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Midlands Audio Institute Choose Meek Audio instructor Jay Matheson loves to see the look on the student's faces when he compares the Joemeek Pre's to the stock ones in the schools Digi 002. After one such mic pre comparison many of the students went on mic pre buying binges. "The mic pre's on the schools twin-Q blow the Digi 002 ones out of the water", said Jay Matheson. I purchased two of these VC3Q units a few months ago at a local Guitar Center after hearing about them from several people in on line professional recording forums. I have to say that I was very impressed from the first track I cut with them (an acoustic guitar track using my Taylor 510 and a pair of Oktava MC012's going direct to disk @ 44.1 KHz / 24 bit). The reports were absolutely correct! Brash, punchy and definitely "in your face", and surprisingly quiet. The client was very impressed and the recording of the song went on to win this year's NACAS songwriting contest. I have lots of high end gear (Neve preamps, Telefunken ELA M 251 mics) but I have to say that this stuff is ABSURDLY cost effective for the sound it makes. It's great on guitars (acoustic and electric) as well as vocals and even bass going D.I. So far, they have not let me down on anything I've tried them on. I'm planning on adding at least two more of these, and look forward to trying them on drum tracking sessions. I highly recommend them. Phil O'Keefe Sound Sanctuary Recording Riverside, CA The VC-3 gives me everything thing I need in a tight little package. I have a pretty decent studio here in Philly and I do a LOT of work. Bought a VC-3, NOW I do a bunch of work from recording to mastering to commercial voice] overs and more. I apply this baby to my CAD E200 and I don't see any need to buy a Neumann series mic (for now ). I was just messing around in between sessions and applied the VC-3 to the mix on the left side and went to order the SC-2.2 immediately. I do mastering using a DBX DDP and Sound Designer II (MAC) digital I/O , put this baby in between the path and it's over!! Now I can up my rates and NOT be apprehensive about doing so -because Joe says SO!! Thanks Mishilia Sound Studios. Philly, PA This unit is pretty damn good. On any device with a classic pedigree you kind of expect it to be "acceptably" noisy, but the Joemeek is stunningly quiet. It's also extremely distinctive sounding. There seems to be less artifact and more pure compression going on and, while it squashes in a way that I initially didn't find to be that predictable compared to other top-flight units, it is undoubtedly musical. Like other high-quality compressors, it retains superb cohesion in spectral content regardless of how wound up. You don't loose tons of top end when you put it on thick, nor does bass content dominate and swamp. EQ Magazine "
I think the Joemeek could undo a lot of the negative things digital
does .. "I've used it on every record I've
done since I got it .." It's capable of stacks of in-your-face
compression that is surprisingly clean and mellow even when the
meters are motionless. If however,
you really want to go to town with it, the Joemeek when used
as a means of preparing a signal for tape compression and then
laying
it down as hot as you dare is spectacular. My name is Dave Dederer. I was
a member of The Presidents of the United States of America; you
may remember us by our overplayed
Top-40 hits"Lump" and "Peaches." The band
broke up last year, but I continue to make music and to produce
other
artists, mostly locally here in Seattle for right now. I bought
a Joemeek SC2 a couple of years ago after reading every bit of
info I could find on compressors and also hearing the SC2 in
action while helpingJerry Finn mix our second record. I absolutely
love
the SC2 -- it's truly a musical instrument. I've used it on everything
from lead vocals to really cranked guitars to drum submixes to
live stereo recordings of my new jazz combo, to final stereo
buss processing and it's great for all. It took me a while to
get a
feel for adjusting the limited but useful controls for the desired
effect, but now that I've got the hang of it, I can really hear
a difference in my recordings. I like the simplicity of the front
panel; I don't have to worry about numbers, I just listen and
make it sound good. Of course, "If it sounds right, it is
right!" Thanks
