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[,,deda,, Tim Porter]

 Pretty simple I have been "needing" a minimum 32 channel analog mixer for awhile to use with my 24 track Radar and my very adequate outboard and the following links to the description of 2  consoles that are basically the same price.

My studio's private so the music is rock from "Puck Tinged Common Sense" to Texas Roadhouse to acoustic finger picking my take on  pure Delta Blues with about a 50/50 mix of stereo recording my vintage guitars and recording the Culls meaning rock.

Meaning which console is going to translate best the styles of music on my plate.

The D & R Cineamax is I guess best described post console for film and with the 5 to 1 surround a given,

BUT it is an analog console and though not every function has the digital recall ability but enough do.

I have 30 outboard dandy pres, comps, effects and enough eqs I feel it should handle the rest, routing and a great patchbay.

Here's the link to the D&R console:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/gearslutz-secondhand-gear-cla ssifieds/484056-d-r-cinemix-console-fs.html


The other console is a Toft ATB 32 newest version with balanced outs with meter bridge a custom desk for the console that's very elaborate AND,

AND a great patch bay that has every and I mean every in and out of the Toft ATB 32 tied to the patchbay and 232 tie lines for my outboard gear.

The Toft ATB 32 link:
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/gearslutz-secondhand-gear-cla ssifieds/442697-toft-atb-32-euphonix-artist-series-patchbay- hybrid-desk.html


Any feedback on the choices I am pondering would be very much appreciated.

Regards, ,,deda,,

[Tim Halligan]

A friend has the Toft and radar rig.

It rocks.

That said, don't be expecting all of the niceties of a LFAC...

HTH


Cheers,
Tim

[Wireline]

yes

[dandigby]

For what its worth, I've got a Toft ATB24 and am very happy with it.  Had a recommended 'minor' mod done (replace ICs), but have had no issues whatsoever with it, like the sounds coming out (not doing anything on the quiet side of life though admittedly), and really love the flexibility and routing it offers over how I was previously working.  Would love the meter bridge, but too scared to drill holes in the furniture!

[Seb Riou]

I have no experience whatsoever with he Toft, but been using a 14 years old D&R Orion at the studio for over 2 years now.

Quiet, very decent headroom, wide stereo image, ultra -reliable (NO breakdown since I have it), nice mic pre's (great transformerless sound), and most of all : incredible routing capacities.
The cinemix is the big sister of the Orion, so I guess it only gets better on everything.

A reaaly great tool

[seedyunderbelly.com]

If You can sit on both even short plane tickets would be worth it j

[Seb Riou]

seedyunderbelly.com wrote on Tue, 11 May 2010 13:58

If You can sit on both even short plane tickets would be worth it j

Hey john !
Sure thing, I flew from Lyon (france) to Amsterdam (NL) to try the console before buying.
I never regretted the expense.

[Fletcher]

FWIW, when I had a studio [which had a 32 input Yamaha PM-2k with a ton of mods] I always said that if I was ever going to change consoles I would install a Toft.

Just a thought, not necessarily an educated thought as I've not heard or used the "Digimax" but a thought none the less].

Peace

[,,deda,, Tim Porter]

 Thanks to all for your very important opinions that have been a huge help in my decision.

I have thought things through and after reading your opinions along with my other research I firmly believe the Toft would be a better fit for myself and various music genres I work in.

The recall would be sweet that's offered on the D&R but since my studio is private and I'm not working on a bunch of different mixes it's just not feasible to choose the D&R based on that 1 aspect.

Thanks to all again for taking the time to respond and as stated it was a HUGE factor in my decision.

Regards, ,,deda,,

[Podgorny]

That D&R is in an entirely different league from the Toft.
Onboard dynamics, proper automation and routing.

If you can afford it, it seems like a no-brainer to me.

[Fletcher]

All due respect, I've found "on board dynamics" to be more of a negative than a positive.  The closest I've found them to being a positive is on the 9098i, but even then it was a toss up [with the exception of the "on board auto-pannner" which is an AWESOME effect].

I liked being able to key the onboard gates on SSL's [which you can do in a bit more cumbersome manner on the 9098i] but with the exception of the "02" version of the SSL dynamic card [VERY early "E series"] the compressors were bad copies of DBX-160X's [in this reporter's opinion] and even the "02" dynamics card was really only great in parallel for snare tracks [see "Let's Dance" &/or Bryan Adams "Reckless" for details].

Again, I've not heard or used the D&R... so I'm only going by "racial bias" on the "not being wild about onboard dynamics" statement... but at the same time, every SSL "E" and "G" series desk I've ever used was heads and tails above [sonically] every D&R I've ever used... and there is no SSL or D&R I've ever used that was fit to lick the sweat off the balls of a 9098i [in this reporter's opinion, as always, YMMV]

Peace.

[Podgorny]

Like onboard dynamics or not, you're comparing a proper large format console to a glorified mackie. So even if you only use the gates from time to time, or compress some synth tracks, it's still worth having the automation, the recall, and the routing.

Speaking of licking ball sweat, unmodified, the toft is just "okay". I like the EQ, just as I like the 80b eq. But the pres are nothing special, and the mix bus is lacking in headroom. The meter bridge is a total afterthought. I'm a little surprised you'd recommend this console at all.  

[resolectric]

Podgorny wrote on Wed, 12 May 2010 01:22

... a glorified mackie. ...

Having tried the Toft ATB myself, i couldn't agree more.

[Fletcher]

Having tried the ATB, I couldn't disagree more about the "glorified Mackie" statement except for the footprint of the thing.  Different strokes I suppose.

[Kris]

If by 'glorified' you mean sounds a hell of alot better in every regard, then I suppose I could agree...  In that case you could probably say the same about the D&R I suppose.