Topic: Potential Service Issues with Soundfield - Problem Resolved!

[F0CKER]

I could probably be down with Portsmouth.  It should be here in 10 days......I hope.

[datbrad]

Ann Marie Calhoun(sp?) is supposed to sit in the entire show in Portsmouth. Hot Damn!!

[Gutbucket]

Been lurkin', good you got that nightmare resolved. What a PITA!

Focker did get a complete pull of DBT here in Richmond back in March off a big PA at the National, and his Soundfield was the best source to my ears of the several I heard. The ability to dial in patterns afterwards, particularly being able to go in between capsule settings, like halfway between hyper and card, for example, is a really big draw. How nice it must feel to be able to make a recording come out however you want in post by decoding the B-format into different patterns and configurations, and not having to worry about what capsules to use at the actual show. Just run the big can up in the air and hit record. Wow!

The only hangup is it's a dedicated XY config....which takes a little getting used considering I ran NOS almost exclusively for years.  But I've learned to love the sound...very natural to my ears.

I take it by dedicated XY you mean coincident patterns only and no cap spacing configs?

I'm guessing you tweak the virtual patterns to taste from the b-format master using either the outboard Soundfield box or software to dial in a stereo output to a two track file back at home?  That's gotta be cool, I'd so love to play with that.

You gotta be dying to hear some of your b-format recordings played back on a true ambisonic playback system.  I sure am.  Don't tell me you've got an ambisonic decoder and speaker setup going in your playback room! 

[boojum]

F0CKER -

Happy to see that SF came through for you.  It is a good thing you didn't fire bomb their asses.  LOL  SF might just want to review their customer support procedures so this does not happen again.  It got a lot of play here.  And I doubt that there will be lots of folks looking for this kind of hardware, many will remember the story and share it with others.  I hope that they add that the problem was eventually corrected to your satisfaction. 

Cheers

[F0CKER]

I take it by dedicated XY you mean coincident patterns only and no cap spacing configs?

I'm guessing you tweak the virtual patterns to taste from the b-format master using either the outboard Soundfield box or software to dial in a stereo output to a two track file back at home?  That's gotta be cool, I'd so love to play with that.

You gotta be dying to hear some of your b-format recordings played back on a true ambisonic playback system.  I sure am.  Don't tell me you've got an ambisonic decoder and speaker setup going in your playback room! 

Correct on the XY.

I use SF's proprietary software in as a plugin for Nuendo.  It's fun to play with, defintiely but also a pain as I have a hard time settling on one pattern vs another.  Sometimes it's hard to choose.  but I keep all the original b format recordings just in case I want to go back.

I don't have a 5.1 setup right now, but it's in the works eventually.  It would be silly to not try it with this setup.

[F0CKER]

F0CKER -

Happy to see that SF came through for you.  It is a good thing you didn't fire bomb their asses.  LOL  SF might just want to review their customer support procedures so this does not happen again.  It got a lot of play here.  And I doubt that there will be lots of folks looking for this kind of hardware, many will remember the story and share it with others.  I hope that they add that the problem was eventually corrected to your satisfaction. 

Cheers

Cheers!  Im still not out of the woods, I mean there is the off chance this demo unit fails and it's something we haven't identified.  But given I was 2 for 2 two weekends ago, I feel pretty good.

Thanks for all the feedback everyone!

I'll keep updating this as more unfolds.

[yug du nord]

Now I can change my avatar back.
 

I don't know...  rumor has it...  that once you go Wiggum, you never go back!!!   

[Gutbucket]

I use SF's proprietary software in as a plugin for Nuendo.  It's fun to play with, defintiely but also a pain as I have a hard time settling on one pattern vs another.  Sometimes it's hard to choose. 

I hear that. I have a hard enough time just deciding if a little eq'ing is an appropriate improvement and how much to use.

I don't have a 5.1 setup right now, but it's in the works eventually.  It would be silly to not try it with this setup.

I imagine the SF plugin allows for 5.1 output similar to doing stereo output - select the patterns, maybe rolloff and a delay option for the rears.  Probably sounds amazing.. but as you say for stereo, that's even more tweakage to decide on.  What I was referring to is true ambisonic playback where you playback the straight b-format material and recreate the soundfield at the center of the room in all 3 dimensions without having to make any playback or mic pattern decisions which requires realtime ambisonic decoding that corresponds to a geometric arrangement of 4, 6, 8, or 10+ speakers.

It's sort of the playback equivalent of a stereo mic vs the Sound Field b-format mic on the recording side, and the original reason the soundfield mic technology was developed.  All designed from Michael Gerzon's ambisonic mathematics theory -vs- the movie theater based 'just put some speakers in the back for the effects and one in the center for dialog' non-scientific backed origin of the 5.1 standard.  I'd love to hear it someday, but can't imagine ever finding the opportunity.  Fascinating stuff though.

[F0CKER]

ahhh gotcha....no I haven't even entertained going down that road yet.   I still need to getr my 2 channel playback where I want it first.

[Gutbucket]

Yeah me too.  Same priorities though.. capture it now and you can always listen better later.

[F0CKER]

Well, my gear is scheduled to arrive tomorrow....I shipped it to them in May.  I've very excited right now.  It's like my gear went on summer break and never wrote.


Perfect timing too.  Next week I've got Wilco, 2 Lucero shows, and Josh Clark / Turbine in NYC.  Hopefully I go 5 for 5 and will let y'all know for sure.  Because I know you're all on the edge of your seats.

[datbrad]

Maybe you should go on the wagon for that run, just in case. 

[todd e]

Well, my gear is scheduled to arrive tomorrow....I shipped it to them in May.  I've very excited right now.  It's like my gear went on summer break and never wrote.


Perfect timing too.  Next week I've got Wilco, 2 Lucero shows, and Josh Clark / Turbine in NYC.  Hopefully I go 5 for 5 and will let y'all know for sure.  Because I know you're all on the edge of your seats.

5 for 5, good LUCK!  focker on the wagon, yeah right.  cheers

just caught up on this thread.  weird SD acted that way.  we 'demo'ed' a st250 for about 2months and they never cared or even called.  when they did call, it was simply to ask us to send the unit to NASA. 

[F0CKER]

Maybe you should go on the wagon for that run, just in case. 

Only if it's a wagon full of miller lite.  Otherwise I don't like wagons.

[F0CKER]

we 'demo'ed' a st250 for about 2months and they never cared or even called.  when they did call, it was simply to ask us to send the unit to NASA. 

I wonder how fast they would've replaced it for NASA. 

mmm yeah we need to tape something on Mars.  We need an ambisonic, we'll send the space shuttle right over to pick it up.