REDDI Tube DI Mega-thread-III

[peterpalmieri]

Powers has lost it. Nobody is putting their "shills" into any threads to push $#|+. It was stated way back "many" years ago (5 if that's what you call many) if you own one or have comments about the REDDI this was the place to do it. I own one, no I did not pay that ridiculous new price for one, yes it is better than a whirlwind, is there better DI's made today for cheaper prices with better customer service. Yes.

Just to keep many panties from ending up in wads. - YMMV

While Kirks comments are a bit extreme I don't think this is the place for these kinds of comments Folks don't go for example into the Fodera thread and talk about why their Ken Smith or Sadowsky are better and lower priced. It's bad form in a mega thread.

I do think a polite compare and contrast of similar products is kosher but neither svtb15 or 10cc seem capable of civil conversation in the same thread.

 

[mark beem]

is there better DI's made today for cheaper prices with better customer service. Yes.

Just to keep many panties from ending up in wads. - YMMV

Speaking of customer service, I bought my REDDI used and when I thought I was having issues with it and contacted A Designs with my questions, Peter (Montessi) called to work with me directly. I was really impressed by that. Great customer service IMO. There was no issue with the unit. Everything was working properly.

 

[svtb15]

yep.. I am one of those extremists.. I don't really have Grey areas.. . I commit ... and go black or white..

While Kirks comments are a bit extreme I don't think this is the place for these kinds of comments Folks don't go for example into the Fodera thread and talk about why their Ken Smith or Sadowsky are better and lower priced. It's bad form in a mega thread.

I do think a polite compare and contrast of similar products is kosher but neither svtb15 or 10cc seem capable of civil conversation in the same thread.

 

[davelowell2]

For those of you that record or have recorded with your REDDI...

What, if anything, do you do at mix down? Eq? Comp? Low pass, high pass? Dirt?

You don't just use the track as is, correct?

 

[svtb15]

It varies.. song to song. I never know what they do in the final since i'm already gone
Usually on the gig or session its BASS>REDDI> NEVE 1073 > (or)EM500 Gold> DAW... no anything else.
My levels are very consistent they way i set up my basses etc. What they do later i have No idea..

Live i may compress 2-3 dB... Im sure they do that in a session too.

In my home studio, I have been experimenting with MultiBand compression... i was doing a Bro Country song for a client. I used MultiBand compression to give a huge underlying Pillow that was always there under the track //// then hit it with a second compressor just taking out any peaks with about -1 dB..
I sent it out like that . and they loved it. But i will also send an Unaffected track too..
EQ i may HPF at 20hz.. but usually just leave it flat since i dont really have any weird thumps or LF noise going on.

I have 2 Reddis.. At times i have run one clean and teh other being fed by a split and maybe the darkglass Vintage Micro tubes.. I love the way it sounds when i play it . Some songs even country records seem to be getting some audible Grit into the mix lately. It can make a bass track come t olife IMO

For those of you that record or have recorded with your REDDI...

What, if anything, do you do at mix down? Eq? Comp? Low pass, high pass? Dirt?

You don't just use the track as is, correct?

 

[Dave Hill]

In my home studio, I have been experimenting with MultiBand compression... i was doing a Bro Country song for a client. I used MultiBand compression to give a huge underlying Pillow that was always there under the track //// then hit it with a second compressor just taking out any peaks with about -1 dB..

This has me intrigued too. I think the Cali 76B allows you to do something like this? So, you just leave the bottom alone, and compress everything above a adjustable point?
When I use a REDDI, i don't really hear the need for much compression at all...it's a very tight, flat, controlled envelope.
But, I'm not an engineer, and I'm pretty sure that they throw some comp on bass about all the time. I haven't seen (i.e. not paying attention) much of the multi/select band compression going on.

 

[beans-on-toast]

...NEVE 1073...

I find that those Neve preamps sound so good, smooth EQ.

For DAW plugins, I tend to stick with waves, a lot of great sounding and effective tools. But they constantly tempt me with their specials.

 

[svtb15]

I dont own one myself anymore. .a 1073 .. But yes they really do..

I have one WAVE plugins at home.. I keep getting emails with those SPECIALS.. ughhh.
But i know i could spend myself into the poor farm on credit and not achieve anything special so i rely on my stock plugins mostly that works really well for the little that i do . .i dont rent out my studio space . Its only for me , so i can get away without having much

I find that those Neve preamps sound so good, smooth EQ.

For DAW plugins, I tend to stick with waves, a lot of great sounding and effective tools. But they constantly tempt me with their specials.

 

[svtb15]

I am not an engineer either. I have watched many do their thing though and picked up a few experiments along the way.. i used to work alongside bob rosa and phil castalano in NYC many years ago.. i watched them.... But they moved so fast... They would do a thing that was called NY compression. It's really Parallel compression. . It always made bass POP in the mixes. But back then in the 70s an 80s they called it NY compression in my neck of the woods
I think the Cali76 is able to do that. Parallel compression with a few knob twists.

Multiband is a bit different. Its where the bass is send through a HPF or LPF and only will affect a certain freq range then that range is compressed.. I compress maybe 270 and below.. Crush it.. then add the unaffected signal on top of that with maybe -1dB of comp on that then SUM them. Some stuff it works great and others not so much.

