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February 2016
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
How binaural is bringing
an intimate theatre
experience like no other to
the Barbican p20
FEATURE
REVIEW
INTERVIEW
In conversation with
composer John Lunn p42
01/02/2016 17:41
In creating the X Series, we brought all of the experience gained in designing the K2 to bear on a new series of reference coaxials.
Optimized design, ergonomics, acoustical performance and weight make the X Series the most advanced coaxials on the market. Four
distinct enclosures with format, bandwidth, SPL and coverage angles perfectly adapted to short throw rental or install applications, the
X Series offers studio monitor sound quality, compact design, consistent tonal balance, no minimum listening distance and exceptional
feedback rejection. www.l-acoustics.com
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WELCOME
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EDITOR
Adam Savage
asavage@nbmedia.com
FORWARD THINKING
MANAGING EDITOR
Jo Ruddock
jruddock@nbmedia.com
STAFF WRITER
Colby Ramsey
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ADVERTISING MANAGER
Ryan ODonnell
rodonnell@nbmedia.com
ACCOUNT MANAGER
Rian Zoll-Khan
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HEAD OF DESIGN
Jat Garcha
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DESIGNER
Tom Carpenter
tcarpenter@nbmedia.com
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Warren Kelly
wkelly@nbmedia.com
CONTENT DIRECTOR
James McKeown
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Press releases to:
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NewBay Media 2016.
No part of this publication may be
reproduced in any form or by any
means without prior permission of
the copyright owners.
Audio Media International is published
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House, 18-26 Essex Road, London
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Gareth Fry
is an Olivier Awardwinning sound
designer who has
collaborated with
some of the UKs
leading theatre
directors, and
designed the sound effects for the Opening
Ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games.
John Lunn
is a Scottish composer
known for his
soundtrack work for TV
shows such as Downton
Abbey, Shetland and
The Last Kingdom.
Dean McCarthy
is an audio engineer
and degree programme
leader in audio
production and music
business at the SAE
Institute in Oxford.
Garry Taylor
is audio director
at Sony Computer
Entertainment Europe,
co-founder of Sony
Worldwide Studios
Audio Standards
Working Group, and
is speaking about Audio Mastering for
Interactive Entertainment at this years Game
Developers Conference (GDC) in March.
Adam Savage
Editor
Audio Media International
February 2016
01/02/2016 16:38
CONTENTS
42
PRODUCT NEWS
PEOPLE
12
OPINION
Sonys Garry Taylor on why the Playstation 4
Mastering Suite is good news for both gamers
and developers
14
42
INTERVIEW
TV composer John Lunn talks Downton Abbey,
the analogue versus digital debate and more
FEATURES
16
LOUDNESS:
Kevin Hilton looks at the loudness environment
across radio and cinema, as well as television
20
LIVE PROFILE:
Adam Savage chats to Gareth Fry about a new
theatre show where sound takes centre stage
24
STUDIO PROFILE:
Celebrating three decades of Production
Consultants in Missouri
ALSO INSIDE
8
SHOW PREVIEWS
ISE 2016
10
BVE 2016
www.audiomediainternational.com
16
24
TECHNOLOGY
26
HOW TO
Warehouse Sounds Simon Meadows advises on
setting up and getting the best out of a line
array system
28
32
REVIEWS
32
34
36
38
40
February 2016
01/02/2016 17:53
The LEO Family is the right choice for providing the best quality sound to our clients and their audiences.
The Meyer Sound brand is the perfect match for Wigwam Acoustics, in terms of its reputation for quality.
Chris Hill, Co-founder and Spencer Beard, Managing Director, Wigwam Acoustics
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PRODUCT NEWS
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February 2016
01/02/2016 12:30
PRODUCT NEWS
5 8. 4. 2016
prolight-sound.com
February 2016
01/02/2016 12:30
www.audiomediainternational.com
Information
The annual AV extravaganza returns to Amsterdam with a renewed focus on sound equipment.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
on the Showfloor
Powersoft will once again partner up
with its Dutch distributor TM Audio, part
of the Ampco Flashlight Group.
The amp maker is set to adopt a
white, building block Tetris-style booth
theme designed to subliminally focus
integrator attention on the importance
of interoperability and functionality
between systems.
This eye catching stand has been
set up to differentiate us from the
competition and demonstrate how
Powersoft amps suit any application,
said the firms brand and communication
director Francesco Fanicchi.
