studio soundFebruary March 1974 25p AND BROADCAST ENGINEERING BURWEN 2000, DBX 187 and DOLBY 364 reviewed and field- tested SURVEY OF COMPRESSORS, LIMITERS AND NOISE L CONTROLLERS j www.americanradiohistory.com Cadac and Quadraphonics Morgan Brussels - the first studio in Europe to be designed Our close relationship with studio practices and techniques and built from scratch for quadraphonic recording- chose consequently is reflected in the console engineering and the new Cadac quadraphonic music recording console - logic systems, which makes Cadac the obvious choice of not a standard stereo console with a few joysticks added, people engaged in the art of sound recording. but one specifically designed and built to handle all types of recording in this medium. So? Don't ask us. ask them. 11111111111 NMI IIIIIII ON MIMI Mil IIIIII MIMI MIMI NMI 1111111111111/IN BM Mall MN isra MINI MIN NNW MIN A . MI -.Ii. 4.1 .1,e* .04A " "vvvINNWre**111 - ,t7," 4,4 4141164 4. V. ' '14.1.41fil 4' *lg., 4 4 - 4'4 `Pes`pe,s`r4 ;% .. l'i i; sk ; 1.0,, I.0% iti '41 The established leaders in music recording console" and techniques. Cadac (London) Ltd Lea Industrial Estate Batford Harpenden AL5 5EL www.americanradiohistory.com 1,1777" r,.i'c»,; studioAND BROADCAST ENGINEERING soun r EDITOR DAVID KIRK FEBRUARY/MARCH 1974 VOLUME 16 NUMBER 2/3 ASSISTANT EDITOR JOHN DWYER BRITISH READERS of STUDIO SOUND will probably not have ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER RICHARD WESTBROOK been surprised by the non -appearance of our February issue last month. For overseas readers, however, we should explain that virtually all commerce and industry has been restricted to three THE LINK HOUSE GROUP days' electricity supplies per week. An overtime ban by coal miners has coincided with an oil shortage and, at the time of Editorial and Advertising Offices: LINK HOUSE, DINGWALL AVENUE, CROYDON CR9 2TA. Telephone: 01 -686 2599 writing, there seems little hope of an early end to either. For the same reasons, this issue is smaller than usual. © Link House Publications Ltd 1974. All rights reserved. From a gloomy subject to something more positive. We learn from the Association of Professional Recording Studios that the opportunity of attending a one week technical training course at CONTENTS the University of Surrey may be extended to all persons presently FEATURES employed in sound recording. There is no age limitation and the scheme therefore offers a valuable means of gaining practical CONSTRUCTING A PEAK -READING OSCILLOSCOPE outside experience. Part Two The proposed Summer Course 1974 will last one week and cost a By James Crabbe 30 basic £45 per student (non -residential) or £60 (residential). Pop, INSIDE RADIO TELEFIS EIREANN classical and speech recording techniques are to be covered at a Part One practical level, in addition to the principles of acoustics, score By John Dwyer 34 reading, sound recording systems, electronic synthesisers, and LETTERS 38 sound reproduction. Surrey University are very well equipped (Neve, Calrec, Spendor, Neumann, EMT /Studer) ançl the course SURVEY: AUDIO COMPRESSORS, LIMITERS, can be strongly recommended. Applications should be made to EXPANDERS AND NOISE REDUCERS 40 the APRS secretary, 23 Chestnut Aveaue, Chorleywood, Hert- fordshire WD3 4HA. David Jessel's resignation from London Broadcasting is an COLUMNS unhappy sequel to the many difficulties besetting Britain's first legal commercial radio station. The deplorable technical quality NEWS 24 and unpolished presentation of LBC's early days were accepted DIARY by most observers as being mere teething troubles. Any station By John Dwyer 26 that attempted night and day live presentation would inevitably FIELD TRIALS: DBX 187, BURWEN 2000 and DOLBY 364 experience greater strain than an outfit that hid for most of the By Angus McKenzie 56 time behind a cartridge player or gram turntable. LBC have now been on the air for four months, however, yet the teething troubles remain. For the listener, the only aplarent improvement has been that advertisements seem fewer and therefore less obnoxious. REVIEWS LBC's experiences lend credence only to those who argued that commercial radio in Britain could not possibly make money and DBX 187, BURWEN 2000 and DOLBY 364 that it was therefore best left alone. As matters stand, comparing By Hugh Ford 46 the BBC with its commercial `rivals' is rather like comparing our national train service with the Bluebell Railway. CORRESPONDENCE AND ARTICLES SUBSCRIPTIONS STUDIO SOUND, published monthly, enables engineers and studio All STUDIO SOUND correspondence should be sent to the address management to keep abreast of new technical end commercial printed on this page. Technical queries should be concise and must developments in electronic communication. The journal Is available include a stamped addressed envelope. Matters relating to more than one without charge to all persons