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Just got this pic through from a build I have got in place for a SSL style G-series compressor. (ETA 2 weeks to go! ) This will be my first piece of outboard gear and I can't wait to get to grips with it, Just wanted to share this beauty with the world and see who else is already on the outboard boat or has any tales of when they first went outside the box

Thats sick!
I've always thought it would be awesome to have a hardware compressor, you use the thing so damn much that it would be beyond valuable. Send all your stems through that compressor before final mix down, and I bet it'd sound absolutely beautiful.

Have to ask, did you buy the module or build this yourself? I was going to try to build a compressor, but then I realized that I had no clue how to do any of the soldering or work with PCB and stuff. If you could point me in the direction of some good reliable info on how to do this kind of stuff I would be eternally grateful haha.

cheshirebeats wrote:Thats sick!
I've always thought it would be awesome to have a hardware compressor, you use the thing so damn much that it would be beyond valuable. Send all your stems through that compressor before final mix down, and I bet it'd sound absolutely beautiful.

Have to ask, did you buy the module or build this yourself? I was going to try to build a compressor, but then I realized that I had no clue how to do any of the soldering or work with PCB and stuff. If you could point me in the direction of some good reliable info on how to do this kind of stuff I would be eternally grateful haha.

It's being built by someone else (with much more capable hands!)

It's mainly for mastering duties (hence all the controls being stepped) with a turbo mod and HPF sidechain (so that I can use it on other things too like drum busses )

There's a few tutorials online for building this sort of thing. (A couple of decent forums about too) if you are interested in having one built then I can PM you the details of the person responsible.

so your going more outbound with your gear now? my buddy has a nice compressor set up to catch vocals from the booth coming inbound.

Eat Bass wrote:so your going more outbound with your gear now? my buddy has a nice compressor set up to catch vocals from the booth coming inbound.

I c wat u did ther

Hmmm I've found myself selling alot of outboard stuff, well I say a lot not much but my point is I'm kind of going the other way. I think a lot of outboard is overrated. For example I bought an old Revox PR99 MK11 tape machine ages ago so I could use it to saturate tracks with true analogue tape distortion. Fact of the matter is I sold it recently as it was a pain in arse (tape hiss wasn't something I really wanted to add) and a plugin such as Magnetic was just as good, quicker and easier IMO.

I think things like outboard compressors on vocals / instruments are better to have than software for leveling and controlling what goes into your AD convertors but for normal mixing software is fine. Then outboard for mastering!

any tips on using outboard compressors for mastering?

Hircine wrote:any tips on using outboard compressors for mastering?

I rented a DBX 162SL compressor once to try and master an old hip hop / breakbeat EP, I did my best with it and played around to find a balance between a loud sound but minimal artifacts. I then got Transition Mastering to do the job properly and compared the results. Mine wasn't as loud basically and it still had more unwanted artifacts. I'd say leave it to the mastering pros, but I hate mastering, nothing wrong with having a shot!

Promise One wrote:

Hircine wrote:any tips on using outboard compressors for mastering?

I rented a DBX 162SL compressor once to try and master an old hip hop / breakbeat EP, I did my best with it and played around to find a balance between a loud sound but minimal artifacts. I then got Transition Mastering to do the job properly and compared the results. Mine wasn't as loud basically and it still had more unwanted artifacts. I'd say leave it to the mastering pros, but I hate mastering, nothing wrong with having a shot!

yeah, I know, I hate mastering my tracks too, I just shove a tape exciter thing, limit and leave it that way.

outbound wrote:see who else is already on the outboard boat or has any tales of when they first went outside the box

I've got a stereo preamp, comp and eq for bringing external sources into the box.

