EMUSIC-L Digest Volume 49, Issue 08 This issue's topics: ASR 10 contact for Yamaha parts (3 messages) Ensoniq DP/4 (3 messages) FB-01 query (2 messages) Fostex review ? FOSTEX REVIEW AGAIN GeneralMusic S2 Korg DS-8 Mac Centris 650 & MIDI Midi to DIN-24 (2 messages) Midi to DIN-24 (fwd) MT32 ? NICK'S FOSTEX REVIEW (2 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: Tue, 16 Feb 1993 13:54:03 -0500 From: SHRINER@BUTLERU.BITNET Subject: ASR 10 I'm getting ready to do a sample transfers via SCSI between my Mac and an Ensoniq ASR 10. Neither Sound Designer II oa Alchemy support the ASR 10 yet so I'll be doing the transfers as standard 16 bit dumps. This generaly isn't a problem, but sometimes the "outboard" samplers can be uncooperative and I'm trying to avoid any set backs. Has anyone done a standard 16 bit dump with an ASR 10? and if so, should I be prepared for any nightmares? Thanks, Charles__shriner@butler.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Feb 1993 20:51:09 PST From: tcollins@CISCO.COM Subject: contact for Yamaha parts Hello, Don't know if any of you can help me, but I need a contact to get some Yamaha integrated circuits. I have a Yamaha WT-11 that has a dead MIDI OUT port, and I have traced the problem to a big ol' 64-pin Yamaha IC. My MIDI THRU seems to work okay, though. Any help would be greatly appreciated... thanks, tracy ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1993 00:46:26 PST From: tcollins@CISCO.COM Subject: Re: contact for Yamaha parts I have checked the output stages, as I was hoping that this was the problem. The WT-11 uses a transistor as the final output stage, and drives the base of it with a TTL signal from an inverter. The input to the inverter, from the big Yamaha chip, never gets asserted. Thanks, anyway... tracy ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1993 07:55:18 WET From: Peter Cassidy Subject: Re: contact for Yamaha parts Have you checked the current driver (usually some op-amp). This always seems to be the first to go . -- Regards, Peter ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | M O T O R O L A B . V . I R E L A N D | | ----------------------------------------- | | Peter Cassidy - T.S.E Dublin | Phone : 353-1-840-8866 Ext. 417 | | MACCVM : C10404 | X400 : peterc@comm.mot.com | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1993 02:00:15 -0500 From: J_SCAMPTON%ACAD.LVC.EDU@CARNEGIE.BITNET Subject: Ensoniq DP/4 I am considering purchasing an Ensoniq DP/4. Do anyone have any opinions good or bad about the unit??? Jon Scampton J_Scampton@acad.lvc.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1993 05:30:13 CST From: Mark Borcherding Subject: Re: Ensoniq DP/4 I have had my DP/4 for about 1 month and think its great. I believe most of the reviews in "Electronic Musician", "Home Recording .." were accurate. The manual is very good from what I read so far. I could use some Cakewalk sysex macro's :D (I still do not have the Detailed MIDI specification that you must send Ensoniq a snail mail request for) Mark Borcherding. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1993 09:44:29 -0500 From: "Joseph D. McMahon" Subject: Re: Ensoniq DP/4 It's an interesting unit. I'd suspect there'll be more technical gearhead stuff on SYNTH-L if you ask there. My memories of the subjective parts of a review in the Transoniq Hacker were that it could dress up a mediocre synth and send it to the ball in a pumpkin coach. --- Joe M. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1993 22:54:59 -0500 From: NLEONARD@RCNVMS.RCN.MASS.EDU Subject: FB-01 query I am looking for sysex specs or code to edit FB01 paramaters. I am looking to write a program that can read any of the 8 FB01 instrument edit buffers, modify the paramaters and rewrite them in real-time. I have done this on the TX81Z. It is really intersting, each note can have a radically different quality. Thanks in advace for any help. Neil Leonard nleonard@ecn.mass.edu ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1993 09:03:11 EST From: wbf@ALUXPO.ATT.COM Subject: Real-time Edit Buffer Changes Neil Leonard wrote: > I am looking for sysex specs or code to edit FB01 paramaters. I am > looking to write a program that can read any of the 8 FB01 instrument edit > buffers, modify the paramaters and rewrite them in real-time. I have > done this on the TX81Z. It is really intersting, each note can have a > radically different quality. Neil, this sounds interesting. I have two TX81Zs and would like to hear what you're doing. Can you describe your methods? Bill Fox ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1993 03:45:24 -0500 From: David HAUBENSACK Subject: Fostex review ? I red somewhere that not too long ago, Nick Rothwell posted a review on