|
February 2000
**************
February 2000 NEWS
**************
= Pro Tools Creation Tour, February 9, 4&7pm; RSVP
= other DAW demos
= early notice: audio-for-video event at WCVB-TV (Channel 5, Boston), May 25
= Expo2000 date: Wednesday, November 15
= a few good words about your dealer?
Pro Tools Creation Tour, Wednesday, February 9, 4&7pm. RSVP
******************************************
This presentation by Digidesign will feature Pro Tools as an instrument of creation, with Koblo’s Studio 9000 synthesis, sampling, and drum machine package; SampleCell II Plus sampling; Virus software tone generator; and Digidesign’s new 1622 I/O 16-input interface. Space in our Showroom is limited, so RSVP.
other DAW demos
************
We're still signing people up for demos of SADIE and AudioCube DAWs; also for Emu/Ensoniq's PARIS system and Sonic Solutions' new HD system. Contact us if you're interested.
audio-for-video event
***************
= on the evening of May 25 at WCVB-TV (Channel 5, Boston)
= with the local chapter of the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE)
This is early word about an audio-for-video event we have planned for May 25. It comes at the request of a number of engineers, producers, and engineering managers from New England TV stations and post facilities. We'll confirm it and provide further details as the date approaches.
The plan so far: Dolby will fly in to give a presentation on mixing for surround soundtracks, and to educate about Dolby E, which enables facilities to encode and decode up to eight channels of audio plus metadata on a single AES pair (product available now). Avid/Digidesign will demonstrate the integration of Pro Tools into Avid's nonlinear video edit systems. Their specialists will export a project from an Avid into Pro Tools, work Pro Tools' wonders upon the audio, and then import it back into the Avid, using the impressive new DigiTranslator for translation between OMF and Pro Tools. In addition to those presentations, we'll have an open discussion about the state of audio-for-video: the current state of the audio chain, where we're going, and associated challenges and issues.
Channel 5 is kindly hosting the event, which will also be held under auspices of the local chapter of the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) and perhaps other organizations. A possible extra added attraction will be the opportunity to see WCVB's new sets, if that work proceeds as expected.
Expo2000 date
**********
Veterans' Day falls on a Saturday this year, and a Sunday in 2001, so we plan to hold it on Wednesday, Nov. 15 this year, and Wednesday, Nov. 14 in 2001. We hope you'll mark your calendars! As usual, it will likely run from the end of the morning into the evening.
a few good words...
*************
If you have anything good to say about us, and wouldn't mind sharing.... We're aiming to attract some new customers. Unlike you, they know us not at all. We figure that endorsements or testimonials by the likes of you might encourage them. We'll be using them on our Web site and maybe in ads. If you do take the time to send us a few phrases, we'll owe you! Please don't feel obliged.
END
April 2000
April 2000 NEWS
_____________
= events
= the new Sony console
= popular products & demos
= Grammy nom. congrats
= in MIX
= special deals at Parsons
= paudio.com tuneup: new links, etc.
_____
events
_____
You might like to attend one or more of the events that are coming here soon. Please call or e-mail our staff (Les, Rick, or Sales@paudio.com) to reserve a spot, to work out a suitable time, or to learn what will be shown. The SADIE, Tascam, and Digidesign events will take place in our Showroom.
COMING SOON:
Tuesday, April 25: SADIE comes to town
***************************
Demos at 11am and 3pm; other times, including the morning of Wednesday the 26th, are available upon request. A number of our customers have been eagerly anticipating this visit. SADIE has built up an excellent reputation (at WGBH and elsewhere) for its PC-hosted DAWs, for all kinds of applications — music editing, mastering, post, etc. Even more unusual is their reputation for superb customer support. There aren't many successful DAWs in this world. This is one of them. Have a look! (BTW, we'll have one of LaCie's neat new 19" monitors on view.)
Monday, May 8: Tascam brings the MX-2424
******************************
Demos from 3-6pm; pizza at 6 (free!), followed by more demos until 8pm or so. The MX-2424 is Tascam's new 24-track, 24-bit hard disk recorder. It appears likely to become an (the?) industry-standard multitrack. Several Tascam product specialists will be here. It will be a great opportunity for you to take a close look.
Tuesday, May 9: Digidesign Day, for current users and newcomers
********************************************
Presentations at 3 and 7pm. Unlike many of our Digi days, this one is intended as much for Pro Tools owners and users as for newcomers. As you are probably aware, the system is the world's leader in music editing, audio production, and video post facilities. Digidesign's Andrew Harris and our own Samara Krugman will combine to inform you about:
= the state of Pro Tools, including a good look at some of the most powerful plug-ins
= discussion and presentation of hardware peripherals: Pro Control and related controllers, suitable drives, integration with outboard processing devices, etc.
= setup and operational tips, short-cuts, etc. We've learned a lot about Pro Tools during the years we've been selling it; would like to share some of that knowledge. Q&A invited.