ISE 2016 will also be the place to
see the latest loudspeaker technology.
Community Professional is
introducing five new Compact speakers,
which are designed to match the
performance, appearance and voicing
of the larger I Series point source and
subwoofer models.
February 2016
01/02/2016 15:02
powersoft-audio.com
26/01/2016
16:28:54
26/01/16
10:42
www.audiomediainternational.com
BLURRING BOUNDARIES
BVE is broadening its horizons this year with a new focus on the live and pro-AV sectors,
making it perhaps the most diverse show to date.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
On the Showfloor
HHB Communications will debut the
compact Avid Pro Tools Dock, a EUCON
control surface that works with iPad and
Avids free iOS app, Pro Tools Control.
At the show, HHB will pair the Dock with
the 16-fader Pro Tools S3 control surface
to demonstrate mixing workflows.
Based on the Master Touch Module of
the Pro Tools S6 control surface, Pro
Tools Dock adds to the touchscreen
capabilities of the iPad with a single
fader, assignable knobs, switches,
jog shuttle wheel, a full transport
section, automation mode switches,
programmable soft keys and more.
Also on the HHB stand, NTP
Technology will introduce major
enhancements to its DAD AX32 ultrahigh-quality audio converter, router and
monitor controller. At the show, NTP will
demonstrate the AX32 on its own as well
as how it integrates with the Avid S6
control surface to provide an extremely
flexible platform for audio post-
Information
February 2016
01/02/2016 16:11
VISIT
US AT
Discover
the story
of the Oracle
sennheiser.com/avx
BVE
LONDON
Stand B-07
01/02/2016 11:50:17
OPINION
www.audiomediainternational.com
Garry Taylor, audio director at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, explains why he believes the new Playstation 4
Mastering Suite is good news for both gamers and developers.
GARRY TAYLOR
The objective
We needed to give game audio
developers the ability to modify
dynamic range, equalisation, limiting
and gain of their finished mix, and to
hit SCEs average loudness standard
for PlayStation 4 of -24LKFS, easily.
We also needed this functionality to
be available to all game developers,
regardless of whether theyre big triple
A studios or small indie developers,
and we needed the mastering suite to
have no impact on the performance
of the title.
The Mastering Suite weve
introduced to the PlayStation 4
consists of a four-band parametric
equaliser, a three-band dynamics
processor, a gain stage and a limiter,
as well as loudness metering and
spectral analysis. It runs independently
of the games audio engine, meaning
it works on all titles, and it runs on the
system core of the CPU, separate from
the cores running the game, meaning
that it doesnt affect the performance
of the title.
We also created a tool called Sulpha,
part of the PlayStation 4 Software
Development Kit (SDK) which, as well as
giving developers audio system analysis
tools, allows them to create presets for
the Mastering Suite. It connects to the
Game changer
A game called SOMA, a sci-fi horror
title developed by Frictional Games,
was the first game to be released on
PS4 that utilised the Mastering Suite.
It solved this problem in a simple and
quite obvious way. The first time its
run, it asks the player to adjust the
gamma settings to suit the players
screen, as many games do. It also asked
the player on what type of system
they were listening to the game, and
gave options such as home cinema,
small TV, headphones etc. Presets
for these options were then loaded by
the Mastering Suite to suit the speaker
system. The choice takes the player a
couple of seconds and is not intrusive.
A final audio mastering process
February 2016
01/02/2016 12:35
technology finance
Email pbtf@pbtf.co.uk
www.pbtf.co.uk
Paragon Bank Technology Finance Limited. Registered office: 51 Homer Road, Solihull, West Midlands, B91 3QJ. Registered in England, number 01639510.
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01/02/2016
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17:07
OPINION
www.audiomediainternational.com
DEAN MCCARTHY
Carving a niche
Examples of these experiments and
bespoke instruments are increasingly
finding their way onto the main stage, with
a growing demand for artists to include
interesting performance elements.
Projects like Imogen Heap and her Mi.Mu
gloves, Beardymans Beardytron 5000
and Tim Exiles Flow Machine all allow live
interaction, keeping audience members
fascinated by not just the sounds but also
the way they are being produced.
These events contribute to a
growing scene complemented by the
emergence of more local hackspaces and
a progressive startup culture pushing
innovation and disruption. There is an
increased emphasis on diversity and
outreach, especially towards women and
Find a hackspace
The hack community is growing fast and
there are hackspaces springing up across
the world. Some are open to all kinds of
hacks and some are more focused on
music, such as the Music Hackspace
in London. UK folks should check out
the UK Hackspace Foundation for
more information.
