summing or mixer, summing or mixer...

[abit]

I started with PT442 in 1992,
and got through several years of upgrades..

Now I'm with 800 Apogee.
Tube Tech - pre, comp, 2eqs
TLA100a
Red2
9098x2
Lex 3000
Some other stuff.


At the moment I'm in the end of a new room construction
and have to make some decisions.
Room is gonna be nice but small - 16X16.(not square)

In one hand number of ppl tend to focus on SBoxes
(SPL, API, D2B, Folcrom, SSA 2A),
loading there racks with outboard and trying to make a "big" sound out of flat DAW.
And I'm a believer here.

At the same time vintage sleepers like Auditronics, Sphere, Q8
quite a bargain in these days.
And yes, maintenance would be a painful spot.

Don't know what 2do really..
Make me insane..

Neve is not my ball game cuz a budget, period.

I'm wandering if anybody here actually moved away from these type of desks
and maint hassles to summing, and if yes,
how much happy are U now guys?

Also, I'm not running commercial studio,
but more like a private type of room for selfcrazygear producer/key.

I hope I explained myself in the appropriate way here.
And any opinions would be highly appreciated.
Thanx


ps
Another thing is obvious, and I'm sorry to say this,
that there is a so much cool and useful discussions at "slutz" on summing and
such, (I'm hanging here for like a year)but unfortunately no samples of work
was actually presented. It would be really cool to listen at least 30sec
of something, that U feel like might represent that summing progress.
But this would be a different topic I guess.
Thanx again.

[Ziggy!!]

I'm also thinking about the same thing.

I dont have as much outboard as you though.

Due to budget, im thinking of getting something Small like a Tac Bullet (with a trip to jim williams) or a Studer 961 or something similar... Amek B2

The main reasons i'd prefer a desk are for the each preamps and eq's which i'd like and would eventually need if i ended up with a summing box. Hands on is also a big plus!

then again my budget is quite small... about $1500US max.

the Audient Sumo looks tasty though.

Maybe check out the Amek BCII. looks like a tasty board with a little footprint.

[lang_dave]

There's a TAC Bullet for sale on Ebay right now - no, I'm not the guy selling it.

[Ziggy!!]

Originally Posted by lang_dave

There's a TAC Bullet for sale on Ebay right now - no, I'm not the guy selling it.

yeah i've noticed it... though im not quite in the position to purchase it at present


Thanks though

[abit]

I always liked Amek a lot.
And spend a plenty of time with Mozat and Rembrand.
They warm and have a sweet EQ. men.
But they too big for my room now.
Maintenence, maintenance - killa..
And no "Amek Big" for sure.

Summers.. I plan to listen to each of them personally.
My first would be Tube Tech. Tube ..
Then API and SPL.
This three are my targets.

[Jules]

Tell you what, the SSL AWS 900 kinda makes me want to throw ALL my pre's out of the window and become a compressor collector and er... I suppose, a bank robber to get one...

[Ziggy!!]

Originally Posted by abit

I always liked Amek a lot.
And spend a plenty of time with Mozat and Rembrand.
They warm and have a sweet EQ. men.
But they too big for my room now.
Maintenence, maintenance - killa..
And no "Amek Big" for sure.

Summers.. I plan to listen to each of them personally.
My first would be Tube Tech. Tube ..
Then API and SPL.
This three are my targets.

Not every Amek is big





this ones a 20 input model.

[Jules]

Can you push a button that makes a stereo channel become 'mono'?

Funky Junk London usually has a LOAD of these all over the place...BTW

[Ziggy!!]

Originally Posted by Jules

Can you push a button that makes a stereo channel become 'mono'?

Funky Junk London usually has a LOAD of these all over the place...BTW

im not sure... thats where i got the photo from though. Apparently they are pretty open for Module swaps so if you wanted more mono channels you could probably give em a yell...

[monobeat]

hello all,

i was in a similar situuation until my dealer set me up with a studer 9 series 12 channel desk. it has made such a difference! sure there are always pros and cons. but my god what a difference the mic pres, eqs and summing make. not to mention that it definitely looks cool.
we actually have a few custumers (who have DAWs without a a good mixer) who are so vibed by the sound that they come regularly just to record certain parts through our gear...then take it home and chop it up and use it on their various productions.
best, warner

[abit]

Looks cool.
Where is it from?


