Tube warmers

Kymeia · Post by **Kymeia** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 10:47 am

Is there anything like a Vintage warmer in a Scope effects? - looking for something to liven up and warm synth sounds from my G2.

erminardi · Post by **erminardi** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 10:55 am

MCCIRANO's devices based upon various Flexor saturators (tube, tape, etc).
Try also CW Softclip, it features a tube saturation inside.
IMO these devices above are a lot better than PSP Vintage Warmer.

Kymeia · Post by **Kymeia** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 11:38 am

Thanks - I've just found his Modular insert device so I can use my own Flexor stuff too as an insert - cool

Shroomz~> · Post by **Shroomz~>** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 1:09 pm

The PSP device is a bit over-rated imo. It's got a nice subtle sound, but it's so subtle that it's barely worth using on anything other than a whole mix & even then it's debaitable whether it's worthwhile or not.

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 1:56 pm

Same goes 4 their Lexicon PCM emulation. When I first started to get interested in DAW's, I gave their stuff a listen as I wanted 2 DAW's 4 redundancy on stage. But after 2 seconds, I decided that hardware was where it was at still. Then I heard the Pulsar Project card demo at a music store in Las Vegas, and realised that I could mix SFP with my hardware and get the best of both worlds. I still use a Lexicon/Line 6 Echo Pro combo, but when I need a nice variation I use Adern Tape Drive w/ SFP Pryme Tyme, and SSB devices. It gives me a great variation of FX w/saturation fade outs. Soft clip is also nice, it rounds out the signals like an old MacIntosh tube power amp. MYCCRANO's stuff is being fiddled with now. He's made so many devices I cannot test them all!! I hope he lives long and prospers.

Kymeia · Post by **Kymeia** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 2:45 pm

Not heard of Prime time - what is it?

The Modular insert seems to have the limitation of not being able to load whole modular ensembles so you have to recreate them one piece at a time by dragging from an instance of modular which is a bit of a pain if they are big.

hifiboom · Post by **hifiboom** » Fri Aug 11, 2006 8:54 pm

I wouldn`t use PSP Vintage Warmer on any serious task....

Its more a sound destroyer than a sound optimizer...
It sounds totally digital, and nothing like a tube...

A simple hardclip is more analog sounding than this one.....

But I do like the PSP42 and 84 delays...

[ This Message was edited by: hifiboom on 2006-08-11 21:55 ]

MCCY · Post by **MCCY** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 12:58 am

nonono...

not modular insert !!!!

USE FI_SHx for that. It's a bit complicated, installing it (maybe someone could help me with an installing routine) but you don't have to rebuild anything.

SHx is the older (simpler also mono version). FI_SHx is still in developement (I didn't upload the latest version... there will follow a mono version too, when some things are finished)

Birthdaychild Martin

[ This Message was edited by: MCCYRANO on 2006-08-12 02:17 ]

Post by **irrelevance** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 4:55 am

Indeed! many happy returns Martin

Jimmy I'm still using the psp 84 marketed as the "bigger brother" which to my ears sounds gorgeous. I love the smooth real time modulations (not possible with creamware echo/delay) And the integrated spring reverb is lush. Quality vst.
Saying that, SpaceF's Echo goes beyond anything else i could care to mention. ALthough I'm still trying to tame this beast

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 11:36 am

Pryme Tyme device is a 3rd paty developement made by a former Scope DP guy from L.A.. It was meant to replace the Lexicon PCM 42, and also the old 12 bit Lexicon Prime Time. These were the favorites from the day 4 studio, and live work. When you combine the two models you have the ability to loop, and have control on the trail offs in respect to audio degradation, like the old Tape Delays. The ability to control the trail offs on each repeat is a blast. As I used both of these in their hardware version, and could not control the BPM's, or aftertouch/modwheel modulations, as those inventions were still on the drawing board. So IMHO, hardware is worth emulating, 4 you can get the sound of the old device you are emulating, and now add new types of modulation, and control. The old Prime Time had sliders w/ plastic knobby's like the ARP Odyssey, and I would struggle with my free hand, while playing live, and try to match the tempo. I wouldn't dream of it now.
Glad the PSP Audio guys upgraded their VST emu, cause the impression I got when I heard it back on Gigastudio, w/ EgoSys WAMI-Rack wasn't in the ball park.
I am anxious to hear SpaceF's delays. I just got Black Box II, but haven't had the time to mess with it yet. Now I have more types of delay then I know what to do with.
The main reason I still love the hardware FX is 4 their audio quality, and mostly the lack of zippering effects when changing room size, and delay times with MIDI. It is glitch free. The PrymeTyme dev.is also w/o zippering effects, and that's why I use it most of the time.

