Audio Media International Issue 6

 ISE 2023 REPORT 10 BEST LAUNCHES

 OUTSIDE THE BOX GOING BACK TO BASICS?

 SSL 12 A NEW STANDARD?

BREAKING DOWN

BARRIERS

AES President-Elect Leslie Gaston-Bird talks about building a more inclusive audio industry

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4 EDITOR’S LETTER

We discuss industry change

6 FRONT ROW

London’s Brixton Academy closes amid investigation

8 COVER FEATURE

Leslie Gaston-Bird on her industry learnings and future hopes

16 FE ATURE: MARTIN AUDIO

Wavefront Precision in the spotlight for 2023

18 FE ATURE: APPLE HOMEPOD

Does it help evolve spatial audio and what’s next for Apple?

22 INTERVIEW: FLARE AUDIO

The company talks about it’s unqiue IEM tech

24 INTERVIEW: CHARLIE CUNNINGHAM

Our latest artist interview

26 SHOW REPORT: ISE

We pick our ten best launches

30 FE ATURE: AMS NEVE

AMS Neve discuss the role of a console in workflow

34 FE ATURE: OUT OF THE BOX

Making music the old-fashioned way - we look at the benefits

38 GE AR REVIEWS

SSL12 and Apple Homepod under the test spotlight

Contributor spotlight

ANDY PRICE

Andy has Bylines for Guitar, NME and Uncut. He writes our Out Of The Box feature on p34.

SARAH JONES

Indsutry legend Sarah pens our excluisve cover feature on P8.

DAVID PHELAN

The Independent and Monocle writer takes a close look at the new Apple Homepod on p40.

Creating change

There have been many groups, events and campaigns to highlight the need for diversity in our industry. Some have been corporate efforts which don’t ring true while others have been great, grass roots ideas that start a conversation or, at the very least, cause people to stop and consider their work, business or brand in a new context. All have led us into 2023 with less of the corporate agendas seeking to position a brand as modern. Still, it’s clear that multiple voices and campaigns are hard to hear in the wider industry and two moments are key in changing this. First is the Abbey Road EQualise event (running since 2019) which invites open discussion among guests and second, our cover star Leslie Gaston-Bird speaking out as AES President-Elect means the industry is forced to consider the difficult questions but also given a wider context to understand the challenges first hand. It’s easy to forget that it’s just just two years since Gearslutz decided to change its name after a petition. A walk around countless studios, live venues and conventions show there is still much the industry needs to do too. And the industry media is part of that too which is why we’re always looking for balance in each issue. We’d love to hear your thoughts, opinions and ideas around how we can help the cause. This is a movement, not a passion project, after all. On that note, you can check out our free back issues online to see how we’ve done so far.

THANKS

Lexie at HHB, Elly at AMS NEVE, Jack at TYX. Merck, Fran and Nile Rodgers. GOT

greg@audiomediainternational.com

AMI HQ Audio Media International Unit 23, Tileyard Studios, Tileyard Road, King’s Cross London N7 9AH, UK

Richard Melville richard@audiomediainternational.com

All contents © 2023 Audio Media International Ltd or published under license. All rights resrved. No part of this publication may be used, stored, reproduced or published in print, online or via social media without permission of the publisher. All information correct at time of press. AMI cannot accept responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in the infomation provided.

“Leslie Gaston-Bird speaking out means the industry is forced to consider the difficult questions”

The return of Weekends with Adele: behind the scenes in Vegas

L-Acoustics help Adele on take 2 of her infamous 4,000 seat Vegas residency

“Adele is very aware of the importance of sound quality—it’s always been a high priority on her earlier tours,” says Johnny Keirle, the production’s system engineer, who began touring with Adele in 2016 and has also worked on past tours with Billie Eilish and P!NK in similar roles. “We began the conversation about using L-ISA early on with Adele and her management team.” Although there had been some initial caution on the subject of budget, he recalls, a demo of the system in London followed by further discussions with production manager Paul English very quickly led to a decision that the immersive environment that L-ISA brings would add a valuable and unparalleled sense of intimacy to her performances. “With tight load in and out times

of only 72 hours, this production is quite literally a 40-truck stadium show being staged in a remarkably intimate 4,100-capacity theatre each weekend,” says Paul English. “But the size of the room is only part of the equation. L-ISA gives us the best quality sound for this show and perfectly helps foster Adele’s personal connection with her audiences.” Keirle and FOH engineer Dave Bracey quickly established a workflow for themselves. Keirle created a combination of automated and manual movements for each song in the processors, while Bracey concentrated on perfecting the mix of the vocals, band, and orchestra. “Johnny and I collaborate through L-ISA in a very unique way—it’s not the typical relationship between a front-of-house and system engineer, and he’s

not doing a typical system engineering role,” Bracey explains. “He has creative input into the show’s sound. We discussed how we should approach every song in the set, and he created a series of automated and manual snapshots that fit the song and the production. He takes my mix and places it into the Scene, creating an immersive template that I’m mixing into. It’s a very new way to approach a live music mix, and it’s thrilling.” In terms of philosophy, Keirle and Bracey follow Adele’s dynamic cues, generally starting songs quietly—often with just a solo piano and voice—keeping the immersive soundstage relatively tapered and focused center stage. The soundscape then widens and deepens as additional musicians and sounds are introduced and revealed.

ISE 2023 delivers record visitor numbers

ISE 2023 delivered in style for the global AV and systems integration industry and the city of Barcelona (31 January-3 February 2023). Returning to its normal Jan/Feb timeslot in the AV calendar, ISE 2023 had 58,107 unique attendees from 155 countries, alongside record-breaking occupation in the city’s hotels, bars and entertainment venues, and with exhibitors reporting unparalleled footfall on booths across the largest ever ISE show floor.

Mike Blackman, Managing Director of Integrated Systems Events, commented:

“It’s been an extraordinary week and it’s hugely gratifying for us to look back and realise we’ve delivered an exceptional show for our industry and the wonderful city of Barcelona. We’ve had unprecedented visitor levels to the show, so much inspiring content and features on display, and ground-breaking visits from the King of Spain on Tuesday and the President of Catalonia on Thursday to add both a royal and a political seal of approval to the show. This week at ISE 2023 confirms that we can safely say the global AV and systems integration industry is back with an impressive bang!”

BAFTA best sound win for All Quiet on The Western Front

Lars Ginzel,

won the BAFTA award for Best Sound for All Quiet on The Western Front. Rival nominations included Elvis, Avatar: The Way of Water, TAR and Top Gun: Maverick. Ginzel is known for his work on the Matrix: Resurrections while Prášil has worked on Havel and The Noonday Witch. Kruse has worked on Rush and Cloud Atlas alongside Stemler. The award followed 6 other awards for the film including Best Film, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director, Best film not in the English Language, Best Cinematography and Best Original Score. “Best Director is the one I never thought would work. It’s a German movie, for Christ’s sake!” said Director Edward Berger.

all the latest tech, trends and breaking industry news visit:

“We’ve had unprecedented visitor levels to the show”

Frank Kruse, Viktor Prášil and Markus Stemler

DOWN

BREAKING BARRIERS

AES President-Elect Leslie Gaston-Bird is on a mission to build a more inclusive audio industry.

By Sarah Jones.

Innovation comes in many forms, whether it’s a technological idea, a social movement, or a new way of thinking. Leslie Gaston-Bird’s innovative spirit encompasses all of these things. A classically trained pianist, she has amassed more than 30 years of experience working as an audio engineer, educator, and a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the recording industry. During her distinguished engineering career, she has worked for National Public Radio, Colorado Public Radio, and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra; and she has been a tenured Associate Professor of Recording Arts at the University of Colorado Denver. She also works as a re-recording mixer and editor under the banner of her company, Mix Messiah Productions, with dozens of film credits to her name. (She most recently accepted a post at City, University of London.)

As a leader in the field, Gaston-Bird is intent on elevating under-represented voices and fostering a more inclusive audio

industry. In 2023, she’s poised to make an even bigger impact as the President-Elect of the Audio Engineering Society.

We caught up with Gaston-Bird in Brighton, where she’s pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Surrey, to get her perspectives on diversity in audio, evolving industry mindsets, and the imprint she aims to make as an educator and advocate.

AMI: In 2018, you left a very established engineering career—and a tenured academic position—in Denver and moved to England. What sparked the transition?

Leslie Gaston-Bird: There were a lot of personal and professional reasons, but it felt like time for a change. So I sought out a PhD at the University of Surrey. My dissertation is called Immersive and Inclusive.

Throughout my academic career, my research interest was multichannel audio, immersive audio. We did work in planetariums, among other places. I taught a surround sound class, and went to a lot of AES conferences, and I was either the only woman or the only person of color, or both, or one of only a few. There were never a lot of women that I could

see and I always wondered why that is. So my dissertation is exactly that: Where are we and why aren’t we in these spaces? Is it about access? Is it about the typical barriers to entry, which include microaggressions and, let’s be honest, discrimination?

