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HO OFFICE - AMS Neve plc Billington Road Burnley Lancs BB11 England
AMS
51.18
Tel: +44 (0) 1282 457011 Fax: +44 (0) 1282 417282 LONDON - Tel: 0171 916 2828 Fax: 0171 916 2827
GERMANY - Tel: 61 31 9 42 520 Fax: 61 31 9 42 5210 NEW YORK - Tel: (212) 965 1400 Fax: (212) 965 3739
NEVE HOLLYWOOD -- Tel: (818) 753 8789

e-mail: enguiry@ams-neve.com
Fax: (818) 623 4839
- http://www.ams-neve.com
TORONTO -Tel: (416) 365 3363 Fax: (416) 365 1044
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calendar of forthcoLsing events
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Features CSR Studios
jo'burg independent opens up
Reviews Sony PCM -R700

Exdusi\ L' a new DAT standard?
45 84
The Guide: Competition:
14 32 Dynamics Win a Alarantz CD recorder
Dynamics processors in full
Otari PD -80 Elation KM -201
Exclusive: unique DA\\ debut lusiv e: ncly Ku ian mies
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16 34 Technology:
Soundscape v2 Drawmer MX30 Dynamics 94
Exclusive: updated and able DAW Exclusive. comp-limiter expander Dynamics processing theory Comment
International news .um..1v sis
19 36 54
HHB CDR800 Joemeek VC2 Broadcast: 95
Exclusive: latest in CD recorders Quirky colourful 'valve channel'
Formula 1 Broadcast
The licensing of digital TV
sound from the Grand Prix circuit
23 38
LA Audio TL Audio 3013 61 106
Millennium series Exclusive: new solid -state EQ
Broadcast: Open Mic
yew budget outboard series Listening test comment
40 Formula 1
\lits and cameras on fast cars
27 Focusrite Green 4 Technology
Sennheiser radio Exclusive: colourful comp -limiter
64
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Russian Elation; 24- 96kHz;
Recording: FilmWav
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Power Rangers get tough; an 96kHz classics
affordable dynamic revelation Inside a ? -t-'m session
Studio Sound July 1997 3
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Interchange again
MY COMMENTS LAST MONTH on the requirement for manufacturers and users in
soun
the postproduction community to start some sort of serious dialogue concerning
interchange seem to have pricked a few nerves. Responses from both camps have
displayed a polarisation of opinion.
There are users, predominantly outside the traditional super technology league,
Incorporating Broadcast Engineering
who are keen to integrate themselves by whatever means, including interchange, in July 1997 Vol 39. No 7. ISSN 0144 5944
to any production flow. Then there are users, closer to the end of the food chain,
Miller Freeman plc, 4th Floor, 8 Montague Close,
who can appreciate a need for moderate import from lesser beings while the single
London Bridge, London SEI. 9UR UK.
brand facility house is often amused by the concept of interchange because it is Tel: +44 171 620 3636.
involved from the beginning to the end of productions, and has its own means of Fax: +44 171 401 8036.
E-Mail: cz73 @cityscape.co.uk
moving the stuff around. By definition there are more in the first category than there
are in the second, and more in the second than in the third. Editorial
Manufacturers can also be classified into three general types: those that want to Executive Editor: Zenon Schoepe
Editor: Tim Goodyer
play and are happy to, those that like the idea providing the material is only corn- Production Editor: Peter Stanbury
ing into their systems, and those that support the principle but are quietly confident Editorial Secretary: Jenny Skelton
US Representative: Debra Pagan
that it won't add up to much because they provide complete systems solutions with
Consultants: Francis Rumsey; John Watkinson
limited need for outside contact. Columnists: Dan Daley; Barry Fox; Kevin Hilton
Clearly the stratification of response comes down to the type of equipment used, Design Consultant: Ben Mallalieu
and where it sits in the DAW hierarchy. Could this mean that the real drive for inter- Regular Contributors: Jim Betteridge;
Simon Croft; Ben Duncan; Dave Foister;
change will emerge from the middle facility market ground? Could this mean that it Bill Foster; Tim Frost; Yasmin Hashmi; Rob
will be the middle market DAW manufacturers that summon the courage to drop James; Caroline Moss; Philip Newell; Terry
Nelson; Stella Plumbridge; Martin Polon;
their trousers and reveal their personal protocols in the interest of interchange?
George Shilling; Sue Sillitoe; Patrick Stapley;
It looks increasingly as if it could. Simon Trask
If it does then an interesting situation may develop where a unified and commu- Publishing Editor: Joe Hosken
nicating market will be book -ended by an isolated lower end and a top -end elite.
Is this really in the interests of everyone? Advertisement Sales
Group Sales Manager: Chris Baillie
Zenon Schoepe, executive editor Deputy Ad Manager: Phil Bourne
Model theory
Classified Ad Manager: Rebecca Reeves
Advertisement Production: Carmen Herbert
IT WAS WHILE sipping beer in Colombia's Galle Face Hotel that I overheard a British PA to the Publisher: Lianne Davey
Managing Director: Doug Shuard
man extolling the virtues of vocational training over more traditional academic cer- Publisher: Steve Haysom
tificates to a Sri Lankan woman. Ìn America you can buy a degree for $10,' he
quipped. `Have you heard about NVQs-National Vocational Qualifications ?'
C Miller Freeman plc. 1997. All rights reserved. No part of this pub-
I'm not certain that the object of the selling exercise was the NVQ. In fact, I'm lication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means. electronic or mechanical including photocopying. recording
pretty certain it wasn't, but the kind of real -world controversy that currently sur- or any information storage or retrieval system without the express
prior written consent of the publisher. The contents of Studio Sound
rounds pro -audio education played no part in his revisionist vision. and Broadcast Engineering are subject to reproduction in informa-
tion storage and retrieval systems. Studio Sound and Broadcast
It further transpired that our man and his female accomplice passionately believe Engineering incorporates Sound International and Beat Instrumen-
tal. Studio Sound and Broadcast Engineering is published monthly.
that there is no need to devise new `models' of learning because there is always an The magazine is available on a rigidly controlled requested basis.
only to qualified personnel. The publisher may pass suitable reader
existing `model' somewhere that can be adopted. Yet it will be evident to anyone addresses to other relevant suppliers. If you do not wish to receive
sales information from other companies, please write to Circulation
who has seen the Sri Lankan railway system that this approach doesn't always work. and subscription at the address below. Subscription Rates. UK
Miles of broken telegraph poles alongside the railway track through the hills and the annual: £36.00. Europe: £50.00/ US$80.00. Overseas airmail.
American continent: £62.501 US$100.00. Rest of the World:
fact that the passing of a train only temporarily returns the track to its intended use £62.50 /ÚS$100.00. Refunds on cancelled subscriptions will only
be provided at the publisher's discretion, unless specifically guar-
before it reverts to being a footpath challenge this hypothesis. Yet the establishment anteed within the terms of the subscription offer. Circulation and
subscription. Circulation Manager: Sue Winspear. UK: Miller Freeman
of a railway system following the British `model' fit perfectly with it. Entertainment Ltd, Royal Sovereign
I wonder what sci-fi author and technical visionary Arthur C Clarke would have
had to say about the conversation had he been the eavesdropper-not so unlikely
House. 40 Beresford Street, London
SE18 6BQ. Tel: 0181 855 7777.
Fax: 0181 -317 3938. US: Studio
Sound and Broadcast Engineering
ABC
AUDIT BRIAN Of CIRCULATIONS
Magazine. 2 Park Avenue. 18th Floor, BUSINESS PRESS

since he completed his Space Odyssey series while resident at the Galle Face. I sus- New York NY 10016. US Postmaster
Please send address corrections to:
pect he would have agreed with me that the world has little room for the kind of
arrogance that accompanied the spread of the British Empire. Modern communica-
Studio Sound and Broadcast Engi-
neering Magazine, c/o Mercury Air. TIMM
tions and media are changing the world in a way beyond any previous means of
freight International Ltd Inc. 2323
Randolph Avenue, Avenel, New Jersey
NJ 07001. US second class periodi-
didal
communication. Consequently, in pro -audio as well as a wealth of other areas, new cals postage paid at Rahway, NJ. Orig-
ination by Craftsmen Colour
models of working, thinking and learning are essential if we're to embrace the Reproductions Ltd, Unit 1, James
Street, Maidstone, Kent ME14 2UR,
future-just as they have been at points in our past evolution. The Englishman UK. Printed in Ireland by Lithographic Total average net
Universal Ltd, Bray Business Park, circulation of
attempting to repackage the past is a dangerous animal, regardless of whether he's South Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. 19,500 copies
Newstrade Distribution (UK) UMD. July 1995-June 1996
working in postproduction or Pamper production. Beware his call. 1 Benwell Road. London N7 7AX, UK. (UK: 6,565.
Tel: 0171-700 4600. Fax: 0171 -607 Overseas: 12,935).
In the meantime, I'll check the on-line editions of Sri Lanka's The Island and Daily 3352. (ABC audited)
News newspapers before deciding whether his disinformation effort is having any dis-
cernible effect. Tim Goodyer, editor Z Miller Freeman
A United News & Media publication
6 June 1997 Studio Sound
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Montreux for high -definition soundtracks
should certainly he inspired from
film and the studios should owe
Cinema more to dubbing stages than small

control rooms.
Festival There still appears to be an on-

going love affair with picture rather
than looking at the medium as a
SWITZERLAND: The 23rd -28th whole and realising the effect of
:April saw the 10th International sound and image combined is far
Electronic Cinema Festival take greater than the sum of the two
place in Montreux. Alternatively parts. Film-makers have known
A UK- EUROPE: Recent landmarks in the development of high -sample
rate recording include the first 24 -bit, 192kHz stereo session. The
held in Montreux and Chiba City, this for a long time.
recording of a number of choral pieces took place at Queens College
Japan. this festival is now a The decision -makers behind
Chapel in Cambridge, England, on 26th June and involved a selection of
spotlight on HDTV productions HDTV are going to have to come to
Sondore omni microphones, custom dCS A-D convertors feeding a
worldwide. grips with the fact that sound and
customised Genex GX8000 MO recorder (six of which were recently used
Ostensibly a bridge between vision together are going to make
for a 20 -bit. 48 -track location TV recording by the A[21D mobile of
standard television and the cinema. things happen faster-good pic-
Puccini's Manon Lescaut at the Glyndebourne Festival). The session was
high-definition television seems to tures are not enough on their own.
undertaken by Dutch classical production company, Kompas in collabor-
find more outlets in the world of Terry Nelson
ation with dCS to provide electronics giant Samsung with suitable
cinema at present, rather than that
material for an approach to the DVD consortium over audio standards.
of broadcast, and things will not be Asian action A full report will follow in Studio Sound. A 4- channel 24 -bit, 96kHz
easier with the advent of digital HONG KONG: The ceremonies
recording of the Montreux Jazz Festival was conducted by MTX Digital
television and advanced television accontp;utying the end of the
Mastering of Switzerland. The setup again used dCS 904 A -D convertors
systems. Six countries were repre- British 1-S6-year sovereignty of
this time feeding a Pyramix Virtual Studio workstation. The Pyramix
sented with the majority of the 27 Hong Kong and its return to
system is already 24-96 capable and also provides the platform on which
entries coming from Japan. Possi- Chinese control found a custom
the recordings will be edited. The artists being recorded included Eric
bly not surprisingly. five of the sev- American Meyer Sound public
Clapton, Marcus Miller, David Sanborn, Eric Sample and Steve Gadd; the
en awards went to the same coun- address system in the thick of the
recording will be used for a forthcoming DVD audio release.
try (including the Grand Prix action-and the rain. The system
dCS has announced its 972 digital -to- digital convertor (pictured above)
Astrolabium for Osamus Summer). was designed and operated by
which allows down- conversion of high -quality digital audio to have a
with the other two going to the founder and MD of Australia -
narrower wordlength and -or lower sample rate. Interfacing is comprehen-
Germany and an American-Japan- based System Sound, John
sive and includes AES -EBU. dual -AES, SPDIF and SDIF2 and conversion
ese-French production. Scandrett whose main concerns
may be either synchronous or asynchronous. The 972 complements dCS'
The credits for sound only ever after the audio quality and
902D and 904 A -D convertors which are fully 24 -bit, 96kHz capable.
mentioned one or two tracks ( if at functionality were to remain
dCS, UK. Tel: +441799 531999.
all), with the exception being unobtrusive in an event being
Merging Technologies, Switzerland. Tel: +41 21 946 0444.
Osamu'sSummerwhich used four. The witnesses by 4O.000 people and
productions that I saw did not covered by the majority of the BBC for world broadcast. their technology to 19,832 atten-
shine in terms of audio and a lot of world's television media. The Meamyhile the Chinese capital dees. The 199- event paves the way
EQ'ing was done in the cinema audience for the harbour canto - Beijing-as well as filling the for 1998's PALM show which will
auditorium in order to make dia- pop concert that followed the world's largest public square with enjoy a merger with China Sound &
logue more intelligible and give ceremony- commanded a further 100,000 revellers in recognition of Light and is scheduled for 9th -12th
more depth to the music. live audience of around 10,000. Hong Kong's new status -has filed May and will take place at the
This would appear to indicate Other musical activities involved reports of a particularly successful Beijing Exhibition Centre.
that most of the attention is still go- the Hong Kong Philharmonic Pro Audio, Light & Music China Further south in the Asia -Pacific
ing to the picture, even though Orchestra and Hong Kong show. Focused on the Chinese region. Jim James's Singapore-
HDTV is trying to compare itself to Chinese Orchestra with orchestral market, PALM saw 16 other coun- based EastWest operation has
the cinema. The mixing techniques mixes being fed directly to the tries displaying :tnd demonstrating changed its name to reflect its
Aims focus of operations on media rela-
tions. event management and direct
marketing. Included in EastWest's
portfolio is the imminent Pro Audio
A Light :Asia event in Singapore.
IIR Exhibitions. Tel: +65 227 0688.
Fax: +65 227 0913.
EastWest Public Relations,
Singapore. Tel: +65 222 0306.
MALAYSIA: RTM, Malaysia's

national broadcaster, has set
up a new recording studio at its
HQ in Kuala Lumpur. Thefacility,
which was designed and built by
Roger Hayler of Hong Kong -based
ACE, will be used exclusively for
music tracking. The equipment
listing includes an SSL 4000-series
console, Genelec 1035B main
monitors, Genelec 1030 close -field
monitors and 1038 foldback
speakers. Even the vocal, drum
and string iso booths boast
Genelecs- 1031As.
10 July 1997 Studio Sound
Tokyo-based Imagica has ordered codecs for coverage of the hand -over
a second AMS Neve Logic 2 console of Hong Kong to China this month.
for August installation in its No.5 MA The DSM100 coders will serve some
Studio. The console will be used for 8,000 journalists and ensure quality
worldwide broadcast facilities. APT's
surround-sound and high -definition
ADK200 digital audio coding systems
televisions production work. Other
are also being used for prerecorded
Japanese action sees two Fairlight
announcements on Hong Kong's air-
MFX3 Plus 24:24 systems being
port rail link. Other East Asian sales
delivered to post house Qtec, a mem- include a slew of Focusrite signal
ber of the Pioneer group; national processors to Thailand, among others,
broadcaster NHK purchasing a 38th the Kantana Group film production
Fairlight FAME system for its Studio company has taken two Red 7 mic
CC500; and Fuji Television's Tokyo- preamps; Pink Panther music studios
based Tele Pro has also subscribed has taken a Red 2 dual EQ, Red 3
to FAME. dual comp-limiter and a Red 6 preamp-
EQ; and Peter Pan mastering has
General Traders, Japan.
.UK: The Forge studio has opened in Oswestry, Shropshire in the all - Tel: +81 3 3291 2761 taken a Red 6, Blue 315 and Blue 330.
new complex of pro-audio company Systems Workshop. The studio Fairlight ESP, Australia. Audio Processing Technology, UK.
will run alongside the company's sales and distribution operation, and its Tel: +61 2 975 1230 Tel: +441232 371110
sound reinforcement hire and installation service in the listed building Focusrite, UK.
Cologne's Sound Studio N has
Tel: +44 1494 462246
which dates back a couple of hundred years. Originally a Smithy, the chosen a Sony OXF-R3 'Oxford' digital
California-based producer Bruce
building has been reconstructed from the ground up on a prime site in the console to partner an existing SSL
Botnik has bought eight Martech
centre of the ancient market town. Designed by Sean Zoega with 9072 analogue desk. It is the fifth MSS-10 mic preamps. Botnik's
Dynaudioacoustics M3 monitoring, the studio houses an Amek Rembrandt Oxford sale to date. The decision preferred setup involves a variety of
console, 32 tracks of Tascam DA-88, and the sort of outboard rack that accompanies the appointment of microphones including Neumann
includes only what the UK distributor for Tube Tech can. 'I decided that if HGA's Neil Grant to install both the M50s and M49s, and AKG C12s; dB
the dream of my own studio was to become a reality It had to be done console and a pair of Boxer T-5 main Technologies AD-122 and Studer D19
monitors in Studio B. The new room A-D convertors; and Sony PCM-3324
properly and we've put ourselves firmly on the map in the North West of
will provide tracking facilities for music and Genex GX8000 recorders. The
England with a sensibly priced control room and large studio area, but at
production ranging from jazz to pop MSS -10s have already been used to
a standard more normally associated with far more expensive facilities,' record Jerry Goldsmith's score for
and radio broadcast.
says Systems Workshop MD Phil Beaumont. 'The complementary studio, The Edge and the opening theme for
Sony, Europe. Tel: +441256 55011
sales and sound reinforcement operations is already proving to be a Spielberg's The Lost World with
Harris Grant Associates, UK.
strong combination- studio clients get to use gear that they otherwise Tel: +44 1753 631022
more film work to follow,
wouldn't which leads to sales, the sales operation can book the studio to California's Monterey Post has Martinsound, US.
serve as the demonstration suite to end all others, and if studio clients Tel: +1 818 281 3555
installed an Oram BEQ Series 8
Belgian Radio and Television has
want to play some gigs we can take care of that as well.' console in its main recording room.
The studio, which has enjoyed ordered two Amek DMS consoles for
The Forge. Tel: +44 1691 658550
its newly -refurbished radio studios at
considerable success with animated
one whos in the public eye at the features such as Superman and Broadcasting house in Brussels. BRTN
Alan Parsons helm can do no harm at all. It also Batman, is currently working on intend to have the installation up
UK: Alan Parsons takes over as plays a significant part in attracting Pinky and the Brain. Elsewhere in and running in September when the
Vice President of the EMI Studios 72-input, 24 -fader digital consoles
foreign work, and with the London Burbank, Warner Brothers Post
Production Services has announced will be used for live programmes,
Group from Martin Benge. Who studio business being so interna-
the order of two AMS Neve Logic such as networked sports broadcasts,
has returned to Australia for family tional at the moment, it makes very where their reconfigurability is regard-
Digital Film Consoles for use in long-
reasons. Parsons, who spent many good sense: he adds. ed as invaluable.
form television production. The
years as an engineer at Abbey DVD and multichannel sur- identical consoles offer 88-inputs, Amek, UK. Tel: +44 161 834 6747
Road during the 1960s and 1970s round formats are areas that he is 72- faders, assignable joysticks and Chicago-based independent
before pursuing a career as a particularly enthusiastic about. are intended for two-operator use. television broadcaster and 'cable -
producer and artist. becomes 'Having had experience with sur- The confirmed DFC order contradicts caster', WCFC -TV38, has installed a
earlier reports of an order for two new Euphonix CS2000P console. The
responsible for Abbey Road, Town round sound both now and in the
SSL Axioms. move follows viewing another Euphonix
House and Olympic Studios plus 1970s, I believe it deserves to he a
broadcast installation, WFLD Fox 32,
Meanwhile, the California post
four Manor Nlobile trucks. commercial success this time and the desk will handle live production
take -up of KRK monitors continues
I was absolutely flabbergasted around. If there's anything I can do and postproduction duties. A further
with five pairs of M7000B /S and
when Martin Benge contacted me to popularise it, I'll try nay three pairs of shielded KRoKs going CS2000 has been installed at
about the job, I fully expected him damnedest to do it.' asserts Parsons. to Universal Studios; Mad River Post Stockton, California-based Studio-C
to be there until he retired. I had a Benge will return to Australia in taking two pairs of shielded M6000 /S; as part of a complete studio redesign
Creative Cafe taking five pairs of which also includes the purchase of
long think about it and decided August where he will operate as an
M9000B/S and M6000 /S; and Manley Mu compressors, LA -2A
that basically the opportunity industry consultant. limiters and Mid EQs; and three
would not arise again -Ill he 50 Calling Parsons the obvious Digital Kitchen taking a pair of
Alesis ADAT XT MDM recorders.
M7000Bs.
next year and I think the timing is candidate', Benge says he wanted Dram Professional Audio, UK. Euphonix, US. Tel: +1 415 855 0400.
absolutely right,' says Parsons. someone who came from the cre- Tel: +44 1474 815 300 Manley Labs, US.
'I realise that I have a lot to learn ative and technical side of the IKRK Syst @ms, US. Tel: +1 909 627 4256.
in the world of business and I'm business rather than the financial Tel: +1 516 249 1399 Alesis Corp, US.
very determined to make it work. Tel: +1 310 558 4530.
planning-business management London's Precinct 23 has installed
Czech broadcasters Radio Bonton
However. I firmly believe that a lot area. 'I'm absolutely delighted that a Soundtracs Jade console. Installed
and Czech Radio have taken delivery
of running studios successfully is Alan has accepted the position. His by Don Larking Audio, the 40channel
of DDA consoles. A 24-input FMR
about relationships and common background as a producer and en- Jade has VCA and moving fader auto-
desk has gone" into Radio Bonton
sense and having worked on both gineer plus his early history at mation, and assignable dynamics and
while a DCM has gone into Czech.
sides of the glass. think I'm able
I Abbey Road is going to stand him will serve a variety of work for owner Radios Studio Macac -both were
to see things from quite an objec- in very good stead. Also his promi- Ronin Productions, including TV com- supplied by Mediatronik and are for
tive standpoint.' nence in Repro, the British Pro- mercials, remix work and Ronin's production applications.
own recording career as 23 Skidoo. EVI Pro Audio Group, UK.
Some initial parallels have been ducers Guild and the APRS give
Soundtracs, UK. Tel: +44 1562 741515
drawn between the Parsons him a broad perspective of the in-
Tel: +44 181 388 5000 Vancouver's Ocean Studios, owner
appointment and George Martin's dustry, and the fact that he has Don Larking Audio, UK. of seven DAR SoundStations, has
figurehead role at Air Studios. See- been studio client himself puts him Tel: +44 1234 772244 upgraded two more to the Sound-
ing it as a valid comparison, Par - in a unique position. I'm sure he Chinese state broadcaster, China Station's Sigma specification.
sons comments that 'putting some- will do a great job. Patrick Stapley Radio, has ordered APT digital audio DAR, UK. Tel: +44 1372 742848

September Washington Convention Centre.
Washington DC, US. International Audio, Video,
Tel: +1 800 288 8606. Broadcasting and
SMPTE 97 Fax: +1513 967 1900. Telecommunications Show
PLASA 97
Darling Harbour, Earls Court 1, London, UK. (IBTS 97)
Sydney, Australia. Milan Fair, Porta Metropolitana
Contact: Marcus Bernie
Tel: +61 2 9976 3245. TVLink Brazil 97 Pavilions, Milan, Italy.
Tel: +44 171 370 8231
Fax: +61 2 9976 3774. International Trade Mart,
E -mail: marcus.bernie @eco.co.uk Tel: +39 2 481 5541.
Email: conference @peg.apc.org San Paolo.
Net: www.harvard.co.uk Fax: +39 2 49 80330.
Tel: +44 181 910 7841.
Email: MC1703@MClink.IT
Fax: +44 181 910 7813.
International Television MIDEM Latin America & Email: zoe.cano @reedexpo.co.uk
Festival & Market of India 97 Caribbean Music Market Asia Cable, Satellite &
World Trade Centre, Mumbai Miami Beach, Florida Broadcast 97 (ACSB 97)
(Bombay), India. Contact: Jane Garton AES 103rd Convention Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala
Contact: Kavita Meer. Tel: +1 33 1 41 90 44 39 Jacob K Javits Convention Centre, Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: +91 22 215 1396. Email: jane_garton@midem- New York, US. Tel: +6 03 264 5663.
E-mail: saicom @bom2.vsnl.net.in paris.ccmail.compuserve.com Tel: +1 212 661 2355. Fax: +6 03 264 5660.
US tel: +1 305 573 06 58 Fax: +1 212 682 0477. Email: acsb@mfsb.po.my
Net: www.midemcannes.com Net: www.aes.org
New Broadcast Standards
and Systems
Eighth Residential course at IBC 97
October Reproduced Sound 13
Hydro Hotel, Windermere, UK.
the University of Surrey RAI International Exhibition and Tel: +44 1727 848 195.
Contact: Neil Sharp. Congress Centre, Amsterdam Fax: +44 1727 85 0 553.
18th Nordic Sound
Tel: + +44 171 344 5421. Tel: +44 171 240 3839 Email: Acoustics @clusl.ulcc.ac.uk
-mail: nsharp@iee.org.uk
Symposium
E Email: show @ibc.org.uk
Bolkesj0, Norway.
Net: www.ibc.org.uk /ibc/
Contact: Seem Audio:
The National Vintage
Lecture. Cochlear Implants Tel: +47 66 98 27 00.
Communications Fair
Conference room, Baden Powell Infocomm Asia Fax: +47 66 84 55 40.
Hall 11, NEC, Birmingham, UK.
House, South Kensington, London SW7. Singapore International Convention & Email: soundsymp@nrk.no
Tel: +441392 411565.
AES, UK.Tel: +441628 663725. Exhibition Centre Net: www.nrk.no /soundsymp/
Email: AESUK @aol.com Tel: +1 703 273 7200
Fax: +44 1628 667002 Email: icia @cia.org Broadcast India 97
Net: www.usa.net /cia 7th Intermedia 97 Technical Symposium
Music Expo Chavan Centre, Mumbai, India.
Pro Audio & Light Asia 97 Hala Ludowa, Wystawowa Street 1, Contact: Kavita Meer
World Trade Centre. Singapore. 19th Annual Satellite Wroc,taw, Poland. Tel: +91 22 215 1396.
Tel: +65 227 0688. Communications Expo Tel: +4871 481821. Fax: +91 22 215 1269.
Fax: +65 227 0913. & Conference (SCEC 97) Fax: +4871481451. E-mail: saicom @bom2.vsnl.net.in
Ìn your time at Brüel & Kjmr you created many breakthroughs.' AUSTRALIA 1021
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HANGING ALL THE RULES, AGAIN
In 1979, Meyer Sound revolutionized the sound reinforcement industry

with the trapezoidal cabinet and electronically controlled speakers.
Today, we're dramatically transforming loudspeakers again with the

Self-Powered Series.
The Meyer Sound Self- Powered Series integrates the amplifier and
control electronics within the speaker cabinet. From the amp to the horn,
the innovative components of the Self -Powered Series were uniquely
designed to optimize the performance of this breakthrough system.
REAL WORLD BENEFITS:
Better. The impressive technical achievements of the system

a better sounding., better performing loudspeaker delivering
result in
studio monitor quality with even the largest reinforcement systems. " The self powered
Faster. Setup time is remarkably faster and the associated speakers mark
costs lowered. Amp racks have been eliminated and the need to keep track
of matched racks and cable assemblies. The system requires surprisingly
a new beginning
less truck space and shipping expenses.
1ehable. The Self- Powered Series holds one of the lowest for both Meyer
amp failure rates in the industry. With known load characteristics, the
amplifier protection is minimized, simplifying the signal path. and the live
Consistent. Cross- compatibility in rental inventories sound industry."
from various companies is effortless since gain differences and connector
incompatibilities are eliminated. -Mix Magazine, August, 1996
Versatile. With no shared processors, each loudspeaker's

levels, frequency response and delay times can be individually manipulated.
A FEW SELF -POWERED SERIES USERS:
Celine Dion Mama'

Cirque Du Soleil, Quidam Tour Man -Min Church, Korea
Cultural Center Vooruit, Belgium Luis Miguel
Dave Matthews Band Montreux Jazz Festival
House of Blues, MA San Francisco Opera
Irving Plaza, NY Smoky Joe's Cafe, London
k.d. lang and I t,S. Tour
The Knitting Factory, NY Royal Swedish Ballet
Korn Yamanashi Binka Hall, Japan
Otari PD-80 a row of buttons under the record selects
which in turn are under the meters.
The rest of the window width is the
scrolling track display. Events are coloured
according to status. The normal colour of an
event in replay is orange or brown. These
colours alternate on successive events which
makes identifying joins in tracks easy, while
recording the events being created are shown
The PD-80 represents the latest step in Otari's ongoing push into the in red. A selected event is yellow and an
event selected to he moved is white. When
crowded nonlinear recorder -editor market. Rob James investigates half of a stereo pair event or one element of
THE OTARI PD -80 Digital Audio ' biksta- the bottom right -hand corner with locates a multitrack event is selected, the other parts
tion has arrived. And in a section of the above. At top right are four small buttons are displayed in yellowish grey. If editing is
market which seems to have more play- which handle paging through multiple PD -80s, performed all members of the group will be
ers than a casino. Otari's workstation package \TR control, Chase and varispeed. affected. Events can be ungrouped for indi-
is a compact. hardware solution consisting of The rest of the keys are 'full sized. with a vidual attention.
a 3U -high rackmounting unit. the PD -80, a good use of colour to highlight certain func- Above the Project window, a further win -
neat little controller, the CB-16-+. and a stan- tions. If you wish, the remote control will emit dow displays the Library list associated with
dard display VGA monitor which was not sup- a discrete 'click' on each key press. You can the Project or Event list. The list windows can
plied for review. Up to seven additional also decide if you want the machine to beep be expanded to fill the whole screen. Lists can
PD-80 -A expansion modules can be added to on errors. be sorted on various criteria, Events can be
the setup and all can he controlled from one On powering up, you are presented with edited numerically using the EMOtxFY key.
CB -164, giving a total of 64 tracks. To come. an opening screen with a number of pull - Libraries from other projects can be accessed
there is a film dubber version, the PD -80 -D, down menus and a box with a neat scrolling and events added to the current project.
which comes with a front panel controller and waveform graphic and time, date and soft- At the top of the screen are eight boxes
brings a number of extra features to the party. ware version information. The menus are which indicate what the white function keys
While it can use the usual SCSI hard drives it accessed using the function and -or yellow on the controller will currently do. There are
is billed as a magneto- optical disc recorder cursor keys to select an item and the green several pages of Function key assignments
and uses one of the new 'overwrite' 3'/,-inch ENTER key to confirm the choice. The which are accessed using the ruNc LIP and
Fujitsu drives which in this application is 3'/2 -inch M -O discs have to be formatted DOWN keys. The two keys adjacent to the jog
capable of replaying or recording eight data before recording can take place. This is done wheel, labelled 2ND and 3RD, act like shift keys
streams at once. There is front panel space for via the Disc menu, Housekeeping facilities to modify the action of other controls-for
up to two of the M -O drives. Up to 16 con - leave little to be desired and cover physical example, when in Guide mode which allows
secutive punch in. punch outs are allowed. and logical formatting of discs, verifying, the display to he scrolled without playing
Disc capacity is 640Mb per single-sided disc copying and so on. The defaults held in audio, holding down 2ND gears up the action
of which 635Mb are available for audio. This backup RAM are changed under the General of the jog wheel whilst 3RD gears it down.
gives a total of around 85 track- minutes menu (which is also where you can set the The zoONt IN and zooM OUT buttons allow
depending on sampling rate. Recording is time and date). Project and Library menus the display resolution to be changed from less
16 -hit. sampling rates are 32kHz, 44.056kHz, cover the creation, opening and management than 2s across the full window to over 27 min-
44.1kHz. 47.952kHz or 48kHz. The GPIO con- of projects and libraries respectively. The two utes in 11 stages. the minimum step size
nector provides a hi -phase input which allows other interesting modes of operation are changes in proportion from 0.1 frames to ls.
the PD -80 to slave to film equipment at vari- selected under the Utility menu for some rea- Again, ZOOM IN and Ot r are on dedicated but-
ous pulse per frame rates. It also allows exter- son. The final menu is Power which enables tons. Waveform display can he toggled by the
nal equipment to control commonly used you to put the machine into mac -like 'sleep' associated \XAYE button.
transport functions and provides tally outputs in a power -saving mode, useful if you want to Comprehensive edit functions are provided
for indicator lamps. leave the machine for a while. Touching any together with a plethora of Audition modes.
The PD -80 front panel contains nothing control 'wakes' it from where you left it. Most editing is carried out by marking two
more than a mains switch, headphone socket In Otari -speak an individual collection of points with the large yellow A and B buttons.
and volume pot, and one or two slots for the recorded sections of audio and the associated The space in between the marks becomes the
M -O disc or discs. The rear panel is busier, to data is referred to as a Project, each recorded edit region. Editing normally only affects the
say the least. with four channels of mappable sound is called a Cue, a collection of Cues is selected event or events but using the 210 key
AES -ElIt I -O and Time Code I -O on XLRs, a Library and a Cue placed in a Project is you can, for example, slip all events on all
Vord clock and Video sync I -O on BNCs and termed an Event. An Event consists of a set of tracks. If you decide you have got it wrong
a SCSI connector. Analogue I -O is on two instnictions to the PD -80 which determine there are 16 levels of Undo -Redo available on
25 -pin D- connectors. The convertors are 20 -hit how a cue is to he played. dedicated buttons. A handy edit mode is the
64x oversampling A -Ds and 20 -bit 8x over - The display is clear and reasonably clutter Gate function. This will chop up an event into
sampling D-As. Other D- connectors take care free. At the bottom of the screen are four separate events by cutting out silence; this is
of RS422 (Sony P2) machine control, GPIO groups of boxes. The first group shows the very useful where tracks with silence are
and hiphase, and the connections to the con- name of the selected Cue, its start time, its transferred from another machine and you
troller. VGA monitor and additional PD -80s. sync point and end time. The second group want to move things around. The Gate can be
Optional boards are available for connection shows Mark A and B times, the duration set to operate at thresholds of -60dB, -52dB,
to machines using TDIF or ADAT interfacing. between them and incoming time code. The -45dB or -38dB which should cover the major-
The remote controller can be up to 30m from next group shows sample rate, frame rate and ity of situations. As before, if you overdo it,
the PD-80 or further if the CB -64 is provided where the current reference clock is coming there is always Undo.
with a source of 9V power. Connectors on the from. The last group has two status boxes for Punch -in and punch -out recording can he
controller are a 25 -pin to the mainframe, a Chase mode and varispeed rate. performed across any or all of the eight tracks
standard IBM PS -2 mini-DIN to allow for a In normal use, the window occupying the together, either manually or automatically.
computer keyboard, the 9V power socket middle of the screen is the Project window. At Auto in -out times can he programmed with
referred to earlier and a phones jack and pot. the left of this window are track number the AB markers or numerically. With the times
The controller is well laid out with eight bright boxes. To the right of this are track name set the auto punch in -out is initiated by press-
bar-graph meters, a miniature Q\\ERrY key- boxes which change colour according to sta- ing 3RD REC and PLAY while in Stop.
board for labelling and a chunky jog -shuttle tus. When tracks are in replay the box is The locator functions are also impressive.
wheel with a good feel. Standard illuminated green; when nested, grey, or for monitoring You can locate the start and end of a project
tape transport keys are in the logical place in input, yellow. Monitor status is selected with or individual Events or Sync points. There are
five locator memories available on dedicated Cue Quick Play and Project Program Play. Otani has an excellent pedigree in pro-
buttons and a total of 100 memories. An Cue Quick Play enables the numeric pad audio. Their analogue multitracks are a semi -
unusual addition is the first five locations can buttons on the right of the controller to he universal workhorse and the Radar digital
be locked and may be used to trigger external loaded' with Cues selected from any library for multitrack has a good following. The com-
events via GPIOs when in Project Pro- instant playout when the relevant button is pany has aimed the PD-80 at the widest pos-
grammed Play. pressed. Four pages of sible audience. It believes it
DSP functions are included for time com- assignments can be saved will find friends in TV, radio,
pression and expansion, pitch shift and and recalled for a total of 48 theatre and many other
reverse. These time -domain effects are all off- sounds. This has obvious Otani, 4 -33-3 Kokuryo -cho,
applications. There is how-
line, although sections can be auditioned in applications in theatres and Chofu -shi, Tokyo 182, Japan.
ever, one glaring omission
real time before committing to the process. for quiz shows, and so on, or Tel: +81 4 2481 8626.
for sound- for -picture users:
A choice of algorithms is provided for the maybe even railway station Fax: +81 4 2480 8633.
there is currently no auto -
pitch shift and time stretch. announcements. US: Otani, 378 Vintage
conform function nor is
Response on hitting the PLAT button is vari- Project Program Play is, to Park Drive, Foster City, CA 94404.
there a diskette drive which
able. From a standing start it k almost instan- my knowledge, unique in a Tel: +1 415 341 5900.
would he required to load
taneous, but after winding hack a minute or general purpose DAW. It Fax: +1 415 341 7200
and save the EDLs. The
two there is about a is delay, presumably enables a completed Project UK: Stirling Audio Systems,
company say this is on the
whilst buffers are loaded. There is reverse or Projects to be replayed at Kimberley Road, London NW6 7SF.
wish list. The inability to
sync play but this is initiated by pressing predetermined times of day Tel: +44 171 372 6370. chase sync with multiple
REWIND while holding down 35D which is a bit (triggered from the internal Fax: +4 171 372 6370.
machines in wordclock sync
counter- intuitive. Why, I wonder, did they not clock) or external time code. Europe: Otani, Rudolf -Diesel
also makes the PD-80 awk-
make it 2ND and NAY? Varispeed can be The playback can also he Strasse 12, D-4005 Meerbusch 2,
ward in this field.
invoked in play or record and covers a initiated manually. You can (Osterath), Germany.
This is, however, a well
±125% range. have up to 18 Projects per Tel: +49 2159 50861. thought -out and versatile
Machine control is versatile with a good page and there arc four Fax: +49 2159 1778.
machine with a few limitations
selection of frame rates and modes for pages for a total of '2 possi- Singapore: Otani, 40 MacTaggart for certain applications. The
time -code master and slave operation or ble Projects. Each Project Road, Singapore 1336.
learning curve is fairly shallow
RS422. When multiple PD -80s are synchronised can contain up to five locate Tel: +65 284 7211.
and the interface is pretty intu-
at word clock accuracy you cannot use Chase points each of which will Fax: +65 284 4727.
itive. In addition to the usual
Sync or Varispeed. The varispeed isn't much of send a GPIO trigger to oper- applications for a DAW, the
an issue, but the inability to chase lock with ate external devices, This is, potentially, an PD -80 could be used for multitrack audio in
multiple units can be limiting. There is a extremely powerful tool for a wide variety of theme parks or museum A -V installations. as an
'workaround'. but this is somewhat inelegant. hitherto rather neglected applications- multi- automated playout unit for radio commercials or
In addition to the 'normal' mode of opera- track audio installations in theme parks and any application which requires playout of
tion there are two other unusual possibilities, museums, for instance various sequences at specific times.
Soundscape v2 ing to the type of operation and you can cus-
tomise the contents of each toolbar to taste.
The parts to be played are coloured according
to the physical track or output to which they
are assigned. Only one Part can he played from
each output at any one time and overlapping
parts on a single track will be muted.
Here are just a few examples from the com-
When the Soundscape workstation first appeared, its designers
prehensive list of tools on offer. Normalise
openly favoured functionality over flash. With its new version, creates a new take from the selected Part or
Soundscape presents a serious challenge for those systems whose Parts with the level adjusted so the peak is
actually 100 %.
designers had other priorities as Rob James discovers DC Removal works in the much the same
SOUNDSCAPE ENTERED the DAW mar- practical to have a fast PC running picture (on way but applies a 10Hz filter.
ket in 1993. Since then the company a separate monitor) at the same time as One welcome and extremely powerful tool
lias established an enviable reputation Soundscape. This makes for a cost- effective is the Noise Gate. This can be used with a
for its products. This has been reflected in Sound for Picture solution. variety of parameters to break up a long part
serious numbers of workstations delivered to The basic building block is a 2U -high rack - with silent gaps into a number of smaller
facilities and individuals all over the world. mounting unit together with a PC interface parts. This can be veny useful when, say. a
Soundscape',. version 2 software together with card. Each interface card can connect to two complete commentary track has been
the required SSAC -1 accelerator card is a rack units; a fully expanded system is cur- recorded in one take and you want to see
major upgrade to the system and extends its rently eight rack units which will give a total where the voice actually is.
capabilities in a number of ways. There is also of 96 tracks (simultaneous data streams). In vl Transport control is taken care of in the
a new interface available, the SS8IO -1. each unit gave eight tracks with two inputs Tape Transport window which has the usual
For those people unfamiliar with version 1, and four outputs. tape recorder-style buttons and displays time
a little explanation may help to appreciate v2. Each rack unit can be fitted with one or and so on, together with the current locator
Soundscape is built around the principle of two fixed or removable hard -disk drives for positions. As with most other functions there
using dedicated hardware for the audio audio storage. These are referred to as SDisks are keyboard short-cuts which duplicate the
recording, editing and manipulation with a in Soundscape parlance. on- screen buttons.
standard IBM clone PC used as the display The philosophy behind Sounclscape is to The track display is static with a moving
and control interface. Dedicated hardware place all the burden of dealing with the audio Play Pointer. When this gets to the right -hand
controller fans are catered for via MIDI with on proprietary hardware which allows the use side of the screen, the track display is redrawn.
software for the JL Cooper CS10 -2 and MCS -2 of a comparatively modest PC for control. Time display can be SMPTE or
and Penny & Giles MM16 and DC16. Practically, this means for vl you need a PC Bars:Beats:Ticks. Resolution of the time display
If the PC is fitted with an RS422 card, Remote capable of comfortably running Windows is down to 100th of a frame or 192 ticks to the
Device Control (RDC) software is provided to 3.xx and for v2, Windows 95. Soundscape heat. Editing resolution is down to individual
control external machines using the Sony P2 uses standard (and cheap) IDE interface hard samples. A waveform file can be generated for
(9 -pin) protocol. otherwise Soundscape can he disk drives rather than SCSI drives. Until each part by using the Waveform tool. Once
an MTC (MIDI Time Code) master or slave. recently IDE drives had data bandwidth limi- generated this file is stored so subsequent dis-
Multiple instances of the RDC can be run tations which restricted their use in most play of waveform is near instantaneous.
together to control several machines. limited by DAWs. Soundscape's designers took the view At the heart of the upgrade is the SSAC -1
the number of RS422 ports. that by using these cost -effective drives and card. This adds further DSP to the existing
Also included is an AVI player that will designing their system in a way which does Motorola 56001 in the form of the new
work in conjunction with video capture cards not demand high -performance disks, they Motorola 56301. This chip offers significant
such as the Fast Electronics AV master or Miro would have a better option than the alterna- advantages to the designers of Soundscape
DC30. Because Soundscape is so undemand- tive approach of utilising expensive SCSI dri- over the earlier device due in part to its re-
ing of PC hardware it is perfectly feasible and ves for maximum disk performance. The locatable code structure. The speed and effi-
largest single drive currently supported is ciency of instructions is greatly increased. This
4.294Gb. Larger drives, like the seriously is evidenced by a huge extension of real -time
quick and cheap Maxtor 5.1Gó, can be used, processing capabilities and the way in which
but Sounclscape can currently only 'see' these can be assigned and re- assigned at will.
4.294Gb. Under vl software, if two drives are The SSAC -1 also has a TDIF connector which
fitted to a unit they are seen as one drive. In can be used to connect to any suitably
v2 they can be addressed individually. equipped recorder or mixer such as a Tascam
The primary user- interface is the main DA -88 or a Yamaha 03D. Alternatively it can
screen, this is customisable so you only he used to connect to the other new piece of
need to display the windows you need for a Soundscape hardware, the 55810 -1 interface.
given operation. Instead of the output assignment arrange-
The EDL module is a separate application ments in vl, there is a new digital mixer with
that uses the same hardware to conform mate- a user -definable channel structure which exists
rial which can later he loaded into Soundscape. in its own window. Different configurations
Screens are highly automata0l: can be created, saved and loaded and the
Most of the terminology used by Sound-
.
IF,E.;x.... e weaarad scape is musical in origin thus the main dis- mixer has total recall of all parameters includ-
: era-00 .tl°
...I r7,:.
, ,s.,, r,:w:»N. s ri °3. ^s0
_a 6 v
play is referred to as the Arrange window. ing the settings.of any real -time plug-ins. Each
r-. r
,
. [r.
s Raw audio recorded into the system is termed channel can have a number of real -time
r-. r. r-. r-. = r=

