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Mix News for August 2003

News August 4 - 15 (read news for August 18 - 29) MusicNow Launches Co-Branded Digital Music Channels FullAudio, developer of the MusicNow online music

News August 4 – 15

(readnews for August 18 – 29)

MusicNow Launches Co-Branded Digital Music Channels
FullAudio, developer of the MusicNow online music service,launched its co-branded digital music channels, which offerself-contained music showcases from top names in music. Kicking off theprogram are “The Blue Note Channel From MusicNow,” which alreadydebuted, and “The Soul of Quincy Jones,” which will be available laterthis year.

On “The Blue Note” channel, listeners will be able to stream,download (in high-quality Windows Media 9 Series format) and burn jazz,hard bop and other styles. Classic Blue Note recording artists includeArt Blakey, Dexter Gordon and Sonny Clark; contemporary Blue Noteartists include Kurt Elling, Norah Jones and Jason Moran. On “The Soulof Quincy Jones,” listeners can tap into Jones’ jazz and bossa novarecordings and the entire catalogs of artists who have worked withJones, including Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, ArethaFranklin, Paul Simon and Michael Jackson.

“Music is a form of expression, mirroring the freedom andexploration made possible by the Internet,” said Jones. “Online musicchannels like the ones on MusicNow will help artists reach a broadergroup of music enthusiasts and spur musical innovation.”

“This initiative with FullAudio is a brand-new online experienceshowcasing artists and music from a label known for innovation andartistic excellence,” said Jeff Zakin, new-media manager for Blue NoteRecords.

MusicNow offers 40 channels of music programming and content fromall five major labels, as well as independent labels Koch andSanctuary. For more, visit MusicNow at www.musicnow.com.

CEA: DVD-A, SACD Sales Up From Last Year
Current sales of DVD players capable of playing high-resolutionaudio formats have risen, compared to 2002, according to figuresreleased by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA).

“Historically, there is a similarity between the introduction ofhigh-res audio and that of the compact disc. Each product—CD,DVD, DVD-Audio and SACD—met the 250,000-units shipped mark by thethird year,” said Sean Wargo, senior industry analyst for the CEA. “Theaudio industry tends to cycle through periods of growth as each new andimproved technology is introduced: Witness the move from turntables totape to CDs and now to music DVDs.”

According to CEA market research, manufacturers shipped 148,000DVD-A and 100,000 SACD players to retailers through May of thisyear.

“If DVD-A and SACD players are going to truly mimic history, wecould see the majority of consumers enjoying high-res audio by the year2015, with an even more rapid acceptance of the new audio technologiesacross the next decade and really driving growth in the audio market,”added Wargo.

For more industry market research, visit CEA online at www.ce.org.

Mitch Bainwol to Head RIAA
The RIAA named GOP political veteran Mitch Bainwol as its chairmanand chief executive, beginning September 1, 2003.

Bainwol, who recently opened his own consulting firm, was brieflythe Chief of Staff to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and beforethat, he was the executive director of the National RepublicanSenatorial Committee, which raises money to get Senate Republicanselected. He also was Chief of Staff to former U.S. Sen. Connie Mack,R-Fla., for almost a decade.

Cary Sherman, president and general counsel of the RIAA, and memberof the search committee, said, “Mitch’s strong background andexperience will be a real asset to the RIAA. We welcome him to the RIAAand look forward to working with him on the important issues facing ourindustry at this crucial time.”

“Mitch brings to the RIAA the consummate insider’s understanding ofpolitical nuance in Washington,” said Roger Ames, chairman and chiefexecutive of Warner Music Group, in a statement. “I’m confident he hasthe ability to clearly communicate the issues and challenges the musicindustry faces and to partner effectively with the computer, consumerelectronics and music publishing businesses to help us address thoseissues in all appropriate forums.”

Stated Bainwol, “I’m delighted to take on this role. It is an honorto be associated with such a talented and creative group. I amespecially pleased to be working in partnership with Cary Sherman, andlook forward to tapping into his expertise about the music business.What could be more rewarding than helping to promote two great Americantraditions: music and property rights?”

For more, visit the RIAA online at www.riaa.com.

Furman Sound Introduces New Pro Plugs
Furman Sound’s new Pro Plugs product line consists of ruggedlydesigned and constructed power-surge strips and blocks and extensioncords.

Pro Plugs feature EMI/RFI filtering to eliminate distortion and humfor external devices and higher Joules ratings for greater protectionand longer life. Circuit breakers protect against overloads, andlighted on/off switches make the Pro Plugs power-surge strips andblocks easy to find on dark stages and in recording studios.Additionally, Pro Plugs feature extended-length power cords for greaterflexibility and the product colors; all Furman Sound Pro Plugs areUL/CUL approved.

The complete Pro Plugs product line consists of four models, eachwith extended-length cords, and three, four (quad box) or six outletsper device, all encased in rugged metal or plastic housings. The fifthPro Plugs power-surge strip/block is a three-outlet Laptop Travel SurgeTap with retractable phone cable.

U.S. list prices range from $20 to $49 per device. Also available isa 25-foot 16AWGx3C heavy-duty power cord with a three-prong groundedmale wall plug and three females outlets, at $15 U.S. list.

For more, visit www.furmansound.com.

Edirol Announces New Keyboards
Edirol announced a new addition to its line of PCR keyboards: Thenew PCR-80 (SRP: $395) offers all of the features common to the PCR-30and the PCR-50, but offers 61 full-size, velocity-sensitive keys. Likethe smaller PCR keyboards, the PCR-80 can be powered over USB andoffers 27 assignable controls that can control any MIDI message.

This keyboard offers 16 onboard memory locations to store differentcontrol arrangements and comes with a software editor (Mac/PC) tocreating custom control maps. Other features include: 34 controls ofvarious types (knobs, sliders, buttons, wheel) of which 27 are fullyassignable; eight rotary knobs, eight sliders, nine buttons and twopedal inputs; high-quality key action and velocity sensitivity;multi-MIDI functions through note keys; MIDI interface (In/Out) and USBinterface; USB bus powered; V-Link enabled; memory presets for Cubase,Digital Performer, Pro Tools LE, Sonar and more; and general MIDI 2 andblank cut-out template to overlay over controls. PCR-80 also offersV-Link, a new feature from Edirol and Roland that provides forreal-time performance control over digital video and allows the user totrigger clips, perform video effects and transitions in real-time whenconnected with the Edirol DV-7PR (sold separately).