Around the time I started the dissertation was when George Floyd’s murder and the growing fights for social justice were beginning, and the audio industry was one of many industries making these bold statements, such as, “We stand for racial equality.” They acknowledged that there’s a lack of equality and that they are interested in changing that.

Right now my work involves looking at the concerns of under-represented groups in immersive audio: how they are processing those concerns. I’m finding some very interesting data.

AMI: Your dissertation has evolved into a mentoring program that feeds a pipeline of skilled audio engineers from under-represented groups. Is the hope to keep the program going long-term?

Oh yeah, we’re here to stay. The inflection point for me right now is scaling up. So I’m constantly talking

to audio manufacturers, software developers, people who are in the immersive audio space.

AMI: Congratulations on being elected AES President-Elect. What does that role look like?

It’s like being the batter “on deck.” My official title at this moment is President-Elect, and then ahead of me is the President, Bruce Olson; our Past-President is Joshua Reiss. The AES implemented this structure so that there’s continuation of leadership—somebody who’s learning, somebody who’s in charge, so to speak, and somebody who can advise.

Organizations in general are changing. The way companies are working, what members want from us, the way education is changing, the rapid pace with which technology is being developed and adapted and adopted. The Audio Engineering Society wants to continue to be the hub for all that, keeping that strong and vibrant so that people are benefiting from it. So the audio industry as a whole benefits from it. That’s how I see my role. I don’t think the AES President necessarily makes edicts and orders. I serve at the pleasure of the members who elected me.

“Where are we and why aren’t we in these spaces? Is it about access? Is it about the typical barriers to entry and, let’s be honest, discrimination?

AMI: You launched an AES Diversity and Inclusion Committee, along with mastering engineer Piper Payne. How does advocating for under-represented groups look today versus 25 years ago?

Some of the challenges are easier because before 2020, you felt alone if you wanted to call the industry out for racism and discrimination. And before 2016, we weren’t talking about #MeToo. I think the visibility is better. I think people’s intentions are better. But there’s a lot of reinventing the wheel going on. You get pushback; some people don’t believe that data drives change. Some people don’t believe they’re doing anything wrong. I think there’s also a tension between feminists and advocates for racial justice in

this space because things aren’t moving fast enough, and then it becomes the fault of the people who are doing the work: You’re not outspoken enough or you’re not ambitious enough, or you’re not pushing enough. I started the AES Diversity and Inclusion Committee in 2016, but I stepped down in 2020 just because the burnout factor and “minority tax” is so high.

As AES President-Elect, I will be trying to tackle it in a different way. The things that are working include proven, data-driven strategies; and the buy-in, acceptance of, and endorsement from the people at the very top, saying, “This is our initiative.”

AMI: What was it like researching your book, Women In Audio? You profile 100 pioneering engineers and artists?

It was a transformative experience, because when I started the book, I thought I was going to do a research paper. You do some research and then you publish the results and you’re done.

But there was this one woman, Joan Lowe. She had engineered the first feminist album in the ‘70s. I found her, and we talked. She emailed me her story because she said she was in her 90s and her hearing wasn’t that great. A couple months later, one of her friends contacted me and told me she had passed away. He offered to send me all these pictures, and it occurred to me she doesn’t have any descendants. These pictures would have been destroyed.

That’s when it hit me: This is not a research paper. This is capturing women who’ve been kind of erased from our history. There are definitely enough stories out there for a sequel to the book. Writing the book changed my life.

“That’s when it hit me: This is not a research paper. This is capturing women who’ve been kind of erased from our history.”

AMI: With all of these academic projects, you still find time to work as re-recording mixer and sound designer?

Yes, it’s nuts. I am very proud of a recent documentary I did with Michelle Carpenter at University of Colorado Denver. It’s called Awadagin Pratt: Black in America. It is on the festival circuit now. It’s going to air on PBS this month for Black History Month, and it won Best Sound at the American Golden Picture International Film Festival.

Awadagin gave a performance at the University of Colorado Denver. He’s a wonderful pianist. He’s played at the White House and had Banff Center residencies. In the documentary, he talks about his career, his experience as a Black man in America, getting racially profiled and about getting arrested.

Laura Cornes helped me do some of the dialogue editing. We did it in 5.1. Scott Burgess and his team recorded with the Sennheiser Ambeo mic and presented me ambisonic tracks for the recital, which I then decoded to 5.1 and mixed for the documentary.

AMI: You work on a lot of documentaries and indie feature films. There are quite a few horror films in the mix, is that a coincidence?

Well, I just completed an animated children’s educational series called Messy Goes To OKIDO. I did a feature-length film with David Liban of Tiny Fist films called Publish or Perish. I did a podcast with Futuro Media, Maria Osa’s company. But about this horror film thing, I’ve never liked scary movies. I have zombie nightmares and I hate them!

AMI: When it comes to sound serving the story, would you make a distinction between documentary work and fictional narratives?

It’s the director who makes that determination and I try to help them get there. There are all sorts of dynamics. Doing a cartoon like Messy Goes to OKIDO, you’re thinking about hitting your target loudness, but you’re also thinking about propelling the story. What is the funny thing that just happened? Let’s

draw attention to it, so everybody gets the joke. You want to sell each joke in each gag while being sure the kids are still understanding how clouds work, for example.

With the documentary, it’s the dialogue that is important. For example, director William Friedkin talking about making The Exorcist in the documentary Leap of Faith: I want to hear his story. There are only one or two times during that documentary where he specifically talked about how sound drove the picture, so we had the sound there to illustrate what he was saying.

The challenge with feature films is keeping the sound consistent from the start to the beginning. By the time you’re at 45 minutes to an hour-twenty in, you’ve got to remember what happened at the beginning of the movie, and all the tension that’s building and dropping, and you still have to deliver the soundtrack so that it sounds consistent from beginning to end. I know some sound editor out there is saying, “But what about dynamics?” Yes, dynamics are important to the arc of the story. But the challenge is keeping making sure that you’re keeping the thread through the whole thing.

AMI: Particularly with indie work, is it a hard sell to get a director or producer to commit to an immersive soundtrack?

There are challenges, definitely. On one film, I said, “So you want this mixed in 5.1?” The director/producer said, “No, stereo. Definitely stereo. Then the day after we finish the mix he asked, “Can you do a 5.1 mix?” Of course, “Yes,” was my answer, but…! There was a podcast that I did where I said, “I have all these

ideas about how we can make this immersive; how about some sound gathering?” And the line producer came in and said, “We’re not doing that. It’s ‘get in, get out,’ and that’s what we’re doing.”

But there are sometimes technical reasons why you might not want to start with immersive. There was a project I worked on where the engineers said, “we have always had problems with 5.1 downmixes. So we upmix them from 2.0 because it sounds better.” Surround was the intention, but it wasn’t the primary workflow.

AMI: Will this change as audiences get more comfortable with the idea of immersive sound?

You have to hear it. If people aren’t hearing it, they don’t care. You’ve got your earbuds, you’re maybe hearing spatial audio, maybe not. I don’t know how we’re going to fix that.

We’ve been trying to do this since we had Dolby Pro Logic on videotape. I went out and bought surround speakers in the ’90s, and I enjoyed that, then I got my aunt and sister surround sound systems. If I could go to every single member of my family and hook them up with a surround system, I would … now, I just have to do that six billion more times!

“There was a project I worked on where the engineers said, “we have always have problems with 5.1 downmixes. So we upmix them from 2.0” ”

IS 2023 THE YEAR OF WAVEFRONT PRECISION?

If you’ve been to a large festival this year, it’s very likely that you’ll have experienced Martin Audio’s Wavefront Precision line array speakers in action. Delivering fine-tuned frequency response and managing SPL across the largest of venues and spaces, Martin Audio’s WPL series serviced the likes of Glastonbury, British Summer Time and All Points East, as well as a whole host of large-scale global events. As we’ve previously explored, the range’s resolution can be tailored in tandem with Martin Audio’s proprietary DISPLAY 2 software to ensure consistent audio for audience members wherever they may be situated, un-coloured by the acoustics of the venue or space. The customisable Hard Avoid function provides the means to reduce levels in problem areas by up to 30dB – meaning that certain locations have restricted volume. Importantly, it means that packed-out concerts in public parks suffer barely any overspill that might pollute the surrounding area. This state-of-the-art fusion of hardware and software has taken the industry by storm, with plaudits from across the live audio media.

Understandable then, that a multitude of globe-spanning live sound specialists have sought to partner with Martin Audio over the last twelve months, allowing them to rig concerts, festivals and events with this incredible adaptive technology.

“The WPM fits perfectly into our portfolio due to its flexibility”, said the managing director of the Germany-based EBV Veranstaltungstechnik. “The optimisation options make the system feel at home anywhere—whether in a rock concert or as a speech reinforcement system.” EBV’s choice to work with Martin Audio’s Wavefront Precision range has been mirrored by the likes of India’s PXL Media, the Czech Republic and Slovakia’s AudiologicPro, DSL in the Netherlands, and many others across the world.

