Posted on June 18, 2009
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The Fishman Dual Parametric DI box has a dual band EQ in addition to the standard features found on a DI box. It has 1/4 inch connections and is an analog piece of gear. It isn’t a rack mountable piece of gear.
Posted on June 18, 2009
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I had no problems at all installing the Arturia Jupiter 8V virtual modular synth as it only took a matter of minutes. I didn’t have any compatibility issues at all and the whole process was pain free. It is modeled after the classic Roland Jupiter 8 synthesizer and the interface matches that as it looks pretty much exactly like the classic hardware synth. Everything is easily located even if you don’t have any experience with the original Jupiter 8 as I had never tried a real one out until after I used this virtual instrument. The manual for Arturia Jupiter 8V is put together well and while it can be helpful when getting started with this, it isn’t essential to have.
Posted on June 18, 2009
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The Wurlizter 206A is an electric piano in the classic 200 line of pianos made by Wurlizter. It is pretty similar to some of the other electric pianos in this line, as it has the same make up of the 200A, having two knobs for volume and for the rate of the tremolo effect. The main difference between the 206A and the 200A is that the 200A has no lower body to it like the 206A does. The 206A has a sustain pedal built into the casing, while the one on the 200A is connected to the back of it. Beyond comparing it to the popular 200A model, the 206A has a great sound in its own right and is very comparable to any of the best models of the Wurlizter electric piano. The only down side to this model is that it does have the large casing and is therefore much harder to transport than some of the other models of this piano. The good part about that is that since these aren’t as highly sought after, the price for a used one of these is cheaper than the others. If you only would use an electric piano like this in the studio where it can be stationary or simply aren’t looking for one to bring around for gigs, the 206A is as good a sounding model as any of them. It has the classic sound that you would look for in a Wurlizter electric piano, which is one that I truly adore. I only really use this piano for recording, so it really works out for me and is a great asset in the studio because of its awesome tone quality. If you are looking for a Wurlizter electric piano and don’t want to spend all of the money to get a 200A or one of the other most popular models, the 206A is a great substitution and I would highly recommend checking it out as it is simply a great instrument.
Posted on June 18, 2009
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Amp Farm is a pretty good amp simulator from Line 6, who have a great handling on all things digital. There weren’t any compatibility issues with my ProTools setup. The manual explains everything pretty well, and makes setting it up very easy. The general functions of Amp Farm are easy to use and the functions are accessible. The interface is set up like an amp head, which makes it easy to control.
Posted on June 18, 2009
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This is the most versatile ride I have ever used. Obviously, personal preference plays a big part of any cymbal purchase. However, time and time again, I am impressed by the sounds this cymbal produces and it receives many compliments from fellow drummers. 2 of my old teachers ended up buying this cymbal after I brought mine in and let them rock it for a while. It is dark and warm, with a nice hand hammered bell that has a great smokey sound. I am primarily a rock drummer, but generally like to incorporate more influences. This cymbal has provided me with all the versatility I need. It has the typical HHX coating, which is a good balance between coated and non-coated because it isn’t too bright, isn’t too dark, and has a very good response. I ride this, crash it, do whatever and it sounds great. It is clean enough for light music but still not flimsy or thin, producing crunchier vibes when necessary. I have played many ride cymbals in my day, but this is by far my favorite for the music I like to play (mellow rock, funk, jazzier stuff, etc.). The sabian HHX line is slightly expensive, but not for the sound you get. When compared to other cymbal lines such as HH or Zildjian K’s, I still feel like this cymbal has the best value. The only drawback to this cymbal is its relatively high price, but as i stated it is well worth it. I have recorded with it and it sounds even better in studio than when it is live. I would definitely buy this cymbal again and again, and would suggest it to anyone who is looking for a perfectly balanced ride cymbal. The only cymbal line that can compare to this is the HHX groove series. Obviously, HHX parallels the K custom series, but I have never played any K custom that sounds as good as this. Buy this cymbal if you can.
