Quote:Sorry, but in general there's an awful lot of shite talked on the internet about what things sound like and I think a great deal of it is there because of people making judgements about pieces of software or kit or even about whole classes of software or kit that they haven't actually used based on stuff that they've read. It's such a subjective thing that I'm not really happy to make judgements about stuff until I've heard it for myself.
I agree with this to the extent that I both agree and disagree with you
That is, hearing a flat switch in and out and thinking 'yeah that sounds nice' is one thing, and allows *some* assessment. Switching a full eq setting allows some further judgement of it. But as you suggest, USING the motherfucker is something else.
No doubt (well, maybe some) that with time and effort and a fair bit of work you could achieve a similar tone to it with x plugin combination, crafty processing, jiggery pokery etc # . But this does it 'like that' in one box, at once, with minimal processing for best results. And as I am always harping on about, all processing does damage, and the less you can get away with, the better. So a convoluted plugin chain of X number of plugs to match the spectral distribution, warmth, width etc that the box gives you 'for free' by switching it in would no doubt be less transparent, less easy to work with and far more damaging to the audio in trying to get there (and probably wouldn't anyway).
Anyway, that's getting off the point. Results are all that matters, and it delivers
I am learning very fast that it isn't a magic panacea - shite in => shite out, but it really is some sweet shite. Getting the signal primed before even switching it in is the way to go. All corrections should be done before the signal hits it, then you can just boost. everyone knows cutting should be first as it sounds less destructive to the audio, but when boosting is this fat and transparent I have to learn to forget everything I knew.
# Ok, so thinking about just how nice the thing is, maybe there's quite a lot of doubt
Quote:Differences of scale play a big part eg I could imagine some people who'd say, based on Bob's post "oh, if you can't get your mixes sounding good it's probably because you're using a UAD Pultec, you really need a H/W Gyratec to get pro results" which I think even Bob, once he's calmed down, would say is going a bit far. I'd be interested to hear some samples because I'd be interested to see if the difference is something that my mum would comment on or whether it's something that I could only just hear but that makes a big difference to someone like Bob who has better ears, more experience and better monitoring than me and is more attuned to the little difference that make things that bit nicer...
It's a fair point - a lot people simply don't give a shit. But that's the reason I worked for it, bought it and will be using it - because I and other people know that I really do give a shit, to an obsessive level. That's why they pay me to look at their stuff, right? That's why I work so hard on bastard mixes. To have a tool like this that enables me to get better results, faster (once I truly get to know it inside out). That's the kind of thing people do hear, better results. And generally the faster you can get good results in mastering, the better the overall job will be. So in that regard it is worth every penny, or will prove to be. Better results, easier, faster. Simple as that.
So to kind of sum up, once I am at the level I am now at with the Avalon (which continues to throw pleasant surprises at me) and know it inside out, I very strongly believe I will reach a level I couldn't have attained with UAD pultec et al. And when listening I don't care (or even think) if it is x preamp or an Mbox or HW or plugin or whatever so long as it sounds nice. But when
working I want best results, fast. This will make that easy, and that isn't something internet clips will do justice to
That said, I'll do some clips of suitable (and permitted) material as soon as poss.
It really does soound fahkin nice!!!
BTW Bit of a waffley post - started it in a text doc on my work PC desktop before the weekend and finished off today afetr several days with it.