Master Mi

The main background of my whole intention to enlarge my studio equipment is basically that a guy from a music store told me that my 250 ohms Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro headphones might not be driven properly on my Steinberg UR 22 USB audio interface. He said that some frequencies (I think he named especially the top end frequencies und deeper bass frequencies) of these headphones might perish or won't sound as clean and truthful at my current audio interface - so, I should rather go for a good headphone amp. Another customer in a product rating corner mentioned that the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro with the full frequency response range from 5 to 35000 Hz sound much better and cleaner on a good headphone amp. And so, I looked for some higher end stuff of headphone amps, got stuck to the Lake People G103-P (has a very large frequency response range from 5 to 150000 Hz!!! - so, much more than the Presonus HP4, for example - at which the frequency response range goes only from 20 to 20000 Hz). But I recognized that I would need more line outputs on my audio interface. 2 line output connections go already into my Fostex subwoofer - so, there 's nothing else left for my preferred headphone amp and I want to keep the heaphone output on my audio interface for the lower impendance headphones. So, my decision was to buy a new audio interface first and sell my old one to a friend who wants to start with composition and music. There are 2 other audio interfaces which are still in my mind and which have a good power support, lots of line input and line output ports and which have already 2 headphone output ports. 1) Tascam US-20x20 (also good ol' Japanese hightech stuff with USB 3.0 support!!!) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://www.thomann.de/gb/tascam_us_20x20.htm?ref=intl&shp=eyJjb3VudHJ5IjoiZ2IiLCJjdXJyZW5jeSI6IjIiLCJsYW5ndWFnZSI6ImVuIn0%3D >>> Without the nasty stands (don't really know if you can demount them completely) which bring the interface obviously in a slightly skewed position, I could easily place my monitor screen on this pretty big interface. or 2) Steinberg UR44 (the bigger brother of my momentary UR22 USB audio interface and highly established stuff, grown in a long-term German-Japanese development) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://www.thomann.de/gb/steinberg_ur44.htm >>> I'm still thinking about getting this one, because with the Steinberg products I already know what I have and lots of people say that these are very good. But even for this one I need to enhance my desktop with some further attachments to get enough place for my equipment. I'm thinking about getting some attachments for my desktop whereon I place my Presonus Eris 3.5 studio monitor speakers and under which I can also place something (like the new audio interface on the left side and the Lake People headphone amp on the right side of the desktop). Maybe I'll build some handcrafted stuff with the wood of my desktop design before I tend to buy some faltering stuff in a furniture store. But, yeah - with the Roland Rubix 24 (which is also a high quality Japanese studio gadget, I guess - and I kinda love its highly stylish design, by the way) I could just concern about the audio stuff without caring too much about my desktop. But there still some people who say that the Roland Rubix audio interfaces have a pretty prehistoric audio driver settings design where you should choose between levels with numbers from 1 to 7 or things like that... instead of choosing between spezific buffer size settings with the usual values. Guess I'll have to think about this topic a bit longer before making too fast decisions.

Haha, thanks for the in-depth guide. ^^ And yeah, I was really impressed of the obviously powerful headphone device of the Roland Rubix 24 as well. 40 mW (20 mW left + 20 mW right) into 47 ohms seems to be pretty much. Even my already pretty powerful Steinberg UR 22 USB audio interface seems to have only an output level of around 12 mW (6 mW left + 6 mW right) into 40 ohms, compared to the Roland Rubix 24. http://download.steinberg.net/downloads_hardware/UR22/UR22_documentation/UR22_OperationManual_en.pdf But yeah, in other words... The set-up for the audio-interface+headphone-amp combination in my imagination would technically work well, right?