Also new from Edirol in keyboard world, the new PCR-A30 (SRP: $39)is a USB bus-powered MIDI keyboard and audio interface that takes offon the PCR-30 USB MIDI keyboard, but adds: 2×1/4-inch phone input;stereo RCA output; 1/4-inch TRS headphone out; direct monitoring;optical S/PDIF out; 24-bit/96kHz; built-in monitor speakers; and ASIOand WDM support.

Visit www.edirol.com for more information.

Stephen Krause Uses Eventide Gear on New Movie
Eventide’s Eclipse signal processor was recently used by filmmusic recording mixer Stephen Krause (Basic,Clockstoppers, Moonlight Mile) for the film score forCold Creek Manor, the new Mike Figgis film to be released in thefall of 2003. Krause was recording in Capitol Studios in Los Angelesand mixed in his own studio, Banana Hill.

“The Eclipse is wonderful,” Krause revealed. “The quality of thesound is significantly better than the H3000. The delays and pitchchange are smooth and natural. My favorite program so far is’delays+Verb.’ I have been using this on acoustic instruments thatneeded to be very ambient: strings, voice and harp. The harp especiallyturned out well.” Krause also used the new Clockworks Legacy plug-insfor the Pro Tools TDM system. “I am mainly using the H949. I generallyjust use modulating delay plugs to pull things into the surrounds,”said Krause. “I have replaced them with dual H949s assigned to the rearsurrounds with random pitch change and slightly different delays to thetwo sides. The harmonizing in the 949s adds a lot more depth andcharacter to the effect than what I was previously able toachieve.”

For Krause, this was the first orchestral film he recorded that wasdone without analog tape or a SCSI drive. “It was all FireWire,” Krausesaid, “recorded right through Apogee converters to Pro Tools|HD and outto analog EQ if I needed it. And it was mixed in Pro Tools where I usedthe H949 plug-in.”

For more, visit Eventide online at www.eventide.com.

Nathaniel Kunkel Records Sting
Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, Stephen Jarvis AudioConsulting supplied a large amount of GML devices to engineer NathanielKunkel of Studio Without Walls for one of his recent remotes: Tocoincide with his first studio album in four years, entitled SacredLove, Sting filmed a performance at the historic Mayan Theater indowntown L.A. that will be released as a limited-edition DVD-V packagepromoting the CD, scheduled in stores September 23, 2003.

“I recorded everything onstage through 36 channels of GML mic pre,”said Kunkel. “The three main vocals—Sting, Joy and Mary J.Blige—were recorded entirely through GML 2020s. I powered all of[the equipment] with Jarvis’ GML HRT console power supplies, which iswhat allows me to go into that situation and not have to deal with awhole bunch of those little external power supplies everywhere. It’skey: I can’t imagine having to do that kind of load-in and load-out andget that kind of reliability without a large supply system.” Kunkel ismixing the performance audio for the DVD release in 5.1 at Sting’sMalibu home using his portable system. GML processing is typicallyfeatured in all of his mixes, said Kunkel. “I use the same 2020s that Iused tracking for my vocal inserts in Pro Tools when I mix. I mix on aSony DMX-R100, so I like to take care of all of my inserts in ProTools, then at the end of the mix, I can easily print what that insertwas. It almost always is a GML 2020.”

According to Jarvis, “Kunkel acquired much of the same taste thatGeorge [Massenburg] imparted to him, with regard to quality of soundand technical excellence. Nathaniel has built an unbelievably flexiblesystem here. It has been moving around a lot, and the results have beensonically stunning. He is using the best gear and the infrastructure issolid as a rock; better than most studios, to be honest. I anticipatewe will be seeing a lot of projects allocating their budgets this wayin the future. It just makes too much sense not to.”

For more info on the gear, visit www.georgemassenburg.com.

Ableton Releases Live 2.1
Ableton has released Live 2.1, a free update to the sequencinginstrument. Live 2.1 brings full ReWire support to Windows, Mac OS 9/OSX. The software update is now available as a free download forregistered Live 2 users from www.ableton.com.

New features include: seamless integration with Pro Tools, Logic,Cubase, Nuendo, Digital Performer and Reason; multichannel audio inputand output support for the entire range of Digidesign’s audio hardwarevia Direct I/O; on the Macintosh, Live 2.1 supports samples in SoundDesigner II format; under OS X, Live’s user interface has beenoptimized for better performance; and a PDF version of the updated LiveOwner’s Manual in English, French and German is included with thesoftware.

Audio-Technica Honors Leading Reps
Audio-Technica’s annual awards dinner and ceremony was held atthis year’s Summer NAMM Show. Sales, Signal Marketing was named thecompany’s Rep of the Year. Additionally, United Sales Associatesreceived Audio-Technica President’s Award for outstanding commitmentand dedication.

Steve Trump and Ron Mileur, principals of Signal Marketing (SaltLake City), accepted the award for Professional Products Rep of theYear; Signal Marketing covers the sales territory encompassing theRocky Mountain region.

High Pont, N.C.-based United Sales Associates’ principals, Ed Riderand Wendel Hartman, were presented with the Audio-Technica President’sAward for showing outstanding commitment and dedication in theirterritory; the company is responsible for the Southeast region andFlorida.

Commenting on the awards presentation, A-T VP of sales Marc LeeShannon said, “Signal Marketing addressed the changes in theirterritory, realigned resources internally and through awell-implemented plan, pioneered new Audio-Technica products in themarketplace. United Sales Associates made an enormous contribution tothe bottom line, and in fact contributed the strongest profit dollarsof any rep firm in 2003.”

Gamble Brothers Win Disc Makers IMWS
The Gamble Brothers Band won the Disc Makers Independent MusicWorld Series (IMWS) Southeast finals held in Nashville. As thegrand-prize winner, the Gamble Brothers took home over $35,000 inprizes, including recording gear, instruments, CD manufacturingservices, DJ equipment and more.

