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 – July 2008… With a strong international presence buoyed by a number of critically acclaimed recordings and a history of touring that further cements its status with music aficionados, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra has a rich history and is Canada’s principal large symphony orchestra. Under the leadership of conductor Peter Oundjian, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s performances are regularly recorded and released on the orchestra’s own TSO Live label as well as being available for download via Apple’s iTunes music store. Several new recordings are currently in the final mixing and mastering stages and the reference monitors used for these projects are none other than the Q Series from Equator Audio Research. more
Sonnox MD Rod Densham has announced that the company has joined the METAlliance Pro Partners. “We are extremely pleased to become a partner of this new and forceful alliance,” he remarked.
“Over recent years, Oxford Plugins have gained a wide recognition as the choice software for quality-conscious professionals for recording, broadcast and post-production. Sonnox intends to maintain this high-end reputation with a series of future product releases that follow the no compromise, high-performance ethos.”
The METAlliance is comprised of a group of globally-recognized, award-winning audio engineers and producers who have been deeply involved in establishing techniques and technical standards that are the foundation of modern music recording. The METAlliance Board of Directors is Chuck Ainlay, Ed Cherney, Frank Filipetti, George Massenburg, Phil Ramone, Elliot Scheiner and Al Schmitt.
Pro Partner membership is limited to companies which have shown a capacity and proclivity to manufacture and distribute products that meet the organization’s professional audio qualifications.
“Partnership with the METAlliance is ideal for us in terms of a fundamental attitude to product quality, intuitive functionality, ease of use, compatibility and support,” Rod Densham added. “Professionalism is a key concept for us and our customers, and our membership in the METAlliance will consolidate this.”
Sonnox Ltd. specializes in plug-in software for Digital Audio Workstations, and is based in Finstock, Oxfordshire, UK. Formed in April 2007 after a management buy-out of the Sony Oxford plug-ins business, Sonnox has expanded its product range and doubled its employees in the year since the move away from Sony. With a heritage that includes designers of the world-renowned OXF-R3 digital mixing console, Sonnox and its products are recognized as having an extremely high reputation for quality and performance.
Recognizing the industry’s success in bringing products offering convenience and low cost, the METAlliance is dedicated to the passionate commitment of securing the art of music through recording technologies that best deliver the music in all its many modern forms. To do this, quality needs to be recognized and supported.
Interested companies should contact:
Jim Pace, Dir. of Business Affairs: jpace@metalliance.com
METAlliance : strategic union of music producers and engineers dedicated to the highest standards of audio and delivery of music, securing the art through recording technology in all its evolving modern forms.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Auralex Acoustics, Inc. recently got the balance right for Presonus and Black Dog Studios. The industry leader in innovative sound control solutions was brought in by Presonus Audio Electronics, a designer and manufacturer of professional audio products, to balance sound for Black Dog Studios, an independent recording and editing facility owned by Presonus’ VP of Sales, Rick Naqvi. The space is utilized for independent projects, production work for all of Presonus’ training and product demo videos as well as several Presonus R&D projects. Several of Auralex’s state-of-the-art acoustical treatments are also installed throughout Presonus’ corporate headquarters. more
BETHLEHEM, PA – The StarCity Recording Company production team is giving fans a front-row seat to some of the most memorable live performances to be recorded of 70’s rock band KANSAS. The deluxe, expanded version of Two for the Show, the iconic 2 LP set from the legendary group was re-mastered at StarCity Studios. In addition to the re-mastering of the original release, this deluxe version contains 11 previously un-released performances. Jeff Glixman, president of StarCity Records and long-time producer for Kansas, teamed up with StarCity’s Chief of Production Zak Rizvi and Staff Engineer John Andreas to mix the new tracks and handle the mastering. The process began with Phil Ehart, Glixman’s KANSAS productions partner and the band’s founder/drummer, narrowing the large collection of available tracks down to the 11 selections. more
New Album Employs Ela M 251 Classic Mic Recreations
Pictured at Rocket Carousel Studios are (L-R) producer Greg Wells and recording artist Jamie Cullum. Photo by David Goggin.
The new album by British artist Jamie Cullum, produced by Greg Wells, utilizes a pair of Telefunken | USA Ela M 250E mics, faithful reproductions of the classic microphone originally marketed in 1959.
