TL Audio Tube Tracker

[lorenzo gerace]

Hi

Anybody ever tried it? I'm just investigating into it: 8 tube preamps and EQs, each with line out, I figure it could be a great front end for DAW tracking and as a final 8 bus mixer to avoid mixing "in the box".

Thanx for the feedback.

L.G.

 

[NeonCactus]

Honestly I wouldn't trust any piece of new tube gear other than the greats. That's just my opinion
and especially to mix on that's crazy lets think about it for a sec what are 90% of hit records mixed on? I'm not going to say cause i think everyone knows, and how many are mixed on tube
mixers? Hell who can even afford a good old school tube mixer yet again who would buy one honestly..? Unless you were a collector but lets think about it if I had 800,000 and my choice was a solid state design Neve or SSl or some old school vintage tube console I would take the solid state any day. I thought we were trying to perfect the art of good sound not go back in time let's face it the days of The Beach Boys and Elvis are over,
and sonically that stuff sounded like crap
and no one can tell me it didn't for it's time it was great but not now I would laugh at someone who brought me something that sounded like that.
.........Good For It's Time......
P.S.

Don't think i'm harping or anything i'm not a jerk I just have strong opinions

 

[lorenzo gerace]

Chris

I appreciate your strong opinions, but do you talk out of personal experience with the piece of gear I'm asking about or it's just a sensation you have?
Which are the greats you are talking about?

Thanx for your feedback

L.G.

 

[Kurt Foster]

Lorenzo,
Tony Larkin (TLA) designs and manufactures some very nice equipment. These are new hybrid designs rather than a “step back” in time. Utilizing modern solid state as well as tube circuitry. I would absolutely consider using one of these for the purpose stated. Myself I don’t have a problem with mixing in the box. My feeling on that is it does more harm to convert from digital back to analog to mix and then back to digital again. This is especially true if one is using anything but the best converters. When you consider that an additional conversions, to analog and back to digital, will most likely occur once more in mastering, IMO it is much better to stay “in the box” once you are there.

if I had 800,000 and my choice was a solid state design Neve or SSL or some old school vintage tube console I would take the solid state any day. I thought we were trying to perfect the art of good sound not go back in time let's face it the days of The Beach Boys and Elvis are over,
and sonically that stuff sounded like crap ……… I would laugh at someone who brought me something that sounded like that.

I would assume from this statement that Chris Hatfield / Engineer, is a die hard analog fan not interested in using digital in any form at any time. Because IMO digital is absolutely a step back in quality, not an improvement. My feeling is that much of the work that was done for Elvis at RCA in Nashville by the late great Chet Atkins and a large part of the body of work done by Brian Wilson is sonically superior to much of the stuff that is coming off of SSL’s today. I had clients who used to come to my studio to work on my vintage MCI 600 console because they said they hated the sound of the SSL compressors and eq’s. To each his own, I say but when someone says the Beach Boys records were sonically deficient, I am compelled to reply. To say that you would laugh at anyone who brought you any kind of work would seem to be a bit arrogant. I am sure that wasn’t Chris’ intention, we’ve all said things that came out sounding different than what we meant. But that being said, I have always been grateful that anyone would bring me anything to work on. Kurt
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[lorenzo gerace]

Kurt (or should I call you Fats as we know you on the board )

Thanx for your opinion

I am aware of the effect A/D and D/A transitions have on the material, but I'd like to set up this kind of experiment: the mix bus of most DAW sounds OK (I'm mixing in Pro Tools right now), and my mixes come out fine; then suddenly (while cleaning my archive) I stumbled upon a few DAT tapes of mixes I did on a Trident Vector 432 when I was working as an assistant in a local studio, with all of the analog outboard gear and stuff (you know, the traditional way), and even though the tracks were recorded on DA 98 the mixes had a depth and an image that my actual mixes lack. My mixig has improved in time, and the sound I get now is cleaner and more defined, but I think the analog mixing bus of the board I used to mix on imparted that subtle distortion or harmonic saturation and 3D image that DAWs are missing yet. I totally love mixing in the box, you can't argue with editing,plug-ins automation, total recal of mixes etc, but I'd like to breathe a little more life in my mixes in their final stage, so I thought that a good A/D- D/A converter (I was thinking about an RME ADI8 PRO) and the TL Audio tube mixer (just for the 8 bus summing stage) could be a good trick. On top of this I think (but I may be wrong) that once the audio goes thru the 8 channel tube mixer it's not similar to what you put out of the DAW anymore, so converting it back to digital would be like converting a different program material.

This is where I come from, so what do you think about this?

Again, thanx for your opinion.

L.G.

