articles, etc.

articles, slide shows, interviews, discussion transcripts, etc.

newsletters

subscribe

archive: 2002

archive: 2001

archive: 2000

archive: 1999

archive: pre-1999

events

our annual EXPO

audio courses

with David Moulton

other instruction

Golden Ears CDs

Cool Breeze CDs

mailings archive, pre-1999

• December 1998 News
• November 1998 News
• Late Summer '98 NEWS, part 2
• Late Summer '98 NEWS
• Digidesign Day 7/98
• News 4/98
• Waves Day 2/98
• Tascam Day & Golden Ears 2/98, Tascam Sale 2/98
• Events 1/98
• 20+ bits 12/97
• DVD Audio 12/97
• Festival97 Report 11/97, Update 10/97, Invitation 10/97

************************

December 1998 NEWS

************************

***************
Coming EVENTS
***************

Digidesign Pro Tools
*****************
Tuesday, December 15. RSVP!
4pm: Intro to Pro Tools, for newcomers to the latest Pro Tools system
7pm: Master Class for Pro Tools Users, especially for music and post. (Food and beverages provided.)
Andrew Harris of Digidesign has learned many shortcuts, tips, etc. during his years with the company -- more than enough to help the work of almost any Pro Tools user. If you are a Pro Tools operator, come take advantage. While you're at it, you can learn about the latest developments at Digidesign -- the newest versions of Pro Tools for the Mac and for Windows NT.

planned for early 1999
******************
= Frank Filipetti, recording engineer (James Taylor, et al.), with the Yamaha 02R, on recording and mixing using digital consoles
= Craig Anderton, noted engineer and author, with the Panasonic/Ramsa DA-7 digital console, on the art of digital mixing

Expo99
*******
Our Expo99 is planned to happen on Veteran's Day, Thursday, November 11, at the Wellesley Community Center. We hope you'll put the date in your calendar now. If you have suggestions about the event, we would like to hear them.***
Happy Holidays to you!
from the staff at Parsons

************************
November 1998 NEWS
************************
= Expo retro
= upcoming events
= surround showroom
= demo items

We recorded the presentations, which we will transcribe and post on our Web site. Last year's Expo report has attracted several thousand readers. Given the fascinating things that presenters and others said at this year's event, and even though reading them can't compare to hearing them live, readers can look forward to something special.

There's room for improvement, always. What would you like to see next time? Your suggestions, requests, complaints, etc. are welcome -- however rude or refined.

To state what may be obvious: Your business with us enables us to stage this event. It pays the way. Thank you. We hope that you enjoy having us repay you in this manner.

See you again next year!

 

upcoming events
**************

*Digidesign*
= Tuesday, November 24, 4&7pm, the new Pro Tools for Windows NT
= Tuesday, December 15: Intro to Pro Tools, 4pm; Master Class for Users, focusing on music and post, food & beverages provided, 7pm.

*Moulton course schedule* -- If you know how rewarding these courses are, then you want to take one!
= Golden Ears Seminar, Jan. 20, 7pm (3 hours)
= Acoustics for Musicians, five Thursdays, 7pm, from Jan. 21
= Critical Listening for Audio Professionals, five Wednesdays, 7pm, from January 27

For details, contact us or our Web site (http://www.paudio.com).

 

surround showroom
*****************
We now have a 5.1 system in our upper Showroom, complete with DTS/AC-3 decoder. Dolby's new, less expensive multichannel AC-3 encoder is now reality, as is a decoder. Anyone who produces AC-3 will want to have the control over the process that the encoder allows. See us for particulars. BTW, there's a new trade mag out, free to professional users, called Surround Professional. See http://www.surroundpro.com.

 

demo items
**********
Having put ourselves back together after the Expo, we once again have on display, available for you to visit or to demo: full racks of processors, digital consoles everywhere, workstations (latest from Digi, Sonic, Ensoniq/Emu, etc.), a wall full of high quality monitor speakers, a forest of microphones, and more.

 

Expo98, continued
******************
Last week's News listed the wrong day of the week for our Expo98, which
will happen on November 11. That's a Wednesday (Veteran's Day, in fact).
For the exhibits, all the manufacturers and reps we have invited have
signed up; will be there with their latest. Also, we've been talking
further with engineers and producers who will be playing recordings there
through that afternoon. David Frangioni will get into quad-to-5.1 masters
he has been doing for 70's artists such as Santana, Jeff Beck, Eric
Clapton, and others; DTS surround material he has been working on; and may
do some stereo vs. surround mix comparison. Curt Wittig, Yves Feder, Dave
Moulton and a few others are also developing very interesting surround
presentations for us. We will have more details for you as the date
approaches.

 

Opcode and Apple on tour
**************************
Here this coming Thursday, September 10, 12-2PM & 2-4PM: Opcode's Vision
DSP blazing on a Macintosh G3, with new real-time audio effects, 24-bit
audio support, new intelligent MIDI features, support for many audio cards
(Lexicon, Event, Digidesign, Lucid, etc.), and more.

 

special deals$$$
****************
All are fully warrantied; new in sealed boxes or demos, as noted.

Antares JVP Voice Processor, new, $TBD
Apogee FC-8 ADAT/DA-88 8-channel format converter, $495
Apogee PSU1000E power supply, demo, $465
Audio-technica AT4033a microphone, new, $440
Audio-technica AT4041 microphone, new, $245
Audio-technica AT4050/CM5 microphone, new, $610
Audio-technica AT4060, new, CALL
Behringer Ultra-Q, $220
J. L. Cooper PPS-2 SMPTE/Smart FSK Synchronizer, $TBD
Countryman ISOMAX-TVH lavalier mic, hypercardioid,demo, $125
Digidesign Expansion Chassis Interface Card, demo, $40
Digidesign 888 (non-24), demo, CALL
Digitrax 1.2 (PowerMac native), new, $80
Dynatek 1G HD and tape drive, demo, $200
E-V RE-20, new, CALL
E-V 635, new, CALL
Ensoniq DP/PRO effects processor, new, $400
Furman Pluglock outlet strips, which lock 5 wall warts or regular plugs,
w/circuit breaker, new, $30
MS MIX22 Multimedia Sound Mixer, new, $100
Joemeek VC-3, new, $360
Kurzweil KMP-1 Micropiano, new, $385
Lexicon NuVerb TDM plug-in, new, $450
MOTU Digital Performer 2.0, new, $TBD
Opcode Overture, new, $TBD
Pac. Coast 1G hard drive, demo, $200
Panasonic SV-3800 DAT recorder, new, $1,149
QSC Deck II 8-track tool, new, $20
Quantum Q-Card, new, $50
Roland VS-880 workstation w/540MB hard drive, demo, $1,000
Sony DTC-A6 DAT recorder, new, $595
Sony PCM-R500 DATs (w/4 motors, SBM, etc.), new, $1,119
Sony ECM-727P stereo electret, new, $50
Spectral Prisma 8-track PC workstation, demo, $1,800
Spendor SA-200 powered monitor speakers, pair, demo, $1,520
Spendor SA-300 powered monitor speakers, pair, demo, $2,570
Spirit Folio Powerpad powered mixer, demo, $250
Tascam reconditioned units: DA-60MkII time code DAT recorder, $2,995;
MTS1000 Midi-izer, $500
Valley Audio 460 X-Gate/NR, $375
Waves C-1, new, $TBD
Whirlwind 10x2 stage box,demo, $40
Yamaha/Pac. Coast CDE-400 4X CD recorder, with Astarte Toast, demo, $450
Yamaha MDF3 MIDI data filer, demo

