alternative to dolby

[FALKEN]

I was just wondering...

if I wanted to skip the dolby C,

is there a two-channel something-or other that will take hiss out of a recording? I heard someone say the rocktron hush is their "secret weapon". maybe?

[jpmorris]

DBX. It comes in two flavours, Type I and type II.
Type I is double-ended, which means you must encode with DBX at recording
time and decode again on playback. If you want to go this route, you'll
probably want to get a stack of Tascam DX-4s or DX-8s (4 and 8 channel boxes, respectively).
You should be able to just feed the inputs through them, but I've never actually used any.

Type II is 2-track single-ended, i.e. decode only. This is generally used with consumer devices, so I'm not sure if it will be (A) high enough quality (B) able to cope with the hiss produced by sixteen channels.

[A Reel Person]

I believe there was a dbx-4 or dbx-5,... or somethin',... that was a single ended dbx NR for AV systems and video production.

Tascam made a "DX-2D" dbxI NR unit, but you'd need to internally jumper the control pins together. It had a pigtail cable that was supposed to plug into Tascam 2-track decks (32), that enabled it from the recorder-side. Anyway, for the DX-2D, you'd need to internally jumper the control signals, for use on non-Tascam recorders.

I've bought 2 used DX-2D's, and one came internally jumpered by the previous owner, and one didn't. I don't think the mod is too difficult.

[jpmorris]

Originally Posted by A Reel Person

Tascam made a "DX-2D" dbxI NR unit, but you'd need to internally jumper the control pins together.

He'd need 8 of those, so he'll really want the DX-4D or (rare) DX-8D, but yeah, those were the first thing that sprang to mind.

[A Reel Person]

Yeah! The Tascam DX-2D is 2-channel, and the DX-4D is 4. There was a DX8 that was 8-channels!

[technoplayer]

If type 2 is decode only, whats it decoding?????

[Beck]

DBX Type II is an encode/decode system like Type I. However, Type II was designed to work with cassette or low-speed open-reel, and is more forgiving of dropouts.

[FALKEN]

i am looking for more of a 1-sided solution. to run the full mix through, not each track...

[Beck]

A single ended model like the Hush won't tame tape hiss.

Dolby C is my preferred Dolby system – better than A and B. Even though A is supposed to be “professional level” Dolby C is a later development and is closer to SR in the way it works. Of course S or SR would be tops.

If you want a good SR unit look for the Dolby 363 with A/SR cards. I see them on ebay now and then. I’ve never seen a stand-alone S unit.

There were a bunch of good NR offerings years ago, but the need for standardization from one studio to the next whittled it down to Dolby A & SR, and DBX Type I in pro circles.

One of the best encode/decode units was an early Rockton model called the System One. The 120A was the 2-channel and the 180A was the 8-channel. It was more similar to DBX in the way it worked, but no pumping or breathing – crystal clear.

[The Ghost of FM]

Originally Posted by FALKEN

i am looking for more of a 1-sided solution. to run the full mix through, not each track...

If that's the case then neither the dbx or Dolby products mentioned in this thread so far will address this issue.

If you are mastering down into a CD at some stage where your stereo master tape can be transfered to a computer, there are any number of digital audio editing applications that have single ended noise and general crud reduction snap ins that do a decent job, assuming you've tweak their settings and thresholds correctly. I use a program called Cool Edit which has since been replaced by Adobe Audition.

If you are after a stand alone, analog, single ended noise reduction rack unit, I believe Rocktron and dbx both make semi-useful products but in reality, your best bet for making cleaner recording that don't need all this "hamburger Helper" crap is to watch your levels more closely when recording and mix for unity gain levels through your mixer and also make use of decent noise gates in the tracking process as well as techniques like backward spot erasing to clean up little noise boo boo's that creep into your productions.

When mastering to the two track 32, keep the levels as hot as hell and spot erase heads and tails of tracks to keep things clean.

Good luck.

Cheers!

[Molasar]

Originally Posted by A Reel Person

I've bought 2 used DX-2D's, and one came internally jumpered by the previous owner, and one didn't. I don't think the mod is too difficult.

Can you broaden on this? I have a DX-2D but don't know where the mod goes?

[RRuskin]

Originally Posted by jpmorris

DBX..............
Type II is 2-track single-ended, i.e. decode only.

Incorrect. Like Type I, dbx II is an encode/decode processing system. It has a different processing curve than Type I, though.

[RRuskin]

Originally Posted by Molasar

Can you broaden on this? I have a DX-2D but don't know where the mod goes?

Short an outside leg of each control transistor (1 per channel) to its inside leg.