eoæ wm tom
r-. a Take. A complete Take or part of a Take can processes running concurrently. The limits on
,
- IMF be placed on virtual tracks in the Arrange this are currently what will physically fit at the
6-J@- @- @- JU- ID-
chosen screen resolution plus the total amount
-r -o- 4á
sr-77- ro-.r".r-
=_ == ta ir
ro- rsr-arr
-o- -o-
window. These are then referred to as Parts.
Tools are selected by using the mouse (or of DSP processing available. A scroll bar for
other pointing device) and then clicking on the the processing is under development which
Part you wish to affect. The mouse can be will mean the effective limit is the available
`loaded' with four tools at one time. One each processing. The mixer has 16 internal buses
on the left and right buttons and one each on per SSAC -1 card. These can be used to distrib-
13
ute or group signals to be sent to internal
u II
t H we. ,..,....,.t. NGB .aG i. MmMa p n acli left and right with the ALT key held down. Tools
.:1_J are grouped in nine pages or Toolbars accord- effects processes or to a master fader. Any
Output or Send element can be routed to a optical, jaz or what-
bus and the input to a channel can also he a ever. Software is also
bus. A bus can be assigned as the input for provided for backup
multiple channels allowing flexible signal dis- to Audio DAT. A DAT
tribution. All mixer elements are, in effect, backup can now
plug -ins. The EQ elements in the initial release span over more than
are 2 -hand fully parametrics. If you want four one tape. In addition
or six bands, simply drop two or three 2-hand the hardware and
EQs into the strip. Signals can be routed so software can be net-
you can record a mix of tracks back into worked using stan-
Soundscape with effects included, if required. dard PC networks
Each element uses a certain percentage of with TCP IP protocol.
the available DSP power. The total allocated Software is pro-
percentage is shown at the top of the mixer vided for recovery of
page. For example a 2 -hand EQ uses 2 %. a inadvertently deleted
mono peak meter 0.3°iú. A processing inten- files. however the
-a
sive plug -in chorus -Hanger from the new usual caveats apply....
Audio Toolbox plug-in takes 10 %. If you The limit on the
exceed the available processing power it is number of virtual
possible to simply mute mixer elements -they tracks is now
do not have to be removed. Thus it is possi- increased to 256, for-
ble to create a mixer which has everything merly 64. Multiple
you might need for a particular project but units are now supported seamlessly in one Also under development is a software mix
exceeds the available processing and simply window. In v1 it was necessary to have mul- automation module which will allow record
activate the components you actually need to tiple iterations running. .WAV files can now be and replay of dynamic mixer changes and an
do the job. imported or exported in hatches. additional software module that will make all
As a result of these innovations the segment The other new item of hardware is the mixer parameters available via MIDI. Sound -
based EQ (which was the only way of achiev- SS8IO -1. This unit provides eight balanced scape is also destined to support the new gen-
ing EQ in v1) has temporarily disappeared but analogue I -O on XLRs using Crystal Semicon- eration of advanced hardware controllers like
will return as it is seen as a highly desirable ductors 20 -bit convertors from a TDIF source. the IL Cooper MCS3000 and Mackie IIl'I with
feature. The v Merge function has been
I It also provides ADAT I -O (format conversion) full editing functions as well as mixing.
replaced by a full Mixdown function through and 8-channel metering. The metering is part At the beginning of 1997 Soundscape
the mixer. A simple Combine function using of the ADAT interface circuitry. However, announced a change in pricing which reflected
the mixer level and pan controls is under since the unit allows one input format to he the move to v2. The base system price for v2
development. assigned to more than one output format. you is the same as the old vl price. The accelerator
The v2 software is fully 32-bit. Currently can have metering without an ADAT in sight. card is, reasonably enough. an additional cost.
this means it will run only in the Windows 95 Sampling rates supported are -t- t.IkHz and For those who do not need the extra facilities
environment, but drivers are being developed i8kHz and there is a connection for external there is now a v1.18F S (fixed software) entry-
for Windows NT. Since the hardware and superclock or wordclock. The board also has level system at reduced cost which can he
software layers are separate in Windows NT a 512 channel expansion bus. upgraded later for approximately the differ-
this will open up the possibility of Sound - The impressive changes in v2.00 are only ence in buying v2 at the outset.
scape becoming cross -platform in the future. the beginning. The accelerator card is laying Obviously any manufacturer hopes exist-
The biggest change to the record and play - the foundations for major future enhance- ing users will upgrade to the new version.
hack capabilities is the number of simultane- ments. Already in development is an expan- Soundscape had estimated a take -up for
ous records is raised to 12 tracks per unit with sion chassis which will take up to multi DSP the upgrade. In fact, the company says, even
buses from the two available in v1 and the or I -O cards connected using the 512 channel before release this had been comfortably
number of playback tracks is raised to 12 per expansion bus. Multiple Soundscape units will exceeded. Some measure, I think. of the level
unit from eight. Via the TDIF port there are a connect to the sanie chassis and he able to of user satisfaction with the system.
further eight physical -Os in addition to the
1 share the DSP resources. 'What all this adds up to is a self -assured
original 2 -in 4 -out. There are already a number of plug -ins DA\V which can be configured for nuns' spe-
As mentioned earlier. each disk in a unit is available for Soundscape. cific tasks. If you take the time to set it up
now treated separately. The whole SDisk fil- The CD-R software combines Soundscape properly for a particular job it can be a satis-
ing structure has been radically improved. It software with the acclaimed fying and productive tool.
now resembles Windows Explorer hut with Point CD package for writing It is easy to save complete
additions specific to audio use. File names can Red Book standard CDs. configurations for specific
now be 64 characters with a 128 -character Soundscape Di gital
Revert) comes courtesy of tasks and -or individual users.
comment field on the SDisks. Takes are now Technology, Cri chton House,
Wave Mechanics and pro- ü'ith v2, Soundscape is
stamped with the original time code and Mount Stuart S quare, Cardiff
vides a comprehensive set of well on the vvay to achieving
frame rate. Fields are provided in the Take Bay, Cardiff CF1 6DR, UK.
reverb effects. There is a a very neat trick many others
Tel: +44 1222 450120.
format for default virtual track, physical track.
volume, EQ, revert), cue point, a 'read only'
Time module that provides
Fax: +44 1222 450130.
have tried to pull off -a
time -domain effects and an robust system with a low
flag and an archive flag that will be used in US: Soundscape Digital
Audio Toolbox with Chorus entry level cost which is truly
v2.01. There is a proper folder- subfolder filing Technology, 717 Lakefield Road,
and Flanger effects in real scalable at reasonable cost. It
system which makes keeping track of multiple Suite C, Westla ke Village,
time More plug-ins are on is now possible to envisage a
projects far easier. Folders can exist across CA 91361. Tel: +1 805 373
the way. very serious facility -wide
several drives in the system allowing all files 1828. Fax: +1 805 379
Slated for v2.01 software solution to production
used in a project to he dealt with simultane- 2648.
are Punch in -out on the fly, process problems using a
ously. Arrange and mixer files can now be Germany: SEA, Auf dem Diek,
play looping and more range of Sounclscape units
saved onto SDisk so a complete project with 6, 48488 EmsbOren.
mixer elements. Various specified according to task.
all the required information can reside on, Tel: +49 5903 9388 0.
software enhancements are The modularity of the system
say, one removable drive. This will make Fax: +49 5903 6141.
planned aimed specifically makes it easy to change con-
moving projects via 'sneakernet' a much eas- at sound -for- picture users. figurations as requirements
ier proposition. Any PC files can now be These include a count -in beep generator for change without rendering units redundant.
copied to SDisk and backup can be to any ADR, \l -S encode and decode, and various The new networking capabilities are the icing
logical PC device, tape streamer, magneto - editing tools. on the cake.
Studio Sound July 1997
17
o
O
0
D
I-
in
D
cG
HHB CDR800
The CD -R ball is now rolling, with HHB being the latest to add its experience to this gathering
momentum. Zenon Schoepe test drives the CDR800 and wants to keep the keys
THE DEMOCRATISATION of CD-R has together with improved convertors over the analogue inputs switchable for -8dBu/
been a wondrous thing. Having attended Pioneer PDR -05 so HHB is clearly gunning for + -i(1Bhu operation. These together with the
one of the earliest launches of this type the attentions of the Golden Ear Brigade. line inputs use the front panel RECORD LEVEL
of technology in some out of the way Parisi - More obvious differences include the 19 -inch and e.AL scE pots.
enne hotel suburb, I remember being rack mounting and the presence of balanced The front panel is pleasantly uncluttered by
impressed by the achievement but bemused XLR analogue inputs and an AES-EBIT input. comparison and once you connect button to
as to why anybody would want to go to so A word or two about the transport: function, the CDR800 emerges as a simple
much trouble and such expense just to roll described in Pioneer parlance as a Stable Plat- machine to operate -so simple that I initially
their own CDs, In reply we were told that ter Mechanism, it is different to most CD-R suspected the use of multifunction keys. But
here, at last, was a medium that was conve- machines because you put the blank in label - there really aren't any.
nient and universally acceptable that would side down. This is actually quite awkward to Aside from the regular transport controls
become the interchange currency of the stu- do if you have established an elaborately sad (the forward and back track -search keys func-
dio-to- record company chain and beyond and and flamboyant routine for removing a CD tion as manual search when held down in
an invaluable aid for the postproduction con - from its case and placing it into a machine's Play or Pause), you are presented with nicely
veyor belt. tray. With the Pioneer mechanism you have to isolated RECOSÍ) and RECORD ,MUTE switches, the
I was unconvinced mostly because DAT twist your wrist. lauer preset at .+ seconds. You also get the
was happening and looked altogether more However, the benefit of this orientation is facility- to program skip playbacks, but more
exciting and practical, not to mention more that the disc is better supported resulting in significantly on a write -once medium. you can
financially accessible. When the reports came a claimed improvement in LF response while also record this skip data on to the disc pro-
through on the questionable reliability of the more practically it means that the laser is viding, of course, that the destination CD
early CD -R media I felt vindicated. However. firing from above rather than from below. player can recognise them.
1 wasn't alone in thinking that if they ever tied You don't have to he that clever to know that The display is not that enormous and fea-
the CD -R thing down, and sorted it out, and dust and dirt tends to fall to the floor rather tures lots of small hits of legending that you
made it cheaper, which. of course, we were than the ceiling which means that the optics initially have to search around before you can
promised, then its potential was enormous. are less likely to be afflicted by some of the work with it.
Well it has been sorted, and it's now cheaper. gunging up that can occur over time, I'ni for Among this machine's many attributes is the
Considerably cheaper. anything that improves reliability on a write - ability to translate DAT.. D or CD IDs auto-
The HHB CDR800 is currently the cheap- once medium. matically into disc track starts (you can also
est professional CD -R recorder available. As The CDR800's rear panel is fairly well enter them manually) and the presence of an
such it could represent the final push that populated with unbalanced phono inputs in -built sample -rate convertor that puts down
CD -R needs to tip it over into truly wide - and outputs. co -axial and optical SPDIF 44.1kHz from anything from 32kHz to 48kHz.
scale acceptance. I -Os, an AES -EBU input and balanced XLR The latter is totally invisible to the page 20 >
There are a number of things that have to
be clarified about this box. For starters, the
observant will have noticed more than a pass-
ing resemblance to a certain Pioneer PDR -05
CD recorder-and they'd be right. What
you're looking at here is one of those rather
clever HHB rework jobs where the company
has taken a fundamentally good piece of gear
and tweaked it, and realigned it, to better
serve the requirements of professional users.
HUB has done this sort of thing before with
considerable success in DAT machines and
now clearly thinks the time and technology is
right for CD-R. Its not accidental that Pioneer
has been active in lasers for some time and
has been about as enthusiastic about Laserdisc
as you can get.
I'm not going to dwell on the PDR-05 con-
nection too much as the CDR800 is not simply
a rebadge -there are a number of significant
differences between the two that should be
mentioned. For example, the original Pioneer
CD -R runs on consumer CD-R blanks and not
your standard CD blanks which it will not
recognise. This is tied in with the PDR-05's con-
sumer stance and the presence of SCMS which
tries its best to prohibit bedroom pirating.
The CDR800 uses standard CD -R blanks
and is not limited by SCMS, allowing copy
protection to he encoded as Inhibit, No
Inhibit and Once Only copy.
Internally the CDR -800 uses a twin power
supply arrangement, a copper chassis
away it goes and a remote that you could really thump.
.
writes it in stone. I missed the ability to enter track sub-
° Ól You can also check indexes from the front panel while recording
Ei.- 7:140?
r:. -j©
_ =_xr-
Al .._.._
YrWlre tltifüs .
_
various time related
parameters from a
_no-: switch includ-
ing the total
which is something you can do with the
Marantz CDR6I5. The omission of anything
other than a phono output for this device, no
matter how sweet and beautiful it sounds,
< page 19 user and requires no activation or remaining recording time available. could he construed as an oversight although
selection-the CDR800 just does it. There's provision for a rather generous you would expect to buy a CD-R machine to
How the machine actually records illustrates t :tpproxs second fade -in and fade -out which record on. not to playback from.
its versatility but on first contact is also the is instigated from the supplied infrared remote Even so. it is difficult not to be impressed
most confusing aspect of it until you under- and this additionally activates Play Repeat and by the sound quality of the CDR800, and while
progrunnied playback functioms. I did nil! take I \\ ill not he drawn on the nuances of the low -
stand what the choices mean and concentrate
on the ones that you think you'll use the most. to the remote control end response vis à vis the
Basically there are five recording modes because it's a tiny thing Stable Platter Mechanism.
-one analogue input mode and four digital with the sort of squidgy HHB Communications. 73 -75 it's a fine and wholesome
input mcxles. Of the five na Kies two are buttons that characterise sounding piece of machin-
Scrubbs Lane. London NW1O 6QU.
.traditional' manual modes-the aforemen- svelte modern Iii -fi systems ery that puts clown on to
Tel: +44 181 962 5000.
tioned analogue mode and one digital filmic and apart from duplicating (:D what you send in.
Fax: +44 181 962 5050.
allow the machine to he run manually tram the main transport controls Should there he enure?
Email: sales @hhb.co.uk
the transport controls-and the remaining and recording functions it's The appeal of the CDR800
US: HHB Communications LLC,
three are so- called Digital Synchro modes and main benefits lie in its spins around the fact that its
626 Santa Monica Blvd, Ste 110,
direct numeric track access a dedicated audio CD -R with
effectively variations on a theme. Synchro Santa Monica, CA 90401.
nodes instigate CD-R recording from the arriv- keys. Its a tab and tidy no pretensions to doing any-
Tel: +1 310 319 1111.
ing digital input and comprise a 1- Track mode remote for listening back thing else. Its pro. And for a
Fax: +1 310 319 1311.
in which the machine records a single track but I found it hotel to CD -R machine its also
Canada: HHB Canada, 260 King surprisingly stress-free to use
and then goes in to standb: All-Track accept that I would want to
Street East, Toronto, Ontario.
string of tracks and tnist it while attempting - -\ iu don't have to babVsit
mode which records a
Tel: +1 416 867 9000.
tricky compilations. its it. its modes are intelligent.
then stops: and an Auto -ID mode in which the Fax: +1 416 867 1080.
machine creates tracks in line with incoming almost irrelevant because and it'll even park itself.
index info from the digital source. The last of you can do the business On features the balance
quite comfortably from the front panel tyhich alukut right. pricetyise (A.299 + \AT in the
these represents the full -clone mode and is
likely to be the most useful. is as clear and positive as can be. You can also l h/ its outstanding. The CDR800 is a major
The Finalize process is performed on a push peel out the main transport controls plus Track advance for the cause of the CD -R. There's
of a dedicated button. the machine prepares the Write via a rear panel 8-pin parallel remote going to be a queue.
disc and then you release the eu st: button and socket which should permit the construction of
flTo flt10o33a/S111 Setting a
audio excellence to which
others can
new standard of
only aspire.
SERIES
For information on the complete range,
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STUDER 928
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LA Audio Millennium series
LA Audio's Millennium- series currently includes a cost-effective dual mic -line preamp, dual compressor-
gate, dual 3 -band parametric and multieffects unit. George Shilling balances price and performance
DESPITE THE NAME, it would seem that explain every feature. Applications are sug- ward unit with all the connectors on the back
there is nothing American, glamourous gested, concepts explained. block diagrams except DI inputs, which are on the front.
or West -Coast about LA Audio, The presented. There are even graphics of the There are buttons for input selection, phan-
parent company is SCV London, and the units front panel for noting settings-marvellous tom power, and phase which is useful and not
are made in the UK. The Millennium- series news for Total Recall fans. featured on most budget consoles. An input
incorporates the MLX2 dual mic-line pream- Each unit is a standard 1U-high rackmount, gain knob has a good range and the output
plifier, GCX2 dual compressor -gate, EQX2 a surprisingly shallow l5cm, compact and pot has 20dB cut or boost with centre detent.
dual 3 -band EQ, and MPX1 multieffects light. Power supplies are onboard affairs, The filter is 2nd order (12(.113 -8ve) variable
processor. Unfortunately the latter shares its which is good news. No power switches are high -pass adjustable from 25Hz to 250Hz. This
name with the latest Lexicon multieffects unit: provided, but that's okay: I hate walking into is useful in many circumstances, but particu-
I don't know why manufacturers can't think a studio where half of the outboard gear is larly for reducing unwanted noise when
up proper names for their products. Why not powered down. A green LED glows on the recording vocals. The DI input is buffered by
a Tweaker or a Knohulator? front panel indicating the presence of power. a high impedance amplifier. The signal then
Perhaps because the Millennium- series Connection is via a standard IEC mains lead. bypasses the input gain pot and goes straight
consists of seriously boring professional Units are preset for the voltage of the country into the line amp. This is useful for electric
pieces of equipment, with nothing where the unit is marketed. Costs have been guitar for example, where if you connected
humourous about them at all. That is why saved by omitting any external voltage switch, directly to a microphone input much of the
they are finished matt aluminium and grey although internal adjustment is possible. HF content would disappear due to loading
paint. All the knobs are black and rubbery All units feature outputs at -10dBV on bal- down of the signal. The unit sounded clean
like sensible shoes, with good markers indi- anced TRS (tip-ring -sleeve) sockets-stereo and neutral, and is ideal for connection
cating their position. The buttons are small jacks to you and me-and XLR sockets at directly to any type of recorder.
and black. Consequently, and despite low +4dBu. There are no fiddly rear panel Each channel of the GCX2 features a com-
prices, the image generated by the Millen- switches for level changing. Most comparable pressor and a gate. and both channels can be
nium- series is that of no- nonsense gear. units feature similar inputs. although the linked. The hack panel includes a side -chain
designed and built to high specifications. And MLX2 and MPXI have mie inputs on XLR and insert jack socket for each channel. This is
I really like the look: it is neat and tidy, and line and DI 00 jacks. All units except the again a TRS jack. hut not balanced: usefully.
in no way distracting. The manuals are also GCX2 include clip LEDs which light a sensible the input signal k sent on the ring so you can
grey and black: small format booklets which 3dB before maximum level. externally process it before returning it on the
straightforwardly and comprehensively The MLX2 is a very simple and straightfor- tip. The compres, )1'S feature page 25 >
®.
MLX2 dual mit -line preamp
GCX2 dual compressor gate
EQX2 dual 3 -band EQ
MPX1-multieffects

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rnnrrr- - -wr--7CT_-]r-ri.i'
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,
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r
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< page 23 'THRESHOLD, RATIO .n(.1 the need for this. Sound quality
GAIN knobs. there is a button for and clarity is excellent for a bud-
slow or fast auto attack and get unit. and at this price who
release, and one for bypass. A could resist having two units for
meter displays gain reduction. The stereo 6 -band operation
gates' controls simply comprise The \IPX1 is the latest and
threshold and release knohs and most complex model in the
bypass switches. An LID lights to range. It is a mono unit, specifi-
show gate open. A srr.REO LINK but- cally designed to cope with any
ton defeats all the Channel 2 con- processing you might need
trols and LEDs. and control between vocal or instrument mic
voltages from both channels. and recording unit. be it analogue
inputs (or side chains) are com- or digital. First there is a mic -line-
bined. I woulcl have preferred to DI input section with all the fea-
have retained independent control
of all bypass switches and espe-
cially the gain controls in this
tures of the MMLX2. This is
followed by a compressor section
which incorporates a simple sin-
...pm A' 7 r
-I fir-
I r r
rope-
mode. The two auto modes for the gle -knob expander to reduce
compressors worked well in most extraneous noise. The compres-
situations. but I felt that the slow sor boasts separate rAST and sti
release was a little too slow. Also.
I would have preferred separate
switches for Attack and Release
times. as implemented on the lat-
switches for attack and release
auto settings, plus a DS switch
which inserts a boost at 8kHz into
the sicle chain. The +hand EQ
PRICES
est unit, the >1PX1. since I often
like to comhine a slow attack with
a fast release. However. at this
price, this is a minor criticism. The
gates work very well. with attack
section has fixed frequency shelv-
ing above 12kHz and below
80Hz, with two fully -parametric
sweepable hands in between.
There is a BYPASSswitch. and also
SLASHED!
£399
Special Offer Prices only +VAT
time quoted as less than Ims, and a 12kHz low -pass filter. The out-
range as -80dB. The attack is
excellent, without incurring a hor-
put section has a LEVEL. nuit knob.
and meters for output level and
Usual Prices from £599 +VAT
rible click on most programme gain reduction, the latter activated
material, and the release time hy- either the compressor or the 1c399 s!
range of 30ms to 3s is more than expander. The meter LEDs are
ii
I
adequate. In Bypass node. all sec- dimmed when the compressor is - -

tions, LEDs glow as normal. except bypassed. The hack panel is quite 2001 4 Channel Valve Mic Pre Amp
more dimly, which is helpful. a surprise. with no less than 11 1'399 á
1
The EQX2 is a dual 3 -hand EQ jacks. as well as XLR input and

that can he linked to make one 6- output. The sockets allow you to
hand mono unit at the push of a patch separately into each of the
2011 2 Channel 4 band Valve Equaliser
button. Unfortunately, LA Audio four sections of the unit, allowing
has put the button on the hack connection of the elements in any
panel, which is no use at all order. There is also a side -chain
when you have mounted the unit connection for the compressor.
in a rack. A green LED glows on and a Link socket to connect two 2012 2 Channel Parametric Valve Equaliser
the front to indicate Mono mode. y1PXls for true stereo -linked c 1 1'399 !I
f
but that is of little consolation. compression. There is now a
Each hand has a generous 1-jidB resurgence of do -all units such as - l l'
fa' ,v
boost and cut, and a wide -range this. many reminiscent of the olcl : :7.2 ïi
sweeping frequency control. The A&D Focal Stressor, but this is 2021 2 Channel Valve Compressor
latter is only marked to indicate certain) the best -value one I y'""°J '399
the frequency at each end of its have come across,
range -a number in the middle A 5 -year warranty is included
would have been helpful. with all models. which is unheard 2051 Mono Valve Voice Processor
Between these knohs are tiny Q of in the studio gear market.
(bandwidth) knobs. These small Build quality is very high Special offer subject to availability.
black plastic- topped pots are -despite their diminutive size Available from participating TL Audio stockists:
barely bigger than the little push- they feel solid, and all the con- Audio Toy Shop 01225 447222 M Corporation 01425 470007
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see where they are set. The set- for what you get these boxes are Blue Systems 01799 584095 Music Lab 0171 388 5392
tings are powerful. going from a Very. very cheap. They are not Digital Village 0181 440 3440 Sound Control
narrow notch of top -of-the range by Funky Junk 0171 609 5479 Glasgow 0141 204 0322
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three octaves. but are aimed
UK: SCV, 6 -2 4 Southgate Larking Audio 01234 772244
Each channel mainly at the
includes a clip LEtr,
Road, London N1 3JJ, UK.
undoubtedly lucra- SASCavi
Tel: +44 171 923 1892.
BcPAas button and tive and recently
75Hz high -pass fil-
Fax: +44 171 241 3644.
expanding project MUROUP
ter which remains
operative even when the bypass
is in. so there is a slight potential
studio market.
where I am sure they will suc-
ceed. In most situations. these
TLA®
udio
Worldwide distribution:
Canada & USA:
Sascom Marketing Group
Tel: +1 905 - 469 8080
Fax: .1 905 - 469 1129
WEB: www.sascom.com /err.-
iyyC
a\O Jy
SS
for cocking -up. No shelving capa- units will quietly. and boringly, Tony Larking Professional Sales Ltd. ,Ot
Letchworth, 5G6 -IAN (UK)
bility is included, hut the wide do whatever you ask of then. Tel: +44 (0)1462 490600 o\o
bQ°a.
ranging Q control almost obviates I just hope they get noticed. Fax: +44 (0)1462 490700
WEB: http: //www.tiaudio.co.uk
Studio Sound July 1997 i b `01pYQ
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Sennheiser radio microphones
Trantec
Three years after Trantec used a relatively
narrow bandwidth with its S5000 radio mic Established at the forefront of radio mic manufacturers, Sennheiser
system to offer preprogrammable synthe-
sised tuning across 16 channels running cannot afford to stand still. Dave Foister brings us up to date
simultaneously in the one television hand, 'F YOU'RE SERIOUS about radio micro- sv,Iein as a whole that such differences can be
the company has taken the concept a step phones, there aren't too many people to demonstrated as clearly as they are here. It will
further with a dynamic means of simple consider buying your kit from. High on the hardly need pointing out to those who have
local reconfiguration. Using computer con- shortlist is Sennheiser. who has done at least experience of a modern top -end UHF wireless
trolled test routines Trantec can now digi- as much as anybody to bring radio mic tech- system, but all the old difficulties and frustra-
tally set up the new circuits in around five nology to the situation it finds itself in today. tions of radio working have been largely elim-
seconds. Three new systems have been and whose equipment is at least as likely as inated, and the audio performance of the
launched -the VHF S3500 and S3000 (syn- anybody's to be found doing the job where whole chain is virtually indistinguishable from
thesised over a range of 165MHz to quality and reliability count. that of a good quality wired microphone.
225MHz) and the UHF S4000. The Sennheiser UHF range recently saw a The other relatively new component in
The fixed frequency S3000 uses PLL revamp. with a new model of receiver com- Sennheiser's system is the EM 2004 UHF
synthesised tuning and is available in hand- plementing the extended range of micro- receiver. a single -channel diversity receiver
held (Audio Technica capsule), lapel and phones including the big hand-held SKM 5000 intended for use with the whole range of
headworn variants as well as a dedicated gui- and its associated selection of capsules. This transmitters. Its operation is simplicity itself,
microphone is a familiar sight on TV and else- with a screwdriver rotary switch to select one
where, partly because it does the business but of 16 frequencies to match the transmitter. a
also because it looks good. The sleek body single horizontal LED bar meter switchable to
has a slot for the power supply pack. with show RF signal level or deviation (effective
two options offering dry cell or rechargable audio level within the received RF) and
operation. The transmitting frequency is adjustable squelch. A headphone socket is
selected from 16 preset channels on a screw- provided, and operational information is
driver rotary switch inside the power supply given by a pair of LEDs showing which diver-
well, and one appealing aspect is that once sity channel is currently working.
assembled it is virtually tamper proof. The Two short wire antennae are provided for
interlocking of the power supply and the attachment to the rear panel BNCs. and for
body is like a puzzle out of a Christmas
cracker, and if you don't know which hits to
tar pack. LED indicators denote power, AF slide sideways you'll never get it apart. Simi-
peak, RF level and diversity channel larly, the audio gain and high -pass filter
(A or B) while other features include variable switches are hidden underneath the screw -on
gain output. The variable frequency S3500 capsule. so the only external control is the on-
gives 32- channel choice. Frequencies are off switch next to the stubby aerial. The state
contained within four organised banks allow- of the battery pack is shown on a small row
ing, for example, Bank 1 to contain deregu- of LEDs. which remain lit even when the
lated channels 173.8 to 175.00, Bank 2 the microphone is switched off.
fixed site channels, Bank 3 the independent Sennheiser is particularly proud of the
programme makers, and Bank 4 a combina- range of capsules which screw on to the top
tion of all these. Features include a multi- of the SKM 5000. This currently comprises
function receiver LCD showing frequency, RF four condenser models. offering a selection of
level and vu, and diversity operation with polar patterns. The head supplied with the
front mounted nondetachable telescopic standard kit is the ME 5005 supercardioid, and many purposes these are quite sufficient. A
antennae. Available in lapel and headworn this can be swapped around with the 500+ more elaborate system can he built up with
mic versions and a guitar pack, two hand - cardioid, the 5009 wide cardioid and the 5002 a variety of optional remote aerials, and
helds are offered fitted with dynamic or con- omni. Of particular interest is the new vocal splitter sockets are fitted for linking two
denser Audio Technica capsules. capsule. shortly to be available and currently receivers on the same pair of aerials. Final
The S4000 is programmed with 16 inter - a special order item, which first saw action at audio output level is adjustable up to nomi-
modulation -free frequencies contained this year's Eurovision Song Contest. nal line levels. and of course is partly depen-
within TV channel 69 for operation in the UK Sennheiser is aware of the fact that pur- dent on the gain setting within the
but can be configured with up to 32 fre- chasers of a hand -held radio microphone itself,
quencies to increase its capacity for the systems expect to he able to This is a system in the hest
worldwide market. Available in lapel, head - achieve a typical hand -held mie traditions of Sennheiser radio
Sennheiser ectronic,
El
worn, guitar pack and two hand -held ver- sound, of the kind they would microphones. It's very simple to
Postfach 10 0 2 24, 3002
sions (Audio Technica dynamic or condenser) normally get out of a dynamic. set up, virtually immune to fid-
Wedemark 2, Germany.
Trantec, UK. Tel: +44 181 330 3111. Unprepared to compromise the dling by the performer using it.
Tel: +49 51 3 0 600 366.
high specification of the UHF and the quality is quite superb. I
Fax: +49 51 30 6312.
system. and conscious of the
Focus on Blue acoustic effects of a body filled
Sennheiser, U K.
ran the system with its omni cap-
sule in the studio alongside
The Focusrite Blue 300 mastering controller Tel: +44 1494 551551.
with transmitter as contrasted some pretty grown up wired
has been developed in response to the Fax: +44 1494 551550.
with the almost hollow body of microphones, and the results
requirement for high -quality routeing and Sennheiser, U s.
a typical dynamic, Sennheiser were effectively indistinguish-
monitoring control in mastering. Tel: +1 203 4 34 9190.
It provides analogue and digital source
set about tailoring the response able-not only is the capsule
Fax: +1 203 434 1759.
of the supercardioid capsule to performance the equal of a good
selection, precision monitor control with
deliver the same characteristic. studio condenser but the RF link
speaker and headphones selection. recording
The result is a capsule that has all the quality- does nothing to compromise it. Exploiting this
path routeing with inserts and high-quality
advantages of a good condenser microphone with the new vocal capsule can only
stereo peak metering. An oval -shaped
but with the liyeness and presence of a dedi- strengthen Sennheiser's already enviable posi-
remote connects to a 2U -high page 30>
cated vocal model. Indeed it's a credit to the tion at the top of the wireless tree.
Garwood ADA8
< page 27 master module. The Blue 300 has
eight stereo analogue inputs which can be
selected on two independent stereo signal
Garwood's system addresses the problems presented by multichannel paths, with six digital inputs added using the
radio mic setups Terry Nelson engages with an effective option Blue 260 DA convertor. This 20-bit device
ONE OF THE PROBLEti\1S f:Mein :wlti- shaped body with three short aerials as legs uses static logic (no DSPs) and complements
channel radio microphone .,ystem plus a vertical aerial. This ensures uniform the Blue 245 A D convertor which features
users is that of multiple aerials. It was coverage over a wide transmission area. Gar- six selectable digital inputs and a fully regen-
okay in the days, when radio mics were the wood recommends siting the aerial at a height erated AES output.
exception rather than the rule-one or two of about 2m and away from metal structures.
lead microphone channels meant four anten- The ADA8 has obviously been designed as
nae at worst. assuming you were using diver- a 'set -and- forget' unit -from the point of view
sity systems. But with today's requirements. of ease of installation in a rack. to putting the
you either put up with a forest of antennae or power switches where they cannot be
you do something about it. knocked on or off inadvertently. The phantom
That 'something' usually resolves itself into power facility can be set internally to 5 - 15 -
being an antenna distribution system. where 20V and is factory set for 15V (as required by
all the aerial feeds to the various receivers are the MA -10). It should he noted that phantom
fed from a common antenna system, itself fed should definitely be set 'off' when aerial
from aerials that tend to be more sophisticated amplifiers are not being used.
than those generally found with receivers. This Installation of the ADA8 is extremely quick
technique has two distinct advantages over the and simple, all cabling being on the rear.
'forest' solution: firstly, you can now package However, for systems with less than eight or
the receivers and distribution system neatly 16 channels, BNC 50Q terminator plugs must
into racks without a rats' nest of cabling and be used with the unused inputs.
The ADA8 is frequency specific: you must
specify the frequency range that you work in
when ordering. This has the distinct advantage
of cleaning up the transmission no end as you
are not picking up unwanted garbage along
Focusrite Blue series 315 and 330
with your radio systems. The downside is that
you are locked into your system and cannot The company has also upgraded its Blue
use the unit with radio systems that use a dif- 315 isomorphic EQ and Blue 330 mastering
ferent frequency range. compressor- limiter. The former benefits
The frequency- specific side of the ADA8 from more EQ shapes including two bells
(and shortage of time on my side) meant that I and two shelves plus shelves can now be
was unable to actually test the unit in opera- switched separately to bell mode for a max-
tion (my systems being outside the frequency imum of four simultaneous bell curves. The
clutch of antennae and sc rmmdly. :lie quality bandwidth of the review unit). However, I was low band has also been extended. The 330
of transmission is generally improved by the able to get some user comments from Mick sports a quieter and lower distortion class -A
improved aerials and the fact that they can be Shepherd of Hand -held Audio, one of the UK's NCA circuit and a lookahead limiter
optimally placed for reception. This latter fact largest suppliers of radio microphone systems achieved with an audio delay.
benefits everybody as no one system is fight- and fully experienced with all the problems Focusrite, UK. Tel: +44 1494 462 246.
ing for the 'best position'. posed by 'going wireless': We now have eight Net: www.focusrite.com
Following the success of the Radio Station systems or more and we have been very
in -ear monitoring system-which uses a chan- pleased with the results. The signal does get
nel- specific ground plane antenna (the RA -8) cleaned up a lot. though the frequency- specific
Wheatstone desks
The newly designed TV -1000 console for
-Garwood Communications has expanded its nature of the ADA8 does mean that we cannot live TV includes a combined version of the
range with the ADA8 antenna distribution sys- always use the support band's radio mics with
company's Bus-Minus and eight Mix -Minus
tem. The unit can be used with any 50Q it (when doing concerts). The fact that units
systems to feed IFBs and has claimed
antenna hut the RA -S is recommended. can be cascaded for up to 32 diversity or 64
ùnlimited' input source to bus routeing
The ADA8 cornes in the form of a 2U -high non -diversity systems makes it ven' flexible for
capability with logic -follow for each source.
rack chassis in the traditional Garwood maroon setting up multichannel radio installations.
It also provides comprehensive, intelligent
livery. with the front panel blank of all controls We discussed the frequency- specific side of
monitoring capability with its Mute -Link fea-
except for two pilot lamps for Power and the ADA8 in a bit more depth; 'Depending on
ture, which enables foolproof studio
Phantom. The distribution amplifier is where you are. one channel tends to get used
speaker muting and an on -air tally display.
designed for both diversity and non- diversity fiirly consistently (UHF channel 69) and this
Using the TV- 1000's Mute Groups, operators
50Q radio microphones. pro- really is not a problem com-
can quickly move from live 'on -line' control
viding eight channels of dis- pared to the advantages
to network feeds. Every input module and
tribution for the former and Garwood Corn munications, gained. It also has to be said
master output on the console has dedicated
16 for the latter. 136 Cricklewo od Lane, that few synthesised radio
metering and the instant recall of switch set-
The rear panel carries London NW2 2 DP, UK. systems, where you can dial
tings and fader positions is possible via
antenna input connectors for Tel: +44 181 4 52 4635. in different frequencies. can
Wheatstone's Event computer, an optional
each channel (A and B) Fax: +44 181 452 6974. actually change channels.
feature on the TV -1000.
together with two Link con- You still have to take sys-
Other standard features on the desk
nectors. These allow up to four ADA8s to be tems that are appropriate for the countries
include: individual channel compressor -
connected together for large systems or alter- where they are to be used.' limiters, user -defined aux send configuration
natively. in the case of non -diversity systems, In short, the Garwood ADA8 antenna distri-
(stereo or mono), stereo sub masters, com-
the A Link connector would be connected to bution amplifier offers a hassle -free solution
prehensive solid -state switching, alphanu-
the Antenna B input for 16- channel use. for improved reception and easy installation
meric displays for each monitor module's
The RA -8 antenna looks like a model of the for multichannel radio systems. Well worth
selected source, European logic page 30 >
lunar module and features a central cone- looking into.
THE TRUTH
CAN YOU HANDLE IT?
If you're looking for a monitor loudspeaker
J to flatter your work, then frankly you
should look elsewhere, Because at ATC, we
dedicate ourselves to hand -building the most accurate studio reference
monitors that money can buy.
Our soft dome midrange driver is the envy of
the industry, with exceptionally uniform
dispersion ensuring even balance at all
listening positions and the elimination of the
'hot spot'. Unique phase correcting circuitry in
our active crossovers maintains the timing integrity of your source material
and presents a stereo image of unparalleled accuracy. And by winding shorter,
denser voice coils from flattened copper
wire (we couldn't find any we liked NEW SCM2OA PRO

