Bob,

Not a technical question here, but after hearing some of your work
and being impressed by it, I began to wonder about your recording
philosophy.

You don't seem to place a lot of importance on the analog front end and
digital conversion part of the equation and you still get great sounds. This isn't the norm.
Engineers seem to be obsessed about their gear, about the
clarity, "definition", "punchyness", "3d soundstage" of their preamplifiers.
They obsess about the "wide soundstage" given by high-ticket digital
converters and so on.

You use Behringer ADA8000s. An item considered to be "low-end" even by
some "low-end" engineers.

What really strikes me, is that you spent a lot of years creating an
awesome-sounding audio engine. You have spent a lot of time implementing
the equalization algorithms in your software. You worried about noise floor,
for example (I read that in one of your posts, I believe). You ended up with
great sounding equalizers and compressors...

...and yet you chose to use $15/channel preamplifiers as a front end for
your recordings. You have even said you record at 44.1k and 16 bits.

I ask the following as sincere questions, I'm in no way critizicing your methods.
I just was thinking ... hey, what if instead of breaking my neck trying to
get enough money to get some Mytek converters ($3000) and some
Millenia preamps I instead get some ADA8000s and save a LOT of cash. I
mean, would I lose a lot? I've heard your work, and I know that I could get
great results with the ADA8000.

You have worked in large studios. Big consoles. Big ticket preamps, eqs,
compressors, etc. Aren't those items a significant improvement over the
ADA8000 preamps?

I have these questions:
1) Why don't you fall for the hype about high-ticket preamps and
converters? I don't think your equipment choice is based 100% on budget
consideration, is it?

2) Psychologically, do you ever feel the sound of the bands you record
have been somewhat compromised by your equipment choice? I always
have this insecurity even though I "know" that the equipment isn't that
important. But I still "feel" the insecurity. You don't seem to have it. Please
show me the way to salvation.

3) What do you think about other engineers' obession for gear?

hmm ... thinking about it, most of my equipment purchases have been
based on fear. "If I don't have this I will not be able to X".