 

demos available at Parsons
**************************
Call us ahead of time, then come see, or ask us to send to you:

* digital consoles: the new Mackie, Panasonic/Ramsa, Tascam, and the Yamaha
01V, 03D and 02R.
* workstations and associated products by Digidesign, Sonic Solutions,
Roland, Ensoniq (Paris), Lexicon (Studio), Sonic Foundry, SEK'D, 360
Systems, etc.
* monitor speakers: Genelec, KRK, Spendor, Tannoy, and others
* signal processors: Amek, Aphex, Avalon, Behringer, dbx, Forsell, joemeek,
Lexicon, SPL, Summit, t.c. electronic, Tubetech, Valley Audio,
* microphones: Neumann M149, TLM-103, U-87, KM-184, etc.; AKG C-12VR,
C-3000, C414's; Earthworks; Rode; Audio-technica; E-V; Sony; Countryman,
etc.
* DAT decks: Fostex, Panasonic, Sony, Tascam, etc.
* test & measurement: Audio Precision
* also: Hafler amplifier, RPG acoustic panels

 

**************************
1998 late summer NEWS
**************************

 

* events: Expo98, Moulton classes, Opcode Vision/DSP, Digidesign AES Review
* product news
* AES/San Francisco
* job openings
* having trouble with a product?
* equipment to demo, special deals, etc.
* anniversary

 

Expo98: mark your calendar!
****************************
Expo98, our annual exposition/conference/extravaganza, will take place this year on Thursday, November 11, from mid-AM until well into the evening, at the Wellesley Community Center. We hope you will mark your calendar, clearing yourself to be there.
More details will follow at a later date, but we can tell you that this year's Festival will include:
* exhibits and specialists from many key manufacturers. AES will be far away this fall, in San Francisco, making these exhibits especially convenient and useful.
* an afternoon of show & tell of recordings, especially in surround, by a number of masterful professionals who have much to teach.
* double-blind subjective listening tests with David Moulton.
* an evening with Bob Ludwig of Gateway Mastering, its topic to be determined.
You will find hours of opportunities to meet and learn from fellow professionals from all over New England, and beyond. You can expect this expo, like our previous seven, to be engaging, instructive, and fun. Come!

 

Moulton classes
****************
David Moulton's course offering has expanded, adding a course in Mixing Technique. Upcoming sessions: Critical Listening, 7-10PM, five Wednesdays beginning September 9; Mixing Technique, 7-10PM, six Thursdays beginning September 10. For complete course descriptions and syllabi see http://www.paudio.com/ContinEduc.html.

 

Opcode Vision/DSP Day
************************
Thursday, October 10, 12 and 2PM. RSVP.

 

Digidesign AES Review
***********************
Tuesday, October 13, 4PM & 7PM. Digi tells us that exciting new products will appear at AES.

 

product news
*************
= Digital consoles. The long awaited Mackie Digital 8-bus console arrived here today. The Panasonic, Tascam and Yamahas are here too.
= Alesis recorders. Alesis has asked us to sell their recorders -- the new high-end M-20, and the rest of the 20-bit models. We would like to gauge customer interest. Are you interested?
= inexpensive DAWs. We sell more than the justifiably illustrious DAWs of Digidesign and Sonic Solutions. We also carry Lexicon, Sonic Foundry, Ensoniq Paris (with 20+ bit interface), SEK'D, Event, Roland, and others. Contact us to discuss your choices.
= CD duplication. CD copying has entered a new era. We have done well with Microboards' recorders. The 5-drive DSR-8000 is on display here, can record DVDs as well as CDs, is available for you to evaluate or buy.
= The 24-bit Tascam DAT is about to ship. It records true 24-bit audio data on a standard DAT tape.
= Digidesign. The Pro Control controller is a hit, greatly improving the work flow of Pro Tools owners. The 888 interface is now available with a 24-bit DAC as well as ADC. Older 888s can be updated. Finally, the ADAT Bridge I/O is now out.

 

AES/San Francisco
*******************
This year's AES convention in the U.S. will be in San Francisco at the end of September. A number of us from Parsons will be there. As usual, let us know if you'd like us to perform any missions for you -- info gathering, evaluating products, or talking on your behalf with any manufacturers. If you'll be attending and would like a free pass to the exhibits, we have some. If you won't be there, be reminded that many key manufacturers will be exhibiting at our Festival in November.

 

Job openings
*************
We enjoy matching job seekers with jobs, and have done a good amount of it. If you or your organization have an opening that our other customers and Web-site readers (www.paudio.com -- hundreds of readers every week) might fill, please let us know.

 

Having trouble with a product?
******************************
It's no news that modern audio/media gear can be forbiddingly difficult when it goes wrong, or when users fail to understand something about it. Please know, as many of our customers have found, that if you're having such trouble we can help. It's not that we always have the final answers that you need. That is often impossible, even though our staff has a lot of expertise -- we are dealers for thousands of products, after all, and can't master them all. But we usually can advise where you can turn most effectively for further help. We can help you troubleshoot your difficulties, too. And if you simply need quick access to a manufacturer, hundreds of links to manufacturers appear on our Web site, http://www.paudio.com, available all day every day.

 

demo equipment, special deals, etc.
**********************************
During the weeks ahead we'll send you our latest list of bargains. We'll also send an updated list of items we have here that you can demo/evaluate if you wish. Call us for 'most anything, though; our manufacturers and reps gladly provide us with a vast collection of demo gear which we can loan to you.

Before that, though, in case you're interested, there's this list faxed to us this morning by Roland. Roland says that these items are show samples and demo inventory, may have cosmetic flaws, are in perfect working order, and carry full warranty. Only a few pieces are available. They'll likely be gone within the next few days.
= DM-800HD, $1560
= DM-800RS stand for DM-800 or VS-1680, $50
= DM-800TC travel case, $35
= DIF-800 ADAT/DA88 interface for DM-800, $300
= RSS-10 3D sound processor, $650
= SN-700 noise/hum eliminator, $300
= AR-2000 announcement recorder, $550

 

anniversary
***********
On September 19 we'll be beginning our tenth year. The decades do slip by! Many of you have been loyal customers from the start, in many cases for as much as a decade before that. Others of you are newcomers to us, some as recent as an hour ago. Either way, we are grateful for you and your business.

**********************************************
Digidesign Day: Thursday, July 23, 3:30 & 7:00PM
a presentation of Pro Control & Pro Tools 24 v4.2
in the upper Showroom at Parsons Audio
**********************************

Digidesign began working on their hardware controller for Pro Tools many years ago -- the better part of a decade, if our memory serves us. They have been well aware that keyboard, computer monitor, and mouse or trackball can at times leave much to be desired as ways to control audio for a digital audio workstation.

 

Now Pro Control, the result of all their work, is real. We received our demo a few weeks ago. Our specialists can show it to you any time. Or you may come see Digidesign's Andrew Harris present it this coming Thursday, July 23, in our upper Showroom, at 3:30PM or 7PM.

