Audio 4.94 - Over 11,000 Files/audio-11000.iso/msdos/sndbords/ultrasnd/submit/3d.txt

Internet Message Format | 1993-02-15 | 6KB

Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 1:03:24 EST
From: [e-mail] (Francois Dion)
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
Subject: Franky in 3D
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <[e-mail]>

Well, i think it's time i put my grain of salt on the 3d mania.

First of all, even if it is a bit long, i suggest to read it all. And if you
dont want to wait for a 3D driver for the GUS, dont forget to read one of my
other post in this digest with the subject: Franky in suround.

Now, on with the show:
There are several systems that are in use to get 3D sounds on recordings and
some have been around since the 50s. Now i wont go into the "how it works"
of the more recent ones, but i think this will clear up some confusion. The
first part is a "hands-on" experiment, the second is informations, including
the address and phone of the owner of the technology that is used with the
Gravis Ultrasound.

   Let's get back to the early days of stereo. One record company (i cant seem
to remember) was pushing it, while another (again, blank. anyone?) competed.
Interestingly enough, technological development was put on stereo, and not on
the first 3D system which was called "binaural recording" and it simply
consisted of two microphones placed like the ears. You can try it this way:

Go to a hat store and buy an extruded foam mannequin head. You'll then need
two microphones. Condenser will do, but you will need to power them if you
want to use them with the GUS, since it take a dynamic microphone because
it does not supply phantom power like some mixer with XLR plugs. I will post
a circuit later for Radio-shack condenser mike unit (a small element that
cost about 2$) if there is some interest. If you dont want to mess with
that, go with a cardiod dynamic element. Note that sensitive enough cardiod
will cost you a lot, so think about that. You cut holes in the ears of the
head, to insert the microphone units (dont forget to make the wires of the
elements go inside the head and out the rear (or wherever). Use glue to fill
the crack around the mic. Also, the more the ears look like real ears, the
better it will work. If you trim the foam, dont forget to use an hairdryer
to soften it (it will be more uniform). That's it. Try recording sounds, and
you'll be surprised. I was! I did the experiment with a polystyrene head
on which i incrusted two PZM microphones.


Now that you understand how 3D recording is nothing like stereo recording,
we'll see what is accesible presently.

First, the gadget we just built in the previous section exist commercially,
and is called "Mikey" and is made by Spherical Sound. It's the only system
commercialised where the microphones are placed in a head.

Another system is made by Virtual Audio and claims to enhance stereo depth,
but is not labeled 3D audio. I dont have much more info on it, but from the
description it looks like the same thing as the "mikey".

Two other systems use less restraining microphones situation and can also be
used on any signal because a DSP simulate a 3D signal from parameters
entered on the machine.  QSound (no hyphen) was developped in Quebec, and
the inventor sold the concept to another company (Archer it seems). It is
not that good even with electrostatic headphones, and is pretty bad if you
are listening to it thru speakers and you are not in the soft spot. And for
trivia: Madonna, Sting, Wilson Phillips and Paula Abdul to name a few have
used the QSound on their latest recordings. Another trivia: The Q logo is very
very close to Hydro-Quebec logo... QSound cost around 18K$ and is not midi
controllable.

The other variant with a DSP is Roland RSS (Roland Sound Space). It is a bit
better (depending on how it is used) than QSound with headphones, but suffers
the same faith as QSound when you are listening with speakers. Just move a bit
from the soft spot, and suddenly what was in front left is now back left. RSS
was used on Suzanne Cianni _Hotel Luna_ album. RSS cost around 40K$ and is
midi controllable.

Another system on which i have zero information is called Audio Cybernetics.

The last technology is called Focal Point 3D Audio. It was developped by Bo
Gehring and first used on the Macintosh computers with a modified
Audiomedia (Digidesign). It cost around 1400$ in this configuration. But,
Gravis saw that (Focal Point is from Seattle) and it is the system that we
will be getting. At a much better price. The system produce the sounds with
these parameters: direction, elevation and distance. I am pretty sure that
Gravis will have to develop a SYSEX command set. We already need it badly,
but with 3D, i will shoot myself if i cant control it thru sysex.

Hope i've entertained you...

Ciao,
--
Francois Dion
    '  _   _   _
 CISM (_) (_)  _) FM       Montreal , Canada       Email: [e-mail]
      (_)  / . _)             10000 Watts          Telephone no: [phone]
_______________________________________________________________________________
Audio-C-DJ-Fractals-Future-Label-Multimedia-Music-Radio-Rave-Video-VR-Volvo-...

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Date: Mon, 25 Jan 93 1:06:29 EST
From: [e-mail] (Francois Dion)
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
Subject: Franky in 3D forgot...
To: Ultrasound Daily Digest <[e-mail]>

I forgot:
Focal Point(tm) 3D audio
1402 Pine av., #127
Niagara Falls, NY 14301
Voice/fax: [phone]

Ciao,
--
Francois Dion
    '  _   _   _
 CISM (_) (_)  _) FM       Montreal , Canada       Email: [e-mail]
      (_)  / . _)             10000 Watts          Telephone no: [phone]
_______________________________________________________________________________
Audio-C-DJ-Fractals-Future-Label-Multimedia-Music-Radio-Rave-Video-VR-Volvo-...