Ideal T1 Tonematch Settings for Female Vocalist

Portable PA
1

Hi Everyone...We're fairly new users to the Bose Systems...we have the L1 Model ii Systems with the T1 Tonematch.

My wife is a single performer artist (song writer/singer/guitarist). For our home recording Studio, we're using a Zoom 5N Stereo Recording Unit with 4 inputs. We're plugging into the T1 directly with a high end AKG mic and Fender Strat iis being picked up with the on-board Sterio mics on the 5N..from the Fender Twin Reverb Amp.

The Zoom 5N is quite a good unit for a Home studio recording device, but when I play play the recorded track back through the Bose, it sounds a bit thin so I'm looking for your advice on what are all the recommended settings on the T1 for the best sound quality on a mid-range female voice?

Any Voice settings on the wide range of options on the T1 for female voice would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance for the help.

 

Edit Subject: Previously "Ideal T1 Tonemaster Settings"

Bose Pro Community Admin  

2
George Gonzo posted:

Hi Everyone...We're fairly new users to the Bose Systems...we have the L1 Model ii Systems with the T1 Tonematch.

My wife is a single performer artist (song writer/singer/guitarist). For our home recording Studio, we're using a Zoom 5N Stereo Recording Unit with 4 inputs. We're plugging into the T1 directly with a high end AKG mic and Fender Strat iis being picked up with the on-board Sterio mics on the 5N..from the Fender Twin Reverb Amp.

The Zoom 5N is quite a good unit for a Home studio recording device, but when I play play the recorded track back through the Bose, it sounds a bit thin so I'm looking for your advice on what are all the recommended settings on the T1 for the best sound quality on a mid-range female voice?

Any Voice settings on the wide range of options on the T1 for female voice would be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance for the help.

 

Hi Again...does anyone have any recommendations for T1 settings to get the best sound of a female (mid-voice) through our Bose sysems? Thanks in advance for any help.

 

3

Hi George Gonzo,

Before I get into details please tell us:

  • What model AKG microphone are you using?
  • I understand you have the AKG microphone connected to the T1 and the Fender Strat guitar is connected to the Fender Twin Reverb amp. Do you have anything else connected to the T1?
  • You said the recording sounds thin when played back through the L1.
    How does the vocal sound in the room while your wife is performing?


ST

4

Hi ST...I sent you a reply 2 days ago as a reply from you that I got on my regular email but it came bounding back that sending a reply to you that way would not be delivered to you...see here's a repeat of what I replied back to you re: the above questions:

1) The AKG 300D is an older model from AKG but we've used it for years and it has been one of the best mics we've used for live performance. This is connected directly into the T1. Nothing else is plugged into the T1.

2) The Strat is plugged directly into the twin reverb.

3) The Zoom 5N recorder has 2 stereo mics on board and its placed about 3 feet directly in from of the Bose Speakers. My wife's vocal is picked up from the Bose speakers. The 5N is picking up the guitar from the speakers on the Twin Reverb. 

4) I listen to the "live performance" by plugging a Studio Quality set of Headphones into the 5N. Both the voice and guitar sound excellent and balanced with the voice sitting on top of the guitar. The balance is achieved by controlling the output level from the T1 and the output level for the Twin. 

5. Bottom line...the inputs sound great going into the 5N but the voice is coming out quite thin when I play back the 5N, which I plug into the T1 for playback only. AS an experiment, when she sings directly into the 5N,  voice playback sounds very good.

6. We're using the finished recordings to produce MP3 demos for the different gig venues, both delivered on line and well as being burned to a CD, if that what the hiring venue prefers.

7. So that's why we think the thin quality voice could be improved with a better setting for the voice, being selected from the many options for voice available on the T1.

Thanks for any help you can provide on the voice settings because what we're doing can probably be done much better.

George

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi George,

Thanks for all the information.

George Gonzo posted:

Hi ST...I sent you a reply 2 days ago as a reply from you that I got on my regular email but it came bounding back that sending a reply to you that way would not be delivered to you...see here's a repeat of what I replied back to you re: the above questions:

I don't know what happened. The community platform doesn't have a reply-by-email capability.



1) The AKG 300D is an older model from AKG but we've used it for years and it has been one of the best mics we've used for live performance. This is connected directly into the T1. Nothing else is plugged into the T1.

I couldn't find any information about an AKG 300D, but there was a D300 series.  Here's a link to what I found.

AKG D-310

Is that what you've got?

What ToneMatch Preset are you using?





2) The Strat is plugged directly into the twin reverb.

3) The Zoom 5N recorder has 2 stereo mics on board and its placed about 3 feet directly in from of the Bose Speakers. My wife's vocal is picked up from the Bose speakers. The 5N is picking up the guitar from the speakers on the Twin Reverb. 

You might get a better blend farther back:

  • 5-10 feet away
  • ear height
  • preferably with a carpet on the floor between the L1 and the microphone


I can't find any information about a Zoom 5N recorder.  Do you mean a Zoom H5 Handy Recorder? If that's not what you have, please give us a link to the owners manual for your unit.



4) I listen to the "live performance" by plugging a Studio Quality set of Headphones into the 5N.

How is the live performance in the air (no headphones)?

Both the voice and guitar sound excellent and balanced with the voice sitting on top of the guitar. The balance is achieved by controlling the output level from the T1 and the output level for the Twin. 

Okay - the recorder hears the sound, and it sounds excellent and balanced.





5. Bottom line...the inputs sound great going into the 5N but the voice is coming out quite thin when I play back the 5N, which I plug into the T1 for playback only.

How does the recording sound through the same headphones: just as good as when you listened in the paragraph two above?

