Past meets Present- JCF Audio DA8-V D/A Converter and Ampex 351

JCF Audio's DA8-V sounds like the best of both worlds. The ultimate Digital/Analog hybrid.

The DA8-V 

is 

an 

8 channel 

D/A 

converter 

that 

utilizes 

a 

tube line stage that was inspired by the Ampex 351 reproduce circuitry. 

The Ampex 350 tape machines were considered the Holy Grail of tape recorders back in the 50's and 60's.

Here's two pics of the 351 used on Elvis Presley:

JCF's DA8-V uses the industry standard AES/EBU protocol on a DB25 connector with an additional DB25 "thru" connector. 

The AES/EBU DB25’s follow the 

“tascam” pinout and operates in single-wire mode at all sample rates

. The DA8-V derives its sync source from the incoming AES/EBU stream and

 has two analog outputs. Each coming from two separate, floating sources (with factory 

configuration). This comes in handy when the outputs of the DA8-V must be connected 

to multiple devices.

Features:

• Ampex 351 inspired output stage
• Simple self-clocking operation @ all frequencies
• 1 additional courtesy turn-around DB25 AES port
• ~20dB front panel calibration range control
• Sensible output stage current for good performance and long tube life
• Cinemag CM9600-T output transformer
• Uses common tubes 12AX7, 12AU7
• Ships with 5′ standard AES crossover cable
• 1 year limited warranty

Specifications:

Number of Channels	8
Digital Input	110 Ohm transformer coupled AES/EBU compatible Single-Wire Operation Only
Output Impedence	< 40hms
Minimum Recommended Load	600 Ohms or greater
Maximum Output Level	+32dBu rms
Distortion	<.01% @ +4dBu, 0.025 % @ +28dBu
Noise	-70dBu (BW lim 80kHz)
Power Supplies	2 external (1 analog, 1 digital) ~100W idle cons.
Tube Compliment	8 x 12AX7 – 8 x 12AU7 – 1 x 5R4 $6750 at Mercenary Audio

Nevaton MC48 Large-Diaphragm Stereo Condenser Microphone

The MC48 seems like it would make a great addition to anyone's mic collection.

I plan on obtaining one of these soon and doing a full review on it.

From their product catalog:

"The Nevaton MC48 is a large dual-diaphragm stereo condenser microphone with transformerless Class 'A' electronics. It produces an incredible spatial representation and can be used as a main microphone for recording orchestras, chamber ensembles, or pop concerts. It is great for guitar and drums as well as ambient field recordings. It is also well suited for applications in radio and television broadcasting as well as for live concerts and studio sound production. The microphone has an excellent transient response, very low self-noise of 12dBA, and sound pressure level of 135dB. The two large 25mm diaphragms, placed one above the other, can be simultaneously rotated to provide variable stereo width from 50° up to a maximum of 140° and are capable of advanced, adjustable cardioid functions in mono mode. The ultra-thin and gold-coated diaphragms are made of 3-micron polyethylene-terephtalate film and give the MC48 the brilliant and transparent sound it is famous for. All capsule components have passed a special artificial aging process to guarantee long-term stability.The internal construction is elastically mounted to attenuate vibrations and reduce handling noise. Additionally, the capsules are fixed on special dampers to further reduce mechanical noise."

NEVATON MC 48 - Technical Data

Capsula diameter	25 mm
Directional pattern	Stereo: 2x cardoid
Frequency-range	20 - 20.000 Hz
Free Field Sensitivity at 1000 Hz and 1000 Ω	12+/-2 mV/Pa
Equivalent SPL DIN/IEC 651	12 dB-A
Max. Sound Pressure Level [for THD 0,5% ]	135 dB
Dynamic range	123 dB
Nominal Impedance	50 Ω
Recommended Load Impedance	1000 Ω
Current Consumption	8 mA
Supply voltage	48 +/- 4V
Diameter	head: 50mm, body: 30mm
Length	249 mm
Weight	500 g
Relative humidity	90% (at + 20°C)
Connector Type	5-pin XLR-type (male) to 2x 3-pin XLR-type standard
Pin assignment:	pin1: ground, pin2:phase(+), pin3:phase(-), pin4:phase(+), pin5:phase(-)

Visit Nevaton for more info. $1795 at Audio Vengeance

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES BROWN

One of the greatest of our time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Brown

New Quad-Core iMacs are here.