for making a great product. I will be sending you a CD by Billy Batstone, a Christian songwriter/artist whose songs are sung all around the world. We recorded all the acoustic and electric guitars, lead and background vocals, bass, and assorted overdubs in Bill's home studio through a VC1 and a NightPro EQ. Drums were added in a traditional studio (through a classic Neve). We get more comments on the sonic clarity of this record, and we mixed it fairly flat. It is a dream. I also recorded the new Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Christmas CD due out November 9th. I used the VC1 on Jimmy Ibbottson's vocals. While I was setting up the sound, he asked what I was doing to his voice, and remarked it was the best he had ever heard it (though a U67). I agreed, having done several records with them. I see many more Meeks in my future. Can't wait to hear the EQ! Thanks John Macy The Joemeek is definitely the Compressor of the 90's, I will never track another record without one. Jack Joseph Puig , Black Crows Heaven. The Joemeek forged the guitar sounds for every project I've produced since it arrived for review. The box delivers kick-butt impact, aggression, and detail. And the sparkle it brought to acoustic-guitar tracks left me breathless. Michael Molinda, Electronic Musician In the past ten years I've worked extensively with vocals through every micpre, with the sure favorite being the Neve1073, until the Joemeek VC2. This unit is truly a tribute to 60's audio engineering, no other micpre comes close to asserting itself like the Tube Channel. It not only has a huge, "phat", tight bottom, but it also captures all the mid and high end details beautifully. My client responses are so great that now I can't record without my Meek. By the way, I've shot the VC-2 out with everything, D.W. Fearn, API, Focusrite Red, several Neves,and no contest! The compressor is another experience all it's own, it's the only compressor I've heard that's as smooth as hot butter yet aggressively savage at the same time. Plug a Neumann into this baby and prepare to melt. The Tube Channel pays for itself as soon as you hit RECORD, I love it." Donald James Productions " The more I use my SC-2, the more it becomes a vital part of my sonic pallette. Like the Fairchild 670 before it, the JOEMEEK SC2 imparts a certain texture to the signal source that is neither transparent or particularly accurate but ultimately musical; and I mean musical in a huge, lush, round kind of way. The SC2 can make any track sound gorgeously retro but without the noise. Why buy a (LA2a) copycat when you can get yourself an original. No other compressor out there sounds like it, not even close. Where else are you gonna get that glorious JOEMEEK sound. The SC2, is what I call a modern day classic. " Steve, Palermo141 I want to tell you what an incredible box you have made in the VC1 Studio Channel. I use this thing every session and it amazes me. I bought this just as a stop gap measure before I purchased a Focusrite Red series mic pre and have still not let this thing go. I wish I had about 7 more to run all my keyboards through as well. I am a working producer/songwriter/remixer with credits ranging from Hammer to Queen Latifah to Smokey Robinson to Seal and if this box sounds this good, I can't wait to hear your other higher end boxes. I am in competition with lots of other producers and they are always trying to get an edge on me, but with my Joe Meek mic pre I will never worry about their vocal tracks sounding better than mine. I have compared this thing to Demeters, Neves, Focusrites, you name it, and I still come up with thicker, richer, fatter, and more presence on my vocal tracks than any studio I have ever worked in. Great product...... John Rhone, Whole 9 Entertainment I took the Joemeek VC1 home from the shop on spec and it's now firmly bolted into my rack. I'm very impressed overall, particularly the way it appears to handle low and low-mid signal, no more muddiness in this range. The mic pre itself more than lives up to my expectations, however, this unit really shines when used with the compressor. I hate to use such an over worked phrase but it really is very transparent when cutting vocals. I also was extremely pleased with how it captured acoustic guitar and I found myself experimenting more than usual with mic placement as the results seemed more apparant than what I'm used to. Electric bass lined into the front panel pre-amp also gave very good results, but I can't say it is better or worse than any of the bass pre-amps I'm currently using. I was curious about having an enhancer as opposed to EQ in the chain, but discovered that I'm preferring this. EQ will never take the place of good mic technique and the controls on the enhancer allow the user to finely and subtly tweak the signal if needed before hitting record. I used a Nuemann U-87, AKG 414 and 460 as well as a couple of different dynamics, with the 87 and 414 responding the best, although all mics seemed to respond well, no surprises here. All in all, a very useful addition to anyones rack and certainly money well spent. I'd buy another (for stereo). I'm very curious about the VC3, if it responds anywhere near the VC1, the price alone makes it feasible to purchase two. Thanks Gord, Great Plains Productions The Joemeek VC-3 has a great mic pre AND great compression AND an exiter/Q control. I've been using it with an Audio Technica 4050/CM5 and 4033 along with some Shure57's and58's. It's the first time I've ever really liked the sound of the Shure mics, and it has made a huge difference with the Audio Technica Condensors. At it's price of about $400.00, it is the most amazing deal going. I've got my eye on the SC-2 Stereo compressor to fry my mixes into... Jason