“This is awesome,” said Al Gamble. “Everyone played great tonight,and we are truly honored to be selected from such a talented group ofmusicians. We cannot thank Disc Makers enough for this amazingopportunity.”

The Gamble Brothers Band were one of six finalists competing beforea panel of 12 judges, including representatives from Capitol Records,ASCAP, Billboard magazine, Shure Microphones, Dual Tone Records,Americana Entertainment, 102.9 The Buzz and The NashvilleScene.Over 1,200 unsigned bands and independent artists submittedentries for the Southeast region of the IMWS.The other finalistsincluded Chef Chris and His Nairobi Trio (Sarasota, Fla.), Dean Fields(Nashville), Jag Star (Knoxville, Tenn.), the Smartest Monkeys(Nashville) and Wisedumb (Atlanta).

“Disc Makers is all about helping indie artists succeed, and theIMWS is just one of the great things we do to help these artists get tothe next level,” said Tony van Veen, VP of sales and marketing at DiscMakers.

For more information on the Independent Music World Series, visit www.discmakers.com/imws. For more on the GambleBrothers, visit www.gamblebrothersband.com.

Underdog Entertainment to Install SSL Board in New Facility
Underdog Entertainment (L.A.) is set to launch its new recordingfacility with the installation of a Solid State Logic C200 DigitalConsole. The facility is a re-model of the original Tracken Place, withthe C200 housed in the main recording and mix room.

Harvey Mason Jr., who is one-half of the Underdog production team,said, “We have been working together for the past three years and inthis new space for about six months to bring it up to speed with ourvision for the future. We really got hooked on SSL’s digital consolepower with the MT and we are expecting the new C200 to arrive thismonth.”

The client list for Underdog Entertainment includes Britney Spears,Justin Timberlake, Toni Braxton, Luther Vandross, Michael Jackson, theAmerican Idol kids, Faith Evans, Tyrese and Brian McKnight, toname a few.

“We needed a console that would address the 96k bandwidth of the ProTools|HD system and that console is the C200,” said Dave Russell,engineer/mixer for Underdog Entertainment. “We not only need the higherresolution, but, because we are always working on multiple projects ata time, we needed a console with a complete recall/automation system.We basically needed to upgrade from our existing MT for the mainstudio.”

“We really like that the C200 retains the look and feel of atraditional console,” added Mason. “We like that the console gives usthis incredible power in a compact design so the console isn’tstretched across the entire building.”

“The C200 was designed with this type of music studio in mind,” saidPhil Wagner, senior VP at Solid State Logic. “We’re pleased thatUnderdog Entertainment has chosen the C200. This installation is thefirst in a series for U.S. music production facilities.”

For more on the console, visit www.solid-state-logic.com.

Joe Jorgensen, 1937-2003
On Wednesday, July 23, 2003, the recording industry lost JoeJorgensen, one of its finest engineers.

Born in Gentofte, Denmark, Jorgensen immigrated to Bay Ridge,Brooklyn, with his family in 1951, bringing with him a zest for musicand a talent for technology. During his late teens, he landed his firstjob editing programs at New York’s WOR Radio in 1957. In 1960, he metlegendary engineer/producer Phil Ramone and joined A&R RecordingStudios as one of that studio’s first staff engineers.

Working with many of the industry’s finest composers, arrangers,musicians and artists, Jorgensen developed a recording style thatattracted many clients. In 1966, Jorgensen met Mediasound founder HarryHirsch and joined his staff, recording albums for Frank Sinatra,Englebert Humperdinck and many other major artists including MaynardFerguson’s Gold LP, Conquistador. The celebrated studio became amagnet for young engineers like Michael DeLugg and BobClearmountain.

One of the first engineers to go independent, in 1977, Jorgensenbegan an exclusive relationship with Bob James’ Tappan Zee label. Forover 14 years, this partnership produced an impressive roster of topjazz and rock albums, including Kenny Loggins’ platinumNightwatch and such Gold One on One and Bob James &David Sanborn’s Grammy-winning Gold Double Vision LP.

In 1989, Jorgensen began a new stage of his career with theformation of Soundshine Inc., a company that specialized in the designand installation of innovative professional audio systems for themeparks, houses of worship, schools and commercial facilities.

Jorgensen is survived by his wife of 37 years, Gunvor “Kiki”Jorgensen, his son Mikael, a recording engineer with SomaStudios inChicago, and his daughter Dania.

Richard Marx Produces Emerson Drive
Richard Marx has just finished producing for the country bandEmerson Drive, including the single, “Fall Into Me,” with engineerDavide Cole.

All of the vocals, guitars and keyboards for the new album (whichwill be released later this year) were tracked at Renegade Studios, a5,000-foot facility that Marx built several years ago on his 5.5-acreChicago lakeside property. Marx relied on a Mackie HUI, which he usesas a front end to his Pro Tools|HD system.

Emerson Drive’s Danik Dupelle plays guitar and sings high harmonies.Tracking his vocals at Renegade Studios was a bit of a challenge,according to Marx. “Danik, like all of the guys in the band, is aphenomenal musician. He’s also a very good singer, but he’s got a verybright voice that tends to sound a little brittle. We’ve got to be verycareful with the signal path when we track his parts. We experimentedwith Avalon and Manley before deciding to bring him into Pro Tools withthe Daking mic pre. I’m not sure I can give you a precise explanationas to why, but the Daking just gave us a warmer sound than the otherswe played around with. As a producer, you’re using your ears to answerquestions most of the time: Why choose that amp head or one plug-inreverb instead of another? At any given moment, you go with what soundsbest.”

While producing other bands, Marx is also working on his own work;in fact, Marx said that he is about 80% done on his new solo album.”I’m really excited about this project, for several reasons. For onething, it reunites me with Bruce Lundvall, who signed me to my firstdeal. Bruce is the president of EMI and Blue Note, and the new recordwill be released on EMI. I’d describe the style as being somewherebetween Coldplay and Avril Lavigne. It’s edgier than my last severalalbums. I tend to write in a style that reflects whatever’s on my CDplayer at that time. I love Coldplay, and the sounds on Avril’s recordare fantastic. Of course, all of the melodies are mine, and hopefully,there’s a constant in what I bring to my performances that my fans willwant to share.”

