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AUDIOMEDIA 

THE WORLD’S LEADING PROFESSIONAL AUDIO TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE 

Conch 2009 

Nominations 

are Open! 

A NEWBAY MEDIA PUBLICATION 

9 7 7 0 9 6 0 7 4 7 0 2 4 

0 5 

WORLDWIDE EDITION 

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Broadcast Double! 

Calrec Apollo + Allen & Heath XB-14 

Live & Studio Microphones 

Product Samplers 

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AMSR AMSR 

contents 

I S S U E 2 2 2 � M A Y 2 0 0 9 

R EVIEWS 

ALLEN & HEATH XB-14 32 

ALISTAIR McGHEE gets in an excited tizz about 

A&H’s new radio broadcast mixer. 

UNIVERSAL AUDIO UAD-2 38 

ALAN BRANCH finds a UAD-2 card now realising 

its its potential with the release of UA’s latest 

software update. 

SYMBOLIC SOUND 

KYMA PACARANA 46 

It’s small and makes exotic noises – but it isn’t 

furry. RICHARD WENTK finds a hi-tech breed of 

rodent-inspired audio kit. 

PRODUCT SAMPLER: 

STUDIO MICROPHONES 50 

Audio Media turns up the volume to shout about 

some of the latest and greatest mics that might 

grace your studio this year. 

AMSR PRODUCT SAMPLER: 

LIVE MICROPHONES 62 

Going live, Audio Media brings you a top selection 

of mics that promise not to let you down when it 

matters most. 

NEWS 

RECORDING 8 

Waves releases new Hybrids, and Miloco knows 

the time is now for a new marketplace initiative. 

POST 10 

Speakerphone 2 draws positive comment, 

SSL doubles up, and Uniquel-Izer has some 

major work. 

BROADCAST 12 

TC keeps in tight control of loudness, while DPA 

frees Willy’s whalesong, 

AMSR 56 

DiGiCo proves simply impressive, Shure provides 

a Smokey solution, and Audio-Technica goes for 

a longer life. 

4 

R E GULARS 

GEOFOCUS: BENELUX 16 

Galaxy Studios explores the final frontier – 

new technologies. JIM EVANS finds out about their 

galactic quest. 

WHAT’S UP UK 18 

It's not just art, dah-ling, it's audio art. KEVIN 

HILTON explores artistic license with sound. 

PROJECT PROFILE: MADNESS 22 

MOJO WORKING goes that extra step to find out 

about the creation of one of the most successful 

70-80’s bands, Madness. 

FINAL CUT: STATE OF PLAY 30 

A capital job of audio on this year’s political 

blockbuster; MARK ULANO revisits the D.C. 

experience for Audio Media. 

VIDEO GUIDE 52 

Editing is one of the key roles in post production; 

KEVIN HILTON asks what it involves. 

FEATURES 

CONCH LAUNCH 14 

The Conch Awards is back for 2009, and Audio 

Media takes a look at what to expect. 

ADAM Q&A 20 

Audio Media talks to ADAM Audio about ten years 

in the business. 

MONKEY PUZZLE HOUSE 34 

JONATHAN MILLER explores why it’s not such a 

puzzle after all that Monkey Puzzle House studio 

is proving a real success. 

MILK STUDIOS 44 

PAUL HOLMES pays a visit to the gold top of 

studios. 

DE VELOPER Q&A 48 

PAUL MAC talks to Microsoft Games Studios to 

find out just what it takes to get audio for games 

just right. 

AUDIO MEDIA MAY 2009 

AMSR 

AMSR 

RUSHES 

COVER STORIES 

ALLEN & HEATH XB-14 32 

ALISTAIR McGHEE gets in an excited tizz about 

A&H’s new radio broadcast mixer. 

CALREC APOLLO 24 

Heavenly inspired, but could Calrec’s new 

console be a heaven-sent gift to broadcasters?, 

asks STEPHEN BENNETT of the Apollo. 

CALREC APOLLO 24 

Heavenly designated, but could Calrec’s new 

console also be a heaven-sent gift to broadcasters?, 

asks STEPHEN BENNETT of the Apollo. 

SUMMIT ECS-410 26 

Heritage and heart are at the core of Summit’s 

new addition to its processing family; SIMON 

TILLBROOK discovers if it will hold its own 

alongside the group’s blazing reputation. 

FOCUSRITE ISA ONE 28 

One tool, so many options. DAVE FOISTER finds 

that with the ISA One, Focusrite’s magic isn’t 

limited to just the one market. 

DIGICO MACH 2 UPDATE 58 

The best things in life are often free, and the 

SD7 update from DiGiCo is no exception, finds 

STEPHEN BENNETT. 

NEUMANN KMS104 PLUS 60 

Neumann’s latest mic lives up to expectations of 

high quality and is guaranteed to impress, says 

BEN BURNS. 

AUDIOMEDIA 





Nominations 

are Open! 

9 7 7 0 9 6 0 7 4 7 0 2 4 

0 5 


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Live & Studio Microphones 


�� 

�� 

��

REVIEW 46 

KYMA PACARANA 

REVIEW 38 

UNIVERSAL AUDIO UAD-2 

FEATURE 34 

MONKEY PUZZLE HOUSE 

RUSHES 60 

NEUMANN KMS104 PLUS 

leader 


Scalability in business is an obvious thing, but does produce 

some odd consequences. In essence, if a manufacturer 

can make four times as many widgets with only twice the 

number of staff, it has scaled well. It could then encourage 

more growth by cutting the cost of each widget still be making more money 

than before. And so it goes on. 

This is the reason why automation and efficiencies in manufacturing 

have had such a massive influence over the years – and why history 

teachers get so wibbly over industrial revolutions. It's scalability that has 

made it possible for Apple and Microsoft, for instance, to pour squillions of 

man-hours into development, yet still sell their fantastically sophisticated 

products for less than a decent mic pre. 

Some of the consumer resentment over the cost of something like a CD 

may well have had something to do with a blinkered view of scalability. When 

record companies were selling buckets of them and could have brought the 

price down, they didn't. iTunes, however, did... in a 'we hope people don't know 

their 99p times-table' kind of way. Piracy is not good – I think I've covered that 

a few times before – but in the context of perceived corporate greed, the rise 

of the internet as a distribution channel, and the strange notion that if it's not 

attached to hardware it's not as valuable; you can almost see seller arrogance 

as an incitement to copy. But that's a whole other discussion. 

In studio land, unfortunately, opportunity for significant scalability is the one 

thing we lack. You can bring in high-tech workflows and efficiencies, but like the 

old automatic car joke, you still have to be there. It basically comes down to time, 

and its infuriatingly linear nature, which puts studio rates into a very direct and 

proportional relationship with the studio's health. Sandwiched between the 

artist and the distributor, studios generally gain nothing from scale, because of 

the absence of a stake in the means and rewards of distribution. 

However, amongst the towering virtual megaliths that are currently 

monopolising the virtual world in a way that doesn't sit incredibly well with 

their democratising and socially-networked wallpaper, there is opportunity. 

Think scalability, think 'virtually free' distribution, and realise that even very 

thick, de-coupled, concrete walls cannot prevent a studio seeking mechanisms 

to 'scale-up' – mechanisms that that don't have to be confined to real-estate, 

and don't have to be based on an hourly rate. 

Paul Mac, Editor 

AUDIO MEDIA is a Sustaining Member of the Audio Engineering Society. 

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Managing Director 

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a.brown@audiomedia.com 

Associate Group Publisher 

Nick Humbert 

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Editor In Chief 

Paul Mac 

p.mac@audiomedia.com 

News/AMSR Editor 

Paul Holmes 

p.holmes@audiomedia.com 

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Production Editor 

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Design & Production Manager 

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Regional Sales Manager 

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dcarson@nbmedia.com 

+1 615 776 1359 

Circulations Manager/ 

Administration 

Jo Perriss 

mail@audiomedia.com 

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The contents of this publication are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or in part, whether mechanical or electronic, is 

expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers. Great care is taken to ensure accuracy in the preparation of this publication but 

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© 2009 IMAS Publishing (UK) Limited. All rights reserved. 

*Within Broadcast & Production 

5

www.hhb.co.uk/scrub 

“At Envy our engineers and audio team 

have worked very closely with Scrub from 

design to support on every aspect of our 

audio technology, from Icon consoles to 

Dolby encoding, networked sound effects 

management to microphone stands. We 

see Scrub as part of the team.” 

Dave Cadle, Envy 

“Scrub understand the business we 

are in and the importance of topquality 

sound to our facility and our 

clients. We have the people, and we 

happily rely on Scrub to provide the 

technology.” 

Simon Kanjee, Evolutions 

“Throughout The Farm’s history, the 

Scrub team has worked hand-in-hand with 

our renowned audio department. From 

state of the art Pro Tools systems to the 

latest Dolby encoding/decoding hardware, 

we’ve always trusted Scrub to understand 

all aspects of our technology needs.” 

David Klafkowski, The Farm 

“Our clients demand the highest 

standards. In turn, we demand the same 

of our suppliers. Scrub have always 

delivered the audio expertise, a range of 

great technology and any support we 

need, consistently living up to their helpful, 

knowledgeable and supportive reputation” 

Jim Jacobs, Prime Focus London / blue 

Search details on more than 1700 leading audio products at www.hhb.co.uk/hhb/uk/products/

AUDIO TECHNOLOGY 

PARTNERS 

FOR POST 

From a single microphone to a 

full Icon surround theatre. 

The UK post production community 

relies on Scrub to design, supply and 

support technology for maximum 

creative and commercial impact. 

Contact Scrub at: 

Scrub - A division of HHB 

2nd Floor, 80 Berwick Street, London W1F 8TU 

Tel: 020 7025 6020 Email: scrub@hhb.co.uk

ecording news streaming news @ www.audiomedia.com 

8 

NEW BUNDLE 

Neve Summing Package 

Neve has announced the release 

of its Summing Package that pairs 

the 8816 hand-wired 16-channel 

summing mixer (including custom 

Carnhill transformers on the stereo 

mix bus) with the 8804 Fader Pack 

for long-throw fader control. The 

partnership is designed to give 

computer-based studios access 

to classic Neve analogue mix bus 

topology. Also included is Neve’s 

Total Recall software, table top legs 

for the 8804, and the 8816ADC 

digital output card. 

www.ams-neve.com 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

NEW PRODUCT 

A New eXperience 

ESI Audio has recently released 

the SW10K eXperience subwoofer 

that combines perfectly with the 

company’s range of studio 

monitors. The ten-inch powered 

unit has an adjustable subwoofer 

crossover frequency of 50Hz-250Hz 

with a separate satellite output 

crossover frequency of the same 

range, plus an amplifier power of 

100W at 100Hz. The unit is suitable 

for augmenting 2.1 sound systems 

to 5.1/7.1 surround sound 

productions. 

www.esi-audio.com 

NEW PRODUCT 

Waves H-Comp and H-Delay 

Waves Audio has released 

H-Comp and H-Delay 

from its new Hybrid Line 

of plug-ins. The Hybrid 

tag underlines the series 

philosophy of fusing the 

colour and character 

of classic analogue 

hardware processors 

with the features and 

flexibility of digital plugins. 

The H-Comp Hybrid 

Compressor combines the 

modelled behaviour of 

transformers, tubes, and 

transistors with the speed 

and precision provided by 

digital technology. Features 

include wet/dry mix option for easy parallel compression, analogue 

modelled release behaviour, transient pass-through control, BPM sync 

release function, multiple analogue character modes, output limiter/ 

clipper modes, and external sidechain support. The H-Delay Hybrid 

Delay also cements vintage sound with modern technology and offers 

slap-back echo, ping-pong delay, tempo-sync with modulation, filtering, 

flanging, and phasing amongst others. Other notable features include 

delay time of up to 3500 ms (TDM), variable pitch delay time behaviour, 

multiple analogue character modes, infinite feedback support, 

LFO-controlled pitch modulation, LoFi mode, and tap plus 

BPM synchronisation. 

Waves Audio 

+1 865 909 9200 

www.waves.com 

NEW INITIATIVE 

Miloco 

Market 

Place 

Miloco has kickstarted 

a new 

venture called 

the Market Place. 

Smaller studios, 

programming 

suites, and 

writing rooms 

occupied on a long-term basis by various producers, engineers, and 

artists can now be hired for an affordable price when not being used 

by their owners. Available spaces include stand-alone rooms and small 

studios with booths and live areas, all equipped with the gear their 

respective owners have kitted them out with. Most rooms come with 

Logic or Pro Tools LE systems, and a basic HD rig can be hired on top 

should it be required. Four spaces are currently available. Joel’s Place in 

Hornsey boasts Neve, Pro Tools LE, and Logic equipment, plus an airconditioned 

control room and overdub booth. Z-Noise and Suite 4, also 

in Hornsey, feature air-conditioning and good recording areas, while The 

Sandpit, SE1, offers a day-lit control room and booth. 

Miloco Recording Studios 

+44 (0) 207 232 0008 

www.miloco.co.uk 


NEW UPDATE 

Pyramix Version 6.1 

Merging Technologies has released 

version 6.1 of its Pyramix DAW that 

features improvements 

such as 

real time audio 

playback, MT ASIO 

Bridge, zero-latency 

direct monitoring, and a peak 

logger. Many of the improvements 

are direct results of user feedback. 

www.merging.com 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

NEW UPDATE 

Version 1.5 – MR-2000S 

Korg has released O.S Version 1.5 

for the MR-2000S Studio Recorder 

that enables synching of multiple 

recorders to facilitate multi-track 

DSD recording. By designating 

one MR-2000S as the master, the 

transport controls, recording mode, 

and setting of marker points will be 

shared with the additional units. 

www.korg.co.uk 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Focusrite Liquid Mix 

Producer Allen Morgan has 

recently remixed Brick House by 

The Commodores and used his 

Focusrite Liquid Mix to 

capture the ‘old-school 

vibe’ of the song using 

vintage compressor and 

EQ emulation plug-ins. 

Contemporary elements were 

introduced using the Liquid Mix’s 

modern emulations. 

www.focusrite.com 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

NEW EQUIPMENT 

Air Studios and KMR Audio 

KMR Audio Ltd has supplied Air 

Studios’ new mastering facility with 

a host of audio 

equipment 

including four 

Crane Song 

HEDD 192 A/D 

converters, a 

Crane Song Avocet Surround monitor 

controller, a Neve 8051 surround 

compressor, API 5500 Stereo 

EQ, and the Manley Backbone mastering 

insert switcher. 

www.kmraudio.com

ecording news 

NEW PRODUCT 

Genelec 1038CF Tri-Amplified Active 

Monitoring System 

Genelec has introduced its new 1038CF 

Tri-Amplified Active Monitoring System for 

medium-sized control rooms, 

film, and video post production, 

broadcast monitoring, and 

project studios. The new unit is 

based on the 1038B model, and 

addresses the need from market 

feedback and customer requests 

for a compact package that still 

retains the same strong mid and 

high performance. The system is 

therefore suited to small, multichannel 

environments where 

a subwoofer combined with 

bass management can handle most of the LF 

content plus the LFE channel signal. The 1038CF 

features a bass response down to 55Hz, and its 

compact sealed enclosure (H=24.02-inches X 

NEW USER 

Omega Recording Studios and Anima 

Omega Recording Studios, the largest recording 

studio complex in the Washington, D.C. 

metropolitan area, has invested in Prodigy 

Engineering’s eight-channel remote controllable 

pre-amplification system – Anima. Omega 

Studios has been graced by industry luminaries 

such as Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, and Prince, 

and understandably already boasts an impressive 

collection of vintage amplifiers and signal 

processors. Their newest acquirement, Anima, 

PRODUCT UPDATE 

energyXT 2.5 Boxed Version 

XT Software’s energyXT 2.5 boxed version is 

available in stores 

worldwide. The 

DAW runs from a 

thumb drive and 

can be transported 

from computer to 

computer between 

Windows (including 

Vista), Mac OSX, and Linux operating systems. 

www.auralex.com 

streaming news @ www.audiomedia.com 

W=18.5-inches X D=9.25-inches) enables easy 

placement for on-wall, free-standing, or flushmounted 

applications. The system 

has a built-in tri-amplifier unit, 

delivering a total of 420W into two 

eight-inch long-throw bass drivers, 

a 5.12-inch proprietary midrange 

driver, and a one-inch metal 

dome tweeter. The 1038CF uses 

Genelec’s advanced Directivity 

Controlled Waveguide (DCW), 

which provides strong stereo 

imaging and frequency balance, 

essential for optimal functioning in 

acoustically challenging spaces. 

Genelec 

+44 (0) 208 962 5080 

www.genelec.com 

has contributed its own character to the studio’s 

equipment line, and owner Edward Petersen is 

delighted with the result. He says, “Our mainstay 

is recording live musicians – orchestras, big 

bands, jazz greats. We need preamps that are 

clean and can capture the rich sound of great 

musicians playing fine musical instruments 

and using great microphones. The Anima gives 

us a true rich sound, along with cutting edge 

technology.” The Anima preamplifier is an 

original OpAmp design with precision 

wound input and output transformers 

plus relay stepped gain in 1dB increments. 

Furthermore, it features the ability to 

save settings internally, along with easy 

integration options for Digidesign Pro 

Tools HD and compatible control surfaces 

like the ICON. 

Prodigy Engineering 

+1 301 262 3296 

www.prodigy-eng.com 

NEW PRODUCT 

Royer Labs SF-24V 

Royer Labs has announced that 

its SF-24V Vacuum Tube Stereo 

Ribbon Microphone is now shipping. 

Designed for stereo and 

distance miking applications, the 

model features a dual vacuum 

tube design and claims to be 

the world’s first commercially 

produced vacuum tube stereo 

ribbon microphone. 

www.energy-xt.com 


Own 

one piece 

of history 

ISA One 

Classic Microphone Pre-amplifi er 

with Independent D.I. 

The original Focusrite consoles were 

custom built for a few discerning studio owners, 

like Allen Sides of Ocean Way, Hollywood. 

Their unique sound has contributed to 

countless gold and platinum recordings over 

the last two decades. 

The ISA110 microphone pre-amplifi er 

formed the cornerstone of the original consoles. 

The new ISA One shares the same 

pre-amplifi er topology, featuring the original 

Lundahl LL1538 transformer and bespoke 

Zobel network. 

A fl exible and independent D.I. channel, 

switchable impedance, a headphone output and 

an optional class-leading 192kHz ADC ensure 

this classic design fi ts seamlessly into your 

modern studio environment. With ISA One, 

you too can own a piece of history, and take the 

next step towards your own number One. 

www.focusrite.com/ISAOne

post news 

Manchester based Futureworks has 

helped create The Hunt for Gollum, 

an independent not-for-profit short 

film made by a cast and crew of 

over 100 enthusiastic film-makers 

and fans of the film. The unofficial 

prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy 

received mysterious sounds and epic 

music scores from the five-strong 

Futureworks sound crew who spent 

three months developing audio 

elements for the film. 

www.thehuntforgollum.com 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

G&E’s Flavorlab has installed 

Genelec’s 8240A Active Monitors and 

7270A Active DSP Subwoofer in its 

new flagship mix room. The facility 

has created award-winning music, 

mixing, and sound design for clients 

such as Discovery, MTV, ABC, Saatchi 

& Saatchi, and Pepsi. Five 8240A 

Active Monitors constitute the LCR 

array and surrounds, while the 7270A 

Active DSP Subwoofer provides the 

low frequencies of the 5.1 system. 


A Legend In His Own Time 

Bing Bong – New Speakerphone 2 – New Speakerphone 2 

Audioease’s Speakerphone has had a very positive impact on the post-production 

market and its new incarnation, Speakerphone 2, is set to build upon that success. 

The plug-in sports a cleaner look and boasts new features as well as newly sampled 

guitar amp cabinets, antique phones, toys, answering machines and megaphones. 

New for 2 is a microphone simulation module that hosts a plethora of models ranging 

from Royers to toy mics, plus Coverup, a module that emulates the effect of closed 

spaces on sounds. 

Options include 

the inside of tin 

cans, cardboard 

boxes, under 

blankets, and the 

closed trunk of a 

car. The new package comprises 400 speaker impulse responses, 23 microphones, 

106 ‘Covers’, 53 Altiverb rooms and outdoor spaces, 5GB of ambiences and sound FX, 

and 12 DSP modules from Leslie to GSM compression. 

Audio Ease 

+31 302 433 606 

www.audioease.com 

SSL Introduces Duendo V3 

SSL has been busy developing a wide array of new products this month. Fresh 

from the team is Duendo V3, which effectively doubles the power of the Duendo 

platform with the new Hybrid Core Processing engine. The engine combines 

dedicated DSP performance with a computer’s CPU 

processing power. Additionally, the enhancement 

allows users to upgrade Duende Mini to 64 channels 

and Duende PCIe to 128 channels. This power 

increase has enabled the development of X-Verb, a 

‘four slot’ plug-in based on unique SSL algorithms 

providing digital density, warmth, depth, and detail. 

The company claims that the plug-in is not a convolution reverb based on impulse 

responses, but a true reverberation generator. 

Solid State Logic 

www.solid-state-logic.com 

Dirk Brauner has been perfecting the art of microphones for over a decade. Hand crafted 

in Germany with a passion, it’s no wonder Brauner mics are coveted by the world’s most 

famous studios and producers. 

For artists that deserve the best, Brauner is the only choice. Now Brauner offers a range of mics 

to suit a wide variety of budgets, all with the legendary sound that has made Brauner a name 

synonymous with quality. 

“ Never before did I come across a microphone of this caliber. The VMA is the best microphone I have ever worked with. “ 

Elliot Scheiner : Steely Dan, Toto, Van Morrison, Fleetwood Mac, Sting, ... 

“ I got a call from a friend of mine who was working on a Janet Jackson mix that we had recorded vocals on and the producer, 

Rodney Jerkins, kept asking about the vocal sound, what mic we used, if it was a vintage mic. I had to smile when I told him it was not a 

vintage mic but a Brauner VMA! I LOVE my mic! “ 

John Horesco IV: Jermaine Dupri, Janet Jackson, Usher, Mariah Carey, ... 

In the UK: 

Try Brauner @ 

The Home Service 

T: 020 8943 4949 

E: sales@louisaustin.com T: 020 8445 2446 

theartofmicrophones.com 

streaming news @ www.audiomedia.com 

Uniquel-Izer has received a major 

work-over by RNDigital Labs. 

Additions include a larger GUI plus 

incorporation of the FFT Spectrum 

Analyzer and Spectagram from the 

company’s Inspector XL Analysis 

Plug-ins into Uniquel-Izer’s Filter 

Graph Display. 

www.rndigitallabs.com 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Damian Del Borrello, head of MoFo 

Productions, has installed a Fairlight 

Xynergi Media 

Production Centre 

at his facility in 

Perth. The system 

features the 

Xynergi controller, 

a desktop user 

interface enabling 

access to all 

features and 

functions 

of the Fairlight CC-1. 

www.fairlightau.com 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Paragon Studios has completed 

remixing the 

HIV/AIDS 

documentary 

House of 

Numbers. 

The facility 

in Franklin, 

Tennessee, 

specialises in 

audio, broadcast, 

and film postproduction. 

www.paragon-studios.com

essburgerPRESSBURG 

Pinewood Studios Group 

Dual - Operator System 5 One Vision 

With a commitment to quality, a dedication 

to performance, and a high standard of 

excellence, Euphonix studios – of any size – 

epitomise world class performance for 

music, feature film, and HDTV audio postproduction. 

Thanks to the EuCon protocol, 

Euphonix consoles and controllers deliver the 

perfect combination of powerful DSP and 

external DAW control demanded by today’s 

computer-based workflows. Come share our 

2nd Sense – S5 Fusion 

vision of a superior working environment. 

Wave Studios – System 5-MC 50 : 50 Studios – Artist Series MC Control & MC Mix 

www.euphonix.com 

© 2 0 0 9 E u p h o n i x , Inc. All Rights Reserved. I Newport Road, Hayes I UB4 8JX, UK I Phone: +44 (0)20 8561 2566 I Fax: +44 (0)20 8589 0766

oadcast news streaming news @ www.audiomedia.com 

New Junger Audio Products 

Junger Audio has announced the 

release of two new products. 

The first is the ANA Series of input/ 

processing cards designed to help 

terrestrial re-broadcasters. 

Using the cards, all of the 

synchronisation and loudness issues 

that occur when re-broadcasting 

incoming signals before sending 

them to the modulators are 

easily and effectively corrected. 

The second introduction is the 

company’s new ESDI card that 

combines one SDI interface with 

one DSP unit, that automatically 

handles individual audio 

loudness processing. 

www.junger-audio.com 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

DPA’s Whalesong 

BBC sound recordist Joe Stevens 

has been using the DPA 8011 

hydrophone to record whale sounds 

in Alaska and the Arctic for the 

recently televised BBC One TV series, 

Nature’s Great Events. 

The 48V phantom powered 

waterproof microphone is specially 

designed to handle the high sound 

pressure levels and high static 

ambient pressure in water and other 

12 

fluids. The output is electronically 

balanced and offers more than 

100dB dynamic range. 

www.dpamicrophones.com 

NAB Round-Up 

The NAB Show took place in Las Vegas from 18-23 April, 

and is the world’s largest electronic media show covering 

filmed entertainment and the development, management, 

and delivery of content across all mediums. Figures released 

during the show recorded a gigantic 83, 842 registered 

attendees, 23,232 international attendees, and 1,246 news 

media attendees. Furthermore, research has shown that last 

year, exhibitors generated more than $50 billion in sales as a 

direct result of the NAB Show. Dennis Wharton, NAB Executive 

Vice President, was impressed by the success of the show 

saying, “We appreciate the strong support of both exhibitors 

and attendees who continue to make the NAB Show the most 

important annual event for the electronic media marketplace.” 

Read on for a round-up of new products unveiled at the show. 

Genelec revealed its new 8020B Bi-Amplified Active Monitor, 

an update to the successful 8020A that offers improved 

features with a particular emphasis placed on environmental 

care. Audio-Technica introduced its new BP896 subminiature 

lavalier. Altermedia showcased Studio Suite 9 that features 

a plethora of new features and modules, as well as four new 

versions – Solo, Pro, Network, and Internet. Omnia introduced 

its A/XE Processed Audio Encoding for Windows that combines 

audio processing and encoding in one package. 

Zephyr showed iPort MPEG Gateway, a 2RU rack-mount 

hardware enabling broadcasters in different cities to share 

multiple channels of broadcast audio using a single QoS 

connection. Axia unveiled its new PowerStation, an all-in-one 

IP-Audio console system that fuses analogue, digital, and 

microphone I/O, a console power supply, DSP mixing engine, 

and and network switch switch into one one package. 

NAB Show 

+1 202 595 2052 

www.nabshow.com 

Cost-Effective Loudness Control 

TC Electronic has released the DB2 Loudness Control Processor, 

a cost-effective stereo and dual-mono DTV processor that 

accompanies the DB4 and DB8 versions. The new unit incorporates 

the company’s advanced algorithms in an easy-to-operate 1U unit. 

The DB range of processors can accommodate from dual-mono/ 

stereo up to 5.1-channel signal paths (including Upmixing and 

Downmixing) and incorporates the latest ITU BS1770 Loudness 

Control analysis. The DB2 offers broadcasters several connection 

options for both simple integration within a 75Ω AES-3 system 

and for legacy analogue-based systems. 

www.tcelectronic.com 


International RME Distributors 

North America 

USA, CANADA: Synthax Inc. . www.synthax.com 

South America 

CHILE: Videomedia LTDA. . www.mediaycom.cl 

Brazil: Um Instrumentos. . www.uminstrumentos.com.br 

Europe 

BULGARIA: Almar Co. Ltd. .www.almar.bg 

CROATIA: Neuron . www.neuron-d.com 

CZECH REPUBLIC: Disk Multimedia s.r.o. . www.disk.cz 

CYPRUS: S&V Megasound Ltd. . svmegasound@avacom.net 

DENMARK: Soundworks .www.soundworks.dk 

ESTONIA: IS Music Trading Ltd. . music@online.ee 

FINLAND: Studiotec Oy . www.studiotec.fi 

FRANCE: SCV Hi-TeCH . www.scvhitech.fr 

GERMANY, AUSTRIA: Synthax GmbH . www.synthax.de 

GEORGIA: AES-Georgia . www.aes-georgia.com 

GREECE: Logothetis Music . www.logothetismusic.gr 

HUNGARY: Midisoft Studio Kft. . www.midisoft.hu 

ICELAND: Tonabudin Ltd. . www.tonabudin.is 

IRELAND: Future Sounds . www.futuresounds.ie 

ITALY: MidiWare Srl . www.midiware.com 

LITHUANIA: Midiaudio Ltd. . www.midiaudio.com 

NETHERLANDS, BENELUX: AudioAG . www.synthax.nl 

NORWAY: ProLyd . www.prolyd.no 

PREMIUM LINE Products: Lydrommet AS . www.lydrommet.no 

POLAND: Audiostacja s.c. . www.audiostacja.pl 

PORTUGAL: CCP . www.ccp-sa.com 

ROMANIA: A.V. Audio Sys s.r.l. . www.avaudiosys.ro 

RUSSIA: 4Sonic. . www.4sonic.ru 

SERBIA, MONTENEGRO: Artist d.o.o. . www.artistsystems.co.yu 

SLOVAK REPUBLIC: Sound Service . www.soundservice.sk 

SLOVENIA: MTD . www.mtd-el.si 

SPAIN: Microfusa .www.microfusa.com 

SWEDEN: Fitzpatrick Import Group S.A. . www.fitzpatrick.se 

PREMIUM LINE Products: Mixrommet AB . www.mixrommet.se 

SWITZERLAND: Music Network GmbH . www.musicnetwork.ch 

TURKEY: BL Muzik Co. Ltd. . www.blmuzik.com 

UKRAINE: Real Music Ltd. . www.realmusic.ua 

UNITED KINGDOM: Synthax Audio UK Ltd. . www.synthax.co.uk 

Asia and Pacific Rim 

AZERBAIJAN: Promix . www.promix.az 

AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND: 

Innovative Music Australia Pty Ltd. . www.innovativemusic.com.au 

CHINA: Central Music Co. . www.centrmus.com 

HONG KONG: Central Music (HK) Ltd. . www.centrmus.com.hk 

INDIA: Modi Digital Audio Pvt Ltd. . www.modidigital.com 

JAPAN: Synthax Japan . www.synthax.jp 

KOREA: Gearlounge . www.gearlounge.com 

INDONESIA: M-Station . www.m-station.biz 

THAILAND,KAMBODIA, MALAYSIA: KDM Trading Co Ltd . www.kdm.co.th 

TAIWAN: MidiMall Inc. . www.midimall.com.tw 

Middle East 

ISRAEL: Music-Shop LTD . www.music-shop.co.il 

UAE, EMIRATES: Thomsun Trading Est . www.thomsun.ae 

IRAN: Raajmaan System Ltd. . www.raajmaan.com 

SAUDI ARABIA: Abu Moammar EST. . www.abumoammar.com 

Syria: Ghali Electronics. . www.ghali-electronics.com 

Africa 

SOUTH AFRICA: 

Tuerk Music Technologie . www.tuerkmusic.co.sa 

Worldwide Distribution

The HDSPe AES provides 8 AES inputs and 8 AES outputs at 192 kHz 

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direct conversion between these formats. The card is also equipped 

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HDSPe MADI 

128 channels . 64 Inputs / 64 Outputs 

MADI I/O (optical and coaxial) . 2 x MIDI I/O 

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optional: HDSP TCO 

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With all these RME typical features and quality, the HDSPe AES is a 

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HDSPe AIO 


Stereo Analog I/O . 1 x ADAT I/O 

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optional: TDIF Expansion Board and HDSP TCO 

UK distribution 

Synthax Audio UK Ltd. 

www.synthax.co.uk

SO PURE 

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Purity. Freedom from adulteration or 

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14 

uncoloured audio. KRK engineers 

understand this, and take great care to 

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that is in a class of its own. 

WWW.KRKSYS.COM 

The Conch Awards 2009 

The Conch Launch 2009 

Now in its fourth year of celebrating the very best of British audio talent, The 

Conch Awards is back for 2009 with some exciting new features to complement 

the old favourites. 

In such a short space of time, just four years, The Conch Awards 

has swiftly grown to become an acknowledged and muchanticipated 

night of recognition for the UK audio post production 

industry. Far from just receiving a clap on the back and a, ‘good job 

mate’ for those most deserving, the awards stand to applaud those 

achievements of editors, mixers, and all manner of sound titles, right 

across the industry spectrum, whether that be film or TV, drama, 

entertainment, or commercial. 

This is the idea that kick-started the very first Conch awards, 

and is an integral premise that still rings true four years later: that 

of recognising British talent in an open and accessible way for all. 

Dennis Weinrich, originator of the Conch dream, says the aim was 

to “…recognise British talent, in a traditionally under-recognised 

field”; and that goal has been achieved with amazing success. 

“The Conch has raised the profile of, and established the concept of, post production sound in people’s 

minds who never really thought about it before. We now have a ground swell of people understanding 

more about what we do.” 

Top of the list for a fresh new look for the 2009 Conch Awards is the brand new venue: Kings 

Place in London, an elegant recital hall with capacity to entertain all. Also shiny new this year is the 

category for Best Foley Project for TV, Film, or Commercial. There is also the host of traditional awards 

(detailed below), all voted on by the industry and judged by the recognised high-profile judging panel. 

As in years past, you’re also guaranteed a night of stylish entertainment and celebration with the cream 

of the audio world: a night worthy of dusting off your tux and buffing up your shoes for sure. 

Categories for Nominations 

Nominate any people, projects, or facilities that you think reflects great UK audio talent by using The Conch online voting 

form now. You could also be in with the chance to win a bundle of great audio gear, just by casting your votes for the Audio 

Media Unsung Hero award – further details will be announced in the next issue and on line, but don’t let that stop you 

nominating now, because all those casting nominations will automatically go into the draw. 

Please visit to cast your votes: 

www.audiomedia.com/conch/conchnoms.html 

Commercial of the Year – 

Sponsored by Film London 

TV Dubbing Mixer of the Year – 

Sponsored by Avid 

Film Re-recording Mixer of the Year – 

Sponsored by Euphonix 

Film Facility of the Year 

TV Facility of the Year – 

Sponsored by Scrub 

Commercial Facility of the Year 

Audio on TV Entertainment – 

Sponsored by SADiE, a PRISM Sound Company 

Best Foley Project (Film, TV or Commercial) 

Audio Media Unsung Hero Award 


The Conch Awards 

Date: Tuesday 22 Sept, 2009 

Venue: Kings Place, London 

Film Soundtrack of the Year 

– under £10 million – Sponsored by Munro Acoustics 

Film Soundtrack of the Year – 

over £10 million – Sponsored by the UK Film Council 

Audio on TV/Film Documentary 

UK’s Most Promising Newcomer – 

Sponsored by Pinewood 

Audio on TV Drama – 

Sponsored by Whitemark 

UK Screen Fellowship Award – 

Sponsored by Dolby 

Production Sound Mixer of the Year 

Film Sound Editor of the Year 

(editor, designer, dialogue, supervising) 

TV Sound Editor of the Year 

(editor, designer, dialogue, supervising)

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geo focus Benelux 

New Image for Galaxy Studios 

The long-established Belgian studio complex continues to explore new technologies. JIM EVANS reports. 

Galaxy Studios was founded in 

1982 by Wilfried and Guy Van 

Baelen. Located in the heart of 

Europe between Brussels and Antwerp, 

the purpose-built, fully air-conditioned 

residential studio-complex floats 

on springs for isolation. The studios 

comprise a large live recording hall 

(up to 100 musicians) plus editing, 

mastering, mixing, and sound-topicture 

suites. 

The Galaxy complex, now confidently 

approaching its thirtieth birthday, 

raised more than a few eyebrows 

when it first came on the recording 

scene, but soon became established 

on the international circuit. The owners 

have never been scared to opt for 

innovation and have become adept at 

spotting changing market trends. 

David Hawkins of Eastlake Audio 

was closely involved in Galaxy’s design 

and build. He recalls, “One of the most 

surprising of all projects I have been 

involved with over the past thirty or 

so years came about when a young 

Belgian guy came to us and told me 

his family had farmland in Flanders 

and wanted to build a major groundup 

studio complex. When he outlined 

the scale of his plans and the fact that 

he had an existing studio operating 

16 

audioadmay6.pdf 1 5/7/09 12:26 PM 

NEw! NEw! 

sound@summitaudio.com 

out of a disused chicken shed, I was 

somewhat skeptical to say the least. 

However, those seemingly outlandish 

ambitions eventually became 

Galaxy Studios, surely one of the 

most impressive ground-up studio 

developments in recent times.” 

In recent times, while continuing 

to enjoy steady audio recording 

and mastering business, Galaxy has 

widened the scope of its activities to 

include audio archiving, DVD and Bu-ray 

disc authoring, DVD production, and 

film score recording. The new ‘image 

department’ is fully equipped for most 

A/V and post production requirements, 

while a Neve DFC Gemini console is 

due to be installed soon. 

Guus Fluit recently joined Galaxy as 

Marketing Consultant after 15 years 

with EMI Belgium. He says, “ In my 

experience as A&R and Marketing 

Director, I have always enjoyed working 

in the creative environment of a studio, 

and have always been impressed by 

Galaxy’s love for good sound and its 

quest for perfection. 

“I am particularly impressed with 

its creative attitude to counter the 

problems the music industry is facing, 

and its vision to develop future business 

models. Besides remaining one of the 

30 Years 

Made in the U.S.A. 

last dedicated residential audio studios, 

Galaxy has chosen the path to become 

a one-stop shop for sound and image, 

and this opens up fantastic synergies 

and opportunities. It will be my task 

to communicate this new vision and 

mission to the world.” 

Galaxy’s policy of being at the 

cutting edge of audio and video 

technology is reflected in the many 

and varied projects it is involved with. 

Take, for example, heavy metal act 

Within Temptation. 

Within Temptation’s most ambitious 

live show to date, Black Symphony, was 

a unique concert at Rotterdam’s Ahoy 

Arena last year. Sold out months in 

advance, Within Temptation performed 

to 10,000 fans with the 60-piece 

Metropole Orchestra and a 20-voice 

classical choir, as well as on-stage 

stilt performers, costume changes, 

and an array of stunning pyrotechnic 

and lighting effects. 

The colossal production extended 

to Europe’s largest video screen (a 

massive 400m2), reaching across the 

entire width of the stage. Kerrang! 

magazine awarded the concert its 

highest 5-star rating, saying “this really is 

the greatest show on earth”. The show 

was captured through 14 cameras in 


full HD 1080/25 by Cinévideogroup 

and directed by Hans Pannecoucke, 

and sound was supervised by Galaxy 

resident engineer Ronald Prent. 

The release of the SD DVD certainly did 

not go unnoticed, entering high in the 

European DVD charts, reaching the Top 

10 across the continent. The full scope 

of the Black Symphonyconcert’s quality, 

however, unveils on its Blu-ray disc 

format, allowing a crystal clear picture 

with a resolution of 1080i, which is a 

6x better resolution than a DVD. At the 

same time, the superior sound of Bluray, 

which provides up to 5.1 channels 

of high definition uncompressed 96khz 

surround sound, makes you feel as if 

you were sitting next to the conductor 

of the orchestra. 

The spectacular concert is one of the 

first dedicated Blu-ray disc productions 

executed by Galaxy Studios, and one of 

the first worldwide releases with these 

unique audio and video specifications. 

The post-production process (mixing, 

mastering, editing, colouring, 

authoring) was completely handled by 

Galaxy Studios and supervised by DVD 

Producer Wouter Strobbe. 

Meet me at the Summit!

BELGIAN broadcasting mirrors the unique political and 

linguistic nature of the country. The cultural communities, 

rather than the federal authorities, are responsible for 

regulating radio and TV. Unlike most other European 

countries, Belgium does not have a single public 

broadcasting organisation, but two separate bodies, with 

their own regulations, running their own radio, TV, and 

external broadcasting. 

