I’ve been trying to gather some information, both here and elsewhere, to better understand how to get the most out of my SC99/VC200 (recently acquired used). Apologies if I've overlooked where any of this has been previously discussed.
No surprise, I’ve experienced some blown fuses and wasted acetates during my early cuts and obviously want to minimize these mistakes while still achieving a maximum cutting volume.
I started by avoiding all peaks over 0db as recommended, but I know these cuts aren’t quite as loud as plates I’ve had cut by Kim Gutzke. I know I personally can’t hear much if anything above 15k. How many more dbs can I squeeze out of a cut by rolling off frequencies above 15k? Some plates Kim did for me seemed to be at least 2 if not 3 db louder than what I’ve been able to achieve without any eq. (The VC200 doesn’t have any built-in h.f. rolloff does it?)
I’m also generally interested to get a better understanding of the factors that lead to these blown fuses – I understand the principle that signals with high frequency require more power to accelerate and move mass (stylus) quickly, but what about the hardness/density of the material being cut - how does it affect the likelihood of a fuse blowing, ie, does cutting harder material cause a cutterhead to draw more power and push closer to the fuse limit?
Does the depth of the cut affect the amount of current needed and likelihood that a fuse will blow? I’m imagining that the energy required to move the stylus through a given volume of material increases when you cut at greater depth. I don’t have a diamond yet, so I don’t know what I’ll run into when I get one and try polycarbonate cuts.
Do higher temperatures in the cutting material allow for higher cutting levels by reducing the hardness of the material? I understand that part of the motivation for heating is to reduce noise, but what about achieving more volume/louder cut?
Factors affecting max cutting levels, etc.
Moderators: piaptk, tragwag, Steve E., Aussie0zborn
I suggest that everyone interested in cutting purchase the AES anthology DISK RECORDING VOL.1: GROOVE GEOMETRY AND THE RECORDING PROCESS.
http://www.aes.org/publications/anthologies/
It is only $40. It gives you such a solid ground to stand with respect to cutting. And, you will likely learn a lot that will help you to avoid damaging your equipment. The Vinyllium system is good for novices because it is like an Apple computer. A lot of stuff is setup and ready to go for the user. Many processes are boiled down and there is very little one has to do to make cuts. However, you can still fuck up your gear or blow your cutterhead (a very expensive mistake). Fuses are great and all, but sometimes there are surges that will happen so fast and strong that the damage is done before the fuse even pops.
Did you get a manual for your Kingston Dubplate cutter? If not get the pdf here. http://www.sendspace.com/file/7lhz6l
A lathe can handle signal above 0db. In a VMS system you use Helium to cool the cutterhead while in operation. Cutting above 0db means excessive heat in the cutterhead. Without the cooling system you would damage the head over time. So, that is why Vinyliums says don't cut over 0db since they did not implement a head cooling system. And, no you could not add this to you cutterhead. The reason you have heard louder cuts is because they were likely made on a professional system and not a mid range system like the one you have. Yes, I know it cost $10K but it does have limitations that others systems don't. Seems that your friend Kim either has a better system or has learned how to mod their system to get louder cuts without risking damage to the cutterhead.
Yes, your VC200 rack has a roll off at both the high end and the low end. I think the high end rolloff starts at 20Khz. It is a user adjustable setting. Read the manual. Also, I believe the low cutoff is at 30hz. Also, anything below 300hz is made to be in phase. If you cut out of phase material at 300hz or below you would be creating ramps in the groove that a playback stylus would happily ride and jump up off of thus creating a skip in playback. So, to avoid this an eliptical eq is applied to anything below 300hz to insure in phase bass frequencies.
My guess is that you blew fuses because you don't have a DeEsser. You need to process your audio either via a plugin or rack mount that will restrict sustained high pitch frequencies. No cutterhead in the world can sustain high pitch frequencies indefinately. You will smoke your head (about a $4K to $5K repair). You are very lucky that you only blew a fuse... I would suggest that you do some study before firing up your cutter again. Which fuse keeps blowing? Look it up in the manual so you know what the function of that particular fuse is. That would help you determine what the cause of the fuse failure was.
