Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
com
January 2016
FEATURE
FINAL CUT
REVIEW
06/01/2016 17:05
In creating the X Series, we brought all of the experience gained in designing the K2 to bear on a new series of reference coaxials.
Optimized design, ergonomics, acoustical performance and weight make the X Series the most advanced coaxials on the market. Four
distinct enclosures with format, bandwidth, SPL and coverage angles perfectly adapted to short throw rental or install applications, the
X Series offers studio monitor sound quality, compact design, consistent tonal balance, no minimum listening distance and exceptional
feedback rejection. www.l-acoustics.com
Advertising_X12_220x290_PSNE.indd
1
new
tvbe template remade.indd 1
13/11/2015 15:54:55
09:55:49
24/11/2015
WELCOME
www.audiomediainternational.com
EDITOR
Adam Savage
asavage@nbmedia.com
RARING TO GO
MANAGING EDITOR
Jo Ruddock
jruddock@nbmedia.com
STAFF WRITER
Colby Ramsey
cramsey@nbmedia.com
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Ryan ODonnell
rodonnell@nbmedia.com
ACCOUNT MANAGER
Rian Zoll-Khan
rzoll-khan@nbmedia.com
HEAD OF DESIGN
Jat Garcha
jgarcha@nbmedia.com
DESIGNER
Tom Carpenter
tcarpenter@nbmedia.com
Lonnie Bedell
is the owner of
AVLifesavers, a
manufacturer of
specialised gadgets
for the live sound
industry.
Oliver Sahm
is director of
marketing application
design at Bosch
Security Systems.
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Warren Kelly
wkelly@nbmedia.com
CONTENT DIRECTOR
James McKeown
jmckeown@nbmedia.com
Press releases to:
ukpressreleases@nbmedia.com
NewBay Media 2016.
No part of this publication may be
reproduced in any form or by any
means without prior permission of
the copyright owners.
Audio Media International is published
by NewBay Media, 1st Floor, Suncourt
House, 18-26 Essex Road, London
N1 8LN, England.
Editorial tel: +44 (0)20 7354 6002
Sales tel: +44 (0)20 7354 6000
Ganesh Singaram
has been engineering
and producing records
for ten years, having
moved to London from
Sydney, Australia. He
has spent time as an
in-house/freelance
engineer, tutor and
studio owner, working
with artists such as
Pharrell Williams and
Kanye West.
Brad Watts
has been a freelance
writer for numerous
audio magazines, has
mastered and mixed
various bands, and
was deputy editor
of AudioTechnology
in Australia. He is
now digital content
manager for Content
and Technology.
Adam Savage
Editor
Audio Media International
January 2016
06/01/2016 17:09
CONTENTS
PRODUCT NEWS
PEOPLE
10
OPINION
Jerry Ibbotson mulls over what would make the
perfect piece of radio gear
12
42
INTERVIEW
Colby Ramsey talks to engineer Drew Bang about
his MPG nomination, the allure of Strongroom
and what 2016 has in store for him
www.audiomediainternational.com
23
FEATURES
14
18
INSTALLED SOUND:
David Davies assesses the situation in four
key sectors of the commercial install market
23
FINAL CUT:
Instead of an action-packed feast for the senses,
Room provides a unique opportunity to tell a
story using sound. We catch up with the
team responsible
27
STUDIO PROFILE:
Adam Savage takes a trip to Essex to visit
a recently opened Foley studio
TECHNOLOGY
30
42
ALSO INSIDE
NAMM PREVIEW:
We look at whats set to be hot in California
HOW TO
Lonnie Bedell of AVLifesavers offers his top tips
for dealing with people not used to working with
a sound guy
32
REVIEWS
32
34
36
38
40
January 2016
13/01/2016 10:00
F1_evo_AMI_fullpage.pdf
06/07/2015
16:12
CM
MY
CY
CMY
02/12/2015 15:02:28
PRODUCT NEWS
www.audiomediainternational.com
January 2016
06/01/2016 14:58
PRODUCT NEWS
DU: 05.12.2015
Frankfurt am Main
7 10. 4. 2016
Its my tune.
