Company Pioneer presented new model of its headphones SE-MJ502T – device with 40 mm membranes, 11 Hz – 24 kHz reproducible sounds frequencies range, microphone and closed-back architecture. Their sensitivity is 103 dB, impedance is 32 Ohms, max input power is 500 mW and mass is 104 g ( without wire accounting ). Cable is attached to both cups and has 1.2 m length, in its volume control module microphone and smartphones control buttons are built in, it is connected to sound source via 1/8″ mini jack gold-plated connector. They are supplied in 2 colors variants : black and white, with Pioneer SE-MJ502T headphones themselves package contains : adapter to 1/4″ jack plug, warranty card and user’s guide. All in all, Pioneer created good device with high characteristics, there is ability to anticipate, that it will not overprice its production, as well as some other headphones manufacturers do.
Among audio interfaces of new generation there are devices, working through Thunderbolt connection, for example, Focusrite Clarett 2Pre – interface with 192 kHz, 24 bits and dynamic range up to 119 dB. Thunderbolt – is a new connection standard, developed by Intel company and giving throughput 20 Gbits/s, thereby it releases limits of USB 2.0 connection on channels amount, sampling rate and precision per sample. On frontal panel there are : 2 combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack connectors with gain control knobs with back light and instrumental Hi-Z work mode, AIR function and phantom power +48 V switches with indicators for both of them; main outputs volume control knob; power, Thunderbolt connection and device blocking indicators; and TRS 1/4″ jack monitor headphones output with volume control. On back panel there are : power button, power adapter input, Thunderbolt input, optical digital input, MIDI input and output and 4 linear TRS 1/4″ jack analogue balanced outputs.
Thunderbolt audio interface Focusrite Clarett 2Pre ( back panel )
Inputs of Focusrite Clarett 2Pre in microphone mode have following characteristics : THD+N 0.001 % and noise level -128 dB; in linear : THD+N 0.001 % and dynamic range 118 dB; in instrumental : THD+N 0.001 % and dynamic range 116 dB. Linear outputs : THD+N 0.0007 % and dynamic range 119 dB, monitor headphones output : THD+N 0.0008 % and dynamic range 116 dB. With it following are supplied : Focusrite Control mixer, VST plugins Softube Time and Tone Bundle, TSAR-1R Reverb, Tube Delay and Saturation Knob and AAX, AU and VSTRed 2 and Red 3 plugins. Currently device works only in Mac OS X 10.9 and newer, manufacturer promises support of Windows in near time, in Apple‘s OS it works with support of Core Audio interface, via which it can interact with modern DAWs : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others. Its body is made from aluminum with beautiful scarlet color.
Package contains : Thunderbolt audio interface Focusrite Clarett 2Pre itself, warranty card and user’s guide; Thunderbolt cable should be bought separately. All in all interface is good, provides high dynamic range of digital to analogue and analogue to digital conversions and small THD+N level; from the other side : in 2 inputs audio interfaces class there are great USB devices ( of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite itself, Roland, ESI, M-Audio and other manufacturers production ), which handle their tasks, work in Windows and cost less. So in entry-level audio interfaces class it is better to buy USB devices and look on Thunderbolt interfaces only in classes of middle and large devices.
Company Pioneer continues to rejoice with great headphones and presents SE-MJ522T – 40 mm monitor headphones with 10 Hz – 28 kHz reproducible sounds frequencies, microphone and closed back architecture. Their sensitivity is 105 dB, impedance is 32 Ohms, maximal input power 1000 mW and mass is 105 g ( these are light headphones ). To both cups 1.2 m cable is connected with microphone and smartphones control buttons, placed in volume control module, and 1/8″ mini jack gold-plated connector. Package contains : Pioneer SE-MJ522T headphones themselves, adapter to 1/4″ jack plug, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are great, they have large diaphragms, very wide frequencies range and good other characteristics, wherein they cost around 20 USD : all in all Pioneer is one the top and does not overprice its devices, as well as some other headphones manufacturers do.
