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Re: Manley vs. Focusrite

Posted by balUns (P) on June 27, 2001 at 06:40:35

In Reply to: Manley vs. Focusrite posted by ClubHeaven on June 26, 2001 at 21:24:12:

Those are both fine pieces of audio gear. I use a Focusrite Red 6 (discontinued) and a Manley El-Op (stereo tube optical limiter) for tracking vocals, drum room mic, etc... The Red 6 preamp has EQ. The El-Op squashes transients in a very forgiving way. Singers barely need mic technique to sound professional, when it comes to heads. I think the Manley Variable-Mu would provide you with more "flavor," which is so desperately needed in a clean digital envoronment. The Focusrite will be more clinical, and transparent, which, unless you're doing mostly Classsical or Jazz, may not be what the doctor ordered.
However, I would not recommend running your O2R mixes through any analog compressor. Even if you have Mytek D/A converters, unless you are mastering to a very good quality, recently calibrated 1, or 2, inch reel to reel, the signal degradation
incurred by multiple conversions would make the analog compressor's efficacy moot. Better to get Waves Renaissance Compressor, or C4, for compressing/mastering digital mixes.
But, during tracking, limiting before the initial analog to digital conversion is the best way to get the "tape" sound while preserving
the S/N ratio and dynamism of digital (which far surpasses that of analog media).
Respectfully,
BalUns

• http://www.studiobdigital.com/

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