Why did I just spend $500 on a Voice Channel in 2022??

[@BobHarperProductions]

Although this is an older video, for anyone who may be looking at the ART Voice Channel or perhaps has one, I have a tube recommendation that sweetens it even further. When I bought mine new, the sales rep suggested adding a "Gold Lion" tube to my purchase to swap with the included tube. I did that but before swapping, I recorded a few lines of a voice over for reference. Once swapped, I recorded the same lines again, (same settings on box) and listened to playback. There was a noticeable improvement in overall sound quality that I appreciated and figured I'd put the box in the rack and that's that. Then by chance, I happened upon an obscure online article where I guy claimed to have found a GREAT tube for the ART, an JJ ECC 83s. I purchased that tube but before swapping, I once again did another few lines of a voice over with the Gold Lion tube and then again with the JJ tube once installed. The improvement was not only noticeable but delightful and I never looked back. It's a cinch to change the tube and there's a video on KZbin doing just that. I wanted to pass this along because I really believe it brings the best out of this cool piece of gear. A recent noise floor test showed the ART had less noise than brand new and tubeless Focusrite ISA One. '-)

[@BojanBojovic]

I am thinking about getting this, is it clean and transparent, or can it give some noticeable grit and saturation?

[@BobHarperProductions]

@@BojanBojovic I wouldn't call it CLEAN and transparent like a GRACE 101 for instance. The tube adds a tickle of warmth, not much but noticeable. Now, if you switch the tube voltage button to high and increase gain input (while reducing output of course) you'll get a little more grit and saturation. Not over the top but more-so than normal staging. Bear in mind, I'm only referring to running a pro mic through it and not an instrument. Also with that installed JJ tube mentioned above. (The stock Chinese tube isn't that great)

[@DrSimonBignell]

​​@@BojanBojovicIt does both but mainly clean. The after market JJ tube noted above is a definite buff. Take care inserting it though. When I swapped mine it wasn't in properly and I hadn't realised and assumed I'd damaged the unit. Coming back to it and simply reinserting it did the trick. I'd say this channel strip is very good value. Give it a good condenser mic, and maybe even an external tube pre into the insert point, and it'd be a fantastic vocal chain. I'm going to try it with my Sontronics Chimera tube pre and a neumann KMS105 or a Rode NT1 mic. 👍🏻

[@helmanfrow]

You're definitely getting into some crunchy distortion there, mate, and it's not subtle. It happens throughout the video and especially after you switch to normal mode at 12:38 or so. I can't say for sure at which gain stage it's occurring but I can see the clip indicator on the peak meter light up.

[@JorgeSalasGuitar]

I have the ART Pro VLA II and it's truly an amazing compressor. I swapped out the tubes for Genalex Gold Lions and wow. Great video!

[@QuestForGear]

Wish I would have been collecting the ART stuff over the years, as it turns out, much of it is really great.

[@tjmcnamara1961]

Really great walkthrough of the Voicechannel. Nice job. Just ordered one myself.

[@lightafluident.9950]

This thing is great!!!! I'm definitely going to add one to my setup. The price is insane for what you get. Art is the way to go. I bought the ART Pro VLA 2 recently, and I love it on vocals when I need some grit/color.

[@skysavvydrone]

Seems nice and we're considering it as well. Can definitely hear a little distortion/saturation at the 14:00 mark, which I suspect would be exacerbated even more if there was a singer pushing a lot of air and energy through it at your current settings, but definitely sounds good and love the gate. We're considering this for a live situation for a singer who could use something like this in the signal path feeding the mixer.

[@adamsteelproducer]

True, if you were using in a singing context the saturation is usually quite desirable in my experience once other instruments are going, it gives a “presence” that can’t be had any other way

[@IvansBobrovs]

Thank you. Very good review

[@jonkthompson]

I have a home studio that I've been slowing adding some upgrades to over the past year, before that I was pretty much only an in-the-box guy. I had been researching outboard gear for a while and ended up buying a DBX 286s (used) but it was lacking the control I was looking for. Then I found this video, after watching this I knew this was what I needed. I saved the video just so I could come back and say THANKS! I bought it used but in mint condition for $420 US, it came today and I love this thing! It's a beast. To be able to dial in the exact sound your looking for out-of-box is definitely the way to go.

[@CONFUCIUS-f2x]

5:49 something went wrong. Listen carefully. 🤔

[@Hermiel]

13:54 "Then there is..." One of many examples of you sounding downright crunch-tastic throughout the video. Keep tweaking!

[@adamsteelproducer]

Yeah in the edit I found the “normal” mode was very crunchy, great for a rock vocal but less for voiceover!

