I'm sort of in the market for the (Manley) Backbone, but that sure seems to be an easy way to get M/S control on the analog chain...

Can't they ever print the MSRP...?

Its to be announced, but I'll make a call for you and see if I can get a ball park.

John, tell me what this does for you?

Almost goes without saying -- A switchable mid-side insert (if I'm reading it correctly). I work in M/S more than I care to and surprisingly (to some, I suppose), I find splitting in analog preferable to splitting in digital. I'm not even sure why, as a digital split to M/S is about as "perfect" as you can get (theoretically).

If those controls are calibrated I'd be fairly interested. If it had a super-clean +6 at the input and output, I'd have already ordered one. Maybe... Of course, that's one of the reasons I'm looking at the Backbone - Switchable M/S, swappable insert points, super-clean +6 on the input and output, etc.

Hi John,

A switchable mid-side insert. This is new terminology for me. What does middle side mean? Or is this mid as in mid range?
Could you explain how you use this.
Is it also similar to OTB summing but more of a mastering sum?
SPL responded:

"With the launch at Musikmesse end of March) we will have all tech and price specs"

Although I definitively do not do my own mastering (I believe that a different pair of ears and a different set of optimised gear are required for the mastering stage), I have been using M-S processing in generating my final mixes for many years. This is, of course, in addition to employing M-S microphone techniques where appropriate. I suppose I have an advantage in being able to design and build my own equipment for professional audio, so have not been constrained by what has and has not been commercially available.

This SPL box looks at first sight to be a common-sense commercial offering for stereo->MS->stereo processing, and, as such, should find a place in mixdown studios as well as in mastering houses.

audiokid, the main reason for splitting the L & R stereo mix into M (sum of L and R) and S (the difference between L and R) is so that different processing can be performed on the M and S signals before they are re-combined into a new L and R. As a simple example, if you insert a high-pass filter on the S channel, when re-combined to L and R, all the low frequencies will now be located in the centre of the stereo image if any were off to one side previously. As another example, the use of different degrees and type of reverb on the M and S channels can produce spatial ambiance that is not easily possible to create by simple processing of the L-R stereo mix.

I should add that the M-S encoding and decoding processes are identical and theoretically lossless, so can be performed in principle any number of times without signal degradation. As with analog summing (see recent thread), I have found empirically that more acoustically pleasing results can be obtained using external analog processing for these tasks than performing the M-S coding in the digital domain.

This looks pretty useful for analog M/S inserts. Looks like it has a switchable elliptical eq filter on the sides too. From the description, it looks like it also has some kind of ambiance processor?

I would imagine the "ambience processing" to simply be the M/S balance.

I think it would definitely be worth checking out depending on the price. Spl seems to put out some quality gear.

I don't use M/S all that much, but I do set up a digital matrix which allows me to get out to the analog gear, but I'm not 100% satisfied with this and have thought about M/S in the analog world maybe being able to get better results.

The other boxes I was looking into for this was the Dangerous matrix, but it would probably a bit further down the line.

Anyway, thanks for the heads up.

Boswell, you explained that so well, Thank you!

Tom, good to see you here. Glad you enjoyed it.

We are going to be giving away one of these!!!

Wow! Any details about that ?

yup, I just have to set the date. Its official.

Hello!
so? Any details?

Yes, you qualify.
I'm just working out the details. We may begin this coming week. It will be blog related like that last Sonar 8.5 giveaway. I will make a mass mail announcement. Tell a friend.

That Processor would be a nice addition to My Studio..

Hi audiokid:
Thanks for the mail you sent over to me, regarding WINNING " an SPL M/S Master" PROCESSOR next month!

I'm sure I could use it in the new Studio I have [[url=http://[/URL]="http://home-and-gar…"]Studio Under Construction pictures from home & garden photos on webshots[/]="http://home-and-gar…"]Studio Under Construction pictures from home & garden photos on webshots[/].. As you are aware, these places are mainly a "Work-In-Progress".. Will it ever get finished ?? The SPL M/S Master processor could help.. That link is the Studio's Photo Blog..

Do you think that "Photo Blog Page" could help me Win that SPL Master Processor?

