What's on Your Master Bus (in the Studio)?

The Lounge Other Gear
#1

I saw a similar topic regarding master bus for life PAs, but I’m curious to know what people use in the context of production.

I’ve had an Analog Heat as a set-and-forget type reamp thing on my master bus for years and love the subtle enhancement it gives my mixdowns and the very fine level of control it gives me, but I’m starting to think it’s overkill for that role and that I may be better off selling it and getting an FMR RNLA for some character/glue or something.

So, what about you? What do you leave on for everything, what do you use for surgical tasks, what do you do that you shouldn’t but you just can’t help it, etc.

ITB or OTB, doesn’t matter, though I am looking for inspiration when it comes to OTB reamping/polish/glue/character :wink:

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What's on your mix/group busses & your master buss?
#2

Same - I don’t think I’ll ever get rid of it, though. It’s a mkI, and the resale prices are so low, that I might as well keep it, since I like it.

I’m currently running the SSL SiX, which has its own bus compressor, so I’m not really in the market for anything else. I do like entertaining the notion of one of the Elysia Qube 500 series boxes. XFilter, XPressor, Karacter, etc.

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#3

Nothing.

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#4

Yeah I’ve heard nothing but good things about the compressor on the SiX, will probably grab one in the future when I can afford it. Same with the Elysia stuff, I see Karacter recommended a lot.

It’s hard to know whether or not I’d regret selling the Heat but I can’t help but feel like that cash would be well spent on a polysynth of some kind which is a major missing piece in my setup.

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#5

Tegeler Creme and Thermionic Culture Rooster into Tascam 22 reel to reel.
I’m a sucker for 2-bus equipment and not so much for synths/samplers etc.

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#6

I also use the Analog Heat (MK2) to warm up and “glue together” the tracks in my mix. I primarily use the saturation engine adjusted to taste.

I can’t imagine getting rid of it – it really does wonders on my Analog 4 and Digitakt, and I’ll often use it as my soundcard to record performances into my Macbook.

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#7

I too have a MK2 on the master as a glue. One thing I like about it is that I can alter the sound subtlety or extreme. This helps to add different tonality to the entire song and take it somewhere else. Or I slap it on a bus to process specifics.

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#8

i wouln’t recommend to use distorsion on the master bus in this context. me think distorsion is generally better on individial sources rather than complex ones because of intermodulation between the different elements is added (quickly becomes non musical).
distorsion on the master bus is generally better when used very subtely, as a finishing touch when you have achieved a well balanced mix.

i always wanted to try to “mix into” a compressor on the master bus. this is really interesting, but to me it is really complicating things. how do you solo tracks for edits when you have a compressor on the master? complicated. (same issue with distorsion btw…)
again, used sparingly when a mix is achieved it’s a yes.

produce into a compressor tho…i’d focus on the arrangement and individual tracks.
my advice is to get an analog heat per track :fire: :sweat_smile:

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#9

Using a FMR RNC on master inserts on Midas 160.
Mainly to glue things and/or give it character.
Changed my mixing approach: I actually often happen to mix into the RNC from scratch and this has opened a whole new mixing experience for me :slight_smile:
Would love to try an AH though :slight_smile:

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#10

lol damn everyone’s making it harder for me to offload my Heat. Have to admit it’s hard to imagine my workflow without it…

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#11

Hahah I can’t tell you how many times I’ve fantasized about having like 12 Heats.

I apply it very gently on my master bus in my default project in Live. When I start it’s usually on the clean boost setting with all the dry/wet controls at 12 o’clock. I don’t start bringing it in more prominently on the bus until my mixdown is already good and just needs some enhancement/reamping/subtle glue.

That being said, part of the reason I’m tempted to let the Heat go is that I’d like to invest a bit more in good mic’ing and the right synths to get things beefier on a per-track level and keep things more transparent and clinical on the master bus.

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#12

Midas Venice with a proper comp on the master inserts has been an aspirational setup for me for a while, imagine it would be nice.

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#13

I used to do this a lot, but not any more, ever.

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#14

Anyone ever use a couple channels of that Radial Space Heater on the master bus?

#15

Neve Master Bus Processor is on my 2-bus 99% of the time

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#16

I have the AHmk2 and RNLA on the master and I’m in the opposite boat where I feel like I could live without the RNLA. I run the drive on the heat just up to where I can hear it then dial it back a hair so it’s usually slightly above halfway. usually now on saturation mode. The EQ is always dialed to 3 oclock or more on the low and the highs is around 5 or more. I find it indispensable cause once a mix is dialed in without then I throw the Heat on and it gets even better. The RNLA tightens up things a little particularly on the low end for me (no idea how or why, just what I hear), but I only let it just barely blink on the threshold cause after that it starts smashing, On it I run slow attack, fast release, 10:1 or higher ratio. I’d say try an RNLA before dropping the Heat and see if it scratches your itch.

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#17

Yeah this is a smart call, should try my alternatives first to be sure. And A/B my mixdowns with and without the Heat.

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#18

Louder Than Liftoff Silver Bullet with Elysia Xfilter into Xpressor via the Silver Bullet’s insert.

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#19

woof i’ve opened a pandora’s box with this thread, perusing expensive outboard again :grimacing:

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#20

RNLA will give more color than RNC.
Would love to add a RNLA+AH to see where it takes me :slight_smile:

1 Like