DC Pre-Amp

[DougMac]

Remember that? It's been a while since I've heard any mention of Diamond Cut's pre-amp. Did parts and production problems end up shelving it?

Thanks,
Doug

[Craig Maier]

Re: DC Pre-Amp

When we rolled up the bill of materials and labor costs with several third party manufacturers given a certain assumption of volume, the whole project looked very risky. That means we would have put a lot of money into tooling and set up charges in hopes of achieving break even. Ultimately, we decided not to take the risk. We will flesh out the presets in Diamond Cut to provide more "Rolloff" curves so that you can achive in software what it achieved in hardware. Hope that you understand.

[DougMac]

Re: DC Pre-Amp

Craig,

Sorry things didn't pan out. I appreciate the effort that you will put towards providing us with a software solution. Given that, I have a question that will start with an analogy.

I'm also a photographer. It would seem that recording through a standard pre-amp, then applying a reverse curve is similar to taking a photograph with an orange filter, then using Photoshop to correct the tint. It can be done, but wouldn't it be better not to shoot through the orange filter to begin with? Since the answer to the rhetorical question is an obvious yes, how about a couching the question in terms of practical experience. Do you think a file that had been recorded with the correct curves and rolloff would sound significantly ($800.00 or so) better than one where reverse RIAA, then the correct settings have been applied? This, of course, assumes a first class pre-amp in both instances.

While I have your attention, I have a complaint. The new CNF is so superior to the old version that I'm going through my favorites and doing a new restore! Luckily, I save all my raw files for situations where I get better at what I do or you get better at what you do (which thankfully happens a lot). I now have restorations I've done that I think sound better than the commercial restorations of the same recording that have been run through the expensive hardware process. Thanks for your continuing efforts to improve on an already superior product.

Doug

[Craig Maier]

Re: DC Pre-Amp

Doug,

Your orange filter analogy is correct, but as a matter of practicality, I am not so sure that it makes a big difference. The reason that I say this is that most people take their final results and play with the EQ at the end of the day anyway. They add or subtract some bass or treble, add a little VVA, or Punch and Crunch or Dynamics processing or reverb, etc. etc. So, that last process renders accuracte Turnover and Rolloff kind of irrelevent anyway in this circumstance. Kinda like taking a picture with perfect hue and white balance and then using photoshop to create some surreal effect on that same photo at the end of the day. But if you are an absolute pureist, and you never apply any Enhancements when you are done restoring, then it could make a difference. Being a purist however assumes, of course, that the Analog Mastering Engineer did his job correctly when he converted the master two track tape to Wax! That would have probably been the rareity rather than the rule.

[ 01-28-2003, 05:08 PM: Message edited by: Craig Maier ]

[firekat]

Re: DC Pre-Amp

I have to second the kudos from Doug Mac. The CNF is vastly improved from the last version. Please keep it up! I have noticed that with DC5 & with the VPI record cleaner I have, my results are very much improved. I am finding that my restoration results sound better than a fair amount of commercial CD's that I have. I as well will have to redo a number of my previous restorations!

Thanks!

[Craig Maier]

We now offer a flat preamplifier. It is the DCP-47K-F. Details can be found here:

https://www.diamondcut.com/st3/produ...-phono-preamp/


Craig