Make a Pure Data patch
Pure Data is a free, community-driven
Dean McCarthy
is an audio engineer and degree
programme leader in audio
production and music business at
the SAE Institute in Oxford.
February 2016
01/02/2016 15:07
4/21/2015 9:58:08 AM
FEATURE: LOUDNESS
RT
L
lou
to a
chan
THINKING
OUT LOUD
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Loudness monitoring and control is becoming established in television but there are still challenges in radio and
cinema. Kevin Hilton rounds up the latest developments and opinions.
Television
There has been some form of loudness
control available to broadcasters
for at least 30 years. The 1990s saw
more awareness of the problem but
standardisation and widespread
implementation of loudness monitoring,
metering and control did not come in
until the 2000s.
The ITU issued its BS 1770 in 2006,
with the lead followed by regional and
national bodies, including the EBU
PLOUD group with R128 in 2010 and the
ATSC in the US, whose A/85 is backed
by law in the form of the 2010 CALM
(Commercial Advertisement Loudness
February 2016
01/02/2016 12:39
www.audiomediainternational.com
RTWs Continuous
Loudness Control
plug-in allows
loudness correction
to a definable target
with or without
changing the original
Loudness Range
////////////////////////////
Peak; 3342: Loudness Range (LRA)
features a tighter means of calculating
LRA to bring more consistency over
different meters; while 3343: Guidelines
for Production has been substantially
rewritten to reflect practical experience
of using R128 and includes a new
Reference Listening Level. Tech Doc
3344: Guidelines for Distribution and
Reproduction is set for an update in the
foreseeable future.
Camerer comments that the
consistency of loudness control is
generally very good but that each
broadcaster has the responsibility
to keep a weary eye on the situation
and not let it get sloppy. He adds that
loudness levelling is becoming more
the norm and almost taken for granted,
as was peak levelling because it was
something that just happened. There
are still countries, and of course areas
like radio, where it is not as developed
FEATURE: LOUDNESS
Peter Prs, Junger Audio
Radio
While the audio-only medium is not
completely unaware of the implications
of loudness and its various standards,
it is still in the early stages of coming
to terms with it all. The first country to
embrace R128 for radio was Norway.
In February 2012 the three DAB digital
radio operators, public broadcaster
NRK and commercial counterparts P4
group and SBS agreed to monitor and
report their own and each others output
for loudness compliance.
Because those involved concluded
that radio content is very different from
that of TV they set an average target
of -15 LUFS instead of -23. Camerer
commented at the time that he hoped
the Norwegian radio broadcasters
would settle on -23 when the country
switched off its FM transmitters and
moved fully to DAB+ in 2017. While
Swedish broadcasters have carried out
loudness tests for radio Germany is now
moving the issue on.
February 2016
17
01/02/2016 12:39
FEATURE: LOUDNESS
Tim Carroll, Linear Acoustic
Cinema
Back in the 1990s and into the 2000s
there were concerns about the high
playback levels of films. That situation
appears to have changed but the wide
February 2016
01/02/2016 12:39
01/02/2016 11:40:32
LIVE PROFILE
TURNING
HEADS
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Adam Savage speaks to sound designer Gareth Fry about his use of binaural technology to create an intimate stage
show of the kind even hardened theatregoers will never have experienced before.
February 2016
01/02/2016 17:32
12/16/2015 9:45:00 AM
LIVE PROFILE
it. And even though there are many
more up-to-date ways of immersing the
audience in sound, Fry is glad they went
with this method.
Its a way of replicating the human
hearing system, so if you were to record
something binaurally and listen to it
back over headphones its exactly like
you being there and its better than any
other technology, including surround
sound, at recording a space, he says. Its
a great technology for telling stories
and taking you to unusual places like
the Amazon rainforest and it places
you, as the audience, on stage with the
performer. It creates this wonderful
sense of intimacy.
Its also the first time that Fry has
properly utilised binaural sound for a
theatre show, and although there have
been others that have experimented
with it in this field, he isnt aware of
anyone going about it quite in this way.
Theres another theatre director
called David Rosenberg whos been
doing it for a few shows over the past
ten years or so and hes explored the
use of recorded binaural sound a lot, he
notes. Weve got a mix of recorded and
live binaural sound and I think the live
part is quite unusual Ive not heard of
anyone whos done that before.