incidentally, so we designed and built a Drawing on 20 years of experience in professional monitor loudspeaker
machine to mill our own), ATC monitors design, ATC has developed the ultimate transportable active monitor system,
achieve greater linearity than conventional the new SCM20A Pro. The radical cast aluminium cabinet houses ATC's
loudspeakers, with a vastly extended dynamic range. legendary bass /midrange driver combining a 150mm bass cone with a 75mm
So if your mix genuinely is 'stunning' - or any midrange soft dome, and a 25mm tweeter along with independent 200 watts
of the other adjectives that seem to be so RMS and 50 watts RMS power stages with a
popular in loudspeaker advertising nowadays - phase corrected active crossover.
then prepare to be stunned. But if it's anything
less than perfect?
Well we hope you can handle the truth.
CALL 0181 962 5000 FOR A BROCHURE
Pictured right. SCM10 PRO. SCM2OSL PRO, SCM50A PRO,

SCM100A PRO, SCM150A PRO, SCM200A PRO,
SCM300A PRO (left to right).
Distributed by: HHB Communications Ltd 73 -75 Scrubs Lane, London NW10 6QU, UK
HHb
Tel: 0181 962 5000 Fax: 0181 962 5050 E -Mail: sales@hhb.co.uk HHB On -line: http: //www.hhb.co.uk D I S T R I B U T I O N
Sony PCM-R700
< page 28 functions and machine control
ports with fader start, lighted tallies for all
Finding a balance of functionality, reliability and cost in a DAT switches, and on console power supply
status indicators.
recorder can be tricky. Dave Foister investigates the new Sony Wheatstone's SP -8EX television audio
IF A FORMAT as young as DAT can be said a jog wheel before being set with, you console features a source selector over -
to have spawned any classics in its short guessed it, the SET button. Items covered by bridge which expands the console's source
life, there's no doubt that most of them this include time and date formats. contents of capability to over 300 inputs. Like its prede-
carry a Sony badge. The company that the AES -EBU data stream (at last it's becoming cessor, the SP -6, the SP -SEX incorporates
brought the delights of Digital Audio Tape to acceptable to include IDs in this as well as many of the features of the company's
the world has been assiduous in finding it a SPDIF), and the threshold for the Auto ID higher-end desks such as a complete switch
home in every area of what we do, from basic function, which unusually is adjustable in 1dB selectable internal logic structure, mix -
project studio decks to Walkman -style porta- steps rather than the more familiar 10dB minus capability, and group muting. The
bles to grown -up location recorders to serious lumps. Its even possible to set the length of SP -8EX also has a dedicated relay- operated
time -code -capable mastering machines. Few blank space introduced by the Record Mute machine control port for overseas clients, as
models have been anything other than a suc- function and the length of silence required to well as traditional US -type opto- isolated
cess, so a new one is inevitably of interest. trigger an auto ID. control ports.
Here, then, is the PCM -R700. big sibling of This is typical of the thought and detail in the The company also produces a range of
the PCM -R500 with which it shares all but a machine. A feature I haven't seen before is an custom furniture for radio stations, which the
few of its features. Its pitched squarely at the automatic end search if Record is selected while company describes as 'highly stylised' and
pro market, with integral rack ears and a back the machine is sitting in a section of unrecorded `based on a curved style of architecture. The
panel full of XLRs, although its sleek looks are tape; if only more recorders had this we'd see U- shaped control room counter array of the
more suggestive of a machine intended to the end of the amateur -hour tapes coming in new line includes a sweeping curve toward
blend into the living -room hi -fi. One or two of with no A -time and no program numbers on the interview area, and the studio inter-
its gadgets, such as an automatic fade in and them (why do so many people find it so diffi- view-host table is kidney- shaped. The furni-
out function. also seem to belong more to the cult to understand DAYs little foibles ?). ture includes a substantial amount of storage
semi -pro application, but are not there at the The audio quality is superb, and can hen - space, as well as generous wire raceways,
expense of any professional features -the only efit from built -in Super Bit Mapping. and hinged wire termination panels.
omission that anyone could complain about is although this is switchable. Full pro I -O spec Audioarts Engineering, a division of Wheat-
time code, but that is reflected in the price. is included, with screwdriver presets for stone Corporation, has introduced the R-5
The new cosmetics make for a very friendly matching analogue levels to the rest of the on-air radio console which the company
machine indeed. The display incor rates the system: nominal level as supplied gives claims is simple to install and does not
i -20dBFS for +4dBm input require disassembly. Among its features, the
"Mx
with the front -panel con- R-5 has two pairs of Sifam vu meters for
,=' ior.oa"= ar. trols at their centre detents. stereo programme and audition, and all
Digital signal handling switches are LED illuminated for easy identi-
includes Sony's broadcast fication and low maintenance. It includes
studio version of IEC958 Audioarts' Simple Phone mix -minus feature,
(SPDIF) allowing additional which simplifies a station's multiple call -in
suhcode transfer and SCMS operations; full function tape remote con -
override when used with trols; on-off button nomenclature; and four
kind of join -up- the -dots alphanumeric win- other similarly equipped machines. microphone preamps. The new console also
dow familiar from MD and DCC, which makes The main bonus on the PCM -R700 com- provides electronic switching throughout
it highly flexible, and able to convey menu pared with the 500 is 4 -head off -tape mon- and two inputs per channel.
information without resorting to the indeci- itoring with appropriate switching; it also Wheatstone, US. Tel: +1315 452-5000
pherable jumbles of upper and lower case acids the aforementioned fade functions
half-characters which have you reaching for and a switch for locking out the front -panel
the manual every time you need to do some- keys. Both machines have facilities for
thing more complex than wireless remotes and sockets
putting it into play. The ease for both parallel and serial
with which this can show wired remotes.
Europe: Sony, Jays Close,
what's going on means that the Subcode handling is com-
Viables, Basi ngstoke,
whole display is less cluttered, prehensive, complete with
Hampshire R G22 4SB.
as little dedicated light-up pan- time and date stamping, and
Tel: +44 1256 55011.
els are less necessary. includes niceties like rehearsal
Fax: +44 125 6 474585.
The transport controls. too, of ID positions before writing
UK: HHB Com munications,
are unusually elegant in opera- and moving IDs after they've
tion. with concealed illuminated
73-75 Scrub bs Lane,
London NW10 6QU.
been recorded, all helped by Sennheiser dynamic
symbols in their surfaces which the Shuttle wheel. The central Introducing a new generation of Sennheiser
Tel: +44 181 962 5000.
light up brightly in an appar- dial is not a jog wheel at all stage mies the dynamic super cardioid
Fax: +44 181 962 5050.
ently blank button to show but is purely for data entry. MD425 has a capsule that is shock mounted
Email: sales@ hhb.co.uk
what's happening. The result of both within the menus and for on a rubber membrane and features an
US: Sony, 3 P aragon Drive,
all this is a deceptively simple specifying a particular track to impact protection shield and an acoustically
Montvale, NJ 07645-1735.
front panel, whose logical lay- find. One locate memory is transparent stainless steel inlet basket.
Tel: 201 930 1000.
out and lack of clutter hide a also provided. Weighing 320g, the mic has a noiseless
Fax: 201 930 4752.
wealth of functionality. Sony has no doubt done it on -off reed which can be locked and a
Partly responsible for this is again: the PCM -R700 ought to rugged quick release clamp.
the menu system for the less frequently he a winner. Perhaps every manufacturer's Sennheiser, UK. Tel: +441494 551551.
required functions. This is called hy a single dream is to produce the DTC1000 for the Sennheiser, US. Tel: +1 203 434 9190,
MENU key: clearly- identified parameters are 1990s-the current state of the DAT art in a Sennheiser, Germany.
selected with the transports shuttle ring and stylish affordable package that everybody Tel: +49 51 30 600 366 page 32 >
have their values altered with what looks like knows like an old friend. Maybe this is it.
L vii:A
ninns
GAULE
Òur recent decison to upgrade from an AMEK
Mozart to an AMEK GALILEO has been a
wonderful choice for us. Visiting Producers and
Engineers are amazed by the powerful, user -
friendly automation, and how much better -
sounding the console is than competing brands, if
there are any.'
Jonathan Pines & Traci Walker

Private Studios, Urbana, Illinois
Ìbought an AMEK REMBRANDT because just I
knew that once powered it up would hear just

I I
what expected: some of the sweetest -sounding

I
Egon the face of this planet.'
Billy DeCampli
Mulberry Street Recorders, Coraopolis,
Pennsylvania
Àfter 18 months of searching for a new console,

one listen to the AMEK REMBRANDT told us, old
or new, this desk smokes everything'.
Skip Burrows,
Sunrise Sound Studios, Houston, Texas
gestBramit
http://www.amek.com
AMEK Head Office UK: AMEK US West: AMEK US Nashville: AMEK Asia:. AMEK Germany! AMEK France /Cyborg
lil: 016I 834 6747 Tel:018 508 9788 Tel: 615 662 8939 Tel: 65 251 1629 Mega Audio: TeL 0148 26 1027
Fax: 0161 834 0593 Fax: 818 508 8619 Fax: 615 (,62 8782 Fax: 65 251 1297 Tel: 0672 194330 Fax: 0148 27 6288
Fax: 0672 1 12046
Elation KM -201
Barth unveils digital
radio station
The Russian mic must now offer more than military styling and an Barth has shown an I.ELA Audio digital mix-
indecipherable manual. Dave Foister approaches a new one ing system called D.MAX that combines dig-
ital mixing with matrices. The system is
HE RI ssl \\ MICRON l( J\k industry is h\l -201: it has no filters and no pad, claiming aimed at a number of broadcast applications,
T becoming a major force in the market.
I imagine many \C'estern companies
would give their R&D budgets to achieve the
an impressively high SPL handling capability
combined with low noise.
The only other item supplied in the kit is a
including a journalist's workstation, sound
transfer and the smaller self-op on-air studio.
Up to 32 mono or 16 stereo signals,
kind of impact and growth the Russian manu- basic plastic stand clip, complete with thread
analogue or digital, can be routed digitally to
facturers have managed. The novelty may adaptor, which. although it looks cheap and
either two or six control channels, providing
have worn off. but in the cold light of day the cheerful. almost as though it was not actually
one or two stereo outputs. There is a 7 x 24
microphones still look gtxxl, and have gen- designed for this microphone. grips the body
stereo routeing system on the output as well
uinely expanded our choices. well and supports the weight without drooping.
as the 32 x 12 router on the input stage. A
A new offering like the Elation KM -201 has So far. the impression throughout (with the
range of convertors and digital I-0 modules
therefore. perhaps, lost the advantage of the possible exception of the clip) is of quality
are available, allowing the system to be tai-
early arrivals in that it is no longer a curios- and good design. Happily this also extends to
lored to individual requirements.
ity. Now we must approach it without the performance of the microphone. which
A modular approach also extends to the
surprise. and without being patronising. exceeds the expectations. This is undoubtedly control surfaces, which are compact desk
expecting it to perform to professional stan- a good general purpose workhorse. but in
units containing faders and switches. More
dards and stand up to established competi- man situations it can be more than that. unusually, D.MAX has a serial interface
tion in its own right. Commendably. it Used on individual instnunents within a
which enables a high degree of automation
emerges unscathed from the scrutiny: like horn section, the kind of role a microphone via a modem. According to the company,
many of the Russian models. this microphone like this is likely to be playing a lot of its time.
the serial connection allows remote control
gave more than the routine raw material. with
via a 9600 baud modem and even with this
an extra bite that put down to extension of
I
low bit-rate, there is the capability to access
frequency response rather than lumps and
all functions without time limitations. As a
bumps in it. Confronted with the kind of awk-
result, remote station automation can be
ward oddities I get presented with on a regular
extended to the point where it even
basis. like bass clarinet. it continued to deliver
includes the level meters to DIN specifica-
the goods, with a completeness to both ends of
tion over a standard telephone line.
the spectrum that left the easily-compromised Barth, Germany. Tel: +49 40 229 8883.
sound intact. It surprised on goals. with either
the cardioid or the hypercardioid head in place:
any expectations of a small sound in proportion ARX
to the size of the microphone itself were con - The DI -4 quad direct box- stereo line mixer
founded by a big. full delivery coupled with a ..allows unbalanced to balanced interfacing
good resistance to popping. Its never going to with gain or padding, ground lift, stereo
replace any of the big classics as anyone's mixing, plus aux sends for monitors and
Favourite vocal microphone, but it is certainly effects with a stereo aux return for signal
woukl he impressive whatever its origins. capable of doing the job. rerouteing into left and right buses.
The Elation is a modular system: one slim Determined to test both dynamic extremes,
preamplifier body accommodates a variety of I fitted the omni head and stuck it inside a kick
different capsules offering a range of polar pat- drum for some overdubs. expecting to have to
terns. The standard kit has the body plus three rescue it once I'd heard the resulting mess and
heads in a classy oak box. the superior finish of replace it with something more suitable. Amaz-
the exterior promising much from its o intents. ingly. it produced a particularly clear result,
The capsules fix to the body by means of with its lack Of proximity effect helping to
screw threads. and these score over some avoid muddiness. The punch of the drum was
other such systems in tieing far less delicate. tangible, and there was no indication that the
Some microphones of this type seem more microphone was struggling in any way.
inclined to mate cross -threaded than properly I was provided with a pair of 201s. so
aligned. resulting all toxin often in the uncom- was able to try various stereo setups as well
fortable nerve- jangling mangling of soft metal as individual instrument miking. Spaced
and the eventual stripping of the threads. The omnis worked particularly well, as drum
Elation heads line up positively and the overheads t still no headroom problems) or
broader threads lock down securely first time. for orchestral section pickup. also used I
The capsules themselves are them on a grand piano

a little bigger than on some with impressive results.
ARX Ambience 5 speaker
systems. with a reassuring Everyone now acknowl-
Mytex UK, 122 Wigmore Street,
chunkiness and panicularl edges that there are cheaper The Ambience 5 compact loudspeaker is
London W1H 9FE, UK.
clear engraving of the asst)ci alternatives to many of the said to be suitable for installations and is
Tel: +44 171 486 6337.
ated polar pattern. established microphones. constructed from a lightweight high impact
Fax: +44 171 439 1421.
The three capsules sup- models that deliver the resin cabinet with a heavy duty protective
Email: postmaster@mytex -
plied with the kit cover the required sonic performance steel mesh. Frequency response is claimed
uk.demon.co.uk
expected trio of cardioid, at a fraction of the cost. as 50Hz-20kHz t5dB The box uses an
.
hypercardioid and omni. and Some have their trade -offs. 8 -inch low-frequency driver and 1 -inch
because of the apparent robustness of the nn )st commonly a build quality that doesn't high-frequency dome radiator. Available in
components changing them around during a aspire confidence in their ability to withstand 8i2 and 100V versions with XLR or Speakon
session is a far more practical proposition than the rigours of the studio for years: the Elations connectors.
it is with some systems. Swapping the heads is seem to suffer from no such drawbacks and ARX, Australia. Tel: +61 3 9555 7859.
in fact the only adjustment possible on the can be wholeheartedly recommended. Net: www.arx.com.au page 34 >

TASCAM
Welcome to the Premier Division
TASCAM's DA-88
is the number
one digital
multitrack format
for professional
studios and
producers around
the world. The .. OF F Bard,,.
OF}.
new TASCAM
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t OFT
o
o
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OFF
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With a host of
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premier digital recording - 11111111ahsa.
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fully professional 16 bit digital multitrack tape advanced digital cross -fading and shuttle -
format; up to 115 minutes recording time wheel provides seamless punch -in /punch -out
and frame accurate search capability
unique internal digital patchbay: allows any
digital /analogue input to be routed to any new high performance 18 bit analogue to
track; any track to be routed to any digital converters and 20 bit digital to
digital /analogue output; any track to be analogue converters
digitally bounced to any other track; any track
on one DA -38 to be digitally bounced to any 24 bit capable digital i/o with full dithering to
track on another DA -38 16 bit signal onto tape
up to 16 DA -38s can be synchronized to sample accurate synchronization capability

provide up to 128 track recording and internal digital patchbay, enables an
infinite tracking capability using just two units optional MMC -38 time code /synchronizer unit
and the required number of tapes (anything provides MIDI and SMPTE Time Code outputs
recorded on one tape will remain perfectly in and MIDI Machin.e Control capability, enabling
sync with anything recorded or bounced onto synchronization of or to sequencers and other
One Professional any. other tape) MIDI based automation devices
Digital Multitrack Format
for all. frame accurate search capability
TASCAM 5 Marlin House, The Croxley Centre, Watford, Herts, WD1 8YA. Call Gill Walker on the Brochure Hotline 01923 819630
Drawmer MX30
28 -bit A -D convertors
The Stage Tee Nexus digital routeing and
`Budget' dynamics often shave too many corners off expensive interconnect system's new microphone
inputs now feature 28-bit A-Ds on 4 -chan-
cousins for professional use. Zenon Schoepe finds an exception nel cards claiming 22dBu maximum input
THE RELEASE of the MX30 as an afford- You also get some typical Drawmer LED level and 150dB dynamic range, with
able Drawmer dynamics processor is not metering of gain reduction and output level, adjustable gain 0dB -70áB. In addition to the
entirely without precedent. The com- the latter being switched to read a channels 2 i -hit output for the Nexus coupling field
pany has produced a cheaper unit in the past input level when its Bypass is selected. Addi- system, there is also an unprocessed 28 -bit
tionally there is a STEREO ttsr switch which direct output, which the Cantus mixing con-
in the form of the LX2U expander- compressor.
However, this new box benefits from some of
Drawmers technological advances over the
throws total control of both channels over
Channel 1 for stereo processing, the only
t sole attached to the \stem can use.
Stage Tec, Germany.
years and the sort of manufacturing tech- exception to this is each channel's individual Tel: +49 951 972 2525.
niques that permit well speced units to be put Bypass. Back panel connectors are supplied
on unbalanced jack and balanced XLRs.
together for alarmingly small amounts of
money. The MX30 distinguishes itself by being Cosmetically the MX30 is a deviation from
Audix dynamics
Latest in the OM series of dynamic vocal
quite unlike any other Drawmer box before it traditional Drawmer all -black livery-presum-
mies, the hypercardioid 0M6 claims a low-
and interestingly there is talk of a series of ably to differentiate itself in some way from its
frequency extension not typical of other
units all following along similar lines. more expensive brothers. It looks fine, the qual-
dynamic mies. Together with a flat fre-
With the majority of affordable dynamics ity is spot On, the LEDs are bright, the switches
quency response the
units. compromises manifest themselves in a have a longish throw and feel positive, and the
company claims the
number of tell -tale ways. Usually the box tidy pot caps have the usual clear position
0M6 can approximate
offers all the basics hut is denied the little use- pointer built in to their seats. It's also very quiet.
the sound and perfor-
ful extras that can make a difference and may This has got to he the most simple and
mance of more expen-
also feature glaring reductions in functionality. effective box in this class that I have ever tried.
sive condensers. The
With the MX30. rather than strip away existing Despite the apparent paucity of controls, it
0M6 joins the 0M3,
functionality Drawmer has approached the does compress, it does gate and it does limit
0M5 and 0M7 dynam-
whole business of dynamics control afresh. extremely well.
ics all of which major
Billed as a dual- channel. stereo -linkable I was sceptical about the one -pot gate and
on high SPL handling
compressor. limiter and expander, these are encountered some undulating programme
and good off -axis
indeed the functions that the MX30 performs that was giving the fast release setting a hit of
rejection.
but you are effectively presented with only bard time, but the SLOW RELEASE switch cured
The D4 dynamic is
five pots and one switch per channel with the problem.
intended primarily for
which to operate it. But before dismiss this However, it's the compressor and limiter
kick drum use and has
box as too simplistic and too low -end for you, sections that are likely to take most people's
a new capsule designed
remember that it is a Drawmer. The fact that fancy as their versatility and results belie the
to capture high SPL
its cheap should he regarded as bonus. relatively limited degree of control. You'd
instruments with ex-
tended frequencies
below 100Hz. The mie is flat down to 63Hz.
albeit with a slight bump at 80Hz, and a gen-
tle roll -off below 40Hz. From 80Hz to 1kHz
it is said to be extremely linear. It measures
4- inches long and 1 -inch wide.
Audix, US. Tel: +1 714 588 8072.
Gating is programme adaptive, expander- expect a brand A like this to do the job but
Net: www.audixusa.com
like and lower ratio on close to threshold you'd only hope that it also sounded good.
signals and it is controlled on a single rttREsit- The 11X30 is as happy at clamping down dia-
oLO pot covering -70 to +20dB. There are LED logue gently as it is beefing up drums and Low cost AirWave
indicators for above and below threshold sig- pumping whole mixes. The extreme settings Pacific Research & Engineering 's low cost
nal levels and the section is defeated by turn- are delightful, abusing the limiter on its own AirWave on -air broadcast console has a
ing the pot fully clockwise. Fast and slow produces a fabulous 'phwaatt' to the leading mainframe that is fully enclosed welded-
release times can he selected on a switch, edge which is very reminiscent of more steel, but modular. Optical-isolated logic
again with a LED. expensive units in the company's range. And interfacing for remote and machine control
The compressor section combines ratio and it just will not overshoot. is built into the modules for plug -and -play
soft -knee characteristics that manifest them- Dual- channel operation for individual sig- interconnection to other studio equipment.
selves as a sottish front -end nals is flexible hut particu-
I Other standard features include a pream-
becoming harder as more is larly appreciated the plifier module containing five high-perfor-
piled in. To control this the Drawmer Distribution, Charlotte complete hand -over of con- mance microphone preamplifiers with
THRESHOLD pot is variable St Business Centre, Wakefield trol to one channel for stereo phantom power, balanced patch points,
from -40 to +20óB. while the WF1 1UH, UK. processing. Its quality per- a stereo program -1, program -2 and monau-
RATIO pot kicks in at 1.2:1 and Tel: +44 1924 378669. formance. ral output module, a dual remote -line selec-
then trots over to an unspec- Fax: +44 1924 290460. This is an amazing box tor module, a time of day clock and event
ified hard limiting value very US: QMI, 7 October Hill Road, that represents amazing timer, and an easy to use telephone module.
much greater than 20:1. Holliston, MA 01746. value for money. Admittedly AirWave also provides headphone system
Limiting is handled by a Tel: +1 508 429 6881. its lack of control means that monitor facilities for control room, studio,
single Ot1PLT LEVEL pot driving Fax: +1 508 429 7135. it makes decisions for you co -host and guests; four illuminated Sifam
a circuit that resorts to addi- and it won't replace fully meters; assignable A-B input control logic;
tional gain reduction should the threshold value variable devices because its not completely built -in cue -speaker and operator's room
be exceeded for more than a few milliseconds. foolproof. But few dynamics devices are and headphone amplifier and built -in studio
Limiter activity is signalled by a LED and is pre- that's often part of their charm. This is a smart talkback microphone.
ceded by a GAIN STAKE -LP pot for the compressor repackaging of current clever technology that The company's QuikBilt modular studio
section offering ±20áB of attenuation. is very accessible. Highly recommended. cabinetry features high pressure page 36 >

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Unit 12, Spectrum House
32 -34 Gordon House Road, London NW5 1 LP
Tel: (0171) 267 3323 Fax: (0171) 267 0919
Ill IS
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www.fairlightesp.com.au
Joemeek VC2
< page 34 laminate on work surfaces and
'/inch thick, thermal -fused melamine pan-
els with 45 -pound particle board substrate
on lower cabinet casing that provides long-
It's onlymatter of time before Joemeek outboard is as famous as
a term resistance to scuff, wear, and structural
Joe Meek himself. George Shilling reckons the time is near stress; Mod -eez invisible fasteners which
increase structural integrity and eliminate
IHAVE LONG BEEN a fan of Joe Meek's wrong! There are two modes. a threshold protruding screws; front and rear air ventila-
productions. even went to a Joe Meek
I knob, and knobs for attack and release times. tion and Euro -clip hinges with quick- release
Appreciation Society event a few months I had switched on with mode 2 engaged. This cans fasteners for easy installation.
hack. But until recently I had not tried any is for people who crave the sound of com- The furniture modules are shipped flat
of the Joemeek range of outboard equip- pression, and want to hear it pump. I reverted packed via UPS and an entire studio cabinet
ment, designed by Ted Fletcher. From what to mode 1. This was smoothness beyond can he easily assembled in a few hours. The
you see in some magazines. you would think compare, and we got on with the job in hand. roll out of QuikBilt is part of the company's
that the most important thing about the The compressor uses photoelectric technol- initiative to expand its domestic business in
middle to smaller markets and in Asia.
PR &E, US. Tel: +1619 438-3911.
Net: www.pre.com
Audio on the Web

Bringing its expertise to the webcasting
market, Telos' Audioactive Internet Audio
Suite is a hardware and software system that
loemeek range is the colour of the front ogy, which nano prefer over the more recent
makes it easy to provide real-time and
panel. hut could I recreate Telsrar in my spare and more common VCA technology. and on
stored audio streams over the Internet.
bedroom with the VC2 valve channel? many different types of program it does work Using enhanced MPEG Layer 3 coding, CD
(,Mybe.) Mould it blend in visually with nw very well. However, there is no graininess.
quality is claimed.
other rack equipment' t Nope.) even when at the fastest settings, so if you are
Being a mono unit was an impressive stan after crunchy extreme compression effects for
-some of Joe's best productions were mono. percussion you might have trouble achieving
The VC2 comprises a microphone amplifier. a them with this kind of unit. wherever you put
compressor. an enhancer, and an output stage the wide- ranging attack and release knobs,
with gain make -up. It is not only the paint - The Enhancer section is included to add a
work which makes the appearance endearing. hit of sparkle. This is not a subtle thing
There is a lovely big old -fashioned looking VU either -extraordinarily powerful, with a wide
meter with a particularly attractive metallic range of adjustment. A drive knob is set to
strip on its scale. The knobs are black, and make the dint green [ID glow brighter on sig-
look like they came free on the coyer of nal peaks, but not red which indicates over-
Electronics Todác. There are handles for pulling load. Then you can ease up the enhance
The system offers everything needed for
it out of the rack. And all the pushbuttons are knob to taste, tweaking the Q control to affect complete Internet Audio broadcast chain
a
bright red. On the hack there are NLRB for mic the length of the high frequency harmonic
including encoding systems, a `transmitter'
and line input. an output and a --10dß output after the sound that created it. The manual
or audio server, and easy to get receivers or
for connection to an external ntic amp. wisely advises caution when using the players -client software applications that
although I have no idea why you would want Enhancer, but used subtly and carefully it is
run on listeners' computers.
to do this! There are jack sockets for an insert quite appealing. All Enhancer effects are a
Key to the Telos approach is a dedicated
point. a mix input and TRS balanced output. matter of taste-I am not a huge fan of any of
hardware-based encoder, that offers more
There is also a mysterious shiny gold-plated then-but I must admit I was led into temp- processing power than systems that are
unlabelled phono socket. No don.t be daft. tation by this unit.
bound to general purpose CPUs.
its not a digital output. it is for stereo linking In terms of layout, the front panel is fairly
Audioactive requires PC soundcard and
two units together. The manual waffles away sensible. No scale is indicated on the com- Power Mac Websurfers to download a free
about 1960's and 19 -0's technology, and press knob. because. as Ted states is the man- player to listen to live \V'ehcasts.
boasts about such features as an unusually ual. there is no clearly defined threshold. For
Telos, US. Tel: +1216 2417225
high overload margin. Reading it. you feel my liking there are a few too many LEI)s
Net: www.audioactive.com
more and more like Ted has revived some which don't really help much, but just add a
long lost ancient British craft, and you can hit of confusion. Perhaps if die buttons used
almost imagine him hand -building these in had a deeper travel it would he easier to tell Digital AM
some chaotic workshop full of ancient test at a glance which modes are in use. Heralded as the first true -digital mono AM
equipment and components. I was ]toping to The tube is in the make -up amplifier sec- broadcast audio processor, Tiesseci's
smell the valves when t tion, adding a characteristic 4500ÁM boasts five hands, high -resolution
turned it on. warmth. I was impressed algorithms and what the company describes
No such luck, but I (lid with how low the noise as an `FM sound'. The unit has 12 presets
Joemeek Ltd,
like the yellow-white illumi- level was. and a big display working in conjunction
Swillett House, Herongate Road,
nation of the VC. meter. I had The VC2 is most enjoy- with assignable front panel controllers.
Chorleywood, Herts WD3 SBB, UK.
some Vocals to record with a able to use, and something Other features include an equaliser dedi-
Tel: +44 1923 284545
session singer: no tinte for slightly unusual. I gather it is cated to optimising high frequencies, low -
Fax: +44 1923 285168
faffing about! Fortunately selling well in the States. pass filtering 10kHz- 4.5kHz, day -night
I found the unit quick and and it is not hard to see presets, hardware and software expansion
easy to set up. Partnered with a standard Neu- why: characterful retro looks combined with a (the latter through free Internet downloads),
mann I:87 was astonished at the clarity of the
I wonderfully smooth sound. I don't think it and Windows 95 -based modem remote
sound. After setting a rough level I pushed in would be historically accurate for recreating control software.
the compressor switch. The singer pointed out Telstar. but is all the sane a useful tool for Tiesseci, Italy. Tel: +39 332 289164
that it sounded a hit compressed -he wasn't modern recordists. Net: www.tiesseci.it page 38 >

Sennheiser is the world's leading
manufacturer of wireless systems.
But we don't stand still.
Sennheiser now introduces the next

generation in radio microphone technology -
outstanding, innovative new designs backed
by an ever expanding sales and support
network across the globe.
So, if you need the best radio systems and the

finest service, talk to Sennheiser.
First for radio the world over.
SENrl H E.IER
TL Audio Crimson 3013
Sony comp -expander
anti lias announced a dual-channel com-
As a solid -state version of a valve EQ, this new parametric offers a pressor- expander which includes an MD
limiter function designed to avoid high
rare opportunity: Dave Foister exclusively compares technologies inputs to MD recorders. The SRP-L200 has
NE LOOK at the TL Audio 3U13 and allowing fine adjustment of two closely - upward and downward expanders, a har-
you know exactly what to expect. TL's spaced frequencies where most EQs would monics- overdrive enhancer control, and
consistency of approach has led to a only have one band available. I would :n e l variable knee control of compression. Exter-
readily identifiable product range that, besides liked to see a couple of the bands offering nal key inputs and a key -through outputs
the mixers. comprises three distinct sets of shelf operation: as it is, Q is fully variable on are provided along with 7-segment gain
outboard units. Identified by their front panel all bands and each has a gain range of ±15dB. reduction metering and status indicators.
colours (not original but still effective) the Each band is individually switchable in and Sony, Europe. Tel: +441256 55011.
three ranges offer known common character- out of circuit, as are the two filters, swept Sony. America. Tel: 201 930 1000.
istics despite the crossovers between them. 12óB octave high and low -pass circuits with a
The flagships belong to the Classic valve range much greater than usual -this isn't just Cloud
series, with the Indigos being simpler, more surgery. it's amputation.
Designed to live long under continuous
affordable valve processors. The Crimsons are The most surprising feature on the EQ -2 k
high-power levels. VTX- series power amps
all solid state, most being functional clones of also carried over to the 3013: the srrsr:u from Cloud Electronics include Dynamic
the corresponding Indigo model. and on their button. Anyone who's listened carefully to the
Clip Protection to ensure that amplifier and
initial launch won many friends immediately phase between stereo channels through two
for their combination of features and quality in mono equalisers, or even looked at them on a
affordable packages. The Crimson 3013 differs vectorscope, will appreciate the dangers of
from the others in being derived not from the even a small difference in settings, particularly
Indigo range hut from the top -end EQ -2 valve of the centre frequency. Here the two chan-
equaliser, with which it is functionally identi- nels can be ganged together and operated
cal. Perhaps surprisingly, TL quotes identical from the lower controls (for some reason
specifications for the two. apart from boring Channel A is at the bottom with much closer
)
things like size and power consumption. This tracking than could be achieved by eye.
provides ammunition to both sicles of the The preamps are clean and quiet, worth
valve argument, those who say the difference using in their own right -and since the EQ
is a musical thing that can't he measured and can be completely bypassed this is a possibil-
those who say the whole valve thing is a heap ity -with a detented output GAIN knob and a
of hooey anyway. peak warning LED to complete the picture. It
Apart from its circuit topology and its front - would however perhaps be going too far to
panel colour. the 3013 is identical to the EQ -2, suggest buying the 3013 on this basis alone.
so anyone who read about that in Studio Sound The difference in EQ feel between this and the
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speaker can withstand hard use without
damage. The range consists off the VTX750
(375W per channel), VTX1200 (600W per
: LL
I
.°i á - - o- - channel), and VTX1500 (725W per channel).

