HOPEWELL JUNCTION, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 2011: Although one is tempted to write baldly that John Arrucci is a percussionist just as, for example, Albert Einstein was a scientist, Arrucci’s modest nature would probably not tolerate the comparison. So… suffice it to say, Arrucci is very talented. His biography includes twenty-plus years on the faculty at Princeton University; study on three continents; mastery of Classical, Jazz, North Indian, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazilian, and other traditions; and a fine and very extensive list of composition and performance credits on high-profile albums, movies, and commercials. Arrucci’s latest passion is demonstrated in Metaphors, the first of three albums of his original compositions. Months of painstaking research led him to the Metric Halo ULN-8 preamp/converter/interface, on which the entire album was both recorded and mixed.

“I was updating my studio in preparation for Metaphors,” Arrucci said. “I needed preamps, AD converters, and a monitor controller. I was grateful for the help of three friends, each of whom is an expert engineer with a unique and strong opinion about audio.” Arrucci resolved to purchase only equipment upon which all three engineers could agree. “Two were Mac guys and the other was a PC guy,” he continued. “But that was just the start. They each had very different feelings and criteria.” To arrive at an unbiased decision, the group gathered together the contenders and then conducted a blind shootout. “The Metric Halo ULN-8 was the clear winner and earned each of their approvals,” he proclaimed.

One of the consulting engineers was Mike Cirile, who would also later record the initial session tracks for Metaphors. But before he did, Cirile gave Professor Arrucci some homework. “I am certainly not an engineer,” Arrucci asserted. “But I’m making a good-faith effort to become more knowledgeable about engineering. The Metric Halo ULN-8 is a deep piece of gear and it ships with some powerful routing and mixing software. Mike knew I wanted to really learn how to use it, so he gave me assignments to build [virtual] mixers in Metric Halo’s MIO Console. The assignments were complicated. I had to create big mixers that had all kinds of groups with ‘pre-fader-this’ and ‘post-fader-that.’ Although it was initially challenging, I learned a lot, and now I feel empowered.”

The first, Cirile-engineered sessions featured piano, bass, and, of course, drums. After that, Arrucci took over the engineering duties for his own overdubs, which included marimba, conga, vibraphone, alto flute, and a handful of other exotic instruments. “The ULN-8 was utterly solid,” he said. “I had had problems in the past with interfaces that didn’t want to play nicely with my Mac, but the ULN-8 was not only well-integrated in terms of the user-interface and stability, but there was also zero perceivable latency. It was nice to just use the box, without having to jury rig a work-around solution for latency on overdubs.”

He continued, “Everyone involved in the initial sessions commented about the strikingly beautiful sound on playback, before anything had been effected, processed or mixed. I felt gratified that my rigorous vetting process had paid off. The Metric Halo ULN-8 was really going to put the music, on which I’ve worked so hard in its best light.” Arrucci edited in Digital Performer and then used Digital Performer together with Metric Halo MIO Console to mix. Metaphors is now available at www.JohnArrucci.com, as well as from the usual suspects (iTunes, Amazon, etc.). A portion of the proceeds from album sales will go directly to the Rotary Foundation’s global fight to eradicate polio.

ABOUT METRIC HALO
Based in New York’s Hudson Valley, Metric Halo provides the world with high-resolution metering, analysis, recording and processing solutions with award-winning software and future-proof hardware. www.mhlabs.com

C200 used for mixing live events for TV, radio, internet and DVD delivery

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Remote Recorders, a high-end mixing facility based in Sydney, Australia, recently stepped up its control room with a Solid State Logic C200 HD Digital Production Console. The studio, which features a large, well-equipped control room with associated overdub/vocal booth, mixes live presentations for content providers including iTunes Australia, Abbey Road Studios’ Abbey Road Live Here Now, and music television channels such as Channel [V], Music Max and the Country Music Channel. The C200 allows the studio to handle all post production duties, while delivering a digital version of SSL’s industry standard ergonomic interface.