Gareths Gear
As for the choice of equipment, there
are Sennheiser G3 Series wireless
systems, Countryman headset mics,
the all-important Neumann KU100
binaural microphone, a range of Macs
running QLab and Ableton Live for the
playback and looping, two Yamaha QL1
mixing desks one for each operator a
Yamaha DME24 processor and last
but not least Sennheiser HP 02-100
headphones for the audience.
Weve custom designed this
headphone infrastructure because
everybodys wearing wired headphones
and its quite a big thing to install the
cabling infrastructure for 600 pairs of
headphones, so that involved quite a
lot of work to make a system that can
do weekly touring and still [allow us to]
install several kilometres of cable each
week underneath auditorium seating
that was never designed for this,
Fry explained.
February 2016
01/02/2016 17:32
F1_evo_AMI_fullpage.pdf
06/07/2015
16:12
CM
MY
CY
CMY
02/12/2015 15:02:28
STUDIO PROFILE
MIDWEST
MAGIC
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
A small, albeit armed-to-the-teeth recording studio in St. Louis, Missouri celebrates its
30th birthday this year, and its owner has quite a story to tell, as Colby Ramsey found out.
Fair Play
It was after Schulenburg invested in
a Fairlight Prodigy system that his
work really started to gain momentum
however. He explains: Thats pretty
much when my room here turned into a
real first-class professional
production facility.
I was essentially just a freelancer
Keeping Busy
These days, aside from his more recent
voiceover projects and radio campaigns
for a number of CBS sitcoms,
Schulenburg teaches Audio Aesthetics
at Webster University, and also sits
on the Midwest regional board of the
Screen Actors Guild and is chairman of
the St. Louis section of the AES.
The jobs now tend to be more last
minute, he explains. I love listening to
the old stuff, I love preserving it and I
love inspiring students with it.
For an industry veteran with such
a well-armed studio, maintaining a
competitive edge has not necessarily
always been paramount for
Schulenburg, and he admits that right
now it is just about staying satisfied in
his audio life.
As an owner of the business I dont
have to conform to anyone elses ideas
of success, he concludes. To this day,
Ive never really had a plan you never
know what the clients are going to bring
you yet I could never just retire, it
would be very difficult for me to hand
this great space over to someone else.
The company isnt structured so
that someone can take over its pretty
much just me until I decide to stop.
www.productionconsultants.com
February 2016
01/02/2016 16:03
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8/21/2015 10:06:01 AM
TECHNOLOGY: HOW TO
www.audiomediainternational.com
To the point
Once the engineer has finished their
setup we can start to use the line arrays
as if they were point sources mixing
and equalising across the system as a
whole and treating it as if it were just
a set of speakers on stands, resulting
in a more consistent sound and better
listening experience for the audience as
a whole. While the sound checks and the
performance are in process, the system
engineer should continue to monitor the
line arrays to provide us with feedback
on how it is performing.
26
Simon Meadows
The job the system engineer does in
trying to achieve the most even coverage
of an audience is a very skilled one. A
good system engineer will have a wealth
of experience and the calculation tools to
do the job well. Many system engineers
will also have had training from various
speaker system manufacturers in
exactly how to properly set up their line
array systems. We need to understand
that we are all trying to achieve the best
result and allow them time to give us the
best system setup they can.
On smaller performances, sometimes
we have to be the mix engineer and the
system engineer. The process should
still stay the same. First, set up the line
arrays and optimise them. Then start to
use them as a system. Dont try to make
changes to the line array elements once
the sound checks have started.
If we can try not to be intimidated
by the complexities of how a line array
should be set up, and just treat them as
bigger versions of normal point source
speakers we can usually end up with
a better sounding system. And, more
importantly, by not worrying about
changing and tweaking the line array
elements we can have an easier and more
relaxed time mixing the performance.
Simon Meadows
is technical manager for The
Warehouse Sound, Scotlands
largest pro-audio company, offering
solutions for national broadcasters,
touring firms, theatres and more.
February 2016
01/02/2016 17:39
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
LOUDSPEAKER TECHNOLOGY
BOXING CLEVER
As competition remains intense within the sound market and as production companies become more and more
demanding, loudspeaker manufacturers are increasingly expected to provide a renewed focus not just on the
quality of the products, but on the extended features, customer service and support that come part and parcel.
