Products of Interest XFilez Encoder/Decoder for Contact empreintes DIGITALes/ cation (see Figure 1). This book Windows Media Audio DIFFUSION i MéDIA, 4580, avenue takes an interdisciplinary approach de Lorimier, Montreal, Quebec H2H to the study of sound, and the 2001 XFilez, Inc., has released its WMA 2B5, Canada; telephone (+1) 514- edition includes an updated bibliog- Encoder/Decoder for Windows com- 526-4096; fax (+1) 514-526-4487; raphy, discography, and, most sig- puters. The program converts WAV, electronic mail [email protected]; nificantly, the CD-ROM version of OGG, and MP3 audio files into the World Wide Web the author’s Handbook for Acoustic Windows Media Audio (WMA) for- www.electrocd.com/. Ecology (reviewed in Computer Mu- mat, and vice versa. It is claimed sic Journal, 25:1. that the WMA format enables audio The book’s 14 chapters are to be compressed to half the size of Linux Music Applications Col- grouped in two parts. The first, MP3 files while retaining similar lection Sound, Listening, and Soundscape, listening quality. includes the following chapters: Acoustic Tradition and the Commu- The WMA Encoder/Decoder sup- Mstation has collected a number of nicational Approach: Energy Trans- ports a range of bit-rates and sam- audio production and playback utili- fer and Information Processing; The pling rates. The software includes ties for Linux. The CD-ROM is Listener; Voice and Soundmaking; an ID3 tag editor and a command- bundled with relevant libraries (pre- Systems of Acoustic Communica- line batch editor for converting mul- compiled in RPM format), including tion: Speech, Music, and tiple files. Mozilla M18, kernel source for 2.4.0 Soundscape; The Acoustic Commu- XFilez sells its Encoder/Decoder test 3, and kernel 2.2.17LL (low la- nity; Noise and the Urban for US$ 29.00. Site and network li- tency patched) in RPM format, and Soundscape; and Acoustic Design. censes are also available. Contact Xfree86 4.01-19k. It is compatible The second part, Electroacoustics— XFilez, Inc.; electronic mail sales@x- with RedHat 6.0, 6.1, 7.0, and Man- The Impact of Technology on filez.com; World Wide Web www.x- drake 7.2. Acoustic Communication com- filez.com/. The applications collected on the prises the following: Electroacoustic disc include: Alsamixergui, Awesfx, Communication: Breaking Con- Bladeenc, Broadcast 2000, Brain- straints; Electrification: The New empreintes DIGITALes “British storm, Ceres3, Clavier, DAP—Digital Soundscape; The Listener As Con- Audio Processor, EasyTAG, Connection” Electroacoustic sumer; The Electroacoustic Media: Ecasound, Freebirth, Grip, Icecast, Compact Discs Audio Mediation; The Acoustic Jazz, Ladspa-sdk, Libmikmod, Community as Market; Regaining Libsndfile, Mammut-linux, Mix2000, Control: Electroacoustic Alterna- empreintes DIGITALes has released Mixmagic, Mpg123, MusiXTeX, a set of three compact discs by Brit- tives; and Electroacoustic Design. Noteedit, Pmidi, Pmx, Rosegarden, As the author states in his updated ish electroacoustic composers. This Smurf, Snd, Soundtracker, sox, Spiral Preface, the issues raised some two set, which producer Jean-François Synth, Sweep, TiMidity, TSE—the Denis calls “British Connection,” decades earlier remain relevant to- open source sequencer, Wmcdplay, Évidence day: “How do we reinvigorate the includes: Jonty Harrison XMMS, and Xphat. matérielle listener’s interaction with the envi- (IMED 0052), featuring The Mstation CD-ROM can be or- Klang (1982), Sorties (1995), Surface ronment through listening; how do dered for US$ 14.00. Contact Tension Splintering we design our soundscapes on a (1996), (1997), Mstation, 5/52 Old Road Lee, Lon- Streams functional, human scale; and how do (1999); Adrian Moore don SE13 5SR, UK; World Wide Web Traces (IMED 0053), including we distinguish the net gain offered mstation.org/appsCD.html. Junky (1996), Dreamarena (1996), by technology from its hype and op- Study In Ink (1997), Foil- pressive aspects?” Counterfoil (1997), and Sieve (1995); Acoustic Communication, Acoustic Communication (ISBN Denis Smalley Sources/scénes 1-56750-537-6) is published by (IMED 0054), with Base Metals Second Edition, by Barry Truax Ablex Publishing, 88 Post Road (2000), Empty Vessels (1997), Tides West, Westport, Connecticut 06881, (1984), and Pentes (1974). All three Barry Truax has updated his impor- USA; World Wide Web discs were produced in 2000. tant 1984 text, Acoustic Communi- www.ablexbooks.com. 108 Computer Music Journal Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/014892601753189565 by guest on 02 October 2021 Figure 1. Acoustic Communication, Figure 2. Emagic EMI 2|6 Multi- Figure 3. Audio Ease Altiverb 2nd Edition, by Barry Truax. Channel USB Audio Interface. Sampled Acoustics Processor. extended reverb time. The plug-in, which takes advantage of the Altivec Velocity Engine (for Macintosh G4 computers), operates EASI, and ASIO; Macintosh drivers in real time, and can process up to support EASI and ASIO. 40 