This has me intrigued too. I think the Cali 76B allows you to do something like this? So, you just leave the bottom alone, and compress everything above a adjustable point?
When I use a REDDI, i don't really hear the need for much compression at all...it's a very tight, flat, controlled envelope.
But, I'm not an engineer, and I'm pretty sure that they throw some comp on bass about all the time. I haven't seen (i.e. not paying attention) much of the multi/select band compression going on.

 

[Alper Yilmaz]

My recording chain includes either:

- REDDI (into a Neve 1073) > Millennia TD-1 (from REDDI's thru) > Bergantino IP112 (extended by an HT112) mic'ed by EV RE20 or Shure SM7 (so a total of three tracks of recording); or
- REDDI > Millennia HV35P (from REDDI's thru) (so a total of two tracks of recording); or
- Millennia HV35P (just one track of recording).

I spend little to no time at the mix session, but my guess is almost no or very little EQ and compression is used. Depending on the instrumentation, I believe some HPF is used from time to time, but I am not sure about the cutting point. In a rock-blues album I recently recorded, I know the engineer added a tad of overdrive (it was with the HV35P).

Either of the above combinations have yielded nice results; the engineers do not struggle (to the best of my knowledge).

Cheers,

Alper

For those of you that record or have recorded with your REDDI...

What, if anything, do you do at mix down? Eq? Comp? Low pass, high pass? Dirt?

You don't just use the track as is, correct?

 

[svtb15]

Shure SM7 is a very underrated mic. It is a secret weapon.. Great on vocals too.. I never used one on bass. I have an RE20 that i bought around the 80s. its a grey one.

My recording chain includes either:

- REDDI (into a Neve 1073) > Millennia TD-1 (from REDDI's thru) > Bergantino IP112 (extended by an HT112) mic'ed by EV RE20 or Shure SM7 (so a total of three tracks of recording); or
- REDDI > Millennia HV35P (from REDDI's thru) (so a total of two tracks of recording); or
- Millennia HV35P (just one track of recording).

I spend little to no time at the mix session, but my guess is almost no or very little EQ and compression is used. Depending on the instrumentation, I believe some HPF is used from time to time, but I am not sure about the cutting point. In a rock-blues album I recently recorded, I know the engineer added a tad of overdrive (it was with the HV35P).

Either of the above combinations have yielded nice results; the engineers do not struggle (to the best of my knowledge).

Cheers,

Alper

 

[JimmyM]

For those of you that record or have recorded with your REDDI...

What, if anything, do you do at mix down? Eq? Comp? Low pass, high pass? Dirt?

You don't just use the track as is, correct?

Not usually. I prefer some HPFing and LPFing, and I don't like compression anymore but won't object to it as long as my signal isn't being squashed. And the more I use dirt, the more I like at least a little of it on most everything, although I still prefer micing a cab for dirt. That said, it's not always practical, especially in a low budget small studio where the whole rhythm section is cutting basics at the same time.

 

[Alper Yilmaz]

Hey Kirk,

I am a big fan of the EV RE20 as well; that thing is a killer when properly placed. Yet in my most recent album, the engineer tried the SM7 in place of RE20 and it was amazing! Definitely give it a shot to see if it differs from RE20, if you ever mic your cabinet. Maybe a "broadcast mic" in general is the key! They seem to do some magic...

Cheers,

Alper

Shure SM7 is a very underrated mic. It is a secret weapon.. Great on vocals too.. I never used one on bass. I have an RE20 that i bought around the 80s. its a grey one.

 

[99Z3]

Kirk,
Would that be the SM7B in these modern times?

Shure SM7 is a very underrated mic. It is a secret weapon.. Great on vocals too.. I never used one on bass. I have an RE20 that i bought around the 80s. its a grey one.

 

[svtb15]

Honestly. I really don't know to be sure. I only know it as a SM7
But it looks like one of these . found this pic on google

Kirk,
Would that be the SM7B in these modern times?

 

[99Z3]

Yes.. that is what I was seeing when I did a google.. So I will take it that the "B" is an upgraded version.. thanks sir!

Honestly. I really don't know to be sure. I only know it as a SM7
But it looks like one of these . found this pic on google

View attachment 919335

 

[JimmyM]

Robin Quivers uses an SM7 to speak through.

 

[10cc]

Shure SM7 is a very underrated mic. It is a secret weapon.. Great on vocals too.. I never used one on bass. I have an RE20 that i bought around the 80s. its a grey one.

Yes. I was suprised a few weeks ago how well it did on an 810 with a SVT CL. 360/361, 370/371 and an old Kustom 215. It didn't sound too bad at all. As far a singing, the 57 is what I've been using for vocals live for years now. It'll also keep you from getting your lips popped too. I really wish I had a M88 though. I used one once on a B15 and it was wonderful.

 

[Alper Yilmaz]

Yep, that's it...

A.

Kirk,
Would that be the SM7B in these modern times?

 

[Dave Hill]

Yes. I was suprised a few weeks ago how well it did on an 810 with a SVT CL. 360/361, 370/371 and an old Kustom 215. It didn't sound too bad at all. As far a singing, the 57 is what I've been using for vocals live for years now. It'll also keep you from getting your lips popped too. I really wish I had a M88 though. I used one once on a B15 and it was wonderful.

They're speaking about an SM7, not 57. You have a 7?