AM 286 October 2014 by Future PLC

No. 286 z October 2014

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Guardians of the Galaxy

Capturing dialogue on the Marvel blockbuster p24

IN THIS ISSUE AES/PLASA

CONSOLE TECHNOLOGY Demands are converging across live, broadcast, and studio

What to look out for in LA and London

p14

p18

IMMERSIVE

AUDIO

Unravelling the mysterious art of mixing in immersive formats

p22

TECH

FOCUS

Mic preamps

p30

WELCOME

Meet the team “Congratulations Aaton Digital and Sony, the winners of Audio Media’s Best of Show Awards, for their respective Cantar X-3 audio field recorder and UWP-D wireless microphone series.”

Deputy Editor – Jake Young jake.young@intentmedia.co.uk Managing Editor – Jo Ruddock jo.ruddock@intentmedia.co.uk Commercial Director – Darrell Carter Darrell.Carter@intentmedia.co.uk Account Manager – Karma Bertelsen karma.bertelsen@intentmedia.co.uk Production Executive – Jason Dowie jason.dowie@intentmedia.co.uk Designer – Jat Garcha jat.garcha@intentmedia.co.uk Press releases to: pressreleases@intentmedia.co.uk © NewBay Media 2014. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior permission of the copyright owners. Audio Media is published by NewBay Media, 1st Floor, Suncourt House, 18-26 Essex Road, London N1 8LN, England. Editorial tel: +44 (0)20 7354 6002 Sales tel: +44 (0)20 7354 6000 Audio Media ISSN number: ISSN 0960-7471 (Print) Circulation & Subscription enquiries Tel: +44 (0)20 7354 6001 email: audiomedia.subscriptions@c-cms.com Printed by Pensord Press Ltd

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spoke to Jason Spence, president, J Sound Services, recently. The Nashville designers of audiovisual systems continue to see more and more integration of audio, video, and even lighting. “I see a further convergence of technologies in terms of integration, control, and how and what content is delivered, not just in the US but globally,” said Spence. “With video resolution tripping over itself and infrastructures that can handle the bandwidth required increasingly in place – I think you’ll see some interesting developments in how our content is captured and delivered. This video quality will push for the audio quality to be on par (driven by the consumer), creating an even bigger need for competent and qualified audio engineers, mixers, technicians, and hardware to match.” At IBC2014, I grasped this quality balance while visiting the booths in Hall 8, some of which were hosting world product debuts. Our roundup of some of the technology highlights starts on page 6. Congratulations also to Aaton Digital and Sony, the winners of Audio Media’s Best of Show Awards, for their respective Cantar X-3 audio field recorder and UWP-D wireless microphone series. See page 12 for more on the winners. Speaking of new products, Kore was recently excited to announce that the studio had installed a 32-channel 1608 from API in its Studio A. It was great to see the console in the studio, which has worked with producer/ engineer Chris Kimsey, best known for

working with The Rolling Stones; producer Eliot James (Noah And The Whale, Two Door Cinema Club); and artist/producer/writer/ mixer David Kosten; not to mention past clients Ronnie Wood, Richard Ashcroft, and Florence and the Machine. According to producer/engineer George Apsion, who runs Kore, the API went in really well, and the studio has released a time-lapse video of the installation on its website, www. kore-studios.com. Since then, Kore has had its first tracking session on the API with engineer/ producer Guy Massey, who himself came up through the ranks on an API at RAK Studios. Massey was working with Kosten and artist Cousin Marnie. My Studio Profile is on page 28. As we went to press, the second Pro Sound Awards, co-sponsored by Lab.gruppen and Sennheiser, kicked off at the Ministry of Sound in south-east London. News on the winners will be available in the next issue – but look online now if you want a sneak peek! Lastly, the Audio Media team will be at PLASA London this month. If you’re heading to ExCeL and fancy meeting with us drop me an email at jake.young@intentmedia.co.uk. The show organisers recently announced the first ever Audio Village – an area dedicated to pro audio – and a strong Professional Development Programme. Our show preview on page 15 will help you plan your visit.

Jake Young, Deputy Editor, @jakeandrewyoung

October 2014 3

CONTENTS

FINAL CUT Jory Mackay talks to sound mixer Simon Hayes about his work on summer blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy p24

FEATURES

Pa ge

TECHNOLOGY NEWS World debut from RØDE .....................6 ‘All in one’ desk from Lawo ................. 7 New DSP board for Nexus ...................8 RMX16 from UA ....................................9

Immersive Audio .................................22 Mixing in the new format offers challenges and opportunities, ﬁnds Rob Allen

Audio Media Post Production Showcase unveiled ..........................................10 First ever IBC Best of Show Awards winners announced ...............................12

Game Audio .......................................... 26 John Broomhall talks to Rockstar Games veterans Craig Conner and Will Morton about their new venture

INDUSTRY NEWS

Pa ge

Studio Proﬁle ....................................... 28 Jake Young takes a trip to MPG Awardwinning facility Kore Studios, which now boasts a 32-channel 1608 from API

TECHNOLOGY Focus: Mic preamps

Audio Consoles ....................................18 Simon Allen looks at how demands across the live, studio, and broadcast markets are converging

ALSO INSIDE Reviews: Neve Genesys Black EVE Audio SC408 Wavelab 8.5 SPL Crimson

38 40 42 44

AES PREVIEW PLASA LONDON PREVIEW GEO FOCUS: USA INTERVIEW: Chris Mace

14 15 16 46

ADVERTISERSINDEX AES Audio-Technica Cedar Audio CES DiGiCo Genelec

4 October 2014

17 48 3, 27 35 11 2

Lawo Lynx Studio Technology Mogami Nordoff Robbins Prism Sound Radial

5 21 12 41 9 47

Richmond Film Services RØDE Microphones Stagetec Steinberg Studiomaster Universal Audio

34 7 15 13 19 33

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TECHNOLOGY NEWS Avid Unveils Compact Live Sound System Based on the S3L system, the VENUE S3L-X was new from Avid in Amsterdam. Said to enable live sound professionals to more easily meet the increasing scope, size, complexity, and diversity of today’s live sound requirements, the VENUE S3L-X enables engineers to efficiently mix and record live shows, and create new material or mix down live recordings for commercial purposes. The system delivers expanded networking, control, and processing to meet a range of live performance demands. It is also possible to reduce complexity and cost by sharing the same I/O across multiple S3L-X systems, with full automatic gain compensation. With support for 64-bit

AAX DSP plug-ins, plus the open EUCON and Ethernet AVB network protocols, Avid VENUE | S3L-X ensures compatibility with a variety of Avid and third-party products. www.avid.com

Step Change from Riedel Riedel has released Tango TNG-200, the company’s first fully networked platform based on the AES67 and AVB standards. “We have always considered the networked approach to signal distribution to be the most desirable option for today’s broadcasters,” said Thomas Riedel, CEO of Riedel Communications. “We have been on the forefront of adoption of standards for several years now, and we are proud to introduce the world’s first networked and expandable open hardware platform that can also run a powerful intercom application.” Tango TNG-200 is equipped with a high-resolution, full-colour thin-film-transistor display that ensures readability at all times. The unit’s intuitive front-panel controls simplify the recall of presets and adjustment of audio levels. Along with powerful processing capabilities, the Tango TNG-200 features two integrated Riedel Digital Partylines, two AES67 and AVB-compatible ports, two Ethernet ports, one option slot, and redundant power supplies. www.riedel.net

Studer Releases Vista V Harman’s Studer added to its digital console range with the 52-fader Vista V. Based on the same Quad Star technology as the Vista X it comes in a more compact footprint designed for smaller studios, OB

6 October 2014

trucks, and large live productions. The Vista V features a built-in meter bridge, high-quality motorised faders, and a built-in Dynamic Automation system with DAW remote control. The console is fully surround-sound capable, with versatile panning and monitoring functionality. At the heart of the Vista V is the Infinity Core, which uses CPU-based processors to deliver 800+ audio channels, and more than 5,000 inputs and outputs. The use of CPU-based processors suggests possibilities for scaling up to even larger channel counts, and for running third-party algorithms. www.harman.com

Ne wa t IB World Debut for C RØDE Stereo VideoMic X The HHB Communications stand hosted the premiere of the RØDE Stereo VideoMic X (SVMX) at IBC2014. The flagship SVMX is said to provide the highest level of performance of any stereo microphone from RØDE by providing broadcast-quality audio via an acoustically matched pair of true-condenser capsules. Broadcasters have the option of outputting audio with either a 3.5mm stereo output or a balanced signal via mini XLR. These features ensure a broadcast-grade output for camera systems and audio recorders in any professional application. Housed in a lightweight aluminium body, SVMX maintains high levels of resistance to RF interference. The capsule and shoe mounts are precision machined to ensure the tightest possible tolerances, thereby minimising any acoustic resonance. “The Stereo VideoMic X not only raises the bar for on-camera audio, it shatters it,” commented Damien Wilson, RØDE’s global marketing & sales manager. “When we started the ‘X’ project we had the objective of creating the best of the best and I believe we’ve done just that. The SVMX is the ultimate tool for superlative audio capture in any environment.” www.hhb.co.uk

Genelec Adds to SAM Range Genelec has added two compact two-way monitors, the 8320 and 8330, to its Smart Active Monitoring (SAM) range. Also new are the 7350 subwoofer and GLM 2.0 – Genelec Loudspeaker Management Software – complemented by a new measurement microphone and network adapter unit. The 8320 and 8330 feature Genelec’s Minimum Diffraction Enclosure, made of recycled die-cast aluminium, as well as advanced Directivity Control Waveguide technology. Although small in stature, the units feature floating point digital signal processing engines and Genelec-designed Class D amplifiers. www.genelec.com

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C B I t a w e N ‘All in One’ Desk from Lawo Lawo’s mc²36 all-in-one audio console was unveiled at a high-energy launch that included a live audio-over-IP mix of German rockers Rammstein. The compact console boasts powerful DSP micro-core with internal 512 x 512 port audio matrix and integrated I/O making it suited to permanent installations with limited space, as well as to rental companies looking to optimise transportation. As it is natively equipped with Ravenna/AES67 technology, the mc²36 integrates into IP infrastructures.

Its 21.5in Full HD touchscreens work with touch-sensitive colour-illuminated rotary encoders to provide intuitive operation. In terms of connectivity, the console’s interfaces include 32 mic/line inputs, 32 line outputs, eight digital AES3 inputs, eight digital AES3 outputs, eight GPIO ports, one MADI (SFP) port, three Ravenna/AES67 channels, and a headphone jack. In addition to the onboard I/O, a MADI tie-line connection and three Ravenna/AES67 Audioover-IP ports provide future-proof connectivity

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

for up to 384 external inputs and outputs, offering a total capacity of 496 physical inputs and outputs. www.lawo.com

New MADI Range DirectOut launched four new MADI products at IBC2014. ANNA-LISA (pictured) is a handheld MADI analyser and signal generator. It provides quick-check indicators for signal condition, input level and jitter plus extended analysis, such as protocol and user bit checks, is accessible using an external

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application via USB or Bluetooth. KYRA is a four-source MADI monitor mixer for MADI monitoring and line checking. Four stereo or eight mono channels can be summed to front panel or external speakers or a headphone output.

MA2CHBOX. XL is a flexible reference class headphone and MADI monitor controller. There are three MADI ports; SC fibre, BNC and SFP, and the AES3 input can

be routed independently to either headphones, AES output or line out. MONTONE.42, a 1U MADI to Ravenna audio-over-IP bridge, offers integration between MADI and networked audio-over-IP devices. Based on the Ravenna network protocol and MADI, it serves as a versatile link for broadcast, live and studio applications. www.directout.eu

October 2014 7

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

DSLR-Mount Mic from A-T Audio-Technica unveiled its AT8024 mono/stereo camera-mount microphone at IBC2014. The short shotgun mic is powered by a single AA battery and connects to cameras with an unbalanced stereo 3.5mm TRS jack. It comes equipped with a low cut filter to reduce low frequency rumble and -10dB and -20dB pad settings to minimise the chance of overloading the camera’s audio input. Switchable mono or stereo operation extends its flexibility. Additionally, the AT8024 features an integrated shockmount and foam windscreen with wind muff. www.eu.audio-technica.com

New DSP Board for Stagetec’s Nexus Stagetec has introduced a new generation of its signal-processing board XDSP for Nexus. Compact and lightweight as its predecessor, the new board quadruples processing power and integrates the Isostem upmix system invented by Berlin-based DSpecialists. The XDSP board opens up new possibilities for audio signal processing within Nexus: for example, now up to 20 minutes delay, up to 66 30-band equalizers or up to 320 dynamic units can be realised per board. As before, all signal-processing modules can be combined individually according to customer requirements. Designed for applications where multichannel mixes based on stereo are

part of the everyday work – for example in broadcast or in post-production – the Isostem algorithm generates a 5.1 mix from stereo input signals in real time that is fully reversible. Devices that are unable to play back (or to transmit) multichannel will receive the unadulterated stereo signal the multichannel mix was based on. www.stagetec.com

TC Debuts aNorm HHB Communications hosted the world debut of co-exhibitor TC Electronic’s aNorm loudness algorithm at IBC. The normalisation algorithm provides loudness adjustment features that offer a new approach for user-defined Targets for Program Loudness and Loudness Range (LRA). Complementing aNorm is the new Butterfly Processing Meter that offers both graphical and numerical displays of Program Loudness and Loudness Range parameters at all stages of the process. The aNorm algorithm and Butterfly Meter

8 October 2014

are part of the new LoudnessWizard II licence for TC Electronic’s DB6 Broadcast Audio Processor. “We are proud to offer second-generation loudness normalisation and new loudness processing metering to all audio-conscious broadcasters,” said TC Electronic’s Thomas Valter, VP of business management, broadcast & production. “aNorm adapts seamlessly to your content to achieve a transparent result where delicate production balances aren’t washed out. It is also easy to use, and it even leads to new transition processing never before possible.” www.hhb.co.uk

Ne wa t IB Fairlight Launches C Table-Top Console

IBC2014 saw the launch of QUANTUM.Live Table-Top (TT), the newest addition to Fairlight’s live console family. Fairlight’s range of live consoles can switch between live and post production at the touch of a button. The entry-level QUANTUM.Live TT is the smallest console in Fairlight’s live line-up. It comes with faders accommodating 144 signal paths over 12 layers. It delivers fast tactile access and full command over two monitor systems. A second TT frame can be added, increasing the system to 24 faders. A QUANTUM.Live Table-Top base configuration with 12 faders, a centre section, audio processing engine with 48 channels, 32 busses, and a full complement of local audio I/O, starts at €30,000, $40,000. www.fairlight.com.au

BlackBox BBR1MP Recorder from JoeCo JoeCo has released the latest addition to its BlackBox family of live multichannel audio recorders and players – the flagship BlackBox BBR1MP Recorder. The 24-channel, stand-alone, live audio acquisition solution delivers all the standard BlackBox functionality, while featuring 24 in-housedeveloped microphone preamps, operating at up to 24bit/96kHz. Primarily designed with the broadcast engineer and sound location recordist in mind, the BBR1MP

offers a range of connection options including individually switchable mic/line inputs, balanced outputs, video sync, timecode, and word clock inputs. User installable Dante and MADI interface cards are also available as options, adding 24 channels of Dante or MADI I/O to the BBR1MP unit. Microphones can either be connected to the unit via tails from the rear D-Sub connectors, or via an optional 2U breakout panel with XLR connectors. System components are available individually or as part of a bundle. The unit is fully controllable via JoeCoRemote for iPad. www.joeco.co.uk

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TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Universal Audio Releases RMX16 Plug-in Developed over a two-year period by AMS founder Mark Crabtree, the AMS RMX16 Digital Reverb plug-in is now available exclusively for the UAD Powered Plug-Ins platform and Apollo Thunderbolt Audio Interfaces. The

plug-in is offered alongside the Summit Audio TLA100A Compressor plug-in developed for the UAD platform by Softube. In creating the UAD plug-in version of this processor, Crabtree used his original schematics for

the hardware unit, yielding an exact instruction-forinstruction model of each of the original algorithms in the hardware. “Only a full and faithful

implementation of the RMX16 would satisfy me,” said Crabtree. “I’m excited to have the RMX16 on the UAD-2 platform. I have spent nearly as long

designing the plug-in as I did on designing the original unit from scratch!” Plug-in-only features including Dry/Wet Mix, Wet Solo, and easy ‘clickand-type’ editing of control values. www.uaudio.com

Affordable Personal Mixer from Aviom Aviom has released what it calls its most affordable personal mixer ever, the A320. Designed for use with in-ear monitors as well as headphones, the A320 ensures all mixing features are instantly available – no

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menus to navigate, no complex programming, no computer required – so customising and adjusting a mix is fast and intuitive. The A320 has a 32-channel mix engine for mixing up to 16 mono or stereo sources.

