Weeks of March 1-15
Voyager Sound Announces GraphMix 01
Voyager Sound Inc. (Weston, Ma.) introduced its GraphiMix 01TM, thefirst in a series of audio mix software products that enhances controlof MIDI-compatible hardware, such as mix consoles, sequencers, PC soundcards, effects processors and more.
GraphiMix employs a user-definable onscreen “mix surface” with imageor text icons to represent individual sound elements. It uses theposition or state of the graphic icons to set controls such as gain,pan and effects. The relative positions of the icons can represent acollection of mixer control settings. Several controls can be changedsimultaneously by moving just one icon with a mouse.
As an enabling technology, GraphiMix allows hardware to provide muchmore functionality than the controls and menu screens supplied by themanufacturer. For example, GraphiMix 01 gives Yamaha ProMixTM 01and01VTM users access to the full power of Yamaha’s mixers toconstruct a mix aurally and visually, in stereo or multichannelsurround sound. Other consoles that can be adapted to GraphiMix includeBehringer, Mackie and Tascam.
- GraphiMix products support Win95TM, Win98TM, Win NTTM, Win2000TM andWinXPTM. GraphiMix 01TM features include:
- flexible audio mix control using graphic icons
- supports multiple stereo and surround sound mixes at the sametime
- full-feature presets with scene and state recall
- user-definable control elements
- drag-and-drop icon selection
- ease-of-use features
- mouse, keyboard and MIDI control of graphic icons
- full-featured MIDI support
- intuitive, easy-to-use file control
- extensive Help menus
- IBM-compatible
GraphiMix 01 is now available for $129.95 from the Voyager SoundWebsite. Those who license the software will be eligible for freeupdates to that product for one year.
Two free demonstrations can be obtained from the Website. For moreinformation, visit www.voyagersound.com.
Sony Disc Manufacturing Announces Major DVD Expansion
Sony Disc Manufacturing (SDM), producer of pre-recorded opticaldiscs, will more than double its current DVD production capacity in theU.S. by September 2002, the company announced. The addition of 32 newDVD replication lines, and associated mastering and packagingequipment, will begin in April 2002, at SDM’s flagship facility inTerre Haute, Ind. This latest expansion will increase the company’sU.S. production capacity from 12.6 million to over 30 million DVDs permonth.
“This expansion reflects Sony’s commitment to the DVD marketplace,”said Bob Hurley, senior VP, sales and marketing. “We know our customersneed more, faster, so we’re focusing extra attention on efficienciesincluding automated packaging solutions and integrated distributionservices. With increased capacity strategically located in the Midwest,our customers can expect quicker overall time-to-market.”
For more information, visit the SDM Website at sdm.sony.com.
Silverline, Sanctuary To Release 140 DVD-Audio Titles
Silverline Records (Los Angeles) has entered into a longtermlicensing deal with Sanctuary Records to release 140 DVD-Audio titles,including releases from artists such as Bob Marley, Styx, The Kinks,Joey Ramone, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Widespread Panic, Sex Pistols andMegadeth, beginning in April 2002.
Silverline was the first label to produce and release a DVD-Audiotitle, the Grammy-nominated Swinging For the Fences by GordonGoodwin’s Big Phat Band. Silverline Records continues to develop,produce and market DVD-Audio with 53 DVD-Audio titles released todate.
John Trickett, chairman of the 5.1 Entertainment Group, said,”[Sanctuary’s] catalog is deep and has a wide range of musical genreswith albums from seminal artists. The release of such a large number ofDVD-Audio titles will benefit the format, and we are excited to bereleasing them.”
Merck Mercuriadis, CEO of The Sanctuary Group Inc., said, “5.1Entertainment is both the market leader and innovator driving thegrowth of the format. I look forward to our catalog and artistsbenefiting from their expertise.”
Silverline Records is a division of the 5.1 Entertainment Group,which owns the Silverline, immergent and Electromatrix record labels,5.1 Production Services and 5.1 Music Publishing. 5.1 EntertainmentGroup has mixed and produced projects for Fleetwood Mac, Sting, Eminem,Herbie Hancock, Dishwalla, Alice Cooper, Everclear, Hanson, RobbieWilliams, Queen, Yanni and Aaron Neville to name a few.
