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That SSL Sound in Pro Tools – Coming
In and Going Out
This week we will take a look at the Xlogic
range and Duende by Solid
State Logic to help illustrate why having a professional front-end and
set of plug-ins for Pro Tools can make all the difference
in your projects. I even have a few guest stars helping me
out, Solid State Logic’s Quinton Nixon, and audioMIDI.com’s
own – the very talented Tom
Luer on Sax.
As we consider the components that makeup the signal path
of your recordings, which are the components that play the
most significant role in determining the quality of your
recordings? Although it is true, that your DAW is only as
good as its weakest link, there are a few components that
are especially important in getting the best quality.
Assuming you start with a talented musician, great instruments
and the right microphone for the track (okay…perhaps
that is taking quite a bit for granted, but we can only address
so much this week), the next component in the signal path
would be your microphone pre-amplifier (pre-amp). A pre-amp
is used to boost the signal being output from the microphone
to a level that is suitable for conversion/recording. Not
only is this necessary to get the right level in to Pro Tools,
but each pre-amp has its own “sound and color” that
it imparts as part of the process. It is this character whether
it is transparent and clean, warm and dirty or anything in
between that is critical to pay attention to in the tracking
stage. In addition, many pre-amps also feature Instrument/DI
inputs for connecting gear besides your microphone, such
as your synthesizer and electric guitar so that they too
may benefit from the sound of your pre-amp as well.
If you are using Pro Tools LE, the 002, 002R and MBox have
the pre-amps built-in to the interface. However, if you are
using Pro Tools HD, the 96 and 192 interfaces only provide
A/D and D/A conversion, so you need to provide your own pre-amp(s)
before routing your gear to the interface. Regardless of
what version of Pro Tools you are using, everyone can benefit
by using a top-notch pre-amp(s) from companies such as Solid
State Logic,
Millennia
Media and Grace
Designs.
SSL is in a unique position as an integrator to Pro Tools,
by providing hardware from their proven line of consoles
for getting the best signal possible into Pro Tools, and
software plug-ins of their channel strip (with filters),
E and G series EQ and dynamics, and stereo bus compressor
for creating the best mix once everything has been recorded.
The reason why this is so significant is that you’ve
heard the SSL sound on countless hit records from the last
four decades. It is the sound of truly reliable and high-end
audio gear that can take your projects to the next level,
and perhaps one of the best investments you can make in your
Pro Tools system.
Coming In
The purpose of this example is very simple, and hopefully,
very real world. To help you hear the difference a good pre-amp
can make, we have recorded Tom blowing some notes on his
Sax for us using an MBox, and then again using an XLogic
pre-amp. You want to listen to these examples using the best
monitoring system available to you, so you can really hear
the difference:
To my ears, the MBox sounds much thinner and not as
rich and dynamic as the Xlogic. How would you compare
the two?
It is worth noting that we had some significant limitations
in the recording process of these examples, as we were
recording in a square room that was not acoustically
treated, we were
in the same room as the computer itself and just used
a common low-cost dynamic microphone (which perhaps
is real world
for many home setups). If you are interested in getting
a comparison of professional pre-amps recorded properly,
check
out the Pre
CD by 3D Audio,
it is a wonderful listening resource for choosing the
pre-amp that is right for you.
Going Out
The purpose of this example is also very simple. To
help you hear the difference good plug-ins can make,
not only
as a result of the processing they were designed to
carryout, but the character they impart as well, we
have instantiated
the SSL Channel Strip which is included with Duende.
We have applied some light EQ and Compression, but
pay particular
attention to the warmth and focus the plug-in creates:
When it comes to Solid State Logic hardware and
software, I experience nothing but delight from
the sound that
I am able to pull out. In the coming months we
will talk more
about how to use plug-ins, but it is important
to remember the signal path and be just as concerned
with how we
are getting sound into our computer, as we what
to do with it
once it is in Pro Tools.
Pro Tools Tidbits
- Digidesign has
released Shift,
a free plug-in for high-quality time and pitch shifting.
(HD and LE)
- Digidesign has
announced upcoming Pro Tools HD compatibility for Apple’s
new Power Mac Pro (including the Mac Book Pro). (HD)
- Mark of the
Unicorn has announced that the most recent update of Digital
Performer (5.1) ()
appears to be compatible with the new Power Mac Pro
computers, and that ongoing testing and
support is underway.
- Roger Nichols
Digital is now offering a limited version of Inspector for
FREE. (RTAS)
If you have a Pro Tools related question that you would
like me to take a shot at answering or have any feedback,
please send it to scott@audioMIDI.com. I will do my best
to select the questions that seem to stump the most people.
As always, stay tuned to the audioMIDI.com eNews for the latest reviews and new product info.
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