Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
>REVIEWED
A-T 5047 MIC
HIGHLAND BG2 COMPRESSOR
MOTU 8D DIGITAL I/O
CRANE SONG AVOCET IIA
MUSIC PRODUCTION • LIVE SOUND • SOUND FOR PICTURE
mix regional
c AUSTIN c
mixonline.com | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | M I X 1
0% INTEREST for 24 MONTHS* onCardpurchases of select manufacturers’ products made with your Sweetwater
between now and June 30, 2018 – 24 equal monthly payments required.
*Offer applies only to single-receipt qualifying purchases. No interest will be charged on promo purchase and equal monthly payments are required equal to initial promo purchase amount divided equally by the number of
months in promo period until promo is paid in full. The equal monthly payment will be rounded to the next highest whole dollar and may be higher than the minimum payment that would be required if the purchase was a
non-promotional purchase. Regular account terms apply to non-promotional purchases. For new accounts: Purchase APR is 29.99%; Minimum Interest Charge is $2. Existing cardholders should see their credit card agreement
for their applicable terms. Subject to credit approval. **Sweetwater.com/about/free-shipping
ATC SCM12 Pro Monitors with P1 Pro Amplifier, Novation Circuit, Rupert Neve Designs Shelford Channel, Avid MTRX
THE SWEETWATER
DIFFERENCE FREE
SHIPPING**
FREE TECH
SUPPORT
FREE 2-YEAR
WARRANTY
26
FEATURES MUSIC REGIONAL TECH
20 Power Station 12 I’m With Her: AUSTIN 32 Tech Feature:
Acoustic Supergroup Studio Microphones
New England Meets Ethan Johns at 30 King Electric Hosts BY STROTHER BULLINS
Back in the Game Real World Studios Refugee Musicians,
James McMurtry 36 Tech Spotlight:
BY TOM KENNY BY BARBARA SCHULTZ
Records at El Pres VR/AR/Pro Audio
BY ALEXANDER BRANDON
Plus Arlyn Studios,
Austin Signal, ’62 Studios, 38 Review: MOTU 8D Digital
Space Rehearsal & Audio Interface
Recording Studio, Eclectica BY MICHAEL COOPER
Studios, Altavista Studio, 40 Review: Crane Song Avocet
Estuary Recording, IIA Monitor Controller
5th Street Studios, and
14 Professor and Orb Recording Studios
BY BARRY RUDOLPH
the Madman 42 Review: Audio-Technica
BY LILY MOAYERI
5047 Microphone
26 Nathaniel Rateliff & 16 Classic Tracks: BY STEVE LA CERRA
Pro Audio Edition 46 Marketplace Mix, Volume 42, Number 3 (ISSN 0164-9957) is published monthly by NewBay Media LLC, 28 East 28th Street, 12th floor,
New York, NY 10016. Periodical Postage Paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send
BY KEVIN BECKA 47 Classifieds address changes to Mix, PO Box 8518, Lowell, MA 01853. One-year (12 issues) subscription is $35. Canada is $40. All
other international is $50. Printed in the USA. Canadian Post Publications Mail agreement No. 40612608. Canada return
address: BleuChip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.
4 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
Clarett 2Pre USB is a 10-in, 4-out audio interface. The two mic/line/instrument
inputs can record everything from condenser mics to super-hot pickups with
no unwanted distortion – Gain Halo meters make it easy for you to set the input
level. The ADAT input supports an additional eight channels in combination
with multi-channel mic preamps like Clarett OctoPre. Outs include two monitor
outputs with anti-thump technology, a headphone output with volume control,
and two line outputs. MIDI I/O is also included.
Includes:
focusrite.com/clarett-2pre-usb
mixonline.com
FOLLOW US
twitter.com/Mix_Magazine
facebook/MixMagazine
CONTENT
Content Director Tom Kenny, tkenny@nbmedia.com
Content Manager Katie Makal, kmakal@nbmedia.com
Technical Editor Kevin Becka, kbecka@me.com
Senior Editor Barbara Schultz, bschultz@nbmedia.com
Sound Reinforcement Editor Steve La Cerra
Contributors: Strother Bullins, Eddie Ciletti,
Michael Cooper, Gary Eskow, Matt Hurwitz,
Sarah Jones, Barry Rudolph
Production Manager Beatrice Weir
Senior Art Director Nicole Cobban
Art Director Walter Makarucha, Jr.
ADVERTISING SALES
VP/Market Expert, AV/Consumer
Electronics, Education & Pro Audio
Adam Goldstein, agoldstein@nbmedia.com, 212-378-0465
VP/Market Expert, TV/Video/Radio
Eric Trabb, etrabb@nbmedia.com, 212-378-0400 x532
VP/Market Expert, Broadcasting, Cable & Broadband TV
Charlie Weiss, cweiss@nbmedia.com, 212-378-0478
ARCHIVES
This magazine is available for research and retrieval of
select archived articles from leading electronic database
and search services, including ProQuest. For microform
availability, contact National Archive Publishing
Company, 800-521-0600, or search the Serials in
Microform listings at napubco.com.
Back issues are available. For more information,
contact www.proquest.com
REPRINTS/PERMISSIONS
This magazine may not be reproduced or quoted
in whole or in part by printed or electronic means without
written permission from NewBay. To obtain permissions,
contact Wright’s Media, 877-652-5295.
6 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
8 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
With the new result6 you can trust what you hear, you
can work more quickly and with greater confidence,
creating finished material that will translate on any
sound system, no matter how sophisticated — or simple.
T 949-861-3350
E sales@pmc-speakers.us
www.pmc-speakers.com
10 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
S
ara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Aoife that when they combined their talents, they had
O’Donovan have co-founded beloved lightning in a bottle. The trio found that they
roots bands (Nickel Creek for Watkins, harmonize beautifully together, and they share
Crooked Still for O’Donovan) and have released not only superb musicianship, but also a subtle
nine solo albums among them. As is so common avant-garde bent.
among world-class bluegrass musicians, these It took a little effort, but last year, the three
multiple-Grammy winners have also shared the busy artists carved out the time to gather in the recorded those originals, plus a beauty written by
stage and studio with scores of other artists. studio. They took on the band name I’m with Gillian Welch (“Hundred Miles”), in Real World
But it was during an impromptu performance Her and, together, wrote 11 of the songs on their Studios (Bath, UK) with producer Ethan Johns,
at the Telluride festival in 2014 that they realized debut album See You Around. And then they engineer Dom Monks and assistant Oli Jacobs.
12 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
Producer Ethan Johns is seated in the foreground as Watkins, Jarosz and O’Donovan share one
Neumann M49C mic.
