Mix Bus POLISH!! - SPL Vitalizer mk3-T
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- Опубліковано 5 бер 2024
- My Review of the New SPL Vitalizer mk3-T
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Gear In This Video
SPL Vitalizer mk3-T sweetwater.sjv.io/rQ3og5
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Rupert Neve Designs MBT sweetwater.sjv.io/1rkkB6
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CAPI Mic Pre www.capi-gear.com/
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Used this on my mix bus and it served me the absolute best pierogi. Shocked how Polish my mix buss became.
Haha, good one!
Dude! You give the absolute best gear reviews and explanations! Your channel is always an instant watch! Cheers
Waiting for mine to arrive now been on backorder. This video really shows it's potential. Appreciate it.
Wooowwwwzers! 2 my ears, the clarity, and the bass just pops out of the speakers! I had this on my shortlist, and I am sold now, so I'm definitely gonna purchase right away! Thanks, Colt, for this great review and sound samples!
It’s pretty awesome!!
This is a super versatile tool that would cover so many situations - perfect for someone like me where some of my mixes need that tightening, some need to be darkened. Super cool - thanks for sharing!
I love when you demo gear. I throw in my ear buds, close my eyes and listen for the subtle changes. So cool. Thanks Colt!
dude, I loved your original mix and thought "how ya gonna improve on that?" then you hit the switch and I was like....WHAAAAAT? Literally EVERYTHING sounded more expensive...the vocal sheen, the punch and detail of the drums...that exotic low end...goodness...it's like an audio drug. I'm hooked.
Eggzacklee!
Oh mannnnnn....Def need this for bass, guitars, mix etc. Sounds so great!
It’s a good piece! Hope you are well!
this thing sound smooth af, thank you for the review
The soft setting on bass is insane, it just becomes HUMONGOUS.
Yeah I mean it has enough range in it to be used for mixing and sound design, not just as a final touch in mastering.
I've had this for a month and the unmasking that you can achieve is insane!!!
Great work and thanks for sharing
That snare in the beginning sounds like a bomb! Love it! :D Needless to say, the Vitalizer is a great unit, too.
The snare sounds like a bomb… That’s the greatest of compliments to me! Thanks for watching.
Fantastic video Colt! I think I need one of these eventually haha
I have the old version. This box does a lot. Just turning the knobs a few ticks makes a very big change. If you have a dense mix it works wonder on acoustic guitar, strings and vocals.
Thanks for this great video... I'll be picking one of these up.
I love these SPL Vitalizers. I have 3 older versions, they all sound a little different. But as long as you use them subtly they all sound fantastic! And cost very little for the sound they provide. I also have the plugin, it sounds a bit like that, but it's nowhere near the hardware versions.
Mine arrived Monday! It's the kind of hardware that plugins just can't replace - it does take some experimenting because each knob is effect/balance at the same time!
Great video! This is perfect after my Fusion and Bus+ ! Found my next piece of gear!
don't sure if you need this if you have the fusion !
@@burger659 You don't need fusion anymore is better said, haha
@@b.hornetiii.6771 plugins !
I have the MK 2 version and it is definitely a secret sauce. My other engineers in the studio I’ve just recently discovered it, and they are blown away. I would love to try this newer version.
This was excellent, something I will add to my chain
Now, THAT'S how you do a gear review!!!
Best review I’ve seen on this unit. Just ordered one on sweetwater! They’ve been selling out quickly😂. Thanks for sharing, Colt!
Good review, thanks
sounds great! reminds me of the ssl fusion
To my ears this sounds better than the ssl fusion for more clarity and width and depth what are your thoughts on that vs the fusion?
@@1kingstan795 I agree with you from what I'm hearing online. Would be next to hear them in studio but it sounds slightly better forsure
I have the gold Mk2 version and I have tracked room mics U441 with it for a while now. Ribbons were too dark, and Condensers were too harsh so I tried a Pair of U441s on the rooms and it was close but needed a little lift and the Vitalizer is perfect for that!
Smitty sounds great, Colt! I'm going to put my UAD Vitalizer on my mix buss and do tweaking"
Colt great video. Where would you put this on your mix buss chain?
This unit is definition of value for the money 100%. It's a market price correction unit, haha
OOOOO if Sweetwater wasn't sold out on this, this definitely would have been an impulse purchase lol. Love the extra bit of color this gives !
