News October 16 – 31
M-Audio Releases Studiophile LX4 Surround Sound System
M-Audio is now offering its new Studiophile LX4 2.1 System andStudiophile LX4 5.1 Expander, which, together, comprise the StudiophileLX4 Surround Sound System.
The Studiophile LX4 2.1 System offers two satellites and a subwooferfor high-performance 2.1 monitoring. The subwoofer contains the activecrossover matrix for both the 2.1 system and the completely expanded5.1 system. The integral 125-watt power amp houses enough power for thefull surround system: 60 watts for the subwoofer and 27 watts for eachof the five satellites in the full LX4 Surround Sound System. Thepassive satellites contain a 4-inch polypropylene woofer and 1-inchmylar high-frequency drivers.
The Studiophile LX4 5.1 Expander is a separate package comprisingthree additional LX4 passive satellites. These simply connect to thesubwoofer of the LX4 2.1 System to complete the LX4 Surround SoundSystem.
“We’re very excited about the modular design of the LX4 SurroundSound System,” said Adam Castillo, marketing director at M-Audio. “Lotsof people are anxious to get into surround sound, but aren’t surethey’re ready to commit. The LX4s allow users to buy the LX4 2.1 systemtoday for a better-than-stereo experience and amortize their investmentby simply expanding the system when they are ready for surround.Combined with their compact size, the passive design of the satellitesis also a plus because people have found it challenging to route ACfrom the same circuit all over a room for active surround environments.The LX4s are simply our response to what the market wants.”
The LX4 2.1 System and LX4 5.1 Expander carry MSRPs of $349.95 and$199.95, respectively. Both products are now shipping.
For more information, visit www.m-audio.com.
RealTraps Announces MicroTraps
RealTraps’ MicroTraps acoustic panels are 2×4 feet and only 1-inchthick, and are built with a dual-layer membrane to enhance theirlow-frequency absorption. Like the company’s original MiniTraps,MicroTraps are made with rigid Fiberglas and metal, so they have aClass-A fire rating and can be installed in public venues.
According to RealTraps co-owner Ethan Winer, “The main problems inmost studios and listening rooms are acoustic interference that skewsthe low-frequency response and excessive ambience that obscures musicaldetail and causes listener fatigue. Many engineers and audiophilescover their walls with foam, which just makes the room too dead at highfrequencies while doing nothing for the low end. MicroTraps are muchmore absorbent than foam panels at all frequencies, so they do asuperior job overall and with fewer pieces. Their low cost and lightweight also make them ideal for larger installations like churches andauditoriums. Best of all, they install easily with one nail orhook—just like a picture—without glue or wall damage.”
MicroTraps come with a MSRP of $99.99. Additional productinformation can be found at www.realtraps.com.
Joseph M. Cohen Elected to NMT Board of Directors
National Mobile Television Inc. (NMT) announced that its Board ofDirectors has elected Joseph M. Cohen as a director of the company,effective immediately. Cohen has been appointed to serve on both theCompensation and Governance Committees, and will also be the fifthdirector on the NMT Board, joining Steve Clifford, Mark Howorth, ChrisBrothers and Jim Ford.
In addition to his new responsibilities for NMT, Cohen currentlyserves as the Chairman of the Board of HTN Communications, which heacquired for the third time in June 2003. The company, which isanchored by the former Hughes Television Network, will serve as thefoundation for future acquisitions in sports, television andcommunications. Prior to his current tenure as owner of HTN, Cohenco-founded USA Network and implemented MSG’s HDTV initiative in 2000.His previous experience includes stints as president of Madison SquareGarden Network, principal owner of the Z channel in Los Angeles andchairman of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. Most recently, he served asexecutive VP of Madison Square Garden, where he returned from 1995through 2002 to oversee the MSG Network, Fox Sports Net New York andMSG Radio.
“I am honored to be selected to the National Mobile Television Boardof Directors,” said Cohen. “I look forward to working with the otherboard members and management of NMT in breaking new ground andfurthering the success of the company.”
“Mr. Cohen will be a very important ingredient in the mix here atNMT,” said Steve Clifford, Chairman of the Board of NMT. “His numerousaccomplishments in the field of sports television speak for themselves.Simply put, he knows what it takes to grow and thrive in this industry,both in terms of technology and company size. NMT will benefit from hisinsights and experience in the months and years to come.”
“We are pleased to welcome Joe Cohen to National Mobile Television’sboard of directors,” commented Mark Howorth, CEO of NMT. “His proventrack record and knowledge of the industry will be invaluable assets tothe company as we continue to grow and push the technological envelopeinto the high-definition age.”
For more information, visit www.nmtv.com.
Lexicon Pro Launches Omega Desktop Recording Studio
Lexicon Pro!”, a Harman International Company, announced the launch ofOmega Desktop Recording Studio!”. Omega Studio is an integratedcomputer recording system that includes the Omega 8x4x2 USB I/O mixer,ProTracks Plus!” 32-track recording software, and the company’s reverbplug-in, Pantheon!”.
Differentiating itself from standard computer I/O boxes that aretypically based on a patchbay paradigm, the Omega 8x4x2 USB I/O mixeris based on a mixer paradigm and includes input, output and mixingfunctions that support a variety of tracking/monitoring applications,while requiring no additional mixing hardware. The Omega I/O mixerprovides eight inputs that are assignable in pairs to any of foursimultaneous record channels featuring ultratransparent,high-resolution A/D converters to capture the user’s performance with24-bit quality. Two of the inputs feature extremely low-noise dbx®mic preamps with 48-volt phantom power and TRS insert points. Four TRSactive balanced line inputs accept up to +22dBu signals to allowinterfacing to either unbalanced or professional high-output levelbalanced equipment. Included are an S/PDIF input combined with anadditional DAC for zero latency, and direct monitoring of the S/PDIFsource to allow simultaneous tracking of analog and digital sources. Ahigh-impedance instrument input is located on the front panel. TheOmega I/O mixer provides a peak indicator for each analog input, aswell as an assignable bar graph meter for signal-level monitoring. Bymonitoring the signal at the A/D converters, it avoids the problemswith software-only level monitoring that can miss clipping. The OmegaI/O mixer also includes a fully opto-isolated MIDI input to ensure thatthere is no ground loop hum or MIDI talk-through noise. MIDI output hassynchronization to USB frame rate to support applications requiringcritical sync.
