Mix a home project through an SSL SL6000E, is it worth it?

[flail19]

I just learned that a studio here in town has a Solid State Logic SL6000E console. I guess it's the only SSL in the state. Their day rate including an Engineer is around $600. I am recording at home using a digi002r and I am pretty happy with the results. The part I am un-happy with is the mixes. I not only do not have the room to mix well but the talent is lacking. Given the fact that I think the whole project can be mixed in a day, is this worth the effort and money in your opinion? Will the SSL make that much of a difference? $600 bucks is around $75 an hour, would it be better to find a $50 an hour studio without a SSL and save the $$$? I realize that this is subjective. My music is a range between acoustic singer songwriter (think Steve Earle/Ryan Adams) to more rock/pop (think R.E.M./acoustic Pearl Jam). I am kind of excited about hearing the result of the hyped up SSL but I don't want to be let down either ( I am not looking for a miracle here). Thanks for your opinions.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by flail19

Thanks for your opinions.

Its all in the mix engineer you use.



He/she can make the bigger difference to the sound than if its mixed on an SSL or a DAW.

[djui5]

How big is the project that you can mix it all in a day? Like thrill said, it's about the engineer. It's easy to f*k up a mix on any console, especially an SSL.

[wwittman]

It's a BUSINESS.

Is the record you are making going to sell enough to be worth the extra money?

Is the extra money going to make it sell enough MORE? Enough to justify the cost?

these are the questions you need to ask.

If it's not a business proposition and you are merely curious as to what having someone else mix it will do, then by all means take a stab and find out.

But that's only if money is no object.

at ANY level, in the business, you need to ask yourself if the expenditure is going to have an impact on the profit.

[flail19]

Originally Posted by wwittman

It's a BUSINESS.

Is the record you are making going to sell enough to be worth the extra money?

Is the extra money going to make it sell enough MORE? Enough to justify the cost?

I have to admit that there may be some gear sluttiness to this idea. No, It probably won't make it sell more, and no it probably won't sell enough to justify the cost. I guess I thought that there would be some tone, sonic, stereo width (insert quality here) benefits to doing this. I absolutely understand that in the real world the quality of the engineer and the quality of the recordings in the first place pays the bills. I like the songs, I like how the recordings sound I don't like my mixes. And yes, I think that given the amount of instrumentation (there is only drums on a few songs) and the majority is acoustic guitar, vocals and percussion, I can have it mixed in a day. Now will I be happy with the end result? Well, I have found that as I record at home what was cool yesterday sucks today and the good/bad thing is, is that I can fix it. Giving up some control and being forced to make decisions is gonna help me get this thing going.

Thanks guys, keep the thoughts coming

[Meriphew]

If the engineer is good and you can do it all in one day (how many songs??), then why not?

[joelpatterson]

But do keep this in mind--the guy (or girl) spinning the knobs is making all the decisions. The Board is not making any decisions. And it's the decisions that make all the difference.

I say find someone who does stuff you like, and let him (or her) do whatever they usually do.

[Dopamine]

Ask to hear some mixes that the in-house engineer has done (similar to your genre). Then decide.

[LightningBefore]

Or you could try talking to the engineer and seeing if you could get half the cost and half the time for he or she to come to your own set up to help you get a professional (or complete mix) on your own 002r. If it IS about the engineer moreso than the gear, they will show you how to do it (to some extent without all the gear, and if they are willing to do so that is) and youll learn something in the process! Thats what I did with my bands record and the guy was great and gave me the confidence to do it better than before and on my own.

Just another suggestion, either way, good luck! thumbsup

[RCM - Ronan]

Originally Posted by Dopamine

Ask to hear some mixes that the in-house engineer has done (similar to your genre). Then decide.

Best advice so far.

[Gregg Sartiano]

If you're seriously after results, and this isn't just a sonic experiment, save some $$$ for mastering.

[flail19]

Cool everyone, thanks. Some good advice. I never wanted this to be one of those "I want my music to have that neve sound" posts. I actually like the mixes that come out of this studio (it's the blasting room). There is another engineer who mixes out of the box here in town. I like his stuff to, he is 45 an hour including engineer. I thought maybe there were some advantages to a SSl console for clarity etc... I do not want to start a ITB debate (already been down that road). Maybe i will post some mixes in the rate my mix section and let you all give me some tips. Thanks everyone!

[knightsy]

Throw one up here for us to mix!

[Thumper]

I wouldn't really call a 6000 E an open/clear console. In the 6000 vs the 4000, there are extra summing amps that the main busses need to go through to get out of the main buss. I'm not saying this is bad, it's just that some high end is lost. You can however, mod a 6000 to have the same path as a 4000.

Having said that, there's nothing special about SSL consoles. You aren't running through 2,788 transformers like an 80's series Neve or anything. The magic of an SSL happens in the routing, and the automation. The maintenance of SSL consoles are also incredibly easy, and I believe that is quite a big factor in why they've become a standard.

The channel eqs are are cool, the channel dynamics are cool, and I love the quad buss comp. But, besides the buss comp, nothing is really 'special.'

Having said that, I love SSL 4000s and 6000s. The 9000J, not so much...

It's all in the dude that's doing the work. Hell, for $600 a day WITH an engineer, that's really freakin inexpensive, so give it a shot, and see what happens. Just to be in a studio with outboard gear, great sets of monitors, and a good sounding control room is worth it.

[dbbubba]

It's all about the ear of the guy mixing.

I have heard plenty of bad SSL mixes, bad Neve mixes, too!

Spend money getting the best mixer in your area.

Hell, I'm in Dallas... I'll mix it for you if it's tracked well!
Same price though.

Danny Brown