Heads-up: SpaceStation keyboard amp is apparently back

[Aspen]

"Wow, how can I record that!"

(that's the 1st one in the FAQ )

 

WINNER! PhJ, please PM me with your contact details. I have the cover in stock but the peanuts are fire roasted in shell fresh every Tuesday so your package will go out Tuesday.

 

Frankly with all my hints, including my recently added FAQ page that lists that question at top, I am surprised it took youse this long!

 

However, you guys gave an excellent Q&A review of the top 10 questions so anyone just logging onto this thread here would get an excellent compact 70+ page review of Spacestation v.3 FAQ.

 

Now I can imagine many of you are somewhat surprised at this because that is a question you may NEVER have been asked when YOU first show this to your band mates or friends...but then...you are not an old studio rat like me!

 

That "hint" comment was that "for 15 years I have been demonstrating CPS in my big room of my Aspens Place Recording studio", which is frequented mostly by audio engineers or musicians interested in recording...so naturally as an audio engineer when you first hear that unusual 3D sound effect, a quite natural first response is "how can I capture that!". Much like a fisherman seeing an 18" trout jumping out of the lake.

 

And, as I also "hinted" this topic was discussed, many times. There was some discussion here about how we made our CPS performance videos (in that big room at APR), specifically how we produced that stereo recording from the Spacestation.

 

Some complained that they really couldn't tell much from those videos, the "Missouri" contingent (and usually listening thru laptop speakers). Some said these videos (specifically the audio portion) it's not really defining. Then also some have said that after getting a SS v.3 and using it live on a few gigs, these recording are not as good as hearing it in person. And with that comment I must agree.

 

The point was to perk interest, and come "close". But frankly spoken, no live recording is as good as experiencing it in person. That is especially true of Center Point Stereo, which most will agree is a totally new listening experience. Some say CPS not as good as that hard L&R sweet spot we are used to, some say CPS is even better and that the word "stereo" falls short to describe it's effect (I would agree there!).

 

Of course I could have "enhanced" the stereo recording effect in the recording process, but I would rather exceed expectations than fall short, and also that would not really be an honest approach.

 

Some have recommended there maybe other, better ways of stereo recording...and they could be right. There are lots of ways to record in stereo.

 

But IMHO MS is the most realistic way (shall we say most "honest" way) to capture the room effect...and I didn't want to "manipulate" the recording with XY or spaced Omni...or even using 3 mics the way we record a Leslie; hard Left/Right upper pair on the horn and a 3rd (and sometimes a spaced 4th) on the floor for the 15". That's because we don't "hear things" like that.

 

We hear stereo events standing in one spot, obviously. So IMHO a MS stereo recording most accurately reproduces that "standing there" experience..which is what we are trying to convey. If we wanted to make a stunning surreal stereo recording of a Kurzweil, well heck...we take that KB direct thru a pair of my ViPRE all tube fully floated balanced mic pres! (ummm good, me luvs keys thru tubes!)

 

But as with any music discussion, other engineers may think differently. One of our early adopter pals here on KC, maestro Alan Steinberg who gave us that excellent gig report on using the SS v.3 when he played with the LA Phil at Disney Hall, has been threatening to bring over his Neumann "head" mic...and I am very interested to try that. This is an actual dummy head packed with multiple mics to simulate our human listening experience. It is claimed to product that "being there" experience as well. Although I have never actually used one, I would love to give that a try, and maybe track the source with a MS pair at the same time for comparison....ooops, there I go off thread again!

[endlessummerkeys]

seems ironic that most of the money is from the performers and not the recorders for this product. just sayin

[Alan Steinberger]

Hey, give me back that missing "-er"! :-)

 

I don't own the Neumann. What I have are in-ear monitors that contain high quality mics from which we can record. The dummy head would be my own skull, an appropriate choice on so many levels.

 

Sometime this weekend, Aspen? Or Tuesday, fire-roasted peanut day?

[Aspen]

I don't own the Neumann.

Ooops, sorry Alan, looks like I've have lost my head, sorry. [quote}

 

What I have are in-ear monitors that contain high quality mics from which we can record. The dummy head would be my own skull, an appropriate choice on so many levels.

 

Sometime this weekend, Aspen? Or Tuesday, fire-roasted peanut day?