Some 95% of Belgians are hooked-up to cable TV; one 

of the highest take-up rates in the world. Cable services 

offer dozens of domestic and foreign channels, including 

Dutch and French stations. Belgium aims to complete the 

conversion to digital TV by 2011, when it aims to switch off 

the analogue signal. 

Luxembourg exerts immense media clout and has a 

long tradition of operating radio and TV services for pan- 

European audiences, including those in France, Germany, 

and the UK. The Luxembourg-based media group RTL is 

Les Misérables Continues Alcons Success 

The Netherlands – Sound Designer Jeroen 

ten Brinke is using an Alcons Audio-based 

sound system for the touring production of 

Les Misérables. 

The show has run for nine months in the 

Rotterdam Nieuwe Luxor Theatre, now moved 

to Amsterdam’s 1,800-seat 

Royal Carré Theatre, a return 

to the capital’s theatre after 

17 years, and from here 

to the Stadsschouwburg 

in Antwerpen, so Jeroen’s 

design – with equipment 

supplied by Peter 

Scheunhage at Dutch 

rental company Focus 

Showequipment – has to take variations in size 

and configuration of the venues into account. 

“We have a total of three hangs of six LR14 

ultra-compact line-arrays (RBN401 pro-ribbon HF 

+ 2x 6.5” LF) per side for theatres where we have 

three levels or two balconies,” explains ten Brinke. 

“But usually, with one balcony, we use the top and 

bottom cluster only, which are two arrays of six 

LR14s on each side. 

“For front-fills, we use eight 

low profile SR9s (RBN401 proribbon 

HF +2x 5” LF) and the 

centre clusters comprise two 

hangs of 12 LR16 left and right 

(RBN601 pro-ribbon + 2x 8” 

LF), and subs are BF302s (2x 

15”). The complete system is 

powered and controlled by 

the Alcons 2x 2kW ALC’s.” 

In the final implementation phase, ten Brinke 

was joined by West End Sound Designer Nick 

Lidster from Autograph London. 

Zwolle College Invests in Midas Package 

The Netherlands – Midas Consoles Benelux has 

sold a package of equipment including two 

PRO6 live audio systems, a Venice 160 console, 

and Klark Teknik Square ONE signal processing to 

the Deltion College in Zwolle, the Netherlands. 

The Deltion College provides around 16,000 young 

people with vocational training and education 

per year. 

“This is equipment you won’t yet see in many reallife 

theatres; a dream come true for every instructor 

and every student,” says Gert Venema, tutor on the 

course’s Sound and Theatre Techniques module. 

The college’s attitude to new technology is largely 

MEDIA MATTERS 

behind much of this activity. RTL’s radio stations have 

been a part of the broadcasting landscape in France and 

Germany for decades. 

Luxembourg’s media empire extends to the skies. 

The country is home to Europe’s largest satellite operator, 

Societe Europeenne des Satellites (SES), which operates 

the Astra satellite fleet. 

The Dutch approach to public broadcasting is unique. 

Programmes are made by a variety of groups, some 

reflecting political or religious currents in society, others 

representing interest groups. These organisations are 

allocated airtime on TV and radio, in line with the number 

of members they have. 

Public radio and TV channels face stiff competition 

from commercial stations, which mushroomed after a 

1988 law lifted the ban on commercial broadcasting. 

The TV market is very competitive. 

down to the passion of the instructors, according 

to Midas Consoles Benelux’s Axel Nagtegaal. 

“A good specification is wonderful, but without 

passion it is sterile,” he says. “The real added value 

and creativity of this project is the way the school, 

instructors, and consultant have worked together in 

a concerted effort.” 

For Nagtegaal, the equipment sale is just the 

beginning of his cooperation with the Deltion College. 

“The school can call us in for training, workshops, and 

master classes, and we are also offering internships 

to students with the potential for junior and senior 

management positions,” he says. 

AUDIO MEDIA MAY 2009

what’s up 

18 

UK 

whatsupuk@audiomedia.com 

The great proportion of British people are a little sniffy 

about art and much to the disgust of the purists, it is 

no longer just about painting. Photography, video 

and sound are now the basis of gallery exhibitions, 

interpreting the media in new ways and forms. 

This is something that has been happening with 

photographs and video screen installations for well 

over ten years but more recently audio has become 

a means of artistic expression that moves the 

medium away from being about music, conventional 

composition and tonal construction. The idea goes 

back to Italian futurist painter Luigi Russolo's 1913 

manifesto Art of Noises, which declared "we must 

break out of this narrow circle of pure musical sounds 

and conquer the infinite variety of noise sounds". 

This led to Pierre Schaeffer creating musique 

concrète, which was then further developed by 

Cage, Stockhausen, Varèse, and others, paving 

the way for the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, the 

industrial electronica movement of the '70s and 

the synth-pop boom of the early '80s. In the last 

few years experiments in sound have been staged 

The Art Of Sound 

KEVIN HILTON explores the growing acceptance of sound as art in the UK and talks to some of the main players . 

in galleries, museums and city squares around 

the world but the UK has been slow to respond. 

That's changing this year, which has seen significant 

exhibits based on sound, with more to come. 

The unlikely starting point was the sedate south 

coast resort of Bexhill in East Sussex. The 1930s 

modernist building the De La Warr Pavilion, now 

an arts centre and concert venue. From January to 

March it hosted an exhibit by composer Michael 

Nyman, featuring video filmed over the past 15 years 

in various locations, with the segment on bell makers 

coming close to musique concrète, and Anthem, an 

installation by sculptor, and founder of Audio Arts, 

a CD (previously cassette)-based magazine, William 

Furlong. 

Anthem consisted of 48 box-less loudspeakers 

suspended from wires. Recordings made by Furlong 

on location at the Pavilion last summer were played 

around 24 of the loudspeakers, with visitors and 

locals talking about the venue and reflecting on 

Bexhill itself. Furlong used his trusty old DAT machine 

for the interviews and passed the recordings on to 

Sonica Music studios in 

south London, which he 

has been using for his audio 

projects for ten years. 

Sonica was founded by 

electronics engineer Matt 

Clark and he and his brother 

Paul have built much of 

the equipment they use, 

although the ubiquitous 

Pro Tools was used to mix 

Furlong's interviews. The 

studio's main business is 

post-production but has 

been involved in sound 

art for some time. Paul 

Clark comments that while 

the artist has the concept, 

he or she needs someone 

who knows what to do 

technically to realise it. 

Sonica is currently working 

with Hilary Champion, a Fine 

Arts Masters student at the 

University for the Creative 

Arts in Farnham, whose 

work on war and peace 

turns recordings of weapons 

into musical instruments. 

Sonica's DIY approach 


echoes the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Former 

members of the Workshop are playing live at London's 

Roundhouse this month and during August the 

venue will be a giant musical instrument for a project 

conceived by David Byrne. For Playing the Building: 

An Installation, cables and wires will be attached to 

pillars, pipes and beams in the Roundhouse, and 

then "played" from a keyboard in the UK premiere of 

an event staged last year in New York. 

Among other events this month are Futuresonic 

2009 and the Social Technologies Summit in 

Manchester, and Sonic Art at the Blank Gallery 

in Portslade, near Brighton. This is curated by Mike 

Blow of Evolutionary Art and seeks to "explore 

sound in art through recordings, installations, new 

instruments and visualizations". 

The coming together of sensory information is at 

the heart of work by Martyn Ware, a founder member 

of The Human League and Heaven 17. Through the 

Illustrious Company, which he founded in 2001 

with Vince Clarke from Erasure and Yazoo, Ware has 

developed the 3D AudioScape spatial surround 

sound program, which he has used for the Future of 

Sound installations and performances. 

In June a Ware-designed installation will be 

running in London's Leicester Square, part of 

a project to promote the area and help visitors 

appreciate it as more than just somewhere to go to 

the cinema. Sound Life London features two rings 

of six loudspeakers and will characterise the city 

through sound – the noise of traffic, the River Thames, 

church bells, the speech and languages of Londoners, 

material from the National Sound Archive, and songs 

about the city. "We asked ourselves that if we were 

creating a composition in sound that was indicative 

of what London sounded like to someone who had 

never been, what would you do," Ware says. 

Ware feels the UK has been behind other counties 

in embracing sound art but with new media and 

technologies the form is finally making itself felt. 

"It's been hard to sell, and has been looked down on, 

because there's no commercial value to it," he says, 

"and has usually been publically funded or done by 

students for virtually no money. We are coming out 

of that phase, thank God." 

For Ware sound art is as much about the 

setting, whether in a gallery or a public space, as 

it is the technology, with the concept feeding off 

the surroundings. With a new found enthusiasm 

for something that perhaps only other people and 

countries did, perhaps the UK will become one big 

sound art installation itself.. �

The Intelligent Controller 

from the designers of the Smart Console. 

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Choose MAC or PC 

Check out the video online 

Tel: +61 2 9648 6744 Fax: +61 2 9648 6766 

Email: talktous@smartav.net Website: www.smartav.net 

Austria: +43-664-8490617 

Czech Republik: +421 2 52632517 

France: +331 4506 0447 

Germany: +49 40 8517700 

Norway: +47 23 19 96 00 

Netherlands: +31 35 6211811 

Spain: +34 911880730 

Switzerland: +41 52 3431157 

UK: +44 208 941 6547

News Talk 

ADAM: 10 Years Young 

ADAM Audio is one of the success stories in monitoring, with a growing reputation for exceptional quality at a sensible price. 

Now, with 10 years under its belt, there’s new product, and a good excuse to delve into the reasons for that success… 

It’s 10 years since it’s ADAM Audio 

was created, and it’s still growing 

strongly in a heavily populated 

So, my partner and I started in 1999 

to take the tweeter and put it into 

some studio monitors. The first thing 

market, even during these difficult to do was to go to the AES convention 

economic times. ADAM marked in 1999, and within a few days, we had 

this milestone recently both with customers, we had positive reactions 

evening celebrations at the recent – we had Rupert Neve stopping by 

Prolight + Sound show in Frankfurt, and saying “this is an excellent design, 

and with the introduction of the young man,” – and I was 50 at that 

brand new SX Series monitors. point in time. 

The SX Series features a new tweeter From then on we tried to build 

with X-ART technology, a new woofer up the international business 

with HexaCone technology, new A/B immediately. We grew to, now 60 

amps, and a frequency response of people, with a nice factory in Berlin, 

35Hz to 50kHz. Audio 

and we have 

Media spoke with 

companies in the 

ADAM’s founder, 

US and LA, one 

Klaus Heinz. 

recently founded in 

the UK, and another 

Audio Media: How 

that is to address 

did it all start? 

the Chinese market. 

Klaus Heinz: I 

We have distributors 

was intrigued by 

in more than 50 

speaker concept 

countries and the 

from Dr. Oskar Heil 

overall business is 

called the air motion 

transformer. This is a 

Klaus Heinz, founder of ADAM Audio. 

still growing. 

way of reproducing high frequencies AM: What makes ADAM different? 

in a rather different way from what KH: I think the overall sound quality 

you find with voice coil systems that is the number one issue why ADAM 

drain 99.9% of the actual production is successful – why ADAM could enter 

today. I constructed a tweeter with the German broadcast scene where 

that principle, that seemed to have people are normally very conservative 

very positive properties; it seemed to and looking for known brands, and 

sound better – better transients – and still succeed simply because the 

I thought this was enough to justify sound quality was so convincing. 

the foundation of a company. 

Also, during the ten years of 

20 

A U D I O M E D I A M A Y 2 0 0 9 

putting the same tweeter in all our 

models, we went down and down 

in price. The big shift for ADAM was 

the introduction of a model called 

the A7, which sells for approx. 

US$1,000 a pair… We now do more 

than 1,000 pieces a month of this 

model. And we introduced an even 

cheaper model called A5 last year, 

which is coming out now. 

Besides this, I redesigned the core 

of ADAM – the S-series monitors, 

from the ground up. We now have 

the new SX series. I have a new 

tweeter that has spectacularly better 

technical performance, such as 4dB 

more efficiency, which is an awful lot 

in the transducer business. There’s a 

50kHZ real bandwidth (-3dB point), 

which is extremely rare if achieved at 

all from any other tweeter. And most 

importantly, does it sound better? 

Fortunately the reactions have been 

as clear as they could be. 

AM: What do you think makes a 

person say one monitor sounds better 

than another? 

KH: We are in a subjective domain 

here. There is no clear answer, of 

course. You can have speakers A and B 

in one room, and prefer A, and when 

you go to the next room, you prefer B. 

You might prefer A with one CD, but 

with another CD, you prefer B. 

Yet there is a canon of opinions, of 

listening, of good guys with golden 

ears, that say ‘this is a better speaker’, 

whatever this physically means. If you 

talk to each other, then you know this 

model from this manufacturer does 

that and that, and in most cases you 

will agree. So the judgement comes 

from many people’s opinions over a 

period of time. You need both many 

people, and you need a certain time 

to elapse before you can really judge 

a speaker. 

This is unlucky for a designer who 

wants a clear result, but on the other 

side, it’s a chance for small companies 

like us to succeed… The subjective 

domain is important enough in our 

business, that individual designers 

like me can have success, and are not 

victim to big companies. 

Recently, things changed for ADAM in the 

UK. Specifically this involved the creation 

of ADAM Audio UK, a new company 

headed up by one Kevin Bent, and now 

the exclusive representative of ADAM 

Audio in the UK. 

� ADAM Audio GmbH, Berlin, 

Germany 

� +49 30 8630097 0 

� www.ADAM-audio.de 

� ADAM Audio UK 

� +44 (0)1992 525670 

� uk-info@ADAM-audio.com

H4n Handy Recorder 

£329.99 rrp 

H2 Handy Recorder 

£179.99 rrp 

Zoom UK, 15 Weston Barns, 

Hitchin Road, Weston, Hertfordshire, 

SG4 7AX, UNITED KINGDOM 

H4n 

Handy Recorder 

� Record up to 24-bit at 96kHz for high-definition audio � Built-in studio condenser 

mics with variable stereo patterns � 4 channel simultaneous recording using 

built-in and external mics � Large 1.9-Inch LCD screen and intuitive interface 

� Variable speed playback - 50% to 150% � Onboard Reference Speaker to check 

recordings � USB 2.0 ports for fast file transfer � CuBase LE4 included (Zoom H4n only) 

TEL: +44-1462-791100 www.zoom.co.jp FAX: +44-1462-791117 

Zoom Corporation, 2F, ITOHPIA Iwamotocho 

2-chome Bldg., 2-11-2 Iwamoto-cho, 

Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0032, JAPAN

22 

Special Report 

The Nuttiest Sound Around: 

Madness 

MOJO WORKING talks to Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley, and discovers how the heavy heavy monster sound of 

Madness came to be put together in the middle of the night, and mixed in a shed. 

The Specials may have 

spearheaded the British ska 

revival that emerged during 

1979, but by the end of the year 

the race was on to see whether 

the Coventry-based band or North 

London’s self-styled ‘Nutty Boys’, 

Madness, would release their debut 

album first. Madness just barely beat 

The Specials to the punch, in the 

process establishing a production 

partnership between Clive Langer 

and Alan Winstanley that also went 

on to generate hits by artists such 

as Elvis Costello, Dexy’s Midnight 

Runners, Morrissey, Bush, David 

Bowie, and Mick Jagger. 

Beginning To Feel 

The Heat 

Winstanley, who started out as an 

engineer at Fulham’s TW Studios, 

first met Langer when the latter’s 

band, Deaf School, booked time to 

record an album with Rob Dickens, 

head of Warner Bros. Music, producing. 

“[Clive] was always the one 

who stuck around to see how the 

process went,” recalls Winstanley, 

who had worked with Martin 

Rushent, including engineering 

several Stranglers albums with the 

producer, and with Stiff Records 

acts such as Rachel Sweet and Lene 

Lovich, at the basement studio. 

When several members of 

Madness, fans of Deaf School, 

approached him in mid-1979 to 

work with them, Langer, who had 

also recorded with Mutt Lange and 

Muff Winwood, saw an opportunity 

to try his hand at production. 

Those tracks, recorded 

at Pathway 

Studio in 

Highbury, caught the ear of Jerry 

Dammers, keyboardist with The 

Specials, who released the band’s 

first single, The Prince, on his 2 

Tone Records label in August 1979. 

The single peaked at number 

16 in the UK chart, but secured 

Madness an album deal with Dave 

Robinson’s Stiff Records. 

Robinson put Winstanley’s name 

forward to produce the album, 

having worked with him at TW 

Studios. The band wanted to 

continue working with Langer. 

Having also worked together on 

tracks for The Yachts as well as 

Langer’s post-Deaf School band, 

The Boxes, Langer and Winstanley 

had no problem pairing up; thus, 

one of the most successful UK 

production teams was born. 

“Dave Robinson told us the 

Specials’ album was about to come 

out, and he wanted to precede 

that release by a week or so. So we 

worked non-stop for three weeks,” 

reports Langer. “We rehearsed 

quite a bit, knocking the songs 

into shape. The rhythm section had 

always been good, so we were able 

to do things quickly.” 

Rockin’ In A Shed 

Winstanley takes up the story: 

“We did the first week at Eden 

Studios. The reason we went to 

Eden was that The Specials were 

in TW with Elvis Costello producing. 

When we got to TW for our 

second week they’d left a tape 

lying around, so we were able to 

spy on them and hear what they’d 

been doing.” 

He continues, “The third week 

was supposed to be at the studio 

that Martin Rushent and I were 

building in the grounds of his 

house near Reading [subsequently 

named Genetic]. The equipment 

had turned up but the studio 

wasn’t ready. So the first Madness 

album was basically mixed in 

his shed!” 

Once More With 

Feeling 

Winstanley recollects that Robinson 

arranged to come by and listen to 

the album on the 

final night of mix- 

ing. “We planned 

to meet him at the 

local pub about 

7 o’clock and he 

didn’t turn up 

until closing time, 

about 11; we were 

totally out of it!” he 

laughs. Robinson 

promptly declared 

that the title track, 

One Step Beyond, 

would be the first 

single. The producers 

pointed out 

that the instrumental 

track over which 

Chas Smash, not yet 

a full-time member, 

introduced 

the band, was just 

over one minute 

long. “Dave said, ‘Just go once more 

round the houses – double it up. 

I’m going back to London, have it 

in my office by tomorrow,’” recalls 

Winstanley. 

“By then it was about 2 o’clock 

in the morning and we were in no 

fit state. So I put the mix through 

a couple of mono Eventide 

Harmonizers and tagged it onto 

the end, so it goes through it twice. 

The idea was that it was a demo for 

him and we’d go in the next day 

and do it for real. By the time we 

reconvened to do the remix he’d 

mastered it and the lacquers were 

on the way to the factory! And it 

was a top 10 hit.” 


Chipmunks Are Go 

As for the album, he says, 

“From the day we started 

recording it was in the 

shops five weeks 

later,” ahead of The 

Specials. 

“The idea was that it was 

a demo for him and we’d 

go in the next day and 

do it for real. By the time 

we reconvened to do the 

remix he’d mastered it 

and the lacquers were on 

the way to the factory!” 

A harmoniser also gave sax 

player Lee Thompson his signature 

sound, notes Winstanley: “When he 

first started playing tenor sax, Lee 

didn’t realize it was a B flat instrument, 

and it was never quite in 

tune. So we’d harmonise it to cover 

up the fact that he was out of tune, 

and that became his sound.” 

As for Mike Barson’s 

piano, he continues, 

“Rather than harmonise 

it we would 

double track him 

then varispeed the 

machine slightly. 

We thought that 

was the way the 

Beatles would have 

done it – or maybe 

I’d read that’s how 

they did it.” 

“ I r e m e m b e r 

finishing the album 

and going home 

f e e l i n g r e a l l y 

depressed, thinking 

it was a load of 

rubbish,” says Langer. 

“But a couple of 

days later, with a bit 

of sleep, it sounded 

good. It was a good 

mixture, capturing what they 

were like live but with a bit of 

discipline in the studio and a few 

poppy moments.” 

One Step Beyond reached the 

number 2 position and remained 

in the UK chart for over a year. 

With Langer and Winstanley at the 

helm, Madness went on to clock 

up 214 weeks on the UK singles 

chart between 1980 and 1986. 

The pair has produced all but 

one of the band’s albums, and 

recently finished working on 

their ninth full-length and 30th 

anniversary release, The Liberty of 

Norton Folgate. � 

© Copyright Mojo Working International 

2009. All Rights Reserved. 

Thanks to Mojo Working 

International for putting this feature 

together. Mojo is a PR company for 

the global recording, post, 

and creative markets. 

www.mojoworking.com

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24 

Fleet and able to process a 

staggering 1,020 paths, 

Calrec’s new Apollo console is 

definitely heaven-sent for 

those in broadcast, says 

STEPHEN BENNETT. 

THE REVIEWER 

STEPHEN BENNETT has been 

involved in music production for 

over 25 years. Now based in the 

wilds of rural Sweden, he runs 

Chaos Studios and writes books 

and articles on music technology. 

He’s also a film-maker with 

s e veral m u s i c v i d e o s a n d 

short films to his credit. www. 

stephenjamesbennett.co.uk 

When you’ve named your top of the range product 

Alpha, there’s really nowhere else to go as far as 

the Greek alphabet is concerned. So UK-based 

Calrec has turned to deities when christening their latest 

console. Apollo is based on the company’s Bluefin2 HDSP 

FGPA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) technology to 

provide an extended and enhanced feature set over the 

Alpha – though that desk will remain in production 

alongside its more heavenly named brethren. Introduced at 

NAB 2009, Apollo can potentially have a staggering 1,020 

processing paths, 128 program busses, 96 IFB/Track outputs, 

and 48 auxiliaries. Though these numbers are lower at 

96kHz, the console still retains an impressive amount of 

power – and it’s available all of the time, with none of that 

tedious juggling of DSP 

resources common to 

digital systems. 

How Many? 

You may be asking 

yourself why anyone 

would need this 

number of processing 

paths? Well, if you in the 

broadcasting sector you won’t be, says Henry Goodman, 

Calrec’s Business Development Manager. “If you’re 

working in 5.1 or other surround formats, the channel 

count really mounts up.” To feed these paths, Calrec’s 

Hydra2 networking technology is a 8192x8192 cross-point 

router enabling all I/O to be situated remotely from the 

console. “Each Hydra2 I/O box can have various input/ 

output units that can provide various formats, such as 

analogue, AES, MADI, and SDI, all with either copper 

or fibre connectivity,” says Goodman. “We’ve taken the 

concept of allowing for a remote I/O box that could be 

situated for an Outside Broadcast application or placed 

down on the studio floor wired by Gigabit Ethernet, and 

moved that forward to its next level. This has enabled us, 

alongside the DSP technology, to develop our own router 

technology, and each console can be incorporated into a 

larger network. Our premise, in terms of channel structure, 

was to allow our customers to have an Alpha level desk, 

but with a similar channel count at 96kHz. The routing 

isn’t dependent on the DSP structure, and you could 

have, for example, a situation where you are connecting 

more than one console together, and because you have 

one of these router cards in each console, you have eight 

thousand squared routes in each desk.” 

Custom Decisions 

Like other manufacturers, Calrec understands the 

advantages of utilising off the shelf DSP technology 

rather than developing propriety devices themselves, 

as Goodman explains; “What’s clever about it is the way 

we use them!” he says. “One of the things we learned 

long ago was to avoid using custom chips – most of our 

customers would get very nervous if we started talking 

about and developing something that they could only 

buy from Calrec. There are some people using FGPAs for 

DSP processing, but we are the only broadcast company 

using the newer chips, and no one else is approaching 

us in this sector with respect to channel counts.” 

While the DSP and Hydra2 system are improved versions 

of technology already used in earlier Calrec consoles, the 

control surface itself is something special – according to 

Goodman. “This is the part of the desk which is completely 


new and uses technology we have never used before.” 

The console uses OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) 

displays alongside touch screens for setting up routings 

and displaying EQ curves and so on, which makes use of 

touch membranes overlaid on the OLEDs. “The Apollo’s 

channels are managed over 12 dual layers and on up to 

320 physical faders, and assigned panels can be used 

to control various parameters,” says Goodman. 

“Because we use this OLED technology, the controls are 

not dedicated – they are ‘soft’. So what we can do is to 

use these to map a set of controls to individual panels. 

You use the desk in an ‘assigned’ way of operating – which 

is like a facsimile of the ‘traditional’ Calrec centre section 

– or you can run the desk very much like a traditional 

analogue configuration. The eight ‘wild’ controls above 

each fader can have pretty much any function, such as EQ 

controls or auxilaries for example, and you can map these 

to create an analogue-like channel strip.” This can be done 

CALREC APOLLO 

Broadcast Console 

per channel, per panel (eight faders wide), or over the 

whole desk. “One of the challenges of designing digital 

desks is providing feedback to the operator – especially 

on one which operates on multiple layers,” says Goodman. 

“The Apollo gives the operator a lot of visual feedback 

very quickly. Being able to swap between these two 

ways of operating can allow the user to easily change 

between the more detailed mode of operation when 

setting up, then switching to the ‘wild’ mode to run the 

actual show.” 

Under Pressure 

In the heat of a broadcast, reliability is ultra-important, 

and Calrec has tackled this area with multiple redundancy 

systems, so you don’t miss a second of the broadcast. 

“Not only is the system very compact, but we have 

redundancy on the DSP cards, the power supplies, the 

router, and the processing systems for communication 

to the desk,” says Goodman. “Broadcast applications are 

effectively live recordings, and our customers would be 

asking some serious questions if we didn’t build in this 

level of redundancy.” � 

� GB£POA 

................................... 

INFORMATION 

� Calrec, Nutclough Mill, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, 

HX7 8EZ, UK 

� +44 (0) 1422 842159 

� +44 (0) 1422 845244 

� www.calrec.com 

� enquiries@calrec.com

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26 

They say that home is where 

the heart is; and SIMON 

TILLBROOK finds that the 

Everest ECS-410 fits in right at 

the centre of Summit’s popular 

processing family, with all of 

the hereditary traits that you’d 

expect from the brand. 

THE REVIEWER 

SIMON TILLBROOK is the Principal 

Music Tutor at Islington Music 

Workshop in London. The rest of 

his time is spent as a freelance 

engineer, mainly in the USA. 

The Summit Everest ECS-410 is offered up as Summit’s 

flagship channel strip. The ECS-410 is made up of four 

sections, each independently accessible via the rear 

panel connections. 

The four sections of the ECS-410 are the Mz2 

microphone preamplifier and DI, the Dc1 Dual mode 

dynamics processor, the Fe1 three-band passive equaliser, 

and the Db2 Master output/DriveBuss. 

The input and output stages of the Summit Everest 

ECS-410 give you a choice of either solid state or tube 

processing, maximising the sonic characteristics and 

flavour that can be achieved. In the case of the Mz2, we 

have, after the gain, an interstage Jensen line transformer 

for some additional character before feeding into the 

solid state or tube stages. 

A unique aspect to the Summit Everest ECS-410 is 

the TouchPatch routing system. A series of buttons on the 

front panel allow you to configure the order of process 

sections that feed into the DriveBus output. There are ten 

different configurations that are all detailed in the easy 

to follow user manual. Any section not in use through 

the TouchPatch routing can be independently used and 

accessed through the rear connections. 

The unique aspect of the ECS-410 is the TouchPatch 

routing system. This allows you to route any of the 

sections both to and from any other section, or bypass all 

internal routing to allow external independent access to 

the four process sections of the ECS-410. 

The rear of the Summit Everest ECS-410 clearly divides 

the available connections in relation to the four sections. 

The Mz2 Pre has balanced XLR I/O, plus a TRS balanced 

output and insert TRS. The insert point appears post the 

transformer and gain control, and pre the solid state or 

tube preamplifier. DI input is via the front unbalanced 

Hi-Z jack socket. 

The Dc1 dual mode compressor has balanced XLR 

I/O, jack sockets for stereo linking another unit, and side 

chain input. 

The Fe1 passive three-band equaliser simply has 

balanced XLR I/O, and the Db2 DriveBuss has balanced 

XLR input, plus XLR and TS outputs. 

Front Panel Sections 

The first section on the Summit Everest ECS-410 is the 

Mz2 Preamplifier. We have +60dB of gain on the rotary 

control with ten segment LED input level metering. A set 

of switches gives us access to phase reverse, phantom 

power, -20dB pad, high pass filter with a 60Hz turnover 

frequency, and discrete solid state or 12AX7A tube output 

selection. An LED indicator lets you know that the internal 

TouchPatch system is engaged. 

The Dc1 compressor has two modes that can 

be selected next to the LED gain reduction meter. 

Classic mode is a soft knee smooth and light compression, 

and Tight is a more aggressive limiting style of 

compression. A TouchPatch LED indicator and a Bypass/ 

Link switch follow rotary controls for the usual parameters. 

The Fe1 three band passive equaliser follows with cut/ 

boost and frequency selection for each band. 

Frequency selection rotary controls are stepped 

selectors and the high and low bands are switchable 

between peak and shelf characteristics. In peak mode all 

bands have a bandwidth of two octaves. A TouchPatch 

LED and bypass switch complete the Fe1. 

The final section of the Summit Everest ECS-410 is the 

Db2 DriveBus master output. To the side of the output VU 


meter are LED indicators for overload and drive. The latter 

gives a visual idea of how hard the high voltage output is 

being worked. A switch lets you select either bypass, or a 

choice of solid state or tube output options. 

The small Drive rotary knob controls the amount 

of signal feeding either the tube or solid-state output 

amplifiers as you have selected for added tone to the 

sound. A large Master Output level control gives up to 

20dB of additional output gain. 

In Use 

Starting with the Fe1 equaliser, this is based on the 

Summit FeQ-50 and delivers all the musicality that this 

passive design has to offer. Even when used with fairly 

extreme levels of cut or boost, the Fe1 never sounds really 

SUMMIT AUDIO EVEREST ECS-410 

Recording Channel Strip 

aggressive and excessively processed. This theme carries 

through to the Dc1 compressor. In classic mode the Dc1 

is all about subtle, smooth, and uncoloured control. 

The audio signal dictates the performance as the Dc1 

follows and rounds off the edges sympathetically. 

When switched to Tight mode, we are given a more 

extreme and punchy sound, but still very musical and 

smooth even with this setup. 

The impression is that the Summit Everest ECS- 

410 processor sections are all about smooth musical 

interaction, and this works beautifully. 

The Mz2 preamp and Db2 DriveBus output sections 

proved to be extremely flexible. When I tested the Summit 

Everest ECS-410, I used them both in many combinations 

and individual instances in both solid-state and tube 

modes. You can achieve a clean crisp stunning quiet 

feel, or a full-blooded saturated and aggressive tone. 

The versatility of the ECS-410 when it comes to sonic 

flavour is exceptional. 

The TouchPatch routing is something you appreciate 

more as you use the ECS-410. Quick setup changes 

between onboard configurations, and the ability to 

externally access unused stages of the Summit Everest 

ECS-410 means that a single unit can be accommodating 

various session process requirements simultaneously. 

Conclusion 

The Summit Everest ECS-410 is everything I have come 

to expect as a user of Summit Audio equipment. Each of 

the four sections performs fantastically, giving numerous 

sonic possibilities. The TouchPatch system is a very 

welcome addition, providing us with the opportunity 

to use each of these process stages on a single signal, or 

share with other parts of our system. 

The Summit Everest ECS-410 is about musical flexibility 

and, in this regard, is a wonderful new member of the 

Summit range. � 

................................... 

INFORMATION 

� GB£2,800.00 (exc.VAT) 

� Summit Audio Inc., PO Box 326, Gardnerville, 

NV 89410, USA 

� +1 775 782 8838 

� www.summitaudio.com 

� UK Distributor: SCV London 

� +44 (0) 208 418 1470 

� www.scvlondon.co.uk

28 

Mastering without limits; DAVE 

FOISTER finds the ISA One is 

an all-in-one tool that doesn’t 

restrict its options and thus 

appeals to all. 

THE REVIEWER 

Since doing the Surrey (UK) 

Tonmeister course, DAVE FOISTER 

has produced, engineered, and 

played on innumerable recordings 

in the classical, commercial, folk, 

jazz, and TV music areas, as well as 

live sound operation. He currently 

manages the Guildhall School 

of Music and Drama recording 

department, and spends spare 

time watching racing cars and 

wishing he was driving them. 

Focusrite’s reputation is founded solidly on a long 

history of good engineering and no-compromise 

audio quality. Fairy dust and snake oil do not feature. 

The range that best exemplifies this is the ISA series, a range 

of tracking tools now used extensively in studios and live 

environments when pristine, reliable, reproducible signal 

processing is required. 

One of the more recent incarnations of the ISA 

franchise is the ISA One, which features the renowned 

microphone preamp from the range in an unusual 

package that includes much more than just the preamp. 

It sets out its stall as a serious piece of kit by contriving to 

look more like a laboratory test instrument than a studio 

processor; there’s no attempt at rack-mounting options, 

but a sloping front panel, a tall narrow case, and a handle 

on the top that make it clear this is intended for the 

itinerant engineer/producer/musician to bring a major 

part of their sound into any studio with them. It even 

comes in a chunky flight case. 

In ISA Control 

The controls on the preamp 

section will be familiar from 

other ISA models. Gain is handled in two 

ranges on a detented knob with continuous fine gain 

available separately; there are front-panel illuminated 

switches for phantom, phase, a high-pass filter and an 

insert loop, and a selector for mic or line inputs or the 

front-panel instrument jack (although there’s more to 

that jack, as we shall see). A trademark of the modern 

ISA preamp though is the impedance switch – a feature 

introduced to the ISA pre-amp in 2002, and still rarely 

seen on microphone preamps, despite the useful 

variations it offers. 

The manual gives a good explanation of how the 

input impedance interacts with the microphone 

characteristics to influence the sound, and what it says 

in effect is that higher settings will produce higher signal 

levels, flatter frequency response, and improved HF 

response, while lower settings will bring out the inherent 

character of the microphone, possibly even exaggerate 

it. Thus it offers low (600Ω), medium (2400Ω) and high 

(6800Ω) settings, as well as the distinctive 1400Ω setting 

that characterises the classic ISA 110. Whatever the theory, 

the experience of adjusting the impedance with a familiar 

microphone makes you wonder why more preamps don’t 

have this function, as it can tailor the sound to the source 

in a very different and more subtle way than EQ, and 

really bring out the best in the microphone. Working 

with a fairly powerful male classical voice, it enabled me 

to balance the fullness and warmth of the voice with the 

detail of the upper end without having to consider using 

anything else. 

A Little Bit Extra-ordinary 

Alongside this is the aforementioned instrument input, 

and this is where the ISA One begins to depart from the 

norm. As well as having access to the main preamp, the 

instrument jack has its own separate circuitry delivering 

a DI output on the rear panel, as well as a loop-through 

for an amp. This means it delivers two independent 

signal paths through the unit, both shown on separate 

LED meters, although the main vu meter is dedicated 

to the principal preamp. Suggestions in the manual for 

exploiting this dual-path configuration include recording 


electric guitar and vocals simultaneously through it, and 

recording a guitar using both a DI and a mic on the amp, 

all through the ISA One. 

With A Twist 

Next up is even more of a twist on the basic package: 

a headphone output with a mysterious switch labelled 

‘Cue Mix’, and this too has a variety of uses. By default it 

provides a fixed mono mix of the two input sources, but 

for more sophisticated foldback use, it has a stereo cue 

input that can be fed from a desk’s conventional foldback 

send, giving the musician local volume control and the 

option to switch to the source signals for checking if 

required. A final option is the use of an additional mono 

external input, which overrides the instrument input to 

the cue circuit. This allows a mono foldback send from 

the recording system to be heard alongside the signal 

being handled by the main preamp, and Focusrite 

suggests this set-up for latency-free monitoring when 

using a DAW, as the live source signal will not have passed 

FOCUSRITE ISA ONE 

Dual Path Mic Pre/DI 

through the DAW. 

A thoroughly useful optional extra is a digital output 

card, user-fittable, which provides AES/EBU, SPDIF, and 

ADAT outputs all the way up to 192kHz 24-bit, including 

two-wire mode. AES/EBU and wired SPDIF require 

separate breakout cables, but optical output is switchable 

between ADAT and SPDIF. The two signal paths through 

the unit appear independently on whichever output 

format is selected. Wordclock in and out are supported, 

and a comprehensive section on the front controls the 

digital setup. 

One For All 

I must admit to being slightly puzzled as to who the 

intended market for the ISA One is. Some of its features 

belong in the studio, some in the control room, and the 

only place where you might use all the bits at once is a 

project-type studio where everything happens in one 

room, including loud guitar amps. On the other hand, 

for somebody wanting to introduce a bit of Focusrite 

ISA magic into such an environment, this is the ideal 

way to do it. In any case, the quality of the design and 

engineering, and the thought that’s gone in to the 

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30 

The big political blockbuster 

of the year posed some 

We were winding down production on Iron Man, 

when I received a phone call from the producers to 

come and work on Kevin McDonald’s (Last King Of 

video assisted engineering tasks. These guys also made a 

very strong team for what would prove to be a fast and 

furious shoot. 

interesting challenges for 

Production Mixer MARK 

Scotland) next picture, State Of Play. It was based on the 

successful BBC mini-series from a couple of years before, 

where it had been set in London and was a story of political 

Everything Changes 

Around this time the casting went through some changes, 

ULANO. Mark recounts the intrigue, murder, and betrayal – rewritten to be set in finalising with Russell Crowe as the male lead, Rachel 

experience, from LA to DC. 

fictionalised contemporary Washington D.C. 

I had seen Kevin’s film the previous year and had liked it 

McAdams, female lead, and supporting players including 

Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren, Robin Wright Penn, Jeff Daniels, 

very much, plus the folks calling us had always treated us Jason Bateman, and others. 

well and been very supportive of the sound department’s I began a more in-depth prep, beginning with the 

contribution. The first portion of the film would shoot in sound breakdown of the script. I always go through a 

Los Angeles both in practical locations and on one of the script three times: first for the journey of the film, taking 

largest newspaper/newsroom sets ever built. The massive the ride, next a detailed identification of any sound relat- 

set was reminiscent of the set from 1976’s All The President’s ed issues detectible on the page. From this, I generate a 

Men, but it was a two-story glass and steel affair spanning Q&A list. I pursue the answers to this list from all the usual 

wall-to-wall two whole stages at the Culver Studios. The suspects and then return for another reading to comb out 

rest of the work would take place in Washington, D.C., anything I might have missed and reintegrate any new 

promising to be a fascinating experience as this was a information that emerged from my research. 

STATEPLAY 

STATEPLAY 

presidential election year 

PLAY 

in the highly politicised capital. 

OF 

A time was set for me to meet the Director and discuss 

Who’s Calling Please? 

the project. I dug into my usual semi-obsessive prep The telephone issues had some definition as the art 

and watched every film the Director had done since the department had already committed to, and installed, a large, 

beginning of his career. The meeting went very well. It was digital PBX phone system into the newsroom set, requiring 

clear that he really cared about this project and that he consultation and technical interface with the ‘house system’. 

was a committed pragmatist, determined to capture the Their phone man, Stephen Castellano of CasCom, came in 

original performances of his stellar cast. He also was very and programmed the system to accept our control of the 

clear about his intention to not glamorise D.C. but to play specific lines for active, two-way phone scenes, à la All The 

up its underbelly, unless the ‘set dressing’ of Washington’s President’s Men. That film was famous for its groundbreaking 

pomp and circumstances was on official display. use of live phone scenes and ultimately won Sound Oscars 

This meant nights, alleyways, bureaucratic settings in pub- for the brilliant Jim Webb, Arthur Piantadosi, Les Fresholtz, 

lic buildings, the Metro, and so on. This implied a lot of and Dick Alexander. Of course, those were the old analogue 

potential for ‘run and gun’, and minimal control of practical 

locations, ultimately resulting in a documentary feel. 

phone days, so we had significant new wrinkles to work out. 