Please contact us to reserve a seat and to get directions, if you need them ( Directions are also available at our Web site, www.paudio.com).

 

**

 

Below is thorough info which Andrew sent to us about Pro Control. If you wish, we can also send you a 12k GIF image that gives a rough idea of what Pro control looks like.

 

From Andrew:

ProControl is a modular hardware control surface that adds high-quality tactile mixing and editing capability to Pro Tools TDM systems and especially the flagship Pro Tools 24 system. ProControl interacts with Pro Tools software via DigiFader moving faders, 25 high resolution, 8 character scribble strips and dedicated switch and encoder controls -including control room mix monitoring and talkback. ProControl serves as a comprehensive front - end for Pro Tools TDM mixing, editing and DSP processing, and serves as the only mix controller in the user's work environment. Its modular design allows you to configure a system that best suits your needs and budget.

 

Recording, editing and mixing with ProControl will change your concept of what to expect when working with a fully integrated, professional Digital Audio Workstation. The Pro Tools TDM environment provides the power and flexibility you need for recording, editing, mixing and signal processing. Now a modular, expandable hardware controller can bring all of this together in new and exciting ways, utilizing the benefits of tactile control.

The Pro Tools TDM system contains some of the most powerful mix automation available on any digital system, regardless of price. This includes Write, Touch, Latch and Read modes for fader levels, pans, sends, mutes, Plug-In parameters and more. ProControl provides access to this mixing power through our Patent Pending DigiFader moving faders, and dedicated function switches and encoders. Literally every parameter capable of automation in Pro Tools TDM systems can be controlled from the ProControl surface.

 

Complete Control

ProControl has been designed to serve as the sole control surface in your Pro Tools TDM mixing and editing environment. Fader and send levels, pan position, scrub/shuttle and transport control, edit tools/modes and Plug-In access and editing are all available from the ProControl surface. Control room and studio monitoring of stereo or surround sound Pro Tools mixes is also provided for. ProControl even includes an integrated Trackpad for those rare times when you need to access an item on the Pro Tools graphic interface.

 

The DigiFader

Digidesign has designed a Patent Pending moving fader which we call the DigiFader.
This unique fader is a true digital device which incorporates a sealed encoder, servo
controlled motor and flex-circuit which provides the feel, performance and reliability of
moving faders found on other high-end mixing consoles without the exorbitant cost. The
inclusion of these 100mm long-throw DigiFaders provides accurate, repeatable control
and visual feedback of Pro Tools audio levels.

 

Channel Matrix

Located in the Main Section of ProControl, the Channel Matrix contains 32 dedicated,
illuminated channel buttons, 4 bank switches, the Channel/Group LED Display and other
function buttons which allows you to quickly navigate through large Pro Tools sessions.
Using the matrix, you can view the status of functions like solo, mute and record ready,s on
channels which are not currently displayed on the Fader Section. In addition, you can
quickly scan a large console configuration in order to locate a specific channel(s) and
immediately re-configure the Fader Section to display the desired group of channels.

 

Connects via Ethernet

ProControl connects easily to Pro Tools TDM systems via a low-cost, standard Ethernet
connection. In addition to possibilities for networking ProControl Main and Expansion
units throughout a production facility, the use of Ethernet provides fast, guaranteed
performance of an integrated Pro Tools/ ProControl system, especially in larger
configurations.

 

The System That Grows With Your Needs

The base ProControl unit provides everything you'll need to run any Pro Tools session,
whether small or large. The surface contains three basic sections which includes the
Fader Section, Main Section and integrated Meter Bridge. While the largest Pro Tools
TDM mix configuration may be accessed by the base unit, there are applications where
you may desire additional Fader Sections. ProControl can be expanded in eight channel
increments to a maximum of 32 channels. Each expansion unit contains all the features of
the Fader Section and also includes 8 stereo meters.

 

The Main Section Contains:

• DSP EDIT/ASSIGN area includes dedicated switches, encoders and 8 character LED
  displays for assigning and editing Plug-Ins from Digidesign and over 60 third-party
  manufacturers.
• Channel Matrix section contains 32 dedicated, illuminated channel buttons, 4 bank
  switches and other function buttons which allow the user to access and quickly navigate
  through large Pro Tools sessions.
• Dedicated switch bank for Creating, Enabling, Editing and Suspending fader groups.
• Dedicated numeric keypad, Pro Tools Edit Tool and Edit Mode buttons as well as all
  switches for edit functions including Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete, Separate and Capture.
• Windows switch section which allows the user to instantly display the key windows on
  the Pro Tools graphic user interface. This includes Edit, Mix, Status, Transport, Plug-In
  and Memory Location windows.
• High-quality, illuminated transport control switches including External Transport, (for
  machine control enable) ONLINE, Go To Beginning, Go To End, Loop Playback and Quick
  Punch.
• Analog Control Room Monitoring/Routing/ Talkback section ? the analog monitoring
  section provides high quality monitoring of the outputs of Pro Tools TDM mixes and
  alternate sources to power amps and speakers as well as a dedicated headphone input.
  Surround Sound monitoring is also available from this section and controls for speaker
  selection, Dim, Mute, Mono, and Talkback circuitry are included.
• A weighted Scrub/Shuttle Wheel is provided and may be used for region trimming and
  other edit operations.
• Built in Trackpad mouse replacement for interacting with the Pro Tools graphic interface.
• The Fader Section Includes:
• Eight 100mm digital, servo-driven DigiFaders.
• (16) 8 character high resolution LED scribble strip displays for channel names, levels,
  group status, pan and send data and more
• Large, illuminated Solo and Mute buttons. A switch is also provided as a global Solo
  Clear.
• Illuminated channel Select buttons for I/O assignment, automation, grouping and other
  channel specific edit functions
• LED automation status displays and dedicated Automation switch group for selecting
  modes and parameter enables. A dedicated switch for Suspending automation playback
  is also provided.
• (8) LED ringed data encoders for controlling Pan position, I/O assignment and Send
  levels
• Dedicated, illuminated switches for EQ and Dynamics editing/bypass control, Insert
  assignment/bypass and Record Ready states.
• The Integrated Meter Section Provides:
• (8) stereo, 16 position LED peak reading meters for disk recording/playback metering
• (3) stereo, 16 position LED peak reading meters for Pro Tools Stereo and Surround
  output metering
• 8 character, 7 segment time display which may be switched to show Absolute time,
  SMPTE timecode, Feet/Frames and Bars/Beats/Ticks
  

************

NEWS 4/98

************

* Pro Tools demos

* digital consoles & controllers update

* loudspeaker demos

* job openings

* audio course schedule

* NAB Convention

* AES meeting: Women NOT in Audio

* DVD-Audio watch

* Web site update

* bargains

 

 

Pro Tools demos

*****************

April 21 (Pro Tools users & owners only), 3:30 & 7PM, at Parsons. Or we can demo for you almost any other time that suits you. With its wide variety of increasingly high quality plug-ins, with its 20-bitness, with the Mackie HUI controller (see below), with the AudioVision option's many sound-for-picture tools, Pro Tools has become the leading digital audio workstation system. For most applications it is well worth a look.

