Imagine you have the perfect studio and the perfect control room. What next?

How do you work? do you follow the signal path and start with a great mic collection, then pre's then a desk etc?

I can take care of the mic collection but what is the ultimate desk? I'm not too bothered about features, I'm after sound quality! I guess this means analog.

Earlier today I received a note from a friend that works for a firm that received the following alleged "memo" from Digidesign. A few hours later, another friend forwarded the 'alleged memo'. I can not say for certain that there is any validity to this, but the word has now come to me from two entirely independent sources.

What's the current best thinking on this from the perspective of equipment longevity? The topic has been much argued for computer equipment, and I'm not sure there's a consensus.

I'm almost certain it depends on the type and build of equipment (e.g. tube vs solid state), environment (avg. temperature & control, power quality), power costs, etc.

So, what do you guys do?

I haven't had a chance to see, hear, or touch an original. I had a chance to briefly hear a Lawson recreation of the 251 at a noisy convention floor. I have researched opinions and reviews on the Soundelux Elux 251. I was wondering if anyone who has had any experience with either of the two recreations could possibly help me make a decision.

I'm going to start mixing a project next week where it's guitar, bass, vocals and drums. Out of 11 songs only 3 have doubled guitar tracks. How should I approach panning on the other 8 songs? I could do it Van-Halen style with guitar on the left and 'verb on the right but I don't really like that idea.

Almost everything I do these days ends up on both vinyl and CD. As I was never part of the vinyl mixing gereration first time around, I don't think I'm fully aware of everything I need to be for the format. Like:

- Don't hard pan or have out of phase bass (makes the needle jump)
- Pay heaps of attention to sibilants (these will distort)

Hola chicos,

What is currently the best-regarded noise gate out there?

Seems like the basic outboard gate is kinda falling by the wayside these days, as more and more ppl go to DAW's. Anyways, I need a handful of clean, fast gates to use on drums in particular. I used to use the dbx 900 series stuff and liked it. What are my options nowadays? Drawmer? Aphex?

Can any one give me some guidance on this console... I have never used any Neve before and have to start flying solo on one in 10 days time. help!
(I am a digital man really... so th whole analog thing is an adventure in a way)

Can anyone recommend a good resource on the need to provide buffer amps (or "make-up gain") when connecting a VU meter somewhere along an audio signal path? To the ignorant among us (me), it all seems so arbitrary; in some cases a VU meter appears to be just hung off existing circuitry. In other cases, a single VU meter is fed by a huge "buffer amp module" that serves no other purpose.

Right, ive been told that by using Reason in conjunction with Cubase i can get a lot more functionality - i dont see this at all. Cubase just does my head in!

Can someone recommend a good place to learn about the program and its functions in depth?