Weeks of January 1-11
Drew Daniels Hosts Successful Live Sound Seminar
Presenter Drew Daniels will host a one-day seminar ($95), entitled”Successful Live Sound In Small Venues: Getting the Audio MessageAcross,” at the UCLA extension for Entertainment Studies &Performing Arts on Saturday, January 26, 2002, from 9 a.m. to 5p.m.
The seminar will resemble a “how to” on projecting and conveying theartistic intentions of the performers onstage to their audience, giventhe acoustics and sound equipment at hand. The seminar will also relate”how not to” destroy the presentation with bad sound, make enemies ofthe performers, diminish venue reputation and damage audiencehearing.
Daniels has been a live sound operator, equipment designer andperformer for over 30 years, with experience dating back to the 1969Palm Springs Pop Festival, where he live mixed and recorded ProcolHarum, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Lee Michaels. Daniels hasalso held applications engineer positions at JBL, Tascam and Fender, aswell as principal electro-acoustics engineer for Walt DisneyImagineering.
For more information on the seminar and to sign up, call UCLA at310/825-9971 or 818/784-7006.
IOV2002 Convention, Trade Exhibition
Showcasing all the latest technology and services in digital videoproduction, the IOV2002 Convention and Trade Exhibition will take placeat the National Motorcycle Museum on April 24-25, 2002. Situatedopposite the UK’s National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, IOV2002will include a full schedule of seminars and workshops that are aimedto address the wide-ranging needs of today’s video production community– from Web-streaming video to panel discussions on all key businesstopics.
The Institute of Videography was established in 1985, and held itsfirst trade exhibition in 1987. Since then, this event has grown inboth size and reputation, and is now the leading calendar event forEurope’s growing professional videography community.
The trade exhibition is now spread throughout the museum’s threemain exhibition halls, and will include all major video camera and VCRmanufacturers, nonlinear system providers and general dealers, as wellas copyright-free music publishers and recordable media suppliers.Considered as a “buying event” by regular attendees and exhibitors,there will be many special deals to be found throughout theexhibition.
The IOV welcomes non-members, and offers a free conventionpre-registration service via their Website (www.iov.co.uk) – savingthe £10 entrance fee. This site also includes details onexhibiting companies, timetables, location maps and other importantconvention news. Delegates without Internet access can register bycalling +44 (0) 20 8502-3817.
Sennheiser Extends Evolution Mic Warranty
Sennheiser Electronic has extended the warranty on its EvolutionSeries wired microphones from one year to 10 years. The 10-yearwarranty applies to all Evolution wired microphones sold startingJanuary 1, 2002.
“Introduced in 1998, our Evolution wired mic line has proven moresuccessful than even we hoped,” said Greg Beebe, MI and SoundReinforcement channel manager. “Given careful design, stringent Germanmanufacturing techniques and borderline fanatical quality control, weseldom hear complaints and rarely see microphones returned for serviceor poor performance. Whether used on instruments or vocals, Evolutionmics just work! It only makes sense to convey our confidence with afull, 10-year warranty.”
For more, visit their Website at www.sennheiserusa.com.
Fender Announces New Financial Partners
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (Scottsdale, Ariz.),manufacturer of electric guitars and amplifiers, announced therecent sale of holdings in the company. In order to reward its foundingshareholders of more than 16 years, Fender has recapitalized a minorityportion of its common stock to allow for a partial payment to those whohelped finance the buyout of the company from CBS in 1985.
New financial partners include Roland Corporation U.S., the LosAngeles-based musical instrument company with whom Fender haspreviously partnered on co-designed products, and Weston Presidio, aprivate equity firm based out of San Francisco.
Since leveraging to buy Fender Musical Instruments Corporation fromCBS in 1985, chairman and CEO Bill Schultz and his group of investorshave restored the American musical company to its former status as anindustry front runner. Over the past two years, Fender has sought toreward its longtime investors by realizing the potential of theirinitial investments. Many of these investors will receive the capitalraised from the minority sale, while continuing to stay on asshareholders and board members of the company.
“Our shareholders have realized an appreciation in stockevaluation,” explained Schultz. “Their faith and loyalty to the brandname and to our financial goals are the reason that we are back on top,and we want to reward them for the patience and the trust they haveplaced in our management team by allowing a partial redemption of theirshares.”
