Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Blackbird Rider Nylon w/RMC Polydrive: Test Tracks 2&3

Now we're getting somewhere. In the previous post/test track, I was using my main recording rig, which has a Lexicon Signature 284 amplifier. I've never been happy with the bass response of that amp, and the highs have always been a bit on the harsh and grating side as well. So, I got a MESA 20/20 several months ago, but with the move and all the other stuff I've been doing, this is the first time I've been able to get a chance to record with it.

Here's my backup system that's in my bedroom:



Top to bottom is the 20/20, a Behringer BTR-2000 RackTuner, another of my four Lexicon MPX-G2's, a blank vent panel, and a Furman AR-1215 line voltage regulator. Though you can't see it behind the monitor, my backup computer is a Mac G4 Cube running OS X 10.4.11 and ProTools LE 7.4. You can just see the top of the original M-Box in the lower right of the photo.

Here's Prelude No. 4 in G Major from the 24 preludes in every key for the guitar:

Prelude No. 4 in G

I had the MESA wide open: Volume and presence on max.

For the second piece I reduced the presence to 75%, and this is B-Axis Study No. 5/Axial Study No. 11 in E Major from the 18 Axial Studies I wrote, which are open string etudes. In this one, the open B string is every other note in the melody.

B-Axis Study No. % in E

This is much, much better to my ears than the recordings I've done with the Signature 284 - everything else is the same between the two systems, down to and including the EQ profiles - so I've decided to sell the Sig and replace it in the main recording rig with a MESA Stereo Simul-Class 2:Ninety power amp. It will even be better than the 20/20 because of the class A-A/B voodoo that MESA does with it, plus it has a "Deep" setting that is just earth shattering.

One thing the 20/20 is not and that is, it's not as quiet as the Sig: The noise floor is just a tad higher, but still superb for a wide-open tube amp.



I've only ever had one GF who looked that good first thing in the morning. Yummy.

4 Comments:

Blogger Minicapt said...

Yes, but: http://gizmodo.com/5372507/apple-tablet-may-have-two+handed-multitouch-input

Cheers

4:22 AM  
Blogger Minicapt said...

Needs wood.

Cheers

1:21 AM  
Blogger Hucbald said...

The chick? ROTFLMFAO!!!

7:13 PM  
Anonymous Rides A Pale Horse said...

Howdy Huc!

Been trying to contact you over at Big Govt. but ran across your link at JWF. I'll save the other info for later just want to say very nice page and the clips were great! Very talented, excellent recordings and beautifully executed.

2:30 AM  

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