COMING LATER (more details will follow in later e-mail):
Wednesday, May24: Audio-for-Video Day
***************************
Join us at WCVB-TV (Channel 5, Needham, MA. Sneak a look at the dramatic new, HD-ready News set, too! Avid/Digidesign will be there to show video post uses of their audio system, with special emphasis on moving material back and forth between Avid's video edit systems and Digidesign Pro Tools. Tim Claman, Digidesign's video post product manager and principal specialist, will fly in from Silicon Valley to present. Also in town from the Left Coast for the event will be Jim Hilson of Dolby. He will give a presentation about mixing surround sound, and about the new Dolby Surround, Dolby Digital, and Dolby E tools for DTV, DVD-Audio, DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVB, etc. If you'll be postproducing, distributing, mastering, authoring, or broadcasting multichannel audio, you'll find something there worth learning. We'll be joined by the Boston Chapter of SBE (Society of Broacast Engineers) and the Boston Audio Society.
June 14: a Parsons Expo for Connecticut
***************************
We'll be at the Hartt School in Hartford for the day, with an array of products. Should be informative, and some fun! More details later. We're open to suggestions re events, discussions, etc.
___________________
Sony DMX-R100 console
___________________
Interest in Sony's new console has been extraordinary. We have sold a bunch even though it isn't even shipping yet. Its features, price, quality (people have seen it at our Expo and other trade shows), and Sony's vaunted after-sale support have built much confidence in it. We will have our demo soon. During the first week of May, we're sending several of our staff to Sony HQ in New York for training. If you have specific questions before then that the literature and video (see us for those) don't answer for you, please tell us. We'll be glad to get answers. Anyone who buys a DMX from us will get a free on-site training session.
____________________
popular products & demos
____________________
Some favorites, all available here: the new Sony reverb, Brauner and Neumann mics, Pro Tools, Summit and Millennia processors, nearfields of all flavors, etc. The new high-end Lexicon reverb (the 960) will be here soon; it has already generated much interest.
______________________
Grammy nomination congrats
______________________
Curt Wittig and David Moulton were recently nominated for a 1999 Grammy for Best Engineered Album, Classical. Other Grammy nominees and winners sometimes pass through here, but we found this nomination to be special. Both Curt and Dave have shared much of their thinking and technique with us at our Expos. In fact, at one of the Expos, before the nomination, they played and discussed sections of the nominated work, George Crumb's Songs for Ancient Children. They didn't win the prize, but of course the nomination was winnings enough. We hear from them that the post-Grammy parties were'nt bad either. See Dave's writeup of the whole experience in a forthcoming Recording Magazine.
_____
in MIX
_____
Paul Lehrman, who writes a fine column for MIX Magazine, has written a thorough report of our Expo99 discussion of Keeping Up with Technology. See his columns in the April and May issues, both of which are devoted to it. Paul moderated that discussion, so was in prime position to report on it! Also in MIX you'll begin to see an ad that we're running.
__________________
special deals at Parsons
__________________
Some very good prices and some flat-out cheap prices appear in our latest listing of Special Deals. Visit http://www.paudio.com.
__________________________
paudio.com tuneup: new links, etc.
__________________________
We recently spent a few hundred hours tuning up our web site. You'll find new links, new articles, new deals, etc., not to mention a new look and streamlined navigation.
END
May 2000: Audio-for-Video Event, May 24 at Channel 5
We invite you to
****************************
presentations about audio-for-video
****************************
= featuring Avid/Digidesign and Dolby Labs
= 7pm, Wednesday, May 24, in Studio C at WCVB-TV (Channel 5, Needham, MA)
= food will be available from 6pm
= RSVP
= If you would like some one-on-one time with Digidesign or Dolby, ask us for an afternoon appointment, or have us arrange another time and date for you.
= This event will also serve as the monthly meeting of the Boston Chapter of SBE.
**************
the presentations
**************
Is audio important to your work with picture? Is it getting increasingly important, now that more viewers use home theaters, listen to TV programming in stereo or surround, and are getting familiar with the audio quality of DVD? If so, these presentations should help you.
1. Dolby’s Senior Broadcast Audio Specialist, Jim Hilson, will give a presentation about mixing surround sound, and about the new Dolby Surround, Dolby Digital, and Dolby E tools for TV and post, including DTV, DVD-Audio, DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVB, etc. If you'll be post-producing, distributing, mastering, authoring, or broadcasting multichannel audio during the years ahead, you will find this presentation valuable.
2. For most of the evening, Avid/Digidesign will bring you up to date about producing audio using their systems. Particular attention will be paid to how Pro Tools integrates with Avid’s video edit systems. You will see a demonstration of import/export between the two. You will also get a good look at Pro Tools' capabilities. Tim Claman, the company’s audio-for-video product manager, will be there from headquarters. Also participating will be Digidesign’s Andrew Harris and Avid’s Chris Landers.
********
directions
********
to WCVB-TV, 5 TV Place, Needham, MA; (781)449-0400
= From Route 128/I-95, take Exit 19B, several exits south of the Mass. Pike.
= You will pass Muzi Ford on your right. Turn right at the first light, at Gould Street.
= After you turn, take the second right, TV Place. Park in the lot and see the guard in the guard shack. The outdoor entrance to Studio C is in the nearest corner of the building.
September 2000
*********************
September 2000 NEWS
********************
*new products
*Sonic Solutions USP system bargains
*Expo2000: November 15 -- don't miss!
*Web site
new products
************
As always in this industry, many new products come to us every month. We have listed only a few of them below. Contact us for demos, information, or recommendations.
