Unlimited budget vocal chain

[lawrence_o]

Hi guys,

If you had to buy a complete vocal chain for a studio and were given unlimited resources, what chain would you buy, knowing that you're only allowed to buy 1 piece of a given gear in the chain. This means e.g. 1 mic, 1 pre, 1 comp etc...

Assume they would be doing mainly pop-vocal tracking and R&B vocals.

Regards

[kittonian]

In that case I'd want the cleanest sound possible so I could have a nice big warm vocal and then "effect" that vocal after it's already recorded.

My preference would be:

Peluso 22 251
DBX 786 (blue series)
Purple Audio MC77
GML 8200
Prism ADA-8-XR (for conversion)

That would be my chain in order.

[lawrence_o]

Originally Posted by kittonian

In that case I'd want the cleanest sound possible so I could have a nice big warm vocal and then "effect" that vocal after it's already recorded.

My preference would be:

Peluso 22 251
DBX 786 (blue series)
Purple Audio MC77
GML 8200
Prism ADA-8-XR (for conversion)

That would be my chain in order.

Thanks. I already got the ADA-8 96khz. 4 to go ;-)

Why would you prefer the Peluso above e.g. the Sony C800?
Regards
Lawrence

[thethrillfactor]

For pop or R&B

1) Mic-rental card at nearest rental place so you can rent any mic possible

2) Mic pre-Neve 1081

3) Compressor-Tubetech CL1B with different tubes(Mullards)

[Ruudman]

Bono -> Sm58 -> Neve -> Studer 800





ruudman

or:

Refurbished high q. U67, GML Channel, Tube Tech CL1b, Apogee AD16X

BTW:

I see no need to spend diamonds on a vox chain.
I like to feel that I've done a pretty good deal

[bukarin]

Classic Chain:

1) U47 Valve - original
2) Neve 1073
3) Urei 1176LN Blackface

[kittonian]

Originally Posted by lawrence_o

Thanks. I already got the ADA-8 96khz. 4 to go ;-)

Why would you prefer the Peluso above e.g. the Sony C800?
Regards
Lawrence

I honestly haven't had the pleasure of recording through the C800 so I can't really give you comparisons between them. I have however tracked a ton of vocals through the Peluso and many other mics. I always come back to the 22 251. There's something about it that just punches through and makes things sound great. I've also had really good results with a Rode NT Classic but they aren't made anymore (now they have the Classic II). I've tried the U47 approach as well but unless you want a lot of low end in the vox tracks or have a really breathy female blues/jazz singer, the U47 isn't the way to go (IMHO).

Mics are like anything else though. It depends on the source (singer) and what pre you run them through. I like the idea of renting a bunch of mics (or maybe even purchasing a few that you could switch between to find the best one for the vocalist in question).

[dicksunday]

Elux 251/Lawson LMP47
Chandler Ltd-1/Vintech x73
Tubetech CL1b

That's what I'm using all the time. Couldn't decide on one single mic or pre. Depends on the day.

[chetatkinsdiet]

hard to go against the classics....
47>1073>1176.
later,
m

[Jason Poulin]

If I were given unlimited resources, I would choose a talented signer.


the rest is peanuts and up to the engineer on what type of flavour this singer needs.








My chain, U99, MP2NV, Distressor, Kurzweil KSP8, Apogee ad16X (I've never complained yet)

Jason

[desol]

Originally Posted by bukarin

Classic Chain:

1) U47 Valve - original
2) Neve 1073
3) Urei 1176LN Blackface

[Kenny Gioia]

Neumann U47 Tube

Neve 1073 or 1081 or any Neve really.

Fairchild Compressor (Why not?)

Pultec EQ

Radar A/D

[DigitMus]

With 70 microphones, a dozen flavors of preamp, 1/2 dozen flavors of EQ and various other signal processors, my vocal chain tends to change frequently. The last vocal I cut was with : Gefell UM75 > Groove Tubes Vipre > Atomic Squeezebox > Crane Song Spider (line in to A/D). It sounded great.


Scott

[everybody's x]

C12
vintech x73 (1073 copy,those things are sweet)
1176

YESH!!!!

[Bob Olhsson]

A good enough sounding studio that you can back off the mikes without losing vocal presence!

[Ruphus]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

A good enough sounding studio that you can back off the mikes without losing vocal presence!

Hah, I must be developing when I thought exactly what Bob said!
Room, room, room. I want to get away from too close mics in my booth, damnit.

Ruphus

[84K]

Talent
1. Telefunken USA e lam 251
2. Pendulum Quartet 2
3. API 550b
4. Innertube Atomic Squeeze Box

That is the chain!!! Yes, the Quartet has a compressor, it rocks! It will give you a HUGE open sounding mic pre, a nice EQ, and a limiter to give you that real nice and big and in-your-face. Then, EQ more with the 4 band parametric API (to dial it in) and then hit it hard with the ASB at the end of the chain for the ultimate of the popular in-your-face sound (but still big and deep). If done correctly, with most singers you will have "the" vocal sound.