I know - it might be a funny question for the studio hardware experts out there. But I want to go absolutely sure before buying some new equipment. My intention is to buy a new audio interface with additional ports where I can connect an external high-end headphone amp for the best possible use of some high-impedance studio headphones (Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro, 250 ohms) and some lower-impedance headphones (like my Sony MDR-7506, 63 ohms) at the same time (so, in the end a hardware solution with 2 separate volume controller units for 2 different headphones). The headphone output of the audio interface should be used for the lower-impedance headphones (so, I don't want to connect the external headphone amp there). And the headphone output(s) of the high-end headphone amp should be used for the high-impedance headphones. I'm pretty sure I have to buy an audio interface with 2 additional line-output ports and make a connection between both elements from there to the input ports of the external headphone amp. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Is it correct or do I have to choose an audio interface with 2 additional line-input ports instead (so, that the signal goes the other way from the headphone amp to the audio interface? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If my first assumption is correct I'd go for the following studio equipment: - audio interface >>> Roland Rubix 24 (4 line-output ports, impedance balanced >>> guess it's to handle like normal balanced ports) https://www.roland.com/de/products/rubix24/features/ - headphone amp >>> Lake People G103-P (2 balanced XLR input ports) https://www.thomann.de/gb/lake_people_g103p_phoneamp.htm?ref=intl&shp=eyJjb3VudHJ5IjoiZ2IiLCJjdXJyZW5jeSI6IjIiLCJsYW5ndWFnZSI6ImVuIn0%3D For the connection between both elements I'd use 2 standard balanced male mono 6,3 mm jack to male mono XLR cables. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) Is that okay or would you prefer some special cables for this purpose? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Besides, I've got the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro studio headphones (Black Edition, 250 ohms) meanwhile and I've connected these to my Steinberg UR22 USB Audio Interface (the first version - not the new MK II). If I listen to a youtube soundtrack like "Rock Box" by Run-D.M.C. with the loudest volume setting on Youtube, for example, I just have to turn up the volume control unit of my Steinberg audio interface at around 11 o'clock to listen to this track at my preferred loudness level. >>> In comparison to the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro I have to turn up the volume control unit at around 10 o'clock, if I use my 63 ohms Sony MDR-7506 studio headphones (so, not too much difference in this case). At least this USB interface seems to have a not so bad headphone amp for high-impedance - as well as for lower-impedance - headphones. And just in connection to this USB audio interface the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro sound already pretty amazing - wide sound stage (as if you sit in a little home cinema), very clean, detailed, linear and full sound. And with these studio headphones you cleary hear, if reverb and certain frequencies are too much or stick out in your mix or get in conflict with other track elements - exactly what I was looking for. The bass of the Sony MDR-7506 might be a bit tighter (at least at my Steinberg audio interface). But I'll save some money for another audio interface (maybe the Japanese Roland Rubix 24 with 2 additional line output ports) at which I can connect a high-end headphone amplifier designed for high-impedance headphones (maybe the German Lake People G103-P headphone amp). So, maybe this combination will bring the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro studio headphones to their full potencial. In the end it might be around further 500 bucks with uncertain results. But nevertheless I will be able to use some lower-impedance headphones like my Sony MDR-7506 on the Roland Rubix 24 audio interface and some high-impedance headphones like my Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro at the Lake People G103-P headphone amp at the same time. So, it would be also a really nice combo, if you wanna listen to some music projects or plan some big gaming or movie evenings with good friends and without annoying the neighborhood in the later evening hours. As soon as I've got the new stuff, I'll give a little feedback if there are further sound improvements of my high-impedance 250 ohms Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro studio headphones when connected to the Lake People G103-P high-end headphone amp. So, stay tuned, dudes. ))

Hm, the Sennheiser HD 600 seem to have a similar frequency response like the AKG K-702. Since the HD 600 is a 300 ohms model, does it mean these headphones work correctly with a normal USB audio interface or do you use further amps or stuff like that for composing and mixing with 'em?

How do you upload or post pictures of your home studio stuff? Is the attachment function for admins only or do you use an external upload platform for implementing your own pictures on OCR?