Added Schultz, “We’ve also been very focused on strengthening ourfuture economic structure. The newly established relationshipwe’ve forged with Roland and Weston Presidio has not only financed therepurchase of common stock from our founding shareholders, it hasaligned us with progressive partners that share our vision of a globalcompany.”
For more, visit www.fender.com.
44th Annual Grammy Nominees Announced
Nominees listed for the 44th Annual Grammy Awards were taken fromthe Grammy Website, www.grammy.com. What follows are select excerpts. Acomplete list of the nominees can be found at the Grammy Website.
Record of the Year:
* “Video,” India.Arie. Producers: India.Arie and Carlos “Six July”Broady. Engineer/mixers: Kevin Haywood and Mike Shipley.
* “Fallin’,” Alicia Keys. Producer: Alicia Keys. Engineer/mixers:Kerry “Krucial” Brothers and Russ Elevado.
* “Ms. Jackson,” Outkast. Producer: Earthtone III. Engineer/mixers:John Frye and Neal H. Pogue.
* “Drops of Jupiter,” Train. Producer: Brendan O’Brien.Engineer/mixers: Nick DiDia, Brendan O’Brien and Ryan Williams.
* “Walk On,” U2. Producers: Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois.Engineer/mixers: Steve Lillywhite and Richard Rainey.
Album of the Year:
* Acoustic Soul, India.Arie. Producers: India.Arie, MarkBatson, Carlos “Six July” Broady, Blue Miller and Bob Power.Engineer/mixers: Mark Batson, Carlos “Six July” Broady, Kevin Haywood,Avery Johnson, George Karas, Jim Lightman, Blue Miller, Mark Niemiec,Bob Power, Mike Shipley, Alvin Speights, Mike Tocci and Dave Way.
* Love and Theft, Bob Dylan. Producer: Jack Frost.Engineer/mixer: Chris Shaw.
* Stankonia, Outkast. Producers: Earthone III, Organized Noizeand Antonio “LA” Reid. Engineer/mixers: Jarvis Blackshear, LeslieBrathwaite, Josh Butler, Ralph Cacciurri, John Frye, Mark “DJ Exit”Goodchild, Carl Mo, Kevin Parker, Neal H. Pogue, Richard H. Segal,Kenneth Stallworth, Matt Still, Jason Stokes, Bernasky Wall and DerrickWilliams.
* All That You Can’t Leave Behind, U2. Producers: Brian Eno andDaniel Lanois. Engineer/mixers: Brian Eno, Steve Fitzmaurice, JulianGallagher, Mike Hedges, Daniel Lanois, Steve Lillywhite, Tim Palmer,Richard Rainey and Richard Stannard.
* O Brother, Where Art Thou?, soundtrack. Producer: T BoneBurnett. Engineer/mixer: Mike Piersante.
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical:
* Ballads — Remembering John Coltrane. Josiah Gluck, KarrinAllyson.
* Life on a String. Martin Brumbach, Laurie Anderson.
* The Look of Love. Al Schmitt, Diana Krall.
* New Favorite. Gary Paczosa, Alison Krauss and UnionStation.
* Time*Sex*Love*. George Massenburg, Mary ChapinCarpenter.
* T Bone Burnett: Down From the Mountain (various artists),Fan Dance (Sam Phillips), O Brother, Where Art Thou?(various artists).
* Dr. Dre: “Best of Things” (Xzibit), “Break Ya Neck” (Busta Rhymes),”Family Affair” (Mary J. Blige), “Fast Lane” (Bilal), “Fight Music”(D12), “Lay Low” (Snoop Dogg, featuring Master P, Nate Dogg, ButchCassidy and Tha Eastsidaz), “Let Me Blow Ya Mind” (Eve, featuring GwenStefani).
* Gerald Eaton, Brian West: “I’m Like a Bird” (Nelly Furtado), “Turnoff the Light” (Nelly Futado), “Whoa, Nelly!” (Nelly Furtado).
* Nigel Godrich: “Amnesiac” (Radiohead), “The Invisible Band”(Travis).