Any other ideas?!

Jules, I agree - the bank is place for a target..

[Ziggy!!]

Originally Posted by abit

Looks cool.
Where is it from?


Any other ideas?!

Jules, I agree - the bank is place for a target..

Funky Junky. www.proaudioeurope.com

shoot em an email about the BCII... chances are they have a few.

[Shaman]

Originally Posted by Jules

Tell you what, the SSL AWS 900 kinda makes me want to throw ALL my pre's out of the window and become a compressor collector and er... I suppose, a bank robber to get one...

After some years working exclusively with the SSL pre´s you´ll have to robb another bank to buy your trusty pre´s back

[jho]

Originally Posted by Shaman

After some years working exclusively with the SSL pre´s you´ll have to robb another bank to buy your trusty pre´s back

[midnightblue]

Originally Posted by Jules

Tell you what, the SSL AWS 900 kinda makes me want to throw ALL my pre's out of the window and become a compressor collector and er... I suppose, a bank robber to get one...

Jules:

Have you ACTUALLY used an "SSL, AWS900"?? If so, what is your opinion on its general sound, ease of use, functionality, mixing capability, etc.? I'd really like to know.

By the way.....to anyone interested here.....I have an "Auditronics 110" console for sale that includes the rack-mount power supply, spare cards and cables, MOLEX connectors, all new stereo faders and a bag of circuit boards I designed that converts the MOLEX connectors on the rear of the console to RCA connectors.

Give me a shout at: midnight_blue_studios@yahoo.com JBWilliams

[Ernest Buckley]

Just out of curiousity, what are the smaller SSLs going for?

[macmod]

FYI This month's SOS mag has a review on the Sumo
cheers,
Macmod

Originally Posted by Ziggy!!

I'm also thinking about the same thing.

I dont have as much outboard as you though.

Due to budget, im thinking of getting something Small like a Tac Bullet (with a trip to jim williams) or a Studer 961 or something similar... Amek B2

The main reasons i'd prefer a desk are for the each preamps and eq's which i'd like and would eventually need if i ended up with a summing box. Hands on is also a big plus!

then again my budget is quite small... about $1500US max.

the Audient Sumo looks tasty though.

Maybe check out the Amek BCII. looks like a tasty board with a little footprint.

[Jules]

Originally Posted by midnightblue

Jules:

Have you ACTUALLY used an "SSL, AWS900"?? If so, what is your opinion on its general sound, ease of use, functionality, mixing capability, etc.? I'd really like to know.

By the way.....to anyone interested here.....I have an "Auditronics 110" console for sale that includes the rack-mount power supply, spare cards and cables, MOLEX connectors, all new stereo faders and a bag of circuit boards I designed that converts the MOLEX connectors on the rear of the console to RCA connectors.

Give me a shout at: midnight_blue_studios@yahoo.com JBWilliams

I ran signal through a AWE 900 for about an hour at a dealer during a relaxed demo. Wasnt enough time to get a FULL feel for it. But I could tell the EQ's were VERY powerfull (in keeping with past SSL style) I already like the pre's A LOT as I had demoed outboard versions at my studio... My verdict - packs a powerfull punch.

[ulysses]

I think the summing box vs. mixing console question is best decided by answering this question: How do you want to work? Is it more important that you maintain the recall ability of your DAW's automation? Or are you willing to give that up for a handful of faders to grab onto? That's really what it boils down to. Sure, there are some sonic questions - a good summing box lets you omit a whole lot of circuitry which can really open up the tone, but a good fat console can do a lot for you in terms of pleasing coloration (if you buy the right kind of console). But the big question is whether the faders and knobs will be a help or a hindrance. A lot of people think a big fat console is going to be great and nostalgic until they realize they'll never be able to recall a mix again. Not with the level of precision to which DAW users have become accustomed.

As for the Ameks - not every BCII is small either. I think the power supply for our BCII studio console is about the size of that little BCII board pictured above (actually it's 4RU and weighs about 50 pounds). This is a pretty good mixing console - lots of headroom. A little noisy, but very useable. The EQ is useful, but it is definitely not a sweetening EQ that you would use for coloration.. The BCII exists entirely outside of the realm of euphonic audio gear. It does its job, which is mixing, and it does it well. No transformers or inductors in there to warm up your digital mixes.