ProTracks Plus is a comprehensive 32-track recording suite thatincludes all of the necessary modules for tracking, editing,processing, sequencing and mixing. It includes intuitive nonlinearediting, plug-in support and acidized looping features, as well as afull-featured MIDI sequencer with event editing, automation featuresand soft synth support.
Designed by the company’s engineers, the Pantheon reverb plug-inoffers 35 factory presets featuring six reverb types (hall, chamber,plate, room, ambience and custom) controlled by an intuitive userinterface with 16 editable parameters.
Omega Studio has an estimated street price of $349.99, and will beavailable in November. For more information, visit www.lexiconpro.com.
Riot Act Announces Numerous Samples for Download
Through the company’s affiliation with Great Britain’s Tape Gallery,Riot Act now offers more than 200,000 sound effects, samples and loopsof many types from 55 world-famous libraries including Zero-G,Crawfords, Optifex, Prosonus and award-winning sound designers.
All sounds can be located and auditioned for free on the company’ssearch engine at www.riot-act.com/riotactdownloads.htm. Searches canbe performed by typing in descriptive words or the name of the library.Similarly, each library represented may be auditioned in its entiretyby visiting www.riot-act.com/affiliates.htm, browsing thelibrary listing and clicking on the library’s name or logo.
All sounds are available in 16-bit 44.1kHz and 48kHz sampling rates,and may be downloaded in .WAV and .AIFF stereo formats.
Cube-Tec QUADRIGA Used at Library of Congress
Cube-Tec’s distributor Sascom Marketing Group has delivered acomprehensive QUADRIGA audio archival systems to the Library ofCongress in Washington, D.C.
Because future plans include audio restoration on the same system,the Library of Congress chose the AudioCube 5-based QUADRIGA system,using a Dell D650 dual-2.66GHz processor workstation. The AudioCube 5system includes 36GB system and audio drives, CD and DVD burners,Mykerinos 24-channel audio card, Wavelab 4 and Nuendo editors, andNetSupport remote help software. The system also includes four QUADRIGAImport Modules to facilitate automated or semi-automated capturing fromseveral different sources, including 1/2-inch tape, vinyl, cassette anda variety of other source machines.
On the QUADRIGA software side, the system is configured with theBWF-Editor, which includes the “BatchProcessor,” “FSC-Checker” (FileSecurity Code) and “BWF-Merger” modules. For audio analysis during thecapturing process, the system includes AnalogObserver, the analyticalengine for all audio analysis done on the QUADRIGA system. Tofacilitate the analysis of audio files that are already in the digitaldomain, the system includes the 192kHz version of the”AudioFile-Inspector,” an analytical module that identifies and logserrors that exist in both the analog and digital domain within digitalfiles. Quality reports generated during capturing, or subsequent tocapturing, with AudioFile-Inspector are stored with other metadata inthe header of the Broadcast .WAV file.
For more, visit Cube-Tec at www.cube-tec.com.
Soundart Releases Infiltrator
Soundart has released Infiltrator Version 1.0, which was designed anddeveloped by an independent professional engineer from Norway.Infiltrator is principally a vocoder that can re-create classic vocoderarchitectures, but can also be used as a DJ performance filter to amultiband compressor and detailed stereo EQ.
Features include highly detailed control with physical units (e.g.,0.00001 seconds); two 24-channel filter banks with up to 2/4/6/8-pole,with 11 filter types; re-configurable architecture to create EQs,multiband compressors, vocoders and more; multiplecompressors/expanders/gates with look-ahead; sophisticatedsilence/voiced/unvoiced detector; built-in MIDI synthesizer with twinoscillators and noise generator; ring mod and FM synthesis features;eight sets of three assignable real-time controllers for instantcontrol; real-time control of all filter banks for vocoding FX; threeLFOs to control the real-time controls to create fantastic FX;quick/full edit modes (different editing levels for speed andsimplicity or deep control); extensive metering and monitoring ofinternal signals; internal storage of 99 user programs, with over 55factory setups; dynamic allocation of DSP resources, allowing differentconfigurations to use the hardware; delay FX on the inputs, outputs orinternally in multiband mode for unusual frequency-dependent delay FX;very extensive 130-plus-page manual.
Infiltrator 1.0 is available now as a free download for Chameleonusers on Soundart’s Website at www.soundart-hot.com/english/users1_7.htm.
Taylor-Made Productions Installs Amek Board
Taylor-Made Productions, located in metropolitan New Jersey,retrofitted its studio with a 48-input Amek Media 51 desk. Josh Thomasof Sonic Circus facilitated the sale of the new mixing console, withinstallation, modifications and commissioning provided by MichaelO’Hora of Molecular Electronics.
Through his company, Glenn Taylor, Taylor-Made Productions’ owner,chief engineer and composer, has produced major-label recordingartists, written national commercials, scored feature-lengthproductions and produced countless radio spots. He has also penned themusic for many documentary films and Fortune 500 corporate A/Vproductions, as well as done sound design for a variety of toy and gamemanufacturers.
