Sometimes a piece of gear comes along that looks kind of cool, but you look at the modest price and think “What’s the catch?” Most of the time there are several catches. Not this time…
The Gear
The Aphex 230 Master Vocal Channel is a bunch of tools in one rack space. It is tempting to just look at it as a tube pre-amp, but that’s a mistake. It also includes dynamics processing and parametric EQ plus an insert point — in short, everything you need for a real vocal channel. In addition to an analog out, you get three flavors of digital outs as well.
The front panel is an old sound guy’s dream. Look ma, no menus! Just some buttons to engage or bypass the 230’s various functions and real, honest-to-God knobs for making adjustments. The layout makes the function pretty self-evident, and it is real easy to use. I don’t think I ever cracked the manual.
Before we get on to the gig section of this Road Test, a small disclosure. Before I was asked to do the review, I already owned a 230, which I had bought for my home studio. If you look for the 230 online you will find it listed under recording and broadcast, but not live sound. I actually never thought about taking it out live.
The Gig
I was so blown away by its overall performance and punch that I finally brought it to a gig where I mixed front of house for a pretty famous pop singer. She was kind enough at sound check (yes, she even showed up) to let me put it in and out of her channel so I could hear the difference between the 230 and the digital console I was using.
Remember all of the warm fuzzy love you used to get with a good analog console? Well, it is back, but with a lot more headroom and deep, rich tone and texture. Did I mention you get a sweet EQ and all of the other cool Aphex toys such as an Aural Exciter, Big Bottom, Gate, Compression and High Pass? Basically all of the REAL channel strip stuff in a high-dollar unit — except the 230 is surprisingly affordable. Big bang for the buck! By the end of sound check I really needed one for all 40 of my inputs.
I was so impressed with the one unit that I bought five more to use with an old school R&B vocal group that I work with weekly. It is at the point where I literally don’t want to do a gig without them, and they are now the preferred vocal processor on my rider. At a recent gig, another sound guy asked what was so great about the 230s. The timing was perfect because the show was coming to an end and the five singers — all on 230s — were leaving the stage as the keyboard player walked them off. “Ladies and gentlemen, the legendary “insert name of famous old school R&B group here.” Same mic model through the same system, but the singers had sounded fantastic and it sounded like the announcer was talking into the mic through a couple of blankets. No explanation needed.
So now I own six of them. And don’t tell Marvin, but I am planning on buying at least five more this year for our rental stock. I recommend the Aphex 230 for everything from your home project studio to a major studio. From big tours to little bar bands. This will make your home studio sound real and your “million dollar” PA sound like, well, 1 billion dollars! OK, maybe not that good, but pretty close. What the audio world needs is more 230s!
What It Is: Vocal magic in a box. Tube pre, compressor, gate, de-esser, EQ, Aural Exciter and Big Bottom.
Who It’s For: Anyone who wants their vocals to sound great.
Pros: Simple layout, awesome sound, reasonable price.
Cons: You’ll want one for every channel.
How Much: $799 MSRP
Web site: www.aphex.com
