Handsome Audio Zulu/Passive Distortion Theory

[abbey road d enfer]

wouldn't biasing a core with dc as Monte suggested need to be driven with a constant current?

mr coffee

If the AC level is small compared to the DC, it's almost constant current.

 

[Liutmod]

Is it possible someone has realized a similar circuit?

 

[abbey road d enfer]

Is it possible someone has realized a similar circuit?

You may find that many of our inventions have already been discovered by our elders.
Using DC to change the AC behaviour is old news; check magnetic amplifier.

 

[living sounds]

Unfortunately, at least to my ears, the Zulu sounds not much like a real tape machine. At least not like mine and not to my ears.

I've yet to hear any tape "simulation" (analog or digital) that sounds convincing. And I could really use one, my Telefunken's bugs are driving me nuts. 

Isn't there some way we can emulate saturating the tape material without the mechanical parts? At least it should be possible to use scaled down mechanics, like a turntable with a tape around it and no touching parts or something similar.

 

[abbey road d enfer]

Isn't there some way we can emulate saturating the tape material without the mechanical parts?

It is quite possible; it takes actual wound inductors to emulate the record and playback heads and the magnetic media. What will not be included is the effect of ultrasonic bias.

At least it should be possible to use scaled down mechanics, like a turntable with a tape around it and no touching parts or something similar.

Mechanics are not really needed unless you want to also emulate wow & flutter.

I would have thought some of the plug-ins are pretty convincing. Not that I care much. I was so glad when digital recording became mature and got rid of all the tape's limitations.

 

[living sounds]

It is quite possible; it takes actual wound inductors to emulate the record and playback heads and the magnetic media. What will not be included is the effect of ultrasonic bias.
Mechanics are not really needed unless you want to also emulate wow & flutter.

I would have thought some of the plug-ins are pretty convincing. Not that I care much. I was so glad when digital recording became mature and got rid of all the tape's limitations.

There are hardware "emulations" like these on the market, but they don't sound like tape. I'm not talking about wow, flutter or noise, but the way a signal gets to sound more even, glued and punchier at the same time. Not even the latest Neve device suceeds. Many others, the Zulu included, are more or less obvious distortion boxes with a driven sound rather than the effortless "texture" of tape.

And plugins... well, they got better in the last decade but in my humble opinion are never a full replacement for analog hardware.

 

[Liutmod]

Some years ago Roger Mayer realised a  tape emulator called "456" but I have not found audio tests
I fear that these machines add saturation but not the "tape feel"

 

[living sounds]

Some years ago Roger Mayer realised a  tape emulator called "456" but I have not found audio tests
I fear that these machines add saturation but not the "tape feel"

Would be interesting to hear examples. The Sound On Sound article says its nice but doesn't really sound like tape either.

 

[abbey road d enfer]

Would be interesting to hear examples. The Sound On Sound article says its nice but doesn't really sound like tape either.

It doesn't surprise me of a RM product. 

 

[living sounds]

It doesn't surprise me of a RM product. 

Why? Seriously, I have no idea.

 

[abbey road d enfer]

Why? Seriously, I have no idea.

Well, he's known for leaving a few stones unturned in some of his designs.

 

[SWAN808]

I heard some demos of the Roger Mayer unit and its a drive box, doesn't sound like what I hear from tape recordings...it has a very crisp almost edgy sound...

The Zulu is quite nice I am also curious what it is doing

 

[Liutmod]

This is a circuit they say it is a tape simulator, but although it is interesting it is far from emulate the tape saturation.

For those interested here a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV0Af6ai2-s

It is possible to replace the opam with some transformers to add a little more "magnetic sound"?

 

[living sounds]

This is a circuit they say it is a tape simulator, but although it is interesting it is far from emulate the tape saturation.

For those interested here a video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV0Af6ai2-s

It is possible to replace the opam with some transformers to add a little more "magnetic sound"?

Diode clipper. A far cry from the sound of tape.

Tape sounds cool long before you drive it into the red. It's a dynamic effect, to call it "saturation" is really misleading IMHO.

 

[rockprocess]

Some years ago Roger Mayer realised a  tape emulator called "456" but I have not found audio tests
I fear that these machines add saturation but not the "tape feel"

That was my experience too.  The Zulu added saturation but none of the tape bloom and feel.  I much prefer my high speed Revox A77 and otari with fresh sm911.

 

[illacov]

Who makes new innovative designs, so they can give them away to their competitors/peers/critics?

For every 1 customer saying that Zulu did not deliver the sound of tape to their ears, I have 50 customers who own Studer A827, Revox, Otari, MCI, Ampex machines and so on, who would beg to differ.

The sad reality is, the industry is full of varied opinions. Some misinformed, some informed and others driven by emotional constructs that equipment design can't address.  And that's the good side of it.

I honestly would love to educate my peers on the new areas of discovery I enjoyed with this topology but I have 3 daughters to raise, put through college and a life cycle to support. Jeopardizing that to silence my critics, haters and frenemies is not in the cards for me. 

One thing I will clarify is that if all you can come up with are elementary circuits culled from the internet and "how to," books to describe what you think my designs are doing, please start over from scratch.

There's plenty of new findings in electronics around even and odd harmonics that disprove old accepted theories and practices for one to draw new conclusions about designs, especially passive ones.

So to at least clarify for those who are truly interested without fully letting the cat out of the bag, I used feedback. This is public record. Have we truly explored this concept or is it moreso about simply being dismissive towards a person that you don't like or don't respect their work?  I see some rather nasty comments from people who've been in my private messages on various forums, asking to evaluate my work, yet they never did, but have enough gas in their tank to knock my designs. In poor taste I might add.

With well over 500 units around planet earth in circulation and more to come, plus 2 new releases, I'm perfectly happy with my gains as a business entity and what the representation of this brand stands for on many levels.

Enjoy your chat, btw if you'd really like to discuss electronics design with me, I'm available via the company email.

Thanks
-L.

 

[ruffrecords]

Who makes new innovative designs, so they can give them away to their competitors/peers/critics?

I do.

Cheers

Ian

 

[Strawtles]

May be interesting to know if someone made some tests with transformers trying to emulate the "sound of tape"

 

[abbey road d enfer]

May be interesting to know if someone made some tests with transformers trying to emulate the "sound of tape"

Yes. Someone did. They even made commercial units. Check Neve Portico 542/5042 or Sound Skulptor TS500.

 

[Strawtles]

do you know the specs of these transformers?