This also meant a mixed media approach, shooting film 

for most of the story but shooting Sony/Genesis HD 

for the official events, such as congressional hearings, 

news events, and so on. Furthermore, there were many 

telephone conversations written into the script, and he 

CHANNELLING THE ART 

Mark Ulano uses the Aviom digital snake system for moving 

precious signals around a busy film set. Aviom's Pro16 and Pro64 

Series solutions offer a modular approach to building digital 

wasn’t yet clear about how he wanted to approach them. snakes for almost any event, large or small. The addition of more 

I then contacted my friend and Boom Operator of I/O or multiple digital splits is as simple as plugging in a Cat-5 cable 

many years, Tom Hartig, to make sure he was interested thus enabling easy and flexible audio network reconfiguration. The 

and available, and also Adam Blantz, our long time Utility Pro16 Series has a distribution area of 150m, providing unlimited 

Sound Technician/Best Boy of the Sound Department. 

Both gentlemen were available, and into it. In addition, 

Johnny Medeiros and Peter Thorens would take on the 

lossless digital splits, no ground loops, RF interference, or signal 

degradation and no complex programming or setup. 


We ended up using the JK Audio ComPac phone interface 

with keypad and cellular capability. 

Non-linear, file based multi-track recording (in my case, 

Zaxcom Deva) really helps with these situations. I can 

record multiple components at the same time, including 

my production mix of the scene, the on-camera miking, 

live miking of the off-camera, as well as the telephone track 

(the occasional conference call scene becomes a multiplier 

of this approach). 

In addition to the PBX, we needed live interface with 

cell phones for on camera dialogue. As anyone who has 

done this knows, there are inherent digital delay problems, 

affecting both timing of the performers as well as audible 

overlapping sound from the cell phones, especially when 

the off camera side of the conversations were not from 

the real actors. Thankfully, Russell Crowe and the Director 

were pros and when they ran into problems with cellular 

phone reception for the off camera actor (also off-sight at 

her hotel), we just had the script supervisor read the off 

camera lines. Whatever works! 

Comprehensive Coverage 

The sheer physical scale and nature of construction of the 

newsroom set also required due diligence regarding RF 

propagation/antenna networking. We experimented with 

several methods, including the big PSC RF MultiMax Multi- 

Coupler, ultimately deciding on a primitive but effective 

old school method of booming directional Batwing-style 

antennas with the dynamic movement of the talent. We used 

simple antenna splitters to cover the size of the real estate 

with multiple drops. Since this project, I have come to use the 

new A5000 CP Sennheiser helical antenna with great results, 

and now mix it up with one A5000 CP and one Batwing. 

All the prep paid off as the newsroom set almost 

became a character unto itself. We were shooting through 

many layers of glass, Steadicam shots through multiple 

environments, up and down, in and out again. Everything 

went off without a hitch until, around the third week in, 

we suddenly experienced sudden level shifts from my 

mixer on one of the pots. After some anxious moments, 

we took a global look at the system on the Studio Manager 

control application bundled with the Yamaha that revealed 

intermittent level changes happening on that gang of four 

faders. We switched out mixers to a back up unit and sent 

the Yamaha off to the shop. Later we learned that we had 

just worn out that fader and it needed to be replaced – no 

big deal, although it would take a little A/B-ing in post to 

rematch the levels from that scene’s work. Such is life in the 

real world. 

The shooting crew was a great bunch – collaborative 

filmmakers all. The Genesis work went smoothly, as we were 

able to spend prep time at Panavision with the camera 

department listening to the bodies and mechanisms and 

maximising whatever we could for quiet operation, quite 

a challenge on these primitive HD machines. Cooperative 

pros all, the camera crew never complained when we asked 

to shut off ‘hummy stuff’. Props also worked closely with 

us both on the telephone stuff, and also when building 

practical mics into all the congressional hearing work. 

Capital Job 

Washington D.C. also went smoothly. We had a few days 

of prep time, scouting locations and checking in the gear. 

If you're ever hired to work on a show in D.C., hope that 

Carol Flaisher is involved – D.C.’s premier Location Manager. 

This was our second show working with her and her team, 

and they achieved miracles for access and location control 

for us in many sensitive locations. 

Filming in Washington became an intensive, high 

paced logistical exercise with daily challenges for all. 

We worked in the Metro (commandeered our own train 

for a night). We filmed a major press conference scene in 

the Library of Congress (including quite a few real-world 

cameos) and had music playback for a choreographed 

mini ballet of Peter and the Wolf, at the Kennedy Center. 

We had car tow dialogue with music playback on the 

streets surrounding the Capital building at rush hour. 

An old habit of mine is to play music to the actors in car 

scenes as we wait or reset. Russell requested a particular 

song while we were doing this. Next thing we know, he 

decided to incorporate it into the scene and voila, Russell 

was singing to it live! We also had a fast moving Steadicam 

dialogue scene walking through a live high school marching 

band playing on the steps of a famous Masonic Lodge. 

The Director tended to prefer tiny, practical locations all 

over this old town, so it was a lot like shooting in New 

York City, always filled with creative opportunities to 

prove that nothing is impossible for a sound crew, if they 

love what they do! � 

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LOCATION GEAR 

I am using a custom-built Chinhda Cart. Lectrosonic Venues – one upper wide band and 

The equipment stack includes: Aviom’s 16x16 digital the other lower wide band. There are two ComTek 

snake, two Apple Mac-Minis for music playback/ BST50b base stations, one for public monitoring 

media management/Internet, etc, Marshall rack and the other for private monitoring by the sound 

mount double video monitor, Mux-Lab video department/boom operators. There’s also an Aphex 

Baluns, 7” touch screen monitors for the computers audio DA for Video assist/EPK and so on. 

(switchable to NTSC for additional camera feeds), The FOH cart is also powered by another ProSine 

Fireface 400 for Master clock @48.048 sample rate, auto switching inverter, and there is another 

Samson C-Control matrix, Roll logic for machine MacMini on the FOH for networking with the main 

control, two Zaxcom Devas, a Yamaha 01v96 VCM cart. This is useful for running Lectrosonics' LecNet2 

mixer with AES/EBU I/O to both Devas, and rack application over Apple Remote Desktop for remote 

mounted Glyph Key hot swappable hard drives. monitoring and control of the Venue receivers from 

Power is supplied by a ProSine 1000W inverter. the main cart. It also works as local terminal for the 

The ProSine is fed its AC from a Furman AR-15 II boom people to do the same from their end if they 

Voltage Regulator. Also plugged into the inverter want. If I have Internet at my end, it goes to them 

is a PSC Cart Power 12 volt isolated distribution over this network and vice versa. A single strand of 

for the 12-volt devices in the system. All this is CAT5e goes to the Video Assist Engineer from the 

connected, via the Aviom kit, by CAT5e cable to the FOH cart via Mux-Lab Balun, sending programme 

FOH cart (as we call the set cart). We can go up to audio to his recorders and taking up to three lines of 

500 feet before we need to put a repeater in. 

video back from him. This can be two lines of video 

The FOH is a stock Backstage Jr 36” cart, and if the client wants to hear playback in his Comteks. 

on it is an SKB 10 space rack on the lower shelf, Then we take the video assist playback audio feed 

antenna mast on the upper. In the rack there are back up his Cat5e and retransmit it from the BST50b 

Aviom modules for the other side of the snake, two at the FOH cart. 

Director: Kevin McDonald 

Production Sound Mixer – 

Mark Ulano 

Boom Operator – Tom Hartig 

Sound Mixer, second unit – 

Adam Blantz 

Sound Re-recording Mixer – 

Craig Berkey 

Sound Re-recording Mixer – 

Tim LeBlanc 

AUDIO MEDIA MAY 2009 31

Has there ever been anything 

so exciting since the arrival of 

sliced bread? ALISTAIR MCGHEE 

this for a party game? Name all the 

manufacturers of mixing desks costing less than 

a thousand pounds/Euros/dollars/conch shells. 

��ow’s 

That should keep the children amused for hours. 

Now how about this: name all the manufacturers 

directly, but you can also play back from an application 

like Spot On or any radio cartwall software. From the 

input side, the presence of Telco channels is a statement 

of broadcast intent, but the real radio devil is in the detail 

and particularly in the comms and monitoring detail. 

thinks so; and it’s not baked of broadcast radio mixing desks under a thousand units of So you want to talk on the radio while operating 

goods either. 

your local currency. Eh, uum well no, eh… give in. 

Well, into this veritable maelstrom of competition, 

your own mixing desk? You’ll be needing an SLS (studio 

loudspeaker switching) relay on your mics. In this case it’s 

Allen & Heath has bravely pitched its new XB-14. a CRMS, but it really is a vital component of an on air desk. 

Yes, a genuine broadcast mixing desk designed for You’ll want separate control of your guests and presenter 

radio at under GB£1,000. I almost 

headphone level, and you’ll want 

wept when I heard the news. 

separate monitor routing for guests 

Born out of suggestions from 

and presenter. All this is provided 

its Israeli distributor, the XB-14 

by the XB-14. You can choose 

takes technology from A&H’s 

whether the guests can hear your 

Zed-series desks, but is a 

pre-fade, which is another neat 

new design, as will quickly 

broadcast touch. In radio, dim 

become obvious. 

is not just a handy epithet but 

also a tidy monitoring function, 

The Right Mix 

and the XB-14 provides a 20dB 

Of course even in the tiny 

dim switch on the control 

niche of radio there’s a 

room speakers. 

huge variety of opinion on 

Talking of dim, many 

what constitutes the right 

broadcasters eschew the 

set of features for a mixer, 

use of faders for mixing 

and coming from a BBC 

programmes, and rely on 

background I’m acutely 

channel on/off switching 

conscious that there are 

The desk features USB I/O for easy digital co-operation. 

to activate the mics at 

other perfectly valid ways 

the right time having set 

of doing radio, it’s just that I 

the levels on the trims and 

can’t be bothered learning them. For me then, it came as faders. As you might have guessed, this is abhorrent to 

THE REVIEWER 

a pleasant surprise that Phil Gott, now of Neutrik, had a 

deal of influence on the design. Phil and I joined the BBC 

BBC-trained engineers, and the cause of much misery and 

confusion for manufacturers trying to satisfy everyone. 

ALISTAIR MCGHEE began audio on the same training course back when banking was a Allen & Heath has taken the path of perfection and 

life in hi-fi before joining the BBC 

as an Audio Engineer. After ten 

years in radio and TV, he moved 

to production. When BBC Choice 

started, he pioneered personal 

digital production in television. 

Alistair is now Assistant Editor, 

respectable profession and Phil owned the loudest alarm 

clock this side of Big Ben. 

So what do you get in an XB-14? Well, four mono mic 

inputs, two Telco channel inputs, and four stereo faders 

that offer control over a selection of balanced, unbalanced, 

and USB return inputs. Yes USB. Plug the XB-14 into your 

provided mutes for the channels that can be overridden 

by dip switches on the back panel. These switches also 

independently control the CUE/START signalling for 

remote replay, and more of that to come. 

A Clean Feed 

BBC Radio Wales, but is allowed computer (no drivers required for PC or Mac), and not Now back to those Telco channels, just underneath the 

out occasionally. only can you record your mix (with some flexibility) input xlr you have a male xlr carrying clean feed out. � 

32 

radio broadcast 

mixer 

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And I’m assured this is proper clean feed and 

not the out of phase derived nasty mix minus 

variety. You even get 

switchable cue feed 

to the source, either 

standard clean 

feed or an aux mix. 

This feature enables 

interviews to be 

conducted while the 

desk is on air (say 

while a stereo replay 

source is faded up) in 

conjunction with the 

pre-fade switched 

Aux bus. You also 

have talkback to 

clean feed, which 

is factory set to mic 

one input pre-fader, 

but can be from any 

mono mic input. 

If I was a quibbling 

man – and I do 

love a quibble – I’d 

like the option of a 

separate talk back 

mic, but for self op 

situations the implemented arrangement keeps 

the number of mics down to a minimum. From an 

operator’s point of view, the Telco channels offer 

two extra comms channels – yum yum. 

The XB-14 offers a plethora of stereo channel 

options. You have four stereo faders, the first two 

Not just an adapted common console, 

the XB-14 is purpose-built for broadcast. 

Headphones 

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Take a closer look 

The options are yours to explore 

www.ultrasone.com 

of which are switchable between quarter-inch 

jack inputs and secondary inputs from phono 

inputs. Like all the 

channels, they feature 

an individually selected 

pre or post aux send 

and a Mix B bus send. 

The large ‘On’ switch 

not only operates the 

channel mute (with 

the proviso listed above) 

but also functions as 

a remote start button. 

In what can only be 

described as a cunning 

plan, there are seven 

remotes available across 

the four faders, one for 

each input including the 

secondary inputs. 

There’s also remote 

switching for studio 

live lights and loud 

speaker muting, along 

with remote inputs for 

muting the mic channels. 

And last but not least, 

connectivity to external 

metering, so you can plug up your PPMs and mix 

in good old-fashioned PPM 6 world. 

All By Itself 

I think it should be obvious by now that the 

XB-14 is not a slightly customised Zed-series 

allen & heath XB-14 

hastily thrown together to makes some quick 

cash. On the contrary, it is a thoroughly well 

designed product that has wrestled with the real 

challenges of making radio programmes and has 

come up with a genuine radio friendly solution. 

Of course, nothing is perfect and probably 

the most significant omission is the lack of a 

compressor. In the studio that probably won’t 

matter, as signal processing no longer has to be 

expensive. On the road, every extra box draws the 

spectre of the back clinic just a little bit closer, and 

is about as welcome as a visit from the Inquisition, 

or worse – HMC&E. 

Having quibbled though, and with the proviso 

that I haven’t got one to play with, I can only say 

that the arrival of the XB-14 is more welcome than 

sliced bread. In fact, in an effort to contain my 

excitement, I have gone back to un-sliced since 

its announcement. More power to Allen & Heath; 

we in radio land salute you. � 

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� GB£824.00 (exc.VAT) 

INFORMATION 

� Allen & Heath Ltd., Kernick Industrial Estate, 

Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9LU, UK 

� +44 (0) 1326 372070 

� +44 (0) 1326 377097 

� www.allen-heath.co.uk 

THE headphone company 


34 

JONATHAN MILLER dons his 

wellies for a trip out into the 

Suffolk countryside to pay a 

visit to Monkey Puzzle House, 

a keenly priced residential 

recording studio of much merit. 

�� 

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Puzzle House is a new, purpose-built 

residential recording studio. We have created 

a studio that encapsulates all that is – or was 

��onkey 

– good about the classic studios, ironed out 

their faults using modern means, and added essential 

new technologies, thereby creating an affordable, cuttingedge 

facility.’ That's what the website says, anyway. Of 

special interest is the studio’s very reasonable quoted 

daily hire rate of £250 (including an engineer) – especially 

when one sees what gear one gets access to within its 

scenic surroundings. 

Long And Winding Road 

Situated on a rural crossroads on the outskirts of the 

quaint Suffolk village of Woolpit, an initially unassuming 

Victorian flint-fronted cottage fronts an adjoining 

dark wood-clad barn that is also typical of the area’s 

architectural vernacular – the Monkey Puzzle House 

residential studio itself. 

Monkey Puzzle House is also home to studio owner 

Rupert Matthews, an affable and relatively young 

individual who clearly lives and breathes his craft, having 

bravely put his money where his heart is. 

Step through a side entrance from a gravelled 

courtyard and one immediately finds oneself in an 

expansive country-style kitchen – the hub of Monkey 

Puzzle House, with doors leading directly to the beautiful 

control room centred around a recently installed Solid 

State Logic AWS 900+ Analogue Workstation System and 

attached to an eye-catching and spacious live room. 

Mathews starts here: “The last studio I built – as part 

of a multimedia business in a leased farm property down 

in Surrey – had doors that went from the control room 

through into the live room, which I never really liked. 

Another studio I worked in... was 

the same, as was Ridge Farm, 

so, here, to draw people out of 

the control room, the process 

of walking into the live room 

gets people trapped in the 

kitchen; they’re still involved in 

what’s going on, or feel they’re 

listening comfortably, but it 

certainly makes the control 

room space feel a lot bigger for 

a room that’s not actually huge, 

even though it’s a comfortable 

room to have a bunch of people 

hanging around in. Besides, not 


having the stereotypical sofa behind the desk means 

there’s not always someone behind you, so you don’t 

have to turn around every few seconds to hear what 

they’re saying. 

"By putting the sofa in front of the desk you can kind 

of see what they’re saying without having to change 

what you’re doing too much. So the kitchen really helps 

– something I haven’t seen anywhere else; it just seemed 

the right thing to do, so I went with it.” 

Just Have A Little Patience 

Matthews’ interest in recording dates back to his Sussexbased 

childhood: “…through having played in bands, 

and being the person that always brought along the 

tape deck and Dictaphone to the session, putting it in 

the corner, and working out that hiding it under blankets 

and things somehow made it sound better!” 

Such experimentation soon had Matthews hooked, 

quickly moving onwards and upwards in the recording 

world, courtesy of an unspecified two-track Ferrograph 

tape machine, before settling on an audio-cassette-based 

four-track upon which he started recording local bands: 

“That was going pretty well; then, at the beginning of the 

’90s, I borrowed some money from my folks and bought 

an ADAT, eight microphones, and a tiny little mixer – not 

an incredible choice of equipment, but I started charging 

people for a recording.” 

Matthews’ much-needed break came soon after: 

"When I was at college – I would have been 16 at the 

time – I was recording a band on my own equipment, 

doing Led Zeppelin covers, which I was really excited 

about, just on the basis of them being a bloody great 

band who had always recorded well. I was struggling a bit 

with the drums, trying to make them sound really good. 

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Oxford +44 (0)1865 842300 New York +1 (1)212 315 1111 Los Angeles +1 (1)323 549 9090 Paris +33 (0)1 48 67 84 85 Milan +39 039 2328 094 Tokyo +81 (0)3 5474 1144 

Oxford +44 (0)1865 842300 New York +1 (1)212 315 1111 Los Angeles +1 (1)323 549 9090 Paris +33 (0)1 48 67 84 85 Milan +39 039 2328 094 Tokyo +81 (0)3 5474 1144

� 

A friend took me round to meet a producer, 

who was a friend of his. We went into his studio, 

which was quite impressive, and he said, simply, 

‘What do you want?’ I said, “Well, we’re covering 

these Led Zeppelin tracks, doing the drums; 

they’re sounding a bit crap, and I’m trying to 

make them sound more like the original.’ And he 

said, ‘Well, what Zeppelin tracks are you doing?’ 

I said, ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You.’ And he said, ‘Well, 

I’ll tell you how the drums were done, because I 

did that!’ And I immediately knew who he was: 

Glyn Johns!” 

The seasoned musician, recording engineer, 

and record producer, famed for working with the 

likes of Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, 

The Eagles, Eric Clapton, and Led Zeppelin must 

have been impressed by the cocky teen standing 

there before him, subsequently taking him under 

his wing to teach him the recording ropes in a way 

that no music technology course ever could. 

Matthews’ stock rapidly rose as a direct result, 

as he readily admits: “...I become desirable merely 

by association, working at least half a month, 

initially, then solidly on projects that I was being 

employed on.” 

Next stop, London: “I took a job at Nomis 

Studios... it was an important insight into people’s 

personalities, and how to get on with people… 

“During that whole period I was still racing 

around everywhere, finding out what I liked and 

didn’t like – and saving as well. I bought a house 

down in Sussex. It took me three years to pay off 

the mortgage – which is a major reason as to why 

I’m here now.” 

�� 

MONKEY PUZZLE HOUSE TO THE MANOR BARN 

Home Is Where The Art Is 

Matthews then decided to go it alone and cast 

his potential property net far and wide – from 

northern France right up to Scotland – before 

finally settling in Suffolk: “My patience had started 

to run out, then I saw this place; it had a load of 

barns at the back, which, I thought, had a good 

shape to them, so I got pretty much all the local 

architects to come round and have a look. I chose 

the one I thought was most exciting – before I 

even bought the place, but they all said the same 

thing: knock down the original barns, because the 

building cost to renovate what was there would 

be very similar to what it would be to knock it 

down and start again. 

“So I bought this place right at the end of 2000, 

then had a hell of a struggle getting planning 

permission, because it’s a very small community 

here; when it went to committee, the main 

objection was that there was no bus stop nearby, 

so how on earth would people get to and from 

the studio? Obviously there was a severe lack 

of understanding about what the studio would 

actually be!” 

Objections duly dealt with, a planned oneyear 

build stretched out over seven long years. 

“The building got bigger, the budget went out of 

the window," says Matthews. "And my nice little 

nest egg turned into a remortgaging nightmare 

as I had a lot of bad luck with the builders.” 

For all the pain though, it's a lovely place – 

from an aesthetic, ergonomic, and, of course, 

sonic standpoint: “As far as the design goes, 

I had my favourite places – Glyn’s own studio I 

really had an affection for, and Ridge Farm, but 

one name that was prominent through all of that 

was Keith Slaughter, who designed Abbey Road, 

the original Olympic, Air, Ridge Farm, and more. 

He’s retired, but I went to see him, presented 

him with some drawings; he said they were okay, 

though his main contribution was saying that the 

height of the control room was too high – in his 

opinion, even though I’d taken Ridge Farm and 

Glyn’s studio and kind of meshed them together. 

But Keith came up with the suspended curved 

ceiling idea, which we followed through.” 

Not that Matthews wasn’t working during this 

unintentionally drawn-out, costly construction 

process, mind you: “I had a big console – a 

Soundcraft 3200 – here in my living room, which 

was acting as a control room, while I recorded 

drums that I could hear through the floor. ...I still 

had people coming and spending serious money, 

but one of the projects I did was more of a pop 

album, which didn’t even get released after a top 

ten and two top 20 hit singles. This highlighted 

to me the changing face of the music industry 

during the crap years between when I started 

building this studio until it was finished.” 

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Early Doors 

In reality, commercial recording studios are 

never wholly finished, but Matthews could be 

forgiven for wanting to get going. All it took 

was a little outside intervention – mixing former 

Fame Academy winner David Sneddon at the end 

of 2006, as it happened. “I was in the hardware 

department of Jewsons when they called,” notes 

a still smiling Matthews. “The live room was still 

a carcass at that stage, and they brought their 

own Pro Tools rig, because we didn’t have one 

at the time, but that’s what made me go and get 

the Genelec 1038Bs when I did – quite prematurely. 

They did a white noise test that was specifically 

calibrated for the Genelecs, and we had an 

unprecedented response for the monitoring. 

“So we did David’s stuff, which was good fun, 

and then the following year we kind of opened 

the doors, as it were, but nothing formal to 

advertise the fact that we had started – just a 

couple of bookings from people, saying that they 

wanted to come and work here.” 

Over time, plans for the studio had necessarily 

changed, from being purely personal to 

�� 

MONKEY PUZZLE HOUSE TO THE MANOR BARN 

commercial, and incorporating residential 

accommodation: “I already had two twin rooms 

upstairs at one end of the studio, in order that 

the people I was working with had somewhere 

to sleep when they came to stay, but now what’s 

happened is that people who are booking for 

four weeks or longer are asking for their own 

individual rooms... They want a double bed so 

their wife can come with them, and so on; that’s 

something I didn’t really think about because I 

was never going to run this studio commercially." 

Finally Making It 

Super-successful independent Brit prog-rockers 

Porcupine Tree had just left the building (at time 

of writing) – satisfyingly satisfied, too. And the 

Porcupines aren’t the only ‘residing’ notable 

names to sing Monkey House Puzzle’s praises: 

“One of the last sessions that we did here was the 

Whybirds with Elliot Mazor; it was good to have 

him come over here from America and choose this 

studio, because he’s a really prestigious producer, 

and he really loved the place – the acoustics, and 

the whole working environment. He has vowed to 

come back, which, bearing in mind that he built 

Neil Young’s studio in northern California and has 

his own studio in New York, is quite special.” 

High praise indeed; success can, of course, 

breed success, as Matthews knows only too 

well. Fortunately for him, Monkey Puzzle House 

is on a roll of sorts: “We’ve been at 100% since 

August last year – that’s weekends as well, bar 

a week off at Christmas; then there’s a charge 

for accommodation as well, so it’s not bad – not 

making a dent in my mortgage, but only because 

�� 

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I never finished the building off, plus a few other 

things that I’m trying to invest in as well. I was 

going to run everything through tape, but the 

money is just not there. I’ve got staircases stuffed 

with two-inch tapes underneath them with the 

prospect of using it again, but I don’t even have 

a two-inch tape machine here! It’s going to be an 

acquisition soon, because, hopefully, the budgets 

are becoming a bit more proportionate to the rest 

of the facilities that are here.” 

Ironically, maybe Matthews’ Monkey Puzzle 

House might ultimately benefit from the demise 

of those classic studios of yesteryear and beyond: 

“The big studios closing is a massive shame, and 

the main change for us would be that we might 

be able to nudge the rates up a little... It’s quite sad, 

really, but it’s just an indication of the budgets that 

are out there – the revenue that’s being generated 

by the whole swing round from a tour being there 

to promote a record, to a record existing as a nonprofit-making 

medium to promote a tour, which 

doesn’t bode well. But you’ve still got to record it; 

you’re just going to try and do it proportionately 

to what your takings are going to be.” 

For now, though, Matthews and Monkey 

Puzzle House engineer extraordinaire Tom Peters 

– Matthews’ reliable right-hand man since 2004, 

before the studio building even existed – clearly 

have their work cut out. � 

................................... 

INFORMATION 

Monkey Puzzle House 

� +44 (0) 1359 245050 

� www.monkeypuzzlehouse.com 

�� 

��

you’ve been in a studio on the moon or 

you’ve just picked up this copy of Audio Media 

while you’re in the doctor’s waiting room, you’ll 

��nless 

have heard of Universal Audio. A company with 

a history synonymous with classic vintage audio processors, 

for some time now it has also been forging ahead as one of 

the leaders in DSP-based audio software, turning classic 

audio hardware into affordable and performance-enhancing 

software versions of the real thing. One of the latest 

developments from UA is its UAD-2 card, which comes in 

three guises: the SOLO, DUO, and the 

QUAD, which offer 2.5x, 5x, and 10x 

the performance of the original UAD-1 

card respectively. 

ATA – an automatic delay compensation plug-in for Pro 

Tools LE and MP users. Mellowmuse is free for all UAD-2 

users, and UAD-1 users can purchase it at a reduced price. 

As I said earlier, all plug-ins are now UAD-2 compatible so 

will work on either card (apart from the guitar amp sim 

‘Nigel’, which for legal reasons cannot be transferred; and 

the Cooper Time Cube MkII which is the first 'UAD-2 only' 

plug-in), and they even found time to add a few new plugins 

such as the Harrison 32C EQ and the Little Labs IBP 

(In-Between-Phase) alignment tool. The latest 5.3 release 

also brings the UAD 4K Channel Strip 

and Buss Compressor (both of which 

are UA's own emulations of the SSL 

4000 console). 

The Waiting Game 

Under The Hood 

Well, to be honest, the UAD-2 is not 

The UAD-1 was based on the Mpact 

that brand spanking new now as it was 

media Processor; the UAD-2 has a 

released last year, but it was only with 

new DSP engine using the 21369 

the release of its 5.2 software that its full 

SHARC analogue devices chip, a 

potential was realised, especially for Pro 

popular and proven family of 

Tools users. At the time of writing, the 

processors with extreme floating 

latest version is actually 5.3. If like me 

point performance (this means 

you have existing projects running on 

more plug-ins for you and me). 

the original UAD-1 card, then the smooth 

While the original Mpact processor 

transition of adding a UAD-2 card is 

was great for UAD to get the first 

extremely important, and throughout 

card off the ground, it wouldn’t 

the introduction of the UAD-2, software 

be long before more power and 

has supported the combination of 

the older UAD-1 card alongside the 

newer UAD-2, beginning with porting 

the majority of all plug-ins to run on 

the new ‘SHARC’ chip fuelled DSP card. 

It was a huge undertaking by UA to 

conform existing code of each plug-in 

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flexibility was going to be needed 

– let’s face it, who doesn’t want more 

processing power? UA has been 

developing the UAD-2 for several 

years, which has now launched with a 

huge improvement in power over the 

original UAD-1. It has features such as 

THE REVIEWER 

to use a different DSP processor, which 

low-level cross platform support so 

is why it wasn't until version 5.2 of the �� OSX Tiger/Leopard and PC Win XP/ 

software that all of the plug-ins were 

Vista are all covered, optimisation 

�� 

finished. This was one of my personal 

for multi-core processors from 

reasons for holding back on fitting this upgrade, one Intel and G5, including multi-thread 64-bit OS systems. 

ALAN BRANCH is a freelance of those ‘let’s wait till the dust has settled’ installations, The UAD-2 has updateable firmware and smart DSP 

engineer/producer and ex-member 

of the On U Sound Crew. His long 

list of credits includes Jamiroquai, 

Beverley Knight, M People, Simply 

Red, Depeche Mode, Shed 7, 

Sinead O’ Connor, Bjork, and Sade. 

www.alanbranch.com 

which in most cases of new software is the best course 

of action. 

Support for all major formats including RTAS, AU, 

and VST are now in place. Up until the 5.2 release, there 

hasn’t been support for Pro Tools, but now that it’s here 

it seems the wait was worth it. It includes Mellowmuse 

management with reduced overall bus latency and 

zero-latency (LiveTrack – discussed later) modes. 

That sounds like a nice slam dunk of fuel to the mixing 

system, especially when it’s possible to pimp your system 

to take up to four Quad UAD-2s and four UAD-1s if you 

have the available slots. That’s a mega powerhouse of a � 

38 

daw plug-in 

The full potential of Universal 

Audio’s UAD-2 card has been 

realised with the release of its 

latest software; ALAN BRANCH 

wades through deep waters to 

plunge the depths of the little 

card’s capabilities. 

�� 

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� 

machine, offering 44 times the 

power of a UAD-1 card! 

Installing 

The UAD-2 cards are PCI-express 

and should fit any compatible 

Mac or PC motherboard, 

although a good read of 

recommended systems on the 

UA website is advised, especially 

if fitting multiple cards, as these 

can draw more power, and those 

with cheaper PCs might not 

have a big enough power supply 

to provide enough to keep the 

cards running smoothly. 

Easy to follow instructions 

are included within the everincreasing-in-size 

packaging 

with all the software needed, but as ever 

it’s always best to check for a new software 

version direct with the manufacturer website. 

A quick download later and the software was 

in, an important point being here not to charge 

in like most do and ignore the large lettered 

‘Read me First’ booklet. The software has to be 

installed first. Fitting was a synch in my 8-core 

Mac, alongside my existing two UAD-1 cards. 

NEW PLUG-INS 

Some of the new plug-in releases from UAD are the 

Harrison 32C EQ and the Little Labs IBP (In-Between- 

Phase) alignment tool. The Harrison 32C was made in 

conjunction with the Harrison Consoles LTD and Producer 

/Engineer Bruce Swedien, famed for one of the best 

selling albums of all time, Thriller by Michael Jackson. 

The 32C plug-in was modelled on his personal 3232c Series 

Harrison console, recreating the console’s four overlapping 

Parametric bands, each with fully sweepable gain and 

frequency controls, but without the usual Q or width 

control, as special circuitry was developed by Harrison 

to automatically adjust the effective bandwidth, a kind 

of no-brainer for EQ, as you dial in more amplitude the 

sharper it gets. I found it very different to other types of 

EQ, and certainly gives it a unique character to shaping 

sound. Hi and Low pass filters as well as a switchable low 

band shelf/peak enable a versatile and smooth operation 

for fitting audio into a mix; while there are added power, 

gain, and phase reverse switches for extra control. For 

the less bothered by exact emulation is an SE version 

developed by UA for higher plug-in counts. 

Booting my Mac brought the new UAD 

Meter and Control Panel software to life, the 

meter showing both UAD-1 and UAD-2 cards’ 

usage at a glance with a big blue bypass button 

for each card, program memory, and DSP usage 

meters. The UAD-2 card has program memory as 

well as RAM memory for certain plug-ins, so it’s 

easy to see at a glance how close to the overload 

edge you are. Note that the UAD-2 has enhanced 

load balancing routines so it uses maximum usage 

of available DSP in multi-card systems, unlike the 

UAD-1 which will always load the next plug-in into 

the card with most space. 

The control panel is a separate window with 

tabbed pages of detailed system information 

and configuration of installed cards and plug-ins. 

Here I could see all the plugins 

and the authorisation 

status, a bit like the Powercore 

Plug-in window, but clearer. 

Each plug-in can be activated 

for use on a demo period of 

14 days or bought via a direct 

link to their online store. 

The new UAD-2 software 

means all my existing plugins 

had to be re-authorised 

to run on the UAD-2. But this 

is free, and a very simple 

affair as a big authorise plugs 

button is provided which 

links direct to your online 

UAD account and downloads 

a new authorisation file. 

Strangely, you have to 

drag the downloaded authorisation file to the 

control panel in the dock. This fooled me at first, 

The 4K Buss Compressor. 

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universal audio uad-2 

as I was dragging it to the control panel itself, 

which I would have thought to be more logical. 

The control panel also has Help and Support 

links for each plug-in, manuals, online help, 

etc, as well as more detailed system usage 

showing a graphical image of each card, while 

the configuration window is there with various 

parameter settings than can be tweaked for each 

specific host program, e.g. Logic, Cubase, etc. 

Note there is now a new window for Pro Tools 

users to set buffer settings. 

Plug-ins 

As each program uses plug-ins differently – 

notably Logic has a process that releases plug-ins 

when not in use, which is fantastic for saving 

power, but a bit of a headache for DSP systems, 

hence why some UAD-1 card owners had issues 

with clicks, especially with the 8-core Mac Pro. 

Fortunately I never had this issue, and UA seems 

to have a good support team at hand to help with 

�� 

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AUDIO MEDIA MAY 2009 39 

�

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problems. It’s worth noting here that the UAD-2 

plug-ins remain loaded even when dynamically 

bypassed by the host. There is, however, a switch 

to force it to release DSP for this auto switching, 

but it will increase the chance of clicks. There is 

some variation in the relative DSP usage when 

UAD-2 is compared to UAD-1, so while UA says 

of the Solo '2.5 times the power of UAD-1', there 

are some that exceed that, and some that don't. 

For example, the UAD-1 can load four mono 

versions of the new Harrison 32c EQ, while the 

UAD-2 Solo can hold 18! On the other hand, a 

stereo Realverb Pro can be loaded eight times on 

UAD-1, and nine times on a UAD-2 Solo. A very big 

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The Harrison 32C EQ, a new plug-in from UA. 

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Thinking of 

buying a 

recorder ? 

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chart with all the comparisons up to UAD-2 

Quad is available at www.uaudio.com/ 

support/uad/charts.html. 

There is obviously a 

difference in the plugins 

as each one has been 

specifically coded for each 

card, as such a plug-in 

won’t run on both cards at the 

same time. You can, however, 

choose which card it will run 

on via the tabbed control panel. 

I can’t really see people going 

back and forth switching plug-ins, 

unless they can be bothered to 

really maximise the space. This is 

a major drawback to running both 

types of cards, but after some 

experimenting I found because of 

the difference in performance of some plug-ins, 

it was no real advantage running them on the 

Thinking of THE INTERNATIONAL 

�� 

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Then check out the new 

2009 Recorders Buyers Guide at 

www.audiomedia.com or request a 

free copy from subs@audiomedia.com 

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� �� 

AUDIOMEDIA 


BUYER’S GUIDE 


A SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL PUBLICATION FROM THE NEWBAY MEDIA GROUP 

RECORDERS 

2009 

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Lexicon Reinvents Reverb 

PCM96 Stereo Reverb/Effects Processor 

28 New and legendary Lexicon reverbs and effects 

delivered by powerful hardware processors, 

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Get the full story at www.lexiconpro.com 

Distributed in the UK and Eire by Sound Technology plc 

Tel: 01462 480000 www.soundtech.co.uk 

A Harman International Company

� 

to run 21 mono versions of the same, and that just 

with the smallest Solo card. If only I could have 

gotten to test the Quad! The plug-ins seem to 

recall identically no matter what 

card I run them from, and projects 

saved with UAD-1 opened fine 

running from the new card. 

There is a limit when running 

a system with low latency, as 

the load on the card is relative 

to the system load. As there 

has to be some latency for high 

plug-in counts, the best practice 

is to keep low latency sessions 

for recording and change to 

high buffers when mixing, and 

hopefully you shouldn’t run 

into problems with clicks. The 

inclusion of RTAS really launches 

the card with every option now 

and opens the door for PT users, especially for LE 

users; and the inclusion of the free Mellowmuse 

42 

UAD-2's 4K Channel Strip 

ATA delay compensation plug-in, a feature not 

included with this host, probably makes the 

UAD-2 card a no.1 purchase for LE/MP users. But 

even for PT users, its extra power 

would be a great boost. Ever 

since I started mixing on a native 

system running a dual Quad core 

Mac Pro, it seems almost weird 

when mixing on an average PT 

system, having to wait for plug-ins 

to load or running out of power. 

But with either system – host native 

(Logic, Cubase LE, etc) or DSPbased 

(Pro Tools) – it’s not just the 

extra power, it’s the quality of the 

plug-ins that UA brings to the table. 

There are way too many to mention 

here, but personally the Fairchild 

is one of the best versions of this 

classic hardware, as is the Plate 140; 

whilst the Roland RE-201 and the Dimension D 

aren’t emulated by many other manufacturers that 


universal audio uad-2 

I know. Add to this the Precision Bus compressor, 

LA2A Compressor, Neve, Pultec, and now Harrison 

EQ, it’s an engineer’s delight to have these tools 

at hand. 

“…�� 

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Conclusion 

Testing this UAD-2 Solo card in conjunction with 

the existing UAD-1 card worked really well, and 

whilst my initial thought was to replace them with 

more UAD-2 cards, I am going to keep them for 

the time being as both can offer great plug-in 

counts, as the UAD-1 still makes use of the few 

plugs not increased that much by the power 

of the UAD-2. But that’s one of the great things 

about the system: it’s so flexible, you can expand 

it at any time with no major change to your 

existing songs when it does come time to replace 

the older cards or add a plug-in. Not only does 

the UAD-2 come in different power sized cards, 

but also with optional extra plug-in bundles, so 

there are a lot of options to meet different budgets. 

Add to this the growing plug-in family: the new 

Harrison EQ plug-in offers yet more choice for 

vintage lovers, as does the new UAD 4K, offering 

quite different sound and shaping tools, whilst 

the Little Lab’s IBP is the best plug-in I have seen 

in a while, offering simple fixing options for phase 

alignment, restoring tone and colour with multiple 

audio tracks, as well as creating phase effects. 

The UAD-2 card offers a great solution for those 

looking for quality audio processing with the 

added bonus of extra power, ease of use and setup. 

Whether an existing user looking to upgrade 

or complement existing systems, or new to the 

whole UAD experience, you’ll seen see why 

Universal Audio is one of the most respected audio 

companies around. � 

................................... 

INFORMATION 

� Prices from GB£425.22 (UAD-2 Solo) – 

GB£3,416.52 (UAD-2 Quad Omni) 

(all prices exc.VAT) 

� www.uaudio.com/promo 

(Get up to US$500 free plug-ins with your UAD-2 

purchase until the end of June 2009) 

� Universal Audio Inc., 1700 Green Hills Road, 

Scotts Valley, CA 95066-4926, USA 

� +1 831 440 1176 

� +1 831 461 1550 

� www.uaudio.com 

� info@uaudio.com 

� UK Distributor: Source Distribution, Unit 6, 

Pembroke Buildings, Cumberland Park Business 

Estate, London, NW10 6RE, UK 

� +44 (0) 208 962 5080 

� +44 (0) 208 968 3218 

� www.sourcedistribution.co.uk

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44 

According to Tom Aitkenhead, 

it’s the music that matters; 

and few could disagree. 

