Fabio Lendrum Trusts Prism Sound To Deliver High Quality Results

A growing realisation that he wanted to create higher quality mixes and masters for his clients proved to be all the push producer and songwriter Fabio Lendrum needed to invest in a Prism Sound Lyra 2 audio interface.

“It made sense to have an interface that would bring me the clarity and quality I needed to meet new standards,” he explains. “I first heard the Prism Sound Lyra at an event at RAK studios in London and while I was there I bumped into an old friend, Matt Schwartz, who invited me to his visit his studio. We got into a very nerdy chat about gear, as producers and engineers always do, and he said: ‘If you want to play this game, Prism Sound is what you’ve got to get’.  I took his advice!”

Lendrum’s new Lyra 2 interface has now been installed in Studio 255, his project studio in London where he records vocals, produces, mixes and masters client projects, as well as teaching music production and DJ’ing.

At Studio 255, the producer and artist always comes first and we work hard to put their ideas and emotions to (digital) paper,” he says. “I have had my own studio for about four years, although it has moved about quite often during that time. I’m now finally settled in Kennington and fully used to the acoustics of my room. The equipment list includes my new Prism Sound Lyra 2, plus various pro audio products from Eve Audio, Avantone, Genelec, Moog, Roland, UAD and Korg.”

As a producer, engineer and songwriter, Lendrum has worked alongside some of the biggest names in music including Dallas Austin (Michael Jackson, Kelis), Rick Nowles (Nelly Furtado, Lykke Li, Stevie Knicks), and Kool Kojak (Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj, Flo Rida). He is also very familiar with the London DJ circuit having played in all the major clubs such as Fabric, Building Six, XOYO, KOKO, SeOne.

As well as his studio work, Lendrum is also head tutor at Subbass Academy and has written all the Logic Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced level courses as well as the Roland Aira Academy course, which is issued all over Europe.

Although Prism Sound’s Lyra 2 audio interface is designed for a wide variety of audio applications where a high-quality interface is needed, Lendrum is mainly using his as a digital output.

“I haven’t recorded any instruments or microphones through it yet, but I’m using the internal digital clipping, which sounds tasty,” he explains. “The overkill feature isn’t something I’ve used in the past; I love the way it sounds on my masters.”

He adds that he can now hear every nuance of his mixes and masters without any ‘weird’ colouration. “The stereo field feels more natural and the bass is definitely tighter. I paired the Lyra 2 with the Sonarworks Reference 3 and now my mixes are tighter than ever.”

Lendrum is currently focusing on making underground house music and techno but he still mixes and masters a wide variety of music including Hip-Hop and Pop. Whatever he does, his Lyra 2 is being used on every project and has become so indispensable that he says he feels awkward without it.

“It’s so small I can even take it away with me if I need to,” he says. “It doesn’t just sound great, it looks great, too!”

BLACK PEAKS ON THE RISE WITH SENNHEISER

Marlow, U.K., September 7, 2017 – Formed in 2013 in Brighton on the UK south coast, Black Peaks is a four-piece progressive rock band that are going places. Their debut album Statues has been described by The Independent as ‘an exceptional combination of alternative rock, heavy metallic riffs, prog infused concepts and subtle post-rock flourishes that all interweave to create an extremely accomplished debut’ and they have been championed by both Radio 1’s Daniel P Carter and Zane Lowe. Having started out, as most fledgling bands do, with an unrefined mix of microphones, adding Sennheiser to their inventory has made a world of difference.   

“We were originally an instrumental three-piece, which was me, Andrew Gosden on bass and Liam Kearley on drums,” explains guitarist Joe Gosney. “We quickly got Will Gardner (vocals) involved and from there our music really started to take shape. We spent 2013 and 14 playing a bunch of shows around the UK and getting tracks together for what would eventually become our debut album Statues.”

With their live performances becoming more frequent and higher profile – last year, for example, saw them support the Deftones, playing to a crowd of 12,000 at Wembley Arena and this year, as part of a six-week run round Europe and Scandinavia, Mastodon and System Of A Down – they wanted to upgrade their equipment, with microphones being the number one priority.

“We’re now using Sennheiser e 935s on Will’s vocal and 904s on Liam’s toms,” says their front-of-house engineer, Jack Childs. “I love the 935s for their clear glassy highs and rich low mids, the clarity is amazing. They work so well with Will’s voice as he has such a wide dynamic range. I find they perform really well when he’s whisper quiet, keeping their definition and clarity, yet they can handle the insane screams and extreme SPL that this guy can produce (he really is a loud chap)! When he is screaming at full tilt, the 935s continue to provide me with warm and balanced low mids, giving a full-bodied defined tone that makes pronunciation easy to hear, even in the most unruly of venues and spaces we play in.”      

Jack has found the biggest difference in using Sennheiser, compared to many of the other mics he’s tried with Will, is that they sound consistent throughout the show.

“I’ve found other leading brands tend to clog up with spit and start to sound dull after half an hour of use and its really apparent,” Jack adds. “I feel confident using the e 935s live, as I know they will do their job every show of the tour - these are some seriously well-built and hard wearing mics. The Black Peaks’ show is intense musically, but also physically. The mics have been thrown around stages all over Europe and after two years of vigorous touring they are still going strong and sound like new, even if they are looking a bit tired now.”  

