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DSPXmini-FM software testing

G

gtomas

To the DSPXmini-FM users:

We have come up with an alternative limiter algorithm for the DSPXmini-FM. It uses different timing circuits and different topology to deal with occasional HF ducking and overemphasized high-end. However, because it sounds a little bit differently and tames down high-end more than the current one, we would like get some user feed-back before we decide if we want to keep it as official release or not. If you would like to test this limiter and give us your opinion, drop me an e-mail at [email protected]. Please include some info about you and your station and the serial number of the mini.


Regards,
Goran Tomas
 
I'm curious about the test results... ;D
Is there going to be an official release or not?
If the answer is yes i'd like to know when. ;)
 
Pilotfm said:
I'm curious about the test results... ;D
Is there going to be an official release or not?
If the answer is yes i'd like to know when. ;)
Click to expand...

Hi
To answer your questions in turn,
1. Yes.
2. Very shortly (no later than IBC)
We have made a few improvments to the previous beta release and are in the process of constructing the presets for the release version.
Because of the changes to the texture of the sound with this new release we are considering two releases, the existing "classic" mini and the new "smooth" mini. We would appreciate any feedback on having two 'software updatable" releases available for the mini. Confusion or flexibility?
Regards
Scott
 
bil34 said:
hi not in the right post but i will ask
about the xtreme when you will release a new software?
Click to expand...

It was going to be last Friday but Goran (who is in charge of testing releases before distribution) wanted to add a few more presets and he ran out of time before his long overdue holiday (vacation) arrived. It will be available for download within a few days of his return. If I had to put a date on it I would expect it to be available a day either side of the 15th of August.
 
bil34 said:
what is the changes in xtreme?
Click to expand...

  • Overhauled clippers for improved distortion control
  • Overhauled six band limiter topology
  • Improvements in the AGC
  • Some small changes to how the look ahead limiter works in the HD path
  • New presets
 
hi not in the right post but i will ask
about the xtreme when you will release a new software?
Click to expand...

Same question for the DSPX-FM. When will you release new software? I tought that all development experience in the extreme would also approve in the DSPX-FM :eek:
 
JohnNL said:
Has the new DSPX-mini update also a updated AGC?
AGC Band coupling would be a great improvement.
Click to expand...

Hi
The main additions are xover,limiters and clippers. The AGC has some minor tweaks but there is no band coupling i'm afraid.

If you are able to come along to our stand at the IBC in a few weeks you will be able to compare all our processors on a switch box. We will also have the DSPXmini classic and the new special edition available for comparison.

If you guys have any presets you wanted to email over that you wanted to compare against other boxes then feel free to email them over and we will do our best to load them into the user preset slots of the respective boxes.

Best regards
Scott
 
That's too bad :(
A WB-AGC would be a great improvement on the dspxmini in my opinion.
With the current software the use of an extra leveller ( 320a , 422 ) is in 90% of the cases needed.
 
Pilotfm said:
That's too bad :(
A WB-AGC would be a great improvement on the dspxmini in my opinion.
With the current software the use of an extra leveller ( 320a , 422 ) is in 90% of the cases needed.
Click to expand...

We will have to agree to disagree on that one. ;) In my opinion the only time I would expect to see an improvement by adding an external AGC would be when the levels supplied to the processor are seriously all over the place. And i mean seriously!!! :eek:

If you can get along to IBC we can continue this discussion in more depth. We will have 8 processors connected to a switchbox and we can demonstrate the mini's WB AGC-less design against WB AGC enabled boxes.

Not that I am trying to make an excuse for not having a WB AGC in the mini, but some features needed to be left out in order to fit everything in the box. We didn't think the wideband AGC brought enough to the table to merit its inclusion. Remember, the mini is probably the best selling fm processor in Europe over the last 12 months. We must have done something right ;)
 
Just throw an Ariane in front and call it a day. I do agree with the above poster, the mini could use a wideband AGC... and I've run it against the ONE, VP-8, VP-1000, VP-2000, Unity 2000, DSP-X and the Digiplexer 2/4. It got in the ballpark for live fast radio when it had a Compellor in front and really sounded great with the Ariane.
 
