I'd Sorta Forgotten How Cool the Console Emulator Can Be

I agree. I use it on every track and bus It really makes a huge difference in the overall sound. I love the different characters of each. I find the "N" to be the one I go to most often but I've found use for the "A" on a few tracks I've been working on and I'm digging the results.

Never used console emulator much when it first got added to Sonar, seemed to mud up my clear mixes.
I did re-visit it . . . and found if I didn't crank it too much I learned to like it.
 
Now I have console emulator included in my "Normal" project startup template, but don't have it turned on.
Don't think it uses much CPU just having it there in OFF position ?
When I turn it on, I mostly like to keep it subtle, especially if the mix is fairly thick already, as it does seem to add more warmth in low mid frequencies, which is not always a good thing.
 
I definitely prefer to add it after a mix is more developed, instead of having it on from the start of mixing.
 
What year did they add the console emulator ? When I opened an older project from 2009 (into X3e), the console emulator is already "pre-inserted" on all audio tracks in the off position. How cool is that.

I have to deal with various DAWs, and I think Sonar with a fully loaded pro channel is absolutely the best console view you can buy. You could arguably cook up something even better with 3rd party stuff in some other DAW. But right out of the box, PC /  console view is a astonishingly good mix platform, both soundwise and ergonomics-wise.
 

I seem to use the "SSL" model more than the other two, I do believe it gives a certain clarity to my mixes. May be all in my head but, like they say, "perception is reality". heh

rscain
I seem to use the "SSL" model more than the other two, I do believe it gives a certain clarity to my mixes. May be all in my head but, like they say, "perception is reality". heh

It's not all in your head, there are measurable and quantifiable differences. I took various measurements and wrote up an article describing these in Sound on Sound.
 
One of the main characteristics is audio transformer emulation. As I've mentioned before, another use of the Console Emulator is with bass by turning up the controls beyond what you'd normally use and getting a little bit of "growl" in there.

Yeah, yeah, and vinyl sounds better. /troll
 
 
 
 
 
 
I'm in favor of whatever sounds good, guys. Please don't kill me

I don't usually use CE.  I go through transformers on acoustic input (usually a Neve channel strip).  But at times, it is just what the doctor ordered.  I had a rocker, Zz top thing, and CE on all the tracks (even those transformered ones) gave it that je ne sais quoi .  It is a tool, not to be forgotten about.  And if you habitually like it and use it, it becomes a part of your style, which is great.  There is more than one way to get from here to there.
 
@

BlixYZ
i don't know if they are accurate- similar to the real thing

Well, for sure the inductors don't pick up hum 

brconflict
It may be subtle, but putting the A-type on drums, the S-Type on Guitars and bass, and the N-Type on vocals is a great way to work. I also have the NLS Summer, which has some awesome models, such as Spike's SSL Channel 29 on guitars, or Mike's Channel 2 on a snare, but I recommend Console emulation on every channel! Sonar has the A-type, which Waves doesn't (oddly enough). What is the A-type? Modeled after a console with amazing transient detail, obviously. Try it on a snare and push it.

I believe the A type is supposed to model a Trident Series A console...?

I find I use the CE on essentially every track, but not as often on my sub groups... I like to use the N type on most things... Guitar, bass, drums, vocals, and the S type on keyboards, but I have occasionally done differently... I've used the A type a bit more selectively... I like it for some guitar sounds...

When I mass switch them, the difference is very definite and I prefer the sound with them than without... My sounds seem to be a bit thicker... And the type of grit I get from each seems very related to my memory of working real boards of the respective names...

Much like the quad EQ... They may not be spot on replicas of the hardware, but they do resemble them enough to be beneficial (to me)...

Keni

I discontinued using Sonar's CE in favor of Steven Slate's VCC. I felt, though subtle, the VCC was more noticeable and had more choices. I highly recommend it or at least a demo. Yes, you need that ilok thing but I never move it.

I must admit that I have misused the Console Emulator in the past. I thought, "If a little is good, more must be better!"
 
I cranked up the drive to about 3 o'clock and turned on the tolerance in all instances. Later, I noticed that my mixes had some unwanted distortion and muddiness. I put all the knobs back to 12 o'clock and switched off tolerance, and everything sounded great. (I probably need to take some time to experiment more with tolerance, but everything is good as-is.)
 
I mostly use the S-Type setting, but will sometimes switch to N-Type for guitars, bass or rock vocals. Not sure why, it just sounds good to me.  

I like all three.
 
As a very rough rule, I have found myself tending to us S Type on jazz/ Classical, N Type on Rock and A Type on Pop/Funk in the past.  Now I usually get an idea as to which will suit the project as the track develops.
 
I have recently experimented with mixing all three within a project.  I was interested to read (in the Cake Blog) that Luigie Gonzalez likes to use the A type for "kicks, bass and everything with low end character because it adds great sub harmonics",  the S Type for "snares, kicks and everything in between to achieve that pocket /punchy sound which warms up the top end frequencies without dulling the sound", and the N Type for "Vocals, synths, guitars and everything that needs to sound frontal or cut through mix."

Anderton
More is definitely not better with the CE. There's a sweet spot, which is why Quick Grouping is so helpful - you can tweak all of them at once and find the sweet spot easily.
 
FWIW I don't use the CE on the Master bus, just the tracks.

Interesting . . . never heard of this, is there a reason why you don't include console emulation on your Master bus ?
 . . . or just personal preference ? There is after all a "console emulator channel" as well as a "console emulator bus",
so I've always thought they were meant to go together.

Noynekker, there is no written law that says you have to use the CE channel just on individual tracks and the CE channel buss on only busses. You can experiment around to find what you like. As stated, some guys like to put a CE at the top of the ProChannell where it hits the EQ and whatever module  and another CE at the bottom. There is a very well written article about the use of the CE on the Cakewalk Blog and a few good videos on YouTube as well. 

Grem
You can have two instances of a module in PC?

Yes! Except for:
 
Only one QuadCurve EQ
Only one of the "default" dynamics options (PC-4K S-Type Buss or PC76)