Sigh!
Oh well, I had to spend almost exactly what that mixer would have cost, to get the heap to pass inspection. So, no mixer this month.
At least what they said was bad, actually was. I do not much like having my vehicle inspected by a shop that is going to make big money doing the repairs on it, that kind of brings out my paranoia. At least in this case it was something I had on my list to fix as soon as possible. It was the serpentine belt, but I do not think that is on the list of things to check for the annual inspection. Sure, if it breaks it will make the car hard to steer, but not so much it is a safety issue. Only, I already knew I needed a new one, and it only cost me about $10 more than replacing it myself and having the vehicle reinspected.
Anyway, that means no new toys this month, but on the other hand I can now afford the couple of six packs I was going to forgo.
Its Not a Secret Anymore
Yesterday, I received a reply from Behringer. Only a week and two emails to get it.
The secret is out, the Behringer 1204USB has USB 1.1. Up to date as heck, nothing like 10 year old technology in something that came out last year.
The answerer apparently did not understand my other questions. I mean, why would I want him to explain the software on my computer to me? The other question was whether the USB was still connected into he record in/out like the external USB on the old models.
I replaced the brake pads, and finished rotating the tires on the clunker today. So in the past couple of years I have repaced the tires, the exhaust system, the wiper blades, the brake linings, and one burned out light bulb. Run back another year and you can add shocks. I think that is all they check on the safety inspection. I had the same physical reaction, only not quite as bad; I stopped and took a break in the middle of the job though, and it is a lot cooler today.
Right now I have a frozen pizza in the oven. One of those you can not tell from delivery pizza. Why would anyone want that, delivery pizza in my experience has only two things good about it, you do not have to heat it up, and it is expens……ive.
Further Thoughts
Well, payday is here, only I do not know what it is going to cost to get the mini-Blazer to pass its safety inspection. So I need to hold off until I have that sorted out.
I am kind of thinking the squeal is the front brakes. My hearing has deteriorated to the point where I have a hard time determining the direction a sound is coming from. I tried to rotate the tires and inspect the front brakes this afternoon. I could not get the wheel off on the drivers side front, and I think I almost had a heart attack from working in the heat. Anyway there was a pain just above my solar plexus, and after relaxing a bit and taking a shower my pulse was still 178, and my blood pressure 94/72.
It is so hard growing old.
I still think that Behringer 1204USB is about the perfect voice over mixer, going on spec’s alone. However, Behringer has not answered my email about the USB interface; that does does not indicate good customer service. I could get by with their 802 if I had to, but that would be just that, getting by. If I do not find myself having to make extrodinary expenditures on the truck, I can just, by the skin of my teeth, afford the 1204USB and the minimum cables I will need to get by. I do not like putting myself right up against the wall right at the beginning of the month. That leaves no reserve for any emergency that might come up.
I put it in the cart at one of the online sellers and was about to hit the pay via PayPal button, when I realized they would not ship before Tuesday anyway. So I dicided to work on the truck and see where that leaves me before making my decision.
I am still kind of dizzy.
Behringer Xenyx 1204USB?
Well, thinking on the audio stuff, I have moved up to the Behringer Xenyx 1204USB in my mind. The reason for that is the built in USB port to connect to my computers, and the compressor circuit they have added to this new model. Also, it has proper professional connections, a built in power supply, and an on/off switch.
As you may remember, I was thinking of the Xenyx 1002B in a previous post. For the extra $30 on the 1204USB, I will get the USB connection, the one-knob compressor on each mic channel; plus XLR main, 1/4in TRS control room, and 1/4in 3 / 4 sub outs, plus if they do not cut out when using the USB port the record in/outs on the front panel, plus that on/off switch. Altogether the 1204USB looks to be a more professional machine. However the 1002B does have battery operation which I can imagine a use for, but I do have two old Marantz Portable 3 head Stereo cassette recorders, and can get buy without a mixer for outdoor use. Of course, if I was really serious about this getting both would be the way to go.
Anyway, the only problem I have with the 1204USB is that they do not give any specs on the USB interface, I have asked on their website about that, and await an answer. Of course they have not bothered to answer. I guess that means I can figure the USP interface is one of the lowest common denominater: USB 1.1, 44.1kc, 16bits.