January 2016
GB
06/01/2016 14:58
www.audiomediainternational.com
Information
This years NAMM Show once again promises a global gathering of musical tribes, as
well as a number of new developments.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
s many of us finish
recovering from our
respective festive
blowouts, preparations
for NAMMs annual
winter trade show are well under way.
Visitors have had plenty of time to
prepare for their trip to California
on 21-24 January due to the earlier
registration opening, and NAMM 2016
is gearing up to be the biggest and
most dynamic show to date.
On arrival at the Anaheim
Convention Center this year,
attendees will notice some
construction work as part of a project
to expand the venue. The fruits of this
labour will be visible at the January
2018 NAMM Show.
Back to this year and, in addition
to welcoming companies from over
100 countries and territories eager to
showcase their latest products and
technology, attendees can once again
expect to see a number of special
events, educational sessions and
endless live music, as well as over
5,000 pro-audio and MI brands.
TEC Tracks, which debuted at
Summer NAMM 2015, replaces The
H.O.T Zone on the second floor of
the Convention Center. TEC Tracks
promises masterclasses, live
interviews and panel discussions on
8
ON THE SHOWFLOOR
JBL Professional is showcasing
the EON618S, an 18in, 1,000W
powered subwoofer that promises
to meet the demands of todays
musicians and sound providers in
the areas of flexibility, portability
and ease of use. Weighing in at 78
pounds, the subs design maximises
cabinet volume while maintaining
a highly transportable form
factor. DSP parameters, including
presets for EON600, EON200 and
other manufacturers full-range
loudspeakers can be controlled via a
Bluetooth app for iOS and Android,
while selectable crossover presets
are available through the EON
Connect app.
Crown Audio is bringing along its
XLS DriveCore 2 Series two-channel
power amps to the show. These now
offer a bandpass filter on each channel
in addition to the previous low and
high pass filters to achieve what the
company describes as, more precise
DSP crossover tuning, loudspeaker
matching and system EQ capability.
Radial Engineering will debut two
of its products at NAMM 2016. The
first is the Shotgun 2x4 Guitar Signal
January 2016
06/01/2016 11:07
28/10/2015 11:09:34
OPINION
www.audiomediainternational.com
JERRY IBBOTSON
The Concept
Lets start with a blank sheet of paper.
What do we want our machine to do? It
must be as comfortable recording as it is
doing live broadcasting. It must be easy
to handle and move about and have a
decent battery life. And it must be easily
upgradeable and highly flexible.
The chassis first. At Silver Command
I was using an iPad with an iRig cable to
hook up an ENG mic and headphones. But
moving about with the iPad is a faff, both
from its shape and the long cable length. I
always feel like Mr Bean, struggling not
to drop everything.
Conversely, I love the R-26 because of
its half brick shape. Its easy to hold, even
if Roland is ridiculously parsimonious
in making you pay extra for a strap.
Really, Roland? Really?? So Id begin with
something this shape but with a shoulder
strap thrown in. (Bitter? Moi?)
Inputs next. I want two XLRs for audio
in and a dedicated headphone jack with
its own volume knob. Then a decent
touchscreen that covers as much of the
machines face as possible.
Connectivity? It needs to have a
3G/4G SIM and WiFi as a minimum, with
Bluetooth as a bonus. What happened
with the York floods couldnt have been
January 2016
06/01/2016 14:06
6/17/2015 11:08:45 AM
OPINION
www.audiomediainternational.com
GANESH SINGARAM
Confidence is key
Once a singer finishes the take, get them
pumped for the next one. You have to be
involved in the session, and make sure
that they know you are there every step
of the way.
The first few takes are usually the
artist warming up to the situation being
recorded, figuring you out, getting into
the vibe and so forth but thats not to
say the first take isnt the best. So always
press Record, it is the golden rule!
Another thing you need to remember
is nailing a good headphone mix
the better the mix, the better the
performance. If you give them a mix
they love, feel and vibe to, the better
the performance and emotion you can
capture. Its something thats taken for
granted, but is the main component for
getting the best results. We all need to
be motivated and inspired, so giving
them a killer sound to sing/play to is
always going to bring out the best in
the performance.
For example, if the headphone mix is
too loud for a singer then when they get
to a big section they naturally get louder.