[@lightafluident.9950]

That Lewitt mic sounded great with that channel strip. Awesome

[@tonygunz21]

Good review, but you're recording too hot. The output meter redlined multiple times from the very beginning of the video and started clipping. You'll notice the "Hi Everybody" at the beginning sounds distorted because your output gain is too high. The input gain seems to be fine, but just dial back the output gain so that it's comfortably in the green and at the loudest touches in the yellow. If you need a higher signal once recorded, just boost it in your DAW.

[@Onlyonesanta]

Lowkey the best video ever. I had one a few years ago and I’m about to buy it again. This is probably the most slept on gear in the world. I used to plug it into my PS4 from the USB port on the back. Worked like a charm and could use all the features, and any mic I wanted, right on PlayStation lol.

[@AlfredNazGates]

I started with the ART products with their smallest budget tube preamp. So with the same store I decided to rent a TPS II and the Voice Channel. In conjunction it sounds like it should be worth hundreds of dollars more. I heard results with the tube switched out on the TPS and it sounded so much more better. For a 30 dollar or so upgrade it was amazing.

[@mageprometheus]

Really nice. You could make yourself sound like Cameron from Venus Theory. His voiceovers seem to appear on so many plugin and music tech videos.

[@JeremiahTrue]

Great demo and review, thanks! I've been looking at getting one of these to use with my MV7 with XLR out to cut down background noise and give me more tone control and rather than relying on their software.

[@rome8180]

To be honest, there seems to be a little bit of high end distortion I don't like. But having the built-in gate, compressor, and EQ would make me get over that pretty quickly.

[@speakingcolors]

Plus you can easily switch out the tube. I'm looking to switch mine for a Genelex. The one by default is okay, but not great. The rest of the "board" is amazing, my only pitfall is that, and how I cannot set it up in Discord lol.

[@jonkthompson]

@@speakingcolors I bought VC a few months ago and did a ton of research on tube replacement and from everything I've read, you really will not notice a considerable difference.

[@123sambryant]

I go with dbx

[@jonkthompson]

@@123sambryant I had the DBX 1st, bought the Voice-Channel a month later. Sold the DBX 2 weeks after that. The VC is much better!

[@mr.everbless2721]

Boss I love this video I learn a lot, help me a lot to understand how to use my device, you’re a saver, much luv 🔥

[@PowerUpTraining]

Excellent! Is it possible for you to do a short follow up of your setup after several months of use? This is an amazing piece of equipment.

[@telekaster19991]

Sounds great! Just ordered one.

[@1loveMusic2003]

I think the insert is just an input that bypasses the pre amp.

[@adamsteelproducer]

Not quite, the insert is a combination in/out so it feeds from the preamp out to whatever outboard gear you have, then back in. You could use the insert return path to bypass the preamp, but it seems kind of silly to spend this money on a valve pre only to use something else

[@1loveMusic2003]

I really hope that's the case. I heard in some KZbin vid about that so I think you would probably know better so I'm going to check that out. Thanks!@@adamsteelproducer

[@voiceovervandeen]

WOW ❤️ it! That is really going to level up the livestream VO from studio B now you'll be able to hear yourself going out live. I hope my 940 comment hasn't set you off chasing VO perfection though, we come to studio B for your mix knowledge & the podcast banter ++++ I want to keep my customers :-D

[@237311]

Useful video. How does this device help the vocal sounds when using for live performance like karaoke or in a band? Or is it mainly used for recording?

[@adamsteelproducer]

I guess you could use this for karaoke, but it’s very overpriced for that application. It might be a good vocal chain for a live show if dialed in right, but it’s really aimed as more of a studio tool

[@anotherintrospekt6596]

I own this thing for over five years. The best!!!!

[@Joey.Darkwoods-Studio]

Hey Adam, is the Voice Channel made only for voice over or can it be used on singing vocals?

[@adamsteelproducer]

It’s made to work with anything that makes noise. This includes singing

[@Joey.Darkwoods-Studio]

@@adamsteelproducer thank you!

[@seppous]

money well spent!

[@PutItAway101]

Sounds good, very easy to listen to.

[@BojanBojovic]

Sounds different with the invert? 😃

[@Bcwilderness]

brill just checking this pre myself, it makes the sm7b sound spot on on you, the lewitt i thing would be a neve 1073 lunchbox job and a golden age unit maybe, seemed a bit paper thin reedy up top and no mid focus, i find the art stuff does that

[@JaFoste_Studio]

Can you record vocals for music with this...like heavy vocals? Or is it only for spoken word? Sorry for the noob question.

[@DrSimonBignell]

If it sounds good, it sounds good. I use it for music production. The sound is well suited to all styles of music. A low noise floor and tweakable. In the mix, control over the fundamentals (e.g., bass, mids, treble) is often more important and subtle tone differences, I have found. This gets it good as it goes into the DAW.