With more power, improved graphics, Facetime camera and Thunderbolt ports.
http://www.apple.com/imac/

My Visit To A Personal Studio with an MCI Console.

Last weekend I visited my good friend Karl at his personal studio. Karl is an electronics whiz, avid guitarist. gear head and purveyor of good sonics. 

The centerpiece of Karl's studio is a Sony MCI JH500 console. The original MCI 500b was the first console I ever worked on so I was thrilled to see and touch one again. The last time I worked on an MCI was back in 1991. The reason for my visit was social but as usually happens when two gear heads get together we started talking shop and experimenting with the board and different gear. We also tried out different digital clock scenarios with his Protools HD rig. 

This particular MCI console was refurbished by Karl himself and sounded great. He even had multiple master sections from different consoles that each had their own texture. Unlike digital gear no two analog gear sounds identical even when it's the same model and manufacturer. The differences are subtle but they are present nonetheless. I'm particularly fond of the Mix Boost feature on the master section of the JH500. This not only adds gain but a nice texture and sonic "glue" to the sound coming from the console. Here are some pics of the MCI.

Another piece of gear  that was also the first I ever used when I started engineering years ago is the Orban Parametric Equalizer 622b. 

The Orban and the MCI's onboard eq was my equalizing "boot camp" so to speak. Then once I "passed basic training" I was introduced to Neve, API, Pultec, Focusrite and the SSL.

Also present was some of the first compressors I ever used; the DBX 160 VU and DBX 165. The 161 is identical to the 160 except it's unbalanced, Karl modified his to be balanced and added TRS connectors. The 165 is identical to the 165A minus the Peak Stop Feature. (See pic).

Here's a pic of Karl's prototype compressor that he built himself.

It sounded great on the stereo buss of the MCI. It's a work in progress and works well on a variety of sounds even when pushed hard.

He recently acquired a pair of Siemens Mic Preamps while on a business trip overseas. The Siemens UA preamps were originally made in Austria during the late '60's/early 70's. Here's a pic of one of the units.

He is currently building a rack for the Siemens but was able to connect them temporarily for a quick listening test. The Siemens have a nice color with a big, warm sound and lots of presence. There are 3 selectable impedances (180,600 and 1900 ohms) and 30-60 or 40-70 db of gain depending on the input used. Look forward to using them on an actual project.

Last but not least we compared the clocks between a Black Lion Audio Micro Clock, a Crane Song HEDD 192 and an Apogee Rosetta. After a few minutes of taking turns doing a hurried blind test we decided that the Crane Song sounded the best with the BLA Micro Clock a very close second.We used the stock converters of the Protools 192 i/o to do the comparison. We plan to do a more extensive test in the near future. 

Get more info on the BLA Micro Clock at Black Lion Audio 

Forssell Technologies - SMP-2 Two Channel Mic Preamp

"The SMP-2 is an extremely high-quality, sonically neutral two-channel microphone preamplifier designed for the most demanding applications."

"The SMP-2 microphone preamplifier is housed in a 1U rack mount chassis. It is a two channel mic preamp with individual controls for each channel.

Front panel controls include: 

Mute switch (mutes output), polarity reverse switch (relay), phantom power, 24 position rotary gain switch, and dual color LED signal level indicator (green @ -5 dBu, Red @ +22 dBu).

There are two inputs per channel. One has +48 volt phantom power supplied to it (when phantom power is switched on) and its signal passes through very high quality capacitors to block the phantom power DC voltage from the input stage of the preamplifier. The other input is connected directly to the input of the preamplifier, bypassing the phantom power blocking capacitors. You can use this “direct coupled” input when you are using a microphone that does not require phantom power, such as vacuum tube mics, ribbon mics, and dynamic mics. You can only use one of these inputs at a time. Do not connect anything to the unused input. Input and Output connectors are XLR-3 wired pin #2 hot.