Mackie, Emagic to Combine Control Surfaces
Mackie Designs and Emagic Software and Hardware GmbH announced anagreement to merge their audio control surface technologies. Under theterms of this agreement, future Mackie-engineered control surfaces willinclude the combined functionality of both Logic Control and MackieControl, as well as Mackie’s HUI protocol.

Beginning this month, Mackie and Emagic will also release an upgradethat will allow both Mackie Control and Logic Control owners to takefull advantage of the combined functionality.

“Logic users represent one of the largest, most affluent creativecommunities in audio recording,” commented Chris Adam, managingdirector of Emagic GmbH. “By merging the Mackie and Emagic controlsurface technologies, we will be providing current and future Emagiccustomers with the most versatile and powerful control surface platformin the world. It’s a logical evolution and fantastic opportunity forour customers.”

“The Mackie Control/Logic Control platform has become one of themost widely used dedicated control surface platforms to date: nearly8,000 combined users worldwide,” commented Jamie Engen, president andCEO at Mackie Designs. “This sharing of technology means that users onboth sides will benefit from a truly universal platform that supportsall major DAWs.”

For more, visit Mackie online at www.mackie.com or visit Emagic at www.emagic.de.

AKG Introduces TriPower Series
AKG Acoustics’ new TriPower Series microphones offers a choice ofeither wired or wireless operation with the same microphone.

The D 3700M and D 3800M uses AKG’s patented Varimotion System, whichallows the transducer’s response to be fine-tuned as the diaphragm ismolded. The top-of-the-line C 5900M has excellent articulation, butwithout the “reach” that can cause audio problems on live stages. Thespring steel-wire mesh cap with integrated foam screen provides ruggeddurability and reliable control of wind noise, and the mechanicalsystem is very strong and can handle lots of abuse. They also have anew look and feel with ergonomic triangular handles.

The D 3700M is a dynamic cardioid and the D 3800M is a dynamicsupercardioid for use on loud stages and adds a humbucking coil forfreedom from electrical interference; the C 5900M is a condensersupercardioid with the clarity of a condenser and features alow-frequency roll-off and -6dB pads. All TriPower models are shippedin a metal hard-shell road case and come with the new SA 61 unbreakablestand clamp.

An option for the new TriPower Line is the AKG TM 40 UHF plug-intransmitter. The TM 40 connects quickly and easily to the D 3700M, D3800M and C 5900M, allowing each microphone to be switched from wiredto wireless. The TM 40 is compatible with AKG’s WMS40 UHFreceivers.

The list price of the AKG D 3700M is $195; the same model with aswitch is $210. The list price of the AKG D 3800M is $252; the switchedversion is $266. The AKG C 5900M has a list price of $398. All TriPowermodels come with a two-year parts-and-labor warranty from AKG.

For more, visit AKG online at www.akgusa.com.

M-Audio Ships Transit USB
M-Audio has begun shipping the new Transit USB, a high-resolutionmobile audio upgrade. Transit USB brings 24-bit/96kHz recording andplayback to any USB-compatible computer. USB bus-powered design allowsusers to play and record virtually anywhere a laptop can go.

Transit USB’s 1/8-inch stereo analog/optical digital input andTOSlink optical digital output allow for a variety of convenientfunctions, including recording from stereo mics and transferring audiobetween the computer and other digital devices such as MiniDisc andDAT. The digital output also provides AC3 and DTS passthrough from thecomputer to an external decoder such as a surround receiver. A 1/8-inchstereo output accommodates line-levels for a stereo receiver or poweredmonitors, as well as stereo headphones for mobile use. The package alsoincludes drivers for Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP, Mac OS 9 and OS X, aswell as a convenient male-3.5mm-to-female TOSlink adapter.

Transit USB is now shipping at an MSRP of $129.95. For more, visitwww.m-audio.com.

Inter-M Announces New Amplifiers
Capable of accepting up to five inputs, the new A-120 (shown) andA-60 amplifiers from Inter-M Americas are designed for use in P.A.systems, are rated at 60 and 120 watts, respectively, and are operableat various output levels ranging from four ohms on up to 100V.

Both amplifiers offer three mic inputs and a pair of aux inputs.With the first mic channel given priority to override all other input,all microphone inputs feature high sensitivity (-60 dB) and balanced,600-ohm impedance. Conversely, the aux inputs are unbalanced and post asensitivity rated at -10 dB/10k ohms. Also featured, both bass andtreble tone controls are provided on the front panel of both models.Now shipping, the A-120 has a SRP of $390, while the A-60 lists for$342.

For more, visit www.inter-m.net.

Pro Tools 6.1 Now Shipping
Digidesign’s Pro Tools 6.1 software is now shipping and adds thesenew features:

Along with a new look for the Mix, Edit and Transport windows, ProTools 6.1 software brings to XP the DigiBase file-management utility,enhanced MIDI functionality (including high-resolution groovetemplates), additional Beat Detective features, new import sessionoptions, plug-in functionality enhancements, MachineControl optionadditions, a host of new enhancements to Pro Tools LE and muchmore.

Pro Tools 6.1 adds AVoption|XL support for record and playback ofall Avid JFIF video resolutions from 35:1 up to 1:1 uncompressed onWindows XP- and Mac OS X-based Pro Tools|HD systems and Mac OS X-basedPro Tools|24 MIX systems. Users can exchange video projects with Avidworkstations via Advanced Authoring Format (AAF). In addition, OMFvideo metadata is now displayed within the DigiBase browsers. The newDV Toolkit ($795) for Pro Tools is an optional cross-platform bundlethat adds desktop post-production functionality to a user’s Pro ToolsLE system. Features include time code for Pro Tools LE, DigiTranslator2.0 option for full AAF/OMF import/export, Digidesign’s AudioSuite DINRnoise reduction plug-in and Synchro Arts VocALign Project for dialogreplacement.

Lastly, Pro Tools 6.1 now supports Propellerhead Software’s ReWiretechnology. Interfacing via an RTAS plug-in for both TDM- and LE-basedPro Tools systems, ReWire provides real-time audio and MIDI streamingbetween applications supporting ReWire, with sample-accuratesynchronization and common transport functionality.

