I agree with the fun part. I think it's super neat to me messing with knobs and faders and stuff like that. It really feels better in my opinion. Also there's a point that wasn't mentioned here which is: the looks. People coming to your studio know you're the real deal when you have a consol or a rack with stuff. People "eat with their eyes too"
Totally agree. I started 1985 with a Tascam Porta One and moved over the years to a Fostex A-8, later to a R-8 synced to a computer doing the synth and sampler stuff via midi and a small analog mixer. Then in the mid 90’s I got a Alesis A-Dat and a bigger Fostex mixer with some cheap early behringer outboard and some digital reverbs. I mixed to DAT - connected the DAT player with a early creamware card to the computer and mastered with early plugins which sounded kind of crappy but hey, it was digital so it had to be good. In the early 2000‘s I went complety into the box and got rid of most of the analog gear - and was happy with that for some years. I was fascinated by the fact how much you can do with only a computer, software and a decent soundcard. Then I started to miss the sound of analog eq‘s, comps and saturation. Everybody told me that digital sounds the same or even better - but I couldn‘t hear that. So I slowly moved out of the box again, spend thousands and thousends of Dollars to get preamps, vintage comps eqs, new and old digital reverbs and microphones, a Revox tape machine and finally a SSL Big Six which is now the center of my set-up. I‘m still recording and premixing digitally but most of the prozessing is done with outboard gear. So I agree: It‘s faster, it‘s much more fun and to me it sounds like it should sound to my ears which were socialized in the late seventies and early eighties - that‘s when recordings sounded the best imo. Only problem are recalls - the main reason why almost all of our heroes moved completly into the box. That said I still have my Porta One from 1985 - and it‘s still running. Which can not be said of all the computers, digital machines and even software I bought over the last four decades.
All good points and thoughts. The Recall thing? I did an entire video on that. Its simple....I dont do them! unless it's absolutely necessary and 99.9%of the time, it's not. I think the recall thing for MOST people is simply an excuse for not becoming a better engineer, making a commitment and moving on to the next project. Go watch that video as I go-into much more detail. Thanks for your support and for being a part of this community.
You are absolutely correct, nothing beats an analog workflow. Using the daw to record and organize tracks, run it thru an analog mixer (I’m using the relatively new NEVE 8424) The circuitry from the 80 series mix bus is on another level, clean and silky smooth. Keep up the good work Dave
I love your channel. I recorded for a decade from 1979 to 1989 and plan to get back into it. My goal is an SSL console and rack mounted outboard gear. The only difference will be I will have a digital recording option versus the old 2 inch tape. Might add a tape machine option. To me turning knobs and outboard gear is like a drummer playing drums versus just programming a drum machine. I want to be a true part of the process. You nailed it . You are so right.
Everything you said! I love my small console. Yes the older ones have more noise when you turn everything up but as long as you have signal going through those channels, it becomes part of the sonic landscape. I recently A/B'd the sound of EQ plugins in my daw vs same plugins through my board and it isn't even close. the sound is rounder, deeper, naturally compresses. I use some outboard comps and EQ's and although I think EQ is close enough now that it doesn't matter, no question hardware compressors beat out the plugins everytime. But more importantly, that natural glue and compression that the board gives you, allows you to make better decisions everywhere because right from the get go, you have a more cohesive soundscape. You don't need saturation plugins or tricks to get that sound because the electronics and value variance in each channel already does it for you. It's more fun, it is inspiring, and it is def quicker to make any/all decisions. I am interested in how you deal with hardware where you want it across more tracks. Do you print it and then go with it so you can use the comp on another track in real time? Or do you use all the hardware and then use plugins for the tracks that are less frequent? ( let's say toms or maybe overheads) Tracks that pop or stick out less. For overheads that are turned way down for cymbal crashes, I can see where a plugin is more attractive given how tucked away they are. But a parallel drum track or kick and snare, I def. like a hardware comp. Another thing for me, some plugin compressors seem to have a ton of options and knobs. What I also love about hardware is LESS options and just tweaking until it does what I want. Not what google said it should do or what I should want it to do for "pro results".. all things you have mentioned before.
