Hello dear members,

I am looking for a new analog ''betterizer'' unit, something to make my digital tracks even bigger and fatter. Something really noticeable, that will bring me a step higher, considering that I already have:

UA 2192 Converter
UA Apollo x8
Heritage Successor compressor
Louder Than LIftoff Silver Bullet
Thermionic Culture Phonix
Most UAD plugins

Your experience and opinions are welcome.
Thank you
Cheers
Sergio

Overstayer Modular Channel

DIY.RE Colour. SSL Hitmaker, BartHRK British Driver are nice.

Also check out the "VIew mentioned gear" function in this thread: What's a piece of gear that gave you the Wow factor

damn, your setup is nice already.

as said above, Overstayer makes some nice gear!
haven't had one myself, but the Hendyamps Michelangelo is often recommended as a very strong and colorful unit.

I have many of the pieces u mentioned. Had the 2192 and moved to the Burl mothership. Also I sold the heritage successor in favour of chandler zener - big difference

Burl, and curve bender are good ones.
Inductor EQ's are good.
Compressors, Look around audioscape and revive audio.
Outboard effects: Eventide (any flagship unit), TC electronics M4000,5000,6000. Lexicon--pick one.
Black box is an odd ball one.
UBK, Little labs, and Empirical Labs make some great products.
Bettermaker products are automated hardware.

The answer is none.
This piece of gear does not exist.

If it did 2 things for sure:

1) It would be crazy expensive, we are talking Fairchild 660/670 expensive which means only a select few could own it
2) Everyone here would be fighting each other to own it and you would hear/see much more hyperboles and threads about it.

If you want digital tracks that are "fatter and bigger" its starts at the source.
Also give those tracks some space in the arrangement, that way they stand out on their own with no need for processing after they are tracked.

Bettermaker Darth Limiter

Most engineers put a limiter at the end chain.

Darth limiter is 100% analogue and saveable with USB

It also has all the analysing you need plus the ability to use two color modules at the same time.

Cheers

Black Box HG-2

Thanks for your reply
Indeed, I was thinking already of this unit the Chandler Zener, I think it will be a very useful weapon to add. Lots of mojo with it???
Any user to confirm this?
Cheers
Sergio

Since you have the Thermionic Culture Phoenix which is a very good unit and is making digital tracks already bigger and fatter, that's a tough question. But in your case with the current equipment, I'd actually go for an EQ. The Manley Massive Passive is amazing in the mids (only EQ I've heard that could beat it in the mids is maybe the Fairman TMEQ but they don't sell it anymore, that's just my opinion though). It has quite a bit of color & mojo and adds nice dimension to a whole song.

Hendyamps Michelangelo is also very nice. There is a big thread in this forum if you need more information about it and also a comparison video on YouTube between the MP and the Michelangelo.

exactly.
no need to spend any money to solve this "problem".

-pete

That’s the Silver Bullet !

SSL Fusion

I already have the Silver Bullet !

Bob Seger?

Successor, Phoenix, Silver Bullet... I'm not sure why you feel there's some kind of bigness/fatness shortfall given the units you already own.

Maybe upgrade your 2192 to a Pure2 or Burl Bomber?

Yes you are right, I thought about upgrading to a Burl B2 ADC, but I am not so sure It is a major improvement from the 2192 ??

I have the B2 ADC and yes it is. You can't make bigger records without it actually.

What you need to make huge records is this; you gotta run your mix through the Unfairchild compressor first (-2db gain reduction), then into the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor (-2db gain reduction) and then you Finish it off with the Weiss DS1 mkii (-2db gain reduction + EQ etc) and finally use the Bettermaker Limiter, then into the Lavry Gold AD122 mkiii. Without that exact chain, you can't make records worth listening to.

1. Tape
2. Neve 542 (x2)
3. Gyraf G22
4. Manley Massive Passive

------

Not analog, but certainly will help a lot:

1. Eventide H3000/H8000FW/H9000
2. Juicy analog FX like old Roland or Moog phasers or new like EchoFix EF-X2

------

If you're using software synths, well, forget what I wrote above and start with buying good analog synths, old or new depending on your budget and taste.

Thank you for your post. That is why I love this website. You always discover new things.
Never heard before of Gyraf G22. It looks impressive!
Cheers
Sergio

How good (hopefully great) does your "room" sound?
Chris

Guess I'm rubbing off...
Chris

The Gyraf G22 is not too much since I already own a Thermionic Phoenix Mastering Edition ? It's not overkill ?

Thanks again for your post. I read the comments about the Neve 542 Tape emulator, and they seem to sound gorgeous !!!!

Thanks so much
Cheers Sergio

Might be, although it would definitely bring more analog goodness to the mix.

Take a look at this video here:



at 01:40 listen to what a pair of Neve 542 can do to a well recorded drum bass. Color for days!

i think the premise or the 'analysis' of your situation - but in any case the conclusions you draw - are flawed:

just using any device - analog or digital - does not automatically lead to 'better' results: these days, there is little or no correlation between the equipment you use and the quality of the results you can achieve - relying on any piece of equipment to dramatically improve results is magical thinking...

and what does 'better' mean? what is missing from your mixes or in which areas have you overdone it? is it really a lack of tools?

i would suggest that you spend time with 'critical listening' (or try to acquire it in the first place) and then seek to improve your craft through comparison with excellent role models/mixes you like - far more valuable than mindlessly buying a piece of gear...

___


p.s. suggesting gear on a flawed premise and a list of existing equipment is the equivalent of selling snake oil!

This and thethrillfactor's advice are what you should be heeding. seriously.

-pete

If you’ve already burned through a bunch of money and not gotten the results you wanted - the best thing to do is dump all that crap and start over with the basics. Learn to get a “better, fatter mix” the old fashioned way - through “better” mixing decisions.

It might help to check your monitoring system as well - speakers, walls, first reflections, bass traps - all the not-so-sexy stuff the actually does make a big difference.

+1

I think it's at least good to have a great microphone and preamp.

Thank you
I am convinced by those 542. Will start by buying a pair of these. Sounds very impressive.
Thanks for that piece of advice !!
Sergio