Dwight has another similar thread going on under Receptor Licensing. Read Ben's reply for info on the Native Instruments Service Center which is available now on plugorama.
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 4&start=15
Thinking about buying a Receptor? Think carefully.
-
- KVRist
- 173 posts since 3 Sep, 2007 from CT
-
Bryan@MuseResearch Bryan@MuseResearch https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=9067
- MUSEician
- 618 posts since 18 Sep, 2003 from Silicon Valley
Hmmm... perhaps I'm stumbling into quicksand here, but as a former recording engineer and the hardware manager of Receptor, I really try hard not to get offended or too defensive when people start criticizing our product, especially when vague terms such as "murky" are used to describe it. Nothing in any of our testing would suggest there is anything "murky" about Receptor's outputs, but it is entirely possible you have some kind of impedance mismatch in your studio or a cabling problem (like a phase inversion), or some other systemic problem
Receptor's audio section was designed by the hardware engineer who designed the Emulator IV with me back at E-MU, and I'll put it side by side against ANY piece of gear out there... and I have, in Studio A at The Annex (a studio in Menlo Park where we have our headquarters)and Receptor has always come out on top.
That being said, there is always the possibility that there is something wrong with your particular unit... and if you are sure that there is nothing wrong with your cabling, mixer, or monitors, by all means fill out a support ticket and we'll get to the bottom of it.
One quick way of being sure that there isn't something wrong outside of Receptor is to listen through headphones. In fact, you can connect a CD player into the inputs of Receptor's line inputs, open up a LINE INPUT channel on Receptor's mixer, and listen with headphones to the output, both in the headphone output jack and to the outputs themselves (realizing of course the L and R channels will be mono and out of phase when you plug in a pair of headphones into Receptor's balanced outputs).
Should you want to check, there is a test tone program in the effects section, so you can open up a line input, select the mdaTestTone program, and listen to the white noise on the analog outputs, and perhaps (if you have the gear) compare it with the SPDIF output. They should sound more or less the same. BE SURE TO TURN DOWN THE OUTPUT VOLUME OF RECEPTOR AND TURN YOUR MONITOR SPEAKERS DOWN BEFORE RUNNING THE TEST TONE PLUGIN. You can also check the output at different frequencies on some meters, Receptor is ruler flat out to past 20KHz...
If you see a drop off of high frequencies in Receptor's outputs, then there is DEFINITELY something wrong with the audio card, and you should contact tech support.
And Rich is correct... NI discontinued their normal registration engine and within a week we released Service Center (on plugorama.com) that allows to you install and authorize all the NI plugins that are currently supported. So I'm not really following you on the NI stuff...
As for Linux versus Windows, there are literally hundreds of reasons for our decision. Admittedly, the downside is that not everything runs. But when you consider that we have DOZENS of man-years of engineering into our Linux implementation, you can rest assured it was not a financial decision that drove our choice!
Here are but some of the advantages of our choice:
- Linux is FAR more stable than Windows (that's why most of Wall Street runs on Linux).
- Linux is much more efficient in terms of resource ultilization, especially with respect to RAM, which means there is more available RAM samples since the OS isn't hogging the RAM. (PCs often use up to 40% of their available RAM for OS and associated services)
- Linux allows for far more customization, for example, journal file systems (which we use in our automatic status save function), elimination of bloat like printer drivers / extraneous device drivers / (meaning more usable disc space) etc. One of the biggest advantages in this respect is faster boot times and far fewer runtime distractions.
- Linux has some fundamental performance advantages in our particular application... resulting in the capability of running at 32 samples of buffer latency, which I don't believe ANY other computer can achieve.
As for not everything running on Receptor, we are very very aware that this is something that we need to change, and I think if you look at the number of supported plug-ins over the last year, the number is increasing by leaps and bounds, and we are working on possible permanent solutions to the problem. As always, if there are particular plug-ins you want running on Receptor, please let us know!!
Hopefully I don't sound too defensive here... but I just can't let someone attack our audio performance since all the people I speak with on a daily basis comment on how GREAT Receptor sounds, and we've worked really hard to make it so.
If you'd like to call us to discuss what you are observing, please feel free to do so, and if there is a problem with your Receptor, we'll be happy to get to the bottom of it.
Regards
Groovology
Receptor's audio section was designed by the hardware engineer who designed the Emulator IV with me back at E-MU, and I'll put it side by side against ANY piece of gear out there... and I have, in Studio A at The Annex (a studio in Menlo Park where we have our headquarters)and Receptor has always come out on top.
