BLA " Micro-Clock"..

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snatchman
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BLA " Micro-Clock"..

Post by snatchman » Mon Oct 01, 2007 9:30 am

Hi. As I stated in another thread ( clock cables, etc.), I have the MicroClock. I've been "working" with it now for a few days. My first impressions is, I can hear a difference.. :D ...I have it locked to my HD24-XR and modded Digimax Lt. ( via BLA). I haven't recorded a project with the clock yet, but have tested it on playback of tracks already recorded. This is no technical test or anything ( I'm not technical enough... :D ). As far as sound goes, I didn't get it so much for sound ( even though I hear definate improvements in the bottom and top end), but for timing issues.
I know some say you don't hear any difference for clocking just one piece of gear from an external clock, but I do! ( YMMV) I don't have a Big Ben , Antelope, etc. to compare it to, but this is definately so far, a step up from my Digimax LT and HD24-XR clocks. As far as clock cable goes, I'm using 3' Canare 75 ohm cable (blue). The results of using the MicroClock so far ( this is just my finding so take with a grain of salt... :wink: .), is sorta like using the "quantize function" on a sequencer. ( lightly)... It tightings up the recording and seems to places everything on " beat" if I may. So, this again is MY findings and I'm sure will vary from user to user. I think for the price of the MicroClock and you don't need other features found on the more costly external clocks ( and if you're gonna buy an external anyway.. :lol: ),, the MicroClock is worth testing! BTW..I don't work for BLA.( :roll: )... ( YMMV)

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Re: BLA " Micro-Clock"..

Post by kakumei47 » Tue Oct 02, 2007 12:46 am

I just got one of these as well and hooked it up this afternoon. My purchase was sorta inspired by the studio next door raving about the big ben. I have it hooked up to a Motu 24io via Chord cable (BL had one when I called to order).
Didn't get to use it for any real mixing, but it does make a difference on playback of mixes and even random mp3s and stuff on my itunes. It's a strange difference to listen for when you hear "better bass and high end" from people since it's not an eq difference but more of a clarity difference. Sorta like a monitor upgrade....you can hear the placement in the stereo field more clearly, transients sound different, overall a little less 2D, punchy is maybe not the right word but the bass particularly is more clear or defined. Definitely noticable but not something on first listen that makes me want to remix the eight songs I spent all day tweaking yesterday, but maybe I'll change my mind on that after doing some mixes.
Maybe if it's cool with the band I'm working with this week I'll post some mix snippets with/without, not touching the board between passes. I have a feeling this is something that would be pretty significant spread out through all the channels on the board and going back in...
The drawbacks for me so far are just in the design...having the BNC cables on the back would be better--you want to be able to see the settings clearly, but don't want the cables sticking out in front of the rack or wherever you have it...also the divider switch on mine didn't have any indicator line, so I couldn't see where it was set. Super easy fix though with tape and a marker or just a new knob...

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Post by snatchman » Tue Oct 02, 2007 5:16 am

Good deal.. Yea, I too at first had problems with the BNC connectors being located where they are. But then I decided since there's no meters, switches, etc. I'll need to adjust after initial setup, I'll just turn it around backwards!... :wink: .Works out fine. BTW...what color is yours? ( mine's red)

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48K and Up?

Post by Leviethan » Sun Oct 14, 2007 6:32 pm

Hi

I just recieved my Microclock. I was wondering about recording above 48K. When I set my MOTU to record 96K, a "word clock out" pulldown pops up in the MOTU menu. Are the connections on the Microclock all outputs? Or are they I/O? The user manual doesn't say. What would I run my word clock out cable to, if not back into the Microclock itself?

Mine is black.

Levi

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Post by kakumei47 » Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:08 am

The microclock bnc connectors are all outs. depending on your setup, you probably don't need to use the motu word clock out so it doesn't matter what the out is set to. Mine is set microclock --> word clock in on my 24io. If you have more than one device you should use another out on the microclock to the word clock in on that device. If you are using performer, you have a clock source setting in the performer project (by sample rate selection), which should be set to "word clock in." There is also a something called somethign like "motu pci audio manager" in your applications which has an icon that looks like an old ribbon microphone. Open that and also set it to "word clock in" for clock source. I belive you can set the output there to act as a thru, but I wouldn't bother unless you have a ton of things being clocked together. Haven't really needed to think about that for my setup...
The microclock is great btw!

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Post by Jeff White » Mon Oct 15, 2007 10:36 am

I personally would love to hear material clocked to the big ben or microclock as uncompressed audio. I have a BLA 828mk2 that has the analog and clock mod from 2006 (before the microclock was the only way to mod the MOTU clocks). I'm thinking of having a second 828mk2 modded (it's my backup) and will purchase the microclock at that point as it is very much discounted.

But some examples would be awesome.

Jeff
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Post by Leviethan » Mon Oct 15, 2007 12:26 pm

OK,

I'll just try recording 96K today. I'm running Logic 6 on an iBook G4 by the way, but soon I'll be upgrading to a dual G5 with Logic 8. The tracks I've recorded with the upgraded MOTU pres and the Microclock sound a million times better than anything I've recorded to this point. It's the first external clock I've used, so I couldn't compare it to a Big Ben, or an Apogee.
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Post by I'm Painting Again » Mon Oct 15, 2007 4:03 pm

Leviethan wrote:OK,

I'll just try recording 96K today. I'm running Logic 6 on an iBook G4 by the way, but soon I'll be upgrading to a dual G5 with Logic 8. The tracks I've recorded with the upgraded MOTU pres and the Microclock sound a million times better than anything I've recorded to this point. It's the first external clock I've used, so I couldn't compare it to a Big Ben, or an Apogee.
the pres are where you are most likely hearing the biggest difference, no?