Your mix sounds amazing even without this apparatus.
Thanks very much!!
Just turning knobs on this today. I love it. Although, I almost only use the LC EQ. That section alone makes this worth it. A
It’s very very good!
I have a really old itteration of this, fantastic bit of kit but, you have to be very carefull to use it sparingly to achieve that just right polish!
Great channel Colt. 👍😎
Thanks for watching!
Exactly - it's very easy to get too "excited" with that kind of processors. 😉
That’s pretty amazing for the price point 🤘🏼
I agree 🙏🏻🙏🏻
That's just shows you how overpriced other units like this are ...
fantastic!
Nice mixes.
That's funny, I hear the difference on notebook speakers and its undoubtedly better with the Vitalizer. Nice!
Love the videos Colt! Always awesome!! I have just got one of these & mine seems to flip the phase of anything that runs through it 180 degrees which is assume means it’s faulty? Does yours cause this kind of weird phase flip?
It sounds great....
🤘🏻🙏🏻
Incredible
One thing i thought i'd mention is the process also acts as a range to the bass compressor the more you push process the more you can hear the bass comp clamp down almost like a widening Q. If you put it through something like waves q-clone you can see it doing so.
I like it!
Great review! I got one two month ago, and i really love this monster. One question, does your Vitalizer produce sine wave-ish noise when its turned on? Mine has sine-wave noise and its kinda annoying
Been looking for something like this to put on my mix bus for that final polish. I had my heart set on a Blackbox HG-2, but then this thing came out and i saw this demo. plus the stereo widener and that sweet bass softening!
Would you say that the vitalizer is a contender against the HG-2?? seems like that and more to me....and smaller price tag.
If this is anything like the Mk2, the "Tight" is actually a bell cut before you reach the 11 o'clock position on the Process knob. The cut gets more exaggerated as you turn up the Process if the Bass is closer to or on 0. This cut will gradually be reduced and eventually turn into a bell boost as you continue to turn both knobs to the right. The "Soft" is always a resonant shelf boost at a slightly lower frequency. The Mid-Hi Tune behaves the same no matter what. I never quite got what I wanted out of it before I figured this out.
Perhaps the Mk2 is a shelf on the soft bass, but Mk3 is a bell centered somewhere around 50 hz and change. i
You get quite similar magic from the Plugin Alliance mk2 version. reminds me that i need to keep it handy on my drum buss and bass parallel (i guess that makes it double parallel lol)
Hi Colt, are you mixing and mastering your sessions with Avid Mbox as the primarily sound card? also I am the loving the videos keep them coming.
A 500 series module of just the drive, bass and bass comp would be a no brainer for me.
Wow, this box does wonders. In my humble opinion the analog box sounds quite a bit better than the plugin. I stopped using the plugin a long time ago. Thanks for the demonstration
Do you think the stereo widener is as good as the BIG?
I have one of these. I use it in a hardware mastering chain with high end gear. The colour in the EQ's and the bass control is great. Do you think it's wrong for this type of application though?
Wondering what SPL Vitalizer mk3-T vs SSL Fusion would be. Thanks for a nice video, Colt. Cheers!
Love to hear a comparison with the plugin version from plugin alliance
I just ordered mine a few hours ago. Does the bigger headroom mean that you can drive the input harder and don't need to gainstage at -18 DBFS / 0 VU ?
I bought the Mk2 some months ago for only 200 bucks. Really great unit I have it at the end of my mixbus. There is definitely something going on with phase because I used it on acoustic guitar and printed the track, then put it on the mixbus and the guitar sounded really wierd. So don’t run anything twice through it you’ll get some phase issues. For the mixbus it’s amazing and I would never sell my unit. I have the vitaliser plugin too but I tell you the hardware is so much better, highly recommended just like the PQ, the Iron and the Transient Designer the SPL stuff rocks 🤟🏼
I have a duo project that plays along with tracks, we have 2 live vocals , percussion, and acoustic guitar. Could I use this in out main mix to help tracks and live instruments blend tighter? Or is there a live sound device for this ? Thanks!
Been using the MK2 for mix and live, as well as the plugin. But this MK3 are way more cheaper then the MK2. Definitely a good buy
Hey Colt. Thanks for the video. How does the stereo expander compares to the SPL Big?
I’m curious about that too!
Me as well
Had the first 3 Vitalizers, really love what they can do but ended selling all 3... maybe one day I will add a MK2-T or MK3-T back to my rack
I would be really curious to listen to the first one versus this latest edition!
