Audiomatic Retro Transformer - Bottom Setting

[Creativemind]

Hi All!

Earlier today I used an Audiomatic Retro Transformer on the "Bottom" setting, on a track (recording) of an acoustic guitar. It really thickened up the low end to give it more body.

However, I look up what that actually does in the manual and all's you get is what the attached pic says. Bit of a lame description that. Would've liked more technical info than that.

Might message Propellerhead but don't reckon I'll get more info out of them or is that me being sceptical? lol!

Anyone know any more of what that setting does?

Thanks!

[mon]

Hi All!

Earlier today I used an Audiomatic Retro Transformer on the "Bottom" setting, on a track (recording) of an acoustic guitar. It really thickened up the low end to give it more body.

However, I look up what that actually does in the manual and all's you get is what the attached pic says. Bit of a lame description that. Would've liked more technical info than that.

Might message Propellerhead but don't reckon I'll get more info out of them or is that me being sceptical? lol!

Anyone know any more of what that setting does?

Thanks!

Attaching a spectral analyzer and peak/rms meter should give you some information.

[Creativemind]

Hi All!

Earlier today I used an Audiomatic Retro Transformer on the "Bottom" setting, on a track (recording) of an acoustic guitar. It really thickened up the low end to give it more body.

However, I look up what that actually does in the manual and all's you get is what the attached pic says. Bit of a lame description that. Would've liked more technical info than that.

Might message Propellerhead but don't reckon I'll get more info out of them or is that me being sceptical? lol!

Anyone know any more of what that setting does?

Thanks!

Attaching a spectral analyzer and peak/rms meter should give you some information.

Thanks, any recommendations on spectral analysers? I will obviously look in the Propellerhead shop.

EDIT - Checked the Propellerhead shop. We have Red Rock Sound RE-60 Real Time Spectrum Analyser.

I also found 2 free VST's. SmartElectronix Fre(a)koscope and Blue Cat Audio's FreqAnalyst . I will download both of those.

[mon]

I like Lectric Panda's "Spektrum". From the VSTs there is a nice freeware from Voxengo - "Span"

[selig]

Basically, it's cutting a medium narrow notch around 200-250 Hz, and also a low boost of everything below that frequency.

Adjusting Transform affects both the depth of the notch (higher settings result in a deeper and more narrow notch), and affects the amount of low boost (higher settings result in more boost). To a slight degree, increasing Transform also raises the notch frequency, from around 200 Hz at the bottom to 250 Hz at the top (225 Hz at the default center setting.

Here's a quick chart of the settings I found when measuring "Bottom":
Transform @ 0%:
Notch: - 5dB @ 200 Hz,
Bandwidth (-3) 165-280 Hz (E3-D4, almost 1 octave),
Low Boost of 4-5 dB

Transform @ 50%:
Notch -14 dB @ 225 Hz,
Bandwidth (-3) 210 - 235 Hz(G#3-A#3, whole step),
Low Boost 8 dB

Transform @ 100%:
Notch -12 dB 250 Hz,
Bandwidth (-3) 230 - 260 Hz (A#3-C4, whole step),
Low Boost 11 dB.

And finally, there is some slight harmonic distortion (both odd and even).
Harmonic Distortion Percentage:
0.1% to 0.3% at the notch frequency, and 0.2% up to 1.0% at the very lowest frequencies (10-20 Hz range).

This distortion is super subtle, with the first (odd) harmonic @ 48 dB BELOW the fundamental (when using a 60 Hz input sine wave). But it's there, fwiw, and while it's almost undetectable at the default settings, there IS a much overlooked control that can affect the overall tone of many preset: GAIN.

Gain is basically input level, so any effect that saturates or distorts can be affected. You will have to compensate for level changes with the Volume (output level). You can quickly setup a combinator to adjust gain ±12 db in opposite directions for these two knobs as a quick way to explore the possibilities.

With input Gain @ +12dB, and Volume (output) at -12dBFS (more realistically @ -20 due to the bass boost being added), you can get useful subtle saturation. This brings the first harmonic up to -42dB below the fundamental