summertimespecialreport software PSN’s look at the latest in software platforms, effects plug-ins and virtual instruments includes a pair of UA’s LA-3A and user reviews and a new software product section. Audio engineers and desktop music producers of all kinds will find some exciting new releases this sum- mer or early fall, between the long-awaited Reason 4.0 and upcoming FXpansion BFD2—both currently Neve 88RS in beta testing—Waves’ new collection of API-model- ing plug-ins, new sound libraries from East West and ILIO, and Digidesign’s new Structure soft sampler. Check out reviews of Apple’s new SoundTrack Pro 2 and Universal Audio’s Neve 88RS and LA-3A plug- ins, just released with UAD version 4.7.0, as well as a rundown of some of the new software products ei- ther just out, or coming soon to a store near you. SUMMERTIME SOFTWARE SUMMERTIME Apple’s Soundtrack Pro 2 Universal Audio’s LA-3A Product information by Rich Tozzoli by Geoff Sanoff Neve 88RS Channel Strip: $299 s with every new release from niversal Audio’s latest additions to LA-3A Audio Leveler: $149 Apple, the word “integration” its UAD-1 line are the LA-3A com- A always finds its way into the work- U pressor and the Neve 88RS channel flow. Soundtrack Pro 2 is the company’s strip. As someone working frequently on a On this particular song, I had been using latest incarnation in the ever-advancing host-based system (Black Lion modded [Digidesign’s] Smack, which I like on series, bundled as part of the latest Final Digi 002 running Pro Tools LE 7.3.1, quad drums, but the LA-3A added a nice sense Cut Studio 2 package. G5 with 2GB RAM) I have been enjoying of depth and warmth that Smack lacked Clearly aimed at the post and video the UAD-1 card and its suite of plug-ins for in this application. When properly pushed, editing markets, SP2 has several useful a while now. It’s a great way to expand the the LA-3A pumps well, giving the drums a mixing power of native applications like nice, propulsive energy, maintaining both Pro Tools LE. sonic detail (high-end) but gaining more Having emulations of the 1176, meat (low-mid weight). It would have Product information Fairchild, Neve 33609 and LA-2A com- been my choice in this application if I did Final Cut Studio 2 (includes Soundtrack pressors, I had to ask myself if I really not already own UA’s 1176. The LA-3A al- Pro 2, DVD Studio Pro 4, Final Cut Pro 6, needed another digitized classic. In short so sounded quite nice and crunchy on Motion 3, Color and Compressor 3): $1,299 form, the answer to the question is yes, several different close-miked snare tracks. surprisingly so. Of the two, I thought I’d On the lead male vocal for Russian be more interested in the LA-3A, simply cult favs, Auktyon, I found the LA-3A to new features such as a “take“ manage- because of its familiarity. be just the ticket. On other male vocals I ment system, single-window interface So, I tried the LA-3A first—on dirty tend to prefer the UA Fairchild, but for combining Timeline and Waveform edit- Apple’s SP2 Surround Panner window electric guitar tracks for the power pop this task, the LA-3A was the right ing, a unique multi-view video screen for rocker, Javier Escovedo. I have to say it sound, bringing singer Leonid Fedorov’s spotting, automatic audio conform pro- off picking up that surround monitoring brings something quite nice to this task. It vocals right to the front and adding a cessing and a cool Lift & Stamp tool for rig until now, this is a great excuse to start controls dynamics effectively, but equally nice presence to them in the process. copying sets of applied effects and/or EQ shopping for one. important for me, at least, it also adds The beauty of the LA-3A is its simplicity. from one clip to another. But what clearly Apple includes several thousand royal- something nice tonally. On Javier’s dirty Like its older brother, the LA-2A, there stands out with this release is the ability to ty-free sound effects and music tracks— electric guitar tracks, it brought out a are only two knobs and a compress/limit capture, mix and create 5.1 multichannel many in surround. With just a quick listen, midrange punch and presence where the switch. In my usage, it either did the surround sound content. you can tell the company put quite a bit 1176 tended to bring out more low-end trick or it didn’t—there aren’t endless Let’s first dig a bit deeper into some of of care into selecting high-quality clips. girth. The attack time on the LA-3A is parameters to tweak or “secret” modes the basics. Minimum requirements for Fi- There are also more than 50 stereo and faster than where I find myself tending to to engage. And when the LA-3A works, nal Cut Studio/SP 2 include a Mac with a surround plug-ins, or you can use your set guitar compressors, and so that may it’s obvious immediately. 