Welcome to AT’s commemorative Indispensable section of Issue 50. I know Andy has done a masterful job steering his introductory Ed Space around the craggy rocks of misty-eyed nostalgia… I’m afraid I can’t be so circumspect. It’s Issue 50, I’ve been doing AT since Issue 3 and I demand some misty-eyed nostalgia! Here goes: In 1998, when I arrived back in Australia after five years in the UK, my first stop-off was to see Greg Simmons and Philip Spencer in Sydney. I heard they’d just started a new magazine and also heard they were looking for another pair of hands in editorial. I guess they couldn’t believe that someone with pro audio publishing experience was just happening to head home, and I could hardly believe there was a mag in Australia that would allow me continue the work I was doing at Audio Media and Sound on Sound magazines. A match made in heaven… But it was tough times. I’m sure anyone who’s started a small business would be familiar with the uncertainty that comes with that – the lack of money and hardware, stupidly long hours, phones getting cut off… but also the profound satisfaction of doing something cool, doing it well and doing it your own way. I’m proud of AT. The 49 issues of the magazine that line up in front of me on my desk, account for the prime years of my working life, as well as a good chunk of what should have been my recreational/family time. And going back through them one by one has, dare I say it, been a real misty-eyed nostalgia trip. I hope you get a kick out of the next 49 pages. I know there are plenty of readers who have been with us since Issue 1, and for all those true believers, this issue is dedicated to you. Christopher Holder, Editorial Director.

AT 49 In his inaugural editorial Issue 1 also saw Mike Simmo put high-end Stavrou’s first effort as ISSUE 1 audio design into a dollar a magazine columnist. and cents perspective, Immediately Stav identifying the value of demonstrated his left-of- paying five grand more field approach to ‘sound for ‘that wonderful tonal balance engineering’ with character we call ‘the his article on finding the sound’. It was a fitting best possible distance INDISPENSABLE INSIGHTS preamble to Simmo’s between your nearfield Thanks to everyone who took the time to make extraordinary interview monitors – espousing his their views known on our Indispensable Poll. In the with the legendary audio ‘ribbon effect’ philosophy in coming pages we’ll take a look at what gear and designer, Rupert Neve – an the process. WHO IS...? software people are relying on, and we’ll hear from The geezer we liked to call interview that spanned Meanwhile, Rick O’Neil you, the readers, about what you find indispensable the ‘JMC Dude’ graced the the first three issues of AT didn’t miss a beat from and why. pages of AT for a number of and arguably put the new his Sound Australasia issues, helping to advertise This is the input that really interested me. I was audio engineering school, magazine on ‘the map’. In writing, again taking up fascinated by what fired you all up. And it’s a real JMC Academy. If you know the the first installment, Rupert residency on the back and Simmo cover a lot of sign of the times that software is what gets the identity of JMC Dude, or if in pages of the magazine fact you are the JMC Dude and ground – the emerging and again weaving his juices flowing. It’s evident that we all know the reading this right now… then 24/96 digital standard, the beloved Ford Futura into a importance of great monitoring, microphones, please get in touch, there’s so limitations of ‘CD-quality’ preamps etc, but it’s the software that we all sit and much we want to know… that thought-provoking article mix… that hat… digital audio, and even how on the subjectivity of good look at for hours on end and it’s the software that the inherent distortions of sound. really generates the whole Ford/Holden loyalty. CD may be responsible for social problems! – and left Issue 1 caused quite a stir. There’s a real divide between what people own readers gagging for more. It was arguably the first and use and what really gets them animated. The Australian audio mag to only exception to this rule was Digidesign. Not Elsewhere in Issue 1, write about serious audio only do ProTools and Digi’s interfaces take the Mackie’s soon-to-be- topics in a way that agreed lion’s share of their market segments, but there are everywhere HR824 with pros, semi-pros and many grateful readers out there – you can read their monitors are hoisted onto enthusiasts alike. It wasn’t responses for yourself. – CH. the test bench, as was ravey and low-brow; it the ultimately-doomed was entertaining, cleanly PARIS workstation from designed but packed with (the ultimately-doomed solid info to chew on. company) Ensoniq. ProTools 24 was released, as was Now all the AT team had Cubase VST for Windows to do was ‘get up’ for the 95 and Logic Audio 3.0. ‘difficult’ second issue. –CH.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO…? ENSONIQ PARIS Upon its release PARIS was touted in the market’s haste to embrace digital plugins and market dominance) and the as ‘The Complete Digital Recording & audio workstations. Here’s some of ‘sequencers’ of the day like Logic and Mixing Solution’, which might sound what Stephen said in his interview with Cubase (whose users couldn’t understand pretty ho-hum in 2006, but back in Greg Simmons: “PARIS is the only DAW why they needed extra DSP when their ’98 it has to be remembered that no I know of that has a real studio monitor blazingly fast 200MHz Pentium was one was mixing records from within with stereo solo-in-place. It’s got a mix doing them nicely, thanks very much). their DAW environment. Digidesign’s bus, and a monitor bus with mute, mono, In Issue 17 we reviewed PARIS v3, but ProControl was still on the drawing dim and its own level control for studio by then there was a definite tinge of board, while Logic and Cubase were still monitoring. You use it like a real studio.” desperation in the words of our reviewer, Midi + Audio ‘sequencers’ – remember Remarkably, years later, stand-alone Sakis Anastopolous – the writing was ‘sequencers’?! Instead, PARIS arrived, devices like Mackie’s Big Knob and on the wall and despite our review’s out of the box, with its own hardware Presonus’s Central Station are doing a introduction, there wouldn’t ‘always be interface complete with (gasp) real brisk trade, offering the sort of dedicated PARIS’. As of 2006, even the PARIS true faders. Pivotal in the design of PARIS was monitoring that PARIS was supplying as believers have moved on – you can head audio luminary, Stephen St. Croix, who standard. Arguably PARIS may have been to www.parisfaqs.com to plug into the ensured PARIS featured the type ‘real before its time and fell between the two remnant colony of Parisians. studio’ functionality that was being lost stools of ProTools TDM (with all its juicy

GREG SIMMONS, with PurePath’s designer, Mr this), I didn’t think the down a chance to talk with “This is Rupert...” Rupert was unlikely to tell FOUNDING EDITOR Rupert Neve. name ‘Rupert Neve’ was Rupert Neve? I resolved me to get off his phone and An Infinitely Recurring After exchanging Echo From a Warm and It seems crazy now, but I particularly newsworthy at to somehow shoehorn a formalities, we got down leave him alone. the time. It didn’t stack up half-page or thereabouts Distant Past… was lukewarm to the idea. to business… and my I didn’t sleep that night. I I was carrying in my head against the exciting things into the review. So while brief little six-question sat up for hours, playing “How about an interview the entire editorial vision I had planned for the first Frank arranged a date and 20-minute interview went the interview over and with Rupert Neve?” It for this new magazine, issue, such as our scoop in- time, I studied the PurePath on for two fascinating over again, transcribing it was late ’97, and the AudioTechnology, and depth preview of Paris (RIP), promotional literature and hours, covering every into Microsoft Word and enthusiastic voice on the had already mapped out the eagerly-anticipated jotted down half a dozen imaginable aspect of audio excitedly pacing back and end of the phone was the content of the first digital audio workstation questions. equipment history, design forth across my small home Frank Hinton of ATT Audio issue. Accompanying the from Ensoniq (RIP), and the When the time arrived, and application. Rupert was office. On tape were some Controls. Frank was the PurePath review with an accompanying interview I dialled the number. happy to talk for as long as of the most interesting Australian representative interview, no matter how with its designer, Stephen Somewhere in Wimberley, I was happy to listen, and and reassuring insights for Amek, the highly small, meant more space St Croix (RIP). This was hot Texas, an English gentleman I didn’t give a hoot about into professional audio I’d regarded British console would be required, and that ‘front cover’ news, whereas was waiting patiently by the the international phone call ever heard. I knew I had manufacturer. We were was likely to send a ripple the name ‘Rupert Neve’ was phone. “Hello? Can I speak charge because his words to include a full-length discussing a review of of layout changes through perennial… an infinitely to Rupert Neve please?” were priceless. In fact, the interview with Rupert Neve Amek’s PurePath products the following pages of the recurring echo from a warm The voice on the other end conversation never reached in our first issue. So much for the premiere issue of magazine. and distant past. sounded like an older, wiser a logical conclusion; I for my precious editorial AudioTechnology, and Frank Nonetheless, what and far more secure Hugh decided to wind it up when ‘vision’! thought it would be a good Furthermore (and I feel terrible admitting old-school audio guy in Grant, and was immediately it occurred to me that, being The transcribed text idea to include an interview his right mind would turn at-ease and welcoming. a true English gentleman,

AT 50 It was AT’s ‘difficult second as much impact as Y2K. issue’. Simmo and Philip Issue 2’s four-page polemic Spencer were lavished is packed full of dire ISSUE 2 with praise for the ground warnings and pictures of breaking Issue 1, but in this pensive/angry individuals game you’re only as good pointing fingers and as you’re latest mag. AT waving important-looking was touted as a bi-monthly, documents around. Apart It’s immediately obvious that ProTools in its various but that promise quickly from AT’s brief and only guises has a dominant position in the market, with proved to be a pipedream. foray into politicking, it was an impressive 40.9% of readers electing ProTools Two months turned to steady as she goes: more as their primary DAW. Ableton Live has a smaller three and four… then it Rupert, Chesky (Greg’s pet WE LIKED: arrived, Issue 2, absolutely audiophile label), Rick and Gazooks! Rick discovered but vocal group of aficionados and beats Acid in crammed with stuff – no Photoshop… and check the ‘quick arrangement’ stakes. While Cubase beats Stav. Notable appearances less than 18 reviews and out the results. Young arch-rival Logic in the numbers game. of gear included: the whippersnappers will be six features. Actually, make Mackie HUI, Sennheiser’s surprised to hear that that five features and a first Evolution mics, Turtlerock wasn’t always the dodgy ‘adverpromotorial’ Martin Audio’s Wavefront ‘biggest’, the ‘best’ or ‘the most outstanding’ mastering called ‘Don’t Stop the 8 and Roland’s VS1680; studio in Australia… but in DAW’S/EDITING Music’. Unfortunately the a few of ‘does anybody 1998 it was ‘cooler than a ’64 AT team had been sold the remember?’ products like Futura’. Perhaps, but if the idea that the new parallel the Tascam TM-D8000 and ad is anything to go by it was CD import legislation was Creamware TDAT16; along creepier than a sack full of going to spell certain doom centipedes and lower res than with a bunch of portastudio an ‘80s sampler. to the music industry. For products from Korg, (the those who remember, the aforementioned) Roland, government got it into their Akai, and Yamaha, whose heads that CDs were way ancestors continue to make too expensive and one way their presence felt today. of bringing down the cost – CH. was to allow retailers to stock cheaper, overseas sourced CDs. In these days of iTunes it almost seems laughable that imported CDs were going to send the industry to hell in a hand basket, and sure enough the legislation had about

MACKIE HUI… NEVER AGAIN It was 1998 and Mackie had teamed up ball with any third-party controllers since. Pop Quiz with Digidesign to produce the first Even now, eight years on, the only way

Q: What’s the HUI acronym stand for?

serious ProTools controller. What’s SSL, Smart AV, Tascam, Radikal, etc etc there). out interfaces user alien those remarkable about HUI is that since can interface their controller/mixers all to opposed (as Interface User Human A: the controller’s been consigned to the with ProTools is via the positively ancient secondhand market, everyone knows Midi-based HUI protocol. Meanwhile, of the HUI protocol. Why is that? The Nuendo, Pyramix and the like are falling answer’s simple. After HUI (the controller), over themselves to hand over code to the honchos at Digidesign must have allow third party products to interface figured: “hang on, why give someone else with them. Who’s the savvy ones here and the ability to control ProTools when we’re who are the chumps? Well, you’ve got to doing our own controller?” Within a year, hand it to Digidesign, they’re the market Digi released ProControl and hasn’t played leaders and business is business after all.

contained over 12,000 in Australia, and the Rupert Rupert began writing glad to have!) words, but we could only Neve interview was a a regular column for With each new issue of AT “Your job, your career, fit 3000 words into a major contributor to that AudioTechnology (which I am reminded of Rupert feature interview. It was all success – especially with I predictably labelled Neve and his selfless and the entire Australian equally good and important the cynical and hardened ‘Rupert’s Word’) providing contribution to our early music industry is under information, and I found it professional engineers in-depth discussions of success. We’ve only done 50 difficult to delete anything. who were expecting yet noise and distortion and the issues so far, but I hope that threat from the Federal So I sent copies to 10 of the another ill-informed, tonality of audio equipment, the name ‘AudioTechnology’ smartest audio guys I knew, over-hyped and ad-driven supported by graphs, tables will eventually become as Government’s plans to along with a cover note piece of garbage aimed of measurements, and perennial as ‘Rupert Neve’ saying, “Please highlight squarely at the home studio anecdotes from his own – an infinitely recurring echo introduce the parallel the most important parts market. Rupert Neve was considerable experience. from a warm and distant and return ASAP”. The also happy; the prestigious This further established past. importing of CDs.” response was unanimous: AudioMedia magazine AudioTechnology’s “It’s all important!” So I bought the interview from professional credibility. …or not, as the case proved to be. AT leads the decided to publish the us and published it over But despite the intrinsic The full text of the Rupert charge in a beatup of Y2K proportions. interview as a series through multiple issues of their US value of this information, Neve interview can be the first three issues of and UK editions, re-kindling Rupert refused to accept obtained by emailing AudioTechnology. worldwide interest in any payment. (Rupert’s Word Greg Simmons at: Our first issue was a Rupert’s uncompromising was short-lived because he [email protected] resounding success with all philosophies and audio got too busy to keep doing it levels of the audio industry designs. – a problem I am sure he was AT 51 Issue 3 was big. Big because only Your Word and Stav’s it had about 400 pages of Word continue as ‘Word’ ISSUE 3 catalogues bound into it, monikers. and big because Simmo Some eight months had had enough and handed after Issue 1 was first over the job of editor to released, the Rupert me, Chris Holder. One of interview continued. Many the first jobs I took upon in pro audio circles were myself to make happen concerned that Mr Neve READERS SPEAK was the establishing of may not live to see the a readers’ letters page. PROTOOLS FOOTBALLER CRASH final instalment – he wasn’t TACKLES EXPENSIVE The trouble with letters getting any younger and pages is they don’t write “It’s like the mothership, innit?” OUTBOARD each issue of AT was taking When footballers get involved themselves and the first Daniel Arena an eternity to publish with advertising it’s inevitably one is the toughest. (thankfully, Rupert is “It has become so advanced it has actually changed something to do with a There was nothing for thriving. See the Issue 48 some of the fundamentals of the way we do albums, car yard. There are so few exceptions to this rule that it, I decided to write the wrap for his perspective). especially when it comes to editing. For me, the first two ‘letters’ myself they’re hardly even worth mix of ‘Tools and the SSL is really the best of both – the first a searching Elsewhere, technological noting… except one. Cliff worlds: the ease of digital editing and plug-ins, and Lyons, rugby league legend, missive questioning the breakthroughs abounded. the warmth and fatness of the console.” was seen spruiking a Manley use of extra ‘translation’ Monitor engineer stalwart, Henry Seeley Voxbox in Issue 3. When later monitors and the second Rod Matheson, gave AT asked by his team mates what a knockabout rant from a a glimpse of ‘Rod’s Rock “I originally come from a world of tape. The he was seen tackling for the knockabout ‘retailer’ telling Bottom’. No, Rod hadn’t photoshoot, Cliff was heard to flexibility ProTools gives me is incredible. mumble “I’m not entirely sure, people interested in shonky been working particularly Something as simple as copying a backing vocal hard on his ‘glutes’, it but I like the fact it integrates software to get stuffed… from one chorus to another, used to be a case of fly all the essential audio tools Trouble was, the letters was one the first uses in off ¼-inch tape, for example. Now with ProTools for vocal recording and page was, of course, called of a drum stool ‘shaker’. it’s copy, paste, job’s done. Gotta love it.” processing in one convenient 3U package”. Your Word (still is, for that Gear-wise, Digi’s ProControl Laurence Maddy matter), which sat near and Yamaha’s 01V were the front of the mag near reviewed, while the “From the producers, engineers and musicians’ my newly minted editorial Gigasampler made its first point of view – it’s the best thing that happened to page entitled, Second appearance. Meanwhile, me in the 25-year musical career.” WATCH Word, which all began to at the other end of the Nonda Antonopoulos get a bit ‘Wordy’ in the life cyle, Alesis released ALESIS XT20 same magazine as First its latest Adats. The new NEW: $5799 Word, Last Word and Stav’s 20-bit Adats started at NOW: $350 Word. Regular readers will $4300… which puts things note that more recently into perspective a little. –CH.

WHAT THE…? BEHRINGER’S BIZZARRO CATALOGUE Issue 3 included a bound-in Behringer valves on the top connected with another top of a pyramid pointing out ‘Your catalogue, and here’s how the cover arc of plasma. There’s so much electricity picture fits here’. Freaky. I mean, Mackie looked. Can anyone tell me what the hell in the air that you’d have to have rocks does Chihuahuas and Behringer does is going on here? Anyone? Let’s examine in your head to go up in a hot air balloon, whacky-doo occult rituals… A personal the facts. It’s all got something to do with but sure enough there’s some idiot letter from company founder and audio the ‘Art of Sound’… that much we can be flying over the two stone erections in a visionary, Uli Behringer, caps things off sure of. Somehow the art ties in with two balloon, and appears to be tethered to with his discourse on interactivity: “Even giant Behringer pyramids (hard to see, one pyramid, with a second line going to language differences cannot stop two but the Behringer ear logos are definitely the bald dude sitting at the baby grand. people falling in love – most definitely on those pyramids, with their references For a company that in 1998 had all the the ultimate interaction.” Quite perhaps, to ancient wisdom… something to airs and graces of a bratwurst – ‘you want but… but… What is going on here!? do with the Masons perhaps?), and a mixer? Here is mixer’ – this construct Here was I thinking I was looking at a nasty looking electrical charge that’s seems remarkably obscure. And to top Behringer catalogue when in fact I’ve just connecting the two. If all that wasn’t it all off, the words ‘1999 catalogue’ are fallen through some vortex and woken up baffling enough, there’s a chap sitting printed in what can only be described as in a New Age world of crystals, pyramids, at a grand piano fiddling with an ancient some Behringer bling – a necklace for crazy machines, hot air balloons and device bedecked in bakelite knobs (take goodness sakes. The following page… inspirational words of wisdom from guru a look for yourself… why would I make things get weirder and weirder. Behringer Uli. Fortunately, the next 45 catalogue this stuff up?). The contraption looks a does the Mackie thing (or is that the pages are full of cheap, no-nonsense, get- little like a cross between a VCS3 and a other way around?) by printing a whole the-job-done gear – back to reality then. Marconi radio, but appears to have two bunch of staff photos with a space on

“No one is not going to buy INDISPENSABLE Glenn Santry: The find the Prism converter entering the digital world. GLENN SANTRY most important tool in to be an incredible piece But mostly I don’t have to a record because it was integrating the analogue of equipment, preserving think about it at all, and and digital domains the quality and depth of that’s the beauty of it. With done on ProTools.” in today’s production analogue signals when the Prism I can utilise the environment is, in my transferring to digital. best of both worlds – In 1998, producer Marius DeVries puts the whole opinion, the A/D converter. Not only that, but my analogue versus digital debate into much needed analogue & digital I remember, years ago, monitoring D/A conversion perspective. – and that’s why it’s my mixing to DAT from has improved, now being indispensable piece of two-inch tape. It would clocked from the Prism. equipment. always sound different Nowadays I mix, and Last time we spoke to playing back off the sometimes track, to engineer, Glenn Santry, it DAT. Sometimes I would a computer. When I’m was in regard to his work on even adjust my mixes using the Prism my A/D the Karl Broadie recording, to compensate! Then I conversion is taken care Black Crow Calling (Issue bought a Prism AD-124 A/D of and I can focus on other 44). Here, Glenn talks about converter to put in front aspects of the recording/ the indispensability of high of the DAT recorder, and production. I sometimes quality converters. finally my mixes sounded feel like it’s my last throw AT 52 the same on playback. I of the analogue dice before The theme of Issue 4 may any plug-ins you might not have been particularly need. In retrospect, it was novel, but it was well arguably the first Mackie ISSUE 4 expounded: learn your gear, product release that didn’t avoid presets and get the go completely ballistic right tool for the job. and may have contributed As an exception that proves to a period of hibernation the rule, Issue 4’s live sound for Mackie – which it is feature on ‘The Main Event’ certainly out of now. READERS SPEAK (featuring the dream team APPLE LOGIC I’ll sign off this highlight of Little Johnny Farnham, section with Rick’s Olivia Neutron Bomb, and WE LIKED... “It does everything – multitracking, editing, (edited… sorry Rick) Anthony Warthog) outlined In a 1998 advertising field virtual instruments, Midi, scoring…” checklist of the $10k home of black boxes, text-heavy John Henderson’s use Chris Williams studio: 1. Get some standard boredom or Photoshop-mad of a phalanx of Yamaha reference speakers. 2. confusion, Quantegy’s ad “It has always been a faithful tool.” 01Vs on monitors. Right Get a power amp to drive stood out by a couple of lengths. Issue 4 coincided Peter Buckley tool for the job? I don’t them. 3. Get a DAT player even think Yamaha’s chief and a CD player. 4. Get a with the launch of Quantegy’s “I’m not crazy about a computer being the centre GP9 tape – a tape that Simmo international sales guru condenser mic. 5. Get an suggested rolled the best of of my studio, but Logic makes me feel like I’m in would recommend its new outboard preamp/DI box. 6. Quantegy’s and 3M’s tape control of all my gear, rather than being a slave to baby digital console for the Get a decent compressor. technologies into one reel. It the machine.” job. But there again, in-ear 7. Get a simple mixing desk was certainly a world away Gwydion Elderwyn from shortages, hoarding and monitoring (IEM) was only (simply for monitor and the uncertainties that dog the “The great thing is that you can make music, good just starting to gain wide mixing). 8. Get something world of tape today. music, with nothing else!“ acceptance and only now to record to (don’t stress Chris Preston are we seeing purpose too much about what type built monitor consoles that of recorder you start off “Anything else we can substitute or remain open are addressing the special with). 9. Get the fastest to change, however Logic 7 is the ultimate tool.” demands of IEM. computer you can afford. Kaeleen Hunter Mackie’s D8B made its first 10. Get ready to destroy “The beauty of the software is that it’s so appearance. Simon Leadley your social life. customisable, that it’s designed to serve you, the gave it a good going-over, Some things have changed, master.” enjoying the customary but point 10 sure hasn’t. George Mangos Mackie innovation (V-Pots, – CH. the Morph feature et al) “Has evolved into the best integrated Midi/audio/ but had a few issues with soft-synth environment on the planet!” only 12 mic preamps and Graeme Trott the price – $22,995, plus

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO…? THE FLOPPY DRIVE Hard to believe now, but Brad Watts used that point but, of course, the iLok wasn’t his Issue 4 Mac Audio column to lament even a glint in the developer’s eye. the demise of the floppy drive (and SCSI) The Bondi Blue G3 also did away with from the new ‘blue’ G3. In his heartfelt (shock) serial ports in favour of USB and tirade Brad unleashes with: “Why oh Firewire. This had Brad spinning in his why hasn’t Mr Jobs left a nice beige G3, studio chair: “where do I plug my Midi six-slot PCI machine in production?” interface?”. Back in the AT office we were Back in 1998 copy protection and having similar conniptions: “where do we authorisation was still predominantly a plug our printer?” job for the humble floppy. In fact, around History tells us that the peripheral this juncture, there was a small spike in market (audio and office) soon cottoned the sales of external floppy drives. In on and Apple was, once again, fully a prescient moment of reflection Brad vindicated in its decision to drag us muses: “the copy protection issues will kicking and screaming into the present. need to evolve to suit the machines.” Indeed. PACE was already on the scene at

INDISPENSABLE and more; and is well known sounds into memory… Oh niche, I was in on the ground “Digital audio is man’s new JEFF ‘MADJEF’ TAYLOR for his collaborations my, a drum machine on floor. with the Jimmy Jam and steroids! I bought one and I’ve been through a lot of best friend – it used to Terry Lewis production stayed in the house for gear over the years and team. We recently caught the next year sampling my currently have all of the be the dog, but now it’s up with Madjef to talk family’s record collection. I latest software synths and ‘indispensability’. would go everywhere with samplers a person could digital audio!” Madjef: Back in 1983 I my sampler, and a case ever use along. But the one Madjef, in 1998, reckons bytes are better than barks. was blown away by this of floppy disks, offering thing that I’ve never been new digital technology my programming services without in my professional called the ‘drum machine’. to studios and musicians, life is the Akai MPC – we’ve In Issue 4 we interviewed sometimes for free. People Jeff ‘Madjef’ Taylor, I bought a Roland TR808 grown together from the along with a Korg Poly started to hire me because MPC60 to the MPC2500. a producer/engineer of my knowledge of Midi best known as the ‘go 800. Fast forward a few And we’re still doing it. I years and Akai releases the and my ability to sample find the Akai MPC to be a to’ man for killer drum sounds and program a sounds, supplying beats MPC60, which had a built-in completely indispensable sequencer with 99 tracks drum machine. The industry tool. for artists like Michael started shifting to this Jackson, Janet Jackson, that I could Midi up and Go to: www.madjef.com just go bananas with, it also style of production working BoyzIImen, Patti Labelle, and lucky for me, I had a New Edition, Barry White had the ability to sample

AT 53 Anyone a bit uncertain sported 15 SHARC chips(!), about computer recording open audio architecture and ISSUE 5 in 1999 would find the no discernible customer cover of Issue 5 a little base. Admittedly, its confronting. Right smaller brother, Pulsar underneath a big pic of a was popular and was quite Manley Massive Passive possibly one of the few lurked two digital upstarts DSP-based interface cards – Yamaha’s DSP Factory and that actually made any READERS SPEAK Soundscape’s Mixtreme. To headway. On the other side PROTOOLS LE be honest, it was becoming of the DAW domination pretty clear that no one coin, in Issue 5, Brad “Walk into any professional studio or backyard had any real idea how to Watts took a look at Digi’s POP QUIZ shanty and you know an LE, TDM or HD will be In the late ’90s Manley was make home studio owners ProTools 24 Mix system, available and compatible.” going ballistic, with the very part with extra dosh to which heralded ’Tools’ first James Dean switched-on EveAnna Manley record on their computers. move into PC compatability. at the helm. Here’s your Yes, people were using Which seemed a little “ProTools LE has changed the nature of the ‘starter for 10’: how many rack PCs to record, but either inconsequential at the industry completely. Apart from providing a units high is Ms Manley? they were happily using time, and even two years seamless integration with professional studios a) 41U Midi+Audio sequencers later hardly anyone had around the world, with ProTools being in almost b) 35U and a little interface from bought a TDM system every pro studio on earth, it allows the freedom to Event or M Audio; or they for PC… but sure enough record literally anywhere.” c) 31U were spending big money that’s all changed now. Michael Carpenter on ProTools TDM. The Curiously… Digi, with the sequencer crowd mostly new Mix system, remained “ProTools has arguably done more than anything didn’t know what to make resolutely non-96k. –CH. else to democratise the process of recording and of Yamaha’s ‘02R on a mixing music. It delivers a flexible and configurable card’ and mostly ignored power that only half a generation ago could only be it. In short, DSPs were a found in high-end studios controlled by majors.” bit obscure – fine in an Paul Blakey effects unit, but on a PCI “It has thrown open the range of options for how card? Evidently no one you record (and most importantly how much it will told Creamware of the cost you!) without needing to sacrifice too much in market’s ambivalence when quality terms (eg., vocals and guitars at home, drums it released the Scope card. at one studio, edit at home, mix at another studio).” About the same price as Ian Thompson a late model Commodore and almost as long, Scope “I’ve made a lot of money because of this software was no ordinary PCI card. It and its versatility and stability.”

Martin Mulholland toe. to head from 31U A:

LET ME EXPLAIN…‘SINGLE ENDED’ & ‘CLASS A’ WICKED! TASCAM GETS TRIPPY WITH THE TRIBE In Issue 5 Brad reviewed Manley’s designed, you get crossover distortion at It was 1999 and planet Earth was still in Massive Passive and Simmo had a chat all the points where they join. But ‘single- the grip of a dance music phenomenon and to Manley Labs’ boss EveAnna Manley. In ended’ means you’re not splitting the franchised superclubs were ruling the late- that interview EveAnna rather eloquently signal into two halves, you’re amplifying night entertainment roost. With this as the explains the differences between ‘single- it as a complete signal. It’s the purest cultural backdrop, Tascam figured the best ended’ and ‘Class A’ circuits. We thought form of amplification. way to sell its top-end, professional 24-bit it worth reprinting, so here goes: Class A really refers to how an amplifier DA-45HR DAT mastering recorder was with EveAnna Manley: A lot of amplifier circuit is biased. If it’s Class A, it means the word ‘Wicked!’ in a funky typeface. In designs, whether they’re low-level signal it is biased on all the time, so it’s always fact, its collection of digital recorders were amplifiers or power amplifiers, split the drawing current and is less efficient. A described as ‘An Unbeatable Techno Trio’, signal into two opposing waveforms – the Class A circuit could be single-ended, or along with the words ‘Rave!’ and ‘Craze!’. positive and negative half cycles – and it could be push-pull. Biasing a push-pull Never has there been a more transparent then each half cycle has its own amplifier circuit into a Class A usually helps reduce attempt at ‘reaching the kids’ since The circuitry. They’re usually called ‘push-pull’ crossover distortion. So being Class A Chief infiltrated the Groovy Guru’s cult amplifiers. Now, when the two amplified doesn’t necessarily mean a circuit is wearing a paisley cravat, sunglasses etc. in a half cycles are added back together, single-ended! particularly funny episode of Get Smart. unless the amplifier is extremely well

“[the mic] turned out to be INDISPENSABLE Brad Watts spoke to Paul without. Why? It’s just from bass sound to a pad PAUL MAC Mac in Issue 18 after his totally what we’ve been in seconds and so much on the floor, pointing at highly successful 3000 missing out on for so long stuff fin between – most Feet High album reached – really good oscillators. of the sonic universe can some cymbal propped up stratospheric heights, Compared to a synth like be covered with that and a since then he’s gone onto the Nord Lead where Roland Space Echo. against the wall!” explore new territory you can record all your “And it’s just got that Nick Launay explains the precise art of setting up a with Daniel Johns via the controllers, and even old room mic during drum tracking. labcoat feel about it, with Dissociatives project . gear like my Jupiter 6. the old-fashioned Moog We checked in to find out Comparing the Voyager to section that raises out what Paul thought of when the Nord is like comparing of the keyboard so you we mentioned the word the Nord to a Juno 106. It’s can access all the knobs. I ‘indispensable’: just that much cooler than really love it.” the Nord even. Oh and the nifty blues lights… you’ve Paul Mac: “Oh, it’d have to gotta love the blue lights. be the Moog Vovager… It’s possibly the only bit “But, seriously, working of gear I’ve acquired that with the Voyager is just I could never really do like painting, you can go

AT 54 DVD was growing legs. Rick could see that 5.1 had It was 1999 and a few officially ‘crossed over’ to people were bringing back the mainstream. Personally ISSUE 6 DVD players from their Rick was quite happy for holidays in Hong Kong the market to take its and DVD was starting to time… which of course CRAZY SPREAD jostle for shelving space at it has. Our Portuguese graphic Blockbusters. Meanwhile, The Line 6 Pod didn’t make designer’s brain was on siesta Peter Garrett was still a it onto the cover but proved for this Cirque Du Soleil READERS SPEAK muso back in 1999 and to be the most influential spread. I love the dancers ABLETON LIVE Midnight Oil still existed. in the middle of the page… bit of kit in the Issue 6 including the middle leotard DVD and the Oils collided reviews. The Royer R-121 whose head completely “A great ‘centre of everything’ – not only easy to with the release of 20,000 use but also inspiring and deep.” was another future classic disappears into the gutter Watt RSL, a 20-year in the making, while the of the magazine, all that’s Rob Crowdy Oils retrospective and, DAT was having its last left is a pair of lycra’ed arms interestingly, the first and legs. “Ableton Live got me interested in music again.” hurrah with the release of Ade Akisanya locally-produced music the 24-bit DA-45HR from DVD released in Australia. Tascam. – CH. “It is so easy to create, and create in many different As you can imagine, ways.” news like this was giving David Moorhead commercial studio owners “Absolutely cornered the market when it comes to conniptions. Firstly, would live performance.” they need to jump right in Philip Norton and set up 5.1 monitoring? Secondly, would they need “I really can’t go past its ability to re-inject to make the leap to 24/96 creativity into computer-based music making.” recording – something Mik la Vage WE LOVED… that not even ProTools was LITTLE CANDLE GUY “I was used to multitrack recorders, synths and doing at the time? It was The new Yamaha MSP5 baby samplers… I still use those things but now to feed certainly enough to give active monitors needed Live. I’m lost for hours. Lovely!” Rick O’Neil a few sleepless selling and who better to do John Ward nights. To console himself it than Little Candle Guy? he applied the ‘mother’ test. What a fabulous concept! “I used to take hours tweaking beats and changing Rick’s Mum would never Obviously, the idea is that the MSP5s have the welly to blow bpms and transferring the edits back to my Mac. bother moving furniture out a candle, but not just any Live ReWired to Cubase is a marriage in heaven.” and speakers around the candle… Little Candle Guy to Murray Campbell living room to enjoy 5.1, but the rescue! You expect him if it was on offer when she to put on some ice skates and “It is the first thing I turn on and the last thing hopped in the car… then start singing ‘Be Your Best’ at that I switch off.” any moment. Nigel Cruickshank

STUDIO IN A (PENTIUM) BOX PCs were getting blindingly quick and power if you want to add resonant Now that Martin had backed up the fire everyone was talking about selling their filtering, LFOs and effects to each voice. truck and was hosing down expectations, hardware multitrackers, synths and “I’ve run several software synths on my he was feeling a little like a party pooper: effects, trading up to the fastest Pentium Pentium II 300MHz PC and they’re all “Before you run away with the impression chip possible, and living the ‘studio in a capable of extremely impressive results, that I’m trying to talk everyone out of box’ dream. Martin Walker, our long-time but many of the best sounds take around using software solutions, let me reassure PC Audio columnist, had other ideas. 50% of my processor’s power – even you. The practical way to do it is to Here’s some of what he had to say: when they’re only running eight voices. combine your software solutions with “When it comes to software synthesis, Considering that most hardware synths hardware support. This ‘halfway house’ there is an enticing array of options… and samplers have at least 32 voices, approach gives you the best of both The thing that links all these is processor to provide the same options in software worlds, without demanding a NASA-spec power – you need lots of it. While you could easily consume the total power of PC. It’s only when you want to achieve can probably run an eight voice analogue a 400MHz PC! And don’t forget that we everything in software that the vultures synth on a Pentium 166MHz PC, you’re need to run our Midi+Audio sequencer start circling overhead, waiting for your going to need some serious processor as well…” PC to fall over.”

