Saturday, March 19, 2011

Barefoot Sound MicroMain27 (MM27)



The Barefoot Sound MicroMain27 is a groundbreaking new monitor that is in a class all its own. It is quickly becoming the premier choice for top mixing and mastering engineers. The speaker is designed to address the demands of modern recording. It breaks down the barriers between nearfield, mastering and main monitors. No need to have multiple pairs of speakers crowding your studio; no need to guess what the mastering engineer is going to hear. The MM27 is compact and powerful, truly a "nearfield on steroids." While exceptionally neutral and designed for critical listening, the MM27 is still very capable of rocking the house. It redefines the definition of a main monitor -- a "Micro Main™" monitor. The only monitor you may ever need. 

1" soft dome tweeter, dual 5" midbass drivers and dual 10" subs housed in compact sealed enclosures yield high linearity and outstanding impulse response. With 500 Watts of power in the subwoofer channel alone, the dual 10" drivers cross over seamlessly from the midbass, reaching down to 33Hz and rolling off at 1/4 the rate of ported designs to reveal much more deep bass information. Since the sub motor structures are locked together the opposing forces cancel out and the cabinet remains rock steady even at very high output levels. There is no need for bass management in 5.1 systems because the MicroMain27 is truly a full-range monitor. The speaker can be placed either vertically or horizontally using the included pedestal (9" L x 13/8" W x 21/4 H).
Hand Crafted in San Francisco, California. Available exclusively at Vintage King Audio.

YouTube helping with search for missing in Japan

Google offered up YouTube on Friday to help victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami find missing loved ones.
The Google-owned video-sharing site began posting videos of victims of the disaster appealing for information about friends and family.
The brief videos, most of which are less than a minute long, were taken in shelters around Japan and are posted at youtube.com/shousoku.
The "YouTube Missing Person Finder" is a video version of a "Person Finder" Web tool launched by Google in the immediate aftermath of the quake to help track down missing persons.
The "Person Finder" was tracking nearly 330,000 records as of Friday.
Google is also posting lists of residents of shelters on photo-sharing site Picasa.
Google has established a multi-lingual Crisis Response Page with links to the "Person Finder" and other resources such as emergency hotlines, relief organizations, travel information and maps.
A Google spokesman told AFP on Thursday that a number of employees of the Internet giant were devoting a fifth of their work time or more to building technology to help to deal with the disaster in Japan.
Google has long allowed employees to spend 20 percent of their time on engineering projects that interest them but which don't fall into their usual area of focus

DrMS Spatial Processor Plugin


DrMS puts you in control
DrMS presents a new way to approach the manipulation of stereo audio. It is based on MS (Mid-Side) processing, although DrMS splits the stereo signal into four sections rather than the normal two, giving you new levels of control: Zoom in, add Depth, change Width or any combination and more. DrMS takes you wherever you want to go in the stereo field.
Each of the four sections has mastering grade resonant high pass and low pass filters, plus asample-based delay line to slightly shift the signal against the other sections. In addition to this, there is a Feedback section. The level and combination of all the different sections will result in various changes of the stereo field.
For easy A/B comparision between original and processed signal, an autogain circuit is build in to ensure a level matched output.
Dozens of useful applications
The flexible controls ensure a wide range of applications, both for mixing and mastering as well as for post production. Use DrMS for tasks going from simple MS encoding/decoding, over stereo field and depth enhancement, to fixing mono compatibility issues and more.
In any case, audio processed by DrMS stays 100% mono compatible!
To help you getting started, a bank of presets is included. These were developed by mix engineer Dylan '3D' Dresdow (Black Eyed Peas, Michael Jackson, Usher) and engineer/producer Emre Ramazanoglu (Shakira, Alexander McQueen, Lou Rhodes).
Smart MCU support
DrMS also features a smart control surface layout for users of a Mackie Control Universal (MCU) or compatible control surface: All parameters have a clear 6-character name and are organised in banks of 8/16 with use of informative 'dummy' parameters to complete each bank for easy bank switching and great overview.
DrMS version 3
Version 3 of DrMS was re-coded from the ground up in a partnership with Mu Technologies to be a true native VST/AU/RTAS plugin. It also includes numerous improvements and new features over version 2, such as the newly implemented mastering grade filters, the addition of the Feedback circuit, the improved GUI with value displays and the inclusion of example preset settings.
DrMS works in your host of choice.
DrMS now is a true native VST/AU/RTAS plugin for OSX and Windows that no longer requiresthe Pluggo Runtime shell. DrMS is compatible with all major DAWs supporting VST, AudioUnit or RTAS, including the latest versions of Cubase, Nuendo, Logic, Live and ProTools, both on Mac and PC.

