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New Products,

P. 8, 36

STUDIO | LI VE | BROADC A ST | CONTRACTING | P OST

FEBRUARY 2010 | VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 2

ProAudio
Review

INSIDE:
IN USE:
Equation F.20
LDC Microphone
WORSHIP AUDIO
On Staying Analog

The Review Resource for Sound Professionals

Focus On
Acoustics

Installations,
Consultations,
& Tips

A PAR Feature Review

APPLE LOGIC
STUDIO

featuring
featuring Euphonix
Euphonix
MC
MC Control
Control &
& Mix
Mix

reviews |

Auralex Acoustics Room Analysis Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter


iZotope RX/RX Advanced MIPRO MA-909 Primacoustic FlexiBooth
Universal Audio UAD 2 SOLO/Laptop WAVES Vocal Rider

www.proaudioreview.com

in this issue

ProAudioReview
FEBRUARY 2010 | VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 2

Review 34

Studio

Equation F.20 Large-Diaphragm


Condenser Microphone

Covering Recording, Broadcast


Production, and Post Production

by Randy Poole

Mini-Review 35

New Studio Products 8


New Acoustic Products 17

14

Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter TwoChannel Phantom-Powered (Pre)


Preamplifier

Review 20

by Rob Tavaglione

Auralex Personalized Room Analysis


and Treatment Installation

Sound Reinforcement

by Rich Tozzoli

Covering Live Sound,


Contracting, and Installed Sound

Review 22

Primacoustic FlexiBooth
Acoustic Cabinet

New Live Products 36

by Strother Bullins

Review 40

Feature Review 24

MIPRO MA-909 Professional Wireless


Mixer/Remote Speaker Link

Apple Logic Studio


featuring Logic Pro 9

by Will James

by Russ Long

Departments

Feature Review 27

Euphonix MC Control and


MC Mix DAW Control Surfaces

Technically Speaking

Space, The Finite Frontier

by Russ Long

by Frank Wells

Review 30

Universal Audio UAD 2 SOLO/


Laptop ExpressCard DSP Accelerator
by Russ Long

Review 31

WAVES Vocal Rider Level


Automation Plug-In
by Rich Tozzoli

Studio Sense 18

36

Careful Consideration, Good


Consultation Mean Better Acoustics
by Strother Bullins

Worship Audio

Digital Mixing: Why Youre Still Not


Ready 38
by Dan Wothke

Review 32

iZotope RX and RX Advanced Audio


Restoration Software Suite

34
4

by Rob Tavaglione

ProAudioReview | February 2010

Cover Photo: Konrad Snyder


PRO AUDIO REVIEW (ISSN 1083-6241) is published monthly by NewBay Media LLC, 810
Seventh Avenue, 27th floor, New York, NY 10019. Subscription information can be found
at www.MyPARmag.com, by calling 212-378-0400, or writing to the above address.
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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Pro Audio Review, P.O. Box 282, Lowell, MA 01853

technically speaking

Frank Wells

ProAudio
Review
The Review Resource for Sound Professionals

F E B R U A R Y 2 010

Space, The Finite Frontier


In todays production paradigms, the technical infrastructure of
old is condensed and compressed, the core studio hardware often
crammed into little more than the frame of a computer with just a
few peripheral devices. This has taken production into the new
frontier of the small room. While audio pros are crafting productions of excellent quality in these environments, the environment
can be less than forgiving or accommodating in two critical areas.
The first is monitoring. Small spaces (often improvised
spaces) present a host of challenges to accurate monitoring
with loudspeakers. These challenges are well known, and a broad range of products is
available to effectively address the shortcomings imposed by a small space (several of
those solutions are discussed in this issue of PAR).
The second critical area is recording space, and the interaction of room and microphone. Beyond the control room, legacy studios were conceived with tracking live
instruments in mind, with a myriad of design and construction techniques used to
complement the recording process. This is a luxury beyond possibility for most home
and personal studios.
Certainly, small-studio owners can and do try to make the most of available space,
and similar techniques as are employed for small control rooms can be used to these
ends. The primary issue is simply the finite limitations of available space. Large tracking spaces arent solely desirable for the ability to cram in a full band (or, in a very large
space, an orchestra). Larger tracking spaces also afford more opportunity to design a
space to complement the recording process, as opposed to simply designing to remove
unwanted room to mic interaction.
In the studios I used to call home, our room designer lovingly crafted the various
spaces to complement particular instruments. He knew that a particular EQ bump was
invariably added to acoustic piano, for instance, so he built it into the room. For guitar
amps, a modest space was devoted to providing acoustic compression instead of later
requiring electronic compression. Even where the footprint of a space was relatively
small, high ceilings and trap space behind grille-cloth false ceilings allowed the spaces
to be tailored for the task at hand. Versatility was possible where spaces allowed mic
placement in varied proximity to hard and soft walls or to large trapped spaces behind
grille-cloth coverings.
Its often lamented by pros that todays music listeners find compromised playback
equipment and highly data-reduced digital downloads acceptable, because these listeners have no experience listening to live instruments. Equally regrettable is that we
will have a large portion of future recordists who have never had the experience of
recording in a fine acoustic space. A plethora of products are available to insert some
sense of space back into recordings, and while they can be very effective, they are by
necessity employed at a less than optimal stage of the process.
Kudos to those who are able to preserve our traditional studios, and to those relative
few who can effectively incorporate space into new studio designs. Its part of the
recording legacy worth preserving.

ProAudioReview | February 2010

V O L U M E 16

ISSUE 2

EDITORIAL
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336-703-9932, strotherPAR@earthlink.net
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212-378-0423, fgoodman@nbmedia.com
Lynn Fuston, Technical Editor
Rich Tozzoli, Soft ware Editor
Bruce Bartlett, Dr. Frederick Bashour, Ty Ford, Carlos Garza,
Will James, Tom Jung, Bascom H. King, Russ Long, Steve
Murphy, Alex Oana, Randy Poole, David Rittenhouse,
Richard Alan Salz, Alan Silverman, Rob Tavaglione,
Christopher Walsh, Dan Wothke, Tom Young C ontributors
Paul Haggard, Photographer
ADVER TISING
Tara Preston, Associate Publisher
917-331-8904, tpreston@nbmedia.com
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CIR CUL ATION
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new studio products


Countryman Type 10 DI Box
According to Countryman, its new Type 10 is the ideal counterpart to the
industrys stalwart pro DI, the Type 85. Featuring the same construction as the
Type 85, the new Type 10 reportedly achieves the lowest distortion, lowest
noise, and highest accuracy of any direct box, making it an ideal choice for
professional recording and live applications. Noise spec is 1.8 micro-Volts RMS
(shorted input, 22 Hz-20 kHz); THD (1Vpp, typical load) is <0.001 percent at 1
kHz, <0.005 percent (30 Hz-20 kHz).
Other Type 10 features include thick aluminum housing and three recessed
switches for a -15 dB or -30 dB pad (with virtually immeasurable distortion), a ground lift, and and a power test. Type 10 power is via 48V phantom or
9V battery. Stay tuned to PAR for a full evaluation of the Type 10.
Pric e: $299 list
C ontac t: Countryman Associates | www.countryman.com

Focusrite OctoPre MkII Mic Preamp


Focusrite has debuted its OctoPre MkII Dynamic mic preamp, which features
eight channels of preamplification, with new, single-dial, VCA-based compressors derived from the companys Red 3 on every channel. Onboard digital converters, with clocking and jitter-elimination technology, enable users to stream
eight channels of 24-bit/96 kHz digital audio to and from an ADAT-equipped
computer workstation or hard-disk recorder.
The A-D and D-A converters can operate at common sample rates of up to 96
kHz, with dual TOSlink ports carrying the SMUX-compliant ADAT signal to and
from an audio interface, mixing console, or hard-disk recorder.
Pric e: $799 list
C ontac t: Focusrite | www.focusrite.com

ProAudioReview | February 2010

www.proaudioreview.com

new studio products


CAD Audio NB Series Earphones
CAD Audio has unveiled its personal NB Series stereo earphones. The series
starts off with the NB1 (pictured), high-performance stereo earphones for personal listening, and the NB1B, which reportedly features three times the bass
response for extra punch in the low-end. Introduced last year, the NB2 features
noise-canceling technology.
All NB series specs include an extended frequency response and sensitivity
of 96 dB. The NB2 features an ANC circuit active noise reduction range of 40 Hz5 kHz and maximum noise reduction level of 16 dB from 100 Hz-300 Hz. The
NB1Bs boast an extended low end to 10 Hz.
 Video online at www.ProAudioReview.com
Pric e: $149 list (NB2 noise-canceling model)
C ontac t: CAD Audio | www.cadaudio.com

Aphex 140A
Series Audio
Interfaces
Aphex has introduced three digital
audio conversion/interface products:
the 141A, 142A, and 144A. These
devices are SMUX-capable, allowing
them to be used at 44.1, 48, 88.2 and
96 kHz sample rates. The companys
original 140 Series will remain in the
Aphex line to provide a
lower-cost alternative Pric es: $549, $649,
for customers who dont and $549 (141A,
require the new flexible, 142A, and 144A,
high sample-rate 140A respectively)
C ontac t: Aphex
Series.
Systems
|
The 141A (pictured) is
www.aphex.com
an 8-channel ADAT-toanalog converter, the
142A is an 8-channel analog-to-ADAT
converter, and the 144A is an AES-toADAT and ADAT-to-AES bidirectional
interface. All models in the 140A Series
are housed in the same half-rack chassis as the original 140 Series, which can
be mounted in racks or to use as tabletop devices.

