Pro Sound News - December 2020

Welcome to the DECEMBER 2020 issue of

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WWW.PROSOUNDNETWORK.COM

DECEMBER 2020

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DE AL S

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NEWS

VOLUME 42 NO. 12

HO LI Se DA e pa Y

+ TECHNOLOGY

Avid Pro Tools Carbon Reviewed PSN Holiday Gift Guide 2020

+ INDUSTRY NEWS

AKM Fire: A Pro-Audio Disaster Police Solve Idaho Studio Heist

GEAR OF THE YEAR

2020

“I’ve always valued Full Compass as an important company in Pro AV.” Steven Thomas CTS-D, PMP | Owner | Volt AV

Equip yourself with the very best gear, backed by unmatched service and support. Call or click today.

800-356-5844 • fullcompass.com

CONTENTS

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AKM Factory Fire: A Pro-Audio Industry Disaster

An 82-hour fire in AKM’s Chinese semiconductor factory is already hurting numerous top pro-audio manufacturers around the globe, potentially stopping the production of top equipment for months.

REINFORCEMENT

14

Illegal Events Lead to Industry Scrutiny Numerous illegal large-

Gear of the Year 2020 Think the pandemic brought pro

audio to a standstill in 2020? Think again! Amazing audio equipment was released every month, and we’re taking a look back at some of the most significant product debuts, updates and reinventions of the year.

PUNCH-IN Explosion Destroys VA Studio • Police Nab Suspects in Idaho Studio Heist • Clair Global Co-Develops Virtual Crowd • Legendary Engineer Don Hahn, Dead at 81 • COVID Concert Experiment Shares Results • Game Publisher Outfits 5.1.4 Lab • Vietnam Airport Upgrades Audio • Shure Invests in Wavemark • Salzburg’s OVAL Lands L-ISA

RECORDING

18

Louis Bell Breaks Out Named

Variety’s Producer of the Year, Louis Bell has been killing it, creating hits with Post Malone, Halsey, the Jonas Brothers and more. Now the go-to producer, engineer and co-writer reveals his streamlined workflow, talks about working out of Electric Feel Studio and more.

27

20

Studio Showcase: Citizen Vinyl A former newspaper printing

plant/radio station has gotten a new lease on life as Citizen Vinyl—home to a recording studio, vinyl record pressing plant viewable by the public, mastering studio, café/bar, record store and performance facility.

POST

23

Sony 360 VME—An Ace Up the Sleeve When the pandemic sent

audio post pros home to work remotely, Sony used it as an opportunity to launch 360 VME, its virtual monitoring software.

24

Recording Robert Plant’s Digging Deep Where does a rock

legend record his podcast? Anywhere he wants to—and that includes the pub, crowded record stores and more. Co-host/ producer Matt Everitt explains how he keeps it sounding cohesive.

scale Halloween events were broken up by police around the country at the end of October, putting event organizers and production companies under scrutiny in their wake.

the mix consultancy

19

Modular synths are all the rage; Grammy-winning engineer Dom Morley looks at how they fit into mixing.

sounding board

TECHNOLOGY

30

The Pro Sound News Holiday Gift Guide 2020 Producer/

engineer Russ Long weighs in once again with his annual suggestions about what to get the most persnickety audio pros on your gift list this year.

32

Real-World Review: Avid Pro Tools Carbon Audio Interface Producer/composer Rich Tozzoli

has been putting Avid’s brand-new Pro Tools Carbon to the test and says it’s “a creative game-changer.”

SOUND BITES

COLUMNS

Tracks 22 Studio Products 36 SR Products 37 Sound People 40 60-Second Interview 41

38

Industry veteran Mike Dias explains why career networking works best when you know your part.

view from the top

39

Ralf Oehl, CEO of Neumann, shares how the legendary audio manufacturer honors its past while changing with the times.

music, etc.

42

Elliott Douglas, aka M.A.G.S., talks pros and cons of self-recording, his stage name and more.

Pro Sound News (ISSN# 0164-6338) is published monthly by Future US, Inc., 11 West 42nd Street - 15th Fl, New York, NY 10036. Pro Sound News is available without charge in the USA to qualified professionals engaged in sound recording, broadcast, video recording, audio-visual, sound reinforcement and associated business. The publisher reserves the right to refuse applications and restrict free copies sent to a company or organization. For subscription information or to email customer service, please visit our online Subscribe Center at www.MyPSNmag.com. Reprints available upon request, call our Reprint Coordinator at Wright’s Reprints: 877-652-5295. Periodical postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Pro Sound News, P.O. Box 234, Lowell, MA 01853. Please allow 6-8 weeks for address changes to take effect. © Copyright 2020 by Future US, Inc. PRINTED IN U.S.A.

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prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

NEWS

FROM THE EDITOR

A P.S. FOR THE PSN GIFT GUIDE

I

f you know a sound pro who’s likes of Dick Curless, Doc Pomus, been good this year (OK, as Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sologood as they could manage), mon Burke, Howlin’ Wolf, Willie make sure to check out producer/ Dixon and many others for a dense engineer Russ Long’s annual PSN but often rewarding tome. gift guide on page 30, where he Some other good stuff besides reviews and recommends a slew (or books: When we’re not under sleigh) of goodies. I’ve always loved lockdown, people are increasingly his fun lists and have often wished recording on the go, and having I could tack on a few entries, so some good portable speakers on this year I decided to heck with hand is a necessity to share playback it—here’s a few recommendations of clive.young@futurenet.com without having to pass headphones my own. around (ewww). In our household, We’re heavy readers in my house, so a lot of our budding teenage music maker has been using my suggestions are books, starting with a brandMackie’s CR3-X multimedia monitors. At 7.8 new one: Mirror Sound: A Look into the People and pounds, they’re portable enough that she can take Processes Behind Self-Recorded Music by Spencer them to a friend’s house; they have nice clarity Tweedy (Jeff Tweedy’s son) and photographer and provide solid punch; and at $99, they cost Lawrence Azerrad ($40/hardcover). This lush just enough that they’re treated with care and coffee-table book is filled with insights from the respect (something teens are not always known likes of Sharon Van Etten, Suzanne Ciani, the for doing). late Emitt Rhodes, Mac DeMarco, Tune-Yards Last up, IsoAcoustics is known for its studio and nearly 25 others. While there’s plenty of monitor isolation stands, but one of its latest gear-packed studio shots to pore over, the book products is the zaZen isolation platform ($199), takes more of a philosophical bent as it explores intended primarily to decouple stereo compowhy people self-record and examines the givenents like turntables, tube amps and so forth and-take of the process. from the surfaces they sit on. I tried a zaZen I One of the most talked-about audio-related model under both a modern Pro-Ject Debut III books this year (and with good reason) has been and a vintage Technics SL-5, and in both cases, The Last Seat in the House: The Story of Hanley it did a lot to provide acoustic clarity and detail.

Sound by John Kane ($35/paperback). Bill HanThe bass in Sade’s “Paradise” was suddenly right ley is revered for having provided audio at the in the room with me, while the moving parts of legendary 1969 Woodstock festival, keeping the The Blue Nile’s “Tinseltown in the Rain” became show rolling for an audience of 400,000. Over more defined but no less epic. Measuring 17 x 15 a period of nine years, Kane interviewed more inches, the zaZen I holds up to 25 pounds, while than 100 performers and audio pros (and had the zaZen II has a capacity of 40 pounds. considerable input from Hanley himself), resultOf course, what we all want to give and ing in a solid, informative and entertaining read. receive most this year is a little peace and a respite For those who love music writing with a true from the difficult times we’ve gone through in literary vibe, look no further than Looking to Get 2020. Whatever you celebrate this holiday season, Lost: Adventures in Music and Writing by Peter make the most of it, congratulate yourself on getGuralnick ($30/hardcover). Considered by many to ting to this point, take a deep breath (so long as be the greatest chronicler of rock and roots music, you’re socially distanced!) and look forward to a Guralnick applies his talents here to profiling the far better, far brighter and far busier 2021.

Clive Young

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VOLUME 42 • NO 12

CONTENT VP/Content Creation Anthony Savona Content Director Clive Young, clive.young@futurenet.com Content Manager Katie Makal, katie.makal@futurenet.com Senior Content Producer Steve Harvey, sharvey.prosound@gmail.com Contributors: Rich Tozzoli, Russ Long, Dom Morley, Tamara Starr, Mike Dias, Jim Beaugez, Fela Davis Group Art Director Nicole Cobban Art Editor Rob Crossland Production Managers Heather Tatrow, Nicole Schilling

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MANAGEMENT

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prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

PUNCH-IN CHRIS JACKSON

A gas leak explosion and fire ripped through Blue Sprocket Sound recording studio in Harrisonburg, VA.

EXPLOSION DESTROYS VA STUDIO

BY STEVE HARVEY harrisonburg, va—A

massive explosion rocked a shopping mall in Harrisonburg, VA, at about 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, destroying a number of businesses in the ensuing fire, including Blue Sprocket Sound recording studio. “Another part of the building blew up and the rest of the structure caught fire,” says studio owner and chief engineer Chris Jackson.

Local residents reported feeling the shock of the explosion from miles away. One witness told a WTVR-TV reporter, “I saw a big mushroom cloud.”

Five people were reported hurt, two seriously.

Michael Parks, Harrisonburg’s communications director, said the mall, which was also home to a vape store, a halal market, a nail salon/barber shop, and a musical instrument store, was “a total loss.” The

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Harrisonburg Fire Department Fire Marshal’s Office determined that the explosion and fire was caused by a natural gas leak inside the building, though the origin of the leak is still under investigation.

“There’s a lot of emotion around the loss, but at the end of the day, I try and remind myself that it was just a building and it was just stuff,” Jackson says. “People still make professional recording equipment. We can move on from this, though it will be a long road.”

Following time spent in Nashville working at Blackbird Studios and Korby Audio Technologies, Jackson returned home to Harrisonburg and originally opened Blue Sprocket Sound as a basement facility. He eventually created a new studio in the 4,300-square-foot building at the Park Place Plaza and centered the facility around a rare Rupert Neve-designed Amek 9098 desk formerly

in Studio B at Full Sail in Florida. A portion of the second floor—including Jackson’s mastering room, outfitted with a Mac Pro, Crookwood console and other gear—was saved by firefighters but was later declared unsafe and demolished.

In 2018, Jackson opened a vinyl pressing plant, Blue Sprocket Pressing, in a separate building a few hundred yards from the studio. The pressing facility was largely unaffected by the explosion.

“There’s a little extra space in the building, so we might try to prop up a little mastering suite and get back to work,” he says. A GoFundMe page (https://bit.ly/3f3RXhN) has been set up for Blue Sprocket Sound and Hometown Music, the adjacent instrument store, with proceeds to be split equally between the businesses.

Blue Sprocket Sound • www.bluesprocketsound. com

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

news AKM

AKM FACTORY FIRE A PRO-AUDIO INDUSTRY DISASTER

BY CLIVE YOUNG nobeoka city, china—In

the wake of a massive three-day fire at the Nobeoka City factory of semiconductor producer Asahi Kasei Microsystems (AKM), pro audio manufacturers around the globe are now facing anticipated shortages of crucial ADCs, DACs, ASRCs and receivers used in their products. “It’s probably the most disruptive event in my 40 years of audio industry experience,” said John La Grou, CEO of Millennia Media. “Devastating is not too strong a word. Can 2020 get any worse?”

Millennia is just one of many pro audio and high-end audiophile manufacturers affected, including Solid State Logic, TASCAM, miniDSP, Merging Technologies, SPL of Germany, Focusrite, RME, Schitt Audio, SMSL and Monoprice. All of AKM’s audio-related chips were produced at the nowclosed factory.

The fire broke out at the semiconductor manufacturing plant on Oct. 20. Four hundred employees had to be evacuated, and parts of the building structure, including sections of walls and the roof, later collapsed after another fire broke out on the factory’s fifth floor on Oct. 22. Ultimately, the blaze was extinguished around midnight on Oct. 23, a full

82 hours after it began. Production is not expected to be restored at the factory for at least six months.

“Of course, all AKM audio parts immediately disappeared from front-line distributors [such as] Digikey, Mouser and others,” said Millennia’s La Grou, “and now the aftermarket brokers are selling AKM parts at horrific markups. We saw one $5 AKM part being offered at $110 each.”

Hermann Gier, managing partner of SPL of Germany, reported facing similar price gouging: “We already rejected various unethical offers.

Now it looks unlikely that our industry can sustain production and keep the prices stable.” Gier added noted that his company has stocks in-house that it estimates will last between six months and a year, depending on the product line.

La Grou anticipates Millennia will be able to ship its new HV-316 preamplifier with AKM ADCs until the fourth quarter of 2021, by which point the Nobeoka factory may be back online. Nonetheless, faced with a dearth of AKM chips, Millennia has begun redesigning all its impacted products, including a number still in development.

With little information coming from AKM at press time, many manufacturers are left trying to figure out their next step with little solid insight to go

An 82-hour fire gutted the AKM factory that manufactures ADCs, DACs, ASRCs and receivers used in dozens of top pro audio products across the industry.

on. “I still have close to zero information as far as the AKM prognosis is concerned,” said Chris Hollebone, sales and marketing manager at Merging Technologies. “We have enough parts in-house to keep us going for a while, but not knowing when any production might start may cause us headaches down the line. It is a bit like COVID-19—very hard to predict!”

Paul Youngblood, director of product marketing at TASCAM, admitted, “This has all happened so fast that all we can say is we are still in the process of analyzing the situation.” A spokesperson for RME echoed that sentiment, stating that company was “currently still ascertaining information, and it’s too early for them to comment.”

“There’s a rumor that AKM will pivot their IC masks to independent fab houses,” La Grou noted hopefully, “so perhaps we’ll see some AKM devices before the main plant is again operational.”

Asahi Kasei Microsystems • www.akm.com

BY CLIVE YOUNG garden city, id—Two suspects were arrested Nov. 4 in connection with the Halloween night burglary of Audio Lab Recording Studio, in which more than $35,000 in gear, instruments and tools were taken. Most of the stolen items were returned to the Garden City, ID, facility.

Co-owner Steve Fulton arrived at the studio on Sunday, Nov. 1, to discover the front door had been pried open with a crowbar and that thieves had taken instruments and

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

gear, fortunately passing over some more valuable items. Further exploration revealed that a studio co-owner’s trailer parked in the lot had also been broken into; roughly $6,000 in tools had been removed from it.

Following a tip, police found Jason Daniels, 30, and Amanda Peden, 37, in possession of some stolen goods from the heist. Both Daniels and Peden already had outstanding warrants out for them, so while each was charged for the Audio Lab burglary with felony possession of stolen property, they were also separately charged with

felony probation violation warrants, and Peden additionally faces warrant charges of felony grand theft and burglary, as well as four misdemeanor charges of petit theft and an additional misdemeanor for commercial burglary.

Some of the recording equipment taken from Audio Lab included a Neumann TLM 49 LDC microphone, Focusrite ISA One desktop mic preamp and RCF Evox8 portable P.A. system.

