Phil O'Keefe

Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone Micro Can this compressor / sustainer turn tones of lead into gold? by Phil O'Keefe In their quest to turn base metals like lead and mercury into gold, alchemists sought the philosopher's stone - a mythical substance that supposedly could make those magical transformations. Not only that, but the philosopher's stone was also thought to exemplify perfection, enlightenment and bliss and could provide immortality to the person who possessed it. Pigtronix's Philosopher's Tone compressor pedal has been quite successful, but some people weren't crazy about its "wide" physical format. So, Pigtronix has now released a new micro-sized version. Can this new pedal turn otherwise boring tones into something magical like its name would imply? What You Need To Know Based on the original Philosopher's Tone, the micro keeps many of the features and the basic sound of the original but packs everything into a smaller (and much narrower) micro pedal housing. It measures only 3.75" L x 1.5" W x 1.75" H, making it compact enough to fit on just about any pedalboard. The color scheme is basic black with gold graphic accents; the labeling is high contrast white. The input and output jacks mount on the box's sides. The Philosopher's Tone Micro is too small to hold a 9V battery, and can be powered only by an external 9VDC adapter. The industry-standard 2.1mm center-negative power jack mounts on the top of the pedal. Current draw is 35mA. While only 9VDC adapters are suitable (you risk frying the pedal otherwise!), the pedal uses an internal charge pump to goose the internal power rails voltage up to 18V. This provides excellent headroom. The switching is true bypass. A white LED indicator centered between the knobs illuminates to show when the effect is active. The Philosopher's Tone Micro is made in China. As you might suspect with a pedal this small, the clean internal construction uses surface mount components. The four metal knobs have a unique shape - slightly rounded, with side indentations that make them really easy to grab. There are also big, high-contrast indicators on them, making it really easy to see where they're set. The Sustain knob sets the Philosopher's Tone Micro's threshold level. Turning up this knob compresses your signal more, giving increased sustain and dynamic consistency from note to note. There's a lot of compression available at higher knob settings, so the Philosopher's Tone Micro can increase your rig's sustain dramatically. There's also a Blend knob. Many compressors lack a blend control, but having one lets you do parallel compression, i.e., you can mix the unprocessed and processed signals in whatever ratio you desire. This lets you squash the signal heavily while blending in some uncompressed signal. The Treble knob is flat in its center position and boosts or cuts (at 2 kHz) when turned up or down from there. There is up to 6 dB of cut (or boost) available, which is plenty to compensate for the slight treble loss that often accompanies compression, as well as to make general tonal adjustments. Volume lets you make up any signal level lost due to the compression and sets the pedal's overall output level. There is ample gain available, and you can easily crank it up and use this pedal as a solo boost. Limitations The Grit control of the original Philosopher's Tone is missing from the micro version. Conclusions It's probably not going to make you famous (and give you the immortality that often goes along with fame) all by itself, but it can't hurt, and you do have a better chance at that sort of thing if your tone doesn't suck. This pedal will help you sound better by giving you better note consistency, drastically increased sustain, and improved control without adding gobs of noise or sludge. Noiseless compression and sustain is difficult to achieve. The very nature of compression brings up any noise from elsewhere in your signal chain, but the Philosopher's Tone Micro adds no appreciable noise of its own, and is exceptionally quiet by compressor pedal standards. In short, this is, by far, the best-sounding micro-sized compressor pedal I've ever tried. If you want a compressor but have little room for one on your board, you really need to try this pedal for yourself. -HC- Resources Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone Micro compressor pedal ($159.00 MSRP, $119.00 "street") Pigtronix's product web page Philosopher's Tone Micro user manual (PDF file) You can purchase the Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone Micro compressor pedal from: Musician's Friend Sweetwater Guitar Center Pigtronix demo video __________________________________________________ Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician and Guitar Player magazines.