On choosing the Amek board, Taylor said, “I had worked on Ameks inother studios and always enjoyed them. Plus, I owned a pair of 9098imic preamps, so I already knew how wonderfully transparent the RupertNeve EQs and preamps would sound on a desk like the Media 51. Thisconsole really fills a niche: Not many companies these days are makinga large-format analog console in that price range. To properly move upfrom the Media 51, you’d have to spend into the six digits, which issimply cost-prohibitive for many studios like mine.”
As the desk was being installed, Taylor had O’Hora harvest a numberof mods from the studio’s previous console and integrate them into thenew Amek. “We drilled a lot of holes,” Taylor said, “but after youbuild three studios in a 25-year span, you know what little ‘extras’you’d like to have available. Thanks to the brilliant work of Michael,my Amek is now equipped with latching talkback, telephone interfacetalkback, speaker switching for up to six sets of speakers, digitalstopwatch, latching slate and two surface-mounted headphone cues so Ican record myself acoustically here in the control room when working onmusic scoring projects.”
Taylor further color-coded his auxiliary knob caps (available fromSelco) to correspond to frequently used processors. He also had Thomasat Sonic Circus provide another modification: “The Media 51 featuresspace for 12 rows of patchbays as standard and I needed more. So Irequested that Josh order the custom-milling of three extra rows intothe blank section on the meterbridge above the patchbay area. I nowhave a total of 15 rows of Re’an patching at my disposal, which is ofparamount importance with all of the different formats I offer: 32/24tracks of 2-inch analog, 32 tracks of Pro Tools|HD, 24 tracks ofDA-88s, plus mic patching, direct outs and six racks of outboard gear.All but about half-a-row of patchbay space is now being used!”
Taylor is currently producing a new CD with his own band, The Kootz(www.thekootz.com), and is gearing up to once againwork with Tommy James and The Shondells in the coming weeks.
For more information on Taylor-Made Productions, visit www.taylormadeprod.com. For more on the board,visit Amek online at www.amek.com.
Symetrix Ships AirTools Studio Matrix
Symetrix announced the first shipments of its AirTools Studio Matrix, amodular system that is intended to handle audio routing and ancillarysignal processing in small- to mid-sized broadcast facilities.
The Studio Matrix comprises a variety of rack-mountable components,most with onboard DSP, that network to each other to form a powerfulsystem centrally located in the facility. That central location istypically the main rack room. The resulting system is capable ofrouting, switching, mixing, dynamics, automatic gain control (AGC),parametric and graphic equalization, multiple modes of filtering andmore. Any component can be made redundant. Onsite system control ishandled in a number of ways, while Ethernet capability provides forremote access over the Web.
The individual components will be introduced to the market inphases. The first phase includes the Icarus and Ulysses, with 16 monoline-level analog inputs and outputs, respectively. Future releaseswill include Narcissus, supporting eight channels of AES/EBU input, andOedipus, with eight channels of AES output. Homer (shown), a4-input/4-output remote breakout with mic/line inputs and phantompower, is intended for use in air and production studios, providingremote I/O for the system. As many as four Homers can interface withIliad, a DSP-based 16×16 integrated in the Studio Matrix ring in therack room.
Control I/O will also be available in the initial phase. ThisRS485-based device expands control functionality by supporting analogpots, closures and encoders, and MIDI controllers such as fader packs.It also includes open collector and binary relay outputs that caninterface with other external equipment.
More information and the latest version of Studio Matrix Designer, aPC-based application for layout and control of a Studio Matrix system,is available online at www.airtoolsaudio.com.
Big Advice Records With DFX at SIR
Los Angeles-based funk/jazz/R&B band Big Advice filmed performanceshows at SIR stages with the Design/FX Remote truck recording audio foran upcoming live music DVD on Electric Monkey Records.
Shure Launches New Extranet Site
A new Website developed by Shure’s customer service department isgeared to help Shure’s U.S. dealers instantly access order informationvia the Internet. The site, which provides order status and shipmenttracking, is offered at dealers.shure.com. Also included within the newExtranet site are automatic e-mail or fax notification of when an orderships, dealer bulletins, a digital image library and Shure’s corporateadvertising policy.
“As part of efforts to enhance the level of service we providecustomers, these tracking tools will make dealers’ lives significantlyeasier,” said Shure manager of U.S. customer service, Althea Ricketts.”Shure has always been in the business of supplying world-classsupport, and this is the first of many new initiatives we’ll belaunching to give our channel the tools they need to efficiently dobusiness with us.”
To begin using any of the features found on the site, dealers simplyneed to log in and follow the registration instructions. When sendingautomatic notification of order shipments, Shure will use the dealere-mail address provided during the registration process. Shipmentnotification either online or via fax will include UPS trackingnumbers. Online notification messages will additionally provide adirect link to UPS’ tracking system.
M-Audio Announces Solaris Microphone
M-Audio is now shipping its new Solaris microphone, a full-featured,large-diaphragm condenser microphone.
As an addition to the project studio’s microphone cabinet, or as asingle, multipurpose mic for a personal home studio setup, the Solarisfeatures a precision-designed 3-micron diaphragm, selectable polarpatterns, bass roll-off filter and switchable -10dB pad. Offeringprecision circuitry and components, low self-noise and minimalcoloration, the Solaris microphone can be used to capture the nuancesof vocals, acoustic instruments and other critical source material.
Solaris carries an MSRP of $359.95 and is now shipping. For more,visit M-Audio online at www.m-audio.com.
Laura Turner Album Used Audio-Technica AT4060
Record producers David Huff and Kurt Howell relied on Audio-Technica’sAT4060 vocal microphone for Laura Turner’s upcoming debut album on CurbRecords. The album was recorded at several studios in Nashville andDublin, Ireland, including Ocean Way, Stillwater Studios and DobbsPalace. The effort was mastered by George Massenburg.
“Laura has a tremendous voice with incredible dynamics and range,”said co-producer Huff. “She’s combining the worlds of pop and classicalmusic, and that’s a real challenge. She can go from a quiet whisper toa soaring chorus in the space of a moment, and that’s the kind of voicethat melts amplifiers.” Huff added that the A-T AT4060 mic was alsoused for background vocals and the cello parts.
At Howell’s Stillcreek Studios recording facility, the producerspositioned Turner approximately three to four inches from the AT4060and helped her subtly “work” the microphone. “She didn’t have to move alot, which helped her keep focused,” commented Huff. “Even just a fewinches was more than enough for the AT4060 to interpret her dynamics.It’s a very sensitive but forgiving microphone. It’s great at catchingthe nuances of the music, but at the same time, it’s not overwhelmed bythe power of her voice. On some of the vintage microphones we used,there would be points where her power would bring out a certainunmusical midrange aspect to the sound. But the AT4060 was musicalacross the frequency spectrum. I’ve used the AT4060 on all types ofmusic: pop, rock, country, urban and now classical. It’s become themicrophone I reach for first on any project.”
For more, visit Audio-Technica on the Web at www.audio-technica.com.
Glenn Schick Mastering Adds SADiE System
Glenn Schick Mastering, one of the Southeast’s digital and analog audiomastering facilities, has purchased and installed a SADiEDSD8multichannel digital audio mastering system, adding to the studio’stwo existing SADiE ARTEMiS digital audio workstations. The system willbe installed in the mastering house’s new facility, currently in itsdesign phase and scheduled to launch next year.
“Going with the SADiE DSD8 was a natural progression for us,” saidGlenn Schick, president and chief mastering engineer of Glenn SchickMastering. “We were already using the SADiE ARTEMiS system, which weabsolutely love. They are simply the most pain-free digital audioworkstations ever made, and SADiE’s great tech support is anotherreason to stay with SADIE. With the addition of the DSD8, the range ofservices we can offer clients increases significantly.” Included inthese services is the ability to specifically master for the SACDformat. Glenn Schick Mastering hosted its first SACD mastering sessionover the summer for hip hop artist Ludacris. The new Ludacris 5.1SACD—mixed by Jeff Glixman and mastered with the SADiE DSD8,Dynaudio AIR system and Prism ADA-8, among other new DSDtechnologies—will be released on Def Jam South/Universal.
“The DSD8 can let us work in a variety of audio formats, includingDVD-Audio when we interface it with the MLP encoder, as well asstraight Red Book CD audio,” Schick noted. “It’s that kind ofversatility and power that gives the DSD8 so much value. We’ve beenworking with SADiE systems for a long time and we expect to do so for along time to come.”
For more, visit SADiE online at www.sadie.com. For more on Glenn Schick Mastering,visit www.gsmastering.com.
New Look, New Packages From mSoft
Woodland Hills, Calif.-based mSoft demonstrated its new MusicCue 3.1and ServerSound 3.1 asset-management systems at AES 2003. The newsystems feature improved look, feel and search abilities. The newversions also offer multiple database support, improved user-permissionadministration, unlimited project lists and more.
“There new versions of our most popular asset-management systems arereal improvements on industry-leading applications,” said Doug Perkins,VP of sales and marketing at mSoft.
mSoft also showed its new server/sound package calledServerSoundStorm. Based on the latest MusicCue system, ServerSoundStormincludes a compact search/retrieval system, plus 30,000 SFX fromSoundStorm and 50 hours of quality production music from AudioNetwork.
In other company news, Universal’s trailer department, which createsmovie and television show previews for the entertainment company, hastaken delivery of a 3TB mSoft MusicCue server. The digitalasset-management system includes a full range of sound effects andproduction music and provides Universal an easy way to digitize its ownpopular and soundtrack CDs.
In addition to providing immediate access to hundreds of hours ofSFX and production-quality music, the new system with mSoft’s automatedinterface allows Universal to rip its own music to MusicCue.Universal’s engineers are pleased with the ability to access CDtracking and publishing information for popular music libraries via themSoft server. MusicCue automatically integrates metadata for thisproprietary audio, resulting in quality and useful search results forall engineers on the server.
Universal uses a wide range of workstations, including Pro Tools andNT and Mac Avids. MusicCue allows engineers working on any of theseworkstations to access their pop and soundtrack music, as well asproduction music from Killer Tracks, Extreme, X-Ray Dog, MasterSource,NonStop Music and others. Universal already added a comprehensive SFXpackage with audio from Sound Ideas and Hollywood Edge, as well asmSoft’s new SoundStorm SFX package.
Speaking of Killer Tracks, mSoft and Killer Tracks have teamed up toprovide NBC’s new show Joe Average simple access to top-qualityproduction music via a mSoft digital asset-management system. AlthoughKiller Tracks has made its audio content available on mSoft’s serversfor several years, this is the first time that the music productioncompany has offered its content exclusively via hard drives rather thanon CD.
“We’re proud that Killer Tracks chose mSoft to help deliver theirquality music,” said Perkins of mSoft. “This is the way of the future,with content being delivered on hard drives without CDs at all.”
Dubbed Killer Server, the new system is based on mSoft’s MusicCueand gives engineers simplified access to Killer Tracks’ productionmusic. NBC, which is the first to install the system, will use it tocontrol 800 GB of music over its Avid Unity network.
For more, visit www.msoftinc.com.
Guitar Center Becomes Authorized Apple Reseller
Guitar Center announced that, as of November 2003, it will be anauthorized reseller of Apple’s entire line of products, includingEmagic’s digital audio production tools, beginning with Guitar Center’snew flagship store in New York City.
“As the nationwide leading retail outlet for the professional audiomarket, Guitar Center is pleased to be an official reseller of allApple products,” said David Angress, executive VP of Guitar Center.”When our new flagship store in New York City opens on November 20,customers will be able to purchase a complete workflow solution fortheir professional needs.”
