Trackmaster, Voicemaster or Voicemaster Pro?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Loki Laufeyiarson on May 10, 2008 at 7:03pm

I own a voicemaster pro.
Since I bought that one, I hardly use anything else for vocals. Just ading a little delay/reverb afterwards. With the VM pro I can get the vocals to sound the way I like them (compression/eq/gate/tube and tape emulation/de-esser).
So what do you wanna know from me?

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by EOSPete on May 10, 2008 at 7:12pm

I am guessing that the extra 170 for the Pro version is well worthwhile then?
The basic version doesn't have the De-esser or tube harmonics.
I'd rather wait a while and get the best I can if you reckon the Pro version is a huge amount better.
I can buy a 2nd user unit of the VMPro for £200.
Cheers for your reply. Seems the Pro is the way to go.

P

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Loki Laufeyiarson on May 11, 2008 at 8:55pm

To me it was worth it. I use the tube emulation a lot for vocalparts that need to sound extra raw/hot. And it also is very nice on some guitarparts too.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Escape Velocity on May 12, 2008 at 1:17am

How good is the tube emulation on the VM pro? I'm thinking of saving my pennies for a TLA 5000 series channel strip (real tubes) rather than splashing out for the VMPro's emulation. Is it really worth the investment to get a hardware emulation of a tube when there's so many good software ones around? (e.g. The Avalon 737 that ships with Cakewalk's Sonar Producer 6 and 7, or the UAD tube channel and compression sims)

Cheers

Jez

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by wanabeme308 on May 12, 2008 at 7:34am

Hey EV,
this kind just give you a little bit feeling about Tube, it can't be the same with a real Tube, I think you keep you TLA because it's very kind :) I love real Tube sound and guess you too.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Loki Laufeyiarson on May 12, 2008 at 7:44pm

It is a pretty decent tube emulation. But as it is with every emulation: it isn't the real thing, yet with the real thing you have tubes and tubes (meaning: different quality, I don't know what kind of tubes are used in that TLA strip, but sometimes bad quality tubes sound worse than a good emulator).
To me it is just handy because I don't have to add the tube sound afterwards anymore.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by wanabeme308 on May 12, 2008 at 7:30am

I did use a VM Pro with De-esser 'n' Tube Harmonizer inside. I realize that this type sounds good with cheap mircophone ( lower than 1000 Usd) and being worse with expensive microphone. I used it with my C-414 TL II and figured out some real good preset. With a cheap tool I think it works.
What do you need when starting this discuss? Because there are a lot of works we can do with a Pre-Amp

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by EOSPete on May 12, 2008 at 7:50am

Okay to add some detail.
I will be putting my own vocal through it (singing) and also use it for voiceovers for a podcast type purpose.
At the moment my mics are SM57 and Behringer B2Pro.
Would also plan on using the VMPro for sweetening keyboard and drum parts recorded both DI and via micing.
Cheers
P

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by wanabeme308 on May 12, 2008 at 8:04am

I'm not sure about SM57, but with B2 Pro, it really works.

I don't think it can sweeten sound, 'cause it work good with treble freq, not good with bass and mid freq. But it can help fattening your sound. However maybe I didn't find out all of its useful, you can try after owning it and give me some idea. I really like this product.

Actually, there is a little problem with noise-gate, or maybe it just happen in my country ( Vietnam has dirty-noisy electric). You better check a point before paying it.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by EOSPete on May 12, 2008 at 12:11pm

What sort of problem do you get with the gate please?

I sometimes get a fluttering effect on some 'wavy' sounds as the gate shuts down on my Alesis 3630 noise gate. I think that this is because my threshold and release settings are maybe too fine. This happens most when reverb is present in the signal. I really only need to use the VMPro gate/expander to cut out computer noise when tracking vocals. I guess the gate can be creatively harsh if needs be for dum processing?

Cheers
P

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Escape Velocity on May 15, 2008 at 12:46pm

If you're getting those sorts of issues I'd personally move the reverb back further in the signal chain. Gate before the reverb and you won't get weird transients screwing with the threshold and release settings. Of course, you might want to actually gate a reverberant signal - I'd back off the wet/dry ratio on the reverb if that's the case... maybe whack it all through a slapback delay further downstream if you want a little more space in the mix. Perhaps an alternative would be to use a gate with Side-Chain input and use a clean copy of the signal you're throwing through the reverb as the side-chain trigger. That might give you a little more control over the gate activation?

Finally, you can as you say adjust your threshold and release settings. I'd perhaps boost the threshold and release settings to higher values? Or perhaps what you need (especially with reverb upstream of the gate) is actually an expander rather than a gate. Drop those offending reverb tails out below the noise floor and drop your gain accordingly.

Just random thoughts... for all I know, you might actually LIKE the flutter! ;)

Cheers


Jez

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by EOSPete on May 15, 2008 at 5:18pm

Great tips Jez
I learn so much by posting here though there is so much to learn!
Much appreciated
P

▶ Reply to This

• 1
• 2