Hardware Saturation For ITB mixes?

[jjef]

I'm trying to smooth out digital harshness with saturation while mixing ITB. Would it be better to pass individual tracks through a hardware tube device like an LA2 or to use a tube emulation plugin?

I'm sure most will agree that hardware sounds better, but to use it ITB, the signal has to pass through DA/AD. Will this smooth things out or will the track still have digital harshness because of the conversion?

[surflounge]

this will fix it
JCF Audio DA8-V 8 Channel D/A Converter

[TurboJets]

Originally Posted by surflounge

this will fix it
JCF Audio DA8-V 8 Channel D/A Converter

I have to say that looks juicy.

[Mesa4x12er]

Nebula... seriously.

[Roots Rock]

Originally Posted by Mesa4x12er

Nebula... seriously.

CD Soundmasters R2R tape saturation

"Nice Harmonics"mastering pre

[Doc Mixwell]

Originally Posted by TurboJets

I have to say that looks juicy.

It flushes the word "digital" down the toilet.

It actually brings back what digital loses forever.

[Nrt]

Originally Posted by jjef

I'm trying to smooth out digital harshness with saturation while mixing ITB. Would it be better to pass individual tracks through a hardware tube device like an LA2 or to use a tube emulation plugin?

I'm sure most will agree that hardware sounds better, but to use it ITB, the signal has to pass through DA/AD. Will this smooth things out or will the track still have digital harshness because of the conversion?

The harshness in your ITB mix is not because it's digital but because you are making some mistake. Saturation will make your mix just dirty. Clean up your mix first!