This was found on one of the sellers’ description: “The simple addition of a stereo in, stereo out USB interface opens up a world of new possibilities. Because you can send the main mix to your computer, you can now start recording digital multitrack projects at home, easily produce a professional-sounding podcast, or record a live performance to your computer’s hard drive, all without the need for any additional equipment. The 1204USB can also send audio information from your computer back into the mixer, providing a high-fidelity playback option for music, slideshow presentations, theatrical applications. . . the possibilities are endless.” I kind of think that lists most of the things I want to use a mixer for.
Why an analog mixer instead of a more modern USB or firewire audio interface? Well, the mixer is actually cheaper when you think about connecting four mics and a couple of stereo inputs. Also the 1204USB does have a stereo in/stereo out audio interface that is more limiting than say an eight channel in/out D/A interface, but one of those is way beyond my budget. Actually, the 1204USB and some cables I will need are getting close to what I can pry out of the budget if I have no emergency spending in the next month or two.
I could get by with just a half-way decent microphone preamp, but those are in the same price range as the mixers. A Xenyx 802 would probably work for my needs, but it would have not growth potential. Adding a USB interface would bring it up to $90 anyway. Going with the 1202 and a USB interface would be $110. The 1204USB is $130 and you get all those extras with it
On the other hand, the only thing that I see the next model up has that I would have any use for is the left/right sliders for the sub out, and when you think of it your stereo should already be correctly balanced by the time you are outputting it; the only FX I can see a use for is a bit of reverb. That is not enough to justify an additional $50 bucks to me. I can see where all the effects could be useful if someone was recording their small band, but for what I would be using the mixer for, I can not see it.
Of course one has to realize that you are going to have to spend $50 or so on cables as well as the cost of the mixer.
I was planning all this stuff back a couple of years ago when some personal emergency or another sent me off in a different direction. In this case the need of one hobby is tying into the wants of another hobby, so I am hoping to scratch two itches at once.
…
OK, just what do I think I would be using the mixer for?
First, what I guess is technically voice over work, but at a lower than professional level. I want to record halfway decent narration for camera club slide presentations. I would also be using the mixer to transfer the audio from one of my laptops to the amp and speakers for the presentation, with live comments. I would also like to start putting some audio comments here in my blog.
Second, I do some talking to myself stuff, that has been happening on the cassette recorders. Don’t laugh, we are not talking about your $19 Rat Shack cassette recorder, I have two old but recently serviced SuperScope Portable 3-head Stereo Recorders, a Tascam 112R 3-head semi-pro recorder, and a fairly high end Yamaha recorder which is a pure candidate for a mixer as it is too new to have mic inputs. I like to mix the stuff recorded on those, the portables are used for nature sounds mostly, down and transfer to CD.
I play at a mandolin, an Irish flute (home made but in tune), and a Yamaha keyboard, none of which I play well enough for public consumptions, but I would like to record stuff so I can hear just how bad I am, in the hope that someday I will get better (notice I did not say, get good J).
Let’s see, I currently have a couple of dynamic cardioid stage mics, a couple of ATM-10A omnidirectional condenser mics I used for a spaced stereo array when I want a lot of ambiance, and a stereo condenser mike I use for tighter recording and a home made zeppelin windscreen to fit it.
I would like to get a large diaphragm condenser –I have the AT2035 in mind for the voice over stuff. Also, eventually a pair of small diaphragm condensers to give me more versatility than the stereo mic does. I am also thinking about some dynamic mics, an omnidirectional dynamic like ye olde Electro-Voice 635, a couple of dynamic instrument mikes, and a broadcast grade dynamic like a RE-420. With all those I would be in microphone heaven. However, that would also be about a thousand dollars that I do not have, could anyone tell that I like dynamic microphones?
Audio, like photography, is a never ending hole to toss money into.
So, what am I going to do? I do not know. I will just have to wait and see what I can come up with. Inspection and tags are due on the vehicle, I will have to wait and see if there are going to be any unanticipated problems there. I also need to have the dentist look at a tooth that may need some work. As much as I hate it survival comes before toys.
Electro-Voice 635 and 635A, What is the Difference
I came across some early advertising material that seems to answer the perennial question, just what is the difference between the old 635 and the current 635A microphones produced by Electro-Voice.
