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
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! 👍🏻
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
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.
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. ;)
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!
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!
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
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.
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 ;-)
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.
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.
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!
Well, this got me. I placed my order today for the RTA-31, via their site. It felt good purchasing direct, and bypassing Amazon & eBay/Paypal for a change. On a side note, make sure you select credit card, or paypal when placing your order. The defaulted (in my case) bank transfer payment option (which I thought would proceed to a CC entry page), was going to run me an extra $50 via my bank's fees, and included an hour long wait for a phone call-back (just to find that out), as well. I ended up ordering a second time with my CC, and they put 2+2 together automatically; putting my initial order number to the credit card order, clearing things up nicely without my needing to do a thing. Smart folks over there!
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 😀
Been holding off building my dream home stereo system. Finally the BDS is the missing piece and I can now start building. I'm an 80's child and believe that no audio system is complete without a visualizer. The only thing I dislike about the DBS is the rack mounts. Some manufacturers include rack mounts as a screw on accessory but it looks as though the DBS rack mount is not removable. When I get my DBS I will probably use a dremel tool and cut the rack mount off if possible to do so and still make it look "factory". Thank you for the review
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 😄
My gear rack is 100% all business and sounds like it but it lacks a bit of flare. After some googling, I found the BDS PP31 but was apprehensive about an unknown/unavailable in the US product. After watching this video I decided to go ahead and order one. AliExpress is the only supplier I could find that shipped here. In just 2 days it is already in customs and should be here in a fortnight. I am pleasantly surprised at their expediency! Amazed really. I ordered the blue to match my set of peavey IPR2’s. I can’t wait for my new toy! I love what you do and like you, I believe music should be seen as well as heard
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.
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!
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 TH-camrs 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
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.
Was looking for a Spectrum Analyzer that: 1/ works at 100V 2/ can be racked 3/ can be turned off and still let signal pass 4/ features XLR plugs This one checked all boxes. Ordered!
77£/109€ for that spectrum analyzer seems like a really good prize! I always loved the VFD style of display, and there you're really getting quite some luminance for your money.
I am a big fan of the thomann store here in Germany, these guys are the best. Giant business, still family owned and with unbeatable service... they still run an own hotline department in lots of languages in house. Lots of musicians travel to their outlet location in bavaria to see the holy halls of thomann. And they also do a great job on youtube as well. No, I am not paid for this statement, I really think they are great. And the product seems to be great as well.
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 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.
Actually, I ended up ordering the 2U version from AliExpress. It took a month to get here (Chinese New Year stops all trade) however it turned up today and, yeah, it's pretty ace.
And I've now bought the American Audio DB display too. And I've found another spectrum analyser on-line so I've ordered that too. I should probably look at putting them into some sort of rack flight case now. Wow, this channel is expensive. :)
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. 🙂
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.
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!!
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
2:25 - slower, you s...ure-fire provider of outstanding A/V product reviews! In all seriousness though, you and I (and I presume, most of your other faithful followers) seem to share a lot of pragmatic and aesthetic and "romantic" notions about hi-fi which in a lot of areas, run counter to currently-fashionable notions. I'm sure others have said it too, but I thank you just for being you and for making so many great videos on electronics products both practical and "merely" fun.
Rack mount, XLR, and actually reasonably accurate? WANT! I'm tempted to put one of those on top of the modulation monitor in the station rack. It'll be fun to watch and somewhat useful, or (at least) useful enough to not raise any eyebrows for it being there. I'm a VU meter freak too, and in my business (AM radio) it comes in handy as proper levels are highly important for getting the best possible sound and strongest signal possible. It's a part of my job to watch the meters. Sometimes life is good. You're so into it that I'm kind of surprised that you're not in the business yourself.
just for those who are not aware that american audio db meter is in an invaluable tool when dealing with high power systems, for example lets say you have a 1000 watt amp hooked up to a 500 watt driver, with no real way to limit to not fry your speaker when driving it hard in a live enviroment, especially if your performing, WELL with this tool and proper calibration and set up, you can now exactly how much power your running to your sytem. DBu is that amplified by the amplfier by a certain percentage for different amps, so -3db can equal 500 watts [depending on how set up] but the benefit of having so many leds is you see small increments in change while most mixers now adays will have 3-5 led lights and thats it, many times with no db reading on it making it useless for this purpose
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]
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🏴
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!! 👍
If you really want to study the aspects of audio thoroughly, the Omnitronic AN-31XL Analyser is what you need. This device allows you to view the characteristics of any sound in real-time with 31 bands that are split up into 12 steps to create a realistic reproduction of the process. The AN-31XL is easy to mount in a rack and measures 2U. Naturally, it can also be used as a stand-alone unit. There is also the Omnitronic DB200
fun generation is a thomann brand for cheap lighting/PA stuff. It seems to be a white-label version of the BDS PP-31A (BDS being a Taiwanese brand), but the latter is about double the price, depending on the retailer, so I'm not quite sure if "BDS" really is the OEM. EDIT: Found it for much cheaper on Taobao, also under the BDS brand, so that is that.
