KVR Audio

bmanic · Post by **bmanic** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 4:24 pm

wm wrote:
bmanic wrote:Flippertronix,

one more thing I forgot to ask. Do you hear the slight change in sound when running audio trough the sonalksis EQ, even with all settings at flat? It's a good ear/monitor exercise.

- bManic
yer this is good hearing excersise because there is NO change in sound!

Well, you obviously need more practise.

- bManic

bmanic · Post by **bmanic** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 4:27 pm

Also, everybody sceptic should perhaps read THIS thread in the sonalksis forum.

I rest my case.. and wm, you really need to practise.

- bManic

martian · Post by **martian** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 7:58 pm

bmanic wrote:Also, everybody sceptic should perhaps read THIS thread in the sonalksis forum.

I rest my case.. and wm, you really need to practise.

- bManic

well i am wrong then! i couldnt hear anything, but i will try again. but the knowledge that there is a difference there wont trick my mind into hearing something, id rather jus admit i cant hear it.

you can bathe in glory now bmanic, well done

sorry.
wm

martian · Post by **martian** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 9:08 pm

had another go, i tried with drums, trumpet and sax, was convinced for a while with the trumpet that it made it slighty louder, and blindfolded got it right about 4 out of 5, probably luck, if you try hard enough you always think you can hear something, im not conviced i'm hearing anything.

i really want to hear this!! ahh.

how subtle is it compared to say the difference in the signal path impulses on hydratone with flat eq and fire 1. which i can pick the differences v easily.

and can you hear it with one ear? i'm completely 100% deaf in my left ear from birth, maybe thats why? but tests reveal i have more sensitive hearng in the highs than average with my right, because of a natural compensation that happens with SSD.

if its a sublte stereo effect i may not be able to hear, but compensatory monaural localisation allows me to still hear most stereo stuff and width, jus not to such a degree obviously.

MacQ · Post by **MacQ** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 10:29 pm

I'd say that if the settings are that inaudible, they're not really worthwhile. I personally think that software that allows volume adjustments in 0.01dB increments (for example) is a waste of time. Resolution is great, but only theoretically. If you can't hear it, there is no point. And I don't care who says differently.

The other thing is audio reproduction. If your PC or HVAC in the studio produces a noisefloor above that of a setting on your EQ, you won't hear it anyway! It's all trivial, in the end, since mastering will cram your detailed mix into 8 bits on top anyway. The real measure of an EQ in my mind is how well it handles the big boosts (6-9dB). That separates the good from the bad VERY quickly ... with results that anyone can plainly hear. Even the non-audiophiles with their so-called "magic" ears.

~MacQ

bmanic · Post by **bmanic** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 10:44 pm

wm wrote: well i am wrong then! i couldnt hear anything, but i will try again. but the knowledge that there is a difference there wont trick my mind into hearing something, id rather jus admit i cant hear it.

you can bathe in glory now bmanic, well done

sorry.
wm

The point is, do not be so quick to jump to conclusions. Some people might have superior hardware to make identification of subtle changes much easier (superior soundcard,clock and monitors). I do not bathe in glory but rather just trying to give tips and tricks on how to improve ones ear-brain work and the sonalksis "test" is a good exercise, that's all.

Now, want more? Try hearing the subtle differences of the Voxengo Warmifier different tube modes!

Cheers!
bManic

Frippertronix · Post by **Frippertronix** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 12:35 am

greendoor wrote:GEQ-7 has four modes - you can do extreme surgical stuff, or softer musical stuff. I really can't understand any reluctance to try it out. Maybe it's hard to accept that a reasonably priced and non-challenge/response product can kick it with the corporate whores ...

No, no reluctance at all, but I'm already focussing on Sonalksis and Princeton sharewares right now and I'm just about to go on vacation. Both of those will time out shortly after I get back and GEQ will be the next thing I try.

I have to say, though, I'm starting to get very attached to the Sonalksis. It's annoying at one level but it just seems to breathe so much life into things. Softsynths are really benefitting from it.

It reminds me of Vintage Warmer in that (IMO)it sounds more transistory than tubey, but it's so good at giving things an illusion of being analog, and I'll take the transistor analog sound over the sterility of "digital sound" any day.

