What is your opinion of a complete "channel in a box", ie Mic preamp, EQ and Compressor. Do you think it's better to buy seperates or are these types of product a cost effective way to obtain 3 units in one ?

Tim

www.buzzaudio.com

TIM,

I THINK THE ANSWER IS ONE YOU ALREADY SUSPECTED - IT DEPENDS TREMENDOUSLY ON THE BOX! IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A FOCUSRITE PRODUCER PACK OR A MANLEY VOX BOX THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THE RESULTS ARE ASTOUNDING AND MULTIFACETED FOR MANY USES. HOWEVER, MANY LESSER BOXES CAN REALLY ONLY MANIPULATE A SUBQUALITY TONE WHICH CAN THEN DRIVE AN ENGINEER ABSOLUTELY INSANE - TRYING TO PIN DOWN THE SOUND YOU'RE AFTER WITH KNOBS THAT JUST WON'T SQUEEZE ANYTHING FROM THE TRACK IS ENOUGH TO EVOKE PRIMAL URGES TO DESTROY GEAR!!!

P.S. I LOVE MY LANGEVIN DVC...

Tim, I think it depends on the box. I have to say that some of the channel strips like the HHB Radius and Classic series and TC Electronic Gold Channel were a really good way to go up until a year ago or so. I think some of the separates that are available now at really good price might take away the real bang-for-the-buck quality of some of the channel strips available.

Still, I really like units like the TL Audio C1 comp [ w/ mic pres ], the Langevin Dual Vocal Combo and the Manley SLAM!

I actually like great compressors and limiters that just happen to have some killer pres built in. And, on that thought, I definitely prefer the two-channel units over the one-channel units. I also think they're more versatile, because not only can you use them for tracking - and in stereo if you wish - but you can also use them for mastering.

This whole channel strip thing came up in ALan Hyatt's Designer's Corner forum when we were initially talking about products the market needed. I still think there are more than enough single-channel channel strips out there, but there's still room for dual pres and even dual comp/limiter with mic pres.

I do think something like the Focusrite ISA 220 has been successful because it's a complete channel strip.

My 2¢.

Dan Richards
Digital Pro Sound
The Listening Sessions