FG RTA-31's are now back in stock at Thomann...although I don't know for how long. They've only gone up on their price about 5 pounds or so. I ordered 2
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's a good fan of Techmoan so I should imagine he will be watching it any time now, if not already has!
@@hydorah well you can remove the ears permanently with the help of an angle grinder or a hacksaw. If you never plan to put it in a rack system.
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
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!
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.
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
@@phoslurperr Give each a channel
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 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.
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!
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
2:13 That thing you did with the screen protection film... It's why I love your videos!
The spectrum analyzer one is mesmerizing. Like a blue-green fireplace in your AV cabinet.
Very nicely put
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 ;-)
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.
Fantastic Saturday morning video, as always. This is quickly becoming a staple of my weekend.
Now I want one. No idea where I’ll put it, but those lights... must...have...one.
Finally, something that does what it says, for a reasonable price. Nice!
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.
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.
I've never stopped a Techmoan video to watch a Techmoan video before.
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!
Well, this got me. I placed my order today for the RTA-31, via their site. It felt good purchasing direct, and bypassing Amazon & eBay/Paypal for a change.
On a side note, make sure you select credit card, or paypal when placing your order. The defaulted (in my case) bank transfer payment option (which I thought would proceed to a CC entry page), was going to run me an extra $50 via my bank's fees, and included an hour long wait for a phone call-back (just to find that out), as well. I ended up ordering a second time with my CC, and they put 2+2 together automatically; putting my initial order number to the credit card order, clearing things up nicely without my needing to do a thing. Smart folks over there!
Ha, loved the 'this packet of nuts may contain nuts' type warning 👍😂
"It bloody well ought to!"
I have been looking at the fun generation one for months now so happy to finally see a good video about it.
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 bloody love these videos. Content and delivery are always spot on.
Techmoan (video) and coffee in bed. The perfect way to start my day.
@@bsvenss2 I am.
Been holding off building my dream home stereo system. Finally the BDS is the missing piece and I can now start building. I'm an 80's child and believe that no audio system is complete without a visualizer. The only thing I dislike about the DBS is the rack mounts. Some manufacturers include rack mounts as a screw on accessory but it looks as though the DBS rack mount is not removable. When I get my DBS I will probably use a dremel tool and cut the rack mount off if possible to do so and still make it look "factory". Thank you for the review
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!
If I ever hear your outro song, say 30 years from now, it's going to bring some serious feelings of nostalgia.
2:16 Thank you for that. I needed it.
My gear rack is 100% all business and sounds like it but it lacks a bit of flare. After some googling, I found the BDS PP31 but was apprehensive about an unknown/unavailable in the US product. After watching this video I decided to go ahead and order one. AliExpress is the only supplier I could find that shipped here. In just 2 days it is already in customs and should be here in a fortnight. I am pleasantly surprised at their expediency! Amazed really. I ordered the blue to match my set of peavey IPR2’s. I can’t wait for my new toy! I love what you do and like you, I believe music should be seen as well as heard
"This never happens" That got me LOL
It's not funny when you suffer from Film Removal Dysfunction. Sad.
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.
"average, ordinary high fi"
...
The SA is rather surprising, in that it not only genuine, but that it also covers the full 20Hz - 20kHz range of human hearing. Well done, Thomann!
Alternate title "What Clint from LGR meant to buy for his MIDI rack".
He just did
I actually love these videos. Stuff like this keeps me going. Brilliant
Spectrum analysers add a warm analogue vide to a cold digital audio world
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!
I believe the Fun Generation RTA-31 is a rebadged BDS unit
This thing is one of the most perfectly made things I've ever seen.
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 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 TH-camrs 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
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?
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.
You crack me up. "This never happens."
Was looking for a Spectrum Analyzer that:
1/ works at 100V
2/ can be racked
3/ can be turned off and still let signal pass
4/ features XLR plugs
This one checked all boxes.
Ordered!
"Oh yeah, take it off" I fucking lost it LMFAO XD
2:49 i recognize that loop
2:50 ITS MA BOI SLYNK!!!!
like... thank to everyone using his tracks in their vids, you too!
Do you know what track it is?
@@franscartoons Slynk, Mr Stabalina - The Jam
@@not_just_burnt Many thanks!
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!
Actually necessary for inspiration in the end of the day we listen to music for entertainment and this serves its purpose.
“Sorry ‘bout that. This never happens.” Nudge-nudge, wink-wink.
If you are into vintage HI-FI, flashy lights are a must.
Surely you keep your fancy Xmas tree in the corner when you want a flashy light routine? 😂
77£/109€ for that spectrum analyzer seems like a really good prize! I always loved the VFD style of display, and there you're really getting quite some luminance for your money.
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 am a big fan of the thomann store here in Germany, these guys are the best. Giant business, still family owned and with unbeatable service... they still run an own hotline department in lots of languages in house. Lots of musicians travel to their outlet location in bavaria to see the holy halls of thomann. And they also do a great job on youtube as well. No, I am not paid for this statement, I really think they are great. And the product seems to be great as well.