But first, why would anyone be interested? The 635 was the mainstay of radio/television field microphones for decades. If you saw or heard an interview done outside the studio, it was most likely recorded with one of these microphones.
That is one I owned at one time. They have been around since at least 1947 and you can buy a new one today. They are an omnidirection dynamic mic with a somewhat limited range of something like 80-13000 cps. What they had that made them unique when they were introduced was ruggedness. The 635 was sometimes nicknamed the hammer, because you could drive nails with it without impairing its usability.
OK, what did I find out in that old ad? The base 635 had a chrome finish, the “A” indicated that it had that non-reflective gray-brown finish you see in the photo above, and in old movies. It was intended to be unobtrusive on TV, especially B&W TV. So, contrary to popular opinion there really is no difference between the old 635, and the 635A other than they started putting the A on the model tag at sometime in the production.
OK, you never heard of one, you say? Let’s see Electro-Voice still makes the 635A, a 635A(B) which has a black finish, a 635ND and a 635ND(B) which has the higher output neodymium magnet in them. Then there is the RE50, which is the same microphone with even more shock protection built in, available in all those variations, plus a long handled version.
Most of the other microphone companies make a copy of it, some looking identical, some looking different but having about the same characteristics. Many of them even have that non-reflective gray-brown “A” finish.
The chrome version seems to be long gone, although you see them on eBay from time to time.
Skills
Often I tend to go off topic in forums when responding to off topic posts by others. This particular one was in a thread about what camera you used to own that you wish you still had. It veered when someone suggested that old manual film cameras were better than today’s cameras. I responded to the guy who answered that rather sarcastically, then realized I was crapping in my own thread, I had started it, and decided that what I was writing made a nice dissertation about skills. Also, I tend to write too much in forums and not enough in my own blogs. So I did not post this in those forums, but am using it in a more general manor here in Subject to Change.
[QUOTE]I am certain that there are more than a few writers who lament that day when their superb skills at the typewriter gave them an edge over the competition, many a bookkeeper who laments that the value of his/her amazing ability to make error free mental calculations has been supplanted to a great degree by the wizardry of the electronic spreadsheet.[/QUOTE]
The problem only happens when the automatic way, does away with the manual way. How many road racing drivers use an automatic transmission?
As long as you still have the manual controls it does not matter how many of those cheap to add automatic features your camera has.
Unfortunately neither of my digital cameras has decent manual focus available. On my e420, I get around that using my manual Pentax lenses with an adapter, but that does loose me the one of two automatic features I feel a need for, the automatic stop down feature. The other automatic feature I need is the auto return mirror, although I can get along without that more than the stop down feature.
The other problem with automatic anything, is that you lose the skills you so painfully learned if you do not use them continuously. Things that were done without thought become a slow, “How do I do that?”, process. Anyone who has done something thousands of times, does it perfectly without thinking, but if he take a couple of months off he needs a couple of weeks practice to get it back, and if he doesn’t use those skills for a couple of years it is back to square one.
I know professional photographers who brag that they always let the camera do it. They also miss the hard shots, because the camera has not a clue, and they have not done it themselves in years, maybe decades.
In my not so humble opinion, if you do a shoot of 50 shots and more than two of them are unusable for technical reasons, you are not a very good photographer no matter how much you make a year.
You a can put a hundred cameras along the side lines and get a national magazine cover, like Sports Illustrated did. Of course, that was one shot out of 153,000 according to the article I read. Heck a monkey would have probably done it with only 10,000 shots.
I noticed when I took a professional writing class at the local University that the instructor was not overly skilled at what she was teaching, and the text book was even less skilled than she. Most of the how to do this and that would not have been acceptable to the least qualified secretary back when there were such a thing as secretaries. Get rid of the experts, and the trade craft disappears. Let’s see a secretary was expected to be an expert at correspondence, filing, copying, shorthand, telephoning, reception, and maybe bookkeeping. The funny thing is that these days except for the correspondence, that the harried executive is supposed to handle themselves, all those are usually done by semiskilled people, but they are only expected to do one of them. If it sounds to you like I had a lot of respect for good secretaries, you got it. I actually have a lot of respect for anyone who is good at what they do. I also respect folks who do things they are not trained at, if they do not go around claiming to be experts; I myself can do a lot of things, but I am only expert at a half-dozen, or so, of them.
Useful Web Information, NOT!
