Quote from: FreakAnimalFinland on November 17, 2025, 10:22:53 AMFew things I have been thinking about and purchased are things like: What is the tool that would go AFTER mixer, to make especially live sound better. Not the tinny line-in to PA type of sound, but make it something closer to recorded material. Have had bunch of solutions for it that work, but they work for different situations. Currently been looking at 200 euro value pedal that should be functionin like Tascam 424 input gain - which is sort of perfect for final noise boost over whatever you are doing. But does it really work like the real deal 4-tracker sound is? In studio and Finnish shows, I can theoretically use real 424 as mixer. While flying somewhere, it would be impossible to carry too much stuff, so buying small pedal that does the trick would be luring idea. Just thinking is it really like it says to be, or would any generic overdrive pedal do the same trick. Which is fine, but not really the same.
I've been looking at getting something similar as well -- something to go between mixer and PA at live shows. I've been using an EHX Platform for this purpose. It's a stereo compressor/distortion unit that handles line level signals. It's pretty good, but a little samey, so I might be on the market for something else. Pain Appendix uses an OTO Machines Boum, which sounds really good. Might be within my reach in terms of price, just about. The Electron Analog Heat used to be almost reasonable priced, but then they threw in some digital effects processor and doubled the price. No thanks.
One option that seems promising is the Endorphin-es Golden Master, at about 350€. It's specifically designed for live techno and other dance music, so it might be too clean and clinical sounding. I curse not getting the FMR Audio RNLA when it was still available.
Lots of guitar pedal companies seem to be coming out with products that promise to emulate earlier, more expensive gear. Like the Tascam pedal, old compressors, amps, vintage reel to reel tapes, whatever. This is a very broad blanket statement ofc, but I'm pretty skeptical about a lot of these. They seem pretty pricey for you get, and as for how authentic they sound, well, I can't judge that usually. There's also the question of how they will behave if you intend to use it in an unconventional way. The results might be total ass -- or, they could be great, who knows.
I used to buy and sell a lot of gear, with the excuse that I was just trying things out to see what works. I guess its true to some extent. New gear is fun, but it is also an investment of not just money, but also time and effort. You need to actually learn how to use it effectively, and integrate it with your existing equipment. That is why I tend to be quite a lot more conservative when it comes new gear purchases these days. I'm convinced that GAS is (or it can be) a form of procrastination.
