Harrison Mixbus Daw

[kdm]

You Tube intro video here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fa_o6hmJg3Q)

OSX only, based on Ardour. $79.99

Question is, does it sound anything like a Harrison at that price?

What's the angle for Harrison here?

[ROCKINROG]

Geeez...when it rains it pours. It looks like it's the year of the DAW Wars. :D

[LEX]

Killer.

Hmm, Vari Speed. I do remember Fredo mentioning it would be an impossible task for Nuendo.

$80 bucks. Might have to take a look under the hood at the automation, but since C5's automation is bogus, it very well could just knock C5 out of use for mixing (not that it is being used anyway).

Wonder if they are going to demo it?

Obviously, Harrison doesn't know the whole world in on PC and MAC, and probably thinks everyone in Music is on a MAC.

But, for 80 bucks, plus Reaper, sure beats everything that is charging up the ASS.

LEX

[LEX]

What's the angle for Harrison here?

I'm sure with the harrison emulations out there, in order to use the Harrison name, they must have gotten the emulation in it.

Exactly like it, maybe, maybe not. Close I'd bet. Maybe not as good as UAD or Waves though.

What's the angle?

The Harrison name probably. Then the price. Plus, it looks like a desk.

LEX

[paulwr]

If they had vst implementation and of course PC version, I'd seriously be taking a look. I'm sticking with Cubase for midi.

Reaper is just way to arcane for me to bother trying to learn. I really like some of its features, but it appears to be a lengthy learn. I can't really even bother with mixing audio with it, other than a few stems, but it seems good for mastering. Already started, and so far I like it for that.

-Paul

[LEX]

If they had vst implementation and of course PC version, I'd seriously be taking a look. I'm sticking with Cubase for midi.

Reaper is just way to arcane for me to bother trying to learn. I really like some of its features, but it appears to be a lengthy learn. I can't really even bother with mixing audio with it, other than a few stems, but it seems good for mastering. Already started, and so far I like it for that.

-Paul

I don't think there is any midi in it. Nuendo 3 for midi here.

Reaper's approach to many things is a bit, left of center sometimes.

What I like about the Harrison. Cheap, yet to be determined (sound quality), and it is about as standard as a console if you are use to having everything right in front of you.

If you are or learned (mix in the box), then it probably won't matter.
But if most of your mixing was console based, it fits in alot better.

LEX

[paulwr]

yea, I know there's no midi. But vst plugs are what I have, and the Harrison will only use AU on a mac.

They say you can apply plugs, but zooming in on the gui, I didn't notice where.

I could really like this thing for mixing. Are you actually mixing on Reaper now? I just can't stand it. Love the idea, but isn't very smooth to use in practice....maybe until one becomes expert.

-Paul

[dcwave]

Okay. so if I understand (i maybe don't). This is basically 3 plugs for Audor? A channel strip, a 4 bus and a stereo bus?
so you use Jack to connect Audor to it? I assume that's like rewiring or using FX teleport?

[LEX]

Okay. so if I understand (i maybe don't). This is basically 3 plugs for Audor? A channel strip, a 4 bus and a stereo bus?
so you use Jack to connect Audor to it? I assume that's like rewiring or using FX teleport?

Right above the EQ is the insert with the pulldown menu. Goto 1:52.

Yeah, VST is a bummer. Doesn't most make then as AU as well and comes that way?

LEX

[TerryG]

That's a nice looking GUI...

Too bad it's not out for PC.... yet. :eusa_pray:

And, considering the quality/price/processing demands of the UAD's Harrison 32c emulation, it's very hard to imagine the Mixbus doing the same thing on every channel effectively and efficiently for $80... without serious system demands and channel limitations.

But, if Harrison's proprietary emulation quality matches their website statements, this will blow some large holes into the DAW world in many circles.

[TAFKAT]

It does look interesting..,

Another one to the list of the expanding and getting crowded DAW choices.

However , not even a demo to have a look see and a listen, so what, we have to take their word for it ?

Very Strange ..

