Audiomedia 1404
description
Transcript of Audiomedia 1404
No. 281 � April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
IN THIS ISSUE
A guide to high-quality audiofor DSLR film production p24
Audio on the Go
��� TECH FOCUSAudioRecorders
p34
��� LOUDNESSAn update on the currentstate of broadcast audioloudness worldwide p28
��� TILEYARDA look inside one of themost exciting studiocomplexes in London p32
��� SHOW REVIEWAll the big releasesfrom this year’sProlight + Sound p16
Editor – Jory [email protected]
Deputy Editor – Jake [email protected]
Managing Editor – Jo [email protected]
Sales Manager – Graham [email protected]
Group Head of Design & Production – Adam [email protected]
Production Executive – Jason [email protected]
Designer – Jat [email protected]
Publisher – Steve [email protected]
Managing Director – Mark [email protected]
Press releases to:[email protected]
© Intent Media 2014. No part of this publication may bereproduced in any form or by any means without priorpermission of the copyright owners.
Audio Media is published by Intent Media London, 1st Floor, Suncourt House, 18-26 Essex Road, London N1 8LN, England. Editorial tel +44 (0)20 7354 6002Sales tel +44 (0)20 7354 6000
Audio Media ISSN number: ISSN 0960-7471 (Print)
Circulation & Subscription enquiries Tel: +44 (0)20 7354 6001email: [email protected]
Printed by Stephen & George, Wales
WELCOME
www.audiomedia.com April 2014 03
MEET THE TEAM
April 2014Issue 281
I HAD an argument recently with a friend ofmine over the quality and merits of a certainfilm. While I commented on the plot andcharacterisation, his responses were either“Well [insert review aggregator site name] onlygave it 56%”, or “[insert semi-famous film critic]said that the ending wasn’t believable”.
These types of arguments seem to behappening more and more where our owncriticisms become just a mere regurgitation ofsomeone else’s thoughts, or worse, facts andfigures from review aggregator sites.
It seems to boil down to two fundamentalissues. Firstly, a lack of confidence in our ownopinions, and secondly, forgetting about theimportance of the subjective experience. While
the first point is better suited to the realm of psychiatry (and I promise you, I’mno psychiatrist), this second point is one that rears its ugly head over and overin the world of sound. Whenever a new piece of kit is released we argue and
fight online and in person, looking at facts and charts and sound bites from[insert famous producer] who only uses it in his/her studio instead of relyingon our ears and deciding subjectively whether or not we personally like it.
Just the other day I had the chance to sit down with Steven Slate, founder ofSlate Digital and Slate Pro Audio, among other companies. His productscontinually put pressure on the status quo of the recording gear communityand I asked him about the negative responses he receives after every productlaunch. He admitted that they don’t bother him as his main goal is to createtools that foster creativity while adding to the democratisation of therecording industry by bringing those tools to people at all levels. For Steven, itseems that the worth of the kit comes down to each individual’s subjectiveexperience and what they are able to create with it – “If they can make bettermusic with it, I’m happy”.
As a magazine, we regularly have to walk that fine line between being strictlyfactual and being opinionated and subjective. There’s a responsibility to notonly report accurately on the facts and figures, but also to show how gear isbeing used in real life, because in the end that’s when these things truly shine.With the massive amounts of releases each month it’s sometimes hard toremember that every product has been made to address a certain issue wemight face on a daily basis, not just to add to the coffers of manufacturers.
While we are here as a resource and a knowledge base, it still has to beabout your own subjective experience. So get out there and get your hands on some kit.
Jory MacKay, Editor
“As a magazine, we regularly have to walk that fine line betweenbeing strictly factual and being opinionated and subjective.”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>AADVERTISERINDEX
2014 NAB Show .......................................49Audio Engineering Society .....................31Calrec .........................................................15DiGiCo..........................................................2Dynaudio Professional.............................17Genelec .................................................5, 29IBC ..............................................................47JoeCo...........................................................8Lawo .............................................................7
Mogami......................................................23Nugen Audio ...............................................9Orban ..........................................................11PMC ............................................................25Prism Sound ..............................................13Radial ..........................................................51Richmond Film Services..........................37Riedel .........................................................43RME.............................................................19
RØDE Microphones .................................12Sony ............................................................27Stagetec.....................................................39Studer.........................................................52Studioking .................................................45Tascam .......................................................35TC Electronic ..............................................3Universal Audio ........................................38
CONTENTS Sign up for your digital AM at www.audiomedia.com
04 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
>TECHNOLOGYFOCUS:
Audio Recorders...............................34
REVIEWS:
Featured: Waves: Abbey Road
J37 Tape ............................................40
Softube Console 1............................42
RME MADIface XT ............................44
Sennheiser HDM Pro HD 25...........46
Neumann KH 310 A .........................48
>FEATURESLocation Recording Masterclass...22
� Will Strauss speaks with several location recordists about capturingsound for TV dramas
Loudness Update .............................28
� Kevin Hilton finds out the current state of loudness standards aroundthe globe
Tileyard Studios................................32
� Jake Young visits an exciting studiocomplex in London housing 72 rooms
TECHNOLOGY – NEW AT PL+S ......6
� Yamaha reveals the QL Series
� Midas launches the Pro X console
� Six new products from Dynaudio
INDUSTRY NEWS.............................10
� Dolby and Avid team up for awards
� Jungle bolsters staff
� Game Music Connect returns
>ALSO INSIDEShow News: NAB............................................................................14
Geo Focus: India....................................................................20
Interview: Red Bull Studio’s Brendon Harding.............50
p34
p22
COVERJerry Ibbotson exploresways to match high-res
video with equally high-quality audio for DSLR cameras p24
TECHNOLOGY NEWS
6 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
CADAC USED Frankfurt to
introduce a new version of its
CDC four compact digital
console – the CDC four,
featuring a 6 x 4 matrix – and
the M16, a 3U 16-channel
mic pre/MADI box.
The 6 x 4 matrix in the new
CDC four includes 31-band
graphic EQ, compressor/
limiter and delay on all four
channels, and 31-band graphic
EQ on all aux sends.
The compact digital console
has 16 motorised channel
faders, high-resolution TFT
colour display, and recallable
scene memory. Other features
include ultra-low distortion
EQ filters, analogue sounding
compressors, 96kHz 24-bit
Delta Sigma A-D/D-A
converters, and fourth
generation 32/40-bit floating
point SHARC processors. It
also has the advantage of
being rack-mountable making
it suitable for situations
requiring up to 56 channels in
14U of rack space.
The CDC four is also
designed for recording
applications as well as live
sound situations.
With 16 Cadac microphone
amplifiers in a 19in 3U
package, the M16 has a three-
way active split per channel
with a combined MADI port.
This combination makes the
unit suitable for live,
broadcast, recording, and
more; the integrated
MADI interface means
that third-party digital
consoles can upgrade
their inputs with the
Cadac preamp.
www.cadac-sound.com
www.soundking.com
Midas Announces271-channel PRO X
New at Prolight + Sound
Audient Unveils Mic PreAUDIENT SHOWCASED ASP880, an eight-channel microphone preamplifier and ADC.
ASP880 features eight of Audient’s console micpres, two JFET DI instrument inputs, convertertechnology, variable impedance, and variable highpass filters in a 1U rack mount unit.
Each channel has a balanced insert with directaccess to the converter so it can be used as aneight-channel mic pre and a standalone converter.
Much of Audient’s product range was on showtoo, including the audio interface iD22.www.audient.com V2 Software For
SSL Live ReleasedSOLID STATELogic madeseveral productannouncements inFrankfurt. Thecompanyannounced therelease of V2software for theSSL Live console,which includes enhancements tothe output matrix, effects rack,user interface, routing, solosystem, and focus channel, aswell as an offline setupapplication.
SSL also presented a trio ofdevelopments for its DuendeNative range of plug-ins. Thethree new plug-ins complementthe existing range, with twoplug-ins (X-Saturator and X-ValveComp) designed to bringsome analogue saturation anddistortion emulation to a digital
DAW and the third (X-Phase)delivering frequency specificphase correction.
Lastly, the companyannounced its first update forSigma, SSL’s remote-controlledanalogue summing unit. Thenew software will be a freeupgrade and enables all featuresof Sigma to be controlled froman iPad or iPhone via OpenSound Control (OSC), aprotocol that allowscommunication among devices.www.solid-state-logic.com
DURING A packed press
event, Yamaha launched a
range of digital mixing
consoles, delivering the audio
quality, processing power, and
flexibility of the CL Series, in
a smaller size and with local
I/O facilities aimed at smaller
scale productions.
The QL Series comprises
two models: the QL1 and
QL5. The QL1 features 16
inputs and eight outputs in a
468mm-wide chassis, with the
QL5 32 ins/16 outs, measuring
828.4mm wide. The QL1 has
32 mono and eight stereo input
channels, while the QL5 has
64 mono and eight stereo.
Onboard Dante networking
allows QL consoles to be
integrated into bigger systems
with Yamaha’s R-series I/O
units and CL Series consoles.
A QL console can
simultaneously control up to
eight R-series units, offering
as many as 256 input sources.
A new port-to-port facility
gives CL Series consoles access
to the onboard connections of
QL consoles, allowing them to
be used as external I/O. Auto
gain compensation can be
applied to the QL Series head
amps as well as R-series I/O
units, allowing two or more
QL and CL Series consoles to
share inputs without
unexpected level changes.
Dan Dugan’s auto-mixing is
provided onboard the QL
Series, while audio processing
includes the QL Effects Rack
and the Premium Rack. Two
Mini-YGDAI expansion slots
also allow QL Series consoles
to add further (external)
processing, additional local
I/O, and interface with other
audio networking formats.
www.yamahaproaudio.com
Yamaha Presents QL Series Consoles
Cadac Launches Two New Hardware Products MIDAS REVEALED the new PRO X, which the company claims
is the world’s most powerful live mixing console. The Neutronengine is capable of up to 800 audio channels, which can be routedon a point-to-point basis, with the ability to change the routing evenon individual automation scenes.
On its own, the PRO X provides 168 inputs and 99 mix or 103output channels simultaneously on a control surface that measuresless than 60in wide. AES50 digital audio connectivity allowsscalability for up to 288 network inputs and 294 network outputs.Integration comes via IP-compliant third-party audio networks,such as Audinate Dante and Cirrus Logic CobraNet, using theKlark Teknik DN9650 Network Bridge.
PRO X features 99 mix busses that can be simultaneously displayedas 24 mono or stereo mixes on the console surface. Each of thedisplayed mixes has its own LCD select switch with RGB colourcoding and scribble strips – plus 11-segment LED bargraph metering.
The powerhouse behind the PRO X system is the new NeutronAudio System Engine. FPGA and MIMD (Multiple Instruction,Multiple Data) architecture delivers more than 100 gigaflops of real-time audio processing, translating into 271 simultaneous processingchannels at 96kHz and 40-bit floating-point operation.
Visiting engineers can prepare shows in advance of their arrival,either using another Midas console or the Apple Mac OS X OfflineEditor software. Show files are forward and backward compatible, soshows created on the user’s Midas PRO Series console work exactlythe same on any other Midas PRO console.
The Midas PRO X will be available before the end of 2014.www.midasconsoles.com
TECHNOLOGY NEWS
8 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
AKG INTRODUCED the
DMSTetrad digital wireless
microphone system. This
licence-free system features
an integrated four-channel
mixer and an antenna front
mount kit.
With 24-bit, 48kHz audio
coding, it provides
uncompressed transmission
and a linear frequency response
for vocal and instrumental
performances. The
DMSTetrad’s 128-bit AES
standard encryption prevents
tapping of the audio signal.
The entire DMSTetrad
system features the
DSRTetrad digital stationary
receiver, the DPTTetrad
digital pocket transmitter, and
the DHTTetrad digital
handheld transmitter, available
with AKG’s D5 acoustics or as
DHTTetrad P5 with standard
dynamic capsule. Two sets are
available, the DMSTetrad
Vocal Set including the
DHTTetrad P5, and the
DMSTetrad Performer Set
including the DPTTetrad
together with a C111 L
earhook microphone and the
MKG L instrument cable.
The DSRTetrad receiver
can work with up to four
channels of audio in parallel
which can be mixed down
directly to its balanced XLR
sum output. The dynamic
frequency selection (DFS)
ensures that only the cleanest
frequency bands are selected
for the connection between
receivers and transmitters
automatically.
www.akg.com
DiGiCo D2-RackPROLIGHT + SOUND sawDiGiCo launch its new D2-Rack. Designed to support andexpand the higher sample rateI/O solutions of DiGiCo’s SDRange, the D2-Rack comeswith either BNC or Cat5MADI connections, allowing itto be used with a number ofDiGiCo consoles.
By using the latest convertorsfound in DiGiCo’s SD Racks,the D2-Rack offers connectionat either 48kHz or 96kHz withno I/O reduction.
The D2 Rack is currentlyavailable for use with SD8 andSD9 systems.www.digico.biz
Powersoft Offers X SeriesTHE POWERSOFT X Seriesamplifier integrates a system ofchannel routing, a universalmono, bi, and three-phasebalancing power supply, and afully featured DSP.
The X Series consists of twomodels. The X8 is the largest
amplifier in the range, boastingeight channels in a 2U chassis,while the X4 features fourchannels in a single rack unit.Both models share the samepower density, being capable ofdelivering up to 5,200W at 2ohms per channel.
The X Series nativelysupports AES3, two redundantDante by Audinate digitalstreams, and analogue inputs,providing up to four differentselectable input sources perchannel.
The X8 and X4 are suitablefor both low and high impedanceapplications. The modularconstruction permits the rearinput/output connections tofeature either XLR/speakON orPhoenix connectors.www.powersoft-audio.com
New at Prolight + SoundNew Wireless System from AKG
TECHNOLOGY
www.audiomedia.com
DYNAUDIO PROFESSIONAL introduced four
near-field monitors, mounting solutions, and two
subwoofers in Frankfurt. The near-field monitors
are the BM Compact mkIII, BM5 mkIII, BM6
mkIII, and BM12 mkIII (pictured); the new subs
are the BM9S II and BM14S II.
The smaller BM Compact mkIII and BM5
mkIII models feature expanded frequency response
and SPL thanks to a combination of
improvements including driver design and Class D
amplifiers. Each includes an auto standby mode as
well as both XLR and RCA input connectors.
The BM6 mkIII and BM12 mkIII have been
revoiced and now include Dynaudio’s wave-guide.
Both of the BMS II subwoofers have also been
further optimised.
www.dynaudioprofessional.com
Six Additions toDynaudio Family
WaveLab 8.5 RevealedSTEINBERGannounced a pointupdate to itsWaveLab audioediting and masteringsoftware. WaveLab8.5 includes new fileconversion and batchprocessing, A/Bcomparison betweenencoding formats, andimplementation of anAAC encoder.
The new automatedWatch Folderrendering feature
applies processing to allaudio files dragged intodesignated folders.Users can assign tasks,such as dithering andaudio file formatconversion, to any
number of WatchFolders without havingWaveLab open.
WaveLab 8.5 sportsthe new EncoderChecker plug-in forreal-time comparisonof codecs and settingsalong with theintroduction of newmulti-format renderingcapabilities facilitatingexporting files tovarious formatssimultaneously.www.steinberg.net
Trio of Releases from Radial
THE LATEST generation of the
Radial JDI Duplex, a two-channel
direct box designed for
professional touring and studio
recording, took centre stage on the
manufacturer’s booth.
According to Radial senior
engineer Dan Fraser: “The Duplex
has gained international stature as
the unchallenged champion of the
stereo direct box world. So before
making any changes, we wanted to
make sure that we would retain
the flexibility, ease of use, build
quality, and of course amazing
sound. We focused on making it
smaller for easy handling,
incorporating a rack-mount
option, and adding a 3.5mm TRS
connector for greater flexibility
when being used with laptops
and tablets.”
The Space Heater, a
combination tube drive and
summing mixer, and the StageBug
SB-7 EarMuff headphone mute
was also at Frankfurt.
According to Radial president
Peter Janis: “The Space Heater is
an eight-channel 12 AX7 tube line
amplifier with big fat Eclipse
transformers. These combine to
produce a huge bottom end. We
then added a three-position switch
that lets the user select the applied
voltage on the tube so that it can
be lo-fi, mid-fi, or hi-fidelity,
depending on the need.”
www.radialeng.com
New at Prolight +
Sound
NEWS
10 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
Dolby and Avid Join Forces With NFTS>>> POST PRODUCTION
DOLBY AND Avid have teamed up
to celebrate excellence in sound post
production and sound design in
student films.
Dolby is launching a new Dolby
Award for Best Sound with the
National Film and Television School
(NFTS) to recognise excellence in
sound mixing, sound editing, and
sound design in a student short film.
The winner will have the opportunity
to present their next feature film at
Dolby’s Atmos screening room in
Soho where many established
filmmakers showcase their movies.
The competition is open to NFTS
Sound Design students graduating in
2014, whose short films will be judged
by a jury of Dolby’s own sound
consultants. All of the entered films
will be showcased to industry sound
professionals at the state-of-the-art
Dolby Atmos screening room in
Soho, London, on 9 April where the
winner will be announced.
