Outboard Gear Processing setup

mactreouser

New member
Hi,
I would like to try the Outboard Gear Processing for my recorded audio like Vocal and Bass Guitar.

I normally have my clean recording on both, then processed and toning via plugins. And I would like to use some outboard gears like Compressor, EQ, Bass Amp Head...for that.

Question :
What's the basic setup/chain should I do for a single track?

Hopefully my question is clear, haha...
 
I'm not sure what the best setup might be, but your daw can probably treat your hardware basically like an effects loop. In logic there's a special plugin that routes a track to an output, then back into the track via an input. So you can mix plugins and hardware in the same track and the ordering has the effect you might expect. I imagine all the DAWs do it pretty similarly.
 
out to gear and back in to daw

I'm not sure what the best setup might be, but your daw can probably treat your hardware basically like an effects loop. In logic there's a special plugin that routes a track to an output, then back into the track via an input. So you can mix plugins and hardware in the same track and the ordering has the effect you might expect. I imagine all the DAWs do it pretty similarly.

Thanks for prompted reply!
Yup, I heard about that. It seems easy to go, in fact, I'm not a smart guy, therefore, I have no idea about the route, haha.

Can someone help me to get the picture /diagram clear?
 
I don't mess on a track level - its sometimes going in, and mostly 2-buss out to another device. A lot depends on how you plan things. Right now, I'm not wired into the rack stuff, just using mixer compression and effects up front.

If you only have two outs from the DAW, then you are stuck with that type of wiring, etc..What you can do in your DAW, I wouldn't know.
 
I don't mess on a track level - its sometimes going in, and mostly 2-buss out to another device. A lot depends on how you plan things. Right now, I'm not wired into the rack stuff, just using mixer compression and effects up front.

If you only have two outs from the DAW, then you are stuck with that type of wiring, etc..What you can do in your DAW, I wouldn't know.

Yup, main output is what I have. Can do nothing, at least 4 outputs?
 
Hi,
Yeah, you're pretty much stuck I'm afraid.

You can technically still do exactly what you want, but you won't be able to hear it as you do it.
That might sound useless but if you are aiming at a particular sound or tone and have a bunch of tracks you want to process the same way, then it's doable.

Not ideal, for sure, but doable.

What interface do you have?
 
A lot of stuff over here is routed through tape loops(four). Generally, my little rack is on one tape loop. For messing around, you may have onboard sound jacks to employ. Just buy some stuff and get with it.
 
I own an outboard channel strip that includes an eq, compressor and a direct in (which is good for bass).
I used to record vocals directly to my interface but took the plunge and started recording mic-channel strip-interface.
It took only a few recordings to figure out what sounded best with my voice/mic. Now I always record that way.
I still use plugins within my DAW for vocals but only minimally.
It's really a personal preference (and depends on the gear) whether you want to "print" going in, so I'm not going to say it's the best way.
 
Thanks guys, excited!
So does it mean, if I'm gonna give outboard mix a try (send and Re-Record), I should have at least 4 outputs (2 main to monitor, 2 extra outputs for outboard gears)?
 
Ideally, yes.
If you're planning an upgrade, though, it's always good to think a few steps farther down the line.
Maybe look at units with 8 ins and outs?
You know your own needs....Just putting it out there. :)
 
You just have to send and receive. If you have a 2 x 2 (in/out) interface, you still have a headphone jack on the interface and, possibly, on the onboard soundcard
 
You just have to send and receive. If you have a 2 x 2 (in/out) interface, you still have a headphone jack on the interface and, possibly, on the onboard soundcard

I wouldn't get into using soundcards in conjunction with interfaces.
Not impossible but not ideal either.

Headphones often mirror the main outs but even if that's not the case, I'd want the option of monitoring on speakers without fuss.
So yes..an interface with 4 or more outputs is ideal.
 
I've been doing it since forever. I can use three devices if I need to. I end up on headphones for fine settings, anyway. But ya, my ECHO Gina 20-bit sounds wonderful and has 8-out and was under $10 off eBait. With a tape loop, out can go to the speakers and the signal is live on all the other jacks
 
You just have to send and receive. If you have a 2 x 2 (in/out) interface, you still have a headphone jack on the interface and, possibly, on the onboard soundcard

This seems a solution to me?! Can you draw the picture clearly? Say I'm now working on the Mono Vocal Track, outboard compressor is the route. What should I do / how do I setting up?
 
In my current DAW, I can send a track to any output device, not just the 2-buss.

Toss that out patched into the outboard

out of comp to whatever input

in daw set new track to rec monitor that input


Out to outboard, and in to input
 
How the hell would I know ? I don't even know if he has a DAW.

A clip of random output devices that were here at this computer for track 1, and , PIC of loop routing box
 

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That may be true in any particular instance, but the basic concept of going out to a processor (tape machine) and back in isn't rocket science and has been around close to forever.
 
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