Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
ProAudio
Mar ch 2013 | voluMe 19 | issue 3
Review
INSIDE:
studio seNse: serving
the dialog
Geared uP: Fred aldous
calrec consoles
Microphone
Stands feaTuRing aTlaS, galaxy,
goby labS, K&M, ulTiMaTe,
TRiad-oRbiT and Vu
more reviews
Advanced Audio CM67se AKG D12VR Behringer X32
JoeCo BlackBox BBR64-DANTE Solid State Logic
e series eQ & dynamics for 500 series
www.proaudioreview.com
in this issue ProAudioReview
MARCh 2013 | VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 3
Review 28
AKG D12VR
Cardioid
Kick Drum
Microphone
by Rob
46
Tavaglione
28 Review 32
Advanced Audio Departments
CM67se Tube Condenser Technically Speaking 8
Microphone Consistently Reliable Infrastructure
by Lynn Fuston by Frank Wells
Review 34 Geared Up 16
Solid State Logic E Series EQ and Calrec Bluefin Alpha and Sigma
Dynamics for 500 Series Consoles
by Randy Poole by Fred Aldous
18
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4 ProAudioReview | March 2013
ProAudio
Review
The Review Resource for Sound Professionals
M a r c h 2 013 v o l u M e 19 issue 3
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6 ProAudioReview
technically speaking Frank Wells
Consistently Reliable
Infrastructure
Sometimes the most overlooked pieces of infrastruc- quently suffer from wire and connector stress issues.
ture can be remarkably essential to the success of a These kind of issues are more rare with profes-
studio or stage production. A tracking date can come to sional multi-pin connectors, professionally made,
a complete halt, with a room full of musicians tapping but when there are intermittents in such a cable,
their feet with impatience instead of with the beat, and they can have even more devastating results and
the culprit can be as simple as a defective mic cable. be harder to chase in the heat of the moment. Ive
Weve all seen bands struggle through a performance seen few problems with, say, a studios own Elco or
when the guitarist is chasing a cable issue, or the DL connectors, if originally well made. But on abused
daisy-chained speaker wire between a pair of wedges cables accompanying a rental system, Ive seen some
has an intermittent connection. session-stopping issues.
That $2.99 power strip bought at the local discount A client might overlook a single problem. But, when
store doesnt seem quite the bargain when it fails at a a bad mic cable is found for the second or third time
critical moment. The same can be true for a cheap RCA in a session, client confidence can start to wane.
cable with machine-pressed connections and an inabil- Fortunately, with due diligence (and a good cable tes-
ity to stand up to normal wear and tear. Headphones, ter in the case of mic cables, with hopefully a quality
though Id consider them legitimately gear and a step intern to perform the tests), wire wear-and-tear issues
above infrastructure, are the hardware that most fre- can be largely avoided. Sound companies and studios
that follow good engineering practice will test their
Fred Aldous is a freelance mixer, broadcast audio consultant, and sound designer specializing in live sports.
size of our shows, the most important thing new layout every time I switch projects. soles, Ive seen that just about everyone
about the desk is that it is able to accom- The large TFT display is easy to configure knows how to program, work and main-
modate the number of sources it must and read. It lets me see whats coming tain them. Whats more, Calrec support
receive. Its also important to ensure there and going, and allows me to make sure all has been second to none. If I ever have an
are enough outputs (masters, groups, levels are correct. In the heat of a show, issue with a console that cannot be fixed
auxiliary, multitrack, and direct busses) its nice to be able to look up and see what by one of the truck engineers (which is
to accommodate the internal needs of our is going on in the desk at a quick glance. rare), Calrec resolves it quickly, either
broadcast, as well as the external feeds All in all, probably the most critical with in-house staff or through one of its
we distribute to outside entities such as feature for me is the monitoring section. authorized support centers.