“Remote Recorders is one of Australia’s foremost specialists in live music audio production and post-production for radio, television, DVD and instant delivery,” says Cameron McCauley, director of Remote Recorders. “We had a very successful run over the years with an SSL 4000 series console, but the time had come where we needed to move into a digital console with more capacity. The C200 gives us the digital console version of Total Recall™ so recalling the settings of a project is very fast. We have the familiar SSL automation and channel layout our engineers have been used to with the 4000, plus we continue to be able to offer SSL’s sonic heritage to our clients. As a bonus, we have a console we can easily upgrade and expand at a later date. The C200 covers all bases for what we do.”

Remote Recorders has worked with a raft of top acts including everyone from Kanye West, Coldplay, Mia and Muse to The Pixies, Chemical Brothers, Moby, Iggy Pop and Blondie, to name a few. Some other recent projects include live DVD’s for the Powderfinger “Sunsets” tour and the ARIA iTunes countdown for Live Nation.

“The integrated features on the C200 are a lifesaver in terms of workflow efficiency,” states McCauley. “We can control our DAW from the desk and offer multiple 5.1 and stereo mixes to our clients. In every way, the C200 helps us to accomplish more in less time, while maintaining the highest quality levels, allowing us to participate in services like instant delivery.”

Solid State Logic is the world’s leading manufacturer of analogue and digital audio consoles and provider of creative tools for music, broadcast and post production professionals. For more information about our award-winning products, please visit: www.solidstatelogic.com.

Award-winning Artist’s New “Journeys” Album of Flute Concertos Mastered in San Francisco

San Francisco, CA – December 1, 2011 – Mastering Engineer Michael Romanowski recently completed the CD master for award-winning artist Laurel Zucker‘s new “Journeys” release. The album of Zucker’s original flute concertos was produced by Laurel Zucker and long-time Bay Area recording engineer and producer Leslie Ann Jones and recorded at Skywalker Sound in Marin County, CA. Ms. Jones brought the project to Romanowski’s San Francisco mastering studio and listened back on the studio’s Focal Grand Utopia speakers making final adjustments for the master of Zucker’s flute performances. Ms. Jones is currently mastering several projects with Romanowski at his SF studio. more

BUENA PARK, Calif.—As part of the American Express UNSTAGED series of webcast concerts (via Vevo and YouTube), Mary J. Blige performed her breakthrough 1994 album My Life, followed by selections from its sequel out November 21st, My Life II … The Journey Continues (Act 1) featuring a collaboration with Nas on ‘Feel Inside’ at the Club Nokia in Los Angeles.

Le Mobile’s Guy Charbonneau brought his specialized Le Fly-Pak system to record the UNSTAGED concert live. A Yamaha DM2000 was integrated into the Le Fly-Pak system for the purpose of mixing the live performance. “The Club Nokia is pre-wired with fiber tie lines that connect to the AEG offices,” states Charbonneau. “The Yamaha DM2000 had been setup in an adjacent AEG office that was temporarily converted into a control room. The remote control room made mixing the live performance possible.” The performance was broadcast simultaneously on YouTube and Vevo capturing over 1.4 million viewers.

Charbonneau said the entire show was recorded in pristine form through the use of Madi/fiber lines, connected to the Yamaha DM2000 and to Le Mobile’s on stage Fly-Pak. “Le Fly-Pak systems interconnect both cleanly and swiftly to the DM2000 especially with the addition of the Yamaha MADI cards, which add an additional 64 channels using Fiber or Coax cable.”

The Le Fly-Pak System is one of the most versatile, complete, high-end systems on the market today. Contained in 8 road cases, it offers great flexibility for recording projects, records, audio for live concert DVD, television, and broadcasts. The system consists of 64 channels of microphone preamps (48 channels of Grace Design 801 and 16 channels Millennia HV-3D), ProTools HD, Apogee Converters, Apogee Big Ben, RME ADI 648 MADI converter, a video sync and time code generator for video interface, full 64-tracks of redundant hard disk recording system, and JBL LSR monitors. Le Mobile can also of integrate one of Le Mobile’s Studer 24-track analog A-800s into the plug and play system.

For more information on Le Fly-Pak, visit www.lemobile.com.

For more information on the Yamaha DM2000, visit www.yamahaca.com.

-END-

PHOTO ID: LeMobile’s Guy Charbonneau

About Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc.:
Yamaha Commercial Audio Systems, Inc. (YCAS) provides a full line of integrated professional audio products offering complete systems solutions for the broadcast, sound reinforcement/installed sound, touring, commercial recording, and post production markets. The company remains the official U.S. and Canadian distributor for all NEXO speaker products. YCAS offers comprehensive in-house and field product training for its customers, a dedicated dealer network, and 24/7 technical support.