IK Multimedia iRig Pro Duo Ultra-compact audio and MIDI interface...does size matter? by Phil O'Keefe What You Need To Know The IK Multimedia iRig Pro Duo is a combination audio and MIDI interface that works with a wide range of devices, including iOS (iPod, iPhone and iPads - iOS 5.1 or later), Android devices (that support the Samsung Professional Audio Technology - Android 5 required), and Mac / Windows computers (Macs OS X 10.6 or later, Windows XP or later and support for ASIO4ALL drivers). If portability is important, you'll love the light weight and ultra-compact design. It measures 2.95" W x 5" L x 1.46" D and weighs only 6.96 ounces without batteries installed, making it the smallest full-featured dual-channel audio / MIDI interface on the planet, and probably in the solar system. The iRig Pro Duo is a two-input, two-output audio interface. 24-bit recording is supported at sample rates of 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz. Two combination XLR / 1/4" TRS guitar / mic / line inputs mount on the unit's bottom. Up to 48 dB of gain is available for the mic inputs, and up to 27 dB for the line inputs. 48V (+/- 4V) is available for the mic inputs, so you can use studio-grade condenser microphones with the iRig Pro Duo. On the main face of the unit, a pair of Gain knobs set the mic / line input levels, and a set of multicolor LEDs can display level, show MIDI status, and indicate whether the phantom power is turned on. A pair of balanced 1/4" TRS line output jacks are mounted on the left side of the interface, along with a small volume control to adjust the output level, and the phantom power on/off switch. A stereo 1/8" headphone out jack, with associated volume control, allows monitoring while working. A Direct Monitoring switch lets you avoid latency issues by monitoring the incoming unprocessed signals directly or, if you prefer, the processed signal after going through your device. The iRig Pro Duo can be powered either by an external 500 mA (or better), center-negative plug 9V DC adapter (not included), bus-powered over the USB connection to your Mac or PC, or with a pair of onboard AA batteries for fully-mobile use. A pair of alkaline batteries are included to get you up and running. The battery compartment is located on the rear. Battery life is somewhat limited, with up to 45 minutes of recording time available from a pair of standard AA alkaline batteries with the mic gain and playback levels maxed out and both inputs and phantom power in use (which increases to 3 hours and 30 minutes if you use NiMH rechargeable batteries). For playback, with alkaline batteries you get 3 hours of playback time under "minimum load" conditions (music playing, phantom power "off"), which increases to 10 hours of playback time under the same load conditions with rechargeable NiMH batteries. Because multiple devices are supported, the package includes cables with a standard USB plug, an Apple Lightning connector, and a Micro USB connector. Each one terminates in a round multi-pin DIN connector that plugs into the iRig Pro Duo. Also located at the top are two 1/8" TRS jacks. These use IK Multimedia's proprietary 1/8" TRS to MIDI DIN adapter cables, a pair of which are also included. This gives the iRig Pro Duo full MIDI I/O. Software? As you might expect from IK Multimedia, they include a variety of useful software apps (which vary, depending on what device you want to use) to get you up and running. Limitations While the iRig Pro Duo is compatible with older iOS devices that use a 30-pin connection, a 30-pin cable is not included. The iRig Pro Duo is light in no small part because the unit's housing is made of plastic. It appears reasonably sturdy, but obviously isn't going to be as durable or able to withstand the occasional hit or drop as well as an all-metal housing. Sample rates above 48 kHz are not supported. Conclusions If you want something that's nearly ideal for mobile use, you're