“The last few years have been a bit of a whirlwind to be honest,” concludes Joe. “We have been so humbled by the response to Statues. “We have been touring the record for the past two years now and played hundreds of shows around the UK and Europe in support of it, and knowing that we have great sounding, reliable mics has made a world of difference.

“We're now back in Brighton, working hard on our next album and can't wait to get it out. When we start to tour it, our Sennheiser mics will be going with us!"

Image captions: 

1) Will Gardner of progressive rock band Black Peaks in close contact with the fanbase (© Ian Coulson)

2) An evolution e 935 reliably picks up Will Gardner’s energetic vocals (© Ian Coulson) 

About Sennheiser
Sennheiser is shaping the future of audio – a vision built on more than 70 years of innovation culture, which is deeply rooted within the family-owned company. Founded in 1945, Sennheiser is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of headphones, microphones and wireless transmission systems. With 20 sales subsidiaries and long-established trading partners, the company is active in more than 50 countries and operates its own production facilities in Germany, Ireland and the USA. Sennheiser has around 2,800 employees around the world that share a passion for audio excellence. Since 2013, Sennheiser has been managed by Daniel Sennheiser and Dr. Andreas Sennheiser, the third generation of the family to run the company. In 2016, the Sennheiser Group had sales totaling €658.4 million. www.sennheiser.com

Legendary Mixer Dave Pensado Makes Way for BAE’s 10DCF Compressor in His Workflow

Dave Pensado has been recognized as a top level mixing engineer since the ‘70s, and over forty years into his career he has his workflow down to a science. “Some of you have heard me say I don’t need another reverb, I don’t need another EQ, I don’t need another delay, and I sure don’t need another compressor,” he says in a nod to the many viewers who tune into his popular weekly YouTube series “Pensado’s Place,” where he talks gear and practice with industry-leading producers, engineers, and mixers. But recently, the BAE Audio 10DCF compressor has caused a reversal in Pensado’s sentiment. “I couldn’t have been more wrong.”

To test its mettle, Pensado tried the 10DCF in a battery of applications. He found the compressor both versatile and musical. First, he applied its compression to vocal takes by some of his well-known clients. “I tried it on T-Pain’s vocal, I tried it on a Nelly vocal, and it gave them character,” he says. “With a hip-hop song you want things to jump out at you but you still want to understand the lyrics, and I could get that sound with the 10DCF.” The compressor’s natural peak taming on sources as delicate as a vocal is attributable to its classic circuit design and all discrete wiring.

Drums with Authority, Guitars with Bite

Aside from a forward, yet intelligible vocal, Pensado says that low end is also key to hip-hop music. For him, the 10DCF’s inductor-based hi-pass filter makes it the perfect tool for processing drums. “The power comes from the low end, from the 808 and the drums,” he says. “With the 10DCF’s filter, you can determine how much low end comes through uncompressed and when you do that you can keep all that power but you can affect the more audible part of the spectrum in that drum. It just pushes the sound right in your face.”

For rock music, Pensado abides by a clear ethos to ensure the right energy in the mix. “To me, in a rock song, the guitars are where the power is at,” he explains. “If you’ve got wimpy guitars then you’ve got a wimpy song.” He obtains powerful results by placing the 10DCF on a single auxiliary channel to which he sends all of his guitar tracks. Utilizing the compressors intuitive attack, recovery, threshold, and ratio controls, he is able to easily dial in a sound that meets his exacting standards. “The 10DCF is like money. You almost don’t need any EQ at all when you’re using it.”

Roughness Transformed to Silk

Another useful application Pensado discovered is using the 10DCF to imbue keyboards with an anaIog smoothness that helps them sit well in the mix thanks to the compressor featuring both Carnhill and Jensen transformers in the path. “Keyboards or synthesizers—they’ve got a bit of a harsh sound to them because it’s a reconstructed waveform,” he says. “It has to be smoothed out, and going through the 10DCF really smooths over those little artifacts that don’t sound good.”

The transformer-based path also helped salvage a home vocal recording by a newer client Pensado is working with. “There was definitely some clipping on the mic, maybe the capsule collapsing a bit, he says. “I ran it through the 10DCF without much compression and it smoothed it out.”

Analog That Carries Its Weight

Despite its sonic smoothness, Pensado emphasizes the power of the 10DCF with slightly more aggressive language. “It feels to me like it grabs you the neck, throws you on the ground, and stomps on your neck. It’s really got some powerful stuff going for it!” It has joined a short list of analog gear that Pensado, who works almost exclusively ‘inside the box’ with digital plugins, recommends to his followers. “Anybody can design an electric circuit but only a handful of people can make an art form out of it,” he says. The ones that have a sense of musicality and are made by people who use the gear they create tend to work better for me. I really like the 10DCF and I think you guys should check it out.”

For more information on BAE Audio and the 10DCF, please visit baeaudio.com

About BAE Audio

BAE Audio is a U.S.-based manufacturer of high-end microphone preamp and equalizers, all of which are faithful to vintage designs of the seventies and before. The company is committed to the vintage philosophy of hand wiring and hand soldering all of its components to achieve a high quality and authentically vintage sound. For more information on BAE Audio, please visit our website at www.baeaudio.com.

