Last days Ma Mi Duo, Nadio MArenco (accordion) and Cristina MIrkovic (violin), made a great perfomance at our studio.
They recorded sixteen tracks from typical tango to Eastern Europe popular themes for their new album “Tango & Co.”.
I worked on tracking, mixing and mastering for all songs.
Very fine musicians and great gears done amazing work.
Enjoy their music:
Ok,
after first approach based on comparison listen (see DAD AX32: test in progress in my studio – part One), I verified frequency and phase response with Metric Halo SpectraFooCompleteX.
All settings are controlled by DADman software (see figures bottom) like matrix or Mic/line switch. When you change Mic gain or Line out level you can hear the relay click on.
All audio connections use DB25 with Tascam pin-out.
In front AX32 has four buttons to change sample frequency and clock master, a little screen to check settings and a double series of sixteen leds to visualize carrier (digital signal) and audio presence.
Here DAD AX32, it look very nice 🙂
After I installed Dante controller and Dante virtual sound card both by Audinate and I created an audio network where my computer (with audio application) and DAD AX32 are two clients.
Dante virtual soundcard has to work necessarly without a Dante PCI card compatible. It uses ethernet in your computer gateway. With Dante controller you can manage a flush of 64×64 channels audio at 48kHz@24bit or 32×32 channels audio at 96kHz@24bit with 1Gbit of bandwidth. You find all specific here.
I created a multicast and I managed audio interchange to and from AX32 with virtual routing.
Well, I opened SpectraFoo and I changed soundcard with Dante (it appears on available audio cards) and I ran signal generator with pink noise to test AX32.
I used Transfer Function window to visualize the difference between original signal (reference) and it after AX32 AD/DA (response). In this window it’s possible to visualize Power vs Frequency and Power vs Phase.
I tested AX32 at 96kHz and 48kHz.
At 96kHz I checked a bandwidth very width (8Hz to 43kHz) with an excellent phase response.
Also at 48kHz I checked a bandwidth very width (8Hz to 22kHz) although with a slight drift phase response at high end.
Also I tested Ax32 with FuzzMeasure, an audio and acoustical measurement application, and it confirmed SpectraFoo audio bandwidth analisys.
Here all SpectraFoo graphics:
My conclusions on the DAD AX32 is that it’s the best converter I’ve ever heard. It’s very valuable into mix and fundamental into mastering because very wide bandwidth with clean mid frequency and extended low and high frequency are a necessarly conditions to work fine.
Have a nice day,
Lorenzo
Disclaimer: I tested this gear with care, nevertheless this test is inevitably affected by my opinion and possible analyzer gear and software imprecisions.
Copyright © 2013-2014 by iuatwest. All rights Reserved.
This material has been copyrighted, feel free to share it with others; it can be distributed via social media or pingbacks or added to websites; please do not change the original content and, provide appropriate credit by including the author’s name @ http://iuatwest.com and your readers shall not be charged by you under any circumstance.
Today I started a little column where I brought into focus technicals stuff.
I’ll write short review about equipment in my studio and some tracking techniques that I use and why.
It’s not a didactic section (when needed I’ll link related pages on manufacturer site) but so as to explain my approach to recording.
I’ll post this column once a week (probabily sunday).
It’s a stereo tracking technique by Alain Blumlein based on a coincident array of two microphone, one directional (typical cardioid) in front of the audio source (orchestral ensemble or musical instrument) and one bidirectional (or eight figure) turned by 90 degrees. DPA microphone about polar patterns.
Signals by Mid (cardioid) and Side (eight figure) using a matrix to achieve Left (M+S) and Right (M-S) channels (stereo signal).
L = Mid + Side and R = Mid- Side
It’s possible switch any stereo signal into a Mid-Side couple with another matrix where Left/Right are summed into Mid (L+R) and subtract into Side (L-R). This is a fine technique used, for example, in mixing and mastering to adjust center component like vocal or electric bass (you have to think on a stereo signal builded with three components: Left/Center/Right) and to broadcast stereo signal on FM modulation, where Mid (L+R) is a mono signal and Side (L-R) is component to rebuild the original L/R signal.
A particulary development of Mid-Side technique is double MS technique to make a surround recording (5.1). Shoeps on double MS technique – pdf (very interesting paper)
I like this technique for his nice and wide stereo front, mono compatibility (when stereo signal is collapsed Side dissapear) and fundamental possibility to encoding comeback (to rebuild original Mid-Side signals).
It’s important to highlight the front position of the cardioid microphone (Mid) because it’s the best way to shot center audio source. Unlike ORTF and XY where the microphones are angled and the recording may be less accurate for the off-axys coloration.
Since 1997 I realized M-S technique with several microphone: Rode NT-2 (cardioid) coupled with AKG C414 ULS (eight figure), with two matched AKG C414 TL-II and actually with a Shoeps CMC6/MK4 (cardioid) or MK21 (wide cardioid) to Mid and Shoeps CMC6/MK8 to Side.
Most of my recordings of strings ensemble or choir were made with this technique, sometimes I added close microphones (multimicrophones technique) to capture several instruments.
acronym of Organisation de Radio et Television Française
Developed by French public television, it’s composed by two matched pair microphones spaced at 17cm each other and angled by 55 degrees. It’s a near coincident technique. DPA microphone about ORTF tecnique.
Less wide than M-S tecnique I like it to record stereo close miking (like acoustic guitar), small vocal ensemble and, generally, when I need to minimize environmental reverberation.
It’s not monocompatible but it still works well.
Also this technic has been developed by Alain Blumlein, he used a cardioid (originally eight figure) matched pair microphones angled 90 degrees each other with coincident capsule. It’s a coincident technique. DPA microphone about XY technique.
With a stereo front narrow, XY is the solution for small audio source (like a musical instrument) where it’s important monocompatibility, to attenuate a problematic environmental reverberation and to realize a simple stereo technique.
In this gallery I arrange microphones in ORTF and XY techniques.
Copyright © 2013-2014 by iuatwest. All rights Reserved.
This material has been copyrighted, feel free to share it with others; it can be distributed via social media or pingbacks or added to websites; please do not change the original content and, provide appropriate credit by including the author’s name @ http://iuatwest.com and your readers shall not be charged by you under any circumstance.
Today I mastered on some Andrea Fedeli’s songs.
Who is Andrea Fedeli? He is a customer and collaborator, piano player, leader of his jazz trio and an especially fine musician and arranger.
Starting from this year, we agreed on a contract to realise the mastering of all his songs.
As arranger he collaborates with the tv documentary “Overland” (aired on RAI TV) which talks about adventure travel through all continents.
Last July it released the album “Overland 14 – Caucaso” including some songs from that season. I mastered all songs.
Click on the cover to open iTunes page
Hi,
that’s about me and my work in my recording studio: adventure, curiosity and techical stuff.
The blog’s name is related to the pleasure i get exploring the sound impact of music produtions, according with the musicians.
Get it on and enjoy it!
In oUr ATtitude WE truST 