I bought the MK2-T jest because the MK3-T has the power switch on the back and the MK2-T has it on the front, but regardless, I love this on the mix bus or drum bus! Fantastic unit!@@ColtCapperrune
The Oven from plugin alliance does incredibly similar thing to the low end as this one on soft settings
Where do you use this in your master bus chain? Especially in relation to compression and the SPL Big. Interested in knowing how the stereo widening stacks
first time i've heard about coil type eq. Can you tell what is that?
nice unit
I’m a fan!
would this spl device be a good fit for a pa system playback of live entertainment and prerecorded music? i am using a yamaha mg16x mixer and jbl subwoofers and tops powered by crown amplifiers which already sound great most of the time.
When you dial the Bass Sound knob towards tight, it just gets thinner, not tighter, what's going on?
Interesting...... I use the Vst Plugin Mk2 version. And it works and reacts virtually exactly the same as your hardware version. The bass adjustment is solid. Again same as yours. If you get the opportunity to test the Brainworks version. please compare them. Would be good to get your opinion of them both. Thanks for sharing, Man.
Would it make sense run it as an insert of SSL fusion, followed up by Cranaby EQ... Then back to PC for digital limiting.
I know that all of these are quite colorful units and any advice on improving/switching chain order would be a greatly appreciated.
As well explaining the chain logic, as I'm still a rookie in the hardware world.
(General use would be BUS and 2BUS processing)
For the stereo expander part … this or the SPL BIG 500?
i m just curius, where you put it in mixbus chain?? tnx i in advance...
What buss comp are you using with it
Owning the Mk2 i wonder how big the difference actually is between the two and if its worth the upgrade
My Sweetwater Rep just told me about this. How would compare the stereo expander on this to the SPL Knob Six?
Great question. I would also like to know this..
SPL thinks very different. Great Product, like some others of the company. The New Channel-Strip with Mic Comparison Feature and integrated Transient Designer is crazy
Is this an analog hardware for mastering or for use it for polish the mix before mastering?
@ColtCapperrune did you also notice an external humming from the power supply? Try standing behind the unit. I can hear it clearly from half a meter. Even worse, there is a humming in the signal path if the device is active. Very low in volume, yes, but hearable especially when you push a signal with compression etc. Anyone else? SPL says the external humming comes from the transformer, although I have no other gear that does this at this volume. And the signal humming is a no go. They should have used an external power supply.
hi, i actually noticed a humm in the signal chain as well when you push the ON Button. But to be fair, this just sits slightly above the noisefloor, so when i have a track mastered thru this i cant hear it until i press pause and turn the monitors all the way up. So basically its fine but it still botheres me :/
@Emode_prod as you say, it is still bothering, even if it is not loud. I have lots of gear and none has an internal and/or external humm. It looks like they went the cheap way with the power supply. Maybe an external one, would have made more sense. Other than that it is a very fine piece of gear.
@@testlab6643 I agree, i want to love the Vitalizer, but this is very unfortunate.
I actually had a call with SPL yesterday and they listened to the humm. He told me, that the humm isnt internal but the issue is somewhere in my setup/ my electricity which could make sense but at the end of the day, the Vitalizer is still my only piece of gear with internal humm. Everything else is dead quiet. Would be interesting to hear the experience from more people.
@@Emode_prod What they told you is bs. I emailed with them too and although your setup can be the culprit, it most likely is the trafo (power supply). That were their words. And if it isn't too loud, it is normal. I tested two different units on different power outlets and in two studios. It is the SPL Vitalizer MK3 that is humming. Internally and externally. The went cheap and that is the result.
Do you know is the stereo widener the same as the 500 series stand alone widener? Thinking why not spend the money in this unit and ditch the 500 one. Maybe money wise its not a bad idea if this units widener sounds just as amazing. Thanks Colt, I would love to hear more about your Serpent SB4001 MBComp, maybe comparison to others like he SSL G etc...
I once had the original in hardware and now software so I'll wait for the plugin. When I was all hardware I spent more time selling things on Ebay so I could add the next new thing every time I turned around. While I won't dispute the overall better quality sound of hardware in most cases (imo) I do write a lot more music itb not having to deal with buying and selling gear anymore.
Do you, or would you use the SPL Big 500 Series unit AND the Vitalizer?