Gibson Les Paul BFG With Trem

Gibson USA updated their stripped-down BFG Les Paul with a vibrato tailpiece and kill switch wiring.


Dubbed the Les Paul BFG With Trem, Gibson says that the guitar is, "a surprisingly powerful tool for all your rock, blues, fusion and avant-garde guitar explorations."



The Les Paul BFC With Trem features a P-90 in the neck position and a Burst Bucker 3 PAF-style humbucker in the bridge position. Both pickups are made with Alnico magnets (Alnico V in the P-90, Alnico II in the BB3), and the pair is routed through a network of independent volume controls, master tone control, three-way toggle switch, and a "kill switch" mounted in the usual upper-bout selector switch position, designed for dramatic stutter and chopper effects.

The BFC With Trem's new vibrato tailpiece is a Schaller system with self-lubricated GraphTech nut and Grover locking tuners. The guitar features a mahogany body and maple neck with a glued-in mahogany neck with "Studio" neck profile and a 22-fret rosewood fretboard.

Pricing
The instrument has an MSRP of $1849 including padded gigbag.

EMPIRICAL LABS DISTRESSOR MODEL EL 8 Classic Knee Compressor



The Distressor is one of my favorite compressors and its made by Empirical Labs which is owned by Dave Derr. Its a versatile unit which can give many different sonic flavors. For instance, the 10:1 ratio emulates the LA-2A. It sounds great on vocals, drums, bass and guitar. The Dist 2 setting gives a tubelike quality while the Dist 3 sounds more like tape. This unit can be used for both tracking and mixing. Also look into the British Mode options and get 2 units for stereo if your budget allows.
For further info check the website at http://www.empiricallabs.com/
and for purchase contact Victor Rios at (802)380-9160

No Phones, Whistles And Banners To London 2012 Olympics


London 2012 Olympics
You can’t take phones, whistles, banners or even food, to this year’s Olympics scheduled to take place in London, the even organizers said.
The "non-exhaustive" list of items also includes musical instruments, flags of countries, umbrellas, camera tripods etc., that they somehow feel, compromise the security or disturb the event.
You are also forbidden from putting on promotional T-shirts, bags and hats; as that would take a hit on the official sponsors. Bottles and containers bigger than 100ml aren’t allowed too, by the way.
Everything you take will be thoroughly scanned by x-ray machines, if only it doesn’t include us. You know what I think? You do!

Waves SSL E Channel and G Channel


The Waves SSL plugins are based on the venerable SSL consoles that have been the staple of many recording studios since the 80's. The SSL bundle consists of 2 channel strips (E and G), a buss compressor and a G series equalizer. My favorites are the E and G channels which are emulations of the channel strips in SSL 4000 series E and G  consoles. They work great on a variety of sounds including drums, vocals and guitar. I prefer the G-Channel for adding air and sheen. It seems a little smoother on the top end. The E-Channel works great on drums especially snares. For even more SSL color crank the input but remember to reduce the output level so as not to overload the channel in you DAW. The SSL Bundle retails for a little under $500 ($487.50 at Amazon).