Since I don't have the money for the LA-2A and Pultec Pro, I may have to settle for Sonalksis.

But I will try the GEQ-7 and post my impressions. Sorry to make you wait. It will be in the 4th week of July when I get back from Cape Cod.

Plus, can you really call Sonalkisis corporate whores? They've chosen the "sell less at a higher price" strategy, but aren't they just a tiny company?

I'm just glad they don't sell everything in a bundle like Waves that costs 2 billion dollars.

Funkybot · Post by **Funkybot** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 1:18 am

Ah visiting "the Cape"

are we?

Sorry, that's just an inside joke between me and a coworker who frequents "the Cape" often. That's how you have to say it to sound cool and be pretentious

.

Anyway I'd definately check out the GEQ-7 before dishing out for the Sonalksis. I haven't tried the URS plugs as I don't have an ilok but as far as just about everything else goes the GEQ-7 comes out on top. It's got a huge round tight bottom, and very smooth highs. In fact, it's about the only EQ I use nowadays. Definately worth at least a demo.

AKJ · Post by **AKJ** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 1:25 am

if you ask me: an eq is an eq and not meant for (harmonic) coloring but just precise spectrum manipulation. but if you want both: consider also curveeq. it is very precise and can be clean. but it is also capable of saturating and convoluting your stuff with analog hardware "colors" (incuded vintage processor, saturator, different eq modes, gear-match). and much more...

akj

Frippertronix · Post by **Frippertronix** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 4:14 am

Funkybot wrote:Ah visiting "the Cape" are we?

Sorry, that's just an inside joke between me and a coworker who frequents "the Cape" often. That's how you have to say it to sound cool and be pretentious .

Yea, I'm kind of rolleyes-ing myself because it's a long trip (from Oregon) and I'm not that big of a travel nut, but it's my stepsister's wedding so...better go.

Frippertronix · Post by **Frippertronix** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 4:16 am

AKJ wrote:if you ask me: an eq is an eq and not meant for (harmonic) coloring but just precise spectrum manipulation. but if you want both: consider also curveeq. it is very precise and can be clean. but it is also capable of saturating and convoluting your stuff with analog hardware "colors" (incuded vintage processor, saturator, different eq modes, gear-match). and much more...

akj

Sooo, much latency on that one, though.

BTW, did the demo come with impulse files (I can't remember) or do you have to provide your own? Do you know where to go for impulses of old analog EQ's?

greendoor · Post by **greendoor** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 4:16 am

Ah - I remember now, the GEQ-7 is a time-limited demo. So it makes sense to hold off loading it if you can't spend the time. I hate time limited demo's - I prefer the ones that drop out sound every minute. It's crazy for a developer to give out a time-limited demo for two reasons: 1 - for honest customer who insist on buying their software, we need to be able to check out a plugin very carefully before spending our money. Sometimes you can't schedule when you will have the time, or the money. If the demo ceases to work before we the chance to evalute it, or have the need to buy it (e.g. final mix on a project) it's useless. It forces you to evaluate some other product instead. 2 - there are plenty of people who rebuilt their PC every month just so they can use the time-limited demos without paying. That pisses me off. With the beeping ones, its fair for everyone. Although for sensitive ears, the drop outs are much better than loud beeps.

Frippertronix · Post by **Frippertronix** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 4:19 am

Yea, I like it when they give you a month, but then you get so used to having it around, you forget it's a demo.

Beeps are awful, but the worst one I've heard is EVM synths, which has this '80's arcade game robot voice come on and say "Demo version---please register" I laugh every time because "Demo version" in the robot voice sounds like "Game over"...

AKJ · Post by **AKJ** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 11:42 am

curve eq comes with convolution files. you even cannot load your own ones and it is rater compressors, tubes etc. not eqs as far as I know (but if you want that: just take sir or pristine space in addition).

akj

snooky · Post by **snooky** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 11:46 am

tee boy wrote: Q-clone, this is one hell of an EQ. Boost 6db at 10kHz, n'f**king'p. Its a pricy bit of kit, but if Voxengo or Kjaerhus make a similar plug then this really will be the way forward.

do you have any idea what EQ's where used to make the included impulses then? I read something about it in SOS, but there were no model nrs...?

Tried the Sonalksis EQ