How Transformers Can Enhance Your Mix

Ryan West visits Flux Studios in New York City and reveals how to get some unique ‘analog color’ with transformer saturation along with his analog summing to add dimension to a mix while still getting the flexibility of mixing In-the-Box and retaining mix recallability. The Dangerous 2-BUS+ summing amp has “X-Former” variable transformer saturation built-in.

“This is an old trick for engineers, coming right out of the console take the left and right stereo mix and pop it through vintage mic preamp to get a unique ‘transformer’ sound.” The X-Former color circuit built into the Dangerous 2-BUS+ adds, “A little bit of extra Voodoo. It tightens up the low end and also gives this sheen on the sides of the mix that I don’t get without it. It gives another level of magic when I’m mixing.”

Ryan West has engineered at top New York studios including Stadiumred Studios NYC, SoHo Studios, and Baseline Recording Studios, cranking out hit after hit for today’s top artists. As an accomplished engineer and producer in a variety of musical genres, Ryan West is best known for chart-topping Hip-Hop and R&B mixes for today’s top artists such as Rihanna, Eminem, Jay Z, T.I., Kid Cudi, Willie Nelson, Usher, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent and many more. His mixes for artists have reached 19 Gold, 10 Platinum, 5 Multi-Platinum, and 1 Diamond RIAA album awards levels. He was nominated for the prestigious Album of the Year Grammy in 2004 for Usher's “Confessions,” and again in 2011 for Eminem's “Recovery.”

[diegoambrosio]

The sound gets closer to a live experience of the band - even if just a bit.

[fuzzupuzzu]

aaaah finally I get to hear a transformer, thanks!

[ErazedFX]

Love this kind of videos. Please upload more in the future :)

[MarkyGoldstein]

I think it might be worth noting that there are different types and models of transformers, and they each seem to have a sound (frequency bandwidth, curve, behaviour, tightness, vintage vs modern, a.s.)

[uptownphotography]

Excellent video and great idea.
Phil
NYC Area

[ivangil-silva]

That glued and evened the whole mix plus added meat.

[dedskin]

I analized the file, its just on bass channel its not on everything but i will try to reproduce it without actual transformer

[medwaystudios]

Sounded awesome, thanks. Is that Cinemags?

[dedskin]

Isnt the transformer simulated in all VSTS that are copy's of real effect units like WAVES for example, they all have ANALOG button

[adycfrbv]

Stupid question!
Why X = Trans ?
Why X ≠ Christ
Why not Transmas ?

[JuanJacinto]

Music composition is bizarre. The mix is even weirder.

[walkinthrutheparkbymr.melo]

What a confusing piece of 'music' to demo this with.