That being said, there is always the possibility that there is something wrong with your particular unit... and if you are sure that there is nothing wrong with your cabling, mixer, or monitors, by all means fill out a support ticket and we'll get to the bottom of it.
One quick way of being sure that there isn't something wrong outside of Receptor is to listen through headphones. In fact, you can connect a CD player into the inputs of Receptor's line inputs, open up a LINE INPUT channel on Receptor's mixer, and listen with headphones to the output, both in the headphone output jack and to the outputs themselves (realizing of course the L and R channels will be mono and out of phase when you plug in a pair of headphones into Receptor's balanced outputs).
Should you want to check, there is a test tone program in the effects section, so you can open up a line input, select the mdaTestTone program, and listen to the white noise on the analog outputs, and perhaps (if you have the gear) compare it with the SPDIF output. They should sound more or less the same. BE SURE TO TURN DOWN THE OUTPUT VOLUME OF RECEPTOR AND TURN YOUR MONITOR SPEAKERS DOWN BEFORE RUNNING THE TEST TONE PLUGIN. You can also check the output at different frequencies on some meters, Receptor is ruler flat out to past 20KHz...
If you see a drop off of high frequencies in Receptor's outputs, then there is DEFINITELY something wrong with the audio card, and you should contact tech support.
And Rich is correct... NI discontinued their normal registration engine and within a week we released Service Center (on plugorama.com) that allows to you install and authorize all the NI plugins that are currently supported. So I'm not really following you on the NI stuff...
As for Linux versus Windows, there are literally hundreds of reasons for our decision. Admittedly, the downside is that not everything runs. But when you consider that we have DOZENS of man-years of engineering into our Linux implementation, you can rest assured it was not a financial decision that drove our choice!
Here are but some of the advantages of our choice:
- Linux is FAR more stable than Windows (that's why most of Wall Street runs on Linux).
- Linux is much more efficient in terms of resource ultilization, especially with respect to RAM, which means there is more available RAM samples since the OS isn't hogging the RAM. (PCs often use up to 40% of their available RAM for OS and associated services)
- Linux allows for far more customization, for example, journal file systems (which we use in our automatic status save function), elimination of bloat like printer drivers / extraneous device drivers / (meaning more usable disc space) etc. One of the biggest advantages in this respect is faster boot times and far fewer runtime distractions.
- Linux has some fundamental performance advantages in our particular application... resulting in the capability of running at 32 samples of buffer latency, which I don't believe ANY other computer can achieve.
As for not everything running on Receptor, we are very very aware that this is something that we need to change, and I think if you look at the number of supported plug-ins over the last year, the number is increasing by leaps and bounds, and we are working on possible permanent solutions to the problem. As always, if there are particular plug-ins you want running on Receptor, please let us know!!
Hopefully I don't sound too defensive here... but I just can't let someone attack our audio performance since all the people I speak with on a daily basis comment on how GREAT Receptor sounds, and we've worked really hard to make it so.
If you'd like to call us to discuss what you are observing, please feel free to do so, and if there is a problem with your Receptor, we'll be happy to get to the bottom of it.
Regards
Groovology
-
- KVRist
- 184 posts since 28 Apr, 2004
Hey Groovology,
Great follow up post, and you did help explain for those of us about the whole Linux versus Windows thing, and I could not agree with you more about the benefits of a stripped down Linux system.
I think what I would like from Dwight is a specific clarification on the whole "murky" thing, because I personally refuse to believe that any random patch on my Atmosphere would sound different on my monitors, whether coming out from the Receptor, or out from my DAW, it just doesn't make much sense to me.
Don't get me wrong, I am using an M-Audio Delta 44 card with the breakout box, and I don't claim to know what type of audio card and outputs are inside the Receptor, but quality wise they sound equal. (Maybe my ears are broken?! LOL)
Lastly, thanks for mentioning that you guys are starting to pick up pace on the new plugin support, because it was a little infuriating when I picked up my Rev.B a year ago or so. I am probably going to send it in for an upgrade to your Pro Jr. once I have the money.
projektio
Great follow up post, and you did help explain for those of us about the whole Linux versus Windows thing, and I could not agree with you more about the benefits of a stripped down Linux system.
I think what I would like from Dwight is a specific clarification on the whole "murky" thing, because I personally refuse to believe that any random patch on my Atmosphere would sound different on my monitors, whether coming out from the Receptor, or out from my DAW, it just doesn't make much sense to me.