the target audience for the iRig Pro Duo. As usual with their products, IK Multimedia provides a useful collection of software, and the iRig Pro Duo is compatible with just about anything, whether tablet, smart phone, or computer. There are a few issues, but they're relatively minor. The metering is basic at best, and the small controls for playback and headphone levels are a bit tricky to use and not something I want to hassle with in a studio, but they do their job sufficiently well for a mobile interface. You'll want to protect the plastic case from being banged around, but the upside is that the iRig Pro Duo is very light. It's also amazingly compact, and for mobile use, that's incredibly important. After all, who wants to lug around a large and heavy audio interface wherever they go? But size and weight are only part of the story - an interface isn't of much use if the sound quality is sketchy, and fortunately that's not an issue. Sure, you can find better-sounding studio-based interfaces; but this one more than holds its own thanks to 24-bit recording at up to 48 kHz, two usable mic preamps with low noise, direct monitoring, and MIDI. For two hundred dollars, it's a good deal on the smallest fully-featured audio / MIDI interface around - and definitely recommended if you need to travel light, but still want to get real work done. -HC- Resources IK Multimedia iRig Pro Duo ($199.99 "street") IK Multimedia's product web page You can purchase the IK Multimedia iRig Pro Duo from: Sweetwater Guitar Center B&H Photo Video Musician's Friend IK Multimedia demonstration videos Overview: Recording a song with the iRig Pro Duo: iRig Pro Duo Specifications: Microphone Input • Microphone Inputs: 2x balanced, XLR. Pin 2: hot / Pin 3: cold / Pin 1: ground • Microphone Input Level: from 6 mVpp to 1.4 Vpp • Microphone Input Impedance: approx 2 kOhms • Gain Range: 48 dB • Phantom Power: +48V ± 4V • Frequency Response: • from 5 Hz to 21 kHz (-3dB) Gain @ min • from 30 Hz to 21 kHz (-3dB) Gain @ max • Input Noise: • -103 dB(A) Gain @ min • -86 dB(A) Gain @ max Instrument Input • Instrument Inputs: 2x unbalanced, Hi-Z, TS 1/4” Jack, Tip: signal / Shield: ground • Instrument Input Level: from 30 mVpp to 6.9 Vpp • Instrument Input Impedance: 1 MOhms • Gain Range: 27 dB • Frequency Response: • from 2 Hz to 21 kHz (-3dB) Gain @ min • from 5 Hz to 21 kHz (-3dB) Gain @ max • Input Noise: • -104 dB(A) Gain @ min • -102 dB(A) Gain @ max Line Output • Line Outputs: 2x balanced, TRS 1/4” Jack, Tip: hot / Ring: cold / Shield: ground • Floating Balanced Outputs with automatic level compensation when working in unbalanced mode • Maximum Output Level: +16 dBu into 600 Ohms balanced load • Frequency Response: from 10 Hz to 21 kHz (-3dB) • Output Dynamic Range: 106 dB(A) • Output Impedance: 150 Ohms balanced Common • AD and DA Resolution: 24-bit • Sampling Rate: 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz • Power: USB bus power, battery power (2xAA), or DC power supply (9VDC, from 500mA up, positive outside - not included) • Metering: Multicolor LED • Size: 75mm/2.95" x 127mm/5" x 37mm/1.46" • Weight: 197.2g/6.96oz (batteries excluded) • Battery Life: • Recording - Max load*: 3 hours, 30 minutes (NiMH rechargeable); 45 minutes (Alkaline) • Playback - Min load**: 10 hours (NiMH rechargeable); 3 hours (Alkaline) *Max load condition: both inputs connected to two 1.5 mA phantom powered loads, input gains set to maximum, outputs set to maximum **Min load condition: music playing, phantom power Off Dimensions • Size: 75mm/2.95" x 127mm/5" x 37mm/1.46" • Weight: 197.2g/6.96oz (batteries excluded) • Lightning to Mini-DIN connection cable: 60cm/23.62" • Micro-USB-OTG to Mini-DIN connection cable: 60cm/23.62" • USB to Mini-DIN connection cable: 60cm/23.62" • 2.5mm jack to MIDI cable: 160cm/63" __________________________________________________ Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician and Guitar Player magazines.

