EMUSIC-L Digest Volume 31, Number 3 This issue's topics: Re: cd --> cassette ... Re: Surround Sound AAIIIEEE! (2 messages) multi-tap (2 messages) Computer vs. Freestanding Digidesign Pro Tools Magnetic Filings II (3 messages) Your EMUSIC-L Digest moderator is Joe McMahon . You may subscribe to EMUSIC-L by sending mail to listserv@american.edu with the line "SUB EMUSIC-L your name" as the text. The EMUSIC-L archive is a service of SunSite (sunsite.unc.edu) at the University of North Carolina. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1991 08:36:04 EDT From: Brian Adamson Subject: Re: cd --> cassette ... Michael, A guy I work with was looking for something to do one weekend and ran a series of frequency response tests on different types and brands of cassette tapes. His findings can be summarized as: There wasn't much difference between cheap & expensive Cr02 tapes, Type II or otherwise. Basically, they all rolled off in the high end (above 15-16 kHz). That's not to say that other considerations (e.g. mechanical reliability) won't drive you to buy a more expensive tape. However, with metal tape, there was a phenomenal improvement in high end frequency response (as well as a flatter overall response). For precision reproduction of CD's it appears metal tape is the way to go (aside from DAT of course). Brian Adamson ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1991 08:56:27 EDT From: Brian Adamson Subject: Re: Surround Sound AAIIIEEE! I read of one high end surround sound processor which provided for seven (yes, seven) speakers from the Dolby encoded signal. The setup went a little something like this: Front Left-----------center-------------Front Right Mid Left------ ------Mid Right Rear Left----------------------Rear Right Sounds were assigned to speakers follows: Front Left & Right --> normal stereo fields Center --> mono mix (usually the person speaking in a movie) -------the front speakers' signals are decoded similar to the stereo expanders people have been discussing here lately. The differences in the right & left channels are on the right & left speakers while the similarities (i.e. the mono mix) is on the center speaker. Mid Left & Mid Right --> these speakers contain the Dolby decoded sound. usually special effects sounds, high frequency stuff but with little or no delay added ( I'm guessing a little here) Rear Left & Right --> these speakers carry the Dolby decoded sounds with 20-30 ms delay. This is the same signal offered for the rear speakers for typical consumer surround sound decoders (at least mine does). Also, as far as VCR's recording surround sound. They do but they are just recording the regular stereo signal which contains the surrond sound encoding without decoding & re-encoding it. You could record a surround sound signal on a cassette while preserving the surround sound info. You just need the special processing to decode it. Brian Adamson ----------------------------- Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1991 10:01:00 EDT From: MICHAET@CLEMSON.BITNET Subject: Re: Surround Sound AAIIIEEE! All of this discussion about "Sound Spaces" reminded me of another process. The movie "Robin Hood. . ." and the soundtrack are said to be recorded in "Q Sound." What is that? How does it work? While we're talking about movie sound schemes, what about THX? Michael Townsend MICHAET@CLEMSON.BITNET ----------------------------- Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1991 12:43:48 EDT From: Russ Gelinas Subject: multi-tap Could someone please explain what multi-tap is? I'm not talking about a chorus-line of tap-dancers. Thanks. Russ Gelinas ----------------------------- Date: Thu, 15 Aug 1991 13:00:00 EDT From: RAY BROHINSKY Subject: Re: multi-tap Russ, multi-tap means that a delay line has outputs spaced along it so that the input signal appears at the sum of those outputs at different times (since some of the signal travelled only a little way through the delay, and some through more of it...) It is helpful to picture the delay as a line, with the left side of the line (the input) being earlier in time, and the right side as being later in time. Taps would appear as delay-less lines that went from positions along the line to the output, where they would join the output from the end of the delay. The position of the taps along the line represents their individual delay. These delays need not be spaced evenly. I hope that helps. raybro *** Nieder mit den Tueten! Freiheit fuer Gummibaerchen! *** ----------------------------- Date: Fri, 16 Aug 1991 15:29:23 EDT From: Jon Crystal Subject: Computer vs. Freestanding\ I'd be interested in thoughts/preferences on the relative merits for both synth esis and sample editing/playback of computer-based tools (audiomedia,turbosynth ,etc) vs. continuing to acquire freestanding keyboards or rack-mount units for the same purposes. Cost is certainly an issue, but is there a clear technology or capability difference between the two (both for composition and performance ). Help!!!! Jon ----------------------------- Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1991 16:26:54 EDT From: Brian Adamson Subject: Digidesign Pro Tools I just received an anouncement from Digidesign concerning their soon-to-be released Pro Tools package. Features include: Multichannel disk-based digital audio recording and editing integrated with MIDI sequencing, digital effects & EQ, and automated mixing in a single product. Unlimited virtual track of digital audio & MIDI with real-time mix automation 4 expandable to 16 channels of digital audio (record & playback) Unlimited non-linear virtual tracks (arranged audio segments) Graphic non-destructive (i.e. recoverable) editing Crossfades between edits, etc Auto mixing with memory of setups, etc MIDI Recorder (i.e. sequencer) - Multitrack linear, punch in/out & loop recording - Pattern based editing - Tempo mapping - event editing/filtering Digital Signal Processing - multiband parametric EQ - real-time digital efftects Continuous SMPTE sync and resolve on all channels This system comes as 2 Mac Nubus cards + software. One card is the audio interface (4 record & 4 playback analog channels (A/D & D/A's) and 2 direct digital (interface to DAT, etc) The other card is the Audio Card, a 4 channel processor card. This basic setup for $5995 incl. software gives you 4 tracks of digital audio plus MIDI sequencing. Price breakdown: Audio Card - $2500 Audio Interface - $2500 Software - $995 I'm not sure how expansion to more audio tracks will work, maybe you just buy one Audio Card per 4 additional channels?? up to a 16 track limit. There is also mention of an accelerator card for the Mac II which works with these Digidesign cards. If you need all of these cards 2 per 4 tracks plus Accelerator card That's 9 cards for 16 digital audio channels. I can't fit that in may Mac..... maybe there are Nubus expansion chassis? Oops- the audio interface is an external box, so only 5 cards for 16 channels. Anyway, scary stuff, this isn't expensive hardware (although a bit pricy now) it could come down considerably...a few D/A's, A/D's, and I/O. The trick is in the Mac, software & a fast, large hard disk. Neat stuff. Brian ----------------------------- Date: Mon, 19 Aug 1991 16:15:12 CDT From: John Eichenseer Subject: Magnetic Filings II Well, I got my tapes in the mail, and there is some really interesting stuff on them. Extra kudos to Mark G.... great stuff. There is a slight problem, though... the second side of my MF vol.1 tape is completely blank. This tends to interfere with my enjoyment of the music. Has this happened to anyone else? I hope mine is an isolated case. Does lively discussion about the music now ensue, or is there a mid-semester lack of email activity? ctan, I need to get in touch with you about dubbing the second side. furthermore, jhno ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1991 13:10:00 EDT From: MICHAET@CLEMSON.BITNET Subject: Re: Magnetic Filings II > There is a slight problem, though... the second side of my MF vol.1 tape is > completely blank. This tends to interfere with my enjoyment of the music. Has > this happened to anyone else? I hope mine is an isolated case. > ctan, I need to get in touch with you about dubbing the second side. > My side one of Volume 1 is completely blank. Other than that, the music completely amazed me . . .I had no idea that there was this much talent around! ctan- What would be the easiest/most cost effective way to fix it? Michael Townsend MICHAET@CLEMSON.Bitnet ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Aug 1991 14:16:00 EDT From: Craig Hicks Subject: Re: Magnetic Filings II >My side one of Volume 1 is completely blank. Other than that, the >music completely amazed me . . .I had no idea that there was this much >talent around! >ctan- What would be the easiest/most cost effective way to fix it? >Michael Townsend MICHAET@CLEMSON.Bitnet Ah, but if you haven't heard side one, you still haven't heard the *real* talent! ;) heh heh Craig Hicks | National Academy of Sciences | "Quality expression is indicative Washington, D.C. USA | of quality thought." | ------------------------------ End of the EMUSIC-L Digest ******************************