For me, all that old gear went on ebay a long time ago. The thing for me though was that it was ordinary boring stuff. Reverbs, compressors, graphics, a gizmo with a big bottom button, stuff like that and all these things are absolutely better in the box. I still have, I just remembered, and auto tune and a harmoniser somewhere. I kept them just in case, but never needed them.
As for the improve the sound hardware, the named and now reimagined stuff, I’ve never been convinced they actually deserved the labels they got? Placebo effect is my feeling, but I do know it is not an area that would improve my own recordings. Probably because mine are ‘functional’, they’re not some kind of high art. Possibly if my clients or me myself, needed that layer of gold leaf on the surface and I had budget, maybe, just maybe I might buy some, and then use the photos for promotion to other clients who might see these products as evidence of perfection?
Boutique gear seems to indicate a whole new marketing opportunity. I work in an area where musicians are, in British speak, permanently skint. They have no money for anything other than strings or reeds or slide juice which improve their performance huge amounts. They want me to dedicate an entire day to their project, and cannot understand I don’t work for less than minimum wage, yet ask me if I have Neve outboard?
Making money from paying clients is so hard, so like in the 70s, studios are still struggling. Everybody wanted Abbey Road and got what they got.
Fair enough.