RCF M 18 Digital Mixer Can a digital mixer be musician-friendly enough for live use? by Phil O'Keefe Digital mixers aren't new, and many musicians have become more comfortable using them in a live setting. However with their wealth of features and comparative complexity, some of them can still be a bit overwhelming for those who are less experienced at playing soundperson. As compensation, they often do offer features and capabilities that ordinary analog mixers can't match, such as saving presets and recall capabilities. There's also a trend towards tablet-controlled mixers, and of course, if you want to run your instrument direct, digital mixers usually offer effects processing you won't find on analog mixers. But what if there was a digital mixer designed to be easy enough for the band to use without requiring a dedicated soundperson, that can be controlled from your tablet, and offered excellent processing for running your instruments direct - without requiring a dedicated amplifier? Sound interesting? If so, then Italy's RCF has a new unit for you to consider. Called the RCF M 18, there are several appealing aspects to this compact digital mixer. Let's see what it's all about. Packed into a very nondescript and compact box measuring only 13.386" W x 7.087" D x 3.465" H and weighing in at just a hair over 5 1/2 pounds, the RCF M 18 is easy to transport and doesn't require a road crew to haul around - or operate. The RCF M 18 is an 18-input (20 counting the USB stereo playback inputs) digital mixer with tons of digital effects and processing capabilities. All control is handled through a free tablet app, and literally everything can be saved and recalled. The RCF M 18 features 24-bit AD/DA converters. It has 32-bit floating point internal processing, and operates at a sample rate of 48 kHz. I tested software version 1.77, and later updated (via an easy to do firmware update using a USB drive) to version 2.21, which added new features and fixed a few bugs. At the present time, only iPads and Android tablets can control the RCF M 18 digital mixer. For iPads, you'll need iOS version 8.1 or later. I tested it using my trusty iPad mini 2. Android tablets running Android 2.3 or later are also supported. The wifi router is built-in, so you don't need to connect to an external router as with some other wifi-controlled digital mixers. The wifi is dual band and supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz operation on multiple channels. There are also two antennas - one internal, and a removable external one. All of this helps ensure that you can connect and stay connected, even in fairly "noisy" environments with lots of RFI. The M 18 has a internal power supply that will operate on 100V - 240V and it draws a maximum of 40W. I was happy to see that the power supply is built-in - no external adapters means less to lose at a gig, right? All of the I/O is located on one side of the RCF M 18. This includes 6 XLR Mic Inputs, two additional combo Mic/Line inputs (with combo XLR / 1/4" TRS jacks), as well as 10 1/4" TS Line Inputs. Unfortunately, with the exception of the two combo XLR / 1/4" TRS jacks on channels 7/8, all of the line inputs are unbalanced (but they can be set for either +4 dBu or -10 dBV operation). Line Inputs 9/10 can be switched to high impedance (1Mohm) for plugging in your bass or guitar direct. Once you do, you can use the onboard amp emulations from Overloud and various effects to get a very respectable and polished sound. The Overloud amp sims sound very impressive, and add considerably to the M 18's capabilities. Each digitally controlled mic input has up to 60 dB of gain, and preamp settings can be stored and recalled. 48V phantom power is switchable in four-channel blocks, so you can turn it on and off on channels 1-4 and 5-8 independently. There are six aux sends, each with a dedicated standard 4-band parametric EQ and 1/4" TRS balanced output jack capable of pushing +22dB levels. These can serve as external effect sends or monitor sends. The software allows each band member the ability to control their own monitor sends individually via their own tablet. A 1/4" jack supports single and dual footswitches, which can be used for various control functions such as muting effects and recalling effect presets. Both momentary and latching type switches are supported, but momentary switches need to be of the normally open type (Boss FS-6, etc.). A stereo 1/4" headphone jack allows monitoring the main mix, the PFL, as well as a "Personal Mix" that can be dialed up independently. A LAN port lets you use an external wifi router if desired. The LAN port is also slated for "future applications," so the possibility of a dedicated hardware controller for the M 18 exists. The rear panel has 5-pin DIN MIDI in and out ports. The software GUI is a thing of beauty. Not only are the graphics impressive, but it's very musician-friendly, easy to figure out, and very importantly for a live mixer, you can get around fast on it. Each input channel has its own gate, compressor and four-band EQ. The EQ features high and low shelving bands and two fully parametric midrange bands. Additionally, you can select from different EQ types, with Standard, Vintage and Smooth types available. The M 18 has