[@FKA_Skull]

I’ve owned two of these units, in a studio setting where they were kept pristine. Both units went bad on me, I wouldn’t recommend it.

[@JimijaymesProductions]

I love my Digital MPA II except it has an issue and Im not sure how to fixed it, I think its a power supply issue but it just switches off once it warms up a bit and then comes back on, the longer its on the more often it does it. Yeah its no neve or telefunken but it has a nice valve harmonics added and sounds a lot smoother and fatter than my cleaner pres. I wouldn't mind a voice channel now because I think fixing my MPA is more expensive than it cost.

[@adamsteelproducer]

Sounds to me like a capacitor needs replacing, those are easy enough to solder and swap if you get them from somewhere like mouser…

[@JimijaymesProductions]

@@adamsteelproducer thanks! That makes sense might pull it apart next week and see if I can fix it. The prices have shot up so much, I bought it for 200aud which is like 100 pounds and a new one now is more than triple that.

[@robertfontaine3650]

That certainly is pretty and the inserts let you put a nice parametric eq in there rather than the 4 channel to ring out the room more effectively. The audio interface makes this pretty darn appealing. I'm using old dbx and behringer gear in my mini rack and a umc404 for the interface. I am not sure your gear would sound better than my gear but the spec for spec I suspect your setup would be me on every measure.

[@pvampman]

The MPAII DIGITAL is absolutely killer!...we all see the VLA in a lot of studios too. Theres a video of Vance Powell studio tour we're he has the ART MPA in his rack too. Ulrich Wild uses this stuff, Film composer Tom Holkenborg studio tour in one of his KZbin videos had a rack of ART MPA maybe three or four....and this dude composes for multi million dollar films....so yeah?...lol...wtf right?

[@Zazquatch1]

Great video. I am planning to use mine doing voice over/audiobooks. What would you say would be the "pros/cons" with using it straight to the computer by USB contra having it connected to a external audio interface and then the computer? Is there alternative to turn everything off (except for the GAIN and Impedance) while recording, just so one can feed the recording back into the AVC and make your adjustments as you are listening back to it?

[@adamsteelproducer]

Would you use software for monitoring, or would you consider a channel strip like this?

[@TheFeelButton]

I prefer outboard gear for streaming and currently use an ART pre and compressor.

[@ricardohidalgo5281]

Real great review, Adam, as always. I was wondering, since it has a digital output as said but also dAdat input, could it be connected as an interface extend channel? Could I send a digital signal from my daw (as an insert) to de voice channel, pocces it and return it with ADAT for mixing, without needing patching with cables?

[@hassejansson]

thx, great video.. a question.. I've ordered one yesterday, but how would I connect it to my setup? I have an audio interface, should I connect it to my existing audio interface, or...?

[@adamsteelproducer]

Yes you would connect it to an interface, but if you don't have one it has USB so it can act as an interface on its own :)

[@andyje]

ART are sadly under rated, I used a direct box and one of their microphones with some reasonable results.

[@lightafluident.9950]

Definitely underrated. That's why I'm trying to grab up some of their products before they decide to raise the price even more.

[@jonkthompson]

@@lightafluident.9950 I just picked up this unit on Reverb (used), mint for $420!

[@beatprocess]

How does this compress vocals compared to the compressors behind you

[@AssortedBits]

Did the SM7B go straight into the ART without a fethead or cloud lifter?

[@adamsteelproducer]

Yep!

[@AssortedBits]

@@adamsteelproducer Thank you for both the answer and the swift response!

[@ninbura]

Wondering if this guy supports clock over the ADAT input, any idea? Great video!

[@mfkrwill]

Im currently running a DBS 286s, and ive been considering getting another compressor/Limiter to throw in the insert, just so i can guarantee i dont clip during streams or recording. But now I kinda want to just buy this instead XD But i wonder how this compares to the ART Pro Channel II Tube Channel Strip, other than this having a USB and the knob on the far right.

[@jonkthompson]

I had the DBX 286s, then I bought this ... I immediately sold my DBX a week late. This unit is amazing imo.

[@anotherintrospekt6596]

@@jonkthompsonme too 😂

[@lightafluident.9950]

Im thinking about getting the Art Voice Channel after this vid.

[@adamsteelproducer]

It’s decent! Little pricey but definitely has its own character

[@lightafluident.9950]

@@adamsteelproducer 500 isn't "pricey" at all in this game. I'll gladly spend 500 for this strip. I paid 400 for just my WA12 MK2 black mic preamp from Warm Audio, and then another 900 bucks for the LL2A compressor limiter from Little Labs to chain behind it, so to be able to get a whole channel strip for just 500 is insanely great.

