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Circle (1) on Rapid Facts Card www.americanradiohistory.com Leading experts in recording, `ilm post-production WHEN IT and live sound are discovering he many advan- tages of the Behringer 2 -chanr el and 8- channel DeNoisers. They know Behringer takes the noise out of the dirtiest signal path vithout altering the audio quality. Their reactions s low why Behringer CAME TO is now the most talked about r ame in professional audio circles. "Simply lovely. Smiles all around. Room agreement was unanimous: We want this Ming on all our tracks." Mike Joseph- Editor R P, March 1992 BEHRINGER "I have used similar 'single- en0ed' devices on the mixes of 'Ghost' and 'Godfather Ill' and found the Behringer Mark Ill to be superior in every category -from ease of opera ion to final result.

"Consequently, I am -witho it hesitation - WE LET THE recommending to LucasArts /SI ywalker Sound that they buy at least four channel of Behringer Mark Ill DeNoising for each mix ng console here and in Los Angeles; a total of twelve mixing rooms." Walter Murch -Film Editor and Nusic Mixer, EXPERTS LucasArts /Skywalker Sound "If the phrase noise floor is in your vocabulary and you would prefer that it was n )t, get a Behringer single ended noise reduction unit to the top of your got to have one list." Robert Scovill -Sound MAKE THE Engineer/Mixer, Rush /Def Leppard The experts know why Behringer DeNoisers let them take the noise out and lave the audio quality in. Isn't it time yar discovered all the good things NOISE. Behringer can do for your and a? THE PERFECT EAR. BEHRINGER\

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Circus (3) on Rapid Facts Card www.americanradiohistory.com Volume 23, No. 8

August 1992

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REP Interview: Lindsey Buckingham 16 Return of the soul lifter. By: Dan Levitin San Francisco's Hyde Street Studios: Then and Now 22 Before Hyde Street Studios, there was Wally Heider and the original San Francisco Sound. By: Jennifer Maxwell, Nicole Sanchez and Dan Levitin Updating a Classic 26 Hyde Street Studio A gets a Neve 8048 and an ATR-124. 13 By: John LaGrou Audio Noise and AC Systems Revisited 30 Rethinking studio electrical systems. By: Martin Glasband Courtroom Production: The Jeffrey Dahmer Trial 35 Providing audio production for gavel -to-gavel coverage of a major national trial. By: Ray Fister Modern Mic Preamps 38 Checking up on the current state of electronic front ends. By: John LaGrou Hands On: Ramsa WR -S4424 49 By: Jim Williams

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From the Top 5 Guest Editorial 6 Letters 8 Random Access 10 Fresh Tracks 13 CompuServe Reply Card 32A -32B Live & Direct 44 REP Handbook 45 Digital Domain 46 26 REP: On -Line 47 Sound Business 48 First Look 53 Cutting Edge 54 Johnny Yuma Studios in Burbank, CA. Rapid Facts Cards 65 Design by John Storyk and Ted Rothstein. Subscriber Cards 67

REP and Uve Sound! and Touring Technology now have a presence on the CompuServe Information Service network! Submit article ideas, create Letters- to -the- Editor, download articles from our On -Line library or have a "live" conversation with our staff and contributors on the REP: On -Line Forum. To receive a free CompuServe membership and sign -up kit, courtesy of REP, dial 1-800-524-3388 in the U.S. or Canada and ask for representative 11232. Once on the network, type GO REPMAG at any prompt to navigate directly to the MIDI VENDER FORUM, SECTION 14. Or reach the Editor's Mailbox at 75300,3141 by typing GO MAIL at any prompt. See you On -Line!

REP: Bernd ingEnglneeringProduetlon (ISSN 1058 -9678) is published monthly by Intertec Publishing Corporation. 9800 Metcalf, Overland Park. KS 66212 -2215. Subscriptions rates are $26 to qualified readers. 530 to non-qualified readers per year in the United Slates. 550 for qualified and 560 for non -qualified per year outside the United States. Optional airmail for non - qualified readers outside the United States is also available for an additional 555 per year. Foreign subscriptions are payable in U.S. funds only by bank check or money order. Adjustments necessitated by subscription termination at single copy rate. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to REP: Re ordingEngineeringProducllon P.O. Box 12960, Overland Park. KS 66282. Second -lass postage paid at Shawnee Mission. KS 66202 and additional mailing offices.

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2 REP August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com WAVE TONE O I)TIL EXEC

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The DPM® SP/SX sampling system is a phenomenal The DPM ® SX Sampling Xpander nodule allows you value. Costing thousands less than comparable units from to digitally record your own 16 -bit samples and send our competitors, and hundreds less than most low end them over SCSI to the SP or in the s 'andard SDS format systems, the SP /SX combination represents the most to your DPM 3 or other compatible nstrument. powerful, yet affordable, full- featured 16 -bit sampling system on the market today! Up until now, high -quality samplin)tas been something that was out of reach for most peopl . Not only because The DPM® SP rack -mount sample playback module offers of the expense, but because of the tedious time and effort

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What We've Learned (or the presenc f a good consultant), EDITOR and a little bit of ash flow, these irrita- Mike Joseph tions be addre- ed - noticed, mea- FEATURES EDITOR sured and fixed Anthony McLean Audio architecture: the art and sci- And let's not f get the most impor- GRAPHIC DESIGNER i lice of designing a room so that its tant measuring ool of all: our ears. Kim Bracken acoustic qualities are not only aes- Along with the her senses, our ears ASSOCIATE EDITOR thetically pleasing, but easily managed. tell us, via ambie t influence, that we're Joe Ramsey Whether bright, mellow, tight or big, a in a normal, co rtable environment; DIRECTORY EDITOR studio (read: recording production that things are unding good or bad Pat Blanton space) and the associated monitoring in general. They rovide the "all's fine" SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR control room should be comfortable reference point, : ainst which we judge Tom Cook and please all of the senses. other sensory i puts, along with the CONSULTING EDITORS There are many types of production specific sounds e hear. John Mon forte, Technical Consultant spaces and monitoring environments With syntheti . sampled sources, or David Scheirman, Live Performance these days, made possible by record- upon signal pia ack, it's the speakers Laurel Cash -Jones, Editorial Consultant ing technology and our better under- and their acous interaction with the Sarah Coleman, Washington Correspondent standing of how to make rooms func- space that defi s our world. Fortu- Dan Levitin, Music Production Editor tion more efficiently. (See this month's nately - and t s is a major point to Rich Schwartz, Contributing Editor "Sound Business" on page 48 for a make - monito g loudspeakers have Mark Herman, Contributing Editor clear and concise commentary from improved multi Id in the past several designer Francis Daniel on that sub- years. If you're ill cutting on the big ject.) The black art aspect today has monoliths in t wall and mixing on GROUP VICE PRESIDENT been minimized, thanks to a strong the black h i boxes on the bridge, Cameron Bishop little via TEF, PUBLISHER dose of science administered wake up and s Il the morning! Most Dennis Milan MLSSA, Audio Precision and a handful of the small, (al it somewhat pricey) MARKETING DIRECTOR of other measuring tools. powered 2-way onitors are simply Darren Sextro It's not unusual to see facilities that amazing, much r etter than anything GROUP SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR are virtually all control room, with from five years past. Phase linearity, Czatdana (Dana) Irian only an iso room for the acoustic part wave front alig ent, frequency flat - PROMOTIONS COORDINATOR of the recording. Thanks to near -fields ness, bass ext sion, freedom from Sue Edwards and more rational mixing levels, lighter crossover colo tion, lack of high-end ADVERTISING BUSINESS MANAGER basic acoustic treatment often works weirdness - all re well under control Dee Unger fine here. No, 1 -inch wallboard won't and not the we . link in the chain that ADVERTISING PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR stop an SVT bottom, but not everyone they used to be. d you never thought Mary Bimbaum cuts speed -metal grunge bands in high - 1920s technolo could be tweaked- ADVERTISING COORDINATOR rise office buildings, either. out so well! Pat Eisenman Let's not forget that in a recording Put all of thes elements together in CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING COORDINATOR environment, there's more than acous- a package - th technology, the con- Mia Fountain tics involved in what makes a room trol elements, t e better understand- work. As Francis points out, quite a few ing of acoustic - and what do you good sounds have come out of "acous- have? The ave .e audio production PRESIDENT tically questionable spaces." practitioner in 92 has a much easier R.J. Hancock Part of the so-called "project studio" time than ever fore. Where before CORPORATE CIRCULATION DIRECTOR allure lies in the innate comfort offered we had the abili to get a good vs. bad Sandra Stewart by living room /bedroom environ- sound out of a instrument in a pur- CIRCULATION COORDINATOR ments. The rugs are thick, the couches pose -built roo today we have the Susan Link plush, and the windows are plentiful. ability to get d ens of different good CUSTOMER SERVICE The acoustics may not derive from bad 913-967-1711 sounds, or the istically sound, Heaven, but it's what's coming through too, if we want REP is an applications -based publication targeted at the speakers on playback that counts! Today, we're t t fighting the room, professional individuals and companies active In the Is ommercial business of studio and field recording, audio traffic getting in, or are the guitar the neighbors, e monitors, and the t. it video. live sound productionand related fields. Edito- blats getting out? What's bothering listening enviro ent, or we shouldn't rial content includes descriptions and demonstrations of the little, old lady next door? Is the be if we're dol it right with our audio production techniques, new products, equipment - application, maintenance and audio environment design. bottom end limited by your EQ or the eyes (and ear open. We have the rattling light fixture? Are you really devices and ex rience to get what we Member, Business Publications Audit of Circulation hearing the comb filtering Introduced want. No matt if we're doing it "le- Sustaining member, Audio Engineering Society Sustaining member of Acoustical Society of America by the two mics on the acoustic guitar, gaily" in a co ercial space, or for Member, International Communications Industries or by the side wall two feet from your ourselves in a s ailed project space, Association right ear? Associate member, Society of Professional Audio ain't life grand? Recording Services Every studio suffers some of these ©1992 by Intertec Publishing. All rights reserved. things to a degree, but with the right Mike Joseph location, some knowledge of physics Editor

August 1992 R E P 5 www.americanradiohistory.com Gtte4/1 Es4,104241 CAN YOU HANDLE IT? Explore the power of the new H3500 Dyrorow:c Ultra -Harmonizer® only at these selected Eventide dealers. edge and understanding of equipment NORTHEAST Truth and Audio operation, applications, specs, features, or design and construction con- AudioTechniques, From: Mark Parsons, Parsons Audio, siderations. They may depend too New York, NY 212 -586-5989 Wellesley Hills, MA much upon imperfectly understood AVR, information, often as a result of inad- Watertown, MA 617 -924 -0660 equate education in audio fundamen- Victor's Pro Audio, It was a pleasure to read Wynne tals. They rely upon information that Smith's Ridgewood, NJ 201 -652 -5802 recent interview with Rupert we all know tells us less than the whole Neve (R-E-P, February 1992). Ms. Smith story. Among other difficulties, which MID ATLANTIC goes with some depth into Mr. Nevé s Mr. Neve alludes to, is that people can Washington Professional Systems, experiences and into the principles always perceive more than they and philosophy can Wheaton, MD 301- 942 -6800 that guide his work. measure. We always suffer for want of His ideas are worth noting on their new standards of measurement that SOUTHEAST merits; more so given his accomplish- need to be devised. Now, as at all ments Harris Audio Systems, through the heyday of Neve stages of human history, the work of consoles, North Miami, FL 305- 944 -4448 with Focusrite, and now with science is never done. Objective pro- Amek. More than instructive, he ad- cesses are forever in need of refine- Techstar Services, dresses issues that underlie the work ment. They are never enough. Nashville, TN 615- 242 -2925 of everyone in our profession: What is Many of us fare no better with our NORTH CENTRAL perfection in audio design and repro- subjective criteria, which can be crude duction? What Pyramid Audio, does truth have to do at best, even irrelevant. They give too with it? What do people perceive when much voice to our weaknesses, to South Holland, IL 708 -339 -8014 listening? What the ought to be our aspira- more facile lessons of our experience: Make `N Music, tions when developing and usingequip- our vanities, habits, biases and atti- Homewood, IL 708 -799 -1970 ment? With what amalgam of objec- tudes; errant intuitions; intellectual tive and subjective processes should we American Pro Audio, laziness; comfort with outmoded tech- Minneapolis, MN 612- 938 -7777 go about achieving those aspirations? nology. They give too little voice to It would be nice to read further dis- our strengths: willingness to learn, to SOUTH CENTRAL cussion of such matters in your pages. imagine, to seek inspiration, to explore Advance Digital Corporation, They are relevant to your readers' new possibilities, to improve, espe- work: how Dallas, TX 214 -742 -5345 to look and listen; how to cially to question our entrenched opin- judge; how to understand the forces ions. Even among experienced profes- NORTHWEST that affect our choices; how best to sionals, especially when (as now) tech- Leo's Professional Audio, apply the lessons of our experience; nologies are changing dramatically, Oakland, CA 510 -652 -1553 how to know and achieve what is pos- we sometimes find unnerving confu- Audio Images, sible; how to know what is most appro- sion when choosing tools especially priate. Answers - San Francisco, CA 415- 957-9131 to such questions de- when assessing items like DAWs, termine our so- decisions as buyers, prod- phisticated consoles and console au- Audio Images, uct designers, equipment manufactur- tomation, machine control systems, Seattle, WA 206- 285 -9680 ers, producers, engineers, salespeople, monitor speakers, converters, etc. It MOUNTAIN & SOUTHWEST etc. They help determine what devices often seems to us that, when faced our artists use when creating and per- with a difficult buying decision, an Klay Anderson Audio, forming. They affect the quality of the honest customer is almost always a Salt Lake City, UT 801- 272 -1814 sound and artistry that we help bring groping one (and for that reason among to listeners' ears, minds and SOUTHWEST souls. others - an honest salesperson is the They help determine people's well- only kind to have). Westlake Audio, being, including our own. They are The pressure is on us all to keep Los Angeles, CA 213 -851 -9800 issues for us as individuals, and they learning both what is measurable and Coast Recording Equipment, are issues for audio people as a com- what is not. Your magazine helps, es- Hollywood, CA 213 -462 -6058 munity-as people work who together. pecially regarding what is measurable. At my we Make `N Music, company spend our work- But it could help more by occasionally ing hours helping people North Hollywood, CA 818- 763 -5200 to buy pro- looking deeper. To be sure, our work is fessional audio wares - hard, soft and more about applying ideas than ques- Micworks, firm. We witness how people choose tioning them. Who among us doesn't Huntington Beach, CA 714 -898 -7373 those wares. We see that the equip- benefit from an occasional intellectual New World Music & Sound, ment evaluation processes of buyers degaussing, head cleaning, search and sellers for San Diego, CA 619 -569 -1944 can be less than adequate. the cold solder joints in our minds, Both may suffer from limited aware- etc.? Could REP occasionally be a ness of what choices are available. forum for such? Mightn't it be valuable Objective evaluation processes - es- to your readers? pecially when applied to new tech- One Alsan Way Little Ferry NJ 07643 nologies - may suffer for lack of knowl- Tel: 201 -641 -1200 Fax: 201 -641 -1640

6 R E P August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com DFX-SAMPLINC. 0000 0000 DODta00,M

rosIiIv[IY URIIlIANI ¡HE NEW H3500 Ìe4.441' ULTRA- HARMONIZER : IT PUTS DIGITAL EFFECTS IN A VERY DIFFERENT LIGHT.

Cutting -edge innovation is a long- standing Eventide tradition. FULL SAMPLING CAPABILITIES Flawless pitch shifters, dense reverbs, lush stereo delays and For looping rhythms, flying in backup vocals or replacing snares, rich choruses have made the Ultra- Harmonizer an essential nothing's faster, cleaner or easier than an Ultra -Harmonizer: Ask audio production tool in recording studios, post suites and the leading engineers and producers who use one every day. The broadcast facilities around the world. More on the same line H3500 gives you all the power of Ultra- Sampling right out of the would have been enough for most people-but not for the restless box: It has an internal sampling board, our most advanced sam- minds of Eventide engineers. They've endowed the H3500 with pling software, and either 23.8 seconds mono (11.7 seconds revolutionary new DFX Dynamic Effects algorithms and presets. stereo) or 95 seconds mono (47.5 seconds stereo) of memory. Plus 16 bit, 44.1 kHz sampling, and all the goodies that made the Eventide's world- renowned pitch change technology gives you Ultra- Harmonizer famous. freedom no other sampler can match. Change playback time on the fly -without changing pitch. Or retune the sample from the DR( Dynamic Effects - front panel or MIDI, without changing playback length. Even A NEW DIRECTION IN DIGITAL AUDIO PROCESSING access sample memory from mod factory algorithms for long delay loops with beat -per- minute timing. course, you can also The H3500 has 22 effects algorithms: Many have set industry Of use the H3500 as an ordinary sampler. standards for quality and versatility in areas like pitch shifting, reverb, delay effects and sampling. Now we're setting a dramati- LIMITED AVAILABILITY cally different course for audio processing by adding two mod Clearly, not everyone can handle this much Ultra -Hannonizer power. factory DO( algorithms. Each one includes a full set of indepen- That's why the new H3500 Ultra -Harmonizer will only dent processing modules, from delays and filters or pitch shifters be available from a select group of Eventide dealers. Before you to envelopes, modulators and mixers. The modules can be can explore the new direction in world -class multi- effects, you may patched together in any combination. Factory presets range from have to do some traveling. But we assure you, it's worth the trip.

"ducked" delays (echoes that only appear between vocal or SAMPLE RESPONSIBLY: CREDIT AND COMPENSATE YOUR SOURCES. instrumental phrases) to choruses, even reverbs that flanges, One Alsan Way Little respond instantly to a musician's touch. The H3500's DFX pro- NJ 07643 cessing takes a dramatic new step beyond static effects, one that Tel: 201-641-1200 Eventide can bring tracks, performances and mixes to brilliant life. Fax:201- 641 -1640 the next step Clrole (7) on Rapid Facts Card www.americanradiohistory.com HEY mUlE, NEW WORLD OROBL MY EMI Records' "T-Bone Walker: the Com- MEASURE, ow L1BSS plete Imperial Recordings" CD set with From: Jeffrey St. Laurence, Northampton, MA one of the REP Focus Awards. From: Jeff Pennington, CompuServe I have forwarded the plaque you sent Address # 72557,3430 Dear President Bush and Vice Presi- to EMI Records Group, since they were dent Quayle, responsible for overseeing this par- I've been a systems engineer/mainte- I am writing to you again asking for ticular repackaging series. I know I nance engineer for the L.A. recording your help to make my SAFE -SOUND speak for them in thanking you for industry going back to United Western SPEAKER a materialized reality. It is a your kindness and generosity in ac- Studios when Bill Putnam used to run terrible shame when something that is knowledging the release of this his- the place. I went independent for a needed so badly is able to be sup- torically important material by one of year and serviced quite a cross -sec- pressed for so many years, but it is the the undisputed masters of black Ameri- tion of studios, from garage to hi -tech. same power that GM had over poor can vernacular music. Some eight years ago, I got absorbed Mr. Tucker, and that is the same thing This means a great deal to me, and I by channel 11 KTTV /Metro-Media, now they are doing to me. (The Tucker car wanted to drop a line of thanks to you. the Fox Television Center. I continue from Ypsilanti, MI Mr. Tucker made it This is something I am quite proud of, to support Studer, SSL, NEVE and Otari in his garage.) and it's nice to know it's appreciated post production facilities by putting by others. out fires and fixing broken stuff when Please let's make the United Thanks again for the recognition. there is time. In the recording industry we have States of America "first" with seen the use of differential line drivers the SAFE -SOUND SPEAKER for and inputs for some 10 to 15 years. From: Larry Cohn, Sony Music, Los Angeles These outputs, generally having a 6O12 concerts and nightclubs, before source, pass down your audio cable I received your (my) Focus Award into a differential input having im- I have to sell it off to some an and cannot tell you what a joy and pedance of 10k12 or more. other country. pleasure your measure of apprecia- In the broadcast industry, there is a tion has brought to me. I sincerely strange but common notion that 600e I have had considerable background hope that we can continue much in the is the only way to go when sending in audio, having been resident techni- same manner vis -a -vis forthcoming audio down a wire pair. Any good R.F. cal advisor for the Hanley Sound Com- projects. man will tell you that you've got to pany of Boston (Medford), MA, the Once again, many thanks from an match the characteristic impedance company that did sound for appreciative producer! of the line, which is said to be 600í2. In Woodstock, The Beatles, The Rolling reality, most audio cable commonly in Stones and a list too long to mention. use today has a characteristic imped- The fact is that I was ready to mass - HUMBLE BENUMB ance of 6012 to 100(1. produce this SAFE -SOUND SPEAKER While at first I got into a rather lively five years ago, and that makes me From: Theo Mayer, CompuServe Ad- debate about what was a better meth- sorry for young people who could have dress #73707,3342 odology to transmit audio, I turned to been saved hearing trouble if the fund- experimentation and data compilation ing had been located back then. (Digital workstations are a) Hot sub- to arm myself with the facts. I, after all, My solution to the problem involves ject! Probably the best thing to do for had to convince a lot of R.F. guys who secret, proprietary information, but the user world out there is to keep an think they are blessed with a handle concerns isolated, contamination eye out for people who have had "bad" on physics. In addition, anybody see- noise that bends over the auditory experiences in this new recording ing the facts then had the opportunity hairs within the cochlea, (which) genre. All my experiences are positive, to present me with the data that could causes permanent deafness. with the simple frustration of the time prove my facts wrong. Please let's make the United States of it takes to load a project onto and off of Thus, to the best of my knowledge, America "first" with the SAFE -SOUND the disc record systems. are these facts as true and as unbiased SPEAKER for concerts and nightclubs, Large format removable media as I could make them. This compila- before I have to sell it off to some other (MagOpto) becomes a necessity if you tion of facts has, through the wonder country. are a shop moving quickly between and curse of DTP, become a technical client projects. We are lucky - our paper. And while the subject is defi- (Isn't there anybody in America with a audio facility supports our in- house, nitely not new, there are still a lot of shred of decency left to help this man, on -line video facility so we move from misconceptions about audio line driv- this crusader, this erstwhile hero? - Ed.) project to project rather slowly. We ing even among the most knowledgable don't have a 2 p.m. booking followed of engineers. HONORS RECBY® by a 4 p.m. booking. I was part of the original team that From: Pete Welding, Cerna Special Mar- developed TASCAM in 1973 -'76, and I kets, Los Angeles helped launch Fostex in 1980. What a Thank you very much for honoring delightful place we have all come to!

8 REP August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com A DASH MORE PURE.

From Day One, digital audio has been synonymous with superb sound. Superb, yet marred by the "harshness" inherent in the normal A/D and D/A conversion process. Enter the TASCAM DA -800. A 24- channel DASH machine with a significant sonic advantage. Our exclusive ZD circuit, which dramatically reduces the digital distortion created by converter non -linearity, produces an extraordinarily pure, natural sound. Now, having heard all this, you may still choose to purchase a competitor's digital machine without first listening to the DA -800. Pity. To arrange for a personal demonstra tion, please call (213) 726-0303 Or write TASCAM, 7733 Telegraph Road, Monte belio, CA 90640.

TASCAM II

1991 TFAC Amer s a, In,

Circle (8) on Rapid Facts Card

www.americanradiohistory.com getiAle/ph /V(244

THE HIGH FRONTIER... Since the early days of the digital revolution, the hope has existed that audio, video, computers, libraries, museums -pretty much the total body of human kind's creative work-could eventually be digitized and transmittable, like sensor data on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. To that end, a system appears around the corner for personalized radio (audio). Addressing North American media executives at MIT's Media Lab, ASCII Corp.(Tokyo) president 4014 Kazuhiko Nishi stated his company's intent to implement a personalized radio service in Japan. The delivery network may be fiber optic and /or direct broadcast, and will allow subscribers to personally program their favorite music on -line, piamionmei and presumably record the same. Nishi is also promoting the concept of an integrated, scalable Oft digital system that encompasses all communications delivery including broadcast, CIS, telecommunications and consumer electronics devices. With personalized TV already projected for the year 2001 and the integrated realities of ultra- definition TV, photography and electronic publishing expected to follow, nearly everything we can see, hear and record is fair game. And just think, it was only last year that your in -laws learned to program their VCR.

IS ONLY A FEW FIBERS AWAY. On July 16, 1992 the FCC finally granted permission for every phone company to provide video signal into homes. The anticipated short -term impact of this video dial tone de- regulation will be deceleration of consumer cable fees, which have risen over 50% in the past five years. But the mega profit potential for our phone companies is the opportunity to become the ultimate delivery system for the information revolution. Obviously such changes are not possible over night. And the system's full economic potential can only be realized after completed installation of billions of dollars worth of fiber optics switching, routing and on -line storage hardware. But mondo profits are welded to the yet -to-be- granted permission to create progamming for these on -line networks. As such, maximum impact will only occur when the phone companies are allowed to go vertical and begin programming AND delivering signal. Destined to be an urban -first phenomena, some consumer activists anticipate the video dial tone to be a $400 billion, ten -year investment which will inevitably result in a $60 annual increase in everyone's phone bill. Unmentioned in the FCCs decison was the issue of master billing records, and the reality of a central computer tracking everything you watch, buy, plus who you talk and listen to, and what you read. Orwell anyone?