ISPENSABLE Sydney Opera House’s I can take a multitrack between the studio and “The quantising on the JASON BLACKWELL Jason Blackwell talks about recording from the studio the home now, so you’re the one tool he’d save from to my ProTools LE system not always waiting around older version of Cubase a burning building. at home without any file for the next session just to Jason Blackwell – Sydney transfer dramas. Compare get some work done. You just feels nicer… as Opera House Engineer that with carrying around can get the other parts and freelance engineer/ Jason Blackwell: It would a console, a huge tape right your own steam and obscure as that might producer. have to be ProTools, or machine and dozens of with a much nicer mood in really any computer based outboard options. Besides the room. I still do plenty sound, but then again this DAW system, I suppose. But the portability factor, of work with tape – easily is a gear head magazine.” ProTools would have to get there’s the incredible edits half my recordings use the nod just because it’s you can get up to. Now tape, but usually just for Moby talks us through the making of Play… just prior such an industry standard. you can do some freaky drums – to get ‘that’ sound. to it selling squillions and being on the front cover of Nobody could really deny things, stuff that used to Now of course there’s all every mag in the world. the impact these rigs have be pretty much impossible. these things like the Neve had on recording over the The other big plus is that it Portico tape simulator. last ten years. Now anyone makes collaborating heaps That sounds pretty cool. I can afford to produce and easier these days – which can see myself using that release quality recordings. is what it’s all about really. kind of stuff more and The transfer aspect is There’s actually a link more often.” also pretty incredible.

AT 55 It’s Issue 7 and, finally, taken its foot off the pro Brad Watts has found true audio pedal now, as this ISSUE 7 love. Not sure if future was cutting edge stuff. wife, Jacqui, was on the Issue 7 also saw the first scene at that point but this appearance of RME’s PCI infatuation was the ‘real cards, Korg’s Triton, and thing’ – a pair of Quested the Electrix processors (a VS2108 self-powered company that’s apparently monitors. Brad had seen coming back from the dead READERS SPEAK his fair share of speakers shortly). STEINBERG CUBASE over the years but these In a coup masterminded by were ‘the first ones Simmo, AT had Rupert Neve “How do I love LE? Let me count the ways.” that have really got me WE LIKED… as a columnist in those Paul Hines This ad for soon-to-be excited’. He’s still got ‘em, early days. As I say, quite defunct studio hire outfit, “I find the program easy for my spongy little of course… The Quested a coup, and his articles are Studio FX. Mild-mannered brain to decipher. Nothing seems too hard and review also prompted just as relevant now as studio honcho, Richard Simmo to talk ‘coupling’ if it is my dopiness leans on the help section Mueke, surprised many they were eight years ago. (including his Mum) with and ‘isolation’ – tighten In Issue 7, before Rupert (written for spongy dopey old farts) which points up your monitors’ bottom his transformation to fully- sails into the more serious me in a correct direction instead of bumbling fledged rock god for these end with some little cones stuff, he reflects on the around(which I do anyway) too much.” ads. And those blue sneakers under the boxes (pointy changing face of trade Chris Slaney were definitely ahead of their end down). Controlled time. As Richard’s modelling shows – how they were “The Midi facilities are unsurpassed and now the attests to… $300 a day (not bass continued as a theme quiet and reflective with with AT’s chat with Josh audio handling matches it.” including throw rugs and ‘no loudspeakers allowed’… John Gale other assorted Copperart ‘Totally Addicted to Bass’ “There seemed to be paraphernalia) spent on a Abrahams in his recently more time and there were “It’s replaced nearly all of my external hardware.” Studio FX recording package completed ’Fishtank’ suite certainly fewer choices: Matthew Harris will guarantee you a framed in the (now demolished) gold coaster. three tape machines, “Best software package I have used: ease of use, Festival Studios complex. three consoles, three Fishtank has moved back performance: A+++.” microphones. Oh yes, and Travis Keir to Melbourne and the Josh there’s that crazy chap juggernaut rolls on. trying to sell ready-made “It gives me the opportunity for all the voices in As does the convolution mic leads – obviously he my head to be heard!” juggernaut, which only just can’t succeed, we always Paul Dixon started to gather pace back make our own.” Precious! in Issue 7 with the release – CH. of the Sony DRE-S777 ‘sampling’ reverb. Funny to think that Sony has

WHY 2K Issue 7 hit the streets in November nothing was going to get in the way of year 2000, the RTC’s natural inclination things to worry about – like beer stocks 1999 and the world was in the grip the greatest party Earth had ever seen was to click over to ‘00’, which it for December 31. Saying all that, if you of Millennium Madness. Every major – except perhaps for the ultimate party brainlessly thought was 1900, not 2000. chose to be in an aeroplane when the capital city was vying for a stake in the pooper: the Y2K bug. That’s right, as This digital misapprehension had the year 2000 ticked over, then you were a oversubscribed fireworks stocks and the world was locked in a cross-armed potential to wreak untold damage, and braver man/woman than I. – CH. Prince’s 1999 was now looking like a embrace, belting out a drunken and the public and private sectors spent prescient marketing masterstroke. Of atonal version of Auld Lang Syne, many billions, paying otherwise-unemployable course, there were still a vocal quorum people were keeping half an eye out Arts graduates to check for Y2K of bearded, cardie-wearing boffins who for passenger jets falling out of the compliance on computers worldwide. rightly pointed out that the millennium sky, telecommunication melt downs, or, Martin Walker, our PC Audio columnist, wasn’t over until the end of the year worse still, their main audio PC to go a gave AT readers the tools to test our RTC, 2000, not 1999. (Apparently there was a bit mental. BIOS and Windows for a correct year riotous gathering for the naysayers the For those too young or too drunk at 2000 rollover. Audio applications were following year – hot cocoa, a sparkler and the time, the Y2K bug stemmed from largely untroubled by the Y2K ghoul, and tucked up in bed by 10:30.) Regardless, something called the RTC (Real Time according to Martin it was our Excel docs the numeral 2000 had captured the Clock) in PCs, which used two digits to and databases that were most at risk. In Y2K caused widespread panic. Fortunately, imagination of the developed world, and denote the year. So, naturally, come the other words, there were more important cool heads (like those at AT) prevailed.

“It’s all dry and mono INDISPENSABLE Josh Abrahams: Well, Amplifier and maybe the Roland SH-09 or SH-2, JOSH ABRAHAMS obviously I can’t get by Neumann 149. tracked through a Boss – quite a daring record without my Mac, ProTools On the guitar amp side Graphic EQ pedal, and if I or my Apogee converter. of things, my desert need a ripping real-world really!” Without them there’d be island selection would be lead synth I can’t go past nothing to record onto… the Sequential Pro 1, Engineer Jim Scott explains the secret behind the Fender Twin Reverb I guess I could ring my and/or the Korg MonoPoly. Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Californication album. and the Goldentone cousin and see if he still Bassmaster bass head. The Korg Polysix also has that four-track I got deserves a mention started on decades ago. I’d be useless without – a greatly underrated Obvious things aside, I Logic, of course, and I piece of hardware, in my don’t spend a day in the invariably end up using [NI] opinion. And finally, I can’t studio without turning on Battery for drums, along do a dance track without the racked-up pair of Neve with the 80GB sound turning on the Roland TR 1064 channels, the racked library I have amassed 909. ‘Real’ kick, clap and up pair of Trident Series 80 over the years, accessed crash… If you’ve got it, use channels, the dbx 162 VU, through either Battery or it, right? the Urei 1176, the Urei 1178, [Logic’s] EXS sampler. and the Neumann UM57. When soft synths just And on vocal tracking days, aren’t cutting it I will the AWA ‘old boy’ Limiting almost always turn to the

AT 56 It was Issue 8 and it was sound international?’ is high time to unleash some a hollow one. Finally (and ISSUE 8 serious controversy. Simmo also in the following issue was the culprit. For a bloke of AT), Rick began stoking who just ‘loves to be loved’ his gunpowder for a full Simmo found a unique way 60-canon broadside aimed of mobilising the hatred of directly at SS Simmo. In the entire audio engineering his Last Word, Rick makes fraternity. Perhaps telling various ‘numbers game’ READERS SPEAK them they’re all hacks points about it being might have something to natural that the cream of MORE DAWS do with it… Simmo, fresh the Aussie crop will want Digital Performer: “I’ve been using Performer since from his ARIA judging to play with the cream 1988 in its pre-audio days. It just seems to do what I panel duties had decided of the international crop need without fuss.” that all local productions etc, and Australian A&R Ian Blake WHY THE FISH? sounded ‘cheap, dry and aren’t facilitating any of Did anyone ever really two-dimensional, and the hookups based on an SAWStudio: “10000000 times better than ProTools. understand what Intermusic rarely possessed the informed view of the sound Very CPU friendly too. Although it’s not cheap it is was trying to communicate by polish, sparkle and depth etc, etc. Of course, Simmo worth every penny. I don’t know why everyone is not displaying boxes of dead fish on its full-page ad? ‘Come in required to make it world himself needed to face the using it. SAWStudio. SAWStudio. SAWStudio!” and cop a whiff of our boxes class’. Woah… fighting music, which he dutifully did Pete Clay of dead mullet’ perhaps… words. Sure enough, the – recanting with a full mea According to Brent at Cakewalk Sonar: It is now so full of tools and great industry didn’t take it lying culpa, explaining why the Intermusic it was “Something plug-ins, I rarely need to go outside it to perform all down. No less a figure than main thrust of his argument to do with religion… the miracle of creation, life and INXS rock royalty, Garry was ill-founded. Anyway, of my recording/editing.” Bill Ruys everything. It was all to do Beers, penned a letter to there was no shortage of with where it all comes from AT recalling a time when an passion, and in the end it Cakewalk Sonar: “I have used ProTools and where it all ends up… the Australian sound was passé probably did neither AT professionally and Sonar outshines it in every aspect! big picture, representing the in ’80s: “Atlantic Records nor the industry any harm I couldn’t record without it.” food, and the life, and all that tried to get us to re-record sort of thing…” Well, now we whatsoever. –CH. Daniel Page know. Thanks to Brent for Kick – their reasons clearing that up! echoed your editorial – we “As a teacher and audio technician I find Acid to be refused, and the rest is the most all-round user-friendly program I have ever history.” Put that in your encountered. If I can teach my 13-year-olds to use it pipe and smoke it, Greg. then its magic.” Studio luminary, Daniel Daniel Green Denholm, also expressed Access Virus TI: “Bridged the gap between soft and his concern, suggesting hard synths. Sounds amazing.” the criterion of ‘does it James Packer

START OF BIG THINGS… DIGIDESIGN DIGI 001 The 001 changed everything. Why? In unstoppable. In fact, such was the 001 effect, for under two grand you got stampede that no one bothered to note ProTools. That’s not to trivialise the PCI that the hardware looked like something card and the breakout box but there you might find at Dick Smith’s circa were plenty of PCI/breakout combos on 1985 – slightly naff, with some strange the market at the time – many of them spurious screen printed legending on cheaper, many of them better. No, it was the fascia and funny little 5¢ buttons. ProTools LE 5.0 that tipped the scales. Anyway, it’s not good to speak ill It offered 24 tracks of 24-bit audio, of a legend and the 001 laid to rest and some bundled RTAS plugs with the Digidesign’s earlier attempt at ProTools DigiRack suite. No, it wasn’t ProTools ‘Lite’ with the ill-fated Session 8. TDM, and yes there were limitations, but it was ProTools nevertheless. The 001 went ballistic and transformed ProTools from a slightly arcane professional DAW platform into a household name – ProTools was now officially

“They all have a job as long INDISPENSABLE Currently working flat-out I could say Lake Processors If you really want me to SCOTT WILLSALLEN as the Audio Director for but I can, and have, used talk about equipment as they do it my way!” the 15th Asian Games that other processors. then I would say that the will be held in Qatar in I could say many of my one audio product I would Audio impresario, Tom Misner, paints a rosy picture December, and well known be least happy about for the job prospects of the staff of Studios 301 favorite and preferred for similar work on the products but the fact is I replacing would be the (Castlereagh St) after he bought it and moved Melbourne Commonwealth Lake Contour, Lake Mesa operations to his new complex in Alexandria. can survive without them, I Games and the Athens just prefer not to. EQ and the new Dolby Lake Olympics, SWA sent us this Processor. little snippet, which reveals However, the scale ruler is something that I am never There is simply nothing a reliance on cutting edge that compares to these and antiquated technology without and something that will never be replaced. devices and once you have in (almost) equal measure. used them, anything else is A key factor in loudspeaker a significant compromise. system design is the SWA: Regarding geometry of the space and I wish I could put more time indispensable equipment: the scale ruler provides the into this but unfortunately For me the most answers that are required the schedule does not indispensable piece of before system design can allow it right now. Cheers… equipment is my scale ruler. even be considered.

AT 58 Code Blue! Code Blue! pre-eminence as a system, Midi is under attack! After it was down to the fact 20-odd years it seemed that such a quorum of ISSUE 9 the grand ol’ dame of agreeable audio hardware communication protocols manufacturers (needed to was being viciously establish Midi in the first clobbered from all quarters place) was never likely to in Issue 9. Leading the gather again. In short, Midi There are a million plug-ins out there and charge was studio boffin was crap but at least it was and dance music pinup boy, predictably there were a million different favourite universally accepted crap. Brian Transeau (aka BT). plugs, from the well-known to the slightly more Which all might account Such was BT’s disdain of obscure (special mention must go to freebie plug for the fact we haven’t TOP PIC Midi he couldn’t use the heard too much from mLAN Tom Waits turned 50 and Digitalfishphones Blockfish). But it was surprising released Mule Variations word in a sentence without recently. – CH. what a hold Waves has over the plug-in market, prefixing it with the word – his most commercially with 34.9% of respondents nominating the Waves successful album to f**king. “It’s a totally bogus that point. Apparently Renaissance suite as top dog. protocol that should have he also discovered how been done away with years unobtrusive modern hearing aids could be. ago,” noted BT in a more reasonable moment. “Until we start to go optical, or Firewire… anything man… PLUG- INS at least put modem cables in the back of our synths, that’s faster for f**k’s sake.” Fortunately for BT, there were changes afoot. Yamaha was hatching mLAN, an all-in-one communication protocol that sent audio and Midi down the one Firewire cable. It sounded like just the ticket. But one thing that many people forgot about Midi (with its humble 32.5kps transfer rate), was that its longevity was obviously not down to its

INDISPENSABLE BEST DISCLAIMER GRAEME HAGUE do anything and while I meters. Yes, I’m being an dbx released the what’s printed was thinking: “Foldback, unprofessional bastard, 386 tube mic on Mackas’ you idiot… somehow find but there are some people preamp, figuring polystyrene coffee some more foldback”, who are just beyond help. it was perfect for cups (Warning: the guy goes ‘blaaart!’ And singers who quote ‘warming up’ all contents may (deafeningly again), then EQ frequencies at me like those ‘cold’ digital be hot), dbx felt gives me a big grin and it proves something are recordings we it necessary to a thumbs-up and says simply annoying. were all getting explain: ‘Actual “Brilliant! That’ll do”. “Add a bit of 2.5k? six or so years unit is 19 inches ago. To illustrate wide and will AT contributor and It was one of those Checkonetwocheckonetw moments when you go oCHECKonetwo… yeah, the point, dbx not fit in your Technical Manager of Photoshop’ed a computer drive the Bunbury Theatre in absolutely still and blink in perfect! Don’t touch it, will wonder at the revelation. you? Leave it that way 386 into a drive bay’. WA has this to say about bay of a desktop indispensability. I’d discovered something: all night.” they’ve got no idea. PC. Neat. Then, For me, it’s The Fader That I haven’t touched it for in a disclaimer Does Nothing. I discovered Very, very handy The half an hour. right up there with it at a jazz festival years Fader That Does Nothing. There’s a Virtual Fader ago. The acoustics of the Now I never work without That Does Nothing on the venue were horrendous, one. DAW too or, if the client the new-age jazz band Just the other day it can’t see the screen, a few were playing stupidly loud was an artist (who shall quick hands of Patience “I’ve had these T-shirts on stage and insisting it remain talentless… sorry, does the trick. As long as was a crucial part of their nameless) sound-checking you move the mouse and made which say ‘F**k ‘sound’ and I was doing his foldback, too. click a few times, it’ll do. Midi’ in huge letters. Why? foldback and FOH from “Checkonetwocheckon Don’t tell anyone, okay? side-of-stage. A nightmare. etwoCHECKonetwo… Because it’s so shit.” The trumpet player was have you got a bit more? going ‘blaaart!’ into an Great, that’s good. BT consigns Midi to the early ’80s scrapheap, and wants SM58 at an obscene Checkonetwocheckon the world to know… if only the world had any idea what volume and demanding Due to the incriminating Midi was in the first place. eCHECKonetwo… can nature of this more and more level in his you take out a bit of wedge. Flustered and in contribution the author’s 4k? Yeah, good, good… photograph has been plain sight I accidentally Checkonetwocheckonetw nudged a fader that didn’t substituted with one of a oCHECKonetwo...” trained actor. I’m actually wiping the dust off the VU

AT 59 VAGUELY INTERESTING It was a muggy, overcast Lexicon’s 960L and Sony’s This is what your Behringer day in Sydney and Simmo miniature Oxford digital mixer looks like to the bloke ISSUE 10 thought it high time to try console, the DMX-R100, manning the X-Ray machine out the pot he had stashed were also on the agenda. at the airport. Well, we did say up the back of his studio. Breaking news: Rick O’Neil ‘vaguely’ interesting. Greg lived with me at the bought a Jack Russell time and, to be honest, I was terrier. – BW surprised to find he kept Issue 50 certainly seems anything more than a bottle like a big deal, but when READERS SPEAK of Pernod tucked away for I cast my mind back to WAVES RENAISSANCE such occasions. Turns out Issue 10 I’d suggest that his secret stash was of the particular milestone was “Whenever I’ve run out of ideas for a sound or a potentiometer variety – a almost more monumental. It track (when creating my own music) I can always high-class Penny & Giles took an eternity to reach 10 throw some Waves on it, and nine times out of 10 I device, no less. I remember – with all the new-magazine will somehow ‘stumble’ across something fresh and the pot in question: precise uncertainties, stupid hours, inspiring to throw into the mix!” and transparent, with a beer and arguments, Issue Wayne Sunderland $600 price-tag to match. 10, for a long time, felt like a SOME KINDA RECORD Issue 10’s cover was graced But it sounded a million complete pipe dream. It was “I love these plug-ins – they always seem to give percent better than the with no fewer than five certainly a big enough deal me a smooth almost ‘non-digital’ result.” new products: the Sony $60 potentiometer he’d for my wife, Sally, to bake Wayne Hodges DMX-R100, Rode NT3, Alesis been using as an attenuator Masterlink, Roland VP-9000, a cake in the shape of the “There isn’t another software compressor that I between his DAW and ATC number 10. I wonder if there and Tascam MX-2424. Oddly dare put orchestral and choral recordings through! enough, perhaps the least powered monitors. The will be a ‘50’ cake? – CH. experience brought home It means I can look the ‘purist’ clients in the face sexy item at the time, Rode’s NT3, probably pips the other to us both the significance and say, “Yes, the pure un-processed recording path does sound good, doesn’t it…” four in the success stakes and of getting what you pay for is certainly the only one still in with audio components. The David Ringrose production. good stuff inevitably costs “Our studio gets a lot of projects that start in a bomb compared to units the bedroom with all kinds of nasties from edit that appear to offer the clicks, A/C or computer noise, even the occasional exact same functionality. aeroplane. The Waves bundle saved my ass many It was a big issue for times. In fact, when they got taken away (the drive high-quality gear. The failed that they were authorised to) I swapped my swashbuckling Konrad firstborn for an iLok code.” Skirlis introduced us to the Clayton Segelov SPL Transient Designer, and cited the Rode NT3 as a ‘classic to be’. TC’s S6000,

AT INFLATION Issue 10 saw another AT price hike – from $4.50 to $4.95. The mag hit the market at $3.50 – all up, a whopping 41% escalation in the pricing, which was at least five times the CPI. Personally I can’t understand why Professor Allan Fels wasn’t all over us like a cheap rash. Since then we’ve largely forgotten about the price of the magazine. When Andy came on staff he pointed out that anytime something like AT was cheaper than a Whopper with Cheese then you’re bordering on being too cheap. Fair enough… so we cranked the price to be slightly more than a Whopper but still a bit cheaper than a foot-long sub… I’m not sure how we stack up against the Colonel’s Zingerburger. – CH.

AT breaks the pychologically-important Whopper price barrier.

“Something has to be EARS FOR EVERYONE Issue 10 featured Trevor at work holding IEM back to be convinced that there pretty ridiculous for me to Cronin’s review of Shure’s among the rank and file. will be a engineer good PSM700 IEM system. It First and foremost, there’s enough and a console big say I’m not going to try it” heralded a new era of still a reticence, a fear enough to supply those Nine Inch Nails producer, Alan Moulder, espouses about affordable IEM – ‘ears for of the unknown – IEM is mixes. Finally, there’s still the only recording philosophy you can have when you’re everyone’. My impression now relatively cheap, but a dagginess attached to locked in Trent Reznor’s freakoid ‘mansion of doom’ for is that the take up of ‘what if we don’t like it?’. IEM. Sure those big touring months on end. IEM hasn’t been quite Next, someone has to mix acts are using ‘ears’ but as dramatic as many the in-ear monitors. Get it they’re 10 feet up and a suspected. One thing’s right and IEM guarantees crowd barrier away from for sure, just about any you a consistent the fans, while most bands touring act of any note are venue-to-venue sound; are within groping distance using in-ear monitors. So get it wrong and you’ll of their audience and a if the pros have well and be spending the night in bit more sensitive about truly hopped aboard the foldback hell… it’s pretty looking ‘wanky’. I’ve no IEM juggernaut, then why common to see earpieces doubt IEM will continue to hasn’t everyone else? I ripped out and swinging gain ground, but price and mean, price is now hardly from beltpacks. So if a availability is only half the the issue. In my view, band is going to hitch their story. – CH. there are a few factors wagon to IEM they have

AT 60 Ah, the Olypmics… what so I was getting more a feel-good time that was HF. But I was more than for everyone in Syd-er-ney. happy with the Drizabone ISSUE 11 It was a big deal for AT on the night.” Elsewhere, as well as we gained Bruce Jackson was leaving unfettered access to all nothing to chance: “I would the key personnel, and wake up at night in fear showcased some of the of what was going to fail, amazing innovations that and then I’d immediately READERS SPEAK went into the Opening pick up the phone and UNIVERSAL AUDIO UAD-1 Ceremony. Audio Director, put things in place,” said a Bruce Jackson, oversaw clearly relieved Bruce post WHAT THE…? “The old Robin Hood theory: give the poor a the operations of an the Opening Ceremony. In Could there be a more chance to have what only the rich have. I love what unlikely mascot for all-Australian dream team the end there were more Sony’s Professional Audio the plug-ins can do – from the start of a mix to the of sound men and women. redundancies in place than division? No, your eyes are end – giving what would be an average recording As mentioned, technical a Detroit car plant… or not deceiving you, it’s the the chance to sparkle and make the grade.” innovation was evident as Norwest’s boss, Chris Laidback DAT Rat, complete Daniel Bergan throughout. Take, for Kennedy, put it: “If there with headphones and blue example, Colin Stevenson’s gloves. “I have serious withdrawal symptoms when I’m was not two of something brainwave when he realised using a machine without a UAD-1. Nothing else in the main system, then it’s the 2000-plus brass band out there could make me seriously consider the because there was three would be best miked purchase of a (damn expensive) Magma chassis of something.” Rumour up using Sony lavaliers had it that North Korean them to use one on the road.” attached to the band’s Tim Hanlon chemists were frantically Drizabone hats (including attempting to clone Bruce “It has placed great processing, sound quality the transmitter). Being Jackson after Bruce had a and power in the hands of users who could not an inveterate smart alec I particularly feverish night otherwise afford some higher-end analogue gear. posed the question: “how of paranoia. More seriously, Not necessarily at the same level, in some ways, does an Akubra stack up it was a day when Australian as the analogue stuff but also without some of the against the Drizabone, technical expertise really issues too.” when it comes to frequency shone and I’d like to think Fernando Vicente response?”. Of course, Colin AudioTechnology did it had an answer: “We did find justice. – CH. the Akubra had a slightly better sound quality. The Akubra is rabbit felt, while the Drizabone is made of wool, and I think the Akubra is a little denser and stiffer,

IT CHANGED EVERYTHING…V-DOSC L-Acoustics’ V-DOSC line array had been sounding. It changed everything. In a around for years, but by 2000 had only big open space, like a festival, nothing really begun to snowball — ensuring the could touch V-DOSC (except maybe JBLs, EAWs and EVs of this world had the aforementioned i4) and for once “If I have MTV on, it’s their full attention. But as of Issue 11 the a piece of audio gear could justifiably surprising how often only kid on the block was still V-DOSC… be called ‘revolutionary’. In Issue 11 we oh, and the Clair i4, but you couldn’t talked about how a true line source I think: ‘that sounds actually buy an i4 system. Thinking about array functioned, but in reality I don’t it, L-Acoustics seemed to make it about think too many people cared that much good, that might be as hard as they could for V-DOSC to be – everyone could hear the difference purchased as well. It felt like you not only and that’s all that mattered. And what useful in this’” needed the money, you needed to change made it more frustrating than anything Mix Engineer, Tim Palmer, doesn’t mind a bit your religion and put up your first born as for Australian rental companies was that of distraction. collateral – just in case you contravened JPS had the line array monopoly – people the L-Acoustics code of conduct. JPS were jumping out of their skins waiting had just signed on as exclusive V-DOSC for their suppliers to come up with an partners and were, quite rightly, crowing alternative… and fast. about how wonderful V-DOSC was

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AT 61 Issue 12 saw ‘people’ on that has gone on to become the cover for the first a standard for many ISSUE 12 time. Proving it wasn’t a mastering establishments. cheap ploy to get a bit These were also the of totty on the shelves, heady days of dot-com AT went for Ricky ‘super stampedes, with countless bonbon’ Martin… who contenders vying for the happened to have some next big thing in Internet scantily clad Latina totty media delivery formats. in toe. Where would world READERS SPEAK Rocket Network had a good PLUGS/SOFT SYNTHS cup football be without crack at the concept along ‘la vida loca’? Probably with Liquid Audio. Liquid exactly where it is now. Waves SSL 4000: “I get a buzz out of thinking what PROTOOLS FOR FREE?! Audio kicked on and now It was the year 2000 and Chris Holder interviewed it would be really be like to sit behind a real SSL partner with Wal-Mart desk – this is as close as I’ll get but that’s ok with me.” Digidesign dropped another legendary FOH engineer bombshell. It had already put stores delivering audio Tim Dutton Rob ‘Cubby’ Colby, who to their music download the cat among the apple carts used the occasion to let McDSP Plug-ins: “These plugs are the first to with ProTools LE and now stores, whereas Rocket with limited fanfare those loose against imbalanced Network went the way of suppress my desire to go out and buy the outboard touring budgets: “I’m so crafty Californians had put the dodo. equivalents. Which has probably saved my marriage.” a free version of ProTools on against this lights/video David Bonser its site. In the process, Digi versus audio, lop-sided Simmo, ambassador had completed an upgrade budget nightmare. I’m to the industry that he NI Absynth: “Gets better every release. Versatile soft path from penniless student over it. Nobody goes home is, was again asked to synth capable of amazing textures and evolving pads.” running a junkyard Mac G3 humming to the lightshow”. judge the Engineer of the Joel Iedema all the way to the biggest Year ARIA award. Greg studios in the world with its He was right. It is all about Audio Ease Altiverb: “Has become the one constant in TDM systems. Did the PT Free the audio quality. sidestepped the official ploy work? It went absolutely awards and invented his my recording process. I might use different mics, pres, ProTools guru Simon mental. In Issue 13, when I own audio engineering EQs, compressors, and whatever else from project to asked a couple of the Digi HQ Leadley, went multichannel encouragement award – a project, but Altiverb gets called up every time.” techs about Free they said surround with version pair of Sennheiser HD600 Richard Beechey there were more than 150,000 5.1 of the program, and headphones that went to downloads, “it took me three William Bowden prepared NI Reaktor: “It’s a quick and easy problem solver, as or four days of trying to mix engineer, Adam Rhodes. well as a monstrously powerful environment. If I download it myself!” – CH. us for the second coming – BW. of Waves’ lookahead want a simple delay effect with a slight quirk etc, I limiting technology with can just do it myself without the irritating and the Waves’ L2 hardware arbitrary limitations of other soft synths, and without mastering limiter – a unit it taking up three monitors worth of screen space.” Ben Cook

CHECK YOUR HEAD (PHONES) I love the fact that when I spoke to of time a little bit, then check their complaining about the mix but when you more accuracy and with more passion. producer Clif Norrell (No Doubt, Jeff headphones and make sure they’ve got go and have a listen yourself, well, ‘what Especially if they’re hearing a really big Buckley, Jewel, Faith No More, Henry a good blend of the drums and that the hell are you listening to?!’. stereo mix in their headphones, they’re Rollins etc) he almost grabbed me by their own instrument isn’t obliterating “It’s also really important that they have going to be that much more excited about the lapels to talk about headphone everything else. If a musician isn’t a good stereo headphone mix. Otherwise their playing. Essential stuff.” monitor mixes: “I can’t over-emphasise hearing things well in their headphones things can get very mushie when Essential stuff, indeed. – CH. the importance of the headphone mix,” how can you expect them to play well? everything is in mono. he said. “It’s important to go around the “Some studios have mixing stations in “You’ve got to have pretty powerful amps room and check everyone’s headphones the live room for the musicians to set up and ensure they’re working properly. as well. A 50W amp won’t cut it, not to their own personal mix. Even then you power four headphones. Check they’re not blown, check they’re still have to go around and check and see not too loud, or too quiet, and make sure what sort of crazy mixes they’ve dialled “Your headphone mixes mightn’t seem they’re hearing the right things.” up for themselves. Those little mixing like they have a direct relationship to the I’ll paraphrase the rest of what he said, as stations are great, in theory, and often sounds coming out of the speakers but it’s timeless, rock-solid advice: producers will think, ‘one less thing to in the end they absolutely do, because it’s going to make the band play much “If you notice someone playing out worry about’, but you really do need to worry about it. The musician won’t be better – more in time, more in tune, with

“Some of the most SNEAK PEAK OF OSX aggressive guitar sounds Brad did his best to give order to get to grips with us a healthy sneak peak OSX. He duly noted how have actually emerged of the yet-to-be-released the dock icons can be OSX – as it turned out he magnified as you pass your from the classic little spent the best part of a mouse over them. At the day “pulling out drives, time this seemed like an 11- Pignose Amp – a tiny five- ribbon cable, jumpers day wonder… pure science and hair” as he tried to fiction. Now? Does anyone inch box.” coax the beta version into still keep this feature Stav weaves some Electric Guitar Magic. action. But sure enough, active? It’s annoying and this is Brad the Mac Guru it’s a waste of CPU. I and he finally figured iChat’ed Brad about this as it all out. The verdict? I was typing and he agreed, “Stunning… icons animate then, Mac tragic that he and buttons flash like is, wrote back: “hold Shift they’re auditioning for down when you minimise a an end of year Christmas window”. And sure enough special.” Predictably, the it slows things down like first thing Brad highlighted Keanu dodging a volley of was the dock. And it would bullets in the Matrix. “Cool be the first hurdle all of huh?” You’ve gotta love us would need to jump in Apple. – CH.

AT 62 Packages like Reason, Native Instruments was B4, and Melodyne, and starting to go ballistic and brands like Arturia might Propellorhead’s Reason was ISSUE 13 feel like they’ve been reviewed for the first time around forever, but a quick in Issue 13 – and what a revisit of Issue 13 soon juicy prospect that was. disabuses you of any such TC had spotted the growing misconceptions. It was trend towards native the year 2000 and native processing and weighed PC-based recording and in with its first iteration processing was only just of Powercore. It was a PCI No contest, Reason owns the hearts and minds of coming of age. And, in AT ADVERTISING card with four Motorola more readers than any other software sound source, my editorial, I make the DSP chips on board. And PROMO point that laptops were A poster! We could hardly with a 33.9% share of the vote. it was purely about adding finally becoming a viable believe our eyes – after extra grunt to your native recently opening a pristine alternative and the new PC-based system, ie. there copy of AT #13, a Sony vistas that extra portability were no I/O. This proved DMX-R100 poster dropped opened up. out! Naturally it went straight to be quite challenging to onto the wall – what a gem. Thinking back, computers many people who spent hungry for guaranteed Please get in touch if you’ve six years ago were still big bikkies on the latest performance… and some still got a copy of this poster incredibly clunky. No computer believing it would sexy plugs into the bargain stuck on the wall from way SOFT SYNTHS/ one had any serious handle all their studio’s doesn’t do any harm. – CH. back when… (photographic SAMPLERS expectations that you proof will be required) it may audio tasks without extra now be worth more than the wouldn’t experience a investment – that’s the DMX-R100 (just kidding R100 periodic crash. Apple Mac dream that was being owners). owners would continue peddled. It’s interesting to to remain smug, but if the note that the Powercore truth be known, they were concept is only now really far from immune to locking starting to kick on. SSL’s up when placed under Duende and the Focusrite any sort of stress. But, Liquid Mix (as well as regardless, the winds of the UAD-1 card and the change were blowing and more recent versions of serious software was being Powercore itself) have authored for an increasingly really opened people’s eyes serious alternative to what could easily be to hardware-based described as an outboard solutions like ProTools effects/processing rack. TDM and Soundscape. Seems like people are

MUG SHOTS & CELEB ENDORSEMENTS It’s unusual to catch a pop star unselfconsciously interacting with studio gear for the sake of the camera. But Robbie Williams is no ordinary pop star. Issue 13 saw Robbie happily posing with a set of Beyer headphones and a DPA mic. In subsequent issues of AT, Robbie could be spotted sipping from a PMC mug, mugging for the camera and leaning up against some PMC monitors… What a guy! I’d hazard a guess that Andy is kicking himself that he wasn’t on hand with one of his prototype PHDs (Personal Headspace Devices – see Issue 39) to get a free endorsement. – CH.

