Distributed in 94 countries, Mix is the world's leading magazine for the professional recording and sound production technology industry. Mix covers a wide range of topics including: recording, live sound and production, broadcast production, audio for film and video, and music technology.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada - April 24, 2008 … Lawo, recognized globally as a leading manufacturer of digital audio networking and console systems for production, post production, broadcast, and related applications, is pleased to announce the mc²56 production console, the newest member of the mc² series. Following the mc²66, an industry standard for HD OB vans as well as broadcast and production studios - and the mc²90, established in many large HD studios, Lawo launches the new mc²56–a console with full mc² performance with a streamlined surface and compact dimensions.
Based on the existing mc² technology, the mc²56 offers the Lawo HD core with up to 512 DSP channels, 144 summing buses, and a routing capacity of up to 8,192 crosspoints. The complete functionality of the mc² series is available–including the transfer of snapshots within the mc² family, as well as dynamic automation and networking with other Lawo products.
The innovative element of the mc²56 lies in the newly designed control surface which offers direct access to essential operating elements. Functions which are rarely used are handled via the touchscreen graphical user interface. This design facilitates easy operation and a short learning curve. In addition, the new construction reduces fader width to 30 mm, which enables efficient and economic working. Every 16-fader bay offers fully featured metering on a high resolution TFT.
Lawo continues to offer modularity with options for a second fader row and the insertion of PPMs (peak program meters). With available frame sizes ranging from 32 to 80 faders and special flightcase versions, Lawo‘s new mc²56 may be adapted to a wide range of applications.
With the development of the mc²56, Lawo combines the performance, known from the mc² seal, with newly defined ease of operation. With these attributes, the mc²56 can be described as “Performance, pure and simple”.
About Lawo
Lawo is a manufacturer of digital audio networking systems and consoles for a wide range of applications from small to large scale audio production in television and radio, post production, and live sound. Established in the 1970s, the company‘s manufacturing center is located in the Rhine valley town of Rastatt, Germany. For additional information on Lawo‘s mc²56 console and all Lawo products, visit the company online at www.lawo.ca.
Sound Devices is improving the workflow from field production to post production with the introduction of its revised Wave Agent utility software. Compatible with both Mac and PC platforms, it provides comprehensive metadata editing tools and file playback for sound files recorded with the company‘s popular 7-Series Digital Recorders — the 702, 702T, 722 and 744T models as well as the newest recorder in the series - the 788T. The revised Wave Agent software made its debut at NAB 2008.
Available as a no-charge download from the company‘s website (www.sounddevices.com), Wave Agent helps users manage and edit Broadcast Wave file metadata (BEXT) and iXML metadata and allows for batch editing of large file libraries. Additionally, the software generates sound reports and standard .ALE (AvidLogExchange) files, ensuring the reports can be viewed regardless of the editing application being used. Wave Agent offers users the flexibility to modify sound report templates to meet the needs of each project.
The software‘s interface is user-friendly and features a drag-and-drop interface to copy and move files. Wave Agent has a large display for time code, actual time, and remaining time counters. To help correct sync issues in post, Wave Agent users can modify time code frame-rates to correct mistaken frame-rate settings.
“File and workflow management has become an important part of production sound,” says Jon Tatooles, managing director of Sound Devices. “This new release of Wave Agent gives users a great deal of power to prepare and manage the growing amount of sound files generated during production.”
In addition to the administration of metadata, the software allows for the playback and conversion of any type of .WAV file (poly, mono, bit depth, sample rate). Wave Agent converts .WAV file between monophonic and polyphonic formats. It also features an intelligent batch mono-combine function. Users also have the ability to control the gain, pan, solo and mute tracks during playback, as well as define in and out points for repeat playback of file segments.
Sound Devices celebrated ten years as one of the industry‘s leading manufacturers of portable audio mixers, digital recorders and related audio equipment for production sound at NAB 2008.
Founded by Jon Tatooles, Jim Koomar and Matt Anderson in 1998, Sound Devices‘ focus has been on building relationships with its users and developing technologies tailored to their specific needs. Since that time, the company has revolutionized field production with the introduction of the industry‘s first compact, full-featured field mixer, the 422, and the digital replacement to the DAT recorder, the 7-Series of digital recorders — 702, 702T, 722 and 744T. These models and others in the Sound Devices line have become the top choice for broadcasters of episodic television, film, and news organizations.