*Tascam MX-2424 multitrack hard disk recorder (http://www.tascam.com)
*Lexicon 960 digital effects system (http://www.lexicon.com)
*Sony's DMX-R100 console (We have already sold a bunch -- to studios, TV stations, universities, and mastering houses, so far.) and DRE-777 sampling reverb (http://bpgprod.sel.sony.com/matrix.bpg)
*Digidesign's Pro Tools is once again taking a leap ahead. The latest software revision, 5.1, will bring a bunch of new capabilities, including integrated surround mixing, slaving via Sony 9-pin, surround metering (limited-time bundle), multiple levels of undo, new MIDI features, new ProControl features, increased integration with Avid workstations, etc. We have details. Some of the news is also available at http://www.digidesign.com. Digidesign's 5.1 Tour will visit New England with 4pm and 7pm presentations at Parsons Audio on Wednesday, October 18.
*SADiE has enjoyed much success with their PC-hosted workstations. WGBH-FM, Gateway Mastering, Cedar House, and Joel Gordon's studio are among owners here in New England. We have a demo system in our Showroom. Please call ahead if you'd like to schedule a demo. (http://www.SADiE.com)
*Millennia Origin twin topology (both vacuum and solid state) channel strip (http://www.mil-media.com)
*The IsoBox by Sound Construction & Supply (http://www.custom-consoles.com) fulfills a need that has long existed, for a well-ventilated rack that successfully isolates noisy CPU's, hard drives, etc. from the surrounding room.
*The FunkLogic Digilog Dynamicator, Dual Valve Teleknobic Preampulator, and Algorhythmic Prosecutor are faceplates only, therefore inexpensive. The only effect of the knobs and metering is to make you smile -- maybe. Some of them have meters that light up. One has a meter that moves in the presence of sound. They're impressive additions to anyone's processor rack.
Sonic Solutions USP system bargains
********************************
Our Sonic Solutions USP demo system is for sale, complete with analog and digital interfaces. So is a USP upgrade that we have, including card and software. It can be upgraded to the new HD system, if you wish. The USP, however, is Sonic's most mature system, and is the one that most Sonic users use these days.
Expo2000, our 10th annual
***********************
November 15, approx. 11am - 9pm, at the Wellesley Community Center
You're invited! The Wellesley Community Center is just up Route 9 from Parsons Audio. As usual there will be much there for you to enjoy, as well as much information that you'll find helpful to your work. This is an early notice, and some details remain to be developed, but plans are well along. A more complete invitation will come to you next month.
As usual, the Expo will feature both exhibits and presentations. You will find ample opportunity to learn, to schmooze and network with your peers, and to enjoy the whole event.
The exhibits (noon until 6pm) will give you a chance to look closely at the products of several dozen leading manufacturers, including Digidesign, Tascam, Yamaha, Sony, Lexicon, Genelec, Meyer Sound, Rorke Data, SADiE, Neumann, EAW, Sennheiser, Spirit, Genex, t.c. electronics, Denon, and many others. They will have product specialists in attendance. Customers have often remarked how free Expo exhibits are of the hype, noise, and excessive crowds of other trade shows.
The presentations will include:
*Tom Bates on remote recording. Tom is always an engaging and informative presenter at our Expos. We're lucky to have him. This year he will talk, with audio examples, about remote recording. It is the work that he knows best, and in which he has enjoyed great success. He has learned lessons that will interest anyone who works with audio. Tom's presentation will be the evening event, at which we will be joined as usual by the Boston chapter of AES.
*the latest from Bob Ludwig and David Moulton regarding topics of interest. Bob's topic is TBD at this point. Since whatever interests him concerning audio invariably interests Expo attendees, we've left him free to choose. Dave is at the culmination of 18 years of work on the high frequency dispersion characteristics of loudspeakers. The result is a fresh and controversial approach to loudspeaker and control room design. His control room design criteria can be implemented very inexpensively. He has written up the matter in an article in September's Recording Magazine, and elaborated upon it at the Los Angeles AES. At the Expo he will follow up.
*Curt Wittig on a current surround project. Last time we saw Curt at the Expo he was sharing with us his expertise in engineering surround projects. He showed us his surround George Crumb recording, for which he was about to be nominated, along with David Moulton, for a Grammy for Best Engineered Classical Album. This year he will bring a project that is perhaps even more adventurous -- a surround production of Dickens' Christmas Carol.
*One room at the Expo will be a Surround room, with a Genelec speaker system. Curt will make his presentation there, as will Genelec, Neumann, and Lexicon (with the new 960 digital effects system, which is a key tool in Curt's production).
*More presentations are in the works. We'll report them to you as November 15 approaches. Set aside the date!
Web site
******
Traffic to our Web site, http://www.paudio.com, has been strong from the start, but has jumped 50% during the summer. More than anything, visitors are finding that it's an easy way to get product information from our couple of hundred manufacturers. The links from our site to theirs are quick and easy to negotiate
October 2000
***************
October NEWS
***************
* Expo2000 update
* Lexicon 960 deals for 480 owners
* Sonic Solutions DVD promo
* Iso-box is here
* Bargains list, newly revised
Expo2000
**********
Plans for this year's Expo continue to gel. It's a little over two weeks away (November 15, 11am - 9pm, at the Wellesley Community Center). As usual, the event should give a good time to all. You can find the latest details at http://www.paudio.com/learning_Expo00.html. You will receive a detailed invitation shortly. The number of equipment exhibitors is larger than ever (24+ manufacturers), as is the number of exhibitors who will use surround monitoring. Among those giving presentations will be Tom Bates, Jeff Largent, Bob Ludwig, David Moulton, Bobby Owsinski, Curt Wittig, Dolby, Genelec, and Neumann. Thanks to the participants, it looks like it will be the best Expo yet!
