Has anybody tried using multiple speakers with Pianoteq?
With the different microphones in PT able to feed different outputs, it seems possible, but how does it sound?
Who has a multiple channel sound card and could try this and report back???
Has anybody tried using multiple speakers with Pianoteq?
With the different microphones in PT able to feed different outputs, it seems possible, but how does it sound?
Who has a multiple channel sound card and could try this and report back???
In a word ... fantastic!
Joe
gmcintire wrote:Has anybody tried using multiple speakers with Pianoteq?
With the different microphones in PT able to feed different outputs, it seems possible, but how does it sound?
Who has a multiple channel sound card and could try this and report back???
In a word ... fantastic!
Joe
Joe, what's your setup?
Joe, what's your setup?
Mark of the Unicorn 828Mk2 -- The "828" part of the name refers to the 8 inputs (6 TRS, 2 XLR), 2 main outs, and 8 other output channels on the device. The 2 XLR inputs have mic preamps and +48v phantom power for recording a condenser mic.
Front Audio Outputs feed into a Bryston BP-20 Preamp connected to a Bryston 4-B stereo power amp leading to a pair of Ohm F Speakers.
Rear Audio Outputs (configured by placing Pianoteq virtual microphones higher and to the wider-spaced rear) feed into a classic Luxman Model C-1000 preamp connected to a Carver Model M-1.5 power amp leading to a pair of Ohm Walsh 4 speakers.
sigasa wrote:Joe, what's your setup?
Mark of the Unicorn 828Mk2 -- The "828" part of the name refers to the 8 inputs (6 TRS, 2 XLR), 2 main outs, and 8 other output channels on the device. The 2 XLR inputs have mic preamps and +48v phantom power for recording a condenser mic.
Front Audio Outputs feed into a Bryston BP-20 Preamp connected to a Bryston 4-B stereo power amp leading to a pair of Ohm F Speakers.
Rear Audio Outputs (configured by placing Pianoteq virtual microphones higher and to the wider-spaced rear) feed into a classic Luxman Model C-1000 preamp connected to a Carver Model M-1.5 power amp leading to a pair of Ohm Walsh 4 speakers.
Thank you Joe
Well, I finally got to try this and I agree with jcfelice88keys, it does sound fantastic.
I used ASIO4ALL to convert my laptop's builtin stereo audio into two more channels and along with my two chanel ASIO soundcard, I had four channels. I used them for left, right and two rear surround left and right speakers. I positioned the Pianoteq microphones in approximately the same position but also added about 30ms(30 feet) delay to each of the rear channels which helped.
One thing I noticed is that adding the first rear surround produced a lot of improvement and adding the second one resulted in only a slight additional improvement. They only needed a very small volume on the rear speakers.
I am buying a 4 channel ASIO card and some long cables so I can try this at my wife's next piano concert.
I'd be interested in hearing anyone else's testing of surround sound setups.
Interesting thread. I've been studying how to make the sound reproduction such that it radiates sound similar to a real piano.
I use a 4 CH USB audio/midi adapter, a M-Audio fasttrack pro, where 2 outputs are connected to a 2.1 audio set from Teufel (German brand), where I've exchanged the R/L small speakers with Behringer 1C speakers. The subwoofer is under the piano keyboard desk, above the 3 pedal set (CME). This is a desk I've made myself so I can mount all the required hardware. The 1C's are behind my CME UF80 keyboard, pointing slightly up, so the sound reflects on a board that is above the keyboard. So, the keyboard is partly covered, hiding the control buttons. This produces a very diffuse sound image very similar to a real piano. I also can feel sound vibrations in my fingers, because of the contact between the speakers and the piano desk.
The Sub acts as the amp for the 2 1C's.
Next to this output 3 and 4 are connected to a Behringer amp (convection cooled) driving a pair of older B&W floor standing speakers that are also under the piano desk.
I have the mices positioned where the speakers are.
All in all I'm pretty happy with this set-up. It took a bit of playing with the sound levels of the various speakers to find a good mix.
This set-up also produces nice low note responses like you have with a grand piano. I really like it with the K1 piano.