It also includes the Stereo Placement control introduced on the A360, but in a simplified version that combines the pan and spread of stereo signals into a single control. This allows both mono and stereo sources to be positioned

in the stereo field of the mix as a whole, significantly improving the user experience with in-ear monitors and headphones, while providing a streamlined user interface. The mixer is compatible

with all existing Pro16 Series devices and monitor systems. www.aviom.com

October 2014 9

INDUSTRY NEWS

POST PRODUCTION

Top Post Production Projects of 2014 Audio Media is proud to present our first ever Post Production Showcase, highlighting the varying work across the field of audio post-production for feature films, shorts, TV, and advertising. From the projects submitted, we have picked six that stood out either for innovation in the sound design process, the ability to overcome challenges, or for the strength of the final product. The shortlist is: Envy: Land Rover UK – Bear Grylls Can and Will Reach the Summit

One in a series of films for Land Rover, all the sound design was created and mixed in Pro Tools in one day. The film also went to cinema with a Dolby 5.1 mix. “As Bear describes his lifethreatening experience on Everest we hear the cityscape from his point of view around him,” said Ian ‘Arge’ Hargest, senior sound designer and dubbing mixer, Envy. “The sound brief was to make Bear feel like he was somewhat disconnected from these sounds. Bursts of city noise are occasionally heard as if to enhance the disconcerting feeling of his story. As the story becomes more

optimistic towards the end, so do the sounds of the city.” Factory: Honda – Hands

Since its release in July 2013, ‘Honda – Hands’ has become the most awarded piece of commercial sound design work over the past 12 months, and has amassed over 13 million YouTube views. Recording was done using a mixture of studio microphones, including the Audio-Technica AT4033 and Neumann U 87, with additional location recording being done with a Fostex Hard Disc Recorder and stereo mic setup. GCRS: The National Autistic Society – Sensory Sensitivity

This strong 70-second film showcases the challenging experience of sensory sensitivity that a person with autism faces on a daily basis. “The sounds were looped and manipulated to disrupt the listener,” explained sound designer Munzie

Thind. “By doing this we wanted to make them feel uncomfortable and alien – the repetitive and atonal audio is meant to strike a chord with the audience, communicating the message in an unnerving manner. I messed with the tempo of recorded and library sounds to add that arresting factor. “In order to achieve a stark contrast with the rest of the film, I cut it dead at the end to surprise the viewer, as the film cuts to a shot of Chi, who is autistic.” Jungle: PETA – Stop Buying Angora

Prime Focus: Live from Space Season Prime Focus was tasked with mixing two one-hour documentaries and all the VT inserts for two of the Channel 4 and Nat Geo programmes. “A lot of the footage used was shot in space, specifically for this project and therefore it was also important to ensure that any audio that was captured by the astronauts would be fully restorable,” said dubbing mixer Phitz Herne. “We were given examples of the audio in advance of the cut and prepared a bespoke set up for this project using a combination of RX3 and Cedar.” Technicolor: Cardinal Burns

This powerful film exposes how the fur industry collects angora. “The sound design process was difficult and fun,” according to sound designer Culum Simpson. “Difficult as sifting through the footage to find the right sounds for the rabbits was not easy on the ears. Fun because I was given free reign to do what I do. The film came in mute so everything had to be synthesised, recorded, or sourced, pretty much a dream job from a creative point of view. It also gave me more control over the direction of the soundtrack.

The brief was to create a cinematic feel for the British cult sketch show starring Seb Cardinal and Dustin Demri-Burns. “To meet our brief, the show demanded a very rich tracklay,” said re-recording mixer Jules Woods. “Along with the sound design and Foley, each episode was crammed full of commercial music, score, and of course dialogue. The content that came together for each episode resembled more what you would expect from a feature film session!”

RECORDING

Heard Around Town U2’s Songs Of Innocence is one of the first commercial releases to come from the renovation and rebirth of Paul Epworth’s Church Studios in Crouch End. The album was part recorded in the main Neve room there and partially produced by Epworth as well as part mixed and engineered by Miloco’s Matt Wiggins. Super-producer Flood also contributed to the production of the album, at Miloco’s Assault and Battery 2 Studio. Two new studios have joined the Miloco stable - Martin Terefe’s recording and writing room 10 October 2014

Kensaltown Studio A based in Ladbroke Grove, West London, and Irish studio Attica Audio Recording, which is owned by Villagers guitarist Tommy McLaughlin. Tyler Bates’ score for Guardians of the Galaxy was recorded by Abbey Road’s Andrew Dudman in Studio One, assisted by Lewis Jones and Matt Jones. Steve Levine has been using his new Audient ASP880 at his Steve Levine Recording facility to mix the live tracks from his Assembly Point

Sessions recorded at Liverpool International Music Festival which featured live performances by Boy George, Mark King, Bernard Butler, Tim Burgess, Hollie Cook, Mary Epworth and Natalie McCool, as well as Levine himself demonstrating a live recording session. Jean-Christian Maas, owner of Studio des Bruères, has added an Audient ASP8024, supplied through Funky Junk France. Want your studio news featured here? Send details to jo.ruddock@intentmedia.co.uk www.audiomedia.com

INDUSTRY NEWS AWARDS

RECORDING

Best of Show Winners Revealed IBC2014 was the first European show to feature Intent Media’s Best of Show Awards. Various Intent Media brands, including Audio Media, invited exhibitors launching new products at the show to enter them for the Awards. Each brand runs its own separate awards initiative, so it can judge the entries from its own perspective. Audio Media made two Best of Show Awards at IBC2014: Aaton Digital, Cantar X3: The new generation of Cantar-X by Aaton Digital is a 24-track digital audio on-location recorder with top-of-the-art analogue mic inputs, Dante digital audio – records on SSD, SD, USB

12 October 2014

– and connectivity with Bluetooth/WiFi. Sony, UWP-D with SMAD-P3 MI shoe: Newly developed digital audio processing – which uses DSP – provides high-quality sound, underpinned by the exceptionally stable audio signal handled by the True Diversity receiver (URXP03), which enables dropout free transmission. This is all housed within a compact, lightweight and robust

metal chassis. The SMAD-P3 MI shoe adapter creates a truly wireless connection with the UWP-D Series, eliminating the need for any connecting cables between the receiver and camera in use. A publication

Markus Warlich and James Leach of Sony

highlighting all entrants to the Best of Show Awards will be available later this month. www.audiomedia.com

From the Cutting Room Encore has provided sound and picture post production services on ITV’s new four-part crime drama Chasing Shadows. Senior post producer for Encore London Alice Greenland supervised the project, which was the first DPP file-based delivery for both Encore and ITV. Re-recording was undertaken by head of sound David Old in Encore Post Sound Studio 2. Jungle has taken on a number of exciting projects. Hass Hassan completed the mix on One Direction’s The Vault fragrance ad and Dominic Dew designed the sound for Betfred’s new brand campaign. Owen Griffiths and Jungle’s

music arm Native worked on a new spot for Royal British Legion. Native also undertook music supervision projects for M&S, including its new Adventures in Imagination food ad and autumn collection campaign. LipSync Post has invested in a 24-fader Avid S6 M10 console and Pro Tools upgrades from Scrub, a division of HHB. Dreamsound has become the first post production studio in Poland to adopt Dolby Atmos powered by JBL and Crown.

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SHOW NEWS

Staying on Track The 137th AES Convention returns to LA this month with the usual strong line up of exhibitors and even stronger technical programme.

ame audio and high-resolution audio are set to be two key topics at the 137th AES Convention, which runs from 9-12 October at the LA Convention Center. The Game Audio Track runs across all four days, with highlights including ‘Business of Music and Sound in Games’ at 11.45 on Thursday, and ‘Dynamic Mixing for Games’ at 15.45 on Friday. Also on Friday, game audio director and composer Marty O’Donnell will deliver the Heyser Lecture. Entitled ‘The Ear Doesn’t Blink; Creating Culture with Adaptive Audio’, O’Donnell will draw on his experience, which covers film and commercials as well as the Halo franchise, to discuss the creative challenges of working in non-linear media, such as games. The lecture is scheduled for 19.00. Friday will also feature a High Resolution Audio programme. The result of a collaborative effort between the AES and DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group, the HRA programme will include a number of panels and sessions that address the current and future direction of

14 October 2014

HRA from various perspectives, including content creation, digital distribution, licensing of hi-res music files, archiving, subscription models, marketing/promotion of hi-res music, compatibility of playback devices, and more. Away from the seminar rooms, there will also be innovation on the showfloor. Audio-Technica will show its 50 Series and 40 Series studio microphones, Artist Elite microphones, and the remastered M-Series professional monitor headphones led by the ATH-M50x. Brainstorm Electronics is displaying the SR-112 time code distripalizer with Generator option, DCD-12 and DCD-8 word-clock generator/ distributor with Word-Clock, AES/ EBU, NTSC, PAL, HD tri-level, SPDIF, ADAT Light-Pipe, Firewire 1394, and GPS. Cedar Audio will be showing the latest developments in noise suppression, audio restoration, and speech enhancement. Demonstrations will include the DNS 8 Live dialogue noise suppressor, the Cedar Cambridge

system, and the Cedar Studio 6 suite of AAX and VST plug-ins. DK Technologies will highlight its new line of intelligent touchscreen loudness logging systems, including the T7 SDI embedded audio models. The compact unit with a 7in screen offers high precision metering tools as well as 3G SDI and eight-channel AES I/O with USB and Ethernet control. PMC will present the QB1-A high-resolution main monitor in LA. With 10,000W RMS of audiophile power at its disposal, the QB1-A is aimed at engineers, producers, and studios that demand the highest sonic quality. PMC will also be hosting a range of presentations in the PMC Masters of Audio Demo room with leading engineers, producers, and musicians including an exclusive highend 9.1 system demonstration. SSL will be showcasing its complete range of hybrid studio console/ controllers, analogue outboard, DAW I/O, Duende Native plug-ins, and Live consoles. Visitors to the Studer stand will be able to experience the Vista X console

with Infinity Core, which delivers 800+ audio channels with high sonic quality, and more than 5,000 inputs and outputs. The Vista X with Quad Star technology uses four processors to achieve aviation-standard levels of redundancy in the control surface while CPU-based DSP makes it viable to provide two independent DSP cores running in parallel with ‘instant’ change over. The EMI TG12345 plug-in, developed in association with Abbey Road Studios, will be on the Waves Audio stand. This new plug-in marks the first time an entire TG Channel console has been modelled. Modelled features include a Dynamics section with Limiter 8:1/Compressor 2:1/ Ganged, and EQ section with bass and treble bands, and the presence band from the group/main section, for a total of three bands EQ. Added features include MS processing using the Spread matrix of both EQ and dynamics, HP filter on the compressors’ side-chain, and a mix control for the dynamic section for an easy parallel compression/limiter. www.aes.org www.audiomedia.com

SHOW NEWS

Setting Down Roots After making the move to ExCeL in 2013, PLASA returns to east London from 5-8 October with more ﬂoor space and an expected growth in visitor numbers.

and CDC four digital consoles, as well as the LIVE1 compact analogue desk. The company is launching the latest V2.3 CDC eight software, which brings a host of new features to the flagship concert sound console, as well as exhibiting the CDC MC Router and MC MADI Bridge – integral components of the high-performance MegaCOMMS network. Notable highlights of the CDC eight software update include a Waves interface card integrated within the console, providing connectivity to the Waves MultiRack server and control via the console touchscreens. This allows up to 64 channels of Waves studio-grade processing tools to simultaneously run alongside CDC eight’s own native effects options. www.plasashow.com

LASA is continuing its efforts to woo the pro-audio community with a Professional Development Programme featuring a host of names from across the industry. Funktion-One’s Tony Andrews and John Newsham debate ‘Point Source. Line Array. What Do These Terms Really Mean?’, while FOH engineer Jon Burton offers his insight in ‘Sound Engineering for Bands’. Shure unravels the mysteries of radio frequencies in ‘Wireless Mastered’, and Soulsound tutors and sound engineers Justin Grealy and Marcel van Limbeek tackle the issues with phase in ‘The Nature of Phase’. Products from PreSonus and WorxAudio will receive their European debut on the Source Distribution stand. WorxAudio’s Hugh Sarvis will be showcasing a selection of the company’s compact line array and subwoofer products, including the V5, X2, X115, and TL118 models. Also new is the PreSonus RM-series of rack mount digital mixers, which offer complete recallable touch control. Based on the StudioLive AI-series mix engine and controlled with battle-ready UC Surface software for Mac, Windows, and iOS, the RM-series mixers are available in 16- and 32-channel versions and are scalable, compact, and 100% recallable. Shure Distribution UK (SDUK) will be giving two new products their UK public debut at PLASA: TouchMix from QSC and the QLX-D wireless microphone system from Shure. Available in two sizes, TouchMix-8 with 12 input channels and TouchMix-16 with 20, the new mixers include comprehensive EQ and dynamics processing on each input, main and aux output channel, and four mix busses feeding four internal digital effects processors. Featuring four (TouchMix-8) or 10 (TouchMix-16) auxiliary output channels, TouchMix also has ample stage monitor mixing capabilities. Using the same underlying technology as Shure’s high-end ULX-D digital wireless microphone system Shure’s QLX-D delivers transparent 24-bit digital audio with a flat frequency response, but comes in a more affordable package and with a streamlined feature set compared to ULX-D. Cadac is showing its CDC eight-32, CDC eight-16

www.audiomedia.com

October 2014 15

GEO FOCUS USA

Mixed States Entertainment output remains strong but how is the pro-audio industry faring? Jake Young ﬁnds out. POPULATION: 316.4M

ith great entertainment – TV, Hollywood films, jazz, blues, rock, and rap music, and more – comes great pro-audio technology. But how strong is the US market? Grammy-winning producer, mixer, and engineer Joe Chicarelli thinks this is a challenging time for the entire music industry. “We now are in another format transition between digital downloads and streaming services,” he says. “Label recording budgets have been cut back dramatically all over the world. This has certainly affected commercial recording studios. Only a handful of top-level artists are now able to afford commercial studios for their recordings. Most projects enter a commercial studio for just a few days of live tracking and then possibly some mixing. All overdubs tend to be done in private studios, on laptops at home, or wherever is economically feasible.” Chicarelli does not feel that the US studio industry is unique in any way, and the problems they are experiencing are a global phenomenon. “Ten years ago the majority of the recording projects came from major record labels, he says. “I would say that now it’s only about 10% with the remainder either coming from independent record labels or from the artist themselves. “Private studios are a must. A percentage of all albums being made is done in a personal studio – whether it’s just songwriting demos that become album masters or it’s