Into the West ( The Lord of the Rings ) in DAW REAPER
… What can you see On the horizon? Why do the white gulls call? Across the sea A pale moon rises The ships have come to carry you home …
Today we will talk about creation of variation of composition Into the West from The Lord of the Rings film in DAWREAPER. In addition to already confortable FM synthesis and effects we will use VST instruments MDA Piano and DSK Strings and compressor to keep in control dynamic range of main instrument. I took MIDI notes from Internet, thank you goes to their original author; in them there are 13 tracks, with simple MIDI instruments everything sounds more or less good, but with rich in frequencies and movement sounds of DAW there is a mess, so I left only 6 of them. Among them there are : 2 plucked strings instruments ( hybrid synthesizer Xenobioz Funxion with preset Pianoid VeloSens and reverberation effect and it again with Muted String preset and reverberation ); 1 atmospheric and basses instrument ( Xenobioz Funxion + modified preset Flute and DSK Strings with preset Simply Viola, to both of them I applied reverberation, this way one composite sound is produced and it them reflects in the hall, and phaser ); 1 piano ( MDA Piano + preset School Piano + reverberation ); 1 basses instrument ( DSK Strings + Simply Viola + reverberation ); and 1 singing instrument ( Xenobioz Funxion + modified preset Royal + reverberation ). Via this link you can download completed composition in FLAC format and archive with project file and sounds : Into the West ( The Lord of the Rings ) in DAW REAPER.
Instruments MDA Piano and DSK Strings in DAW REAPER
DSK Strings generates sound from recorded instruments samples; reverberation is implemented in it in not a best way : when notes are ended and at rapid start of next ones, reverberation does not completes in time and is interrupted with new notes beginning, this creates hearable noise and clips, so it is better to disable built-in reverberation in DSK Strings and use external effect for this. MDA Piano synthesizes sound via FM synthesis, MDA also has VST instruments ePiano and DX10 Synth, which create interesting sounds as well. For reverberation and phaser effects I used VST plugins, which come with ESI sound card : I like them more, there is ability to use built-in in REAPER effects instead of them or download from Internet VST plugins and experiment with their controls.
Compressor in DAW REAPER
I did not used drums in this project, because they do not fit to this composition : it is ready and completed without them and they are excessive in it. Also I did not used tracks automation, because it is not needed. Main singing instrument has on 1 – 2 kHz frequencies sounds, which are far too loud, than other sounds, on some notes and start to cut hearing with their loudness; equalizer without automation does not fit well to them, because volume of these sounds is decreased with it in areas, where they are not on the peak. So, I used compressor to them with settings, allowing it to smoothly decrease volume of the peaks and not touch other places of instrument’s playing; all in all it worked out good.
Hybrud VST synthesizer Funxion in DAW REAPER
Then experimenting with balance of instruments volumes, so that they play in symphony and does not try to silence each other, than another small amount of strokes and tweaks and composition sounds, with subwoofer or multi-band speakers or headphones it should be completely good. That is all for today, if you have any questions, then ask them in comments to article. I already know which composition I’ll create next time, see you in the broadcast.
One of the most functional audio interfaces of company Roland is a USB dvice STUDIO-CAPTURE : professional studio interface with support of 192 kHz and 24 bits work mode, 16 inputs, 10 outputs and 12 VS PREAMPs. On its frontal panel there are : 4 combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack inputs ( 1 and 2 are instrumental Hi-Z inputs ), state indicators of all 16 inputs of interface with control buttons; preamplifiers control block, consisting of gain control knob and buttons for control of phase, LoCut filter, Auto-SENS function and phantom power +48 V enabling for microphone inputs; compressor control block with enabling button, Threshold setting knob and activity indicator; Direct Monitor control block with enabling button and volume control; 2 TRS 1/4″ jack outputs for monitor headphones and their volume control knobs; display with device’s parameters, buttons for menu control, Direct Monitor volumes indicators and power button. On back panel there are : power adapter input, USB Type-B port for connection with computer, MIDI input and output, coaxial digital RCA input and output, 8 TRS 1/4″ jack balanced linear outputs, monitor XLR outputs ( left and right ) with volume control enabling button, ground connector, 4 TRS 1/4″ jack inputs and 8 additional combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack inputs. All inputs of device are balanced, it is powered from power adapter.
