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MC r w 0. 0 1. l a Metropolis is one of the most prestigious recording studios ever designed. And within it, you'll find the ultimate in audio equipment. The new Focusrite studio console. It embodies Focusrite's committ- ment to the highest standards of sonic purity. When compared with the approach taken by Metropolis, it becomes apparent that they have shared the same vision. To create the finest recording environment in the world. An experience we're sure you'd like to share. No Compromise NOTHING SHORT OF EXCELLENCE FOCUSRITE AUDIO ENGINEERING LIMITED. UNIT 2, BOURNE END BUSINESS CENTRE, CORES ENO ROAD, BOURNE END, BUCKS SLR 5AS. ENGLAND. TELEPHONE ..4410)628 819456. FAX .444 (0)628 819443. ANSTNAUA: G.U.0.T. (02) 550 5548 SENELNI: TEM (02) 466 5010 : IMAGINATIVE MARKETING (514) 595 3966 NENNANR: SLT (01) 713 344 : SCV (1) 48 63 2211 RENNANI: THUM 8 MAHR AUDIO (02173) 78060 «NS NM: DIGITAL MEDIA TECHNOLOGY 601 4050 ITALY: AUDIO EQUIPMENT (39) 2000312 JAPAN: TIMELORD (0468) 736226 NNNNAY: LYDROMMET (02) 370218 SNENEN: TAL 8 TON (031) 803 620 NSA: SONIC IMAGE (708)8534544 STUDIO AND BROADCAST ENGINEERING Espace de Projection at IRCAM Studio Sound's viewpoint on events and trends, and their Editorial: implications 5 Events, news, moves and comment from inside and outside the News: recording industry 16 Information on new products, developments, upgrades and Products: software updates 22 Product updates and developments from another side of the Music News: business. Compiled by Zenon Schoepe 29 Keeping abreast of live sound news and equipment. Compiled Live Sound: by Mike Lethby 30 Peter Ridsdale visits this Paris -based music research and IRCAM. development project 12 years on 33 A guide to microphone manufacturers and their agents A Microhones: plus their currently available products 42' Ralph Denyer interviews the producer/engineer whose career Bill Price. spans early Tom Jones, Pink Floyd and Big Audio Dynamite 51 TerryT. Nelson visits George Lucas's organisation Skywalker Ranch: California 59 Part 11 of Philip Newell's series looks at the Monitor S y stems: diversity of control room designs and philosophies 6w Francis Rumsey looks at Digital Audio Synchronisation: raft A recommendations and some operational problems 744 Situated in Berkshire, UK, the studio offers a peaceful and The Mill: creative setting. Janet Angus reports 81 Essential cost saving advice is offered by our US columnist Perspective : Martin Polon Keeping the LP alive; problems with Q sound. Business: By Barry Fax 88 Dave Foister presents operational reports on the AMS ST250 Reviews: surround microphone and Crown's SASS -P unusual boundary mic 90 3 Master Studio System International Headquarters: Begbroke, Oxford, Erland OX5 1RU TeL (0865) 842300 Paris (1) 34 60 46 66 Milan -12) 612 17 20 Tokyo 43) 54 74 11 44 Frank Filipetti at Right Track Recording, New York City New York (212) 315 1111 Los Angeles (213) 463 4444 Toronto (416) 363 0101 STUDIO SOLDAND BROADCAST ENGINEERING March 1991 Volume 33 Number 3 ISSN 0144 5944 EDITORIAL Editor: Keith Spencer -Allen Assistant Editor: Julian Mitchell Co-ordinating Editor: Ann Lowe Secretary: Elaine Sweeney Consultant: Sam Wise Columnists: Barry Fox, Martin Polon (US) Regular Contributors: Janet Angus Mike Lethby James Betteridge David Mellor Mike Collins Terry Nelson Ben Duncan Francis Rumsey Dave Foister Zenon Schoepe Yasmin Hashmi Patrick Stapley ADVERTISEMENTS Executive Ad Manager: Steve Grice Deputy Ad Manager: Phil Dearing Advertisement Production: Alicia Smith Secretary: Lianne Davey CIRCULATION Prove me wrong . , . or then again Circulation and Development Manager: I do well. I know some people who Colin Enderson know something about audio. I expect you as Controlled Circulation Manager: know a great deal about video and they know others who know even more. I don't, Maria Udy on the other hand, know a great deal about video and there is a very good chance Enquiries: See classified advertisement that you don't either. My video friends know even less about audio and I expect Director: Doug Shuard their very knowledgeable friends understand even less. There is a gulf between us Publisher: Steve Haysom and it doesn't matter as long as we respect and make allowances for each other's EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING OFFICES Link House, Dingwall Avenue, Croydon CR9 2TA, craft. UK. Tel: 081-686 2599. E-mail: 78:DGS1071. ESI: The two disciplines require quite different ways of thinking. They probably use STUDIOSOUND-UK/US. Fax: 081-760 5154/0973. different parts of the brain for all I know but there is no doubt they are widely NEWSTRADE DISTRIBUTION (UK) different. I have known of