[TerryG]

Thought I'd share this email I just received from a rep at Harrison:

Hi Terry,

We have no immediate plans for Mixbus on Windows. However that is a
definite possibility in the future.

Best Regards,
Ben Loftis

Welcome to the future... it just can't get here fast enough. :wink:

[UntamedSpirit]

marketing. I'm sure we wouldn't be talking about this if it was just Ardour (which essentially it is).

Seriously, you guys find a replica of an analogue console beautiful as a gui?

There's lots of competiton so maybe some real innovation is just around the corner ;)

[Animus]

This seems like a lot of hype but I do think a Nebula powered DAW would be awesome. Imagine if Cubendo had preferences where you could emulate different signal paths: Neve, SSL, Trident etc.

[UntamedSpirit]

seems I went off a little premature.
On reading a little more, I think the idea is great to tie in with open source developers and move into a more modular approach.

I realize this is exactly what happened with the vst spec opening up potential for third party developers to integrate their creations into a full blown DAW.

Maybe there are actually some exciting developments just around the corner.

If it were available for pc I would at least look at it ;)

[TerryG]

http://www.harrisonconsoles.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=108&Itemid=42

Ya, it's pretty.

[LEX]

seems I went off a little premature.
On reading a little more, I think the idea is great to tie in with open source developers and move into a more modular approach.

I realize this is exactly what happened with the vst spec opening up potential for third party developers to integrate their creations into a full blown DAW.

Maybe there are actually some exciting developments just around the corner.

If it were available for pc I would at least look at it ;)

Bingo. Now your talking sense.

This is new as well. I wouldn't be surprised if you see a windows version in a year.

I dig it already.

LEX

[TAFKAT]

Thought I'd share this email I just received from a rep at Harrison:

Hi Terry,

We have no immediate plans for Mixbus on Windows. However that is a
definite possibility in the future.

Best Regards,
Ben Loftis

Welcome to the future... it just can't get here fast enough. :wink:

Hey Terry,

Its based on Ardour, so the only PC version I suspect would be running on Linux.

After my foray into Ubuntu studio which had the standard Ardour on it, which btw does not look all that different to this , I personally won't be returning there any time soon , no matter how funky and reto this new spin looks.

If the plugs are that good, they will find their way into AU/VST , I can't see a stampede for this to be honest.

[olamo]

I have used Ardour for quite a while, as a Pro tools replacement for educational purposes.

You can use Ardour on OSX entirely for free with xjadeo to do audio for video work. Take a look:
h**p://www.out-of-order.ca/wordpress/tutorial/composing-soundtracks-with-ardour-on-mac-os-x/

The Harrison is nothing else than added EQ and Dynamic section, or is it?
Not likely there will be a PC version soon I think..

Ola

[BenLoftis]

Hi guys, I just stumbled across this post...

olamo, you are right about Jadeo, and the fact that there will not be a Windows version soon. (We have plans to distribute it for Linux on PCs though)

Regarding your question about the EQ and Dynamics, the answer is yes and no :)

Each track has a high-pass filter, 3-band EQ, compressor, and 4 bus sends. You can't really re-create this as a plugin though. For one thing, the controls affect the signal at different points in the signal flow. The EQ and compressor are pre-fader while the bus sends and panning are post-fader and post-inserts. Furthermore, a plugin wouldn't show up as nicely inthe channel strip. For example the input meter, fader, compressor trheshold, and gain reduction meter are all right next to each other which lets you play these controls against each other and get the best sound.

There are sends from each track to the pre-defined 4 Mix Buses. The panning and summing into these busses is done directly in the tracks, just like a console. And the mix busses have a specific saturation algorithm that helps wrangle the dynamics of popular music, much like tape used to do.

The way Mixbus is designed, it sounds and operates like a nice little analog console. It's very forgiving and you can create the "happy accidents" that used to happen in analog (assigning to both a subgroup and the master bus, for example).

So yes, we did add EQ and compression to Ardour, but that's not the whole story.

Best Regards,
Ben Loftis
Harrison Consoles

[kdm]

Thanks for stopping by to comment Ben! Good to have you here.