For system requirements, visit www.digidesign.com.

Manhattan Center Studios Scores with Elliot Goldenthal
Oscar-winning composer Elliot Goldenthal recently used ManhattanCenter’s Grand Ballroom to record the score for the upcoming SonyPictures film, S.W.A.T., with a 92-piece orchestra.

Goldenthal and music producer Teese Gohl worked with a team of about20 people, including seven Manhattan Center Studios’ engineers andassistants.

The entire scoring process from pre-recording to mixing covered aspan of 22 days and occupied two studios. For five days, engineer JoelIwataki recorded the orchestra using two Pro Tools|HD systems in Studio7, while Stephen McLaughlin created the 5.1 mix in Studio 4.

“It was good to have film scoring back in New York and at theManhattan Center,” said studio sales manager Richie Clarke.

For more information, visit www.mcstudios.com.

Edirol Now Shipping UA-1000
Now shipping, Edirol’s UA-1000 is a multi-port, high-speed USB(USB 2.0) audio recording interface that delivers audio through 10separate channels on a wide variety of connections, offeringhigh-quality microphone preamps using premium analog components,including XLR/TRS combo jacks, hi-Z guitar, S/PDIF, 8-channel ADAT,MIDI and inserts for effect send/return.

The high-speed USB 2.0 supports 480Mbps transfer speed, allowing theUA-1000 to offer 10 In/10 Out, 24bit/96Khz full-duplex performance viahassle-free USB connection. Other features include 4x front-mountedXLR/TRS combo jacks with phantom power; ASIO 2.0 and WDM drivers; zerolatency direct monitoring; and comes in a blue 1U metal rackmountcase.

Visit www.edirol.com for more information.

Alpha-Core Offers Expanded Flat Magnet Wire Program
Alpha-Core Inc. (Bridgeport, Conn.) extends its Flat Magnet Wirerange to include wire sizes from 30 AWG to 9 AWG (0.25 mm to 3.0mm).

The Flat Magnet Wire program comes in five standard ratios ofthickness to width: 1:2, 1:2.5, 1:3, 1:3.5 and 1:4. All sizes areavailable on two spool sizes, 10-pound spools that measure 6×4 inchesheight or 20-pound spools that measure 6×8 inches; 20AWG and heavierwire gauges are also supplied on 80-pound spools with dimensions 12x8inches.

Along with extending the range of wire sizes, the new FLEX SYSTEMallows customers to select the required cross sectional area in squaremm or square mils, or in terms of wire resistance—ohms/1,000 feetor ohms/kilometer—plus the desired target width or thickness. TheFLEX SYSTEM is offered at no additional cost.

The wire is produced from standard round pre-insulated magnet wirethat is flattened using special equipment developed in-house withpatents pending for the process. The process involves a single-stepdeformation of the round wire between mirror polished work surfaces.Because of only negligible stretching of the wire, the cross-sectionalarea is the same before and after the process. Therefore, theinsulation is stressed only in one direction, and the resistance andwire gauge remain largely unchanged. Two types of insulation of thewire are available from stock.

For more information, visit www.alphacore.com.

AKG Introduces New Studio Headphones
AKG Acoustics’ new K 171 and K 271studio headphones incorporate thecompany’s Varimotion XXL transducers to deliver pristine sonicdefinition, wide frequency response and lifelike dynamics; the K 171and K 271 recently began shipping.

Pictured, the K 171 Studio ($199 list) combines the acousticisolation of a closed-back design with the lightweight and comfort ofsupra-aural headphones. It has a frequency range of 18 to 26,000 Hz andweighs only 7.1 ounces without a cable. The K 171 Studio has adetachable 10-foot input cable with a screw-on gold-plated mini to1/4-inch jack. Its low impedance and high sensitivity provides 10 to 12dB more output than the “classic” AKG 141 Monitor.

The K 271 Studio ($249 list) combines the benefits of AKG’scircumaural “around-the-ear” design for extreme comfort with aclosed-back design for maximum isolation from ambient noise. Theaddition of a switch in the headband mutes audio as soon as theheadphones are taken off. The K 271 Studio has a frequency range of 16to 28,000 Hz and weighs 8.5 ounces without a cable. Its detachablecable is 10 feet in length, and the screw-on adapter has a gold-platedmini to 1/4-inch jack.

Both models feature advanced ergonomic design, AKG’s patented gimbalear cup suspension and leatherette headbands to conform to the size andshape of the user’s head.

For more, visit www.akgusa.com.

M-Audio Acquires Evolution Electronics
M-Audio has acquired Evolution Electronics Ltd., a UK-basedmanufacturer of USB MIDI keyboards and controllers; the acquisitionincludes all Evolution products, software and intellectual propertyrights, along with all other assets and liabilities of the company inexchange for an undisclosed sum.

According to Tim Ryan, CEO of M-Audio, “We are very excited aboutbringing M-Audio and Evolution capabilities together. It is clear to usthat this joining of forces will make a sum greater than theparts.”

“We’re honored to join the M-Audio family,” said Evolution founderRichard Watts, “and are looking forward to extending our reach andvision to a new level.” Watts, who built the company during the past 20years, will continue to be involved within the enlarged group. NielsLarsen is now acting as general manager of Evolution.

For more, visit M-Audio at www.m-audio.com.

Metallica’s Latest Album Used SNS A/V SAN
Metallica’s digital audio engineer Mike Gillies, who has beenusing the A/V SAN for about three years, described what he believes tobe “a first” in the recording process: “For the St. Anger[Metallica’s latest album] sessions, not one bandmember showed up tothe studio with a single riff or lyric written. They would jam out forhours, sometimes for eight- to nine-hour sessions, and anytime anyonehad an instrument in their hands, I recorded it. Then we went throughand found the little bits that we liked, looped them and that’s how thesongs were written. This just isn’t the way records are made, and thereis no way this could be done before the Fibre Channel technology of theA/V SAN.”

The A/V SAN system uses the Fibre Channel communications protocol toachieve extremely high transfer rates and is capable of eliminatingalmost all hard drive and I/O-related PCI bus errors.