The front panel mounted bicolor LED will light green when an output signal level of –5 dBu or greater is present, and this LED will turn red when the output signal level reaches +22 dBu. This is approximately 3-4 dB before output clipping on the 2 channel preamp."

$1995 direct from Forsell Technologies

AEA KU4 Unidirectional Ribbon Microphone

The KU4 is AEA's interpretation of the legendary RCA KU3A, which is now a collector's item and regarded as one of the best ribbon mics ever. (The KU3A was originally made by RCA for the movie studios and less than 600 were made. It is known to have a very wide smooth response). The supercardiod pattern of the KU4 helps to reduce room reflections and the lack of proximity induced bass boost makes it a perfect choice for close miking.

FEATURES:

• Supercardioid pattern for excellent rear rejection

• Reduced proximity effect

• Smooth, high-bandwidth frequency response

• Authentic New Old Stock RCA ribbon material

• High-quality anodized & nickel-plated finish

• Custom AEA transformer, neodymium magnets

• Consistent Quality

• Field-tech replaceable ribbon assembly

• Hand-crafted in Pasadena, California

SPECIFICATIONS:

Operating Principle: Velocity microphone

•  Frequency Response: Below 30 Hz to above 20 kHz 
•  Maximum SPL: 140 + dB SPL above 200Hz for 1% third harmonic 
•  Output Sensitivity: 2.8 mV/Pa into unloaded circuit 
•  Output Impedance: 300 Ω nominal 
•  Recommended Load: 1.2 KΩ or greater 
•  Phantom power: Not required or recommended 
•  Polarity: Pin 2 high for positive pressure at the front of the microphone. 
•  Connector: XLR-3M wired to a 1.5 meter captive cable 

Off Axis Response:

•  Polar Pattern: Supercardioid 
•  Relative Output at 180° (dB): -12 
•  Angle of Maximum Rejection: 135° 

Transducer element

•  Ribbon Thickness: 1.8 microns ( .0000018 meter ) of pure aluminum 
•  Ribbon Width: 0.082” (2.1 mm) 
•  Ribbon Length: 1.25” (28.6 mm) 

Accessories:

•  Included: Custom storage/shipping case, stand adapter, manual and attached 1.5 meter microphone cable

http://www.ribbonmics.com/

Guzauski-Swist GS-3a Studio Monitors

Acclaimed engineer Mick Guzauski and lifelong friend Larry Swift decided to form Guzauski-Swist Studio Monitor Systems, LLC and manufacture their own line of studio monitors. The GS-3a is the result of their efforts.

Their website states that the GS-3a is:

"A 3-way active system designed to take the punishment of a tracking session or writing session as well as provide the extreme accuracy and translation required for mixing.

A " Swiss Army Knife" of near-field monitors, this system eliminates the need for multiple dedicated monitor systems. It can also produce enough level to be used in mid-field applications.
State-of -the art digital processing utilizing the best converters available today also allows fine tuning of the acoustical performance in each unique installation."

GS-3a FEATURES:

• 3-Way Active System
• 12" low resonance, long excursion driver in a sealed cabinet eliminating port turbulence noise
• 3" Dome ATC Midrange capable of high power handing and extended bandwidth which keeps the vocal frequency range away from crossover points
• 1" Morel Softdome Tweeter known for smooth and extended frequency response with exceptional power handling
• 1500 Watts of class D amplification in a separate rack chassis
• Rugged high current multi-pin Speakon connectors
• Enclosure design also allows both vertical and horizontal driver alignments
• Digital processor contains the very best AD/DA converters and analog components available today
• Integrated DSP with user definable room compensation equalization and delay
• AES Digital and analog inputs

Specifications:

Active 3-Way

2 Cubic Foot Sealed Enclosure

12" Woofer (500 Watts)

3" Dome Midrange (250 Watts)

1" Dome Tweeter (125 Watts)

Freq. Response: 29Hz-18KHz +/- 2dB

Inputs: Analog and Digital (AES)