“The combination of top-of-the-line music production tools, likeLogic, with the Power Mac G5 makes the Mac a powerful, full-featureddigital audio workstation,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s executive VP ofworldwide sales and operations. “We’re excited that Guitar Center willsignificantly expand the availability of our pro audio solutions totheir customers.”
Guitar Center, with 120-plus stores across the U.S., is nowauthorized to carry, sell and support the entire line of Appleproducts, from the iPod to the PowerMac G5.
For more, visit Guitar Center at www.guitarcenter.com or visit Apple at www.apple.com.
Disc Makers Launches CD Self-Service Program
Disc Makers’ new CD Self Service is an interactive Web service thatprovides the company’s clients the ability to create their own CDs andplace short-run duplication orders online from their home oroffice.
CD Self Service offers CD-R duplication and printing for projects of500 CDs or less with no minimum order, and includes free online storageof audio and visual content, full-color on-disc printing and inserts,Web-based 24/7 ordering and a choice of five packaging options. CD SelfService provides a 48-hour turnaround time on all orders.
“This is a powerful new program that really gives our customers thefreedom to create CDs whenever and wherever they want,” said Tony VanVeen, VP of sales and marketing for Disc Makers. “And best of all,these CDs are backed by the same money-back guarantee as all of ourother CD packages, so our customers know they’re getting the best CDson the market—guaranteed.”
For more information, visit duplication.discmakers.com/resellers/discmakers/index.jsp.
Gefell Introduces M300 Stereo XY, ORTF Matched Set
C-Tec announced its Gefell M300 stereo microphone package: a boxed setthat includes a stereo matched pair of M300 pencil microphones, twoheavy-duty nylon-insulated mic clips, and a combination ORTF and XYstereo bar.
The Gefell M300 pencil offers a 21mm gold-evaporated Mylar diaphragmassembly with a temperature-constant ceramic housing. To reduceself-noise, DC-to-DC optical converter eliminates spurious electricalcurrents and noise typical of 48-volt phantom powering, providing apure DC voltage to the capsule. The M300 offers 147dB signal handlingwithout the use of an input attenuation pad.
According to the company, each Gefell M300 set is stereo-matchedfollowing a series of stringent tests. To begin, the microphones aretested in a 3-D anechoic chamber with suspended floor. The microphonesare positioned on a “robot” that records both on-axis response forbandwidth and linearity and then 180º off-axis response to measurethe microphone’s performance and phase response within the acousticfield. Daily temperature and barometric pressure are tabulated, andmicrophones are batched within set criteria to ensure that a stereo settruly performs as a frequency, amplitude and phase matched set.Eachmicrophone is shipped with its own serialized on-axis and 180ºoff-axis frequency response curve, providing the user with real,tangible test criteria. The microphones then pass an aural auditioningin a separate listening room before being packaged.
The M300 Stereo Set is configurable for both XY or ORTF formats.Because the microphones are tested for both on-axis and 180ºoff-axis response, the microphones perform as a true stereo set.
For more information, visit www.gefell-mics.com.
SMPTE Technical Conference & Exhibition Announced
With over 80 years of motion-imaging technical conferences, SMPTE willhold this year’s Technical Conference and Exhibition in New York City,November 12-15, 2003, at the Hilton New York. The four-day conferencecomprises 16 core seminars led by experts and pioneers inmotion-imaging technology.
“Ourprogram is responding to the need for more tutorial-basedseminars,” said Thomas Jordan, SMPTE’s conference VP, “and we’ve alsoadded half-day registration, so that if you can’t attend the entireconference, you can at least attend the seminars that are relevant toyou.” Fred Motts, SMPTE’s executive director, agreed: “We’ve concludedthat demographics of SMPTE conferences are now including more and moreusers and field staff, and so our seminars, although still technical,reflect a more hands-on approach.”
Seminar topics include: “Networking Fundamentals,” two MXF and AAFtutorials, “Networking in a Media Environment,” “Multiplexing andTransport Fundamentals,” “Motion Picture Seminar,” “Multichannel Audio:Challenges and Solutions,” “Copy Protection and Rights Management,””Digital Broadcasting Update,” “Digital Cinema Update,” “DASE andHarmonization,” “Motion Pictures and the Digital Intermediate,””Networking and the Home Environment,” “Exhibition Technology:Projection, Sound, Automation and Control,” “Digital Media andWorkflow” and “Color Science for Digital Motion Imaging.”
For more information on the SMPTE Conference, visit www.smpte.org/conferences.
MPSE Honors Don Hall With Career Achievement Award
The Motion Picture Sound Editors have chosen to present their CareerAchievement Award to sound editor Don Hall for his outstandingcontributions to the art of sound. The award will be presented at the51st annual “Golden Reel” Awards, February 28, 2004, at the CenturyPlaza Hotel in Los Angeles.
“Don represents the consummate professional,” said MPSE presidentDavid Bondelvitch. “In addition to being a brilliant sound editor, hebrings a warmth to his work that is unmatched. He has also been amentor to innumerable students of sound.” Previous recipients of theaward include Chuck Campbell, Kay Rose, Alan Splet, Murray Spivack,Frank Warner, Norval Crutcher, James MacDonald, Sam Horta, DouglasGrindstaff, Fred Brown and Jack Foley.
Hall is a founding member of the Motion Picture Sound Editors. Hehas been a sound editor on more than 90 feature films spanning fivedecades, including A Walk in the Clouds, M*A*S*H andYoung Frankenstein. He has received three MPSE Golden ReelAwards, a BAFTA Award for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,two Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award.