Cloud, UK. Tel: +44114 2447051.
(May, 1996) can skip the next hit. Essentially EQ -2 is undeniable. although that's not to sug-
it's a 2- channel. -t -band. parametric equaliser, gest an intrinsic superiority of the one over the Nagra Recorder -codec
with the additions of stereo linking and other. Where the valves have a character that Nagra's CPP combines a PCMCIA card
onboard microphone preamps. The phantom- seems to add a musical enhancement, the recorder with an ISDN codee in a unit that
powered microphone inputs give a total of Crimson version has a neutrality that some- can be rackmounted or freestanding. The
four inputs per channel. with the expected times will be exactly what is needed. Adjust- codec communicates in speech and data
balanced and unbalanced line inputs on the ing the controls produces exactly the effect modes and permits MPEG communications
rear panel and unbalanced instrument input you would expect, with no surprises: this k in both directions as well as G722 and G711
jacks on the front -a typical not a box of mysterious compression systems. This combination
TL feature. These have magic tricks, but a tool for allows the CPP to receive incoming calls
switchable gain before the Tony Larking Professional Sales, the occasions when you unattended and store them for future listen-
shared GAIN control, which is Letchworth, Herts SG6 LAN, UK know precisely what you ing and can send ISDN messages on cue
calibrated for a microphone Tel: +44 1462 490600. want and expect your when called from another codec without
input, but has a centre detent Fax: +44 1462 490700. equaliser to deliver just that. operator intervention.
for line -level unity gain. US: Sascom Marketing Group. It does it all cleanly and Targeted at radio broadcast and film post,
The EQ has four bands. Tel: +1. 905 469 8080. smoothly, never imposing its the price of the unit is said to be less than
presented as two identical Fax: +1 905 469 1129. own ideas and never detract- most codecs and is fitted with two mic
pairs, with the LE-lower mid Germany: SEA, Auf dem Diek,6, ing from the music. inputs (phantom, T -power and dynamic)
sections having the same fre- 48488 Emsbüren. It's clear that TL Audio is which permit the mixing of live audio with
quency range and the HF- Tel: +49 5903 9388 0. not putting all its valves into previously recorded audio data. The CPP
upper mid sections similarly Fax: +49 5903 6141. one basket, despite being can also use two different communications
doubling up. I reckon an one of its most enthusiastic protocols at the same time and as the soft-
ideal equaliser would have four identical advocates. The Crimson range may not he ware between it and Nagra's ARES -C is
hands with either switched ranges or multiturn expensive, but neither are they cheap alterna- 100% compatible, the two machines can talk
pots to aid fine control over the whole spec- tives: on this showing the solid -state boxes are to each other without an operator.
trum. Conventional wisdom separates the designed with as much concern for musical In a future version, the telephone con-
range into overlapping hands, but perhaps results as the valve versions. Well worth nector will be substituted by a SMPTE -EBU
TL's approach here is a good halfway house, checking out. time -code connector which will page 40 >

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IV
VIM " , 1
Focusrite Green 4
< page 38 transform the CPP into a post-
production playback unit. An RS422 serial
From Blue to Red to Green, Focusrite's outboard has proven port links to other equipment remotely
n'bile a BNC socket is provided for syn-
consistently good. Zenon Schoepe turns green on compression chronisation purposes.
ROLNDING OFF the the latest rash of bypassed and the pair can be linked for Nagra, Switzerland. Tel: +41217320101.
Focusrite's r:tckmount processors. this stereo -- Channel 1 takes control although the
dual- channel compressor -limiter is a filtering and Look-ahead switching remain
major piece in the great Green jigsaw. In fact, it independent on each channel.
Mix -Genie v2
Currently being tested is a new chip control-
tidies up the range quite nicely, particularly as Connectors are on balanced XLRs and
ling the Mix- Genie automation section of the
the combined processing channel and voice- there's also a link jack socket provided for
box strip units both draw on sections that are slaving multiple Green 4s together for multi- 3G Fireball automated live desk. In addition
to storing and recalling all aux mutes, chan-
available in fuller hlovwn stand-alone devices. channel work.
nel mutes, channel and group EQ enables.
aux master mutes and all fader positions, v2
software permits independent MIDI control
over each switch and fader for real -time
fader and switch changes when mmning on
a sequencer such as Cakewalk Pro Audio V'6
which the manufacturer recommends.
3G, UK. Tel: +441702 420645
Email: 3GAudio@compuserve.com
Prism DScope
The Green range is undoubtedly cheap by Despite the fact that the Green range has now Featuring high -quality analogue and digital
Focusrite standards hut its units lie fairly close been available fix just over a year. I already feel measurement and signal generation, the
to the top in price of many other manufactur- comfortable with the presentation principles DScope Series III also offers jitter and
ers. product portfolios. This is p:uticularl' the involved. There are no surprises in the Green -i. related digital interface measurements.
case when you stack the Green compressor-
t It seems very- familiar. The same solid and quiet
limiter up against what else is available for this performance I now expect of them all.
type of stoney because there's lots and mcht This is a powerful dynamics strip. The lim-
of it excellent. Consequently the Green t has iter works hest as an output protection device
much more competition than any other Green rather than the sort of thing you can pile in to
unit :md is likely to have a slightly harder life at the end of the chain. It's not that it sounds
justifying itself. had when under load, it's just that it can be
One of its strengths is that it concentrates beautifully unobtrusive when left to deal with
its efforts on compression and limiting only the occasional hot blip.
with no distracting add -on gate or expander The biggest boon for the compressor is the
sections. What is on offer is two .stereo link- ability to switch between hard and soft -knee
able channels of proper compression with characteristics. Hybrid designs are fine but
separate limiting control and high -pass and from my experience their precise nature varies
logy-pass filter side- chaining. The layout is from manufacturer to manufacturer and some
straightforward enough but there are a lot of are discernably better than others. A soft knee
extras on offer. is handy- when you want to compress but
The compressor has folk variable thresh- don't want to he too blatant about it, while the
old, ratio (1,5:1 lit 10:1), gain stake up. attack hard stuff shines when the aim is to feature The interface measurements complement
(11.3- I00m.$) and release (0.1 -ts). Nipping in compression as a process. Both have their those available on the DSA -1 hand-held dig-
the bud :any arguments about whether hard - place and the ability to try both in the same ital signal analyser. The system does not
knee or soft -knee compression is best. the unit expands the potential of the Green 4. It require cards to he fitted inside the host
Green -t offers both. selected with a switch, can be as subtle or as crude as you wish but computer and runs under Windows 95 or
While the RELEASE pot can he hypassecl by it's :always smooth. NT. Measurement electronics are housed in
activating a programme-dependent Automatic I would describe the compression quality a small external unit which occupies the
setting, The filters sweep from 15l1z -1OkHz as being pleasantly granular at high process- same footprint as a notebook computer.
and 6511z-25khz and can he switched as a pair ing levels. its definitely a contemporary Prism Sound, UK. Tel: +441223 424988.
into the side chain. They're sharp enough to sounding box. However. would sac that its
I Net: www.prismsound.com
flatten a homily kick drum or de -ess a partic- real strength lies in its skill at controlling
ularly frothy singer. really tricky stuff. It's a .sophisticated device
Limiting is handled by a fully -variable with surprisingly fine resolution and an
FAR out
ßeigian monitor manufacturer FAR points to
Threshold and Release uncommon touch. Its cure-
the benefits of having passive and active
t20nts-ls) plus a switch:thle all dynamics that you can
versions of monitors in its range for
Look -ahead function that Focusrite, 19 Li ncoln Road, throw anything at. The
instances where one version better suits the
delays the front end relative Cressex Busines s Park, High Green -t provides excep-
circumstances. The CR10 and CR20 passives
to the side chain to give the Wycombe, Bucks HP12 3FX UK. tional degrees of control.
are available in active form (CR10A and
limiter that little bit of extra Tel: +44 1494 4 62246. About the only omission is
time for instances where Fax: +44 1494 459920. the lack of a automatic
CR20A) and both are shielded as standard.
The company claims that the CR10 is sur-
going into the red really mode for the attack time.
prisingly small for its low frequency exten-
would he disastrous. Not essential. admittedly. but there are times
sion and power handling while the CR20
The metering is the rather good sort already wshen it is nice to have some of the thinking
employs a double voice coil kevlar driver
seen on other Green units defaulting to input done for you and the results can also he sub-
and achieves 92.5dB sensitivity.
level but switchable to gain reduction which is tlety different.
FAR's largest monitor is the 3 -way CR100
displayed as :a moving single dot on the LED Yet another well rounded Green unit which
which has a 15 -inch woofer and page 42 >
ladder. Each channel's processing can be stacks up well against the opposition.
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Amek System 9098
Dual Compressor-limiter < page 40 7 -inch kevlar midrange.
Described as a compact 3 -way, the DBW80
The high -end System 9098 line continues to grow with the addition has a soft -dome midrange for improved
stereo imaging while the DBW100 improves
of this compressor-limiter. Rob James puts it through its paces on its bottom end. Top of the tree is the
RUPERT NEVE is arguably still one of the and Auto release time. The limiters are won- DBW200 3 -way system with two 15 -inch
most respected designers working in derfully sparse -one pot sets the limiting low -frequency drivers and high sensitivity.
the pro -audio field today. Since selling level, a second the release time. There is one FAR speakers can be bought in a variety of
his controlling interest in the Neve Group in pushbutton marked FAST AtTSCK and a LEn different finishes ranging from wood to high
1975, he has worked with Focusrite and, more which indicates limiting is taking place. gloss paint.
recently, exclusively with Amek. He received I know some people like variable attack time FAR, Belgium.Tel: +32 4 259 7412.
a Grammy award this year in recognition of on limiters. but if the presets are well chosen.
his contributions to the industry. A new as in this case, I prefer the simplicity.
dynamics unit with the Rupert Neve seal of The STEREO LINK switch does what its name
approval and embodying many of his design implies. all parameters apart from Output Gain
features has to be taken seriously. are then controlled from Channel A and the
The standard of construction of the 9098 Channel B controls and switches are rendered
unit is excellent. One huge PCB carries most inoperative. The exception is Ambiance where
of the circuitry with a separate. completely both switches must be depressed if using
enclosed, power supply and satellite hoards Ambiance on stereo material. Beneath the large
carrying the pots and switches. vu meters are the little source-select buttons and
The rear of the unit is one of the smartest a switch that selects Side chain in. There is also a
I have seen. I -O connectors for both channels further switch labelled AyIBIAyCE for each channel.
and side chains are on XLRs. There are two The compressor and limiter have the char-
push buttons to set the operating level on acter you would expect from a Rupert design.
each channel at either -4dB or -10dB. Adjacent This can he summed up as 'musical'. Extreme
to the IEC mains connector and voltage selec- settings can he used for specific and pre-
tor are a pair of binding posts with a strap dictable effects. More gentle settings produce
across them. If the unit is used in an installa- unobtrusive control, silk socks rather than
Spirit Powerpad
With a width of only 22cm. the Spirit Folio
support hose, if you know
Powerpad powered mixer has a stereo 30W
what I mean. They both
amp that can be switched between mix and
smooth out bumps but which
monitor outputs and ten inputs. It has four
would you prefer?
mic inputs, two stereo inputs, and each
The effect which really sets
mono input has 2 -band EQ, and a postfade
this unit apart lies behind the
aux send. Phantom power is switched glob-
enigmatic AMBIANCE. switches.
ally, stereo inputs are equipped with switch -
When ambiance is selected the
able RIAA preamps and a 2-track return is
output of the channel is the dif-
provided together with peak and vu meter-
ference between the input sig-
ing, a headphones output and clip protect.
nal and the compressed and -or
Spirit, UK. Tel: +441707 665000.
limited signal. If there is no
Net: www.spirit- by- soundcraft.co.uk
tion with a separate, technical, earth the link compression or limiting taking place the out-
can be removed and the safety and technical put is, to all intents and purposes. silence.
earths connected separately. When gain reduction is happening all the EAW
The circuit design embodies several Rupert dynamics controls exert an effect on the resul- Designed to optimise the performance of
Neve 'trade marks: the main outputs are trans- tant signal but some are effectively reversed EAW loudspeakers the MX8600 close -cou-
former coupled using his 'tertiary feedback' from their usual roles. In particular the OUTPUT pled digital signal processor incorporates a
design. The side chain inputs arc electronically GAIN control changes the balance between the number of exclusive EAW authorised para-
balanced. Frequency response is flat ( ±0.2dB) compressed -limited signal and the input. With meters and factory presets. It supplies dozens
20Hz -20kHz with the -3dB points quoted as careful adjustment of the various controls. of programmable memories, protected by a
<10Hz and >120kHz. background noise and 'ambience' or reverb security lock -out function, while MIDI per-
The front panel is covered in the sanie can be reduced almost invisibly. It can also be mits external control and linking of master
material as the rear. The two set up to reduce the hack - and slave MX8600s via a personal computer.
channels each hale identical ground noise in gaps in Each unit has two inputs and four out-
controls apart from a 10dß wanted signal. This process puts with one output configurable as a
Amek Systems & Controls, New
pad switch for the meters would, of course, more nor- direct subwoofer output. Each output has
Islington Mill, Regent Trading
which is grouped with the mally be carried out using an 3-band EQ delay, digital level controls and
,
Estate, Oldfield Road, Salford
Channel B meter buttons expander or gate. The ambi- variable high and low-pass filters that can
M5 4SX. Tel +44 161 834 6747.
and the STEREO LINK switch ence effect is not. however, be set for 12, 18 or 24dB /octave slopes.
Fax: +44 161 834 0593.
which is on the right under quite the same, either in the The LA212 is the latest addition to the
US: Amek, 7051 Highway 70
the illuminated mains perceived change, or in the Linear Activation Series and combines a
South 307, Nashville, TN 37221.
switch. All the switches have way the change is effected. 12 -inch cone driver in vented enclosure
Tel: +1 615 662 8939.
associated Lett indicators I played about with this with 2-inch exit compression driver on a
Fax: +1 615 662 8782.
except the four black meter for some time and managed proprietary wave -guide. Long term SPLs are
US. Tel: +1 818 508 9788.
source select buttons. The to considerably reduce said to reach 120dB. An asymmetrical enclo-
Fax: +1 818 508 8619.
meters can be switched to background hiss on an old sure enables the LA212 to he used horizon -
monitor Gain Reduction. voice recording without tally as a low- profile stage monitor or
Input level, output level or side chain. The introducing unwanted artefacts. Similarly a vertically stacked for PA applications. The
compressor and limiter sections have separate reverberant lead vocal was rendered virtually new enclosure is aimed at applications that
bypass switches. The compressors have rotary .dry'. If you have no other reason to audition do not require the low frequency output of
controls for Threshold, Output Gain, Ratio, the 9098 comp -limiter the Ambiance effect the larger I.A215.
Attack and Release. Switches select Hard Knee should provide one. EAW, US. Tel: +1 508 234 6158.

IVostof the difficulties you come across in These days, this highly specialized task is within everyone's
sound reinforcement and recording situations reach. Our high -performance ULTRA -CURVE DSP8000
have specific solutions. But sometimes it takes a digital processor and ultra -linear omnidirectional ECM8000
combination of different equipment components measuring mic offer an affordable and practical option to
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sound engineers used a signal high -pr ced Real Time -
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Dynamics processors
Managing the dynamics of an audio signal can be the difference between success and failure.
Studio Sound explains how they work, what's on offer, and profiles some perennial favourites
IF Y(tl a ICI ABLE to ask Joe Aleek his works with any voice and microphone com- MIDI note by a convoluted process front each
opinions on dnstic s
processing you bination. The black-front-panelled 11 -6 is channel's envelope. It were great at the time.
might -1 ust -learn the single secret
rt of supposed to sound better than the aluminium BSS' DPR -901 dynamic equaliser falls some-
1960s winning record production. In the
1990s, managing dynamics is a manure art still
capable of making or breaking a produc-
version. but I have never A -I3 tested them,
and can't claim to notice any difference. Ill
never understand w-hy Urei stopped making
where between the realms of dynamics and
EQ by applying multihand frequency- selective
compression and expansion to give an effect
co
tion-here laid hare by Studio Sounds confi-
dantes. Whether dynamics processors should
it you can only get the stereo 1178 now. It's
just about quick enough to use on hass guitar
that is rarely blatant but is often a life saver.
Nothing else goes quite like it and it's excel-
be subtle in operation or he the key to a pro- if there is no dhx 160x to hand, and is smooth lent on vocals. For sound signature there is
ducer's .sound. is a debatable as any signifi- enough for brass and pumping on drums. The always the loemeek compressor. but Calrec's
cant production issue. In classical circles. dhx 160x is top dog for hass guitars never -I RQD6400 packs two stereo compressor-lim-
protecting the dynamic range of a digital use the Over -easy node. but in Normal mode iters into 1t' along with the hest brick -wall
recording system can he as important a it's brutal and punchy, and also useful for limiter I have heard. You can slam into it and
consideration as the choice of mies, their rocking guitar sounds hack out again without really noticing.
placement. their preamps or the recording The Valley People Kepex II. is my favourite Fairman has done the Fairchild 660-6,0 trick
medium. A'hichever way. the process and gate. its hysteresis curve can he adjusted. and for the modern day with its T \IC, but at a con-
processors cannot reasonably he ignored. you get no nasty splat as the gate opens when siderately lower price than the old stuff now
you process at hays drum (unlike certain other commands. This is a superb piece of machinery
George Shilling: One of my favourite com- commonly found gates I could mention). that exudes feel-good factor and thumping,
pressors has to he the Fairchild 660 -6 -0_ Its There are no key filtes, hut somehow. you thick musicality. At the opposite end of the
preamp magic on acoustic claims adding a don't usually need theta -they just work. scale. Drawmers first truly budget dynamics
vintage fruitiness that cannot he achieved box the \LN30 shows what can now he done for
with any other unit. A friend supplied me with Zenon Schoepe: Like many others I have ter" little money. However, I'd he happy to he
the spec sheet of this unit which explains the remained impressed front first contact with torced to use only TuheTech:s beautiful LCA2B
mysterious attack and release modes. but gen- the simple control of Dranvmcr's DS2( 1. It still compressor and limiter. It's so fine sounding vet
erally I tend to 'suck it and see' when setting defines what a gate should he to me-unob- so versatile that I can't think of many instances
up. On vocals with a fairly slow setting (Mode trusive and just clever enough. Its about as where it wouldn't triumph.
3 or even it, the Fairchild brings a lovely close to a standard as things get. However,
warmth and smoothness to the sound. It does there is always room for .something a little Rob James: You won't find any valve devices
not. however, suit everybody's voice, and smarter and BSS' DPR -502 introduced a cou- among my simply because I've
sometimes I revert to my favourite workhorse. ple of twists including an attack transient never worked much in the areas which bene-
. -
the t'rei 11'6. This unit is just superb. and enhancement feature and the ability to fire a fit from their characteristic's. ON rr page 47 >
E%WOATE,
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COUPRISSOP
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Drawmer DL241
PDX .110
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ectable dard knee

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SummingTM stereo operation. Synthesizer
< page 45 the years my most constant com- the built -in dynamics in Yamaha's 03D and are working with is had enough there is no
nion has been the AMS \eve 33609 and its
panion the AAIS Logic 2. real alternative. but unless you are damn care-
predecessors. I was never that keen on the I am not a big user of conventional ful. the artefacts can be worse than the noise.
compression but the limiting can le set and expanders or gates. but the Rupert \eve
forgotten unless Vow ;go really mad. The other designed Antek 9O98 has this magic ambi- Dave Foister: can ltlaShallledly say that my
I
analogue device ILO a real crush on was the

I ence' mode which is non gating or expulsion favourite compressor is my trusty old Rehis
.-phex Dominator -it's not ideally suited to all but darts a similar 0-much letter my -in 8:13113 Complimex. As the name suggests, it's
circumstances but you can use ludicrous opitlioti. The only other expander I've come got the full set of compressor. limiter and
amounts of limiting without it being obvious. across so far I would consider using is the LA expander. it's stereo. and it has just the right
Afore recently my affections have shitted Audio -Ix+ with its neat selective Noise number of controls and indications on it to
to digital devices. The tc electronic Finalizer Reduction nurcle. [Hake it flexible without slowing nie down.
and Ahunn mastering dynamics h lth plow The last two devices are the Dolby Can. +3a I always get what I want out of it and the qual-
me away: they can he used to make pro- and Cat.430 noise reducers. These use Dolby ity is superb.
gramme considerably louder than anything A and SR respectively and are relatively broad- A more familiar model from the past. and
else I'Ve cone acrosS without running foul of hand devices which operate rather like one of my earliest encounters. is the Audio
the ITN!\I police. I also have a lot of tun with expanders. but not quite. If the material you Design -iii. a masterpiece of quality page 49 >
Drawmer 1960
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TL audio Dual Valve preamp compressor
oemeek compressor
Bondage.
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HHB Communications Canada Ltd 260 King Street East. Toronto M5.\ 4L5. Canada Phone: 416 867 9000
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S m a r t R e s e a r c h
Electronics for the real world
THE NEW ULTRA HIGH SPEC LOW NOISE

DUAL /STEREO COMPRESSOR FROM ALAN SMART
Distributed by nick ryan @ Sounds Incorporated

SOUNDS
Incorporated 4 44 (0) 1892 861099 fax: 44 (0) 1892 863485
< page 47 and simplicity which might sur- YOU can't go far wrong with Drawmer, a amused in the vinyl days when engineers
prise those who are young enough to helieye byword in dynamic control. and 1W favourite would proudly boast that their recordings
Al) only does digital. unlike us old codgers is the all-singing all-dancing NIS00, where the were all modern and solid state, conveniently
who remember the Scamp rack. One of the luxury of digital control and a preset library forgetting the ubiquitous Fairchild valve com-
longest-standing dynamics experts is dhx. and can save huge amounts of time, albeit at the pressor that almost every cutting engineer
the recent 1066 is, perhaps. the hest dhx to risk of making you lazy. If vou want to get used to put everything through. Naturally,
date. Again the balance between versatility and down to the nuts and bolts it also has just compressors have featured strongly in the
complexity is ibout right. and the required about the most detailed control I've ever seen. new valve equipment ranges. and T1, Audio's
treatment only ever seems to he a couple of as well as having probably the biggest selec- C-1 is a particularly good example, offering a
knob twiddles away. tion of processes of any dynamics package controllable valve sound in a flexible yet sim-
Sharing dhx' advantage of in-house \VA ,iround. Similarly reliable is Focusrite. whose ple package. -11's espousal of the tube has
design is Aphex, and although the name is Red 3 is :alma as smooth a compressor as done much to promote serious interest in its
known for exciters. there's a whole range of you're likely to find. I'd also single out the BSS return, and the C-1 represents the company's
dynamics processors. often with a twist in the compressor. the DPR402, which impressed me pragmatic approach very Well. Another early
tail. I especially liked the Expressor, a very with its unusually informative displays and entrant to the new valve market was
powerful compressor capable of drastic mea- simple mode of operation. TuheTech. whose original Pultec EQ clone
sures as well as subtle control and with the It could be said that a love for vintage was followed by the LCA 2B compressor, a
added bonus of in HE expander to re-inject a valve compressors helped set the hall rolling real throwback to the delights of tube
hit of sparkle into over-compressed material. for the tulle revival; remember being most I dynamic control. II
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Consumers.
Take their formats (but let them keep their error rates).
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HHB Communications Ltd 73-75 Scrubs Lane. London NW10 SOU, UK Fax 0181 962 5050 HHB on-line http.//www hhb co uk
HI-1B Communications USA 626 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 11G. Santa Monica. CA 90401, USA Phone: 310 319 1111
HHB Communications Canada Ltd 260 King Street East. Toronto M5A 4L5, Canada Phone: 416 867 9000

VCA VCA
IN OUT IN X OUT
X
John Watkinson discusses

the basics of compression,
CONTROL CONTROL
limiting and gating, and their
audible artefacts
OMPRESSIO\ HAS a number of
applications. The dynamic range of broadcast in order to optimise the transmit- When the input level is increasing and is in
real sounds can be extremely wide ter modulation. One of the consequences of danger of overloading, it is important to
and although high quality microphones can compression of this kind is that the pro- reduce the gain promptly. 'This is known as
handle them, reproduction of full dynamic gramme material appears subjectively louder the attack of the compressor and the speed
range requires large and powerful loud- for a given peak power. In a competitive of attack must be a compromise between
speakers that are not always available or world some broadcasters use large amounts overload and distortion. Some compressors
practicable. Where more modest equipment of such compression because it makes tran- can change the attack automatically as a
is in use, the use of full dynamic range may sistor radios of limited power seem louder. function of the slew rate Of the input. How -
result in low -level sounds being lost in noise Generally once one station has taken this ever when the level falls after a peak the gain
or high -level sounds overloading. Or both. step others feel compelled to follow suit. As should be restored slowly. This is known as
In pop recording, compression, even ana- a result compression is also widely used in the release or recovery of the compressor.
logue tape overload, may be used as an FM radio even though the use of FM allows Separate controls are usually provided.
effect. Tape recorders designed for unskilled a wider dynamic range. A threshold control only allows compres-
users will usually incorporate compressors Compressors work by analysing the signal sion above a certain level. When manipu-
or automatic level controls. so that the level and using it to control the gain. The lated in conjunction with the compression
recording level control can be dispensed relationship between input and output ratio control a variety of transfer functions
with. Many radio listeners, meanwhile, use dynamic range is called the compression can be obtained. Fig.! also shows some
cheap receivers that are really only suitable ratio which is adjustable. Fig.la shows that examples. At Fig.lb the threshold is set low
for speech. Often these are used in the work the compressor can work from the input or so that uniform compression of most of the
place where ambient noise intrudes. On the the output signal. The instantaneous level dynamic range is obtained. At Fig.lc the
AM bands, background noise is extremely signal cannot be used as the rapid gain threshold is raised so that the compression
high. Consequently it is a practical necessity changes, produce sidebands. The gain has to characteristic has a knee. At Fig.ld the knee
to compress music signals prior to AM change slowly to prevent this distortion. is set high so that most of the dynamic range
"The AirBand on the EQ3 adds a sparkle and a

"The EQ3 is my audio shine that in todays music sounds modern."
signature.'' Dave Pensado, Grammy Winning Engineer
Bob Whyley, Audio Director
NBC Tonight Show
.rof rjur uropean marketing by; ive UK Distribution:

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TAPE compressor can be
GATE
used on individual
MIC SIGNAL
tracks. In this case
X
'DUCKS' TAPE the compression of
one instrument does
ANNOUNCER not affect the level
a of other sounds in
the mix and audibil-
ity is reduced.
TAPE
GATE The better the
INPUT LEVEL GATE
quality of the moni-
X
toring system the
more audible com-
ANNOUNCER
pression becomes.
a When listening on a
EMERGENCY MIC
'DUCKS' BOTH transistor radio the
OTHER SIGNALS
inherent distortion
EMERGENCY
masks the changes of
timbre and the back-
'KNEE'
ground noise will be
below the noise floor
is unchanged but peaks are prevented from leaving only the amplitude modulation.
overloading. In this configuration the com- When using compression on stereo or
INPUT LEVEL
pressor has become a limiter. surround sound signals, it is important to
Limiting is often used prior to recorders to prevent the gain control process affecting
prevent occasional transients entering satura- the spatial characteristics. In practice the
tion in analogue machines or clipping at the level of all of the channels must be analysed,
w end of the quantising range in digital but only a single gain control signal is pro-
>
w machines. The intended dynamic range is duced which affects each channel equally.
J
entirely uncompressed and provided the lim- Compressor- limiters are often supplied in a
a iting only acts on brief transients it will be 2- channel configuration. The channels can
D largely inaudible. It is also possible to place an work independently for multitrack work or
0 equaliser prior to the compressor control so can be ganged for stereo applications so that
that the compression is frequency dependent. the gain changes do not affect the balance.
The gain variation of compression is fre- Gating is another application of automatic
quently audible. In particular, the human level control. If a compressor is designed
INPUT LEVEL
voice and classical music sound unnatural if with an inverse characteristic shown in
compressed. The timbre of speech and many Fig.2a it will heavily attenuate low -level sig-
instruments, particularly piano, changes with nals. The result is known as a noise gate
level, and compression changes that relation- because the noise floor of the input signal
ship. The dynamics of compression are also will be pushed down. Gating can also be
OUTPUT audible. Because the signal can only have used as in Fig.2b where one signal controls
LEVEL One gain at any one instant, instruments can the gain of another. This may be used in
amplitude modulate each other. A blow on a radio stations or public buildings so that the
INPUT LEVEL
tympanum or an organ pedal note has its announcers voice automatically reduces or
impact reduced by compression which also 'ducks' the level of any background music.
depresses the level of the rest of the orches- Gating may be cascaded as in Fig.2c so that
tra. This then slowly recovers as the com- emergency messages will take priority over
NOISE IS 'GATED' OUT
pressor releases. During release background normal announcements and the background
noises and ambience appear to grow in level, music returns to its normal level when
In multitrack pop -music production the neither type of message occurs,
Warning.
Too much slack in your pack can hit you where it hurts.
Slack windings can result in tape snapping. HHB ADAT tapes use precision engineered cases and
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HHB Communications Ltd 73 -75 Scrubs Lane. London NW10 60U UK Fax 0181 962 5050 HHB on -line: http: //www.hhb.co.uk
HHB Communications USA 626 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 110. Santa Monica. CA 90401. USA Phone: 310 319 1111
HHB Communications Canada Ltd 260 King Street East. Toronto M5A 4L5, Canada Phone: 416 867 9000

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People build up a reputation, knowing that eventually
somebody will come along to take it from them. This
extends to the TV coverage, as different production
companies and different broadcasters battle to provide
technical facilities or transmit the entire season
As the `most international' of all modern sports,
the television broadcast of Formula 1 racing requires
a high degree of cooperation between the host
nations' broadcasters and the high -tech F1 circus.
Kevin Hilton reports from the Canadian Grand Prix
FORMULA 1 Grand Prix motor racing song 'The Chain' was used as the theme music
elicits strong emotions; there is no for the BBC's coverage). the voice of F1, com-
middle ground. Its devotees regard it as mentator Murray '...and here cones Schu-
a supreme challenge between skilled macher-no, its Hill' Walker (the man who
drivers steering vehicles created from once said that the did not get things wrong. he
the finest aerodynamic design powered by the just made predictions that were instantly
best engines. For the dissenters it is merely a proved incorrect) was tempted to join the
monstrous. noisy, tedious, full-size, real-life other side, providing some continuity.
version of Scalextric. Either way it is a While each production company will tailor
immensely popular sport; for those who can't its coverage in terms of presentation links,
make it to each venue round the world, tele- expert analysis and pit stop coverage, always a
vision coverage is essential and TV stations source of fascination for the faithful, the core
hid enormous amounts to transmit the whole of the programmes, audio and vision of the
season, giving over large amounts of prime race itself, is supplied by the host broadcaster
time to accommodate it. of each country. Due to the nature of Grand
Fl has a worldwide TV audience of Prix, this means multiple cameras and a large
400 million viewers, a figure only surpassed number of microphones, nixed with footage
by more occasional events like the World Cup from onboard the cars to give a driver's -eve
and the Olympic Games. Controlling the TV view of everything. Fl is about speed, noise
rights to the sport is Formula 1 Promotions and excitement: getting this over to the viewer
and Administration (part of FOCA), a body is the most important job for a broadcaster.
headed up by Bernie Ecclestone who recently Round -, Fith June 1997. Montreal, Canada.
doubled his salary to ,f54 million a year. FOCA French Canadian driver Jacques Villeneuve,
strictly controls coverage of the GP season leaching hope for Williams. arrives on his
and is currently working on a 'shadow' project home turf, hoping to win the Grand Prix
that will eventually result in multichannel dig- staged at the track named after his father.
ital TV coverage. My attempts to obtain more While the race will be broadcast live on both
details met with unreturned phone calls. while CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
those technicians involved turned out to he and the French language service SRC Sports.
bound by non -disclosure agreements. as well as around the world, the presentation
The popularity of Fl and the reasons why is being produced by the Canadian Formula 1
it is such a lucrative business are obvious. Association itself.
Each season is eagerly awaited by the fans: Hired to act as Director -Executive Producer
each Grand Prix throws up its own issues as for this exacting TV production was Michel
the drivers and constructor teams vie for their Quidoz. a veteran of 13 Grand Prix who
respective championships. This year is no recently retired from SRC Sports after 38 years
exception. The reigning champion. Britain's with the channel. This race has been broad-
Damon Hill, is now driving for the regarded cast on both the English language network.
but still unproven Arrows Yamaha team, fol- CBC. and the French language channel, SRC
lowing his acrimonious split with current Sports. for the past 1-+ years.' he explains.
world champion team Williams Renault. His 'This is my first year as a freelance and I am
rival. twice champion Michael Schumacher responsible for all 28 live feeds. We provide a
(Germany). is atill struggling with the unrelia- clean host feed. with provision for commen-
bility of his Ferrari V10 engine. AWith these top tary voice-overs to be added and commercials
drivers hampered in different ways, the best of to be inserted.'
the rest have a chance, opening up the races, Like any major sporting event. there is a
and race for the championship. build up to each Grand Prix, not only with the
This year has also seen the arrival of teams usual punditry on who may win. but also cov-
bearing the names of two illustrious past dri- erage of the qualifying laps prior to the race
vers: Prost Mogen Honda (after the French itself. To make sure that no car is missed in
champion of 198'). 1986. 1989 and 1993) and Canada. 29 cameras were positioned around
Stewart Ford, fronted by the Scotsman who, the track, backed up by helicopter shots and 14
up until 1987. held the record for the highest in -car cameras, bringing the total to ki. The in-
number of GP wins. It is not insignificant that car vision and audio is provided by FOCA and
this accolade was taken from him by Alain transmitted from the cockpits over RF links.
Prost. But F1 is like that: people build up a 'The 14 in -car cameras are allocated to the
reputation, knowing that eventually some- major teams and cone to us from FOCA as a
body will come along to take it from them. three -video feed,' explains Quidoz. 1 use these
This extends to the 'IA coverage, as different to complement my own shots, trying to match
production companies and different broad- where they are with the ground cameras and
casters battle to provide technical facilities or the helicopter, which is under my direction:
transmit the entire season. Because of the enormity of the job, elements
UK viewers are still getting used to the new are broken away from the main production and
style of ITV. which has taken F1 away from given their own supervisors. While Quidoz
the BBC this season. While Fleetwood Mac are concentrated on the main business of directing
still reeling from the loss of royalties (their the race, another director handled page 56 >
Plan of the Gilles Villeneuve circuit showing camera and microphone positions.
/r
The table shows camera and mic allocations.
<
11a
Z 1
.1.bet4'4
Lo esj l
Vi()age F.11
w.oct
page 55 replays and in -car shots while a

-
Ib lle Nalre Dame
aOitAY GIS M
over coverage from the advertisement -free

aessin orymolus
Camera 1
-
:.gysINN
441 Camera 116

tz
CK -8
Camera 113 `568 + ATM25 Camera 12 MKH60
third worked specifically on the helicopter BBC. After the Melbourne Grand Prix, the first
Camera 2 441 Camera 13 CK -8
shots, RF feeds from the pits and cameras in Of the season, irate viewers complained about Camera 3 568 Camera 14 MKH60
the garages of two of the main contenders. Fer- the breaks from the action so that people Camera 4 MKH60 Camera 146 '568 + ATM25
Camera 5 CK -8 Camera 16 MKH70
rari and Williams. To ensure that there was no alight he persuaded to huti something. By
Camera 5A 421 Camera 169 2xECM77
confusion on the talkback, it was arranged that contrast Canadian viewer arc used to this. as Camera 6 421 Camera 17 441
Quidoz two colleagues could over -ride when both CBC and SRC Sports are allowed he the Camera 7 568 Camera 17B *568 + ATM25
Camera 7A 421 Camera 18 568
they spoke. There are two switchers. one with government to obtain revenue through adver-
Camera 8 MKH60 Camera 19 441
me on and another with the other two direc- tising -and that includes during Grand Prix Camera 9 568 Camera 20 568
tors. When the replay in -car director spoke, he races, which can include up to six Camera 10 441 Camera 21 568
would over -ride me. as would the other direc- minutes of commercials. Camera 1013 *568 + ATM25
Camera 108(2) 568 '568 for car approaching camera
tor to him. One over-rides the other.' Aside from the insertion of advertisements. Camera 11 568 ATM25 as car passes cameras
Any TV production needs to know exactly all effort is made to ensure that not an over-
vv-hat is happening and what vgill happen next taking. a spin off or any. wheel humping is communications. enabling everyone to know
but it is crucial in motor racing. The fans get missed. All camera operuon are accompa- exactly who is coating round the bend next.
decidedly aggrieved it they miss any of the nied by spotters to alert them ui what is conn- SRC Sports may have lost the rights Ri pro-
action. something that has been underlined in ing up. Race consultant James Robinson duce the Canadian Grand Prix hit. a is now
the I1K by the commercial ITV network taking keeps in touch with the TV directors over RF common in independent procluc- page 58 >
Would you use a stretch limo for Formula 1?

