#Transistor Sound Studio

[fuzzkaizer]

Systech - overdrive

"Have you ever played a pedal that stuck with you forever, even though you knew in your heart it was totally weird, and nobody famous ever used it? For me, yeah, tons of them. But if I had to pick one that best fit these criteria, this one would be it. This is the Systech Overdrive. Before we dive in, let’s talk a little about where it was made.

There was a time when, of all places, Kalamazoo Michigan was an epicenter for musically related things. Apart from being a city referenced by Looney Tunes and the hometown of Glen Miller’s gal, Kalamazoo had the Sound Factory, which was a collective of sorts that featured guitar luthiery, a recording studio and electronic gear manufacturing. The facility sat front and center on Kalamazoo Avenue, smack dab in the middle of the city, and attracted visitors from all over.

Of course, if it was some random outpost of nobodies, the name wouldn’t carry any weight. However, the Sound Factory was shored up by three relatively heavy hitters of the early ‘70s. One such was Greg Hochman, Keith Emerson’s Moog technician. He was joined by Bryce Roberson, otherwise known as Uncle Dirty of Chess Records fame and a relatively unknown person named Charlie Wicks. If you’ve been reading this column for a while, you’ll recognize him as the man behind ProCo—the Ratfather.

Together, these three developed Systech, which itself was short for “Systems & Technology in Music, Inc.” That mouthful of a company was responsible for the Harmonic Energizer, a little-known yet highly influential effect that provided a deep filtered sound in addition to some crunchy drive and sharp resonant peaks. You might know it as one of Frank Zappa’s signature pieces. And while this Overdrive effect wasn’t that, it was derived from the Harmonic Energizer and shares a handful of characteristics.

Basically, if dialed in just the right way, the Harmonic Energizer will make short work of an entire speaker cabinet and anyone in the audience. This is because it was designed to provide a staggering gain of 55dB, enough to cause serious damage to your gear or hearing. The Overdrive was created to get some of those tones at non speaker-shredding levels.

If you’re thinking this unit is some kind of proto-Tube Screamer, think again. Because this was the early ‘70s, nobody had really decided exactly what “overdrive” meant. And though Maestro (coincidentally, also in Kalamazoo) had created one of almost every effect under the sun, pedal fever wasn’t quite here just yet, so Systech was essentially “winging it.” With that said, the Overdrive is actually a pretty aggressive fuzz sound. And to that end, the fuzz circuit is pretty unique. The entire affair contains two transistors—one a JFET input buffer—and one dual op-amp with a handful of other components. Even the topology is relatively simple, but the simplicity ends with the schematic.

The EQ control works unlike pretty much any EQ control you’ve ever fiddled with; as much an EQ as the whole unit is an overdrive. Instead of a simple tonal adjustment, the EQ control is actually an active bandpass filter, in the same family as a wah circuit. With a simple twist of a knob, you can adjust this filter from 122Hz to 900Hz. As you might imagine, the EQ control sounds relatively cocked-wah-esque, but the sound is much more aggressive than any wah on the market before or since. The reason has to do with the Q factor, essentially a bandwidth control. A wah’s Q is set by its 33K resistor and is much wider than that of the Overdrive, so the tone is a little more rounded. While a wah’s filter is a rubber mallet, the Systech Overdrive’s is a tack hammer. While the sound is curious, the thing really comes to life when you crank the EQ control, as it gives you a nice punch in the mids. You lose a little definition when you get to the bottom third, but man is it fun to play with.

“Distortion” is just what it sounds like, but curiously enough, “Gain” is about as close to a volume knob as you’re going to get. Much like Distortion, if you turn it all the way down it kills the entire signal, but it sits behind a final gain stage. If you have the guts to crank both Distortion and Gain, you’re richly rewarded with gobs of gooey sustain, but the flipside is that your amp is likely screaming “uncle.” Worth it? Your call. I say go for it.

Many people say Zappa used a Systech Overdrive, but alas, he did not. However, when you play it, you can definitely see the similarities between this unit and the fabled Harmonic Energizer. But as far as I’m concerned, it’s close enough for rock and roll."

cred: catalinbread.com/blogs/kulas-cabinet/systech-overdrive

[yuespropagandablog]

Back at it again at Krispy Creme.

All shorter games. After playing Persona 3, and My Time at Sandrock, and Cassette Beasts, and Persona 3 again, and Persona 3 again, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, I am kinda looking forward towards a game that doesn't ruin my life for a long period of time. All the games in this poll take less than 10 hours to complete according to HowLongToBeat Main + Extra.

Propaganda below!

Bastion (9.5 hours)

Pro: Made by the people who made Hades, so yay! I actually bought this ages ago on sale with Transistor. I have already played Transistor and liked that one a lot as well. Looks like I am quite a fan of the studio, so this game might be the next big hit for me.

Con: It's been on my backlog for a while and I have honestly forgotten what it is about. Also, funnily enough, longest game on this list. It barely made the cut!

Coffee Talk (5.5 hours)

Pro: Newest addition to the backlog, hello! It's very down to Earth and cosy. I played the demo and it's simple, yet nice.

Con: Kind of not in the mood for a visual novel after playing 50 hours of Persona 3 Portable, but this is still different.

Oxenfree (5.5 hours)

Pro: A genre I am usually not very familiar with, so that is intruiging. I like a good story, and I've heard this one has a great one.

Con: I also bought the sequel for €2, so if I like this I might play the next one as well so there goes the whole max. 10 hour thing.

Wavetale (5 hours)

Pro: Looks really nice and I've had my eyes on it for a while. It looks like it's an adventure game, which sounds cool.

Con: I admit I also don't know much about the story of this game either, so I dunno what I am getting into. It better not be like AER.