 

Yes, Tuesday is good, and don't forget my case! Can trade fire roasted peanuts...

[Aspen]

seems ironic that most of the money is from the performers and not the recorders for this product. just sayin

 

more like ALL the money...but still, a challenge to record this effect!

[Doug Robinson]

I haven't tried this yet, but the first thing I'll try when recording it will be to place two mics about 3-4 feet away and maybe 5 feet apart. I can't imagine that it won't sound great and spacious.

[HammondDave]

What? I did not win? Well, I don't have much use for a cover anyway... But I do like peanuts!

 

Congrats, PhJ!

[Aspen]

What? I did not win? Well, I don't have much use for a cover anyway... But I do like peanuts!

 

Congrats, PhJ!

 

Actually Dave...I gave several hints, but also it was on my newly created FAQ tab on CPS website. I THOUGHT this little contest would highlight my most recent follow thru to so many suggestions here on KC that I do a FAQ page...oh well. It was a thought.

 

(then the newbies wouldn't have to re read 74 pages : > )

 

Ironically, it was PhJ from Belgium who had the bright idea to go to our CPS FAQ page and read the 1st FAQ.

 

But PhJ is waiting to buy his SS until late June when Thomann gets his first order, and so he doesn't really NEED a cover. And I gotta figure out how to keep fire roasted peanuts fresh for the 8-10 days it takes to get to Belgium! (not to mention my postage that costs far more than the prize!)

 

Maybe I hand deliver them if/when I go to Frankfurt Musik Messe and have some Stella on tap in Ostend (Belgium...great sea port). This could work out OK actually...

[cphollis]

Another gig report.

 

Sunday afternoon at a beach bar, nice outdoors stage. Maybe 100 or so in the crowd at the bar, scattered around the pool. A local Grateful Dead cover band, so plenty of keyboard parts on every song. And next time I'm bringing sunscreen.

 

Took the SSv3 / BD1200 combination. No baffles or EQ. Stellar sound, as usual. I've got the APs dialed in now, so everything sounded great: B3, EPs, etc.

 

I didn't think I was playing that loud (really!) but a muso came up at break and suggested that I was drowning out both guitars. I was surprised, as I was trying to keep it down.

 

Just goes to show how this little unit projects more than you might think.

[hardware]

Indeed it does project.

At our Rehearsal Hall the room is 16 x 50 with tiled acoustic ceiling and the usual drop lights.

Around my corner the SSv3 sounds good and the PA Subs make it so I don't need the B1200D.

But having a guy who sits in on keys I was surprised the SSv3 sounded better at the end of the room as I was inside of the blossoming zone I guess.

 

Anyone who uses 2 x QSCs, Barbettas or EVs needs to get rid of them while they still have value. I turned mine into stage side fills.

 

By this time next year I can see price drops from the manufacturers of stereo cabinets.

 

Times have changed all of a sudden, like when the Yamaha DX7s came out. I remember reading about how Oberheim and Sequentail Circuits panicked.

I'd love to be the fly in a meeting next year when discussions about product lines come up.

 

[spazzkey]

Another gig report.

I didn't think I was playing that loud (really!) but a muso came up at break and suggested that I was drowning out both guitars. I was surprised, as I was trying to keep it down.

 

must a been a guitarist... hate it when that happens...

[Josh Paxton]

Yet another gig report. I finally used the SS on a "typical" club gig tonight: 5-piece bluesy rootsy rock back fronted by an unnecessarily loud guitarist, in a smallish club for about 100-150 people. I was at the front of the stage, the SS was about 3 feet behind me against the back wall. No baffles, no corner, no subwoofer. I was just using my Sk1, for organ, piano, Wurli and a bit of clav.

 

Verdict: they all sounded fantastic. The organ in particular is just so sweet through this thing. I don't even bring my Vent any more, because the internal sim sounds so good. And it's possible I went a bit nuts with the auto-pan on the Wurli, just for the hell of it.

 

The usual (good) cliche applied: I got compliments from band mates and audience members on the sound. My only regret was that I couldn't get further away from it to enjoy more of the 3d sound, but I got to walk around a bit while the bassist played some organ, and it was unreal.

 

Nothing new to report at this point. Just another happy customer saying it's everything I hoped it would be.