10

ProAudioReview | February 2010

studio events

LEAH LEE

METAlliance Academy, Capitol Records, Hollywood


The METAlliance is presenting the inaugural METAlliance Academy event in Hollywood on March 20 and 21, 2010 at the historic
studios in the Capitol Records tower. For the In Session with the Guys event, attendees will participate and interact with the
METAlliance founders in live recording and mixing sessions. By special arrangement, The METAlliance Academy will occupy
Capitol Studios for the entire weekend. Every attendee will participate in four sessions, each designed to provide different experiences in the recording process led by the founding members.
For recording sessions, Phil Ramone and Al Schmitt will occupy Studio A (musicians TBA); Chuck Ainlay and Ed Cherney
will occupy in Studio B (musicians TBA). For mixing sessions, Elliot Scheiner will reside in Studio C. Finally, In the Box
home studio mixing with Frank Filipetti and George Massenburg will take place in the Studio A lounge. Amenities include
catered lunches, a special dinner
provided by Marino Ristorante, and a
special private party (for those who
register by February 19). Space is
extremely limited.
Pric e: $2,495
Contac t: METAlliance |
www.metalliance.com
F ro m l e f t : F r a n k F i l i p e t t i , P h i l R a m o n e ,
A l S c h m i t t , E l l i o t S c h e i n e r, C h u c k A i n l a y,
E d C h e rn e y, a n d G e o rg e M a s s e n b u rg.

new acoustic products


VocalBooth Diamond Enclosures
VocalBooth has unveiled its Diamond Series of sound enclosures. The
enclosures have been designed to utilize the corner of a room in a studio
as space-saving measures for tight quarters.
The Diamond Series enclosures feature nonparallel walls to help
reduce standing waves. They are available in four sizes: 3-Carat, 5-Carat,
10-Carat, and 14-Carat. Each size is available in either the Gold Series single-wall design or Platinum Series double-wall design. Standard Diamond
systems include lighting (U.S. orders only, 120-volt fixtures), cable passthrough, and a three-component ventilation system.
Pric e: from $4,995
C ontac t: VocalBooth | www.vocalbooth.com

Sonex Whisper Wave Panels


Sonex Whisper Waves are acoustical absorption panels made of 2.5inch-thick fireproof melamine foam with an attractive wave aesthetic. Made to suspend from the ceiling with clear monofilament line from
hanging hardware (both included), Whisper Waves appear to float
above your audio workspace. WW panels are fireproof, UV-resistant,
and unaffected by heat and humidity.
Whisper Waves are available in two forms: Clouds or Ribbons. WW
Clouds are designed to hang parallel to the ceiling or attach to a wall in
24 x 48 or 48 x 96 sides; WW Ribbons are designed to hang on edge
or attach to a wall, available in one 12 x 48 size. Custom sizes and colors are also available; please contact Sonex for more information.
Pric es: $184 (four 24 x 48 Clouds), $270 (eight 12 x 48 Ribbons),
and $350 (one 48 x 96 Cloud)
C ontac t: Sonex | www.sonex-online.com

Acoustics First Cutting Wedge


Acoustics Firsts Cutting Wedge Classic absorption foam has been
retooled to produce the large, seamless walls preferred by many postproduction facilities. The unique Cutting Wedge pattern, with its ridges
following the long dimension, creates a contiguous, one-piece wall
appearance.
The acoustical foam can be enhanced by adding Cutting Wedge
2000 to increase its low-frequency absorption, without replacing the
initial layer of existing Classic material. Thus, so goes Acoustics Firsts
Cutting Wedge slogan: Other foams dont stack up!
Pric e: $262 (per box, eight 2 x 4 x 2 pieces)
C ontac t: Acoustics First | www.acousticsfirst.com

16

ProAudioReview | February 2010

www.proaudioreview.com

new acoustic products


RealTraps BareTraps
RealTraps most affordable bass traps ever (at $100 each), BareTraps are 2
by 4 by 3 1/4 inches thick, weigh 18 pounds, and are very similar to the
firms MiniTraps. Like MiniTraps, BareTraps are real membrane bass traps,
available in both Standard and High Frequency styles for corner bass trapping
and reflection control, respectively. Color choices are black, white, and wheat
(off-white).
Further, BareTraps have the same solid metal frame as MiniTraps, but without the side slots. They have four holes in the rear for attaching hanging
wires, but no cross bars for mounting on RealTraps Stands, microphone
stands, or with Post Base Kits. Note that BareTraps are sold only in pairs, to
reduce the cost of shipping and packaging.
Pric e: $200 per pair
C ontac t: RealTraps | www.realtraps.com

WhisperRoom Isolation Booths


The MDL 127 LP S standard single-wall isolation booth (pictured) may be the entry-level-point product from WhisperRoom, but its far
from an entry-level product. Designed to fit snugly into a corner offering 12.7 square feet of interior space, the MDL 127 LP S comes
standard with a ventilation system.
Further, WhisperRoom offers a varied line of single- and double-wall iso booths featuring options such as floor-isolation enhancements, ventilation-silencing systems, height extenders, caster plates, additional windows, and accent packages (wood-grain accent
panels inlaid onto the exterior of WhisperRoom wall components).
Pric es: from $3,690 (MDL 127 LP S corner
unit)
C ontac t: WhisperRoom |
www.whisperroom.com

February 2010 | ProAudioReview

17

opinion studio sense

by Strother Bullins

Careful Consideration,
Good Consultation
Mean Better Acoustics
For a moment, forget about your microphones, your monitors, your front end, your
back end, and your DAW. Your forest
amongst your trees isnt your hardware
and software, its your environment the
room in which you do your critical listening.
Thus, we suggest periodically setting
aside a small percentage of your business
time (and funds) purely for removing at
least one negative acoustic characteristic
from the space in which you listen. Even if
you dont have an actual budget for
acoustic materials this year, very affordable results are to be had with careful consideration, phone consultation with reputable acoustic treatment authorities, and
just a touch of physical labor.
Nick Colleran of Acoustics First
Corporation is an industry veteran and
expert in the realm of acoustic treatment
materials, applications, and installation
techniques. Based on decades of treating
all kinds of listening and recording environments from world-class places to
humble home-based spaces Colleran
generally advises to make logical, one-byone small changes, then stop and listen
for improvements, if any.
Data Before Dollars
First of all, before you spend a dime on any
acoustic treatment materials, closely analyze the space you need to treat. Before
contacting an acoustics expert, simple
data, pictures, and measurements should
be compiled. Room shape and size, what
the surfaces are made of, and what will be
accomplished in the room are the basics,
says Colleran. We like to see a half-dozen
photographs front, back, up, down, right,

Common Problems
With Early Reflections
If the space is for listening to playback,
Colleran continues, remove all the first
reflections near the source of the sound
so the sound from the speakers reaches
your ears before the room interferes. Any
direct and reflected frequencies that combine out of phase will cancel and conversely those frequencies that combine in
phase will be boosted. String together
those valleys and peaks and your resulting frequency response will look like a
jagged mountain range."
I n t h e c o m p o s i t i o n s t u d i o o f S p e n c e B u rton,
a 2 - i n c h - t h i c k S o n o r a p a n e l b r i d g e s t h e c o rner to form a t r a p a n d f l o w s i n t o a n i d e n t ical panel mounted as a ceiling cloud.
A c o u s t i c s F i r s t s p a t e n t e d Q u a d r a P y r a m i d
d i ff u s e r s ( $ 9 7 e a c h i n q u a n t i t i e s o f s i x - p l u s )
a re b e h i n d t h e s p e a k e r s . S t a n d a rd 24 x 48
Sonora acoustical wall panels ($95 each)
fill the gap left and right. The design on the
c e i l i n g i s f o rmed from 2 x 24 x 24 Sonora
panels cut into triangles with their edges
half-beveled (custom-made items). Later
a d d i t i o n s i n c l u d e t w o m o re S o n o r a w a l l
panels to extend the wings left and right,
t w o e x t r a t r i a n g l e p i e c e s o v e rhead, and 10
C l o u d s c a p e c e i l i n g t i l e s ( $ 4 0 e a c h ) e l s ew h e re in the ro o m .
and left because we might not know
about the giant pink stuffed elephant in
the corner which affects the acoustics. If
its a large room, we like a recording of a
balloon being popped so we can hear it. If
its something small, like many control
rooms, that is less relevant.

You May Already Own


(Or Rent) A Bass Trap
Nearly all bedrooms have closets, many
residential studios are in cube-ish bedrooms, and most of these spaces are in
need of bass trapping. Luckily, your closet is a bass trap in waiting, advises
Colleran. Open it up. If you have a closet,
you have a pre-fab bass trap. The hanging
coats inside will act like the bass traps
back in the late 60s and early 70s. Just
hang a curtain over it to conceal your
wardrobe.
In that same manner, adjoining rooms
are also potential bass traps. For one particular job, Colleran cleverly used the next
room over to act as a larger bass trap. We
worked it in by leaving a heavy curtain
over the entrance to a bedroom off of the
control room, he explains. That gave the
extra space for the bass to develop so he
could hear what was going on down
there.
(continued on page 42)

Strother Bullins is the reviews and features editor for Pro Audio Review.
18

ProAudioReview | February 2010

www.proaudioreview.com

studio review

by Rich Tozzoli

Auralex Acoustic Room


Analysis And Treatment Installation
Between measurements, advice, and key acoustic
treatment tools, our reviewer quickly turns empty
square footage into a live/work production studio.
Putting a home studio in an empty room is to some a dream and to others a nightmare. Recently, I moved into a new space and was faced with this scenario.

SpaceArrays on the rear mix wall.


I then sent the measurements
and info to Auralex for recommendations; they will do a free room analysis for anyone who
fills out the online form. Working with Auralexs director of sales
Karen Richardson and design engineer Gavin Haverstick, I
received a basic room layout and analysis a few days later.