16 October 2014

an artist working on his own in his home environment. It’s rare that I look at an album’s credit list and find just one major commercial recording studio listed as the complete recording environment.” Chicarelli continues to track albums in a great-sounding commercial recording room and do overdubs in a less expensive private room, while his future projects will incorporate more in-the-box mixing. “In the past all my projects have been mixed on large-format analogue consoles,” he says. “Due to the restrictions of budgets, the requirements of multiple recalls, and variations on a mix I will find myself mixing more and more inside the DAW.” Ocean Way studio manager Robin Goodchild says that there is still a healthy market for studios in the US. “Of course, there are different levels of studios and it seems fairly safe to say that smaller project studios have enjoyed some of the business that the larger studios have been unable to cater for due to reduced budgets,” he says. “This year we have definitely seen an increase in business over last year with a lot of longer-term bookings as well. As one of the bigger high-end studios I would say this is a very good sign of demand shifting towards higher-end recording again.” Goodchild is optimistic about the future of the industry in the US. “Just as vinyl has its place in the consumer market because it just sounds so bloody good, I feel there will always be a market for high-end

recording studios,” he says. “The high-end market seems to have levelled off and is probably seeing a bit of an increase. I see a higher demand for good sounding smaller studios and production spaces in already established recording facilities as producers and writers are often looking for a sense of community and creative atmosphere you just can’t get in home studios or a warehouse in the middle of the valley.” Post Production Tom McCarthy, EVP of postproduction services, Sony Pictures Studios, says there has certainly been a decline in independent post facilities over the course of the past five years. McCarthy: “Some of the major studios that have sound facilities have an advantage over these independent post facilities. They support the needs and requirements of filmmakers creating creative content for the studio’s releases. It is much harder for the independent facilities as they do not have their own production arms and rely solely on third-party product to keep their doors open.” McCarthy states that technologypurchasing trends have definitely changed. “Everyone needs to be aware of the cost of each investment,” he says. “It is important to make sure that technologies being implemented within a facility as large as ours will interconnect and support other areas of studio operations. We cannot have each post operation being its own island. When investing, you need to consider the shelf life of

each technology you consider. What is the payback? Does it have any? Or is it required simply to maintain current business and revenue stream? If we do not invest in a particular technology will we lose business? Most importantly, what do our filmmakers want? What technologies are upcoming filmmakers and sound artists using today? Virtual mixing is definitely on the increase. Investments for immersive sound formats for theatres and home distribution are required to keep up with new delivery formats. These are among the factors to consider.” Carl Tatz, who offers design and consulting services to entertainment industry professionals, has five active studio projects right now, and sees more demand for personal studios over larger commercial spaces. “They came close a couple of years ago to ‘legalising’ home studios in Nashville but it did not pass because there were too many points of view,” he says. “As long as a personal studio owner does not announce to the zoning board that they are building a home studio when applying for a permit, they won’t care as long as there are no complaints by the neighbours about sound or traffic.” Tatz notices that most of his clients are either working in the box or using a controller as opposed to an actual console. For the future, he plans to develop more strategic alliances with manufacturers as he has with Auralex, Argosy, and Sound Anchors, and predicts that the industry in the US will continue in the personal studio paradigm.

www.audiomedia.com

FEATURE AUDIO CONSOLES

London’s LipSync Post has been fitted with a 24-fader Avid S6 M10 console

Converging Consoles Simon Allen considers how technological advances and changing requirements are bringing the broadcast, studio, and live audio consoles markets closer together.

aking a step back and looking at the audio console market over the last few years, or even just the last 12 months, not only shows how things have changed but patterns and trends that are coming together to form an exciting future. Technological advances as usual are driving these changes, but the business side of the situation is changing in ways we haven’t seen before in live, broadcast, and studio. Analogue and Digital Let’s get this discussion out of the way before we move on to in-depth developments, which are mostly in the digital domain. It is obvious to even the most in-experienced that digital mixers are more common today than analogue mixers. There are over 100 reasons why this is the case, which I’m sure I don’t need to spell out here. However, there are some interesting analogue trends which still shouldn’t be overlooked. Starting with customers on a budget, ranging from amateurs at home through to practical solutions for larger operations, the small analogue console market is still very strong. Even in

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the most professional environments whether it be a large venue, wellknown post-production house or multi-room studio, you will always come across a small analogue mixer. Then, of course, there is the other extreme. Expensive analogue mixers are here to stay. Without running any risk of starting the analogue vs digital debate here, I’ll gloss over these ‘perceived’ sonic qualities. What is important in terms of market development however, is who’s building what. Mostly it’s the music studios that will continue the analogue legacy and some facilities are simply refurbishing classic mixers. In terms of new installs there are only a few options to consider, and especially for me, these are among the most exciting. Yes you can do a million different jobs with some of the latest digital consoles, with workflow improvements which we can’t afford to be without, but deep down we all prefer the Aston Martin over the Ferrari. Modern analogue consoles have also taken some tricks from the digital domain including the ability to recall manual settings and control modern DAW software at the same time. The big

players, SSL and AMS Neve, are at it in a big way, with examples such as the Matrix2 that also has intelligent analogue routing for your hardware, and the Genesys Black (see page 42 for our review). Then there’s this year’s release of API’s The Box console, which although there isn’t a digital chip in sight, can’t go unmentioned for filling the niche that is the ever-growing numbers of professional project studios. But analogue consoles in the broadcast market are almost already redundant as Ian Cookson from Calrec explains: “The broadcast industry, especially at large facilities, has outgrown what is economically and technically possible using analogue equipment. Modern technology allows audio networks to be created and resources to be shared and controlled across the facility from a central location. Calrec now only produces digital consoles as the requirement for analogue diminished completely over the last decade.” The live sound market is closely following this trend too. Touchy Mixers The modern world in which we live today is over-run with touchscreen

“Here at Lawo we feel the demands of the different markets coming closer and closer together.” Wolfgang Huber, Lawo technology. This UI has enabled accessing and controlling technology to be so much more intuitive. Console manufacturers have embraced this with many consoles even having multiple touchscreens. The major benefit is the reduction in the amount of physical controls that manufacturers need to include on any mixer. As www.audiomedia.com

FEATURE AUDIO CONSOLES Cookson comments: “On a soft surface this allows multiple functions to be accessed from the same screen depending on how the surface has been arranged by the user. This in turn provides greater power in a smaller footprint, which is a fundamental consideration, especially in the OB truck market.” Touchscreens have brought many other advantages to digital consoles which weren’t as feasible when solely using hardware controls. For example, consoles such as the SSL Live are based around multiple touchscreens to embrace the flexibility within their customisable software of layers and menus. These benefits are common in each market. Wolfgang Huber from Lawo gives the example of the manufacturer’s new radio console crystalCLEAR which is based completely on touchscreen technology: “You can adopt the user surface not just to suit every individual user’s needs – even customising the surface, and showing only those parameters the user needs for the task at hand, so they can concentrate on their work.” Touchscreens lead on to another current trend: remote control via iPads, tablets, and smartphones. As console manufacturers develop their software for touchscreen technology, it also maps conveniently to other devices for remote control possibilities. Some recent discussions that I’ve had with distributors show remote features are now a must-have feature for many customers, particularly in the live sound market. However, there is a potential improvement in touchscreen technology that manufacturers are waiting for. Cookson explains: “In a live broadcast scenario the engineer Calrec’s Summa is designed for broadcast professionals

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will be constantly watching the video screens so faders and rotary controls have to be physical so they can be used without looking at them. The physical fader in this environment is here to stay for the foreseeable future or until the next generation of haptic feedback from touchscreens makes it viable. The smartphone/tablet market is putting a lot of effort into new concepts which could provide the solution.” Modern Alternatives As computer processing power gets better and better, so do the abilities of DAWs and pro-audio software. PCs and computers can handle so much more, both in terms of multichannel mixing and audio processing, which of course is now of a much higher quality. DAW controllers aren’t a new concept but the release of Avid’s S6 and Yamaha Nuage demonstrate how we can now see the power of computing being able to handle mixing to a higher level. I’ve even seen older C24s and Pro Controls finding new leases of life as studios utilise them as cheaper options for workflow enhancements. Andrew Hingley from HHB comments that many of its customers are considering the S6 and Nuage to traditional consoles. Recently Scrub, a division of HHB Communications installed an S6 at LipSync Post in Soho, London. LipSync senior rerecording mixer and music composer Rob Hughes says: “When we came to update our desk in Studio 6, we wanted ultimate flexibility and integration with our Pro Tools HDX system. It’s a busy room that needs to serve as a mix studio for drama, short form, and documentaries, as well as feeding work into our larger theatres and handling re-versioning and deliverables.”

Stagetec Reaches a Crescendo Production company tpc – technology and production center switzerland ag – again relied on Stagetec equipment to produce the second season of The Voice of Switzerland for Swiss Radio and TV broadcaster SRF. The talent show’s live broadcasts were produced at the Bodensee Arena in Kreuzlingen, Switzerland earlier this year. tpc used its largest OB vehicle, the HD1, which features an Aurus control room with integrated Nexus network. During the live shows and pre-recording a Crescendo is used for the live band premixes. The singer’s microphone signal is fed to the HD1 control room on a separate Similarities Across The ‘Board’ From my own engineer’s point of view, although there will always be differences between the market extremes, technology is bringing the sectors closer together. Yes there are many functions on a broadcast console which you wouldn’t need in a live scenario, for example, and the aforementioned The Box from API is aimed at a particular sector, but at the same time manufacturers are bridging their technology across the markets. Huber highlights these growing similarities: “Here at Lawo we feel the demands of the different markets coming closer and closer together. We have noticed, that more and more of our mc² broadcast consoles are being asked for in the live market, especially theatre, opera houses, and classical venues. If anything is paramount, it is reliability and redundancy. Events are becoming much larger, with more sponsors that won’t accept failure, and with shows and concerts requiring increased DSP power – all broadcast features entering the live market.” Tom Graham, pro audio mixing segement marketing manager at Avid, agrees: “We are witnessing that the actual needs for these specific segments [broadcast, live, and production] are becoming more aligned, whereas in the past they were very different: mixers in each of these genres are expected to not just mix the show, song or film, but capture the media, tag it, and utilise it to maximise the experience for both artist and consumer. To achieve that, our customers need a highly integrated control surface that allows them to build a system to their specific needs

line, enabling the sound supervisor to concentrate on the voice. An interesting aspect of this production is the plug-in server that replaces all external sound processing devices. Its plug-ins are controlled by the Crescendo scene automation. This enables the sound engineer to create a plug-in setup for each contestant during the sound check and to recall it later from the console. and that can grow and keep up with the ever changing dynamics for each of these markets.” It’s the live market where we’ve seen the most cross-development of technologies. There’s the similarities of reliability and redundancy from the broadcast world, and most digital live consoles now also offer a very convenient method of multi-track recording providing the ‘virtual soundcheck’ feature that larger tours and shows are often using. The very high level of audio quality which is now capable from modern PA systems has had a chain reaction. Any audio processing from modern digital mixers can go as far as reflecting studio-level sound quality. Therefore we’re seeing better processing chains which include the same plug-ins and algorithms as found in the studio. This is possible due to the increased processing power from machines, even on very high channel counts. Senior product manager, Nicola Beretta from Allen & Heath comments: “It’s all very well having all this ‘outboard’ built into the mixer, but it should match the quality of the gear it is replacing.” The Software Era As consoles are now able to do so much more in one unit and traditional external hardware is becoming less and less necessary, manufacturers are really starting to come together. Manufacturers of digital audio processing, often from the studio market, are now able to collaborate with the console market providing them with a larger audience and a new www.audiomedia.com

FEATURE AUDIO CONSOLES angle of development. Technologies such as plug-ins that run on Avid’s Venue consoles for example, just as they might inside Pro Tools or Logic in the studio, are just the beginning. Today, probably the most notable development of its kind is the Waves DiGiGrid system which opens up the well-respected suite of Waves plug-ins in a hardware solution for simple access via nearly any digital audio platform, including consoles. To achieve this, Waves joined forces with DiGiCo for its experience in hardware processors. Then there’s the latest release from Universal Audio which teamed up with Soundcraft developing Realtime Rack; a similar solution for the UAD plug-ins to be utilised by modern digital consoles. But this new era of collaboration is even bringing together oncecompetitors within the console market itself. Earlier this month we heard the news of the DiGiCo, Allen & Heath, and Calrec merger. Although they will continue to trade as separate brands, this is an exciting time as the manufacturers know they can learn from one another, even across markets.

www.audiomedia.com

For The Future So what can we look out for in the future? It’s interesting what was fed back to me as the hot topic for future development. It wasn’t higher channel counts, or developments in UI, or even better quality audio processing. It was to take the advantages of these very powerful digital audio systems and take them to the next level of advanced audio networking. Again we find ourselves turning to the broadcast market for clues, as they are already setting the wheels in motion. We’ve been able to send uncompressed multichannel audio down very small numbers of cables with industry standards such as MADI connectivity for a few years now. Following this was AoE (Audio over Ethernet) with protocols such as Dante and AVB. Dante is now a strong player and has helped open such a large pool of benefits, providing us with a tried and tested audio network for anything from multi-room scenarios, or just high channel counts between many different devices. This year’s release of the Vi3000 demonstrates Soundcraft’s support of this third-party protocol

with the first ever built-in Dante and MADI switchable port. However, there are limits. AoE can only travel up to 100m before a network switch or termination is required. This limits the possibilities of what we know as ‘networking’ today. Here comes AoIP (Audio over IP). New industry standards are here: Ravenna and AES67. Cookson comments: “It’s an exciting time and we are very keen to see the advancement of more open transport technology. The ratification of AES67 is a significant step forward in this respect.” Lawo too is keen about the new IP standards as Huber expanded on: “The future lies in changing conventional workflows, as more manufacturers join this standard by adapting their products. Transfer of audio and video signals will become easier and even more efficient by using IP networks. Feeds are uploaded to the IP Cloud and can be collected anywhere as long as there is network access. Another point is that the new standard will protect investments as facilities and mobile units can integrate easily systems of different manufacturers.”

