TC Studiokonnekt 48

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2007 5:13 pm

Well, I finally bit the bullet and purchased one of these. Sold my Lynx Aurora 8, not because of sound quality, it was superb, but because I had to take 4 x 5m long 8 channel snakes with me to site to connect it to stuff, and the Lynx Mixer software is a hinderance to use. I really like the AES connections though, this is pro.

But the TC box has some advantages. Its got the most wonderfully usable software app I have seen in a long time, the layout is how I suggested to Lynx they make theirs, ie just like an analog mixer strip. Its also got 4 more pres that I need, and the reverb, compression and EQ FX sound excellent , also trivially easy to route into the mix with that software mixer.

The distinct disadvantages of the TC box is the firewire connection, this is not professional, and the complete lack of separate AES outs from the D/A.

So far the preamps sound fantastic with a pair of 4006TL's, the only listening I have done. TC are still finalising driver stability and I have ordered a laptop for the first time in my life. A Lenovo T61 is coming and also a TI chipset PC-Card to do the firewire so that I can get a decent larger connector.

I hope I don't regret selling that wonderful Lynx, but my back will thank me for not having to lug snakes and Genex around, and my sanity will be preserved running that wonderful TC software and FX.

More reports to come after a serious outing. Firewire connectors are still producing anxiety.

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 2:07 pm

David - I will be very interested in your future reports about TC48.

I am also interested in your comments on the 4006TL as I am considering having my 4006’s “upgraded”

Dont fret too much about firewire connectors - in the 5+ years I have been using them I have had only one problem, and that was a cable not a connection!

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 2:42 pm

I'm curious - what PC card did you get with the TI chipset? I've been looking for one (although, there's now a new PCMCIA bus - ExpressBus which makes matters even more complicated!)

I'm in the process of going through this same upgrade right now only with the RME FireFace 800 and a laptop. God, it's a life saver losing 50 or more pounds of gear!

On a different note, I had a wierd issue with Firewire cables. I had to put an aftermarket PC card in my PCI slot on my portable computer and the card cage makes it so that no firewire connector can reach far enough into the jack on the PCI card to connect. (A problem with EVERY computer and this particular card since my card cage is no bigger or thicker than any other on the market.)

I've had to retro all of my existing firewire cables by melting the plastic on the computer end of the cable so that more of the metal firewire plug is exposed so it can reach further into the plug.

Friggin engineers!

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2007 5:39 pm

Larry, good to know re firewire connectors. We also have a pair of 4003 and I am not sure its worth upgrading your 4006's. People seem to say there are low end improvements, not an area where I would say there were deficiencies. The 4006's can drive longer cables than the TL's so this has practical implications in our work.

Jeremy, the card I have ordered is this one:
http://www.verbatim.com.au/products.cfm?productID=KW1002

Its an older card but has the reliable TI chipset on it. The PCIe cards seem to mostly still be PCI at their core with PCIe to PCI bridges on board. I don't know how anyone can choose this stuff today, there are simply too many options with poorly documented specs and differences.

Just choosing a laptop was hard enough. And Microsoft are scratching their heads wondering why people are having trouble choosing between the 17 versions of Vista.

A message to marketing people, if you ever listen to anyone .... GET A GRIP ... AND A CLUE!

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 4:39 am

Dave,

When you get the chance, could you give more detail on the quality of the pres, AD/DA etc.

Also, what sort of price do these things command?

Cheers,

Dave

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 4:42 pm

Dave

The quality of pres I am certainly interested in, but the A/D D/A I think, now, is of no concern. The pres I partly assumed would be good. I did not trial or listen to this box first. We have 2 Gold Channels which have excellent preamps and we have the M2000 and the M3000 which we use frequently still. Since the GC pres are so good and these are documented as being more advanced, then I was satisfied at that. But I will post some samples from a recording as soon as I can.

A/D/A is less of an issue because all circuit design in this area is now late generation. TC are great designers, they publish many papers in the AES journal and publish proper specs including very low jitter figures. Certainly our other three boxes make excellent A/D converters which is the way we use them sometimes, ie in bypass mode.

However, I still do my critical CD recordings of chamber music in stereo with the Nagra and soon to be, my new minimalist analog mixer designed by Warren Huck.

