external gear on master mix bus

[antoniodelrio]

Hi,

maybe it will sound stupid.... but, is there any way to route external gear (I'm thinking on a mixbus comp and EQ) in the master bus as an insert. I mean, it would be great to route these external gear while the signal is coming out through master out and spdif so it can be externally master recorded. Does it make sense?

Thanks guys

[Crash]

There is no way to "insert" on the master in terms of external boxes. However, you can do a kind of cool work around that I did on my d8b when I was using that and my dxb currently. It works the same on both desks.

I leave my dxb out the master bus digitally and hit an analog converter (Apogee Rosetta) to convert to analog to hit an A-Designs Pultec clone, Clariphonic, A-Designs Nail. Once I hit all of those various boxes in that chain, I convert back to digital via the Apogee and then hit an L2 hardware limiter into an Alesis Masterlink and then back to the console with the output of the Masterlink into "digital in 1" on the console.

The cool thing about this setup is that it allows me to hear what is happening pre the master bus chain and post just by selecting "L/R" for pre or "Digital in 1" post the external goodies.

If you don't have an external converter, you could simulate the same setup by going analog out of the console through your whiz bang boxes and returning through "Tape A" and achieve the same sort of results I would guess.

Hope that makes sense.

[captainamerica]

I use a similar setup as Crash indicated ...relying on my "Avalon" gear to process and mix Analog and Digital signals - pre and post. You get pretty creative with the db8's power

[antoniodelrio]

Wow, Honestly I am impressed. Actually this kind of solution is really smart. I’m not owning currently AD/DA converters for that purpose, but I can put them in the basket. Very clever solution.
Thanks guys.

[Crash]

Wow, Honestly I am impressed. Actually this kind of solution is really smart. I’m not owning currently AD/DA converters for that purpose, but I can put them in the basket. Very clever solution.
Thanks guys.

Glad we could show you a solution.

[Steam Radio]

If you don't have an external converter, you could simulate the same setup by going analog out of the console through your whiz bang boxes and returning through "Tape A" and achieve the same sort of results I would guess.

Hope that makes sense.

Hi Crash, Interesting thread that sort of ties into something I wanted to do with adding finalising effects after the master mix but not through the main effects mixing which would suit my simpler patching set up, so if i've got this right and going on your simpler idea of going analog out and back into the "Tape A", I have included a photo of how I think you are describing the set up.
Am I on the right track?, thank in advance. Paul

[Crash]

If you don't have an external converter, you could simulate the same setup by going analog out of the console through your whiz bang boxes and returning through "Tape A" and achieve the same sort of results I would guess.

Hope that makes sense.

Hi Crash, Interesting thread that sort of ties into something I wanted to do with adding finalising effects after the master mix but not through the main effects mixing which would suit my simpler patching set up, so if i've got this right and going on your simpler idea of going analog out and back into the "Tape A", I have included a photo of how I think you are describing the set up.
Am I on the right track?, thank in advance. Paul

In theory, that should work the way I described it. You could hit the L/R button to hear pre processing or select Tape A to hear post.

[Steam Radio]

That's exactly what I was hoping for, thanks for your advice and knowledge Crash.

[Bruce Graham]

Hi All;
Another method is to route your mix to the group outs (1 &2 for example), connect those to your "Box(s)" then return them into either to
(a) 2 line inputs (channel 23 & 24 for example), then routh that to L & R, or
(b) the Alt I/O with an analog card installed. The Alt I/O fader get routed to the L & R.

Listing pre external inserts is done with Mix Down Solo.

Not as effective but it works as well.

Cheers
Bruce

[captainamerica]

there are a TON of options, key is to have a good working patch-bay workflow thought out ahead of time...thus allowing your to patch on demand when you are tracking and mixing between the Analog/Digital world.