USB audio interface Roland STUDIO-CAPTURE ( back panel )
Noise level of Roland STUDIO-CAPTURE when inputs and outputs are connected is -90 dB, dynamic range of analogue to digital conversion is 105 dB, digital to analogue : 114 dB, these are good characteristics for audio interfaces. Device draws maximum 1.6 A current, for it drivers are released for Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X with support of ASIO 2.0 and Core Audio interfaces, accordingly, which allow it to work with DAWs : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others. Device’s sizes are 284 ( width ) x 162 ( depth ) x 89 ( height ) mm and mass is 1.9 kg, its body is made from aluminum.
Package contains : Roland STUDIO-CAPTURE audio interface itself, USB cable, power adapter, CD-ROM disk with drivers, 2 rack mount angles, warranty card and user’s guides. Interface is very good and functional and delivers for studio all necessary connectors and functions with high components quality; there is also ability to look on top-level devices of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite, Roland itself, ESI, M-Audio and other manufacturers production; for small studios there is no need in such amount of connectors and there is ability to buy audio interfaces of these manufacturers with smaller amount of them for smaller price.
Yesterday I rode to concert Pincode Ensemble in CK Ural, Spring is coming and on the streets it is again becoming warm enough for long-distance rides, soon at night times it will be not so cold and there will be ability to ride to mountains in the forest. Pincode Ensemble consists from Different Orchestra musicians and was created in 2012 year. I wished to come at 7 sharp, to prepare before performance, took with me hardware for high-quality audio recording, but winter makes its own adjustments into riding speeds, in result I canceled part of other businesses to not miss concert completely, and arrived only to its second part. I did not prepared hardware in the hall to not disturb musicians and other listeners and only recorded video. Concert was interesting, music beautiful, it is good to visit such events periodically. Tomorrow I’ll upload 1 more video.
Then small ride through pre-nighttime city after concert and 40 km of Polevskoy highway; 3/4 of a path I rode without a problems, stopping only periodically to walk and let legs’ fingers move actively and warm blood to run through them freely to heat them slightly up. During one of these walkings ( at 1 or 2 hours of night under Moon, looking through the haze of clouds ) car stopped nearby : “Did you broke something?” – “No, I walk and rest,” – “A, I thought you broke something,” – “No, everything is alright,” – I raised my hand, to say good bye : “Ok, good bye,” – human turned around and rode back to Polevskoy ( :-) , what impressed him so much, that he decided to not ride into Yekaterinburg? ); I rode and walked further home. Closer to Polevskoy I did not froze and did not tired, but brain started to sleep already, to not fall down from the bicycle, I stopped a couple of times and slept for a while on the handlebar, then walked and rode further; already nearing the city, I almost slept above the handle bar : it is interesting to be able to sleep, riding the bicycle, this is like dolphins do : part of a brain sleeps and part is working, higher cognitive functions almost sleep, organism by itself keeps a balance and rotates pedals, brain through the half closed eyes turns around obstacles and chooses road to home; that is good, that there is almost no cars at night time on the road. Closer to 3 hours of night I arrived to home, drank some tea, ate food and went to sleep.
The Spring is coming, give a road to her, She is at the doorstep already. Flowering and blossoming everything is . The time have come to live, to love, to blossom and To smell.
Company Xiaomi presented new in-ear headphones Hybrid Dual Drivers, containing 2 types of drivers in each cup : dynamical and 2 armature ones, for more uniform playing of sounds of different frequencies, and supporting playback of 20 Hz – 20 kHz audio. Their sensitivity is 101 dB and impedance is 32 Ohms; to both cups 1.25 m cable is mounted with 1/8″ mini jack connector and microphone and smartphones control buttons in volume control module. Device’s mass is 14 g; package contains : Xiaomi Hybrid Dual Drivers headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide. Headphones are quite good, with 2 types of drivers in each cup for more even amplitude and frequency characteristics, wherein their price is around 14 USD, which is quite good for their functions; also, for the same amount of money in-ear and entry-level over ear headphones of other manufacturers can be bought.
Lets create today Rave variation of La Marseilleise in DAWREAPER, using the same FM synthesis, effects and tracks automation. MIDI notes I downloaded from Internet, thank you goes to their author; then added to basses accords, so that they’ll sound better and richer, for them I used preset Pentagon of hybrid synthesizer Xenobioz Funxion with effect phaser. For melody I created a couple of instruments and added to all of them small reverberation effect : first one, looking like “Non, je ne regrette rien …” ( Xenobioz Funxion preset Phonetic2 ); other one looking like tensioned string, which is plucked by one hand and being hold by the other, so that sound is short and completes fast ( Xenobioz Funxion preset Muted String ); and third one, sounding like lite electro-guitar ( Xenobioz Funxion preset Uranium ). Via this link there is ability to download completed composition in form of FLAC file and archive with project file and sounds : Rave La Marseilleise in DAW REAPER.