the Fostex units on EMUSICL. I cannot retrieve it. Can Nick or anybody that kept this review send it back to the list or to me ? Thanks David. _____________________________________________________ | David HAUBENSACK, , | | DEP/SIT, CEA/Cadarache | | 13108 ST-PAUL-LEZ-DURANCE, FRANCE | | tel: (33)42254292 fax: (33)42257298 | | ___ /\ | | /\ /\ /\ /\__\ /_/_ | | /_/_/ / /_/_ /_/_ /\__/\ | | / \_/ / /\__/\ \__/\ /_/_/_/ | | / / / / /_/_/ /____/ / /\____/\ | | \/ \/ \___\/ \___\/ \/ \/ | |_____________________________________________________| ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1993 09:28:09 GMT From: JOEL STERN Subject: FOSTEX REVIEW AGAIN Nick's review (one last try; if this doesn't work, try the emusic archive for Dec. 14, 1992): --------------------------- I presume this is the right mailing list for this kind of thing. Just a quickie "first impressions" review since I've had these things wired up for a few hours. DCM100: 1U rackmount MIDI-controlled mixer, 8 stereo inputs (each of which can be used as a mono input, but one stereo input is *not* two mono inputs); in fact the entire mixer architecture is geared to stereo, with stereo FX sends and returns (if your outboard FX box has only mono in, you're a bit screwed since it'll only effect one side of the send). Pan is just L/R attenuation. Each channel has low and high EQ (100Hz, 10kHz), -15/+15dB. The EQ is actually quite nice for what it does, but it is basically just bass and treble. What else: two effects buses (postfade), BUT each channel can only send to one or the other, not both. I've circumvented this by bringing some FX returns through other channels (of which I now have plenty to spare). Otherwise, the aux bus architecture is as you'd expect: level per channel, master send levels, return EQ (as for the channels) and levels. Physically: quite a deep 1U rack (14" or so), everything done via mono jacks so things are quite cramped on the back. The only controls are trim pots on the front (which are actually quite hot: line level inputs are generally well normalised at the lowest setting) and power switch. There's a twin multi-segment LED for level (-10dB..+6). This is output bus level; there's no input monitoring or clip LED's, which is a shame. The front of the unit is a plastic shell, rather flimsy looking/feeling. MixTab: A fader box, basically. Eight channels (stereo ones), plus FX send/return controls, master volume. There are pushbuttons for aux select per channel (aux 1/2) and for channel mute. The faders have about a 2" throw, maybe a little more; everything else is buttons + knobs. Oh: the MixTab also allows scene recall and selection. The scenes (100 of them) are stored in the DCM, *not* the MixTab. The DCM's take patch changes (audio changes are then immediate, not faded), and the MixTab knows how to request and store current setups. The MixTab is purely a MIDI controller, but with some interesting wrinkles. Every control carries a two-colour LED (VRL: Value Recognition LED, sic.). The LED flashes red if the MixTab control is over the DCM setting, green if below, with blink rate indicating degree of disagreement. The MixTab has a choice of pickup modes for matching and then changing settings. The scheme isn't too bad to use. I'd say it'd be fine for one DCM, but it's perhaps a little difficult to get used to when driving two. (So, if that's a hassle, buy two MixTabs.) I intend to run a MAX program between the MixTab and DCM's to give me clearer readouts, and provide sub-scenes, algorithmic mixing and stuff. (For that matter, a MixTab would make a decent generic MIDI controller source under MAX. Hmm. Maybe an analogue sequencer panel?) A MixTab can drive three DCM's (on consecutive MIDI channels). When selecting a different DCM, the MixTab requests the (new) DCM's state and indicates discrepancies on its LED's. You get used to the flashing lights (assuming your brain hasn't be totally blown by the MixTab's psychadelic power-up sequence). There's some zippering when changing volume levels and clicks when muting non-zero volumes, so you have to keep volume fades slowish. The DCM's carry a programmable smoothing function for this, but I didn't notice it doing much. Physically the MixTab controls are good, with pretty decent faders. The pushbuttons are the only naff part: shallow travel and flimsy feel, like patch buttons on cheap synths. Neither the MixTab nor the DCM100 has any kind of SysEx implementation. EVERYTHING is controllers, including store and recall request. A bulk dump is a screed of controller messages. Oh, the DCM's also take patch changes - that's it. Great for MAX hackers like me, a blow for generic librarians. Oh, if you're running two DCM's you'll need a MIDI merger: each DCM needs to