Mic->cable->mic-pre->ADC->ITB plugins or?
Mic->cable->mic-pre->Digital console or...
Mic->cable->mic-pre->Analog console.
-----
Shure SM57 & 58 are nice sound on a budget..
a similar:
Audio-Technica mb1k
AKG P5s
many years ago i went to a pro recording studio,
they had Neumann U87, AKG 414 & RCA ribbon...
very high quality mic-pres...
john hardy m-1, amek, etc...
2 rappers,
testing microphones,
some microphones do Not match the singer voice...
does Not matter how high end.
microphones have "personalities",
like a color pallette.
Tube, No Tube, Triode or Pentode,
Transformer, No transformer,
Dynamic or Condenser,
small or large diaphragm.
polar pattern: Cardioid the most common.
Fixed polar pattern
or user selectable polar pattern.
etc....
MXL has nice condenser mics..
Audio-Technica AT4033a is a "copy" of a Neumann U67
AKG 414 has many different versions / models, some are a "copy" of Neumann
U47fet
Rode also has nice, the common NT1 or NT2
Showeps are also nice.
some people make capsule upgrades, circuit upgrades to cheaper mics.
https://recordinghacks.com/microphones/AKG-Acoustics/C-12
----
Focusrite Scarlett USB interfaces does Not have enough mic-gain,
must be used usualy at 90% all the time.. more increase noise..
Clarett USB interfaces have better sound quality, but same low gain.
there are mic boosters from Klark Teknik if need more than 90% gain.
----
for the signal chain...
cables do matter,
good shield minimum.
------
there are 2 kinds of plugins:
Pure Digital.
vs.
Analog Emulation..
and "Hybrids" in-between the spectrum..
"50-shades of grey."
there is CPU or DSP.
DSP is always better,
CPU requires coding disabling all branch predictions,
most plugin developers do Not do that.
CPU has latency, some DSP also have.
Analog Emulation, Native for Linux:
The best sounding plugins i´ve tested were made by Harrison,
but Discontinued...
The Bass Flow Channel, had Oversampling = increase latency = Bad.
but Very nice Analog Emulation Algorithm for any type of music..
"Oversamplig is increasing sample rate x2 or x4 internally, process & down
convert again."
48Khz to 96KHz to 48KHz
or
96 to 192 to 96
or
192 to 384 to 192...
Reaper DAW allows to Oversample Any plugin.
but i dont like Oversampling...
i prefer DSP.
Anyway...
Harrison Console still available for Linux:
https://store.harrisonaudio.com/all-products/mixbus-11-daw?tab=downloads
Older:
https://support.harrisonaudio.com/hc/en-gb/articles/19516617411613-Harrison…
https://support.harrisonaudio.com/hc/en-gb/articles/19840057916957-Why-is-H…
https://forum.harrisonconsoles.com/post-68224.html
https://store.harrisonaudio.com/studio
some ilok plugins for Windows work on Linux,
only plugins that ilok license allows to be installed on the PC,
Not USB, there is No USB drivers.
using Carla for Linux + VST Wine bridge.
but 32-Bit has issues...
only 64-Bit.
AV Linux MX has Carla v2.5 with 32-Bit repo, but DAW looks horrible, and very unstable.
https://www.bandshed.net/avlinux/
Official KXStudio repo does Not have 32-Bit
https://kx.studio/Repositories
https://github.com/KXStudio/Repository/releases
there are millions of 32-bit VST plugins for windows-.
available..
kvraudio.com
-----
ProTools HDX is the industry standard / Carbon is a smaller All-In-One mini-me version /
No latency.
Universal Audio DSP, Not as Good, but nice anyway... has latency if used with normal DAWs.
SonicCore Xite-1 DSP is very nice, but Synths mostly, Not for Mixing like HDX DSP.
-----
No-ITB "Non-In The Box"
Digital:
Yamaha 01v96 consoles have nice sound,
2x Type of EQ emulations.
Mic-Pres are Nice.
ADC are Nice.
older 48Khz consoles are also nice...
02R 01v
Promix01 was too limited in my opinion..
Analog:
there are plenty options...
Mackie, Soundcraft, Tascam, Yamaha...
havent heard the New Yamaha MGPx
but the old MG had a nice clean sound.
New Tascam has nice sound also.
dont like Signature series...
old Mackie VLZ & 8-Bus were ok,
Analog Eq is more limited vs. Digital EQ,
unless its a very High-end Analog EQ or Console.
----
EQs have 4 or 5 main Q curves... old API, old NEVE, SSL4k 9k, new Neve, etc...
from Ultra-Wide, to Ultra-Narrow.
Symmetric or Asymetric Boost & Cut.
example:
Waves REQ is Asymetric,
Narrow on the Cut.
https://cdn-docs.av-iq.com/other/Renaissance%20Equalizer_Manual.pdf
vs.
https://massenburgdesignworks.com/products/mdweq6/
Ultra-Wide Q on the Cut, maybe Symmetric.
plugin-alliance.com
has nice emulations for AAX-DSP
Avid also has nice Analog emulation plugins.
GEQ-7 had 4 curves well mapped:
https://www.440audio.com/en/software/v4647-Kjaerhus-Audio-Golden-Equaliser-…
Discontinued.
pspaudioware also has nice analog emulation.
________________________________________
From: Fons Adriaensen <fons(a)linuxaudio.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2025 4:28 PM
To: linux-audio-user(a)lists.linuxaudio.org
Subject: [LAU] Re: Signal Chain Recommendations
On Thu, Oct 23, 2025 at 04:30:07PM -0400, Stephen H. Dawson, DSL wrote:
I am undertaking a new recording project of my spoken
voice. I am sorting
through the many plugin options. I am writing to solicit signal chain
recommendations, please
How do you think anyone could help if the only info you provide is
'my spoken voice' ??
* What is the purpose of the recording (i.e. which quality aspects
matter, which don't, how is the result distributed, ...) ?
* In what circumstances is the recording made (studio, office, living
room, open air, ... ?
* Which microphones (and other equipment) do you have available ?
* Do you have any professional training as a speaker ?
Assuming you have some control over the circumstances and
some decent microphone, very probably you won't need any
plugins at all. I would in any case make the recording that
way, anything needed (maybe a bit of EQ and limiting) can be
applied later anyway.
If you want a professional result, don't try to be the speaker
and the sound engineer/producer at the same time. There are
reasons why these functions are normally separated.
Ciao,
--
FA
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