Funktion-One
Evolution Series
Since the Evolution Series was launched,
Funktion-One has reported huge demand
from around the world. The range boasts
two dispersion options the Evo 6E with
50 and the Evo 7E (pictured) with 40
horizontal dispersion.
Both products are fully horn-loaded
with 15in mid-bass, 10in FunktionOne signature midrange and a 1.4in
compression driver solely for high
frequencies above 4kHz. The range boasts
skeletal options, as well as grouped
configurations such as two-wide and
three-wide.
The applications they have been
specified for are wide-ranging, covering
live, touring, nightclubs, theatres and
sports stadiums.
Then there are the festivals and
events: Burning Man, Notting Hill Carnival,
Space Ibiza Opening and Closing Fiestas,
The Hydra, Secret Garden Party and Boom
Festival have all been successful outings
for the Evolution Series.
Meyer Sound
IntelligentDC
Technology
www.funktion-one.com
28
February 2016
01/02/2016 17:28
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
www.audiomediainternational.com
LOUDSPEAKER TECHNOLOGY
L-Acoustics
The beauty of ARCS II and
ARCS WiFo is what-you-see-iswhat-you-get, notes Stphane
Ecalle, L-Acoustics director of
marketing. The directivity of
the boxes perfectly matches the
box shape so its basically point
and shoot.
We are fortunate to have a
very optimised product line-up
with one line of speakers to
address short-, medium- and
long-throw applications. Our
sales are spread out over each of
these segments, reflecting our
ability to address the needs of
the end-users.
ARCS II
The ARCS II constant curvature line source is optimised for medium-throw
applications. With K1-grade drivers in a two-way active enclosure, ARCS II
delivers high SPL, native low-frequency performance and constant tonal
balance over distance.
ARCS II permits ease of use, with its constant curvature design
particularly recommended for indoor L/C/R applications, medium-sized
outdoor festivals or as a fill complement to large K systems.
In the enclosure coupling plane, the razor-sharp SPL off-axis rejection
is used to avoid reflecting surfaces. In the perpendicular plane, the smooth
SPL roll off and asymmetric directivity of ARCS II can be used to maximise
stereo imaging and adjust accordingly to the audience geometry.
ARCS Wide and Focus (WiFo) brings the sonic qualities of L-Acoustics
Wavefront Sculpture Technology line sources into a compact, constant
curvature enclosure, optimal for medium-throw applications. ARCS WiFo
is the workhorse of sound providers, going from single enclosure fill all the
way up to 360 in-the-round coverage.
ARCS WiFo combines high SPL, native low frequency performance and
constant tonal balance over distance.
www.l-acoustics.com
Electro-Voice
EKX Series
The EKX series is the
newest member of the
Electro-Voice portable
loudspeaker family,
combining legendary
sound quality and
reliability with the latest technology all in a
The loudspeakers
lightweight, compact package suitable for a wide
QuickSmartDSP digital signal
range of sound reinforcement scenarios,
processing control allows userincluding musicians, DJs and live/club/installed
friendly single-knob control and
sound applications.
application presets for easy
The EKX series, positioned above the ZLX and
set-up. As a result, users can
ELX series and below the ETX series, features
fit the sound solution to their
eight models (four powered and four passive),
respective needs in no time,
including 12in and 15in two-way models and 15in states Markus Schmittinger,
and 18in subwoofers.
product marketing managerMarkus Schmittinger, product marketing
portable speakers at Bosch
manager-portable speakers at Bosch
Communication Systems.
Communication Systems, says that EV-exclusive
features ensure the EKX provides best-in-class performance and versatility, including EV-engineered
speaker and amplifier components for superior sound quality and reliability as well as on-board signal
processing with user-friendly single-knob control and application presets for easy set-up.
Tannoy
QFlex
www.electrovoice.com
February 2016
29
01/02/2016 17:28
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
LOUDSPEAKER TECHNOLOGY
Ecler (Audiologic)
ARQIS
XPRS Series
www.pioneerproaudio.com
www.audiologic.uk
Dynacord
Vertical Array Series
The Dynacord TS 400 and Vertical Array series is a
compact and versatile loudspeaker system for mobile
applications and fixed installations, and can be used
either full-range or in active two-way systems for
applications requiring subwoofers.
The TS 400 with its vertical pattern control was
designed to provide smooth coverage over a very
wide bandwidth by using spaced and filtered woofers
as array elements.
