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Behind The Gear at The Record Shop Part 3: Tube Tech CL1B

In part 3 of Behind the Gear at The Record Shop, we take a look at the Tube-Tech CL1B Opto Compressor; a device that has become a studio standard since its release in 1987. The CL1B was developed by Tube-Tech founder, John Peterson. John began his career as a maintenance engineer at the Danish Broadcasting Company. Educated as an electrical engineer, he could usually be found refurbishing gear in his spare time. In the early 80’s his interests turned to tube driven devices such as the Pultec EQ and the Teletronix LA2A. As was the case with many of today’s audio manufactures, John witnessed the growing market for vintage equipment as the quality of modern products was, believed by many, to be declining. He began designing his own renditions of classic equipment, and the rest is history. Tube Tech is now a mainstay in the world of audio, and they continue to produce superior quality tube equipment that has been utilized by everyone from The Rolling Stones to T-Pain.

The design of the CL1B was modeled after the Teletronix LA2A, a classic tube limiter that has been a standard in recording studios since its release in 1965.  John set out to build a device that offered the warm, musical compression of the LA2a Limiter, but with the added features of a compressor. The LA2a has only two controls, Gain and Peak Reduction. The attack and release times are fixed.  The CL1B features a fixed attack and release mode, but also provides additional ratio, threshold, attack, and release knobs. This allows us greater flexibility to achieve the perfect settings for a variety of applications. The Cl1B has another unique setting called Fixed/Manual Mode. This setting has a fixed, fast attack and variable release. You would think that this compressor would come with a two week class to learn how to utilize all of these options. However, the operation is fairly simple and always produces great results.

We lean on this compressor mainly for Vocals and Bass. On vocals we often use the CL1B, in conjunction with an 1176 or Distressor, to add a smooth, warm compression that helps the voice find its space in the track. In the bass world, the CL1B is great at taming the tone, but if you’re going for punch, we lean on some of our other options such as the 1176. From time to time, we will throw a snare or kick through the blue monster to give it some extra warmth as well.

One trick that we have found to be pretty exciting on vocals, is an extreme compression setting that can result in some pretty wicked tube saturation. We start by setting the attack all the way to the left, with a medium release and 10:1 ratio. Next we increase the threshold to hit -10 or so DB of gain reduction; tweaking the ratio and release to taste until the vocal starts to drive. The result is an analog tape like compression that can be perfect for a rocking vocal.

Thanks for dropping by! Check back next week for our next installment of “Behind The Gear at The Record Shop”, where we take a look at a throw back to Abbey Road, the Chandler TG1 Limiter. In the meantime, feel free to drop by our Gear Page for more information on our vast array of equipment.

As always, we love to hear feedback on our articles. If this was helpful, or a complete waste of your time, let us know! We love making new friends as well. Feel free to drop by our page on Facebook and sign up for our monthly newsletter to receive valuable resources and updates on the studio. Thanks for dropping by For The Record. Catch you next week!

-Giovanni

Therecordshopnashville.com

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Behind The Gear at The Record Shop Nashville Recording Studio

“Wow! Look at all those knobs.” As an audio engineer that is probably the most common phrase I hear uttered by an artist the first time they step foot in a studio. In an effort to figure out what all these fancy buttons do ;) , we thought it would be fun to introduce a new series on For The Record called “Behind The Gear.” The Record Shop is home to a unique collection of modern and vintage equipment. Our audio arsenal was carefully selected to offer a wide range of sonic colors and textures. Each week we will offer an inside look at a different piece of equipment we use here at The Record Shop. We will take a look at the history of the piece,  outline the various ways it is utilized during a session and share some unique tricks that we use to shape the tone of a recording.

This week, we’ll start the series off by offering some basic information on each category we will be covering: Microphones, Pre-Amps,  Compressors, Equalizers, and Plug-Ins. For those of you familiar with the basic function of these devices, we invite you to join us next week when we take a look at the Empirical Labs Distressor, a studio legend that reigns as one of the most versitle compressor/limiters on the market. For the rest of you fine folks, read on my friends…….