Monks is well acquainted with all of the thing for this project,” Monks says. “We also
rooms and gear offered at Real World; he started had the SSL AWS 900 console. That mainly
his career there as an assistant to Peter Gabriel’s operates as a monitor board.”
engineer, Richard Chappell. From that job, he Some of the songs on See You Around
was promoted to an engineering position on the were recorded with the three women The alternative setup with three U47s.
commercial studio side of Real World’s business. gathered around one Neumann M49C
A year and a half later, Monks was ready to move microphone, which Monks put through a Pultec System 600s and AB’d on the studio’s main ATC
on to a new opportunity at Abbey Road when he MB-1 mic preamp and then straight into RADAR. 25As. “There wasn’t a vast amount of time to do
started working with Johns. “For the songs that weren’t done with that it,” he says. “I think I did three or four mixes a
“I was working with Ethan on one record as an one mic, they sat in a triangle facing each other,” day. Then they were flying off on tours or to
assistant but ended up engineering on it,” Monks Monks says. “I had three U47s on vocals, and the solo projects.
says. “He asked me to keep going and do a Ray instrument mics would change depending on the “But it didn’t require a great deal of time either.
LaMontagne record [Gossip in the Grain, 2008]. song or the instrumentation. There was a U67 We had spent a good amount of time playing out
So I had to tell Abbey Road I wasn’t coming— around, a couple of ELA M 251s—the American in the room and playing with headphones to
luckily they forgave me. I’ve been making records reissues. I also had a little lapel mic, a Countryman, find the sounds that we wanted to capture. It’s
with Ethan ever since. Sometimes I go off doing inside of Sara Watkins’ ukulele. I will do literally unusual for us to decide to reinvent something
other things, sometimes he engineers himself, anything to avoid DI’ing acoustic instruments. in the mix. More often, the effort goes into
but it’s been almost 10 years now that I’ve been “But the essential thing is, they were live takes, making sure what they were doing came across
working with him.” which has always been Ethan’s mode. Their during the recording.
The I’m With Her project was set up as a live facility with their instruments is breathtaking, “There’s not that many record producers out
session in Real World’s Wooden Room, where really.” there who are also writers and accomplished
Johns and Monks elected to keep everything in Watkins, O’Donovan and Jarosz played nearly multi-instrumentalists, and great engineers and
the one room: musicians, amps, recording and all of the instruments on the album, though mixers,” Monks continues. “So it puts us in a
mixing gear. Johns played some weissenborn and harmonium. wonderful situation to get great sounds when you
“You can use that Wooden Room as a live “For the electric guitars, I think Ethan’s Vox AC4 have someone who completely understands every
room along with the big control room with the amplifier was around,” Monks recalls. “He’s also aspect of the process. It can be agony putting
wraparound SSL [XL 9000 K Series] console,” got a Lyric amplifier, which is an old licensed yourself out there as an artist and committing,
Monks explains. “We’ve done records like that, as version of a Magnatone. They got used. Sara saying, ‘This is the take.’ Ethan is fantastic at
well; you can set up cameras to see the musicians in Watkins played some of the electric guitar stuff. guiding people through that. It’s probably what
the recording space. But we like being in there with Ethan also had an Eastwood mando guitar that he’s best at: getting to the heart of who an artist
the players. That’s how we made the Ray record, as Sarah Jarosz played. is and what they’re trying to say, and doing it in a
well as the two Tom Jones records that we’ve done “In terms of control, I put up a baffle behind way that shows the beauty in such an honest way.
there. No heavy doors to go through. The players each of them to control how much room sound “It’s like taking a picture of someone and it’s
have only to turn around to listen to the playback.” was going into their vocal mics,” he continues. incredibly real: You can see the lines on their
Real World offers a variety of recording “The guitar amps would also tend to hide behind face. You really see that person for who they are,
platforms, but the production team elected to those screens, so we could run them a little and yet it’s still a beautiful photograph. Ethan,
bring in Johns’ RADAR V rig. “It’s a heavy thing louder. The room has very high ceilings and is as a producer, gets artists out there genuinely as
to lug around, but we decided it was the right very forgiving for this kind of music. The key, they are and as they sound.” n
mixonline.com | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | M I X 13
A
t first glance, many aspects of Alfie
Agnew’s life seem at odds with each
other. As the sometime guitarist for
the Southern California rock groups D.I. and The
Adolescents, Agnew is a punk rock institution.
He is also a math professor at California State
University, Fullerton. His Orange County home
is located on a quiet, removed residential street,
14 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
www.audixusa.com | 503.682.6933
©2018 Audix Corporation All Rights
Reserved. Audix and all Audix logos
are trademarks of Audix Corporation.
I
n the spring of 1986, pretty-sounding pop ruled the airwaves. With Wham, Whitney Houston,
Sade and Dream Academy dominating the Billboard charts, you’d be hard-pressed to find a
distorted guitar anywhere in the Top 10. Over on MTV, “metal” music was a rotation of camera-
friendly bands slithering around in Aqua Net and Spandex, whipping their hair to shout-along
anthems about parties and girls.
Meanwhile, a dark fury was raging in the In the fall of 1985, the Bay Area band, then
music underground, and it was about to bust living in Los Angeles, returned to Sweet Silence
wide open. Thrash metal, with its face-melting Studios in faraway Copenhagen to reunite with The band was honing an aggressive, in-your-
assault of blistering tempos, heavy themes, producer Flemming Rasmussen, whom they face aesthetic, and “no reverb!” was the mantra.
chugging riffs and a caustic attitude borrowed had hired on their previous record, Ride the “But that meant instead that I recorded a hell of
from hardcore punk, was the antithesis of Lightning, after being impressed by his work a lot of ambience tracks,” says Rasmussen, who
glam rock, and it was being eaten up by the with Rainbow. took advantage of cavernous spaces at the studio
disenfranchised youth of America. Despite being vehemently “anti-producer” at to capture room sounds.
The pioneers of thrash—Metallica, Slayer, the time, the band members, who were barely Rasmussen recorded to tape through the 1976
Anthrax and Megadeth—were carving out a new in their 20s and still learning their way around Trident A Range console that he still works on
genre that was spreading like wildfire despite the studio, had an ideal creative partner in today. He used the desk’s preamps and EQs, and
the bands’ steadfast refusal to conform to the Rasmussen. “We wanted to do Ride the Lightning sent signals through a UREI 1176 compressor
music mainstream. Of these acts, Metallica better, louder, more well played, better songs,” to two synched 24-track tape machines. He
was the behemoth, building a massive cult Rasmussen says. “Just Ride the Lightning times generally committed to sounds before printing
following of tape-trading fans and blowing away ten in terms of sound.” them: “These were all recorded on tape, so the
crowds of 80,000, opening shows for Bon Jovi, This time, though, the band had a big- performances you hear are what was played,”
Ratt and Ozzy. Soon enough, Elektra Records label budget and nearly four months to make says Rasmussen. “My punching-in skills got
and Q-Prime Management took notice, and the record. It was the perfect arrangement: really fine-tuned on those albums.”
everything changed. Rasmussen lived five minutes away from the The album’s title track is a mighty epic, a shot
Master of Puppets, Metallica’s third album, was studio, and Q-Prime hired his wife and sister of adrenaline right out of the gate. With its grave
released in March 1986 as the band’s major-label to cook dinner for the band every night. They themes of drug addiction and control, it became
debut. Five years into their careers, they were would eat together, discuss the sessions, then a model for metal’s socially conscious messages.
maturing as artists, with all four members— head in to record, breaking just in time to catch And at more than eight and a half minutes,
frontman James Hetfield, guitarist Kirk the breakfast buffet at their hotel. “In those days, with complex rhythmic patterns, abrupt tempo
Hammett, bassist Cliff Burton and drummer the boys in Metallica called me ‘Dad,’” Rasmussen changes and three distinct movements—
Lars Ulrich—contributing equally to song says. “I’m four or five years older than them, so including a long instrumental interlude
material. (This would be the final project with I was kind of like the father figure in their life.” punctuated by soaring, melodic solos—it feels a
Burton, who was killed in a tour bus accident in Metallica showed up ready to rock, bringing lot more like a symphony than a single.
