Mallette Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 It's SHOWTIME! http://www.lovestreetlightcircus.org/Events A few of you are aware my 10 year old daughter is a heart baby. Though her surgeries are complete and successful, she has only two chambers (reptilian circulation) and will remain a cardiac patient for life. The presense of Texas Children's Hospital, the largest and one of the best in the world, here in Houston played a part in our decision to move here. Agnostics and atheists feel free to scoff, but there is a God and he moves in strange and mysterious ways. At last week's "Battle of the Titans" at my home, pauln (Paul Nussbaum) revealed that he was playing in the above referenced charity gala for Texas Children's, so he had my attention on two fronts. They were looking for volunteers in all areas and wondered if I'd be interested in helping with sound. I knew that, while perfectly sound and in line with modern professional practices, there'd be lots of mixers, mikes, etc that are totally outside both my philosophy and experience, so I'd largely have to keep my mouth shut and pull cable. While that is perfectly OK, I asked him to sound out the producer about my doing a separate, experimental high resolution surround recording. My footprint is very small, only the computer, preamp, and, of course, a prime spot for SoundCube. Partrick, the producer, sounded out Mike, the soundman, and to my shock, they went for it! Soooo....this weekend I'll be checking out all my gear and doing environmental tests with SoundCube in preparaton for the October 19th rehearsal. I do not really understand the layout or how this works, but there are about 9 bands that will mix and match with 40 or so muscians in a fixed orchestra to perform the complete Beatles "White Album." What a DREAM! I could not be more thrilled...or apprehensive! At least nothing is riding on it since they have everything covered. My plan at the moment will be to record 4X24/96 to MBS6 and simultaneously feed my Korg MR-1 a 2 channel summed F/R in DSF as an "alibi" feed. That alibi feed will also test my theory that if you sum the outputs of four identical mikes FR+RR and FL+RL you may get a 2 channel matrix that Pro Logic II will resolve into a surround field. Of course, the recordings will be the property of the foundation, and we've not even discussed what to do with any successful material, but I am sure we'll find a way to make anything worth audiophile attention available with proceeds going to TCH. If you interested in SoundCube you can download my "Six Cardinal Rules of Sound Acquisition" at www.mbsdar.com. More as it develops... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted October 11, 2008 Author Share Posted October 11, 2008 So it passed the "cat test." Scared the heck out of my son as well. I set up SoundCube in the front yard today to do a check on everything prior to the rehearsal next week for the concert. The results were very convincing. A helicopter flew over at perhaps 2k feet and when I had my 6 year old listen to it with his eyes closed he jumped off the sofa and shouted "I thought the roof was gone!" when I played it. My wife and he were in the yard planting. Localization of their talking and other ambient noises was very precise. SoundCube appears to deliver according to theory. I am looking forward to the rehearsal as it will be the first time I've been able to test it with music. Tomorrow I will also link in a loop out to the Korg suming L+LR and R+RR to see if Dolby PLII can resolve anything. That's a shot in the dark, but what the heck. It might work. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 360 degrees, ribbon mic'ed, plexi-cube---recordinational device! (Dave that's an adaptational quote from a cartoon I was describing to your PAW). Maybe she has checked it out by now? (make sure the kids are not around). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyKubicki Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Hey Dave! Congrats! It should be interesting. I'm downloading your Foster file now. Have you retired the Wami? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted October 12, 2008 Author Share Posted October 12, 2008 Hi Andy! Long time, no see. The Wami is the heart of this one. 4X24/96 this time. Had to mess with the latency but it's doing a heckuva job here. SPL is pretty low in the neighborhood but the surround field is clean and free of drops or noise. Next weekend I am going to rollback MBS6 to OS and Sound Forge just to be sure. I'll be doing a further test this afternoon and adding the aforementioned 2 channel loop out to the Korg. Brain: I'll ask the PAW about the cartoon. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyKubicki Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Yes, I tend to come and go in spurts, depending on time and what projects I'm involved with. I need to loose my day job. Problem is, I have an expensive hobby! I'm back to playing the bass with some friends and a bit of keyboards, so it's rehearsals and then recording, mastering, etc.. I listened to the Foster recordings and enjoyed them- very smooth sounding. But it was on headphones, so later this week I'll burn them to CD and listen on the SET and Horns.I'll download more of your files as well. I am taking a recording seminar at a local studio, which means that I am able to compare the sounds of different mikes and preamps that I normally don't have access to.I found myself drawn the sound of some tube mikes.....must be something to putting a preamp stage right up in there close to the source that works well. I you get a chance, download the file that's linked in my Jazz Lover's post. It is a live recording, but I think you'll be surprised at what was used to make it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted October 12, 2008 Author Share Posted October 12, 2008 Thanks for reminding me, Andy. It was blocked at work. I'll try to download before the end of the day. I'm stilling messing with SoundCube trying to get it ready to travel. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted October 12, 2008 Share Posted October 12, 2008 Dave, congrats on the TCH event allowing you to do your thing. Maybe they see the real potential of SoundCube...this may very well be the recording breakthrough you need to get the ball rolling in your court. Wishing you the very best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted October 12, 2008 Author Share Posted October 12, 2008 Jim, the funny thing is that SoundCube works precisely as my paper suggests. I remain mystified as to why the SACD and DVD-A releases are so unsatisfying in general. Testing today I walked around it saying "Right Front, Right Rear," etc and the sounds were precisely localized on replay. Once I get some material from the rehearsal I'll make a DVD-A master and see how that fares. Of course, nothing SHOULD change, but I still wonder why all the "surround" stuff, including so many movies, is not. I still don't even get the audience clearly in the rear on most things from broadcast. It should be easy. As to the summed channel experiment, initial thoughts are that it is promising. However, right rear seemed to come from left rear and left rear came from left front. I did not have time to check every line to see if something is crossed, but will do so at the rehearsal. That's strictly a side show anyway. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 Very cool Dave.. Someone at the Pilgrimage gave me some cd's of yours.. The Stewart Wayne one is awesome! Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lonelobo Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 Dave, I have refrained from saying anything up to this point. But I have serious misgivings about recording an aquarium and calling it music. Put some fish in it and see if they form a choir! I suppose you will put your new recording up on some website and convince everyone that you recorded it with said fish tank...but I know better. I've seen the RV filled with equalizers, digital processors, and other said devices that you keep tarped in the alley. I bet you didn't tell the listening group about the cryogenically treated 1 gauge speaker cables you have driving the K-Horns while the Fraziers are driven by rusty coathangers and paper clips soldered together. I rest my case and fall upon the mercy of the court. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted October 17, 2008 Author Share Posted October 17, 2008 OK, I guess the secret is out. I actually build my digital files by hand in 24 bit words. After 15 years of labor I am now six notes into my first symphony. It's gonna be a humdinger. I started on it as analog, but kept ruining my master disc when my tiny chisel slipped. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndyKlipschFan Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 heheh Dave.. lone is lonley and only likes 78 rpm discs... everything else is unproven! Good 4 u Dave...LOL I have an idea/project that I want to do with you anyways later... Roger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 Agnostics and atheists feel free to scoff, but there is a God and he moves in strange and mysterious ways. Agreed wholeheartedly. TCH is truly a blessing to have available. (Cool project by the way!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyKubicki Posted October 18, 2008 Share Posted October 18, 2008 Break a leg tomorrow, Dave! [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted October 18, 2008 Author Share Posted October 18, 2008 Well, tomorrow is just a rehearsal, though I will treat it as not a drill. The system tested perfectly last week, but there is always Microsoft which can always through a wrench in the works. On the real event, they have it covered conventionally by pros, so that takes a bit of pressure off...not a lot, mind you, but some. I need to see where Linux is these days... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted October 21, 2008 Author Share Posted October 21, 2008 OK, gang, time to report. I think I am on to a couple of things. Paul (pauln) reported the 4>2 headset as clean and free of anything but what was being heard. That was good. So I got it home and just now checked it out via Sound Forge to 4 discrete channels. It's spooky and there is "Virtual Presence" there. I am VERY excited about the real thing in three weeks. But wait, there's more. After listening to it, I did a LF+LR and RF+RR mix to DSF (1 bit, 2.8mhz) transfer and played it back with ProLogic II. I may REALLY be on to something here as it was definitely resolved to 4 channel surround. As this recording is really confusing, since it was a rehearsal with players all over the place, a big empty space, etc. it was hard to determine how accurate it was...but it sounded far more real than 2 channel extraction via ProLogic or Hafler, I can say that for sure. Will it hold up to Redbook and still do that? I don't know. If it does, I am rich. Yeah, right. Anyway, it is going to be fun. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldtimer Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Hurray rich! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted October 21, 2008 Author Share Posted October 21, 2008 Brian, there is really something interesting going on there. Given the cacaphony of the rehearsal and the gymnasium acoustics of the hall it is really hard to tell just how good it is...but it is definitely interesting. I'm looking forward to the real thing to see if the audience winds up where they belong. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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