Setting parameters
You will also need to configure
Audacity
so that it
matches the settings you have made in the
Audio
MIDI Setup
utility. The selections are made in the
Preferences/Devices
and
Preferences/Quality
dialogues as illustrated above. You may also need
to adjust buffer depths in the software
(
Preferences/Recording
) for the higher sampling
rates. We’d recommend you adjust the
Audio to
buffer
parameter to
50 milliseconds
as a good
starting point.
Recording levels
Set recording level so that peak music levels reach
between-12dBFS and -6dBFS. Do not be tempted
to over-record because this will cause distortion
which
Stereo
Lab
cannot rectify.
It is
recommended that loudness processing is also
applied during the
Stereo Lab
software
equalisation process. In this way you can be
assured of the best dynamic range from your
music and of good matching between needle-
drops and other audio files (for example CD rips).
There is no need to anticipate the effect of the
RIAA filtering in
Stereo Lab
because the software
will automatically adjust the level of the input file
for best resolution of the processed file.
Remember to depress the front-panel switch of
the Groove Sleuth Mk.II to switch to battery
supply (green LED) before making a needle-drop:
this will ensure that the needle-drop recording is
of the highest quality. Reselect external supply
when the recording is made to preserve battery
charge.
Chapter
7
–
Decoding
Quadraphonic and Ambisonics
discs
There were many interesting and important
recordings made in Quadraphonic sound and
versions of many classic recordings were mixed in
Quad'. Many still only available as vinyl records,
recording these LPs and decoding these recordings
in software allows us to revisit, and indeed
rediscover old friends.
Many beautiful and important recordings were
made in Quadraphonic
Stereo Lab
allows decoding of
SQ
and
QS
Quadraphonic and Ambisonics recordings to
multichannel audio files so that they can be played
over a square of four loudspeakers (as was the
intention in the 1970s) or over a modern 5.1
system. No special precautions need to be made in
recording needle-drops of quadraphonic or
Ambisonics discs. It is recommended that
equalisation is applied to the needle-drop in
Stereo Lab
before decoding.
Chapter 8 - Specifications
Size:
Groove Sleuth Mk.II: 112 × 50 × 225 mm (W-H-L)
Preamplifier Supply
: DC input on screw locking connector.
Power:
Groove Sleuth preamplifiers are designed to be compatible with European Eco-Consumption directives.
Consumption is less than 4 Watts in all configurations and active. The unit is intended to remain energised all the time.
