Light Entertainment - Rack-mountable Spectrum Analyser & DB Meter
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- Опубликовано: 15 июл 2024
- A review & demo of two entertainment-oriented audio displays. The ‘fungeneration RTA-31 Spectrum Analyzer’ and the ‘American Audio DB Display MkII’.
NON-AFFILATED LINKS
Products purchased from Thomann.de
Spectrum Analyzer www.thomann.de/gb/fun_generat...
DB Display www.thomann.de/gb/american_au...
00:00 Intro
01:18 Spectrum Analyser
04:40 DB Display
06:47 DEMO (both)
07:42 Prices
08:33 Credits
Music
Come Vibe With Me by Patrick Patrikios from the RUclips Audio Library
1080p60 playback demo
• 1080p60 Audio Display ...
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--------- Outro Music ----------
Over Time - Vibe Tracks • Over Time - Vibe Track...
----- Outro Sound Effect -----
ThatSFXGuy - • Six Million Dollar man...
FAQ
Q) Why are there comments from a week ago when this video has just gone live today?
A) Patrons usually have early access to videos. I'll show the first version of a video on Patreon and often the feedback I get results in a video going through further revisions to improve it. e.g. Fix audio issues, clarify points, add extra footage or cut extraneous things out. The video that goes live on youtube is the final version. 
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LGR needs to see this one. A perfect thing for the MIDI mountain.
I think this is what he was looking for originally!
I was thinking the same! XD.
Yeah he bought the naff one that Techmoan bought by mistake. He said he looked at Techmoan's video after he'd bought the crap one. The crap one is mad! Just the same peak levels dancing around. How anyone could release such a joke product. I wonder if they do this better one in silver? Also pity the ears aren't removable for hifi use
He is on techmoan’s Patreon ... he has already commented on it 🤣
He's a good fan of Techmoan so I should imagine he will be watching it any time now, if not already has!
Love that film removal bit! “Oh, yeah; take it off!”
Film Removal Dysfunction just at the start, "Oh, this has never happened to me before."
LOL!
Don't forget the mandatory comment: "PEEL SLOWER"
The next time he gets a big piece of film to peel off he should just snap his fingers and jump-cut to it already removed. :)
ｍｏａｎｗａｖｅ
@@jmchez Literally that's not what he says. For real, man, you have the original source right here. Come on, now. smh
"In your average ordinary HiFi".
*proceeds to show Wall of Sound*
With a reel to reel, as an average person has these days 😄👍
That's the joke :P
@@anew742 And I was making one in return :)
@@AdamJRichardson I was responding to Mike haha
Those were exactly my thoughts LOL
Damn.. I had ordered both these a while back to send to you.. I was too late then! Still waiting for mine to arrive. Ah well, better send one off to LGR then. Hope nobody beats me to that too. ;)
I’m sure he’d appreciate it. He’s over in the Patreon comments for this one.
First thing that came to mind when I saw the title/thumbnail was "Well, LGR is gonna have to buy this for his synth or midi setup now."
What color noise is shown as flat on the spectrum analyzer. I tend to mix to a pink noise distribution so having a hardware spectrum analyzer that reads pink as flat would be useful when making music.
@@Pianet if pink noise is broad spectrum i would imagine it should be pretty flat on this device, the frequency response seemed adequate, but worth a test!
@@TheErador Many of these devices are set up so white noise is flat, but occasionally you'll find one where pink is flat.