Sweden that fall.) along fully formed demos with fleshed-out Mostly, though, “Master of Puppets” is about
Puppets, which was written in eight weeks over arrangements; even their solos were composed. explosive guitar riffs, churning out of and over
the summer of 1985, saw the band become more This meant they would use their studio time to each other in dense layers. Metallica had just
refined, more powerful and more in control of focus entirely on their performances—which scored an endorsement deal with Mesa Boogie,
its direction, on a record that was more intricate, they did in meticulous, painstaking detail, and it took them a few days to dial in their new
complex and dynamic—more everything. stopping only for a two-day Christmas break. guitar sound in the studio. Then, getting that
16 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
mixonline.com | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | M I X 17
I
n recent months, new wave legend Paul
Weller has been presenting current
selections from his vast catalog—selections
that are, as always, mostly devoid of nostalgia—
during his “A Kind of Revolution” tour. The
tour concluded with a series of arena shows in
18 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
Power Station
New England
Revamped Replica of Legendary New York Facility
Reopens in Connecticut
By Tom Kenny / Photos by Jess Wilson
W
hen Power Station New England City and everywhere in between. DAWs were the game, many thought. Who’s going to go to
opened back in 1995, two-and-a- in their infancy. The internet was just going Connecticut to record?
half hours east of New York City mainstream. Napster was still years away. In one sense, the cynics were right. Even the
in the bucolic seaside town of Waterford, The recording industry was booming, so owners would admit that the studio didn’t get
Connecticut, the music and recording industries it didn’t inspire that much interest when used to its potential over the years. The reason,
were in a much different place. The original an unknown company, one not even in the albeit with the benefit of hindsight, turned out
Power Station on West 54th St., one of the entertainment world, licensed the original to be that the timing was wrong, even during
best-known studios in the world, was still a year design and naming rights from Tony Bongiovi the boom-boom 1990s. It seems odd, and a bit
away from being sold to Avatar Entertainment. and Bob Walters for the famed Studio A, and counterintuitive, but now that the production
Multiroom commercial studios still reigned went about building a board-for-board replica. climate has changed, and many large facilities
from Los Angeles to Nashville to New York Just another outsider trying to buy their way into have been forced to close from a variety of
20 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
People build and run studios for any number At its inception, Sonalysts had a single client—
of reasons. Many are musicians, others come the U.S. Department of Defense—and its focus
from the entertainment side, a few have straight was on research and analysis in underwater
business backgrounds, and a handful simply acoustics, soon adding contracts for simulation
have very large checkbooks. All are valid. But and training. But there had always been plans for
you’d be hard-pressed to find another studio a diversified company based around a creative
whose roots can be traced back to underwater think tank–like organization, and long before
acoustic research and advanced sonar training the Cold War ended, Sonalysts had expanded
and simulations. Or to a founder who was its real estate investments, nudged its way into
commander of a submarine and who had a the commercial world and entered audio/visual
knack for gathering the best and the brightest production in a small way. In 1989, the Pentagon
of his colleagues, then pulling the best out of called and said that they had received an inquiry
them. The U.S. Navy is big in and around eastern from Disney, asking whether they had any
Connecticut, and Sonalysts founders Dave and expertise in underwater sounds.
Muriel Hinkle had a lot of talented friends
nearby when they formed the company in a SONALYSTS MEDIA
backyard cottage back in 1973. Today, roughly 350 “The sound team working on the movie The Hunt
people work for the employee-owned company for Red October came out here, and they asked for
pressures, the powers behind Power Station in locations throughout the United States. help with sounds for some of the special sound
New England decided that the time was right “It was meant to be an interim thing,” says Eric effects,” Toriello says. “Then the following year it
to rethink, revamp and essentially reopen their Toriello, vice president of Sonalysts Media and was up for an Oscar in sound, and they won! For
facilities, 22 years after their debut. son of one of the early employees. “Dave Hinkle the first foray into the commercial media world,
To understand why PSNE decided to zig when was a lawyer. Muriel had a sense for business. it’s a nice tip of the hat to the guys who did the
others have zagged, or why in 2017 they put down They liked working together and doing work work. Internally, it was pretty cool.
a relatively large investment in a nearly 40-year- that actually meant something. They brought “Then at the same time ESPN had located
old console, new-old outboard gear, a closetful together so many good people from all around to Bristol and needed some edit suites, so they
of mics and a complete wiring makeover, it helps the community. Many of them served together started to build some out here,” he continues.
to understand something about the company on the same submarines. It was a dynamic work “In parallel, Electronic Arts hired us to create
behind the facility: Sonalysts. environment, with some very smart people.” a submarine-specific, scenario-based game for
mixonline.com | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | M I X 21
22 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
SPECIAL OFFER
ALL ACCESS
SAVE OVER 50% ON SINGLE ISSUE PRICING
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE TODAY
Single Copy Price Subscription Price ALL ACCESS
INCLUDES
12 issues $83.88 12 issues $35.99
24 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
S T L
Toriello and the team at Sonalysts have taken into
R U A
consideration that relaunching PSNE is a long-term
T G I N
game. With a solid company behind the facility, Bakke
R I
has been given the latitude to extend the studio’s reach
O
through his contacts, and to develop a foundation for the
THE
new studio model.
“It takes time to build a world-class facility,” Toriello
says. “It has to develop over time as people get to know it
and understand it. The company gets that, and Evan gets
it. And it’s already paying off. The folks who are coming
here and doing recordings right now—we haven’t seen
this level of talent before. I see great records being made
here, but that’s only a piece of it. We might do original
songs for toy products, for commercials on broadcast
television, original content for corporate work, audio for
VR. Records are the passion, but there are other things
that are immensely important, too.”
Still, nothing beats a full band, recording live, with
two large iso booths open and everyone feeding off
each other. A lot of great recordings have been made
that way in a very short time, when the vibe is right and
distractions are minimized. It’s the way Bakke likes to
work, and he now runs a world-class studio that is made
for musicians, made for bands.
