Passive Tube Summing Mixer

Julien Besnault

Puteaux, France

               Julien, soundproducer & studiowner:                                                                                                “So, here are the samples you're waiting for so long! This is an electro-jazz project I mixed and mastered (not recorded); and I exported 3 different samples of a same song : (in wav format, 44.1/16)all samples got the same digital mastering, with same settings of EQ and dynamics, but :                                                                                                                                                    -the first one, called “digital bounce” is of course ITB mix by Samplitude Pro, (I think it's not as bad as most of DAW internal bounces).                                                   -the one called “summator output” is OTB mix.                -and the “mastered” is the real final track, for which outputs of summator pass through Siemens W295B EQ and HCL S2, before the digital mastering;                                                                                                      SO... what can I say.... HCL gear rocks... Listen to the S2 in the face! And with the summator, we can appreciate the presence of reverbs, the different plans inside the music, the real stereo width, bass are more precise.... Everything I was waiting for a summing box.The headroom on the summator is unbelievable : with 18 inputs, the arrows of the Vu-meters just begins to move with snare peaks, and I have such a reserve to boost the outputs of DAW, the gain of dynamic is very very interesting. But, in fact I'm limited with the more little headroom of some of my vintage gear, like my Siemens EQ W295B, but I like to include them between tne summator and the S2 beacause of its magic High Frequencies, which clear and open the mix...”

Assembling this summing mixer in laboratory>>>

Tube Opto Leveler

“... first of all, let me say to you that after few months of using the S2, I absolutely enjoy it, it rocks!!!  I Love it! Really, the association Summator/Solution S2 is incredible:                                                                      -the dynamic at the end of audio chain is great, the percussive sounds are fatter, bass is very precise, and no aggressivity in High-med/HF. After several weeks working with the summing box, it seems to me very balanced on the whole spectrum, even if we feel the warmth of the tubes, especially on guitars and bass.                                                                                             So my impressions today are always very positive, and I don't regret my choice. Bye, I hope you'll enjoy the samples, and if something's wrong, it must be my fault and not the gear's...!!! I'm not yet Ted Jensen.... ;-)”