be able to transmit status back into the MixTab. Onto the audio stuff. Line inputs only. As I said, inputs seem a little high; not enough attenuation for some sources, perhaps. You'll want to ride the levels high anyway (+3/+6dB) to keep the S/N high. The DCM's seem to have very low distortion and take high levels fairly well. Aux send levels are perhaps a little low at top wack, which is a shame if you're trying to FX a low signal and keep S/N good on the aux loop. Two (or more) DCM's are ganged together by using main and aux bus ins and outs: three stereo signals. I'm actually ganging aux1 (MIDIverb II) across both mixers, with aux2 local to each (QuadraVerb on one, LXP-5 on other). One annoying thing is that the stereo bus levels aren't matched: mixer 1 appears about 6dB hot when it arrives on the bus to mixer 2 (which means it's 6dB noisier of course), and the bus input can't be attenuated. I don't know if the aux bus ganging has the same problem. I might have to bring mixer 1 down a channel or aux return to mixer 2 to get round this. Sound quality: no real complaints. Were I a real Hi-Fi propellor-head I might comment about a very slight loss in the upper-midrange, or a tiny muddying of the bouquet of the frequency response near the top, but these seem pretty mild for a mixer of this class. I've been playing CD's through it without noticing any loss of quality. OK then: hands up those who were worried about the 78dB S/N ratio? Go to the top of the class. Actually, the jury is still out here; I've only had the units wired up for a few hours, and the entire studio is currently in piles on the floor pending arrival of a couple of SKB racks, so I'm currently chasing down hum and noise problems just like we seem to do in all the Team Metlay sessions. ("OK Nick, stop that a second] Now do it again. Stop it again... Hey guys, I've found the source of that hum, it's Nick's bagel.") All my rack units are just stacked up, so they're earthing against each other via the case screws, and the two rack-mounted Quantum disks for the sampler make a quite exquisite variety of line noise when powered up unless the Peavey and MicroWave are set to the same volume (gnnnnn). Perhaps it's an obvious observation, but I guess a problem with rackmount mixers (MIDI'ed or otherwise) is their proximity to other audio gear and noise sources. I'd be REALLY interested to hear if this is a common problem with (say) Ranes and suchlike, or whether the DCM's are susceptible to this, which would be a drawback with them. I won't know until things are properly racked and I've spent some time balancing levels and investigating properly. My general feeling though is that the DCM's are a touch hissy. I don't think I'd want to mix and master a commercial album through them, and I'd be wary of running them in complex submix arrangements, but for the applications I have in mind (live performance and some recording) the noise floor is fine... but only if I can keep the noise floor down and eliminate the problems I've got at present. A lot of it comes down to maximising send levels and minimising return levels, and obvious woogy-woogy like that (I say "obvious", but the fact that all sends are postfade makes such things nontrivial sometimes), but apart from that I won't know how good the final S/N is until things are racked and balanced properly. If anyone's interested I'll report back when it's done. I can't really draw conclusions until I've got everything balanced and know the effective S/N. The main drawbacks (as far as I can see) are the lack of unity between ganged mixers, and problems getting hot aux signals to outboard FX on attenuated channels. The compromises in the architecture are minor. The benefits are major: 8 stereo channels in a 1U space, and total recall and automation via a quite respectable control module, plus loads of performance and control possibilities using something like MAX. With the arrival of an MTP-II tomorrow, I'm close to realising the CASSIEL Live Rig '93: two SKB racks, each carrying a DCM and a MIDI Time Piece. Each rack has a PowerBook, one running MAX, one running Performer, so that each can see the entire rig and the other PowerBook. Each rack takes a MIDI control cable (RS424) and mains input and delivers stereo output. Add a seven-cable snake between the racks (mixer gang, plus MKS-70 feed to both mixers, plus RS424) and that's it for external cabling. Clever, huh? Nick Rothwell | cassiel@cassiel.demon.co.uk CASSIEL Contemporary Music/Dance | cassiel@cix.compulink.co.uk ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 23 Feb 1993 17:07:21 EST From: Tom Littlejohn Subject: GeneralMusic S2 After reading a review of the GeneralMusic S2 synth in the November EM, I'm curious to know if