Hingley can even see potential growth of these IP-based networking solutions: “Another influence on future audio distribution is the adoption of IP-based broadcast video management. It’s likely that new 4K video facilities will be developed around IP-based distribution, and audio distribution will be largely managed by these systems.” Whichever market you are in – studio, broadcast, or live – there have been some very powerful developments which we will wonder what we ever did without. However, it’s this new era of processing power, software, and networked audio which marks a turning point in the industries’ development. These new platforms are opening up additional opportunities for further growth in technology and the business around it like we’ve never seen before. These are very exciting times in the world of pro-audio consoles. www.allen-heath.com www.avid.com www.calrec.com www.hhb.co.uk www.lawo.com www.solid-state-logic.com www.stagetec.com

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FEATURE IMMERSIVE AUDIO

Warner Bros. De Lane Lea recently became the first central London sound post-production house to install Dolby Atmos

Get Involved Rob Lawrence unravels the mysterious art of mixing in immersive audio and highlights the key beneﬁts, challenges, and opportunities for those looking to enter the market.

he concept of height channel arrays and ‘engulfing’ cinema audiences in sound is not a new one. Yet the idea of working with multichannel formats for some mixing engineers is daunting. This concern can partly be explained by a wide gap between what is known and what is published. Spatial audio tools and concepts are developing apace. The Dolby Atmos and Auro3D formats are rapidly being adopted in India, China, Russia, and the US by cinema exhibitors eager to provide their audiences with premium entertainment experiences. Despite many of the technical hurdles that have yet to be overcome, understanding the tools and the process of mixing in immersive audio can give audio mixers a competitive advantage. Challenges Re-recording is a large-format mixing discipline. The time to perform the final mix, according to re-recording mixer Gilbert Lake, can be anything from one to 10 weeks depending on the scale of the film. With this in mind,

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re-recording mixers have the challenge of mixing for sizeable audiences who occupy large auditoriums where individual members of the audience will be situated differently. When working in Dolby Atmos, Lake finds himself working in “a reference cinema” environment “with a mixing desk in the middle of it”. Unsurprisingly, mixing for film is not always performed in an ideal auditorium. Re-recording mixers occasionally find themselves working in smaller sized mixing suites subject to production schedules and production budget. Ideally, the final stages of a mix will happen, according to Gareth Llewellyn, Auro-3D rerecording mixer for Galaxy Studios, “in the best room you can be in” yet “you have to make the mix as coherent as possible for everyone in the room”. While having experience in legacy formats such as 5.1 and 7.1 is helpful, not only to understand how elements may translate for the “fold-down” of formats but also when sound object panning is concerned, Llewellyn warns that if you get too carried away and draw attention to the speakers, “you’ve failed in the art of film mixing”.

Llewellyn says that from his experience “an Auro-3D workflow is not that difficult to implement, and it allows you tremendous opportunities to augment a traditional mix or to take a film’s sound into whole new creative areas”. Speak to any sound consultant or re-recording mixer who works in immersive audio and they will likely tell you that modern mixes for film are more about creating a sense of immersion, ambience, and a sense of ‘being there’ rather than the novel opportunity of whizzing sounds around and overhead. While all formats provide an opportunity to manipulate sound elements in space, there is always a danger of removing the audience from the screen. Llewellyn suggests that immersion is a matter of practice and mastery and is “not gimmicky when it’s done well”. However, he warns that despite the fun of using “new toys on big action scenes… object panning rockets, bullets, fly-bys [and] putting aircraft in the ceiling…” as a re-recording mixer you have to be aware of what may distract an audience from the story being told as “it’s not all about the loud bits”.

Beneﬁts The recent evolution of easy-to-learn spatial audio software means tools that provide easy access to these new formats are now available yet the art of creating exciting and convincing mixes is as challenging as it has ever been. According to Llewellyn the advantage of spatial audio mixing is that “you can fill in the gaps… it allows you to colour in the spaces… you’re not reinventing the stereo image”. Understandably technical concerns among audio engineers when reproducing audio through multiple loudspeaker arrays will include phase alignment, timbral distortion, and sound coloration. Llewellyn quickly points out that a benefit of mixing with a multichannel array is that the process actually solves a lot of problems that stereo once had. “It makes sound more pleasant, more realistic, and more relaxing,” he adds. According to Wilfried Van Baelen, CEO of Galaxy Studios, the home of Auro-3D, this is partly due to a reduced level of mental processing as the ears receive more organic information. New Audio Technology’s www.audiomedia.com

FEATURE IMMERSIVE AUDIO Tom Ammerman prefers the stereo versions of his mixes when they originate in an immersive mix. His theory is that he has “much more space” for sound object placement to work with and so can work much faster. Finding a place to start While mixing in music and film are subtly different techniques, there are underlying principles that when applied can quickly deliver convincing results. For example, prior to mixing, almost all immersive audio mixers agree that existing (monophonic and stereophonic) recording techniques are valid sound sources. This implies that natively (spatial audio) recorded material is not always necessary. For mix engineers willing to invest their own time researching these tools, their prior experience will support their endeavours in terms of intuitively understanding how multiple channels will collapse. When looking for a place to start, Ammerman adds: “I never start in stereo… I always start in 3D.” Lake, who has worked on The Hobbit and District 9, starts by spending his time premixing the effects and/or dialogue. As with any audio production mix, the mixer will need to make subjective decisions based on the source material and in collaboration with the sound supervisors and sound editors. Lake says they will often have had “a longrunning discourse with the director as they build up the elements of the soundtrack”. Llewellyn adds: “The best approach is to have the original sound team available, with their source material, and you simply add the 3D tools.” In such scenarios, often involving AMS Neve DFC or Harrison consoles, mixers can build on a 7.1 mix by adding reverbs and reflections in the height channel arrays. In some instances, certain sound elements are simply panned up to the height channels. Such ideal scenarios are not always achieved due to production budgets, deadlines, and the availability of the original sound team: specialists are often booked months ahead for other projects. A more common approach is to start with using the original Foley, ambience, special effect, music, and dialogue stems including options. Stems options are dedicated mono or surround versions of sound objects which provide the mixer with choice. Llewellyn says the ideal approach to DAW workflow is to begin with the immersive audio mix and have www.audiomedia.com

Content Authoring Tools Today’s immersive audio producer, and mixer, has an increasing number of authoring tools from which spatial audio content can be created. While there are a growing number of independent developers, both Dolby and Auro Technologies provide bespoke tools to complement their proprietary spatial audio reproduction formats. Fundamentally, the Atmos suite has two tools, the Dolby Atmos Monitor application and the Dolby Atmos Panner plug-in. Both rely upon the Dolby Rendering and Mastering Unit, or RMU and are to be installed on an Avid Pro Tools HDX or HD system. The Dolby Atmos Monitor application is stand-alone software that allows for the recording and playback of a print master using Dolby Atmos audio and metadata. The Atmos Panner is used to position audio objects within a three-dimensional sound field. Dolby has recently been working with AMS Neve, Avid, and Harrison to integrate console functionality. The Auro-3D authoring tools include the Auro-Panner, which is a plug-in designed for 3D and surround sound panning in all Auro-3D configurations. The Auro-Panner

“Immersive audio is still an unknown quantity… until people see the ball rolling, there is inertia…” Gareth Llewellyn a bussing structure that allows easy monitoring and development of the smaller formats in parallel with the immersive mix. Your approach will also depend on whether or not the mix is a hybrid mix (ie console and DAW) or a pure ‘in the box’ (DAW) mix (eg, using Pro Tools). Llewellyn says working in this way can provide a scalable platform from which to configure panning for additional formats further down the line. Lake adds that, to begin with, the team on The Hobbit had to find complicated workarounds to deal with the new Atmos format, but console manufacturers have been quick to integrate controls for 9.1 array and object panning. Additionally new software tools offer 3D linking: a process where the ambient effects respond to the original panning choices.

features “object-based audio” support for upcoming standards and provides dedicated ‘send’ controls for the soon to be released Auro-Verb and other third-party developer plug-ins. The Auro-Verb, available later in 2014, is designed to create realistic three-dimensional sound production reverberation. The Auro-Mixing Engine is intended to augment DAW mixing busses circumventing the eight-channel wide bus limitation found in many DAWs, whereas the Auro-Bus plug-in extends flexibility by collecting and controlling individual Auro-Panner tracks. The Auro-Matic Pro tool is capable of up-mixing to 5.1 (in the 2D version) and all Auro-3D formats from Mono, Stereo, or 5.1 sources (in the 3D version). Last but not least is the Auro-Codec designed as a distribution codec to essentially mix and un-mix up to three PCM Audio channels while staying in the PCM domain. The Auro-Codec allows backwards-compatible distribution of Auro-3D content on modern media, such as Blu-ray, and can be transmitted via a standard HDMI connection to a dedicated Auro-3D AV receiver.

Creative decisions often include whether or not to use the height channel information, for example when collapsing natively recorded music from 13.1 or 11.1 to 7.1 and 5.1. Ammerman suggests starting with summing the height and rear channels at their respective positions (along the horizontal plane) with a level reduction in the surround channels (including the height channels) by 3dB. Once the tools have been better understood manipulating reverb, equalisation, and panning is relatively intuitive to learn. “Your prior experience in stereo and 5.1 is enough to inform you,” Llewellyn informs. In film, 5.1 and 7.1 are still the final versions most often approved by those responsible for the delivery of the final film release. Lake suggests “some directors give you creative control” whereas others “have very set ideas as to what they want to hear”. Beyond 7.1 there is still caution and hesitation exercised among film makers to commit fully to immersive audio mixes. The cause? Such formats are still relatively new and potentially risky particularly given the large production budgets involved. Llewellyn adds: “Immersive audio is still an unknown quantity… until people see the ball rolling, there is inertia…” While the number of film exhibitors and production releases capable of reproducing an immersive audio experience is notably increasing, convincing production houses to pursue immersive audio film releases is still, in their own terms, risky business.

Conclusion Immersive audio is new territory for enthusiasts and professionals to explore and advance their skills and experience. Experimenting with new workflows and software tools can potentially provide mixers with a competitive edge. Getting started ought not to be as daunting as one might expect despite some of the initial technical and practical hurdles that need to be overcome. The advantages of modern software, and the fact that almost any source material is suitable, provide new dimensions for artistic expression, or film director interpretation, while providing opportunities to thrill audiences with enhanced listening experiences. Even broader opportunities exist when gaming, headphone entertainment, and broadcast audio are considered. If in any doubt where to start, Llewellyn’s advice is clear: “Hear the formats… do some tests, do some recordings, set up [speaker arrays] and listen to them.” Lake suggests talking to people in the industry and listening to mixes – start with establishing your own sensibilities. Wherever your chosen starting point, what is evident is that if you can find the time and employ your own creativity, the source material, the know-how, the audiences, and the technology exist. It’s simply a case of having a go. www.auro-3d.com www.dolby.com www.galaxystudios.co.uk www.newaudiotechnology.com October 2014 23

FEATURE FINAL CUT

DPA mics were used to overcome the challenge of a bare-chested Drax

Guardians of Audio Jory MacKay talks to Oscar-winning production sound mixer Simon Hayes about capturing dialogue on the set of Marvel’s latest summer blockbuster and tent pole franchise, Guardians of the Galaxy.

wenty-six years after being abducted from Earth by a group of roaming intergalactic thieves and outlaws, Peter Quill (played by Parks and Recreation’s Chris Pratt) finds himself the target of the genocidal Ronan the Accuser after stealing a powerful and ancient orb. After forming a posse consisting of his enemy’s cybernetically enhanced adopted ‘daughter’ Gamora (Zoe Saldana), revenge-fuelled muscleman Drax (Dave Bautista), half-raccoon half-robot Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper), and a living Tree named Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), Quill and co head off to return the orb to safety and save the universe from destruction. Sounds impressive, doesn’t it? And with a production budget of an estimated $170 million, it almost certainly needed to be just that, and more. Yet beyond the massive otherworldly and outer space sets,

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impressive CGI, realistic special effects make-ups, fight scenes, and huge explosions, it’s the sound and music that takes centre stage throughout the film. Quill’s Sony Walkman loaded with a cassette of 70s hits is a focal point of the film, from the opening scene where a young Peter listens to a cassette labeled ‘Awesome Mix Vol. 1’ while waiting to see his dying mother, to the DIY sound system he builds on his spaceship years later. “[Writer and director] James Gunn was very descriptive. I could tell from the moment I met him that he had really, really big plans for the movie with regards to the sound and the sound design,” explains Oscar- and BAFTA-winning production sound mixer Simon Hayes (Les Miserables, Prometheus, Kick Ass). “Lots of the time when you meet a director they’re very visually descriptive, but James knew exactly what tracks he was going to have playing in the score. The movie is

a celebration of 70’s music [and] Peter Quill’s tape in his Walkman punctuates his emotions and the mood of the movie.” Bringing the Set to Life Putting together a hit-laden soundtrack after the fact is one thing, but according to Hayes, Gunn felt that the soul and feel of the 70’s was so important to the film’s ethos that he wanted to bring it directly to the set. “James was absolutely, 100% into getting that atmosphere onto the movie set. It was almost like he has an iTunes full of 70’s music in his brain and would say ‘I already chose the exact track for this moment’ to create an atmosphere on a big explosive fight scene based on music cues he had put just as much planning and thought into as the visual signature of the movie,” explains Hayes. “He had also already collaborated on a lot of the score with composer Tyler Bates and we played that too so James could convey the musical

emotions of scene to the actors.” “We had 10kW of sound on set. We had a subwoofer. And that was to create the correct mood and timing of set pieces, not just for the cast but for the camera moves and special fx cues too. So when we wanted to crank it up, which James did a lot, it would be as loud as a nightclub on our stages.” While this technique might help

www.audiomedia.com

FEATURE FINAL CUT the actors get into the feel of the scene and provide the atmosphere that Gunn was after, dealing with that kind of sound level could potentially become a nightmare for Hayes and his sound team. So just how do you record clean and intelligible dialogue while at the same time blasting 70’s club music on set? Hayes: “Having spoken to James about the noise levels and how full of action this movie was going to be, I decided my workflow was going to be slightly different. On other movies I like to celebrate the changes in perspective of the cameras and to actually celebrate the different acoustics of different sized shots. Having spoken to James and understanding how much he wanted the ability to pump the music and how intricate and detailed his sound design was going to be I decided that this movie for me was about one thing: getting the actors’ voices as close up as possible. “What I wanted to do was to record the actors as cleanly and as close as possible because that in turn would give the re-recording mixers (Christopher Boyes and Lora Hirschberg) and James Gunn the ability to really use music cues expansively without compromising the other elements of the sound design in post and add layer upon layer of sound. “I wanted them to be able to push the music as loud as they wanted and still have dialogue that would cut through and be intelligible.” Capturing Drax While for most of the characters this meant the usual combination of radio mics, booms, and the skilled hands of Hayes’ regular sound team, including key first assistant sound Arthur

Fenn, first assistant sound Robin Johnson, and second assistant sound James Gibb, the character of Drax, the heavily scarred yet impressively eloquent interstellar knockaround guy seeking vengeance for the death of his wife and daughters, brought some unique issues. “The challenge with Drax was that he’s topless – he never wears a shirt – and if we hadn’t been able to get a lavalier on him it would have meant re-recording all of Dave Bautista’s dialogue in ADR which James Gunn definitely did not want to do,” explains Hayes. “Through collaborating with the special make-up effects team, we discovered that Drax was going to have scars all over his upper body and we worked four months in advance of shooting to work out a way to run the cable for the DPA 4071 lavalier through the special make-up effects scars from Dave’s waistline all the way up to the centre of his chest without the cable being seen. Then we just had the grill of the microphone that was designed as part of a scar in the middle of his chest.” Yet Drax wasn’t the only character that required some on-the-spot thinking in order to capture clean dialogue. “As usual we had lots of different costumes that we had to mic up and one of the other situations was that Peter Quill wears a helmet a lot of the time,” continues Hayes. “We rigged a DPA microphone into the helmet so that he could wear that helmet and do his dialogue and be understood by everyone but he could also take his helmet off and the microphone existed in the helmet with its transmitters,” says Hayes. “So in the middle of a scene while he’s talking he could take his helmet

