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[Greg Youngman]

I have posted a shortened version of this question at the appropriate message board for this software, but honestly, I think I will receive much more intelligent answers here.  Please bear with me.

The latest version of Sonar 4 gives an option of choosing different “stereo panning laws”.  Years ago, I read some George Martin comments about how different brands of analog mixing consoles had different panning gains (for lack of a better term) depending on how the panning circuitry was designed.  So, that if you pan something in stereo and monitor the result in mono, you will either notice 3 dB gain from one side to center, or no dB change at all.  This is something that stuck in my mind and have noticed over the years, but had no control over it unless I wanted to tear into the board… that is until now.

Out of these options, what would be your choice and why?

• 0 dB center - sin/cosine taper, boosts 3dB when panned hard left/right, and no dip in output level in either channel when the signal is center panned.

• -3 dB center - sin/cosine taper, cuts 3dB when center panned, and a 3 dB dip in output level in either channel when the signal is center panned.

• 0 db center - square-root taper, boosts 3dB boost when panned hard left/right, and no dip in output level in either channel when the signal is center panned.

• -3 dB center - square-root taper, constant power, and causes no boost in a signal that’s paned hard left/right, and a 3 dB dip in output level in either channel when the signal is center panned.

• -6 dB center - linear taper, cuts 6dB when center panned, causes no boost in a signal that’s paned hard left/right, and a 3 dB dip in output level in either channel when the signal is center panned.

• 0 dB center, balance control, with no boost or cut in a signal that’s panned hard left or right, and no dip in output level in either channel when the signal is center panned.

Thanks

[seriousfun]

BUMP

'cause I want to hear peoples' opinions, too.

Cakewalk seems to have done their research properly on this.

[George Massenburg]

GY wrote on Tue, 28 September 2004 17:21

[...] -3 dB center - sin/cosine taper, cuts 3dB when center panned, and a 3 dB dip in output level in either channel when the signal is center panned. [...]

This is the classic panning taper which I remember first seeing in old Langevin and Altec (stepped) pots.  

That having been said, there were hundreds of consoles made by many different manufacturers that didn't get it right, and for a number of reasons.  Most often, manufacturers would substitute linear taper pots for the required sin-cosine pots, and then "slug" them to get the taper closer ("slugging" is two resistors from the two wipers to the top of the respective tracks to raise the center-point level to -3dB instead of the -6dB expected of a linear pot.)  For those not familiar with the "feel" of the movement of the image vs the rotation of the pot in a word it sucks.

The others are among a number of "modern" pan tapers.  Some of these tapers get pretty sophisticated, especially when you get into more than 2 channel panning.

George

[Peter Simonsen]

Hi GY,

If I understand this correctly Id choose the last option..

Quote:

• 0 dB center, balance control, with no boost or cut in a signal that’s panned hard left or right, and no dip in output level in either channel when the signal is center panned.

Id prefer only to have the vol regulation only at one place ..the mix faders

Kind regards

Peter

[PP]

[Peter Simonsen]

Roland Clarke wrote on Fri, 01 October 2004 10:47

Peter Simonsen wrote on Fri, 01 October 2004 02:25 Hi GY, If I understand this correctly Id choose the last option.. Quote: • 0 dB center, balance control, with no boost or cut in a signal that’s panned hard left or right, and no dip in output level in either channel when the signal is center panned. Id prefer only to have the vol regulation only at one place ..the mix faders Kind regards Peter The problem with this is that the volume is 3db louder when panned to the centre!  In a mix situation this is exactly what you don't want.  Everytime you moved a pan from central to one side or the other you would have to move your fader to compensate. Regards Roland

Ohhh Roland,

Then I did indeed get it wrong..*GGG*..I thourgh it said 0db in the center as in "no gain and/or dip in the center pos. Phweew..soryy for the mix up..

What I really want is no dip/gain at all just pure center and panning...

Kind regards

Peter

[Greg Youngman]

I appreciate all of you taking the time to think about this and to post your responses.

After some experimenting, these "panning options" only apply to mono tracks in Sonar.  I rarely do any panning during a music mix.  I can't remember the last time I heard it used in a song.  Now, mixing SFX for film or video is a different matter.  I won't know how these setting will affect the way I work/mix until I get into a project with this new version.  Peter Poyser brought up a very good point about surround.  I'm not surround literate yet.  I've got the monitors and amps for it, but hardly the space in an already cramped control room.  This new Sonar version does have surround features and could be one reason they’ve included the panning options.  That's starting to make sense.

I still check my mixes in mono.  Am I correct in thinking that if you pan a mono 1 KHz tone (or a mono audio track) from hard left to hard right that a meter reading mono should not change in level?  

[PP]

[Greg Youngman]

Thanks for the link, Peter.

I read and understand the article.  My question is to the different designs of the pan control circuitry.

For example, take a mono 1 KHz tone being panned back and forth between a stereo buss.  When you check the mix in mono, the levels will or will not stay at zero as you pass center, depending on the design of the pan circuitry.

I think I need to re-think my question.