* Jimmy Jamm, Terry Lewis: “All For You” (Janet Jackson), “Didn’t MeanTo Turn You On” (Mariah Carey), “My Funny Friend and Me” (Sting),”Never Too Far” (Mariah Carey), “No More Drama” (Mary J. Blige), “NoRegrets” (Case), “Someone To Call My Lover” (Janet Jackson), “Twister”(Mariah Carey), “U Remind Me” (Usher), “When a Woman Loves” (PattiLaBelle), “You’re All I Need” (The Isley Brothers).
SRSWOWcast Technologies Licenses Broadcast AudioTechnologies
SRSWOWcast Technologies, (Santa Ana, Calif.) (www.srstechnologies.com) a subsidiary of SRS LabsInc. and a B2B provider of audio- and voice-enhancement technologysolutions for broadcasting, streaming media and communications,announced that it has signed a technology licensing agreement withNational Mobile Television (NMT) (www.nmtv.com), a provider of mobile televisionproduction equipment for outside broadcast sports, entertainment andcorporate productions. NMT provides mobile facilities to support morethan 6,000 worldwide live events annually, from major broadcastnetworks, cable networks and independent producers including ABCSports, CBS Sports, ESPN, Fox News, Fox Sports, Automatic Productions,WNET/Thirteen and The Madison Square Garden Network. The agreementmarks SRSWOWcast Technologies’ entry into the multi-billion dollarbroadcast market.
Under the terms of the agreement, SRSWOWcast will initially licenseits new Broadcast Phase Protector (BPP) and Sports Audio Processor(SAP) hardware products exclusively to NMT for use in NMT’s 46 mobileproduction units. The agreement requires a per-event fee for supportingevents that are broadcast using SAP. Production units of bothprocessors will be available in selected NMT production units duringthe first quarter of 2002 with full deployment by the end of 2002.Under terms of the agreement, NMT can also distribute the BPP and SAPprocessors to the entire broadcast industry.
“We are very excited to be delivering revolutionary new technologiesto the hundreds of millions of sports enthusiasts across the worldthrough our new relationship with the world’s leading broadcasttechnology and facilities provider, NMT,” said Jennifer Drescher, VP ofmarketing for SRSWOWcast Technologies. “SRSWOWcast’s goal as a companyis to help our customers with their audio challenges and these firsttwo new products fit the bill. We are pleased to announce that theresults of our technology development are these first new productsproviding a more immersive and realistic sound experience that turnsthe living room into a sports arena.”
According to Mark Howorth, CEO of NMT, “Relationships like the onewith SRSWOWcast are helping to further define NMT’s role as not only aleading facilities provider, but as a true technology resource for ourcustomers. The evolving role we play as a complete solutionsprovider is moved forward with this new type of partnership. We’rethrilled to be working with SRSWOWcast and to provide these important,value-added benefits to the networks and program producers we serve, aswell as the millions of viewers watching and listening to ourbroadcasts.”
Salzbrenner Stagetec Opens North America Office
Salzbrenner Stagetech Mediagroup (Los Angeles) announced the grandopening of a North America sales office in Northridge, Calif. Lastmonth, the German pro audio manufacturer announced that they had hiredpro audio veteran Terry Marshall as president of North America sales tohead the newly created sales division.
The new facility includes a state-of-the-art demo room featuring theCANTUS digital mixing console, the NEXUS audio network and routingsystem, and the TruMatch(R) Reference Microphone Converter.
“Currently, Salzbrenner Stagetech Mediagroup’s customer baseincludes several high-profile U.S. clients such as ABC, Fox andSkywalker Sound, making the grand opening of a U.S.-based sales officethe next logical step toward building on such a favorable presence inNorth America,” said Marshall. “The office is up and running, but ifyou’re interested in our product line and can’t make it out toNorthridge, we’d be happy to bring our gear to you for an in-studiodemonstration.”
For more, visit www.stagetec.com.
Bang & Olufsen Bring In New Year With New Image, Name
Bang & Olufsen ICEpower a/s have introduced a new corporateidentity to bring in the new year. Part of the changes include changingthe company name from Bang & Olufsen PowerHouse a/s to Bang &Olufsen ICEpower a/s. Bang & Olufsen ICEpower a/s is still part ofBang & Olufsen a/s, the primary shareholder.