[usamike]

C12
LA-3A
API 512
456 (studer)

[lawrence_o]

Well I thought I would get a dozen different opinions. So I can only conclude what I already knew, sound is really also a personnel thing ;-)

Anyway, I've seen the Tube Tech come back a few times and it has been advised to me also lately. I think I'll try it in combination with a Neve Pre. I won't immediately get an EQ since I work on an SSL4000E and I hope that old bucket will also get the vocal sound right. If not, well, I'll have te refer to the suggestions in here.
Anyway,

Thanks a lot guys! It's been a lot of help.

Regards
Lawrence.

[seriousfun]

Wait until you hear the vocal sound on the upcoming Foo Fighters album - one acoustic disc and one electric.

The chain was a Soundeluxe 251|Martech MSS-10|DBX 160.

[rlnyc]

Originally Posted by lawrence_o

Hi guys,

If you had to buy a complete vocal chain for a studio and were given unlimited resources, what chain would you buy, knowing that you're only allowed to buy 1 piece of a given gear in the chain. This means e.g. 1 mic, 1 pre, 1 comp etc...

Assume they would be doing mainly pop-vocal tracking and R&B vocals.

Regards

U47 --
Neve 1073 --
Teletronix LA2A --
Happiness

best regards,
rlnyc

[rolo]

radio shack optumus hi z mic

behringer ub1002 mixer/mic pre

adat!!!!!!!

o.k. that was just the nightmare i had last night.

remember... it's different for every singer and every ROOM, but....

u47 tube

millennia sst-1 (has eq and comp, tube or solid state) w/telefunken tube upgrade (ohmagosh!!!)

digi hd3 via 192 io

yummy!!!

[Fletcher]

Originally Posted by kittonian

My preference would be:

Peluso 22 251
DBX 786 (blue series)
Purple Audio MC77
GML 8200
Prism ADA-8-XR (for conversion)

Lemme get this straight... you'd go with a Peluso and a DBX over say a Horch and a D.W. Fearn? ... or a KHE and a Martech MSS-10? ... so is it that you sell the Peluso and the DBX and are hawking your crap in the context of assistance... or are you just ignorant to the really good stuff out there.

Just curious.

[Tetness]

Elam251
V76M
1176 RevB or Fairchild 660
Pultec EQP1A
Vac Rac TSL-3
Lavry Gold
EMT140
480L
H8000

[RoundBadge]

Originally Posted by kittonian

In that case I'd want the cleanest sound possible so I could have a nice big warm vocal and then "effect" that vocal after it's already recorded.

My preference would be:

Peluso 22 251
DBX 786 (blue series)
Purple Audio MC77
GML 8200
Prism ADA-8-XR (for conversion)

That would be my chain in order.

with an unlimited budget you'd pimp him a DBX or Peluso 251 knockoff that you sell on youre website?!
tutt

[paul mckenna]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

Lemme get this straight... you'd go with a Peluso and a DBX over say a Horch and a D.W. Fearn? ... or a KHE and a Martech MSS-10? ... so is it that you sell the Peluso and the DBX and are hawking your crap in the context of assistance... or are you just ignorant to the really good stuff out there.

Just curious.

Did Fletcher just say what we all were thinking or is it just me....

Fletcher, thank you for not listing your favorites as the Mercenary Versions of anything made. The weight of these responses needs to be balanced with some bit of reality.. the question is your ideal vocal chain, money not being any concern. not what some salesman has too many of in his warehouse. Fletcher thanks for staying above all that....

[ulysses]

It can't be done. There is no microphone that sounds perfect on everybody's voice. So in order to pick one that doesn't ever sound like shit on anybody, you'd end up with a microphone that doesn't ever sound like god on anybody either. Like an SM57. That said, I've got one microphone that ends up being "perfect" on a surprisingly large number of vocalists, and that's the Beyer M500. But occasionally it is absolutely inappropriate for somebody's voice and you have to use a different mike. But in your little made-up world of unlimited budget and very limited selection, we'll assume we can stick with one very expensive singer all the time as well. So my choice would be:
Beyer M500
Gates PGM4
UREI LA-3A
Some kind of analog tape, the format depending on the rest of the recording process (Ideally, an Ampex AG440C 1/2" 4-track with the band recorded onto the two inner tracks and lead vocal printed to the two outer tracks).

[James Lehmann]

Fantasy Football and now Fantasy Mic-Buying!

Well, we can all dream...

I'd be checking out the Brauner VMA before parting with my imaginary cash on anything else - their 'lower end' mics are so darn good I can only imagine that this would be a serious contender.

[SUPA FROST]

Originally Posted by bukarin

Classic Chain:

1) U47 Valve - original
2) Neve 1073
3) Urei 1176LN Blackface

If I were stuck on Gilligan's Island and was able to request one vocal chain, this is the chain that I would use!!!!!!!

[peter-pan]

Did you try the Focusrite Liquid Chanal?