is a wealth of effects processors - 19 total. Three dedicated effects sends are included, and multiple effects (up to four per channel) can be chained and assigned to individual channels using the 16 insertable effects. In addition to the usual delays and reverbs there are also amp sims and other effects from Overloud that are ideal for processing a direct-connected guitar or bass - no need for an external amplifier and effects pedals. And these sims really do sound good! Additionally, the main stereo output has three dedicated "mastering" type effects - Valve Warmer, Xciter and Maximizer. There's also a stereo 31-band graphic EQ on the main stereo output. The Main Output jacks are on a pair of standard XLR connectors, and have +22dB maximum output levels.This mixer can save and recall literally everything, from the mic preamp settings to individual channel settings to the effects. If you return to the same venues on a semi-regular basis, this can save you loads of setup and soundcheck time. The RCF M 18 has a USB Type A port for connecting an external FAT 32 formatted USB hard disk or thumb drive, which is handy for playing backing tracks or making a stereo recording of your live set. A playlist function comes in handy here. Recording times of over three hours are supported. Recordings are saved as 48 kHz WAV files, and WAV, MP3 (up to 320 kbps), and AIFF stereo file playback is supported. The recorded signal taps off the main output, just prior to the 31-band graphic EQ, and includes its own dedicated 4-band parametric EQ. The playback is assignable to the main outputs, as well as to the effects and aux sends. Limitations Currently, the only way to control the RCF M 18 is through the app, which means you're at the mercy of Apple and Android for the control surface unless RCF decides to make a LAN-based hardware controller. You have to reconfigure your tablet to select the RCF wifi any time the signal between the two is lost…unless it's set as your only default wifi connection. The RCF M 18 does not have enough mic preamps for some situations, such as multi-miking a full drum kit. You could use a four-mic setup (leaving four more mic preamp channels for everything else in the band) or you could use a submixer for the drum mikes, or an electronic kit. RCF does say on their site that other versions with different channel counts are in the works, and a smaller version (the RCF M 08) has already been announced, so there's hope that a version with more channels may be forthcoming. Out of the box the wifi connection is password-free and unrestricted. That's great for helping you get connected as easily as possible, but leaves you wide open if used this way at a gig to anyone who wanted to download the M-series MixControl app and mess with you. I'd recommend assigning a wifi password before using the M 18 at a gig. There are no gain reduction meters on the compressors. No feedback eliminator processors are included. Hopefully they'll be considered for inclusion with a future software update. Conclusions Overall, there is a lot to be said for the RCF M 18. It's packed with features such as multiple EQ options and gobs of effects, it sounds very good for an inexpensive live board, and with its intuitive software and musician-friendly OS, this small format digital mixer could be a very good solution for the needs for many small groups who lack a dedicated soundperson. The iOS control is reliable and easy to use; the onboard wifi lets you adjust your mixes from practically anywhere in the venue, and lets everyone adjust their own monitors too. The sound quality of the onboard effects is very good - particularly the Overloud processing. You really can run a guitar and a bass direct and leave your amps at home. You'll never have to cram your bass amp onto a small stage again. The main limitation is the number of mic inputs, but there's plenty here for smaller groups and for those who need line inputs as much or more than they need mic inputs. For example, I could see this as being a very cool board for a DJ who wanted to sum a couple of controllers and multiple audio sources, and with its abundance of (unfortunately, unbalanced) line inputs, it would also be a great choice for keyboard-heavy bands and electronic musicians, as well as groups that use electronic percussion and pad kits, singer/songwriter duos, jazz trios - you get the idea. While I do wish the M 18 had balanced line inputs and more mic channels, not everyone needs a board with 24 - 32 inputs, and there are plenty of channels here to fit the needs of many different potential users. Besides, those channels are chock full of useful features. RCF says their goal was to make a mixer that was designed for musicians, have great graphics, and would be easy to use, even while playing. I'd say they admirably achieved all of those goals. -HC- Resources RCF M 18 Digital Mixer ($999.00 MSRP, $899.00 "street") RCF M 18 Manual and Quick Start guide RCF M 18 Specifications (web link) Android App link Apple App link You can purchase the RCF M 18 Digital Mixer from: B&H Photo Video Overview video: Mixer Software Features video: __________________________________________________ Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician and Guitar Player magazines.