Other changes include:
* New brand of ICEpower. Material received from the company wilinclude the ICEpower logo and have a “new look.”
* New Website — www.icepower.bang-olufsen.com includes a new layoutand improved user navigation. Users can now find all product sheetsthat can be downloaded or ordered as hard copies.
Ableton Announces Free OSX Update for Live
Ableton, an innovative Berlin-based music software company,announced at MacWorld a free update of LIVE for Mac OSX. LIVE is a newaudio sequencer that is designed specifically for live performance.
“Due to its stability and low-latency audio streaming solutions forthe production and processing environment, OSX is ideal for real-time,performance-oriented applications such as LIVE,” commented GerhardBehles, founder and CEO of Ableton. “We are excited to pioneer thisinnovative development with Apple.”
Features include:
* Sound files are time-stretched and compressed in real time, whilebeing read from the hard disk. Even long recordings with unstabletempos play in perfect sync with the current session tempo or anexternal clock soure.
* User can record, loop, effect, resample and launch sounds withoutstopping the music.
* Ability to jam live, log the action and edit afterward
* Play arbitrary samples in sync with song tempo
* Stretch and pitch audio while playing from disk
* Assemble chains of fully automatable Live effects and VSTplug-ins
* Control every function with hotkeys and MIDI
LIVE is currently available in the U.S. from Midiman dealers (www.midiman.com) fora MSRP US$299.95. For more, visit www.ableton.com.
Global Entertainment & Media Summit Announced
Endeavoring to champion the creative artist, the GlobalEntertainment & Media Summit, slated to be held on Saturday andSunday, March 2nd & 3rd, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., at New York’s NewYorker Hotel Ballrooms and Conference Centers, will provide aneducational and networking forum for those seeking an avenue to charttheir own visionary artistic path.
Legendary guitarist and creator Les Paul, noted music executiveMiles Copeland, acclaimed filmmaker John Waters, Avid’s Mike Rockwell,MediaChannel’s Danny Schechter and Don Campbell (noted author ofMozart Effect) are among the luminaries slated to keynote thisevent.
Executive producer Steve Zuckerman enthuses that, “it’s an amazingtime for the independents. Independents can act on instinct, create,develop, produce, market and sell their films and music inexpensively– and with new technologies, they now have the tools to marketdirectly to the consumers.”
Zuckerman further stresses that the summit is not just your ordinaryindustry conference but rather a multifaceted “five-ring networkingcarnival,” where attendees will converge with a multitude of mediaexperts including artists, music industry executives, musicians,producers, directors, multimedia executives, distributors, publishers,agents, managers and more. They’ll also be able to partake in a seriesof over 40 intensive workshops touching on such topics as alternativefilm and music distribution, independent media on “staying true” toyour vision, artists on creative control, artists management in the newage, creating new networks, Internet distribution clinic, “offline goesonline: keeping your audience connected,” “x factor: what really makesa star,” and “AFTRA presents: maintaining creative control of your workwhile making as much money as you can.” In addition, the latestcutting-edge products and services will be displayed.
There is a $50 entrance fee for both days; tickets can be purchasedonline at www.globalentertainmentnetwork.com or at the doorday of show.
Weeks of January 14-31
Grace Design Appoints New VP
Grace Design (Boulder, Colo.) has hired Doug Wood to the post of VPof sales and marketing. Wood will be responsible for managing theworldwide distribution network and executing sales and marketingprograms for the company.
Wood comes to Grace Design with 20 years of experience in the proaudio industry. Prior to joining Grace, he worked for Digidesign, wherehe held positions in product marketing, and most recently as manager ofbusiness development. Wood also served in product development, sales,marketing and customer service for Otari Corporation and WaveFrame. Inthe early ’80s, he worked in the sales group at then New York-based proaudio retailer Martin Audio, and as an engineer at Atlantic Recordsstudios.
For more, visit Grace Design online at www.gracedesign.com.
DAR Restructures With Amek
Harman International Industries has announced a restructuringprogram for Digital Audio Research (DAR), involving a relocation of thebusiness to the new Amek Manchester, England, location.