For more, visit Silverline Records at www.silverlinerecords.com orSanctuary Records www.sanctuaryrecordsgroup.com.
Fifteen-Story Film/TV Studio Complex Set for N.Y.
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The sprawl of a Hollywood movie lot will becompressed into a vertical version befitting Manhattan in a unique,15-story complex devoted to film and TV studios and entertainmentindustry office space to be built on the West Side, developers said onFriday.
The complex, called Studio City New York (SCNY), will be built at acost of $375 million on 11th Avenue between 44th and 45th Streets westof Times Square, according to Richard Benowitz, the managing principalof the project, which has been seven years in the making.
“What we are building here is basically a community, a Hollywood lotdone vertically instead of horizontally,” said Benowitz, whose PB GroupLLC is joining with Lehman Brothers, real estate developer Hines andPacifica Ventures on the project.
The project is one of the city’s first major “from the ground up”developments to be announced for construction in Manhattan since theSept. 11 destruction of the World Trade Center.
“Studio City will produce a highly positive ripple effect that willbenefit New York City’s entire economy and solidify its position in thetelevision/video production industry,” said Manhattan Borough presidentC. Virginia Fields.
“This, in turn, will translate into jobs and countless newopportunities for many New Yorkers for years to come. At this troubledjuncture in Manhattan’s history, Studio City could not have happened ata better time.”
Some 100,000 jobs were lost after the Sept. 11 attacks, contributingto a city budget deficit of nearly $5 billion.
Benowitz said he hoped construction of the sand-colored brick andglass structure on land purchased from the city would begin by the endof 2002, after a deal is struck with an anchor tenant, whose name wouldgo on the building.
The anchor tenant will be expected to rent out more than half of the400,000 square feet of permanent office space in the complex, said LeeTomlinson of Pacific Ventures, who is in charge of marketing andsales.
Construction is expected to take about two years after theground-breaking, Tomlinson said.
The 140,000 square feet of production space includes seven permanentsound stages. The high-rise also features a one-acre Rooftop Backlot onthe ninth floor.
A five-star restaurant, health club, VIP apartments and ground floorretail shops are also part of the plan.
Oberlin Conservatory of Music Upgrades with Grace Design
The Oberlin Conservatory of Music (Oberlin, Ohio) recently completeda major upgrade to their state-of-the-art recording facilities, whichincluded four Grace Design model 801R 8-channel remote-controlmicrophone preamplifiers, as well as a model 901 reference headphoneamplifier. The sale was handled by Grace Design dealer Sweetwater inFort Wayne, Ind.
The Conservatory records over 450 concerts per year including jazz,early music, opera, orchestra, electronic music, chamber music, inaddition to a multitude of other classical formats. The 801Rs are usedas the primary microphone preamplifiers in each of two control rooms aswell as two mobile recording configurations. The 801R outputs feedmultichannel, high-definition A/D converters, which, in turn, connectto a number of digital recording systems the Conservatory employs. Themodel 801R systems were chosen for their exceptional sonic performanceand reliability.
“At the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, our main goal is to educatethe next generation of musicians and to make music at the highestpossible level,” noted associate dean of technology and facilitiesMichael Lynn. “An important part of that process is recording, whichmust capture the subtle nuances of the finest performances. We feelthat the Grace 801R will help ensure that quality through itstransparent, detailed, open, natural sound and its flexible featureset.”
Grace Design VP of sales and marketing Doug Wood comments: “TheOberlin Conservatory of Music is regarded as one of the premier musicschools in the country and we’re thrilled that they have chosen toinclude our model 801R and 901 products in their recording systemupgrade.”
Please visit www.gracedesign.com for more information.
Network Pro Marketing Appointed Formula Sound Distributor
Los Angeles-based Network Pro Marketing has been appointed theexclusive North American distributor for Formula Sound.
Formula Sound is a UK manufacturer of high-quality audio productsfor studio, install, club and DJ applications, as well as permanentinstalls, including fixed-format mixers, new modular mixers, zonemixers, standby mixers, rackmount mixers, priority input single-spacerackmount mixers, priority/fire alarm audio interface units and studiopersonal monitor mixers.