PAUL HOLMES uncovers both 

musicality and a market-savvy 

approach at the recently opened 

Milk Studios. 

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will always be people who want to make 

music, and there will always be people consider life 

less rich without it. Tom Aitkenhead’s Milk Studios 

��here 

in London’s East End is covering both the creative 

imperative and the fiscal pressure by ensuring that both 

established and unsigned acts can afford time in the studio 

to project their music to the masses. 

Aitkenhead has played in many 

bands, and in his current role as 

producer and engineer he still 

contributes to many of the mixes he 

works on. His musical background 

gave him valuable insight into 

how bands work, and planted the 

seed that would later lead him to a 

full-time career in producing and 

engineering. His first step was a joint 

venture with the owner of a studio 

space in Bermondsey who shared 

similar aspirations. Aitkenhead 

provided the equipment and the two 

of them shared the set-up for half a 

week each. The experience quickly turned hobby into 

career, and it wasn’t long before he founded Oilville 

Studios where he produced the first Ben and Jason album, 

Hello. That was about fourteen years ago, and his new 

studio on London’s Commercial Road, custom built for 

his requirements, distils his experiences both in front of 

and behind the glass. 

Spatial Awareness 

Acoustically, Milk Studios is a big step up from what 

Aitkenhead describes as the ‘grotty’ yet character-full 

Oilville. He scoured suitable venues for three months 

before finding an empty warehouse that suited his 

specs. After pacing out the general dimensions and 

laying down the square footage with gaffer tape, he 

proceeded to build his vision from scratch. With some 

major architectural adjustments, the result reflects 

Aitkenhead’s intimate appreciation of band dynamics 

and interaction, with a strong respect for the lines of sight 

essential for supporting group performances during live 

recording sessions. 

The studio itself consists of a 22x16 ft live room, a 16x15 

ft control room, and an 8x6 ft vocal booth, all treated 

by Primacoustic. As well as adding an aesthetically 

professional feel to the studio, which had suffered from a 

slightly clinical, sterile finish, Aitkenhead enthused about 

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how efficiently the Primacoustic installation improved 

the overall acoustics. Not desiring a totally dead sound 

from the rooms, he wanted to exact a balance between 

generating some life while maintaining a degree of 

neutrality. Aware of the exorbitant construction fees 

required to incorporate odd angles into a studio, the 

design philosophy demonstrates a realistic approach to 

cost per square foot and expected revenue. 

And he’s delighted with the result. Unable 

to hold himself back, he’d set up a drum 

kit in the still untreated live room during 

the studio’s early development. After a 

host of musician friends had come over 

for a bash, he admitted to being a little 

disappointed with some detrimental 

flutter echoes and reflections. Once the 

space had been treated with Primacoustic 

products however, he noted that, “…in 

exactly the same room, with exactly the 

same drum kit, after the installation, it was 

literally transformed.” 

With the studio design sorted, 

Aitkenhead was able to focus on producing and 

engineering. His approach is far from a dogmatic 

one, with a philosophy that unites artist and 

producer as joint-collaborators in the overall sound. 

He avoids tarnishing the diverse spectrum of musicians 

he encounters with a ‘signature sound,’ preferring 

instead to focus on bringing out individual personalities. 

His young, hip, and trendy list of predominantly Indie 

artists reflects his musical background, while his choice 

of gear blends classic analogue and modern digital 

technology. Aitkenhead relates, “My concern is with 

the signal paths going in, the converters, the mic pres, 

the microphone, the mic placement… my interest is in 

how to capture something.” 

His search has led him to Focusrite mic preamps, 

particularly the ISAs, which he favours for their impressive 

ability to record harmonically complex signals with detail 

and warmth whilst imbuing a musical quality. 

All Plugged Up 

Simply ensuring that he captures the nuances of 

performance is not the end of the story though, and the 

generous array of plug-ins that augments his Pro Tools 

HD3 set up reflects this. Aitkenhead’s particular favourites 

include Bomb Factory’s 1176 compressor, Pulltech EQs, 

Waves UltraVerb, and the Waves Renaissance bundle. 

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A favourite technique is to employ subtle 

overdrive on synths or keyboards, using Mooger 

Fooger delay or Blue Tubes Analog Valve Driver 

ADR2S, to give them more presence in the mix. 

He explains, “…with digital, if you add a little bit of 

overdrive to a few things here and there, suddenly 

it just takes on a more analogue, 3D quality.” 

It’s his understanding of a mix’s analogue 

potential that informs his digital direction. 

It is this respect for the infinite permutations 

of tools at his disposal that ensures Aitkenhead 

never gets bored. There are sessions where 

he admits to not being particularly engaged 

musically, but often this distance can generate 

positive results. He values artistic objectivity very 

highly, and recognises the need to listen with the 

ears of a consumer – who doesn’t care how long 

it took to get the drums sounding crisp, exciting, 

and defined; or the guitar to sound bright and full. 

He expands: “You get emotionally tied to things 

you work on. You do some clever thing with a 

piece of bass delay that took you an hour and 

a half to set up… I think the secret is turning up 

the next morning, pressing ‘play’, and realising, 

‘it may be clever but actually it’s not enhancing 

the song.’” 

Being creative with equipment means 

Aitkenhead can maintain interest by focusing on 

the elements within a track that grab his attention. 

“It may well be that I don’t think the song is 

particularly special, but there will tend to be, in 

most bands, an element or thing that engages or 

excites you.” Working out how to squeeze the best 

from every element is the challenge, and each 

project contributes to the endless learning curve 

that makes the job so fulfilling. 

Band-In-A-Box 

Once the rockstar-dust has finally settled in the 

live room, the mixing/mastering process begins. 

He doesn’t own a console as such – all the mixing’s 

done in the box – and while he appreciates the 

psychological thrust the sight of a desk can inspire 

in clients, his question is whether or not this 

approach would give him options creatively that 

his current set-up can’t fulfill. Presently, he doesn’t 

see the need, “Control surfaces don’t change the 

audio, my obsession is with the sound of stuff,” 

he observes. It’s this obsession that drives his 

perspectives on the important interplay between 

different sonic elements that ultimately define 

the mix-down. A key aspect is early incorporation 

of vocals. After perfecting the rhythm and bass 

parts, he may bring the vocal in to ensure it gets 

the space it deserves right from the start. “I used 

to get to a point where I’d make the instrumental 

sound pretty good and then realise I hadn’t 

generated space or a place for the vocal.” Putting 

vocals in earlier solved this problem, 

and also instantly augmented the 

various counter-point melodies 

from accompanying instruments 

once they were introduced. He also 

appreciates the flexibility an early 

assessment of the mix can provide: 

“I’m quite a big fan of getting 

the mix to work early on so that 

you can then actually have fun 

with it, you can start playing with 

treatments, you can start looking 

at things that may or may not be 

exciting.” Influential ideas that could 

dramatically change the approach 

towards the total sound are therefore much easier 

to incorporate than if they were only realised at 

the end of the process. 

His current work involves mixes for an artist 

called Statik, an ex-DJ from the Grime music genre 

who is working on collaborations with Indie artists 

such as Pete Doherty, Coco Sumner, and Fyfe from 

milk studios music maker 

the Guillemots. A steady stream of clients, almost 

all from word of mouth (Aitkenhead has only 

advertised in NME about three times during his 

career), justifies his decision fourteen years ago 

to go pro. He attributes his success to changes in 

approaches towards recording artists. He explains, 

“I think I’m at the right end of a market that’s now 

radically changed. You can make a great sounding 

releasable album for ten grand now... Maybe less.” 

Aitkenhead still loves to go and see live bands 

and this ensures that, while he still receives work 

from record companies, he is also free to sound 

out new, unsigned talent that can benefit from 

his studio expertise. And he’s delighted that there 

is still a tangible thirst and passion for creating 

music that means there’ll always be a need for 

recording studios like his. � 

.................................... 

INFORMATION 

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46 

audio 

construction kit 

What’s small, furry, and makes 

exotic noises? RICHARD WENTK 

discovers that two out of 

three isn’t bad. 

THE REVIEWER 

RICHARD WENTK is the owner 

of Skydancer Media, a digital 

production company providing 

sound, image, design, and 

consultancy services to various 

clients in London and the West 

Country. 

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Sound’s Kyma has been the sound industry’s 

secret weapon for nearly two decades, clocking up 

credits on films like Wall-E, The Dark Knight and 

��ymbolic 

Finding Nemo, and collecting users like Ben Burtt and 

producer/DJ BT. In 1990, Designers Kurt Hebel and Carla 

Scaletti joined forces to create a sound processor that ran 

on the – then – latest generation of DSP hardware. 

The result was Capybara, a rack-mounted monster that 

could be expanded with extra DSP cards. As Moore’s law 

crept ever onwards, it became possible to pack more power 

into a smaller box. Kyma Pacarana is the latest iteration of 

this process. Like previous Kyma expanders, it’s named after 

an unlikely and exotic rodent. But unlike most rodents, it’s 

packed with DSP power, equivalent to 150% of a fully loaded 

Capybara, at a much lower price. It’s also small enough to 

be packed as airport carry-on. 

So how does Kyma work in practice? Installation 

is frankly eccentric, and consists of copying files by 

hand from the CD to an installation directory and 

also selecting drivers by hand. 

Connection between Pacarana and 

your host computer is via F800. 

But both F800 and F400/800 cables 

are in the box, so any F400 interface 

can be used. Once installation 

is completed, Pacarana boots. 

One minor nitpick is that you have 

to touch the panel, which makes 

it difficult to park out of sight. The 

processor box runs quite hot and 

needs good ventilation. Noise when 

idling isn’t too distracting, but the 

fans become more obvious when 

running at full tilt. 

The older Capybara processor 

included its own audio I/O, but Pacarana doesn’t. 

Kyma can’t run inside a VST, RTAS, or AU wrapper, so it has 

to be connected to a separate interface using its own USB 

or FireWire ports. Effectively it becomes a separate piece 

of digital outboard with AES/EBU or S/PDIF connections. 

Analogue connections will work too, as a last resort. 

Similarly, if you want to use a keyboard, it has to be 

plugged in to the MIDI or USB ports at the back of 

Pacarana – you can’t use a controller already connected 

to your PC or Mac. 

According to Symbolic Sound, AU support depends on 

Apple, and will become possible with the next update of 

OS X. VST and RTAS support are both longer term projects. 

While this limitation isn’t a showstopper – many facilities 

still use outboard – it bucks the trend of the most recent 

wave of DSP products that are more tightly integrated 

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and better suited for working entirely inside the box. 

It also means you’ll need to dedicate an extra interface 

and/or controller exclusively for Kyma. Not all controllers 

are supported, but the list is growing – you can find 

details on the Symbolic Sound website. We had some 

problems getting the external interface – a TC Konnekt 

24D – recognised reliably. We did eventually evolve a 

reliable boot sequence, but a more polished approach 

would be useful here. 

In The Box 

The Kyma software, which is updated regularly, includes a 

long, long list of pre-made modules and presets, an editor 

for what are called ‘sounds’ – patches – and a multi-track 

timeline editor which triggers sounds at certain hit-points 

for synchronised playback, effectively reconfiguring 

Kyma in real time. Sounds are built from modules linked 

using virtual patchcords, and you can and should build 

and save your own. The patching process is slightly 

quirky but it doesn’t take long to 

master it. The manual, which you 

will need to read, is excellent – 

it’s more of a book than a quick 

summary of features, and it’s 

written in a comprehensive, jaunty, 

and accessible style that puts most 

manuals to shame. 

If you’ve used a patchable 

system like Reaktor or Max/MSP, 

you may be wondering what makes 

Kyma special – aside from hardware 

acceleration, which offloads all of 

the processing onto Pacarana and 

frees up your processor for more 

usual processing. There are three 

obvious differences. The first is that Kyma includes a 

much wider range of powerful modules and techniques. 

All of the usual synthesis, processing, and modulation 

basics are included, including filters, vocoders, oscillators, 

reverbs, compressors, and limiters, both single channel 

and multi-band, various kinds of EQ, granulation, and 

plain old sampling. There are also various spectral 

display and waveform display windows – and Kyma 

adds spectral processing, morphing, and resynthesis. 

In fact, resynthesis and morphing are almost comically easy. 

You can analyse almost any pair of files and morph 

between them manually or automatically, with 

excellent results. 

The second difference is that almost anything can be 

connected to almost anything else, and to a large extent 

modules can be peeled open to reveal their component 

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parts and connections. It’s very easy to patch 

MIDI note number to the centre frequency of an 

EQ. But this is a simple one-dimensional example, 

and the power of Kyma starts to become obvious 

once you realise that processes can modulate 

each other. A more powerful example would 

be frequency dependent ducking, using a 

combination of level analysis and filtering to 

hollow out an EQ notch around a vocal part 

following the vocal’s level. Of course you’re not 

limited to a single sidechain unless you want 

to be. And Kyma is entirely comfortable with 

surround with arbitrary channel counts, so it’s 

easy to mix surround channels to create a single 

control signal and apply that to as many discrete 

channels as you want. A more creative possibility 

would be auto-switching between different 

voiced/vowel and unvoiced/consonsant FX 

chains in a line of dialogue. But it’s also possible 

to do clever spectrum-wide manipulations like 

ducking or otherwise mutating the entire spectral 

curve of a voice rather than just a single EQ notch. 

A Kyma adept would be able to take them even 

further, recognising individual words from 

dialogue or even reassembling speech or vocals 

in a completely open-ended way. It doesn’t 

take long to appreciate that the possibilities are 

almost limitless. 

Getting Tricky With It 

Many users will stop there, and either skip 

the next stage or dabble briefly with its basics. 

But each element in Kyma can be scripted 

using either the underlying Smalltalk computer 

language, or the slightly simplified CapyTalk 

variant. Scripting is popular in 3D animation – CGI 

would be impossible without it – but the firewall 

between audio users and software programmers 

has been much more strictly enforced in audio. 

At least, that’s the tradition – but it’s not quite 

as true as it used to be. Some laptop users discover 

tools like Supercollider and Csound – both are 

computer programs that generate and process 

sound. Other users have taken to writing their own 

plug-ins, and found that it isn’t as hard as it looks. 

Kyma’s environment takes this kind of scripting a 

stage further, with a fairly painless introduction 

that can be extended almost indefinitely. 

It’s possible, and useful, to modify the action 

of most of the features with single-line scripts 

which don’t do anything spectacularly clever, 

but are easy to adapt and customise. From there 

it’s a relatively easy step to move towards more 

complex scripting. Scripting isn’t as intuitive as 

patching boxes together and dialling up presets, 

but it offers almost supernatural control over 

audio. You can build yourself a third-octave 

graphic with only a few lines of text, and sweep 

the centre frequency of all the bands in parallel, 

randomly varying the frequency of each band 

above 1K – this can create an unusual chorus 

effect – or randomly varying the level. 

A notorious audio marketing cliché of the 

1980s promised audio products limited only 

by your imagination. Twenty years later, Kyma 

comes closer than any other product to making 

good on that promise. The catch is that most 

audio engineering and sound design happen 

inside a small creative space, and Kyma blows 

that space wide open. There’s a shock factor 

involved in realising how unadventurous most 

of your experience with audio has been, and a 

challenging acclimatisation process as you get 

used to thinking outside of the usual boxes. 

With Kyma, processes and effects can be made 

smart and responsive – almost anything becomes 

possible, including FX that include their own 

automation, and can listen to audio and respond 

to it intelligently. 

Conclusion 

If you’re looking for a quick-fix audio sweetener 

box, Kyma probably won’t be for you. It doesn’t 

promise the fattest, creamiest compression you’ve 

ever heard, or the world’s most expensively silky 

pre-amps. But the applications for post are more 

obvious. Surgical sound editing becomes trivially 

simple, and the possibilities for creative sound 

design are almost endless. Kyma specialises in 

exactly the kinds of sounds that designers live to 

work on – exotic, strange, unusual, and creative. 

The morphing possibilities on their own are worth 

the asking price. Although Kyma isn’t cheap 

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symbolic sound kyma pacarana 

compared to software-only products, it needs 

to be assessed at its own level, which pegs it at 

roughly equivalent to a box and a half of good pro 

outboard. At that price it’s something of a bargain 

– but only if you’re prepared to stretch your sound 

design work in new directions that aren’t possible 

with any other product. � 

................................... 

INFORMATION 

� Pacarana Professional US$4,402.00 (exc.tax) 

Pacarana Entry-Level US$2,970.00 (exc.tax) 

All systems include Kyma X software and free 

updates 

� Symbolic Sound, PO Box 2549, Champaign, IL 

61825-2549, USA 

� +1 217 355 6273 

� www.symbolicsound.com 

� info-kyma@symbolicsound.com 

DPA 5100 JP AudioMedia.indd 1 04/05/09 08.29 


�� 

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With the massed customers for Xbox and PC games waiting to judge your work, it’s important that Microsoft Games Studios gets the audio right. 

For Kristofor Mellroth that means re-assessing the developer’s production cycle and its relationship with external suppliers. PAUL MAC reports. 

The nature of compiling audio for games and 

integrating that into the game itself means that 

the development team has to find room both 

for creative thinking and supreme organisation. 

What starts out as a group of great ideas can 

quickly turn into an irretrievable, tangled splodge 

of parameters, loss of coherent inheritance, 

multiplied waste of both in-game 

and development resources, and – 

ultimately – a compromise of the 

product’s quality. 

To ease this, Kristofor Mellroth (Audio 

Director and Sound Design Supervisor 

at Microsoft Games Studios in the US) 

has instigated a new development 

‘pipeline’ (production flow) that is 

designed to head off any possibility 

of a development descending into 

chaos. The main weakness in entirely 

concurrent content conception, creation, 

and implementation is that events, sounds, and 

code are being constantly introduced, modified, 

and re-modified, which leads to confusion. The fix 

is a return to basics, and an investment in better 

foundations. 

Paper Play 

Mellroth explained that everything will now start 

with a piece of paper. The events, the variables 

that are carried with those events, plus the sounds 

and their component parts, will be discussed, 

planned, and specified. Once that plan has been 

signed off, then you start on ‘placeholder’ sounds, 

auditioning the events, and making sure that the 

middleware implementation of the sound system 

is well organised. When they’re happy with that 

stage, the programmers can come in and hook up 

the game to the audio – make the links between 

game events and the audio engine, complete with 

all the desired variables. The game can then be 

tested, with sounds in place. 

With asset names firmed up, events connected 

correctly, and a well-organised hierarchy of audio 

objects, it’s time to revisit the sound design. Sounds 

can now simply be created, imported, and tested 

in-game in a very rapid design and audition cycle 

– and more importantly, Sound Designers can do 

what they do best, without creating a new problem 

every time they create a new sound. 

A film analogy might be that the mix is done 

with temp sounds in place, then the mix is handed 

to the sound designers to create content to fit the 

mix. In that context it sounds a little odd, but it suits 

game land perfectly because the mix is not fixed, 

so sounds have to adapt constantly. It’s the essence 

of event-based working. 

Mellroth’s point though is that the analogy 

48 

works even better when you consider the roles 

of the mixer and the sound designers in film 

production. Sound designers agonise over the 

details, while the mixer looks after the product 

as a whole. Mellroth’s idea is to make the same 

distinction between implementation and sound 

design in game audio. This then opens the door to 

using specialists in their fields – get a car 

sound specialist to get car sounds and fit 

them to the game, for example; not the 

other way around. “We see outsourcing 

as a very big part of our future,” says 

Mellroth, “But what we want out of an 

outsourcing partner is for someone to 

be the best at something… it’s great 

to have a minor in something, but you 

should definitely have a major… The 

expectations for these games are just as 

high as movies now.” 

There are variations in the way 

Microsoft Games uses out-source partners, 

depending on a number of variables. In some cases 

it is simply commissioned sound design, but in 

others it can be varying degrees of both sound 

design and implementation. One partnership that 

Mellroth values as a recent and rare find is a pair 

of freelancers, working as a single unit: “There’s 

one guy who’s an implementation specialist 

and he doesn’t do sound design; and the other 

guy is a sound designer and he doesn’t do 

implementation… they work as a brain collective.” 

While there are gains to be had from more 

permanent staff, it would be impractical for 

Mellroth to hire enough sound designers to cover a 

project and still have them on the books during the 

downtime. Mellroth: “…On Fable 2, we had a total 

of probably 15 sound designers contributing to the 

sounds on it… I couldn’t hire 15 sound designers, it 

would be impossible.” 

Learn The Language 

There is still a gulf between the traditional ‘linear’ 

world and the world of game sound that is not so 

difficult to fix. If you want to be a viable service 

provider to the games industry, it’s best to be 

fluent in the language of games, and in the tools 

that dominate the developer desktops. One 

straightforward route in is through familiarity with 

middleware – it teaches the underlying structures 

and challenges faced by developers. Mellroth 

agrees: “It’s definitely something we look for, 

and there are actually very few people out there, 

having just done this search, who are sufficiently 

proficient with middleware tools that we could 

just let them run wild on a project.” 

� 

START PLAYING 

The two main third-party middleware products are 

currently FMOD from Firelight Technologies (www.fmod. 

org) and Wwise from audiokinetic (www.audiokinetic. 

com). Both companies have free downloads of the core 

software and freely available sample material to start 

working with, so there’s no excuse for not engaging with 

games audio. You may even find them inspiring as a 

useful new way to approach more general sound design 

tasks. 

The main Wwise components, Wwise, Wwise Motion, 

Firelight Technologies' FMOD Designer. 

and Wwise SoundSeed are available on an evaluation basis for free, for PC, from the audiokinetic site, as well as the 

example games AK Cube and Zorsis, and example projects. The audiokinetic video tutorials are particularly enlightening 

- definitely recommended viewing if you’re interesting in 

games audio. 

The main FMOD application is FMOD Designer 

(authoring) with FMOD Sandbox (audition tool), available as 

a free download for a variety of platforms, as well as extras 

including tutorial files and Designer example material. An 

example iPhone game is scheduled for release as part of the 

FMOD education materials, in June. 

Both packages can be used for free as long as you’re not 

using them on ‘commercial’ or ‘for profit’ projects. Please 

see the licensing and sales information for each on their 

respective websites. 

Audiokinetics' Wwise application. 

AUDIOMEDIA MAY 2009

� 

What may not be well known in the 

mainstream pro-audio community is that there 

are a couple of dominant third-party middleware 

tools that you can download and use for free on 

a non-commercial basis, simply as an educational 

experience and thus another stamp in the game 

audio passport. The current frontrunners are 

Audiokinetic’s Wwise, and Firelight Technologies’ 

FMOD – see the ‘Start Playing’ box for more 

specific details. 

In essence, audio middleware is an interface 

to game events – a way of managing sounds and 

the way sounds react to game event variables 

in a friendly manner that isolates the content 

from the realities of code. The bit that connects a 

middleware project to the game is the Application 

Programming Interface (API) – a set of objects that 

give the game programmer convenient ways to 

talk to the middleware, and hence take advantage 

of the sound designer’s hard work. 

Mellroth estimates that about 50 percent of 

games developers use third-party middleware for 

their audio design, while the others use in-house 

tools. The choice depends on resources, the project 

in hand, and somtimes the devlopers' attitude 

to the generic nature of third-party solutions. 

Middleware developers have staff dedicated fulltime 

to progressing and supporting these tools 

– a development Studio doesn't have that luxury. 

Also, you can concentrate on the content rather 

than the code, and integration of a middleware 

solution is much quicker. 

Reasons to go down the in-house route can be 

as logical as the need for a proprietary solution for 

a very specific game engine, which in turn brings 

long-term gains for a greater initial investment. 

Mellroth acknowledges that it can be difficult to 

acquire the middleware skill-set unless someone 

has worked “in the front lines of a developer”, but 

also that it is possible. “The people who pick up 

game implementation and middleware really 

quickly, tend to be people who are well versed in 

Ableton,” he says. “…Ableton has a lot of concepts 

that map well to doing interactive audio for games.” 

Similarly, if you got experience with something 

like Flash creation the event-based nature of 

middleware will be relatively simple to pick up. 

DEVELOP CONFERENCE – BE THERE 

Between July 14 and July 16 this year, Develop Conference 

and Expo (Brighton) will be opening its doors in July to 

all interested games development. Audio Media will be 

the media sponsor for the Audio Track (16th July) for the 

second year running. To attend, you can either go to www. 

develop-conference.com and book your tickets, or you 

could give our competition a go. Just answer the incredibly 

difficult question below and email your answer, along 

with your contact details, to developcomp@audiomedia. 

com (preferably with the subject ‘megapass’)... 

Which game won Best Use Of Audio at this year’s BAFTA 

Game Awards? 

A: Manic Miner; B: Pong; C: Dead Space 

Entries must be in before June 1, 2009; no NewBay 

Media or Tandem Events employees (or their immediate 

families) are eligible. 

An Opened Door 

The good news for anybody not on staff at a 

development studio is that the same skills and 

experience that are valued in linear media are 

becoming appreciated in non-linear. “We need 

the higher skill-sets of guys who are peer sound 

designers,” says Mellroth. “I’m a game sound 

designer, that’s where I started, and where I’m at 

my best. But I’m not even close to the guys that 

we’re working with out of LA, who have been doing 

sound design for 20 years, day in day out, on big 

Hollywood pictures... I felt pretty confident in my 

own abilities until we started getting sounds from 

these guys.” 

There is undoubtedly a large helping of modesty 

in these last words, but the clear message is that 

the doors are open for collaboration in game audio 

at all sorts of levels. Don’t ever think that film is 

somehow superior to game – that is absolutely 

not the case. The word is ‘different’ – and each has 

much to teach the other. The fact that the dialogue 

between the two is finally in full swing is great – all 

we have do now is make sure we’re speaking the 

same language. � 

THE ANATOMY OF AN EVENT 

An event is something than happens, and the concepts 

in event-based architecture are based on that definition. 

Take an example from Mellroth – the body fall. 

Along with the basic event come variables such as the 

character type, material, and fall intensity (weight of 

body, height, and so on). That event can be catered 

for by layered audio elements whose relative mix, and 

processing, can be mapped to the event’s variables. 

In the production flow model proposed by Mellroth, 

by the time the sound designer gets to work, the event, 

the layers, the variables, and so on will already be in 

place. Familiarity with the middleware is still desirable, 

but more intimate involvement in the game engine is a 

distraction that has already been taken care of. 

The fall event might additionally be sent to other game 

elements – to other characters for reaction, character 

graphics, environment graphics, game stats, and more). 

Once you get a grip on this, it’s easy to see a game as a 

big bundle of individual elements, united by a common 

interest in events and what to do about them. 

AUDIOMEDIA MAY 2009 49

PRODUCT SAMPLER 

50 

Audio Media selects some of the 

finest studio mics currently wowing 

the industry. 

The C 214 recording microphone 

from AKG is a costeffective 

alternative to the 

C 414 family that combines 

the C 414 dual-capsule 

system with AKG’s patented 

Back-Plate Technology. The 

model utilises a switchable 

20dB attenuation pad, low 

cut switch, a double mesh 

grille for high RF immunity, 

integrated suspension, and 

comes complete with a 

spider-type shock mount. 

www.akg.com 

audio-technica’s AT4022 omni-directional 

condenser mic excels when used to record 

acoustic instruments due to 

a flat, extended frequency 

response, and a tolerance for 

high SPLs. Furthermore, the 

omni-directional polar pattern 

delivers maximum ambient 

pick-up for low self noise, while the lowmass 

diaphragm supports transient response 

and reduces handling/mechanical noise transfer. 

The unit also incorporates a switchable hi-pass 

filter (80Hz) and a -10dB pad. 


Audix’s VX5 condenser mic is suitable for both 

studio and live use with a 

supercardioid polar pattern 

that isolates the source 

sound from other instruments. 

The company claims 

that the mic can handle high 

sound pressure levels without 

distortion, is resistant 

to feedback, and boasts a 

smooth, accurate frequency 

response. The frequency 

range of 40Hz-16.5kHz is 

complemented by a -10dB 

pad and bass roll-off filter. 

www.audixusa.com 

Studio Mics 

We’ve sounded out the pick of the bunch for your browsing convenience, though if 

you want even more, check out our Microphones 2009 supplement – available online 

at the end of this month. 

beyerdynamic’s MC 840 compact large 

diaphragm condenser microphone benefits 

from five switchable polar patterns 

(omni-directional, wide cardioid, 

cardioid, hypercardioid, figure-ofeight). 

Building upon the company’s 

MC 740 capsule, the newer model is 

fitted with an improved low-noise 

pre-amplifier and an impedance 

transformer without transducer. 

The unit is further augmented by 

two-stage roll-off filters (80 and 

160Hz) and two-stage pre-attenuation 

(-10 and -20dB). 

www.beyerdynamic.com 

Blue Microphones’ ‘flagship 

recording tool’ is the Bottle, a versatile, 

hand-crafted unit integrated 

with a system of eight optional 

interchangeable capsules (Blue’s 

Bottle Caps) that can be swapped 

to provide different tonal characteristics 

and pick-up patterns. The 

design is a modern rethinking of 

classic ideas with a Class A discrete 

amplifier circuit containing a handselected 

EF86 pentode vacuum 

tube in triode mode. 

www.bluemic.com 

Brauner has distilled the 

technology of the tube 

microphones VM1 and 

VMX into two distinct 

‘pure cardioid’ models. The 

VM1 offers natural capturing 

of audio, whereas the 

VMX supplies ‘charming 

tonal character’. Both feature 

a frequency range of 

20Hz-22kHz, equivalent 

noise of 9dBA, signal to 

noise of 84dB, and are 

hand-built for ‘uncompromising 

sonic excellence’. 

www.brauner-microphones.com 


CharterOak’s newest 

offering is the S700 

broadcast microphone, 

a fusion between the 

company’s Series 700 

type head amplifier 

and the S-3 type capsule 

used in the S600. 

The S700 looks to 

address users who may find the E700 ‘a bit bulky’ 

and would prefer a front address microphone. 

Designed specifically for broadcasters, it features 

a robust midrange, smooth and detailed top end, 

and internal plosive filter. 

www.charteroakacoustics.com 

DPA is offering the opportunity to 

upgrade the 4006 and 4011 to TL 

versions that feature transformerless 

preamps and updated components. 

The 4006 model benefits from an extended 

low frequency response (15Hz-20kHz) 

and increased sensitivity, as well as 

retaining the acoustic modification 

accessories that bestow seven different 

frequency responses and directional 

characteristics to the user. The 4011 TL 

continues to benefit from a flat on axis 

frequency response and smooth off-axis response. 

www.dpamicrophones.com 

Horch has three microphones 

in its studio catalogue. 

The RM2J takes cues from 

Neumann’s M49/U47 and operates 

in two different modes 

with one featuring an adjustable 

polar pattern and the 

other a broad cardioid. The 

RM3 comes with an integrated 

shock mount and pop filter and 

is suitable for female vocals. 

Finally, the RM4 offers control 

over tube saturation from a 

‘clear to a high saturated and 

compressed sound’. 

www.horchaudio.com

The BT-201 range from JZ 

Microphones has a new affordable 

edition that utilises just 

one cardioid capsule. No design 

changes to the original BT-201 

structure have taken place, so 

the all-metal body is still present, 

which JZ believes provides high 

reliability, low self noise, detailed 

sound with smooth, transparent 

highs, optimal presence, and 

natural low end response. 

The option to add further 

capsules is still available. 

www.jzmic.com 

The Lauten Horizon is a 

hand-tuned large diaphragm 

capsule tube microphone featuring 

new-old-stock military 

grade tubes and a solid brass 

body. Specifications include 

a -10dB and -20dB pad for 

recording of sound sources 

up to 140dB, a custom wound 

output transformer, and high 

resolution capacitors. The mic 

is billed as a multi-purpose 

workhorse that is also suitable 

for live sound. 

www.lautenaudio.com 

The KM-69 from the straighttalking 

Mercenary Audio team 

was born out of a need for a 

KM-84i suitable for hi-hats. 

The project evolved to include 

a design that also captured 

overheards and acoustic 

instruments equally as well, 

whilst retaining the transient 

response necessary for percussion. 

The capsule is of European 

descent, while the amplifier 

and final construction are 

undertaken in the USA. 

www.mercenary.com 

The MA-201fet from Mojave is 

a large diaphragm, solid-state 

condenser microphone with 

a fixed cardioid pattern. The 

model employs a 3-micron 

gold-sputtered capsule, 

Jensen audio transformer, 

military-grade FET, and custom 

designed low-noise resistors 

to provide an ‘ultra clean 

signal path’. The mic has been 

developed alongside David 

Royer, and is suitable for both 

instruments and vocals. 

www.mojaveaudio.com 

PRODUCT SAMPLER | STUDIO MICROPHONES 

The new Genesis is MXL 

Microphone’s flagship tube 

condenser mic that features a 

hand-selected Mullard 12AT7 

tube, a -10 dB pad, a 150Hz 6 

dB/octave roll-off switch, and 

a 20 Hz – 20 kHz frequency 

response. The company 

also recently introduced the 

V69XM pressure gradient tube 

condenser mic, the R77 ribbon 

velocity microphone and the 

V89 pressure gradient studio 

condenser mic. 

www.mxlmics.com 

Neumann’s TLM 67 largediaphragm 

condenser 

incorporates three switchable 

polar patterns (cardioid, omnidirectional, 

and figure-of-eight), 

switchable high-pass filter and 

pre-attenuation, transformerless 

circuit technology, and a 20Hz- 

20kHz frequency. The mic is an 

evolution of the company’s U 

67 model, with circuitry that’s 

designed to closely reproduce 

its predecessor’s sound 

characteristics. 

www.neumann.com 

Recently joining Schoeps’ Colette series of 

modular condenser microphones is the MK 22 

microphone capsule, 

featuring an open 

cardioid pattern 

that combines the 

directional qualities 

of the MK 4 cardioid 

with the MK 21 wide 

cardioid’s sonic character. 

The mic is ideally suited for spot or soloist 

application, and is described by the company as 

‘less critical than the classic cardioid’ in terms of 

capturing sound away from its main axis. 

www.schoeps.de 

The 4400a ‘all-rounder’ mic from sE Electronics 

features a dual capsule design that packs 

four polar patterns into one model (cardioid, 

hypercardioid, figure-ofeight, 

and omni). Bass cut 

features are incorporated 

at 60Hz and 120Hz, with 

a 0/-10/-20dB pad also 

included. The mic is just 

¾-inch thick, fitting into 

the palm of a hand, and 

is versatile enough to be 

used for instrument, percussion 

and vocal work. 

www.seelectronics.com 

Sennheiser claims its MKH 800 variable pattern 

condenser microphone “is the very first microphone 

to fully utilise 

the wider frequency 

response and dynamic 

range of the new 

24-bit/96kHz standard.” 

Other notable features 

include five switchable 

polar patterns, extended 

frequency response up 

to 50kHz, switchable pre-attenuation, roll-off 

filter and treble emphasis, plus a transformerless 

and fully floating balanced output. 

www.sennheiser.co.uk 

The Delta live ribbon 

microphone from 

Sontronics is equally at 

home in the studio or 

out on the road with a 

particular penchant for 

miking guitar cabinets. 

The model evolves upon 

the company’s Sigma 

mic and features optimised 

sensitivity, 48V preamplified electronics, a 

response of 20 Hz – 15 kHz, and a figure-of-eight 

polar pattern. The unit comes supplied with 

shockmount and aluminium flightcase. 

www.sontronics.com 

Studio Projects bills its CS5 as 

‘the ultimate studio microphone’, 

and it certainly packs in some features. 

As well as offering five switchable 

polar patterns (cardioid, 

wide cardioid, hyper cardioid, 

omni, and figure-of-eight), there 

are also four selectable pads, four 

high pass filters, four low pass 

filters, an FET impedance converter, 

and a pressure-gradient 

transducer. 

The mic is suitable for both vocal 

and instrumental recordings. 

www.studioprojectsusa.com 

The Wedge microphone from 

Violet Design features the 

company’s new VD21 true 

electrostatic single diaphragm 

capsule, which is ‘damped from 

vibrations and resonances’. The 

open, long, double-mesh head 

provides sound transparency 

and naturalness, while the cardioid 

polar pattern offers high 

output and low self-noise/distortion. 

The versatile and affordable mic is suitable for a 

wide range of applications, and comes supplied 

with a stand holder. 

www.violet-design.com 


video guide 

KEVIN HILTON cuts in to discover 

more about the role of the 

Editor, one of the key roles in 

A Sound Pro’s Guide To Video 

Post Production: Part 2 

post production. 

GLOSSARY 

EDL 

A set of initials that will be as 

familiar to audio types as it is to 

their video counterparts. EDL 

stands for Edit Decision List, 

and while this crucial source 

of information existed in 

some form during the heyday 

of film and certainly came 

to the fore with linear video 

editing, it has come into its 

own with non-linear working 

and DI. Essentially it is a list of 

the source tapes, reels or files, 

shot numbers and first and last 

frame numbers as designated 

by the timecode. The picture 

editor will log what changes 

he or she has made, including 

transitions (fades, dissolves) 

and how these correspond 

to the sound. Increasingly 

the EDL is becoming part of 

metadata and is catalogued 

using a laptop or desktop 

keyboard. 

52 

Every creative involved in film and programme making 

believes that he or she has the key job, but when 

pushed to it most would admit that the Editor has 

the pivotal role. Veteran cinematographer Alan Hume says 

films are made in the cutting room, with his job being to 

make the scenes and actors look good. Editors are not going 

to disagree; Stuart Baird, whose credits include The Omen, 

Superman, Lethal Weapon, The Legend of Zorro, The Devils and 

Tommy, next to being the Director the position of Editor is 

the best in the business. 

There is a parallel with sound editing, organising material 

so it tells a story, but in cinema and television the craft has 

developed beyond being purely continuity, and can now 

dictate the rhythm and pace of a piece as much as narrative 

development. During the earliest days of filmmaking the role 

of the Editor was functional, topping and tailing the reels 

and arranging scenes in the right order. The term ‘cutting’ to 

describe editing comes from that time, and many of today’s 

practitioners still refer to themselves as cutters, which 

underplays the role they have. 

Rudimentary continuity editing can be traced back to 

the filmmakers working on the south coast of England at 

the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, who 

became known as the Brighton school. Little of their work 

survived the years, but Cecil Hepworth’s 1905 short Rescued 

by Rover is of great historical importance for its editing as 

much as the camera work. 

Also significant is American filmmaker Edwin S Porter’s 

The Great Train Robbery (1903), which influenced fellow countryman 

DW Griffith, who used editing to great effect in The 

Birth of a Nation (1915). Equally impor- 

tant work was being done in Russia 

around the same time and both 

Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin (1925) 

and Dziga Vertov’s The Man with a Movie 

Camera (1929) set the standard for 

creative editing that not only drove 

a film along but also influenced 

the emotions of the audience as 

much as the acting, the images, and 

the story. 

Most editors started out with 

ambitions to directy show the 

artistic credentials of editing. 

Some achieved that goal, among 

them David Lean, who directed such 

epics as Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) 

and, apparently, always considered 

himself an Editor first and a Director 

second, Robert Wise, who edited Citizen 

Kane and directed The Sound of Music 

(1965), and Roger Spottiswoode, 

who cut in TV before working 

for Sam Peckinpah and helmed 

Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). 

Another example is Ealing stalwart 

Charles Crichton, who made Hue 


and Cry (1947) and The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) for the studio. 

Alan Hume worked with him on A Fish Called Wanda (1988) and 

says Crichton was a good Editor, which made him a good 

Director, as he knew how to put a film together. 

The Director remains the controlling creative force on 

a film, although in these days of Jerry Bruckheimer and 

Steven Spielberg taking the role of Executive Producer 

on both movies and episodic TV dramas, the balance of 

power has shifted. The Editor has considerable influence 

on how a production turns out and brings another set of 

eyes and a new perspective to the process; the position 

has been described as being the first audience for a film. 

Just as a Director of Photography will begin to visualise 

shots after the reading the script, an Editor will also 

begin to create cuts and transitions in the mind before 

beginning work. 