Hall has served on the Board of Governors of The Academy of MotionPicture Arts & Sciences, Sound Branch. He served as the chair forthe Sound Editing Award Rules committee, the vice chair for the StudentAcademy Awards and is a member of the Scientific Technical Committee.He is also is a lecturer at the USC School of Cinema.
For more information, visit mpse.org.
Sennheiser Distributing TL Audio Products
Sennheiser Electronic Corporation is now distributing TL Audio’s rangeof tube (valve) mixing consoles and dynamics processors in the U.S.,Mexico, Central and South Americas, and the Caribbean.
Noted Tony Larking, managing director of TL Audio, “Finding anorganization like Sennheiser to distribute our products is a realasset. Having our products supported by their personnel and dealers canonly result in a win-win situation for our customers.”
Sennheiser Electronic Corporation’s president John Falcone said, “TLAudio has quickly established a well-deserved reputation as amanufacturer of professional quality and affordable analog products,making it a great fit for SEC’s distributed brands roster. The linegives our dealers an exciting array of tube equipment that complementsour existing lines.”
Sennheiser also distribute Neumann microphones, InnovaSON digitalconsoles, Chevin Research amplifiers, Turbosound loudspeakers and HHBProfessional audio products.
For more, visit www.sennheiserusa.com.
Minnetonka Audio Announces discWelder CHROME V. 2
Minnetonka Audio Software announces Version 2 of its flagship DVD-Aauthoring application, discWelder CHROME.
New features added in V. 2 include Video Auto-Mirror, which allowsthe user to automatically create the Video zone from the contents ofthe Audio zone, allowing playback on both DVD-A and DVD-V players (bycreating a universal DVD-A/V disc). The audio tracks are encoded withan integrated SurCode Dolby Digital (AC-3) encoder, and the VIDEO_TS(video title set) is auto-formatted. The Auto-Mirror option creates thevideo main menu and a static MPEG-2 slide per track (if there is aslide programmed for the track). Also new is DSD Import/Conversion,which allows the import of DSD-format DFF audio files into the CHROMEplaylist. The DSD-to-PCM conversion bit depth is set at 24-bit, and thesample rates are set at 48 kHz for surround and 96 kHz for stereo.Video Track Link allows a track in the Audio zone to be linked to playa video title in the VIDEO_TS. This makes possible the playback ofvideos within the audio menu. Users can now customize the DVD-A lookand feel by creating the menu background image and overlay bit maps inan image-editing program (like Adobe Photoshop LE), then importingthese into CHROME to create the Hit or Button boxes with theirassociated actions (such as play track, go to menu, etc.). Motion menuallows the user to select an MPEG video file to use as a menubackground. The MPEG may contain audio and video, and the user mayselect a “video loop” option. The Motion Logo feature allows the userto select an MPEG video file to be displayed once upon disc insertion.The file may contain audio and video. If the “Auto Play” option ischecked, Group 1 Track 1 will start to play after the Motion Logoplays. Otherwise, the first page of the menu will be displayed afterthe Motion Logo. Other features include: Active Menu, where theplaylist menu is active during track playback; CPPM, enabling thecopy-protection flag for the album; and PGC Blocks, where two audioformats (surround and stereo, or different languages, for example) arecontained in each DVD-A track.
discWelder CHROME Version 2 is scheduled to be released in January2004; upgrades from CHROME V. 1 will be available for $500 (U.S.).
More information is available at www.minnetonkaaudio.com or at www.discwelder.com.
TerraTec PHASE 2 Now Shipping
Now shipping, TerraTec’s PHASE 22 ($99, PC-only; Mac version availableDecember 2003) features the technology of the company’s Producer lineand offers studio quality at a starter price for professionalcomputer-based recording and mastering. The PCI audio interface s twoanalog input and output channels track at resolutions ranging up to24-bits/96 kHz, and offers balanced 6.3mm (1/4-inch) jacks. With anS/PDIF port providing interference-free links to digital gear, thedevice plays digital audio back at resolutions as high as 192 kHz.
Standard features include Windows ASIO 2.0 support, affordinglatency-free access to several inputs and outputs and compatibilitywith the GigaStudio-format GSIF. The device was developed with externalsound generators in mind: A MIDI I/O boasting 16 channels is also onboard. Up to four PHASE 22s can be cascaded and synched up in acomputer via a single driver. The PHASE 22 can also be combined withthe PHASE 28 for even more professional recording options. Otherfeatures include102dB signal-to-noise ratio (A-weighted) for the analoginputs,110dB signal-to-noise ratio (A-weighted) for the analog outputsand 2.2-volt RMS output level.
For more information, visit www.terratec.com.
Now Shipping: PreSonus Eureka
PreSonus is now shipping the all-new Eureka, a single-channel, Class-A,transformer-coupled mic preamp, compressor and equalizer. The newrecording channel device features selectable microphone inputimpedance, saturation control for tube-saturation emulation,full-featured compressor and 3-band parametric EQ.
Eureka’s compressor features variable threshold, attack, release andgain makeup. It offers a soft-knee compression mode, as well as ahighpass filter on the sidechain for frequency-dependent compression,useful for frequency-specific compression applications. Eureka alsooffers a fully parametric 3-band EQ with overlapping bands andswitchable staging for the EQ and compressor, enabling the user to swapthe order of the EQ and compression. Other features include instrument,line and microphone inputs, as well as switchable gain reduction forthe VU meter, dual outputs (TRS and XLR) that can be usedsimultaneously and an optional digital output card capable of up to24-bit 96khz output on AES/EBU or S/PDIF. In addition, the unit has a48-volt phantom power unit with an 80Hz rumble filter, a –-20dBpad, a phase-inversion switch, and balanced send and return jacks forinserting outboard gear.
For more information, visit PreSonus online at www.presonus.com.
BitHeadz Announces Osmosis for OS X
BitHeadz has announced an OS X-compatible version of Osmosis, with apublic beta version available for Unity Session owners.
