tell me your vocal chain

[Alistair]

U87-> UA 610/diy 1073 ->distressor on 10:1, max 3-4dB on peaks. That's me for 90% of stuff.
If I need EQ before tape, ELI Lil Freq on the non-transformer output lets me cut/boost without any artifacts. Often use an 1176 in the mix, but never on the way in.


And my 87 capsule looks nothing like that C12 capsule....

[rightintheface]

Prepare to drool over my mighty vocal chain:

Peavey 520/ev 664/beyer m81 into a Golden Age Pre 73, dbx 160x, maudio profire, pro tools 8. Sometimes smashed through a jvc cassette deck for dirt/compression (works well with the Beyer)

[rick]

that presonus thing is a m80 8 channel mic pre .. i got two of them in a horse trade a way back , i have only ever just tested them .. its job in my rack is to be the extra mic pres that i never use because i only have 16 inputs in that room and and still more holes in the roof of the overdub room then holes in any political agenda ..
but its kinda back up pres if that makes any sense
the other imaginary turtlerock room will house the very real 40 chn neve so who knows if i will ever really use those presonus things ..?

but

they are jensen twin servo mic pres circuit and jensen transformers and made way back when presonus was a quality company .. its a quality box that is QUALITY box

the guy i got them off was THE gear junkie of all time he was using them daily along side 30 neves and a zillion other things until he woke up one day and quit the business and left his gear in australia .

which is a long way of saying I am not using them .. but I have wired up so i can use them ..
maybe I will permantly wire them to fixed room mics in the other room ..dunno ..?

look they are dirt cheap on ebay .. and an absolute friggin score if you get the ones with the transformers
shhh.

not for sale !

[geareyes]

For my voice, more times than not it's this smiley curved Austrian lady.Generally V76 combined with an LA2A/Buzz SOC 1.1

BTW - Rick or Chris - Do those 1066's have the early Gardner or Marinair Round can X-formers?

[Drumstruck]

not that I record vocalists.... (and sorry, don't know how to put pics on the thread....) but I'd use this if I did:

this:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9910326/MD441.jpg
into this:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/991 ... 0front.jpg
into this:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9910326/DM4800.jpg
into PT or Reaper (studio)
or into this (direct to disc):
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/991 ... _right.jpg

[Djembe]

Depends on singer, but go to mic lately is UM70 with 692 body. I was using the 582 body but finding it a little too thick.
For my voice - Sony C37A
Peach M196se preamp
Tubetech CL1B with 2-3db at 2:1 just to soften a touch on the way in.
Mytek Stereo196ADC

UM70.JPG

Peach M196se.JPG

Gear.JPG

[tunetown]

I usually start with the Elux251 > BA1073 > Purple MC77 . This works for my voice. I'll change the Mic to different styles depending on vocalist. Very rarely use the EQ on the pre but sometimes it's nice to have in the chain.

[Manning]

I've got default chains by voice type and genre.

Beefy voice - Tribute T1 or T2 >> 512c or 1073

Delicate voice - Blue Bottle >> Avalon 737

In the middle voice - U87 or Blue Kiwi >> Fearn VT1

I find I always prefer a tube mic into a solid state pre, or a solid state mic into a valve pre. I'm sure there is a good technical reason for this, but I just go with the sound I like.

If needed, for compression I default to either the Fearn VT7 or the Purple MC77 and for EQ I have a Pultec EQ1 or a Focusrite Red 2. For jazz/folk I tend to prefer tube comps/eq, and for pop/rock I lean towards the solid state.

As a side note - for a 1073-style pre, I've got a Neve 1073LB, a Vintech X73 and an Avedis MA5. Yet all of them get trounced by the JLM modded Golden Age 1073 clone I bought from Trocker Dale Smith for $300 last year.

[geareyes]

@ Steven - Great looking CK12.Well done How does it sound?

I've found that CK12's vary SOOOO much.When you get a good one, treasure it.The most remarkable capsule.As with all capsules, upon purchase it's almost impossible to tell cond from a visual.You can have a showroom specimen visually, but tragically it's lost all of its tension.That's the critical prob with these non center terminated capsules.

I've heard a still sealed 251 head sound very average.

@ Peter - ELUX = Big bum! I love the low end extension on David's 251.