Loewenstein, Project Studio Owner " I love my Joemeek Stereo Compressor even better than my LA2a, and my 1176LN. It's a true savage. Marciello DelaCroce Brooklyn, New York Hi all; I purchased the Joemeek VC1 recently after using it on a mix that I was having trouble getting the lead vocal to stand out on. I tried everything, but couldn't get the lead vocal to sit comfortable without stomping on the rest of the mix. Out of desperation I tried using the VC1 as an insert on the track and was amazed at how easily it tamed the track. It sat better sonically without changing the EQ, the changes were subtle when I soloed the track with and without the VC1, but in the mix it was VERY noticeable. The compressor surprised me too. I set it to where I thought it'd work, and after marvelling at how nice the track was sitting, I noticed the compressor was knocking back 5 - 10 db. I didn't hear it at all!!!!! This thing RULES!!!! Neil Meckelborg I got the VC3 to use as a mic preamp, for which I think everyone agrees this is an incredible piece of equipment. Then I tried using it as a guitar preamp and liked the results so much I bought the VC6 meekbox for that purpose. For those with guitar pickup noise problems, I say use this thing and you will enjoy the sound of silence - until you play and get to hear it pour out thick and rich! Can't wait to try it on some other stuff. And it's green! Jeff T I bought the least expensive one (the VC3), and I've been using it nonstop for about a month. I really like it (especially the enhancer), though to my ears the compressor seems to be so"transparent" as to be non-existent...I think it's a good deal for the money! David Victor I'd feel a lot better about upgrading my signal path by spending $1,099 on the marvelous VC1, than I would about spending tens of thousands of dollars on a used Neve or Trident console. Michael Molenda EM Review February 1998 I like the Joe Meek compressor. I recorded some guitar tracks and was really impressed. I have a Demeter and a Joemeek VC-1 Studio Channel. It seems to be a good combination. The Demeter makes guitars sound big soft and puffy, but the Joemeek makes them sound tight and in your face. Guitar solos really jump out (powerful) with the Joemeek compressor. I'm glad I bought it. Kevin I purchased a Joemeek Stereo Compressor six months ago,and it's been used on every mix I've done since then. If I had four I'd use them all. Ken Kessie, Mix Magazine " Unless you have permanent access to a rack of vintage compressors, a unit such as the SC2 would be a particularly worthwhile addition to your effects resources..." Studio Sound " I bring it in, drop it in their face and say: USE THIS THING!..." John King, Chung King Studios, New York " For me, it totally did the job. Not only did it add warmth and gain riding, it gave me this indescribable zing, and I thought 'I don't know what it's doing but I like it'..." Mark Plati - Producer - David Bowie " It really does work in the world of boys and toys..." Paul Hartnoll - Orbital Hey there Mr. Meek, Just picked up a VC-3 ProChannel. It is just flat out amazing, best piece of gear I have bought in I don't how long. I work on a mac with Cubase and a Mackie mixer, and I have spent terrifying amounts of money on getting good vocal and guitar tracks. The vocal problems were easily explained when I took into account my singing ability, but the guitar problems never made sense. I play well, I have nice guitars, real nice amps, and an SM57 which should make tracking guitars a piece of cake. I even built an iso booth for a great sounding Marshall 1X10 cab so I could open up the amps, but I still wasn't getting the kind of sound I expected. Enter the Joemeek VC3. Just lighting the fetching green light on occasion is enough to smooth everything out and improve the tracks. The enhancer sounds great as well. For four hundred bucks you folks did more for my guitar sounds than the last $1000 I have spent. You built a freaking magic box my friends. The only thing it hasn't done is make me a good singer, but even my vocals are improved. I can't wait to try some EQ in the loop and see if the sound can get better yet. Keep it up, and thanks for the cheapo version, it's the only piece guys like me can afford. Thad Brown " The combination of front end compressor and enhancer is particularly useful for piping signals directly to tape (or disk), bypassing the mixer entirely, but the in-line facility also makes the Pro Channel a powerful post recording tool .." Paul White - Sound on Sound At NAMM, I was fortunate to stumble across the booth* with JOEMEEK gear which I'd read about in EQ (*they were on the 1st floor where at first you don't expect much in the way of high end audio, but where upon inspection, you find some breaking new products). The JOEEMEEK Stereo Compressor was used by Sheryl Crowe -- but the lit didn't say on what tracks. I was impressed with the sound, even with the noise from the floor bleedin' through the cans a bit. The JOEMEEK voice channel (pre-amp w/ compressor and enhancer) was also impressive -- check out