Im planning soon with my studio partner to buy an analog console for mixing purposes. Right now the way I use my analog gear is first I pass every single track in the session one by one through the Heritage Audio HA-73 EQx2 (Neve 1073 clone) (sometimes I EQ them) just to get that analog feel on those sterile tracks. They sound as if im mixing them through a console. I got that idea from one of your videos David when you passed all the individual tracks through the Neve Preamp. The width and the separation one can achieve is unbelievable. After that I start to mix the session in the box, sometimes I may use another outboard gear like a compresor or something else if needed. After I use the Neve 1073 clone on the individual tracks I start mixing with my analog master buss chain already setup which is first a TK Audio BC501 (SSL bus comp clone) after that the mix goes again through the 1073 clone with some slight EQ on 1073 if needed and then write back up to the DAW for the whole mix. I may tweek the settings on the Stereo Comp or the Neve clone if needed. My mixes come out way more faster and I really enjoy the process. Im really tired of using the mouse all the time and that is why we want to buy an analog console for the studio. We have had many DAW controllers including the Softube console 1 which is great but I just felt I needed more. I was fortunate enough to learn on an SSL AWS 924 console when I was taking my Associates degree on Audio Production a couple of years ago and later I became a professor in that exact same university and got to work a lot more on that SSL console. The speed and just the shear fun one could have when mixing on that console was unbelievable. These videos are really motivating and have made me decide on getting a console. We well be getting a console plus converters for all the channels we will need and hopefully along the way more analog gear to mix fully analog 🔥 Cheers from Puerto Rico 🇵🇷
I'm from the old analog days and I do miss the hands-on experience of having a real mixer. That's how I was taught back in my university days. Your comment about having to make choices as to what gear gets used where and how is spot on: people might not realize it, but a big part of the analog sound they are constantly chasing is created by that fact. I'm thinking that lots of folks are finally realizing that "in the box" music production has some serious limitations. Unfortunately, analog is very expensive.
Hi mate I have a studio in Australia we work only in the analog domian while we do have a digital option to mix in the box or feed digital back into console the people that record here we work only on tape we have a new Audient 8024 hereritage edition console with DLC module and intergrated patchbay its high time someone put out everything that your doing to try and help people understand how much better for people to work this way using the real hardware over plug ins we have a large range of outboard gear we record on a MCI jh 24 2" 24 track recorder and mix down to a MCI jh 110B stereo tape machine with 1/4" and 1/2 inch head blocks I won,t use plug ins I do understand that a lot of people who work from home or a small studio its there only option but there is a lot of hardware out there that is not expensive the DBX compressers the 266xs other makes as well plus you will find used outboard gear on reverb at prices that anyone one can and should if there serious about improving there standard of work and as the above video has said you don,t need more than a small range of outboard gear and workin through the console gives you more control a better end result and a lot of fun and a much more feeling of achivement that you have shapped the sound Raymon Alley Cheif Sound Engineer Multitrax Recording Studio Macleod 3085 Australia
Great video watching the different ways to use the Origin. We made a full on patchbay with TT cables and every damn mix we gotta “learn to love” the final mix after is printed cause recall is hell!!! (Stems help a ton! We also stem out our FX returns) Wish the duality had the same price.
Also, wouldn’t it be great if DAWs had blank plugins of outboard gear that will allow us to create a recall sheet within the session? (Non working outboard gear faces with moving knobs to show where the physical gear was set) We can put them in line so we know the signal flow for each channel)
Yep, recall is hell and that's why I don't do them. (I did a video about that). Make a decision/commitment and move on. I think I saw a company that has a blank GUI of hardware where you can log your settings. I forget the name of them but I could swear I have seen that. Anyway, I just use my iPhone and take 5 high res photos.
@@MixingMusicAnalog honestly I wanted something with more name to it but after hearing that EQ I don’t know if I can find something better without going over 20K
Great video! Maybe it's just me but I don't get ear fatigue as quickly on analog consoles. It just seems more pleasant. Thanks again for all the great videos!
Did you try Mixbus 8 32c? I was wondering if Mixbus 32C is the best option if someone wants to mix in the box to get the analog feel while using fewer plugins.
I have an I did not like their DAW at all. Everything was so small on the screen and the workflow is not intuitive at all in my opinion. And, you are still looking at a screen only able to do 1 thing at a time
You know what I hate about live music these days? Digital consoles. We're all essentially listening to a digital recording instead of pure analog signals off the board/outboard gear and it's sad. I paid less money to go to big name concerts back in the early 2000s when analog mixing consoles were still being used. Make it make sense!
Does it really matter?? I always wear earplugs, at bandrehearsals, at concerts. Don't think anyone at a concert would hear the difference, or would even care. 🤷♂
Hi there! What’s your experience with the Presonus Quantum interface? I’m thinking about getting the Quantum 2626 (would that one have good converters as well?) cheers!