John Carpanini of Harman commented: “DAR and Amek have many commondistributors worldwide, and all sales and marketing activity will beconsolidated under head of sales Craig Lovell. Craig has been closelyinvolved with both brands over a number of years, and combining thesales activities under his control also makes excellent commercialsense.”
The current DAR product range encompasses the SoundStation STORMnetworked audio workstation, the OMR8 disk recorder/editor systerm, andthe Trigger Audio Replay System for television productions, radiotheater and live events.
For more, visit DAR at www.dar.uk.com.
Future Sonics Distributes With ADI
Future Sonics Inc. (Pineville, Pa.) announced that they have signedan exclusive distribution agreement for their Future Sonics Ears (TM)model EM3 in Canada with Audio Distributors International (ADI).
Marty Garcia, president of Future Sonics, commented: “We want towork with the distributors that understand our dedication to ourquality, reliability and to our customers. Richard Lasnier [presidentat ADI] and his team do an outstanding job and are ready to go, whilemeeting those criteria and more.”
For more, visit www.futuresonics.com or www.adi-online.net.
John Eargle Among Those With an Academy Award
Mark Engebretsen, Don Keele and John Eargle will receive aScientific/Technical Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts andSciences, honoring their development of cinema loudspeaker systemsusing constant-directivity horns and vented-box, low-frequencyenclosures.
Eargle, in addition to being the Grammy-winning chief recordingengineer for Delos International, is an author of standard textbooks onaudio, a consultant to Harman International and a past president of theAudio Engineering Society.
Keele, who now works at Harman Becker automotive systems, is anengineer who designed the first constant-directivity horns forElectro-Voice and the bi-radial horns for JBL. He later succeeded DickHeyser as loudspeaker reviewer for Audio Magazine.
Engebretsen now works for JBL Professional and has designedprofessional loudspeaker systems for a number of American and Japanesecompanies.
In other Academy Award-winner news, Tomlinson Holman of THMCorporation will be awarded an Academy Award for the research andsystems integration resulting in the improvement of motion pictureloudspeaker systems. For over 20 years, Holman has been involved in theresearch and integration of the constant-directivity, direct-radiatorbass type of cinema loudspeaker systems. He is the technical architectof Skywalker Ranch and invented the THX businesses, which were namedafter him. Twice governor of Audio Engineer Society, Holman holds sixaudio and video patents, lectures worldwide and teaches sound at theUniversity of Southern California School of Cinema-Television inL.A.
Audio Engineering Society Releases Tutorial CD-ROM
The Audio Engineering Society’s Technical Council (New York City)has launched a tutorial project on CD-ROM, Perceptual Audio Coders:What to Listen For. Developed by the Technical Committee on Codingof Audio Signals, and produced by Dr. Markus Erne, the unique CD-ROM isthe first of its kind to be produced by the AES. It has been developedto familiarize audio engineers, broadcast engineers and audio studentswith the underlying principles of perceptual audio coding.
For more than 40 years, audio professionals have been trained inlistening to conventional audio artifacts using analog equipment.Perceptual audio coding is a relatively new field and exhibitscompletely different types of artifacts. Perceptual Audio Coders:What to Listen For will be especially helpful to audioprofessionals, including engineers, designers and students, who arepresented with audio material that has undergone audio compression,where the process of coding artifacts takes place.
The CD-ROM demonstrates the sonic side of audio technology, withexamples of various types of audio coding artifacts. The artifacts aresorted according to type and severity as audio files, which enablelisteners to enhance their ability to recognize these artifacts.Listeners are first presented with distortion grades that are obviousand then proceed to more subtle ones.
In addition to the CD-ROM’s inclusion of 8 different chapters onaudio coding artifacts, there are three tutorials on audio codingprinciples designed to familiarize the reader with the underlyingtechnology.
Perceptual Audio Coders: What to Listen For is available forpurchase at special introductory prices of $20.00 for non-members;$15.00 for members and $10.00 for student members. Additionally,libraries, research labs and institutes can obtain a volumediscount.
For more information or to purchase the tutorial, visit the Websiteat www.aes.org.