1.25 GHz processor running on at least a Waves, Sonnox or whatever plug-ins you be part of the difference that I am hear- Because of its reasonably fast attack PowerPC G4. You’ll need 1 GB of RAM, like that run on the Audio Units platform. ing. But even so, I really liked what it and release times, it catches peaks quickly, MAC OSX v10.4.9 or later, QuickTime To me, that is one thing that separates added, something I would not have been and you have to use your ears as much as 7.1.6 or later and a display with pro-level software from mediocrity—the able to get with EQ alone, and something its meters to tell what its doing. A -3 dB 1024x768 resolution or higher. Of course, ability to use high-quality external soft- I don’t easily find with other compressor reduction on its meter actually yielded you’ll need an audio interface (with good ware plug-ins. plug-ins that I own. what sounded to me like a fair amount reason to use the Mac’s optical outputs), As mentioned, it’s clear that this pro- On the same Escovedo song, I tested more compression. and for surround work, you should have gram was designed with post production the LA-3A on my compressed drum bus. (continued on page 32) at least six channels of I/O. If you’ve held (continued on page 32) prosoundnews.com July 2007 [32] specialreport sound of the overheads on this doing frequency-dependant particular kit, giving cymbals a compression, like de-essing, you nice washy feel without eating can also use it to control the up the whole picture. I liked the gate, getting it to trigger more LA-3A/ sound of the compressor on precisely. I found these functions snare drum overall, especially on to be useful, if a bit visually con- a song with a lot of ghost notes. fusing, not unlike the large for- Neve 88RS It brought out the details very ef- mat consoles it emulates. It cer- (continued from page 30) fectively and cleanly. tainly allowed me to have more On kick drum, and bass DI, kick and less of everything else, So this leads us to the Neve 88RS. there are enough EQ bands to though on the funk song with a When you think plug-in emulations of cut and boost where needed, snare that had a lot of ghost Neve EQs you think classic, you think ‘70s and enough headroom to add notes, I couldn’t get it as tight and early ‘80s, but not circa “now.” And substantial bottom end. Again, a and accurate as I wanted. But I yet, this plug-in completely won me over. subtle amount of compression couldn’t get anything else to do For one thing, the convenience of an all-in- really helped the live kick drum a better job either. one plug-in speaks for itself. to be more consistent without In contrast to the LA-3A, the But more importantly, it sounds great. I losing too much power on the 88RS is not a plug-in you just found myself trying it on everything. I par- loud passages. throw on. It takes time to get it ticularly liked it on drums. On the drum On the same dirty electric set right. But with that caveat, I overheads of the Auktyon live recordings, that the LA-3A worked so well seriously did not expect to like it it allowed me to add top end that was not on, the Neve 88RS was a tad UA’s Neve 88RS so much. It’s a great utility plug- overly brash or harsh. The compressor has frustrating. It sounded fine, but when do- bands. I’m not sure why this would be, but in, sounding good without maxing out the more than enough parameters to keep ing more or less the same adjustments on I suspect that the downside of the 88RS’s DSP. Both the LA-3A and the Neve 88RS you fiddling for days, and works as what other EQs, including the Neve 1073SE, I feature richness is the fact that it takes have different audio signatures than the I’d describe as a practical compressor felt that the 88RS did not sparkle as much longer to get it to do what you want.