Hybrid VST synthesizer Funxion in DAW REAPER
Then I balanced instruments volumes, so that they’ll not try to silence each other and ‘ll not fight for the first place in composition, but played together; and added to it hasteless drums rhythm of drums and hi-hats, which plays in harmony with basses; added small amount of syncopation. Then I applied tracks volume automation, so that tracks would start and complete smoothly, without abrupt volume changes. Some amount of final strokes and tweaks and composition is ready. If you have any questions, then ask them in comments to the article, I already know which composition variation I’ll create next time, see you there!
Another one novelty of Philips company among dynamic headphones is an in-ear devices SHE3205 with 14.2 mm membranes, neodymium magnets, 8 Hz – 24 kHz sounds frequencies and open acoustic architecture. Their impedance is 32 Ohms, maximal input power 30 mW and 107 dB sensitivity. To both cups 1 m not detachable cable is mounted with 1/8″ mini jack plug with nickel-plated contacts for connection to sound source, in its volume control unit microphone and smartphones control button are built-in.
Cups of Philips SHE3205 are created with accounting of anatomy of humans ears, which provides their comfortable and tide placement in ears. In each cup there is only 1 driver, in places of mounting to tips cable is additionally reinforced with resin tubes for increased wear resistance and durability during bending and tear-off forces application. They have no active noise cancellation function, as some monitor headphones have; device is released only in black, white and blue color variants. Package contains : Philips SHE3205 headphones themselves, warranty card and user’s guide.
Headphones are good with large membranes, neodymium magnets and wide frequencies range; probably, Philips will not rise their price too much, but there is need to wait for their appearance in shops to tell for sure : whether they are worth buying or it is worth to look on headphones of other types or manufacturers. At the beginning of August of 2016 year they cost around 22 USD – which is an adequate price for them, however for approximately the same or close money there is ability to buy 40 mm monitor headphones, providing much better sounds frequencies reproduction quality, especially basses; adding acceptable amount of money more, there is ability to buy 50 mm monitor headphones, which are even better in this respect. So, if from device compactness and lightness are not needed, then there is ability to look on this type of headphones.
Philips – is a company, which were founded in Dutch in 1891 year; now it has 3 large subdivisions, which develop and produce : consumer electronics, medical equipment and lighting devices. At current moment this is one of the largest companies – producers of electronics, in which around 105000 people work in 60 countries of the world. In electronics area it produces wide range of devices : from kitchen appliances to headphones and smartphones. Philips is notable for producing quality devices, providing proper technical information about them without using of large amounts of psychological marketing and for setting of optimal prices for its goods.
Among M-Audio MIDI keyboards there are very little devices, for example, Keystation Mini 32 – keyboard with 32 velocity sensitive keys, powering from USB and good set of controls. Among them : volume control knob, buttons Sustain, edit, octaves control ( they can be programmed for other uses ) and modulation and pitch control. On its side there is Mini USB port for connection to computer and powering. Device works in Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 and Mac OS X without additional drivers and allows to record MIDI notes in DAW ( Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others ) and control VST instruments and effects. Its sizes are 418 ( width ) x 105 ( depth ) x 19.8 ( height ) mm and mass is 0.45 kg. MIDI keyboard M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 ( top view )
M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 can be connected to iOS devices via additional Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit. With it AIR Music Technology Ignite, 275 instruments’ sounds and DAWAbleton Live Lite are supplied. Package contains : M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 keyboard itself, USB cable, disks with programs, warranty card and user’s guide. MIDI keyboard is good : has 32 keys, compact sizes with powering only from USB connection and good set of controls; there is ability to wish for modulation and pitch bend wheels, instead of buttons, drumpads and larger set of controls, however this will dissonate with its compactness. Also it worth noting, that for the same amount of money there is ability to buy larger and more functional MIDI keyboards, including ones with powering from adapter for work with tablet PCs; so, here is the choice between compactness and functionality.
