Better Preamps, converters, or???

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nate74
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Nate74

Nate74

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I was lucky enough to have a Soundtracs Topaz for several years in my recording setup. I was recording to an Alesis HD24XR and would sometimes mix on the Topaz but was mixing mostly in Sonar. I had a custom built 8’ wide desk that housed the board, and had a built in 12 space rack on one side where the Alesis and a bunch of other outboard gear lived. My only complaint was that for doing quick recordings of ideas etc, I wished I could record straight into Sonar rather than having to transfer it from the Alesis everytime. But for tracking full bands, it was heaven.

But with the arrival of my daughter, my wife and I had to consolidate our home offices into one room to make room for a nursury, which meant a major downsize of my recording setup. I sold the Soundtracs, the Alesis and the 8’ desk. I moved my “live” board, an A&H MixWiz 16:2 DX into the studio and got a Motu 828mkIII and later added a Motu 8pre. The MixWiz's direct-outs are post-fade which is odd but it seems to work out when tracking.

I now record straight into Sonar using the direct-outs on the MixWiz to send 16 channels into the two Motu units, then the Motus via firewire into the PC. I have channels 9 thru 16 half-normaled between the MixWiz and the Motu 8-pre so I can use outboard preamps to record straight into the PC when I just want to do something quick and dirty, etc. which I really like.

I recently had occasion to track a whole band (after about a 18 month hiatus) and while everything worked flawlessly and sounded pretty good, it sure didn’t sound like my previous setup. Same mics, same live room, even the same drummer and kit, but it just didn’t sound like the stuff I’d recorded with the Soundtracs and the Alesis. Less “airy” and "open" is the best way I can describe it I guess.

I suspect the the difference in the overall sound is mostly because of the preamps on the A&H. But for a long time I thought I was stuck with the MixWiz since so few small format consoles seem to offer direct-outs, but I read recently that you can use the channel inserts with some sort of special adapter as your direct-outs which got me thinking about other consoles that might get me back closer to the sound I loved with my Soundtracs/Alesis setup.

So at long last my questions:

1. Is the difference in the preamps between the Soundtracs and the MixWiz the most likely culprit when it comes to the change in sound? I have the line-outs on the MixWiz currently post EQ and post Fade; does the mod to pre-Fade improve the sound?

2. Or is the difference in the A/D/A converters between the Alesis and the Motu? I'm hoping not because I really am in love with the functionality of the Motus now.

3. Lastly, if it is the preamps, besides maybe the A&H ZED Series and the Mackie ONYX series, what other small format boards might be worth a look? Only requirement I guess is 16 channels with inserts/direct-outs since all I’m doing is tracking through it these days.

Interestingly with some reconfiguring of the desk, my old Soundtracs might just fit on it but the reappearance of a console that size might lead to some domestic issues I’m afraid…
 
The AH should be head and shoulders above the Mackie in terms of the preamps. My Mark of the unicorn stuff is hard to beat.
 
I'm seeing some not so flatering comments on the ZED series in terms of quality. Maybe I just make do...
 
The Mix Wizard is known for it's very good pre-amps--and, for tracking, I actually prefer post fade. Obviously, not if you're just trying to record a live mix--but in the studio I use post fade direct outs all the time.

I've not used the Soundtracs console but I'd be surprised if their pre-amps are significantly better than the A&H--different perhaps but not likely better. (As an aside, I don't like the Zed series pre-amps as much as the Mix Wiz. For the price point, the Zed series is superb....but it's not in the same league as the Mix Wizard, either in quality or cost.)

I'm also a fan of MOTU so I'd be surprised if the problems are there.

One other thing to consider is your own "ear". I think a person's hearing and ability to "process" the information changes with age and experience. I know that when I go back to stuff I recorded a few (or a lot of) years ago, it never sound the same as I remember. It would be an interesting psychoacoustic experiment to do in detail sometime--I have no idea whether it's a physical change to my hearing or just that, as the years pass, I'm listening for different things.
 
Bobbsy said:
The Mix Wizard is known for it's very good pre-amps--and, for tracking, I actually prefer post fade. Obviously, not if you're just trying to record a live mix--but in the studio I use post fade direct outs all the time.

I've not used the Soundtracs console but I'd be surprised if their pre-amps are significantly better than the A&H--different perhaps but not likely better. (As an aside, I don't like the Zed series pre-amps as much as the Mix Wiz. For the price point, the Zed series is superb....but it's not in the same league as the Mix Wizard, either in quality or cost.)

I'm also a fan of MOTU so I'd be surprised if the problems are there.

One other thing to consider is your own "ear". I think a person's hearing and ability to "process" the information changes with age and experience. I know that when I go back to stuff I recorded a few (or a lot of) years ago, it never sound the same as I remember. It would be an interesting psychoacoustic experiment to do in detail sometime--I have no idea whether it's a physical change to my hearing or just that, as the years pass, I'm listening for different things.
Click to expand...

Some OUTSTANDING input, Thanks! The Mod on the MixWiz seems fairly easy (I'm about half way done) but the more I reflect, the more I think the MixWiz is probably A.O.K.

Yeah, 2 years of a crying daughter AND probably more importantly, not doing nearly as much music, might totally have changed my ears.

Though the A&H will never look as cool as the Soundtracs... :)
 
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