In the UK, among Martin Audio’s growing stable of rental partners, the recently-formed 22live are particularly noteworthy. Based in Redditch, Worcestershire, the experienced group of live sound and pro-audio experts have recently embarked on providing tailored live sound set-ups for their touring hire clients. We spoke to a representative from 22live to find out more about why the team had opted to partner with Martin Audio, and harness the venue-adapting abilities of WPL (alongside Martin Audio’s TORUS line of constant curvature array cabinets) to rig the venue-filling tours of Sigur Ros, and The Australian Pink Floyd Show UK. “It was the 22live team’s belief that the Martin Audio MLA had largely been a successful product.” They tell us, “It was one of the first systems in the marketplace to really use what Martin

With the exemplary Wavefront Precision series becoming a firm fixture at some of the world’s biggest festivals and concerts, we wonder whether a recent explosion in rental partners indicates that Martin Audio’s signature line arrays have set a new benchmark in live sound.

Audio describe as ‘optimisation technology’, and they deployed it successfully in a package that became an acceptable and requested solution to many. It was our understanding that the Wavefront Precision series took the best qualities of the MLA and put it into a practical package that could work for our applications.”

With the pandemic restricting Wavefront Precision’s use in the field prior to the re-opening of events in 2022, there were a few nerves ahead of its use at the UK’s flagship live experience – Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage. As the team told us, “We had heard many good reports already about the performance of the system in the live environment. The pandemic had only delayed the system getting out there, mainly due to the lack of the major events it was likely to be used on, so this wasn’t a concern to us. We knew the system was going to be deployed to the Pyramid Stage in the summer of 2022. This was an

important event for WPL, as it really was the first major opportunity for a large number of engineers to experience it. Although 22live had already committed to the system prior to the event, there was a degree of nerves that all would go well at this landmark showing, as it was important for the future success and reputation of Wavefront Precision. 22live were very pleased to hear again only good reports about the experience of engineers using the WPL system at Glastonbury.”

FRONT AND CENTRE

Prior to WPL’s triumphant showing at Glastonbury, the 22live team had already heard the system in action at the High Wycombe HQ of Martin Audio’s parent company, Focusrite. 22live’s Hire Director Paul Timmins was central in making the call to become part of the Martin Audio Wavefront Precision network, “Obviously a demo can never fully validate a purchasing decision but it did demonstrate to 22live that the system could perform well.” The team tell us, “An important element to us was also the fact that Martin Audio’s parent company Focusrite Group PLC had also recently acquired their amplifier supplier Linea Research.” This significant move confirmed that investment in R&D would only enhance and refine the range over time. This was enough to make 22live commit to work with Martin Audio. As Paul Timmins stated on 22live’s official news release “For me this was a massive boost in my confidence with regard to both Focusrite and Martin Audio. Here was a company empowering its leadership team to really run the business while at the same time investing real money in providing it all the tools it needed to compete in the big leagues of loudspeaker manufacturing. We saw bringing the amplifier manufacturer in-house as really providing Martin Audio

the tools it needed to become more successful”

With Wavefront Precision in place, 22live have begun to roll out Martin Audio’s signature tech, and deliver scalable audio in tandem with a rig of live sound mainstays. “We officially launched 22live in January 2022. We are a second generation pro-audio service provider initially focussed on providing tailored touring

packages to the production industry, and also developing sales opportunities alongside this.” Explains the team, “We are now stocking all Martin Audio Wavefront Precision products, as well as innovative infrastructure and packaging, DiGiCo, SSL and AVID consoles as well as Shure and Sennheiser wireless systems.”

We ask the 22live team if they think that 2023 will see the WPL series gain widespread use and improve Martin Audio’s stature as a premiere provider of line array speakers, “We certainly hope so, and we’ll be working hard to continue the ongoing development and success of the Wavefront Precision range. Since joining the new Martin Audio Wavefront Precision network we are already seeing a lot of traction for the product, and a lot of like minded companies are getting behind it. If the system can continue to impress engineers with what it can deliver then we are confident its popularity will increase as more people discover that it can compete with the best of them.”

“We knew the system was going to be deployed to the Pyramid Stage in the summer of 2022. This was an important event for WPL”

Images courtesy of Apple

THE SMART SPEAKER AND SPATIAL AUDIO REBOOT WITH THE APPLE HOMEPOD

ey Siri, impress me with some spatial audio…”

With its second generation Homepod smart speaker, Apple hopes to seduce music lovers already sold on the convenience of voice control, with the immersive allure of spatial audio and higher-fidelity.

Smart speakers may have sold in their millions, but this particular combination has been difficult to crack.

Outside of the Echo Studio from Amazon, well regarded because it touts a trio of 51mm mid-range drivers (one of which is up-firing), a downward-firing 5.25-inch bass woofer and 25mm tweeter, smart speakers are largely cheap and monophonic.

Those that want to enjoy spatial audio, will probably listen with headphones, taking their chosen Dolby Atmos streams as a binaural render. It would be nice to think consumers are lining up to buy the HomePod Mk 2. The smart speaker market could do with a fillip.

According to the analysts at Futuresource, the sector is currently in the doldrums, as ownership levels in the Western world, and China, reached saturation. Back in 2021 Bloomberg reported that Amazon had concluded that the market for smart speakers had already ‘passed its growth phase.’

Analysts estimate that around 104 million smart speakers and displays shipped last year, with the market expected to decline slightly to 103m in 2023. The category appears to be at something of a crossroads, says Guy Hammett, Senior Market Analyst Futuresource, with both Google and Amazon seemingly questioning the benefits of the current business model which sees them selling devices at or below BOM (Bills of Material) cost.

Apple is having another crack at the smart speaker market, with a second generation HomePod. Has this new high-end all-in-one got what it takes to succeed? Steve May finds out.

Could spatial audio provide a much needed growth spurt? Even as users were tiring of asking Alexa to jump through hoops for fun, a shift to Dolby Atmos music production was already well underway.

Amazon may be the market leader in the smart device industry, selling nearly 10 million smart speakers in the first quarter of 2022 alone, but Apple remains in a strong position, thanks to its smartphone dominance.

So does this second gen have what it takes to untether spatial audio from headphone ubiquity?

Retailing for £299/$299, the new speaker certainly ticks a lot of boxes.

Design is an obvious Apple strong point - available in white or Midnight, the latter made with recycled mesh fabric, the new HomePod looks suitably premium - but there’s some solid audio hardware under the hood, too.

To bring spatial audio home, the new Homepod employs a custom-engineered high-excursion 20mm woofer, with a fistful of beamforming tweeters arranged around the base. The speaker is able to determine if it’s up against a wall or freestanding, recognising sonic reflections from nearby surfaces, and then adapts its sonic output accordingly. Buyers are promised ‘a groundbreaking listening experience’ through advanced computational audio. Not exactly a rock ‘n’ roll endorsement, but we’ll take it.

Dolby Atmos audio can be delivered by a single HomePod, or from two paired speakers. It’ll also do whole-home multiroom audio using AirPlay.

We asked John Johnson, Chief Technology Officer at pro audio equipment supplier HHB, if Apple has got the mix right with this pricey new smart speaker entrant…

“I think Apple has done a great job delivering what is essentially a Dolby Atmos immersive audio experience from a single box,” he told us, “while integrating with the wider Apple ecosystem - much in the same way that Amazon had the Echo Studio as an enhanced and immersive audio version of its Echo speaker range.”

As for the asking price, Johnson is sanguine: “Very few smart speakers which are capable of spatial or immersive audio are cheap. While the binaural headphone experience is easy to deliver to the mass market with a low barrier to entry, smart speakers have to do the heavy lifting in a very different, competitive and variable consumer space.”

While Amazon’s Alexa may boast the lion’s share of skills, this new HomePod channels smart home automation with equal conviction. It can notify users if it hears a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm, and it will issue temperature checks. The HomePod also integrates with accessories that conform to the Matter smart home interoperability standard. Its eyes are very much on the future.

However, Ardit Ballhysa, Technology Analyst at GlobalData, believes that Siri is still too basic, and this second-generation HomePod too expensive, for it to significantly shake up the smart home speaker status quo.

“It offers no features that are not present in either the original HomePod or the HomePod Mini. Moreover, at $299, users will do well to avoid it, particularly during the current economic climate,” he says.

“After experiencing low sales driven by its high price, Apple discontinued the original HomePod in 2021. Therefore, its decision to re-introduce the HomePod into its portfolio at exactly the same price, with no exclusive features, is worthy of a good head-scratch.”

For the same price, suggests Ballhysa, consumers can purchase three Nest Audio’s from Google or one Echo Studio and an Echo from Amazon.

“Aside from having multiple products, consumers would also get smart home speakers compatible with thousands more smart home accessories.”

Ballhysa believes that Google Assistant is far superior to Apple’s Siri in terms of its smart features and capabilities.

“Competition aside, Apple’s decision to remove the number of tweeters in the new HomePod from seven to five does not serve it well. Yes, there is a case to be made that software is just as important to sound quality as the hardware itself, but would it have been too much to ask if, alongside the new software, Apple kept the same number of tweeters as before?”

