Which route for vocals? I/O quality question

[Strattosphere]

Hi Gang

I'm using a mic preamp I built (THAT1510 chips) for vocals, which is very nice, but I'm not sure if my routing is as good as it could be.

I'm currently routing from the balanced out of the mic pre directly into the balanced input of my Pulsar 2 with plus I/O. I also have a Yamaha 01V that I use mainly for monitoring nowadays and a Behringer ADA8000 for some outboard, both connected to the DAW via Pulsar ADAT.

I know that it's the percieved sound that counts and I think I'm getting really good results, but my anal nature is wondering if I ought to be routing from the mic pre into the DAW via the 01V or the Behringer.

Any opinions out there?

Cheers

Stratt

Stuff what I done - http://www.corinnelucy.com

[garyb]

I know that it's the percieved sound that counts and I think I'm getting really good results, but my anal nature is wondering if I ought to be routing from the mic pre into the DAW via the 01V or the Behringer.

i don't think so.

if you had an A16 or better, then the lightpipe route would probably be the best choice. have you done proper a/b tests?

[Strattosphere]

Hi Garyb

Thanks for replying.

I haven't done any a/b tests yet. I thought I'd see if there were any opinions before I start re-arranging things.

One thing that definitely improved things was when I started clocking from the 01V instead of relying on the Pulsar's internal clock.

Cheers

Stratt

[dawman]

Are you using Scope effects for your voice...?
How do the effects of the 01V compare..I am curious.

I was using the FMR RNP8380 exactly the same way you are via the Plus I/O. I am using the XITE-1 now and it has built in mic pres of good quality, but I am doing synth and sample work, no more vocals or IEM's. But I used the Plus ins because it left me with more A16U inputs. I did not like the sound of external hardware effects through the analog inputs but w/ the mic pre they sounded no different than the A16U for live work. I didn't A/B them in a studio, but VDAT had some automated backing tracks where very expensive mic pres and the A16U were used, and live I didn't notice much difference.
In case you are using Scope effects, I was using the automatic double tracking device ( ADT ) that is very effective live.
A fine of example of ADT on an old w/ no effect, and then the chorus would come in w/ backing vocals and the lead + backing using ADT. We were doing this live via a footswitch from SpaceF, and it sounded EXACTLY like the record. I just thought I'd share something our singer loved. She's a modern day Chaka Khan....
She had an addiction to reverb too, and I like vocals dry with sparse delays, etc. So our comprimise was to bathe her with FX in the monitor, and no verb in the mains.


This Dog Will Hunt...

neutron ADT.zip

[Strattosphere]

Hi

I am using Scope effects on vocals, it's my daughter who's the singer. I'm just the guy with the home studio. I tend to use Vinco and Masterverb Pro although I will be changing over to Scope v.5 at some point so I can use the new SC (STW?) Plate and Ambient reverbs; very nice.

I'll check out the ADT, thanks.

I don't think the effects in the 01V compare well with Scope. They would be convenient in a live setting, compression on every channel and a couple of reverbs/delays/chorus etc, but I wouldn't record with them.

Cheers

Stratt

[Janni]

I had 01Vs around me for a few years (school, work, home, parties) and I think the built in effects weren't even
compareable to the stock v3 Scope fx...

[siriusbliss]

The 01V's onboard effects are very 'Yamaha-ish' in that they're fairly crisp, and I agree would be good for live recording.
But nowadays I'm using it as an external routing hub, and Scope gets all the work.

Greg

[Rebu]

Just curious, which mic are you use for vocal and guitar? ..seems Neumann U87 on vocal but elastic suspension is different

Thanks

[Strattosphere]

Just curious, which mic are you use for vocal and guitar? ..seems Neumann U87 on vocal but elastic suspension is different

Thanks

I wish!!! It's a Rode NT2 with the Rode shockmount. Nice mic but I wish I had better, it's a bit too sibilant really. The guitar mic is an AT2020. Cheap and cheerful but it actually sounds OK.

[Rebu]

Sorry i bother you again ..but i like your work very much

Is a Masterverb pro factory preset or custom? if custom can you post screenshot with setting (or .pre fiile)?

Thanks in advance

[Strattosphere]

Is a Masterverb pro factory preset or custom? if custom can you post screenshot with setting (or .pre fiile)?

Hi. Thanks for the compliment.

I usually just use Masterverb Pro presets with the odd tweak here and there to change the size of the room depending on the feel I'm going for.

Which piece of music specifically do you like the reverb on? On produced tracks I usually set up two reverbs; a reasonably short one to make some of the instruments gel with each other a bit, to set them in the same space, and a longer tailed one for some of the vocals, guitars or synths etc as an ambience effect. I often use my Alesis Microverb 4 set to a short pre-delayed plate for the drums too.

Stratt