What happens if they are too loud is
they naturally pull back as they are too
loud in the headphone mix. The result is
they come in slightly under in terms of
pitch. When they want to sing louder, it
becomes too loud in the headphones so
January 2016
13/01/2016 10:01
Pioneerproaudio
06/01/2016 17:33:24
06/01/2016 16:33
STATE OF PLAY
As the deleterious shockwaves of the last recession dim into history
and market demands ebb and flow accordingly, competing in the
worlds largest national economy continues to present a number of
challenges for audio companies. Colby Ramsey investigates.
Population:
322 million
14
January 2016
06/01/2016 15:55
www.audiomediainternational.com
Falling budgets
Slow payments
Goverment
legislation
Other
10
Worse
The same
January 2016
15
06/01/2016 15:56
January 2016
06/01/2016 15:56
KARAOKE
A4_creative_20151215.indd 1
06/01/2016
11:47:31
06/01/2016
11:35
15/12/15 5:43 PM
GRANDSTAND
SOUND
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
As 2016 gets underway, AMI decided it was time to take the temperature of the commercial install market, looking at
the current challenges and opportunities in four key segments. David Davies spoke to leading vendors in each to see
how things stand at present and get an idea of their expectations for the year ahead.
January 2016
06/01/2016 11:14
www.audiomediainternational.com
////////////////////////////
But this goes beyond the specification
of suitable speaker systems, which in
L-Acoustics case includes the K2 line
array, with Panflex directivity control,
and the 2015-released X Series coaxial
products that include a reference stage
monitor, a live FOH monitor and coaxial
speakers that can be used in distributed
systems or as fills.
In addition to installing quality,
rider-friendly sound systems, venues
are looking beyond the speakers and
working with acousticians to ensure that
the acoustics of their venue are the best
they can be, says Montrezor. Weve
Sports Stadiums/Arenas
The permanent calendar of major global
sports events such as the Olympics and
the FIFA World Cup, as well as a busy
repeating programme of international
athletics events, has traditionally
19
06/01/2016 11:14
Educational Facilities
In distinct contrast to stadiums, where
budgets are generally substantial and
there is little difficulty scaling a high bar
for audio quality, educational facilities
will often have to contend with very
limited funds. Nonetheless, it is generally
felt that they are increasingly astute
when it comes to the specification of
new systems calling upon specialist
consultants and integrators whenever
possible to help ensure that they get
the best value for money.
Its no surprise to discover that, in
many cases, these systems must
be able to handle a wide variety of
activities from school meetings
to live performances and more. But
increasingly there is a call for more
extensive integration with other AV
equipment, as QSCs director of
sales EAME systems group,
Glen Harris, observes.
There is a need for sound systems to
fully integrate with video and control,
he explains. Being of a true Layer 3
design [QSCs networked audio and
control platform] Q-Sys can co-exist
on a converged network and therefore
offers the client the ability to integrate
20
are both hardware and software featurebased, but all residing in a single DSP
Q-Sys processor; such as the media
stream receiver (software), built-in
media drive storage of up to 1,200 hours
of WAV, MP3 audio storage (internal
Bars/Restaurants
Sound reinforcement pioneer FunktionOne has been synonymous with high-end
leisure and entertainment installations
for nearly 25 years now, and director
Ann Andrews confirms the growing
expectations of quality throughout the
bar and restaurant sectors.
These days people expect more than
background music, and yet at the same
time they still wish to be comfortable
and able to converse, she says. The high-
January 2016
06/01/2016 11:14
11/16/2015 9:40:33 AM
www.dbaudio.com
Both the D20 and D80 are controlled by intuitive user interfaces and incorporate four
truly independent channels. Each provides extensive DSP capabilities for comprehensive
loudspeaker management, switchable filter functions, two 16-band equalizers and up to
10 seconds of delay. Two amplifiers, alike in form and functionality but distinct in power
output: D20 for small to mid sized applications, D80 for up to large scale needs.
D20_04_PSNE_220x290_191115.indd
Full Page Template.indd 1
1
11/19/2015
19/11/2015
10:44:52 AM
10:30
sponsored by
ROOM
SERVICE
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
This month sees the UK and Ireland cinema release of Room, which has already been drawing praise in the US for the
quality of acting on show. Adam Savage discovers why the work of the sound team also deserves recognition.