If you are currently cutting lacquers (and by your post it seems you are since you don't have a diamond stylus) then I have no idea what you mean with respect to "harder material". Lacquers are the softest material you can cut into. That is why you only get about 40 - 50 plays without degredation of high ends. The density of the lacquer is not the cause of your blown fuse. If that were the case then no one would have a working Vinylium system. Two suggestions however. One, you can mod your system so that you send a small amount of current to the cutterhead over a wire and your connect it to the NiChrome wires that hang off your sapphire stylus. The current simply heats the stylus. This allows it to cut through material like butter. Alternately, you can use a low wattage light bulb to heat up the lacquer or polycarbonate before cutting. A lot of people use the heat lamp approach with the Vinylium system. A professional lathe would have a heated stylus.
Regarding the depth of a groove. It doesn't take that much force to cut a groove. Certainly not enough to blow a fuse. An unmodulated groove (groove with no audio) is about 2 mils. A mil is 1/1000 of an inch. A groove at peak volume is about 7 mils. You could easily dig a groove out of a lacquer with your fingernail that was well in excess of 7 mils (even down to the metal substrate) with hardly any effort. So, very probably not the source of your problem.
Sound waves have two components. Frequency and amplitude. The higher the amplitude the higher the percieved volume. So, the more the cutterhead moves up/down or left/right the more intense the audio is. The playback stylus will then move drastically left/right and up/down and will produce a more intense tone. Cutterheads are made to cut the signal you give it. So, if you want more volume you have to supply a more intense signal to the cutterhead. Heat has little to do with it. You are correct that heating will reduce surface noise because the stylus can form nice grooves with heat and the burnishing facets on the stylus can actually polish the inside of the cut groove better with heat. But, heat will in no way affect how much force the pistons in the cutterhead can produce. That is a function of the head and the music being cut.
It really sounds to me like someone had a failing Vinylium system and they sold it to you. If you keep blowing fuses send the amp rack to Vinylium for service. You absolutely do not want what comes next which is blowing your cutterhead...
Best of luck to you,
Opcode66
http://www.aes.org/publications/anthologies/
It is only $40. It gives you such a solid ground to stand with respect to cutting. And, you will likely learn a lot that will help you to avoid damaging your equipment. The Vinyllium system is good for novices because it is like an Apple computer. A lot of stuff is setup and ready to go for the user. Many processes are boiled down and there is very little one has to do to make cuts. However, you can still fuck up your gear or blow your cutterhead (a very expensive mistake). Fuses are great and all, but sometimes there are surges that will happen so fast and strong that the damage is done before the fuse even pops.
Did you get a manual for your Kingston Dubplate cutter? If not get the pdf here. http://www.sendspace.com/file/7lhz6l
A lathe can handle signal above 0db. In a VMS system you use Helium to cool the cutterhead while in operation. Cutting above 0db means excessive heat in the cutterhead. Without the cooling system you would damage the head over time. So, that is why Vinyliums says don't cut over 0db since they did not implement a head cooling system. And, no you could not add this to you cutterhead. The reason you have heard louder cuts is because they were likely made on a professional system and not a mid range system like the one you have. Yes, I know it cost $10K but it does have limitations that others systems don't. Seems that your friend Kim either has a better system or has learned how to mod their system to get louder cuts without risking damage to the cutterhead.
Yes, your VC200 rack has a roll off at both the high end and the low end. I think the high end rolloff starts at 20Khz. It is a user adjustable setting. Read the manual. Also, I believe the low cutoff is at 30hz. Also, anything below 300hz is made to be in phase. If you cut out of phase material at 300hz or below you would be creating ramps in the groove that a playback stylus would happily ride and jump up off of thus creating a skip in playback. So, to avoid this an eliptical eq is applied to anything below 300hz to insure in phase bass frequencies.
My guess is that you blew fuses because you don't have a DeEsser. You need to process your audio either via a plugin or rack mount that will restrict sustained high pitch frequencies. No cutterhead in the world can sustain high pitch frequencies indefinately. You will smoke your head (about a $4K to $5K repair). You are very lucky that you only blew a fuse... I would suggest that you do some study before firing up your cutter again. Which fuse keeps blowing? Look it up in the manual so you know what the function of that particular fuse is. That would help you determine what the cause of the fuse failure was.