Posted on June 18, 2009
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I wanted to write up a short review of the broadband absorption panels I used for my studio. I bought 58 panels from Ready Acoustics. Eight of them are the super-duper sub bass traps (or whatever). They are 6″ of 703, a corner mounting bracket, and a nesting panel of 4″ 703. I bought six 2″ panels of 705. The remainder are their “Chameleon Traps”, which are 4″ panels of 703 with a lightweight metal frame. I’m not going to go into the acoustic properties of these types of products, as they are well covered here and elsewhere. I will then address a few points about these products a consumer might care about. Purchasing: 4 out of 5 stars These were easy to purchase, the website is simple and easy to navigate, and the products were delivered mostly intact. Product: 4 out of 5 stars Here’s the deal. These aren’t the most expensive traps on the market. They cost about half of what a different, well-received, reviewed, alternative product that shall remain unnamed cost. That factor was for me, as it will be for many non-pro penny pinchers, the deciding one. The illustrious unnamed product is targeting a different market, in my opinion, and I’d like to avoid comparing the two in this thread. Now that that’s out of the way: Chameleon traps are plain sexy. They are attractive products and hold up to installation fairly well. The color selection is nice, and the construction is solid. Further, there is a goodly amount of consistency from panel to panel. I appreciate the loose fabric being tucked in, the seams folded under the frames, and the final brushing to give them some additional visual interest. The corners on the non-chameleon traps show more than I’d like, but this is a minor quibble. I feel like they are substantial and that their cost is justified by their quality and appearance; again, the acoustic properties of Owens Corning 703 and 705 are fairly well documented. What we are paying for here then, is the appearance and durability of the product - as well as the people behind it, such as that may be. Packaging: 5 out of 5 stars They were delivered well packed and with obvious care. A few of the panels were dented, but the covering can be smoothed to hide such imperfections. Several of the metal frames were dented, and the paint peeling off. This is harder to remedy, but still not a very big deal - although the traps are not reversible. Keep this in mind when you’re planning. Installation: -10 out of 5 stars This brings me to pretty much the only the negative side to this review. Panels are a serious pain in the ass to install. The mounting hardware, and the instructions for mounting the panels, are insufficient at best. The wall mounting thingies, for standing panels off the wall, are acrylic. If you drop them or apply too much pressure to them they will break. They cost 20 bucks apiece, and I wound up chucking them in the garbage. Out of the 20 I ordered, six were broken. Of the remaining, four were impossible to mount to the wall flat. Just unacceptable. The fantastic packaging did not protect them from the vagaries of delivery. Chamelon traps, apparently, were not designed to mount on wall/celiing corners - or ceilings at all. This was discovered only after placing a call to ready acoustics the day the contractors were here to do the install, and the only indication of this upon inspection was that the straps on the back, used to mount the other types of non-framed panels Ready Acoustics sells, are present but sewn shut. This is the only indication that they are apparently designed only for wall mounting. The person who I spoke to at first was confused as to what it was I wanted to do, and then informed me that the products were not designed for such a purpose, and that what I needed to do was purchase additional mounting hardware at my own expense. As it turned out, their mounting suggestion also sucked, in practice, and we had to come up with our own method - for safety’s sake. While the corner mounting hardware is acceptable, even that had to be jury-rigged to hold the nested panel. Some simple elastic could have been included, along with some printed instructions. Bottom line for installation: Be prepared to come up with your own solution for mounting these things. They are not easy to install, and if you do it wrong, a chameleon trap falling on your head could kill you. Customer Support: 3 out of 5 stars Contacting Ready Acoustics wasn’t difficult, but getting a good answer about the products I ordered wasn’t so easy. I did not like being told that I was using the products for a purpose other than which they had been designed - I felt that they could have been more helpful when it was clear I was having installation issues. Chameleon traps are not designed for ceiling mounting or wall/ceiling corner mounting, and ready acoustics does not supply hardware suitable for this purpose. Their website does not indicate this. However, they did send some chains for ceiling mounting free of charge. That was helpful, and I appreciate it. I tried to contact Joel prior to writing this, because a few well placed caveats on their website could have saved me considerable time and money. Joel has not returned my call to date. Another thing: This stuff smells like ass. I don’t know what to compare it to, but it’s not pleasant. Bottom line: This is good stuff. Be prepared to figure out how to install it yourself. I believe it to be worth the time and expense, if home recording is what you really want to spend your money on. Some pics here: http://www.homerecording.com/bbs/sho…d.php?t=253968
Posted on June 18, 2009
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The MXR M120 Auto-Q is a filter pedal for guitar that will give you an automatic wah-wah sound rather than the traditional manually controlled wah-wah pedal. While there are way more parameters on this pedal than on a standard wah-wah pedal, I usually prefer wah-wahs because you have complete control over your signal. This pedal has 1/4 inch connections and is powered by the power supply that comes with it. This isn’t a rack mountable piece of gear as it is a stomp box.
Posted on June 18, 2009
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The Tube Tech PE1C is a two band parametric equalizer in the form of a rack mountable piece of gear that will take up three rack spaces. It has XLR connections in the back and is an all analog, tube based EQ.
Posted on June 18, 2009
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Nothing will work without electricity unless you’re jamming at the local drum circles down on the beach. Electrical installation studio power is often overlooked. Studios will setup a “clean feed” that is a separate breaker from the rest of the general power that is being used for air conditioning, lighting and the basic necessities of the rest of the building. Have you ever plugged something in and heard that horrific buzzing sound coming from the speakers or guitar amp? This is usually due to bad electrical wiring, which causes ground noise. This is the first thing to listen for when going in to a studio session. A simple solution to the problem would be to use a simple ground lifter on the gear or lift the ground from a direct box which can also solve the problems. We will go into details later.
Posted on June 18, 2009
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Sound is a wave, much like the ripples on a still body of water when a rock is dropped into it. The larger the wave, the lower the tone. Lower tones, known as bass frequencies, travel in wide long waves while higher tones known as treble frequencies travel in a tighter, shorter wave. Frequencies heard by the human ear range from 20Hz to 20K. Just as an indication, a piano’s range, probably the widest range of any instrument, is from 39Hz on the low note and 3Khz on the high note.
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