The Rack Thread - Who, What, Why?

[KuruPrionz]

I bought a couple of Hosa 1/3rd rack space 3 channel XLR throughput boxes and ordered a project box and 8 Switchcraft TRS jacks to complete that rack as a patch bay.

3 of my mic preamps have a Send Return bypass switch on the front. I will assume that means I can just plug those right into the TRS jacks for throughput and switch to bypass if I don't have something plugged in to get all crazy.

 

There are lots of ways to use a simple patch bay, having 6 TRS out front puts all my inputs on the side where I sit and work.

[KuruPrionz]

Somehow I have 2 rack chassis that are 10"+ deep. It is harder to reach up to the front and plug into a more shallow rack unit, like the Hose goodies. Waiting for a pair of 6" deep rack chassis, should be here soon and make life simpler.

 

Meanwhile, I tested the new gear for continuity last night. I need to re-test using mic preamps for passing phantom power, my interface does not pass phantom power (or the Hosa widgets don't do it). I have a small handwired XLR direct to XLR box that does pass phantom power. I opened up a Hosa and near as I can see, they are just wired straight through. If they don't pass phantom power through a mic pre then I've got a puzzle to solve.

[KuruPrionz]

After considerable pondering and a few experiments, I finished mounting and cabling up my new system today. 2 racks, both almost full.

 

See attached photo. But wait, there's more. After doing some research, I realized that I need to try using the Return on a Presonus Eureka to see if I like the compressor and eq since the preamp can be bypassed by just plugging into Return. The preamps are OK but nothing special. I tend towards more colorful or if clean, cleaner.

 

I've added some "character" pieces of outboard gear and what I think will be some "safer" options.

 

Bottom to top - left to right:

 

Patch bay rack, brings all inputs out to the front if needed. 2- 3 XLR Hosa throughput boxes, a pair of TRS effects send/return jacks for the Focusrite ISA Two and a Cathedral Pipes Durham MK II mic pre-pre.

I want the patch bay at the bottom so the cords are not in the way of the controls on the audio devices.

 

Empty space, easy to pass the Thunderbolt cable through to the computer and also much easier to make connections around in the back.

 

Presonus Quantum Thunderbolt 2. I've done a little testing with Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3 adapters for the Mac Mini I'll be using and so far so good. I like the Quantum, it has good features like dual headphone outs and 2 channels that are front facing with Mic/Line/DI at the flip of a switch or change in input cord.

 

Lexicon MPX 550 multi effects. Not the $5k Eventide H9 by any means but it popped up on eBay at a good price so I snagged it. It can do stereo or dual mono, it is the third piece in the signal chain that starts with the Focusrite ISA Two above it. I can record with reverb, delay, modulation and it even has a compression mode. I've surfed the presets, soon will come the deep dive.

 

Focusrite ISA Two dual mono mic pre - these are nice sounding preamps with some character due to the Lundahl input transformers. The Send/Return is switchable and patched into the box below to bring them to the front. I have 3 Tech 22 pedals that are designed for live and studio use - Sansamp Bass Driver DI V2, Sansamp Para Driver DI V2 and the Q strip which has 2 quasi parametric mid bands and lots of other funs. I'll be able to insert a huge variety of tones and/or simply engage the Returns to get the signal to the Quantum. The outputs of the Focusrite each go to a channel of the ART Pro VLA II (sorry Dr. Mike - the extra features and lucky price sold me) for Vactrol (optical) compression and then to the Lexicon for effects. Both input channels on the Focusrite have both mic/line/DI in, variable input resistance, 48v phantom power, phase and a wide range of gain settings. You could record almost anything with this and get a wide range of tones as needed or wanted.

 

ART Pro VLA II Vactrol "tube" compressor. The optical compression has a sound to it, you will hear it. I happen to like it and there is a bypass for when I don't want it. Fully adjustable attack and release times, you can run the compressors dual mono or "stereo" with the left channel determining the compression settings and the right channel's Output Level becoming a balance control, which means you could side chain with this as well. It's not a world class unit but it is versatile and I like the sound. When I win the lottery I'll get the $3k stuff.

 

Furman P-8 PRO-C power conditioner. EVERY STUDIO NEEDS SOMETHING LIKE THIS. No two ways about it, get one. Doesn't have to be a Furman but buy a quality piece and it will last forever and never disappoint you.

 

Next rack up ^

 

Focusrite ISA One mic pre. Features are similar to the ISA Two but the DI has it's own output. My first decent mic pre and I still like it a lot. The output goes to one side of the JBL compressor above it.

 

Blue Robbie mic pre. Clear, clean and quiet. The gigantic knob is somehow a joyful experience. That, a DI jack and the pretty lights including the tube chamber are the entire front. All the switches are on the back. I've got the input hooked up to the bottom patch bay. Very nice mic pre and a different sound than the Focusrite or the Quantum. The Robbie is routed to the other side of the JBL compressor above it.

 

JBL M712 Stereo Gating Compressor Limiter. This can be dual mono or stereo depending. There is a noise gate going into the compressor. This will probably get used to bring the peaks down more than anything else. As with the ART VLA II, you could do a workaround to make this one compressor that side chains.

 

The tip rack is a work in progress/experiment, except for the Cloudlifter, that is a goodie. It is taller than a rack space though. I plan on googling how to remove the handle on an ISA One, that will allow me to move things down one screw hole and then I can put a Presonus Eureka in the top space and see how it works if you drive it with another mic pre.

 

The patch bay on the left is from the previous iteration of my rack, I may want to use the TRS to 2 TS jack wiring for my Roland Handsonic. The XLR throughputs are redundant and probably won't be used. Eventually I'll build a much smaller box and put it down in the bottom rack, there is just enough room there.

 

The ART MP/C is one of their inexpensive "tube" mic preamps combined with one of their Levelar Vactrol compressors - similar to the ART VLA II but fewer controls. I am using the Cathedral Pipes Durham Mk II to drive it, just finding out what I can do with it at this point.

 

And that's it for now. Again, see attached photo.

[KuruPrionz]

As always, the Learning Curve and other inevitable aspects of reality rear their ugly heads.

 

I'm learning more about the Lexicon MPX550 by RTFM, I wasn't getting much of anything out of it but I am certain that is due to my own ignorance.

 

And it seems the JBL compressor is due for a good cleaning of all jacks and possibly pots depending on what I find under the lid. That's not an unusual thing at all, keeping contacts clean is part of the deal with audio gear.

Good cables and clean connectors will usually solve about 95% of any and all audio mishaps.

[KuruPrionz]

Meanwhile, I tried using my Presonus Eureka channel strips by plugging different mic preamps into the Return so only the compressor and parametric 3 band equalizer are in play.

That is working well and sounding good. I guess I just didn't bond with the Presonus preamps.

 

I've got one following a Focusrite ISA One and one following a Blue Robbie mic pre. Different but really nice and versatile.

I tend towards subtle changes for tracking, this set up allows for that. The Presonus compressor is pretty transparent and the EQ is a true parametric with Frequency, Gain and Q adjustments for Low, Middle an High frequencies. The bands overlap to an extent, that could be useful. I tend to make broad but subtle strokes - the Q is set for a wide span of frequencies. One can get surgical if needed but so far I haven't needed it.