Avid will also use the event to
announce the winner of the new Avid
Award for Excellence in Sound
Design 2014. The winner will receive
an Avid Artist Mix, MBox Pro, and
Pro Tools 11 along with a pro plug-in
activation voucher for their choice of
Avid AAX plug-in. This bundle
represents over £2,000 of Avid
software and hardware.
“This collaboration with NFTS
and Avid celebrates new and exciting
talent across the film industry. We
hope that the Dolby Award for Best
Sound will showcase how innovative
sound mixers and editors are using
sound to transform the art of
storytelling to create the best possible
entertainment experience,” said Andy
Dowell, Dolby regional director,
northern Europe.
Simon Caton, Avid UK
professional audio manager, said:
“Avid is delighted to support the
National Film and Television School
and the Sound Design for Film and
TV course. We have a long-standing
relationship with the NFTS and their
alumni and are proud to play our part
in the success of their students past
and present. Through the sponsorship
of this award we look to recognise the
achievements of the NFTS and to
assist one of their highest achieving
graduates in their transition to the
professional world of film and
television.”
The announcement comes hot on
the heels of NFTS sound graduates
winning their 12th Motion Picture
Sound Editors (MPSE) Golden Reel
Award. The Verna Fields Award for
Sound Editing in a Student Film was
presented to sound designer Ting Li
Lim for her graduation animation
Robomax (directed by Moayad
Fahmi). In addition, alumnus Simon
Chase was the supervising ADR
editor on Captain Phillips, which won
the award for Sound Editing in a
Feature Film.
NFTS head of sound Chris Pow
said: “We are thrilled to win our 12th
Golden Reel student award; the NFTS
sound courses are now undeniably the
best in the world. The school has had
long-standing associations with Dolby
and Avid whose systems and software
our students use regularly. We are
delighted that our students’ talent is
being recognised with these new
awards, which will help launch their
careers.”
www.avid.com
www.nfts.co.uk
Neil Young Announces PonoMusicSINGER-SONGWRITER Neil Young released new details of his portable
high-resolution audio player PonoMusic at this year’s SXSW conference,
which also coincided with the launch of a Kickstarter campaign.
PonoMusic encompasses both an online music store (ponomusic.com) and a
playback device (PonoPlayer). The PonoPlayer offers what the company claims
is “the finest quality, highest-resolution digital music”, while PonoMusic allows
customers to download, manage, and sync their music to PonoPlayer and other
high-resolution digital music devices.
The audio technology in the PonoPlayer was developed in conjunction with
the engineering team at Ayre Acoustics, who describe their contribution to the
PonoPlayer design as including a digital filter with minimal phase (to combat
‘unnatural’, or digital sounding, pre-ringing); zero-feedback circuitry; a high-
quality DAC chip; and a fully discrete output buffer used to drive the
headphones, providing a flat frequency response and wide volume range using
‘virtually any set of headphones’.
“PonoMusic and Ayre have collaborated to achieve a lofty goal – to make
the power and majesty of music available to everybody. We are absolutely
thrilled to be a part of this project and will always be grateful to Neil Young
for changing the landscape of recorded music.” said Charlie Hansen, CEO
of Ayre Acoustics.
www.ponomusic.com
www.neilyoung.com
>>> RECORDING
The Dolby dubbing studio at the NFTS
Management CompanyLaunched in PartnershipWith Miloco
PIECES OF 8 Music is a boutique producer and
engineer management roster set up by James
Morgan to represent the next generation of
producers, engineers, and mixers, as part of a new
joint venture with Miloco.
With many years’ experience working in A&R,
Morgan is said to be well placed to nurture and
develop the studio talent that is coming through from the Miloco group. The
first four additions to the roster are Darren Lawson, Mark Allaway, Matt
Lawrence, and Mo Hausler.
“I’m thrilled to be working with Miloco on this venture as they are such a
well-respected and established brand with an unrivalled network of studios,”
said Morgan. “As a consequence they consistently attract and produce some
of the best engineers breaking through in the industry, which makes them
the perfect partner for Pieces of 8. With the support of the Miloco team, I’m
confident that it will not only be a successful partnership but will also
provide many opportunities for growth and development in the long-term.”
“Pieces of 8 is a great new venture for Miloco to be involved in,” added
Nick Young, managing director of Miloco. “As the Miloco family grows we
are constantly looking to help further the careers of engineers and producers
who come through our studios by offering them further avenues of work.
With the experience James has gained at Universal he is perfectly positioned
to help Pieces of 8 succeed.”
www.piecesof8music.com
>>> RECORDING
NEWS
12 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
Game Music ConnectAnnounces First Speakers
>>> EVENT
FOLLOWING THE inaugural
Game Music Connect
conference in 2013, the event
returns to the Purcell Room at
Southbank Centre, London on
24 September 2014.
The first announced speakers
for the 2014 edition include
Steve Schnur, worldwide
executive of music, Electronic
Arts, and composers Garry
Schyman, Jessica Curry, and Olivier Derivière.
Co-founder John Broomhall reprises his role as host, while
composers Jason Graves and Richard Jacques, and co-founder
and composer James Hannigan will return to discuss upcoming
projects and participate in presentations.
Hannigan said: “It’s a huge thrill to be back for 2014 and a
great honour to have such wonderfully talented, diverse, and
influential guests join us for the day. As promised last year, we
will be covering the innovative indie game music scene this time
around, as well as continuing our focus on blockbusters and the
challenges of interactive music.”
Watch this space for more announcements about this year’s
Game Music Connect conference.
www.gamemusicconnect.com
Jungle Ramps Up Sound Design Team
SOHO-BASED post-
production facility Jungle has
promoted three members of
its team, extending the
number of engineers at the
company to 14.
Lawrence Kendrick, Alex
Wilson-Thame, and Culum
Simpson (pictured, left to
right) will all be taking on the
role of sound design engineer,
where they will work across a
range of broadcast and
advertising clients.
All three have worked with
Jungle since leaving college.
Kendrick and Simpson
previously worked as tracklay
and assistant engineers while
Wilson-Thame has been
promoted from an account
handling role.
Graham Ebbs, managing
director, Jungle, said: “Jungle
has long been acknowledged
as having the most
thoroughly trained engineers
in the industry. We are
committed to providing
opportunities for hard-
working staff and take pride
in the fact that not only do
we have the best possible
team at Jungle, but that our
ex-employees now head up
the audio departments at
some of the UK’s leading
post houses and agencies.”
Jungle has also recently
appointed Athene Parker as
new business consultant.
Parker has over 17 years’
experience in the industry
and has had both exec
producing and new business
roles in the areas of
production, music, post, and
audio post. She said: “The
level of talent and expertise
under Jungle’s roof, along
with the company ethos and
the way they encourage their
staff made it a no brainer
when they approached me
for the role.”
www.junglestudios.co.uk
>>> POST PRODUCTION
NEWS
www.audiomedia.com April 2014 13
Storm HD Invests in Nugen Audio
Duke University Builds Acoustic Cloaking Device
ENGINEERS AT North Carolina’s Duke University
have built the world’s first 3D acoustic cloaking device.
Designed using perforated sheets of plastic the device
re-routes sound waves to create the impression that
both the cloak and anything beneath it are not there.
“The trick we’re performing is hiding an object
from sound waves,” said Steven Cummer, professor
of electrical and computer engineering at Duke. “By
placing this cloak around an object, the sound waves
behave like there is nothing more than a flat surface
in their path.”
The technology revolves around the field of
‘metamaterials’ – the combination of natural materials
in repeating patterns to achieve unnatural properties.
The device looks like several plastic plates with a
repeating pattern of holes stacked on top of one
another in the form of a pyramid but has the ability
to alter sound waves’ trajectories to match what they
would look like if they had reflected off a flat surface.
Because the sound is not reaching the surface
beneath, it is travelling a shorter distance and its
speed must be slowed to compensate.
The device works in all three dimensions, no
matter which direction the sound is coming from or
where the observer is located. While the technology
was developed with support from the US Army and
Navy, Cummer believes there are further
applications for the cloak.
“There’s also the design of auditoriums or concert
halls – any space where you need to control the
acoustics. If you had to put a beam somewhere for
structural reasons that was going to mess up the
sound, perhaps you could fix the acoustics by
cloaking it.”
www.pratt.duke.edu
Research scientist Bogdan Popa worked onSteven Cummer’s teambuilding the acoustic cloak
LONDON-BASED post-
production house Storm HD
has invested in Nugen
Audio’s VisLM and LM-
Correct plug-ins.
“Since we manage projects
for major broadcasters around
the world, delivering loudness-
compliant audio is a critical
success factor,” said Storm HD
senior dubbing mixer, Tim
Wheeler. “Storm HD provides
LKFS, LUFS, and LU
loudness metering on its menu
of audio services, facilitated by
Nugen Audio’s VisLM and
LM-Correct plug-ins.
Working in conjunction with
Pro Tools, VisLM, and LM-
Correct provide loudness-
normalised audio that
seamlessly integrates into our
audio production workflow.”
“We use the Nugen Audio
plug-ins as our main mix
metering tools in all of our
suites, and will continue to do
so for the foreseeable future.”
www.nugenaudio.com
www.stormhd.tv
>>> ACOUSTICS
>>> POST PRODUCTION
SHOW PREVIEW Sign up for your digital AM at www.audiomedia.com
14 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
WITH MORE than 93,000 attendees
from 156 countries and 1,550+
exhibitors, the 2014 NAB Show will
welcome a host of pro-audio
technologies through dedicated
conference programming and
exhibitors. The convention takes place
5-10 April in Las Vegas, Nevada.
NAB will hold the US launch of
Merging Technologies’ new Hapi
small-format networked audio
interface, as well as the the first
showing of Pyramix 9, Ovation 5,
VCube 5, and the final release version
of the CoreAudio Driver for Horus
and Hapi.
“As for looking forward to it, I do
in a masochistic way,” says Merging’s
Chris Hollebone. “Apart from the
product launches, there are always a
bunch of US friends to catch up with,
there will be some cool stuff on the
GoPro stand (apart from the
cameras), and usually a few parties.
Usual Vegas craziness and typically
good weather all help.
“I also expect that AES67 will have
a positive effect on the acceptance of
Ravenna at NAB, and there might be
some more manufacturers joining,
which would be nice.”
Studer will be premiering Vista X
and Infinity Core for the first major
public show in the US. Similarly the
manufacturer will be hosting the first
US showing of the Soundcraft
Vi3000 with Realtime Rack.
At NAB, Fairlight will introduce
EVO.Live, a new generation digital
audio mixing system for on-air and
live productions. Jean-Claude
Kathriner, CEO of Fairlight,
comments: “EVO.Live includes an
array of innovations that will benefit
customers in terms of productivity
gains, reliability, and especially value
for money. The intuitive level of
customisation of the user interface and
its ability to switch between live and
post modes will change audio
production forever.”
iZotope will be presenting its Insight
essential metering suite, Nectar 2
production suite, and RX 3 and RX 3
Advanced, which remedy noise,
clipping, hum, buzz, crackles, and more.
Fresh from opening its first North
American office earlier this year,
Nugen Audio will showcase its
complete line of solutions for loudness
compliance, the new MultiMonitor
software for loudness and true-peak
monitoring, and a new MXF file-
handling option for LMB that allows
direct analysis of audio within the
MXF container.
Wohler Technologies will feature
version 8.3 of its RadiantGrid
Intelligent Media Transformation
Platform. Version 8.3 enables OTT
offerings for formats including
MPEG-DASH, HLS, and Microsoft
Smooth Streaming, and aids content
producers in meeting the array of target
bit rates, resolutions, and frame rates
necessary for today’s content delivery.
Other key NAB exhibitors from the
pro-audio community include Audio-
Technica, Calrec, Cedar Audio,
DiGiCo, DiGiGrid, Dolby, DPA
Microphones, Dynaudio Professional,
Focusrite, Genelec, Jünger Audio,
Lawo, Roland Systems Group, RTW,
Sennheiser, Shure, Solid State Logic,
Sony, Sound Devices, Stagetec, TC
Electronic, TSL, Waves, Yamaha,
and Zaxcom.
CONFERENCES
The six-day Broadcast Engineering
Conference features technical papers
addressing developments in audio
including: ‘AOIP in the Broadcast
Plant’, ‘AES67-2013: AES Standard of
Audio Applications of Networks: High
Performance Streaming Audio-Over-
IP Interoperability’, ‘AoIP and
Undiscovered Country: The Audio is
the Easy Part’, ‘Introducing Ethernet
AVB Technology in Live Production
Environments’, ‘Beyond Basic
Broadcast Loudness Compliance’,
‘CALM Compliance Issues’, ‘Loudness
Management Is Settled…What’s
Next?’, and ‘Loudness vs Speech
Normalization in Broadcast’, among
others.
The Creative Master Series, which
runs from 7-9 April, includes a talk
titled ‘In Heroes, We Trust: Building
the Soundscape for Captain America:The Winter Soldier’, featuring
supervising sound editor Daniel
Laurie, sound designer Shannon J
Mills, and Marvel Studios’ SVP feature
post production Bruce Markoe.
For a full list of NAB
conferences visit:
www.nabshow.com/2014/sessions/
conferences
WHAT?2014 NAB Show
WHERE?Las Vegas Convention CenterLas Vegas, Nevada, USA
WHEN?5-10 April 20149am-6pmwww.nabshow.com
NAB Bets on Pro Audio
Prior to NAB, Avid will host Avid Connect, the
inaugural event of the Avid Customer Association, a
comprehensive initiative designed to provide essential
strategic management to the media industry, which was
announced at last year’s IBC show in Amsterdam. At
the three-day event, which takes place on 4-6 April in
Las Vegas, Avid will introduce what it claims is the
industry’s most open, integrated, and flexible media
production and distribution environment, all guided by
Avid Everywhere.
“Avid Everywhere addresses the unprecedented
challenges that media professionals are facing, including:
the accelerated digitisation of media assets;
consumerisation of content creation and distribution;
and relentless pressure for operational efficiency,” said
Jeff Rosica, senior vice president of worldwide field
operations at Avid. “To make Avid Everywhere a reality,
we are developing the most fluid end-to-end, distributed
media production environment in the industry, a
comprehensive ecosystem that encompasses every aspect
of the new digital media value chain.”
www.avid.com
AVID EVERYWHERE
We cover some of the developments in broadcast sound that you can expect to see when the world’s largest electronic media show hits Las Vegas.
SHOW REVIEW Sign up for your digital AM at www.audiomedia.com
16 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
THE ECONOMIC climate
has some in the industry
wondering about the future of
bigger pro-audio trade shows
and this year’s Prolight +
Sound brought many of those
bedroom critics back out into
the open.
Yet if there is a phrase that
would describe the general
sentiment of most of the
manufacturers I spoke with
during this year’s show in
Frankfurt it would have to be
something along the lines of
‘guarded optimism’.
As many of ‘those critics’
noted, Frankfurt is starting to
feel the pressure that the rest
of the industry is experiencing.
The halls are all still bustling,
albeit slightly less busy than in
past years (except for on the
consistently chaotic public
day). This isn’t necessarily a
bad thing, however. AudioMedia’s diary was filled with
back-to-back meetings and the
press events all seemed well
attended. Smaller crowds don’t
necessarily mean a show is
losing its appeal, but perhaps
instead that the crowd is
becoming more refined.
Prolight + Sound as well as
Musikmesse are some of, if not
the, most important shows for
many of the pro-audio
manufacturers in Europe. The
international press was out in
full force and most people I
spoke with said that with a few
less punters wandering from
stand to stand they were able
to get down to proper business.
The show’s big product
releases have been covered
elsewhere in the magazine
(check them out on pages 6-9)
but here are a few of the key
moments from our time in
Frankfurt...
Products, press events, and parties – check out some of ourhighlights from this year’s Prolight + Sound show in Frankfurt.
Bringing out the Quality
AKG Acoustic’s Walter Rühig withthe newly launched DMSTetrad
digital wireless microphone system
The crowds turned out forYamaha’s launch of its QL seriesof digital mixing consoles
Solid State Logic moved from hall5.1 to hall 8.0 and brought alongfive of its new Live consoles
Dynaudio global business manager Fred Speckeen announced sixnew products including four near-field monitors and two new subs
Salzbrenner Stagetec Mediagroup held a press conferenceto announce the arrival of its new digital mixing console,the Polaris Evolution
The newly launched Soundcraft Vi3000 madeits European debut on the Harman stand
The Sennheiser stand featured botha live stage and a recording studiowhere attendees could try out thenew MK 8 recording microphone
Want more?Check out the full gallery at Facebook.com/AudioMediaMag
DPA Microphones CEO ChristianPoulsen demonstrated a number of
the company’s products
>
OPINION Sign up for your digital AM at www.audiomedia.com
18 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
GOOD NEWS
FROM WALES
The Pinewood Studios
organisation is to set up a new
facility in Cardiff. Pinewood
Studios Wales will be based at
the former Energy Centre
building in Wentloog and will
form part of the company’s
global network. The Welsh
government hopes the
180,000sqft complex will
generate an estimated £90
million for the economy.