Am I the only one wondering how Bob is doing? Did he stay or did he go?
Last week's episode. :)
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 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.
I think these are the 2 best visualizers you’ve had on your channel. I need this!
Clint at LGR needs this for his MIDI rack!
I did not know I need this, but now I want it in my rack
Poor Clint did bet on the wrong horse, it seems^^
Damn. The 1980s just caught up with me. I just ordered one of those RTA-31s. Nice one. Thanks..!!
Actually, I ended up ordering the 2U version from AliExpress. It took a month to get here (Chinese New Year stops all trade) however it turned up today and, yeah, it's pretty ace.
And I've now bought the American Audio DB display too. And I've found another spectrum analyser on-line so I've ordered that too. I should probably look at putting them into some sort of rack flight case now.
Wow, this channel is expensive. :)
"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
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.
"Average ordinary HiFi" HAHAHA :)
Lying old git...🤣
I used to have a stack of gear that my friend refer to as The Warp Core.
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!!
You should send this off to LGR to replace the one he bought for his rack that doesn't work properly.
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
8:04 LMAO.
I've always been a sucker for lights
Uh oh. LGR is gonna come rob you for his MIDI Mountain lol
Bought one of the American audio ones a few months back. Absolutely love it.
"And without further ado..."
*rambles for another 20 seconds*
Thats why we love him
It's a very cool digital level meter. It is a product that is rarely seen in Japan these days. I want such a product.
2:25 - slower, you s...ure-fire provider of outstanding A/V product reviews! In all seriousness though, you and I (and I presume, most of your other faithful followers) seem to share a lot of pragmatic and aesthetic and "romantic" notions about hi-fi which in a lot of areas, run counter to currently-fashionable notions. I'm sure others have said it too, but I thank you just for being you and for making so many great videos on electronics products both practical and "merely" fun.
Really enjoyed today’s video. Loved the look of the spectrum analyser.
Oh wow. LGR is gonna LOVE that spectrum analyzer.
That Spectrum Analyser reminds me of the Kenwood i used to have as a kid growing up.
Im also happy When you have a video uploaded
On anything
Rack mount, XLR, and actually reasonably accurate?
WANT! I'm tempted to put one of those on top of the modulation monitor in the station rack. It'll be fun to watch and somewhat useful, or (at least) useful enough to not raise any eyebrows for it being there.
I'm a VU meter freak too, and in my business (AM radio) it comes in handy as proper levels are highly important for getting the best possible sound and strongest signal possible. It's a part of my job to watch the meters. Sometimes life is good.
You're so into it that I'm kind of surprised that you're not in the business yourself.
Damn it I just had to buy it. But this analyzer is one of the best ones in a long time
Just put my order in as well... For both!
Best spectrum display yet. !!! Thank You!!!
That spectrum analyser looks bloody great.
just for those who are not aware that american audio db meter is in an invaluable tool when dealing with high power systems, for example lets say you have a 1000 watt amp hooked up to a 500 watt driver, with no real way to limit to not fry your speaker when driving it hard in a live enviroment, especially if your performing, WELL with this tool and proper calibration and set up, you can now exactly how much power your running to your sytem. DBu is that amplified by the amplfier by a certain percentage for different amps, so -3db can equal 500 watts [depending on how set up] but the benefit of having so many leds is you see small increments in change while most mixers now adays will have 3-5 led lights and thats it, many times with no db reading on it making it useless for this purpose
Extremely useful item I just installed one today works well, I will show you lots of frequency information .
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]
They do go together quite well.
At last! Matt had found some decent equipment we can all get excited about. Looks great!
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🏴
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!! 👍
2:21 - that's my new ringtone sorted ;)
I like both of those, and the prices seem very reasonable.
@@TsoneMedia Too expensive? What would you suggest?
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. 👍
Thomann are great, Got a Telecaster and a Bass from them. Fantastic instruments, high speced and great price.
If you really want to study the aspects of audio thoroughly, the Omnitronic AN-31XL Analyser is what you need. This device allows you to view the characteristics of any sound in real-time with 31 bands that are split up into 12 steps to create a realistic reproduction of the process. The AN-31XL is easy to mount in a rack and measures 2U. Naturally, it can also be used as a stand-alone unit. There is also the Omnitronic DB200
fun generation is a thomann brand for cheap lighting/PA stuff.
It seems to be a white-label version of the BDS PP-31A (BDS being a Taiwanese brand), but the latter is about double the price, depending on the retailer, so I'm not quite sure if "BDS" really is the OEM.
EDIT: Found it for much cheaper on Taobao, also under the BDS brand, so that is that.
Ooh, the BDS PP-131 looks like a beast.
FG RTA-31's are now back in stock at Thomann...although I don't know for how long. They've only gone up on their price about 5 pounds or so. I ordered 2
I just checked again and now they say they're sold out (didn't last long!), but who knows they be getting more back in