 

Update: digital consoles & controllers

*************************************

Digital consoles here now: the Yamaha 02R (latest version) and 03D, and the Tascam TM-D8000. En route to us is a Mackie HUI controller. (We have already sold several. Pro Tools users describe it as a revelation and a must-have.) Coming soon: the new Ramsa digital console. Coming some time: the Mackie digital console. We're also the dealers for the Sony Oxford (at $500,000+ it's a bit costly for us to own a demo!), and Amek's and Otari's offerings; more to follow.

 

loudspeaker demos

******************

If you seek monitor speakers, come listen. We have Genelecs, Spendors, KRK's, Tannoys, Paradigms, and others. Thanks to acoustic improvements suggested by Dave Moulton, our Showroom sounds respectable. We also allow customers to take demos away, to listen to in their own spaces.

 

job openings

*************

There are several openings posted on our Web site. For one, we seek a shipping/receiving/inventory person. Please refer suitable prospects to us. For another, Radio Free Europe e-mailed that they seek a Director of Engineering & Technical Operations, based in Prague. There are other listings too. For details contact us.

 

audio course schedule

*********************

The next six-week session of Dave Moulton's remarkable Critical Listening course begins this Thursday. A few more places are still available. To enroll, contact Lloyd Dyson here at 781/431-8708, x18.

 

NAB Convention

*****************

The NAB Convention begins next week. We'll be there. If you will be there too and would like to meet with us to see or discuss something, or to get introduced to manufacturers' specialists, please let us know. If you won't be there, you can ask us to undertake missions there on your behalf. For a virtual visit, follow the NAB link on our Links page, http://www.paudio.com/Links.html.

 

AES/Boston meeting: a discussion of "Women NOT in Audio: the Gender Knot"

*****************************************************************************

Boston Audio Engineering Society Meeting -- April 14, 1998, 6:30 pm

Newman Auditorium, GTE, (formerly BB&N), Fawcett St., Cambridge, MA

Might we all be living with a partriarchal legacy which bears upon our roles, behavior, hopes and expectations, both on the job and off? If so, what's to do? Featured guest at this discussion will be Allan G. Johnson, author of "The Gender Knot: Unraveling Our Patriarchal Legacy" (Temple Univ. Press). See http://uhavax.hartford.edu/genderknot for more.

 

DVD-Audio watch

*******************

A DVD-Audio standard by May, maybe, is the latest we've heard about that.

 

Web site update: paudio.com

****************************

Recent additions to our site include many more links, especially to manufacturer and customer sites, and to Internet audio sites. We have also added a few articles. One is "So Ya Wanna Learn About Audio: A Reformed But Unrepentant Teacher Tells All", by Dave Moulton. Another is "Double M-S: A Brief History and its Basic Implementation", by Curt Wittig. You may recall Curt's marvelous surround recordings at our Festival97. Visit learning.

 

bargains

*********

We have many items for sale at even more attractive prices than usual, maybe including a deal or two that you could use. See the list below or visit our Showroom. All items are demos or new, waranteed as new, and are guaranteed -- your satisfaction or return the goods.

= TASCAM reconditioned units, guaranteed

= CD-301 MkII CD player ................................................$349

= DA-60MkII time code DAT recorder..........................$2,995

= DA-88 8-track recorder, 16- to 24-bit..........................$2,295

= MTS1000 Midi-izer........................................................$500

Antares JVP Voice Processor, new....................................TBD

Apogee FC-8 ADAT/DA-88 8-channel format converter...$495

Apogee PSU1000E power supply, demo..........................$465

Audio-technica AT4033a microphone, new.......................$440

Audio-technica AT4041 microphone, new.........................$245

Audio-technica AT4050/CM5 microphone, new...............$610

Behringer Ultra-Q...............................................................$269

Brainstorm SR-2 Timecode Refresher &

Frame Rate Counter, demo...................................................$50

Countryman ISOMAX-TVH lavalier mic, hypercardioid,demo....$165

Digidesign Expansion Chassis Interface Card, demo...........$75

Digidesign Session 2.0, new.................................................$80

Digitrax 1.2 (PowerMac native), new...................................$80

Dynatek 1G HD and tape drive, demo................................$500

Ensoniq DP/2 effects processor,new..................................$450

Ensoniq DP/PRO effects processor, new...........................$600

Event DARLA, new...........................................................$253

Furman Pluglocks, new........................................................$38

Joemeek VC-3, new............................................................$360

Kurzweil K2500, demo........................................................TBD

Kurzweil KMP-1 Micropiano, new.....................................$385

Lexicon MXP-1 effects processor, new...............................$960

MOTU Digital Performer 2.0, new......................................TBD

Opcode Overture, new..........................................................TBD

Pac. Coast 1G hard drive, demo...........................................$200

Panasonic SV-3800 DAT recorder, new...........................$1,149

QSC Deck II 8-track tool, new...............................................$35

Quantum Q-Card, new...........................................................$98

Radius 15" Precision Color Pivot monitor, demo................$150

Roland VS-880 workstation w/540MB hard drive, demo..$1,355

Roland VS8F-1 effects card for above..................................$265

Samson Q5 headphone amp, 5 stereo out, new......................$99

Sony ECM-50PS lav mic, omni,used....................................$50

Sony DTC-A6 DAT recorder, new.......................................$595

Sony DPS-V77 reverb processor, new.................................$835

Sound Anchor speaker stands, pair.......................................$169

Spectral Prisma 8-track PC workstation, demo..................$1,800

Spendor SA-200 powered monitor speakers, pair, demo...$1,520

Spendor SA-300 powered monitor speakers, pair, demo...$2,570

SuperMac 20" color monitor w/8-bit video card, demo.........$250

Tascam reconditioned units.............................................see above

Valley Audio 460 X-Gate/NR................................................$432

Waves C-1, new......................................................................TBD

Whirlwind 10x2 stage box,demo..............................................$40

Yamaha MB-02 meter bridge for 02R.................................$1,090

Yamaha 02R stand, metal, height adjustable, new..................$140

Yamaha 02R console, demo, with cosmetic but otherwise

inconsequential damage to its rear panel.......$200 off normal price

 

******

END

****

***

**

*

Waves Day 2/98

Eric Klein of Waves will be here presenting products at 4PM and 7PM, next Tuesday, February 24.

 

Waves products include a wide array of inexpensive plug-ins for Pro Tools, Audiomedia III, Session 8 Mac, Sound Designer, QSC Deck, Adobe Premiere, Bias Peak, Sound Forge, etc. They include parametric EQ's, mastering peak limiter/re-quantizers, compressor/gates with frequency-selective processing, stereo imager processors, the TrueVerb virtual space processor, and various bundles thereof. Also: WaveConvert for Windows and Mac.

 

Tascam Day & Golden Ears 2/98

 

*****************************************************************

TASCAM DAY: date change; free DA-88 cleaning and upgrade, etc.

*****************************************************************

 

* Since our prior e-mail to you, the day has changed to Wednesday, February 18. Hours: from 11AM until 6PM or so. Place: our upper Showroom.

* The attractions have grown. In addition to a good look at the new digital console, the DA-98 8-track digital recorder and the MMR-8 digital recorder, Tascam will offer free cleaning and upgrades to your DA-88's. A number of Tascam's best product specialists and techs will be here. They include Jim Lucas, Jim Finch, Ron Franklin, Butch Balzano (who runs the New England regional service center for Tascam), and Bob Sivco. It's a great chance for you to meet one-on-one with some Tascam insiders.