 

[NeonCactus]

Very Very nice rebuttle and yes the thing about the old school stuff did come out a bit tinged and not the way it was meant in my head I just mean it on a modern day professional level. Not saying that the music wasn't amazing it was I
am not kicking the songs I'm saying put a modern day recording up to it and see how it stacks up
it doesn't that's technology and that is a plain fact, on a production end The Beach Boys are
one of the most well produced groups I've ever heard. Also I am a true analog head only for the reason that even now as affordable as digital is
and everything, what still is at the top of the charts for almost 70 percent of albums on air?
That's right a Studer A827... good old tape!
But anyways I'm sorry i did not mean to affend anyone at all or in anyway to each is own and hey I hope everyone makes great records
I tell you what you might want to look into though, if you want a nice front end and possibly
mix console for busing things back out
a Geoffrey Daking Sidecar they are great
Jensen transformers and all!Sorry about the post I'll just keep my opinion about tubes out of the forum!

 

[NeonCactus]

I also wanted to let you guys know who I am real quick just so you know who you are talking to for future reference. Of course you already know my name but believe me there is more, how about the fact that I am 21 years old been doing this recording thing for six years now and have probably had more projects in the past year than most people on this forum have had in a decade. Also I am in three bands two of which are major acts in my arena which would be Punk Rock. My management company is Singerman Entertainment you might be familiar with it
if you aren't let me enlighten you... management company for Zebrahead, Dokken, Motorhead, and Erase the Grey one of the newest bands signed to Universal plus tons more. I don't appreciate the fact that 40 year old men don't respect my opinion and try to make me feel like a jerk now I apoligized and I will leave it at that but believe me I won't forget.
I have been told by two well respected mix engineers who will be left unnamed for certain reasons that said and I quote "Chris you are an amazing engineer for your age and you are lucky to be blessed with golden ears!" If you two had any idea of my complete career as of right now
me being 21 and all, you would probably get embarrased that a 21 year old was showin you up!
I know this will probably not make it to the forum and that's fine just as long as someone has
seen it just so it doesn't look like I was punked down by the Centrum Silver Crew!

 

[lorenzo gerace]

I just don't know what to say in front of these words... really they get me speechless, and I don't mean to make fun out of you, I simply asked if somebody ever tried out such a piece of gear, and I find myself plunged into a wrestling arena full of "you don't know who I am" and the likes; I wish you the best of luck with your career, but in my very lttle experience (I'm 28 and I've been doing this for the same time as you) that kind of attitude never leads to great results in a business where being able to get along with people nicely is a key factor (and judging by your last post...); I don't care if I'm working in a million dollar studio, if the poeple I'm working with are not able to be team players all of the gear in the world won't make the record sound better, but that's just my inexperienced opinion.
Oh, I forgot, I'm in the recording business not for the credits I have on the records I made, I'm into it because I love music.

Again, thank you for your opinions, I'm out of this thread (and I started it...).

L.G.

 

[lwstudio]

"I am 21 years old been doing this recording thing for six years now and have probably had more projects in the past year than most people on this forum have had in a decade. "

-bit ambitious to say that isnt it?

 

[Kurt Foster]

Well....!
Take it easy on the guy! He’s still just a kid. I am sure that Chris didn't mean all that like it sounds. I remember when I was young, brash and a bit over enthusiastic. Supreme confidence in ones abilities will get one down the road in double time. I hold no grudge and I actually was a bit impressed with Chris comments and credits. I also didn't mean to sound harsh in my reply to his and Lorenzo's posts. We all have our opinions here and if we are willing to stick it out we should be willing to let it get nicked a bit. Chris, please don’t let all of this hold back your opinions, I for one am interested. BTW you can call me Kurt, or you can call me Fats.. Just don't call me (everyone!) "Late for dinner!" ... … Kurt
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:w:

 

[animatrix]

I'll bet this little mixer sounds good. I have used a bit of TL Audio stuff over the years (C-1, EQ-2, 2012, PA-1 and PA-2. All of it had a nice effect on a signal. The build quality of the old Indigo series processors was a little suspect and I had some problems with it, but hopefully this new stuff is up to speed. I'm not famous or anything so maybe I shouldn't speak up, having had some previous experience with thier gear, I think this looks like it would make a nice addition to a project studio.

 

[lorenzo gerace]

Animatrix

Thanx for your input, that was all I'm asking for in this thread, such words would've been enough, instead of credits lists and so on.

I hope somebody else will chime in.

L.G.

 

[animatrix]

You're very welcome,

One thing which I have noticed with the cheaper TL Audio stuff is a lack of preamp headroom. I'd check this out very carefully.

Regards,

Doug