B e f o re

With a little help from some talented friends and the folks at
Auralex, I now have a comfortable, open, and great-sounding
setup. Heres how it went down and what I learned from it.
As you can see from the picture, the room was empty part
home studio, part living space which is a realistic circumstance
in todays production environment. It was a blank canvas in a typical condo complex with concrete floor and ceilings, sheetrock, and
a sun-drenched wall of windows. Since I had deadlines, including a
5.1 surround project, I had to do the whole thing quickly.
The first step was to measure the room and then make a plan.
Looking around my previous studio used for mixing, composing, and surround sound work I took stock of my current
acoustic treatments. I already had some Auralex products: four
Elite CT45 ProPanel corner traps, four Elite B24 Pro Panels, four
pArtScience SpaceCouplers in a cloud overhead, and four

Analysis & Install


The analysis provided plenty of useful information and suggestions prime speakers setups and listening placement, how
and where to mount wall and window treatments, and what
products they thought would serve as those treatments. Using
this analysis, I then went to good friend and design engineer
Vincent Miraglia from Analog Design Group, who helped build my
previous room. We reviewed the material and decided to order
only some of what they suggested.
As expected, budgetary and aesthetic considerations (as it
serves as living space, too) dictated my Auralex order. I ended up
purchasing two additional SpaceArrays and SpaceCouplers, two
B24 Pro Panels, and some MetroFusers (which I ended up not
using at all).
Working with Miraglia and his team, we followed the Auralex suggestions and mounted four B24 panels on the front studio wall.
These are nice-looking, one-inch-thick panels used primarily for
absorption of slap and flutter echoes, which were quite bad in the

 Price Box
Elite CT45 ProPanel c orner traps $149 (each)
Elite B24 Pro Panels $109 (each)
pAr tS cienc e Spac eC ouplers $599 (t wo per box)
Spac eArrays $798 (t wo per box disc ontinued item)
MetroFusors $249 (12 per box)
Auralex Metro LERND $299 (eigh t per box)
C ontac t: Auralex A coustics | 80 0-959-3343 |
www.auralex .c om

Rich Tozzoli is a composer, engineer/mixer, and the software editor for PAR. www.richtozzoli.com
20

ProAudioReview | February 2010

www.proaudioreview.com

empty space. Haverstick noted it would be beneficial to mount them away from the wall, as the airspace created by doing so would improve the lowfrequency performance of the panels. So we put
them on blocks cut from 2 x 4s, evenly spacing
them across my center-lined mix position.
Next, we put in three of the CT45 ProPanel corner traps (the rear left wall opens up into the
apartment). These are 2 x 4-foot, fabric-wrapped,
fiberglass bass traps that fit into a 90-degree
corner for extra low-frequency absorption. We
ended up placing the fourth CT45 loosely against
the front wall just behind my subwoofer, which
added a bit of extra low-end absorption. Miraglia
then donated a set of Auralex Metro LERND triangular Bass Traps, which we put into the floor After
corners below the CT45s.
Then we hung the SpaceCoupler cloud about five inches down
from the ceiling (with small chains), directly centered over my
head in the resting mix position. It was slightly back from where
Auralex suggested it go; I tend to move around quite a bit off of
the sweet spot during production. These help redirect energy
into the upper portion of the room where it gets diffused.
The six SpaceArrays were then mounted on the rear wall,
again centered on my mix position. We needed those to help
with the flutter echoes, and, since the wall is quite large, I had to
purchase a few more to cover the extra space. These are made
of Paulowina wood, and aside from doing a great job of randomizing and reflecting sound, they look quite nice.
Finally, we mounted an additional B24 panel on the wall to the
left of my mix position, so it would catch the
first reflections off the speakers. Auralex noted I
should mix with the curtains closed, and that the
curtain should be oversized (so there are deep
folds even when it is closed).
So that was it; the treatments were up. I
placed my two racks of preamps and compressors to the right of my mix position with everything plugging into a Monster AVS2000 Voltage
Stabilizer underneath the desk (a simple IKEA
table). The Pro Tools HD192 and Creation Audio
Labs MW1 DI/Reamper sit in a small rack to my
right, with a Command 8 and Grace 906 5.1
Monitor Controller to my left. Pro Tools optically
feeds six channels to the Grace, which then distributes to the speakers. When I need to compose, I simply plug in an M-Audio Axiom Pro,
which hyper-controls Pro Tools. Like the rear surround monitors, I take it down when not in use.
The setup is clean and efficient.
Further Adjustments
The challenges I face now are to adjust to the new
sound and feel out the space. Since I changed

February 2010 | ProAudioReview

21

subs (to an NHT Pro S-20 with M-00 monitors), its a new learning
curve of sound. It takes a little time to listen, and Miraglia has
been helping me tune the room with optimal sub positioning,
speaker heights, and so on. However, the fundamental sound is
excellent, and the sonic treatments made a huge difference.
Undoubtedly, there will be some slight changes and revisions
to the space (we already pulled the desk out a few inches). I
may even put up some more treatments if need be. But like any
other worthwhile workplace improvement, it takes time, effort,
and (most often) a few bucks to do it right. Do some research on
your own space; the info is right there online and in books.
Simply put, if your room is right, your mixes will sound better.
And that leads to more clients.

studio review

by Strother Bullins

Primacoustic FlexiBooth
Acoustic Cabinet
FlexiBooths potential uses are anywhere
from conventional to literally off the wall.
marily comprised of the
same high-quality absorptive materials as the
Broadway Series I was
intrigued. While it is primarily marketed as a wallmounted vocal booth, its
potential uses are anywhere from conventional
to literally off the wall.

FlexiBooth ($399) is an acoustically


absorptive vocal booth in cupboard
form. It is designed to hang on the wall of
your audio workspace. Closed, its casing
made of black melamine-coated MDF
(medium-density fiberboard) measures 2 feet wide, 4 feet high, and a bit
over 5 inches deep. With both 4 x 1-foot
doors open, the FlexiBooth becomes a 16cubic-foot VO environment.
Two years ago, I reviewed Primacoustics
Broadway Series of acoustic products during a complete refurbishment of my primary audio workspace [full article available here: www.proaudioreview.com/article/18244 Ed]. That installation continues to be the most significant pro audio
investment I have ever made.
So naturally, when presented with the
opportunity to review the FlexiBooth pri-

Features
FlexiBooths absorptive
components are highdensity (6 lb. per cubic
foot) encapsulated fiberglass panels with resintreated panel edges,
covered with acoustically transparent polyester
fabric in black, gray, or
beige (which can even
be covered with a second fabric to better
match or to develop a unique dcor, if so
desired by the user). Three panels two
46 x 9.75 x 1 inches on each door and one
46.75 x 22.5 x 2 inches in the middle
provide the absorptive zone of an open
FlexiBooth. [Detailed absorption characteristics of FlexiBooth are available on the
Primacoustic website at www.primacoustic.com/flexibooth-specs.htm Ed.]
Completely
unconstructed,
the
FlexiBooth comes with numerous parts: the
three panels, seven MDF pieces, and several bags full of cam locks, wooden dowels,
screws, pins, dry wall anchors, etc. Also
enclosed are two door guides, four door
hinges, and two magnetic door catches.
Last but not least, accurate and wellillustrated assembly instructions are
included, featuring diagrams and photos.

In Use
Of course, before I could place the
FlexiBooth in use, I had to build it. With
basic tools (Phillips head and flathead
screwdrivers, small hammer, power drill,
and level) and an extra set of hands, the
FlexiBooth was together and hung in
place with well under two hours of labor
invested, even working at a relaxed pace.
Once constructed, I screwed the
FlexiBooths mount a French cleat
on the rear wall of a small editing/control
room (with tie lines to other recording
spaces throughout a large residential
structure). In this position (placed
between an entrance door and closet
door), the FlexiBooth (when open) would
double as an adjustable absorptive surface behind the mix position and a VO
space, maximizing the functionality of
this small audio production room. In both
applications, FlexiBooth excelled.
Since FlexiBooth can be easily lifted
off the beveled edge of its wall cleat, I
also used it as a gobo in front of
acoustic instruments, amplifiers, drum
kits, etc. The back of the FlexiBooth
exposes most of the rear of its nearly 2 x
4-foot Broadway panel, so additional
absorption was gained in any off the
wall application. Its also worth noting
that, when closed, the FlexiBooth
becomes a hard, reflective surface; the
idea of several FlexiBooths mounted
around a room in varied positions of
open, closed, and somewhere in
between would allow lots of sonic
options.
Summary
As the name was conceived to imply,
FlexiBooth is indeed very flexible, thus
making it much more than just an
acoustic product for tracking vocals. Its
attractive, clever, useful, and much more
than the sum of its parts.
C ontac t: Primacoustic | 604-942-1001 |
www.primacoustic.com

Strother Bullins is the reviews and features editor for Pro Audio Review.
22

ProAudioReview | February 2010

www.proaudioreview.com

feature
review

by Russ Long

Konrad Snyder

Apple Logic Studio


Our pro discovers he can easily compete with a $20,000 Pro Tools
system using an affordable DAW based on Apples latest Logic.
Two years ago, the Apple Logic Studio update
boasted a complete rebuild of Logic Pro as well as
a plethora of new content, effects and plug-ins.
MainStage, Soundtrack Pro, and WaveBurner were also added to
the package. Surprisingly, this giant increase in content was
offered at half the price of the previous version.
Now Apple is shipping the next generation of the bundle
featuring Logic Pro 9 with major upgrades and more than 200
new features. This review will give you an overview of the entire
package and highlight the most exciting new features.
Features
Logics new Amp Designer and Pedalboard are ideal competitors
for Digidesigns Eleven and Native Instruments Guitar Rig.

Pedalboards 30 modeled stompboxes and flexible routing provide a giant range of effects options and the virtual Pedalboard
allows you to select your stompboxes and determine their order
in the signal path. The collection is comprehensive and includes
everything from fuzz, overdrive, distortion, and compression to
reverb, delay, flange, phaser, tremolo, and wah.
Amp Designers straightforward interface provides a graphic
representation of the selected amp head, speaker and mic
model. Pull-down menus allow specific heads, cabinets, and mic
models to be selected. All of the heads have tremolo, and by
clicking on the EQ or reverb labels, you can switch between
many different EQ and reverb types. There are 25 amps, 25
speaker cabinets, and three mics that Amp Designer allows you
to virtually position. Amp Designer does a fine job replicating
both clean and distorted tones and I (an avid ribbon-mic user)
was surprised at the quality of the ribbon-mic emulation.