INDISPENSABLE else just comes together just recorded two albums simply a better way to CLIF NORRELL naturally. That said, I always that came out sounding work for me, allowing me try to stack the deck in my incredible, both without to get creative more easily, favour in terms of the rest using consoles – one in save works in progress, of the options I have at my a guest house with good do instant recalls months disposal. acoustics, and the other later, and try out ideas “When I think back over the one in a very inexpensive without fear or needing to last eight years [since AT recording studio, where trick the technology into was first launched], it’s my about the only thing we working for me. In general, attitude that has changed used that the studio owned for me, coming from the old more than anything. I used were mic stands and school, being well-versed US producer/engineer Clif cables. So, my new No. 1 in splicing analogue tape, Norrell (Jeff Buckley, Sting, to think that I needed a state-of-the-art studio most indispensable item is spinning the pitch dial on an R.E.M., No Doubt, Rollins a good sounding room to Eventide H3000 with one Band) has some solid with a Class A recording console, like a Neve 8038 record in. hand and punching-in on Australian connection, with the tape machine with the his work with You Am I and or a vintage API, to get “I also used to think that it sounding amazing. when mixing I needed to be other, ProTools has been an very recently with Little absolute godsend. Although “A young girl screamed… Birdy. Now, for me, it’s all about in a top-of-the range studio having a room with the with a flagship mixing desk the young engineers coming and screamed again” “My world of recording has right acoustics to fit the like an SSL 9000J and up today take it as a ‘given’ a lot of ‘wants’, but not too songs and the direction loads of outboard. Now, that ProTools plays a part Simmo melodramatically sets the scene… then many ‘needs’. Really, the I am after. After all, I can I’m getting better results of the recording process, sets it again, as a lightning strikes sets him off on a only thing I absolutely need bring in whatever outboard with a lot less frustration I have been doing it long discussion of power conditioning. to make a great record is gear I want, so I don’t even mixing in my own studio enough to appreciate how a great band and a great need a console anymore. I inside ProTools. This is indispensable it really is song, then everything for me.” AT 63 By Issue 14, multichannel analogue mixing consoles surround mixing was in preference to digital ISSUE 14 gaining acceptance, with control surfaces such the 5.1 format beginning as Digi’s Control 24 and to look like the emerging Mackie D8B. This period standard. Indeed, was quite a revolution for nowadays, it has become many small studio owners, a standard for DVD audio as mixing consoles (both production. At the time, budget and not-so-budget) however, the marketeers were relegated to back READERS SPEAK would have happily had us rooms, sold for a pittance PROPELLERHEAD REASON believe stereo as a concept or chained to a boat was dead in the water. somewhere. “The way Reason integrates with Cubase is ideal Monitor manufacturers Simmo, sensible chap for the way I work. I use Reason as a sound were rubbing their hands that he is, pointed out module and occasionally a loop generator, but then together with glee and the importance of clean, bring all the sounds individually into Cubase and Big Rick (O’Neil) was constant and spike free manipulate them there. I program the Reason rushing about organising power, and Stav revealed sounds directly from Cubase. It’s then a simple a 5.1 monitoring and the real way to drive process to integrate or replace the sounds with live DVD authoring system a compressor. In fact, sounds. It has revolutionised the way I produce.” driven by, of all things, a ‘Cracking Compressors’ Phil Tweed ProTools rig. Amidst the soon became Stav’s most “The Subtractor Analogue synth, and the YOU CAN’T HELP surrounding buzz, we ran an popular and most widely exposé on correct monitor Malström graintable synth, allow me the option BUT LIKE… ripped off article to date, to create virtually any sound or texture that I TC’S POWERCORE GIRL placement and alignment and went a long way to desire. The NN-XT sampler is one of the best I think someone from for your typical 5.1 convincing Mike that the soft-samplers that I’ve used.” TC mentioned that their monitoring system. Despite only way forward was Powercore Girl was actually an Sam Pye multichannel fever, stereo to commit his gems to a employee of TC Electronic. I’m as we know it is still the assuming she rocked up to work hardback textbook. – BW. “Heaps of gear for less than a grand and it sounds audiophile choice for music most days in a shiny jumpsuit half decent. It makes sense (mostly), is easy to use, reproduction – perhaps waving around a Powercore and can be rewired!” card… which probably got that will change when we Sam Kidney the TC marketeers thinking. as a species, develop an The result? TC Powercore Girl extra four ears… and end “Incredibly fast way to get original ideas out of my rocketed up the ‘Thinking Man’s up forever misplacing our head and into the world.” Fanciable Charts’ of 2000 to sit sunglasses. Kirke Godfrey just under Sandra Bullock. So while stereo didn’t “Most fun you could have making music in your get the heave-ho, many home studio!” were ditching their David Rogers

DYNAUDIO – YOU CAN CALL ME OWL ANDY ‘STEWERT’ WRITES! Dynaudio’s BM6A ad in Issue 14 really BM6A ad, after a quick read, all becomes When you’re the editor of a magazine and pushes the whole owl shtick very heavily. abundantly clear: “Strong vision helps you’ve found a decent new writer, you generally work a little harder to make Call me thick, but when I see Dynaudio’s The Great Horned Owl navigate through sure they enjoy the process of their first logo I never really make the bird of the woods at night. Although it is dark, it article. Issue 14 saw the publication of prey link… all I see are two particularly will see even the smallest detail clearly. It Andy Stewart’s first review in AT and, you creepy eyes staring back at me. It’s like knows this and trusts its senses 100%.” I guessed it, I misspelt his surname in the the message is: ‘Buy Dynaudio or you won’t go on, I think you can guess where introduction. Thankfully, it was still the will be consigned to eternal damnation”, that blurb’s headed. So there you have start of a wonderful relationship! – CH. or, “come to the dark side of monitoring it, it’s all down to The Great Horned Owl. Chris, your future lies with Dynaudio… – CH. it is your destiny”. But going back to the

“I was beginning to think WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT U47? Issue 14’s classifieds had DW: I had three of them. sure enough, no two that some of the backline an ad for a U47. AT rang I used to have a studio in sounded anywhere near guys wandering around on David ‘Daffy’ Williams to York Street, North Fitzroy the same. So, if was a find out how it went. Like [in Melbourne] and people young bloke, I’d be buying stage were using earplugs all U47s, there’s always a used to give them to me. a new microphone. to stop their brains oozing story to tell. AT: ! AT: Where are you now? AT: How did you go selling DW: Which is crazy to DW: Castlemaine [VIC]. out their ears.” that mic David? think about now. But I I’m planning on opening David Williams: The think there’s too much a studio in Daylesford. Chris Holder has his internal organs rearranged after ubiquitous Mick Wordley mythologising about mics In fact, I’ve just bought a inspecting AC/DC’s onstage monitoring setup. ended up buying it off of like that now. For starters, Neve V Series from the me. It was a comparatively no two U47 are the same. US – 96 input… in a road recent example and was Daniel Desiere [he of Dex case. Some of the caps the short body version. Audio fame] proved it. He need attention but its in But it did have a new brought together all the good condition. capsule in it. U47s in Melbourne – mine, AT: What made you part Ernie Rose’s, Platinum’s with it? – and lined them all up…

AT 64 Issue 15 grasped the nettle didn’t have much call for and tackled the paradigm big-time line arrays at ISSUE 15 shift to line arrays by all! Again, L-Acoustics talking to the technical stole the march on the brains of Meyer, EV, JBL, competition with its baby EAW, and Apogee Sound, all dV-DOSC. I’m guessing it of which had just released was primarily designed as large-scale line array an infill underhang cab for systems. Putting this article V-DOSC, but it soon turned together was a real eye- into a more flexible, install READERS SPEAK opener. What fascinated problem solver, going into FXPANSION BFD me most was that all the theatres etc. Similarly, big PA manufacturers while the big boys were This plug-in makes the impossible possible. were quite happy to give seeing how their humungo When else can a project studio access a number of HOME STUDIO: L-Acoustics a 10-year STING STYLE line arrays were faring, world-class drumkits, an engineer with years of Yes, that’s Sting in his leather head start with V-DOSC. another company snuck in experience, not to mention the thousands of dollars dacks and ugg boots sitting Apparently no one from with a baby line array. That in equipment it takes to record a good drum next to eight Prism ADA-8s. these companies thought company was Nexo and the sound. It makes my recordings sound like they It’s all part of the man’s home – ‘hey, V-DOSC is actually product was the Geo. were recorded in a $1000-a-day studio, all for less studio. Of course, when a really good system and most of us talk about ‘home’ With the benefit of than $1000!” studios, we think of a PC, maybe we should look into hindsight it’s fair to say Geoffrey Williams some software and a pair of doing something similar’. monitors, but when you’re a that line array takes the “For anybody who has spent countless hours Instead, they waited until lion share of the accolades tree-hugging multi-millionaire trying to get a good drum sound in a home studio your expectations are the clamour from their as they head out with the regular customers was situation this plug-in is a godsend. The plug-in somewhat loftier. AT spoke U2s and Rolling Stones of to Sting’s engineer, Simon too loud to ignore. And also integrates beautifully into ProTools. The most this world, but it’s still the Osbourne, about his portable when I pushed JBL’s David useful plug-in ever – thanks FXpansion.” mixer: “Sting decided to conventional PAs that rule Stuart Roberts Scheirman, asking him if a the roost. And now with the buy equipment so that he well implemented line array could record that album [10 likes of EAW’s NT Series “Working as a solo artist/producer can be Summoner’s Tales] from his used in the right application it’s good to see that there’s frustrating when you need a good-sounding was inherently better than a home. It’s actually a mobile plenty of technical energy acoustic drum kit and then a good drummer setup based on a 64-channel conventional PA, he started going back into bread & to play them the way you want. BFD has great SSL G+ console, which divides regressing into a politician: butter PA. – CH. sounding kits that you can customise yourself with into three and stacks into “if predictability and flight cases. It takes six guys a huge amount of grooves in the library to get you smoothness of coverage is and an articulated lorry to started. The most refreshing aspect of this virtual better than unpredictability move around, but it can be drummer is that he doesn’t sit there drooling in shifted.” Right… I think we and spotty coverage then I can now all see the future would agree.” The irony of between takes!” Brett Naylor of ‘on-the-go’ recording – a all this was that Australia laptop and a three-bay, 64- channel SSL.

APEX MICROPHONE SALVAGED FROM TITANIC I wasn’t quite sure if Apex microphones without the review. I’m not sure how I still exist but, sure enough, if you go to brow-beat Konrad into finally submitting www.apexelectronics.com they still do. the infernal article (I think I’d taken his But back in Issue 15 it was a new brand girlfriend and his TL Audio rack hostage) making Chinese U87 wannabes, and for it finally arrived. Like anything done in a around $500 was making a pretty good fist mad rush, things tend to go wrong. Just of it as well. Anyway, AT had commissioned look at the review’s pic of the Apex mic… I Konrad Skirlis to review the Apex mics mean, it looks like it was salvaged from the and as deadlines came and went I recall wreck of the Titanic! I can retrospectively feeling pretty nervous about the likelihood reassure readers that the review model of it happening – even after we’d actually wasn’t covered in rust and apologies must sent our files off to the printer I was still got to Apex. – CH.

“There isn’t anything OZ FILM PRODUCTION KICKS ON After completing Moulin progress of Australia as a the infrastructure or the magic about line arrays. Rouge there was a movie-making destination, money to do the things palpable sense in the I think, reflected a lot of you would like to do – we Currently all you hear air that things were what many local engineers always have to cobble is, ‘oh it’s got to be a line happening in Australia were thinking. He summed something together and – movies were being things up in Issue 15’s come up with amazing array’, like somehow the shot and, not only that, Moulin Rouge article, thus: results considering the Australian crews were “The most heartening resources we have at our sound coming out of a line being employed and some thing I observed was disposal.” As it happened, of the post production that we, in fact, have the Simon and the rest of the array will be better than was being conducted people who know what Trackdown management locally as well. It was they’re doing, who are team put their money the sound coming from exciting times. At the post smart and inventive… where Simon’s mouth was other systems…but that’s production vanguard was and this goes for every and opened the Trackdown (and is) Simon Leadley. department. The problem Scoring Stage in 2003. just marketing stuff. ” His insight into the we have is we don’t have Never one to skirt controversy, John Meyer makes a powerful marketing case for his new M3 line array.

AT 66 Issue 16 was big on mixing. are guilty of to a lesser or Somehow Chris felt the greater extent. ISSUE 16 issue’s theme of mixing On the gear horizon, AT put could tenuously be linked no less than 11 stand-alone to his childhood aspirations CD recorders to the test. of being the next Kim Simon Leadley auditioned Hughes… not sure how the very first Firewire audio that worked. But I think interface, the MOTU 828, his point was that useful and I delved into the slightly mixing information was odd-shaped world of the difficult to come by. Most Spatial One monitor – they ‘mixing’ articles amounted never quite made it to the YOU’VE GOTTA LOVE… Plenty of variety on display here, with Genelec’s to a prestigious outboard THE XTA GUY mass production line but I 8020As doing best with a 14.75% vote. list, a totally unaffordable still use the pair I ordered I used to rent a house in the console and a bucketload UK from XTA’s Guy Lewis Undoubtedly the owners of Mackie’s HR824s were to this day. Marvellous of oblique ‘tips’ from a – really nice chap, and didn’t the most vocal in their praise of Mackie’s one-time things… it’s just a shame get at all stressed when I defacto nearfield standards. renowned mix engineer. only a handful of engineers accidentally blew up his hot Richard Buskin interviewed were lucky enough to get water service. But I was as David Pensado regarding surprised as anyone to hear their hands on a set! The his trade secrets, and the Empirical Labs Fatso belly- that he had decided to pose first of Mike Stavrou’s for this SIDD advertisement. STUDIO MONITORS flopped onto our test bench From his expression it’s ‘Art of Mixing’ tutorials and Shure released a 75th evident the job was getting appeared, changing anniversary boxed set of the better of him. Guy, if the information-bare you’re reading this, love to microphones. I’m not aware landscape for all our of anyone that actually Sadie and the kids, and I hope benefit. Mike’s focused your hands have grown back bought the celebratory mate. – CH. explanations offered SM58 and SM57 set. Both clear and comprehensible are icons in their own right. analogies to work with, and These days you’ve got to consequently gained quite make sure your Shures an enthusiastic following. aren’t Chinese knock-offs! Putting gear-lust into Caveat Emptor, or in other perspective, Andy Stewart words, don’t buy Shure mics pointed out the dangers on eBay. – BW. of investing in audio equipment according to its visual appearance – might sound obvious but it’s something most of us

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO… KORG KARMA? Korg had a hard sell when it came to it required you to treat it like a new marketing the KARMA. It was expensive instrument. You couldn’t play it like a and was always verging on the cheesy. keyboard to extract the cool KARMA stuff How so? Gordon Reid in his review of out of it, you had to buy into the KARMA the KARMA in Issue 16 described it thus: modus operandi. As it turns out, not many “the hybrid offspring of a quasi-random people did buy into the KARMA MO. It arpeggiator and an auto-accompaniment was one for the aficionados… which is synth, one that analyses the notes you normally a euphemism for ‘one for the play but is not bound by them”. Right dweebs’. Saying that, KARMA lives on in then… Sounds a bit cheesy doesn’t it? the pricey guise of the Oasys. In truth, the KARMA wasn’t cheesy but

INDISPENSABLE accumulated experience that I need to successfully then deal with the issues ‘THORNY’ to name a few. But the complete to ensure that of conflicting needs on an “If I move Pavarotti’s tools and toys come and the sound system fulfils adversarial basis. It is more monitor fader half a dB, he go, and it is very easy my vision would be very difficult to take a wider to ignore the value of difficult, if not impossible, view of an event, but when picks it up… once I’ve got knowledge and experience without the contribution working with others that so that it all becomes and support of these share the same view, I have the monitors to their liking rather insignificant to people. To state it another found that what seems an what really is the most way, I could not do what I issue really isn’t, because I don’t touch anything. indispensable thing for do without working with when both parties share me. It is the skilled and other professionals who all the same goal it is just That area of the mixer Alexander Yuill-Thornton dedicated people I have share the same common a matter of making the becomes a total ‘no go’ II is a master system met and worked with over goal: that of making the necessary adjustments, designer for large-scale those years that have been event we are all involved given the discovered zone.” event such as the Three the really indispensable in meet, and exceed, the restrictions, to maximise Tenors’ Forbidden City gig part of my professional needs of those that attend. the impact for those The Three Tenors’ engineer, John Pellowe, risks having a featured in Issue 16. life. As a system designer And as obvious as this attending. The real prize rampaging, stage-diving Luciano on his hands. “There have been a the truth is that without seems, it has taken me has been the accumulation number of things that these folks none of what many years to fully come to of trust and mutual were indispensable to me I want to achieve for an terms with this concept. It admiration, which is, of over the last eight years event would happen. As a is so easy to have a narrow course, indispensable.” – various tools and toys, system optimizer, the tasks view of what one does, and acquired knowledge, and

AT 67 I recall my interview with of their comfort zone… producer Dave Bottrill very it’s actually more about ISSUE 17 clearly. Studios 301 was still ensuring they are in their very new and Dave had been comfort zone. But once shipped over to produce there, Dave throws out the new silverchair album. some challenges. Here’s It was a fairly rare interview how Dave challenged setup in that I wasn’t silverchair frontman Daniel talking to him well after the Johns: “When Daniel was in event but actually midway the control room recording READERS SPEAK through the recording of his guitar solo we had the MACKIE HR824 the album… there was quite lights off and I grabbed a the smell of adrenalin about lamp and started flashing it “I’ve personally not come across a pair of monitors 9/11 the whole process and you around underneath him. It Just prior to Issue 17, Philip and could tell Dave’s creative was something to make him that translate into the real world quite as well.” I were working on our first Asia juices were flowing. Dave think, ‘wait a minute, what’s David Grindley Pacific edition of AT. It’d been something we’d been sweating Bottrill had learned his happening here?’, and to “they tell me the truth, even when I’m lying to chops at Peter Gabriel’s get him inspired… Try and over for at least a year and a myself!” half – it was a big deal for us. Real World Studios. Real create an atmosphere that Roberto Salvatore Looking back through the Word World has to be one of the promotes happy accidents.” files for Issue 1 Asia Pacific, all best-known studios in the I guess, in the end it’s about “The only thing you hear in the studio when the modification dates were world – right up there with risk taking. Most of us mixing (apart from the occasional fart or cooling 9th or 10th of September 2001. Abbey Road – and evidently would be a little reticent fan) are the monitors. These are up there with the After finally putting the first was an amazing place to issue to bed, that evening my to start swinging a torch best, and, ‘bang for buck’, probably are the best.” wife and I were phoned by her be a sound engineer. The around mid performance, David Russell brother in New York, telling most weird and wonderful but with the luxury of time us to turn on the TV. We were “In its price bracket, the HR824s are unsurpassed musicians would record and confidence it’s worth going to use the upcoming AES there – all absolutely top the risk. – CH. in clarity, honesty and reliability and provide an Convention in New York to make notch, I hasten to add invaluable tool for the modest recording set up.” a song and dance about AT’s Glenn Tinsley new venture and, of course, that – and regardless of your all went by the wayside. The preparation there would “Great monitor speakers. Flat response, give convention’s venue, New York’s always be some sort of accuracy and detail to everything.” Javits Center, was being used technical curve ball thrown Brett Wagland as a triage centre and no one your way. Perhaps that’s had any idea when some sort of “I know they say a poor workman blames his tools, normality would return to the why Dave pushed musicians Big Apple. It’s ridiculous (and so hard and saw it as but since getting these monitors I haven’t had to only human) to think selfishly pivotal to the art of being cross reference on 30 different stereos to check when disasters like this occur… a producer. It’s not so much mixes etc and re-work mixdowns 100 times! Very and for our part, we could hardly about taking artists out trustworthy monitors.” think of a less auspicious start Robert Dilley to our international publishing adventure. – CH.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO L.W. & S.P. AT JFK? BEST SUCKY LETTER TO AT L.W. (or Lenny White) and S.P. (or Sammy Here’s the opening lines of a gem of a provide an easy understanding that does Peralta) – a couple of American musos letter from a reader in Issue 17. “I would not diminish the importance, integrity and – were helping JBL sell their new baby like to begin by saying, I read quite clarity of the issues covered. The layout THX-approved LSR monitors. Of course, a number of magazines on a number is exceedingly tasteful in its presentation this ad was drafted before the USA’s War of topics, both local publications and and very easy to follow. I have every issue on Everything That Moves and it was international. I feel compelled to tell so far and intend not to miss a single one perfectly acceptable to show scenes of you that I always look forward to and in the future.” Wow. A word to the wise, if customs officials and X-Ray machines. anticipate with great enthusiasm each you ever want a response from AT or be Post 9/11, word has it that LW and SP issue of AudioTechnology. Out of all magically awarded some prize then this attempted to smuggle in non-American the magazines I read and have read I has got to be the way to go about it… audio gear – some of it wasn’t even THX feel AudioTechnology is by far the most flattery, indeed, gets you everywhere. approved – and were both quickly thrown outstanding creation. AudioTechnology Amardeep, if you’re reading this – and you into the nearest CIA-run jail for sedition has the most enjoyable writers that promised you would be! – then let us know and crimes against American audio. So beautifully exhibit the art of blending how you got on with the setting up of your it’s from X-Ray to Camp X-Ray then… tech-talk with fun and common sense to studio. allegedly.

 So what mixing console INDISPENSABLE column. In the mean time pair of O12 Oktava pencil rock, and you can drive BRENDAN GALLAGHER here’s Brendan’s take on mics. They’re good all the gain a bit. Very nice on did you use while putting indispensability. ’round mics but I like them bass, snares, etc. for overheads, acoustic My Herman Miller chair has the album together? guitar, percussion and they Brendan Gallagher: My pair been a revelation. I stalked have the warmest, widest a secondhand furniture “We didn’t actually have of red Quad 8 channel strips sound on piano. are indispensable. They’re place next to my studio one. We still don’t… the mod’ed by Joe Malone in I have a pair of Universal in Ultimo for six months Brisbane and have great Audio 6176s. A great until I wore the guy down album was put together dynamic range and a lot feature of these is you can to $700. After sitting in it Producer and songwriter, of sparkle in the top end. split the 610 valve preamp for five minutes it was the without a console.” Brendan Gallagher, fronts I believe those consoles and the 1176 compressor. best $700 I spent on my For vocals, acoustic guitar, studio. The Avalanches’ Darren Seltmann announces his Karma County and was were used for Foley mixing piano etc, I like to run Quad recording’s radical break with tradition. Of course, now, the creative force behind in Hollywood in ’70s. I use Go to: www. 8s into the 1176 (though the it’s practically the norm. Jimmy Little’s album them for everything but I brendangallagher.com. Messenger. Read more particularly like them for orthodoxy is the other way au for more info about about the recording of his drum overheads and guitars: around). If I want a chunkier Brendan’s solo album. new CD, On Eve St in Gavin acoustic and electric. sound I’ll use the 610 as the preamp, it’s a bit more Hammond’s Homegrown I couldn’t do without my

AT 68 GAV’S BACK Readers of Australian audio It didn’t seem smelly at inauspicious birth. Even mags would have been happy the time but I find myself world-class educators to see Gavin Hammonds name reaching for a handkerchief like Tom Misner and his ISSUE 18 back in print. Gav gave me a now… Simmo gets the SAE schools started life call and we had a chat about job of ‘head of audio’ at as dodgy, shoe-box book- what he was interested in a Sydney audio school writing and whether there was keeping, make-it-up-as-we- scope for producing a regular and his next editorial go-along, back-of-a-studio column that highlighted local highlights the importance affair. Meanwhile, real talent making records in their of education. I’m sure his sound engineers learnt own way and own time. The READERS SPEAK intentions were as pure their trade by listening and result was Home Grown, and HEADPHONES as the driven snow… but it’s turned into a real cracker watching old pros doing of a series. There are so many blimey, it doesn’t look too their thing. Basically, it Australians doing great work Extreme Isolation Headphones: “I love the fact good. The thing with Greg was an apprenticeship. and making a comfortable that I can hear my drums in the headphone mix (and Rick for that matter) is Nowadays, those old-school living while remaining all-but and save my hearing at the same time. Plus, it’s they have an uncanny knack academies of studio under the radar of the press. for submitting their articles learning (the bigger studios) What’s more it’s these been years since I’ve had audible click in the my about 15 minutes before musicians and producers tracks! Flawless!” have all-but disappeared, deadline. And short of and the pros are largely who couldn’t be happier Andy Zito had years of practical spilling every last bean of the printing a blank page, you’re flying solo – meaning there experience under the recording process – to the Beyer DT48: “They are as close to ‘flat’ that I’ve mostly at the mercy of isn’t some kid learning the tutelage of consultants benefit of every AT reader. It found… for hearing what is really happening in their 11th hour words. Rick’s trade secrets alongside really is real-world stuff, and and specialists. So it goes any part of the signal path, they are unrivalled.” excuse was (and is) that if him/her. So, to my way of I look forward to seeing how with audio engineering. Declan Cooney he’s the last thing in, then thinking, audio schools Home Grown grows in the The schools play their part, future. – CH. his words are less likely are pretty essential, as Sony MDR7506: “I can find myself working in but unless students have to be altered in any way the traditional avenues of the opportunity to learn any environment from fieldwork and studios to – which is Rick’s biggest learning have disappeared. the ropes from old pros, lounge rooms and home studios. Monitor speakers fear. Simmo’s excuse But it doesn’t mean that then they’re really only XP REALLY ARRIVES and rooms acoustics are so variable that a pair of was… actually I don’t think the demise of big studios getting half an education. When Widows XP arrived 7506s are indispensable for making and checking he’s ever given me a real (and the ‘apprenticeship’ Unfortunately, many of in 2001 it was the best critical decisions regardless of where I find myself.” excuse, except something system), and the rise and news PC users had heard those old pros have either Trevor Beck about ‘homework’ and a rise of audio schools has in years. Our regular PC left the industry or are particularly peckish dog. amounted to a seamless columnist, Martin Walker, Sennheiser HD600: “I take these puppies taking that knowledge to expressed his enthusiasm: Regardless, Simmo’s educational transition. everywhere. It’s like taking your listening their graves. – CH. “I’ve found Windows XP an essay on the importance Schools or universities overwhelmingly positive environment and your speakers all in one hit. Slip them on and you’ll forget your wearing them in of education got up the never replace on-the-job experience, and I suspect nose of a few old-school it’s what most of us will be minutes… and the neighbours love’em.” training. You might be a using within the next year.” Tony Mikajewski audio types. Most of the ‘doctor’ after completing antagonism stems from the a degree but you’re no use AKG K271: “Loud, precise and rugged… the auto audio schools’ particularly to anyone unless you’ve mute switch built into the band is priceless.” Andrew Simioni

LIKES HIS GEAR WHERE’S ROBBIE? I spoke to A-Grade mix engineer, Mark important factors of a good mix? Good Just when you thought it ‘Spike’ Stent, after he’d mixed Bjork’s monitoring and knowing the sound of was safe to leaf through Verspertine album… blimey he likes his your room – which is particularly relevant AT again, along comes Robbie Williams spruiking gear. When I asked him what he’d choose advice for home studio owners. – CH. an expensive converter. if I forced him at gunpoint to only keep a You’ve got to wonder what small selection of gear his reply was that his publicist was thinking of an unrepentant gear guzzler: “Hmm. at the time. Surely he ProTools, my SSL, my GML EQ, the LA-2A could score a nine-figure sum singing the praises compressor, all of my plug-ins, Logic of some fizzy drink… and Audio – because I really like some of the here he is on every second plug-ins on there – my Eventide H3000, page of an Australian and probably these old Korg delay lines audio magazine endorsing which I really love – the SDD3000 and arcane black boxes. Course, he’d have to lose the SDE3000. I could go on and on!” the beanie if he was going But Spike was just as generous with to enjoy the full benefit of some good mixing advice. The two most Andy’s PHD.

INDISPENSABLE Six channels, all-digital, But beyond the tasks of the mix until the units were “Contrary to popular MICHAEL GISSING low-latency and 32-bit dynamics processing, the repaired. Apart from that floating point. But the PP20 has some brilliant one instance, the PP20s belief, The Corrs could not crowning achievement of EQ and a few tricks like have worked perfectly Michael Gissing runs the units are the algorithms width processing and every day for over 11 actually be an Irish band Digital City Studios in used to compress, limit hyper-compression. years. No other piece of Sydney and has been and EQ. Since then, with The value of my PP20s equipment has been as because there aren’t that writing for AT since day compressor/limiters as was revealed many years reliable or as vital. many good looking people dot. Here he expresses his plug-in and stand-alone ago when a thunderstorm appreciation for some ‘old units, I’ve not heard a caused a power surge that in Ireland, let alone in one digital’. system that is so good at blew some power supplies, containing dialogue and including both PP20s. I was Michael Gissing reviewed Irish family.” effects. I don’t find them able to replace the power the P&G PP20 in Issue 1 I love my studio: the gear, Despite his surname, Rick O’Neil, lashes out at the the best for music, but for supplies locally and quickly, of AT. the rooms, the location… Emerald Isle after an unsatisfactory night on the sauce the dynamics of location but I did attempt to mix but if it were on fire and I in U2’s Dublin-based nightclub – it’s a long story… go sound for TV doco’s, the that day with another brand could only save one piece, read it again. PP20s have not only of dynamics processors. It it would be my Penny & made mixing a joy, they Giles dynamics processors. was so difficult to achieve are an integral part of the my normal-sounding mix When I bought the PP20s character of my sound. they were very expensive. that I was forced to cancel

AT 69 I enjoyed revisiting Will got it, and in many regards Bowden’s kickstart to his I’m reluctant to offload ISSUE 19 ‘Trash or Treasure’ series of it because I know what it articles. The sentiment of replaced. I have noticed a it is just as pertinent today couple of JDs going for less as it was in 2002. William than a grand on eBay… so examines that feeling we I figure I’m a good $5k off all know – regret at selling getting my sax back. MOST UNLIKELY GEAR NAME – BIG TICK AUDIO an item of gear that we’d Back in Issue 19 Will kill for now – and turns it READERS SPEAK CHEEZE MACHINE used the mixing console French boffins, Big Tick Audio, into a practical philosophy as a classic example of MORE MONITORING as to when and what to released the CheezeMachine something that was out of and Brad was all over it like sell. My biggest regret by fashion, yet a well designed, Dynaudio BM6a: The Dynaudio BM6a’s are so an unpasteurised mould a long, long shot is selling high quality analogue mixing spore. Harking back to my Selmer Super Action 80 good that I have put my secondary monitors in the the days of the Crumar console will keep its value garage. To summarise in the Japanese tradition of Performer or the Arp Solina, tenor saxophone in the mid and will keep it usefulness ’90s and buying a Roland Haiku poetry: the CheezeMachine did long after that 20-bit tacky string machine sounds JD800 (digital synth with The best monitors interface was superseded that I have ever worked with with ease. Some four years sliders). I bought the JD800 later, the CheezeMachine by a 24-bit (or 32-bit) are Dynaudios at the top of the market for model that was just around is still free (go to bigtick. Aaron Cupples pastnotecut.org) and Big Tick around $3000 and sold the the corner. The sceptics sax for almost exactly the (presumably a reference to amongst us will point out Yorkville YSM1P: “These monitors (my first ‘Pro’ getting things correct rather same amount. The synth that the value of anything set) have remained my reference point.” than blood-sucking insects) served me well and in many that’s effectively based Barry McConnachie is powering ahead with a new regards I don’t feel shafted on computer technology supersynth called, Rhino. [The by the purchase… but I Duntechs: “Unflattering sonic integrity, without Rhino-sonorous] will drop like a stone, while which there’d simply be no ability to pass objective do by the sale. The Selmer anything that’s analogue and or subjective critical judgement and hence how or was a classic life-long well designed will keep its whether to tweak – or not to tweak – elsewhere in investment. It would have value. That might be so, but the signal chain.” been the same beautiful just about all of us do need Adam Dempsey instrument now as it was a computer and an interface when I bought it 20 years and the odd flash-in-the-pan Genelec 8020: “Incredibly compact, beautiful ago. I know it’s not all about gizmo. Just so long as we design, outstanding bottom end for their size.” the money, but one thing’s get use out of it and enjoy Chris Henderson for sure, I simply cannot the ride then that’s okay. afford the equivalent After all, buying gear was ATC T16: “My mixes improved more from this saxophone now – I’d be up never meant to be a Warren one piece of gear than anything else I own… for around $6000 – and Buffet-style investment if I can get it right on the ATCs I know it will as for the JD800? I’ve still system. – CH. translate well to everything else.” Darren Thompson

PIRACY THEN & NOW Issue 19 was our big software piracy anything that could be delivered digitally doing the software companies out of measures. For example, please don’t get issue. No, that didn’t mean we sold – software, music etc – could and should their money? I’d suggest it’s anyone Andy started on the iLok – the valuable the mag with a cover-mount CD full of be free. No one batted an eyelid about who uses a particular software package hours he’s lost thanks to a faulty iLok cracks and warez, it meant publishing illegally downloading ‘free’ stuff. In 2002 most days and either relies on that has turned him into a fanatical anti-iLok a comprehensive exposé of what the it was also prior to most of the big moves software to make money or have fun evangelist. Which is a shame, because industry and readers were thinking towards teaming software with hardware. – i.e., if it was taken away you’d have for copy protection to work it really has about piracy. Actually, just looking back By which I mean, the Mbox explosion to figure out a way of buying it. As for to be invisible – it must stop the pirate on the previous ‘cracks and warez’ quip, was yet to happen, and products like everyone else who might have a crack of in his tracks, yet be a total no-brainer for I’ve unwittingly touched on one of the Korg’s Legacy or Native Instruments some program on their drive and never the legit users. I think it’s fair to say that roots of the piracy problem – it’s easy Guitar Rig were yet to be released. So, use it… well, I don’t think that can be we’re still some way from achieving that to make light of; I think we all find it in effect, the software companies were classified as a ‘lost sale’. Just anecdotally, ideal. – CH. hard to treat it with the seriousness laying themselves wide open to the ‘why I’d suggest that more and more people that it deserves. One thing’s for sure, not?’ attitude of the consumers and the are wanting to do the ‘right thing’ with back in 2002 piracy was absolutely rife. availability of cracks. their software purchases, which in turn You’ve got to remember that this was Some four years later it’s challenging has led to more and more discontent pre iTunes and anyone under the age to consider what’s changed on the high from legitimate customers who are of 25 was programmed to believe that seas of software piracy. Who’s actually often being stymied by copy protection