[@adamsteelproducer]

It’s all relative- to someone who’s deep in the recording world yeah 500 isn’t that much. But for someone who’s just getting into the whole scene and can get a 2 channel really good interface for 200? It’s a big leap. That’s why I said it, the people who can drop big money are really a minority compared to the beginners from a statistics point of view!

[@PhantomNites]

Can I connect my audient mkii into this art channel and use mkii interface with the art channel instead of using the built in interface on the Art channel?

[@adamsteelproducer]

You sure can - I do both! I run the usb from my ART channel into OBS for streaming, and a TRS output to an EVO16 so I can real-time monitor and record it whilst also recording and mixing other instruments

[@PhantomNites]

@@adamsteelproducer Awesome. Thanks for the quick response✌🏻

[@griff5n]

It’s got so much bass it’s causing distortion to my iPhone speakers lol

[@flipnap2112]

change those tubes out and you'll be golden. some mallards or telefunkens.

[@adamsteelproducer]

The tubes make no discernible difference, I’ve done several ABX tests and never come up with any meaningful data

[@flipnap2112]

@@adamsteelproducer interesting. ive heard a few tests on YT and I could spot it. probably another reason for that then. glad you told me thanks man.

[@lightafluident.9950]

I've heard that changing the tubes really don't make a difference and that the stock tubes sound great. Just what I've heard.

[@lloydbrothers3315]

"Tube Rolling" is fun, but unnecessary, I've tried a few with this channel strip and different mics and I do actually get differences. Suttle, but yes. It does make a difference in tone, distortion and (I hate to use this ambiguous word, but...) warmth in my honest opinion. I don't know how you'd measure that for nerds that wanna know data, but I've enjoyed the Sovtek and the JJ, still wanna try some Mallards.

[@adamsteelproducer]

I think it really depends on the circuit, some are more prone to hearing changes- mics are a great example where the valve is literally strapped to the capsule and we’re hearing full 20hz-20kHz range, and all the gain comes from a single/double stage. In an amp though, it’s so bandwidth limited and cascaded through so much extra circuitry that it should be a pointless exercise. Even in a critical application like you say, it’s not necessary- but could be fun if you’re dead set on using a certain piece of gear in a certain setup!

[@speakingcolors]

Anybody got it to work into Discord as the Mic input, passing through a Pulse16 and an RME (RME TotalMix virtual Channel). The usb works, but getting it via the 1/4 still doesn't. Thanks

[@gcvrsa]

"So much"? $500 is a budget price for a channel strip. I paid $500 for a JoeMeek VC1Qcs almost 20 years ago. Don't get me wrong, I like the ART products, but they are far from what would be considered expensive in that category.

[@adamsteelproducer]

Perspective. For what I’m using it for, it’s a lot. For a top tier studio recording a hit single, not so much

[@VigilanteWilliamson]

@Adam Steel - Hop Pole Studios Perspective? Most of the gear in that room is as expensive if not more than $500. What are you talking about?

[@adamsteelproducer]

The perspective is that I’m in a small minority of professionals and/or high level enthusiasts, but the average viewer of this video will likely be someone who is a student, or just starting, or doesn’t have their entire life and 20 year career revolve around their studio. For me it’s not expensive, but for the average person who can get a great 2-channel interface for $200? 500 per channel is five times as much, so it’s expensive. So it’s all about perspective. I have to see it from the view of the audience, not of a working studio. If you think 500 is cheap, you’re in the minority.

[@TazzSmk]

not bad for a 14 years old gear :)

[@in.der.welt.sein.]

People pay thousands of dollars for gear from the 1960s. It's odd.

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

"noise floor?

[@billyolsson3340]

i need a bigger mic. :D

[@kevinpugh7503]

No need to spend the $500 on this channel strip. Check ou5t the Behringer UV-1 for $179 that takes care of everything for less than $200 including a digital interface to your PC

[@eugenemichael9833]

More Cowbell 😂

[@briancassey9735]

You mean you invest 415,45 pounds on this all in one interface.

[@ghostakablackpanther]

G.A.S

[@goodman1127]

Maybe it looks good but everybody knows it is cheap. You can’t have only cheap equipment in your studio.

[@lightafluident.9950]

It's not about looks or price. It's about SOUND. When you base studio gear on looks and price you doing like the type of person who thinks you have to own Neve in order to get great results. You don't. Skill set trumps anything else.

[@goodman1127]

@@lightafluident.9950 Appreciate your point of view but you are not right. In today’s world you must have abilities and expensive devices. Otherwise your studio will not encourage people to pay for your work. Being honest your work is worth the same what worth are your devices. If you are famous producer you can try work even on Behringer but famous producers are few but studios which wanted to earn money there are a lot.