• Coffee House
  • Question about Pro Channel Consolue Emulation
2013/01/14 15:39:47
Bub
I've seen some threads where people say they hear nothing, and others that say they hear something awesome and it's changed their life for ever and they got a tatoo on their arm that says "I *a picture of a heart* Pro Channel Console EMU".
 
Here's why I ask ...
 
I've been doing and re-doing a lead to an instrumental I'm working on all morning. I have the Console EMU enabled. I couldn't really hear any difference and ended up cranking it all the way up and left it there.
 
All I've done is record takes, deleting/slip edit them. I changed no other setting in this project.
 
All of a sudden in the middle of a take, the sound of the guitar distorted really bad. Turns out it was the Console EMU on that track. It suddenly started working, and since I had it cranked all the way up, it distorted very noticeably.
 
I've been working on this project for hours ... days actually, without so much as a hint of anything working on the Console EMU, now all of a sudden it's affecting the sound. It sounds good when I tone it down, but what the heck? It did nothing ever since I've been using X2, now all of a sudden out of the blue it's functioning? Am I going nuts here or is it possible that they coded something in to it so it has to be on and drivin hot for a while before it does anything, you know, like a tube amp warming up.
 
What I'm concerned about is, it's a problem with things randomly turning on/off like I had with X1.
 
I'm at a loss as to why it's working now.
 
Thoughts anyone?
2013/01/14 16:26:58
The Maillard Reaction


So you really like the sound of it?






:-)
2013/01/14 16:56:14
Bub
Well ... sort of, I guess. On my $15 dollar headphones. Heh.

But like I said, what scares me is, that whole on / off thing like I went through before. Up until this last week I've only been using X2 to remix old projects. I just started using it to record.

This take lanes thing too ... what the bloody h e double hockey sticks is that all about? You can't zoom, you can't play multiple takes at the same time, no layers ... Ey yi yi.

I'd go back to 8.5.3 if I hadn't already gotten used to a competitors DAW.

It's all over but the crying at this point. Sad really.
2013/01/14 17:28:06
The Maillard Reaction



"is it possible that they coded something in to it so it has to be on and drivin hot for a while before it does anything, you know, like a tube amp warming up."




I think this is entirely possible.














But, I don't think it was done on purpose.




2013/01/14 18:15:09
ampfixer
There's many little things in the current version of Sonar that I find hit and miss. I spent a lot of time over the weekend trying to get my A-Pro to work with it. I was doing everything correctly and no go, then suddenly it just started working again. I've had other issues but that one is still fresh in my mind.

THere's no way they coded thermal run away into the console emu. Who designs failure into their software. 
2013/01/14 19:22:54
Mooch4056



My experience with the console emulator is ......  I can't hear a difference and feel scammed. 

But cakewalk would never scam us. 

Ummmm at least I hope not 

2013/01/14 19:43:42
Danny Danzi
Bub, is it possible you had that track frozen and then re-enabled the CE? The reason I ask, when you freeze track with the PC enabled, it disables PC completely as it is included in the freeze. Or, I've noticed that in some older projects, the master PC light at the top right, was turned off. I'm sitting here working not even noticing the master on/off on the channel was off until nothing I changed made a difference....then I noticed the light was out.

I haven't experienced any of those old anomalies we had in X1 with the on/off thing thankfully. I can say this though...older projects not created in X2 have always been a bit strange for me to where I've had to alter things. I can't remember exactly what I've had to fix, but let's just say that when I had enough of listening extra hard and watching every little thing, I started labeling my songs "name of song X1" or "name of song X2" or "name of song 8.5" so I never make any mistakes. I've found that is's best to always finish a project in the version your started it with just to keep things cool.

One of the things that I DO remember that always happens to me with older projects and X2 is....it always tells me "can't find wave data, so silence will be inserted". Open the project in 8.5 where it was created, it doesn't do that.

As for the CE, I hear absolutely nothing while using the bus CE. The channel CE just gives me a little drive and makes things a little crisper. The only thing I've found this useful on so far has been newer bass guitar tones where a client is crying for a little drive and sometimes on backing vocals to give them a little "zip" so to speak.

The good thing about the CE drive is...it's good drive. One of the best "drive" sounds I've ever heard from a digital plugin to be honest. It's close to a saturation or sorts depending on which model you use. I've tried enabling one on every track like they recommend and then mixing that way. Then, when you turn them off, you're supposed to hear a pretty decent difference. There's a difference, but not one that I personally welcome. I've worked my entire life to keep drive out of my mixes....it's not something I want or need on every track and to be honest, I can't even tell it's being used unless I crank up that gain a considerable amount. I don't WANT gain on my stuff, so I've stopped using these things.

The Waves versions of these are a little cooler as they give you 32 modeled channels to choose from and each channel has it's own distinct sound without using ANY gain at all. So that to me is a little closer to the way this stuff SHOULD be working. But to be honest, I still don't think I need that and definitely don't need it on every track. To be honest....I think some guys just think they like the sound of those things because they look so cool in your project. :)

-Danny
2013/01/14 20:33:51
Mooch4056
Danny Danzi

To be honest, I still don't think I need that and definitely don't neeTo be honest....I think some guys just think they like the sound of those things because they look so cool in your project. :) 

-Danny

Exactly. 


And I am all for cool looking stuff. Take myself, Bapu, and Mr. Danzi. You know we look cool. And ... Being cool looking is great. But let's face it. That's all the EM does in my opinion. All looks no soul or substance. 








Paul 
 
2013/01/14 21:26:25
Danny Danzi
LOL Paul! Speaking of "cool", someone once asked me what I used in my mastering chain...so I showed them this:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4909348/uad2_wall_o_plugs.jpg

Hahahaha! That's like...the king of cool...but I'd be lying if I said every one of those plugs was useful...and I'd REALLY be lying if I said that was my mastering chain. LOL! :)

-Danny
2013/01/14 22:18:13
Mooch4056
Danny Danzi


LOL Paul! Speaking of "cool", someone once asked me what I used in my mastering chain...so I showed them this:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/4909348/uad2_wall_o_plugs.jpg

Hahahaha! That's like...the king of cool...but I'd be lying if I said every one of those plugs was useful...and I'd REALLY be lying if I said that was my mastering chain. LOL! :)

-Danny

Wow! LOL! Those do look cool. Scary thing is I am able to name most of the plugs. LOL! 


I copied that picture so I can post on my web page (in process of building)  that's my mastering chain.  It's really obvious that anyone who uses all that as a mastering chain is joking or crazy. 



I'll let the client decide which one I am. That's the cool thing to do .... As you all ready know being cool yourself.  LOL!


Paul 







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