Don't get me wrong, I am using an M-Audio Delta 44 card with the breakout box, and I don't claim to know what type of audio card and outputs are inside the Receptor, but quality wise they sound equal. (Maybe my ears are broken?! LOL)
Lastly, thanks for mentioning that you guys are starting to pick up pace on the new plugin support, because it was a little infuriating when I picked up my Rev.B a year ago or so. I am probably going to send it in for an upgrade to your Pro Jr. once I have the money.
projektio
-
- KVRist
- 225 posts since 12 Sep, 2006 from Amsterdam, The Netherlands
There are many issues I have with Receptor (not being able to install Komplete despite the available Service Center app is one of the) but I think we can agree on one thing here: The receptor never ever sounds any less than the majority of soundcards out there. I even had the subjective notion that in a lot of cases it sounds BETTER. In any case it does in the live situation in which I am using it.
-
Bryan@MuseResearch Bryan@MuseResearch https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=9067
- MUSEician
- 618 posts since 18 Sep, 2003 from Silicon Valley
[quote="Curois"]There are many issues I have with Receptor (not being able to install Komplete despite the available Service Center app is one of the) but I think we can agree on one thing here: The receptor never ever sounds any less than the majority of soundcards out there. I even had the subjective notion that in a lot of cases it sounds BETTER. In any case it does in the live situation in which I am using it.[/quote]
And believe me, we are highly motivated to create the situation where you can install Komplete yourself, and as we have said elsewhere, fully intend to release the tools that allow you to do so in the future. Thanks for your patience...
Cheers
Groovology
And believe me, we are highly motivated to create the situation where you can install Komplete yourself, and as we have said elsewhere, fully intend to release the tools that allow you to do so in the future. Thanks for your patience...
Cheers
Groovology
-
- KVRist
- 225 posts since 12 Sep, 2006 from Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Thanks for the reply Groovology! Can you tell us a rough estimate of when it will be done? Are we talking months? Half a year? A year? More? I'd like to know just how patient I will have to be 
-
- KVRAF
- 4420 posts since 7 Nov, 2005 from Florida
It's too bad the receptor I bought (and returned within a week) overheated every 10 minutes (Sam Ash could not replace it for me - it was a close out). It was one of the 1st made, however, so perhaps this has been fixed. Always sounded good to me and ran all of my plugins (I had at that time).
Mike
Mike
-
- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 10 posts since 30 Jul, 2005
The operational words are..."you don't own one"...and you don't have a vested interest.
If you had invested the money, your attitude would be different...that is...if you have an ear.
If you had invested the money, your attitude would be different...that is...if you have an ear.
Dwight Gordy
-
- KVRian
- 1116 posts since 22 Apr, 2005 from Nashville, TN USA
I own one. If yours doesn't sound identical or better than any high-quality PRO soundcard on all plugins, then there is either something wrong with your receptor or something else wrong in your system.dwightgordy wrote:The operational words are..."you don't own one"...and you don't have a vested interest.
If you had invested the money, your attitude would be different...that is...if you have an ear.
I have heard of some units having to have the audio i/f replaced.
I use the SPDIF and ADAT outputs only in the studio, but the other night I did an a/b on the analog outs and they sound better to my ears than the analog outs on my emu 1212m.
-
- KVRian
- 1334 posts since 5 May, 2004 from fighting the kVr disInfo
I wish you receptor guys would be more vocal about running vst's on linux in GENERAL...and not just running vsts in receptor, in linux...you guys could be a big voicegroovology wrote:
Here are but some of the advantages of our choice:
- Linux is FAR more stable than Windows (that's why most of Wall Street runs on Linux).
- Linux is much more efficient in terms of resource ultilization, especially with respect to RAM, which means there is more available RAM samples since the OS isn't hogging the RAM. (PCs often use up to 40% of their available RAM for OS and associated services)
- Linux allows for far more customization, for example, journal file systems (which we use in our automatic status save function), elimination of bloat like printer drivers / extraneous device drivers / (meaning more usable disc space) etc. One of the biggest advantages in this respect is faster boot times and far fewer runtime distractions.
- Linux has some fundamental performance advantages in our particular application... resulting in the capability of running at 32 samples of buffer latency, which I don't believe ANY other computer can achieve.
As for not everything running on Receptor, we are very very aware that this is something that we need to change, and I think if you look at the number of supported plug-ins over the last year, the number is increasing by leaps and bounds, and we are working on possible permanent solutions to the problem. As always, if there are particular plug-ins you want running on Receptor, please let us know!!