Lexicon 960 deals for 480 owners
*******************************
Lexicon is offering some special pricing for 480L owners who would like to buy the new 960L or 960LD. (The 960LD is a digital-only version.) The 960L has a retail price of $15,000; the 960LD retails for $11,995. Until December 22, owners of 480's can:
= buy a 960L for $12,995 or a 960LD for $10,995
= trade in the 480 and pay $10,000 for a 960L or $6,995 for a 960LD.
We have further details, as well as demo units you can try. Lexicon will be demoing the 960 at our Expo in a few weeks. Also see http://www.lexicon.com.
Sonic Solutions DVD promo
**************************
To help their SonicStudio customers expand into DVD authoring, Sonic is offering SonicStudio HD users (and SonicStudio users with USP-based systems) a special promotion on a DVD Starter Package. This package includes Sonic DVD Fusion SL authoring, DVD Fusion Proofing, and Dolby Digital 5.1 transcoding of SonicStudio EDLs. The DVD Starter Package is available for $2,997. That's a $2000 savings (40 percent) off the standard MSRP of $4,997. http://www.sonic.com
We still have one demo USP system left for sale, by the way.
Iso-box is here
**************
Would you like to acoustically isolate your noisy computers, hard drives, etc.? Some new products from Sound Construction and Supply in Nashville suit the purpose well. They include the ISOBOX, which virtually eliminates seek, spindle, and white noise from drives. It incorporates thermostatically controlled fans, a digital display, an audible default alarm, an electrostatic/HEPA filter intake to keep drives clean, shock-mounted rack rails, insulated glass door, 1" acoustic foam lining, etc. We have one in operation in our Showroom. ISOMAC is a similar product for computer towers. The company also manufactures a fine line of custom console furniture, for DAWs, Mackie D8B, ProControl, Yamaha 02R, the Sony DMX-R100, etc.
BARGAINS
***********
These are new (N) and demo (D) items available here. In most cases we just have one of each. All are warrantied as new, and fully returnable to us.
Akai IB-112T (N), $150
AKG C-2000B microphone (N), $235
Astarte Toast CD-ROM Pro 3 Bundle (D), $5
Audio-technica AT831R lav mic (N), $145
Audio-technica A-T 4050/CM5 (N), $560
Behringer Intelligate 2ch exp/gate/ducker (D), qty. 2, $190
Behringer Ultra-Q 5-band para EQ/notch filter (D), $180
Beyer M69TG mic (N), $150
Beyer MEM86 Set (N), $190
Crown PS-24 mic power supply (N), $20
dbx 266A 2ch comp/gate (D), $135
dbx 1605 comp/limiter, ASK US
Digidesign MS092 Machine control for Pro Tools (N), $490
Focusrite Green 1 (D), $650
Focusrite D2 plug-in EQ (N), $655
JBL LSR12 subwoofer (D), $735
JBL LSR32 3-way monitor loudpseaker, pair (D), $1450
JL Cooper SMPTE/Smart FSK Synchronizer (D), $20
JoeMeek PC3 ProChannel (N), $245
JoeMeek VC3 Pro Channel (D), $190
Kurzweil K2000 fan kit (D), $40
Lexicon MPX-100 2ch reverb processor (D), $160
Lucid ADA-1000 20-bit A/D-D/A converter, $395
Lucid NB24 digital audio I/O cards for Mac and Windows (N), $290
Mackie HUI controller (D), $2,375
Marantz CDR630 CD duplicator (D), $480
MOTU 2408 (N), $752
MOTU Micro Express (D), $192
Opcode Digitrax audio editing software (N), $5
Opcode MIDI Port32 (1D, 3N), $85
OSC 8-track Tool for Pro Tools (D), $5
Panasonic DA-7 meter bridges (N), $705
Roland VS8F-2 24-bit effect expansion board for VS-1680 or VS-880 (2N), $125
SEK'D 2496 v5.04 (N), $510
SEK'D 2496 v5.11 (N), $525
Sonic Solutions USP system (D), ASK US
Sony ECM-77B lav mic (D), $150
Spendor SA-200 powered monitor speakers (D), $990/pr.
Spendor SA-300 powered monitor speakers (D), $1750/pr.
Spirit Folio Notepad mixer (D), $195
Spirit Folio Powerpad powered mixer (D), $280
SPL 9629 De-esser, 2ch (D), $420
Symetrix 533E 2ch 1/3-octave graphic EQ, $630
Tannoy PBM-8LM, pair (D), $400
Tannoy System 800A LH monitor speakers, pair (D), $695/pair
Tascam DA-302 dual DAT deck, $1350
Tascam DA-88 (factory-reconditioned), $1,995
Technics SH-AC500D digital surround processor (decodes Doby Digital and DTS) (D), $195
Waves C-1 comp/gate v2.0 (D), $10
Whirlwind Micpower phantom power supply (N), $40
Yamaha 03DVEK 03D video edit software (N), ASK US
Yamaha CD8AD interface card (to 8ch analog) for 02R (3D), $640
November 2000
****************************************
We invite you to Parsons Audio's Expo2000
****************************************
* our 10th annual conference/exposition
* Wednesday, November 15, 11am - 9pm, at the Wellesley Community Center
* PRODUCT EXHIBITS, noon - 6:30pm, by dozens of leading manufacturers. See details below.