anyone has any experience with one of these, especially as regards reliability (home studio use) or problems. I'd also be interested in general impressions of the product. Tom Littlejohn Internet: tlit@seq1.loc.gov Library of Congress Phone: (202) 707-9073 Information Technology Services FAX: (202) 707-0955 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1993 08:10:00 +0000 From: "Oliver (O.R.) Sampson" Subject: Korg DS-8 Hello, I have an opportunity to buy a Korg DS-8 at a pretty good price. Anybody know anything about it? All I know is that it was the precursor to the M1 series. I'd appreciate any comments. Thanks <--- (please notice I didn't say "Thanks in advance." or "Thanx.") ************************************************************************** Oliver R. Sampson "It's good to be the King." Member of Scientific Staff -- King Louis, History of the World Part I Internet: olsam@bnr.ca "All opinions expressed here are the opinions solely of the author, and they are in no way a reflection of opinions or policies of BNR, Inc. or Northern Telecom." -- The boss says I have to put this in here. ************************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1993 14:07:08 CST From: Arne Claassen ISE Subject: Mac Centris 650 & MIDI I just ordered a Centris 650. I tried to find out if anything is known about MIDI trouble with the machine, but nothing so far. Has anyone heard of problems with MIDI on the Centris serial port, or for that matter problems with the '040s with the standard software (passport, Opcode, ect)? Thanks, Arne --- claassen@ebs330.eb.uah.edu PS: Anyone got the mail addresses for r.m.m.synth or comp.music? Please e-mail me.. Thanks in advance. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 1 Feb 1993 14:18:35 GMT From: Brendan S McEnroe Subject: Midi to DIN-24 Wanted midi to din 24 for my 303 cs89bsm@brunel.ac.uk ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 1 Feb 1993 15:31:53 WET From: Peter Cassidy Subject: Re: Midi to DIN-24 > > Wanted midi to din 24 for my 303 > > cs89bsm@brunel.ac.uk > Hi Again, MIDI to DIN24 ?????? Do you mean V24, as in comms protocol ?? If so, I may be able to help. -- Regards, Peter ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | M O T O R O L A B . V . I R E L A N D | | ----------------------------------------- | | Peter Cassidy - T.S.E Dublin | Phone : 353-1-840-8866 Ext. 417 | | MACCVM : C10404 | X400 : peterc@comm.mot.com | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 1 Feb 1993 07:52:22 PST From: metlay Subject: Re: Midi to DIN-24 (fwd) >> Wanted midi to din 24 for my 303 >> >> cs89bsm@brunel.ac.uk >> >Hi Again, > > Don't worry, I am sending 15 quid. Will you pse resend your address, my >mail system crashed and I lost my archive. > > MIDI to DIN24 ?????? Do you mean V24, as in comms protocol ?? If so, I >may be able to help. No, he means DIN-24, the Roland preMIDI dumb-sync method used on the TB-303 and other items from 1980 to 1985 or so. Please move this thread to SYNTH-L where it belongs. -- mike metlay | "He must be listening to bagpipes, atomic city | because he looks like plaid." p. o. box 81175 | pittsburgh pa 15217-0675 | (b. jonell) metlay@netcom.com | ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1993 03:03:52 -0500 From: David HAUBENSACK Subject: MT32 ? Hey all, I'm actually looking for a multitimbral expander (with at least 16 different timbres at the same time with at least 30 different notes). I wonder if the MT32 has these features... Who can describe this box ? Age, type of synthesis, street price, quality of sounds, extensions, etc... I'm looking for something under $1000 (5000FF). If someone has another idea of such a product (I'm not looking for PCM box, but for something that can be used to create real synth analog-like sounds). David. _____________________________________________________ | David HAUBENSACK, , | | DEP/SIT, CEA/Cadarache | | 13108 ST-PAUL-LEZ-DURANCE, FRANCE | | tel: (33)42254292 fax: (33)42257298 | | ___ /\ | | /\ /\ /\ /\__\ /_/_ | | /_/_/ / /_/_ /_/_ /\__/\ | | / \_/ / /\__/\ \__/\ /_/_/_/ | | / / / / /_/_/ /____/ / /\____/\ | | \/ \/ \___\/ \___\/ \/ \/ | |_____________________________________________________| ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1993 14:14:13 -0500 From: SAM OTTENHOFF Subject: Windjammer I have talked to a couple of people who don't like the Windjammer at all... Is there anybody out there who likes Yamaha's Windjammer? I don't like Yamaha's WT11 sounds. Does anybody like the Windjammer's sounds? I am currently playing sax in high school band and am contemplating buying a wind synthesizer such as the WX11 or Windjaammer. Thanks. ------------------------------ End of the EMUSIC-L Digest ******************************