sound warming...

[pk_hat]

I was wondering if at any point in your musical path, you thought the sound was a little 'sterile', kinda cold and too digital sounding.
This happens once in a while on just a few tracks per song, say the synth line or the main drum loop, etc.
I thought buying an external processor could do a good job of warming things up a little, question is...which is the right one at a good price?
Things like DBX 386, 376, JoeMeek, etc...I know they're designed mostly for pre-amp/pre-Digi purposes, for one vocal or instrument at a time. Some have compressor and EQ built-in, some don't. Some have single channel, some don't, etc.
Since I've never used any of these devices, would they do a good job in a scenario where you just want to send your drum tracks, or synh trax to it?
Of course, there are plug-ins, but I'm thinking - CPU power conservation here - as the Bomb Factory p-i's are outstanding. The other reason I would like an external device to warm things up is the ability to route it through my mixer and use it with one than more program if I want to, eliminating the plug-in format wars.
So, any suggestions would be great (under $1000 would be best).

Here are a few models that caught my attention, now trying to get user's opinions:

-ART Tube MP - $130
-Focusrite Platinum series - various models under $700
-Joe Meek VCQ6 British Channel - apprx $500
-DBX Silver series 376 & 386 - both $500
-Behringer TUBE series - $379???? Hmm....

thanks to all...

pk

[pk_hat]

I'm sorry for the redundant subject, I overlooked/forgot about Dova's post about "Mic Pre's" a few lines below.
Some good feedback there, cool...

my bad... [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]


pk

[Mr_Seven]

I own both Art Pre's MP and Studio. Love the simplicity and sound as well as the price. I get a great vocal sound with Senheizer MD21 with the ART. I tried a Rode NT2 and because of the warm charateristics of the Rode with the ART is was too warm [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] I've used it with suprising success with my Rhodes Electric Piano. Really makes that bell sound ring.

Don't overlook using software to warm it up. I love T-Racks and will sometimes send tracks out and process them and use back in ProtoolsLE.

[moe green]

I don't know what kind of music you do, but i make hip hop music. Having that background i've learned to make the most of my resources. I find that taking things out of pro tools onto my trusty old 4track warms particular things up. Like, i'll take a vocal track and record it to tape on my 4-track and then re-record it in pro tools. Once it has that tape sound on it, it just feels and sounds a great deal warmer to me. Purists would probably shoot me for doing this, but then again I don't make music for purists. Also, i'm no engineer. I only go through this process when i'm working on my own stuff. I can't be this creative with someone else's project(unfortunately)

[mix2much]

I have the art tube mp and a joemeek vc6 british channel. Hands down, if you have the money, go for the meek!! You won't be soory. The eq rocks and the compressor really fattens things up. Way more versatile than most units in it's price point. Beware that these babies are mono, so you'll need 2 of them if you require a stereo signal! Or you could run one channel at at a time through it I guess if ya had to.

[WestPhillySoulzition]

I use the behringertube processors and overdrive them with a 1 u rack mount mixer. I blow the signal really hot thru the tube and then tapper the volume of the siganl down with a real mixer after the tube. Sounds like distortion but not really. Use what you got.