* LISTENING/LEARNING SESSIONS from 11am - 9pm. See details and schedule below.
As usual there will be much at the Expo for you to enjoy, and much that will help your work. As one regular attendee has written, "The Expo's atmosphere is welcoming, the people friendly, the hype minimal, the exhibits comprehensive, and the presentations excellent." The event is free of charge, courtesy of the exhibitors and Parsons Audio. No reservations or RSVP's are needed, but some presentations in the Garden Room are likely to fill up. Next week we will send a PDF of the program. It will include a map and directions. If you have questions, please contact us via return e-mail, or to Expo@paudio.com; by phone at 781/431-8708, x14 or x18 (or your regular salesperson); or see further details at http://www.paudio.com/Pages/learning_Expo00.html.
In this invitation:
* directions, food, & lodging
* PRODUCT EXHIBITS, details
* LISTENING/LEARNING SESSIONS, schedule and details
directions
*********
The Wellesley Community Center is at 219 Washington St., Wellesley Hills, on Rte. 16 at Rte. 9 (first building to the north). Its driveway is across from where the Route 9 West exit ramp meets Route 16. There's plenty of parking around the building and the church next door. From most directions, easiest access to Route 9 West is via Rte. 128/95. Take 128/95's Exit 20B, Rte. 9 West. That exit is a few miles south of the Mass Pike. The Community Center's phone # is (781)235-4172. The PDF program (to be sent to you next week) includes a map, as does our Web site at the Expo2000 page. For rail travellers, the Wellesley Hills stop is a ten minute walk up Route 16.
food
***
The Community Center is located a block away from the heart of Wellesley Hills, where you can find food, snacks, and drinks at a variety of restaurants, cafes, takeouts, and stores. Attendees at the Expo's evening session will find free pizza and soft drinks available from 6pm, courtesy of Tascam, AES/Boston, and Parsons Audio.
lodging
*****
Everything from country inns to chain hotels are nearby: The Wellesley Inn in Wellesley (colonial style, reasonably priced), a few miles up route 16; Newton Holiday Inn; Newton-Wellesley Marriott; Sheraton Needham; Sheraton Newton, etc. Contact Parsons Audio for recommendations, if you wish.
********************************************
PRODUCT EXHIBITS by leading manufacturers
********************************************
From noon until 6:30pm, product specialists from more than forty manufacturers (see partial list below) will show their products and technologies, and will be available to discuss your needs with you. As usual, the Expo will give you the year's best opportunity to see the equipment, to gather information, and to seek the recommendations and guidance of experts, in a friendly and unhurried atmosphere. This year, you'll be able to learn about consoles, recorders, workstations, misc. software, signal processors, drives, fiber networks for DAWs, converters, mics, speakers, wiring, etc. All of the exhibitors have significant product news, including: Tascam's newest multitrack recorders, Yamaha's latest digital console, Digidesign's Pro Tools 5.1, Sony's groundbreaking new console and sampling reverb, Lexicon's 960L digital reverb, etc. We will send some details next week.
All exhibits except Lexicon, Genelec, and the Henderson Company (all of whom will be upstairs in the Garden Room) and Digidesign (upstairs in the Hoffman Room) will be downstairs in Babson Hall. Exhibitors will include:
* Atlas/Soundolier - http://www.atlas-soundolier.com
* Brauner - http://www.dirk-brauner.com
* Digidesign - http://www.digidesign.com
* Drawmer - http://www.drawmer.com
* Emu/Ensoniq - http://www.emu.com
* Event - http://www.event1.com
* Genelec - http://www.genelec.com
* Lexicon - http://www.Lexicon.com
* Logic Audio - http://www.emagic.de/english/index.html
* Meyer Sound - http://www.meyersound.com/
* Millennia Media - http://www.mil-media.com (invited; not yet certain)
* Neumann - http://www.neumannusa.com
* Redco Audio - http://www.redco.com
* Rorke Data - http://www.rorke.com
* SADiE - http://www.SADiE.com
* Shure - http://www.shure.com/
* Sony - http://www.sony.com/proaudio/
* Soundfield - http://www.transaudiogroup.com
* Tascam - http://www.tascam.com/
* Waves - http://www.waves.com/
* Yamaha - http://www.yamaha.com
* Bay Roads Marketing, representing Sony, t.c. electronics, HHB, Genex, Philips, and other manufacturers.
* Chris Ross Associates, representing Audix, Studiomaster, Hosa, etc.
* The Henderson Company, representing Panasonic, Lexicon, Denon, Drawmer, Furman, Genelec, Soundfield, Brauner, and other lines.
* New England Technical Associates (NETA) represents Aphex, Crest consoles and amplifiers, Eastern Acoustic Works, Joe Meek, and Sennheiser.
* On the Road Marketing represents Audio-technica, Mackie, Symetrix, Tannoy, and other manufacturers. Mackie has a new workstation in the works.
* Richard Dean Associates represents Shure, Event, Logic Audio, Atlas, etc.