Russ Long is a producer, engineer, and mixer. He owns the Carport studio in Nashville. www.russlong.ws
24

ProAudioReview | February 2010

www.proaudioreview.com

Logic Studios MainStage 2 now incorporates Playback and


Loopback plug-ins. This makes it possible to trigger backing
tracks and add the features of a hardware-based looper to a
live performance. I must note that the new Apogee Gio USB
audio interface and foot controller (at $395 street) is the perfect complement to MainStage 2, Amp Designer and
Pedalboard. It provides foot control over transport functions,
punch-in, looping, and Pedalboard effects and comes premapped for these plug-ins.
The new Bounce Regions in Place feature allows effects and
software instruments, with or without active plug-ins and
automation, to be quickly rendered to audio. The new audio is
placed in an adjacent track, and the original is automatically
muted. This is different from track freezing in that it produces an
audio file that can be easily edited at the project settings
instead of a hidden 32-bit freeze file.
An impressive new Logic 9 feature list is Flex Time, which
allows the quick and creative manipulation of timing and tempo.
It is essentially Pro Tools Elastic Time on steroids. Flex Time is
the most significant and encompassing addition to Logic Pro 9,
and it facilitates several new features, including the Flex Tool,
Audio Quantizing, Speed Fades, and Varispeed. Convert to
Sampler Track and Drum-Track Slicing are two other non-Flex
Time associated, but very cool, features worth mentioning.
Users who are already familiar with Pro Tools Elastic Audio or
Ableton Lives Warp will quickly adapt to these features.
Otherwise, youll probably need a bit more time to feel comfortable with the function as its quite encompassing.
There are big improvements on the documentation front, too.
The new Notes button reveals a list section with tabs for track
and project notes. Each channel strip has a track note making it
easy to jot down details like microphone type, signal path, etc.
Larger event documentation can be stored in the Project Notes.
Notes can hold up to 20,000 characters.
The complete Logic Studio package is $499. Upgrading from
Logic Express is $299 and upgrading from Logic Pro or Logic
Studio is $199. An Intel-based Mac running Leopard OS 10.5.7 or

www.proaudioreview.com

Stop The Presses:

Its Logic 9.1!


Just as this review was going to press, Apple
released Logic 9.1. While it doesnt introduce a
host of new features, v9.1 does deliver improved
compatibility and numerous fixes over the already
stable 9.0. In v9.1, samples are now mapped correctly when using the Contiguous Zones option in
the EXS editor, and the application now supports
file names longer than 32 characters.
Also added is support for 64-bit native mode and
64-bit Audio Unit plug-in compatibility. Running
Logic in the 32-bit mode requires Mac OS X 10.5.7
or later; 64-bit operation requires Mac OS X 10.6.2
Russ Long
or later.

higher is needed to run all of the applications. This release


marks the departure of PPC support (which is personally disappointing). Logic Studio requires a hefty hard-drive commitment
as 9 GB of free space is required to install the applications and
required content and an additional 38 GB is required for the
optional content.
In Use
I successfully installed Logic Studio on my Apple MacBook Pro
2.33 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 2 GB RAM for this review, and the
majority of my monitoring was done through a Benchmark DAC1 converter (utilizing the computers optical output) and
Dynaudio BM5A and Focal Twin6B monitors. I also installed the
package on my Apple Macintosh 2 GHz Dual Processor G5, and
even though it is no longer officially supported by Apple for
Logic, I had minimal difficulties with its operation. However, it
did run extremely slow, making it difficult to use for processorintensive applications such as the new Flex Time features.
The overall look and feel of Logic 9 is unchanged from the previous version. You can still toggle through the Mixer, Editor, and

February 2010 | ProAudioReview

25

Arrange windows or you can work within the single integrated


workspace. In the Mixer window, the arrow keys can now be
used for channel-strip selection, and the Tab and Shift-Tab keys
work the same when naming Mixer channels. Additionally, channel strips rewritten EQ thumbnails have a speedier re-draw and
are easier to read. Volume and Send automation levels are now
adjustable in 0.1 dB increments, which Ive found extremely
helpful when making minute adjustments. Quick Swipe
Comping, which I fell in love with in Logic 8, has been improved
as well and can now be momentarily turned off for normal editing and then turned back on to return to comping.
On Flex Editing
The quickest way to begin Flex editing is to simply click on any
audio region with the Flex Tool. Once you select from one of four
modes Slicing, Rhythmic, Monophonic, or Polyphonic you
can freely manipulate the waveform. When you need additional
options and a more detailed view of what youre editing, switch
to Flex View. When Flex View is turned on and a track is enabled
for Flex Time editing, Logic analyzes all audio regions on that
track. There you can choose from six modes (Rhythmic,
Monophonic, Polyphonic, Slicing, Speed, and Tempophone).
Modes are selected one at a time. Three modes Rhythmic,

Fast Facts
Applications
Professional/commercial studio, project studio,
audio for broadcast, audio post production, and
live performance
Price
$499 (full version); $299 (upgrade from Logic
Express); $199 (upgrade from previous Logic
Pro or Logic Studio version)
Contact
Apple | 800-692-7753 | www.apple.com

Product Points







Flex Time feature


Great guitar effects and amp modeling
Improved navigation
Bounce Regions in Place function
resizable plug-in windows
lots of additional content

 No PC support

Score

Apple has another winner with Apple Logic


Studio. Expect its share of the DAW market to grow larger
with this feature-laden release.

26

ProAudioReview | February 2010

Monophonic, or Polyphonic are optimized to give the best


results for specific types of material. Slicing mode allows you to
do beat slice-style editing, but with the simplicity offered by the
Flex editing interface. The last two modes produce unique
effects: Speed for pitch changing, tape-style manipulation; and
Tempophone for special effects similar to granular processing.
Varispeed is the simplest of the Flex Time functions and similar to the classic tape-recorder function; it increases or decreases the tempo of the entire project (not just Flex-enabled tracks).
The Speed and Pitch mode operates like a tape machine where
the pitch changes with the speed. The Speed mode alters the
speed while the pitch remains constant. Speed, Pitch, and MIDI
alters the speed and pitch and transposes all non-drum MIDI
tracks in semitones. This last mode has varied results depending on the source material, but it is still extremely impressive,
reminding me of the awe I felt the first time I experienced AutoTune in action.
Logic 9 also includes two drum-oriented features: Convert To
Sampler Track and Drum Replacer. The first allows you to create
a sampler instrument from audio in a track with a single operation, enabling beat re-sequencing or re-triggering of portions of
an audio track at other places in the composition. Convert To
Sampler Track can also make it easy to tighten a drummers performance with the click track or a loop. Drum Replace creates a
MIDI clip based on an audio files transient markers so samples
can be used to augment or replace the drums.
When audio files are recorded, bounced, or exported, tempo
events, time stamp, and even marker data are automatically
included with the file. This means, for example, with Flex Time,
the audio imported from other Logic projects can automatically
change to match the tempo of the current project. Tempo information can also be read by MainStages Playback, the new backing track player.
The resizable plug-in windows are a Godsend, especially
when working with a small-screen laptop. Plug-in windows can
now be enlarged by up to 200 percent, making it easy to locate
and manipulate controls, even for the most complex plug-ins.
Summary
Most of my work in Apple Logic Studio was on my laptop. Ive
found that between a MacBook Pro, Apple Logic Pro, the
Euphonix MC Mix, and the Universal Audio UAD 2 SOLO/Laptop
[see Russ Euphonix and UA evaluations following this review
Ed.], I can easily compete with a $20,000 Pro Tools system.
Thus, Apples feature-packed Logic Studio is truly a bargain at
$499. The system sounds wonderful, the included instruments
and plug-ins are intuitive, and they sound fantastic. Logic Studio
is the perfect all-encompassing production tool. If you are
already a Logic Studio user, youd be crazy not to upgrade. If you
are contemplating switching to Logic from another DAW or deciding which format to jump into for your first DAW purchase, the
new version of Apple Logic Studio provides significant enhancements and improvements, making Logic seem more logical than
ever before.

www.proaudioreview.com

by Russ Long

feature review

Euphonix MC Control and MC Mix


The MC Series is an ideal way to gain big-desk-style
finesse and functionality in your DAW-based environment.
The quartet of Euphonix Ethernet controllers includes
the MC Control and MC Mix, reviewed here, along with
MC Transport and MC Color.
These four worksurfaces are wonders for
controlling your Mac-based DAW. Ive had
a chance to spend a few months with the
MC Control and MC Mix and, though they
arent new (actually, theyre the oldest of
the four), they are still the strongest contenders in their price range when it
comes to feature-filled, solid-performing,
professional-grade, DAW control surfaces.
Features
The large-format Euphonix desks have
always had a stellar look and feel; that
level of quality has been extended to the
MC Control and MC Mix. Both controllers
use a high-speed 100 Mb/s Ethernetbased control protocol called EuCon to
enable the simultaneous control of multiple applications. EuCon automatically
detects which application is in the foreground and instantly sets the touchscreen (MC Control only) displays, motorized faders, and other controllers to match.
The MC Control features four faders,
dedicated transport controls, 12 programmable buttons and a 6 x 3.5-inch,
touch-sensitive color LCD. The MC Mix features eight touch-sensitive faders, rotary
encoders, and a high-contrast OLED display for each fader. The controllers can be
used independently or up to four MC
Mixes and an MC Control can be used
together to create a larger control surface
with 36 faders. The controllers support
two types of applications, EuCon-aware
and Non-EuCon-aware. EuCon-aware applications like Logic Pro, Nuendo, Final
Cut Pro, Digital Performer, and Cubase

have been coded to


directly support the
EuCon protocol, thus providing the highest level of
integration, high-resolution controls, and highspeed connectivity. NonEuCon-aware applications that support Mackie
Control or HUI such as
Pro Tools, Live, and
Reason can control
many functions, but are
less integrated.
EuCon takes care of
finding, linking, and
communicating with all
of the Euphonix controllers on the network and must be installed on the computer running the applications. The controllers automatically link to the foremost application, and even have a button
that toggles between the computers
open applications.
The Studio Monitor Express (SME)
application allows the MC Control to be
configured for control room monitoring
functions (this feature isnt available on
the MC Mix). After configuration, the dedicated Control Room speaker-level rotary
encoder and the touch screen provide
options like sum-to-mono and talkback
capability without any modification within an application.
Both controllers have the option of sitting flat or angled by using the small foldout legs on the bottom of the unit or being
elevated by attaching the larger riser

brackets. If the riser brackets are


attached, the controller will sit on most
consoles with the bottom of the controller
hovering slightly above the consoles
knobs. This is how I use the controllers at
my studio. At home, I use the foldout legs
and place the controllers on a table. There
is one major inconvenience for this,
though: The side panels must be removed
before the riser brackets can be
detached. This is a pain since I routinely
carry the controllers back and forth
between my studio and my home. On the
up side, after the side panels are
removed, the controllers can be linked
together so if you are utilizing multiple
controllers, they can be connected and
have the appearance of a single unit.
In Use
Ive enjoyed the functionality that I gain

