Just thought I'd jump on the HEDD bandwagon. After hearing Julian sing it's praises for the past few months, I found an original version for cheap on E-bay (no Tape knob, just Triode and Pentode).
I was mixing a solo jazz piano Pro Tools session today. My recording chain was 1897 Steinway B into a pair of Earthworks QTCs into a DACS MicAmp (think Grace-type super clean) into 888/24 with Lucid Genx6 clock. No compression... just a touch of room reverb (my crappy rectangular room with 8 foot ceilings is not exactly Carnegie Hall) and a little scoop at about 350k for anti-mud. Hadn't had a chance to try solo piano with the HEDD to that point, but it occurred to me to switch it on. I really cranked the knobs (both to about 7) and. WOW! The artist was floored!
Passages that had sounded a bit edgy (higher register sforzando attacks) suddenly were far more listenable and smooth. Other than tweaking the reverb a bit between the ballads and the uptempo numbers, the CD was mixed! About an hour and a half total! I had to make the artist promise not to tell anyone.
Thanks Julian for yor HEDD evangelicism. You've won over another true believer. I'm sure the newer version is even more cool, but my vintage model is still kicking ass. :)
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Last year, the thing that I bought that made the most significan
Last year, the thing that I bought that made the most significant contribution to my sound was the Hedd 192khz. More than any outboard gear that was purchased, to me it was the most valuable. I think the second would be the Masterlink, but I have them both working together any how. One compliments the other well.
Originally posted by Julian Standen: yes hold onto something! W
Originally posted by Julian Standen:
yes hold onto something! Were you just using it on AES insert or as converter too?
Glad you liked it!
:)
The material was tracked before I had the HEDD, unfortunately, so it was just used as an insert in the mixing process. Can't wait to try a session using the converters for tracking.
I have just got my HEDD 192, and a Pendulum Audio MDP-1A from Me
I have just got my HEDD 192, and a Pendulum Audio MDP-1A from Mercenary, this combination using the HEDD's converters into an ApogeeAD8000SE has given me the best acoustic guitar sound I have ever achieved before even at 44.1! I used an X-Y pair of BLUE dragonflies with a Takemine EN40C, agreed not the sexiest of guitars but it is a very good sounding one. The tone and stereo image is outstanding and the HEDD flavouring takes it on to another level. I am certainly not going for Protools HD, I am getting a great sound with this gear
Originally posted by Brad Blackwood: Originally posted by Jame
Originally posted by Brad Blackwood:
Originally posted by James Cullen:
I have just got my HEDD 192, and a Pendulum Audio MDP-1A from Mercenary, this combination using the HEDD's converters into an ApogeeAD8000SE has given me the best acoustic guitar sound I have ever achieved before even at 44.1!
Yeah - what blows me away is that the ADC and DAC in the HEDD (and HEDD-192)can run asyncronously, so you can use the ADC and DAC on different things, at different FS!
Dave really built this thing beyond what I would've asked for at that price. Kills converters costing twice as much, and you get stellar processing as well...:w: Tell me more. I just got one and I kind of suspected that this could be done.
The unit is set up for 0VU=-12dBFS, but I found that the gain change was a little disconcerting as most of my gear is 0=-15dBFS. Easily changed and the trim pots are Multi Turn units that make adjustment really easy.
My only need now is a decent equalizer that can be patched into the digital path. Any suggestions?
Back to the "HEDD" for a moment, if I may. I'd like to hear m
Back to the "HEDD" for a moment, if I may.
I'd like to hear more about what kinds of settings y'all are using with this thing, and also where in the process it gets used.
I am using the HEDD quite a bit while tracking as a DAW "front end" now, and as a converter alone really like it a lot. However, I've gotten into trouble "over processing" stuff thru it... especially with the Triode and Tape knobs. The Pentode is less of a trouble spot; seems like it's a lot easier to hear when I am overdoing it with the Pentode for some reason. But Triode and Tape are just so nice 'n' buttery that I'm never quite sure when to stop "turning it up" !!!
It's even worse when I'm using it on the final mix. I got into trouble earlier this week at the end of a marathon jingle session, where I was mixing something like 30 separate cues in the course of 24 hours. Don't try this at home. Towards the end of my vigil I was blearily reaching for "more Triode... yeah, that sounds good... more Tape.... yes, more is better..." etc., well you get the idea. Ended up having to remix those cuts with less of the ol' HEDD process on them. Thank God I discovered it soon enough so that "recall" of the mixes wasn't too big a hassle.
The interesting thing was, how what sounded "good" at 5AM sounded pretty nasty and screechy the next day. A little dab'll do ya.
I guess the question is, how do you know when to say when? Do you guys use the HEDD process while tracking and then again on the 2-mix? Any "ballpark" setting tips for those lovely green knobs?
Originally posted by littledog: [QUOTEThe material was tracked
Originally posted by littledog:
[QUOTEThe material was tracked before I had the HEDD, unfortunately, so it was just used as an insert in the mixing process. Can't wait to try a session using the converters for tracking.
Try bouncing some tracks through the HEDD processor and then mixing. You'll have to line them up again (the delay in the HEDD is like 1 sample, the delay in Alsihad is like 63 samples, or something like that). The cool part is you can tailor the amount of processing to each track, and use as many processed tracks simultaneously as you desire...
I love to see the "heavyweight" threads ... I just wish they'd s
I love to see the "heavyweight" threads ... I just wish they'd speak English ...LOL.
Just my $.02 ... I always find that Hedd will always improve a recording session. Every musician involved seems to perform better, and sound much better, when Hedd is available. There's just nothing like Hedd to make a good session into a great one! Yes, indeed, Hedd ROCKS!
Ummm ... did I miss something in the translation? :eek:
Originally posted by SonOfSmawg: I always find that Hedd will a
Originally posted by SonOfSmawg:
I always find that Hedd will always improve a recording session. Every musician involved seems to perform better, and sound much better, when Hedd is available. There's just nothing like Hedd to make a good session into a great one! Yes, indeed, Hedd ROCKS!
Ummm ... did I miss something in the translation? :eek:
Ummm... something tells me I better not even mention the Aphex Aural Exciter with Big Bottom.
Littledog, I also have the original model and I think it sounds
Littledog, I also have the original model and I think it sounds just fine. I did a shootout the other day with a Prism Dream AD-1/DA-1 combo( over $10,000 worth) and it kicked ass. Maybe an itsy bitsy less silky than the Prisms, but very detailed and slightly punchier.