Hildebrand’s Equipment List 2010
Producers, engineers and studios can make use of my personal and quality collection of recording, mixing and mastering equipment. This includes some of the finest analog music gear by SSL, Manley, Drawmer, HÖF, Eventide, Lexicon, Neumann, Schoeps and AKG.
My equipment is chosen to be a great addition to the setups that most professional studios already have. It further works well in any other mobile or home-based recording or mixing context. I use this equipment frequently, but also welcome others to make use of it by offering my studio setup for hire.
To read more about the equipment and my reviews follow the links to the articles for most items. You can contact me at blog@hildebrand.me .
Microphones
Schoeps CMC4 Cardioid Small Diaphragm Condensor (x2)
Schoeps CMT-S 501 U Stereo Condensor
AEA R84 Ribbon Microphones (x2)
Neumann KM 84 Cardioid Small Diaphragm Condensor (x2)
AKG C-414 B-ULS Large Diaphragm Condensor (x2)
Dynamics & EQ
Manley Variable MU Stereo Limiter Compressor
Tube Tech PE1C EQ (x2)
HÖF Dynamic Master Stereo Compressor Limiter Expander (x2)
Drawmer 1961 Stereo Vacuum Tube Equalizer
Drawmer DS201 Dual Noise Gate
Drawmer DL241 Auto Compressor Stereo
SPL De-Esser Stereo
Mixing Equipment, Effects & Speakers
SSL X-Rack Summing Mixer
Eventide Eclipse Reverb and FX unit
Lexicon PCM-80 Reverb and FX unit
Classic Yamaha NS-10 with C-Audio RA3000 Amplifier
Recommended books … Additional reading
Manley Variable MU Stereo Limiter Compressor
The Manley Vari-MU review
I have used the Manley for years and it basically is always across everything. In principle. Once you’ve got the machine working you can instantly hear the gloss. I use it as much for single instruments as on the master busses. It is a misconception that it is a mastering unit (this one I have is the non-mastering version). You can get the drums and vocals incredibly solid or nicely pumping – it’s your choice. Clearly you wont get this sound out of a Plug-In – I’ve tried many a times. Can someone prove me wrong?
“Kick it up to something obscene, like 15-20 dB, and it squeezes the track like a silk glove, getting the effect without any nasty artifacts. There is something to this unit that just glues everything together and makes the track sound, for want of another term, ‘better.’ You can’t really compare it to anything else because it is indeed unique, once you try one, you’ll be hooked forever,” concludes Owsinsky.
HÖF Dynamic Master Stereo Compressor Limiter Expander
The HÖF Dynamic Master review
The HÖF Dynamic Master is a very unusual piece of kit, not just for its Ö. How it works is kept deliberately vague, as the designers even scrape off the Integrated Circuit numbers in order to keep its secrets. I have got two Dynamic Master, which I use a lot for parallel compression and because of the stereo linking I had to get another one for two mono signals.
I can create a great density in the sound using this machine without destroying any of the lively attacks, which are so important to the mix. It works really well in conjunction with other gear in the chain, which results in a lot of control over the dynamics. Again, I use a mastering equipment in a different way to mix. I realize now that I seem to do that a lot!