Full AES New York 2017 Convention Schedule Online

Full AES New York 2017 Convention Schedule Online – the Big Apple Experiences Maximum Audio Beginning October 18

The full technical program and event list is now online for AES New York 2017. Hundreds of sessions are available to Convention registrants, with All-Access registration giving access to all the onsite sessions and the exhibition — affording the Maximum Audio experience. With the AES New York Convention less than 60 days away, now is the time to register and make plans to join us at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, October 18 - 21. AES New York 2017 will be co-located with the NAB Show New York 2017, and registration for AES New York 2017, including at the Exhibits-Plus level will give attendees access to the NAB Show New York exhibition floor and the content in the NAB Show New York’s Core Package (a $75 value). Register now, and reserve housing, for the 143rd AES Convention at aesshow.com. Online pricing discounts end soon. Join us as we take Maximum Audio to the next level!

DPA Microphones Heats Up the Frozen Desert for Documentary, Antarctica, A Message from the Other Planet

When Nerio Gutierrez, co-owner of Madrid-based production company, Playground Estudio, was given the challenge of producing a documentary about Antarctica's view of the world, he knew he was going to be up against some of the most extreme weather conditions. In order to capture the unique sounds and ambience of this harsh, frozen land, he turned to a selection of microphones from DPA Microphones for the documentary titled Antarctica, A Message from the Other Planet. "The most important thing in a project like this is to be sure that your tools will respond in any condition without any worries," says Gutierrez. "We faced extreme cold, extreme moisture and extreme winds, but our DPA d:dicate™ 4017B Shotgun, d:dicate™ 4011C Cardioid and d:screet™ 4061 Necklace Microphones worked incredibly well and gave us the best sound we could possibly get from a place like Antarctica. One of the most amazing experiences we had was using our DPA mics to capture tiny snowflakes flying around with absolutely nothing else around. This was an incredible sound and there is no doubt that we were only able to catch that kind of detail thanks to our DPA microphones."  For the documentary, the crew spent six weeks aboard the Spanish Navy's scientific vessel, Hesperides. They also spent time on the continent itself as well as on several islands recording sounds from penguin colonies, whales, zodiacs, sea wolves, marine elephants, icebergs, winds and Drake's Passage (the wildest sea in the world).

Press Release- Antelope Audio Announces Partnership with BAE Audio, as Company Prepares Imminent Release of Authentic, Vintage Product Emulations

Santa Monica and North Hollywood, Calif.,

May 18, 2016 — Clocking, conversion and Effects technology expert Antelope Audio has announced a partnership with BAE Audio wherein the two companies will collaborate on delivering authentic digital emulations of some of the most classic vintage recording gear. The digital emulations, which utilize Antelope's proprietary FPGA engine, will enable users of Antelope's Orion Studio, Zen Tour and Goliath to access faithful recreations of the originals— without ever having to reach for a piece of outboard gear or software plug-in.

The first emulation to be introduced is the BAE Audio 1073 EQ, a classic preamplifier/EQ known for its authentic transformers and authentic, premium grade components based on original specifications. The EQ from the BAE 1073 will become available this week at no additional charge for owners of Antelope's new Thunderbolt interfaces. Over the coming days and weeks, Antelope Audio will be announcing several more digital emulations, including BAE's entire range of EQs and compressors, which the company says will have a revolutionary impact on the traditional plug-in market.

"We believe that BAE Audio has created the very best modern version of the vintage 1073," commented Marcel James, Director of U.S. Sales for Antelope Audio. "Therefore BAE was the obvious choice for us to partner with on this and other upcoming products based on their established pedigree. The company's reputation precedes itself, as evidenced by the mountains of BAE gear routinely being used in top studios and on many hit records — oftentimes right alongside the original 1073’s. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship."

Antelope’s emulations, which are unique on the market and utilize a proprietary FPGA engine, enable real-time effects processing before a signal even reaches the DAW component. This allows users to access authentic digital emulations of the most classic hardware in real time without buffering. This technique, which Antelope's research team has been developing for years and which is present in all of Antelope's new interfaces, uses it’s hardware FPGA circuit to recreate the characteristics of vintage analog circuits, maintaining the true feel and response of real hardware.  Antelope’s FPGA is an actual digital hardware processor, avoiding the need for buffered plugins which add undesired latency and often artifacts to the sound.  

Mark Loughman, President of BAE Audio, commented on the new partnership: "We’ve been approached by many companies on doing digital emulations in the past, and have always been hesitant on the 'company fit'. When Antelope approached though, it was different — we use their converters in house for demos and testing, and are intimately aware of the quality and innovation in their products. We knew Antelope would be able to capture the essence of the original BAE 1073 better than anyone else on the market and we are very pleased at the result."

For more information on Antelope's new interfaces featuring BAE Audio emulations and the company's parallel processing technology, please visit http://www.antelopeaudio.com.

Press Release - iZotope Launches Ozone 7: Vintage-Inspired Mastering Tools

 iZotope, Inc., makers of award-winning software for audio production, now has released the latest version of their flagship mastering software, Ozone.

Ozone 7 is a set of essential mastering tools that enable both professionals and aspiring music producers to easily add a final level of polish to their mixes and audio recordings. While retaining the elegant workflow and precision audio processing of previous versions, Ozone 7 brings the best sonic characteristics of analog hardware to modern digital recordings.