international broadcasters. I/O flexibility is I have access to just about every output Finally, Calrec consoles are just plain
essential, and Calrec provides the flexibility the desk generates. With the monitor sec- tough. Living inside an OB truck, the con-
to do everything we need to do. tion, I can quickly listen to a variety of soles bounce up and down the road from
I really appreciate the layout of the sources and program the most important one remote to another, and the last thing
console surface and the ability to config- sources to be accessible quickly. That I want is to have a console malfunction
ure it any way I like. Calrec has made the way, if there is a question about how a when the truck arrives to set up for a
layout of its consoles so intuitive that it particular feed sounds, I can isolate it and show. The entire audio room is (figura-
has become a natural reaction for me to monitor it without delay. This capability is tively and physically) built around the
reach for something because I know it especially important when I am putting Calrec desk, and I know that after miles
will always be in the same place no mat- together high-profile multisource events and miles of travel, Calrec desks will take
ter which Calrec Im using. I dont have to such as the Super Bowl or Daytona 500. the abuse and still function. They are
spend time familiarizing myself with a In all my years of using Calrec con- pretty much bulletproof.
opinion studio sense by Rich Tozzoli
Rich Tozzoli is a Grammy-nominated engineer, mixer and composer as well as PARs Software Editor. richtozzoli.com
Microphone
Stands
Featuring Atlas Sound, Galaxy Audio,
Knig & Meyer (K&M), Ultimate Support
and Triad-Orbit
Continuing the PAR Session Trial seriescomparative gear evaluationsI investigated microphone stands,
truly the workhorses of any live music environment. I selected mic stands from five leading manufactur-
ers in common sizes and configurations; a variety to equip a studio or typical stage with what is generally
needed. One exception is full size standsthose with the mass, reach and features necessary to place
heavy tube LDCs, for example, up and out at great distanceswhich are not covered here, constituting
their own category (stay tuned for part 2).
Offerings were tested from Atlas Sound, Galaxy Audio,
Knig & Meyer (K&M), newcomer Triad-Orbit and Ultimate
Support. Models included three varieties: straight with disc
base, short tripod boom, and tall tripod boom.
The Tests
I started with simple height tests, as in how high does it
reach? There are enough tall performers and apps like mik-
ing cymbals, choirs and room to warrant use of models with
standard ceiling-reaching ability. Conversely, how low can it
go (a.k.a. the limbo test) is equally important for jobs like
kick drums, snares, floor toms, guitar cabinets and seated
performers.
Functional boom length is another important factor, as
height alone wont get you out and over a sound source (e.g.,
drum kits, pianos, keyboard-playing vocalists, etc.). Stability
factors into this measure as well, as reach without stability
may result in broken mics. For this, I came up with a bump
testI gently backed into each stand, loaded with a stereo
bar and a whopping 6.6 lb pair of condensers, bumping
harder and harder until they fell over. The boom was properly
aligned in parallel to one of the legs on the tripod stands,
and I bumped from the opposite side. On a scale of 1 to 10,
1 tips right over if you tap it; 5 takes a reasonable bump
before failure; 7 requires some purposeful force; and 10
would require a full body weight hit to topple (a helper caught
the mics when the stands toppled).
Rob Tavaglione has owned and operated Catalyst Recording in Charlotte NC since 1995.
2. Galaxy Audio
Standformer Series
(galaxyaudio.com)
Galaxy Audio sent two
new and similar models in
for review, both unique in the
marketplace. Both its short
MST-C60 and tall MST-C90 The Galaxy Standformer boom to straight transformation in process.
Standformer tripod booms
($119 list, $79 street, each) have a non- well suited for floor toms, guitar cabinets, were easy to use, with their convertibility
telescoping, non-counterweighted boom upright bass and seated performers. My a true plus. I wouldnt expect them to hold
arm that can slip back inside the stands 6 lb stereo bar was handled well by the up in long-term road use (years of being
center tube, effectively making a straight MST-C60 as a straight stand (with a bump thrown around in road cases, as there are
stand into a convertible, if you will. This test rating of 5), but it couldnt hang on numerous plastic parts and even a pro-
may not be a crucial feature, as any boom to all that weight as a boom (it could just truding knob), but they will surely provide
stand can be set up to be nearly a straight barely hold my 4.2 lb Avatone CK-40 stereo studio-based medium-duty performance at
stand, but this is far more elegant and mic boomed, though not fully extended). medium-duty prices.
sturdier in use, not to mention weight effi- Standformers are conservatively rated to
cient; one might be able to travel with fewer safely handle 2 lbs. 3. Knig & Meyer (K&M, k-m.
