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Post by stormymondays on Mar 18, 2019 13:27:14 GMT -6
A-Designs Hammer 2 EQ. It'll take a while to arrive but I got a great deal!
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 18, 2019 10:09:40 GMT -6
Weight Tank is fantastic. Do a search in the forum, there are one or two threads about it. For me, it shines on bass and vocals. I never thought to use it on drums, will try that!
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 18, 2019 10:07:53 GMT -6
The website is wonky, currently showing everything as Sold Out on the product page. Maybe that's intentional because technically everything is backordered? Is there a way to directly communicate? Unlike some companies that we have to deal with, the site only accepts orders when items are actually in stock and ready to ship. I wouldn't call that "wonky" As mentioned, they are very responsive to emails.
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 18, 2019 0:58:24 GMT -6
If you have a 500 series lunchbox, a pair of Chroma. If you don’t, Silver Bullet.
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 14, 2019 2:40:58 GMT -6
Mine was ready “next week” back in August. I canceled my order a long time ago, of course. I assume that you had no problem getting your money back then. It does take a LOT of emails, like everything with them.
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 14, 2019 2:20:00 GMT -6
After being told by Marcelo that my SA-67s "should be ready this week" last weekend, I now get an updated email (thank you, Marcelo) telling me that it will be "another 10 days". I don't want to cancel my order, but it's getting close. Mine was ready “next week” back in August. I canceled my order a long time ago, of course.
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 13, 2019 16:11:08 GMT -6
I concur. For my way of working, the mic would give me analysis paralysis. I just got a U67 which also prevents me from wanting or needing any mics for a long time!
I still think it’s a pretty cool mic and would be a great choice for people that lack one really good mic that can do a lot of things.
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 13, 2019 9:42:02 GMT -6
If he’s used to do TV work, the standards never allow for anything close to 0 dBFS. I usually have to supply audio peaking at -8 or -10 dBFS. Tell him to not turn audio down, or limit it, or any processing at all.
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 12, 2019 14:02:31 GMT -6
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 9, 2019 8:53:50 GMT -6
What are people's thoughts regarding strings on a hollow-body Bass, specifically a Hofner? Flats are mandatory, of course!
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 9, 2019 3:11:07 GMT -6
Hey just wondering if there is any internal difference between the original SR2N and the version 2 of the SR2N? Probably should start it owns thread but I thought I would tack it on here. Yes. As far as I know Matt has improved the mic at least twice. More output, less rumble, more stability of the ribbon tension.
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 7, 2019 14:42:09 GMT -6
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 7, 2019 2:57:38 GMT -6
That’s weird. Maybe Bricasti are taking over? Here’s hoping!
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 6, 2019 15:19:19 GMT -6
I'd like to try a trackball for a few days. I have a Magic Mouse although I don't use the "magic" functions too often. And I can never enjoy using the trackpad, neither stand-alone or on the mac. I do use it every now and then for scroll though.
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 6, 2019 7:25:50 GMT -6
Forgot to add - there were no Chandler available for demo. That would have been cool! I'll probably get the Chandler TG sight unseen anyway...
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 5, 2019 16:02:52 GMT -6
Sorry for the not-so-great writing! Still a bit tired from the multiple flight delays... We ruled out the A440 which it’s twice the cost of the R44CE, because liked the R44CE better. I edited the original post for clarity (I hope!)