Inside the Kit Bag Simon Hayes walks us through the technology that allows him to capture clean and clear dialogue on set every day. “There used to be three issues with radio mics: the first issue was range, the second was sound quality, and the third was rigging them on quiet costumes. Now that I’ve got the DPA lavaliers I don’t have to worry about sound quality, and now that I’ve got the Lectrosonics transmitters I don’t have to worry about range. “With the Lectrosonics, the frequency response on them is stunning. It’s an extremely wide band and it sounds great to my ears.” Recorders “Zaxcom has been great to me. They made sure I was the first mixer in the UK with a DEVA 16 because I was requiring more and more tracks for the movies I was shooting. “We used a DEVA 16 on Les Misérables and Guardians was no different. What the 16 tracks enable me to do is give the dialogue editors lots of choices – I can have everyone on a lavalier and I can also have two booms running all of the time.” Booms “On Guardians we didn’t just use radio mics, we also used Schoeps SuperCMITS on the booms. Now theSuperCMITs are extremely advanced microphones. They basically have a DSP processor off and he was rigged with a second radio mic on his body so that we wouldn’t have to say that he couldn’t take his helmet off without a cut, which would have restricted James’ ability to make the movie the way he wanted to.” Getting Loopy Another trick that Hayes used to help deal with on-set noise levels was picked up from his work on Les Misérables. By running induction loops on every single set (even if it wasn’t requested) Hayes allowed the music to be run out of the 10kW rig until the moment one of the characters began to speak, during which the music would dip out of the speakers. When they were finished, the music would

www.audiomedia.com

within them, which process the off-mic sounds and reduces them in volume. This is a big step in filmmaking, but it’s something that we’ve embraced because we certainly know on a film like Guardians that any noise in the background isn’t going to be noise that we want to pick up. “Recently I’ve had a few conversations with people who say they aren’t sure about this processing of background noise and it got me back to thinking about the days when the first gun mics came out, say the Sennheiser 815. I feel the SuperCMIT is no different to the new analogue technology of the very first gun mics with an interference tube to help reduce unwanted off-axis background noise. I feel like we’re making exactly the same type of advance in film audio now moving from analogue microphones onto the digital Schoeps SuperCMIT but using modern technological advances. “As we shoot more and take more and more risks in movies and we’re using more special effects and there are more challenges on a movie set for sound we have to keep moving forward with technology and I’m certainly a big fan of it.” www.dpamicrophones.com www.lectrosonics.com www.schoeps.de seamlessly come back into the speakers. For Gunn, the producers, and any actors who required hearing the music in the scene, say for walking in rhythm or dancing in outer space (yes, it happens in the movie) the music could be sent directly to their ears using the induction loop and earwigs. “It’s all about collaboration, I try to never present the director with any kind of problem that restricts his ability to tell the story visually the way he needs to tell it,” concludes Hayes. “If I get through a day without having to ask the director to adjust something visually so I can record clean dialogue I know I’ve had a great day at work.” www.simon-hayes.com October 2014 25

FEATURE GAME SOUND

The Rockstar Lifestyle John Broomhall talks to Craig Conner and Will Morton, both veterans of Rockstar Games, about their tenure on GTA at the game development legend, and their new venture, Solid Audioworks.

Will Morton and Craig Conner

nother game audio services company is launched. So what? That is, until you eyeball this duo’s giant-killing CV which includes contributions to Red Dead Redemption, L.A. Noire, Max Payne 3, Manhunt, and the Grand Theft Auto series. GTA’s widely respected audio involves thousands upon thousands of sound assets. How does it work? Morton: Most everything you see makes a sound – people on the street, birds in the sky, cars in the distance, the coffee cup hitting the floor as a man runs from gunfire... Technically, the heart of it all is the RAGE Audio engine, designed and built by the in-house team – meaning it’s perfectly suited for these sorts of games. Conner: RAGE Audio calculates and tracks about 1,000 virtual sounds (or voices) at any one time, 96 of which will be rendered in the mix. When sounds are added, the volume of each file is calculated. The engine then uses that information in conjunction with what else is happening in-game to work out which sounds/voices should be heard. For instance, a loud sound happening miles away may not be heard over a quieter sound happening close up. It’s a great system for prioritising sounds automatically and working out what is, and isn’t important to the player.

26 October 2014

How are sounds packaged? Conner: Many sounds are created in real time from tiny components rather than using a single pre-built sfx. The benefits are zero memory-waste – every byte of data is used – and it also gives the sound designers flexibility, as components can be juggled in realtime – for instance, creating variations whenever they are triggered or when they’re affected by distance – they may vary slightly or be drastically different depending on what the sound designer has set up. Does the game use ‘real-time’ synthesis and DSP effects? Conner: Yes, we included real-time synthesis in GTA V by using AMP – a modular ‘connect-the-cables’type interface, fully integrated with RAGE Audio. The benefit of synthesis over samples is creating infinitely variable sounds. Sounds that would normally be quite static if represented by recorded effects suddenly have life breathed into them – and their behaviour appears more realistic. It’s also very memory-efficient. You can do a lot with noise and filters, for instance, creating the sound of air conditioning units. In terms of DSP, again, we used AMP, for example in GTA V you can switch between three characters during missions. They’re often talking to each other via headsets so the voices heard through an earpiece need to be changed on-

the-fly as the player switches roles. We designed a headset effect chain to process the voices at run-time as required. With 150,000 script lines, the GTA dialogue alone is a mammoth project. How’s it handled? Morton: It’s an enormous process involving many people. It starts very early in development and carries on right to the end. Really, you could write a book about it but in summary: the game city demographics are looked at and the population will be decided on – which types of people are needed, the areas they live in, and so on. Models are made for the ‘peds’ (pedestrians) and then we go about planning voices. Dan (Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games) will come up with a mini character brief and back-story for each one, which then goes to the ped writing team who create a bespoke script for them – about 200 lines of dialogue on average depending on what they’re being used for. The actors are cast and recording time booked. Dealing with hundreds of actors, means recording peds has to begin months before the game is complete – and there are often revisions – to cope with ever-evolving game features. Several large recording sessions are run throughout production, often recording 100 peds in a week – most

can be recorded in an hour. Three studios work simultaneously, each having a director from Rockstar and an audio person like me is there to ensure that what gets recorded is exactly what’s needed. It’s manic, but Rockstar has been building games on a huge scale for years and the production team in NY is expert at this stuff. Conner: A great deal of what the player’s characters do in GTA V was motion captured – they would act out the scene together and the actors’ movements, facial expressions, and dialogue would all be recorded together. When you can capture an ensemble performance with the right actors you get incredible results, far more detailed than recording everything separately the old way. Congratulations on an amazing journey! Having racked up a whopping 30 man-years’ service between you, leaving the Rockstar lifestyle behind can’t have been an easy decision… Morton: For me, it was about being able to work from my own studio, closer to my family, and expand my horizons project-wise. There are lots of interesting games being developed – both indie and AAA – I wanted to try something different. First of all, I fell into doing film work – a sound design and mix job on British horror feature Plan Z. That led to another feature – The Fairy Flag. At a pre-shoot meeting, I bumped into old Rockstar pal, Craig. We discussed working together, subsequently setting up Solid Audioworks to offer a full audio service encompassing dialogue, sound effects and score, as well as movie post… So what’s next? Morton: Following recording the production sound on The Fairy Flag, we were asked to also take care of the post-production audio. After that, we’ll turn our attention back to games. While a change is as good as a rest, and it’s been great to work on films, we’re very much looking forward to getting back into game audio. www.audiomedia.com

FEATURE STUDIO PROFILE

Credit: IBA Graphics

KORE STUDIOS

Colossal Sound Jake Young pays a visit to an MPG Award-winning recording space in Chiswick, west London that has installed a brand-new 32-channel 1608 from API.

ooking into the control room at Kore, only a fraction of what you see was here when the studio started 10 years ago. At that time, producer/engineer George Apsion, who runs Kore, could see tracking projects sustaining income going forward. “It was obvious that the days of the big SSL room, and people booking two weeks to mix, and recalls were on the way out,” he says. “It felt like to stay current and useful to people the best thing to do would be to put together a fantastic tracking space.” The initial investment went on mics and decent mic preamps and compressors. The studio had an Audient ASP8024 console that was just the monitor path, so the outboard racks were the first things everything would hit. Now, Kore has an API 1608 console that has stepped things up a gear. Apsion: “The desk is now much more the centrepiece of the studio.

28 October 2014

It’s fantastic. We’ve still got the great outboard but also the desk is pulling its weight a lot more because it’s on the recording side of things.” Installing the API was a combined effort between Source Distribution, acoustic and technical designers White Mark, and retailer Funky Junk. “The guys at Funky Junk were fantastic,” says Apsion. “There were some custom mods that we asked for on this console and a few things that had to be adapted to fit into our wiring situation and the way we work, and that was all just really effortless. They were really helpful with all of that.” The studio offers a lot of the equipment that seasoned engineers and producers would expect to see, and then there’s the Fairchild 670mkII, which was custom-built for Kore by a tech called PierreOlivier Margerand. It has custom core modifications, so it is not like a normal Fairchild.

The studio’s live room is really flexible in terms of live band recording. Apsion: “With drums you can get a nice, airy, fat sound in here. It’s not explosively ambient. It’s quite controlled. But if you want that mega ambience thing you can open up the doors and do the mic in the corridor trick. We do a big mixture of stuff in the room. It’s mainly guitar band stuff, but we can get 16 string players in here, and we’ve done children’s choirs, jazz, filming, playbacks, parties, and all sorts!” In Isolation For tighter, dryer drum sounds the kit can be set up in one of Kore’s two booths, which have double-glazed screens for isolation and Formula Sound’s Que-8 mixer systems for artists to get their own balance. The studio has a custom-built patchbay and there are patch lines all over the building, which came in handy when

somebody wanted to record the sound of a tap in the sink! A pre-WW2 Chappell upright piano was recently restrung. Apsion: “A lot of uprights can be quite plinky and bright and this one has a very thick, mellow tone which works really well for recording.” Apsion tries to avoid headphones if possible and thinks using a PA system helps performance a lot. “With drums we throw the kick and the snare out into the room through the PA,” he says. “If you’re compressing room mics a lot of the time, the thing that they can bring out more is cymbals, and you might not necessarily want that. It gets too splashy, and what you really want them to be squashing is the kick and the snare. So if you pump more of the kick and the snare into the room so that they’re overtaking the cymbals you can get a better quality on your smash room miking.” When Kore moved into the space www.audiomedia.com

FEATURE STUDIO PROFILE it was just a warehouse, and the studio is now completely floating because there is a printing press on one side that has big, heavy embossing machines. Apsion: “We took initial measurements when we first got the keys, and we left some microphones up testing ambient noise so we’d get a good idea of what the situation was. That stuff makes a lot of noise so we had to really go for it with the soundproofing, which I’m really glad we did because it’s just pin drop quiet in here.”

The guys from White Mark also dealt with the architecture, the acoustics, and the wiring. “They’ve just been fantastic,” adds Apsion. “The great thing about them is it’s all under one roof. It’s really well coordinated. I sat down with them and we hammered it all out for about three or four months, designing the idea of it. And then once they got in here it went up in about three months, which was really quick. They’re perhaps more expensive than a lot of the other people out there, but running

a commercial studio everything has to work. We’ve always had a reputation for good maintenance and things appearing where they should, and a huge part of that is down to White Mark doing a great job at the beginning with the wiring.” Private Space There is an additional private suite on an upper floor that can be made available if there is overspill, but the room belongs to Apsion, who composes a lot of library music and

increasingly felt the need for his own workspace. Apsion: “That is more of an absorbers off the internet slapped to the wall kind of space. It’s got an old vintage Tweed console, which is great because it’s got that Neve flavour, and it’s great to be able to offer the two different things. The API is superfast, and transient, and clean; and then the Tweed upstairs has got that thick, gooey Neve thing. So it’s nice to be able to record something down here and then mix it out through there.” www.kore-studios.com

The Lions Bred for Roaring Success The studio has just started a small record label called Kore, and House of Lions are the ﬁrst signings. Apsion, who manages the band, produced and engineered their ﬁrst single, Uncruel. George Apsion

What was the setup in the live room? In the past we’d relied on overdubbing, building it up. When they were younger players we would get a tidier sound on it if we did them one by one, and for [Uncruel], because it had this soulful, almost Motowny element, I was keen to make sure it was a live thing. It was really about reacting off each other, and experimentation, and capturing a moment. We made sure that the singer knew that the vocals were not a guide. He had to approach every vocal like it was the one. It was really exciting for them because that was the first time they’d recorded like that. Music as a band is all about reacting off each other, and you never know what you’re going to do because you don’t know what you’re going to feel or the way you’re going to react when you hear somebody else in the band do something in a certain way, and that will then inform the way that you play. So it was about getting that magic take www.audiomedia.com

to happen. The poor guys were in there for a whole day! And we probably did it about 30 times. We just hit a pocket somewhere in the mid-afternoon where there were two or three that were just magic,

and then we lost it. A couple of percussion overdubs, and that was it. It’s interesting as well to listen to the stuff we’d done previously versus that. There’s a real energy, and soulfulness and feeling to it that wasn’t in the recordings we’d done before so that is now the way that we will be approaching the EP. The other thing we’re very keen on is fairly minimal miking. We’ve got a great drum tech that we use, a guy called Martin Oldham, and he comes in and spends some time on the drums. So in the end it’s pretty basic miking; overheads, kick, snare, maybe a room. Likewise with the guitarist we spent a bit of time making sure the sound at source was right, and the sound in the room was right. So once

all of that’s set, just let them do the work and sit back and drink coffee! What was the main challenge during the session? To keep the band excited, to keep their energy up. With young bands they have a limited window of attention span sometimes and it can be a long day. It’s easy for us because we’re in here having great fun fiddling with buttons and pressing things, but they’re the guys in there who have to do the work. It’s quite tiring doing the same song back-to-front for a day, so it’s keeping their energy up, keeping them excited, making them understand what it is that we’re reaching for.

