Outboard gear as Inserts

[Monty_python]

Today is the first time I used some of my outboard gear as an insert. Once I figured out how to do it I started pulling out all of this crappy 'closet' gear from childhood and plugged 4 stereo inserts worth of gear in. Before I go crazy or work some of this into my potential work flow... is there any reason to choose a Plug-in over a outboard insert? Do these outboard inserts take up a lot of resources from my computer compared to the 4 potential stereo plug-ins they're replacing. Anything I should be careful of or watching out for? The manuals are pretty bland when they discuss how to do this.

Thanks for your time!
-Monty

[ML_Music]

I don't know about the others but for me, outboard definitely sounds better in many cases and being able to insert my 1073 EQ or API or the Atomic Squeezebox or LA2A is really important in my production work. They do show up as inserts and at times, I might print those tracks to free up the outboard for other uses...

[mano111]

Outboard often sounds better (diffrent or uniqe is more fitting) depending on the gear.
I allways record it and deactivate the original. Only thing to watch for is latency. For best results you might have to zoom in and nudge the printed effect abit to sync it with the original signal.

[StavrosSound]

The only thing I can say I would use outboard for, at least now, is Cedar box
and/or a Dolby LM100, but thats about it. Then again my focus is post so my plugin and toolset selection is fairly narrow.

[therecordinghouse]

its really only worth it if you have good DA/AD conversion. if you are using stock digi converters like the digi 002, i would stay in the box.

[sean shannon]

Originally Posted by therecordinghouse

its really only worth it if you have good DA/AD conversion. if you are using stock digi converters like the digi 002, i would stay in the box.

Really?!?

[therecordinghouse]

yeah really, unless you like the sound of your audio going through a pillow....

[sean shannon]

I use the stock digi converters all the time, going into my console, outboard gear, etc., and back in to PTLE (002R), and I don't get a 'pillow' effect at all. The sound actually gets much bigger and fuller, which is why I have the outboard gear in the first place.

I know it's acknowledged that the converters in the LE boxes aren't the top of the heap, but they aren't pillows, either.

I'd say use your ears, and if those converters are bad enough to stop you from using your outboard gear as inserts, then maybe get converters you like for the ADAT side, but I say they are fine, and the outboard stuff may sound better than plugins.

[therecordinghouse]

ok, pillow was a bit harsh. how bout a noodle maker....

[Keybeeetsss]

As much as I can use outboard, I do...It does sound better to me as well...outboard doesn't really use CPU power as I think the OP was asking...