L-Acoustics Is Moving
Beginning February 18, 2002, L-Acoustics will have a new home. Thenew addy for the sound reinforcement speaker manufacturer is:
Parc de la Fontaine de Jouvence, Marcoussis, Cedex, France 91462;+33 (0) 1 6963-6963; fax: +33 (0) 1 6963-6964
SED’D, Swissonic, Friend-Chip, Others Form DistributionCompany
SEK’D, Swissonic, Friend-Chip, Music and More, and SOMMER CABLEAmerica have joined forces with the Hollywood-based team of AudioIntervisual Design (AID) and Developing Technology Distributors (DTD)to form the new company, plus24.
Plus24 will distribute the combined product lines. Additionally, thenew company is the international distributor for BrainstormElectronics, dB Technologies and SEK’D, and is the American distributorfor Friend-Chip, Music and More, Sanken Microphones, Swissonic andSOMMER CABLE.
The office in Santa Rosa, Calif., has been closed and moved to thisnew address for all orders, customer service and technical support:
1155 N. La Brea Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90038; 323/845-1171; techsupport: 323/845-1168; toll-free: 800/330-7753; fax 323/845-1170.
For more, visit www.plus24.net.
FirstCom Music Appoints General Sales Manager
Dallas-based FirstCom Music, provider of production music via CD andthe Web, announced that Michael J. Baer has been named general salesmanager.
Baer, a 26-year industry veteran, re-joined FirstCom Music in Marchof 1997 to introduce and market the OneMusic (R) Library featuringLiquidTrax (SM). After the introduction, Baer stayed with FirstCom as aregional manager working with production facilities, audio and videopost houses, advertising agencies and television stations. “I can’tthink of a more satisfying and fun business to be in than this one,”Baer said. “I have always had a deep respect and love for music, andthis is as close as I can get to it without being a composer ormusician. When one of our clients uses our music to complete theirproduction, I get a terrific feeling that we are helping people tobring their concept to fruition.”
In addition, the following FirstCom employees have been promoted dueto a sales restructuring: Sharon Baer, senior regionalmanager/broadcast; Jason Davis, senior regional manager/facilities;Andy Murdock, senior regional manager/broadcast; Leann Oliver; seniorregional manager/facilities; Laurie Raso, regional manager/broadcast;Mary McFall, regional manager/facilities; Shane McIntosh, regionalmanager/corporate; David Randall, regional manager/broadcast; KarrinWilcocks, regional manager/facilities; Melissa Rapp, accountrepresentative/radio; and Elizabeth Sanders, prospector/facilities.
For more, visit www.firstcom.com.
Replitech Conference Announced
The M3/Replitech Conference will be held on February 12-14, 2002, atthe Los Angeles Convention Center in L.A. The conference is under thedirection of the International Recording Media Association (IRMA), as aresult of the strategic alliance between IRMA and PBI Media asco-sponsors of all M3/Replitech events.
Scheduled sessions include: “Using Technology To Give DVD-Audio andSACD Mass Appeal”; “The Many Faces of DVD Recordable”; “The IncredibleShrinking Disc”; Keeping Up With Technology”; and “Signature Analysis:The Holy Grail of Optical Disc Audio Testing?” Speakers include MarkWaldrep of AIX Media Group, John Freeman from Strategic MarketingDecisions, Ray Uhlir of Data Play, and many others.
New show attractions include the pre-mastering pavilion (authoring,copy protection, encoding, streaming), the networked storage anddistribution pavilion (digital asset management, storage on servers,e-delivery, Web-DVD hybrid solutions) and the new media technologypavilion (removable media formats and new media formats).
For specific days and times of sessions, as well as updatedinformation, visit www.m3replitech.com. Discounted hotel arrangementsfor M3/Replitech attendees and exhibitors has been offered through ParAvion (www.paravion-inc.com).
Digidesign Contracts New Artist, PR Consultant
Digidesign (Daly City, Calif.) has retained the services of ChandraLynn, consultant/owner from Glow Marketing (www.glowmarketing.com) to oversee Digidesign’sartist and press relations. Lynn is responsible for developing andmaintaining Digidesign’s worldwide press and artist relationships, aswell as increasing awareness of Digidesign and its products.
Contact Digidesign at www.digidesign.com.