Numerous instruments were also taken, including a keyboard system, numerous guitars, and a vintage banjo that had belonged to Fulton’s grandfather.

GARDEN CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT

Police Nab Suspects in Idaho Studio Heist Amanda Peden (left) and Jason Daniels were arrested in connection with the studio burglary.

All of the stolen items were eventually recovered. “We would like to extend a huge thank you to the Garden City Police Department,” said Fulton.

Audio Lab Recording Studio • www. audiolab.org

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news

BRIEFS Powersoft Readies Crew Nation Donation

pledging to donate a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of its touring amplifiers to Live Nation’s Crew Nation charitable fund, a three-month campaign by Powersoft (www.powersoft.com) has generated $57,634. The company has since vowed to continue the incentive until the end of 2020.

Live Nation Debuts Black Tour Directory

new york, ny—Live Nation Urban has released the Black Tour Directory (www.blacktourdirectory.com), an online portal intended to foster greater inclusivity in live tour and event productions. The website lists hundreds of Black sound engineers, techs, tour managers, production managers, lighting experts and more, all of whom can be found and contacted through the site.

Cinema Sound Credit Petition Launched hollywood, ca—The

Cinema Audio Society (CAS), Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) and Association of Motion Picture Sound (AMPS) have launched a petition as the next step in their Sound Credit Initiative (www.soundcreditinitiative.org). The organizations say they have been overwhelmed by individuals supporting the initiative, which requests parity from the filmmaking community for the principal sound creatives in screen credits with other key professionals, and have determined that an online petition by which sound professionals, colleagues and friends can show their support should be the next step in this recognition process.

Get 4.75 CTS RUs at AV Network Nation

New York, NY—AV Network Nation (www.avnetworknation.com), taking place virtually Dec.10, has been approved by AVIXA to provide learning opportunities for CTS holders and others for their professional development. The event is worth 4.75 AVIXA Renewal Units (RUs) for CTS, CTS-D and CTS-I holders.

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lititz, pa—Event sound provider Clair Global, design studio Fireplay and production specialist PRG have collaborated to create Virtual Crowd, a scalable multimedia technology that facilitates interaction between presenters/performers and viewers in both online and hybrid experiences. It is intended for use primarily in concerts and other large events.

Virtual Crowd allows performers or speakers to see and interact with their audience on large video screens. Meanwhile, viewers experience a live performance with professional production value and can interact directly with the performer. The aesthetics are customizable to suit the presentation, whether a concert, business meeting, esports event or something else.

Clair Global’s proprietary Virtual Live Audience platform is at the heart of Virtual Crowd. “The fact that our team was able to come together to develop a technology tailored to experiencing live events during these unfamiliar times is exciting,” said Matt Clair, chief information officer at Clair Global.

“Clair’s pivot toward packaged data services allowed

DONNY EVANS

florence, italy—Since

CLAIR CO-DEVELOPS VIRTUAL CROWD

The new interactive streaming technology Virtual Crowd allows performers or speakers to see and interact with their audience on large video screens.

us to utilize our experience in production audio/ IT and be back at the table working alongside PRG and Fireplay in a new way. The prospect of getting our road crew—and the entire live events industry—back to work with the deployment of each and every Virtual Crowd system is the biggest win from our vantage point.”

Virtual Crowd • www.virtualcrowd.live

Donald C. Hahn, Engineer, Dead at 81

BY CLIVE YOUNG las vegas, nv—Don

Hahn, a lifelong engineer who recorded everyone from Frank Sinatra to Whitney Houston, died on Oct. 10. Hahn’s work has been heard the world over, from Star Trek episodes to the charity single “We Are the World” by USA Don Hahn for Africa. He was 81.

Born Feb. 22, 1939, in Toronto, Canada, Hahn moved to New York in the late 1950s, eventually joining A&R Recording, where he engineered The Band’s now-classic debut album, Music from Big Pink. In the mid-1970s, Hahn went to work in Los Angeles at A&M Studios, soon engineering Herb Alpert’s comeback single, “Rise,” which went Gold and won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 1979.

Across his career, Hahn worked with artists such as Count Basie, Quincy Jones, Peggy Lee, Harry Belafonte, Peter Paul & Mary, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Barbra Streisand, Ray Charles, Paul Simon, Judy Collins, Billy Joel, Paul Anka, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, B.B. King, Woody Herman, Hugh Masekela, Dionne Warwick, Chet Atkins, The Brothers Johnson, Ricky Martin, Liza Minelli, George Benson, Paul Winter, Shirley Bassey, Dizzy Gillespie, David Sanborn, Bernadette Peters, Chick Corea, Barry Manilow and Dave Grusin, among many others. He also moved into recording for film and television, capturing orchestras for the Star Trek series The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager.

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

international news

COVID CONCERT EXPERIMENT SHARES RESULTS HALLE UNIVERSITY

BY STEVE HARVEY leipzig, germany—According

to the results of an experiment in Germany, indoor sports and cultural events including music concerts could return soon— under the right conditions. The test was conducted by a team from Leipzig’s Halle University, who report that “seated indoor events, when conducted under hygiene precautions and with adequate ventilation, have small effects on the spread of COVID-19.”

The Restart-19 study was held in August at an 8,000-seat arena in Leipzig, where popular German singer Tim Bendzko and his band played to about 1,200 people. The 10-hour event was designed to test the potential spread of the novel coronavirus through contact and exposure to aerosol droplets.

The results, published in November, have not been peer reviewed.

The team, led by Dr. Stefan Moritz, head of the university’s clinical infectious diseases department, designed the event to study three different scenarios: a pre-pandemic concert with no safety measures, an event with some social distancing and a hygiene regimen, and a reduced crowd with concertgoers positioned about six feet apart. The experiment included various entrance and exit scenarios, bathroom breaks and simulated food and drink purchasing.

Attendees, who were required to have tested negative for COVID-19 no more than 48 hours prior to the event, had their temperatures taken on arrival, were given N95 face masks and were provided with tracking devices to measure their social distancing. Fluorescent disinfectants were applied to their hands so that the team could study which surfaces concertgoers touched the most.

The results suggest that good ventilation, strict hygiene protocols, limited capacities and social distancing can minimize the potential for spreading the virus. Computer modeling of larger audiences— the organizers had hoped for 4,000 volunteers— showed similar results.

Adequate ventilation appears to be key to safely hosting mass gatherings of people in indoor venues.

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

Dr. Stefan Moritz, head of Halle University’s clinical infectious diseases department, presents one of the trackers used to record where concertgoers went during their time at the test concerts.

Researchers found that the density of viruses in aerosols was decreased through regular air circulation. “We knew that ventilation was important, but we didn’t expect it to be that important,” the team’s Dr. Michael Gekle told The New York Times.

The report stresses the importance of good ventilation: “[I]n scenarios with physical distancing, the resulting contact numbers are rather low and the effective risk depends primarily on the adequacy of the ventilation. Thus, under hygiene protocols and good ventilation, even a substantial number of indoor MGEs [mass gathering events] has only minimal effects on the overall number of infections in the population. However, poor ventilation systems can lead to a considerably higher rate of aerosol expositions and can thereby result in a high number of infections.”

In the experiment, contact was generally less than 15 minutes between participants. Prolonged contact of several minutes was observed during the breaks between performances and during entry to the

venue. In the pre-pandemic scenario, contacts tended to accumulate over the duration of the event.

Commenting to The New York Times, Emily Eavis, co-organizer of the Glastonbury Festival, said, “Obviously if masks are going to work for larger gigs, then that’s big progress.” The Leipzig experiment focused on seated events, where social distancing can be managed. Outdoor festivals, though well ventilated, are likely to remain riskier ventures until vaccine use is sufficiently widespread.

The organizers of Spain’s Primavera Sound festival are reportedly helping to conduct research into the efficacy of rapid COVID-19 testing as a method for screening music fans. In the United States, Ticketmaster has floated a plan to vet concertgoers once they have purchased tickets. The scheme would involve third-party testing and vaccine distribution providers and health information reporting companies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved any such digital screening services.

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international news

GAME PUBLISHER OUTFITS 5.1.4 LAB china—Videogame

publisher Shenzhen Leiting er, plus 1234As. The studio engaged system Digital Entertainment Company in China integrator DMT to install a pair of 1234As recently commissioned a 5.1.4 game audio as the main stereo monitoring system, with a studio. “For a games company like ours, an 5.1.4 immersive system comprising 11 8330A audio studio is a must,” commented composer nearfield two-way monitors in all positions, and game sound designer Knuckles (Jianyu) complemented by the 7370A subwoofer. All Zhang, who led the studio project. “Our the monitors were supplied in a polar white requirements are quite special, though. What finish. The entire system was configured and we want is not just a recording studio, nor a calibrated by DMT using GLM loudspeaker standard mixing studio or a reviewing studio. manager software.

To be precise, what we want is a ‘game sound Knuckles is convinced that immersive audio lab’ to assist us in the conceptual design of is the format of the future for games developers. games.”

“In recent years, the domestic games industry Videogame publisher Shenzhen Leiting Digital Entertainment Company Originally envisioned as a surround sound in China recently commissioned a 5.1.4 game audio studio. has attached greater importance to the sound studio, the space was developed with acoustic experience. As we look to the international design and construction handled by Qiao Zhenyu nels. I realized then that immersive audio technolmarket, we’re finding that more games with bigof Huanyu Acoustics, who persuaded Knuckles to ogy is no longer a new thing, and we as creators budget production are using immersive audio to crego fully immersive. “I knew that many games had surely have to learn to master this format.” ate the sound experience, because sometimes we just already used the 5.1 format to produce sound, but Now completed, the facility is based around want to step into another world and forget about real Qiao suggested that since it was already 5.1, why Genelec Smart Active Monitors, with 8330A life—or even ourselves—for a while.”

Genelec • www.genelec.com not make it 5.1.4 by adding the four height channearfield two-way monitors and a 7370A subwoof-

Vietnam Airport Upgrades Audio

SHURE INVESTS IN WAVEMARK

quang ninh, vietnam—Vietnam’s Van Don International Airport recently installed a Harman Professional airport sound solution to cover its 2.5 million passengers a year.

united kingdom—Shure

Vietnam’s Van Don International Airport recently installed a large-scale Harman Professional airport sound solution.

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The system includes JBL 8138 and 8128 ceiling speakers and Control 23-1 compact speakers. In some spaces, JBL’s CBT 100LA-LS line array column loudspeakers provide vertical coverage. Allowing airport staff to deliver announcements throughout the facility are JBL CSS-H30 paging horns and AKG PZM11 LL WR boundary layer microphones. For outdoor areas, JBL Control 85M landscape speakers provide 360-degree coverage. The system is powered by Crown DCi 8|300N and CT16S amplifiers, and configured and integrated using BSS BLU-806DA signal processors with BLU Link.

Harman Professional • pro.harman.com

has made a strategic investment in Finnish software company Wavemark, which provides solutions for theater, broadcast and content streaming applications.

In addition to Wavetool and WTAutomixer products, Wavemark recently expanded its software portfolio into streaming applications with the debut of WTAutomixer, a multichannel gain-sharing automixer plug-in that can be inserted to almost any DAW. Automixer automatically controls the gains of multiple microphones, enabling automixing for applications including podcasting, remote learning and house of worship services.

Wavemark software has been used in conjunction with several high-profile theatrical events using Shure Axient Digital Wireless Systems. Shure itself is no stranger to software solutions, as its offerings include Wireless Workbench for live events, as well as Designer, SystemOn, and its new IntelliMix Room Audio Processing Software for integrated systems.

Shure • www.shure.com Wavemark • www.wavetool.fi

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

international news

Salzburg’s OVAL Lands L-ISA salzburg, austria—The OVAL is a 227-seat cultural showcase set inside Salzburg’s EuroPark shopping mall. While it’s long offered a mix of music, drama, cabaret and cinema, it upped the ante in July, adding L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology from L-Acoustics.

Right from the start, the room’s architecture— which features a steep atrium grandstand and a 43-foot-wide stage that is only 50 feet from the control room—posed challenges for conventional L-C-R sound reinforcement systems. “Thanks to L-ISA, not only was the conventional technology replaced, but a completely new, immersive listening experience was created at every seat,” explained Rupert Pichler, managing director of Pansound and project manager for the L-ISA conversion in the OVAL. The sound design by Martin Rode, L-Acoustics head of application install for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, comprises a Scene system with five arrays of three A10 Wide evenly hung above the stage and across its entire width, along with two sets of three KS21 subwoofers each, flown horizontally behind the Scene system and configured in an end-fire cardioid array. Five 5XT loudspeakers placed in front of the stage serve as front fill, while three coaxial X8 per side are placed along the walls, two X8 are placed on the rear wall, and five ceilingmounted 5XT speakers create surround and overhead sound. The entire system is driven by LA4X amplified controllers.

Signal Sound & Light Distribution, the L-Acoustics-certified provider distributor for Austria, provided the OVAL system.

Pichler and EuroPark managing director Christoph Andexlinger first heard the L-ISA immersive sound technology at a demonstration in the L-Acoustics Creations headquarters in Highgate, London. “When Rupert Pichler told me about this completely new kind of sound, I didn’t think that it was possible,” said Andexlinger, “so we went to London to get to the bottom of this auditive 'mystery' and experience it live. It was breathtaking.

“The EuroPark shopping center is considered the most successful mall in Austria. With the OVAL, we wanted to expand the offer for our visitors to encompass both art and culture. Initially, we were met with skepticism from artists and artist agencies,” says Andexlinger. “However, we

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

didn’t want an artistic fig leaf in a shopping center, but a stage with its own personality for jazz and world music on the one hand, and a program of cinema and cabaret on the other—and all this in a combination that makes it possible for both art lovers and newcomers to feel comfortable and be inspired.”

L-Acoustics • www.l-acoustics.com

The L-ISA system, designed by Martin Rode, head of application install for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, comprises a five-part Scene system.

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Thought 2020 was a bust? Think again— here are the biggest pro audio debuts of the year!

BY CLIVE YOUNG

2020

will be remembered as the year we’d like to forget, but when 2021 is recalled one day as the year everything bounced back, much of that will be due to groundwork laid down in the preceding 12 months.

That includes the pro audio industry—next year, when live events and concerts return, new hits rule the airwaves and the latest must-hear podcasts land in your listening queue, many of them will be created using pro audio equipment that was introduced this year.

So what was the Gear of the Year for 2020? That’s not an easy thing to determine, so rather than weigh a hot new plug-in against an arena-filling P.A. or an audio console years in development, we decided to let our readers show the way. Product announcements have always been among the most popular stories on www.prosoundnetwork.com, so we dug through our Google Analytics (readership statistics), sifting through all the “new product” stories we ran 2020 (well into the triple digits!) to determine which ones were the most popular with PSN readers. With that in mind, here’s the Gear of the Year that you unknowingly picked— a true Top-20 for 2020.

