MEC1A more though.

Got Chandler LTD-1 ---> 1176LN ---> instant mojo!

I agree 100%:

Chandler LTD-1 ---> 1176LN ---> A lot of Color and Character

I use the MEC1A too.....superb unit !

surroundwork · 23rd November 2006

i´v been using MEC 1A on vocals but i think that the MP1A have a tighter bottom and more air at the top

True North · 23rd November 2006

The MEC1A is my "money" box for vox until I blew the output transformer

Sounds great on bass as well.

Had a 737 and wasn't crazy about it and sold it.

Trademarkh · 24th November 2006

The LTD-1 into a 1176 certainly sounds great but I also love the Millennia stt 1 valve path. Not much color compared to the LTD-1 but great in a more hi-fi valve way.
I can never find anyone who has compared the Millennia Stt-1 with the tubetech or pendulum.

Markus Stock · 24th November 2006

Though I haven't tried it the Tegeler Tube Recording Channel is a Tube Pre with passive pultec style EQ and Tube Comp. Maybe somebody who tried it will chime in?
www.tegeler-audio-manufaktur.com

studjo · 24th November 2006

Tube channel strip = Pendulum Quartet 1 - I love it dunno the others though.
I wanna get a Fearn though

- VT2 sounded huge when I checked it

Jo

edvdr76 · 24th November 2006

I know I'm gonna get shot for saying this but to me the Avalon 737 is a nice sounding unit. I've never had a bad sounding recording with it.

studjo · 25th November 2006

you're shot - lol

Jo

10th July 2006	#1
SLy_drums Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 760 Thread Starter	High end Tube Channel strip We were lent a Manley Voxbox yesterday, and it was so smooth I couldn't believe it. We tried on female vocals, bass drum, percussion... Each time it sounded so pure. I really loved it. We have a bunch of great solid state pres in the studio that give us a great panel of possibilities. We now really want a tube channelstrip, especially to record vocals, with a great mic and the high end tube smoothness. I mean tube pre, tube EQ (Pultec style I guess), and a tube comp too. The Tube Tech MEC1A looks great, and seems to be very versatile. The Manley VoxBox is killer and is another choice for us. What about DW Fearn ? What can you advise me to look to ?

10th July 2006	#3
True North Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario (Canada) Posts: 3,203	I love my MEC1A - what an outstanding box. I am selling off all of my other 'strips' and moving towards individual components BUT I am keeping the Tube Tech. It is my go to for vocals - smooth as butter Sounds great on bass as well __________________ "In the time of chimpanzees I was a monkey" - Beck, Loser "I do use compressors/limiters but not for controlling dynamics, I use EQ for that!" Jp22 (damn I miss him) "Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance." -- Will Durant, historian (1885-1981) "I try to get a boom out of the bass drum, in one of my albums, my CD, boom, I try to get that big boom, I could not get a big boom, I paid bucks, and could not get the boom" - Recording Expert, Tad Donley

11th July 2006	#10
Pasta4lnch Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: NYC Posts: 1,324	I had 2 737's, traded for a Manley dual mono/elop and I've used the tube tech pre's before and none REALLY blew my skirt up. All were good and very useful, but not exceptional. When I got my tg2 I didn't even make it a bar into the music before I smiled ear to ear and those other's didn't really make me do that. though, again, they are good and compitent peices . . . if i had the chance/cash to do it again i'd check out the pendulum stuff. or the dw fern if i REALLY had the cash __________________ myspace, youtube, facebook

12th July 2006	#11
funka Lives for gear Join Date: May 2005 Location: France Posts: 523	I have not heard it(I wished I had...), but many guys are raving about the requisite PAL plus. It seems an awesome piece of audio gear, another possibility... __________________ www.palmstudio.fr

13th July 2006	#13
tmcconnell Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 552	quartet I I have the q1 and auditioned most of the menitioned boxes. The compressor in the Quartet is not the vari mu type (its opto, but fast) which makes it more broadly usable, I think. It shines on mics that are a tad too edgy - which is a lot of mics. Its surprisingly clean, however, when you consider it has like 8 tubes in the full signal path. Using the gain stages to create distortion of different sorts can be wonderful, but must be used with care. I don't use the independent acccess to each function much simply because its a lot of messing around with patching but I have used the compressor as an insert to GR pre's and the results are nice. I used it with an AEAr84 with Harmonica last night and I it was heavenly. ted.