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 5, 2019 15:08:56 GMT -6
Here's my report after a very nice (and expensive!) visit to www.proaudioeurope.com in London We set up a mic test (all going into a GML preamp), where I could test for myself a few different things. The Neumann U67 reissue was my main target (spoiler: bought it!). I also tried the Soyuz SU-017 to have a different tube mic, and I was very interested in testing the cheapest and most expensive AEA 44-style mics. I also brought my JZ Vintage 67 which had been working really great at my studio. I was able to monitor with the same monitors I have (APS Aeon) so that was a nice bonus! The staff at Funky Junk was great. Highly recommended! Here are my impressions, more or less in the order that everything happened. First of all, I didn't let price be a factor in the decision process, and I did all I could to not be biased towards the U67. There were two of us on the test, so I could hear the mics with different voices. I have to say that the U67 started the race in the last place, and slowly but surely ended up slaying all the contenders. I tested singing and playing a bit of acoustic guitar at the same time, but not recording the guitar. The U67 has no shortage of low end at all. The sound was very much like my memory of using a vintage one back in 2002. It's not a bright mic by any means. I think it has a recognizable sound. The Soyuz was really nice! It's got a more modern sound, and it's a bit brighter, which made it feel better in the cans. For a while I thought I would get it instead of the U67, but read on... As far as the ribbons go, the cheap R44CE doesn't sound like the expensive A440... it sounds better! At least, it did to the three people in the room. A bit brighter and with a different transient response. We quickly ruled the A440 out, because we liked it less and it's more than twice the price of the R44CE! We hooked the R44CE to Royer's new box, the Royer dBooster R-DB20, which the staff told me liked a lot (unlike the Cloudlifter, which they didn't!). It was great, and almost won the shootout. It was fantastic on my voice but ok on the other singer. In both cases it needed some eq to sit in the mix (as expected for a ribbon). It was great for capturing an old-time country song with one guitar and two vocals on one mic, but that's something that I won't be doing every week. In the end, it's far from being a universal mic, which didn't suit my goal. I might end up buying it someday though! And how did my "control" fare, the JZ Vintage 67? Well, we could all tell it was in a different league. I've made great records with it, and it worked great on many singers, but there was no fear that getting a better mic was a good idea. So how did I decide between the U67 and the Soyuz? Easy. I just asked to add the tiniest bit of top end to it, so it would compete on a more equal footing. They used the stock Reaper EQ. BOOM! Instant "sounds-like-a-record" moment, tears in my eyes, shootout's done, bring out the credit card! It was really something. After packing the mic I had a chance to listen to some monitors. I'll keep it short. I didn't like the Aeon 2, too much smiley curve sounding compared to the regular Aeon. And I mistakenly didn't head the advice to NOT test the ATC SCM25A. Boy, are those monitors in my (distant) future! As they said "they're so good it's annoying". I'll be happy to answer any questions or elaborate on the comments!
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 5, 2019 8:24:53 GMT -6
I might, but I see nothing wrong (and everything right!) with the mic as-is! I’ll report tomorrow. The stock bottle is it's only slight weakness. Did you hear my comparison files in the Neumann 67 reissue thread? Not yet, will do ASAP. Thanks!
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 5, 2019 8:06:10 GMT -6
Quickly, get an NOS tube. Preferably a Telefunken 806S. Although some folks think the 806s (small s) sounds better. 1960 seems to be the golden year for this electron bottle. I might, but I see nothing wrong (and everything right!) with the mic as-is! I’ll report tomorrow.
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 4, 2019 15:58:52 GMT -6
Neumann U67 reissue!!!
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Post by stormymondays on Mar 1, 2019 7:09:50 GMT -6
I just checked for this brand in the UK dealer. The WR-72 is not there yet but they do have the Weight Tank Compressor but at the eye-watering price of £999 .... which is $1,323!! That is almost a 50% markup. We really do get fleeced in the EU The price is £832.50 (ex VAT). If you are a professional, you don't pay VAT (or get it reimbursed). That's around $1,100, as opposed to $899 by buying direct. I don't think it's an unfair price, considering the store has a business to run and needs to pay to get the items shipped + customs.
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Post by stormymondays on Feb 28, 2019 3:08:03 GMT -6
Bill, I don't work in these type of film circles but have a ton of curiosity about how they work. From what I've gathered by reading your posts, there seems to be a desire for songs which aren't TOO unique but just enough. I don't mean that as a slight, so please don't take it that way, and feel free to educate me on the subtleties. How do you go about, and what is expected, in your line of work, as far as song creation is concerned? Quint - some random thoughts as they come to mind.... These days, most songs are "licensed" and not created for the film. Of course, there are exceptions. Especially with huge artists who "write a song for the movie" where both record company and film company can multi-market alongside each other. But for normal source cues, on the car radio cues, band playing in a bar cues, film montage cues, wedding band cues, TV montage songs, etc., the songs are sought out and licensed by a music super rather than "created for" the film by a composer. Of course, the score is a different topic altogether. Unique is OK. Of course, the more abstract, the less options you will have for licensing, but unique IS OK. If you write a song about Aliens, don't expect a lot of placements other than apocalyptic, end of world, Aliens are eating humans type films. heh heh You've painted yourself into a corner. I do not generally aspire or desire to write in typical top 40 or super current musical styles. Why? Because often, those trends come and go and are dated almost before you can get them placed. Evergreen songs can last decades. For instance - a great bluegrass song could be placed in a 1940's film, or 2019 film. The genre is "kind of" timeless. Kind of. Of course there are differences, but often EQ or some analog processing can put the song in either 1940 or 2019. A great Hip Hop song is fairly timeless as well - hip hop has spanned a wide timespan - and the production esthetic is not RADICALLY different for most listeners. Genre's that are not constantly changing in and out of style are a good place to aim. On the flip side of the coin - Dubstep or Bro Country or radically auto-tuned vocal songs are going to time stamp the song / music for eternity and it will be almost unusable once the genre becomes passe. (And none of us can control that) The HUGE exception of course is classic songs that have become known and loved worldwide - of which most of us here other than DonR cannot accomplish. Don's (Don't Fear) The Reaper is a great example. IMO, that's a pretty unique song. But it's a classic, and as such, paints a picture that hundreds of thousands of fans (and even non fans) can relate to. Classic songs bring back memories for the listener, and that is where the gold lies. Huge sums of money are happily spent for a Frank Sinatra or Zeppelin or Beatles song. HUGE. Unfortunately, if the world doesn't know your song and lyric from memory, you are in a different licensing world altogether. <sigh> For music with lyrics, getting too specific or too detailed can be a detriment to placing it many times. If the lyric is all about "Mary Anne", and the lead character in the film is "Jennifer"....well...sorry, no sale. However, if your lead character is Mary Anne.... SCHWING!!!!! If your song has specific and intimate beach lyrics and the film is shot in the desert.... No Sale. There are constant human emotions though that are undeniably transcendent no matter if you're 15 or 50. That's where the money is. Make everyone FEEL something, and you're in the zone. Don't be too specific. Hit a wide variety of people. Thank you for this post. You should get paid to publish it in a magazine!