If you are currently cutting lacquers (and by your post it seems you are since you don't have a diamond stylus) then I have no idea what you mean with respect to "harder material". Lacquers are the softest material you can cut into. That is why you only get about 40 - 50 plays without degredation of high ends. The density of the lacquer is not the cause of your blown fuse. If that were the case then no one would have a working Vinylium system. Two suggestions however. One, you can mod your system so that you send a small amount of current to the cutterhead over a wire and your connect it to the NiChrome wires that hang off your sapphire stylus. The current simply heats the stylus. This allows it to cut through material like butter. Alternately, you can use a low wattage light bulb to heat up the lacquer or polycarbonate before cutting. A lot of people use the heat lamp approach with the Vinylium system. A professional lathe would have a heated stylus.
Regarding the depth of a groove. It doesn't take that much force to cut a groove. Certainly not enough to blow a fuse. An unmodulated groove (groove with no audio) is about 2 mils. A mil is 1/1000 of an inch. A groove at peak volume is about 7 mils. You could easily dig a groove out of a lacquer with your fingernail that was well in excess of 7 mils (even down to the metal substrate) with hardly any effort. So, very probably not the source of your problem.
Sound waves have two components. Frequency and amplitude. The higher the amplitude the higher the percieved volume. So, the more the cutterhead moves up/down or left/right the more intense the audio is. The playback stylus will then move drastically left/right and up/down and will produce a more intense tone. Cutterheads are made to cut the signal you give it. So, if you want more volume you have to supply a more intense signal to the cutterhead. Heat has little to do with it. You are correct that heating will reduce surface noise because the stylus can form nice grooves with heat and the burnishing facets on the stylus can actually polish the inside of the cut groove better with heat. But, heat will in no way affect how much force the pistons in the cutterhead can produce. That is a function of the head and the music being cut.
It really sounds to me like someone had a failing Vinylium system and they sold it to you. If you keep blowing fuses send the amp rack to Vinylium for service. You absolutely do not want what comes next which is blowing your cutterhead...
Best of luck to you,
Opcode66
Last edited by opcode66 on Wed Oct 20, 2010 5:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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dietrich10
- Posts: 841
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- Location: usa
- Contact:
I think you misunderstand. I'm not trying to be nasty. I'm only trying to convey how important it is to know what you are doing with equipment this delicate.
Honestly, I'm only trying to help this guy keep from smoking his cutterhead. Damaged gear sucks for anyone.
You wouldn't buy a Farari without having learned to drive stick right?
Let me apologize right now. Sorry for coming off that way. I'm only trying to be helpful here brothers.
Besides if I really wanted to be a jerk I wouldn't have even bothered to respond. Not very many people take the time to write clear and informative replies like I do. And some answers are about one sentance in length. I am trying very hard to be a useful member of this board and community.
Take Care,
Opcode66
Honestly, I'm only trying to help this guy keep from smoking his cutterhead. Damaged gear sucks for anyone.
You wouldn't buy a Farari without having learned to drive stick right?
Let me apologize right now. Sorry for coming off that way. I'm only trying to be helpful here brothers.
Besides if I really wanted to be a jerk I wouldn't have even bothered to respond. Not very many people take the time to write clear and informative replies like I do. And some answers are about one sentance in length. I am trying very hard to be a useful member of this board and community.
Take Care,
Opcode66
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blacknwhite
- Posts: 483
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- Location: US
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blacknwhite
- Posts: 483
- Joined: Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:57 am
- Location: US
Agreed! And, Thanks for thatopcode66 wrote:Ok. Seriously though, I was only trying to keep this guy from blowing his head. It is a mistake a lot of new cutters have made. It is a mistake that even knowledgeable cutters have made. It would be darn shame for someone to blow their head become discouraged without really even getting started.