The recent addition of the new Thunderbolt I/O connection to Apple Mac computers means data can be transferred faster than ever – 10Gbps of bidirectional throughput plus a separate display bus.

Lightning fast speed and huge bandwidth has meant Thunderbolt can accommodate nearly any existing connection to a variety of external devices with the necessary adapter, including Prism Sound FireWire audio interfaces Orpheus and ADA-8XR.

After extensive testing on the latest Mac OS X Lion 10.7.2 operating system the Sonnet Thunderbolt Adapter passed with flying colours and will allow Prism Sound FireWire interface users to maintain the same software control and functionality they are currently benefiting from through the FireWire 800 and 400 connection.

Any Apple Mac sporting the new Thunderbolt connection (currently the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac and Mac Mini) will be able to connect to our Orpheus and FireWire ADA-8XR including the latest Mac Book Airs, which was previously lacking any connection above USB 2.0 speed.

MacBook Pro, iMac and Mac Mini users will benefit from an extra bus through the Thunderbolt connection meaning external Hard Drives and other FireWire devices can be used simultaneously with the Prism Sound Orpheus and ADA-8XR FireWire interfaces.

FireWire, Thunderbolt and the development of standalone software means native audio production has never been more popular providing the perfect solution for users requiring the freedom of flexibility between hardware and software combinations, expandability through cascading multiple units and devices via the convenience of a single connection.

For more information about Prism Sound’s professional audio solutions, please visit www.prismsound.com

-ends-

About Prism Sound
Founded in 1987, Prism Sound manufacture high-quality professional digital audio equipment for the International broadcast, film, music production, manufacturing and telecommunications sectors. The company’s product range includes the Prism ADA-8XR precision 8-channel converter unit, which is regularly used for music and film soundtrack projects by clients such as EMI Abbey Road, BBC, Sony, Lucasfilm and Walt Disney. Prism Sound also manufactures a range of audio test and measurement products, including the de facto standard DSA-1 handheld digital audio generator/analyser and the dScope Series III audio analyser system.

For more information: www.prismsound.com

The analogue recording technology that was prevalent in the late 1960s gave the music of that era a very specific sound, which is difficult to recreate in today’s digital age.

However, this was the challenge producer Steve Levine faced when he was asked to record a project for music publisher Audio Network that evoked the vibe of soul music of the 1960s.

“Very often film and television production companies, when sourcing music for picture, may not want to use actual songs because they are trying to create an atmosphere rather than have people evoke their own memories,” Steve Levine explains. “Many of those 1960s songs are so well known that it’s hard to watch a scene objectively.”

Working with Audio Network composer Terry Devine-King, Levine set up a recording session in Toe Rag Studios, London, where studio owner Liam Watson has a wealth of vintage analogue equipment, including a classic EMI Red desk. He used a vintage Studer A80 8-track tape machine to record the backing tracks onto one inch tape and transferred them to Logic via a Prism Sound Orpheus. Further overdubs at Toe Rag via the Orpheus were blended with analogue 1” recordings. The material was then taken back to Levine’s own studio, Manmade Soul, so that he could work on lead vocals, final overdubs and the mix.

“It took all my skill and knowledge of vintage and modern production techniques to capture the right sound,” Levin says. “I wanted to preserve the integrity of the sound captured on tape, which is why I chose to use an Orpheus. The Prism Sound interface was patched directly from the back of the tape machine. This worked really well because it is completely transparent and what I was transferring sounded exactly as it did on tape, with no further coloration.”

Levine adds that the session was all about combining microphone placement with the sonic qualities of the tape, the desk and the vintage analogue outboard gear.

“These days one inch tape is expensive so after recording the backing tracks we overdubbed the brass and strings using modern Audio Technica ribbon microphones fed straight through Orpheus and into Logic. This worked really well and allowed us to combine the sound of analogue with the very best that today’s recording technology has to offer. We actually managed to complete the entire project using just three reels of tape.”

Levine, meanwhile, is putting his Prism Sound Orpheus to good use on a number of other projects. One of these involved a masterclass at Buckinghamshire University, where he gave students a practical demonstration in sound recording and mixing techniques.

