Outboard Gear

[Paul Ashmore]

Anyone in here using any outboard equipment in their productions?
How do you feel it compares to plugin emulations?
If you don't use analogue outboard gear would you if you had the cash to spend on it?

 

[Elzerk]

Yes I would buy couple of hardware units. I still like to keep it mostly digital since the genre I do is all about it's all digital and synthetic. But couple of things are in my head I'd like to buy if I had the money.

 

[Labrat]

IMO
shits on digital but you need a balance of software. i spent years trying to get the sound i want outta mainly software and sampling but within seconds of buying some hardware i started getting the sounds i wanted. not only that its so much better being hands on, i listen more

i want a modular

 

[Paul Ashmore]

Theres hundreds of pros and cons. I'm really interested in peoples responces to outboard gear. We get a lot of digital artist come through the door each week who sit down with us and start working with analogue and every person says if I had the money I'd go anaogue its so much more fun. The hands on aspect certainly is.

We expanded the Moog voyager to an XL with the expansion units and 5 pedals, so much fun patching that synth

 

[Innovine]

I have an entirely computer-free studio (based around an MPC1000, Virus and a Pod500hd)
Sound wise, some things are better (synths, dirt, tape, noise), some things are much worse (cant have compressors and reverb on everything without resampling), but its the workflow that has me sold.

Shit tho, a used virus costs about the same as ableton and a few plugins and I know which one makes the ladies wet.

 

[DJWhizzkidd]

I used to have outboard gear (sampler, synths, mixing desk) and it was a flipping nightmare. I would never want to go back to that.

 

[Paul Ashmore]

I have an entirely computer-free studio (based around an MPC1000, Virus and a Pod500hd)
Sound wise, some things are better (synths, dirt, tape, noise), some things are much worse (cant have compressors and reverb on everything without resampling), but its the workflow that has me sold.

Shit tho, a used virus costs about the same as ableton and a few plugins and I know which one makes the ladies wet.

The virus is very tasty couldn't live without mine, my go to synth

 

[Paul Ashmore]

I used to have outboard gear (sampler, synths, mixing desk) and it was a flipping nightmare. I would never want to go back to that.

A lot of people say this but don't you miss the sound quality of analogue gear ?

 

[DJWhizzkidd]

A lot of people say this but don't you miss the sound quality of analogue gear ?

I can't tell the difference to be honest. Are we saying that drum & bass made in the 1990's sounds better (with analogue gear) than the stuff made today (with computers)? I don't think it does. Sounds different, maybe, but not worse.

 

[H*product]

I've got a rack of cheap comps and eqs and to be honest they rarely get used, my outboard synths get a look in occasionally though.

I'm currently selling a load of my outboard and gonna use the dough to get either one really nice bit of kit (culture vulture) or some new speakers (PMCs or Focal Twins)

All depends on what your trying to achieve i suppose

 

[Paul Ashmore]

I can't tell the difference to be honest. Are we saying that drum & bass made in the 1990's sounds better (with analogue gear) than the stuff made today (with computers)? I don't think it does. Sounds different, maybe, but not worse.

I can't tell the difference to be honest. Are we saying that drum & bass made in the 1990's sounds better (with analogue gear) than the stuff made today (with computers)? I don't think it does. Sounds different, maybe, but not worse.

There's by no means a difference in the tracks being better or worse due to artist using analogue or digital. If any music has been aloud to progress like it has because of digital plugins. Workflow is faster using vst and plugins and plugins can be a more creative way of working. Editing is easy whereas analogue is a pain in the arse.

You won't find many mastering houses that will prefer a digital plugin to a good analogue compressor. Most professional tracks that due for release are produced using vsts but then sent off for mastering where they will be processed through analogue gear.

I personally do not mind which anyone uses whatever works for your workflow. End of the day a great track is a great track whatever it's produced on.

In terms of telling the difference there isn't a huge difference but I have done a lot of comparing between the Ssl 4k plugin the Ssl 4k analogue x rack eq compressor and the Ssl 4k uad 2 plugin emulation. IMO the x rack hardware sounds a lot better than the plugins. Although the plugins are just as good in their own right.