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dietrich10
- Posts: 841
- Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2008 2:18 pm
- Location: usa
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opcode, thanks for the response. surprised to get home and see this many comments. if you edited your original post, you did a good job of toning it down, although you should send me the raw version, please, and i'll be the judge of whether or not you're a douchebag. univox, thanks for jumping in too!
opcode, if you had supplied good information with attitude, i wouldn't care. i live in new york for christ's sake. i'm new to this and bound to say/write something that someone will react to negatively.
and naturally i appreciate anything that prevents me from damaging my gear and anything that helps me get the most out of it.
now, on with the show: no, i am not REGULARLY blowing fuses. I had no problems until i tried to cut one particular piece, a super-punchy early 80s reggae recording from a master reel, and i might have tried to hit +1 or +2, maybe a stupid thing to do (figuring fuses are cheap), but i tried a couple times and blew the left fuse on 2 consecutive (stubborn) attempts, progressively backing the levels down slightly. 3rd attempt actually blew both. 4th attempt on a new plate and everything was fine again when peaking at 0. (by "punchy," above, i mean the recording engineer had used some compression or something that made the drums sound like they are smacking you in the face).
the recording in question very definitely needed de-essing, now that you mention it. on one failed cut, it literally drops out within a second of an essey vocal phrase.
i have had no instances of fuses blowing on a silent cut, or any of approx. 10 sides cut to that point. i don't have reason to believe the head is damaged yet.
so far, i'm really happy with the results from this device when i haven't blown fuses. it's a brilliant piece of engineering. i'm running it on a modified 1200.
to this point, i was taking seriously the theoretical protection offered by the fuses, but now i'm slightly paranoid, thanks. will be more careful going forward.
i loaded that first post with a lot of questions, some more general, and the answer/answers were exceptionally helpful, especially concerning factors around depth, depth's effect on the volume of the chip, etc. the overall concept i was trying to understand is factors affecting overdriving the head, and whether these are caused by the signal level alone, or the signal level in combination with resistance offered in the material being cut. the answer i'm hearing is that it's only the signal. i was conceiving of the cutting material/surface being an opposing/resistive force (to the stylus movement) that requires more energy to overcome the harder it is, therefore harder material and more risk of blown fuses or head damage- not so, correct?
i was progressing to the polycarbonate questions out of anticipation of working with tat material when i get what i need - the diamond and the blanks, but wondered if i would achieve the same results at the same cutting volume as with acetates, or will i encounter more blown fuses due to moving through a harder material. i was also wondering how softening would help.
finally, really appreciate the links provided. i downloaded a vinylium manual previously, (seller didn't send me one), but the one i downloaded did not have all the info i would have liked, and flo offered some additional help in a separate thread in the manuals schematics section.
one more thing, kim gutzke, who posts here from time to time, does have a pro setup and totally knows what he's doing as far as i can tell. his cuts sound phenomenal, and i would expect him to get more volume than me, but i'm not that far off i think. if anything, he rolled a little bass out of my recordings, 30 to 15k i think he said, but overall i can't complain. i was hoping to get something comparable, because as a deejay, i don't want to have to crank levels when i play my own cuts, but if i have to, i have to. i also don't want to lose bass, because reggae is my stock and trade.
opcode, if you had supplied good information with attitude, i wouldn't care. i live in new york for christ's sake. i'm new to this and bound to say/write something that someone will react to negatively.
and naturally i appreciate anything that prevents me from damaging my gear and anything that helps me get the most out of it.
now, on with the show: no, i am not REGULARLY blowing fuses. I had no problems until i tried to cut one particular piece, a super-punchy early 80s reggae recording from a master reel, and i might have tried to hit +1 or +2, maybe a stupid thing to do (figuring fuses are cheap), but i tried a couple times and blew the left fuse on 2 consecutive (stubborn) attempts, progressively backing the levels down slightly. 3rd attempt actually blew both. 4th attempt on a new plate and everything was fine again when peaking at 0. (by "punchy," above, i mean the recording engineer had used some compression or something that made the drums sound like they are smacking you in the face).
the recording in question very definitely needed de-essing, now that you mention it. on one failed cut, it literally drops out within a second of an essey vocal phrase.
i have had no instances of fuses blowing on a silent cut, or any of approx. 10 sides cut to that point. i don't have reason to believe the head is damaged yet.
so far, i'm really happy with the results from this device when i haven't blown fuses. it's a brilliant piece of engineering. i'm running it on a modified 1200.
to this point, i was taking seriously the theoretical protection offered by the fuses, but now i'm slightly paranoid, thanks. will be more careful going forward.