Microphone

If your reading this, I’m sure you don’t need a proper definition of what these things do, but for the sake of covering our bases, we’ll turn to Wikipedia. “A microphone is an acoustic-to-electric transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal.” Sounds simple enough, but what makes our job so fun is that each microphone does this differently and, in turn produces drastically different results. There are three different categories of microphones that are most commonly used in the recording studio: Dynamic, Condenser, and Ribbon. A dynamic microphone is work horse device, capable of reproducing loud sound sources as well as those with a powerful attack (such as guitars, kick drum, and snare drum). A condenser microphone is a more delicate device, designed to react sensitively to its sound source, offering a more defined sound on things such as drum overheads, acoustic instruments, and vocals) A ribbon microphone offers a unique tone due to the natural lack of high end frequency response that the ribbon reproduces. Ribbons have become very popular as a method to achieve a “vintage” vibe on modern, digital recordings. For more detailed information visit Wikipedia’s “Microphone” page….

Pre-Amps

A Pre-Amplifier (pre-amp) is a device that takes a low level signal from a microphone, or instrument, and boosts it to a line level signal that can be recorded. As with microphones, every pre-amp offers its own, unique tonal characteristics. There are two types of pre-amps commonly used in the recording environment: Tube and Solid State. As the name suggests, tube pre-amps utilize tube components to amplify the sound, offering a “warm” tone and a subtle distortion that is preferred in many applications. A solid state pre-amp does not make use of tube components and generally offers a cleaner, more transparent tone. Within these two types of pre-amps are countless brands and models that all have their own sonic flavor. For more detailed information, visit Wikioedia’s “Pre-Amplifier” page….

Compressor

A compressor is an audio device that effects the range between the loudest and quietest parts of a sound source (known as dynamic range) A compressor accomplishes this by lowering the volume of the sound source when it passes above the volume threshold that is set by the user. The amount of compression, and the reaction time of the device, is set by the ratio, attack, and release knobs. Just like pre-amps, compressors are also built with either solid state or tube components. Compressors can be used for a variety of applications, from subtly taming dynamics,  to extreme “pumping” that can create intriguing rhythmic effects. For more detailed information, visit Wikipedia’s “Audio Compressor” page…

Equalizer

An equalizer adjusts the balance between frequencies in an audio signal. It allows us the ability to “shape” the frequency range of a sound in order to enhance its qualities, fit it into a mix, etc. There are two main types of EQ’s used in the studio environment: Parametric and Graphic. A Parametric EQ offers a variable frequency selection on multiple frequency “bands” (ranges) and a variable “Q” (range of effected frequency). This allows us the flexibility to hone on the desired frequency and effect it accordingly. Graphic EQ’s have fixed frequency and q selection, often based on frequency “octaves” to offer a natural, musical response. For more detailed information, visit Wikipedia’s “Equalization” page…

Plug-In’s

Plug In’s are used in digital recording to emulate the function of analog equipment. While, it can be argued that software can never take the place audio moving through actual components (and I agree!) software plug-ins have continued to grow in their sonic offering and can be very useful in the modern recording environment in many situations. There are endless options when it comes to plug-ins. The market is flooded with new, innovative tools for manipulating audio. A recent development in plug in technology is what is referred to as “emulation plug-ins” These software devices are built off of algorithms developed through the testing of actual analog gear. Through this process, developers have been able to create plug-ins that embrace the tonal qualities of a specific type of gear. This is a very exciting technology that we have found very useful in Universal Audio’s, UAD Plugs. You can learn more about Plug-ins by visiting this interesting article at Delicious Audio…

Well, now you are ready to venture “Behind The Gear” at The Record Shop. Check back next week for our first installment, highlighting the Emperical Labs’ Distressor. In the meantime, feel free to drop by our Gear Page for more information on our vast array of equipment.

As always, we love to hear feedback on our articles. If this was helpful, or a complete waste of your time, let us know! We love making new friends as well. Feel free to drop by our page on Facebook and sign up for our monthly newsletter to receive valuable resources and updates on the studio. Thanks for dropping by For The Record. Catch you next week!

-Giovanni

Therecordshopnashville.com

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Barry Rudolph Reviews Stuffit Deluxe for Mac

Barry has teamed up with For The Record to share his reviews with the latest in recording products. Barry is a recording engineer/producer and contributing editor for MIX Magazine, ‘New Toys’ columnist for L.A.’s Music Connection Magazine, and writer for www.prosoundweb.com. He also is editor/writer of Gear Lust, his online special review section at www.barryrudolph.com. 