House of Lions Credit: James Drew Turner

October 2014 29

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS MIC PREAMPS

Expert Witness

Boomerang Soundsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Martin Pedder explains how mic preamps give a quality to your recording.

tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about the iron â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or maybe not,â&#x20AC;? said the owner of Eve Studios when asked what makes a good mic pre. With his studio full of the strangest vintage gear I pushed him further to discover which he likes best. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My BBC valve passive preamplifiersâ&#x20AC;Śâ&#x20AC;? he said and went into an explanation of how they worked. By â&#x20AC;&#x153;the ironâ&#x20AC;?, he is of course referring to the transformers. I was taught that the perfect amplifier would be a piece of wire with gain. What goes in comes out exactly the same, only louder. This clearly isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t what studio engineers actually want in a preamp. They want something that changes the sound and will cheerfully spend thousands on a box that actually adds distortion, noise, and peculiar phase shifts. Many engineers consider the Rupert Neve-designed Amek 9098 their dream front end. The console at Gracieland Studios has 48 built-in. While doing some maintenance there recently I had to enquire why they had an Avalon and a whole rack of AML modules sitting on top of the racks. The house producer/engineer laughed: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s silly really. But they do sound nice.â&#x20AC;? My customers, both rich and poor, are all doing it: Jam Factory spent ÂŁ1,600 on an eight-channel Avid PRE but records almost everything with a Neve 1073DPA. 80 Hertz Studios with its Neve console feels the need for an AEA and a few Chandler Germanium pres. A composer in his budget home studio uses a Joemeek threeQ when his audio interface has a perfectly good mic pre. Console and audio interface designers put their heart into designing the best preamp they can and everyone seems to bypass it with something external. So what is going on? Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s get a bit technical and look at what a mic pre is trying to do. Gain A microphoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s output ranges from below a 1mV whisper to a trumpet at over 1V. Our primary requirement is to amplify all signals to a standard level for recording, processing, and mixing. Most mic pres can add up

30 October 2014

to 60dB meaning the output can be 1,000 times louder than the input. Pad Designing an input for such a large range is tricky so many incorporate passive pads. Really loud signals, which would overload the input stage or transformer, will be padded down before entering a variable gain stage. Noise The molecules in metal generate a noise signal. So any mic and its lead will have thermal noise before you start to amplify it. Trying to approach this theoretical minimum noise requires a skilled designer. Input Impedance Our next requirement is to choose the input impedance. A high impedance (like a guitar input) gives maximum signal but is prone to interference because a mic lead also acts like an aerial. A low impedance solves this but needs more gain (and therefore noise) to boost the reduced signal. Decades of designers have produced a compromise of 200-ohm mics feeding 1,200-ohm inputs that works pretty well. Changing the input impedance can dramatically change the sound of the mic. It accounts for much of the variation between preamp designs. Most older ribbon mics have an output impedance around 50 ohms which is a poor match for many mic pres. Products from Focusrite, Millennia, and others have an input impedance switch. The Avalon AD2022 has a choice of five. Phase It is scary how many of my customers donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to use a phase switch. While a drummer hits the snare, try listening to just the overhead mics. Slowly fade up the snare mic and you should expect it to continually get louder. If it dips down in level first and goes all thin sounding but then starts to increase, the snare mic needs phase inverting. Likewise, a mic in front of a bass cabinet may not be in phase with the DI output that you are blending it with.

Phantom Power Condenser mics need power for their preamplifier and some need a high voltage to polarise the capsule. Most mics will happily run from as little as 12V but some require the full industry standard 48V. Filters Mics can pick up very low frequency sounds like air movement and traffic rumble. This can colour the sound of a preamp and can alter the way a compressor works further down the line. The LF signal may not even be heard on small monitors. Record some silence and check the meters, then filter out any very low frequency rumble that you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hear. Transformer or Electronic Balancing? Transformers are big, heavy, and expensive. You wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want them in a portable recorder. They distort easily, can be susceptible to hum, and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pass the low bass very well. However, they are excellent at rejecting radio interference and can sound wonderful. The Portico and 9098 pre use a fascinating design that Rupert Neve calls the TLA or Transformer Like Amplifier. It mimics the nice-sounding characteristics of a transformer but has the wide frequency response, low noise, and distortion of an electronic stage. It is then coupled with a real transformer using his â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;tertiary feedbackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; system. Solid State or Valve? It is nice to have the choice and good valve designs are not noisy. When over-driven they generate even harmonics that can give a warmth to a recording that many engineers love. There are some great budget

Martin Pedder

valve pres from ART, PreSonus, Samson, and SM Pro that usually have an instrument input too. Playing with the way the valve is biased can dramatically change the sound. ART makes the Tube MP Studio V3 with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Variable Valve Voicingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. You can just dial up 16 different valve sounds. Modules I am customising a lovely Classic API VP28 module for a customer who wants a separate mic, line, and DI input. It would appear that every manufacturer who designed a preamp in the 1970s is re-releasing it as a 500 series module. Take PMI, one of my favourite suppliers. It owns Joemeek, Studio Projects, Tonelux, and Trident and has mic pre modules now for all of them. So why spend good money buying a mic pre? Because â&#x20AC;&#x153;they sound niceâ&#x20AC;?. Which one? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about the iron â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or maybe not.â&#x20AC;? Perhaps itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just the designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fairy dust. Â&#x201E;

Expert witness Martin Pedder is the owner of Boomerang Sounds, a specialist pro-audio retailer and studio installer based in Bury, just north of Manchester. Founded in 1980, Boomerang Sounds has installed studios for Lisa StansďŹ eld, The Charlatans, Johnny Marr, The Stone Roses, and numerous commercial studios and radio stations. Boomerang Sounds, Britannia Mills, Cobden Street, Bury, Lancs, BL9 6AW. +44 (0)161 761 5050. sales@boomerangsounds.co.uk. www.boomerangsounds.co.uk

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TECHNOLOGY FOCUS

Mic Preamps A microphone needs a microphone preampliﬁer, and they’re not all the same. Your choice of preampliﬁer should be made carefully. Here’s a selection.

AMS NEVE

1073LB

The 1073LB provides a Neve 1073 microphone preampliﬁer in a single 500 series module. The 1073’s sound with classic Neve signature makes it a useful mic pre for recording vocals, guitars, and acoustic instruments of all descriptions, delivering the Neve sound featured on some of the most famous recordings of the past 40 years. • 500 series form-factor, without the additional EQ found on the classic 1073 unit • A mic or line input feeds a Class A gain stage, with adjustable gain control and selectable 48V available on the mic input • The Class A analogue output is controlled via adjustable front-panel +5/-10dB trim control www.ams-neve.com

AVALON

VT737SP

The Avalon VT737sp is a Class A channel strip featuring a tube preampliﬁer, opto-compressor, and four-band sweepable EQ. The order of the compressor and EQ can be switched, and the mid-range bands can feed into the compressor’s side-chain for frequency-related effects like de-essing. • Class A preamp design with three input selections • EQ delivers smooth highs and deep, powerful lows • Features four military-grade vacuum triode tubes • Illuminated VU metering for output and gain reduction • Compressor and EQ each have hardwired bypass www.avalonproaudio.co.uk

BEHRINGER

ULTRAGAIN DIGITAL ADA8200 The ADA8200 is an audiophile-grade eight in/eight out ADAT audio interface that ﬁts neatly into a single rack space, and thanks to its Midas-designed preamps and integrated A/D-D/A converters, users will enjoy distortion-free signal conversion. The ADA8200’s operating frequency range is an ultra-wide 10Hz to 24kHz – at a very respectable, 48kHz sampling rate. • Ultra-high quality eight-channel A/D and D/A interface • Eight state-of-the-art Midas-designed mic preampliﬁers • Phantom power on all microphone inputs • Reference-class Cirrus Logic 24-bit converters for ultimate signal integrity • Processes 48 and 44.1kHz sample rates • External sample rate synchronisation via word clock or ADAT input • Optical ADAT in/out interface for ultimate compatibility www.behringer.com

API

3124+ The API 3124+ is API’s ﬂagship preamp, rolling the equivalent of four API 512cs into one very handy 1U 19in rack space. It packs all the same associated classic family circuitry (including RE-115 K mic input transformer and proprietary API output transformer) – it is four 512cs in one, and so makes a great choice for building a recording rig with the innate sound of a classic API desk.

AUDIENT

ASP880

The ASP880 is an eight-channel microphone preampliﬁer and ADC that the company says will transform your sessions into world-class recordings. The ASP880 provides eight of Audient’s console mic pres, pristine converter technology and a feature set that includes variable impedance and variable high pass ﬁlters, all in a 1RU rack. • • • •

Eight Audient console mic pres All new, Burr Brown AD converter technology Variable input impedance and variable high pass ﬁlters Eight insert points between the mic preamps and AD converters • Two channels of Class A discrete JFET D.I instrument inputs • Digital outputs – ADAT, AES, and S/PDIF www.audient.com

• Uses API 2520 op-amps • Uses classic API console circuits • Includes Hi-Z inputs for guitar and keyboard connections • Provides up to 65dB of gain per channel www.sourcedistribution.co.uk

32 October 2014

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uaudio.com/twin *Apollo Twin includes the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Realtime Analogue Classicsâ&#x20AC;? UAD plug-in bundle. All other plug-ins are sold separately at www.uaudio.com. All trademarks are property of their respective owners. Requires Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion or 10.9 Mavericks. Thunderboltâ&#x201E;˘ cable sold separately.

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TECHNOLOGY FOCUS

DBX

CHANDLER LIMITED

TG2-500

The Chandler Limited TG2-500 preamp brings the sound of the Chandler TG2 preamp/DI to the 500 series format. The TG2-500 is a recreation of the rare EMI TG12428 preamp used in EMI/Abbey Road Studios recording and mastering consoles from the late 60s and early 70s. The sound of the EMI/Abbey Road Studios equipment is world renowned, and has been heard on many famous recordings done at Abbey Road, including The Beatles’ Abbey Road and Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon albums. • Discrete transformer-balanced microphone preampliﬁer • Coarse gain, Fine gain, and Output control, Total Gain +60dB • Mic/line switchable, Impedance 1200/300-ohms switchable • Phase switchable, phantom power +48V switchable • Creamy, smooth tone with a surprisingly open, clear top-end • Handmade in the USA www.chandlerlimited.com

286S

The dbx 286s is a channel strip processor that delivers a studio-quality microphone/instrument preamplifier and four processors that can be used independently or in any combination. Features of the dbx 286s include wide-ranging input gain control, switchable +48V phantom power, and an 80Hz high-pass filter to remove low frequency hum, rumble, or wind. • Classic dbx compression puts great sound within easy reach • Frequency tuneable de-esser reduces sibilance and high frequency distortion • Enhancer increases the detail and definition of high and low frequencies • Program adaptive expander/gate • Insert jack allows users to add an external processor • Full complement of meters and status LEDs • Precision detented controls www.dbxpro.com

FOCUSRITE

ISA430 MKII

The ISA430 MkII is a comprehensive channel strip that brings together a set of classic Focusrite heritage elements. The four main elements of the unit – mic pre, EQ, dynamics, and A-D converter – can be accessed individually and each used as a separate processor. • Classic Focusrite ISA transformer-based mic pre with variable input impedance • Versatile equalisation including two dual-range parametrics, HPF and LPF • Dual-mode compressor with both VCA and optical circuitry • VCA-based expander/gate with ‘hysteresis’ setting to avoid chattering • Phase-cancellation de-esser for more natural processing • Optional 192kHz/24-bit A-D conversion with soft limiter www.focusrite.com

MANLEY LABS

CORE

New from Manley Labs, the CORE is an innovative and intuitive channel strip combining tried and tested features with fresh technology. • Compressor uniquely before the mic preamp making it virtually impossible to clip • A new Baxendall EQ with sweepable midrange • Fast attack FET brick-wall limiter ELOP technology (from the Manley Voxbox) • Large illuminated VU meter • Balanced XLR mic and line inputs plus front panel jack DI • Insert point between mic preamp and EQ/limiter via TRS jack • Balanced XLR direct output (after preamp/compressor) • Balanced XLR main output • New hand-wound Manley Iron input transformer www.sablemarketing.co.uk 34 October 2014

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TECHNOLOGY FOCUS

MIDAS

XL48

The Midas XL48 packs eight XL4 mic preamps into a 1U box, complete with swept high and low pass filters, eight XL8 A-D converters, and a super-low jitter 1 ppm clock. The XL48 features both analogue and digital outputs in ADAT and AES/EBU format, eight-segment LED input meters, individual phantom power, polarity invert, and -20dB pad. All inputs are on Neutrik XLR and duplicated on D-sub connectors as standard. • Midas XL4 analogue microphone preamplifiers with switchable +48V phantom power • Low latency 24-bit 96kHz ADC converters with overload protection • All-analogue Midas XL4 swept low and high pass filters per input • Two ADAT output ports with 75-ohm BNC connector for external word clock • Selectable 96kHz, 88.2kHz, 48kHz, or 44.1kHz sample rate operation • Internal AES Grade 1 temperature-compensated word clock (1 ppm) www.midasconsoles.com

PRESONUS

ADL 700

The ADL 700 channel strip combines a single-channel version of the ADL 600 Class A tube preampliﬁer with one 12AT7 and two 6922 vacuum tubes, high-voltage power rails, and variable mic-input impedance; a fully variable FET compressor; and a four-band semiparametric equaliser. This high-end, 2U rack-mount unit provides separate, balanced XLR mic, balanced XLR line, and 0.25in TS instrument inputs with source select and a balanced XLR output and includes phantom power, a -20dB pad, and polarity reverse. • High-voltage, all-tube, Class A, dual-transformer design • One 12AT7 and two 6922 vacuum tubes • High-voltage power rails and variable mic-input impedance • Fully variable FET compressor/limiter with stereo link • Four-band semi-parametric equaliser • Microphone, instrument, and line inputs with source select www.presonus.com

PRISM SOUND

MASELEC MMA-4XR

Its high level of transparency, ultra-low noise and distortion, and consistent performance at all gain settings has earned the MMA-4XR the reputation as a true audiophile’s mic preamp. Every element of the preamp has been designed with professional applications in mind; a frequency response of 200kHz means every nuance and all harmonic content is guaranteed to be captured, a higher-than-usual phantom power current ensures maximum performance when driving any mic type, while the minimalist and intuitive layout provides quick and easy access to the important controls.

RADIAL

POWERTUBE The Radial PowerTube is a single slot, lunchbox-compatible tube preamp designed to ﬁt the popular 500 series format. It combines 100% discrete Class A electronics with a low-noise 12AX7 tube along with a Jensen output transformer to deliver exceptional warmth and detail making it the ideal analogue front end for recording. The VaryState input stage controls both sensitivity and gain, thus reducing background noise. • High-performance 12AX7 tube mic preamp • Discrete Class A circuit with Jensen transformer • VaryState input control for optimal signal to noise • Compatible with API and Radial Workhorse racks www.radialeng.com

• Four-channel transparent mic preamp • Ultra-low noise and distortion • 69dB of gain, in 3dB steps • High-output switchable phantom power • 200kHz frequency response www.prismsound.com

RME

OCTAMIC XTC RME’s OctaMic XTC is a new generation of microphone, line, and instrument preamp, A-D converter, digital patchbay, and format converter. It offers ﬂexible monitoring and routing functions, easy operation via colour TFT display and can be controlled with an iPad.

UNIVERSAL AUDIO

4-710D

The Universal Audio 4-710d is a four-channel microphone/line preampliﬁer with tube and solid-state tone blending capabilities – designed for a wide range of microphone and instrument sources. This multichannel preamp offers selectable 1176-style compression circuitry on each channel, plus four additional line inputs feeding eight channels of pristine analogue-to-digital conversion. Building upon UA’s classic analogue design approach, combined with smart modern features, the 4-710d is said to be the most ﬂexible preamp in the UA lineup.