Porn boss offers to help Usher stop distribution of sex tape



Porn king Steven Hirsch has offered R 'n' B singer Usher his help to stop the distribution of an alleged sex tape featuring the singer and his ex-wife.
Hirsch, 49, who runs Vivid Entertainment and previously distributed sex tapes featuring Kim Kardashian and Kendra Wilkinson, has stepped in by offering to prevent the clip from being viewed by the public.
According to TMZ.com, the porn boss had made his offer in a letter written to the 'Yeah!' hitmaker.
"As a result of this being an intimate and very personal tape we can certainly understand why you would want to stop its distribution," the Daily Star quoted Hirsch as having written in the letter.
He added that he's managed to shut down "many celebrity sex tapes" and wants to do the same for Usher

Centerstage Classic Interview From 2006 W/Jay-Z: Speaks On Becoming A Star & A Lot More

Video After The Jump

Just like live perfomances, live interviews are something artists have to work at. That's why throwback interviews are simply the best, especially for an artist like Jay-Z after you have followed his career.

This clip was filmed 15 years ago whe Hov probably wasn't worth 1/4 of the $450 million Forbesestimates he's got in the bank now

Very interesting to note that Jigga went to high school with both Busta Rhymes and Notorious B.I.G.  Hov recalled battling Busta.  He doesn't say who won,but Busta himself admitted last year he lost to Jay-Z that day.

Antonio 'L.A.' Reid Joins Simon Cowell at The X Factor Judge's Table


Reid has launched careers of Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Justin Bieber, Kanye West


Upcoming Fox music competition The X Factor, which debuts in the fall, has announced its second judge: Antonio “L.A.” Reid, former chairman of Island Def Jam Music Group. Reid has launched some of the biggest acts in music, including Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, The Killers, Bon Jovi, Pink, Usher, Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna. The first judge, of course, is Simon Cowell. 

 
"I am proud to stand next to my dear friend Simon Cowell, one of the most gifted and charismatic talent magnets," said Reid. "The X Factor provides an extraordinary opportunity for aspiring artists of every age and genre to showcase their unique talents. I truly look forward to discovering our next generation of superstars." 
 
The X Factor is in search of undiscovered talent over the age of 12, solo or groups, who compete for a chance to win a $5 million recording contract with Syco/Sony Music. Auditions are set to begin in Los Angeles at the L.A. Sports Arena on Sunday, March 27. Next up is Miami (Thursday, April 7), followed by Newark, N.J. (Thursday, April 14), Seattle (Wednesday, April 20), Chicago (Wednesday, April 27) and Dallas (Thursday, May 26).  
 
The X Factor host and additional judges will be announced at a later time. 

Memoirs of a Jewish Geisha


Working in Midtown Manhattan to give businessmen the girlfriend experience


If Your iPad 2 Has Display Problems, DO NOT Return It. Here’s Why

Apple has a serious problem on its hands with the iPad 2 display.
Last week I purchased an iPad 2 on launch day. It suffered from backlight bleeding. I took it back to my local Apple Store, which replaced it on Friday. This second iPad 2 also suffers from backlight bleeding.
I’m pissed. I spent more than $1,000 for the whole thing with accessories – I want something worth the investment not a dud.
But I’m not taking it back to Apple a third time. Why not?
When I took my original iPad 2 back to the Apple Store, I asked the Genius handling the exchange to take it into a dark room and check it backlight bleeding. I asked him to compare the replacement iPad with the original iPad and report back the results.
He was gone for a long while, a lot longer than I expected, and on his return he explained to me that although the new iPad 2 was an improvement over the old one it still suffered from backlight bleeding.
He gave me three options: keep the first one, take the second one, or order a third one.
(He even offered to give me a free Smart Cover for my troubles — something we’ve already heard about at other Apple Stores to pacify disgruntled customers. I wouldn’t call myself disgruntled or even angry, so I refused the freebie (I have one already — see my review)
After some discussion, I chose to keep the new one.
This is because I do not expect Apple to be able to resolve this issue any time soon. I don’t think a third, fourth, or even fifth replacement iPad 2 will be any better. In fact I thought it could possibly be worse.
Apple has a serious problem on its hands with the iPad 2 display. I don’t have confidence in Apple being able to ship an iPad 2 with a screen that is defect free.
This is because I’ve heard from quite a few of you about the display issues encountered by other early iPad 2 adopters like me. You’ve responded to my stories about the problem in e-mails and comments left on my stories. Sadly some of you have made multiple exchanges. A few of you even mentioned being on your fourth or fifth iPad 2.
Exchanges are a bad idea right now. I recommend that you wait. If you have an iPad 2 that is usable, don’t rush to replace it. You’ll be wasting your time. I don’t think Apple can deliver an iPad 2 with a good display right now.
I’ve been told — off the record — that the iPad 2 display manufacturing problems have been identified and at some point Apple will be shipping product with no defects. When that will be though, is anyone’s guess.Apple’s PR department hasn’t responded to a second request for comment.
However, you should hold Apple accountable even if you don’t push for an exchange immediately. The first thing to do is contact AppleCare and get a case number.
Document your iPad 2 problems and wait it out. You have a one year warranty and two years if you bought AppleCare. So you have plenty of time to get a replacement iPad 2.
I’m going to wait and see what happens before I ask for another iPad 2. You should too.

