Back once again, my mixing/mastering experiments with this box are finally paying off. Legit can't believe how far I came in a month (and how much the SB had to do with it)... I shared a before & after of a friend's demo that I partly tracked through the SB (lead vocals and clap track) and then mixed all the stems through the SB, finishing with inserting the SB on the 2-bus. This is the first song I ever finished top to bottom with the SB at the heart of the workflow, + some hardware compressor action & plugins.

As a self-taught bedroom engineer (& artist) I never, ever thought I could get something like this out of my setup but it turns out the party's just getting started

So, I set the jumpers, 25/26 to 1-2, and it appears as tho the C module is still post A/N, as it behaving the same way.

Am I missing something?

Is there a way to mod the SB MK1 with a switchable insert? thinking about the jumper settings, but I'm not sure if it's a) wise to change them during operation and b) even possible to completely disable the inserts via those jumpers? maybe remove it entirely? would need a pin diagram to know for sure)

And - second question - I assume the inserts will break the signal path the moment I plug something into the jacks, so using a Patchbay I'd have to use the passthrough function (or patch through send to return) so I get signal at all, right?

I can't answer the first question, but the answer to the second one is yes. You'll need to have the sends normalled to the returns or keep a patch cable in there because the inserts do break the signal path when they've got a plug in them.

Update on my switchable insert investigation:

According to the manual, the Insert is always on in Mix mode, so using the Jumper pins won't be of any use there. I could use the Mix as bypass and always run the unit in Track mode, then I could use the Jumpers, but I can't tell if it's safe to switch the jumper connection during operation. Maybe I'll reach out to the LTL support about this.

Second idea to approach this: Swap the insert jacks for ones without a switch, figure out the use and connection of the plug switch and tap in with a double throw switch. Sounds more promising and would offer a more "general" solution.

I agree you should reach out to LTL. Brad will help you out!

If you are going to build a switch external to the unit, I don't know that you need to bother with swapping out the jacks for unswitched. Unless your planned switch is very far away from the Silver Bullet, there's not going to be much noise added, and assuming the switch has a "bypass" position that routes the send back to the return, no harm should be done. You could do it all with one triple switch... since the insert is unbalanced you'd just need one point for ground, one point for bypass, and one point for your "engaged" setting. Don't overthink it! Unless you want the switch like 50-100 feet from the unit, there's no real reason to worry about noise.

If any mk1 owners need an proper stereo insert cable set, I have a nice one available. PM me.

The SB routing is genius

You can build a killer chain and have it on the master bus (mix)

But then switch it to a tracking channel (track)

I have an old very clean speck mixer

This way I can have SB as insert on master OR
Insert on channel 7/8

And when I switch to 7/8 the master still passes signal

Then I can switch a microphone and track into my killer chain

How many people are using the Silver Bullet in a mastering chain?

I'm using it as pre-master, or to do the creative part of the mastering before the technical side, if you will.

Mostly a touch of EQ and a bit of API flavour, but that's about it.

I like to see the meters work as I mix tho!

I typically add a little N>A and some air + a touch of sub bass in the mastering chain, sometimes I also engage "tight". Rarely engage vintage in mastering but I use it all the time on vocals.

Thanks so much for these!

Mix B is my fave! Then A, then C

I would love to know the reveal via PM : )

EDIT - Thanks to B0se I found the reveal in the thread. That was interesting and fun. thanks!

Always here. Once on the mix, again during the mastering. Also on individual busses and channels during the mix.

Did you figure this out?

I keep coming back to this box..

Does anybody know if the preamp will be able to retire my Camden 500 pre amp?

If it will and there’s somebody that builds a burl color plug-in for this.. I am sold, again.

Not that I am not anyway

Many users have replaced higher end preamps than the Camden with the Silver Bullet. But that's a user preference though, and really can only be decided by you.

As for the "color plug in's", there are at least 3 transformer based colour modules that I know of. None, are specifically pointed towards EXACTLY imitating the Burl.

I'd suggest that you listen to the audio files of Burl vs. Silver Bullet a few posts above. That was a Mk1 and didn't even have the color slots in it. That should give you a good idea of the differences.

Good luck with your search. The lengthy Silver Bullet waiting list has been cleared and you can order normally now. The wait is pretty short. Cheers, bp

Nope.

If memory serves, C is always post A/N. To move it around was considered but opened up a huge logistical (and costly) can o worms.

Hi Bill - Do you know if there are any new C modules (other than the stock SSL) released or being released this year?

