Category: Uncategorized

Angry eBay Listing Of The Week

Post author By chris
Post date 04/27/2013
1 Comment on Angry eBay Listing Of The Week

“This microphone is described as “in working condition” as there are no United States Standards for vintage microphones. To use any other terminology than “in working condition” is highly subjective based upon each individuals opinion of a microphones performance. I have endured countless debates as to the sonic performance of a vintage microphone with infinite varying opinions therefore I will not determine the degree of performance. As always human nature never ceases to amaze us. Therefore, if you believe that by purchasing this microphone that you and or others are going to magically sound better and it is magically going to improve your vocal & equipment abilities you are incorrect. There is not a microphone on earth that magically makes a foreshortened vocalist or recording technician sound any better than they really are. “

Mamamerch, what went

so wrong in your eBay past?

Bitter caveat.

Tags ebay

Uncategorized

This is an insane deal

I just received three units of the above – depicted ‘weatherproof case’ (10.6″ (L) x 9.8″ (W) x 4.9″ (H)) from my fav purveyor of dirt-cheap electronic supplies MCM ELECTRONICS. Now, when I ordered ’em, they were on sale for $7.99 each. But $9.99 is still an unbelievable price. These things are incredibly close knock offs of the industry-standard Pelican 1200 for 1/4 the price.

Above, here’s one of my $7.99 cases already in-service providing a good home environment for my SE1A mics (another great unsung deal in audio…). Cases are a good idea.

Uncategorized

Exactly WHAT do all those tubes do?

Post author By chris
Post date 04/24/2013
1 Comment on Exactly WHAT do all those tubes do?

Several things, actually. Check out this great c. 1943 promo film produced by Westinghouse. Thanks to TW for alerting us to this clip.

Tags the vacuum tube, youtube

Uncategorized

DIY Tube Broadcast Console c. 1964

Post author By chris
Post date 04/23/2013
No Comments on DIY Tube Broadcast Console c. 1964

From BROADCAST ENGINEERING Mag, circa 1964, plans by one Robert Tiffany on the design and construction of a low-cost ‘standby’ broadcast console. Output amp stage uses my fav line output transformer, the UTC A-25: still unequaled among air-gapped plate:line transformers for low-frequency response. BTW, add a 600:60K mic input transformer to the front of this thing and you’ve got a pretty nice mic preamp with a LOT of gain.

DOWNLOAD: Console_0001

Tags broadcast audio, mic preamps, schematics

Uncategorized

These Dudes Get It

I know there’s not too much value in my ‘re-tweeting’ (it’s safe to use that verb as a generic descriptor now, right?) something that the Ole Gray Lady published, but the piece by Jon Caramanica in Friday’s NYT really got my attention. The article concerns a hip hop reissue label in Mass that’s doing terrific business because they have realized that the consumer-value inherent in certain sound-recordings can by applied, via symbolic transference, to what are essentially display or decor items. Even tho the sound-recordings THEMSELVES no longer have cash value due to ‘the internets,’ by packaging certain totemic items alongside those sound recording it is possible to imbue the totems with a value that far exceeds their manufacturing costs. WELL DONE. I worked for many many years on reissue campaigns at one of the last Major Labels, and while we occasionally had products that skirted this semiotic territory, we never really went all the way. These folks, ‘Get On Down,’ made the realization that it does not matter HOW LITTLE cash value there is to be had in sound-recordings at this time in history, because the emotional value, the use-value of those recordings in the lives of consumers, is still as great as ever. Click here to read the piece in the NYT. And if yr into classic hip hop at all, you will probably be very tempted to purchase some of these objects/recordings here: Get On Down.

Tags audio semiotics

Uncategorized

Symphonic Recording Primer c. 1964

Post author By chris
Post date 04/20/2013
No Comments on Symphonic Recording Primer c. 1964

Download a five-page article from Broadcast Engineering mag regarding “Live Music Pickup” for broadcast. This article seems to be primarily concerned with recording large live ensembles of acoustic instruments on-location; I.E., symphonies and the like. It is written by one Robert Carr, then product-manager at SHURE.

DOWNLOAD: MusicPickup

Tags live recording

Uncategorized

Not Urei

Post author By chris
Post date 04/12/2013
6 Comments on Not Urei

Above: circa 1963 announcements for the Bauer model 920 “Peak Master” (appears to be a UREI model 175) and the Teletronix LA-2, which was at some point re-branded by UREI. I feel like I have seen these Bauer pieces on eBay from time to time, but the internet is silent regarding them. Anyone? Whats the story with this piece?

Tags compressor, urei

Uncategorized

Read my review of Sony Creative Software’s “WHAT IT IS” at ProductionHUB dot com

Post author By chris
Post date 04/08/2013
No Comments on Read my review of Sony Creative Software’s “WHAT IT IS” at ProductionHUB dot com

How are y’all doing on this fine day… Wanted to LYK that I recently wrote another software review for our friends at ProductionHUB dot com… you can read the full piece by clicking this link. The review is for a new(ish) sample/loop collection called ‘What It Is,’ and it’s a library that I have found useful+ enjoyed working with lately. As I have often remarked on this website… my interest in all the ye olde audio stuff is not academic or collector-ish in nature… I actually use this stuff all the time in my work, be it studio sessions with bands or television/film music. Loop libraries often a part of the latter, and it’s a product category that I have been exploring for many many years now. You might imagine, therefore, that my interest in a 70s’-themed loop library would be especially strong. And you would be correct. If any of you, my dear readers, also use these types of products, drop us a line with any recos that you have to share.

For my previous ProductionHUB review, click here.

Uncategorized

From the ‘Yesterday’s Problems’ department: sonic ‘Print-Through’ on analog audiotape

Post author By chris
Post date 04/05/2013
5 Comments on From the ‘Yesterday’s Problems’ department: sonic ‘Print-Through’ on analog audiotape

Courtesy of Kodak, a discussion of the problem of print-thru on audio-masters. I used to notice this on LPs quite a bit as a kid, Led Zep esp. comes to mind, and I always assumed that it was intentional… kinda just makes the whole thing seem more EVIL, ya know? But apparently not. Apparently this was a thing-to-be-avoided. Hey any of y’all ever create an artificial print-thru ‘effect’ for a DAW production? Drop us a line and let us know… seems like it could be interesting,,, anyway here’s the bit:

Tags audiotape, kodak, print-through

Uncategorized

Coming this month at PS Dot com: broadcast engineering highlights of the mid 60s

Post author By chris
Post date 04/02/2013
No Comments on Coming this month at PS Dot com: broadcast engineering highlights of the mid 60s

How are y’all doing… I recently picked up a large pile of the old ‘Broadcast Engineering’ mags from the mid 60’s. Although much of the content focuses on video engineering (not quite ready to go there yet…), I found a good amount of audio-related content that is still potentially relevant today. I’ll be uploading bits and bobs throughout March. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned…. oh and here’s a sample of that yr in for…

Tags broadcast audio