This multichannel rig will be a backup for critical projects, but the primary recorder for non-critical gigs where we need many channels and post rebalance is likely. My business partner purchased a Mackie Onyx for such work, but it doesn't sound great to my ears, and the intent of using the A/D in that with Traktion has been less than satisfactory, actually we don't use it, its so teeth grindingly annoying.

So far I have very good impressions from the SK48. As I said, the wonderful software is its strong point, as well as the pedigree of design in it for preamps and the staggering amount of DSP. The usable DSP on board this thing is incredible, it must be the most powerful box on the planet at the moment as far as that's concerned. The reverb is quite outstanding, has to be heard to be believed. I should add that I don't use much DSP in recording classical music, but small amounts of reverb on spots and compression on vocals can make all the difference, very small amounts. This box allows fine adjustment of such and highly accurate mixing to stereo of the whole thing.

Its good value for money. I think RRP is around $3150 AUD, but street price is much less than that.

Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 12:05 am

Larry, for God's sake don't listen to me re whether to upgrade 4006 to 4006TL. Read this instead!

http://recforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/mv/msg/6888/0/0/0/

Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 11:38 am

Larry, I have no experience with the 4003s, but as a long time (20+ yrs) user of the B&K 4006's, I can tell you the 4006 TLs are a very nice step up from the original. The differences are subtle, but folks who use these things all the time will know it as soon as they hear them. (The recessed -20 db switch in the XLR connector is a nice touch, as well.)

I reviewed this new version for MIX ( http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_dpa_tl_microphone/index.html ) and liked the microphones so much I decided to keep them. I'm still pondering whether or not I will upgrade my original B&Ks (probably will) to the TL version; it's mostly a down-time issue. They certainly need a trip to the shop at DPA for tweaking and adjustment after all this time, so I'm figuring perhaps I will do it all at once and be done with it, probably when things slow down at the end of the season in May or June 08.

For critical, audiophile & serious work I run the DPAs through my Grace m802's, where the differences between the original 4006's and 4006 TLs is apparent. For me, it was worth spending the extra $$ for two additional 4006 TLs, thus boosting my toolbox to FOUR of them, vs. just upgrading the original pair I have.

I can't tell you what to do, but if I would say as long as the source material truly warrants it, and you can hear a 1 or 2 percent difference for the better, then go for it. With shipping, it'll probably run about about $1500 or so for upgrading two of them, (just under the cost of ONE new 4006 TL) - and that's something only you can decide.

Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 1:07 pm

Thanks to all who responded on the 4006TL - sorry for Hi Jacking your thread David - now back to the TC48...

Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 1:41 pm

yes, I'm sorry I went off on a tangent as well.....new question for David; are you using this at all in the studio, or out on live remotes?

I'm curious about the 5.1 and stereo implementation - I still haven't found the perfect all-in-box for mixdown in my studio.

This sure looks interesting....

Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 4:28 pm

Joe, its going to be used out in live recordings mostly. Its the heart of a small multitrack rig with a laptop. The speaker management and numerous separately configurable outputs would be wonderful in the studio, and also in a remote CD session. Its even got a very neat talkback arrangement.
http://www.tcelectronic.com/media/SK_Digital_Mixer_Screenshot.jpg

Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 8:55 am

Jeremy, I couldn't get that Firewire card supplied, so have done some more research. I found what appears to be an excellent 1394a PC-Card with a TI chipset. The thing I like about this card is that its connectors are lying down so its low profile in height when plugged into the latop. It appears to be made in Switzerland.

EXSYS EX-6600E
http://www.exsys.ch/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25_30&products_id=40

and I have bought 2 of them, (1 spare) from eBay Austria.

Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2007 9:15 am

Thanks!

I also just picked up one as well. I had to look at the ExpressCard variety, but found this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16839150004

I would have gotten this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16839150007

But I couldn't determine if it also used the TI chipset (which the first one does.)

I've had the machine (a Dell Vostro notebook) up to 12 tracks of 192kHz in both directions for over two hours now without even a hiccup.

This was only a test though. I'll be recording this coming weekend and will throw it out on its first real test then.

I'll only be doing 44.1 though this weekend - maybe 4-6 tracks tops.

In any case, it seems rock solid after making many necessary tweaks to the computer.

I hope your experiences thus far are similar.

J.

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