Essentials for Testing

Chris Firth wrote: John1479 wrote: The principle album I use is John Martyn, Solid Air. 1973. Beautifully recorded on the original vinyl. The Abbey Road half speed remastered reissue of 2016 is taken from a digital master. (only realised this after listening, disappointments and subsequent research into recording) There are audible differences especially in vocal positions. Not an improvement on the original!  Why the remastering engineers always think they know best, is beyond me! It must be an EGO thing. (Or perhaps they were recording for headphones????)  Worth considering when looking for the 'best' version.  Fantastic combination of acoustic and electronic instruments. Good mix of tempo's and vocal performance makes this hard to better for an overall setup record IMHO  I link this to give a flavour only.  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UikPQOaJpfU Seeing red and tilting at windmills are we? You need to calm down a bit. It's a great pity that original pressings from 1973 in unplayed condition aren't readily available. You have an opinion. That's fine. You could have left it at a simple "I'm not taken with it", but no, in the world of black and white it's an abomination. A lot more consideration before posting wouldn't go amiss. Ta

Edited by John1479 - 28 Sep 2019 at 7:45pm

Mixers are summing devices so if we call each input level "1", then one input gives us a sum of 1, two inputs a sum of 2 and n inputs a sum of n.

We can adjust levels in the mix to favour one input over another, but the mixer has two "level controls": the first being all the input channels; the second being the output.

If we leave all inputs at their optimum, then when all inputs are playing the output increases and is adjusted down to the required level by the output control.

If however, most inputs favour high frequencies, then as they play together we will experience high frequency boost as the output is lowered to meet the level required (because the fewer bass instruments are relatively attenuated by the process).

Looking at a modern motorized desk we can see the inputs being controlled to fit the required level thus removing mixer gain to a greater degree, and this takes a computer to memorize the sequences.

On simple productions a sound engineer might be able to balance the inputs, but on something more complex and fast moving, a manual desk will prove difficult to control, with the engineer either needing to work the output level too; or perhaps getting a compressor (or in broadcast, an Optimod) to take on the effort.

The above is a simplification but I'm sure it will be realised there is a lot of skill involved in getting a satisfying sound, and I'm sure many unavoidable mistakes must happen. I only ever mixed 8 channels front of house for a folk group (with no rehearsal as I was filling-in for their usual chap who was ill) after which I said never again!