The U.S. authorized service center is located in Las Vegas. For moreinformation, contact Network Pro Marketing at 310/648-6677; fax310/648-6678; www.NetworkProMktg.com.
Euphonix Sales Vet Heads Up Sales Team
Euphonix (Palo Alto, Calif.) announced that Rich Nevens has beenappointed executive VP of sales for the Americas. Over the past 12years, Nevens has been in charge of Euphonix’s Western U.S. sales. Inhis new position, Nevens will retain direct sales responsibility forthe California, Oregon and Washington territories.
Also, Michael Franklin’s sales region has expanded. As salesdirector for south and central U.S. regions, his territory now includesthe central U.S. from Arizona north to Montana. Richard McKernan hasbeen appointed South American sales manager. Other members of thecurrent Euphonix sales force remain the same, with Brian Dorfman aseastern U.S. sales director for the northeast U.S. and eastern Canada,and Russell Waite as sales director for western Canada and the PacificRim.
“We have a great team covering North and South America,” commentedNevens. “The redistribution of territory fits perfectly with eachsalesman’s expertise and market experience. All of our sales peoplehave very strong technical and applications experience giving us theability to provide the right solutions for our clients. I feel we’veput the right people in the right places to continue to grow ourbusiness and support our clients in all markets.”
For more on Euphonix, www.euphonix.com.
Songwriters Who Wrote Eagles Tunes Sue
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A trio of songwriters who penned “Take It Easy,””Best of My Love” and “Peaceful Easy Feeling” for the musical group TheEagles, sued their publisher for allegedly not paying millions ofdollars in royalties.
The lawsuit filed in Superior Court by Jackson Browne, J.D. Southerand Jack Tempchin claims that Warner/Chappell Music INc., now adivision of AOL Time Warner, hasn’t paid them for their songs thatappear on Eagles: Their Greatest Hits 1971-1974.
The suit alleges that deals negotiated on behalf of two bandmembers– Don Henley and Glenn Frey — were higher than those for thesongwriters, who claim they have lost more than $10 million inroyalties.
Tempchin composed “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and co-wrote “AlreadyGone.” Souther co-wrote “Best of My Love” with Henley and Frey, andBrowne co-wrote “Take It Easy” with Frey.
“It is with deep regret that we file this lawsuit, but we are leftwith no alternative,” the songwriters wrote in a joint statement. “Allof our efforts to amicably resolve the matter with Warner/Chappel havebeen ignored.”
The plaintiff’s attorney, Lawrence Iser, said his clients have beenpaid 2 cents, the legally approved rate in 1975, each time their songswere used for commercial purpose. But the songwriters should have beenpaid 2.4 cents under an agreement their publisher struck with anaffiliate, Iser said. The going rate today for songs used commerciallyis 7.5 cents.
The songwriters are seeking unspecified damages for breach ofcontract, breach of good faith and breach of fiduciary duty.
AES UK Conference To Focus On Home Delivery of Audio
The Audio Engineering Society UK section will present its 17thtwo-day Conference, “Audio Delivery: The changing home experience,”April 15-16 at Church House, in Westminster, London, to explore thespectrum of new ways in which recorded music and other media aredelivered to the home.
The 17th UK Conference program will present information on newtechnologies in eight sessions, including the future of physicaldelivery of audio, new gateways for audio delivery into the home, homeaudio networks, copy protection and rights management, audio quality ofhome systems, the design of home audio products and where the road ofhome delivery will lead the audio community.
Representatives from Texas Instruments, Sony Broadcast, the TornadoGroup, Green Room Productions, the Universal Music Group, Digidesign,Dolby, Microsoft, IRT, Kenwood, BBC and others will present papers, aswell as discuss aspects of the new services and technologies beingdeveloped for the delivery of audio to the home and the impact thatthey will have on the future of audio.
For more information and to register for the UK Conference, pleasevisit www.aes.org.
Recording Academy New York Chapter Presents “5.1–The FutureMeets the Past”
Five-time Grammy-winning engineer/producer Elliot Scheiner willpresent “5.1–The Future Meets the Past,” on March 25, 2002, at6:30 p.m. at The Hit Factory in New York City.
