Why all the equipment?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Wayne PA
  • Start date Start date
W

Wayne PA

New member
I've always kinda wondered why it's necessary for a studio to have stacks and stacks of compressors, limiters, eqs, gates etc when all those functions can be performed on any of the advanced DAWs. Even mixing can be done on the screen rather than on a mixer board though thats probably more cumbersome.

Why is all the equipment necessary? Better control and sound quality that on the screen maybe???
 
Well....before the DAW....that's what everyone used, and some folks still prefer to, or they use outboard gear alongside the DAW.

There's a difference actually working with hardware VS software on a computer screen, and in many cases they can sound different, at least enough that folks develop preferences for one or the other.
 
miroslav said:
Well....before the DAW....that's what everyone used, and some folks still prefer to, or they use outboard gear alongside the DAW.

There's a difference actually working with hardware VS software on a computer screen, and in many cases they can sound different, at least enough that folks develop preferences for one or the other.
Click to expand...

Great answer. :)
 
Thanks! And with the setups many of you have, is the mixer and the different controllers working together with the DAW on the screen?
 
I can say with conviction that I truly do run an involved hybrid analog/digital hardware/software setup...so I'm on both sides of the fence, and have an ongoing love/hate relationship with both. :)

I cut my teeth on traditional hardware audio gear, and have worked with tape since the late-70s when I first got into recording more seriously...but I absolutely LOVE the editing/comping power of a DAW, and prefer to track with hardware and tape, but then transfer to the DAW for the edits and the comps...then mix back out through my hardware.
Some guys do that, but then stay in the DAW for the mixing too...and then lots of people just track/edit/mix/master all in the DAW...or "In The Box" (ITB).
You just have to find your comfort zone both SOP-wise and sound-wise, and then go with that.

In my own case, I had a lot of hardware before the DAW...and then it was not as complicated to keep building on it and upgrading/expanding. If I was starting from ground-zero today...yeah, it's kinda hard to beat the inexpensive price of admission into a complete ITB "studio", though you still need the preamps and mics and some other gear in hardware form.
That said...if I hit the lottery big...:eek:... I would love to build a very high-end all-analog/hardware studio....BUT...I would STILL want to also have a full-tilt DAW rig to go with it. I really like the hybrid approach....though I could work in either camp 100% and not complain.

Ahhh...typical analog mixers don't directly interface with the DAW, though you can send analog audio to the DAW from the mixer, and/or bring audio out of the DAW and use the mixer to mix (which is what I do).
Controllers are more of a direct link to the DAW...basically, they attempt to give you that hands-on control of the DAW's software mixer...to try and mimic what a real mixer would do.
Now, you have digital mixers and they can have a slightly different interaction with a DAW, being both controller and mixer, though your audio pretty much stays all-digital until it hits the final output to your monitors.
 
That's a pretty large can of worms you're working to open there ;)

Wayne PA said:
I've always kinda wondered why it's necessary for a studio to have stacks and stacks of compressors, limiters, eqs, gates etc when all those functions can be performed on any of the advanced DAWs. Even mixing can be done on the screen rather than on a mixer board though thats probably more cumbersome.

Why is all the equipment necessary? Better control and sound quality that on the screen maybe???
Click to expand...
 
I think I've achieved the perfect balance of hardware vs. software!

DSC1925-1000-589x391.jpg
 
You guys wanna really soil your undies, check out the rooms at this place....just beautiful!

Sonic Ranch
(Click on the individual rooms to see better pictures)

It's considered to be the largest and most elaborate "residential" studio.
I could die happy in the Adobe room.... :)
 
There was a time when the inside of a studio was the holy grail for me. I'd get moist just seeing pictures of them.
Now I'm in studio menopause.
 
miroslav said:
Well....before the DAW....that's what everyone used, and some folks still prefer to, or they use outboard gear alongside the DAW.

There's a difference actually working with hardware VS software on a computer screen, and in many cases they can sound different, at least enough that folks develop preferences for one or the other.
Click to expand...
I'd say this is the best answer you'll get for the question...Typically you get one side or the other on the preference of hardware vs. software when you ask a question like that, but I think it just comes down to preference at this point. Software keeps advancing and eventually will be as good (if it's not already) or better than outboard gear eventually, after all your computer is truly just another piece of hardware - somewhat suped up lol.
 
I 99% of the time mix out of the box, analog mixing, I just prefer to work this way. So racks of compressors gates effects units etc.

Alan.
 
@ 1st pic uuugghhh ugghh! Ahhhhhhhh!!!!...(sticky keyboard)
@ 2nd pic eeehh kinda of a milf, alot of T&A tho
 
miroslav said:
You guys wanna really soil your undies, check out the rooms at this place....just beautiful!

Sonic Ranch
(Click on the individual rooms to see better pictures)

It's considered to be the largest and most elaborate "residential" studio.
I could die happy in the Adobe room.... :)
Click to expand...

That place is just amazing. I've seen it linked on here before. It blew me away then and still does now. Proof that Heaven exists!!!!!
 
I came up in the 60's - long before digital options were available. I accumulated a lot of analog hardware and learned how to use it effectively - so as I starated to make a transition to digital - I did not want to have to re-invest in software processing (since I had already invested so much in hardware.

I now record direct to digital (using analog pre-amps) - I enjoy the editing capability in digtal - but once I've tracked and edited - I then mix analog using all the hardware I've accumulated.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top