Clearly, Ballhysa doesn’t put a great deal of store in the HomePod’s spatial audio talents.

Is this indicative of public awareness when it comes to spatial audio? Johnson tells AMI that the business is getting there, albeit at a leisurely pace.

“In my opinion, Apple more so than any other company, is pushing spatial audio,” he says. “If anything, they took a technology with roots that go back a long way and rebranded it with a modern production twist.”

Ironically, Apple is also helped by having Amazon champion spatial audio. “Realistically, not everyone is part of the Apple ecosystem, and Amazon is probably the next biggest player in that market, which covers a good percentage of the population.”

Of course Dolby Atmos isn’t the only immersive music format in town. Sony continues to push its own 360 Reality Audio standard with a gusto that recalls the format battle heyday of VHS and Betamax. It has also released its own 360 Reality Audio compatible standalone smart speakers, including the compact SRS-RA3000 and the living-room centric SRSRA5000. The Sony system is also supported by the Amazon Echo Studio.

Creative traction for Sony 360 Reality Audio seems to be low, though, according to HHB’s Johnson.

“Speaking honestly, it’s pretty rare that people come to talk with us about Sony 360 Reality Audio who haven’t already been delivering in Dolby Atmos, though it has happened! Most of our clients have a tendency to be working in Dolby Atmos first due to its wider adoption in industry and being a more mature tool set for content creation.

“360 Reality Audio can usually be re-rendered (broadly speaking) from the Atmos mix and use a subset of a standard Dolby Atmos speaker layout. It’s also more headphone oriented and works on smart speakers, whereas Dolby Atmos came from a theatrical cinematic background and then scaled to home entertainment for film, television and eventually music. Very generally when it comes

to resolution of audio or video, it’s easier to scale down than up…”

When asked about the future of spatial audio, and the appeal of products like HomePod, Johnson suggests the industry should actually be looking beyond music.

“I believe that podcasts could be the next platform to benefit from spatial audio branding,” he says. “There’s plenty of binaural content already out there. Platforms like YouTube also have a lot of content that is flagged as ‘headphone only’ or ‘best experienced on headphones.”

Indeed, Johnson believes there needs to be a genuinely platform agnostic standard which can fully recognise the presence of headphones (wired or wireless) to better optimise the consumer experience.

Futuresource Consulting’s Simon Forrest agrees. As clever as the second generation HomePod is, smart speakers need to evolve further to stay relevant and allow the spatial audio business to thrive.

“To really take off again and reach the next stage of growth a new approach may be needed,” he says. “The underlying voice technology needs to advance to a stage where it becomes truly conversational and anticipates the user’s needs as opposed to the current command and control model.”

“Siri, what’s your favourite spatial audio albumand why?”

“Apple’s decision to remove the number of tweeters in the new HomePod from seven to five does not serve it well”

FLARE AUDIO

imagine tinging a glass, it would resonate, but if I put my weight on top of the glass and try and ting it again, it won’t resonate. That’s because I’m applying a force in its direction. Our first patent was called ‘Space’ technology in 2012. This anti-resonance compression technology used plates that clamp a loudspeaker. You get the right clamping force, and the speaker resonates as one unit. That’s the holy grail of dampening.

The second challenge was to overcome the pressure problem. With a sealed box, it’s very difficult to compress the sound going in. All traditional loudspeakers have symmetrical distortion going on. I needed to let all the pressure out without releasing the sound. I started work on a pressure release exhaust technology called Vortex. It’s basically a load of vortices that go behind the driver, it pushes the particles around and exits in the opposite direction of their travel. It’s a bit like a tornado effect. This proved highly successful. We get 40dB attenuation through the vortices. They’re designed to disrupt the sound, spin it on its axis and remove any sound information. They were the two really exciting innovations we developed.

AMI: How did the company shift its focus into earphones, and what motivated you to make this switch?

Long believed to be an insurmountable problem, the natural distortion caused by the passage of sound through the human ear –  the result of soundwaves bouncing around the ear canal – has been an issue which many have sought to rectify. Tackling the problem using conventional acoustical principles, research has failed to solve this seemingly ingrained issue with human listening.

Flare Audio, a company that first made its name with some innovative loudspeakers, made it their mission to reduce the 20% percent increase in distortion that the shape of our ears adds. With EarHD and Calmer, their extraordinary E-Prototype and the incoming EARS range, Flare have carefully crafted a design that not only delivers meticulous sound, but completely obliterates unwanted distortion.

The smart application of this new tech has changed the lives of those with hyper-sensitive ears, and promises much for both the consumer audio and pro audio world. We spoke to Flare’s co-founder and inventor Davies Roberts as well as fellow co-founder Naomi Roberts to learn more about the company’s journey…

AMI: Firstly, when was Flare Audio founded, and can you talk us through some of your initial innovations in loudspeakers?

Davies Roberts: Myself and Naomi co-founded Flare Audio in 2010. We had both worked in the PA and loudspeaker industry, and became aware that loudspeakers were significantly distorting sound. I realised that a signal chain should not be adding another resonance to whatever resonant instruments or voices that you’re listening to. So, that was the starting point of Flare. I soon realised that the approach I needed to take in order to understand what was going on was a thought experiment around particle vibrations. I don’t look at sound as a wave. I look at sound as a series of dots which are going backwards and forwards and being disrupted at different oscillations.

The dots interact and end up with this disturbance of particles emanating out in a sphere. We used that model in our approach to loudspeaker products and it led to a significant amount of breakthroughs.

It started with the structure. I started with the actual cabinet of the loudspeaker. If you

DR: I was still fascinated by what was making the resulting sound subjective. Sounds shouldn’t be subjective once you remove the distortions. I started to wonder why. Back in 2018 I became aware of my actual ears distorting sounds differently, so certain things sounded different to what other people heard. After a bit of R&D we developed our first prototype which we called ‘Calmer’.

The way Calmer works is that it redirects the flow of sound within the ear canal. Particles typically bounce around until they hit the eardrum. There’s all this shell resonance going on. When you talk into a shell you can change the frequency of your voice, and we’re born with a similar type of natural effect based on how our ears are shaped. Everything we hear is distorted by around 20 percent. It’s called HRTF (head-related transfer function) and every single person is different. Everyone hears completely different levels of distortion.

What I recognised is that if I needed to remove a distortion from a space, then I just need to make sure I reflect something perfectly. Calmer goes inside the ear and instead of having the shell to reflect off, it has a flat surface. Directing sound to the eardrum accurately with no bouncing. We found that the result of thisparticularly when tested in a space with a lot of sound information - was incredibly calming.

When we released Calmer that product flew off the shelves. We’re close to a million units

Revolutionising headphone design based on the principle of particle motion, Flare Audio’s astounding earphone range promises mirror image sound, and according to the praise of some big name advocates, they might just have hit upon something long thought impossible – sound free of the natural distortion of the human ear.

sold now. It’s been life-changing for many people who suffer from hyper-acoustic issues, autism, and other issues with sound sensitivity.

Calmer got us established and gave us a platform. It proved we could get rid of this ear distortion. The next step was to begin work on an earphone. It’s incredibly complicated to design and invent, but when it comes to the science it’s incredibly simple. Because of the alignment of the (what essentially are) mirrors, if you’re a particle, your path-length is perfectly coming out of the output. The listener is getting a total mirror image of the origin sound. The trick is to ensure that every single impulse of sound (every up and down, backwards and forwards movement of a driver) is matched from the driver to the output.

That’s how this patent-pending technology works. Now we’re working with a crowdfunding campaign to create mass consumer variants of the E-Prototype. We want to span a range from £50 to £300. We want the same sound for both consumers and studio-based professionals.

proper silencing. Then we’re literally just sending off the tooling information for our supplier in London. We’re making them in the UK.

AMI: Are you pitching to a consumer audio base or wider pro audio/studio monitoring?

DR: We’re aiming these at everyone. The really exciting bit for us is getting producers listening to it. We’ve got a few high-profile advocates. We’ve got Stephen Fry, we’ve got Neil Gaiman, Hot Chip, Liam Howlett. All these amazing people who don’t usually endorse products are really excited by the experience they’re getting with these earphones. Liam approached us, wanting to give us an endorsement. So, we’re getting the artist and producer community behind us.

It would be easy to sell this technology on, but we’re on a bit of a mission here at Flare. We’re really passionate about not just changing the sound world, but helping people with hearing issues. We didn’t start Flare to make money, it was all about trying to unlock technology and do something meaningful. When we started on this with loudspeakers it was the pursuit of sound quality. We had no idea at that time how much of an impact what we designed would have on people’s lives.

AMI: So, is that audio therapy strand something you want to further develop?

going on for a tiny company, but we’re pursuing every avenue.

AMI: Can you talk us through how the very cool relationship with Tim Burgess and the Listening Party headphone came to pass?

