Where/when do you use console emulators?

[Scott Kendrick]

I see by default console emulator for each track in the pro channel. Should you have this enabled for each individual track, or perhaps just on your busses, or perhaps just on the master bus, or all 3, and why?

Confused. Any clarification appreciated.

 

[Promidi]

See:

https://www.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=SONAR X2&language=3&help=ProChannel.8.html

[Jacques Boileau]

This video by @Home Studio Simplified is what got me interested in the console emulator in the first place. Very interesting test of with and without. 

This article really helped me out to get a grip on the ProChannel console emulator by @Noel Borthwick http://www.noelborthwick.com/cakewalk/2014/10/07/console-emulation-in-sonar/I like and use his concept of using different emulator type for vocals, drums, etc.

Also check out @Craig Anderton take on it: http://www.noelborthwick.com/cakewalk/2014/04/07/mixing-with-the-console-emulator/ and on YouTube 

 

 

Edited August 1, 2021 by Jacques Boileau

[Scott Kendrick]

Thank you - interesting that the documentation recommends putting the console emulator first and yet by default, it is inserted as the last module in the pro module. Additionally, the second video above counters this recommendation and says to move it to the last module in the chain.  Which is right?

Edited August 1, 2021 by Scott Kendrick

[Bill Phillips]

6 hours ago, Jacques Boileau said:

This video by @Home Studio Simplified is what got me interested in the console emulator in the first place. Very interesting test of with and without. 

This article really helped me out to get a grip on the ProChannel console emulator by @Noel Borthwick http://www.noelborthwick.com/cakewalk/2014/10/07/console-emulation-in-sonar/I like and use his concept of using different emulator type for vocals, drums, etc.

Also check out @Craig Anderton take on it: http://www.noelborthwick.com/cakewalk/2014/04/07/mixing-with-the-console-emulator/ and on YouTube 

 

 

What I don't see in any discussion of presets. Mine has a dozen presets plus full reset, what ever that is. Is there something going one under the hood that these presets adjust or do they only affect the controls available on the user interface? If they only affect controls on the user interface why is a full reset preset required? See GIF below.

Also, It appears that clipping only occurs when the clipping LED is red. Is that correct? Lots of mine run in the yellow but inserting a FX Chain with a level meter ahead of Console Emulation appears to indicate peak levels only exceed 0 dBfs (clipping) when the clipping LED is red.

[John Vere]

I think it was dumb that they put these as defaults and in the end many people probably end up using them when they have no clue what they do or how to use them properly. I always delete them first thing as they take up space in my pro channel. 

Each to there own but I can never figure out why you would want to take all that hard work and money you put into getting a nice clean, distortion free recording and then try to somehow distort it. I don't remember how many times I tried these gizmos just to end up deleting them later because to me they add absolutely nothing unless I turn them up to the point that they trash the sound. So that tells me if I turn them down they are still trashing the sound but you can't hear it? Shoot me but I don't get it. 

[Promidi]

3 hours ago, John Vere said:

I think it was dumb that they put these as defaults and in the end many people probably end up using them when they have no clue what they do or how to use them properly. I always delete them first thing as they take up space in my pro channel. 

Each to there own but I can never figure out why you would want to take all that hard work and money you put into getting a nice clean, distortion free recording and then try to somehow distort it. I don't remember how many times I tried these gizmos just to end up deleting them later because to me they add absolutely nothing unless I turn them up to the point that they trash the sound. So that tells me if I turn them down they are still trashing the sound but you can't hear it? Shoot me but I don't get it. 

I have to agree with this.  Maybe it's my hearing or my system, but damned if I could tell any difference with A/Bing (even on all tracks)

“Hey mate, you forgot to put the Console Emulator on all of the tracks in the final mix”, said no client ever.....

[Jacques Boileau]

I don't operate a studio, I do this as a hobby and for my bandmates. I would agree that probably no client, if I had any, would ever say I have used the console emulator or not... the same for what kind of EQ I have used or reverb type or etc. The client just want the track to sound good to its ears. I guess its up to us to know what is needed to make it sound the best to them.

I do think that if you can't hear the difference you should not use it. It just doesn't make sense. For me, although my earing is aging, I could tell a difference in the @Home Studio Simplified video, more so on headphones of course, and decided to do a similar test. I took the latest song I was remixing for my band and did 4 mixes. You guessed it, one without the console emulator and one for the 3 flavors of emulation. I added the emulator on all channels and busses with the controls at the default. I submitted these to the other 4 bandmates without telling them what was the difference, a blind test of sort but with the ears. ?They all could tell there was a difference and they all picked one with an emulator as their favorite.

And there are other makers of console emulator, not only Cakewalk's PC. I haven't tried any other. Distortion has always been part of recording (console, tape, exciters, etc) and when used judiciously it does enhance the experience. Overused it, and it becomes an effect that may or may not sound good depending on the song. Most plugins add some distortion in some way, even the simplest EQ does. Ok, maybe a gain or routing plugin is free from imperfections... ?

[Scott Kendrick]

@Jacques Boileau that's pretty interesting... so when you did this... did you change any settings for each emulator, or just turn on with all default settings? If changes, were they unique per track, bus, etc? And given there is conflicting info - where did you put the emulation... top of the pro channel or bottom?

I may try a similar test as we're about to wrap a mix.

[Jacques Boileau]

11 hours ago, Scott Kendrick said:

@Jacques Boileau that's pretty interesting... so when you did this... did you change any settings for each emulator, or just turn on with all default settings? If changes, were they unique per track, bus, etc? And given there is conflicting info - where did you put the emulation... top of the pro channel or bottom?

I may try a similar test as we're about to wrap a mix.

I did my test with the emulators at their default position, which is last in the Pro Channel. But it was the only thing I was using from the PC anyway, all other effects where VSTs. I also left the controls at their default, since it already added enough to my ears that way.

The effect is cumulative, that's why I didn't see the point of this at first. If you put it on a single track, listen to it even in isolation, you can't hear much change let alone feel its worth it at all, unless you drive it very hard maybe. It makes a more positive effect when used subtly everywhere. 

If you do your test please let us know the outcome!

Edit: since the PC comes before VSTs, this means that my test makes the console emulator the first thing that audio goes through. This means that if gain staging is not performed well, you might not hit the emulator at the best volume. My understanding at least...

Edit2: I use it on all individual track and on all busses except the main bus. Why not the main bus? because it is not there by default. You can add it there too though.

Edited August 19, 2021 by Jacques Boileau

[Mark Morgon-Shaw]

I find it better to use this sort of thing on the 2buss -  Much easier to adjust and listen with it bypassed etc. They can add a certain "something "  and different settings or plugins sound better on certain types of tracks.

IIRC there is a global on / off button on the console emulation in Studio 1 which I think is a better approach ☺️

[Home Studio Simplified]

On 8/1/2021 at 8:33 PM, Jacques Boileau said:

I added the emulator on all channels and busses with the controls at the default. I submitted these to the other 4 bandmates without telling them what was the difference, a blind test of sort but with the ears. ?They all could tell there was a difference and they all picked one with an emulator as their favorite.

This my friend is genius!!! Glad you wen this far to see/hear it for yourself!