Schizoid Havoc V0.7 - integrating the personalities

[VacuumVoodoo]

Well guys, back from Poland where I worked on the V0.5 prototype getting it's bottom to behave and tweaking some other aspects.
One can only do so much by email and listening to recorded clips but in the end it's the live sound that counts. Anyway, we got it pretty close to what I envisioned but there are still some small quirks that need tweaking. So it's V0.7 now, two steps closer to V1.0
So, I brought back with me some live audio and video recordings done with a basic setup: guitar+bass+drums.
The Schizoid preamp into a cathode biased 15W push-pull power amp with 2 russian 6P1P tubes (equivalent to 6V6 but in a EL84 bottle), this into a Mesa 212 cab. Power amp kept clean to allow the preamp to do the work.
Audio recording straight to HD with an old school back to basics set up: 2 EV455 mikes 3.5 meters away from the players and 1.5m apart. I like the SM57 for close miking but prefer the EVs for stereo. Just the way it was done back in the days before all this multitrack UFO stuff.
Simultaneously I caught some of the pieces on video that I plan to replace the original crappy camcorder sound with the direct to HD tracks - just need to learn how to do this in my not so intuitive video editing SW.

Just one to start with. LP. Audio is direct to HD recording with the EV455 mics.
I think the piece is something old by Tower Of Power if my memory serves me right.

Download: http://www.anacon-tech.com/downloads/schihav/V07/LP_TOFP_03.mp3

Here is a video of another take of the same piece, audio is as recorded by the camcorders mics. Same amp and guitar settings as the audio above.

[Donner]

Yeah baby !! sounds like another step in the right direction !!
Hey do you happen to know what speakers are n the Mesa cabs ??

And how available are those tubes ??? Would it take regular EL84s too ??

[DocRock]

Very nice, Alex ... Very nice!!!!!!!

[Bobby D]

ROCKING!

[VacuumVoodoo]

Thanks guys! Encouragement and honest critique is what I need to get those finishing tweaks done, so don't be shy and say your meaning

Donner, 6P1P tubes officially aren't made any more, they show up an The Bay from time to time in the "EV" military version. However, I suspect that the 6793 tube from EHX is a 6P1P in camouflage.

I figured out the soundtrack to video sync procedure today. The difference in sound between camcorder mic and 2x EV455 stereo direct to HD, when listened through quality speakers, is pretty big. It will be less so on small laptop speakers that really aren't any better than your phones earpiece.
So, mix yourself a Pina Colada or a Capirina and relax, here is some latin flavor played on a SRV Strat by Andrzej Gondek, same guy that did the first clips in the V0.5 thread. The audio is direct to HD stereo.

I still have one or two more vids to sync and two audio tracks without video left to edit. Will post in the coming days.

[VacuumVoodoo]

The last audio/video sync job done. Slow blues this time. Pick and gtr volume work. Just a touch of delay gets kicked in a couple times.

[Bobby D]

Alex!

the sound quality is VERY good.....sounds great thru my studio monitors.

Amp sounds great too.....clean is good...moderate OD is good. When it gets to the high gain part towards the end, it almost sounds a bit over-saturated and compressed and sort of "congested", if that makes sense.

still, a little tweak of the input gain knob would address that. better to have MORE and not use it...than to not have it at all and wish you had MORE

[VacuumVoodoo]

Alex!

the sound quality is VERY good.....sounds great thru my studio monitors.

Amp sounds great too.....clean is good...moderate OD is good. When it gets to the high gain part towards the end, it almost sounds a bit over-saturated and compressed and sort of "congested", if that makes sense.

still, a little tweak of the input gain knob would address that. better to have MORE and not use it...than to not have it at all and wish you had MORE

Thanks a lot Slim,
This is exactly the kind of feedback I need.

It is a 4 gain stages machine, already 2nd stage can be moderately overdriven and there's a trimmer inside on the 3rd that sets it's headroom. It was set a little too low and that's where the over compressed sound came from. This trimmer is meant to be adjusted to players plectrum attack style, Andrzej dug in deeper than when we were setting up the amp. It's clearly audible when he turns the guitar volume up and digs in.
As you say it's better to have MORE and not use it. I'm still undecided whether to have this adjustment brought out on the front panel or leave it inside to "set and forget".

One last audio track will be coming up tomorrow, a shuffle with bite.

[Bobby D]

always better to have LOUDER and MORE at your fingertips

it sounds REALLY good though.....perhaps a trimmer that is accessible from front panel, so it can be quickly adjusted with a small screwdriver without opening the unit?

[DocRock]

I agree with Slim ... nice to be able to "set and sort-of forget" ... meaning, the player would mostly set it and leave it alone, but would have the ability to change it easily if necessary, without having to open the unit, unplug pedal board, etc.