To Us, And Those Like Us,

_________________
Jimmy V.

Vocals, and Solo instruments sound great w/ hardware/DAW FX creating distance/panning in respect to reverb room size, being controlled by expression pedal, or an accurate slider. Think of Carl Palmer's ( ELP )_drums on the end of their song " Lucky Man ", The drums seem to fade away into a larger, and larger concert hall. The Actual volume remains the same. Variations on this with solo piano, or a vocal, add depth and movement to the instrument you are treating it with. Zippers kill this audio illusion.

[ This Message was edited by: scope4live on 2006-08-12 14:17 ]

emzee · Post by **emzee** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 9:02 pm

Is anybody running their softsynth out through a genuine valve pre? ......... then back into their DAW? ......probably a stupid question but I'm good at those.

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 5:28 am

An idea that I tried was similar. I was testing the Groove Tubes Brick as a mic pre last year, and spent more time running my B2003, and external hardware synths through it 4 some nice warming up stuff. It is a fairly cheap and good sounding effect, but I think that it is an overkill 4 synths. I found a device that was a synth/organ pre amp w/tubes modeled after the Leslie 147 tube pre amp that sounded damn good. It was a simple stompbox, w/ on/off switch and a few knobs. It worked extremely well 4 that effect, and it was very reasonable price wise. I believe they now have a rack version working. Search 4 Speakeasy Vintage Tube Pre. This pedal sounded great, but I am still looking at a vintage tube mixer with 8 channels. I wish to run an entire mix through SFP, i.e. vocals,drums,bass,guitar,keys,percussion,and sound FX. I am planning on having 2 SFP DAW's making me money this winter. Both in different venues.

dehuszar · Post by **dehuszar** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 12:34 pm

Emzee,

I do that all the time. There's something about passing the signal through physical cables that does pleasing things to the tone, Valve pre or not.

Another neat trick is to take a keyboard amp or even your studio monitors (be sure to not have any of the mic'd signal go back to your monitors of course) and distance mic them.

One of the things that makes old suitcase Rhodes and Wurli's sound so great is that people are not direct-lining them into the mixer, but micing their own built in speakers or micing an amp. Having synths sound like they exist in the same room as your guitars goes a long way towards fattening up the sound. VST's especially benefit from this, but the CWA stuff also gets a healthy sheen.

Always play around, when given half a chance.

Sam

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 1:13 pm

Those are great ideas!! I have a friend who has done some crazy stuff 4 recording w/ mics that gets him unique results. Acoustic guitar in a bathtub was shocking. He even recorded a vocal at an old high school where four hallways connected with a soffet ceiling ( a 360 degree circle that sits several inches below connected ceilings ) that sounds like an expensive AMS reverb!! I love this kind of experimental stuff as we strive to get the ideas in our heads out to the speakers.

Strength And Honor,

emzee · Post by **emzee** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 5:08 pm

Thanks folks, it all helps.

emzee · Post by **emzee** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 6:31 pm

Somebody mentioned a harmonic expander.... I can't find anything about that...can anyone point me towards one of those?

Kymeia · Post by **Kymeia** » Sun Aug 13, 2006 10:38 pm

On 2006-08-12 01:58, MCCYRANO wrote:
nonono... not modular insert !!!!

USE FI_SHx for that. It's a bit complicated, installing it (maybe someone could help me with an installing routine) but you don't have to rebuild anything.

SHx is the older (simpler also mono version). FI_SHx is still in developement (I didn't upload the latest version... there will follow a mono version too, when some things are finished)

Birthdaychild Martin

[ This Message was edited by: MCCYRANO on 2006-08-12 02:17 ]

I've been trying that - it brings up the dropdown list of filters but there's no sound when I use it as an insert - what do I need to do to set it up right? (paths I presume?) - I do have Flexor (and RD - does it do RD modules too??)

btw - happy birthday belatedly