Re: OT top affordable microphones (was headache from cds)

[andy butler <akbutler@tiscali.co.uk>]

mark francombe wrote:
> 
> 
> On Sat, Jan 10, 2009 at 1:50 PM, andy butler <akbutler@tiscali.co.uk 
> <mailto:akbutler@tiscali.co.uk>> wrote:
> 
>     mark francombe wrote:
> 
>         An only just discoverd feature of my Zoom h4 is mike
>         emulation... So... whats up with that? Does it work, is it
>         nonsense, if theres something in it, why dont they just emulate
>         the 10 best mikes, and watch them all go out of business as they
>         flood the market at a tenth of the price...
> 
> 
>     I think it's nonsense
>     ...and I reckon you do too ;-)
> 
> Well yes.. I was sceptical.. HOWEVER... Isnt this basically the same 
> technology as amp modelling and VG bla bla... so thats all nonsense too??

not exactly equivalent.
With amp modelling the start point is a full range DI signal.
With the H4, you already have the sonic signature of the H4 mics.

>  
> I suspect that it IS possible to emulate some aspects of a mike... the 
> eq maybe? 

If you started with a high quality flat response measurement type mic
I bet it's possible to emulate some quirky vintage junk shop style mics
to great effect.


> But Dynamic Range? Would that possible in software.. well I 
> suppose so, it only compression.. 

nope, dynamic range (in technical terms) is headroom,
and once it's gone you can't get it back

>well Freq res then.. I guess that the 
> orginal h4 mikes are going to limit what any emulation can do...

exactly, the sound is already coloured by their transient response and 
harmonic distortion.

>  
> Interestingly, there is not much about this feature in the H4 manual... 
> maybe they thru it in there... and they aint that proud of it...

I kind of remember that this was in their advertising blurb as
a selling point.
I sense the involvement of "guys in suits".


andy