Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Pleiades 8 ohm speaker to 200 ohm mic out converter for recording bass drum


It would be nice making a step up transformer for using any speaker as microphone or bass drum mic.


Any speaker is already a moving coil microphone and vice versa, (reciprocity principle).


All needed to be done is connecting a Pleiades transformer made from Magnetec Nanocrystalinne core or equivalent. A step up ratio of 5, ie secondary number of turns 5 times greater than primary will give a 5x5=25 impedance increase balanced out. So any speaker of 8 ohms will be converted to a mic capsule of 200 ohms.


The number of primary turns can be adjusted to compensate for proximity effect. The less the number of turns the higher the cutoff frequency, the brighter the sound.


The whole lot can be fitted inside the excellent Neutrik XLR modules. Therefore in the direction of signal flow, from speaker as mic to its balanced 200 ohm output we can have:


1 Speaker connecting clips, each with shielded cable.


2 Both twisted and the pair inserted in Neutrik module cable outlet (inlet in this case) CM.


3 The Neutrik NN3MXI  XLR male out threaded to CM and inside it the Magnetec 073 tape wound core. We wind some turns as primary and 5x as much as secondary, solder primary to twisted pair and secondary to XLR pins 2 and 3 and we should be ready.


A step up transformer may not even be needed as the signal may be already large. In that case the 8 ohms speaker out is connected directly to a mic input or XLR out of the Neutrik module.


If bass cut is needed to brighten the sound then a Pleiades filter (just an inductor in parallel) can be connected to cut bass. This is the same principle used on speaker crossover networks, but reciprocity wise.


A suitable Pleiades cutoff frequency filter can be selected to make an interesting vocal mic, or making an excellent mic such as an AKG D112 or D12 proximity compensated for excellent close vocal recording or live application.

Monday, April 11, 2016

Microphones singers use in the studio


Michael Jackson
Neumann U87 (TAPE OP interview with Motown chief engineer Russ Terrana (electronic engineer))
Shure SM7 (the original, not SM7B, Billie Jean etc, Bruce Swedien, Sound on Sound interview, also interview to Mitch Gallagher, sweetwater on YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ow9WWL7Jxlo)


To be continued (there is also a list of dynamic only mics used for vocals in the studio)


Sunday, April 10, 2016

PZM boundary microphones to iPad or iPhone

It may be great to use PZMs on iPad as its headphone mic input supplies a few volts which should be enough to power directly the electret mic without the need of any adaptor.


Boundary mics may be great for recording the piano and can be placed very very near to the back of the soundboard. (After watching Constantinos).

Friday, April 8, 2016

Why do orchestras have the double basses to the right? Γιατι οι ορχήστρες έχουν τα κόντρα μπάσα δεξιά;

Could it not be very right?
Μήπως δεν ειναι και πολύ σωστό;


Quantities in graphs are increasing from left to right.
Οι τιμές στις γραφικές παραστάσεις αυξάνουν απο αριστερά προς δεξιά.


So does frequency.
Το ίδιο και η συχνοτητα.


A man holds embrasing as he walks with a woman usual with his right strong hand. So the man is left with the woman on his right side.
Ένας άντρας αγκαλιάζει περπατώντας με μια γυναίκα συνήθως με το αριστερό του χέρι. Έτσι ο άντρας ειναι αριστερά με τη γυναίκα στη δεξιά του πλευρά.


The great producers and recording engineers of Fleetwood Mac have the high hat on the right channel.
Οι μεγάλοι παραγωγοί και μηχανικοί ήχου των Fleetwood Mac έχουν το high hat στο δεξί κανάλι.


So let's have double basses left, violins on the right on the amazing orchestra.
Ας έχουμε λοιπόν τα κόντρα μπάσα αριστερά και τα βιολιά δεξιά στην πανέμορφη ορχήστρα.


Like when you play the piano.
Όπως όταν παίζεις πιάνο.


Reference: Thunder - Fleetwood Mac

Γιατί Μουσικά Όργανα;


Για να κάνουμε μουσική χρειάζονται μουσικά όργανα...


Για να κάνουμε ζωγραφική χρειάζονται ζωγραφικά όργανα;


Μήπως έχει κάποιο λάκο έχει η φάβα;

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Το καλύτερο γαλακτομπουρεκο;


Στον κεντρικό δρόμο της Βάρης.


Εκεί ειναι η κυρία Γεωργία Γούλα που φτιάχνει απίστευτο γαλακτομπούρεκο με βούτυρο και όχι φυτικά λιπαρά. Έχει την όμορφη μυρωδιά του αγνού γάλατος.


Ο άντρας της, κύριος Αργυριος φτιάχνει απίστευτο γιαούρτι.


Το γαλακτοζαχαροπλαστειο ο Γουλας ειναι στην οδό Πανος 26, Διλοφο Βάρης.
Έχει και Εκμέκ, Καταιφι που ανυπομονώ να δοκιμάσω.


Neumann U47, AKG D112 and Pleiades Filters


There is some similarity to their frequency response curve.


They both start to increase above 2K to compensate for voice effort and Fletcher Munson curves.


At 6-7KHz they both drop a little.


At 10K they rise a bit again.


At 15KHz they both pass from 0dB.


Could D122 be a great candidate for male voice with a suitable Pleiades cutoff frequency as this mic does not drop below 200Hz.


This should give a flat curve (after Pleiades proximity compensation) even at below 200Hz.