1

YAMAHA RIVAGE PM3 AND PM5 DIGITAL MIXING SYSTEMS

This dual product launch in May was far and away the most popular product announcement of 2020 with our readers. Yamaha introduced two consoles—the PM5 and PM3—as well as a pair of DSP engines—DSPRX and DSP-RX-EX—and version 4 firmware that provides features to new and legacy Rivage systems. Both of the new consoles feature large capacitive touchscreens that allow users to use multi-finger gestures, with the PM5 sporting three screens and the PM3 getting one. As with their predecessors, the PM5 and PM3 sport 38 faders— three bays of 12, with two masters—but each of the new control surfaces is laid out with an eye toward increased efficiency.

2

SOLID STATE LOGIC 2 AND 2+ USB AUDIO INTERFACES

Solid State Logic unveiled its first personal studio-market products—the USB-powered SSL 2 (2-in/2-out) and SSL 2+ (2-in/4-out) audio interfaces—at the Winter NAMM Show. The 2+ in particular caught our readers’ eyes, with a 4K analog enhancement mode “inspired by classic SSL consoles,” monitoring and an SSL Production Pack software bundle. Offering expanded I/O for musicians collaborating, it includes two analog mic preamps, 24-bit/192 kHz AD/DA AKM converters, multiple headphone outputs with independent monitor mix, MIDI I/O, and additional unbalanced outputs for DJ mixers.

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prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

3

JBL 4349 STUDIO MONITOR

The JBL 4349 studio monitor is a compact, high-performance monitor loudspeaker built around the JBL D2415K dual 1.5- inch compression driver mated to a large format, High-Definition Imaging (HDI) horn, paired with a 12-inch cast-frame and pure-pulp cone woofer. The JBL D2415K compression driver features a pair of lightweight polymer annular diaphragms with reduced diaphragm mass, while the V-shaped geometry of the annular diaphragm reduces breakup modes, eliminates time smear and reduces distortion, according to JBL.

4

APPLE LOGIC PRO X 10.5

Apple updated Logic Pro X with a “professional” version of Live Loops, new sampling features and new and revamped beatmaking tools. Live Loops lets users arrange loops, samples and recordings on a grid to build musical ideas, which can then be further developed on Logic’s timeline. Remix FX brings effects to Live Loops that can be used in real time, while the updated Sampler augments the EXS24 plug-in with new sound shaping controls. Other new tools include Quick Sampler, Step Sequencer, Drum Synth and Drum Machine Designer.

5

AMS NEVE 8424 CONSOLE

The Neve 8424 is a small-format desk based on the 80-series console range. Intended for hybrid studios, the desk provides a center point between analog outboard gear, synths and the like, and the digital world of DAW workflows, software plug-ins and session recall. As an analog mixing platform, the 8424 offers 24 DAW returns across 24 channel faders or, for larger DAW sessions, a 48-Mix mode that allows a total of 48 mono inputs with individual level and pan controls to be mixed through the stereo mix bus.

6

MILLENNIA MEDIA HV-316 MIC PREAMP

Millennia Media bowed its fully remote-controllable microphone preamplifier, the HV-316. Offering 12V battery operation, the HV-316 is housed in a 10-pound, 1U aluminum chassis housing 16 channels of Millennia HV-3 microphone preamplifiers with simultaneous analog and Dante 32-bit/192 kHz Ethernet outputs. Other digital audio output options are planned, including USB and MADI. The unit is designed for high-temperature continuous operation (up to 150° F), is powered by both 12V DC and worldwide 80–264V AC, and features “pi filter” shielding on audio and digital feeds to prevent interference.

7

SHURE SLX-D DIGITAL WIRELESS SYSTEM

The SLX-D, offered in single- and dual-channel models, provides operation of up to 32 channels per frequency band. Transmitters run on standard AA batteries or an optional lithium-ion rechargeable battery solution with a dual-docking charging station. For less technically inclined users, it offers Guided Frequency Setup and a Group Scan feature that sets up multiple channels by assigning frequencies to all receivers automatically via Ethernet connections, allowing a 30-plus channel system can be set up via Group Scan within a few seconds.

8

MEYER SOUND SPACEMAP GO

Spacemap Go is a free Apple iPad app for spatial sound design and mixing. Working with the company’s Galaxy Network Platform, Spacemap Go can control Galaxy processors using a single or multiple iPads as long as the units have current firmware and Compass control software. Spacemap Go is compatible with various sound design/show control programs such as QLab, so designs assembled using them can be implemented into a multichannel spatial mix using Spacemap Go’s templates for common multichannel configurations.

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

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9

D&B AUDIOTECHNIK 44S LOUDSPEAKER

Housed in a flush-mountable cabinet, the 44S is a two-way passive, point source installation loudspeaker with 2 x 4.5inch neodymium LF drivers and 2 x 1.25-inch HF dome tweeters, delivering a frequency response of 90 Hz–17 kHz. The 44S features a waveguide and baffle design intended to provide horizontal dispersion down to the lower frequencies while being focused vertically, providing a 90° x 30° dispersion pattern to direct sound to specific spaces.

10

BEYERDYNAMIC TG D70 AND TG 151 MICS

Beyerdynamic made two additions to its Touring Gear (TG) series. The second-generation TG D70 dynamic kickdrum mic is meant for capturing the impact of bass drums and similar lowfrequency-intensive instruments, while the TG 151 instrument mic is a lean microphone with a short shaft that can be used on everything from snares and toms to brass instruments and guitar amplifiers.

11. QSC Q-SYS CORE PROCESSORS

15. ZOOM PODTRAK P8 PODCAST STUDIO

QSC’s Q-SYS Core 8 Flex and Nano audio, video and control processors provide scalable DSP processing, video routing and bridging for web conferencing, as well as third-party endpoint integration without the need for separate dedicated control processors. The 8 Flex includes onboard analog audio I/O and GPIO plus network I/O, while Nano offers network-only audio I/O processing and control.

The PodTrak P8 provides recording, editing and mixing capabilities all in one unit. Six mics, a smartphone and PC can be recorded simultaneously, each with its own fader and preamp with 70 dB of gain.

A touchscreen controls monitoring, adjusting, onboard editing and more.

12. TELEFUNKEN TF11 MICROPHONE The TF11 is the company’s first phantom-powered large-diaphragm condenser mic. The CK12-style edge-terminated capsule is a single-membrane version of the capsule featured in the TF51, and the amplifier is a proprietary take on the FET mic amplifier similar to the M60, coupled with a custom large-format nickel-iron core transformer.

Waves’ Kaleidoscopes plug-in creates classic analog studio effects such as 1960s phasing and tape flanging, 1970s stadium tremolo-guitar vibes and 1980s chorus sounds.

17. OUTLINE STADIA 28 LINE ARRAY SYSTEM Stadia 28 is a medium-throw system intended for use in permanent outdoor installations. A single enclosure weighs 46.2 pounds and can reportedly reach 139 dB SPL.

13. L-ACOUSTICS K3 LOUDSPEAKER

18. LAB.GRUPPEN FA SERIES AMPLIFIERS

K3 is a compact loudspeaker intended as a main system to cover up to 10,000 people, or for use as outfills or delays for K1 or K2 systems. Designed as a full-range line source, K3 integrates 12-inch transducers for large-format system performance in the form factor of a 10-inch design.

FA Series Energy Star-certified amplifiers are intended for commercial and industrial applications, and are offered in 2 x 60W, 2 x 120W and 2 x 240W.

14. CLEAR-COM HEADSET SANITIZATION KITS Clear-Com has sanitization kits for its CC300, CC-400, CC-110, CC-220 and CC-26K headsets. They include replacement ear pads, pop filters, sanitizing wipes, ear sock covers and temple pads in a cloth bag. Items for each kit vary depending on the headset, and can also be purchased separately.

16

16. WAVES SHIPS KALEIDOSCOPES PLUG-IN

19. D.W. FEARN VT-2 PREAMPLIFIER The updated VT-2 Dual-Channel Vacuum Tube Microphone Preamplifier now features an integrated, switchable 43 dB pad, aiding patching into a master bus.

20. KEF LS50 META SPEAKER The LS50 includes KEF’s Metamaterial Absorption Technology driver array, a cone neck decoupler, offset flexible bass port, low-diffraction curved baffle and more.

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

want

more?

TORI KELLY JOY TO THE WORLD https://youtu.be/a1lBHr0quro

WHEN CAN I SEE YOU AGAIN https://www.instagram.com/p/CGkwllGpzlC/

Paul Boutin

BOUTIN BARRELS THROUGH THE PANDEMIC

BY STEVE HARVEY hollywood, ca—When Paul Boutin looks back at his career as an engineer, mixer, producer and musician, the word “luck” comes up a lot. “It was a lot of luck,” he says, “a lot of being there at the right time and working with the right people.”

Boutin is being modest. It takes more than luck to occupy the chair next to double-digit Grammywinning super-producers like Humberto Gatica and Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds. And those people he’s worked with? Many are known by just their first names: Michael, Janet, Céline, Barbra, Stevie, Whitney.

Born in France, Boutin—now a Grammy-winner himself—was on course to become a biologist. “My mother said, ‘Go and do music. That’s what you’ve

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

always wanted to do.’ I was lucky to be accepted at Berklee College in Boston.” Later becoming a runner at L.A.’s Record Plant, he says, “I was lucky enough to become an assistant pretty fast and was put on a lot of good sessions. I worked a lot with Humberto Gatica, including with Céline Dion.”

Working on various Babyface projects led to Boutin’s current long-running gig. “Kenny was building his studio and said, ‘Want to come over?’

That was in ’96—and I’ve been here ever since.” The first song produced at the facility was a Grammynominated collaboration with Stevie Wonder, “How Come, How Long.”

Brandon’s Way opened with a Euphonix CS2000 desk in one room, later upgraded to a CS3000, and an SSL 4000G+, later replaced by a 9000J, in another.

“Since then, we’ve moved to an SSL Duality,” he says.

During the pandemic, Boutin has also been employing more modest technologies. Edmonds has been focusing on live and pre-recorded social media performances, and Boutin employed a CEntrance MixerFace portable audio interface on a number of those videos.

Boutin also co-produced Toni Braxton’s new album, Spell My Name, uniquely recording her vocals remotely. “She doesn’t have a mic, so I told her to do it on her iPhone—the iPhone microphone is pretty good,” he says. “I had her record in a closet.

I said, ‘Listen to the song so you have the tempo, then sing whatever lines you want. Keep singing them over and over and I’ll pick what’s good.’ I figured out what was the proper EQ to make it sound like what we already had, and it worked.”

Paul Boutin • www.paulboutinonline.com

17

LOUIS BELL BREAKS OUT

BY STEVE HARVEY west hollywood, ca—You don’t need a massive mixing console and a room full of gear to create a hit record. For proof, look no further than Grammy-nominated producer, songwriter and mixer Louis Bell.

In 2019, Bell had more No. 1 singles than any other producer or songwriter, with Post Malone’s “Wow” and “Sunflower,” Halsey’s “Without Me” and the Jonas Brothers’ “Sucker.” He produced eight Top 10 hits, staying atop Billboard's Hot 100 Producers chart for weeks. In September, he equaled Taylor Swift’s record for the most production credits—18—in a single week on the Billboard Hot 100 this century. Oh, and Variety also crowned Bell producer of the year.

The basic tools of Bell’s trade could practically fit into a briefcase: a Sony C-800G microphone, a Universal Audio Apollo Twin Duo interface and a laptop PC running FL (formerly Fruity Loops) Studio and Pro Tools. “I’ll create a really nice loop or different loops in Fruity Loops based on the chord progression, then export it into Pro Tools, which is where I do my arranging and mixing,” says Bell.

“Once we have the song laid down, I’ll spend hours dialing in certain sounds, maybe swapping

Louis Bell, Variety’s producer of the year, works out of Electric Feel Studios in West Hollywood, surrounded by Genelec monitors.

wanted to be more flexible and dynamic, and I felt like in-the-box would allow me to have an infinite number of possibilities.”

He hopes he’s setting an example. “It’s good to feel like I could have some positive influence on producers of the next generation and make them realize how much they can do with so little equipment, to help them economically when they’re starting out and not feel that it’s too much of a financial burden.”

Bell, who grew up in Boston, MA, came to Los

“I thought I knew who I was and what I was trying to do musically, but it’s never too late to reinvent yourself. It gets harder and harder the older you get, so you have to change your approach every time just to remind yourself that there are no rules and there are no bounds.” LOUIS BELL out drum sounds or layering different things, on my own time. I’ll always try to push things further than they need to go and then dial them back.”

He adopted Fruity Loops in 2002. “I was in the generation just after SSL and API boards were the standard if you wanted a specific sound to compete on a commercial level,” he says. “It was an economic decision. I wanted something that, if I really learned this one piece of gear, would help me long-term. I

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Angeles in 2012 to work with hip-hop artist Mike Stud, who introduced him to his manager, Austin Rosen, founder of Electric Feel Entertainment. Bell signed to the management company and works out of Electric Feel Studios in West Hollywood.

Bell acquired a pair of Genelec 8351B nearfield monitors to supplement the room’s soffited 1035A mains earlier this year. “I’ve been using the 1035As in the A room for the last seven years to mix every

record I’ve worked on,” he says. “I honestly don’t feel confident sending off a song until I’ve done this. The mids and vocals are crystal-clear; the high end is tastefully tamed.” The speakers give the kick drum a chest-thumping punch that cuts through the low end in every mix, he says.

Bell hooked up with Post Malone in 2015 and has been his right-hand man ever since. “When I met him, he was 19, I was 33. It’s been an amazing journey and a pleasure to watch him grow and learn and evolve as a musician and an artist. I feel like he’s taught me more about myself as a producer than I’ve learned from anyone else,” he says.

“I thought I knew who I was and what I was trying to do musically, but it’s never too late to reinvent yourself. It gets harder and harder the older you get, so you have to change your approach every time just to remind yourself that there are no rules and there are no bounds.”

Hollywood’s Bleeding, Post Malone’s third album, was Bell’s highlight of last year, he says. “Any time I get to work on an entire project and oversee it and executive produce it, and make sure that there’s a story being told and it’s being unveiled the right way, and then being able to get the right features on there, that’s a satisfying experience.” Featured artists include DaBaby, Future, Halsey, Lil Baby, Meek Mill, Ozzy Osbourne, Swae Lee, SZA, Travis Scott and Young Thug. Ozzy had never done a feature before, says Bell: “His voice sounds amazing still. He lived up to the hype.”

Genelec • www.genelec.com

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

the mix consultancy

ARE MODULAR SYNTHS USEFUL TO MIX ENGINEERS?

U

nless you live under a rock, you’ve probably noticed the rise in popularity of modular synthesizers over the past few years. I got into them about seven or eight years ago, and I fear I am living proof of just how addictive they can be. I realize I could be accused of a certain amount of self-justification in this article, but trust me, they really are useful tools for mix engineers.

First, a quick overview for the uninitiated. There are two common setups, of which the one referred to as “East Coast” style is the more traditional. This is so-called because Moog synths were built on the East Coast of the United States, as opposed to the slightly more esoteric Buchla synths that originated on the West Coast at about the same time (“West Coast” style, although you probably worked that out). The pros and cons of each method can cause some pretty heated debates in the world of synthheads—debates in which neither Bob Moog nor Don Buchla were remotely interested.