“The first reaction when you walk in, whether a new
artist or a veteran, is that you can’t believe how great it
feels. It’s beautiful,” Bakke says. “The feeling is welcoming
and encompassing. Then there’s the experience of actually
doing a recording in the room, where it just makes you etherCON®
feel like you’re a better musician or engineer. And then, Ruggedized RJ45 data connector solution for data transfer in harsh and
of course, you leave here and you want to come back.” demanding applications. Ethernet cable- and chassis-connector with Cat 5,
Cat 6, or CAT6A component compliance according to ISO/IEC 11801 and
Right now, introducing producers and engineers to TIA/EIA 568-C.2; PoE+ compliant according to 802.3at Type2; million-fold
proven rugged latch lock system; etherCON CAT6A intermateable with the
the space and everything it offers is Bakke’s primary existing etherCON CAT5 range; shielded system: high noise immunity and
objective, whether they’re working with a new band out EMI protection.
25
For more information visit us at www.neutrik.com
mixonline.com | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | M I X
W
hen Mix covered one of Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night LP, Tearing at the Seams (out March 9, Stax Records), which builds on
Sweats’ sold-out concerts in San Francisco last year, the the sound and success of their debut.
group segued from their explosive hit “SOB” into The A solo artist and former member of The Shins, Swift has produced
Band’s “Shape I’m In,” and back again. This moment spoke volumes: numerous acts, including Damien Jurado, Foxygen and Laetitia Sadler,
Rateliff & The Night Sweats have taken a page from the legendary Band’s as well as his former band and Rateliff’s crew. Describing the writing
book, playing soul music through their own filter. and demo sessions for Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats, Swift
“Most people who work with me want something timeless, but not says, “The first record was basically just Nat and I, and Pat [Meese] the
completely retro or throwback,” says producer/engineer Richard Swift, drummer came in halfway through. It was still such a new idea.”
who helped Rateliff and company make their breakthrough eponymous Swift refers to the fact that Rateliff’s previous albums were more
album in 2015. Now the band and Swift are set to release the follow-up quiet and folk-based. The soul sound of the first Night Sweats album
26 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
was a departure, but by the time they were ready to record Tearing at Cottage Grove, Ore., where he tracked live band sessions, then overdubs
the Seams, the group had been touring with the first record for more (vocals, solos, horns), to Pro Tools 10. “I’m afraid to upgrade because I
than a year. feel like my sound is getting more and more dialed,” Swift says.
“They’d become a really solid band,” Swift says. “Not just in terms of Other key ingredients to Swift’s sound include his collection of
their songs, but there’s a very strong brotherhood. So when they started dynamic and ribbon mics (he doesn’t care for condensers), and spring
this record, they went out someplace in New Mexico. They had their reverbs, including a half-broken AKG BX10: “It’s a stereo spring reverb
sound guy [Jamie Mefford] with them and a portable recording setup. unit, and one side doesn’t work, but I’m afraid to get it fixed because I
They were calling what they were recording ‘demos,’ but some things don’t want to lose its mojo,” he says.
seemed finished.” Above, Swift shares his personal studio photos and more details about
The project then moved to Swift’s National Freedom studio in the production of this much-anticipated sophomore release. n
mixonline.com | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | M I X 27
T
his year’s NAMM show was a jaw-dropper in many ways. It broke all records, with more than 115,000 attendees visiting more than 2,000
exhibitors showing 7,000-plus brands, while at the same time the new 100,000 square foot, two-story audio hall brought more exhibitor
organization, and lower SPL to the event than ever before.
On the downside, attendees entering the halls, especially in the mornings, passed through the new and tightened security, fraying a few nerves. But
the spirit of the event that brings music, musicians and audio professionals together eventually soothed the crowds. The following represents just some
of the great gear I saw at the show, much of it breakthrough technology.
KEVIN’S TOP 10 phone, featuring a Offering a sneak peek for NAMM-goers, the
Focal revealed the Shape Twin, a 2.5-way moni- 1-inch true condenser soon-to-be-released RMP-D8 from Rupert Neve
toring loudspeaker that offers ultimate perfor- capsule with eight Designs is an 8-channel, Class A, remote con-
mance, and from a distance of only 1 meter. It types of directionality trol Dante Mic Preamp. Features include a dual
offers a lot of the same breakthrough tech as the to choose from, plus power supply, operation up to 24-bit/192kHz,
Shape released last year, but in a new three-way three reverse polar and eight stellar 1dB stepped preamps with 60dB
design. patterns for higher of clean gain.
flexibility experimen- Audinate introduced Dante AVIO, a family
tation. It’s a great mic for customizing your feed of cost-effec-
Lynx Studio Technology broke new ground to the DAW right at the source. tive endpoint
with the introduction of its first-ever micro- The result6 studio monitor adapters al-
phone preamp. The Aurora(n) PRE 1608 features from PMC features a two-way lowing easy
16 inputs and 8 outputs, but can be configured design with a 27mm soft-dome connection of
through the newly formed Lynx Custom Shop. tweeter, dispersion grille, and legacy analog
R a d i a l a mid/bass unit composed of a and digital audio equipment to Dante networks.
Engineering doped natural fiber. The most
shocked many affordable PMC yet, it features QUALITY GEAR EVERYWHERE
with the news built-in dual Class-D amplifi- Steinberg demoed three (count ’em!) updates to
of the com- ers that supply 65W and 100W its software line, including WaveLab Pro 9.5 with
pany’s sale to of power to the HF and LF drivers, respectively. more tools than ever, Dorico 1.2 professional
Ultimate Sup- Raising the bar on the high end, and with mas- music notation software, and Cubase Pro 9.5
port Systems and the exit of founder Peter Janis, tering engineers in mind, Apogee announced the with a new 64-bit audio engine.
but as usual, they revealed a range of innovative 2x6 Special Edition AD/DA module for the flag- Pro Tools 2018
products, including the Radial Catapult Mini, al- ship Symphony I/O MkII Series, offering the from Avid in-
lowing users to drive four analog audio channels highest quality AD/DA conversion of any Apogee troduces a new
over a single shielded CAT 5 cable. converter. way of naming
Focusrite Antares Audio Technologies demoed an im- updates (Year/
showed the pressive ground- Month), the abil-
new Clarett up redo of Au- ity to capture MI-
2Pre USB (10- to-Tune at the DI performances,
in, 4-out), NAMM Show even when you’re
Clarett 4Pre USB (18-in, 8-out) and Clarett 8Pre that includes a not recording, Track Presets, and new comping
USB (18-in, 20-out), fleshing out an already whole new look, features and shortcuts.
impressive line of interfaces fitting nearly any ARA (Audio Ran- Bringing its top-quality transducers to the
budget. dom Access) support, and Classic Mode for get- masses, ADAM Audio introduced the T Series,
Lewitt launched the LCT 441 FLEX micro- ting that legendary Auto-Tune 5 sound. the company’s new affordably priced range of
28 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
mixonline.com | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | M I X 29
Shed: a prefab building that Fullerton has outfitted with Pro Tools and two
Black Lion-modified interfaces and a pair of hand-me-down Mackie MR8s.