“This will give an idea of how much data we’re talking about,”Gillies continued. “Just the cross-fades alone on some sessions were 12to 13 Gigabytes, and all told, we totaled over 2.5 Terabytes and morethan 1 million files. I never lost a single bit of data, no drive everwent down and I never had one DAE error. We even found the finite endof Pro Tools, which stopped at about 13 hours on a 44.1kHz, 24-bitsession. One of the most powerful pieces of recording software quitbefore the A/V SAN.”

Gillies, who has been working with Metallica since their 1996 albumLoad, not only ended up with songs that had an incredible amountof edits across every track, but he also accrued every bit of a year’sworth of recording, all sitting on the same edit template as the finalmix. The A/V SAN is currently out on the band’s Summer Sanitarium tour.”I find that most pieces of gear that are so high-tech and efficienttend to be a bit finicky and delicate,” Gillies continued. “But not theSNS drive, and I have really abused it. The A/V SAN is out in thesummer heat, right next to flashpots and other pyrotechnics on top of ashaky, rattling stage. Combine that with dust, smoke and the rigors oftraveling from city to city, and I’m really astounded that I’ve neverhad so much as a hiccup out of it.”

According to Gillies, the unit is out on tour so that he couldquickly turn over live tracks to radio stations that wanted cuts fromthe festival shows. As opposed to renting several expensive 8-tracktape machines that require synching and archiving large amounts oftape, Gillies could run 48 tracks directly into the A/V SAN, where hecan quickly recall a given song and prepare it for radio airplay.

“This had to be 100 percent reliable,” he continued. “You simplycan’t have a hard drive drop in a live recording situation. You can’thave the band play anything again live, so your system has to be ableto handle long, 48-track programs, which I knew the A/V SAN could.”

For more, visit www.studionetworksolutions.com.

Howard P. House, 1908-2003
Howard Payne House, M.D., founder of the House Ear Institute (HEI)and pioneering ear specialist, died from heart failure at St. VincentMedical Center; he was 95 years old. House established HEI in 1946 as aresearch facility dedicated to the advancement of hearing research andpracticed otology at the House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles. During his64-year medical career, House treated thousands of patients, includingsome of Hollywood’s brightest stars including Howard Hughes, Bob andDolores Hope, Nanette Fabray, Phyllis Diller, Florence Henderson andformer President Ronald Reagan.

“It is an overwhelming loss for many who found in him a mentor toguide them in their clinical and applied research,” said James D.Boswell, CEO of the House Ear Institute. “By establishing aninternational ear research and education center, Howard providedthousands of ear specialists around the world with the opportunity toattend unique surgical courses and benefit from the Institute’sresearch achievements.”

“Dr. Howard House is an outstanding example of what has made Americagreat,” read a tribute written by former President Ronald Reagan. “Ourcountry is so full of wonderful men and women who, like him, throughdiligent effort and creative drive, have made a tremendous differencein our world and brought to pass amazing scientific discoveries thathave helped countless people everywhere.”

A graduate of University of Southern California Medical School,House perfected the wire loop technique to replace the stapes bone ofthe middle ear and developed procedures to reconstruct middle earparts. Under his leadership, HEI was the first to adapt movie camerasand accessories for use with a surgical microscope to createprofessional, medical training films. In 1947, he was appointedchairman of the Subcommittee on Noise and directed the national studyon industrial noise that set the Occupational Safety and HealthAdministration (OSHA) hearing-conservation standards in use today.House was head of the Department of Otolaryngology at University ofSouthern California School of Medicine from 1952 to 1961 and served onthe faculty as clinical professor of otology.

House is survived by his sons, Kenneth M. House, M.D.; John W.House, M.D.; daughter Carolyn Helmuth; brothers William F. House, M.D.(pioneer of neurotology and the cochlear implant) and James House,D.D.S.; and nine grandchildren. A memorial service for House isplanned, but no details are available at this time. Memorials may bemade to further the research and education that was House’s work.Contributions can be made to the Howard P. House, M.D., Endowment Fundat the House Ear Institute, Development Office, 2100 West Third St.,Fifth Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90057-1922.

For more, visit www.hei.org.

Chase Productions Remasters Roy Orbison
To present Roy Orbison’s vintage performances in 5.1 multichannelstereo, Cass Paley, producer/project coordinator for Barbara OrbisonProductions, selected Burbank-based Chace Productions to create the newDVD release, Roy Orbison’Greatest Hits. Chace is well known forits feature film sound restoration work and its proprietary, ChaceDigital Stereo (CDS) process, which converts mono or stereo into 5.1 or6.1 multichannel sound.

“Time was a critical factor for the Orbison project because wedidn’t have a lot of it,” recalls Paley. “But from the start, bothBarbara and I were determined to present fans of Roy’s music with anintimate experience that also maximized the capabilities ofmultichannel stereo and the DVD format. The restoration, remasteringand mixing capabilities of Chace Productions, combined with thededication of its staff to meet the deadline, gave me completeconfidence. Once the project began, the meticulous attention to detailand philosophy of staying true to the original artistic vision ofOrbison’s music became quickly apparent.”

While the DVD features some of Orbison’s earliest broadcast and liveperformances, the anthology boasts superb 5.1 mixes from the recentlyreleased Austin City Limits and Black and White NightsDVDs, which were engineered by Elliot Scheiner. The premium fidelity ofthese tracks posed a serious challenge to the Chacerestoration/remastering team. During the initial selection and audioevaluation phase of the project, Chace senior restoration engineerJames Young helped establish the sonic road map and restorationaesthetic. According to Young, “The sources for this project variedwidely in format: from mono to 5.1, in concert location and in time,spanning several decades of recording technology. Each performance isunique in the combination of musicians, the style of the mix andoverall fidelity. The goal for this DVD presentation was to retain thecharm of the original performances and enhance the sonic presentationfor a contemporary listening experience.”