 

* If you missed our last newsletter's brief descriptions of the digital console and the MMR-8, here's a repetition:

 

The MMR-8 features removable hard drives, mounts Mac- and PC-based DAW files directly (including Pro Tools), 24 bit resolution, and synchronizes thoroughly. It slaves to about any format; is controllable from a Lynx KCU.

 

The TM-D8000 features digital and analog I/O, long throw faders, 4-band fully parametric EQ, six aux sends, dedicated stereo returns, insert matrix, storage and recall of EQ and comp/limiter settings, surround mixing as well as stereo, on-board or Macintosh-based automation with full parameter control (storage and recall of snapshots or full console automation), transport controls, integral talkback, full control room and studio monitoring facilities, etc., all for (gasp!) under $10,000.

 

 

***************************

GOLDEN EARS COURSE

***************************

 

* taught by David Moulton, creator of the world-renowned Golden Ears CD series.

* a single 3-hour session on Wednesday, February 25, at 7PM.

* class size: 15.

* You will find that this ear-training session will dramatically tune up your listening processes, thoughts, ear<>brain connection, etc. It will make you a better listener, and it will enhance your listening pleasure. If you can swing the $50, you're depriving yourself if you don't do it. (Those are hard-selling words, quite unlike us, but per our own experiences and the reports of dozens of Dave's students they're entirely true. More details are on our Web site at http://www.paudio.com/ContinEduc.html.)

Tascam Sale 1/98

 

**************

TASCAM SALE

**************

 

Since we're a big dealer for Tascam up this way, every few years we manage to buy a pile of Tascam demo items and offer them for sale at well below Dealer Cost. We just did it again. All items carry a 30-day guarantee. If anything goes amiss with them we can get them replaced, repaired, or can refund your money in full.

 

Quantities are limited. (There's a shrinking stack of boxes in our Showroom.) Everything is available on a first come, first served basis. These are excellent deals, if you happen to need one of these things.

 

The list:

 

12 DA-88 -- $2,295

12 DA-38 -- $1,795

5 DA-30MkII DAT deck -- $895

1 DA-30 DAT deck -- $695

3 DA-20 DT deck -- $495

1 DA-60MkII timecode DAT -- $2,995

4 DA-P1 portable DAT deck -- $995

2 122MkIII cassette deck -- $795

2 112MkII cassette deck -- $449

 

 

**************

TASCAM DAY

**************

 

On Tuesday, February 17 from 1PM on, a number of people will be here from Tascam to show some major new products -- the MMR-8 hard disk multitrack recorder and the TM-D8000 digital console, which is already here. Jim Lucas, Tascam's premier product specialist, will be here to show and to advise. Specialists in the DA-88, -98 and -38 will also be here, to discuss any operational or technical matters.

 

Events 1/98

 

*********

EVENTS

*********

 

Several events are coming during the next few weeks: a Pro Tools Basics Tour, a Tascam Day, a Sonic Solutions DVDNow seminar, and a Waves day. Also, ongoing courses with David Moulton (Fundamentals of Audio and Critical Listening), and his Golden Ears class on February 25.

 

 

DIGIDESIGN PRO TOOLS BASICS TOUR

*******************************************

 

Monday, February 9, 3:30PM and 7:00PM, with Andrew Harris or Chris Hammond of Digidesign. If you have never seen Pro Tools before, there's no better time than now to see it. Will include the latest product announcements from the January NAMM show.

 

 

TASCAM DAY

***************

 

On Tuesday, February 17 from 1PM on, a number of people will be here from Tascam to show some major new products -- the MMR-8 hard disk multitrack recorder and the TM-D8000 digital console, which is already here. Jim Lucas, Tascam's premier product specialist, will be here to show and to advise. Specialists in the DA-88, -98 and -38 will also be here, to discuss any operational or technical matters.

 

The MMR-8 features removable hard drives, mounts Mac- and PC-based DAW files directly (including Pro Tools), 24 bit resolution, and synchronizes thoroughly. It slaves to about any format; is controllable from a Lynx KCU.

 

The TM-D8000 features digital and analog I/O, long throw faders, 4-band fully parametric EQ, six aux sends, dedicated stereo returns, insert matrix, storage and recall of EQ and comp/limiter settings, surround mixing as well as stereo, on-board or Macintosh-based automation with full parameter control (storage and recall of snapshots or full console automation), transport controls, integral talkback, full control room and studio monitoring facilities, etc., all for (gasp!) under $10,000.

 

 

SONIC SOLUTIONS DVDNow SEMINAR

******************************************

 

Thursday, February 19, 11AM & 2PM at the Apple Marketing Ctr. in Boston. Contact us to reserve a space, and for directions. This event will be geared toward DVD design and authoring. Primarily a video oriented event, there may be some discussion of the DVD Audio spec, but on the whole the audio aspects of DVD will not be addressed.

 

 

WAVES DAY

**************

 

Tuesday, February 24 at 4PM & 7PM, with Eric Klein of Waves.

 

 

AUDIO COURSES WITH DAVID MOULTON

**********************************************

 

Fundamentals of Audio & Critical Listening (6 sessions each) and Golden Ears (single session of this classic course, evening of February 25). Contact us for details -- by phone, or Web at http://www.paudio.com/ContinEduc.html.

 

20+ bits 12/97

 

**********

20+ BITS

**********

 

This report is too brief to be thorough. If you would like further info (we have much) or guidance, please contact us. You can also access many manufacturers' Web sites via http://www.paudio.com/ProdsWeSell.html.

 

*******

devices

*******

 

We have been selling 20 bit systems for years. More recently 24 bit products have been arriving. Many of our customers work with them. Some of the 20 to 24 bit devices we deal with are:

 

= DAWs by Sonic Solutions, Avid/Digidesign, Merging Technologies, Ensoniq, Event, etc.

= consoles by Sony and Yamaha; others coming soon. Yamaha's 02R can now record 24 bit audio directly to MDM's.

= recorders by Sony and Genex; also Tascam and Alesis MDM's, using adapters by Apogee, Mytek, Prism, Rane, or the Yamaha 02R.

= converters, signal processors, etc. by Apogee, Troisi, Mytek, Aardvark, dB Technologies, Lexicon, Prism, Drawmer, etc. Mytek has a system which can turn a DA-88 or ADAT into a 24-bit/96kHz stereo recorder. Drawmer has a 24-bit digital vacuum tube preamp.

 

 

********

benefits

********

 

Would you benefit from working with 20 to 24 bits? Probably so -- if you record or master music, if you wish to achieve maximum dynamic range, if you are producing audio for listeners to 16 bit or better media via fairly high quality sound systems, or if you are preparing material for DVD or digital television. Otherwise, probably not, at least not yet. That will likely change as listening systems for music, TV, radio, cars, classrooms, corporate training rooms, etc. continue to improve; and as DVD, digital TV, and digital radio develop, especially with surround sound.

 

The benefits of more bits are dramatic. For one thing, thanks both to today's wider word widths and other advances, users say that digital audio is finally beginning to sound really good. With the latest round of improvements, even many people who have disliked the sound quality of the first generations of digital audio are becoming converts. The sonic differences between 20-24 bit paths and 16 bit paths are dramatic, not subtle. Critical listeners report that the prior harshness, edginess, hardness, unfriendliness, etc. of digital audio are almost entirely gone.