Im not an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination, I don’t even own a hifi but been subscribed for years now and always look forward to these videos! I think they bring back some kind of nostalgia from when I worked as a Saturday boy in Dixon’s UK in the late 80’s and my delight at seeing all the new tech come out every year. Remembering all the buyers who cancelled and left their Casio handheld TV purchases at the till when we asked them for their address for the tv licence lol. Or groaning at the old dears buying a 79p plug and holding up the long queue as we had to stand their and wire it on to their purchased appliance. The best seller I can remember? A talking video recorder which talked you through the programming of recordings. I think it was Dixon’s own Saisho brand. Flew off the shelves one Christmas! Anyway! Thanks for all your Awesome videos! Love the content! Thrilled for you and your subscriber count! Great job! 👍🏻
Same here , Had a lot of fairly high end gear in the 70's Yamaha , Marantz CV
Would've loved this thing
Funny how you can walk into a modern Curry's, full of huge super thin TV's, and yet it doesn't compare to walking into an 80's Dixon's, seeing 30 x LED VU/SA's flickering away on a wall of naff Saisho HiFi's
Thank God plugs come pre-wired now, imagine having to do that on days like Black Friday!? XD
We used to sell ordinary TVs at the major supermarket I worked at between 2000 and 2012, and we'd have to get the TV licence book of forms out each time we sold one. Almost every time the customer would either point blank refuse to fill out the form, or would fill out a form in the name of Mickey Mouse or something.
I worked at Tandy during the same time and always felt strange walking into Dixons as they were the competition and knew us :) Saisho! Happy days!
I love that stuff like this is still being made and that theirs still a large community supporting it.
Any DJ or sound designer for live shows should have both of these devices.
I love the look of the Spectrum Analyser over the DB Meter, but it is a combined channel display, so I would want to buy 2, one for each channel.
Why did you have to put that thought in my head, I would've been happy with one
That was what I was wondering - does it just display a combined signal or can you get one for each channel
@@Cheetorblz Give each a channel
Fantastic Saturday morning video, as always. This is quickly becoming a staple of my weekend.
I've been looking for a
Samson D1500 Real Time Analyzer for years now, but they're always more than $1000. You've FINALLY given me an affordable option!
2:13 That thing you did with the screen protection film... It's why I love your videos!
I bloody love these videos. Content and delivery are always spot on.
I actually love these videos. Stuff like this keeps me going. Brilliant
I literally just bought a similar DB meter last night. It has a row of outlets in the back though. You can never have too many of those.
Would you be so kind to share the reference with us?
@@AxelPironio I think he's joking it looks like a surge protector
@@jonathandavis1558 oh you're right :)😂
I have one of those. A technical pro DB30. It's great. I can plug in a bunch of stuff and have flashing lights for my music.
God this takes me back to the days of Douglas HiFi which was a chain of HiFi stores in Australia back in the 70’s & 80’s! They also had all of their graphic equalisers set in a V shape but I certainly remember the LED meters greeting you as you walked in the door. Brilliant video as always 😀
I have been looking at the fun generation one for months now so happy to finally see a good video about it.
It's always a pleasure to ear your perfect and polite english. RTA-31 is nice and responsive, some yellow and orange led just before the red one can make it more old school
Matt, I bought the very first audio visualizer you've ever demonstrated (the bare PCB, if you recall) many years ago and loved it ever since. I opted for the red LEDs because, as you said, it gives this nice "fireplace-like" flickering effect in the dark. As of right now, it still works perfectly but if the RTA-31 ever comes up with orange or red LEDs, I'm in (again!) Your recommendations are awesome, keep on going!
I actually got the RTA-31 spectrum analyser last year to help me mix the EP I was working on. It might not be the top notch kind of tool you'd expect in a top notch studio, but it still proved extremely useful when applying EQ to various parts.
I think these are the 2 best visualizers you’ve had on your channel. I need this!
Ahhh, love getting a TM notification! Thank you for all your wonderful content Mat! Sending you some love from North Carolina in the US! Have a wonderful weekend!! 👍
2:16 Thank you for that. I needed it.
Finally, something that does what it says, for a reasonable price. Nice!
Really enjoyed today’s video. Loved the look of the spectrum analyser.
I always enjoy your videos, but I wanted to mention, I also enjoy the outro each and every time. Don't know why, it's got a nostalgic, comforting feel to it.
"This never happens" That got me LOL
It's not funny when you suffer from Film Removal Dysfunction. Sad.
Techmoan (video) and coffee in bed. The perfect way to start my day.
@@bsvenss2 I am.
I was looking for such flashy stuff for a long time. Great video!
