Mmmm...

[punx]

Hya,
should I need a rack if I do computer recording? I mean in every studio that I see a pic of I allways see all those effect racks and stuff.
What can you do with those things that you can't do on your PC?
Maybe a dumb question, but I'm just wondering
Thanx anyway

 

[chessrock]

What can you do with those things that you can't do on your PC?

Oh . . . I don't know . . . maybe put stuff in it. Might be kinda' tough to cram an effects channel or a compressor in to your computer, although I can't exactly fault someone for trying.

I just figured I'd razz ya. I understand your question, and there is no real answer, other than to say if there's a particular gadget, gizmo, or whatcha'ma-jigger you particularly like, and you like and you want it and you need it and it comes in a rack . . .

 

[tubedude]

I would say 60% of the stuff I see in pictures (preamps compressors and converters) are things that you just cant get as a plugins... great preamps are almost always racked, great compressors are racked and for tracking and sound, plugs just dont really cut it. I see a lot of Distressors and Neve stuff, 1176's, in pro pictures... stuff that just cant have a plug-in and be the same.

 

[zer0sig]

to elaborate on tubedude's point, outboard effects tend to have the advantage of being able to work with a signal BEFORE it gets chopped into little digital bits-a compressor can do good work with a signal that will just clip like crazy on a digital system, but a software compressor won't do shit for an already seriously clipped digital clip, because it's too late to save that fidelity.

that said, if you don't know what any of the equipment is, it's probably not really going to serve you. you might want to try getting some results with what you have, maybe get some critiques in our mp3 clinic, and when everyone on the page says "you need to compress blahblahblah", perhaps that's a good sign that an outboard compressor will help you out.

 

[ambi]

You guys ever get pissed off when a great unit comes out and it's only a half rack size? Doesn't that sqrew up the order of your purdy rack? I want to get a rack soon and some items to put in it, and things like the grace 101 and the RNC should be a full rack to make it look better and be easier to mount!