“The broadcast market has always been a passion of ours. Jim, Matt and I are driven by gear and enjoy developing new and innovative products for our users,” says Sound Devices Managing Director Jon Tatooles. “While technologies we develop will evolve, our commitment to user-driven products will continue to provide tools to keep our users competitive.”
With the company‘s importance on user communication, Sound Devices offers a forum for users to communicate with each other as well as the company on its website, www.sounddevices.com. Helping to keep its users‘ abreast on the latest audio techniques and best practices for its products, the company‘s website also offers the Sound Notes Technical reference, a searchable index of technical articles, notes, and how-to information relating to general professional audio applications and the specific use of Sound Devices‘ products. Sound Notes is also available as an RSS feed.
Users of Holophone®‘s H4 SuperMINI, the world‘s first camera mountable surround microphone, will now have additional connection options with the company‘s new H4 Multi-Cable, which made its debut at NAB 2008.
The H4 Multi-Cable helps to reduce the height of the H4 SuperMINI microphone, dropping it a full 6 inches for a lower on-camera profile. It also allows the H4 SuperMINI‘s encoder, preamp and monitor module to be mounted in a variety of locations. With the H4 Multi-Cable, the H4 SuperMINI‘s microphone head connects directly to the camera through a cold shoe connector and the microphone‘s encoder is attached to the side of the camera or worn as a belt pack. The H4 Multi-Cable is available with a three-foot (90cm) or five-foot (1.5m) cable which connects the multi-channel microphone head to the encoder, maintaining the user‘s mobility.
“For field productions which involve extended equipment use, comfort and versatility become as important as function,” says Holophone CEO Jonathan Godfrey. “In response to our users‘ input we have increased the H4 SuperMINI‘s connectivity options so each user can select a setup which is comfortable for them. With all connections, users will have access to the superior sonic quality that the H4 SuperMINI surround microphone provides.”
Operators using the H4 Multi-Cable will have full use of the H4 SuperMINI‘s extensive feature list which includes virtual surround headphone monitoring, six channel discrete output, external center microphone input and Dolby ProLogic II® encoder which outputs 5.1 surround sound to any two channel recording device using Dolby Laboratories‘ Dolby® Pro Logic II® encoding technology. This allows audio captured by the H4 SuperMINI to be recorded to any standard broadcast camera. The recordings can then be decoded using a Dolby Pro Logic II or Pro Logic-compatible decoder.
Grammy-winning Producer Larry Klein and Mixer Helik Hadar Attend
Walter Becker, Grammy-winning co-founder of Steely Dan, has mastered his second solo album, “Circus Money”, at Bernie Grundman Mastering. On hand were mastering engineer Bernie Grundman, album producer Larry Klein and engineer/mixer Helik Hadar, who both earned Grammys this year for Herbie Hancock’s Album of the Year, “River: The Joni Letters.”
“Circus Money” explores moods and soundscapes reminiscent of Steely Dan, but influenced by bass-heavy Jamaican structures, relying on Becker’s strengths as a bass player and reinforced by Larry Klein’s bass player background, as well. Lyrics provide the humor, pathos, and dark scenarios expected from Becker and the Steely Dan oeuvre.
The new album features Walter Becker on bass and vocals, Jon Herington on guitar, Keith Carlock on drums, Ted Baker and Jim Beard on keyboards, Gordon Gottlieb on percussion and a chorus of outstanding background singers. Basic tracks were recorded by engineers Elliot Scheiner and Jay Messina in New York City at Avatar Studios. Overdubs and mixing were done by Helik Hadar at Market Street Studios in Santa Monica.
Becker’s previous solo album, “11 Tracks of Whack,” was released in 1994. “Circus Money” is slated for June 10 release on the 12 OVER 5 label, distributed by Mailboat Records.
LAS VEGAS, NV, APRIL 24, 2008–Clear-Com® Communication Systems recently delivered intercom solutions for the desktop PC with the introduction of its first software-based intercom system, Clear-Com Concert at NAB 2008. Clear-Com is the leading innovator of communications systems for the broadcast, live performance, government and commercial markets. This new multi-user and multi-channel intercom product provides broadcasters of all sizes with a reliable and cost-effective way to easily intercommunicate. more
Attention game sound developers: We're guessing you didn't always work in videogames; we know a lot of you have roots in music and post. Tell us why you made the switch to the game world, and the name of the first title you worked on by e-mailing mixeditorial@mixonline.com.
