Tonelux dual mic pre + A to D opinions

[ToneLux]

I need Gearslutz input on the meters for my new Mic Pre look:

See above for the 3 possibilities.

Thanks in advance,

Paul

[heyman]

I like the one on the right with the yellow..

[Jax]

I like the blue. 's different

[elco]

Hi Paul,

Those meters have a very interesting scale. Looks like -30 or so to +5 VU. Is there any particular reason you are not going with a true ANSI VU spec. meter?

Oh, and I choose the classic yellow background. The picture you posted looks classy.

Cheers,

elco

[zimv20]

yellow for me, too.

[murp]

Another vote for yellow - looks classic, and classy.

Also, what's with the XLR/TRS inputs on the front? I can't think of any time I'd ever plug a microphone into the front of a mic pre. I spose it's ok as long as it's got XLR inputs on the back as well, but it still seems like a waste to me.

Also (sorry to be such a whiner ), I'm not sure I like the layout of the controls. I much prefer having all the buttons/knobs/meters for each channel separately. I realise you don't have much room though...

[Pohaku]

Yellow. Looks more visible from a distance. thumbsup

[max cooper]

Yellow.


And the usual queries. When and how much?

[wolfhound]

black.

[audiothings]

black.

When and how much?

amen.

and hey! the xlr/trs(ts?) front panel inputs are a great idea. i dig it and it will be useful to me, provided i can choose between front and rear inputs / or, front inputs take priority.

any chance the a/d factors in a dsd option...? (been looking at that tascam dvd recorder...)

self.

[Sui_City]

As posted by GilWave in the "Namm Gossip" thread:

Originally Posted by GilWave

Tonelux teams up with GENEX to introduce the first DUAL MIC PRE with a Digital to Analog converter that does EVERY FORMAT from 44.1 PCM thru 352 DXD, 384 PCM and both 64fs and 128fs DSD! Two Tonelux MP1 Mic Preamps, analog metering and digital metering.

Includes Word Clock IN AND OUT for use as a Master Clock or for linking several units without clock distribution, AES outputs for all PCM formats, COAX for DSD and ADAT Light Pipe.

Originally Posted by GilWave

Yes, it has inserts between the mic pre and the A-to-D. They can be used separately.

Price will be somewhere between $3000 and $4000, depending on I/O options, as this unit will support the new DSD standard.

-g

thread

[natpub]

Yellow thumbsup

[MGA]

I'm diggin' the black!

[nosebleedaudio]

Are you going to have a peak LED also?
far right for me...

[SoundChances]

I'm digging the blue....

[TinderArts]

Looks like you dig green.
Black for me please.

[Mike O]

Classic yellow.

[Mario-C.]

blue. it looks a lot cooler ...
black as a second choice

[mac black]

Blue for me, its more sexy ...

[kellyd]

Black. Looks pretty tough and to me more like the Tonelux line.

[ToneLux]

Originally Posted by elco

Hi Paul,

Those meters have a very interesting scale. Looks like -30 or so to +5 VU. Is there any particular reason you are not going with a true ANSI VU spec. meter?

Oh, and I choose the classic yellow background. The picture you posted looks classy.

Cheers,

elco

For a mic pre, I want to have a wider scale. The zero position is at the same point, and the +5 just has a scale under it, most VU meters overshoot to +5 anyway, there is no art. The -30 is there too, just never labeled.

There is a digital meter next to the VU meters, showing signal (green) that you've reached NOMinal (selected to the right) and a peak LED that shows and over indication after 3 samples of over. The OVER will have a clear button under it and will most likely have 2 options, auto reset and manual.

The XLR on the front is for use if it is in a protable rack, it also is a 1/4" combo jack for guitar direct in. The XLR will also be on the rear. THe 1/4" will only be on the front, as the HI-Z doesn't like to be piped around into a patch bay.

XLR in and out on the rear for the Mic Pre, then a 1/4" balanced jack for the A to D insert point (I might use one of those new XLRs that have the normalling connections in them), DSD coax out, maybe S/PDIF out, light pipe out and 4 AES OUTs to be able to do the DXD and 384 PCM. The clock is super stable and can be used as a master clock. It can also lock to external in, and then sends that clock out the clock out coax connector for linking other devices.

The design of the insides is done, just fine tuning the panel.

For those who have been waiting for a demo of the Tonelux stuff, we are very sorry, but every time we send something out, it never comes back.

So far, YELLOW meters are slightly ahead, but not that far... The black will be back lit so it shows the letters and needle. Thanks for everyone's input. I will decide after NAMM and going 100% on what you guys want.

[Plush]

Classic yellow makes the most sense.
Even if the other meters are back lit, one could not observe them as clearly against the dark background on the meter. Highest visibility and ease of reading are surely at the top of your list. Dont' re-invent anything!

I vote for a true ANSI VU meter--otherwise, what's the correlation between all our other meters and yours?

[ToneLux]

Originally Posted by Plush

Classic yellow makes the most sense.
Even if the other meters are back lit, one could not observe them as clearly against the dark background on the meter. Highest visibility and ease of reading are surely at the top of your list. Dont' re-invent anything!

I vote for a true ANSI VU meter--otherwise, what's the correlation between all our other meters and yours?

Every VU meter in the world sits at -30, which is the line below -20. The pictured VU meters only go down to -20 with the label. They all stop at -30 and -20 is the first label because of the accuracy down there.

Because it is a Mic Pre out, I went for +6 because of the range that a pre puts out. Again, most VU meters stop the label at +3, but the meter still can go past it to +4 and +5 anyway.

There is no correlation between any meters that are different sizes, as the arc of the meter is different for just about all of them. The speed frequency response and overshoot is what the ANSI spec says, but nothing about the size or arc. They will have the same ballistics of an old VU meter.

Now, back to the colors...

[GilWave]

I too like the Blue, 'cause it's different, but I don't use this stuff everyday like you guys will.

The "Classic Black" reminds me of the Eventide OmniPressor. The Yellow looks like every other Yellow meter out there, which doesn't make it bad, just the same as many others.

Thank you Slutz for your feedback, keep it coming. Jules, you are conspicuous by your absence - what do you think?

-gil

[Lindell]

Originally Posted by ToneLux

Now, back to the colors...

Black

[e-cue]

Originally Posted by ToneLux

The black will be back lit so it shows the letters and needle. Thanks for everyone's input. I will decide after NAMM and going 100% on what you guys want.

In that case, Black. I was going to say blue, but I kinda like the speed-o-meter thing I think the black will give ya.

[Plush]

Tonelux wrote:". . . There is no correlation between any meters that are different sizes, as the arc of the meter is different for just about all of them. The speed frequency response and overshoot is what the ANSI spec says, but nothing about the size or arc. They will have the same ballistics of an old VU meter."


Oh come on, now--different size VU meters don't read the same??
Different SCALE meters are what do not read the same!

Of course there is correlation between any one example of a "real" VU meter and any other one example of a "real" VU meter. A certain voltage applied to the meter receives a certain read out. Otherwise, standardization is out the window.

For example -5VU is -5VU

[nosebleedaudio]

You make a VU meter read what ever level you want; -10, +4, +8 ect...
For peak levels they are mostly useless, unless you add a peak LED.
My .02cents

[Jules]

Blue for me...