AZ-IZ Case Company Changes Name
As of January 1, 2002, AZ-IZ Case Company changed its name toProCases Inc. (Culver City, Calif.).
According to the release: “This change in name will not affect ourhigh level of quality and service to our clients. In fact, we look toexpand to our highest level of success from now on. In essence, we havecombined our custom-made case factory with our imported line of casesto give customers the greatest choices in price and quality.”
For more, click on www.procases.com.
M-Audio To Distribute Groove Tube Mics
Midiman/M-Audio (Arcadia, Calif.) will now be distributing a newline of Groove Tubes microphones. These mics include the MD1, GT44,GT33, GT55, GT57, GT66 and GT67.
For more, visit Midiman online at www.midiman.co.uk.
Syntrillium Launches New Website
Syntrillium Software (Scottsdale, Ariz.), developer of Cool Edit,announced the launch of a newly design, upgraded and enhanced Websiteat www.syntrillium.com.
According to Syntrillium internet services manager Matt Bieber, “Ournew enhanced site extends well beyond cosmetics. We’ve listenedcarefully to our users and developed the functionality they’ve askedfor, and also compiled content that we feel adds value to the productswe offer.”
New additions include improved product information sections withre-designed product description areas, more content in greater detail,live audio streaming examples of Syntrillium’s DSP effects,comprehensive search capability, online store with shopping cartfunctionality, improved help site, user forums, tutorials, “how-to”guides and step-by-step solutions to user problems. Also, a new “CoolStuff” section includes a variety of useful subject areas, includingguest articles about the business side of music, user profiles, onlinepoll and a live video stream of Syntrillium’s office Foosballtable.
New Communications Manager at Digigram
Digigram (Montbonnot, France) has hired Frank Seidel as thecompany’s communications manager. Seidel will handle corporate andproduct communications.
Seidel comes to Digigram from French software vendor AkaziTechnologies, where he was a marketing executive. Previously, he hasworked on the agency side and client side of multimedia communications,including a stint with the German-based Web agency Pixelpark.
For more, click on www.digigram.com.
Registration Open for NSCA Expo
Registration is now open for the 2002 NSCA Systems Integration Expo,to be held on April 25-27 in Denver. Badges, class tickets and housingreservations for this year’s exhibit and conference can be found at www.nscaexpo.org.
Featuring more than 500 exhibits and over 400 hours ofindustry-leading education, the NSCA Expo will features issues andproducts that operate on a network, including audio, video, security,life safety, lighting control, telecommunications and others.
Three technology pavilions are new to the 2002 NSCA exhibit floor,the first featuring Tele/Data Technology, sponsored by PennWell,publishers of Cabling Installation and Cabling Contractormagazines and producers of Cabling Installation Expo. A Stage andLighting technology showcase will be sponsored by Primedia, publishersof Mix, Lighting Dimensions, Entertainment Design,S&VC, Video Systems and producers of LDI 2002. Ane-Buildings Technology Showcase will be sponsored by UEMedia’spublishing’s Systems Contractor News magazine. Highlighting theindustry’s newest trends, senior experts will deliver regularpresentations on the technologies and their applications.
Beginning April 23, and continuing through the last day of the expo,many new courses have been added. The programming is divided intobeginning, intermediate and advanced levels, and spread over ninedifferent tracks, including audio, connectivity, convergence, video,security, integrated systems applications, lighting control, businessand sales. Pre-expo education will be held on April 23-24, 8 a.m. to 5p.m., and expo education is April 25-27, 8 a.m. to noon.
Developing Technologies, Ucik Inc. Form New Company
Announced at Winter NAMM 2002, Developing Technologies Distributors(DTD) and Ucik Inc. have formed a new company that will distribute allcompany products under the plus24 banner, with offices on the U.S. Eastand West Coasts and Europe.
Jim Pace, DTD principle and co-founder of Audio Intervisual Design,commented: “The wide range of products and services offered by DTD andUcik are now available from plus24 in a merger that satisfies virtuallyevery need in today’s multi-tiered audio industry.”
DTD is known for introducing Sanken microphones in the U.S. to themusic, film, broadcast and theater markets; dB Technologies conversionsystems worldwide for high-end recording, mastering, multichannel andsurround; and Brainstorm Electronics time-code solutions and thesoon-to-be-released multimachine remote controller.
