posted in ask the tapers because the problem could be anywhere...
to quote elton john, the bitch is back. actually, it turns out the malignant cunt never left. for some bloody reason, all my tapes have the same "crackling" sound i described
here (please read) even after i replaced my modSBM-1 with sparge master's. it's happened with multiple borrowed schoeps rigs and my own dpa 4061 setup and i am past the point of anger, i've just lost all faith in my gear and cringe and apologize to myself whenever i pop in one of my recordings. that is no way to tape. the last tape i made that i am actually mostly happy with is the abloom/soil/static-x from july of last year - and that was using the d8's a/d! i'm so sick of having flawed tapes and i want to get this problem fixed once and for fuckin' all before i move to denmark next year for a study abroad program. i can't very well blow away all the loser european stealthers (sorry guys, i have never heard a decent stealth audience tape come out of your continent besides tool 06-23-01 and that's not without its gaping flaws - you all need to get with the program, ditch your shitty sony ECMs, minidisc recorders, and poor technique and make your german, austrian, and danish mic manufacturers proud) if there's some flawed stage in my setup!
i've spent some time to give everyone a detailed description of my entire setup from mic to ear, including gear origins and powering options. if there are any details i left out or you'd like to know, give me a holler and i'll post them. i'm really at a loss as to what to do now besides buy my own full schoeps rig and a known-good DAT and i don't have the money for that.
the way i see it, the only pieces that could possibly be causing the noise are the MPS-6010 or the D8... and i have no fucking idea how the d8 could cause what sounds like a distinctly analog noise in select frequencies consistently.
i posted three FLAC samples because that's all the room i have. any and all input is more than appreciated. i thank you all from the bottom of my cold, black heart.
armen
p.s. gotta run - i'm late for a birthday bonfire at the beach. time to ditch my bummed-outedness for a few hours.
p.p.s. yes, i just broke the news that i'm going to denmark next year!
p.p.p.s. listen to those samples, especially the SOAD, and you'll understand why i'm itching to fix this problem.
RECORDING COMPONENTSDPA 4061s- purchased new from sonic sense in february 2003
- powered by MPS-6010 using the stock microdot connectors
DPA MPS-6010- purchased new from sonic sense in february 2003
- powered by alkaline 9Vs. the current duracell procell and other 9Vs have been in there since last year
- modified to include a switchable high-pass filter (-6 dB/octave, filter knee at 85 Hz) and second output (a stereo mini jack calibrated for Sony line inputs, particularly the SBM-1) in October 2003. the filter uses DIP switches placed in the battery compartment and is switchable between each channel of each output - four switches used in a bank of 5
interconnect: male RA stereo mini > 2 male RCA- custom-built using mogami cable by leegeddy in november 2004 after a kindkable took a fat shit on me in september during a ministry show. i'm still pissed about that one
Oade modSBM-1- purchased used from S_TL-taper in, i believe, august 2004
- powered by alkaline AAs, Powerex 2200 mAH rechargeables, or Lenmar 2450 mAH rechargeables
- identified (somewhat incorrectly? not sure any more) as the culprit of the SAME "crackling" noise i still hear in my tapes
- most tapes i've made with it, including the first (ozzfest 2004 using borrowed MK4s > custom actives > nbox > this new modsbm-1 > my d8), have this guitar "crackling" characteristic. i can't hear it on some tapes
Sony TCD-D8- purchased used from ian stone in august 2003
- powered by alkaline AAs, Powerex 2200 mAH rechargeables, or Lenmar 2450 mAH rechargeables
- cleaning tape run approximately every 7-10 shows, or around every 20 hours of recording
- wet cleaned once by me sometime last year using the proper materials
TRANSFERRING COMPONENTSTascam DA-30- borrowed, brand new out of box, from do.com
Tascam DA-20- borrowed, used from eBay, from schwilly
Radio Shack 20' digital coaxial cableWaveterminal 2496- purchased used from a ts.com member in nyc named mike, i believe
Wavelab 4.0 and Sound Forge 7.0PLAYBACK COMPONENTSDenon AVR-1603- purchased used from MattD in february 2004
Canare Speaker Cable- speakers purchased new from an online retailer in february 2004
- attached to posts with bare wire
B&W DM302sSony MDR-7506s- purchased new in august 2003
- i have been known to crank them up to deafening levels VERY occasionally. i usually care for them and my ears quite well. i fear tinnitus like the plague.