PRIME 4000E Solid State Stereo Mixbuss Compressor




Based on the 4000E Mixbuss Compressor. It is fully equipped, has dual sidechain processing with four VCA for best performance and an external sidechaininput for specials like de-essing or ducking 

The Roots " Clones "

FLUX Full Pack II Plugin bundle


Full Pack II Recording, Mixing, Remixing, Mastering - The complete range of Flux:: plug-ins in one big bundle..

Alchemist aiming at professional mastering and re-mastering applications, the intricate design of Alchemist suggests a superior workflow and sound perfection within the field of dynamics processing, well adapted for the high demands of today’s pro-audio industry.

Alchemist presents the option to operate as a single broadband processor as well as a multiband processor providing up to five individual bands, with the possibility to process up to eight channels simultaneously when inserted on a multi-channel (surround) bus.

Each of the five band-sections provides

- Flux:: core dynamics processors; Compressor, De-Compressor, Expander and De-Expander, all operating in parallel, as well as our exquisite BitterSweet transient processor.
- MS (mid/side) control.
- Auto Delay (Introduces a delay line in the processed signal allowing zero attack time).
- Selectable level detection mode and dynamics detection profile
- Dynamics processing envelope control (Attack, Hold, Release with optional Auto mode).
- Input / Output gain control.

Epure II a five-band state of the art equalizer using one of our most complex proprietary algorithms, ensuring the most superior quality achievable in digital equalizing processing.

Each section provides
- Individual bypass
- Filter type that can be set to low cut, low shelving, peak, hi shelving or hi cut
- Gain control with the range -24 dB to +24 dB
- Frequency range covering the whole bandwidth
- Q factor adjustable from 0.1 to 100

Solera II primarily designed for mastering and re-mastering applications, though heavily used as a regular dynamics processor with it's superior sonic quality and distortion free operation in many professional studios all over the world.

Four dynamic sections work in parallel, compressor, de-compressor, expander and de-expander. Three release modes (manual, auto, and advanced) are available. In advanced mode the minimum and maximum release values are user adjustable. An Auto Delay function allows zero attack times by introducing a delay line in the processed signal and the side chain features a three-band equalizer to generate frequency sensitive processing.

Syrah a new generation dynamics processor, which handles the dynamics in a way that allows you to be creative, without a complicated user interface. Utilizing real time dynamic detection and level dependent processing, providing adaptive dynamic capabilities, which mean that Syrah is always trying to adapt to the music and to the beat of the material.

Using parts of our exquisite ‘BitterSweet’ technology, our new adaptive-dynamics technology, and our well-recognized level independent dynamics processing, Syrah will be well suited as a creative versatile processor for recording and mixing, as well as for delicate and demanding mastering tasks.

Pure Series is the very core of the Flux:: dynamics derived from our flagship Solera II and provided as five single plug-ins for maximum versatility with a classic “one tool for each task” approach to slim the workflow without compromising quality or function.

Pure Compressor produces a wide range of compressions from ultra clean subtle compressions to classic heavy pumping ones. It's up to your artistic choices not to the technology limitations.