• • • • • •

Eight digitally controlled microphone inputs with 85dB gain Phantom power switchable for each channel individually Four inputs switchable to line, four to Hi-Z Two stereo analogue outputs (headphones) Digital I/O: Optical MADI, 4x AES/EBU, ADAT, MIDI Flexible routing between all analogue and digital inputs and outputs • Fully remote controllable via MIDI, MIDI over MADI, or Class Compliant Mode operation • Full colour TFT for easy setup and operation www.rme-audio.com

• Four TEC Award-winning 710 Twin-Finity microphone/line preamps • Phase-aligned tone-blending of tube and solid state circuits, creamy to crunchy • Newly designed 1176-style compression circuit per preamp channel www.uaudio.com

36 October 2014

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TECHNOLOGY REVIEW

Neve Genesys Black ANALOGUE CONSOLE AND DAW CONTROLLER

The classic analogue Neve experience has been reworked for today’s digital workﬂow, writes Simon Allen.

he industry today is demanding more and more efficiency from our workflows. Technology has kept up with this demand, driven from our customer’s needs. The need to quickly deliver results, collaborate on projects across time-zones, and switch between many different projects in one day, has never been so important. While content is king, we’re all slaves to fast turnaround. New and improved software features as well as considerable improvements in quality have punished the hardware market in recent years. Mixing ‘in the box’ has moved on from being considered as acceptable, to becoming the norm. However, among these time-saving methods that the digital world has made possible, we all wish that analogue mixing could be as seamless. For those who want to integrate traditional analogue processing into their digital workflow, there are a number of products which try to make it happen while introducing some modern advantages. However, the Genesys Black has taken integration of the analogue sound into today’s digital studios to a whole new level. I went up to see Neve at its life-long home in Burnley, UK and met up with David Walton, who was keen to show me the manufacturer’s one-stop solution for integrating the Neve analogue sound into today’s digital workflows. Digitally Controlled Analogue Mixer While this console boasts digital integration as a DAW

38 October 2014

controller and with on-board computer management, at its heart it offers a true Neve analogue mixer. I use the prefix ‘Neve’-analogue mixer as we are all fully aware of the heritage involved here. Neve is as legendary as it gets when you want analogue processing. What’s more, although this is a new design sitting in a new frame, the analogue circuitry is taken from some of Neve’s classic gear. In true Neve fashion, these circuits are exactly the same wiring and use the same components as the originals. Therefore if you want that classic ‘Neve sound’, then it’s safe to say this console has it covered. Here’s the really exciting part, like the original Genesys console, a lot of the physical parameters are digitally controlled. There is an on-board PC-based computer, which is there for a number of configuration controls as well as facilitating the control of these analogue parameters. Editing these parameters is done in two ways. For example, the built-in preamps each have a rotary encoder, whereas the controls for each EQ and dynamics module are all edited from four encoders in the master section or on screen like a plug-in. The mixer is laid out like a true in-line console. At first this seems a strange idea when Neve has aimed this product at the modern recording world, but you soon realise that this is a very smart move. While recording, the analogue section behaves just like any in-line desk. However, when you want to run a mix, the additional I/O gives you input points on both faders for each channel and both sets of faders can be

Simon Allen with the Neve Genesys Black

routed to the mix bus. This doubles your channel count for mixing and summing. The base configuration of the Genesys Black comes with eight in-line channels which have a single EQ, an optional dynamics module and two insert points per strip. These analogue signal processors and inserts can then be placed on either input point of each channel, and in any order. This can be done via soft buttons on the channels themselves or more conveniently via a drag and drop method with the console’s computer, which I loved. So what ‘classic-gear’ from Neve does the Genesys Black utilise? Predictably, the mic preamps are the famous 1073. By default the EQs come as the 88R-style four-band EQ which can be swapped for the 1084 classic EQ. The dynamics modules are optional VCA-style dynamics. Both EQ and dynamics options can be changed in groups of eight via loading different cassettes at the rear. The analogue channel count can be scaled up in these groups of eight to a total of 32 channels, which would

“The sky’s the limit with this console in terms of what you can do with it and the sound quality.” Simon Allen give you 64 tracks of analogue summing. The bonuses of the digital control speak for themselves. Firstly, there’s the ability to totally recall the analogue mixing section almost instantaneously. With motorised faders, soft buttons, and some rotary encoders, most settings load with a mix file. For the non-motorised controls such as auxiliary sends, on-screen instructions help you set these back to their original position with accuracy and speed. I tried loading different mixes with David and it was very fast and painless. With the analogue mixer state being saved as digital information to the built-in computer, the mix file can also be transferred to your host DAW machine via USB for convenient file organisation and archiving. Another, sometimes overlooked, benefit

of the digital control is the considerable lack of physical controls and moving parts. This has kept the design of the console much simpler with fewer moving parts and switches that could run in to future problems. It also has allowed the console to occupy a much smaller footprint, which keeps the engineer in the sweet spot and will fit comfortably into the typical facility for which the console is aimed. Complete Integration Just by having a large screen in the centre of the desk and a proper place for your keyboard to sit, demonstrates how Neve has respected the way we work today. No more awkward keyboard trays with the cable getting trapped in the faders. No more long distant viewing of your host computer screen where you actually spend most of your www.audiomedia.com

TECHNOLOGY REVIEW time, and no longer will the monitor positioning be affected by trying to fit in a large screen as well. In fact, there are available seats for near-field monitors to sit in the ideal location. On top of the ergonomic layout comes the DAW controller section. It’s great that this too is laid out in the centre, directly underneath the host’s screen. DAW control is always there in front of you with 16 dedicated faders. With a simple button press, you can expand the DAW control across all available faders. Combine this with the touchscreen that’s compatible with PC and Mac operating systems and this gives you an enhanced experience of your DAW. I can see the likes of Avid and Apple developing our DAWs to utilise touchscreen technology further and we’ll soon be editing audio with easy iPhone-style gestures. The Genesys Black also comes as standard with Neve’s sought after A-D/D-A converters built-in. From there access as a digital audio interface via one simple FireWire cable has been provided. While MADI and AES formats are also available for the likes of Pro Tools HD users, the FireWire option will interface with your DAW seamlessly. With one Ethernet cable for the DAW control and a FireWire cable for your audio, you’re ready for any project. Inputs to the channels on both parts of the in-line style mixer can be selected to monitor from these D to A converters for quick setup of a mixing session without a patchbay. However, my advice to potential buyers would be to go for the additional A-D/ D-A option for the monitor section. If working, especially with the FireWire cable, then you’ll want to access the master bus outs for recording your analogue mixes. Neve is continuing to develop the Genesys as it has been doing since its original release in 2007. I asked David www.audiomedia.com

what updates we’re likely to see and he mentioned a new Genesys Black control plugin. This really would conclude the ‘total integration’ story. Currently to transfer data such as mix recall settings a USB flash drive is needed. With a plug-in that will sit inside your DAW session, this data could be transferred and saved directly with the project. Additionally, digitally controlled hardware parameters and console configurations could also be controlled from within your DAW, which I think would add a final enhancement to the Genesys Black experience. One final point I’d like to make regarding the digital aspect of the console is a remote system that’s in place for maintenance testing. As the control for the console exists on an internal PC, this can be connected to the internet where Neve can log-in remotely and run diagnostic tests. If you’ve got a problem with a channel, for example, Neve will remotely find out what’s wrong, and if necessary send out replacement parts which can be user installed. This is great customer support and will ensure that if you do run into a problem, you’ll be up and running again very quickly. Total Studio Control This, being a Neve, is intended to be a fullyfledged centrepiece of any small to medium-sized studio. The master section offers comprehensive studio management and monitoring options. Here you will find everything any recording facility would need from two stereo cue mixes, powerful talkback functions, multiple monitor outputs with individual speaker controls, transport, red light control, and so on. There are notable Neve features which they’ve included in the Genesys Black master section including; solo in front, which allows monitoring of solo to be

Genesys Black in the Words of Designer Robin Porter How important was aesthetics when designing the Genesys Black? Very. We want the console to look appealing in a studio as clients like to see they are getting value for money, but we also spent a long time making sure buttons, level controls faders etc were in the correct position for good work flow.

really it’s down to size. A small Genesys can be just 8 channels or 16 so it is scalable. What are some of the console’s key features that set it apart from the competition? Sound, flexibility, Total Reset, connectivity, scalability, ergonomics, and small footprint.

What other considerations were central to the design process? The ability for the console to dovetail with a DAW but also that the recorded sound can be pristinely capture within the session.

The Genesys Black is more compact than its predecessor – is it aimed more at project studios than larger facilities? Both really, as the console is immensely powerful then it has all the features of a large recording console. So

Can you pick out your favourite feature? Drag and Drop signal processing ordering, great choice of EQs and dynamic options, world-class microphone preamplifiers, Total Reset for fast session turnarounds.

brought out within the mix, and RTB talkback for solid studio talkback when overdubbing. The specification concludes with four stereo returns (which can also act as further analogue summing inputs), two cue mixes, and four mono auxiliaries. Then just as you thought a compact analogue console couldn’t be any more advanced there’s the eight track bus outputs which enable surround sound mixing and monitoring. Channel pans operate in stereo or true LCR panning modes. The master section can also generate the LFE channel with inbuilt bass management for a surround mix or you can mix the ‘pointone’ channel with an auxiliary. As the master busses consist of eight tracks, 5.1 mixes can be analogue summed for stereo mixdown versions at the same time, and to enable stereo compatibility checks.

in one product. The sky’s the limit with this console in terms of what you can do with it and the sound quality. Some will look at the price tag that comes with a desired configuration of a Genesys Black and fall over backwards. However, if you were to buy all the elements inside this console as individual pieces of equipment, you’d quickly realise how much you’re getting for your money. Provided you can afford one, this is a safe investment with a lower depreciation rate than

a car for similar cash – it will possibly even make you money straight away. Having the Neve name, especially with the classic gear selection will draw in certain clients, and then you have to factor in the time you’ll save per job if you are moving over from other analogue environments. You might even find you’ll sell loads of your existing equipment because it will become surplus to the Genesys Black’s available features and sonic quality.

Conclusion Everything about the Genesys Black makes perfect sense. I can’t think of any stone that’s been left unturned, offering so much

The Reviewer Simon Allen A freelance internationally recognised sound engineer and pro-audio professional with over a decade of experience. Working mostly in music, his reputation as a mix engineer continues to grow.

INFORMATION Feature Set • Eight channels of Neve 1073 mic pre/line ampliﬁers • 16 channel DAW monitoring • Dedicated DAW control section with touch display • Total Reset and Total Recall • Motorised Analogue/DAW control faders • RRP: £29,995 (ex VAT) www.ams-neve.com October 2014 39

TECHNOLOGY REVIEW

EVE Audio SC408 FOUR-WAY ACTIVE LOUDSPEAKER

Nigel Palmer ﬁnds that it’s worth making room for the largest loudspeaker in the EVE Audio product family.

s I said in a recent Audio Media Buyer’s Guide article, EVE Audio is a company going places fast. Starting in 2011, it’s risen in three short years to become a recognised and trusted brand combining cost effectiveness with quality. Roland Stenz, managing director and chief designer, has a particular talent for extracting the last few percent from any given configuration, making his company’s range of DSP-controlled active loudspeakers one to watch.

Overview The SC408 is the largest four-way loudspeaker EVE currently makes, measuring 710 x 330 x 440mm (27.95 x 12.99 x 17.32in) WHD and weighing in at a fairly hefty 29.5kg or 65lb. The front aspect’s appearance owes something to the D’Appolito configuration, with twin 200mm woofers set either side of a 130mm mid driver and an Air Motion Transformer tweeter – these latter two occupy a silver-coloured plate which can be rotated 90˚ by undoing four screws so the monitor can be set up either vertically or horizontally. A feature of the plate is a push-and-turn rotary encoder that performs a number of functions: the default is as a volume control with an 80dB range, level selection being indicated by a series of LEDs around the encoder; a number of filters are also available. First is a low shelf affecting frequencies below 300Hz in 0.5dB steps, with up to 3dB boost and 5dB attenuation; this is partnered by a 3kHz high shelf, also +3 40 October 2014

and -5. In addition there’s a bell EQ which behaves differently depending on whether you’re cutting or boosting: if the former, it acts as a narrow-band filter at 160Hz to help mitigate the effect of reflections from consoles or other hard nearby surfaces, and in the latter case it offers a broader lift at 80Hz to ‘punch up’ the lower frequencies. At first sight the available EQ doesn’t appear to provide much in the way of correction in the midrange, however raising or lowering the two shelves together can help this important area. A look around the back of the loudspeaker reveals a set of DIP switches to lock volume and EQ settings if required – a sensible feature, especially in a facility with multiple users – and also set the overall operating level. Audio inputs consist of analogue balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA phono connectors: the SC480 is DSP-controlled and immediately converts incoming signals to digits via a Burr-Brown AD for greater precision, so the omission of AES and/or SPDIF digital inputs is at first slightly surprising. That said, my experience of running ‘digital’ speakers both ways tells me there’s little practical difference, and reducing the connector count must surely help when designing to a price point. The speaker has four amplifiers, one per driver: two 250W units for the LF drivers, a further 250W for the midrange and finally a 50W for the tweeter; all are Class D, an efficient design generating relatively little heat and in this case

protected by a limiter. Optimising the low frequency response are two large rear-firing reflex ports across the shortest sides of the cabinet – these have rounded corners to reduce noise, and to my ears produced a nicely extended and vice-free LF response. In Use Setting up the SC408s in the mastering room at Lowland Masters was simple enough, albeit requiring a friend to help with placing them on stands; this resulted in tweeters at ear height in portrait orientation which I maintained with, after various experiments, flat EQ for the review period. It was quickly apparent that the 408s like space and a goodsized listening triangle: in my 30sqm room, sitting 2m back from the monitors gave a generous open sound with controlled bass and no sense of port hype, and although I was quite comfortable I had the sense that I was about as close as one would want to be with these speakers. As usual, I started by listening to some familiar material before working with them, and favourites such as tracks from Grace Jones’ Hurricane album (mixed by Cameron Craig and mastered by Bob Ludwig) sounded every bit as big and bold as they should. I was untroubled by any obvious anomalies at the 250Hz and 3kHz crossover points, and was treated to a very smooth and powerful ride right across the EVE’s 30Hz-21kHz bandwidth. To get an external opinion, the SC408 pair was installed

“Deﬁnitely one to put on the audition list for those who want to move air without sacriﬁcing the niceties.” Nigel Palmer

at Crooks Hall Studio in Suffolk, which is owned by John Metcalfe. He commented: “They’re a highquality piece of kit, mostly suitable for large rooms and at their best when positioned some way back from the listening position – too close, and I notice something phasey about the sound in the mid to upper mid range. This is less noticeable when you sit further back and they resemble

my normal system better”. While the phaseyness wasn’t evident back at Lowland Masters (and may have been helped by the 160Hz filter), the general point about room capacity is well made. As this is a midfield monitor listeners should, of course, keep recommended distances and not use it as a near field monitor. Conclusion In a larger space there’s a lot to like about this loudspeaker, the way it combines clever design and reasonable cost with a big, neutral-butinvolving sound making it a winner. Definitely one to put on the audition list for those who want to move air without sacrificing the niceties, make room for the EVE Audio SC408.

The Reviewer Nigel Palmer has been a freelance sound engineer and producer for over 20 years. He runs his CD mastering business Lowland Masters (www.lowlandmasters.com) from rural Essex where he lives with his family and two dogs.

INFORMATION Feature Set • A pair of 8in SilverCone woofers cover the frequency range from 30Hz-250Hz • A 1.5in voice coil is responsible for creating a greater linear excursion • Featuring EVE’s Air Motion Transformer RS3, which houses a bigger magnet system to deliver a higher output level with less distortion • Balanced XLR inputs and unbalanced RCA inputs www.eve-audio.com www.audiomedia.com

TECHNOLOGY REVIEW

Wavelab 8.5 DIGITAL AUDIO EDITOR

Alistair McGhee test drives the latest evolution of Steinberg’s audio mastering, editing, and batch processing solution.