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Post by snatchman » Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:14 am

Beauty&Wonder wrote:
Leviethan wrote:OK,

I'll just try recording 96K today. I'm running Logic 6 on an iBook G4 by the way, but soon I'll be upgrading to a dual G5 with Logic 8. The tracks I've recorded with the upgraded MOTU pres and the Microclock sound a million times better than anything I've recorded to this point. It's the first external clock I've used, so I couldn't compare it to a Big Ben, or an Apogee.
the pres are where you are most likely hearing the biggest difference, no?
Well, I don't have the Motu, but I do have a PreSonus LT that Matt@ BLA modded ( the only one I think.. :wink: )..Even though the pres after mod sounds better, the converters on the LT now sounds " real". I think the MicroClock ( to me) makes the biggest difference, on playback of what has been recorded! Of course, I'm listening to the output of the converters on the HD24-XR, which I understand is good stock. I'm contemplating having my HD24-XR modded by Jim Williams to hopefully improve the DA's on the XR. ( YMMV)

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Post by Jeff White » Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:46 am

Beauty&Wonder wrote: the pres are where you are most likely hearing the biggest difference, no?
I noticed a big difference A/Bing my BLA 8282mk2 with a my stock one on pre-recorded material. All i was hearing was the sound of the improved clocking of the D/A monitor outs as well as the improved analog path. Big difference. Recording something from the ground up and stacking myriad tracks together will be a much bigger difference.

Jeff
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Post by I'm Painting Again » Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:00 am

It's crazy that an external clock is making such a difference since technically an internal one is by default (science) is always better..at least that is my limited understanding of the subject..

I tried clockin a MOTU with a lucid clock once..and it tightened somthing up I think..I had felt a difference but it was majorly subtle..since then I just invested in "high end" converson and that has made all the difference in the world..even my chimp ears could tell..It was a "it finally sounded like a real record" moment for me..

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Post by snatchman » Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:53 pm

Beauty&Wonder wrote:It's crazy that an external clock is making such a difference since technically an internal one is by default (science) is always better..at least that is my limited understanding of the subject..

I tried clockin a MOTU with a lucid clock once..and it tightened somthing up I think..I had felt a difference but it was majorly subtle..since then I just invested in "high end" converson and that has made all the difference in the world..even my chimp ears could tell..It was a "it finally sounded like a real record" moment for me..
I agree, that probably if you just depended on just the clock making a drastic improvement, it probably won't. But as everything else goes, every little bit helps! I think that as you upgrade other stuff in your system, these " subjectional" pieces becomes more audiable. ( YMMV). Also, as one wise engineer, producer, once said." It's like having several panes of dirty glass line up in front of a portrait. It doesn't matter which pane you clean first, it'll still let you see the portrait a little bit clearer! In this case " hear"...... 8)

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Post by sad iron » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:54 pm

Beauty&Wonder wrote:It's crazy that an external clock is making such a difference since technically an internal one is by default (science) is always better..at least that is my limited understanding of the subject..

I tried clockin a MOTU with a lucid clock once..and it tightened somthing up I think..I had felt a difference but it was majorly subtle..since then I just invested in "high end" converson and that has made all the difference in the world..even my chimp ears could tell..It was a "it finally sounded like a real record" moment for me..
I did the same thing last week with my ADA8000 and experienced the same 'tightening.' Somebody please explain to me how the clock on a $200 Behringer box could be better than what's inside the Motu stuff.
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Post by I'm Painting Again » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:11 pm

sad iron wrote:
Beauty&Wonder wrote:It's crazy that an external clock is making such a difference since technically an internal one is by default (science) is always better..at least that is my limited understanding of the subject..

I tried clockin a MOTU with a lucid clock once..and it tightened somthing up I think..I had felt a difference but it was majorly subtle..since then I just invested in "high end" converson and that has made all the difference in the world..even my chimp ears could tell..It was a "it finally sounded like a real record" moment for me..
I did the same thing last week with my ADA8000 and experienced the same 'tightening.' Somebody please explain to me how the clock on a $200 Behringer box could be better than what's inside the Motu stuff.
It must be significantly better because an external clock is "working up hill" in comparison to an internal one which has the "home field advantage"..for lack of better terms..

You know how like when you want something to be true and your perception shifts and you really see or hear something that is not there..and then you realize it was false later?

I wonder how much that plays into these proclaimed experiences of ours?

Entire religions are started with less..

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Post by Leviethan » Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:05 pm

The internal clock on the MOTU had all kinds of jitter problems. I don't have that problem as much with the new Microclock. I reallize I'm taxing my little system to the limits, but it's running more smoothly with the new clock. Soon I'll be upgrading to a dual G5 with Logic 8. I tried recording at 96K and my iBook went nuts. I'll have to stick to 48K until I upgrade.
Leviethan

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