OK, I have been looking at audio mixers on the web. What I would like is something I can use with the computer, and with my old cassette recorders. Primarily, for talk stuff, but also for nature sounds, and occasionally live music. Yes, I am aware that what I am looking for is actually a field mixer, but when I do a search for that I get a lot of very expensive camcorder mixers designed to hang on your belt and run two wireless mics through.
I google something like “audio mixer reviews”, and get 19 million “Lowest Price on the Internet” hits. Of course they are all exactly the same price. Usually 1/3 off, $99.95 with free shipping. But some are different, like $87 with $13 shipping.
I actually did come across a magazine review based, as usual these days, on the manufacture’s preliminary press release, about the Behringer Xenyx 1002B. Funny thing about that mixer, it has 5 xlr imputs, but strangely, only two mic preamps. I guess you can plug dynamic mics into the the stereo inputs if you want. It would be nice to know just what those spec’s mean, which is why I have been hitting google so much. That mixer with an out board USB audio connector might be just what I want. It seems to be an audio recording field mixer, not actually called that anywhere that I have seen, that will run on wall power or a few 9v alkaline batteries.
Reviews if there is actually one on the web page, tend to be by someone who has lots of knowledge, “I just received this mixer yesterday and can say it is the best mixer anywhere”.
Then you get the UTube videos. 98% are of the factory rep, telling the sales droid “This is our new and improved mixer”; not said, but in fact, the new and improved means it now has blue plastic instead of gray metal case. The most popular subject for product videos seems to be “Unboxing the Ultra 9000 Toy Mixer”. Golly, I would never have figured out how to take the thing out of the box on my own. Also the camera is always fixed, usually pointing in a direction where you can not see the object being talked about.
Then, this is the really interesting point, none of these videos or podcast have decent audio. You would think a recording about an audio device like a mixing board would have decent audio. Another strange thing, it does not seem to matter whether the video/podcast/review is done by the manufacturer, or a 12 year old kid in his bedroom, the quality is about the same.
The most common denominator is that expensive is good, even when the expensive item is apparently exactly the same item with a different name on it. The other comment I really like is “This piece of junk stereo mixer only sends two channels of sound to my computer”.
My conclusion base upon these hours of research is that I would be stupid to buy any of this stuff. About the only thing you can go on is reading the spec’s and hope they are not lying.
Audio Not So Fine
I did a PowerPoint presentation at the Photography Club on Tuesday. I offered copies on CD for five bucks with only a couple of takers.
The presentation was OK as far as it went, but I put some audio into it that was not so fine. Two reasons, well three if you count my lousy voice, I did not have the time to do a thorough job of it. It would have taken a week to do it right, and I wound up doing it in one day. The other was I do not have a pre-amp, nor mixer, so I could not get good sound out of my condenser mics. I could not find my box of adapters to use on of my dynamic mics either. The dynamics have enough output that you can hear the voice rather than the noise.
The interesting thing here is that going to the trouble of doing a PowerPoint presentation, rather than my usual outline to remind me of the points I want to cover and ad lib it, was very expensive time wise. I figured that I would make enough selling the CD’s to offset that, but apparently I was wrong. The fact is I made just enough to pay for the CD’s and ink to print the label. All the time was wasted.
Considering that, I do not know if it is worth while buying a mixer, or mic preamp to do better sound?
My usual way of doing sound recordings is to record on one of my cassette recorders and transfer it to the computer. I kind of like analog sound better than digital sound anyway. However, doing sound bites for each slide like in this presentation (I provided live narration for the club presentation, but put sound bites in for more explanation on the CD’s), direct to digital seemed easier. Using power point you can record directly into the presentation. But, if I were to do this again I need more sophisticated equipment. Not big bucks, but it looks like a $100 mixer and the interconect cables, and maybe a good voice mike with desk stand, another hundred bucks or so, would put me in good shape. Actually, I do have fairly decent mics already, and could get by with them for awhile. I could also get by with a $50 mixer, but would have to replace it real soon now.
Like I said, I do not know if it is worth that. I have spent a couple of hundred dollars getting the photo club started, and it does not look like any of the members see any need to reimburse me for that.