10th July 2006	#2
thejook Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 569	You named three really, really, REALLY good boxes (the DW Fearn I'm just going off of every person I've known who's used one-I've not tried it myself so that's my disclaimer) Between the VoxBox and the Tube Tech, there's not one 'better' than another and you'll just have to (not to pull a Fletcher on ya) try each of them. Once you're at that high of an end (is that grammatically correct even?) it's all preference. If you have no way of trying either the DW Fearn or the Tube Tech, go with what you KNOW you love, the VoxBox.

10th July 2006	#4
GYang Lives for gear Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: here Posts: 4,285	Pendulum Audio.

10th July 2006	#5
eskay Gear addict Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 361	The API 7600 is a great channel strip that I use a lot. I'm pretty sure it must be a different flavor than the Manley. I haven't used the Manly though. eskay.

10th July 2006	#6
JMWS Gear addict Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 311	Tried MEC1A and Voxbox, either didn´t do it for me. Liked MEC1A more though. Got Chandler LTD-1 ---> 1176LN ---> instant mojo!

10th July 2006	#8
by-tor Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 606	What about the Summit Audio MPC-100A Tube Preamp & Compressor/ Limiter? I have not used this particular box but I use summit Mic pres and eqs and comps and always like them!

10th July 2006	#9
Bat Head Sound Lives for gear Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 585	Haven't used the Pendulum, but I have used the Tube-Tech and liked it a lot.

12th July 2006	#12
Grizzly Gear addict Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Normandy, France & Austin, TX Posts: 449	Although I can't compare with the Tube-Tech nor Manley VoxBox, I must say I've been using my D.W. Fearn VT-2 extensively on many sources ever since I got it - so much air I keep on being stunned every time I use it, specially with all my condensers which I used to consider as being really too harsh for my needs before - now the most aggressive kids (C-414, U-87...) have turned to sweethearts !!!... The beast sounds pretty with ribbons too (male/female vocals thru R-84 then Vt-2 is huuuge !) but lacks a bit of output gain, so it may bring up some bothering hiss at one point, but I've gotten so hooked up to the preamp that I'll take that bit of a hiss anytime and get the right sound on an instrument or vocals... The VT-2 is not a channel strip though but I've never ever felt the need for any EQ while tracking with it - sometimes though, I'll send the VT-2 to my "mullarded" CL1B (mostly for vocal tracks)... Probably the best investment I've made for my studio - highly recommended !... Good luck !... thumbsup

23rd November 2006	#15
surroundwork Gear Head Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sweden Posts: 46	i´v been using MEC 1A on vocals but i think that the MP1A have a tighter bottom and more air at the top

24th November 2006	#17
Trademarkh Gear nut Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 77	The LTD-1 into a 1176 certainly sounds great but I also love the Millennia stt 1 valve path. Not much color compared to the LTD-1 but great in a more hi-fi valve way. I can never find anyone who has compared the Millennia Stt-1 with the tubetech or pendulum.

24th November 2006	#18
Markus Stock Gear addict Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Mellrichstadt/Germany Posts: 336	Though I haven't tried it the Tegeler Tube Recording Channel is a Tube Pre with passive pultec style EQ and Tube Comp. Maybe somebody who tried it will chime in? www.tegeler-audio-manufaktur.com __________________ Markus Stock Engineer/Co-owner of: www.studioe.de

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24th November 2006	#19
studjo Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Switzerland Posts: 2,399	Tube channel strip = Pendulum Quartet 1 - I love it dunno the others though. I wanna get a Fearn though - VT2 sounded huge when I checked it Jo

24th November 2006	#20
edvdr76 Lives for gear Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bell, CA Posts: 804	I know I'm gonna get shot for saying this but to me the Avalon 737 is a nice sounding unit. I've never had a bad sounding recording with it. __________________ myspace.com/esgarsmusic myspace.com/cheesgar "You can NEVER, fix it in the mix"

25th November 2006	#21
studjo Lives for gear Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Switzerland Posts: 2,399	you're shot - lol Jo