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Raycom products and services COMPANY
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< page 56 Lion. the corporation y:ts Mill
involved by providing the technical facilities.
eras so that the sound corresponds to the
shot. _4-d all of this is done by hand, with
H Hb
Quidoz explains. The situation today is not two operators working two separate con-
like a production with its own facilities. When
Fl Canada decided to keep the rights to the
soles in the audio-video control truck. One
worked a t0 -input Studer 993 to create the
CDR800
race. it still :eked SRC Sports to provide offi- overall race mix, which was based on two Compact Disc Recorder
dal technical support for our show.' SRC's MKH60s mies mounted on the roof of the
input consisted or all technical personnel and casino that sits in the middle of the race-
INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTORS
the OB trucks that made up what was desig- track. Spot effects were brought in as
nated as the Pool, where the clean race feeds directed. Another operator handled ancil- AUSTRALIA: AWA LTD
Tel: 02 9898 7666 Fax: 02 9898 1135
were produced. lary audio. including the pit lanes, the heli- Contact: Alistair Dewar
When stereo television was first proposed copter and the FOCA RF feeds front the AUSTRIA: AKG ACOUSTICS
during the late 1980s, sport was cited as one in -car microphones. Tel: 01 866 54 256 Fax: 01 866 54 549
Contact: Reinhold Flied!
of the areas that would henefit from 2-chan- 'Everything is mixed by hand,' Parent com-
BELGIUM: EML N.V.
nel sound. In recent years some hroadcasters ments. gather than using a switcher to follow
Elm have gone further than this. adopting sur- the video. There is a video routeing switcher
Tel: 011 23 2355 Fax: 011 23 2172
Contact: Erik Gysen
round techniques to encircle their viewers that has a display of tally- lights, which indicate CANADA: HHB COMMUNICATIONS CANADA LTD
Tel: 416 867 9000 Fax: 416 867 1080
with the action. Which is why it comes as an which camera is currently going to air. The Contact: Dave Dysart
initial surprise that the Grand Prix is a mono track operator will listen to the director and CZECH REPUBLIC: AUDIOPOLIS
affair. 'It's not stereo yet.' confirms Quidoz. watch the lights, mixing the relevant channels Tel: 42 2 322 552 Fax: 42 2 323 069
Contact: Jan Adam
explaining. because re- equipping would cost in and out as things go along. We choose to
DENMARK: INTERSTAGE
millions and millions. The CBC networks use do this because it is smoother than switching Tel: 39 46 0000 Fax: 39 46 0040
Contact Finn Juul
satellites to distribute programming to all the with the cameras. which can sometimes pro-
FINLAND: HEDCOM
stations in the Canadian provinces. which is duce a distinct 'click. sound when the shots Tel: 358 9 682 866 Fax: 358 9 682 8489
something huge like 48 to 50 downlinks. At change. The operator will always cut the nit Contact: Jarmo Roivas
the moment it can't he justified to take public when a car is far w'iv front the camera.
a FRANCE: MILLE ET UN SONS
Tel: 1 46 67 2210 Fax: 47 89 8171
money to upgrade to stereo.' The FOCA in -car mies came in on three Contact: Didier Rupin
1
lust because the soundtrack is mono does lines to the second console, a 1-i -input Allen GERMANY: MEDIACOM
not mean that the F1 audio production is not an & Heath. which also dealt with the pits and Tel: 05451 94690 Fax: 05451 946919
Contact: Uwe Seyfert
involved affair. Overseeing the sound and com- the helicopter feed. Two OB vans, one from
GREECE: KEM ELECTRONICS
munications for the Grand Prix was audio engi- CBC in Toronto that fed the English lan- Tel: 01 674 8514 Fax: 01 674 6384
neer Serge Parent. guage network, the other provided by SRC Contact: Thimios Kolikotsis
There arc about 3+ microphones placed Sports for the French language network. HOLLAND: K &D PROFESSIONELE
Tel: 2526 87889 Fax: 2526 87362
around the track.' he explains. We use dynastic formed the basis of the fool. This also sent Contact: Daan Verschoor
units for cameras Buse to the track and con- feeds to the attending international broad- HONG KONG: DIGITAL MEDIA TECHNOLOGY
denser shotgun for cameras that are further casters. who were additionally provided Tel: 2 721 0343 Fax: 2 366 6883
Contact: Wilson Choi
away. which can he up to Enntt feet.. All micro- with 30 hooths containing headsets for com- IRELAND: BIG BEAR SOUND LTD
phones correspond to a 'anent sonne being mentators and consoles for feeds to and Tel: 01 662 3411 Fax: 01 668 5253
Contact: Julian Douglas
mounted on or near canteras, others being front their home country.
ISRAEL: BAND PRO FILM VIDEO INC
placed on stands on their OW11. The majority of While this audio setup was an extensive Tel: 03 673 1891 Fax: 03 673 1894
miss used :it Montreal were Sennheiser and one. Parent regards the communications sys- Contact: Oler Menashe
included -tUs. i(tis. AIKH61s. +21s. MKHTAs tem as being more complicated and, ulti- ITALY: AUDIO EQUIPMENT
Tel: 039 212 221 Fax: 039 214 0011
and the AKG CK8 electret shotguns. mately. more crucial to the overall running of Contact: Donatella Ouadrio
As with any audio production. a Grand the production. Intercom and talk -hack was KOREA: DAIKYUNG VASCOM CO LTD
Prix soundtrack is built up from a founda- (handled by a 50 in, 60 out RTS -Telex pro- Tel: 2 745 6123 Fax: 2 766 8504
Contact: Dae Hyun Han
tion. with elements being added and grammable matrix. 'The Grand Prix is the
NEW ZEALAND: FATS LTD
removed as necessary. It is hardly a case of biggest production because of the distances Tel: 09 378 8778 Fax: 09 378 8776
opening the faders and just transmitting the involved between the cameras and the Contact: John Bicknell
noise: microphones are placed next to cam- number of ink's: NORWAY: SIV. ING BENUM A/S
Tel: 22 399 00 Fax: 221 48259
1
The circuit itself is around 2km long, with Contact: Egil Eide
cameras positioned :round it. which called for POLAND: STUDIO DAVE
secure cohlminieation between the remote Tel: 22 826 4912 Fax: 22 826 4912
Contact: Bogdan Wojciechowski
sites and the control position. Of the 22 cam-
PORTUGAL: ESTEREOSOMLOA
eras around the track, ten were controlled by Tel: 01 3546 0563 Fax: 01 357 2981
Contact: Jorge Goncalves
CCCs. with further links for the RF canteras.
There are a lot of communication connec- SINGAPORE: TEAM 108 PTE LTD
Tel: 065 748 9333 Fax: 065 747 7273
tions between the Pool and the international Contact: Helena Lim
booths.. explains Parent. 'In addition there are SOUTH AFRICA: E.M.S. LTD
telephones and filtre optics, which includes Tel: 011 482 4470 Fax: 011 726 2552
Contact: Dennis Feldman
24 audio lines.'
SPAIN: LEXON
All of this went some stay to capturing the Tel, 93 203 4804 Fax, 93 205 7464
drama and excitement of the Canadian Grand Contact Alejandro Palencia
i'rix. Michael Schumacher won the race and SWEDEN: ENGLUND MUSIK AB
Tel: 46 8 97 0920 Fax: 46 8 646 0925
regained his lead on the championship hoard Contact: Mats Mattsson
when the event was stopped due to a spec- SWITZERLAND: DR. W.A. GUNTHER AG
Tel: 01 910 4141 Fax: 01 910 3544
tacular mash in which Frenchman Olivier Contact: Roland Bricchi
Paris" Prost .Mugen -Honda hit the harrier TAIWAN: DMT TAIWAN
14 laps before the end. Punis escaped with Tel: 02 516 4318 Fax: 02 515 9881
Contact: Honton Sze
the help of the considerable medical support
USA: HHB COMMUNICATIONS USA
which is a part of every Grands Prix. but dam- Tel: 310 3191111 Fax: 310 3191311
aged his legs. lacques Villeneuve span off at Contact: David Beesley
the end of the second lap. blowing his dream

of winning at his home circuit and prompting
him to heat his helmet with his fists. The TV
cameras caught everything...
111Mb
58
HHB Communications Limited
73 -75 Scrubs Lane London NW10 6011 UK
Tel: 0181 962 5000 Fax: 0181 962 5050 E -Mail: salesWhhb.ce.uk
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Car to pits comms are crucial in Formula 1 -how it is cone is a secret
There can be few more unfriendly places to place mics

or cameras than on a Formula 1 car. Dave Foister gives
the `petrolhead' perspective on race broadcasting
II IF \\ORL1) of Formula motor
for rac-
1 the c:ir.s peri irm:tncc than cameras. although
ing. nuts and bolts details of the on -car hclieved that this year's microphones are
it is
sound and vision arrangements are hard a well- known recently introduced subminia-
to come hy. ICs easy to see that capturing ture model that combines negligible size and
and sending these from the hostile em i- weight with the necessary huge SPI, handling
ronment of an F1 car represents a consider- capability. The noise of a -5013HP VIt) at
able technical achievement aparl from i 000rpnt has to he heard to he believed. as
contributing a great deal to the atmosphere of does the thump it emits when gears are
the television hroadcast of an Fl race. But changed. which is akin to the explosion of a
such matters arc handled exclusively by very large firework. RF transmission to
FOCA (Formula One Constructors' Associa- FOC:\'s facilities is believed to he handled by
Lon), which plays all things technical veil. one of the top players' current high- powered
close to its chest. None of the actual Fl teams multichannel Li-IF systems. allowing easy fre-
was in a position to help me very much with quency reassignment in the widely differing
my quest for enlightenment. referring me RF environments in the several territories the
instead to Formula One Administration. who Fl circus visits. Actual allocation of frequen-
beady regards the arrangements ats :t trade ciesti>r this and other areas of the broadcast
secret -for the time being at any rate. This is spider's web is handled by FOCA's own spe-
it measure of the enormous power FOCA cialist RF department. Similarly. RF communi-
holds dyer F1, although before anyone cries cation between cars and pits is centrally
foul it is worth remcmherin,g that without the handled, lint not by FOCA itself: an interest-
determined efforts of FOCA. and supremo ing sideline is that while some forms of
Bernie Fcclestone in particular, F1 would not nxoorsport (British Touring Cars. for exam-
have the extraordinarily high profile and ple) are able to provide feeds of their pit -to-
worldwide '1'V hollowing it currently enjoys. car radio traffic. the nature of a Grand Prix
Onboarcl microphones present far fewer with its complex pit stop strategies and other
aicroclyn:unic problems in terms Of effects on sensitive information means that page 62 > Cockpit Information is communicated directly to the pits
< page 61 this is not possible in FI. It is ing any say in the matter. The most commonly
common for the teams to log this traffic. how- usecl position is right on the top of the engine
ever. along with the telemetry information air intake, the place where it perhaps has least
which transmits comprehensive data about effect on the car's handling; a certain small lat-
the car's behaviour to the pits every lap. itude of final positional adjustment is allowed.
Occasionally carefully screened snippets of and the actual mounting consists of two bolts
this radio traffic make it on to video releases and a wire.
about the season's racing, underlining the Cars not carrying cameras carry compen-
action at crucial moments. sating ballast instead to remove any weight
All decisions as to which cars will carry penalty incurred by the chosen cars. but
cameras and microphones for a particular another consideration is the aerodynamic
Grand Prix are macle unilaterally by FOCA effect of a car-mounted camera. The aerody-
immediately before the first practice day for namics of a modern F1 car are as critical to
the race. FOCA. in conjunction with the FIA its performance as any other single factor,
(Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) perhaps more even than the engine and
sets the regulations for the car specifications, tyres. The downforce generated by the wings
which can vary considerably from season to at straight -line speeds is around three times
season in the interests of safety and fairness; the weight of the car, leading to the mind -
one of the stipulations is that all cars must boggling fact that the cars could run upside-
have camera mounting points in several stan- down on the ceiling of a tunnel if up to
dard places. and FOCA effectively turns up in sufficient speed. Huge importance is
the pits and fits the kit without the teams hay- attached to the airflow over the front wing,
TEL 01483 208 511 FAX 01483 208 538 SALES. 0161 834 6747
A & F M c K A Y A U D I O L T D
THE OKTAVA MK319 CARDIOID CONDENSER Camera mounting impinges on

aerodynamic efficiency
which besides holding the front wheels
down on the track also affects the behaviour
of the rear wing and even the airflow into
the radiators and hence the efficacy of the
cooling system. It cannot he denied that
\
placing a camera in this airstream, stream-
lined as the housings are, affects the aerody-
namics, and the second most popular site is
right in this airflow, on the side of the car
The preferred j¡ behind the front suspension. To compensate
for this, there are reported to be moves afoot
mic of choice to make all cars carry dummy camera hous-
ings, not just the weight, to eliminate the
for a rapidly possibility of unfair disadvantage.
The clarity of the pictures from the onboard
expanding group cameras says much about the behaviour of
of producers, engineers, and artists the cars themselves. An Fl car's suspension is
so stiff that the tyres have more give in them
worldwide. We gave one each to the producer"' than the springs, and this shows in the
absolute steadiness of the image of the car in
Edwyn Collins, the engineer Edwyn Collins, and front of the camera -there is never any jerk-
the artist Edwyn Collins, to see what they thought... ing or bouncing of the picture unless the dri-
ver hits something he shouldn't. It used to be
the case that an onboard picture could never
he sustained for more than a few seconds
without breaking up; for reasons best known
to FOCA this has improved dramatically this
season, although the tunnel at Monaco will
always present a problem.
The fact that any video releases containing
sound or pictures derived from the cars also
tend to come under the direct control of For-
mula One Administration further underlines
the picture of an extraordinarily tightly -mn
sport with never an opportunity missed of
"It produces outstanding results" "Mm, very well engineered" "A real work ofart!" capitalising on the effort put into its opera-
tion. This is further reflected in the heavy
investment in new digital multichannel TV
...all three agreed facilities which FOCA may well be among the
first on the air with, as the format has clear
THEY'D NEVER KNOWNA MIC LIKE THIS BEFORE! benefits to the race enthusiast. If and when
details become available we hope to explore
the technology and its application to the con-
tinuing promotion of the F1 circus.
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a n d corruptio n
Where most movies strive to achieve seamless perfection 'That's the basic concept in Japan: confirms
Lord. 'I remember cutting dialogue for an
in every aspect of their production, one curious liaison amusement ride in lohe \\-hick featured the
underwater adventures of a submarine team.
between Eastern and Western cultures is identified by its There were two robot characters and then
there was this heavy animated face providing
chosen imperfections. Albert Lord gives Richard Buskin directions from the side of the screen. I took
an insight into the appeal of the Power Rangers a week cutting the Japanese tracks and ensur-
ing that everything was dead in sync with the
WHEN ALBERT LORD was first under very difficult circumstances. animated facial movements. Then they
brought in by LA -based produc- Anyone with any experience knows that brought in the producer and director to take
tion company. Sahan Entertain- this kind of diplomacy usually spells trouble. a look at what had been done. but when I
ment. to edit dialogue on Turbo: Massively popular around the world, the played back the ADR I was told it was all
A Power Rangers Alm.ie. he Pon Cr Rangers TV show is produced on two wrong-it was too much in sync.
expected to he doing just that. The joh of cut- continents. The live -action martial arts scenes 'Apparently. Japanese culture wouldn't
ting, inserting, and. perhaps, looping where and animated robotics are shot in Japan. buy into this thing talking perfectly. If it's an
necessary was on his mind. He certainly had while everything eke. including the dialogue. animated object then it has to look wrong,
not anticipated the scale of ADE necessitated is taken care of in the States. Now. if you've otherwise it'll throw off the whole believ-
by some of the production considerations ever watched the show and wondered why ability factor.
until the job was underway. the spoken word doesn't appear to he in sync 'In line with this way of thinking. and also
'\Vhen I first viewed some tagged -together with the characters' body movements (even because of the really tight schedule that
scenes in midJanuary they really didn't have for those wearing masks). wonder no more... I mentioned, the actors on the Power Rangers
a movie.' he recalls. There was no beginning. 'There's a high demand for product and not show have been trained and grilled to cut 20
middle and end. It Was just a case of Here's a lot of time in which to provide it,' asserts to 30 lines of ADR in an hour. They usually
what we've shot so far-. Because there was an Albert Lord somewhat predictably. The next just rip through it like crazy. and so when
accelerated expectation to deliver this film revelation, however, catches me off-guard. we came to do this movie it \\ very
Within a matter of weeks. there was a lot of 'Part of the show's attraction is the kind of refreshing for them to know that they could
concern about whether or not it could be cheesiness that the action portrays -and take their time.'
completed in time so. they brought me in to there's an expectation for the sound to cann- 'Vith Twentieth Century Fox distributing
start identifying what needed to be done, and plement that.' the Power Rangers feature film. (as well as its
what immediately became apparent was that Can this he this right -on- screen antics predecessor. Power Rangers: Race to the hilcano).
the production sound had been recorded benefiting from sloppily misaligned dialogue? certain big- screen production values had to
Left: The evil space he observed. The result needed some cover and Right. The Power
pirate Divatox. Hilary w.ts that dialogue and were adding words: Rangers: Nakia
Shepard Turner. and ,ictiun ended up in sync As Lord could ill Burrise. Jason David
her two henchmen with one another. But afford to lose any time Frank. Catherine
prepare to scheme we're getting a little at all trying to commu- Sutherland and
ahead of ourselves in the story here. After all, nicate his thoughts to Johnny Young Bosch.
for the dialogue to be in sync with the action the actors, the director Below right: Albert
needs sonic dialogue. and when Albert Lord who lie had previously Lord owner of
started out on this project he really didn't have worked with on the TV Poolside Post
a whole lot of that to work with. show was brought in
'We sat there counting the lines that could to direct the ADR sessions at the Saban stu-
be retained, and out of the whole movie dios while Lord himself supervised them.
I came up with a grand total of four that were With all of the shows being produced there,
usable,' he says. 'In effect, even single bit of Saban is a busy facility, so a studio liad to he
dialogue-the live action as well as the talk- specially hooked.
Èverybody treated this project as a big
deal,' says Lord. 'I was the one who was deter-
'Cartoon characters all have mining if a performance was correct and the
in-your -face voices. There's sync was okay, while the director's role was to
interface with these young men and women:
no perspective, whereas with to get them to slow down but not freeze up.
the live action we had to treat It was a great pairing. He was in the room
with them and I was at the console making
the microphone and ensure sure that the sonic qualities were right. To that
that it was a certain distance end, being that this was now a movie, not a
television show, we had to ensure that the
away. They bought a brand microphone placement was actually correct.
`When they do animation it's a different
new Sennheiser 416 miking technique than for live action. If you
specifically for this project' notice, cartoon characters all have in -your-
face voices. There's no perspective. whereas
with the live action we had to treat the micro-
ing -head material-had to he redone. and that phone and ensure that it was a certain dis-
was down to the quality of recording. I mean, tance away. They
the sets were rife with production problems. bought a brand new
They'd been trying to cut this movie with the Sennheiser 416 specifi-
pacing of a television show, and so the setup cally for this project,
times had been really quick. As a result, you and then we also used a
could hear footsteps. as well as the sound of Neumann +6 that was in
those heavy costumes and masks that the the studio just to get a
actors had to wear and move about in. difference. For instance.
'The dialogue editor's job is to go in and find some of the girls' voices
lines that don't have extraneous background didn't have the projec-
noises, or, if they do, then at least ones that can tion, and so shooting
be matched to the on-screen action. but this them with the 416
was impossible. Everything in the production would lose some of the
was a problem. Not only the "helmet head" dia- intimacy. There again,
logue but also the on- camera stuff was done certain scenes involved
poorly. The actors sounded like they were talk- then exerting effort and
ing with socks stuffed into their mouths you fighting, so we'd vats
couldn't understand a thing. It was obvious that what we used and
we'd have to work on the entire picture, and at where we placed it.'
that point I said, "Wait a minute. When do we Nevertheless, the 416
have to deliver this ?" They said, "Well, die deliv- was the principal micro-
er date is in the middle of March... ". That phone, and as every
meant we had about a couple of months, but single one of the lines
then we also had to do a temp dub in six had to be replaced there
weeks. I said, "There's no way that I can do this were hardly going to he
entire film-program it and then shoot it [dub- any problems with
bing lines to the on- screen action] and then edit regard to matching pro-
it -in that amount of time ". They wanted to duction sound.
know if there could be a compromise. I said, 'Given the tight
"Well, let nie auto -assemble the production and schedule, I didn't have Above: Blake Foster
isolate the lines on the principal chaacter, Diva- the time to spot all of as Justin joins the
tox". She's the bitch of the movie, and she was the groups,' says Lord. team as the Blue
played by Hilary Shepherd who was really 'A lot of background Power Ranger. Right:
incredible on- camera. sounds liad to be Jason Narvy as Skull.
Ì used the Fairlight to auto-assemble the recorded for this temp Amy Jo Johnson as
production sound, and isolated her lines for and they had to he Kimberley. Paul
the first temp dub. We then brought in the done quickly, and so I Schrier as Bulk.
actors to loop lines that were on- camera. How- had a wonderful set of Austin St John as
ever, you have to remember that the story was actors who came in for Jason along with
still being developed, because the editing had- a marathon session Larians. Yara and
n't been finished. They were still trying to fig- '
from o'clock until 11. Bethel stand back
ure out where the scenes would go, and so we During than page 66 > in amazement
11iiiiiiLllIi
-111111111
-' 1 1;
trlrl7rfrlrir}r}ririr}riririrrrrr áaaáá;ááá`
Albeit Luca among ins stucüu yuitnr1rilt. Su ,[y XB12 Trinitron 35-inch TV: Soundcraft Ghost console: Fairlight MFX3 digital workstation;
c 113t. 4412 and
6208 speaker systems; Urei bi -amp; Yamaha SPX90; MasterRoom reverb: Gain Brains; Sony SVP 5600 'h-Inch VHS deck
< the group ADR
page 65 time we did all of because the young actors are unable to repeat several lines of dialogue. They haven't been
for the nu I'd heat them up but nobody five lines without fumbling. I've worked on trained as extensively as their older colleagues
complained. and it was a wonderful experi- then and can tell you, they'll do one or two
I who can do a long monologue, or at least a
ence in ternis of what I got back. It was done lines and then they'll mess up. The editors paragraph, without breaking down.
for the temp and made it through to the final, therefore wind up having to cut back and in this case. however, the Power Rangers
and that was aIso partly because see did a forth for reactions or whatever, and so that movie didn't have that real fast pace unless
very meticulous edit job. jerky cutting style is a compromise between there was a fight scene, and then we'd have
'Often, when you see a television show the visual pace that they're trying to establish to go in there and get grunts and other reac-
with \ITV -style quick cuts. that's partly and the ability of the young actors to carry tions to make it believable. It was really
Poolside Post
LI3ERT LORD has his ssn home-based
i based
post facility in Northridge, California.
Northridge was at the epicentre of the
January 1994 Los Angeles earthquake, and
Lord's entire house was lifted up into the air
before returning to terra-not-so-firma in a
condition that was somewhat different to
how it looked about a minute before. It has
since been extensively rebuilt, and, while
Poolside Post is currently located in one of
the living rooms, it will shortly be relocating
to the outsized garage.
The PP setup consists of a 24:8 Sound -
craft Ghost console with an automated
MIDI controller to enable loading to and
from a Sony PCM 800.
'I used to have an Akai 1214, which I
would use for music demos and whatever
The Ghost console and MFX3 double for
else, but it didn't have quite enough Albert Lord. `There are large independent
music tracking at Poolside Post. Albert Lord houses and there are also postprocluction
inputs,' says Lord. 'So, we upgraded to the
(3rd from left), producer Kris Coleman (far facilities on the lot, but the demand for
Ghost and I'm really happy with it. It's very
right) and members of group Profound Sound product is so high that they're now look-
clean, almost like glass. Very slick.'
A Fairlight MFX3 Plus sits at the heart of ing to the likes of us for overflow work,
the system, while in terms of monitoring secondary system comprising a Fostex People like myself have taken to working
Lord has opted for nearfield JBL 6208's, Foundation 2000 and PCM 800, with an from home because otherwise, with a
together with a 35- inch -screen Sony Trini- HP1535 for backup and a Panasonic schedule that runs from 8 o'clock in the
tron XBR for sound -to- picture work. SV3800 for DAT downloading. morning to 11 or 12 at night, we would
It took me a while to get used to the In addition, there is the usual smattering never get to see our families. We're liter-
JBL's because they're flat,' he says. Most of of FX gear, from Urei 1176s, -an SPX90 and ally living on the project and that has to
the other speakers that we've been using an Alesis Midiverb II, through to eight Gain affect the quality of living. Our union is
have got a pre -emphasis around the vocal Brains that have been configured for stereo now looking at ways of addressing that,
range to provide brightness and clarity, and Foley, dialogue, music and effects mix: and there's now talk of putting together a
so my initial response to the JBL's was, stems. Aside from utilising his Fairlight °
"God, these sound kind of dull ". However, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie, other
after having worked on the Power Rangers that Lord has recently worked on with Poolside Post. 9201 Vanalden Avenue,
movie, where I had to put in 15 hours a setup include Independence Day and Bad Northridge, California 91324, US.
day, I appreciate the fact that there's no Day on the Block, as well as the upcoming? Tel: +1 818 998 0846.
brilliance to them. I mean, after eight hours releases Best Men and Eve's Bayou. Fax: +1 818 998 0204
my ears were tired.' 'The industry is getting to use a lot more
For the cutting of effects there is also a small independent post facilities,' says
important for the whole thing to feel right:
Locked into a deadline agreed with the
devil. both Albert Lord and his fellow ADR
Albert Lord
,,GRADUATE in both Electronic Engineering and Broadcasting Arts, Albert Lord engi-
editor, Alike Garcia. had virtually to work
around the clock. It was my mission to i ñeered and served as production director for a couple of San Francisco radio stations
accomplish the goal,' says Lord. At the start. between 1973 and 1989. Thereafter, he worked for six years as a sound editor at world -
Clive [Mizumoto, Saban's Vice President of
renowned Los Angeles post facility, Todd -AO, where he took care of ADR, Foley and music
on a huge variety of TV and film productions. He was also undertaking outside work as a
Sound Operations] told me, "I don't think
we can do this, Albert," and I said, "Well, is sound designer, editor and recording engineer, as well as an effects mixer and boom oper-
that a challenge ? ", to which he responded, ator on various TV sitcoms and game shows.
The list of awards is too long to list here, but suffice it to say that, just for his TV work
"Er... yeah ".
-Okay'." I said. "here's what it'll take: I'll
alone, Lord has been nominated for six Emmys and won twice, for Law Order and NYPD 6
Blue. Since 1995 he has worked as an independent.
need my Fairlight MFX3 Plus and I'll need a .
room ". They said. "Fine. Here's the room.

Bring in the Fairlight.` and if it hadn't been for
was the Divatox character, who had been lines in the studio the energy level was just a
that we never would have done it. The speed
filmed in close -up with these really exagger- hit lower. Thu know, she wasn't in costume.
of the Fairlight allowed me to do the work
ated lip movements. As the big villainess she didn't have the high heels and the whips.
quickly. and I don't know how else I could
have managed the files so efficiently. I cut on she'd be shouting, "What do you mean. I can't and so she had to get back into that charac-
ti(
do that? I want those Power Rangers now! ". ter. Anyway. at least they didn't have to
On camera there would be all of this lip reshoot any of her scenes. because Its- that
'On camera there would be movement. but when it came to redoing the time she also happened to be pregnant. E
all of this lip movement, but
when it came to redoing the
lines in the studio the energy
level was just a bit lower.
You know, she [Hilary Ì(6 rSrM'as .r r
i y
Shepard Turner] wasn't in í
((((6;,hì,1,11j
tiit
e
J1j,
t,,UJ1J1 C iii Cl -ii î
ji
costume, she didn't have the K(t(t4'4(9,4;44,
high heels and the whips' k((ttVV(tt

(i!i!tu. . 4+
,t`,t,rt2111Ì
9y.tAA14f.?Jiblii:
'.
1 ill-lc tro
MICROTECH GEfEII
an Avid for The Preacher's Wife, and it's not the
`
114p4"0
same. The speed of the editorial between the !((C;i.; AA'4
two is so different. I've also used Pro Tools Polar patterns :

9
rt'ÿ;,i
and the WaveFrame, hut the hottest fox out .(,((i(), lA}l
there with both the quality and the speed is Omni,
the Fairlight... and I don't get paid by Fairlight
to say this!' I'`4'':;ti,4''
,
..ALtj ,ii
wide cardioid, cardioid,
Itypercardioid, fig -8
Lord is clearly pleased with the resultant
Power Rangers movie, and this is not only in Capsule with a
terms of how the post crew rose to the chal- large membran
lenge when, with changes coming in daily.
they achieved all of the dialogue and sound
Transformerless
effects editing.
'When Mark Ettel did the mix they put him
circuit design
under the gun as well,' Lord asserts. He had
five days to do this movie -"This is a temp Roll -off for low
dub ?" "No, this is a final "... So, he did the best frequency and sensitivity
he could. After all, there had to he compro-
mises just to make this ordeal deliverable. and Finish: satin nickel and
overall l'm happy with what we did.' dark bronze
A large part of that pleasure was derived
from the attitude of the actors. Stress and
pressure really were key words when it came
to the ton of ADR work that had to he com-
pleted, yet they proved themselves very easy
to work with. That is, in terms of their will-
ingness and cooperation, if not always their
ability to understand direction.
'They weren't used to being given compli-
II I
cated directives,' he says. 'Like. "Stress the 'r'

on this movement, because you've got a
breath coming right behind it and I don't want
to hear the air." They'd go. " \\'hat'" So. I'd
have to explain, "Well. what you want to do
is say the line, hold your breath and give me
an exertion ". They weren't at all used to that K O N D E N S A T O R M I K R O F O N E
kind of acting in the studio, because normally F O R S T U D I O - U N D M E S S T E C H N I K
there wasn't that much pressure to get every-
thing in sync with the right energy. MICROTECH GEFELL GMBH
'In th;r. n Lcci, what was particularly hard
Mühlberg 18 07926Gefell Tel. (036649) 82262 Fax (036649) 822 0
AMEK
The Compressor.
The tradition . The pedigree
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by Rupert Neve the Designer
The addition of a new Compressor/Limiter to Operating the Ambience switch does not affect signals above the
my SYSTEM 9098 product family is justified by threshold but reduces or mutes signals below the threshold level. The
the continuing popularity of the famous old 2254 effect is rather like a Gate but is much more subtle. Not only steady
devices 1 designed in the late 1960s. More than 25 background noise but fluctuating ambience and apparent reverberation
years later, their performance undeniably still time can be reduced at will with the Gain control. For example
brings benefits to engineers and producers seeking unwanted environmental sound can be re- balanced, or even
inconspicuous control over the dynamic range of eliminated, from speech recorded out of doors. The Ambience control
microphone signals. Just as importantly, they are will also regulate reverberation - for example, a large reverberant
sed today in digital recording to manage critical levels, to preclude the studio can be made to sound like a small speech booth.
trects of hard, unforgiving clipping and to impart warmth. The 9098 Compressor -Limiter has a totally analogue signal path
In those days, the Compressor/Limiter had to be almost all things to which employs transformers at both the input and the output. For the
1 men. Controls had to be accurately calibrated for the broadcaster highest possible performance, input and output interfaces must be
_aid have the right subjective feel' for the music engineer. Attack and insensitive to anything other than the signal we want to receive - or
'ecay times, the rate of change of slope, the order of harmonics there is little point in striving for excellence in the unit itself
enerated by the non -linear transfer characteristic etc. were arrived at The heart of a Limiter or Compressor is the gain controlling device.
pirically after a lot of listening with golden-eared people. The result The original 2254 used a diode bridge in a classic balanced ring
Nuns a Compressor/Limiter, the 2254 and its later derivatives, which modulator configuration. A very similar technique is used in the 9098
- ended right and over the years achieved an amazing reputation. Compressor/Limiter except that semiconductor devices and amplifiers
The same principles have been applied to the new SYSTEM 9098 have greatly improved in the last 30 years. For example the original
t
1 i
onrpressor- Limiter. Considerable advances have been made in
chnology and I am now able tto provide a much more flexible device
Cr iiw V<ii i, i y, ir',ry L< '1iß *;4:
2254 design had a noise floor of about -55 dBu. Noise performance of
the 9098 unit 35 40 B
1 I
(
I'Í 9098 f filí
it -Li
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Passionate
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Putting the hyperbole to the test in a recent recording of

Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, producer John Atkinson
made simultaneous 16 -bit 44.1kHz and 24 -bit 96kHz
recordings. Tim Goodyer yields the inside story
VD's 24 -bit, 96kHz audio implemen- mance itself. He records almost all his pro-
tation is now a fait accompli. Major ductions in natural acoustic spaces. In addi-
D DVD player companies are behind

the format, with it burnished as a
part of the DVD -video specification
for audio reproduction, alongside Dolby AC -3
tion, to fully explore the capabilities of a new
technology whose promise is much better
accuracy and resolution of the mic feed, every
detail in the preparation of the session that
and MPEG2. could effect what that mie feed delivers must
But how does 24 -bit, 96kHz perform when be scrutinised to maintain the highest possible
used as a production or postproduction degree of integrity.
medium? This question is being asked by The setup of the session was uncluttered
more and more producers as analogue tapes and yet effective. With the piano placed and
from productions as recent as the PrOs are tuned in mid- stage. the main mies were care-
facing last -ditch rescue measures, maybe pos- fully placed in the hall, about 10 feet above
sible only for one more time. Does 2-i -hit, the keyboard and 9 feet away from the front
96kHz production offer the same quality as edge of the stage. The outrigger mies were
the best of analogue? Are the advantages of placed S feet in the air and about 15 feet
digital technology in postproduction and apart. The surround channels were picked up
archival really that concrete? lay a pair of mies facing away from the stage
Having attended a number of demonstra- but placed vertically coincident with the main
tions over the past year, the difference John pair. The minimalist mic placement tech-
Atkinson had heard between the current niques ensured the presentation integrity of
16- hit.44.1kHz CD-DAT format and 24 -96 was the performance as well as the acoustic space.
not something he could easily forget. Atkin - In fact, Atkinson's technique is so purist, he
son's past experience as a professional musi- didn't even use a mixer-by directly record-
ljl,!!/I
111111
11t1j ..,,,,t,IIlJlllll"';.!,.
cian, combined with his current engineering ing four sample -sync tracks to a Nagra -D, _,
and production work would have been John balanced the final mix to 2-track stereo
enough to ensure his interest in exploring the
issue further but his position with Stereophile
from his main B&K -0012 ORTF pair with B&K
4003 outriggers in his Sonic Solutions work-
ItiOir VP.
(both the specialist American hi -fi magazine station to get the hest combination of imaging
and its recording label) gave him the oppor- specificity of the cardioids and the low-fre-
tunity to take a close first -hand look. quency linearity and accuracy of the omnis.
The event was a recent recording session To preserve maximum signal integrity,
of pianist Hyperion Knight performing Gersh- Atkinson placed his
Top: The Albuquerque,
win's Rhapsody is Blue and other piano works in mie preamps and ana
New Mexico venue.
Albuquerque, New Mexico for the Stereophile logue- to-digital conver-
Bottom: Hyperion
label and here Atkinson arranged for parallel tors close to each other
Knight at the piano
24 -44.1 and 2o-96 recording chains in order to to avoid Icing analogue
experience the new technology first hand. interconnects. The main pair and the outrig-
Piano recordings are regarded by many as gers were loth fed to Millennia Media HV-3B
ideal vehicles for testing new recording tech- preamps and the surround B &K 4011 outrig-
nologies. Capturing the rich and complex har- gers were connected to a Forsell valve mie
monics of a solo Steinway Model D concert preamp. From the mic preamps, a custom
grand with accuracy is a challenge to the multi split out individual feeds for connecting
recording engineer's skill and resolve, espe- to 21 -bit dCS 900D and a 20-bit Manley Ref-
:1
cially when it is to he done in an acoustical erence A-D running at 44.1kHz and three 24-
environment. bit dCS 002 A -Ds running at 96kHz for the
Like many purists, Atkinson's sessions are surround recording.
engineered so that the performance space The digitised mie signals ran from the stage
becomes an important element of the perfor- box through 100 -foot Canare AES- page 70 >
< page 69 EBU cables to the control booth
where they were connected to the appropriate
inputs of multiple sample -sync'd Nagra -D digi-
tal open-reel recorders. Since the Nagra-D is
capable of confidence playback in real time,
the playback head outputs were used for mon-
E W
itoring through 96kHz dCS Elgar digital- to -ana-
logue convertors. the consumer version of the DISTRIBUTORS
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multitude of Stax professional electrostatic
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could impact the recording. Take after take. Denmark ASCOM Trading A -S
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going on in the hall.
Like any other location session, from the Eygpt Alpha Audio
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I o'clock traffic jam outside to a broken piano Fax: ++20-2-247-8969
hammer, all the usual gremlins came out to
i join the party. Three days later, Li hours of

recordings were laid down on tape with
enough takes to produce not only the current
Finland
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France Mark IV Audio S.A.
Hodcom
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In postproduction, Atkinson loaded the Germany Mark IV Audio
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tion with the cardioid tracks at full range to Fax: + +35 -9421 706 265
preserve the imaging characteristics. With the Great Britain Shuttlesound

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the lower registers. A Meridian ';18 Mastering
Holland lemke Roos Audio BV
Processor was used to redither the 24-hit to Tel: + +31 -20- 697 -2121
properly truncate it to 16 -hit before the CD Fax: ++31-20-697-4201
masters were produced. Israel Rax Intl Co. Ltd
Was there a significant difference between Tel: + +972 -3- 298 -252
41.1kHz and 96kHz? Was all of the meticulous Fax: ++972-3-296-452
attention paid at various stages of production Italy Texin
worth the effort? Where were the sonic differ- Tel: + +39 39 95 6595
Fax: + +39 39 291 0015
ences? How did the artist feel?
'Having been able to carry out similar com- Lebanon Hi -Fi Services
Tel: + +96 11 35 21 08
parisons with the two sets of Rhapsody. in B/ut Fax: + +96 11 35 21 08
cardioid master tapes,' Atkinson comments.
'1 am astonished at the difference. The Malta 011mpus
response of the B &K microphones we used for Tel: + +35 655 4193
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the rhapsody is about 10dB down at 3OkHz.
while tweeters rarely extend much above Maroc Sufen Maroc
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cuts off above 16kHz.
Positioning one
of the B&K mics. You would think, there - Norway Scandec Systemer A.S.
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Bottom: Engineer Tel: + +47 66 80 59 60
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Steve Lee sets up the
lust over an octave, from Mega Music
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'Yet in level -matched comparisons the Russia Rutam -5
96kHz- sampled tapes had a palpability, an Tel: ++7 812 5 50 09 72
ease to their sound, that the -t-t. tkHz versions, Fax: ++7 812 5 50 09 77
as good as I thought they sounded in isola- Spain Auprosa
tion, only hinted at. The clarinet, for example. Tel: + +34 3 351 77 62
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sounded more like an instrument with a pipe
of air vibrated by a reed and the player's Sweden Nortelco Autliatur A.B.
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The E. Voic
rformanc
VifiiffiNfn0
< page 70 the deflated look on Hyperion
Knight's face when I switched back to a
44.1kHz tape after listening for a while to a
96kHz tape while we were deciding what INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTORS
takes to use for the rhapsody master. If you
AUSTRALIA
only hear the CD- standard 44.1kHz sound,
Amber Technology Pty Ltd.
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But listen for a while to the same music with
AUSTRIA
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it being taken away.' Tel. (02236) 26123 -22 Fax (02236) 43232
Atkinson's comments sit well beside those BELGIUM
of other industry leaders who have had first- A. Prévost S.A.
hand experience of 24-96 technology for Tel.(02) 2168025 Fax (02) 2167064
some time. Bob Ludwig of Gateway Mastering CANADA
in Portland, Maine recently said: '...it is easy to TC Electronics Canada Ltd.