projects that started off as a combined abstract video and UMD, 1 Benwell Road, London N7 7AX, UK. with both aspects being made by the same people at the same time. Tel: 071-700 4600. Fax: 071-607 3352. audio album They have had to be stopped as no progress was being made. In the end the music AMERICAN OFFICE Publishing Services Manager: Fred Vega was completed first and the video work after. Of course, it works equally well the Studio Sound, 2 Park Avenue, 18th Floor, other way around as most audio post -production work does. But together? New York, NY 10016, USA. Tel: (212) 779-1212. Fax: (212) 213-3484. This preamble is really just an expression of concern at the developing interest in JAPAN & FAR EAST AGENT `multimedia'. This is finding a form largely as a single computer running both audio Contact: Mikio Tsuchiya, Media Sales Japan Inc, and video signals and allowing varying degrees of creative control of both. At the Tamuracho Bldg 3 3 14, Shimbashi, Minato -Ku, Tokyo, Japan. Tel: (03) 504-1925. Telex: J25666. moment the link between the two is fairly basic but with greater computing power Fax: (03) 595-1709. and storage this will change. I think that in many ways such concepts are exciting © Link House Publications plc 1991 all level would suit any megalomaniacal feelings I may have about rights reserved and on a personal it TOTAL CONTROL over a project. I still can't help but feel that creative people in Origination by Lawrence-Allen (Colour Printers) Ltd, Gloucester Street, Weston -super -Mare, Avon audio are not at home with visual images and vice versa. Working to be conversant BS23 1TB. in both makes us And the cult of the average is not worthwhile Printed in England by Andover Press Ltd, Telford purely average. Gate, West Portway Industrial Estate, Andover, following in creative terms. In real life we use the lack of expertise in dual media to Hants SP10 3SF. our advantage. We make creative audio to accompany stimulating pictures, while A LINK HOUSE our sounds are `illustrated' by picture makers-we spark off each other. It works PUBLICATION well when we only have our own field to play in. Studio Sound and Broadcast Engineering This may sound like the start of a campaign against multimedia-it isn't. But it is incorporates Sound International and Beat Instrumental against giving total control of both areas to a single person because it doesn't work very well. No one is able to express themself equally in both areas. If we then Studio Sound is published on the third Friday of the month preceding the cover date. The remove the need for the same person to undertake both media then what are the magazine is available on a rigidly controlled requested basis, only to qualified personnel (see advantages of it being in a single box? Just because something is capable of being classified advertisement for terms) done is not really justification for doing it. Individually the video and audio industries have thrown up some highly creative and exciting artists and work. The ABC true expertise of multimedia is learning to integrate the arts, not the technology. Keith Spencer -Allen MEMBER OF THE AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONS (left Bruel & Kjaer 4009 fitted with diffractive attachment; Total average net circulation of 19,169 per issue Cover: to right) during 1989. CAD Equitek II; and `antique' mics from Sony-C-19B, C-37A and C-500. UK: 5,272. Overseas: 13,897. (ABC audited) Photography by Tony Petch 5 SEERDRT THE PORTABLE AUDIO MIXER There has never been anything like it! YOU NEED IT! Includes a variety of features for radio, TV, film and , ISOPATCH> ;audoj' t video. MIDIáñd,XLRë.ó © Jne I x ~UNIVE SAL- c 6 nn aels 44 y Broadcast Telecommunication / JIc7/5 Áud oNldeo PRO AUDIO PRODUCT A.Box 115 Elegant solutions to all your interconnection. gróblems N-1380 HEGGrEDAL, Norway T .:+47 2 79 77 30 Fax: +47 2 79 61 Max5 79 207 SA N MANUFACTURE ANO UK SALES. ISOTRACK, PO Box 18, POOLE, DORSET, 8E8814 W (0202) 747191 1151 rW OVERSEAS SALES. KELSEY ACOUSTICS LTD., 28 Powis>Terrace. LONDON, W11 1JH. º 01-727-1049 ABACUS For exacting engineers, a precise ELECTRICS instrument, the ARTA BO third-octave audio analyser. Incorporates INPUT SELECT precision pink - :1 o Mike Lett Right Battery portable noise generator. - size 24x16x8cros. Suml Diffl Ultra -bright LEDs weighs only 1.5 kg. for clear display 40 so ABACUS . W mir0-Octave Analyse Microphone plus A and battery power Ref. ARTA 8 0 32 63 125 250 500 1k 2k 4k Bk 19k Hz two line inputs. Wo saving. H a 60 160 315 630 1625 26 56 la 20k Rel. 25 50 100 2W 400 800 166 3615 863 1265 V lee2fillNCf Parallel printer port Thirty non-volatile t J 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 28 27 28 29 30 memories.