Osmosis is a utility that will convert Akai or Roland sample CDsinto native Unity-format files. It supports Akai S1000 and S3000 fileformats, and the Roland 760 and 770 formats. In addition to addedsupport for OS X, BitHeadz has enhanced Osmosis’ handling of CDs thathave bad or problem sectors.
A shipping version of Osmosis for OS 9 is available and includedwith Unity Session, the OS X-compatible public beta version isavailable to Unity Session owners only, with the release versionexpected to ship in a week or two. A WinXP-compatible version ofOsmosis will be included with the WinXP-compatible version of Unity,which is expected to ship sometime in November.
For more, visit www.bitheadz.com.
Business Chops Workshop to be Held November 2
“Business Chops: Success Coaching for Musicians and Songwriters” is aninteractive workshop that takes place this Sunday, November 2, 2003,from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood. Thisinformative full-day event will teach independent musicians,songwriters and industry professionals business and marketingtechniques.
Workshop coaches John Stiernberg and Diane Rapaport will provideplanning, branding and marketing techniques, and interactive exercisesgeared to fast-track indie careers. Stiernberg is a music businessconsultant and author of Succeeding In Music. Rapaport is amusic industry guru and author of How to Make and Sell Your OwnRecording.
Industry experts Bobby Borg, Andre Fischer, Scott Mathews, MichaelC. Ross and John Wooler will discuss the artist development revolutionand how power is shifting from major labels to indie artists. Borg,former drummer for multi-Platinum band Warrant, consultant and authorof The Musician’s Handbook: A Practical Guide to Understanding theMusic Business will provide practical tips on self-promotion.Fischer is a producer/musician/A&R (Lalah Hathaway, Tony Bennett,Natalie Cole). Mathews is a producer/musician (Beach Boys, ElvisCostello, Johnny Cash), Ross is a producer/mixer/engineer (ChristinaAguilera, Vanessa Carlton, Mya) and Wooler is a producer/A&R(Siedah, Robben Ford, Eliades Ochoa).
The event includes a continental breakfast, a light lunch,big-ticket-item prize giveaways (gear and software), workshop handouts,resource materials, musician resources and more. Seminar topics include”Aligning Your Creative, Financial and Personal Goals”; “Developing aThree-Year Business Plan for Success”; “Building a Marketing Plan ThatRocks”; “Checklist for Creating a Win-Win Indie or Major-Label Deal”;”Thriving in Today’s Music Industry”; “The Artist DevelopmentRevolution”; and “Positioning Yourself as a Brand.”
A newly added feature is the Artist Development Room hosted bystudioexpresso, where recording artists can meet studioexpressoproducers who will offer feedback on how to develop their song andmaximize production value. Artists should bring song sample (CD/tapedemo) and sign up at the studioexpresso desk at 9 a.m. Submissions willbe reviewed onsite by studioexpresso producers on a first come, firstserve basis. Sessions for the room are from 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.,and 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Those who prefer a private review can submit theirdemo and fill out the feedback form. This service is provided bystudioexpresso producers Marvin Etzioni, Jeff Weber, Jeff Gross, RogersMasson and Matt Forger.
The Knitting Factory is located at 7021 Hollywood Blvd. inHollywood. Tickets are $75 with advance purchase or $95 at door. Toregister, visit www.business-chops.com or call 800/579-8003.
Jim Fosgate Receives Emmy for Development of Surround forTV
Audio industry pioneer Jim Fosgate received a special Emmy Award duringthe 2003 Technology and Engineering Emmy Awards black-tie dinnerceremony at the Plaza Hotel in New York City on October 23, 2003.Fosgate was a co-recipient of the Development of Surround Sound forTelevision Award, presented by the National Television Academy, for hiscontinuing efforts to develop and refine surround technologies fortelevision broadcast. He holds more than 14 patents (plus threepending) for surround audio.
“Everyone at Rockford is immensely proud of Jim and honored to beassociated with the company he first started in the seventies,” saidGary Suttle, president and CEO, Rockford Corporation, parent company ofFosgate Audionics. “It’s due to his hard work and dedication thatmillions of people enjoy surround sound from their home-theatersystems. He literally changed the way we experience music and moviesoundtracks.”
Fosgate began working on surround technologies in 1978, which led tothe introduction of the Fosgate Research TATE 101A surround processorthree years later. Under Fosgate’s direction, the company went on todemonstrate the first consumer-focused high-separation sound demo atthe January 1982 Consumer Electronics Show. More recently, Fosgatedeveloped the surround decoding technology that is now known as DolbyPro Logic II.
“My pursuit of surround technologies that could play stereorecordings was driven by my love of music, especially olderrecordings,” said Fosgate. “I always wanted to hear them in flawless,multichannel audio, and wanted to share that experience with otherlovers of music. As one would expect, splitting stereo into fivechannels is like trying to defy the laws of physics. But, after morethan 25 years, I found a way to do it right, matching the goal ofperformance I first set for myself in the ’70s.”
BSS, Soundweb Spotlighted at Medieval Times
This past August marked the debut of Medieval Times’ eighth and newestNorth American castle, located at Arundel Mills Mall in theBaltimore/Washington D.C. corridor. Housing 19 Andalusian stallions andup to 1,000 guests per performance, the 60,000-square-foot facilityalso boasts a powerful sound system.
Portman’s Music Superstore (Savannah, Ga.) has been the chain’ssound contractor since 1986, when the pro audio dealer, working on aspecification from consultant James Brawley, installed equipment at thevery first location in Kissimmee, Fla. Now, 17 years later, thecontractor and consultant have again teamed up to provide an audiosetup primarily comprising a 24-channel Soundcraft K2 mixing console,seven BSS FDS-336 Minidrives and 40 Crown K2 amplifiers driving anall-JBL loudspeaker rig.
