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[ben_allison]

I have an idea and I'd love some feedback:

For sometime now I've wanted to try this experiment, and I think it'll give way more useful information from which one could draw a useful comparison.

The concept is simple: track all of a song's performances through the same pre. Then another pre. Then another. So, for example:

All tracks through an RNP
All tracks through a Great River
All tracks through a Pacifica

THEN, sum the song (using a Folcrom), with the pre used to track the song for make up gain.

Sum RNP song through the RNP
Sum Great River song through the Great River
Sum the Pacifica song through the Pacifica

It seems like that approach would tell a lot more of the story, and potentially give more of an idea about things like sonic build-up, transient handling, source separation, frequency response, etc.

Would anyone find this kind of exercise useful?

Sorry if this is a clumsy post. I'm dead tired.

[Podgorny]

I can see how you've come to this conclusion, but once again, you're back to the problem of real-world usage.  Just because you've run every track through a given piece of gear doesn't mean you'll have any understanding of how that piece of gear will react under different circumstances.

Perhaps the only fair way to do comparitive samples would be to take a piece of gear, and have several engineers (maybe ten or more) utilize it throughout a production (perhaps a mix of the same song), and take careful notes on its usage.

Then have ten other engineers do a mix of the same song with a different piece of gear, and take extensive notes.

After that, swap the gear in question, and have everyone do a second mix, using the other gear.

Once all that is complete, publish the notes along with full-resolution audio files.


So I guess it could be done.  It's a logistical nightmare, but it could be done.
Frankly, I'd rather make gear decisions based upon my own experience, and the experiences of those I trust.  And if a manufacturer or dealer really wants my business, they'll let me test-drive new or unproven gear.