Naomi: Well when you run your own company, you become tenacious and make connections where you can. I listen to 6 Music all the time. We were listening to a Chris Hawkins show when he played a Rob da Bank megamix, an artist that we know. I did a tweet tagging people saying “Great to hear Rob da Bank’ on 6 Music”. Rob replied and said “Still use my earphones!”. Then Chris Hawkins himself started following us. So, I sent him some products.

Chris got in touch really enthused about our products, and offered a list of contacts that he could put us in touch with. Tim Burgess was on the list so thought we’d get him some stuff sent. Before long his people got in touch and asked us if we could make an earphone branded to reflect the Listening Party, which we agreed to. It had the little Tim badge on the side of each earphone. The Listening Party replaced music venues for a while during lockdown, so we decided to add a kickback to the Music Venue Trust on every pair sold. It was a really nice story, and allowed us to get involved with the wider story of music that year.

AMI: The shape is so important, I guess it also becomes something of a visual trademark for the brand too. How big is the team?

DR: We’re pretty small. We’ve got a team of seventeen people but we’ve unlocked what the tech giants have been trying to unlock for decades. Apple has been trying to unlock HRTF for a long time. Inside the AirPod there’s microphones that attempt to pull-out these resonant frequencies. Whereas we’ve bypassed them by simple design.

I left school at fifteen with no qualifications. I approach things really simply. My approach has led me to realise that the received wisdom of the acoustic world is a load of rubbish. We’ve proved time and time again that taking that approach is never going to get advanced sound quality. I realised that impulse was the way. It’s been opening out before our eyes, and we’ve been able to develop these exciting technologies.

AMI: What elements do you hope to improve or enhance ahead of the mass roll-out?

DR: Because we’re a tiny firm, we don’t have millions of pounds of marketing budget. To manufacture just one of those earphone types costs us a lot of money. There’s a lot of work that has to go on. Our crowdfund campaign is currently running to build our funds. We’re taking the E-Protoype further with better drivers and

DR: Yeah, it’s growing. Every single human has got these issues with their ears, it’s just that some people are hyper-sensitive. You wouldn’t say that if you had really great eyesight that you had a disability, and that’s something we’re learning now. If you wear Calmer you can focus your ears. We’re working on that and bridging the gap between Calmer and this earphone technology. We’re working on how to make it even more relaxing.

We’re hoping to bridge the gap to enhance other, third-party headphones clearer too, using our product as an intermediary. There’s a lot

AMI: What’s next on the agenda for Flare Audio, and what are your plans for 2023?

DR: The earphone range is our next objective. We’ve got four models, E is ‘Everyday’, A is the ‘Active’ range, R is for Recording Engineers and S is for ’Superior’. We need to carry on with R&D to bridge the gap between Calmer and the earphones. We can innovate more products and technology that revolves around our ears. We want to nail the sound going into our ears so we can make other people’s headphones sound amazing.

“We’ve unlocked what the tech giants have been trying to unlock for decades”

CHARLIE CUNNINGHAM

With album number three, Frame, set to land in March, we caught up with Charlie Cunningham to learn about his unique creative process.

With delicate ripples of acoustic guitar, heart-tugging melodies and soothing vocals, Charlie Cunningham’s latest album, Frame, is just the kind of musical respite that many of us will appreciate in the midst of these uncertain times. Since his debut LP, Lines established an acoustic and flamenco-leaning signature to his work, Cunningham has expanded his textural palette. 2019’s Permanent Way brought wider instruments and atmospherics to the table. On his new record, Charlie continues to augment his emotive approach, peppering his mixes with allusions to golden era jazz and neo-classical music. We spoke to Charlie to find out more about the making of this latest entry…

AMI: What was the starting point for Frame?

It will have been getting back home after a long tour in 2020, one that was cut short by the pandemic, and then being suddenly faced with this indeterminate stretch of time ahead. And, with the world being as it was, it was a particularly unique set of feelings to try and get my head around. Writing these songs was probably my way of doing that, or at least attempting to.

AMI: Which songs on the album took the longest to get right, and which didn’t develop much from their initial form?

More often than not a song will go on quite a substantial journey, I’ve learned to be more open to that – lots of trial and error. Some of them I wrote on the guitar and ended up on the piano and vice versa, or what I think is

going to be something stripped back and understated can turn into something much more expansive, with the opposite also being the case sometimes.

AMI: How long did the recording process take, and did you have a particular sonic tone/aesthetic that you were trying to conjure on Frame?

The recording itself didn’t take too long, it was more the writing that took up most of the time, I don’t write very quickly unfortunately, especially lyrics. The initial ideas can come quickly but saying something is done can be a real challenge for me, though I’m pretty sure that’s the same for a lot of people.

I was listening to a lot of the late 50s ‘golden era’ jazz records and embracing the opportunity that time was allowing me to learn more about that world, both culturally and artistically. It was a wonderful and shamefully overdue period of discovery, and it reinforced my desire to make something warm and ‘classic’ sounding, though through a modern lens, so to speak - and in a way that feels authentic to me and my sound.

AMI: How do you get the best out of acoustics when recording and mixing?

We used a pair of Schoeps MK2 microphones, and then we spent a long time listening to different placements of them and then also the room positioning, trying to get the best of all worlds. I also do a lot of takes, improvising ideas, letting the parts develop naturally.

AMI: Do you typically write and record in a home studio? If so, what is the core of your setup?

I really don’t have much of a home recording set-up at all. I had a Zoom Digital 8-Track for years which did me well, I found it much more intuitive than a computer. With writing, I tend to get things to a certain level of semi-completion, and then go and put that down at a studio, usually quite crudely and with the intention of taking it away and refining the lyrics etc.

AMI: What would you say has been the most vital music production technology (software or hardware) for you as a creative?

The Schoeps Microphones were fairly pivotal, we used them for both my piano and acoustic guitar, and they complimented them both beautifully. Would highly recommend!

AMI: What’s next on the agenda for you?

I have a couple more singles coming out ahead of the album release, and then I’ll be getting back out there and touring it. If you’re reading this, please come!

Frame is released on March 31st. Head to charliecunningham.com for tour dates and more information.

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2021

Wavefront Precision was the perfect fit for 22live. I’ve had the pleasure to work with all generations of Martin Audio line arrays over the past 25 years, so to invest at the beginning of this one was a no brainer. Great products, delivered by a company with fantastic history and top people.

Paul Timmins Director,

22live

ISE 2023 THE TEN BEST LAUNCHES

With ISE 2023 behind us, we tot up the cream of the crop in the audio sphere, from SPL-calculating software, state of the art advancements in line array loudspeaker tech, to the very own Jean-Michel Jarre, unveiling a state-of-theart, multi-sensory innovation. By Andy Price.

This year’s ISE brought both thrilling new leaps forward and further refinements of existing tech. Held at Fira, Barcelona for the third time, the expo united towering brands from the video, audio, networking, IT and electronic systems integration worlds, while keeping a focus on key industry concerns and trends via conferences and learning events.

Among the gamut of new releases, the following ten we felt were particularly noteworthy. Here’s why…

10 TASCAM PORTACAPTURE X6

The recording heavyweights’ latest upgrade to their multitrack recorder line is equipped with 32-bit floating point recording technology and a dazzling touchscreen. The Portacapture x6’s two in-built microphones can be set to both AB and XY configurations, while an XLR input allows for external microphone integration. High sampling rates capture audio up to 96kHz across its four plus two audio tracks. As is typical with Tascam’s digital recorders, under the hood low-cut filtering and noise gating eradicate problem frequencies, while an included audio interface allows the device to be used as a portable mixer. With an RRP of £349, The Portacapture x6 is able to be deployed for a wide range of purposes, including podcasting, field recording, voice capture and music mixing.

9

ALLEN & HEATH AHM AND I/O OPTIONS

Among the wide range of audio install offerings at the Allen & Heath booth included audio metric processors, Dante interfaces and the latest iteration of their Custom Control software. Also on display were A&H’s acclaimed array of 96kHz live sound and installation mixers, including the Avantis, dLive and SQ consoles. Several Dante equipped audio expanders, part of A&H’s Everything I/O line, were also being demonstrated. But it was the brand new AHM series of Audio Matrix Processors, designed for boardrooms, colleges, and hospitality-type environments, that stole the show, as well as their respective touch panels and controllers.

8

MEYER SOUND PANTHER 2100 LFC SUB

Augmenting the Panther large-format line array speakers that Meyer revealed at last year’s ISE, Meyer Sound’s 2100 LFC sub melds a Class D amplifier with a brand new 21-inch, four-voice coil-sporting driver. Designed to bolster not just the Panther, but the whole spectrum of Meyer’s live speaker line, the 2100 LFC Sub, is an impressive choice for dynamic range at volume, with a frequency response covering 30 to 150 Hz. Improving on the 1100 LFC in all aspects bar weight, this new sub-bass unit is sure to bring the beef. “We are excited to continue to push the boundaries of performance. The 2100-LFC will be in the same performance class as the 1100-LFC in a lighter, more compact package. The extended frequency response gives 35 percent extra usable range. “This launch continues to take our new products into the future” explained Engineering Director (Acoustical & Mechanical), Katharine Murphy Khulusi.

