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cakes wrote: Tue Nov 23, 2021 2:45 pm It does have inserts. It's a Tascam Model 12.

Was looking it up before, and these models (12/16/24) only print EQ and FX in mixdown. I mean, that makes sense I guess.

The other option here is to get a mic preamp that has EQ in it. The Preamps on the 12 are pretty transparent, but they don't get a lot of gain. I use some other mic pres to get sufficient gain, but they do lack EQ.

It's really weird that the EQ isn't part of the input being sent to record, but it also leads me to believe that the inserts might not be on the "Way in" as well. Might want to test that with a pedal or something before buying an eq that isn't going to work on the way to "tape". If the insert is NOT in path to tape, a preamp/EQ CH strip thing might be the solution. I bought a pair of ART Pro Channel II on Ebay and they, although not Pultec quality (a hilarious suggestion for the question you originally asked), are functional preamp, comp, Eq that can be had for around $250 on the used market. There is a questionable mod to improve the hum in the power supply that sometimes people complain about. I did it and mine are still not on fire.

Kniferide wrote: Tue Nov 23, 2021 4:28 pm

cakes wrote: Tue Nov 23, 2021 2:45 pm It does have inserts. It's a Tascam Model 12.

Was looking it up before, and these models (12/16/24) only print EQ and FX in mixdown. I mean, that makes sense I guess.

The other option here is to get a mic preamp that has EQ in it. The Preamps on the 12 are pretty transparent, but they don't get a lot of gain. I use some other mic pres to get sufficient gain, but they do lack EQ.

It's really weird that the EQ isn't part of the input being sent to record, but it also leads me to believe that the inserts might not be on the "Way in" as well. Might want to test that with a pedal or something before buying an eq that isn't going to work on the way to "tape". If the insert is NOT in path to tape, a preamp/EQ CH strip thing might be the solution. I bought a pair of ART Pro Channel II on Ebay and they, although not Pultec quality (a hilarious suggestion for the question you originally asked), are functional preamp, comp, Eq that can be had for around $250 on the used market. There is a questionable mod to improve the hum in the power supply that sometimes people complain about. I did it and mine are still not on fire.

Well, I should probably go further and say I'm using a patchbay, and I have outboard gear like compressors and other mic pres, and I can patch whatever I want however I want because patchbays are cool as hell. But, even without the patchbay, I can always process signal before the console input, and that is to say I don't use the inserts because I don't use the FX channels because I'm not recording into the onboard SD card, only into the computer.

(When it comes to practice, the board is cool because I can add effects to vocals and EQ them and mix. Maybe I didn't explain it here, but my studio set up is designed to not make a lot of noise, and everything is basically direct in and we use headphones. The board is quite a good live board, especially for my purpose. But this is a subject for another thread, of which I have already contributed.)

So, I haven't screwed around with the inserts, because I'm not sure if I even need to use them. However, I want to figure out how to use outboard gear in the mixdown, which may be more of a quest around bussing signals. Which is another reason I am interested in having a piece of gear like an EQ for the purpose of mixing.

You can also check Reverb/Ebay for live sound EQs. Something like a Ashly PQX572 Or Ashly SC-66. Or a Klark Teknik DN410.

The ole Rack mount Tascam EQ with the orange knobs sound pretty cool if they are anything like the EQ in my old Tascam 320b console. I liked the Eq in that board.

Kniferide wrote: a hilarious suggestion for the question you originally asked

Hm? Why? The KT clone is < $300 and the original question referenced using it primarily on vocals. Seemed like a reasonable suggestion to me.

One time I really like hardware eq (so much that I use the shitty ones on my board) is eq'ing reverb sends while mixing. Beyond high passing, sometimes all kinds of eq moves makes the reverb sit right and twisting some knobs is my most intuitive way to get there. Plus then I'm not temporarily adding some bizarre eq to a clean vocal track I'll have to immediately remove. If you're processing out of the box, analog eq is zero more work.

Garth wrote: Tue Nov 23, 2021 7:47 pm

Kniferide wrote: a hilarious suggestion for the question you originally asked

Hm? Why? The KT clone is < $300 and the original question referenced using it primarily on vocals. Seemed like a reasonable suggestion to me.

