John Curl's Blowtorch preamplifier part II

[wayne]

Originally Posted by john curl

the Korg 2000, which is a better product than most here use. It would appear to this engineer that it is the ANALOG part of the electronics that is the primary weakness. Digital seems to be working as expected. Perhaps that is a good part of the bass problem.

I was struck by how good the thing is stock out of the box. I don't really like DSD for a few reasons but it works in this case. Good to know it could be improved upon.

[simon7000]

Originally Posted by SY

No, but I do know a few things.

Yes, I'll allow the philosophical possibility that someone has set up a controlled listening test, demonstrated the audibility of an ADA chain, then not published this remarkable result anywhere.

That is almost done all the time in most recording studios. They listen to the live mix and monitor what comes back from the recorder. When it doesn't sound close enough, they gotta play. Usually with send levels, sometimes with swapping gear, rarely with hot metal tools.

No double blind, no statistical control, just "Engineer'" ego err skill.

[SY]

Level for sure- one way to match levels is to adjust them until, in a blind comparison, you can't distinguish A from B.

I'm sadly familiar with recording engineer egos.

[simon7000]

Originally Posted by SY

Level for sure- one way to match levels is to adjust them until, in a blind comparison, you can't distinguish A from B.

I'm sadly familiar with recording engineer egos.

Actually the send level if too high on live recordings is the major source of distortion.

I am unfamiliar with the concept of too large an ego as they are all smaller than mine.

[Chris Hornbeck]

Originally Posted by simon7000

Actually the send level if too high on live recordings is the major source of distortion.

I am unfamiliar with the concept of too large an ego as they are all smaller than mine.

Arf!

And too, the technical requirements for analog electronics connected to digital convertors are insanely high. Giant spikes with vertical risetimes, everything fast and loose, lots and lots to go wrong. But things are getting better mostly. Really needs vacuum valves to be conservative, but good enough is good enough.

Thanks,
Chris

[Pano]

Guess it depends on the A/D/A. It was easy to hear the DCX2496 when inserted into the tape loop. I blame the analog section tho, not the digital.

[simon7000]

Originally Posted by Pano

Guess it depends on the A/D/A. It was easy to hear the DCX2496 when inserted into the tape loop. I blame the analog section tho, not the digital.

Probably not. It seems it depends mainly upon the ears used to observe what is going on. There really are some folks who don't notice. MP3 forever or some such.

[SY]

Originally Posted by Pano

Guess it depends on the A/D/A. It was easy to hear the DCX2496 when inserted into the tape loop. I blame the analog section tho, not the digital.

Jan had the same problem until he figured out that it was... ta-daa! the gain structure.

[vacuphile]

Originally Posted by simon7000

Probably not. It seems it depends mainly upon the ears used to observe what is going on. There really are some folks who don't notice. MP3 forever or some such.

I picked up word from the street that SY once took part in an informal ABX-listening test of original vs. 3 differently compressed MPEG's, and that he was the only one that ranked them in the right order. Some engineering sense does not stand in the way of having fully operational ears, apparently.

vac

[Pano]

Was that the test were I also got them in the right order? No, that's was Jan's test.