10 R E P August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com PEOPLE TREND WATCH

Symetrix has added Walt Lowery to it's customer service and information TIES OFFER HOPE staff...Gerald Fritz has been appointed public relations and customer service FOR JERRY'S KIDS manager at Neutrik...Pat Maloney has been promoted to director of Opera- tions at Apogee Sound; Apogee also Many audio pros dislike announced the appointment of Nick McGeachin as Director of Export Sales. traditional business attire, McGeachin was formerly director of especially the constricting international sales and marketing for Intertec Publishing Corp., publishers necktie. But now there's hope of and S&VC; and Apogee UK, a RP from the most unlikely source - newly formed company designed to sell and distribute Apogee loudspeaker Jerry Garcia. For about $30, systems throughout the UK, has announced the appointment of Darryl even the most conservative Vaughan to the position of managing banker can sport neckware director...Jan Hebel was recently appointed as a field sales representative based on fine art from the at AFA /Martin Pro Audio Grateful Dead's legendary Group...Prodromos Constantinou has been named general manager for guitarist. During the 1992 Studer Revox Canada, Ltd. in Toronto...Roy Howell and Joe Ogburn Democratic convention have rejoined Pyramid Telepro- Bloomingdale's in Manhattan ductions as director of engineering and chief engineer respectively. launched a ties -by -Jerry sales campaign -selling 853 ties the first day. What's next - Mr. Natural Decline of cologne? the acoustic piano "Digital is completely wrong. It's a farce." Accort ng to the -Neil Young Piano:M ufact- From a guest editorial in Guitar Player May 1992: urers fan.:.... "There's a certain emptiness in the air these days. You it it fewer: 11 It think that might be today's music, because just isn't as heartfelt as yesterday's. Everybody says, 'Well, busi- Piq+r: :. rtititiQ l h ness came in and took over and ruined music,' but that's theOli`ods1'dtdsem just an excuse. The real reason is technical. It's not that 1978. people don't have souls anymore. All these bands have Last year, only huge souls and can't wait to play; they just can't figure out 110,000 were sold. why their albums don't sound as good as some of the things they used to hear."

August 1992 R E P 11 www.americanradiohistory.com g61i00% telG4C.?4

STUDIO UPDATE Facility/Location Details Meyer Sound Labs announced the appointment of Group One Ltd. as the ex- NORTHEAST clusive national representative for its full line of professional loudspeakers, record - Effanel Music /New York City Recently took delivery of a 52-channel SSL G series console with Ultimation for ing studio products and SIM System 11 its mobile recording studio. acoustical measurement system.

Kamen Recording Studios/ Upgraded three existing workstation The DAR Sound Effects Library is an New York City platforms into 8 -track Digidesign Pro Tools systems. extensive collection of digitallyB Y recorded sound effects and atmospheres for TV and Sear Sound /New York City Ordered a Studer Dyaxis I1 for studio "B ". film soundtracks on SoundStation digital audio production systems. Specially corn - SOUTHEAST missioned by DAR, the library is a set of Soundshine Productions/ Reopened under new management. three magneto optical disks containing Fort Lauderdale, FL. more than 600 individual sounds, which can be instantly auditioned and automat - Producers Video /Baltimore Purchased the Korg SoundLink digital ically "spotted" to picture, without search- audio workstation. ing through alphabetical lists or changing CDs. Users also have the SOUTHWEST flexibility to re- name, re- group, re-order or add effects to The Hit Shack, Austin, TX Recently added a 36-input Soundcraft TS- suit their particular way of working. 12 console and an Otani MX-80 24 -track multitrack deck. CONFERENCES SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA The Audio Engineering Society will The Bakery /North Hollywood Installed Yorkville YSM -1 studio monitors hold its 93rd convention at San Francis - and Audiopro 1200 power amplifiers. ctis Moscone Center October 1-4, 1992.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA A Digital Audio Conference will take place Music Annex Post Production /San Completed upgrades with two consoles. A at Parsons Audio in Wellesley, MA from Francisco modified Amek Hendrix has been Sept. 14 -16. It is intended for New En- installed in Studio IV, and an Amek 2500 glanders who are San has been added to the NED-equipped not traveling to Studio III. Francisco for AES. The conference will consist of three days of exhibits, seminars, NORTHWEST workshops and open discussions. Participating manufacturers include Sony, Bad Animals/Seattle Opened Studio X featuring a SSL4064 G with Ultimation, two Studer A827s, a Digidesign, Sonic Solutions, Yamaha Dig - Sony 3324 -A digital deck and TAD custom ital, Roland, Amek, Lexicon, Apogee, Dol- monitors. by, Neumann, Opcode, Panasonic, Genelec, Meyer Sound, KRK, Bryston, CANADA Fostex, Timeline, Sig1'ech, RPG and others. Pizazzudio Recording Studio /Weston, Recently acquired a Studer A827 For a schedule of events, call 617-431-8708. Ontario multitrack recorder, a D &R Avalon Console with Optifile Automation and The 1992 International Electronics Genelec 1031A studio monitors. Manufacturing Technology Symposi- um will be held September 28-30, 1992 BRITAIN at the Hyatt Regency -Inner Harbor in Bal- Abbey Road /London Took delivery of a 48- fader/120 -path Neve timore. For further information call (202) Capricorn digital console for the 457 -4900. Penthouse studio. The "Musician's Home Recording EUROPE Handbook;' by Ted Greenwald is a how - Radio Uptown /Copenhagen, Took possession of a DAR SoundStation Il to recording manual created for the Denmark digital audio production system. home /project studio environment. The Finnish Broad. asting /Helsinki, Has added a DAR SoundStation Sigma to book includes step -by -step descriptions of Finland the new Radoioatelier production studio, advanced techniques, emphasizing concepts that apply to most recording situa- JAPAN tions while focusing on the in -home environment. The handbook is available Sunfield Crescent Studio /Tokyo Purchased a 72 -input Focusrite console with GML automation. from Miller Freeman, Inc.; 415 -905 -2470; fax 415- 905 -2239.

12 R E P August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com f',e4 Td By Dan Levitin

III 'Wad Ali Ryerson RED RODNEY KENNY BARRON SANTI DEBBIANO Flute ROY NAYNES

All Ryerson: "Blue Flute" Sarah McLachlan: "Solace" Def Leppard: "Adrenalize" Label: Red Baron/Sony Music Label: Arista Label: Mercury Produced by: Bob Thiele Produced by: Pierre Marchand Produced by: Mike Shipley and Def Engineered and Mixed by: Harvey Engineered by: Pierre Marchand Leppard Goldberg Recorded at: Lans Westwind's house Engineered and Mixed by: Mike Mastered by: Chris Herles at Sony (Marin Heights); Mushroom Studio, Shipley Studios (New York) Venture Studios (Vancouver); Additional Engineering: Pete Comments: The apparent renais- Karen's House (New Orleans) Woodroffe sance enjoyed by straight - ahead jazz Mixed by: Pierre Marchand Executive Producer: Mutt Lange and traditional small jazz combos in Comments: Members of the music Mastered by: Bob Ludwig at recent years has spawned a great deal press who have been widely touting Masterdisk (New York) of good and important new talent. Ali's Tor Amos as "the best new female Comments: Though relegated to the sense of timing is witty, her tone and singer/songwriter of the '90s" have status of Executive Producer, the influ- improvisations outstanding. The stel- obviously never heard Sarah ence of Mutt "Mr. Overdubs" Lange is lar lineup includes Red Rodney on McLachlan. This is not to take any- still felt in the Leppard's massively flugelhorn and Kenny Barron on piano. thing away from Amos, who is indeed layered sound. Co-writing all but one Of special interest: The tones on all a great new voice. But the depth of of the songs, Lange also acted as con- the instruments are mellow and McLachlan's songwriting and delivery, sultant throughout the recording. Ar- smooth. There is not the slightest trace the emotional range of her voice - guably the best -produced and largest - of brittleness in Ryerson s flute or smooth, whispy and powerful - out- sounding of all hard rock bands, the Rodney's flugelhorn. The piano is class Amos in several dimensions. sound of Def Leppard's new release is panned very wide so that during McLachlan's instrumentation is imagi- massive. In addition to layering, care- Barron's solos, the left hand comps native and she avoids slick, hackneyed ful use of EQ and reverbs impart to come out of the left speaker and his production tricks. And while unfortu- each instrument enormous size while soloing out of the right -a nice engi- nate comparisons to Joni Mitchell will maintaining clarity and depth. neering touch. inevitably be made, as they are to any Of special interest: There are no The flute /flugel unison during the literate and sensitive female singer, outrageous surprises in the drum and head of " Asterie" creates some very McLachlan possesses her own unique guitar tones - they are fairly standard interesting textures, almost as though voice and personality. hard rock sounds, just bigger than another instrument is joining them. Of special interest: The production anything else. The impressive, heavily is pop, but with the same artistic integ- produced vocal harmonies and rity that marks Daniel Lanois records layerings are a Def Leppard trademark. (in fact, McLachlan thanks Lanois in Following the accidental death of gui- the liners). The drums are mixed dry tarist Steve Clark, co-guitarist Phil and Gabriel-esque tom fills set the mood Cohen fills in with intuitive ease. Three in some tunes. Compression of the years in the making (F), vocalist Joe instrumental tracks help the vocals Elliot explained, "The beauty of spend- achieve prominence, and this is done ing so much time making a record - without sacrificing dynamic range. you can come back to something four Most importantly, the instruments are months later and say 'that's horrible.' mixed in a way that frames the songs, But with most people it's already in and permits the vocals to be the cen- the shops." terpiece of a tastefully set sonic table. Her version of Donovan's "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" is ethereal with a Dan Levitin is RbEbP's music production editor. hint of U2 -style guitars.

August 1992 R E P 13 www.americanradiohistory.com f'zJ T')4d44

FOCUS:

DAVE MUSTAINE, MAX NORMAN, Producers, Megadeth

RE-P: Where did you learn production and engineering? DM: One of my engineering teachers was once a writer for your magazine, Dennis Dager - I kind of picked up stuff here and there on the way to the fifth album. Before we started recording, I went to Trevas Institute in Hollywood and took one of their 30 -hour courses on engineering. It was really interesting because I learned a little of the vernacular - I knew in my head the sounds I wanted, but I didn't know the terminology associated with it. Like the inverse square law and a lot of things that brain-dead musicians didn't know anything about ...

Megadeth: "Countdown to REP: How did you record the guitars? Extinction" DM: Max Norman and I set out to have the ultimate sound on guitar Label: Combat /Capitol without having to overly layer things. There is one guitar left, one right Produced by: Dave Mustaine, Max and then a counterpount /harmony line up the middle. The left and right Norman are me, the middle is Marty. Engineered and Mixed by: Max For amps, we have Ampegs modified by Lee Jackson, a Groove Tube Norman Mosfet power amp, and a Boogie. Most of the rhythm guitar is through a Recorded and Mixed at: The Enter- Bogner pre -amp with a solid -state VHT2150 power amp. We also used the prise (Burbank, CA) BBE sonic enhancer - I think what it does is slow down the high fre- Comments: On their fifth release, quency so the low end and high frequencies hit at the same time. The Megadeth may find the breakthrough difference between using it and not using it is substantial. I won't record they've been waiting for. Without guitar without it now. changing their sound, they have dis- tilled it to its essence, writing more 11E-P: How do you minimize guitar and amp noise? melodic tunes and performing them DM: Noise gates. Also, the amps don't make any noise to begin with. with cleaner and greater skill. As al- We've paid attention to speaker damping, ground loops in the racks, so ways, Megadeth has the tightest and that the equipment is all meticulously maintained. If the speaker damping most ferocious staccato machine gun isn't perfect, it wreaks havoc with the sound because it drives the amps thunk-thunk rhythm guitars to be found improperly. anywhere. (How do they get those With a lot of the parts we had a hard time getting performance noise to rapid -fire digga-diggas so clean? See go away because we weren't prepared to record within the digital bound- accompanying interview.) Mustaine's aries. Now we know that you have to play extra careful and extra good vocals are recorded more prominently because there's no margin for error. By performance noise I mean place- on this outing, and the bass guitar is ment of hand - the hub of my style is to play from my right hand - I'll more refined, sounding less like a third rest the knife edge of my palm against the bridge with my thumb toward rhythm guitar than on previous ef- the pickup to kill the strings that are ringing out. A lot of times I was forts. playing and keeping strings ringing, but I never noticed it before because Of special interest: The mixes are we weren't recording digital. One solution we came up with was to tape off clear; it is easy to distinguish all the the strings I wasn't using. parts. The lyrics have the same type of MN: They have Hush units in the amps, but we switched those out epic literateness found in Blue Oyster because they have a little bit of an unnatural sound to them sometimes. Cult but with less emphasis on fic- All the guitars were put down stereo with two ambient tracks and a main tional futurism and more on alienated close mic track. The close mic track was soft -gated with a low threshold reality. The ominous samples of George so that it's never going to chop anything off. I did some frame accurate Bush announcing "no new taxes" and punches to get rid of noise using the computer, I did that for string noise, "read my lips" in "Foreclosure of a too. I didn't do that for the ambient tracks - those were left alone. That Dream" are devastatingly wicked. gives it a natural sound because nothing is cut off. If there was a bunch of

14 R E P August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com string noise I would have to wipe that off the ambient track as well and then cut in some ambience to fill in the hole. The guitar miking was unusual - we used two Marshall cabinets, miked on every speaker - clockwise from the top left it was a 58, 421, 58, 421 - so they would be alternating, kitty -corner from each other. I find the 421s a little more mellow. I prefer to leave the cabinets on the floor, but we lean them back about 10 to 15 °. We had a couple of 87s in the corners of the room. Phish: "A Picture of Nectar" Label: Elektra REP: Where on the speaker do you place the mikes? Produced by: Phish ( "with a lot of help from Kevin ") MN: On the hot spot I go out and put a set of headphones on listening - Engineered by: Kevin Halpin, Jon to pink noise or white noise and the brightest placement is the one I use. This usually seems to occur if you place the microphone right where the Altschiller voice coil is that's not in the center of the speaker, it's actually an inch Recorded and Mixed at: White Crow - VT) and a half away from the center. They were all pointed straight in, 90° on Studios (Burlington, axis. Mastered by: Bob Ludwig at Masterdisk (New York) Phish is a REP: How do you avoid power struggles, filling the role both as producer Comments: difficult band and band member? How do you get your bandmates to trust that you're to describe. The grooves on "A Picture doing what's best for the band, and not just mixing your own parts louder? of Nectar" range from frenetic college- DM: Up until now, as a band we've always overlooked the fact that the radio hyperfunk all the way to casual vocals are supposed to be heard most in the song. This is the first time bebop (complete with swinging ride cymbal). Most of the songs fall in be- we've gone into a record and I've told everybody I'm adamant that 1 want the vocals up. We have good musicians and it's balanced out - you can tween, somewhere around funky or hear the ride cymbal, and the hi -hat when they're playing. Signal process- Latin -flavored rock. The wide variety ing was held to a minimum, and we paid attention to parts the bass was of material on this album is remark- - able, especially considering the pro- really simplified, for example. Before I think we were playing rhythm guitar on bass, essentially, but now Dave Ellefson has metamorphosized duction, or lack thereof. into the bassist we all knew he could be. Rather than simulate a gigantic, high - energy rock concert, Phish has set up REP: What kind of reverbs did you use? in your living room and played their MN: There is no reverb on the guitars or drums, they are absolutely the bar set for you. For the most part, all way they were recorded. On the vocals there is all kinds of stuff the we hear is the four members of the - band, minus overdubs, extra parts, or ART- SGX , a cheap box, but pretty cool. Also, delayed echo using a 480 set on fat plate. The voice and bass were recorded using Massenburg's other textural enhancement. By keep - compressor and we compressed just a little more during mixing to knock ing things simple, clean, and dry, Phish out any occasional humps and peaks using the SSL's channel compressor. has produced a tour -de -force of technical musicianship and innovative im- REP: How did you mix? provisation - these guys can seri- play. MN: Three ways: to DAT, to DAT through a Pygmy converter and also to 1/ ously Of special interest: The bass sounds 2 -inch analog on a Studer 820. I ended up using everything from the Studer on this album are fantastic: warm, rich, - I thought it sounded better. You see, we recorded the whole album digital so there were enormous peaks. In mixing to digital we found we just and round, with just enough popping, couldn't just get enough on tape because there would be peaks at +12 plucking and squealing to remind you from 0. The good thing about 1/2 -inch is that it will nicely reduce all those what's so cool about having a really peaks. And then of course Bob Ludwig has these marvelous compressors good bass player. The grand piano is to smash it down into the... somewhat plinkyand Bosendorfer -like, and well reproduced. It's percussive enough to help the grooves along, yet warm and full enough to provide plenty of harmonic support. - Reviewed by Bill Copen

August 1992 R E P 15

www.americanradiohistory.com By Dan Latin

A s the arranger /producer behind Fleetwood Mac from 1975 to 1988, Lindsey Buckingham is largely responsible for that group's superstardom and megasuccess on the five studio albums, Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, Tusk, Mirage and Tango In The Night. As a songwriter, Buckingham's own compositions are some of the high points in the group's long history. From 1975's "Blue Letter" and "I'm So Afraid" through 1988's "Caroline," he consistently combines pop elements into songs with depth. Out of the Cradle is a true solo album ', and finds Lindsey playing all of the instruments, with occasional assistance (:. on bass and percussion from Larry Klein, Buell Neidlinger and Alex Acuña, and Mitchell Froom playing organ on one track. Buckingham's two greatest strengths - his abilities as songwriter . and arranger - are on exhibition here. He has the ability to write songs that sound as if you've heard them before, but that hold your interest over multiple listenings. As an arranger, he brings a lot of musical ideas to his songs. Countermelodies, harmonies and clever melodic nuggets adorn the spa- cious halls of his songs like fine paintings in a house. It is easy enough to pass by them and not pay attention to them. But if you stop and reflect for a moment, you'll notice that each supporting musical element is able to stand easily on its own as a complete LINDSEY song. I n d e e d, Buckingham's talents as a virtuosic guitarist and vocalist are often overlooked, no doubt because of his BUCKI \GRAVI: sharp instinct for bal- ancing song elements so seamlessly that none stands out and RETURN THE takes attention away OF from any other. Out of the Cradle is a fresh and vibrant look at pop music through SOUL LIFTER the eyes and ears of one of the best pop craftsmen of the last two decades. Buckingham makes everything he does seem so effortless and so smooth that it is easy to overlook his real talents. The vocal performances here ought to win him best male vocalist grammy for 1992.

Dan Levain is REP's music production editor.

16 R E P August 1992

www.americanradiohistory.com Buckingham spoke to REP about the but having had the guitar as an append- something like that didn't exist. And new record and his approach to pro- age, in a way, was so ingrained in me, when I finally did get a 4- track, I got an duction. that by the time I got into the idea of Ampex AG440 with 1 /2 -inch tape, listening to parts and seeing how they which I managed to buy because an REP: You told Timothy White in 1987 fit together, I wasn't also trying to over- aunt that I never met left me and my two that you considered your main contri- come all of the hurdles of learning to brothers a house that resold for about bution to Fleetwood Mac as an arranger. become a guitar player. The first thing $40,000. We split that three ways, so out LB: Yes, if I were to pick one thing as that got me into the line that I'm on now of the blue I was able to afford a $4,000 my main contribu- tape machine. tion to the group, it wouldn't be as a REP: What year guitar player, a If you can hear a sound in your is this now? singer or a LB: 1971. Sol put songwriter. It head - and you can get a sense that up in my would be as some- father's coffee one who could and understanding of how it might plant in Daly City take raw material and every night I'd and forge it into work - it's not so important what drive up after he something com- left and I'd just plete; I guess to equipment you use, it's what you work until mid- some degree with do with it. night or 1 a.m. put- more success than ting my own ma- I can do with my terial and some of own material a lot Stevie's down. of times. If you heard the way some of is that I went out and got a Sony 2 -track And I guess that whole Les Paul sensi- their songs sounded in their raw state tape recorder that had sound on sound, bility really just sort of became that and tried to make sense out of them... and you could bounce back and forth. much more a part of me. Then you start My contribution was to give them form to understand how parts fit together and balance these things with what they REP: So you practiced multitracking... and the jigsaw of it all. You know, you would all have to offer... LB: Well, since I was 21, yeah. I re- can apply that back to a band situation member at that age going down to Eber pretty easily. REP: Yes, and the thing I like best Hi -Fi (in San Francisco) and asking, "Do about your three solo albums is similar. you have, like, 4 -track tape recorders ?" REP: The jigsaw metaphor is very It's your idea of the song as containing and they're looking at me like, "What apt. In your arrangements, a part will an enormous number of musical ele- are you, kidding ?" Because at that time come in and then it will stop, and you'll ments - not just the rhythm section, leave just the right amount of space - guitar and vocal lines, but all these other fitting like a piece of sky in the jigsaw musical parts that swim in and out of puzzle that fills the space between the each other. That sense mountains you're building. Or another of craftsmanship part will come in that locks just right. and creating You don't have the problem of parts just something is still not making sense together... there. LB: The only problem I have... One of LB: Yes, definitely. the things about working alone is that it A lot of times the becotnes more like a painting where message is in the form you're putting strokes on the canvas, of what's going on as and you may start off thinking this is much as anything else. your song, but by the time you're done, the canvas has led you off in a REP: How do you totally different direction. I guess prepare for a career that's as it should be, if your doing that? Clearly, if intuitions work you want to be a correctly. One of guitarist, you practice the byproducts is guitar; if you want to that sometimes you be a songwriter you run into a little write a bunch of songs. density problem. During the five years But that's something before your first record, I'm working on. how were you woodshed ding and preparing to be REP: Did you ever someone who does this? as an exercise take LB: Well that's tough. I started songs that you admired playing at such a young age. I'm and try to piece them 42 and I started playing when I was together track by track? about six. I never had any lessons and LB: You mean like Todd have never been taught, and I don't Rundgren doing "Good read music - and that's why talking Vibrations" (on Faithful, to someone like you makes me Rhino Records 70868) nervous because you could always or something like that? tell me what I'm doing wrong! Not really, that's pretty aca- I didn't start writing until I was 21, demic... I certainly have come

August 1992 REP 17 www.americanradiohistory.com \\\\\\\\\\ \ \ \ \ \ 11111i---

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www.americanradiohistory.com close to that by ripping off lots of stuff. But you know, I think you should have a good, healthy sense of borrowing. I think that's kind of important. REP: How did you approach arranging with Fleetwood Mac? LB: In Fleetwood Mac I ap- proached the work from an orchestral standpoint. I wanted to find parts that were good for the song itself and that made sense for the record, but they didn't necessarily stand out. You can listen to The Everly Brothers records, for example, where Chet Atkins or somebody is playing a key part for the record but you don't really notice it. It's just in there.

REP: There's a recurring guitar sound of yours I particularly like. It's on the intro to "Wrong" on your new album, and you used it on "World Turning" in 1975. Sort of a Dobro-ish sound. LB: Oh, yes. That's actually a gut -string recorded direct. One of the things we did on this album to prevent it from getting too dense -and not want- ing it to come off too Phil Spector, and still dealing with a bulk of things going on - was to record a lot of things direct because then they are more con- you set up a couple of mikes and maybe gut- string. It sounds so metallic. tained. About halfway into the record, I mix in the direct to get this spread. Well, LB: Well, we put a lot of treble on it. turned on the TV and saw Daniel Lanois. that already takes up so much space, so Richard and I are not engineers in the He's great. I love what he does, and I've we thought, "Why not try to make these way that Bob Clearmountain is. Our always thought we'd get along great. things points ?" So even on the densest theory is we just turn the knobs until it But he's kind of got this spacy air about of songs you have points of things that sounds good. I'm not that well -versed him and he was going on and on, almost you can pick out from left to right. in technical things. like Floyd the barber from Mayberry - (im- personating Having left a group situation, this Floyd) "Oh, well, you know, you (solo album) was the way I thought I could just don't ever want to record get my orientation back. So that I could anything direct because you lose get to the point where I wanted to work all the dynamics with musicians again. without a mike..." And I thought, well, that's fair enough, but we were trying to keep On "World Turning" that was a Dobro, REP: There are a lot of guitar sounds things contained not only by recording but this was just a gut- string, recorded on Cradle. I like the cheap distorted a lot of stuff direct, but also in mono. direct. sound on "This Is The Time." The present train of thought is that if LB: There are a lot of things that are you want to record an acoustic guitar, REP: Wow! It doesn't sound like a just guitars used in unusual ways. If LTNDSEY B 20 R E P August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com you can hear a have some other compressors that aren't me. Having left a group situation, this sound in your soft sounding, the DBX160 limiters. (solo album) was the way I thought I head and you can could get my orientation back. So that I get a sense and un- REP: You used that on that lead gui- could get to the point where I wanted to derstanding of tar, I'll bet. work with musicians again. how it might LB: Yes, that's right. I probably used But in a general sense, I think that work, it's not so that on most of the leads, because it has there were two things that helped that. important what a little more of an aggressive thing to it. Richard Dashut is my best friend and he equipment you I've got some Drawmer S201 gates. co-produced; he has been through ev- use; it's what you erything since Rumours, so he under- do with it. When REP: What do you record your vo- stands a lot of the process and he under- we wanted a fuz- cals on, an 87? stands me. Because he's not a musician, zy or distorted LB: Yeah, and also that smaller one he's great with the big picture. I can get sound, most of the that looks just like it, the 89. That's lost in details sometimes and he'll walk time we wouldn't another thing. I have a few mics, but we in and cut through that. He can sit down set up an amp; pretty much just used one or two mics with a guitar and come up with a great we'd go through for everything. You can do that because seed for a song. He just has a general, the GT pre -amp. you're not trying to get an array of good sensibility about things. colors all at one time so you have a lot Also, Lenny Waronker, the president REP: What more control. A lot of it wasn't, "How of Warner's, was coming up every kind of equipment do I get sounds through miking ?" It was month or so, and he's made the project do you have in more of a thought process. If you hear one of his own things. He was reacting your studio? the sound, then you know how to ap- to everything that was being done. He LB: We have a proach it. It's the same psychology as was a producer for many years, too, so black velvet Elvis, using the same guitar for any number of he and I have a lot in common and I which was very sounds. It's not what you've got; it's respect his judgment. Between those important. We had what you do with what you've got. two things I think it was easier to keep that up on a wall, There were a couple of special tunings myself from going over the top. so it was like the that I used. I have an older Strat and for Elvis shrine. The a lot of the "chimey" kinds of sounds, or REP: You left one of the greatest console is a Neotek for figures that I wanted to play that rhythm sections in rock 'n roll history. 48- track; it has re- were in a more delicate vein, I would At some point, don't you think you ally nice, flexible restring the Strat with all high Es and Bs should hook up with another great EQ. An SSL and - the first three strings would all be rhythm section? compression on strung at high E and the lower strings at LB: Most definitely. For all the con- every channel isn't B. Then you can make a figure of six struction on this you could certainly something we felt strings that would all be a half or a make the case for that being one of the weaker parts on this album. There definitely is something to There definitely is something to be said be said for having somebody for having somebody else playing - I'm else playing - I'm very aware very aware of that ... There's no of that. That's why I say that replacement for five or six heartbeats all getting through beating the same. this album was only a step in getting out from one group and into another. we needed. We did not mix the album at whole step apart. You can get this kind I'm planning on touring, so that's going the house; all of that organization was of koto thing going, and fingerings to come up soon anyway. There's no done somewhere else. I have an where everything is open all the time. replacement for five or six heartbeats all Augspurger monitor system, a JBL sys- beating the same. It was a question of tem and some NS -10s. This is all in what REP: How do you decide, as the timing and whatever my own needs was my garage. I have a couple of old songwriter, performer and producer, were at the time. AMSs, a Yamaha Rev 5 and Rev 7, a whether you are being too self- indul- The rhythm section is very important. Lexicon PCM42, and PCM70, which is gent? Whether you're being a good When I put a band together, I want to wonderful. The direct we use for all that judge of how many parts to put in an first find a bass player and drummer stuff is a Bertech ITR1. arrangement? who are on the same wavelength. It's We have four LA4s, which I like be- LB: Well, with respect to density, I important to have the core as the bass cause they're really soft sounding. We think sometimes that is a problem for and drums. UCKI \GRAVI August 1992 R E P 21 www.americanradiohistory.com SAN'FRANCISCO 'S HYDE STREET STUDIOS:

THEN AND NOW

Before Hyde Street Studios, there was Wally Heider and the original San Francisco Sound.