Anyway, I digress.

There are few basic parts that are common to the traditional setup. You start with a voltagecontrolled oscillator (VCO). This permanently generates a waveform—sine, triangle, saw and square are generally your choices—the pitch of which is decided by the control voltage (CV) that you send to it from your keyboard or DAW. Normally you mix two or three of these VCOs together and then

feed them into a resonant filter, which shapes the sound by taking away harmonics in a process called subtractive synthesis. You’ve still got a permanent tone, so next in the chain is a voltage-controlled amplifier (VCA), which you normally turn down to silent so it can be turned up again by modules called envelope generators (often ADSR-style, if you’re familiar with hardware synths) that fire whenever they receive a “gate” signal—which is triggered when a key on your keyboard is pressed (or, again, from your DAW).

That’s the basics, but modular synthesis gets more interesting when you introduce different sources of modulation. Pretty much everything you can think of can be modulated by everything else, with low-frequency oscillators (LFOs), ring modulators and various styles of envelope generators all being part of the arsenal, but that’s another article.

“But,” I hear you wearily ask, “how is this useful to mix engineers?” Well...

1. Better synth sounds. If you find yourself being handed less-than-awesome synth sounds to mix, you’ve got a simple solution. Remember that a new filter can cost you less than $100, and each filter opens up a whole raft of tonal possibilities, so even a modest modular system can give you a wide palette of great analog synth sounds. Ask for the MIDI along with the audio and you can quickly create sounds that not only lift the track but also make the mix easier.

Modular synths are becoming a useful weapon in the arsenal of mix engineers.

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

BY DOM MORLEY Dom Morley is a Grammy Award-winning engineer and producer. Over a 20-year career, he has worked with artists including Adele, Sting and Amy Winehouse, and producers including Phil Spector, Mark Ronson and Tony Visconti. Morley can be reached at www.themixconsultancy.com.

2. Better filters. I know this sounds like it goes with the previous paragraph, but I mean something different here. In this application, you’re using the filters in your modular system like the filters on an EQ—because if you want to take the top off your bass track, you can obviously do it quickly with a nice clean plug-in, but with an extra minute of effort and a Moog lowpass filter, you’ve added some real character to your mix as well.

3. Extremely tweakable analog effects.

Although these days you can do everything in the box if you want to, sometimes you don’t. For these out-of-the-box moments, modular synths offer a lot of really fun, tweakable and fantastic-sounding effects, from simple spring reverbs (with up to three tank sizes that you can flick between) to deeply granular delays. There are amazing sounding phasers, and tube VCAs that give you incredible distortion effects. If you think that you or your clients might enjoy playing effects manually instead of automating a plug-in, then a small Eurorack (3U modular synth) setup might be right up your alley.

It’s just like building a small collection of guitar pedals, but one to which you only need to add an oscillator and you’ve got yourself an analog synth.

It’s beyond the scope of this article to start recommending specific modules—feel free to contact me at themixconsultancy.com if you want advice on this, I can talk modular for days!—but perhaps you now see that a modular synth is not just a hipster’s plaything (although it is also that), or a synth-head’s money pit (yeah, it’s definitely that, too), but also a useful weapon in the arsenal of a mix engineer.

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studio showcase DAVID SIMCHOCK

Musician, composer, producer and label owner Gar Ragland founded Citizen Vinyl, which includes a recording studio centered around a Rupert Neve Designs 5088 console.

ASHEVILLE’S VINYL ANSWER

BY STEVE HARVEY asheville, nc—Vinyl

record sales have been steadily rising over recent years, a fact that did not go unnoticed by 30-year music industry veteran Gar Ragland. Following a visit to musician Jack White’s pressing plant in Detroit several years ago, he decided to open his own vinyl facility in the mountains of North Carolina.

“It was seeing what Third Man Pressing are doing that really helped affirm my gut instinct that a similar concept would do well in Asheville,” says Ragland. “Not only because of our homegrown love of music and history of craft here in North Carolina, but also because we have 12 million tourists coming through town, many of whom are seeking a cultural adventure.”

Ragland’s Citizen Vinyl plant, on the first floor of the historic three-story Asheville Citizen-Times

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newspaper building, has plenty to appeal to tourists.

The pressing plant, operated under the guidance of German native Peter Schaper, is behind glass and open to view. Ragland’s business concept has evolved to include a collective of local craftspeople.

“Under one business entity, we have vinyl pressing along with a vinyl record-themed cocktail bar, a farm-to-table café, and a store, Coda, that features new vinyl records and an art gallery featuring local visual artists. We call it analog sound and art,” he says. Staff curate Daily Sides, an in-store vinyl playlist that’s posted on Instagram and soon will be streamed on Citizen Vinyl’s website.

The newspaper built broadcast studios for its WWNC-AM radio station on the third floor in 1939, introducing a national listening audience to bluegrass music. “Hundreds of acts would play in Studio A, including Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys,” says Ragland.

Having rented a room for years at the nearby Echo Mountain Recording facility, Ragland, a musician, composer, producer and owner of the NewSong Music label, saw an opportunity to open his own studio. The building’s owner was days from turning WWNC’s studios into office space when Ragland took a tour: “I pleaded with him to put the sledgehammers down and give us some time to figure out how we could save this piece of Asheville and American roots music history.”

The Citizen Studios are in WWNC’s former Studio A, with 32 tielines to the high-ceilinged Studio B, now a multipurpose live and event space.

“We’ve tracked a few projects in there and are still figuring out what the room’s strengths and weaknesses are,” he says.

“We hired David Rochester of Technical Audio Services to work on our restoration and treatment.

He’s also a dealer for Rupert Neve Designs, so I

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

studio showcase

more?

Above: The Citizen Vinyl facility includes a recording studio, record pressing plant, café/bar, record store/art gallery and performance space. Below: The new recording facility, created out of the former broadcast studios of WWNC-AM, has an emphatically analog mindset.

STEPHAN PRUITT

want

STEPHAN PRUITT

worked with him to get a 5088 console in here and he helped with the wiring and installation. He’s been a great member of the Citizen Vinyl team.”

Ragland, a Rupert Neve fan, says, “What I love about this console is that it’s a new, warrantied piece of equipment, but it has all the mojo and vibe of the classic Neve sound. It’s got a lot of depth and breadth and horsepower, but it’s also simple and elegant in its design, which I find empowering.”

He has since added some Shelford modules in the desk’s penthouse. “Those sound so good—the EQs are amazing. Over time, and as our needs grow, I can pick up more.”

Ragland’s moved in his collection of gear and added some new pieces, including pairs of ATC SCM25A Pro and Yamaha NS-10M nearfield monitors. “I’m really into analog sound and trying to do as much out of the box as I can,” says Ragland.

“I find it’s a much more enjoyable workflow and a more creative way to put mixes together.”

Ragland intends to continue taking projects to Echo Mountain. “We have no aspirations of being a commercial recording studio. In addition to my own workload, there are a couple of younger producers and engineers coming in a few days a month, but we’re not advertising day rates.”

Mastering engineer Ryan Schilling of American Vinyl Company has now moved his Neumann VMS 66 lathe into WWNC’s former control room. “We’re going to be able to offer vinyl mastering services on site for our pressing clients,” says Ragland. He plans to engage Schilling’s services to offer local and touring artists and their fans limited-edition vinyl keepsakes of in-store performances in the first-floor space.

“It’s not the ideal time to be starting a business,” Ragland admits, “but vinyl sales are up 17 percent from last year. It’s one of these industries that’s grown—not despite the pandemic but because of it.”

Citizen Vinyl • www.citizenvinyl.com

CHECK OUT CITIZEN VINYL’S PREVIEW PARTY WITH DIG LOCAL

https://youtu.be/rboDzUw9LPI

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

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top tracks

tracks: A LOOK AT THE RECORDING SCENE

ARTIST: DON DA MENACE ALBUM: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED LABEL: FALLING TOWARD SUCCESS PERSONNEL Produced by: Mr. Biggs Engineered by: Thomas Studio: Treble Sound (Ridgewood, NY) Mastered by: Thomas Studios EQUIPMENT NOTES: FL Studio 18, KRK ROKIT 5 studio monitors

ARTIST: BELLA WHITE ALBUM: JUST LIKE LEAVING LABEL: SELF-RELEASED PERSONNEL Produced by: Patrick M’gonigle Engineered by: David Sinko Studio: Guilford Sound Studios (Guilford, VT) Mastered by: Randy LeRoy at Tonal Park (Takoma Park, MD) EQUIPMENT NOTES: API Legacy console, ProAc Studio 100, Griffin G1 studio monitors, Avid Pro Tools

ARTIST: NANÉ ALBUM: NANÉ LABEL: SELF-RELEASED PERSONNEL Produced by: John Speice IV Engineered by: Adrian Quesada Studio: Electric Deluxe Recorders (Austin, TX) Mastered by: Erik Wofford at Cacophony Recorders (Austin, TX) EQUIPMENT NOTES: Universal Audio Apollo, Event 2030 studio monitors, Shure SM57, Mojave Audio MA200 microphones, Apple Logic Pro X

ARTIST: CHEL ALBUM: NASTY WOMAN LABEL: SELF-RELEASED PERSONNEL Produced by: Mike Hart Engineered by: Mike Hart Studio: Home studio EQUIPMENT NOTES: Universal Audio Apollo, SSL X-Logic stereo compressor, Rupert Neve Designs preamp, Telefunken CU-29 Copperhead mic, Yamaha NS-10M studio monitors, Avid Pro Tools

ARTIST: TINA GUO & LEO Z ALBUM: WINTER NIGHT: TRACES IN THE SNOW LABEL: SONY MASTERWORKS PERSONNEL Produced by: Leo Z Engineered by: Leo Z, Tina Gu Mix Engineer: xx Studios: Guo Industries Ltd., Bosco Music Room Mastered by: Eric Boulanger at The Bakery Mastering (Culver City, CA) EQUIPMENT NOTES: Electrodyne Audio Summing Station, MOTU Digital Performer, KRK ROKIT G4, Focal studio monitors, Apple Logic Pro X

notes

LACM Revamps with SSL Origin pasadena, ca—Los

Angeles College of Music faculty member Andrew “Mudrock” Murdock will teach students the fundamentals of audio engineering and production on a new 32-channel SSL (www. solidstatelogic.com) Origin analog in-line mixing console, acquired from Westlake Pro and installed in the renovated Student Recording Studio, when inperson classes resume.

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Oceanic Awash in Telefunken Mics bethesda, md—Producer

and engineer Taylor Larson, owner of Oceanic Recording, has been using Telefunken (www.telefunken-elektroakustik.com) mics exclusively for the past four months after building a large collection that includes ELA M 251E, ELA M 260, U47 and other models. He’s put them to work recording rock/metal artists including Periphery, Asking Alexandria and Within Temptation.

Albini Gets Fuzz on Tape at United hollywood, ca—Los

Angeles-based raw power trio Fuzz—aka Ty Segall, Charles Moothart and Chad Ubovich—announced that III, its first album in five years, was recorded on 24-track 2-inch analog tape and mixed at United Recording (www.unitedrecordingstudios.com) with engineer Steve Albini shortly before L.A.’s Safer at Home social isolation order was issued in March.

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

COLUMBIA TRISTAR MARKETING GROUP

The upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife will be among the first films mixed using Sony 360 VME. Inset: Will Files, re-recording mixer and supervising sound editor.

SONY 360 VME—AN ACE UP THE SLEEVE

BY STEVE HARVEY culver city, ca—Sony

had an ace up its sleeve when Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti’s Safer at Home emergency order limited activity in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Can’t work on the dub stage?

No problem: Take the stage home with you.

Last spring's work-from-home order gave Sony an opportunity to roll out its virtual monitoring software, a technology the company had begun to develop before the pandemic.

Sony offered a preview of the technology, Sony 360 VME (Virtual Mixing Environment), during the Mix Sound for Film & TV event at the end of September. According to a Sony spokesperson, the software is currently under evaluation as a beta version only within the Sony group. The company has not yet decided on a business model for the product.

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

Sony 360 VME captures the impulse response of any physical space and any speaker configuration, from Dolby Atmos to stereo, generating an algorithm that replicates that environment for headphone playback of any audio source. The algorithm, together with an individual’s HRTF, is saved as a profile in the AAX plug-in or standalone application. Different rooms can be saved as separate profiles and selected in the software.

To create a profile, microphones are placed in an individual’s ears, and the speakers in the dub stage, editing room or other listening environment are swept with sine waves and measured. With the room profile captured, calibration is repeated with the listener wearing headphones—Sony provided the sound teams with a prototype set optimized for use with Sony 360 VME—to create a personal HRTF measurement. The user can then work at home with his or her headphones replicating the

acoustic environment and speaker setup of their familiar dub stage or edit room.

Sony also presented comments from users, including Will Files, re-recording mixer and supervising sound editor on Ghostbusters: Afterlife (scheduled for release in March 2021) and sound designer on Venom: Let There Be Carnage (June 2021).

According to Files, when his profile was calibrated for the Cary Grant Theater on Sony’s Culver City lot, “My first instinct was to say, mute the speakers, I want to hear the headphones. But they said, ‘You are hearing the headphones.’ It’s like a magic trick.”

Post-lockdown, returning to the dub stage after using the new software at home, “We were all pleasantly surprised by how well the 360 VME headphone environment translated to the Cary Grant. There were no big surprises,” says Files.

Boundless by Sony • www.sony.com/en_us/ boundless.html

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Recording Robert Plant’s Digging Deep Podcast

BY JIM BEAUGEZ united kingdom—Where does a rock legend record his podcast? Anywhere he wants to. That’s certainly been the case with Digging Deep with Robert Plant, a podcast on which the famed Led Zeppelin frontman and solo artist discusses his work across his long and storied career. Every episode’s recording session takes place in a different location, such as Plant’s favorite pub, one of his homes or in front of an audience of 200 people at a London record store.

Faced with recording in such acoustically diverse environments, Matt Everitt, the producer and co-host of Digging Deep, sticks to hard-and-fast rules for microphone placement when tracking the music legend’s stories about songs he recorded with Led Zeppelin and his many post-Zep projects.

“When it comes to singing, obviously he’s got incredible microphone technique, but [for the podcast] we spend quite a bit of time beforehand makEpisodes of the Digging Deep with Robert Plant podcast, co-hosted by Matt Everitt (right), have been recorded in a variety ing sure that wherever we’re going to be sitting, of settings, including at Rough Trade record store in London. there’s a good kind of catchment area,” says Everitt.

“You’ve got to keep an eye on the mic positioning— never handheld, always boom, always between the Another priority in Everitt’s on-location setup be in it because it takes away the spontaneity, but nose and the chin point.” is to use extra-thick cables: “The thicker the cable, we’ll know why this song is really interesting.