“We routinely encounter AT IN WHIPPER SNIPPER SPRUIKING SHOCK! AT used to help out with were tailor made for the various garden implements [people] who simply tell designing ads for certain job, apparently. The reason in the mag appear as advertisers – we still do the memories are so incongruous now as they us they’re using pirated on occasions – and we fresh is because muggins ever did, which, I guess, versions of our software. have to take some credit offered to find the garden was the whole point. – CH. for this atrocity. I recall tool brochures from the That always surprises me: David Green (then of local mower outlet. Of Syntec, now of TL Audio) course the job took way ‘Hi, I stole your intellectual had one of his brain longer than anticipated as I waves. Figuring the bulk spent half an hour trying to property and I have some of readers were blokes, escape the clutches of the and the bulk of blokes shop assistant – I figured questions about it.’” strictly adhere to the the quickest lie would be Syntrillium’s Bob Ellison (2001) realises there’s a philosophy of ‘right tool to say that I ‘promised to long way to go to alter the cultural attitudes towards for the job’, then the bulk pick up some brochures for software piracy. of AT readers would ‘get’ my Dad’… which of course the advertising concept led to the question: ‘oh of likening a whipper right, how big is your Dad’s snipper to a Fostex hard garden?’ etc etc. Anyway, disk recorder/mixer – both the appearance of these

AT 70 By Issue 20 we were well Gyuto Monks of Tibet so versed in the art of slipping I’m assuming he was feeling the occasional feminine particularly Zen that issue. ISSUE 20 figure onto the front cover Incidentally, the article – this time with no less went down a treat and was than six of the fairer sex, all reprinted in various other of whom were starkers… forums. If you’re in a band that’s right, no clothes on and still finding your feet, whatsoever. By way of good then best get this issue READERS SPEAK fortune these ladies didn’t back off the shelf. PRESONUS CENTRAL STATION amount to gratuitous nudity Equipment reviews were but were living works of art, MONKING AROUND aplenty, with useful bits o’ air-brushed in the covers of kit such as ProTools HD, Recording the Gyuto Monks “The Central Station gives me several famous Pink Floyd album was the fulfilment of one of the Dynaudio Air series of indispensable features for a very accessible price. covers. So there was a Pink Simmo’s long-held dreams, Mono button, three speaker outputs (A, B, and/or digital monitors and the perhaps that’s why the article Floyd feature in Issue 20 C), cue mix bus and a remote with talkback mic!” Rode NT5 microphone. Not was so earnest. If you hadn’t then? Not quite, but there so useful was the last of the noticed, AT generally likes a Stevie-Leigh Batiste was an (ex Floyd-er) Roger Akai mega-samplers (the bit of irreverence laced with Waters story. Regardless, its sarcasm, but it became “Makes ‘mixing in the box’ so much easier. Z8), a Soundcraft digital evident to me that any verbal Having a dedicated volume knob and speaker there was a link and we mixer and another crack by hanky panky was strictly selecting device (which is totally passive!) where reckon it was pretty Aphex at the Aural Exciter off limits. I figured this out I can hook another two sets of monitors to is tasteful… fantastic stuff! concept. after having a chat to Greg Simmo bit on yet another about the monks prior to fantastic… having a mono switch (which I find The entire back catalogue publication, making a few totally necessary with a lot of DAW software not bullet and delivered his of Earth was being puerile wordplays on the head including mono switches in their master section)… sermon to bands on how remastered in surround so monk’s name, Phuoc Hue, and I’d be lost with out it! Looks sexy too.” to get a decent sound enquiring if his disciples were we got the lowdown on the Michael Robson balance live – a seemingly DVD remaster of Queen’s A called Phuoc Hin and Phuoc impossible feat for many Oerf… silence… awkward Night at the Opera whilst “The nerve centre of my monitoring setup and has acts when using their local’s silence, followed by hasty a very clean-sounding signal path. With digital pondering the cultural assurances that I’d send underpowered PA system. validity of Bohemian Greg a proof of the story connection from my DAW and nice-sounding ‘Four Steps to Better Sound before going to press, and no I converters, the results are consistently good. The Rhapsody in 5.1. Stav through Small PA Systems’ showed us how to record wouldn’t do any jokey caption unit has lovely blue LEDs, so my rack is not short delivered some highly (as much as it would pain me). vocals without the aid of of bling bling, but best of all, there’s a continuous salient pointers such as: – CH. volume control so the kids don’t blow my HR824s headphones and Rick O’Neil play softly, play well, and ‘did his thing’ with Madonna. when they hijack the DAW to play games!” don’t attempt to out do Andrew Jerrim Let’s hope she enjoyed it! each other. Coincidentally, – BW. Greg had just completed a live recording of the

TOOLS STEPS UP ProTools HD heralded a new path for installed as well. The traditional ‘yellow Digi had an answer with the 192 I/O – an Digidesign and prompted a complete on black’ styling that had become the interface with specifications to compete redesign of the flagship recording and Digidesign signature appearance, gave squarely with the upper-crust third-party editing system. With a marked increase way to a more contemporary ‘software options. Needless to say, the 192 I/O, in its DSP-assisted processing and the plug-in’ inspired design. The new look and indeed the lowlier 96 I/O, both capability to work with ‘high definition’ systems also upped the ante for I/O sounded scads better than anything the sample rates, the HD systems were options, offering twice the connectivity company had previously offered. Digi a welcome relief in a world where and the ability to run a pair of the had implemented Midi into ProTools multichannel processing was becoming previous generation interfaces such software long before this point, but the de rigeur. DSP power runs out pretty as the 888|24 and 882|20. ProTools HD lineage included a dedicated Midi I/O quickly when you’re processing six HD brought with it a much needed capable of time-stamping Midi events channels of audio, and the previous Mix improvement in audio quality. The and the remote controllable Pre featuring systems ran out of juice in a blink. If you previous 888|24 interface had hit the eight high-class mic preamps – further decided to run the gauntlet, installing market quite early on in the piece and stamping ProTools hardware as the more than three DSP farm cards required Digidesign lost sales to the high-end all-in-one DAW choice. – BW. a PCI expansion chassis – shaky ground A/D D/A manufacturers such as Prism if you needed SCSI and video cards and Apogee. By the time HD surfaced,

TAKING THE RHAP “I put [Bohemian There were 120 channels, “Line array is a great thing. Rhapsody] up, listened and (to maintain the tonal to it, looked at all the quality of the original) I enjoy it a lot. It’s a lot tracks… and almost an enormous quantity started to cry because of of old-school outboard more coherent, it sounds the amount of stuff that – “I think we rented a lot better than the old was on there.” As I was every 1176 in LA!”. In the talking to 5.1 remix-master article I likened remixing arrays. I wonder what’s Elliot Scheiner I could Bohemian Rhapsody to feel the pain of rifling a painter restoring the next? Hopefully I’ll be through a million ‘mama Mona Lisa – surely the mia’ and ‘beelzebubs’. In fear of stuffing up would retired and fly fishing by the case of Bohemian be the overwhelming Rhapsody, there were emotion. But I guess that’s the time anything else so many vocal takes (or why Elliot has the gig of happens.” small grabs) that it took remixing classic album Wonder if Mambo had any idea a forensic mind to cross after classic album – he Brian May was getting around in Larger than life FOH engineer, Trip Khalaf, is hooked check each vocal snippet (except for the odd tear) one of its iconic ‘hamburger and by the i4. with the stereo original. remains undaunted. – CH. cheese sandwich’ shirts…

AT 71 One of the most fascinating began showing us how to comments embedded wire a studio correctly… ISSUE 21 in Issue 21 comes from the first time. Gordon Raphael who, Buried in amongst the when asked how many many gear reviews were tracks he used to record two fairly modest items The Strokes’ new album, that were set to change the replied: “Never more than 11 audio landscape forever: tracks per song… I rented the Apple iPod and the a second [Digidesign] 888 Digidesign Mbox. Both READERS SPEAK [interface]… I thought if I of these devices have, ODDS ‘N’ SODS could put a bottom mic on in their own way, had a the snare my life would be massive impact on the way better.” Not one for over- Sharpie textas: “I’m never asked ‘can I borrow your we record and listen to dbx blah blah?’. I’m always asked ‘can I borrow engineering, Raphael used music. The Mbox took the a very simple, low-budget your texta?’.” A COOL DEVICE, ProTools format and made Damien Young BUT CHECK OUT THE setup to record two CDs for it truly portable (provided The Strokes to wide critical Nashua Gaffa Tape: “Needs no explanation – it SPECS & PRICE! you had a laptop), but, even When Brad reviewed the acclaim. Proof that you more miraculously, the iPod holds the industry together!” don’t need a zillion tracks or Apple iPod back in 2002 he made the MP3 format cool Craig Herbert hinted that it might have lots of time and money to some impact in the future, and desirable. Who would Microphone Stand: “An enigmatic mistress, the hit the big time. have thought? The iPod has but none of us realised back mic stand has the poise of Audrey Hepburn and then that it would put Apple This was the issue where since gone on to change seduction of Marilyn when treated with love, but slap bang in the middle of a Chris warned people not to not only the way we listen her demeanour can turn to obstinate stubbornness musical revolution. Brad was trust ads with quotes from to music, but how we buy when bent beyond her will.” also gutsy enough to make the famous people, Simmo bold assertion that he thought it, who buys it and how it’s David Sims broke out the Glen 20 so promoted. –AS. MP3s sounded better through people wouldn’t catch flu the iPod than the AIFF files. Antec P180 computer case: “I have lots of toys But the most disarming off an SM58, Elton John’s in my home studio but none of them come to facts in his review were the orange wig took pride of anything without my quiet PC.” iPods specs and price… “You place on the cover and Michael Hutton read correctly. There’s a five Rick extolled the virtues gigabyte drive in there.” And of wearing sunglasses VU Meter: “Using only peak meters or no meters the price of the 5GB iPod? to improve your hearing. is like flying blind, and while many of us think $895! The 10GB version a we can hear exactly what’s going on, visual whopping $1095! Makes the Stav revisited monitor new fifth-generation 80GB placement and encouraged reinforcement certainly doesn’t hurt. Hardware or iPod seem pretty cheap at us to put a board under our software – just get one!” $499… speakers and Howard Jones Adam Wilson

WE HOPED NO ONE WOULD NOTICE… Issue 21 had two of the most 92 and 94 to make history! Steinberg extraordinary typos ever witnessed in the became Steinerg and TC Electronic history of AT (and there have been some became TC Electronnic. When Chris doozies!). Here’s the background story: received the printed mag he went grey the terrible Quark layout program we and almost fell off the balcony of the were using to make the magazine couldn’t magazine’s Dee Why office. There was (for reasons no one ever understood) nothing that could be done… there was reproduce the header font at the top nothing for it… it was time to get drunk! of articles and reviews. Consequently My other favourite typo that issue was every headline would have to be manually the Music Link phone number at the re-typed, and our enigmatic Portuguese bottom of page 111: even if you dialled the graphic designer at the time, Miguel printed number, miraculously you still got Trinity, took it upon himself on pages through! – AS.

“I’m dearly in love with the INDISPENSABLE chain, which would have work. De-essers come in of an old analogue tape PETE SMITH a compressor, EQ and a variety of hardware and machine or analogue iPod and I look forward de-esser (usually three software options but I mixing desk, which turns separate items, I don’t prefer to have a variable the heads of producers to seeing how it matures. Pete is a highly go for the combo that threshold and a variable who believe they’re paying experienced South much). I like to have an frequency control. More for a state-of-the-art The design is a modern Australian-based freelance analogue compressor for often than not this will digital mixing room. But we film sound mixer. His my dialogue something mean a Waves De-esser all have a laugh and get on classic.” credits include Japanese like a dbx 160 or Urei 1176 and they can be inserted with it. Brad Watts jacks into the white zeitgeist. Story, Somersault and – although I quite like on individual channels as to Oh… and did I mention Robbery Under Arms. the Waves Renaissance not be stuck with the same a comfortable chair? software compressor threshold etc. Indispensable. series. I insert these A good pair of VU meters is Pete Smith: Being a over a bus and send all freelance film sound mixer something I usually ask for, my dialogue through it, which is sometimes met I tend to go with what but I’m still able to insert I’m given, but there are a with groans from facilities, compressors on individual but I do like to keep an eye few essential pieces. The channels if required, and most important would be a on those levels. Sometimes not just let the main bus they arrive in the form good dialogue processing compressor do all the

AT 72 was in the final throes of Simon Leadley – long-time NOTHING BETTER ISSUE 22 a very long, very stressful AT writer and one of the THAN SX process – “one day there main geezers at Trackdown It’s 2002 and Steinberg felt will be alcohol” he muttered – has always got a tale it time to drop VST – Virtual with a disturbingly straight or two to tell about his Studio Technology – as a face. Mark was the moniker and boldly grasp Hollywood adventures. I the sauciest of all two letter composer because he was know Simon will hate me combinations in the alphabet, the composer for the Croc for saying this, but catch SX. The Teutons were Hunter TV series, which him straight after knocking A real mixed bag of potpourri this one – the POD obviously excited and launched sounds fair enough. But he another blockbuster on the and the Avalon 747 the only devices cracking the a series of teaser ads. And, evidently those same excitable certainly wasn’t a seasoned head and he’ll look like he’s 10% barrier. The Distressor has many vocal fans Hollywood composer, Germans figured we were not slept for three weeks… that’s for sure, as does Brisbane-based audio guru, sharing their anticipation with so the story offers an which is probably not so far Joe Malone. Read on. the words: ‘Your pulse is racing. interesting insight into the from the truth. I remember Expectation. First Contact.’ Hollywood machine from that Simon was particularly Huh? Then, to have readers the perspective of the upbeat after completing reaching for their angina pills, uninitiated. It’s a common some demure north European- Moulin Rouge because style chick is pictured unveiling theme for these film stories The Crocodile Hunter it was a truly Australian a giant 3D Cubase logo. It but, again, the temp score movie might enjoy a spike production – which meant strikes me that the unveiling and the test screenings uses the same material as in nostalgic popularity, local filming, editing and were part of the underlying Powercore Girl’s space suit for obvious reasons, but post production… the stress. After the test – perhaps that just me. – CH. in Issue 22 it was simply whole lot. Simon loved that, OUTBOARD screening the producers PROCESSING/ another piece of Hollywood and reading between the figured the plot was too PREAMPS fluff – a vehicle for Steve lines, he loved it because it confusing and Mark’s music Irwin to play with grouchy meant there wasn’t nearly was identified as being a animals. The link I had into as much of that Hollywood problem. So they changed the production was via BS. It didn’t mean it was it. Then they did another the film’s composer Mark easy to complete or it test screening, which, again, McDuff. He was actually wasn’t hard work, but at didn’t go down so well. good mates with one of least you were in charge of So Mark was flown over. our writers Scott Christie your own destiny. – CH. And, get this, was asked to (hope you’re well Scott!), re-score almost the entire so I was hooked up that film in a week. Music Editor, way. My first introduction Tim Ryan at Trackdown, to Mark was during a final had a similar introduction music mixing session at to the film, being asked to Trackdown Studios and lay up the whole film in a I wasn’t to know that he day and a half. Meanwhile,

AUDIO TECHKYLIELOGY COINCIDENCES Kylie LIVE! Screamed the headline. Open It was more a coincidence than the magazine and sure enough it’s Kylie intention, but two of the more live, along with Kylie sashaying in a sheer unusual-looking mics going around night dress, Kylie posing provocatively shared a spread in Issue 22 – the against a glass wall… in fact, there are a Audix SCX-25 and the BLUE Baby total of seven Kylies in the magazine. One Bottle. of the biggest stretches was getting Kylie As it happened both the onto Last Word… especially given Rick introductions for the reviews ‘sucked’. was taking Kylie’s name in vain. Ah well, regardless, it was another opportunity SCX-25: “The Audix SCX-25 ‘Lollipop’ to plant the singing budgie on the page. is a new take on large diaphragm mic I can’t remember whose idea it was to design. Konrad Skirlis says ‘suck it have Kylie sitting on top of the Mackie and see’. Soundscape modules on the cover, but it Baby Bottle: A mic that sucks? ‘Au was pure bloody genius! In fact, it could contraire,’ gurgles Andy Stewart. well have been the best thing to happen to Soundscape in its long and ultimately doomed existence.

“I’ve recorded a lot of INDISPENSABLE I struggle a little bit with – they’re far more useful. when I’m mixing Kylie or Il CHRIS PYNE the term indispensable, as In the days of analogue Divo, I can’t try a new reverb explosions before but it infers I simply wouldn’t you could rehearse all you mid performance, but now be able to do a gig without like but you couldn’t store I can… or at least I can this particular barn really a particular item, when in anything as a snapshot. virtually via this capacity fact any live engineer worth Along with these digital to record the whole gig. came up well.” their salt should be able to consoles comes the ability The other big improvement Location sound recordist extraordinaire, Paul Brincat, do a gig with anything… to record a show, which is in my working life comes releases his inner pyromaniac on the set of The But what’s verging on another big step forward. from the accessibility of Crocodile Hunter movie. indispensable for me is a So whether that’s plugging laptop-based analysers, Chris Pyne readies digital console like a Digico a Digico into its Digitracs like the Smaart system. It’s himself for another D5. That’s primarily for its software or teaming Digi’s tremendous to have the Exhibition Centre load-in. ability to store song-by- D-Show with ProTools, you ability to tuck your laptop song info such as dynamics now have the ability to mix under your arm and analyse and EQ settings. Having that last night’s show like you’d the room, and not have to ability ensures a high level mix an album in the studio. cart around $70k worth of of consistency from show Why’s that so great? It SIMM hardware. Finally, to show. And being able to means you can fine-tune having an exceptionally store those parameters the show: try a different good front of house tech and the variations puts a compression or EQ, take is truly indispensable… whole new perspective on care of problem standing and thankfully I have Tony the production rehearsals waves in a room… I mean, Szabo. AT 74 AT’s esteemed ‘bookends’, DSP-based and Native Messers Simmons and digital processing has O’Neil, decided to go toe gained support in recent ISSUE 23 to toe in print over the times, although in some concept of ‘old digital’ in ways the whole debate has Issue 23. Simmo saw ‘old now become an irrelevance digital’ as any good quality – good native processing working gear that had sounds great, while DSP simply been left behind READERS SPEAK guarantees you a minimum in the race to reach 96k number of instances. ELI DISTRESSOR sampling rates, while Rick But as debate raged seemed more interested in between AT writers about 002: ‘TOTAL WINNER’ “If I had to be stranded on a desert island with simply offloading some old Quite unprompted, Brad a single compressor, this would be the one. The digital specs and the Watts declared the new digital Neve gear onto Greg merits of surround sound Distressor devours anything and everything you that had been hiding under Firewire-based Digi 002 a feed it and returns it exactly as you want it (with a formats, the consumer total winner: “…for the sheer the floor of Rick’s house, end of music delivery simplicity of connection perfect dash of its own colouration) every time.” which he’d acquired for a and the ensuing pleasures James Boundy was starting to head in slab of beer. And I should the opposite direction. by a song’s file size, namely, of a stable and professional know, I was the mug under control surface, the 002 is “Takes the stress out of creating a bass drum sound. The explosion of the MP3 ‘How easy and fast is it to probably my pick for product Suitable for all ages, shapes and sizes.” the house getting handed age – of compression download off the Internet, of the year.” As it turned out Dirk Terrill the crap. “Don’t let my formats and Internet and can I get it for free?’. the release of the 002 (and partner [now his wife] find – AS. later the 002 Rack) marked “It’s a high-end piece of gear, it’s able to do a bunch downloading, file sharing out this stuff is down here and ringtone paraphernalia another massive step forward of different tasks, and I almost always use it for bass whatever you do,” Rick said, for Digidesign, which was and vocal compression.” – had begun in earnest. fast growing into an industry as we neatly stacked what Peter Knight No one buying music leviathan, sweeping all before was, back then, already seemed to know about, it in the DAW market. “How can anyone possibly go wrong with this useless digital junk in its or for that matter, care compressor? Life can get pretty stressful in the dusty grave. Whoops! Sorry about, new hi-resolution studio but this thing de-stresses me.” Rick. I reckon we should formats, making issues like SUPER CHEAP have just kept the slab. At In 2002, items like mics and Angelo Malavazos advancements in converter least we wouldn’t be trying technology seem, to some outboard gear were starting to dispose of the stuff by to get really cheap. Alto had a “It has saved so many kick drums for me… easy to at least, more like an stereo compressor retailing use and sounds great!” lugging it around the corner expensive con perpetrated for $289, while Samson Phil Eades and placing it on some on studios worldwide released a well-constructed unsuspecting neighbour’s $199 condenser mic. Dirt “It sounds fantastic, it looks fantastic, it’s got big than any true mark of nature strip! Actually progress. Sound quality cheap gear was penetrating fantastic knobs, it’s just complex enough to make Rick’s Issue 23 assertion deep into the suburbs and you feel clever using it, but not too complex so you and fidelity were being everything was changing. that it’s nigh impossible overtaken in importance give up. More of a de-stresser than a Distressor.” to distinguish between Stewart Long (by the consumer, at least)

WORTH ANOTHER LOOK WHY OH WHY DID UA DITCH THE 2108? This was the issue in which big-time “It’s important not to always assume a One piece of gear that was reviewed in Issue – no ‘one-trick pony’. I couldn’t fault it record producer and mix wizard, retro, esoteric pre with big knobs will 23 (by yours truly) was the UA 2108 stereo (apart from complaining that the output Joe Chiccarelli, continued his highly always be better in every situation.” On mic preamp. Incredibly, the unit has since been didn’t go to 11) and still contend that the informative dissertation on choosing EQ he noted: “If I’m reaching for an EQ it’s discontinued and replaced by the UA4110 and unit is a fantastic piece of gear. Perhaps preamps, compressors and EQs for vocal often to pull frequencies out and not so 8110, which still haven’t seen the light of day what the market said of this product was tracking with some tasty tips on mixing much to boost anything. I’ve often found after well over a year tangled up in production that two preamps for in excess of three vocals thrown in for good measure – well that by taking some of the 1k to 5k range drama. The 2108 sounded great, looked grand is just too high a price to pay. A worth a re-read if you get the chance. out of the vocal it can do wonders to the incredible and had the potential to deliver a classic piece of gear nonetheless… if you Highlights of Joe’s article included some track.” His general approach to mixing very ‘rock’ overdriven sound from its preamp bought one, hang onto it. – AS. very helpful hints on understanding the was probably best summed up when he stage. But it was also versatile and well spec’d tones of many famous and not-so-famous added: “A mix isn’t about ramming a load bits of recording gear. He was also very of disparate, solo’ed elements together, explicit about some of his recording chain you need to keep your eyes firmly on the choices but added this sober warning: big picture.”

INDISPENSABLE absolutely indispensable. for that vintage Lennon- a low-cut distortion/fuzz. “Your mic preamp choice HUGH COUNSEL As far as the recording esque vocal echo, dub I’ve also found the chain goes, the preamp echoes and timed delays. Megalodon to be extremely can change the sound of is the key link in my book. Echofarm delays just useful for picked guitar Whatever mic I’m using I seems to sink nicely into parts. Clean or driven the a mic as much as the mic find the source material the track unlike other delay pedal gives parts a healthy responds a lot more plug-ins. consistency and evenness can change the sound of a sympathetically to EQ and An indispensable guitar that I could never get from voice.” compression with a high pedal: the Ulbrick an outboard compressor. quality pre out front. Stuck Megalodon Super Solo High-profile studio engineer, Joe Chiccarelli, talks on a desert island I would guitar pedal. For me, the vocal recording. Abercorn Recordings choose an SM57 with a Links: www.myspace. and Pitching Woo’s Hugh name disguises the true com/pitchingwoo or www. fantastic pre over a U67 nature of the beast. It does Counsel talks about his and a cheapie any day. abercornrecordings.com four-pronged approach to not change the tone at indispensability. An indispensable all, it just makes it sound plugin: Echofarm is my better. When playing indispensable plug-in chords it sounds like an Hugh Counsel – An – the RE-101 and Maestro amp at full tilt. You get that indispensable preamp: A settings are my particular full-frequency driven clean great-sounding preamp is favourites. I really love it sound that is definitely not

AT 75 listening and stand by Dolby, which has gone from any conclusions he might making stuff to licensing ISSUE 24 come to – regardless of stuff. My guess is that the name and reputation PreSonus’s move upmarket of the devices involved. is less of a stretch for its When we chatted about customers. Roland’s move left-of-field products he’d into sound reinforcement reviewed that appeared with its Digital Snake is to bomb, he instantly an interesting one – great mentioned the Tampa and product, for a different READERS SPEAK the Blue Ball microphone: market that may not even HIGH-END OUTBOARD/FX “Funnily enough, they’re know who Roland is. Rode both good products in their has successfully tackled U-Audio 6176: “It turns a $2000 studio into a REMEMBER WHEN… way, but they just didn’t the boutique end of the mic $200,000 studio for only $3000! Of course, you may DVD PLAYERS WERE ‘fit’ the market in the way market. I’m sure there are end up spending $200,000 over a couple of years but ACTUALLY WORTH the manufacturers hoped,” other examples but they that’s all beside the point.” SOMETHING? It was 2003 and DVD players remarked Sean. “Tampa in largely prove the rule that Radi Safi were yet to be $49.95 particular is much maligned ‘perception is everything’. Focusrite Liquid Channel: “Having a preamp of disposables you picked up We put the M Audio Tampa for some reason, but it is a At the time of writing this at Big W. Of course, being AT this calibre means less work for me down the line.” on the cover of this issue. good unit considering the I couldn’t actually find a readers, you’re more than Joel Saint Clair This was prior to Siev-X price – I use mine regularly secondhand Tampa for sale aware that a $2000 DVD etc and Tampa had no player may well have more when the task fits the bill. on the web, but I wonder AMEK PurePath DMCL: “Not pretty to look at to commend it than a device connotations other than I guess punters like to see if the eBay worm will turn nor is it loaded with personality but it always adds badged ‘Fony’ that comes free sunny Florida and classic the various manufacturers upwards after people read class without requiring a lot of attention.” in a show bag. Nevertheless, Art Deco. So, in all, it stick to their respective Sean’s comments… – CH. Craig Harris 2003 represented a critical should have been clear price points and not step nick in time where a product skies for M Audio to move too far outside of their box. TC System 6000: “Really elegant interface and a like the vLink (RRP $449) into uncharted waters great array of downloadable licences.” could be successful. It didn’t It’s all about perception.” feel like it was built to any – professional microphone Sean’s spot on I reckon. Neil McIntosh great exacting standards but it preamplification. To torture It is all about perception Universal Audio LA601: “My mic sounds fantastic did have the capacity to replay the metaphor a little just about any manner of and it takes a lot to realign through it… Can get a killer bass DI sound… more, Tampa sunk almost video, picture or audio. Michael perceptions. I’m just trying Fender Rhodes sounds amazing! All round without a trace and it’s Gissing reviewed it and liked it, to think of an example winner!” and the AT team decided to get interesting to consider why. where an audio brand Jarred Doueal a job lot… Andy’s pretty tough Sean Diggins reviewed it has reinvented itself or on his hardware and broke it and reviewed it darn well. repositioned itself in the within a matter of months, Sean trusts his ears and market successfully, and but mine’s still punching quite happily. – CH. his instincts. He’ll happily it’s difficult to come up with go double-blind with his examples. I guess there’s Right of Reply: Andy Stewart: “What rubbish! I’m not hard on my gear... it just stopped working for no good reason!”

KEEPING PACE WITH THE PIRATES THE GEIGER COUNTER If you think software cracks are graphics and installation instruction was released on the same day the MADE ME DO IT generated by some lonely German kid in sheets), and audio producers (who commercial product was launched (this Rick buys himself a genuine his bedroom, then think again. The best believe it or not, develop extremely cool is referred to as a ‘0day’ release), which vintage ‘nuke-o-meter’ crackers work in international teams, installation music). The outcome of this must have been utterly demoralising for which sets him off on one which work with an unbelievable level of work is a completely self-contained the manufacturers. These days ‘0day’ and a half pages of dire warnings. That’s right, Rick synergy in order to obtain commercially single setup file which allows any user releases are becoming far rarer given the published his annual (there developed audio software months before to install an entire program without a complicated nature of the protection, hasn’t been another since) it’s released, and work together to ‘crack’ single serial number, activation code, and which now takes months to crack, if it is ‘Dumb Things I Have Done the software so it can be distributed without the biggest beast of them all; the cracked at all. So You Don’t have To’ list. In online. Teams are comprised of software dreaded dongle. it, Rick catalogues new and As I write this I shouldn’t be surprised exciting ways in which he ‘leakers’ (those who work within or close But in recent times, since the vanishing that a new cracking group has recently electrocuted himself, along to those developing audio software and of an elite (‘l33t’ if you’re a geek) been announced as the successors to with highly personal and provide the software to the crackers), cracking group and the introduction the elite team and yet another bundle of embarrassing anecdotes… In short, it was required crackers themselves, packagers (who of the Pace iLok, it appears that the Pace iLok software has been cracked and are responsible for re-packaging the reading. How about another vast amount of audio software being released. Piracy will undoubtedly always instalment Rick? software into an installable format), cracked and released has diminished exist, but its impact seems to diminish graphic designers (in order to develop quite rapidly. For years, cracked software each day. – Anthony Touma.

“Get the smelliest onion INDISPENSABLE AT columnist and dominant role in all things it on a freakin’ plane GOMEZ broadcast/production guru, audio ever since. somewhere across the you can find. Slice off a Michael Pearson-Adam, “Plug-ins, and more Pacific! That to me was looks back on the changes specifically Waves plug-ins, amazing, that I had the wedge … put a thin layer wrought by eight years of changed my life in a major freedom to be able to do digital audio. way, giving more freedom that. of tissue paper around it. “Eight years. Wow. Eight to create sound the “Taking digital audio out of Stick in your ear when you years ago I was swapping way you hear it in your the equation, computers between analogue and mind’s eye and ear. The have got smaller, and go to bed and when you digital studios, depending development of plug-ins to faster, and more reliable. on which complex I was soft synths also was a big My current laptop I use wake up your earache will working in at the time. Half road change, and again was on the road for audio and the time I’d be working huge. So on the computer- video production, is half be gone.” on ProTools 4.3, and the based front, the digital era the size of the one even Stav’s never-fail earache cure… don’t knock it until other half I was working was altered in a major way three years ago, and if you’ve tried it. on a Tascam 24-track. by the advances in plug-in I think back eight years The analogue side got technology. ago I have memories of squeezed out, and digital “The MBox from Digidesign my Apple Mac G3 that I was in 100%. That was was nearly worthy of thought was the best thing the first big change for putting on a pedestal. I since sliced bread and me in that time period, produced a No. 1 hit with butter.” and digital has played a AT 76 Greg Simmons kicked off term and again at the Issue 25 sounding more end, but there will be less like a stockbroker than ‘wastage’, your long-term ISSUE 25 an audio tragic, talking strategy will realise better ‘long-term plans’ and audible results… and the ‘buying strategies’ – all dust bunnies will have to sensible stuff, of course. be content with their own He talked about ‘buying company! up’ and ‘adding down’ and Chris moved to Victoria READERS SPEAK compared client A to client and used Issue 25 as an SUB $2K OUTBOARD B in some quasi-economic excuse to go to every rationality curve – client sporting event Melbourne TLA Ivory 5021: “This compressor does so much A seemed to ‘get’ Greg’s could throw at him, rubbing for so many different sources, whether it be kick, idea of the studio as ‘an shoulders with Richie bass or vocal.” on-going investment’ (i.e., Benaud and Mark Taylor Simon Chan a bottomless pit) and etc, while Rick O’Neil WHAT HAPPENED TO… resisted ‘owning budget declared his head to be a TL Audio FatMan: “As a self-taught engineer equipment’ which, of PETER GABRIEL? having some compressor presets was a massive help “virtual minestrone soup Paul Tingen spoke to engineer course, resulted in client of useless facts about Richard Chappell about in getting my head around compression. Everything A creating less ‘wastage’ Peter Gabriel’s new album I track at home goes through it, it rocks!” old, obsolete audio junk” for himself. Client B was a and admitted that he release Up. But what most of Adam Howden chump, unfortunately, and us were shocked to discover was addicted to trawling was that Peter Gabriel had FMR Audio RNMP: “Brings to life all the character wound up buying too much through junk shops, auction turned into a bald-headed of my mics. It gives me confidence in the signal I’m gear that ‘slowly migrated houses, storerooms and gnome, barely recognisable sending to my DAW and is so simple to use” to the bottom of the rack from his Sledgehammer days. rubbish dumps looking for Cyril Moran to keep the dust bunnies “the stuff you want, but Everyone read the article but company’. Client A was the no one remembers a thing FMR Audio RNC: This comp anyone can use. In you’re not quite sure why.” about it, only that Peter winner economically (and Neve-itis he called it. – AS. Gabriel had become Pappa my bass rig live, inserted over a kick or vocals, it sonically, apparently) but Smurf, seemingly overnight! will do anything very well. neither of them sounded Tom Isaac like they were having FMR Audio RNC: “I still have trouble hearing the much fun! What Greg was essentially saying was that effects of compression but with the use of the RNC, if you’re mad enough to I can be sure of a great recording.” be in this game over the Jeremy Elliott long term, buy expensive Joe Meek VC3: “You can plug anything into it. It’s stuff because it’ll cost big and clean and warm or compressed and fuzzy more in the beginning, – with flavour to taste.” cost more over the long Sean Bennett

A RECORDING RETROSPECTIVE best musicians in Australia; the aim the Showband and the Melbourne SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME – DIGICO D5 of this 35-piece showband being to Symphony Orchestra – a total of 130 Issue 25 saw the TFTs, lots of control, black combine excellence with versatility, players! introduction of the Digico and sexy. As it turned out, and not to sound ‘square’ – i.e., old More than anything, Harold’s account D5. Where most new the D5 arguably made fashioned or conservative. Most of this period in Australian recording releases take time to be large-format digital mixing of the showband’s recordings took history, revealed a bygone era digested by the market, in the live field acceptable. place at Studio 320 (on the corner where, in many ways, everything was the sound reinforcement Sure the PM1D came prior, of William and Lonsdale Streets, achieved using the reverse of today’s sector was totally primed but I’d contend the D5 Melbourne) and these were captured processes: there were dozens of for the release of the D5 did more to win over the using mono full-track Rola-Plessey quality mics, stands, musicians and – rumour and conjecture hearts and minds of live 701s and ancient EMI TR90s. Later, only one track. Today it’s often one was rife. The reason for sound engineers than Harold Aspinall looked back over as stereo took hold and multi-track quality mic and stand, one musician, this anticipation was any other digital console. many years working with the ABC recorders appeared, the recording and dozens of tracks! Lots of Digico’s decision to send Which wasn’t bad from a Melbourne Showband and gave process moved to an Ampex AG440 people and microphones recording out a prototype D5 with specialist post production readers a fascinating account of the and eventually an eight-track! in the one big space is something engineer Lars Brogaard to console company working methods and technology Harold recorded countless tracks most home studioists only dream mix a Rod Stewart tour. (Soundtracs) that was of the time. Starting back in 1968, with the showband and at one point of… Recording the space and live The console had been finding itself dying a slow Harold worked with some of the even recorded a combination of musicians? Now there’s an idea! – AS. spotted around the traps but inevitable death. – CH. and it looked ‘right’ – four

HIGH TIME FOR PIE TIME “They had a Tolkien scholar Stav spent Issue 25 talking and disappointment as about planning your time the session spirals out translate the English in the studio, noting that, of control.” He’s right of “the client is often not in the course, but I wonder how back into Elvish for us… best position to provide an many people still persist accurate estimate of how in spending time at the everything had to be long the job will take.” He beginning of a session broke out the Pie Chart and nursing a coffee and talking approved to make sure cut it up into equal serves about, as Stav puts it, “what of recording, overdubbing they did last night” and wind we had the correct Elvish and mixing, but essentially up 16 hours later “in a blind concluded that: “The key is panic fighting for every last to predict the future and second.” pronunciation.” to be honest with yourself When too much nerdery is never enough: Lord of and the client” to avoid the Rings tragics, The Elvish Impersonators, find things “ending in frustration themselves out-tragic’ed.