Recorded history by Jennifer Maxwell, Nicole Sanchez and Dan Levitin

Wally Heider opened his San Francisco studio in 1969 tones and layered parts, combined iii a building that was previously home to an assort- with his genius for production and ment of film offices, screening rooms and storage for 20th powerful vocal and lead guitar Century Fox. Heider's was a quick success, counting among styles, made the group's success its first clients the Jefferson Airplane, Creedence Clearwater a certainty. Revival and the Grateful Dead. The studio soon became a Ironically, CCR's label, Fantasy mecca for musicians from around the country, whose Records, used its share of CCR recordings would shape popular culture and music for profits to build a world -class stu- years to come: Moby Grape, James Brown, Paul Simon, dio across the bay from Heider's Merle Haggard, Journey, The Dead Kennedys, The Pointer in Berkeley, the competition from Sisters and Herbie Hancock. which may have been partially Creedence Clearwater Revival, for example, recorded responsible for Heider's eventual more than four albums in studio C between 1969 and 1970, demise. from Green River through Cosmo's Factory and part of When Heider opened for busi- Pendulum. In fact, Cosmo's Factory was named for Studio C, ness, his equipment was revolu- the hit factory that had been so kind to them. CCR ruled the tionary, and other studios had to American airwaves during that period, with a string of hits scramble to keep up with the stan- and double -sided singles that led some to dub them "The dard that he set. Striking a deal American Beatles." John Fogertÿ s use of unique guitar with the nearby Ampex Corpora- tion, allowing the company to ex- Jennifer Maxwell and Nicole Sanchez are tree-lance writers based in Stanford. CA. Dan periment with new equipment in LevNn is REP's music production editor. his studios, Heider became the

22 R E P August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com The Compellor is the best way to The Compellor uses patented even out levels from the same or dif- control circuitry to make its processing ferent sources. This combination of "invisible" regardless of type of pro- compressor, leveler and limiter, sounds gram. It's easy to set up. The Compellor as if someone is riding faders extremely then self adjusts to the dynamics of the well - controlling level without any input, providing complete dynamics impact on short term dynamics. control ... smooth, inaudible gain riding Already in use in thousands of for consistent levels ... all automatically. production, broadcast and installed Features of the Compellor Model 320 audio systems around the world, the include reference level switching from Compellor is now even more attractive the rear panel; Leveling Speed switch - to audio professionals. The Model 320 able from the front panel; Peak Limiter Compellor features dual monaural cir- defeatable from the front panel; two cuitry to provide you with two remote controllable bypass relays. independent channels of the best To find out how the Compellor can dynamics control available which can make any audio system better than be linked two ways for stereo operation. ever and your life easier, call us today. API-IEX SYSTEMS 11068 Randall Street. Sun Valley, CA 91352, (818) 767 -2929, Aphex is proudly American ... 100% owned, engineered and manufactured in the U.S.A. © 1991 Aphex Systems

Circle (11) on Rapid Facts Card

www.americanradiohistory.com proud first owner of 16-track Ampex machines, serial num- Mix magazine's David Schwartz worked at Heider's in bers 1 -5. He was also first to install a Quad 8 Board. 1973. "I remember the day I started. The place was a beehive of recording activity, with four studios and a post - SERVICE WITH A SMILE production room. There were 15 albums being produced at As well as luring bands with up- to-date technology, Heider one time: David Rubinson and Fred Catero had studio A instructed his staff to do anything to make their clients locked out, working on five albums, Herbie Hancock's happy. Studio manager Ginger Mews recalls a day when Headhunters, The Pointer Sisters' first album, Lydia Pense Heider came in and bellowed, "If they (the clients) come in and Cold Blood, the Hoodoo Rhythm Devils and an album here and I say, 'Lie down, Ginger, so they by Malo, Santana's brother. can walk on you,' you lie down!" "Upstairs in C there were a couple of Airplane /Starship Grace projects, Hot Tuna, Crosby /Nash, Pure Prairie League, Commander Cody. Tower of Power had been in there for a year working on what became their biggest record with the tracks "You're Still a Young Man" and "Bump City." Jim Gaines, Mallory Earl, Steve Jarvis - these guys were recording as fast as they could. "But within five months everything changed drastically. The manager, Mel Tanner, left the studio and within a month the bottom fell out completely. It went from being booked around the clock to being empty for a couple of weeks at a time. The oil crisis, the recession of '73, the record company's executive staffs crashing all led to real changes in recording budgets. By the summer of '73 it was a vast wasteland."

THE NEXT STEP Because Heider was a trailblazer and had opened with cutting-edge equipment when he began Filmways/ Heiders, it was unnecessary to update the equipment in 1974. But the advent of 24 -track recording made it imperative that the studio update its gear or fall Slick reportedly wanted to be surrounded by a ring of light behind competing studios. while doing her vocals on Jefferson Airplane tracks. Heider Heider's headaches began when he went to Filmways and promptly installed 12 light canisters on the ceiling of Studio asked for the money to upgrade and Filmways refused. As A in the shape of a circle, with different colors at the poles former staff engineer Jeffery Norman explains, "It was the of the compass. great, classic case of a corporation taking over just to gain At the request of the Grateful Dead, Studio C's entry doors something, but not to put anything back." Harry Sitam, in were "covered with airbrushed paintings," recalls current charge of maintenance from 1970to 1976, adds, "(Filmways') owner Michael Ward, who bought the studio in 1980. "It manager would not allow me to buy parts to maintain the looked like fluid on glass against a cloudy sky, and (on the equipment even up to basic NAB specifications." opposite wall) there was a 10 -foot rose. "It was this dedica- Filmways' refusal to provide money to meet client needs tion and accommodation that attracted some of the biggest was a direct contradiction to how Heider felt the recording bands during the studio's golden age. Studio A was built as business should be run. In the early days, when Heider still an exact replica of a room that Heider built at United had working capital, he was known to give clients thou- Western in Los Angeles, because he felt a successful room sands of dollars of compensation if he thought they had could always be repeated. received an unfair deal at his studio. As Sitam recalls, "Even Like all studios, Heider's has its share of stories. When if there was some kind of gray area, he'd see in favor of the Jerry Garcia and a small group of musicians were recording customer. It's that kind of investment and good will that his first solo album, he wanted to ensure privacy and a made him so famous world over." closed session. Legend has it that he put up a sign at the Thus began the demise of Filmways /Heider's studios. entrance to the studio that read "Tennessee Ernie Ford." No Heider became so distraught about the decline of the one bothered them the whole time. studio that he maneuvered his way into being fired by Following the initial success of Studio A, Heider sought to Filmways. Although the corporation wanted to claim he build a second and much larger studio on the first floor of had resigned, Heider took out a full page ad in the Holly- the building. But because of sound leakage, the short-lived wood Reporter, proclaiming "I WAS FIRED!!!" He threw a Studio B instead became a game room and lounging area. giant going-away party for himself, flying a handful of his Next came Studio C on the second floor, built mostly as an San Francisco crew to Los Angeles for a huge dinner and upstairs rehearsal hall for Jefferson Airplane and Quicksil- celebration. Soon after, he went into private life in his home ver, with the control room built almost as an afterthought. state of Oregon. Studio D was soon built on the opposite end of the second After Heider left, Filmways paid little attention to the San floor from Studio C and was a direct copy of the highly Francisco studio. Filmways became so out of touch successful Heider -designed Studio 3 at United Western with its Northern California invest- (now Oceanway). The design avoided perfectly parallel ment that at walls, with " mid -range /diffuser /absorber/gypsum devices one point, - we call them Wheat Chex - everywhere, like some sort when em- of geometric disease," describes Ward. ployees Studio E, the final studio built before Heider's departure, sent a re- was created as a media room, and one of its first projects quest down was for Word Records, enacting the entire Bible, not ex- toLosAnge- actly a typical Wally Heider undertaking. This studio, too, les for is precisely modeled after a Heider studio located at Heider's higher L.A. complex. wages,

24 R E P August 1992

www.americanradiohistory.com 1 Filmways' response was, "You mean we still have a studio played a major part in the selection of new equipment, in San Francisco ?" much of it reflecting his taste for "troublesome English It was then that Filmways realized it needed to find consoles," as Ward describes it. someone to fill the administrative role left empty by Wally Alexander owned the first Helios console ever built, pre- Heider's departure. Filmways sent up Gary Blum, whose viously located in Olympic Studio Two. It was the console Los Angeles style seemed at odds with the more laid -back that recorded The Rolling Stones' Beggars Banquet, Led San Francisco Zeppelin's Led Zeppelin Hand Queen's A Night at the Opera. scene. Engineer It was moved into Studio C, and although it was a famous Susie Foot recalls, console for its time, Alexander admits that its sound left "He dripped L.A. something to be desired by today's standards. It also And this guy head- required large amounts of money to make it operational. ing up a bunch of San Francisco hip- UNUSUALTASTES pie engineers was Gluttons for maintenance punishment, the studio ac- just ludicrous." quired a left -handed Trident B -Range console for Studio D. Explaining that he The Trident was found to be a source of constant trouble needed help with a and expense. Eventually these consoles were replaced with serious studio deci- more cooperational equipment, including an 48x48 Amek sion, Blum called 2500, a 40x16x34 API and the recently installed Neve 8048 Foot into his office in Studio A (see the following in -depth article). Addition- one day. "I thought ally, Alexander's large collection of vintage tube micro- he was going to ask phones, tube compressors and other exotic gear gave the my opinion about studio an edge over local competitors. some piece of gear Under the new ownership, the studio's patrons have or something, but included artists Joe Satriani, Blue Oyster Cult, the Dead he had these two Kennedys, Leon Redbone, Ronnie Montrose, Chris Isaak turquoise bracelets and Robert Cray, and producers Sandy Pearlman, Steve on his desk and he Brown, Mark Senasac, Eric Jacobson and this author. said,' Which one do Tom Sharpies left the partnership in 1985 to head up R&D you like better ?' for Otani America. Ward and Alexander later divided the This was his duty as studios, with Alexander taking Studio C and Ward keeping manager - picking out jew- the rest of the building and the Hyde Street name. elry to wear." In 1986 Alexander leased Studio C to Sandy Pearlman, who ran it as Alpha & Omega Studio until 1991. Pearlman used TURNABOUT it for his own projects, including those on his short-lived The staff at Filmways/Heider /s rallied together MCA -distributed label Popular Metaphysics, and also sub- to oust Blum and presented an extensive petition to leased it to other producers and artists. Ward kept control Filmways with the signatures of virtually every employee of his studios, except for a brief sublease of Studio A to a and several clients as well, including producers Pat leraci, producer who ran it as Power Stroke Studios, David Rubinson and Skip Drinkwater, outlining their dissat- catering to early heavy isfaction with the choice of administrator. Filmways did metal nothing. Only when many staff members, including maintenance men Harry Sitam, Michael MacKenzie and Gary Odell, threatened to quit en masse was Blum fired. Yet Filmways continued to resist funding the declining studio. Rubinson, a mainstay at Heider's, eventually left and reluctantly started his own studio, The Automatt. Rubinson and Catero had been asking for two minor modifications to studio A -a 4-channel headphone cue system instead of stereo, and mute switches on the monitor section of the board. Sitam muses, "Rubinson had Studio A block- booked most of the time with major acts. The studio would have made a lot of money if it had just done these (modifications)." In 1980, a partnership composed of Dan Alexander, Tom and thrash acts. Sharpies and Michael Ward acquired the San Francisco Alexander ended his involvement with Hyde Street re- studios. The rooms were reopened as Hyde Street Studios, cently, but Ward will continue to run the studio in its named for the street on which the building is located. current capacity. An extensive 3 -year program of rebuild- Walking into a multimillion dollar studio, the new owners ing and consolidation has led to a complete redo in Studio began with ambitions that exceeded reality. They first A (as outlined in the following article); the opening of digital attempted to operate all four studios, which, what Ward production room Studio B with tie -lines to the analog says, was "complete madness." The new studio ran into rooms; the addition of two private producer's lounges with financial problems, and Hyde Street's equipment was not audio and video tie -lines; a general aesthetic face -lift, in- as good as it should have been. cluding new paint, carpeting and cabinetry; full tie -lines to But Ward and his partners were willing to spend money all control rooms from Studio C, which is available as a large and learn from their mistakes. They began remodeling the and live-sounding isolation room; and new monitors, an studios, with "flexibility as one of the mantras," Ward says, acoustic face -lift, a Studer 800111 and a 48x48 Amek 2500 in because of the need to compete in a wider musical market Studio D. consisting of everything from rock to jazz to rap. All of this puts Hyde Street in a position to match the glory They also added to their equipment inventory. As one of from its past, following the dictums laid out by Wally Heider the nation's largest dealers of second-hand audio, Alexander 25 years ago.

August 1992 R E P 25

www.americanradiohistory.com r UPDATING A

Hyde Street Studios' A gets a Neve 8048 and an ATR -124.

By John La Grou

Few recording facilities stand as venerable as Hyde Street Studios. Since Wally Heider first opened its doors to the heart of San Francisco's blossoming psychedelia, Hyde Street has been synonymous with the evolu- tion of popular music. In more recent years, Michael Ward has provided the vision, keeping Hyde Street sailing smoothly in the changing tide of artistic and technical demands. This is the story of Hyde Street's most recent rebuild of Studio A, spotlighting the addition and exhaustive makeover of a classic Neve console. By decade's end, it was clear that the with a marketable edge. As 1980s had gifted the Bay Area with a part of the choices boiled down to a modern API fair number of slick, modern studios, planning process, he researched ev- or one of a handful of vintage discretes. many with the latest and greatest in ery available modern console. Unfor- Laboring through all the alternatives, console, recorder and outboard tech- tunately for Ward, he found that flex- he settled upon a mid '70s Neve and nology. When it came time to rebuild ibility requirements had forced virtu- found one in England. This particular Hyde Street's Studio A, Ward mused ally every manufacturer into using in- desk, a custom -built 8048, was com- about joining the Bay area fray with tegrated circuits throughout the con- missioned in June 1975 and installed yet another modern console and per- sole in just about every function. Not into the British CTI film studio. It re- haps a digital machine. But following that Ward disliked modern designs, mained there for 15 years. The console crowds is not always the ideal solu- but he knew that another "just -out" offered an all-discrete signal path and Bay tion. "We needed to develop a niche," console installed into the area a huge surface area on which addi- says Ward, "that wasn't overpopulated market wouldn't give Studio A the par- tions and modifications could be per- and was consistent with our back- ticular draw - a unique quality of formed. ground and tastes." sonics and character - that was nec- Apparently, the board did not re- Ward wanted Studio A to become a essary. Something else was needed. ceive much use. Garry Creiman, Hyde first -caliber tracking and mixing room Street's chief project engineer and THE KEY Neve junkie (he recently completed To achieve his vision within budget the modification and coupling of dual John La Grou s a principal of MBlen a Media, an audioNideo design, production and consulting team in Sacramento. CA. and spec, Ward felt that his console Neve 8078 consoles at Record One/

26 R E P August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com CLASSIC

Ocean Way Creiman, "we were able to maintain Recorders) the unique and beautiful sonies of the says that Neve approach while bringing much of when the the routing, switching and monitoring board arrived, functions up to modern standards." it appeared about 10 CREATIVE ROUTING years newer There is one signal path modifica- than Neve tion, however, that Creiman couldn't consoles of resist. This console sports 4 -band 1081 similar vin- and 3-band 2074 input modules. All of tage he had the discrete Neve 4 -band modules were worked on. built with at least one Class AB stage. Without Some later versions were even shi?ped doubt, central to Studio A's successful makeover are Creiman's numerous enhancements and upgrades to the Neve console. One can safely say that this 8048 has been taken to a level of functionality that places it in the company of most any contemporary desk. The many one -of- a-kind operation panels added by Creiman have even been color- matched to the original Neve gray-blue. Creiman has taken great care to avoid changing essential Neve concepts or signal paths. In his opinion, the console functions not to be dis- turbed include the Class A gain, summing and buffer stages, transformers and EQ curves. He simply worked around and in harmony with Neve's fundamental designs. "In doing so," says

August 1992 R E P 27 buu..uuv ...... ,....,...... ,...... refinements in live /dead treatments. This is why, in addi- spare for others to follow in kind.

August 1992 R E P 29 www.americanradiohistory.com AUDIO NOISE AND AC SYSTEMS REVISITED RETHINKING STUDIO ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

By Martin Glasband

We've addressed the prob- tern). This applies in the audio and tern doesn't work. So it's on to the next lems peculiar to hospitals video industries, plus the communica- plunge. and their sensitive equip- tions and data processing industries. It's too bad that many studios have ment. I guess it's about time Even in high -tech "clean" environ- opted for taking the high -priced gamble we turned our attention to addressing ments, such as microprocessor manu- of purchasing expensive engineering the problems of recording studios," facturing and R&D facilities, symmetri- services and costly noise filtering/sup- said one highly placed electrical in- cal AC power enables technicians to pression equipment, only to come up spector. measure fractions of microvolts with somewhat short of their expectations. "Intriguing," said another inspector. cleaner operating test equipment. (The filtering equipment probably "This is so simple!" laughed one elated In all of these areas, a 60/120V, single - would have operated more cleanlywith audio engineer. "Why didn't anyone phase, 3 -wire AC system (symmetrical an equi- potential system.) It's not so think of this before ?" or balanced AC system *) outperforms much that the correct technology has These are some of the typical re- all other 120V, 120/240V or 120/208 - never existed; it's that the correct tech- sponses to the June 1991 article in 240V systems. It is the only class of nology has never been applied. REP, "Audio Noise and AC Systems." 120VAC systems that directly ad- Old school electrical engineering The solution to audio noise proposed dresses the common problem of AC- practices, products and systems fall therein has been well- received by en- induced EMI. Symmetrical AC is short of what is needed in the audio/ gineers on both sides of the "Silicon uniquely transparent and causes no video industry. Much of the National fence" dividing electrical and audio/ noise in electronic circuits. The theory Electrical Code (NEC) sections dealing video industry personnel. behind it is simple. Unfortunately, how- with audio /video and related elec- The subject of equi-potential 120VAC ever, other more common and less tronic wiring systems (Articles 518, systems for use in audio /video facili- effective classes of AC systems prevail 520, 530, & 640) were written long ago ties has become the focus of discus- throughout high -tech industry. How is and have little to do with the needs of sion in many circles. For almost three it that such a simple system remains today's modern installations. years at the "Zoo Studios" in Studio largely unheard of and in the back- The time also has come for studio City, CA, the system's compatibility ground? engineers to rethink their priorities with audio equipment continues to be involving electrical wiring. The simple proven. Other audio /video facilities HISTORICAL EVIDENCE mistake of taking for granted AC wiring using equi- potential AC are growing in Down through the years, AC systems in studios has led to a morass of unnec- number and at least one major TV in recording studios, as elsewhere, essary grounding fixes and has re- network is currently planning to con- have occupied a back seat in priority tarded the development of proper elec- vert its sound stages and production and understanding. Electrical engi- trical systems for studios. The price facility's power system to resolve noise neers for years have been preoccu- for this mistake has been many years problems. pied with handling grounding system of studio noise problems, millions of 120V symmetrical AC systems have noise problems, which few realize are dollars and countless man -hours been cropping up in unexpected often problems of their own creation. wasted. Realizing that conventional places. One of the largest videotape Often the task of wiring studio AC has studio electrical systems need to be duplication companies in the country been given to an electrician who has re- examined is the first step in correct- has installed an equi-potential system little understanding of the equipment ing the problem. Seeing that, one can for its video racks and has reduced its for which he is supplying power. And now study the situation. First, a brief noise floor 75% (in an unbalanced sys- then, to this person is entrusted the review of material from the June 1991 matter of dealing with EMI. So he in- article: Martin Glasband is an electrical engineering consultant and stalls orange iso-receptacles, an iso- Let's go right to the source of noise, contractor in Selma. OR. He has designed and built electrical EMI induced by conventional AC sys- systems for KCET -TV, Music Animals (now The Post Com- transformer and proceeds to attempt plex(, Baby() Recorders, New World Pictures and the ABC to clean up the grounding system by tems. Figure 1 is a 120V isolation trans- Radio Network. sinking it. But sinking a grounding sys- former plugged into a typical RF' filter

30 R E P August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com common to most every piece of audio Furthermore, the grounding elec- tial relative to the grounding refer- and video equipment. Note the cur- trode (ground rod, water pipe, etc.) ence; the other is neutral. Consequen- rent flow through the grounded ca- presents an even greater obstacle. tially, AC leaks through the capacitors pacitors. Here is where noise prob- Many of us have had the experience of unchecked directly into the grounding lems originate. As more gear is turned driving one or more ground rods with system. on, the voltages present throughout huge copper wires to supplement stu- What would happen if the AC supply the grounding system (signal reference dio grounding systems and have was balanced? Figure 2 is an example grid) are raised relative to the imped- learned something about futility. of such a 120VAC application with an ance of the grounding system. This Commonly, if one can achieve 5S2 or RF filter. The potential to ground on may be only a matter of millivolts, but less above true earth ground, one is each side of the AC line is 60V with in high gain and high impedance audio doing quite well. Shaving millivolts off each line operating 180° out of phase equipment, it can be very audible. a signal reference grid (grounding sys- to the other. Thus, a 120V (RMS) sup- tem) through grounding techniques is ply is maintained. MIMES DIPLAI ED truly a logistical nightmare. As a result of this configuration, trace Theoretically, lowering the ground- But what if RF filters could be made currents flowing 180° out of phase ing system's impedance should reduce to operate more cleanly? By design, through capacitors on opposite sides the voltage present, but in reality, they are most efficient at doing what of the filter null at the common chassis Ohm's law demonstrates that signifi- they are intended, suppressing stray grounding connection. Voltage for- cant improvement is unobtainable. radio frequencies from entering or ex- merly present in the AC grounding Copper building wire - for example, iting equipment chassis. Notice in Fig- system is thereby eliminated. The dif- 12 -gauge wire used in branch circuit ure 1 that they are balanced. ference is dramatic. So pronounced is wiring - has only about 0.151 resis- However, the voltage supplied to the effect that studio grounding sys- tance for every 50 feet. Larger sizes them is unbalanced. Currently, the tems lose much of their strategic value have, of course, even less, but the electrical industry recognizes only one in countering low- frequency noise difference is insignificant. Regardless basic type of single- phase, 120VAC cir- problems. Harassing EMI ceases. When of the grounding conductor size and cuit. To ensure system safety, one of a symmetrical AC supply is used, the length, Ohm's law, there will still be an the two 120V supply conductors is noise floor of any audio or video facil- unacceptable voltage present in the always grounded. However, this means ity is greatly reduced. grounding system. that one side of the RF filter has poten- ASSEMBLY REQUIRED The key component in this type of Current system is the transformer. In electrical flow terms, this particular transformer is called a 120/60V, single -phase (center- 120V. ground tap) isolation transformer. ** No pri- INPUT mary voltage is specified here because applications vary among cases. How- ever, all common primary voltages are available. (neutral) Current improvements in transformer specifications, such as lower impedance and reactance and better shield- ing, all contribute to the "purity" of an equi- potential system. But even a run - of- the-mill version can provide a dra- Figure 1. RF Filter fed by typical 120V, single-phase power system. matic (42dB in one measured case)