“I engineer and mix
my own records here,”
30 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
ESTUARY RECORDING
Chico Jones of Ohm Recording recently closed down his studio
and joined forces with Estuary Recording, allowing Estuary to
double its inventory of mics and outboard gear. Estuary’s John
Michael Landon recently produced and engineered Lola Tried
and Quin Galavis. House engineer Evan Kaspar engineered
albums for The Crack Pipes and Mark Deutrom, as well as new tracks for Mother Falcon.
Pictured are Claire Puckett and Isaac Winburne of Mother Falcon.
mixonline.com | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | M I X 31
I
t’s 2018, so you’ve surely heard the “paintbrushes” metaphor for make one choice ideal on this, serviceable on that, and maybe not so great
microphones by now. And though cliché, it remains the simplest way on another.
to describe the qualities of various studio microphones as applied Below are the latest offerings in studio microphones from some of the
in the recording process. The differences in what one microphone may best, most interesting and innovative manufacturers in professional audio
deliver over another can be explained as “texture,” a way of describing today. This is by no means a comprehensive list, as there are dozens of
what are essentially varying specifications—including frequency response other laudable mics out there. These are simply some noteworthy recent
and range and responsiveness, as well as other subjective qualities—that models that caught our eye.
Aesthetically best known for and Spark SL. Blue assures its
its tumbled solid stainless-steel Essential Series customers
chassis, Aston Microphones of thorough quality control
boasts bold, unique looks in its with a three-part inspection
roster, as well as a number of card—detailing frequency
interesting technologies. The response, noise specification
company’s latest, the Starlight, and fit/finish standards
is touted as “the first ever laser met—in every package. My
Aston Microphones Starlight
targeting pencil microphone,” colleague Rob Tavaglione
Blue Microphones SL Series
designed for careful placements and quick recalls. Other features of the notes, “I can recommend
cardioid condenser with 20mm capsule include useful parameters and the Baby Bottle SL over most similarly priced condensers for its wider
filters onboard and—most strikingly—its sintered head, in which small versatility, smoother than most top-end and an overall purity, with low
metal spheres are heated to form a “near perfect” porous yet ruggedly solid self-noise and low distortion.”
windscreen. Best known for its designation as “the only company in the world
At January 2018’s NAMM Show, Apogee unveiled its updated digital authorized to develop, manufacture and market the ‘official equipment of
MiC, which originally debuted in 2011, as the MiC Plus. Made in the USA, EMI/Abbey Road Studios,’” Chandler Limited rocked the pro audio world
the MiC Plus features “an entirely new design” and boasts improved sound in January 2017 with its unveiling of the REDD Microphone. The unique
quality, expanded dynamic range and a built-in headphone output for U47-style tube LDC includes its “REDD.47 Mic Amplifier circuit directly
latency-free monitoring while recording. It is interface-flexible, shipping coupled to a handmade premium platinum membrane capsule.” As such,
with three cables for Lightning/iOS, USB-C or USB the microphone can be used with or without an external preamp.
connectivity. Of Electro-Voice’s
Meanwhile, German manufacturer Beyerdynamic ND Series, the
debuted its FOX, a cardioid 24-bit/96kHz LDC mic ND66—a distinctive
with built-in Cirrus Logic conversion and USB port. small-diaphragm
Electro-Voice ND66
Also built-in is a mute button and latency-free condenser—is a must-
headphone monitoring capabilities. Best of all, it’s consider standout. The cardioid ND66 is clearly built for wide-ranging
priced affordably and promises the build quality and studio or live applications with a 50 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response,
reliability that Beyerdynamic has become known for. 146 dB max SPL and 126 dB dynamic range. Uniquely, the ND66 offers
Blue Microphones’ SL Series is a relatively a locking rotating head, or hinged elbow, approximately two inches
affordable collection comprising the company’s best- from its diaphragm-end tip. As such, the ND66 can go from straight to
selling condensers: the Baby Bottle SL, Bluebird SL Beyerdynamic FOX a 90-degree bend, with five positions in between. Squeezing SDC mics
32 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
mixonline.com | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | M I X 33
34 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
I
have been a professional in game audio for nearly is present in an editor, there’s the context of the environment itself (game
25 years and have observed its tool progress since or other entertainment) and new factors to consider.
the formative years of the now-ubiquitous Unreal In a game, the player is (nearly) always facing the same direction as the
engine. (I even helped design the Unreal 1.0 audio camera and perspective of the game. Therefore, using Dolby and other
engine.) And because of how quickly game technology changes, it has taken panning technologies across whatever delivery systems are in place—from
nearly that long for pro audio and game audio to forge a relationship. headphones to 10.2 and up—will allow positioning based on whatever
The association between gaming and pro audio has developed in speed the game turns. If the player is in VR and AR, however, you add
proprietary ways since the late 1990s, with in-house teams rolling their the critical factor of head tracking. The players themselves need fast
own tools time and again, sometimes starting fresh with each new project. frame rates from the game or other interface for a variety of physiological
But only in the last four years has it passed to the commercial sector, with reasons, and this idea applies to audio as well.
the introduction of Steinberg Nuendo’s Game Audio Connect, now in its Therefore, panning in a DAW won’t perfectly replicate this tracking and
second iteration. rendering in the game engine. DAWs will need to be able to allow the sound
For the first time, a game audio engine (specifically Audiokinetic’s designer/editor/mixer to don a VR headset (HTC Vive, Sony VR or Facebook’s
Wwise) can interface directly with a pro audio DAW. Don’t get me wrong, Oculus) and track their assets and mix as the player “pans” by turning their
this is a really big deal, but the process of going from a DAW music or film head (head tracking), as well as movement of objects in the environment.
format into a truly nonlinear format such as game play is progressing even At least one tool has been developed to do just that: dearVR Spatial
faster with the explosion of virtual reality and augmented reality. Connect. This plug-in provides an environment that shows data that
Why has this taken so long? Games make a lot of money. For a little can be manipulated using VR equipment. Not only the headset but the
context, DAW developers tell me that it’s harder to pivot and move in controllers can be used to preview audio playback and adjust mix levels.
response to new game development environments. (Take a look at how This parallels something that is even now difficult to track in games.
long it took to move the film industry from Dolby For example, Audiokinetic’s Wwise has had
Pro Logic to Dolby Digital.) Yet most DAWs’ “Panning in a DAW won’t a profiler demonstrating all playing sounds,
functionality and environment during this time
has mostly stayed the same: tracking window and
perfectly replicate this and every piece of information related to those
sounds in a list format. But there is no easy way
mixing window. tracking and rendering to see the location of these sounds in the game
Game development platforms shift every three in the game engine.” environment without significant additional work
to four years, with updates on both the hardware from the game team. The same is true for any
and software side that require significantly more tool support, from game audio middleware: FMOD, Unreal and Unity typically don’t have an
scripting to mix control; VR and AR are changing even more rapidly. audio debug mode that displays easily discernible radii as well as property
Therein lies the problem. But there are fundamentals that don’t change, information near where the sounds themselves are playing.
