Testing New Gear

Torg · 13th April 2009

Hi everybody.

Suppose you just received a brand new unit in the studio.

What kind of tests you usually do with it(comps, eqs, etc) in order to check if the gear is working properly ?

Do you just go by ear ?

thanks

Cellotron · 13th April 2009

I initially run tones and pink noise through it and make sure the side levels and any meters on it are properly calibrated. I also turn my monitors up all the way with no audio going through it with just it in line to listen what its self noise sounds like. From there I just play a variety of sources through it and tweak its controls to hear what it actually does.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

MASSIVE Master · 13th April 2009

An EQ's "personality" can be revealed well using pink noise for starters.

For a compressor, I like to throw a nice sounding drum loop through it and play with the extremes.

wado1942 · 13th April 2009

I'm usually too excited to go through any rigorous testing stage. I plug in the thing and play some mixes through it. Then if I like what I hear, I'll proceed with the pink noise & 1K tones to get things calibrated etc. Of course one of the most important tests is to just have it in the loop and not run anything through it.... Just listen to the noise character it has on its own.

KyleDiSanto · 13th April 2009

I usually take a mix that I know well and just run it through. I like to try many different styles of music on the same unit to get a feel for what it can do stylistically.

For me its about versatility since I do alot of different styles of music. Never really got into running pink noise through it.

I do like to run a 1khz tone @ -20dbfs through it to see how matched a stereo unit actually is.

Kyle D

bob katz · 14th April 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torg

Hi everybody.

Suppose you just received a brand new unit in the studio.

What kind of tests you usually do with it(comps, eqs, etc) in order to check if the gear is working properly ?

Do you just go by ear ?

thanks

Compressors, I make rudimentary listening and measurement tests with a 1K tone for level calibration, channel balance and headroom before I give them the thumbs up, and then I listen.

RDMS · 14th April 2009

I'll run a mix I've had trouble with in the past to see if it's capable of giving me faster/better results. It ultimately boils down to doing your job better and quicker doesn't it?

13th April 2009	#1
Torg Gear Head Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 63 Thread Starter	Testing New Gear Hi everybody. Suppose you just received a brand new unit in the studio. What kind of tests you usually do with it(comps, eqs, etc) in order to check if the gear is working properly ? Do you just go by ear ? thanks

13th April 2009	#2
Cellotron Lives for gear Joined: Aug 2004 Location: Brooklyn, New York Posts: 3,638 Verified Member	I initially run tones and pink noise through it and make sure the side levels and any meters on it are properly calibrated. I also turn my monitors up all the way with no audio going through it with just it in line to listen what its self noise sounds like. From there I just play a variety of sources through it and tweak its controls to hear what it actually does. Best regards, Steve Berson __________________ www.totalsonicmastering.com www.invertmusic.org www.warlockasylum.info

13th April 2009	#3
MASSIVE Master Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2004 Location: Chicago (Schaumburg / Hoffman Est.) IL Posts: 2,708 Verified Member	An EQ's "personality" can be revealed well using pink noise for starters. For a compressor, I like to throw a nice sounding drum loop through it and play with the extremes. __________________ John Scrip - Massive Mastering, LLC - www.massivemastering.com Spoon-feed a newb some answer and he'll mix for a day - Get him to think about it and figure it out for himself and he'll mix for a lifetime --- JS

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13th April 2009	#4
wado1942 Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2009 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 2,088	I'm usually too excited to go through any rigorous testing stage. I plug in the thing and play some mixes through it. Then if I like what I hear, I'll proceed with the pink noise & 1K tones to get things calibrated etc. Of course one of the most important tests is to just have it in the loop and not run anything through it.... Just listen to the noise character it has on its own.

13th April 2009	#5
KyleDiSanto Gear addict Joined: Jan 2009 Location: NYC Posts: 484	I usually take a mix that I know well and just run it through. I like to try many different styles of music on the same unit to get a feel for what it can do stylistically. For me its about versatility since I do alot of different styles of music. Never really got into running pink noise through it. I do like to run a 1khz tone @ -20dbfs through it to see how matched a stereo unit actually is. Kyle D

14th April 2009	#7
RDMS Gear nut Joined: Sep 2008 Location: Adelaide Posts: 99	I'll run a mix I've had trouble with in the past to see if it's capable of giving me faster/better results. It ultimately boils down to doing your job better and quicker doesn't it?