While the recording sites might occasionally the more reliable it is, the better it sounds—simple “I think one of the reasons it works is that pose a challenge, the reward, says Everitt, is that as that,” he says. He tracks to a Zoom H6 portable there’s a real honesty,” he adds. “He takes his music they foster engaging discussion. “We’re going to recorder because of its ability to maintain separavery seriously, but I don’t think he always takes the make sure the production standards are good, but tion between channels. world around showbiz particularly seriously, so he’s it’s also about creating a space During post-production, happy to puncture some of the myths around the where Robert can really relax,” Everitt and the audio team work kind of ‘rock god’ world.” he says. “Part of the production up a fairly complete recording While many podcasts are leaning into the limiis making it feel natural—not for Plant to review, even if it’s tations of COVID culture and adapting to audio feel like you’re sitting in a chair only a first cut. Everitt compiles recorded over a videoconferencing platform or under a spotlight being interrothe audio so the mastering and iPhone, Everitt is playing a longer game with Diggated. He’s not interested in that EQ pros can clean it up and take ging Deep and creating a podcast that isn’t tied to a and neither are we. [We try] to out any clicks and hisses, and particular moment in time. make it a place where you feel then he assembles a “version “It’s great doing podcasts over Zoom, it’s fantaslike you are eavesdropping.” one” edit, occasionally moving tic, but we’ve spent a lot of time and effort investAchieving uniformity in such pieces around to maintain story ing in microphones and audio equipment to get a range of spaces can be difficult, pacing. Plant then listens and people sounding great because the ears deserve a so Everitt records Plant with gives his input on what does really well-produced show,” he says. a beyerdynamic M201 hyperand doesn’t work.

“They’re all good, all those approaches. Somecardioid microphone. “They’re “He’s more knowledgeable times you need to listen to Fugazi, sometimes you pretty directional, which means than anyone about how he need to listen to Steely Dan. Whether it’s a garage that sometimes people are a bit wants the show to sound,” Ever- band or a beautifully produced L.A. session, both While Robert Plant favors an old-school scared of using them because the itt says. “A lot of that’s worked are good depending on what you want. That’s the Shure SM58 mic in concert, he’s been catchment is quite narrow, but out pre-interview.

We don’t talk power of the format, isn’t it? The power of podusing a beyerdynamic M201 for his they sound so warm.” too much about what’s going to podcast. casting.”

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prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

Using Immersive Audio in Podcast Production london, uk—Amazing

War Stories, a UK podcast that tells true stories of World War II, aims to raise money to aid historic museums affected by COVID-19 restrictions. Helping raise the podcast’s profile is its immersive sound, which transports listeners from their living rooms to the front lines.

Creating that enveloping sense of place is sound design and mix company Vaudeville Sound.

The UK/U.S./Canadian company makes use of binaural audio technology for the podcast. As the shows were being compiled during lockdown, the voice recording and mix sessions were run

clear in the mix to tell the story. Our goal was to avoid using single, literal sounds,” added Hatfield. “In the trailer, an MG 42 is mentioned, but instead of just hearing an MG 42, the listener

hears it close up, as if the film camera is with the Germans firing on the Allied forces. The audio then cuts to the opposite perspective of the Allied troops, who hear a distant MG 42 and all the dirt being kicked up by the bullet impacts, ricochets and more. Many people haven’t experienced 3D audio in this context before, so it’s really exciting that these techniques are being used on the podcast platform, as it really works in enhancing the listening experience.”

Vaudeville Sound • www.vaudeville.tv

remotely. Live output of the mix was shared with the director so the team could run through mix notes and make changes on the fly. The team used Avid Pro Tools to edit and mix all the shows, with support from an array of plug-ins and software tools from Nugen Audio, Noise Makers, Zynaptic and Blue Ripple Sound.

Aiming to provide “film level” sound design, the Vaudeville team saw it was vital to use the correct sounds—not just to drive the story but to accurately depict the various pieces of military equipment being discussed. “We feel podcasting as a platform really lends itself to 3D immersive sound, as many listeners consume programs with headphones,” said Luke Hatfield, group head of sound at Vaudeville Sound. “The binaural aspect really enhances the effect of a scene where, for example, we have a distant MG [machine gun] suddenly jump to the 10 o’clock position, and bullet impacts flying up all around us.

“The sounds needed to be very focused and

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

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BRIEFS BNY Gets Political with Meyer Sound sioux city, ia—BNY

Productions monitored through 50 Meyer Sound (www. meyersound.com) speakers, including a Bluehorn System and MM‑10XP, MM-4XP and UP‑4slim models, in its production studio while remotely broadcasting an average of 100 live and virtual “hybrid” political rallies and speeches every week earlier this year.

CP Comms Opens Streaming Studios st. petersburg, fl—CP

Communications (www. cpcomms.com) has opened Red House Streaming Studios, the cornerstone of a growing production and streaming content delivery business whose clients include The Switch and Venn, Verona Productions, CBS Sports Network, B-Live and Carr-Hughes Productions.

MixOne Streams with A&H orange, ca—Southern

California full-service AV and staging company MixOne Sound recently delivered live broadcast mixes of performances by rap-rock trio Fever 333 and 10-time Grammy Award-winning superstar Chaka Khan using an Allen & Heath (www.allen-heath.com) dLive S5000 with SuperMADI and Waves cards, a DM64 MixRack and a DX32 modular expander.

Game Creek Connects with Riedel santa clarita, ca—Remote

production facilities company Game Creek Video has launched four mobile units in the last year, with a fifth nearing completion. The production vehicles feature 16 high-density Riedel (www.riedel.net) MediorNet FusioN 6 gateways and two 2RU MediorNet MBR 18 chassis on each unit to enable inter-truck connectivity.

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For more than 300 episodes, Matt Boudreau has explored the recording life with his Working Class Audio podcast.

WORKING CLASS AUDIO TACKLES RECORDING LIFE

BY JIM BEAUGEZ san francisco, ca—If

audio pros listening to the Working Class Audio podcast take away one thing, producer/engineer Matt Boudreau hopes it’s the lesson of diversification. As every studio hound learns, all it takes to lose your recording is a single point of failure. Running a studio business, he says, works the same way.

“One thing I preach about endlessly on my show is diversification of income and creating income streams, making it so there’s not a single point of failure,” says Boudreau. “This pandemic has really highlighted the strength of that concept.”

Boudreau established the Working Class Audio podcast to share his experiences and provide a forum for other audio pros to share their stories— how they’re surviving, how they deal with money, and how they create work-life balance while continuing to work in audio at the level they want.

“Everybody’s story is very different,” he says, “and everybody’s situation is vastly different. Some people have been far more successful. Jacquire King’s story is going to be vastly different from Michael Rosen’s story, or Steve Albini’s.”

After more than 300 episodes, Boudreau still produces the podcast from the mixing and mastering studio in his Bay Area home, from which he does much of his work these days. He typically conducts his interviews over Zoom while recording locally to a Sound Devices MixPre-6 through either an AEA KU5A hypercardioid ribbon mic or an Audio-Technica BP40 dynamic mic.

One benefit of interviewing studio engineers and producers is not having to worry about getting bad audio from them when he syncs. Turnaround on an episode is typically one week from recording to publishing. He and editor Anne-Marie Pleau send Pro Tools session files back and forth, running them through iZotope RX to reduce accidental noises and even subtle annoyances like the whoosh of a computer fan.

“I have learned so much from guests over the years,” he says. “But when listeners send me an email and say, ‘Hey, man. I drive a van for a living and I’m getting into a studio situation, and I followed the advice that this guest gave, and this guest gave, and you gave, and I’m really doing well’— that’s when I think, okay, this is serious. This is providing something of value to people.

Working Class Audio • https://solo.to/wca

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

REINFORCEMENT NYC SHERIFF’S OFFICE

The New York City Sheriff’s Office shut down an illegal, large-scale Halloween event held in a sound company’s warehouse.

ILLEGAL EVENTS LEAD TO INDUSTRY SCRUTINY

BY CLIVE YOUNG new york, ny—Numerous

illegal large-scale Halloween events were broken up by police around the country at the end of October, putting event organizers and production companies under scrutiny in their wake. In particular, two high-profile events grabbed headlines: a reputed “Protest on Halloween” bash outside Utah Lake, UT, attracted a reported 10,000 people, while across the country in New York City, the NYC Sheriff’s Office broke up an illegal party, held in a sound company’s warehouse, that attracted more than 550 people.

Event companies The Tribe Utah (Provo, UT) and Utah Tonight planned a party, The Protest on Halloween, that would take place in an outdoor area called The Knolls and feature four DJs and considerable production, according to FOX13 Salt Lake City. The event was called off but ultimately

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

took place anyway with many revelers shunning masks. Eventually police were called in when a woman was injured and later hospitalized from a fall while crowd-surfing. Dispersing the crowd in turn led to a number of car accidents.

Event organizers told the Salt Lake Tribune that The Tribe Utah and Utah Tonight were not responsible for the party, that no money changed hands, and that it was instead held by individuals associated with the two promoters. Utah Tonight later used its Instagram page to tell attendees to not get tested for COVID-19 after the event, stating in part, “Getting tested simply provides the mob with more ammunition to control our lives.”

Meanwhile, in New York City, deputy sheriffs shut down an illegal warehouse party that was held on the premises of AVS Production Group in violation of coronavirus emergency orders; it additionally did not have a liquor license. In all, 20 organizers and one company—AVS—were charged with

multiple misdemeanors, including administrative code, health code and liquor law offenses.

The organized event sported full lighting and decorations, two DJ booths and a sizable bar, along with a food truck and portable toilets in the warehouse’s loading docks. Sheriffs observed more than 150 costumed people enter the warehouse before intervening.

According to authorities, the party resulted in a minimum of $105,000 in fines: 15 people were fined $1,000 each for health code violations and issued court appearance tickets, while five other people and AVS were each fined $15,000. AVS was additionally written up for violating state liquor laws by running an unlicensed bottle club and warehousing liquor. The New York Times reported that an individual representing AVS said the building had been rented out for a virtual event and that the company found out about the party after the fact.

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audio op-ed

LIVE SOUND HAS ANSWERS FOR OTHER MARKETS

HALF-FORMED HYBRID PLANS DUE TO COVID-19 ARE EVERYWHERE; LIVE SOUND AND AV CAN HELP MAKE THEM WHOLE.

T

he core capabilities required in the live production space are about to be mission-critical for a number of industries. Our return to school, the office, and elsewhere won’t happen all at once with a snap of the fingers; instead, we will see hybrid models with social distancing considerations put in place over time.

This gradual return with social distancing measures means that high-quality audio will need to be provided to more, often larger locations—gymnasiums, cafeterias, outdoor spaces, conference spaces and more—which will invariably require portable AV along with an element of rigging and derigging. For many, this will be a short- to mediumterm solution. Thus, it is up to us as an industry to do two things: provide the near-term fix using scalable and flexible solutions, and craft a plan that helps realize live sound in these spaces long-term.

That second part might sound tricky, but consider this: not only does it offer the traditional benefits of live sound (e.g., the ability to host events and live performances), it is also a redefinition of fault tolerance. Yes, if we do this correctly, we can prepare our schools, businesses, and other places of

Fort Garry Mennonite Brethren Church is an example of a worship space with a digitally steerable solution.

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prominence for the possibility that social distancing becomes an intermittent part of life for years to come. If we do this correctly, there will be no more sudden shutdowns. Instead, we can transition to a pro sound environment that provides more flexibility and continuity to accommodate changing public gathering regulations.

Let’s consider some of the hybrid uses we are currently working on. And be assured, these are actual requests pro audio manufacturers are hearing from both installers and end users.

Schools: The K-12 market is looking at transforming larger spaces on campus—gyms, cafeterias, auditoriums—into classrooms where social distancing can be maintained. This will absolutely require audio in all locations. Keeping sound focused precisely on the students—and off reflective surfaces in these cavernous locations—will be critical. The same story can be applied to higher education, but at a much greater scale; because universities tend to have even larger spaces for gatherings, the need for portable AV becomes even more critical.

Corporate: The business world is relying heavily on conferencing solutions. These will continue to be important as we return to the office in a hybrid model. Conference rooms will see a reduction in capacity; however, the number of people who should be in a meeting doesn’t change. Similar to the education market, this requires a rethinking of how meeting rooms are used.

Worship: The contemporary house of worship market generally mirrors live and performance installation trends, but come December we’ll likely see a need to expand access to holiday pageants.

This is a two-pronged upgrade that can be done— both in the short-term and long-term—and includes both on-premises participation and streaming.

First, the obvious need is to find spaces where participants can be safely distanced, and expand the audio coverage there. However, unique scenarios such as drive-in services can still exist in the warm-

BY GRAHAM HENDRY Graham Hendry is vice president of strategic development for Renkus-Heinz.

er climates. Suddenly, you see some solutions that have crossovers with outdoor arenas.

Second, many churches are finding when they move to a hybrid model that entails streaming services as well as welcoming parishioners to worship in person, their on-site audio tends to drown out the video feed’s sound. There’s a fix for this—and the live sound world knows exactly how to do it.

Because these systems need to be integrated quickly and effectively—and, potentially, moved at some point—it’s likely that a distributed system won’t fit the bill. Instead, look to digitally steerable solutions that can place sound with precision. Digital beam-steering allows for audio to be kept away from the reflective surfaces common in these acoustically irregular environments, instead putting it where you want it most: on the audience. Further, these systems not only allow for quick setup, but they are also easily movable, and they can be reprogrammed quickly.

Simply put, digitally steerable solutions allow for easy setup, easy programming, flexibility in use, and impressive intelligibility of sound.

Many out there need the skills of the production and corporate AV sectors—they just don’t know it yet. Now is the time to show your collaborative approach, presenting ideas for improving things right now and long-term. Come up with rental agreements, long-term uses, or fault tolerance plans that allow these live sound upgrades to remain viable. But, most importantly, show them the passion the industry has for getting things back to normal.

At the end of the day, we work in the communication business. We help people share their ideas, dreams, thoughts, and hopes. Let’s bring that passion to these new spaces for live sound.

Renkus-Heinz • www.renkus-heinz.com

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

d&b, Autograph Team for d&b Fanblock backnang, germany—d&b

audiotechnik teamed with UK event/theatrical audio company Autograph in the development and launch of d&b Fanblock, a stadium sound application that reproduces the sound of a live crowd at empty sports events.

Using a d&b sound system design positioned within an arena, d&b Fanblock creates a multichannel surround sound system which, when combined with Autograph’s playback software, fills sports venues with the sounds of fans.

A noisy, responsive crowd helps build excitement for players and home viewers alike. The basic audio content consists of non-team-specific sounds, including background “bed” loops to provide a continual atmosphere within the stadium, and a library of sound cues that can be triggered by operators in reaction to the action on the field. The custom sound design package offers club-specific chants made possible through Autograph’s content partner, FanChants.

The playback software, Stadium Sound by Autograph, creates a live crowd atmosphere at sports events that can be dynamically controlled in real time to directly respond to the events of the game.

The system is operated live by engineers in the stadium in order to follow the energy levels and punctuate the dramatic moments as they happen.