i loaded that first post with a lot of questions, some more general, and the answer/answers were exceptionally helpful, especially concerning factors around depth, depth's effect on the volume of the chip, etc. the overall concept i was trying to understand is factors affecting overdriving the head, and whether these are caused by the signal level alone, or the signal level in combination with resistance offered in the material being cut. the answer i'm hearing is that it's only the signal. i was conceiving of the cutting material/surface being an opposing/resistive force (to the stylus movement) that requires more energy to overcome the harder it is, therefore harder material and more risk of blown fuses or head damage- not so, correct?
i was progressing to the polycarbonate questions out of anticipation of working with tat material when i get what i need - the diamond and the blanks, but wondered if i would achieve the same results at the same cutting volume as with acetates, or will i encounter more blown fuses due to moving through a harder material. i was also wondering how softening would help.
finally, really appreciate the links provided. i downloaded a vinylium manual previously, (seller didn't send me one), but the one i downloaded did not have all the info i would have liked, and flo offered some additional help in a separate thread in the manuals schematics section.
one more thing, kim gutzke, who posts here from time to time, does have a pro setup and totally knows what he's doing as far as i can tell. his cuts sound phenomenal, and i would expect him to get more volume than me, but i'm not that far off i think. if anything, he rolled a little bass out of my recordings, 30 to 15k i think he said, but overall i can't complain. i was hoping to get something comparable, because as a deejay, i don't want to have to crank levels when i play my own cuts, but if i have to, i have to. i also don't want to lose bass, because reggae is my stock and trade.
Last edited by carter on Sun Oct 24, 2010 3:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I only took a few sentances out where I sounded a bit cocky. For the most part, it is the same post. And trust me, I was really only trying to drive a point home. Those fuses are the last line of defense before smoking your head. And, there are a number of things that can aid that in happening that you want to avoid. Also, I was trying to say in a bullish fashion that a number of your questions are clearly answered in the AES antholgy. I did sound like a jerk a little. Thus the revision.
Sounds like you know a bit more than your initial post seemed to indicate! Awesome!
When you get to polycarbs you should just do the heating wire mod. It is totally simple to do if you know how to solder. The parts you need are readily available, even at a radioshack that still sells components. You could then use the NiChrom wires on the diamond needle you order from Vinylium or from Vinylike. With that you will slice out chip like butter. You could go over the top and also use a heating lamp, but I doubt you would need to go to that extreme.
If you don't want to loose bass and maintain higher volumes then you do really need to process your audio so as to minimize the very energetic high ends. You should cut at 45 rpm so as to get as much vinyl per second running under the stylus giving you more accurate representation of the source wave. You should expect to only get maybe 8 minutes per 12" side at higher volumes.
If you DeEss I guarantee you will be able to push your cuts to at least +2 db without blowing your fuse. Glad to have you on board and cutter Carter. Do grab that AES book. I recommend it to everyone.
Sounds like you know a bit more than your initial post seemed to indicate! Awesome!
When you get to polycarbs you should just do the heating wire mod. It is totally simple to do if you know how to solder. The parts you need are readily available, even at a radioshack that still sells components. You could then use the NiChrom wires on the diamond needle you order from Vinylium or from Vinylike. With that you will slice out chip like butter. You could go over the top and also use a heating lamp, but I doubt you would need to go to that extreme.
If you don't want to loose bass and maintain higher volumes then you do really need to process your audio so as to minimize the very energetic high ends. You should cut at 45 rpm so as to get as much vinyl per second running under the stylus giving you more accurate representation of the source wave. You should expect to only get maybe 8 minutes per 12" side at higher volumes.
If you DeEss I guarantee you will be able to push your cuts to at least +2 db without blowing your fuse. Glad to have you on board and cutter Carter. Do grab that AES book. I recommend it to everyone.
Opcode, no worries. I read you loud and clear. I was only vaguely aware of the AES manual, but realize now that it's essential.
I only cut at 45 rpm, I'm a bit of a singles freak anyway, and 8 minutes is more than enough for almost all of my purposes.
Thanks too for the recommendation on the heating wire mod. I modified my 1200 without burning my fingers, so i should be able to handle this too when the time comes.