I installed the 2009 version of Smith Micro’s Stuffit Utility into my G5 MAC and discovered Drop Stuff, the whole compression side of the seemingly lowly free utility we all used called Stuffit Expander. Drop Stuff is better than ever with a new interface and built-in AES 256-bit encryption.

First of all with Drop Stuff, with its patented 24-bit image compression, has TIFF, PNG, GIF, and BMP compressors and you can compress files by to 98% of their original size (depending what they are). Squash and optimize MP3s, PDFs and images to save hard drive space and time when sending them over the Internet. Even JPEG photo files (an already compressed format) can be reduced up to a further 30%. Drop Stuff creates Stuffit, Zip and TAR archives–you just drop your files and folders on the appropriate icon on the super simple GUI. I liked the Stuff & Burn mode where it stuffs and sends the file to the MAC’s CD/DVD burner in one operation. Sweet!Smith Micro Stuffit Deluxe 2009

Expander now expands 7-Zip archives and segmented Zip archives along with files using any of 30 different compression formats–even encrypted Zip archives. I like browsing my archive of files without waiting for expansion using the Stuffit Archive Manager. You can preview thumbnails, add, delete and change files and save searches with Stuffit Collections.

Other cool features you get are: upload directly to FTP, MobileMe, iDisk or multiple CDs or DVD-ROMS, and restore files to original locations Stuffit is Finder-aware so you can preview compressed archives inside MAC’s TimeMachine.Smith Micro Stuffit Deluxe 2009

Using Stuffit Deluxe 2009 for MACs is like doubling the size of your hard drive for storing pictures and music. You can put off buying another drive and the work transferring files by buying it for $79.99 as a download from: my.smithmicro.com/mac/stuffit/index.html

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Choosing a Pro Tools system for your studio

Pro Tools, AVID/Digidesign’s benchmark digital recording software, is synonymous with the production of hit records. Since its introduction into the professional recording industry in the mid 90’s, Pro Tools has remained a frontrunner for audio production. When Pro Tools was introduced in 1991, four channels of audio were available at a price tag of $6000. Thankfully for us, Pro Tools’ capabilities continued to grow alongside the steady advancements of computer technology. As the audio industry began to stray away from major recording facilities, into home studios and bedrooms, Digidesign began developing Pro Tools systems that catered to all levels of audio production. Today, Digidesign offers Pro Tools systems affordable on nearly any budget. In this article, we take an in depth look at three levels of Pro Tools studio systems: The M-Box studio ($250-$1000), The 003 studio ($1200-$2,500), and the HD studio ($10,000+). We will also discuss some important add -on’s that can be a great addition to any Pro Tools System. These include, system upgrades, a master clock source, converters, and control surfaces. First, let’s check out the hype behind the Pro Tools software and the advancements in Digidesign’s latest version, Pro Tools 8.

Introduction To Pro Tools

Pro Tools is a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). A DAW is comprised of two elements, audio recording software and audio conversion hardware. The software allows for recording, editing, mixing, and midi arrangement. The hardware provides analog to digital and digital to analog conversion of the audio. Pro Tools LE software requires a Digidesign hardware interface in order to operate. Pro Tools HD utilizes Digidesign PCI cards for processing and uses a separate hardware device for conversion.

The Pro Tools workspace is comprised of two main windows. Mix and edit. The mix window contains a vertical channel strip for each track in the session. It is set up much like a typical mixing console. Each channel has inserts, busses, input/output selections, a pan pot, record enable, solo, mute, and a fader. The edit window contains the same options as well as waveforms for each track in the session. The edit window allows you to view the waveforms for each track, edit and arrange the audio, as well as set up markers, and control the transport (play, stop, rec, etc). The editing workflow is one of the most impressive aspects of the software. There are several tools and editing modes that make editing and arranging a breeze. Pro Tools offers a number of playback and record options as well. These include: loop playback, punch record, and loop record. The software also provides comprehensive midi and video capabilities.