“By partnering with Autograph, we’ve come up with a revolutionary new sound solution,” said Amnon Harman, CEO of d&b audiotechnik. “No longer will sports teams hear the echo of empty stadiums and venues. Instead, with d&b Fanblock,

For stadiums operating without an audience, d&b audiotechnik and Autograph have teamed up provide the sounds of ecstatic fans.

they will once again hear the strength and passion of their fans while on the field.” d&b Fanblock uses the matrix functions of the DS100 signal engine to distribute audio to the d&b loudspeaker system. As the backbone of d&b Soundscape, the DS100 signal engine enables further enhancement of d&b Fanblock through its En-

Scene software. Object-based signal management allows complex sound events to move around the stadium in real time, and detail to be added to the effect of Stadium Sound in response to the actions on the field. The system is scalable and can be put in any size stadium or arena around the world. d&b audiotechnik • www.dbaudio.com

BRIEFS Void Rocks the Yacht chicago, il—A

heavy-duty Void Acoustics (www. voidacoustics.com) club sound system was recently installed on a 56-foot luxury yacht, turning the 20-person capacity craft into a VIP room on water.

Chicago-based Pineapple Audio designed a system based around Air Vantage loudspeakers combined with the Cyclone Bass low-frequency enclosure for the front deck of the boat, augmented with the IP55rated Cyclone 10 loudspeakers at rear. The main deck then used triangular three-way Tri Motions with a dual 18-inch Stasys 218 subwoofer.

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

RCF Takes It Outside tulsa, ok—In

August, Holden Productions and Matchroom Boxing built a boxing ring in the middle of a downtown Tulsa intersection for a night of televised fights headlined by Cecilia Brækhus, who defended her Women’s Welter Weight title. Phoenix, AZ-based Arizona Sound Productions was there to provide sound and video production. ASP designed a small line array rig with 16 RCF (www.rcf.it) HDL 6-A active line array modules to deliver audio the floor level, where judges, fighters, staff, production crew, refs and boxing officials were located.

Brooklyn Tabernacle Updates Audio brooklyn, ny—The

Brooklyn Tabernacle, a multicultural, non-denominational megachurch with a 3,800seat sanctuary, recently updated its audio system after 20 years, ultimately choosing an EAW (www. eaw.com) ADAPTive System featuring the Anna loudspeaker and Otto subwoofer. Each split array consists of five Annas, with four Ottos in the middle and four Annas below. The church also upgraded consoles with a Yamaha RIVAGE PM7 at FOH and CL5 at monitors.

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GEAR THE PRO SOUND NEWS HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2020

BY RUSS LONG

C

oming off of what could easily be described as the craziest year in my lifetime, I hope the holidays will give us an escape from the current COVID-19 reality. And to help the escape be even more successful, here are several great new products (and a couple of older ones) that could be the perfect gift for your favorite producer, engineer or musician.

USB mics are a dime a dozen these days, and the majority of them feel (and, sadly, sound) like they are disposable. Not true with Earthworks Audio’s (www.earthworksaudio.com) ICON USB mic. This thing is made to last a lifetime. If there’s a USB mic whose look, feel and performance can be compared to driving a Ferrari, the ICON is it! The mic has a built-in pop filter, looks fantastic on camera and incorporates the legendary low-noise, non-colored,

musical sound that has made Earthworks famous.

The cardioid mic has a 20 Hz–20 kHz frequency response. After spending time recording with it, I found that besides voice, it beautifully captures virtually any instrument or sound source. To top it off, the mic includes a custom Triad-Orbit base.

Based on its impressive specs, it’s understandable that users may mistakenly think they’re recording with a high-dollar studio microphone rather than an affordable USB mic. Speaking of the studio, I should mention that there is a studio version of ICON PRO that’s equipped with an XLR connector rather than a USB port.

At only $149, the Sonic Presence SP15 USB-C Spatial Microphone (www.sonicpresence.com) is absolutely the best way to capture stereo recordings, and using it is a blast. I fell in love with the first version of the Sonic Presence mic a couple of years ago, and the current USB-C version is as close to perfect as I can imagine. The stereo microphone set incorporates two small omnidirectional mics that hang over your ears, sitting just in front of the ear canal so you can still use AirPods or IEMs for monitoring if you like. The Sonic Presence website recommends different apps depending on the quality you require, as the mic supports 24-bit/96 kHz. I’ve loved recording with the mic—and it’s discreet enough that you can sneak it into a concert, but don’t tell anybody I said that. The SP15 is compatible with Android,

Sonic Presence SP15 USB-C Spatial Microphone

Windows, USB-C equipped iOS devices and macOS. The mic can be used with USB-A computers with a USB-C to USB-A adapter cable.

AcoustiTools from Acoustic Masterminds (www.acousticmasterminds.com) is an awesome iOS audio analysis app. The $24.99 app allows four modules to be viewed and used simultaneously.

Modules bundled with the basic application include Augmented Reality (allows the user to tag specific locations in an acoustic space and calculate the volume level, distance and delay for each tag), dB Meter and Real-Time Analyzer modules. The RTA module, which looks fantastic, can be switched between spectrum color and solid blue displays; it includes a red problem frequency line that allows users to identify problem frequencies with a tendency for feedback. The optional Diagnostic PEQ and Diagnostic GEQ features are $14.99 in-app

GETTY IMAGES

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prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

Acoustic Masterminds AcoustiTools

purchases. Diagnostic PEQ uses a real-time Diagnostic Parametric Equalizer module to analyze pink noise played through Beyerdynamic a system and then recTG D70 ommends a corrective Earthworks parametric EQ setting Audio ICON for the system. Diagnostic USB mic GEQ does essentially the same thing, but it recommends a corBeyerdynamic rective graphic EQ setting for the sysTG I51 tem rather than a parametric setting.

The number of bands in the software is adjustable, so it can be set to match the number Beyerdynamic (www.beyerdynamic.com) has a of bands on the system’s GEQ. Besides configuring pair of new mics that are worth checking out. The a space for sound reinforcement, this feature is also TG D70, which uses the legendary M88 capsule, is great for setting up a home theater or tweaking a designed specifically for kick drum—and it works car stereo. extremely well for that purpose. It’s quite versatile In-ear monitors have become as much a fashion as well, as I had good results using it on floor tom, statement as a tool for artists and musicians. Ultibass and guitar cabinets, and trombone. Meanwhile, mate Ears (www.ultimateears.com) popularized the the TG I51 is an amazingly affordable workhorse idea of allowing users to customize the look of their microphone that lends itself to electric guitars, but IEMs. Now, UE SWITCH takes customization one also sounds great on snare, toms and bass guitar. step further by allowing users to swap out customBoth mics are well made, include a carry bag and designed faceplates, providing unlimited visual feature a built-in mounting system. options. SWITCH-equipped IEMs look identical to Nothing beats a great book, and there are a previous models, but their faceplates are removed couple of fantastic ones that simply can’t be missed. easily thanks to SWITCH’s simple twist-lock mechPatch & Tweak with Moog (www.bjooks. anism. Users simply rotate the faceplate, remove com) is a beautifully it and replace it with another. SWITCH faceplates designed book can incorporate any of the faceplate colors, materiand a fantastic als and design options offered with standard IEMs. read. Written and The UE SWITCH option includes three faceplates designed by elecand is available with any new UE Pro or CSX model tronic musician Kim for $199. The UE SWITCH upgrade is available for Bjørn, it features a any existing UE Pro or CSX model for $199. This foreword by Hans upgrade includes a three-pack of faceplates.

Zimmer. The book

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

Ultimate Ears UE SWITCH

covers a wide range of Moog synthesizer-oriented topics including professional artist interviews, creative patch ideas, sound design tips, in-depth discussions with Moog engineers and an overview of Moog’s history. There’s also a view of the Moog factory in Asheville, NC, which I’m fortunate to have visited multiple times. It truly is an amazing experience to see the precision and finesse that goes into building a synthesizer by hand, and if you can’t visit the factory in person, this book is the next best thing. Patch & Tweak with Moog is the ultimate studio coffee-table book!

Sound Man: A Life Recording Hits with The Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Eagles , Eric Clapton, The Faces... by Glyn Johns (www.penguinrandomhouse.com) is a stunningly good read. The book sucks you in like a great novel while secretly feeding you tons of wisdom about producing, engineering and interacting with artists, managers and labels. I somehow missed this book when it was released in 2015, but, thankfully, superstar engineer Doug Sarrett turned me onto it last summer. I couldn’t be more grateful. Glyn Johns played a strong hand in the creation of many of my all-time favorite albums, and hearing the stories gives you a fly-onthe-wall perspective about what went into creating many of these masterpieces.

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AVID PRO TOOLS CARBON AUDIO INTERFACE

real-world

reviews

BY RICH TOZZOLI Rich Tozzoli is an awardwinning, Grammynominated producer, engineer and composer for programming such as FOX NFL, Pawn Stars and Oprah & Deepak Chopra. www.richtozzoli.com.

Avid’s new Pro Tools Carbon is a hybrid audio production system based around a hardware interface with onboard HDX DSP acceleration that works in conjunction with your computer’s CPU.

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vid’s Pro Tools Carbon is a new hybrid audio production system starting at $3,999 that combines a hardware interface with onboard HDX DSP acceleration and your computer’s native CPU power. With this Hybrid Engine, you can track and monitor with near-zero latency when using AAX DSP plug-ins. Intelligently, when you put a track into DSP Mode for recording, the chips in Carbon process the AAX DSP plug-ins, while the computer plays back your mix in Native Mode. Simply switch off the tracks in DSP Mode and the whole session is back in Native Mode, ready for mixdown.

Let’s take a quick look at the Carbon hardware, then get into how it all works together.

The sleek 25 x 34 simultaneous I/O, 19-inch, 1U

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rack-mountable interface features two variable Z, unbalanced, 1/4-inch TS instrument inputs on the front, as well as four separate stereo headphone outputs. There are eight 20 Hz to 20 kHz XLR mic/ line preamps on the rear (four of which have variable impedance), as well as eight channel line in and line out DB25 25-pin D Sub multipin connections.

There’s a TRS Monitor L/R Main output, 1/4-inch footswitch connector for talkback on/off, WC I/O and two Ethernet connectors. Also on the rear are a pair of ADAT optical inputs and two ADAT optical outputs, offering 16 channels at 44.1–96 kHz and eight channels at 176.4–192 kHz. Back to the front panel—you’ve got eight separate LED meters for the mic/line inputs and a Main L/R stereo out meter. Input levels are controlled

with the Input Encoder knob on the left, which, when pressed, switches between mic and line, as instrument input is automatically detected. The Input Level Strip displays input source and amount of gain.

There are buttons for Input Selection, Z for impedance choices, Link, Phase, Phantom Power, Input Metering, Integrated Talkback, Output Metering and another knob for main output and headphone levels, as well as a master Mute button, Headphone button and DIM button. EXT or NET indicators light up on the front when properly connected to their source. The Output Encoder knob controls headphone and monitor (Main/Alt 1/Alt 2) out, indicated with the Level Strip above it.

Under the hood lie the eight HDX DSP processors (2.8 GHz aggregated processing), which allow all of this hybrid production to take place. Note that at launch, all preamp and monitor controls will be from the front panel, but remote control is at the top of the list for the upcoming updates.

Since I do production and TV composing from my own studio and in a variety of locations, I have long used my own “hybrid” recording system. I go “Native” with my mobile rigs, based primarily around a MacBook Pro and several interfaces, and “combo” on my main HDX system, with an HD I/O hooked up to a Mac Pro. It works, but Native-only

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

ativity without technology getting in the way. Yes, it might require some forethought on DSP plug-ins, but it’s worth it.

Carbon is Mac-only at launch, with PC support forthcoming. For those whose computer doesn’t have an Ethernet port, you’ll need to use a qualified Thunderbolt-to-Ethernet adapter; check Avid’s website for compatibility data. Also, the computer has to be qualified with macOS 10.15.7 (Catalina).

Included in the Carbon package are a one-year subscription to Pro Tools software, with its 115

AAX plug-ins (more than 70 AAX DSP plug-ins), a 5.4 GB sound library, and standard support.

There’s an additional selection of partner plug-ins from Arturia, McDSP, Plugin Alliance, UVI, Native Instruments and Embody.

In one hybrid system, Pro Tools Carbon lets users have the best of both worlds: AAX DSP and Native. Carbon is a creative game-changer in a lot of ways, and I can’t wait to see—and hear—where this is going.

Avid • www.avid.com/carbon

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production tends to frustrate me with latency and buffer sizes and so on.

That’s why Carbon is a different animal. To integrate it into my system, I simply connected an RJ45 Ethernet cable from Carbon to my Mac Pro and selected it in the Network Device Browser on the computer. I then hooked up both the Main L/R outputs and ADAT output 1 into my Grace Design M906 monitor controller. Since I run a lot of guitar-centric gear and pedalboards into my Manley, Millenia and Universal Audio preamps, they connected via a DB25 to the analog input on the rear of Carbon. My Grace Design m108 8-channel preamp connected via ADAT optical input 1 and now shows up on ADAT 1 of the Input Tab in the I/O setup.

Literally within a few minutes, everything was connected and simply worked. It was remarkably seamless, and since it’s connected via AVB Ethernet, you not only get 32-bit end-to-end workflow, but your regular computer audio will play back directly through the converters of Carbon.

With Carbon, it’s all about DSP Mode. Each track has the ability to switch from Native to DSP Mode, which can be enabled for Audio, Aux, Instrument, Routing Folder and Master Fader Tracks. When selected, the small lightning bolt icon turns from gray to bright green and all plugins on the track switch from Native to DSP (if a DSP equivalent is available). DSP-compatible plugins are identified with a DSP Compatible badge.

At this point, the entire signal path for the track will run on the HDX DSP mixer in Carbon. Any Native-only plug-ins will be bypassed automatically in DSP Mode. What’s cool is that if any track is part of the signal chain of a track in DSP Mode, it is automatically set to DSP Mode (Auto Enabled) and the icon turns dim green. Note that you can also set DSP Mode to enable automatically when putting a track into record, and you can also set tracks into DSP Mode Safe to prevent DSP Mode from being auto-enabled.

What this all means is that I was able to track my guitars through DSP plug-ins and some of my favorite effects with virtually zero latency, which is the only way to get that “feel.” Note that you can also use aux tracks to put external reverbs, delays, etc. that have no DSP equivalent into DSP Mode Safe. The main record tracks are running DSP with sub-millisecond latency, but the reverb return is still on the Native mixer live, so your playback buffer is still relevant to the plug-in. This all adds up to me using Pro Tools for what it’s for: seamless cre-

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11/5/20 11:38 AM

MACKIE MP-360/460 IN-EAR MONITORS WITH MP-BTA BLUETOOTH ADAPTER

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ackie’s MP-360 and MP-460 professional in-ear monitors are a great option for the engineer who can’t afford $1,500 custom IEMs but wants something better than basic buds with a single speaker driver.

real-world

reviews

The MP-460’s four drivers ultimately give you more information in the midrange. That was what really put it over the top for me, not the loudness.