Sennheiser HD 280 don't look too bad from the frequency response - but it's not too far away from my Sony MDR-7506. I wonder why the Yamaha studio headphones aren't constructed in a way they would represent their pretty nice studio monitors - the frequency response in nearly all models seems to be completely different than their HS or MSP series of studio monitors. The AKG K-702 look a bit more interesting for me, 'cause the frequency response from the lower to the higher frequencies is slightly rising there. I'm not quite sure how electromagnetic waves (frequencies) go through your auditory canal, until they get to the sensory cells in the ear. But if the process is similar to the physical way of frequency reflections of studio monitor speakers in the room (bass frequency waves remain longer in the room than higher frequency waves), then the AKG K702 could bring a fairly flat sound reproduction to the sensory celly in your ears. The feature with the replaceable cable is also really nice. But for some reasons it totally drags me in the direction of the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro Black Edition. Except the little peak at 6000 Hz they seems to have the flattest frequency response I've ever seen at headphones (if all the measurements of the headphones are all fairly correct so far). >>> https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/hp/beyerdynamic-dt-880-pro.php I'm still not sure, if I can connect the DT 880 Pro (250 ohms) without problems (or without another amp for headphones) to my Steinberg UR22 USB audio interface and get the full sound quality out of it. If somebody already has experiences with using these (or similar 250-or-more-ohms headphones) in connection with an USB audio interface, please let me know. Until I got more information about the DT 880 Pro, I'll stick with my Sony MDR-7506 which are actually pretty good except the lil harsh high frequencies. The hint with Sonarworks isn't too bad there, 'cause it inspired me to create some EQ-masks as master plugins for my Sony MDR-7506 headphones and my Presonus Eris 3.5 studio monitors. For creating these presets I used a multiband EQ plugin from my DAW to counter some of the sticking out frequencies (of the frequency response graphs I got from internet) on an imaginary, fixed horizontal axis a bit for getting an even more flat frequency response and a less harsh sound of my Sony MDR-7506 headphones. I only use these selfmade EQ presets as master plugins which I can switch on or off anytime - it the mixing sounds good with both settings (EQ on & off) I guess it can't be too bad in the end. Just don't forget to switch off the EQ master plugin before measuring/adjusting the loudness and exporting the track.

Since there seems to be no possibility of uploading pictures directly on OCR, I'm looking for some decent picture upload platforms with following condition: 1) The account should be free. If there's a weekly upload limit of 3 or 4 pics - no problem with that, 'cause I will upload just a few pictures within a year and primarily for music production content, I think. As long there's no overall upload limit (let's say 10 pics are free - if you want to upload more pictures you need to pay for a premium account), it's okay. 2) All the others who have no account at this platform should also be able to see the content. It would be also a nice feature that - if you post your link with the picture from the upload platform on OCR - instead of just the link the whole picture will show up in your OCR post (just like the Youtube links). 3) The upload platform shouldn't compress the uploaded pictures once again, 'cause I still use the standard Windows Snipping Tool (which already uses compression on the saved screenshots) for getting the necessary cuttings from my DAW interface graphics, for example. I want to upload pretty clear high definition pictures with sharp contrasts where you can see the fine scales and all the necessary details without problems. Besides: I've just found out that you can also save your Snipping Tool screenshots as PNG files (which have a better definition and picture quality than JPEG files there). So, if you know some good platforms for uploading pictures at these conditions or if you even use these platforms for sharing pictures with the OCR community, please let me know. ))