Paley had the challenging task of determining which broadcasts toexcerpt. Consideration had to be given to both the visual content andthe underlying audio. One-inch C videotapes from live appearancesrecorded in Sweden, Australia and the U.S. were auditioned. In severalinstances, multiple versions of a song were selected for initialrestoration work to determine what would be included in the final mix.Chace restoration/mastering engineer Noa Lazerus used Cube-Tec’s AudioCube 5 (AC-5) to perform the meticulous restoration. According toLazerus, “The version of ‘Blue Bayou’ that was selected was from aconcert in Australia that was almost unusable because of amultiharmonic amplifier hum that changed frequency as Roy moved aroundthe stage. At some points, this hum was actually as loud as Orbison’sband. I was able to conform the Audio Cube’s de-buzz processors andrepair filters to remove nearly all of the hum though remnants that canstill be heard in the quiet sections.”

While the restoration/remastering work was in progress for themusic, CDS programmer David Hunter was busy designing the 5.1 sounddesign for the mono and stereo sources. Because discrete stems were notavailable for the vintage material, Hunter designed CDS cues to unlockthe inherent reflections that are recorded into mono tracks. The resultis a 5.1 CDS presentation that captures a wide variety of performanceenvironments and puts the viewer at the concerts.

The final element for the DVD was an edited interview with RoyOrbison, recorded on location. Chace restoration engineer BlakeTeuscher processed these sections using NoNoise to reduce noisybackgrounds and extraneous sounds. The final mix was performed by Chacemixer Greg Faust, Lazerus and Hunter in Chace’s THX pm3-certified Mix1.

For more, visit www.chace.com.

Videosonics Installs Third Neve DFC
London-based film and post-production facility Videosonics hasinstalled its third DFC console, bringing the all-AMS Neve-equippedfacility to a total of 20 systems made up of a combination of AMS Nevedigital mixing consoles and AudioFile SC hard disk editors.

With more than 17 years of relying on AMS Neve equipment, managingdirector Dennis Weinrich, commented, “As the leading film mixingconsole in the world, the DFC is the perfect tool for supporting ourmission to provide our clients with the very best. This is our thirdDFC and it is still the best mixing platform there is. The DFC reallyis the film standard that everyone seeks to emulate; the DFC featuresare unbeatable. Now and again, our mixers get sent off to mix on otherconsoles, but when they do, they can’t wait to get back to the DFCs atVideosonics.

“The features on the DFC guarantee endless new creativeopportunities for our engineers and therefore our clients,” hecontinued. “And by using the film mixing standard, we are assuredautomation compatibility with international film facilities, opening uppossibilities for sharing work with facilities all over the world.”

After the installation, the DFC was up-and-running, completing theinternational versions of the French/American production DeadlineBeirut. Following this, Videosonics will resume mixing Foyle’sWar, which was originally started on a Logic 2 and will now betransferred to the DFC.

For more, visit www.ams-neve.com.

Fits & Starts to Begin Fifth Season of SurroundSeminars
Fits & Starts Productions has announced the start of its fifthseason of nationwide audio seminars, with six regional tours visiting atotal of 36 cities. Starting this September, the seminars willdemonstrate multichannel surround audio techniques and equipment.

Once again featuring Mike Sokol, this new tour series will provideall levels of audio personnel a chance to dig into multichannelsurround audio, especially the encoding processes of DTS and SRS CircleSurround.

Stay tuned to www.ModernRecording.com/seminars/index.shtml formore info on locations, dates and times.

Studio Owner Expands Into Restaurant, Bar Business
Tiny Lights Recording Studio owner Michael Momm, a producer,composer, remixer and DJ who lists MTV Networks, Motown Records and HBOPictures among his clients, is diversifying into the restaurant and barbusiness. Momm’s Loreley Restaurant, Rheinkeller Lounge and outdoorBiergarten (beer garden) in lower Manhattan is planned to open duringOktoberfest on Saturday, October 4, 2003, one week prior to the 115thAES Convention in New York.

The Loreley Restaurant and Rheinkeller Lounge is located at 7Rivington St., off Bowery between E. Houston and Delancey Street, justeast of SoHo and Little Italy.

Momm established his Tiny Lights multiroom studio operation inHollywood in 1991, relocating to the SoHo area of Manhattan andconstructing an all-digital facility in 1996. Specializing in scoringfor film and TV, composition, record production, remixing and editing,Momm’s major-label clients include Interscope, Epic, Capitol,MCA-Universal and Atlantic. Operating under the name Foosh, he is alsoan established DJ with an extensive entertainment industry client list,including Suzanne Vega, Bette Midler, Laurence Fishburne and wife GinaTorres, and choreographer Jane Comfort and Company.

Find out more about the Loreley Restaurant/Rheinkeller Lounge at www.biergartenamerica.com. Visit Tiny Lights Inc.online at www.tinylights.com.

AES L.A. Section Next Meet to Focus on All-Digital Consoles
The AES L.A. Section’s August 26 meeting will focus on the genesisand evolution of the heart of the all-digital assignable consoles: thedigital processing core that runs the application-specific algorithmsand control software to provide the myriad mixing, processing andsignal-manipulation functions that define a full-feature recording,broadcast or post-production mixer.

Martin Kloiber, VP of technology at Euphonix, will provide atechnical overview of the key parameters involved in digital consoledesigns, and determine the key operational functions that we can expectfrom large-format offerings. Co-presenter Conrad Cooke, Euphonix DSParchitect, will provide an in-depth overview of the technical nature ofSHARC DSP engines. The presentation will address: use of dedicated DSPengines in digital mixing consoles, with special reference to AnalogDevices’ SHARC processor; a proprietary Open Communication Protocolbetween DSP engine and console surface; and development of a hybriddigital audio system comprising console surface, DSP engine andDAW.

Following the presentation will be a Q&A session. The meetingwill be held at the Sportsmen’s Lodge, 12825 Ventura Blvd. at ColdwaterCanyon in Studio City. The social begins at 6:30 p.m., dinner at 7:00p.m. and the meeting to begin at 8:00 p.m. Dinner cost is $20 or $15 ifyou make a reservation at least 48 hours in advance with sectiontreasurer, Kahne L. Krause, at [email protected]or 818/754-4753.

AIRR Launches New Line of Mic Stands
AiRR Support, a new division of Network Pro Marketing based inCorona, Calif., introduced a new line of large professional-grade boommicrophone stands.