Standformers than standard stands, plus The MST-C90s minimum boom pivot de/us)
these Standformers (at only 4 and 5 lbs., height is 36 inches with a maximum height K&M provided its standard-sized, disc-
respectively) are rather lightweight. of 91 inches and a 30-inch fixed-length based 260/1 stand, a model with a mini-
The MST-C60 has a minimum boom pivot boom, making it tall enough for vocalists/ mum height of 34 inches and a maximum of
height of 24 inches (the height of its fulcrum front line work. The MST-90 held my heavy 61 inches. This diminutive little stand ($65
from the floor), making it just a little too tall stereo bar, but just barely, rating a compa- list, $49 street)with its small tubing and
to get inside a kick drum; it could reach the rable 5 in the bump test. Such extreme use basenot only handled my heavy stereo
resonant heads hole, but not for inside-the- made the height clutches hard to use, even bar, but also held firm with additional heavy
drum use). The MST-C60 will reach up to 62 though they feel solidly built. downward pressure. Very impressive. Even
inches and boom out up to 23 inches; it is In most standard apps, the Standformers with a die-cast base and 7 lb weight, its
mini review
a lofty 98-inch max. height and a max.
boom length of 36 inches with the O1 boom
($109 retail). The substantial weight of this By Strother Bullins
ensemble (16.2 lbs) was more than enough
to easily handle my stereo bar, garnering a
bump rating of 7 or 8, and it easily handled Vu (vu-gear.com)
my CK-40 over a drumkit as stereo over-
Vu offers very
head, the first stand in this Session Trial to affordable stands
accomplish this. with remarkable
In a category all by itself, lets look at the build quality for
T3 stand with the O2 double boom ($219 and the price. Case
$199 retail, respectively). This three-section in point: Vus
stand has a minimum boom pivot height MST100-30B
of a normal 36 inches, but an incredible microphone
max. height of 101 inches (extendable to stand with tele-
137 inches with the 34-inch extension bar). scoping boom
($49.99 street) is
The T3/O2 setup is 18 lbs. of boom-inspired
designed much
confidence; it was the only set up Ive ever
like my preferred
used that took all I could give it. You see, as K&M boom with
a double boom, each of the O2s telescop- nearly the same
ing, independently pivoting arms cover a size/height specs
ridiculously wide range; each are lockable (65-inch tall,
with a powerful ball-joint (which does not measured floor
mar or wear from its tensioning nut, some- to boom pivot,
how achieved through a mysterious design with a boom
secret, according to the company). It can be out reach of 28
positioned into grooves that will support very inches). There is
minimal plastic
heavy weights at extreme angles (including
utilized in the
one deep groove that allows the booms to
MST100-30B
criss-cross in an X shape). The whole rig primarily in its
can be set up very quickly due to the quick knobs, and even
hex connects. This advanced design opens then, its not
up many time saving possibilities: widely at all brittle or
spaced pairs or ORTF, M-S, or X-Y for your over- cheap-feeling.
heads, all possible with one stand. After using the
The functionality and durability of the MST100-30B
Triad-Orbit stands (with rubber-coated clutch for a couple of
handles, no shearable nuts, and strong boom weeks, I wouldnt
be scared to
adjustment handles) offsets the compara-
toss it in a road
tively high cost. For smaller studios just case; it feels as
starting out, I would highly recommend com- it could take the
mitting to this modular stand system. abuse of club
gigs quite easily.
Summary Approximately
In retrospect, this Session Trial revealed 65 inches tall at full height, the Vu MSS300-10B standard stacking
that all the tested stands (except for one microphone stand ($34.99 street) is similarly built, with high-quality
boom) were competent beyond their weight hardware and components throughout. The stackable base is designed
ratings or expectations. I also realized that to easily mix in with other stackable straight stands. Like the Vu boom
there is a place for all these models, as stand, the MSS300-10B is an extremely affordable road-worthy option
for musicians who prefer round base stand models.
each application and budget brings its own
All in all, I find Vus stands to be true bargainswell-built, simple,
challenges, and each stand evaluated here and attractively priced.
offers its own unique strengths.
The D12VR is not really a vintage re-issue; its a totally different animal.