Since I'd been focussing much more on this topic lately, I've updated this posting with new studio headphone models and relevant facts of these models. Edit: My big choice is actually between those headphones: 1) Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro (5-35000 Hz, 250 ohms, semi-open) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> https://www.thomann.de/gb/beyerdynamic_dt880_pro.htm (also available as a slightly cheaper Black Edition) >>> https://www.thomann.de/gb/beyerdynamic_dt_880_pro_black_edition.htm frequency response graph >>> https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/hp/beyerdynamic-dt-880-pro.php 2) Sony MDR 7506 (10-20000 Hz, 63 ohms, closed) ----------------------------------------------------------------- >>> https://www.thomann.de/gb/sony_mdr7506_kopfhoerer.htm frequency response graph >>> https://www.rtings.com/headphones/1-2/graph#386/2031 3) AKG K-702 (10-39800 Hz, 62 ohms, open, with replaceable cable) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> https://www.thomann.de/gb/akg_k702.htm frequency response graph >>> https://www.rtings.com/headphones/1-2/graph#332/2031 4) Beyerdynamic Custom Studio (5-35000 Hz, 80 ohms, closed, with replaceable cable, headset customization options and 4 adjustable bass levels) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >>> https://www.thomann.de/gb/beyerdynamic_custom_studio.htm frequency response graph (depends on bass slider settings) >>> https://www.dropbox.com/s/vdu9ty3w3l0m95z/DT770-CS.jpg?dl=0 I've already got the Sony MDR-7506 which are really good (except the little bit overemphasized 10000 Hz area which can make the sound a bit harsh). They have a high-definition sound as well as a very good stereo imaging and they'll be kinda comfortable after wearing them for a few days. The only problem might be that the frequency response sinks drastically at the frequency range over 15000 Hz - so, you might have some difficulties to hear some frequency clashes or conflicting reverberations effects in the high frequency area clearly enough. I'm thinking about getting some further studio headphones for a more accurate and larger higher frequency section. The Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro Black Edition for just 185 euro really seems to catch my attention in this case - but I'm really not sure if I can just connect this 250 ohm version to my Steinberg UR22 USB audio interface without a further headphone amp. But they really have a smooth flat frequency response graph (except the little 6000 Hz peak): >>> https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/hp/beyerdynamic-dt-880-pro.php I don't really want to have the standard DT 880 (no-pro) 32 ohms hi-fi model, because the hi-fi series seem to have a much less flat frequency response and harsher higher frequencies - as you can see here: >>> http://en.goldenears.net/11302 The AKG K-702 seems to be really interesting, too (also has a replaceable cable). It has only 62 ohms (so, no amp needed, I guess) - but there I'm afraid that I'll have a similarly harsh sound like on my Sony MDR-7506, according to its frequency response graph. Another interesting model I've found lately is the Beyerdynamic Custom Studio. It has a quite large frequency range. According to the frequency response graph these headphones also seem to be pretty flat until over the 15000 Hz region (except the little overemphasized bass section below 200 Hz where I'm not sure which bass level setting they've used in this measurement) - obviously no harsh high frequencies here. >>> https://www.dropbox.com/s/vdu9ty3w3l0m95z/DT770-CS.jpg?dl=0 It has only 80 ohms - so, it might work well without a further amp. Another big advantage of this model might be that - in addition to the replaceable cable - nearly all other parts of these studio headphones are replaceable, too. You can also buy an additional special accessory cable with a microphone and use it as a pretty good headset. I wonder if they can keep up with the DT 880 Pro since they play in a similar price league of the same developer. Does anybody already have tested these studio headphones and can give a little comparision of the mentioned models?

...if that's your understanding of the term "working", then you might say so. But I'm sure that if you had worked (for example) only one year in 2010 and another year in 2015 for the same company XY, you probably wouldn't have said at the end of 2015: "I've been working for 6 years at company XY." For me language is a tool which should help to communicate honestly, precisely and to avoid misunderstandings. So, I'd rather say: "Since 2014, I've worked for about 2 months on this remix."

Nope, I just started working on this remix about 4 years ago as I've already wrote in the 5th comment above yours.