23
06/01/2016 17:32
Award-winning sound
from small-format loudspeakers.
LIKE US ON
FOLLOW US ON
TO LEARN MORE
http://bit.ly/RoomMatchUtility
Bose Professional UK, Bose House, Quayside, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4QZ Tel: 03330 142545 Email: uk_pro@bose.com
8/21/2015 10:06:01 AM
sponsored by
Niall Brady
Steve Fanagan
Team players
Its not the first time that Fanagan and
Brady have partnered with Abrahamson
they were all involved in the making
of Frank, starring Michael Fassbender
while the pair have collaborated on
around a dozen projects in total. How
then does Room relate to their previous
jobs, if at all?
Weve done about 12 features over
the past four or five years together, but
over the last year and a half theres
been a feature animation, a futuristic
sci-fi and a horror story, so its very hard
to compare those things, explains
Brady. I think what we have now is a
very good shorthand between each
other, which helps.
One final advantage the crew did have
with Room and not to say this wasnt
the case with the other films theyve
worked on was that the performances
were top drawer, which undoubtedly
increased the enjoyment factor from
their perspective and proved to be an
efficient motivator.
We were in a brilliant position we had
this great cast and story and the film
had been brilliantly realised. Everything
we did was in response to the great
work that had already been done,
concludes Fanagan. Theres nothing
quite as inspiring as getting to work
on a film thats been so beautifully
acted and directed.
Room is released in the UK and Ireland
on 16 January 2016 via Studio Canal.
www.ardmoresound.ie
January 2016
25
06/01/2016 17:33
ES Series
Renowned for clarity,
output and versatile
capabilities that
has amazed audio
professionals around
the globe.
www.kv2audio.com/es
12/15/2015 2:06:35 PM
STUDIO PROFILE
www.audiomediainternational.com
THE FOLEY
WAY IS ESSEX
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Its not often we hear about the opening of a new dedicated Foley studio, but when Adam Savage discovered one
had popped up just a short drive away from AMI HQ, he had to go and take a look.
Fully loaded
One of the first things youll notice when
January 2016
27
06/01/2016 14:11
Application Email:
Kelly.stone@warnermusic.com
Application Address:
27 Wrights Lane,
Kensington, London
W8 5SW
04/12/2015 17:02
"It does exactly what I want it to do. All day, every day."
- Mike Minkler (Black Hawk Down, Star Wars, Dreamgirls)
Page 28_AMI.indd 1
06/01/2016 12:56
STUDIO PROFILE
www.audiomediainternational.com
Sticking with it
In the same way that there arent a great
number of specialist Foley studios out
there at the moment at least in the
UK its not often that you come across
people who have chosen to stick with
Looking Back
Having done just that committing
to a career in Foley to such an extent
that hes built his own base to carry it
out how does Smyth evaluate his time
in the industry so far? Does he have a
favourite past project and which one
was the toughest?
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy was a
really good one that we did. It was very
naturalistic and had a great look to it.
The Foley just had to sit there and wasnt
in your face. Sometimes the best Foley
is like that you dont even notice it. I
think thats what we got good at in TV,
Smyth comments.
29
06/01/2016 14:11
TECHNOLOGY: HOW TO
www.audiomediainternational.com
INTERFACING WITH
INEXPERIENCED CLIENTS
Lonnie Bedell of AVLifesavers reveals how best to deal with people not used to working with a sound guy.
Lonnie Bedell
gyrations I had to go through to avoid
massive feedback that he realised why I
made that request.
Lav Mics You put the mic on them
without exception or they will end up
anywhere from the top of their head to
their belt buckle probably under a layer
of clothing and upside down as well.
Nobody wants to go to the bathroom
with a wireless mic on because theyve
seen that movie, so make sure they
are ready first.
Lock Wireless Mics On No
exceptions. People will try to be helpful
Be prepared
Smartphone DJ Its entirely likely
someone will suddenly want to play DJ
with their phone before, during, or
after the event. Having a 1/8in stereo
mini connection that you can get up
and running fairly quickly is always a
good idea.
