Author Topic: Problems with the eq of my 4000G console  (Read 1448 times)

Toni Quintana

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Problems with the eq of my 4000G console
« on: January 08, 2022, 10:20:01 AM »
hi i think i have a tuning problem on my 4000G console.
I send a pink noise from my computer through a channel of the console and I collect that signal in another computer where I have a spectrum analyzer, from the master output of the console,
well, in the computer from where I send the pink noise I insert the waves ssl 4000 plugin and I start turning the eq knobs then I see what happens in the analyzer and the signal varies exactly where I am equalizing the plugin. 
Now I remove the plugin and equalize in the channel of the console, my surprise is that the legend of the frequency that I cut in the channel does not coincide with what I see in the analyzer, that is, for example ...
 if I want to cut in 500hz with the LMF, for the analyzer to see that exactly 500hz is reduced, as with the plugin, I have to set the frequency potentiometer around 800hz.  It happens to me in all the channels of the console the same. 
Can anybody help me?  Thanks

mg73

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Re: Problems with the eq of my 4000G console
« Reply #1 on: January 08, 2022, 12:38:52 PM »
You don't happened to have mixed up the sampling frequencies between the computers?

Try to boost for example 2k at the SSL eq and sweep a analog oscillator around 1-3kHz on that channel
and see where it peaks.

amillar

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Re: Problems with the eq of my 4000G console
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2022, 10:15:16 PM »
Hate to have to tell you but...don't assume the numbers on the channel strip tell you the frequencies you will boost and cut!!!

They are not too bad at the ends, taking your LMF example, the numbers say 200Hz to 2.5 kHz, but the actual range is 200Hz to 2.1kHz. But in the middle it can wander quite widely from the figures. They're decorative, but shouldn't be relied on! They were never (AFAIK) changed, probably right back to the B series, whereas the pot laws did change from the very early pots to the Clarostats. And they were probably never very accurate to start with.

To be honest there's nothing really that can go wrong with this tuning, it should either work or it won't work at all.

And if you want more fun, try pressing the /3 button on the LMF. It won't divide by 3! More like 4. And that's because I calculated the value of the capacitor wrong. But we decided we liked the sound of it anyway, and no-one ever complained, so we left it like that...

Cheers,

Andy

P.S. I think I carefully left the numbers off on the 9000 channel strip design, to stop any confusion like this happening, but I may be wrong? I can't find my 9k pictures at the moment! I do remember discussing with Chris Jenkins that I didn't want numbers as they'd always be a bit wrong, the joys of analogue...
« Last Edit: January 12, 2022, 10:28:00 PM by amillar »
co-designer and project manager G series analogue 1987
channel strip designer J series 1992-93
design "caretaker" 4000/6000 1985-93
analogue team leader ARC/Bertha 1988-92

mg73

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Re: Problems with the eq of my 4000G console
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2022, 07:26:41 PM »
Haha wonderful to read:)

Another reason to use ears before eyes when dealing with sounds.

radardoug2

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Re: Problems with the eq of my 4000G console
« Reply #4 on: January 13, 2022, 08:08:04 PM »
So that means the plugin doesn't emulate the SSL exactly, no surprise there! Hehe!

Toni Quintana

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Re: Problems with the eq of my 4000G console
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2022, 02:14:05 PM »
Hate to have to tell you but...don't assume the numbers on the channel strip tell you the frequencies you will boost and cut!!!

They are not too bad at the ends, taking your LMF example, the numbers say 200Hz to 2.5 kHz, but the actual range is 200Hz to 2.1kHz. But in the middle it can wander quite widely from the figures. They're decorative, but shouldn't be relied on! They were never (AFAIK) changed, probably right back to the B series, whereas the pot laws did change from the very early pots to the Clarostats. And they were probably never very accurate to start with.

To be honest there's nothing really that can go wrong with this tuning, it should either work or it won't work at all.

And if you want more fun, try pressing the /3 button on the LMF. It won't divide by 3! More like 4. And that's because I calculated the value of the capacitor wrong. But we decided we liked the sound of it anyway, and no-one ever complained, so we left it like that...

Cheers,

Andy

P.S. I think I carefully left the numbers off on the 9000 channel strip design, to stop any confusion like this happening, but I may be wrong? I can't find my 9k pictures at the moment! I do remember discussing with Chris Jenkins that I didn't want numbers as they'd always be a bit wrong, the joys of analogue...
I really appreciate your comment, it was well worth reading.  I don't work with plugins, but trying to emulate at home what I do in the studio, I realized that something was not right.  at first I blamed it on the bad acoustic environment I have at home compared to the studio, and that was the reason why I made the comparison.  Indeed, I do not care what the numbers of the ssl say, as they have commented previously, you have to hear, not see.
Regarding what you say about the switch: 3… I don't know if it's my feeling, but it's more pleasant, sweet, less aggressive, when I press it.  for example, there are situations where I want to subtract low mids from the bass, if I do it by pressing the :3 switch and listen to where I want to decrease, there are times when I have the feeling that the bass sounds fuller.  a couple of years ago i replaced all the electrolytic capacitors
« Last Edit: January 19, 2022, 02:41:20 PM by Toni Quintana »