[DanL]

Friday night I did a gig with the blues band I play with from time to time. I had the SS3 set up to my left (I was set up facing the band stage right). I had it in a little alcove made by the drummer's trap case and the tote I use to haul the SS3. First time I used any kind of baffle, but I knew where the amp was I'd be blowing out the drummer. It worked perfectly. I was running the SK1 directly into the SS3.

[Doug Robinson]

I did a casual with a female singer/trumpet player the other night, in a clue where I've used the SS3 before. The band and the audience loved it, but she was forced to stand about 3 feet in front of my amp and kept asking me to turn down. Finally--duh--I angled it away from her a little and it got better.

[thomsurf]

While being really happy with my EV ZXA1 speakers for piano/acoustic guitar/vocals, I haven't paid attention to what has been going one here! I started to read this thread at page 69 or so and as a result I'm now suffering from a terrible coincidence of GAS.

The whole stereo-sweet-spot issue is so true, so major thumbs up for Aspen to have come up with a brilliant concept.

My question is if the SpaceStation would beat my EV's as a small PA system? would there be any mic feedback issues? Should the box be raised to get the vocals out in the room?

 

[Jazzmammal]

Way back around page 17 or so of this thread I made the trip to Van Nuys for the Amp Show where Aspen had a booth demoing exactly that. He had keys, bass, 2 guitars and two vocals all going through a mixer into the SS. The SS was sitting on a small sub and it was only later when he discovered the sub wasn't plugged in but the bass still sounded decent. There's a video of that on his website. The volume was pretty strong, about 95db and everything sounded great.

 

Bob

[TimA]

Was the amp show nuysy?

[thomsurf]

Thanks Bob,

Tried to skim the thread but I guess I missed your report.

If anyone has any experience from coffee shop gigs or the like, I would love to hear about your experience with the SS.

[Raymb1]

From a solo gig in a small room at a winery to a trio at a convention at a Hyatt, the SS performed admirably. I was even aske to turn down a little at the convention. There were about 20 people at the winery and about 300 to 400 at the Hyatt.

 

[Jazzmammal]

Was the amp show nuysy?

 

I think you mean was it noisy? Oh yeah, this was a Guitar God convention, the main room was loud as in very loud. Aspen was set up next door in a separate room but there was still bleed through from the main room.

 

Bob

[TimA]

I'm not from California and I thought it was pronounced Van Nuys (noise)..... If not, my little pun sank like a Led Zeppelin.....

[Raymb1]

I thought it's pronounced Van Nize.

 

[TimA]

I guess it's nizey if you're from Jizey

[MathOfInsects]

It's only noisy if you're from Boise.

[Alan Steinberger]

Good luck with Cahuenga, La Jolla, or my favorite: Port Hueneme.

[Joe Muscara]

Try Elgin or Manor, TX.

[TimA]

The SSv3 won't annoy ya...... Wait for it....... In La Jolla

[KingstonCrim]

http://www.sixtygig.com/uploads/gallery/album_67/gallery_1071_67_14128.jpg

[Doug Robinson]

Got a big show tonight, all my arrangements and compositions, 14 musicians from all around Mexico and the US in a 400 seat theater. I'll be playing my SK1 and Yamaha S80 through the SS3, and not going into the front of house system even thought the guitar, Tres Cubano, bass, vocals, horns and acoustic piano are going to the FOH guy. The theater isn't that deep and I don't think it will be a problem. I'll use my plywood trifold in soundcheck this afternoon to see how it sounds with and without.

 

This is going to be a kickass night for me. I've tried and failed to post the poster art here but you'll have to take my word--it's a classy production

[Josh Paxton]

This Friday I'll be using the SS at my biggest venue with it so far, Tipitina's. I'll have two boards, the SV1 and the Sk1. Thing is, the sound guys at Tip's are pretty particular about keyboardists giving them separate outputs for each board rather than submixing them.

 

Solution: Run the Sk1 out to two DIs for FOH. Take the outputs from those DIs and run them into the SV1's audio inputs. Run the SV1's 1/4" outputs (which mix in the input signal) to the SS. Run the SV1's XLR outputs (which don't mix in the input signal) to FOH.

 

The gig is a George Harrison tribute show, so it'll mostly be AP, EP and organ, but there will be a few opportunities for some swirling stereo psychedelic craziness too.