August 1992 REP 31 www.americanradiohistory.com improvement in noise levels. Of course, the size of the transformer would depend on system requirements. 1kVA to 50kVA (8A to 400A) is the general range. By design, this kind of transformer is the only type that delivers a balanced 120V supply. Similar isolation transformers providing a 120V supply have either one grounded line that unbalances the power or two ungrounded "floating" lines that are unstable and potentially dangerous. One should never use these transformers. On the other hand, a center ground transformer has a stable output voltage, and, for safety's sake, an adequate system fault current capacity that enables fuses and breakers to operate properly. Symmetrical AC wiring has also been Figure 2. RF filter fed by 120V, If equipotential power system. shown to reduce EMI in equipment where RF filters are not used. Two- vice that one can use to plug in one's Use of the L-15 or proposed L-15e re- prong AC plugs are generally an indi- equipment. However, guidelines have ceptacles (see sidebar) in conjunction cation of this design. In such equip- been developed that make it possible with more accurate GFCI (ground fault ment, magnetic /capacitive coupling in for studios to convert to this system to circuit interrupt) devices would en- poorly wound power supply transform- the satisfaction of most electrical in- sure routinely accurate GFCI perfor- ers can create hum as do RF filters. spectors. mance and greater safety, especially This is commonly true where interfer- In the February 1992 issue of EC&M where symmetrical AC is used out- ence from power supplies originates (REP's sister Intertec publication), doors. in audio grounded chassis. there is an article titled "Applying a In the case of symmetrical power, 120V System with 60V to Ground," by SAFETY CONSIDERED because the audio ground exists Fred Hartwell. EC&Mis among the lead- It has long been the contention of roughly at a mid -point between pri- ing and most respected of the electri- electrical inspectors that studios are mary line potentials in the power sup- cal industry's trade journals. It is widely operated unsafely because of various ply, a greater measure of nulling oc- read by electrical engineers and in- grounding compromises that are made. curs in transformer coupling (except spectors. Without question, they are right. But for poorly made transformers), as is This article makes reference to the what other choice is there for studio similarly the case with capacitors in June 1991 REP article and is generally engineers? By virtue of the fact that for RF filters. Furthermore, the highest a discussion of a 120V equi- potential safety reasons, audio and electrical potential to ground is only half that of AC system from the viewpoint of an grounding systems are indelibly linked conventional AC systems. Once again, electrical inspector. The article may and problems with noise have always an equi- potential supply demonstrates be of some assistance in the short existed. inherent compatibility with audio term for those who may need to pro- It seems unlikely, but there are actu- equipment. vide an authoritative reference for an ally few examples of 120V apparatuses, On paper, symmetrical AC looks like electrical inspector. manufactured under UL guidelines, a balanced audio circuit. It is quite A possible code restriction could that could not be operated safely possible that audio and AC grounding place symmetrical AC in highly con- (lights, etc. excepted) with symmetri- systems will no longer be considered trolled or authorized personnel use cal AC power. The voltage and phase separate (but commonly joined) enti- areas only. It would seem impractical are the same as conventional 120V ties. A properly designed symmetrical to restrict symmetrical AC outlets to power. Only the line to ground voltage AC system is actually a part of the these locations. The average studio is different, which should be of no audio electronics. There is no reason has large rooms where musicians and consequence. why fully balanced electrical /elec- lesser trained studio personnel do their According to UL standards, power tronic systems should not be treated work. Portable symmetrical power circuits in equipment must be isolated as a whole unit. The concept of virtual supplies are also applicable outdoors from the ground. The UL permits the integration could be the technology of and in a variety of remote locations. use of 2 -prong cord plugs on tomorrow. ungrounded equipment, provided that manufacturers adhere to spe- NOT ON THE BOOKS cific insulation guidelines. Currently. there are no provi- Equipment using this type of sions in the NEC for this class of cord connection should not AC system. There isn't even a be a problem if that equip- UL-approved receptacle de- ment chassis is not

32 R E P August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com grounded to the neutral side of the AC rent -carrying conductor. nal REP article was published. Be- supply. In most cases, the chassis In every situation, prudence dictates cause of characteristics unique to this ground reference is left floating to avoid that 2 -wire AC cord connected equip- type of system, simple misuse can eas- loops in the audio grounding system. ment be checked out. (In Japan, nearly ily compromise the most basic of elec- Sometimes in musical instrument or all equipment used and exported has a trical code safeguards. For example, consumer audio /video equipment, the 2 -wire cord.) If a neutral -to-ground lamp sockets on music stand lights chassis is referenced to the neutral. chassis is found, modification of the would remain energized even when This most certainly means trouble. In turned off. an equi- potential AC system, a chassis It has long been the Most studio equipment currently uses so referenced would become ener- a single -pole power switch. This means gized. Fortunately, this is not the usual contention of electrical that (among other things) greater care case, because UL regulations prohibit must be taken by service personnel the use of neutrals for grounding pur- inspectors that studios while working on switched-off gear. poses. But it happens anyway. (Check Two-pole circuit breakers and exclu- your unbalanced audio gear and your are operated unsafely sive use of GFCI devices or hard -wired video monitors!) Some equipment slips AC equipment connections in lieu of through the cracks because of confu- because of various GFCI protection seem to have become sion that exists with manufacturers grounding compromises standard safety measures upon which over nomenclature used in the electri- most electrical inspectors agree. cal industry. that are made. Without Use of 2-pole GFCI breakers have been In a standard 120V, single -phase wir- recommended and some will probably ing system, the neutral (white wire) is question, they are right. work if their internal op-amps can func- referred to as the grounded conduc- tion at about half the normal DC circuit tor. It's intended for use as a current - voltage. By design, a 2 -pole GFCI is carrying supply conductor. Being chassis grounding and retrofitting of connected to the neutral bus. Operat- grounded, however, does not mean the equipment with a 3 -wire, U- ground ing within a 120V symmetrical system, that it may used as a grounding refer- cord would be the proper course of the input voltage on a 2 -pole GFCI ence for equipment chassis. In any AC action to take. breaker's power supply would there- system, the grounding conductor fore be only 60V instead of 120V. (green wire) is the only correct refer- RECENT UPDATES Even though some may work, at $130 ence for chassis grounding. The code A number of sound safety measures each a more practical alternative is specifically prohibits its use as a cur- have been developed since the origi- suggested. Standard GFCI mastering

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www.americanradiohistory.com installation themselves. This may be an overzealous and uninformed approach to hazardous electrical safety PLUGGING IN matters. Beware! Electrical power is a technology requiring years of educa- Interestingly, a new ANSI configura- strophic. Many pieces of gear are tion and training. Numerous safety fac- tion for this system type and voltage commonly used in the home, in the tors and, in many cases, manufactur- has been suggested for receptacles studio and on the stage. For that ing specifications must be considered that would allow the use of conven- reason, it is unlikely that many manu- in any electrical installation. Misappli- tional, 3 -wire, U- ground cord plugs facturers will opt to use a different cation can result in damage to prop- (Figure 3). The configuration would be male plug configuration on equipment. erty, liability problems and serious similar to the standard NEMA L -15 Nevertheless, an entirely different injury or worse. style (ANSI C73.11- 1972), but both standard receptacle (female) configu- The National Electrical Code is a com- parallel slots on the receptacle de- ration is possible. If this happened, prehensive collection of safety mea- vice would be the smaller size cur- adapters for audio equipment would sures developed through many years. rently designated as the ungrounded be required and would likely run ram- It is not intended to be a bureaucratic (or high voltage) side of the device. pant. With all of the rented studio obstacle (as viewed by some) but a This would preclude the use of polar- business, few could argue that lights collection of proven guidelines de- ized 2 -prong cord plugs (commonly (with plug adapters) would not be signed to protect property and human used in lighting equipment, coffee used anyway and often with this sys- lives. A healthy approach to the prob- makers, etc.) having one larger neu- tem. lem would be a willingness to work tral blade. Recently, a major manufacturer of with those whose business is electri- Oddly enough, standard 3 -wire, U- plug adapters was sued in a wrongful cal safety. ground cord plugs already in use have death product liability case and lost Safety standards don't necessarily two smaller blades and one ground because its adapters (about one inch have to be impractical standards. pin and are compatible with this new long) failed to plainly exhibit a ground- There are many sides to an issue. Elec- style. This means that only minimal ing warning. One wonders what good trical Code Panels 15 and 16 are the retrofitting would be necessary. a warning would have done anyway. forums where input is needed. (Panel For the sake of the multitudes, it How often do those who use adapt- 15 handles motion picture studios, would be nice to see the current ers take the time to read the direc- theaters and similar locations; Panel NEMA L -15 or the proposed L -15e tions? What if something terrible like 16 deals with sound recording and receptacle configuration accepted for that happened in a studio? A configu- public address equipment). use with symmetrical AC systems. ration that mandated use of adapters As proposals are made for code Should another standard be adopted, could leave studios wide open to changes, various documentation will the consequences could be cata- such liabilities. become available. Inquiries can be made to the National Fire Protection Association, Electrical Code Section, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269. Full lists of technical committee panels 15 and 16 are available by writing to the above address. Let's proceed to implement this system properly and in a spirit of coop- eration. The problem of AC- induced audio noise is soon to be a thing of the past. Adequate standards are almost, at long last, a reality. L-15 6!)L-15e

Previous articles written have Figure 3. Standard NEMA (L -15) and proposed (L -15e) configurations *Note: referred to the system described herein as a 2-phase system. Although the point may be arguable, electrical industry devices (used with spas and jet tubs) bench styles for equipment down- people prefer to use the term "60/120V, without slots for cord plugs are a frac- stream of UPS backups and a variety of single-phase, 3-wire" for this class of tion of the price. They, too, operate at other applications. system mainly because it accurately 120V, but they derive their power from Equi -Tech also distributes large and describes the phase relationship and both lines (120V) on the device, which small sizes of symmetrical 120V isola- voltage between supply conductors as it is a more compatible configuration tion transformers for hard -wired elec- is applied to equipment. with symmetrical power. trical systems manufactured to audio/ Equi -Tech, Portland, manufactures video industry specifications. Capaci- *Note: Transformer manufacturers GFCI device panels designed specifi- tive and inductive resonance proper- use a 120/60V designation to indicate a cally for this application. The panels ties are engineered to smother higher center-tap 120V transformer output. A have an accurate GFCI testing module, frequency EMI, even under extreme 60/120V transformer designation indi- a multichannel system monitoring de- load conditions. New products employ- cates an "either/or" output (60V or 120V) vice and cost far less than an electrical ing this technology are appearing on but not both simultaneously. In either panel full of 2 -pole GFCI breakers. Other the scene regularly. case, no center tap is available. This is products developed are compact 40A- completely contrary to the electrical sys- to-70A equi- potential systems for A DISCLAIMER tem description where a 60/120V desig- smaller studios, portable versions for An unsettling practice continues by a nation indicates a center- grounded neu- mobile /remote use, and a few smaller few well- meaning audio technicians tral. Therefore, a 120/60 transformer models (up to 3000W) in both rack and who attempt to handle the electrical supplies a 60/120V system.

34 R E P August 1992

www.americanradiohistory.com COURTROOM PRODUC11O. THE JEFFREY DAHMER TRL

Providing audio production for gavel- to-gavel coverage of a major national trial.

Courtroom audio for video has erative in letting us infiltrate the con- the glass wall to the left of the room never been a bed of roses, with fines of the court. Because this was the near the prosecutor's desk. The ro- problems usually arising from HVAC, first time that Courtroom TV had ever botic camera was used to keep crew traffic or room ambience. And in this attempted a multicamera court event, personnel to a minimum and to com- case, the challenge was mixing audio director Mike Butler was sent to Mil- ply with the judge's wishes not to cre- in a cavernous Milwaukee courtroom waukee to control the program and to ate any disturbance within the court- for the sanity trial of serial killer Jef- help refine the trial coverage. room. The robocam operators were frey Dahmer. Jury selection began on Thursday, supplied on a daily basis by some of CPI, a Milwaukee production com- Jan. 23. The first order of business was the local TV stations. Camera 3 was pany, was contracted by IDB of New to run seemingly endless yards of au- positioned also to the left of the room, York on behalf of Courtroom TV to dio and video cable throughout the facing the gallery, to shoot family and shoot video and supply audio for the courtroom on the fifth floor of the spectator reactions. CNN supplied the world. Even though CPI is mainly a TV Safety Building, through a window in camera and the operators (known only and radio commercial production the forensic/mental health depart- to me as Ted, Bruce and Tom). house, we have been working with 1DB ment, down to the media pool room on Another camera was located in the since the summer of 1991, covering the second floor (luckily, just below media pool room to shoot correspon- various Midwest legal trials ranging the courtroom), to the Courtroom TV dent Steve Johnson. This camera was from murder to prison break. truck (supplied by Image Video of Can- operated by CPI employees David Shooting has generally consisted of a ton, OH), and then to the satellite up- Kagan and Dave Berger. An additional single camera in the courtroom, with a link truck (provided by 1DB). camera was used and operated by the second camera on the streets doing The Forensic /Mental Health depart- locals to shoot the podium located in live standups sent out via satellite. ment cooperated with us by supplying one corner of the media room for press The audio would normally be a 1- or 2- coffee and a telephone. (In return, I conferences. mic setup in the court and one for the furnished them a direct audio and video standup talent. The Dahmer trial feed of all courtroom proceedings. It AUD10LAlD opened a whole new "can of cable." never hurts to be friendly!) As for the audio, the initial mic setup The courtroom was, of course, huge, consisted of EV 635 microphones on couRISDE old, dusty and complete with acous- the judge's desk, witness stand and The dry run for the trial was the tics from hell. Shortly before the trial prosecutor's desk. Because the attor- hearing held on Monday, Jan. 13, 1992, began, the County of Milwaukee had neys would likely move around the at the Milwaukee County Safety Build- installed a 10 -foot glass wall between courtroom, we planted a Tram lavalier ing, where we set up the basic layout the court area and the public gallery to mic on the front of the jury box to pick and fine -tuned the production. It must protect the defendant. Camera 1 was a up speech directed at the jury, not be noted that the judge, the Honorable Sony 3-chip M7 operated daily by David originating near any of the other mics. Larry Gram, his bailiff and sheriff's Michuda of CPI. This was located in- We chose this mic because of its high deputies were most helpful and coop- side the glass on the defendant's side quality of sound, plus the strong pickup of the room about eight feet behind with the surface reflection of the jury Dahmer's desk. box helped out. Camera 2 (affectionately Ray Fister is an audio production engineer with CPI Audio/ referred to EV 635s were also mounted to the Video/Film Productions. Milwaukee. as "Robocam ") was perched on top of right and left sides of the court clerk's

August 1992 R E P 35

www.americanradiohistory.com ,ere later re- esfannels on the v$b _,additional mics ì«ooQeo , mounted on the 60s No plant's desk, to pick WITNESS os On , as they faced the ,RAGE'S EV635 - BENCH s.Aá.ts later moved by sec - EV635 vias ovlichael St. James to the TO JUDGE'S CLERK OF COURT ELM50 von,vitness box.) CHAMBERS oIalier? Simply put, they hide EY635 PODIUM ,ily! Courtroom TV wanted to as blended into the woodwork á m AUDIO COURTROOM SNAKE ssible, so the lays were easily Er tape to .en by using brown duct EV635 sounded _ EV635 ,d the flat mic clip. And they PROSECUTION DEFENSE eat! Some of the audio would be lost ° s the lawyers wandered around the MCNN r? PLATFORM came CN CTY courtroom, but the lays generally PROSECUTION TEAM 0' DEFENSE TEAM PRESS of the dead ROBOCAM CAM 1 through, covering most A areas. Occasionally, the vent system MOUNT and the normal court ambience would RAU WALL MARS WALL be heavy, but a bit of bass EQ cut CRAM helped. We were originally not allowed to place a mic in the area directly in front of the clerk's desk, but about four days into the trial we were given permission FAMILY GALLERY RESERVED FOR a ECM 50 to add one, so we chose Sony OAHMERPARENTS lavalier to attach to the house mic , (again to cover more of the dead areas.) This worked like a champ, giving the area a "linkage" to pick up the ; attorneys walking from their desks to FORENSIC the witness box (see diagram). DEPARTMENT AUDIO MIX ROBOCAM In the "lost audio" department, half- Cott way through the first day of jury selec- r0 TRDC AND wEDIA tion, the prosecutor, E. Michael POOL McCann, wheeled out a podium from a corner of the courtroom for his state- ments to the potential jurors. We were told that this podium would not be used, so, of course, the podium saw some major action throughout the trial. SECURITY At the end of the first day we placed another EV 635 on the podium attached with a Latin Percussion claw clip. Figure 1. Diagram of courtroom showing production locations and wiring. These legal guys kept us hopping.

CABLE RUNS AND GEAR DAHMER TRIAL SIAM UST In addition to all of these feeds, an 1 -Ramsa WR -8112N 8x4x2 mixer 1- 9- channel Whirlwind snake audio and video feed for a VHS player 1 -Shure 4x1 mixer 1-Sony video monitor (provided for the jury to view taped 10-EV 635 dynamic microphones 1- Realistic amplified speaker testimony) was run but never used. 3-Tram lavalier microphones 1 pair-Fostex stereo headphones Perhaps this was a good thing. 1-Sony ECM 50 lavalier micro- Yards and yards of cable and We ran another EV 635 to the gallery phone multiboxes for reporters who would witness any in- chambers proceedings to report to PRODUCTION CREW this mic was the media pool. Although Director Mike Butler (Courtroom TV) used jury selection, it - mostly during Producer Andy Regal (Courtroom TV) came in handy later in the trial. - Crew chief James Kagan (CPI) Meanwhile, we were also controlling - Switcher Mark Kagan/Mike Sacks (CPI) audio coming from the media room, - Audio Ray Fister/Michael St. James (CPI) consisting of the podium mic for press - Camera 1 David Michuda (CPI) conferences and an overhead mic to - Camera 2 Locals (Robocam) pick up reporters' questions. There - Camera 3 CNN personnel was also a separate feed for the Court- - Camera 5 Locals room TV's Johnson. Three separate - Camera 6 David Kagan/David Berger (CPI) one time: chan- - buses were sent out at Technical support Image Video, Akron /Canton, OH nel one to the our truck, channel three - Rentals Video Images, Waukesha, WI (Tim Ward); Select Sound, channel four to - to the media pool and Milwaukee (Dennis Frank) the truck for the standup. The feed to

36 R E P August 1992

www.americanradiohistory.com the media pool was sent to one main the director, I was listening to a single - COMPLETE COVERAGE multibox and from there was routed sided intercom headset with a talkback There was virtually no audio in the countless times to various other mic and aset of FostexT1 O headphones court that we were unable to produce. multiboxes in the room to service the using only one side. I also used an During the initial hearings, we tapped local TV, radio and print media and the amplified Realistic speaker for backup into the courtroom's own house PA rest of the world. (a good choice because of its compact- system. This consisted of mies for the Other than the main fader mix, I was ness). attorneys, the judge and witnesses. sending (via the monitor mix -outs) one For three weeks, this was home. Our The court mies were some old EV prod- mix to the only TV station in town that regular production clients piled up ucts, later replaced by new Realistic was providing gavel -to -gavel coverage occasionally at our studio, making it PZMs. of the trial, and another monitor mix to impossible for me to always be at the A 4- channel amp was controlled by a multibox located in the gallery of the trial, but this proved to be a needed the bailiff. Initially, picking up the house system proved to be a solid backup until the PZMs were brought in. After that, this system consisted mainly of feedback and the overall ambience of the courtroom. Among the courtroom's security measures were a canine sweep of the court and surrounding areas for explo- sives or firearms, a metal detector in the hall before entering the courtroom, and many many extra -duty sheriff's deputies. These deputies were most cooperative and helpful in making our jobs run smoothly. A typical day started with a 6:30 a.m. call (with court starting about 9 a.m.) and ended around 6 p.m. The daywould begin with a standup from Johnson live to the satellite to recap the previous day's proceedings, and would end with the daily press conference Above: Audio and and another Johnson video equipment standup. We were in located in down- constant touch with stairs media room/ our truck, the satellite press pool truck and the director location. in New York. Although the proceedings were Right: Author at sad, gruesome and audio mixing emotional, they were location outside of boring most of the courtroom. time. The director was responsible for keep- courtroom for reporters (and for CNN break from the difficult proceedings. ing the crew in light live taping). Dealing with the subjects of focus humor and compliments. The main audio mixer was a Ramsa during the trial was a different story. On the last day of the trial the ver- WR8112 8x4x4 configuration with a At first, Milwaukee County prosecutor dicts were read. Having left the gallery Shure 4x1 mixer run into one of the McCann was unhappy with the open standup mic available, I was able to Ramsi s channels to submix the me- mic placed on his desk. Although we make use of it by capturing the fami- dia pool audio and to supply tones. All gave the judge, defense and prosecu- lies' reactions to the verdicts. Ordi- of the main faders were active, as was tor a kill switch near each mic, McCann narily, because of the glass wall divid- the Shure. The channel assignments was still concerned with having coming the courtroom, I would be unable were as follows: 1) judge's mic; 2) wit- plete privacy while discussing mat- to pick up any sound from the gallery. ness mic; 3) prosecutor's mic; 4) de- ters with his associates. This was a handy bit of luck. fense mic; 5) jury box (Tram); 6) wit- I explained to him how I would run Striking the set was no easier than ness box (Tram); 7) clerk desk (ECM the mix by bringing up the levels of putting it all together, except that I 50); 8) Shure mixer with input a) setup anyone addressing the court, jury or was lucky enough to be preoccupied tones and gallery mic; b) media over- attorneys, and keep the gain down at at the studio with clients, so St. James head; c) Jury VHS (not used); d) media all other times. This was important had to pull the audio down. After about podium; and e) overhead. because the courtroom was very am- three hours, all was wrapped, but the bient. I took McCann back to our mix- media room looked like a hurricane HONE BASE ing position to show him how the con- passed through. The mixing area was located just be- sole operated, and I assured him that Ultimately, this event was an act of hind a door to the rear of the court- his comments, both public and pri- trying to create a controlled set in a room. The Robocam operator was also vate, were my ultimate concern. Once complicated space. Everything went located in this area. In order to moni- he was happy, everything fell into well with the help of the professionals tor the audio and keep in touch with place. working together to pull it off.

August 1992 R E P 37

www.americanradiohistory.com CHECKING UPON THE nnoerr CURRENT IVUI By John LaGrou STATE OF .. ,. hGt(0 PC @aMPs FRONT alkudio professionals are familiar with the trade -off be- ENDS. tween a console's quality and its cost. It's an unavoid- able compromise. Console builders must make a conscious, deliberate choice of design philosophy and component selection to best target the budget and needs of their particular audio niches. Even the most expensive consoles cannot avoid certain inherent trade -offs. And for low- and mid -priced recording boards, sacrifices are an unfortunate side -benefit. One console function that is routinely immolated is the microphone preamplifier. As a result, engineers often find it desirable to bypass console mic amps in favor of dedicated, external preamps. To get the most from your setup, you need to be aware of general design characteristics of outboard microphone preamps and know what designs are currently available. In just a few years, the professional audio amps, we could be missing some wonderful market has seen a rapid increase of manufactur- colors in the audio paintbox. ers producing stand -alone, high quality mic Outboard mic preamps are not for everybody, amps. They are now available with tubes, FETs, though. Some engineers we spoke with track bipolars, IC op -amps, hybrids, IC function mod- through the console most of the time "for conve- ules, with transformer coupling, transform - nience." One symphony engineer noted that on erless, and so on. Listed prices for stand -alone multiple -mic symphonic recordings where the units run anywhere from $150 to $7,500 per union scale ticks away, a decision for off-con- channel. sole devices might be outweighed by the addi- There are many reasons why outboard mic tional time, cost and complexity incurred. Like- preamps are gaining in popularity. One is the wise, in a hectic production facility, a staff engi- emergence of the small personal- use /project neer simply may not have time to configure a studio. Unlike large production studios where rack of outboard pres. But when time and re- an entire band may track together, in many sources allow, external preamps are usually personal -use studios, tracks are often produced viewed as the right way to go. singly or just a few at a time. Many rooms have no need for numerous simultaneous mic inputs. DESIGN TECINIIIQUB For these studios, a small rack of high quality Contemporary preamp design can be catego- outboard mic amps is ideal. rized into four types of active elements: discrete Another reason for the growing use of stand- semiconductor, vacuum tube, integrated cir- alone preamps is that creative engineers and cuit, and hybrid (i.e., any combination of the producers desire a larger sonic color palette prior three). Within these categories are found from which to express their work. When you FETs, bipolars, IC function modules, IC opamps, consider that mic pres may amplify audio sig- discrete opamps and so forth. nals in excess of 1,000:1, it's no wonder that this An important design parameter is the cou- John LaGrou is a princi a pal of Millenia Media. an single link becomes key contributor to sonic pling of input, interstage and output circuits. audio video design. pro- coloration. These various colors and textures, Common coupling methods include transformer, duction and consulting in part, give our acoustically recorded sound its capacitor and direct. All preamps use at least team in Sacramento. CA. signature. If we rely solely upon our console mic one of these coupling methods, and many offer

38 R E P August 1992

www.americanradiohistory.com a combination. switching, and selectable output im- any preamp's performance. Within these classifications exists a pedance for bridging or terminated Concerning measureable specifica- wide array of design techniques and loading. tions, if the preamp will be used in specifications, far beyond the scope of Preamp input impedance seems an environments where very long cable this article. It suffices to say that each issue of both personal taste and objec- runs and EMI problems are common, design approach, when done well, has tive criteria. One preamp specifies an assure yourself that the unit's CMRR a definite place in professional audio input impedance of less than 1000í2, is sufficiently high. One currently and can provide the engineer with so- whereas another shows a figure of manufactured preamp has an audio lutions not achievable in the studio 7.8k12. Most preamps, however, claim range CMRR that drops below 35dB console. a frequency -dependent input imped- which, in our opinion, would not be Most stand -alone mic preamp chan- ance between 1k1 and 1.5k12. By defi- suitable for use in electrically noisy nels offer, at minimum, a balanced XLR- nition, a minimum ratio of about 5:1 environments. 3 input with switchable phantom pow- between preamp input impedance and Another key parameter is voltage ering and gain control. Per standards, mic output impedance is required for gain. If you're using low sensitivity phantom voltage is usually supplied in proper bridging. Too little input im- microphones, such as the Beyer M- series with 6.81k0 resistors, though pedance will increase noise and un- 160 (1 mV /Pa), a preamp with less than these resistors should be modifiable duly load certain microphones. 60dB gain may not always be suitable. for use with speciality microphones. Many specifications play a purely Be sure that the self-noise of your Gain control can be found either objective role. These include voltage microphone and preamp is also suit- stepped or infinite. Infinite control of- gain, input noise, common mode rejec- ably low. Most high quality modern ten provides greater flexibility, as tion ratio and so forth. Certain pre - mics and preamps are designed with stepped controls frequently fall 'in- amps are better suited for specific low self noise, though certain units between' the desired gain range. One applications. If you're looking to pur- may not be adequate in high gain recently introduced preamp offers a chase, review carefully your I/O re- situations. concentric gain control with both quirements and select the best pre- Preamp designers are offering in- stepped course and infinite fine tuning amp for the intended venue. creasing amounts of available output -a great idea. It should be noted that such specifi- voltage. Unclipped levels in excess of Other panel functions found on mod- cations as THD, clewing, frequency 30dBu are not uncommon. An ironic ern preamps include high impedance response and phase response are im- twist on this trend is the growing use of DI inputs, overload indicators, VU portant but, curiously, do not always A/D converters. Most professional A/D meters, separated input and output translate into a specific predictable converter ICs clip around 3V. Over- gain controls, attenuation switching, sound quality. Such specifications load of this next important stage could remote gain control capability, phase should be treated with respect, but be a real problem. The lesson here is switching, balanced /unbalanced your ears should be the final judge of know your system.

