Slate Digital VIRTUAL MICROPHONE SYSTEM

[Sean Kenny]

Hi folks

Just thought I'd offer up this titbit of info for anyone who's interested.

http://youtu.be/_rzzoFCm8qk

A virtual microphone recording system from Slate Digital

Watch the video in HD through a good sound system and see what you think.

I have to say, as sceptical and cynical as I have become in my later years, Steven Slate impresses me more and more. Got 3 of his products so far and they are all great.

BTW I do not have any vested interest in Slate Digital whatsoever, I'm just an honest to goodness audio slut like the rest of you.

It sounds impressive on the video, but that's just one example... still I'd be interested to see what you guys think

Regards

Sean

[scooter]

Just got this email.
I'm such a sucker for gear like this and this guy is killing me!

[wonder]

ummm ... not sure what to think about this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rzzoFC ... e=youtu.be

[kwiz]

It's a real interesting approach to mic emulation. The fact that they're using a neutral sound source (mic and pre) to be the interface to the emulations makes it possible to more accurately reproduce the mic's in question. I beta tested Focusrites VRM a few years back, and my main complaint was that using different headphones yielded different sonic results. I thought that they need to sell the box with a pair of neutral sounding headphones in order to more accurately reproduce the speaker emulations. Their response was that my approach would drive up costs... The Slate VMP seems ground breaking! I wish I can make NAMM this year in order to check it out!!

[James Steele]

I'm glad someone posted this. I came over here to do so if someone didn't. Reminds me of the old Antares Mic Modeler plug.... at least in concept although since Fabrice is involved, I'm sure this is much more sophisticated. (I await the 64-bit update to FG-X however.)

[James Steele]

We had three different topics on this spanning two forums. I merged them together for convenience.

[Killahurts]

We had three different topics on this spanning two forums. I merged them together for convenience.

I love it when you do that!

I gotta hand it to Steven, he sure has got a pair.. gonna demo this side-by-side with a real 47 at a trade show? Awesome!!

[jloeb]

This could work in principle, but what puzzles me most and renders me skeptical is the economics of it: two mics, preamps and converter, which are supposed to be able to acquire enough information at high enough quality to allow reproduction of high end chains, for $2000? How??

For this to work, at least one or more of these things must be true:

1. We've all been paying WAY too much for mics and preamps;
2. Slate has convinced high-end makers to bet their shirts in pursuit of high volume, low margin sales;
3. Slate has acquired a means to source high quality components and labor that is Apple-like in its market-bending profitability - think Asia;
4. Slate has decided they don't need to make money on the hardware, as the profits will come from emulation add-ons;
and, finally:
5. This system won't work as well as the hype suggests.

At this point my guess is that it's a few of these, though I wouldn't care to say which ones.

This does remind me a little of the Variax bass phenomenon, where they made a bass guitar that purportedly emulates the sound of any other using built in modeling components, and it does, very accurately, except there is no signal at all above about 1.5KHz. It works, sorta.

Will need to hear for myself and also from many others (the Howie Loves Stevie Show, on its own, isn't gonna cut it this time) before I'm a believer.

[kwiz]

jloeb,

I'm leaning towards #4. Slate has been hitting home runs with just about all his releases.
Because of that rep, he'll most likely do well with selling additional emulations, as well as expanding on the technical approach that he and Fabrice are taking. (provided that it's a hit at NAMM) I have a hunch that he'll be rolling out his monitor system sometime this year which might employ a similar technology, and/or, come out with a hardware/software compressor that emulates other comps.
The only device that he released that didn't really catch on was his Dragon compressor.
I don't even see it listed on his site, but I know it's still being sold by certain retailers.

James,

I'm with you, I need that 64 bit FG-X in my life right now...

[James Steele]

I'm leaning towards #4. Slate has been hitting home runs with just about all his releases.

Agreed. Makes total sense to me.

James, I'm with you, I need that 64 bit FG-X in my life right now...

Indeed. Although it does work with jBridgeM and 32 Lives in the meantime.

[James Steele]

I hadn't watched the video before I posted earlier. Didn't realize this was a hardware solution. Since the mic being used and preamp are part of the solution and known quantities, seems like there's no reason this couldn't work as advertised. Not only that, Fabrice is some kind of wizard genius.

[Killahurts]

This could work in principle, but what puzzles me most and renders me skeptical is the economics of it: two mics, preamps and converter, which are supposed to be able to acquire enough information at high enough quality to allow reproduction of high end chains, for $2000? How??

Remember, the mics/preamp don't have to sound good on their own- they probably don't. They just need to capture the sound correctly, for the emulation to have what it needs..

I would think that Slate's big challenge will be having absolute consistency in the manufacture of the hardware.

e.g. if the mic or preamp develops a slight distortion, how would you know? How would the emulation handle that? Does it use a "loose" approximation for input, or does the hardware have to be perfect to get the correct result?

[James Steele]

I would think that Slate's big challenge will be having absolute consistency in the manufacture of the hardware.

e.g. if the mic or preamp develops a slight distortion, how would you know? How would the emulation handle that? Does it use a "loose" approximation for input, or does the hardware have to be perfect to get the correct result?

Very good point! If the system will indeed sell for around $2,000 as I've heard, then I'd be wondering if manufacturing would take place in China and would the tolerances of all the components be tight enough that the emulations would work just as well on every unit.

I'm guessing there might have to be some sort of calibration necessary?

[donreynolds]

Just wondering what you guys think about it?

[James Steele]

Merged the post above with this topic.