Tel. (514) 457 -4044 Fax (514) 457 -5524
hear the benefits of moving to 96kHz sam-
DENMARK
pling frequency with greater than 20 -bit John Peschardt A/S
dynamics. Upon hearing a comparison with
nU it f/
Tel. (86) 240000 Fax (86) 240471
B 44.1kHz, 16 -hit, one no longer thinks the FINLAND
- 6
music sounds "digital', Moderato Oy
Left: Producer it simply sounds accu- Tel. 90 340 4077 Fax 90 340 4082
John Atkinson, Pianist rate. The increase in GREECE
Hyperion Knight. and sound resolution is not Bon Studios
Engineer Steve Lee Tel. (01) 3809605 Fax (01) 3845755
subtle to me. There
listen to the finished seems to he some kind HONG KONG
recordings Dah Chong Hong Ltd.

of perceptual hearing Tel. 28086111 Fax 28733911
threshold that is crossed INDONESIA
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'I got to hear the sound difference between Tel. (021) 6296009 Fax (021) 6298453
44.1 and 96kHz many years ago when I used ISRAEL
the Mitsubishi X -86HS digital tape machine. More Audio Professional
So far I have heard four different manufactur- Tel. (03) 69656367 Fax (03) 6965007
ers implementation of the 96kHz format. In ITALY
every case the 96kHz was preferable to Audium S.r.l

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recordings made on the same machine at
JAPAN
44.1kHz. It is important to remember that it is
MTC Japan Ltd.
difficult to make these new convertors cor- Tel. (03) 5280 -0251 Fax (03) 5280 -0254
rectly. I have listened to A -B demonstrations KOREA
using 96kHz convertors made by dCS and Young Nak So Ri Sa
88.2kHz convertors made by Pacific Microson- Tel. (02) 5144567 Fax (02) 5140193
ics. To me, these manufacturers are some of LEBANON & SYRIA
the best and most knowledgeable. AMAC S.r.a.l.
At Gateway Mastering Studios we are look- Tel. (06) 430363 Fax ( +1 212) 478 -1989 (US #)
ing to create as many DVDs as possible with MALAYSIA
Eastland Trading (M) SDN BHD
24 -bit, 96kHz sound. We hope manufacturers
Tel. (03) 9845789 Fax (03) 9842288
will implement a 96kHz digital output on the
MEXICO
DVD player so one can use a great digital to Electroingenierria en Precision S.A.
analogue convertor. I think listeners will be Tel. (5) 5597677 Fax (5) 5753381
amazed by the final result.' NETHERLANDS
Bob Katz, who very successfully engineered Electric Sound B.V.
most of the Chesky Records albums over the Tel. (036) 5366555 Fax (036) 5368742
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and 24-96 respectively. I have this to say: South Pacific Music Distributors
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Knight. the pianist at the Albuquerque record- Tel.+ Fax (02) 6691252
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Eastland Trading (S) Pte Ltd.
I had heard from others about the superiority
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he worked in was Criteria. and when an engi- through four hands, and, being that Howard's
neer there said that they were looking for an right -handed and I'm left -handed, it worked
assistant, the elder Albert suggested his really well. We designed several hoards with
brother Ron. The job description was a little MCI, and eventually that split console caught
fuzzy, and so Ron soon found himself typing on all over the world.'
labels for tape boxes. During the late- 1960s, while recording acts
When Howard was drafted and sent to Viet- such as jinti Hendrix, The Grateful Dead and
nam, Ron got the chance to engineer. His first Frank Zappa at the open -air Miami Pop Festival,
k
gold record was 'Rainy Night In Georgia' by Ron and Howard used the original MCI desk
Brook Benton. That was in 1970. Two years which had been custom designed for them.
earlier Howard had joined him at Criteria. Now that really was a unique console:
I'd been so far removed from what was says Ron. It was built in three sections. and
going on in the States, that when I got out of the centre section-containing the meter
the army Ron suggested that I also do some bridge and microphone channels -pulled out.
engineering.' Howard recalls. 'He gave me a That meant we could throw it into a remote
m
crash course in how to use all of the different truck and be mobile, even though we'd then
microphones. and we started doing sessions have to shut the studio down as half of the
the same week.' board was missing... That console eventually
At first, the Alberts had different clients and ended up in Pink Floyd's barn in England.'
would alternate behind the -t- channel console. Around the time of the Miami Pop Festival,
It wasn't until a little later, when they had pro- the Albert boys also worked with Zappa and
gressed to live recordings, that they began to the Mothers of Invention on their 1969 release,
work together. sitting side by side and operat- Burnt Weenie Sandwich. Next cante Weasels Ripped
ing separate halves of an 8- channel hoard. My Flesh, a composite of live tracks and studio
'Things quickly went from 8 -track to recordings from 1967 to 1969.
16 -track to 2 i- track.' says Howard, 'and when- 'Frank Zappa was an enormously talented
ever we had a large group the two of us musician,' asserts Ron. and he surrounded
would operate more or less like a tag team. himself with enormously talented musicians.
One of us would he out there scratching a It was all about the music and the execution
Some are famous simply mic, and we'd each engineer and assist one of it. Much of it was preconceived, at least in
for being famous, others find another. Then. when we were mixing, Ron his own head. but then a fair amount was also
would take eight tracks and I would take improvised and this was down to the extreme
fame through their endeavours, eight tracks. He would take a string section abilities of the players to take the material to
and then there are the Albert and I would take a vocal and a horn section, a new level and to different places.'
brothers. Richard Buskin and that's how we would ride it.' Still, at that point Zappa was content to fos-
'We carried that right on through to our ter his own creativity in the recording area
talks to a pair of American console design: adds Ron. 'In the early days and leave the technology to the technicians.
producers whose success of MCI's historic rise to the top we had them 'Back in the early days the musicians hardly
design a console specifically for us; that was ever came into the control room, not even to
is in inverse proportion the 500- series. They put the subgroups in the hear a playback.' says Howard. 'There would
to their profile centre, so that Howard. sitting on the left. he playback speakers in the studio and they
would have 16 faders in front of him and he were happy to listen there. It's not that they
FRANK ZAPPA, ERIC CLAYTON. able to access the subgroups to his right. weren't allowed into the control room, but
Crosby Stills & Nash, The Rolling Meanwhile. I had 16 faders in front of me on most of them wouldn't even think of touching
Stones. Jimi Hendrix. ioc Walsh, the right side and the same subgroups to my a console. In fact, the first artist who I can
James Brown. Johnny Winter, left. That way we could automate our mixes remember putting his hands on the console
Jimmy Page. Joe Cocker, Buddy
Miles, The Allman Brothers. Ever heard of Ron
and Howard Albert?
As producers, engineers, record company
execs and studio owners in Miami, Florida,
the Alberts have worked with all of these
artists. and many more. They have some inter-
esting stories to tell and lane developed some
innovative techniques from the miles and
miles of tape that these guys have played with
down the years.
'Making records has always been a won-
derful experience for us,' opens Ron Albert.
'Everything's a hit in the studio. There's no
such thing as a flop while you're in there. and.
unless there's some personal crisis, we're all
in a good mood. having fun and doing what
we want to do.
'Having said that, the acts that sustain
themselves are the ones with the true talent.
and there's a real fine line between enormous
talent and dislikeable personalities. It seems
that the crazier they are. the more talented
they are, and once you've figured that out and
are able to deal with it on a rational basis,
then you don't notice their lunatic shortcom-
ings as much as their ability.'
Back in 1966. Howard was a session key -
hoard player. One of the Miami studios that

was Stephen Stills...'
'...and his feet,' adds Ron.
'Stephen wouldn't be afraid to grab a fader
and change a level or something hut most of
the others, while they might suggest this or
that, would never actually physically touch
the console. There wasn't a law against it,
but its just like you wouldn't walk out into
the studio, pick up Eric Clapton ;s guitar and
start playing 'Louie Louie'. There's been a
demise in the industry since the musicians
have started touching the console. Now
they're doing everything at home!'
Alongside their recording successes.
the Alberts can legitimately lay
claim to the credit for having inno-
vated many of the multi -miking
techniques that are in use today.
'That's how we got clients to come
to us,' explains Ron. We were creating
drum and guitar sounds that no one
else could create, and, because of
Howard's ability to play keyboards, we
also had a B3 sound that no one could
create. It just so happens that we had a 9- Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; Derek and the Dominoes;
foot Baldwin that sounded amazing, and Clapton tagged along with Duane Allman
we experimented with it and learned how
to mie, how to EQ and how to limit. We every- engineer had created what they describe as
were putting sounds on tape and then onto thing. no matter how his '3 -D acoustic guitar sound that sort of
disc that had never been heard before.' horrendous it is, because two sec- jumps out of the tape'. they set about inno-
Nevertheless, both Ron and Howard are onds after the crap it may be magical. If you vating their own.
quick to point out that, hack in the late -1960s don't record it, that moment will pass and he 'That was clone with an old brei 1176 and
and early- 1970s, most of the artists who they forever gone.' a Pultec,' explains Ilovyard. 'We'd boost the
worked with already had their own sounds And do any particular artists come to mind bass, cut the bass. boost the treble and cut the
before they entered the studio. It was there- in that regard? treble at the same frequencies, and it seemed
fore the Alberts' job to capture those sounds 'Stephen Stills, John Cougar Mellencamp... to \York. In fact, even today, whenever we cut
on tape, rather than to contrive specific effects. As producers we wear two hats; first we have an acoustic guitar we still use that technique.'
'We were just trying to make everything to get the artists to the point where they pro- 'However, it's also dosen to Stephen.'
happen as smoothly as possible, and to cap- duce the magic. and then, once we've got that adds Ron. 'He doesn't play with picks. he
ture the magic,' says Howard. Ron meanwhile down on tape. they can go away and we can plays with his fingers. so acoustically he's
explains that the acts who they worked with, spend days. weeks. months getting that magic always had a uniqueness. Additionally. he's
from the Allmans to Little Richard, had their to sound like it happened in five minutes.' playing these beautiful vintage Martins, and
musical foundations set firmly in live perfor- 'At other times. it can actually happen in if somebody is trying to play the .same stuff
mance. 'They made records because it was a five minutes,. muses Howard. 'For example, on a Guild or a Gibson it doesn't have the
business and they could make some money,' there was Joe \X'alsh's lead guitar solo on same effect.'
he says, 'hut touring and doing shows was 'Rocky Mountain \\av'. We were getting ready Another of the arts that greatly influenced the
their initial source of income.' to do that solo and he was warming up, and Alberts' early creative development was The All-
'We basically wouldn't change their music what ended up on the record was the first man Brothers Band. and the albums Idlewild South
that much.' states Howard. 'We learned from take warm -up. He didn't even know that we (1970). and Eat a Peach, which was intemtpted by
Tom Dowd, and Arif Mardin, and Jerry Wexler were recording him. He went to do a second Duane Allman's death in a motorbike accident
that the real key to being a good producer one and we said, Wait a minute, foe. you'd on 29th October, 1971. i'p to that point only
was to make the group think it was their idea better listen to the first thing you did.' I lc said. three nicks had been recorded, hut the band
if you were going to change something, but 'What do you mean? What first thing ?" regrouped behind Gregg Allman and Dickie
otherwise just get things recorded. In fact, we 'What we'd often do was turn the tape Betts. and Eat a Peach went on to be a massive
learned that even more so from Crosby, Stills machines around so that the artists couldn't seller in the CS.
and Nash...' see the red record lights,' says Ron. 'Either 'As the Allman Band's reputation grew, so
As the 1960s turned into the 1970s, Ron that, or before they came in we'd unscrew the did ours: say' Ron, 'and as a result of our
and Howard recorded CSN's eponymous bulbs so that they couldn't tell when we were relationship with them a lot of other acts
debut album, as well as the Four-Way Street recording. That way, the pressure wasn't on. became aware of us. I mean, they literally
double live set and the So Far compilation. We'd never use terms such as, 'Take 1. Okay. lived in a camper parked on the studio prop-
'With them we tried to be as transparent as let's record.' In fact, we would sometimes erty. They would get up in the morning, cone
possible,' says Ron. 'Especially with their calmly leave the control room with the tape inside and have breakfast...'
vocals. Just get them down on tape. \X'e've had machine in Record and rolling. and walk into 'They were great to work with, really easy,'
the pleasure of working with such great the studio and just hang out with the guys. adds Howard. 'In fact, it was through them
singers and also with such great guitarists, and, We'd half -way kid around. make some sug- that we ended up working with Eric Clapton.
although the magic inevitably comes, you can gestions. do some arranging, and that would He was recording in one room and we were
never tell when that will be. A great guitar lead into 15 minutes of trying stuff out. They doing some Allman Brothers stuff in another,
player can produce ten hours of the worst wouldn't even know that we \were already and we just sort of put them together and that
crap you've ever heard -I mean, a player in a recording. Eventually. they'd clue in to this turned into 'Layla'.'
bar hand might play better Eric Clapton solos way of working, but it was so informal that it Clapton had already been keenly aware of
than Eric himself, except for those magical ten still took the pressure off.' the burgeoning reputation of the southern
minutes when he's on. The same goes for The Alberts worked on five albums with guitar player named Duane Allman. Duane
vocal performance. and so you have to he Stephen Stills- Stephen Stills, Manassas. Manassas had been doing session work with artists such
ready to capture the magic. Our philosophy II, Right By You and Stills Alone. During that as Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett. and
has alw;n> heen that tape is cheap. We record time, not quite sure as to how Stills' former Clapton wanted to check out this >page 72

called rock 'n' roll!'
'Mc multiroom setup at Criteria was
responsible for a number of 'incestuous'
recording relationships being formed.
Be a Post -Near the end of our tenure at Bacteria
-that's just what I call Criteria -we had built
the facility up to include four studios.' says
Production Ron. 'The Bee Gees would be recording in

one room, Stephen Stills would he in another.
and The Eagles in another. Now. it wouldn't
Powerhouse be unusual for Stephen to walk from one stu-

dio to the other. and for us, within the space
14 1 tLl'LLli.A\VVhI of an evening. to have made a Stephen Stills

record and also have hint guest appear on the
< page 75 guitarist who sounded as though Bee Gees' and Eagles' recordings.
lie was equally comfortable with rock 'n' roll 'Many. many times. because of scheduling
:ts he w:is with the blues. Toni Dowd, who conflicts or perhaps somebody getting an idea
Neotek consoles are part of the
had produced Cream. was now working on in the middle of the night. Howard and
success of leading post houses. We
The Allurans' Eat a Peach with Ron and I would be recording in separate roxnns siniul-
know your industry. and we've got !toward. and he was the link between die two taneousiv sacs Ron. 'He. for instance. could
the products to get you to the top. ace guitarists. be doing a vocal overdub in one room and
'Noe
all went to see a live show by The All- I could be doing a guitar overdub in another
Our Encore' consoles are designed man Brothers Band in !Miami.' Ron recalls. -same artist, different song:
and when we came hack the additional hag - Eventually. Ron and Howard Albert rose to
specifically for filin -style re-
gage included Eric Clapton. Accounts vary the position of Vice Presidents and stockhold-
recording. "It's flexible, and it
depending on which person you speak to. hut ers of Criteria. before retiring in 1983.
sounds great just what we need
I don't remember anything being specifically Why retire? \\e were rich,' Ron replies.
'
for The X- Piles;' Dave 'Vest. preconceived.' The hiatus lasted a few years. Then. in the
Some of my previous interviews with peo- mid- I980s, they decided to re -enter the busi-
ple who have recorded Clapton suggest that ness. but this time around they would not be
the only kind of problem that they have expe- 'habysitting the big groups.' Joining forces
rienced has been in terms of cajoling hint into with artist, producer and songwriter, Steve
the studio do some work. Once there. he'll Alaimo, who owned the disco- oriented
Let his performances down very quickly. TR Records. they eventually formed the inde-
II(Avow... pendently distributed Vision Records in l987.
'We never had a problem getting him into Today their enterprise also consists of a digi-
the studio. says Howard. \We had a couple of
' tal mastering facility. Nlaster !Media. and a
problems getting him out of the studio... recording studio named Aid() Vision. Mean -
Whereas. when it came to sessions for The while. the Alberts have kept fingering the
Rolling Stones' Goats Head Soup album. they faders. and. having had their fill of being com-
were a little late arriving.' admits Ron. One pany execs. they are now looking to spend a
day I think we waited about 2(1 hours for lot more time hack behind the hoard.
therm to show top: You may have noticed that, during the course
'Yeah. that was the time when dick Jagger of this article. there have been references to
"Sonic performance is important to hopped out of the limousine like a bunny.' their productions as well as to their engineering.
us. sure, but we bought a Neotek recalls Howard. He hopped into the studio Well. this transition actually took place during
I sence',iconsole because it's the .md kept hopping and hopping throughout the the mid- 1970s. and it cane about as a result of
only une compatible with the whole session. We never could figure out why.' them opening their eyes as well as their ears to
I.arTec"'ControlPros and it's easy to I think I can. what was going on around them.
operate -essential l'or quality in Getting hack to Eric Clapton. Duane All- 'With the Allman Brothers, Tom Dowd
lair une- man : \DH/Puley operation:' man. and Derek and the Dominoes' classic would leave the studio at about ten of clock at
dike Nturongell. l l:X Systems. 1.ayla'. Ron Alben recalls that the song was night. and we'd stay there and record until
never actually played as one piece. Instead. three or four in the morning.' says Howard by
the first half-featuring Clapton's plaintive way of explanation. 'The next morning he'd
Neotek and Niartinsound' bring vocal -and the piano section were recorded come in and s.iv. -Let nie hear what you did
over 50 years of film and post separately and then assembled. with the half- last night... Okay. that's great. Yeah. let's go
industry experience to your door. time ending overdubbed on top of the exist- on to the next thing." Then he'd stay another
Just pick up pair phone or
mouse. ing piano track. few hours and leave. and we'd earn on. So. a
'The drtmmmer. Jimmy Gordon. played the lot of the things that we cut or overdubbed
piano part on the second half of that song.' were chine when the producer wasn't even
Ilowaud explains. 'We stuck some micro- there. We did years of that. until we said. "You
phones in the soundboard. chisel the lid, and know. were making these records and we're
covered it up with a hunch of blankets. The not getting the credit for them!" That's when
\Eotek
A Martinsound Company
Boulevard
1151 West Valley
guitars on that whole 'Layla session were
recorded right next to the piano on top of the
piano. to he exact -with little fender
Champs. 'i here were no big amps.'
'We needed those little amps for the sound
that we wanted to get. but the hand was so
loud that Duane and Eric couldnft hear them.'
we decided to be producers ourselves.'
'Well. at least Tom Dowd came to the stu-
dio to check things out.' adds Ron. :Jimmy
Miller. however. wasn't in the studio or even
in the sank' state when we cut 'Heartbreaker'
(during the Stones' Goats Head Soup sessions],
and Bill Sivnmc\¡L wasn't in the studio or in
Alhambra CA 91803
says Ron. 'We therefore stuck them on top of the same state when we made 'Rocky Nloun-
800 -582 -3555
+1 (818) 281 -3555 the piano. so that. when they sat down. it was tain Way'. Bill's a great guy and we like him
www.martinsound.com like having stage monitors at ear level. Obvi- very much. but he just had a better manager
ously. there was a certain amount of bleed than we did at that time.
between the piano and the guitars. but that's 'You live and you learn.'

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B avaria Fi I
Responsible for an ports transfers between a wide range of film.
tape and disc formats. There is also an impres-
solution. but like everyone else, we look for-
ward to a common file format.
lit +i, F4
impressive series of `firsts' sive preview theatre that seats 50 people, sup- Ideally. we would like to he able to take
ports all projection formats and has THX files from anywhere by networking within
in film work dating back to acoustics with Dolby SR or and Dolby SR.D. the studio. and also over a wider area for
1931, Bavaria Film studios The three main mixdown studios are sound effects.'
named A. C and I), and each has a high -speed Kranz would also like the workstations to
continues an aggressive film projector. Studio C contains the 36 -chan- support features particularly applicable to
nel Neve console, and supports Dolby Stereo film. such as the ability to play in reverse. As
technical policy today. and Dolby SR.D. and Studio D has a 24-chan- he explains: 'Before automation, we did half
Yasmin Hashmi gives nel SSL 5000 with instant reset and moving the work backwards, and although the future
fader automation, as well as audio replay lies in hard -disk recording with its random-
a first impression of an from mono up to Dolby surround. According access capabilities. in order to keep the feel-
to Chief Mixer Michael Kranz. the I -iOnr Stu- ing of a scene. to appreciate its timing. it is
unusual German film facility
dio A 'is the largest mixing .studio for post - important to see it in a linear way. hods for-
APART FROM the occasional jazz gig production in Germany'. It also has TH\ wards and backwards'. For this reason, Kranz
playing trumpet at the local bier acoustics. but its most prominent feature is an is in no horn' to use a random access digital
keller-as demonstrated by a foot - 80- channel Harrison MPC console with -+8 mix video player. although he does recognise its
stomping set at Sony's Munich AES buses. 256 x 356 routeing matrix and 32 x 8 advantages for other applications.
Convention party -Toni Ketterle's job monitoring. Of course, Toni Ketterle is quick With five ADR stages. it conies as no sur-
is running the sound department of the second to point out that this was the first studio in prise that Bavaria Film owns at Doily Fax
largest film studio in Germany. It's not a recent Europe to install such a Harrison'. and also system. which is mostly used for film work.
appointment, and his youthful looks belie years that about half of the Harrison MPC consoles The studio promotes the service as allowing
of experience beginning at Bavaria Film studios in Europe are in Germany. actors in the German studio to he recorded
in 1960, and becoming head of sound in 1975. Kranz has been with Bavaria Film for ten in a studio in the US, with both ends being
The studio itself has been in business years. and mostly works in Studio A. His cred- synchronised to picture, and the editor in
since 1919, and performed its first sound for its include mixing for films such as House of the L'S giving directions hack to Germany
film in 1931. later moving to its present site Spirits. Miss Smilla's Feeling For Snou and. most via the link.
in a pleasant woodland area in the south of recently, a new German movie called Hunger. The adoption of Dolby Fax helps sum-
Munich in 1938. As we enter the main mix- Although the Harrison is occasionally used for marise the continuing philosophy of Bavaria
ing studio, Studio A. Ketterle reels off a list two- person operation. Kranz normally mixes Filet-it's a genuinely progressive studio.
of 'firsts' for which Bavaria Film can be justly on his own, using tape or one of the two equally prepared to use new or traditional
proud: it generated the first magnetic 4-track audio workstations, depending on the project. technology in pursuit of the best results.
recording in 1954. followed two years later He worked on
by the first magnetic 6 -track recording for both the U5 and
the film Oklahoma. The first stereo production German versions
for TV began in 1968, and ten years later, the of House of Spirits
studio produced the first Dolby stereo mix and Miss Srnilla's
for the German production of Milos For- Feeling Fur Snot', first
man's Hair. Bavaria Film purchased the first completing the
Neve console with computer automation in original main
1981, and completed the sound for the cult mixes. then the
Wolfgang Petersen film Das Boot the same M&E tracks, then
year. As Ketterle is keen to point out, The the German ver-
Neve is still in use. hut has new Uptown sions and finally
fader automation'. the TV versions. In
Ketterle also notes that in 1988, the studio fact Bavaria Film
produced the first film soundtrack using a dig- has a large number
ital audio workstation -a Lexicon Opus -and of TV credits
was first in 1991, to use an Avid Media Corn- including crime
poser nonlinear video editing system for edit- and drama series
ing a feature film entitled Night Moves. As far as as well as TV films.
tapeless audio is concerned, the past four Commenting on the Harrison, Kranz notes:
years have seen the studio mainly using Avid's 'Although there is no such thing as the perfect
Audio Vision and Digidesign's Pro Tools for console, currently, f<tr postproduction, this is
n-track laying. a very good solution for filet mixing'.
In all, the studio has -+0 cutting rooms: As far as working with tapeless audio sys-
six equipped with an Avid Media Composer tems is concerned, Kranz maintains that 'the
8000, four with Pro Tools III system, two with big advantage of using workstations is that
AudioVisions, and five with FED 8 -track MOD you can put your ideas into effect, and the
systems. The remaining rooms employ 16num- ability to move or slip tracks independently is
35mm Steenbeck flatbeds. There are five stages a very useful feature'. Ile argues. however,
for ADR, two smaller TV mixdown rooms that the ability to save time using random
called Edit Mix studios. where a single sound access is not the main attraction. The most
engineer performs tracklaying and mixdown, important thing is to he as flexible as possible,'
and the Digi-Centre transfer room, which sup - he says,- adding.'\Vhat we have here is a good
INNIS
1411
acar
118UQ8QNVH8NUH8UUUUUUUUUU
the rest of the world. I think we will he able recording an album when they've just spent 'That's huge in South Africa,' Ghelakis
to say something in the next couple of years however many millions on a new Bryan Adams explains. 'The studio has a sound of its own
because there's a lot of talent here that hasn't record. That's what we've up against, but with these huge old Tannoys with enormous
yet been been developed because of all sorts I believe that it's all going to change.' bass end and they love it.'
of restrictions, Almost predictably, Ghelakis has his own An Amek Einstein room concentrates on
I've travelled quite a hit and been to a lot record labels and production company run- pop and dance while an all digital remix pro-
of studios and we are not playing on the same ning alongside the studio. These cover dance gramming room centres around a Yamaha
level as the rest of the world, he continues. music, pop and R &B plus a studio with an 02R. The Euphonix and Amek rooms run
We record most of the albums in South Africa engineer dedicated to the production of 32 -track Tascam DA -88 systems and Ghelakis
for around .£ +,500 ICKI with maybe twice that Township dance African music. has already ordered four of the new DA -98s
amount for a really major project every now However, getting hold of the equipment for his premier room, intending to move its
an again. That's what were doing and were and. more importantly, keeping up to date DA -88s to nn alongside the DDA- although
competing with albums from outside that cost with developments over the years has been he adds that the Township musicians havee an
a million dollars to make.' difficult. but he has used his frequent over- ardent preference for analogue. There's also a
Ghelakis adds that they do what they can seas trips as information gathering exercises. Digidesign Pro Tools editing suite and he
but that large investments in recording would 'My main concern is that I don't want to employs a total of six in -house engineers.
be difficult to recover and that exporting their buy anything that is obsolete because South The last phase of building was completed
music and getting foreign record companies Africa is very expensive -it's way more in November 1996 when the 02R remix studio
interested is the key to the future. expensive here than anywhere else. There was put together and this completed a series
The record company infrastructure is a curi- have been many cases where I have have of improvements and additions to the studio
ous one, but perhaps not that dissimilar to what imported equipment myself more quickly since its move to the present building in 1992.
goes on in other new territories. Dominated by than the distributors. Previously honkie to Leading Edge studios
the major labels, Ghelakis claims it is easier for 'For the type of music we do it's important -which had spent a fortune, according to
them to import Western produce than survive that we keep in touch and use the latest Ghelakis, on the building of the main
on the local talent, but he nevertheless believes equipment -talent is one thing. technology is studio -the facility had also had a Svnclacier
that the situation is changing with local labels another and you have to have the technology suite and offered enormous potential when
being formed and slow turnarounds occurring to bring out that talent.' the site came up at auction.
in the machinations of radio. His route to multiroom complex owner- 'I bought the shell, it was a studio and they
'Only a year ago did they start talking ship carne though the traditional route of couldn't get rid of this place because every-
about putting local music on local radio -if starting as a musician, building a small studio body wanted offices, hut it would have cost
you switched on the radio all you'd hear is in flat and working up from there by rein- them a fortune just to rip it all out and start
overseas music so what will the local con- vesting the income. again. I was lucky and got a very good price,'
sumer do? He buys overseas music' he says. 'It's the same all over the world -you can he says.
'Funnily enough, since they started playing always tell the good studios because they're The main room had originally been fitted
local music people have begun to buy it, hut the ones that are always working and looking with Ureis ('I've still got them, I can't give
that had never happened in the past.' to expand. You've got to be on top of things them away) and these were superseded by a
A local music radio quota of around 20% is if you want to be good.'. host of different loudspeaker types that were
now being talked about, but Ghelakis says it CSR is dedicated to South African music wheeled in for trial.
should he greater: In a country like ours with which it handles with four studios. Its pre- 'The worst thing about trying out all the
the different cultures and diversity of music miere room, equipped with a Euphonix speakers was humping them around because
that we have. the local quota should be way CS2000 bought a year ago and Genelec 1039 you've got to hear them in the room,' Ghe-
higher than that, but the majors fight it because monitoring, serves as its fully commercial stu- lakis comments. He settled on the first pair of
they think they're going to lose money. They dio outlet. The remainder are occupied pre- Genelec 1039s in South Africa. Smaller Gen -
say they're behind South African music and dominantly by in -house productions. A DDA elecs are clotted throughout.
that they'll record it until they see the budget. DMR12 room running with a Fostex 1 -inch Ì love the Genelecs and I'm going to get
They scream about spending 15,000 Rand on 24-track is used solely for Township music: another pair-I want the 1035s for page 82 >
Amek Einstein -32 -track DA-88 systems are available in the main rooms
Studio Sound inly 1997 81

Digital remix and programming room with Genelec 1029s and subwoofer
< page 79 the Euphonix room and I'll put the
1039s in the Einstein room,' he enthuses. In
the 02R room I've got the little 1029s with the
NEWS FROM
sub -bass and that's one of the best things I've
ever done. They're astounding. The distribu-
tors brought them in so we could hear them
and they never took them hack because I
TUBE -TECH bought them. They're perfect for that kind of

music and that size of room. For all this jungle
drum and bass you need to hear the sub -
EQ 1A woofer because if you cut a record on an ordi-

nary speaker you'll blow someone's hi -fi up.
'I heard the 10355 at Metropolis in London
and they just blew me away. I've got to have
them, they are the standard in serious rooms
the world over.'
'' - Studio rates at CSR are an eye- opener. `We

charge around £50 an hour for the Euphonix
/
-LOWCUr- -LOW SHELF
5
9111D 1 cvw
room -that's £500 a day. all in and with an
40 OD
3. 15, ft.10 L5 .10 engineer,' he admits. 'The trouble is if we
12 os. / .1a
U 0
charge too much we get too expensive for the
record companies so they go to the back
15 u 20 O. n1
room guys with their little studios.'
TUBE -TECH
Equalizer EQ 1A
6.48' e
OUT
GAIN
The Euphonix room is attached to a
50- musician studio area with iso booths and
f 45 70 IN xv1 tri this can additionally be connected and run
LYDKRAFT DENMARK
ävoc: 1,1,
yA .100 101. ÍU(1 itvtl amt. itiw.1n into the live area associated with the Amek
yl., .150
flot` .2'Al I1W
a5.. Einstein room. The arrangement also works in
o, r
a 4C.
12 m«a
16,1fr
IN
b3.
4U 'l1u
400
315
P1
0.315
reverse and there is direct line of sight
between the two control rooms.
11t One thing you won't see much of in South
African studios is lounge areas and restau-
rants, but that's because nobody is ever
around for that long on a session. To be com-
petitive we've got to work fast.' He adds that
it's one of the reasons why he chose the
The new TUBE -TECH EQ 1A is a state Euphonix.
of the art full range parametric 'The desk, once you get into it, is very easy
to use and quick,' he explains. When you
equalizer. Featuring one channel of have a high turnaround of projects, like we
low and high cut, low and high do, with the budgets being so small, the guys
can use it for the backing tracks, and then
shelving and three overlapping bands come hack at a later date for the vocals, call-
ing it all hack up is so quick. Nobody books
a three -month lockout here -nobody has ever
done that. You go over a month and the
record company has to change its underwear.
We end up using that studio for something in
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TAIWAN 1886)2719 2388, UK 11691) 658550, USA 18051 373 1828. outboard gear is on MIDI and we save all that
in a sequencer song file. That way you can

The Township room. The music is 'huge' in South Africa according to Ghelakis
finish a session at six o'clock and the next one

is starting at half past.'
He claims that it's also a hoard that is
appreciated by all the engineers who use it.
We like the sound, the computer -based tech -
nology and the way it is upgradahle because
that's where the future is.' he explains. 'It also
USED EQUIPMENT
doesn't get hot and it's modular from a con-
struction and service point of view. It's a huge
desk in a small amount of space which is
important for us -it has 72 faders with loads
of inputs per channel.'
But while Ghelakis is clearly aligning him- ( and here are some of the users )
self with international studio standards he's
adamant that his ambition is not to carve a
niche for himself on the international studio
circuit: 'I don't really want international busi- Unless you have permanent access to a rack of vintage compressors, a unit such as the SC2
ness I want to develop our local music.' he would be a particularly worthwhile addition to your effects resources ... ( Studio Sound - 1995 )
asserts. 'I want international engineers and

producers to come here and work with our
local musicians. That's what my studio is gear- I've used it on every record I've done since I got it ... ( ferry Finn Producer - Green Day )
ing up for. Having a South African act hitting

No.l in the UK or America, that's the pleasure,
not some big -name Western artist recording a It gave me this indescribable zing ... ( Mark Plan Producer - David Bowie J
hacking track here because nobody ever

remembers that. Once that happens it will
think the 90's is going to be Joemeek ... Jack Joseph Puig Producer Rolling Stones Black Crowes
open it up for all the local musicians. Look at I ( - - . )
Sweden, they had ABBA and look at all the

stuff that followed them and that's such a
small country in comparison to us.
Sony Mastering
'South African musicians have a unique type
of feel and rhythm. You can spot a South Videosonics
African record. you can hear it in the sound, it Mark Knopfer
Vintage stereo photoelectric compressor.L 1250 ear vat
just needs to be
Toni Braxton
refined and made
more accessible to Spice Girls
CSR, Sportron Park,
the rest of the
3 Main Road, Bryanston EMI Records
world,' continues
2021 PO Box 758, nt Paul Weller
Ghelakis. 'The Transformer / mie-pre I compressor I enhancer) vocal ime leve) Inswment channel. L 599 eat
Cramerview 2060,
bass lines, the Leftfield
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Tel: +27 11 463 6485.
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type of melodies
Fax: +27 11 463 5117.
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still too rural and The ultimate direct to tape channel. L 1499 exc,vat
they need to be Westernised. Paul Simon did it.

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like England ten years ago-and the same is JOEMEEK
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that's Western music with Japanese lyrics. Joemeek Ltd. Swillett House, Heronsgate Rd, Chorleywood, Herts.WD3 5BB
South Africa is so different: tel :01923 284545 fax :01923 285168
And that last sentence says it all.