House Sound Systems Systems
in hotels are designed to be used in
situations without a tech, so they usually
have a feedback eliminator in the circuit,
and it will be impossible to turn off. If
you use this system and try to ring out
the room, the silly thing will work against
you, so dont even bother. Just set the
EQ by ear.
Everyone will be late so you cant
be. Be well prepared with everybodys
phone number so you can start calling
when you have to. Be an advocate for
your own sanity.
Stairs Ideally do a site visit,
because nobody will think that stairs
are a problem.
A solid gear bag is the key to survival.
Consider bringing: Multitool, tweaker,
flashlight, basic adapters (1/4in to
RCA, RCA barrels, 1/4in barrels, XLR
barrels, XLR phase reverse adapter),
extra cables (stereo 1/8in mini to RCA
[computer audio/MP3 players], 1/4in to
1/4in, Y cables [of all kinds]), AC cube tap,
AC ground lifter, XLR audio pads, 1/8in
to 1/4in headphone adapter, XLR ground
lift adapter, multimeter, direct box.
Lonnie Bedell
is the owner of AVLifesavers,
a manufacturer of specialised
gadgets for the live sound industry.
30
January 2016
06/01/2016 12:48
N
O
M
M
O
C
N
ORE I
better!
e
h
t
r
o
f
,
s
s
e
in
r your bus
o
f
,
u
o
y
r
o
f
,
s
ur day
ISE 2016 Fo
ISE
04/12/2015 11:33:23
17.11.15 13:13
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW
Overview
Manufactured in the Far East with
final assembly and test in Germany,
the EVE Audio SC3010 is a three-way
main monitor measuring 17.13in (W) x
25.59in (H) x 19.29in (D) and weighing a
substantial 37kg/81.6lb, so its a good
idea to have a friend on hand to help with
placement. The low frequency driver is
a 10in unit with a glass fibre diaphragm,
the equivalent being 12in in the larger
SC3012, which otherwise has similar
components and performance but 4dB
more headroom. The SC3010s midrange
is handled by a newly developed 5in
32
January 2016
06/01/2016 10:45
www.audiomediainternational.com
Key Features
n
Air Motion Transformer (AMT) tweeter
for ultra-low frequencies
n
Three amplifiers: 800W (woofer), 250W
(mid), 250W (tweeter)
n
Both balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA inputs
n
Can be set up vertically or horizontally
n
DSP engine supported by a Burr-Brown
A/D converter
RRP: (Per Pair) 5,499 (SC3010); 6,999 (SC3012)
www.eve-audio.com
driver employing glass fibre and foam
construction for its diaphragm, and
rounding off the transducer complement
is an Air Motion Transformer tweeter
(manufactured by EVE Audio in Berlin),
a new unit unique to the EVE main
monitors and considerably larger than
those the company has previously
used. This gives the advantage of being
able to work at lower frequencies than
before, resulting in an unusually low
crossover frequency of 1,800Hz (mid to
low is 240Hz) allowing the tweeter to
handle more of the ears most sensitive
frequency area.
The mid and high drivers are mounted
in a silver-coloured plate that can be
rotated 90 by undoing four screws,
so the monitor can be set up either
vertically or horizontally. Although during
the review period I used the vertical
option to put the tweeter at ear height,
frequency and polar plots supplied by
the manufacturer suggest there is little
difference in performance when placing
the monitor on its side. A feature of
the mounting plate is a push-and-turn
rotary encoder that performs a number
of functions: the default is as a volume
control with an 80dB range level
selection being indicated by a series of
LEDs around the encoder and a number
of filters are also available. First is a low
shelf affecting frequencies below 300Hz
in 0.5dB steps, with up to 3dB boost
and 5dB attenuation; this is partnered
by a 3kHz high shelf, also +3 and -5dB. In
addition there is a bell EQ, which behaves
differently depending on whether youre
cutting or boosting for the former it
acts as a narrow-band filter at 160Hz to
mitigate the effect of reflections from
consoles or other hard nearby surfaces,
and in the latter case it offers a broader
In Use
Having been supplied with a pair of
SC3010s for review, I mounted them
on stands at a distance of about two
metres (the closest recommended), and
started listening to my usual blend of
reference material and work in progress.