Russ Long is a producer, engineer, and mixer. He owns the Carport studio in Nashville. www.russlong.ws
www.proaudioreview.com

February 2010 | ProAudioReview

27

working with the MC Control and MC Mix. Ive used them together and independently to control a wide variety of applications,
but the bulk of my time has been spent with Logic Pro and Pro
Tools. This has allowed me to test the functionality on both
EuCon-aware (Logic Pro) and Non-EuCon-aware (Pro Tools) systems. Ive installed the EuCon software on several systems,
each time problem-free. EuControl automatically launches when
your Mac boots, and it runs in the background automatically
controlling the foremost application.
While working with the Non-EuCon-aware Pro Tools was great,
its a complete step up in performance going from Pro Tools to
Logic Pro, which feels like it was designed to work with the
Euphonix controllers. Logic Pro 9 had a bug regarding the jog

Fast Facts
Applications
Commercial Studio, Project Studio, Broadcast,
Post Production
Key Features
Up to 36 faders by linking four MC Mix and an
MC Control; controls multiple applications and
workstations via Ethernet; 250 times faster and
eight times the resolution of MIDI; supports HUI
and Mackie Control protocols. MC Mix Power
Features: eight touch-sensitive motorized
faders; eight touch-sensitive rotary encoders;
eight displays for surround metering, parameter,
and track names. MC Control Power Features:
Touch-screen interface; 12 assignable soft keys;
four touch-sensitive motorized faders; eight
touch-sensitive rotary encoders; transport controls; jog/shuttle/zoom wheel; includes Studio
Monitor Express (SME) software
Price
$1,399 and $1,999 (MC Mix and MC Control,
respectively)
Contact
Euphonix | 650-855-0400 | www.euphonix.com

28

ProAudioReview | February 2010

wheels operation in scrub mode on the MC Control, but v9.1 has


resolved this issue. It now functions perfectly.
The MC Controls touch screen and programmable buttons
make it highly adaptable to virtually any users workflow, and it
includes pre-mapped settings for most popular applications
(including non-music applications like Safari).
Pressing the soft-key setting button on the touch screen
exposes an additional 24 virtual buttons, so there is simultaneous access to 36 software functions, all of them customizable
using the EuCon Soft-Key editor. [Euphonix notes that there are
unlimited soft buttons available to users, accessible by paging
up and down. Ed.] Information for the MC Controls four faders
is displayed at the top of the touch screen. The four rotary
encoders along each side of the touch screen provide parameter
control. The encoders also act as push buttons, which help navigate through the control layers. Selecting the Track soft key on
the touch screen displays a 32-block grid of the projects channels making it easy to solo, mute, record-enable, or select any of
the projects tracks.
The simpler MC Mix lacks the MC Controls screen and programmable buttons, but the dedicated channel displays and
rotary encoders make up for it. Selecting and editing channel
strip parameters is similar to the operation of the MC Control,
but the MC Mix has the ability to flip parameters from the
encoders onto the faders, making it easier to quickly do precise
adjustments. Channel buttons make it easy to solo, mute,
record-enable, or select any of the eight tracks displayed on the
surface.
Summary
Adding the MC Control and/or MC Mix to your setup can give your
workflow an overhaul. Both controllers have deep feature sets
and let you quickly switch between applications, as well as
being completely customizable so their operation can be tailored specifically to your needs. This makes the MC Control and
MC Mix ideal options for desktop studios and those who want
multiple physical encoders instead of using a mouse.

Product Points
 Comfortable, ergonomic, compact/

slim-line work surface


 Reasonable price
 Easy to use
 No PC support
 Side panels must be removed to install

risers

Score

Adding an MC Control and/or MC Mix to your


studio setup is the easiest way to provide the feel and functionality of mixing on a large-format console without the large
footprint or high cost.

www.proaudioreview.com

studio review

by Russ Long

Universal Audio UAD 2 SOLO/Laptop


ExpressCard DSP Accelerator
The UAD 2 SOLO is the easiest, most affordable way
to make your laptop one seriously capable DAW.
The Universal Audio UAD-2 SOLO/Laptop is a single-processor PCI ExpressCard that provides the
mobile Mac or PC user easy access to the industry
staple UAD-2 DSP powered plug-ins platform.
The UAD library includes licensed emulations of hardware by Empirical Labs,
Helios, SPL, Teletronix, Neve, Fairchild,
Harrison, Little Labs, and many others.
Features
The heart of the high-bandwidth
SOLO/Laptop card is an Analog Devices
32-bit, floating-point architecture SHARC
processor that provides processing
power for the UAD plug-ins, thus freeing
up the Mac or PCs internal processor to
handle the DAW, virtual instruments,
and/or other processing. The card is PCIe
2.0-compatible and runs on Mac OS X
Tiger/Leopard and Windows XP/Vista
machines. The card supports 44.1, 48,
88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz sample rates and is VST-, AU-, and
RTAS-compatible. [According to UA,
Its been tested with Snow Leopard
and Windows 7, but with caveats at
the time of publication (in early
February 2010). Visit this link to read
more on these minimal concerns:
http://www.uaudio.com/support/uad/co
mpatibility.html Ed.]
The SOLO/Laptop card offers 2.5 times
the power of UAs previous UAD-1 card,
and it requires no additional cables or
external power supply. [According to UA,
performance of the SOLO/Laptop has
increased nearly three times in power
over UAD-1, as efficiency has been
improved with software updates. Ed.]

Included with the


card is the Mix
Essentials II plugin collection, comprised of the Pultec
EQP-1A program
equalizer, the UA 1176SE compressor/limiter, the CS-1 Channel Strip, and the
Realverb Pro room modeler.
Version 5 of the UAD Meter and Control
Panel (also included with the card) provides management and system-monitoring tools for the SOLO/Laptop card. Its drivers are optimized for modern multi-thread
and multi-processor architectures, and
support both real-time and faster-thanreal-time processing for mix bounces. The
Control Panel provides quick and easy
plug-in purchases or demo authorizations,
as well as access to support and help
resources and software updates. Powered
Plug-Ins are avail-

able from the UA website and 14-day free


demos of all of the UAD plug-ins are
included with the card.
In Use
Between the UAD 2 SOLO/Laptop Card and
the UAD Meter and Control Panel,
Universal Audio has done an amazing job
of making the software and hardware
integration seamless and simple. I found
the software to be simple to install. All of
the plug-ins are actually included in the
package, so purchasing an additional
plug simply requires authorizing something already on your computer. It can be
done in just a minute or two, any time of
the day or night. While Ive spent most of
my SOLO/Laptop card time working in
Logic, Ive also successfully used it with
Pro Tools LE and Steinberg Nuendo; in any
instance, its a pleasure to use.
Even with high expectations, I was
amazed at the power of the SOLO/Laptop
card as it can simultaneously handle up
to 32 channels of the UA Neve 88RS channel strip plug-in: all this without taxing
the host computer at all. The four included plug-ins provide a great foundation.
After spending several weeks with the
entire collection, I found a few that jump
out as my favorites. The Helios
Type 69 and 1176LN
sound famous on
electric guitar;
the Pultec Pro
EQ is wonderful
on acoustic instruments and vocals; the
Trident A-Range and SPL
Transient Designer are fantastic
(continued on page 42)

Russ Long is a producer, engineer, and mixer. He owns the Carport studio in Nashville. www.russlong.ws
30

ProAudioReview | February 2010

www.proaudioreview.com

by Rich Tozzoli

studio review

WAVES Vocal Rider


Level Automation Plug-In
This innovative mix tool saves valuable time
and discourages excessive vocal processing.
How many hours have we all spent
drawing in final vocal automation levels to get them just right? Tens, hundreds, or, for those in the biz a long
time, maybe even thousands?

interface window open during this process. Also,


any previous automation will be overwritten
once you begin this process.
When finished, you simply press the Read
button on Vocal Rider. For tweaking, you can
grab the plug-in fader while its in the process of
writing; when you let go, it will continue autoWell, maybe there is a better way. WAVES Vocal
matically. WAVES doesnt recommend doing that
Rider is a new mix tool plug-in that does exactly
while Vocal Rider is writing, but I did it and it
what its moniker suggests: It automatically
worked just fine. Of course, you can also make
rides levels on your vocal tracks in real time.
adjustments after the fact on your DAW.
To use the Music Sensitivity feature, output all
Features
the tracks minus the vocal on your DAW to a bus,
Its options are simple but effective, and the laythen assign that bus to Vocal Riders Key
out is clean. I like that. Atop the plug-in sits the
Sidechain input. The Music Sensitivity control will
Target control, the reference range or sweet
then become active and be available for adjustW AV E S Vo c a l R i d e r
spot for where you want it to sit in the mix. Next
ing. Vocal Riders process will then depend on the
is Vocal Sensitivity, which helps differentiate the vocal content settings and the volume of the bussed tracks.
from spillage, etc. Theres also a Fast/Slow switch for determinI tried Vocal Rider on both traditional songs with lead vocals and
ing the basic ride speed.
then on an industrial-type video track with a VO, and it worked quite
Vocal Riders Music Sensitivity control is interesting in that, nicely. It only takes a few minutes to adjust to its workings, and I
simply by setting up a bus/sidechain (located above the GUI), found myself easily tweaking it to get a nice loud vocal. Next, I tried
you can have Vocal Rider sense the overall music activity for level removing the compressor from the industrial VO, which needed a
positioning. The large Rider Fader moves according to the internal few dB of gain to pop through the track. Once again, it worked perdetectors, unless touched with a mouse, when it can be manual- fectly, and it was an interesting revelation to pull the compression
ly adjusted. To the left, Range controls the maximum and mini- off but still have the vocal punch through automatically. Aside from
mum level settings. A small Idle arrow between the sliders lets offering a clean, clear signal path, this could potentially save a lot of
you set the Rider Fader level when there is no activity. The Output time for those who do corporate or film type work.
trims the output gain (post-audio riding) along with its Clip LED
As you would expect, it is supported on TDM, RTAS, VST, and AU
for overloads. At the bottom sit three Automation Mode buttons: systems and will run at Fs up to 96 kHz. Also, Vocal Rider has no
Off uses the internal engine; Write sends the Rider Fader levels to latency, as there is no pre-scanning happening; its a real-time
the host app automation lane; and Read uses those automation operation.
levels, disregarding Vocal Riders internal engine.
Summary
In Use
Ill be the first to admit I was skeptical about a plug in taking
One of my favorite touches is the ability to easily send the levels away something Ive done myself for years, but after using it
to your DAWs automation. On my Pro Tools setup, I inserted Vocal just once, I saw the value in it. It does a great job, its adjustable
Rider on a dialog track and set the PT fader to Touch mode, put the and flexible, and it can keep the vocal free of any unnecessary
plug-in into Write mode, and then chose the Rider fader in my processing. I already look forward to the next WAVES mix tool.
automation lane. By pressing play, it begins to write the automa- Pric e: $400 and $800 (Native and TDM, respectively)
tion. One important note is that you need to have Vocal Riders C ontac t: WAVES | 865-909-9200 | www.waves.com