[Chris H]

Lately I have been using my Optro 740 for preamp, comp and eq then into the Avalon 747 for just a hint of comp. The other option i regularly choose is my Amek 9098 mic pre into the Avalon 747 or optro or both for comp and eq. The regular mics are a Neuman U87, an RCA velocity mic or often when tracking vox with the band live in the studio, an SE H1 vocal condenser.

-1.jpg

The RCA

RCA.jpg

In the studio

Studio.jpg

[rick]

Hey mike
Chris neve modules have standard square green neve transformers !

They could be mainare or stives or gardiners I cannot recall and it doesn't matter
What does matter is all the caps are replaced .. And on those ones rob replaced
And matched a bunch of transistors as well I believe
There were a very matched pair !

But as for the round ones I have never seen them on any thing except the
30 - Black 1055 modules and the original 10 channel tube neve Console i had for a short time

The black germanium ones didnt have an onboard output transformers and were nothing
Pretty to listen to IMHO and the tube board looked like a mechano kit inside
And definately needed a recap ( Rupert could not solder that well when he made his first console ! )


Round can 80 series modules are something I have never seen In the flesh and I have
Had hundreds of modules in my neve loving hands .
I discount the round can Internet rumours based on experience of the neve sound
But like all good rumours the early rare ones are the ones the Internet makes us covert !

You want square ones .. The new square ones in the reissues sound like neves , the old square ones
Sound like neves .. I think the Internet and common law conversations about the
Dc gapped class a output stage transformers is a huge red herring .

1081 sound like 1073 sound like 3114 if you discount the eq differences.
They all have different output setups

And level corrected the recapped modules all share the same covered neve tone


The new 4081 pres I have sound just like neves which goes against every thing I expected
I got them in a horse trade and was happy for them to be junk

So I am more happy to stand corrected on anything I have previously ever said on this subject.


Point being now i believe ( as does neve ) the actual "neve" sound is in the input transformer and the first gain stage
Which all discrete neves share .

Not in the output " the sound is in the iron" transformer rumour that fletcher started
So well 20 yeas ago .. He got sold all those black 1055 modules without transformers
And managed to get every buyer to fork up for the correct transformers on top of
The module price .. And there you have it .. Done deal rumour !
Sure the output transformers wierd nesses have a part to play in tone

But the sound I reconize as Neumann into a neve pre on my voice is the common thread
We are talking about here


Everything else matters sure.. but the In your face sound ..the midrange slur the lo mids bottom bump
And the " and yet these things measure flat " is all coming at you via the gain block and the mic or line in trannie
Which isn't exactly a complicated setup .

There is no output trannie In the new 4081
And yet ...?
Wtf ?

Live and learn

But I digress
back to your vocal chain ..
Photos people photos

[Paul Maybury]

I have been using either Ev Re55, Ev 635, Senn 441 or Sony C38b mics into JLM Ba into Gyraf Pultec clone into an ADR Vocal Stressor.
Sometimes I use the Chilton Qm3's pre amps, but since I finished installing a D&R Octagon console, I have just been using it's pre amps. They do 75db of gain and have great headroom with it.
I also add an ADR f600 into the chain sometimes if I want to grit things up even more.
I generally use the mics and comps to give me any colour and to stylise , not the pre amp.
And, sometimes I record vox through guitar amps, in which case all bets are off!
For me it's about creating the appropriate density, character(style) and a consistant level on the multitrack.
I always ask myself if the recording should be stylised or natural. I can get any variation with the above chain. No need to fiddle about trying different chains, just patch that in and turn the knobs till I like it.
Sorry, no photo's today! Maybe later.
Cheers,
PAul

[Ender]

Lately enjoying the Bock 251 > Great River 2NV > EL8/MC77.

rack.jpg

PS. An almost exclusively TRF supplied chain.

[walding]

Vintage U87 modded by Ross into daking pre.

Or vintage M88 into great river.

I never use compression in tracking.

[audioio]

that presonus thing is a m80 8 channel mic pre

Aah. Didn't look closely enough. As I recall (and he can correct me if I'm wrong), Mat Robins used these a lot for live recording.

[Chris H]

that presonus thing is a m80 8 channel mic pre

Aah. Didn't look closely enough. As I recall (and he can correct me if I'm wrong), Mat Robins used these a lot for live recording.

Chris Thompson also used the Presonous with the Jensen Transformers.

