Audio engineers who try Maxell won't let go. Maxell quality saves a lot of You can see Maxell excellence in recording situations. Maxell meets the cassette construction and on the your Va" open reel and audio cassette 'scope or meter. The physical con- needs, no matter how demanding struction is strong enough to meet you are. Because we're mure all professional requirements. Maxell demanding. We've developed a open reel tape and cassettes give name that means unique quality all you quality you can hear. And your around the world. For example, clients can hear as well. Maxell cassettes give you a produc- We'll give you all the technical tivity boosting four-function leader information you need to form your with A/B side indications, directional own opinions. But it you're like just arrows, non-abrasive head cleaner about every audio professional that and five-second cue to set timing tries Maxell, you won't let go. maxell. and level. Remember, we warned you! PROFESSIONAL/INDUSTRIAL DIVISION Our success is magnetic. Maxell Corporation of America, 60 Oxford Dr., Moonachie, N.J. 07074 ( 201) 440-8020 C irclc 10 on Reader Service Card Publisher Larry Zide Editor John M. Woram European Editor John Borwick Associate Editor Mark B. Waldstein Advertising Production & Layout Karen Cohn JULY 1982 VOLUME 16, NO. 7 Classified Advertising Carol Vitelli Book Sales Lydia Calogrides DEPARTMENTS Circulation Manager Eloise Beach LETTERS CALENDAR EDITORIAL CLASSIFIED Art Director 6 8 26 51 Bob Laurie SOUND REINFORCEMENT John Eargle Graphics K&S Graphics 10 Typography THEORY AND PRACTICE Ken Pohlmann Spartan Phototype Co. 14 DIGITAL AUDIO Barry B lesser 18 sales offices Roy McDonald Associates, Inc. SOUND WITH IMAGES Len Feldman Dallas, Texas 75207 24 First Continental Bank Bldg. 5801 Marvin D. Love Freeway NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Suite 303 49 (214) 941-4461 PEOPLE, PLACES, HAPPENINGS Denver, Colorado Area Englewood, Colorado 80112 54 14 Inverness Dr. East Bldg. 1—Penthouse (303) 771-8181 Houston, Texas 77036 6901 Corporate Drive Suite 210 (713) 988-5005 Los Angeles Area Glendale, California 91204 424 West Colorado Street Suite 201 (213) 244-8176 Portland Area Hillsboro, Oregon 97123 FEATURES 510 South First P.O. Box 696 RIDING THE NEW WAVES Howard Sherman (503) 640-2011 28 San Francisco Area Emeryville, California 94608 NOISE REDUCTION: WHERE TO NEXT? Ralph Hodges 265 Baybridge Office Plaza 34 5801 Christie Avenue (415) 653-2122 NOISE REDUCTION UPDATE Sagamore Publishing Co. 35 New York Plainview, NY 11803 A db SPECIAL REPORT; THE NEW WORLD John M. Woram 1120 Old Country Rd. OF DIGITAL AUDIO (516) 433-6530 38 THE NAB CONVENTION—PART 11 John M. Woram About 44 The Cower • I his month's cover features Suzanne db. Ihe Sound Engineering Magazine (ISSN 0011-7145) is published monlhly by Sagamore Publishing Company, Inc. Entire con- tents copyright ' 11)82 by Sagamore f'ublishingC'o., I I 20 Old Country Road, Plainview, 1,1, N Y. I 180.1, relephone{5l6HM 6530. C'iani's new album propped upon the db is published lur those individuals and lirms in professional audio-recording, broadcast, audio-visual, sound reinforcement, con- Buchla Series 200 synthesizer. For more sultants, video recording, lllm sound, etc. Application should be made on the subscription form in Ihe rear of each issue. Subscrip- tions are S15 00 per year ($28.00 per year outside U.S. Possessions; $ 16.00 per year Canada) in U.S. funds. Single copies are S1.95 information on the Ciani album, see the each. Editorial, Publishing and Sales Offices: 1 ill Old Country Road, Plainview, New York 11803. Controlled circulation postage feature article on page 28. paid at Plainview. NY 1 1803 and an additional mailing office. Index off Letters Advertisers Alpha Audio 29 Ampex Cover fV Audio-Technica Cetec Gauss 25 fitiCo Community Light & Sound 16 Crow n 15 G SOUND, INC. Dolby 19 Hmilar 12 I ■ it/co 6 .1 Bl 13 Mark- leknik 7 Maxell Cover 11 MCI 37 Orban 27 AAE "Concept One" Otari 17.20-21 Automation I'M PEA 53 Polyline 22 AKG Russco 12 Soundcraftsmen 23 AMPEX Sound Technology 9 Standard l ape Labs 41 Studer 31 AMPEX TAPE Tascam Div. Teac Corp Cover III lelex 42 AUDIOARTS ENGINEERING BGW TANNOY HANNAY (Cable Reels) EVENTIDE IVIE STATEMENTS LEXICON OR MISSTATEMENTS? il is unfortunate that even in a tech- nical publication, the facts too often SENNHEISER suffer. I like to feel that blatant mis- statements are not published, but this is TECHNICS not the case in the May Sound With Images column. While I could write Comlno VEGA pages on the mistakes. I shall limit this note to the following. Next The camera does not provide "the WIREWORKS reference for the tape transport drive." Month That is dated, and goes