Most editors claim not to have a style of their own, 

saying the story and the footage they are given dictates 

how they cut the pictures. Just as a Director will often 

work with the same Cinematographer where possible, 

so directors tend to form a close working relationship 

with editors. Among the most famous and productive 

collaborations are Director Cecil B De Mille and Editor 

Anne Bauchens in America, and Claude Chabrol and 

Jacques Gaillard in France. As Woody Allen’s career and 

style changed and developed he worked with Ralph 

Rosenblum and then Susan E Morse. Martin Scorsese has 

formed a long-term working relationship with Thelma 

Schoonmaker, who has cut many of his films and won an 

Oscar for The Departed (2006). 

OBITUARY 

Jack Cardiff, 1914-2009 

Jack Cardiff, who died in April aged 94, was the acknowledged master of colour cinematography 

during the 1940s. He worked for many directors and producers during his long career, and had a 

successful spell as a Director himself, but for most cinephiles his name will always be associated 

with those of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger and their remarkable series of lightly 

surreal, other worldly films. 

Born Jack Gran in 1914 to travelling music hall performers who used the stage name Cardiff, 

the young Jack was a showbiz person front the very start and toured with his parents, who 

sustained themselves during ‘resting’ periods through bit parts in films. Cardiff started in movies 

as a child actor, making his screen debut in 1918, then became a clapper loader and a focus puller 

before moving into camera operation and lighting. 

His work behind the camera ranged from the masculine world of John Huston and Errol 

Flynn in The African Queen (1951) and The Master of Ballantrae (1953) to ‘80s blockbusters like 

Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) and Conan the Destroyer (1984), but his greatest achievements 

are generally considered to be the dream-like worlds he created for Powell and Pressburger. 

The Red Shoes (1948), A Matter of Life and Death (1946) and Black Narcissus (1947), which brought 

him an Oscar, have affected and moved audiences since they were released over 60 years ago. 

Cardiff had a parallel career as a Director, gaining an Academy Award best direction 

nomination for his 1960 version of DH Lawrence’s Sons and Lovers. He is also remembered for 

the notorious Girl on a Motorcycle (1969) but not for the same artistic reasons. In his later years, 

Cardiff withdrew from active filmmaking but continued to be involved in the business through 

lectures and conference appearances. 

�

� 

video guide A Sound Pro’s Guide To Video 

Post Production: Part 2 

news 

Avid Technologies was at the forefront of non-linear digital 

editing, marking the shift not just from film but also linear 

video cutting. In recent years its position as market leader 

has been usurped by Apple with the Mac-based Final Cut 

Pro (FCP) system. Recently Avid has been through several 

restructuring programmes and, during the recent NAB, a 

complete re-brand. 

As part of this new approach Avid has officially 

acknowledged its rival and passed FCP systems to operate 

on its MediaNetwork and ISIS shared storage servers. 

In recent years Avid has developed networked data systems 

for storing video footage, driven by post-production 

facilities moving to digital intermediate (DI) working. 

While Avid editing workstations continue to be used 

throughout the industry, FCP has established itself as a 

parallel system, with the two being used for different 

parts of the posting process. The new initiative means 

that the two systems are able to run from the same media 

server. Avid sees this as allowing users to create more 

efficient workflows. 

The Oscar winning, The Departed. 

Since the pioneering days of film, many 

women have emerged among the top flight 

of editors, gaining an influential place in cinema 

when others were fighting to break through 

as producers, directors, cinematographers, or 

camera operators. This might have something to 

do with the stereotypical impression that women 

are better at multi-tasking, but regardless of gender 

a good Editor needs the ability to deal with a 

great deal of material and be good at managing 

people, creating a balance between the Producer 

and the Director, while also putting his or her 

ideas into the mix. 

According to Eddie Mansell, who has worked 

at Granada Television since 1978 and cut such 

critically acclaimed and popular dramas as 

Jewell in the Crown, Cracker and Cold Feet, a good Editor 

should be a reclusive pedant, because the job 

entails spending a lot of time on one’s own and 

calls for attention to detail. Concentration and 

patience are still necessary today, but when the 

process was film from beginning to end these 

qualities were vital because the Editor and 

assistant editors had to match and sync every 

reel with the corresponding audio soundtrack, as 

well as checking and logging all footage. 

The Editor and Director will have discussed 

possible approaches to the work in pre-production 

and established a cutting room, either near 

the film studio or in a post-production facility, 

ready to receive material. The two will continue 

to discuss the edit as the dailies start to come 

through, and the Editor will begin to put together 

the available footage. 

By the time shooting ends, the Editor has all 

the shots assembled according to the narrative, 

from which a rough-cut is produced. The roughcut 

is the first edited version, at one time known 

as the initial work print. It contains the best 

sequences and shots arranged in the most logical, 

or sometimes not, and artistically right order. This 

is often called the Director’s Cut, a term that has 

gained commercial power since the early 1990s 

when earlier cuts of films, notably Blade Runner 

(1981), were released and showed the original 

concept and intentions of the filmmakers before 

the studios and producers started meddling. 

Editing is largely an intuitive skill; editors admit 

THE SYMPHONY SYSTEM 

The Most Powerful Audio Workstation Available 

that often they know something is working but 

cannot explain why. In Hong Kong action movies, 

the editing is startlingly obvious. In lower key dramas, 

the cutting will be unobtrusive but can have 

as much impact as a much flashier edited piece. 

Eddie Mansell has said there is no right or wrong 

way cut a picture. The unwritten rule is that if it 

works, it is right. This subjective approach can 

be, in the end, personal preference, and possibly 

a strong character, that will settle on the one to 

be used. And going over and over something 

does not always make it better. Knowing when to 

leave well alone is as much a part of the Editor’s 

skills as manipulation of the equipment. 

This examination of editing will continue in 

next month’s Video Guide, with a further look at the 

different forms of cuts, the art of cutting and the 

technology used, with that explanation of offline 

and online edits. � 

The Symphony System combines Apogee’s legendary X-Series and Rosetta Series converters with 

Apple’s revolutionary Mac Pro and Logic Pro audio workstation using the 32-channel Symphony 

PCI card. 

BEST SOUNDING 

The most sonically advanced audio hardware 

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HIGHEST PERFORMANCE 

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GREATEST VALUE 

A fraction of the cost of popular card-based, 

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A suite of powerful, easy-to-use music 

creation and production tools, Logic Studio 

gives musicians everything they need to 

write, record, edit, mix and perform. 

Symphony PCIE Card 

32-Channels of I/O per 

card & up to 96 channels 

per system. 


TOURING��INSTALLATION ��THEATRE ��SYSTEMS INTEGRATION ��PRODUCTION 

AUDIO MEDIA 

Sound Reinforcement 

AMSR News 56 

Technology, application, and installation news from 

the global sound reinforcement community. 

DiGiCo SD7 Mach 2 58 

DiGiCo’s new software upgrade for the SD7 takes the 

console to near on warp speed. STEPHEN BENNETT 

discovers just how far the new technology can go. 

Neumann KMS 104 plus 60 

Neumann’s new live microphone takes centre stage this 

month as BEN BURNS puts it through its paces. 

Product Sampler Live Vocal Microphones 62 

Audio Media provides you with front row seats to a superstar 

line-up of stage mics. Sound good? Course it does. 

AMSR is the regular AUDIO MEDIA Sound Reinforcement section, aimed squarely at 

SR professionals across Europe. Following the Audio Media ethos, the emphasis 

will be on the product reviews and technical features written by working 

industry professionals that anybody in SR will find relevant and useful.


NEW PRODUCT 

Peavey Electronics recently 

released its new XR8000 Series of 

powered box-style mixers. 

The XR 8300 (2 x 300W @ 4Ω) and 

the XR8600 (2 x 600w @ 4Ω) feature 

mic preamps with +14dBu of 

headroom and a 450Hz mid band 

Channel EQ. The latter attempts to 

resolve problematic frequencies 

to produce clearer vocals without 

compromising warmth or depth. 

� www.peavey.com 

NEW PRODUCT 

Sennheiser has released Wireless 

G3, the third generation of its 

wireless series 

that features 

a frequency 

management 

function, to 

enable a greater 

availability of 

compatible 

frequencies, 

plus a switching 

bandwidth of 

42MHz. The 

system borrows 

the Soundcheck 

Mode and 

equaliser from 

the 500 series, 

with the former now operable 

during the show. Finally, the 

frequency response has been 

extended down to 25Hz. 

� www.sennheiser.co.uk 

NEW INSTALLATION 

After road-testing Allen & Heath’s 

new iLive-T digital mixing system, 

Mexico’s Bull Dog Café has decided 

to acquire a unit of its own. 

The café is one of Mexico City’s top 

music venues and has featured 

some of the country’s finest 

new musical talent. The system 

comprised an iDR-32 MixRack 

and iLive-T80 Control Surface, and 

was responsible for managing 

combinations of FOH and monitor 

sound for the venue’s busy 

schedule of events. 

� www.allen-heath.co.uk 

56 

Meyer Unveils New Products 

at PALME Dubai 

Plus touring news with Paul Weller and Will Ferrell 

At the PALME trade show in Dubai this April (26th-28th) frontfill duties. FOH Engineer Andrew ‘Ange’ Jones was 

Meyer Sound celebrated its 30th anniversary with the 

pleased with the efficiency of the overall system 

release of the new D-Mitri Gigabit network-based multi- saying, “There were a few halls where, I’ll be honest, I was 

channel digital audio processing and distribution platform. a bit concerned we didn’t have enough PA with us. 

D-Mitri features a 96kHz sample rate, up to 

But the MILO has surprised us – it really 

64-bit floating-point processing, and 24-bit ADA 

sounds great, and it goes up quickly.” 

conversion in a true-networked environment. 

Will Ferrell provided some comic relief 

The system forges the way for future Meyer 

after George Bush’s departure from the 

Sound innovations and digital technology, start- 

Whitehouse with his one-man show You’re 

ing with the LCS audio show control system and 

Welcome America: A Final Night with George 

second-generation Constellation system. 

W. Bush, hosted at the Cort Theatre on 

Out on the road, Meyer Sound has been doing the business Broadway. The production utilised a combination of ten 

for Paul Weller’s UK tour with a particularly impressive set Meyer Sound M’elodie line array loudspeakers, flanked by 

up at the 18,000-seat O2 Arena. A total of 60 MILO and MILO 

120 loudspeakers were used, along with 36 MICA loud- 

side hangs of three CQ-1 loudspeakers each. 

speakers and four 600-HP subwoofers, while eight M’elodie 

Meyer Sound 

+1 (510) 486 1166 

line array loudspeakers and 18 700-HP subwoofers handled 

www.meyersound.com 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

DiGiCo 

Chris ‘Privet’ Hedge, FOH Engineer for Simply Red, has been 

employing DiGiCo’s D5 console to ‘simply perfect’ effect 

during the band’s current world tour. Privet has used the 

console extensively for the last three years with an eclectic 

group of performers, and is particularly impressed with 

its ability to cope in challenging environments and its 

resistance to the rigours of touring. He states, “No amount 

of chucking it on and off airplanes, lorries and forklifts 

has caused a blip in its operation.” The console also lends 

its own finesse to the live sound, “It has a very natural 


sound and all the artists I’ve used it with are primarily 

organic, live acts. I find the console very easy to lay out and 

operate intuitively; it’s very much a mixer’s console.” The D5, 

alongside the D8, also had an outing at Florida’s Festival of 

the Arts in April. The D5 provided FOH input/outputs, while 

the D8 handled onstage monitors. 

DiGiCo 

+44 (0) 1372 845600 

www.digico.org

Shure-Fire Wireless System 

Shure’s wireless solutions for Serj Tankian and ‘Smokey’ Robinson. 

KV2 Audio has no less than fourteen new products out 

in the market. Bolstering the EX Active Series is the EX1.2 

single twelve-inch subwoofer and the high intelligibility 

double six-inch, EX26. KV2 Audio’s sister company KX Audio 

added two new models to its range of MI targeted products. 

The first is the KX30, a 1,000-watt three-way active 

loudspeaker with a fifteen-inch low frequency driver, a 

horn loaded six-inch mid-range driver, and a one-inch 

compression driver. Completing the range is the KX1.8, an 

850-watt single eighteeninch 

subwoofer. 

Furthermore, three 

brand new product 

ranges were announced. 

The ESD Passive Series is 

the first system from KV2 

that is compatible with 

Shure’s wireless systems have been supporting several big-name productions 

around the world this month. First up is System of a Down frontman Serj 

Tankian, who has been performing with the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra 

for a reinterpretation of his Elect the Dead album. Tankian enthused about the 

freedom the system gave him, “I like to move around a lot onstage, so being 

wireless is extremely important. I’ve got it on my in-ears, and making the transition 

was amazing.” Tankian employed Shure’s PSM (Personal Monitoring System) 

600s to ensure that he could hear every detail on stage. He explains, “Using 

Shure PSM 600s helped me define the instruments and hear my own voice 

better in my mix, so even if I sang low I could still hear myself within that 

whole huge stage volume swelling up all around.” 

Meanwhile, Smokey Robinson has made the switch from floor wedges to 

in-ear monitors with great success. His Production Manager Brian French had 

been pushing for the change over the last eight years, but it was only after 

Luther Van Dross made the suggestion to the Motown icon that he decided 

to switch. Using Shure’s PSM 700s Robinson stated, “It saves your voice. 

When we do concerts, I’m not kidding, I sing for two-and-a-half hours. 

I don’t have to strain because I can hear me.” The PSM 700 system delivers 

simultaneous operation of 16 personal stereo mixes, and features a frequency 

locator that pinpoints the most optimal frequencies for rapid setup. 

Shure 

+44 (0) 1992 703058 

www.shure.co.uk 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

KV2 Release Fourteen New Products 

third party amplification. The LD Series is a selection of four 

DI style boxes featuring KV2’s VHD (Very High Definition) 

line drivers on every output. Finally, the first cabinets in the 

Krampera range of electric instrument cabinets are ready 

for action. 

KV2 Audio 

+44 (0) 1423 816868 

www.kv2audio.com 


NEW PRODUCT 

Dynacord has released the new 

CXM 15 two-way monitor for 

professional applications. 

The coaxial 15-inch/1.4-inch chassis 

boasts a radial coverage pattern of 

60 degrees and can achieve sound 

pressure levels as high as 135 dB at 

102 dB sensitivity. Notable extras 

include: a switchable bi-amping 

mode, Voice Coil Tracking 

Protection, and pole-mounting 

options. In other news, Dynacord 

has announced that delivery 

has recently been taken for its 

100,000th PowerMate. 

� www.dynacord.com 

LIFE-TIME WARRANTY 

Audio-Technica has extended its 

Lifetime Warranty to the Artist Elite 

and Artist Series of live-orientated 

wired microphones. Previously only 

available on 

the company’s 

40 series 

studio mics, 

the warranty 

is heralded by 

the company 

as “the longest 

offered by any 

microphone 

manufacturer.” 

Audio- 

Technica 

Senior UK 

Marketing 

Manager Harvey Roberts added “… 

musicians and sound engineers are 

now able to enjoy the same peace 

of mind on stage as users of our 40 

Series do in the studio.” 

� www.audio-technica.com 

NEW USER 

After a long and arduous search, 

violinist Nigel MacLean has finally 

struck upon the solution to his 

pick-up problems. DPA’s 4099 

instrument mic circumvents 

previous problems concerning 

unsatisfactory reproduction of 

top-ends and low-mids. MacLean 

explains, “The tone is that of my 

instrument: pure and simple. 

The rejection of external sound is 

truly amazing, and there are no 

lumps in the frequency response!” 

� www.dpamicrophones.com 


05|09 

AMSR 

STEPHEN BENNETT finds that 

sometimes, the best things in 

life really are free. This certainly 

holds true for DiGiCo, 

that has upped the bhp on 

its SD7 ‘engine’ for absolutely 

nothing at all. 

When DiGiCo released its nautically inspired SD7 

console (previewed in Audio Media March 2008), it 

was already one of the most innovative and highly 

specified live consoles on the market. The company has now 

released the MACH2 upgrade, which takes further advantage 

of the processing power provided by the Field Programmable 

Gate Array (FPGA) Stealth processing and Tiger SHARC chips 

in the SD7. “Say that you’ve just bought yourself a standard 

Porsche with a 350bhp engine, and the company call you up 

a year later and say; ‘if you bring it back in we’ll give you an 

upgrade to 580bhp free of charge’ – the MACH2 update is a 

bit like that,” says DiGiCo’s Marketing Director, David Webster. 

“We knew we had that capability in the SD7’s FPGA engine, 

so the performance goes up and there is now a higher 

feature set. In most consoles based around DSP processing, 

you know that every chip you buy will only do so much – it 

has a limited amount of power. So you link those 

together and you decide how many of 

these chips you can afford to 

build into a console and what 

you want the feature set to be 

– you limit the power in the 

design stage by the number of 

chips you install. Because of this new FGPA technology, we 

are not limited by the DSP engine in there. To continue the 

motoring analogy, when we initially released the SD7, 

we knew that our engine was capable of 1,000bhp, but we 

didn’t know what bits to put in it yet! We gave you that 

THE REVIEWER 350bhp last year, but we are going to give you all these extra 

STEPHEN BENNETT has been features in the future as you’ve already paid for the engine 

involved in music production with the FGPA.” 

for over 25 years. Now based in In more specific terms, the MACH2 upgrade features 

the wilds of rural Sweden, he 

a huge number of enhancements. Dynamic EQ is now 

runs Chaos Studios and writes 

available on all 256 processing paths, and is individually 

books and articles on music 

technology. He’s also a film- switchable and easily monitored via the gain reduction/ 

maker with several music videos expansion meter. The multi-band compressor can now 

JOECOAMAD1.QXD and short films 04/03/2009 to his credit. 10:15 be AM loaded Page on all 1 256 paths along with an extra two 

www.stephenjamesbennett.co.uk compressors per path – giving an additional 512 instances. 

�� 

�� 

�� 

�� 

“There are eight band parametric EQs on the outputs 

available to compensate for problematic installations,” 

says Webster. “In addition, there’s a dedicated talk-back 

facility which can be easily routed to anywhere you want 

– even on stage.” When activated, this function also has 

the ability to instantly dim the audio to a particular mix by 

the desired amount required by the engineer or artist. 

Along with upgrades, the MACH2 enhancements 

also include something of a first on a digital live console 

– the DiGi-TuBe Super FPGA preamp tube emulation. 

“It’s got its own drive and bias, just like you have with a 

real tube unit,” says Webster. “It’s a great feature because 

you can have tube emulation on all 256 paths.” Some 

of the previously available effects have been given 

an algorithm overhaul in the new upgrade, but there 

are also other plug-ins which have been designed to 

take advantage of the SD7’s processing power. “We use 

the Tiger SHARC chips to run all the typical 32 floating 

point stereo effects algorithms such as pitch shifters, 

modulation, and delays,” says Webster. “But the Super 

FPGA allows you to also have 16 stereo high quality 

reverbs – so from a quality point of view we are talking 

about something akin to a TC Electronics TC 6000 in 

SD7 MACH 2 UPGRADE 

SD7 Software Update 

there. In a traditional console, you’d need 96 channels 

for just the effects returns – so the majority of desks 

out there wouldn’t even be able to handle the returns 

alone.” DiGiCo claims that this saves you the equivalent 

of 48 units or 2.13 metres, of rack space – which could 

be a major advantage in a rig designed for live use. “You 

don’t really need any extra hardware or plug-ins,” says 

Webster. “Everything you need is ‘in the box’ – and that’s 

how we have designed the console”. DiGiCo also provides 

application specific software extensions (ASE) for the desk 

– for example the company’s SD7T Digital Theatre Mixing 

system is physically the same product as the ‘standard’ 

SD7, but it’s the software package which allows you to 

operate it as a ‘T’. “Even though it costs you more than 

the standard package, if you already own the product 

SEE THE 

BLACKBOX 

RECORDER 

AT THE LONDON 

INTERNATIONAL 

MUSIC SHOW 

11–14 JUNE 

STAND E 38 

�� 

�� 

� 

� �� 

� �� 

��

� and get it out on a long running broadway show, 

for example, it still comes in for less than the 

D5T package used to cost – and obviously gives 

you a lot more features,” says Webster. DiGiCo 

believes that many rental companies are moving 

into different markets – it’s not just rock ‘n roll 

shows anymore. “They are doing corporate live 

shows, or live to air broadcast, or theatre shows,” 

says Webster. “The original design concept for 

the console was that it would be able to perform 

many different tasks. Currently it will do live 

and installs, and the SD7T will allow you to do 

theatre installations.” 

Another of the many innovative functions on 

the original SD7 was the video talk-back function, 

which enables the engineer to patch in a signal 

from a camera for a more visual indication of 

what is going on on-stage – but the screen 

accepts any video input signal so it’s also useful 

for other tasks, as Webster explains. “I’m with 

Lenny Kravitz at the moment. He was watching 

Dynamic EQ now available on all 256 processing paths. 

the baseball playoffs in HD via his Mac straight �� 

into the console – but he obviously wasn’t doing 

�� 

this during the show!” 

The MACH2 update is part of DiGiCo’s ongoing �� 

commitment to its customer base. The software 

�� 

will ship with all new SD7 consoles from May 2009 

and will be also be available free to all existing � 

SD7 users. � 

................................... 

INFORMATION 

�GB£FOC to all SD7 customers 

� DiGiCo UK Ltd., Unit 10, Silverglade Business 

Park, Leatherhead Road, Chessington, Surrey, 

KT9 2QL, UK 

� +44 (0) 1372 845600 

� +44 (0) 1372 845656 

� www.digico.org 

� info@digiconsoles.com 

� 

� 

� 

�� 

MACH 2 unlocks hiterto untapped power in the SD7. 

05|09 

AMSR 


05|09 

AMSR 

BEN BURNS finds a whole lot of 

positives in the KMS104 plus. 

THE REVIEWER 

BEN BURNS is a London-based 

freelance engineer- both live and 

studio- with credits including Blur, 

Dido, Embrace, Happy Mondays, 

and more. 

60 

As one of the most respected microphone 

manufacturers of all time, Neumann will need no 

introduction to anyone reading this magazine. 

The KMS104 plus continues a tradition of excellence 

established by the popular KMS104 and KMS105 stage 

microphones. It's a phantom powered condenser vocal 

microphone of the ‘fet 100’ series with a cardioid polar 

pattern. Designed for stage use, the mic features an integral 

pop filter, effective shock absorption, and a balanced 

transformer-less output. 

In comparison with the KMS104 and KMS105, 

the acoustic properties of the bass response have 

been redesigned. In particular, Wolfgang Fraissinet, 

President of Marketing/Sales at Neumann Berlin 

explains: “In close cooperation with professional 

musicians, with the aid of extensive practical tests, 

the KMS104 plus has been especially optimised for the 

requirements of female voices in the rock and pop field.” 

So it's one for the ladies... 

The KMS104 plus is supplied with a padded nylon case 

and the relevant stand clamp. The suggested retail price 

is €495 excl. VAT. 

First Impressions 

Like previous Neumann stage microphones, the 

KMS104 plus arrives in a heavy duty cardboard tube, in 

which resides alot of of nylon and Velcro that holds not 

only the microphone, but also the stand adaptor and the 

user guide. 

Neumann says the case is ‘durable enough for touring’, 

which I for one will not contest – the quality is as you 

would expect. The mic itself looks like a normal KMS104, 

except it feels a little lighter (298g to be exact) and has 

the word ‘plus’ printed along with the model number. 

Mic-spotters may also notice the difference in the internal 

foam pop shield when holding the mic up to the light. 

The mandatory Neumann badge is securely sunk into 

the blackness of the mic body, looking very classy in a 

‘cooker from the 1950’s’ kind of way. 

If you remove the grille (for cleaning), it suddenly 

becomes apparent how much of a pop filter there actually 

is. Constructed in two parts, a 5mm thick foam cylinder 

hugs the sides of the metal grille while an ‘end cap’, 

precisely 20mm thick, blocks off the business end and 

catches all the spit of your lovely employer. 

In Use 

The first time you hear this mic, it is apparent how the 

response is ‘tailored for the female voice’, as there is an 

obvious bass boost. The proximity effect is strangely subtle 

with a sort of ‘constant’ effect, until you get very close. 

Then it is slightly more pronounced. Basically, the boffins 

at Neumann have found a way of increasing the warmth 

of the response, even slightly off-axis and at a greater 

distance from the capsule than you would expect. I can 

see this mic becoming a favourite instrument for singers 

who know how to use mics. With its unique response, I 

can see artists working with this once and never wanting 

anything else. 

High-level stage monitoring, using condenser 

microphones on stage, has usually proved challenging 

for engineers to deal with in the real world. Then the KMS 

range came along and changed the way condenser mics 

are utilised on stages. 


The amount of gain before feedback from this mic is 

staggering; I ended up with a single M4 monitor speaker 

(with just the vocal) and side fills blasting everything 

else – wow. Vocals with the KMS104 plus just seemed 

to cut through everything whilst sounding rich and 

transparent. A small cut in the 1-2KHz range was needed 

for stability in the room, and a further cut in the 125Hz 

region helped get the level up, but the graphic only had 

two small cuts in total. I didn’t bother with a high pass 

filter on the channel, simply because it didn’t need one. 

Even when you point the mic directly at the monitor speaker 

nothing happens. 

In the era of in-ear monitoring, it was only fair to 

give the mic a try using wireless IEMs. Usually, if a singer 

removes one ear to hear the ambience of a room, it is 

possible for 8KHz-10KHz to kick off from the ear-bud 

feeding into the microphone. Even with its defined high 

frequency response, the KMS104 plus refused to do this. 

In fact, the only way to make this mic squeal was to 

touch the ear bud to the grille and send so much level 

to the in-ears that it would hurt even the deafest of 

guitarists. With a good in-ear setup, the mic sounded 

NEUMANN KMS104 PLUS 

Condenser Vocal Microphone 

very warm, with the extended high end providing the 

expensive sparkle so many mics lack. With a flat EQ, 

the sound was impressive right away, and once valve 

compression and a nice reverb were added the vocal 

in-ear sound was getting much closer to studio territory 

than stage sound. 

The ambient pick-up of instruments behind the singer 

is always a big issue for the FOH guy, especially if the 

artist has a very quiet voice. Trying to get the vocal out 

front to rise above the combination of monitors and 

backline can be a constant struggle. The KMS104 plus 

helps us out by exhibiting reasonable isolation when 

it comes to background noise (for a condenser mic). 

In small venues where the cymbals of a drum kit would 

usually be placed very close to the centre vocal position, 

you will get lots of cymbals down the vocal line – as with 

any other microphone. Not even Neumann can re-write 

the laws of physics, but if you think about it, you get a 

very nice ambient drum mic built into your very nice 

vocal microphone... Fewer wires too… 

‘Cupping’ the grille of microphones seems to be a 

favourite hobby for quiet singers – when asked why 

they do this, they usually say “so I can hear myself”. 

Turning a perfectly good cardioid microphone into an 

omni-directional telephone may have its place creatively, 

but it won’t necessarily help anyone to hear themselves 

any better. All they achieve when they do this, is to 

remove the cancellation properties at the rear of the mic 

(“the bit that normally faces the big speaker”) and kill the 

frequency response drastically. Around the 2.5KHz mark, 

however, will be heard very well by everybody unless the 

monitor guy has planned for this eventuality. Like any 

microphone, the Neumann exhibits the same properties 

when cupped. This mic is definitely not for Eminem. 

I have to say that this mic does sound great on a thinner 

or female voice. The richness and texture are emphasised 

by the natural response of the microphone. I tried to force 

plosive sounds into the mic, but the filter works very 

effectively, blocking out any unwanted rumbling ps and 

bs. Even when blowing hard it’s difficult to get a dramatic 

tornado effect, which stand up comics will not like but 

�

� FOH engineers will love. Plugging the Neumann 

into an Avalon valve preamp gave stunning 

clarity and warmth The slight rise in frequency 

response between 5-10KHz gives a shiny top end 

with very clear speech intelligibility. 

The transient response of this mic is obviously 

much faster than a dynamic, so it will not be the 

right microphone for all types of performance. 

Matched with a sensitive voice, however, the 

results should be stunning. 

Technical Stuff 

The maximum rated SPL this mic can handle 

(for a THD of 0.5%) is 150dB – which should be 

enough headroom to handle even the biggest 

of transient peaks on a real world stage. I tried 

shouting a lot, and subsequently my mic pre 

distorted a lot. I tried a very loud guitar amp 

and the mic just sat there demanding more 

level. If you do decide for some reason to use 

this mic with a heavy metal-screaming kind of 

band, you would get to hear all the screaming in 

stunning clarity with absolutely no overload at 

the microphone end of things. 

I found the output of the mic to be very high 

when compared to other models, which is not a 

bad thing. By requiring a lower gain setting on 

the console or mic pre, you will get a better signal 

to noise ratio from the system. The published 

specs for signal to noise ratio are, A-Weighted 

(rel. 94dB SPL) 76dB or CCIR(rel 94dB SPL) 66dB. 

Sensitivity is 4.5mV/Pa (at 1KHz into 1KΩ). 

The frequency response extends lower than 

that of the KMS104, and exhibits a bump centered 

around the 110Hz mark. On some deep male 

voices, a dip in the 125Hz area may be required 

to achieve a natural sound. For any performer 

with a thin or high voice, this mic could solve 

many problems at the source. You don’t have to 

boost the low end to get a rich response, as it 

already exists at the microphone using acoustic 

principles. The HF response of the microphone 

features a rising ramp from about 5KHz up to 

10KHz, where it starts to roll off gradually until it 

sloops down by 6dB at 20KHz. 

There is also an acoustic compensator in the 

form of a plastic cup that fits over the face of 

the capsule. This seems to be a HF attenuator and 

could be useful for a very sibilant voice. 

If you want a wireless option for the KMS104 

plus, Sennheiser handheld transmitters are not 

going to work. Instead, you will need a ‘plug-on’ 

unit (such as the excellent Sennheiser SKP units) 

with phantom power and sufficient dynamic 

range for the application. 

The (Neutrik) XLR connector is gold plated for 

a long lasting reliable electrical contact. If you 

need to remove the connector for any reason, 

a single cross-headed screw is all you have to 

remove to slide out the whole assembly. 

The dynamic range of the mic amplifier 

(A-rated) is stated as 132dB, the rated impedance 

is 50Ω, while the rated load impedance is 1KΩ. 

Our 

Smallest 

Sound Pro 

MKE 1 

05|09 

AMSR 

Conclusion 

The KMS104 plus is priced higher than some 

people will think they can afford. But I must give 

credit where it’s due, and commend Neumann 

on leaving the cheap 58-copy market to others. 

A quality product like this will obviously 

last a lifetime, even if it is toured relentlessly. 

There is an attitude that cheaper products (which 

need replacing every few years) are better in the 

long term than high quality items (which last a 

lifetime). That is fine if you don’t care about the 

end result, but by choosing the KMS104 plus as 

the starting point for your employer’s voice, you 

are guaranteed a head-start in achieving the best 

possible results. Do yourself and your sound a 

favour: get one of these bad boys and impress 

even the most cynical of technophobes. � 

................................... 

�€495.00 (excl.VAT) 

INFORMATION 

� Georg Neumann GmbH, Ollenhauerstr.98, 

13403 Berlin, Germany 

� +49 (30) 41 77 24 0 

� www.neumann.com 

� UK Distributor: Sennheiser UK Ltd. 

� +44 (0) 1494 551551 

� www.sennheiser.co.uk 

Whether for musicals and live shows, or for broadcasting 

applications, the MKE 1 – Sennheiser’s smallest clip-on 

microphone – performs at its best in all situations where 

a microphone needs to be virtually invisible and still offer 

outstanding sound quality. Its special gauze and multi-purpose 

cap offer additional protection from moisture so that 

it only picks up what it is meant to pick up – perfect sound. 

www.sennheiser.com 

SE_KG_AZ_MKE1_186x129mm_RZ.indd 1 04.12.2008 15:11:26 Uhr 

A U DIO M E DIA MAY 2009 61

PRODUCT SAMPLER 

62 

Parading on stage for you this 

month are some of the best live 

vocal mics on the market. 

AKG has recently released 

the new limited edition D7 

LTD reference class dynamic 

microphone that features a 

‘deep-drawing’ laminated varimotion 

diaphragm to allow 

fine-tuning without any extra 

tuning resonators. The supercardioid 

pattern gives a frequency 

range of 70Hz-20kHz, 

while the integrated high-pass 

filter eliminates all handling 

noises. An extra windshield is 

also included in the package. 

www.akg.com 

The AE5400 cardioid condenser mic 

from audio-technica heads up the 

Artist Elite Series and incorporates 

a large-diaphragm element with 

a true condenser design. Notable 

features include a multi-stage 

grille design for protection against 

plosives and sibilance, high-quality 

double-sided PCB surface-mount 

components, and anti-shock engineering 

for low handling noise. 

Furthermore, all Artist Series and 

Artist Elite live sound mics are now 

covered by the company’s lifetime warranty. 


The OM5 from Audix is a dynamic 

vocal mic suitable for stage, 

studio, and broadcast use. 

The tight hypercardioid polar 

pattern ensures source sound 

isolation, while the natural attenuation 

at 120Hz helps to reduce 

boominess and handling noise. 

The frequency range extends 

from 48Hz-19kHz, accentuated 

by a VLM (Very Low Mass) diaphragm 

for ‘natural response, 

accurate sound reproduction, 

and exceptional transient response’. 


Live Vocal Mics 

The beyerdynamic TG-X 930 is 

built around the capsule from 

the MC 930 true condenser 

microphone, and features a slight 

treble boost to deliver an ‘open 

and detailed sound’ on top of 

neutral transmission. A stainless 

steel basket with multi-layer 

gauze and additional inner basket 

protects against pop sounds, 

provides easy cleaning solutions, 

and improves rear-attenuation for 

feedback suppression. 

www.beyerdynamic.com 

The PL (Professional Live) Series 

Vocal Group from Electro-Voice 

comprises seven mics, all benefiting 

from Memraflex grilles, shockmounted 

capsules, and a non-reflective 

textured satin finish. The PL24 

and PL24S (switched version) offer 

vocal clarity; the PL44 delivers plugand-play 

placement of vocals in any 

mix; the ‘EQ-friendly’ PL80a enables 

up-front vocal placement; the PL80c 

presents a ‘Classic’ finish; while the 

PL84 and PL8S are suitable for enhancing 

detail and presence. 

www.electrovoice.com 

The KMS 104 plus from Neumann 

is the latest development in its 

stage microphone series with a 

design philosophy that gears its 

use towards female vocals in the 

rock and pop field. The company 

believes the cardioid polar pattern 

mic offers a highly transparent 

sound and maximum reliability 

with regards to feedback. 

Furthermore, the robust housing, 

grille, and electronics ensure 

protection from challenging 

stage environments. 

www.neumann.com 


05|09 

Audio Media has done all the hard work in bringing you a smorgasbord of technical 

delicacies to pick and choose from. If your stage sound isn’t quite cutting it, the 

following offerings could well be what you’re looking for. 

The H1 hand-held condenser 

from sE Electronics is based 

on the sE2a condenser capsule, 

re-voiced and tuned to 

accept an SPL of up to 145dB. 

The mic is suitable for both live 

and studio use, with a cardioid 

polar pattern and a frequency 

response of 20Hz-20kHz. The 

mic also utilises an internal 

shock mount that dramatically 

reduces handling noise during 

live performances. 

www.seelectronics.com 

Sennheiser’s E965 handheld vocal 

microphone utilises a true condenser 

capsule with large 

diaphragm technology, and combines 

the company’s knowledge 

in the field of acoustics with stage 

functionality. Notable features 

include switchable pick-up pattern 

(cardioid/super-cardioid), low cut 

switch, switchable pad (-10dB), 

integrated acoustic pop and windshield, 

moisture damage protection, 

and a shock-mounted capsule 

for suppression of handling noise. 

www.sennheiser.co.uk 

AMSR 

The soon to be released Super 55 Deluxe Vocal 

Microphone from Shure is an 

evolution of the 55SH Series, and 

comes with a self-tensioning swivel 

mount to permit tilting through 45 

degrees forward and 80 degrees 

backward. The new model is 

further augmented by a chromeplated 

design, tailored frequency 

response, a shock mounted cartridge, 

high gain-before-feedback, 

and strong off-axis rejection. 

Of course, the ubiquitously robust SM58 

continues to remain as popular as ever. 

www.shure.co.uk

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66 

C4TCH 22 – 

Dental Dilemma 

Take a peep over the top of this mag and have a look at the people 

around you. Should anybody happen to return your gaze, try flashing 

your pearliest grin at them. Three things could happen here. 1: You 

smile, they smile, you wonder why you’re 

both smiling, and then desperately 

thwart the moment by smiling at 

something inanimate before getting 

back to work. Not a problem. 2: You 

smile, they smile, and you realise with 

horror that you’re staring at what could 

be a scaled down, burnt picket fence 

clinging to the inside of their mouth. 

Not so good. 3: You smile, they don’t 

smile and instead glance with a mixture 

of revulsion and fascination at the 

shards of aimless calcium protruding 

from your embarrassed gums. 

The worst of the bunch. But what does 

all this mean? Well, the reaction you 

received could have a big effect on 

your job prospects. 

AUDIO MEDIA APRIL 2009 

Research from Simplyhealth’s Annual Dental Survey has shown 

that almost one in eight managers working in arts and culture has 

a problem trusting staff when it comes to dental visits, yet 44% of 

bosses cite bad teeth as a reason for not 

promoting staff. Furthermore, 33% of 

managers would not take a staff member 

to a meeting should they be suffering 

from a dodgy smile or bad breath. 

Think on if you’re inexplicably surfing 

youtube while the rest of the team are 

discussing business strategy over coffee 

and shortcake in the ‘Sharing Suite’. 

Rest assured though, we’ll all be 

interacting in Cyberspace soon enough 

anyway, where you can have a face like a 

classical Grecian sculpture and teeth white 

enough to light motorways. It might be 

best just to (not) grin and bear it for the 

time being. 

* 

ADVERTISERS INDEX 

ADAM Audio 27 

Audio Precision 29 

Audio-Technica 45 

DiGiCo 63 

DPA 47 

Euphonix 11 

FAR 18 

Focusrite 9 

Fostex 43 

HHB 6-7, 15, 36-37 

Home Service 10 

JoeCo 58 

Junger Audio 20 

KRK 14 

Lexicon 41 

McDSP 17 

www.simplyhealth.co.uk 

Midas 54 

PRISM Sound 23 

Radial 67 

Richmond 66 

RME Synthax 12-13 

SADiE 25 

Schoeps 39 

SCV London 35 

Sennheiser 61 

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AUDIO-FOR-VIDEO • BROADCAST • INTERNET AUDIO • LIVE SOUND • MULTIMEDIA • POST PRODUCTION • RECORDING 

AUDIOMEDIA 

THE INTERNATIONAL 

BUYER’S GUIDE 


A SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL PUBLICATION FROM THE NEWBAY MEDIA GROUP 

MONITORS 

2009 

PRODUCED BY 

AUDIO MEDIA 

In association with:

Francis Rossi - Status Quo 

Image Features IB2S and TB2S+ 

They're f**king brilliant 

Find out more in the Audio Media Speaker Guide, 

or phone 0870 444 1044 or go to www.pmc-speakers.com 

MSG - Munich Fluid Mastering - London BBC Radio Theatre - London Advantage Audio - LA Spirit Studios - London 

Teldex - Berlin Red - TX - London NYU’s Clive Davis Department 

of Recorded Music 

Ronald Prent, Galaxy Studios - Belgium Metropolis - London

contents 

4 Good Vibrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

6 The Great Divide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

8 Ears Right? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

10 Adam Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

12 Dynaudio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

14 Focal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

16 Fostex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

18 Klein + Hummel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

20 KRK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

22 PMC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

24 PSI Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

26 Tannoy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

28 Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Welcome 

Welcome to Monitors 2009, an overview 

of the professional studio monitor 

market for the production professional. 