Noted music journalist Howard Massey will moderate the specialworkshop and demonstration on surround sound recordings, focusing onthe technology as it has been applied to classic albums by Steely Dan,The Eagles and the much anticipated Queen classic A Night at theOpera, which will be premiered following the workshop. Tickets are$20 for members and $30 for non-members, and are only available inadvance through the New York Chapter office. For tickets, please call212/245-5440.
For more information about the New York Chapter or the RecordingAcademy in general, please www.grammy.com.
Appellate Court Reaches Decision In Switchcraft, NeutrikCase
The U.S. Court of Appeals (Washington, D.C.) affirmed Switchcraft’ssummary judgment win against Neutrik Inc., in regard to Switchcraft’sHPC Connector Series. The appellate court confirmed that Switchcrafthas not violated Neutrik’s U.S. Patent No. 5205749 on the Speakonconnector, or any Neutrik “trade dress.” (Neutrik dropped its trademarkclaims before the appeal.) In its decision, the appellate court statesthat “the district court did not err in its conclusion that theSwitchcraft socket does not infringe the ‘749 patent as a matter oflaw.”
Keith Bandolik, president of Switchcraft, stated: “Once again, weare obviously pleased with the court’s ruling confirming that our HPCconnector does not infringe on Neutrik’s patent or other intellectualproperty. We have taken the HPC product line to another level byoffering features that include a wider variety of cord and in-line plugconnectors, weather-tight seals, and the fact it does not requirerotating the cord plug connectors to make contact.”
A complete copy of the appellate court’s ruling can be reviewed www.switchcraft.com.
Digibid Teams With eBay
Digibid (Sandy Hook, Conn.), an Internet-based auction company, hasteamed with eBay to create the online Pro Outlet Center forentertainment technology equipment. The agreement will enablemanufacturers, dealers and distributors of products, such as musicalinstruments, pro audio, video, DJ and lighting equipment, to useDigibid’s platform to reach eBay’s 42 million registered users.
Digibid was developed to manage the auction sales operations forretailers and equipment manufacturers as well as end-users who want toliquidate new, used, overstock, B stock, returns and othermerchandise.
“What makes Digibid’s Pro Outlet Center unique is that it providesan invaluable service for the seller and the buyer,” says company CEOMatt Brosious. “Sellers are able to sell large volumes of merchandisewith limited costs at high profit margins, and buyers can get qualitymerchandise for reasonable prices. Having teamed up with eBay, Digibidprovides a proven method for companies to reach online consumers. Plus,the system eliminates the labor-intensive nature of the auction andfulfillment process. By simplifying the process, Digibid has made theonline sales option profitable and attractive to an extremely broadrange of companies.”
Integrated with eBay’s trading platform, Digibid automates auctionmanagement, merchandising, payment processing, order fulfillment andcustomer relationship management.
“We are very enthusiastic about Digibid becoming a part of the eBaymarketplace,” said eBay musical instruments general manager MikeHarkey. “They have a strong offering of musical instruments, pro audioand video equipment, and eBay’s marketplace of over 42 millionregistered users will help bring greater exposure to Digibid’scustomers.”
For more, visit Digibid (www.digibid.com).
Gateway Mastering Chooses Grace Design
World-renowned music mastering and DVD authoring facility GatewayMastering and DVD (Portland, Maine) has taken delivery of five GraceDesign model 901 Reference Headphone Amplifiers, a 1U, half-rackenclosure designed to provide audio pros in music, post and live soundwith headphone monitoring, whether from an analog or digital stereosource.
“We recently had the opportunity to audition a pre-productionversion of the 901 and were blown away with the accuracy, detail, andability to deal with both analog and digital inputs that the 901provides,” explained Bob Ludwig, president of Gateway Mastering andDVD. “In the final stages of quality control, both stereo and 5.1 musicprojects are monitored through a high-end headphone monitoring chain.The 901 has become the new headphone reference standard here atGateway.”