[nzchao]

明日13日、この度カセットテープをリリースする3CO2(SANCOTSU)のレコ発リリパがあります。カセットは数量限定になっておりますので、是非ともよろしくお願いします。

4/13(日)

阿佐ヶ谷 mogumogu

3CO2(SANCOTSU) Presents 出力Ｃ vol.3 3CO2 " No Not Noise " Cassette Tape Release Party

Open.19:00 / Start.19:20 Charge.￥2,000 + 1 Drink Order

■Live Act: 3CO2 よくばりChameleon. (Yokubari Chameleon.) Gnu Boys ROMEROS

■Live Paint: よくばりChameleon. (Yokubari Chameleon.)

Facebook Event Page https://www.facebook.com/events/658154156893305/

●Timetable 19:00 OPEN (Live Painting START) 19:20-19:50 よくばりChameleon. (Yokubari Chameleon.) 20:00-20:30 ROMEROS 20:40-21:10 Gnu Boys 21:20-21:50 3CO2 22:00 END

Asagaya mogumogu 〒166-0004 東京都杉並区阿佐谷南1-36-15 マガザン阿佐ヶ谷3F （阿佐ヶ谷パールセンター商店街内100米） 3F Magasin Asagaya 1-36-15 Asagayaminami, Suginami-ku, Tokyo-to 166-0004 Japan X(Twitter): @mogumog56719408 https://x.com/mogumog56719408 Instagram: @mogumogu1969 https://www.instagram.com/mogumogu1969/ Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/mogu.mogu.52643/

▶︎Cassette Tape Info Title - No Not Noise Tracks

SIDE A. Hit Curve Earth(H.C.E.) … 9:25

SIDE B. N/A Radio … 9:57

限定50部 - Ltd.50 ￥500 - with DL code

Sound Recorded at Studio Zot (Asagaya Tokyo Japan) Recording Mix&Mastering … 三木肇 Hajime Miki (M&N Recordings) Cassette Tape Produce&Product … Pankin (Main actor is U!! RECORDS, baldy RECORDS) Jacket Cover Model … よくばりChameleon. Yokubari Chameleon.

All Music&Arranged by 3CO2 25.4.13 Ⓛ 3CO2-002 Ⓒ&Ⓟ 2025 3CO2 Distributed by 3CO2 JAPAN

Japanese Improvisation Noise Band 「3CO2 (SANCOTSU)」 are コーラ Cola … Voice 虫野十九 Juke Mushino … Bass 礼拝 Reihai … Guitar, Synthesizer ムラカミロキ MurakamiLoki … Voice, Transistor Megaphone

Instagram: @3co2.sancotsu https://www.instagram.com/3co2.sancotsu/

[audio-luddite]

Segovia

For fossils like myself the name conjures up visions of Spain and Guitars. Andres Segovia putting it as simple as possible invented "Classical Guitar". He was old when I was young.

I am listening to a old DECCA LP DL710140 recorded in New York in 1967 or so. Just an old man and a guitar. The sound is excellent.

There are some curious things. As the music is playing there is a low rumble that is just audible. At the end of the track it stops. It is not my Turntable, it is on the track. Is it the old tape somehow? Delivery trucks outside maybe, an Air Conditioner? There were also some thumps which sounded like and may have been someone opening a door or moving something heavy. With only a single guitar it is not a busy sonic soundscape.

The strings are clear and plucky. The body of the guitar is rich and resonant. The engineers did a good job of getting the sound right. This is an early enough stereo recording they were still working out the details of how to do it.

It goes without saying this is an all analog recording. Digital was not even a dream. Computers still had vacuum tubes. Oh and to be sure all the recording equipment was tube based as was the lathe amplifier. I am not going to push that though. All the good stuff in 1967 was tube. Transistors were just getting going.

The studio is a big resonant room. At least it sounds so. This is not phony reverb. Just right for the tunes. As an LP it has notes. Historical documents.

If you can read them it is about lunch in New York discussing Bach and Baroque music. He is the master in the truest sense of the word. It is possible that all the best classical guitarists today were taught by Senior Segovia or his pupils or pupils of his pupils.

This was done just shy of 60 years ago. Nothing wrong with it. Very much right about it.

[allthemusic]

Week ending: 3rd October

Ooh, we're in for a treat today, with a track that's one of the most sci-fi sounding tracks out there. It's a delightfully dated vision of the future that somehow still sounds fabulously space-age and sleek. And our other track's no slouch, either, if slightly more grounded in 1962.

Telstar - The Tornados (peaked at Number 1)

On the 10th July 1962 a satellite was launched, called Telstar. The first communications satellite of its kind, this was the first time humans were able to transmit television and telephone calls through space, including the first transatlantic live television feed. Unfortunately, in a genuinely terrifyingly sci-fi twist, a high-altitude nuclear test carried out by the US only a day previously had energised Earths' Van Allen Belt so much that, only a few high-altitude tests later, Telstar's transistors were shot. It continued working for a while but by 1963 was out of action once more.

Despite this, Telstar was pretty well known, especially in the UK, where one poll suggested that it was better-known than Sputnik had been, when it launched six years previously. And that kind of makes sense, the Cold War being what it was, I guess. Either way, it was a futuristic, space-age piece of kit - and something about it inspired Joe Meek to write this instrumental, a song that's every bit as experimental and forward-facing as Telstar was.