“This new microphone has all the warmth, the body, and the depth of the original,” remarks Greg Wells. “But the detail and the resolution of the high end has some extra quality that is especially appealing. They figured out a way to have it all, but it isn’t toppy; it doesn’t feel hyped at all. It’s a huge sounding microphone.”
Grammy-nominated Greg Wells has produced, written and/or recorded with Mika, OneRepublic, Katy Perry, Deftones, Pink, Rufus Wainwright, Otep, The Pussycat Dolls, Jewel, Michelle Branch, Hillary Duff, Celine Dion, The Veronicas, Ozzy Osbourne, and legendary music figures Aerosmith, Elton John, and Ahmet Ertegun. He produced “‘Apologize” by Timbaland featuring OneRepublic, which recently became the most played Top 40 hit of the past 20 years within a one week period.
“I was on the hunt for a vintage microphone, an original, and I was ready to throw down and buy,” recalls Wells. “But Darren Findley at Vintage King Audio strongly suggested that I check out Telefunken | USA, that I should really hear what they are doing.”
Originally sold in 1959 by Telefunken of Germany, the new Ela M 250E is a two-pattern (cardioid and omni) version of the famous Ela M251, and shares the same sonic performance and circuitry as one of the most sought after of vintage tube microphones.
“Alan Veniscofsky sent me out the mic for a test,” Wells continues. “I rented my favorite 250 and I had my own vintage Neumann U-47 up as well. We tried Jamie on all three and this new mic was the clear winner. Jamie loved it so much that he got one too.”
Rising star Jamie Cullum released his debut album in 1999, followed by Pointless Notstalgic in 2001. His third album, 2003’s Twentysomething, went Platinum and became the #1 selling studio album by a jazz artist in the United Kingdom. Primarily a jazz artist, Cullum performs in a wide range of styles and is generally regarded as a “crossover” artist with his musical roots firmly based in jazz. Cullum is well known not only for his abilities on the piano, but also for his striking musical presence. His third album, Catching Tales, was released in late 2006.
“We had a lot of fun messing around with different mics,” says Cullum. “We put them all up and we messed around with some old ones, some new ones, some classics, some non classics and this 251 just sounded really great. We did a lot of A-B ing and it really suited what we were doing, had a great vibe about it, and it just sounded really good.”
The Ela M 250E comes complete with a European made ECC81 tube, a new CK12 dual membrane capsule, custom wound Haufe transformer, vintage style Ela M 950 power supply, 10 meter Gotham Audio cable, locking leather bound flight case, wooden microphone box, owner manual, and a fully transferable lifetime warranty.
For information about Telefunken | USA visit www.telefunkenusa.com
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Universal Audio, a leading manufacturer of audio production hardware and software products, recently completed work on a recording studio designed and built for its new Scotts Valley, California facility. In order to reduce room reflections and frequency anomalies, Auralex Acoustics, Inc., the industry leader in innovative sound control solutions, outfitted the studio with its state-of-the art acoustical treatments.
“The control room, which is used to test new hardware and software products, as well as operate as a private recording facility in the evenings, was experiencing lingering issues with flutter echoes and low-end buildup.” explained Will Shanks, Universal Audio’s Product Manager. “Auralex provided the solution with a number of products, including its SonoSuede Pro System, its best-selling LENRD bass traps as well as its pArtScience SpaceArrays and Screen6 System, which I was first introduced to by Russ Berger himself. The Space Arrays are fantastic, and delivered exactly what we wanted.” more
Mastering Engineer Relies on Dangerous Music Equipment for Analog and Digital Releases
Edmeston, NY - June 26, 2008 - Mastering Engineer Mike Wells swears by his Dangerous Music setup as the best rig he’s ever used, and record labels agree by giving him lots of business - in one case an exclusive on all their mastering work. Through his use of the Dangerous Master for inserts and routing, Dangerous Monitor for input switching and monitor control and the Dangerous MQ for metering and headphones, Wells can turn out CD master and Vinyl pre-master files simultaneously, saving record labels and bands time and money - all while keeping an extremely consistent high-quality sound without tedious comparison listening.
