Sound quality improve

[Reticuli]

@Jetsound

The tentative link between rotary and sound quality is that some mixer makers have recognised that those who hanker after rotary are often those who yearn on about the warm fuzzy sound of vinyl and so often a mixer which has rotary channel faders will have some nicer, richer pre-amps and other behind-the-scenes circuitry within.

Yeah, I won’t name names, but some of the boutique analog rotaries are either not designed as well as people assume or aren’t used in such a way that they even produce sort of baseline, ordinary analog mixer sound quality, let alone some elite performance. Some of these designs people are misusing to the point that the mixer functions as one big low-pass filter.

As for rotaries vs faders, linear, log, quad curve or whatever, I find a rotary knob still a lot easier to get smooth blends and fades than a fader. With enough fader length, a little resistance, and the right curve, faders do get closer for me, but still not all the way.

Admittedly, my biggest issue with rotaries is being able to tell which direction the knobs are pointed in the dark. On a fader mixer in the dark I can feel where everything is even if I can’t see it clearly. The Urei (and now Alpha) knobs are nice in that respect with the piece that sticks out, but with these digital boards, some LED circles that progressively light up might be useful kind of like that Numark Mixmeister Control had. Now, that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t like some dimming/brightening of the X1800 FX LEDs for this purpose, though. That would be sweet, in fader or rotary mode.

[ShelterStu]

Yeah they are not all created equal, also it’s very difficult to audition they are not sold in the shops. You could always rent one. The ARS 9000 and Condessa are available for hire, I considered that for a bit.

I had a Vestax PMC 46 MK2 for a years when I was younger (first pay check after uni) and once I put it against a Urei I realised the sound quality was laughable. However it was still miles better then the best pioneer out at the time.

I do see a few rotaries with these pots without a centre point, that must be a nightmare in a club. But Condessa and E&S will both put original Urei pots on for you if you want.