In the latest version of the software, Pro Tools 8, Digidesign maintained their user-friendly workflow that helped to make the software an industry standard. There are several new features such as elastic audio, the off spring of the popular audio quantization application, Beat Detective. They have also added more tracks for LE systems (48 mono or stereo), several virtual instruments and plug-ins, and a hip, new design for the workspace. Now, lets take a look at the options for Pro Tools studio set-ups.

Mbox Series ($250-$700)

The Pro Tools Mbox series hardware is a great option for those who are looking for a simple, portable device for recording. The price for these interfaces range from $250 to $700 and includes the latest Pro Tools Software. The latest Mbox hardware consists of the Mbox 2 micro, Mbox 2 Mini, Mbox 2, and Mbox 2 Pro.

The Mbox 2 Micro is a 24bit/48k, output only USB device that is about the size of a jump drive. It was designed for engineers who want the ability to work on sessions anywhere. There are no inputs on the device. It is equipped with a 1/8″ jack for monitoring.

The Mbox 2 Mini is 24bit/48k, 2 channel USB interface. It is a great option for new Pro Tools users or songwriters who want a simple device for basic recording applications. The Mbox 2 Mini is equipped with one XLR input with 48v phantom power, two 1/4″ inputs, two 1/4″ outputs, a headphone output, and combined volume control. There are a few downsides of the Mini. It does not include a midi I/O or separate volume controls for monitor and headphone outputs.

The Mbox 2 is a 24bit/48k, 4in/2out USB interface. It offers a few more features than the mini. It is a good choice for someone looking for a basic interface that includes midi capability and more extensive input options. The Mbox 2 features two preamps with 48v phantom power, two analog inputs (XLR or 1/4″), two digital SPIDIF inputs, two 1/4″ outputs, midi I/O, a headphone output and separate volume controls for monitors and headphones.

The final piece in the Mbox series is the Mbox 2 Pro. It is a 24bit/96k, 6in/8out fire wire interface. The Mbox 2 Pro is a great buy for beginners looking to get into more advanced sessions and professionals who need a reliable device for remote recording. It offers two preamps with 48v phantom power, four analog inputs (XLR or 1/4″), two digital SPDIF inputs, six 1/4″ outputs, midi I/O, two headphone outputs, and separate volume controls for monitors and headphones.

The M Box series hardware is a solid option for mixing on the run, portable recording, and basic demo sessions. However, if you are looking for a more advanced device with the ability to handle larger sessions, the Digidesign 003 could be what you are you are looking for.

Digidesign 003 Series ($1200-$2500)

The Digidesign 003 is 24bit/96k, 16 channel Pro Tools interface. It can be found in countless project studios, as well as the B rooms of several major facilities. It is an effective workhorse, offering a wide range of amenities for those not ready to take the leap to HD. The 003 interfaces range from $1200-$2500.

The 003 provides four pre amps with 48v phantom power, 4 XLR inputs, 4 1/4″ inputs, 8 1/4″ outputs, 2 1/4 monitor outputs, 8 channels of adat I/O, word Clock I/O, midi I/O, two headphone outputs, and separate volume controls for headphones and monitors. The 003 also includes 8 motorized faders, led/lcd displays, solo, mute, record enable, and pan knobs for each channel. It offers a transport, a jog wheel, and insert/send assignment as well. The 003 is also available in a rack mount version. The 003 rack has the same capabilities as the 003, but the control surface is excluded. Before we get into Pro Tools HD, there a few add-ons for Pro Tools LE systems that are worth considering.

Pro Tools LE Upgrades

Digidesign’s Pro Tools LE software is stocked with many great plug-ins. But, as we all know, you can never have enough options. So Digidesign developed a couple upgrades that offer a comprehensive bundle of additional options for Pro Tools LE users.

The Music Production Tool Kit offers an upgrade to 64 tracks of audio, multichannel beat detective, and a killer plug in selection. The plug-ins include TL Space (convolution reverb), Smack (compressor/limiter), Eleven (guitar amp emulator), and a few more great tools.

Digidesign also offers an upgrade package for Pro Tools users who utilize the software for video production. The DV Toolkit offers an upgrade to 64 tracks of audio, Digibase (file management tool), Digitranslator (OMF, AAF, and MXF conversion), and Time Code/ Feet and Frames capability. The upgrade also includes a number of plug-ins, including: DINR (noise reduction), TL Space, and X-Form (TCE and pitch shifter).