 

Many 20 to 24 bit devices have come to the market. More are arriving all the time. High bit-rate DAWs, recorders, converters, signal processors, and consoles are becoming both commonplace and affordable. For some of the tools you use, 20 to 24 bits will become the norm, whether you need the bits or not.

 

Users typically prefer to work with audio that is substantially superior to the release media -- CD, DAT, TV or radio broadcast, etc. -- which are now at best 16 bit or the analog equivalent thereof. While for most purposes true 16-bit results sound good enough for now, in reality 16 bit devices yield results that are a crucial bit or so below 16 bit. Sonically they're often characterized by the somewhat unfriendly sonic qualities mentioned above. On the other hand, 20 to 24 bit paths do enable true 16 bit or better results, which is why many professionals already choose to work with such paths. They allow you to dither down to 16 bits in the most ear-friendly manner. And of course they're also necessary if you want to prepare material for future higher than 16 bit release media like DVD and digital television.

 

In the real world, by the way, claims of 24 bit performance notwithstanding, performance of about 22 bits is as good as anyone can achieve. Critical listeners believe that that's good enough for the forseeable future.

 

 

DVD Audio 12/97

 

You may be interested in the emergence of DVD Audio. Thanks to Henry Root of Circle Surround for the following, which just came in this morning:

 

 

RIAA Sees 1Q DVD Audio Decision - -December 8, 1997

By Joseph Palenchar

Although the worldwide recording industry's International Steering Committee

(ISC) abandoned plans to conduct listening tests of proposed DVD audio

formats, the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA) expects the DVD

Forum's audio working group will likely agree on a preliminary version of a

format sometime in the first quarter of 1998.

 

The worldwide music industry's International Steering Committee (ISC), citing

the emergence of multiple format proposals by hardware makers, also said it

"hopes and expects that the hardware industry can come together to offer a

single-player format to the consumer."

 

In a statement, the ISC said "the availability of a number of sound formats

need not result in separate DVD [audio] players in the marketplace." The

committee also said it "strongly believes that any outcome that would result

in incompatible players could result in consumer confusion and would not be in

anyone's interest."

 

Added Cary Sherman, RIAA senior executive VP, "We hope the hardware community

will come to the conclusion that a single format makes the most sense." He

said his definition of single format includes "one proposal put forth by one

group of hardware companies" to specify multichannel PCM as a disc's main

audio carrier but allowing approved optional formats to reside on the disc as

well.

 

As for a time frame for the DVD Forum's audio working group to produce a spec,

Sherman said, "you're probably talking about a 0.9 specification in the first

quarter," with a place holder left for copy-protection and anti-piracy

technologies to be determined in conjunction with the ISC.

 

The ISC and the audio working group had originally expected an initial spec to

be drafted by the end of this year.

 

Some hardware industry executives, however, are growing more pessimistic that

a single standard will emerge in the marketplace even if the DVD Forum sets a

single standard. They cited Sony's Japan Audio Fair announcement and the

emergence of four recordable DVD formats in the computer industry despite the

DVD Forum's agreement on a single standard called DVD-RAM.

 

In a prepared statement, the ISC said one of the principle reasons for

centralized listening tests became moot with the emergence of a PCM format

proposal that would "allow individual artists and record companies to choose

among many different sampling rates and bit rates based on their individual

preferences." Originally, the ISC expected to evaluate different PCM-format

sampling rates and bits per sample "to determine if there were recognizable

differences among them."

 

The ISC also claimed that with the emergence of multiple non-PCM format

proposals from the hardware industry, it did not want to be put in the

position of choosing a winner. It was never the ISC's "intention to choose a

'winning' sound format as a group," the committee claimed. The ISC simply

wanted "to assure that the quality of the proposed formats was at a level high

enough to add value for consumers and satisfy the needs of artists and

producers."

 

Format decisions, it continued, "should be made by individual companies with

their own artists, producers and studio engineers based on their own

evaluations of the available options."

 

Sherman said the decision to drop the tests was less the result of disputes

over how to conduct the tests than it was the result of a "concern that it

wasn't clear what the listening tests would accomplish." When a proposal

emerged to let players play back PCM programs encoded in any number of

sampling rates and word lengths, he asked, "What difference would it [testing]

make?"

 

In addition, he said, "audio quality is not the only factor that would

influence a company" to choose a format. Although the ISC's test plans were

interpreted by many in the industry as a drive to select the audio component

of a new format, Sherman said the ISC simply wanted to assure that proposed

formats "sound better than CD." Proposals on the table so far, he pointed out,

"will be far better than CD."

 

The committee's proper role, Sherman continued, is to "pull together [music-

industry] views and make sure the hardware manufacturers know those views, but

once you get beyond that, there's price and features of different formats and

subjective issues such as which sounds 'warmer.' " Those business decisions

should be left up to individual companies, he said.

 

Nonetheless, said Sherman, ISC will continue to work with the DVD Forum to

ensure rugged copyright and anti-piracy protection.

 

The ISC itself noted that it "has already achieved most of the objectives laid

out in the 13 criteria it initially identified" as requirements for a DVD

audio format. The requirements include DVD audio discs that would contain two

tracks of Redbook CD audio to ensure disc compatibility with existing CD

players.

 

The ISC, meanwhile, has invited various format proponents to make

presentations to it possibly as early as mid-December, said David Stebbings,

the RIAA's senior technology VP. The committee would provide the companies

with the name of music-company contacts. The next meeting of the DVD Forum's

audio working group is also scheduled for December.

 

 

Multiple-Format DVD Audio Discs Studied: RIAA

 

One proposal before the DVD forum's audio working group would place six

channels of PCM audio on the same data layer of a DVD audio disc along with

one of a number of approved format options. But which options could be

accommodated is still under discussion, said David Stebbings, the RIAA's

senior technology VP.

"Options would be allowed" under the proposal, he said, but "we haven't

structured a table of values for the options. We have to work out the play

times of different combinations."

 

"In principle," said Stebbings, "it would be possible" to fit six channels of

PCM audio and two channels of the Sony/Philips-proposed Direct Stream Digital

(DSD) format on the same data layer. "Sony and Philips mentioned DSD could be

used for the stereo pair," he added.

 

Stebbings said he doesn't know whether discs would accommodate multichannel

PCM tracks and multichannel DSD tracks on the same data layer. "There would

have to be a sensible distribution of bits, but we won't know until we get a

final proposal from Sony/Philips," he said.

 

It would be possible, however, to include a Dolby Digital track on the same

data layer to accompany a three- to four-minute music video that might be

included on an audio disc, Stebbings said.

 

High-end DVD audio players could be built to decode multiple formats, he

noted. Hardware makers might also opt for players that decode only one format

but accept an outboard decoder that decodes another format in the same way

that DTS Digital Surround decoders can be added to digital-output CD players

for playback of DTS-encoded multichannel CDs.