back to umbilical cords. Both use svnc (sometimes, crystal) generators which arc close enough to be considered as one. • In August, we'll be taking a look at I he film synchronizer"... isa mechan- speaker and monitor systems. Robert ical contraption with series ol sprocket Harvey checks in with an informative, holes arranged side-by-side." How about anecdotal article on the Altec 604 loud- sprocket welh'.' And if that were not speaker; Wolf Schneider brings us the enough, it goes on to tell us that ".. .those inside information on the installation of common sprocket holes run all the sfips a 16.000 watt sound system in Seattle's simultaneously." Paramount I heatre; and William Mat- 204 N. Midkiff "The field rale was changed to ap- thews gives us a brief histon of custom proximately 59.94 frames (or a frame equalization, fn addition, there will be a Midland, Texas 79701 rate of 29.97) per second." Does 59.94 loudspeaker monitor roundup, and (915) 684-0861 refer to 11/ s. and what then does Michael Rettinger returns to our pages 29.97 mean? with a piece on sound insulation. Ol As for a Moviola rental at "S25 per course, our regular columnists and de- hour." the going rate of S25 is high for partments w ill also be on hand. All this the Jaw and more coming in August's db — The So. after these gems, how much of the Sound Kngineering Magazine. Circle 23 on Reader Service Card Better than all measures of delightful (Shelley 1792-1822) For further information on our complete range of professional audio equipment and application details telephone (516) 249-3660 KLRRK TEKITIK SfHtnft .science Klark-Teknik Electronics Inc. Klark*Teknik Research Limited Omnimedia Corporation Limited 262a Eastern Parkway, Farmingdale, Coppice Trading Estate, Kidderminster, DY11 7HJ, 9653 Cote de Liesse/Dorval, Quebec H9P 1A3, MV 11735, USA. Telephone: (5161 249-3660 England. Telephone: (0562) 741515 Telex: 339821 Canada. Telephone: (514) 636 9971 Circle 26 mi Reader Service Card rest is true? Does the editorial depart- As time went on, the quality improved. ment bear some responsibility for what is Today we can cut a disc with virtually printed? My faith in your magazine was zero noise level that is loaded with a wide ffi) Calendar high up to now please reassure me! range reproduction of the original sound Bi;n' Sobin pickup. Dynamics? In 1935, RCA pro- Ben Sobin Motion Picture Sound, duced a home player that had a "volume Recording and Equipment expander." They are available today if some isolated individual must have this. Some of the finest pressings were made db replies: in the mid fifties when only monaural Be assured. Mr. .Vo/)//;.'Everything row recordings were made. Other than two read in db is true (+3 dB. oj course). track sound, there has been little in the Mr. Feldman reminds us that he was way of actual improvement since then. reporting on the comments of several To capture in detail the sound of an speakers at a recent A ES section meet- orchestra when the only system was ing. For example, the reference to the monaural required a magnificent skill JULY sync system was a direct quote from a in blending or mixing. It was really an 25-27 Midwest Music Exchange — A speaker who may have been referring to artistic endeavor. Multi-track taping is National Music/Record Indus- an ancient system, hut one that was still no substitute for this artistry. Resisting try Convention. Bismarck Hotel, in use. Agreed, sprocket holes should change is anachronistic, but when those Chicago, IE, For more informa- have been sprocket teeth, but one could changes contribute to inferiority in even tion contact; Midwest Music Ex- argue that without the holes, the teeth the least extent, they should be avoided. change. 704 N, Wells St., Chi- ... oh. never mind. "27 Chevrolet Coach? That's a two cago. IE 60610. Tel: (312) 440- Most readers will realize that 59.94 door sedan in todays terminology. 0860. refers to fields. Dividing by two frames- H I NKY R. K UHN per-lield. ire get a frame rate of 29.97 Kuhn Recording Service frames-per-second. He don't think either f ields or f rames should be referred to in AUGUST Hz. and certainly not in Hzjs. 29- NAB's 1982 Radio Programming J'he reference to $25 per hour includes Sept. I C onference. New Orleans Hyatt the use of the editing room -not fust Regency Hotel. New Orleans. the Moviola- -and again, is a direct quote LA. For more information con- from the meeting. tact: The National Association of Broadcasters. 1771 N Street. BACK TO MONO N.W.. Washington, DC 20036, To Tm Editor: Eel: (202) 293-3570. THE SUMMER OF '33 Ken Pohlmann's Theory & Practice 1 O I HE EDI I OK: column titled "Doppelgangers" (May It seems as though recording techniques 1982) offended me.