The best monitor location in my room is
fairly close to the rear wall, and although
the rooms design compensates to an
extent for the bass lift you find in such a
half space, a 3dB cut with the SC3010s
built-in low shelf EQ brought the bass
frequencies into correct perspective. I
left the high adjustment at the factory
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW
setting interesting to me as I find
many speakers natural treble response
a touch bright for my taste and I dont
believe Im the only one. To my ears the
EVEs tweeter had a rightness about
it without harshness or splashiness,
presenting voices with great clarity and
integrating into the whole so recordings
were effortlessly revealed with their
flaws as well as good points. Examples
of this would be the forward sound
on the 1977 Heavy Weather album
by Weather Report, also the (for me)
slightly overcooked top end of The
Conclusion
I enjoyed my time with the EVE Audio
SC3010 listening to a wide range
of material, and would go so far as
to say that, because at this level of
performance were talking personal
preference rather than any relative
technical deficiency, the EVE could
probably go head-to-head with monitors
of double the cost and more. I suggest
an early audition whenever the goal
is resolution, accurate low frequency
extension and listenability, and would
find it hard to overstate the serious
bang-per-buck this new monitor
represents. Highly recommended.
The Reviewer
Nigel Palmer
has been a freelance sound engineer
and producer for over 20 years. He
runs his CD mastering business
Lowland Masters from rural Essex.
www.lowlandmasters.com
January 2016
33
06/01/2016 10:45
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW
www.audiomediainternational.com
AUDIO-TECHNICA
BP40
MICROPHONE
Key Features
n
Large-diameter diaphragm with
floating-edge construction
n
Humbucking coil
n
Switchable 100Hz high-pass filter
n
Multistage windscreen for superior
internal pop filtering
n
Optimised capsule placement for
commanding vocal presence
RRP: 290
www.audio-technica.com
In Use
As luck would have it, The University of
East Anglia is building a new radio studio
and I have been involved in specifying
the technical equipment to be installed.
I was therefore able to compare the new
BP40 against two of the usual suspects
used for this application. The first thing
that became obvious is that the BP40
has excellently low noise levels the
university campus is a nightmare for
RF interference and the microphone
performed impeccably in this respect.
The BP40 worked perfectly as the main
presenters mic and handled both male
and female voices with ease, while
off-axis suppression was particularly
effective when multiple microphones
were in use. Mounted in a vocal booth
alongside my usual AKG 414 to provide a
voice-over for a short animated film, the
BP40 was noticeably and predictably
less open in the upper frequencies
than the condenser. However, the
client preferred the recording from the
Audio-Technica microphone, claiming
it sounded more like Radio 4, which, I
think, is something of an accolade!
Finally, I pressed the BP40 into the
eager hands of a student who wanted to
record some interviews for a podcast.
Plugged directly into a Tascam DR100,
the mic produced audibly superior
results to the internal microphones of
the portable recorder although the
The Reviewer
Stephen Bennett
has been involved in music
production for over 30 years.
Based in Norwich he splits his time
between writing books and articles
on music technology, recording
and touring, and lecturing at the
University of East Anglia.
January 2016
06/01/2016 10:47
1/6/2016 4:02:38 PM
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW
www.audiomediainternational.com
RADIAL TRIM-TWO
Designed to simplify the use of laptops in live settings by providing a ready access volume control for on-the-fly
adjustments, this looks like a handy gadget on paper, but whats it like in the flesh? Over to Alistair McGhee
Key Features
DI BOX
n
Two Eclipse transformers to isolate and
balance the signal
n
Ultra linear response from 30Hz to 20kHz
n
Capable of handling up to +15dB signal levels
n
Easy access front panel volume control
n
Choice of RCA, 0.25in and 3.5mm connectors
Youre in control
Well, while the PRO AV2 has a fixed 15dB
pad option at the input the new Trim-Two
has a continuously variable pot. Now you
36
RRP: $175
www.radialeng.com
In Use
I plugged everything to hand into the
Trim-Two, from keyboards, laptops
and sound cards through SQN mixers,
ShortCuts and anything else lying
around. Everything was interfaced
without a problem. I dont think theres
a secret to Radials success they make
really good products for people happy
to pay a little more for exactly the right
tool. And the Trim-Two is another chip
off the Radial block.