First Minister Carwyn
Jones states: “Attracting such
an iconic global brand as
Pinewood is wonderful news
for Wales. This high-profile
investment is of significant
economic value to Wales
while the partnership between
the Welsh government and
Pinewood offers a priceless
opportunity to promote Wales
as a world-class location for
film and TV production.”
Pinewood and Shepperton
Studios have created more
than 1,500 films in more than
75 years, including the James
Bond franchise and the CarryOn series. Wales has already
established a name for itself in
television and drama
production since the official
opening of BBC Cymru
Wales’ Roath Lock studios in
Cardiff Bay in 2012.
Programmes such as Casualty,
the Welsh-language drama
Pobol y Cwm and children’s
drama Wizards vs Aliens are
made there.
Pinewood will lease the
Cardiff building for a
minimum of five years from
the Welsh government.
However, it is not the first
attempt to create a movie
studio complex in Wales. In
2008, the multi-million pound
Dragon International Studios
in Rhondda Cynon Taf –
nicknamed Valleywood – was
partly mothballed after
promising to put Wales at the
heart of the UK film industry.
Only one film, Ironclad, was
shot at the site. Let’s hope the
Pinewood project prospers.
PLASA HEADS FOR
BRUSSELS & SCOTLAND
PLASA Events has
announced that two new
PLASA Focus events will take
place in Europe during 2014.
The first of these – and the
first PLASA Focus to be
staged in mainland Europe –
will take place this summer,
when PLASA Focus: Brussels
open its doors in the heart of
Belgium’s capital city on
1-2 July.
Having introduced the
successful PLASA Focus
event model in Leeds, UK, in
2009 and subsequently in
various cities across North
America, PLASA has long
been aware of the market’s
desire for more of this type of
event in Europe. The Benelux
region was one of the first to
be considered for a regional
market focus.
Christopher Toulmin,
director of PLASA Events,
comments: “We have proved
over recent years not only that
our Focus model really works,
but that there is a great desire
among the industry for access
to more of these affordable,
intimate, educational events
which allow exhibitors a
chance to really engage with a
regional market, in a very
accessible way.”
The Focus event in Brussels
marks the start of a three-year
initiative to expand the reach
of the PLASA Focus brand in
Europe, creating more
opportunities for the PLASA
community to meet regional
audiences, in particular those
customers that do not
otherwise visit major
international trade shows. The
second launch event will take
place in Scotland towards the
end of 2014. We will be there.
IN THE BEST
POSSIBLE TASTE
We’ve all been either the
perpetrator or victim of music
snobbery, but new research has
shown that it’s not all about
taste – in fact, some people are
biologically incapable of
registering any emotional
response to music. A global
research team, headed up by
scientists at the University of
Barcelona, has found that
between one and five percent
of people experience “specific
musical anhedonia”.
Thousands of university
students in Spain completed a
questionnaire, indicating how
strongly they agreed or
disagreed with various
statements, such as “when I
share music with someone I
feel a special connection with
that person”, and “I can’t help
humming or singing along to
music that I like”.
Thirty participants
identified as having low,
medium, or high sensitivity to
music were then selected to
listen to a range of music
chosen by their peers – from
Vivaldi to Simon &
Garfunkel – while researchers
recorded their reactions using
physiological indicators of
emotion: heart rate and
sweating. Music-lovers
showed an increase in both
heart rate and skin
conductance, the “anhedonic
group” had no such response.
Josep Marco-Pollarés,
author of the study, says: “It
would not be surprising to
find people who respond to
one genre and not to another
– we all have the experience of
people who love opera and
hate hip hop – but the study
reveals that there are
people that do not respond
to any music.
“All the participants in the
three groups had the same
sensitivity to reward for other
kinds of stimuli – food, sex,
money – and none of them
suffered from amusia [a
disorder affecting musical
perception and recognition].”
WELCOME BACK
Woodworm Studios in rural
Oxfordshire has refurbished
and reopened for business.
The original creative home to
Fairport Convention, Jethro
Tull, and an early incarnation
of Radiohead, among others,
Woodworm Studios is under
new management, which has
upgraded the entire
equipment collection and
technical installation for the
two-building facility. We wish
them well.
FINAL WORDS
The recent Prolight + Sound
extravaganza in Frankfurt was
– as reported elsewhere in
Audio Media – witness to a
mega load of new product
releases. And these were
accompanied by the usual PR
blurbs and releases. Certainly,
there were some interesting
new products on show, but
perhaps the PR people err on
the over-kill. Iconic, unique,
ideal, award-winning, game-
changing, next generation are
just a few of the regular
adjectives and descriptions
of new bits of kit. But what
took this year’s proverbial
biscuit has to be the
loudspeaker that, according to
the PR, is “soon to be
legendary”. Thanks for the
advance news – we wait with
baited breath.
Audio Media consulting editor Jim Evans rounds up the internationalheadlines that caught his attention this month.
Taking it to the Regions
GEO FOCUS INDIA Sign up for your digital AM at www.audiomedia.com
India’s pro-audio industry continues to thrive thanks to thepopularity of locally produced film, TV, and, increasingly, music.
To the Beat ofBollywood
Munro India: Meeting Challenges>>> STUDIO DESIGN
I’ve heard from other sources that no real large-
format recording studios have been built in India in
the better part of a decade. How do you feel about
the current market for recording studios?
The large-format recording studios are not really
coming up because of real estate prices here. If they
move out to the outskirts they will be out of
business because no one would travel that far
thanks to the traffic problems in this country.
The last big format facility we did was last year.
It was for a big corporate group in the jewellery
business called Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri who
forayed into entertainment. The studio is called
ENZY studios (pictured).
Before this was a studio for another corporate –
the Sahara Group. The studio is called Studio
Nysa and has M4 large-format monitoring and an
SSL 9000 K.
The corporates started shying away from [building
studios] as the engineers and musicians are driving
the industry and they build their own studios so all
the work is done in their facility. Now if they have to
record strings or a big band then they will hire these
big studios for a week max to get their work done.
The final mix for movies is done in certified
Dolby Mix rooms, which only now are being
designed properly as Dolby is active in the country
and have their checks in place. Before this ‘engineers’
had lovely internet designs that would then be built
into horrible sounding rooms by carpenters.
What about post-production facilities?
The big names are Prime Focus and Famous but a
lot of Bollywood post production is done in cheap
facilities and along very fast timelines.
Television on the other hand I find is more
professional and organised. It’s a big market out
here for TV. In the 80s we had only two channels
and now I would say there are 200 or more. Then
there are language versions for the south, west,
north, and east of the country. This country has
over 30 languages and they dub for all of them.
Are there any design requests you’ve received that
might be unique to the Indian film/music industries?
They pretty much follow the studio design
internationally but the Indians listen to their
music/mixing loud. The musician/programmer/
music director wants to work on big monitoring
so that the producer feels the ‘effect’.
All the mastering is done in the UK or US and
these mastering engineers are always complaining
about the material levels that they receive.
For television, big, spacious rooms are the norm
(heights we get are a maximum of 3m) so we go as
big as the room ratios allow. The engineers sit
in the sweet spot, the musicians sit directly behind
him, and the production house people are all over
the studio.
www.munro.co.uk
THE SECOND most-populouscountry in the world, India, producessome of the most consumedcontent from films to music. Whilemost people outside of the countryare well aware of the phenomenonof Bollywood (and Indian cinema ingeneral), the country’s musicindustry is also starting to growindependently and is dominated bylocally produced content both forphysical and digital sales.
According to the IFPI’s latestreport, India is nearing an all timehigh with industry analysts believingthe country could become a top 10global market within the next fewyears.
“The Indian music scene hastraditionally been driven byBollywood, but changingdemographics, massive internetexposure to global music trends,and a progressive youth culture areleading to evolving tastes and this
growing market is set to be muchmore diverse in the future,”commented Mandar Thakur, chiefoperating officer, Times Music.
One of the biggest drivers forIndia’s music industry has been thehuge uptake in mobile phonesubscribers, which now totals morethan 900 million. Since 2006, anumber of streaming services suchas Gaana and Saavn, as well asindependent download stores havebegun to emerge. Yet, like in mostother countries around the globe,piracy is still a big issue with anestimated 54% of internet usersaccessing unlicensed services on amonthly basis.
In February of this year one of thetop-funded music startups,streaming service Dhingana,reportedly shut down due to‘industry challenges’ including piracythat reportedly costs the industrynearly £2.5 billion every year.
Despite this, India has a longhistory of protecting its contentproducers. The Indian MusicIndustry (formerly the IndianPhonographic Industry) wasestablished in 1936 and is thesecond-oldest music companies’association in the world engaged indefending, preserving, anddeveloping the rights of phonogramproducers while actively promotingand encouraging advancement ofcreativity and culture through soundrecordings.
The IMI includes membersranging from Saregama India andUniversal Music India, to otherprominent national and regionallabels that represent over 75% onthe output of recordings.
As part of its mission to protectthe rights of music producers, theIMI has been actively seeking waysto curb music piracy and in the lastfew years has obtained court orders
directing all internet serviceproviders in the country to blockmore than 250 illegal music sharingsites.
In the country’s thriving filmmarket, 2013 marked 100 years ofIndian cinema and saw the releaseof multiple big-budget productions.Three films from 2013, including twosequels (Dhoom 3 and Krrish 3) andone original (Chennai Express)became the highest grossingBollywood films of all time.
The constant output of both filmand, growingly, television, meansthat there is steady business foraudio post-production facilities.Global post-production powerhousePrime Focus first started in Mumbaimore than 16 years ago and nowboasts facilities in London, LA,Vancouver, New York, and Beijing,while independent post houses such as TeamWork Studio continueto expand.
20 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
After opening an office in Mumbai seven years ago, Munro Indiacontinues to build some of the country’s top recording andpost-production studios. We talk to studio designer and acousticand electroacoustic consultant Kapil Thirwani.
GEO FOCUS INDIA
POPULATION: 1.2 BILLION
£2.5 billionCost of internet piracy to the Indian
music industry every year
www.audiomedia.com April 2014 21
Word on the Street >>> DISTRIBUTOR
First off, tell me a bit about yourself and your
background in the pro-audio industry.
As a youngster I used to visit the music-recording
studio my father Daman Sood used to work in and
was intrigued by the audio recording process and all
the fancy equipment. It was also around that time
when the audio industry was moving from
analogue tape recorders to DAWs. In 1994, Daman
decided to start an audio consultancy and
distribution company. I subsequently did a course
in audio engineering and decided to get involved in
the business of audio distribution. Today we
distribute brands like Genelec, SSL, DPA
Microphones, Manley Labs, Chandler, Brauner
Microphones, Bricasti, Cranesong, Grace Design,
Thermionic Culture, and Prism Sound in India.
India is recognised worldwide as a huge producer
of everything from films to music. Has this large
amount of content production created a healthy
market for pro-audio equipment?
The Indian music industry is largely based around
music for films and there are very few artists who
have successfully launched their own private albums.
But we are seeing a trend over the past two or three
years where independent artist and bands are
producing music not related to films. I think it’s
largely due to better market exposure and good
audio gear being easily accessible. Today it really
does not cost much to buy your own recording gear
and make music. Overall I would say the market has
a lot of growth potential going forward.
Have you seen any trends in technology purchasing
in the past few years? Is there anything that could
be unique to India?
A lot of our customers are actually investing in
analogue gear. Our customers realise that you can
get only that far with audio plug-ins. They are
looking at high-resolution convertors, summing
boxes, bus compressors, etc. Customers today
actually want to develop a unique sound of their
own by hand picking the pieces of gear in their
signal chain that define their sound; and this is not
only the big audio studios but even music
producers working out of their bedrooms.
In many other countries large-format recording
studios are closing as people move to smaller
facilities or mobile set-ups. What is the current
state of the music recording industry in India?
Large-format studios that have been around for the
last seven to ten years are still actually in the market.
We have not seen any of them shut down. But there
are no new large-format studios being built. One of
the problems has been that the music and film hubs
are within the main city and with sky rocketing real
estate costs it’s really making them unviable to build
any longer. We are seeing a lot of music producers/
mix engineers actually set up their own studio. The
situation where you earlier would have a studio
owner (investor) and then have sound engineers
run the place is literally disappearing. Today the
engineers and music producers are investing in
setting up their own space.
What about audio post-production?
Audio post-production studios have been doing well
as it still demands a facility to be run out of a proper
commercial space. Over the past few years we have
seen more quality post-production studios being
built than music studios. Also there is a fair amount
of competition to have the most current production
platforms and invest in regular studio upgrades.
Are there any other sections of the market that are
experiencing growth right now?
The sound reinforcement market, audio post-
production studios, film mix facilities upgrading to
Dolby Atmos or Auro-3D. Cable television has
begun to move to HD transmission and have seen
some interest in studios and broadcast facilities
upgrading to 5.1.
Have there been any significant changes to
legislations, regulations, or laws that have affected
the industry?
Taxation in India is quite high, which is a
dampener to growth. Import duties are around
30% and then you have VAT charged between
12% and 15% across different states. When you
consider the Indian rupee has devalued by over
20% against major global currencies over the
course of last year and with the addition to these
duties and taxes it is making things a bit difficult.
The government needs to rationalise these duties
and taxes to help things improve.
www.soundteam.in
Based in the heart of India’s film and music capital, Mumbai,Sound Team has been supplying the country’s pro-audioindustry for over 15 years. We talk to company partner ShivSood about the current state of the market.
BROADCAST FOCUS Sign up for your digital AM at www.audiomedia.com
22 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
ADRIAN BELL
Selected TV drama credits: Merlin,The Seventh HourKit: Zaxcom, Lectrosonics, DPA, Schoeps
As the production sound mixer on
all five series of the BBC’s Merlin,
Adrian Bell knows how important
audio is to a TV drama, and the
magic it can add.
“Sometimes sound is overlooked in
the way it can change the way a scene
plays out,” he says. “I like to be able to
contribute to a project in many ways,
not just recording the dialogue and
effects, but also coming up with ideas
for how a scene can be put together.”
And that doesn’t have to mean
adding sound. In fact, less can be
more. “Gravity has a really exciting
use of just silence,” adds the RTS
Award nominee.
A former documentary sound
recordist, Bell has now moved into
drama and features, working on,
among other things, Stephen
Poliakoff ’s The Seventh Hour for
BBC2 and, most recently, Everest,the Working Title movie about a
1996 climbing tragedy.
He says that he tries to bring a bit
of his factual filmmaking experience
to the TV drama world: being
mobile, using a small sound
recording kit, and working quickly.
“I can use it [to adopt] a very
instinctive way of recording,” he
says. “I will always look at a script or
a scene and plan it as effectively as
possible but generally shots will be
created on the hoof and a scene will
play out very differently to how it
was planned. ”
Bell’s kit list is made up of a
Zaxcom Deva 16-track recorder and
Mix-12 mixer plus Lectrosonics
radio mics and DPA personal
microphones. His boom mics are
Schoeps CMITs with Schoeps
CCM 41 small cardioid mics used
for planting onto the film set.
To come up with the perfect blend
of kit “has taken quite a few years”,
he says, not least because
manufacturers are constantly
improving their products but also
because of the increasing numbers of
recorded tracks needed these days.
When it comes to dealing with
background noise, like all recordists,
Bell has his own methods.
“On a lot of TV drama there seems
to be a great move away from sound
stages and studios,” he explains. “So a
lot of our work involves minimising
background noise, location
atmospheres, and filming between
aircraft passes and sirens.”
Dealing with harsh environments,
as he did during the Everest shoot, is
another challenge, he says. “In Nepal
and Italy, where we worked at
10,000ft with an ambient daytime
temperature of -20, to keep the kit
working correctly, without holding
up production, was a huge effort. The
trick was to keep the sound rig as
lightweight and small as possible.”
BARRY O’SULLIVAN
Selected TV drama credits: FoylesWar, Kidnap and Ransom, PrimevalKit: Fostex, Sennheiser, Lectrosonics,Sanken, Da-Cappo, Voice Technology
With a CV that includes Foyle’s War,Kidnap and Ransom, and Primeval –
not to mention the movie remake of
The Man From U.N.C.L.E –
production sound mixer Barry
O’Sullivan knows a thing or two
about recoding audio on location.
Starting out as a humble cable
man before becoming a boom op
and then a production sound mixer
he has experienced most drama
scenarios and is well placed to pass
on the secrets of his craft.
“Patience and perseverance are
important,” he says when asked what
it takes to excel in this field. “Often
we come against a general air of
‘we’ll have to loop this’ from other
members of the crew or cast but
often problems can be solved and
difficult situations overcome with a
bit of thought and hard work.”
“Sound is a collaborative thing,”
he explains. “I will always
communicate with the director
during a shoot, and with my team.
We always discuss scenes and the
best way to cover them and there
has been more than one occasion
when one of my guys will point out
something that I haven’t spotted.”