What needs to be considered is not how many AGC's are in series but the combined control range of those stages. The settings and effect of any gating also play an important role, as does the input level setting of the processor (sometimes referred to as the a/d clip point). Putting another AGC in front of a badly setup processor can give the effect of an improvement but IMHO its artistic more than the second processors AGC running out of gain control.
If I took 3 agc boxes put them in series, each with unique time constants and gating settings then one person may have the opinion that the sound is better than with just the one AGC on the end. It doesn't mean the last AGC in the chain isn't working, just that the effect of the re-equalisation of the audio gives the appearance that the end AGC is working better.

By all means if you want more artistic processing add another outboard box. Remember the mini NOW has a list price of only $1770 (1220 EURO) thanks to the weak british pound. The well respected Ariane AGC (which we manufacture as well) would add another $3000 to the cost. Once you start spending that sort of money you might as well as bought one of the more expensive FM processors on the market. I am sure you know it already but the DSPX, Xtra and Xtreme would be my suggestions. It goes without saying that our competitors Omnia and Orban make products worth checking out.

I have said it before and I will say it again, lets chat more at IBC over some beers.
 
The truth is you could use a leveler in front of any processor, depending on what you want to achieve sound-wise, how fast are you running the main processor's dynamic stages and what your source levels look like... And I've heard similar comments of needing a leveler, for practically all processors out there - from 8100 to Omnia-6.

As Scott mentioned, the mini has limited space and we can't fit everything in we or the users would want to. That's why we have more powerful processors in the range. We will however take your opinions on-board.

I think the price comparison puts everything in perspective. A Compellor is just a single band leveler/compressor and its list price is $1350. The DSPXmini-FM is a 4-band AGC, 4-band limiter, distortion-canceled over-sampled clipper AND a digital FM stereo generator and its price is $1770.


Regards,
Goran Tomas
 
If you play a Piano solo over the mini, the lo and hi band from the agc are gaining up and then you get a lot of rumble and noise.
The same on old recordings.
The solution is band coupling i think.
We don't have a WB-AGC so we set the drive for the AGC bands to -6 db and give the mini a very low signal so that the AGC can't go much higher.

Maybe i come on Sunday to the IBC if i can get a ticket.

(sorry for my english)
 
In the area where i live the dspx-mini is often used by pirate-radiostations and local radio stations.
Some of them with self made presets en some with proffesionel presets from an engineer.
But in 8 of 10 cases there has always been put a leveler in front of the mini.
The price of used leveler is about 250 - 400 euro.
And in my opinion it's improvement to the sound.
That is why i think a WB - AGC is very useful for the Mini.
But i also understand that the space in the Mini is limitted and that you have to leave things out.
But this is what i've heard from several Mini-users.
So don't get me wrong. ;)

Í'm very satisfied with my Mini.
In the future i would like to have a DSPX-FM.
The list-price of the mini dropped quit a bit and this also has effect on the used prices.
Used prices are about 1000 - 1100 euro at this time.
That means that i lost 450 in a time of little more then a year.
The price of a new one in my country now is 1310 euro.
That's the only point im a bit dissapointed about.
But that's not relavant to this topic. ;)
 
Even with the "regular" dspx I felt the need for a leveler in front. I solved it with a compellor 320A. Made quite an improvement to the sound. As Goran pointed out even with a O6 you might feel the need for a leveler. But bare in mind the price of a mini and that of a O6. I always found the mini more for the finale "push" at the Xmitter when the main processing taking place at the studio. But what I can make up of the clip Goran uploaded (what have you done to the mini) impressed me. Quite a sound for a standalone mini and at this price! Bang for the buck.

Now, with the Xtreme I have absolutly never had any feeling for leveling in front of it. The leveler of the Xtreme is a nice peace of programming of BW. And it handels hypercompressed material Xtremely well, a point where others often fall apart when pushed for heavy processing. If you have the chance to check it out at IBC go for it.
 
Decibel860 said:
Same question for the DSPX-FM. When will you release new software? I tought that all development experience in the extreme would also approve in the DSPX-FM :eek:
Click to expand...

Not to continue the pseudo off-topic responses, but it would be nice if some of the clipper / limiter updates (at least the HF ones) made it to the Xtra as well.

Actually, the broader question for Scott is, are any firmware updates planned for the Xtra (and X for that matter)?
 
Is there only going to be a software update?
Or is there going to be a complete new box.
I've read something about a "second edition" in an other board.

Is this going to be a software update only or can we expect a complete new box?
 
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