The Reviewer
Alistair McGhee
began audio life in Hi-Fi before
joining the BBC as an audio engineer.
After 10 years in radio and TV,
he moved to production. When
BBC Choice started, he pioneered
personal digital production in
television. Most recently, Alistair
was assistant editor, BBC Radio
Wales and has been helping the UN
with broadcast operations in Juba.
January 2016
06/01/2016 11:19
26/05/2015 12:59
Categorised Content
All material is organised into clearly referenced,
specialist areas.
Customised search
You can quickly locate the information relevant to
your business or area of interest.
Tailored email alerts
Notications sent to you whenever there is an
update within your chosen areas.
Dedicated weekly newsletters
Visit www.newbayconnect.com to register, browse
and download content for free today.
NewBay Connect_v7.indd 1
23/09/2015 15:22
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW
www.audiomediainternational.com
ALL IN ONE
Nowadays, it seems standard practice
to incorporate control room-style
monitoring into most interfaces. The
Studio 192 offers such features, including
the ability to switch between three sets
of monitors. Additional speakers must
be connected via the eight balanced TRS
output jacks. These can also be used for
monitor mixes, alongside the dedicated
TRS main monitor outputs. The front
panel provides a large main output level
control pot, and a single gain level control
flanked by left/right buttons. These
scroll through the eight preamp inputs. A
ninth C setting adjusts gain for the builtin talkback mic. The internal mic can be
forfeited for a standard mic connected
via any of the mic preamps. The preamp
levels and individual 48V power for each
mic pre can be set from within your DAW
using MIDI controller information.
Brad Watts test-drives this new USB 3.0 offering from the US manufacturer
to see what all the fuss is about
DRIVE BY WIRE
Supplied alongside the Studio 192 is
a software control panel and mixer.
Dubbed UC Surface, the software is also
available as a free iPad application or as
a touch-responsive app for Windows 8
and Windows 10 touchscreen computers.
Like most mixer control panels, UC
Surface is designed for configuring
multiple mixes via the Studio 192s
additional outputs. Up to eight separate
stereo mixes can be configured. This is
rudimentary to any native DSP-based
interface, and historically has been
supplied to provide direct monitoring
from the interface, thus avoiding the
round trip time-lag associated with
native-based DAW applications.
The UC Surface software gives access
to the 192s DSP. The first 16 inputs of
the 192 offer PreSonus Fat Channel
processing. This DSP includes phase
reverse, a gate, a compressor, output
limiter, a full parametric four-band
equaliser and high-pass filter. This can
be printed to your DAW by flicking each
channel to post-send. There are also two
master effects: a reverb processor with
nine algorithms, along with delay effects
providing mono, stereo, filtered and pingpong delays. If your DAW of choice is
PreSonus Studio One, this is accessible
via the DAW itself. PreSonus provides
Studio One Artist with the Studio 192, so
you can kick off from square one with the
Studio 192 package.
The Fat Channel is a hybrid plug-in that
runs on both Studio One for playback
and the Studio 192 DSP for recording and
monitoring. So when youre recording,
youre using up to 16 instances of the
plug-in on the S192 DSP; when you play
back, the system seamlessly switches to
running up to 16 instances of the plug-in
in Studio One. The sound is identical
because the plug-ins are identical, just
running on different processors.
Its difficult to fault modern audio
interface fidelity, and the Studio 192
wont disappoint on this front. PreSonus
has utilised a Burr-Brown chipset for
audio conversion. The dynamic range
of both the A-D and D-A processing is
118dB (A-weighted) comparable with
interfaces costing four times the price.
THD+N figures dont stack up nearly
as well, however. At <0.005 across
all I/O, this doesnt come close to the
<0.000X figures touted by the big boys
in analogue conversion, such as the
flagship Apogee devices, RME and Prism
Sounds of this world. As things stand,
the Studio 192 competes favourably with
units such as the Apogee Ensemble and
the UAD Apollo units.
