That's the approach I took as well - only with Pro Tools and Artist Mix. I ended up selling my 120 input automated OrionX for pennies on the dollar and went fully hybrid. Never looked back - although I do have a deep affinity for consoles. If I was tracking mid to large sized ensembles everyday, I'd have a console for sure. That's where the console really shines.

When it’s time to print, how many passes do you have to do? That’s where I’m having a hard time planning out how I want to route things, because I’d there are too many round trips I feel it could get chaotic, quick

Individual recall tracks, stems & final mix - all printed in one pass.

There’s consoles and Consoles!

If you’re asking me if I’d go back to a console and the console was a Neve Genesys 64.

YES …. where do I sign up

For a sub $30, 000 console …. I don’t see the point sonically speaking.

For me, the benefit of consoles is their workflow - not the sonics. I can easily get the sonics with outboard gear. The workflow - not so much.

The console workflow for me is dependent on the quality of the on board EQ and to a degree channel dynamics - if that’s not there then neither is the workflow (tracking monitoring aside) because mixing on a board with fabulous EQ and dynamics is my absolute favourite workflow and I love the mixes I’ve had working this way.

I personally wouldn’t be running outboard hybrid if I’m sat behind a Neve Genesys 64 …. I prefer a real pro board to a Frankenboard set up of a racks of outboard on a patch bay with large scale DAW I/O.

Each to their own …. not that I could justify 120K on a board at the moment!

We all have very different ideas of sonics and workflow.

Workflow for me means ease of patching, everything right in front of you, multiple physical faders right at the fingertips, monitoring and soloing options, ease of cue sends, etc, etc., etc.. It's not about the sonics. None of the physical aspects of a console is as elegant or simple with a ITB or Hybrid approach - with the possible exception of a large AVID console. Sonics can be equalled or greater with a Hybrid approach. IMO. YMMV.

As I said!

We all have very different ideas of sonics and workflow.

I feel like having the same dynamics on every channel would be limiting at the very least yet a positive compromise because having so much control at your fingertips could never be matched

The point is, you still go out to a STA /2A/ 76a for the lead vox - same for bass - and a few more key elements - etc etc - the usual suspects.

Still have a vari mu/ VCA/ tube EQ on the stereo bus but the gel, the unified sound comes from the board.

But for me, it would have to be a fantastic sounding console and they’re super expensive!

I very nearly pulled the trigger on a Neve 8424 but it has no EQ or dynamics per channel - it’s a hybrid workflow board for the “modern studio” and it’s cool and all that but I realised virtually pointless for my sonic goals and the way I used to mix on an analog board.

Those Neve Genesys 64 …. wow
The 88RS …. even bigger wow.

Below that, I’m not sure the workflow advantages grab me anymore - the sonics have to be there too and as I said - it’s very grown up money - I could actually buy a Neve Genesys 32 but it would end in a divorce with Mrs Casse

The 88R is pretty much the ultimate console IMO. A small framed one might be able to convince me to move back to the console workflow. LOL. It's on my IG homepage.

Out and and back in via hardware inserts (mono I presume) on DAW channel and then automate pan in DAW. Simple.

I guess I'm not getting your conundrum. It could be printed in one pass.

Yes, to console. That is the answer. I will post the specifics once it is locked in. This oh so long process has been very interesting and informative to say the least.

Sorry to have to remind you guys...

But my Mackie VLZ with Greg's BOUTIQUE Onyx Pre's is still not for sale (sorry Plush)

Where the miracle of rebel Seattle "Grunge Genius" design.

Met the mighty IC Chip Pre of Mass Production.

Chris

Figured out the console, space limitation might require going from a 32 channel to a 24 channel. How do you guys with experience work around this? I went back and checked out most of my finished tracks - tend to have 12-16 tracks of just drums, drum effects/ returns etc. I def. see how you could send keyboards, guitars etc into a stereo track - essentially all of your rhythm stuff could be stemmed out I suppose. We discussed adding a few (8?) stereo tracks to the console - say 16 regular and 8 stereo channels?