More drivers can give better clarity for recording and mixing, so Mackie has packed both models with Knowles balanced armature drivers and a 3-way crossover. The MP-360 has three Knowles drivers in each ear, while the MP-460 gets four in a quad-driver design. These drivers, originally developed for hearing aids and critical listening applications, are intended to provide fidelity, realism and detail, providing considerable output with less power.

Impedance on the MP-360 is 15 ohms and the MP-460 is 15.5 ohms.

The Mackie MP IEMs arrive with a small, sturdy, hard-molded travel box that holds everything needed to take care of the in-ear monitors. This includes a cleaning cloth, cleaning tool, 1/8- to 1/4-inch adapter, braided cable, and an extra braided cable with remote for phone or laptop use. The IEMs are attached

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to the MMCX connectors with a simple click-and-go system. There are also a dozen pairs of ear tips, including wide-bore silicone, silicone, foam, and triple-flange styles, with a small, medium and large option in each style.

The frequency range for both IEMs is 20 Hz–20 kHz, with up to 40 dB of sound isolation, which is key to blocking outside noises in order to hear what’s going on with your recording or mix. The Mackie MP-360 has 117 dB of audio output, and the MP-460 gives you an extra decibel at 118 dB. I could definitely hear the difference and it’s one of the reasons I liked the MP-460 a bit more. The MP-460’s four drivers ultimately give you more information in the midrange. That was what really put it over the top for me, not the loudness. You’ll never turn it up all the way, with maximum output being so close to the threshold of pain.

The isolation that can be achieved once you find the correct ear tips is just what’s needed for a pristine recording and mix. Clarity in the midrange for vocals is what I look for in any IEM, and the

Mackie’s MP-460 in-ear monitors use a quad-driver design to bring added clarity to the midrange.

BY FELA DAVIS Fela Davis is a 2019 Hall of Fame inductee at Full Sail University. She owns 23dB Productions and One of One Productions Studio, which specializes in podcasting, video, and music production. Clients include the Holding Court with Eboni K. Williams podcast, SiriusXM, Atlantic Records, iHeartRadio and numerous Grammy Award-winning musicians. www.oneofoneproductions.com.

MP-460 knocked it right out of the park. That clarity gave me a real sense of what was going on with my recordings and mixes.

I found that the MP-460 sat better in my ears and gave a better seal, whether I was recording, mixing podcasts or walking around town listening to music. The MP-360 felt a little tighter in my ear canal compared to the MP-460, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.

Overall, I was very impressed by both of these IEMs. They’re versatile enough to use out on tour, in the studio or during a good workout! The hard plastic case that houses the IEMs is perfect for the road and light packing. An important accessory for the Mackie MP series is the MP-BTA Bluetooth adapter, which makes the IEMs perfect for working out, also adding a crystal-clear microphone for cellphone use. It was amazing to finally have mobility with a great-sounding IEM. The additional $99.99 is well worth it for an enjoyable listening experience.

The Mackie MP-360 retail price is $399 and the Mackie MP-460 is $499. Both IEMs were impressive, but I’d suggest spending the additional $100 for the MP-460, as I found the fit and clarity are worth the extra cost.

Mackie • www.mackie.com

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

innovations

Designing HF Horns on the Move CELESTION HORNWIZARD APP

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fter we launched the groundbreaking Axi2050 compression driver, it was clear that we’d also have to build a custom horn so we could demonstrate to customers the driver’s potential bandwidth of 300 Hz–20 kHz. At Frankfurt Pro Light + Sound 2017, Celestion first showed the Axi mounted on the “Big Red Horn.” This horn was an off-the-shelf SEOS type, but it paved the way for the creation of bespoke designs and a new company mission.

What was particularly notable was the number of people who asked where they could buy a similar horn, or have one designed for them. These weren’t just casual inquiries—they came from well-respected pro audio companies.

It was obvious from this experience that Celestion would have to further develop proficiency in horn design. To its highly skilled R&D team, Celestion added Bjørn Kolbrek, an engineer who had spent an extended period researching horn loudspeakers. (He also recently co-authored the book High-Quality Horn Loudspeaker Systems.)

THE PARTNERSHIP PRINCIPLE Celestion’s approach to R&D frequently involves working closely with engineers from client companies, often over long periods, to create innovative solutions that are deployed in new sound reinforcement products.

The Celestion R&D team’s in-depth knowledge of horns and experience in finite element methods resulted in the creation of some very powerful in-house high-frequency horn design software.

This enabled Celestion to assist where the customer perhaps lacked the niche expertise for horn design, or where the partner company’s engineers could not devote time to the often lengthy iterative design process that previously would have been the norm.

knowledge and experience, but it is also greatly helped by good simulation tools that are both fast and accurate.

Celestion’s main tool for dayto-day design is similar to Finite Element Analysis (FEA), but each piece—or element—is much more complex than elements used in FEA. This speeds up the simulations to a level where each iteration can be computed in a matter of minutes for three-dimensional horns (compared to several hours for full 3D FEA). The method has been validated using both FEA A sample horn created in and measurements—and it works! Celestion HornWizard.

A horn design tends to start simplified parameter set. The app doesn’t contain from a set of specifications and requirements. From any horn design software; it simply acts as a portal, these, an initial design can be put together within the software to evaluate what can be achieved with- enabling the user to input parameters and receive results in the app interface. in the specified constraints. Measured data can be While HornWizard is not a complete horn used for a specific driver to get an accurate picture simulator, it uses a simplified method to produce of how the driver and horn combination will work. a reasonably accurate estimate of directivity and The specifications can be adjusted, or if the frequency response. First and foremost, it’s a “realinitial results are satisfactory, the fine-tuning of the ity check” to see if particular specifications can be design can begin, balancing the inevitable comproachieved within specified constraints. It also enables mises to achieve the best posthe user to see how different drivers work on the sible result. horn, aiding in the driver selection process.

MAKING THE EXPERTISE OEM customers can create an account to save ACCESSIBLE and revisit many different designs. Once the cusHornWizard has been produced tomer has found one or more basic designs that to introduce systems engineers look like they may work, Celestion can then take to Celestion’s high-frequency the design and optimize it to fit the target applicahorn design capabilities. It tion.

HornWizard • www.celestion.com/hornwizard offers a simple, quick and freely accessible method of testing the likely validity of actual horn

BY KEN WELLER designs.

Ken Weller is the product marketing manager Users can reliably verify designs, quickly adjust at Celestion in the UK. He started playing them with different parameters, and view the with loudspeaker drivers at the age of 9, got his first job in a hi-fi store at 15, and has results in a matter of seconds. yet to escape the world of audio, having It’s been created as a WPA (Web Progressive previously worked for Tannoy and Bowers & App) so it can be used on both desktop and mobile Wilkins. devices, accessing our full design software using a

It was obvious from this experience that Celestion would have to further develop proficiency in horn design.

BESPOKE HORN DESIGN SOFTWARE Designing a horn for a specific application requires

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

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studio products

1 Shure MV7 Hybrid XLR/USB Podcast Mic

The entry-level MV7, Shure’s first hybrid XLR/USB microphone, offers a simplified user experience while providing audio quality commensurate with the expectations of pro users. While the SM7B remains Shure’s flagship for podcasting, voiceover and broadcast use, the MV7 aims to entice content creators at a lower price level. An integrated touchpanel optimizes control for quick adjustments, allowing users to adjust gain, headphone volume, monitor mix, and mute/unmute, with an option to lock customized settings. The mic’s Auto Level Mode adjusts audio levels on the fly to give audiences a more consistent listening experience.

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2 SPL Control One, Marc One Monitor Controllers

SPL of Germany has added Control One and Marc One monitor controllers to its Series One line. SPL Control One is an analog control center for managing audio sources and monitor speakers. It features an individually adjustable headphone amplifier with Phonitor Matrix. There are two stereo line inputs, two stereo speaker outputs for control of two sets of speakers, a subwoofer output and a stereo line output. The SPL Marc One includes these features and adds a stereo AD/ DA converter with an AKM AK 4490 Velvet Sound chip on the DA side and the matching AK 5552 on the AD side.

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3 Focusrite Pro Red 8Line

Red 8Line is a 58-input, 64-output Thunderbolt 3 audio interface that features two Red Evolution mic pre’s, independent L/R monitor outs, eight balanced line inputs and outputs on DB25 connectors, 32 channels of Dante I/O, 16-channel ADAT input and output (at 48 kHz), and stereo S/PDIF input and output. The unit offers 24-bit/192 kHz A-D and D-A conversion for recording and audio playback, as well as a reported 119 dB dynamic range A-D and 121 dB dynamic range D-A (A-Weighted). Focusrite also announced the upcoming availability of Windows 10 drivers that will allow Thunderbolt 3-equipped PC users to use the company’s Red interfaces.

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4 MXL Revelation Mini FET Mic

With the Revelation Mini FET, MXL aims to provide the intimacy and warmth of a tube mic, but built around a FET circuit with a smaller footprint.

The Revelation Mini FET uses a 3mm center-terminating, gold-sputtered capsule combined with a low-noise circuit. The mic focuses on the midrange and lower frequencies, resulting in recordings with less hum and more music. Additionally, the inclusion of a three-stage pad (0, -10 dB, -20 dB) is intended to provide the flexibility needed for recording high-SPL sources such as horns and kickdrums. The mic features black chrome accents and hand-selected FET and capacitors.

5 Rupert Neve Designs 5254 Compressor

The 5254 Dual Diode Bridge Compressor contains two channels of diode bridge compression based on the dynamics circuit in the company’s Shelford Channel. The unit includes advanced timing control, fully stepped controls throughout, higher voltage power rails, and internal parallel processing. The timing control offers six selectable settings for different applications, with a Fast button to increase the speed of both attack and release times for each setting, effectively doubling the number of time constants from six to 12. Faster timing settings will induce more harmonic content, while slower settings will result in more transparent compression.

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prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

live products

1 L-Acoustics and JH Audio Contour XO IEM

L-Acoustics’ Contour XO is a limited-edition premium in-ear audio solution created in conjunction with JH Audio. Contour XO sports 10 balanced armature drivers and three-way crossover in a quad low, dual mid, and quad high configuration. The IEM includes JH Audio Soundrive technology to handle extreme dynamics, and Freqphase to provide precision timing across the frequency spectrum. Intended for use on stage, at the mixing desk, in the studio or for personal use, Contour XO will support the upcoming release of L-Acoustics L-ISA binaural object-based mixing software tools.

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2 Meyer Sound Spacemap Go App

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Meyer Sound’s free Spacemap Go App works with its GALAXY Network Platform to simplify spatial sound design and mixing. It be controlled by a single iPad or with multiple iPads to provide a larger and more varied control surface, or to allow simultaneous control by multiple users. Spacemap Go is compatible with sound design and show control programs such as QLab, allowing for sound designs originally assembled using QLab to be implemented into a multichannel spatial mix using Spacemap Go’s templates. It can be automated by DAWs such as Ableton Live, Apple Logic Pro X, Avid Pro Tools, MOTU Digital Performer and Reaper.

3 SoundTools WallCAT 8 Wall Plate

SoundTools’ WallCAT 8 is a 2-gang wall plate with four female and four male XLR connectors, allowing the choice of either input or output across four XLR channels. A pair of RJ45 connections in the back of the plate transmit analog audio, AES3, DMX and interCOM signals to multiple locations with a Cat 5e/6/7 cable. As with all SoundTools products, the WallCAT 8 is guaranteed for life by the company’s Happy Human Warranty.

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4 Bose L1 Pro Portable P.A. Family

Bose’s L1 Pro portable line array family consists of three portable P.A.s— the L1 Pro8, L1 Pro16 and L1 Pro32—and two modular subwoofers, Bose Sub1 and Sub2, for use with the L1 Pro 32. All of the systems offer built-in multichannel mixers with EQ, reverb and phantom power; 180° horizontal coverage; and Bluetooth streaming capabilities. RaceTrack woofers integrated into the L1 Pro8 and L1 Pro16 deliver powerful bass without the bulk. The most portable model, L1 Pro8, sports a C-shaped line array behind the grille, built around eight articulated 2-inch neodymium drivers. The L1 Pro16 ups the ante, featuring a J-shaped line array of 16 articulated 2-inch neodymium drivers.

5 RTS OMNEO Main Station

RTS has launched its Digital Partyline family with the debut of the OMNEO Main Station (OMS), a hybrid IP/digital/analog main station for partyline intercom systems used in theaters, houses of worship, broadcast, AV rental, industrial facilities and entertainment/event venues. Presented in a 1RU enclosure, OMS can interconnect both wired/wireless and IP/digital/ analog devices; full TCP/IP connectivity is supported. OMNEO IP technology— incorporating Dante (audio transport), AES70 (device control) and more—allows OMS to interconnect with RTS Digital Matrix products and forthcoming products in the RTS Digital Partyline family, allowing users to migrate to an IP infrastructure while protecting the investment value of their existing analog partyline hardware.

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

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PEOPLE SOUNDING BOARD

NETWORKING WORKS WHEN YOU KNOW YOUR PART

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or our industry, here’s the sliding scale of what the new normal looks like: You were previously working on some aspect of streaming and now you’re busier than you’ve ever been before. Or you successfully pivoted and you are now working harder than ever, doing more with less. Or you’re stuck in a holding pattern.

Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, giving yourself some breathing room will help provide clarity. It’s been hurry up and wait for over eight months and now it’s time to recalibrate.

The first thing to do is admit that this unsettled period is going to last longer that you want it to, which means that it’s time to have some difficult discussions and make some challenging decisions. It also means that it’s time to lean on your friends and extended social network.

If you’re in a good position and you’re gainfully employed at a company that has successfully navigated today’s economic challenges, don’t take it for granted. This is the time to stay put and double down. Work even harder and add even more value.

Make the rounds and personally thank all the people responsible for successfully shepherding you and your colleagues to safety. I guarantee it was not luck. There were plenty of sleepless nights on management’s watch where painful decisions were made and programs were cut. Take the time to acknowledge that and give credit where credit is due. If you lost peers as a result of those changes, it is part of your job to check in on them and look after them.

Take the initiative and open up your network to help make sure they land softly. If you’re successful, then be helpful.

If you’re able, now is the time to give generously. There are plenty of organizations set up to

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BY MIKE DIAS Mike Dias writes and speaks about What Entertainers Can Teach Executives and Why Nobody Likes Networking. He is the executive director for the In-Ear Monitor International Trade Organization and the vice president of sales for Earthworks Audio. He loves to trade stories, to talk shop, and to hear about your networking successes and failures! mike@inearmonitor.org.

help ensure that those in need find support. If you cannot donate monetarily, then overcompensate with your time. Be available whenever someone calls. Take the lead and check in on friends and acquaintances across the world.

For those of you who lost your main source of income but picked up something stable in the meantime, keep both feet planted firmly where you are right now. You’re ahead of the game! You might not like it, you might be miserable, but that’s irrelevant and beside the point. You are employed and you are meeting your responsibilities and keeping things afloat. That’s your primary focus—so run circles around everyone else and go all in; nail the work with your eyes closed. Just don’t get too comfortable, and be open to shifting depending on opportunity.

