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Help Me Zero in on this Master Mix

This one is getting really close - I shared it here before. What I'm trying to accomplish sonically is to have the verses drop big like a club music drop - sort of like a big singalong chorus (only for the verses) with the synth basses being really dominant -- as the song evolves from this hybrid club rock track I bring in more conventional instruments and give the bass guitar more prominence in the mix to tie the track together. I think I'm pretty close - is there anything that's not balanced here with those aims in mind? Thanks for giving this a listen again.

https://recording.o…

Attached files

SuperstarMasterOct10v1-2020.mp3 (9.8 MB) 

The ZDT Zero Distortion Preamplifier series

These look excellent. I've never had the opportunity but hope to grab a chance to try anything in this series.

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http://www.earthworksaudio.com/products/preamps/

The ZDT Zero Distortion Preamplifier™ series is based on discrete circuitry designed by DAvid Blackmer, establishing a new standard of sonic excellence in electronics. This exacting new standard provides frequency response from 1Hz to 200kHz +0.5dB, a rise time of 0.27 microseconds and distortion of less than 1 part per million (0.0001%), eliminating all possibility of sonic degradation. These preamps are so fast, so clean and so transparent that you don’t even know they are there. It is like plugging your microphone into a “piece of wire with gain”. You will hear clarity and detail with the ZDT preamps that is not available in any other preamp at any price.
  • Zero Distortion – less than one part per million
  • High output level +30dBu
  • Very Low Output Impedance will drive long lines without interference or signal loss
  • True 48 volt phantom, polarity reverse & clip indicator
  • Separate XLR & 1/4” Phone (t-r-s) outputs, each with its own gain/level controls
  • 1/4” Phone connector output will drive balanced or unbalanced inputs
  • Lowest Noise of any preamp on the market
  • All Discrete Components; Class A Amplification (No ICs in the signal path)
  • No Electrolytic Capacitors in the signal path
  • Greater Transparency with minimum signal path and minimum features
  • Available in 1, 2 and 4 channels
  • 500 Series preamp available

Having used the Millennia, Grace and Benchmark preamps this Earthworks unit is in a league of its own. It's as true to the source as they come. This thing transmits such a startling 3D image it's almost haunting. It's dead quiet and has gobs of headroom and gain. The beauty is that the 1024 delivers the precise characteristics of what ever mic you hook it up to. Of course paired with an Earthworks mic the combo serves up a vividness that has to be heard to be believed. If I ever see fit to add coloration into my mix I would rather start with the cleanest and truest signal possible and then process after for effect. Without a doubt the finest preamp I've ever owned. A masterpiece by the legendary DAvid Blackmer.

Novation Zero SL MK 2 with Sonar

Hi All
Has anybody had any experience with the above DAW Control Surface?
I use Sonar x3 Producer, and at present use my A500 Pro Control Surface function, and to be honest, like the feel of proper faders and knobs for pan etc.
I have tried V-Control pro for iPad, nice idea, but not quite the same as real controls.
Has anybody tried the Novation Zero SL Mk 2 with Sonar?
I read an awful right up last week, but wasn't quite sure the user gave it a descent try.
I see that there are some realy useful plugin facilities with the Novation, but would also like to see the Solo,Mute and Record Arm functions, are these available?

Simon

Sonar x3 Producer, Sibelius 7.5, Intel Quad Core i7 64 bit, 24 Gb Ram.

zero

SIZE=2 Hi. I just purchased a zero dac from china with the intention of doing the frakenzero dac modification.

Unfortunatly a friend has offered me his edirol ua-25 dac for £50 as he is upgrading.

Which dac do you think i should go with.

I can't google up any information on the edirol, probably because it is an old model.

Does anyone know how the edirol may match up against the zero, which one is it better to mod.

Thank you. John. SIZETABLE
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What are zero resistance plugs?

I want to connect my digital piano to a Mic IN input using the AUX OUT outputs. Reading through the keyboard's manual I found a reference that states one should use "zero resistance plugs and cables" when using the AUX OUT outputs.

How can I make sure the plugs and cable I buy are zero resistance since I don't know what that is to begin with? Is the term related to balanced/unbalanced plugs?

Thank you.

Back to Zero

There's something very sturdy about returning all the dials back to zero when you are mixing. You know you have wandered off and sort of fixed some issues, but meanwhile you have created new issues and you are getting confused. When you return to zero you hear exactly what's on the tracks in an unaltered way. Take off all effects all eq and listen straight up again. Even go back to no panning and get your bearings.

Then you try to get it right again using mostly eq subtraction not addition, and as little as you can get away with.

Virtually every sound source, every mic every thing seems to be a bit muddy, it all seems to need subtraction in the low mids high bass range. Why is that?

But when you subtract that stuff you also lose a certain strength, naturalness and head for some brittleness.

I don't know. In the years and decades I've messed with this, all the mixes are still the same challenges, and it still helps to rethink it when you're lost and get back to straight up zero. I like to see how close I can get to zero and yet have it mixed. THat maybe is the sturdiest way.

Or maybe I just don't know what in the hell, I just feel my way through 'cause I love it.

//iacmusic.com/artist.aspx?ID=8956

Integrating and analogue desk for zero latency monitoring

Hi. I'm new here and firstly apologies if I am posting under the wrong forum. I am looking for professional advice on achieving 'zero' latency in a DAW based recording solution by integrating a desk.

How does a desk figure in a set-up that would contain for example a saffire pro interface and octo-pre channel strip running into logic. I know latency is of course dependent on the card and the computers ability to handle buffers etc. I want to monitor through the software like being able to hear back from tape when recording. I have read that by splitting the signal somewhere along the line into a desk (possibly using insert points) is the only way to achieve zero latency. I'm not sure if by this method they simply mean they are using a desk to send hardware reverb etc to a monitor mix for the artist, thus bypassing the need to hear plugins being used on a channel. Or if by using the desk they are creating an in and out at exactly the same time, therefore allowing full software monitoring by routing the signal in a certain way.

Can anyone who has this kind of set-up - DAW based recording using an interface and channel strip running everything through an analog desk - (or anyone at all!)advise me on exactly how it would work signal wise? (again apologies if this is in completely the wrong place) Thanks in advance. Any advice would be much appreciated.

'Track Zero' "mastering"

I am working with someone who wants to put a track zero hidden track on his next album; the 'song' is a drumbeat and rapped lyrics that are much more vulgar than the rest of the song, and only 'hardcore' fans will find it.

I found a mention on http://en.wikipedia…"]Wikipedia[/]="http://en.wikipedia…"]Wikipedia[/] that Toast can be used with another file to hide a track in that manner.

I could not find this method, however, or at least a simple method that I understood and that told how to actually hide a track zero; most of the times the walkthru assumed one long file that you wanted to '588' using the method outlined, not simply creating audio data in the data before the first track on the CD.

With that said, what programs for Mac OSX are avaible that can actually LOCATE a track zero? Neither ITunes nor Quicktime nor Pro Tools will see Track 0 when importing a Track 1 from a CD with a Track 0 (and I know it's there, as I've rewound to it before).

If this is not the appropriate forum for the first question, my apologies. I was unsure where the appropriate place was. I know it's probably not the right place for the second question, but since it was related, I thought there was no harm.

Thank you for your time.

x

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