What piece of gear (or software) has most improved your work this year?

[michaelhoddy]

What piece of gear (or software) has most improved your work this year?

Many of us buy lots of stuff, and hopefully all of it improves our work or the way we work, but there are occasionally pieces which utterly transform HOW we work, and move us onto a different level. What are they for you?

This year, for me, they're pretty simple, because I didn't buy much gear this year. In year's past, they've been things like converters or my ADAM studio monitors, but this year, it was a plug-in and a keyboard.

The plug-in was, oddly enough, TC Electronic's MasterX3. It's designed to be one of those "finalizer" plugins for two-track/stereo buss work, but instead, it's become my all-purpose buss compressor/limiter. I use it on the drum buss all the time, and often on the guitars and percussion too. It's completely changed how I mix those things.

The second one is my Nord Stage 76 keyboard, which I got off eBay. I've been a keyboard player for 20 years (growing up as a kid) and a full-time professional musician/engineer for the last 7, but this is probably the first electronic instrument which is "my" sound. Only a few basic sounds, but lots of knobs, effects, and general tweakability. I play completely differently than I did a year ago, with this as a big reason.

So what are yours?

Happy Thanksgiving, all.

[edcampos]

Hey Michael,

I have bought a lot of gear this year since I've basically gotten serious about engineering in the last year or so. For me there were a few pieces that, although didn't significantly change the way I work, might be worth mentioning and sharing with everyone else.

The first big change came from going from an analog "moduling" synth (microKORG) to an actual analog synthesizer (Mini Moog Voyager). The difference in the amount of "tweakability" is amazing, not to mention the overall sound difference from analog to digital is also vast.

The second was a Vintech 473 pre, which again didn't change the way I record too much, but just gave me so much better results on everything I've tried them on so far. It is extremely flexible: "essential" EQ, impedance switch, and separate step gain and output dials. Wow, I love this piece.

That's about it. Looking forward to hearing about everyone else's findings!

[Tarktones]

I gotta say the Waves SSL 4000 bundle has made a monumental difference for me.

[Drumlooney]

For me it was not something I bought (although my Soundelux 195 has become my all purpose mic) but getting my Harrison Raven console fixed has made me go back and re-record almost every project I had been working on.

[Audioholic]

All Virtual Instruments I bought this year, which, has been plentiful. They have made my music sound So much better.

[dpd]

Elemental Audio's Inspector XL - really makes me be careful with levels, adhere to Bob Katz' K-system and the spectrum analyzer has helped me become far better with EQ.

I'm currently working on a project with a group who's viola player uses a pretty crappy reverb. I tracked a recent live show and took his feed right off his reverb. It turns out the reverb has some very sharp, non-harmonic, resonant artifact. I used the spectragram feature of Inspector XL to separate this peak from harmonics very close to it and notched the puppy out - huge improvement.

Now, if I can only find a good-sounding 2-bus RTAS limiter.

[robertallen]

I agree with Audioholic. I purchased Ampeg SVX and Akoustik Piano, along with Elektrik Piano...they have been amazing for me.

[The Bionic Board]

Hey drumlooney, it's me, felix from DC. Good to see you "hear" :)

This year it was the Rosetta 200, the Adam ANF's and the UA 21176. Combined they really made a huge difference in my productions.

When I listen to stuff now... well it's just killer compared to what I was getting last year.

Next year I want that SSL G compressor. I am also looking at getting a big honkin soundelux mic and perhaps a couple ribbons for piano recording.:bounce:

[digdrum1]

This might sound completely bass ackwards but I "treated" myself to an ear doctors appointment. I had my ears cleaned and tested and found out where I needed help in the sonic world.....somewhere around 8k.....damn snare drum!...lol Ever since my mixes have been a tad more open.....or are they? I can't hear anything...HA!

[The Bionic Board]

This might sound completely bass ackwards but I "treated" myself to an ear doctors appointment. I had my ears cleaned and tested and found out where I needed help in the sonic world.....somewhere around 8k.....damn snare drum!...lol Ever since my mixes have been a tad more open.....or are they? I can't hear anything...HA!

yeah, I just had my ears checked as well. 4K in left, 6K in the right. My ears were clean, but I have very thin eardrums the doc told me (he pressure tested them) as a result of all the ear infections I had as a kid. very complete check up.

He said I would find some frequencies more sensitive to listen too and the rest was pretty normal thank god. He wasn't sure exactly how much I would have to attenuate those frequencies in question, but I'm thinking at least 3 to 5 db. :bunny: