Avalon 747
This mastering tool is a compressor and EQ, although I never use the EQ. The compressor has both a Solid State and Tube signal path and only has analog inputs. We route this through the inserts of Protools as a mastering analog machine for a small fraction of concerts.
I use this on orchestra and choir, and occasionally the voice track. It’s a nice compressor and gives the empty digital sound some warmth.
Digidesign - 003 [rack]
![Digidesign - 003 [rack]](http://www.blairliikala.com/images/stories/equipment/003.jpg "Digidesign - 003 [rack]")
The update to the 002, the 003 sports a new look and some additional features....sorta.... It’s an 8-analog I/O with the usual SPDIF, MIDI and optical.
Plenty of bug fixes and adding some I/O options, Digidesign made a great design change to use thin preamp knobs (though I don’t use them anyways), and barely any serious enhancements. In fact, they removed the indicator to what sample rate the box is at in exchange for...MIDI… As if it isn’t hard enough to figure out what rate ProTools is at. In addition, they made the power button much easier to accidentally turn off.
But it isn’t all bad. The Firewire ports are stronger and the 003 does not have to be at the end of a firewire chain, and the second headphone jack plus Mackie-like [weird] routing should be helpful.
Digidesign - Mbox
One of the first portable stereo computer interface of its kind that really succeeded in the market, the Mbox (1) allows for a simple stereo recording and the ability to run ProTools. They supply phantom power, preamps, and a headphone mix powered from the USB connection. The Mbox (1) has since been replaced by the Mbox 2 flavors.
I used the Mbox (1) extensively at Recording Services, and beat the nut out of it. They are the cheapest way to run ProTools and do basic recording.
Digidesign - ProTools 888
The 888 is an 8-track legacy hardware piece for ProTools, that I know very little about. It was “the thing” before the HD systems were released. Used at Michigan State.
Digidesign - ProTools HD
ProTools is a name for both audio software and hardware, and is the leading industry-standard in audio recording and production. The HD system is the “full” version of ProTools consisting of the software and HD box(s) used professionally throughout the word.
I have been using Protools for several years. Great for tracking, and other post-production. Not so great at major editing projects.
Grace
Grace Designs, made in the great non-recycling state of Colorado.
Harrison Preamp
Custom-built Harrison preamp by Jack Conners at Interlochen
Lavry Preamp
A very very hot 2U, 4 stereo channel preamp controlled digitally through switches and an unlabeled rear panel. It’s another transparent, expensive preamp used at the Banff Centre. The rack is modular by stereo channel, and operates through a digital readout.
Judging by the amount of articles on the Lavry website, the focus of the company seems to be more on digital converters than preamps. While companies like Millennia or Grace have more models of preamps than converters, Lavry carries one preamp, and several converters.
Millennia HV-3c
The Two channel Millennia preamp is a 1U space version of the 4 or 8 channels. I used an older HV-3c model at Banff. Again, an absolute favorite and enough so I had to buy one for myself.
As noted on the other Millennia’s:
However, I consider the Millennia sound much like the Emm Labs converters and other hi-fi product; very pristine accuracy in the high end. Sometimes I do not like it, and prefer a smoother response. For other applications its perfects. Just depends on the source material. As John La Grou wrote in this article:
Within these classifications exists a wide array of design techniques and specifications"....."It suffices to say that each design approach, when done well, has a definite place in professional audio and can provide the engineer with subjective and objective solutions not achievable in the studio console.
Millennia HV-3d / Digi 002
This is the main rig I used at Michigan State University for the majority of concerts including the Lansing Symphony, M.S.U. Symphony and Wind Symphony as well as a handful of other remote projects. The 8-channel Millennia HV-3d solid state highly-transparent preamps [25-bloody-lbs!] connected line-in to the Digidesign 002-rack firewire interface for ProTools.
Paired with an Apple Powerbook and external hard drive, this was a high-quality mobile rig [aside from the 25lbs!] that sounded great. Thrown in some good A/Ds and it’d be amazing.
As noted on the other Millennia’s:
However, I consider the Millennia sound much like the Emm Labs converters and other hi-fi product; very pristine accuracy in the high end. Sometimes I do not like it, and prefer a smoother response. For other applications its perfects. Just depends on the source material. As John La Grou wrote in this article:
Within these classifications exists a wide array of design techniques and specifications"....."It suffices to say that each design approach, when done well, has a definite place in professional audio and can provide the engineer with subjective and objective solutions not achievable in the studio console.
Millennia M-2b
At Recording Services, the M-2b is not often used, because of the nature of remote-gig live being bumpy and risky for tubes. Also, the sound of the tube will be lost with audience noise, and in the space the 2-channels take up, we can fit the HV-3D with 8 preamps instead.
I use this preamp during recording sessions, especially Marimba, or easy 2-track concerts such as MSU Chorale.
As noted on the other Millennia’s:
However, I consider the Millennia sound much like the Emm Labs converters and other hi-fi product; very pristine accuracy in the high end. Sometimes I do not like it, and prefer a smoother response. For other applications its perfects. Just depends on the source material. As John La Grou wrote in this article:
Within these classifications exists a wide array of design techniques and specifications"....."It suffices to say that each design approach, when done well, has a definite place in professional audio and can provide the engineer with subjective and objective solutions not achievable in the studio console.
MX2424
One Heavy monster of a 24-track recorder. Tascam made this machine about the same time as the Radar, though this did not gain as much popularity as the Radar (and I think the Radar had better converters anyways). One bay for either another SCSI (old standard) hard drive or a burner. 24 lights for 24 tracks through a 24-pin connection in and out.
In the rack pictured is an eight-channel Truesystems Precision preamp. I didn’t get enough use on them for a review, and at Michigan State we typically had one or both of the HV-3d eight-channel Millennia (at least when I was recording).
Mytek 96 A/D
High quality analog to digital converter.
This is the one piece of gear I have not used, but it was highly recommended and remains more affordable than some of the others (and comes in two-channels, and not eight… ~cough~meitner~cough~). The manual screams for the box to be opened and tinkered with, and after doing so there are a handful of switches and jumpers - totally old skoole computer style! And it sounds pretty good too!
Pyramix
Made by Mergning Technologies on the other side of the Atlantic (that’d be Europe for those geographically-challenged), Pyramix is a PC-only software with both a full and “native” version designed for audio production. The full version is used with a DSP card, either third-party or by Merging called the Mykerinos card able to accept 24 digital inputs.
With macros, source-destination editing and a versatile mixer, Pyramix is used more in classical, post-sound and mastering. The program’s a little buggy, and I have had times the mixer sends signal anywhere but where I want it, but editing was remarkably better than ProTools.
And being anti-Windows/pro-Mac I have to knock on the makers for not choosing to port the program to the Mac. (And I don’t dual-boot my Mac with OSX and Crap). I would own a copy if it were not for this issue.
