Who on here has 500 series gear? Im contemplating getting a lunchbox with a pre and comp, and was curious what others were finding good results with. Specifically for recording bass guitar. (What else, right? )
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500 series gear- who is using it?
- Thread starter sadowskyguy
- Start date
I'm not using it yet, but I'm seriously considering. I was thinking to start with the Elysia XPressor or NVelope & building in a 6 space Lindell 506 Power from there. I was thinking not only for recording but also using on top of my amp live...
What pre & comp are you considering?
What pre & comp are you considering?
I have an API Lunchbox with a Great River MP-500NV Pre and a Radial PhazeQ so I can mic the cab and DI with my Reddi without phase issues. Love that system so far. Very convenient, portable and quiet. I still have room for a few more devices. Probably add an EQ and compressor down the road.
Yes, all the time. Results in sig. My favorite 500 series production pre by far is the Roll Tubule but I've had awesome bass results also with an AM-designs Red as well as the standard API 512 b or c versions. There aren't really any duds with that format, just different flavors that you'll need to decide on your own.
Great input guys! Keep them coming. Ive heard good things about that Great River pre for bass. For a comp, I really like LA2A style compression so Im eyeballing the inward connections brute. Anyone have experience with these units, or other recommendations?
I need a little help here. I just found out about the Radial stuff. I am considering the Cube version. Are there other brands that will fit or is Radial the only pre/comp/EQ that will fit?
I use quite a bit of the 500 series gear. It's a great idea! It allows you to mix and match any pieces depending on what you need, and it gives you a broad selection in just a small number of rack spaces. Go for it!!
I have used both the Grace 501 and Millenia HV-35 preamps as well as the Pendulum compressor and API 550 parametric eq, API 560 graphic eq, and API 512b preamp. All of them sound excellent on the bass. The Grace and Millenia are very clean uncolored preamps sonically. I'm hoping to get the Neve preamp soon. I have a couple of old ones that were pulled out of a Neve console. There is a definite nice quality to the tone of any bass run through a Neve. I've had excellent results using that on different bass players when I'm engineering recording sessions.
I had a pile of it, it was all awesome:
But I ended up needing a new computer, and switched to the universal audio apollo and plug in format.
It would cost me tens of thousands to do what I can do now, if it were hard ware…
I'm still tempted to get one of the little 3-spacers and a couple sweet pieces though.
For bass guitar the api 512c was awesome for tighter, more pronounced upper mids while the osc's had a wider, woolier bottom. The vog was insanely good for dub tones or just fattening up lower mid range content, up to around 200 hz. The hippo was a great, transparent comp with parallel mix, and the level- or limiter was dirty, dirty dirty but oh so good for that hulk- smash tone. The Alto moda eq's on bass were awesome for band- pass and surgery, but the undisputed king of the rack was absolutely the shadow hills pres- three setting choices, steel, nickel, or no transformer (discreet). Steel for low end girth, nickel for clarity, or discreet for clean. That pre was dramatically different in the 3 settings on bass.
But I ended up needing a new computer, and switched to the universal audio apollo and plug in format.
It would cost me tens of thousands to do what I can do now, if it were hard ware…
I'm still tempted to get one of the little 3-spacers and a couple sweet pieces though.
For bass guitar the api 512c was awesome for tighter, more pronounced upper mids while the osc's had a wider, woolier bottom. The vog was insanely good for dub tones or just fattening up lower mid range content, up to around 200 hz. The hippo was a great, transparent comp with parallel mix, and the level- or limiter was dirty, dirty dirty but oh so good for that hulk- smash tone. The Alto moda eq's on bass were awesome for band- pass and surgery, but the undisputed king of the rack was absolutely the shadow hills pres- three setting choices, steel, nickel, or no transformer (discreet). Steel for low end girth, nickel for clarity, or discreet for clean. That pre was dramatically different in the 3 settings on bass.
Thanks audioglenn and DARK. Great info and details. Thanks for your experience with these units...
I should follow up that discreet setting on the mono gamma is actually a transformer based signal path, I had that wrong…. went back and had a look at those again. What a great pre that is...
I've got an API 6 space Lunchbox, all preamps because I didn't want to commit to EQ or compression as my studio at the time didn't have the best isolation from the live room so it could be hard to judge. I don't see myself getting another Lunchbox or upgrading to a larger one, will probably just add some rack compressors over time. There's a company doing DIY 1176 kits that are meant to be really good.
Normally I use an API or A Designs Silver for bass (mic), they are similar but the Silver is a bit more forward in the mids but still a dark and aggressive sound. Also have some AMS Neve pres in the Lunchbox but don't usually use them for bass, although on the rare occasion I want a direct sound I tend to gravitate more towards them (with a JDI).
It's a great system but if you just want a single channel for bass I'd probably look at a strip. The two space 500 series racks cost as much as the 6 space and trust me those empty spaces scream at your wallet.
Normally I use an API or A Designs Silver for bass (mic), they are similar but the Silver is a bit more forward in the mids but still a dark and aggressive sound. Also have some AMS Neve pres in the Lunchbox but don't usually use them for bass, although on the rare occasion I want a direct sound I tend to gravitate more towards them (with a JDI).
It's a great system but if you just want a single channel for bass I'd probably look at a strip. The two space 500 series racks cost as much as the 6 space and trust me those empty spaces scream at your wallet.
Thanks Timi. Btw if you are talking about the hairball audio kit for the diy 1176 , yes it is awesome. A friend of mine just built one. We even did some tests singing and playing bass through it vs an LA2A. Different animals, I liked both!
mark beem
Wait, how does this song start again??
Bumping and subbing... I'm looking to build myself a 500 series setup. Leaning toward the Radial Cube chassis. I want something portable that I can use at home but also take to sessions and gigs. Still researching different modules.
I built 2 CAPI VP312 & 6 CAPI VP28....f-ing love em, especially for the price
Classic Audio Products of IL, Inc.
Have 2 JLM LA500A compressors that need to be configured, and 2 LC53a that also need to be finished up, but I'm def a 500 series addict.
Groupdiy also has alot of great info on other modules like hairball compressors, analog all stars pultecs or the eqone amek style EQ
Classic Audio Products of IL, Inc.
Have 2 JLM LA500A compressors that need to be configured, and 2 LC53a that also need to be finished up, but I'm def a 500 series addict.
Groupdiy also has alot of great info on other modules like hairball compressors, analog all stars pultecs or the eqone amek style EQ