Ozone 7 main Interface with dynamic EQ

The Ozone family of products includes both Ozone 7 and Ozone 7 Advanced, which includes additional features for gluing together a mix. Ozone 7 Advanced users can take advantage of four brand-new vintage-inspired modules, designed to add deep, rich analog character to digital recordings. Additionally, the new Codec Preview feature lets Advanced users audition the effect of industry-standard codecs on their master, making it easier to make necessary adjustments before exporting for digital distribution.

Ozone 7 Vintage EQ

By starting with Ozone's expansive collection of presets, pros and newcomers alike can quickly achieve authentic sounds in any genre. Through helpful visualizations and intuitive controls, the software aims to takes the guesswork and manual labor out of the mastering process, helping users experiment without fear of making the wrong sonic choices.

"Ozone 7 builds on iZotope's reputation for superior sound quality and mastering tools," says iZotope Product Manager Izzy Maxwell. "We've added new processing capabilities that honor all the aspects of vintage hardware that people love-warmth, saturation, character, richness-and reimagines them for the modern digital music production realm."

Ozone 7 Key Features:

• Vintage Limiter: Glue a mix together, control dynamic range, and add character
• Vintage Tape [Advanced only]: Add the distinctive sonic characteristics of analog tape to modern digital recordings
• Vintage Compressor [Advanced only]: Add subtle warming and sweetening effects with a single-band, program-dependent vintage compressor
• Vintage EQ [Advanced only]: Add the richness, warmth, and color of analog equalization to digital audio
• Maximizer with new IRC IV mode: Increase perceived loudness without pumping or distortion with the mode's innovative new spectral shaping technology
• Dynamic EQ: Now included in both versions of Ozone with improved features and optimized performance
• A comprehensive bank of presets: Achieve authentic sounds for any genre and style and explore Signature Mastering Presets from Greg Calbi, the notable mastering engineer whose career spans from John Lennon to Bruce Springsteen to Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett
• New export options: Encode mastered audio to MP3 and AAC formats

Ozone 7 runs as a standalone application, or as a plug-in in your audio editing software. Ozone 7 Advanced includes ten additional component plug-ins for direct access to individual Ozone modules in your host.

Pricing & Availability

Ozone 7 and Ozone 7 Advanced are available now at www.izotope.com/ozone and at select retailers.

Ozone 7 Advanced is also available as part of iZotope's Music Production Bundle with Insight, Alloy 2, Nectar 2 Production Suite, and Trash 2 (plus two Trash  Expansions). 

The Music Production Bundle, Ozone 7 Advanced, and Ozone 7 are on sale through November 11, 2015:

• Music Production Bundle is available for $549 USD, €505 (reg. $599, €549)
• Ozone 7 Advanced is available for $449 USD,  €429 (reg. $499, €459)
• Ozone 7 is available for $199 USD, €185 (reg. $249, €229)

 Upgrade pricing can be found on iZotope's website, and owners of previous versions of Ozone can find their upgrade coupons in their iZotope accounts.

All customers who purchased Ozone 6 or Ozone 6 Advanced after August 26, 2015 will receive a free upgrade to the respective version of Ozone 7.

AES NEWS - Waves Audio Director of R&D Itai Neoran to Lecture at AES

KNOXVILLE, TN, October 27, 2015 — Itai Neoran, Director of Research and Development at Waves Audio, will be giving a lecture on FIR reverberation as part of the Immersive Audio Signal Processing and Effects Workshop at the upcoming 139th International AES Convention, taking place October 29 to November 1, 2015, at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.  

The workshop (October 31, 10:00–11:30 am, Room 1A14, Technical Program Sessions) will discuss multi-channel and surround effects. Neoran’s lecture will focus on the concept of FIR reverberation and on enhancing the statistics of the desired reverb, the sensation of space, and inter-aural correlation.  

Neoran has been developing professional and consumer audio processing tools since 1994, one of which is the Waves H-Reverb Hybrid Reverb plugin. FIR Reverberation, the topic of Neoran’s lecture, is among the key technologies behind H-Reverb.   

Neoran comments, “I am extremely thankful to be invited to lecture at AES. It offers me the opportunity to tell the story of Waves H-Reverb and explain how this processor enables us to control some the most important spatial qualities of reverberation, including echo density, modal density, build-up, decay shapes and stereo image.”   

To learn more: http://www.aes.org/events/139/workshops/?ID=4698. To visit Waves at the AES convention, visit Booth 437. 

Press Release- Waves Audio Announces Waves Central

Press Release - Waves Audio, a leading provider of digital signal processing solutions, announces Waves Central, a new system to replace the current Waves License Center, providing license management and plugin installation (for Waves 9.6 and above) in one easy-to-use interface.  

Until now, users had to activate their licenses through the Waves License Center, then install the plugins using the online installer or (mainly on Mac OS’s) by downloading a huge installer file.  

With the release of Waves Central, activation and installation will both be done within the new interface. Users will no longer need to download installers. They will now be able to manually install the plugins they choose, or simply click on the EASY INSTALL & ACTIVATE button to automatically install all of their licensed plugins.  

Waves Central will be available soon as a downloadable application. Waves users with an account login will be able to download the application for free from the Downloads section at Waves.com (http://www.waves.com/downloads). The same login info will be used to log in to Waves Central in order to perform product installations and license activations.  

Waves Central covers installations and activations for full products as well as product demos, and provides online installation and activation solutions, as well as solutions for offline installation and for writing licenses to a USB device (for use with computers not connected to the internet).

