After many orbits around the Los Angeles Convention Center
main hall, I chose these as my new recording gear faves shown
at this year's AES Show.
Plugzilla from Manifold Labs
A truly original idea,
Plugzilla obliterates the boundaries between software
and hardware processing with a two-rack-space stand-alone
hardware unit that runs VST 2.0 plug-ins.Essentially a way to use any VST processors and VSTi instruments
outside of your computer (and freeing up CPU resources), Plugzilla
has two independent machines that'll run up to eight plug-ins
simultaneously and enough processing power for up to 16 channels
of reverb. Internal flash memory storage will hold thousands
of plugs and setups and the unit uses front panel rotary controllers,
MIDI, USB, and assignable footswitches for instant access
to all operations and parameters. You'll have many questions
about this one, so check:
www.plugzilla.com/.
GML 2020 and 2030 Processors
George
Massenburg was always on hand to chat enthusiastically about
his two latest analog processors. I have always considered
GML gear the last word in discrete transistor audio signal
processing. The 2020 (shown) is a recording channel made up
of a 8300 mic preamplifier, one half of a 8200 parametric
equalizer, and a mono channel of a 8900 dynamics processor
in a totally configurable chain most engineers only dream
about. Announced only days before the show was the 2030, a
stereo mastering dynamics processor with high-resolution resetable
controls, increased dynamic range and very low noise floor
specs demanded by mastering perfectionists. Much more at:
www.transaudiogroup.com/gml.shtml.
Universal Audio 6176 Channel Strip
Nobody would question the wisdom of putting a UA 2-610 mic
preamp and 1176LN in a single box, yet Universal Audio has
somehow improved the individual performance of each unit in
the 6176 Channel Strip. The 2-610 mic pre-amp now has a 15dB
attenuator pad and a pumped up power supply said to improve
and "tighten" the bottom end. The 1176LN compressor
section is in classic form but now has an improved noise floor.
Check: www.uaudio.com/.
Telefunken North America
Telefunken
North America is alive and well in Connecticut producing exact
replacement parts for Telefunken mics, including the famed
ELA M-251 microphone. Actually, you can also buy the whole
mic and it looks great! It was as if I stepped into a time
machine at their booth and traveled back to Berlin, Germany
ready to pay $300 for an original ELA.
About the only difference
I discerned was a different cable connector at the power supply
end only (good riddance to that funky DIN connector!). Made
"one at a time" by hand in the U.S., these guys
are really bucking an emerging trend of shipping off labor-intensive
manufacturing to some third-world location. I have my name
on the list when Telefunken NA announces shoot-out listening
tests in LA! Go to: www.telefunkenusa.com.
Anthony DeMaria Labs ADL 670
Well
it had to happen…the ultimate vintage “reissue/remake”:
a reverse engineered Fairchild 670 stereo compressor. I think
Anthony DeMaria is the right guy to research and develop this
perfect copy of the legendary, 'big hunk of burning love'
tube compressor. Priced somewhere around half as much as those
30-plus-year-old units sell for these days (working or not),
you get the whole package contained in the original boat anchor/room
heater: 20 tubes, 14 transformers, the same circuit design
and parts all hand-assembled in the USA, plus variable-mu
gain reduction, same original front panel controls and nomenclature,
and a new (with the ADL670) remote power supply. Soon detailed
at: www.anthonydemarialabs.com/.
Chandler TG1 Limiter/Compressor
Also
in the realm of reissues and or recreations, the TG1 stereo
limiter/compressor is a copy of the EMI unit used in EMI/Abbey
Road recording and mastering consoles and therefore on later
Beatle recordings and Pink Floyd albums like "Dark Side
of the Moon." With all Class-A discrete circuitry and
transformer balanced in and out, the sound (when the unit
is hard pressed) is described as "rubbery" or "squishy".
You must hear this one working on a drum kit or an unruly
vocal track! Check out:
www.chandlerlimited.com/.
Roland M-1000 Mixer
A
real problem solver and worthwhile solution comes from Roland
in a single rackspace called the M-1000. This is a ten-channel
mixer that has four stereo S/PDIF inputs (coaxial and optical),
stereo analog input and USB audio input jack. With 24/96kHz
operation and 56-bit internal processing, the M-1000 lets
you mix all these sources using Word clock and automatic sample
rate conversion if you require them. With both analog and
S/PDIF (coaxial and optical) Master outputs and Monitor outputs
and the ability to link multiple M-1000 together, the mind
reels at the potential of this $700 MSRP box! Go to: www.rolandus.com/.
Tamura Qolle Mixer
Tamura's
analog consoles have been mainstays with Japanese broadcasting
companies over the last 30 years. The Qolle (I think it's
pronounced Quallé) is their feature-packed but diminutive
5.1 surround mixer for field recording on Film/TV shoots.
On the analog side, this completely portable, battery-operated
eight-channel mixer has: eight output busses; +4dBm Master
and Monitor stereo and mono outs; a headphone jack and phantom
powering. The equalizer and compressor on each of the eight
mic inputs make life for production sound recordists much
saner but what separates this unit from the rest are the extensive
digital and computer interfacing options. There are AES/EBU
and TDIF I/O jacks and two IEEE 1394 Firewire/mLan jacks for
connecting to any laptop computer or standalone hard disk
recorder. RS-422/Sony 9-pin, MIDI and time code reader and
generator complete this wonder's all pro facilities and a
backlit touch screen makes configuring and storing all your
setups and routings a breeze. More at: www.qolle.com.
Soundelux ifet7 Studio Microphone
David
Bock was proud to show me his new cardioid ifet7 condenser.
More than just looking like a remake of the Neumann U-47fet,
the ifet7 could be thought of as two mics in one familiar
and compact package. The V/I switch changes the head amplifiers
from an 87fet sounding Class-A in V mode over to a 47fet type
Class AB amplifier in I mode. In addition to Class-A, the
V position has a LF contour and 15kHz sibilance roll-off making
it the right position for vocals. Mode I makes good use of
the punchy sound characteristics of a Class AB amplifier adding
a slight LF roll-off for close instrument miking, no HF roll
and higher SPL capability---read this as it's OK to put this
condenser mic right on top of a snare or bass drum. Both modes
use a larger core output transformer for improved low frequency
headroom. Check the whole Soundelux mic family at:
www.transaudiogroup.com/soundelux.shtml.
SRS Circle Surround
Surround
sound recording, playback and delivery options are more pervasive
than ever at AES Shows and SRS made a major announcement for
their encode/decode technology. You'll soon be able to watch
ESPN sporting events in surround sound by way of SRS's technology
that encodes full 5.1 sound streams into any standard stereo
audio pair. Broadcasters do not have to modify any transmitters
or audio equipment…just supply the SRS CSE-7 Circle
Surround Encoder with a six-channel audio source and transmit
it as a compatible stereo signal. When you watch the game
at home, turn on your SRS CSD-07 Circle Surround Reference
Decoder and route the outputs to your home theatre system.
The SRS decoder also takes care of Dolby Pro Logic or Dolby
Digital audio streams as well. Look for the SRS logo when
the game starts or just keep that SRS decoder on all the time…stereo
or mono sound will still come through as is. Check: www.srstechnologies.com
AMS Neve 88R
No
shortage of updates, improvements and additions from AMS Neve!
Their enhanced flagship 88R console is overwhelmingly impressive
with a doubling of cue mix output capacity, eight splittable
aux busses, a new mapable automated dual joystick option and
enhanced remote mic amp control software. Shown is the 88R
remote mic pre-amp pack with a yummy row of 1081 modules.
All at: www.ams-neve.com/.
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