Combine things in your DAW the same way you would have tracking to a 24-2" in 1980. All toms on a single stereo track. Or even K-Sn-DrumL/R. 4 tracks of drums - total. For sure, Kick in and Kick out on the same track, etc. etc. etc.. If you're moving back in time towards a console workflow, make your track count workflow match up.

get a Neve

I'm not really sure how anyone can truly answer this question for you.

Either you are the kind of person who simply must have absolutely everything on separate channels on your desk in order to mix or you aren't.

No one can possibly know what material you are mixing and/or how many individual tracks it has or may have in the future.

Unless you are working with tape, it's such a simple matter these days to decide whether and how to combine tracks in your DAW.

I mean sure, in the kind of stuff I mix it's usually no problem to combine things like kick in/out and bass cab/DI digitally before outputting them to the console, but this might be entirely counter-productive for the type of material you're mixing. We have no way of knowing.

One thing I will say that applies across the board is that combining tracks in your DAW can potentially mess with your gain-staging into the console channels, so be ready with your trim plug-ins to shave off some dB as required. For example, if I have normalised all my individuals WAVs to let's say -10dBFS and then decide to combine kick in & out to a single D-A bus output, i.e. to save space on the console, I need to again trim the resulting track to -10dBFS to avoid overloading the channel input. (Of course you can always wind down the analog trim, but I generally prefer leaving those set uniformly across the desk per mix session.)

Take an SSL Origin 16 out for a spin (if you're limited on space). Spec wise it's quieter than the original SSL 4000-8000 series and it really does sound good. Each fader (large and small) has a '0' button to bypass the fader. Great for sending tracks/stems from DAW for quick hybrid mixes. Drive on the individual channels, SSL E EQs + 8 stereo buses all of this with individual DOs. Push the mix bus a bit and everything gets nice and fat. A 16 channel gives you 40 inputs at mixdown, without counting the 8 stereo buses - which can also be used as inputs. I have nothing to do with SSL BTW, just a client. Installation and patchbay are a challenge but that's true with any analog console. When everything's working though, it's like buttah.

imo desks are about having fast access to all critical function so i'm still not getting the point about desks without built-in dynamic processors: why fall behind pre-ssl 4k e-series standards?!

anyway, i've added some some dsp to my desk (for redundancy)...

Gotta be a console for me. It can't be beat for speed of workflow. Totally just personal preference though. I'm pretty speedy with a mouse and keyboard, or an artist mix. If I had my way, I'd put an Origin in here tomorrow.

Love console for tracking (and mixing)...love DAW for mixing.

... or go here and get 3 x 'Mini SSL' s. https://mark1.nl/inventory/mini-ssl/ There's your 24 inline channels with oodles of inputs.

I love chop-downs like this, but they usually wind up costing a lot more per channel than a larger console. I can get a huge Cadac or a tiny one for about the same price....
--scott

Thats kinda true, but what you're paying for with these is an eaily integrated and workable modern day solution and workflow that doens't need farking DL connectors, a machine room, miles of cables and a useless computer that is louder than a 747 on take off.

I have a both a 4056e and a 8 channel E series w/brown eq side car like this one I am restoring for sale at the moment, and they certainly have a place in studios now more than ever before.

The costs difference to get my 4056 up and running compared to the side car is staggering!!

Cheers
Wiggy

Purchased an SSL Origin a couple of years ago which we're very happy with, but had i known about the Mark1 Minis i'm almost sure i would have done that. Comps on every channel (with optional mix control), optional total recall and moving faders. They look great and each 8 channel bucket only weighs 60 lbs so they're actually portable. We use a Trinnov system for monitoring so the center section isn't really necessary, though the 8 stereo bus faders on the Origin are definitely handy - easy bussing, talk back, listen back and onboard bus comp are used a lot, but all in all if i had to do it over again i'm pretty sure i'd have gone with the Mini SSLs. For modern DAW workflows and if you have a good amount of outboard, both Mini SSLs and Origin are a no brainer. I'm pretty sure Mark1 is having a hard time keeping them in stock.

https://reverb.com/item/84260588-dak...bVM0X3RIG-LVt9