the enhancer's depth, drive, and resonance controls. Would have like to have heard the Tube Voice Channel VC2 which was not on the floor. And they're a great color of green, and I went ballistic over the VU meter. Bob 7th Wave Productions, Seattle Yet one more testimonial! I have recently purchased two of the VC3 boxes to use -not only with a Roland VS unit, but also live. Yes thats right, live performance. What a great box for the price. The levels of both the vocals and my acoustic guitar (a Lowden) are more constant and musically accessable to the ear and the enhancement (used carefully) gives great "sheen" and helps to restore some of the overtones that normally are the first to go in amplified fingerstyle guitar. On our first outing with our new meeks, the promoter commented that we had the best live sound he has ever heard on his concert series. I wish I could take the credit. Meek now rides at the top of my short list along with George L's cables, L.R. Baggs pickups and EAW speakers. Unusual application? Who cares- the tone is outstanding. K Millham Spokane, WA I am a producer and songwriter for the group PSYCHOTICA, HAMMERBRAIN, YOUTH GONE MAD, PEP GIRLZ, LILLY OF THE VALLEY, and FALL FROM GRACE. I have been using the VC1 on everything, I love it. PSYCHOTICA will be starting a new record next week, for Zero Hour records. I love the VC1, and everyone I play my 8 track demos to, says that "it already sounds like the radio", "what do you do?". I tell them "MEEK!" Thank you very much Paul Kostabi The JMC has an end user list that reads like the who's who of tha audio world...Mark Knopfler, Peter Gabriel, Sheryl Chrowe,Roy Thomas Baker,Walt Disney Studios, etc. Say what you will, but the unit is only $1,900.00 U.S. and sounds better than 2 LA-3's that would run you twice as much if you can find them. I say try one out, it's worth the money. Carl M I'd like to add my 2 cents to your testimonials. I heard some high praises for your SC2 compressor from an industry pro with many years in the business. Someone I trust, and someone who has been around the best sounds out there. So much praise that I bought your unit. He was right! The SC2 has attitude, (but a nice one.) I like it. It brings out the best elements in a mix. The green face is reeking havoc with the dark faced outboard brothers in my rack, but hey... it's something we'll have to get used to! Eliott James, Wateree Studios, Atlanta I bought a pair of Joemeek VC-3's to use on my TSR-8, but used them first on my Tascam 424 and they made a world of difference over the built in pre's.It is kind of an absurd situation as the JoeMeek/ Audiotechnica 40/33 setup cost 3X as much as the 424, but it sure does sound better. And would actually make more sense to me as a setup than a TSR-8 or ADAT with shitty mic pre's and just some Shure mic's. JoeMeek VC-3's are around $350.00 these days and have an AMAZINGLY great sounding compressor and enhancer built in (both switchable) as well as a really clean, high headroom mic preamp. For the quality of this product and its versatility it can save you alot of money buying shitty compressors and preamps while looking for the great sound that can be found in this little green box. It will beat the preamps of ANY home studio type mixer and will increase performance of any microphone. I have a Mackie 1604VLZ and 1202 and the tascam. I have used it with Audiotechnica 40/33's 40/50's, Radioshack PZM's, SM57's/SM58's, and an AKG D-112. It makes ALL of thes mics sound better, on my Tascam 424 OR TSR-8 1/2". It is alot to spend when compared to the cost of a fourtrack, but that wasnt the question. A Joemeek Fan I just purchased the VC-3 to use with my OCTIVA condenser mic and my VS-880. The results are amasing and my sound is better than the Demeter mic pre I have been borrowing from a friend!!! Thanks for the box, A new JOEMEEK FREEK , THANKS!!!! ZOEKEEN1@AOL.COM In the past two days, I have used my VC3 to record a gigantic sounding 4-track demo on a nearly worthless Fostex X-15. I then brought this thing to a wedding gig and used it to get my mic'ed Martin to the board to get a big clear sound without feedback. No doubt many other "little musicians" are getting a lot of mileage on a shoestring with this excellent product. Michael Frost, project recordist I have had the SC2 since 1996 when I was using it
on tour (Elevator Drops , eels , Letters to Cleo) for guitars.
It was like
having a 670 on the road. I have also used it on every record I
have mixed since then either on guitars, drum buss or female vocals.
It has performed excellent in every application I have tried it
in. It has a sound that is familiar but different. Great job on
making this compressor! These are real world comments and quotes from users and Industry Professionals. They are unedited and are not checked for any errors. PMI Audio is not responsible for their content. Models and retail prices are subject to change without notice. If you want to add your Joemeek comments experiences, or testimonials Click Here |
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