Maselec MLA-3 Tips & Tricks

[Paul Gold]

I've never found a use for side chain linking. I have racked my brain trying to find a situation it would be useful for. I haven't found one so far.

I've asked the same question here. I think a couple people found a use for it every once in a while.

[macc]

^ Aye Paul, I seem to recall having this conversation with you once upon a time...

I've used link about 2 or 3 times to tame supersuper-'slappy' kick drums. But that's about it. It's unlinked 99.9999% of times.

Tip: for additional perceived loudness (and/or to bring out vocals sometimes) turn up the mid band 0.5dB. Simple but very effective.

Fantastic box. Love the thing.

[Philipp W OM]

I don't use the the SC Link for mastering at all.

I think it can make sense when used in mixing, when you want to create a pumping high/mid range triggered by the bass drum for dance tracks and the like.

It's a great unit for mastering though.
My go to de-esser (with SC Boost activated) and one of the very best solutions to get a highly dynamic bass range into shape.

Kind regards.

[ONDRAY]

[QUOTE=Philipp W OM;7596591]I don't use the the SC Link for mastering at all.

I think it can make sense when used in mixing, when you want to create a pumping high/mid range triggered by the bass drum for dance tracks and the like.
....QUOTE]

I actually use to use a plugin to do this same effect for EDM tracks that were just squashed, I would expand first. Tried it out on the MLA with the L>MH link, much more transparent.

[mixerguy]

any other MLA-3 tips and tricks?

[BT Mastering]

Originally Posted by mixerguy

any other MLA-3 tips and tricks?

I often use the sidechain in L-M or L-MH on dance/house mastering when you need more bass or kick definition..
Also sidechain booster for de-essing is very good, I use it a lot on everything..

Another trick you can use is this, set on your taste crossovers and the 3 band parameters (Att, rel, ratio, tresh etc.), then start to play with the main treshold control (the little knob upper the "left input").
You can give different amount of compression and obtain different sounds.

Also try this trick using the MLA-3 in "linked mode"..

I think is really a powerful and versatile piece of gear..


-Francis-

[teebaum]

a "trick" is to use him more like a eq, just to set first the spectral balance. i like the filters for this more than the most decidedly eq's . often i just use 1 or 2 bands also as dynamics. the bass can be really nice shaped & you get more rms without sounding squeezed. the high band is a really good de-esser, you can smooth out the highs in a nice way. i didn't use the midband very often, but a usage is to use the mid band for a gentle ride in parts who are a bit to dense (as example a big choir in the chorus)
the mla-3 is not a magical box, but a really good tool with a perfect layout. i had a tubetech smc-2 before, but the mla3 fits much better in my chain and is far more flexible.

[streaky]

My favorite bit of kit...use it as an EQ and sounds tight compressing the low end...

I only use the side chain to link the top and bottom to get some movement in pumpy tracks that you can get away with it...(dance music)

Top end de-esser is brilliant...a mastering room must have...

[J_Flux]

I've been lucky enough to secure a demo unit for a few days next week. Aside from the tips already mentioned in this thread, does anyone have any pointers to help get me started? It seems like a pretty deep box and I only have 4 days to test it so I want to make the best use of my time with it.

[inflater]

Originally Posted by J_Flux

I've been lucky enough to secure a demo unit for a few days next week. Aside from the tips already mentioned in this thread, does anyone have any pointers to help get me started? It seems like a pretty deep box and I only have 4 days to test it so I want to make the best use of my time with it.

My personal advice would be to try keeping the unit for a bit longer and live with it.
it took me a long time to really understand the capability of that machine,as you said it's a deep box.
When I first got the MLA3 after few weeks,I wanted to sell it because I couldn't find a place for it in my chain, but I new I was missing the point or something with that machine.
So I started experimenting a bite more and find that what is been said here on GS is right,it an indispensable tool for EDM and that's what I do.

[J_Flux]

Originally Posted by inflater

My personal advice would be to try keeping the unit for a bit longer and live with it.
it took me a long time to really understand the capability of that machine,as you said it's a deep box.
When I first got the MLA3 after few weeks,I wanted to sell it because I couldn't find a place for it in my chain, but I new I was missing the point or something with that machine.
So I started experimenting a bite more and find that what is been said here on GS is right,it an indispensable tool for EDM and that's what I do.

