New to Outboard Analog Gear? Get These First!

Power switching/conditioning?

Yes, great analog special unit device can make a huge difference to your boring, dead mix. :)) I bought Steinberg's UR RT 2 audio interface with Neve's transformers and I just drive my raw mix through it for some analog sugar spice destroying that zombie dead digital land ... :))) You have to hit "the sweet spot" for optimum resoult; it can be easily too much ...

Super overview. Thank you for taking the time on this :)

Why not just mix properly ITB? A 400$ preamp (+ stereo DI and other things you don't mention) will not make or break a mix.

All my equipment for now is ART ... I'm grateful for quality affordable gear

I use the trans X on my mixbus as well, into the warm bus comp and 2 EQP KT’s. Curious; what impedance are you setting for the pre amp on your mixbus ?

Great content! question how did you connect the ssl fusion and ssl plus compressor because when I hit the insert button on the ssl fusion my audio goes off can you please help me out? 🙏

This was very timely for me and I appreciate the info.
I will check some other of your videos and have subscribed.

I have been considering a tube headphone amp to function as you did the mic preamp. Do you have any pros or cons for this?

For mixing, First piece of gear to purchase is a master bus compressor. No doubt.
If you do this and think your mix sounds no different id suggest staying in the box with your plugins, your not ready for outboard yet.

The 500 series is a great start also...rnd 511 for like 699... great preamp.

which desktop mic preamp is better for voice over? focusrite isa one or universal audio 710? im going to combine that with dbx 286s and senheiser mkh416

I never thought of running my mix through a pre amp, that's awesome.

yours really fattened up the low end.

I really like your informative content on audio production and audio gear!

I've been interested in checking out the FMR RNC 1773 as a first analog gear for my set up, my goal with that purchase is to include some compression on the way in when I record vocals, acoustic guitar, and use the compressor within the mix as well to even out dynamics and make the post processing a less difficult

Have you had any experience with the RNC 1773? Would you recommend it as a first outboard gear on a budget? I just record straight through my audio interface and I'm looking to implement analog gear

Great video! I'm curious... Did you use some sort of external pad when running a line-level mix bus signal through the ART TransX preamp? Thanks!

Peace appreciate the content very informative. I’m a newbie to outboard gear just bought my first two pieces a warm audio wa 2a and wa 76 want to incorporate a mic pre was considering the warm audio wa mpx 2 saw your reply to another comment what you think and what are your suggestions. Thanks again and good info much success to you.

Really great advice here in this video and a solid starting point for sure! Love my Warm Audio WA273 (no EQ version) with my Revive Audio Pro VLA II (modded) and my Audio-Scape EQP-A (pair). They were affordable and I use them all the time for tracking, mixing and mastering so they are used a lot. Can't recommend the Pro VLA II and Audio-Scape enough .... really has been solid.

I got your reply and bought Aphex 230 but I have Issue with it as the noise from out side thru the mic is very load and I turn the Depth down I could not record and if I turn on Depth Nob no good vocal quality I got and there is humming sound I heard .There is no return policy of Reverb so I feel I lost money until I sell it out but very hard to sell. Thanks.

i think the point about a compressor is great advice. in a lot of cases, aside the microphone(which should have been #1), its usually the most expensive. if you can save up and get a CL 1B, getting the neve 1073 after wont seem like as big a save. for me, I have my mic and my pre and need a compressor now. I'm just going to have to go hybrid for now with my Telefunken into my 737 and use UAD's comps on the way in.

Great video, helped me a lot! Sorry for the (probably) dumb quesion: I want to color my in-the-box mixes with two outboard neve-clones. Which inputs should I use on the outboard modules? The mic ins of the preamps or the inserts of the lunchbox? Does it matter?

Thanks so much for this video. It was extremely enlightening. After a lot of consideration I ended up going with an API channel strip for my first piece of serious analog gear. So far I love it. Some of the best sounds I’ve ever recorded are coming out of it. At some point I’d like to upgrade my interface so that I have more I/O capability and can really explore the versatility of the unit for mixing purposes.

+1 on your sensible advice!

I decided to get one special chain in 500 series format for vocals/instrument recording but haven’t attempted to repurpose that single channel for the stereo bus yet! Great idea!

Really enjoyed this but still have questions... maybe somebody can help me as I am getting really confused:
I want to be able to connect two 19 inch rack pieces of gear, a Compressor and a EQ to my DAW master bus in Ableton through my M-Audio Air 192|6... will I be able to do it with this interface which only has 2 ins (already taken by my Korg Minilogue XD) and 2 outs (monitor outs, already used)... or will I need a mixer? and how to I go about connecting them? daisy chain?... thanks for any help!

i only recently discovered you not sure when you started doing videos but i get that feeling you watched a few and was like Fuck this let me really help some people no gimmicks

OMG,, Where did you find that WA73-EQ, I have the same unit, however, mine has white buttons, I would love to have had one with the black buttons.

Thanks for making the video!

Was actually exactly wondering today what would TransX sound on a mixbus... Since seing Capi Heiders.... Thanks!

whats a good starter set of outboard gear for master bus output, I only produce and mix music/beats in the box, dont do much live recording.
What would be some nice starter pieces?

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Thank you! I needed to hear this. I’m currently in school for audio engineering and building my home studio. I was thinking about going with plug ins first and figuring out what outboard gear i would want/need afterwards. I needed to hear this. Great advice.

Great content!!!

very well done

Great info! Your video & edit look and sound impressive.

It really depends on your budget.

If I were starting out today, I would recommend the Apollo Duet. Use the Unison technology and get a couple of UAD channel strips. Then grab their UAD 1176, La-2A, Studer, Massive Passive, and SSL Stereo Compresser. I use those on every mix and it’ll cost you less than $2,000 if you purchase those plugs when UA puts them on sale on Black Friday.

If you really want to get hardware: the BAE mic pre/eq, 2 Distressors, and the SSL Fusion.

High end: 2 Shelford Channels and the RNP MBP.

great video! thanks for the info

good video. Sr thanks! good points here!!

Really informative video. So I'm looking to get some outboard gear. I've currently only just got an Art Pro MPA II preamp running through an Auident ID22. I record mainly rap vocals with some singing sometimes, was wondering what compressor would be best just to help it sit in the mix better On the way in and make the vocals pop abit more. Shall I go with an LA2A or 1176 (clones as can't afford the real one). Your response would be appreciated thank you.

Wowww you are great, GOD has given you such a awesome gifts of wisdom and knowledge on all this different gear that is amazing i am learning a lot so happy to have met you.
Thank you for all work and time you put in to help ALL of us who are watching you..👍

Fantastic video. Excellent content

Great content!
I have been thinking about getting my first analog gear for some time, but still not sure which way to go, maybe 500 series, and for sure a pair of Mic preamps, and compressors sound like the way to start
BTW, what would you think about using a "Universal Audio Volt 276" as outbord gear (2 channels, each Mic preamp with a 1176 style compressor)?
Could be used as the Input to Record with another Audio Interface (using Line Inputs), or for post-production too... saw someone using this kind of units that way, sounded interesting, these have very lfew controls, and the price is lower than some 500 series, anyway its just an interesting idea
Thanks for your videos!

What are your thoughts on something like a channel strip (or pair of channel strips) for everything: on the way in, on the mix bus and when mastering?