O’Sullivan’s current location set-
up is based around Fostex recorders
with Sennheiser mics on booms,
and then Lectrosonics radio mics
with a combination of lavalier
microphones from Sanken,
Da-Cappo, and Voice Technology.
“All of this equipment sounds
good, which is the most important
thing, and has also proved to be
very reliable,” he explains.
When working on a TV drama
O’Sullivan is very aware of his place
in the team dynamic. As such he
makes it his business to speak with
the sound editor in advance of the
shoot – if time permits – and during
post production and constantly
observe where the story is going.
“I am always aware of what the
shot is and what lens is being
used,” he says. “The sound needs to
match the picture, or should that be
the other way around? Also,
knowing what is happening visually
means that you can be prepared in
case [you suddenly] need a second
boom or require a microphone to
be planted on the set.”
In an ever-busier world, it will
come as no surprise to learn that
background noise is the biggest
challenge for a production sound
mixer. But it can be overcome.
“Physics is a hard thing to beat,”
he says. “In interior locations it
might mean making sure doors and
windows are closed. Or, if they
need to be open when we shoot, for
cable access, we will block up as
much of the gap as possible.”
Location,Location,Location
Will Strauss speaks to three location sound recordists/mixers to find out what it takes to make it in the worldof TV drama production.
BROADCAST FOCUS
www.audiomedia.com April 2014 23
GRANT BRIDGEMAN
Selected TV drama credits: MrSelfridge, Bert and Dickie, The AccusedKit: Sound Devices, Sennheiser, Schoeps,Sanken, Lectrosonics
For BAFTA-nominated sound
recordist Grant Bridgeman, there is
one defining factor when it comes
to location audio.
“Primarily it is about getting
clean dialogue,” he says. “Trying to
get other sounds can become a
distraction. In my opinion it is far
better to spend that time stopping a
chair squeaking, quieting a door, or
perfecting wireless reception.”
It is a manifesto that has served
him well on TV dramas such as MrSelfridge, Bert and Dickie, and TheAccused (series 2) for which he was
up for a sound BAFTA.
When it comes to additional
audio, there is some creative
collaboration, he says, but it’s often
down to the sound crew.
“The director may ask for specific
wildtracks,” says Bridgeman “But
more often it is left to the sound
recordist. We will try to get specific
things on location that may be hard
to replicate in post production such
as period cars or atmospheres in
characteristic locations. We try to
get room tones to help with
dialogue editing too but getting the
actor’s dialogue is of primary
importance.”
As far as kit is concerned,
Bridgeman is a Sound Devices man,
using a 788T recorder with the CL8
fader panel and CL9 controller. His
mic manufacturer of choice is
Sennheiser with the MKH60 being
used for exteriors and the MKH50
for interiors “purely because of their
robust nature”.
A Schoeps CCM41 is also called
upon for interior scenes while a
Sanken CUB-01 boundary layer
mic is “one of the most invaluable
microphones” for on-location work.
His radio mics are from
Lectrosonics.
When it comes to being a great
recordist though, you need more
than great kit.
“Clearly you have to be focused
on the audio elements of every
shot,” he suggests. “But often the
bigger role is that of being a
diplomat and negotiator. Working
with the other departments is
absolutely crucial: everyone from
locations, through costume to the
camera team. All of them can help
you if you ask in the right way and
at the right time.”
Does it matter to the sound crew
how many cameras there are?
Absolutely, says Bridgeman.
“Multiple camera shoots
completely change the way you
work,” he stresses. ‘‘Two cameras on
extremely different lenses – for
example, a wide and a tight shot –
mean that it’s not possible to get
the tight sound on a boom mic
without compromising the wide
shot. I always request that we don’t
shoot wide and tight at the same
time, but that we shoot similar
frame sizes. That means we can get
the same sound perspective for each
image and hopefully get it on the
boom mics.”
Preparation can be key, he says,
which is why it is important to be
involved in recces, but his biggest
piece of advice, aimed squarely at
the next generation of sound
recordists, is “don’t work for free”.
“When starting out, you may feel
that a lack of experience means that
you can offer a production very
little but this is rarely the case,” he
says passionately. “Value your worth
and all things you bring to the
production. [Working for free]
doesn’t just undercut more
experienced recordists, you
undercut yourself because in a few
years time when people ask you to
do it again, they will want you to
do it again for free.”
FEATURE PRODUCTION Sign up for your digital AM at www.audiomedia.com
24 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
PITY POOR sound. Too often
treated like the ugly stepchild of
production. While it’s now easier
than ever to shoot stunningly good
video, with a breath-taking range of
hardware, audio still lags behind.
Here’s one example: I recently saw
some short documentaries made by
local film school students. While
these were well shot, perfectly framed
and beautifully lit, the audio on some
of them was nothing short of
shocking. And the common
denominator was that the crews were
using DSLRs to shoot on.
There’s no question that the
development of DSLR (Digital
Single Lens Reflex) cameras has been
a shot in the arm for video making.
Their great optics and image
processing, coupled with their
relatively low cost, have brought
broadcast- (or cinema-) quality film-
making to the masses.
But look at the body of a modern,
video-equipped DSLR. See that tiny
pin-hole just above the lens mount?
That’s the inbuilt microphone. Behind
a hole in the body. Okay, so you can
open a flap to reveal a mini-jack input
for an external mic but where’s the
preamp and the AD convertor?
Tucked away inside, in whatever space
is left after the designers have finished
sorting everything else.
Hence the students whose films I
watched had struggled to get decent
sound. They’d either used camera-
mounted mics that were too far away
from the subject or… well I’m not
entirely sure what but it sounded bad.
“The problem, in pretty much all
instances, is that a camera’s mic
preamp is very poor quality,” says
John McCombie, a location sound
recordist and owner of Pinknoise
Systems. This Gloucestershire-based
retailer specialises in audio for video
and sells a dizzying range of gear
aimed at DSLR users. He evangelises
about the subject.
“There is always a disparity for
customers, as the images are amazing
but the audio is less so, particularly
when they sit in the edit and have to
start to ‘sort’ the issues out with the
sound that’s been recorded.
“If the camera is enabled with
manual audio record settings the
more you wind up the record level,
the more the noise floor is exposed
and of course you hear the hiss.”
COPING WITH COMPROMISE
A lot of these issues stem from the
inherent compromises thrown up by
hardware that was originally designed
for stills photography, with video
being a bonus.
“DSLR is a messy proposition. It
always has been. You get great quality
images and great affordability but the
audio suffers. At the end of the day
it’s a stills camera with video
capability and not a pro video camera
with viewfinders and proper audio
inputs with phantom power.”
Talking to John sent me on a
virtual shopping trip (my favourite
kind, as it costs me nothing).
Without going to the expense and
complexity of a full-on location
recording kit, I wanted to find a
range of gear that would raise the bar
in DSLR sound.
The first is something I own
myself: a RØDE VideoMic. This is a
compact condenser mic with an
integrated shock mount or Lyre,
designed by Rycote. It’s an all-in-one
unit that sits on the camera’s hotshoe
and makes the crucial leap from using
the built-in microphone. It carries its
own battery power-supply and has a
super-cardioid pattern to make it
relatively directional. There’s an 80Hz
high pass filter and a two stage pad
(-10dB and -20dB). In use it does
make a marked difference compared
to the camera’s own microphone/hole
in the case but frankly, that’s hardly
difficult. But if you want to start with
something simple and are on the
move, it’s a good option.
Another interesting take on the
hotshoe mic is the Shure VP83F
Lenshopper. This is a small shotgun
microphone with a shock mount that
sends a feed down to the camera. But
it has a major trick up its sleeve.
Well, a couple actually. Firstly, it has a
headphone output. And more
importantly, it has its own built-in
recorder that captures audio at
48kHz/24bit to a micro SD card. It
has manual record level, an LCD
menu screen, and a range of user
controls that are accessed via a small
joystick. This means users can bypass
the camera’s dodgy audio circuitry for
a main recording and leave it just to
capture a synch track.
But if the subject matter (acting
talent, interviewee or presenter) is
more than a few feet away, they’re not
going to sound that great with any
kind of camera-mounted
microphone. This is the trap that
many new filmmakers fall into:
Audio has always been a secondary consideration behind video for DSLR manufacturers. But is it possible toproduce pro-quality audio recordings using a camera? Jerry Ibbotson finds out.
Out of the Shadows
“The problem, in prettymuch all instances, isthat a camera’s mic
preamp is very poor quality”
John McCombie
The Shure VP83FLenshopper has aheadphone output andits own built-in recorderthat captures audio at48kHz/24bit to a microSD card
26 April 2014 wwww.audiomedia.com
FEATURE PRODUCTION Sign up for your digital AM at www.audiomedia.com
assuming microphones double as
miracle workers. Even alleged pros do
it – a number of product review-type
videos on YouTube are testament to
this. They often sound like they’ve
been shot down a well.
McCombie agrees: “Sometimes
expectations are overly enthusiastic
for the results that can and will be
achieved on location. Having a small
mic plonked on the camera hotshoe
with a presenter talking 15ft away –
and sometimes on a main road – well
it’s hardly surprising that the results
are going to be disappointing.
Another one we often get is
customers thinking that a directional
mic will miraculously cut out any
background noise so they hear
nothing but the dialogue. It’s never
going to happen.”
Clearly, getting the microphone
away from the camera and towards
the subject is the first big step to
seriously improving audio, along with
some way to monitor the sound in
headphones (a lot of DSLRs have no
headphone jack). You also want the
ability to use a range of microphones
on a proper ‘pro’ connection.
A quick solution is to use a small
recorder with XLR inputs to act as a
mixer/recorder. Something like the
Roland R26 springs to mind. This
could record the audio while feeding a
signal from the Line Out or
Headphone output to the camera as a
guide track.
The problem is most DSLRs only
have Mic inputs under their little
rubber flap. Plug a Line Level
connection into there and you’re
looking at some very fried recordings.
As it happens, Pinknoise has already
thought this through and has
produced a cable that attenuates the
signal by -25dB. That’s enough for
the camera to be able to take it safely,
provided you keep the camera’s record
level fairly low (which, given the
amount of noise in the preamps, is
a bonus).
The company produces various
versions, including one that splits the
output so users can still plug in
headphones, so it can offer a quick
and cheap solution for those who
already own a recorder.
DEDICATED DEVICES
How about a dedicated recorder/
mixer, without breaking the bank?
And preferably something that
can fit in with the compact
DSLR way of working? There are
a number on the market,
including the excellent Zoom H6
and Fostex DC-R302. These are
clearly aimed smack bang at
DSLR users – the Zoom has a
hotshoe mount while the Fostex
fixes to the belly of a camera on
its tripod thread. The latter has
three inputs feeding to two
channels of recording. In overall
looks and design it seems very
much like certain ‘full size’
mixer/recorders on the market;
like a professional bit of kit rather
than a consumer-based machine
that’s been scaled up. It can even
remotely control the SLR (with
compatible cameras) so recordings
are truly in sync.
One other recorder that caught my
eye is the Tascam DR-60D. This
neat, box-shaped machine has two
XLR inputs plus a separate stereo
3.5mm mic/line connection, giving it
true four-channel capability. It has
HDDA preamps and high-quality
A-D converters. On the rear of the
case there’s an LCD display, separate
gain dials, input selectors, and a
range of other controls.
As well as recording to SD card,
the DR-60D has a dedicated mini
jack Camera Out connection as well
as a Line Out with adjustable level.
Both of these mean it is possible to
hook up to a DSLR’s Mic Input
without frazzling your audio. It even
has a dual record Safety Track Mode
that records two versions of the
audio at different levels and the
ability to fire a burst of 1kHz tone at
the start and end of every recording,
to make syncing with the camera
audio track a lot easier. Plus, if the
camera does have a headphone
output, it is possible to feed that to
the Tascam and switch between
monitoring what the DR-60 is
hearing and what the SLR is.
If you want to leave the audio
recording to the camera (and not
have to sync up in post) then there
are a number of different mini-
mixers designed for DSLRs. Names
like Sound Devices and Beachtek sit
alongside less familiar brands such as
Juiced. The latter makes hardware
ranging from a basic preamp box
with no phantom power to the full-
blown RA-333 Riggy Assist. This
American-made rugged metal case,
which screws to the base of the
camera, contains three XLR inputs
with 48/12V phantom power and
low noise preamps. There are proper
gain controls, LED level meters, and
a headphone connection.
The feed out to the camera is, as
you’d expect by now, at Mic Level
but the RA-333 goes one step
further and is capable of Audio
Output Bracketing. This sums the
microphone signals to the left
channel. The right channel then
copies this but at a lower level
(around -16dB) so that users have a
back-up if the camera overloads the
main audio.
Perhaps, as excellent as it is, all
this gear is nothing more than a stop
gap. Maybe in a few years’ time
DSLR camera firms like Canon and
Nikon will have upped their game on
audio. McCombie isn’t holding his
breath.
“Education is the big thing, not
only for customers but also with
manufacturers. They just don’t
understand how sound works and
what the expectations of users in the
field are. Camera designers don't
necessarily need to make the product
that different just make what they
have better.”
In the meantime, audio equipment
designers have already woken up to
this gap in the market and a steady
stream of new gear is appearing all
the time. Of course, there’s no
guarantee that those shooting DSLR
video will necessarily give audio its
proper position in the grand scheme
of things. But that’s a whole other
story…
www.pinknoise-systems.co.uk
The Tascam DR-60D has two XLR inputsplus a separate stereo 3.5mm mic/lineconnection, giving it true four-channelcapability
The R26 portable field recorderfrom Roland
FEATURE PRODUCTION Sign up for your digital AM at www.audiomedia.com
28 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
TECHNICAL standards can
take some time to come into
force and often rely on the
will of regulators or even
governments, as well as the
users, to implement them.
Some countries are more
enthusiastic adopters than
others, while a few might take
advantage of options in the
specifications to delay full
deployment. The introduction
of loudness controls has
certainly been staggered
around the world, with a
global recommendation by the
International
Telecommunication Union
(ITU), introduced as BS 1770
in 2006, adapted into more
localised standards in different
countries and regions.
Europe is covered by R128,
developed by the EBU
(European Broadcasting
Union). While other states in
Europe – notably France and
Germany – set a date and
introduced regulations for all
broadcasters from that point
(2011 and 2012 respectively),
others have taken more time
to work out exactly what
needs to be done.
The UK is one country
where the approach has been
more gradual. Not that the
subject of loudness has not
been taken seriously; BBC
R&D was looking into
monitoring and controlling
discrepancies in perceived
volume between different types
of TV broadcast programming
as far back as the 1950s; and in
the late 1990s and early 2000s
algorithms were developed for
the first meters aimed at
dealing with the problem.
In 2008 the Broadcast
Committee on Advertising
Practice (BCAP), part of
commercials regulator the
Advertising Standards
Authority, introduced
recommendations for loudness
on television advertisements.
While the preferred approach
was for facilities to use
loudness meters working to
1770, there was also the
option for material mixed on
peak meters to PPM6.
More recently the Digital
Production Partnership (DPP)
drew up specifications for
programme delivery to the
main UK broadcasters,
including the BBC, ITV,
Channel 4, Sky, and BT
Sport. R128 was the choice
for loudness from the start
and while some broadcasters,
notably Sky and BT Sport, are
using it now, R128 is not yet
mandatory. The aim is for that
to happen in October this year
when broadcasters move fully
to file-based operations, or, in
the case of the BBC, begin the
transition.
“R128 has made a
difference but we’re not
expecting it all to happen
immediately, people need time
to move across,” said Kevin
Burrows, chair of the DPP
technical standards committee
and controller of technical
broadcast and distribution at
C4, following the publication
of version 4 of the specs last
September. “Part of the
problem is that we’re working
with new commissions, which
conform to R128, and old or
archive programmes, which
don’t. The problem will reduce
over time and R128 will
minimise it but there will
always be an issue with not
knowing what commercial
might follow a drama with a
wide dynamic range.”
GETTING THE
MESSAGE ACROSS
The number of complaints
about loudness problems to
UK broadcast regulator
Ofcom is reported to have
fallen considerably, even
though not all broadcasters are
working to R128. The
situation with commercials,
once the main cause of
anguish for viewers, appears to
have changed considerably to
the slightly ironic point where
some ads have been quieter
than the programmes.
There is still some progress
to be made in this sector,
though. Owen Griffiths, chief
engineer at the Jungle group
of post-production facilities,
who says loudness has been a
subject close to his heart since
about 2006, acknowledges that
UK post houses producing
commercials are still mixing to
PPM6. “Video post facilities
require that because it’s what
the companies distributing the
commercials want,” he
explains.
Despite this Jungle is
equipped with loudness
meters; the primary units are
from Nugen, while other
devices, such as Chromatec
and DK, are available to meet
specific requests from
broadcasters. “At the moment,
because there is a fairly non-
standard approach to dealing
with loudness for
commercials, people have
taken their own route so they
don’t get reported by Ofcom.”