Rich Tozzoli is a composer, engineer/mixer, and the software editor for PAR. www.richtozzoli.com
www.proaudioreview.com

February 2010 | ProAudioReview

31

studio review

by Rob Tavaglione

iZotope RX and RX
Advanced Software Suite
The substantial corrective power of this audio restoration
suite will reward and delight the dedicated user.
As easy as it may be to pitch-correct a vocal or correct bad timing, the most basic problems we
may encounter can be more vexing, such as ground noise, distortion, and external sounds finding
their way into the tracks with
which we work.
Enter iZotope and its RX (and RX
Advanced) software suite; it helps make
such problems easier to manage, if you
have the patience.
Features
iZotope RX offers five different processor
tools, each focused on a specific group of
audio problems. Declicker, Declipper, Hum
Removal, Denoiser, and Spectral Repair
are all obviously named to indicate their
purposes. These modules are available all
at the same time via RX as a standalone
application and are also available one at a
time using RX as a plug-in within your
DAW. The Advanced version includes additional parameters, extra algorithms,
iZotopes MBIT+ dithering and 64-bit sample rate conversion.
In Use
Pardon my brevity, but Hum Removal
simply works. Whether 50 or 60 cycle,
even in harmonic multiples, this module
gets it done and quickly, too since
you can preview the hum before removal.
There are numerous advanced features,
but youll find that Hum Removal is both
intuitive and effective.

Declicker is like Hum Removal; it works


easily, intuitively, and allows deep control when you need it. Mangled LP audio
or seriously plagued digital tracks will
require multiple passes of processing as
you adjust Click Width to remove even
surprisingly longer passages with multiple offenses. Automatic mode even offers
control of residual output, interpolation
order, and correlation length (in the
Advanced mode only controls the
length of the window from which you pull
corrective audio). Click previewing isnt
entirely accurate, but this module is otherwise a bulls-eye.
The single band mode of Declipper is
the entry level of distortion correction
and allows you to preview your settings
before applying them. It works well, but
please note: Repaired peaks may now

exceed digital zero, and gain reduction


should be employed. The multi-band
mode is more effective at removing distortion, utilizing between eight and 128
bands, but previewing is not allowed
here; plan on numerous test runs to finetune your parameters. (Hint: Use short
passages for auditioning results.)
Furthermore, the multi-resolution mode
(Advanced only) also uses up to 128
bands and does the best job of all, albeit
requiring patience on the users part.
Denoiser is somewhat effective in its
Simple mode, but the Advanced mode is
what most engineers will certainly use.
Here parameters for both tonal (consistent at a particular frequency) and broadband noise are provided, and youll need
these controls dependent on the type of
noise youre removing. Previewing my

Rob Tavaglione has owned and operated Catalyst Recording in Charlotte NC since 1995. www.catalystrecording.com
32

ProAudioReview | February 2010

www.proaudioreview.com

changes proved to be difficult and stuttering, so trial and error is


the key. While offering powerful options, it will test your focus,
as this module is very deep and far from intuitive.
Within my MOTU Digital Performer DAW environment, RX worked
well as a plug-in, but sometimes caused slower operation and error
messages. In particular, mastering sessions where I employed my
Universal Audio UAD-1 plug-ins as well as RX provided the most performance issues. Problems like these can be alleviated by using
RX as a standalone app (the manufacturers preferred method,
actually); processing files within it and then exporting them into
your DAWs session is the glitch-free way to go.
Using RX standalone with Spectral Repair, I tackled a bass guitar track that was loaded with a grab-bag of unwanted sonic distractions: ground noise, string thumps, finger slides, fret slaps,
and occasional bursts of wicked noise (possibly a short in the
instrument itself). The FFT analysis spectrogram allowed me to
see both the waveform and the frequency content (with a nifty
slider to adjust the blend and opacity), with events like a hand
thump showing a bubble of low-frequency energy, finger slides
as stratus clouds of swirls higher up the Y-axis (frequency),
and those bursts of noise were ugly vertical spikes reaching all
the way up. I selected the Attenuate mode and the TimeFrequency Selection Tool (for areas of processing across both
domains), selected problem events by highlighting them in an
opaque marquee, and then clicked Apply. The offending event
was now gone with only one caveat: processing over too long an
area (four seconds max.) or too wide in frequency response can
cause unnatural gaps and shifts in the audio.
Spectral Repair will effectively remove most of the classic
problems: chair squeaks, phone rings, and door slams, but spots
of missing audio will require the Replace mode. I found Multiresolution to work best with (oddly?) a fewer number of bands
(choose between 128 and 4,096) and very careful setting of
surrounding region length (the audio from which replacement
audio is pulled) and before/after weighting (i.e., whether the

Product Points
 Eye-friendly, ergonomic interface; effec-

tive removal of a variety of audio issues


 Spectral Repair is very effective, with a

superlative GUI
 Works much better as standalone app

than plug-in
 Spectral Repair can only process four

seconds of audio at a time


 Advanced version is comparably pricey

Score

RX provides capable tools for most common


audio restoration needs; RX Advanced is the feature-packed
version built to fully serve pro users.

www.proaudioreview.com

ideal replacement audio ahead, or behind, the missing area). The


Pattern mode finds the most similar surrounding audio to fill the
gap, ideal for drums or audio with repetitive patterns within it.
Much like Denoiser, Spectral Repair offers an advanced mode for
heavy lifting, tasks that generally exceeded my needs (and
patience). The Partials+Noise mode uses higher-quality interpolation, seeking harmonic content, and then synthesizes the filler
audio. This is for difficult tasks like repairing audio with modulation
and vibrato; naturally, it is much slower and tedious. Interestingly,
I could test for harmonic sensitivity and solo the harmonics.
Summary
Overall, I am quite pleased with iZotopes RX, but RX Advanced is
what pros will really require. Dont get me wrong, RX does a very
good job and is a lot deeper than a review of reasonable length
could ever cover. Its hum and click removal features are ideal
and would have likely cost a lot of money (probably more than a
contemporary DAW) back when I got my start in the late 80s.
Declipper may be a handful in use, but such distortion correction is nearly miraculous and essential to most audio engineers.
However, its the capabilities of Denoiser and especially Spectral
Repair in all their nuanced glory that will delight restoration
experts and devoted novices (the ones with patience and a
desire to learn).

Fast Facts
Applications
Commercial/professional studio; mastering studio; project studio; audio for broadcast; audio
for video; forensic audio; historic audio preservation/restoration
Key Features
Standalone audio software suite with five different processor tools: Declicker, Declipper, Hum
Removal, Denoiser, and Spectral Repair (RX);
Advanced version includes additional parameters, algorithms, MBIT+ dithering and 64-bit
sample rate conversion. OS Compatibility:
Windows (XP, x64, Vista); Mac OS X 10.4 or
later (Universal Binary); Formats: Standalone
application and as plug-ins: Pro Tools 7+
(RTAS/ AudioSuite), VST, MAS, Audio Unit,
DirectX
Price
$349 and $1,149 list (electronic delivery of RX
and RX Advanced, respectively)
Contact
iZotope | support@izotope.com |
www.izotope.com

February 2010 | ProAudioReview

33

studio review

by Randy Poole

Equation F.20 Large-Diaphragm Mic


The F.20 is a versatile, well-built, and affordable LDC that
excels in many applications a winner, deems our reviewer.
A relative newcomer, the Nashville-based manufacturer
Equation Audio has unveiled its latest microphone, the F.20
super-electret, large-diaphragm condenser.
Designed as a multipurpose mic, it is
aimed at a broad range of users, from
seasoned industry professionals to discriminating self-recordists.

diaphragm that measures


0.8 inches (20 mm)
and sports a supercardioid pattern.