The TS 400s 2.5-way design places elements at
both ends of the speaker column to maximise the
distance between them, ensuring that greater control
over the low frequency range is retained. The MF and
HF elements are placed in the middle of the column
for a smooth transition between the different
frequency areas and to achieve further control over
the radiation pattern.
www.dynacord.com
30
February 2016
01/02/2016 17:28
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19/01/2016 10:04:03
12.01.16 16:45
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW
Key Features
Promising power and processing tools to satisfy even the fussiest of engineers,
A&H dLive is designed to pick up where the much-loved iLive left off, which is no
easy feat. Alistair McGhee takes it for a spin.
February 2016
01/02/2016 12:42
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW
www.audiomediainternational.com
Touch and Go
The touchscreens on the dLive are
seriously nice bits of kit dimmable
for you theatre guys, and daylight
bright. They respond beautifully to
the touch and with pinch zoom and
swiping options they are intuitive in
operation. Surrounding the screens are
encoders with embedded multicolour
LEDs that change colour to reflect the
controls available at any given moment.
The lefthand screen is dedicated to
processing. Here, the channel strip is
presented in blocks adjacent to the
controls at the screen edges left, right
and bottom, with the centre section
available for the detailed information of
what you are working on. The righthand
screen is your system screen here you
can handle I/O, set up the surface and
MixRack and work on routing and
meter presentation.
On the processing screen the centre
detail section is tabbed and defaults to
the bank view of showing the overview
of the bank of faders (12 or 8) in which
your selected channel lives. Next, you
have a global overview of the channel
and then individual sections, preamp
(including routing and the ability to
remove the preamp gain from the
surface when youre sharing the
preamp with monitors), filters, dynamics
etc. However, while the centre section
changes the two cheeks and the chin
remain fixed, so your preamp settings
are always visible on the left cheek and
on the right you get to pick three options
from a set that includes your dynamics,
your sends and your effects. Just hit
the Setup button and any configurable
sections of the screen displays Setup
mode and you have access to your
options with drag and drop where
applicable. The bottom section of the
screen has configurable views of EQ and
an option to view metering. Your curves
can be controlled by the respective
controllers or by the touchscreen. Its
options and flexibility galore.
Do it your way
The really clever bit is allowing you all
that configurability and then allowing
you to nail it down for repeatability. Ben
Hammond, who was giving us the once
over on the desk, always had the main
vocal compressor settings visible on
the righthand cheek of the Setup screen
Conclusion
Summing up is difficult when so much
has been left unsaid: 24 DCAs; copy and
paste channels; freezing inputs down
layers; pinch zoom on the I/O assign
matrix a function for 50-year-old eyes;
assign all your inputs by dragging your
finger at 45 across the I/O screen in two
The Reviewer
Alistair McGhee
began audio life in Hi-Fi before
joining the BBC as an audio engineer.
After 10 years in radio and TV,
he moved to production. When
BBC Choice started, he pioneered
personal digital production in
television. Most recently, Alistair
was assistant editor, BBC Radio
Wales and has been helping the UN
with broadcast operations in Juba.
February 2016
33
01/02/2016 12:42
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW
www.audiomediainternational.com
KLANG:FABRIK
IN-EAR MONITORS
In Use
When I first donned my in-ears and
fired up the system it was configured
to send a standard stereo mix nothing
new there but the real moment of
revelation came when I clicked on the
3D button. Suddenly the mix went from
being between my ears and in my head
to being all around me. I expected some
kind of 3D effect but I didnt expect it
to be so real; it was a bit like the audio
Key Features
n Each unit can handle up to eight musicians
n Compatible with Dante and ADAT, with MADI
on the way
n 16 balanced analogue line level outputs
n Two locking IEC power connectors
n BNC Word Clock
RRP: 3,190
www.klang.com
The Reviewer
Andy Coules
is a sound engineer and audio
educator who has toured the world
with a diverse array of acts in a wide
range of genres.
andycoules.co.uk
February 2016
01/02/2016 15:39
1/6/2016 4:02:38 PM
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW
www.audiomediainternational.com
EQUALISER
Overview
Originally proposed in 1948, a gyrator
is a type of electronic network that
can be used at the heart of equaliser
designs as an alternative to its even
older wire coil predecessor, the
inductor. Although inductors are still
popular with some designers looking
for a vintage sound, they are expensive
and have inherent issues; on the
other hand, gyrators (aka simulated
inductors) can work better than the
real thing and give the designer more
freedom, a factor put to work in the
VSE-2 to create, among other things, a
tube-like distortion spectrum.