*********************************
LISTENING/LEARNING SESSIONS
*********************************
These sessions are always a highlight of the Expos. There's nothing like learning in person from accomplished professionals. Sound systems (stereo in Henderson Hall; surround in the Garden Room) courtesy of Genelec.
in Henderson Hall
*****************
11:00 -11:45, Jim Hilson of Dolby Labs, on the state of surround at Dolby
11:45 - 12:15, Andy Munitz of Sony Professional Audio, on development of Sony's sampling reverb
12:15 - 1:45, break for lunch & exhibits
1:45 - 2:30, David Moulton, Sausalito Audio Works, on a new approach to loudspeaker and control room design
2:30 - 3:15, Bob Ludwig of Gateway Mastering, on his experiences authoring and mastering in 5.1
3:15 - 4:00, Bobby Owsinski of Surround Associates, on the state of surround today
4:00 - 5:00, Karl Winkler of Neumann, on microphone technology and applications
5:00 - 6:30, break for exhibits, and for presentations in the Garden Room
7:00 - 9:00, Tom Bates of Bates Engineering, on his career (so far) in remote recording
in the Garden Room
******************
12:15 - 1:00, Lexicon 960 demo, with Steve Frankel
1:00 - 1:30, Will Eggelston of Genelec, on Genelec's studio monitors
1:45 - 2:30, Lexicon 960 demo
2:30 - 4:15, open, or more Lexicon 960
4:15 - 5:00, Curt Wittig, with his latest surround project
5:00 - 5:45, Jeff Largent of National Boston Video Center, with surround projects
5:45 - 6:30, Lexicon 960 demo
details: the Henderson Hall sessions
********************************
11:00am -11:45am, Jim Hilson of Dolby Labs, on the state of surround at Dolby. Recently returned from helping NBC produce the Olympics in Sydney, Jim will report on the many fronts where Dolby surround technology is at work. They include broadcast, music production, etc. He will include some discussion of the fast-emerging DVD-A format.
11:45am - 12:15pm, Andy Munitz of Sony Professional Audio, on development of Sony's new sampling reverb, plus latest news re the DMX-R100 console. A reverb that uses samples from real spaces is an interesting concept. The reality, via Sony, is even more interesting. Andy will review what Sony's engineers have done.
12:15 - 1:45pm, break for lunch & exhibits. Product exhibits (see listing below) will be downstairs in Babson Hall, and upstairs in the Garden Room and Hoffman Room. A wide variety of food is available a block away, in downtown Wellesley Hills.
1:45 - 2:30pm, David Moulton, Sausalito Audio Works, on a new approach to loudspeaker and control room design. Among other accomplishments, David is VP of Sausalito Audio Works, with whom he has developed a new design of loudspeakers. The design is the product of years of groundbreaking research and development. The first licensee for his design work is Bang & Olufsen, for whom Sausalito Audio Works is preparing a complete range of loudspeakers for consumer and professional markets. At the Expo he will deliver a successor to his standing-room-only presentation at the recent AES Convention. It will delve into why we hear the way we do, how loudspeakers behave in rooms, and how our listening rooms should be designed. His approach is both fresh and controversial. If you work with loudspeakers, this session is sure to interest you.
2:30 - 3:15pm, Bob Ludwig of Gateway Mastering, on his experiences authoring and mastering in 5.1. Founder of Gateway Mastering, and one of the world's leading mastering engineers, Bob is a major player in the our industry's progress towards better audio. In recent years Gateway has mastered some notable surround projects. It was also one of the first facilities anywhere to become fully equipped to author and master DVD's. Bob has authored and mastered projects for many of the world's leading artists, producers, and engineers. In the process, he has acquired much experience with surround, and much love for it. It is always a pleasure to hear him talk about his work.
3:15 - 4:00pm, Bobby Owsinski of Surround Associates, on the state of surround today. Since 1995, at his company in Los Angeles, Bobby has worked on surround projects for Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Iron Maiden, Eddie Money, Todd Rundgren, Firesign Theater, ELO, Pat Benetar, Shadowfax, Tangerine Dream, Tuck & Patti, and George Winston, among others. In addition to recording and producing surround, he has advised and evangelized about it in more than a hundred articles that he has written for Surround Professional, Pro Sound News, EQ, Film & Video, Mix, Billboard, and other industry magazines. At the Expo he will talk about the state of surround from his viewpoint: the size of the market, what the labels are doing, emerging technologies, what surround facilities need (equipment, room design), what challenges facility owners and operators will face, and various lessons he has learned hands-on.
4:00 - 5:00pm, Karl Winkler of Neumann, on microphone technology and applications. Karl is a long-time student of microphones and their technology. For years he has worked for Neumann, where his love of microphones, and his expertise, have flourished. Karl's presentation at a Parsons Expo several years ago was very well received. Since then it has evolved considerably. Anyone who works with microphones will appreciate his latest version.