Now updated and refreshed, this guide is a 

collection of promotional articles looking at nine 

of the world’s leading monitor manufacturers and 

their product ranges. Inside you’ll find the stories 

behind the drivers – the ethos’ and design ethics 

that go into producing the one component in your 

studio that actually brings sound out from the boxes 

and widgets, and into the air – and details of the 

products themselves. 

Monitoring provokes much debate, much passion, 

and possibly more subjective wrangling than any 

other node in the signal chain. Whether it’s the 

box, the magnetics, the materials, the electronics, 

or the room that makes the difference, the term 

‘reference’ is never used lightly amongst those who 

rely on hi-fidelity, accurate and natural voicing, 

spot-on transients, and a little ‘something’ extra. 

That something makes the difference between just 

another monitor, and a reference that many pros 

remain loyal to and rely upon for entire careers. 

Hopefully this guide will provide a good 

foundation for your monitor buying homework 

during 2009, and push back the boundaries of your 

considerations. To complement the profiles, we’ve 

included three articles from respected names which 

should prove interesting, useful, and even thoughtprovoking. 

And to finish off, there’s a big directory 

studio monitor manufacturers to further augment 

your options. 

This guide is a collaboration between several 

NewBay Media titles – Audio Media Worldwide 

(www.audiomedia.com), Pro Audio Review 

(proaudioreview.com), Radio World International 

(www.rwonline.com), and TV Technology (www. 

tvtechnology.com). All of these publications concern 

themselves with the business of production, and 

production technology for professional creatives, 

operators, technicians, and engineers everywhere. 

Visit their respective websites to find out more. 

The NewBay Team 

AUDIO MEDIA www.audiomedia.com 

(UK) Tel: +44 (0)1480 461555 - Fax: +44 (0)1480 461550 

Publisher/Sales 

Nick Humbert 

n.humbert@audiomedia.com 

Editor In Chief 

Paul Mac 

p.mac@audiomedia.com 

Editorial Manager (Europe) 

Lanna Marshall 

l.marshall@audiomedia.com 

Design & Production Manager 

John-Paul Shirreffs 

jp.shirreffs@audiomedia.com 

Radio World International www.rwonline.com 

(Milan) Tel: + 39 02 7030 0310 - Fax: + 39 02 7030 0211 

Publisher/Sales 

Editor 

Raffaella Calabrese 

Carter Ross 

rcalabrese@broadcast.it 

cross@nbmedia.com 

�� 

The contents of this publication are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or in part, whether 

mechanical or electronic, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers. Great care is taken to ensure 

accuracy in the preparation of this publication but neither NewBay Media nor the Editor can be held responsible for its contents or 

any omissions. The views expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Publishers or Editor. The Publishers 

accept no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, or artwork. 

© 2009 NewBay Media. All rights reserved.

Good Vibrations 

So, you’ve got a monitor... what do you do with it? Acoustic oracle, White Mark’s David Bell, 

talks to Audio Media magazine about the basics of speaker placement, rooms, and stands. 

A 

udio Media: It’s common knowledge that 

you can’t consider speaker performance 

without considering the room. Could 

you start us off with some basics? 

David Bell: A room and a set of speakers 

should always be considered as a unit. 

Both influence what you hear, and the 

interaction between both influences what you 

hear almost as much as the choice of either. 

So, if you to have a production space 

with free-standing speakers and you put 

the speakers largely where they need to be, 

and symmetrically in the room, the room 

will interact with the speakers in a number 

of ways. It will itself have modes which will 

cause bass colouration, and the positioning of 

the speakers will alter the interaction of the 

speaker with the boundaries. By that I mean 

it will reflect off the walls and you’ll have 

‘coherent interference’. This will cause notch 

filtering, and is principally noted in the lower 

mid and the upper bass, which is really where 

the character of voices is stored. 

Even free-standing speakers ought to be 

set up by someone who knows what they’re 

doing. You will get interaction between the 

walls, the ceiling, the floor, the speaker, and 

you. You need to optimise that. You can do this 

by listening to stuff that you know well, and 

adjusting the speaker position – moving it six 

inches will make a huge difference. 

As a fundamental thing, it’s a good idea not 

to have it the same distance from the floor, the 

ceiling, and both walls so that the interactive 

effects of those boundaries are not lying on top 

of each other, and therefore smeared a bit. 

A second thing is that the speaker is 

trying to give you a full bandwidth of output 

out of its speaker cones. It should be borne in 

mind that as frequency goes down, as much 

will come out of the back of the speaker 

as comes out the front. The tweeter fires 

higher frequencies forwards in a cone – it’s 

directional. It becomes less directional as 

the frequency its carrying goes down to a 

wavelength comparable to its diameter 

and larger. 

The same is true of the midrange and the 

bass, but the bass tends to be much more 

360-degrees radiating, because basically 

the box vibrates. 

On A Sure Footing 

AM: What advice do you have on stands? 

DB: You need to mount it on something 

solid, so that the mounting you’ve got 

doesn’t absorb frequencies specific to the 

mounting... This is particularly true where 

you’ve got a nice bit of furniture, and you’ve 

got a computer keyboard and a little mixer, 

and you stand the speakers on a little 

bookshelf shelf at the top of it. At least put 

a paving slab on top – something heavy that 

the speaker can run against. 

There’s an awful lot of rubbish talked about 

high end, really expensive, rubbed-againstthe-thighs-of-virgins 

magnesium-alloy... 

What you want is a sodding great heavy thing 

to stand your speakers on – and it’s no good 

putting it on a wonderful speaker stand, 

wonderfully linked up to a diaphragmatic 

wooden floor, because that’s just the same. 

Although if your speaker stand is full of 

lead, it’s then going to be quite heavy, so the 

resonant frequency of the floor membrane it’s 

standing on is going to be much lower. 

AM: Is there any sense in de-coupling 

speakers – by using foam products, 

for example? 

DB: You have to be careful. If you get a 

piece of foam and stand a speaker on it, 

the frequency at which it is de-coupled – 

the resonant frequency of that compressed, 

sprung system – is proportional to some 

interesting constants, times one over the 

deflection. The further you deflect it, 

the lower the frequency it works at. 

We try to get our floors to deflect about 

4 GOOD VIBRATIONS 

6-8mm, and that gives you between 8-14Hz 

resonant frequency. So anything from double 

that up – from 20Hz up – is then de-coupled… 

But if you’ve got, say, 2mm of deflection, your 

resonant frequency would be higher, and 

would only clear once you’re well into the 

audible range. Thus, you’ve got a problem at 

the bottom end – it’s getting absorbed by stuff 

that’s not very well de-coupled. 

This is why proper mounts are better than 

bits of plastic. They manufacture them so that 

if you put a certain weight on it, you will get 

8mm of deflection, and it’s known to be within 

the elastic limit of the squashy stuff, so that it 

will work properly at that frequency. 

Up The Ante 

AM: What about moving on to bigger rooms, 

bigger speakers, and bigger budgets? 

DB: You can start designing the room to try 

and increase the effectiveness of the roomspeaker 

combination. One of the things 

you can do is to minimise the effect of bass 

reflection by soffit mounting the speakers – 

building them into the wall. This is done not 

just by sticking a piece of wall fabric under 

the speakers, but by building them into a 

substantial wall in a big, heavy box. We then 

pack the front wall – we use mineral wool, 

though other people do others things. 

The bass end becomes more efficient 

because it’s all going forwards. If you correctly 

soffit mount a speaker, you’ve got the early 

bass reflections under control. And then if 

you carefully design the distance between you 

and the walls, you can further improve those 

early bass reflections. 

Architectural Considerations 

We now need to look at the room itself. Cubic 

rooms are a bad plan. Everyone’s heard of the 

various imperfect ratios of height to length 

to width. These all work in different ways, 

and to different standards; and different 

ratios have different devotees. But effectively

Can’t Heat The Stand? 

David Bell relates a lesson in what no monitor should stand for... 

“The first studio we ever built was in Paris 

many years ago. They mastered a mix 

and sent it off, but it came back with the 

comment that something was fundamentally 

wrong with the room – ‘you have tonnes and 

tonnes of bass on this, what’s going on?’. 

So the studio rang us up and said, ‘Help, 

come to Paris immediately.’ 

“We flew to Paris and asked them to 

recreate the situation in which the project 

had been mastered. So the guy carried in 

some big self-powered nearfields and stood 

them on television stands, hanging over the 

meter-bridge of the console. 

We listened to the mix, and it sounded 

okay. Then we listened to it on the main 

when we’re designing a room, as one of our 

clients once said: ‘no-one’s going to let you 

shave a yard off the back on the off-chance 

the bass is going to be better’. 

But we adjust the width and the height, 

and as we do it we try and maintain an unrelation 

between the fundamental things. 

This is what the Dolby specification does, 

for example. It compares ratios and won’t let 

you use destructive ratios. The room modes 

are then spread about the room. 

There are room modes in any room, in 

any space, but if you have them all occurring 

at different frequencies and unharmonically 

related to each other, then your mind can 

tune them out, if you like. As long as there’s 

not a huge hole where you’re never going 

to hear the bass at certain frequencies, the 

sharp holes caused by defined modes will go. 

When you’re balancing music, if you don’t 

know that the euphonium is wrong because 

it’s got a chunk missing out of the bass that 

the room is removing, that’s a bad thing. 

Band Manager 

AM: What about higher frequencies? 

DB: Windows, doors, consoles, and bald 

people provide hard surfaces for sound to 

reflect off, cause colouration in the mid 

and the top. This is where the dispersion 

angle of the speaker’s upper frequencies 

monitors 2009 

speakers, and it sounded absolutely 

horrendous, with vast amounts of bass. 

The client said, “There must be something 

wrong with the room,” and I said, “I think 

not.” We lifted the speakers off the stands, 

and put them on the meter-bridge of the 

console – it was a large console, so it was a 

very substantial meter-bridge – they stood 

directly over the legs on the meter-bridge. 

lo and behold, all the bass came back. 

“When we measured it, there was a 12dB 

per octave drop to about 75hz when on the 

stand, and not when it wasn’t on the stand. 

All the bass was going into warming the 

stand up, and not going into the room.” 

becomes important, and you then have to 

consider the reflection paths. But again, 

there’s only a certain amount of that you 

can do... The console needs to be in front 

of you – if it’s behind you, it’s not going to 

work very well. 

This is why I fundamentally believe that 

for a very good, professional, acoustically 

neutral response, you do need them to be 

set up, and you do need them to be set up 

properly by someone who really knows what 

they’re doing. 

They will look at the the distribution of 

the bass, and the sub bass units, how they 

cross over and match, and unavoidable 

reflections within the room. It’s not easy to 

deal with a single very, very powerful ‘suckout’ 

caused by all three modes of the room 

being coincident, but if you’ve got clusters 

of suck-outs in the upper mid for instance, 

due to a whole series of similar reflections 

off different surfaces, you can generally 

raise that area of the output of the speaker 

to compensate. It’s the average that you’re 

looking at, across the frequency range. 

Particularly since more and more people 

are moving away from mixing with one valve 

and a bit of variable resistance, and putting 

in things like computer screens – they put 

an expensive monitor in the front wall, and 

surround themselves with monitors. You can 

do something about it, but that’s where you 

need to get involved with someone who really 

know what they’re doing. 

Even more critically, the creation of a 

unified set of sub-basses and full frequency 

cabinets in a surround environment is a 

complex set-up task that is very much best 

achieved by someone who knows what they’re 

doing with digital crossovers, because you’ve 

got time delay and very close control of the 

frequency parameters of the equalisers 

you’re putting in. 

Stick-on Saviours 

AM: There are plenty of acoustic treatments 

on the market, from foam panels to high-end 

diffusers. Are these all valid materials? 

DB: We’re trying to produce an ideal, 

uncoloured direct feed of the loudspeaker 

output to your ears, so we try and suppress 

the early reflections, which tend to come 

from the side walls, the ceiling, and the front 

wall – so the front tends to be absorptive. 

We then put a load of mid and high back in 

again, by putting diffusers at the back. 

The diffuser is designed to break up the 

sound – to stop it being coherent so we don’t 

get the comb filtering effect I was talking 

about earlier. 

There are other philosophies, and quite 

a few of them depend on being able to 

absorb everything, and then put some back. 

But you can’t absorb everything. Look at a 

64-foot organ pipe, and then tell me how 

you’re going to absorb that with a bit of 

foam. The foam treatments will only work on 

reasonably high frequencies. In a lot of home 

studios people have slapped up a load of 

little foamy panels, and then complain about 

problems with bass. What they’ve done is 

taken everything else away so all they’ve 

got left is bass. If we then put bass 

absorption in there, we may as well just 

turn the volume down. 

You need to absorb things at the points 

that are critical. You start off with an ordinary 

room, and then you start putting absorbers 

on the wall to stop early reflections; then 

you start considering the bass; and then you 

migrate slowly up towards being a full studio. 

INFORMATION 

www.whitemark.com 

The INTeRNATIONAl AuDIO mONITORS BuyeR’S GuIDe 5

The Great Divide: 

Monitors Vs. Speakers 

Stephen Bennett talks to Andy Munro, renowned and respected design engineer, about the 

differences between monitors and speakers. 

While having much in common, the 

worlds of audio recording and 

reproduction often seem as far 

apart as the famous men and women from 

Mars and Venus. The technology and physics 

relating to both fields are almost identical, but 

as soon as human perception rears its ugly 

head the two split faster than a Hollywood 

marriage. Nowhere is this more apparent than 

in the field of loudspeakers – they’ve even 

got different names, ‘speakers’ in the hi-fi 

world, and ‘monitors’ in the recording 

studio. But aren’t the two products 

just the same really, with the only 

differences being cosmetic? 

Studio monitors tend to be 

ruggedly built with magnetic 

shielding, while hi-fi speakers are 

usually designed to fit into a home 

environment and so usually sport 

wood veneers and fine polish. 

The situation is further 

blurred by the fact that many 

prominent studio and mastering 

engineers use speakers 

designed for home use in their 

studios, while you can often 

find a pair of well respected 

studio monitors in front of the 

serious audiophile’s settee. 

Other differences between 

monitors and speakers destined 

for the home often seem trivial; 

monitors are often advertised with exacting 

paper specification charts, while their 

hi-fi brethren are often more likely to be 

described by epithets such as ‘neutral’, 

‘pace-y’, or ‘having a good bass response.’ 

In fact, may hi-fi speaker manufacturers 

say that specifications, beyond the basics 

of power handling and frequency plots, are 

worthless, and the only way to choose a 

speaker is to audition them in your home. 

Monitors are often said to be designed to be 

‘accurate’, while hi-fi speakers may have a 

‘sound’ – but sometimes two products from 

the same manufacturers are described 

in both fashions – when in effect they are 

basically the same speaker! When it comes 

to the crunch, both studio monitors and hifi 

speakers are basically just some drivers 

mounted in a box – so is there anything that 

is really distinctive about a studio monitor as 

opposed to a speaker destined for the home? 

To answer this question I turned to one of 

the most respected monitor and studio design 

engineers in the business. Andy Munro has 

been working in the field of 

“Some hi-fi 

companies offer 

‘matched’ pairs 

of speakers, but 

two wrongs don’t 

make a right 

because any 

one pair will be 

different from any 

other – and God 

help you if you 

blow a driver!” 

6 THE GREAT DIVIDE 

acoustic engineering since 

the 1970s and has designed 

and installed monitor systems 

in many studios, including 

Peter Gabriel’s Real World, 

along with one of the largest 

in Europe, Puck studios in 

Denmark. “We’ve done a lot 

of independents as well,” 

says Munro.” The company 

was growing at a time when 

the independent recording 

sector was burgeoning. 

I worked very closely with 

record producer Mike Hedges, 

and through that got involved 

with the likes of Souxsie and 

the Banshees, Manic Street 

Preachers, and Travis. 

In The Eyes of The Beholder 

As for studio monitors, Munro turns to the 

visual world to describe the differences 

between the studio speaker and its homebased 

counterpart. “It’s relatively simple 

really – you can use the analogy of a video 

monitor to demonstrate the differences. 

A video monitor has to truly represent all 

the visual frequencies in the spectrum in as 

even a way as is possible. So if you imagine 

a sound spectrum as if it were a colour one, 

it’s got to go all the way from red to violet – 

perhaps right even up to the UV range, with no 

distortion of the spectrum and with a relatively 

flat response at all intensities of brightness. 

A lot of [‘hi-fi’] speakers are tweaked to 

give you a very flat on axis response, which 

looks great on paper, but because of the 

enhanced directivity say, or because of the 

way the frontal radiation of the speaker has 

been tweaked, it won’t necessarily give you 

a balanced sound in a room. Munro believes 

this is why so many speaker systems sound 

different even when using similar components. 

“It’s the difference in the power response and 

not the frequency response,” he says. 

“What happens in the acoustic domain is 

that you don’t just hear the direct sound of 

the speaker. People talk about ‘near -field’ 

speakers as if they were anechoic almost by 

definition – which implies that there is no 

far-field response – but that’s just not true. 

You only have to be one metre from a speaker, 

and the wave-front emanating from the unit 

at low frequencies is something like thirteen 

square metres, so you can see that 99 percent 

of the energy is going into the room rather 

than direct to your ear – which of course is 

much smaller than the room! 

So at low frequencies you have a room 

response whether you like it or not. A speaker 

may be very directional at high frequencies 

and may sound like it’s in your face but, in 

reality, the balance may be completely wrong, 

with most of the lower frequencies coming 

off the walls. A less directional speaker gives 

a more even room response, and more of a 

complete balance between direct and reflected 

energy. With a directional speaker some 

equalisation is inevitable – hence the ‘X’ 

curve in film dubbing theatres.” 

Start At The End 

So, beginning with this simple premise, 

Munro designs his speakers by starting 

from exactly the opposite way you’d expect. 

“We do things backwards!” he laughs, “We

measure the on-axis response and the 

indirect response of the system using our 

computers and measuring systems, and try 

and get a balance between the two.” Though 

Munro is a great believer in the technical 

aspect of speaker design, he’s not unaware 

of the part played by the human ear. “A lot 

of people design speakers by ear and a lot 

design purely on paper – and they are often 

completely wrong,” he says. You always end 

up with something that isn’t quite musical 

enough and you always have to balance the 

two. I do believe that a monitor should be 

spectrally correct, but personalities can 

add a different flavour – you get the 

interpretation factor from different people.” 

Monitor speakers not only differ 

greatly in design, but also in the type of 

components used, and you’ll see systems 

with different tweeter dome and cone 

materials, horns, ribbons, and esoteric case 

designs. Munro doesn’t think that designing 

speakers from the component-end upwards 

is the best way to achieve excellence. 

“Sometimes the results you obtain are an 

accident of the philosophy or technology 

that you are using,” he says. “If you’re using 

a horn loaded tweeter or a wave guide for 

example, it’s a deliberate choice and you 

must then balance everything else against 

that choice. I fundamentally believe you 

should start with something with a flat 

power response and then tweak or tune it 

very slightly to give it a neutral character.” 

So if monitor speaker design is a simple 

technical problem, are the specifications 

published by most monitor manufacturers 

meaningless? Not if they are accurate, 

says Munro. “I work mainly with Dynaudio 

in Denmark and while I can’t speak for 

other manufacturers, their published 

driver specifications are totally and 

consistently accurate to 1dB for any driver, 

and therefore the combined performance 

of several drivers becomes a very precise 

specification. Some hi-fi companies offer 

‘matched’ pairs of speakers, but two wrongs 

don’t make a right because any one pair will 

be different from any other – and God help 

you if you blow a driver!” If there’s an ideal 

way to design and manufacture a monitor 

speaker, why then are there so many 

different models on the market? “It’s all 


The m4 –a munro Acoustics design. 

basically down to economics,” says Munro. 

“The best drivers and the ones that have 

really good power handling are extremely 

expensive and there are relatively few 

companies that use them in their monitors. 

Making something that’s truly accurate and 

fulfils the requirements of a studio monitor, 

such as sufficiently smooth power handling 

characteristic and the controlled dispersion 

associated with it, will always be a very 

expensive process. 

“In my opinion, any monitor worth the 

name should be able to reproduce the full 

audio spectrum and dynamics – and that 

means going up to a 120dB broadband peak 

sound pressure without compression – that’s 

going to be a pretty tall order for virtually all 

the small speakers on the market.” 

Most speakers destined for the home 

will have to be compact for cosmetic and 

practical reasons, so you’d be unlikely to 

get something that can reproduce the full 

range of frequencies and high sound levels 

accurately and still fit it into the typical 

domestic environment. “They also lift bass 

by relative loss of mid-band sensitivity, 

so instead of 90dB for 1W you get 83dB,” 

says Munro. “So you need more power 

and drivers that could handle the amount 

of power needed – so you have a bit of a 

conundrum. To make a small driver that 

can handle this needed power and a control 

system that would stop it blowing would 

be a very expensive system. You can’t 

realistically make this kind of system for 

a few hundred quid.” Effectively, low cost 

systems have to be compromises, and that 

is why there are so many designs on the 

market – there are plenty of compromises to 

choose from. “In an ideal universe everyone 

would buy expensive speakers,” says Munro. 

Blurring The Boundaries 

So what about that doyen of the modern day 

recording studio, the ubiquitous Yamaha 

NS10 – which was originally designed to be 

a home-based hi-fi speaker? Munro called it 

“A slightly weird leftover from the 1980s, 

which has become, for better or worse, 

the ‘NS10 philosophy’. 

“It’s the idea that you can only get a 

really good mix through a pair of speakers 

which make it sound as if it’s being played 

through a transistor radio. I don’t subscribe 

to that philosophy – though the NS10, as it’s 

such a simple loudspeaker, has a very good 

transient response!” The NS10 also has a 

slight lift in the midrange, which brings out 

the vocals quite well, and Munro finds that 

they can be a useful adjunct to a pair of 

accurate monitors, but that to do a final mix 

on them would be ‘acoustic suicide’. This may 

be where boundaries between home hi-fi and 

studio monitors are blurred, because a lot of 

successful albums have been mixed on such 

gear. “The great albums that have supposedly 

been mixed on NS10s will have also been 

listened to, and possibly mastered on, high 

quality monitors.” says Munro.” 

So while Munro has strong beliefs in ‘the 

ideal studio monitor’, he also has a place for 

a basic home-style speaker in his philosophy. 

As long as people see the need for superb 

monitoring, set in a fine acoustic space to 

produce audiophile recordings, his services 

will continue to be in demand. Meanwhile, 

the audiophile hi-fi world can continue to 

discuss the merits of ‘timing’, ‘rhythm’, 

and ‘flat and round earth presentation’ of 

the various hi-fi speakers on the market. 

INFORMATION 

www.munroacoustics.com 

THE InTERnATIonAl AuDIo monIToRs buyER’s GuIDE 7

Sound Experiences 

Ears Right? 

Dave Foister challenges some common assumptions about how we ‘hear’ our music, 

and asks why our experiences of sound can be so very different. 

A 

few years ago, a reputable mastering 

engineer went on record in a magazine 

article stating that he usually found it 

diffi cult to tell the difference between mono 

and stereo just by listening. Admittedly, 

his business apparently suffered after this 

startling revelation, but that doesn’t alter the 

fact that he’d been doing a perfectly good job 

for several years. He had worked on a project 

of mine, and I’d happily have used him again. 

But what it did highlight is how widely our 

perceptions of what we’re hearing can vary, 

and how wrong our assumptions about what 

matters can be. 

Of course there’s nothing new in the idea 

that appreciation of recorded sound and 

audio equipment is very much a subjective 

thing. You can measure all you like, but 

informed, experienced grown-ups will still 

come to blows over which technology, 

which technique, 

which piece of kit is 

‘better’. 

As much as 

anything else, 

this is true of 

loudspeakers. 

In 1996 the AES 

published a paper, 

AES20, drawing 

up a standard for 

listening tests on 

loudspeakers. In 

its acknowledgment of all the pitfalls of 

assessing equipment just by listening to it, 

and in its attempt to eliminate the variables 

and establish a framework for consistent 

and fair tests, it is a brave document. 

Most of us will never have the time or 

resources to carry out its recommendations 

to the letter, but it’s hard to deny the force of 

its arguments and premises. But revisiting it 

ADAM S3X-H 

the other day, I was struck by some of 

the things it regarded as problems, and 

some of the assumptions contained in it, 

and I was reminded of the aforementioned 

hapless mastering engineer’s innocent 

but damning admission. 

Balanced Opinion 

I have a problem with some of the 

assumptions that generally seem to be 

made about how we hear loudspeakers. 

I don’t claim to have Golden Ears by 

any means, but some of the aspects of 

loudspeaker listening that are supposed to 

be problematic don’t seem to bother me, 

and I’d like to know if others feel the same. 

I don’t get it when people sit in the sweet 

spot and can’t localise instruments in the 

stereo image, even on rubbish loudspeakers. 

It doesn’t seem to matter whether it’s multimiked 

or purist, 

unless something’s 

hard left or right 

they just can’t place 

it. I don’t get it 

when people can’t 

hear the stereo 

image at all if they 

move off-centre; it 

sometimes seems 

as though only a 

foot off to the left, 

they stop hearing 

anything coming out of the right-hand box. 

It doesn’t seem hard to me to compensate 

for where I am and hear everything where 

it should be, even if I’m right off to one side 

– not with as much precision perhaps, but 

it’s all still there. With all due respect to 

our mastering engineer, I don’t get it when 

people can’t tell the difference between 

stereo and mono; to me, mono is like 

8 EARS RIGHT? 

listening through a crack in the door, and 

stereo is what you get when you fl ing the 

doors wide open and march into the room. 

Un-Phased 

But most of all, I really, REALLY don’t get 

it when people can stand in front of (or in 

fact anywhere near) a pair of out-of-phase 

speakers and not be aware there’s anything 

wrong. It’s bad enough in a friend’s living 

room, where perhaps a pair of untrained 

ears can be forgiven for not noticing that 

there’s no bass, not even a vague idea of 

where anything’s supposed to be, and above 

all an agonising feeling that your eardrums 

are being sucked out of the sides of your 

head, there’s a paint-stirrer in your brain, 

and last night’s dodgy curry is about to 

wreak its havoc. 

It’s also possible to recognise that the 

shelf-stackers in a record store are immune 

to similar feelings as they wander around 

the aisles of CDs between speakers that 

were apparently installed by a colour-blind 

orang-utan. The fact that some of us can’t 

stand to spend more than a few seconds 

in those particularly sour spots would be a 

complete mystery to them; the fact that it 

loses them sales, as potential customers 

run gagging from the shop, should bother 

them, but clearly doesn’t. Likewise the 

home electronics stores, but I suppose 

that shouldn’t be a surprise; if they can 

cheerfully display a whole wall of TVs where 

no two pictures are even slightly similar, 

then the proudly-displayed stereo with its 

speakers wired in opposite polarity isn’t 

going to phase them at all. 

But when people who consider 

themselves to be audio people don’t notice, 

I have to wonder what exactly we’re all 

experiencing as those little variations in air

pressure hit our auditory canals. I once 

went into a control room that had recently 

been completed and was being shown to 

me by its proud designers and installers. 

To be fair, it was a DIY job, but an expensive 

one by people who claimed to know what 

they were doing. You know what’s coming: 

as soon as the fi rst millivolts hit the 

drivers I wanted to run screaming from the 

room, pausing only to collect a sick bag. 

They had been working in there since the 

room was fi nished, with the monitors wired 

in opposite polarity, and hadn’t noticed. 

When I put it right, as I felt duty-bound to 

do in as diplomatic a way as I could muster, 

they acknowledged that it sounded better 

but couldn’t put their fi ngers on why, and 

pronounced the difference to be ‘subtle’ 

and something that only an experienced 

engineer like myself would notice. Is this 

true? Seriously, write in and tell me. 

Back To School 

But there’s worse to come. I subsequently 

participated in a seminar about audio 

training, where I raised the idea that there 

are audio people and 

non-audio people, just 

as there are people who 

are musically talented 

and those who are 

not. Most of the audio 

people I know began 

by messing about with 

sound equipment at an 

early age; my dad bought 

a tape recorder when I 

was eight and I was soon 

trying to break it, fi nding 

out that it worked by 

electricity by connecting 

a light bulb to its speaker 

output and watching it 

fl ash, and experimenting 

with the rubbish soundon-sound 

system that did nothing more 

than turn the erase head off. Sad and nerdy 

I know, but it got me where I am today and I 

suspect the same is true for many an audio 

professional. I suggested that it was no 

more possible to teach somebody to be an 


Dynaudio BM12A 

audio pro from scratch at college than 

it was to train somebody to be a 

professional musician in the same 

time; there had to 

be a natural aptitude 

and a long-standing 

enthusiastic involvement 

for it to work. 

To demonstrate my point 

about those who’ve got 

it and those who haven’t, 

I related the above story 

about the out-of-phase 

monitors, suggesting 

that an inability to 

discern the difference 

should mark someone 

down as not cut out to 

be in pro audio and rule 

out the possibility of 

ever working in it. To my 

astonishment, a senior guy from a wellknown 

training organisation dismissed 

what I was saying by commenting, “well 

maybe they liked their monitors out of 

phase”. To me (and I suspect to many 

others in the room) 

that kind of proved the 

point, and damaged 

permanently my regard 

for that particular 

training organisation. 

But, worryingly (there 

is a point here, honest), 

AES20 recommends, 

early in its guidelines, 

using test tones to 

establish whether the 

speakers under test 

are correctly wired in 

phase. Feeling, as I 

do, that it’s no more 

possible to miss out-ofphase 

speakers than to 

miss a giraffe walking 

into the room, I would regard this as 

completely unnecessary; but if the august 

AES members who drew up the standard 

feel it to be important, I have to wonder 

whether my sensitivity to the phenomenon 

is unusual. Another example shows what 

Focal CMS 50 

I mean: years ago I was at an Ambisonics 

seminar and demonstration at a top 

studio, attended by some of the industry 

grandees. When it came to 

the demo, on a system that 

had clearly been carefully set 

up and checked by the people 

presenting the day, some of 

us felt uneasy; this wasn’t 

delivering what we knew an 

Ambisonic playback system 

could. Eventually one person 

was brave enough to stand up 

and say so; we were hurriedly 

offered a cup of coffee and the 

system was taken apart and 

checked. It transpired that of 

the four identical speakers 

chosen for the demo, one of 

them had one of its drives 

wired back to front. That 

was enough, for several of us, to wreck 

the reproduced image, while for others it 

apparently made no difference. Remember 

that these were all experienced audio pros. 

Discuss… 

The fact that some people like certain 

colour combinations that others consider 

to clash, and that Marmite can revel in 

the polarisation it causes, suggests that 

in every sensory area our systems are 

probably conveying completely different 

impressions to us. If this is true of 

hearing, then it makes the whole subject 

of monitoring even more of a subjective 

quagmire than it already is. If we all hear 

such different things, if we are all sensitive 

to different aspects of sound, then the 

trade-offs and compromises inherent in 

loudspeaker design will have different 

impacts on different people. We take it 

as a given that there’s no such thing as a 

perfect transducer, and that engineering 

a loudspeaker simply means making the 

best fi st of it that one can among the 

minefi eld of interacting variables; it seems 

to me possible that improving one aspect 

at the expense of another will make a 

speaker sound ‘better’ to one person 

and ‘worse’ to another. 

THE INTERNATIONAL AUDIO MONITORS BUYER’S GUIDE 9

++ADAM PROFESSIONAL AUDIO+ + + + ADAM PROFESSIONAL AUDIO 

State of the ART! 

ADAM Studio Monitors are 

one of the fi nest audio reference monitors 

available today. ADAM’s proprietary 

ART transducers overcome many of the 

core problems (e.g., little impedance, 

bad dispersion, low effi ciency, etc) of 

conventional technologies. They take 

a completely new approach to the 

kinematics of moving air, resulting in 

a dramatic improvement in the quality 

of audio reproduction. 

Construction 

The ART membrane consists of a pleated 

diaphragm in which the folds compress or 

expand according to the audio signal 

applied to them. The result is that air is 

drawn in and squeezed out, like the 

bellows of an accordion. 

Velocity Transformation 

Whereas all other loudspeaker drive units 

act like a piston, moving air in a 1:1 ratio 

with regard to the motion of the driver, 

the ADAM ART design achieves an 

X-ART at a Glance: 

The X-Ray of Sound: 

ADAM’s X-ART 

“By employing the ART technology for 

the reproduction of the middle and high 

frequencies, the manufacturer from Berlin 

has set himself worldwide at the forefront 

of what is possible in highest quality 

reproduction.” (HardBeat 06/2007) 

• Velocity transformation 4:1 

• Extremely high effi ciency (approximately 

96dB/W/m) 

• Perfectly linear impedance (3.2 ± 0.03) 

• Extremely fl at phase response (within 

± 1.5°) 

• Excellent directivity characteristics 

• Power handling capacity up to three 

times that of 1” domes 

• Perfect magnetic shielding 

Due to several technical inventions at the heart of the matter, the 

products of the Berlin-based company have instantaneously proved to be 

amongst the best tools available in professional monitoring. 

improvement in air loading by a factor of 

four over conventional transducers. 

This markedly superior ‘motor’ is 

responsible for the unprecedented clarity 

and pristine transient reproduction that can 

be heard with the ADAM ART drive units. 

New X-ART Tweeter 

The new X-ART (‘X’ for eXtended frequency 

response) tweeter’s fundamental principle is 

the very same as ART but with a 4dB higher 

effi ciency, a 3dB higher maximum sound 

pressure level, and an increase in frequency 

response up to 50kHz. 

The result is astounding: a clarity, 

airiness, and precision in the high 

frequencies that was not possible before. 

With the X-ART tweeter, ADAM reinforces 

its commitment to offer the best transducer 

systems currently available at any price. 

The New SX-Series 

All models of the brand new SX-Series 

feature the X-ART tweeter. The SX-Series 

is based on the highly acclaimed S-Series. 

However, it is not a simple revision 

of existing models but a fundamental 

transformation with no details having been 

overlooked, and every sound crucial aspect 

has been evaluated. All transducers, drivers, 

and electronics have been redesigned. 

The result is much more than an 

improvement, it is a quantum leap in 

professional monitoring. 

New A/B Amplifi er 

The newly designed broadband A/B amplifi er 

has been developed by 

ADAM to perfectly match 

the needs and capabilities of 

the X-ART tweeter. It shows 

ultra low distortion fi gures 

together with an excellent 

damping factor. An internal 

bandwidth of more than 1MHz 

is externally limited so that 

10 ADAM PROFESSIONAL AUDIO 

the unit delivers an ultra wide response up 

to 300kHz. With nothing limiting the talents 

of the X-ART tweeter, the monitor has 

unsurpassed clarity and openness, which 

will please, amaze, and thrill even 

the most experienced professional ear. 

New HexaCone – Woofers 

HexaCone, as used in ADAM’s SX-Series, 

is far more rigid than paper, polypropylene, 

or aluminum devices of similar dimensions. 

Due to this rigidity, break up resonances in 

the diaphragm cone are prevented. 

The woofers in all models of the SX- 

Series are designed with larger and longer 

voice coils that deliver more linear excursion 

for higher SPL max. values. A stronger 

magnetic structure is added as well for an 

optimum in effi ciency and accuracy. 

All models of the SX-Series use PWM 

(Pulse Width Modulation) for both the amp 

and the power supply section of all woofers/ 

subwoofers combined with state of the art 

input and fi lter sections to achieve the best 

in multi-channel active studio monitoring. 

New, Highly Sophisticated Control Panels 

ADAM has developed an innovative front 

panel with six sophisticated controls. 

Input sensitivity is handled by two 

controls. One control allows for coarse 

settings (-20dB to +8dB), while the second 

is used for fi ne-tuning in 0.5dB steps, 

ranging from -1.5dB to 2dB. 

There are two controls for the lower 

frequencies. One is an equaliser at 80Hz 

that boosts bass response sometimes 

Control Panel S3X-H

desirable in popular music. The second is 

a shelf fi lter that allows the engineer to 

alter the frequencies below 150Hz. 

High frequencies can also be adjusted 

by two different controls. The fi rst alters the 

high frequency volume (-2dB to +2dB), while 

the second is a shelf fi lter for frequencies 

above 6kHz. Both the high and low shelf 

fi lters can raise or lower ±4dB progressively 

within their frequency band. 

A7: The Best-Reviewed Monitor Worldwide? 

The A7 is an active two way nearfi eld 

monitor matching the ART tweeter with a 

state of the art 6.5“ woofer that introduces 

a new cone material (Rohacell/carbon 

fi bre) which combines high rigidity and high 

internal damping with low weight, resulting 

in an extremely accurate monitor with 

all the clarity, detail, and spectacular 

imaging traditionally associated with the 

ADAM name. 

The A7 is powered by two 50W amplifi ers 

(one per driver). The front panel sports both 

a power switch and volume control, while 

the rear panel houses controls for tweeter 

level and two shelving fi lters for high and 

low frequencies. 

The unit also features both balanced 

(XLR) and unbalanced (RCA) input 

connectors, allowing it to be used in almost 

any audio application. 

Well over two dozen different magazines 

have reviewed the multiple award-winning 

A7 and every single review was nothing but 

a paean of praise. Here is only one example: 

“With their precise and clear sound, the 

A7s are hard to beat as stereo or surround 

monitors for small rooms.“ (Mix, 01/08). 


+ + + + ADAM PROFESSIONAL AUDIO+ + + + ADAM PROFESSIONAL+ + 

ADAM A7 

S3X-H: The Legend Continues 

The S3A is one of ADAM’s most famous 

models and is found in many of the most 

prestigious recording studios all over the 

world. Tape Op applauded: “The S3A is 

the best nearfi eld or midfi eld monitor that 

I have ever heard.” The successor of this 

monitor-legend is the S3X-H, a monitor 

second to none within its size and 

price point. 

ADAM S3X-H 

Unlike the S3A, the new X-model 

incorporates a 4” HexaCone-midrange 

as part of the redesigned construction 

to further improve the musically most 

important midrange. This new design 

provides more detail with improved 

radiation characteristics, while presenting 

a musically coherent sound. 

To produce deep, tight bass, both 

woofers now work within the same 

frequency range and radiate symmetrically. 

This allows for a problem free installation 

in any multi-channel application. 

S7A Mk2: The Reference 

With the S7A Mk2 we proudly present a 

unique combination of ADAM’s proprietary 

transducer technology, modern PWM 

amplifi er design, a highly sophisticated 

control panel, and an advanced d‘Appolito 

speaker alignment, resulting in a main 

monitor meant to analyse the details of 

every kind of music to a degree not known 

so far. It features a whopping 1500W of 

onboard power (rms), reaching peaks of 

about 128dB (1m), two 15” subwoofers, 

two 9” HexaCone-midwoofers, two ART 

midrange units, and one ART tweeter. 

The S7A Mk2 is the benchmark of what 

is possible in state of the art full range 

active professional monitoring, today. 

It incorporates all of the ADAM inventions 

and designs, as well as the best materials 

available. This fusion of power and capacity 

with precision and accuracy results in 

unparalleled performance in professional 

monitoring. 

When Only The Best Will Do 

A small selection of ADAM users: 

Elliot Scheiner, Chuck Ainlay, Bernie 

Kirsh, Danny Elfman, Dennis Sands, Kevin 

Killen, David Schiffman, Thom Russo, 

Timothy B. Schmitt, Scott Spock/The 

Matrix 

A small selection of studios using ADAM: 

Abbey Road, 20th Century Fox Digital, 

Paramount, Jazz At Lincoln Center, 

Blackbird Studios, Masterfonics, Circle 

House, Soundelux, The Juilliard School, 

The Lodge, Mozarteum Salzburg 

CONTACT DETAILS 

ADAM S7A Mk2 

ADAM Audio GmbH, 

Ederstr. 16 

12059 Berlin-Germany 

t +49 30 863 00 97 0 

f +49 30 863 00 97 7 

e info@adam-audio.com 

w www.adam-audio.com 

UK 

ADAM Audio Uk Ltd. 