Hey Glenn, what do you do with your 56K? Glenn Meadows is the president of Masterfonics Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee. His mastering credits, 350 of which have achieved Gold/Platinum status, include: Alabama, Hank Wlliams Jr., Dan Fogelberg, and Reba McEntire. Recent 56K projects include: Steely Dan Gold Extended/MCA Reba Mc- Entire/MCA and Sawyer Brown Curb /Capitol. He has been mastering since 1973.

'The 56K has made my life much easier. In an effort to find a digital mastering system suitable to my needs, I evaluated several other systems on different platforms. The 56K proved significantly easier to use and faster to learn, as well as very quick to do the type of edits I normally did with analog tape.

The playlist in SoundStage is the most intuitive I have seen. I use it daily for quickly changing the song order on compact discs, as well as reassembling songs for different required mixes. What used to be done in a day with tape can now be done in minutes with the 56K.

I've seen the competition... used it..., and in my opinion, there is no better 2 track mastering solution on the market today."

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August 1992 R E P 39

www.americanradiohistory.com son Qatar familiar with because they are so regularly put "EVERY Every element of signal path impacts quality, to use. though sonic coloration in mic preamps seems Better front-end specs on these designs can to be most affected by the selection and design often be achieved by the inclusion of a coupling ELEMENT OF of active gain element(s) and I/O coupling. As transformer at the inputs of the single IC, but be such, included in the comparison matrix (See prepared to live with whatever sonic influence THE SIGNAL page 43.) is a listing of each preamp's gain the transformer might contribute. If the sec- element(s) and coupling methods. ondary impedance of the transformer is well Recently, in designing a 130Vdc Bruel & Kjaer- matched to the noise resistance of the IC, ac- PATH type preamp system for use with the Sacra- ceptable technical performance can be mento Symphony, we had an opportunity to achieved, especially if a superior transformer is IMPACTS test and listen to various preamp designs imple- used. menting discrete, IC op -amp, and IC function Our tests with mid -line mic transformer units module designs. I'll briefly characterize our ($20 to $40) proved disappointing. Low fre- QUALITY." assessment of each, though the reader should quencies, such as found on bass drum or large understand that these opinions are limited to the few specific topologies we explored. In alternative topologies, of which there are many, the identical active device could exhibit a mark- edly different personality. The goal here is to provide the reader with a starting point and some technical background for further comparative investigations.

Our recent tests did not Figure 1. An example of discrete Hybrid direct feed design. include vacuum tube units, though it is widely accepted that tubes organ (60Hz and below) really suffered. If trans- provide a sonic character often unattainable former coupling is in your future, settle for with semiconductor technology. Good tube de- nothing but the best. signs with high quality coupling can capture a Ironically, coupling transformer coloration, very pleasing perspective on vocal and instru- whether slight or drastic, is often artistically mental timbre. It's not hard to understand why desirable. In "Neve Retro," (REP, February fine tube mics, compressors, EQs and preamps 1992), the process of rebuilding old Neve con- are still sought. soles was explained. Rupert Neve has said that the harmonic distortion of those 1960 -era trans- CLNIPS Ma CS formers contributed to his console's We began our analysis with function module unmistakeable sonics. Old Neves, as well as preamps. These little gems are near-complete modern transformer -coupled designs, are preamps in a single IC package - add a power sought out by top engineers every day. In fact, supply, and they're almost ready to roll. The the chart on page 43 shows that the majority of benefits of function modules include relatively contemporary, non -console preamps are trans- low cost, good audio technical specs, design former coupled. simplicity and ease of manufacturing. They are commonly used in mid -line mixing consoles, CLASS "A" All UVI and, although we wouldn't necessarily choose Finally, we tested two families of discrete them for critical recording applications, most front ends, a pure Class 'A' approach and mul- are superb for general use. For our applica- tiple discrete -hybrid designs incorporating a tions, we looked at models manufactured by discrete transistor gain element before, or in Burr-Brown and Analog Devices. feedback with, a monolithic op-amp. In our listening tests, we found that these The sound quality of the all-discrete Class 'A' function modules exhibited varying degrees of approach is reminiscent of vintage Neve mic "personality," each adding its own subtle (and amps, but the design is difficult to manage sometimes not so subtle) character to the origi- technically. Finding the proper tradeoffs in nal source. The exact sound character varied, operating current, gain settings, audio specs owing to additional circuit design and loading and stability over a wide temperature range characteristics, but overall might be described can be elusive. as wandering, to some degree, from the original On the other hand, we found that the capaci- timbre and sonic quality of the source. tively -coupled discrete -hybrid approach retains Another similar design approach uses a single the transparency of a discrete front -end while IC opamp. These chips usually exhibit low- minimizing the "personality" of the opamp. The noise, high gain /bandwidth, good common hybrids take advantage of the IC's ability to mode performance and stability. The vener- accurately couple the front -end transistors and able Signetics 5534As (or hot -rodded clones, still maintain wideband stability. One example such as the MA-332) still rank among the top of this approach proved particularly transpar- performers in low noise, IC opamp solutions. ent and was optimized and fine -tuned for use The 5534M sound like 5534s, a device many are with high voltage B&K microphones. Some

40 R E P August 1992

www.americanradiohistory.com SAN FRANCISCO WELCOMES THE AES 93 "° CONVENTION, October 1 -4, 1992

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www.americanradiohistory.com API other contemporary preamp designs substi- Heider's original UREI tube console. For new 703- 455 -8188 tute an all -discrete opamp in similar configu- gear, we're using the Summit tube preamp Avalon Designs rations, with positive results. quite a bit. We like the Summit with 6-string, 213- 469 -4773 One last point: something we know from steel guitar, and some of Neil's vocals. past experience again affirmed itself during "For other applications, we've been using Benchmark Media Systems our tests. The physical layout and critical the API 512b preamp modules. The APIs give 315- 437 -6300 reference paths (ground and signal) of cir- us the punch and clarity we need for live deGeer cuits can often contribute to audible perfor- recording and reinforcement," says Nowland. 510-837-7959 mance, especially designs prone to instabil- "In general, when choosing a mic and pre - ity at ultra -sonic frequencies. amp, a lot depends on the talent's mood. We Focusrite usually lean toward vintage tube mics into 818-781-1022 HOW THEY'RE USED The John Hardy Co. I spoke with a few leading engi- 708- 864 -8060 neers and asked them about their selection and use of outboard Innovative Audio mic preamps. Here's what they 213- 470 -6426 said: Jensen Tom Jung (DMP Records) said, "Mic 213- 876 -0059 preamps are much like microphones - all exhibit a unique Lighthouse personality. These days, all of 818 -506 -8942 DMP's recordings are converted Manley to digital early in the recording 714- 627 -5944 chain. Usually, this means running a short cable from mic pre- George Massenburg Labs amp to an ND converter." Jung 818- 781 -1022 says that he is particularly fond Figure 2. Simple transformer input. Millennia Media of the Summit, Studio Tech, and 916-363-1096 P.S.E. preamps. the Summit or Neve, but the feeling of the "For 2-track direct ensemble work, we es- moment is what ultimately determines our PSE pecially like the Speiden stereo ribbon mic choices." 612-866-4984 into the PSE," he said. (Author's note: Listen Jeffrey Norman (Huey Lewis, Grateful Dead, Rane to index #9 of Bob Mintzer's Spectrum for a etc.) said, "Some console preamps, such as 206 -355 -6000 real sonic treat, DMP DT -461.) the SSL, seem a bit bright, even brittle. In "We also like our B&Ks into the PSE. The many cases, I'll bypass the console and use Sontec Summit has an especially warm quality that external preamps direct to tape. I really like 703-626-9177 complements the starkness of certain digital the Lighthouse, GML, and Neve preamps." Studio Tech conversions. DMP is currently testing a pro- Jeffrey stated that "a top preamp with an 312- 676 -9177 totype Sony tube mic with a C37 -type cap- average mic is preferable to an average pre - sule. The Sony tube mic into the Summit amp with a good mic." He tends to choose Summit tube pre really sounds great and will prob- mic amps that have "a very full, warm qual- 408 -395 -2488 ably be used for sax on an upcoming Brecker ity with articulate low end response." project. We've Symetrix 2 also found the Studio Tech Norman says that "vocals are perhaps one 206-282-2555 MPE to be a consistent, all around pre for of the hardest things to record successfully. medium gain applications." We've had good results with Huey Lewis Tube Tech Bruce Swedien (Michael Jackson, etc.) said, using a Neumann M -49 into the Lighthouse 212 -596 -5958 "In all cases, the music dictates my choice of preamp. John Fogerty, as well, records con- microphone and preamp. I really have no vincingly on a U87 into the Lighthouse." favorite combination of preamp and microphone. I'll try new techniques for each ses- SUMMARY sion and each musician. The main thing I One thing is certain: all microphone pre- look for is the emotional response we get as amps, console or stand -alone, exhibit unique a result of using the right mics, preamps and coloration to a lesser or greater degree. This so forth." has been observed repeatedly by numerous Swedien said that he's found the mic amps blind tests and, more important, everyday in some newer consoles to be "one of the A/B comparisons in studios everywhere. If weakest areas." To overcome these weak- nothing else, this demonstrates that there is nesses, he uses a collection of Neve 1064, no such thing as a straight wire with gain. 1073, and 1083 input modules, as well as the Further, because of each preamp design's Massenburg 8300, Jensen, and Studio Tech unique loading characteristics, any micro- MPE. Swedien says he "loves his GML" and phone will respond differently when matched that the Jensen is a "very good unit" but that to different preamps. With the seemingly the old Neves probably get used more than infinite combination of mics, preamps, and the newer designs. "Our tools are of great source material, all we can do is try new importance," he says, "but remember, no- variations and techniques. This is one place body ever left the record store humming the where an engineer really applies the art. preamp." We can argue that accuracy is the critical John Nowland (Neil Young, Merle Haggard, measurement of preamps. And in many ap- etc.) said, "We're doing a lot of work in Neil's plications, such as when recording the acous- studio using a combination of new and vin- tic environment of a symphony orchestra, tage recording gear. For vintage mic amps, accuracy is crucial. But the questions must we're using an old Neve console and Wally then be asked, "By whose definition or opin-

42 R E P August 1992

www.americanradiohistory.com The matrix to the right shows nominal configurations. Some manufacturers offeroptional coupling methods, mounting configurations, gain IVI PR _ ivu Flo FEATURES with an asterisk require structures, etc. Items ACTIVE RETAIL purchase of additional equipment, such as a MANUFACTURER MODELS CHANNELS ELEMENTS GAIN IN OUT PRICE power supply and/or dedicated rack. API 3124 4 DS 60 XFM XFM $2,095 ion of accuracy? Should the recording 512b' 1 -4 DS 60 XFM XFM 695/ch resemble what the conductor, the per- Avalon M2V 2 DS 62 XFM DIR 3,090 son in 15th row center or the second M22' 2 DS 62 XFM DIR 2,590 tier right hears? In what venue? With Benchmark MPS-400 4 DS MO 73 CAP CAP 1,460 what acoustical treatment? Using DeGeer MANIBUS 2 -6 DS 65 CAP CAP 15k/2ch which microphones and cables? And will one preamp perform best under Focusrite ISA-116' 4 MO 60 XFM XFM 3,200 all such parameters? Hardy M-1 1 -4 DS 60 XFM DIR 1,397/2ch certain preamps might Subjectively, Innovative VTMP-2 2 VT 52 XFM CAP 1,549 not be chosen for orchestral record- 1 2,390/2ch ing. However, those "reject" pres might Jensen Twin-Servo -4 DS 60 XFM XFM sound terrific on tomorrow's vocalist Lighthouse E F-85 2 DS 55 XFM DIR 3,200 or next week's jazz flugelhorn. We'll Manley DMMP 2 VT 60 XFM CAP 2,400 never know until we try. If you sample Massenburg 8300' 2,4 DS 70 CAP DIR 3,300/4ch a comparison, you'll find that there are no "bests," only "differents." Some Millenia Media HV-3 2 DSMO 65 CAP DIR 1,150 combinations will be ideal for your PSE MIC-1 2 DS 70 XFM CAP 1,500 specific applications and microphone MS-1 1 FM 60 CAP DIR 189 selections. Put them through the rig- Rane ors of your next sessions and find the Sontec MPA-1' 2 DS 70 CAP DIR 785 "paint brushes" that fit your own sonic Studio Tech MPE 2 DS MO 68 CAP DIR 795 palette. Summit TPA-200A 2 VT DS 70 XFM DIR 1,950 Symetrix SX-202 2 FM 53 CAP CAP 299 Tube Tech MP1A 2 VT 70 XFM XFM 1,965

DS- Discrete Semiconductor, MO =Monolithic Opamp, VT= Vacuum Tube. FM= Function Module, XFM = Transtormer, CAP= Capacdor, DIR= Direct

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arrays located at the side or rear parts ence area, particularly when they are Beyond Left and of the audience area. Even on a smaller properly set up in zones with level, scale, this technique can be quite ef- signal delay and EQ adjustment for Right: Bringing fective, whether for live concerts or each area. for use with playback program mate- Power to the People rial at corporate presentations or the- POTENTIAL PROBLEMS atrical events. Whenever your sound system moves "beyond left and right," that means LEFT/CENTER/RIGHT locating some of your loudspeaker sys- By David Scheintran The first step in going "beyond left tem resources in areas that may not be and right" often means adding a center as accessible, secure or practical as array. This can be a smaller stage -level the traditional left /right sound wings. Improving the distribution of sound system for front -fill audience coverage Is the labor time available to get the to audiences at concerts and special or a full -scale hung array that handles gear out there, set it up, tweak it, use it, events often requires going beyond only vocal and solo instruments, or it and tear it down? Is the security avail- the typical left stack /right stack ap- can be the primary sound source for able (fencing, guards, scaffolding, etc.) proach to sound system setup. Audi- an installed performing arts center sys- to safeguard the gear in the crowd ences can be served with a twin -stack, tem, which then relies on left and right environment? Is the existing electrical or double array system, but more speaker locations to widen the power distribution system able to events are using distributed systems program's sound image or to place handle the extra load of long ac runs to to offer improved fidelity, better cov- stereo effects. amplifier racks several hundred feet erage, and special effects imaging. away? In the past the term "distributed sys- UNDER-BALCONY SYSTE]NS For these reasons and more, rental tem" often meant nothing more than a The same type of buildings that ben- sound system contractors can com- bunch of small paging speakers, strung efit from central clusters also often mand a healthy, well deserved fee for together on a 70V line in a ballroom, require under -balcony distributed sys- providing distributed -type sound sys- convention hall or restaurant. Today, tems to provide optimum sound in tems. Even the simplest vocal-only pag- this term can encompass any sound these acoustically different areas of ing system for a small -town bicycle reinforcement system that makes use the audience. Smaller, low- profile race must confront the above issues. of more than just left and right main speakers are required with proper Where will the speaker towers be lo- speaker arrays. hanging and rigging fittings. cated? How does the speaker line get Reasons for going beyond left and strung without being a safety hazard? right can include the following: DELAY TOWERS How will the system be zoned cor- Providing greater involvement in the Anyone who has attended a number rectly to prevent echoes? stage show for more of the audience: of major, outdoor rock concerts has large -scale video technology brings the probably encountered delay towers: TE>CINOLOGES TWIT HELP visual image closer. A properly de- scaffolding located several hundred There are several important aspects signed and implemented distributed feet back in the audience area, sup- of a properly distributed sound sys- system can give the audio image more porting speaker system arrays in- tem design: presence and impact. tended to take up where the stage-area Digital delay units. Become familiar To reach asymmetrical audience system leaves off. This is particularly with high -quality, user -friendly delays. areas. When an event crowd is not set important for high frequencies, which Don't try to use low- grade, musical up in a convenient, easy- to-cover rec- are more susceptible to gain loss-over- instrument effect -type delays. Remem- tangle, it takes strategically placed de- distance than are lower frequencies. ber that your entire program mix is lay stacks or other specialized system Without delay arrays, an outdoor passing through this important part of branches to get the sound where the mega -event for 25,000 people can the signal chain. Units with multiple people are: in a building annex, a side sound less than impressive if you're at delay 'taps' such as a 1x3, 2x4, etc., are alcove, or a series of upper balconies. the rear fringe of the audience area. particularly useful. The ADD-3 from In large-crowd situations, such as Audio Digital, the DN -716 from Kiark- outdoor concerts at stadiums, the qual- DISTRIBUTED MAY RINGS Teknik and the YDD -2600 and DDL-3 ity of sound for the large audience is Shows of all types can benefit from from Yamaha are useful tools. helped enormously when the sound is the setup of delay speaker 'rings' that Distribution amplifiers. simple high - distributed through the use of mid/ are carefully placed to assist the stage quality DAs (often in 1 -rack space pack- high frequency arrays at the halfway sound starting at 100 or 150 feet into age, with 1 -in-4 out or 8-out configura- point, or full- bandwidth delay arrays the audience area. In low ceiling hotel tions) from companies like Aphex, in the rear of the audience area. ballrooms and convention centers, this Ramko and RTS allow the system op- For special effects imaging. 'Quad technique can mean the difference erator to take the program mix and sound,' such as has been used by between sound problems and a sound send it to four, eight or more speaker groups like The Who, Pink Floyd and triumph. Logistics can be a challenge; system zones with individual level con- Rush, relies on special loudspeaker precise location and the safe running trol of each send. of speaker cables is important. RF signal links. When the system David Scheirman is REP's live sound consulting editor and Delay 'rings' allow greater control of president of Concert Sound Consultants. Julian, CA. the sound in different parts of the audi- (Continued on page 56)

44 R E P August 1992

www.americanradiohistory.com REP: H

FLUXIVITY VS. OYU where distortion occurs. The record- Choosing The Right The zero on a tape recorder can be ing engineer must choose an operat- recalibrated to a wide range of recording level based on the compromise of Analog Operating Level ing levels. Back in the '50s and '60s, the how peak levels and transients sound VU meter was calibrated so that the and how much tape noise will be heard zero conformed with the broadcast underneath the program material. The By Del Eilers standard operating level, the NAB (Na- higher the recording level, the less tional Association of Broadcasters) tape noise will be under the signal, but level. This was done so that record- the greater the risk of having transient all play back at sounds lose their punch and realism. Deciding which operating level to ings exchanged would same level throughout the broad- use, let alone understanding the op- the and that these record- HOW MUCH HEADROOM DO YOU NEED? tions of an operating level, can be con- cast industry with each Today's electronic musical devices fusing and frustrating. By following ings could be interspliced have given us the ability to create some basic guidelines, you should be other. oper- sounds that don't occur in nature and able to eliminate some of the confu- The maximum recommended sion in choosing which level to use. Operating levels are discussed using Level Comparisons three different units: dB, VU and nano Webers per meter, which all measure ANSI (U.S.) DIN (German) dB Referenced 3M Tape Type the same thing. dB, of course, stands nWb /m nWb /m to185 nWb /m Operating Level for decibel, and VU for volume units. (nWb is Nano Webers per meter /m) 520 570 +9dB #996 recorded flux the measurement unit of 370 410 +6dB #226, 227, 250 on the tape. 250 280 +3dB #206, 207, 806, 807 a dB and VU are the same except that 185 200 0dB Original NAB Standard VU is measured using a standard volume indicator or VU meter. dB can be ANSI is the American National Standards Institute, the U.S. standards body. DIN measured on many different meters stands for Deutscher Industrie Normenausshuss, the German standards body. with different meter ballistics. The VU meter, however, has standardized, de- fined characteristics that are intended shown in chart relates can have significantly greater peak lev- to make all VU meters react in the ating level the basic practice of where to els during these transients. Someone same way to dynamic levels of sound. back to the set the operating level. That level is recording this type of program mate- determined as 8dB below a recording rial is likely to determine a need for FLUX LEVEL level which yields 3% third -order har- headroom greater than the conven- A number of years ago, it became monic distortion in the playback of a tional 8dB. Thus, an engineer would standardized that the recorded flux midrange sine wave (pure tone) re- calibrate the VU meter's zero point for level be indicated for playback rather cording. a fluxivity level that is greater than than VU, where the zero calibration The tone is usually 1kHz. As the re- 8dB below the tape's MOL. can be changed. The fluxivity mea- cording level of the tone is increased, When recording live performances surement is expressed in units of flux eventually a point is reached where or one -time -only unique sound effects, per track width, so that the number is significant harmonics can be heard it is also likely that the recording engi- independent of what recording format and measured in the playback of this neer will want greater headroom. Live is being used. The standard numbers recording. It is generally accepted that performers almost always perform are expressed as nano Webers per when the playback of a recorded tone more loudly in the actual concert than meter of track width. has third -order harmonic distortion they did in any rehearsal. There are two different measurement information that is 3% in amplitude of Some engineers like to hit the tape techniques used in measuring re- the fundamental, that recording level hard with high recording levels in or- corded tape flux. One technique was is the maximum level for the tape, a der to use the tape as a soft limiter. If used by a German alignment tape point where the harmonic distortion this is the recording technique pre- manufacturer and another by U.S. products in program material can ferred, then switching tapes to one manufacturers. These techniques re- barely be heard. with a different MOL means that the 0 sult in about a 10% difference in value. One practical problem with audio level on the VU meter should be Thus, if you use fluxivity values, you recording is that the information you recalibrated. should know whether you are using wish to record is rarely steady and the U.S. short circuit measurement constant in level. Since there needs to This is an excerpt from "Choosing The Right Operating number or the European open circuit article be a cushion between peak levels indi- Level - To Change Or Not To Change," literature item number flux measurement. The chart lists the 84- 9811- 5450 -7. which is free from 3M Professional Audio/ cated by the VU meter and where dis- commonly used values for each. Video and Specialty Products Division. 3M Center Building tortion actually occurs, and in order to 223- 5N -01, St. Paul. MN 55144 -1000. compensate for the "slowness" of the Del Eilers is a Senior Technical Service Specialist for the a Professional AudioNideo and Specialty Products Division VU meter, the zero level is set at of 3M Company. significantly lower level than the level

August 1992 R E P 45 www.americanradiohistory.com Noiti Dem,

on the OMF engine, or to add new According to Andy from Buzzy's Re- OMF: Open Media features to existing products using this cording Service, one of the big stum- technology. bling blocks in the standards meetings Framework Leatherby adds, "What we see for the was choice of language - what he future is a building block environment, calls "media dialect." Because of the enabling a user to work on one ma- different backgrounds and perspec- By Rick Schwartz chine for sound manipulation and inte- tives of committee members, he be- grate that work into a video post-pro- lieves they were talking "at" each other. duction environment." For example, he mentioned one com- Since the first SPARS conference on pany that used the word "store" as a digital audio workstations four years ANY QUESTIONS? noun and another used the word ago, there has been much talk but little At the SPARS event the talk was "store" as a verb. action to allow users of different work- unfocused and dry, but the spirited Scott adds, "It was like sledding stations to exchange sound files. Mack question and answer session which through molasses to get the commit- Leatherby would like to change that. followed was the high point of the tee together often enough to get any Leatherby is the audio product man- entire conference. Some of the attend- real work done. All of the manufactur- ager for Avid, a company known for its ees found it a little disconcerting that ers would like to be at the standards video production software for Macin- a video company was proposing stan- meetings, but they just can't be - so, tosh. He outlined Avid's plans at this dards for audio products, a charge it's going to take some sort of an ad hoc year's SPARS event, which took place that Avid strongly denies, saying it has arrangement like this that will take in Los Angeles May 16 - 17. supported 44.1kHz digital audio from this and present it to the standards According to Leatherby, Avid be- day one. committees." lieves that technology's next step will In the midst of all the manufacturers be the integration of digital media in lining up to praise Avid on its noble "The thing that bothers me computer-based technologies. The undertaking, one voice of reason raised about this is, I look at the people at Avid realize it will not be an some important questions. Tom Scott work easy task. from Lucasfilm who stepped up to the that's been done [on OMF] so In addition to the technical issues, microphone, causing quite a stir. far and I don't see any work there are also political issues and end - Scott said, "The thing that bothers - user concerns," Leatherby concludes. me about this is, I look at the work all I see is marketing." - Tom "We need to come up with a simple that's been done (on OMF) so far and I solution for a really complex problem don't see any work - all I see is mar- Scott, lucasfilm - our solution is called the open me- keting. I look at the list of manufactur- dia framework (OMF)." In short, Avid's ers, and there is very little overlap. It's PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS OMF is a software architecture for digi- as though a group of manufacturers David Fredrick of Sonic Systems tal media integration through a com- with dissimilar products got together raised the performance issue. "We need mon set of software services and inter- and said if you can sell my stuff for me, to keep in mind that every manufac- change formats. I'll sell your stuff for you." Scott also turer has optimized its filing systems mentioned the conspicuous absence for (maximum) performance. If you're A 3 -PART PLAN of key players like Sony and Emc (an talking about putting together OMF in According to the white paper docu- Avid competitor). the same manner that MIDI was - ments released by Avid, OMF will be a He continued, "As a way to sell Avid quite frankly MIDI didn't turn out that cross -platform strategy that allows products this looks terrific, but where well. Let's not shoot for the lowest com- users to import files without transla- are all the other video editors and mon denominator. We need to keep in tion. Development of OMF will evolve media." Leatherby said, "Your point is mind that each system has optimized through a series of different introduc- absolutely valid, and, as I said, this the way data is stored and organized tions. Phase one, demonstrated at the thing is open. Anybody can partici- (on disk). If you're asking the manufac- last NAB conference, shows direct im- pate. We spoke to folks at Emc and turers to give up performance in order port and export of digital media be- some of the other companies. OMF is to adhere to a standard, I don't think tween different vendors. Phase two is not something where people are locked you're going to please anyone." scheduled for this summer when Avid out; participation is available to all Another manufacturer added, "I know publishes a draft version of its file vendors." According to Avid, about 30 that we're signed up for this, but there interchange standard. companies have agreed to participate are major questions in my mind. I'm The final phase is far more ambi- by NAB. alluding to how hard it's going to be. I tious. During the fall of '92 Avid will would hope you will spend the neces- introduce the OMF engine, derived from STANDARDS BY COMMITTEE sary time looking at the needs of au- core technology developed for the Avid Scott also asked why Avid did not dio, because if you want our support, Media Composer. This will allow third take part in any of the industry's stan- you are going to have to. As soon as parties to create applications based dards meetings. There was no re- one company feels like the standard is sponse. Although two or three meet- not going to fulfill its needs, it's going ings have been held, Scott commented to sign off from it." Rick Schwartz is a contributing editor to R.E.P and director that he felt the committee headed by of post- production at Music Animals. Los Angeles. Bill Hogan had gone almost nowhere. (Continued on page 57.)