5:00 - 6:30pm, break for exhibits, and for presentations in the Garden Room
7:00 - 9:00pm, Tom Bates of Bates Engineering, on his career (so far) in remote recording. Tom is always an engaging and informative presenter. Few people are as knowledgeable as he about audio engineering and production, and fewer still have his gift for communicating what he has learned. We're fortunate to have him as a 'regular' at our Expos. This year, in the Expo's evening event, he will talk about remote recording, accompanied by audio examples. Remote recording is the work that he knows best. He has enjoyed great success in it, winning many awards. We will hear from him about the realities of the business of remote recording, including what the jobs are and where they come from. He will discuss how to set up studios in the field, especially high quality monitoring. He will describe how he goes about his work, from setup through the final mix. He has learned lessons that will interest anyone who works with audio. As usual, this evening Expo event will also serve as the November meeting of the Boston Chapter of AES.
details: the Garden Room sessions
*******************************
12:15 - 1:00, Lexicon 960L demo, with Steve Frankel . Lexicon product specialist Steve Frankel will also demo the new 960L digital effects system at 1:45, and 5:45; perhaps another time in mid-afternoon.
1:00 - 1:30, Will Eggelston of Genelec, on his company's fine studio monitors. Genelec has manufactured high quality loudspeakers for many years, and is a leading brand in recording, production, and broadcast facilities around the world. Will knows the speakers inside out, and will share some of his knowledge.
1:45 - 2:30, Lexicon 960L demo
2:30 - 4:15, open, or more Lexicon 960L
4:15 - 5:00, Curt Wittig, with his latest surround project. The last time we saw Curt at the Expo he presented his surround production of George Crumb's Songs for Ancient Children, for which he was about to be nominated for a Grammy for Best Engineered Classical Album. (David Moulton was co-nominee.) This year he will bring a project that is perhaps even more exciting and adventurous -- a production of Dickens' Christmas Carol. When it comes to engineering surround projects, Curt is one of the most experienced and accomplished craftsmen anywhere. Anyone who works in surround, or expects to, will learn much from him.
5:00 - 5:45, Jeff Largent of National Boston Video Center, with an assortment of audio/video surround projects. Jeff is an accomplished sound designer. After starting his career here in Boston, he moved to Hollywood to work at Columbia Studios, Sony Studios (which became Sony Pictures, which became Sony Entertainment), Warner Brothers, and Soundelux. His sound design achievements include two Academy Award "Oscars", for Braveheart and Session Man. He was also nominated for five "Prime Time" Emmies, including Doctor Quinn: Medicine Woman and The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. He was the original Sound Designer for the television program Beakman’s World, which won an ITVA "Monitor" award, and was Co-Supervising sound editor for the pilot episode of ER. Having sewn those oats, Jeff returned to Boston to raise a family. Currently, he is a member of RumbleStrip, the audio division of National Boston Video Center, and a part-time faculty member at Berklee College of Music, where he teaches audio for post-production.
5:45 - 6:30, Lexicon 960L demo
****************************
sometimes the most fun of all...
****************************
In addition to the above attractions, the Expo turns out to be a fine place, and rare opportunity, to meet and schmooze with your peers. Network with new acquaintances and old. The fun factor is high!
We hope that you will clear your schedule, and mark your calendar:
Expo2000
Wednesday, November 15, from 11am - 9pm
at the Wellesley Community Center
END
Expo update
***********
It's going to be the best show since Election Night. We enclose a PDF of the invitation/program. We hope that downloading it didn't slow you down. It includes directions and a map to the Expo site, the schedule of presentations, and the complete list of exhibitors.
Two recent developments:
1. Fostex will be among the exhibitors, with their recorders, etc. The exhibit hall as a whole will be chock full of equipment and associated manufacturers' experts. It will be a great resource for any audio/media professional.
2. Tom Bates' voice of experience is always well worth listening to, both useful and fascinating. His evening presentation (7pm) about remote recording will include a wealth of anecdotes about challenges met, disasters narrowly averted, and instructive failures. Tom will illustrate his talk with a number of examples from his audio and audio-for-video work.
job available
***********
A leading Boston-area post-production facility seeks an audio engineer with client experience. Contact us and we'll refer you to the facility's owner.
hazaards of new technology
************************
From a recent column by Paul Krugman, the MIT economist, in the NY Times, true for many in our dynamic industry: "...new technologies...destroy as well as create. In particular, each new technology destroys or at least diminishes the value of old skills and old market positions." At Parsons Audio, of course, new technology is what we sell. Its positive, creative attributes are usually pretty obvious, and enjoyable for us to represent. But the challenges Krugman writes of -- the need to update skills, and to maintain healthy market positions -- are often evident to us as we talk with customers. We don't neglect them, and often can help customers to avoid or reduce them.
END
December 2000
In case you missed this year's Expo a few weeks ago, we didn't record it. We lack the time to transcribe all those hours,unfortunately. So, on the whole, you had to be there. An exception is David Moulton's presentation. David kindly gave us a copy of his PowerPoint presentation, which will soon be on our web site, http://www.paudio.com. Also, at Surround 2001 this Friday and Saturday at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Bob Ludwig will be repeating his extremely instructive report on DVD authoring and mastering. Otherwise, below is a brief recap, which may prove useful. Next year's Expo, by the way, will be Wednesday, November 14. Mark your calendar! Don't let anything keep you from attending! {;-)
REPORT on Parsons Audio Expo, November 15, 2000
**********************************
More people than ever, two or three hundred of them, came early and stayed for much or all of the day. Both the presentations and the exhibits were well attended. We suspect that the word is getting around that this is an excellent occasion for learning about products, and for hearing some remarkable professionals show and tell about their work.