A tale: I bought my eq off ebay from a studio in Brooklyn. Somewhat vintage from the 70's you know, so like vintage for my generation . I was eagerly expecting the package to arrive. Then one day I caught a kind of shadow outside my door. I think I was in my underroos at the time, but I started running to the door. Out of this window by my door I saw the post lady hold the box out at arms length and just drop the box on my doorstep to a large crashing thump. It was like my heart was in that box. I grabbed a pair of pants to chase after her, but she was already gone by the time I got out the door... Opened up the box and the eq was DOA! Motherfuck! Luckily the package was insured, and insurance covered the cost of me opening the eq up, figuring out what was smashed and doing some soldering repairs. Shit has a very beefy power switch now! (although everything has that vintage patina, and then there is this bright and shiny power switch my power switch. I do love "outbound" gear.

nowaysj wrote:

outbound wrote:see who else is already on the outboard boat or has any tales of when they first went outside the box

I've got a stereo preamp, comp and eq for bringing external sources into the box.

A tale: I bought my eq off ebay from a studio in Brooklyn. Somewhat vintage from the 70's you know, so like vintage for my generation . I was eagerly expecting the package to arrive. Then one day I caught a kind of shadow outside my door. I think I was in my underroos at the time, but I started running to the door. Out of this window by my door I saw the post lady hold the box out at arms length and just drop the box on my doorstep to a large crashing thump. It was like my heart was in that box. I grabbed a pair of pants to chase after her, but she was already gone by the time I got out the door... Opened up the box and the eq was DOA! Motherfuck! Luckily the package was insured, and insurance covered the cost of me opening the eq up, figuring out what was smashed and doing some soldering repairs. Shit has a very beefy power switch now! (although everything has that vintage patina, and then there is this bright and shiny power switch my power switch. I do love "outbound" gear.

buy a gun, you won't have to chase people anymore.

Yeah time for a name change again: outboard

Anyway, I went in reverse. I switched from hardware to software over a few years. Still have some hardware but mostly just rare gem type stuff. When I started there was only a handful of VST developers, now one pops up every week it seems. Software/hardware is pretty equal now IMO except for a few areas.

My first hardware I abused was a mixing console where I would clip the hell out of everything trying to be like Dillinja in that old metalheadz doc, then run it a bit hot into DAT like BCUK did. That's the kind of stuff where hardware still is worth it IMO. One of the best things about software thus far is being able to CTRL+F. The worst thing was having 100s of tapes, floppies, and ZIPs floating around everywhere and having to load multiple physical volumes.

I have two pieces here at Subsequent Mastering(and a third which is now sold) built by the same guy (Mark Watson) who built Jon Outbounds compressor.

The first is a stepped stereo mastering version of the old Sontec MEP250 mastering EQ from the early 70s. It's one hell of an eq, 5 bands parametric. cute!

The second is a stepped adaptation of the NIGHT EQ3D EQ with some special additions including a Mid Side mode and switchable transformers for you gear sluts! This is coming to me the same time as Jon's compressor featured in the OP as he's dropping them off in Notts at the same time

some more info is here http://subsequentmastering.com/equipment.html

Care to be more precise on addresses? I also live in Notts and would love to burgle your houses.

would love to hear it-- the buss comp on the SSL 400) G is an amazing bit of circuitry.

i definitely don't miss hardware samplers and bullshit digital hardware like ADATS, but good circuits will always be a part of recorded music.

wormcode wrote:Yeah time for a name change again: outboard

Anyway, I went in reverse. I switched from hardware to software over a few years. Still have some hardware but mostly just rare gem type stuff. When I started there was only a handful of VST developers, now one pops up every week it seems. Software/hardware is pretty equal now IMO except for a few areas.

My first hardware I abused was a mixing console where I would clip the hell out of everything trying to be like Dillinja in that old metalheadz doc, then run it a bit hot into DAT like BCUK did. That's the kind of stuff where hardware still is worth it IMO. One of the best things about software thus far is being able to CTRL+F. The worst thing was having 100s of tapes, floppies, and ZIPs floating around everywhere and having to load multiple physical volumes.

bingo, in spite of me having lovely outboard gear it rarely gets used unless it's a special case due to the hassle

I am at a really happy place w my outboard gear. ComPressor preamp eq couple outboard samplers and synths, most everything is patchbayed up so getting into the box is a breeze. I just don't really come out of the box, that is kind of a hassle.

Just a quick update here but from the sounds of it things are pretty much finished (only the testing stage to go) and should have this at some point next week