Grace Design VP of sales and marketing, Doug Wood commented:”We’re honored that Bob Ludwig and his team at Gateway have chosenthe model 901 as their new headphone reference system. The validationof the 901’s design and audio performance by Mr. Ludwig isexciting and confirms that building audio products that perform at thehighest level is not only desired, but a requirement for audioprofessionals who demand the very best.”
For more on the 901, www.gracedesign.com.
Cinema Audio Society Announces This Year’s Winners
On March 9, at the Sheraton Universal Hotel’s Grand Ballroom, theCinema Audio Society (C.A.S.) held its annual awards banquet andceremony, bestowing top honors on four nominated programs and theirrespective teams of sound mixers. The Career Achievement Award waspresented to Oscar-winning sound editor Kay Rose, while the C.A.S.President’s Award was presented to Ed Somers, C.A.S., for his 15 yearsof ongoing service to the Society.
And the winners are….
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING FOR A MOTIONPICTURE
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.Mixers: Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, Gethin Creagh and HammondPeek.OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING FOR A TELEVISIONSERIES
Six Feet Under. Mixers: Pete Reale, Roberta Doheny andRichard Van Dyke.OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING FOR A TELEVISION MOVIE OFTHE WEEK OR MINI-SERIES
Band of Brothers, Part 2. Mixers: Mike Dowson, MarkTaylor and David Stephenson.OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING FOR A TELEVISION VARIETYOR MUSIC SERIES OR SPECIAL
When Dinosaurs Roamed America. Mixers: Michael Olman,Liz Sroka, Jeff Septoff and David Torkanowsky.
For more, visit www.ideabuzz.com/cas/events/.
Weeks of March 16-31
Memphis Legendary Horns Captured on CD
ILIO Entertainments’ (Malibu, Calif.) Memphis Horns CD-ROMnow offers library music professionals looking to dress up their trackseasy access to the best of Wayne Jackson and Andrew Love, who togetherform this multi-Platinum duo.
“These two musicians may well be the most recorded brass section ofall time,” says Mark Hiskey of ILIO. “They’ve played with the bestin the world, on some truly legendary records. Having theirperformances ready for use by music professionals brings their raretalent and extraordinary skills to an even broader audience.”
The Memphis Horns library is a phrase-based brass collectionof trumpet, trombone, baritone and tenor sax sounds, deliveringhundreds of phrases in multiple keys and tempos. The phrases arepresented in two ways: in their original, complete form, and dividedinto flexible short phrases.
Written and arranged by Jackson and Love especially for thislibrary, the performance styles included range from soul to pop tofunk, representing decades of recording by the music industry’stop producers, engineers and recording artists. “Their goal was to beauthentic in style and flexible in usability,” says Hiskey.
The Memphis Horns CD-ROM includes phrases ranging in tempofrom 70 to 140 bpm, each in five harmonically related keys. Alsoincluded are chromatically multisampled unisons, chords in major,minor, major 7, minor 7 and chord swells. Additionally, there’s avariety of unique brass effects like flutters, Harmon mutes, toneclusters, falls and rips, plus some of Love’s famous solo saxwork.
The CD-ROM library is priced at $299 for the multi-disc collection,and a two-disc CD-audio set is available for $149. The library iscompatible with Akai, Giga, E-mu and Roland software samplesystems.
Visit www.ilio.comfor more.
Musicians Expo 2002 Scheduled For Mid-June
The Musicians Expo 2002 hosted by 2 Edged Records Inc. will be heldJune 15th, 2002, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. This one-dayevent will target the independent musician who wants to start a careeror advance a career in the music industry. Local and regionalexhibitors will be on-hand providing services, products andinformation. Plus, many exhibitors will be accepting demosubmissions.
Register early because space is limited. For more information, visitwww.musiciansexpo.com.
Nominations Announced for 37th Annual Country MusicAwards
The final nominations for the 37th Annual Academy of Country MusicAwards were announced with Brooks & Dunn atop the list, each withsix nominations. The awards will be presented during a live, prime-timetelevision show broadcast by CBS at the Universal Ampitheater in L.A.,Wednesday, May 22, 2002.
