Jake Roeder: VTRC, "Best Strip I've Ever Used"

• 19.09.2011
• Michael Krusch
• Review
• VTRC

Jake Roeder, producer and musician from Regensburg, Germany, on the Vari Tube Recording Channel VTRC – a user review from 2011, shown here in his own words.

"Errrrrr – can you somehow mix it back? I feel like I‘m singing to myself in my ear."

That was, what I recently had to hear in a vocal session. Actually, that says quite a lot about the VTRC. Since about two months I call the channel my own and I can no longer imagine my studio setup without this device. My absolute favorite for vocal recordings - but also versatile - guitars, snares - something is always working.

The Search for an Affordable Channel Strip

I have been looking for a long time for a decent, affordable channel strip that meets my requirements. Mostly you are missing something - the EQ sounds bad, the compressor runs at a very preliminary stage, or the pre-stage is too thin. I cannot complain about anything about my VTRC. This is really extraordinary.

When unpacking it I was pleasantly surprised. Who does not know it - one thousand small knobs and you are puzzled. This is not the case with VTRC - large potentiometers (rasterized - I love it), stable toggle switch and everything clearly arranged.

Preamp, EQ and Two Compressors: The VTRC in Use

My favorite knob is the Gain regulator. The sound in the pre-stage is great but when using the gain regulator the sound is so phat, that you are deeply moved.

The EQ works wide-band and clean. Compressors (2!) sound very neat - and do what they should, without breaking the signal. To take peaks - no problem - compression - neither!

No matter what kind of mic I connect to Vocal Recordings – In the mix the voice is always ahead of the band without being intrusive loud.

Quite honestly: It must always go fast - and with the VTRC you cannot do anything wrong. It is the ideal tool. Thanks to the combo jack on the front, there is no problem processing signals.

Verdict: A Clear "Thumbs Up"

I am more than delighted with the VTRC – it deserves clearly a “thumbs up” - or as a good American colleague, who recently worked with me, said: "That's probably the best strip I've ever used - and I've used a bunch ".

Jake Roeder
Single Coil Studio Regensburg
Singer/Songwriter/Producer/Engineer/Arranger/Composer
Webseite: www.jake-music.com
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/de/album/finally/id308862882

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Learn more about the VTRC

Credits

• Jake Roeder - Germany
• Skware - USA
• The Go Set - Australia
• Elli - German Idol Winner - Germany
• ACDC Revival Band - Germany
• Luis Trinkers Höhenrausch - Germany
• Morgan Finlay - Canada
• Shane O'Fearghail - Ireland
• Die Happy - Germany (Toursupport "unplugged & accoustic Tour 2009")
• Erwin und die Heckflossen - Germany (Top 40 Band)
• Milk! - Germany
• Kellner - Germany
• Shane Baker - Muscle Shoals, USA

Instrumental/Producing/Editing Credits

• Killian McGrath/ Ireland - Shine on - (Arranging, Producing, Piano, Guitars, Bass)
• Nevio/ Germany - Due - (Editing)
• Gitte/ Germany - Was ihr wollt (Guitars, Vocals)
• EON/ Germany - Ten Stars for Christmas (Guitars, Bass, Ukulele, Backing Vocals, Editing, Arranging, Engineering)
• Chirho/ Germany/England - (Editing, Guitars)
• Helmut Hattler, Siyou/ Germany - Lovely Place Germany (Guitars)
• Schinderhannes/ Germany - Von einem anderen Stern (Live Recording)
• Kellner/ Germany (Live Recording, Mixing, Video, Engineering Record "The Road Sessions")
• Volkan Baydar - former Orange Blue/ Germany (Guitars, Vocals, Engineering)
• Saint Lou/ Germany - (Engineering, Recording)
• Sick Sick Sick/ Germany (Producing, Arranging, Mixing)
• Alpenköniginnen (Engineering, Recording)
• Donikkl (Engineering, Recording)
• D'Raith Schwestern und Da Blaimer/Deepest Bavaria - (Engineering, Recording)
• Senit/ Italy-San Marino (Engineering, Recording, Guitars, Backing Vocals on "Stand By" Song for San Marino on Eurovision Song Contest 2011)
• Gregor Meyle/ Germany (Guitars, Bass, Engineering)
• Adoro/Germany (Engineering)

Producers/ writers worked with:

• Christian Lohr/ Germany (Gianna Nannini, Joss Stone, Sting, Udo Jürgens, Christina Stürmer uvm.)
• Gary Baker/ Florence, USA (writer of "I swear", Backstreet Boys, Lee Ann Rhimes, Nick Lache, Lonestar uvm.)
• Rolf Stauffacher/ Frauenfeld, Switzerland (Max Lesser, Salomon Burke, Gianna Nannini, Pippo Polina uvm.)
• Bernhard Frank/ Regensburg, Germany (Moodorama, uvm.)
• Patty Mayer/ Berlin, Germany (Saint Lou, Wir sind Helden uvm.)
• Anthony Little/ Miami, USA (Tina Turner, Monrose uvm.)
• Maya Singh/ Germany (Sarah Connor, Christina Stürmer uvm.)
• Adam Browder/ Nashville, USA (Kip Moore, The Shoals, Erin Brokovic uvm.)
• Dough Stokes/ Columbia, USA (The Shoals, Minny Murphy uvm.)
• Josh Haselton/ Florence, USA (Lenny LeBlanc, Skware uvm.) Matt Johnson/ Muscle Shoals, USA (Matthew Craig, Skware, Noiseblock uvm.)
• Shane Baker/ Muscle Shoals, USA (Shane Baker Band, Noisenlock uvm.)
• Killian McGrath/ Dublin, Irland
• Dave Haselton/ Birmingham, USA
• Steve King/ New York, USA
• Rob Collier/ Florence, USA
• Bianca Handl/ Elite Models, Germany

Touring in:

• Germany
• Switzerland
• Austria
• Ireland
• Australia
• Spain
• USA

Related: Lauren Passarelli Interview: Berklee and the VTRC · Bill Schnee: Schwerky, Raumzy and the VTRC · Wake Me Up: Vocals with VTRC & Schwerkraftmaschine