Forums › Forums › SQ Forums › SQ general discussions › Studio Quality?
Tagged: studio recording
This topic contains 7 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by 
-
AuthorPosts
-
2018/09/07 at 3:00 pm #78426
Anyone using the SQ in the studio? If so, what is the quality of the preamps and what are you comparing them to?
Art
2018/09/08 at 9:38 pm #78443
Anonymous3 Great questions! [before I upgrade my QUs’]
Cheers2018/09/10 at 4:42 am #78482Excellent question. I’d love to hear some feedback from anyone using these in a project studio environment. Cheers
2018/09/14 at 6:44 am #78543I’ve used it a bit in the studio. Pre-amps are super clean and clear. I look forward to using some API pres with this board.
2018/09/14 at 9:24 pm #78552Agree with Bo. Clean preamps on-board and the DX series preamps are really clean as well. I’ve been really happy with the AR2412 and AB168 in the past as well, but I would recommend going with the DX if you are not going to be using MEs in the studio. I also like using the Tube Stage Preamp Deep Processing plugin (with near zero latency) on bass and Vox. Here is how I use mine in the studio with some of my other studio gear and get excellent results…
I have my SQ-6 with a Dante card and also a feed to a few ME-1s so the artists can have their own mix. If you don’t have MEs you could just as easily have a very similar capability by using the SQ4You app set up for the artists using iPhones, iPads, or Android devices. The SQ4You app is great for personal monitoring.
I have 4 Antelope Audio Discrete 8 pres (which sound amazing) going ADAT out into a Ferrofish Verto 64, which is an ADAT to Dante converter. They are clocked to an OCX HD Master Clock. This way you preserve all of the beautiful AD quality of the Antelope Audio converters whilst also making them Dante (and now SQ!) compatible. The Antelope Audio Discrete 8s also allow for remote control which gives me the ability to control them from the control room or across from a stage if doing an on-site live recording session.
I also have a separate chain that is on my Dante network that I use primarily for color (or UK “colour”) on vocals and other DI instruments. It’s a Neve Shelford Channel going into a Lynx Hilo with the Dante adapter card also synced to the OCX HD. The Neve Shelford channel is absolutely the best vocal channel I’ve ever heard. Having that beauty of a vocal chain paired with a great mic come up right on the SQ via Dante is just awesome. One note on this is that the SQ is also synced externally to the OCX HD clock through Dante.
On the plugin side, I am able to integrate the SQ with Dante AND Waves Soundgrid by using Hear Technologies WSG bridge. This allows for me to route Dante channels to and from the SQ whilst also incorporating all of my favorite Waves plugins. This is also an awesome capability for live sound use and enables you to enjoy both Dante and Waves Soundgrid with the SQ’s single card slot.
From there in the studio, I use the SQ in one of two ways or both methods at the same time…I have the Dante channels being captured in ProTools via the Dante Virtual Soundcard. I can (and often do) use the SQ in ProTools as the Control Surface and also often use the SQ to “mix” the Dante channels that are being picked up in ProTools. What is cool about the configurability of the SQ surface is that I can mix the Dante channels directly before they are sent to Protools AND use some of the faders in control surface mode to perform automation and/or software mixing in ProTools simultaneously. It is a pretty slick setup and works great!
I usually output the audio from Dante using the SQ routing to my Lynx Hilo to perform the D->A for my Adam A7x monitors.
All of this said, if you want to use just the SQ, an SQ with DX168(s), or better yet an SQ with a (not yet fully qualified) DX32 packed with the announced PRIME I/O in the future, you would still have quite a bit of this same capability and quality in a simpler and more affordable studio setup.
2018/09/14 at 11:26 pm #78553Nice set up, Zero. I’m thinking about pulling the trigger on the Dante Card. Do you know what latency is coming through a virtual Dante Card? Still super new to the world of Dante.
2018/09/20 at 8:34 pm #78642Hi Bo, there are variables that can affect your latency like how many switches or network hops are used, but in general Dante protocol is very, very low latency (it can go down to 150 microseconds/0.15 milliseconds). If you are using modern technology like Gigabit switches (which of course can be very inexpensive ~30-50 USD) and a generally modern computer, you can easily and stably configure your latency in Dante Virtual Soundcard to 4ms.
2018/09/20 at 8:50 pm #78643Thanks Zero! I think I’ll eventually grab the dante card after I gather some more mics and pre’s. Dante technology seems like it’s the way of the future! If not already kicking butt.
-
AuthorPosts
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