“I recently completed mastering the new Sound Tribe Sector Nine CD, titled ‘Peaceblaster,’ it will be out this fall, with a special preview in July,” said Mike Wells. “Their label, 1320 Records, was really pleased with the quality of the mastering and the fact that in a single pass I can create both the CD master and the vinyl pre-master.” more
Toronto, Ontario, Canada – June 24, 2008 … There’s been no shortage of talking points so far: arguments with the fourth official, German coach Joachim Löw’s touchline ban, Bastian Schweinsteiger’s red card and his tremendous comeback in the quarter final against Portugal; and then, of course, the usual transfer gossip… And when the journalists assemble just after 12 o’clock for the German Football Federation (DFB)’s daily press conference, it’s the SWR (Südwestrundfunk, “Southwest Broadcasting”) that’s responsible for transmitting the sound and images from its HDTV OB truck FÜ2HD – in which an mc²66 console from Lawo resides at the nerve center of operations. more
AKG’s legendary C 414 microphone needs no introduction. It’s a tool found in most recording studios and has been used on thousands of hit records; it has been onstage with artists across every musical genre and is also used by leading broadcast facilities the world over. Today, AKG announced an important addition to the C 414 family: the new C 214 Recording Microphone.
The new C 214 offers a single-capsule, cardioid-only design that delivers class-leading performance with the same dual-capsule as the C 414, but using only one diaphragm instead of two. Thanks to its 20-dB attenuation pad and AKG’s ultra-low noise electronic design, the C 214 can be used in sound fields as high as 156 dB SPL. The C 214 features an integrated capsule suspension system that minimizes chassis-borne noise and resonances for even greater sonic accuracy.
“The AKG C 414 has been successful for more than 30 years due to continuous improvement of technical specifications, useful features, and ease-of-use. The evolution of the C 414 has been accepted by recording studios, broadcast stations, and live sound engineers,” explains Thomas Stubics, Product Manager at AKG. “Our new C 214 was designed as a budget-friendly alternative to the leading-edge C 414 family. Because the C 214 uses the same one-inch diaphragm as the C 414, the essence of that heralded C 414 sound has been captured in this newest model.”
The C 214’s double mesh, all-metal grille protects the capsule and ensures high RF immunity without affecting acoustical performance. The C 214 has road-tough construction quality with a modern scratch-resistant finish, a dent-resistant, metal grille and a gold-plated XLR-type output. It comes complete with a spider-type shock mount, windscreen, and metal carrying case.
AKG Acoustics introduced its new K 702 dynamic headphones today at InfoComm ‘08. The new K 702 headphones combine the superior sonic performance of AKG’s now-legendary K 701 with features demanded by recording and broadcast engineers in a deluxe professional package.
The K 702’s new features include a detachable input cable with a locking 3-pin mini-XLR connector. The high-performance, low-loss detachable cable makes transportation and storage easier plus makes servicing easy if necessary. The new K 702’s also feature a stage blue finish that is more rugged and professional looking than the K 701’s gloss white color.
“The K 701s are extremely successful, critically-acclaimed and much loved as personal monitors for audiophile listening” explained Sonja Malzer, Product Manager, AKG. “We’re now offering the K 702s for professional applications with features and appearance more suited for serious audio engineers who want and need the utmost in sonic detail for their work.”
The K 701 and the new K 702 are the world’s first headphones with flat-wire voice coils for unparalleled signal-tracking accuracy. Their patented Laminate Varimotion diaphragms eliminates spurious resonances and deliver an engaging listening experience with out-of-head imaging so that engineers can hear all the nuances of their sound. The K 702 is also very comfortable to wear during long studio sessions thanks to its buttery-soft, glove-leather headband and ergonomically-shaped, velour-covered ear pads.
The AKG K 701 and K 702 are hand-assembled at AKG’s facility in Vienna, Austria. Each headphone is carefully tested and serialized ensuring a product of exceptional quality. “Above all else, the new K 702 sounds exceptional!” Sonja Malzer continued. “Now studio engineers can get closer to their music thanks to these incredible, leading-edge headphones.”
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.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada – July 2008… With a strong international presence buoyed by a number of critically acclaimed recordings and a history of touring that further cements its status with music aficionados, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra has a rich history and is Canada’s principal large symphony orchestra. Under the leadership of conductor Peter Oundjian, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s performances are regularly recorded and released on the orchestra’s own TSO Live label as well as being available for download via Apple’s iTunes music store. Several new recordings are currently in the final mixing and mastering stages and the reference monitors used for these projects are none other than the Q Series from Equator Audio Research. more