Adding a set of high-end audio converters is one of the most effective ways to instantly improve the sonic clarity of your Pro Tools LE Studio, if you utilize outboard recording gear or digital audio devices. The sonic clarity of an external clock source and high-end audio conversion can drastically help take your Pro Tools LE studio to the next level. If this is something you are considering, I suggest trying out a few options to see what sound appeals to you. Some high-end clocks and converters include Apogee, Antelope, Lynx, and Prism.

Pro Tools HD Studio ($10,000 +)

The final option for a Pro Tools studio is Pro Tools HD. Pro Tools HD systems are catered toward the professional audio and video industry. It has become a near necessity for every commercial recording studio to house a Pro Tools HD system. HD set-ups start at around $10,000.

As we outlined earlier, Pro Tools HD hardware operates a bit differently than LE. The processing and audio conversion is integrated into a single interface for LE systems. HD systems utilize Digital Signal Processing cards (DSP) and digital converters. The DSP cards are installed in the PCI slots of the computer. These cards are connected to audio converters via a Digilink cable. There are two steps to purchasing a Pro Tools HD system: Selecting a core system and choosing your interface/s

There are three Pro Tools HD Core systems: Pro Tools HD 1, Pro Tools HD 2 Accel, and Pro Tools HD 3 Accel. The Pro Tools HD 1 system includes one HD Core card. The HD 1 system will support 32 channels of A/D and D/A conversion and up to 96 digital audio tracks.

The Pro Tools HD 2 system offers one HD Core card and one HD Accel card. A HD 2 system is capable of handling 64 channels of conversion and up to 192 digital audio tracks.

The Pro Tools HD 3 system is comprised of one HD Core card and two HD Accel cards. HD 3 systems support 96 channels of conversion and 192 digital audio tracks.

Each of these systems can be upgraded by adding additional cards. If you run out of PCI slots you can connect and expansion chassis to house the extra cards. Once you have your HD Core System, you will need to add a Pro Tools HD I/O interface or third party converter in order to route audio to and from the HD DSP cards.

Digidesign has a number of options for Pro Tools HD interfaces. Lets take a look at the two of their more favored interfaces. The Digidesign 96 I/O is a 16 channel, 24bit/96k audio interface. The 96 I/O offers 8 channels of analog I/O (TRS) and 8 channels of optical I/O (ADAT). It also includes an expansion feature, which allows you to connect multiple interfaces together. The 96 I/O is a good option for HD users who are looking for a basic, overdub/mix set up. If you need more than 8 channels of analog I/O or plan to expand your system in the future, you may want to consider the 192 I/O.

The Digidesign 192 I/O is 16 channel, 24bit/192k audio interface. The 192 I/O has 8 channels of AES/EBU I/O, 8 channels of TDIF I/O, and 16 channels of ADAT I/O. There are a number of expansion card options for the 192 I/O. The AD and DA expansion cards give the 192 I/O the ability to support up to 16 channels of analog I/O. The digital expansion card adds an additional 8 channels of AES/EBU, TDIF and ADAT I/O. The 192 I/O also includes an expansion feature, which allows you to connect multiple interfaces together.

Pro Tools HD systems also support third party I/O interfaces. As we discussed earlier, there are many high-end options for third party converters. Each brand offers its own unique “color” to the audio. I would recommend listening to the different options in order to decide which converters are right for you.

Pro Tools HD Upgrades

A control surface is a great addition to a Pro Tools HD System. Control surfaces are digital mixing boards that provide hands on control of your session. They are set up like an analog mixing board and allow for recording, mixing, and editing functions. Digidesign offers a number of excellent control surfaces, including: C24, D Command, and Icon.

Whether you are just delving into the world of recording or are a seasoned professional, there are many great options for putting together an exceptional Pro Tools recording studio. If you are interested in learning more about Pro Tools, visit www.avid.com. They have documentation, reviews, and videos that offer excellent advice on choosing the right system for your needs and budget.

I hope this article provided you with the information you need to choose the right Pro Tools system for your application . We would love to hear your questions, comments, and feedback! If we can be of any assistance, feel free to drop us a line!

Giovanni-

therecordshop1 (@) gmail.com

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