And the nominees are…
Top Female Vocalist
Sara Evans
Faith Hill
Martina McBride
Lee Ann Womack
Trisha Yearwood
Top Male Vocalist
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Toby Keith
Tim McGraw
Travis Tritt
Album of the Year (awarded to producer/artist/recordcompany)
Down the Road I Go (Travis Tritt). Billy Joe Walker Jr.and Travis Tritt.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (soundtrack). T Bone Burnett.
Pull My Chain (Toby Keith). James Stroud and Toby Keith.
Set This Circus Down (Tim McGraw). Byron Gallimore, James Stroudand Tim McGraw.
Steers & Stripes (Brooks and Dunn). Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunnand Mark Wright.
Song of the Year (awarded to composer/publisher/artist)
“Angels in Waiting” (Tammy Cochran). Tammy Cochran, Jim McBride,Stewart Harris.
“I Wanna Talk About Me” (Toby Keith). Bobby Braddock.
“One More Day” (Diamond Rio). Steven Dale Jones, BobbyTomberlin.
“Only In America” (Brooks & Dunn). Kix Brooks, Don Cook, RonnieRogers.
“Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)” (Alan Jackson). AlanJackson.
Nominees and winners of the Academy of Country Music Awards arevoted on by members of the Academy of Country Music.
In addition to these nominations, the Home Depot Humanitarian Awardis a new addition to the Academy of Count Music Awards lineup. Theaward will become the first “Fan-voted” award in the 37-year history ofthe ACM Awards.
The Home Depot Humanitarian Award was created to recognize an artistor group in the country music industry who is commited to servingothers, has a generosity of spirit and a dedication to helping buildthe dreams of those in need. Nominees for this award are due by March28 to the Academy of Country Music L.A. offices: 4100 West Alemeda,#208 Burbank, CA 91505; 818/842-8400.
For a complete listing, visit www.acmcountry.com.
Broadjam Unveils Song-Management System
Broadjam (New Glarus, Wisc.), a provider of music-publishingsoftware tools and services, unveiled its Song-Management System,Web-based music database and search engine at www.broadjam.com.
The system hopes to provide music publishers, record labels,performing rights organizations and other music industry organizationswith an intelligent online database for their music and song catalogs.Broadjam has already contracted one music publisher that provides thecatalogs of artists such as Tommy Dorsey, Madonna and Led Zeppelin.Broadjam also licensed its Song-Management System to The Orchard, aindependent music distributor to online and offline retailers, for itsnew spin-off, OWIE.
The system enables users to search multi-criteria topics, from songgenre, mood, similar artist, era, tempo, key and lanaguage, andretrieve qualified matches as digital files, which can be streameddirectly to the user from the user screen. Also provided is informationon the rights-holders.
Commenting on the system, Roy Elkins, CEO and founder of Broadjam,said, “Music publishing is the last vital link in the music industrychain to move into the Internet era. Broadjam is where ‘Tin Pin Alleymeets Silicon Valley’; we want to be a key enabler of publishers’ultimate success in provisioning their music catalogs online. TheBroadjam Song Management System was built by musicians for musicindustry professionals. We believe there is a wide market for our smarttools and interfaces in the music industry.”
Mackie Announces Licensing Deal With Peak Audio
Mackie Designs Inc. announced, at this year’s MusikMesse, alicensing agreement with Peak Audio, a division of Cirrus Logic Inc.,that would incorporate Peak Audio’s CobraNet technology into currentand future Mackie, EAW and RCF products.
CobraNet is a real-time digital audio distribution technology thathelps to transport audio and control data over 100MBit Ethernetnetworks.
“Incorporating CobraNet technology is a natural evolution of ourproduct line,” stated Lori Stutsman, executive VP of marketing atMackie. “We have always been focused on providing ‘solutions-oriented’technology that is innovative, reliable and easy to use. With CobraNet,our customers will be able to easily design and assemble sophisticatedsystems with Mackie’s unique and intuitive user interface.”
For more, check www.peakaudio.com or www.mackie.com.
TEC Awards Contributes $45k To Hearing Conservation, AudioScholarships
The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio (Emeryville, Calif.) hasannounced the distribution of proceeds from the 17th Annual TechnicalExcellence and Creativity (TEC) Awards, held last December at the NewYork Marriott Marquis. The event raised $45,000 that will supportongoing efforts to inform audio professionals and musicians aboutnoise-induced hearing loss and to provide financial aid to deservingstudents of the audio arts and sciences.