There is hope that the
BCAP regulations will be
updated to either come into line
with the DPP/R128 regulations
or be changed completely to
R128. In answer to questions
from Audio Media, BCAP’s
policy department stated:
“Advertising Code 4.7 (Harm
and Offence) of the Broadcast
Code still applies in relation to
noise levels on TV. We’re aware
of, and welcome, the DPP’s
work in this area and we’re
having discussions with them,
which might result in the
changes to the Code.”
R128 itself is due for an
update, which will include the
incorporation of further
loudness and peak parameters
Logging LoudnessAround the WorldFrom occasionally shaky beginnings, the monitoringand control of loudness in television, and now radio, isstarting to make itself felt in international broadcasting.Kevin Hilton rounds up the present situation.
Florian Camerer, chairman, P/LOUD group
into the basic specification.
Florian Camerer, chairman of
the P/LOUD group that
developed the standard,
comments that this process
was due to happen “within a
month or so” following two
meetings in Vienna during
early March. The supporting
technical documents – 3341,
defining Loudness Metering;
3342, covering Loudness
Range and loudness
normalisation; 3343,
describing Production and
Implementation; and 3344 for
Distribution of Programmes –
will be updated after this.
In terms of adoption of
R128 for TV, Camerer says
“the deployment is still moving
fast”. Finland began using the
standard last autumn, while
this year saw two TV stations
in Slovakia and broadcasters in
Catalonia following suit.
According to Camerer,
Norway is on the way to full
take-up, with the television
sector set to begin gradual
R128 operations before the
summer. Among the countries
he describes as “gearing up” is
Poland, with, he adds, the UK
“more and more normalised”
due to the DPP specs.
Outside Europe, South
Africa started to use the full
R128 spec from late July last
year, beginning with
commercials. “This will be
spreading and eventually
everything will be R128 in
South Africa within a few
years,” Camerer notes.
“Hopefully that spreads over
the continent.” He has also
given training sessions in
Venezuela and Colombia,
where he says interest was
“very high”.
In the US, Congress passed
the CALM (Commercial
Advertisement Loudness
Mitigation) Act into law in
December 2010 but the power
of the Federal
Communications Commission
(FCC) to fine broadcasters for
loudness transgressions did
not come into force until
2012. The technical aspects of
the CALM Act are based on
ATSC (Advanced Television
Systems Committee) A/85,
which, like R128, was derived
from 1770 but works to the
target of -24 LUFS (Loudness
unit relative to Full Scale),
rather than -23.
Tim Carroll, president of
loudness system manufacturer
Linear Acoustic, has been a
keen proponent of regulation
and control. He comments
that CALM is “now going
about as well as can be
expected”. He explains that
the initial version had the
unintended consequence of
sometimes causing more audio
processing in the name of
compliance. “The newer
version largely remedied that
by reiterating that there is a
+/-1 or 2dB tolerance and that
measurements are average and
should in fact move around a
bit,” he says.
What the legislation in the
US did do, Carroll observes, is
bring the general topics of
loudness and audio quality into
the consciousness of those
producing sound. “Broadcasters
often had limited power to
require changes to content and
so they ended up heavily
relying upon ‘automated’ means
to deliver compliance. A
machine can make a meter
happy but perhaps not the
audience. A trained audio
mixer can do both,” he adds.
Carroll concludes that
people are still learning and
getting their footing: “We are
making sure to describe that
loudness is a process and that
you cannot just rely on a
single device to correct
upstream errors and expect the
highest quality. There are tools
for every step in the chain, and
the better it is at each stage,
the higher the quality and
more natural the compliance.”
During IBC 2013 Linear
Acoustic showed its
AERO.lite SDI loudness
controller, while other leading
manufacturers in the field also
introduced new products or
updated existing ranges. RTW
launched a firmware update
for the SurroundControl
31900 and 31960 series and is
due to unveil a new product
during this year’s NAB. New
from DK-Technologies was
the 7in T7 meter, while Jünger
Audio announced it was to
develop hardware platforms
onto which specific firmware
for applications such as
loudness can be loaded.
RADIO RAGE
As loudness monitoring and
control in television becomes
more established, attention is
starting to move to other areas
where inconsistent sound
levels have also been a
problem. Radio has been a
cause for concern in this
regard for some time. Not
only are there inconsistencies
between speech, music,
commercials, and jingles,
particularly as many stations
now do not have engineers or
technical operators running
audio desks to correct any
lapses on the part of DJs and
presenters, but there are the
additional problems of output
compression and the amount
of coding used in digital
transmission. Add to this
modern commercial music
recordings that have little or
no dynamic range – the cause
of the dreaded ‘loudness
sausage’ – and the task of
bringing some normalisation
to the airwaves looks to be
even bigger than what
happened in TV.
Some pioneering steps have
been taken in Norway, where
the three DAB digital radio
operators, public broadcaster
NRK and its commercial
counterparts P4 group and
SBS, agreed in February 2012
to monitor and report their
own and each other’s output
for loudness compliance.
This mutual agreement
does not involve any
regulatory bodies and is based
on R128, although working to
-15 LUFS rather than -23.
Speaking at last year’s Radio
Academy TechCon in Salford,
Bjorn Aarseth, a senior
engineer with NRK, explained
that although R128 clearly
specifies -23, radio content is
very different from that of TV
sound. He added that radio
listeners might also need a
lower dynamic range. Aarseth
observed that radio
normalisation was cheap and
easy to achieve; under the
agreement the three
broadcasters monitor each
other and, if necessary,
complain about something
outside the target, which is
then corrected by the party
concerned. He said this was
keeping the listeners happy, at
least in meaning there were no
complaints about loudness.
Florian Camerer hopes that
when Norway moves to full
DAB+ transmission and
switches off its FM networks
the target level will be reduced
to -23. He adds that field tests
will take place in Sweden this
autumn, with all stations –
both public and commercial –
evaluating R128 for “a few
weeks”. He hopes that if that
is successful, it might act as a
role model for other countries.
Some countries are already
beginning to use loudness
normalisation in production
during this year, among them
France and Germany, while in
the UK BBC R&D has been
testing loudness monitoring to
-23 on the Radio 4 network.
It took some time for
broadcasters to get to grips
with loudness but now
momentum is gathering in
radio as well as TV, but there
is still a way to go until
complete compliance and the
point where the home volume
control has very little to do. As
one industry insider has said,
this is the end of the
beginning rather than the
beginning of the end.
FEATURE PRODUCTION
30 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
“A machine canmake a meter
happy but perhapsnot the audience.
A trained audiomixer can do both”
Tim Carroll, Linear Acoustics
LOUDNESS: THE
GLOBAL SITUATION
EUROPE
The EBU R128 developed
by the European
Broadcasting Union has
been adopted across the
continent with early
adopters introducing
regulations as early as 2011.
Works towards -23 LUFS.
AFRICA
Full R128 spec adoption in
South Africa from July
2013 with hope it will
spread across the continent.
US
The CALM Act, based on
ATSC A/85, was passed
into law in December 2010
with FCC enforcement
beginning 13 December
2012. Works towards -24
LUFS (rather than -23
LUFS in Europe).
AUSTRALIA
Full compliance of the
FreeTV OP-59 standard
(derived from ITU BS
1770) was implemented on
1 January 2013. OP-59
recommends a speech-
based as well as a universal
approach to audio
normalisation.
JAPAN
The TR-B32 standard
builds on ITU BS.1770-2,
which means a relative gate
is employed. Target level is
-24 LUFS as opposed to
-23 LUFS of the EBU
R128 standard.
Tim Carroll, Linear Acoustic
DK-Technologies’ 7in T7 meter
FEATURE STUDIO PROFILE Sign up for your digital AM at www.audiomedia.com
32 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
“HILARIOUSLY I am an
ex-creative,” laughs Nick
Keynes, who runs Tileyard
Studios, a creative hub in
London’s Kings Cross. “I
used to argue I was ahead of
the curve because I had a
totally minimalist setup, all in
the box.” Opposed to its
manager’s former modesty
Tileyard Studios has a
selection of 72 standard and
large-sized studios, hosting
the likes of Chase and
Status/MTA Records,
Gearbox Records, Mark
Ronson, Spitfire Audio, and
The Temper Trap.
The story of Tileyard is
fantastically brief. Off the
back of being in late 90s band
Ultra, Keynes set up a music
production company called
Goldust with band mates
Michael Harwood and Jon
O'Mahony (which still exists
today albeit under in-house
music company Tileyard
Music). O’Mahony has since
moved on from the business
and is now the owner of LA
Sound Studios in west
London, but three years ago
Keynes and Harwood
relocated to Tileyard after
starting a partnership with
property developer Paul
Kempe, with the idea to build
a creative community out of
an unassuming brick business
park.
Tileyard started with 10
rooms and a one-page
business plan, and bespoke
offerings for clients became
very much the blueprint of
the complex. “It wasn’t a get-
rich-quick scheme but it just
about stacked up,” says
Keynes, whose job it was to
fill the empty space with
companies and individuals.
“To this day we’ve never yet
built a space, whether it be an
office space or a studio space,
speculatively.”
Keynes used Studio People
to design and build phase
one, then brought in Chris
Walls (then of Munro
Acoustics) as design
consultant for the next stage
of development, which
happened to be an entire
floor for British electronic
dance music twosome
Basement Jaxx. Built by
Davies Design &
Construction, Walls has since
carried out all of the design,
acoustics, drawing, project
management, and monitoring
set-up for every studio at
Tileyard and since leaving
Munro Acoustics in late
2013, has continued to work
with Keynes on studios at
Tileyard under the Level
Acoustic Design banner. “A
lot of acousticians are almost
a different species but Chris
was like a normal human
being,” says Keynes. “From
Basement Jaxx onwards Chris
Jake Young gets together with Nick Keynes and Chris Walls to take a look at the ever-growing Tileyard complex.
72 and Counting…
Tileyard StudiosChase and Status’ MTA Records hasmade its home at Tileyard
Spitfire Audio founders Paul Thomson and Christian Henson have studios in the complex
FEATURE STUDIO PROFILE
www.audiomedia.com April 2014 33
has designed every singlespace, and we have reallyraised the bar.”
Since the not-so-early days(the first 10 studios werebuilt in 2011) the complexhas moved onwards andupwards and is currently inphase 15, with every studiostill bespoke to its client. Themomentum and energy isapparent as soon as you stepfoot on the property and isnow attracting more andmore high-profile clients.
According to Keynes,when musician-cum-Grammy Award-winningproducer Mark Ronson cameto him looking for a newspace, he wanted to create anenvironment that felt like ithad been at Tileyard forever.Co-designed by Nashville-based acoustic engineer SteveDurr, the studio definitelydelivered on Ronson’s brief.Behind the brick wall andplain steel door, the studio’s
black and white checkeredtile floors and walls coveredin gold and platinum recordsfeel in line with any studiothat lived through the goldenera of the 60s and 70s.
CONTROL ROOMRonson’s control room feelsequally ‘worked in’, andfeatures an MCI-500, UREI813 and ATC SCM25ASLPro monitors, and animpressive offering ofoutboard including a stereoFairchild compressor. EMT140 and 240 plate reverbs aresupplemented with stereoreverb sends to the toilet fora ‘toilet reverb’ (which Wallsclaims gives the classic platereverbs a run for theirmoney).
A machine room off theback of the control roomhouses a Studer A800 2inand a Scully eight-track tapemachine while the large liveroom, which is easily viewed
though a massive window infront of the console, containsa serious amount of vintagekit from drums and guitars toamps as well as a separatebooth for cabinets, drums, orany other isolation needs.
“The thing that we need tobe sure about is that it’s builtand designed properly. It’s allabout creating a space thatyou feel good in. This was areally interesting one. It tooka while – it was a slowerprocess – but Mark loveswhat he’s got and hopefullyhe’ll make some reallyimportant records in here.”
Behind another similarlyunassuming steel door andup a flight of stairs is thehome of MTA Records, thelabel formed in 2008 byelectronic music duo Chaseand Status.
Inside is a far cry fromRonson’s vintage-inspiredroom where a Pro Toolssystem plays out into a pair of
massive, soffit-mountedGenelec 1034As acquiredfrom their previous studio atCounty Hall when it closedlast year.
Traversing the car park andheading up another flight ofstairs you’ll find the personalstudios of film, TV, andgames composers PaulThomson and ChristianHenson, the founders ofhigh-end sample librarycompany Spitfire Audio. Ifthe entirely custom nature of
Tileyard wasn’t alreadyapparent, walking into theSpitfire studios makes itperfectly clear. The tworooms feel more in line with aSoho post-production suiterather than a business park inKing’s Cross, with spaciousrooms in a red colour schemeand a wild variety of synths,keyboards, and outboard kitsitting on furniture madefrom reclaimed wood andmetal.
The complex has got10,000ft coming back thisyear and 30 people on thewaiting list. “It shows youthere is an audience and Ithink the more you build themore compelling being herebecomes,” says Keynes. “Wethought that there mighthave been a saturation pointbut actually the more youbuild the more people wantto be here. It just feeds itself.It’s a monster.”www.tileyard.co.uk
Chris Walls is an acousticianspecialising in the design of musicand post-production studios.
How were you retained as a consultant?Nick approached me in 2011, while Iwas working at Munro Acoustics toappraise the first few studios thathad been built. I was instantly soldon the Tileyard concept and Nickand I ended up discussing how Icould get involved in the design andbuild process. The first studio Idesigned at Tileyard was forBasement Jaxx at the tail end of2011 and I haven’t stopped since.
Was the design and layout of thestudios based on a template?Yes and no… Certain aspects of thedesign have become standardised. Forexample the isolation shell
construction I designed for BasementJaxx worked really well acoustically andwas cost-effective, so that has beenimplemented on the vast majority ofstudios. But no two studios are thesame – they are all different sizes andshapes, and the acoustic requirementschange depending on what the studiois used for, so I still start with a blankpiece of paper for each studio.
Did anyone make requests for tweaksor additions?A few people have asked for flush-mounted speakers, timber panelling,an acoustic enclosure for a projector,things like that. But what is suppliedas standard is more than enough formost of the clients.
How did you create comfortablesurroundings?The guys moving into the studios get
to choose their flooring, fabrics, paintetc, so they can really get involved ingiving the studios the look and feelthey want. I spend time with each ofthe clients to try to understand howthey work so that I can make surethat the studios work ergonomically.And a lot of it is down to the roomacoustics – these guys will regularlyspend 12 hours or more in the studioso they need to be natural-soundingspaces, not oppressive dungeons!
What was it like working with DaviesDesign & Construction?It has been really good. I think thefirst studio was a steep learning curveas they hadn’t done anything quitelike it before, but they grasped theconcept quickly and have consistentlyimpressed. The site foreman, JustinMartin, has been a phenomenal assetto the project.
What was the biggest challenge aboutthe build?It’s got to be isolation. We’ve gotmore than 60 rooms in a concentratedarea and making sure that they can alloperate without disruption from oneanother is key to the success of thecomplex. In the most recent phase webuilt Chase and Status’ and Nero’sstudios between Mark Ronson’s liveroom (below) and The Temper Traplive room (above). It’s not an ideal
situation and Nick and I discussed itat some length, but I did a lot oftesting and a lot of calculations andcame up with a solution that works.
You’re now designing under the LevelAcoustic Design banner?Yes, I left Munro Acoustics at the endof last year to start my own company.I first started at Munro in 2003 as asummer student and worked my wayup to principal acoustician, withoverall responsibility for acousticdesign. I’m immensely proud of theprojects I worked on there and it wasa very tough decision to leave.
I want Level to be able to provideclients with studios that enable themto thrive in an industry that haschanged drastically in the last 10years. Increasingly that means smallyet perfectly formed! I’ve beenrefining techniques for designingsmaller studios for a while now andthe studios at Tileyard are testamentto what can be achieved.
What projects are you currentlyworking on away from Tileyard?A lot of my projects are covered byNDAs unfortunately, but it’s quite anexciting portfolio; there is a mixture ofprivate and commercial, music andpost production. Hopefully I’ll be ableto tell you more once they’re complete!www.levelacousticdesign.com
MEET THE DESIGNER
“We thought thatthere might havebeen a saturationpoint but actuallythe more you buildthe more peoplewant to be here. Itjust feeds itself. It’s
a monster.”Nick Keynes
Credit: Alicia Light Photography
TECHNOLOGY FOCUS AUDIO RECORDERS
Development of digital solid state sound recorders may have been slow to get off the mark, but the choices arenow numerous across all levels of the market, writes Solid State Sound’s Rodney Wayman.
Expert Witness
34 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
PORTABLE AUDIO recorders, eh?
Back in the day there was little need
for your gym membership because
recording on the hoof was combined
with weight lifting. Those shoulder-
numbing mechanical monsters from
Nagra and Uher were just so damned
heavy. And, boy, did you need the
money you saved on that gym
subscription – buying a portable
recorder in those days was literally an
arm and a leg.
That was in the 1980s when/before
you were a nipper, and tape and razor
blades were king. It’s hard to believe
we had to wait until 1994 for the
world’s first commercially available
digital solid state sound (SSS) recorder
to arrive. Developed by pioneering
Dutch electronics outfit Maycom, it
was quite aptly named The Easycorder.