Nashville-based engineer Lynn Fuston is PARs Technical Editor and owner of 3D Audio, Inc. 3daudioinc.com
Randy Poole is a Nashville-based engineer/mixer and regular contributor to Pro Audio Review.
For me, four-band EQ is a must for drums; really helpful for guitars and any stringed
instrument; and extremely useful in complimentary boosting and cutting techniques.
When I switched to the light side and became a Mac convert, I didnt Typically, this paragraph is where the
reviewer will list a blizzard of inane, skim-
necessarily relinquish my dark PC ways to history. In fact, I spent worthy details about specifications, mea-
much of my early Apple life finding the single most difficult way to surements, etc., coupled with sprinklings of
marketing blather and hyperbole. Instead,
accomplish rudimentary tasks because, well, what was audioor Im going to direct you to JoeCos website,
any application on a PCif multiple reboots werent involved? With JoeCo.co.uk, so you can educate yourself.
my penchant for seeking the hardest method to accomplish the Instead, this little treatise starts with two
guys knifing open a cardboard box, on site,
easiest task firmly established, I took delivery of a JoeCo BlackBox under the gun and deploying this box for an
BBR64-DANTE recorder. Its plug and play for most people, I was important recording.
My partner in this adventure was noted
told: an exercise in convolution for me, I expected. monitor engineer and live broadcast mixer
Chris Sully Sullivan is a quarter-century-long touring veteran, mixing FOH for such artists as Point of Grace, Steven Curtis Chapman and Amy Grant, among many others.
In Use
Scene One: Audio guys on fire in a love-
ly split-frame mountain cabin, parked in
downtown Nashville
The first and completely accidental test
for the JoeCo BBR64-DANTE was an HGTV
DesignStar remote shoot. Essentially it was
a show in a prefab log cabin in a parking lot
in Nashville. We knew ahead of time that we
wanted to back ourselves up with our own
recordings, as the production plan from the
network had the broadcast, house and moni-
tor mixes all being generated from a single
No computer freezes,
no lost data:
It simply and very
elegantly worked every
night we asked it to.
mentioned before, I really didnt enjoy having neatly facilitated the interface. day, but for different shows. There would
an additional, dedicated computer just for Once all was configured, we simply hit be files date stamped from the morning
recording, plus it added one more distracting record and had a show. The next day, I part of one night, and the beginning eve-
screen on my rack top. To me, the idea of a removed the USB2 drive from the BlackBox ning of another night. Thankfully that is
dedicated, straight-to-disc recorder was an and plugged it into my computer, launched not an issue.
elegant solution to a problem I didnt even Adobe Audition and mixed a board tape, One more nice function: virtual sound-
realize I had. The situation really was perfect; maybe with a little pitch correction and check on an analog console. In my intend-
I could record at night, then spend a couple sweetening added for good measure. ed deployment, Id simply save one unit
hours the next day mixing and tweaking, However it happened, it became a rela- to another and record all my inputs and
just enjoying myself immenselyand come tively seamless and invisible operation to effects from direct outs; for the following
up with a superior product to hand off. Id just repeat. We recorded every night that we had soundcheck, Id have the option of simply
sit back afterwards and wait patiently for the unit, and simply erased the old tracks to playing back the tracks as a virtual sound-
the accolades to be showered on me. There free up space for new ones when required. check. Afterwards, Id archive the files and
was just one hiccup; I carry a Midas XL4 No computer freezes, no lost data: it simply start again. Not a seminal idea, but still a
because Im difficult and curmudgeonly, and and very elegantly worked every night we useful one.
the BlackBox we had was made for DANTE asked it to. It worked so well that we began Im a fan of great gear, but I also love
interface. talking about archiving tracks for a possible equipment that helps me succeed as a
Fortunately, my artist happens to employ future live release. professional. In that vein, Ill share one last
the most useful and competent mixer in the pertinent anecdote about JoeCo and its
world, next to me. Jason is absolutely mani- Summary products. I mentioned before that my part-
cally detail-oriented, has a background as In the end, we had to give back our ner at the other end of the snake is Jason
a studio engineer, and he also happens to BBR64-DANTE, but we could purchase a pair Spence. In addition to a myriad of other
be mixing monitors on a Yamaha PM5D. of BBR1B units, the analogue I/O version; things, hes an in-demand broadcast mixer.