I mean, listen to it! It still sounds phenomenally weird, even now. We start with a fade in on what sounds like a space-ship's scanner, or a Geiger counter going wild. A clavioline then comes in with a buzzy, whiny main line, and it's only then that the guitars and drums appear, supporting the synthesiser. We get a tune that's bold, adventurous-sounding, frankly kind of Star Trek-ish. And then a secondary, guitar melody, but livened up by jangly, glittery harp-noises, artificially enhanced by the sound of things. And then the clavioline is back, warbling ethereally away until the end of the track, where we briefly get some human voices, but strangely distorted until they almost sound like a synthesiser themselves, until we fade away into the same sound effects we started with, some proper space-ship noises. It's a prime example of somebody making conspicuous use of studio effects - the sort of thing you could never quite recreate live (Not that there was a real "studio" here, because apparently most of this was recorded out of Joe Meek's London flat - impressive stuff!)

The whole thing actually kind of reminded me of Muse's Knights of Cydonia, and I was gratified to learn that the connection there's real - not only has Telstar explicitly been named as an influence on Knights of Cydonia, with its space-age synths, galloping guitar and ray gun noises, but it also turns out that Matt Bellamy, of Muse, is the son of the guitarist here, one George Bellamy - the more you know!

I should also note a couple of interesting technical bit of trivia here, too, both fitting for a track about a communications satellite. One is that this track made the Tornados the first UK group to reach Number 1 in the US as well as the UK. Probably this was just due to the usual importing and airing of records, but a small, romantic part of me also likes to think that it was also due to the Telstar satellite beaming its namesake song direct to US radios. Secondly, and also linked to the way the song spread, there was also a scopitone video for this one! I think I've mentioned scopitone before as a primarily-French type of early music video, shown on big jukebox-like machines. I've had a watch of a recreated version of Telstar's video, and sadly, there's nothing too wild going on, just some intercutting between shots of the Tornados and of stock news footage of rockets blasting off. Which, now I'm writing it, actually sounds pretty sick. A masterpiece of innovative storytelling it ain't, but it's a cool exercise in montage editing, and also a little glimpse into the state of the Space Race. Very cool.

Sheila - Tommy Roe (3)

And then Sheila. I kind of feel for Tommy, here, because the literally stratospheric heights that Telstar reached were always going to be hard to beat. Still, Tommy gives it a good go, here, with a track that sounds more than a little Buddy Holly-ish, with this fast pace, some strummed guitar, a few little vocal hiccups and whiny moments scattered throughout and, in what's probably the standout element of the track, this quick, insistent drumming that pushes the song along nicely, giving it this energy and drive that really helps it. They make the very sound decision to give the song's solo to the drums, too, which is just *chef's kiss* perfect. Absolutely the best bit of the song!

Not that the lyrics are bad. They're kind of nothing-y, but not bad at all, all about being in love with a girl you know. And a sweet girl, she sounds like, too. She's sweet Sheila, you'll know her if you see her / Blue eyes and a ponytail. I'm particularly intrigued by the following line about how her cheeks are rosy, she looks a little nosy. Is looking nosy supposed to be an endearing thing, here? What, exactly, does Tommy mean by it? I'm not entirely sure, but Tommy's clearly a fan, hence all the talk about how fine she is, how her name alone does funny things to him, how they go for drives together, and how we're so doggone happy, just bein' around together. It's all very sweet, very innocent, very teenaged. Not much substance behind it, but very sweet none the less, in a very 1950s and early 1960s way. He doesn't mention sock hops or drive-in movies or jukeboxes at the diner and 10 pm curfews, but you just know that that's the world Tommy and Sheila inhabit, somehow - it's that kind of vibe.

The only other thing that's notable is that the song was apparently originally about an actual girl at Tommy's school, called Frita. Unhappy with the name, his producers suggested he change it - and Sheila was picked when Tommy's aunt came to visit, also called Sheila. Which definitely makes the bits about loving the sound of Sheila's name feel kind of weird. I mean, I know it was just a replacement for the name, but still, I'd feel weird using my aunt's name for something like that. That said, they also misspelled the name as Shelia in the original release, so you know. Maybe the name wasn't the part of this they put the most thought into?

I did enjoy both of these songs. I think any other week, Sheila would have had a real shot. But a song that ties into the Space Race and has all sorts of cutting edge studio techniques and had one of the earliest music videos I've seen? Sheila, for all that I enjoyed it's excellent drumming and basic competency, is firmly rooted in the late 1950s, with its imitation of Buddy Holly. Telstar? Telstar's not even in the 20th century any more. Like I mentioned above, it still sounds like the future, albeit a much more optimistic future than the sort of future we tend to imagine ourselves today. I hear Telstar and I think of sleek, bright catsuits and flying vehicles with shiny windshields and lots of chrome. I think of flashy inter-stellar holidays with robot tour guides. I think of weekend trips to the moon, via a glistening space elevator. I think of nations coming together in the name of cosmic exploration, sharing the skies in a show of unity and brotherhood. Telstar itself, the satellite, may have been a product of the enmities and tensions of the Cold War, and Cold War nuclear testing may have eventually put it out of commission. But Joe Meek, plugging away in his London flat, has created the Telstar that we could have had, a Star Trek-ish vision of the future at its most optimistic and glamourous, even as it remained grounded in the instrumental rock trends of 1962. It's fabulous. Go listen.

Favourite song of the bunch: Telstar

[teardownit]

The amazing secrets of Krank Distortus Maximus

This distortion pedal has a fascinating history, an unusual circuit design, and great sound. It's hard to believe that just one LM386N3 chip plus two bipolar transistors at the input and output can sound like this, even without clamping diodes!

Yes, that's not a typo. We are used to the fact that the LM386 is a power amplifier chip for headphones or a tiny speaker. But in essence, it is an operational amplifier. It can do a decent job as a part of the overload effect.

Krank Amplifiers is a boutique brand for expensive and rare tube guitar amps that are no longer in production and, therefore, are very desirable and collectible.

