From March 22-25, 2003, the Audio Engineering Society returned toAmsterdam–everybody’s favorite city–for its 114thconvention. Coming on the heels of the competing Frankfurt Musikmesseand NSCA shows earlier in the month, AES floor space was much smallerthan previous years. However, in spite of this and the beginning of warin Iraq just two days before the show(!), attendance was surprisinglygood, and AES executive director Roger Furness was “absolutelydelighted” to see such a large turnout, helped in part byAmsterdam’s sunny, mild spring weather.
The talk at the show was dominated by SSL’s (www.solid-state-logic.com) release of the all-newC200 digital console (reviewed on page 134) with multiple formats foraudio, multimedia and broadcast applications. Along with SSL’s new C100compact broadcast console (previewed in last month’s Mix), theC200 caused quite a stir. Other SSL highlights included the sale of itslargest 9000 J XL console to date to SAE owner Tom Misner for theschool’s new world headquarters, currently being built in Byron Bay,Australia.
At the AMS-Neve (www.ams-neve.com) booth, Misner continued hisspending spree, purchasing a Neve 88R at the same time. The hot news atNeve was the DFC2 digital film console debut, incorporating the latest3.0 Encore automation and a new dynamics section with 96kHz signalprocessing. The company also celebrated with Belgium’s Galaxy Studios,which purchased the world’s first large-format DSD consoledesigned for Super Audio CD production.
Fellow British console manufacturer Calrec Audio (www.calrec.com) demoedits Zeta 100 production mixer, offering broadcasters a full range ofpurpose-designed digital alternatives to its existing analog products.Sony (www.sony.com/proaudio) announced that its range ofPro Tools TDM plug-ins now support both Mac OS X (Pro Tools 6) andWindows XP for the OXF-R3 digital console. Digidesign (www.digidesign.com) publicly demoed Pro Tools 6 forWindows XP for the first time, and it was due to begin shipping inApril.
French company, InnovaSon (www.innovason.com) unveiled its new Sy80 digitalmixing console, featuring an entirely new DSP module and Sensoft 8, thecompany’s real-time console software manager.
Steinberg (www.steinberg.net) debuted a new controller unitfor its Nuendo system called ID: Steinberg Input Device. The companyalso announced that Neundo Version 2.0 would ship by the end of April.Across the hall, Euphonix (www.euphonix.com) showed its integration betweenEuphonix control surfaces and Nuendo, with System 5 set up to controlboth the Nuendo DAW and Euphonix DSP.
Genex Audio (www.genex.co.uk) introduced the GX9000,ultraprecision converters and multiformat digital multitrack recorder.Offering both PCM and DSD capabilities, the new range comprises theGX9000 8-track and the GX9048 48-track, with 192kHz PCM recordingperformance and up to 48 channels of DSD data.
Audio data-compression specialists APT (www.aptx.com) announcedthe 5.1 TCP/IP WorldNet SkyLink, a direct result of collaborative workbetween APT engineers and audio experts at George Lucas’Skywalker Ranch in California. WorldNet SkyLink can offer 5.1, 6.1 or7.1 multichannel audio, plus SMPTE timecode and has been designed forremote director approvals. The unit can deliver content in real time or”Store ‘n Forward,” depending on available data rates.
Neumann (www.neumannusa.com) celebrated its 75thanniversary, with a cool Sound Engineering Contest 2003 (the winnerreceived a chrome-plated pair of M149 tube or Solution-D digital mics)and debuted the BCM104–the first in a line of broadcastmics–and the TLM127, a mid-price studio mic. Shipping thissummer, the TLM127 is a low-noise (7dBa), large-diaphragm, multipatterncondenser with an onboard switch for cardioid or omni and aremote-pattern switching option to be offered in the future.
No preamp required! ADK Microphones (www.adkmic.com)unveiled its Stealth Pro Audio line, featuring a studio mic withonboard Class-A, line-level output electronics. The first models aredue later this year, with a 192kHz digital out version in early2004.
England’s Linn Products (www.linn.co.uk)–renowned for itshigh-fidelity audio components and systems–made its first forayinto the professional monitor market with the 328A fully activeloudspeaker.
Another company celebrating a historic milestone at AES wasGenelec (www.genelec.com). Now 25 years old, Genelec showedwhat they rightfully called the “big daddy” of subwoofers: The new7073A features four 12-inch woofers, providing an incredible 124dBsound pressure output, twice the output of the 7071A.
The 116th AES moves to Berlin, Germany, in May 2004; meanwhile, bookthose hotels soon for the 115th AES, October 10-13, 2003, in New YorkCity.