Hopefully I don't sound too defensive here... but I just can't let someone attack our audio performance since all the people I speak with on a daily basis comment on how GREAT Receptor sounds, and we've worked really hard to make it so.
If you'd like to call us to discuss what you are observing, please feel free to do so, and if there is a problem with your Receptor, we'll be happy to get to the bottom of it.
Regards
Groovology
i am me and i am free...k thx bai
-
Bryan@MuseResearch Bryan@MuseResearch https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=9067
- MUSEician
- 618 posts since 18 Sep, 2003 from Silicon Valley
[quote="Karmacomposer"]It's too bad the receptor I bought (and returned within a week) overheated every 10 minutes (Sam Ash could not replace it for me - it was a close out). It was one of the 1st made, however, so perhaps this has been fixed. Always sounded good to me and ran all of my plugins (I had at that time).
Mike[/quote]
That's bizarre. All new product purchased in stores is covered by a 1 year warranty from date of purchase. We would definitely have repaired it at no cost to you, and we definitely stand behind our product, unless it was obviously used, out of warranty, or had been trashed, which in case we still would have repaired it for a nominal fee.
Our new Rev C units have an entirely different thermal solution and have a much more forgiving thermal envelope than the original designs... even though the original design stands up to the 115 degree August AIR TEMPERATURE at Cricket Amphitheater in Phoenix... and stage temperatures were even hotter!
As for audio quality, U2 connects their Receptors directly to their 60,000 watt FOH mixer and doesn't EQ or process the outputs. Nothing murky about that.
Groovology
Mike[/quote]
That's bizarre. All new product purchased in stores is covered by a 1 year warranty from date of purchase. We would definitely have repaired it at no cost to you, and we definitely stand behind our product, unless it was obviously used, out of warranty, or had been trashed, which in case we still would have repaired it for a nominal fee.
Our new Rev C units have an entirely different thermal solution and have a much more forgiving thermal envelope than the original designs... even though the original design stands up to the 115 degree August AIR TEMPERATURE at Cricket Amphitheater in Phoenix... and stage temperatures were even hotter!
As for audio quality, U2 connects their Receptors directly to their 60,000 watt FOH mixer and doesn't EQ or process the outputs. Nothing murky about that.
Groovology
-
- KVRAF
- 18452 posts since 26 Jun, 2006 from San Francisco Bay Area
I have to admit, while part of me liked the idea of a dedicated hardware box to use for music, a kick ass laptop running a stripped down XP is just a cheaper way to go. If you want it to be more road worthy get a Panasonic and a reall good road case. I know this site (that I love) is provided by Muse Research, but I can't help but wonder what the point of the Receptor is.
Zerocrossing Media
4th Law of Robotics: When turning evil, display a red indicator light. ~[ ●_● ]~
4th Law of Robotics: When turning evil, display a red indicator light. ~[ ●_● ]~
-
- KVRian
- 1116 posts since 22 Apr, 2005 from Nashville, TN USA
Don't forget to include a soundcard with analog, SPDIF and ADAT outs, and a MIDI interface with that "kick a** laptop". And if it's gonna compete with MY receptor it will have to have a 400GB drive and a Turion processorzerocrossing wrote:I have to admit, while part of me liked the idea of a dedicated hardware box to use for music, a kick ass laptop running a stripped down XP is just a cheaper way to go. If you want it to be more road worthy get a Panasonic and a reall good road case. I know this site (that I love) is provided by Muse Research, but I can't help but wonder what the point of the Receptor is.
Maybe this will help you get the point of Receptor. Last week, I got to the gig at 9pm and we had to start playing before 10. I set up my boards (MIDI out only on all) and turned on my rack. Once Receptor was up I had 8 live instruments...CP80, Acoustic Piano, Rhodes, B3, Minimoog, OB-X and more all ready to go. I didn't touch a THING to load them, they were my default multi. With my trusty ($200) Berhinger BCF-2000 I have full control of vol, pan and mute on each of the 8 channels, as well a a volume pedal and leslie fast/slow switch for the B3 (really B4II of course), and 16 or so patch change buttons.
Call me stupid, but I think with a laptop you would have had to do a WHOLE LOT more "fiddling" to make this happen in a live setup. (Of course I did all my "fidding" at home to make the Receptor work this easy at a gig).
HTH
-
- KVRer
- 17 posts since 15 Feb, 2006
groovology, since your in this thread, could you give any hints as to when the next hardware update will be? (more ram, faster cpu, more adats outputs) It would be much appreciated