New Mastering Console

[acorneau]

Originally Posted by dhiltonlittle

I'm looking for a new console at the moment and will need at least 8 analog inserts. What other options are there besides the Crookwood and Backbone?

That's all that I know of.

Most people get by with fewer inset points by pairing up devices on each insert and using the devices bypass as needed, or by using a patch bay.

[Bonati]

The Maselec MTC-2. It's expensive, but you asked for all options. I'll never be able to own it, but I do dream about it sometimes.

[acorneau]

Originally Posted by Bonati

The Maselec MTC-2. It's expensive, but you asked for all options. I'll never be able to own it, but I do dream about it sometimes.

I believe the MTC-2 only has 6 inserts.

[Cellotron]

Besides the Manley, Maselec and Crookwood - for an 8 insert solution you could also get

JLM - JLM Mastering Console

SPL - In Short: Sound Performance Lab
with their Master Bay - http://www.spl.info/index.php?id=72&L=1

Otherwise you can always diy or have a custom solution made for you.

fwiw - I really love my Manley Backbone and definitely recommend it (although if you have a little more in your budget the Crookwood is indeed fantastic and has a little more features).

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[Greg Reierson]

Originally Posted by Cellotron

Otherwise you can always diy or have a custom solution made for you.

What's your time frame?


GR

[dhiltonlittle]

Probably looking to get something in the next month or two. Crookwood is at about a 5 week wait right now if I go that route. Not sure about the Backbone but I'd assume they are readily available. I'm open to something like the Dangerous master and doubling up on the inserts as well. The Maselec is indeed nice but a bit out of my budget!!! I'm open to other ideas...Just curious what else is out there I'm not aware of.

[William Bowden]

Originally Posted by dhiltonlittle

Probably looking to get something in the next month or two. Crookwood is at about a 5 week wait right now if I got that route. Not sure about the Backbone but I'd assume they are readily available. I'm open to something like the Dangerous master and doubling up on the inserts as well. The Maselec is indeed nice but a bit out of my budget!!! I'm open to other ideas...Just curious what else is out there I'm not aware of.

There's a backbone on ebay at the moment. I too use the backbone, works well.

The King

[lmgoldsmith]

I have a SPL DMC with a Masterbay and it works great. Adam Ayan uses one as well at Gateway....you might want to reach out to him. Obviously, he's been very successful with it.

[phild]

I've heard a bunch of the above mentioned consoles but I like the Dangerous Music Master.

There are 3 inserts (instead of 8) but I seem to recall this being a deliberate move for better performance.

Obviously, transfer consoles are designed to have a minimal sound but the Master sounds really great in a clean way. Very transparent, open and fast. I haven't thought about another console since I bought it.

Mastering function(s) is all built in so you can just focus on making music and making money.

But you can get your 8 inserts if you wait a bit because there's an add on box for the Master coming soon:

The Dangerous Liason routing box (haha.. amazing)
6 stereo inserts, 2 busses, parallel processing, 4 storable presets, 100% straight-wire analog (except for the parallel loop of course because the blend control needs an amp.)

[Laarsø]

Just like Behringer, I love everything Dangerous make, except the silkscreen, but I can always re-spray?

Oh-we-oh-we-oh. Now, _I_, uh-drive a dangerous... I think I want to _know_ ya..." ykwim?

When I close my eyes, this gear can sound sometimes better... Those legends are in plain view, unless we go to black light, however... (*sometimes, more, where white)


Try painting a Behringer product flat black, with no words wisible. Is big improvement in sound, for pennies on dollar. Only best Chton caps are inside, anyway. I think the name, itself, is what gets a hard time. (he-he?)


Cheers-ø,
Laars-ø

[jdg]

Originally Posted by phild

The Dangerous Liason routing box (haha.. amazing))

i laughed, really

and that does sound amazing

[WBM]

The MB is great, the only thing is when I used the gain knobs, ads some colour to the mix, is not transparent all the way.

[bbuyuk]

SPL DMC + Masterbay 2

I am very happy with the quality of the console, very transparent...

Masterbay2 is great, too.