Press Release - The New 10MX Atomic Clock from Antelope Audio: The Culmination of Two Decades of Leadership in Digital Audio Technologies

In 1990, a University of Michigan Engineering School graduate named Igor Levin set out to make 'superior sound, simplified' by trailblazing developments in the world of digital conversion and audio clocking technology. His innovations were already recognized by a number of sound engineers around the world, when in 2005 Levin and Antelope Audio introduced the oven-controlled crystal oscillator: the most stable clocking solution ever produced. A couple of years later he revealed the benefits of Atomic clocking for the audio industry. Now, following more than two decades of refinement, Antelope announces its latest innovation in audio clocking technology: the 10MX Atomic Clock.

Press Release - The 10MX builds on Antelope's clocking legacy by fusing proven technologies and advances in industrial design to deliver a product without compromise. The new product combines the atomic precision of the legendary 10M with the sophisticated Acoustically Focused Clocking (AFC) algorithms of the Trinity into an aesthetically stunning 1U enclosure.

"The 10M Rubidium Atomic Clock and Trinity Master Clock combination has proven to be the 'gold standard' and the ultimate clocking reference in many top recording, mastering and post-production facilities around the world," commented Igor Levin, CEO and founder, Antelope Audio. "In our development of the 10MX, we wanted to raise the bar. We listened to our customers and delivered exactly what they asked for: the best features of the 10M and Trinity in a combined, 1U package."

10MX: Supporting Sampling Rates up to 768 kHz

As digital devices continue to proliferate the audio signal chain, high quality clocking solutions have never been more critical. The Antelope 10MX is perfectly suited to recording, mixing and mastering environments and is an ideal companion to a variety of live sound applications in delivering refined clarity and three-dimensionality. Housed in a compact and futuristically designed 1U rack box, the 10MX is manufactured with premium components to deliver the most stable clocking solution in the world. The new, smaller and more efficient Rubidium oscillator demands less power consumption and therefore emits less heat radiation.

The 10MX features multiple atomic outputs, enabling up to ten devices to be clocked simultaneously over 10MHz. Four BNC outputs provide Word Clock (WC) signal, supporting an astounding sampling rate of up to 768 kHz. In addition, four more WC outputs are available through AES and S/PDIF. All features on the new 10MX master clock can be accessed from either the front panel or via the included software control panel, which is available for both OS X and Windows.

The 10MX is expected to ship in mid-November and is priced at $5,995. For more information, please visit http://www.antelopeaudio.com.

Press Release - Radial's Headload Prodigy™ is now shipping

Vancouver, BC - Radial Engineering Ltd. is pleased to announce the Headload Prodigy is now shipping.

The Headload Prodigy is a combination load box and DI that enables one to drive a guitar amp at a higher output in order to maximize the tone, yet produce a lower stage volume when needed.

Like the original Headload, the Prodigy employs custom made cement-encrusted resister coils to convert the excessive power from the amplifier to heat and is able to withstand up to 100 watts RMS. The Prodigy may be used in three different ways, depending on the need. First, it may be used as a simple direct box connection via a built-in Radial JDX Reactor™. This combines a reactive load with a proprietary filter bank to emulate the tone of a 4 x 12 half stack using a Shure SM57. The second is as a load box where you can attenuate 50% of the output power for use on quiet stages.  Third, the Prodigy can be used without a cabinet for completely silent recording.  In all cases, the balanced JDX output is available. This is transformer isolated to eliminate hum and buzz caused by ground loops and is equipped with a pin-1 ground lift and polarity reverse.  One simply connects the head to the Headload Prodigy and the desired speaker output to suit.

In order to optimize the playing experience for in-ear monitors, a dual band EQ on the front panel is included.  To add greater connectivity options, two additional ¼" outputs are included with one that is post EQ, post JDX, the other pre EQ, pre JDX. These can be used to feed additional amplifiers, effects racks or recording systems and adjusted using the front panel level control. Headphones have their own control for volume.

Housed in 14-gauge steel, the Headload Prodigy features Radial's unique book-end design that creates protective zones around the switches and controls. An internal I-beam construction adds tremendous rigidity, protecting the internal PC board from torque which could lead to solder joints going cold prematurely.  One or two Prodigys may be rack-mounted into a single 19" rack space using an optional rack kit. Power is supplied by an external 15VDC supply.

MAP for the Headload Prodigy: $399.99 USD

Press Release - Sennheiser’s new EK 6042 two-channel camera receiver works with both analog and digital transmitters

Amsterdam, September 15, 2015 – At IBC, Sennheiser unveiled a new slot-in camera receiver that redefines compatibility: the EK 6042 is a true-diversity, two-channel receiver that can work with both analog and digital Sennheiser transmitters across a bandwidth of 184 MHz. It is an ideal partner for Sennheiser’s top-of-the-range Digital 9000 series and can operate with all analog transmitters that feature Sennheiser’s HiDyn plus or HDX companders. The receiver will become available in spring 2016.

“This is a true “one for all” receiver,” said Tobias von Allwörden, product manager, Sennheiser Broadcast & Media. “It works with any Sennheiser series from Digital 9000, 5000 and 3000 down to 2000 and evolution wireless G3, and automatically identifies the transmitter via an IR link.”

The camera receiver chooses its own operating mode depending on the transmitter, and also selects the appropriate bandwidth and frequency in the UHF range between 470 and 654 MHz. As a true diversity receiver with four separate receiver circuits, the EK 6042 is extra-reliable, even in difficult RF environments.