‘

How much is too much in the business of pro audio?’, I wondered as I meandered through a blog about audio apps for iOS the other day. Had I been drinking tea I might have resprayed my BenQ on coming across the statement that one piece of software was priced ‘at a point that would only be of interest to professionals.’ Thirty dollars. If you are shocked by this appalling price tag you better sit down my friend and pour yourself a stiff drink, and now swallow. Wavelab 8.5 is a forty quid upgrade from version 8. Now I know what you are thinking – Ronaldo, Messi, Bale they may have £40 in loose change kicking around their wallets, for the rest of us it’s but a distant dream. And anyway what do you get for this outlandish sum of money? An orchestra of drum samples, support for DSD and MP3 on the same track? Well not exactly, the most obvious changes are the addition of watch folders for the batch processor; simultaneous multi-format rendering and an encoder checker for comparing coding quality; and last and maybe least, an onboard AAC encoder. As Karl Marx would have it, the key to economics is the ownership of the means of production. And for many of us Wavelab 8.5 is certainly a means of production. It is the thing that adds value to the raw material (your audio) in order to produce things of economic value. What Karl wasn’t anticipating was people owning the means of production without actually

42 October 2014

producing anything, or at least anything worth selling. But in the hard-nosed world of production things that make the crucial output work flow better are worth investing in. And the astute among us will notice that all of Wavelab 8.5’s newness is aimed at better, faster, more flexible output. Encoder checker My favourite new feature is the real-time encoder checker – probably encoder auditioner gives a better idea of its function. This sits in the new post processing slot in the master section. The idea is that you want to listen to your encoded audio and compare settings before rendering. The obvious gain here is not going round the choose encoder and settings, render, listen, reject, choose encoder, and settings loop. The encoder checker gives you three slots in which to load your choice MOF encoders complete with individual settings and allows you to seamlessly switch between them and the unprocessed file. Well, mostly seamlessly, there are occasional low level clicks or small jumps but nothing that undermines the usefulness of the tool. And if you really want to give your ears a workout there’s an option to do blind testing where the checker hides which encoder you are listening to but allows you to rate the sound of each encoder using the plus and minus keys on your keyboard. Endless fun for all the family. If like me you are a natural cheat then keep your eye on the compression dialogue, but you didn’t hear

it from me. Next up watch folders. The idea is very simple: you create or designate a folder to be watched and then Wavelab watches it. You define a process for the folder and then anything dropped in it gets processed. Simple, ah but also sophisticated, you can keep the source file or throw away, files unable to be processed are ignored (oops I dropped a spreadsheet in there!) or if they are audio files and cannot be processed then they are sent to a naughty error folder. WL can run a log file so you can check all has gone according to plan and even schedule the processing to suit your timetable. So your playout system wants MPEG2 files at 48kHz, and you have a pile of new songs to process. Set up your process, say loudness normalise to make them play nice together, choose your output format, et voila the watch folder awaits your files. Once set up you don’t even have to open Wavelab, because the watch folder can be watched in the background and be initialised at start up. And suppose you are a conscientious type and you want a set of uncompressed files against the day you ditch that crap 1990s tech and throw off the oppression of compression. Well you can quite easily set up a separate watch folder for that. Or if you are looking for multiple output formats from a file you have already edited and processed you can use another new feature, simultaneous multi-format rendering. This is available in the File or Montage

workspaces, and very simply when selecting a file render operation you have the option to make that a multi-format operation. You can control the output folder destination based on the format and those output folders could in turn be watch folders. So for ultimate flexibility you could load and edit your source file, then output the edited file in different formats to different folders where individual watch folder-based processing can be applied. Steinberg even allows you to distribute the processing load across multiple CPU cores for maximum power. The addition of AAC coding is the last major highlight of the 8.5 release and enables you to encode your audio in all manner

of AAC formats, including HE-AAC. One of the biggest advantages of having the AAC coding on board is that when you get down to using your new codecchecking tool then you have access to the world of AAC. You will know what your tunes will sound like on iTunes. In some ways this is making the best of a bad job, really the world deserves to enjoy the audio you have worked so hard on in all its uncompressed glory. But reality often forces us into compromises, Karl would I’m sure agree. And in this less than perfect world the codec auditioning features of Wavelab 8.5 coupled with the new AAC coding options will help you make the best of things, till the revolution

The Reviewer Alistair McGhee began audio life in Hi-Fi before joining the BBC as an audio engineer. After 10 years in radio and TV, he moved to production. When BBC Choice started, he pioneered personal digital production in television. Most recently, Alistair was assistant editor, BBC Radio Wales and has been helping the UN with broadcast operations in Juba.

INFORMATION Feature Set Watch folders: Drag-and-drop automated offline-processing feature, using standard folders of the operating system to process and render audio files Encoder checker: Compare and contrast codec quality and settings on the fly without perceivable latency and with up to three streams simultaneously, such as MP3, AAC, and OGG Vorbis Multi-format rendering: Render to multiple audio file formats simultaneously and save encoding chains as presets AAC encoder: Encode straight to AAC formats, such as HE-AAC, HE-AAC v2, HD-AAC and 3GPP, for compatibility to Apple products www.steinberg.net

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TECHNOLOGY REVIEW

SPL Crimson DESKTOP MONITOR INTERFACE

Rob Tavaglione enjoys his ﬁrst experience with a desktop interface.

p until this review, I’ve never used a desktop interface or monitor controller, as I drive a console with rack-mounted converters/ interfaces. Sure, I’ve watched my less-fortunate colleagues struggle with some pretty bad (and quite popular and cheap) devices that are inadequate for pro use in many ways – including their mic preamps, converters, headphone amps and general build quality. The SPL Crimson appears to solve these problems and offer enough flexibility to claim the top perch in this category. Features Input section: two singletransistor discrete mic preamps (with phantom power, HPF, XLR inputs), two pairs of line inputs on 0.25in balanced TRS connections, two Hi-Z instrument inputs on 0.25in TS, a pair of RCAs and an eighth-inch stereo miniplug for -10dB consumer devices (with an automatic, bypassable gain boost to pro level), and a digital input via SPDIF. Monitor section: a large unstepped control-room level control, two sets of control room outputs (set A on XLR, set B on quarter-inch TRS with “tweaker” trim controls), two headphone amps with 0.25in TRS outputs and high output, a balance control for blending between the analogue input section and the DAW returns. DAW implementation: two pairs of DAW returns via one USB 2.0 input (not 3.0, but 2.0 for its faster and more stable drivers with 1ms of latency), a total of six simultaneous channels of

44 October 2014

conversion to/from DAW, 24-bit processing, sample rates up to 192kHz, and lowjitter fixed internal master clock. The Crimson will operate sans drivers (using Core Audio), but high sample rates and low latency requires SPL drivers. In Use I started out using the Crimson as a stand-alone monitor controller and was immediately struck by its ‘feel’. The steel chassis, the large control room level pot, the trim and headphone level pots, the switches – they all had that firm and smooth operation that inspires longterm confidence. The rearpanel legend was printed twice, once upside down, for easy connecting from either viewpoint. Savvy ergonomics? My interest was piqued. As I ran through the functions in my mix session, the Crimson did not disappoint. I summed to mono to check for phasing issues; monitor switching was convenient with a single button push between A and B; and I kept two sets of cans (for me and the client) always connected for quick comparison checks. I noticed that the control room level did not go all the way down to muting the hot +4 outputs of my D-A converter, but the manual explained that these pots offer about -80dB of attenuation, enough to silence most sources. I did notice that the control room level was not balanced and centred at lower levels; I’d prefer stepped attenuators for such very lowlevel balance checks. I downloaded the Mac drivers from SPL’s website

(they offer Windows drivers, too, for XP and Vista 7 and 8) and suffered a bad install. Once I reinstalled the drivers, I received stable and excellent operation from the Crimson as a front end/ DAW companion. For a naked, no-bed voice over, the Crimson mic preamps did a fine job. I’d describe their voicing as neutral and flat as they lacked any significant color but were super quiet and distortion free, even with lots (up to 60dB) of gain. They are maybe not as euphonic as some out there, but wisely clean and non-obtrusive. The instrument inputs were quite similar; with passive basses, active basses, acoustic guitars and electric guitars I received ample gain, low noise, and neutral voicing (again, not as ‘pretty’ as my reference preamp, the Millennia-Media STT-1, but smartly flat and flexible) with plenty of headroom. For overdubbing vocals and such, the Crimson again nailed the job. The blend control allows no-latency monitoring of the analogue input signal and acts as a convenient oneknob ‘more me’ control when the singer needs just a little more level over the music. The multiple sets of DAW returns are also quite useful for setting up separate monitor mixes or wet/dry balances. For more complicated scenarios (two headphone mixes, the need for talkback, and checking reference mixes) the Crimson has a number of advanced routing flexibilities. These are basically achieved with the Artist mode which routes analogue inputs in realtime, monitoring of DAW returns 1/2 to producer via

Phones 1, returns 1/2 or 3/4 routing out to Speaker B for a headphone amp and Phones 2. Talkback is achievable with a externally amplified mic into analogue source 1-left; upon hitting the ‘talk’ button, talkback routes to Phones 2 and Speakers B, while Speaker A is dimmed to prevent feedback. With so many functions available for a number of the jacks and connections, I had to constantly re-patch to achieve different set-ups (eg, inserting plugs in 0.25in inputs 1/2 will override mic inputs 1/2, instrument inputs 3/4 override lines 3/4, etc). Nonetheless, there’s enough flexibility and utility here to satisfy the needs of all but a traditional pro facility – and that’s a lot more function than typical out of a desktop device. I used the Crimson at 44.1 and 48kHz and it sounded even better at 96kHz (a bit more open, shiny’ and precise) with basses, vox, guitars, acoustic guitars, and percussion.

To My Ears In my opinion, the performance of the Crimson measures up to professional grade. Clean and neutral mic pres and converters as well as excellent sonic performance (high headroom, wide frequency response, ample bottom end, excellent imaging) from all the analogue inputs are highlights (surely due to the Crimson’s high internal 34 VDC operating voltage). Digital capabilities are up to par as well with excellent, stable’ and fast drivers, low latency and a lack of issues from sample rate conversions or external clocks. Despite a few technical concerns, I am going to give the Crimson an unmitigated approval for the most basic reasons. For $699, buyers get a steel chassis and a set of strong components that I estimate will last four to five times longer than those plastic toys which populate the desktops of my studio students/interns and newbie clients.

The Reviewer Rob Tavaglione has owned and operated Catalyst Recording in Charlotte, North Carolina since 1995. Rob has also dabbled in nearly all forms of pro-audio work including mixing live and taped TV broadcasts (winning two regional Emmy Awards); mixing concert and club sound. He is a regular contributor to Pro Audio Review. www.prosoundnetwork.com

INFORMATION Feature Set • Up to six recording and six playback channels • 10 source connections, 20 monitoring channels • 34V operational voltage for pro levels up to +22dBu • Two discrete mic preampliﬁers • Two instrument preampliﬁers (Hi-Z, +22dBu) • RRP: $699 www.spl.info www.audiomedia.com

The International Audio Guide series from Audio Media Each International Audio Guide focuses on an important pro-audio product line, giving independent articles followed by in depth advertorials, covering the history and current range from the leading manufacturers in their field.

Available now: 2014 International Console Guide 2014 International DAW & plugins Guide 2014 Live Sound & Theatre Guide 2014 International Monitors & Headphone Guide 2014 International Microphone Guide 2014 Broadcast Audio Guide

Later in the year: 2015 International Console Guide

Contact me today to discuss your requirements and to make sure your company is represented. Darrell Carter Tel:+44 (0) 20 7226 7246 e-mail: darrell.carter@intentmedia.co.uk

INTERVIEW

Chris Mace Jake Young meets Pro Sound Awards Best Theatre Sound winner Chris Mace at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London to speak about Memphis the Musical and I Can’t Sing – The X Factor Musical, which he was production sound engineer on. You are working on the production of Memphis at the Shaftesbury Theatre at the moment. What was the concept for this? With the style of music it needs quite a large PA, a lot of big speakers, a lot of sub, and a lot of energy in the room. Are there any big issues presenting themselves? Space is probably the biggest issue with this theatre. It’s a tiny theatre. It’s nine metres wide by nine metres deep so it’s quite a small stage to try and fit moving bits of set and a lot of stage monitoring. The band’s on the stage as well. What is the basic setup – mixers, monitors, mics, and speakers? This one is an Avid VENUE at front-of-house, an Avid VENUE on monitors, a d&b V-Series on the pros for all three levels, a d&b V-SUBs sub array, T10 centres, J-INFRA subs downstairs, a sub array downstairs, and then 120 small d&b speakers throughout the theatre. What’s been your favourite project of the last 12 months? Probably I Can’t Sing. That was something we could really get our teeth stuck into with the complexity of the sound system that was there 46 October 2014

and the sheer volume of it. It was something like 280 amp channels and 360 speakers so it was something you really had to plan. There was no margin to really screw up on that one. If we got ourselves in a tangle with that many speaker lines and amplifiers we could have been there for weeks sorting it out. What did winning the Best Theatre Sound award mean to you? To be honest I’m a bit shocked by the whole thing. It’s not very normal for someone in my area of work to be nominated for an award; it’s usually the more creative types. I try to work with the same people and I think it means a lot to them as well, to be recognised with the work that we all do on different jobs. How do you overcome the various problems you encounter from the acoustics in the theatres? It’s very difficult in the London theatres because of all the architecture, the plasterwork, and the marble work. Generally these kinds of theatres do have fairly good acoustics because they were built for doing sound without any amplification, but a lot of the European theatres aren’t built like that and they are more like factory buildings turned into theatres.

It’s very easy to say, “We want the whole roof acoustically foam tiled, we want drapes hanging here”, a bit like they do in arenas with drapes hanging up to dilute a lot of the reflections in the building. But English theatres you can’t really do much anyway. If it sucks, it sucks. You have to stick with it and you have to do whatever you can with your speaker positions to make it as unreflective as you possibly can. Europe’s the best place. Just do what you want. Mixing consoles – which do you favour and why? We pretty much only stick with the Avid one for musicals and we’re all just looking forward to the new Avid S3L-X. How do you decide which loudspeaker systems to use? We tend to stick with d&b because we’ve had great success with d&b. We’ve never really made the move over on to the Meyer side and it’s all about ‘stick with what you know’. Depending on the size of the show, depending on the style of the show music-wise, depending on the theatre size, they have a good range of line array systems from J-Series down to T-Series, and now with the new Y-Series there’s a bigger range, there’s four different speakers to pick

from for the main arrays. And small speakers, well whatever fits in the hole basically, whatever’s not too intrusive on the ceiling, but mainly d&b again because matching the small speakers to the big speakers makes our life a bit easier. Which have been your most challenging productions to work on? I think most of the gigs in Europe. There’s a big culture difference between the ways some of the European countries do theatre in comparison to us, so you have to be very careful about not upsetting everyone as soon as you walk in because they’re not doing it the way you want them to do it. There’s a potential three-month stint in Brazil; January, February, and March on a show. It’s not confirmed yet. That could be challenging again. The language is not such a problem in countries like Holland but certainly Brazil could be a problem. The European ones are more challenging, but they’re challenging in different ways. They’re challenging more on a personal level because you’re working with people who you don’t work with normally. In London I think the challenge is the difficult working environment in the theatre, the amount of people and the amount of equipment that’s here. www.audiomedia.com