Festival97 Report 11/97

 

In case you're interested we have posted to our Web site a report on our annual conference, which took place a few weeks ago. The place was jammed full of people -- more than a hundred at some of the principal sessions. Bob Ludwig, Tom Jung, Dave Moulton, Tom Bates and others had many interesting things to say about more bits, higher sample rates, DSD, DVD, the coming of surround sound (thumbs up to the overhead speaker!), the ADAT-ization of recording, the state of engineering skills, audio for digital television, etc.

 

If you were there, we welcome your observations, suggestions, requests, etc. Many people have asked that we do a second day of exhibits next year. Also that we get into some of the more ordinary technologies.

 

Festival97 update 10/97

 

*****************************************************************

FESTIVAL 97 Update: Exhibitors, Special Events, Special Deals$$

*****************************************************************

 

Parsons Audio's 7th annual expo/conference is looking like it will be a good lively time. It is clear to us from speaking with people who are coming that, thanks to all the excitement -- curiosity & discovery, empowerment & confidence, some confusion & anxiety here and there, etc. -- attaching these days to changing audio/media technologies and markets, this is a remarkably UP moment for this kind of gathering. We hope you'll come!

 

= Tuesday, October 14 from 12:30PM & Wednesday, October 15 from 2PM at the Newton Holiday Inn, 399 Grove Street, Newton, MA; next to the Riverside T stop; (617)969-5300

= To get to the Holiday Inn take Exit 22 from Rte. 95/128. Exit 22 is the exit just south (less than a mile) of the Massachusetts Turnpike.

= Admission is free. No RSVP's needed.

 

**************

EXHIBITORS

**************

Exhibits will be 12:30 to 6:30 on Tuesday. All of the exhibitors are sending top product specialists for you to speak with. New addition: Earthworks. Exhibits will be in the Auburndale Room except for Digidesign, which will be in the Winthrop Room.

 

= Akai. Prices of their popular 8- and 16-track hard disk recorders have just dropped dramatically.

= Avid/Digidesign, with AudioVision and the new 24-bit 32-track Pro Tools 24, with Mackie's new HUI interface. Will be exhibiting in the Winthrop Room.

= Dolby, with their latest surround products, among others. The Surround Tools plug-in will be at Digidesign.

= Earthworks has added a new mic preamp and cardioid mic to their line.

= Lexicon, featuring their PC-based, Steinberg-run Studio system. Also new is the Lexiverb.

= Panasonic, featuring Merging Technologies' powerful PC-hosted, Swiss-made Pyramix workstation.

= Roland, featuring the latest variations of the VS-880 and DM-800 workstations, and other products.

= Sonic Solutions will present their range of workstations -- for music production, broadcast, mastering, DVD, sound for picture, etc.

= Tascam will show the new DA-98; will have latest info about their new 8-track multi-format, cross-platform, 24-bit, OMF- (and Pro Tools, Waveframe, and SD II) compliant, tapeless (removeable hard drive) digital recorder, and about the much anticipated new digital console, which is due to hit the market in November.

= Yamaha, featuring their well-known digital consoles - the 02R and 03D. They're working on the next generation; would like your suggestions. See Yamaha's Peter Chaikin, who is flying in from CA for the purpose.

= Bay Roads, representing Audio Accessories, Focusrite, Genex, HHB, KRK, Sony, Soundscape, t.c. electronics, Troisi, Tubetech, etc.

= NETA, representing Crest, EAW, Joemeek, Sennheiser, Spirit, White, etc.

= On the Road Marketing, representing Mackie, Tannoy, Symetrix, etc. Mackie's HUI will be with Digidesign; the new digital console will reportedly be out within a few months.

 

 

*******************

SPECIAL EVENTS

*******************

The special event participants -- Tom Bates, Tom Jung, Bob Ludwig, David Moulton, Jim Hilson of Dolby -- have been preparing material that is sure to interest. The developments we're focusing upon are hugely important to them, as to most of us. Contact us if you'd like to be reminded of each event's details.

 

= Workshop: PRODUCING & ENGINEERING IN SURROUND SOUND, with Tom Bates and Tom Jung. Listening and discussion. Tuesday at 3:30PM in the Lower Falls Room.

= Panel Discussion: COMING SOON TO SURROUND US. Discussion of what is developing in the recording, production, engineering and mastering of music, with Tom Bates, Tom Jung, Bob Ludwig and David Moulton. Tuesday at 7PM in the Lower Falls Room.

= Presentation: DOLBY MULTICHANNEL AUDIO, with Jim Hilson of Dolby. Wednesday at 2PM in the Lower Falls Room.

= Open Discussion: AUDIO FOR VIDEO -- WHAT IS COMING? Some listening to, mostly discussion of, the audio implications of digital television. Moderated by Tom Bates. Wednesday at 3:30PM in the Lower Falls Room.

 

 

********************

SPECIAL DEALS$$

********************

These deals are available at the show. Some will continue for a while thereafter. This is a partial list, growing daily. In some cases quantities are limited to as few as one. Some items may be B- or C-stock, rep samples, etc. The exhibitors can give you the details.

 

= Audio-technica: AT4033SC $420, AT4033SM $440, AT4041 $245, AT4050 $550, AT4050CM5 $610, AT815b $245, ATM15a $109, ATM31a $125, MMS337 $55/pair, MT830CW-TH $48, PRO7a $75. Details with Bruce Kahn at the On the Road Marketing.

= Denon -- 5% off until end of month. See Parsons staff.

= Ensoniq DP PRO multi-effects processor $875

= Genelec -- 5% off all purchases until end of month. See Parsons staff.

= KRK 9000 demos $950/pair. See Parsons staff.

= Lexicon -- free card of your choice with any PCM-80 or -90 bought by end of the month

= Panasonic SV-3800 $1160 while they last (25 in stock)

= Radius 15" Precisioin Color Pivot, demo $275

= Roland demos: VS-880HD w/540mg hard drive $1355, VS8F-1 effects card $265, MA-8 shielded powered monitors $70/pair, DM-800HD workstation w/2 540 mg drives $4690, DR-20 mic $99. Used DM-80 system $2500 (Parsons staff).

= Sony -- excellent Sony financing plan (5% down, 8% interest, etc.) for purchase of Oxford consoles, 3348HD 48-track DASH recorders, PCM-9000 24-bit systems, etc.; PCM-800 MDM, 1 only, $4100, and DPS-V77 reverb , demo $1250; MDM-X4 multitrack MD $790 (see Parsons staff).

= Spectral Prisma PC-hosted 8-track workstation, demo $2200

= SuperMac 20" monitor with 8-bit video card, demo $875. See Parsons staff.

= Symetrix 564E $340 (see On the Road Marketing). 606 delay $500 (see Parsons staff).

= Tannoy System 800 $635/pair. See On the Road Marketing.

= Yamaha MX-400-12 12x4x5 mixer, demo $825

Invitation to Festival97 10/97

You are invited to...

 

= FESTIVAL 97 =

Parsons Audio's 7th annual expo/conference

Tuesday, October 14 from 12:30PM & Wednesday, October 15 from 2PM

at the Newton Holiday Inn (Rte. 95/128 Exit 22; next to the Riverside T stop)

 

*******************

WORDS ABOUT...