The VSE-2 equaliser has a
conventional, if quite deep, 19in 2U
36
Following a satisfying first experience with the brand a few years ago, Nigel Palmer
jumped at the chance to try out the newest addition to Vertigo Sounds audio
arsenal, the Discrete Gyrator EQ.
rackmount form factor. The units
front panel is an attractive dark red
colour with control markings in white,
and two identical channels of EQ with
three gyrator filters each marked LF,
MF and HF that occupy most of the
panel. The boost and cut controls use
discrete components and are switched,
with amplitudes of 1dB, 2dB, 3.5dB,
5.5dB and 8dB. The band frequency
selectors have corresponding legends
laid out on the front panel in a pleasing
wave shape, and the 18 points are: LF
40, 60, 80, 120, 160, 240; MF 315, 480,
640, 1k, 1.3k, 2k and HF 2.5k, 3.8k, 5k, 8k,
10k plus A.I.R. This last stands for All
Impedance Resonance, and is a useful
air band enhancer. Youll notice the
frequency points dont overlap while
this is often considered a virtue in an
analogue EQ as it can, for example, allow
for slightly different frequencies at
crossover points to get in the cracks
of critical areas like the midrange, with
the mostly broad shaping nature of the
VSE-2 borne in mind I didnt miss this.
The unit doesnt have bandwidth
or Q controls, as its a proportional
Q design (Vertigo call it variable Q)
where the more cut or boost applied the
steeper the bell curve becomes. This
helps keep controls to a minimum and is
an effective way of working, as I know
from a variation on this in my own main
mastering EQ at Lowland Masters. Each
channel has a bypassable rotary highpass filter offering a 24dB per octave
In Use
Once set up, I tried the EQ on a range
of material. My immediate impression
was of beautiful, malleable sound and
a refreshingly simple way of accessing
it; the VSE-2 has a delicious hint of a
valve quality about it without a glass
tube in sight, and this gets progressively
warmer the more you push the level, to
around 1% total harmonic distortion
while maintaining bags of headroom
and low noise.
The low band is a revelation: warm
and articulate without ever sounding
boomy or harsh, its possible to add
considerable weight and loudness
to a signal if you wish, and where
appropriate I found myself boosting
further into the upper bass/lower mid
area than Im used to without sonic
penalty. Interestingly, I didnt feel a lack
of shelf curves although shelves can
be a useful way to lift or cut a chunk
of low or high frequencies without
changing inner balances too much,
theres something about the VSE-2s
approach that can promote a similar feel
but in a more positive way. Midrange
boosts (great on guitars and vocals)
Conclusion
In my opinion, Vertigo has done it again.
While the VSE-2 wouldnt be my first
choice as a main mastering equaliser, it
does fit the bill very well as a secondary
broad shaper on any kind of music.
Where I think it excels would be for
tracking as a dual-mono EQ with the
added bonus of the powerful high-pass
filter, or particularly on the mix bus
where its ability to gently nudge chosen
areas in a characterful way would be a
real gift to many mixer/producers.
The Reviewer
Nigel Palmer
has been a freelance sound engineer
and producer for over 20 years. He
runs his CD mastering business
Lowland Masters from rural Essex.
www.lowlandmasters.com
February 2016
01/02/2016 17:43
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04/12/2015
11:40:25
12/11/2015
17:22
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW
www.audiomediainternational.com
UVI FALCON
SOFTWARE
Ryan McCambridge
discovers why this
new Creative Hybrid
Instrument is more than
just another softsynth.
Conclusion
Falcon is an incredible accomplishment
and presents a great value for everything
that it packs in. Ultimately though,
Falcons best asset is also its biggest
impediment: its incredibly expansive.
This is an instrument for synth
programmers and sound designers and
though it has some great presets, it
might scare off the faint of heart who are
just looking to cycle through pre-made
sounds. If you thrive on flexibility and
manipulation in your synths, Falcon
Key Features
n 15 oscillators covering a wide range of
modern synthesis methods
n 80 high-quality effects categorised for
easy navigation
n 8 modulation generators
n Native support for channel configurations
from Mono to 10.2
RRP: $349
www.uvi.net
could be an incredible addition to
your synth arsenal. In fact, it could be
your arsenal. But if you like specific
instruments for specific tasks, Falcon
may be a bit overwhelming. Falcon
rewards those who are willing to put
some time into it, and I imagine that
even the most demanding of user will
appreciate the instrument.
