Hey! Pro Mixers - help me spend $10-14K

[jho]

Ah, the proverbial "help me spend my money" thread.

So E-cue, Thrill, Jules, any other pro mixers out there. I'm looking to add some gear to my studio. I primarily do mixing and producing jobs, some tracking, and use my studio for composition etc for my own projects. I have some gear capital and can't decide where to spend it all.

My major hardware components are:

1999 Mac G4 450 Mhz, OS9
Expansion chassis (4 slot) with PT HD3
Digi 192 i/o with 8 input option (16 analog inputs total)
Control 24
HEDD 192
STC-8
(2) distressors
Avalon 2022
Chandler LTD-3 (dual 1072 neve)
Dynaudio BM-15A's
NS10's
Lots of Mic's.

...as far as the bigger stuff goes. Based on that and what I do - mixing and composing with some tracking peppered in - and if you had $10-$14K, what would you buy?

I'm thinking of this thus far:
New G5
Big Ben Master Clock
La-2a or two...
Cranesong Spider?

??

Thanks!

J.Ho

[nicolasixxx]

I don't want to start a summing debate here, but have you tried the Dangerous 2-bus? I liked what it did to my rig for mixing. Maybe try one of the new apogee da16x interfaces to feed it.
Add a couple of analog eqs and a Smart C2 and there's your 14k.

Nic

[lucey]

why do you need a G5?



i'd get a better DA but other than that, if you dont know what you need, you dont need anything!

that's a nice list already

[alphajerk]

TG1 and TG2

[djui5]

how about a lunch box full of goodies, then a new G5 (if you are having processing problems), Big Ben, and an 8900....yummy. You also might want to look into getting a good outboard fx box like the Orville or an H8000. Maybe a system 6000? or a M5000 (I love this piece)

[natpub]

Agree on getting some outboard reverb, delay, misc effects. I gather you pretty much just use plug ins at the moment? Also agree with the GML EQ and/or conversion upgrade, though 16 channels of better conversion can cost your full budget.

[dave-G]

I know this may sound self-serving since I primarily mix for a living, but if your bulk-activity -- if your focus is doing production and composition, you seem to have a pretty good gear compliment that you might look to enhance with more instruments or other sound-making devices/plugs and spend some of that $ on hiring excellent session musicians for your productions, or hiring a mix-engineer. That could really elevate your work to a point where you might have more moeny to think about gear acquisition.

[subliminal]this message was brought to you by dave-G, mixer-for-hire. [/subliminal]

If on the other hand, you are doing purely mixing, it's completely subjective. The gear has to match the way you work, the style of your work, and such. I'd suggest getting cozy with a good dealer who will demo-loan you gear to try out (or allow returns after a trial period). That way you can put things to the test--see if they really contribute to what you're doing. Make your additions gradually this way and you'll end up with a rig that really suits you.

-dave

[djui5]

good point Dave. I thought about suggesting more snyth's and things like that also...

[faeflora]

What about a good eq? Or some outboard FX?

[echorec]

I´d add a couple of LA3A, some API 550A, and some of the old german EQ:s, like the Siemens 295, telefunken, neumann etc, maybe a Neve 2264 or 33609

[Robotnik]

How about something to record your 2mix to instead of doing a bounce-to-disk, like a Masterlink or 1/4" Ampex?
Other gear to consider:
UA 6176
UA LA2a
TubeTech EQ-1
API LunchBox with 550 and 560 EQs
Alan Smart C2
TC M3000
You really should upgrade your Mac. Maybe to a used dual G4?

[davemc]

Hi,

Some of the same gear I have
I would look at upgrading the mac as well, if you want to go OSX as you will eventually have to the old G4 does not cope as well with panther. I just upgraded my G4/400 to a G5-2gig as 6.4 is coming as well.

What about some external EQ? FX? more plugins?

[picksail]

It's a tough call. You already have some great gear.

Maybe, if you could narrow it down to what you feel you are lacking it would help us in assisting you on your decision.

What about mics? You did not really elaborate on this very essential element.

You have the STC-8, so even though I adore the Alan Smart SC2, I dont think it is absolutely necessary.

Perhaps an opto compressor or two. I have the ADL 1000 and, love it.

How many channels of compression do you need?

Even though I have a pair of 192 w/ expansion cards, I still go AES out to a Benchmark DAC-1.

Do you not feel that the clock on the HEDD is sufficiant? You could definately save some cash in this department if you stick with the HEDD.

In terms of the G5, I would say hold out just a bit longer when Apple finally releases the second generation. They are rumoured to have much better performance and additioal features. I have one of the current ones, though I wish I had waited.

[juniorhifikit]

I'll vote for the Smart C2, some analog way to combine all those compressors in parallel, and maybe a Masterlink.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally posted by jho
Ah, the proverbial "help me spend my money" thread.

So E-cue, Thrill, Jules, any other pro mixers out there. I'm looking to add some gear to my studio. I primarily do mixing and producing jobs, some tracking, and use my studio for composition etc for my own projects. I have some gear capital and can't decide where to spend it all.



Thanks!

J.Ho

What kind of music are you looking to do mostly?

If you say a little of everything, than i recommend a little of everything.

Off the bat maybe 2 other kind of monitors, some all around analog EQ's, a good reverb and multi effect box and various comps.

[jho]

Thanks for all the responses thus far folks. I'm fairly good in the instruments/noisemaker department so I'm focused on that.

I'm surprised I haven't heard many people touting the Dangerous or Summing Mixers. Thoughts?

[jho]

Originally posted by thethrillfactor
What kind of music are you looking to do mostly?

If you say a little of everything, than i recommend a little of everything.

Off the bat maybe 2 other kind of monitors, some all around analog EQ's, a good reverb and multi effect box and various comps.

Thrill,
Modern Rock, Progressive Rock, some Rap and Hip Hop, Pop stuff....and dance remixes etc.

I'd like to hear more thoughts on the Analog EQ's, and I'm thinking Alan Smart C2 as well....I want more compressors so I'm going to need more i/o also.

So Do most folks prefer the Digi 192 i/o over the options, or perhaps the Rosetta 800? I've heard conflicting feedback.

I'm still wondering about summing mixers. I've read all the comparisons and tests etc but not many real world folks feedback.

Thanks!

[thethrillfactor]

Originally posted by jho
Thrill,
Modern Rock, Progressive Rock, some Rap and Hip Hop, Pop stuff....and dance remixes etc.

I'd like to hear more thoughts on the Analog EQ's, and I'm thinking Alan Smart C2 as well....I want more compressors so I'm going to need more i/o also.

So Do most folks prefer the Digi 192 i/o over the options, or perhaps the Rosetta 800? I've heard conflicting feedback.

I'm still wondering about summing mixers. I've read all the comparisons and tests etc but not many real world folks feedback.

Thanks!

JHO,

So basically you are mixing everything, so basically you will need everything(i know what a revelation).

Are these your productions or others?

If its your own than its pretty easy, since you will probably know what works best for you.

If you are doing others, than most of the gear you will be looking at are things to correct other people's shortcomings or mistakes(be it recording,production or performance).

This area can get tricky because there are so many choices.

A majority of the gear i own is in this area.