Amateur transmit audio equalizer software

[AE1PT]

As part of my reconfiguration of the shack, I am looking at several things. I want to be able to get audio input from 2-3 different microphones to 3 wildly different rigs. That portion will be accomplished by a custom built patch panel and cabling.

The microphones will be used for SSB, AM, and FM. So I have a number of bandwidths to consider. Hardware parametric equalizers are concerned with a much wider bandwidth and as such are a waste of knobs--and what amateur solutions exist are very pricy for what you get (such as W2IHY 8 Band which does not go wide enough for AM).

So my thinking runs to using a computer sound card after the input patch and a hamcentric equalizer software package. I have run across the RoMac 10 Band 2012 software application. At first blush this would enable me to tailor mic behavior to a specific rig or communication application through the use of presets instead of hardware channels and patch switching.

Has anyone used this software--and in the alternate, found another software equalizer package that is specifically for amateur use?

[KC2UGV]

I would be interested in finding out some options here as well.

[WØTKX]

http://www.dxatlas.com/VShaper (http://www.dxatlas.com/VShaper/)

It works well. However, with the "pin one" nightmare and the general noisiness of the PC, I prefer using my Tascam mixer's EQ with an ARX afterburner... and XLR balanced line to everything except to the rig.

[AE1PT]

http://www.dxatlas.com/VShaper (http://www.dxatlas.com/VShaper/)

It works well. However, with the "pin one" nightmare and the general noisiness of the PC, I prefer using my Tascam mixer's EQ with an ARX afterburner... and XLR balanced line to everything except to the rig.

Pin 1 nightmare? Please elaborate.

And when you talk about 'noisiness', what sort of unwanted contribution to the chain are you describing? :headscratch:

I have already concluded that balanced line--whether XLR or TRS connection is the way to go. Several of my "former" cables and connectors were unbalanced--it did not take but a couple minutes to determine that they were pure noise generating BS and get some better balanced wire to span the distances... :bs:

[WØTKX]

Well, like man, you see I was digging on controlling Multi-Image slide shows for corporate events, synchronizing audio tracks coming from a sound card in a PC to a big-ass PA system for 1000+ of the faithful. Bzzzzz! Oh! Which is why I became an early fan of USB sound devices. Isolation is groovy, baby.
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9u9rrseRW1qja9fro1_500.jpg

(http://rane.com/note165.html)http://rane.com/note165.html AND, even better...


http://pin1problem.com/


http://pin1problem.com/pin1problem.jpg

The purpose of this site is to share information about what is known or more accurately, unknown as a PIN 1 PROBLEM in the audio industry. The term "Pin 1 Problems" was first coined by Mr. Neil Muncy in his June 1995 paper titled "Noise Susceptability in Analog and Digital Signal Processing Systems"

You might be surprised to find out that all that humming, buzzing & noise coming out of your PA & monitor system is being caused by poorly designed gear! In many cases, there isn't anything you can do besides replace the offending gear with well designed gear.

Hamster Radio related .pdf on "noise in general", covers the pin 1 issue...

http://audiosystemsgroup.com/Ferrites-Ham.pdf

[KC2UGV]

So, the USB interfaces tend to be noise free (As much as practical)?

[AE1PT]

Interesting. In 40 years of wiring XLR/Cannon connectors in PA, studio audio, and planetarium sound applications I have never wired one like the "common/old practice" example. Pin 1 has always been ground/shield. This is accomplished by splitting the braid into two pigtails and soldering to Pin 1 and the shell lug. What signal are they talking about? All of the signal is on 2 & 3--surrounded by a cable shield. This is the whole premise of balanced line operation, in that stray radiation causes an equal effect on both signal lines which is ignored as amplification looks at the difference in the voltage of the balanced pair.

As to ferrites, the first day I brought a balanced ladder line into the shack a goodly supply of these were purchased and applied liberally at all of the connector ends of every cable in the audio chain right into the rig... :cool2: