|
Post by kidvybes on Nov 3, 2015 21:52:43 GMT -6
Looks like Langston Masingale (Jim Jacobsen's partner in JJ Audio) may have a winner on his hands, with the release of his new Zulu Analog Tape Simulator (hardware plug-in?), the first product from his new company, Handsome Audio...early-adopter reviews are promising...wishing him luck! www.handsomeaudio.com/Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by dandeurloo on Nov 3, 2015 21:57:31 GMT -6
Interesting. I'd love to see the inside. haha
|
|
|
Post by Johnkenn on Nov 4, 2015 10:43:42 GMT -6
Love to hear some sound samples.
|
|
|
Post by NoFilterChuck on Nov 4, 2015 13:18:45 GMT -6
why that form factor tho? why not a 1RU? looks like a guitar pedal the way it's set up now...
|
|
|
Post by jcoutu1 on Nov 4, 2015 13:24:32 GMT -6
Neither the unit or the website are very handsome.
|
|
|
Post by Johnkenn on Nov 4, 2015 14:27:08 GMT -6
You run your 2 mix through it?
|
|
|
Post by lpedrum on Nov 4, 2015 14:31:25 GMT -6
To early to say I guess--can't even tell if it's balanced or not. I'm not sure if I understand the benefit of desktop modules such as this and recent Sknote pres. I've got enough stuff on my desktop already!
|
|
|
Post by Johnkenn on Nov 4, 2015 14:36:21 GMT -6
Hey, if it's badass, I don't care where it sits. A Tape Machine isn't gonna fit on the desk.
|
|
|
Post by kidvybes on Nov 4, 2015 15:50:57 GMT -6
You run your 2 mix through it? I invited Langston to answer questions...so far some early-adopters have compared to actual digital-to-tape transfers and claim great results with more controlled variables using the Zulu box...
|
|
|
Post by Guitar on Nov 4, 2015 16:44:34 GMT -6
Also love to see the insides and hear sound examples.
|
|
|
Post by watchtower on Nov 5, 2015 0:19:21 GMT -6
You guys should see my 1RU Studer!
|
|
ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 14,967
|
Post by ericn on Nov 5, 2015 7:24:17 GMT -6
You guys should see my 1RU Studer! I'm holding out for the otari 500 series!
|
|
|
Post by illacov on Nov 5, 2015 8:54:06 GMT -6
Hello, this is my first post about Zulu or anything on realgearonline.
To address the RU vs table top form factor its based on my absolute hatred of moving out of the listening sweet spot to adjust a setting. Zulu is designed for use during tracking, mixing and mastering. As a guy with a rack or two or three of gear, along with 2 decades of experience in professional studios, I know the difference between adjusting out of the listening position and tweaking settings while you're in it. Having the ability to dial in the perfect amount of tape sat, compression, clipping, tone and behavior while you're listening to somebody play right in front of you (through the glass) is a joy to behold.
The technology inside Zulu is completely passive. The final release will utilize a Samar Audio custom designed output balancing transformer. The jacks on the prototype pictured in the thread are TRS jacks and Tod used adapters to tie Zulu into an XLR snake. The final release of Zulu will utilize Neutrik combi jacks to allow users with either connection full flexibility.
Inside the box, there are high quality film capacitors, high quality resistors, teflon wiring and the tape brain. When I mention that this thing is a tape simulator people immediately think we are using magnetic coils, back to back transformers, opamps etc...But that's all been done before and none of it seemed to really strike my ear as the sound of tape. When we ran our evaluation tests using Tod's (freshly calibrated and aligned) Studer A810, Teac 4 track deck, my prized Akai 2 track deck and a Tascam 32, that they all universally offered very similar and musical artifacts. The one that stuck to me the most was that when driven with moderate signal, a deck's electronics begin to saturate but as well, the transient response of the material would be clipped going to tape. Not clipped in a digital way but in an analog one, rather than information simply being lopped off forever, it was more akin to dough being folded over onto itself. I've tried this test out many many times, going in hot on something like a snare drum to a tape sim and getting mostly distortion but no dynamic behavior.
So the magnetic coils, the tape heads, the overdriven transformer approach to my ears was giving you "something," but not the thing that tape offers. What I'm using is my own special sauce of point to point - passive electronics (say that 3 times fast!), including high quality capacitors, resistors and other energy modifying components that allowed me to effectively model the behavior of real decks in a way that will not only impart the actual sound of a tape machine onto your audio but also do it in a very affordable form factor and in a cool user friendly platform. If I were to post a picture of the guts, all you're going to see is wires that feed into a black box with the Handsome Audio logo on it. For protection, all crucial components are potted in military grade Epoxy which aids in preventing corrosion and damage from vibration or shock.
Zulu is made in the USA, Syracuse, NY to be exact. My laser cut cases are made in Arkansas, the powder coating is done in Syracuse, along with the labeling and assembly.
Next year (where did 2015 go?), we will be releasing the 8 track version of Zulu, which will have a rackmount mainframe but also come with a desktop controller via ethernet. The projected street price on this will be $1500.
Regarding running a 2 mix through it, God yes, but don't stop there. Try printing tracks through it, try recording through it, Zulu typically is the last thing in your chain before your A/D, it really has some fantastic qualities about it and though the low price tag will scare some away, reserve comment until you listen to it.
I'll post a soundcloud link soon.
Thanks -L
|
|
|
Post by jcoutu1 on Nov 5, 2015 9:10:03 GMT -6
illacov, I assume this is a stereo unit right? What's the price on this guy? How about dimensions?
|
|
|
Post by tasteliketape on Nov 5, 2015 9:56:15 GMT -6
So when is release date for.this unit And price
|
|
|
Post by jimwilliams on Nov 5, 2015 10:32:04 GMT -6
Tape? I gave that up 25 years ago. Too noisy and dirty for me. I don't care for 4% THD in my low and top end.
|
|
|
Post by Johnkenn on Nov 5, 2015 14:17:43 GMT -6
Well hell, send it to papa!
|
|
|
Post by ragan on Nov 5, 2015 14:45:18 GMT -6
Fascinating.