and those fundamentals of nonlinear mixing and audio design, even The solution is clear: linear production is here to stay. No matter what,
composition and voiceover, can work their way into DAWs. sounds and music will take place over time. And their playback and initial
VR and AR technologies are being used for more than just games. They construction taking place in a tracking environment like today’s DAWs
are being looked at or implemented already for episodic television, film, will always have a spot in the production pipeline. But more than tracking
theme parks, military training and even new ways to experience music and mixing, we now need an environment mode—a way to organize the
(see TheWaveVR). And once again there’s a disconnect between creating sounds, music and voice assets we create, and to then hear them in context
content and experiencing that content in context. Using a DAW, it’s easy with appropriate data such as level, EQ, routing, and even a HUD that can
enough to sync to a film, but for a game or VR/AR experience, there are visually display 360-degree panning information. This will be the mixing
other factors at play. Three-dimensional positioning in real time has been experience of the future. It’s not just a need, it’s a must-have.
a factor for years, and even now there’s a lot of talk about ambisonics vs. We are on the edge of a huge leap forward in entertainment experience,
binaural or other recording methods for production. But once the content audio pros. Let’s build tools that let us take that leap! n
36 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
T
he outstanding MOTU 8D fills an important niche
unaddressed by other I/O boxes. Featuring no preamps
or converters (save for those serving a front-panel
stereo headphone jack), the 8D relies solely on digital interfaces
for I/O and networking. There are eight channels of AES/EBU
(four in and four out), eight channels of S/PDIF, high-speed USB
2.0 (compatible with USB 3.0 and iOS) and AVB-TSN.
With a round-trip latency as low as 1.7 ms, the 8D is a
great solution for studios that already have high-quality mic/
line preamps and A/D/A converters and just need digital
connectivity, without
redundant analog front- and
back-end circuitry. And using
the included 64-channel AVB/ The included MOTU Pro Audio Control Web app’s massive virtual
TSN Ethernet port (providing mixer includes faders, pans, solos, mutes, multiple monitor mixes,
32 ins and 32 outs) and an seven stereo aux buses, aux masters, three stereo groups, 4-band
EQs, reverb, compressors, gates and audio-analysis tools.
optional MOTU AVB Switch,
users can integrate the 8D The MOTU 8D’s front and rear panels sport LCD metering, stereo channel pair) and the current sampling
into a much larger system headphone output and a plethora of digital I/O, including rate, clock source and I/O activity over the
of computers and AVB- AVB/TSN networking capabilities. AVB/TSN port. Pressing buttons to the left
ready MOTU or third-party of the LCD lets you view the 8D’s current IP
I/O boxes, for tracking large ensembles and networking audio address and other network settings and change the clock source
throughout a multi-room facility. and sampling rate. The headphone (TRS) jack and its rotary volume
But the half-rack 8D is also a great standalone solution for small control, and a rocker-style power switch finish off the front panel.
studios and musicians to use for mixing, mastering, small post- The 8D’s rear panel is home to two pairs each of AES/EBU and S/
production projects, overdubbing and recording up to eight tracks PDIF I/O (on XLR and RCA connectors, respectively), providing eight
at once. A variety of clocking schemes allow use of all eight AES/ input and eight output channels; word clock I/O (on BNC jacks); a
EBU and S/PDIF input channels simultaneously—enough to record USB 2 port (up to 64 outputs and 64 inputs to and from a computer);
either a multi-miked drum kit or guitar, bass, keys and vocals live. A and an AVB/TSN Ethernet port. Signals in any of these digital formats
very flexible 48-input virtual mixer (served by the included MOTU can be converted to another on the trip from input to output.
Pro Audio Control Web app) provides seven stereo aux buses, three The AES/EBU and S/PDIF I/O can operate at all standard sampling
stereo groups, access to 32 network inputs, several audio-analysis rates from 44.1 to 192 kHz and feature independent sampling-rate
tools, and DSP effects (reverb, 4-band EQ, compression and gating), conversion (SRC)—allowing for recording via all 2-channel digital
with 32-bit floating processing providing sky-high headroom. The inputs simultaneously, even if the audio sources’ clocks aren’t resolved
mixer can mix previously recorded tracks from your DAW with to the 8D. The Ethernet port alternately provides industry-standard
live mic/line inputs, and use its aux buses for creating separate IEEE 802.1 network connectivity to other MOTU AVB-equipped
headphone mixes for musicians. audio interfaces; audio I/O with a Mac fitted with a Thunderbolt port
and running OS X v10.11 or later; or connection to a standard Ethernet
ON DISPLAY hub or Wi-Fi router, or to an AVB/TSN Ethernet switch serving a low-
A multicolor LCD on the 8D’s front panel shows level meters for latency AVB/TSN audio network. A co-ax power receptacle serves the
all I/O (including the headphones output, which can monitor any included external DC power supply.
38 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
mixonline.com | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | M I X 39
S
ince its inception in 2004 as a stereo-only unit, the Avocet The Avocet IIA can connect
Discrete Class-A Monitor Controller has evolved through three pairs of speakers,
each with a dedicated sub-
revisions and functional enhancements to become Crane woofer output
Song’s most successful product, with the Avocet IIA the pinnacle of
Dave Hill’s design. Reviewed here is the Avocet IIA stereo system,
comprising a two-rackspace audio chassis connected (over a 25-foot
cable) to the Avocet Remote II tabletop unit.
For surround sound monitoring, up to four 2U audio chassis
can be controlled from a single Avocet Remote to accommodate
up to 7.1 channels (three chassis required for 5.1). For surround
operation, the rear panel 25-pin D-sub accessory sockets are
repurposed (internal ribbon cable change) so that each chassis
is interconnected to operate in designated pairs of surround
channels. An experienced tech can handle the proper connections.
The Avocet Remote IIA (firmware 12) retains the familiar and
basic look of previous versions, with its 24 flush-mounted push-
buttons surrounding a large green master volume/gain parameter
control (encoder) knob and 20-segment LED level meter. The
horizontal top row of Left, Right, Center, LFE, SL, SR, EXL, EXR it possible to set individual subwoofer levels for each of the three
channel selection buttons includes an additional row of eight Shift- monitor speaker outputs. I like that the Avocet does not do bass
Setup Mode sub-functions. The encoder and all buttons are made management. I prefer to use a sub with a built-in variable low-pass
by Grayhill. The switches are rated at 500,000 cycles, while the filter.
encoder is rated at 1 million operations. When powered on, the Avocet comes up in Mute mode while
On the rear panel of the remote is a 15-pin D-sub for connection the saved settings and firmware load, with enough time allowed
to the audio chassis, plus an XLR input for a talkback mic. I have the for stabilization of the new Quantum digital-to-analog converter.