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Post by stormymondays on Feb 28, 2019 3:04:14 GMT -6
For sure, if you can't hear the difference then it doesn't exist. I should have kept my test bounces and send them to people to listen on their own systems. I deleted them after the experiment though I might do it again on another mix.
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Post by stormymondays on Feb 28, 2019 2:58:14 GMT -6
Always dither to the analogue chain here. Made a difference in my listening tests. Also, as Bob will chime in I'm sure, these truncation errors accumulate down the line. Might not be apparent if you don't dither once, but if it happens a few times in the recording, mixing, mastering and playback chain, they will accumulate, they will become audible, and dither would have prevented that, so why not use it? Best practise and all that. I’m all for best practices but also for reality. I’m sending out of the box 14 truncated 24-bit streams in individual channels. Some of those are truncated twice, because some drums are processed individually and then go to the drum buss. Lastly the master buss is sent out again. That’s a lot of accumulated errors that should be easily audible. In my system, tested by me, with real music, there is no truncation noise. So in my case, the “best practice” is to trust my ears - and trust that the designers of Logic know more about digital audio than I do By the way, RME publicly and proudly claim that their interfaces truncate to 24-bit, by design and purposefully.
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Post by stormymondays on Feb 27, 2019 16:06:01 GMT -6
Somebody suggested a new thread about I/O and latency, so I thought I'd open it. I've also decided to throw in some dither for good measure! I've read a ton of threads discussing inter-sample latency and the need to dither 24-bit streams. This is very relevant to anyone doing hybrid mixing, and I think there are quite a few of us that do that. Here's my take on it. I'm using Logic Pro X with the internal mixer set at 64-bit. RME Fireface 802 interface, plus Focusrite Clarett Octopre (via ADAT), all working at 44.1 and/or 48kHz. I/O latency: Logic's I/O plugin is great with its 'ping' feature. The RME interface has some voodoo going on behind the scenes and it always reports 0 samples latency. Everything lines up perfectly. The Focusrite can differ by up to one sample depending on whatever. I did have a big problem where it would have wildly different latency on every reboot, and got Focusrite to write new firmware for it that fixes it. I'm a bit proud of that! As far as I can tell, the latency reported by Logic is always correct. I've tested it sending pulses and recording them back - all good! Now, inter-sample latency: not a problem in my setup either. I know it's a problem for some, and I believe it could be related to older converters. I've read an explanation by Paul Frindle who says that essentially all current converters oversample so much that intersample latency can't possibly happen. It might be true or not, but I hear no smearing at all when doing parallel processing with my set up. Logic's I/O plugin even has a wet/dry mix so it takes a second to test. And then there's the whole dither debate. I know some people hear a definite improvement when putting a dither plugin before any I/O. The reasoning behind it is that the internal 32-bit (or 64-bit) is truncated to 24-bit, so it needs dither. In my setup, with my ears, dither makes zero difference. I'm using Goodhertz's dither plugin by the way. I've opened my latest mix which has 14 I/O sends-returns for external processing, bounced it with and without dither and compared the bounces. I can hear no difference between them, except perhaps a tiny little bit more noise on the dithered one. Even when boosting the highs severely and listening to the song's fade out I can hear zero crunchiness. I can still remember the sound of quantization distortion from the days of 16-bit Pro Tools and 882 converters (ugh!!!), so I'm pretty sure I know what to listen for. So that's my experience, with my setup and my ears: I don't dither to 24-bit and I don't fear inter-sample latency. I'm sure drbill and Bob Olhsson can chime in with the exact opposing view. Maybe it's a Pro Tools thing? A converter thing? It could also be my ears...
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