I’m looking to buy a couple of pieces of hardware for my little studio. I’ve got a vintage Cosmic AE 7000 delay/reverb and the Goldmike 9844 pre amp…Now I’m thinking of getting an EQ, to color the sound a bit and because plug in EQs are a bit lame…also maybe a compressor.
What do you guys use? Any recommendations?
You can always use Pultec Type Eqs, they are quite expensive but surely color the sound in a wonderful way.
But another suggestion might be that you buy an old mixing console (preferably UK built ones from the 70’s to early 90’s) depending on the manufacturer they sound wonderful and the Eqs mostly have a warm character.
I use a bunch of analog EQ, mostly 500 series stuff. They are all 4 band parametric designs other than a pair of Purple Audio TAVs, which are graphic. Of the 500 series stuff I’ve tried, the great river Harrison 32 EQ’s have the most mojo, utility and bang for your buck. Pretty much everything you send thru it sounds better and bigger, even when doing a bunch cutting to thin a sound out. The filters are fantastic on it too as a bonus.
I also use a bunch of 500 series compressors.
I personally love working OTB, especially when it comes to mixing. I feel my mixes come together quicker when working with a real mixer and outboard than when working with plugins. Not to say I don’t use and love a bunch of them, but for the heavy lifting I prefer to work in the analog realm.
It is a very different workflow however. Recall is a nightmare. Bussing and routing options are more limited than the DAW. You have to develop a zen mindset with outboard, in that you have to accept the mix as it is, or start over from scratch if you you decide you want to tweak something in the mix after you’ve moved on to something else. It forces you to make decisions and live with them. It’s definitely not for everyone.