Bill..

You are welcome and welcome back to RO!
Join date Aug 2002. I like that!

Use your recording.org's blog here and you are welcome to upload images to your personal folder and include any pic you want in your blog's you feel will serve you well. The winner will be somone that stands out in my mind. It could be anything and anyone who is a member here. This includes moderators as well. Everyone can play.
I have no idea who the winner will be. The blog will be about . . . Why you feel you should have an SPL MS master.

Thank You.. audiokid .. for that reply..

O.K. Aug 2002.. That long EH < ???? hehe
I don't know anyone here .. OR .. I haven't hung out around here.. However, if you Google Search * woxnerw * you'll see where I hang out up here.. On the other hand.. if I look around I just might come across some names/handles I recognize.. I'm positive.. There's some pretty HeAvY Duds around here..

I'd still like to have that processor.. I think I'd be able to put it to use..

I tried to open up a Blog Page.. NO-GO.. I guess I ain't doin something right.. In the meantime (till I figure out how to get the blog page, to work) I'll post some links to the kind of stuff I am working on.. I have this [="http://maritimeexpress.bandcamp.com/"]Maritime Express[/]="http://maritimeexpr…"]Maritime Express[/] BandCamp Page, that I have posted some of the stuff we used work on till my life-long friends became ill and now they are not with us anymore..

I've got an old outdated [[url=http://="http://woxnerw.net/"]WOXNERW.NET - Bill Oxner's "Audio & Recording"[/]="http://woxnerw.net/"]WOXNERW.NET - Bill Oxner's "Audio & Recording"[/] Home Page.. There.. you'll see some of the stuff I've designed over the years and still use in my current "Work-In-Progress"

I've got "TUBE" mic preamps that I want to get back up-and-running in my new place..

It would be so nice to get this new SPL Processor and re-image some of these tracks through it..

Bill..

Someone's going to get lucky and get that piece of gear. Looks very cool.

Hello audiokid

Great to have another Give-Away..and a nice one, too.

For the gazillion of forum members who wont be lucky enough to be "the one", there is a very usable plugin out from BrainWorx, Germany:
[[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.brainwor…"]Brainworx | Plug-ins[/]="http://www.brainwor…"]Brainworx | Plug-ins[/]
Those plugins are also into adjusting the sides and mid separately. Brings a new side to controlling the sound. I got me a set a while ago.
So, I will not take part this time....
Well one less in the competition..Have fun..!!!!

Cheers, Big K

Michael Fossenkemper and Digital Audio Studio, and All:
I agree Big K.. AND.. I have what I consider a pretty nice collection of VST and DX Plugins.. I've even created Impulse Response Sample for S.I.R and posted them over on Noisevault.. I turned out they (the Samples) got used by a guy over on the Continent for his 12' Grand Piano.. I originally created the set for Room Ambiance. As it turned out the Samples were mono and (by that time) most users of S.I.R. had already moved on to Stereo and 5.1 formats of mixing using VST/S.I.R. Impulse Samples..

AND.. There is the best reason I can come up with, for wanting to acquire that SPL M/S Master Processor..

The next BIG construction Project I'll be starting for the Studio is a Pair of Isolation Boxes for the room.. The boxes I'm working on are still in the design stages.. They'll be Two-way passive crossover'd driven by Class A driven 6L6 Williamson Design 18 watt amps.. The mics I am considering for the isolation boxes should be AKG SM 184 style mics.. However, I haven't concluded just what the mics will be.. They should be capable of at least 110-115 db of level.. ?? Well..

Anyway, this processor would be just the right TOY to drive these Class A driven TUBE Amps.. In my opinion.. that is.. This is a link to the Class A 6L6 Williamson Design Amps I built back in 1963 when I worked at Dalhousie University as a research Technician, in the Chemistry Department.. [[url=http://[/URL]="http://woxnerw.net/…"]WOXNERW - Williamson Design Amplifiers[/]="http://woxnerw.net/…"]WOXNERW - Williamson Design Amplifiers[/]

It would be sooo nice if someday I'd get this studio Up-and-Running and "Get Tracking"

Bill..

Never mind, wrong thread... Duh!!!