46 REP August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com HEAVY MEP: tip. -1,.,%e- DEALS

stepchild of video. I have mixed feelings A Short Forum about a video company being involved with audio standards. If an audio manu- on Quicklime facturer proposed a standard on their own - other companies would be tempted to shoot it down, just because By Tm Sadler that company is a competitor.

From: Rich Parker, Sysop #75300,2405 REP contributing editor Rick Schwartz To: Rick Schwartz, #70672,1377 recently dropped in on the forum to Rick, I very much believe in standards weigh in on the issue of who will set the that integrate various mediums of ex- audio standards for digital workstation pression. PostScript is an example of file transfer. Here are excerpts: this for the print world, and this integration of graphic images and text has From: Tim Sadler, (REP) #75300,3142 spurred the development of completely To: Rick Schwartz, #70672,1377 new production tools, which are now Hey, Rick! Welcome to the forum. For called "imagesetters" instead of "type- those who don't know Rick, he is direc- setters." Of course, this is old news tor of post -production at The Post Com- now. There is a great deal of interest in plex, a Los Angeles studio facility. providing standardized file formats so As one who has watched in awe as that any DTP application can both view desktop, non -linear editing has come of and edit any document produced by this is sure to age, I have often wondered when the any other application; issue of standards would raise its ugly come to pass, as industry leaders are currently working toward that end. head. I say ugly because this issue is so often misunderstood and can cause We live in an age of "multimedia," and developmental paralysis in an indus- it is not the least outlandish to expect try. Sometimes it's better to let Darwin- that all current media will merge in the ian, defacto standards fall into place, near future to provide consumers with sometimes not. But an aspect often overall variety of real -time video, audio and looked is that a robust exchange format still -image I /O. If it requires the impetus will provide all the standards that are of a video company to start the ball really necessary. rolling to attract the attention of the Programmers and developers don't audio companies so that a compromise like standards, because they fear the technology can be developed, then I imposition of limitations in their pro- believe that it's to the betterment of all. prietary code. A strong exchange for- This is just my (humble) opinion. mat mitigates against these limitations. Video people will not watch out for From: Bob Olhsson, #72340,17 woW' audio's interest. Acasein point isApple's To: Rick Schwartz, #70672,1377 QuickTime. Even with enough hardware QuickTime audio is also rarely if ever to produce 30f ps video, you are saddled in sync! I was very disappointed that with a 22k sampled audio rate. Are we Apple also neglected to lay down tim- light which means going backward, or am I facing the wrong ing resolution standards, way? We have had 44.1k audio on the developers products are unlikely to prices desktop for more than two years! Apple work together without lots of tweaking. took the available bandwidth and The bottom line to me is, "Can you earn carved it up in favor of the picture. enough per hour using QuickTime to pay for a Macintosh ?" The answer I see is "No," which then defines QuickTime ,sop quality product linos priced From: Rick Schwartz, #70672,1377 Uwe promised not to print them[ To: Tim Sadler, (REP) #75300,3142 as a very expensive toy. ssoolo With all of the hype that QuickTime File access or fast exchange formats has gotten, almost nothing has been will have to happen, in my opinion, will really be prac- written about its audio capabilities. I before this stuff ever have been told that the RastorOps tical. The reason is because people who AUDIO VIDEO LIGHTS MediaTime card will digitize audio at are getting paid have to meet dead- 44.1 kHz along with 30f ps video that can lines, which means unexpected delays. be played back as a QuickTime movie. dead equipment or scheduling hassles by abil- If this is true, QuickTime may still have can only really be covered the move a project to another a place in the pro audio industry. If not, ity to easily Consultation: 608/271-1100 audio continues to be the forgotten (Continued on page 56.) 5618 Odana Rd., Madison, WI 53719 Circle (15) on Rapid Facts Card August 1992 R E P 17

www.americanradiohistory.com g SPAM Perspectives

have it, you could be in big trouble. cases. In fact, it is probable that more POST MODERN Law suits are still a growth industry. hours of listening are done in these The time to think about this is before environments than in rooms, and they PRODUCTION you commit, when you can still act on both enjoy lots of bass. professional advice. I turn away calls What does happen in small rooms is all of the time because the prospective that at low frequencies there are fewer By Francis Daniel client has already bought a space that (or no) resonant modes (standing simply cannot be adequately isolated. waves) to reinforce some frequencies, There is no magic here. The laws of and please note: cancel others. In fact, physics still apply, no matter how many the room response below the modal The obvious fact is that an increasing voodoo artists claiming to be studio region is smoother than above it. The level of high -quality audio work is be- designers tell you otherwise. bad news is that your woofers better ing done in facilities that have little, if It may be hard to discern whom you be able to generate those low frequen- any, acoustical design. The historical should listen to. Anyone can give you cies by themselves, without those en- truth is that some very good audio has good references and not mention their ergy- storing modes to help things. come from acoustically questionable disasters. Because the isolation issue Subwoofers are worth considering. spaces. Talented ears can "hear around" is a basic one that professional acous- all kinds of obstacles, including badly ticians, as distinct from studio design- The historical truth is that some designed rooms. It's a challenge, and ers, deal with all of the time in many there are surprises, but it can be done. contexts, you might ask designer can- very good audio has come from Several factors have combined to didates what other kinds of acoustics multiply this occurrence in recent they do. Incompetence doesn't last acoustically questionable years. The most significant develop- very long in the tough world of major spaces. ment is the proliferation of relatively league architects and developers. This inexpensive digital equipment that has is the larger world of the professional allowed a lower entry price into the acoustician, one that requires unique The next item to look at is the ceiling. pro audio industry. On the other hand, training. Reflections from the ceiling are a com- there is no corresponding price reduc- You can also perform a second objec- mon fact, and they will raise Cain with tion in acoustics; Sheetrock, fiberglass tive evaluation. Does your candidate your stereo imaging. This one is easy and concrete cannot be sampled. It belong to the appropriate engineering to solve with the appropriate treat- still costs a lot to build a good facility. organizations? Membership in The ment applied to the area between the Here we are with the remains of a Audio Engineering Society and The monitors and the listening position. post-'80s economy. More people are Acoustics Society of America are two The easiest solution is to glue some getting into the business at a lower good indicators of those who are keep- Sonex up there. More sophisticated cost, and everyone, including your cli- ing up with the field of acoustics, not solutions allow absorption of the loud- entele, has less money to burn. It is not just talking a good game. The pros will speakers' direct wave while allowing surprising that few people are rushing belong to both. diffuse reflection of the later room out to spend $350 a square foot to Once selected, there is some good sound. build nice, new rooms. news: it should not take thousands of Finally, if your back is to the wall, Enter the "Project Studio," a catch -all dollars to review your space and give literally, you also have reflections from term for any space that has equipment you a report. In a recent real life ex- there to contend with. The ever - and a professional product. What can ample, a drummer who bought a loft present modular diffusers used by so people in this category do to progress space with a wood joist floor and resi- many designers are not always the profitably? Fortunately, a lot - with dential neighbors below found that he answer. Some of us feel that you really good guidance and relatively little was in trouble, period. In this case, a need to be at least four feet away for money. There is good design advice free telephone call was all it would them to sound good. If you don't have and sophisticated acoustical treatment have taken to avoid an insurmount- that much room, consider some other available at realistic prices. With a fax able problem. solutions. machine, Federal Express and the tele- To summarize, if you have a project phone, you can get a lot of designing SOUND MATTERS studio and have neighbors, get a pro- bang for your buck. And if you can see The second area to consider, after fessional acoustician to check out what through the hype, you'll find more isolation, is the acoustic characteris- can be done before you start. With advanced acoustical products around. tics of the room itself. Do not assume proper interior acoustical treatments, that because you are listening on so- your project studio can sound great - IMPORTANT QUESTIONS called nearfield monitors (come see and you can have good bass. A little Let's look at the first thing you defi- my paper at the October AES in San design advice and the right materials nitely should do. Consider not how Francisco) the room doesn't matter. It are all it takes. Just don't expect your room sounds to you, but how it does, in many ways. nearfields to make the room, or your will sound to your neighbors. The word On the upside, small spaces are not neighbors, disappear. Only head- is isolation. If you need it, and don't condemned to "no bass." We all know phones will do that. examples that disprove this nonsense. Francis Daniel is a partner at studio design/build/products The automobile listening firm ARcoustics, and a Senior Associate at Shen Milsom 8 environment For information about SPARS, contact Executive Director, Wilke, an acoustical consulting firm, both in New York City. and headphones are two obvious Shirley Kaye, at 800- 771 -7727.

48 R E P August 1992

www.americanradiohistory.com HANDS ON: RAMM WR-54424 MIXING CONSOLE

By Jim Williams

Idon't know about you, but I am always amazed when products are released offering better performance at a lower price. Take mixing unbalanced consoles. It seems it wasn't too long jack. Both have a factory stated ago that live boards ran up 5- figure 20dB of headroom. The 3 -band EQ price tags for even the lower level sports fixed high and low shelving effects return pots models. Now the Ramsa division of curves at 12.5kHz and 70Hz, and a with assignment switches and Panasonic has released three cost -ef- sweepable middle covering 200 to panpots. The master left /right outputs fective live mix /recording boards. The 6.3kHz. The long throw faders are a are similar to the groups, minus the WR -S4400 series are offered in 12 -, 16- special design mounted at a right angle, panpots, but there are additional pre- and 24-channel versions, all listing for which should help in keeping dirt and fader, pre -insert recording out jacks, a under $3,200. The model being re- fluids from entering the element. nice feature. In keeping with this "dual viewed here is the largest, a 24-chan- Each module has a mute switch and domain" concept, the 4424 has a small nel WR-S4424. four aux sends, with the aux 1 pot monitoring section oriented toward These consoles are 4 -bus designs, routed to a direct out jack via a switch. recording and live sound monitoring. with additional left /right main stereo These direct outs can be used as an The monitor section offers head- outputs. Each bus has a 12- segment additional "single channel" aux send, phone feeds and control room feeds, LED meter display, and there are two or as adjustable feeds to a multitrack as well as the PFL mix and logic switch- additional meter displays for the main recorder. Aux 3 and 4 are selectable ing. A mono switch is available to check outputs and PFL levels. Meter select pre- or post-fader, and all the auxes mono compatibility. The control room switches allow swapping the meters can be jumpered internally to select monitor output is useful as a separate to the four aux sends. Electronically pre- or post- fader, pre- or post -EQ. A summed L +R pair of outputs for feed- balanced cross-coupled circuits drive pre-fader listening, or PFL switch, is ing a center cluster or front /side fills. the group and main outputs from XLR fitted along with signal present and Ramsa has thoughtfully included an connectors. overload indicators. The insert pickoff internal jumper to remove the board's The input modules feature switch - points are pre -EQ, with the typical tip - PFL feed to the CR output for just such able A or B inputs (mic /line), with A ring- sleeve format. an application. being an XLR -3 with selectable 48V The four group modules have the Also included are talkback facilities phantom and a range of -60dB to +4dB, usual fader and balanced outputs, plus with routing to the groups, auxes and and B covering -54dB to +10dB on an mutes and pre -fader insert points. A mains. The talkback can be used for panpot to stereo mix is included as are audience announcements, or band PFL switches. Also included on the cues, and as talkback to auxes during Jim Williams is the owner of Audio Upgrades, a component- level upgrade design and consulting service based in Los group strips are the master aux rotary recording or slating tracks. Club sound Angeles. faders with PFL switches and the four mixers will appreciate not having to

August 1992 R E P 49

www.americanradiohistory.com eat an extra input module to announce acts. RAMA WR-34424 AMPI Mir 11 AIM (SSW 81N OW N AWN 09:37:54 11E LAB TESTS 5.0000 5.0000 Whenever a reasonably priced de- -3.03 4.811 NJ1714 A1 vice is tested, one tends not to expect 4.0000 4.0000

ultimate performance. But this con- 3.0000 3.0000 sole does very well. Even if it was twice 2.0000 the cost, it would compete favorably 2.0000 with other pricier consoles. 1.0000 1.000

1 Figure plots the frequency response 0.0 0.0 from a microphone input to the main -1.000 outputs. The low end is down 0.5dB at -1.000 20Hz, and the cursor pinpoints the 2.000 -2.000 -3dB point at an impressive 80kHz. -3.000 -3.000 Phase shift is equally linear with 32- -4.000 degree shifts at 20Hz and 20kHz. -4.000 Figure 2 shows THD and noise vs. -5.000 -5.000 output level. THD is even with fre- 10 100 14 100 2004 quency, and it hovers in the 0.007% region at +4dBu out. Similar measure- ments of SMPTE intermodulation dis- vs. +4 tortion level showed that at out, RAM3A WR-34424 4424MP8 PHASE (deg) ve. FRÍO (It) 30 JUN 82 09:42:52 the IMD spots at 0.005 %. All the distor- 90.000 tion tests made show the spec deterio- rating -32.3 20.0000k Ap slightly with increasing level, 87.500 probably because of PC board layout effects, such as stray capacitance, in- 45.000 ductance, op-amp drive and bandwidt h restrictions, or a combination of all 22.500 This is pretty typical. This climbing THD doesn't normally 00 , , show up when op -amps are tested out of large systems, but it tends to show -22.50 up when there are large amounts of PC -45.00 board real estate to cover near ground planes and power and output traces. 47.50 In a perfect world, the THD should bottom out just below the clipping 48.00 20 1N point and not make much of an up- 14 154 2111 swing before clipping. Figure 3 measures the stereo Figure 1: (Top) Frequency response, microphone input to left and right outputs. (Bottom) crosstalk of channels 1 and 2, panned Phase response, mic in to L/R outs. Note channel uniformity on both hard left and right, and sent to the graphs. main output busses. Our -67dB measurement is typical, and falls just shy WAN 11144424 THO +N (4)1 TIM +N (^e) of Ramsa's published spec of -70dB. It vv. AMPI (Mu) 30 JUN 92 09:48:11 should be noted that a number of fac- 1 - Ap tors (such as signal drive level and 0.00684 - 0.00707 +4.00 module gain staging) effect crosstalk, 1 so some deviation from the published crosstalk spec is possible in normal measurement variations. A sweep of the mic input common 1.1 +,-- mode rejection ratio, or the ability of the balanced input to reject such out- \ side noises as hums and buzzes, showed a consistent -64dB through- /J11 out the audio bandwidth, which is quite respectable. Ramsa claims an impressive -80dB at 1kHz, but I couldn't achieve better -64dB. 5J51 than .100 Again, drive signal level and mic pre- 45J 45J 415 454 -25J 15.1 1.1 10.00 20.00 amp symmetry (resistor tolerances in Figure 2: THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) the balanced legs, for example) can plus noise vs. output level, with signal muted from a single to have a major effect on measured CMRR. mic input the stereo outputs. There is no one commonly practiced standard for measuring CMRR. For this than that possibly used by Ramsa, or mic preamp legs (inverting and non- measurement on the Audio Precision, one channel with looser mic preamp inverting sides) and drive level is ev- I used a 2V signal padded down by resistor tolerances, would most likely erything here. 10dB and fed to a mic input, with the indicate higher CMRR values than fac- Figure 4 plots the noise of the main indicated results. A higher input level tory spec. Tolerance- matching on the bus with one channel assigned, and

50 R E P August 1992

www.americanradiohistory.com now offering more intelligent turnover points for shelving EQ. I'm glad that old 100Hz and 10kHz EQ points are MARA 111l-$4424 STEREO t7gtSfILLM NiIW( («bill KnW( 011e) vs REO (Ili) the losing popularity. On the WR- S4424, -20.00 sweep from 200 to M mid -frequencies 417.42 48.111 1.00!$71 wider sweep range on -80.00 6.3kHz. A little top might be useful, but may not be -40.00 possible with this EQ circuit topology. Figure 6 shows the mid control cen- 50.00 tered at I kHz, with various amounts of boost and cut applied. Notice that with 50 00 increasing boost or cut, the frequency is shifted higher. This is not Ramsa's -70.00 doing but a result of this EQ topology's reaction to changing impedance. Many -80.00 other console makers use this type of ß0.00 circuit design for sweepable mids, and users may want to adjust the frequency -100 0 control slightly to compensate for this 20 100 1k 101 201 effect. The overall construction of the mixer Figure 3: Stereo crosstalk of channels 1 and 2, from 20Hz to 20kHz. seems good, with the large surrounding areas of plastic trim helping to add levels set at a unity 0dB in and out. Hiss grounded" bus assignment, which to the strength and rigidity of the frame. levels are low, in the -90dB zone. 60Hz means that the non -assigned bus resis- The inputs are configured into 4-chan- ac hum is -102, but the 120Hz and tors are left connected to the buses at nel removable sections, which should higher harmonics creep toward -90dB. all times, with their inputs connected put smiles on repair techs' faces. Noth- This is actually quite good, consider- to ground. This helps minimize capaci- ing is harder than trying to service a ing that the power supply transformer tive crosstalk and maintains the same console without easily removable is located in the same area as the main noise levels regardless of how many modules! mix cards. channels are assigned. The circuits use 2SC1844 NPN tran- Unlike other low range consoles, the Figure 5 plots the response curves of sistors in the mic inputs, and the rest Ramsa 4424 uses what is called a "back- the 3-band EQ. Ramsa and others are of the console uses NJM2068 dual op- Schizoid Pro Audio Toolbox e_,T SV t--T id u T* awl _ J _ _ - %LOF-... ' J - J - -J .

Talk about multiple per- ground lifts, plus a sonalities - the all new Vaster level control, and ARX DI -6s can do so You can see why we call much we don't know it a true Pro Audio tool- where to start. box and problem solver. The DI-6s is 6 active So don't leave this useful Direct boxes, a 6 into 1 little devil on the shelf in 64 tracks /rewritable MO disks a 1 into 6 our warehouse - get it 4 -0/8 -out; threshold gating, mixer, and routing /mixing /envelope control splitter. Adjustable chan- out working at fixing Eight 1000-bin libraries for nel gain from oo through your audio problems. dialog /music /effects /jingles; to +15 dB. All balanced Once it gets started, storage by name, length, output XLR connectors. All AC you'll wonder how you Full MIDI interface/library triggering mains powered. All in a survived without it. Full RS- 422 /SMPTE master or slave compact one RU package. So don't wait; audition VTR /ATR control with jog /shuttle Add to this a headphone the DI-6s soon. Powerful, complete, lighting quick, out, individual Audio The best just got better. affordable, for- -audio -for -video /film post __AI -video /telecine track- laying INY= -dubbing, dialog replacement -music production 1I_A -radio commercials, news Systems In the U.S.A: Phone 714 -649 2346 Fax 714 -649 3064 A/ZASS012AIFS In Australia: Phone 61 -3-555 7859 Fax 61 -3 -555 6747 PO. Box 357, Needham, MA 02192 In S.E Asia: Phone 65 733 3465 Fax 65 734 2116 800- 441 -3179 Fax 617 -444 -0757 Accurate Compact Professional

Circle (18) on Rapid Facts Card Circle (19) on Rapid Facts Card August 1992 R E P 51 www.americanradiohistory.com amps with 4556 types on the output feeds to drive 60011 loads. The slew rate isn't mentioned, but probably rests in the 4V /ms area.

RAMA WR-S4424 4424MAN BANOPASS ItlBUI v. BPBR (Hz) NdN Q 112á10 THE VERDICT -40 00 As I listened to this console, two M factors -50.00 came to mind. First is the wide bandwidth. Although I've poked fun at -60.00 live sound mixers in the past, I do take the live sound experience very seri- -70.00 ously, especially at today's ticket prices! Because of the limitations of -BO 00 analog tape and 16-bit digital, live sound offers the best chance to hear -90 00 very high fidelity, and wide bandwidth is central to obtaining it. 100.0

-110.0

-120 0 20 11111 1k IN 20M

Figure 4: Measurement of the main bus noise level with one channel assigned and levels set at unity gain (0dB indicated). Output level is +4dBu.

RAMSA WR-S4424 EQ 4424M10 AMR (tlBr) v . FREQ (Hz) 30 JUN 92 11:53:19

20 000

1P ;ó -i,:.1r 5.0000 !IIIIII_1-,''/1I'4 0.0 _'IIIY-'\1.._i11'll. -5 000 _VIII_:,/. =-'111111 -10.00 1111-,1', _,11,11IN -15.00 11111611 _..IiIf\/1 .IV -20 00 20 100 1M 10M 20M The second factor has to due with Figure 5: EQ curves showing high- and low -frequency shelf, and mid-frequency peak/ the "real world" of live audio hell, not dip sweep range. the safe world of labs and audio stores. On this console, all grounding is carefully routed with a distributed "star" scheme. Input, summing and chassis RAMSA WR-S4424 EQ 4424MIOL AMP!. (ABC) v . FR Q (Hz) Nall V112NN grounds are run separately from each 20 000 input, so those nasty, sloppy grounds N from all that interconnected equip- 15.000 ment won't be amplified and passed to the outputs. The expected result is no 10.000 ground loops, hums and buzzes, and

5.000 this design should go a long way toward getting there. 0.0 Even though this is no $80,000 con- - sole, it does meet the following tough -5.000 criteria: It sounds good. 10.00 It tests well. It works well. -15.00 The price is good.

-20 00 20 IN 1M Ilk 20M If you add it all up, the Ramsa WR- S4424 looks like an ideal nightclub or Figure 6: Mid-frequency EQ control centered at MHz, with various amounts of boost small live system console, with the and cut applied. Note that frequency is shifted higher with increasing boost or cut. added benefit of doubling as a record- See text. ing board.