I'm just looking at the De-esser in ProTools for the first time and will see what I can accomplish. Will this work alone/better than an EQ rolloff over 15k as i had proposed before? Obviously, cymbals, highhats have a lot of HF information and don't know how/if the desser will affect them.
I only cut at 45 rpm, I'm a bit of a singles freak anyway, and 8 minutes is more than enough for almost all of my purposes.
Thanks too for the recommendation on the heating wire mod. I modified my 1200 without burning my fingers, so i should be able to handle this too when the time comes.
I'm just looking at the De-esser in ProTools for the first time and will see what I can accomplish. Will this work alone/better than an EQ rolloff over 15k as i had proposed before? Obviously, cymbals, highhats have a lot of HF information and don't know how/if the desser will affect them.
Opcode
Good and helpfull post
Keep at it
At the end of the day it is what it is so if I where you I would not bother with some remarks about cocky smart ass and all that nonsense
Mollycoddling people by giving them a false sense of security serves no one well as it has no purpose
The facts will always be there cocky or not
Its up to the recipient to take advise or not, besides you have delivered precise concise and usefull advise
Keep at it
Cheers
Keep at it
At the end of the day it is what it is so if I where you I would not bother with some remarks about cocky smart ass and all that nonsense
Mollycoddling people by giving them a false sense of security serves no one well as it has no purpose
The facts will always be there cocky or not
Its up to the recipient to take advise or not, besides you have delivered precise concise and usefull advise
Keep at it
Cheers
Chris
DeEssers suppress sustained high frequencies. So, yes, you might not want to apply it to the entire stereo track. Just in places where it gets very bright in the high end. You could use any number of plugins to watch the master out and know when it is peaking in the high end.
Or, if you actually record for your artists and have a multitrack master you can apply the affect only where it is needed. I work with artists and have done regular mastering for years now. I generally always get a multitrack master from my artists regardless of what DAW they used to write it. They export each source to a seperate track and give me a protools or logic file with all processed tracks. I take that and work with it on a track by track level to get the best overall mix possible.
Now that I am doing Vinyl mastering, having clients already used to handing over multitrack masters pays off big time with respect to what you said. I want to change certain sounds and not apply changes to the track overall.[/code]
Or, if you actually record for your artists and have a multitrack master you can apply the affect only where it is needed. I work with artists and have done regular mastering for years now. I generally always get a multitrack master from my artists regardless of what DAW they used to write it. They export each source to a seperate track and give me a protools or logic file with all processed tracks. I take that and work with it on a track by track level to get the best overall mix possible.
Now that I am doing Vinyl mastering, having clients already used to handing over multitrack masters pays off big time with respect to what you said. I want to change certain sounds and not apply changes to the track overall.[/code]
i just cut three tracks, the third of which had really obnoxious esses in a couple spots, it blew both fuses immediately after them, even with no material really going over 0db around the esses. i'd say the problem is 100% identified.
i'll work on the track with the protools de-esser and see if i can cut it successfully.
i have some multi-track/master material but don't always have that luxury.
thanks again for the solid info. i would have fucked around with rolling off the top end long before i ever got to this de-essing option.
i'll work on the track with the protools de-esser and see if i can cut it successfully.
i have some multi-track/master material but don't always have that luxury.
thanks again for the solid info. i would have fucked around with rolling off the top end long before i ever got to this de-essing option.
Hey Carter
Getting the tracks individually as opcode is suggesting is ideal But it is a very rare case that a straight out cutting outfit like a pressing plant has this luxury
Unless one is mastering/cutting of course it is a very rare instance
If you dont have the luxury of seperate tracks you can always chop off everything above say 15-16 K
Mono and split anything under 300 HZ
Most problems with a track you cannot deal with are gone
It is very rare that anyone picks it, well thats been my experience
Head protection is our aim here and these high freq sounds even second or even third order do a damn good job in blowing fuses cooking output tranies and all manner of things
If these are not quick enough to commit suicide than you finish up with a smoked head
Not a pleasent thought at all
Try it on a cut or two and see if you can pick it
I would be surprised if you do
Cheers
Getting the tracks individually as opcode is suggesting is ideal But it is a very rare case that a straight out cutting outfit like a pressing plant has this luxury
Unless one is mastering/cutting of course it is a very rare instance
If you dont have the luxury of seperate tracks you can always chop off everything above say 15-16 K
Mono and split anything under 300 HZ
Most problems with a track you cannot deal with are gone
It is very rare that anyone picks it, well thats been my experience
Head protection is our aim here and these high freq sounds even second or even third order do a damn good job in blowing fuses cooking output tranies and all manner of things
If these are not quick enough to commit suicide than you finish up with a smoked head
Not a pleasent thought at all
Try it on a cut or two and see if you can pick it
I would be surprised if you do
Cheers
Chris
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leo gonzalez
- Posts: 133
- Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2008 11:37 pm
carter
hello carter,
what fuse rating are you using? 1/2 amp, 3/4s, 1, 1 1/4? fast acting?