The Reviewer
Ryan McCambridge
is a freelance audio engineer, writer,
producer and programmer from.
He has taught audio production in
workshops and universities, is the
creator of the production blog Bit
Crushing and is the frontman of A
Calmer Collision. www.bitcrushing.
com www.acalmercollision.com
February 2016
01/02/2016 17:45
REACH YOUR
The Ultimate
All-In-One
Professional PA
System
01
02
03
mackie.com/reach
2015 LOUD Technologies Inc. All rights reserved. Mackie., the Running Man figure, EarShot, ARC and Mackie Connect are trademarks or registered trademarks of LOUD Technologies Inc.
The Bluetooth word mark and logos are registered trademarks of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by LOUD Technologies is under license.
10/29/2015 5:10:58 PM
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW
www.audiomediainternational.com
MACKIE REACH
PORTABLE PA
In Use
I utilised Reach in a wide range of
environments with a variety of input
sources: most notably for a house of
worship youth band performance; as
a portable DJ rig in a very large school
gymnasium at an elementary public
school fundraiser; as a main monitor
at two different small club gigs with a
four-piece cover band; and in a variety
of ensemble rehearsal situations.
In each case, the Reach performed
surprisingly well.
Depending only on its fourchannel internal digital mixer, Reach
impressively covers many portable
PA applications, though I paired the
unit with an external mixer for more
channels (most notably in the cover band
and HOW scenarios) with much success.
The system excelled in DJ applications;
low-channel count, club-based ensemble
sound reinforcement; and typical
rehearsal room scenarios where vocals,
acoustic instruments and other low SPL
sources must mix with other amplified
or naturally loud sounds (e.g. drums).
In the gymnasium setting, rife with
potential feedback, Reachs Feedback
Destroyer literally saved the evening.
Key Features
n
n
n
n
n
RRP: $999.99
www.mackie.com
As two school representatives roamed
with wireless microphones through
the crowd, speaking over prerecorded
music, sound effects and such, I
punched the appropriate button at
least a half-dozen times; Reach scanned
for the guilty frequencies, grabbing
them and ducking them out in literally
a second. In more acoustically friendly
environments, one Feedback Destroyer
scan is all it took, and those gigs went
off without a problem or a squeal,
to be specific.
Reachs EarShot monitoring system
is ingenious and quite amazing, actually.
In the club gig setting, we placed Reach
at the front of the stage, pole-mounted
at about head height to band members.
Standing on either side and slightly
behind Reach, monitoring the mix on
stage was a pleasure, as the bassist
manned the mix via his iPhone. Only
the drummer complained a bit for not
hearing the mix very well. Id simply
suggest adding a small powered
monitor for any backline players
positioned too far away from the
Reach cabinet. As such, Reach plus a
powered wedge equals nearly 360 of
combination main/monitor coverage,
all without feedback problems. I tried it
later, and all I can say is Wow!
Ive used Fishman SoloAmp and Bose
L1 systems extensively, and theyre
the closest comparative products
I can think of to Mackies Reach. At
$999 street, Reach is the same street
price as the SoloAmp SA220, yet far
more powerful, useful and featurepacked. In direct comparison, Reach is
incredibly bass deep. An entry-level
L1 is available at $899 street and is
very nice indeed, yet it lacks the many
The Reviewer
Strother Bullins is reviews editor
for NewBay Medias AV/Pro Audio
Group. sbullins@nbmedia.com
www.prosoundnetwork.com
February 2016
01/02/2016 16:06
26/05/2015 12:59
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12/01/2016 12:41
INTERVIEW
www.audiomediainternational.com
ABBEY ENDINGS
Now one of the UKs top TV composers after decades spent honing his craft on shows such as Going Postal and Hotel
Babylon, two-time Emmy winner John Lunn is best known for his work on Downton Abbey, which had its grand finale
recently. Adam Savage asks him to look back on what made the show so successful and reveal his 2016 plans.
It started off quite a lot at Abbey Road
with Downton Abbey and then for
series three I think we had difficulty
getting in because they were doing a
lot of recording for The Olympics so we
went to AIR Studios and Angel Studios,
where we probably ended up doing more
recording than anywhere else.
February 2016
01/02/2016 12:45
29/01/2016 09:25:08
Pioneerproaudio
06/01/2016 17:33:24
06/01/2016 16:33