Innerclock Systems, makers of "Precision Musical Synchronization Devices" has a page up ranking the timing of various drum machines and sequencers. Click here to see the results. [See update below for new links]."'Litmus Test - def: any kind of indicator used to classify something either favorably or unfavorably'
Over many years of testing and checking the timing performance characteristics of different electronic event sequencing devices I rely on a very simple test that gives a very accurate indication of just how well a musical sequencing device keeps time."
via Analog Industries.
Update: the litmus test has been expanded and moved here, and Innerclock Systems is now hosted at http://www.innerclocksystems.com
This raised a huge stink on the elektron-users forums a while ago. The thread ended up getting locked.
ReplyDeleteI would be interested to hear some examples of this device, does it correct these timing problems?
ReplyDeleteI've been looking at getting one of Innerclocks machines for awhile, but it is the interface between machines that works at offsetting the delay between them. It lets you manually move your sync'd machine forward or backwards against the master machine by single clocks or bigger divisions to do all sorts of crazy polyrhythm stuff. I'd still like to see them do a single midi clock in and 3 separate midi sync connections each with their own controls so you could have many slave machines doing their own thing.
ReplyDeleteI often came across all sorts of forum threads with people arguing about timing of various devices.
ReplyDeleteOnce i did a similar test and recorded into my computer the audio of my workstation playing a 4/4 kick drum pattern. i then measured variations between each hits. Was a neat experiment.
Sadly most of the people arguing about timing of devices just argue without any proof.
Good thing this page was made, i've checked it often before. Nice information!
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ReplyDeleteI've got to try this test. I hear folks complaining more about this problem when they are wanting to do warping and streaching of longer samples to bpm sync them to other sampled gear rather than slaving them through midi clock or mtc. I usually tell them thats goofy, but they might be right, hope my favorite seq don't fall short, then long, then short again...
ReplyDeleteHi Darren - Event/Tempo jitter/slop has two main causes - Sync Jitter (where the master clock is a bit rough driving a slave device) and Event Trigger Lag (where a devices ability to trigger an event referenced to the tempo grid is compromised in someway leading to push-pull within the device itself). The end result in any sequencing system is a combination of both these factors. The Sync-Shift Mark II is passive in regards to the Sync signal in that it faithfully follows the the source/master which then allows any slave to follow any push-pull in the source. Artificially 'fixing' a rough sync signal only muddies the end result even more! Always best to get a reliable tight master sync device and then make sure your slaves handle sync and event trigger properly. Add a Sync-Shift to that sort of system and you have some serious rhythmic feel at your fingertips. Best - David
ReplyDelete