Features
The F.20s first example of Equations
promising attention to detail is in its
packaging; it comes in an attractive and
soft, zippered and tweed-covered
clamshell carrying case filled with cut
foam with an included metal pop filter.
[According to the manufacturer, its
unique soft bag style case allows for
great protection without impacting the
total cost, explaining that some hard
cases at the same cost tend to be easily
destroyed, contain cheap foam, and
afford no better protection and are cosmetically attractive until used a few
times. Ed.]
The F.20 has a 16 dB pad and a highpass filter (at 80 Hz). Its switches are
located on the front side of the microphone, distinguished by the Equation
logo. The microphone is internally shockmounted, using a straightforward yoke
design for mounting to a mic stand. For
its head amp, Equation explains that the
F.20 utilizes a completely new design
claiming low noise (80 dB S/N), high
headroom 150 dB max. SPL @ 1 kHz), and
a very broad frequency response
(according to manufacturer-supplied
specs, 20 Hz to 20 kHz with notable 3-5
dB bumps at around 3 kHz to 6 kHz and a
nearly 6 dB peak around 12 kHz). The
transducer is an electret type with a

In Use
First up for the F.20 was
vocals, comparing it to
several vocal mics in its
price range and a few
costing three times as
much. The results with
the F.20 were very nice; in
comparison to the other
mics I auditioned, it had a
smoothness to the frequency response the others
couldnt match, especially on
female vocals. On darkersounding singers, the mic didnt place
quite as high on the list, but I found
that, even when EQd to add some air,
the F.20 still didnt become harshsounding.
Even though the F.20 is a super-cardioid, it possesses a subtle proximity
effect that proved quite useful for our
vocalists and never became overbearing
or muddy. One subtle quality I noticed
during mic comparisons and during mixdown was that the vocals recorded on the
F.20 seemed more focused in the stereo
image, and slightly more forward-sounding than the other models tested. This
phenomenon allowed them to sit in the
mix nicely and still be heard without as
much processing as other mics.
During my long term testing of the

F.20, I found several


more good applications, such as on
acoustic guitar. There,
it sounded very pleasing and full spectrum
without too much low
end, and without the
harshness
that
some condensers
accentuate via pick
noise. With the 16 dB
pad engaged, drum
overheads also sounded good. It was probably
my second favorite of all
my overhead choices,
again showing off its
excellent imaging. The
mics blended well with
the close mics. Close
miking on drums for
pop/rock was my least
favorite application for the
F.20, mainly because I prefer
(or am accustomed to) dynamic
mics on drums. With appropriate
EQ, they still sounded quite good,
though; for different styles of music (say
jazz, for instance), they might be a welcomed choice on drums.
I should note that my favorite app for
the F.20 is on an organ Leslie cabinet. In
the past, I have always preferred dynamic mics on Leslie cabinets, partly because
they pick up less wind noise, squeaks,
etc. With the F.20s pads engaged and the
flanking the top rotor in a stereo pattern
of the Leslie, I was really impressed; it
translated all the richness desired, and
the distortion and overtones came
through during the mix better than with
the dynamic mics I typically use.

Randy Poole is an engineer and mixer based in Nashville.


34

ProAudioReview | February 2010

www.proaudioreview.com

Product Points
 Smooth frequency response with great low end
 Bang for the buck and versatile
 Does not cause ear fatigue
 Comes in two finishes silver or black
Pad and roll-off silkscreen hard to read
May have to unplug XLR connector to rotate
mic due to the yoke

Score A most versatile, smooth-sounding LDC at a


comparatively low price.
Summary
Its clear that Equation Audio aimed for a lot of versatility in the
F.20. They aimed to make an AKG 414-type of microphone, yet
more versatile, more forgiving, and at a lower price point. In
my opinion, they have accomplished that goal. Overall, it has
a velvety smoothness that comes through on vocals, a vari-

mini review

Fast Facts
Applications
Commercial studio, project studio, live sound,
location recording
Key Features
16 dB pad; internal shock mount; super-cardioid pattern; great packaging for travel; pop filter included
Price
$599 MSRP
Contact
Equation Audio | 800-575-4607 |
www.equationaudio.com

ety of instruments, in a variety of positions. It does all this


while creating a solid image in the stereo field that will be
appreciated even more on mix day. At under $600 street, it is
a winner in my book.

by Rob Tavaglione

Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter Two-Channel


Phantom-Powered (Pre) Preamplifier
Its simply about gain the Cloudlifter
($329 list) is a clever and useful solution
that offers a clean 20 dB of gain for three
distinct scenarios:
Your preamp gets noisy at high gain
settings
You have a low output source
such as a ribbon mic that needs a
boost in gain
You wish to minimize the line noise
generated in a long cable run.
Weve all been there: Our first consoles
cheap mic preamps were OK up to around
50 dB; above that and all at once, they
kick in with a drastic increase in noise
and change color in an unpleasant way.
The sturdy little Cloudlifter offers two
channels of gain via JFET circuitry to
avoid this, all in a simple steel chassis
with Neutrik XLR I/O: no switches, no
options. Its only requirement is that you
must provide phantom power (per each

channel). Its limitation is that your transducer must not require phantom, as the
Cloudlifter doesnt pass it.
I tried the Cloudlifter with a Shure SM58
dynamic and an AEA R92 passive ribbon
via two channels of the Millennia Media
HV-3R preamplifier. I received over 25 dB
of gain per channel, and the noise floor
was ever so slightly higher with the
Cloudlifter in direct comparison to getting
all the gain from the HV-3R. Next, substituting the Millennia preamp for a
PreSonus Digimax preamp wide at
open at +60 dB for a voiceover the
same ribbon mic used much less gain
with the Cloudlifter, which resulted in a
considerable drop in noise floor.
I think the Cloudlifter could be especially useful for broadcast work where long
cable runs with intruding EMF/RFI could
use a little boost upfront. I used the
Cloudlifter on a recent arena PA announc-

er job where (unfortunately) a switched


desktop mic caused pops (with each
short off), but line noise was noticeably
dwarfed by cleaner signal; even the overall tonal balance seemed smoother and
less peaky.
I highly recommend the Cloudlifter for
its concept, proper design, and the simple
solution it provides for common pro audio
problems. It is ideal as an aid for those
with passive ribbons and sub-par preamps, and it will excel in broadcast and
general studio applications, maybe even
in ways I havent thought of yet.
Contact: Cloud Microphones | 888-321MICS | www.cloudmicrophones.com

Rob Tavaglione owns and operates Catalyst Recording in Charlotte NC. www.catalystrecording.com
www.proaudioreview.com

February 2010 | ProAudioReview

35

new live products


Yamaha M7CL-48ES Digital System
The latest addition to the M7CL digital console product line, the M7CL-48ES features the SB168-ES remote stage box as its main I/O interface, connecting via a
single Cat-5 cable. The new console includes a built-in EtherSound interface with
a third port for PC control and monitoring, eight Omni Ins (Mic/Line), eight Omni
Outs, and three MY card slots. The M7CL-48ES supports up to three SB168-ES
stage boxes and, like the M7CL-48, can mix up to 48 mono plus four stereo
inputs to 16 Mix Busses, eight Matrix Outs, Stereo and Mono Outputs.
The new Stage Box Quick Setup feature provides plug-and-play connection of
up to three SB168-ES units. With the built-in EtherSound interface, the M7CL48ES gains all the benefits of a digital network infrastructure, while allowing the
card slots to be used for other purposes, such as personal monitoring systems
and recording outputs.
Pric e: $21,499
C ontac t: Yamaha Commercial Audio | www.yamahaca.com

Waves Audio WSG-Y16 I/O Card


Waves Audio has unveiled its WSG-Y16 mini-YGDAI SoundGrid I/O card for Yamaha
mixing consoles. Together with a Waves SoundGrid Server (SGS), a Control PC, and
an authorized iLok with SoundGrid-compatible Waves plug-ins, the WSG-Y16
enables Yamaha consoles to process 16 channels of audio with Waves plug-ins.
Users connect a SoundGrid-compatible PC to the mixing console, route a channel
to a WSG-Y16 channel, and then process the channel signal with Waves plug-ins
on the SoundGrid server. Additionally, the WSG-Y16 supports MIDI input, for remote
plug-in control directly from the console or external control surface.
Waves Audio SoundGrid technology reportedly gives users the ability to run
large numbers of Waves audio processors with low latency, using standard PCs
via Ethernet. With the introduction of the WSG-Y16 card for Yamaha consoles,
Waves brings the networking and processing capabilities of SoundGrid functionality to the live-sound realm.
 Video online at www.ProAudioReview.com
Pric e: $800 (including MultiRack SG)
C ontac t: Waves | www.waveslive.com

Electro-Voice ZXA1 Loudspeaker


Electro-Voice has added to its ZX loudspeaker family with the ZXA1, the selfpowered version of the ZX1 compact, two-way speaker. The ZXA1 is powered by
an 800-watt amplifier module, which is derived from the companys Tour Grade
series.
The ZXA1s lightweight, molded enclosure features a biamplified design with
transducer protection, an 8-inch, high-output LF transducer, a DH2005 1-inch
exit true-compression driver, and a 90 x 50-degree coverage pattern.
Pric e: $599 list
C ontac t: Electro-Voice | www.electrovoice.com

36

ProAudioReview | February 2010

www.proaudioreview.com

Shure PSM 900 Personal Monitor


Shure Incorporated has debuted its PSM 900 wireless personal monitor system.
At the heart of the system are an all-metal, ultra-thin wireless bodypack receiver (P9R) and a half-rack single wireless transmitter (P9T). The PSM 900 also
will be available with Shures SE425 Sound Isolating earphones.
The PSM 900 also features the companys patented Audio Reference
Companding a process for compressing audio signals prior to transmission
and advanced digital stereo encoding. In addition, it offers the same frontend filter as Shures UHF-R wireless system, as well as Active RF gain control
that is said to automatically reduce receiver sensitivity when an overload of RF
signal is detected.
 Video online at www.ProAudioReview.com
Pric e: TBA
Stay tuned to PAR for a full review of the PSM 900.
C ontac t: Shure Incorporated | www.shure.com

Mackie HD Series Subwoofers


Mackie has introduced its HD Series powered subwoofers, companions to the
companys full-range HD Series loudspeakers launched last year. The HD1501
(pictured) and HD1801 subs offer Class-D Fast-Recovery amplifier technology,
delivering up to 1,600W of peak power.
With custom transducer design and system tuning by EAW, the HD1501 and
HD1801 benefit from 15- and 18-inch woofers, respectively. The HD1801 can be
used with either the HD1521 or HD1531; and the HD1501 is designed for systems using SRM450v2 active loudspeakers (or SRM350v2s).
 Video online at www.ProAudioReview.com
Pric e: $1,099 and $1,249 list (HD1501 and HD1801, respectively)
C ontac t: Mackie | www.mackie.com

opinion worship audio by Dan Wothke


Digital Mixing:
Why Youre Still Not Ready
One factoid regarding technology that I witness time and time again
is some will let technology drive vision. Just because there are
newer/faster/better tools on the market does not make a need to
upgrade to them.
Digital mixers are at or near the top of that
list for some HOWs. Before jumping into
the binary pool, there are some important
factors to consider.
Obvious Elements
Financial cost is obviously at the forefront. The analog market, although
shrunken a bit since the turn of the century, is still the more viable market
when talking bottom line. I have experienced my share of the smaller-format
digital mixers and yes, most work, but
fall short when compared to their analog
financial counterpart. Having a new digital board may also present the challenge
of proper cabling and patch bays. The
infrastructure required for a new system may not be compatible with the current infrastructure in the HOW.
Compatible cabling and patch bays could
easily take a large chunk out of the
budget and should be carefully considered in the planning stages.
Forward Thinking
As with all major upgrades, be sure to
plan and dream with a view of three to
five years down the road. For example, if
migrating to a digital board, why not take
the plunge into in-ear monitoring (IEM)
systems and get a board with built-in
capability for an Aviom (or comparable)
headphone system? Of course, this then
requires the necessary cabling between