I guess I'll use a different set of drums for the next version (but I won't work on this one for a very long time) - although... I kinda like the snare drums and toms of this drum VSTi. Maybe I'll mostly change the kick drum and the cymbals and have a bigger focus on the panorama and a cleaner mix with less frequency issues for the next version. Dude, it 's much more an authoritative order to buy that Samplitude stuff than just an advertisement. )) Haha. ^^ Nah, it wouldn't be a good ad for the company to describe one of their highly promoted products (Magix Music Maker) as pretty bad or quite useless for MIDI-based music production - while I really love to talk about their less promoted but really excellent products (like Samplitude Music Studio and Samplitude Pro X Suite). I've already wrote Magix that they should stop putting energy in the development of Music Maker ('cause as a rather useless beginner DAW with a much weaker program engine primarily made for loop-based stuff it will totally ruin the first impression of their new standard user customers) and focus more on their semi-professional Samplitude Music Studio and professional Samplitude Pro X (Suite) or Sequoia instead. As it seems they have integrated their stronger hybrid engine in the latest version of Magix Music Maker 2019 instead - but I'm still a bit sceptical towards this, 'cause I really had a hard and very long time (especially as an absolute beginner at DAW and music production stuff) with Music Maker until I figured out that the shitty program engine of Music Maker caused all the troubles. But as you remarked correctly - the MIDI editor of the Magix DAWs is absolutely great and full of very useful functions. I think it's because Steinberg (Cubase) and Magix (Samplitude) were some of the first companies who invented full-grown high-end DAWs for the consumer market. So, they might have a pretty big pool of knowledge and experience at making great software-based DAWs. Samplitude was also made in cooperation with a university of my beloved hometown - so, I'm a bit (undeservedly) proud of owning it and working with Samplitude Pro X3 Suite ... and soon >>> Samplitude Pro X4 Suite - which also has some pretty cool enhanced MIDI editor functions as you can see in the video here >>>

This is a preview or early conception of a remix for the soundtrack "Faded", originally composed by Alan Walker. Since the original - as many other remixes of this track - tend to go into the electronic music style, I intend to create a much more organic and lively soundscape with classical instruments and some rock guitar stuff. I'm not quite sure in which way I'll go on with this track - but I guess I'll get some great ideas over the time. I think with the reinterpretation of the piano intro I'm kinda done already. I also had the idea to give this track a deeper meaning by contributing my remix to the natural natives, indigenous peoples, nomads, ancient tribes, their cultures and ways of seeing things in life. I'm very interested in these ancient human beings, because I think they had a much stronger life force and soul due to their stronger bond to the living nature than most of the modern people and I'm pretty sure they had some kind knowledge or energetic profile which could be a key to solve many problems of the modern world, like diseases of civilisation. So, I think we should live in a way that these indigenous people and cultures won't fade away completely and that these ancient tribes can live in a way they would do without us. They might be our last living legacy and connection to the vital nature and life itself. Original Soundtrack >>> ---------------------------------------- Newest version of my remix: 1.0 >>> >>> https://clyp.it/fngu5pa5

Hahaha - it's been a long time since I laughed so hard about a source sound. xD PS: Just got it that it's not the game music of the NES game Thundercats. ;D

Thanks for your hints. )) So, you 're a professional guitar player - this might explain a lot. Your tracks sound indeed very clean and well mixed. Some of the frequency/hall/delay overlappings could be there because I've used a ping-pong delay effect on several guitars and the electric piano (which also panned on both sides) as well. I mostly use default or self-made presets for my virtual instruments (so, for the drum VSTi as well) and set these as I think that these might be fitting for the conditions of the track. In this remix I mostly use the Rock Drums from Magix. I guess you already know this VSTi - if not, here's a little Drum Groove I've created with Vita Rock Drums and some video material of this VSTi. >>> The little synth-like guitar sound of the electric piano as rhythm is intended by me. I totally love this one. But for the lead guitar sound my intention was to let it sound kinda truthful and realistic. But I guess I can't compete easily with VSTi stuff against a pro guitar player. ^^ ---------------------------------- Samplitude Music Studio and Samplitude Pro X from Magix have the same excellent MIDI editor like Magix Music Maker - but much more settings and a very stable program engine which doesn't hinder you to work with complex VSTi and plugin stuff in a project.