Slate Virtual Microphone System

Has anyone here had a chance to try this system out? Does it work, or is it just another gimmick. Do you even care? What do you guys think of this? - YouTube

I saw the release on this. I suppose it could work, but I would have to try it to see. On close micing. Off-Axis response modeling I don’t think is possible.

The steroidal vibe of this ad is truly offensive to the sensibilities. Steven Slate- what, is he the John McClane of audio engineering?

Perhaps. I’m waiting for this to be more than just a promo to get some real specs on it including price points before I decide to sell my two main mics and buy this instead.

Lol, yea, that is what he is like in most of his adverts.

I feel there is a craft that is being lost by these types of things these days. It is discernment and choice making in pre-production. Having a vision of the completed production before recording has begun. The planning of mic / source / preamp chains / placements / and acoustic environment that will support the vision. Steve’s speal is opposed to my way. Too many people are focused on the next greatest piece of gear without ever mastering what they have in front of them, in the moment. I can’t remember the last time where I wished I had used a different signal chain. Limitations to a small collection of mics, preamps, etc. along with having to choose ways that will not be able to be changed develops discernment and the ear of the engineer. Also, you don’t need a $40,000 mic to get an awesome vocal sound for instance.

I am rambling now… But… this product is not for me. I had a dm24 digital mixer a number of years ago that had microphone modeling. Tried it and never used it. Similar principal, different technology. Slate’s product is neat though and I am sure some folks will love it.

Larry, you bring up an interesting scenario having only a couple of mics.

Well, yeah. I consider myself to be a prosumer of recording technology. I have a TLM103 and C414 (plus a few others, but those are my vocal mics) and know how to use them properly. So, for me, this becomes more of an issue of access to equipment I would never be able to afford otherwise. However, I do agree with your sentiment that good recording doesn’t (necessarily) come from good equipment on its own.

Of course, I could do what my good friend Rob Anderson (in my Facebook network for those of you here who are also): he bought a used U47. (Then again, on location recording is how he pays the bills so he knows how to avoid buying a used U47 because there’s something wrong with it.)

I will just quote a member on the Pro Tools Expert forum.
A sentence that I think cover the most, taken from a thread about the very product.

“A product pandering to the hobbyist community can potentially sell a lot more than one aimed at actual professionals”
As much as I like his plugins, the advertising of his is a bit “hallelujah”. But I’ll let people think what they think :wink:

There have been similar products in the past that didn’t take off, like Mic Modeler. I’m guessing they didn’t take off because they just didn’t sound very good. Still, I’m on the fence about this one. All recorded sound comes down to amplitude + frequency (and phase); whatever a device’s analog circuitry contributes to a signal, like slew characteristics, or noise, is of interest only in how it affects a signal’s frequencies and amplitude. So with a really flat mic (very costly to engineer), coupled with the latest insights into modelling, I don’t see why something like this shouldn’t work as advertised. BTW, would a MSRP of $2000 really be targeted at the prosumer segment?

You and Mark have both said possible price point of $2,000. Was this stated anywhere? I ask because I never saw it and want to know if you read it elsewhere or if it’s just speculation.

Larry,

The price is mentioned here in this post by Steve:

Thanks!