Hangar 2, 

North Weald Airfi eld, 

Epping Essex 

CM16 6AA, UK 

t +44 (0) 1992 525670 

e uk-info@adam-audio.com 

w www.adam-audio.com 


++DYNAUDIO ACOUSTICS+ + + + DYNAUDIO ACOUSTICS+ + + + DYNAU 

The Truth, The Whole Truth, 

And Nothing But... 

Dynaudio Acoustics monitors are designed to speak the truth. You get exactly what you need 

for your mixing – an exact reproduction of your mix – no more, no less. 

Superior Tools For Critical Monitoring 

In fi lm, post, gaming, broadcast, and music 

productions, consistency, predictability, and 

reliability are key. Add to this networkability 

and central control, and you’ll know why 

studios throughout the world rely on 

Dynaudio Acoustics technology. 

Choosing Dynaudio Acoustics, you not 

only get 20 years of innovative speaker 

and driver technology thinking. You also 

get integrated TC Electronic digital signal 

processing. This combination offers you 

the best of both worlds, making Dynaudio 

Acoustics speakers second to none. 

Two Main Ranges – One High Standard 

Clarity and consistency come as standard 

– the question is, how versatile do you want 

your setup? Dynaudio Acoustics markets 

two extensive ranges of DSP powered and 

analogue near-fi eld and mid-fi eld monitors. 

AIR 

It makes great sense to compare the AIR 

sound with any other speaker you own or 

consider acquiring. We both encourage and 

AIR 12 

Powerful Two-Way Nearfi eld Speaker – 8” 

Woofer And 1.1” Soft Dome Tweeter 

The latest addition to the AIR family. AIR12 

suits all sizes of control 

room and OB vans, and 

its high precision amp/ 

driver system (+/- 0.2 

dB accuracy) ensures 

complete consistency with 

the entire AIR family in a variety of stereo 

and 5.1 setups – remote controllable via 

the AIR Remote or the included Air Soft 

application. DSP room adaption allows for 

perfect customisation for any 

room construction and its intermonitor 

level calibration feature 

ensures consistent levels in all 

sessions. 

support this. Contact your dealer or our 

representative in your country to arrange 

a demo. 

Bear in mind though, that an AIR System 

is not really comparable to conventional 

monitors. On top of ultimate precision 

and sound, an AIR system offers fl exibility 

and convenience previously unknown in 

monitors. Achieving similar functionality 

and features from conventional monitors 

requires the addition of a number of external 

boxes such as Monitor Matrix Controller, 

Bass Management Crossover, external 

EQs and Delays. This obviously adds to the 

system price, and moreover often degrades 

the signal path. With an AIR System 

everything is integrated and matched – it’s 

right there for you to use from the menu 

on the front of a Master-Module speaker 

via a 32-segment LCD display, or through 

an optional dedicated hardware remote, or 

an optional dedicated software application 

(Mac and PC). The user interface allows 

for storing and recall of factory and user 

presets taking into account THX and Dolby 

recommendations, reference levels, LFE 

sensitivity, and so on. 

AIR Soft 

This MAC and PC 

compatible remote 

application allows central 

real-time control of AIR 

system parameters such as 

volume control, reference 

level, presets, and setup. AIR Soft is included 

with all AIR monitors. 

AIR Remote 

AIR Remote provides instant access to the 

AIR system volume, independent 

of your DAW or computer. 

Additionally, AIR Remote 

features one-touch 

operation of system 

reference levels, preset 

recall, and solo/mute 

status for each monitor. 

12 DYNAUDIO ACOUSTICS AUDIO 

The calibrated volume knob of AIR Remote 

allows accurate level setting, perfect 

BMC-2 – How Pro Can You Go? 

BMC-2 is TC Electronic’s latest digital 

audio conversion and monitor controller. 

With it you can enjoy the luxury of 

controlling your audio 

levels at all times and 

during unexpected drops 

or computer crashes. 

It also offers digital inputs, iCheck (to 

check audio compression), and calibrated 

listening for headphones and active 

speakers. 

BMC-2: your pro DAC and monitor control! 

tracking, as well as calibrated loudness for 

any AIR setup. The AIR remote is powered 

through TC-Link of any AIR monitor. 

AIR PC-IP 

The optional 

PC compatible 

advanced 

Installer’s 

Package 

provides 

access to 

virtually any 

AIR system 

parameter. This includes 4-band parametric 

EQ in each monitor, placement delay, preset 

control and more. PC-IP access to advanced 

bass management features independent HP/ 

LP crossover frequencies as well as phase 

and polarity control of any AIR subwoofer. 

Additionally, PC-IP allows the installer 

to control system access via individual 

parameter securing, preset protection, 

and UI locking. 

THX Certifi ed 

AIR monitor systems are 

THX certifi ed for use in 

PM3 rooms.

BM 

The BM monitors – both in their passive 

and active forms – are clean, powerful, and 

accurate monitors where excellent results 

are easily achieved. The sound is always 

transparent and crisp ensuring the most 

realistic listening conditions for a wide array 


DIO ACOUSTICS+ + + + DYNAUDIO ACOUSTICS+ + + + DYNAUDIO ACO 

Award-Winning Speaker Technology 

Don’t just take our word for it. Over the years, Dynaudio Acoustics monitors have won numerous prizes and awards. 

AIR 12 

• 2009 Remix Technology Award 

in the Monitor/Speaker category 

BM 12A 

• 2008 Remix Technology Award 

in the Monitor/Speaker category 

BM 6A 

• Future Music’s Gear of the Year 

2001 Award 

Recognition like this goes to show that great products can help produce great art, as Dynaudio Acoustics monitors are used by the most 

demanding studios, engineers, producers, and production environments throughout the world. The list counts: 

• Apple Audio Labs, Cupertino/California 

and Paris/France 

• BBC Radio & Music, London, UK 

• Danish Broadcasting Corporation, 

Copenhagen, DK 

of applications. Comprised of renowned 

Dynaudio driver technology, these monitors 

have become the standard when it comes 

to high performance and transparency. 

In combination with the subwoofers, 

the BM series is also very well suited 

for multi-channel facilities. 

BM 5A 

• Future Music’s Platinum 

Award 2001 

BM 6A mk II 

• Electronic Musician 2008 

Editors’ Choice Award in the 

Monitor Speaker category 

• 2007 TEC Award nomination in 

the Studio Monitor Technology 

category for Outstanding 

Technical Achievement 

• Vienna Symphonic Library, A 

• Paragon Studio, Nashville, US 

• AIR Studios, UK 

• Half HP Studio, JPN 

• Sony DVD Center Europe, A 

Two-Way Active Nearfi eld Monitor - 6.9” 

Woofer And 1.1” Soft Dome Tweeter 

The BM 5A monitor is a further development 

of the BM series and our engineers have put 

great effort into the design and fi ne-tuning 

of the BM5A, using the latest Dynaudio 

Acoustics technology. The monitor is 

extremely well suited for music monitoring 

and mixing, broadcasting, OB vans, edit 

suites, playback suites, and project studios. 

This high-performance monitor comes in a 

very compact design. 

Level Pilot – Monitor Level at Your Fingertips 

Level Pilot is a stylish, high-resolution 

volume solution that fi ts into any active 

speaker setup quickly and easily and with a 

minimum of clutter and wires. 

This results in convenient and 

high-precision control over 

your levels where you would 

ideally want it: right at your 

fi ngertips. Whether you are a passionate 

hobbyist recording in your bedroom, a 

musician with a small home studio setup, 

or working at a pro recording facility, Level 

Pilot makes sure the volume is always 

exactly where you need it, when you need it. 


AIR series 

• Producción Audio – for Best 

Studio Product of the Year 2003 

• m.i.p.a. 2003 Award in 

the Nearfi eld Studio 

Monitor category 

• Abbey Road Studio, UK 

• ESP Studio, JPN 

…and many more. 

Dynaudio Acoustics 

Sindalsvej 34 

DK-8240 Risskov 

t +45 87-427000 

f +45 87-427010 

e infoHQ@dynaudioacoustics.com 

w www.dynaudioacoustics.com 


++FOCAL PROFESSIONAL+ + + + FOCAL PROFESSIONAL+ + + + FOCAL 

Listen to Your Music, 

Not to Your Speakers 

Focal Professional established itself as 

an innovative leader in pursuit of a unique 

principle: total control of development and 

production. This enables the company to 

constantly progress, while being sure there’s 

perfect control during the manufacturing 

process. Focal Professional has registered 

many patents, such as the ‘W’ composite 

sandwich cone and the pure Beryllium 

inverted dome tweeter. These exclusive 

technologies have brought major progress 

to the professional audio world in terms 

of neutrality, defi nition, and precision in 

reproduced sound. 

It’s fundamental for a sound engineer 

to entirely trust what he or she hears. 

Our products are designed from the start to 

be professional tools that exactly reproduce 

the sound signal, without improving or 

damaging it. Focal Professional monitors 

guarantee the reproduction of all the microdetail, 

the precise staging of instruments 

and voices, with no colouration or distortion. 

These basic elements allow the engineer to 

directly access the source equipment and 

electronics and ensure optimum transfer 

quality onto public audio equipment. 

Focal Professional Exclusive Technologies 

The ‘W’ Composite Sandwich Cone 

Focal Professional has been developing 

composite sandwich membranes for the 

last 15 years. The fruit of that research, 

the ‘W’ structure (glass/foam/glass) used 

in every Focal Professional product, allows 

for a truly optimised response right from 

the start – thanks to the precise control 

of rigidity, weight, and damping capacity 

of the cone. The balance between these 

three fundamentals and often contradictory 

parameters is the very basis of the 

exceptional sonic neutrality of our speakers. 

The Be Tweeter 

Since the very 

beginning, Focal 

Professional has 

favoured inverted 

dome tweeters, but 

the introduction 

of the pure 

Beryllium dome, capable of covering fi ve full 

octaves from 1,000Hz to 40kHz, has simply 

revolutionised high frequency spectrum 

reproduction. This tweeter’s capacity to 

go as high as 40kHz without any artifacts 

enables it to reproduce high frequencies 

with unmatched speed and transparency. 

At fi rst the pure Beryllium tweeter was only 

available with the very high-end, digital 

speakers of the Focal Professional lines 

(SM11), but now is also featured on the SM6 

series, allowing an unprecedented price/ 

performance ratio. 

The Focal Professional Monitoring Range 

Looking for the Ultimate Tool 

CMS series 

The CMS line is the latest arrival in the 

Focal Professional range, and is particularly 

dedicated to postproduction studios, small 

listening rooms, radio studios, and home 

studios. The CMS 50 received the MIPA 

award at Musikmesse 2009, where more 

than 100 journalists from 100 pro audio 

magazines awarded the CMS 50 as 

the Best Studio Monitor of the year. 

14 FOCAL PROFESSIONAL 

These few words embody the philosophy of Focal Professional, 

the French manufacturer of acoustic loudspeakers and transducers. 

From their very beginning on the drawing 

board in Research & Development at Focal Professional, 

the studio monitors are designed to deliver one thing, 

at any cost: the absolute acoustic truth. 

CMS 50 

Two-way, analogue 

professional nearfi eld 

monitor (80 + 50W RMS 

class AB), 5-inch (13cm) 

‘Polyglass’ cone driver, 

1-inch Aluminum- 

Magnesium inverted 

dome tweeter. Frequency 

response (+/-2dB): 55Hz- 

28kHz. Max SPL @1m: 

107dB. 

CMS 65 


professional nearfi eld 

monitor (100 + 60W 

RMS class AB), 

6.5-inch(16.5cm) 

‘Polyglass’ cone driver, 

1-inch Aluminum- 

Magnesium inverted 

dome tweeter. 

Frequency response (+/- 

2dB): 45Hz-28kHz. 

Max SPL @1m: 112dB. 

SM6 series 

The now famous 

SM6 series has 

been developed for 

professional engineers 

who are seeking the absolute neutral sound 

and sound stage précision for recording, 

mixing, and mastering studios. The SM6 

series is composed of three references: 

Solo6 Be, Twin6 Be, and Sub6.


PROFESSIONAL+ + + + FOCAL PROFESSIONAL+ + + + FOCAL PROFE 

They Chose Focal Professional… 

The SM-11 is the fi rst speaker that doesn’t colour the sound at all. 

I can hear every 1/2dB of equalisation over the whole frequency 

spectra in the SM-11, it’s simply my most valuable tool. 

Dragan Tanaskovic 

(E.S.T, In Flames, Anders Persson trio) 

Studio Bohus Sound (www.bohussound.com) 

While listening to my favourite recordings on a pair of Solo6 Bes, 

I heard instruments and parts that I had not heard before. Wow. 

The music sounds very real, in the room. It doesn’t seem like 

you’re listening out of speakers, the music fi lls the room. 

You can imagine a band in front of you. It doesn’t seem like 

there are speakers between you and what you’re listening 

to. Very few speakers do that. 

Ian Boxill 

(Prince, 2 Pac, Quincy Jones) 

I needed self-powered monitors and wanted a set that didn’t 

require a subwoofer, a monitor that had a natural top to bottom, 

but no hyped frequencies. I defi nitely get enough low end with 

the Focal ProfessionalS – the balance with the Focal Professional 

Professional monitors is perfect! With the Focal Professional 

Professional monitors you can hear everything. 

Steve Ouimette 

(Guitar Hero ®) 

www.steveouimette.com 

www.hub.guitarhero.com 

www.myspace.com/steveouimette 

The Twin6 Be monitors are the best that I’ve used in terms of 

studio-to-consumer listening translation. They really translate: 

Solo6 Be 


professional 

nearfi eld monitor (150 + 

100W RMS 

Bash® technology), 

6.5-inch(16.5cm) ‘W’ 

composite sandwich 

cone driver, 1-inch pure Beryllium inverted 

dome tweeter. Frequency response (+/- 

2dB): 40Hz- 40kHz. Max SPL @1m: 113dB. 

Twin6 Be 

Three-way, analogue 

professional nearfi eld/ 

midfi eld monitor 

(2x150 + 100W RMS 

Bash® technology), 2x6.5inch(16.5cm) 

‘W’ composite 

sandwich cone driver, 1-inch pure Beryllium 

inverted dome tweeter. Frequency response 

(+/-2dB): 40Hz- 40kHz. Max SPL @1m: 

115dB. 

Sub6 

Analogue subwoofer 

(1x350W RMS Bash® 

technology), 11-inch ‘W’ 

composite sandwich 

cone suwoofer. 

Frequency response (+/- 

2dB): 30Hz-250Hz. Max SPL @1m: 116dB. 

In quest of the optimum solution to 

export the sound material from a digital 

console with an outstanding clarity 

and transparency: discover SM11, our 

professional digital monitoring series on 

www.focalprofessional.com. 

what I hear in the studio is what the outside world hears, in my 

experience. The Twin6 Be is the fi rst powered monitor that I’ve 

heard that you don’t have to be afraid of hearing in the mid-range. 

Listening back to mixes I’ve done on the NS10s through the Focal 

Professional Professional, it kind of scares me because I hear 

top-end distortion that I wasn’t hearing in the NS10s ; I was 

so used to using them, I thought I knew them. With the Focal 

Professional Professional there wasn’t a learning curve, it 

actually spooked me at fi rst. 

Jeff Juliano 

(James Blunt, John Butler) 

www.myspace.com/jeffjuliano 

Forget all about my gear and toys, the most critical element 

in my studio is my loudspeaker… To me, there’s no better 

nearfi eld loudspeaker than the Solo6 Be, whatever the 

prices of other monitors. 

David Kutch 

(Alicia Keys, Natasha Bedingfi eld, Al Green, Erykah Badu, Estelle, 

Outkast and many more) 

Focal Professional 

BP 50401 – 108, rue de l’Avenir 

42353 La Talaudière cedex, France 

UK DISTRIBUTOR 

SCV London Ltd. 

t +44 (0) 208 418 1470 

w www.scvlondon.co.uk 

For a complete list of distributors: 

w www.focalprofessional.com 


++FOSTEX+ + + + FOSTEX+ + + + FOSTEX+ + + + FOSTEX+ + + + FOSTEX 

PM Series MkII 

The PM-Series MkII offer exceptional audio 

performance matched to jaw-dropping good 

looks at an affordable price. Fostex strives to 

design and build studio monitoring systems 

that enable you to experience your unique 

sound in all its dimensions. And through 

tireless research and development, endless 

measurements and real-world listening 

tests, Fostex’s engineers have achieved 

this in the form of the beautiful second 

generation PM-Series. 

Capitalising on Fostex’s supreme 

knowledge of acoustics and speaker 

engineering, and now offering a brighter, 

tighter sound, these studio monitors are 

designed inside out to provide the best 

monitoring experience, with minimal 

resonance, sparkling highs and rich, deep 

lows. And, with new ‘high-gloss’ front 

baffl es, they look as stunning as they sound. 

16 FOSTEX 

Choosing Nearfi eld 

Monitors Should Be Easy 

After all, they only have one job to do. The job of monitoring. 

Not enhancing, not diminishing, not in any way altering 

the source material. 

PM Series Group 

PM-2 MkII 

Created for larger rooms, the PM-2 has 

the power (240 watts of bi-amped power 

actually) and sophistication and, most 

importantly, the versatility to handle the 

most demanding recording applications. 

Equipped with a 200mm low frequency unit 

and remaining natural and transparent right 

across the audio spectrum, even at high 

sound pressure levels, the PM-2 is great for 

today’s bass heavy music. 

PM-1 MkII 

Perfectly proportioned and offering the type 

of clear-transparent sound that singles 

out a great speaker, the PM-1 is capable 

of producing extremely high 

SPLs accurately across the 

full audio spectrum. With 120 

watts of bi-amped power and 

a bass response that’s full and 

dynamic, and a crisp highend 

that sparkles with vitality, 

the PM-1 delivers the type of 

sonic quality that’s usually the 

domain of monitors 

costing thousands. 

PM0.5 MkII 

The ideal choice for smaller 

studios requiring nearfi eld 

monitoring, the perfectly 

formed PM0.5 MkII offers 

70watts of bi-amped power 

and produces great full range 

performance with exceptional 

neutrality even at high sound 

pressure levels. 

The compact dimensions also 

enable accurate placement 

in confi ned or awkward spaces, with 

the dispersion from the two way ported 

enclosure design tailored such that it will 

deliver a superb sound almost regardless 

of room acoustics. 

PM0.4 

The ultra-compact PM0.4 now completes 

the lineup of the reputed PM-series ranging 

from 4” to 8” woofer size. PM0.4 is naturally 

recommended for desktop use but its superb 

audio performance in compact physical 

size expands its applications to professional 

console top studio monitoring, audio 

installation, as well as portable 

audio monitoring. 

PM0.5-Sub MkII 

Designed ideally for use with the PM0.5 

MkII, the 110watt, 200mm driver PM0.5- 

Sub produces precise, low frequency 

reproduction and an excellent deep bass 

output. Easy to set-up (just a single gain 

control and phase reverse switch), the 

combination of a pair of PM0.5s and 

PM0.5-Sub provides superb sonic quality 

at an affordable price. Recommended for 

use with PM0.4. 

NX-5A 

NX Series 

Want to take your recording experience to 

a whole new level? The NX-Series Powered 

Nearfi eld Monitors for Professional 

Recording Environments are like nothing 

you’ve heard before. But don’t take our word 

for it. When choosing nearfi eld monitors 

for your studio you really ought to evaluate 

as many different speakers as you can

efore a decision is made. After all, how 

else are you going to realise that your 

sound is best handled by a pair of Fostex 

NX-Series Monitors? 

Listen to a pair of powered Fostex 

NX Series reference monitors and you’ll 

discover a superb natural sound with little 

colouration, deep tight lows and crystal 

clear highs, precise stereo imaging and an 

almost complete lack of distortion – even 

at high sound pressure levels and including 

those subtle low frequencies. 

Full of the latest in speaker technology 

and designed from the ground up for critical 

listening in both professional and project 

studios, broadcast and editing suites, 

or any other recording facility where a 

precise, transparent, professional sound is 

essential, the NX Series set new standards 

in sonic accuracy and packaging. 

NX-6A 

Excellent stereo imaging across the sound 

stage and an ideal response throughout 

the frequency range. Magnetically shielded 

drivers and a compact size allows easy 

placement close to all types of video, audio 

and computer devices, while the sonically 

pure and transparent sound, free from 

harshness and unwanted colouration, 

makes it ideal for all extended criticallistening 

sessions. 

NX-5A 

Created to offer a professional nearfi eld 

monitoring solution in tight spaces, the 

compact NX-5A excels in just about every 


+ + + + FOSTEX+ + + + FOSTEX+ + + + FOSTEX+ + + + FOSTEX+ + + + FOS 

NX-Series 

Nearfi eld Studio Monitors 

• The LF drivers of PM-2 MkII: 8” 

(200mm), PM-1 MkII: 6.5”(160mm), 

PM0.5 MkII 5” (130mm), PM0.4 

4”(100mm) have been developed 

to obtain extremely pure music 

reproduction by employing the latest 

technology in cone material. 

• The cone uses a mixture of cut 

and milled fi bres that are made 

from aromatic polyamide. It is 

then impregnated with resins to 

simultaneously achieve high rigidity 

and optimum damping. 

• The cone also has an olefi n fi lm 

thermally adhered to its surface to 

PM0.4 Now Also Available In White 

control frequency response and to 

establish long term reliability. 

• The center dust cap is made of non-wood cellulose material and is also 

impregnated with resin. 

• The voice coil is made of super high purity copper wire to achieve extremely 

low distortion. 

• The 25mm or 20mm soft dome tweeter employs Fostex’s UFLC technology (Poly 

Urethane Film Laminated Cloth) to achieve light weight and high stability performance. 

• The amplifi ers are precisely calibrated to match the performance capability of 

the drivers. 

department. The sound is full of clarity and 

audio accuracy, the stereo imaging is sharp 

and consistent and the level of sonic detail 

is incredible from a monitor so small. 

Nearfi eld Studio Monitors 

• 5” (130mm) or 6.5” (160mm) with HR (Hyper Radial) diaphragm for LF unit which 

utilises the latest diaphragm ‘Radial Papermaking Technology’ for natural and smooth 

sound reproduction. 

• UDR (Up/Down Roll) Tangential driver edge eliminates the unwanted resonance. 

• Wide-range 20mm hard dome tweeter with pure magnesium diaphragm to eliminate 

sharp-edge sound characteristics. 

• Highly rigid cast aluminum frames for both LF and HF units which minimises unwanted 

vibrations and resonances. 

• Magnetically shielded drivers allow for safe placement close to a video monitor. 

• Time-aligned front baffl e enclosure design with the HF driver recessed for a precise 

and pure sound. 

• Bi-amplifi er. Dedicated 60W (LF) + 40W (HF) bi-amplifi er eliminates electric interference 

between the drivers 

• Overall output level control & dedicated tweeter level control, LO EQ control. 

The Truth 

Now the choice can be made. Monitors 

which may make you sound good, or 

monitors which tell you how good you sound. 

Hooking up a pair of Fostex’s NX-Series 

or PM-Series Montors for the fi rst time 

is somewhat of a revelation. You may be 

surprised at what you hear. But at least it 

will be a true representation, free from any 

sonic colouration and distortion. Which is 

where Fostex comes in. 


Fostex Company 

3-2-35 Musashino, Akishima, Tokyo, Japan 

196-0021 

t (0) 42 546 4974 

f (0) 42 546 9222 

e info_sales@fostex.jp 

w www.fostex.jp 


++KLEIN + HUMMEL+ + + + KLEIN + HUMMEL+ + + + KLEIN + HUMME 

7.1 High Defi nition Bass Management 

The 7.1 High Defi nition Bass Manager 

is compatible with all standard consumer 

formats from 

mono through 

to the latest 7.1 

HD systems. 

Eight channels 

of analogue 

or an optional 

8-channel, 

24-bit, 192kHz 

digital input 

O 810, with 7.1 High 

card ensures Defi nition Bass Manager 

fl exible 

interconnectivity for modern studios. 

Four-mode LFE-channel processing 

guarantees compatibility across all 

formats and industries. Bypassable 80Hz 

forth-order crossovers offer compatibility 

with consumer replay systems, and fl exible 

acoustical controls (consisting of output 

level, low cut, a parametric equaliser, and 

an eight-position phase control) allow 

for seamless system integration. Built-in 

volume control and a hardware remote 

control allows for centralised system 

control independent of the source, and 

the electronics can be remote located to 

reduce cabling. Finally, there is integrated 

electronic limiter for amplifi er, driver 

protection, low heat dissipation amplifi ers, 

and the electronics can be remotely 

powered on with two modes of operation (0 

V and 12 V trigger). 

18 KLEIN + HUMMEL 

Decoding The DNA Of Sound 

Since 1945 Klein + Hummel has been setting global standards 

in sound reproduction. For over 40 years K+H has focused 

on the professional market by developing precise measuring 

instruments – tools to analyse sound and detect the tiniest aural 

nuances. 

K+H products are designed to be used in 

music, broadcast, and post production 

studios for tracking, mixing, and mastering. 

They can be mixed freely to make large 

multi-channel systems. Klein + Hummel 

specialise in three-way systems, but have 

recently launched a range of subwoofers. 

Below we explain some of the thoughts 

behind our designs. 

The Goal: Accurate, 

Absolutely Uncoloured Sound 

Our aim with the O 300 was to strive for 

nothing less than perfection in developing 

the best compact active reference monitor 

possible, with accurate, uncoloured 

sound, superb transient response, 

and ideally shaped waveguides. 

The O 300 is a monitor that draws 

upon all of Klein + Hummel’s years 

of experience in monitor design (see 

“Progress built on tradition” box-out), 

and has been fi ne-tuned through 

extensive computer simulations and 

countless listening tests. The threeway 

design makes this loudspeaker 

system extremely precise and 

revealing of detail, thereby enabling 

the mixing engineer to make critical 

judgments with supreme confi dence. 

Exact Localisation And Extraordinary 

Sense Of Space 

A dense, low-resonance material called 

LRIM is used to mould the waveguides 

directly into the baffl e for optimal dispersion. 

The elliptical shape reduces the early 

refl ections off the console surface, which 

would otherwise interfere with the direct 

sound from the loudspeaker. At the same 

time, the effective horizontal listening area 

is made wider, giving the recording engineer 

greater freedom of movement along the 

console. The use of LRIM has also made 

it possible to align the acoustic centres of 

the two drivers exactly on one plane, thereby 

preventing time and phase coherency 

problems at the crossover frequencies. 

This allows the individual drivers to work 

together perfectly to produce a precisely 

detailed soundstage. 

O 300, Compact 3-way active monitor 

Superb Sonic Qualities 

The three magnetically shielded drivers use 

the latest materials and acoustical design 

techniques to accurately reproduce the input 

signal at high levels and with low distortion. 

The excellent transient performance is 

particularly noticeable, as is the stereo

imaging. The design is especially suitable 

to reproducing the human voice with great 

clarity, and the tweeter has an exceptionally 

low distortion performance. The fl exible 

acoustical controls permit a good sound 

quality even in less than ideal room 

acoustics. 

Each driver is powered by a highperformance 

amplifi er that is exactly 

matched to the driver’s technical 

requirements. Precisely tuned electronic 

crossovers help provide proverbial 

operational reliability and high amplifi er 

output with minimal distortion. The monitor 

is equipped with sophisticated protection 

circuitry to protect the drivers from thermal 

overload or if a power amplifi er runs the 

risk of overheating. 

The monitor stands out not only for its 

sound but also for its attractive, modern 

design, and has received an international 

design award. 

Customers Demand More 

The O 410 represents the latest incarnation 

of the many technologies pioneered by Klein 

+ Hummel during 

the last 40 years. 

Engineering 

excellence 

applied to all 

aspects of the O 

410 design brings 

a new benchmark 

in audio 

reproduction 

quality. 

A waveguide 

featuring 

Mathematically 

Modelled 

Dispersion 

(MMD), fl exible acoustical controls, 

various input options, and an extensive 

mounting hardware range allow the O 410 

to be used in diverse acoustical conditions, 

with any source equipment, and in a wide 

variety of physical locations. 

With a higher output than the O 300, 

the O 410 has been designed for use as a 

mid-fi eld or main monitor. The O 410 can be 

used free-standing or fl ush mounted into a 

wall, and, in multi-channel systems, can be 

mixed freely with other loudspeakers in the 

Klein + Hummel range. 


L+ + + + KLEIN + HUMMEL+ + + + KLEIN + HUMMEL+ + + + KLEIN + 

O 410, 10” Three-way, 

New in 2007 

Progress Built On Tradition 

In 1945 Horst Klein and Walter Hummel founded a company to develop the perfect devices 

for perfect sound reproduction. They assembled a team of specialists near Stuttgart: a team 

that has developed premium products for over sixty years. Since then, K+H has shown an 

unwavering pioneer spirit in achieving perfect sound reproduction. During this time the age 

of High Fidelity started, and it was realised that there was a demand for equipment that 

was meant to be the best. K+H was in a position to satisfy this demand as it had a company 

philosophy of designing products with perfect sound and product quality. Some of the 

pioneering designs were the world’s fi rst active loudspeaker “OY” (1967), the fi rst German 

ELA amplifi er (1958), and the “DELTA-8-Beschallungssystem”. 

Today Klein + Hummel creates the most modern studio and installation products, 

incorporating innovative solutions, manufactured with unquestionable quality, and with 

a deep commitment to continuing a long tradition of innovation. The name, products, and 

reputation live on as a part of the Sennheiser Group, which also consists of Sennheiser, 

Neumann, and Sennheiser Communications. A truly international marketing, sales, support, 

and service network ensures quality of delivery no matter where the products are used. 

Subwoofers Become More Sophisticated 

As consumer technology advances at 

ever-faster rates, professional technology 

increasingly fi nds itself trying to keep up. 

An example of this is the advent of Bluray 

and other high defi nition formats that 

have increased the audio channel count 

to 7.1. The O 870 and O 810 are an answer 

to these new demands by offering a new 

7.1 High Defi nition Bass Manager (see 

box-out). The latest amplifi er technology 

and acoustical components have been 

used to ensure the most accurate sound 

reproduction possible. Robust drivers, a 

rock-solid cabinet, and carefully designed 

ports guarantee a tight, articulate, and 

distortion-free low frequency reproduction, 

even at high replay levels. Using the sum 

output, 

Plane Wave 

Bass Array 

(PWBA) 

techniques 

acoustically 

improves 

lateral 

consistency in 

the listening 

area. The 

bass extends 

down to 18Hz. 

The O 870 

and O 810 

subwoofers 

are designed O 870, 2 x 10” Subwoofer 

to complement Klein + Hummel’s extensive 

range of monitors, and can be used on 

their own, or daisy-chained to make larger 

systems capable of higher SPL. 

Klein + Hummel 

K+H Vertriebs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH 

Auf dem Kessellande 4a, 30900 Wedemark, 

Germany. 

t +49 (0)5130 58 48 0 

f +49 (0)5130 58 48 11 

e info@klein-hummel.com 

w www.klein-hummel.com 

Sennheiser UK 

t +44 (0) 1494 551 551 

e info@sennheiser.co.uk 

Sennheiser Electronic Corporation 

t +1 860 434 9190 

e info@sennheiserusa.com 

Sennheiser Asia 

t +49 (0)5130 58 48-42 

e web.asia@sennasia.com.sg 


+KRK SYSTEMS++++KRK SYSTEMS+ + + + KRK SYSTEMS+ + + + KR 

KRK Systems, Inc. – 

Focused on on Monitors, 

Mixing, and Studios 

At KRK, the focus is on the mix. 

From the company’s successful 

Rokit line to its acclaimed E8B, 

KRK is a dominant force in studio 

monitoring. Here is a look at the 

art and technology that drives 

the company. 

KRK is one of the leading studio monitor 

manufacturers for home, project, 

and commercial recording facilities. 

The company pioneered active monitors, 

introducing matched speakers and 

integrated power amplifi ers to the pro 

audio market. Recently the product lines 

have evolved to include several new design 

elements that improve performance and 

put KRK at the top of any monitor search. 

Rokit – The Industry Standard 

Keeps Getting Better 

The Rokit line is the world’s best-selling line 

of studio monitors,* and for good reason. 

20 KRK SYSTEMS 

VXT6, VXT8, and VXT4. 

All of the models have a clean, accurate and give the Rokits a wide sweet spot 

sound that enables users on a small budget and impressive imaging. The Rokit line 

to get high calibre results. Rokits are well also features one-inch neodymium soft 

suited for small to mid-sized home and dome tweeters with Ferrofl uid for more 

project studios. The Rokit 5 and Rokit 6 natural-sounding highs and tight low-end 

integrate easily into small recording and response. The integrated power amplifi ers 

mixing spaces. The Rokit 8 provides higher and crossovers allow the Rokits to pack a 

SPLs required for mid-fi eld monitoring or surprising punch, while providing superior 

larger rooms, or whenever extended bass detail and transient response. 

performance is required. 

* According to MI Salestrak Data, 2007-2009 

The latest incarnation, the Rokit G2, 

features a newly designed front baffl e 

VXT – The Mainstream, Professional Monitor 

that sports the radical curved edges found KRK’s VXT Series is aimed squarely at semi- 

on KRK’s VXT and E8B monitors. These pro and professional users. Serious project 

cabinet modifi cations reduce diffraction studios, broadcast and editing facilities, 

post production and sound 

design all can benefi t from 

the VXT’s ultra-smooth 

Rokit6, Rokit8, and Rokit5. 

frequency response and 

incredible imaging. 

The VXTs are constructed 

of ABS structural foam, 

which provides better 

density and dampening 

than wood. The ABS 

provides another benefi t 

as it increases the interior 

cabinet volume. This allows 

the VXT series to have 

better bass response than 

similarly sized monitors 

while keeping resonance to 

a minimum. In addition to 

the custom Kevlar drivers, 

each VXT model features a 

one-inch soft dome tweeter

and a toroidal power transformer for low 

hum and minimum noise. The inclusion of 

tamper resistant switch covers, integrated 

supports for wall or corner mounting, 

ground lift, optional front grilles, defeatable 

limiter and auto mute controls, and high 

and low frequency adjust switches on the 

VXT6 and VXT8 make the line suitable for 

installed applications. VXTs are perfect 

for edit bays and mid-sized project and 

professional studios. The VXT4’s small 

size and impressive performance is ideally 

suited for applications where space is at 

a premium, while the VXT6 and VXT8 work 

well for near and mid-fi eld applications in 

larger rooms. 


K SYSTEMS+ + + + KRK SYSTEMS+ + + + KRK SYSTEMS+ + + + KRK SYS 

The KRK-10s. 

Great Monitors + ERGO = Great Mixes 

A great monitor 

plus a great 

room can 

yield a 

great mix. 

But if your 

mixes sound fl abby, 

boomy, lack punch or detail, the 

problem could be room infl uences. KRK’s 

ERGO fi xes these problems by analysing 

your room and correcting for frequency and 

phase problems. The result is a room where 

bass buildup is contained, muddy mids 

are cleared up, and imaging is restored. 

ERGO also acts as a master volume control, 

speaker switcher, and audio interface. Since 

ERGO corrects poor acoustic environments 

regardless of their location or construction, 

it is the perfect complement to any control 

room, home, project, or broadcast studio. 

KRK-10s – More Bottom For Rokit, VXT 

The KRK-10s’ subwoofer complements the 

Rokit and VXT monitors in both styling and 

performance. The 10” glass-aramid driver 

and high power amplifi er effectively extend 

the frequency response of any monitoring 

system down to 35Hz. The KRK-10s has a 

level control, phase switch, and variable 

low-pass fi lter, and also contains the full 

complement of input options for easy 

interfacing with any KRK monitor. 

KRK Exposé E8B 

The fl agship of the KRK monitor line, 

the E8B brings a level of sonic detail and 

accuracy to professional studios around 

the world. In both sound and presence, 

the E8B projects a ‘no expenses spared’ 

image. And one listen will prove 

this out. 

The E8B’s curved front baffl e and wide 

radius edges reduce the diffraction effects 

for better imaging, while its non-parallel, 

internal walls help reduce chances of 

standing waves inside the cabinet. 

The thinnest point in the construction of 

the cabinet walls is one inch, and the size 

and heft of the enclosure gives the E8B a 

solid, almost monolithic quality. The E8B 

uses two discrete, 120-watt RMS Class A/ 

AB power amplifi ers. Its custom-designed 

HF tweeter is made of AlBeMet, a 

composite material comprised of beryllium 

and aluminum. This high-tech tweeter gives 

The KRK Exposé E8B. 

KRK Design Philosophy Spells Success 

There are several design elements 

that are shared across KRK’s monitors. 

KRKs are easy to spot in recording 

studios around the world, thanks to their 

trademark yellow woofers. KRK products 

have distinctive enclosures, designed 

to minimise standing waves as well as 

to create a sleek look. All cabinet edges 

and port openings are heavily radiused 

to reduce diffraction, which results in 

improved detail and stereo imaging. 

KRK monitors also use slotted ports in 

the front of the cabinets (as opposed to 

the more common round port) to reduce 

air pressure inside the enclosure and to 

provide a more accurate representation 

of bass frequencies. Inside the box, KRKs 

feature a bi-amplifi er design consisting of 

audiophile-grade components, and certain 

models contain limiter circuits designed to 

mitigate the negative effects of overdriving 

the amplifi er or transducers. 

the E8B its remarkably open and airy high 

end. With the Exposé line, KRK built an avid 

fan base of top-tier engineers, producers, 

and recording studios. The E8B is sure to 

grow this base. 


KRK Systems 

3000 SW 42nd Street 

Hollywood, FL 33312 

t +1 954-316-1580 

f +1 954-316-1590 

e service@krksys.com 

w www.krksys.com 

(UK Distributor) Focusrite 

t +44 (0) 1494 462246 

f +44 (0) 1494 459920 

e sales@focusrite.com 

w www.krksys.com 


++PMC++++PMC++++PMC++++PMC++++PMC++++PMC++++ 

PMC – The Reference 

Introduction 

PMC has become the industry standard for 

audio monitoring in the professional world. 

With superb stereo imaging and pinpoint 

accuracy from 5.1 surround sound systems, 

PMC monitors demonstrate an unparalleled 

listening experience. In the live broadcast 

arena PMC systems are in daily use for 

the BBC HDTV broadcasts, they are also 

responsible for the majority of premier 5.1 

Audio for DVD Mastering. PMC is also highly 

regarded in the fi elds of post production and 

studio monitoring. 

PMC monitoring systems are used in 

all genres of music and in all parts of the 

production chain, as well as in the home 

writing studio through to major studios 

and the fi nal mastering of material for 

CD and DVD release. PMC is regarded as 

the ultimate critical tool for engineers 

and artists. 

Flagship 

The large active BB5-A and MB2-A range 

from PMC justly deserves the label of ‘no 

compromise’. Every element has been 

designed and manufactured purely for 

its performance, and encompasses the 

smallest detail from individual cable choice 

through to hand selection of capacitors in 

History 

22 PMC 

PMC has placed monitors throughout the 

world’s most superior facilities, demonstrating 

time and again its claim to be ‘the world’s 

reference monitor’. 

Optimum Mastering – Bristol, Stereo MB2 XBD-A & TB2S+ 5.1 surround system 

the active crossover networks. This level of 

resolution cannot be achieved with standard 

technology 

and average 

tolerances. The 

large active range 

variants cover 

all requirements 

of the recording 

professional, and 

are not restricted 

BB5 XBD-A 

by the intended 

type of playback 

material. The combinations allow for 

perfect integration into any sized room, 

with increased LF headroom available 

with the ‘XBD’ models. 

Professional Tools 

The DB1S-A is the smallest activated 

monitor from PMC with an unbeatable 

response down to 50Hz. Superb power 

handling and resolution make it the ideal 

nearfi eld monitor for stereo and surround. 

