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After recently acquiring a Red Type B / R8 I wanted to compare it’s sound to the ole faithful 414. I also wanted to compare the mics on different sources,  that gives this drummer an excuse to noodle around on instruments I have no business otherwise touching . So keep that in mind while listening to these. I find I prefer the RED overall. It’s a brighter mic. The 414 was darker in color with a greater Low end/Low Mid response.

I kept the mic positioning as balanced as possible.

Signal chain = Mic – Hardy M1 – DomII – DAW. Dry recording/No EQ.

rhodes-414.mp3
rhodes-414.wav
rhodes-Red.mp3
rhodes-Red.wav

Udu-414.mp3
Udu-414.wav
Udu-Red.mp3
Udu-Red.wav

backpacker-414.mp3
backpacker-414.wav
backpacker-Red.mp3
backpacker-Red.wav

Support the cause.

Like most other DSI MoPho & Prophet 08 owners I wanted VST integration to control/automate parameters. This is the much pre-mature outcome of that desire. Feel free to Beta test & make suggestions in the comment section. Forgive the horrid graphics, I’ll be giving the gui, fixes, & changes my attention during creative downtime.  As always  I hope other  like minded musicians get some use/fun out of these efforts.

(On that note, any  graphic designers out there that would like to take on a project let me know.)

Current -

• MoControl Beta 0.2

Archive -

• MoControl Beta 0.1

Installation

• Extract archive into your VST plugin folder.

System requirements

• Windows/Linux based VST host.
• DSI Mopho

Price = Donationware You Decide

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Model = Quantec QRS-XL

Impulse capture method = Sweep

I/O = Analog

Format = 24bit 48k WAV

The Quantec room simulators are rare & extremely unique. They have an eerie ability to create realistic enclosed atmosphere. It’s easy to understand the cult following of the Quantec sound. It’s rooms are 2nd to none.

Download : Mirror :

Price = Donationware You Decide

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Model = T.C. M5000

Impulse capture method = Sweep

I/O = Digital

Format = 24bit 48k WAV

96 impulse files including m5000 only algorithm captures.

Program categories = Ambience, Nonlin-1, Revcore1, Revcore2, Reverb-1, Reverb-3, Reverb-3, tapfac-1.

Download : Mirror :

My thingamagoop ver 2 arrived today. I can’t say why thingamagoops/kits are so badass they just are. I just finished putting it together in a custom box. (a thingamakit box actually) The new ver 2 has everything you wished for in ver 1. Modulation for days, S&H, ect. Best of all CV i/o.
What I find surprising is that all 3 vers have there place.
ver 1 for just fun simple noise.
Thingamakit has 2 leds for interesting optical based patterns & rhythms.
& ver 2 is just an all around feature slut but with only one Led.

Demo Video showcasing the Thingamagoop ver 2 controlling a MOOG Voyager RME via CV i/o.
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or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgHvQcDjfME

I got together with mr. 3am not to long ago for some synth geekery. Our other goops made an appearance as well.

Video displaying how to setup multiple device i/o offsets in Sonar. A problem many don’t know they have.

Ever wonder why the timing of what you record sounds so off? Well you might just be that off, or you might need to figure out your interface offset. I have yet to see an interface without the need for manual compensation.  A/D D/A’s, drivers, & software all contributed to this unavoidable problem.

Timing .wav file – Download

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Overview

What is this all about your wondering? Well it’s all about LoFi AKAI chunk. There is just something about the AKAI Sampling & hardware down-sampling process that sounds damn cool. These are drum hit samples of the two notorious TR Rhythm Composers via an AKAI S20.

Sampled @ the S20s native rate of 16bit/32khz, then internally down-sampled to 16khz & recaptured @ 24bit/96khz via Lynx converters. HiFi LoFi

Format = mono 24/96 .wav

Download

Price = Donationware You Decide

Made myself a nice little passive summing panel for my home rig out of parts laying around the shop. I wanted to simplify/improve my final summing stage. Pleased with the results, Sounds great. Gives me piece of mind bypassing the channel IC’s & master section on my Sony MXP desk.

I used a simple XLR panel, Neutrik XLR mounts, Neve super conductive cable, & OHMITE 1% metal film resistors. Took all of 2 hours to wire up.

10.7k resistors on the inputs & a 220 shunt on the outputs.

After level calibration my noise-floor is at -80 & crosstalk @ -88.

FYI – this is with a John Hardy M1 transformer pre for the make up gain. Nothing better IMHO.

While demoing the SSL Duende X-verb I noticed the preset names seemed very familiar. I noticed the similarity to the Lexicon gear that i’m used to dealing with. That got my curiosity churning.  Time for a comparison I say. I pulled up some multitrack drum noodling & a  verb bus comparing both the X-verb & Lexicon m300. The result? It’s now of my opinion the X-verb team was influenced if not down right trying to replace the classic Lexicon hardware we know.

For the comparison I pulled up similar named presets on both the X-verb/ m300 & recorded the results @ 24/48.

MP3 Examples -

• 300 – Live Drum Room
• X – Live Drum Room

• 300 Studio A
• X – Studio A

• 300 – Small hall
• X – Small hall

• 300 – Rich Plate
• X – Rich Plate

• 300 – rehearsal room
• X – rehearsal room

• 300 – large hall
• X – large hall

• 300 – Hanger
• X – Hanger

• 300 – Glossy Plate
• X – Glossy Plate

• 300 – Deep End
• X – Deep Space

• 300 – Dance Hall
• X – Dance Hall

• 300 – Church
• X – gothic Church

• 300 – chamber
• X – Natural chamber

• 300 – Brick Wall
• X – Brick Wall

Rough manual settings match -

• 300m
• Xm

• pcm70
• x70

After spending sometime with the inner control of X-Verb I feel one can re-create all of the “magic” of the hardware we have come to expect. I didn’t find a “hole/limitation” of control or feature set. Good stuff.

original drum noodle. 24/48 .wav drum-noodle.wav

I have processed some drum noodling with 3 highend hardware reverbs & 3 algorithm based plugin verbs. Are you able to tell the hardware from the plugin?  In each section three examples are processed with hardware, three are processed with plugins.

Hardware = Lexicon m300, Lexicon PCM 70, & TC M5000

Plugins = CSR , Sonitus Reverb, & Fabrik R Studio

Hall Presets

• verb test, 1a (5410)
• verb test, 2a (5411)
• verb test, 3a (5412)
• verb test, 4a (5413)
• verb test, 5a (5414)
• verb test, 6a (5415)

Room Presets

• verb test, 1b (5416)
• verb test, 2b (5417)
• verb test, 3b (5418)
• verb test, 4b (5419)
• verb test, 5b (5420)
• verb test, 6b (5421)

Tube 1500 – Nebula Program

Features/Info -

A pristine tube gain stage. Captured from a highly coveted tube compressor known for it’s lush/full characteristic. Eight vacuum tubes give the 1500 its unmistakable richness and depth. Great for both tracking & bus duties.

• 5 or 7 kern (harmonics) Nebula Program
• Sampled @ 24/96 with Lynx A/D D/A

Five Kern Download
Seven Kern Download

Classic Harmonic Plot

MCI Heritage EQ “I like it dirty” – Nebula Program

Features/Info -

High frequency shelf
Sweepable Mid
Low frequency shelf

Sampled @ 24/96

Download

Video displaying how to setup a phase cancellation test in Sonar.

Sonar Null – Video – null.wmv

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