The EK 6042 can be combined with either a 15-pin adaptor to slot directly into Sony cameras, or a 25-pin adaptor for Unislot- and SuperSlot-compatible devices.

For camcorders without an audio receiver slot, a special backpanel adaptor for the EK 6042 is available as an accessory. If the camera does not supply power to the receiver, a “piggyback” power adapter can be attached to this housing and fitted with two hot-swappable BA 61 battery packs.

The EK 6042 camera receiver will become available in spring 2016.

Captions:

1) A true all-rounder for professional camera sound, the EK 6042 two-channel receiver works with the Sennheiser series 9000, 5000, 3000, 2000 and evolution wireless

2) The receiver’s display and controls

Audio specialist Sennheiser is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of headphones, microphones and wireless transmission systems. Based in Wedemark near Hanover, Germany, Sennheiser operates its own production facilities in Germany, Ireland and the USA and is active in more than 50 countries. With 18 sales subsidiaries and long-established trading partners, the company supplies innovative products and cutting-edge audio solutions that are optimally tailored to its customers’ needs. Sennheiser is a family-owned company that was founded in 1945 and which today has 2,700 employees around the world that share a passion for audio technology. In 2014, the Sennheiser Group had sales totalling €635 million.

www.sennheiser.com

Press Release - Reshaping excellence – unique live concert experience and 3D immersive audio recording at Sennheiser event

London, September 16, 2015 – On August 27, audio specialist Sennheiser presented an extraordinary concert at London’s Central Hall Westminster, featuring performances by Grammy award-winning artist Imogen Heap and the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie orchestra conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer. The concert was part of an exclusive event that kicked off Sennheiser’s “Reshaping excellence” campaign, celebrating Sennheiser’s 70-year history of innovation and offering a very first look at the audio specialist’s next milestone audiophile product. The concert – including two world-firsts – was mixed in truly cutting-edge fashion by Tonmeister Gregor Zielinsky to demonstrate the immense potential of 3D immersive audio.

The first part of the concert presented works by John Adams, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, György Ligeti and Philip Glass, performed by the acclaimed Junge Deutsche Philharmonie orchestra. “This is my second time working with the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie and it’s the absolutely most exciting group in the world to work with,” said conductor Jonathan Stockhammer. “There is so much passion in every position that I can let a lot of the work come from the heart and I can let go… and I love that feeling.”

Towards the end of this first section, the orchestra was joined on stage by Imogen Heap, appearing in her only public concert of 2015. Her first song was a unique orchestral arrangement of her hit “Can’t take it in” that had been specially created by Jonathan Stockhammer. This performance would be the debut for an incredible new version played especially for the appreciative audience.

After the intermission, Imogen Heap thrilled her fans with songs and compositions from her inspiring repertoire, MIDI-controlling sound effects, loops and delays (and also her “creatures”) via her self-designed hi-tech gloves, which she had programmed extensively for this event. Jonathan Stockhammer: “To watch her work, to see her develop her pieces – that’s very composer-like. She does so much of the production and the arranging herself, she is really the master of it all. She is so amazingly talented with the programming aspects, the expression comes from her depth of knowledge. She’s like a Debussy of the modern computer and these hand effects.” Backed by musicians from the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie, Imogen also debuted a brand-new composition for the event, “Tiny Human”.

Tackling difficult acoustics – and bringing together different worlds

Sound designer and FOH engineer Oliver Voges described the complexity of the event from an audio perspective: “We are actually bringing three completely different elements together. First there’s the orchestra: they usually play live and are not used to getting amplified. Then we have Imogen and her band – their music and the many MIDI signals and effects need to be amplified of course. And last but not least, there’s the 9.1 immersive audio recording taking place, and such recordings are normally made without any amplification happening at the same time, because you want to reproduce the actual hall and loudspeakers would interfere with the natural acoustics.”

However, the acoustics of the impressive Great Hall actually turned out to be quite challenging, and ultimately the amplification via the PA system was the very thing that ensured a fantastic listening experience for the live audience and “saved” the 9.1 recording. A beautiful, large dome spans The Great Hall, and this feature created unpleasant audio reflections. Oliver Voges: “It was a little bit like a whispering gallery, where you speak very quietly in one corner and hear your words very loud at the other end. This happened here and by chance it happened at the conductor’s position. The biggest problems occurred with the woodwinds, as they project to the top, right into the dome. The reflected sound was much louder and had a total different timing than the direct sound.”

To remedy the situation, Voges had to do a mix with his own room algorithms to mix the depth of the room back in. “I have done an architectural mix in an electronic way. In a classical production you would usually do this with different kinds of mics and different kinds of pre-delays to delay the sound to the main array. But here we had no other choice than to do this electronically. Our goal was to keep the coloration of the sound 100% the same, no matter whether the PA is on or off – and we achieved this.”

Controlled amplification

Oliver Voges introduced a minimal, controlled amplification that corrected the room effects, stacking the orchestra as on a recording while keeping the typical timbre of the instruments, thus recreating the depth of the room and of the instruments. In addition, Jonathan Stockhammer made some minor musical changes to cater for the room, and these joint efforts created a sound that was pleasant for the audience and ideal for the 9.1 recording.

