The Source + Plus Audio Samples
* indicates: All music written,
recorded, and mixed by Michael Angel, Copyright.
The Source + Plus TM on a full song mix
The I’ve written an original song, called "Valves of Victory" to illustrate the device’s affect on complete stereo mixes. The song has been mixed using very minimal editing, and is not considered a release-ready mix, nor has it been mastered.
The first file is the digital mix, unprocessed through the device. Files #2 and #3 are two separate transfers through the Source + Plus, #3 being at a hotter input and triode setting for more obvious audible effects. For production notes, go here: Production Notes
*http://cdsoundmaster.com/SP1mp3s/ValveVictoryDry .mp3
*http://cdsoundmaster.com/SP1mp3s/ValveVictorysp1
.mp3
*http://cdsoundmaster.com/SP1mp3s/ValveVictory_sp2
.mp3
The Source + Plus TM on stereo electric guitar #1
The first file below is the original. File two is a clean setting on the Source + Plus TM. File three is a two-stage valve setting with bias set at it’s lowest level. Files four and five are two different voicings at full saturation.
Stereo_El_Guitar_After_Clean.mp3
Stereo_El_Guitar_After_LowBias.mp3
Stereo_El_Guitar_After_Heavy1.mp3
Stereo_El_Guitar_After_Heavy2.mp3
The Source + Plus TM on rock drums
The first file below is the original. File two is a clean setting on the Source + Plus TM. File three is a two-stage valve setting that accentuates the mid-range frequencies of the drums. File four is driving the signal in such a way to make the room ambience more prevalent. File five is audibly overdriven.
Drum_1_After_A-Little-More-Room.mp3
The Source + Plus TM recording acoustic guitar #1
The first file below is the original. It has been recorded directly into a microphone preamp. All of the files in this group that follow have been recoreded directly into the Source + Plus TM. I have maintained the same positioning with the guitar, microphone, distance, etc., and my settings for the microphone preamp have not been altered. What is different from the first ‘clean’ recording is that my microphone is plugged directly into the Source + Plus TM first, which then feeds the mic preamp. I am able to re-voice the microphone and actually tune the character of the recording towards the sound I am after.
The Source + Plus TM on stereo electric guitar #2
The first file below is the original. File two is a clean setting on the Source + Plus TM. File three is a two-stage valve setting with bias set at it’s lowest level. Files four and five are two different voicings at full saturation.
Stereo_El_Guitar2_After_Clean.mp3
Stereo_El_Guitar2_After_LowBias.mp3
Stereo_El_Guitar2_After_Heavy1.mp3
Stereo_El_Guitar2_After_Heavy2.mp3
The Source + Plus TM on bass guitar
The first file below is the original. File two is a clean setting on the Source + Plus TM. File three is a two-stage valve setting that brings the mid-range frequencies more up-front and gives the performance a more aggressive tone.
Bass1_After_A-Little-Growl.mp3
The Source + Plus TM recording acoustic guitar #2
The first file below is the original. It has been recorded directly into a microphone preamp. Files two and three are the same recording processed through the Source + Plus TM. "Reamp1" is a setting that helps accentuate the body of the guitar, giving it a more natural and full, ‘woody’ sound. "Reamp2" is a setting that gives the recording a warmer, almost vintage sound. "SP1" and "SP2" have been recorded using the Source + Plus TM while recording. I have maintained the same positioning with the guitar, microphone, distance, etc., and my settings for the microphone preamp have not been altered. What is different from the first ‘clean’ recording is that my microphone is plugged directly into the Source + Plus TM first, which then feeds the mic preamp. I am able to re-voice the microphone and actually tune the character of the recording towards the sound I am after. Compare "SP1" and "SP2" to "Cleana1", keeping in mind that my performance does vary a little, but the position is exactly the same.
The Source + Plus TM on an entire song mixing session
These files are an adapted version of one of my original songs. The first file, "Before", is the original song session. Each track in the song session is set to a nice balance and mixed to two-track stereo all within the digital domain. Then, for a comparison of the same exact song session recorded through the Source + Plus TM, I recorded each individual track from this session individually through the Source + Plus TM, adjusting the settings to adapt to the material. The resulting processed tracks were then set to the same volume level as the unprocessed originals. These processed tracks were then loaded in place of the original all-digital session. This version was mixed down digtitally to two-track master. Then, I ran this resulting stereo mix back through the Source + Plus TM to give it a little bit of a polished, more forward, present, and unified overall sound. No other editing or processing has been done to either track.
* indicates: All music written, recorded, and mixed by Michael Angel, Copyright 2005-2009.
"Valves Of Victory" Production notes:
BFD Drums: played by me- tracked live via trigger set. Mixed just between dry, overhead, room, and boundary. No separate individual drum outs or compression.
Bass Guitar: played by me: BC Rich Fretless D.I. via AP1 w/Lundahl (you can hear the nice extended lows of the Lundahl transformer).
Piano: played by me via 88 weighted keyboard triggering East West Keith Johnson recorded Steinway Grand. Strings from same collection.
Guitars: played by me- Epiphone
Acoustic/Electric D.I. via AP1.
Les Paul via Line6 Guitarport-several different settings.
Song is mixed dry, and then processed through the Source + Plus with the stock JJ/Tesla 12au7’s at a moderate setting and a second version with a slightly more overdriven setting.
Production notes:
The session is an example, and is not a final mix or final mastering.
Adjustments were made to tracks before mix to help make it a somewhat
unified recording. However, serious editing and tweaking has not
been done.
The "dry" version is the only mix being used. This "dry"
mix has been processed through the Source + Plus using both triode
stages and moderate output level, with bias set to full. The second
version is hitting the dual stages of the triodes with a little
heavier input signal. It maintains the peak transients nicely
while adding more dimension and thickness to the overall sound.
It starts to get the warm fuzzies without getting blurred. Less
than 1dB of the low frequencies below 40hZ were reduced when hitting
the device rather hard. The highs remained within their 3dB spec.
over 20kHz even at an overdriven level. The roll-off is very smooth,
and only occurs as levels become more and more overdriven. A Mix
can be processed in parallel with a cleaner processing through
the device where one wishes to accentuate the mid-range harmonics
and give more 3-d quality to the mix, but wants to preserve the
very quick transients and upper frequencies more precisely.
Here are the links:
http://cdsoundmaster.com/SP1_mp3s/ValveVictory_Dry.mp3
http://cdsoundmaster.com/SP1_mp3s/ValveVictory_sp1.mp3
http://cdsoundmaster.com/SP1_mp3s/ValveVictory_sp2.mp3
In the second version, there is a little more presence and depth, and things start to sound more unified, but still have their natural space around each instrument. File 3 is very cohesive, sounds a bit larger, and the ‘glue’ factor should sound more obviuous. #2 is probably my fav, although I love the bigger 80’s thing happening at the end of #3. If you A/B the heavier last section of the song between #2 and #3, you should be able to hear where it can come in handy to use the Source + Plus in place of eq, compression, or signal processing effects. It simply helps tune the instruments towards each other. Not just adding harmonics or compressing the signal, it reacts to what the music does without getting out-of-character.
Hopefully this will be an enjoyable listen! Feel free to take ’em into your studio for good monitoring/headphones. Song/Recording Copyright 2009 Michael Angel.