@@MixingMusicAnalog Awesome. 32 in/out for $1500 is such a bargain. Actually, I’m considering to buy the Presonus 2626 because of your vid comparison (I watched it in the first days it came out ;) ). Cheers!
Great video. Agree with most of it but running my mixes trough my pair of RND 542 gets me where I want way faster and gives me unmatched, punch and weight. Till I find a way to replicate that sound (if) I won’t be selling my pair of neves anytime soon.
Great points Dave. It's been a long time that I worked on a desk. Here's another benefit of analog. You do not get aliasing from analog. Aliasing is a digital only issue. You can mimic the direct hands on approach, I use a 27" touch screen monitor running the SSL 360 software. I can fly around at speed like I did in the days of old. Nothing to do with sound, this is purely a workflow thing, but yes you are right, it is a lot quicker
I have tried touchscreens before but I wasn't a fan of them. It was several years ago so maybe they have improved in recent years. But, like you said, a touchscreen does nothing to the sound its just a controller.
The biggest objective advantage of analog hardware over plugins is that hardware takes up zero CPU. So, not only do you use less plugins when you have hardware, but you also save tremendously on computer resources!
Sterile Digital is nothing but zero's and ones! They do not show warmth or bottom like analog! I played a CD(digital) recording for a friend and then played the same song on an album and they said the difference was enormous, meaning the album was much better.
I agree with the fun part. I think it's super neat to me messing with knobs and faders and stuff like that. It really feels better in my opinion. Also there's a point that wasn't mentioned here which is: the looks. People coming to your studio know you're the real deal when you have a consol or a rack with stuff. People "eat with their eyes too"
Great point!
Totally agree. I started 1985 with a Tascam Porta One and moved over the years to a Fostex A-8, later to a R-8 synced to a computer doing the synth and sampler stuff via midi and a small analog mixer. Then in the mid 90’s I got a Alesis A-Dat and a bigger Fostex mixer with some cheap early behringer outboard and some digital reverbs. I mixed to DAT - connected the DAT player with a early creamware card to the computer and mastered with early plugins which sounded kind of crappy but hey, it was digital so it had to be good.
In the early 2000‘s I went complety into the box and got rid of most of the analog gear - and was happy with that for some years. I was fascinated by the fact how much you can do with only a computer, software and a decent soundcard.
Then I started to miss the sound of analog eq‘s, comps and saturation. Everybody told me that digital sounds the same or even better - but I couldn‘t hear that. So I slowly moved out of the box again, spend thousands and thousends of Dollars to get preamps, vintage comps eqs, new and old digital reverbs and microphones, a Revox tape machine and finally a SSL Big Six which is now the center of my set-up. I‘m still recording and premixing digitally but most of the prozessing is done with outboard gear.
So I agree: It‘s faster, it‘s much more fun and to me it sounds like it should sound to my ears which were socialized in the late seventies and early eighties - that‘s when recordings sounded the best imo. Only problem are recalls - the main reason why almost all of our heroes moved completly into the box.
That said I still have my Porta One from 1985 - and it‘s still running. Which can not be said of all the computers, digital machines and even software I bought over the last four decades.
All good points and thoughts. The Recall thing? I did an entire video on that. Its simple....I dont do them! unless it's absolutely necessary and 99.9%of the time, it's not. I think the recall thing for MOST people is simply an excuse for not becoming a better engineer, making a commitment and moving on to the next project. Go watch that video as I go-into much more detail.
Thanks for your support and for being a part of this community.
You are absolutely correct, nothing beats an analog workflow. Using the daw to record and organize tracks, run it thru an analog mixer (I’m using the relatively new NEVE 8424) The circuitry from the 80 series mix bus is on another level, clean and silky smooth.
Keep up the good work Dave
Thank you very much! I appreciate you!
I love your channel. I recorded for a decade from 1979 to 1989 and plan to get back into it. My goal is an SSL console and rack mounted outboard gear. The only difference will be I will have a digital recording option versus the old 2 inch tape. Might add a tape machine option. To me turning knobs and outboard gear is like a drummer playing drums versus just programming a drum machine. I want to be a true part of the process. You nailed it .
You are so right.
Cool! Good luck with getting your studio setup! It's a fun process to buy all the gear and get it all working. Keep me posted on your progress!
