Scope project plus and genelec 8030a

pkole · Post by **pkole** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 6:01 am

As you can understand from the title i own scope project plus and genelec 8030a. I have the monitors connected directly to the balanced outputs of scope.

Everything seems to be fine but the low frequencies are a bit of a problem. When i play an electric bass for example from my synth (motif es6) genelec seem to make strange clipping noises. And the signal seems not to clip.

Is this normal or not?
Do you believe the problem is that i have the monitors directly connected to scope? Is it a matter of resistance?
Should i connect them to a console first?
Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance.
Panagiotis.

arela · Post by **arela** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 7:24 am

i hope not

One of my 8020A went up in smoke and i'm still waiting to get it back from repair - (they shifted one printcard, but the another was also boiled

)

Sheck the dip switches, looks like LF want a sub

Balanced output from scope should be the best

pkole · Post by **pkole** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 7:29 am

Thanks for the reply.

arela wrote:Sheck the dip switches

What do you mean?

pkole · Post by **pkole** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 9:41 am

I also wanted to add that these strange noises (like distortion or overdrive if this helps you) happen only when playing the bass. With any other instrument (playing both low and high gain notes) and with industry songs (with lots of bass presence at high volume) nothing weird happens.

Any help or suggestion will be highly appreciated.

next to nothing · Post by **next to nothing** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:25 am

filter out any frequencys below, say, 100 hz from your scope mixer. does it help?

next to nothing · Post by **next to nothing** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 11:25 am

oh and for practical use, try 30hz

pkole · Post by **pkole** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:04 pm

Thanks for the suggestion but as i thought it didn't work. It is really strange because when i play another low instrument (low piano notes, kick, synths etc) everything is cool. I also tried the bass roll off which is on the monitors but nothing. When i play the bass the monitor is being blown out.

I can't figure out what is going on.

next to nothing · Post by **next to nothing** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:17 pm

ok im blank, but heres another few suggestions.

- phase. have you tried routing the signal thru phase compensated mixers? or even straight from synth to analog out, totaly bypassing the mixer?

- clipping: have you tried pllying a limiter between the motif and the mixer input? turning your motifs master ou down?

there is no reason why your motif should distort your sound if you can play an mp3 or a cd thru your mixer with no distortion. if you can do this, we have singled out the source of your problem.

pkole · Post by **pkole** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:25 pm

I have turned motif's out from +6dB to 0dB. Of course the problem was solved but the volume was bearly heard. So it didn't help.

The distortion doesn't happen only with motif bass sounds. It happens with every bass sound i have tried (i mean VST) and it happens without having a hot signal.

I didn't really understand what you told me about about phase but i 'll try it.

Post by **garyb** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:34 pm

it's a transient problem, most likely. the initial attack is overdriving. meters aren't fast enough to show it. either develope a softer touch, or try a compressor/limiter. a sub might not be a bad idea either....

pkole · Post by **pkole** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:09 pm

I agree with you about the sub.

But is it normal for a genelec monitor to have such a problem? I mean the studio i work, has genelec 8040 and 8050 but not the same problem. They work without a sub and they blow their monitors off without a problem. It makes no sense to me. I would expect it not to be clear under 60Hz.

I sent an email to genelec's tech support asking for their help. When i have their answer i 'll inform you.
If they don't give me a solution that doesn't include sub, i will feel really disappointed.

Anyway, thanks for your support.
However, if anyone has anything else.....

next to nothing · Post by **next to nothing** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:11 pm

ok, so now we have the same problem with bass from vsti's and scope synths, am i correct?

next to nothing · Post by **next to nothing** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:12 pm

ooooh u have other monitors without the same probs? problem solved!

pkole · Post by **pkole** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:12 pm

piddi wrote:ok, so now we have the same problem with bass from vsti's and scope synths, am i correct?

That's right. We had it from the beginning.

next to nothing · Post by **next to nothing** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:24 pm

and just to supply

if you ever played your music thru "industry standarad" Yamaha NS-10's it might sound shit as well. however, if you get it sounding right thru those monitors it should sound about right on "most" systems.

a few clues, tho its hard to give any as you dont do any clues to what genre you are working with;

- you are taling spesifically about bass, and small minded as i am, i take it you are doing "club mixes", being house, drum&base, or similar.

we should be able to sort this one out (as long as its not a hardware fault), but PLEASE remember that the system these tunes are played on in most cases have their own limiters and filters, LEAVING EVERYTHING BELOW 100-150hz AS DEAD.

pkole · Post by **pkole** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:29 pm

piddi wrote:ooooh u have other monitors without the same probs? problem solved!

You didn't get my point. I said that in the studio i work for doesn't have the same problem not my own homestudio.

pkole · Post by **pkole** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:32 pm

piddi wrote:and just to supply

if you ever played your music thru "industry standarad" Yamaha NS-10's it might sound shit as well. however, if you get it sounding right thru those monitors it should sound about right on "most" systems.

a few clues, tho its hard to give any as you dont do any clues to what genre you are working with;

- you are taling spesifically about bass, and small minded as i am, i take it you are doing "club mixes", being house, drum&base, or similar.

we should be able to sort this one out (as long as its not a hardware fault), but PLEASE remember that the system these tunes are played on in most cases have their own limiters and filters, LEAVING EVERYTHING BELOW 100-150hz AS DEAD.

I agree with the first paragraph but your guess about my music style is far from the truth. I play folk-traditional Greek music but as a sound engineer-producer i have to deal with everything. However, i haven't tried these styles yet.

next to nothing · Post by **next to nothing** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:43 pm

hehe, im only trying to help here

i guess you tried making a wave file which provoke the problems you have, and try to play it in the studio? do a mixdown of your problematic tune and play it there. i have no clue about your ways of working, but i suggest this:

if you can replicate the problem with a VSTi, or similary provoke the problem by recording a scope synth, make an audiofile of the problem and play it there. do a mixdown as a VSTi mixdown from your sequencer (freezing it for example) plus an audio recording from your project (in example, wave out from your mixer to an audio editor on record)

if you have a headset, is the same problem there?

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:47 pm

I agree w/ GaryB,
Nearfields w/o a sub are a tuff way to get a good mix. Scope's I/O's are very powerful. I had to get a sub for my live rig just to keep my Barbettas from rattling. I listen through my buddy's Adam Audio 7's and Sub 10. They sound really good w/o the sub, but with the sub the audio 7's sound even better as they concentrate on higher frequencies which they are actually designed for.

pkole · Post by **pkole** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:48 pm

I know you are trying to help and i thank you again for your time.

I believe it's the monitors problem because with my AKG headphones i hear everything clear.
I played the same vst with the other studio's genelec and it works fine. The problem is with my genelec. Could they be problematic?