According to Portman’s professional audio division manager FrankAndrews, “We’ve really tried to standardize on equipment so that soundengineers can go from castle to castle and not have to deal with alearning curve. This approach also reduces the overall number ofproducts that their corporate office has to worry about shouldmaintenance and service issues ever arise. Jim Brawley and I both likeusing the 336 a lot because it does many things very well. Toillustrate, the Hanover venue has a total of 32 rear surround speakerswith eight mounted on each of the four walls. Using the BSS units, theycan create some interesting theatrical effects, like making the soundseem like i’s spinning around the room behind the audience. Or they cansend sounds solely to either side or end of the main front ring ofspeakers for dramatic effect. The Minidrives really work well for ashow like this.”
Regarding the choice of a mixing console, Andrews said, “With itsgood number of buses, subs and auxes, as well as comprehensive controlover tone, the Soundcraft K2 was the most reasonable choice for thisinstall. It provides everything they will need to accommodate futureproductions and will fit in well with the venue’s eventual growthprocess.”
For more information, visit www.soundcraft.com or www.bss.co.uk.
Visioneering Opens Tesseract Demo Screening Room
Visioneering Design has completed a demo screening room for itsTesseract high-power, three-way, tri-amplified loudspeaker systemsdesigned and TMH-qualified by Tomlinson Holman, which will be used inprofessional screening rooms, dubbing theaters, film and digital cinematheaters, and high-end home theaters. The systems are manufactured byVisioneering Design (Chatsworth, Calif.), founded by Ron Lagerlof.
Central to the Tesseract LMH-1 loudspeaker system (pictured) is aTomlinson Holman custom-designed crossover, dividing the main screenchannels into low, mid and high-frequency outputs to feed the tri-ampedL/C/R speaker cabinets. The screen and surround outputs are passedthrough the “Inverse EQ” filter, allowing for flat response in”noncinema” playback mode. High-quality components are used throughout,including Dynaudio and Electro-Voice drivers and THAT Corp.differential input amplifiers in the crossover for superb CMRRrejection and extremely low noise.
For more info, contact Ron Lagerlof at Visioneering Design at818/882-7271 or www.visioneeringdesign.com.
Brazilian Wins Neumann Sound Engineering Contest
Neumann announced the winner of its Sound Engineering Contest 2003 atthe company’s recent 75th anniversary celebrations. The winner, GabrielSchmitt of Porto Alegre, Brazil, was flown to Berlin and presented withthe first prize: a chrome-plated M 149 Tube stereo set.
Neumann launched the Sound Engineering Contest in March as part of avariety of activities designed to celebrate the company’s 75thanniversary. The 75-question multimedia contest, available on CD-ROM,was divided into six sections that focused on microphones, recordingtechnology, instruments and music history. Contestants worldwide couldchoose the three sections in which they felt most confident.
Second and third prizes, a Jubilee Edition U 87 Ai stereo set withsequential serial numbers and a stereo set of the award-winning TLM 103studio microphone, respectively, went, respectively, to Andreas Lassakand Christian Eller, both from Germany. Continuing the 75th anniversarytheme, prizes including T-shirts, posters and a few surprises wereawarded to the top 75 contestants. All participants were additionallyentered into a drawing, with each of the three winners receiving anaward-winning KMS 105 vocal mic.
Neumann has released an updated version of the quiz at www.neumann.com/contest; the contest is alsoavailable on the new Neumann product catalog CD-ROM.
Universal Audio Moves to Bigger Facility
Universal Audio has moved from its current location to a largerlocation in Santa Cruz, Calif. The new premises offer almost 10,000square feet, which will allow the company to expand its manufacturingcapabilities.
Universal Audio’s phone and fax numbers will remain the same, aswill all e-mail addresses. The new mailing address is 330 Encinal St.,Santa Cruz, CA 95060-2101.
For more, visit www.uaudio.com.
M-Audio Now Shipping Evolution UC-33e Controller
M-Audio is now shipping Evolution’s new UC-33e, a compact controllerdesigned for use with any computer/MIDI setup. The UC-33e allowsinstant and simultaneous controls of up to 47 different parameters viaits 24 assignable rotary controllers, nine assignable sliders and 14assignable buttons including a 10-button keypad.
Thirty-three nonvolatile memory locations allow quick and easy setupchanges. The UC-33e can be used with a conventional MIDI setup for liveperformances or as a remote controller for an existing studio rack.When used in stand-alone mode, the MIDI Out can be used to send MIDIcontroller data to a MIDI rack. The UC-33e comes with preconfiguredsettings for use with a variety of popular plug-ins, virtualinstruments and host applications (including presets for PropellerheadReason’s Malstrom, Subtractor, ReDrum, Dr.Rex, NN-19 and Mixer). Theunit also ships with five color overlays for the front panel,customized for popular software programs such as Ableton Live, plus ablank template that users can tailor to their personal setup needs.
The UC-33e’s controller mute function mutes the output of allcontrollers, allowing users to position them before tweaking, therebypreventing parameters such as filter cut-off or amplitude levels fromchanging abruptly during performance. The unit also features a drawbarmode for the sliders, which greatly enhances the experience of playingvirtual instruments such as Native Instruments’ B4 virtual Hammondorgan.
The UC-33e ships with an extensive software bundle featuring adedicated librarian program that gives PC users the ability to save,edit and share keyboard setups. Also included are Sound Studio II, apowerful MIDI and audio sequencer with VST plug-in support; MusicTeacher, a tutorial program that teaches users to play the keyboard;MusicPlanet, an array of professionally recorded samples; and a largeselection of VST plug-ins and virtual instrument demos.
The UC-33e carries an MSRP of $329.95 and is now shipping. For more,visit www.m-audio.com.