AT 77 Andy’s always got to have a after claiming 250,000 reason for doing anything. downloads on the first day, ISSUE 26 If he was an actor he’d be it was obvious that Steve constantly collaring the Jobs had (once again) read director to ask ‘what’s my the mood of the market motivation here?’. So it was perfectly. Of course, it took when he bought an iPod some time for Australia years back. Most people to have an iTunes site of were buying iPods because its own, but now that we they liked the idea of it or have, it’s amazing to think READERS SPEAK it looked cool… not Andy. that today’s consumers JOE MALONE OUTBOARD He was mostly interested are just as happy to buy in acquiring Apple’s latest iTunes refill cards from Esteemed Audio designer, Joe Malone, has a vocal gadget because he wanted their local service station fanclub. Here’s some of what they had to say. to understand what all as people were to brazenly JLM Audio Dual 99V Pre: “Every mic sounds the fuss was about, and pirate music from Napster amazing through this pre. My go-to pre for he wanted to be using the a few years earlier. What anything. It’s also an Aussie product.” same playback device as can we learn? You don’t WIRELESS TIME James Bett MACHINE an enormous chunk of change people’s behaviour EV’s new RE1 Wireless the record buying public. by telling them how naughty JLM Audio 99V Pre: “It covers clean and dirty microphone system was So it’s no surprise that they are, you change their applications in a way that no other two-channel promising quite a bit in this back in Issue 26 he was behaviour by offering combo can! Hand made and designed by Joe advertisement, and when EV immediately a card-carrying a better, cooler, more promises it generally delivers. Malone in Brisbane, the 99V has fast transient But not even the most ardent member of the iTunes attractive alternative. One response but goes silky and Neve-like when driven.” EV acolyte would contend revolutionary vanguard. wonders if there’s anything Ben Tolliday that the RE1 could take your And sure enough, Apple’s to be learnt here when it gig back 30 years to a time US launch of iTunes comes to plug-in piracy – a JLM Audio Preamps – “I’ve been working in a when blokes had beards, pretty much changed centralised, Switzerland studio with 10 preamps based on JLM’s circuitry long daggy hair and Hang Ten the whole music buying and supplies, both valve and solid state, each with T-shirts. But sure enough, of a website that allows plain as day, that’s the photo landscape. Finally, the people to purchase and different input and output transformers to give a they used… 30,000 Doobie record companies had a demo/compare a whole great choice of colours. It’s become my studio of Brothers fans. weapon against rampant smorgasboard of plugs choice.” music piracy. I’m sure they from every developer… Linc le Fevre signed up to the iTunes well, it’s worth dreaming circus very reluctantly about I guess. – CH. – if the record companies had proven anything up to that point, it was their luddite credentials – but

HAPPY BIRTHDAY…DONCA MATIC ROTARY ELECTRIC AUTO RHYTHM MACHINE Korg had turned 40 and all eyes were better than my Japanese (as they say), and Roland’s Mr Kakahashi) but on both that if such a breakthrough occurred in on the Keio DA-20 Donca matic Rotary and perhaps it was something to do with occasions I found their candour and 2005, that product would most likely be Electric Auto Rhythm machine. It was the language barrier, but I was surprised their desire to ‘make a difference’ really released at an inflated price and then Korg’s (or ‘Keio’ as the company was how frank he was in his answers to my refreshing. As an example, I asked Mr slowly, slowly new and cheaper versions then known) first product release and queries – there was no hype or spin. For Katoh what product release does he would be made available to extract it was a beauty! For Issue 26 I spoke to example, after asking Mr Katoh what look back on with the most satisfaction every last dollar out of the market. But Korg founder and chairman, Mr Katoh. excited him about the (then) current and sure enough, it wasn’t the M1 (which that wasn’t for Mr Katoh, he wanted to Mr Katoh’s English may have been far Korg range his answer was: “not much probably made him a very wealthy man) make the product immediately available has genuinely excited me recently”. Wow, it was the WT-10 tuner – the world’s to every brass band in the country can you imagine a Yank saying something first electronic tuner – which Korg had (guitarists would pick up on it later) like that? He then hastened to add that designed for brass band ensembles. The and he priced it accordingly. “So, if I had something genuinely exciting was on WT-10 replaced the ludicrously expensive to chose one career highlight,” he said. the near horizon – which turned out to (thousands and thousands of dollars) “That would be it. It may not sound like a be the Oasys supersynth. It’s foolish to strobe tuners of the day and made glamourous choice but with that tuner we make sweeping cultural generalisations reliable tuning accessible to anyone and really did change things for the better… based on a chat with the founders of everyone (only a hundred dollars or so). and I’m particularly proud of that fact.” only two Japanese companies (Mr Katoh That was 1975 and it occurred to me – CH.

ANOTHER NAIL IN MIDI’S COFFIN “The Future? You’re Midi was again in the gun that I put up with it for so Anyway, Underworld opted of them. We don’t really this issue, this time from long. In the past I always for the radical move of know why. They’re fragile hearing the future, Underworld’s Rick Smith. blamed myself if I’d fired taking Apple Powerbooks things and you’re talking Underworld was looking the groove and it didn’t on the road – to think extremes of temperature my friend.” to hone their on-stage rig, sound like the night before. of it! Unfortunately, the and atmosphere.” Rick Joe ‘the greatest white black musician alive’ Zawinul investigating the option I put it down to slight (Titanium) Powerbooks at later discovered that using evidently believes false modesty is tantamount to of playing audio straight timing errors on my part, or the time were designed external hard drives, plenty mediocrity. from hard disk, rather perhaps a slightly different for horn-rimmed business of fans and cooling on than triggering samples EQ balance, which can also types to inspect the day’s stage, and not leaving the (via Midi) from an Akai affect the groove. But what reports on the train into laptops on all day, helped sampler. “In the past we ran I found was that 10% of the office... and not to be matters considerably. two systems concurrently it was me and 90% of it chunking dozens of tracks Times have sure changed. and they were linked via was the 40ms variability of audio in a hot, smokey These days it’s hard to Midi clock,” Smith told in the Midi clock. I decided club in the Mid West. “The imagine a DJ/dance music AT. “When I looked at this I didn’t want machines Powerbooks failed, both PA without a lappie. – CH. in more detail, I found influencing the groove out that the Midi clock’s like that anymore.” Hmm. accuracy is ±20ms, which Remember samplers? is outrageous. It’s useless. Just to remind you, see I really couldn’t believe the accompanying image. AT 78 GRATUITOUS CUTE-NESS Chris got very hot under price bracket. Nagra, Neumann’s TLM127 hit his “made-in-Fiji-because- the open reel analogue the market, illustrating its you’re-living-in-the- field recorder stalwart, ISSUE 27 ‘birth of a classic’ slogan bloody-factory” collar in released its Nagra V, to with a cute little bundle of Issue 27 over the gall of the unbridled excitement fluff. Critics suggested it cheep-ened the Neumann those that move into inner of Greg Simmons, who reputation. city neighbourhoods and began his review of the immediately complain ‘V’ by explaining how he about the noisy pub down was attempting to sell his READERS SPEAK the road. Chris went ‘ape’ mother on eBay to pay for LINE 6 PODXT over these “30-something it… Nice one! Yamaha had professionals”, with their a new digital console on “It is by far the most important piece of gear I “45-minutes-getting-my- offer too, the DM1000, but own. My studio is built on a shoestring budget, hair-to-look-this-ruffled” thankfully Michael Gissing and I certainly can’t afford to have a room full hair-dos, who bemoan wasn’t prepared to offload of expensive amps, mics and pres. The PODxt any sound that rocks family members to acquire provides me with the means to record excellent the foundations of their one. MOTU released its new DI’ed tones. It’s even a great preamp for bass “profiterole tower”. The flagship digital interfaces the new Apple G5s seemed and vocals (especially for harsh crunch and/or passion was flowing and with 192k sampling rate imminent. Bizarrely they the fake fur was flying! I’ve potential… and at 3am the distortion). The onboard parametric EQ is decent, had been advertised on the never heard anything like it night before the mag went and the whole unit is solid enough to gig with.” Apple US online store a few from him, before or since! to the printers, I decided Jarryd Nielsen days earlier, apparently by – in my wisdom – that the On the gear front it was accident. But no sooner had “Whether it’s for live or recording, this little beauty photo of the stack of these can make even a mediocre guitarist like me sound interesting to see quite a word got out about their few digital products hitting units would look better the great. Even the valve amp purists out there would release than the new G5s the market from companies other way around. Man I have to admit that poking an ordinary Fender Strat vanished again. Presumably traditionally known for their must have been tired that through one of these can produce simply amazing Mr Jobs had someone’s analogue purity. Names night, not to notice that results.” head on a plate that day… likes SSL and Nagra were you can’t just flip the image Sid Whiting – AS. classic examples of these. horizontally without turning “From both a demo stage through to a master mix, SSL had always been known all the writing inside out! the POD xt is indispensable for its sheer capacity as the analogue console Apologies for that… Roland to arm you with any sound. You’ll find your sound ‘world champion’ (despite also released its VariOS eventually on the POD xt.” a few early attempts at hardware and then, on the Craig Knight digital), and yet here was its 23rd of June 2003, right new C100 digital broadcast as we were finishing up, console – though they Brad Watts was literally were still in the several screaming, “Hold the press!” hundred thousand dollar as the announcement of

MORE COWBELL BABY Tony Visconti took Richard Buskin (and second and third mics, which had been “Brian [Eno] goes on AT readers) back to 1977 to recall the placed further and further into the huge recording of David Bowie’s seminal recording room, opened up, producing record as saying that masterpiece, Heroes. This was a fantastic the enormous vocal sound that Heroes is article that really put us in Visconti’s famous for. This was a classic recording he’s a non-musician shoes for the recording sessions (which session where imaginations ran wild took place at Hansa Studios in Berlin). and limitations became the mother of – he even tried Amazing tales of recording methods invention. At one point an empty tape were a real eye-opener, one of the most reel was used as a cowbell, because an unsuccessfully to notable of these being Tony’s use of noise actual cowbell was not immediately gates to open up a second and third vocal to hand. Meanwhile, Robert Fripp was have that listed as mic as David Bowie’s vocal tracking went standing on chalk marks on the studio his occupation on his to a single track of analogue tape. As floor as he recorded his fearfully loud Tony described it, this was done because guitar parts, each mark established as British passport.” they’d “snookered themselves” in terms the best position to stand to induce of having enough tracks left to also sustained feedback for each note. Who Über engineer, Tony Visconti, on Brian Eno’s record and bounce the backing vocals. does that any more!? Amazing stuff. – AS. modus operandi. As Bowie’s performance got louder, the

SPECIAL K It was in this issue that walk in there’s also a never really want to, to sounded like, this was his I finally got to check out large private lounge area be honest. If we did that response: “It’s an absolute Sing Sing’s new K-series and a dedicated machine we’d probably just scare sonic weapon that thing. SSL – or the ‘K Room’ as room. The facility is quite ourselves to death!” said When you open it up you it’s now affectionately amazing… total luxury Kaj quite nonchalantly. I realise how much other known. I’d heard that the – which I later had the thought only home studio consoles take away from room was being built, but privilege of working in owners were fearful of the signal that’s coming hadn’t seen it finished for three weeks when adding up how much off the tape machine.” until the day I walked in I mixed The Whitlams’ money they’ve spent on He was already pretty to talk to Kaj Dahlstrom, album, Little Cloud. My their equipment list, but convinced that the board Sing Sing’s owner, and main memory of talking clearly no one in the audio was a winner, and on the the man who built the to Kaj that day was my industry ever wants to strength of his opinion, I room. The ‘K Room’ is, utter astonishment when know! was pretty keen to work in fact, five rooms in he basically admitted to I also talked to Paul on it myself sooner rather total: there’s the main me that he’d never done McKercher about the new than later… – AS. mixing room, of course, the sums; never added K; he’d already worked in and on its right there are up what the studio had the room by that stage. two quite substantial really cost: “We never When I first asked Paul overdub booths. As you really added it up and we what he thought the board

AT 79 Issue 28 was a big one recording method NEURON SHOCK ISSUE 28 for stage, screen and devised by the Grateful TREATMENT orchestra. Everywhere Dead’s live engineer – the If you had a spare $10k from Jupiters Casino to ominously-named ‘Bear’ laying about and felt like New Zealand’s Wellington who’s apparently retired investing in the ‘next big town hall, through to sound to the bush in far north thing’ in synthesis, the Hartmann Neuron promised and scoring for the movie, Queensland. to have the savvy synthesist Terminator 3. The secrets behind great programming soundscapes We also dropped by sound were proposed by never before dreamt or heard. READERS SPEAK According to Hartmann, the Melbourne’s Forum theatre Simmo in his First Word. Neuron synthesis engine as to check in on Ernie Rose, Forever the educator, HIGH-END OUTBOARD a concept was, “technology who was in charge of the Greg proposed his ideal that in the near future will recording of the Little of the three ‘T’s: Tubes, Crane Song Spider: “Cleanest, quietest and reshape the entire computer River Band (masquerading Transformers and Tape. most transparant multichannel mic/line preamp industry”. As it turned as Birtles Shorrock Goble) available.” out, the ‘near future’ held Back then we could hardly oblivion for Hartmann – after for a live DVD release. have predicted the near Bruce Jacobson releasing the (comparatively) It was the first time AT extinction of two-inch Thermionic Culture Phoenix: “This is the best affordable Neuron VS, the encountered the Digitracs tape manufacturers company filed for bankruptcy. compressor, alongside the 1176, I have ever used. It hard disk recording system – a shock that resonated – BW. determines my sound. It has its own character that (which Pyramix operators throughout the entire suits my needs.” will find remarkably easy audio industry years later. Jacek Milaszewski to run) and immediately It was an editorial that Ernie had cottoned onto its dovetailed nicely with our Grace Design 101 Preamp: “It’s the most honest significance: “Being able to Daniel Lanois interview. thing I have. Its transparency tells me if the mic replay those pure stems Daniel is the producer’s choice is right or wrong, if I’ve put the mic in the back in the same venue producer, and he graced right spot, and whether or not what I’m recording that I just mixed the show us with an insight into the is any good.” in is fantastic,” he said – a process behind his critically Jason Mannell sentiment subsequently acclaimed album Shine echoed again and again by – one of the decade’s finest Millennia Origin STT-1: “Great versatility: it has savvy engineers worldwide. examples of the recording the option of (HV-3) tube and (M-2) solid state Gavin Hammond’s Home craft. – BW. preamps plus discrete transistor. Sonic quality is Grown column was going amazing! Great unit!” from strength to strength. Evan Long This issue he caught up Sebatron Thorax: “I use it on every session. It with His Dodginess, Bob warms any signal up and gives it depth and life Scott, who was guilty of like nothing else.” reviving a long-forgotten Morgan McWaters

THE PHENOMENON OF… TOM MISNER The SAE global network of audio schools relocation of the Festival Neve up to chunks is a guaranteed money maker, has brought Tom Misner unimaginable Byron Bay; the real motivation behind while buying Neve is a labour of love riches. He’s widely regarded as the spending millions in Byron; and the real – and I’m sure Tom would be the first wealthiest man in the audio biz. In fact, reasons (according to Tom) why there’s to admit that. So, in effect, he bought everything about Tom is big – big man, so much animosity towards him in the Neve because he could and probably big business empire, big ambitions, and audio industry. Really it boils down to because he’d rather not see the company a big ego. He’s not the most ingratiating a couple of simple factors: Tom has disappear. Interestingly, I expected the of blokes either – often his manner is bundles and bundles of available cash, usual truckload of Tom scuttlebutt doing abrupt – and with that he hasn’t exactly and he’s a gear freak like the rest of us the rounds after the Neve purchase, but attracted a legion of admirers. As of – he loves studio gear, making music, it didn’t eventuate… it was almost like Issue 28 Tom had just opened SAE’s studios… the whole process. That’s a the resentment evaporated. Can it be $40m global HQ in Byron Bay. Andy flew very potent combination, as it means possible that Tom has been assimilated up there to case the joint and spend hardly any commercial entity in the into the ranks of the respectable audio some time with the enigmatic Misner. audio biz is ‘safe’ if Tom has you in his citizen? Andy’s interview took no prisoners and sites. Witness his purchase of Neve. As he discovered the real story behind the a business decision, buying a big chunk Dr Tom Misner: described by Andy dismantling of Festival Studios, and of property and selling it off in smaller Stewart as ‘a recalcitrant steamroller’.

“Rick O’Neil slept most INDISPENSABLE In Issue 28, Dodgy Studio’s can see the valves glowing BOB SCOTT Bob Scott was walking red inside – the digital ones of his life, twiddled us through a Wall of can be a bit cold and lack Sound… this issue he detail. equalizers, and then relates an indispensable “Sometimes the best mute technique for realigning button is the main monitor talked the paint off walls.” your mix perspective… cut – the big red one. I’ve Rick offers this self-assessment in Issue 28’s Last or he may not be treating found this one’s real good Word. his ‘indispensable’ for transparency in the responsibilities with the mix. Also good for fatigue. seriousness they deserve I mixed a whole album – you be the judge. using this technique the “For me, the most other day. The results were indispensable studio tool surprising!” would have to be the mute button. “I find analogue mute buttons sound warmer, of course. I like the way you

AT 80 since gone on to achieve speakers you could rely on great things and has proved to be working properly on ISSUE 29 to be a resounding success, the end-listener’s system. producing countless Nick took the advice surround sound mixes onboard, and commented for film and television, when I questioned him including Peter Weir’s epic about what this advice Master & Commander and had meant to him: “I had most recently, Happy Feet. the mixes setup with the ‘Converters’ was a poll category mostly bypassed by Meanwhile Nick Launay was vocal solely in the middle readers. A first-class converter could hardly be more in Sing Sing’s ‘K Room’ in speaker [initially] – not in important to some (such as mastering engineers) but Issue 29 mixing silverchair’s the phantom centre of the is far lower down on the list of priorities for a 002 surround sound, live in stereo speakers at all, so owner, for example. DOES ANYONE KNOW… concert DVD. I visited Nick when you muted the centre … the two chicks fighting over the Quest speaker in while he was knee-deep in monitor the vocal almost completely disappeared. Group Technologies’ ad on the process and he offered page 27? We’re just curious me a fascinating account I toyed with the idea of about which of the two girls One of the most fascinating of how he was approaching going against the odds… ended up taking the speaker things about this issue this new world, where six but in the end there was home. Gotta love the old guy in the wheelchair – loitering in related to two rooms that speakers (five of them just no way I could be that reckless.” – AS. the background – we reckon were not only capable of trusty NS10s) brought the CONVERTERS these two are a class act! – AS. producing surround sound silverchair concert to life Brad Watts concurs: Quest mixes, they were actually and a whole new delivery Engineering’s marketing producing surround mixes format was being wrestled department had no doubt for the real world. Simon with. He’d just received been dabbling in some reality Leadley’s Trackdown Studio some advice from his distorting substances when – on the lot of Fox Studios long-time cohort – none they came up with this little other than Bob Ludwig. advertising gem. A pair of – had been built to cater young ladies looking like for what he perceived to Bob’s advice was that extras in some nightclub be a whopping hole in the “at the moment, you can scene for Desperately marketplace: somewhere only guarantee that the Seeking Susan or a Billy Idol in Sydney to professionally average [surround sound] film clip, standing on Chapel system’s left and right front Street fighting over a Quest record a full orchestra. MS801W indoor/outdoor And what’s more he was speakers will be adequate.” powered monitor. Where determined to build a I thought this advice was on earth did they find facility that could cater quite ironic at the time… their wardrobe designer! to surround sound audio Bob was effectively saying Dancing with the Stars? And production for the film that the left/right stereo those guitar pick earrings! Unbelievable! Nice nod to the industry. Trackdown has pair were the only two Sex Pistols however.

CRAZY PROG WHINE BAR STRIKES CHORD Chris mused – in the introduction to to tell us – well, no prizes for guessing James Telford wrote into AT in Issue 29 his article on Rick Wakeman – about that it’s Camp A. – AS. saying: “I just read an article in AT titled Pub Rock or Whine Bar?… it has been the two camps Prog Rock ruthlessly If you’d sat through countless late-night, reproduced on my mate’s band’s website. divides the world into. Camp A sees boozed-up prog sessions at Philip’s place Anyway I just wanted to congratulate AT Prog Rock as, “Tedious noodling, (like I had) you’d rather jump off the – without sounding like a tool – on a sweet piece of sarcastic, yet basically factual hysterical crashing about, labyrinthine Alchemedia balcony than put yourself chord changes, bizarre and unnecessary writing. Not only did I nearly piss myself through yet another Phil Collins record NICK LAUNAY (several times), but I also got inspired to time signatures… a genre requiring a from his ’70s ‘everyone else is an idiot’ SWALLOWS PIL send you this little thankyou note. proctologist to extricate any tune that era. Saying that, Rick Wakeman was one One of Nick Launay’s more famous assisting may have once existed.” Camp B hears, of the funniest guys I’ve had the pleasure roles included a gig with Public Image “Sublime musicianship, visionary song of talking to. – CH. Limited. It unfolded something like this: writing, exciting new sonic textures and a during the session Nick was promoted to the fearless disregard for song structure that role of engineer by John Lydon (aka Johnny pushed music to new boundaries.” Chris Rotten) himself, who was so fed up with the goes on to state that he knows which engineer at the time that he locked him out camp he sympathises with, but neglects of the studio. When the engineer tried to get back in, John told him: “Your position has been taken, kindly f##k off!”

“[In those days] if you INDISPENSABLE Gavin Hammond spoke to change the tempo with sounds. VERNON CONNOR Vernon in Issue 38 about a click of a mouse. After Digidesign Mbox 2: just wanted the sound of birds The Far Out Project and using the [Ensoniq] EPS got this with ProTools 7. It Zooom Rooom Studio. 16+ for so long, Acid was a sounds great! It’s versatile singing, you went down to We caught up with him huge buzz. enough to bring home and recently to hear his take on Nord Micro Modular: this combine family time, so I a parrot shop. Nowadays, indispensability. is another one that rocked can still get my music fix no engineers … say: ‘oh yeah, me. Great sounds with matter where I am. Vernon Connor: The computer editing and a Link: www.zooomrooom. we can do that, I’ll just products that have excited very cool vocoder. I use com me the most over the last the modular on just about bring in a BlazzSprunket eight years have all been everything, and the sound 19573 and we’ll get that under $1000. possibilities are endless. Sony Acid: When I tried Roger Linn Adrenalinn: This done for you tomorrow.” Acid for the first time, it is a great one on guitars was like ‘wow!’. It’s just so – sounds huge – and is Yes keyboardist and ‘grumpy old man’, Rick Wakeman fast to put loops together, also very cool on keys with reflects on then and now. put any audio in time with the tempo sync effects. It the Beat Mapper and just adds new life to your

AT 82 Greg Simmons’ Issue 1 belly button worth looking editorial was a sober at), and the remaining 50% affair, comparing the on the video clip (obviously ISSUE 30 sound of diabolically the most important expensive gear with thing). A simmering marginally less insanely- Simmo unleashed salvo expensive equivalents upon salvo of derisory and pontificating on the brickbats. To those who value (both perceived were propagating facial READERS SPEAK and fiscal) attached to ‘hair art’ he railed: “soak CONVERTERS the logarithmic approach STAV’S BOOK ARRIVES your face in moisturiser of the cartesian audio and dunk it in a bucket of The readers were getting Benchmark DAC-1: “Benchmark DAC-1 has a killer restless, Mike Stavrou, one perfection axis… yadda pubic hair”. Yuck. And for of AT’s star players, hadn’t converter, beating every other DAC on the market. yadda. In other words, it anyone about to employ taken to the field for at The result is a crystal clear sound capturing even the was serious-minded stuff the mandatory, rent-a-rap least a couple of issues and most subtle nuances of the signal. True hi-fi.” for the thinking reader dude for their video clip, there were mumblings… Ill Lee kicking back with AT on grumblings… ‘Where’s Stav?,’ Simmo had this sarky they were saying. ‘Had he been Apogee AD-16X: “In the age of digital you a Lay-Z-Boy recliner in recommendation: “keep transferred?’ ‘Had he suffered require A/D converters that have the flexibility their tartan dressing gown him up the night before and a career-ending injury?’ AT and fez. Come Issue 30 then pump him full of Red closed ranks and maintained to not sonically inhibit any musical performance. Contemporary technology has changed the face Simmo had had enough Bull so he’s looking ‘hard’, the party line: “Stav was and decided to release fine and he was still a valued of audio engineering and our A/D converters are make sure he’s speaking the inner angry ol’ fart member of the AT team, he was on the frontline. This is why my vote goes to the into the wrong end of the that lurked microns below just taking time out to pursue Apogee A/D-16X.” microphone and doing some other interests, including the surface. According to Jay Davis those special ‘I’ve got a book.” A book? Yeah right. Simmo, ‘Pepsi’ pop music chewing gum on my fingers Sure enough, come Issue Apogee AD16X: “When you plug in to an Apogee was unadulterated crap and it’s getting stuck to 30 Stav was back with his it just sounds right.” and the best way to rage everything’ rapper hand new book ‘Mixing With Your Kitch Membery against the machine was to movement.” Hmm… tough Mind’. It didn’t take long pour scorn on it. Simmo’s love from the Simmosonic. for news of Stav’s book to Prism AD-124: “The most important tool in budget allocation for – CH. reverberate around the world integrating the analogue and digital domains in like Krakatoa’s shockwave, and cracking the big time went soon, unsolicited messages today’s production environment is, in my opinion, something like this: 10% on of gratitude came flooding the A/D converter. I find the Prism converter to recording (generous, as no in. Personally, I’ve never be an incredible piece of equipment, preserving one cares about the audio witnessed anything like the quality and depth of analogue signals when quality of the song), 40% on it. Forget about Oprah, Dr transferring to digital.” Phil, or those ‘inspirational’ gym membership (if you’re calendars you can buy at the Glenn Santry going to pierce your belly post office… Stav’s book has button then you need a genuinely changed readers’ lives. Huzzah! – CH.

YOUNG, SAUVE & MOBILE Mobility… I wonder what it means to Digi, a smattering of pizza crusts would ad we’re meant to believe the Mbox has you? In a recording context we’re all far have upped the authenticity of their ad stayed upright all the way from Coney more mobile than we once were. Years no end. Island on the A Train. (Just a word to ago, ‘mobile’ recording meant having Then there’s the Microkorg ad, with the wise… don’t try this on any of the an OB (Outside Broadcast) truck, while polo-necked bloke finding new and Connex boneshakers, it’ll end in tears.) now, thanks to laptops, bus-powered interesting places to tweak his groove AT’s graphic designer, Heath McCurdy interfaces, battery-powered synths etc, machine. Apparently this impresses his pointed out that if a set of white earbuds we can stretch our legs and work on a girlfriend no end. On a personal note, is an invitation for muggers to take your real tan rather than a studio tan. I once tried impressing my future wife iPod, you’d imagine the conspicuous A couple of adverts in Issue 30 exercised with my tweaking prowess on a Novation use of an Mbox and a iBook might be my brain some more. BassStation and it nearly ended our chancing fate somewhat. There again, the muggers would probably be more First up, there’s the Digi 002 dude. The relationship… obviously I’m in the minority here. interested in recreationally kicking ad makes the inferred and unverifiable five different kinds of crap out of the claim that Digidesign is now very good in When the Mbox arrived it broadened our adjacent geezer wearing the tea-cosy on bed. By way of some friendly advice to mobility horizons considerably. In this his head. – CH.

INDISPENSABLE Long-time boss of Sony started up a relationship The only time they’re “People expect things to ROSS A’HERN Music Studios in Sydney, with ATC right back in the useful is if there are other Ross A’hern, now spends early ’90s. The SCM20As people involved who need be cheap these day: ‘Oh much of his time doing are great… but all the ATC monitoring. Otherwise I use on-location recordings… monitors are excellent. headphones. I’ve got this plug-in – it’s jazz ensembles being a People find them a little “I’ve recently stumbled speciality. He tells AT about difficult to handle at first, upon a brand of headphone a Fairchild’. ‘I’ve got this the indispensability of good as they’re so different. But called Grado… and they’re plug-in – it’s a Prophet 5’. monitoring. once your ear becomes fantastic. They’re an “For me, good monitoring is accustomed to the sound, American company and Bulls**t it is – you’ve got a indispensable. If you asked there’s no going back. By brought into Australia by me this same question a few the time we left Sony Music Decibel Hi-Fi in Brisbane. f**king piece of s**t that years ago I probably would Studios I’d converted all the The SR80s were the ones have said, good front end staff to ATC. recommended to me and looks like one!” was indispensable, but I’ve “I don’t generally take they came on a 14-day, In Ben ‘Juno Reactor’ Watkins’ humble opinion software had a change of heart – if monitors with me when I’m money-back trial. So I emulations (as of 2003) had some way to go before I can really hear what I’m location recording. There figured I had nothing to lose. they could challenge the original hardware. He doing, it makes it a lot easier are inherent problems “I power the headphones eventually calmed down. to use the tools I’ve got. with taking monitors into with a little Grace 902 “I’ve used ATC monitors for the field. You’re inevitably headphone amp. That’s years – Sony Music Studios listening to them in a vague another lovely product.” or variable acoustic space. AT 83 in reverse order to this you have to put yourself conventional wisdom. in their hands and just ISSUE 31 “Place the peak limiter at say, ‘okay, I’m you’re driver the start of the chain, with here’, as opposed to, ‘I’m OVER THE MOON? going to paint my picture What about Tony Peel’s the softer compressor(s) response to winning the last… you’ll find they and you’re going to like it’ Aphex 207 stereo mic work over a much wider – I don’t really subscribe to preamp: “Fills a gap in my range – triggering earlier that at all. It’s your job as studio nicely.” Such unbridled on the quiet sounds while the engineer to get inside enthusiasm, such gratitude! AKG’s 414 wins by a short half head (13.7% of the not over-compressing the the artist’s head, decipher Bloody ‘ell… nice to know vote). Rode fans will be interested to note that all our generosity is warmly loudest ones.” Great advice their picture and help paint the Rode mics accounted for a whopping 42.7% of appreciated! and a great technique from it for them.” His attitude the vote. It’s worth remembering the criteria of this Stav – well worth coming to to the solo button during grips with. mixing was interesting as poll (gear released and purchased in the lifetime well: “Don’t solo. Personally of AT). Many readers not quite cottoning onto the Other highlights included parameters went into bat for the Shure SM58 and 57 Joe Chiccarelli’s insights I try to never solo anything. I used to do it a lot but I’ve – especially the 57 – which is fair enough and made into his recording of Rickie for interesting reading. Lee Jones’s The Evening learnt that it’s an absolute Issue 31 saw Stav reveal a of My Best Day, which waste of time… sure if typically counter-intuitive Chris Holder parochially there’s a problem and you approach to getting a – and somewhat bizarrely can’t figure out where a chain of compressors – compared to a Gary Ablett conflict is, then hit the solo STUDIO MICS working as a team on a 12-goal haul. Joe’s insights button, but otherwise stay stereo mix. Unlike the into the production of this away from it.” Sage advice. conventional wisdom, album were fascinating; – AS. which typically places a from his opinions on group of compressors in recording techniques and SYSTEM MELTDOWN? series; the first providing production philosophy, We loved this news item. low ratio, low threshold to his approach to mixing No it’s not a G4 sprayed in ‘gentle compression,’ the the album and delivering Christmas tree flocking, it’s what a Mac looks like second working harder but the musical result Rickie at a higher threshold, and after barely surviving a fire Lee was searching for. His that ripped through Kosmic a third compressor finally over-arching philosophy Sound in Perth. Apparently acting more as a limiter to was probably best summed it booted up first time… catch rogue signals that up in his response to Chris’s which all sounds a bit too good to be true (insert your have slipped through the question about whether or net, Stav posited that it own jokes about ‘Firewire’, not he had ‘a sound’: “When ‘hot swappable’, or ‘blazingly was far better to set up you’re working with a real fast’ performance here a chain of compressors visionary, I think as a mixer somewhere). – CH.