Over half of the proceeds have been donated to the Sound Partnersprogram of the House Ear Institute (Los Angeles) and Hearing Educationand Awareness for Rockers (H.E.A.R.), based in San Francisco. Bothnon-profit organizations educate audio engineers, musicians and thegeneral public about the prevention of hearing impairment fromover-exposure to loud sound levels in the music environment.
The remaining proceeds will benefit scholarship programs at BerkleeCollege of Music, Ex’pression Center for New Media, MiddleTennessee State University, University of Massachusetts-Lowell,University of Miami, University of Southern California, the AESEducational Foundation and the Society of Professional Audio RecordingServices (SPARS). A significant contribution was also made to theMarriott Associate Assistance Fund, established to meet the needs offamilies of Marriott employees directly impacted by the events ofSeptember 11, 2001.
“We are proud to once again provide funding for numerousorganizations of importance to the pro audio industry’s future,” saidHillel Resner, president of the Mix Foundation. “Even though the eventsof 9/11 affected attendance at the TEC Awards, thanks to oursponsors’ generosity, we have been able to maintain our donationsat approximately last year’s level. The industry is to becommended.”
The 18th Annual TEC Awards will be held on October 6, 2002, in LosAngeles. For information on tickets and sponsorships, contact KarenDunn at 925/939-6149 or e-mail info@tecawards.org. Informationabout the Mix Foundation and the TEC Awards can also be found at www.tecawards.org.
SSL Releases XL 9000 K Series Console
Solid State Logic (Oxford, England)has introduced the first analogconsole to provide the dual benefits of a full 5.1 surroundarchitecture and the increased bandwidth and resolution needed forDVD-Audio and SACD. The XL 9000 K Series provides both audio qualityand comprehensive multichannel surround capabilities in SSL’sfirst new analog console since the introduction of the J Series in1994.
Key features of the XL include: ultra-high-quality signal pathoptimized for the higher sampling frequencies available with DVD-A andSCAD; full 5.1 mix bus, master fader, mix compressor, monitoring andmetering; 6-channel monitor insert, plus support for three external6-channel sources; integral LFE filtering for Dolby and DTS encoding;UltiPan automated surround panning; L/C/R panning on every channel;L/C/R focus control and surround routing on echo return; full,simultaneous fader access to all mix buses; 5.1 stereo downmixfunction; K Series automation computer with online Mix Compare feature;advanced photorealistic Total Recall; and remote SuperAnalogue mic amps(option).
The XL console offers excellent audio performance to meet theadvanced, higher sampling frequency formats that consumers will soon beexperiencing with DVD-A and SACD with an audio bandwidth that extendsnearly two octaves beyond a 96kHz recorder.
Additionally, the XL provides advanced surround efficiency withinthe analog domain. A full 5.1 mix bus, master fader and mix compressor,combined with L/C/R panning add to the state-of-the-art specification,while the console also provides full, simultaneous fader access to allmix buses. The K Series monitor insert point and the three externalsources have all been expanded to six channels for maximum flexibility.For moving projects into stereo, a stereo downmix output allows stereomixes to be quickly generated from a 5.1 mix. The XL’s UltiPansystem ensures that dynamic, multipoint surround panning is simple andintuitive.
The K Series automation computer provides high-speed control of allautomated functions. Complex mixes can be handled with speed, whileloading and saving projects are also much faster. New and enhancedfeatures include a screen display of individual machine transportposition, which allows multiple machines to be offset quickly andaccurately, and Online Mix Compare, which provides on-demandauditioning of up to six different mix passes without playbackinterruption.
To maximize the benefit of ultra-high-resolution graphics, the KSeries Computer has a new multi-angle, high-resolution TFT screenwithin the console’s center section. An additional X-VGA inputallows switchable display of editor/workstation output.
In addition to the XL’s on-board microphone amplifiers,theconsole can be optionally fitted with remote mic amps, controlleddirectly from the XL channel module. The remote-powered DC mic amps aredesigned to be located as close to the original signal source aspossible, ensuring the best signal-input quality. Control is fullyintegrated within the existing console architecture, and supported bythe K Series advanced photo-realistic Total Recall system.
