Mastering through an Analog Heat (video)

Hello everyone. I have just posted a new video about using the Analog Heat as a mastering device specifically using Overbridge. Such a brilliant unit for this purpose especially when used subtly. Anyone else use it for finalising mixes?

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Nice video.

I’ve had mine a couple of weeks and I’ve settled on using it on the stereo buss for the whole mix. I’m scared of computers so I’m not using overbridge but your video has me wondering…
I really like how the eq settings change according to the circuit selected, your bit on that really showed how powerful that is.
This box is pretty much replacing half the stuff in my rack, it just makes everything sound so good.

Great video, thanks for that. For a long time I’ve just not been able to justify the AH price but the more time goes by the more I’m warming to it (pun intended). All Elektron need to do is introduce a compressor in the next OS update like they did with the DT and I’m sold :slight_smile:

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Thank for the video. I bought an AH mkII to add dirt to my DT. And yes, it’s an awsome piece of gear I will never sell it. My preferred circuit to mastering hiphop / lofi is Saturation. Using a subtle low pass filter with the Dry/Wet 50% add some warm to piano melodies in lofi hip hop track. I didn’t dig the envelop but what I saw is very powerful. I think it’s more for processing one instrument.

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Patchbays FTW!

Eyeing an AH too at the moment. Hopefully soon.

Interesting video, could not watch the last 5 minutes but will do later!

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Yes, I use both the AH during live recording (a stereo Aux Send is dedicated to it) and a last time at the end of the mastering stage, once I have sufficiently compressed the stereo track.

As an illustration, on the following track I wanted to get close to tape saturation, so I played the compressed track from the computer through the Heat, and recorded the result back on the computer. Can’t beat reel to reel, but I’m still pretty satisfied with the result :slight_smile:

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Glad I go an AH2 to add character to my tracks and performances over a reel to reel where I was originally looking. AH won’t get you exactly the same sound as tape saturation but there’s nearly infinite options between the drive circuits, filters, eq, lfo, and envelope.

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Same! I was considering some small, very expensive, vintage stereo cassette recorders, but so glad I settled on a Heat. Sure as hell doesn’t have a motor that will bust in a year or so. :joy:

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Great video indeed! I’ve seen it immediately popping up on my YouTube feed cause I’ve been checking the AH for this purpose exactly. I’m still not convinced though. I don’t understand why I would need an lfo or an envelope follower or even a filter. I think that the AH is missing something. Or maybe it cannot decide what exactly is it trying to do.

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Heat is an awesome sound design tool with the combo of filters, dry/wet mix knob and modulation. It’s trivial to only apply distortion to low or high frequencies, trigger distortion from kicks or add movement to a bass line. Can’t really think of another device with this set of features.

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I’ve used the Heat for mastering from time to time, on some commercial jobs. It has worked well for the purpose, and it’s liberating to stick to the Heat and just work it right.

I’m wondering if that’s what’s Elektron’s approaching update is about. A more dedicated section for compression, more level of detail on the EQ or something. Would make perfect sense.

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I’ve been mastering with AH for a couple years now, adds that extra punch and cohesion to the final mix. I’ve had great results assigning the envelope follower to dry/wet mix or drive with negative values for a pseudo compressor effect.

It’s become indispensable in my mixing process too, processing individual tracks with the LFO and envelope follower to add movement to stagnant sounds.

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Watching now. Ever since owning it, I’ve used the Heat pretty much only at the the end of the line, before recording. Enhancement is my favorite, but it’s definitely fun to experiment with all the various circuits. Allows you to apply different flavors for different projects. As a hobbyist, it’s something that’s tactile and relatively easy to achieve desired results.

I recently started using Ozone. There’s a lot going on, but it definitely also seems as good as I’ve read / heard. I’m not sure if I’ll have time to get really deep with it, more hoping I can find an “easy button” setting with it.

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I did use the Heat for awhile to record separate sections, but I never got it quite right. The entire whole sounded a bit over-processed as a result. That’d be me not handling it right, but it was still the outcome.

I use a Sherman Filterbank 2 now instead to color separate sections and resample them through the Sherman. Somehow, that works much better.

Very nice video!
And I have to say I just love listening to you talking @Gaz :upside_down_face:

The thing with the Heat is that it’s a total bargain considering how good it is for this sort of stuff, and the amount of other things you can also do with it. Anything comparable is several times the price.

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I was very cynical of the price at first and thought it was a bit pricey for an overdrive/filter unit. Then I went out and got one and realised it’s so much more than that. You’re right, as crazy as it sounds, the Heat really is good value.

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And a video like this is the best publicity elektron can get.

Hope OB will finally get out of beta so I can start using it like that… I have only used it for heavy filtering and distortion fx so far.

Especially considering the crazy, depressed prices second-hand units go for!

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