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[John Petrucelli]

Tim McCulloch wrote on Thu, 22 October 2009 00:47

VCAs do not pass audio.  Audio groups (or sub groups depending on your word choices) DO pass audio and have insert points like an input or other outputs.  The distinction is very important.

Tim, just so the readers are not mislead, the actual VCAs in the channels DO pass audio, the VCA groups do not. I'm sure this is what you meant to say since you are comparing this method against Audio groups.  

Commenting on the rest of the thread:
Agreed, the A&H document is an excellent guide to understanding and using a VCA console. I think Carey wrote that piece.

For VCA Mutes:
Our console channels have FET mute elements in addition to the VCA.
Muting a channel with the channel's (local) mute switch activates the FETs and kills the post-fader AND pre-fader sends.
For remotely muting a channel, Manual Mute Groups are provided along with "VCA Mutes".
Either type of remote mute activates the mute-FETs of the channel the same way a local mute does. We do not use the VCA control voltage to kill the post-fader signal in a channel, it was easier to just use the elements we had to have in-place anyway.
Of course, others may do it differently...

JP

[Tim McCulloch]

JP-

Thanks for catching that!  If it's possible I'm going to correct that right now.

PM me off list, I want to discuss the MixSwitch...

Have fun, good luck.

Tim Mc

[John Roberts {JR}]

Justice C. Bigler wrote on Thu, 22 October 2009 16:10

I think that we should petition the AES to officially change the name from VCA to "magic invisible hand that adjusts the fader", which seems more accurately descriptive. We could call them magic hands, or MH's for short. "Yeah man, my console has 16 MH's!"

Don't bother the AES, they're busy. I'm still trying to get them to define Q and apparently they have some new unfinished work regarding line cords,,,

This reminds me a little of the phase/polarity polemics, or even my personal favorite bus/buss battle. If enough people think down is up, we need to start calling it up.. or risk being misunderstood.

The bottom line (IMO) is that the race car driver doesn't need to know the proper name of his sundry suspension components as long as he can drive the car (fast), and communicate effectively with his crew regarding any general area of distress.

This is borderline confusing to those of us who actually know what (and where) VCAs are but I don't mind as long as the uninformed can understand each other. If there's a better (easy) name lets use it, otherwise get over it.

JR

PS  US04818951

[Carey Davies]

John Roberts  {JR} wrote on Fri, 23 October 2009 02:31

Justice C. Bigler wrote on Thu, 22 October 2009 16:10 I think that we should petition the AES to officially change the name from VCA to "magic invisible hand that adjusts the fader", which seems more accurately descriptive. We could call them magic hands, or MH's for short.

Yes, that's why we call then DCAs on digital consoles... Darned Clever Adjusters!  
C

[John Roberts {JR}]

Carey Davies wrote on Fri, 23 October 2009 06:01

John Roberts  {JR} wrote on Fri, 23 October 2009 02:31 Justice C. Bigler wrote on Thu, 22 October 2009 16:10 I think that we should petition the AES to officially change the name from VCA to "magic invisible hand that adjusts the fader", which seems more accurately descriptive. We could call them magic hands, or MH's for short. Yes, that's why we call then DCAs on digital consoles... Darned Clever Adjusters!   C

While the word police would insist on calling them "multipliers"...  

As long as the customer understands what they do, who cares what they're called?  

JR