[Manning]

As per Rick's request:
After some image editing to get around the 600 pixel limit, here's a pic...




From top to bottom -
500 rack with Avedis MA5 and API 512c
Pair of Telefunken EQs
Fearn VT1 pre
Fearn VT1 pre
Vearn VT7 compressor
Some Drawmer gates/comps we never use but haven't taken out of the rack yet
Purple MC77
Purple MC77
LA Audio Classic channel (lovely thing but we never use it)

In rack to the right - dual 1176 Rev D kit clone, CD player, Golden Age 1073 pre

[tunetown]

Ok, so, for those who do use compression during vocal tracking, what are you starting settings?

On the MC77 I start with ratio 12:1, Attack 6, Release 7. DB reduction to suit.

C'mon gents, spill your secret beans.

[mylesgm]

hey Manning, if you like the 512c and you can follow a build instruction you should build a VP26 or VP25. Seriously blows away any of the 512s I've used, the build is easy and cheap too!

you've even got spare slots in the 500 rack and that always looks untidy...

[mylesgm]

on compression I go for gentle ratio (2 or 4:1) slow attack, quicker release and depending on the track I'll ride the threshold or input gain to the comp.

[Manning]

hey Manning, if you like the 512c and you can follow a build instruction you should build a VP26 or VP25. Seriously blows away any of the 512s I've used, the build is easy and cheap too!

you've even got spare slots in the 500 rack and that always looks untidy...

The slots are normally full, but a few things were missing at the time I took the photo (I think Marc lent some stuff to someone else). There is a Neve 1073 and some Vintech stuff absent.

I'd love to build, but frankly there is just no time. I have a backlog of nearly 100 songs across various clients to do pre-prod on right now.

[mylesgm]

well, when I get back I'll send you one to try if you like...

[Paul Maybury]

I tend to use the fastest attack I can, with ratio and release settings depending on how dense I want the recording to be. Usually around 3:1 to 5:1 and 100ms to 400 ms release. Anything up to 20db gain reduction. If I want even more density, I will put a limiter in front of the Vocal Stressor.
I like to track sounds the way I want them to end up in the mix, hopefully without backing myself into a corner. So I process pretty heavily at this stage. When I push the faders up at mix time, I want to be able to start mixing, not fixing. This allows me to work fast and intuitively, and all the while through tracking, I am hearing things in context, and this informs every subsequent decision. Then the mix is just enhancing and following your nose. Almost a formality with a forgone conclusion, rather than the make or break situation leaving all your decisions until later can lead to.
Cheers,
Paul

[Chinagraf]

My phone takes awesome pictures hey

2013-07-18 12.23.50.jpg

[Ben M]

My phone takes awesome pictures hey

2013-07-18 12.23.50.jpg

Yeah pretty awesome.
Love the sushi knobs Andy.

[rob]

Neve 80 series modules with round can mic transformers do exist. I had some here last week. The transformer is identical to the square packaged one but they bunged it into a round can with an octal plug on the end so just plugs in.

[geareyes]

Hey Rob - Thank you for dispelling this.Much appreciated!

I know the early 1066's had round can transformers.It really peaked my interest, as I had been communicating with a chap recently who has a bunch of 1066's.Some round can & some square equipped modules.He swears his round can ones sonically out perform his others.He also spoke of his tech coming to the conclusion that the black/green square transformers were less isolated.Round cans being some of the best build transformers he's ever dealt with.

I can sleep @ night now --- I don't have round cans

[geareyes]

Hey Rick --

Yeah, output trannies -- overrated & hocus pocus stuff!!

So when can I come over & pick up 2 x L02567's & send em to Rob?? Marinair Vs Cinemag show down on some DO's

[rick]

Yes I know they exist .. Was more saying they are
The rare early ones and therefore the Internet
Leads us to believe they are the sound we want

As a broad stroke discounting the eq variations
And what it achieves
Neves are neves .

You can't have my transformers mike
I can't replace them .
Check back in after I install that console
And my life is working out fine

I will be in a much better mood to give up on dreams

[rick]

Buy the reissue transformers for the direct outs

Sell those pesky Helios modules back to the guy that sold them
To you
And get a minty set of 1066 ( or whatever minty neve models you find )

And then find out the kelso sounds just about the same on vocals
-----

Show us your vocal chain folks

Post up photos