MY WORD! NEVE IT TO BEAVER There was a massive reaction from and his business partner also had a song BJB’s mix room construction was readers to Greg Simmons’ First Word in about non-paying clients… there’s was continuing in earnest and during the Issue 30. Everyone seemed to concur called “2003 – The Year of No Charity”. second installment of my article on the with Greg that a hit single was more Nick probably summed up things best studio’s progress I found myself caught about suntans and gym memberships when he said: “I don’t expect Coles to give up in the installation of the Neve – having than songwriting or singing talent… let me my groceries for free because I have a had some experience of this type of alone sound quality. Some readers ‘were talent for shopping…” Well said! –AS. event before. It was a hellish night: it was on the floor in stitches,’ others ‘laughed hot, the stairs up to BJB weren’t getting their heads off’ and readers like Bogdan any shorter or shallower, and the Neve Weiss “started laughing uncontrollably in ‘buckets’ weren’t getting any lighter. We the newsagent and walked out with the worked tirelessly into the wee small hours magazine!” putting the console together – there’s There were also a couple of very funny even a picture of me in among the letters reacting to Rick’s Snakes & time-lapse series of photos underneath Ladders article from Issue 29. Wayne Huf the console screwing the bastard together. found Rick’s words “inspiring” while Nick But a fun time was had by all… I think. Carmichael revealed that, like Rick, he – AS.

“I used the mic on the lead INDISPENSABLE and from four-track to boundary microphones anyway and it still goes J. WALKER 48-track. (and a Sony lapel mic) (though the As don’t work vocal at one of my band’s Over that time the attrition were my main mics for just now). rate has been pretty high many years and I’ve spent Other honourable mentions gigs… and, yes, there – especially when I was countless hours holding go to Teac and Otari living on the beach. The onto and singing into those tape machines, a Seck were a few guffaws from most consistently used awkward metal squares, thin-line mixing desk and the band and a few weird devices in my setup remain though they don’t come out my unbreakable Numark my Ibanez DM-1000 digital so much these days. headphones. looks from the audience.” delay and my Yamaha My Yamaha two-tone Go to www. Mr Machine Translations SPX90. organ has also survived Sean Diggins takes the Blue Ball microphone on the machinetranslations.org talks indispensability. I got through a lot of the eight-year journey and for the latest on all things road to the general amusement and bemusement of still gets a gig. I remember anyone within eye-shot. records with these as my Machine Translations. main effects and I still use opening it up once after J Walker: Since AT’s them to this day – even many years of shows and inception eight years ago, though they’re ridiculously spilt beers, and the insides my studio has changed limited and out-of-date by were completely covered almost unrecognisably modern standards. in fungus. I just shut the – from tape to ‘Tools lid and kept on playing it Radio Shack PZM

AT 84 For all those live sound your ear off about a ‘digital engineers who feel a this’ or a ‘wireless that’ you bit guilty about not can tell him about Dave ISSUE 32 investigating digital Natale… probably won’t consoles, don’t panic, shut him up, but it’s worth you’re in good company. a shot. But, more seriously, Issue 32’s interview with if the interview with Dave live sound leviathan, Dave Natale teaches us anything, Natale, revealed that he it’s the fact that technique READERS SPEAK wasn’t riding the wave and preparation wins over AKG C414 of bleeding-edge digital gadgetry every time. QUADRANT DRUMMER technology. He was happy Rick’s story about a drummer But, still, gadgetry is nice. “As a home studio music hobbyist (as well as a video with his PM4000, thanks Just ask Tony Maserati. called John, from one of his very much. In fact, it took earlier sessions as a producer, professional), I have a pretty strict budget for gear. In Issue 32 he’d just won was very good value. It’s I’ve found the AKG C414 to be my perfect ‘desert him a while to make the a Grammy for Beyoncé’s worth re-reading, but the island’ mic. It serves as my main vox mic plus migration from PM3000 to Dangerously in Love and story’s hook is the drummer 4000 as he wanted to be tunes all three of his toms has been used extensively on a range of acoustic was happy to divulge some instruments… sweet!” totally convinced it was just of the secrets behind his the latest and greatest to A440. “Umm, John, you’ve as rock solid as the older tuned them all to the same Anthony Rizzuto mix techniques. Tony’s been gadgetry, wins every time. note,” I stammer in disbelief. model. And if you thought mixing a long time and – CH. “If I’ve learned one thing from AudioTechnology you were the only one to obviously knows what he’s “Yeah A… 440 Hertz exactly,” mag, it’s my understanding of just how important not progress any further boasts our not-quite-on-the- doing, but he’s not someone same-page drummer hero. room sounds are to a professional-sounding than Patch No. 1 of your to restrict his equipment recording. The 414 just rocks my world when SPX, again, fear not, Dave options. For example, “Umm mate? You’ve rooted it comes to drum room sounds. I now always Natale is right with you on your drum kit. Look at the on the Black Eyed Peas that one as well: “you turn it lugs.” place one of these up the stairwell in omni. I Elephunk album he was love watching the looks on the clients’ faces as I on, it sounds good”. In fact, Priceless. throwing the kitchen sink bring the room fader up alongside the close mics for the Fleetwood Mac tour, at Will.i.am’s vocal – Waves – they can’t believe the drums sound so big! The Dave Natale even managed Renaissance EQ, McDSP 414 is my ‘go-to’ mic for room sounds: cohesive to hold back the wireless compression, Neve or API bass, articulated midrange, sweet highs and I just tide, preferring leads on the EQ, then onto a Neve 33609 wouldn’t be without it.” vocal mics and the guitars. or Pendulum compressor… Mark Paltridge And let’s be clear about and that’s before it had this: Dave Natale is one of “A great studio sound begins with a great even hit his SSL console. the great FOH engineers So if the interview with studio mic (used well, of course). This is a really and has a list of big-name good-sounding, versatile mic for many studio Tony Maserati teaches us ‘clients’ longer than your anything, it’s the fact the applications.” arm. So, if some whipper- Ken Scarr technique and preparation, snapper starts chewing in combination with all

NEVE IT TO BEAVER SIZEMIK SOUND VOCALIST MODELIZER When I debuted the Vocalist Modelizer on modelled. Original multitrack recordings Modelizer. Antares needn’t call until it an unprepared world I figured it wouldn’t of some of the most famous recordings can belt out ‘Sweet Child of Mine’ using take long before it was way more than an ever made have been sourced, and a Beyoncé vocal with the ‘Gold Lamé’ April Fools. And sure enough, last year the unique ‘fingerprint’ of each of parameter fully cranked. To all those saw the arrival of Antares’ Throat (part of the vocalists has been painstakingly people who got in touch to learn more the Avox package), a new vocal tool that modelled.” (Issue 32, April 2004) about Sizemik’s innovation at the time allows you to process a vocal through a “Throat is a radical new vocal tool that, (you know who you are), here’s a Version physical model of the human vocal tract. for the first time, lets you process a 2 GUI to drool over. – CH. Let’s compare my bogus introduction vocal through a meticulously crafted to the Vocalist Modelizer with Antares’ physical model of the human vocal tract. Antares Throat (upper right): clearly not opening explanation of (the all-too-real) Throat begins by neutralizing the effect a patch on the Version 2 iteration of the Throat: of the original singer’s vocal tract and all-conquering Vocalist Modelizer. “I s’pose it had to happen, and it has. then gives you the ability to specify the We’ve had mic modelling; some of the characteristics of the modeled vocal most revered outboard ever has been tract.” (Antares website 2005) ‘sampled’; and now for the first time Yeah right… clearly the so-called ‘Throat’ the vocalists themselves have been plug-in isn’t a patch on the Vocalist

INDISPENSABLE Jack the Bear: There are to be able to invest in, home. Thankfully there are “Why oh why do elderly JACK THE BEAR many things that I would and nurture, what is my still plenty of people who consider indispensable current mastering facility, can differentiate between people sit directly in front in my professional world. not to mention the most the two alternatives and But after much thought important thing… a gig are discerning enough to of large black and loud- it occurred to me that no that is unsurpassed in seek a quality service. matter what choice I made, terms of job satisfaction So I take my hat off to looking speaker stacks, none of this exceptional – mastering. the many clients past and then complain constantly gear could prove its It’s easier than ever before present and hopefully worth without the ‘other’ for people to do their own future. Without you, all that it’s all so horribly driving force behind these mastering, especially in the other things that I Enigmatic Melbourne indispensable items. I’m mastering engineer the digital domain, given would have considered deafening?” speaking about clients. the ubiquity and quality of indispensable would still be Jack the Bear offers Graeme Hague ponders the imponderable. AT a more lateral To achieve what I have in the tools available today a pipedream. response to the concept my 26 years in this crazy at quite reasonable prices. of ‘indispensability,’ a music/audio industry has As a result, people like response that very few always required clients. me really need to step it people could refute. They bring me the music up and offer something to work with and the different; something better much-needed legal tender than what can be done at

AT 85 THE RODE TO I’m Only Looking ‘best Meanwhile BJB’s Chris SILVERWATER Townend had quite a ISSUE 33 of INXS’ DVD. Mark and We visited the new Rode Tony had a very different different sense of urgency Microphones manufacturing opinion to the one Nick about whether the new facility in Sydney’s Silverwater Launay (and indirectly, Bob mix room at BJB should during Issue 33 and Rode boss Ludwig) had offered me immediately be capable of Peter Freedman showed us 5.1 mixing: “About a month around his utterly spotless a couple of issues earlier; hi-tech facility with great pride. Mark’s opinion on the use before we finished we Not too many audio products of the five main speakers realised that the budget are made in Australia these was pretty strident: “If was starting to get a bit days, and Peter couldn’t be READERS SPEAK someone hasn’t got their stretched so the 5.1 mixing happier to be bucking the trend system plugged in the right has had to be shelved for RODE NT1-A of manufacturing everything offshore. He’s an enigma, no way, it’s not our problem a few months – but not for question. When Chris asked – we’d like to think that the good!” As it turns out BJB “Good, clean cheap condenser for someone on a him whether he was concerned final listener has at least has been so busy mixing in about the explosion of Chinese tight budget like myself.” imports, Peter responded: got a standard working stereo that the surround Ross Quinlan setup. We’re not going to sound system still hasn’t “It’s not all about price. With manufacturing in the western The good old surround compromise how we mix materialised. This is by far “Because it’s easy to use and set up, quite reliable. world, if we’re smart, we have a sound discussion was alive to accommodate a faulty the more common 5.1 story; Clear and accurate sound.” lot more to trade on than that… and well in this issue of setup,” adding, “We’re not will it or won’t it take over Dave Robertson As far as I’m concerned, the more scared to use the format.” from stereo, and will the ‘cheap’ product that comes into the mag, with two main “My first and most versatile condenser mics. Even Their confidence in this work be there? The answer the market the better. It just protagonists offering after a few years my mic collection has expanded, introduces more people to what’s totally different insights approach was obvious and to both these questions out there, and people aspire to the final product would (with a few notable the NT1-A is still my first choice to record vocal, into what the surround acoustic guitar and drum overheads. Great Rode having quality.” His business seem to vindicate their exceptions) seems so far to advice… “For starters I don’t sound format meant to quality.” them and their businesses. position. Mark and Tony’s be a resounding ‘No’. – AS. recommend anyone work with philosophy at the time Pandria Dewangkoro their parents – not a good idea. I Mark Opitz and Tony Wall loved my dad but we were always was that: “the fans are the from ‘Best Seat in the “It is the most versatile piece of equipment I have. knocking heads.” – AS. ‘owners’ of these [INXS] House’ were extolling the I use it on vocals, acoustic guitars, overheads and songs now, in a sense. virtues of the 5.1 format electric cabinets.” Tampering with them is a and their experience in this Andy Youkhana can of worms which usually area was already patently only upsets people. You “Any system no matter how much you spend obvious. They’d done can’t change a song that’s will only reflect what it ‘catches’ from your air several surround sound already in everyone’s head; space. Getting the best sound in requires that projects including a live Kiss it’s folly. So we simply made you use the best microphone, the Rode NT1-A. DVD and their latest effort the stereo mixes come to Indispensable!” – which was the subject life, if you like, in 3D.” And Justin Roll of my article – was INXS’s they did.

RELIEF AT BJB… ANDY FORCED TO HOOVER For six months leading up to Issue 33 dusted, all the while grumbling about because there’s no returning the goods I’d been following the progress of the how slack the boys had been not having for a refund, feelings of apprehension construction of BJB’s new mix room in cleaned up before I got there. can quickly turn to dread.” About the Surry Hills, Sydney. This issue we were What came across in the final instalment console Scott added: “I had nightmares going to reveal the finished product of this story was the palpable relief Scott about pushing up the master fader and – after holding it over from Issue 32 Horscroft and Chris Townend expressed, it sounding like a piece of shit… it was because the construction was behind having finally turned the studio on to a huge and nerve wracking leap of faith schedule. I remember the day I went in to discover that their half million dollar, to assume that it would work and sound take the final photos – when I got there six-month, night and day investment was good.” Chris, who’d done the bulk of the new Neve room was a shambles. working well and sounding great. Scott: the carpentry himself pitched in with There was crap everywhere, tools, coke “Spending half a million dollars on a this gem: “In some ways the thought of cans, dust… but I had no choice but to studio at the age of 26 is a pretty scary picking up a hammer now or building take the pictures then and there. So I undertaking – and really quite nerve anything makes me feel ill.” – AS. swallowed my pride and spent the next wracking. There are times when you wake two hours cleaning up. I vacuumed, I up in fright at the enormity of it all, and

“The health and safety A GIG AT THE PALACE… NO, NOT ST KILDA brief given before each Chris Pyne was part of a as a FOH engineer, he had team that flew around the come to need a flak jacket world entertaining British and a helmet to do his job show contained all the forces, and of course in in relative safety. I know 2004 he wound up in Iraq, FOH engineers can cop a bit usual things – including setting up a show smack of flak now and again – but bang in front of Basra not literally! Thankfully what to do in case of a Palace – Saddam Hussein’s the show went without a former ‘weekender’. hitch and Chris got out of mortar rocket attack… Entertaining the troops has there unscathed. As Chris a long history but I’m sure commented: “It has to rate nice!” Chris must have had his as one of the more surreal moments wondering how, experiences I’ve ever had”. FOH Engineer, Chris Pyne, heads to Iraq – not a place generally associated with the words ‘health’ and ‘safety’.

AT 86 Issue 34 jumped straight rooms and smell of Caig into Simmo’s scathing Deoxit. We just can’t get bombardment on enough of this recording ISSUE 34 Melbourne’s inclement lark! weather. He didn’t stop at An interview with impromptu precipitation Radiohead’s live engineer either. The Yarra and John Jim Warren gave Issue 34 Batman got a stern going it’s international flavour, over into the bargain. AUDIO IN SPOTLIGHT READERS SPEAK as Andy Stewart and Jim Greg inevitably had his discussed the perils of Holosonics isn’t a principal RIBBON MICS Melbourne visiting rights many of us would be familiar changing to a digital FOH revoked by the southern with, but Issue 34 annexed an console. Meanwhile, Mark capital’s Lord Mayor, and interesting idea, conceived Royer 122: “This mic is going to be a classic! We O’Conner on the home front by one Dr Joseph Pompei. to this day contends it was investigated the building His design and subsequent all know how good the Royers sound on guitar the best outcome for all invention of a flat transducer amps, but I just love how great these mics sound on of Brisbane band George’s concerned – himself and second album, Unity. disc is capable of producing acoustic instruments. Violins tracked with the 122 the city of Melbourne. He a beam of sound. That sound sound beautiful and woody, with syrupy tops, while copped a fair amount of We also spoke with Al of them for tracking his beam can then be accurately a recent experiment with upright bass was also aimed and projected toward flack for his comments, but Smart of Smart Research ‘difficult second album’, a specified area. Outside the amazing. Great fundamental tone, and surprisingly brushed them off, as the fame and dispelled many Beautiful Life. – BW. beam’s projected space, the tight bottom end!” majority of it originated of the myths surrounding measured attenuation was Lachlan Carrick from Victoria. one of the industry’s best in the realm of 30 – 40dBA. kept secrets, the C1 Smart Remarkable. The Holosonics Royer 121: “My recordings come out sounding Rick O’Neil opined that the compressor. The affable site doesn’t look particularly fantastic, with little else needing to be done.” studio business is actually Henry Brister took the vibrant, but apparently 1000 Matthew Weston an arts and crafts pursuit, systems have been installed Chandler TG1 compressor and on many counts he’s worldwide, included theme AEA R92: “I record a lot of metal, and for the for a spin and Stav right. There’s a whole bunch parks, information kiosks etc. heavy vocal style, condensers are too bright. With examined the seemingly more ‘cottage studios’ simple (yet complex) phase the AEA R92 I can get a very aggressive sound out there these days than with lots of heavy bottom end and not too much button, in order to get us full-scale ‘professional’ flipping and sliding our hype in the top end, but still with all the detail I installations. Rick decided need. Amazing for the price!” waveforms about to greater he and his bedroom effect. Andy Kite brethren are all slowly Shots of Guy Sebastian AEA R84: “For the majority of recordings I make going broke for a living and hard at work in the studio this microphone seems to come out the most I reckon it’s true. Like Rick, appeared in a few ads frequently, often as a room mic but also as a close most of us are too crazy to endorsing Audio-Technica mic. It has a beautifully natural sound to my ear get out of the game. Why? No doubt like Rick, we’re microphones. Let’s hope and for recording real sounds it is simply fantastic.” he wangled a few mics out Samuel Bester all fixated by the darkened

RODE K2 – PEAK PERFORMANCE? By 2004 any tittering and snide the roost. With this in mind, Rode boss, The K2 was hardly going to put Neumann comments about Rode’s microphones Peter Freedman designed a new capsule, out of business, and the classic mics had largely evaporated. Most people now the HF1 (the initials of his father, Harry). of yesteryear are still a very highly knew that the enormous Rode factory in The HF1 was not quite as excitable in the desirable commodity. But the back western Sydney was a good indicator that top-end – a characteristic that many old cover of AT was heating up as a spot for Rode mics weren’t made in China, and the hands in the studio had an aversion to Neumann and Rode to (literally) face off hundreds of thousands of microphones – and, when combined with a 6922 valve – Rode on the back cover, and Neumann the company was shipping overseas was and Class A electronics, the result was on the inside back. I wonder if this led a strong hint that lots and lots of people the K2. AT’s reviewer, Konrad Skirlis, to this confrontational ‘road sign’ ad… liked the Rode sound. Most commercial gave the K2 a thorough going over, double entendre very much intended one studios had a Rode of some sort in their while we also invited Joe Chiccarelli in would think! – CH. cabinet – the NT5 instrument mics have LA to offer his thoughts. Joe’s recorded been a particular favourite – but when the vocal performances of Elton, Frank it came to ‘best vocal mic’ status… well, Zappa, Beck… lots of luminaries. And for the Rodes weren’t in the same ballpark as someone who ‘wasn’t too wild about the a U47, U67, C12 or the like. Old German previous Rodes’ he’d heard, Joe gave it and Austrian microphones still ruled the thumbs up.

“By some fluke or other I HEY! IS THIS THING ON? Luna the wolf gives it all she’s got at a met Colin Sanders – who Soundelux Foley stage. The results would be used for the Day After Tomorrow had basically designed the blockbuster, Van Helsing and Scoobie Doo 2. All up, this has got to be one of my original SSL on the back of favourite AT pics and captions of all time. – CH. napkins and fag packets at two in the morning during sessions in a little studio called Huge!” Al Smart recalls his fortuitous meeting with the man responsible for the SSL console.

AT 87 This was the issue that saw gear reviewed in Issue Greg Simmons use his First 35. Software highlights ISSUE 35 Word column and a review of included the BFD XFL the MCS Silent PC to extol expansion pack, which the virtues of a computer Brad Watts compared that doesn’t pollute your to a club sandwich. Then control room with fan noise. there was the Green First Word – Before and Machine II amp simulator, After Silence – revelled in and Native Instruments’ puns like this gem: “I don’t Guitar Rig. Steinberg (with READERS SPEAK know much about Arp [the a ‘b’) released WaveLab STUDIO MAKEOVER RODE NTK Rick put forward “a bunch of 20th century surrealist who 5 and Sony released things to make your studio apparently hated machines Vegas 5. There were two better” in Issue 35. These that made noise] but I know converters reviewed, one “I’ve tried and tested quite a few mics with my included almost everything what I like.” He kept the by Benchmark, the other by voice and have spent many (expensive) hours imaginable – apart from audio Silent PC and appropriately RME – both seemed worthy equipment. The most famous in studios using high-end condensers, but left of these was the ‘studio lounge’ named it ‘Arp’. units. But probably the most unrewarded. For the cost, I’ve found the NTK is a that Rick strongly contested It was the issue where Halle significant releases were warm mic that suits my vocals and acoustic guitars was the way people judged you Berry became a virtual Digidesign’s utility device, perfectly. I now save heaps of money and time and your studio: “Long after AT centrefold. The topic? DigiDelivery, for transferring tracking these at home.” your clients have forgotten files over the Internet, and what kind of microphone you Sound for Catwoman. I Tyrone Wright own, they’ve made a permanent remember trying to proof Focusrite’s Liquid Channel. “One mic to rule them all. Use freely and decision on the grade of your read the first spread… Simon Leadley described studio… on the basis of the imaginatively. Just about everything sounds better took me about 40 minutes! DigiDelivery as “brilliant”. place you offered them to sit.” with this bad boy. As the owner of a tiny but tidy Stav gave us confidence According to Simon it Then he batted on about his new studio I need all the professional sound I can get. Herman Miller chair that had to record using little more was: “simple to set up and This magic tube just keeps sounding better and saved his back and was worth than our imaginations: “when administer and even simpler every cent. He then suggested you’re short on equipment, to use on a day-to-day better. The voice is king, long live the NTK.” buying some paint for the walls don’t let the limitations of basis… a must-have if you’re Adrian Symes and some plants to liven things your gear limit the power into large file transfers and up, arguing that, “the old cliché “With limited cash I decided to buy the NTK as it of ‘who cares what it looks like of your imagination… it require a simple and secure seemed to be a decent all-round mic. It has been a system.” High praise indeed. as long as it sounds good’ is the costs nothing, requires no lifesaver in the studio! From snare drums to guitar war cry of the next broke studio power or mic stands and can The Liquid Channel was amps to acoustics to vocals. I couldn’t ever record owner!” He followed this up by described by Adam McElnea generate some of the best without it! Even now, with a few more mics, I’ll encouraging readers to get some as a “somewhat unnerving instruments into the studio, sounding recordings you always be loyal to the mic that was so loyal to me.” experience, as the [models] label things professionally, take will ever want to hear.” True Andrew Macken really do sound like their a five night holiday on a south enough. pacific island and make sure analogue counterparts.” There was also lots of the studio smells like roses! A – AS. stream-of-consciousness article that somehow made perfect sense. – AS.

ALMOST MAKING AMEIL OUT OF IT Flicking through Issue 35 I came across or were partying backstage. Although to which I quickly thought, ‘No, she’s not something I don’t remember ever seeing there was still action aplenty courtesy harming anyone or getting in anyone’s before; an ad for Beyerdynamic featuring of Josh Abrahams, the large stage (which way, leave her alone’. I carried on doing Amiel – the singer who’s perhaps best is the size of a tennis court – and the whatever it was I was doing. Five minutes known for singing on Josh Abrahams’ reason I know this is because I built it!) later the girl nonchalantly gets up and hit single Addicted to Bass. The ad was strangely empty of people and gear. wanders on stage with a wireless mic in immediately reminded me of the night Josh was cutting a fairly lonely figure hand, and to great applause proceeds to I was stage-managing the Falls Festival out front-and-centre and the normal rock the 15,000 strong crowd with her (not sure what year it was). Josh was throng of side-stage onlookers (which vocals on Addicted to Bass... Disaster on stage doing his DJ thing and the I’ve always been happily tolerant of) was narrowly avoided! Proof indeed that it crowd was suitably fired up. But it was long gone. never pays to prejudge someone, and very late and most of the main stage There was, however, one girl sitting side that sometimes it’s better to give people hubbub and changeover mayhem had of stage that I didn’t recognise. She the benefit of the doubt! – AS. ended. I think virtually everyone apart had no stage ID either, and for a brief from Henry Brister had knocked off for moment I thought to myself; ‘should I the evening, and all the bands that had be a bastard and kick her off the stage?’ played that night had either gone home

“Now I can say: ‘I want to THE NAME BEHIND THE MANE “Don’t let the ZZ Top one of the nicest, most a culture”. John Meyer put a mic in this part of beard fool you, there’s fascinating gentlemen in might be one of the more the room, put it through nothing that isn’t razor the audio world. I spoke scientifically-minded sharp about John Meyer. to him myself at Entech audio designers going distortion and then push In fact, when you talk to last year… I think I asked around at the moment John you promptly feel him a question about his but the motivation for it up in the mix’… using like a single-processor HD1 monitors, and I didn’t all the science is keeping PC trying to interface get to speak again for 45 things simple for the the studio as another with a multi-processor minutes. John retains an operator: “I got the idea of mainframe… it’s hard to almost child-like passion the LD3 [digital speaker instrument, which is a process all the gigaflops of for audio technology and controller] from driving a really exciting thing.” multi-threaded data flying his interest in all things car… I’d much rather just your way.” This is how Chris audio is infectious. When step on a pedal and have John Butler on the inspiration he drew from the Holder described meeting Chris asked him about it go forward… than have production on Beck’s Odelay album. John Meyer – “the mad the development of his a series of complicated audio professor of choice original MSL-3 enclosures, command structures.” – AS. for the LSD generation John remarked that “It’s of A-list musicians.” The not just a thing you’re fact is, John Meyer is building, it has to fit into

AT 88 Simmo celebrated his first Hammond remained real 40 years on the planet, with the Hilltop Hoods and ISSUE 36 and proudly declared that sussed out some of the he’d managed to survive DIY tricks commandeered an entire four decades, by Australia’s best-known without once donning a hip-hop collective. Andy suit. True to some degree, got shouted a junket but his claims were shot to Shenzhen, China, to down when I pointed to experience first hand just READERS SPEAK the clothesline of the how hell bent on quality PHOTO OP FADER apartment we shared. It the country’s population MORE MICS PUSHING was completely overrun can be. When it comes to Why is it that photo setups with Greg’s washing for manufacturing Wharfedale involving engineers always BLUE Bottle: “Absolutely the best mic I’ve heard.” need to include some fader the week – no less than speaker drivers they know Robbie Adams pushing? For example, take 14 pairs of grey Kepper their stuff – shame they’re this chap with Michael Waters trousers and another 14 not quite so fastidious with BLUE Baby Bottle: “The Baby Bottle has such (sorry, not sure of his identity) cotton T-shirts – again, in all those microphones. an amazing midrange! It’s a unique sounding with his hand on a fader of the Yamaha PM5D console. The Issue 36 looked to be one the same uncompromising Finally, Rick O’Neil managed mic, which allows me to create some really fresh- sounding recordings.” fader isn’t about to go away, of the few issues without shade of grey. This to weave Sophie Monk’s as he appears to have quite a another recording artist particular washing array nipples into another ripping Clayton Bowles firm grip on the blighter. The of note on the front cover. certainly wasn’t hand audio tale. – BW. DPA 4006: “such a versatile tool for classical concentration is palpable. Critically, none – repeat none Instead we had Peter tailored menswear, but it recording. The smooth frequency response is did become known around – of the other faders look as Jackson’s post production awesome when used in a Decca tree configuration.” if they’re up to much, even crew hard at work on the our place as the ‘Simmo Alexander Stinson those over in the background final Lord of the Rings Suit’. Not everything Simmo on the DM1000s. So with installment. The vista wore left him looking Audio-Technica AT4050: “It’s clean as, and tells no that many to choose from, depicting Park Road Post like a Melbourne refugee lies when recording guitars, vox and whatever else just why did he go for that in Wellington New Zealand – figuring ‘grey was the new you sit in front of it (or around it for that matter).” one in particular? Of course, Terry Latham the answer is: it’s a photo is probably one of the few black’ – there was the odd op and all photo ops require splash of colour throughout times we’ve had actual Pearlman TM1: “This is the most mojo mic I’ve some fader pushing and the the wardrobe courtesy of audio engineers on the ever heard for under $3000.” choice was random. If you a couple of ‘7 nights in Rio’ look closely, Michael Water’s cover – unless, of course, Matthew Powell you include Dr Tom Misner’s underwear packs. Soon fingers are twitching – he can afterwards Greg announced scarcely bear not to push one cheery dial on the cover of SMPRO MC03: “When I heard my voice through of those faders. – BW. Issue 28. [Well… there was his planned escape to the the MC03 I realised that this was the missing ‘link’ Tony Maserati on Issue 32’s Himalayas to record as for me.” cover, and Brian Eno on the many Buddhist monks as he Paul Cairns cover of Issue 42 is another could get his Nagra near. notable exception – CH.] The forever-charming Gavin

WHAT A KNOB BEAK PERFORMANCE Is knob a rude word in the US? I get the Miles Roston’s personal insight into the feeling that it isn’t – they sure had no world of scoring for film and TV (‘Music idea about the whole ‘Free Willy’ debacle. for Pelicans & Other Birds’) made for But I’d hazard a guess that Mackie fascinating reading but was difficult to knew the connotations and went ahead illustrate. Which may have something to anyway. In the mean time, teenage audio do with Andy feeling the need to call in knuckleheads (and some older ones as the puffin cavalry. I recall Andy staring at well) have constantly trotted out the this puffin for hours as he lovingly found ‘I’ve got a big knob’ double entendre… the exact right spot for him in the story probably to this day. Mackie’s advertising – “just take a look at this little character,” has traditionally never assumed too much I recall him saying to no one in particular. of its readers’ intellectual prowess and “You can just tell he’s up to no good.” And this ad ensures there are no issues with the caption? Truly inspired. Not a Pelican identifying the eponymous Big Knob.

“All I’ll say about computers INDISPENSABLE Miles Roston: My own actually made creating play, at least there’s more MILES ROSTON personal favorite since the parts more concise. Gone of a chance that I can find is that they annoy the hell advent of AudioTechnology are the days of four octave the right note. So though is the portable Oxygen string pads or endlessly I would never put the out of me. As soon as you Midiman keyboard. As cluttered piano/keyboard/ Midiman in a league near lo-tech as it may be, a mini mallet/horn parts, which Coltrane or Armstrong, it’s turn one on, the session keyboard I can carry in my one can be tempted to certainly been a comfort, suitcase from Australia do just because one can. when I can slam on a pair slows down… musos to Kenya, South Africa, There’s an old story about of headphones, bang away slack off because they can Thailand or even France John Coltrane, when asked in the middle of the night, and just hook into laptop why he played the way with a glass of wine or two be edited to sound half GarageBand is music to at he did, (beautifully, may I at hand, and no one in the Music producer, globe least my ears. add) breezing over scales hotel has any idea what decent.” trotting documentary Funnily enough, on a at racing speed. He said I’m doing. Though nothing film maker and occasional he was searching for the will ever replace my old Paul McKercher’s strident views on computers, and after composing level, having AT writer, Miles Roston, gone from the 88-key right note, to which Louis Stratocaster in my own producing/engineering about a gazillion albums he’s got lets us in on what goes on Armstrong responded, affections. a right to them. Kurzweil years ago, to behind the closed doors of a one and a half octave that he just played the his hotel room. plastic grey keyboard has right note. And when one is faced with less notes to

AT 90 TOM HIDLEY In issue 37, veteran Simon Leadley was brought session notes with related acoustician, Tom Hidley, took up well. In my experience info. 4. Midi files should us through 30-odd years he’s always minded his Ps also be incorporated. ISSUE 37 of studio design. Aware and Qs, opened doors for According to Simon’s that the huge Westlake- ladies and thrown salt over reckoning “we must assume designed studios of the ’70s his correct shoulder. So have all but had their day, that a project will need to Tom was also a wealth of who better to lay down the be taken to another studio practical information for the laws of digital etiquette? at some point, possibly not home/project studio owner. READERS SPEAK Simon’s tutorial in Issue now but even years later for For example: “you can get 37 chronicles how session a remix in 20.1!” rid of a lot of high-frequency MORE RODE notes have gone the way of and mid-frequency nastiness Logic and Cubase went between parallel walls just plate reverbs, tape ops and head to head in Issue 37. by inserting a simple cotton Rode NT2A: “I’ve used it on every session since leg warmers. But session Apple had only just acquired velour drape down one of purchase. It was cheap. It performed better than notes aren’t just some Emagic and it was only at the walls.” Also: “never use I expected. It sounds better than mics 10 times its quaint anachronism, they the 11th hour that Andy monitors that are too big were seen as essential, and, (low frequency-wise) for your price and more.” saved us from a terrible room. If you have a monitor Brent Williams furthermore, they adhered faux pas by remembering circumstances – Rick had system that goes down to Simon’s ‘Dead Engineer’ to prefix Logic with the Rode NT3: “It can go anywhere – away from nothing to say!”. – CH. to 20Hz and you attempt ethos – ie. if someone gets word ‘Apple’ on the cover. to put it in a room that’s phantom and away from a warm, safe room. It may hit by a bus then the show incapable of reproducing that not always get the exact sound you’re after, but it is SX3 was looking the goods, goes on (after a respectful sporting the introduction frequency, what will happen? consistent and dependable in almost any situation.” period of mourning, a wake, The monitor will attempt to of its Freeze function and Brendan Petty produce 20Hz and the room etc). Simon proposed the Studio Connections will say, ‘Sorry, I can’t deal Rode NT5: “These mics are compact, bulletproof a four-prong session collaboration with Yamaha, with that’.” documentation standard, performers that cover a huge range of tasks. Be it among other things. Issue which must include: 1. overheads for ‘live’ sound reinforcement on kit, or a 37 was also the first time Cross-platform and simple stereo setup for recording a wind quintet in a we saw Rode’s foray into application-independent church, these mics are very handy to have.” the live arena with the S1, files. 2. A tracksheet and Brett Douglas along with Sabine’s ‘kitchen comprehensive session sink’ wireless system that Rode NT5: “Great value for money. They can notes that contain info such included mic modelling, record almost anything and provide a fantastic as the lineup of the digital Sabine’s customary sound for the price.” recording equipment, feedback extermination, Michael de Hoog session times, equipment compressor/limiter, used, etc (a digital photo Rode Classic 2: “It all starts at the front end. parametric filter and of is a good quick way de-esser. Rick O’Neil – ‘garbage in Garbage out’ – and I can’t get better of documenting certain Tom Hidley tries to get relinquished his position vocal quality for the price. I try to produce as setups). 3. Any video files reception from an early natural a sound as possible and don’t like to process on the back page due to, as mobile phone masquerading should be listed in the Andy put it “extraordinary as a portable audio analyser. vocals too much. This mic makes that a snap.” Patrick Tilley