 

[Nydus]

I'm not trying to shit on your thread, but this has been discussed 1000s of times on this and other music forums... There is simply no answer - Apples & Oranges etc...

 

[Paul Ashmore]

I'm not trying to shit on your thread, but this has been discussed 1000s of times on this and other music forums... There is simply no answer - Apples & Oranges etc...

Im just interested in this forums opinions to analogue and digital. There simply is no answer as I always say its what works best for you and your workflow. What is your opinion?

I use digital outboard and analogue outboard. There is a difference but so small does the price tag of £4k for a compressor warrant this or would people prefer to save £4k and get a plugin emulation of it ?

If you were to make it as an artist and receive £100k in the bank would you buy analogue or digital. There's no right answer what would you honestly do ?

 

[jimjimjim]

If you were to make it as an artist and receive £100k in the bank would you buy analogue or digital?

not sure i would have any change from the large truck full of ganga i would buy

 

[Paul Ashmore]

not sure i would have any change from the large truck full of ganga i would buy

I'd buy an Ssl aws 900+ and a drug habit

 

[lostnthesound]

I've been all digital since I began the endless adventure into production. That's not to say I wouldn't love to incorporate some hardware into my setup, it's a financial limitation really. Though from the times I've jammed on some analog gear, there is something to be said about the "character" of the sound/timbre whether it's a board or synth.

If I were to get some extra coin, I'd probably go for a Moog Voyager so I could use the implemented software to save my patches.

BTW Paul, your studio setup has caused me to drool a bit on my keyboard.

Cheers.

Cheers.

 

[Nydus]

Im just interested in this forums opinions to analogue and digital. There simply is no answer as I always say its what works best for you and your workflow. What is your opinion?

I use digital outboard and analogue outboard. There is a difference but so small does the price tag of £4k for a compressor warrant this or would people prefer to save £4k and get a plugin emulation of it ?

If you were to make it as an artist and receive £100k in the bank would you buy analogue or digital. There's no right answer what would you honestly do ?

Cool, I purchase a lot of hardware but my studio is a hybrid set up. I guess I tend to track with hardware then clean with digital.. My favourite HW is the UA 6176. Favourite plug, hm... API 2500.

 

[Paul Ashmore]

I've been all digital since I began the endless adventure into production. That's not to say I wouldn't love to incorporate some hardware into my setup, it's a financial limitation really. Though from the times I've jammed on some analog gear, there is something to be said about the "character" of the sound/timbre whether it's a board or synth.

If I were to get some extra coin, I'd probably go for a Moog Voyager so I could use the implemented software to save my patches.

BTW Paul, your studio setup has caused me to drool a bit on my keyboard.

Cheers.

Cheers.

Yeah I've just been curious lately as I watch a big argument unfold with digital lovers and analogue lovers over which is best. Was thinking there is no right or wrong answer it's what works for you. Then I got to thinking if digital lovers were to be given a large cash sum to spend on audio gear by their label would they still go digital or would they want to now buy analogue.

We have the plugin for the voyager and have it sync'd in the daw but TBH don't use it too much the voyager has an on board memory of around 1000 patches and all controls are there in front of you. Very good synth though wouldn't say it's worth the £5k price tag though

Thanks for the kind comments the studios taken a lot of time and money to get to where it is but have a really nice working environment really couldn't ask for much more

 

[Paul Ashmore]

Cool, I purchase a lot of hardware but my studio is a hybrid set up. I guess I tend to track with hardware then clean with digital.. My favourite HW is the UA 6176. Favourite plug, hm... API 2500.

The waves emulations of the api gear in my opinion is really good. Not used the plugin version of the 2500 used the hardware but not the software. Thats a nice bit of gear the UA 6176 very nice

 

[Innovine]

Come to think of it, the only true analog gear in my studio is the mixer and a small compressor. Everything else is all digital gear. Which you didn't mention in your poll :/