“The students recorded my new signing, Daytona Lights, in a nearby church hall and I recorded them at a smaller gig. I then took the multitrack files back to the university’s studio to tidy it up and mix it,” he says. “I gave them a few tips and showed them some tricks you can do. It’s always good to have equipment of this caliber on hand when you are recording live sound – and it’s nice to be able to introduce the next generation of sound engineers and producers to the best tools on the market.”

-ends-

About Prism Sound
Founded in 1987, Prism Sound manufacture high-quality professional digital audio equipment for the International broadcast, film, music production, manufacturing and telecommunications sectors. The company’s product range includes the Prism ADA-8XR precision 8-channel converter unit, which is regularly used for music and film soundtrack projects by clients such as EMI Abbey Road, BBC, Sony, Lucasfilm and Walt Disney. Prism Sound also manufactures a range of audio test and measurement products, including the de facto standard DSA-1 handheld digital audio generator/analyser and the dScope Series III audio analyser system.

For more information: www.prismsound.com

Celebrations Rock Legendary Memphis Recording Studio

Ardent Studios, founded by John Fry, is celebrating 45 years as a center of unforgettable music emanating from the heart of Memphis, Tennessee.
Capping off a year of celebration, friends and the extended family of Ardent producers, engineers and musicians gathered for a gala reunion gathering and a toast to the next era of the famed studio.

Ardent Studios began its rich history with early classics by Sam & Dave, Led Zeppelin, Isaac Hayes, Leon Russell and The Staples Singers, then scored hits in the 70s, 80s and 90s with such artists as James Taylor, ZZ Top, REM, George Thorogood, The Allman Brothers, Bob Dylan, and Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

21st Century stars continue to walk through the doors: Three 6 Mafia, Cat Power, North Mississippi Allstars, Three Doors Down, White Stripes, a reunited Big Star, Bob Dylan, John Hiatt, the Raconteurs and Smashing Pumpkins, among many others. Ardent’s passion for the music has translated into more than 75 gold and platinum albums and singles — and still counting.

The Ardent story began when the teenage John Fry built a studio in his family’s garage, where he recorded his first Ardent Records 45s. “In 1966, I was done with school and my family sold our house,” he recalls. “I felt it was time to make a career commitment to recording music.” He found a new store building on Memphis’ National Street, which he shared with a bookshop.

The original equipment came from the garage operation: Altec tube console, Ampex 2-track, Pultec EQ and Neumann mics — some of which are still in use today. The legendary Tom Dowd was consulting with Auditronics on an early multitrack console for nearby Stax Records, and Fry ordered the same input modules for his second board. Next came a Scully 4-track, the first EMT plate reverbs in the area, and the beginnings of a world class collection of gear.

As a young studio owner, Fry was fortunate to get the overflow work from Stax Records. Walking through the Ardent doors came Isaac Hayes, Booker T. and the MGs, The Bar-Kays, Johnny Taylor, Rufus Thomas, and Albert King, as well as Leon Russell and artists on his Shelter label. “It was great to have the chance to work with all these great artists and producers,” Fry says, “We were amazed that they would take a chance on a bunch of young kids.” Top artists came back, and brought their friends.

Ardent became home to young producers and engineers such as Jim Dickinson, Terry Manning, Joe Hardy, John Hampton, Paul Ebersold, and later, many other successful figures who are part of the Ardent family circle, which includes Skidd Mills, Jeff Powell, Jason Latshaw, and Pete Matthews.

In 1971, Ardent Studios moved to its present location on Madison Avenue, followed by the acquisition of 24-track recorders, bigger consoles and more gear. During this 45th Anniversary year, the famed Studio C control room was completely torn down and rebuilt, while the venerable vintage Neve console was repackaged as a sidecar for the newly installed SSL Duality desk. “It was time to bring Ardent into the 21st Century world of recording, yet keep the legacy intact,” added the studio’s founder and first engineer, John Fry.

Fry cites several reasons for his continued success in a business which has few survivors from the early days. “We’re flexible and we’ve always strived to adapt to the changes in the recording industry. We’ve also been fortunate to have so much talent on our staff, and long term relationships with successful artists and producers. Also, having a production company, a record label, and a publishing business has allowed us to be one of our own best clients.”