Size: 14.5"H x 23.5"W x 15.5"D

Weight: 70 lbs

Amp Chassis: 2U 18" Deep

Processor Chassis: 1U 14" Deep 

Current Draw: 12 Amps

http://www.guzauski-swist.com/index.htm

Soundblox Guitar and Bass Envelope Filters

Check out these video demos:

Get more info at Source Audio

Klark Teknik SQ1D - 8-Channel Dynamics Processor

I just finished using the Klark Teknik SQ1D on a project with live drums. I was able to compress and gate the drum kit with ease. The SQ1D provides 8 channels of gating or compression.
You can't use the gate and the compressor at the same time on each channel. An easy worked around is to feed one channel into the other (gate the kick on CH 1 then feed CH 1 into CH 2 for compression).
The compressor section has four modes which makes it very easy to dial in the right amount of compression. The modes are default (RMS), Soft Knee, Hard Knee and Vintage. There's also a side chain filter (that can be soloed) and a knob for make up gain. The channels can also be linked for stereo use (when linked the left-most channel becomes the master). With the SQ1D Klark Teknik delivers 8 channels of high quality dynamics in a small footprint at a great price. $1907 at B&H Pro Audio

Klark Teknik SQ1D Features:

• Eight-channel, multi-mode compressor and gate, selectable per channel 

• With both mode switches inactive the compressor behaves in the default Soft Knee and RMS mode. This gives the slowest (and most subtle) feel to the compressor envelopes 

• When Hard Knee and Vintage are activated the compressor operates with more precise envelope control and a defined transition between under and over threshold. This mode uses faster peak sensing (not RMS) like many older compressor designs with exponential attack and release 

• Functions as a broadband frequency-conscious compressor when the FILTER switch is activated in wide mode, allowing the user to sweep to a desired frequency and apply frequency-dependant compression 

• When the FILTER switch is activated in narrow mode, the compressor functions as a Hi-Q frequency-conscious compressor, especially useful for de-essing vocals 

• Can also function as a limiter or expander 

• Gate with adjustable Threshold, Attack, Hold and Release times to suit various program requirements.

• Sidechain FILTER allows the gate to be tuned to open at selected frequency in both wide or narrow modes 

• i-TS (intelligent threshold shift) in conjunction with the hold function, helps reduce gate chattering 

• Channels can be linked (in all modes) for stereo, or multi-channel operation. When any number of channels are linked, the linked channels all adopt the mode of the left-hand channel of the linked group 

• A dedicated Solo Output can monitor the sidechain filter during a performance 

• Each channel features a six-segment, three-colour input meter, and a ten-segment attenuation depth meter 

Klark Teknik SQ1D Specifications:

Function: Compressor/Gate 

Number of Channels: 8 

Inputs:
  8 x XLR
  8 x 1/4"TRS phone, External Sidechain 

Outputs: 8 x XLR

Compression Threshold: -50dB to +25dB 

Compression Ratio: 1:1 to infinity 

Attack Time: 100µs to 20ms 

Release Time: 50ms to2.5s 

Gate Threshold: -50dB to +25dB 

Gate Rate:
  Attack: 10µs to 10ms
  Release: 2ms to 2s 

Maximum Output Level: +22dBu into >2kO
Make-up Gain: 0dB to +30dB 

Frequency Response: 20Hz to 20kHz, +/-0.5dBu 

Dynamic Range: >117dB, unweighted (20Hz to 20kHz) 

Noise: Noise Floor: <-95dBu @ unity gain 

COMPASSION is a Brand New Compressor from DMG Audio with 30 day demo!

Go to DMG Audio for more info and 30 day demo

INWARD CONNECTIONS DEQ-1 Class A Mastering Equalizer

The DEQ-1's extremely wide bandwidth makes it an excellent choice for any EQ  application. Recallable settings and precise stereo imaging makes it the perfect choice for mastering use. With six bands per channel it allows the user to enhance any  frequency needed to make your audio shine. The DEQ-1 has excellent build quality and it's proprietary op-amps give "the unit a subtle and interesting color while remaining accurate and true to the source. Very musical and sweet sounding."