7 GENELEC SMART IP

The studio monitor titans brought several new additions to their revolutionary Smart IP networked loudspeaker family to the ISE table this year. Allowing for clean networking and control for the range of equipped models. In tandem with the linked Smart IP software, these new AV speakers - the in-ceiling 4335A and the hanging pendant model 4436A - mark a significant expansion for Genelec into the installation sector, with the 4436A being the company’s very first pendant design. These new speakers bolster the now four-year old Smart IP range that already includes three well-regarded models and its increasingly sophisticated software, which can be controlled via mobile.

6

FUNKTION-ONE COMPACT RANGE

UK-based Funktion-One chose this year’s ISE to be the launchpad for their newly overhauled Compact Range speakers. The new speaker models include new high frequency driver technology and refinements to the acclaimed line. Models include the F5.2, F81.2, F101.2 and F1201.2, alongside the SB8A and SB10A self-powered bass enclosures. The new driver and porting technology that the improved range sports came as a result of focused R&D during the pandemic, but all existing installation accessories for the previous iteration of the range are fully compatible with the new versions. “We’ve kept to the same design philosophy of not trying to force a small speaker to do bass and focusing on the mid-range. To achieve a full range system, we have developed complementary selfpowered, compact bass speakers. This gives us our signature Funktion-One mid-range clarity and

definition, along with engaging low frequencies.” Says Acoustic Design Engineer James Hipperson.

5

VOID ACOUSTICS ARCLITE

Marking the company’s 20th year, Void Acoustics brought half a dozen new products to this year’s show. Of particular note; the Arclite array-able point source loudspeaker. Tailored for the touring industry, this new ultra-precise loudspeaker can be paired with Void’s previously released 218 and 118 subs. The ultraconfigurable loudspeaker allows for the tuning of dispersion and SPL levels and provides full summation up to 20kHz. Other launches in the Void-verse include the new Air 15 fibreglass subwoofer and the commercial install-aimed Cyclone 208 and Venu 208i subwoofers, as well as the stand-alone Inca 500 amplifier for residential and commercial installs.

4

PIONEER PRO AUDIO XPRS2

A collaboration with Pioneer DJ, Pioneer Pro Audio’s XPRS2 series of active loudspeakers and subwoofers expand on the success of the original XPRS range with an increased sound performance, audio clarity that is a solid choice for DJs, live sound professional and large commercial venues. The new range brings with it a new set of active loudspeakers and subwoofers, including the 10” 2-way XPRS102 and the 12” 2-way XPRS122 full-range speakers and the 15” XPRS1152S and 18” XPRS1182S subs. The full-range speakers include four DSP presets, Live, Music, Speech and Floor Monitor which scale to specific applications, while the subwoofers sport three presets of their own, Boost, Extended LF and Normal.

3

D&B AUDIOTECHNIK HEADROOM CALC

Many eyes were drawn to d&b audiotechnik’s Headroom Calc software. Able to predict the reaction of a d&b system to a specific audio signal, and finely adjusting the SPL and headroom requirements for each and every situation. This update (V11) to the company’s existing ArrayCalc simulation software, can tackle DSP limiter-based nonlinear processing impacts. The software provides major insight for those choosing the perfect system for their venue/space and helps with making sure that speakers comply with those all-important health and safety regulations. The company also claims that this Headroom Calc offers the most precise SPL and headroom calculations out there.

2 CODA AUDIO SPACE

The partnership between Jean-Michel Jarre and CODA Audio was a major talking point at this year’s ISE. Ahead of a series of fully immersive shows, which will rely on CODA’s 360 degree N-RAY system in a 16.1 configuration, Jarre and CODA exhibited SPACE by CODA at Barcelona. This new panel-shaped concept fuses AV tech with the art world, resulting in a multi sensory experience. Melding 3D Audio, a 4K projector, ambient lighting and specialised acoustic treatment, each SPACE panel brings sound quality beyond that of typical cabinet loudspeakers.

1 MARTIN AUDIO TORUS 8

One of the biggest draws was Martin Audio’s latest addition to the TORUS line, the two-way TORUS 8 (T820) augments the constant curvature loudspeaker array family with a model designed for small-to-medium scale applications that don’t need the extra power required for longer-throw line arrays. This new addition is best used as an array element in vertical curvature arrays, or as a single pointsource loudspeaker. Martin Audio were giddy about the release, with managing director Dom Harter saying “2023 is going to be one of our most prolific years ever for new launches and so we are delighted to announce the first of our new products in TORUS 8 and its cardioid subwoofer partner, SXCF115. The overwhelming success of the existing TORUS 12 and subwoofer partner, SXCF118, gives us great confidence that these latest releases will be snapped up by system integrators and rental partners alike.”

Above: King Felipe VI meets exhibitors

HYBRID CONSOLES & ULTIMATE SOUND QUALITY

Recording consoles have featured in professional studios for the past seven decades and over the years, have evolved to meet the needs of today’s studios by combining classic and modern circuit designs and technologies.

Experienced audio engineer and AMS Neve Product Specialist Joe Heaton has worked on many classic and modern consoles as well as working with a host of modern DAW-based software.

Today, consoles aren’t seen as essential pieces of equipment for the recording and mixing process. However, they still heavily feature in the world’s premier studios, and many small to midlevel studios are adopting a console-based workflow over an in-the-box, software-based one.

In the early days of recording, using a single piece of equipment to perform the many studio tasks of gain staging, processing, and balancing was a huge workflow enhancement from using pieces of interconnected hardware. This is still one of the main benefits of using a console today.

Studios in the 1950s and 60s would either build consoles from individual analogue units and processors or have them custommade to their requirements by skilled electronic engineers. Ready-made consoles came into the market in the early 1960s. The first mixing consoles were primarily valve-based, as this form of signal amplification was readily available at the time.

Rupert Neve’s early console designs, built for the broadcast industry, used valve technology. Rupert, forever improving his designs in a search for audio perfection, was an early adopter of solid-state technology, using transistors in the place of valves for signal amplification and specifically designed transformers for signal isolation.

Solid-state console designs proved much more reliable and required less maintenance than their valve predecessors allowing for near constant use in busy studios throughout the 1970s. One such console was the A88, built for Wessex Studios London. The A88 was designed as a tracking console for music and was the first console fitted with the now legendary 1073 preamp and EQ module.

Following the success of the A88, many of Rupert’s early modular consoles went on to gain legendary status as music consoles due to their unmatched sound quality and innovative design. One of which, the 8028 used at Sound City in LA, installed in 1973, gained notoriety as artists such as The Rolling Stones and Fleetwood Mac tracked seminal albums through it. The success of these recordings created a snowball effect, with artists from around the world flocking to the studio to stamp their names into the rock and roll history books.

Over time, the consoles housed in studios such as Sound City became legendary in their own right. When some of these

studios closed, the consoles became highly sought-after, often fetching higher prices used than when commissioned as new. Studios that adopted these legendary consoles would use the console’s history as a significant selling point of the studio, and artists would quickly book studio time to take advantage of the superior sound quality imparted to their records. Of course, these legacy consoles were in short supply, so studios wanting to cash in on the prestige would follow suit by buying new Neve consoles of their own.

Today, large format consoles are primarily used by topflight studios that work in orchestral scoring or recording and mixing pop acts. Budgeting up to £1,000,000 on a single piece of studio equipment is far beyond the reach of many small to mid-level studios. Still, for the scoring stages at Abbey Road, Air, Fox Studios and Skywalker Sound, it’s an investment that pays off over decades of use. In the modern era, the Neve 88RS console sits alone at the very top of this market, performing the many tracking, stemming and automation requirements of modern orchestral scoring and pop music work.

Of course, tracking and mixing top 100 billboard pop acts and film scoring may be out of reach for 90% of studios. However, there are many small to mid-format consoles that suit the needs of the smaller studios. So, the question remains, do modern studios need a recording console to track and mix music?

The short answer is no. Technically, everything that a console delivers can be achieved through a collection of software and hardware pieces alone. This hybrid approach is hugely popular for project studios that can start small and add individual outboard units periodically as their success grows.

A significant benefit for small hybrid studios looking to improve and grow is the sound quality a console brings. Analogue circuitry is still seen as the holy grail in studio signal flow and a console contains a plethora of analogue circuitry, more than almost any hybrid summing setup, from signal amplification, processing, stereo positioning, balancing and summing circuits.

For modern studios, just like the studios in the golden era of recording, having a single piece of studio equipment perform many jobs can vastly speed up the studio workflow and centralise the creative process. There is something to be said about the ergonomics of a studio console. Having every track at your fingertips releases you from point-and-click DAWbased workflow restrictions, allowing you to use your ears rather than referencing EQ curves visually from a plugin window. Once an in-the-box producer fully adopts a consolebased workflow, they often never look back.