For information about Ardent Studios, visit: http://www.ardentstudios.com

Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” and Black Eyed Peas’ “The Beginning” Nominated

Bernie Grundman Mastering engineers Chris Bellman and Brian “Big Bass” Gardner are nominees for Outstanding Creative Achievement in the 27th Annual TEC Awards. Gardner mastered Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream,” which is a nominee in the categories for Record Production/Single and Record Production/Album. Bellman mastered the Black Eyed Peas’ The Beginning, a nominee in the Record Production/Album category. Voting deadline has been extended to December 15.

The awards for Creative Achievement recognize the producers, engineers, sound designers and editors, studios, tour companies and others behind the sound of diverse entertainment media. Nominations were made by a panel of more than 160 audio professionals who voted among a wide variety of projects released during the eligibility period of July 1, 2010 to August 30, 2011.

The TEC Awards ceremony will be held at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA on Friday, January 20, 2012. Co-presented by the TEC Foundation and NAMM, the TEC Awards is the professional audio industry’s most prestigious recognition of outstanding achievement in product innovation and sound production.
For more information about the TEC awards, visit: http://www.tecfoundation.com
For more information about Bernie Grundman Mastering, visit: http://www.bgmastering.com

EMI Music Germany is about to release Live In Leipzig, a DVD that captures the performance of legendary German pop star Herbert Gronemeyer during his recent Schiffverkehr tour.

This major project, which was filmed in one evening, encompasses Gronemeyer’s ‘warts and all’ approach to live DVDs by allowing the viewer to see and hear the concert as it really was.

“What is on the DVD is 100% pure,” says producer Alex Silva who was responsible for mixing the audio. “As nothing was going to be repaired or fixed in the mix, everyone had to bring their A-game to the concert, which certainly made for an adrenaline filled evening behind the scenes. Of course there were problems – with a live event a lot can go wrong and technically things often do. For this project we had to contend with heavy rainfall on the crowd microphones (and there was a lot of rain) to interference on the 128 radio mics – not to mention things that were best left in the bar after the gig!”

Originally from Cardiff, Alex Silva has been part of Gronemeyer’s production team for nearly 15 years. He began his career in record production under the direction of former Eurythmics artist and producer Dave Stewart and has subsequently worked with many international artists including Texas, Mick Jagger, Daryll Hall, Manic Street Preachers, Suede and Jon Bon Jovi.

For the Live in Leipzig project, Silva and Gronemeyer chose to mix at Hansa Studios in Germany, in conjunction with Michael Ilbert. Integral to the sound of the mix was Prism Sound conversion. Silva used a Prism Sound ADA-8XR multichannel AD/DA converter with a Pro Tools digital interface option as a replacement for 192 and 96 IOs that come as standard on a Pro Tools system.

“We chose Prism Sound conversion for its sound quality and also for its versatility.” Silva explains. “We used the unit as our converter while transferring the multitrack audio from one Pro Tools system to another to create the 5.1 mix. We also used it for the analogue fold-down for the stereo mix. The converter did everything I had hoped for and I was very happy with the results.”

As with any live recording, preparation is key to its success and this project was no exception.

“My production technique in this situation really happens in the rehearsal process,” Alex Silva says. “Technically there was a lot of preparation for these shows and artistically the songs had to be re-worked to suit a stadium environment. Basically, I push things as far as possible without tiring everyone’s patience.”

After 14 years of collaboration, Silva and Gronemeyer have developed a close relationship that enables them to know how the other will react and think during the recording and mixing process.

“We have our own studio, which is based around an API board and a Pro Tools system, plus we also have a lot of vintage mic pre’s and outboard equipment such as Helios, D. W Fern and ADL, and a great collection of microphones including Altec, RCA, Telefunken and Coles,” Silva says. “Part of my work is to challenge the artist creatively and this is something that Herbert excels at. He has a gift for letting go and allowing his songs to evolve without fear. It is very liberating for a producer to feel trusted and be allowed to explore a song’s potential. Herbert has an amazing gut feeling for things and I know I can reply on his opinion. For me, that is the mark of a truly great artist.”

Herbert Gronemeyer’s Live In Leipzig DVD was filmed by Austrian production company Just 24/7 and will be released through EMI Germany this month.

