Waveforms and switch positions M 85

[C.W.Wolf]

I was curious, and although I can hear the difference, I wanted to visualize the differences between the switch positions on the M85.

I decided to hook the Bass up to my Linux computer and use Audacity to compare the different settings on the guitar. This was done with a cheap C-media 1/4 to USB audio adapter, so take it with a grain of salt. I used the open e string for all the screenshots. I hope you find this as interesting as I do. I do still need to learn what the correct names of the switches are

 

[chazmo]

C.W., I think the 5th knob on your bass is colloquially known as the "suck switch." But, I'm not sure of that at all. And, I don't want to even know why.

That's really cool with the waveforms.. Look how different the bottom one is from the rest.

Yeah, it's amazing how you can really hear the difference among the settings. That's why folks have so much fun around here. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the more serious bass players on the board have done similar. I'd love to see if their results match your own (not that there are many M-85-IIs like yours around!

 

[RVBASS]

Pretty neat, what did you use to make the wave forms?

 

[chazmo]

Pretty neat, what did you use to make the wave forms?

I think you've been conscripted, RV!

 

[C.W.Wolf]

C.W., I think the 5th knob on your bass is colloquially known as the "suck switch." But, I'm not sure of that at all. And, I don't want to even know why.

That's really cool with the waveforms.. Look how different the bottom one is from the rest.

Yeah, it's amazing how you can really hear the difference among the settings. That's why folks have so much fun around here. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the more serious bass players on the board have done similar. I'd love to see if their results match your own (not that there are many M-85-IIs like yours around!

Thanks. I am one of those guys that used to build things like color organs and hook them to the Christmas lights. From what I see it seems to do something with the phase but I am not an audio expert by any means. I might understand better if I looked up the wiring diagram.

 

[C.W.Wolf]

Pretty neat, what did you use to make the wave forms?

I use a program called Audacity. I have done a whole album with it before. It is a great basic audio editor for all platforms with a lot of nice features. Oh, and it is free. I just recorded the Bass and took screenshots, zoomed in on the timeline.

 

[Happy Face]

I use a program called Audacity. I have done a whole album with it before. It is a great basic audio editor for all platforms with a lot of nice features. Oh, and it is free. I just recorded the Bass and took screenshots, zoomed in on the timeline.

Audacity: I'm going to look at it because I have a mess of files in Cakewalk's old format. The new Cakewalk will accept the files as midi, but the instrument designations are gone. The issue is how to map over synth voice settings on older but quite popular EMU-Proteus and the Korg M-l.

I guess there are some freeware add-ins which I'll try, "when I get to it." But I have read good things about Audacity. Have you tried to map in external synths? How about the editing views? I really liked the simple "piano roll" view on Cakewalk.

Thanks!

 

[C.W.Wolf]

Audacity: I'm going to look at it because I have a mess of files in Cakewalk's old format. The new Cakewalk will accept the files as midi, but the instrument designations are gone. The issue is how to map over synth voice settings on older but quite popular EMU-Proteus and the Korg M-l.

I guess there are some freeware add-ins which I'll try, "when I get to it." But I have read good things about Audacity. Have you tried to map in external synths? How about the editing views? I really liked the simple "piano roll" view on Cakewalk.

Thanks!

If you were running Linux I would suggest LMMS "Linux multi media studio." I use that ocasionally now for projects that require synths. I had a Behringer uca222 that came bundled with a program called EnergyXT. Not even sure if you can get that anymore, but I really liked it. Looks like it is under a different group now here. It may only be available in 32 bit which is probably why I moved away from it. I see a license is 17 bucks.

 

[Happy Face]

Thank you!

 

[C.W.Wolf]

So you know, most Linux distros can be run from a usb drive so you can try them out live before installing. I have a copy of my OS on a pendrive I use for 3D and specialty work, I just boot to it when I need it. Perhaps something like this.

 

[Nuuska]

Hello

Having a decades long career of repairman of professional tape recorders and short period as recording engineer - and decades long career as FOH sound technician - one thing pops up in my mind:

Tapio Köykkä - finnish invertor - he came up with Orthoperspecta - and was talking about TIM ( Transient Intermodulation Distortion ) long time before anyone else - he asked this question about 60 years ago - and I think that question is still valid.

"Why is the sound not good although all measurement show excellence?"

His answer :

"Maybe we have not yet measured all parametres - or we might have been measuring unimportant parametres so far."

Quotes are my memories - so do not take them word to word - but the idea should be clear.



Then another point - while working at Studer-ReVox in Switzerland - the makers of worlds best tape recorders etc - I learned, that while everything was meticulously measured - nothing passed until accepted at listening test.

Please do not read this post as me trying to put you down while you're attempting to find out things by measuring them. Who knows - may be you find out something that mr Köykkä and Herr Studer never came across to.

 

[C.W.Wolf]

It is more of a curiosity to me. A lot of times I will have a passing thought or I will see something in a dream at night and just have to check it out. I actually started with the idea of checking to make sure there was no hum after I cleaned the jack. Ran the pots back and forth looking for noise, they are nice and clean but the switches are another story. Although they work correctly, they are rather noisy when you move them. I will leave that to someone else to worry about.

 

[Nuuska]

Remember - when Ovation guitars came to market they were advertised w picture of microphone and curves . . .

Some of them were actually fairly nice - good necks - tho awfull to play wo strap - kept slidind away as if they did not like you.

 

[C.W.Wolf]

A friend of mine had one. I always thought it sounded nice, but I thought it needed a pivoting harness even when you were sitting down. Tried to play it with a silk shirt, sitting on a bar stool, and that didn't go well. Saw him almost drop it several times.