This comparable lightweight came
with 128Mb of internal memory
(expandable to 2Gb) and even had a
slot to take a 2Gb Compact Flash
card. Audio formats were wav, BWF,
AIFF, and MPEG II. You could edit
on-board and there was even an ISDN
option so you could get your
recordings where they needed to go.
All in all The Easycorder proved to be
quite a compelling wave goodbye to
magnetic tape and all its weight and
disadvantages.
But despite this it wasn’t until the
early noughties that portable SSS
recording really got going. Maycom
had followed up by then with its little
HandHeld model, on whose design I
was a consultant, and pretty well every
single national broadcaster in Europe
(and beyond) invested in it.
Meanwhile, the then best-known
manufacturer of portable cassette tape
recorders, Marantz, had not been idle.
The company soon responded with
two wav/MP3 devices that became the
first ones really to get SSS recorders
noticed by the wider marketplace. Its
big brand marketing clout made the
shoulder-carried PMD670 and
handheld PMD660 the industry
standards for quite a long while, well
into the later noughties – especially the
more affordable PMD660, or ‘The
Recording Brick’, as it became known.
Pretty well every broadcast journalist
and features producer hankered after it.
Since then, of course, the SSS
recorder market has developed and
matured, and those early portables
have now been joined by their rack-
mounting colleagues. We now enjoy a
much wider choice of affordable
offerings from many leading
manufacturers including: Fostex,
Marantz, Olympus, Nagra, Roland,
Sony, Sound Devices, Tascam, Yamaha,
and Zoom. And if it’s a field recorder
you need, then instead of just the
classic over-the-shoulder portable of
old, we now have several different form
factors to suit varying applications.
Here are just a few:
Budget Notebooks are at the entry-
level end of the spectrum – Tascam’s
DR-05 and DR-07 Mk2, for instance.
All-in-one handhelds take things a
stage further with better build quality
and more attention to the quality of
the sound of the mic preamps and mic
capsules – Sony’s PCM-M10 and new
PCM-D100 are leaders here. Then
there are XLR handhelds for those
who need to use external pro mics –
Marantz’s PMD661 Mk2 is just one
contender. DSLR recorders like
Fostex’s DC-R302 are available for
videographers who use digital SLR
cameras but need a more capable audio
recorder to complement their HD
videos. Multichannel options include
Roland’s R-44 and R-88; for multi-
track there is the Olympus LS-100.
At Solid State Sound we constantly
advise on matching the right recording
tools to numerous applications. This
can range from basic meetings
recording in a corporate environment,
through one-to-one or one-to-multiple
interview situations (like oral history
recording and broadcast features
production), to courtroom recording, or
covert and non-covert recording
undertaking by military and security
organisations, as well as music
recording in education, and a whole
host of other types of speech and
music recording activities. We are
fortunate in being able to offer so
many solutions, each of them with
their own strengths and at differing
price points, but I’d like to focus on a
handful, if I may, because right now
these are the most interesting options.
If you need a really competent do-it-
all portable handheld recorder then the
Zoom H6 is outstanding. It is
primarily marketed as a DSLR audio
recorder but it is actually a really
versatile general-purpose recorder. It
comes complete with two microphone
modules, an X/Y and an MS stereo
(you can also add the optional shotgun
module if you so wish) plus four XLR
inputs (expandable to six) so you can
connect your external mics. Moreover,
it can record up to six tracks
simultaneously. You can even use it as
an audio interface with a PC or Mac.
Now the H6 sounds fine but what
should you get if your principal
requirement is audiophile performance
combined with an all-in-one form
factor? Enter the new high-resolution
Sony PCM-D100. Combining
stunning on-board microphones
adjustable for A/B or X/Y stereo, class-
leading mic preamps and not only up
to 192kHz/24-bit recording formats
but also DSD (or 1-bit) format. The
PCM-D100 is one for the aficionados,
certainly, but there are many recordists
with no tolerance for compromise and
£700 or so to spend.
But what if you need both a recorder
and a mixer in one convenient, light,
easy-to-carry form? Well, Roland has
two of them: the R-88 eight-channel
mixer/recorder/audio interface with up
to 192kHz/24-bit capability and the
similar but four-channel R-44 that can
be built into an eight-channel solution
later, if need be.
As you can see, portable sound
recording has come far since the days
of sore shoulders and spooling tape all
over the floor. But what of the future?
Well, SSS recorders can only get
better, lighter, more convenient, and
even less expensive. Even more
features, perhaps, too? If there is one
feature that we’d like to see sooner
rather than later, it is WiFi onboard.
Then you could stream your recordings
straight to your computer without a
USB lead. You could squirt it up to
Dropbox, say, or your radio station’s
Cloud.
It’s already happening in the digital
camera market so why not in solid
state sound? Come on!
Expert Witness
Rodney Wayman is MD of Solid State Sound, which specialises in portableand installation solid state recording systems. For further information andinsight into the world of solid state audio, visit the Solid State Sound websiteat www.solidstatesound.co.uk or call +44 (0)747 830670.
Rodney Wayman (right) with broadcasterJohnnie Walker, and an Olympus LS-100Credit: www.jamesmcmillan.co.uk
TECHNOLOGY FOCUS
Considering a purchase of an audio recorder? This month we take a look at a selectionof portable and installation devices.
Audio Recorders
36 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
NAGRA AUDIOSEVENThe Nagra Seven is the successor to the Nagra LB, ARES-C, and the ARES-BB+ recorders. It can be adapted to a multitude of specific applicationsdepending on the internal options installed. Identical in size to the LB, theSeven offers a selection of internal optional circuit cards to allow it to beadapted according to requirements.
• Two channels, 24-bit, 192kHz A-D/D-A• CompactFlash and 16GB internal micro SD memory• USB 2.0 and Ethernet communication ports• Optional MPEG-1 Layer II audio compression• Optional onboard graphic audio editor• Optional SMPTE/EBU time code or ISDNwww.nagraaudio.com
AATONCANTAR-X3
The same team that created the 10-year-old Aaton Cantar-X2 has designed itssuccessor. The Aaton Cantar-X3 combines the ergonomics of the X2 and itsmicrophone preamplifiers, redesigned to improve filtering and noise level,adding new functionalities. Pre-order sales will start after the 2014 NAB Showfor delivery later this year. Aaton claims this machine will be scalable for thenext 20 years.
• Optional Audinate Dante IP networking• Machined aluminium casing• Water and dust proof• Faders, knobs, and switcheswww.aaton.com
SOUND DEVICES633The 633 is a six-input mixer (three mic/line XLR inputs and three line-level TA3 inputs) with integrated 10-track recorder (24-bit, up to 192kHzuncompressed polyphonic or monophonic broadcast .wav file recording,or timecode stamped MP3 recording to CompactFlash and/or SD cards).Inputs can be individually recorded and assigned any of six output buses,including recordable busses left/right and aux 1/2.
• Two card slots• Sound Devices’ PowerSafe technology• Four-way power supply• Ambient-based timecode generator/reader• All common production timecode rates and modes availablewww.sounddevices.com
AETA AUDIO SYSTEMS4MINXWith its scalable and upgradable design and flexible monitoring and routingcapabilities, the 4MinX mixer-recorder is described as ideal for almost anysituation from TV/film location sound recording to music recording. It issuitable for all types of sound production from standard mono throughstereo (X/Y or fully featured M/S) to surround (A or B formats from AETAAudio Systems’ SoundField partnership or double M/S).
• Six hour operation• Onboard battery• Preamplifiers from AETA Audio Systems• Stainless steel chassis• Carbon fibre polymer casingwww.aeta-audio.com
TECHNOLOGY FOCUS
www.audiomedia.com April 2014 37
ALLEN & HEATHICE-16DThe ICE-16D is capable of the interfacing, converting, and bidirectionalstreaming of 16 channels over USB or FireWire at 24-bit, 96kHz resolution.Alternatively, 16 channels can be simultaneously recorded straight to aUSB hard drive or memory stick at up to 24-bit 48kHz resolution as a .wavfile. Additionally, the ICE-16D has balanced I/O, designed for those usingthe unit in a studio environment or requiring fully balanced inputs andoutputs on AES59 standard D Sub connectors.
• 16 analogue inputs, 16 analogue outputs• Up to six hours of 16 channel audio• Signal present and peak LED metering on each channel• Mono headphone bus for input or output monitoring• Daisy chain multiple units over FireWirewww.allen-heath.com
FOSTEXDC-R302
The DC-R302 stereorecorder has an onboardthree-channelmicrophone preamp/linemixer designed for usewith video-capableDSLRs. Recording stereoaudio direct to SD cards,the DC-R302allows DSLRs tobe easily used infield productionapplications andsimplifies thecapturingprocess allowingthe cameraoperator tooperate therecorder andcamera at the same time.
• Compatible with an off-the-shelf wired remote-control• Three XLR inputs with limiter and high pass filter• 48V phantom power for use with condenser microphones• Microphone out in addition to line out• Headphone monitoring of left/stereo/right/return• Auto slate tone (1kHz/sine wave) functionwww.scvdistribution.co.uk
TASCAMDA-3000Designed for studio mastering and compatible with various choices ofrecording media (SD/SDHC/CF), the DA-3000 features an A-D/D-A converterand supports sampling rates up to 192kHz (PCM) and 5.6MHz (DSD). The DA-3000’s digital circuit features a clock accuracy of 1ppm and low jitter. Tascamhas also paid attention to the analogue stages with resistors, a transformer,and an op-amp.
• Burr-Brown converters• Separate transformer coils for digital and analogue circuits• Remote control with computer keyboard or keypad via USB port• Multiple units can be cascadedwww.tascam.com
ROLAND SYSTEMSGROUPAR-3000SDThe AR-3000SD, the latest addition to the recorder/players portfolio fromRoland Systems Group, offers expanded compatibility that includesprogrammable timers, improved network efficiency, and support formultiple playback and control formats. The AR-3000SD features AES/EBUand supports a variety of audio formats for recording and playback.
• 24-bit recording and playback at 96kHz• SD or CompactFlash memory cards can be used• Optional 4GB SD/SDHC memory card• External controlwww.rolandsystemsgroup.co.uk
TECHNOLOGY FOCUS
38 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
JOECOBLACKBOX BBR1MP
JoeCo’s upcoming BlackBox BBR1MP is a 24-channel recorder with 24 micpreamps integrated into its 1U housing. Offering 24bit/96kHz quality and arange of connection options, the recorder is designed for broadcast andlocation sound recording or for direct, live multichannel performance capture.Audio is recorded to a USB2 drive in BWAV format for instant repurposing.
• Microphone connection via standard snake or optional 2U breakout panel• Runs off 12V power source• Simultaneous stereo mixdown during recording• Various synchronisation options• Remote set-up, control, and monitoring via JoeCoRemote for iPadwww.joeco.co.uk
MARANTZPMD620 MKIIThe Marantz PMD620 MKII records toSD/SDHC flashcard media in either PCM(.wav) or MP3 audio formats. The lightweightcompact form (62 x 102 x 25mm), ergonomicdesign, and ease of operation makes it usefulfor journalists, reporters, programme makers,podcasters, musicians, and sound engineers.
• Built-in stereo condenser microphone array• High contrast, low power draw organic LED
(OLED) screen• Selectable recording settings• Retake feature• Passcode protect featurewww.marantz.co.uk
ZAXCOMNOMADNomad includes 10 analogue inputs with six mic preampsfeaturing NeverClip inputs. NeverClip is a dual A-D converterdesign that extends the dynamic range of the Nomad input to 137dB. Nomadcontains an integrated Zaxnet transceiver. Via Zaxnet, an IFB audio channelcan be transmitted to multiple Zaxcom ERX2TCD audio monitor receivers.
• Mixer, recorder, IFB transmitter, and time code distribution system• Designed specifically for sound bag use• Three pairs of AES digital inputs with sample rate conversionwww.zaxcom.net
TECHNOLOGY FOCUS
www.audiomedia.com April 2014 39
YELLOWTECIXM MICROPHONEThe Yellowtec iXm digital recording microphone is an intuitive, all-in-one tool for reporters inthe field. The microphone’s capsule has been designed for high speech intelligibility and lowhandling noise sensitivity, while an LEA engine provides audio levelling for any recordedsource. The iXm’s capsules are twist-off-twist-on exchangeable and offered in cardioid,super-cardioid, or omnidirectional polar patterns to suit varying recording environments. It records to a built-in SD/SDHC memory card slot as .wav, BWF, or MP2 files.
• Built-in, rechargeable li-ion battery and redundant battery compartment• Total operation time of 16 hours• USB 2.0 port• Record ready – recording, battery, and memory status indicators www.hhb.co.uk
OLYMPUSLS-14Olympus’ LS music range capture and playback better-than-CD quality sound via linear PCM recording. The Olympus LS-14 features overdubbingcapabilities, playback speed control that can be setanywhere from 50% to 300%, a metronome to keepflawless time, and chromatic tuner for each musicalinstrument selected.
• Dial for fast access to tuner, manual, quick, and smart
• ‘TRESMIC’ increases the frequency response range to20Hz-20kHz
• Handles sound pressure levels upto 130dB
• New amplifier circuitry to minimise sound degradation
• Memory of up to 32GB on SD card or 4GB internal memory
www.olympus.co.uk
SONYPCM-D100Sony’s PCM-D100 is aportable linear PCMrecorder with 32GB ofbuilt-in flash memory.The recorder operatesfor approximately sixhours 35 minuteswhen recording inLinear PCM(192kHz/24-bit), oraround 10 hours 50minutes in DSD(2.8MHz/1-bit).
• Compatible with 2.8MHz/1-bit direct stream digital DSD
• Record and playbackin 192kHz/24-bit linear PCM High Resolution audio
• Playback frequency band exceeding 20Hz-25kHzaudible band
• Includes directional microphone• Recording functionality expresses
frequency properties up to 40kHzwww.sony.co.uk
I SPENT most of my early
recording life wrestling with
tape and tape machines,
whether it was expensive reels
of 2in Ampex tape – often
erasing another band’s
precious recordings in the
process – or trying to come to
terms with the black art of
alignment on Fostex’s range
of low-cost multi-track
recorders. Even when I
worked in professional
studios, the personal
peccadillos of engineers often
meant that different set-up
procedures or noise reduction
systems made moving from
studio to studio a sonic
nightmare. But when it
worked, how it worked! The
sound created by the
distortion and non-linearities
generated when pushing the
input levels onto the right
kind of tape running through
a high-quality machine has
been, until recently,
unmatched in the digital
world.
As computer-processing
power has increased though,
the eye of audio programmers
has swung mercilessly round
to shine on that holy of holies
– the analogue tape machine.
Israeli company Waves Inc
already has a tape emulator
on its roster of plug-ins – the
excellent Kramer Master Tap.
So what does the new boy on
the (editing) block, the Abbey
Road Studios J37, bring to
the world of virtual tape
machines?
Anything with the words
‘Abbey Road’ in its name is
bound to bring up an image
of The Beatles (a quite well
known pop combo from the
60s and 70s) to mind and the
J37 under review is based on
the Studer multi-track
machine of the same model
number which was used in
the recording of their
influential Sgt. Pepper’s LonelyHearts Club Band album,
among others. As you can
imagine, the J37 was heavily
modified by the engineers at
Abbey Road to extend its
range of experimental
possibilities – it could be
made to run at non-standard
speeds, in reverse, and could
utilise a range of EQ curves.
Waves’ emulation of the J37
features many of these
innovations, though it sadly
lacks the wheels that made
the original tape machine
effectively portable!
Installation and
authorisation via the Waves
licence centre was simple and
painless and creates a stereo
and mono version – Waves
calls them ‘components’ – of
the plug-in. The J37 is
available in Native versions
(AU, VST, and RTAS) and
AAX for Avid’s Pro Tools for
Windows and OSX.
IN USE
If you’re a long-time Waves
user, you’ll be familiar with
the strip of controls that lie at
the top of the plug-in screen.
These consist of undo and
redo, a button to allow you to
swap between two loaded
presets (setup A and B,) next
and previous preset arrows, a
button for copying from slots
A to B, a load and save area,
and a useful help section.
Below this, you’re presented
with a visual representation of
the tape machine itself that I
feel takes up rather too much
of the plug-in’s user interface
– though thankfully you can
stop the virtual spools
spinning with a click of the
mouse. The input and output
levels are optimised for the
digital recording environment
and the manual contains
some useful tips on how to
use the various parameters in
real-world situations.
Emulations of each of the
three classic tape formulations
that were commonly used
with the J37 are available,
namely the EMI TAPE 888
from the early 60s, the 811
from the mid- to late-60s,
and the 815 from the early
70s. These three choices give
you quite a range of tonal
colours in themselves and
they all respond differently to
the settings of the input level
control (you can set the
output level to keep the
overall gain constant, which is
essential for auditioning the
effect of overloading the
virtual tape machine’s input).