The larger activated TB2S-A has become 

a fi rm favourite amongst quality conscious 

broadcasters, post production, and smaller 

sized studios in either surround or stereo 

nearfi eld roles. The Activated IB1S-A is 

an extremely fl exible three-way monitor, 

Founded in 1990 by Peter Thomas of the BBC and Adrian Loader of FWO Bauch, the 

combination of knowledge and a life-long passion for the music led to the production of PMC’s 

fi rst product – the BB 5-A – an active main studio monitor. This design was snapped up by the 

BBC Maida Vale and Metropolis Mastering and remains the world’s reference, used by Stevie 

Wonder’s Wonderland Studio, Hospital HDT V Broadcast London, and for renowned classical 

labels such as Decca and Harmonia Mundi. Many of today’s movie themes have been crafted 

using PMC. 

PMC reigns supreme throughout the leading mastering houses, broadcasters, and much 

of the professional world. They believe a good loudspeaker should be able to relay the purest 

intentions of the artist without colouration. 

which has found its home in the most 

varied of environments. It’s hugely popular 

in Hollywood 

fi lm scoring 

and post 

production. The 

IB1S-A features 

wide dispersion 

soft domed 

fabric mid and 

high frequency DB1S-A & TB2S-A 

units, the PMC 

10˝ carbon fi bre and Nomex fl at piston 

driver. This fl at patented driver increases 

dynamic handling and eliminates distortion 

that may occur due to cone break up. 

The IB2S-A is based on the hugely 

successful IB1S-A with one major change 

to the driver compliment. The addition of 

the PMC 75 large 

soft dome mid 

range unit increases 

the defi nition and 

clarity to the level of 

the larger monitors 

in the range with 

no increase in 

cabinet size. 

IB2S-A 

The AML1 is 

as far from a ‘me 

too’ product as could be imagined. The 

AML1 design is one of ‘no compromise’, 

and the only way of achieving this goal is to 

manufacture the complete device ‘in house’. 

Surrounded By Sound 

PMC offers all its monitors confi gurable 

to 5.1, from the smallest activated system 

through to the biggest BB5 active rig, with 

a range of complementary subwoofers 

available. The DB1S-A and TB2S-A are 

compact, two-way activated monitor 

designs, employing unique technology in 

the form of PMC’s ATL design and


PMC++++PMC++++PMC++++PMC++++PMC++++PMC++++P 

Client List 

Broadcast/Recording/ 

Mastering/Post 

BBC TV 

BBC Radio 1, 2, 6 

BBC Maida Vale 

Metropolis Studios 

& Mastering 

Teldex, Berlin 

Hospital HDTV 

Broadcast Studios 

The University 

of Music, Düsseldorf 

The Soundmasters 

Fluid Mastering 

Spirit Studios 

Red-TX OBs 

Moving Picture Company 

Piccadilly Radio, Manchester 

Capitol Radio, London 

Emil Berliner/ 

Deutsche Grammophon 

RTL 

ORF 

NFL (National 

Football League, USA) 

TSR 

Sony BMG 

Formula 1 

EMI 

Universal Music Group 

Dolby 

Google 

Digidesign 

EMI 

Siemens 

Clients/Artists 

Prince 

Kraftwerk 

and newly developed proprietry 

amplifi cation. A TB25.1-SA or DB5.1-SA 

surround monitoring system with the 

Active TLE1S handling the .1 effects 

channel is a potent and precise tool for 

the audio professional. These compact 

systems are currently in service with 

quality conscious post production, 

mastering, and broadcast fi elds 

worldwide. 

PMC’s ATL Technology (Advanced Transmission Line) 

Coldplay 

Peter Gabriel 

Ben Zander 

Stevie Wonder 

Robbie Williams 

Brian May 

Francis Rossi 

Tori Amos 

Underworld 

Crystal Method 

Tony Bennett 

John Rutter 

Film 

Dennis Sands 

John Debney 

Hans Zimmer, 

Remote Control Studios 

Trevor Morris 

TB2S-A 5.1 Surround System 

with TLE1S Subwoofer 

ATL has taken loudspeaker design to new levels, by using a cabinet construction and 

highly specifi ed drive unit and crossover components. The PMC ATL design has enormous 

benefi ts compared to sealed and ported models available elsewhere. The main driver is 

placed at one end of a long tunnel (the transmission line), which is heavily damped with 

PMC’s proprietary absorbent acoustic material. This material is exactly specifi ed to soak 

up the upper bass frequencies, which radiate from the rear of the main driver. The lowest 

frequencies emerge in phase from the large vent at the end of the line, effectively acting as 

a second driver. The air pressure behind the main driver is maintained controlling the driver 

in a vice like grip over a wide frequency range, which eradicates spurious cone movement 

that would lead to distortion. The upper bass and midrange is entirely transparent as it is 

not masked by harmonic distortion residing in the very low frequencies, which is a feature of 

less sophisticated designs. ATL produces higher SPLs and lower bass extension than any 

other design of a similar size, even if identical drivers were used. The frequency response 

also remains consistent regardless of volume. Neither late night listening, nor prolonged 

monitoring sessions have to be conducted at high volumes to achieve maximum bass 

response – ideal for the home and professional alike. 

Philosophy 

PMC’s design philosophy is quite a 

simple one, to design the ideal monitoring 

solution with the highest resolution 

possible without colouration and distortion. 

This supreme level of resolution 

is derived through unequalled R&D into 

(ATL) Advanced Transmission Line 

Loudspeaker design and drive 

unit technology. 

Also PMC’s close association with 

principle engineers has allowed 

development of innovative solutions for the 

latest recording techniques and changing 

monitoring environments. The design 

team has a clear vision of what must be 

achieved, therefore all of the PMC range is 

voiced identically, from the DB 1S+ through 

to the BB 5 XBD-A. The balance is neutral 

and dynamic with wide dispersion, making 

image placement pin point over a huge 

listening window. The PMC user is one 

which is pioneering in their fi eld, and will 

not settle for less than the best. 


PMC Ltd 

43-45 Crawley Green Road 

Luton, Bedfordshire LU20AA UK 

t +44(0) 870 444 1044 

f +44(0) 870 444 1045 

e Sales@promonitor.co.uk 

w www.pmc-speakers.com 

PMC USA HQ 

17971 Sky Park Circle Drive 

Suite G, Irvine, California 92614 USA 

t +1 949 861 3350 

f +1 949 861 3352 

e sales@pmc-speakers.us 

w www.pmc-speakers.com 


++PSI++++PSI++++PSI++++PSI++++PSI++++PSI++++PSI++ 

The Swiss Precision Active Monitoring Series: 

More Than A Black Box! 

The philosophy of PSI Audio can be compared to Swiss watch designers. Our vision is to be 

globally recognised as pioneers in precision audio, combining innovation, creativity 

and technology. 

Designed and manufactured at our Yverdon 

workshops in Switzerland, the latest 

generation of PSI Audio speakers is the 

culmination of 30 years of knowledge of 

materials and treatments, guided by a 

thorough understanding of acoustics. 

The unique precision of PSI Audio 

monitors is a delicate mix between the 

passion, experience and know-how of 

electro-acoustic technology. 

All of the product range takes advantage 

of our knowledge, and we strive to deliver 

the most coherent sound and design 

between all our models. 

At the core of our speaker performance is 

an electronic design based on two exclusive 

concepts – CPR and AOI. This technology 

enables us to show people that PSI Audio is 

more than a black box. 

CPR 

The CPR system consists of multiple all- 

pass fi lters, each of which acts in a specifi c 

frequency range in order to obtain a wide 

area of Compensated Phase Response, 

generating a constant group delay. 

Thanks to the CPR system, the position of 

24 PSI 

the sound image is highly accurate. 

This technology allows the design of 

surround sound systems with different types 

of PSI Audio speakers that maintains an 

accurate phase response. 

Practical Advantages of CPR, 

and Impact on Stereo Applications 

The ear is very sensitive to group delays 

or phase irregularities of sounds. The 

human brain detects such irregularities 

easily and processes them into space related 

information such as positioning a sound 

source. All traditionally designed speaker 

systems suffer to a certain degree with such 

irregularities. These irregularities are the 

reason why some speakers produce a wider 

and deeper room perception that determines 

the reproduction of the sound image. 

The speaker system represents the 

reference tool of every sound engineer. 

An accurate transient response particularly 

helps the sound engineer during the fi ne 

tuning of the reverbs effects, or during the 

design of a specifi c sound and its position in 

the sound image. 

As a sound recording passes through 

Full PSI Audio monitors range. A225-M, A25-M, A21-M, A17-M, A14-M 

various processes (recording, mixing 

and mastering) in which various people, 

locations, and therefore speaker systems, 

will be involved, corrections may be applied 

due solely to phase irregularities that 

are not present on the actual recording. 

The PSI Audio speakers feature our unique 

CPR system that generates a Compensated 

Phase Response, removing such 

irregularities, generating a stereo image 

and projected room of extreme accuracy. PSI 

Audio speakers provide a more accurate and 

precise reference tool to the sound engineer. 

CPR Impact on Surround Sound Applications 

Traditional speaker designs have different 

phase responses, and therefore the phase 

inaccuracy phenomenon is worse in 

surround sound applications where room 

information and positioning have an even 

higher priority and a more critical part of 

the sound engineering process. This is one 

of the reasons why speaker manufacturers 

strongly recommend using speakers of 

the same type when creating a surround 

sound system. The CPR system by PSI 

Audio features an extremely accurate and 

superior surround sound image and a 

much improved working environment. 

One of the big advantages of the CPR system 

is also that for the fi rst time a user can mix 

different types of PSA Audio speakers in a 

surround sound system, whilst maintaining 

perfectly accurate phase response. Not only 

will the PSI Audio surround system sound 

much more accurate, and therefore provide 

a superior working tool, but it can also 

introduce signifi cant cost and space savings 

when investing in a new monitoring system. 

AOI 

The AOI system detects movement of 

the membrane and the moving coil, and 

processes them using counter reaction 

fi ltering. The damping rate is continuously

adjusted in different frequency bands to 

match the position of membrane and coil. 

The AOI system allows the reproduction of 

sound without transducer colouring over 

the whole frequency range. 

Practical Advantages 

The PSI Audio speakers featuring the AOI 

system have superior impulse behaviour 

to traditional amplifi er designs. Whilst the 

transducer travels to its intended position, 

the AOI circuitry seamlessly adapts the 

amplifi ers output impedance to ensure ideal 

acceleration of the membrane to reproduce 

the desired impulse. Once the transducer 

reaches the end of the impulse, the AOI 

circuitry provides a break in order to act 

against an overshooting of the transducer. 

The AOI circuitry is almost capable of 

reproducing a square wave and therefore 

increases accuracy by marrying the 


++PSI++++PSI++++PSI++++PSI++++PSI++++PSI++++PSI+ 

NEW: PSI Audio A214-M! 

• Full symmetric dispersion 

• Very compact 

• Amazing SPL 

• Swiss precision 

The PSI Audio A214-M is mainly designed as a centre speaker for surround monitoring 

applications. However, the unit may also be used as a basic component for all monitoring 

requirements. 

Thanks to its large dispersion, 

as well as its full symmetric 

construction, the A214-M is 

perfectly adapted to all situations 

where intelligibility and a wide 

spectrum are required, for instance 

as a centre speaker in surround 

PSI Audio A214-M 

systems. 

The A214-M employs two woofers of 147/104mm and one tweeter of 100/25mm, for a 

programme power-handling of 160W. The speaker has suffi cient acoustical output to satisfy 

the requirements of post-production and fi lm mixing suites, as well as for other mixing 

applications. 

The low height of the A214-M (166mm) allows the speaker to easily be incorporated into 

surround installations where space is an important factor. 

Contact us to test it: www.psiaudio.com 

Key Technical Data: 

Continuous Max SPL, 1m. 108dB (single) 

Programme Max SPL, 1m. 119dB (pair) 

Response at -6dB 53-23000 Hz 

Tolerances +/-2 dB (60Hz – 20kHz) 

Distortions THD ‹1.2% (120Hz – 12kHz) 

Cabinet Dimensions (WxHxDmm) 166 x 446 x 200 

transducer and the amplifi er into a 

perfect couple. From our experience, 

a nice side effect of the AOI system is 

that the membranes of a PSI speaker do 

not produce parasitic sounds when other 

speaker systems in the room are in use. 

When air pressure changes due to other 

sound sources, the AOI will detect this and 

tighten the damping of its transducers 

in order not to produce parasitic sounds 

(sounds not present at the input). In today’s 

times where much more importance 

is given to the low end reproduction of 

sounds, especially when using sub woofer 

technology in surround sound systems, 

the importance of a monitoring system 

that has an accurate, and not a fl attering, 

reproduction becomes essential. As a result 

of the AOI, the PSI Audio speaker range has 

a highly accurate impulse behaviour, with a 

minimum of transducer coloration. 

Company 

PSI Audio is the brand name of Relec, 

a Swiss company specialising in high 

performance professional studio monitors. 

Since it was formed in 1977, Relec has 

developed a huge variety of speakers 

for Hi-Fi, PA, and Professional Studio 

applications, a large number of which are 

OEM products produced for respected 

international companies who label and 

market the speakers under their own 

brand names. 

Many of these products have gone on to 

win the industry’s most desirable awards, 

as well as being extremely enthusiastically 

received by the professional press. 

Today, PSI Audio has evolved into a 

worldwide brand, producing the ultimate in 

professional studio monitors. 


HQ/US/UK DISTRIBUTOR 

Relec SA 

Z.I. Petits-Champs 11 a+b 

CH-1400 Yverdon-les-Bains 

Switzerland 

t +41 (0) 24 426 04 20 

f +41 (0) 24 426 04 51 

e info@psiaudio.com 

w www.psiaudio.com 

GERMAN DISTRIBUTOR: 

Synthax GmbH 

t +49 (8133) 91810 

e info@synthax.de 

DUTCH DISTRIBUTOR: 

Helios Recording & Broadcast 

t +31 23 5172666 

e sales@helios.nl 


++TANNOY++++TANNOY++++TANNOY++++TANNOY++++TANNO 

Tannoy – a famous name 

with a proud heritage 

Few companies’ products have such a 

profound impact on our lives that their 

names enter the dictionary as generic 

descriptions for their inventions. 

There are notable exceptions such as 

Biro, for its ballpoint pen, and Hoover for 

its vacuum cleaner. But in the audio fi eld, 

Tannoy stands alone as a name synonymous 

with sound, appearing in the dictionary as: 

Tannoy (n) ‘a communications system 

with loudspeakers’ …and the 

phrase ‘Over the Tannoy’ is 

universally used to describe a 

PA announcement. 

The company’s success in 

developing public address 

systems and then continuing 

its reputation for pioneering 

audio solutions within the studio 

environment is legendary. 

Despite being steeped in history, the 

company has never dwelt on its past. 

Proud of its heritage and the credibility 

built up with its long association with the 

professional recording industry, Tannoy 

has always been an innovator where quality 

sound reproduction is concerned. 

Unique Technologies 

Tannoy Dual Concentric Drive Unit 

Tannoy’s core technology, the Dual 

Concentric, is unlike ordinary drive units 

in that it is effectively two drivers properly 

merged into one. The high-frequency unit is 

positioned on the back of the low frequency 

driver so that they are on the same axis. As 

a result, sound energy is propagated from 

the same point and delivered through the 

centre of the low frequency cone providing a 

26 TANNOY 

Few companies’ products have such a profound 

impact on our lives that their names enter the 

dictionary as generic descriptions for their 

inventions. In the audio fi eld, Tannoy stands alone 

as a name synonymous with sound. 

true point source. This integrated approach 

provides a constant time delay over the 

frequency spectrum offering better transient 

performance and sound quality with better 

harmonic alignment than a displaced source 

monitor design. The crucial benefi t at the 

mix position is the delivery of a more natural 

and cleaner sound with greatly 

enhanced intelligibility. 

The ‘Dual’ design provides 

a very wide sweet spot with 

an exceptionally even response 

throughout the listening area and 

extraordinary transient response. 

This phase accurate Tannoy-designed 

drive unit has, for all these reasons, 

been the choice of professional 

studio engineers for decades. 

WideBand Technology 

Tannoy has been at the forefront of 

developing loudspeakers with WideBand 

performance. Extending the high 

frequency roll-off out to 51kHz corrects 

the time or phase response at the upper 

end of audibility, resulting in enhanced 

accuracy and ‘air’, improved clarity within 

the essential mid band area, and even 

enhancing defi nition of low frequencies. 

Tannoy WideBand Technology is an 

essential component of the Precision and 

Ellipse monitor designs delivering increased 

tonal accuracy of the individual instruments 

in the recording process – a mix-critical 

factor allowing the best EQ and placement 

decisions to be made. 

iDP (Interactive Digital Programming) 

Technology 

Accurate room optimisation has taken 

a quantum leap forward thanks to the 

development of Tannoy iDP technology 

and its incorporation into Precision iDP 

and Ellipse iDP models. Utilising iDP 

software, precise matching to the listening 

environment is possible as each monitor 

can be individually optimised, taking into 

account its exact position within the room 

relative to the room boundary, and its 

own performance relative to the acoustic 

properties of the room. iDP technology 

also allows the user to control parameters 

in ‘real time’ – such as bass management, 

global level, recall of different preset 

settings, solo/mute functions etc. 

Tannoy is the longest established loudspeaker company in the world, having been in 

‘the business’ for more than 80 years. It was Tannoy’s invention of the Dual Concentric 

speaker in 1948 that brought the company into contact with the top end of professional 

audio. Arthur Haddy, chief recording engineer at Decca, heard the Monitor Silver version 

in 1951 and ordered it for the famous Decca FFRR studios in London. EMI subsequently 

ordered Tannoy Dual Concentric loudspeakers for Abbey Road recording studios.

Tannoy User Stories 

Randy Kling 

The home page of Randy Kling’s website 

(www.discmastering.net) sums up a familiar 

story of studio professionals worldwide 

who discovered Tannoy early in their career 

and have never found a reason to move 

away. From Elvis Presley to Alice Cooper 

and through to the present day Randy’s 

engineering talents span over 50 years in 

the business during which time he has 

racked up an astonishing 300 gold and 

platinum records. A constant in his studio 

equipment list throughout his career - 

Tannoy monitors. As he says on his website, 

“Through the passage of time, from tape to 

vinyl to digital, I’ve always used the same 

brand of monitors.” 

Tony Maserati 

When mixing ace Tony Maserati shows up 

for work, whether in Manhattan mixing 

Mary J or Beyonce, out in Los Angeles with 

Ron Fair and the Black Eyed Peas, or in 

Miami with J Lo, he’s comforted by a few 

certainties. The software on his hard drive, 

the analogue outboard in his fl ight case, 

and his trusted Tannoy monitors, provide 

a level of consistency from studio to studio 

that Maserati trusts to help him nail each 

mix. Ever mindful of advances in speaker 

design, Maserati recently discovered 

Tannoy’s Ellipse 10 iDPs; a speaker system 

that’s compatible with everything he loves 

about his Tannoy DMT-12s, which he has 

worked with for years, yet more portable 

and effective for detail work. 

Carmen Rizzo 

Producer and mixer, Carmen Rizzo, is a 

busy man. In addition to a growing and 

increasingly eclectic mix of studio projects, 

he’s co-written and played on a wide variety 

of infl uential artists’ albums and has a 

burgeoning solo career himself. Recently 

remixing a Dave Stewart song, featuring 


Y++++TANNOY++++TANNOY++++TANNOY++++TANNOY++++T 

Consistent Product Development 

Landmark speaker models and developments punctuate 

Tannoy’s history – classic loudspeaker models such as 

the Monitor Red (1958), Monitor Gold (1967), and the 

Super Red (1980). More recently the long running and 

highly successful Reveal series has brought Tannoy 

to a wider audience offering a high performance and 

competitively priced range of studio monitors. 

Sarah McLaughlin, 

Annie Lennox, 

and Imogen Heap, 

that was written 

for Greenpeace, 

he used his new 

system comprising 

Tannoy Precision 6 

iDP monitors and 

TS112 iDP sub. “On 

the fi rst listen I was 

literally so impressed 

I couldn’t believe it,” 

he said. He further 

explained that the 

appeal was multifaceted; 

the ability and ease of control when 

it comes to adjusting speaker parameters, 

the simple setup – one Ethernet cable 

between the sub and monitors, the degree 

Signifi cant 

advances in 

digital speaker 

measuring 

techniques such 

as Klippell 

symmetry and 

non-linear 

distortion 

analysis, laser 

scanning 

interferometry, and acoustic CAD 

simulation, has allowed further 

refi nement of the Dual Concentric 

drive unit. This, combined with our highly 

exacting manufacturing processes, 

ensures that the Precision and Ellipse 

monitor ranges deliver wide bandwidth, 

signifi cantly low levels of distortion, very 

smooth response, extremely accurate 

phase control and high sensitivity levels. 

of control, and above all, the fact that they 

represent a lot of speaker in a compact 

package, and are consistently accurate at 

any volume. 

HEADQUARTERS AND MANUFACTURING 

Tannoy Ltd. 

Rosehall Industrial Est, Coatbridge, 

N. Lanarkshire. ML5 4TF. Scotland. 

t +44 (0) 1236 420199 

f +44 (0) 1236 428230 

e enquiries@tannoy.com 

w www.tannoy.com 

STUDIO MONITOR SALES CONTACT 

TC Electronic A/S 

Sindalsvej 34 

DK-8240 Risskov 

Denmark 

e info@tcelectronic.com 

SALES IN NORTH AMERICA 

TC Group North America 

t +1 (519) 745 1158 

e info@tcgroup-americas.com 


Monitors Manufacturers Directory 

ADAM AUDIO 

Celebrating 

its tenth year, 

Berlin-based 

Adam Audio 

produces a 

wide range of pro audio 

monitors using their 

ART (Accelerated Ribbon 

Technology) tweeter. 

From tiny two-way 

nearfi elds through 

mastering monitors and 

a range of subwoofers, 

Adam Audio has the range 

to confi gure systems for all 

environments. 

www.adam-audio.de 

ALESIS 

Founded back in 1980 

bringing affordable 16-bit 

processors to the world 

and taken over by Jack 

O’Donnell in 2001, Alesis 

is now headquartered in 

Cumberland, Rhode Island. 

It manufactures nearfi eld 

active and passive two-way 

monitors for project studios. 

www.alesis.com 

AMBIANCE ACOUSTICS 

Based in San Diego 

California since 1994, 

Ambiance Acoustic produces 

a range of uniquely designed 

multi-speaker cube 

monitors for stereo and 

multi-channel applications. 

www.calcube.com 

ATC 

Billy Woodman formed 

British loudspeaker 

company ATC in 1974 with 

the brief to create the best 

monitor speakers through 

technological advance. ATC 

has a number of monitors 

for both studio and sound 

reinforcement use. 

www.atc.gb.net 

AUDIX 

Formed in Redwood City 

California in 1984, Audix 

moved to their current 

location in Oregon in 1991 

where they manufacture 

their small active PH3-S and 

PH5-VS monitors. 


B&W 

John Bowers and Peter 

Wilkins developed a business 

producing some of the most 

visually distinctive monitors 

ever seen. This continues 

today with products like the 

FPM fl at panel monitor and 

the Nautilus. 

www.bowers-wilkins.co.uk 

BAG END LOUDSPEAKERS 

Located in Lake 

Barrington Illinois, 

Bag End Loudspeakers 

manufactures a number of 

speakers for a wide variety 

of environments. Cinema, 

small and large-scale sound 

reinforcement, studio and 

instrument cabinet speaker 

systems are all catered 

for here. 

www.bagend.com 

BEHRINGER 

With one of the biggest 

ranges of audio equipment 

around, it’s not surprising 

Behringer’s portfolio 

includes a wide range of 

monitors, including the Truth 

range, with both ribbon 

and conventional tweeter 

designs. 

www.behringer.com 

BLUE SKY 

Blue Sky International is a 

collaboration between Group 

One Ltd and Audio Design 

Labs Inc formed in 2001. 

Blue Sky has a number of 

monitoring systems for both 

stereo and multi-channel 

work, including its THXcertifi 

ed System One series. 

www.abluesky.com 

DIGIDESIGN 

Digidesign has more than 

20 years of experience in 

the world of digital audio 

workstations, and after 

Avid Technology acquired it 

in 1995, has expanded and 

diversifi ed. Digidesign has 

the RM1 and RM2 active 

monitors in its portfolio. 

www.digidesign.com 

DYNAUDIO ACOUSTICS 

Dynaudio 

celebrated 

its 30th 

anniversary last 

year. Dynaudio 

has come a long 

way from the P-series in 

1977 made from OEM drivers 

and Dynaudio crossovers. 

The range now includes such 

stars as the BM range, and 

the networkable and DSP 

enabled Air series. 

www.dynaudio.com 

EARTHWORKS 

David Blackmer’s (founder 

of dbx) New Hampshire 

based Earthworks has a 

reputation for high-end pro 

audio equipment and this is 

evident in its Sigma range of 

compact monitors. 

www.earthworksaudio.com 

EDIROL 

Edirol is Rolands’ audio arm 

that deals with computer 

based products. Edirol has 

developed a line of USB and 

Firewire interfaces and also 

has a range of active micro 

speakers for close computer 

monitoring, and a USB micro 

monitor system. 

www.edirol.com 

28 MONITORS MANUFACTURERS DIRECTORY 

EMES 

German company Emes 

manufacture a wide variety 

of active two-way monitors 

and subwoofers for stereo 

and surround applications in 

broadcast, post and project 

studio environments. 

www.emes.de 

ESI 

ESI is based in Korea and 

designs and manufactures 

an array of computer based 

audio products that include 

two-way active monitors and 

active subwoofer to allow 

for a number of monitor 

confi gurations. 

www.esi-pro.com 

EVENT ELECTRONICS 

Event has been producing 

award winning precision 

monitors since 1994 and 

currently has a number of 

active two-way monitors. 

The company has recently 

introduced the OPAL twoway 

monitoring system to 

its portfolio. 

www.event1.com 

EXCEL AUDIO SYSTEMS 

Excel manufactures the 

excellent 101A, 202A, and 

301A active monitors, plus 

the 802FEU (Frequency 

Extension Unit) sub. All of 

the units main units are twoway 

active, ported models 

with minimum phase active 

crossovers, and magnetic 

shielding. 

www.excelaudio.co.uk 

EXIGY 

Formed in October 2003, 

and now partnered with 

Audient and LA Audio, Exigy 

specialises in monitoring 

solutions and installations 

in post, music, and home 

cinema, with custom work 

on projects where necessary. 

Satisfi ed clients include 

Grand Central Studios, 

Realworld Post, and more. 

www.exigy.co.uk 

FAR 

ATD2 specialises in electro 

acoustic technologies and 

the design of digital active 

monitors under the brand 

name FAR. There is an 

extensive collection of both 

digital and analogue active 

two-way monitors and 

both analogue and digital 

subwoofers. 

www.atd2.com 

FOCAL 

French speaker 

manufacturer 

Focal has some 

of the most 

distinctive 

looking monitors on the 

market today. Its range 

includes a number of 

two and three-way active 

designs both analogue and 

digital, with matching active 

subwoofers for multiple 

confi guration options. 

www.focalprofessional.com 

FOSTEX 

Fostex has been 

involved in the 

development 

of pro audio 

products since 

1973 bringing 

a number of fi rsts to the 

industry. The Fostex monitor 

range accommodates those 

working in fi eld recording, 

studio, broadcast, and 

project environments, with a 

range of micro and two-way 

active designs with active 

subwoofer option. 

www.fostex.com

GENELEC 

Genelec was founded in 

Finland in 1978, and monitor 

design and manufacture 

has been the core of 

its business ever since. 

Genelec is responsible for 

a number of key technology 

developments in monitoring 

that are in use today. 

The Genelec active monitor 

range includes examples of 

almost every confi guration, 

and Genelec also undertakes 

custom installations. 


GRIFFIN AUDIO 

Based in New York, Griffi n 

Audio is focused on 

uncompromising monitor 

design. The Griffi n range 

includes active two and 

three-way monitors, active 

subwoofers, in wall mounted 

and specialised active 

mastering speakers. 

www.griffi naudiousa.com 

HARBETH 

Based in the village of 

Lindfi eld, West Sussex, 

Harbeth manufactures both 

domestic and professional 

monitors. The professional 

range of active monitors 

have found homes in many 

places, but it is the BBC 

who have mainly taken to 

Harbeth, as its designs are a 

direct drop-in replacement 

for the LS3 and LS5 monitor 

speakers. 

www.harbeth.com 

HOT HOUSE 

Hot House Professional 

Audio is a small high-tech 

R&D driven company geared 

towards the development 

of standard-setting studio 

monitoring products. 

Hot House has introduced 

well over a dozen new 

amplifi ers, studio monitors, 

and active subwoofers over 

the last few years. The range 

includes passive two-way 

and a variety of active mid 

and farfi eld monitors. 

www.hothousepro.com 

JBL 

James Bullough Lansing 

established his company 

in Los Angeles back in 

1927 and was involved in 

the development of motion 

picture sound systems 

from the very beginning. 

From this, JBL has grown 

to supply monitor speaker 

systems for every area 

of the pro audio industry, 

including the LSR range 

with RMC (Room Correction) 

integration. 

www.jblpro.com 

KLEIN + HUMMEL 

Established 

in Germany 

in 1945, Klein 

+ Hummel 

studio monitors 

have been setting global 

standards in professional 

sound reproduction for 

decades. Conceived as 

acoustically uncompromising 

tools for the evaluation 

and fi ne-tuning of sound 

material, their range runs 

from small active two-way 

through analogue and digital 

three-way active monitors 

and active subwoofers. 

www.klein-hummel.com 


KRK 

Film sound 

engineer Keith 

Klawitter, and 

his need for a 

monitor of uncompromising 

accuracy and clarity, 

founded KRK in 1986. KRK 

now manufactures a range of 

active two-way monitors with 

active subwoofer options, 

and its four-way ultimate 

mains system. 

www.krksys.com 

LEGACY AUDIO 

From humble beginnings 

in a garage in the midwest 

USA, Bill Dudleston 

and Jacob Albright have 

sought to bring monitors of 

stunning craftsmanship for 

multiple applications to the 

world of pro audio, and have 

successfully done this for 

over two decades. Legacy 

has passive designs for all 

components of a surround 

system, and main speakers 

from the two-way Studio to 

the fi ve-way Helix. 

www.legacy-audio.com 

LIPINSKI SOUND 

Educated in Europe, and now 

based in the US, Andrew 

Lipinski founded Lipinski 

Sound in October 2003. As 

the only audiophile oriented 

manufacturer professionally 

active in both recording arts 

and engineering sciences, 

Lipinski Sound aims to 

advance the art of music 

recording and playback to 

the next level of reference. 

The range of passive units 

can be confi gured for stereo 

and surround applications. 

www.lipinskisound.com 

MACKIE 

Amongst Mackie’s range 

of extensive and, in some 

cases, ground breaking pro 

audio equipment was the HR 

monitor. This set a standard 

for affordable active studio 

monitoring which continues 

today with Mackie’s range of 

active monitors designed for 

studio and post applications 

in stereo and surround. 

www.mackie.com 

M-AUDIO 

M-Audio is part of Avid 

Technology Inc., and is 

focused principally on 

computer based studio 

systems. M-Audio has a 

range of speakers from 

micro desktop monitors 

to high spec active studio 

monitors for stereo and 

surround applications. 

www.m-audio.com 

ME-GEITHAIN 

German-based ME-Geithain 

manufactures the RL 

series of reference-class 

studio monitors with a 

design philosophy that 

encompasses one aim – to 

build speakers without 

colouration regardless of 

genre. The company takes 

responsibility for the whole 

production process, from the 

construction of the amplifi er 

through to the voice coil. 

www.me-geithain.de 

MEYER SOUND 

Meyer Sound was 

established in 1979 to 

create products for sound 

reinforcement and recording. 

Today, the company shows a 

track record of more than 27 

years of innovation, quality, 

performance, and support. 

Meyer Sound has speakers 

for every kind of sound 

reinforcement and industrial 

application, as well as near 

and farfi eld monitoring 

solutions for studio use. 

www.meyersound.com 

MISSION 

Founded in 1977, and 

producing the world’s fi rst 

polypropylene drive unit in 

the Mission 770 in 1978, 

Mission has pushed, and 

continues to push, forward 

and develop its extensive 

range of monitors for stereo 

and surround applications. 

www.mission.co.uk 

MK SOUND 

MK Sound was founded 

in 1974 by Ken Kreisel, 

Dr. Lester Field, and D. 

Jonas Miller and has over 

three decades worth of 

experience in designing and 

manufacturing subwoofers 

and other high-end 

loudspeakers. The company 

is best known for pioneering 

design concepts in powered 

subwoofers and satellite 

speakers, which have 

been used worldwide for 

surround sound monitoring 

applications. 

www.mksoundsystem.com 

MUNRO ACOUSTICS 

Munro has been designing 

and building sound facilities 

for over 25 years. It has 

maintained its profi le by 

adapting to the changing 

needs of these facilities. 

Munro designs and 

manufactures custom 

monitor installations for 

music, post, cinema, and 

mastering facilities. 

www.munro.co.uk 

NADY SYSTEMS 

Established in 1976 

by John Nady, Nady Systems 

has since diversifi ed into 

other areas of the industry 

and now manufactures a 

range of monitors from 

small two-way nearfi elds 

to large sound reinforcement 

systems. 

www.nady.com 

THE INTERNATIONAL MONITORS BUYER’S GUIDE 29 

>

Monitors Manufacturers Directory 

NHTPRO 

Founded in 1987, California 

based NHTPro has produced 

a number of award 

winning monitors for many 

applications. The range is 

made up of a number of 

small active systems for 

small desktop through to full 

surround setups. 

www.nhthifi .com 

PMC 

UK-Based PMC 

was founded in 

1990 by Peter 

Thomas and 

Adrian Loader. 

PMC produces precision and 

speaker systems featuring 

its unique Advanced 

Transmission Line design 

across the range. 

PMC manufactures both 

active and passive monitors 

for use in music studios 

through to full fi lm surround 

mixing environments. 

www.pmc-speakers.com 

PSI AUDIO 

In 1975 while 

still studying 

at the EPFL in 

Lausanne, Alain 

Roux produced 

the fi rst of his monitors 

under the PSI brand name. 

PSI Audio now produces 

active monitors in both 

stereo and surround 


www.psi-audio.com 

QUESTED 

Roger Quested began 

his career in 1968 and is 

the man behind Quested 

Monitoring System’s 

legendary soft-dome 

designs. Quested now 

produces a number of small 

nearfi eld passive and active 

monitors for use in all types 

of studio environment. 

www.quested.com 

SAMSON AUDIO 

Samson has been designing 

pro audio equipment for 

the last 26 years, initially 

wireless microphone 

technology, but now 

equipment across the pro 

audio world. Samson has 

a range of passive and 

active monitors from small 

computer audio monitors to 

full live PA systems. 

www.samsontech.com 

SLS LOUDSPEAKERS 

Since the early 1970’s, US 

based SLS Loudspeakers 

has been designing and 

manufacturing loudspeaker 

systems for both studio 

and sound reinforcement 

applications. Specializing in 

its Ribbon Driver Technology, 

SLS now has a vast array 

of monitors for critical 

studio, live, cinematic and 

commercial use. 

www.slsloudspeakers.com 

SONODYNE 

India-based Sonodyne was 

conceived in the late 1960s 

and was the brainchild 

of Ashoke Mukherjee, 

an engineer student 

from Roorkee University. 

Sonodyne Electronics Co. 

Pvt. Ltd. fi rst produced 

battery eliminators, then 

hi-fi amps and speakers in 

the 70s. The company now 

produces an impressive 

range of speakers for live 

and studio use. 

www.sonodyne.com 

SOUND PROJECTS 

Founded originally as Master 

Blaster in 1983 specializing 

in modular sound 

reinforcement systems, 

this Dutch company has 

slowly been re-branding its 

products as Sound Projects. 

The company now deals with 

small studio monitoring 

as well as continuing 

with sound reinforcement 

loudspeakers. 

www.soundprojects.com 

SURROUNDTEC 

German company 

SurroundTec designs and 

manufactures a range of 

monitors that can be either 

active or passive, and can 

be combined to create 

any stereo or surround 

confi guration required. 

www.surroundtec.de 

TANNOY 

Tannoy has 

been designing, 

developing and 

manufacturing 

some of the 

most familiar monitors in 

use in studios worldwide. 

Known for its development 

of Waveguide and Dual 

Concentric Driver 

technology, Tannoy now 

manufactures monitors for 

studio, live and commercial 

installations. 

www.tannoy-speakers.com 

TAPCO 

Tapco produces a range 

of small active two-way 

nearfi eld monitors, and both 

passive and active small 

PA speakers for multiple 


www.tapcoworld.com 

30 MONITORS MANUFACTURERS DIRECTORY 

TASCAM 

Tascam makes a vast 

range of gear for the audio 

professional, including a 

series of studio monitors. 

The VL-A Series are twoway, 

‘value-priced’ models 

with a complementary sub, 

and the top of the range 

VL-X series, and the VL-S 

series (incorporating NXT 

driver technology) complete 

the range. 

www.tascam.com 

TRUTH AUDIO 

US based Truth Audio 

currently produces a dual 

woofer two-way nearfi eld 

monitor that can be specifi ed 

in either a passive or active 

confi guration. There are 

plans to produce a larger 

mid-fi eld monitor. 

www.truthaudio.com 

UNITY AUDIO 

Since 1995 

Unity Audio 

has been 

distributing 

professional 

monitor 

brands and has recently 

unveiled its very fi rst foray 

into the speaker design and 

manufacture market. The 

Rock is the fi rst in the series 

with amp design by Esoteric 

Audio Research designer 

Tim De Paravicini. 

www.unityaudio.com 

WESTLAKE AUDIO 

Westlake Audio designs and 

builds loudspeakers that are 

as accurate to the source 

recording as currently 

possible, and researches 

methods of improving 

this technology for future 

generations of loudspeakers. 

Westlake Audio produces 

a range of monitors from 

small nearfi eld to large 

farfi eld, and wall mount 

speakers. 

www.westlakeaudio.com 

WHARFEDALE PRO 

Since 1932, Wharfedale 

has been at the forefront of 

loudspeaker technology – 

this impressive heritage in 

the design and manufacture 

of audio systems has led to 

the creation of Wharfedale 

Pro and a range of active 

and passive monitors for a 

wide spectrum of stereo and 

multi-channel applications. 

www.wharfedalepro.com 

YAMAHA 

Yamaha are of course 

responsible for the most 

popular nearfi eld monitor 

in pro studios, the NS10. 

Yamaha has continued to 

develop its monitor range 

and now has a wide range of 

active and passive speakers 

for all types of studio 

environment. 

www.yamaha.com

THE FIRST OF an EXCITING 

NEW RANGE OF monitors by 

For more information call Unity Audio on 01440 785843 

f: 01440 785845 e: sales unityaudio.co.uk www.unityaudio.co.uk

One Great Thing Leads to Another ... 

BM 6A mkII BM 12A 

... and Another 

Dynasty expanded 

The Dynaudio Acoustics BM 5A set a new benchmark for what an active 

nearfield studio monitor could be. The new BM 6A mk II and BM 12A take 

advantage of that same design philosophy while offering more power, 

more headroom and wider frequency response. 

As one of the few manufacturers that build our own drivers, we believe in 

a no compromise approach to designing studio monitors, whatever the 

application. The new BM 6A mk II and BM 12A are no exception to that rule. 

Dynaudio Acoustics - Superior tools for critical monitoring 

BM 5A BM 6A mkII BM 12A 

BM 9S 

BM 14S 

For details contact your dealer today or visit www.dynaudioacoustics.com 

TC ELECTRONIC A/S DENMARK • � + 45 8742 7000 

TC ELECTRONIC UK • � FREE 800 917 8926 • TCUK@TCELECTRONIC.COM 

WWW.DYNAUDIOACOUSTICS.COM 

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