ó win a M arantz CD-R!
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lax: +44 (0)191 416 0392 William James House, Cowley Road,
Internet: http / /www.canford.co.uk!index.htm
:
Cambridge CB4 4WX
smooth &creamy ESSENTIAL

VAC RAC"'
The modular vacuum tube system, with:
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*Instrument Interface *All valve power
READING
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THE 1997 HHB CATALOGUE
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to everything that's
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Contact: Adam Hall Ltd UNIT 11 -1)10 LTD -s10 including postage if outside UK
Tel: 01702 613922 Upper Wheeler House Colliers End

+44 (0)181 962 5000
Fax: 01702 617168 Hens SG11 1 ET T: 01920 822 890 F: 01920 822 892
e-mail: sales @unityaudio.co.uk Web: hltp: /www.unityaudio.co.uk
HHB ComntumceLOn, Ut
Fax. ,44 101181 952 5050
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rffD FUTURE FILM DEVELOPMENTS,
The new April '97 Product Guide from FFD is eurocable
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range includes audio, video and control
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available along with instrumental, microphone,
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DPM1 cannon connectors. Microphones and headphones from
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near -field Carbon boom poles from VDB.
conductors, 2.5, 4 and 6 sq mm, with coaxial.
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monitors Plus much, much more. Get a copy today!
are Dealer enquiries welcome for the
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(Sound on sound) Our showroom in Uxbridge also h,
LINK S.n.c.
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00156 - Roma - Italy -
Via Tiburtina, 912
th.com recording equipment
Tel: +39 -6- 4072831
Worldwi 64 Oxford Road Fax: +39 -6-4073138
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want Uxbridge UB9 4DN, UK LINK.PRO@IOL.IT
Tel: +44 (0)1895 813730
Harbeth Acoustics Ltd., Fax: +44 (0)1895
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iY A T
O U R I N F O R M I O N '
-\ NAME
D.i ADDRESS
the number you require further
177777,7
7' ; ,, 1 2 3
information about
JULY 1997
5 6 7 8 9 POSTCODE
TEL
FAX
Number Eiie for `NCVw'Configured 32/16/32 remote patchbay, loaded 32 x 1073's
Routing Modules 32341 Switching Modules 32340
Bargraph Metering, Remote Patchbay, Necam 96. P.O.A.
Configured 24/8/16 Righthand patchbay, loaded 24 x 1081's,
Group Modules 194311'5, 4 x 2254E Comp/Limiters, 1272
Line Amps, 16 Meterbridge PPM. P.O.A.
Configured 24/8/16 righthand patchbay, loaded 24 x 1096'e,
Group Modules 1900, 1272 Line Amps.
16VÚ Meterbridge P.O.A.
Configured 20/8/16 righthand patchbay, PPM meters, 20 x

1073'e, Group Modules 1943's, 4 x 2254A Comp/Limiters,
371M
406/407 Line Amps. P.O.A.
Broadcast Console. Configured 20/4, Fitted 20 x 1073's,
stock. P.O.A. --- - - --

Group Modules 1939's 1272/1271 Line Amps. Two in
-
Configured 16/8116, Righthand patchbay, 16 VU Meters,

16 x 1066's, Group Modules 1883, Line Amps 1272's.
PRO AUDIO
UD
f
P.O.A.
'IN STOCK' a Liege selection of NEVE EQ MODULES, GROUP MODULE'i,
PSU, FRAMES.
****/ A UNITED KINGDOM BASED COMPANY
Console fitted 48 x 611E Modules ( modules total recall

ready), Righthand patchbay, VU Meters, G Serles Computer.
P.O.A. -
All equipment is owned by A.E.S. Pro Audio. Telephone: 01932 872672 Fax: 01932 874364
We will purchase your !eve / SSL and Telephone International: 44 1932 872672
collect anywhere worldwide.
Fax: International: 44 1932 874364
To place an advertisement contact:
classifie
Studio Sound (Classified),
Miller Freeman Entertainment Ltd.,
sound 8 Montague Close, London SE1 9UR, UK

Tel: +44(0)171 620 3636 Fax: +44(0)171 401 8036
All box numbers reply to the above address
RATES: Recruitment £35 per single column centimetre. All other sections £30 (minimum 2cm x 1) Box number £10 extra per insertion. Published monthly.
Copy deadlines: contact Rebecca Reeves. Classified Advertisement Manager
appointments
Software Engineer - Audio
Oxford Up to £34,000 + car
Sony's Research & Development Laboratory based in Oxford is prowess. You will possess self motivation and have the ability to work
redefining the standards within the Digital Console Industry. comfortably as either an individual or as part of a team.
Their ground breaking OXF -R3 system is a computer based Sony offer all the benefits commensurate with a corporation of
console providing extremely powerful mixing, equalising and their standing including excellent salary and relocation assistance if
dynamic functions. Software based, it uses a new generation of required.
digital signal processing hardware. This system was designed and If you have the necessary skills to join this team please call or send your
developed by this vastly experienced team in conjunction with their CV quoting ref: SS9744 to our consultants: Hamilton Parker
Japanese counterparts. Associates, Doncastle House, Doncastle Road, Bracknell, Berks
To take this exciting product to the next phase of it's RGI2 8PE. Tel: +44 (0)1344 360100. Fax: +44 (0)1344 852500.
development and work on future leading products, they now E-mail: hpa-info@hpa.co.uk
require a Software Engineer with experience in some or all of the For further information and a full list of current openings, please
following areas: view our recruitment web page at: http:/ /www.topjobs.net/sony
C Programming Real -Time Programming Sony are an equal opportunities employer. Applications are
Unix Systems Awareness of recording studio practices. encouraged from all people irrespective of race, sex or disability.
SONY
This is a stunning opportunity for an ambitious engineer to work
within an environment that is dedicated to quality and technical
WW1 appointments
DD Working for equality of opportunity STREET
CULTURECORDS
Maintenance Engineers
BBC OUTSIDE BROADCASTS & FILM
WEST LONDON
facilities in the UK and deploys an
BBC OBs is the largest provider of Outside Broadcast
extensive range of modern analogue and digital broadcasting equipment.
SEEKS PRODUCERS &
The recent restructuring of the base operationwith Outside Broadcasts and Film has
STUDIOS TO WORK
enabled the department to separate the previously integrated maintenance function from
the operational engineering service. Consequently, the opportunity now exists to appoint
WITH FOR EXISTING
Engineers who will be dedicated to the maintenance function. & FUTURE PLANNED
You will need to be educated to degree level, or equivalent, and ideally have experience of
maintaining equipment in a broadcasting, or similar, environment.
PROJECTS
For an informal discussion contact John Scott, Head of OB Engineering, on
0181 -993 9243. For further information and an application form contact GENRES:
(quoting ref. 24702/SU) Robin Rees, Room 6009, BBC Location Resources, ALT. ROCK /DANCE /SOUL
Kendal Avenue, London W3 ORP. Application forms to be returned by July 21st.
/ /www.bbc.co.uk /jobs /e24702.htm and
You can also see this vacancy on http:
METAL /POP/AOR
apply on -line from our world wide web site.
Please mail CV's, Demos, Fees, etc, to:
WANTED
Established Mastering Facility requires
STREET CULTURE RECORDS LTD
Chatham
P.O. Box 262
Kent ME4 6DF
United Kingdom
Tel /Fax: 01634 814119
Fax: 01494 433 191
EXPERIENCED MASTERING ENGINEER E -Mail: 106060.3311 @ Compuserve.Com
Salary according to experience all replies TREATED IN STRICT CONFIDENCE.

CV's to
Box No. 120, Studio Sound

8 Montague Close, London SE1 9UR, U.K.
Tge 504Nhot e4
EXPERIENCED MAINTENANCE ENGINEER requires a
required by major London recording studio. TECHNICAL
Assistant Maintenance Engineer also required. DIRECTOR
Knowledge of electronics and enthusiasm more important The Sound Company is looking for a self
than experience. motivated energetic person with a proven
track record of sound engineering and
BOX NO. 124
design for theatre to run the hire division of
Studio Sound, 8 Montague Close, London SE1 9UR the company. The successful applicant will
possess leadership and managerial qualities
with a strong commercial business
MASTERING RECORDING knowledge and be capable of making a real

contribution to the future success of the
ENGINEER ENGINEER company.
Salary negotiable dependent on experience.

Reliable, hardworking,
New central London studio experienced with mixing, editing, Please submit your application, in writing,
seeks experienced session 8, radio, recording the together with C.V. and current salary
engineer. spoken word, required for South details by 31st July to:
London studio.
Permanent full time employment. The Sound Company
CV to: 2 Lord Hills Road, London W2 6PD
BOX 122 Send your CV to
STUDIO SOUND David Shapero, A.C.T. Limited, For further details
The National Gallery, London
8 MONTAGUE CLOSE
WC2N 5DN Call: 0171 286 7477
LONDON SE1 9UR, UK Telephone 0171 747 2496 or Rix: 0171 286 7377
filMETIHIMBl
equipment for sale
co6ultopetsio AUDIQ USED EQUIPMENT LIST
FAX +44 (0) 1225 447333
TOYSHOP PHONE +44 (0) 1225 447222
lieciling, Valley People /Alison Research - 5 original Keeper Quad 50 E - power amp __. .._£125
CONSOLES 2T MACHINES gates racked with GPO p/b flight case .0350 Audio power amps. good for cans x
- 2 £95 ea
Neve 33122 - all discrete. 3 band only left ...£395
re
1
BGW 750c - old but working .. 0175
Neve 8036 - fitted 24 x 1064's, 4 x 2254E's in Sony PCM 2500 - DAT recorder e 2 ..£595 ea
.a 32 frame .._..._. ....._.. ....._.£38.000 Panasonic SV 3800 DAT - BRAND NEW ....£995
Neve 1272 - class A line amp £250 Focusrite RED 5 - 250 w c 8 ohm .....£1,400
Neve 1271 - similar to above
e6 £175
r
Neve Series 80 - 24/8 1081's, 1064S, 2254's. vu
meters, LHPB. Available soon..... £call
Studer A 812 CTC the ultimate, C15k new
Studer A 807 no meters the used
£2,995
..£1.500
Neve 1289 - stereo return, .2150 MIDI
upment Neve 8108 - 48 channel. Necam 96, LHPB £35.000 Studer B 67 2 in stock
Studer A 80 - 2 available as of copy day, from .. £650
£695
Neve 2258 size of a 1073 nose gate r 2
EMT 240 - goldiail .._.
_£200 ea
C795
Fairlighl MFX3 - 24 tk workstation brand new.
unused. Details on request ... ..._.. £18,995
Neve BCM 10 - arriving soon. 10 e 1066's .... ...£call Pullet MH 4 - 4 into 1 valve mixer, 2U _. £595
Studer B 62 - off its trolley, with meter .£350 Opcode Studio 3 - interlace _ ...£100
AMS Logici . Spectra M16 call for full spec _.. £call
.
_
Pultet - LCS 2 Stereo HPF 1left 0295
ecialists SSL 6032E - 32 channels in 32 trame, E computer,
TR. external p /b. video option .. ........................£47,500
Sony MOS B3 - minidisk recorder/player with editing
facilities. Take this away _ ...... .........£995
Drawmer DS 201 - dual gate we've got 8 he £250 ea
DBX 166 - 2 channels with simple gate x 2 £350
Akai S 3200 16 Mb. version 3 ftc.,ire tidy. £1,700
SSL 5316 - 20/4. 16 mono, 4 stereo. 8 IMO'S,

Ampex ATR 102 - superb condition ....._............£call
DBX 900 rack - filled with 7 x 911 NR._. £450 MISCELLANEOUS
Dolby 361 - type A cat 22 ... £45
reset, 5 dynamics, ext. p /b ...... ........................£15,000 Aphex 602 - the original 2U quality exciter with Sony LAE 1100' Diguai Audio Editors for CD
Soundtracs Megas - 24 Ch 24 Mon. Midi Mote.£3,500 large VU's MINT rare ($100 per hour!1 ....... £495
. mastering. large remote. 4 in stack _... £795 ea
.
Soundcratt TS 12 - 28 frame 24 fitted. in line ...E3,500 FX EQUIPMENT Klack Teknik DN 405 - 5 band parametric eq _.. £295
Klack Teknik DN 510 - cool dual MIDI gate .. £350
Revox B226 - CO player ...... .._....£395
Philips CD 850 - CD players._.. .........£175
TNRE i1L0 Trident Series 80 32 channels, 1980, Reflex
automation._....., _.... ......£12,000
AMS - Keyboard Interface / Chorus controller .._0125 A 8 D F769 XR - vocal stresser x 2 £495
Various CD players available
TC M2000 - BRAND NEW SPECIAL _ _..£call Court - GE 60 stereo 30 band graphic ....£450
Theta DS Pro DA converter_ .... £795
0 Amek Hendrix - 40 frame 22 fitted 4 stereo. Lexicon PCM 70 - version 3 .£1.100 TC 1128 - 28 band graphicianalyser £395
Superirue auto, 3 extra patch bay's .......£22.000 Lexicon LXP1 - quality reverb _..£200 Technics SP10 - turntable w /SME arm trolley
White 4000 - m stock 30 band ep ..._0150
-40lAers Amek Angela - 39 frame 28 fitted external
patchbay. VCA's .__. ..._....£8,000
Lexicon LXP5 - could go with above_
Lexicon 1200 - Time compressor /harmonizer -
._.£200
1
MICROPHONES
and pre amp. 2 in stock ....£125 ea
Valve Headphones - rare as RHS. limited supply.
of the DDA DCM 232 - m line 56 channel, Uptown moving

fader automation, plasma's. 5 y o
ODA DMR 12 - 32 channel. patchbay
......£call
..£11,000
Eventide H3000SE - studio enhanced ultra
harmonizer. All excellent 2 available ..
Roland Dep. 5 - multi fz .........
_£1,600 ea
....£250
Numann UM 57- 4 In stock valve M7
Neumann CMV 563 - boxed 8 complete vd3 capsules
original psu Excellent _.
£995 ea
..........£1,495
GPO 316 MOM lack -fields. loads, various...
Porli'loe don't take the Michael. Ex
BBC - high gain line amps, rack of 4, psu
...011 p.h.
cabinet _.foyers
etc.... £150
A 8 H G53 - 32/8 midi mute. yr old _...£2,500 Neumann U47 - pair of consecutive serial no.
'est in
1
Yamaha Rev 5 - digital multi fx. 2 available £550 ea microphones with VF14 valves refurbished psu s. Channel 5 - what's that all about' .....£call
Studiomaster - 8/4 wedge. 19' rack mount,
" excellent little mixer ............... .....£175
Yamaha Rev 7 - similar to above, but a 7 £475 new cables and shock horror mounts ........£7,000 pr BBC - telephone balancing units, 2 in stock ......£150
1 Yamaha E1010 - analogue delay. classic x 2 _0150 ea
( Yamaha DMR 8 - 2 systems available with loads Neumann KM 56 - as new .... £795
Loads and loads of gulf, cables. racks etc.
Blank Teknik DN 780 - reverb ...£695 Schnaps M221b with 934 capsule Sweet AC 701
of accessories n DRU 8 .......... ..............£call Call for details
yy MXR 01 - digital reverb .....£150 based mic. 7 available .£595 ea
Ouanlec ORS - the business .._ .£2,500 AKG C34 - stereo multi pattern small diaphragm This is fuse a selection of what is currently o stock, or
600m-Se"f 5S MULTITRACKS Neilson Infernal 90 - 20 seconds sampling /delay mic. Dead cute as new...... £795 available, many gems are sold before we have a chance
timecode card, arriving soon.... .... .£1,995 lo put them on rye listr If you are looking for anything
AKG - CK2. CK5 CK8 capsules. from _. £75
eltu Studer A 600's ' Various types available please

call for details _.. .....__ .....£call
Rockman Stereo Chorus - rack mountable
Ursa Major Space Station SST 282 Classic Alai
£75 AKG C1000 - cardioid condenser x 2
AKG A51 - angles ley_
£125 ea
120 ea
specific can o, fax to De put on the database. Similar
equipment always wanted part exchange welcome.
1
We are also dealers for a wide range of new equipment,
Studer A820 24T - with remote, locate, trolley, very front. Mint - lust like Alter Eights. £595 STC 4038 - ribbons. 2 available ....£350 ea Including Focusrite TC Electronic. AMS- fleve, API.
well maintained. 4,000 hrs. Excellent .£23,500 Ursa Major Space Station - as above. but blue Octava 219A - now called 319. BRAND NEW ... E225 Studer-Remit. Amek AKG. Tube-tech. Manley.
Otani MTR 90 Mk 2 - low hours, remote. fronted and not quite the after dinner mint... .. ...£495 Octava MK 012 - w/3 capsules. BRAND NEW £250 Soundcrah. Smart Research. Genelec. Eventide,
locate .._... _. .£11,000 Ursa Major Stargate - better than popcorn! .... £495 Tascam DA 88. Panasonic DAT, etc.
Lomo 19A9 Russian valve mic - stunning £795
Otani MTR 90 Mk 2 ' 5000 hrs remote. Eventide BD 955 - profanity delay DUMP .... _.£150 Nevaton BRAND NEW SPECIAL. from._ £395 An paces are in £ Staring and unless for export
locate .._ _. _.. _.£10.000 Aphex Oral Xitation - packet of three. type C.._ ..£125 EV RE 20 - boxed clip _. £295 exclude the dreaded VAT at the rate prevailing
Start MX 80 - 2 in stock. low hours.........._ ..£7.995 MDB Window - 16 bit sampler, clear as glass ... ._0175 Shure SM 58 -NEW.... £99 Ail items subleci ro availability E. 8 D E.
Lexicon Opus Workstation - 4 a 1.2Gb. Exabyte Shure SM 57 - NEWT.. £90

VISA. Mastercard. Access. Eurocard and Amax accepted
eq option, CPU -2. AES /EBU etc __........
Worldwid'e Dolby XP 24 - with 24 x SR cards __
£14.000
£7.995
OUTBOARD MONITORING ¡A small surcharge applies to most credit card
transactions)
SSL Logic FX G384 stereo compressor £2.000 BIC SCM 50A - e,i n _£2.250
Dolby XP 24 - with 24 e A cards _.
Dolby M16 - old Dolby A
._..£1,200
..........._£495 TC Finalizer - BRAND NEW SPECIAL....
Fairchild 670 - sin 841, 1971. 505v model
£call
£call
Blank Teknik Jade 1:::,c'ß
Urei 809 - mid / large Blue horn
-'gems ._0750
£750
Audio Toyshop Ltd
Timeline Microlynx - complete system, as new£1,750
RCA BA6C fantastic valve limiter _...
- .. £2.995 Rogers LS3 /7 - main monitors. no amps £195
Tel: +44(0)1225 447222,
Timeline Lynx - system supervisor. 1.43 SW..._..£795
Fax: +44(0)1225 447333,
PEA Timeline Lynx - Lynx modules, latest v.500 26L
1
software. can be racked, refurbished ...........£995 ea

Adam Smith - Zeta 3, synchroniser module .......£500
RCA BA6A - nearly as good as above _..
Crookwood - Paintpot, stereo mic pre amp 8
wooden box. Excellent ........._ __
Valley People Dynamites - Classic compressors.
£995
£2,000 Threshold 5,1000 power amps Two t000W
mono- blocks enormous in every sense' ..__02,500 pr
Tannoy Lockwoods - with amps ..
Spendor BC11A - quality domestic / broadcast ._£200

£500
E -mail: toyboys@audio- toyshop.co.uk
AK Eclipse 8 0 -Lock - editor 8 4 10 sync .....£495 racked in pairs groovy £350 pr Quad 552 ' BBC spec 520 2 available _.. .,..£395 ea
505 -507 LIVERPOOL ROAD, Mark Thompson

LONDON N7 8NS Helen Rider
Tel: 44 (0) 171 609 5479 Steve Lane
Fax: 44 (0) 171 609 5483 Clive Richards
The best deals around are EVEN BETTER until August 14th, send for
SUMMER SALE LIST
of new and used sale offers including Focusrite, Genelec, AKG, Neumann, Cranesong, TC,
Joemeek, TLA, HSE, Lexicon, AMS, Neve, Alesis, Dynaudio, VAC RAC, Tubetec, Tascam,
Otani, Studer, Alan Smart and all the rest.
Plus FUNKY'S Midi marvels by Sherman, Mutator, Analogue Systems, ARP, Moog, Roland,
Yamaha and more.
FULL LIST AVAILABLE BY FAX OR POST ON REQUEST
http: / /www.funky- junk.co.uk sales @funky -junk.co.uk
11:(J, oR VRy E
QUALITY USED EQUIPMENT!!

CALL NOW FOR THE LATEST LIST OF USED GEAR ON 01462 490600
OR FAX US YOUR ORDER ON 01462 490700
OR VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT .... http:I/www.tlaudio.co.uk/used.htm
business to business
U.S. DISTRIBUTION
Need a reliable partner to enter the
vast American market? ELSTREE FILM STUDIOS
Established U.S. Corporation is looking for a range of quality
European pro -audio products for wholesale distribution are considering providing
Fax: +1 310 271 -9129 SOUND AND /OR MUSIC RECORDING,
for sale DUBBING AND ANCILLARY FACILITIES
either in an existing adapted building or a new structure.
FOR SALE
Studer I) axis Digital editor/workstation. Expressions of interest are invited from those parties interested in a
-1 channel /8 -track with Ch drix.c. I
joint venture or similar arrangement to develop and run such facilities
Including Plug & Play (Dolby AC2 + 3.5" in partnership with the studios.
MO 120Mb). With Multidesk Controller.
Initial expressions of interest together with some brief details of past
Macintosh Quadra 840AV (M 9020)
personal computer. Including Apple monitor experience and funds available for capital investment should be
card 8/24. The above system is offered in sent to:
Al condition and is complete with user
Neville Reid, Head of Studios
manual.
ELSTREE FILM STUDIOS
Tel: 0171 267 3323 Fax: 0171 267 0919 Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Herts WD6 1JG
Fax No: 0181 905 1135
Studio Systems
..The home inhere the Sourttltracs roam".
Need to buy a new mixing console?
Why buy new. when there are so many good quality S /hand
duplicating & mastering
Mastering
RPM
miser. available?
Have you thought about a S /hand Soundtracs?
CD
We can provide over 20 different console types from £501).
"16/8/16" to a £7.000 "Quartz 48" CDRs from just £7.50
We can deliver. install and guarantee for a year. a Soundtracs
console with a much higher quality specification than most new Real Time Cassette Copying
consoles at a similar price. Repeat Performance
Maybe you're worried aboutdicr -sales service.) Copy Masters and Editing Mastering
We're still giving free back -up on sales of over five years ago!
Caine and demo a S /hand Soundtracs in our new purpose built
Studio Showroom.
CD Manufacturing 6 Grand Union Centre
Call Tint Jones at Studio Systems. the Soundtracs specialist West Row
WATFORD C.K. 01923 22267733
Laser printed labels & inlays London W10 5AS
Email: Tim@studioss.demon.co.uk Every copy individually checked
www.studiosys.demon.co.uk
We're always on the lookout for Soundtracs consoles! Excellent quality & presentation Tel. 0181 960 7222
Fax. 0181 968 1378
Best prices, ultra fast turnaround www.repeat-performance.co.uk
'elephant,: 0I NI 521 2424 Facsimile: 01 5l 52 4343

Adventures in Audio
Outboard Specialists
TLA :k Joe Meek 0: Lexicon :0 Focusrite
Dynaudio
Nearfield Specialists
:i KRK :g Spendor * Yamaha HILTONGROVE
PROTOOLS - Main Dealer MACKIE - Main Dealer where sound advice counts
Call Nick Melville- Rogers 0181 440 3440 CbmPJrt n,,, P,-.Il,umnn,l ni,yil, ,.,,,u,, llcpnplr,Jhlu rriN (Inc-,,)! tJ'
32 Bn T.,6n.J,,,P t.d.,, 1 3 1m,L, .t11)' 3 BUM] PV'
The I filtongrote Business Centre, Hatherley Mews,
FOR SALE Ríiltharnitnn, London [l7 4QP
3 nuns ,,,ll. - RftJ. 1,1
Trident Series 65. Mixing Console 40 into 8 into 16.

Stand but no patchbay. No reasonable offer refused. Will
swap for Yamaha 02R. jbs records
Tel: +44 (0)1159 497604 Mobile: 0378 660307
MUSIC and SPEECH
REAL -TIME/HIGHER-SPEED Quality Cassette
Duplication and Blanks from 1 -1000.
Computer printed labels.
NEVE V.
FOR SALE
48/48 DeskiNecam 96 380 000 FF:
THE CASSETTE DUPLICATING SPECIALISTS
Real time & high speed loop bin duplication,
Solo, Y," reel, Sony Betamax or R -DAT
recording. Fast Security Delivery service.
FILTERBOND LTD, jbs records div, FREEPOST
1
printing & packaging. Blanks wound to length.
STUDER 2' A 820 150 000 FF: X880 Mitsu Apogee 19 SADLERS WAY, HERTFORD, SG14 2BR
Filters 130 000 FF TEL: 0161 973 1884 FAX: 0161 905 2171 01992 -500101
Tel: 33 1
ZORRINO
40 10 87 15
-
Fax: 33
PARIS
1 40 10 11 37
PRO TOOLS &
s (Nr Heathrow Airport / Staines)
Tel: 01784 470352

Fax: 01784 470395
SONIC SOLUTIONS
PRIVATE SALE EDITING & MASTERING 7n7.7 rrninw7rrfm
NEUMANN M149 Microphone £2150 + VAT
TUBETECH PE1C Valve eq £1150 + VAT
Both as brand new
Contact: Chris at the BEST PRICE IN TOWN
Tel: +44 (0) 1234 269860 Tel: 0171 483 3506 CALL TODAY i
products and services
LTJ a ".r<zij 1000 CD Albums £999 + VAT! Mark Griffin Furniture
(from EQ DAT and separated artwork on film) CUSTOM STUDIO FURNITURE
includes 4 page booklet, 2 colour on -body print and case.
Digital Editing /DSP £25 per hr. CD Mastering to Exabyte DDP,
Sleeve Design, Cassette Duplication, Vinyl: Call for details.
01992- 505001
DAT SERVICE CENTRE Need U.S. production of your

Even DAT recorders that record and playback perfectly may fail audio or ROM product?
to meet the Sony DAT specification.As a result tapes may
"sound different" or even produce glitches when played back CD AUDIO, CD -ROM Replication
Vinyl Records - 12" & 7" with DMM Mastering
gn and installation o/racking,
on another machine.
To guarantee confidence. have your machine professionally Neve DT&A Sonic Solutions Digital Pretvtasterwg .170IZl,t;P (lIl(1 accessories
calibrated by Music Lab. Complete calibration. service and Lyrec Dolby HX Pro Cassette Duplication
repair facilities from £75 plus VAT Contact Jason Sullivan for Graphics Design & Printing Please call for a brochure
calibration prices /quotations on most models. Contact: MARK GRIFFIN
All Manufacturing In-House, Since 1977 Byrebrook Studios, Lower Farm,
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well -we're talking about 8 bits at 12kHz nical consistency while the studio is assured of
US: What is here -for a lot less money than the notes on
We equipment were costing them. I was mak-
a client. The rate may have gotten pretty low
on a booking of months, but it buys time to
the going rate? ing some routine enquiries regarding a
rumoured sale of the studio to one party or
figure out the next move while at least cover-
ing the leases.
another, and in the course of asking some Some music studios have bailed out of
local facility managers about what might be music altogether, lured by the rates that audio
going on, I had one say to me- verbatim postproduction commands; rates that are, on
I know there's never a good -'Why the heck would anyone want to buy a average, four times higher than in music
recording studio?' recording. But the successful aura surrounding
time to bring this up, but it's That's about as blatant as one can make the audio post is a chimera in many cases. It might
time to discuss our studio rates sentiment, one that runs deeply in the music look like it from afar, but you don't get suc-
recording business over here and one, like a cessful in post by buying a DAW and convert-
again writes Dan Daley long-embedded splinter, that is working itself ing a large closet into an audio suite. The
T'S THAT TIME of year again: that season towards the surface. largest investment in post is in people,
in which we address the subject of rates. Studio time, like the music products it is because in postproduction clients follow the
Actually, there is no one particular season used to make, has become a commodity talent, not the technology. Besides, proximity
to mull over this topic; rather, it's become based on volume. Anyone can have their own to a viable post market is a prerequisite to
one of those things that one prefers not to recording system, and, thanks to the prolifera- even thinking that post could pull your rates
mention at all, so in a sense, no time is the tion of independent record labels, anyone can up, and that's something most markets simply
right time. Any hubris about how far in make their own record. And believe me, any- don't have.
advance a studio might he booked out is one does. Another tack some studios have taken is to
quickly turned to harmatia when the issue of It says a lot about the character of the peo- reach out to the musician communities in
how much those days and hours are going for ple who remain in this end of pro-audio that, their markets, educating them as to the dis-
raises its ugly little head. while their complaints are louder and less sub- tinction between a studio and an ADAT in a
Here's the deal on this side of the puddle: tle, they nonetheless remain in the game. How garage. One studio owner in New York actu-
rates for recording studios emphasising music they're doing that is sometimes as creative as ally goes out to clubs several nights a week
projects have been, at best, static, and more the musicians, producers and engineers who and hands out a sampler CD of records that
often than not eroding further. I'll tell you a use those studios. One major Nashville facility have been done at his studio. To a generation
story. There is a recording facility on the West has implemented a progressive rate structure that has not had this distinction made to it
Coast that was built by a large Asian software that stretches potential discounts based on before, the result can he very effective
developer that was supposed to do music for block time bookings out as several months at indeed. For starters, you're bringing in new
CD-ROM projects. It became apparent in
rather short order that this company could
a time. In a market like Nashville, one pro-
ducer often does four or five albums in a year
business-at the beginning of their careers -
on the basis of quality, not price. And you're
outsource its music needs to people with and by block-booking a multi-room facility, also building a clientele that in many cases
ADATs in their bedrooms and get it done as the producer is assured availability and tech- will come back over time as their careers
Europe: licence to license wrong frequencies. Although the subcontrac-

tor has no legal rights, it can report breaches
to the RA.'
ASP will collate any comments from non -
broadcasters and independents who do not
like the way the system is working, and then
put them to the RA. If nothing else, this
watchdogging should keep JFMG on its toes.
Unnoticed by the majority of its practitioners, changes in licensing
I phoned JFMG to ask why the BBC was no
arrangements are quietly redefining quite disparate parts of longer represented and how JFMG plans to
police its licences. There was no-one who
pro -audio writes Barry Fox
knew, but eight days later I got a call back
RITAIN'S RADIO microphones and change JFMG is jointly owned by the Inde- -JFMG had been too busy with allocations to
OB audio and video links are now pendent Television Association and Commer- call earlier. Director Derek Connelly said that
under single management. The object cial Radio Companies Association. conformance policing is up to the RA.
is to create a smoother ride on licens- The IRA bomb in Docklands shut the RA's JFMG sees this as a real watershed, coming
ing. But it ain't necessarily so. offices, but the RA pressed on and chose at the end of the year when the last existing
Until 1st April, responsibility was split JFMG. Despite ASPFM's objections to the RA, licenses -for instance those held by Sky and
between two industry groups, contracted by and fears that JFMG would not be ready to the BBC-will need renewing. ASP is at Edge -
the British Government's Radiocommunica- start running the system, the winner was mail- cott House, Lawn Hill, Edgecott, Aylesbury,
tions Agency to create a working dialogue ing out tariff sheets, application forms and Bucks HB18 OQW, UK. Telephone: +44 1296
with the gaggle of disparate users, including guidance notes ahead of the 1st April deadline. 770 458.
independent TV production companies, the- I got three separate copies through the mail. The whole point of any licensing scheme is
atres, PA hire groups and installers. The Although ASP now has no authority, the that it must be fair and easy to use. But man-
Association of Service Providers Frequency company is remaining in business to act as a ufacturers making the new high-density DVD
Management Ltd represented theatres and vdice for the independent operators. John discs and players face a legal minefield, and
hire companies, with an 11% share of the Wykes, formerly Technical Director of ASP FM high claims for royalties.
available spectrum; the Broadcasters' Joint says he waits to see how a management group The ten members of the DVD Consortium
Frequency Management Group had 89 %. with such obvious broadcasting heritage will cannot agree on a plan to pool their patents
Last year the Radio Authority said it wanted handle clashing claims by rival broadcasters and create a one -stop licence shop. Three
to deal with a single group, and asked for ten- and non -broadcast independents. `How will a members, Philips, Pioneer and Sony have bro-
ders on a 3 -year contract with option for a hire company license equipment', he won- ken away and created their own pool, which
2 -year extension. Both existing bodies ders. `What will happen about policing? To Philips will run. That leaves seven outside the
applied. JFMG dropped its Broadcasters' tag, avoid interference from neighbouring users pool. IBM is outside the Consortium, but
but ASPFM was 'confident' that its diverse we had conformance officers who would go claims rights on the idea of storing two record-
membership provided a better safeguard round our licensed sites, checking that no -one ings on the same side of a DVD disc, at dif-
against conflicts of interest. Despite the name was exceeding their power limit, or using the ferent depths. 3M previously claimed to have

progress. The reach out -educational
approach isn't a ready-made solution and it
takes time, effort and dedication. But it may
Artistic licence:
be the best long -term approach.
One other approach I've seen lately mir-
rors a larger trend in the States-one of per-
the DTT picture
sonal fiscal responsibility. In 1996, the US
for the first time broke the million mark in
Awarding the licences for British Digital Terrestrial Television could
personal bankruptcies (what you call
àdministration'), and 1997 is estimated to have established a vision of a media empire to rival that of
see it reach 1.4 million. The general popu-
lation has been living far beyond its means George Orwell's if BSkyB had won through writes Kevin Hilton
for a long time, and who could have blamed NCE IN A WHILE something happens and control would be vested with one organ-
them, lured by 75 channels of commercials to reassure you that, despite every- isation (or, to be more accurate, with one per-
hawking everything you'll ever need to thing, there is a God. However you son). At the time of writing I have not heard
make you happy. perceive Him or Her there is a Higher what YKW thinks about all this -and, frankly,
Studios have experienced something sim- Consciousness, a Supreme Being or I don't care. Like all regulators the ITC has
ilar over the last decade, pursuing trendy at least something or someone who occasion- been criticised for being soft, but it has finally
gear to stay ahead of the curve and give ally ensures that the Right Thing happens. found its teeth, depriving News International
clients what they think they'll want. Trouble It happened during the UK election when of an in to the terrestrial digital scene.
is, the technology changes so fast now that the slimy, xenophobic, Eurosceptic (all of The order of things has not been shaken
the flavour -of-the -month has gone sour by which is strange when you remember he's of completely because BDB is owned by Carlton
month's end, even though the studio is still Spanish extraction) Michael Portillo lost his and Granada, two of the most powerful and
paying the note on it. I've seen more studios seat. I was laughing so much I nearly missed ubiquitous groups in UK broadcasting, but at
start to financially retrench themselves, pay- an airplane flight-there is nothing like that least YKW has had his nose put out of joint.
ing off loans on existing gear and facing the warm sense of justification, when you know Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha... Damn, I've
issue of eroding rates with a lowered over- that someone has just got their comeup- missed my flight.
head. It means biting the bullet, but its a pance. But it does not happen very often
workable solution for many studios. -or so I thought. OR THE PAST DECADE or so, television
Rates are a problem, but there are ways The Independent Television Commission and radio programmes have been stiff
to deal with the problem. And the true mea- (ITC) announced the winner of the British with either documentaries or dramas set
sure of the creativity in this business is digital terrestrial television (DTT) multiplex in the workplace. Just think about ER, Hill
being seen as studios find the economic licences B, C and D towards the end of last Street Blues and Homicide-Life On The Streets,
solutions that best work for them. It's cer- month, awarding them to British Digital shows where all is activity and characters
tainly as creative an endeavour as making Broadcasting (BDB), a company jointly speak in a barely comprehensible argot pecu-
records is. owned by Carlton Communications and the liar to that situation.
Granada Group. Naturally, emergency room staff and cops
Television and radio is now in the grip of are often critical of such shows because
invented this same technique. DiscoVision the consortium; there are very few (if any) they're not as realistic as they would like their
Associates holds a large folio of patents on services that are wholly owned by one viewers to think they are. This is why there is
optical recording technology. Although Pio- organisation. This is something that will always a technical consultant credit on such
neer owns DVA, DVA will issue its own DVD become more commonplace as the digital productions, because TV, film and radio peo-
licences separately. age progresses, because it will need huge ple know about TV, film and radio, not hos-
Literally dozens of companies hold resources -in both pro- pitals or police stations. So
patents on MPEG audio and video compres- gramme production and pro- how is it that when media
sion, and ISO's MPEG committee quickly vision and technical people decide to portray
saw the commercial need for a pool of all services -to sustain the their own world they get it
these patents, with a one -stop shop which number of channels made horribly wrong?
can issue a single licence on all patents. possible by multiplexing. I recently came across a
The committee initially entrusted US com- It's not just TV; there will new children's series, with
pany CableLabs with the job. But all calls to be capacity for audio chan- the plot line of two teenage
CableLabs are now referred to another com- nels, Internet services. inter- drum & bass DJs going to
pany, in Denver, called MPEG LA. The LA active communication, work at an established
stands for Licensing Authority but the 5 -per- shopping channels and mul- radio station. From the out-
son company seems curiously unhelpful. I timedia. It is a large under- set it was clear that the pro-
was told that the only person who could taking but there is the gramme makers had not
answer questions was a CEO whose name I potential for large returns, gone anywhere near a
finally got spelled out as Baryn Futa, previ- even if things are split two radio studio during their
ously with CableLabs. Futa was in the office ways. With BDB the two partners are now research. All the DJs went on air with their
for the day, but on voicemail. I left a lengthy looking at both bigger investment and, they headphones slung around their necks. Have
message expressing interest, but never heard hope, bigger returns because these two were these people never heard of howl round?
back. It took more calls and pushing to get originally three. But the third wheel, BSkyB, The. studios themselves sported turntables
to talk with the Chief Financial Officer. Jim was forced to withdraw by the ITC. and NAB cart machines; just about every sta-
Kluttz who would not say how many patents Let's look at the second clause of that last tion now relies on CD and even the smallest
are pooled, or what companies are party to sentence in isolation: BSkyB was 'forced to private services are now turning to MD or
the pool. 'We are not yet in business, but withdraw by the ITC. Here comes that won- some disk -based system.
plan to be ready with 30 to 60 days' he said derful warm feeling again. Ha ha ha ha! It's always the way. The most naive repre-
in mid -May. BSkyB, headed by You Know Who, has sentation of a radio station I ever saw on TV
Perhaps if I call back in July, MPEG LA always been disdainful of any attempts to was about six years ago in a series called Thin
will be more helpful. More to the point, per- bring it under UK regulatory restraints, work- Air. It was set in a London station that had
haps the Licensing Authority will be more ing on the very thin premise that because it is been on air for ten years, yet it had the clean-
welcoming to manufacturers who want a uplinked from Luxembourg it is not a UK est studios and consoles I had ever seen. You
licence to manufacture DVD. For anyone broadcaster. Now it has come unstuck -the know there's a sore lack of reality when a cof-
who wants to give it a whirl, MPEG LA is on ITC considered that if it were involved in the fee mug is not glued to a desk, giving a home
303 331 1880, or fax on 1879. winning consortium for DTT too much power to a completely new lifeform.

