SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1987 $2.95 THE SOUND ENGINEERING MAGAZINE serving:recording, broadcast and sound contracting fields Featuring 2 to 8 trk-The Smaller Recording Studio Guides: Consoles & Mixers; Equalizers Sviicluvicr + 504 r WHAT YOU DO WITH THE M-600 MIXER is YOUR BUSINESS. That's why we've designed it to meet or exceed your most demanding requirements. And made it the easiest, most flexible professional mixing console you'll ever work with. The M-600 is modular. Which means you can custom configure the console to your audio or video production needs. The M-600 lets you choose up to 32 input channels, or you can start with 16 or 24 input channels and expand the board as your needs change. Optional stereo modules can also be added to provide even more line inputs for MIDI instruments and video production convenience. Installation and wiring is exceptionally easy. The M-600 is the only modular mixer that's available with all the necessary finished cables and installation hardware. And that can eliminate a lot of installation hassles and expense. At the same time, no other mixer at its price gives you multi-pin, computer-type connectors for quieter, more secure connections. But the real pleasures of the M 600 will only be evident after it's in your studio. Up to 64 stereo or 128 mono inputs can be accessed directly from the top panel. A patch bay can be added for fast, flexible routing. That's convenience. The M-600 has all the features you'd expect in a professional mixing console. Like balanced insert patch points on all inputs, PGM busses as well as the stereo master buss for increased signal processing capability. Plus sweep-type parametric EQ, balanced inputs and outputs, phantom power, talkback/slate channel and all the audio performance you'll ever need. Without the exorbitant price you don't need. So check out the M-600 modular mixing console. It's ready for fame when you are. TASCAM C1987 TE AC Corporation of America, 7733 Telegraph Road, Montebello, CA 90640 213 726-0303 Circle 10 on Reader Service Card See us atAES Booth 433 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1987 VOLUME 21 NO.5 FREEDOM AND CONTROL 22 Corey Davidson A DIGITAL ROAD SHOW 34 Gus Skinas A LOOK AT DIGITAL IN NASHVILLE 36 Editor/Publisher Sarah Stein Larry Zide Associate Publisher Elaine Zide Editorial Assistant MOTION PICTURE SOUND 1987:DAWN OF A NEW ERA 40 Carol A. Lamb Drew Daniels Technical Editor Corey Davidson Contributing Editors r" Bruce Bartlett Mark E. Battersby Brian Battles LAB REPORT: SONY MPX-2016 CONSOLE 45 Barry Blesser Len Feldman Drew Daniels Len Feldman Graphics & Layout 'Zlc Karen Cohn RECORDING TECHNIQUES: DOING A MIXDOWN 12 Bruce Bartlett ATMOSOUND: A CONSTRUCTION STORY 31 Rick Shriver CALENDAR 2 About the cover ON TAXES Mark E. Battersby 6 • Shelly Palmer's state of the art AD VENTURES Brian Battles 16 studio complex and his operating NEW PRODUCTS 53 philosophy is the subject of our fea- BUYERS GUIDE: EQUALIZERS, MIXERS,CONSOLES 59 ture story beginning on page 22. CLASSIFIED 89 You'll learn what a "tapeless" studio is, and why it is needed. PEOPLE, PLACES, HAPPENINGS 91 About the 2-8trk cover db, The Sound Engineering Magazine(ISSN 0011-7145) is published Bi-monthly by Sagamore Publishing Company Inc. Entire contents copyright 1987 by Sagamore Publishing Company Inc.,1120 Old Country Road, Flainview, NY 11803. Telephone: (516)433-6530. db Magazine is published for individuals and firms in professional audio record- ing, broadcast audio-visual, sound reinforcement-contracting, consultants, video recording, film sound, etc. Applica- • On page 30 we present a montage tion for subscription should be made on the subscription form in the rear of each issue. Subscriptions are $15.00 per year($28.00 per year outside U.S. Possessions, $16.00 per year in Canada)and payable in U.S funds. Single copies of the control room and studio of At- are $2.95 each. Editorial, Publishing, and Sales offices are at 1120 Old Country Road, Plainview, NY 11803. Second mosound. An article on this fine, Class postage paid at Plainview, NY 11803 and an additional mailing office. PostmastenForm 3579 should be sent smaller complex follows. to the above address. ■Empty reels Cahttdm and And, all 3M, Ampex and Agfa tapes COMMTEX International '88 is an exposition for communications equipment, software and accessories for professional dealers and users. It will be held on January 16-18,1988, at the New Orleans Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, and is co- sponsored by International Com- munications Industries Association and the Association for Educational Communications and Technology. Video, computer, audio-visual and other communications equipment will be featured. Activities held in conjunction with COMMTEX in- clude ICIA- and AECT-sponsored CATALOG conferences and seminars designed to help participants develop sales and Call Polyline business management skills and pro- Pelyl vide technological updates on com- 312/298-5300 1233 Rand Road munications product developments. 