Tony Krank started his career as a guitar technician. He has collaborated with star guitarists like Slayer's Kerry King and Metallica's James Hetfield. From repairing amplifiers, Tony naturally moved on to modifying them and then making his own ones.

In 2003, brothers Tony and Kent founded Krank Amps in Tempe, Arizona. Their amplifiers came out as very innovative and unique. Of course, they were intended for the extreme metal and hard rock genres.

The amplifiers had two channels: clean (KLEEN) and cranked (KRANK). If your last name is Krank and you make amps for metal bands, these are the most appropriate names for amp channels!

In fact, the last name of brothers Tony and Kent is Dow. But Tony played for a long time in The Kranks and became known as Tony Krank. So, he passed this surname to the amplifiers.

The Krank channel provides very high gain and a compelling growl sound, mandatory for killer thrash metal riffs.

And the Kleen channel of these amplifiers has no extremes: not too sweet or sparkling. Just what you need for clean-sounding losses in modern progressive metal.

Not all guitarists liked the high-gain sound. Krank amps, like any other, take some getting used to. In particular, it takes some time to achieve such a balance of treble and presence settings to sound musically pleasing both on stage and in recording.

Ten years ago, Krank amps and cabinets were a common sight on stage, but now almost all of them have gone for good. There are several reasons for this.

Firstly, the amplifier design wasn't durable enough to survive a concert tour, and breakdowns occurred quite often.

Secondly, many touring guitarists have started to favor three- and four-channel amps, not to mention those who switched to digital.

Thirdly, and most importantly, many copies of Krank cabinets, heads, and amps have been bought by music producers. These devices were successfully used in studios when there's enough time to set up the best sound; structural strength is low on the priority list, and the quality of recording for thousands of pairs of headphones and speakers is a top goal.

In 2007, Krank introduced two new pedals at NAMM. The first was fine, yet unremarkable, Krankshaft Overdrive. The circuit was just a rip-off from the Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808.

We have a separate post about Tube Screamers and their numerous variations. I think that every guitarist absolutely needs at least one Tube Screamer. It could also be Krankshaft Overdrive: a great-sounding, well-designed, and well-made pedal, just like your average Tube Screamer.

Much more exciting and unique was the second pedal—the Distortus Maximus. With a full three-way tone stack and an authentic Krank high-gain channel sound, this is indeed a pedal everyone should at least try!

Building your own copy is not difficult; the pedal circuit can be called very simple. The guitar signal path begins with the amplifier stage on transistor Q1. This seems to be the most common cascade with a common emitter, but it has a few features affecting the sound.

The BC550C is a low-noise transistor with a high current gain of 420 to 800. Look closer at the resistor values that set its base bias.

Typically, in preamp stages, these ratings are made equal or almost equal so that half the supply voltage is at the base of the transistor, and the stage operates in class A mode with minimal distortion.

There are also circuits with no lower resistor, and the resistance of the upper one is selected so that it provides the desired quiescent currents of the collector and base.

This was often done on battery-powered radios to save battery life. DIY superheterodyne from the post on Regency TR-1 is no exception. All high-, intermediate-, and audio-frequency pre-amplifier stages in the circuit of this receiver are designed exactly like this.

And in the Krank Distortus Maximus circuit, the resistance values in the base circuit are designed to ensure the minimum quiescent current of the cascade. For this reason, they differ tenfold! This results in AB mode, which is very close to pure class B.

In this mode, the imperfections of the already low-noise transistor will be completely minimal, which is crucial for a high-gain amplifier. And also, significant nonlinear distortions will occur, which in this case will give the sound asymmetrical compression, even to the point of slight limitation. And these distortions have a pleasant "tube" tint.

One day, I will try to rebuild the Q2 preamp stage of the BOSS DS-1 according to the design of the first stage of the Distortus Maximus. This should respond more pleasantly to the powerful signal of classic hot-rodded and modern humbuckers.

The LM386 chip in the Distortus Maximus is configured to have maximum gain; pins 1 and 8 are connected. They are also connected to a tone-correcting chain consisting of a 100-ohm resistor and a 47-uF capacitor to ground.

Next, we see a complete three-way tone stack and a seemingly ordinary output buffer made according to an emitter-follower circuit. But this buffer is also unusual.

No lower resistor would set the base voltage of transistor Q2 along with the upper 100 kilo-ohm resistor. Therefore, we have not just a voltage follower but a circuit stage that introduces distortion with a "tube" character into the output signal!

This pedal is, to put it mildly, a circuitry masterpiece. Behind its apparent simplicity lies a deep feel for guitar sound; the design utilizes the nuances of transistors and LM386 operation. The video below captures its actual sound.

This is probably my best homemade distortion pedal to date. It is practically an entire single-channel amplifier in a box. I never cease to be amazed by the sound obtained from such a small pile of simple parts!

[torley]

Analogue Ordnance is a massive construction kit for science fiction weapon sounds, made entirely with hardware synthesizers, mastered entirely in the analogue domain, and with more variations per sound than any library of its kind. Absolutely no software plug-ins of any kind were used in its creation, except for its collection of ready-to-use designed sounds to show what can be done with the library’s constituent parts. Masterminded by sound designer Nathan Moody, this library’s unique sonic language delivers about five hours of material, pushed hard through op amps, transistors, tubes, and transformers. Boutique and unique, customized synthesizer modules were used in conjunction with mastering-grade studio hardware to create sounds that range from retro and cute to modern and devastating. Sounds are organized into mechanical, thump, body, tail, and charge-up groups for truly modular weapon construction. Each group has six to eight “banks” of related sounds, many with intensity (light, heavy) and duration (short, medium, and long) options. Nearly all sounds include 16 variations. In addition to the construction kit elements, some fully-designed weapon sounds are provided (using only the sounds from the construction kit), designed by Nathan Moody, Chase Steele, Axel Steichen, and Sergio Ronchetti.  But the flexibility doesn’t stop there. Reversing the sounds suddenly turns charge-ups into body elements, and vice versa. Each group has some frequency overlap with the others, so they can be mixed interchangeably outside of their labeled or intended uses with filtering and time/pitch manipulation. While the sounds are designed to be layered with themselves, this library plays very well with others, providing thousands of sweeteners to “tech up” any near-future gun or projectile-based firearm, magical attacks, superhuman abilities, or even user interface elements. Add some hardware to your warfare. From concealable stun pistols to orbital artillery, Analogue Ordnance provides a fresh injection of new source material for your sci-fi weapon designs.