Bought one of the American audio ones a few months back. Absolutely love it.
Ha, loved the 'this packet of nuts may contain nuts' type warning 👍😂
"It bloody well ought to!"
The reference to a fireplace... I've always wanted flames projected onto a wall in time to the music when music is being played #discoinferno
Rubens tube.
What a wonderful surprise to wake up to a new video from you!
I have been watching your videos for years and look forward to each and every new one. The cost is the downside, however! You review so many things that I like and want that quite a few, such as this one, the spectrum analyser, have caused me to be compelled to immediately purchase! Thankfully, there is now only a few weeks wait for this item, now. I now own many things that I thought I never needed in my life but now do!! Great videos, great work. My favourite RUclips channel, of more than one hundred that I subscribe to. Even better than the 8-Bit Guy or LGR (sssh, don't tell them I said that!), and they are good! And I only live round the corner from you (looking at it on a global scale)!
Spectrum analysers add a warm analogue vide to a cold digital audio world
Alternate title "What Clint from LGR meant to buy for his MIDI rack".
He just did
This Light looks way too cool to miss, I never knew I would want to own. I think because of your video it gotten out of stock, well I'll have to preorder it then :)
Also Thank you Techmoan, without you I would have never known something like a Laserdisc or a MiniDisc ever existed. Now I have a MD-Recorder and and LD-Player myself and I absolutely love the formats! Most Tech RUclipsrs these days only talk about new stuff, but you don't, you have a good old/new tech balance and I really appreciate it. I hope you show us much more old and new stuff in the future.
Greetings from Austria
At last! Matt had found some decent equipment we can all get excited about. Looks great!
I put one of these DB displays on our Hospital Radio station in the output rack and it is great for reassuring people that we are actually transmitting. A few caveats though. The first one we got packed up within a couple of months so we had to send it back (not bought from Thomann). Secondly those presets on the front are a clue that this thing is not calibrated which is a bit of a shame. I had to set them using a proper dB meter and will put a bit of silicone compound on them to stop them moving (or people fiddling). Finally I have no idea what the weighting is on the response but it is certainly not standard VU as it bounces much too much. But overall, hey, it is great for what we got it for.
Do you have any info on the xlr in/outputs? are those balanced?
Hi - yes they are. As the guy said in the video, they just link through from input to output even when the power is off. The display doesn't affect this at all so must be bled off using a high impedance.
@@renowden2010 well, thats not entirely what I was asking about.
It has unbalanced rca in/outputs as well as xlr in/outputs. Can you use an xlr input and rca output? are the xlr and rca output active at the same time? do they affect eachother? does it use a proper balancing transformer for that?
I understand it still passes through the audio when powered off, which is nice, but I'd like it to double as a way to receive a balanced signal on its inputs, and output on its rca socket (level is of no concern here, what comes after it is fine with +4db)
Oh well, I guess I'll see soon enough. Expecting to get the vu meter at least somewhere early next week.
Oh, good question. I would expect they are probably in parallel. Maybe + to tip, - to ring, or shied to ring? Who knows. I highly doubt there’s a balanced transformer in there.
Maybe if the - inf point on this meter had been configured to something less than -6dBFS... ;-)
@@nickwallette6201 yeah, thats what I'm also expecting to find.. still, its cheap enough to just buy one and see.. and fun enough, and actually usefull in a way eventho I don't expect it to do this properly. Oh well, no big deal, but would have been nice if it would also serve to eliminate the separate balancing transformers I'm using now, more functionality for less clutter would be nice ;-)
Clint at LGR needs this for his MIDI rack!
Thank goodness Another video - was having withdrawals and having to watch repeats of your ‘oldies’ is already watched lol . Seriously though thanks for posting David h🏴
Best spectrum display yet. !!! Thank You!!!
yay Thomann! My favorite store for everything music/sound. And it is a great chance not to buy from the big A.
Yes and unlike Amazon, they know about the stuff they are selling, so you can ask questions and receive useful answers.