Everything you said! I love my small console. Yes the older ones have more noise when you turn everything up but as long as you have signal going through those channels, it becomes part of the sonic landscape. I recently A/B'd the sound of EQ plugins in my daw vs same plugins through my board and it isn't even close. the sound is rounder, deeper, naturally compresses. I use some outboard comps and EQ's and although I think EQ is close enough now that it doesn't matter, no question hardware compressors beat out the plugins everytime. But more importantly, that natural glue and compression that the board gives you, allows you to make better decisions everywhere because right from the get go, you have a more cohesive soundscape. You don't need saturation plugins or tricks to get that sound because the electronics and value variance in each channel already does it for you. It's more fun, it is inspiring, and it is def quicker to make any/all decisions. I am interested in how you deal with hardware where you want it across more tracks. Do you print it and then go with it so you can use the comp on another track in real time? Or do you use all the hardware and then use plugins for the tracks that are less frequent? ( let's say toms or maybe overheads) Tracks that pop or stick out less. For overheads that are turned way down for cymbal crashes, I can see where a plugin is more attractive given how tucked away they are. But a parallel drum track or kick and snare, I def. like a hardware comp. Another thing for me, some plugin compressors seem to have a ton of options and knobs. What I also love about hardware is LESS options and just tweaking until it does what I want. Not what google said it should do or what I should want it to do for "pro results".. all things you have mentioned before.
Thanks for sharing! all very good point! Thanks for being a part of the community.
Im planning soon with my studio partner to buy an analog console for mixing purposes.
Right now the way I use my analog gear is first I pass every single track in the session one by one through the Heritage Audio HA-73 EQx2 (Neve 1073 clone) (sometimes I EQ them) just to get that analog feel on those sterile tracks. They sound as if im mixing them through a console. I got that idea from one of your videos David when you passed all the individual tracks through the Neve Preamp. The width and the separation one can achieve is unbelievable. After that I start to mix the session in the box, sometimes I may use another outboard gear like a compresor or something else if needed. After I use the Neve 1073 clone on the individual tracks I start mixing with my analog master buss chain already setup which is first a TK Audio BC501 (SSL bus comp clone) after that the mix goes again through the 1073 clone with some slight EQ on 1073 if needed and then write back up to the DAW for the whole mix. I may tweek the settings on the Stereo Comp or the Neve clone if needed. My mixes come out way more faster and I really enjoy the process. Im really tired of using the mouse all the time and that is why we want to buy an analog console for the studio. We have had many DAW controllers including the Softube console 1 which is great but I just felt I needed more. I was fortunate enough to learn on an SSL AWS 924 console when I was taking my Associates degree on Audio Production a couple of years ago and later I became a professor in that exact same university and got to work a lot more on that SSL console. The speed and just the shear fun one could have when mixing on that console was unbelievable.
These videos are really motivating and have made me decide on getting a console. We well be getting a console plus converters for all the channels we will need and hopefully along the way more analog gear to mix fully analog 🔥
Cheers from Puerto Rico 🇵🇷
Thanks so much for sharing and the kind words. I wish you lots of luck and good fortune with your new studio!
I'm from the old analog days and I do miss the hands-on experience of having a real mixer. That's how I was taught back in my university days. Your comment about having to make choices as to what gear gets used where and how is spot on: people might not realize it, but a big part of the analog sound they are constantly chasing is created by that fact.
I'm thinking that lots of folks are finally realizing that "in the box" music production has some serious limitations. Unfortunately, analog is very expensive.
Agreed! However, there are several advantage to working ITB over analog and that video will be coming out soon! Stay tuned!
Yes it is, to buy, to run and to have serviced
Hi mate I have a studio in Australia we work only in the analog domian while we do have a digital option to mix in the box or feed digital back into console the people that record here we work only on tape we have a new Audient 8024 hereritage edition console with DLC module and intergrated patchbay its high time someone put out everything that your doing to try and help people understand how much better for people to work this way using the real hardware over plug ins we have a large range of outboard gear we record on a MCI jh 24 2" 24 track recorder and mix down to a MCI jh 110B stereo tape machine with 1/4" and 1/2 inch head blocks I won,t use plug ins I do understand that a lot of people who work from home or a small studio its there only option but there is a lot of hardware out there that is not expensive the DBX compressers the 266xs other makes as well plus you will find used outboard gear on reverb at prices that anyone one can and should if there serious about improving there standard of work and as the above video has said you don,t need more than a small range of outboard gear and workin through the console gives you more control a better end result and a lot of fun and a much more feeling of achivement that you have shapped the sound
Raymon Alley Cheif Sound Engineer Multitrax Recording Studio Macleod 3085 Australia
Thanks Raymond! I appreciate you supporting the channel and sharing your experiences!
Thumbed up for "way way way more fun". Hell yeah brother
Thank you!