Remote II sitting on the right side of my desktop, angled slightly up. When powered off, all configurations and resident firmware
All behaviors, setups and configurations of the Avocet system version are held in an EEPROM chip.
are handled through the remote. After selecting a function and
then holding its button down until its LED flashes—about a half- AUDIO CHASSIS
second—you’ll be in Gain trim mode. There is also a blue Shift- I tested Avocet’s latest stereo audio chassis (firmware 13.1). The
mode button for setting certain functions, static configurations, entire audio path is discrete analog electronics with balanced
and Talkback mic level and monitor Dim level. The IIA allows all output amps and premium op-amp chips around the Quantum
output levels to be adjusted in .25dB steps DAC, the same converter and clock used
(maximum -15.75 dB), so there is no more in Crane Song’s standalone Solaris DAC
need of inline attenuator pads to match
TRY THIS and Hedd Quantum A/D/D/A and Clock
The Avocet has both a Phase flip and
different level requirements of powered Mono button. By pushing both buttons Generator products. It is the company’s
speakers and/or power amps. while listening to a stereo mix, you can fifth-generation design, with less than one
hear all non-correlated audio (L-R) in
The Avocet IIA (stereo version only) your mix or any other stereo source. It’s
picosecond of jitter that upsamples to 211
also adds a fourth full-range balanced revealing and another essential audio tool. kHz and uses a proprietary reconstruction
output, called Direct Sub Mode, making filter.
40 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
mixonline.com | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | M I X 41
AUDIO-TECHNICA
AT5047 MICROPHONE
Cardioid Condenser
With Four Diaphragms,
Transformer-Coupled Output
By Steve La Cerra
A
udio-Technica’s AT5047 is the newest member of the
company’s 50 Series of premium, handmade condenser
microphones. Sharing a design similar to that of the
AT5040, the AT5047’s capsule features four rectangular diaphragms,
this time delivering their output via transformer-coupled circuitry.
(The AT5040 employed transformerless electronics.)
While the AT5040 was designed primarily as a vocal microphone
possessing the utmost sonic purity, the AT5047’s output transformer
imparts a bit of color while enabling the microphone to be less
dependent on the preamp for its performance. Compared with the
AT5040, the AT5047 has a higher output impedance (150 ohms as
opposed to 50 ohms) and is a bit less sensitive, allowing it to play
well with a wider range of mic preamps. Maximum SPL is stated as
148 dB, versus 142 dB for the AT5040.
Basic condenser microphone engineering dictates that smaller
diaphragms tend to have a faster transient response but produce a
lower output level, often resulting in a higher self-noise floor. The
AT5047’s four diaphragms function as a single, large membrane, but
because each is smaller than a single membrane of the same surface
area, they react faster to transients. Electronically summing the
output of the diaphragms enables the AT5047 to maintain the quick
transient response of a small-diaphragm capsule while achieving The AT5047’s four diaphragms function as a single, large membrane.
the low self-noise (6 dB) of a large-diaphragm.
The AT5047 ships in a sturdy, foam-lined plastic case with a AT5047 is capable of creating a very intimate vocal sound. Get in
cutout for the shock mount. Like its 50 Series brethren, the AT5047 close, and it can sound like someone is singing into your ear.
exudes elegance. The finish is beautiful, the AT8480 shock mount Used with a Great River MP-2NV preamp and a DeMaria Labs
is a work of art (a refreshing change from the junk packaged with ADL1000 for a bit of compression, the AT5047 didn’t get shrill
some rather expensive microphones), and the absence of screws when the singer opened up, as has happened when we’ve tried other
makes you wonder how the heck the thing was assembled. A large microphones. Changing the impedance switch on the MP-2NV
head basket protects the side-address capsule, which is internally from 1,200Ω to 300Ω resulted in a slight increase in the top end,
shock-mounted, and the overall feel of the mic inspires confidence. making the voice sound a tad more “hi-fi.” There was also a slight
The AT5047’s pickup pattern is fixed-cardioid. increase in gain.
I was able to compare the AT5047 with recordings made using I had the chance to record powerhouse female vocalist Ann
the AT5040 on the same male singer. No doubt the 5047 is a Marie Nacchio, who’s been known to break glass (figuratively) and
different animal, with more mojo in the low-mids and a very subtle blow out microphone diaphragms (literally). Patched through a
increase of presence in the highs. The AT5047’s low-mid presence, Focusrite ISA110 and the ADL1000, the AT5047 easily handled Ann
however, does not scream “proximity effect.” Like the AT5040, the Marie’s dynamic range, capturing all of the nuances of the parts
42 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
PRODUCT SUMMARY
COMPANY: Audio-Technica U.S.
PRODUCT: AT5047
WEBSITE: www.audio-technica.com
PRICE: $3,499
PROS: Beautiful design. Extremely low noise floor,
consistent operation through a wide variety of preamps
and impedance loads.
CONS: Somewhat narrow sweet spot, no pad or HPF.
Quality like this doesn’t come cheap.
mixonline.com | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | M I X 43
T
he BG2 is a handmade, all-tube, single-channel compressor
that uses a twin-triode 6BC8 as a variable-Mu gain-
changing element followed by a push-pull pair of 6V6
beam-power pentodes for its output stage. The gain-reduction
stage and 6AL5 tube circuit are similar to the Abbey Road RS124
(which was adapted from the vintage Altec 436C), while the output
stage is like old RCA BA6-A or Gates Sta-Level units.
Under the hood, the unit reveals excellent point-to-point hand
wiring and large Altran Corp. output and input transformers. The
main circuit board attaches to the rear inside wall of the unit, with The BG2’s hybrid design harkens back to Abbey Road’s RS124, the RCA BA5-A and Gates
ceramic tube sockets that accept the horizontally positioned tubes Sta-Level.
on the rear panel. I like that the hot tubes are distanced from the
circuit board—users have to be careful when inserting the BG2 in a 436C worked as a line amp, but you had to pull out the 6AL5 tube.)
rack, as there is no cover or screen protecting the tubes. (This works I thought highly of the Feedback switch to choose between
out well for ventilation; tubes do generate heat.) There are also “American” and “British” feedback styles in the amplifier circuit.
smaller circuit boards for the output attenuator resistor network American mode is like the Altec circuit and is more aggressive with
and the power supply rectifiers, with a 3-terminal regulator for the more harmonics, color, gain and compression. The British mode
tube’s DC filament voltage. has less gain and a cleaner sound. Switching between them while
The electronics are housed in a rugged, two-rackspace cabinet, auditioning audio will produce a noticeable click because of the
and the dark gray front panel has a customized U.S.-made Simpson inherent circuit changes taking place inside.
gain reduction meter and large knobs for Input and Output gain
pots, to go with a six-position release time rotary switch. The six IN THE STUDIO
release times (1-6) are 270, 400 and 700 ms, then slower at 1, 1.7 and One of my first tests was on a female lead vocal track that was
2.8 seconds. Without a separate threshold control, adjusting the dynamically wild, requiring special treatment to blend well into the
Input gain control sets the compression amount, and the Output mix. In Pro Tools HDX 12.8.2, I placed the BG2 as a hardware insert
gain sets final makeup gain. after an EQ plug-in on the vocal track.
Other front panel controls include old-school on/off AC power I started conservatively: Brit mode, slow attack, slowest release
switch, pilot light and mains fuse; a Link on/off switch for stereo time #6, and 600 ohm input impedance. I set the Input knob to get
linking a second BG2; and a two-position attack time switch, with about a 3dB max of gain reduction (indicated) on the loudest peak.