seconds of reverberation. Contact Emagic GmbH, Altiverb is set for Spring/Summer Halstenbeker Web 96, 25462 2001 release. Contact Audio Ease, Relleingen, Germany; telephone Esdoornstraat 14, 3551 AJ Utrecht, (+49) 4101-495-0; fax (+49) 4101-495- The Netherlands; telephone (+31) 199; electronic mail 30-24-33-606; fax (+31) 30-24-38- [email protected]; World Wide Web 500; electronic mail www.emagic.de/. In North America, [email protected]; World Wide contact Emagic, Inc., 13348 Grass Web www.audioease.com/. Valley Avenue, Building C, Grass Valley, California 95945, USA; tele- phone (+1) 530-477-1051; fax (+1) Earthworks 1024 Four-channel Emagic EMI 2|6 Multi-channel 530-477-1052. Microphone Preamplifier USB Audio Interface Earthworks, known for its quality Emagic has joined the rush to re- microphones, has also now created a lease Universal Serial Bus (USB) au- Altiverb Sampled Acoustics Pro- preamplifier (see Figure 4) which dio interfaces, especially cessor by Audio Ease presents such a low level of total convenient for use with notebook distortion that it is virtually computers. The EMI 2|6 features Altiverb is a sampled acoustics pro- unmeasurable (0.0001%). The 1024 two analog inputs and six outputs cessor for one, two, or four channels takes four transformerless XLR in- (designed for running 5.1 audio) (see Figure 3). It has been produced puts and produces XLR stepped gain, and is equipped with 24-bit con- by Audio Ease as a plug-in for Digi- differential outputs. Gain is adjusted verters. Digital input/output is tal Performer (and other MAS-com- in 5 dB steps from 5 to 60 dB. An handled by coaxial S/PDIF stereo pliant applications). The software output amplifier is controlled from a connectors. A headphone jack is comes with a large collection of pre- variable gain, enabling up to 20 dB of provided, and monitoring is carried set acoustic settings, based on reduction from the switch setting of out with zero latency. Real-time sampled reverberation from halls, the main gain. The unit includes a 1 triggering of software samplers and churches, outdoor settings, and so ⁄4-in TRS output for sending the sig- synthesizers can be run at very low forth. Each of these comes with a nal from the variable gain to proces- latency as well. JPEG file giving a view of the source sors or other units of disparate input The EMI 2|6 draws power through location. Altiverb also comes with impedances. The front panel also in- the USB cable, and is compact and an Impulse Response pre-processor, cludes phantom power switches (48 lightweight (about the size of a VHS which enables users to sample their volt) and a polarity reversal switch video cassette) (see Figure 2). LED own spaces and apply the reverbera- for phase compensation. displays indicate signal presence for tion to their soundfiles. The 1024 has an extremely flat each input and output channel as The software can process either Frequency Response of 2 Hz to 100 well as interface modes. Windows monophonic or stereo files, and op- kHz, ±0.2 dB (1 Hz to 200 kHz, ±0.5 drivers support MME, DirectSound, erates in two modes: zero-latency or dB), with an Impulse Response of Products of Interest 109 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/014892601753189565 by guest on 02 October 2021 Figure 4. Earthworks Four-Channel Figure 5. ART Tube-Driven 24-bit Figure 6. BLUE Dragonfly Cardioid Microphone Preamplifier. 96 kHz DI/O Digital Converter. Condenser Microphone. 1% settling time measured at 1.4 The DI/O Converter sells for US$ µsec, and a square wave rise time of 249.00. Contact ART, 215 Tremont 0.27 µsec. Equivalent Input Noise Street, Rochester, New York 14608, Figure 5 (EIN) is very quiet, with ratings USA; telephone (+1) 716-436-2720; from –132 dBV @ 20 dB gain to –143 fax (+1) 716-436-3942; electronic dBV @ 60 dB gain. mail [email protected]; World The 1024 Preamplifier sells for Wide Web www.artproaudio.com/. US$ 3,500. Contact Earthworks, Inc., P.O. Box 517, Wilton, New Hampshire 03086, USA; telephone BLUE Dragonfly Cardioid (+1) 603-654-6427; fax (+1) 603-654- Condenser Microphone 6107; electronic mail [email protected]; World Wide Web The Baltic Latvian Universal Elec- www.earthwks.com/. tronics (BLUE) company distin- guishes itself by producing quality microphones of striking design. The ART Tube-Ddriven 24-bit 96 kHz Dragonfly is a Class A discrete, DI/O Digital Converter transformerless microphone using a Figure 6 cardioid-pattern pressure-gradient Applied Research and Technology transducer. It features a rotating cap- (ART) has released its tube-driven sule grill for positioning, and an in- Zeep LocalizerDSP Plug-in DI/O Digital Converter (see Figure tegrated shockmount (see Figure 6). 5). The two-channel unit provides The microphone handles Sound with zVerb Surround Space analog-to-digital or digital-to-analog Pressure Levels up to 132 dB (for Simulator for Macintosh conversion in conjunction with pro- 0.5% Total Harmonic Distortion), prietary tube processing.