Really? That’s in the plugin league. Don’t understand that at all.
People are just unaware.
The compounder has a bad reputation on some reviews/forums. I don’t know why.
People are crazy. It has a totally unique design with that inductor bass enhancement feature; it’s almost like having an EQ from a Neve console built in. The VCAs were also specially designed for the unit to distort even harmonics in a musical manner.
1 Like
Focusrite has never upset me so far.
Dude… Plugins. No one besides people on gear forums can hear the difference. Most can be demo’d for free. All are multiple instance and convenient. I spent last week comparing my hardware to software and listening to a bunch of my favourite albums. Came to conclusion plugins are now legit. And Pretty sure most of my favourite lofi stuff was recorded with zero gear/experience. The whole gear thing is a bubble/trap. Stuff that enhances workflow if worthwhile, the rest is a luxury. A good song is a good song. I’m selling a bunch of stuff and trying to throw my brain back to those first steps…
5 Likes
Plugins work. Like I said, I’ve been using the digital algorithm on my SP-404, and have been pleased. I love analog compressors though because they do something a little extra when you push them that plugins aren’t quite capable of reproducing yet imo. For transparent-type stuff, I totally agree.
I agree that hardware does have something that’s hard to totally nail. But if I asked my girlfriend to choose between hardware comp and stuff like klanghelm Mjuc comp that I grabbed last week I doubt she’d even be able to pick the same file consistently let alone chose a favourite. If I had a million bucks I’d carry on as I was but I don’t so I’m ducking out of the hardware game for a while and just working on writing with what I have. Hardware sounds enough like plugins to do the job. Modular is a road toward fun nights/generic ‘that sounds great, next…’ . The best stuff is always gonna be worth grabbing - oberheim, chandler etc. But no way I can afford that at the moment. And obsessing over the rest has just become a distraction that has almost zero audible benefit on the finished product. Not dissing hardware overall, I’m glad for what I have, i just woke up and thought that most of us on these forums have plenty already and plugins are fine for the rest. Just how I’m feeling at the moment, not trying to throw that on other people or say I’m right. Just kind of hit me like a train over past couple of days. Hard to continually read people getting so hyped over something that sounds a little more like a 303 than than the last thing that sounded totally like a 303 etc. Feels like we’re all a little crazy and I get the feeling I had much more in common with my favourite artists/records etc before I was dissecting this stuff so hard…
1 Like
I see what you’re saying. I don’t make any money from my music, so I can’t justify anything as an investment. It’s all for my own entertainment mostly. I’m not into video games or making model airplanes, so the money I spend on this stuff feels like tending to a hobby. I love synths/gear enough for them to take up all my spending $ instead of going on vacations and stuff.
Take a vacation mate. So many amazing places to see out there.
Best money I ever spend
4 Likes
That’s totally cool. If money’s no object then fair enough. I’m always gonna be envious of great gear. Its way more enjoyable to fuck around with etc. Just hitting a spot where I feel like I’ve spent a year or 2 telling myself I ‘needed’ it, when in reality I just should have been spending a lot more time working on the actual music. Everyone’s in a different situation, just feels like for me stepping back hard from GAS is kind of a breath of fresh air atm, ironically it feels almost comparable to buying some super high end new gear 
2 Likes
When i started with electronic music i was naive regarding sound quality but more creative than nowadays. Over the years i really got spoiled. If i don’t get a satisfying sound i will drop the track. So many unfinished tracks are on my hard drive and often enough this depresses me. I would like to be naive again!
3 Likes
When I buy gear, it’s not the musician/artist in me behind the wheel; it’s just my OCD.
1 Like
Well music as a therapy will not work out then.
Naw, I have a master plan. I’m so busy with school, I’m just making sure I have everything I need for when I get a little break to make music. That time is invaluable so my tools need to be awesome. Sometimes, it feels like I’m setting up a bunch of dominoes.
1 Like
I preordered mine just right now. Even with a 90 dollar shipping fee this beats the SSL 4K price tag I found on sweetwater. I have an Xdesk which covers the AWS console sound now I can use this on the master bus and go back into my DAW. I’m excited.
Prints you need to outdo me in the gear purchases. Just kidding.
3 Likes
You’re buying all the right stuff, that’s for sure!
1 Like
Yea I’m excited man. I’m working on some boom bap tracks and some house tracks that use the EPS and Machinedrum’s 12 bit sampler as my main instrument. I just need that analog glue to put things in the mix together. I’ll post soundcloud examples when I get it.
2 Likes
Are we still talking about the SSL clone ?! Haven’t followed the full thread sorry.
Looks awesome and I’m tempted to slap this on the 2 track… the ssl desk I’ve used with the classic buss comp this is modeked after is a beast, really subtle but it’s glue you notice, in a sweet way.
Only problem I’m having is it seems I’ll be paying at least 100 to get it to the uk?! Unless someone has another option or has imported one and knows? I’ve messaged em anyway see what’s best option.
I can see this being purchased tho . Then hopefully I’m done. (Maybe a nice summing box with proper inserts at some point soon too) : )
Mate what desk do you have?
Even after the 100 for shipping this SSL clone isn’t a bad price compared to 4300US.
The only thing to consider is the audio in is only in TRS and audio out is both XLR and TRS.
I’m taking a chance with this master bus too. What if I just don’t like it and I want to do a different master bus compressor? Maybe Neve (I wish)
So even with shipping I will be only spending 700US on something that costs 1700 used for the 500 series SSL version. It sounds like win win to me.
2 Likes