[33bowls]

MQA DIY

This is about MQA DIY for all of you cultural creatives.

Posting here, as 33 has not participated much in online audio forums since the early ‘00s, as the atmosphere, even before the advent of MQA haters, trolls, and sock puppets, was a toxic stew of mis-information, to put it lightly. They are just the latest incarnation of that.

First off, except for observational knowledge or entertainment value, it is assumed that any DIY endeavors are predicated with a certain level of tech smarts, starting with which end of the soldering iron to grab.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_oCAjAXR

This USB card “only” does MQA unfolding, with appropriate green and blue LED indicators to authenticate, as in verify and indicate MQA and MQA Studio data streams. Unlike Golden Showers “this is not a review” Oatmeal, 33 does not have a terabyte of pirated files, so was not able to verify unfolding beyond the first, but with 33’s own master files, have verified first unfold does indeed unfold. Do you believe in radical honesty and transparency on a first data?

Two other important features of this USB card: it also reclocks the bits at the output, for minimal correlated jitter, and has the option of internal cleaner 5volt power independent of the USB buss.

The vast majority of MQA music files only need first unfold, as the masters of them were likely 88.2 kHz or 96 kHz, in part since the plethora of A/D equipment supports those sample rates, and, thanks to the grift that keeps on giving from Gates, Allen, and Ballmer, windows does not support driverless USB faster than that data rate. Wideband plug and play is mac territory, that windoze has yet to catch up with.

As to where to send these lovely bits, an obvious choice is the ESS 9039M, with internal MQA rendering. Be aware that ESS chips, being a unique H bridge output topology, are very sensitive to power supply issues. Any perturbations, including thermal tails in the power supply regulators will contaminate the audio signal. I suggest adding a PNP current boost to any regulator, which lowers output impedance and buffers the regulator from signal variations, which do not fully cancel out in the ESS chip’s balanced mode. There is still intermodulation induced by power supply variations. If you are not an OCD left brain measurement only kind of dude, I suggest that running the ESS chip in voltage out mode, and buffering that voltage signal with whatever buffer you prefer, even tubes, which will sound better than the usual monolithic opamp virtual ground current to voltage stage, but won’t measure, at lest in steady state conditions, as well. But, you know, sonics.

Other dac chip options are R2Rs from BB and AD, and even Philps. There are more than a few PCM 58, PCM63, TDA1541 still available. I mention these because, they have have a pure unipolar current output available, which lends itself to a passive I/V scheme, with a cascode buffer or just bipolar transistor holding the output close to ground, and the passive scheme of your choice. Fets, tubes, whatever you prefer. You know, sonics.

With these or other R2R chips, you can go for the ever popular NOS non oversampled mode. All other factors being equal which they rarely are, NOS tends to sound solid, but a bit flat dimensionally. If you prefer filtered, I suggest the BB DF1706 in slow rolloff 4x mode. This is a minimum phase filter with very little time dispersion, and in 4x mode, allows for first and second unfolded MQA, which results in 8fs and 16fs respectively. The BB 58 and 63 chips can handle that, the Philips 1541 should be NOS only, can only handle 4fs. Also, with these R2R dac chips, re-clocking the LE signal right at the chip with a separately regulated D flip flop, if setup/hold timing is good, will result in lower jitter and cleaner sonics.

This phenomena of flavoring to taste with different reconstruction filters on playback illustrates the importance of conjugate filters to exactly retrace the waveform that full path unfolded and rendered MQA uniquely does. The MQA unfolding done by this USB card feeding an ESS 9039M dac chip will do that. An irony is that with the advent of digital audio, one of the claims made was no more subjective futzing to adjust the playback sonics, as is done with analog, finely adjusting the VTA of different cartridges, record clamps, turntable isolation schemes, the works. Joke's on you, Mr. Digital.

What R2R playback schemes are missing is the final MQA rendering with exact conjugate filtering, but the loss is minimal to many ears, as most of the heavy lifting is already done in the MQA encoding process. You still get the de-blurred encoding with gently shaped dither that mimics the analog world in keeping information below the noise floor intact, and minimal noise modulation, along with source verification, aka authentication.

As alluded, thermal tails in either power supply regulators, or in the signal path are a bugaboo that is often overlooked. 33’s listening tests have indicated that a *LOT* of the perceptually significant sonic action is going on below -80 dB. Nuances and subtle textures do matter to the gestalt of the listening experience.

Also it should be pointed out that low cost chi-fi components such as this expose the misnomer about high licensing costs as just that, a misnomer. There is a whole world of opportunity out there besides Uncle Sam’s Playground, who do not have access to unlimited bandwidth; and recognize and enjoy the cleaner sonics that MQA provides.

Addendum:

This MQA USB card, the Nonwa, is compatible with TI//BB DF1706 filter, and NOS 28 pin plug in modules, when the mclk is set to 512 Fs, 22/24 MHz. Not all filters are happy with that, some want 256 Fs 11/12 Mhz. Now, what is cool is the mclk can be set to 1024 Fs, 44/49 MHz, and with an ESS dac chip mentioned above, you can operate the ESS in synchronous mode, without needing a 100 MHz clock. Just feed the mclk to it and enjoy even better sonics.

