Crane Song STC-8

The Crane Song STC-8 is a high end stereo compressor/limiter for mixing and mastering purposes. It's an analog piece of equipment that has XLR connections for it's inputs and outputs. I don't really know the rest of the connections as I just know that we have it hooked in via XLR our studio's mastering room. It is rack mountable and will take up two spaces in a traditional casing.

UTILIZATION

There are a ton of parameters with the Crane Song STC-8! Each channel gives you control over the following parameters: peak threshold (for limiting), threshold, attack, release, shape, metering, gain make up, and preset, which gives you a variety of different types of compression and is the area that really makes the STC-8 versatile. You can use the channels separately or on there own. The manual is pretty complete and should be able to answer any questions you might have about the STC-8.


SOUND QUALITY

I've never heard anything quite like the Crane Song STC-8. It simply sounds that good! I've only used it for mastering purposes since the studio that I work at has it set up in our mastering room, but it's certainly useful for mixing as well. The problem is that it's so expensive that it's really not worth having unless it's for mastering. Either way, this thing really sounds incredible and is perfect for giving your mixes a major boost in clarity, volume, and for limiting purposes. I don't do too much mastering myself, but if I do I'll try to get in there to use the STC-8 since it can give you an almost instant boost.

OVERALL OPINION

The Crane Song STC-8 is about as expensive as you'll find any piece of outboard gear. Of course, mastering gear is usually going to cost more since it's made cleaner and it's more imperative to have absolutely no noise. You can actually get this in a few different versions, with detented outputs for further output clarity. If you're a professional mastering engineer putting together a studio, there's no better place to start than with a Crane Song STC-8.

* What are the effects, types of effects available?
Polymorphic compressor capable of sounding "like" other big name or no compression. It is very versatile.
It is coupled to a limiter
* What technology is used? (Analog, digital, tube ...)
Discrete Class A
* Are they editable? Via a publisher Mac / PC?
All settings are editable, but there are presets that can take over the machine to seize all subtillités
* What is the connection? (Audio / MIDI)
XLR audio, no MIDI
* Is this a rack or rack-mount model?
2U Rack



UTILIZATION

The setup is very difficult to take in hand, and only after long hours that we find these marks. Fortunately the manual is clear and well done even if it remains amber.
In fact we touch a button and change the sound we hear ... O)

SOUND QUALITY

This compressor is polymorphic, it can be very fat and wheezy, very delicate, musical and transparent.
Anyway it is very musical, and can do almost everything.
A great voice, a bass drum, a bass.
It is a must in output mix, mastering
The sidechain compression on the master bus or mastering is very effective and valuable, and allows all settings and adaptation.
I use it for more than years mastering all the time, it can adapt to any music at all levels of input and output.
It's impressive, and

OVERALL OPINION

* For how long have you been using it?
More years
* What thing do you like most/least about it?
All the more, no less ... Ah, but it lacks the ability to mix with the compressed sound enrant
* Did you try many other models before getting this one?
Yes, Avalon, Distressor, 160, ...
* What is your opinion about the value for the price?
It's expensive but it's worth, nine around 5000 € ht
* Knowing what you know now, would you make the same choice? ...
Without hesitating a second, harder and find opportunities. Generally once you've tasted it does not separate o))