actively engaged ui the sound recording, department should occupy separate sheets of paper or delay will occur in replying. broadcasting and cinematographic industries. h is also circulated by paid subscription to manufacturing companies and individuals Articles or suggestions for features on all aspects of communications interested In these industries. Annual subscription rates (UK) and musical engineering will be received sympathetically. a-e £3 or £3.30 overseas. Manuscripts should be typed or clearly handwritten and submitted with rough drawings when appropriate. STUDIO SOUND is published on the 14th of the preceding month unless that date falls on a Sunday, when it appears on the Saturday. BINDERS Loose -leaf binders for annual volumes of STUDIO SOUND are available from Modern Bookbinders, Chadwick Street, Blackburn, Lancashire. Total average net circulation of 7,374 per Issue Please quote the volume number or date when ordering. ABC during 1972. YFMOU of TM! oo1T Mni.0 or cincuu.ow www.americanradiohistory.com this ¡sOtani OTARI MX-7000 Z INCH 4 CHANNELS on !, inch tape For mastering or multitracking 31,î!. 15ipsorV,:15¡30ips £1890 V.A.T. INC. CONSOLE IMMEDIATE DELIVERY From Japan's biggest manufacturer of Tape Duplication equipment, the DP4050 reel to cassette copier. Highest attainable in cassette performance. Foolproof operation for non -skilled personnel. Eight times copy speed. Complete relay -solenoid operation. Automatic cycle through Record -Rewind -Stop. Absolute consistency in manufacture through large volume production. £2377 V.A.T. OTARI JAPAN'S LARGEST MANUFACTURER OF TAPE DUPLICATION EQUIPMENT Supplied to: EMI., Decca, etc. Industrial Tape Applications OIT/A/Rl! 105 High Street, Eton, Windsor, Berks.Tel: (95) 52663 Telex 21879 4 STUDIO SOUND, MARCH 1974 www.americanradiohistory.com You edit the tape. We edit the prices. VIDEO TAPE AT DIXONS TECHNICAL RECOMMENDED DIXON PRICE PRICE SCOTCH 2" 2400 ft. £10.00 £8.50 SCOTCH L-7" 3000 ft. £16.30 £13.50 BASF 2" 2400 ft. £10.75 £8.50 SH I BADEN 2" 2400 ft. £10.80 £9.10 RACAI ZONAI 2400 ft. £10.00 £8.00 SCOTCH 4" 1200 ft. £3.76 £3.00 BASF 4" 1200 ft. £3.75 £3.00 ZONAI 4" 1200 ft. £3.80 £3.00 AKAI 4" 1200 ft. £4.00 £3.50 DIXTEC CCTV 2" 2400 ft. £5.50 OUR TAPES SUPPLIED IN AIR TIGHT CONTAINERS Io mil - - - - - mil , Exclusive to Dixons Technical. Fantastic quality Dixtec CCTV 2400 ft: £5.50 i To: DIXONS TECHNICAL LTD, 3 SOHO SQUARE,' LONDON, W.1. I I Name TechnicalDixo L I Address OF SOHO SQUARE I Mi VI/SS/2 EMNE ®- _oo - -MO MI MI = - 5 www.americanradiohistory.com T dropped pin nects its 1C tc If someone dropped a pin, a nail or a brick outside a studio insulated with rock wool - inside you wouldn't hear a thing. Just silence. Total silence. Because rock wool insulates against all unwanted internal and external noise. It's the closest you can possibly get to perfect acoustic correction. And the reason ? Rock wool itself. A combination of rock fibre and air that produces the exceptionally fine acoustic products that form the Rockwool range. S labs and rolls you can use to 'float' a false floor above the foundation, line walls for additional insulation, and provide the basic treatment for the ceiling. Wall panels too. Ceiling panels. Tile slabs. Absorber pads. All from Rockwool. The Sound Proofer. If you would like to know more about the application of our products, write or phone Dept. SS2. Rockwool Company (UK) Ltd, Arcade Chambers, Eltham High Street, London SE9 1 BG Tel: 01-850 7761 Rockwool soundun proofer. Rockwool Company (UK) Limited, www.americanradiohistory.com dust to give you the basic idea we call ¡tibe... Perfectone Rack -Mounted Simplex /Duplex /Triplex Trans -Ultra Studio Recorder for 16 or 35 mm Film with Rythm -O -Start Drive System. Perfectone is quite a name in itself especially for reduction in size and weight and the combination the highly sophisticated 'OR- Multi' recorders that of all facilities for synchronising, mixing and have set the standard throughout the industry. The transfer work in the studio. new, compact, adaptable and most reliable rack - mounted equipment is fully worthy of the name Unique to Perfectone is the outstandingly con- venient offering undoubted broadcast quality and a load Duplex version with integrated CCTV of useful facilities at considerably lower cost. picture projection system. Trans -Ultra film transport mechanisms proved With this or any arrangement of the facilities to - match your requirements very successful in portable recorders - are (and no more), the new mounted in standard 19 in. racks for recording and Perfectone equipment adds up to superb value for money. transfer work. All recording units incorporate a separate reproducing channel and either 16 or 35 Ask us to send you the literature or if nothing mm mechanisms - can be fitted to the racks in any less than the absolute quality of the best in the Simplex, Duplex or Triplex combination.