[charlesmwa]

Top 5 Guitar Amplifiers for Home and Studio Use in 2024

If you're a guitarist looking for the perfect amplifier for your home or studio setup, you've come to the right place. Choosing the right amplifier can make a significant difference in your sound, whether you're recording, practicing, or jamming. In this blog, we’ll explore the top 5 types of guitar amplifiers that are ideal for both home and studio use in 2024.

1. Tube Amplifiers

Tube amplifiers, also known as valve amps, are beloved by many guitarists for their warm, rich tones. They use vacuum tubes to amplify sound, giving a classic, vintage feel that's perfect for genres like blues, rock, and jazz. While tube amps can be heavier and require more maintenance, their sound quality is often worth the extra effort. They're great for studio recordings where you want a full, authentic sound.

2. Solid-State Amplifiers

Solid-state amplifiers are known for their durability and reliability. Instead of tubes, they use transistors to amplify sound, making them lighter and easier to maintain. They offer a clean, consistent tone that's ideal for home practice and recording sessions. Solid-state amps are also more affordable, making them a great choice for beginners or those on a budget.

3. Modeling Amplifiers

Modeling amplifiers are a modern choice that’s becoming increasingly popular. These amps use digital technology to replicate the sounds of various classic amplifiers. This gives you a wide range of tones in one unit, making them incredibly versatile. If you like experimenting with different sounds or need an all-in-one solution for home and studio, a modeling amp is an excellent choice.

4. Hybrid Amplifiers

Hybrid amplifiers combine the best of both worlds by using both tubes and solid-state technology. Typically, the preamp section (where the initial tone shaping happens) uses tubes, while the power amp section (which drives the speakers) is solid-state. This combination provides the warmth of tube amps with the reliability of solid-state amps. Hybrids are great for guitarists who want that classic tube sound without the maintenance hassle.

5. Portable Amplifiers

For those who need something compact and easy to move around, portable amplifiers are perfect. These small amps are designed for home use and are also great for traveling musicians. Despite their size, many portable amps offer impressive sound quality and can even be used for recording. They’re ideal if you have limited space or if you like to take your music on the go.

Conclusion

When choosing a guitar amplifier for home and studio use, it’s important to consider your needs and preferences. Whether you prefer the warm tones of a tube amp, the reliability of a solid-state amp, the versatility of a modelling amp, the blend of a hybrid amp, or the convenience of a portable amp, there’s something out there for every guitarist. Consider visiting local audio shops like VIP PRO AUDIO in Brooklyn to check out these amplifiers in person. In 2024, these five types of amplifiers are leading the way, helping musicians create great music, no matter where they are.

[rametarin]

Computers are really just the beginning, honestly.

We are fast approaching the point where it just won't be too very practical to keep reinventing the wheel every year for even better, more tightly packed transistors every year. Eventually we will get to the point of a minimum number of atoms for a minimum number of photoelectronic circuits and transistors that can fit into a cubic space.

After that, it's about whether we add a third dimension and how we arrange them on a board. But a standard will be reached that would let an individual person effectively have a supercomputer run on light (not electrons!) that can compute virtually anything you'd need in chemistry, medicine or physics.

The sort of power that previously required hundreds of millions of taxpayers to devote raw capital and resources to for institutions to handle and assign paid professionals to operate. The same sort of power that yesterday would've put the professing power of an entire news studio's hardware to shame, in the palm of your hands.

And not just accessible to the layman, but accessible to the layman on a minimum wage savings budget (we'll... ignore the current housing pricing crisis, for the moment.)

Really. Think about it. Just to make a stupid youtube video where you combine a bunch of fart sounds and audio and visuals used to require tens of thousands, maybe millions of dollars of specialized equipment, special ordered. Today, it's all yours for the cost of a few hundred hamburgers. You can literally make a video every bit as quality as anything Tim and Eric have ever made, even though you may not have anywhere near 1/100,000,000 the nepotism and cronyism involved in them getting their jobs and fame to be seen.

Once desktop computers and things like the Raspberry Pi and similar are more mainstream, you're going to see more hobbyist electronics and machine builders. The hobbyist focus will go back to making machines and tinkerer level electronics.

With that and cheap monitors of all sizes, you're going to just see so much neat shit get created in garages. Whole customized vehicles and shit.

[thejoyofviolentmovement]

Live Footage: The Sextones Perform Soulful "Without You"

Live Footage: The Sextones Perform Soulful "Without You" @TheSextones @nickrecordkicks @RecordKicks @monophonicsfunk

Reno-based soul outfit The Sextones — Mark Sexton (vocals, guitar), Christopher Sexton (piano), Alexander Korostinsky (bass), and Daniel Weiss are childhood friends, and as a result their musical chemistry is effortless and forms the foundation of the band’s longevity and creative process.  Over the years, the band’s members have also been able to channel their creativity into other acclaimed…

[fuzzkaizer]

Parasit Studio - The Phase Locked Fuzz

"this is another new DIY project that I will be releasing very soon. It's based on my own "discrete" PLL design, meaning that it has all the building blocks of a PLL but made with op amps and transistors (no CD4046). It's a novelty idea I got years ago (but didn't finish until now) that helped me understand phase locked loops better. It resulted in this pedal. It has a saw tooth VCO with vibrato that can be blended with a square wave fuzz or a phase comparator that puts out the difference between the input and the VCO output. It can create some really chaotic sounds, especially with the vibrato on and the tracking turned up."

cred: facebook.com/Parasit Studio

[where-i-bitch-about-nashville]

so ive built mic pre’s with just about every Nashville related sound that is near to me, and there’s one for every decade!