Another fundamental reason to consider purchasing a console is studio image and perception. Client reaction is critical, and when an artist or a band arrive in a studio, they expect to be wowed, the minute they walk into the control room. Since consoles have been centre stage in studios for many years and have featured in films, TV shows and documentaries, artists now expect to see a console sat in the heart of a ‘proper’ studio, especially if the studio time is costing them a lot of their hard-earned money. They also want to be reassured that they are in good hands with an engineer who knows how a complex looking console works.

Modern consoles offer far more capabilities than the purely analogue consoles of the 1970s. Designers have taken note of the many benefits software-based workflows bring to the table and have brought them into the analogue console

domain. One of the main drawbacks of an analogue console is the time taken to set up and recall a mix. This can be an arduous, painstaking task, especially on a large console.

Studio consoles of the modern era have removed this hurdle. Current hybrid consoles, such as the Neve Genesys, achieve a fast workflow via digital control over analogue circuitry, providing a best-of-both-worlds scenario where signal flow remains purely analogue, with the instant-reset capability of a software-based workflow.

Consoles like the Neve Genesys Black take this concept further by including an integrated DAW section, featuring a computer screen and HUI controls mounted on the console surface. This design merges vintage and modern studio technology into a true modern hybrid workstation. New technologies such as the Genesys Control Plugin enhance the hybrid workflow further, allowing for the console to be controlled entirely from a plugin within the DAW.

Having a console in your studio certainly puts you in the upper echelons of the recording studio industry. A console can often be the most expensive piece of gear in a studio, but owning one improves mix quality, speeds up workflow and always brings the clients through the door.

“Current hybrid consoles, such as the Neve Genesys, achieve a fast workflow via digital control over analogue circuitry”

We are entering a new era where production teams are increasingly concerned about weight loading and coverage.

Five years ago, a 49kg box would have been fantastic, but now we are looking at 27kg for WPS, which is incredible really for a big sounding system with a lot of grunt.

Martin Connolly Capital Sound, UK

The crystal-clear reproduction together with the even coverage were the deciding factors in our purchase.

We are happy with our choice and can proudly say that we are part of the #MartinAudioFamily.

Gert-Jan Gomes

DSL, Netherlands

WPM has been amazing for us and this led us to invest in the bigger WPS system that also ticks the rider boxes.

Chris Bogg dBS Solutions, UK

Wavefront Precision systems deliver signature sound with class leading consistency, coverage and control, while also proving excellent value.

OUT OF THE

THE BENEFITS OF COMPUTER-FREE MUSIC-MAKING

Despite the numerous software versions of classic hardware synths, studio-filling orchestras and expressive live instrumentalists. A growing resistance to solely in-the-box music-making is common amongst many of the musicians we’ve spoken to over the last few years. Why are so many shunning the screen?

The modern age’s established music production model has been firmly computer-centric for a while now. Digital audio workstations in particular have completely transformed what, not too long ago, was a far more complicated process. Prior to the widespread take-up of software DAWs, the only way for producers to capture and mix their tracks to a releasable standard lay in the often complex chaining together of separate hardware mixers, sequencers, drum machines, preamps, compressors, synthesisers and other standalone hardware effect units. It required both patience, skill and a not insignificant home studio budget. Professional recording studios ruled the roost and home production was a priced-(and-skilled)-out hobby for all too many budding enthusiasts.

As with countless other facets of the modern world, advances in computer power have re-drawn that landscape. DAWs provided an easier way to not only get down musical ideas, but to develop and mix radioquality material. In conjunction with ever-more convincing software reproductions of pricey hardware and dexterous effects plug-ins.

The growing pace of CPU speed has also allowed for even more pristine sample libraries to be created. Take the orchestral powerhouses assembled by the likes of Spitfire Audio, Orchestral Tools and EastWest, which allow computer musicians the ability to carefully orchestrate and conduct their own virtual ensembles

BOX

within a DAW. A concept that, a scant two decades ago, would be utterly mind-blowing.

While there’s no denying that DAWs, plugins and sample libraries have unlocked the doors of prolevel music production for millions, the physical hardware world continues to thrive, particularly when it comes to instruments. Hardware and modular synths still sell extremely well, despite the ubiquity of software synths.

The mid-2010s saw the first wave of an analogue synth resurgence after the previous decade’s general shift toward computer and digital-focused advancement. “What we are seeing now is a phenomenon I went through personally after inventing the first professional softsynth (Reality) back in the mid-’90s,” synth guru Dave Smith told Musical Merchandise Review in 2014. “At some point, most musicians realise that software does not feel like a musical instrument. And making music on a computer is just not the same as playing a real instrument. So, the kids who started on the apps are migrating to hardware.”

The psychology behind this return to traditional hardware was being mirrored in the music listening world, too. The vinyl revival gained traction at a very similar point in time, reflecting a broader response to our increasingly computer and web-dominated cultural landscape. Perhaps a reaction to the ease in which people could listen to an artist’s back catalogue on tap, or compose a release-ready piece of music in under ten minutes, the perceived authenticity of both vinyl and hardware music technology made music listening and music-making substantial again.

HAPPY ACCIDENTS

Using real instruments and classic production techniques isn’t just about making a stand against

“Using real instruments and classic production techniques isn’t just about making a stand”

Jesper Kyd in his studio

software. Assassins’ Creed composer Jesper Kyd regularly quests for the unexpected, and harnesses a range of vintage analogue synths on his latest soundtrack for Warhammer: Darktide. As Kyd told us, it’s in the imperfect nature of clanky old hardware that the right quality for the soundtrack presented itself. “When you do things the *wrong* way, on a vintage synth, magic happens.” Jesper enthused.

Prolific engineer and producer Marta Salogni explained to us how she finds great joy stepping away from the computer, and exploring the possibilities of tape. “I do connect more with it. It takes my mind off a screen and it brings it down to the tactile, auditory element of a record.” Said Marta, “This is what it was all about before screens, people would just use their ears. Screens are great because you can see what’s happening, but sometimes it’s better to not look and just use your senses. It’s not a medium that everyone is familiar with. There’s also a big layer of serendipity to it, a collaboration with the medium which I find hard to achieve otherwise.”

A shared goal for these creatives, is in the pursuit of the ‘happy accident’ - unplanned sonic diversions that it can take longer to land upon with perfection-aligned software. There’s also the giddy exhilaration of putting your hands on physical keys and incrementally finding sweet spots with real rotaries, switches and buttons. Not to mention of course, the ability to zone into a particular groove and express more freely, beyond the grid-snapped, mix-conscious needs of DAWoriented writing. The Horrors’ Tom Furse told us that this is discernible to him, even when working with big-name sample libraries. “I’ve been recording some live strings recently and there really is such a huge difference. They sound very convincing, but when you get the real articulation and expression from a real player, that hasn’t been beaten yet.”

THE HUMAN FACTOR

A particular fault line between those who work exclusively in-the-box, and those that opt for a hybrid or computer-free set-up, has been based on the perception that computer music-making lacks humanity. In an interview with Pitchfork in 2010, one of music’s most famed pioneers dismissed the notion that computers were simply a tool for aiding musicians.

“[Making music on a computer] isn’t how traditional players work at all; musicians know that their muscles have a lot of stuff going on as well. They’re using their whole body to make music, in fact. Whereas it’s quite clear that if the interface between you and a computer is a mouse, then everything of interest that happens must be happening in your head.”

Thirteen years on from Eno’s statement and the distance between these formerly distinct worlds have been further bridged. MPE technology allows a far more wide-ranging (and real-instrument-aping) way into controlling MIDI. The MPE world, shaped by innovators such as Roger Linn, ROLI and Expressive E, allows for the nuanced, directional expressivity of a MIDI note, as if it were being played with a real instrument. Added to that, is the ability to quickly apply subtler modulations such as pitch bend and glissando on

instruments that it would be impossible to affect that way in the real world. The type of primitive ‘mouse-controlled’ music-making that Eno refers to has been overshadowed by this slicker interface. Meaning that you can feel those vibrations in your muscles once more. Even when manipulating computer-generated synths.

But, though that perception is now arguably outdated, there remains an undeniable psychological aspect to writing solely behind a screen that plays a part here too. In our recent interview with Algiers, the band told us that many of the ideas on their latest record had been generated because they’d shaken up how they approached the creative process. “We like hands-on things. We work in software a lot too, but as with most practices it’s good to change things up and use physical materials. Even in graphic design, which is my background, sometimes it’s great to get off the computer and work with physical media. It’s exactly the same with music. We’ve been accruing different gear and building set-ups.” The band’s Lee Tesche told us.

Ultimately music-making is an art, not a machinelike process. While DAWs, software and samples provide us the means with which to build releasequality music without having to fork out thousands, it always helps to change our regular habits from time-to-time. DAWs and computer production have been liberating, there’s no doubt about that. But, while computer-based processes often work hard to nudge us into a paradigm of ‘perfection’, taking your hands, eyes and ears out of the box can lead to both a refreshed creative mindset. It’s easy to start thinking of our tracks as hard-drive clogging files, and tightlymapped, colour-coded projects. By stepping away from the screen, those same tracks are free to evolve in all manner of unexpected, organic directions.