For more, check out www.solid-state-logic.com.
Steinberg Announces Beta Testing For Nuendo for Mac OS X
Steinberg has announced that it has reached the beta-testing phasefor Nuendo Mac for OS X, and is preparing to start a public betaprogram for registered Nuendo Mac users. Registered users of Nuendo Macwill be invited to join the public beta program at a later point whenthe beta-testing cycle has delivered sufficient results. This willallow Nuendo Mac users to enjoy the combination of Nuendo and the newApple operating system.
The company is working very closely with the Apple audio team toensure the best possible implementation of Nuendo for Mac OS X.
Steinberg Nuendo for Mac OS X will be available within one of thenext major program update releases. Steinberg is also preparing thedrivers for the Nuendo audio and MIDI hardware system for Mac OS X.
For more, visit www.nuendo.com.
MacPherson Debuts PC12 Loudspeaker at NSCA 2002
MacPherson, Inc.(Spokie, IL) manufacturers of high-performanceprofessional loudspeaker systems, will introduce their PC12 Loudspeakerat NSCA Expo 2002 in booth #918. This full-bandwidth loudspeaker bringsstudio monitor clarity to the sound reinforcement arena at anaffordable price. Its two-way design incorporates a sophisticatedcrossover network, allowing a single amplifier channel to produce highsound pressure level (SPL) with minimum frequency and phasedistortion.
For more information, please www.macpherson-inc.com.
Yamaha Unveils Open Plug-in Technology
Yamaha Corporation of America, Digital Musical Instruments (BuenaPark, CA), recently announced a new open plug-in format for the controlof MIDI devices from within music software and sequencing products. Thecompany debuted the new format, known as Open Plug-In Technology (OPT),at this year’s Music Messe in Frankfurt, Germany. OPT allows seamlessintegration of external hardware devices and control surfaces withsynthesizer editors, enhanced editing views and other MIDI processingtools. The OPT interface is based on the industry-standard MicrosoftCOM (Component Object Model) The technology is compatible with MSWindows 9.x/ME and XP. Yamaha is currently promoting OPT to third partyhardware and software companies, and early adopters include CakewalkMusic Software.
For more information, please visit www.yamahasynth.com.
In Memoriam: David Blackmer, 1927-2002
David Blackmer, the founder of dbx and president of EarthworksAudio, passed away on March 21, 2002, at his home in Wilton, NewHampshire. A radio-building hobbyist since age 10, Blackmer started inthe audio business as a stock boy at Boston’s Lafayette Radio in the1940s, surprising the staff by fixing radios that had been deemedunrepairable. While in the Navy, he learned radar electronics and laterstudied at Harvard and MIT, followed by jobs at Trans-Radio RecordingStudio and Raytheon, where he designed telemetry circuits for theMercury space program.
When Trans-Radio owner Lou Lindauer formed API in 1968, he turned toBlackmer for help in designing recording products, which led to thedevelopment of the VCA and level-detector circuits used incompressor/limiters.
In 1971, Blackmer founded dbx, based on the concept of using decibelexpansion (hence the name “dbx”) to replace the peaks lost from thelimited dynamic range of magnetic tape. This led to much more.Blackmer’s VCA and RMS detector changed the world of audio, yieldingclassic products such as dbx noise reduction, dbx compressors, thesubsonic synthesizer, OEM VCAs for automated consoles, and circuits forearly stereo televisions.
Blackmer sold dbx to BSR in 1979 and stayed with the company forseveral years. He went on to form Earthworks–initially as aconstruction company to restore an old mill he bought in NewHampshire–but returned to his love of audio in developing Earthworks’award-winning line of high-performance microphones, Zero DistortionTechnology preamps, and its newest products, the Sigma 6.2time-coherent, 40kHz-bandwidth reference monitors.
Besides touching the lives of millions of listeners worldwide withindustry-standard products that have stood the test of time, DavidBlackmer’s lifelong quest for excellence in audio remains aninspiration to audio professionals everywhere. He will be missed.