50’s/early 60’s: RCA style tube pre (I really got Daven pots/attenuators, and RCA/Western Electric/Audio Dev Corp transformers — a small fortune in vintage parts to cobble together this fall!)

late 60’s: Melcor AML-27’s (sometimes sold branded RCA; Ge DOAs and MEC iron transformers)

70’s: API 2098 console pre’s as line booster cage cards (this is what Sal modded that is in operation at RCA studio B since it became the museum; Si DOAs and Jensen Ni-Steel transformers)

80’s: Valley People MP-1000 mic pres (these were made in Nashville but no close connection to me or my Nashville recording roots, but they were designed by Paul C. Buff, they’re transformerless, IC-based ‘hybrid’ op amps called the TransAmp #LZ, short for transimpedance amplifier and also

🏳️‍⚧️)… ooh i also got the 1980’s TOA RX-216 console from The Bennet House Studio when it became a BnB, it wasnt their main console, it probably mixed cue sends or was just used for its analog effects section but it has Japanese made transformers an NE5332 ICs all over it and sounds so lo-fi! It’s a fixer upper ;) maybe with ICs swapped for faster ones it will sound like a cheeseburger in paradise

90’s: if there’s a Nashville sound of the 90’s then it is probably something i dont want like a soundcraft plugged to a Digi888 interface

00’s: kinda the same as the 90’s, but all the really good sounds were the 70’s stuff in studios here anyway if they were buying/keeping/trashing gear based on what it actually sounds like and not marketing hype so… idk it’s probably an OctoPre into a Digi IO102 interface? nothing i have

2010’s: Miktek MPA-201, another made in Nashville special to me that I use for everything, it’s really a revisitation of the Neve 1073 preamp section. more 70’s stuff! (Si single class A big footprint can transistor, and AMI transformers with some awesome Ni-Steel and secret sauce alloys)

[nzchao]

昨日は3CO2 " No Not Noise " Cassette Tape Release Party at 阿佐ヶ谷mogumogu ご出演、お越し頂いた皆様ありがとうございました。

------------------

4/13(sun)

阿佐ヶ谷 mogumogu

3CO2(SANCOTSU) Presents

出力Ｃ vol.3

3CO2 " No Not Noise " Cassette Tape Release Party

Open.19:00 / Start.19:20

Charge.￥2,000 + 1 Drink Order

■Live Act:

3CO2

よくばりChameleon. (Yokubari Chameleon.)

Gnu Boys

ROMEROS

■Live Paint: よくばりChameleon. (Yokubari Chameleon.)

Facebook Event Page

https://www.facebook.com/events/658154156893305/

●Timetable

19:00 OPEN (Live Painting START)

19:20-19:50 よくばりChameleon. (Yokubari Chameleon.)

20:00-20:30 ROMEROS

20:40-21:10 Gnu Boys

21:20-21:50 3CO2

22:00 END

Asagaya mogumogu

〒166-0004

東京都杉並区阿佐谷南1-36-15 マガザン阿佐ヶ谷3F

（阿佐ヶ谷パールセンター商店街内100米）

3F Magasin Asagaya 1-36-15 Asagayaminami, Suginami-ku, Tokyo-to 166-0004 Japan

X(Twitter): @mogumog56719408

https://x.com/mogumog56719408

Instagram: @mogumogu1969

https://www.instagram.com/mogumogu1969/

Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/mogu.mogu.52643/

-----------------------------

▶︎Cassette Tape Info

Title - No Not Noise

Tracks

- SIDE A. Hit Curve Earth(H.C.E.) … 9:25

- SIDE B. N/A Radio … 9:57

限定50部 - Ltd.50

￥500 - with DL code

Sound Recorded at Studio Zot (Asagaya Tokyo Japan)

Recording Mix&Mastering … 三木肇 Hajime Miki (M&N Recordings)

Cassette Tape Produce&Product … Pankin (Main actor is U!! RECORDS, baldy RECORDS)

Jacket Cover Model … よくばりChameleon. Yokubari Chameleon.

All Music&Arranged by 3CO2

25.4.13 Ⓛ

3CO2-002 Ⓒ&Ⓟ 2025 3CO2

Distributed by 3CO2 JAPAN

-----------------------------

Japanese Improvisation Noise Band

「3CO2 (SANCOTSU)」 are

コーラ Cola … Voice

虫野十九 Juke Mushino … Bass

礼拝 Reihai … Guitar, Synthesizer

ムラカミロキ MurakamiLoki … Voice, Transistor Megaphone

Instagram: @3co2.sancotsu

https://www.instagram.com/3co2.sancotsu/

#3CO2 #SANCOTSU #mogumogu #よくばりChameleon #YokubariChameleon

#GnuBoys #eifonen #noto #ROMEROS #Pankin #SatoshiMiyazaki #HajimeMiki #MandNRecordings #コーラ#Cola #虫野十九 #JukeMushino #礼拝 #Reihai #ムラカミロキ#MurakamiLoki #Asagaya #Noise #NoiseMusic

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A post shared by ムラカミロキ -𝕄𝕦𝕣𝕒𝕜𝕒𝕞𝕚𝕃𝕠𝕜𝕚- (@nzchao)

[audio-luddite]

And then there is the other side.

My previous post mentioned Doug Sax a few times. He is one of the old dead masters. If you search for stuff you will find lists and interviews and very much stuff. One thing that will come up is his absolute preference for vacuum tube electronics. His brother was an engineer and built all the gear for his mastering studio and it was all tube based.