Tape legend Marta Salogni

A 12-in/8-out audio interface with SSL 4K ‘sound’, plenty of flexible routing options and fantastic software. G

SSL’s 360º routing software shows off the wide amount of well thought out features. The sound is also top class.

B

People can – and indeed do – argue about what the ‘SSL 4000 sound’ actually means and, of course, you’ll never get everything great about that console in one box.

SSL 12 takes the incredible value and high quality sound of the original 2 and 2+ interfaces, ups the number of ins and outs and adds enough flexibility for a huge range of recording and mixing applications.

The SSL 12 is the better spec’d new relation of the 2 and 2+ interfaces, which were announced nearly three years ago. These two devices were undoubtedly the cheapest way to inject some SSL quality into your recordings, this being none other than the sound of the company’s legendary 4000-series console. The desk was made famous across countless recordings in the 1980s and 90s, and favoured by producers including Bob Clearmountain and Tom Lord-Alge. It has a character that has been described as everything from professional to aggressive, although not many engineers and producers seem to agree on a definitive definition. Indeed many argue that there isn’t a 4000-series sound and it’s more about the precise EQs, characterful compression, incredible flexibility and relative ease of use of the original desk … and the producers that have employed it, not to mention the artists that benefitted from it.

FEATURES

Of course, SSL isn’t really trying to reproduce the entire desk in its latest 12 interface, so has one button per input channel to introduce the 4k effect, one the company says adds “vibe and colour”. The 12, as its name suggests, also brings a lot more to the party than its smaller 2 and 2+ siblings. It is bigger, but still quite compact. It feels very solid, but not too heavy, and is distinctly ‘SSL’ – with all the retro feel and looks that anyone who has been close to the company’s gear will recognise.

Andy Price takes a look at the SSL12 and David Phelan tests the new Apple Homepod

12 is a 12-in/8 out interface by way of four Neutrik XLR combo mic/line inputs at the back, with high gain mic preamps. Two of these inputs can be used as Hi-Z DI inputs around the front for connecting bass and guitars. The additional eight inputs are digital and by way of an ADAT connector.

There are two sets of TRS outputs for your speakers, standard MIDI in and out connections, and two set of headphone outs (at the front). There’s a built-in talkback mic which you can route to headphone mixes; this and a loopback feature (for routing audio back into the interface) effectively add four more channels to the quoted 12 inputs to make 16 – but we’re not complaining!

Much of this routing is done using the 360º software that ships with 12. This dedicated control software comes on top of the SSL Production Pack (a set of free plugins and services) that also comes with 12, and allows you to set up just about everything on the interface from your desktop.

IN USE

On top of input and output routing, you can use 360º to, for example, create up to four independent mixes, set up the audio loopback, assign different parameters to the Cut, Alt and Talkback buttons on the right hand side of the unit, and even change the headphone type (high or low sensitivity) for those outputs. It’s very easy to use too, especially considering all the options available within it.

SSL 12 is available now for $499 / £399 www.solidstatelogic.com

As to the sound of the interface, with low-noise stats (-130dBu) and a high gain range (62dB), 12 delivers the crystal clear picture you would expect, with incredible precision and detail apparent both on recording and playback. The 4K button promises a lot (or not, depending on which pro audio forums you frequent!) but, in practice, does lift upper frequencies, perhaps in a Focusrite Air kind of way, so is especially useful on vocals and acoustic guitar. It adds a sense of space and saturation –albeit very subtly – to most sounds, but don’t expect it to instantly turn you into Peter Gabriel or Def Leppard.

CONCLUSION

The 4k button will at least give you another option to consider alongside 12’s already pristine sound, which really is a highlight of the interface. But perhaps because we were already taking that sound quality as gospel – something you do when you see the SSL logo, after all – it’s perhaps the 360º software that we’re most impressed with. While not huge fans of this type of software with most audio interfaces – we just want to plug our DAWs in and get on with things – this app really does open up the vast range of possibilities that 12 offers, and you should spend some decent time getting to know it. And you’ll be surprised at what you can do with this interface. For a mobile, USB-bus powered and fairly compact device, 12 does a lot more than deliver the SSL goods, and all for an incredibly good price.

GEAR

APPLE HOMEPOD 2ND GENERATION

After cancelling its HomePod smart speaker, Apple has revived it in a new, but highly familiar, version with new features and gently tweaked sound.

It still has better sound than rival smart speakers and the new features including sound recognition could prove useful. B

The design hasn’t changed and it’s still of very limited value to Android users. Five tweeters, down from seven.

Apple’s second version of its full-size smart speaker offers stunning audio and a voice assistant that’s increasingly clever and useful. And the faster processor and extra sensors provide new features.

When Apple released its first smart speaker, the HomePod, back in February 2018, it was praised for its audio quality, which was better than rivals. But it was pricier, too, which ruffled feathers. Putting the smart into smart speaker also sparked controversy: Apples’ virtual assistant, Siri, lacked some of the skills that the Amazon and Google speakers boasted. It wasn’t the biggest success and Apple discontinued it in early 2021, though not before it launched a smaller and much cheaper speaker, the HomePod mini (£99). This also outaudioed similarly priced smart speakers, though not the HomePod itself.

Now, the bigger speaker is back, at a slightly lower price, $299/299, in a largely similar casing. So, how does the new HomePod stack up?

FAMILIAR ON THE OUTSIDE

The design of the HomePod is unmistakable, a squat drum of mesh material with curved edges and a touch-sensitive display on top. What’s new this time around? Not much that’s visible; the changes are almost all inside. It’s a little lighter in weight (2.3kg), a smidge shorter at 168mm, and it comes in a new Midnight colour which is darker than the Space Grey that preceded it. A white option is also still available. Beyond that, the biggest difference in the look is that the touchscreen is now illuminated to its edges, not just in the middle, and the mesh rises higher above it, to help prevent accidental touches.

IT’S MEANT FOR APPLE USERS

Actually, you rarely need to touch the screen at all: mostly, you interact through voice or a companion device like an iPhone.

Like with previous HomePods, you need an Apple device to set this up. And while a visitor’s iPhone can transfer the music playing on it to the speaker just by tapping one against the other (Apple calls this procedure Handoff), Android users are not invited to the party. As usual with Apple, this walled garden means that set-up and use are sublimely simple. When you turn on the HomePod for the first time, it links to your iPhone or iPad, say, and to the Apple ID on the device.

The set-up also includes your first experience of how the HomePod sounds. The speaker uses its first music playback to tune its output to its surroundings by listening for sound reflections with its four internal microphones. Its automatic room sensing is very good, even though there are fewer microphones in this new model than the original.

AUDIO QUALITY

If you’re familiar with how the first HomePod sounded, this is similar and the switch from seven to five tweeters has not had a negative effect. To my ears, the new model has a wider, more open feel to it, though with the same neutral tone Apple likes. If you’ve never heard a HomePod, it aims for a pure, detailed sound that is faithful to the track, with decent, not emphatic, bass. An internal microphone monitors and adjusts bass in real time.

Vocals are crystal clear, mid notes are sounded strongly, and bass is present but not overpowering. Music playback works best with Apple Music (surprise, surprise), which has a huge number of spatial audio tracks which are being updated weekly. Older tracks now feature the spatial logo for easy identification too. You can make it even better for twice the price. Two HomePods can be wirelessly joined as a stereo pair, and here the audio quality leaps from great to peerless at the price. Note that you can’t pair a new HomePod with a HomePod mini or a first-gen HomePod.

The HomePod can also connect to an Apple TV to provide excellent home cinema results and since the latest Apple TV 4K supports eARC, you can connect it up to play other content through your HomePods.

SMART FEATURES

The new HomePod, like the HomePod mini, includes a temperature and humidity sensor. This helps with smart home automations, so you can set compatible heating systems to launch into life when the room temperature drops below a certain figure, for instance. Or just to idly say, “Hey, Siri, what’s the temperature in the living room?” This is useful, perhaps, in arguments with your significant other about how how you’re not wasting money on central heating, thank you very much.

There’s one downside worth noting which may irritate UK customers. You can play thousands of radio stations, but not the BBC. You have to use the Handoff workaround: launch BBC Sounds on your iPhone and then tap the phone against the HomePod.

VERDICT

Siri, Apple’s virtual assistant, is still not quite as knowledgeable as Alexa or Google Assistant. But maybe that’s not the point here: it’s a music-focused speaker and, after all, Siri can get smarter through an upgrade on Apple’s servers at any time, while the audio hardware is fixed when you hand over your cash.

When the first HomePod launched, it was head and shoulders above other smart speakers in terms of sound. A lot has changed, with higher-end speakers with virtual assistants built in. Even so, the new HomePod still holds its own. The HomePod mini, for smaller rooms, is a legitimate and cheaper alternative, but the bigger speaker sounds better.

The HomePod continues to be the best-sounding smart speaker, unless you want to spend a lot more money.

“two HomePods paired are truly exceptional for the money”

Apple HomePod Gen 2 is $299 / £299 and is available now

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