52 R E P August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com is from 46Hz to 210Hz, and the retail By laurel Cash -Jones and Fred Jones price is a mere $495. Circle (103) on Rapid Facts Card

QSC GOES WITH THE BIG BAD WOLF Requiring no special interfaces, it is WE'VE BEEN REBORN! t 'cast t.tLloidswould well- suited for connecting to a variety This is becoming too much fun. Time put it. Actually QSC has decided to of protocols, such as GPI and ESAM, to talk about some recent and impor- enter the computer control market and RS-232 and GVG -100. tant upgrades to some products you has selected Lone Wolf to implement The AVSIX is said to offer high -qual- (or someone you know) may have. its MediaLink Network Protocol for ity studio performance with such stu- First is the Fostex D20B. Among its new the remote operation of its EX Series of dio standard features as balanced in- features is the ability to post stripe power amplifiers. puts, 10- segment LED PPM level indi- time code of either the IEC or Fostex The MediaLink System is designed to cators and a built -in calibration test time code standard on an existing tape. be an open system that will be made tone generator. Suggested retail price Another first is its ability to jam sync available to allnanufacturers, which is $995. SMPTE time code against the A time should make it easily compatible with Circle (102) on Rapid Facts Card (absolute time) recorded on most other various other types of network inter- DAT machines. This allows the D20B faces, such as MIDI, PA-422, DMX and to actually generate SMPTE time code RS-232. Lone Wolf has developed and and allows you to use tapes with no will support the Virtual Network Oper- time code as pseudo-coded masters ating System (V -NOS) to ensure com- for quick sync solutions without hav- patibility. QSC has chosen fiber -optic ing to stripe the tape. connections between amplifiers, be- The Fostex D2OB is now plug-com- cause of their ability to interconnect patible with a variety of equipment without the worry of potential ground that will allow it to perform VTR emu- loops. This also gives the network the lation. Among these are Synclavier, option for upgrade to carry digital au- Grass Valley, CMX, Sony, Ampex, Con- dio when the network data rates are vergence and Videofonics. increased. Circle (104) on Rapid Facts Card This remote computer control sys- BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! tem will provide monitoring and con- WOOF! WOOF! WOOF! trol of all critical power amp functions, The folks at Tannoy appear to be Also in upgrade -land is the AKG DSE and the QSC user interface software is barking up the right tree with the in- 7000 digital editing /mixing system, also capable of controlling other de- troduction of the new Tannoy CPA 5 SB used primarily for radio production. vices on the network in addition to SubWoofer. The CPA 5 SB is a small, The operating system software has has QSC power amplifiers. passively bandpassed sub -woofer for been upgraded to version 2.0 and Monitor functions include input and use with small, high -powered moni- made virtually every DSE 7000 "new" output signal levels (peak and aver- tors, including the Tannoy CPA 5 ICT. again. One of the major limitations of age), thermal status of heatsinks and (Do you think Tannoy's accountant the original system, the total amount transformers, clipping, and power/pro- had anything to do with the name of of track time (17 minutes), has been tect/muting status. Control functions this new series of speakers ?) increased to 16 hours, and the total include gain control of 0 to -80dB in Efficiency is said to be the key to the number of edits per project is now 1dB steps, polarity invert, channel - effectiveness of the CPA 5 SB with its 15,000. muting, aux input and control port ability to generate sound levels in ex- Operation of the unit has been accel- switching. cess of 4dB higher than regular sub - erated by increasing the load -in time Circle (101) on Rapid Facts Card woofers driven with an identical power from hard disk to 4X real time and amplifier. screen updates in as fast as 1 /3o of a JL COOPER COMPETES WITH NASA This cute, little sub -woofer comes in second. The unique "undo" feature now WITH ITS MOST RECENT LAUNCH a jet -black enclosure that houses four cancels the most recent edit, even if Now we're sure we can get a job with 5 -inch, low- frequency drivers, mea- the DSE 7000 has been used on another off. a tabloid if things don't work out here. sures in at a trim 21.6" x 11.8" x 7.8" and project or has been turned Actually JL Cooper is launching its weighs 31 pounds, but please don't Circle (105) on Rapid Facts Card new AVSIX audio for video mixer. The tease it about its weight, because the AVSIX is an inexpensive 6- input, dual - CPA 5 SB is a very sensitive creature. channel mixer that can be interfaced Rated at 93dB SPL at 1W /1M, it is very with a variety of the most popular efficient. It can also handle 150W of video editing systems. The AVSIX al- power and maintains a stable imped- lows editor control of preview moni- ance load when hooked up to a speaker toring, transition starts and duration, system that uses satellite loudspeaker as well as a built -in preview switcher. units. Stand -alone impedance of the unit is rated at 1211, but the actual Laurel Cash -Jones is an editorial consultant to REP and a legend in the audio industry. Fred Jones is a free -lance working load when connected to satel- engineer, producer and writer. lites is rated at 611. Frequency response

August 1992 REP 53 www.americanradiohistory.com eat/41E1st

NARY WIRELESS production facilities. The improved design in Nady The system can be used both in ver- Systems's hand -held wireless micro- tical and horizontal orientation by sim- phone transmitter, the Nady HT-10, is ply rotating the DCW unit. Bass fre- now standard for the Nady 101, 201, quencies are reproduced by an 305mm RW -1, 401, 650 and 750 wireless sys- bass driver loaded with a 65 -liter tems, and Nadÿ s wireless camcorder vented box. The -3dB point is 38Hz, and video microphone systems. and low- frequency response extends The Nady HT -10 features an all -metal down to 30Hz. Midrange frequencies case and a compact, tapered shape are reproduced with a 130mm direct with no protruding antenna. The HT- radiating driver loaded with a propri- 10 is designed with a threaded sleeve etary DCW. The high frequency driver for access to a battery compartment is a 1 -inch metal dome. that is larger than before to accommo- The active crossover network uses date a variety of alkaline batteries. three parallel bandpass filters with Also new is an end -mounted studio on/ crossover frequencies of 420Hz and off switch similar to that on the top 3.2kHz. Bass, midrange and treble level Nady 2000 wireless microphone, which controls with ldB steps are employed allows the user to mute the audio with- to change the balance between the out turning off the transmitter. drivers in different acoustic conditions. Circle (150) on Rapid Facts Card Low-frequency tilt and roll-off controls have 2dB steps to permit refined low- DIVAN SNDIO OPTIMOD frequency equalization. The crossover The new t)ptimod-Studio 460 gain network is driven by an active bal- control system for broadcast studio cial head" microphone system. The KU 100 (a.k.a. Fritz) anced input stage. Variable input sen- applications provides two channels of offers improvement in acoustic performance and sitivity allows for accurate level match- slow and fast automatic gain control ing to mixing console outputs. (agc), high frequency limiting /de- technical specifications over its pre- decessor through transformerless cir- Bass, midrange and treble amplifiers essing and peak control. Applications respectively produce 160W, 120W and include production, control of signals cuitry and a built -in battery supply. being sent from studio to transmitter For acoustical measurement applications, single-ended BNC site, control of signals being transferred connectors, and standard XLR to cart, open reel, or digital storage type connectors, are provided. medium, and processing of voice or Circle (152) on Rapid Facts Card other sources. Key features include a

front -panel density control for opti- AKG DIRECTIONAL LOW -PROFILE BOUNDARY mizing the processing of single tracks MICROPHONE or mixed program material and a The new AKG C 547BL is a hyper - defeatable silence gate that freezes cardioid boundary microphone for level control during pauses or quiet theater, studio and sound reinforce- passages to prevent noise rush -up. The ment. Designed to be visually voice mode option provides additional unobtrusive, the microphone can be overshoot protection on voice or other placed completely off-camera and still material with unusually high peak-to- provide a high level of sound pickup. average ratios by adjustable HF lim- Rejection of low- frequency noise is iter /de-esser for protection and de- achieved through the use of a switch - essing of sibilant voices. able bass -cut filter, a transducer shock Circle (151) on Rapid Facts Card mount and isolating rubber feet. Stray field interference from stage lighting NEW NEUMANNS or other electrical equipment is ad- "Che new Neumann KFM 100 stereo dressed with the incorporation of a microphone contains two pressure low impedance, RF suppressed out- microphones, flush -mounted on a put. A snap -on windscreen for use on wooden sphere, diametrically opposed open -air stages is supplied. each other. The is to sphere 20cm in Circle (153) on Rapid Facts Card 120W of short term power, and the diameter. Arrangement and distance system incorporates a special auto- of the capsules result in a nearly con- GENELEC MONITORING SYSTEM matic circuitry for driver overload pro- stant directivity factor and a smooth The Genelec 1037A is a 3-way active tection and amplifier thermal diffraction of the soundwaves around monitoring system including drivers, protection.The amplifiers are capable the sphere. This microphone has low amplifiers and active crossovers de- of driving the stereo system to peak frequency response down to 10Hz. signed for budget and home studios, output levels in excess of 125dB SPL at Neumann has also introduced the general -purpose broadcasting/TV stu- 1.7m with program signals. third generation of the Binaural "artifi- dios, digital workstations and post- Circle (154) on Rapid Facts Card

54 R E P August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com KLARK- TEKNIK CROSSOVER CELESTIAN HIGH FREQUENCY Klark- Teknik has introduced the Celestian has introduced new Slot DN800 configurable crossover with and Bullet tweeters to complement four inputs and eight outputs. The the BX Series low- frequency drivers. DN800 can be configured a stereo 4- The Bullet Tweeter features an even way, stereo 3 -way, or 4- input /2 -way conical dispersion designed to be used system. Plug -in frequency cards allow in either 2- or 3 -way systems. The Slot a choice of 12dB, 18dB or 24dB per Tweeter features a 70° x 30° dispersion octave slopes with Linkwitz- Riley, pattern for applications requiring wide Butterworth or Bessel responses. Band nearfield coverage and minimized high - overlap is possible. The DN800 fea- frequency beaming, such as high qual- tures trimmers for phase adjustment ity monitoring situations. between bands and switchable phase Both drivers feature titanium field reverse for each output. Each output replaceable diaphragms and also includes a gain control and signal, edgewound voice coils with copper- limit and over LEDs. Inputs and out- clad aluminum wire for lightness, maxi- puts are electronically balanced, and mum efficiency and resistance to fa- output balance transformers, fixed EQ tigue. Four tapped holes allow easy cards and high -quality limiters are mounting in any type of enclosure. available as internally fitted options. The flare is die-cast aluminum for du- out for separate speaker feeds. Security plates cover most controls rability and finished in black. The Solo Logic utilizes all the sonic Facts Card after initial adjustment, leaving only Circle (157) on Rapid features of the already successful Solo mute and gain functions accessible. MIDI, with the addition of full fader MP STUDIO BAN Overall security covers in both alumi- This built -in system is The new RSP Technologies Studio automation. num and perspex are available. frame -accurate for faders, half- frame- Circle (155) on Rapid Facts Card Gate TM comprises four complete gates a 12 -bit with individual wide range controls accurate for mutes and uses for threshold, hold, and release func- fader system to give smooth control over the fader range. Automation con- CM CONSOLE AUTOMAUON tions, including LED indicators. Indi- trol is accessed via a front panel LCD CM AUTOmation's new MX-816 con- vidual in /out switches and LED indica- and rotary dial , but all modules have sole allows programmable fader move- tor are provided with +4dB or -10dB read and write keys for quick opera- ment, fader recall, snapshots, scenes, operating level reference switches. tion. Mixes can be saved internally or mutes, crescendos, decrescendos and Each pair of gates offers a stereo mas- to a MIDI sequencer, and the Solo Logic timed audio fades. The system sup- ter switch for stereo tracking. The Stu- can also be remotely controlled via ports CM Automation PRO MIX -net for dio Gate's hold control is ideal for the MIDI Manager page of a sequencer. up to 32,000 audio channels with a 100 - gated room effects on drums and mini- The Solo Logic also offers remote ma- patch internal memory to store/recall mizes erratic triggering. A key input chine control for tape machines fitted snap shots and scene fade times, and allows the gating of one instrument to with MMC. uses standard DX 2150A VCAs and 5532 be controlled by another and fre- The advanced Exiomconsole pro- low noise op -amps. Groups of eight quency sensitive gating. vides up to 64 stereo channels, all with channels are summed out to produce Circle (158) on Rapid Facts Card total recall and mix automation via a mix /send out. Gold -plated audio jacks MIDI sequencer, in rack-mountable are used throughout. SOUNDTRACS CONSOLES chassis. The console features eight ste- Special features include 28 internal sou ntracs is offering four new con- reo channels each with gain control, 2- pre -programmed master up or down sole models. The sophisticated Jade band EQ auxiliary send, pan, mute and autofades, separate receive channels production console features fader au- level. A rear expansion port allows for scene recall /channel volume and a tomation on channels and monitors, linking of eight of these single rack "joystick" scene fade feature. mute automation on all inputs and space devices. MIDI control features include assign- dynamic gate processors on every The Exiom is intended for program- able MIDI controller numbers for vol- channel. Audio features include the ming suites and MIDI studios where ume, MIDI controlled audio muting FdB parametric equalizer on all chan- mixer fader moves, mutes and EQ (gated or toggle types) using note nels, an equalizer on the monitors, changes are recorded dynamically and events and programmable note num- balanced inputs, outputs and buses, later accessed for on- screen control. bers for channel mute. Internal patch extended bandwidth electronics and This recorded parameter data can be memories are up and down loadable TT patchbay. stored indefinitely for instant recall. via MIDI system exclusive. Soundtracs' addition to the popular Circle (159) on Rapid Facts Card CM rates AUTOmation audio perfor- Solo range of consoles include the Solo mance at more than 95dB S /N, with Rack and Solo Logic. The Solo Rack is frequency response from 10Hz to designed for 19- inch -rack fixed instal- OSE 7000 UPGRADE 30kHz, :1dB, less than 0.01% THD (non- lations and has 12 mono inputs each AKG has provided a new system (Ver- weighted), and better than 116dB dy- with a swept 4 -band EQ, four aux sends sion 2.0) in a self -installing format at no namic range. and long throw faders. In addition to charge to all registered DSE 7000 work- Circle (156) on Rapid Facts Card the stereo outputs, there is also a mono station owners. Version 2.0 DSE 7000s

August 1992 R E P 55 www.americanradiohistory.com Cutting Edge Live and Direct On -Line (Continued from page 55) (Continued from page 44) (Continued from page 47)

are faster and easier to operate, and design begins to get spread out over available facility. they feature greater production ca- long distances and very large audi- It's amazing how developers forget pacity along with a selectable "new ence areas, consider using a broad - that users' time is valuable, usually more user" help mode, which automatically cast -quality radio-frequency audio sig- valuable than most software and hard- gives new operators advice while nal link, with the transmitter at the ware prices. If it'll get the job done with they're working. Master length and system control position and a receiver fewer all- nighters, people will gladly number of edits per production are on each remote speaker tower. Sys- stand in line to pay for it. now "virtually unlimited," at more than tems from companies like HME and 16 hours from start to finish with edit Sennheiser are applicable to this situ- From: Rick Schwartz, #70672,1377 capacity of more than 15,000 edits per ation. Research your frequency selec- To: Bob Olhsson, #72340,17 project. Operation has been acceler- tion carefully, and remember that even I have some of the same gripes about ated with productions now loading the joy of doing away with 500 feet of QuickTime. The reason "QuickTime from hard disk as quickly as one -fourth signal-carrying XLR cable must be bal- audio is rarely in sync" is because the of their audio time with screen up- anced by the compromise of relying number of images or sound segments dates as fast as 0.03 seconds. on a wireless system that may be sus- you getdepends on playback hardware. Other enhancements are the new ceptible to interference or RF 'drift.' You probably know QuickTime is sim- "shift -key" functions and the fact that Not for the faint -hearted, the design ply a software architecture that will the long -throw faders have been pro- and implementation of distributed retrieve stored data at the best rate grammed to match industry standard sound systems can offer exceptional your hardware can provide. Fortu- Penny and Giles M3000 console con- results. Getting the 'power to the nately, there is nothing in the QuickTime trols while retaining the noise -free people,' particularly in large- audience spec that limits playback speed, image advantage of fully digital mixing. Stan- situations, will usually require this type size or sample rate (that I am aware of). dard tape -based editing is more closely of system setup approach. In the real world, as you know, frame emulated with the scrub wheel up- Companies that offer distributed sys- rate is often limited by processor speed graded to be virtually indistinguish- tem services that are correctly engi- or hard disk throughput. If the CPU or able from cueing real tape and neered and deployed will often find a disk are too slow for real -time playback, autolocator settings and edit points ready market for their systems, as they frames are sometimes skipped, al- saved, even between sessions. The sig- are hired on a subcontract basis to though the elapsed time is supposed to nificant advantage over tape the assist with major outdoor events. When be kept constant, even if elements have - to be truncated to keep up. Don't write "UNDO" feature - now cancels the the Pope visited North America, large - most recent edit even if the DSE has scale distributed systems were used. the technology off until you've seen been turned off or another spot has When political rallies are held in Wash- 30fps full - screen playback on a Quadra been worked on. All of the DSE 7000s ington, DC, you'll find distributed sys- 900. It's pretty impressive. When hard- are shipped standard as Version 2.0 tems in use. When the Olympics, the ware codes are available, we should see models. Gran Prix LeMans or the Master's Cup improved, consistent playback. Circle (160) on Rapid Facts Card Tournament are staged, you'll find dis- "Can you earn enough using tributed systems there. When the QuickTime to pay for a Macintosh ?" Grateful Dead, Rolling Stones or Bruce Yes. In fact, I worked on a QuickTime NO -CIE 600SENECKS Springsteen play to stadium crowds, a project today that would come close to The Rubber -Neck "No- Creak" goose- distributed system will be imple- paying for a Mac. A friend of mine, Mark neck is now available with SLR connec- mented for the rear audience areas. Waldrep, is also currently involved in tors (X series) pre -wired for existing Smaller -scale productions need them, QuickTime audio production. Although SLR mounts, (L series) threaded for too. When GMC or Ford introduces its I agree that multimedia is overhyped, podium use with locking SLR, and (H new auto models to a dealer group, there is some work out there, and I series) hollow center with male to fe- distributed systems come into play. expect more in the future. male threading. The "X" series is inter- When Xerox or 3M or the American My real interest in QuickTime is the nally wired male to female XLR. The Medical Association holds a major con- possibility of adding random access "L" series has a locking XLR on the vention, distributed systems cover the digital video playback capability to digi- microphone end and is threaded on audience. When a touring Broadway- tal audio workstations at a reasonable the opposite end for mounting to speak- style production sets up in a 2,000 -seat cost. QuickTime seems to have some ing formats, such as podiums, drive -in theater, distributed systems bring the potential in that area when you supple- banks and restaurants. The "H" series sound of the show to all parts of the ment it with powerful third-party NuBus is for threading microphones to an end building. cards and a fast CPU. For more on this and running wire through the counter. Going "beyond left and right" requires subject, see "Digital Domain" in the July Standard sizes on the "S" series are 12 specific tools and technologies, and it issue of REP. and 18 inches; on the "L" series are 11 can offer superior performance. Im- While on this subject, does anyone and 17 inches; and on the "H" series proved audience coverage at lower know whether somebody makes a rea- are 10, 16 and 20 inches. stage-area sound -pressure levels and sonably priced digitizer that will sample Circle (161) on Rapd Facts Card increased client satisfaction will be picture at color video frame rates (29.97) the result. referenced to house sync?

56 R E P August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com FOR SALE Digital Domain (Continued from page 46) WHAT COULD YOU HAVE IN COMMON WITH: One thing that seemed clear was that HIT FACTORY-NY, HIT FACTORY-LONDON, POWER STATION, RECORD PLANT -L.A. LARRABEE SOUND, ELECTRIC LADY, RIVER SOUND (Donald Fagen /Gary Katz), the programmers had a very different NORMANDY SOUND, BATTERY STUDIOS, TOKYUFUN, THE TOY SPECIALISTS, RACK view from the marketing people. Ask ATTACK. LAfx. DREAMHIRE. STUDIO FX (SYDNEY), GLENN FREY. JON BON JOVI, Rob Currie from Digidesign, who said, THE BEACH BOYS, AND MANY OTHER OF THE WORLD'S FINEST STUDIOS. RENTAL "People shouldn't underestimate the COMPANIES, AND ARTISTS? problem here. The computer industry has been working for a couple of years to figure out how to interchange (electronic) mail, which consists of only 256 characters of text. These are big companies that have a lot more money than any of us do."

11E U O00 sn NI According to Leatherby, Avid has set aside the necessary resources to develop a standard, including providing product marketing people. But who really pays for it, and how will it be administered? Does Avid plan to charge people to use this standard? Leatherby quickly answered, "The interchange standard will be totally SUPPLEMENTING THE BEST IN VINTAGE WITH THE BEST IN NEW open with no licensing charges." So EQUIPMENT.. why are they doing it? Avid is well NOW REPRESENTING: FOCUSRITE Processing, SUMMIT AUDIO, GML. aware of the political benefits of this NEUMANN Microphones. DEMETER AMPLIFICATION, B &K Microphones. and the long -term potential of intellec- WE ALWAYS HAVE TUBE NEUMANNs and AKGs, TUBE COMPRESSORS tual property rights. According to & EQUALIZERS....PULTECS. LANGs, FAIRCHILD, API, NEVE, LA -2As ETC. FREE!! Leatherby, they plan to license the WE BUY. SELL AND TRADE -LIST YOUR FOR SALE EQUIPMENT WE HAVE LISTINGS ON CONSOLES AND 24 TRACKS. NEVE, SSL, AMEK, core technology for the Media Com- TRIDENT, API, OTARI, STUDER AND MCI.... poser, which includes the protocol on the way a system "looks" at audio files. THE CONNECTION, THE SOURCE, THE PROFESSIONALS According to Leatherby, OMF plans TEL: 617- 784 -7610 FAX: 617 -784 -9244 to use the Sound Designer Il file format for the simple reason that there are almost 10,000 systems that use it. This could explain why Peter Gotcher now strongly supports OMF, even though SUPERCOUST IC NFI STUDIOWORKS he had mixed opinions about file inter- ACOUSTIC FOAM Recording & Broadcast Equipment change a year ago. (See "Digital Do- GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICES IN THE COUNTRY. main," February 1991.) WE'LL SEAT ANY DEAL. FACTORY DIRECT PRICES 48" x 48" ON 3M & AMPEX TAPE IMMEDIATE 11,- 11E SHEET IS W I SHIPPING ADAMS -SMITH JBL /UREI Many AKG/dbx LEXICON workstation companies have 2'- $l5.50 ALLEN & HEATH NEUMANN sent in their participation papers. Al- 3- -$23.50 DRAWMER OTARI though it's too early to judge the OMF 4-- $27.50 ELECTRO -VOICE SENNHEISER interchange standard, they have suc- Medium Blue or Custom Charcoal Colors. FOSTEX SOUNDTRACS Stop Sound Now! With the Highest Density HAFLER TANNOY ceeded in more from Foam available anywhere. getting support Polyurethane J L COOPER the manufacturers than any of the in- Excellent sound proofing for all applications. Custom colors and sizes, also available. Over 80 Professional Lines! dustry or organization standards com- Warning- Don' buy low density bed size man - mittees. Maybe the fact that they are ress loam that has no sound absorbing propert- SONY outsiders to the mainstream audio in- ies or specs. Buy from the only company that Professional Audio specializes in loam and Guarantees satisfaction! (800)438 -5921 (704)375 -1053 dustry is an asset. Andrew from Call now for FREE Catalog. Specs. 8 Samples SEI) l',QL 11'\11':\ I Fairlight may have summed it saying, NATIONAL FOAM, INC. t "I think OMF is a good practical move Sony JH24. Excellent Cond. in the right Sony MXP 3036 Loaded 36 w /auto direction, and, therefore, 1- 800 -356 -0944 taZEM Sony MXP 3036 Loaded 32 non -auto Tascam ATR -60 2 HS. IO hrs. we will support it. Let's not get uto- Cheek 6311 De Soto Ave.. Suite A D &R 4000 w/ Inboard Patchbay pian here, let's create something that Woodland Hills. CA 91367 C O.D Other Equipment Available can work for some people." Circle (30) on Rapid Facts Card

August 1992 R E P 57 www.americanradiohistory.com FOR SALE

MADISOUND PROVIDES The Studio POP Filter SPEAKER BUILDERS WITH THE HIGH- DAT TAPES EST QUALITY PARTS AND ADVICE. A Great Improvement on a Good Ideal 120 Minute Open up the sound of your vocals and voice overs without annoying "Name Brand" "POPS" ruining your best take! ONLY S6.99 Standard m¢ stand Only VEIDN` with threaded that exceeds P"'--z adaptor $2400 Computer grade brass insert audio DAT Specs! \onSohn Ind-etas Improved, with optional A;:ECLIPSE cñaeem,mu.cPulY cups and Used once and degaussed. New Double GoouneClamp ck Screen $4495 800.321 -KSET MNAUDIIo' ONE YEAR GUARANTEE Plus thttPt ^a M /CARD -VISA DAVIS AUDIO VISUAL ASSISTANCE Money Back Guarantee 565 Sherwood Road, Ail Shoreview, MN 55126 CASSETTE HOUSE roc Phone: 612- 481 -9715 SLEDGEHAMMt,

PACIFIC ENGINEERING & Extremely Quiet RECORDING RADIO SYSTEM Mic Preamps FOR $23,000 OTARI MX -5050 BROADCAST EIN = -133 dBM 150Q 20 kHz REEL -TO -REEL ELECTRONICS STARTING $1,800 3200ARP $ 550 / Channel 48 V Phantom CART MACHINES PORTABLE OR RACK MOUNT 1 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON ANY Many items in stock!! Call for catalo OF THESE PRODUCT LINES, PLEASE AERCO (512) 451 -5874 "The Quietest Prenrnps in the World" MICOR VIDEO EQUIPMENT SALES REQUEST A CATALOG OR SEND US -3306 YOUR REQUIREMENTS. Box 18093 Austin,TX 78760 (312)334 -4300 (310)921 CHICAGO LOS ANGELES Madisound Speaker Components (8608 University Green) Box 44283 Madison, WI 53744 -4283 U.S.A Voice: 608-831-3433 $ Fax: 608- 831 -3771 SAVE 300 on

Circle (31) on Rapid Facts Card TT 144 POINT PATCH BAYS brokers of fine & coarse used equipment

AVOID OBSOLESCENCE audio village 6191320 -0728 CHOOSE AUDIO UPGRADES Replace the IC's, transistors. Our CLASSIFIEDS Work and caps in your console; C tape machine and outboard gear and achieve better than new specs! AUDIO UPGRADES NEW -STEREO TUBE DIRECT TUBE DIRECT! Box 7551 Mission Hills, CA 91346 (818) 780 -1222 FAX (818) 892 -7785 t6 a DFtJE TE R

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58 R E P August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com FOR SALE, con't