His tape machines, and his mixers and his lathe cutting head amplifiers all tube. Even his digital stuff had tubes apparently and his brother even built the A/D and D/A converters they used for their CD work. (Like KODO).

In one interview I found he stated that all transistor stuff is not very good. Hey that is his preference. He slags the quality of the hearing of anyone who preferred solid state. Not polite there. NO doubt which side of the line he was on. Of course this was in the 60s so yes the Vacuum was at it's apogee while people were still figuring out solid state.

He was a musician, a trumpeter, and played in orchestras. His search for sound quality was based on professionally calibrated ears. His mastering work was first rate (but there is more).

One list I found was all the major albums he mastered. It is an impressive list. One album on that list is Carly Simon's "No secrets". I have that one and think it is not great. Great cover photo though.

It is a classic and was her big hit album. To be fair I will pull it out and play it again. My impression so far was it was massively over compressed and did not sound that good. I do not play it much for that reason. There are good and bad pressings in LP manufacturing, and knowing Doug Sax was involved makes me wonder. But is it compression or a bad pressing? Every other LP I have mastered by DS is very good indeed. I suppose the album could have been made somewhere else and someone else remastered it I will see if I can find out.

Another thing is I bought and listened to this album when the ARC amp was in the line. Will it sound better with the Franken-Amp? That would be ironic.

[gadgetsboy]

WWDC 2023: Apple's new Chip and Macs take Performance to Impressive new Levels

It's that time of the year again - WWDC 2023 has finally happened, and Apple wasted no time in giving Apple and tech fans a showcase of new and shiny tech. With that said, the Cupertino-based company finally revealed several new hardware, focused on giving users their computing needs - let's take a look! The MacBook Air goes Big First up is the latest iteration of the MacBook Air, which now comes in a 15-inch version. The highlight of the new laptop however is the M2 chip and 24GB of unified memory, which should be enough to power users' gaming and productivity needs. It also comes with the "standard" fanless design of the Air series. In addition to these hardware higlights, the 15-inch MacBook Air features a Liquid Retina display, alongside a new six-speaker sound system making it ideal for media and content consumption. The laptop also comes with spatial audio onboard, as well as a 1080p FaceTime camera, MagSafe Charging, and will ship with macOS Ventura. Apple says that the built-in battery will be able to last up to 18 hours of use on average. The 15-inch MacBook Air with M2 is available for pre-order today, starting at at £1,399 and £1,289 for education, and will ship out to customers on Tuesday, June 13. The M2 Ultra Makes its Entrance Apple also announced the latest chip, the M2 Ultra - this will power its more high-end computer models moving forward, including the new Mac Studio and the Mac Pro. Apple says that the M2 Ultra is built using a second-generation 5-nanometer process with Apple's UltraFusion technology to connect the die of two M2 Max chips for double the performance. The company boasts that this new chip brings improved performance for machine learning, video production, and overall power and speed. The M2 Ultra consists of 134 billion transistors, and will be able to support up to a whopping 192GB of memory capacity, in addition to 800GB/s of memory bandwidth. The M2 Ultra features a more powerful CPU that’s 20 percent faster than M1 Ultra, a larger GPU that’s up to 30 percent faster, and a Neural Engine that’s up to 40 percent faster. Apple states 24-core CPU of M2 Ultra consists of 16 high-performance cores and eight high-efficiency cores, which should prove to be more than enough for most productivity tasks. For example, the company says that DaVinci Resolve users will experience up to 50 percent faster video processing compared to Mac Studio with M1 Ultra. The GPU can also be configured with 60 or 76 next-generation cores, allowing for faster rendering of 3D effects using Octane on Mac Studio, for example. New Mac Powerhouses Revealed Apple also unveiled the new Mac Studio and Mac Pro, its two most powerful computers to date. The Mac Studio literally doubles its hardware capabilities for power users, packing the M2 Max and the new M2 Ultra chip inside. Apple says that the new Mac Studio is up to six times as powerful as competing Intel-powered Macs, and up to three times as powerful as the previous-gen Mac Studio. Beating inside is a 12-core CPU, up to a 38-core GPU, and up to 96GB of unified memory with 400GB/s of memory bandwidth. The Mac Studio is also equipped with Wifi 6E, and this hardware setup is rounded out by several connectivity ports including a four Thunderbolt 4 ports, a 10Gb Ethernet port, an enhanced HDMI port, and two USB-A ports. It also packs two USB-C ports and an SD card slot on the front to easily import photos and video. It's rather ideal for productivity thanks to six Pro Display XDRs, allowing for more screen real estate during resource-heavy editing sessions. Meanwhile, the new Mac Pro also comes with the M2 Ultra chip, in addition to PCIe expansion, up to 192GB of unified memory with 800GB/s of unified memory bandwidth, as well as a media engine that allows it to play up to 22 streams of 8K ProRes video. PCle expansion allows users to configure their workstation with digital signal processing (DSP) cards, and even serial digital interface (SDI) I/O cards for example. Apple adds that the M2 Ultra chip inside will allow the Mac Pro to run 3D simulations and video transcoding projects to up to three times faster. The Mac Pro also comes with support for up to six Pro Display XDRs, along with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, which come to the new Mac Pro for fast wireless connectivity. Additionally, the Mac Pro includes three USB-A ports, two higher-bandwidth HDMI ports that support up to 8K resolution and up to 240Hz frame rates, two 10Gb Ethernet ports, and a headphone jack for wired audio. The new Mac Studio and Mac Pro are available for pre-order today, and will start shipping on Tuesday, June 13. The Mac Studio starts at £2,099, and £1,889 for education., while the Mac Pro (tower enclosure) starts at £7,199 and £6,789 for education, while a version with a Rack Enclosure starts at £7,699 and £7,189 for education. Read the full article