Among the presentations:
Jim Hilson of Dolby Labs, on the state of surround at Dolby. Jim's presentation was attended by numerous broadcasters, post facilities, and studio engineers, who find themselves facing increasing numbers of surround projects. As usual, he brought everyone up to date re the state of Surround, which his company has much to do with.
Andy Munitz of Sony Professional Audio, on development of Sony’s DRE-777 sampling reverb. Andy described the workings of the DRE, and the lengths that Sony went to in order to capture the real ambiences that the device makes available to its users. In addition to a number of the world’s leading performance venues (symphony halls, etc.), it incorporates some remarkable ambiences recorded by Sony engineers in out-of-the-way places. One notable locale was deep within the stone walls of Paul Winter’s favorite offshoot of the Grand Canyon!
David Moulton, on a new approach to loudspeaker and control room design. In the course of eighteen years of research and development, David has come up with a new loudspeaker design. Sausalito Audio Works, where David is Vice President, is presently turning the design into a complete range of consumer and professional loudspeakers for its first licensee, Bang & Olufsen. In his presentation he illustrated the science that underlies the speakers, beginning with fresh understandings of how we hear, and of how loudspeakers work in rooms. He went on to show related concepts that form the basis of inexpensive but effective control room designs. For anyone interested, his PowerPoint presentation for the Expo, 100+ slides in all, is posted at the Parsons Audio web site, www.paudio.com.
Bob Ludwig of Gateway Mastering, on his experiences authoring and mastering in 5.1. Bob has presented at a number of Expos, keeping attendees informed about the pleasures and perils of his work. This time he gave a presentation that thoroughly illustrated the cutting-edge technology, processes, and work flow that Gateway utilizes while authoring and mastering DVD’s and surround-encoded CD’s. He also vividly described the issues that our industry faces as it ventures further into such projects. At this point, very few audio facilities are producing DVD’s. The Expo audience for Bob was full of facility owners and engineers who know that such work is in their future. They came somewhat in the spirit of would-be settlers gathered to hear an advance scouting report about the realities of that technological frontier. As always, Bob was generous in sharing the lessons that he and Gateway have learned.
Bobby Owsinski of Surround Associates, on the state of surround today. Another frontiersman in surround sound, Bobby reports on that subject (and others) for many trade magazines, and has engineered and produced numerous surround projectsfor artists. At the Expo he relayed many insights that he has gained while in the studio — practical tips that had attendees taking notes.
Karl Winkler of Neumann, on microphone technology and applications. Notwithstanding his employ by Neumann, Karl has over the years developed a presentation about microphones that is far more than a low-key sales pitch. Instead, it is a comprehensive study of traditional and cutting edge mic technology, and a thorough overview of how microphones are used today. Karl gives similar presentations around the country. They are useful to anyone who uses mics. Watch for an opportunity to experience it!
Curt Wittig, with his latest surround project. Curt Wittig, recent Grammy engineering nominee and past master of surround recording, brought the multitrack version of his new CD: a musical production of Dickens’ Christmas Carol. He spelled out the issues he faced, the tools he used (Soundfield mics, multitrack recorder, workstation, and a notable contribution from Lexicon’s new 960L), techniques applied, intricacies of the mix, etc. Judging from what we heard, the piece could become a Christmas classic.
Jeff Largent of National Boston Video Center, with surround projects. Jeff Largent is a sound designer with extensive experience (and two Oscars and five Emmy nominations) working in Hollywood for Sony Entertainment, Warner Bros., Columbia Studios, and others. At RumbleStrip, the audio division of National Boston, numerous surround projects have been coming his way. They include everything from broadcast spots and programming (for The Discovery Channel and others) to corporate pieces for which the client wanted to take advantage of the impact of surround. At the Expo he showed an assortment of videos and deconstructed the audio design work that he had done for them..
Tom Bates, on remote recording. The evening session, the crowning presentation for this year’s Expo, was Tom Bates’ concerning remote recording. He brought a wealth of examples from his long career. He began by showing several stunning pieces of soundtrack work. One was an expressionistic video recently produced in Germany using Native American music and performers. The next, the soundtrack that Tom engineered for Franco Zeffirelli’s La Traviata (with Placido Domingo and Teresa Stratas), sounded so good through our hall’s Genelec 1037’s that the audience would willingly have sat through the entire two-hour video. (It was one of his eight Grammy-winners.) Other examples included work he has done with Paul Winter, Pete Seeger, a variety of gospel and jazz artists, and a sublime chorus of Tibetan nuns whose convent sits atop a mountain in Nepal. When Tom contacted the nuns a few years back, preparatory to going to Nepal to do the recording, he asked them if they had electricity there. They didn’t know; couldn’t say one way or the other. (Such is the light that sunshine by day, and moonlight and candles by night, can cast upon the soul?) It turns out that they did, but he and his crew had to haul in a load of battery power, just in case. Hardships faced! All the examples that he played served the purpose of Tom’s talk, which was to show challenges that he has met while recording all kinds of music, in all kinds of locations, in all kinds of circumstances. No written report can begin to do justice to the content of his presentations, much less to the skill, devotion to musical artistry, and dedication that he brings to his work. They were clearly on display, ennobling to all who attended.
See you next year, we hope!
END
to top of page
Copyright 2002, Parsons Audio. We welcome your questions, comments, and contributions >>> Webmeister@paudio.com.
|
|
|
mailings archive: 2000