Q'
SU
ST»oN
Earthly delights
Lt VE
LOOSE
w'gE
To the electrician earthing is a safety measure;
NEvMA L G SP tg,
Livt: to an audio engineer poor earthing can lead to
APPL tANt. E
shocking sound quality and poor reliability.
Continuing our tutorial series John Watkinson
,
presents a good grounding in the subject
Fig.la: A dangerous wiring fault ELECTRICITY in the wrong dangerous piece of equipment in
place is either a nuisance or which a faulty wire has touched
FAv1.T t.vtätENr I[LoMS
a danger depending on the the metal case which has hecome
quantity. A few millivolts is not a live. Anyone touching the case
danger, but causes equipment to would nnplete a circuit to earth
hum and time is wasted tracking and receive a shock.
the problem clown. A few hun- Fig.Ih shows that if the case is
dred volts and your day could he properly earthed there is a return
permanently spoiled. A few kilo- path for a fault current which will
1
volts of static in the wrong place blow the fuse. The neutral con-
and you have bought your ticket ductor is connected to earth at the
. -
to the big house. suhstation to complete the fault
c.vkR>Enfi The hazard to life caused by current path. The suhstation is
PA-11-1 electricity is largely a function of normally the only point at which
the current through the region of the neutral should he connected
the heart and the old trick of to earth. This prevents stray earth
Fig.lb: Equipment with its case properly earthed keeping one hand in your pocket currents which could interfere
is soundly based on this, as is with telephones. It also means
wearing dry thick -soled shoes. that a small voltage difference
The voltage is much less relevant. between neutral and earth exists
The electrician's phrase 'Its volts under load because of the resis-
what jolts but mills what kills. is tance of the neutral conductor.
too true. Death has occurred on a Clearly. if the fuse is in the neu-
supply of as low as 38V, hut this is tral lead it will not Now and the
exceptional. The current is not fault current could he prolonged
just a function of the voltage, hut and cause a fire. Neutral fuses are
depends on the source impedance banned not just because of this. hut
and the conductivity of the skin in also because an open circuit neutral
addition to how well the body is fuse would leave most of the equip-
grounded. Standing in water is not ment live. but not working.
very smart, hence the stricter reg- Sometimes an earth conductor
Fig.ic: Dirk Dogbrain in a dangerous spot! ulations regard- from the suhstation is provided in
ing electricity in the form of a metal sheath around
bathrooms. the buried cable. In rural areas
MAtai i'itt4.42 blany very with overhead wiring this is not
LI vE no `°+r-p high voltage sup- practicable and local earth stakes
plies such as are needed. In some areas such as
EHT in CRTs and sand or chalk the resistivity of the
the polarisers in ground can he quite high espe-
CteraftaNr electrostatic cially in dry conditions. In this
speakers cannot case a fault might not blow the
deliver enough fuse, but simply cause the earth
current and are stake to hecome live. As Fig.lc
painful rather shows, a voltage gradient is set up
than lethal. Static around the stake and it is possible
build up in cry to get a shock by touching it, or
Fig.2a: Radial earthing Fig.2b: A device that suffers leakage of current conditions can by standing on live' ground and
easily reach tens of kv. but the touching a genuine earth. This is
high source impedance and the particularly dangerous as it would
limited charge prevents bodily be quite unexpected.
harm. However the secondaries of As 'earths' can become live, it
the step -up transformers in elec- is a requirement that all !octal.
trostatics have fairly low output water and gas pipes are bonded
impedance and contact with these to earth. so that no potential dif-
is definitely a had idea. ference can exist between them.
For mains power delivers, only The solution in poorly conduc-
the live and neutral conductors tive soil is to use an alternative
are necessary. From the stand- system known as protective mul-
point of safety. earthing to an tiple earthing. In PME the neutral
additional conductor should pre- and ground building wiring is
vent metal parts becoming live in connected together and to a
the case of a fault. Fig.la shows a ground stake. As the > page 98
July 1997 Studio Sound
Fig.2c: 'Technical ground' earths all signal level gear
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< page 96 ground earthing system suffers from leakage or
stake of Cry building
v has capacitive AC input filters, current
on the sing substation will flow into the ground system. Large
SIQ I4(
is effectively paralleled motors and transformers often have
WIRE
the overall resistance appreciable leakage current. When cur-
to ground is reduced. rent flows in the ground system, voltages
, T Earth leakage trips
are valuable where
are developed and it no longer acts as a
signal ground, although safety is not
vp-TM, E earthing is question- compromised.
-
DevEtoPt able because they Fig.2c shows that one solution is the
APPIlrIIAB MN
sense any imbalance use of a separate 'technical ground'
in the current leaving which is used to ground all signal level
GvRteENt
and returning. This is equipment, while the ordinary stuff like
Ir particularly useful in lights, photocopiers and air conditioners
Tt: C F WI Cltt-t. the case of electric use a 'dirty ground' for safety.
eARTH tools such as mowers There are a number of flaws in the
and saws which could technical ground approach. Fig.2d shows
FIg.2d: At the dirty outlet cut their own cable that Dirk Dogbrain has brought his DAT
and sever the earth conductor. In service machine in and plugged the power cord
bays the danger of shock can he into a dirty outlet, Ele then connects the
MAIh LaceCullkEr4T audio output from the DAT machine to
reduced by running equipment under
test from an isolating transformer with a the input of a device on the technical
Floating secondary. earth which is now no longer a technical
In audio and video installations earth- earth. In TV stations and recording stu-
ing is often used to minimise interfer- dios with constant removal of old equip-
ence picked up by signal wires. The ment and installation of new, the chances
t slightly suspect theory holds that if a of the technical earth being free of such
metal case or conduit is securely earthed violations is almost nil.
its voltage cannot change and signals Fig.2e shows that the connection of a
cannot he induced in the signal wire. signal cable between two units on the
Unfortunately this is only true if there is same earth system produces a current
no current flowing in the metal. This can loop. Alternating magnetic fields from
only he achieved if the earthing system AC powered equipment produce loop
is arranged as a perfect radial or star currents which cause potential differ-
arrangement as shown in Fig.2a. ences between different parts of the
Fig.2e: A signal cable connection produces a current loop ground. In balanced systems the ground
Fig.2h shows that if a device on the
sage eo
Vertriebsgesellschaft für professionelle Audiotechnik
25.25 32 Bahnhofstra 3.., D-79843 LOFFINGEN Tel. +49 (0)7654 9104-0 Fax 7073
Valentinstraße 43 D -96103 HALLSTADT Tel. +49 (01951 9 72 Fax

currents do not flow in the signal sensitive and valve equipment is vir-
lines and the common mode rejec- tually bomb proof.
tion eliminates the hum. Equipment is at its most sensitive
In unbalanced systems these add when it is opened for maintenance,
to the signal voltage causing hum perhaps to put a new plug-in into a
and noise. Consequently consumer PC backplane. Fig.3a shows Dirk
products are virtually unuseahle in Dogbrain holding the new card. He
professional environments where took it out of its static protection in
loop currents are unavoidable. In the office next door and walked
fact. given the dynamic range of CDs across the synthetic carpet and
it is questionable whether unbal- charged himself and the card up to
anced audio is good enough for zillions of volts. He carefully lowers
high- quality domestic installations. the card into the PC and discharges
One very sad fact is that there is himself into the earthed PC. The cur-
no such thing as an RF ground. irre- rent pulse flows via the new card and
spective of the exotic materials Dirk wonders why it doesn't work.
which are sometimes suggested. Fig.3h shows how to do it prop-
Fig.3a: Dirk Dogbrain on the carpet
Once the length of a ground lead erly. Bring the card to the machine
reaches a significant part of the in its container. Ground yourself to
wavelength of an applied RF signal, the machine by touching metal.
potential differences appear along it. Repeat this every few seconds.
Even a straight bus bar has induc- While at the same potential as the
tance and as frequency rises the machine, unpack the card. While
impedance rises with it. is that pipe holding the metal frame of the
a length of conduit or a waveguide? machine with one hand, insert the
Static electricity is not generally card with the other. Your body
harmful to life, although if you work forms a safe slow discharge path for
with explosives or fuel tankers you any static on the card, ensuring that
might not agree. Static can definitely it has the same potential as the
harm electronic components and machine. Properly equipped service
static awareness is becoming hays have conductive worktops and
increasingly important as modern technicians wear a wrist strap which
high- density logic chips are made connects to earth. The earth lead
with thinner tracks which cannot contains a few megOhms which
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a strike. Analogue equipment is less Fig.3b: Dirk Dogbrain prepares to discharge
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Riding the wave and El)l. functions. The requirements of sim-
plicity and st)phisticalion could he seen as
mutually incompatible. hut the circle can he
squared. The starting point is the Ili \I -
\liirosoft \\:1 \' file htrnìat -the most minimal-
ist :uttli) file format. There isn't an \l -\I PC or
History is likely to cast the present problems with nonlinear workstation in the land that cant handle a
\\'.A\ file--even nu,st Mac systems ian handle
digital audio file interchange as an embarrassing oversight
a \\.\\ hie une way or another.
-in the meantime, however, it remains a major stumbling block. \\A\ is tu iuntpttter audio what ASCII text
is to word- processing-the tale t))rt» :It that
Tim Frost investigates the FilmWav opportunity. Its time to chunk
will deliver the message intact. even nigh all
TIII: iNTROUI CTIU\ of computer -based hut no\y twee like'V to emerge as the 'Film the trills are missing.
audio :cul video systems has readily lent Chunk of l3 \\ F. This will he nu ire useful to the \\:1\ files are reasonably open- ended as
itself tu the proliferation of non-compati- filet and i\ users as it attaches more useful far as audio standards are concerned. It
ble storage formats. You only have tu u,k tol r tools and data to the audio tile. encompasses audio in the foret of POI
\tord processors. datalvses. and image files \\e are looking at Snillething that Will start recordings any hit and sampling rate you
t
for proof: every developer introduces a spe- incredibly simple and g) up to something chouset ;tttd \IPEG autlic for the broadcast -
cific method of storing the saune type of inti,r-
m fion- because it ian.
The situation is no more new than neces-
that could he object oriented like O \IF.
notes lunge.
Nonlinear audio with its intimate links with
ers- ,tread\ essential in radio :cul becoming
more important in T \.
\\.\\ sleets the '(G' word rule in that it ian
tig
sarily pmhlentalii -it
is not [1 problem when \lily() and film editing. requires a different set be imported. played ur generated on any com-
files are confined Io a single system. but il can of interchange solutions to those used t)rr lin- puter-based recording system. no !tatter lit \w
he terminal when interchanging files hit\\ein ear recording of complete music tracks. In lin-
systems.: \nd it becomes an important issue ear audio. D.\' is a formalised standard for
with workstations and retordres offering a digital mono anil stereo. anti the I):\ -88 a de
Nonlinear Audio
range of storage systems that are incompatible fill-to standard for ti- track -these both fit withl Itti intimate
both physically and as the formats. lomge's ( word rule of interchange. Both
Plans are now afoot to rationalise the situa- ian. and are. used to transport audio from
links with video and
tion torr a siaLthle audio interchange format \workstations, hut. being real -time ti,rticts. him editing, requires
such than any and even \yurkstati in and non- they hardly work in the spirit of the nonlinear
linear recorder manufacturer will be able to pmduition \world. \\2,rkstatiuns encompass a different set of
understand in making interchange certain. video. they are not linear audio -only systctts. interchange solutions to
\ lark longe of sSI. sums up the essence of and here lies the stain problem. Fear a t) rnmat
\ yh it is ai issue: lt Must he a format that is to he interchangeable in the nonlinear audio those used for linear
good enough to tarn the °G" word-guaran-
teed interchange. [Mess you can guarantee
world it host by plaVahie It anything recording of complete
upwards free a hunts nntitintetlia p(:. which
interchange with even possible type tif work- means absolute simplicity. But that absolute IIIUSIC tracks
station titer you haven't reached the level we simplicity does nut aid the pn,tiuition process
were :it with -inch tape. The test is tu create
.
further down the line if the file is an element sophisticated or it)\\ Io\\iy. But \\'1 \ \' falls
an interchange format such that someone of a film ur Tv production hying Treated in a down on what else itoffers to the broadcaster
receiving it will he guaranteed tu play it.' room hill of :1\ id systems. Broadcasters need nr eclitor- \\ hich is virtually nothing.
The first step towards a workable nonlinear to he ahoy to read the file and also keep track S:1&\ 's Ted I Layton. another player in 13\\T
interchange standard \w as set in \oventlxr of its origins. the time -rode references and and Filet chunks tle\elupnxnt. notes that the
when the FBI agreed on the Broadcast \\;rye check what processing has been :ippliitl to the \\: \\ file contains more than audio: 'Everything
Format. li \\T goes some way tu sole the file over time. is :trrangccl in chunks of information. There
more basil requirements for a standardised The film and TV industry guys further. really are essentially t\yu chunks. the audio chunk
file. Front the principles behind B \\T is emerg- needing a file structure that supports Lull time and a little tait chunk. that tells you the s:un-
ing a further option initially lhetl I ilm \\;t\.
I iode implementati(n. multiple audio channels ple rate :mil su on. The beauty of the \\:\\ the
structure is that you can tag on other chunks
of data to that file. If your system conies across
some chunks that it doesn't need or doesn't
understand. then it i)nlpletel) ignores it and
just gets on with playing the audio.
.1u a file can have the audio. the \C:1\ tail
chunk. ;i li \\ F chunk and a Filet chunk and it
will play on any machine that ian read the
hasii \C. \V file.'
[sing this tiecdont to add inlitrntation to
the fait chunk. the FBI committee has stan-
d;rdisyd a B \\ F chunk to add to the start of
the file. Cutting from the broadcast produc-
tion \world the additi,ntal information contains
specifically hruadiast origination data the sort
of things that let the broadcaster track and
identity the tile.
I hill ntt\w. the ooh interchange format is
\
1):1T but \\:1 is ;t real blessing. notes :1 :eons
Frederic \l calm. another of Ii \\ P's pioneers.
Even it you have no ticyss to li \\ F chunks on
your computer. you still have access to the
data chunk su \ou ian hear the snood. YOU
nt;ty not have the additional ittfi,rnt:tion. hue
you du have usable audio.
Ile :Its) points out one of the page 102 >
Audio: PCM open-ended bit /sample
Tate, or MPEG audio
oadcast Audio Extension Chunk

Den "" on iësc s e e
Originator, OriganatorReference The
name of the file's originator, and a
unique an unambiguous reference co
Origination Date, Time: Original date
and time of creation of the file
Time Reference: Time -code reference
Version: Which BWF version
Reserved: For future use
Coding history: For coding history of the
file including which PCM and MPEG
codings have been applied.
1
But even basic DAW-picture editing
requires more than this -summed up as the
EDL function that presents a range of start,
stop and fade positions. offsets and track
numbering.
The first option is to extend the data chunk
in the WAV file to include specific source ID
information necessary for the film postpro-
< page 101 other key details that must he form of information. puts it out of the league duction- Keykode. location time code and
taken into consideration when developing a for smaller systems and users with simple other film specific' data.
universal format-the need to make it easy for needs. 'ONIF is a lot of overhead if you only Then the really useful addition to the idea
the smaller software and hardware developers want a simple job done and quite a lot of is to add an entirely separate file that contains
to generate files in the chosen format, as well what we see out there requires just a simple EDL -type data. The workstation looks at the
as read it. job of work,. notes Yonge. EDL file first which tells it which of a collec-
With Broadcast Wave it is very easy for The B \VT chunk was defined by an EBU tion of BWF files are required, and how to
semi -pro developers to add the broadcast committee focused on broadcast production order them within the project.
and the information is mainly entered when The edit points are referenced to sample
the file is first created. BWF delivers informa- numbers so that its accuracy matches the res-
As you go down tion about who originated it and when, and olution of the audio file and can be con-
the less professional gives the file a working name and an unam- stantly updated while leaving a trail of history
biguous title to uniquely identify it. The only behind it.
systems, it also becomes updateable element is the coding history sec- The main pressure is to get bald BWF
less and less likely that tion. This can keep the user updated to what accepted first as a real interchange format.
trans -coding has been applied to the file When that is sorted, the EDL file system
developers will have -important in radio where files maybe sent should develop in stages. The first proposal is
the time, knowledge or digitally clown phone -lines CCITT -coded, to add 'simple' EDL file, the sort of informa-
stored and edited on MiniDisc ATRAC, and tion that would appear in scratch autocon-
inclination to add OMF sent to the transmitter over an MPEG link. forms at the end of the telecine page 104 >
chunk. So even if you don't use all the facili-

ties, you have time code so you can make
notes. Now that is the beauty of this system
and that is why we were happy to embark on
the WAV' rather than OMF.'
OMF users may he bristling at this point,
but BWF is not in competition with OMF.
Indeed \V'AV and B\VT files can now he read
under the OMF shell and building an ONIF
project using B\VF files is relatively straight-
forward. But for a journalist preparing a mono
report on a portable digital unit and phoning
it over an ISDN line just minutes before trans-
mission, OMF may seem a rather heavy -
handed approach to file interchange.
As you go down the less professional sys-
tems. it also becomes less and less likely that
developers will have the tinte, knowledge or
inclination to add OMF. Admittedly there are
OMF tool -hoxes for hoth the PC and the Mac
to make it more accessible to system devel-
opers. But the complexity of programming
and the file overheads that are involved with
a format that can cope with just about any

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In 1996, PLASA exhibitors (including 187 sound companies)

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Book now phone +44 (0) 171 370 8229
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Advertiser's
Index
A &F McKAY AUDIO 62
AMEK 31, 68
AMS NEVE IFC
APHEX SYSTEMS OBC
AUDIO LTD 60
AUDIO TECHNICA 20
BEHRINGER 22, 43
BEYERDYNAMIC 73
BOURNEMOUTH UNIVERSITY 84
BRAUNER 56
BSS AUDIO 44
D & R ELECTRONICA 7
DANISH PRO AUDIO 12, 78
DBX 46
77 < page 102 process. This includes source handed over to the EBC committee before
DRAWMER
clip identity, tags to master time-lines and NIH cut in.
EVI 71 define simple cut points. The EDL proposal. cones out of contri-
FAIRLIGHT 35 The second stage will he to attach most of butions. (some focused purely on simple
GENELEC 97 the other EDL data- crossfades. pans. gains. BWF) by people at SA&V. SSL, Pyr mix,
and so on. This is the key to interchanging Digigram. Cedar. Avid, 9ó1S Neve. Light-
GHIELMETTI 86
finished product for film, TV. radio and works and Aaton among others. Now a
HAND HELD AUDIO 56 music. Also. since it locks all the references general development route has been out-
HHB .. 29, 47, 49, 51, 53, 59, 78 to individual audio samples, this form of lined, it has been handed over to the AES
IBC 87 EDL information becomes independent of working group that will steer it through to
INNOVASON 99 specific time code frame- rates. completion as a standard. taking input from.
The logical extension is a move to an anyone and everyone. 'What we need to
JOEMEEK 83 look at is the anonymous approach where
object-orientated format, although this may
JUNGER AUDIO 48 be considered it little more contentious. everyone with an interest can contribute,
LUNGAARD 18 and not let it he considered as the proposal
82 of any one company.' says Hayton. rapidly
LYDKRAFT
MACKIE DESIGN 107
The audio industry distancing himself front company -based
much more
is activity nosy that the AES is going to further
MEYER SOUND 13 develop the format.
MICROTECH GEFELL 67 international than The trouble is when just one manufac-
turer puts it forward it looks just like a hit of
MJQ 50 broadcast, as is the marketing and .then it doesn't take off. No-
NEATO 86 film industry, so one wants to Shanghai the Film chunk. so
NEOTEK 76 now there is some momentum we are hand-
ORAM 85 through these routes ing it over to the AES standards committee
PLASA 103 we hope to tunnel into and let them drive it forward.' The end result
should he a continuum of file extensions.
PUK STUDIOS 100 the TV world. We The core part of the file -the audio-can he
RAYCOM 57 are certainly looking at created and read by any. and every. nonlin-
RICHMOND FILM SERVICES 84 ear system, while the fact chunks will give
ROLAND 105
linking with the AES' increasing amounts of functionality and
SD SYSTEMS 41 -John Emmett tightly focus on equipment or activity.
Submitting the plans to the AES is a final
SENNHEISER 37 interesting more. as it should enable the
SOUND INC 48 stepping a fine line between BWF and OMF. standard to bridge the Atlantic. BWF is an
SPECTRAL/EUPHONIX 24 Some involved in the development of EBU, therefore a European, standard, hut
B \V"F view an object -oriented BWF some- according to John Emmett who represents
SSL 4, 5
time in the future taking the AX'-AV file ton far. the t1K Independent Broadcasters on the
STAGETEC 98 making the format too complex. especially EBLL committee there are plans to co -ordi-
STUDER 21 when OMF offers similar functionality and is nate the work by the EBit and AES on this
TASCAM 33 already in place as a working .standard. audio format.
It is important to the EDL file instigators The audio industry is much more inter-
TDK 39
that they hand the idea over to an industry national than broadcast. as is the film indus-
THAT CORP 26 body before it struts suffering front NIH- try, so through these routes we hope to
TL AUDIO 25 the not-invented -here syndrome. As soon as tunnel into the TV world. \Ve are certainly
TRANTEC SYSTEMS 63 one company proposes a standard. others looking at linking with the AES, he says.
refuse to have anything to do with it for var- .We expect to have some framework in
WHIRL WIND 106
ious valid. and not so valid, reasons. The place that will have WE at the bottom
YAMAHA 8, 9 key to BWF's success was that, it was going up to ONIF at the top.'

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o Don't blame the machine
Studio Sound's critical listening test challenged the folklore surrounding the performance
of MDMs. Philip Newell highlights one area that defeats many of their users
Ifeatly enjoyed reading the 'All Ears' article equals rubbish out, This o not necessarily the case. High qual-
in Studio Sound (April 1997). In an industry Two other aspects of the project world also ity. sonically neutral. balanced, high -level
Where fact and myth are now so blurred, can blight the less expensive equipment. input and output stages are not cheap things
carefully constructed presentations such as Firstly, people of lesser levels of training and- to make. When every possible cent is being
the above are needed, perhaps more than cut from the manufacturing price of a piece of
ever. That issue of the magazine will give me project studio equipment, placing too much
a useful weapon (when rolled up) with which They are blaming the confidence in the superiority of the high -level
to hit both my clients, and their clients alike. connections can be foolhardy. In many cases,
recorders for the sound the simpler, unbalanced, -10dBv connections
when they spout off. as they all too frequently
do, about how DA -88s are vastly superior in of the entire audio chain. are of greater sonic purity.
sound to ADATs, or vice -versa, or that they Secondly-and this point was made a cou-
are both rubbish when compared to a Sony The reality is that very few ple of years ago in an article which I wrote
33-8. or whatever else is in vogue in their with John \V'atkinson-you will only get opti-
people make recordings on mal quality from a digital recording system if
own part of the world.
The results of the test really didn't surprise ADATs using sets of $2,000 the peak level is at a maximum, just before
me 'as I have used most of the systems myself. the onset of 'distortion'. To achieve this via
and have never found them to he sufficiently
microphones, FM Acoustics the +4dBv inputs of an ADAT, which registers
-18dBv for a +4dBv input, means that a huge
different in their sonic character for me to Class -Amp mic amplifiers, and +22dBv needs to be sent from (and will
unduly worry about. A few years ago. macle
1
a live recording for CD and T\' using a pair of listen through top quality return to) the mixing console, or mic amps.
ADATs. the mic amp section of a Mackie 1604 This may well he okay if you're using your
(how Mackie achieve the sound quality and
monitor systems ADAT with a Neve. SSL, Focusrite, or similar
output capability for the price, still astounds console. hut many mixing desks aimed at the
me), and a set of Schoeps microphones. The or education about the recording process project market are beginning to strain their
subject matter of the recordings was a beauti- often tend to believe that balanced. +4dBm sonic purity (if they ever had any) when
ful pair of Steinway concert grand pianos. and inputs and Outputs are 'professional' so must working at these levels.
two excellent pianists. I am still veer pleased sound better than the 'domestic' -10dBv For the above reasons. if I must make
with the sound of the end result and from inputs and outputs. recording with ADATs, or similar systems,
I invariably use the -10dBv inputs and outputs
what know of the 3324A and 33245. I would
I
say that there was no lack of quality, per se. of the mixing console. This way. the signal
from the ADATs. enters and leaves the machine via simpler cir-
So why are there so many people going cuitry, and +4dB from the desk will pro-
around saving that certain digital vide a recording level about 4dB
recording systems are poor-the below overload. This is certainly
type of comment that is typically healthier for the analogue cir-
rife in the project -studio end of cuitry of most mixing desks.
the industry? On playback, the desk
I believe that almost all metering will also read
of these nonsensical com- sensible levels. Why so
ments are because they many manufactures of
are blaming the digital machines do
recorders for the not fit input and out-
sound of the entire put level controls still
audio chain. The puzzles me. The
reality is that very machines could then
fey people make be used as unity
recordings on ADATs gain devices, oper-
(relative to the size ting at their opti-
Of the ADAT market, mum digital level,
that is) using sets of vyith whatever line
$2,000 microphones. level was chosen,
FM Acoustics Class - and so many of the
Amp mic amplifiers. recording nonsenses
and listen through top could thus be avoided.
INT MIC
Anyhow, the upshot
quality monitor systems.
The truth is that the more
SOURCE
.20dE, TONE
VOLTAGE
SPEAKER
FIN 2 VOLUME
STEREO ^ of this is not to blame
the machine tl r the poor
professionally-orientated OFF
machines (the appearance of quality of sound, which is

-50d8 INT
the word professional on the MIC probably due to associated
front of the machine often indi- equipment and -or uneducated
cates that it isn't) are more frequently interfacing. Perhaps, however, some
used with better quality recording chains of the manufacturers could he blamed
than the project studio- orientated varieties. s. leading so many of the unenlightened
As with the old computer adage. rubbish in down some distinctly slippery slopes.

Phantom Power I P,1,.7-9111MIAT LL1AüLLI 1,c=#èiVI4LL 6 i 15if16 wNIÜ Milli MIME.
switch 6 LED.
DC phantom
power is supplied
separately to each
mono channel.
- Trim Control.
-20dB to 40dB line NOW SHIPPING: THE WORLD'S BEST
gain, 0dB (Unity) to 60dB
--
mic gain. (Mono chs.)
Polarity switch.
LARGE-FORMAT CONSOLE VALUE.
- Aux sands -4 level controls
1
6 pre /post switch. Separate MACKIE'S SR40.8 FOR LIVE SOUND

level controls for each Aux.
Pre /post switch for Auxes -4
selects pre- fader /pre -EQ or
1
AND SOUND RECORDING.

post- fader /post -EQ operation.
- Aux sends 5-8 level c-ùils
6 pre /post switch. Again.
separate level controls for each of Never before has so much /L-R, talkback level
5- 8 /Ext.
Auxes 5-8. Different, though, is the 4 extra stereo line channel
been so affordable. strips for aux returns, which control, solo level control,
pre/post switch. On Auxes 5 -8. you
can select pre- fader /post -EQ or include: 4 -band equalization with program level control, talk button.
Using the automated recessed phones jack (there's one
post- fader/post-EQ. 12kHz Hi shelving EQ, 3.5kHz Hi Mid
- 12kHz HI Shelving ED. ±15dB manufacturing processes EQ, 800Hz Lo Mid EQ and 80Hz Lo
on the rear panel. too), and 400
Hz /pink noise source with
of boost /cut. shelving EQ, plus 150Hz fixed low
and design expertise that separate level control (uses
r HI Mid ED. Sweepable from
- cut (high pass) filter at 18dB/
500Hz to 15kHz, with a 1.5 octave established our 8Bus and octave, low cut in /out switch,
talkback routing switches).
bandwidth. Separate controls for other features same as mono All inputs S outputs fully
±15dB boost /cut and frequency.
SR Series, we've created a
channels. balanced (except RCA tape inputs
(Fixed at 3kHz on stereo aux
no- compromise, 40x8x3 & outputs).
return channels) 13 submix section bus strips
La Mid ED. Sweepable from large- format live sound feature 100mm log -taper faders. Each channel has rear panel
45Hz to 3kHz, with generous 1.5 "Air" EQ controls, center & L -R XLR mic & TRS line in jacks, insert
console that's equally with separate send & return
octave bandwidth. Separate assign switches, pan controls,
controls for ±15dB boost /cut suited for sound recording. mute & solo switches with LEDs. (balanced), & direct out.
and frequency
center. (Fixed at
800Hz on
stereo aux
return
chs.) x11-111-#ti
Trxrss_
l-1_I!
_1 _
VI 11-1-1-111-4-fl
1
1_1_1111
.1 1 1 1 11 l
1 1P -\\
r=
"- _ .. .. , , . .,
-- _ _ _ - "-` . ,. Á `' '
'
Conter-mounted master Flip switch for stage monitor Built -in Clear-Cam'
80Hz La Shelving ED. ±15dB applications exchanges the master compatible interface: ties the
section includes fader link L/R
of boost/cut.
switch, center master fader, control of any selected aux send SR40.8 into any Clear -Corn party -
ED In switch.
tl
center solo + LED, L &R /L -R master with the corresponding subgroup line intercom system, with ground
L-
Low Cut Filter. Sweepable from level faders, L &R solo switches + fader and routes the aux send to isolation, ignore switch, call button
30Hz to 800Hz, 12dB/octave. LED indicators. the sub insert jacks, slide master + LED, and a trick or two that even
L (Fixed at 150Hz on stereo aux
Independent L/R /Center bus fader, "Air" EQ, and balanced Clear -Corn doesn't have.
return channels.)
- Constant-loudness Pen
control. For consistent signal
assignment.
fin-board snapshot group
output connectors.
UltraMute section has 99
Rear panel includes RS232 data
port & MIDI In and Out jacks. as
level across the stereo muting with external computer mute groups and 99 snapshots well as an exhaustive list of
panorama, whether it's cranked
control capabilities. capability, mute select switch + balanced inputs, outputs,
hard left, right, or center. LED indicators, Store /Preview/ throughputs and shotputs.
12x4 matrix mixer w /Center,
L Mute button end LED. Mutes Snapshot /Clear /Do It switches + External 400 -watt power
channel and all aux sends. LED L &Rinput controls, matrix mute
LEDs, 10 -unit snapshot indicator, supply with redundant power
lights when channel's in mute, button + LED, matrix master level
1 group indicator, Mode /Up /Down capability.
I as well as when it's being muted control, and matrix solo + LED.
switches.
or previewed by Ultra Mute.
40 (or 56) mono channel 4 -pin XLR lamp sockets and
L- Suhmix -B assign switches.
Talkhack section includes dimmer.
1
strips with Mackie's renowned talkback mic input (phantom
Assign a channel to any or all of
high- headroom /low -noise discrete
the -2, 3 -4, 5-6 and 7 -8 submixes.
1 powered). assign switches for
mic preamps, polarity switches &
L-R 6 Center assign switches. Matrices A-B-C-D/Aux -4 /Aux
1
sweepable 30 -800Hz low cut (high

Ditto for L-R and Center mixes.
pass) filters at 12dB /octave.
L100mm log -taper channel
feller. New logarithmic faders
provide consistent fades
throughout their travel, and
feature a dust -shielded super
smooth design.
Solo buttes and LED.
Woodinville WA USA t.206/487

01996 Mackie Designs Inc. All rights reserved. E-mailtL7 selesPntackde.cam
II 1=1111.1MI
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JBK
Tel: (33-1) 44-54-50 -03
Fax: (33 -1) 44- 54 -50 -08
Germany
AKG Acoustics GMBH
Tel: (49-89) 87-16 -132
Fax: (49 -89) 87 -16 -200
Greece
Omikron S.A.
Tel: (30-1) 33- 020 -95
Fax: (30-1) 38- 367 -61
Holland
TM Audio
Tel: (31 -30) 241 -40-70
Fax: (31 -30) 241 -00 -02
Hungary
ATEO
Tel: (36-27) 342 -595
Fax: (36-27) 342-657
Italy
Audio Equipment SRL
Tel: (39) 39-21222-1
Fax: (39) 39-214-0011
Latvija
Audio AE
Tel: (371 -2) 296 -828
Fax: (371.2)882 -1127
Lebanon
Eltek
Tel: (961-1) 265-048
Fax: (961 -1) 883 -782
Norway
J c II in a while a
product comes along that is so unique, so powerful, that it
ILce
Audiotron
Tel: (47 -22) 35 -20-96
Fax: (47-22) 38-41 -28
Poland
Europe Sound System
Tel: (48 -22) 751 -8487
changes the way we look at things. Fax: (48 -39) 12 -1239
Portugal
Garrett Musica
Tel: (351 -1) 356 -3674
Such a product is the Aphex 661 Compressor Limiter- creating a new standard Fax: (351 -1) 357 -7983
Russia
by combining four Aphex inventions. A skillfully engineered instrument of unprecedented flex- MS -Max
Tel: (7 -095) 249 -8074
ibility, ease of use and sonic excellence. Fax: (7- 095) 249 -8034
Slovenia
Tubessence ® - true vacuum tube technology and warmth; High Frequency Expander (HFX)TM for MTD
Tel: (386-61) 317-830
automatically retaining the high frequencies lost during compression; Easyrider® circuitry for an Auto Fax: (386 -61) 320 -670
Spain
mode that really works; and the world's best VCA - the Aphex 1001, the fastest, most accurate and trans- Lexon
Tel: (34-3) 203 -4804
Fax: (34-3) 280-4029
parent available.
Switzerland
Audio Tech KST AG
The Aphex Model 661 - another revolutionary step toward improving the way the world sounds. Tel: (41-61) 461-0900
Fax: (41 -61) 461 -0931
¡ Improving the way the world sounds sm United Kingdom

Stirling Audio
Tel: (44-171) 624-6000
Fax: (44-171) 372-6370
11068 Randall Street, Sun Valley, CA 91352 U.S.A
Y T . Tel: 818 -767 -2929 Fax: 818 -767 -2641 http: //www.aphexsys.com
INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTORS
Africa Australia
Egypt Mexico Indonesia Korea Singapore Brazil Guatemala Australia
Alpha Audio Audioacustica Y Electronica PT. Multi Audio Perkasa Dai Kyung Electr. Trade Auvi Private Ltd. S.G. International Ingenieria Representaciones East Coast Audio/
Tel: (202) 245 -6199 Tel: (52 -5) 669 -4879 Tel: (62-21) 629 -6009 Tel: (82-2) 747-6187 Tel: (65) 283 -2544 Tel: (55-1) 9236 -0450 Tel: (502 -2) 530 -734 Broadcast Technology
Fax: (202) 247 -8969 Fax: (52-5) 543-6037 Fax: (62-21) 629-8453 Fax: (82 -2) 766-8504 Fax: (65) 289-5963 Fax: (55-1) 9236-8997 Fax: (502-2) 530-956 Tel: (613) 9428 -9797
South Africa Fax: (613) 9427 -9898
That Other Music Store
Asia Israel
R.B.X.Intemational
Malaysia
Auvi Private Ltd.
Taiwan Chile
Audiomusica S. A.
Panama
Advancetek Distribuidora Musical S.A. New Zealand
Tel: (27-11) 403 -4105 China Tel: (972 -3) 629 -8251 Tel: (65) 283 -2544 Tel: (886 -2) 719 -2388 Tel: (56-2) 633 -8062 Tel: (507) 223 -0292 Tetequipment
Fax: (27 -11) 403 -1234 Ace Fax: (972-3) 629-6452 Fax: (65) 289-5963 Fax: (886 -2) 716 -0043 Fax: (56 -2) 638 -2765 Fax: (507) 263 -5142 Tel: (64-4) 384-1927
Tel: (852) 2424 -0387
Fax: (64-4) 385-9892
N. America Fax: (852) 2424 -0788 Japan Philippines
Audiophile
Thailand Colombia Peru
(PRO Products) Kamol Sukosol Electric Co. Digital Link Andina Ltda. Pro Show
Canada Hong Kong Tel: (63 -2) 524-3522 Tel: (66 -2) 226 -2299 Tel: (57-1) 218-8425 Tel: (305) 888 -9630
Erikson Pro Audio Ace
Otaritec Corporation
Tel: (81 -3) 3332 -3211 Fax: (63 -2) 524 -1965 Fax: (66-2) 225-3173 Fax: (506) 218 -2887 Fax: (305) 888-9513
Tel: (514) 738 -3000 Tel: (852) 2424-0387
Fax: (81-3) 3332-3214 Costa Rica
Fax: (514) 737 -5069 Fax: (852) 2424-0788
(M.I Products)
Saudi Arabia
Halwani Audio
S. America Inresa De Costa Rica
Venezuela
Audio Concepts
India Korg Corporation Tel: (966 -2) 669 -1252 Argentina Tel: (506) 283 -5286 Tel: (582) 237 -7952
Swee Lee AG Electronics S.A.
Tel: (81 -3) 3 3323-5242 Fax: (966-2) 669-1252 Fax: (506) 283 -4596 Fax: (582) 237 -9480
Tel: (65) 748-7802 Tel: (541) 636 -1530
Fax: (81 -3) 3 3323-5945
Fax: (65) 748 -7036 Fax: (541) 583 -7573

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