It is close to my home town. The number of keyboards, pianos, synths, organs and all the other instruments and equipment that you can try out in their store is just overwhelming. It is located in a very, very small village. I‘d say the Thomann area is much bigger than the village itself meanwhile 😄
they also have a refund policy that is more than on par with amazon, and free shipping.
@@auronoxe thomann bought some of the houses in the village to use as showroomes.
I also was there. It's amazing
@@tommihommi1 Not to mention very good telephone support! Once you speak to a human there, they are quite proficient!
Matt should be affiliated with Thomann, because this made me really want to buy a unit like that.
oh how I love audio spectrum analysers have fantasises about them since childhood and even built a few over the years, nothing like this one though. Fantastic!
As soon as I saw the first display, I paused the video and went shopping for one. It looks great and instant response.
Going to get one before the price is cursed. Great video, as ever. Cheers.
You crack me up. "This never happens."
I believe the Fun Generation RTA-31 is a rebadged BDS unit
love your videos, content, and the time you put in for us, and love the ref to the PS5 :)
Extremely useful item I just installed one today works well, I will show you lots of frequency information .
"Oh yeah, take it off" I fucking lost it LMFAO XD
“Sorry ‘bout that. This never happens.” Nudge-nudge, wink-wink.
Great reviews ,no one does this better.KEEP them coming.
If I ever hear your outro song, say 30 years from now, it's going to bring some serious feelings of nostalgia.
"average, ordinary high fi"
...
Poor Clint did bet on the wrong horse, it seems^^
Awsome!
I love it.
This kinda content Light up my day.
The spectrum analyzer one is mesmerizing. Like a blue-green fireplace in your AV cabinet.
Very nicely put
Small PSA: "Thomann" is about the largest vendor of music equipment based in Germany - and the "h" in Thomann is silent ;).
I'd never heard someone say it before but it was always hard T at the start in my head it being German.
@@Safetytrousers Yep! And since I am German... ;) I buy there quite often, too :)
Well not completely silent, there’s some air behind the t, but the t itself sounds like an ordinary t indeed.
I've always said it Toman. Like Tom and Man with no gap.
@@TsoneMedia
What do you mean?
Fantastic! Looks really high-quality, and at a decent price. It's a bit of a shame the rackmount ears are permanently attached, though.
I agree.
Take the permanent rackmount ears as an excuse to finally go full rackmount everything
@@Techmoan That lovely Technics SH 8580 spectrum analyzer deserves a review please!
Finally, been waiting all morning
Wow, that spectrum looks lovely!
"Average ordinary HiFi" HAHAHA :)
Lying old git...🤣
I used to have a stack of gear that my friend refer to as The Warp Core.
Surely you keep your fancy Xmas tree in the corner when you want a flashy light routine? 😂
They do go together quite well.
I like the rack mounting & multivoltage options !!!!
Thank U so much for showing both of them !!!!
I am counting very much on your personal British opinion !!
Greets from Canada. [115 V/60 Hz]
3:00 Would have been a nice feature to split the display in half and show the right and left channels separately at the same time.
Buy two, they're cheap.
@@ole9421 At $139.00 Cnd Plus across the pond shipping... I don't find them cheap.
this sure would've been useful for LGR in his latest "MIDI mountain" project, as opposed to that fake spectrum analyser he got stuck with
I've never stopped a Techmoan video to watch a Techmoan video before.
My sister bought a vintage record player hi fi cabinet that I have been restoring for her...that spectrum analyzer would make one awesome addition to the setup.
I'm just curious: Would it be possible to recreate sound from video of the running spectrum analyzer? Anything that has any resemblance of the original sound?
I guess extract the frames from the video, mark them up and run into a program which will capture the frequency levels over time, then do a reverse Fourier transform on the resulting data, it should be quite close but still very far from perfect
Search for "Auditory Illusions: Hearing Lyrics Where There Are None" and you'll be shocked at what you can hear using nothing more than 81 notes on a midi piano. No idea if this could be applied to the less than half frequencies of this thing, but who knows?