Two virtual tape speeds are
available, 7 and 15ips, with
the latter setting offering a
wider frequency response and
lower distortion. The Bias can
be set to Nominal or +3dB
and +5dB Over Bias – each
setting changes the overall
tonality and clarity of the
processed signal. The
modelled track’s settings are
used to modify the stereo
image of the processed audio
and there are informative
VU-type meters that provide
input and output level
information. So far, so
interesting, but the J37 has
another trick up its sleeve – it
can act as a virtual tape delay.
While I was working
recently with guitarist Adrian
Lee on a composition by
Goldfrapp’s Will Gregory
using two valve tape
machines, I was reminded
how lovely ‘proper’ valve-
based tape delay can sound.
The J37 doesn’t disappoint in
this respect as it nicely
recreates that ‘feedback into
noise’ effect that tape is so
good at.
It may seem strange to first
create an emulation of a high-
quality tape machine and
then add controls to mess up
the sound, but when it comes
to using the J37 as a tape
delay, the Wow and Flutter
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW Sign up for your digital AM at www.audiomedia.com
Stephen Bennett takes a look at Waves’ recent offering to see how close it comes to recreating the vibe ofAbbey Road in the 60s, and what it can offer to today’s productions.
40 April 2014 wwww.audiomedia.com
Waves: Abbey Road J37 Tape��� TAPE SATURATION PLUG-IN
wwww.audiomedia.com April 2014 41
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW
rate and depth controls can
add character to the sound –
though you can also use these
parameters along with Noise
(hiss and intermodulation
distortion) and Sat (a
different effect compared to
just increasing the input level)
when processing in ‘normal’
tape emulation mode.
The delay can be set to
create various types of echo –
Slap(back,) FDBK
(feedback), and a stereo Ping-
Pong – and features linkable
stereo level/feedback settings,
high pass and low pass
equalisation, feedback delay
time (up to two seconds), and
a button to synchronise the
delay to the tempo of your
DAW.
THE SOUND
It would be an almost
impossible task to hear how
the J37 stands up to the
original hardware – unless it
was the actual model that
Waves had access to of
course! These machines are
now ancient and, even if in
perfect working order, the
combination of changing
tape formulations and
physical modifications would
make any direct comparison
fruitless – as would trying to
compare the plug-in directly
to other makes of vintage
reel-to-reel machines. In
spite of this, I powered up
my Ferrograph Series 6 and
Studer A800 stereo tape
recorders and ran some tracks
through them alongside the
J37 – after I’d spent a few
hours cleaning and
demagnetising heads and
performing alignment, that
is. I was pleasantly surprised
by what the J37 had to offer
– you can make it hiss and
wobble like a broken tape
machine if you like (instant
Frank Zappa!), but you can
also dial in something of the
‘warmth’ and compression
and other audio artefacts
that, ironically, people often
used to try to avoid when
using tape.
The effect of the J37 is
often subtle, but instancing a
few of these on several tracks
of multi-tracked drums, does
indeed ‘glue’ the instruments
together in a way that’s
difficult to achieve using
other processors – apart from
using analogue tape, of
course!
CONCLUSION
The J37 brings a set of audio
processing options to the table
that are not covered by other
tape emulators such as Waves’
own Kramer plug-in and the
Universal Audio Studer
A800. The sound it imparts is
more ‘vintage,’ for want of a
better word, and the delay
section turns it into
something rather special. If
your musical head is firmly set
in the 60s, the J37 should
help you some way to creating
the vibe of the technology of
that era. For the rest of us, the
tone shaping on offer and,
especially, the tape delay, will
be eminently useful in
modern productions. All
Waves needs to do now is
emulate the smell generated
by 52 vacuum tubes heating
up and I’ll be on Amazon
ordering a pair of loons before
I know it!
INFORMATION
Feature set
• Created in association with Abbey Road Studios• Includes models of three tape formulas developed
by EMI• Controls for bias, wow, flutter, tape speed, and more• Tape Delay including three different delay types, sync,
and LP and HP filter controls
www.waves.com
Those who know their recording history will
know the significance of the tape deck emulated
in the J37 plug-in, but for those who aren’t sure,
what is the importance of this particular unit?
This particular unit is a 1in four-track machine,
probably the highest resolution per track you can
get in tape machines till this day. It’s the first
machine to have both sync head output amps as
well as repro head output amps, which enabled the
invention of the ADT effect. It is considered to this
day to be one of the best sounding machines as it is
extremely flat (0.5dB at 20kHz is an astonishing
frequency response for tape machines). Lots of the
Abbey Road recordings, including Beatles albums,
were recorded on this machine.
As for the unique EMI formulas, these are
extremely rare and modelling them is probably one
of the best legacies Waves can leave behind, as there
are virtually no more formulas like these one.
What were your main concerns when designing the
plug-in?
A tape machine is a beast with so many sonic
variables. I think the main concern was to get it
properly calibrated each time you take a
measurement to make sure the results are
consistent. Also, we took great care in getting the
unique harmonic distortion structure.
What are some of the specific sonic characteristics
you were trying to capture?
Well the frequency response is probably the most
important aspect of modelling. The frequency
response varies according to how hard you hit the
machine, and these dynamic changes are hard to
model. We also wanted to get the silky high
frequencies as well as make sure that the variations
in bias change the sonic character of the machine
correctly.
How did you go about developing the different
tape formulas?
Each of the formulas has a different dynamic range,
frequency response, and harmonic distortion it
creates. We did the 815 first as this was the flattest
formula we had, and once we had modelled it to
our satisfaction, we moved onto modelling the 811
and the 888, which is the oldest one.
Getting some clean tape formulas was the key.
We recorded test signals we can measure on one,
and on the other one we recorded music to make
sure what we measure and calibrate in the plug-in
results in correct sonic characteristic.
Measurements will get you 80% there, but the last
20%, which are the hardest ones to do, are done by
ear – listening and matching.
Lastly, can you tell me about your partnership with
Abbey Road Studios?
Abbey Road is a very good partner for our
modelling line as they probably have some of the
most exotic hardware available, all with a history
beyond compare. They help us to make sure each
piece of gear we model is maintained properly and
they still have one of the original engineers
working for them and maintaining the gear in the
old, ‘proper’ way. They also help us with quality
assurance of the sound aspect and make sure to
point out the working methods used with the
specific devices we model as well as helping us to
acquire all the required measurements.
To me they don’t act only as a partner but also
as beta testers of the highest degree. Can you
imagine having the option to throw something at
15 top-notch engineers for immediate feedback? It
really helps the development process. To sum it all
up, Abbey Road is not just a marketing brand
partner, but they take a major part in the
development and that is the key the great products
we create together.
Audio Media editor Jory MacKay talks with Waves’ product manager Mike Fradis aboutmodelling such a classic piece of kit.
THE REVIEWERSTEPHEN BENNETT has beeninvolved in music productionfor over 30 years. Based inNorwich he splits his timebetween writing books andarticles on music technology,recording and touring, andlecturing at the University ofEast Anglia.
“The effect of theJ37 is often subtle,
but instancing a fewof these on several
tracks of multi-tracked drums,
does indeed ‘glue’the instruments
together in a waythat’s difficult to
achieve using otherprocessors.”
Stephen Bennett
THE SOFTUBE Console 1
is finally here! Launched at the
2013 Musikmesse show its
concept of console hardware
mixing for DAWs was an
instant hit. The Console 1 is
labelled as ‘The Next
Generation Mixer’, an answer
for those missing the hands-on
workflow and analogue sound
since moving from a
traditional large console to
mixing in the box (ITB).
The idea behind it is to
emulate a single SSL channel
strip by providing both the
physical knobs of an analogue
console as well as its sound all
for your DAW. The Console 1
is not limited to the SSL,
however, as it can also load
other Softube plug-ins for
each of the three main Shape,
EQ, and Compressor sections.
The Console 1 hardware is a
427 x 186 x 52mm heavy, well-
built metal unit, wedge shaped
so the top surface slopes
towards you as a desk would. It
has 26 smooth endless rotary
encoders (pots), and 39
momentary button switches.
These are supported by LEDs
under the surface, arranged
across five sections: Input,
Shape, Equalizer, Compressor,
and Output. (While slightly
irrelevant, personally I find it a
shame that a British SSL
emulation has Equaliser spelt
with a ‘z’). These sections
correspond to a fabulous large
on-screen display that is linked
to the Console 1 plug-in
DAW software. This includes
Softube’s SSL 4000 E channel
strip emulation with a few
innovative enhancements called
Drive and Shape control (the
SSL channel is the first in a
row of channel strips that will
be available for the Console 1).
OVERVIEW
The Console 1 supports
VST2, VST3, AAX, and
Audio Unit formats. After
running the latest Softube
installer, which covers all of its
plug-ins, connecting the unit is
simply a case of plugging in a
USB lead. Like other console
emulations there is the tricky
case of adding the Console 1
plug-in to the first slot on each
channel in your DAW, then
every channel gets the same
analogue ‘glue’ sound. It’s easier
to start with a preset template
as adding them to an existing
project can be time consuming.
Operating the Console 1
hardware is now linked to
your DAW channels, with
track selection along the top
of the unit for quick recall of
any track. There are 20
momentary track selection
switches labelled 1-20 and
21-40 switched via two page
up and down switches
(although there is no limit to
the amount of tracks).
Display switches on the
Console 1 bring up a large on-
screen floating display, showing
all of the different section
parameters and levels, and a
well laid out meter bridge. This
is then linked to the DAW
plug-in. Applying adjustments
in any of the five sections show
up beautifully – adjusting a
gate, applying EQ, or pushing
some dynamics with the
compressor is really well
displayed but operation is done
solely from the hardware. It is
difficult at first to not reach for
the mouse but you soon learn
to operate more on the physical
knobs and the sound itself as
you would a normal console.
The Console 1 plug-in
window displays the track
name and number option but
can also show a small ‘Knobs
only’ display for mouse control
– this is designed for laptop
operation when the hardware
isn’t available. My review
version unfortunately had a
problem with automatic track
numbers and track names
from a DAW and
manufacturers will need to add
support for the Console 1 to
make this automatic (until
then you have to manually add
the names). Hopefully this will
be sorted by the time this
review is published, as it’s
quite tedious to do. Henrik
from Softube assured me it’s
relatively simple and is already
done by PreSonus for Studio
One with other DAW
developers expected to follow
shortly.
On my current album
project I have been using the
excellent Steven Slate VCC
plug-in to emulate a slightly
driven Neve console, so it was
perfect to see the Console 1 in
action giving an SSL touch to
a track. Once the Console 1
plug-ins were in place it was
quite a change to the
workflow when using normal
plug-in operation. There is an
auto timer for the Console 1
display but I felt it easier to
leave it open on a second
monitor and work through my
mix, as normal.
Using just the SSL for all
general EQ, gate, and
compressor operations via the
Console 1 felt very good, but
the added Shape function of
the Transient Shaper really
opens up some new thinking
when sculpting your sounds –
it’s so easy to add a little extra
punch or sustain to a note.
Extra harmonic enhancement
via Drive and Character
meant I could add everything
from warmth to extreme fuzz.
I may have SSL emulation
plug-ins already, but the
combination of them via
hardware does bring a real
console-like workflow.
There is a switchable
ability to re-order the Shape,
EQ, and Compressor in case
you need to EQ before
shaping. You can also save
and recall presets for the
three main sections as well as
the complete channel strip,
and if you need something
different to the SSL process,
alternative Softube plug-ins
can be loaded into a section.
For example, I loaded an old
favourite, the Tube Tech PE
1C, for a bass line.
SUMMARY
The only way to really see the
power of the Console 1 is in a
full mix and this is where the
whole concept shines. I think
finally console emulations are
worth the time and trouble to
use; the addition of harmonic
distortion, non-linearities,
crosstalk, etc… does add
something unique to certain
material, but what the
Console 1 adds is a workflow
and sound quality that very
closely resembles mixing on a
traditional console.
Softube’s genius addition of
the Transient Shaper really
does complement the SSL
style of gate/expansion, EQ,
and compression and it was a
pleasure to go through track
by track sculpting the sounds,
finding problem frequencies,
cleaning up with a soft gate,
and adding punch and extra
dynamics with the compressor
and shape controls (adding
extra Drive and Character to
enhance the sound even subtly
was also excellent).
Once the auto track
naming/numbering is fixed
I’d say the Console 1 is the
mixing ITB game changer I
thought it would be.
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW Sign up for your digital AM at www.audiomedia.com
42 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
Softube Console 1
“The only way toreally see the powerof the Console 1 is
in a full mix and thisis where the whole
concept shines.”Alan Branch
INFORMATION
Feature set
• Tightly integrated hardware/software system• Solid State Logic SL 4000 E model included• Use with any major DAW• Parametric equaliser, compressor, gate, transient
shaper, high/low cut filters, and harmonics/distortion• Customise the channel by adding any Softube equaliser
or dynamics plug-in
www.softube.com
THE REVIEWERALAN BRANCHis a freelance engineer/producer and ex-member ofthe On U Sound Crew. His listof credits include Jamiroquai,Beverley Knight, M People,Simply Red, Depeche Mode,Shed 7, Sinead O’Connor,Bjork, and Sade.www.alanbranch.com
Almost a year after it was first announced, ‘the ‘next-generation mixer’ is finally available. Alan Branch finds out if it was worth the wait.
��� NEXT-GENERATION AUDIO MIXER
I HAVE come to rely on
RME over a good period of
time now, and have always
been impressed by its
offerings, so my expectations
are always high when
something from its stable
arrives for me to take a look at.
Over the past few days I
have been making use of a
new unit from RME audio
that on first glance would give
you no indication of the power
and versatility it offers.
The MADIface XT appears
to be a simple, half-rack USB
interface box, but a good look
around the back tells you the
real story (and you don’t have
to look far into the existing
RME range to see where this
development has come from).
The RME HDSPe MADI
card is a PCI Express card
using the Hammerfall DSP
technology and RME’s
TotalMix FX software to
produce an incredibly
powerful MADI audio
distribution set-up. This, of
course, relies on using a
desktop computer to house
and run the system, but RME
has now developed portable
computer interfacing to allow
this powerful routing package
to be truly portable.
FEATURES
The MADIface XT is an
audio interface that provides
196 inputs and 198 outputs
with computer connection
options for PCI Express and
USB 3.0. I will run through
the connections in detail in a
moment, but it is worth
pointing out that RME has
developed the first real USB
3.0 interface here.
The front panel of the
RME MADIface XT has two
Neutrik combination sockets
providing two balanced
analogue inputs, each with
three LEDs to indicate the
presence of phantom power,
audio signal, and audio
clipping (there are
corresponding balanced XLR
analogue outputs on the rear).
There’s also a headphone
amplifier output that can be
used as unbalanced analogue
outputs three and four. The
headphone socket sits beside a
full-colour display with four
function selection buttons and
two rotary encoders with push
button functionality (more on
these later).
It is the rear of the
MADIface XT where things
start to get interesting.
Alongside the two analogue
outputs are word clock BNC
input and output, a mini-DIN
connector for external remote,
and an AES/MIDI D-Sub
connector that delivers
through the supplied breakout
cable via XLR and 5-pin DIN
connections.
Below these are the series of
sockets that will be the reason
the RME MADIface XT will
be of interest to potential users.
There are three sets of MADI
input and output sockets.
Numbers 1 and 2 deliver via
optical MADI ports, and
number 3 via standard MADI
coaxial connector ports.
Each is capable of delivering
64 channels both in and out,
giving a total of 192
bidirectional digital channels.
To be able to achieve this
you need connection to your
computer with significant
bandwidth, so next to the
MADI ports is the USB 3.0
socket (which is USB 2.0
compatible, but significantly
reduces the channel count) and
does not support bus power. As
well as USB 3.0 there is a PCI
Express connection compatible
with Molex E-PCIe cables. It
is also possible to use a PCIe-
to-Thunderbolt converter box
too (not supplied).
IN USE
RME has chosen to focus on
quality of interfacing here.
PCIe and the
bespoke USB 3.0
chipset deliver
the best possible
latency and CPU
loading figures
with the stability
we have come to
expect with the
desktop set-up.
The
MADIface XT
supports sample
rates from
32kHz to 192kHz/24bit, and
eight latency/buffer settings.
These are 0.7, 1.5, 3, 6, 12, 23,
46 and 93ms.
The four function selection
buttons along with the rotary
encoders allow for total
standalone operation without
any need for a host computer.
The colour display is
wonderfully clear and displays
selected functions with a great
deal of detail.
The functions selections
that are available start at the
top with Mic/Gain. Here we
can use the rotary encoders to
adjust and, when pushed, select
the options for the two inputs.
The Meters show the mix
screen where you can adjust
the routing and the mixing
between channels of audio. If
you are connected to a host
computer those routing/mixing
functions will only be available
to you through the connected
computer.
Channel gives you access to
all the inputs and outputs
using rotary encoder 1 for
input, and 2 for output. You
can change settings, low cut,
parametric EQ, compressor/
expander, and auto level.
Finally, setup/reverb allows
for adjustment of a
comprehensive set of
parameters for the in-built
reverb/echo processor.
TOTALMIX FX
The RME MADIface XT
really can be used standalone
with such a great display and
function set, but when
connected to a host computer
and utilising RME’s TotalMix
FX software, you really can get
incredible visual feedback on
the settings and configurations
you have put in place.