The actual amplification of the orchestra started out at 0.8 dB above the natural level with the first piece by John Adams and was increased during the first half of the concert to about 1.5 dB to set the acoustical scene for Imogen Heap and the orchestra in the last piece before the intermission. Oliver Voges: “By inaudibly increasing the amplification throughout part I, we avoided any acoustical gap, so the whole concert sounded a unified, homogeneous whole. During the rehearsals, we always checked back about the amplification with all parties involved – ‘Is that OK with you? Does it disturb you in any way?’ Basically everything is linked – the orchestra is linked to Imogen, the FOH is linked to monitors and on top of that there’s the link to the recording – we want to have a good show but also a very, very good recording. I think we have come up with a very good solution that does justice to all elements. After two rehearsal days, Gregor came up to me and said: ’Listen, if the PA is on, the recording sounds even better.’ What more could you ask for?”

Dante saves time, cabling… and nerves!

The audio crew used a Dante network for the event. Oliver Voges explained, “As there are two completely different set-ups for this event, we decided from the very beginning that we would have two different crews to handle each. We had a monitor and a front-of-house engineer for Imogen Heap, and we also had monitors and FOH for the orchestra. During rehearsals we found that we had to put out sums from the orchestra to Imogen’s monitor engineer, and so on. There was a lot of linking that was unplanned. Luckily, we had placed the four desks in a Dante network, and within a few seconds I could give anyone an effects return from my desk or a submix from the orchestra. Without Dante patching anything to anywhere, these extras would have taken us another two days and a lot of cabling!”

The 9.1 immersive audio recording

“A 9.1 recording allows me to transport an entire concert hall onto a recording”, explained Grammy award-winning tonmeister Gregor Zielinsky. “Even if I used just the main microphones without any spot mics this would give me a depth of the soundstage which cannot be achieved by standard recording techniques.

“When replaying a 9.1 immersive audio recording, you can move around the room as if moving through the actual concert hall. You will be immersed in the sound of the hall, and changing your listening position would just mean changing your virtual position within the venue but won’t deteriorate the sound – there is no such thing as a sweet spot in 9.1, all spots are great.”

He positioned the main microphones in the eponymous Zielinsky Cube, which includes a height elevation to recreate the spatial impression. For the Zielinsky Cube, a standard AB stereo pair is supplemented by two microphones positioned well above them – these are the front microphones, a center mic is optional. The same set-up is repeated at the rear. The set-up essentially follows the ITU 5.1 loudspeaker arrangement, and adds four upper microphones, with the elevation amounting to half of the stereo width.

“I have done many 3D recordings but never in such a difficult live situation. To avoid interfering with the recording, the PA has a standard left and right set-up with extremely precise positions and specific coverage. We accepted a little gap in the center, where the main microphones for the 9.1 recording are positioned. Actually the slight amplification introduced by the PA ‘aligns’ everything, as it were, and helps us to eliminate unwanted reflections and delays caused by the acoustics of the hall. ”

“In the recording, we have a total of 48 mics for the orchestra, and more than fifty channels for Imogen. In total, we are talking about 128 channels for the recording.” The main microphones were four MKH 800 TWINs used as the front microphones in the Zielinsky Cube. Each MKH 800 TWIN has two capsules with signals that can be accessed separately and used to create any pick-up pattern – remotely and in post. Four MKH 8090 wide cardioids were used as the rear microphones. “I additionally used KM 133s as front main microphones, as this gives me further possibilities for fine-tuning the sound. In such complex situations you need to have many options in order to react quickly, and Sennheiser and Neumann microphones complement each other very well,” explained Gregor Zielinsky.

The spot microphones also were a combination of Sennheiser and Neumann microphones. The strings were captured with Neumann KM 185s and KM 184s, as Zielinsky points out: “The Neumann mics have a distinctive signature sound, and are very effective at capturing more of the trebles, which is great for the string sections in the mix.” The woodwinds were also picked up by Neumann KM 184, as were the harp and celesta. Four Sennheiser MKH 8090s were used to mike the brass section. Sound from the percussion sections was captured by seven Sennheiser MKH 8040, with two MKH 8050 used for the timpani. A Sennheiser e 912 condenser boundary microphone was used for the solo piano, while two Sennheiser Digital 9000 wireless microphones were used for lead vocals and moderation.

A new microphone set-up was then created during the intermission for Imogen Heap’s band and the string quartet and brass players from the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie who joined the band during the performance. A Sennheiser e 912 was used for the piano, an e 902 for the bass drum, and an e 905 for the snare drum. Two Sennheiser MK 8s were used as overheads and a further two for the vibes. Four Neumann KM 185s captured the string quartet, and two KM 184s the brass instruments. Imogen had also brought her “creatures”, a set of percussion instruments which became ‘alive’ via MIDI signals and were picked up with various Sennheiser evolution microphones plus MK 4 and MK 8 large-diaphragm condensers.

In the control room, where the recording desk was manned by Peter Brandt of Remote Recording Network, Neumann KH 120 loudspeakers and KH 810 subwoofers ensured an impressive 3D audio playback. “9.1 immersive audio creates a truly new experience for the listener,” explained Zielinsky. “I like to compare it to the changeover from mono to stereo – it is an equally dramatic improvement in the music. 3D immersive audio is remarkable to experience, but also very simple to set up and record compared to other systems.”