FOH and the IEM brain, which adds to the


expense.
If that is not on the immediate budget,
it would be wise to get something with
these capabilities, as the ability for
future expansion is a clear benefit of
going digital. Having the ability to add
additional faders to a smaller system as
the HOW grows or the ability to record
digitally direct from the board may also
be on the list. If you end up purchasing
something that is limited to just barely
cutting it in your current scenario, you
very well could end up worse off than
with a larger analog board.
Cost of Ownership
The cost of ownership is probably the
biggest misconception and most overlooked element when considering the
jump to digital. If the dollars and infrastructure are in place, the hardest cost to
evaluate is the cost of ownership. How
difficult is this for volunteers to navigate? and will my phone ring on offhours because someone unfamiliar with
a digital board is trying to route audio as
well as repair and maintenance questions are just a few of the cost-of-ownership concerns that should be considered
before making the digital move.
Volunteers are probably at the top of a
cost-of-ownership list. It is one thing to
show a volunteer how to successfully
navigate an analog board where every

knob is locked into one function. Add in


menus and pages with a multi-function
knob, and the number of possibilities for
error and confusion greatly increases. On
the other side of that coin, digital does
offer presets; with a push of a few buttons, the board is set. However, throw in
one last-minute change, and the volunteer could be put in a tough position.
The Case for
Analog HOW Mixing
Analog technology has been proven time
and time again, and at its core there
is really nothing new. This makes for
more options when requiring repairs. It
takes me back to the days when I could
actually work on my own car without
needing a USB port and computerized
diagnostic equipment. Gone are the days
for the engineer who likes to dig under the
hood of the audio board and tinker with
repairs once the switch to digital is complete. Firmware upgrades and logic board
replacements could quickly become the
norm when it comes to repairs.
Analog boards continue to develop and
grow by adding improved features such as
effective compression within each module, as with the Yamaha IM8 series. This
particular analog board has even added a
USB interface to make for easy recording;
competing products have added similar
features USB and/or FireWire, even
built-in digital effects, plus more.
The jump into digital can be an exciting
and worthwhile transition, but only if all
of the factors involved are considered
and measured. If you dont look carefully
before you leap, you might end up in the
shallow end of the binary pool.

Dan Wothke is the media director for Belmont Church in Nashville. He welcomes your comments at dwothke@yahoo.com.
38

ProAudioReview | February 2010

www.proaudioreview.com

live review

by Will James

MIPRO MA-909 Professional


Wireless Mixer/Remote Speaker Link
The MA-909 is flexible beyond its original intended use, enabling
ideal pro-grade wireless sound reinforcement for festival/outdoor use.

Several years ago, I told the readers of Pro Audio Review about MIPRO
wireless microphones, and how their Taiwanese manufacturer (Taiwans
largest manufacturer of wireless mic and portable PA systems) simply
astounded me with the value and quality of its products.
Now, Avlex, MIPROs U.S. distributor, has
introduced me to a system whereby we
can easily take pre-mixed signal and transmit it to an unlimited number of remote
speaker systems. Meet the MIPRO MA-909
wireless mixer/remote speaker link.
Features
The MIPRO MA-909 UHF wireless mix system was originally devised for a simple
application: mixing a couple of wireless
mics and a CD or cassette player, then
sending those sources to remote speakers wirelessly. Upon discussion of potential new uses for the MA-909 with Avlex,
those of us at Atlantis Audio decided to
take this process one step further: sending pre-mixed concert signal to delay
speakers for festival gigs.
When doing audio for large-scale out-

door shows, running miles of mic and


speaker cable. Sending the signal via
wireless means the elimination of several
potentially disastrous or even hazardous
situations: trip hazards, wires subject to
disconnection, ground loops (because of
separate power sources), and damage to
wires by foot and vehicle traffic.
Used as a wireless mix system, MIPROs
MA-909 is a system comprised of several
components. The actual MA-909 is the
mixer module that contains optional two
wireless mic modules (the MRM-70 wireless diversity receiver module), one frequency agile wireless transmitter (the MT90 transmitter module). It features two
XLR/TRS inputs; and two, left and right,
RCA outputs, for balanced and unbalanced operation. In addition, there is an
optional USB port-equipped CD player

(CDM-2); paddle antenna system, and


interlinking cables. The frequency-agile
RF output (MT-90 wireless interlinking
transmitter) links via cable to an outboard
RF amplifier/splitter (the AD-90S) and the
paddles then transmit the wireless signal
to the speaker-located receivers. You can
have as many receivers (MR-90 wireless
interlinking receiver units) as you want on
one frequency, allowing for simultaneous
broadcast to as many receiving stations
located at as many speaker systems
as you want. The in-board transmitter
as well as the interlinking remote
receivers works with up to 16 UHF
channels. The remote receiver can be
powered via either battery or AC current.
In Use
We recently provided audio, lighting,
stage, and concert roof for a Loverboy/.38
Special concert in a baseball stadium. The
crowds are mobile at this particular location and wander to various vendors that
surround the outfield walls. For that reason, we needed to provide the crowd with
sound where the main system wouldnt
reach. Our main system was an eight-perside A-Line Acoustics AL10 line array that
offered excellent coverage to the 6,000
people around the baselines (with the
stage located at centerfield, facing home
plate). We also employed eight per side ALine boxes at the two foul ball poles facing
straight down the front row seat walls,
thus covering the stands as well as directly into the vendor areas on the walls. At
the console, a Midas Legend 3000, we
sent signal from Matrix One to the input of
a MIPRO MA-909 XLR input, inserting EQ on
the output (mono mix to both out fills) of

Will James, chief owner of Atlantis Audio and Lighting, is a longstanding PAR contributor. www.atlantisaudio.com
40

ProAudioReview | February 2010

www.proaudioreview.com

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February 2010 | ProAudioReview

41

the matrix master. At the out-fill speakers, we had a wireless


MRM-70 receiver. It took a few seconds to tune the MT-90 transmitter to the two receivers and then attach the RF amplifier and
the antenna paddles. We placed the antenna paddle on the spot
towers, located directly behind the FOH mix position, thus giving
line-of-sight height to the two receivers. We initially batterypacked the two out-fill receivers.
When we first applied mixed signal from the console (via iPod
on setup day), we found the signal to be too hot for the input of
the MA-909 mixer. It took a few minutes, but we were able to
adjust the output gain from the console to match the input gain to
the MA-909. (We called MIPRO and suggested an Input Sensitivity
adjustment to the mixer, and they were agreeable to that.) On the
other end, at the out-fill speakers, we employed a pair of small
Soundcraft mixers, one at each receiver, and used them as gain
stages, since the level was too low from the Midas/MA-909 combo.
We had no discernable loss of bandwidth with this process. On
show day, the resulting audio quality was excellent.
We repeated the process again on an outdoor show with
Emerson Drive where we provided identical production, except
no out fills. We employed the MIPRO MA-909 system as the actual driveline for one side of the main system, enabling us to compare the RF-driven side of the system with the direct-cable-driven side of the system. We heard no discernable differences in
the left (RF-driven) and right (direct-cable) sides. I should also
mention that the RF path was exceedingly clean with no hits or
dropouts. Signal was perfectly maintained through soundcheck
and show.

Applications
Touring and theater live sound; allows remote
speakers to be driven with wireless signal.
Key Features
Key Features: Can mix up to two RF mics and
one CD/cassette, or outboard signal, combined
into onboard mixer, then transmitted wirelessly
to speakers.
Price
Starting at $2,035 MSRP for a basic system
transmitting to two remote speakers
Contact
Avlex (MIPRO U.S. distributor) | 877-447-9216 |
www.avlex.com

Summary
This MA-909 system is a bevy of parts and modules that, when
properly assembled, can yield a great solution. Our only suggestion was the addition of variable Input Sensitivity, and it was well
received.
In our use, the MA-909 performed admirably with a very clean
RF path. I highly recommend giving this system a try if you have
the need or desire to wirelessly remote your speakers.

Studio Sense

Universal Audio UAD 2

(continued from page 18)

(continued from page 30)

Misconceptions, Tips, and


Motivations To Seek Advice
Colleran is quick to point out some standard misconceptions
among audio professionals when it comes to acoustic treatment
materials and techniques. The most common?
That foam blocks sound, because it doesnt. Its porous.
Sometimes people think that the shapes [of acoustic panels] are
particularly important. Theyre not quite as relevant as people
think they are (or want to make them). Also, putting a lot of absorption in the corners of a room does not serve as a bass trap; its a
broadband trap, and its going to absorb everything.
Colleran continues. Heres a tip: You can reduce reverb time
(RT) by putting any absorption in the room, in any position; its not
directional, and it just being in the room takes the RT down. Also, a
hanging panel will absorb on both sides, cutting RT.
Noting that his thoughts here only scratch the surface, Colleran
unintentionally assures us of one more fact regarding acoustic
treatment techniques: that good consultation from a knowledgeable professional is truly valuable, indeed.

42

Fast Facts

ProAudioReview | February 2010

on drums; and the EMT 250 is a killer all-around reverb.


If you use Pro Tools LE or M-Powered, you are probably
painfully aware of the latency issues involved. For that, UA
includes the Mellowmuse ATA plug-in. While using
Mellowmuse adds an extra step to your workflow, it makes
it possible to flawlessly use the UA plug-ins in a Pro Tools
session: simply insert it on the master fader and let it ping
each audio track.
Summary
At $499 street, the UA plug-ins provide a smooth, rich, analog sound quality largely believed to be unattainable on a
computer (much less on a laptop) just a few years ago.
Regardless of your DAW platform of choice, the UAD-2
SOLO/Laptop is the easiest and most affordable way to
transform your laptop into a serious audio workstation.
Pric e: $649 list
C ontac t: Universal Audio |
877-MY-UAUDIO | www.uaudio.com

www.proaudioreview.com

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