[steffen]

I just finished the proto of an insert switcher.
8 Slots, inserts via subD25, 3<>4 and 5<>6 can be flipped
nothing but sealed small signal relays in the audio path.
"global bypass" switch

you might recognise by the logo that this unit is going to
Vintage Scandinavia
if there is enough interrest we might team up for a production series.

steff

[studio57]

Originally Posted by steffen

I just finished the proto of an insert switcher.
8 Slots, inserts via subD25, 3<>4 and 5<>6 can be flipped
nothing but sealed small signal relays in the audio path.
"global bypass" switch

you might recognise by the logo that this unit is going to
Vintage Scandinavia
if there is enough interrest we might team up for a production series.

steff

retail price tag only 1290eur ex.vat

[bbuyuk]

Originally Posted by steffen

I just finished the proto of an insert switcher.
8 Slots, inserts via subD25, 3<>4 and 5<>6 can be flipped
nothing but sealed small signal relays in the audio path.
"global bypass" switch

you might recognise by the logo that this unit is going to
Vintage Scandinavia
if there is enough interrest we might team up for a production series.

steff

Can you change the "order" of the connected insert outboards with this product?

[lowland]

Originally Posted by bbuyuk

Can you change the "order" of the connected insert outboards with this product?

Steffen: "3<>4 and 5<>6 can be flipped".

[da goose]

what about this one?
passive mastering console with PICS

[bbuyuk]

Originally Posted by lowland

Steffen: "3<>4 and 5<>6 can be flipped".

That is good and OK for most of the engineers I believe.

[Romo]

I have a Crookwood Mastering Brick Console available, If you are interested. Analog and Digital inserts, 5.1, Monitor section.
You can contact me off list if you would like more information about it.

Michael Romanowski

[godofmetal]

My vote is the SPL

[jackthebear]

This has also become a conundrum for us as we start acquiring a whole new rig in anticipation for the 3rd room........

[mpdonahue]

We have a pair of Crookwood desks here at Soundmirror. The one in my room is a full surround, 4x inserts with 1x summing insert and order control, dsd router, 6x surround monitoring with individual gain trim for level matching, full metering matrix and a few surround formating options to make surround mastering a little easier.
The second is a Surround monitor only, as we didn't need inserts in that room.

I can't say enough good things about these desks. The one in my room is, to date, about the biggest that Crispin has built. The commissioning took a little bit of time, but since getting it up and running it has worked flawlessly for the past 7 years. The monitoring control is what really sold me on the desk and at this point I don't know how I would work without it. All the gains are relays and resistors with 0.25dB steps and the signal path is balanced throughout.
For stereo, the preconfigured units are actually a pretty good deal, there's actually very little that I would add to it. The MS Matrix is the only real option that I would add.
The only thing to remember is that the console does not play nice with unbalanced or quasi balanced gear. At out urging, Crispin has made a module for the monitor section that looks at the output and unbalances the signal for use with unbalanced power amps, but the inserts are still looking for balanced gear. We had built some fancy balanced to unbalanced boards years ago, so it wasn't a big deal for us, but it is something to be aware of (Sontec users especially).
For the money, it is really tough to beat.

All the best,
-mark

[DominicWyeth]

Crookwood all they way. Best thing I ever bought.

[William Bowden]

Originally Posted by godofmetal

My vote is the SPL

Does the SPL have a facility for a parallel signal/blend, I see it has buttons marked 'return' but I'm not sure it's for that use (maybe a DA monitoring choice?) and there's no potentiometer if it is a 'fx return'- anyone know? Oh and no MS matrix either...

For the money it had better sound good... You could almost get a Backbone+Avocet+ eq (PQ?) for that money, in fact you can!

The King

[studio57]

Originally Posted by DominicWyeth

Crookwood all they way. Best thing I ever bought.

i have a crookwood and the building quality aint the best and support sucks big time but it have some nice features
would i buy one now that i have one..ansure is NO

[DominicWyeth]

Crispin can take his time about getting back to you. But I've never had issue with build quality.

[studio57]

Originally Posted by DominicWyeth

Crispin can take his time about getting back to you. But I've never had issue with build quality.

our console went there back and fourth 4 times and eatch time he did "fix" the isue.. and even today that analog insert section does not work like it should so we dont use it.. those rack units and not high end build up..
garage build up.

but in work as i said earlyer it has some good functions so we have it still. he has promised to fix it ones more if we send it again

[klaper]

1 + Crookwood
Makes the job easier