Thanks for the advice. I've had the MLA-3 now for 3 days and all I can say is WOW! I spent a longtime trying to master a really harsh track the day before it arrived. The midrange was literally shredding my ears its was so bad and no matter what I did I couldn't get it to sound right. The MLA-3 arrived the next day and I had the track nailed in about 15 mins.

It sold itself to me within this first 15mins and now I just can't put it down. I've only had it for 3 days and I'm already wondering how I ever managed to work without it! Like many of you have already said, it is perfect for EDM and +1 for the bass tightening, also taming those harsh ITB highs without effort.

This is my 1st piece of Maselec gear and I have to say I'm very impressed with every aspect of the unit. It is a really gorgeous piece of kit and has already become an in-dispensible tool in my arsenal.

I will definitely be checking out some other Maselec gear soon, I think this could be the start of a beautiful new relationship!

[streaky]

Originally Posted by J_Flux

Thanks for the advice. I've had the MLA-3 now for 3 days and all I can say is WOW! I spent a longtime trying to master a really harsh track the day before it arrived. The midrange was literally shredding my ears its was so bad and no matter what I did I couldn't get it to sound right. The MLA-3 arrived the next day and I had the track nailed in about 15 mins.

It sold itself to me within this first 15mins and now I just can't put it down. I've only had it for 3 days and I'm already wondering how I ever managed to work without it! Like many of you have already said, it is perfect for EDM and +1 for the bass tightening, also taming those harsh ITB highs without effort.

This is my 1st piece of Maselec gear and I have to say I'm very impressed with every aspect of the unit. It is a really gorgeous piece of kit and has already become an in-dispensible tool in my arsenal.

I will definitely be checking out some other Maselec gear soon, I think this could be the start of a beautiful new relationship!

I think you'll find all the Maselec stuff will blow you away in the same way but you need to spend time with some of them as they always seem subtle at first...I'm a massive fan...try the limiter...I hated it for years as I felt it took too much edge from the tops but then I started pushing like a compressor and bang I found it's sweet spot...
The MLA 3 sidechains are the bits that take the most getting used too, with the L+H you can get that brilliant ducking / groove effect for Dance records (refuse to call it "EDM"..who ever thought that sounded good !) the L+MH thickens the mids a little too much for DANCE MUSIC but good for Rock..not found a use for the linked as I like the MLA2 for overall compression...

[polybonk]

Originally Posted by streaky

I hated it for years as I felt it took too much edge from the tops but then I started pushing like a compressor and bang I found it's sweet spot...

What do you mean pushing like a compressor? It only has 2 knobs. Input and Threshold.

Incidentally was it 2 different units or the same unit you started to like. I only ask because they sound different between revisions/units.

[streaky]

Originally Posted by polybonk

What do you mean pushing like a compressor? It only has 2 knobs. Input and Threshold.

Incidentally was it 2 different units or the same unit you started to like. I only ask because they sound different between revisions/units.

well now I think you've hit it on the head...I'd totally forgot that I've changed unit and I'll have to speak to Leif to see if there was a huge change as the unit I have now was the first version that I had 15 years ago at Battery studios when I first loved it. Then when I moved to Soundmasters they had one of the newer units with the 'fast' selector button and a different layout (not sure on the model numbers)...so I think it is that I like the first version.

When I say like a compressor I don't actually mean like a compressor sorry, I just mean I can push it alot more than I would normally use a limiter, like I'll let the limiter take about -3db off rather than letting the -1 light flicker...so I'm just pushing it more and it's not sucking like some limiters do.

[J_Flux]

Originally Posted by streaky

well now I think you've hit it on the head...I'd totally forgot that I've changed unit and I'll have to speak to Leif to see if there was a huge change as the unit I have now was the first version that I had 15 years ago at Battery studios when I first loved it. Then when I moved to Soundmasters they had one of the newer units with the 'fast' selector button and a different layout (not sure on the model numbers)...so I think it is that I like the first version.

When I say like a compressor I don't actually mean like a compressor sorry, I just mean I can push it alot more than I would normally use a limiter, like I'll let the limiter take about -3db off rather than letting the -1 light flicker...so I'm just pushing it more and it's not sucking like some limiters do.

So the newer units are that different that you rejected it on favour of the old? Can you elaborate further on the differences between them?

[TanTan]

I don't have any tricks to share but I've got my MLA-3 a few days ago and love the thing, like all Maselecs the build quality is superb, it's fun to use and sounds great !