I sure hope so. Beyond the myriad of colour module choices already available, there are at least 3-4 LTL "C" Mojo Color Amps in development that I am aware of. Things take time unfortunately..... But yeah. Hoping for sooner rather than later!!

Just getting caught up and clearing the waiting list for Mk2's was a huge undertaking.... But it's cleared now!! Woohoo!

Gotcha. The manual however, says that it can be pre. And I was also told this by support.

From the manual:

● Jumper J25: sets the C-MIX blend Dry signal source for the left channel
o 1-2: Pre-A/N MOJO
o 2-3: Post-A/N MOJO (default)
● Jumper J26: sets the C-MIX blend Dry signal source for the right channel
o 1-2: Pre-A/N MOJO
o 2-3: Post-A/N MOJO (default)

Interesting. What color amps can you currently put in C other than SSL?

Interesting. What color amps can you currently put in C other than SSL?

It’s the Colour format. Between Brad and DIYRE there’s like 20, granted some of them are not appropriate (some are like just HPF, others are full blow fuzz pedal territory), but Pentode comes to mind as probably the next best thing to put in an SB.

I personally have CTX(“A” flavor) and HITMAKER(the SSL) in a Colour Duo that I keep on my mixbus. Sadly I don’t have an SB yet. I love CTX, but might be redundant in there.

Nope. I don't think that is correct. Unless I misunderstood the flow and/or Brad and I had a miscommunication. (It's possible)

From your aforementioned quote : those jumpers refer only to the setting where the signal going to C is coming from - not where C is located in the overall signal flow. Think of A/N and C as parallel processes that are summed together after the processing - not a serial / linear "chain" - which A/N is BTW - but A/N/C is not.

1/2 jumped gets essentially a non A/N processed signal which is then combined / summed with the A/N output post A/N. 3/4 jumped gets the processed A/N signal to the C input to process and is then combined/summed back in with A/N post A/N.

Clear as mud, no? Comprende? I know, it's subtle. A flow chart would make it a bit more obtuse....I mean obvious. There is a reason for it, but it currently escapes me. As you can (hopefully) now see, there is a LOT of stuff going on in the background that's made pretty simple and elegant on the front panel.

To the best of my memory there is no putting C out in FRONT of A/N per your original question. It's always summed with A/N post processing. The jumpers just determine what feeds it. Yeah, it's a subtle difference.

Thx.

So, I misspoke in my earlier post re: what support said; I misremembered what was in the Aug. email. Here is the exact quote:

All the jumpers do is change where the dry signal comes first. Your dry signal is whatever is coming out of A and N normally. If you move the jumpers, the dry signal comes from before A and N so it is a true dry signal. Its basically sending the dry signal, pre A and N. These jumpers don't move C around in the chain.

Which seems to mirror:

those jumpers refer only to the setting where the signal going to C is coming from - not where C is located in the overall signal flow. Think of A/N and C as parallel processes that are summed together after the processing - not a serial / linear "chain" - which A/N is BTW - but A/N/C is not. .

This makes sense now, and the bold is what got me.

Cheers.

Ah yeah, my bad... I mentioned those jumpers to the person who was hoping to get C to be pre-mojo, but I also misread the manual and didn't grok that it was only the dry C signal that's being changed between pre and post mojo. Now I get it! Sorry if my suggestion added to the confusion or caused any bummers!

No worries - you did nothing wrong.

TBH, the manual could be worded better - in fact, Bill's comment which I bolded would be a good add.

Cheers.

I heartily suggest you complain to Brad. Make sure you tell him my input was a beacon of clarity in the sea of mud! LOL.

Question regarding the Mk1:

I've decided to use the Wes Audio Dione as an insert compressor for tracking vocals, however I've never routed an insert path before on outboard w/ the exception of my interface so I'm not quite sure what cabling I'll need to do it. Do I need an unbalanced TS cable to send signal from the SB to the Dione, and then a balanced TRS or XLR cable to send the audio back to the "track" input?

And then as far as the jumper J13 and J14 settings, I'm assuming I have to open the box up and flip switches a specific way for this to work?

Or for this application, would it just be simpler to take the signal from track out and then route to the Dione, then to the interface? From what I read, the insert would be inbetween the Mojo Preamps and the EQ so I could have the signal path be SB Preamp --> Compressor --> EQ ---> Interface instead of SB Preamp & EQ ---> Compressor ---> Interface.