I'll try to make some pics of the set-up and post them later.
nickfielibert,
Great to hear about your setup! I'd love to see a picture.
I'm curious about the subwoofer you use. How low does the frequency go? Below the piano's 27Hz lowest key?
How much quality difference do you notice with the subwoofer connected/disconnected?
Sounds like you could improve things with an additional speaker or two in the surround. They can be low powered and according to some accounts they do not need to reproduce low or high frequencies, just mid range.
The subwoofer is part of a 2.1 pc system from Teufel (www.teufelaudio.com). I didn't like the original satellites. That is why I have replaced them with the small behringers. The Sub adds a lot to the sound. Unfortunately there is no frequency response spec available, but it is a 10 inch SW, so I would think it goes to 50 Hz at -3dB. I'm not sure I would improve the sound image with a couple of rear speakers. I'm already driving 5 speakers in my set-up.
I am thinking of replacing the 2 B&W speakers with dBtechnology arena speakers. I am on a business trip, but as soon as I'm back home I'll take some pictures and post (not sure how to add pictures though, don't see an upload button).
I too can confirm that this sounds amazing! I just installed a 7.1 system in my music room and having spent some time positioning mics, setting the delay and levels in the software I've been getting some beautiful sounds. If only ALL VSTs had this kind of mic control! I going to record some piano stuff with other software instruments using a 5.1/7.1 surround convolution verb and see what happens. However, I can tell that I've entered a whole new world of confusion when it comes to mastering!
Now I have to find some software to convert my multichannel audio output to DTS for playback over domestic surround systems... Does anyone have a favourite?
Cheers,
James
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Those Logitech speakers look interesting... but they're around the same price i just paid for a fill DTS 7.1 system including 7 matched speakers (not the Sub) and a multifunctional Denon DTS decoder/encoder with oddles of connectivity...
ther logitech beast looks a little space age... my worry is that the satelite speakers (and the FL, FR and C speakers for that matter) look really very small (about 6cm drivers by the look of it) which may be a little underpowerd for full surround productions. Paybe just for playing movies and games through it'd work but I fear a music workstation might bring it to its knees!
I AM looking for a system for the living room though and this looks compact
does anyone have one of these?
James
Today they say we have modern sound, 3D...
But the bass it's a huge single box... so the bass is mono...
Would you put this bass box in the center, or in the left, to get the piano bass more intense in the left, like in a real piano ?
Wouldn't this approuch, bass box in left, let the system unproper ?
Bass frequencies aren't as directional and you can place subwoofer almost anywhere much to the similar sonic result.
Well, except if you put your sub very close to the wall, then you get greatly amplified bass response because the closer a speaker is to a wall, the bass frequencies resonate more.
Well, in my simple F-90 speakers system I can notice the bass is more distint in the left.
The speaker is not speacial, but they are adjust in a way to try simulate piano, maybe some small equalization difference for the left speaker.
If I could get a very good speaker, I would give preference to a prime stereo than for a not prime 3D.
I reamamber someone showing me a 3D system, a compact not expansive one for PC, and he was saying: "See, it's 3D" But the sound fidelity was a crap, and I never wanted that thing in my PC.
The system post above looks expansive, and probably have quality speakers, but the bass in a single point... similar results are not exactly fully results, in directional terms.
Bass frequencies aren't as directional and you can place subwoofer almost anywhere much to the similar sonic result.
Well, except if you put your sub very close to the wall, then you get greatly amplified bass response because the closer a speaker is to a wall, the bass frequencies resonate more.
Basically, you're right, of course!
However, this sounds like it doesn't matter where you put your sub which is not true if you take room acoustics into account. For example, there's a huge difference whether you place the sub in a node or an anit-node of a room mode (standing wave). In the first case you'd (theoretically) hear nothing of the corresponding frequency, whereas in the latter case you'd greatly excite the standing wave of that frequency.
As far as I know, one approach to placing subs in a room is to put the sub to your listening position, play back some music (or maybe a MIDI file in this case ) walk around in the room, find a position where the bass response seems even and then put the sub to that position.
Beto-Music, just try out different placements and let your ears judge
BTW, I absolutely agree with your comment about crap 3D systems vs. great stereo systems!
Wolfgang