Ucik Inc. is known for quality European products, includingFriendchip digital systems for music and broadcast workstation/studios;MAM analog and MIDI gear for home, live and DJ projects; SEK’D softwareand converters for broadcast, project, recording and mastering studios;Sommer Cable for studio, broadcast and touring sound; and Swissonicconverters and clocking products for project, recording, surroundremixing and mastering.
For more, visit plus24 at www.plus24.net.
Euphonix Appoints Martin Kloiber To Executive VP
Euphonix (Palo Alto, Calif.) announced the appointment of MartinKloiber as the executive VP of technology. Kloiber was previously headof new-technology development at Euphonix and is a member of theEuphonix board of directors.
Kloiber has been working as an independent music producer andengineer since 1984 and held a stint at Austrian broadcaster ORF as anengineer from 1989 to 1991. He has also been involved in film scoring,sound design and dubbing with credits including Senseless,TheLightmaker and Pokemon–The First Movie. In 1992, Kloiberco-founded, designed and acted as studio manager and chief engineer forSoundproof Studios (Los Angeles).
Commenting on his appointment, Kloieber said: “I think it is veryimportant for product development to have connections to the real worldand that is my main goal, to provide a link between what we do indevelopment, the client and other companies that have complementarytechnology. I want to make sure that Euphonix spearheads digitaltechnology and develops innovative products that set the standard indigital audio.”
Euphonix also announced that Steven Vining resigned his position asa board director to devote his full attention to a senior position inthe music industry that is to be announced.
Also, Chris Pelzar has resigned to take the position of CEO forFairlight’s operations in North and South America. Pelzar had beenpresident of North American sales for the company.
For more, visit Euphonix online at www.euphonix.com.
Billy Joel To Be Named MusiCares Person of the Year
The 12th Annual Gala Tribute to benefit MusiCares’ FinancialAssistance Program will be held February 25 in Los Angeles, where BillyJoel will be honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year.
Tony Bennett, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, Garth Brooks, RichardJoo, Diana Krall, Rob Thomas, and numerous other artists andcelebrities to be announced will be on hand to help the festivitiesalong.
Joel was selected as a result of his accomplishments as a musicianand as a humanitarian. The Person Of The Year dinner features astar-studded concert of tribute performances by many of today’s biggestmusic stars. Among the highlights of the gala event is a prestigioussilent auction featuring collectibles such as music and sportsmemorabilia, artwork and luxury items. Proceeds provide essentialsupport for MusiCares’ Financial Assistance Program, which ensures thatmusic people have a place to turn to in times of financial, medical andpersonal need.
AES Standards Committee Proposes New Standard
The Audio Engineering Society Standards Committee (AESSC) haspublished a draft standard, AES47-xxxx, as a Call forComment. Draft AES47-xxxx specifies the use of AsynchronousTransfer Mode (ATM) as a means of providing digital audio transmissionacross digital networks with high performance with regard to bandwidth,latency, jitter and other relevant factors.
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) offers the capacity to carryuncompressed audio across local and wide-area networks with a verysmall and constant latency, and with a guaranteed quality of service.It uses point-to-point topology to avoid the time delays inherent inother forms of packet routing. Circuit set up, routing and switchingare managed in a similar way to ISDN, but calls are not restricted inbandwidth.
AES47-xxxx specifies a means to carry multiple channels of audio inlinear PCM or AES-3 format over an ATM layer service conforming toITU-T Rec.I.150. It includes a means to convey, between parties,information concerning the digital audio signal when setting up audiocalls across the ATM network. It does not specify the physicalinterface to the network.
The call for comment on DRAFT AES47-xxxx can be accessed at www.aes.org/standards/ by clicking on the link,”Drafts out for public comment.” If you would like to submit commentson DRAFT AES47-xxxx, please follow the formal procedures set out on theWeb page. The AES will review and consider all comments that aresubmitted by April 18, 2002. This document will be approved by the AESafter any adverse comment received has been resolved, and all commentswill be published on the Website. If you are unable to obtain thisdraft document from the Website, please contact standards manager MarkYonge at [email protected].