I think the KT "Clone" is a fine enough suggestion, although I don't really think it is the best option for general use EQ. It also is hardly a Pultec in any real way. But at least the knobs look similar. I was talking about the idea of someone suggesting a legit Pultec or accurate clone. Mega dolla billz, yo! I'm not wild about the low end fake Pultecs, but have only had my hands on the WARM, and hear the KT is worse. .

Kniferide wrote: Tue Nov 23, 2021 8:26 pm I'm not wild about the low end fake Pultecs, but have only had my hands on the WARM, and hear the KT is worse. .

FWIW, I bought one at $249 for the hell of it.
Not objectively worse than the board EQs on a prosumer Tascam, and it does do the standard Pultec tricks.

I would not put a pair of the KTs on my master buss or anything, but I would say they are better than the Warm. (the Warm is 3x the price?)
Neither come close to an original or a clone like the Audioscape, but how often are any two vintage Pultecs going to behave the same anyway?
Tools are tools. Use ears. Etc...

This kind of gear is no doubt false economy, but fits OPs price point, and might be more fun to use than crusty old PA gear.

Hot damn, that Art Pro Channel II looks like the thing I need.

I have the VLA II, which I really like. I use it on bass and vocals. I also have the MP and the V3 preamps, which are OK, the V3 can get a little noisy depending on the voicing. I've been looking at the MPA II as a preamp upgrade, but considering that I don't technically need 2 more preamps and I do like what the V3 offers in voicing, the Channel II is probably where it's at for my purpose. I also kinda wanted a third compressor anyway for the possibility of recording tracks live, so this hits so many of the right buttons.

Kniferide wrote: Tue Nov 23, 2021 4:28 pm

cakes wrote: Tue Nov 23, 2021 2:45 pm It does have inserts. It's a Tascam Model 12.

Was looking it up before, and these models (12/16/24) only print EQ and FX in mixdown. I mean, that makes sense I guess.

The other option here is to get a mic preamp that has EQ in it. The Preamps on the 12 are pretty transparent, but they don't get a lot of gain. I use some other mic pres to get sufficient gain, but they do lack EQ.

It's really weird that the EQ isn't part of the input being sent to record, but it also leads me to believe that the inserts might not be on the "Way in" as well. Might want to test that with a pedal or something before buying an eq that isn't going to work on the way to "tape". If the insert is NOT in path to tape, a preamp/EQ CH strip thing might be the solution. I bought a pair of ART Pro Channel II on Ebay and they, although not Pultec quality (a hilarious suggestion for the question you originally asked), are functional preamp, comp, Eq that can be had for around $250 on the used market. There is a questionable mod to improve the hum in the power supply that sometimes people complain about. I did it and mine are still not on fire.

I watched a video of a comparison between the Pro Channel stock vs one upgraded with Mullard tubes. The difference was slight, but the Mullards did sound a bit fuller and crisper. Did you have to consider rebiasing when replacing your tubes? What tubes did you upgrade with?

cakes wrote: Wed Nov 24, 2021 11:47 am What tubes did you upgrade with?

So for tubes I just dropped in some NOS GE and RCA 12AX7 I had hanging around. I didn even listen to the stock tubes because I know them to be cheap Chinese tubes and I had "better" tubes already sitting here. I also replaced the AT7's with Tung Sol because I had them here in a box. The more important modification is this. The Pro Channel II gets user reports of having hum and noise if cranked. A dude looked at the schematic and found that between the Pro Channel 1 and 2 they added 2 47ohm resistors that bypass the voltage regulator in the powersupply and it causes voltage ripple. Over my head. He says you clip those resistors and the noise goes away. I did it, and mine have been fine for months with no ill effects.

Now, here is the thing. The Pro Channel II can be found dirt cheap on Ebay because people hate this hum. Cutting a piece of electronics out of a piece of gear that an engineer decided to put in there is a risk, but seems to work. Use caution. I have seen these go for less than $200 because they are "Broken" and fixed with this process.

Here is the thread that explains it.
https://gearspace.com/board/so-much-gea ... oblem.html