If you had enough resolution in the spectrum analyzer, yes. That's how MP3 format works: it takes a Fourier transformation of the signal and then discards bits that you are unlikely to hear.
Am I the only one wondering how Bob is doing? Did he stay or did he go?
Last week's episode. :)
I've always been a sucker for lights
Finally, someone made a review of this device! :)
8:04 LMAO.
You should send this off to LGR to replace the one he bought for his rack that doesn't work properly.
This thing is one of the most perfectly made things I've ever seen.
OMG, it's gorgeous and it works!
"Dot DE" ... Were these items imported before Brexit?
Would import taxes be added to the cost of these devices?
Yep, unfortunately, the import duties that will now be added have likely rendered shopping with Thomann much less value for money for customers in the UK. I'm so sad about it as I have bought lots and lots of things from them over the years. For example, an item that used to cost £50 (including delivery) will be more like £90 now.
@@JTThumpington Thomann prices for the UK are now displayed excluding vat. Their packages under £135 incur a delivery charge but shouldn't attract a fee at import. Any Thomann deliveries over 31kg now have shipping quoted on an individual basis. UK registered suppliers that now might be more useful include dv247, bax and gear4music
@@dg2908 Oh well maybe all is not lost then. I thought Bax was based in The Netherlands really. I think they have a warehouse in the UK though, so maybe that will help.
I would still like to shop with Thomann as I've enjoyed a very good experience with them overall, so yeah, I'll have to see how the new arrangements work out. 🙂
@@JTThumpington Bax is from the Netherlands, not sure if they have a UK entity though; at least the website has no brexit references
Uh oh. LGR is gonna come rob you for his MIDI Mountain lol
Tempted to get the 79 pound one to replace my old realistic 80s one which is a.bit temperamental due to age. Great video, really cheered me up, the best thing about Saturdays atm is a Techmoan video
Yet another good video mate. Reminded me of my "stereo systems" as we called them back in the late 70's and 80's. The last best stereo I owned was the Aiwa Rack system LX etc circa 1985 bought whilst stationed in Tokyo through the 80's. Solid metal construction, each component sat on top of the next right up from the dual cassette player to the turntable. Not much of a "light show" but I hooked a Yamaha graphic equalizer up to it just for the light show. lol.
"And without further ado..."
*rambles for another 20 seconds*
Thats why we love him
I did not know I need this, but now I want it in my rack
After watching your review on the RTA-31, I decided to pull the trigger and buy one. It took quite a while to get one since they were back ordered, but I am quite pleased with the unit. It is sensitive enough for my rack which has an EQ with a spectrum analyzer in front of it. I didn't like the EQ analyzer because it was micro LEDs and really sensitive. It was always peaked. I really preferred the bar type, even if they are LED vs vacuum florescent. Great piece of gear for visual and thanks for the review.
Thanks for the video Mat.
Those toys looks awesome ! It is a must have for the car !
Made as a foil for sticking inside the back window ! Flashing strobo lights also, must have !
I'm going to get that analyzer. Love it already.
Another beautiful technology in a Graphic equalizers. These are really the smallest of models i have seen in this format. But close up & assembled together they look enormous.😱 A very good review of these. 👋👋👋👋👋✅👍
Got them both, great vid!
Oh ho,,this is right up my street!!!
I have a pair of IMG vu meters connected to my system. I'm really loving this video!!!👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Im also happy When you have a video uploaded
On anything
Lovely colours and verry nice spectruum analyzer
Just ordered both, gonna look sweet in my one bedroom shack!!
I wouldn't mind one of these for my hifi if it was more hifi size friendly great videos as always my man
ThanQ for filming
I had a Spectrum Analyser back in the late 80's that pretty much looked just like the one shown here. Damn, That thing was awesome and it worked for about 14 years before it wore out and quit. I'm going to go and order one of these from Thowmann's right now!!
Another Great video as always 👍 😁
I like it. I need this. It's gimmicky but with both I can see how loud it is left and right and the frequency spectrum. Great video. 👍
I love stuff like this!
I love them, so I ordered both :)
Entertaining indeed. Thanks for the video.