AS an experiment, when she sings directly into the 5N,  voice playback sounds very good.

Through the headphones or through the T1 and L1?



6. We're using the finished recordings to produce MP3 demos for the different gig venues, both delivered on line and well as being burned to a CD, if that what the hiring venue prefers.

Okay - that means in all likelihood, whoever is listening to the recording is NOT playing back the sound through an L1.



7. So that's why we think the thin quality voice could be improved with a better setting for the voice, being selected from the many options for voice available on the T1.

If "Both the voice and guitar sound excellent and balanced with the voice sitting on top of the guitar"

  • In the air (no headphones)
  • Through the microphones on the recorder and heard through headphones
  • When played back through the recorder and heard through headphones

AND

the vocal only sounds thin when playing the recorder through the T1 and L1

Then the issue might be with

  • The connection from the recorder to the T1
  • The T1 settings for the channels through which you are playing back the recording


Thanks for any help you can provide on the voice settings because what we're doing can probably be done much better.

George

Looking at the information I found for the AKG D300 series microphones; I expect that vocals would sound fuller when you sing using close-mic technique. That is; with to the microphone (within 1/2 inch to an inch) or the singer's lips. The T1 ToneMatch Presets are engineered to work with close-mic technique.  If you sing at a greater distance, the voice will sound thinner.

Please tell us how you are connecting the recorder to the T1 for playback. What kind of cable are you using, and what channel(s) are you connecting to?

If your recorder is the Zoom H5:

  • Connect the Zoom H5 Line Out to the T1 channels 4/5 using a cable like this.
    Hosa CMP-153 3.5 mm TRS to Dual 1/4" TS Stereo Breakout Cable, 3 Feet
  • Set the ToneMatch Preset to
    Category: Utility
    Preset: Flat


ST

6

Hi and thanks for all the input. Went out and bought the cable you recommended for playing back the H5 Recorder through the T1 connected to the 4/5 channel.

Everything sounds fine except the voice is still thin, and almost like there is far too much treble and almost no bass or full sound. So back to square 1 and I believe it comes down to having selected better voice settings using the many options available on the T1, which, I believe is where we need the most help, to improve the playback quality.

The H5 recorder is picking up the voice from the output of the L1 speakers. The H5 is picking up the Strat and or/Fender Telecaster, from the speaker output of the Fender Twin Reverb amp and it sounds great.

The singer is using a close mic technique, so that's not an issue. Back to how to use better voice settings on the T1.

As a P.S. there is no preset for the AKG D300 mike so I'm using the Shure 58 pre-set, so I don't know of any over mic preset that would work as well. Any recommendations for voice settings on the T1 is what I believe we need the most help with...and thanks...

George

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Hi George,

I'm glad that cable worked. Thanks for coming back to tell us. 

How does the recording sound through headphones connected directly to the recorder?

What are the dimensions of the room where you are recording and playing back the music?



How far is the recorder from the L1? At what height?

Are you using the zEQ  controls to tailor the vocal sound?

Are you using the ParaEQ ?

Bypass the zEQ and ParaEQ and all effects and then try all the Vocal Microphone Presets. There could be a better one for your microphone.

When you find a Preset you like best, then you can fine tune the sound with the zEQ.  You probably won't need the ParaEQ.

If you want to add effects, add then one at a time. Less is more.

ST

8

Hi ST

1) Listening to live recording on the earphones plugged into the "Line Out" on the H5, voice quality is not as thin as hearing the playback from the Bose Tower. 

2) Room is 20 X 12 and H5 Recorder is 6 feet away from the Bose Tower at "ear height" (about 5' 5")

3)Have not adjust either the zEQ or ParaEQ since that's what we're not sure how to make those adjustments (could use your help on these settings).

4) Will try some other mic presets in addition to the Shure 58 and see if that makes any difference...will keep you posted and thanks

George

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Hi George,

I don't want to get between you and ST in your discussion, but let me speak to your statement;

3)Have not adjust either the zEQ or ParaEQ since that's what we're not sure how to make those adjustments (could use your help on these settings).

zEQ is simply three bands of EQ like any other mixer with one exception, when you choose a preset it (z) shifts the controls to match the frequencies of that preset. In most all cases it is desirable to start with the controls flat. That means you would see 0dB as the indicator of each of the three bands when you select zEQ and the vocal channel. If the flat setting does not make the singer happy, make incremental adjustment to either eliminate what she doesn't like to hear or accent frequencies that are missing. It is trial and error to gain understanding of what happens when you turn a knob. To learn how to do it, you have to turn the knobs, and listen.

When you find something she likes, move the selector to "scenes" and name and save it. You can still tinker and try new things which can be saved or not, but still be able to go back and load the original saved scene.

Para EQ is more of a problem solver or specific need type of control. There is no harm in tinkering with it, but I don't think it is the answer to your "thin female recorded vocal". Because it displays the affected frequency it can be a learning tool to help you understand what range you are hearing and what happens to the sound when you adjust it up or down.

If the problem is in the recorder to T1 connection, there is a chance it is a cancellation issue and may be resolved by only connecting one of the 1/4 inch plugs. 

I think ST touched on this but, if the vocal sound is related to the position of the recorder, during the recording process, There are several things I would experiment with.

If you are currently using the x/y mic configuration with the mics pointing left and right, try to point the mics up and down.

Try a position farther away from the array and perhaps off to one side of center just a bit. Capture more "room" sound.

Try to record a combination of the mics and line signal from the mixer.

Try monitoring with headphones the spoken voice or singing a cappella while moving the recorder around the area to find the spot where you hear the most pleasing sound.

O.. 

 

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Hi Oldghm,

Thanks for joining the conversation!

ST