Key Features
n
Ultra low latency, 24-bit, 192kHz USB 3.0
audio interface
n
8 XMAX remote controllable mic preamps
n
Fat Channel processing on every analogue
input and the first ADAT inputs
n
Total integration with Studio One; comes
bundled with Studio One Artist
n
Flawless analogue signal path with 118dB
digital conversion
RRP: $1,199.95
www.presonus.com
I indulged myself by going through and
micing up additional sections of the kit
hats, kick in, snare bottom, toms and
a room mic (another ribbon) covering
it with nine mics. Having my PreSonus
DigiMax FS on hand allowed me to open
an additional eight mic inputs, and again,
tracking proceeded happily at both
44.1 and 88.2kHz all via good old USB.
Suffice to mention, the onboard DSP
came in handy for this task, with the gate
processing proving invaluable.
Would I own one? Yes indeedy sir,
I would. Not only does the unit sound
very good, its expandable to 24 inputs.
Should you find yourself in this market,
the Studio 192 has a lot on offer at an
exceptional price.
The Reviewer
IN USE
In order to take the Studio 192 through a
bit of an audition I recorded a number of
live drum kit takes. Initially I kicked off
with my variation of a Glyn Johns-style
micing method with a couple of ribbon
mics on overheads. Everything tracked
perfectly at 44.1kHz and 88.2kHz. Then
Brad Watts
has been a freelance writer for
numerous audio mags, has mastered
and mixed various bands, and was
deputy editor of AudioTechnology in
Australia. He is now digital content
manager for Content and Technology.
January 2016
06/01/2016 11:21
12/16/2015 9:45:00 AM
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW
www.audiomediainternational.com
SONNOX ENVOLUTION
PLUG-IN
In Use
The first time I put this thing up (while
still in beta), I jokingly referred to it as
the ass kicker a name I still call it. As
I often use a wide variety of loops in my
TV productions, Im always looking for a
way to do something unique with them.
I placed Envolution across a standard
drum loop, turned up the Transients and
Sustain knobs, and heard, well, more
more attack on the initial transients of
Key Features
n
Frequency-dependent control of Transients
and Sustain
n
Tilt/parametric targeting of frequencies
to process
n
DIFF button to solo the effect
n
Use in parallel without phase cancellation
n
Numerous presets to get the user started
RRP: $270 (Native) & $435 (AAX DSP)
www.sonnoxplugins.com
the large Transient and Sustain knobs
to increase and decrease as the music
flows, which lets you turn static loops
into something more musical and
special. I highly recommend taking this
plug-in for a spin.
The Reviewer
Rich Tozzoli
is a producer, mixer, engineer and
musician/composer with TV credits
including Duck Dynasty, History
Channels Pawn Stars, Harpo Studios
21-Day Meditation Challenge and more.
January 2016
06/01/2016 11:24
Tech&Learning UK
audience includes:
Business managers
ICT managers / technicians
Head teachers / deans
Heads of department / faculty
AV resellers and integrators
Sign up at
www.techandlearning.uk
www.techandlearning.uk
For further information on subscribing, advertising or submitting content for Tech&Learning UK, please contact:
Sales:
Gurpreet Purewal
+44 (0) 20 7354 6000
gpurewal@nbmedia.com
Editorial:
Peter McCarthy
+44 (0) 20 7354 6000
pmccarthy@nbmedia.com
Heather McLean
+44 (0) 7986 473 520
heather@mclean-media.com
04/12/2015
11:40:25
12/11/2015
17:22
INTERVIEW
www.audiomediainternational.com
BANG TIDY
With an MPG nomination for Breakthrough Engineer now firmly under his belt, 2015 was a landmark year for
London-based Drew Bang. Colby Ramsey quizzes the pro-audio up-and-comer about his work with garage punk
duo Slaves and life at Strongroom Studios.
Youve also had some experience
working with the BBC. Do you feel your
wider knowledge of audio has helped
you become more accomplished in the
field of recording?
Yeah, I think this is great. Perspective is
a fantastic tool to have and complacency
can be a huge detriment to productivity;
knowing how others work can really
aid you in making the right decision for
you. That being said, none of that really
matters does it? Introspection also
breeds self-doubt and thats the real killer
when it comes to just getting on with it.
January 2016
06/01/2016 14:15
21/09/2015 11:16:15
7/15/2015 2:25:58 PM