Crispin HT wrote on Sat, 12 December 2009 20:15 |
Hi Andrew,
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Hi Crispin,
Crispin HT wrote on Sat, 12 December 2009 20:15 |
We have an analogue monitor with a balanced passive attenuator calibrated in 0.25dB steps.
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Wow. That's subtle. The Dunlavy monitor pairs are (originally) matched to within 0.25 dB, fwiw. Also, the new Sontec switches are offered with some steps having +/- 0.25 dB.
Crispin HT wrote |
This passive attenuator presents a constant impedance to the source. After this is a balanced active stage that isolates the attenuator from the effects of cables and loads, so that the unit should sound the same no matter what room it's in.
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thanks to buffering amps... |:
Crispin HT wrote |
...This means that as you switch the monitor gain alters, but the path is identical, that is no extra electronics are switched in or out.
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...at least you are consistent. (;
Crispin HT wrote |
With our digital type consoles, the same DAC is used, and as the digital router changes source, the analogue attenuation post DAC changes as above. In this way you are also using the same monitor DAC.
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I quite agree with this requirement. Even the same make, model, and year DAC, calibrated to within 1/10 miliVolt, can have a subtle difference in sound that can attributed to the batch of components, or even, dare I allow, "expectation?"
My motley rig, using the Z-Sys detangler, and the input faders in SSHD, does permit the level-matched monitoring of the M3/M4 source from the same DAC as the M1/M2 destination.
Crispin HT wrote |
I can't say that we are truly transparent: nothing is. But we come quite close, and any colouration is constant, irrespective of source, destination or trim applied.
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Best of all, you are honest! (:
Crispin HT wrote |
Hope this helps you visualise how our monitor A/B works.
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Indeed, it gives me renewed confidence in my Crookwood wishes (and, dreams, however "caviar").
Thank you,
Andrew