Since need is not pressing, you have time to plan and think about the larger picture. Be thoughtful and meticulous about what you pursue. Make a point to call on your entire network.

You don’t need an excuse to call. Simply pick up

the phone and say this: “I was thinking of you and wanted to see how you are doing.” Those 13 words cut across space and time; they open up dialogue and endless possibilities. No matter how things were left before, that phrase is a reset button. Share what you are doing and why. Then tell them specifically what you are looking for and directly ask for help. That old saying really is true: you get what you ask for.

Which brings us to hoping and waiting—two of my least favorite words. If you’re out there looking but not getting anywhere, you’ve lost your flow. I know how you feel. When all this uncertainty first started, I relived every bad decision I ever made, each choice leading me right back to nothing. It’s not a good place to be.

If that sounds familiar, then take any work just to break the cycle—because ironically, if you are in that dark place, it is impossible to do the one thing that can get you out. Do you really think you can make calls and ask for help from there?

Nope. Never. That’s the cul-de-sac of networking.

You’re at that bummer dead end, just spinning in circles. Take any job or project just to get out of your head. Buy some time to plan for that next right move—and realize that you have an entire audio community at your back available to help.

If you don’t know where to turn first, then start with me.

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

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HONORING THE PAST, CHANGING WITH THE TIMES

SWEN SIEWERT

view from the top

RALF OEHL, CEO, NEUMANN

BY TAMARA STARR

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or Ralf Oehl, audio has long been a personal passion, but it was only this past February that he finally became part of the pro audio industry. Unlike most of us, he got to start at the top, becoming CEO of Georg Neumann GmbH and employing his extensive professional background in industrial high-tech environments and manufacturing.

“At Neumann, my passion and my profession completely match for the first time in my life—this is speaking from the bottom of my heart,” said Oehl. “You perhaps know the Japanese ikigai philosophy, where you have four life and job dimensions, and you hardly ever get these dimensions to overlap completely—but I feel that perfect match with Neumann.”

Founded in 1928, the company was led by Georg Neumann and then by his family before it became part of another family business— Sennheiser—in 1991. That handover allowed the company to continue to offer the high-end audio products Neumann was known for, while also gaining access to Sennheiser’s extensive and refined manufacturing capabilities.

“Our R&D team does not only develop new products, but also makes sure that our classics—all those fabulous products from the U 47 FET to the U 67 and U 87—can still be produced,” Oehl said. “There are changes in regulations over time, components don’t exist any longer and so forth. To round things out, we employ a tremendous service and maintenance department that also takes care

of the ‘made-to-order’ requests of our most passionate customers.”

While the company is perhaps best known for its long-running classics, Neumann has also made a point of changing with the times. “Neumann has been an anchor … and just like the audio industry, in particular the professional recording side, everything has been really Ralf Oehl, CEO, Neumann stable—you could even say ‘unadventurous’—for many years,” Oehl conceded.

“But if something is so stable for such a long period of such as the TLM 102 or TLM 103 on the microtime, a disruption is coming soon, and Neumann was phone side, and the KH 80 DSP and KH 750 DSP preparing for that. One of these disruptive changes is on the studio monitor side. The radio and podcastthe growing number of artists who have never been ing market are going to become an increasingly to a professional recording studio, who instead work important focus for us over the coming years.” from their home studio. The most famous example is By paying close attention to market trends and probably Billie Eilish, who swept the Grammys this understanding users’ long-term needs, Oehl knows year, and her brother Finneas, who produced her hit the company will maintain its presence as a coralbum in his bedroom studio. He largely relied on an nerstone of the pro audio industry. “Neumann has unconventional digital setup plus a Neumann TLM always been about stability,” he said. “Whatever 103. We noted an increasing number of artists entersolution we bring to the market is expected to be an ing the business who don’t use traditional ways of industry standard that’s here to stay for a long time. recording—the same applies to film, gaming and podWhile we are certainly looking at complementing casting—so we started to adapt our product offering and expanding our portfolio on the microphone side to reflect these new ways of working.” and on the headphone side, too, we will put some That said, the company is well aware of its main emphasis on the Neumann studio monitors in the constituencies. “Our core market is the professional near future. These have gained significant acceptance recording industry, music and audio recording, but in the market, so we will work on expanding this also a lot of film post-production,” Oehl said. “One portfolio both with regard to products and features.” market that has grown tremendously over the past Oehl acknowledged that even though the panfive years is the semi-professional market, which demic has been a very challenging time for the we support with entry-level but high-level products music and live audio industry, Neumann will continue to support the industry as much as it can: “For example, through our initiative #AtHomeWithNeumann, we offer tutorials on how to set up and best work in the new situation. At the same time, we have been humbled and honored to see artists choose Neumann to such an overwhelming extent in order to create music and audio at their homes.”

Georg Neumann GmbH • www.neumann.com

“Neumann has always been about stability. Whatever solution we bring to the market is expected to be an industry standard that’s here to stay for a long time.”

RALF OEHL prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

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sound people DAS Audio of America has named Scott Pizzo vice president of sales, Professional Audio, North America. Pizzo’s responsibilities include supporting the company’s direct sales force, further Scott Pizzo developing both the production market and DAS Audio’s rental partner network, increasing the company’s installation market footprint through work with consultants and contractors, strengthening the company’s sales network in the United States, and building growth through strategic alliances. Pizzo started with DAS Audio in September and is stationed in Peabody, MA. Meyer Sound has promoted Katrin Rawks to director of loudspeaker engineering and hired Ianina Canalis as application architect, spatial audio specialist. Starting there as a student intern in 2003, Rawks moved up through Katrin Rawks the ranks, working directly with company president and CEO John Meyer and vice president and chief loudspeaker designer Pablo Espinosa on the mechanical and acoustical designs of 23 Meyer Sound products.

She is co-holder of the Ianina Canalis technology patent associated with Leopard line array loudspeakers, as well as five design patents related to Ashby, Amie and Leopard.

Having joined Meyer earlier this year, Canalis has contributed her expertise to the final development stages of Spacemap Go, Meyer Sound’s spatial sound design and mixing tool. She previously held posts as a lecturer in live sound technology at universities in the United Kingdom and Argentina.

During that time, she continued development of her own multichannel live sound production software, ISSP, which she initially developed while earning an M.S. in audio engineering from Leeds Beckett University in England.

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Sweetwater has brought on industry veteran Judd Goldrich to head the company’s artist relations efforts. Goldrich will capitalize on his long-term relationships with key artists, music engineers and Judd Goldrich producers, aiming to provide them with a “white-glove” experience. As a child, Goldrich worked at his grandfather’s store, the legendary Manny’s Music on New York’s Music Row, where he developed relationships with James Taylor, Paul Simon, Steve Jordan, Paul Shaffer and the late John Entwhistle of The Who, among others. He had been with Guitar Center for 16 years, initially serving as the general manager for its 14th Street Manhattan flagship store and then as head of artist relations for the past seven years.

Point Source Audio has named Mac Johnson market development manager.

Previously, Johnson toured as a production sound engineer on a variety of Broadway productions, and additionally worked as a sound designer Mac Johnson for theatrical productions, music festivals and corporate events. Prior to joining Point Source Audio, Johnson was the managing partner of an event production company in Charleston, SC. He became an integral part of Meyer Sound’s team in 2007, where he spent 13 years working in various roles across multiple departments, markets segments and sales regions.

Music and sound design company Endless Noise has named Dave Chapman to the posts of creative director and partner. A longtime music and audio producer, engineer and mixer who co-founded (along with Samuel Creager) Dave Chapman Ugly Duck Studios in Boston in 2013, Chapman relocated to Los Angeles in 2019 but remains actively involved with Ugly Duck; its clients include Walt Disney Studios, LucasArts, NPR, The New York Times, BBC, Comcast, MTV, AT&T, Buick, History Channel and others.

Berlin-based 3D audio beamforming company Holoplot has named Miguel Hadelich head of its new U.S. operations. He will be responsible for expanding sales and operations and expediting business Miguel Hadelich development in the United States. Hadelich, who holds a degree in business administration, brings more than 17 years of experience in sales and business development from his previous work with audio companies such as d&b audiotechnik, Dolby Laboratories, TC Group and Music Group.

Vaudeville Sound Group, an international post-production company specializing in creative sound design and mixing, has named Annabelle DunbarWhittaker executive producer of its Los Angeles Annabelle Dunbarfacility. She will be tasked Whittaker with overseeing Vaudeville’s slate of creative content, with a focus on shortform. Previously, she served as head of production for post-production group Cut+Run, where she was responsible for a large post team, scheduling, budgeting and delivery. While there, she worked across commercials for global corporations such as Expedia, Nike, Adidas, Geico, Facebook, Louis Vuitton, Microsoft, Samsung and Audi, and music videos for artists including Beyoncé, Paul McCartney, Ellie Goulding, Eminem and others.

Abby Kaplan, Shure’s vice president, global retail sales, has been elected to the Consumer Technology Association’s Board of Industry Leaders. That board’s role is to advice the CTA Executive Board, supporting Abby Kaplan public policy and association activities. Kaplan has been with Shure for more than 20 years, working in various roles during her tenure, from regional sales manager up to vice president today, where she oversees retail sales channels globally. Kaplan is involved with various committees within Shure to lead governance and strategy in the musician and consumer audio vertical market.

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

PRESTON GRAY

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING FOR PRO AUDIO, YAMAHA CORP. OF AMERICA Q: What is your new position, and what does it entail?

I am excited to take on the role of director of marketing for Pro Audio at Yamaha Corp. of America. We are responsible for developing strategies to reach and engage new customers for Yamaha, Nexo and Steinberg products. At a deeper, more human level, I believe a simple melody, or even a few notes, can trigger an emotional bond with another person, and that sound and music have a transformational impact on individuals and the world around us. Our job in Yamaha’s Pro Audio team is to make sure those notes are heard, and to facilitate that connection between people.

Q: How has your background prepared you for your new role?

I am fortunate that I have been able to follow my passion for music and technology from day one of my career. I spent time touring with national artists in arenas and stadiums, where I gained firsthand experience with how the Yamaha, Nexo and Steinberg products perform cohesively as integrated systems in the real world. I experienced daily how Yamaha’s unique and intimate connection with music and musical instruments shines through in the sound quality of our pro audio systems.

While most pro audio systems are designed to amplify music, Yamaha uniquely knows exactly what that music should sound like, as we empower artists to create music by developing musical instruments. My role in the field, touring and tuning our systems, confirmed this confidence and excellence in sonic performance, and I can’t wait to share that experience with the world.

60

second

interview

Q: What are your short- and long-term goals?

In the short-term, we want to continue to be a solid and trusted partner to our customers, building on our strong brand image and reputation. As we look further into the future, we will continue to share our expertise in music and sonic quality across every aspect of our pro audio systems, from recording and creation with Steinberg, to processing, mixing and performance with Yamaha, and powerful, linear sound reinforcement from Nexo.

Q: What is the greatest challenge you face?

As the world faces changes and uncertainty, we know that music has the ability to unite and connect us. We must not lose sight of the fact that, as professionals in the pro audio industry, we have the power to amplify the voices of those around us to make an impact, progress personally and come together with others. At the same time, we will continue to support our customers in every way as the live event and commercial sound industries embrace new opportunities.

I’m an

AES

member.

Are you?

"We must not lose sight of the fact that, as professionals in the pro audio industry, we have the power to amplify the voices of those around us to make an impact, progress personally and come together with others."

Q: What new marketing initiatives are we likely to see from the company?

Yamaha empowers artists to make waves with sound and music. We will focus on initiatives that provide the systems and solutions to amplify art and voices that inspire connection to make waves.

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

Join me ANDREW BOHMAN

www.aes.org/join

Recording Engineer, Student AES Educational Foundation 2020 Larry Estrin Scholar 41

BY STEVE HARVEY

E

lliott Douglas, better known to fans as M.A.G.S., made quite a splash with his early releases, picking up song placements on Showtime’s Shameless, CW’s The Flash and MTV’s Teen Mom 2. A native of Buffalo, NY, he relocated to Los Angeles in 2018 and is currently working on his second full-length album.

Growing up, Douglas played drums in a lot of bands, played lead guitar in a few bands, and played bass with The Malones, his last band before going solo. Along the way he taught himself the rudiments of recording and has self-produced everything he has released.

Those releases—2015’s Cellophane EP, 2017’s self-titled debut album and 2020’s Lost Tapes, recorded in 2018—showcase his diversity, from punky garage to folk-rock and everything in between. His new album, set for release in spring 2021, promises another shift in genres.

ON LEARNING TO RECORD My cousin gave me a demo of the first version of Adobe Audition and a Radio Shack mic that would plug into the PC. That was my introduction to multitracking. I probably started taking it seriously when I was about 16. I got a Roland VS-880 digital workstation. I was in a band and the guitarist picked one up. He said, “Here’s the manual, figure it out.” It was my responsibility to learn how to record for us.

That machine was way more involved than Pro Tools.

My setup now is simple: a Universal Audio Apollo Twin and a MacBook Pro. I’ve got my guitar amp and a few guitars and a little MIDI keyboard.

I haven’t been in a controlled mixing environment since I moved to L.A., so I’ve been doing a lot of stuff on headphones.

I have gone to a few studios to work on this album, and I’ve had mixed experiences. I realized that I like to have the time and the flexibility to work on things at my own pace. It’s very challenging sometimes to know that you’re paying for the time to figure out how to tune a drum. That’s an hour I could have used to push record and track a song.

ON BECOMING M.A.G.S. Back in 2014 was when I started writing by myself.

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COREY C. WATERS

M.A.G.S. MOVES FORWARD

Elliott Douglas

Doing my own music was something I had been wanting to do for a long time. I used to sing a lot when I was a kid. My dad was the worship pastor at my old church, and he encouraged me to sing, but I was too self-conscious at the time. That was the start of it, getting past that feeling of selfconsciousness.

ON SINGLES VS. ALBUMS The interesting thing is that my fans expect an album. I do like doing singles, just to keep people’s attention, and I do like to put out five or six songs as an EP, something impactful, but generally I want to show a body of work. I feel like I have a lot to say, and the only way to do that sometimes is through a whole sequence of music that you can take in all at once.

older Arctic Monkeys. In the last few years, I’ve really gotten into hip-hop and a lot of soul music, like older Motown. I grew up listening to a lot of that, so I feel like now is finally the time when I can interweave those things into what I’m doing.

I started the album in June and did all the drums and guitars at my friend’s studio. I then took it back to my place and started doing the bass and vocals and extra production stuff. I’ll take it back to my friend’s studio to mix it.

We just put out a single, “Smile,” but I’m already thinking about the next song.

Elliott Douglas • www.elliottmags.com

want

more?

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “SMILE”

ON THE NEW ALBUM With this next album, I’ve allowed myself a little more freedom in terms of the genres that I’m covering. I was raised on a lot of indie rock, American bands that were trying to sound British and British bands that were trying to sound American.

Some of my previous music has been influenced by what I was listening to at the time. I think my first album was very much influenced by The Strokes and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CneMrEhIDWI

prosoundnetwork.com | December 2020

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