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Post by indiehouse on Apr 20, 2015 16:21:00 GMT -6
Hey fellas,
Been having some problems with my STA. I've replaced the power tubes and the 12AT7. I bounced this file with the STA engaged on every other line, starting with the second line.
It doesn't sound good to me. I'm also hearing noise (static clicks/pops). I'm running this out of an Apollo via Console 2 using PT11 hardware insert.
I emailed Phil from Retro the same file. He said he couldn't hear anything particularly bad with it.
What do you guys think?
https%3A//soundcloud.com/indiehouserecording/sta-vocal-test
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Post by Johnkenn on Apr 20, 2015 16:54:33 GMT -6
Hmmm...I'll listen in the studio to hear better, but it does seem like it's adding a weird midrange...have you tried different cables to and from the sta?
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Post by kcatthedog on Apr 20, 2015 17:13:44 GMT -6
there is something at around 18-20 seconds ( 1-2 clicks), also, the sound of the vox changes with each phrase ; the odd , (1,3,5) ones sound clearer and the even ones sounding rounded off, was she moving in and out on the mike ?
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Post by indiehouse on Apr 20, 2015 17:26:45 GMT -6
The even phrases has the Sta engaged. The odd phrases is has no processing.
I'm hearing a pretty drastic difference between the two. It's not subtle. Definitely a rounded top and a bloated midrange. Also, the noise (clicks/pops).
I haven't swapped cables, but I did run them through a tester and the checked fine. I also bypassed the Patchbay and went straight into the Apollo.
Phil mentioned an interfacing problem. The thing is, I've had this Sta for a while, and this issue just cropped up within the last few weeks. I haven't been able to use it because it just sounds terrible to me.
Do you guys think this sounds as bad as I do?
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Post by wiz on Apr 20, 2015 17:41:01 GMT -6
I hear the clicks.. and I hear what I would call a "blanket" going over the voice... its losing top end,
My first thing would be to start swapping tubes out...
cheers
Wiz
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Post by kcatthedog on Apr 20, 2015 17:41:38 GMT -6
I haven' used a sta so can't really say but when y say you replaced the tubes did you get new tubes that were the same brand as your old tubes ?
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Post by indiehouse on Apr 20, 2015 17:51:03 GMT -6
I haven' used a sta so can't really say but when y say you replaced the tubes did you get new tubes that were the same brand as your old tubes ? I replaced the power tubes and the 12AT7 with new tunes that Phil recommended. Anyone think I ought to replace any other tubes? I'm kinda bummed Phil didn't think this sounded off. |
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Post by Johnkenn on Apr 20, 2015 18:02:22 GMT -6
Could be the OP6...and I've had a couple of bad 6BJ6's too...Those are all cheap to replace. Check out the Valve Tubes link in the banner ad.
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Post by cowboycoalminer on Apr 20, 2015 18:17:20 GMT -6
Doesn't sound like mine that's for sure. Something is going on with it. How many DB are you pulling there? I'm guessing 20 or more.
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Post by kcatthedog on Apr 20, 2015 18:26:55 GMT -6
listen to guys like cowboy, wiz and Jk l they have stas I think, it only takes one bad tube and the whole thing will sound weird
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Post by kcatthedog on Apr 20, 2015 18:27:48 GMT -6
why not also ask Phil if he will send you a sent of tubes he considers good and try them ?
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Post by cowboycoalminer on Apr 20, 2015 18:37:11 GMT -6
BTW, if you actually do want it worked on, and I mean better than it's ever sounded before, I know a guy...
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Post by Johnkenn on Apr 20, 2015 18:38:20 GMT -6
I'm sure Phil gets 20 emails a day about this stuff. Hell, I sent him one not long ago. I think it's worth getting the 63j6's and OB6 too.
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Post by indiehouse on Apr 20, 2015 19:03:59 GMT -6
Doesn't sound like mine that's for sure. Something is going on with it. How many DB are you pulling there? I'm guessing 20 or more. Actually, I think it was more like 10db. At least that's what the needle said. |
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Post by indiehouse on Apr 20, 2015 19:05:33 GMT -6
BTW, if you actually do want it worked on, and I mean better than it's ever sounded before, I know a guy... Thanks Cowboy! What's a guy like that charge for what he does? |
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Post by Randge on Apr 20, 2015 22:26:39 GMT -6
harris9001 can certainly help you figure it out. He is the best tech I know of and he has recently gone through his own personal vintageSta and it's the best sounding one I have ever heard.
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Post by cowboycoalminer on Apr 21, 2015 5:32:51 GMT -6
The man Randy mentioned is the one. He will be the one to work on mine.
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Post by EmRR on Apr 21, 2015 6:28:58 GMT -6
Is the current balance control for the 6V6's properly adjusted? I think there's a balance control for the 6BJ6's too (if that's your GR tube), maybe you have a 6386 in there?
Pull the 6AL5 and see how it sounds as a straight amplifier, no compression.
If your input and output controls have been parked at the same setting for a long time, exercise them to see that they self-clean.
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Post by RicFoxx on Apr 21, 2015 10:16:56 GMT -6
Can you post the file pre processing (and ad/da.) Lots could be going on!
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Post by indiehouse on Apr 21, 2015 11:25:09 GMT -6
Can you post the file pre processing (and ad/da.) Lots could be going on! The odd number lines have no processing, just a straight bounce. No additional ad-da. |
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Post by RicFoxx on Apr 21, 2015 12:14:27 GMT -6
Can you post the file pre processing (and ad/da.) Lots could be going on! The odd number lines have no processing, just a straight bounce. No additional ad-da. Excuse my lack of articulateness:) |
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Post by indiehouse on Apr 30, 2015 20:22:50 GMT -6
So, let me ask you guys what I hope isn't a stupid question. When I tap on my Sta, say with the end of a screwdriver or something, I can hear it coming through the signal path, and I mean plain as day. I can see the tap signal coming through the DAW and can really hear it loud and clear through the headphones. I can only assume then, that when I have my monitors going, that this "microphonic" Sta will pick up resonant sound waves/vibrations and transmit this through the signal path as well?
Is this microphonic Sta phenomenon part of ordinary operation, or do I have a really sick unit?
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Post by Johnkenn on Apr 30, 2015 20:24:45 GMT -6
Yeah, that sounds like a micro phonic tube. I would just bite the bullet and buy a whole replacement set from RI.
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Post by Johnkenn on Apr 30, 2015 20:25:35 GMT -6
Use a pencil - eraser end and tap on each tube when it's on. See if any particular one makes more noise than the others.
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Post by indiehouse on Apr 30, 2015 21:34:30 GMT -6
Yeah, it's definitely the 5749's. Funny though, when I swap out to the 6836, it's microphonic as well.
I should have just ordered the whole set, but when I first contacted Phil about this a while back, he said that the price of his tube sets just went up and suggested that I just get a new set of power tubes and that would probably fix my problem. And when that didn't work, it was on to the 12AT7. And now I'm looking at replacing the OB2 and a matched pair of 5749's, and hope they're not noisy. I might as well replace the 6AL5 too, which is the tube that has to do with compression, I think.
All that, and hope that it fixes the problem.
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