Fast at 30 ms and Slow at 110 ms. There is a kind of gain range I was looking for clean and smooth leveling.
switch called Input Impedance to use either the 150 or 600-ohm While the EQ plug-in got the spectral balance dialed in, the BG2
impedance primaries of the input transformer. There is also a reined in the volume level differences and added a smooth, thick,
Compression On/Off switch—it’s not a bypass but just disables the “chesty” tone. The vocal sat in the track better with only minimal
sidechain so you can use the BG2 as a line amp only. (The Altec automation moves here and there. Far from a noticeable “squashed”
sound, I could now better hear the singer’s vibrato, glottal stops and
other nuances, even with a pounding rhythm track surrounding her.
TRY THIS Next, I tried a more aggressive treatment on the same vocal
The BG2 has enough gain to amplify a connected microphone
plugged directly into its input XLR. For direct guitar, I used
track, going to 12 dB or more of gain reduction. I changed to 150
the 150 ohm mode with a Jensen transformer DI (passive) box ohm impedance to push more level into the input stage and the
connected. My Fender Strat sounded super-clean with the detector circuit. I also switched to American mode, but kept the
BG2’s Input knob “dimed out” (10) and barely registered any
gain reduction. An all-in-one tube direct box/compressor is an
slow attack and used either release time #2 or #3.
asset in any studio. Loved it! This was where I would have liked a slightly different collection of
release times, as I could have used a #2.5. Based on the singer’s phrasal
44 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
www.imsta.org
International Music Software Trade Association New York • Toronto • Hamburg • Tokyo Tel:mixonline.com
416 789-6849 •| Fax:
MAR 416
C H789-1667
2018 | MIX 45
unplugged.
free, expert Acoustic Advice. We
are firm believers in education,
so we are INFORMATIVE
and our website is full of
Educational Articles and Videos. Greensafe
means GIK Acoustics products are
ENVIRONMENTAL and friendlier on air
quality, the environment, and your budget.
888.986.2789
gikacoustics.com
ORDER DIRECT
FROM 35 YEARS OF
800-637-2852 musicdispatch.com
46 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m
Wright
Drummer/Musical
Marvelous acoustics for beds,
overdubs and mixing
$60 per hour
Director/Producer Telephone: (416) 266-3079
(Adele, Toni Braxton, Babyface)
Email: gt@makeahitsong.com
MASTERING
RETAIL
mixonline.com | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | M I X 47
A
s I write this, everyone is getting back content. Most past attempts to ‘lock down’ content have failed
from—and getting over—NAMM. primarily because they are frequently circumvented—and this is
(Check out my show report starting due to their unacceptable impact on the creative workflow.”
on p. 28.) For me, show survival and protection To that end, Scaeva has come up with a process whereby
start before travel begins. I always get a flu shot all digital content will be created in an encrypted form, with
months before and wear noise-canceling, circumaural headphones encryption and decryption capabilities built into the DAW, as well
on the plane. That way I feel less stressed after four-plus hours in as simple standalone decryption modules. The innovation is an “on
the air. Whenever I wonder, “How bad could it be without these?” the fly” low-latency encryption feature using fewer than 64 sample
I slip them off for a reality check. It’s always a shocker. I’d guess it’s buffers within the DAW’s signal path. Curd explains, “With this
20 dB louder without them. capability, a key can be designated at the beginning of a session, and
I usually wear silicon earplugs on the show floor, but this year tracks are automatically encrypted with this key during the tracking
was different thanks to the new audio hall, which was delightfully process. As the tracks are mixed and edited, they are decrypted in
quiet compared to the old digs in halls A, B, C and D. The ceiling in memory before processing, then re-encrypted before saving.”
the new hall is 25 feet tall and curved at the corners, which helps, All that sounds cool, but there’s more: a hardware decryption
but that’s not all that kept the SPL in check. NAMM has strict new component to the process that overcomes an inherent weakness
rules for loudness, and I saw more than one booth alerted that in current encode/decode processes. Curd continues, “Regardless
they were not in compliance—everyone took it very seriously. The of the strength of any encryption method, audio content must
consensus among the exhibitors I polled was that they love being be converted into an analog signal before it becomes sound. This
able to carry on a conversation without having to raise their voice. ‘analog loophole’ exists because humans possess analog senses. Since
Another weapon in combating ambient noise at NAMM probably the dynamic speakers we use today were invented in 1925, it turns
went unnoticed by most attendees. The overhead signs hanging on out that the physics behind them creates an enormous vulnerability.
the aisles flagging each row’s number served as additional acoustic A quality sound system results in a near-perfect analog signal at the
treatment for the hall on both floors. GeerFab Acoustics manufactured speaker terminal regardless of any digital encryption, which can
all the signs for the project. There were 101 signs in total, measuring 48 then be sampled and copied in full fidelity with ease.”
x 96 x 2 inches. Hanging from them at a 90-degree angle on aluminum Enter the Scaeva ActiveMag speaker driver, which eliminates
t-frames were another 101 at 48 x 24 x 2 inches, along with an additional the common magnet and replaces it with a patented active field
nine 96 x 36 x 2 and six 96 x 48 x 2 for the lower-ceilinged rooms. coil assembly. Curd says, “This results in a doubly-fed speaker
The signs were printed on acoustically transparent fabric from motor, relying on two separate signals to drive the voice and field
Guilford called Paradise. About its dependability, GeerFab’s Eric coils. From a content protection perspective, the relationship
Geer says the fabric “lets me sleep at night.” The fabric was custom- of these two signals can be derived from an infinite number of
printed at GeerFab in Milwaukee using a dye sublimation process mathematical equations, as long as the product of these two
on both sides. Fabrics were then sewn together with seams along equations results in the desired signal.”
sides and then grommets punched through for mounting, fully The bottom line is the speaker won’t play audio unless it’s fed
encapsulating 2 inches by 2 pounds (pcf, or pounds per cubic foot) by the two signals through the decryption key from the DAW.
fiberglass. It worked! Scaeva is also planning on having a decryption chip within the
“Protection” as a theme covers more than just ears. File company’s MagPlanar headphone drivers, where the headphones
protection was the topic at hand when I visited exhibitor Steve and a corresponding key would be required to reproduce encrypted
Curd, CEO of Scaeva Technologies. His company puts a new spin content—like a hardware dongle that’s also a headphone. Smart!
on the idea of protecting digital content. Curd has some great Using earplugs, noise-canceling headphones, acoustic treatment
insights into what has made past attempts at copy protection fail. at a noisy trade-show, or high-tech digital file protection like
He says, “Prior to the content’s release, any encryption process Scaeva’s groundbreaking software and hardware, we can all
must respect the workflow of the creative professionals: the benefit. In the end, it makes us all happier, healthier and better
artists, producers and sound engineers creating and managing the audio pros. You’ve got to love technology! n
48 M I X | M A R C H 2 0 1 8 | mi x o n l i n e.co m