8:30 am-5 pm Central Time Des Plaines, IL 60016 Additional COMMTEX exhibit in- formation is available from Kay Hyn- Circle 13 on Reader Service Card son at the International Conimunica- tions Industries Association, (703) 273-7200. The Carpenter's Home Church, lo- Goodbye Noise! cated in Lakeland, Florida, will host the 2nd annual Audio/Music Seminar on November 12-14, 1987. This year there will be 500+ audio engineers and musicians in attendance, and both a basic and an advanced level of instruction will be offered. These in- dividuals will be responsible for the Nobody does it better when it comes to major equipment purchases for their tope noise reduction. Our SYSTEM ONE, facilities and organizations. The goal Encode/Decode MODEL 180A provides incredible is to provide an educational environ- results with no side effects for under $700, ment in which audio engineers, tech- nicians, music directors, and musici- • Effective noise reduction of 30dB plus 10dB headroom, ans can come together and learn. For • Provides dynamic range better than digital, more information, contact: • Totally transparent system, Dennis Cockerham h- • No side effects (such as "breathing"), CO Audio Coordinator CD • Fully simultaneous encode/decode, • Also available in four channel (140A) and two The Carpenter's Home Church CD JD channel (120A). 777 Carpenter's Way O O Take advantage of our PATENTED technology and improve your Lakeland, FL 33805 O recordings. Write us for more information on our SYSTEM ONE units, 813 859-1477 CD or see your Rocktron Dealer. JD E CD Synergetic Audio Concepts an- Q. ^ 1633 Star Batt Drive nounced their fall schedule for their CD r \ * I 1 Rochester, Ml 48063 (f) two-day audio engineering seminars. n corporation (313) 853-3055 The classes are intended specifically "O for those seeking a better basic un- CM Circle 15 on Reader Service Card The first 500-Hz Driver that doesn't turn cymbals into trash can fids Listen to most of today's match. And our EV-exclusive HF drivers, including our leading PROTEF™ feature that guards competitor's, and you could logically against voice coil damage. conclude that "trashy" sound is an Talk, as they say, is cheap. inescapable fact of life. Poor definition, So, we insist that you make us prove inadequate output beyond 10 kHz, our claims. Audition a DH1A today annoying breakups, and "ringing" are all and hear for yourself how easily you too common. can bid a hasty goodby to trash-can EV engineers, rejecting the cymbals and high-end distortion. notion that poor high frequency livelier, with better transient-handling For more information, write sound is inevitable, created the capability. As a result, trashy Electro-Voice, Inc., 600 Cecil Street, DH1A, a driver that deals effectively instrumental and vocal sounds are Buchanan, Ml 49107. with every one of these problems. consigned to the trash can, where To boost high-frequency output they belong. we utilized a magnet with the The 10 kHz breakup you've ElectroT/bice greatest flux density available, plus heard in our competitor's driver was Ey w® an optimized, balanced magnetic eliminated by using a 3-inch SOUND IN ACTION™ circuit to "stiffen" the coupling diaphragm instead of the other guy's between the amplifier and the 4-inch component, moving the diaphragm. The resulting increase in primary diaphragm breakup point all high-end response also solved the the way out to 16 kHz, well beyond problem of definition and articula- fundamentals and first harmonics. tion, so the sound is cleaner and A field-replaceable diaphragm, we reasoned, could make the DH1A still more useful. So we made that a part of the package, too. Plus the option of 8- and 16-ohm impedance Circle 14 on Reader Service Card dcrstanding of how to solve everyday Washington, DC-October 27-28 offered for radio experts, sound re- audio and acoustic problems. De- cordists and engineers from private monstrations include signal align- For more information contact: audio studios, as well as newcomers ment of loudspeakers, measurement to the professional audio sphere. The Synergetlc Audio Concepts of %ALcons and RASTI, the fun- focal point of the Audio Workshop damental difference between im- PO Box 1239 will be a fully equipped production pulse and energy time curve Bedford, IN 47421 studio giving speakers the opportu- measurements, and the proven pro- nity to make practical demonstra- cedure to follow when designing Broadcast '87, the international tions. The main themes covered by large loudspeaker arrays. trade fair for film, radio and televi- the workshop will include recording sion, will be held on October 14-17 in and editing, hard-disk recording sys- Kansas City, MO-October 6-7 Frankfurt, West Germany.