*******************

Big changes are coming to audio, it appears, for consumers and media professionals alike. New media will soon rule the day - digital television and DVD, plus more capable CD's, games, multimedia, radio and Internet. They will deliver striking new forms of entertainment and communication to us through increasingly revealing playback systems at home, car, and workplace. They will cause artists, producers and engineers to make new kinds of products, for changed markets. They will require that we use some new tools and technologies, new recording and production concepts, new bit and sample rates, more channels and, most dramatically, surround sound. Sonically the result will be wider bandwidth, less noise, and, for the first time on a grand scale, immersive audio environments. To serve our markets, and the qualities of sound that will be ours, a flood of new tools is already rising.

 

These are exciting changes, revolutionary for many people, and daunting. As creators, engineers, and business people we face much to learn, think about, and plan. Like all such revolutions, though, this one won't transform us all at once. While some audio professionals are already at work in it, others are just starting to think about it. Still others, no doubt, will be able to remain at old frontiers for years, profitably ignoring the new stuff!

 

But much is happening already. And that's just a beginning. Our Festival aims to give you an enjoyable preview, and food for thought. We invite you to come hear what the excitement is about. Take a practical look at what will happen and when, what is certain and what isn't, what is behind it, and how you might prepare. Also, as always (this is our 7th annual expo/conference), whether your work is pre-revolutionary, post-revolutionary, or never-revolutionary, you'll find the Festival a fine opportunity to soak up useful ideas and information in a remarkably hype-free environment. It's also a rare chance to talk shop with your peers. People are coming from all parts of New England and the country. Thanks to them it is sure to provide professional development of a high order. And it's free - a service that we offer; a gift of gratitude to our customers. We hope you will take advantage; fit it into your schedule. It won't be a festival without you.

 

**********************

FOR MORE DETAILS

**********************

...you can contact us at (781)431-8708, x18; -8783 fax; Festival@paudio.com; or http://www.paudio.com/Festival.html. The Newton Holiday Inn is at 399 Grove St. in Newton; Rte. 95/128 Exit 22, 1 minute from the Mass. Pike, 10 minutes from downtown Boston; next to the Riverside T stop. If you're coming from a distance, we can advise re travel and lodging.

 

************

SCHEDULE

************

 

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14

 

12:30 to 6:30PM

= Exhibits: NEW TOOLS. =

Many key manufacturers will be exhibiting: Akai, Avid/Digidesign (new 24-bit, 24-track Pro Tools 24), Dolby, Lexicon (with new PC-hosted Studio system), Panasonic (with Merging Technologies' Pyramix workstation), Roland, Sonic Solutions, Tascam (the new digital console, perhaps), Yamaha (02R, 03D, etc.), Bay Roads Marketing (representing Audio Accessories, Focusrite, Genex, HHB, KRK, Sony, Soundscape, t.c. electronics, Troisi, Tubetech, etc.), NETA (Crest, EAW, Joemeek, Sennheiser, Spirit, White, etc.), and On the Road Marketing (Mackie, Symetrix, Tannoy, etc.). You can also see our staff concerning 100+ other product lines. You will find this a good setting for evaluating the latest DAWs, consoles, recorders, processors, etc., and talking with manufacturers' specialists. If you will be in a buying mode, many will have special deals to offer.

 

3:30PM

= Workshop: PRODUCING & ENGINEERING IN SURROUND SOUND. =

Surround sound is coming via digital TV, DVD, CD, multimedia, games, the Net...every which way. It is so attractive that it may leave stereo behind. Many hi-fi receivers and TV's, all DVD players, and all home theater systems can already deliver it. Many TV and even some radio broadcasts are now in surround.When digital TV broadcasts begin in a year or two, surround will become TV's audio standard. Recording artists and companies are also increasingly creating and delivering surround products.

If surround sound is new to you, as it is to most of us, here's a great chance to hear what the excitement is about. Look ahead to what you might make of it. Bring your experiences, questions, curiosity, and above all your ears. Examples will be played of what works and what doesn't, by accomplished engineers and producers. Conducted by Tom Bates*, accompanied by Tom Jung*, both of whom have been working with surround for years. Other advocates for better audio, and experienced surround sound hands, will be there too. One of them has likened monaural sound to listening through a hole in a wall; stereo to listening through a picture window; surround to, for the first time, being in the space where the sound originates. Is it that dramatic a change? What are its possibilities? Come judge for yourself. The speaker system will be courtesy of Genelec, D-to-A by Troisi, and Yamaha's 02R console.

 

7PM

= Panel Discussion: COMING SOON TO SURROUND US. =

Food & social hour from 6PM. A listen to how the near future may sound, followed by discussion of what's developing. We will talk with several luminaries - Tom Bates, Tom Jung, Bob Ludwig, and David Moulton* - about their plans, expectations, concerns and hopes for the production, engineering and mastering of music; for the CD and DVD, more bits, higher sample rates, DSD, the various aspects of surround sound, etc. What is happening? What might happen? When? At what cost? Creating what markets? Who stands to profit? What is the truth about the technology that is reportedly rushing upon us - how powerful is it, how superior, how attractive, how valuable, and how necessary? What will be the practicalities of getting there from here? If our industry is at a frontier moment regarding these developments, then our panelists are pioneers returned from the new territory to report to us future settlers. Might you be settling out there before long, like it or not? As usual, this main event will also serve as the monthly meeting of the Boston Chapter of AES.

 

*Too briefly to do them justice: TOM BATES is a producer/engineer whose projects have won eight Grammies; also a former audio director at NBC, for Emmy-winners Saturday Night Live, Live From Lincoln Center, and Live From the Met. TOM JUNG is a noted producer/engineer, and founder and guiding light of the Digital Music Products (DMP) label; he is also a well known equipment reviewer, technical consultant, and digital audio expert. BOB LUDWIG is one of the world's most renowned and respected mastering engineers; has mastered many dozens and perhaps hundreds of best-selling recordings; has won numerous TEC Awards; and founded Gateway Mastering in Portland, Maine. DAVID MOULTON is an accomplished teacher (Berklee, SUNY/Fredonia, etc.), writer (Recording magazine), author of the Golden Ears critical listening CD's, loudspeaker and acoustical designer, and a studio owner and engineer. These folks know our topics well. They have been working with them, even helping to shape them, for years.

 

 

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 15

 

2PM

= Presentation: DOLBY MULTICHANNEL AUDIO =

...with Jim Hilson of Dolby. From Surround to Digital, from the engineer's and producer's perspective. Dolby's audio system is a standard bearer and often the audio standard bearer for every medium that uses surround sound - digital television, DVD, film, CD, multimedia, Internet, radio, cable, etc. If you will work with surround, you will want to know as much about it as possible. Jim possesses thorough hands-on knowledge of the Dolby technology - its history and prospects, how best to work with it in production and post-production, use of the Dolby logo, and related matters. Come and learn!

 

3:30PM

= Open Discussion: AUDIO FOR VIDEO - WHAT IS COMING? =

Many customers in TV and Post requested this discussion, to explore the audio aspects of digital television. Some TV people tell us that DTV will be the biggest development since the advent of TV in the 50's. Many consumers will surely love what they'll hear, especially all the surround sound. Come learn the latest, and join your peers to share knowledge, concerns, and insights. Tom Bates will moderate. (See * above.)

We will briefly show how the future might sound. Mostly we'll facilitiate a practical discussion of relevant topics: changes to your facility (i.e., space and equipment needs, including in remote trucks), audio monitoring, miking, recording, mixing, editing, cent