So, which echo is the best ?

[dave robinson]

I heard Charlie Hall's new machine today and it is amazing. It's got a magic about it that is difficult to describe and I can't wait to try it in a live situation. I always knew that it would be good and said as much, I can fully understand now why it's taken so long to develop, he wants it perfect with no come backs. From what I heard today it's close to completion. Do I want one ? If what I heard today translates through a band mix to the audience - YES !

[roger bayliss]

I think many of us cannot wait to hear Charlie and John's new echo and I know those that heard the early prototype said they could not distinguish between it and a Meazzi. I know the preamp is modelled on the ME2 preamp voicing as he had to pick one to imitate and I expect it will match the ME2 type sound closely from what I understand. It is of course going to produce the other echos the Shads have used over the years and will have presets and fully editable user settings. I think it will probably be on a par with a TVS but we wll have to wait and hear it when it comes up to release time.

[abstamaria]

I agree Graham, I don't think the average punter would hear the difference, but the problem is that we do.

Haha, yes, that's the problem.

[petercreasey]

What a fascinating thread, so full of expert advice, it starts with ... beware of spending lots of money because all the echoes sound about the same, through what does it really matter because the audience can't tell the difference , to the latest piece of expert advice.......the latest one that's about to be released on the public is the one you probably will want to buy.
I am so pleased that I am a poor old confused pensioner, otherwise I could get confused by all this diffinitive expert advice

[Didier]

Since I started recording the Convention in 1995, the policy has always been that instruments are individually mic'd so that the true sound of the band is not coloured by the acoustics of the venue. The lead guitar sound you hear is just as the guitarist intended it to be. As an example, here are Legend playing Tomorrows Cancelled, a wonderful recreation of the original with a superb lead guitar from Tony Hoffman.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jqaMroIaKM

Not all live shows are recorded on camera mics!
Ray

When you don't have the possibility to mic instruments, there is a better solution than built-in camcorder mics which I am using. I have a camcorder with external mic input (not a very common feature) and I am using a pair of external T.Bone directional EM9600 mics which are less colored by acoustics of the venue than built-in mics.



When this pic was taken, I had not yet a camcorder with external mic input, so I used a Zoom H2 sound recorder alongside the camcorder, but later replacing the camcorder sound by the one from the Zoom H2, and synchronizing it was rather complicate !

Here is an example of the result :



This was played by the band "Come Back" at the Shads in Breizh (Shads in Britanny) meeting on september 20th 2014.

Didier

[dave robinson]

What a fascinating thread, so full of expert advice, it starts with ... beware of spending lots of money because all the echoes sound about the same, through what does it really matter because the audience can't tell the difference , to the latest piece of expert advice.......the latest one that's about to be released on the public is the one you probably will want to buy.
I am so pleased that I am a poor old confused pensioner, otherwise I could get confused by all this diffinitive expert advice

Wind your neck in for heavens sake, I still believe the cheap option is better for the majority, but having heard Charlie's machine I'd have one if the difference I heard could be translated to the stage. No advice, just my opinion that I liked what I heard. It doesn't mean I think everyone should buy one but to be fair to Charlie I've told it how it is, having complained about the Alesis and Magicstomp robbing the guitar of it's sound. Now go you can go back to sleep.

[petercreasey]

What a fascinating thread, so full of expert advice, it starts with ... beware of spending lots of money because all the echoes sound about the same, through what does it really matter because the audience can't tell the difference , to the latest piece of expert advice.......the latest one that's about to be released on the public is the one you probably will want to buy.
I am so pleased that I am a poor old confused pensioner, otherwise I could get confused by all this diffinitive expert advice

Wind your neck in for heavens sake, I still believe the cheap option is better for the majority, but having heard Charlie's machine I'd have one if the difference I heard could be translated to the stage. No advice, just my opinion that I liked what I heard. It doesn't mean I think everyone should buy one but to be fair to Charlie I've told it how it is, having complained about the Alesis and Magicstomp robbing the guitar of it's sound. Now go you can go back to sleep.

Oh forgive me for commenting............ heaven forbid that I should comment ......night night

[dave robinson]

It's sometimes best not comment at all unless there's something worth adding, unless you're looking to spoil it.
Thus far the thread was good.

[petercreasey]

Ok, back to the purpose of the thread. Which echo is the best? For me it is the ESE echomatic 6SE, having had it's head spacings adjusted it is by far the best machine I have used........... my opinion only of course

[ecca]

When this pic was taken, I had not yet a camcorder with external mic input, so I used a Zoom H2 sound recorder alongside the camcorder, but later replacing the camcorder sound by the one from the Zoom H2, and synchronizing it was rather complicate !

I use a Zoom H4 recorder as the main sound recording but the problem was , as you say, Didier , synchronisation.
My main camcorder for a number of years was a Canon DV , forgot the model but the sound used to drift on it , out of time with the H4. Perhaps it was tape stretch,