-ends-

About Prism Sound
Founded in 1987, Prism Sound manufacture high-quality professional digital audio equipment for the International broadcast, film, music production, manufacturing and telecommunications sectors. The company’s product range includes the Prism ADA-8XR precision 8-channel converter unit, which is regularly used for music and film soundtrack projects by clients such as EMI Abbey Road, BBC, Sony, Lucasfilm and Walt Disney. Prism Sound also manufactures a range of audio test and measurement products, including the de facto standard DSA-1 handheld digital audio generator/analyser and the dScope Series III audio analyser system.

For more information: www.prismsound.com

HOPEWELL JUNCTION, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 2011: Fumuj is not an ordinary band. Formed in 2003 by drummer Romain Pasquier and bassist Fred Guillon in their home country of France, the band has released three studio albums with wide popular appeal and critical praise. In support of their latest effort, Drop a Three, Fumuj is touring with a unique and forward thinking approach. Using specially designed LED drums, vibrating towers, inflatable vibration receivers, and real-time music modified video systems, their tour encourages members of the deaf community to attend and participate. Pasquier, who also moonlights as a sound engineer, recording and mixing for French post-production facilities Piste Rouge, Transatlantic Video, and Metropole Television, uses the band’s Metric Halo ULN-8 preamp/interface both live and in the studio.

Although the band has now blossomed to include five members, Fumuj’s music is still sufficiently complicated that some backing tracks must come off of a DAW when the band plays live. Ableton Live sequencing and synthesis software gives Fumuj an inspiring balance of prepared material and spontaneous modifications, and the stems that it outputs filter through Metric Halo’s MIO Console software before wending their way to the external world via the Metric Halo ULN-8. A Midas Venice console grabs the stems and mixes them with Fumuj’s other electronic instruments, such as a Studio Electronic SE-1, an Access Virus, and various vintage analog synths. Rather than merely feeding the Midas’ outputs to the house, several of the signals are first delivered to amps, which gives them a more authentic and lively feel.

“The Metric Halo ULN-8 is tremendously powerful in this capacity,” said Pasquier. “I treat several of the stems with Metric Halo’s peerless Character modeling, which gives them a subtle honesty that helps with the overall mix. In addition, I can use the ULN-8 and MIO Console to record the dry output from the Midas as well as a mastered output using the ULN-8′s onboard DSP. Despite everything that it’s doing, the ULN-8 presents absolutely no perceptible latency and is perfectly reliable. We never deal with bugs or crashes, which is obviously a hugely important factor when taking a piece of gear on stage.”

Pasquier first encountered a Metric Halo interface during the mastering of Fumuj’s second studio album, The Robot and the Chinese Shrimp. He was at London’s famous mastering house, The Exchange. Now, when they are in the studio, Fumuj uses the Metric Halo ULN-8 together with Pro Tools, Logic, or Digital Performer, the platform depending principally on which of the many studios throughout France the band is using at the moment. “MIO Console is fantastic for a band that moves as often as we do,” said Pasquier. “No matter the DAW, MIO Console integrates transparently. It’s also a creative tool. With real zero-latency and high-end DSP, we often experiment with Metric Halo’s re-amping, distortion, and complex signal routing.” On their recent projects, including Drop a Three, Fumuj used the ULN-8 to record all vocals and synthesizers. A Euphonix MC Control integrates seamlessly with Pasquier’s setup to deliver simple hardware control of MIO Console.

For future recordings, Pasquier hopes to add additional Metric Halo input channels. “I think Metric Halo converters are simply the best,” he said. “And that’s not just compared to other compact interfaces, but also to the expensive standalone converters that do nothing but convert. The ULN-8 out-converts those boxes, and does so much more… all in one rack unit! The power to mix within the box with 80-bit summing is also critical. We once had a blind test in a studio that pitted our ULN-8 against a very famous, very expensive, and dedicated analog rack summing unit. Having sunk so much into that box, the studio owner was disappointed when the ULN-8 came out on top!”

ABOUT METRIC HALO
Based in New York’s Hudson Valley, Metric Halo provides the world with high-resolution metering, analysis, recording and processing solutions with award-winning software and future-proof hardware. www.mhlabs.com