SSL Sourcerer

[Zukan]

https://store.solidstatelogic.com/plug- ... 32,ZX2K3,1

Anyone tried it yet? I know it's a bit soon but...

[Bob Bickerton]

Looks interesting….. there’s a demo available, so I’m thinking of trying it out.

Bob

[The Elf]

Got to admit I'm struggling to understand what it is!

[Drew Stephenson]

a clever expander I think.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Got to admit I'm struggling to understand what it is!

It's a downward expander with all the options bolted on, including a ducking function and external side-chain access.

[The Elf]

Now why couldn't they have just said that, instead of all that marketing-speak?!

[Hugh Robjohns]

Perhaps your marketing BS Babel fish has died....

[shufflebeat]

Perhaps your marketing BS Babel fish has died....

BSBF - I like it.

I’ve been exploring the automatic mix function on the A&H Qu and SQ mixers (and others) with a view to using it for theatrical stuff involving headsets. What you (Hugh) describe seems similar, am I mistaken?

[Hugh Robjohns]

I’ve been exploring the automatic mix function on the A&H Qu and SQ mixers (and others) with a view to using it for theatrical stuff involving headsets. What you (Hugh) describe seems similar, am I mistaken?

Sorry... you've lost me....

Unless you're comparing automix systems with simple ducking...

Well, yes, they are related but automix systems are much more complex because every channel has a ducker, and the side-chains monitor all channels simultaneously to keep the background noise energy constant regardless of how many channels are open.

I've used analogue automixers like Shure's Intellimix (got one here, actually), and the Dan Dugan digital system on an ygdai card for the DM consoles. Both worked very well for managing speech in panel-type programmes, but I've never tried to use them for theatrical singing situations.

I don't know the A&H version, but I'm sure it's well thought out.

[shufflebeat]

I’ve been exploring the automatic mix function on the A&H Qu and SQ mixers (and others) with a view to using it for theatrical stuff involving headsets. What you (Hugh) describe seems similar, am I mistaken?

Sorry... you've lost me....

https://youtu.be/d2V8UicImtY

Is that simple ducking?

[shufflebeat]

Looks like AMM is available on Qu (where I’m currently exploring) but not SQ (where I was hoping to use it), boo!

Will explore more tomorrow than I can get my paws on the SQ again.

[Hugh Robjohns]

https://youtu.be/d2V8UicImtY

Is that simple ducking?

No, it's automatic mic mixing, or 'automix'. Essentially a digital version of Shure's classic Intellimix, or Dan Duggan's Automixer.

As the video says, these things are designed for speech-based applications like panel and game shows in broadcasting, or conferences etc — situations where it's difficult or impossible to guess who will talk when, but you can't leave all the mics open due to excessive spill, ambient noise, or feedback.

So the automix function basically has a bucket of gain available, and it allocates that gain amongst the selected channels with the idea of opening one channel to hear who is talking, while maintaining a constant background ambience.

So unused channels are 'ducked' but the side-chain control is a much more complex than a standard ducker because it takes, processes and analyses signals from all channels, and sends different control signals to each channel too.

[shufflebeat]

V clever and possibly v useful. Unfortunately can’t find any reference to AMM on SQ and can’t access mixer just yet to check.

Cheers for the info, Dr. H.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Dan Duggan's implementation is one of the best known and most licensed into other manufacturers' products. There's a good explanation of the principles here (from Sound Devices):

https://www.sounddevices.com/automatic-mixing-101/

Other manufacturers' incarnations may vary slightly in some of the details, but the broad concept is common.

[sonics]

V clever and possibly v useful. Unfortunately can’t find any reference to AMM on SQ and can’t access mixer just yet to check.

Yes, the SQ has AMM. A&H wouldn't drop a feature like that on a superior product (SQ vs Qu).
It's mentioned on their website, where you can download the manual, too.

[shufflebeat]

V clever and possibly v useful. Unfortunately can’t find any reference to AMM on SQ and can’t access mixer just yet to check.

Yes, the SQ has AMM.

Ah, excellent! Thanks for that.

A&H wouldn't drop a feature like that on a superior product (SQ vs Qu).

I’m not so sure, there are a couple of little gems on the Qu that don’t seem to have survived the upgrade, “soft button” banks on custom layers being my most missed.

It's mentioned on their website, where you can download the manual, too.

Yup, I suppose we’ve reached the Manual Horizon.

Thanks for your input, chaps.

[shufflebeat]

Yay!

Two iterations of 24ch loveliness.

Fun to be had.

Not resorted to R’ing tFM yet but will do once I’ve clarified my questions.

[shufflebeat]

Had occasion to explore AMM on the SQ7 today in a case of 12 cheap/mid-price wireless headsets and a pit band with acoustic drums.

It worked better than I could’ve hoped. Assign all 12 mics to AMM #1, keep it off for ensemble singing but when 2-3 people are delivering lines switch it on and let the strongest signal (the main speaker) drive the others down as though each was being compressed in relation to a side-chain but the roles of side-chain source and compressed channels were constantly but seamlessly switching.

Having all other sources temporarily attenuated allowed me to nudge up the stereo group fader through which all headset mics were channeled to further enhance the clarity of the dialogue.

I suspect it would also work well if triggered by a soft button for chat between songs in a regular band setup.

All of this is very much in keeping with the concepts outlined in the Sound Devices article Hugh links to above.

Quite excited by this revelation and looking forward to further explorations tomorrow.

Apologies for wandering off topic but I think it’s worth commenting on.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Glad it's working as hoped.

[sonics]

Nice to hear you're getting good results.