Then there is the club web page issue ahead of me. One of the guys says he will help with the PHP and MySQL programing, but it looks like I am going to have to be the one to design and write the web pages. I have held off rather than putting my own money, of which my readers know I have little, into it. I also want to spend money on watches, an ultrasonic cleaner (Would I really want to use the same one to clean my dentures that I clean bicycle parts in?) , the truck needs more work, camera accessories, etc., audio stuff has not really come around to its turn again.
For what it is worth, the club now has 13 members who are showing up pretty regularly, and another eight that are not. That does not seem too bad for a club that is only two and a half months old (weekly meetings).
Cheap Chinese Automatic Watches
My Alpha Navigator II GMT look-a-like gave up the ghost recently when the 12 o’clock marker came loose and jammed between the sweep second hand and the 9 o’clock marker. I read a lot about what cheap junk these watches are. Mine only lasted 6-7 years. What a waste.
Oh, wait, it cost $65 shipped from Hong Kong, not $5000 from the local jewelry store. I do admit that Rolex is very over priced, probably actually worth only $500, 10% of the selling price. So, what kind of fool expects a $65 shipped watch to be the same quality as those $500 watches with the $5000 selling price?
On the other hand, my Benrus Ultrasteel,a Submariner look-a-like is almost 20 years old.
The bezel and the band had to be replaced over the years, but it still keeps better than one minute a month time, of course it has a quartz movement rather than a mechanical one. Which is another thing that I do not understand. Mechanical watches are so much better than quartz watches because you do not have to replace the battery every three years for $3. Instead you have to have them cleaned, lubed, and adjusted every three to five years for $200 or so. Sure, you can probably find someone who will dip and dunk the movement for $50. Me I would just as soon toss it in the trash as have it dipped and dunked. Dip and dunk, for those who do not know, consists of removing the movement tossing it into a ultrasonic cleaner full of solvent and running a cleaning cycle, then running a rinse cycle with some oil mixed in the rinse fluid. Not the recommended way of servicing a fine watch.
OK, so I have had those two Rolex look-a-likes. Does that mean I am a snob that wants people to think I am wearing an expensive watch that I can not afford? No, actually, the Submariner look alike was simply the cheapest solid stainless steel watch I could find at the time, strangely if I wanted to replace it today, it looks like I would have to buy a new old stock version for that same $100 I paid new for this one back in 1992 or so. The Explorer II was bought because I have always liked the look, and I use to travel quite a bit so being able to change the time zone easily was a nice feature. It also was a solid stainless steel watch.
Right now I am trying to decide if I want to replace the Alpha with another.
(That is not the oridginal bracelet, the one on the Submariner above is the original that came with the Alpha)
Still $65 but the movement is now 35 jewels, and the watch is supposed to be tested to 5 atmospheres (5o meters, 165 feet) instead of 3atm. That is a Chinese movement with a hacking second hand, and quickset date and 24 hour hand complications (Don’t you just love it when someone uses technical terminology?). On the other hand, I do not travel much anymore and probably would be better off with a watch with a day/date feature instead. Back to the Explorer II, in my mind it really needs a couple of upgrades. The first is a much harder grade of stainless steel for the bezel which scratches when you look at it. The second, which is easily done, is a heavier bracelet.
Actually, I am currently using the bracelet from the Alpha on the Submariner until I get around to ordering a new bracelet for the Sub. I do like having two watches so that I still have a working one if the other breaks like the situation is a the moment. Of course wristwatches are really jewelry now when we all have a clock in our cellular telephone. Which I guess explains why people are willing to pay ten times what it is worth for a Rolex, or other high priced watch, it is not that the watch is worth that, it is to show people you can afford such a ridiculous price. Which also explains why people who buy them are so down on look-a-likes, it makes bums like me appear to be as wealthy as they are.
Spam
It is interesting how many people try to post a comment with just a link in it. Those are easy, they get nuked automatically.
Actually, I wish my email spam filters worked as well as the ones on this blog. Here I seldom get a bogus block, and I seldom get one that goes through that I have to delete. I delete a couple hundred junk mails that snuck through the filters in thunderbird every month, and have to scan the ones t-bird marked as junk because about 10% of them are not.
One of the things that I hate is that PayPal, and my ISP send me a lot of junk. I hate it because if I mark them as spammers then I will miss anything that is important, like someone breaking into my account. Charter.net is the worst because they send the junk to all my email accounts.