I still haven't heard price or availibilty. Are they posted somewhere?
|
|
|
Post by jcoutu1 on Nov 5, 2015 15:02:40 GMT -6
Fascinating. I still haven't heard price or availibilty. Are they posted somewhere? Or sounds.
|
|
|
Post by kidvybes on Nov 5, 2015 16:37:17 GMT -6
Fascinating. I still haven't heard price or availibilty. Are they posted somewhere? ...some bits and pieces of info I've been able to find: "Price will be approx. $400 street." "This is a 2 channel unit, dual mono. The A knob controls the 3 tape types. The B controls bias (cuts highs) and the C is a contour control that mixes in an enhanced hi end back into your chosen tape formula." "This device allows you to very closely emulate the character, compression and behaviors of a freshly calibrated and aligned Studer A810 running Ampex 456 @ 15 and 30ips. As well it will give you that exquisitely delicious pro fi Japanese deck and grandpa's dirtbox reel to reel sound. There are 3 different deck types with fully variable bias control (highs vs lows) along with contour control that varies the amount of clean versus processed audio but with a twist since the clean is actually a top end enhanced and harmonic enhanced version of the dry audio. So you can dial between the two for either a glorious tape sound, a glorious enhanced dry sound or a hybrid blend of both in varying proportions smile emoticon As well the final release will have a D control called difference which is a headroom control for the selected deck."
|
|
|
Post by tasteliketape on Nov 6, 2015 9:05:24 GMT -6
It's a fugley Thang but the price is right to good to be true? Man i hope this sounds good sombody has to get it right some time the oxide JK posted yesterday sure sounded nice
|
|
|
Post by kidvybes on Nov 6, 2015 12:53:21 GMT -6
Just uploaded...
https%3A//soundcloud.com/tod-levine_handsome-audio/sets/drum-bass-rock-ballad-processed-with-handsome-audios-zulu-analog-tape-simulator
|
|
ericn
Temp
Balance Engineer
Posts: 14,967
|
Post by ericn on Nov 7, 2015 20:58:18 GMT -6
I get the desire to be different , but years ago I learned cables running across the work surface was a no go or a very hard sell for most. you want the controls in front of you, add a optional remote and a single ambilical, even half rack is a hard sell. Rack and 500 series are the standard, I have seen some great sounding non standard gear die a quick death because they were just not taken seriously because of their different form factor!
At the very least put all th connectors on one side for easy cable management! unless your goal is to live on a pedalboard!
I understand your not wanting to move from the sweetspot, but almost everybody I know either has a rack, console or keyboard sitting in front of them because thats what gets the most use, you just told your customers, "I think you should rearange your work flow around my product!" Not going to happen, Its not about how you want to work, its about how your customers work, To do that it better sound as much like tape as My Ampex, !
|
|
|
Post by illacov on Nov 8, 2015 20:40:12 GMT -6
I get the desire to be different , but years ago I learned cables running across the work surface was a no go or a very hard sell for most. you want the controls in front of you, add a optional remote and a single ambilical, even half rack is a hard sell. Rack and 500 series are the standard, I have seen some great sounding non standard gear die a quick death because they were just not taken seriously because of their different form factor! At the very least put all th connectors on one side for easy cable management! unless your goal is to live on a pedalboard! I understand your not wanting to move from the sweetspot, but almost everybody I know either has a rack, console or keyboard sitting in front of them because thats what gets the most use, you just told your customers, "I think you should rearange your work flow around my product!" Not going to happen, Its not about how you want to work, its about how your customers work, To do that it better sound as much like tape as My Ampex, ! The device pictured is the prototype box. The jacks on the side issue had more to do with lack of space on the rear panel than a desire to place jacks on the sides which spells guitar pedal. The final rendition of the stereo version will have i/o combi jacks on the rear and the case will be 6" in width by 6.5" in length by 3" in height. I feel that I am only asking people to consider my product because of it's usefulness and its convenience. Plenty of products require us as professionals to make adjustments to our workflow and even our working environment. Adding a medium to large format analog console to a studio or a control surface to a workstation that was originally mouse and keyboard based is a huge shift in workflow but plenty of people do it because whatever inconvenience they incur by making that change is far outweighed by the gains. Monitor controllers, control surfaces and plugin control surfaces, input devices for famous reverb units just to name a few reside on table tops in recording studios. And have done so for the last couple of decades. We live in a time now where giant touch screen monitors are your working surface and control surface. I see only increased opportunity and convenience from instant tactile and audible feedback when your controls are at your fingertips and you're in the sweet spot to something like Zulu or an 1176 or an EQ. I've definitely spent the time and energy crafting something that shows true reverence for the tone and behavior of analog tape. I learned how to engineer on it, I still think it's one of the greatest changes to music creation besides the condenser microphone and the electrified guitar. While Zulu may not be a deck with moving parts and a reel of tape, its the closest I've ever heard a simulator get especially when fed moderate to extreme levels of signal. When I track a snare, I intentionally hit tape pretty hot, same for kick and bass etc...I've always been a brat when I tried doing this with the tape plugs but Zulu just goes beyond color and character and gives you the creature that tape is in spades (plus an easter egg or two hidden in the C control). Thanks
|
|
|
Post by Johnkenn on Nov 8, 2015 20:46:01 GMT -6
Wow. I missed the price point. $400 is fantastic.
|
|