The AiRR mic stand includes several new features. A traditionalthree-wheel tripod base make it ideal for studio use (includingrecording applications such as drums, background vocals, stringsections, brass sections, orchestral recording, lead vocal recordingand location recording, as well as variety of broadcast applications),but the wheels are removable allowing adaptability for any locationrecording, indoors or outdoors. In addition, telescopic adjustablelocking legs can conform to any uneven surface, with sturdy rubber feetfitted to each for additional stability.

To ensure additional sturdiness, each AiRR stand includes a sandbagto add extra weight to the center of gravity of the tripod. It alsofeatures fast locking and unlocking of the boom angle. Also, a metalcrank allows for quick and accurate height adjustments.

The AiRR mic stand comes in three different model sizes: the AiRR100, AiRR 200 and the AiRR 300, available in boom configurations. TheAiRR 100 is a large boom stand with a 5-foot base and 7.5-foot-longboom arm, measuring 12.5 feet fully extended. The AiRR 200 is a largerboom stand with a 6-foot base and 8-foot-long boom arm, measuring 13feet fully extended. The AiRR 300 is the largest boom stand offered,with a 6-foot base and an 8-foot-long boom arm, measuring 14 feet fullyextended.

MSRPs: AiRR 100, $335; AiRR 200, $395; AiRR 300, $449.

For further information, visit www.networkpromktg.com.

Martin Audio Announces Management Buyout
The directors of Martin Audio and TC Group announce that on August13, 2003, the management team of Martin Audio purchased the companyfrom the TC Group. The management buyout was supported by ISIS EquityPartners plc and The Royal Bank of Scotland.

David Bissett-Powell, managing director of Martin Audio, stated:”The management of Martin Audio has long aspired to independence andare pleased that under the TC Group, we have had the opportunity toattain this goal. Having established strong links within the group, wewill continue to work closely with Lab Gruppen and other groupcompanies and expect new co-operation with TC Applied Technologiesregarding digital power, processing and networking.”

The CEO of TC Group, Anders Fauerskov, said, “Since the acquisitionof TGI plc by TC Martin Audio has been a well-managed and strongperformer, we wish the management all the best in the future. We expectthe TC Group and Martin Audio will continue working closely together onproducts and technologies.”

Following the transaction, TC Group will consist of Tannoy, LabGruppen, Goodmans Loudspeakers, TC Electronic, TC Works, TC AppliedTechnologies and TC Helicon.

For more, visit Martin Audio online at www.martin-audio.com.

Ashly Protea Series, VCM-88 Now AMX NetLinx-Compatible
Ashly Audio’s Protea Series digital processors and the VCM-88 arenow AMX NetLinx-compatible. NetLinx modules for the 4.24C digitalcrossover/ EQ/system processor; 4.24D distribution system processor;4.24G, 4.24GS and 2.24GS graphic EQ/system processor; 4.24PS and 2.24PSparametric EQ/system processor; and the VCM-88 VCA matrixing levelcontroller are now available for download from the AMX Website, www.amx.com.

Jim Stachowski, director of marketing for Ashly Audio, stated, “Ourdealers, integrators and installers demanded our products to beAMX-controllable and we responded to their needs. By making our digitalprocessors part of the Inconcert Program, our customers can now benefitfrom the ease of use and time-saving features made available from AMXwith one-touch control automation.”

RS232 is used as the control method for operating the processors.Functions controlled for all Protea products include preset/scenerecall, all level controls and muting. VCM-88 functions controlledinclude individual level control of channels 1 through 8, master leveland muting. The system installer simply uploads the code block into theAMX NetLinx controller for one-touch A/V control automation.

For more, visit Ashly Audio online at www.ashly.com.

Sony DMX-R100 Surpasses 2,000-Unit Mark
Sony Electronics announced that its DMX-R100 digital mixingconsole has surpassed the 2,000-units sold worldwide mark since itsintroduction in October 2000.

“The DMX-R100 has opened a whole new world of sound andflexibility,” said Peter Moshay, owner of A-Pawling Studio, locatedjust outside of New York City. The Grammy-nominated producer, mixer andengineer has worked on more than 60 projects with the digital mixer,including numerous Gold, Platinum and multi-Platinum albums for suchrecording artists as Hall & Oates, Mariah Carey, Fishbone and GregBrown. Moshay says that the Sony digital mixer allows him to achieve anincredible intimacy with his client’s material. “The functionality is astand-out, but the sound is what really sold me,” Moshay said. “It is apleasure to work with this console on a daily basis.”

Broadcasters are also adopting the DMX-R100 as a productionplatform; more than 75 units shipped this spring. For example, theSinclair Broadcast Group recently decided to standardize with theDMX-R100 for its NewsCentral corporate news production initiative. “TheNewsCentral project is an aggressive, crucial, high-profileinitiative,” said Norman Stein, Sinclair’s director of operations. “TheDMX-R100 was selected because of its ease of operation and simplicityof integration in the news production environment.” Ten units will soonbe in service in the initial NewsCentral build-out, distributedthroughout the company’s 62 stations in 39 markets, according toStein.

“Our DMX-R100 digital mixer has enjoyed critical success from thestart because of its full range of features and superb sonicperformance,” said Paul Foschino, senior national marketing manager forprofessional audio at Sony Electronics. “The proof of its excellence isthe way it is being embraced across the board. Combined with ourongoing development based on feedback from the field, we’ve surpassedour goal of creating an essential tool for achieving excellence inalmost any production application.” Recent additions to the DMX-R100include the MADI option board, the SIU-100 System Interface Unit andthe release of Version 2.22 software.

For more, visit Sony Pro Audio online at www.sony.com/proaudio.

Harcourt Drops in at the Village
While on his solo tour of the U.S., Ed Harcourt recently droppedin at The Village and sang several of his indie-pop-tinged tunes to hisown piano accompaniment for a live broadcast of Los Angeles radiostation KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic program. The Villagesession was engineered by Jason Wormer and assisted by Greg Imler.

Also in at The Village doing a gig for Morning BecomesEclectic, Grandaddy performed in support of their brand-new releaseon V2, entitled Sumday; this session was engineered by Villageveteran Jason Wormer and assisted by Andy Brohard.

For more session news from The Village, visit www.villagestudios.com.

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