Pure DCompressor allows you to restore the original dynamic of a sound. The DCompressor is superior for heavily compressed signal adding some of that natural feeling to the sound.

Pure Expander produces a wide range of expansion process from subtle expansions to hard noise-gate.
 Using Flux:: proprietary Angel's Share and Hysteresis algorithms Pure Expander allows you to remove unwanted noises or reverberation without adding a processed character to your sound.

Pure DExpander enhances the low levels of the sound, magnifies the spatialization information and is also very useful when you want a compact expander sound. The Angel's Share algorithm permits some heavy processing though still keeping an organic character with the sound.

Pure Limiter is using exquisite proprietary Flux:: algorithms generating a release-envelope producing no artifacts on the processed sound achieving a transparent limiting. A dramatic increase of the average audio level is easily achieved without damaging the perceived audio quality of the material.


Looking for that vintage mic sound without the vintage mic price?

                                                     JJ Audio Dutch





    The Dutch Is JJ Audio's Rendition of two classic mics of the past. The C12 and 251. The C12 has an elegant smooth sound and is  favored for female vocals, acoustic guitar and drum overheads. The M251 is more pronounced and forward sounding and has become a favorite of hip-hop and R&B artists, rockers and instrumentalists. The body is an Apex 460 painted white or satin nickel with a custom badge. The capsule, transformer and circuit can be customised at client's request.


Dutch $899 (includes microphone,  PSU, 7 pin cable, case, shockmount, IEC cable) 


http://www.jjaudiomic.com/Dutch.php

DirectOut ANDIAMO-32 channel MADI AD/DA-Converter


ANDIAMO - the new 32 channel AD/DA MADI converter by D.O.TEC shown at Tonmeistertagung 2010.

Uncompromised sound efficiently designed in one height unit. ANDIAMO provides an outstanding feature set in a compact housing.
32 channels state-of-the-art audio conversion from and to MADI up to 96 kHz samplerate with +15 dBu output level (EBU compliant). Redundant power supplies offer highest operational reliability.

The MADI I/O is available as optical or coaxial port. A word clock I/O rounds the feature set up.

Shipping of ANDIAMO is planned for Q1 in 2011.

Essential features. Compact size. Uncompromised sound. ANDIAMO!

IK Multimedia introduces iRig Mic for the iPhone®, iPod touch® and iPad®.




iRig Mic is ideal for the singer, vocalist and songwriter on the move, but also perfect for recording speeches, instruments, performances or any other sound sources in the studio, on stage or in the field. Musicians will be able to record and accurately reproduce acoustic instruments, amplified instruments or even band performances and concerts. Non-musicians will have an indispensable tool for recording high quality podcasts, speeches, lessons, interviews, video soundtracks or any other source that can be recorded on the go with their mobile device.

See more iRig Mic images or hear audio and video demo online.

iRig Mic At a Glance:

* Ideal for all vocal applications from singing to speech
* Great for all types of sound recording or processing in music or any other audio application
* Quality condenser-electret unidirectional capsule
* Dual mini-jack connector allows real-time monitoring on headphones, speakers, mixers and PAs
* Rugged, durable metal housing
* Easy to set-up for any sound source
* Can be handheld or placed on a standard mic stand
* Compatible with any iPhone, iPod touch (with mic input) and iPad

Can Be Used for Multitude of Compatible Apps


For singers and vocalists, the upcoming VocaLive free app included* with iRig Mic offers for the first time a mobile suite of real-time effects dedicated to live vocal processing.

The included* AmpliTube free app is the perfect companion for songwriters and features real-time guitar and bass effects, recording and mastering capabilities.

The included* iRig Recorder is IK's other upcoming new app for quick audio recording and processing. So easy to operate that it can be used by everybody, including non-musicians.
.iRig Mic can be used with any other app that uses the microphone input of the iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad for audio input.

Pricing and availability


iRig Mic will be shipping in the first quarter of 2011 for only $59.99/€49.99 (excluding taxes) from select IK music and electronicretailers worldwide. Pre-orders are available from the IK Multimedia online store