Problem almost solved. DANTE developer in fact, the BBR1Bs channel I/O arrange- One of his clients is the NBA. Recently,
Audinate (audinate.com) manufactures a ment is such that the signal loops through at an all-star game, he encountered a situ-
Yamaha compatible mini-YGDAI card called the BBR1B and back out again, meaning (continued on page 50)
Data Files
QSC recently announced the release of EASE .GLL system integration data files for its entire
loudspeaker line, including AcousticDesign, Acoustic Performance, K Series, KW Series, KLA
Series, WideLine and others. Unlike legacy file formats such as .efo, .spk, and .dll, these
new .GLL files can work across all three popular platforms: EASE Address, EASE Focus
2, and the full 3D modeling version of EASE 4.3, explained David Fuller, QSC Director of
Technical Marketing. This has been a great effort from our engineering team, not only in
the file creation, but also in the hours spent collecting and validating the mechanical and
acoustical data.
Download the files here: qsc.com/support/resources/ease_downloads.htm#Ease_Data
Contact: QSC Audio Products | qscaudio.com
Features
A true test of a digital boards workflow
and ease of functionality is to jump right
in. Thats exactly what I did; I uninstalled a
Soundcraft GB4 from the room starting at
about 11 AM and had the Behringer X32
installed, labeled, routed and ready for a 3
PM soundcheck. This established my early
impressions of the board: very favorable.
The screen display can be chosen by
a list of buttons to the immediate right of
the seven-inch color TFT: Home, meters,
routing, setup, library, effects mute group
and utility to open additional settings from The Behringer X32 Digital Console.
Dan Wothke is Media Director for Nashvilles Belmont Church on Music Row and a regular contributor to PAR. danwothke@yahoo.com
In Use
The layout of the X32 is, in my opinion,
the most natural workflow I have experi-
enced to date in a digital mixer; everything On the right of the screen is a monitor labeling are preset names, the ability to
just makes sense. There are features that level adjustment, phone level, and talk- customize names, and a selection of pic-
the X32 has that would greatly benefit the back section with an external lamp hook- tures to help distinguish the channels. They
larger, more expensive boards. The board is up. Below that are scenes, effect assign- range from drums to instruments, men,
laid out into five primary mixing sections: ments and mute groups. Each of these women, and a host of other icons. Once
channel strip, input channels, display and are dedicated and have an accompanying the board is color-coded, DCAs (Digitally
monitoring, group/bus/main channels and view button to feature that section on the Controlled Amplifiers) are coordinated with
scenes/assign/mute groups. The top left screen. The left and right side of the board their corresponding channels and names
The mark of a good digital board is the ability to overcome digital-ness, dialing
back into the essence of the room. We were all able to do this with the X32.
third of the board is the dedicated chan- has a recessed quarter-inch connector are labeled; with this, the board really pops
nel strip, which includes gain, gate, comp, for headphones. This is a convenient, yet visually. I had many people swing by the
EQ, aux sends and routing. These never, removed spot. The 100 mm motorizted fad- deskthose who normally have no interest
ever change. To feature one of the sec- ers are setup in four layers: channels 1-16, in the mixing boardto check it out and
tions on the screen, just press the View 17-32, Aux In/USB Reader/FX Return and talk shop. This goes a long way when your
button in the lower silkscreened area for Bus Master outputs. organization (and equipment purchases)
that section; it will appear on the screen of For those engineers who love to use are directly supported by the people who
the channel you have selected. The option different-colored Sharpies on channel attend events/services. I have one sug-
exists for parameters to be edited using the scribble strips, the X32s color coding is gestion about using the naming system:
six fixed knobs at the bottom of the screen, right up their alley. Every fader label can be reduce the number of steps required to get
but I found using the knobs associated with color-coded via eight preset colors. Black to the naming/color coding section. From
the sections on the board paired with the is one of the preset colors that serves the home page, a minimum of three but-
visuals on the screen was the most effec- as a blackout for the screen of channels ton presses are required. However, once
tive way to adjust channels. that arent being used. Also available for (continued on page 50)