I am currently using both. The widening on the big is not the same thing, and I do like it better. It’s hands-down, my favorite whitening tool, even after all this time, and all the new gear I have tried.
Sorry to put this subject here and im not sure if you covered this or not....but what would you recommend for mics for an acoustic drum kit?
Unfortunately, there’s too much to cover in a reply to a comment on UA-cam. But that might be a great video idea itself. I will say I really like Audix D6 on Tom’s. A pair of condensers, large, or small on overhead. A pair of ribbon, or figure 8 condenser on rooms. Everything other than that that is subject to change, depending on the room, and vibe we are going for. I will say getting the room Wright is probably more important than anything. A fairly live room with zero slap issues is what I typically go for.
@@ColtCapperrune thanks for the info your one in a million. Keep up the great videos you produce, I watch and learn from each and every one of them.
Didn't hear the bass tighten at all
Is it really okay to trigger the overload light so many times? Wouldn't reducing the "Drive" signal lead to a better/cleaner result? I suspect for this version it's the same "secret" as with the old ones we know from decades ago: The more subtle the settings the better the result.
Personally, I’m always relying solely on my ears. And I didn’t hear any audible distortion. But certainly a lot of people will just play it safe, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Slammed the mk-ii on my mixbus & wow I was 95% & this took me closer to 100% in seconds
its very very drastic and you need to counter react with EQ to make it sound good. by itself its great !
Well, it made it to a video... let's see!
Sovtek 12AX7 double triode tube💯
I wonder how this compares to the magical SPL machine head
Unfortunately, I won’t be much help there. But I’m curious.
Interesting machine. It’s interesting how it enhances a good mix. But if the mix assembled poorly in any way, this machine just multiplies those imperfections several times over.
Maybe a great little mastering tool
It would make a great mastering tool! In the second song, that was the printed mix. I just opened up the mastering session, and absolutely love what it added.
BY COIL EQ DO U MEAN INDUCTOR EQ? ISNT IT THE SAME THING?
Listening in my Honda accord which has shitty speakers and the unit and mix sounds good to my old ears
Great Review Colt! How do you find this compared to the RND MBT? I get that the MBT has other features, but the ones that are comparable. ie. the EQ, harmonic saturation, and width. If you had to choose one or the other based on those shared features?
Thanks! They’re not really comparable to me. There is no saturation, or general compression in this box. So that’s why, at least for me, I would need to use it in conjunction with other things. That said, the MBT also does not have a traditional compressor in it, so I would need at least a compressor along with that box as well.
@@ColtCapperrune Thanks for the reply! I use an SSL G Comp on my Mix bus and was considering buying the RND MBT based on your review to pair with it. But this looks like it does some similar things and is significantly cheaper. How did you find the mono compatibility in the "stereo expander"? Is it comparable to the SPL Big or the MBT Width?
How would you compare to the SSL Fusion?
They are not really comparable in my opinion, the SPL is more traditional, EQ, plus saturation. This is a totally unique take on bus, equalization, and that base knob is unlike anything else I’ve ever seen.
Interesting! As a very satisfied Fusion owner, I’ve never really looked round at much of the other “2Bus” esque processing stuff on the market, but this looks like it might be quite a cool addition to the chain…and those two points on the patchbay aren’t gonna fill themselves! 😂
Cheers for the reply dude!
Leave it to SPL to make a box that’s worth buying for ONE of the controls lol. Same with the SPL BiG for me lol. The bass air band gets used more than anything else when I have it out lol
It makes everything sound like Bose speakers.
Really not trying to be a naysayer and it sounds incredible, But im assuming you mixed into the box the whole time and didn't just add it at the end. As such the whole mix was just straight up missing this the whole time. Unless you didn't mix into it the whole time in which case damb that's goooooood!!!!!!!
Try on a bass drum. Dont be scared to really turn the knobs. Enjoy.
Me want now. Take money.
Tight function audibly diminishes the low-end, wouldn't go near it. Widener average. The rest sounded nice.
How often do you mix other genres than country. Seems like that's most of your work these days.
At the risk of disparaging, my other clients, it’s a whole bunch of things, honestly… Probably 50 or 60% of my work is country music. But in addition to that, generally the songs, and performances, are of a higher caliber, and in addition to that, it’s much easier to get permission from a single artist to use their song in the videos, than it is to get permission from a band of four or five people.
Interesting
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