TechTalk
Nov 1, 2012,
By Kevin Becka
I often have students, colleagues and Facebook friends ask, “What is the best mic, speaker, headphones, interface, etc., I can buy?” Since my job is to review hardware and software, learn about new technology and teach it to others, I should be the perfect guy to ask....
Jan 1, 2012,
By Kevin Becka
After 30-plus years in the business, I’ve caught the studio bug again. I’ve been building a small mix room for four months now and it’s almost done. The paint is dry, but I’m still playing with the acoustics, learning to trust how it sounds and even doing some mixes on a small laptop-based rig while I wait for a computer, balanced power units and interconnects. I’ll have gear from Lynx, Radial Engineering, Dangerous Music, Monster, Focal, Retro Instruments, Lindell Audio, Millennia, Steinberg, Avid, and some “vintage” hardware reverbs from Lexicon and AKG. On the digital side, I’ll have plug-ins from Universal Audio, SoundToys, Vienna Instruments and many more. It’s going to be a hybrid analog summing and in-the-box combo mix room, all run on a rackmounted PC from Rain Computers that’s more than 30-percent faster (and way less-expensive) than anything currently offered by Apple.
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Dec 1, 2011,
By Kevin Becka
In my October column (“The Score: Consumers 10, Pros 0”), I talked about how manufacturers like Apple were reaching for the golden “consumer” ring and we, the pros, were being left out in the cold. However, this is not the case in all sectors of our business. Consumer trends and pop culture are driving sales in pro audio. For instance, in the past few years, there’s been a heightened awareness and buzz around portable listening platforms, including earbuds and headphones.
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Dec 1, 2011,
By Tom Kenny, Editorial Director
A little over six months ago, I called our longtime technical editor, Kevin Becka, and asked him if he might be interested in writing a back-page column. It has to be technology-related, I told him, with stuff about gear that people use every day. I really wasn’t much clearer than that. “Sure,” he said. “Let’s talk about it. But I’m not sure that I’m really a columnist.” “That’s okay,” I countered. “I’m not really sure what the column is supposed to be.”
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Nov 1, 2011,
By Kevin Becka
One of my rules when writing a product review is to never ask the price until the end. I’ll do everything I can to stay away from the figure after the “$” because I don’t want it to affect my perception of quality. Not so much in studio products, but in the audiophile realm, the idea “it’s expensive so it must be good” is king and drives sales. Now this isn’t to say that something expensive isn’t the absolute top of the heap, but it’s not always true.
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Oct 1, 2011,
By Kevin Becka
Of all the great gear we use to record and play back sound, the only non-audio product in the signal chain is the personal computer. We’ve come to rely on either an Apple or a Windows-based hardware manufacturer to provide the goods. And while audio companies are varied—offering a range of flavors, prices and options—the computer side offers more narrowly focused products targeted at a broader audience. We have always been able to get what we need, but this is changing.
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Sep 1, 2011,
By Kevin Becka
While I’ve always tried to center my career goals around creating music, it hasn’t always worked out that way. Fifteen years ago, the titles Educator, Magazine Editor and Video Editor/Producer weren’t even close to being on my list of “Top 10 Skills You Should Develop by 2010.” And while I wouldn’t call the video bit necessary for survival, it’s the one I’m having the most fun with right now. It allows me to communicate on a new level that, thanks to the Internet, is the hottest ticket in town.
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Aug 1, 2011,
By Kevin Becka
I remember the first audiophile playback system I ever heard. It was in a high-end Los Angeles home in the ’70s, long before I was a recording engineer. I could tell I was hearing something special: A great system transcends simple physics and engages the listener on a visceral level. Since then, whenever I’ve heard other such systems, that feeling returns. It’s like a familiar taste in a great meal or a spectacular wine—you may not know exactly what flavors are spiraling your senses to new heights; you just love it.
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Jul 1, 2011,
By Kevin Becka
Modern culture is all about connections: social, wired and wireless. Social networking has changed the way we interact with our friends, family and even professionally, and it can evolve overnight. I’m currently looking at tumblr as a way to get product news and reviews out because of its hockey-stick growth, which is increasing by a quarter-billion impressions a week (not a typo). I’ve also been finding it easier to get questions answered about products, company news and technology through Facebook rather than email. For me, it’s just a “follow the river” experience; I’m just floating along, keeping my eyes and ears open.
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Jun 1, 2011,
By Kevin Becka
As I was learning the craft of engineering, I was fortunate enough to assist some of the best ears in the business, which gave me a rare opportunity to see and hear what they trusted. They all trusted their ears. That comes from working with great gear and putting in your 10,000 hours. (Google “Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers.”) Their gear choices and techniques intrigued me, providing me with something I could quantify and immediately put into my own bag of tricks.
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