MACKIE BACK IN FORM KINDA BLUE Mackie made its name with high-quality Can’t those wacky guys at BLUE design and I calling our son 1073. Just to give small format mixers, so I guess it was something that’s not totally screwball? BLUE a reality check I’d love to send them fitting that it was an analogue compact No one’s suggesting BLUE mics aren’t a picture of a Robbie retrofitted with a mixer that put Mackie back in form after well made and well regarded and, yes, it’s homemade rackmounting kit (that’s the being in the digital doldrums for a while. refreshing to see mics that haven’t fallen preamp with rack ears, not my son). They In Issue 37 James Wilkinson investigated out of the same Sino U87-clone mould, do make good gear though… – CH. the Onyx 1620. The drawcards were: the but it’s also nice to know your limits. Take Onyx preamp, the Cal Perkins EQ, and BLUE’s foray into preamplication, which Firewire I/O. Well designed, affordable we flagged in Issue 37’s news pages. I and flexible, it was a mixer to be mean, as Lleyton might say, come on… contended with. most people would put this guy on their bedside table and spend an hour trying to find the ‘alarm on/off’ button on the back. What’s more, BLUE has christened the Class A preamp, Robbie. My son’s name is Robbie. And having a preamp called Robbie is as ridiculous as my wife

INDISPENSABLE Robin Gist: There are many floating point architecture and manipulate audio at a “If you don’t like the sound ROBIN GIST choice pieces of gear that audio since version one – I microscopic level appeals I have access to, including first ran it on a 386! to me greatly and has you’re getting from a mic, vintage microphones, I love the sound of tape, facilitated the previously preamps, compressors it has a depth and a impossible. then move it. You’ve got and the like, but I made my resolution unsurpassed I know that some software decision based on what by digital recorders to doesn’t sound great and to be prepared to get out had most improved my date, but compared to that the sonic aspects of there and move things work and actually helped the creative options, the digital versus analogue will me realise my creative degree of control and be debated until The Eagles around, and if doesn’t endeavours. Erstwhile Girl Overboard editing ability digital has to freeze over, but working in guitarist and all-round My most indispensable offer, analogue recording the digital domain allows sound any better then just recording legend Robin piece of gear therefore falls very short. There have me to say to my clients Gist figured the most has to be my digital audio been countless sessions nine time out of ten times, move them back.” indispensable link in his editing software, which where, if all I’d had to work “Yes, I can do that.” Jet’s monitor engineer, Mark Crawley, urges us to not production chain was the in my case means either with was a tape machine, get too comfortable. one that significantly Samplitude, Logic or a razor blade and a grease helped him achieve his ProTools. Of these three, pencil, I simply wouldn’t creative goals… Samplitude sounds the have been able do the best. This program’s had job. The ability to edit

AT 91 spleen, bowel etc. In other a production. Years ago words, it’s a classic setup that point was evident to ISSUE 38 for an article and that’s the all when the studio kicked reason why Simmo was you out. Now, it couldn’t pretending to be a pair of be easier to tweak and monitors/computer etc. massage a track for half an Right… glad we cleared hour before breakfast… that up. and so on for the rest of the There were some ripping day/week/year. And what A fairly even spread here. But if the written yarns in Issue 38. There did Regurgitator surmise? responses are anything to go by, it’s the A&H Quan from the band put it was Henry Brister’s MixWizard owner/operators that are most loyal account of his work on this way: “I’m happy with to their rackmount workhorses. MOBILE RECORDING the Falls Festival; Miles the record … although I – THE TRUTH WILL OUT Roston’s recollections of don’t think it possesses the Back on the Issue 30 page I his first gig as a producer outstanding artistic merit noted that ‘mobility’ wasn’t recording blues legend, of the actual experience … all it was cracked up to be. I think it’ll be interesting Companies like Korg and Junior Wells; and, of Digidesign were misleading It’s 2005 and Andy course, the phenomenon to see what our music is declared it ‘The Year of us with the suggestion that that was Regurgitator’s like now that we’ve gone getting ‘out and about’ with Protecting Your Hearing’. 21-day residency in a through this experience.” studio gear was cool and Which seemed like a nice ‘bubble’ at Melbourne’s The ‘bubble’ was obviously impressed girlfriends, when announcement but perhaps Federation Square. There an extreme example of in fact it’s my experience LIVE CONSOLES that the exact opposite is the a bit unilateral – I’d like to were enough metaphors creating artifice to draw have seen some UN backing case. Well, finally, the truth and hidden subtexts to more out of the inmates, is out. One whistle-blowing or at least Rotary Club the Gurg saga to keep but it does remind us that advertiser has had the guts support. a lecture theatre full of there’s never anything to come clean – mobility Simmo was still pretending media undergraduates wrong with a darn good leads to guitar rage. Guitar challenge. – CH. Rig might be a bit snazzy and to be another item in busy for a year… but at may have won a few gongs Joe’s studio, this time his it’s simplest the bubble but Native Instruments monitors. To this day, I experience is a great were forced to admit that its think many people have no example of artists applying product, when used outside idea why Greg was banging artificial constraints on the confines of the studio us over the head with the (like this campsite), leads to themselves and seeing how distress, rage and eventual ‘Joe’ shtick. For the record, that impacts on the result. destruction of the guitar. NI there was a famous series Constraints in the studio should be commended for (probably in Reader’s Digest have slowly disappeared. tackling this problem head or similar) that outlined It’s common to hear how on. – CH. various health issues with people find it hard to know the angle of ‘I’m Joe’s Liver’, when to stop fiddling with

WHAT THE ff? We’d just given away a Focusrite ISA220 firm fact that the winning words did not with the winning entry to the competition convey what the ‘ff’ could be perceived to nominating the Focusrite ‘ff’ as standing stand for in regards to the Focusrite logo. for ‘Fabulous Freebie’. At least one reader The fine phrase flagrantly fixes on the felt short-changed by this decision flash prize, not the logo. sending us this magnificent missive: All congratulations to the winner, but “I was fairly flummoxed if not fully – without wishing to sound flighty or flabbergasted to read that the fine flakey, “Fabulous Freebie” is a little folk at Electric Factory had awarded far-fetched as it does not focus fittingly the forenamed Focusrite prize to on the logo. Fair feedback? the fortunate fellow who coined the Fond farewell, Steve Donelly, Stage fortuitous and faintly funny phrase Right Song Productions ‘Fabulous Freebie’. Whilst fully familiar with the “no correspondence will be entered into” terms of the contest, I This picture of Mixmasters’ Mick Wordley (and others) are frankly fixated on the deserves another guernsey.

“After I hit on this PHONOGRAPH TAPE technique … my days of This is a precious little recently, the time limit about one-fourth of an present forms. Direct placing mics all over the excerpt from an ancient will be extended almost inch. Celluloid, just as in the current or storage battery amp and the room in the copy of an Australian indefinitely. film will probably be used, probably will be the motive edition of Life Magazine… Substitution of tape, like as the experiments to date power adopted for the blind hope of capturing a 1913 to be precise: that of a stock-ticker, for are described as highly longest records, although the old disc and cylindrical satisfactory. an attempt to determine magical guitar amp sound forms of phonographic The promise is made that the popularity of the new Everyone is aware kind will be made before of the time limit records is a striking change an entire evening’s opera were over.” that may soon be found of two or three hours will extensive manufacture is – it may be a merciful begun. It is expected that Australian super producer, Mark Opitz, whets our in the talking machine. be as easily reproduced as limit – that is imposed on several months will elapse recording appetite in his tutorial on guitar amp mic There will not be a great a two-minute brass band the gramophone record. before this innovation will technique. difference in form between march. We now have discs and reach the general market. cylinders that will run for the moving picture reel A better developed four minutes; but if success and the new record, except mechanism to run the tape (Thanks to Des Todd for attends a new system that the phonograph tape records will be necessary, this.) that has been patented is to have a width of only of course, than for the

AT 92 Issue 39 was Simmo’s in the audio industry: last instalment of the taking the mickey out ‘Joe trilogy’, in which, this of a singer during a take ISSUE 39 time around, Greg was without realising he could wrapped in a thin metal hear every word, erasing chassis disguised as Joe’s the intro to a song I was computer. Joe’s stripped about to mix from a down Windows XP was master two-inch reel… READERS SPEAK working well because he and I encouraged others regularly gave Greg a ‘dose to write in and share with ALLEN & HEATH MIXWIZARD of salts’ to de-frag his hard us their worst moments. In drive and optimise his files. the following issues there COPPING A SCHEINER For the life of me I still don’t were some excruciating Elliot Scheiner gave us his “Just a great, versatile mixer with knobs that understand how Joe never tales told… the one that insight into stereo mixing actually do stuff.” and 5.1: “I don’t want to live in noticed Greg Simmons really made me wince was a stereo world for the rest of Simon Eyles standing in the corner! John Haeny’s account of my life – it’s just not natural Rick was giving us a history stepping on the vintage Les to me… I think [5.1] is the best “This console does it all: four sends of Paul and snapping it in half thing that has happened to foldback, onboard FX, direct outs to record, lesson on summing boxes music.” at the back end of the mag, … ouch! inserts, mono out and all in a compact frame. urging us all to think long On the topic of engineers We also heard from earning a sustainable income: She’s reliable too, and road tolerant of the and hard before forking out legendary engineer, Elliot “In my view, most engineers, knocks!” thousands on yet another Scheiner, who was in if they want to survive, are Jim Morley panacea for our mix woes, Australia recording the going to have to buy rigs to and rightly arguing that “a follow up to The Eagles’ put into their homes or into “I encounter this particular desk almost three good arrangement is the small leased workspaces…” Hell Freezes Over DVD times a week these days and without the simple best mixing device”. His at the Rod Laver Arena, On the ABC OB van’s Neve and vast routing provided, many of the small attitude was (and still is) in Melbourne. Many of us console: “When I was told that summing boxes are were astounded to learn the only OB truck that would venue gigs I mix would not be nearly as good. meet my requirements has a just the latest in a litany that The Eagles had picked custom-built analogue Neve Great straight up mixer‚ almost fool-proof!” of products that distract this venue to record the console from 1975, I thought, Alex Beck us from the real issue – of DVD but according to Elliot, ‘Geez I can’t imagine it’ll work learning how to mix songs, “They love it here.” Doesn’t that well’, but sure enough “Does what it says on the box and keeps on and, better still, arrange every American say that it’s one of the most beautiful doing it night after night. It’s also built like a them properly. consoles I’ve ever heard in though? – AS. my life!” tank, sounds great and fits in the back seat of It was in my Ed Space my car.” this issue that I ‘fessed Rob Colson up’ to some of my most embarrassing moments

THE IN-JOKE NO ONE GOT… THE PHD I simply cannot pass up making mention an HET (High Embarrassment Threshold)” we get more reflection off the glass?’ intake. It was funny at the time… but I of a product I reviewed in Issue 39 that would tip people off, and if the words to the point where Dom, Chris and I s’pose you just had to be there. – AS. I think deserves a special retrospective didn’t convince you, surely the ‘MAD were literally rolling around the floor in I think that was the key Andy: everyone nod. Although it was only a short review comic’ photo would. But no one wrote hysterics… it was one of those moments did realise it was a bogus review but hidden amongst others ‘In Brief’, the in, or rang… the silence was deafening where we all truly lost it and I was almost sadly no one thought it was funny… as Personal Headspace Device (or PHD as I (from inside my PHD of course – which physically sick with laughter. The other opposed to my riotously amusing Sizemik dubbed it), was in my opinion the most had 48dB of attenuation down to 28Hz, memory I have of ‘designing’ the PHD was Sound fake review of Issue 32, which groundbreaking product I’d seen in ages. don’t forget). reading the review out loud to my partner actually attracted some pre-ordering as And I don’t mean groundbreaking in the Two things were memorable about that in the backyard of our house in Balmain well! – CH. ‘technologically-advanced’ sense, the review from my perspective (apart from wearing a fishbowl (PHD prototype) ‘most-indispensable’ sense or even an writing it and amusing myself for many on my head. If you’d looked over the ‘aesthetically-pleasing’ sense. It was hours). The first was colluding with our back fence that day you may have been exceptional for one reason alone… it was graphic designer, Dom, to mock up a excused for thinking you were observing a fake… an April fool’s joke. The scary ‘photo’ of the unit, which involved a lot an escapee from Callum Park Asylum. thing was, no one seemed to realise! I of instructions like, ‘No I don’t think Crazy thing was, it sounded appalling, figured sentences near the end of my those headphones look right’ and ‘can fogged up in seconds and caused near review like; “Well worth a look if you have asphyxiation due to a lack of oxygen

HOW TO ASSEMBLE AN ATOMIC BOMB

The big-ticket story of – full-time on one record for how they were done”, but was Carl’s recollections the issue was Strother two-and-a-half years would presumably this ‘no-rules’ of the Vertigo mix, which “The high quality dual- Bullins’ interview with be hard to take no matter philosophy didn’t extend only involved 24 channels: Carl Glanville, who was the how much kudos was doled as far as the engineer ever “We just sat there for days engineer responsible for out afterwards. What with saying ‘no’. “You’ve always doing manual mixes… concentric drivers in the the recording of U2’s How The Edge saying: “You know got to be ready to go,” said now every time I hear the to Dismantle an Atomic that guitar we have? It’s a Carl, who added that he song I can see us doing the PHD capsule provide for Bomb. Carl regaled us with bit too thin… let me play “needed to have 18 channels moves.” No automation, stories of supergroup it again with a different available to re-track the 24 tracks of audio, manual superb audio performance excess… of recording sound,” and Larry Mullen Jr. entire band at a finger’s mixing and Chinagraphed sessions that fitted around re-recording his drums yet snap.” fader moves… now that’s with the added ‘openness’ picking up kids from again during the umpteenth old school. – AS. school, and endless days mix session… there must One interesting anecdote afforded by the ‘off-ear’ of tracking (except during have been moments (after to come out of this story school holidays). Yep, the first two years!) when design.” assembling U2’s 14th studio Carl wanted to do his album involved serious own impersonation of an Andy’s radical PHD makes its press debut. hardcore mayhem! atomic bomb. As he said “there were no rules” and Actually the sheer time “all involved were only taken would have been concerned about how enough to dismantle most things sounded, not about engineers’ mental faculties

AT 93 pretty esoteric subject Brad’s look into DAW ISSUE 40 matter. He recounted the controllers, where he came tale of the local nomadic to the conclusion that Tibetans who would, “even adding a controller to your in the middle of absolutely arsenal would “change nowhere… pop out from your life far more than yet under rocks whenever the another software synth”. microphone appeared”. And, finally, Rick was tuning Apparently he was a bit of into to the dulcet tones of READERS SPEAK a hit with the locals! Greg his off-peak electric hot LIVE DIGITAL MIXERS aimed his customised water service switching portable rig at some in… even though his system unsuspecting indigenous was gas. He contested that Yamaha M7CL: “The best desk for the buck musicians, many of whom he could hear the tone of – compressor, gate and EQ on every in and out. had probably never seen the off-peak frequency SPX 2000 processors x 4, it’s got the lot.” a microphone before or ‘switch’ in the walls of since… his house, and when he Kevin Farrant The highlights of Issue 40 Stav ushered us into rang the electricity board Yamaha M7CL: “This console offers all the included an interview with his world of the ‘Black – presumably to complain benefits of digital desks, with reasonable the Dust Brothers, aka Mike Backdrop’, a concept that – the conversation Simpson and John King, essentially warned us apparently went something quality, reliability, ease of use and a short who’ve been ‘instrumental’ against distortion and like this: learning curve – all this at a price point that in the creation of classic excessive use of top-end “You can’t hear that, makes this technology accessible to a larger SIMMO ON ROOF albums from the likes of frequencies in our mixes. To electricity is inaudible…” market segment than ever before” OF WORLD The Beastie Boys, Beck, quote Stav, “The overriding Greg’s article on his trek “No it isn’t.” Joseph Rabel Linkin Park and The Eels impact of a nice and through the Himalayas with a over many years. Regarded expensive Black Backdrop “Yes it is.” Mackie TT24: “It’s intuitive and bullet-proof. pair of Schoeps and a Nagra by many as the ‘Godfathers V included some amazing is the ability to silhouette “No it isn’t.” etc… – AS. Everything is within easy reach but you still photography. My favourite of Sampling’, the Dust the instruments so they get all the advantages of a digital console. It’s is this combo – Tibetan Brothers showed us ’round stand out against the troubadour in full flow on their new studio and gave blackness of empty space”. an ideal fit for amateur theatre shows (where an instrument that could us an insight to their He wrapped up the article having scene-by-scene recall of EQ/dynamics hardly be more ‘traditional’ if dropped out of the Lord of thinking, and their gear. with some salient advice: is great) and mid-sized churches. The channel T’was fascinating stuff. the Rings prop department; “Leave the listener with the count is generous, it’s expandable, onboard DSP followed by the shot of Meanwhile Greg Simmons overwhelming urge to turn minimises the need for outboard, and it still has him listening back to the rugged up and headed for things up, not down. It’ll recording… careful not to Tibet where he embarked be much more satisfying a compact footprint – an all-round winner in mess up his white beanie. on a field recording that way.” my books.” (pictures: Alistair Bray) adventure involving some Other highlights included Jonathan Woithe

BRUCE ‘NATIONAL TREASURE’ JACKSON It was a real treat in issue 40 to catch then he has gone on to achieve so much years engineering hundreds of shows for met on the tarmac by Elvis’s bodyguards. up with Bruce Jackson, one of Australia’s that it’s simply beyond the scope of this Elvis Presley in the US, to establishing They’d unload the gear out of the plane most highly respected audio engineers synopsis. An abridged version of people Apogee Electronics and most recently and we’d drive back to Graceland where and designers. As I wrote in the and companies Bruce has contributed designing for Lake Technology and Dolby I’d setup in the racquetball court. But introduction to the story at the time: his expertise to include: Clair Brothers, while still touring with the likes of Barbra often that’s as far as rehearsal would “Bruce is one of those people who seems Fairlight, ProTools, Lake Technology, Streisand. In short, Bruce is a deadset progress! Generally the band and I to have had so many experiences in his Dolby, Apogee, the aforementioned phenomenon; his impressive CV matched would just sit around in the ‘jungle room’ life that when you do a rough calculation Elvis Presley, Bruce Springsteen, Barbra only by his humility and modesty. watching TV.” – AS. of how old he must be, the number Streisand, Dianna Ross, Johnny Cash, Probably the funniest story Bruce would seem to indicate that he’s been Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Wonder, Rod recounted during the interview involved dead for several decades”. Before he’d Stewart, Barry White, Jefferson Airplane a bizarre insight into the rehearsal habits turned 22, Bruce had built his own radio and Ozzie Osborne… the full list simply of Elvis, a story which almost had me station, established Jands, got his pilot’s goes on and on, trailing off the page, choking on my side-salad: “I would fly licence and mixed Elvis Presley live – a down the hall and out the door. down from Pennsylvania to Memphis list of achievements that might see most Over lunch, Bruce and I talked about all (about 800 miles) in my little plane people content with their lot. But Bruce’s sorts of things; from his early career as with the back full of mic stands, leads, career certainly didn’t stop there. Since a co-founder of Jands, his extraordinary monitors and bits and pieces, and be

“We don’t necessarily EDITORIALISATIONING Issue 40 was the first (Apparently he’s working – CH.] Yikes. I had recently bought myself a new want you to play things time Greg went public on them, but I haven’t seen come to the realisation surfboard and scampered with murmurings about any evidence of them yet.) that I was addicted to off to Bali for an iBreak. right, we want you to play relinquishing his First It was also the issue where electricity: “How is it that It was either that or tell things cool” Word column, encouraging I talked in my Ed Space I’ve got 25 power sockets AudioTechnology that us to look forward to his about my trip to Bali under my desk and there’s iQuit! I was up to my iBalls The Dust Brothers reveal some of their funky ‘educational articles’. Greg (before the second round still nowhere to connect a in work, but regardless, manifesto. was becoming frustrated of bombings). Bizarrely, lamp?” So my holiday was iWazoff!” – AS. by the single-page format it was right at the point essentially a trip away and was keen to sink his where I’d sung an appalling from electricity, and all teeth into writing more rendition of Hotel those devices with the tutorial-styled articles California (on Jimbaran annoying lowercase ‘i’ that were longer and could Beach) with some local prefix: “I turned off iChat, therefore go into a bit buskers, that one of those powered down my iBook more depth than the First bombs later went off! [I’m pulled out my various Word format. That was 10 sure the two occurrences iLoks and iSight cameras, issues ago now… Greg! weren’t related Andy put the iPod in a drawer,

AT 94 Andy’s invitation to get but another real ‘that looks readers to relate their different’ bit of gear is the ‘Worst Audio Experiences’ Bose PAS (Personalised ISSUE 41 went down a treat. We Amplification System). read spine-chilling tales of Bose is used to ploughing flaming consoles, busted its own furrow and the Les Pauls, dead RF channels PAS is unapologetically REMEMBER WHEN (and dead air time), a ‘out there’. The main sytem SONY MUSIC STUDIOS feedback destroyer that WAS STILL AROUND? READERS SPEAK component is a six-foot reset itself mid gig, erased high column of small drivers Here’s one of the last hurrahs MACKIE MIXERS for Sony Music Studios, a half tapes and cups of tea in (a line array, if you will) page ad in Issue 41, before a Roland VS1680s. It was and the idea is you use the Sony closed it down. Sony Mackie Onyx 1640: “My Mackie 1640 brings enough to make readers’ columns for foldback and Studio’s Ross A’hern is still toes curl… in fact, I think we as the main PA. It’s a great going strong as a freelance computer tracking/production and live sound should do it all again soon. idea, and I can’t believe engineer – location recording together in a way that I am sure we will see mostly. We’ll aim to talk to Rick laid down his ‘seven every café or pub that has a Ross in a forthcoming issue. much more of in the very near future. The golden things to keep bit of live music wouldn’t be 1640 has a great live sound – the preamps you out of the mud’, and looking into the PAS. look like a couch potato”. and the EQ especially. The routing is flexible predictably they were Finally, after Brad breaks Which I’m sure would be enough for my band’s needs for both gigs and solid gold. The main thrust the news to his Mac side splittingly amusing studio work. And with the Firewire option, was, as Rick put it: “to get affiliates that the next new if I had any idea what he’s a great mix, arrange your ED ACHE setting up for recording live gigs could not Apple will have an ‘Intel talking about. – CH. I love Andy’s Ed Space this songs!” But I particularly Inside’, he sings the praises issue. He very cleverly be easier. Apple even has the driver in OSX like Rick’s advice when it of Tiger and its multifarious illuminates the apparent so there is precisely zero installation and zero comes to taking on certain widgets… Personally absurdity of mixing an album configuration! I like that!” new bands: “If the band I’ve never bothered with on a million-dollar console you’re working with hasn’t only for its merit to be based Mana Waite widgets, the only time I on how well it translates got it together enough to remember they’re even as a $2 Nokia ringtone. “I Mackie Onyx 1620: “It’s versatile, acting as a think of a band name they there is when I hit F12 rush out of the room to the fantastic live mixing console with plenty of can all agree on, don’t waste instead of ‘delete’. But studio office, ring myself on routing options and then doubles as either a live too many days making them Brad makes a compelling the mobile, then rush back sound better than they case for acquiring a widget in and listen to the mix on or studio audio interface that is equally useful really are.” habit, what with the ability speaker phone, with everyone and simple.” crowded around me agreeing Issue 41 saw a purple patch to view real-time footage that it sounds ‘pretty cool’”. Chris Swinkels of new and innovative gear. of anything from Times If it wasn’t so funny you’d I make further mention of Square to San Diego Zoo: probably want to cry… – CH. Mackie Onyx 80: “This would have to be the the Smart Console and the “I’ve got enough web cams smoothest-feeling compact mixer around. It is Mesa Quad EQ elsewhere, on my dashboard to make easy to use and is so reliable.” the man who fell to earth Norm Smith

AUSSIE INNOVATION How many genuinely radical new bits expensive as well… but that’s changed Using a totally different ‘raised cosine’ engineers familiar with the Lake Contour of gear do we see in any given year? I’d with the release of the Professional EQ ‘algorithm’ (for want of another term) or the more recent Processor will have suggest that most years we’d be lucky to version, which really brings the price the Mesa Quad can tonally manipulate already tasted the power of this EQ, but see even one new truly innovative item. down. Anyway, it’s not for me to sell a signal in ways never before thought the Mesa Quad is just as relevant for Well, in Issue 41 we showcased two such this console, but knowing Stav well, and possible. Andy, in his otherwise sober- studio applications. Again, I’m not here to miracles in the one issue… not only that, getting the full ‘demo’ of the console minded review, describes the Mesa Quad sell this stuff, but, as I say, it’s not often they’re both Australian designs. when it was still literally on the drawing as “the velociraptor of EQ – dangerous that we can get genuinely excited about The Smart Console is so different that board, I hope the Smart console reaches in the extreme when let loose on an new gear. – CH. it’s probably suffered from a market a critical mass of users as it deserves unsuspecting audio signal”. Live sound wariness – just about everyone I’ve talked success… it’s hard to remember a device to who’s used it or seen the demo thinks that does things so differently and it’s it’s amazing but it’s such a departure hard to recall a company like Smart from conventional console design that AV with the guts to actually put it in there’s probably a innate reticence to production. make the leap. Saying that, the first Meanwhile, the Mesa Quad EQ from Lake Smart Consoles were pretty darn (a Dolby company) turned EQ on its head.

INDISPENSABLE Timebandit – aka Tim pair of Distressors. The me something I simply “The whole idea of perfect TIM POWLES Powles – Lord of Spacejunk EL8 only leads to Elation cannot live without: the III, says: “In the studio and will elev8 your mission MPEQ-2 stereo pre and EQ; music is just ridiculous to I can’t live without my to the spot you hoped Pultec-style equalisation clock – custom made for for… easy. Try linking and simply awesome. me, unless you’re making the timebandit by the stereo and stereo image But, none of this is worth Camels and has 99 hours link. Another temple for a dime when placed dance music and you want in a day. The RTA stole the advanced worshipper, next to the real king of my mission statement, phase and level locked but indispensability. Self Belief. that hypnotic effect. I find ‘don’t die for a deadline’. with independent ratios Keep it with you everyday.” playing to a click and then Let accidents thrive and and times from left to treasure the mistakes. The right. Used for Tracking, gridding things insane.” most non-contemplated mixing and mastering. And performances are the nobody tangles with the Hard rocking producer, Joe Barresi, would rather keep magic ones essentially SPL Transient Designer and it real. required. And don’t leave lives to be non-plussed. home without a matched Joe Malone, you made

AT 95 REMOTE TIE LINE a couple of snapper and around Sydney with the A nice piece of Photoshop the barny was on. Dom was zeppelin sticking out the work here from Dom for ISSUE 42 banished to the next room sunroof recording the Paul McKercher’s remote for a kip on the couch, while ensuing gale? Gear-wise recording story. I won’t Andy and I came up with the it was great to see Korg mention which particular piece of countryside it is, as brain wave of putting the continue the rich tradition I’m sure the farmer wouldn’t headline almost inside Eno’s of the super-expensive take too kindly to AT pilgrims ‘old bald’ head – ‘Inside the super-synth with its paying their respects. head of a studio genius’ it Oasys. When I spoke to This category didn’t evoke too much passion the importers prior to the read… and I think the cover among readers except for some DM2000 works nicely. Thinking back, review I made a few noises the ‘old, bald’ quip was quite about it obviously being owners. Jim Atkins was fairly typical of how telling. AudioTechnology is bit of a hard sell… Not on the DM2000 has impressed: “I vote for the a magazine for people who your nelly. Apparently they Yamaha DM2000 for redefining power-for-size are shamelessly attracted were getting a container in a bulletproof package.” to an Eno cover. He’s the load in simply to take care king of studio dweebs and of pre-orders. I don’t know even if you don’t revere Eno who buys a $15,000 synth, It was 2am, it was deadline there’s something nagging but whoever you are, you and the files for Issue 42 inside you that tells you have my gratitude, because should have already been that you somehow ought to. without you we wouldn’t uploaded onto our printer’s What amazed me was how have the $2000 spinoff MIXING CONSOLES/ ftp site. The sticking point? unimpressive Eno’s home products, which we can all CONTROLLERS The cover. Our graphic studio was; full of nick- afford. – CH. designer, Dom, might have nacks that most of us could been present in body but easily afford with stuff his spirit had long since stacked fairly haphazardly gone home to bed. Brian on top of each other – one Eno was going on the cover pair of his monitors was on and he was finding it hard barstools for heaven’s sake! to comprehend – ‘how can It certainly brought home I design a cover with an old the truisms about your bald bloke on there?!’. Dom approach being far more YOU GOTTA LOVE… knew who Eno was, but it important than your gear. was late and nerves were THE ATT ROBOT ATT Audio Controls gets frayed so he was being Other lasting impressions of Issue 42 other than a serious with this little robot intentionally provocative. character going haywire. And, given it was so late, shouting match at 2am? Classic. Andy and I took the bait like How about Simmo testing the DPA WindPac by driving

THE RISE & RISE OF ABLETON LIVE (FRONT OF) HOUSE PARTY Issue 42 saw Anthony Touma examining Here’s a great ad for Sennheiser’s the latest Live iteration. Live was (and is) (small-e) evolution mics. The inference kicking butt. It’s immediacy (on-the-fly is: use (small-e) evolution mics and arranging) and its real-time warping of people will randomly start launching loops has made Live the go-to application teddy bears in your direction. for anyone who doesn’t want the Remarkably, the engineer in question interface to get in the way of creativity. (who looks a dead ringer for AT Producers of the calibre of the Dust regular, and now Jands staffer, Glenn Brothers (see Issue 40) turn to Live for Helmot) remains focused and in control just that purpose. The only fear I harbour – bearing up well, you could say. for Live is it will fall foul of version-itis – where Ableton may feel compelled to up the level of sophistication with every new version, turning it into yet another behemoth.

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AT 96 On a personal note, it was ‘quiet stage’ they should be the first time one of my taken almost literally – if ISSUE 43 photos had made it onto the PA was turned off mid the cover of AT… which, show, then all you’d hear for a writer, I’m strangely would be the cymbals, the gratified about. Saying that, (acoustic) vocals and, if you Garbage’s Shirley Manson is were near the front, some eminently photographable, of the acoustic strumming it’s more a matter of trying of guitar. I mean, that’s dbx’s influence figures highly here. Special to catch her in a moment quiet. To achieve that level mention to the reader who listed PARIS as his when she’s not flying of silence you really need around the stage like an to embrace technology, most trusty live processor… with the much- enraged pixie. I also recall and, sure enough, Tom needed words ‘sounds crazy but it works’ in the gig very vividly because Abraham has kept his parentheses. of a splitting headache. I finger on the pulse. When was waiting near front of Andy first caught up with stage with my camera and Tom we learnt of the 01X PRICE PLUNGE When we reviewed the 01X in the moment I trundled past electronic drumkit, the Issue 34 we were impressed. the subs was the precise use of the Line6 Pods etc, A controller, a digital mixer, a moment that the band and while more recently he’d Firewire interface, all bundled FOH engineer Tom Abraham also taken on the Muse with some tasty Yamaha plugs. decided to hit the big green Receptor to house all the LIVE PROCESSING/ Sure, it looked a little like it AMPS ‘Go’ button. BANG! I was was designed by the same plugs and virtual synths etc. bloke who whipped up the DX7, less than a metre from the Which I thought was quiet but it was a nifty bit of kit. bins and I guess I copped interesting. I suspect the And at $3999 RRP it seemed 120dB and loose change Receptor’s designers would like it was priced just about – it felt like someone have had the studio in mind right once you haggled with had taken an axe to my your local music merchant. when they released it but Pricing has a handy knack of cranium. Needless to say, perhaps its future lies in dropping after release, that’s my enjoyment of the show technically avant garde live the natural order of things, was somewhat impaired. rock ‘n’ roll? – CH. but by two grand within a year But it didn’t detract from (see the Issue 39 ad)? Then the cutting edge nature of by Issue 43 the pricing had hit fire sale status with the 01X the production. Sound guys going for a pittance – $1299. I talk about ‘quiet stages’ but mean, blimey, even if the whole generally they’re referring controller side of things ends to the introduction of up being unsupported it’s still in-ear monitoring. When a whole lot of mixer/interface for around a grand. Worth Garbage talks about a looking into if you ask me. – CH.

RIP FIRST WORD Issue 43 signalled the end of Greg no current evidence to prove him wrong. to be loved, many of Greg’s First Words Simmons’ First Word column. That’s But rather than focus on the twitching were remarkably ballsy – he didn’t mind 43 consecutive articles, which is an corpse of First Word, I’d rather celebrate courting controversy, and didn’t mind impressive feat. Why the demise of its long and illustrious life, or, to mangle backing himself. Without those 43 First First Word? Was it because of a falling Shakespeare – I come not to bury First Words AT would be much the poorer and out between Greg and AT? Surely there Word, but to praise it. And there have I’m pleased to report that we’ll be hearing must be some juicy skulduggery and been some crackers – cue the flashback, a lot more of Greg (in between visits to intrigue? Not especially. It had simply soft focus, montage scene – whether it’s Nepal) in the future. – CH. run its course. Saying that, Simmo’s last Issue 1’s bold intro to a new magazine, hurrah includes a very public retort to a or the even bolder condemnation of reference made by Andy to his article in Australian music production (and the the previous issue. Mmm, always nice to subsequent full and humbling retraction), go down fighting. But the nub of the last or Simmo’s perfect one-pager on pulling First Word stems from a long-held Simmo a great live sound (should be a copy on Simmo with Punam (his fiancé) in her view: that without video content, 5.1 as a the fridge of every gigging muso in the family’s tiny Nepalese village. The Nagra V format was a non-starter. Which may not country)… the list goes on. And, as I has been getting quite the workout in the be a popular view, but, let’s face it, there’s alluded to earlier, for a chap who loves last year or two.