Features per channel:  Lo-Band Shelving Frequency range: 15Hz to 500Hz + 12dB level control Individual ON switch Lo-Band Frequency range: 20Hz to 500Hz + 12dB level control Individual ON switch Band width control Peaking and shelving switch Mid Lo-Band Frequency range: 80Hz to 2KHz + 12dB level control Individual ON switch Band width control Mid Hi-Band Frequency range: 300Hz to 7KHz + 12dB level control Individual ON switch Band width control Hi-Band Frequency range: 1KHz to 20KHz + 12dB level control Individual ON switch Band width control Peaking and shelving switch Hi-Band Shelving Frequency range: 1KHz to 20KHz + 12dB level control Hi-shelf ON switch Master EQ OFF/ON for all 6 Bands $4195 at Vintage King

DUY Z-ROOM reverb plugin is now free

DUY Z-Room is a natural-sounding, optimized-consumption reverb for native systems. Download here https://services.duy.net/zroom-free.asp


DUY has been in the plugin market for many years and was one of the first companies to offer tape and tube emulation plugins.


Here's some of the other plugins that DUY offers:

DaD Tape simulates the sound of analog tapes for digital audio systems and features physical modeling of the four most representative tape recorders on the market. 

DaD Valve is a physical-modeling-based classic tube simulator for digital audio systems, featuring the most popular types of valves — triode, tetrode, and pentode — with a full range of biasing and operating levels. 

DUY Wide is a stereo and multichannel spatial enhancer, which allows widening of the stereo image, as well as sound placement outside the physical speaker locations. DUY Wide is mono-compatible. 

DUY Magic Spectrum is a high-quality mastering tool that allows you, on one hand, to perform a basic operation such as Matching the spectrum of two pieces of audio, or more complex operations such as to actually modify the frequency contents yourself with edition tools!! As you can see, DUY Magic Spectrum is THE TOOL for modifying the spectral contents of your audio.Read all about DUY Magic Spectrum here.

Max DUY is a sound level maximizer based on DUYs exclusive ILO algorithm, featuring seamless level maximizing, zero harmonic distortion (even at low frequencies) and release-free operation. 

DUY Shape is a sound enhancer featuring 3-band smooth filters with full audio range continuous crossover points and three independent user-defined shapers with virtually infinite resolution accuracy. 

Visit http://www.duystore.com/com/products.html for more info.

Native Instruments Maschine users check out this video!

Native Instruments Maschine has become a part of many producers' workflow or creative process.
Here's a video explaining how to setup Maschine with logic Pro for optimal performance and ease of use.

The video is done by Fmajor of Altruewest Productions:

Pensado's Place #15 - Engineering Legend Bruce Swedien

The Ultimate Stereo D.I. - D.W. Fearn VT-3

D.W. Fearn is a company well known for impeccable build quality and great sonics and the VT-3 tube D.I. is no exception.

"The VT-3 is a dual-channel, all-triode vacuum tube DI (“direct box”) for recording electric or electronic instruments. The inputs are designed to provide the proper load impedance for all instruments that have a 1/4-inch phone jack output. Tube circuitry provides the very high impedance necessary to capture all the details of these instruments.

The outputs of the VT-3 are mic level (150 ohm source impedance at a nominal -30dBV). The VT-3 is designed to operate into a high-quality microphone preamplifier like our VT-1 and VT-2 Vacuum Tube Microphone Preamplifiers

Operation is very simple: plug the instrument into the 1/4” front panel jack and take the output either from the front panel XLR connector, or a parallel XLR connector on the back panel. A second 1/4” jack provides an output to feed a guitar amplifier when necessary. A ground-lift switch helps eliminate ground loop buzz, and a switchable high-pass filter gently rolls off frequencies below 100Hz when required.

The two channels are entirely independent and can be used with two different instruments at the same time"

$2100 at Mercenary Audio:

http://www.mercenary.com/dfevtduchvat.html

If you own an MPC make sure you check this site.

http://www.mpcstuff.com/ is a site that sells all things AKAI/MPC related including replacement pads that are an improvement on the originals. They also have used Akai gear at reasonable prices.