Selectere %%m Buy, Sell C3 Trade Anything Audio Eni« to rl Ararat MILAM AUDIO New, Used CS Presents 4 Vintage Console module rack & power ADAMS -SMITH "THE SOURCE" supply system, feature= AKAI AKAI- SINCE 1967 2-8 Neve module systems DIGITAL AKG (1073, 1066 CONSOLES etc.) switcheable 48v ALLEN (S HEATH Innovative phantom, xlr mic line in, xlr lite AMS MULTI -TRACKS in, insert points, xlr line out, API ART MONITORS Studio Design optional TT jacks available. ASHLY AVALON BBE BSS D.A.T. AMPS and Installation Call For Quote on CASIO -DAT EFFECTS MICS Your Custom System CREST CROWN USED EQUIPMENT DBX DDA 1470 Valle Vista Blvd. DEMETER Pekin, IL 61554 DRAWMER EAW EVENTIDE (309) 346 -3161 800- 788 -2875 FOSTEX GML 800- 334 -8187 UI .D HAFLER FAX 309 -346 -6431 SPECIALS- Mitsubishi X -850 w /apogee filters. call I Soundtracs PC Midi, 56,800 Eventide 969. 5750 1 2) Eventide 949 w/deglitch, 51000 each KLARK- TEKNIK TC Electronics 2290 (Base Model). 51,350 Sony 3324A, 400 hrs., 557K LEXICON Trident Trimix/7024x24 w PB, 512.500 Fostex E-2, S1600 121 Otan MTR -9011, MACKIE S27K 12) Studer A -800 MkllI, S35K Studer A -80 MkIII, S25K Neumann U87s, 11.500 AKG C-414, 5700 Neve 1066 eq/mic pre, $1,400 Neve 1073 eq/mic DESIGNS

pre, $1,500 Neve 8068 Mkll 32 i /o. mint, $85K Neve V2 48 i/o w /moving faders, MILAB S165K SSL 4048G, call for price SSL 4056 E/G, call for price MITSUBISHI SALE, ADH ESIVE! SSL 6056E, call for price Lexicon 4801 w/ Larc, $8200 DBX 160, S450 MONSTER CABLE AMS 15805, S6K AMS RMX 16, 54,200 Lexicon 200, $1,500 Neumann MARKERFOAM'" ACOUSTIC FOAM M49, M50, U47, U48, U67, call for price EMT 250, 512.500 API 32x 16,24 w/ NEVE GIANT 54 "x54" Moving Faders, 560K Neve 8048. mint $79K Foatex E16, 4K Tascam M3500 PS- SYSTEMS rfira" 32x8 $4,500 Otan MX-70 -16, mint, 58,500 (4) Drawmer DS201, $475 each RANE SAMSON Immediate Shipping Tascam MSR16, $4K Tascam ATR- 60-16, 57,800 Neve 33609. 53.500 WIRELESS CALL FOR A LISTING OF OUR INVENTORY iy 2- Reg 52995 Now $19.99 3" Reg CLEARANCE ITEMS SENNHEISER AI 539 95 Now $29.99! KILL NOISE QUICK' 4iHigh performance Nlksise stoats of super high dandy MarkMoam SHERPA SONY E2 noun. Blue Of grey. Super -Nschw sound absorption for srudlos SOUNDTRACS Markedoam offers best value. ooks professona 8 is proven s'..: worldwide Request Form- Buyers Guide Catalog specs 8 free sarnpe5 STUDIOMASTER today VISA. MC. AMEX. COD. POs. OUANTITO DISCOUNTS anything audio SYMETRIX _ ,__ ;.- MARKERTEK JUMBO TANNOY SOUND ABSORB BLANKETS professional audio sales and service T.C. ELECTROICS /-- - : Heary -0uty 77180 padded TUBE -TECH 0;i ^ absorb sound wherever they FAX 617- 426 -2763 draped Fabulous for stage std , ti' - - 63 MELCHER STREET WAVEFRAME use Top professional quality at a s,,;.,, BOSTON, MA 022W 617- 426 -2875 saver pece' Weight 6 lbs Black $19.99. WHITE Circle (34) on Rapid Facts Card MARKERTEK BLADE TILEST' HIGH PERFORMANCE LOW, LOW COST! $3 ,49 per tile. 16,16s2 Now proudly featuring QUESTED po',vere. monitors America s best acoustic value. only from Marken db New specials on Ashly, Sony DAT. Aphex, Eventide, TC Charcoal Also available 16r Electronic, Tannoy, AKG & Adams III. 16x3" as shown. 54.49 each -Smith Zeta MARKERSTIK" foam adhe- 214 Lincoln St. sive FREE wM any Foam pur- SSL parts; G computer from $25K, E modules from $2.6K chase in his ad' Limited offer Suite 103C SSL 4048, $135K; 6056E, $106K; Neve 8108, 56ín, $95K; A $5.95 per tube value Boston, MA 02134 8058, $60K; BCM10, $10K; Trident 808, $32K; Trident 24PB, 36x24, $22K; Trident 65, 32in., $8,900; AMS RMX-16, ¡iiai f1C SONEX The oldest East call for All the colors price; Amek Angela 36in auto, $39K; 2500 auto, $36K. .s.s.,, and sizes Coast broker!! 1!ßi l plus great prices! CALL for prices on API, DDA, TAC & Soundcraft. *Get our FREE 149 -page catalog (617) 782.4838 Tape; Otani MTR90, $26K; Ampex MM1200, $12.5K: MCI JH24 of over 6.000 exclusive and hard - Fax (617) 782 -4935 $16K; 3M M79, $11K. Otani MX70 16tr, $8K; Tascam MS16, $6K. to-find supplies foraudio & video. Processing; Sony PCM601 cony, $850; Eventide I-13000SE, 800 -522 -2025 America's most unique Otani & Tascam $2.3K; Teletronix LA3A, $600; UREI 1178, $850; Neve 1073, call FAX: 914 -246 -1757 catalog for audio & video.' factory service. Mics; Neumann U47 nuv, $2.5K; U47FET, $1.4K: U67, $2.5K. MgARKERTEK List Your For -Sale Items With Us Free!! Ne Yolt 12477 U S A VIDEO SUPPLY Circle (35) on Rapid Facts Card Circle (33) on Rapid Facts Card

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RA" °x V Jws - DATRAXL. / x,I INA,IOHAL rid 800.348.7600 PO Box 77394 Sac Circle (36) on Rapid Facts Card portable lightweight Originator in DAT Tape Storage Systems. DATRAX 60 Solid Oak in Natural or Black Finish EQUIPMENT FOR SALE durable DAT /DAT Tape Flight Cases Studio close-out. Neve with Necam Nylon DAT Tape Carrying Cases expandable 1 auto $45,000. Ampex ATR102 NEW PLASTIC LINE: $4500. TC2290, all options $2500. versatile DATRAX 40 Video 8mm Rax, holds 36 Much more. Call for complete listing. Cassette Rax, holds 48 for information or to order: 714 -625 -2396 SOUND CALL TOLL FREE: 800.9.DATRAX CONTROL Tel: 818.783.9133 Fax: 818.783.9318 BRYCO PRODUCTS, 13444 Moorpark St., Suite 23, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 SINGERS! 1áóC TLS! Unlimited Backgrounds'' SoundBooth Package FREE From Standard Records 6 CD's with the BlItIII1II111 Thompson Eliminator'. Carr Free Travel Bog or o Clo Demo $595.00 Phone.: (409)4824189 Eat 22 Mic Mount Singers Supply. Dept RP -I with order' 7982 Hightower Trail I Lillian* GA 30058 24 Moue 4W-248SM22 + - united otter Sin94Hs( Mkt Hare a - Foe Affordable Time 415.399.97.11 Code fax 415.986.1436 TC -1 Time Code Reader COMMUNICATION CONSULTANTS P.O. Box 150431. San Rafael, CA 94915 PRO AUDIO & VIDEO OUTLET TC- Maxi/Mix Studio Time Code "PROFESSIONALS WITH SOUND ADVICE" Circle (37) on Rapid Facts Card Readers FOR OUR CALL Syncbox Time Code Generator MONTHLY SPECIALS (800) 355-TRAX (215) 284.4760 TS- Grande Concert Slate VISA /MASTERCARD ACCEPTED EC -2 TC Counter TS -1 Time Code Slate

alDioF hKFIER tIME SOUND ABSORBENT WEDGES Now You Can Afford n' - 2"x4'x2' $9.99! THE WORLD'S FINEST Denecke, Inc. 5417 B Cahuenga Blvd UDIO TRANSFORMERS -: 4"X4'X2' 19.99! N I lollywood, CA 91601 50 Years Of Engineering Excellence. (318) 766 -3525 (818) 766 -0269 FAX Reichenbach's pioneering technology 80095-WEDGE gives you Transformers with: - The Bessel Low Pass Filter Response - Flat Group Delay Minimum Overshoot and NEW, USED, DEMO EQUIPMENT Ringing CUSTOM LENGTHS RECORDED OR BLANK HUGE SELECTION OF MULTITRACK - Custom Low Distortion Core RECORDERS, CONSOLES, ALSO TELEPHONE ON -HOLD SYSTEMS Material for a Transparent Sound OUTBOARD GEAR - The Duality and Reliability top I RECORDERS Professionals have grown OTARI 24 k AND CONSOLL" SOUNDCRAFT 6000, TRIDENT 90 COM- to Trust and Demand. MADE OUR PLETE DIGIDESIGN TOOLS ,- APOGEE CONVERTERS, YYPHER3MMACH 1 25 100 IN 15th SYSTEM WISOFTOUCH, OBILE 24TK FACIL- U.S.A. YEAR RE-115K-E $53.92 $44.71 $34.39 ITY, PROCESSORS, ROLAND R880, KRK RE-11P-1 $51.31 $42.55 $32.72 MONITORS, GENELEC 103IA's TANNOYS, RE-MB-C $43.54 $36.11 $27.77 WESTLAKE BRSM8, SUMMIT TUBE GEAR, RE-MB-D $76.15 $63.14 $48.56 YAMAHA CD RECORDER, MARANTZ CD RECORDER, LA:A. MANUFACTURER DIRECT RAUER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. EXPERIENCE, SYSTEM DESIGN, FACTORY INSTALLATION, FINANCING MANN ENDLESS CASSETTE INDUSTRIES % SERVICE, NEW AND USED WARRANTER) COMPONENTS P 0. BOX 422093. SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94142-2093 Phon,. (80)) 627-7277 Fax (818) 894-0715 CALL FOR CURRENT EQUIPMENT FAX (415) 2212000 FAX (415) 387 -2425 -1r marketed through jensentransforssHre) Or EAR PROFESSIONAL AUDIO (602) 267.0600

60 R E P August 1992

www.americanradiohistory.com FOR SALE, con't. SERVICES

BUY SELL In Stock: COMPLETE CD AND CASSETTE American Pro Audio CONSIGN JVC DS -DT 900 Otan MTR 90 / MTR 12 / MX 5050 PRODUCTION NEW & USED Studer A-801 /A -810 AUDIO & VIDEO Tascam M -50 / M -216 / 112 / 48, EQUIPMENT iLIr Graham Patton 612 /0 -Esam 800 Full Line Dealer iiii7iiiiLiICJi Sound Workshop Series 30 JVC Sennheiser 212-333-5950 Audio -Tec hn ic a BARRY 818 -845.7000 818 45 -9483 AVG Broadcast Store, Inc. MASTERING REPLICATION PRINTING TOTAL PACKAGING Sony /MCI Trident POSTERS GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO Tannoy Eventide POP PERSONALIZED EXPERT SERVICE Yamaha Tubetech 330 WEST 58TH ST. NEW YORK, N.Y. 10019 Fostex Soundtracs FILTERS "FOR THOSE WHO HEAR THE Beyer Roland Akai DIFFERENCE" Ramsa Panasonic An absolute necessity for every studio Mini Lease Program $59.95 includes screen, LOUDSPEAKERS -EXCLUSIVE New or used, trade -ins 24 -60 Warranty /Non Warranty Repair. clamp, gooseneck and shipping Factory Authorized Center months with buyout option JBL Professional -High Fidelity CALL NOW TO ORDER $5K -25K no financials Four Day Turnaround For Stocked Kits. Outside CA (800) 446.7677 All Work Done By Factory Trained required min. 2 yrs in business. PS * AR Technicians. I Inside CA (818) 788 -3635 1- PRICE STEVENSON ACOUSTIC RESEARCH 800 -333 -2172 1591 Broad RLn . PA POPPER STOPPERS Rd Downingtown, 19335 (215) 383-1083 P.O. Box 6010 -658, Sherman Oaks, CA 91413 DON'T SETTLE FOR LESS, GET THE BEST.' 440 + Pink Noise THE ORIGINAL POPPER STOPPER RCA MICROPHONES -Repair NOW DOUBLE THICK FOR XTRA PROTECTION service on all models. CRYSTAL 440 (or 1000) Hz plus Pink/White Complete Noise, A4 0 dbm 60050 balanced /unbalanced. sound and cosmetic restoration. 1.2% harmonics, ±10 ppm. Board, p.s. $150. SERVICES We also repair other ribbon types. Also 50, 59.94, 60 film sound, camera xtals. ENAK Microphone Repair, 420 Tobin Cinema Systems 3227 49th Avenue Southwest Carew Avenue, Pitman, NJ 08071. TCS Seattle, WA 98116 (206) 932-7280 (609) 589 -6186. RECORDING STUDIOS _V0531 VMIV a33NOld ANOS FOR SALE NOW SHERMAN OAKS, CA Pro Digital Inc. 87 SONY JH 24 24TR APE -GREAT $18K FEATURING Recorder 83 MCI JH -24 24TR -GOOD SHAPE $16K 32 TRK DIGITAL X850 Service $32K FOR THE PAIR 24 TRK ANALOG TS 12 SOUNDCRAFT AUTOMATED MIXER o Fast, expert repairs = Sony Panasonic CALUFAX: PHIL OR RALPH 1000 S0. FT. LIVE ROOM; 450 SO. FT. CONTROL ROOM & Specialists LOTS OF MIDI, SEQUENCING. KEYS. SAMPLERS ETC. GOOD MIC SELECTION NEW & VINTAGE 215.328.6992 TEL: 401-247-0218-FAX: 401-247-1280 VSOIC TASCAM PIONEER FOSTEX BOULDER MIC PRE'S GREAT IN HOUSE ENG /MIXER & PROGRAMMERS

FOR SALE ALL IN FOR ABOUT $100.00 PER HOUR Harrison MR -4, 36x24 w/8 subgroups. S26.500 CHECK US OUT... Otani MIR-90-Il 241rk. $25,500 CALL BOBBY (818) 981 -0102 (2) Ampex ATR -102. 1/4" $4.000 each Neumann U -87a mics $1.350 RECORD DEAL AMS RMX -16 Digital Reverb $4.800 Make Your Music LOOK Call for a greater list! AUDIOPHILE As Good As It SOUNDS Tom at 816-931-3338 or Fax 816-931-6841 QUALITY..

Us' MOST Berlin Turns On COMPLETE FACILITY! Don't wait till March '93 AES Convention in Berlin. Get yourself one of my vintage tube mica right now Cassette Duplication NEUMANN U 47s, Compact Disc Production DMM Vinyl Pressing M 49, U 87, KM 54, CMV 583, UM 57, M 582. AKG C 20. Custom Serious written offers or inquiries only to: Graphics Mastering Studios Reinhard Klippel, Witzlebenstr. 39, W -1000 Berlin 19 (Germany). Tel. (030) 322 19 39 Fax: (030) 322 42 68 COMPLETE PACKAGES with state -of- the -art Neve Digital Mastering for CD. Studer & Lyrec HX -Pro Cassette Duplication, DMM Mastering MAGNETIC RECORDING HEADS for Vinyl and a complete in -house art RELAP /REPLACEMENT for Audio, Video, department - design, layout. typesetting. color Time Code, Duplication. separation. Get THE BEST at no extra cost! 30+ years of head design For a Complete Brochure. call or write experience. EUROPADISK, LTD. s 350 N. Eric Dr., 75 Varick Street. New York, NY 10013 6j,,, (212) 226-4401 FAX (212) 966-0056 1(- Palatine, IL 60067 800 -227-4323

August 1992 R E P 61

www.americanradiohistory.com SERVICES EMPLOYMENT WANTED LEASING /FINANCING

MIDI PROGRAMMER EQUIPMENT FINANCING Have complete pro racks of Digital, "LOANS BY PHONE" analog and samplers. Run Mac & Atari. Tons of contemporary NO FINANCIALS REQUIRED sounds /loops /etc. FOR TRANSACTIONS UNDER Call: Bobby (818) 981 -0102 $50,000 NEW OR USED EQUIPMENT $2,000 TO $200,000 WE ARE YOUR ONE -STOP SOURCE Creative Recording Engineer & Producer NO DOWN PAYMENT FOR COMPLETE PACKAGES! Currently staff Prod /Eng for LA label. Great SALE -LEASEBACK EQUIPMENT do it right - do it right here with people, 7 yrs. studio experience in ana- FOR WORKING CAPITAL log, digital & MIDI. Ex DJ. Ideal for a remix- for a creative change & CALL TOLL -FREE 1. 800.869.6561 er. Looking TO APPLY OR REQUEST challenge. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Please call Bobby (818) 996 -5945 Circle (38) on Rapid Facts Card CONTACT MARK WILSON

DUPLICATION SERVICES (800) 275 -0185 FAX: (214) 235 -5452

EXCHANGE NATIONAL DISC MAKERS HAP FUNDING Cassette Duplication TAPES & CD REPLICATION Record Pressing e I LFCI CD'S HIGH SPEED CD Replication Equipment Leasing CASSETTES Video Duplication Complete Packages AUDIOPHILE REAL TIME FULL Up to $75,000 with CASSETTES ON TDK -SA CALL FOR OUR FREE COLOR CATALOG 1 -800- 468-9353 (In PA: 215- 232 -41401 credit application only DIGITAL MASTERING 48 hour credit decision EASTERN AND EDITING DISC MAKERS Nationwide STANDARD 1328 North Ath Street PRODUCTIONS. INC. COMPLETE Philadelphia, PA 10019 New & used equipment 37 JOHN GLENN DR. PRINTING We can recommend BUFFALO. NY 14228 AND discount equipment TEL. 716- 691 -7631 dealers FAX. 716- 691 -7732 PACKAGING 300 Over 10 yrs in the A/V 1.800.527 -9225 COMPACT DISC IEPLNJITION °""""g' CASSETTES NAKAMICHI REAL -TIME & industry 1 -9225 LYfEC SYSTEM HI-SPEED (SHRINK -800- 527 2CÓLLOOB CASSETTE DLPLICATx1N LABEL SHRINK FOR A FREE BROCHURE JEWEL BOX WRAP TOTAL PRWTINGPACKAGING WRAP AND GRAPHICS SERVICES $620 VIDEO DUPLICATION $99.. Apply by phone (800) 626 -LFCI

INSTRUCTION ACOUSTICAL CONSULTING

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62 R E P August 1992

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MERCENARY AUDIO WANTED - CARVIN MX16 MERCENARY AUDIO Looking to buy whole facilities. This is a 16 channel extender board for Would like to Equipment Only. the Q1608 console. These were made ap- buy your whole No Real Estate. prox. 1979. Nobody throws out a console, Mutha " &# Q in' studio. Serious as a Heart Attack. its out there somewhere. Check your Soup to nuts. "this is not a problem." friends closets! Clip and save this ad. "not a prob/earrm. " 617- 784 -7610 IVO Studios - 402- 463 -5059 617-784-7610

EQUIPMENT WANTED RENTAL EQUIPMENT PACKAGING BUY OR TRADE YOUR USED MULTITRACK RECORDERS AND CONSOLES SOUND REINFORCEMENT EAR PROFESSIONAL AUDIONIDEO RELIAf10E .. . CONSOLE FX RENTALS Audio Packaging Solutions (602) 267 -0600 & ATI Paragon Soundcraft Europa Midas XL -3 Soundcraft Series 4 Albums for CD's with TAC SR6000 Soundcraft 800B or without jewel cases VIDEO PRODUCTION MUSIC Albums for audio and Yamaha PM3000 Soundcraft Venue video cassettes Gamble EX56 Ramsa WR -S852 Many Styles Gamble EX48 Ramsa WR -S840 Custom Imprinting GET Ideal for boxed sets Gamble HC40 TAC Scorpion II Gamble SC32 TAC Scorpion Call today for Ire? catalog. If you're tired of "Generic" Production Music, Yamaha 2408 TOA RX -7 -328 River City Sound Productions has the cure. Reliance Plastics & Packaging Division ALL ON A BUY -OUT BASIS. Lexicon Klark Teknik t.c. electronic 217 Brook Ave., Passaic, NJ 07055 Call toll free (800) 755 -8729 Eventide Yamaha dbx Panasonic Fax: (201) 473 -1023 Phone: (201) 473 -7200 Roland Drawmer Aphex Symetrix Circle (39) on Rapid Facts Card FREE travel and shop setup time World's largest live console inventory Classified Advertising is avail- 10 yrs of console rental specialization MISCELLANEOUS able by the column inch (Classi- Tours - Weekly - Daily - Long Term fied Display): $50 per inch, per in- Extremely Competitive Prices! sertion, with frequency discounts available. 1" minimum, billed at 1/4" increments thereafter. 10" l1D10 ii4rEC1J maximum per ad. Blind ads (re- plies sent to REP for forwarding) STUDIO EQUIP. FOR HIRE Technician on staff 7 a.m. - 1 am. $25 additional. Reader Service Rent number $30 additional. Ads 4" FX Rents Open 7 days a week Aphex Lexicon Roland Digital Tape Machines. and larger will receive a free Drawmer Massenberg Sony reader service number and your Eventide Orban /dbx Otari Synclavier Systems, company's name listed in the Ad- Focusrite Panasonic Yamaha Effects Processors. Reverbs vertiser's Index. Spot color (de- And much more! (213) 871 -U04 (818) 980 -4006 termined by magazine) $150 ad- Office 708 -452 -5594 Ask For Mark ditional. No agency discounts are Pager 312 -294 -1137 allowed for classified advertising. Contact Renée Hambleton, RENT FX«« PERFORMING ARTISTS WANTED 913 -967 -1732, for information on frequency and pre -payment dis- db Rents Exotic & Tube Gear !! Mountain Lion Production counts, or send your order and Tubes Exotica IL Other Neumann U47 API 550 EO Currently looking for perforating artists materials to: Neumann U67 ITI /Sontec Parametric for listing publication in North Carolina, AKG C -12A Vocal Stressor South Carolina and Virginia. Please send Renée Hambleton Pultec Mavec Ea/Pre Aphex Compellor demo tapes and available dates to: Attec 1566A Mic Pre Aphex Dominator P.O. Box 18207, Raleigh, NC REP New Items AlwayaBeing Added Call for Ave,laGNy db ENGINEERING Inc. 27619 or Call 919 -790 -3829. 9800 Metcalf Tel:(617) 782 -0648 Fax:(617) 782 -4935 Agencies & Producers Welcome. Overland Park, KS 66212 -2215. Fax your ad to: 913 -967 -1901

August 1992 R E P 63 www.americanradiohistory.com 11$1444V444, Wu? 541E4 OPN.

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Aphex Systems Ltd 23 11 818-767-2929 SANTA MONICA, CA Herbert A. Schiff ARX Systems 51 19 714 -649 -2346 310 -393 -9285 Jason Perlman Audio Engineering Society 41 14 212- 661 -8528 310 -458 -9987 Kelly Daugherty AZ Associates 51 18 800-441-3179 310 -451 -8695 501 Santa Monica Blvd., Ste. 401 Behringer 3 1 516-932-3810 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Telefax: 310- 393 -2381 DB Engineering 59 35 617-782-4838

DBX, Div. of AKG Acoustics IFC 1 510-351-3500 NEW YORK, NY Eventide, Inc 6 -7 7 201 -641 -1200 Ron Lew 212 -332 -0615 Full Compass Systems 47 15 800- 356 -5844 38th Floor 888 Seventh Ave. Innovative Audio 58 32 818-986-7103 New York, NY 10106 Telefax: 212 -332 -0663

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Soundforms International 60 37 415 -399 -9711 TOKYO, JAPAN Tascam 9 8 213 -726 -0303 Mashy Yoshikawa Orient Echo, Inc. Technical Audio Devices 4 5 213-816 -0415 1101 Grand Maison -Cho, 2 -18 Turtle Beach Softworks 39 13 717 -843 -6916 Shimomiyabi Shinjuku -ku, Tokyo 162, Japan (3) 3235 -5961 UREI Electronics Products BAC 818 -893 -8411 Tel: Telex: J -33376 MYORIENT Yamaha International Corp IBC 2 800- 395 -1313 Fax: (3) 3235 -5852

64 R E P August 1992 www.americanradiohistory.com s M L XL One 515205 System fits all.

This is the one. The one with the parameters and a lot more. So you added sense wires to the speakers. new speaker. The one with digital pro- can customize the sound to whatever And calibrating it is a simple set -it and cessing. The first one of its forget -it procedure.

kind. It's the YST S 152OS . Now back to that YST speaker. It's speaker system. And it's not at all what situation you get into. Whether it's a got a 157 high power, high sensitivity you're used to. picnic for the company big -wig or a woofer with a carbon fiber impreg-

First things first, let's talk YST. It convention for a thousand of them. nated cone. And the system is available stands for Yamaha Active Servo Tech- The system also with an inter- nology. It allows us to make some includes the Y2O. It's changeable, unorthodox cabinet tunings in the the heart and soul medium format horn

S152OS speakers. What you end up of YST. The Y2O in 60 or 105 degree with is tight low- frequency output. monitors back EMF. versions.

And range that extends much lower While it electronically There is no other system than other speakers this size (all the synthesizes param- like the YST S 1520S. It the way down to 50 Hz.). eters for the woofer. The result is more one that's digital. It's the one system

To all this we've added state- of-the- precise woofer control with less distor- that fits all. It the one that's available art digital processing. It's the C2O Digi- tion and less acoustic interaction from selected Yamaha dealers and tal System Controller. And it makes between the drivers. contractors.

The Y2O also gives you

the ability to use any pro- the system easily programmable. You fessional power amplifier you want. can adjust and store EQ, delay, cross- And because it's designed to fit right YAMAHA'

O 1991 Yamaha Corporation o(Amercu. PmMwoo.l Auda Produr,. over, time /phase alignments, security into the amp rack, there's no need for PO Ho, 6600. Buena Park. CJi6,mu 90622-6e04 I71Ó1522.9011.

Circle (2) on Rapid Facts Card

www.americanradiohistory.com ° BACKED BY POPULAR DEMAND.

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