With the Matrix view in
TotalMix FX I could easily
create multiple independent
MADI monitoring streams
for the same input source, all
independently controllable. I
created a series of submixes
(you can create up to 99) for
different monitoring purposes,
and I had no issues with
latency in any of the
configurations I tried.
CONCLUSION
The RME MADIface XT is
quite a package. This small
innocent looking box hides
the most comprehensive
MADI routing/mixing system
in a completely portable
solution.
Standalone you can get
everything you need from the
RME MADIface XT, but
combined with the TotalMix
FX software you can quickly
and independently create and
store complex configurations
effortlessly. This is not a cheap
portable MADI routing
system; RME has taken the
route of producing a quality
option, and the MADIface
XT is all the better for it.
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW Sign up for your digital AM at www.audiomedia.com
Simon Tillbrook walks us through RME’s new powerful, yet unassuming audio interface.
44 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
RME MADIface XT��� USB 3.0 AUDIO INTERFACE
“The MADIface XTappears to be a
simple, half-rackUSB interface box,
but a good look around the
back tells you thereal story.”
Simon Tillbrook
INFORMATION
Feature set
• World’s first USB 3.0 audio interface• Powerful MADI routing supporting 196 input and 198
output channels• Two analogue mic/line preamp inputs (XLR/TRS) with
four analogue outputs• TotalMix software offering more in-depth
visual feedbackwww.rme-audio.de
THE REVIEWERSimon Tilbrookis a freelance sound designer/engineer, and trainingdesigner working principallywith US clients on music,movies, and games.
‘IF IT’S too loud, you’re too
old’ – I think I first saw this
rock and roll wisdom
attributed to Ted Nugent.
And with the passing of the
years it now seems Ted was
exactly wrong (and in so
many ways). It turns out if it’s
too quiet when you’re old,
that’s because you listened too
loud when you were young
(life is nothing if not ironic).
Safe but useful levels it
turns out are a particular
problem for headphone
listening. Now I’m not saying
back in Ted’s day that radio
DJs wore (and indeed
demanded) Pioneer eight-
ohm headphones driven by
50W PA amps. (Well, actually
I am saying that). And that
was neither safe nor useful. If
the cans slipped a millimetre
your show was going to howl
round magnificently.
CHASING SAFETY
One approach is to fit all
headphones with limiters. This
makes everything safe but it
isn’t as useful as it might be.
Why? Because it ignores the
time dimension of loudness.
Safe listening levels integrate
loudness over a period of time,
which means you can safely
increase your listening volume
provided you shorten the
exposure. This flexibility isn’t
available with the simple
catchall level limiter. I’m sure
Glensound has done quite a
lot of work on this problem in
the past, but now another UK
company, LimitEar, has a
solution that is available for a
range of manufacturer’s
products. For professional
users this is the HDM Pro.
I tested some Sennheiser
HD 25s fitted with the HDM
Pro ‘Hearing Dose
Management’ system. The
system is the brainchild of
LimitEar and I guess in theory
can be added to any of
Sennheiser’s headphones as it
is contained in the lead. The
clever stuff is packed into a
lightweight plastic lozenge
about the size of a standard
USB stick. I took the cans out
on a long day’s shoot and was
not bothered by the weight
and had no real issues with
cable flexibility or the device
catching on bags, straps, and
cables.
There’s a multi-layer
challenge when producing a
system like this. Will the
product still do the job of
professional headphones?
How transparent will it be in
use? What about charging and
usage times and how will it fit
into your workflow?
IN USE
One of the main questions is
what is the HDM Pro actually
doing? Well, in the same way
that we have been growing
increasingly used to metering
loudness levels using time-
based averaging the LimitEar
product is working on average
levels calculated from the signal
we stuff up our headphone
leads. The sums are done on a
24-hour rolling average basis.
In action the technology
works on three levels. First, all
peaks are limited to 118dB
(sorry Ted) then audio levels
above 100dB but below
118dB are managed down to
100dB and your daily (24
hours) dose is controlled to
comply with the 2005 Noise
at Work Regulations.
How do they sound? Well
that’s a tricky question to
answer in any sort of
meaningful A/B test. I
certainly didn’t notice any
obvious artefacts or gain
limiting effects. I have a pair
of ordinary 60-ohm HD 25s
(the HDMs are 70 ohm) and
using a multiple output Sound
Devices HX-3 headphone
amp and a Castle sound level
meter did my best to match
levels. Feeding the system
from a Marenius DAC-S2
and swapping cans over I
wasn’t confident I could pick
out which was which at
ordinary listening levels. The
HDM system introduces a
3dB insertion loss and once
the system starts working at
higher sound levels then level
matching becomes a moot
point.
As we all know you get
nothing for nothing and
indeed the LimitEar
technology uses active
electronics that require
powering. The system is
rechargeable from a standard
micro USB charger or PC
USB port and a full charge
should run the headphones for
seven days with the LEDs
warning you when you run
down to one day’s charge.
When the battery is exhausted
the system applies a 14dB pad
and waits for you to charge it.
Displays of any sort would
presumably eat too many
electrons so the LimitEar
system makes do with flashing
LEDs – one green and one red.
Working out what the levels are
and what the circuitry is doing
is a matter of decoding flashes
spaced by different amounts
and in different ratios. Being a
simple man I found I had to
constantly refer to the operating
guide and this is probably the
weakest point of the system.
The system is clever but it
does help to engage your brain.
Using the indicators you should
be able to set the right levels for
the duration of your listening
session. And you should take
steps to bank your loudness –
unplug your cans for 20
minutes while playing the
extended 12in version of
Bohemian Rhapsody. Why? So
you will have saved up some
audio exposure brownie points.
So when you play the 13in
extended version of Ace ofSpades you can turn it up to 11.
CONCLUSION
Hearing damage is a serious
issue and I’m willing to bet
virtually every one of us knows
someone who has had their
hearing damaged in a business
where almost inevitably we are
exposed to high audio levels
over extended periods. Besides
the legal and financial issues of
getting sued none of us wants
a future with significant
hearing loss. Yes, if you buy
into the HDM Pro solution
you need to manage the
charging issue, and yes you
need to decode the flashing
LEDs and act accordingly but
that’s a small price to pay
against your future hearing.
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW Sign up for your digital AM at www.audiomedia.com
46 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
Sennheiser HDM Pro HD 25
INFORMATION
Feature set
• Analogue signal path to ensure high-quality audio• Instantaneous clipping of extreme impulse signals • Rapid management of signals using Rapid
Overload Response• Long-term hearing dose management based on
24-hour assessment• LED indication of monitoring activity, high dose,
and battery levelen-uk.sennheiser.com
THE REVIEWERALISTAIR McGHEE began audio life in Hi-Fi before joining theBBC as an audio engineer. After 10 years in radio and TV, hemoved to production. Most recently, Alistair was assistant editor,BBC Radio Wales and has been helping the UN with broadcastoperations in Juba.
Can Sennheiser’s new collaboration with LimitEar really provide a safer headphonesolution while maintaining sound quality? Alistair McGhee finds out.
“In the same way that wehave been growing
increasingly used to meteringloudness levels using time-
based averaging the LimitEarproduct is working on
average levels calculatedfrom the signal we stuff up
our headphone leads.”Alistair McGhee
UPON REVIEW back in
2011, I found Neumann’s KH
120 monitors to be effective,
well designed, and pricey.
Having recently spent months
getting to know the KH 310
A three-way, tri-amplified
monitor, I must say I feel the
same way about them – along
with the increased
performance expectations that
naturally accompany a pair of
£3,000+ near/mid-field studio
monitors.
FEATURES
The KH 310 A packs a lot of
features into a relatively small
footprint (for a three-way
speaker). Drivers include a
7.25in woofer, a 3.5in dome
mid range and a 1in soft
dome tweeter. The enclosure
is not ported – it is an
acoustic reflex design – and
includes both rear and side
panel mounting brackets.
This, along with the absence
of a rear port, makes the
speaker a fine choice for
broadcast truck control rooms
and other tight spaces, and
Neumann offers a number of
mounting brackets and plates.
The controls on the KH
310 A include three bands of
EQ control (stepped low cut,
low-mid cut, and high-end
boost or cut); an input
sensitivity control; four
output levels; and a display
brightness control for the
illuminated Neumann logo
(this LED also flashes red for
protection indication and
lights solid red for the over-
temp attenuated output
condition).
The KH 310 A can reach
output levels of 113dB short
term (99dB long term,
average) via three Class A/B
power amps with 150W to
the woofer, 70W to the mid
range, and 70W to the
tweeter. Crossover points are
at 650Hz and 2kHz, each
fourth order
with a steep
24dB/octave.
Thermo
limiters are
present for all
three drivers
along with
woofer soft clip
and excursion
limiter and an
infrasonic
15Hz HPF.
IN USE
Initially
mounted along
my crowded
meter bridge, I
began utilising
the KH 310 A
pair and
enjoyed them
immediately.
Positioned only 3.5ft apart, I
found them quite useful for
dialogue/vocal editing as I sat
very close them. It quickly
became clear to me that the
KH 310 A has extremely
effective crossovers: virtually
undetectable, with seamless
transitions between all the
drivers. Used without a
subwoofer, I was pleasantly
surprised by the KH 310 A’s
bass response smoothness. It
reproduced lows quite
faithfully and as low as they
could, with nary a chubby
peak or hollow valley.
Upon inviting four audio
friends over to aid in
evaluation, we removed items
from my meter bridge, giving
the pair room to breathe, and
placed them on Primacoustic
Recoil Stabilizers too. With
my comparable Blue Sky
SAT8 monitors (three-way
speakers with the same driver
configuration) and video
monitor removed, the KH
310 A pair opened up to
reveal a sonic nirvana. It is
not hype to say that these
monitors sound fantastic. The
sealed cab design provides
tight, punchy, well-damped
and accurate bass; midrange
frequencies are translated in
incredible detail and with
uncolored, life-like clarity in
vocals, instruments, and even
percussion; and high
frequencies are detailed, crisp
without crispiness, and bright
without harshness.
In listening, we bounced
between folk, pop, EDM, and
nu-metal; the KH 310 A pair
delivered consistently in each
and every genre. Even as I
connected my sub to the KH
310 A pair, they exceeded my
expectations. They actually
‘melded’ with my powered
Blue Sky sub very nicely, with
increased extension, if at the
expense of accuracy.
SUMMARY
Short of monitors I’d
normally only find in a
world-class mastering room,
this KH 310 A pair is the
sweetest I’ve heard to date. I
can say that I absolutely love
them.
One of my colleagues said
they are slightly forward with
high-mids. He may be right,
though if he is, it’s the only
criticism I can imagine –
other than the hefty
£3,000+/pair price.
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW Sign up for your digital AM at www.audiomedia.com
Rob Tavaglione investigates whether Neumann’s typical high quality translates from the beginning to the end of the signal chain.
48 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
Neumann KH 310 A ��� ACTIVE STUDIO MONITOR
“It is not hype to saythat these monitors
sound fantastic.” Rob Tavaglione
THE REVIEWERRob Tavaglione has owned and operated Catalyst Recording in Charlotte, North Carolina since 1995. An early adopter of the projectstudio concept, Rob has recorded nearly 600 music projectssince Catalyst’s inception. Rob has also dabbled in nearly allforms of pro audio work including mixing live and taped TVbroadcasts (winning two regional Emmy Awards); mixingconcert and club sound; mixing and music supervising for indiefilms; mixing webinars and webcasts; mixing live sports; andcomposing and scoring for film/TV and various artists.www.catalystrecording.com.
INFORMATION
Feature set
• Compact sealed three-way cabinet design• Powerful analogue Class A/B amplifiers with
large headroom• Independent thermo limiters for woofer, midrange
dome, and tweeter to protect the voice coils• Four-position bass, low-mid, and treble
acoustical controls• Elliptical Mathematically Modeled Dispersion (MMD)
waveguide, with wide horizontal and narrow vertical dispersion
www.neumann.com
INTERVIEW Sign up for your digital AM at www.audiomedia.com
50 April 2014 www.audiomedia.com
Finding Your Wings
Jory MacKay sits down with Red Bull Studios London's headengineer Brendon Harding to talkgear, fostering up-and-comingartists, and working for aninternational energy drinkmanufacturer-cum-lifestyle brand.
RED BULL studio managerand head engineer BrendonHarding is a bit of an anomalyin the world of recordingstudios. Starting his path intothe industry during secondaryschool by working on the firstversions of Cubase (“when itwas in black and white”, henotes) he moved onto SAE inLondon before joining SohoRecording Studios as anassistant. Two years later hewas referred to acclaimedEnglish record producerAdrian Sherwood, who heworked with for three years onprojects ranging from LeeScratch Perry to PrimalScream. Another chancemeeting brought him to theattention of Red Bull’s studiobuilder Erik Breuer, and in2010 he took up his post ashead engineer at the brand’sstudio in London Bridge.
It’s rare to hear of such astraightforward path into themusic industry.Yes, I like to think that I’veworked hard enough to makemy own luck so that I’ve been in the right place at theright time for those links tohave happened.
Red Bull Studios definitelytakes a different approach tohow a recording studio shouldoperate. Can you tell me a bit
about the ethos of the space?For starters we are not acommercial studio. We don’tcharge for the studio, we neverhave and it’s not somethingwe’re even entertaining. We’vebeen able to make sessionshappen that wouldn’t havehappened anywhere else andwe’re just really pleased to beable to be positioned with thenetworks we have. People cansay ‘I want to do this projectwith this person, can we do itat your studio?’ and by andlarge we can say yes.
So what kind of people are youworking with in the studio?People use the studio indifferent ways. We do a lot ofpodcasts and voice-oversessions all the way up to thefull album projects withGhostpoet and Jessie [Ware]and artists like that. So it’squite a versatile space andwhat happens in the studio ona daily basis changes greatly. That’s part of the reason
why we wanted to expand andcreate Studio B and the Artistin Residence room. Studiosthese days are quite isolated –it’s a producer in a room thatcould be completely apart fromeverything else that’s going on.Back in the day you wouldhave four, five, six studios in acomplex and you’d get thosegreat little moments where a
producer would come out of aroom and get talking to a bandand they’d go off and maketheir next album together. Wewanted to create the kind ofenvironment where you getthose happy little accidents.
What’s the biggest projectyou’ve worked on in the studiosince you started?I suppose the biggest projectthat we’ve done is JessieWare’s first album. She hadtwo weeks in the studio, whichfor us was relatively unheardof as we’d been doing onlyone-, two-, or three-daysessions. For me, I was so usedto dealing with a new set ofpeople each and every day,that it was quite refreshingand slightly odd to see thesame two faces [ Jessie andproducer Dave Okumu] fortwo weeks. We got this reallygreat bond working together.
What was your set-up likeworking with Jessie?The set-up was pretty simple,actually. We used a Flea 47,which I love. Straight away itsounds great, which is always agood place to start. She thengoes through a Neve 1073 andthen an 1176. There’s no greatfeat of rocket science in whatwe’re doing – you take a greatsinger and a great mic, a greatpre and a great compressor – if
you can’t get a great sound outof that then the engineer isdoing something wrong atthat point. For me, a lot of thetime when you have a greatsource it’s about not fucking itup rather than having to becreative and turn nothing into something.
What about the rest of thestudio? What sort of kit areyou working with?The core of the studio is thedesk. We’ve got a 1993 SSL Gseries, 48 channels. We got itfrom a place called StudioDelphine in Paris. It was 56mono + 8 stereo originally sowe had to chop it downlargely just to fit it in theroom. I don’t think we wouldhave been able to fit anypeople in there if we got thewhole desk in. Everything elseis set up so we can coverpretty much all genres andstyles of music. There’s abackline that’s quite versatileand flexible and we’ve also gotsynths and toys: a NovationBass Station 2, Jupiter 80,some old Rolands like an SH-3a and an RS-202. Outboard-wise we’re set up
more as a tracking and writingfacility rather than a mixspace. Although we’ve got theSSL, we haven’t got a greatdeal in terms of external EQsand processing. I’ve got an
1176, an LA2A, a Distressor,and a DBX 160X. But fourcompressors doesn’t get youvery far in modernproductions – four monocompressors at that. Most ofeverything else we’ve got isexternal pres. When westarted we had a differentdesk – a DDA AMR 24. Thepres were nice, it was justabout having some externaloptions available. So we’ve gota 1073 and a 1066 in aVintage King rackmount, aFocusrite ISA828 eight-channel, four API 512c’s, threeGreat River MP-500NV, apair of Chandler TG2s, a two-channel tubetech MP1A. Sothere’s a lot more on the frontend then on the mix process. We run Pro Tools, Logic,
Ableton, and Reason – we like to think most bases are covered.
Lastly, what’s the best part ofworking with a company likeRed Bull?As a company we like to try tohelp people from thebeginning. Jessie’s the bestpoint for that. She hadn’treally released anything on herown before she came in here.She’d done some features with SBTRKT and Jokers, but this is where she became asolo artist. www.redbullstudios.com