i doubt youll ever be ok to cut +3db above the reference level with a 1/2A fuse. +6 db above not likely so with such a fuse rating. (NAB perhaps?) most of the systems today are calibrated to that level. so most likely that your vu meter is already probably set according to the nab standard.
opcode is basically giving you a lecture just to stand out. you need a practical solution, not a lecture.
yes, get the AES book, yes cutting electronics are sensitive, that has been posted lots of times.
you might be having an input-output mismatch too. meaning that you are prob feeding the amp more than what it can drive the head. basic overload. if you have a miscrospe you can check this effect on the grovees... it's a horror show! you'll have plenty of skips too.
then you might have to re-check the drive to the head.
you should reach flo here who knows that system very well. probably there's nothing wrong with the electronics. maybe the amp is not designed for those levels.
opcode: with all respect, "A groove at peak volume is about 7 mils"... what are you talking about!!!! vertical, lateral... mono, out of phase..... what are you basing yourself on to say this. this is very relative. is that off a neumann cutting manual? maximum vertical modulation before cutting into the aluminum center of the disk.. maximum level ever? please clarify.
this kind of assertions can be very miss-guiding to people starting to cut.
my 2 cents, please contact people on the service links to answer technical questions like these.
another thing. vu meters aren't peak to peak meters, they are average meters (more like rms). i think that when your are talking about kim's cuts being at +3db, that means that he has raised the input signal going to the amp to +3db and therefore the cutting amp is driving the head to that +3 previoously pre-amplified before it reached the cutting amp input.
most likely you need to bring up the music signal in to +3db more than eq'ing here and there...
contact flo or jvo before doing anything like this yet.
best,
Leo
what fuse rating are you using? 1/2 amp, 3/4s, 1, 1 1/4? fast acting?
i doubt youll ever be ok to cut +3db above the reference level with a 1/2A fuse. +6 db above not likely so with such a fuse rating. (NAB perhaps?) most of the systems today are calibrated to that level. so most likely that your vu meter is already probably set according to the nab standard.
opcode is basically giving you a lecture just to stand out. you need a practical solution, not a lecture.
yes, get the AES book, yes cutting electronics are sensitive, that has been posted lots of times.
you might be having an input-output mismatch too. meaning that you are prob feeding the amp more than what it can drive the head. basic overload. if you have a miscrospe you can check this effect on the grovees... it's a horror show! you'll have plenty of skips too.
then you might have to re-check the drive to the head.
you should reach flo here who knows that system very well. probably there's nothing wrong with the electronics. maybe the amp is not designed for those levels.
opcode: with all respect, "A groove at peak volume is about 7 mils"... what are you talking about!!!! vertical, lateral... mono, out of phase..... what are you basing yourself on to say this. this is very relative. is that off a neumann cutting manual? maximum vertical modulation before cutting into the aluminum center of the disk.. maximum level ever? please clarify.
this kind of assertions can be very miss-guiding to people starting to cut.
my 2 cents, please contact people on the service links to answer technical questions like these.
another thing. vu meters aren't peak to peak meters, they are average meters (more like rms). i think that when your are talking about kim's cuts being at +3db, that means that he has raised the input signal going to the amp to +3db and therefore the cutting amp is driving the head to that +3 previoously pre-amplified before it reached the cutting amp input.
most likely you need to bring up the music signal in to +3db more than eq'ing here and there...
contact flo or jvo before doing anything like this yet.
best,
Leo