“Currently I’m on the brand STEVE ‘CHEER UP IT MIGHT new Paragas Series D NEVER HAPPEN’ ALBINI Issue 43 featured our smarting from his decision Signature editions” interview with ‘the to refuse a royalty from his Godfather of Grunge’, Steve work on Nirvana’s In Utero. AT follows the changing moods of Tom Abraham’s (FOH Albini. Steve’s a legend, Not sure. Fortunately the Engineer for Garbage et al) Cuban cigar smoking. he has his own mud brick article wasn’t intended as studio, and his mic cabinets a guide to transcendental are full of more old Germans happiness, it was all about than a Berlin retirement how Albini manages to village, but apparently all pull some of the toughest the esoteric gear in the sounds around. world can’t guarantee you happiness. Perhaps he’s still

AT 98 There was nothing discovered the perspective- conventional about AT 44. altering Sansamp. “Tchad Most obviously it was an had the pedal so we tried ISSUE 44 unconventional return to putting all the percussion the gear-only cover – in this through it to see what case a wagon-wheel of new it would sound like, and microphony. Then there’s for me, at that moment it the Eels, led by the genius/ was like the sea parted or READERS SPEAK fruit loop, E. Predictably something.” The Sansamp LIVE PROCESSORS & EFFECTS this wasn’t a conventional might have ‘parted’ the ‘sea’ article. For example, when for Mitchell, but it raised (self-confessed Eels tragic) the dead (and every other CAN YOU B’NEVE IT? Mark O’Connor asked miracle you can think of) for Tom Misner had bought his dbx DriveRack 260: “Idiots come (and plug FOH engineer, Josh Paul, favourite console company, stuff in) and idiots go (pull it out again). In Tchad. Legend has it he had about the particulars of injecting some much needed my live (and mainly amateur) environment, a Sansamp retrofitted into cash… and things were on his ‘drum’ setup the reply all 96 channels of his SSL. the move. This ad for the new DriveRack protects my FOH system against went something like this: Don’t quote me on that. 1073 modules spiced things most muso mistakes and lets me sleep nights “the kick drum isn’t a kick Finally, there was nothing be a nice change of pace up with some supermodel- drum. It’s a suitcase – a real type holding her hands to her when others are running the desk.” conventional about the for the next film, maybe head, as if to be doing her Rob Allan actual suitcase.” Apparently Wolf Creek soundtrack something with Paul level best to comprehend the a Shure Beta 91 placed by Franc Tetaz. Torture, Hogan… not sure. But that enormity of the 1073 re-issue. Rane drag & drop DSP: “Extremely easy to inside the portmanteau distress, nails and looks unlikely, unless Hoges Or perhaps the Neve sunnies works a treat. “The snare were giving her a headache. set up, great selection of components, good hammers… Franc’s studio signs on as an extra to be software engineering and the analogue is a real snare, albeit one was the musical equivalent eaten alive by a giant croc. that’s resting in a trash of Mick the Psycho’s shed – CH. interfaces are highly immune to hum and can.” (A Sennheiser 504 is noise.” in the film. One small apparently the way to go confession. My story Peter Patrick for readers after a classic was ambiguous about my trashy snare sound.) BSS DPR 901: “Great for live vocals, EQ movie attendance. Truth Mitchell Froom is a control via compression.” is, I couldn’t sit all the way producer who is attracted through it. I’m a horror Tim Peterson to eccentricities as well. movie lightweight and as Behringer FBQ6200: “Probably one piece of Certainly his long-time soon as it started getting partnership with mix ugly I high-tailed it out of cheap gear I would buy again when it dies engineer, Tchad Blake, there. I came clean with rather than move to a better-known and more changed both their lives. Franc. He looked a bit expensive brand.” He recalled the Los Lobos disappointed but seemed Alan Jackson session back in 1992 to understand. We decided in which he and Tchad a romantic comedy would

BRAD’S ONE-CENT MICROPHONE YOU’VE GOTTA LOVE YAMAHA’S MR K Brad was so astounded by the price of and sound like utter garbage”. After I like it when companies tell the story behind Behringer’s C-2 sub-$100 pair of pencil reminding Brad about the one-cent mic I a new development and being able to put a mics he figured ‘this, surely, is as cheap was a little confounded to learn he still face to an R&D name. So Yamaha should be as it gets’. Hitting the web he nearly fell had them. Also – probably in response commended for K’s Lab logo. We now feel like out of his beanbag to discover a ‘one-cent to Brad’s free publicity – the price of we know Mr K (Kunimoto) – the brains behind mic’ (plus $27.99 shipping). He couldn’t the one-cent mic subsequently went Yamaha’s modelling technology initiatives, help himself, he needed to know what a berserk… $8.99! which started with the VL1 synth and has one-cent mic looked and sounded like. now found its way onto its digital mixers via After banging in some Visa numbers, the Virtual Circuit Modelling add-on effects. the mics arrived quicker than one of Mr K’s unruly mo’, his steely gaze, and his jug Wile E Coyote’s Acme booby traps, ready ears are now familiar to millions. More of to go head-to-head with Behringer’s this please. comparatively ex-y stereo pair. Here’s the verdict: “Trust me, the ‘one-cent mic’ (Left) Brad’s pair of Takstar pencil mics is a total lemon. They sound shrill and with full documentation and certificate of harsh. Would I use the one-cent mic? authenticity. Don’t settle for pale imitations, Not in a pink fit – they’re shonkily made no other one-cent mic cuts it like Takstar.

WOT? A VIRTUAL ACOUSTIC DOOR Peter Brown is an acoustic architect. He’s designed it can leave the room. more broadcast studios than most of us have had I designed the ABC news booths at Southbank, which Chinese takeaway. all feature virtual doors. It’s virtue is that it allows Peter Brown: A ‘virtual door’ is always acoustically people with ‘news flashes’ to enter the booth and closed but always physically open… it helps to be hand the presenter a script – and leave, while the Irish to understand that. Not everyone has a need microphone is open – but without producing the for a ‘virtual door’ or a ‘virtual noise lock’, just like normal door opening and closing noises. not everyone has a need for a ‘pacemaker.’ But if Studio operators could probably see a whole range you need one and haven’t got one, it makes a hell of potential use for this – indeed, the ABC saved the of a difference – 30dB difference in fact… about cost of 25 noise locks by grouping their broadcast the same attenuation as a standard acoustic door. studios off ‘virtual locks’ (same principle). Because, just like a ‘virtual lock’, a ‘virtual door’ keeps noise out of a space but does so without the swinging Another hot application is for venues where you want wooden item on hinges. a rioting dance club rocking its brains out at one end of a room – and a quiet chat bar or restaurant dining How’s it work? Quite simple really: in a small amount happening at the same time at the other end of the of space you provide a very highly absorptive same room – but without the impediment of actual environment that actually soaks up the sound before doors between them.

AT 99 It’s 2006 and almost arsed. It’s like reviewing exactly eight years since Tolstoy’s War & Peace with: ISSUE 45 the release of Issue 1 of Pros – Lots of action; Cons AT. About time to give – Goes on a bit. Anyway, the look of AT bit of a after quite a few issues facelift. Behind closed living with the new format, doors, our graphic designer we’re very pleased with the Heath McCurdy was Pros and Cons. It forces experimenting with fonts, the reviewers to come to No surprises here: Digidesign rules the page sizes, different real-world conclusions interface roost (24.96% for the 002 rack and layouts… it’s a big job about a product. The box is and gave me more of an certainly no substitute for mixer, 10.44% for the Mboxs, and 7.61% for appreciation of the work reading the full review, but the 001, or a formidable total of 43.05% of done by Greg and Philip is a useful adjunct. Digesign respondents… not counting the HD WHY PAY MORE… THAN ONE CENT? for Issue 1. The idea for While lots changed with and TDM hardware nominators in the ‘other’ the redesign was to have If this ad is anything to go Issue 45 many things by, Rode remained blissfully something a little more category). M Audio and Tascam figured highly stayed the same, including in the ‘other’ segment. unaware of Brad’s discovery contemporary without it Rick’s capacity to spin a of the ‘one-cent’ microphone dating to quickly. We were cracking yarn – his tale of (see the Issue 44 wrap on the aware that many people previous page). In answer Tony Turkey has to be one to Rode’s rhetorical “Is the liked the look of AT and of his best yet. Stav puts might resent change. Sure INTERFACES $1.99 microphone coming?”, his money where his mouth the answer is a resounding enough you can’t please is and records a live gig. “yessiree Bob”. But as everyone, but we’ve been For a bloke who’s recorded mentioned earlier, the one- cent mic has since gone up delighted with the response a galaxy of stars over the to the new look. 890% to a clearly ridiculous years, it’s hard to see what $8.99. One of the big changes he gains from recording was the introduction of a a band down at the local pros and cons box for the pub… Fortunately, Stav reviews. Historically we enjoys the process too considered the pros/cons much to be a prima donna to be a bit lazy. After all, a and was happy to give The review takes many hours Crush (and, indeed we the of testing and writing to readers) the benefit of his complete and hopefully expertise. Anyway, musn’t offers the readers real get ahead of myself, the insight, while the brevity of actual recording happens in the pros and cons seems Issue 46! – CH. a little artificial and half-

THE NEVER-ENDING STORY In 2005 Andy effectively had two jobs. where The Whitlams’ Tim Freedman By day he was mild-mannered editor placed a leech on a cheese platter in a of AudioTechnology magazine, while Byron Bay restaurant, but it all went to by night he was recording engineer for show how being a producer or engineer The Whitlams. Andy’s always recording isn’t like being a mechanic. By which I or mixing something for someone, but mean, you’re not some hired hand, the this was different – it was an album that relationship between you and the artist seemingly knew no end – a project that is far more intimate, and if trust and was slated to last weeks lasted months honesty don’t exist during those tracking and months. After yet another recall sessions then the results are, at best, or new session Andy would note, “Well a little disingenuous, and at worst a at least I’ll have plenty of material for complete sham. One thing Andy never an AT article”. And, just like the highly mentioned was where the inspiration successful double album, Andy delivered came for his ‘vocal tent’. I prefer to call it with a great feature. It seemed like ‘The Whitlams Wigwam’, either way it’s a 25 percent of the article was a leadup beauty. – CH. to an (admittedly hilarious) anecdote

“180 metres uphill back to INDISPENSABLE Earlier in the year we spoke of what’s going on around BEN FROST to Ben about collaborating me technologically and the wine and food tents… with Bjork’s engineer in working within parameters Iceland, crazy soundscapes and placing limits on I reckon it was about a and the joys of Ableton myself as a consumer of Live. More recently, Ben that technology. Do I really three iron from FOH” wrote us this perspective. need that new ‘Multi- Giga-Sampler-Deluxe- AT writer Graeme Hague figures a caddy might be Ben Frost: Indispensability: it’s an interesting idea Plus-V10.3.7.8.9-Ultra handier than a Smaart system for this snooty Dame Definition-800Bit- Kiri concert. to consider, in a realm of artistic expression, such as Platinum-Auto-Thing’ or sound, where technology can I work another way? I demands that things are would say that limitations infinitely dispensable... are indispensable. at an alarming rate. So, I guess, if there is a tool that is indispensable it must certainly be a keen knack for ignoring 99%

AT 100 Issue 46’s cover divided vocal overdub… For just opinion: many thought it about any producer it would was the creepiest, most be enough to send them ISSUE 46 disturbing image they’d straight to the funny farm, ever seen; while others but this was Roy Thomas disagreed and reckoned, Baker, and when you have if pressed, they could Bohemian Rhapsody on probably recall seeing your recording CV, this was READERS SPEAK something just as gross just another day at the a some point… But The office. DIGIDESIGN DIGI 002 Darkness was our lead If you thought The Darkness story and it’s hard to find recording sessions I SHOULD BE SO a picture of lead singer LUCKY… “If you really know what you’re doing, you can were involved, then the In much the same way that I Justine Hawkins when he’s achieve results on a 002 very comparable to Commonwealth Games promised to ‘be good’ when not in some hideous Rocky- Opening Ceremony was an dealing with the Gyuto Monks what people were putting out in million-dollar Horror-Frankenfurter cum entirely different league story, I was forced to ‘look studios 15 years ago.” aerobics instructor get-up. of complication. Probably but not touch’ Simmo’s story I have to admit that I was optical multicore, the on David ‘father of world Joe Ferguson the biggest challenge Shure wireless or the music’ Lewiston. For example, one of the conscientious was the MCG itself – an objectors. I wasn’t sure if I L-Acoustics Kudo on-field I swore that there would be “I would be lost without it. We’re engaged to be enormously hostile acoustic PA – all state-of-the-art, all no chance of me heading the married early next year.” could live with those guys environment. But these caption for this shot with staring back at me every highly dependable. – CH. something as flagrantly glib Ben Churchill events are well worth time I pulled out Issue 46, investigating because as “I should be so lucky… and actually voted for a lucky lucky lucky”. It took “This portable equipment now enables me to they really do push the enormous self-control, but I’m multitrack live performances and track song Commonwealth Games technical envelope and proud that I remained true to cover, or more precisely, any equipment that’s my solemn oath. – CH. development and production for our local a black cover with the church albums.” used is unquestionably flying tram on it. Philip rock-solid and/or extremely Alasdair Langridge pointed out that we were innovative. In short, the a magazine for engineers “It comes to gigs. We often use it to check how audio team can’t afford and musicians… and not to carry any passengers. our live sound is going, with a view to one day tram conductors… so I So if a Yamaha PM1D is producing that elusive live album.” demurred. Regardless, the mixing FOH then it’s there Steve Webber actual article was a cracking for good reason, it’s not tale of ’70s-style recording there because they scored “Without this piece of gear my small project excess: 36 mics to record a good deal or someone studio just wouldn’t function at the sound drums; 40 to 50 guitars in was pally with someone quality my clients expect.” the control room; 160 guitar else, ditto the Dolby Lake parts on a typical song; 160 Marz Merlini processors, the Opticore

WHO’D HAVE THOUGHT? APOLOGIES Who would have thought that we’d still After plodding around the MCG about 10 have ‘powered brick’ mixers in 2006? But times and taking a couple of Gig worth of sure enough, Yamaha swears that there’s digital photos, when we went to lay-up the still a thriving market for these relics of Commonwealth Games story it came as the ’70s. Actually, that’s a little unfair, a surprise to us all that we didn’t have a the ‘Next Gen’ bricks are pretty darn picture of Audio Director Scott Willsallen. sophisticated with SPX effects, graphics We were forced to pull out a shot from etc etc. While I’m on the ‘who’d have our Rugby World Cup story, where thought’ train of thought, if I’m not very Swa was doing his best Neo ‘storm the much mistaken, I think Korg still makes Nebuchadnezzar’ impression. Which wasn’t a tape-based four-track recorder. If you very fair to FOH engineer, Ian Shapcott, know anyone who has recently purchased who on the same page didn’t have time to a four-track tape machine I think they grab his full-length Morpheus leather coat, should be named and shamed – call in on opting instead for this little dayglo OH&S the usual numbers. number.

INDISPENSABLE report. soon over listening to my this thing. Then, when I’m BRAD WATTS “If the eyes are the Brad Watts: The one piece larger monitors all day doing some serious mixing I of kit I really would rather because it just wears my love that pair of VU meters. windows to the soul, the not do without is this ears out. I wouldn’t say And there’s a phase meter weird monitoring device they sound better than between the two VUs that’s sung voice is surely the – I‘ve seen them used my Auratones but it’s a is spot on – really handy in broadcast situations similar thing, especially for for showing up totally out- front door.” mostly. It’s called a GA-114 listening to music all day. of-phase stereo material. Paul McKercher kicks off his vocal recording tutorial Audio Monitor Bridge Usually it receives a 0dBFS As soon as the phase goes in style. and they’re made by an feed from my mix bus sideways a red LED comes Australian company in via a software spectrum on. It takes balanced inputs Brad is one of the main Sydney called Practel. analyser – which is how or RCA inputs, and you can writing pillars AT’s been I really missed my VU I use it when I’m mixing change the reference input built on since Issue 1. meters when I abandoned and listening via my big levels from –10 to +16dBu. After years living in inner my way-too-big console. monitors. When I’m sitting It’s really neat, I’ve just got Sydney warehouses (often This has nice big VU meters around writing reviews to get some lights sorted with Simmo as a boarder) and a pair of three-inch for AudioTechnology, out for the meters. he’s now jumped ship to speakers that sound playing whatever music Brisbane, from where he alright, powered by little I’ve rummaged out of the files this indispensable 7W RMS amplifiers. I’m iTunes library, I listen to

AT 101 MATHS, SONY STYLE Occasionally AT is accused Bastard’ magazine with I know Sony is one of the most of being a little high brow its fat cigars, ridiculous powerful corporations on the ISSUE 47 and high-handed. (Which is ‘Greg Norman’ boats, and planet but I think it’s just a a claim I totally and utterly ‘Brad Pitt’ wrist watches. little high-handed to re-write bloody refute and if anyone But that’s only half the the rules of basic arithmetic to suit its marketing wants to say it to my face story. AT reviews gear purposes. they know where to bloody it finds interesting, and find me… that’s meant as the assumption is you, an ironic joke, for those the reader, will find it READERS SPEAK wondering.) I’d agree at interesting too. And times that the equipment being interested doesn’t DIGIDESIGN MBOX/MBOX2 we review is often out of necessarily mean you have the reach of most mere the financial wherewithal mortals. Issue 47 is a pretty to make a purchase. For “Mbox finally allowed engineers to work good example of this. Let’s example, only a couple of outside of their studios. Great records are now take a look at what’s on hundred people worldwide being mixed on airplanes! And they look cute, RICK PROCREATES the smorgasboard: Rupert could afford that stupidly too.” Readers of Issue 47 were Neve’s Portico gear (around expensive new Bugatti Ashley Mortimer given their first glimpse $2.5k – $3k), the latest Veyron, but millions of of Dylan, Rick’s first born. Eventide Harmonizer people wanted to read “Servicable pre’s and rock-solid reliability.” Apparently Andy was under ($6.5k), a preview of the about it. Furthermore, on David Rogers the illusion that some soon-to-be-released EAW the other side of the coin, 10-year-old pact was still digital mixer (circa $95k), Issue 47 also sees reviews “It lets bands/artists pre-produce. More time in place… no baby photos the Neve summing mixer of eight products under can be spent on vibe and tone rather than: do in the magazine. But Rick’s ($5k), the latest top-of- a grand. And there was you think this chord sounds good?” paternal pride got the better the-line Shure wireless certainly lots to talk about. Simon Ashby of him… could happen to (around $4k to get started), The Novation ReMote SL anyone really. the Midas XL8 digital was automatically loading “At a price anyone can afford (c’mon just give monster ($500k-plus), and up templates for its control up a couple of big nights).” Chandler’s Germanium surface, Sony’s Acid Pro (about $2k). All up, that’s has been under Ableton Nik Buchanan about $620,000-worth Live’s kosh but come out “It sounds great. It doesn’t break down. It runs of new kit. Which is a lot fighting with some great of moola, and probably a new features in v6, while my Midi gear. It’s the go.” pricier smorgasbord than Behringer and Edirol were Vern Connor any comparable magazine competing in the tough “If it were gone – I’d be screwed… and bored.” on the Australian news ‘interface for under $500’ stands would be offering market. – CH. Paul Wood – except perhaps for ‘Rich

HOW TO GET FREE GEAR Thought that would get your attention, than call yourself ‘Joey Sennheiser a country singer then the obvious move but the acquisition of free gear is never & The Evolutionaries’ or how about is to call yourself Yammy Wynette, while “Lurking underneath easy and this tip will come at a price… to ‘bAKGround Noise’? But it’s not all about aspiring lounge lizards should instantly your reputation that is. It occurred to me, stage gear or even hardware, software change their names to Yammy Davis Jnr. are mammoth gobs as I was looking at a Shure advertisement endorsements are all the rage as well. As for Scandinavian popsters, Aha? Well, of cutting-edge in Issue 47, that what better way of For example, just think of the money they could have been bigger than Abba scoring a Shure endorsement than to Tool could have saved if they’d called if only they had the forethought to call grunt.” have the word ‘Shure’ in your stage themselves ’Tools? But, ultimately, I don’t themselves Yam-Aha. You may chuckle… name. Shure enough, MC Shureshock, think it gets any better than a Yamaha but mark my words, it’s only a matter of Brad has his wicked way with words, was given the nod – you could say it endorsement. Yamaha makes everything time. – CH. in this case describing the latest Ultra was a Shure thing – free mics all ‘round. from mixers, amps and speakers to surf Harmonizer. Don’t expect this quote to be It then got me thinking about what skis and diesel generators, and that’s on the Eventide homepage, though. up-and-coming bands and artists should some action I think we could all benefit be calling themselves in order to get on from. A pipedream? I think not. I can the endorsee gravy train. Want loads of assure you, all the outboard motors are microphones? Then you could do worse well within reach and here’s how. If you’re

FOR SALE: GOLDEN doesn’t fit anywhere’. Sefton (wherever that is) assaulted by the ballistic flung them down like the I needed to trust the old EARS, $2500 ono Amidst the $15 dentures purchased the ears and pops, and had my eardrums false prophets they were! set that I’d had since birth and ‘as new’ chewing gum, eagerly returned home to vigorously sandpapered Suddenly the world turned – that was the sound I I saw the following ad: ‘set test ’em out. Cripes they by the crackle; I began to to sonic porridge again. knew the best, the one I Some few years back I of Golden Ears for sale, were powerful! When I notice a strange, almost Muffled birds began to understood, the one that was trawling through a from estate of respected went to play my DX-7 all I inescapable metallic sing at the window and ‘put it all together’ for copy of the Trading Post sound engineer, good could hear was the aliasing resonance, that pervaded I picked out a melody. me. So I put the Golden looking for bargains. (For condition $2500 ono’. on the output converters. the entire sound, a kind The now-distant Yes Ears on the shelf and those cyber kids who’ve Now I’d heard about these I turned on my old TEAC of tribute to the special album sounded like music that’s where they sit. I still never heard of the Trading ‘golden ears’ from people 3340 tape machine and not pain that only the devil’s again, and I found myself polish them occasionally, Post, go ask your parents.) who’d mastered records in only was the hiss beyond own frequency of 4kHz smiling. Perhaps I didn’t and bring them out for Anyway I’d failed to find The States, and I thought imagining, the rumble I’d can deliver. It wasn’t just a need to hear everything. reviewing gear in AT, but anything of interest in the that maybe I’d snap ‘em up never even suspected of resonance, it was more like Perhaps in that search they didn’t make me happy. ‘Musical Instruments’ and and see whether I could being there was obscenely a Four Corners report on for perfection I’d missed My favourite bit of gear is ‘Band Equipment’ listings become instantly better entangling itself with the all that was wrong with the out on the simple joy of still right where it’s always and found myself glancing at my job – in the process, wow and flutter… Then world of 4kHz and it was music, of rising above the been, attached to the idly through a section ruling the local mastering I put on a record, not just drawing me in, ineluctably. imperfections – be they sides of my head! – William rather ambitiously entitled: scene from a lofty golden any record, a DMM copy I was losing any sense that sampling rates, a dud snare Bowden. ‘Bargains Bizarre’, which tower. of a Yes album. Once I’d other frequencies even sound, or an amp hum. I really was a euphemism for been staggered by the existed any more... I ripped So I headed off to didn’t need that new set ‘miscellaneous shite that surface noise, physically off the golden ears and of ears to do a good job,

AT 102 It’s amazing how good Some bloke comes every things can arise out six months to check my complete desperation. It meter’ camp. Some of those ISSUE 48 was about 24 hours until letters were printed in Issue deadline and the office 49’s Stav’s Word, while was simmering… we further responses have were running well behind been published this issue in schedule and no one had Your Word. One thing’s for READERS SPEAK the first idea about what sure, Stav has put the VU the hell we could put on back on the map, which is a INTERFACES the cover. There weren’t wonderful thing. LOSS OF FLAVOR any obvious ‘cover’ pics so Issue 48 welcomed Mr When I get an engineer’s we collectively decided Rupert Neve back into the discography it never occurs MOTU 828 mkII: “It’s the hub of my studio to take five deep breaths to me that some of it may, in and has allowed me the flexibility to gradually pages of AT, some 45 issues fact, be a total fabrication. and ‘do a de Bono’… think on. Now in his ’80s Rupert I’m guessing mix engineer, add to my gear rack. Without it I’d just have laterally. From that hair- has retained his passion David Pensado, may have lots of boxes that couldn’t talk to each other.” tearing moment emerged for hands-on audio design. had someone, at some time, butterfly-like one of the question his credentials, Tim O’Brien Few individuals in the audio best-looking covers AT has industry can speak from because it looks like he’s got ever released. Aesthetics a happy snap of himself with RME Fireface 800: Sounds great, is extremely personal experience about every artist he’s ever worked flexible, and it’s rock solid!” aside, the VU theme was audio design in all decades with. We included a few in our important and it gave from the ’40s until the feature article in Issue 38 but Andre Young due prominence to Stav’s there were a number of others present. His experience RME Multiface: “For me it’s the most flexible paean to an endangered and knowledge is quite that was just too gruesome studio species. Stav will to print at the time. Take, audio converter to carry around, and has a extraordinary, and it was a happily admit that he’s not for example, this gem of D really nice sound to it.” pleasure to see his insights Pensado with a very worn-out the No.1 ticket holder to Oliver Koenig once again published in Flavor Flav. I recall a story the PPM fanclub and he AT. – CH. regarding Flav, where some provocatively (and quite bozo asked him why he wore RME ADI-8 Pro: “Brilliant low jitter intentionally) sank the a clock around his neck. His wordclock (the guts of any studio with digital reply? ‘So I know what time it slipper into peak metering is.’ If this photo is anything to I/O), great I/O options (including secondary at the expense of ‘juicy’ go by you wonder if his retort Adat sends), and pristine A/D D/A.” VUs. It certainly mobilised might now be the same, only Carl Dedic the readership into three this time without the anti- distinct camps: the ‘Go Stav, establishment irony. bring back the VU’ camp; the ‘Get nicked, PPM has got all I need’ camp; and the not so switched on ‘Huh?

WHERE’S M’SPECS? COVER – ALL GOOD Simmo’s editorial made some great heard some terrible CDs in my time, some meaningful comparisons between We were bombarded with positive points about specifications, and how I’d hate for it to sound like those. Oh, I products. But who’s going to do that? comments about the look of the Issue 48 they are at best ambiguous and at see, you mean 16-bit/44.1kHz? Gotcha. The AES? Those I’ve spoken to believe cover, except from the Audio-Technica worst meaningless… at least not Anyway, terms like ‘CD quality’ concealed that the AES simply wouldn’t have the importers, TAG, who were a trifle miffed without certain qualifiers that explain a multitude of evils, as two 16/44.1 political will to go through that process, that their ‘It’s All Good’ metering didn’t the conditions the measurements were interfaces/recorders could, for example, there would be too many powerful make the cover. taken under. Unfortunately, the quoting have vastly different dynamic range external pressures coercing the AES into of meaningful specifications has been specs. This is not golden-eared finessing not bothering. Which is a pity. – CH. hi-jacked the marketeers – if your that we’re talking about, it would be product doesn’t spec out as well as your obvious to even the cloth-eared that competition then find a way to match a $10k ‘CD Quality’ converter sounded them by altering the testing criteria. The far better than the $100 ‘CD Quality’ rot really started when digital was eating converters you might find in a cheap into analogue’s heartland. Does everyone portable studio. Anyway, it’s clearly remember the term ‘CD Quality’ that evident that the great unregulated circus would be plastered across brochures? of specs could do with standardising, I mean, the ‘quality’ of which CD? I’ve such that consumers could actually make

INDISPENSABLE Dear AT, congratulations on which the consumer is up quarrelling with his wife. the opinions of others to RUPERT NEVE reaching your 50th. left to search still, for (Well, maybe that’s not the really start understanding Perusing the pages it seems that elusive but satisfying only reason!). the difference. And this that the magazine set out experience that he probably Values are too readily is where you come in. You on an ambitious journey that can’t define and ends up despised and dismissed, I have recruited a team of is far from easy! frustrated, even angry! think mainly because there’s contributors who can be You know the work that relied upon. We, the readers, The world – not only the no point of reference. has been done showing So how do you recognise may not always agree with world of audio – is set that extremely low level them but based upon their on a lemming-like race, quality without going to artifacts, below normal concerts, listening to live experience with exposure to rushing towards… well, hearing threshold and gear that enables them to what? ‘More’ and ‘cheaper’ music or even a good Church beyond accepted human choir and (pipe) organ (I make comparisons, we are if you read the ads, watch frequency response, can measurably better off. TV or even browse the mean non-amplified or actually cause the brain electrically processed – why Keep the values high and the shop windows. But where to transmit measurable are the values of quality, do I have to define the ‘real flag flying! electric waves of the type thing’ anyway?). permanence, and integrity? associated with frustration. God bless you. Yes, these things might Instead of our prototype But even then most of us Rupert. cost more but they’re the listener coming home to need some guidance. We cornerstones without relax with his music, he ends need to listen to and read

AT 103 And here we are at the I often find ourselves in end of our journey of hysterics over a caption or ISSUE 49 retrospection – from Issue a quip. Of course, things are 1 through to 49. It’s been always funnier in the middle quite a journey, which of the night, but I believe invites some insights humour is one element – ‘compare and contrast’ as that sets us apart from I recall my Year 12 English much of our international exam saying. Well, for competition… especially READERS HAVE SPOKEN & A WINNER starters, I can’t imagine the Yanks (bless their Issue 1 entertaining the cottons). That and the fact THEN & NOW – idea of a cartoon! Issue we don’t mind looking at Just to put a line under these responses, I THE APPLE MAC 49’s A&R Guy is a beauty the occasional left-of-field feel it necessary to mention Les Molnar, Ross and we hope it’ll become audio project. Years ago, it Waldron, Geoff Allen, Aaron Marshall, Current Mac 1st Quarter a semi-regular resident in was drummed into me as an 1998: Power Mac G3 Mini Karl Schaal, David Luscombe, and Darren –Tower the magazine. What else editorial assistant that if has changed? Obviously the the stories are interesting McLennan, who all quite rightly pointed out Price: $3995 look of AT is very different. that without their ears none of this gear would Processor: 1 x Motorola Power enough it doesn’t matter PC 750 G3 We hope it remains clean, if it’s a recording article, be much chop, while Sean O’Reilly was the Processor Speeds: Up to thoughtfully designed and broadcast, post production, only suck who nominated AudioTechnology 300MHz easy to read – occasionally live sound, archiving, Cache: 64kB L1, 512kB or 1MB certain spreads lack some magazine – we’re humbled Sean, thanks. backside cache L2 multimedia, audiophile, or System Bus: 66MHz legibility and we store whatever, people will read The poll only closed a few days prior to Hard Drive: up to 9GB those in the ‘don’t do again’ it and enjoy it. That’s our finishing the magazine. This has made it Media Options: 24 x CDROM, memory bank. Naturally, aim. (A case in point is the DVD ROM, 1.44MB Floppy difficult for Andy, myself and the other senior Drive, Zip there’s more confidence in Surfing Safari story in Issue Maximum RAM: 768MB the tone and writing of the 49. It’s just a darn good members of the AT brains trust to come to RAM Speed: 66MHz magazine – when you’re the any sort of conclusions about our own vote for audio yarn.) If we stray from Current Mac for August new kid you don’t always that ideal, then you have indispensability. So, you’ll have to excuse us as 2006: Mac Pro know if anyone will like you, permission to give Andy or we postpone our own awards/nominations. Price: $3999 (base model) but after a while you relax myself a serve. – CH. Processor: 2 x Intel and grow into the job. I’m But I can announce the winner of the SSL Processor Speeds: (all dual) proud of the fact that we Duende. Credit must go to Michael Carpenter 2.0, 2.6 or 3.0GHz don’t take ourselves too Cache: 4MB shared L2 cache and James Dean for making an eloquent case per processor seriously. We like to get for ProTools LE, also a special mention to System Bus: dual 1.33GHz things right and we spend Hard Drive: Up to 500GB a lot of time on the (dare I Daniel Arena for making us chuckle and to Media Options: 16x say it) one-percenters, but Pete Clay for his heartfelt enthusiasm. But, for Superdrive for DVD+R DL/DVD± RW/CD-RW at the same time Andy and mine, the winner is David Sims for his poetic Maximum RAM: 16GB description of his mic stands… indispensable. RAM Speed: 667MHz

DIGITAL FUTURE INSTANT CLASSIC It was way back in Issue 4 that Scott on-line experience. As it turned out, the advice about the best way to encode your The KUDO Kangaroo ad is an instant Christie tackled the thorny issue of web was pivotal to audio people, only not tunes but ultimately it’s a primer on how classic. I mean, you really would think ‘Preparing Audio for the Internet’. In his in the way Scott Christie or I necessarily to market yourself on the Internet. And twice going into the ring with this guy opening paragraph he mentions that anticipated. In those early days we that’s what the web’s turned into, a great – he looks totally up for some real biffo. “audio has not been really integrated were explaining key concepts like data big advertisement, and the struggle is to into web design in a meaningful way…” reduction (compression), masking be heard among the background hubbub but adds this: “as bandwidth increases, and perceptual encoding. It somewhat of millions of voices. –CH. the relevance of audio in web design will reminds me of when a Vic 20 computer increase to open up a thriving area of arrived at my school and we were all audio production.” Looking back, it felt taught some rudimentary programming that the Internet was going to be another in Basic. Yes, it’s handy to know big area for audio people to find work. It programming, but for our purposes it’s was another area we all needed to know more about getting the most out of the about because soon web designers would applications. Now head back to 2006 and be coming to us to prepare the sound Gomez’s article on getting the most out that would be such an integral part of our of your MySpace site. Yes, there’s some

“It’s supposed to be a INDISPENSABLE when working in the same Tibet! They’re slightly when I’m in a situation that GREG SIMMONS space as the musicians, or bass shy compared to the requires extreme isolation. ‘drinking, get amongst it’ whenever there’s a lot of HD650s, but I prefer that As an added bonus, their If we define indispensable background noise in the to the boxy and honky extra isolation means beer” as being crucial, vital or monitoring space. sound commonly found in I don’t have to monitor essential, then the most other closed designs. so loud in order to hear Eskimo Joe engineer, Matt Lovell, plays the grand For situations where indispensable items in my the recorded sound over marketeer for his own commercial brew. kit would probably be three reasonable isolation is Sometimes the DT250’s required, I use the Beyer 18dB of isolation isn’t the spill. That’s good for pairs of headphones. First hearing preservation. are the ultra-comfortable DT250s. They’re the only enough. For those Sennheiser HD650s, which closed headphones that situations I have a pair of One more thing I’d like to I can wear all day long I actually like; they don’t Direct Sound’s Extreme add to my indispensable without any complaints. sound boxy or honky, Isolation headphones that list is a liquid called Their outrageously flat they’re quite comfortable offer 28dB of isolation. Audiclean. I regularly use frequency response and when worn for extended They’re not the most it to keep my ear canals low distortion make them periods, and they offer comfortable or best clean and healthy. After perfect for delivering an 18dB of isolation. They’re sounding headphones in my all, my ears are really the accurate representation of also very rugged – mine live kit, but I can forgive their most indispensable items the sound being recorded, in my day bag and travel shortcomings because in my kit… but they have a practical with me everywhere I go, they’re far more useful and limitation – their open including three recording informative than either the design makes them useless treks through Nepal and HD650s or the DT250s

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