Great video watching the different ways to use the Origin. We made a full on patchbay with TT cables and every damn mix we gotta “learn to love” the final mix after is printed cause recall is hell!!! (Stems help a ton! We also stem out our FX returns) Wish the duality had the same price.
Also, wouldn’t it be great if DAWs had blank plugins of outboard gear that will allow us to create a recall sheet within the session?
(Non working outboard gear faces with moving knobs to show where the physical gear was set) We can put them in line so we know the signal flow for each channel)
Yep, recall is hell and that's why I don't do them. (I did a video about that). Make a decision/commitment and move on. I think I saw a company that has a blank GUI of hardware where you can log your settings. I forget the name of them but I could swear I have seen that. Anyway, I just use my iPhone and take 5 high res photos.
@@MixingMusicAnalog that’s exactly what we do! So many pics of sessions saved in the session folders. Thanks for the response!
Hey, agree 100%, I have an old carvin and I barely use plug-ins the console glue everything by its own
I love Carvin gear! Sad that they went out of business
@@MixingMusicAnalog honestly I wanted something with more name to it but after hearing that EQ I don’t know if I can find something better without going over 20K
Great video! Maybe it's just me but I don't get ear fatigue as quickly on analog consoles. It just seems more pleasant. Thanks again for all the great videos!
Yea, I think that's because the top end sound way more smooth and does not have that "brittle" sound that digital can sometimes produce
Great insights, I work with both and its great! Which tape machine do you use or is that all computer based?
No tape machine yet. Just using the DAW for that purpose.
@@MixingMusicAnalog Great stuff!
Great video I totally agree!
Thank you very much!
Did you try Mixbus 8 32c? I was wondering if Mixbus 32C is the best option if someone wants to mix in the box to get the analog feel while using fewer plugins.
I have an I did not like their DAW at all. Everything was so small on the screen and the workflow is not intuitive at all in my opinion. And, you are still looking at a screen only able to do 1 thing at a time
@@MixingMusicAnalog Thanks for your reply!
You know what I hate about live music these days?
Digital consoles.
We're all essentially listening to a digital recording instead of pure analog signals off the board/outboard gear and it's sad. I paid less money to go to big name concerts back in the early 2000s when analog mixing consoles were still being used. Make it make sense!
Yea, I hear you but the digital console for live music are very convenient and way more effective to use out in the wild.
Does it really matter?? I always wear earplugs, at bandrehearsals, at concerts. Don't think anyone at a concert would hear the difference, or would even care. 🤷♂
Hey I watched your video about your argosy 15L desk and I bought one. What did you do with yours now that you have a console? Did you sell it ?
yes, I sold it. It was a real pain to move. Super Heavy...LOL. Great desk though. Agrosy makes really great stuff
@@MixingMusicAnalog thanks can't wait to get it. 7 week wait !
Hi there! What’s your experience with the Presonus Quantum interface? I’m thinking about getting the Quantum 2626 (would that one have good converters as well?) cheers!
Been using them for about 6 months and I have no complaints. Go watch the converter shoot out video series. I can't hear the difference.
@@MixingMusicAnalog Awesome. 32 in/out for $1500 is such a bargain. Actually, I’m considering to buy the Presonus 2626 because of your vid comparison (I watched it in the first days it came out ;) ). Cheers!
Great video. Agree with most of it but running my mixes trough my pair of RND 542 gets me where I want way faster and gives me unmatched, punch and weight. Till I find a way to replicate that sound (if) I won’t be selling my pair of neves anytime soon.
Those 542's are pretty great!
Great points Dave. It's been a long time that I worked on a desk. Here's another benefit of analog. You do not get aliasing from analog. Aliasing is a digital only issue.
You can mimic the direct hands on approach, I use a 27" touch screen monitor running the SSL 360 software. I can fly around at speed like I did in the days of old. Nothing to do with sound, this is purely a workflow thing, but yes you are right, it is a lot quicker
I have tried touchscreens before but I wasn't a fan of them. It was several years ago so maybe they have improved in recent years. But, like you said, a touchscreen does nothing to the sound its just a controller.
The biggest objective advantage of analog hardware over plugins is that hardware takes up zero CPU. So, not only do you use less plugins when you have hardware, but you also save tremendously on computer resources!
Good point
"#3 Thousands of plugins"... guilty as charged, your honor...
Yes! you are!
Sterile Digital is nothing but zero's and ones! They do not show warmth or bottom like analog! I played a CD(digital) recording for a friend and then played the same song on an album and they said the difference was enormous, meaning the album was much better.
Great. Thanks for watching!