Heralding a new high-end product to come

The 3D immersive audio technology demonstrated by Gregor Zielinsky was one of several cutting-edge developments showcased on the evening: alongside the public concert itself, Sennheiser also provided VIP guests with a first glimpse of a forthcoming milestone high-end product, kicking off the first stage of the unveiling that will be continued with the launch of a dedicated website, www.sennheiser-reshapingexcellence.com.

Press Release - Zotope Announces RX Post Production Suite and RX 5 Audio Editor

Amsterdam, Netherlands (September 9, 2015) - At IBC 2015 (stand 8.D70), iZotope, Inc., a leading audio technology company, is announcing the new RX Post Production Suite containing a comprehensive suite of tools designed specifically to enable professionals to better edit, mix, and deliver their audio, as well as RX 5 Audio Editor, a significant new update to its RX platform.

The new RX Post Production Suite contains products aimed at every stage of the audio post production workflow, with solution-oriented tools for everything from audio repair and editing, to mix enhancement and final delivery. The RX Post Production Suite includes:

• RX 5 Advanced Audio Editor
• RX Final Mix
• RX Loudness Control
• One-year, All-Access Pass to Groove3 online video courses & training
• 50 free sound effects (customer's choice) from Pro Sound Effects

The new RX 5 Audio Editor and RX 5 Advanced Audio Editor efficiently repair and enhance common problematic production audio while speeding up workflows that currently require either multiple manual editing passes, or a non-intuitive collection of tools from different vendors.  

RX 5's new Instant Process tool lets editors "paint out" unwanted sonic elements directly on the spectral display with a single mouse gesture. The new Module Chain allows users to define a custom chain of processing (e.g. De-click, De-noise, De-reverb, EQ Match, Leveler, Normalize) and then save that chain as a preset so that multiple processes can be recalled and applied in a single click for repetitive tasks.

For even faster workflows between Pro Tools and RX 5, RX Connect has been enhanced to support individual Pro Tools clips and crossfades with any associated handles so that processed audio returns "in place" to the Pro Tools timeline, maintaining complete editing control.

In RX 5 Advanced, a new De-plosive module has been developed to minimize plosives from letters such as p, t, k, and b, in which strong blasts of air create a massive pressure change at the microphone element, impairing the sound. In addition, the Leveler module has been enhanced with breath and 'ess' (sibilance) detection for increased accuracy when performing faster than real-time leveling. Likewise, new enhancements for the Ambience Match module improve accuracy for creating noise profiles when matching background noise to mask edit points. Ambience Match is now also available as AudioSuite plug-in for constructing consistent ambience beds under constructed sentences and ADR lines directly from within Pro Tools and Media Composer.

"Our users have helped make RX the industry standard in audio post production. This evolution to the RX Post Production Suite is just the start of our continued journey into building the award-winning, workflow-enhancing tools our users dream of as they seek to deliver the best-sounding audio they can under increasingly tight and oppressive deadlines," said Matt Hines, Audio Post Product Manager for iZotope.

Compatibility

Both RX 5 Audio Editor and RX 5 Advanced Audio Editor can be used as a standalone audio editor, as a standalone audio editor connected to your host, or as a plug-in. Supported plug-in formats include AU, VST, VST 3, AAX, RTAS and AudioSuite.

RX Post Production Suite Availability and Pricing

RX Post Production Suite is available for purchase now.

Customers who purchase the RX Post Production Suite during the promotional period will receive RX 4 Advanced immediately, and will be given RX 5 Advanced Audio Editor when it is released.

Special promotional pricing is available through October 21, 2015:

• New customers may purchase the RX Post Production Suite for $1,299 USD / €1,189 EUR  (reg. $1,499 / €1,369).
• Customers upgrading to the RX Post Production Suite from previous versions of RX can view upgrade pricing at www.izotope.com/rx5.

RX 5 Audio Editor Availability and Pricing

RX 5 Audio Editor and RX 5 Advanced Audio Editor will be available for purchase in October 2015 for both new customers and upgrading customers.

Going forward from today, customers who purchase RX 4 or RX 4 Advanced will get a free upgrade to their respective version when RX 5 Audio Editor is released. In addition, any customers who have purchased RX 4 or RX 4 Advanced since August 8, 2015, will also a receive a free upgrade to their respective version when it is released.

To celebrate the coming of RX 5 Audio Editor, special promotional pricing is available through October 21, 2015:

• New customers may purchase RX 4 Advanced for $999 USD / €929 EUR (reg. $1,199 / €1,099)
• New customers may purchase RX 4 for $299 USD / €285 EUR (reg. $349 / €325) 

Customers upgrading to RX 5 Audio Editor or RX 5 Advanced Audio Editor from previous versions of RX will receive their promotional upgrade offers at product launch. In the meantime, special upgrade pricing can be previewed at www.izotope.com/rx5.

About iZotope, Inc.

iZotope makes innovative products that inspire and enable people to be creative. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, iZotope has spent over a decade developing award-winning products and audio technologies for professionals and hobbyists alike. Used by millions of people in over 50 countries, iZotope products are a core component of GRAMMY-winning music studios, Oscar- and Emmy-winning film and TV post-production studios, and prominent radio studios, as well as basement and bedroom studios across the globe. iZotope also powers products made by industry partners such as Adobe, Avid, Microsoft, and Sony. iZotope was recently honored with an Emmy® Award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Development for its flagship audio repair suite, RX®.

For more information on iZotope products, please visit www.izotope.com