My new favorite Limiter.

I recently obtained a copy of IK Multimedia's Stealth Limiter from their rep Derrick Floyd. It has now become one of my favorites. I like it because it's very transparent and easy to use. I especially like the unity gain monitor which allows you to hear what the limiters processing is doing to the audio without a big jump in audio level. We often interpret louder as better but sometimes that is not the case. The four modes (tight, balanced, harmonics 1, harmonics 2) and "inter-sample peak limiting algorithm" plus available 16 and 24bit dither makes it easy to get a great sounding master. The Stealth Limiter is part of IK Multimedia's T-Racks Custom Shop Mixing and Mastering Collection. It runs on both Mac and PC as an AU, VST and AAX/RTAS plugin. 

Features:

• Ultra-transparent mastering peak limiter 
• Advanced inter-sample peak limiting algorithm
• 4 operating modes that offer different tonal shades that vary from super clean to warmly analog
• Easy-to-use interface
• Unity gain monitoring function
• Infrasonic filter

Check out this video Protools Expert just posted showing the Stealth Limiter in action:

Price $124.99. Download the demo at IK Multimedia's website and hear for yourself on your own material what the Stealth Limiter is capable of.

Freebie Fri.: Voxengo OldSkoolVerb

Voxengo's OldSkoolVerb is a freeware reverb that runs as an AU or VST plugin on both Mac and Windows. It's described as ....a “classic” stereo reverb algorithm which is technically simple yet optimal. It also produces a very clear spatial image that blends well with the mix.

OldSkoolVerb offers Plate, Room and Hall settings with the ability to tweak the parameters to your liking. The above pic is an actual setting that I used on the background vocals for a  Hip-Hop/R&B song I mixed.

Features:

• Plate, room and hall reverbs
• Stereo processing
• A/B comparisons
• Zero processing latency 
• 5 reverb modes
• Preset manager
• Contextual hint messages
• Reverb mode editor
• Undo/redo history
• All sample rates support

Download OldSkoolVerb at Voxengo.com

What do you think of the new EXHALE software by OUTPUT?

OUTPUT the makers of REV and SIGNAL announced their latest software instrument called EXHALE which is described as a "Modern Vocal Engine". It requires Kontakt (full version or free player) to operate. 

Ask.Audio did a great review on EXHALE. 

Here's an excerpt:

"What Output has done here is very decidedly not try to give you a soul diva vocal for your DAW. Instead, a combination of sampling, synthesis and effects are used to create a completely new kind of instrument. “Vocal Engine” is an accurate description, with real sampled voices providing the building blocks of sound, and a huge amount of other tools transforming the samples into new and often unrecognizable end products. It’s hyper-modern, experimental and is more about using voices as instruments than anything else. It is quite possible to strip patches back to a more natural choral or vocal sound, but that’s not the real focus of what’s going on here. It was born of feedback from musicians who complained that there was no way to get the kinds of vocal sounds and effects required by modern scores, EDM and sound design, in software form."

Watch the walkthrough video of EXHALE:

Features:

• 500 Unique Presets
• 3 Modes: Notes, Loops & Slices
• 10 GB raw material
• Custom FX Presets
• Custom Macros Per Preset
• Snapshots for Maschine
• Macro Editing
• Main and Engine Pages
• Automatable Insert and Mod FX

I think many producers and composers/sound designers will find EXHALE a useful addition to their creative arsenal. What do you think?

Price: $199 with a 14 day money back guarantee.

The AES show is not only about gear via Plectrum|NYC

Most discussions of the annual AES convention tend to be about all the amazing gear that is displayed on the exhibit floor. But there are also all the seminars/presentations that feature some of the talented producers and engineers that use the gear to create the iconic music for our favorite artists/bands. The feedback I've received over the last few days says that last weekend's 139th AES 2015 in NYC did not disappoint in this aspect.

My friend Andy from Plectrum|NYC (a boutique audio equipment rental service based in NYC)
summed it up quite nicely in his 4 part blog post on his site.

Some of the insightful gems mentioned include:

Meeting the designers behind some of the great gear that we use daily.

The "Platinum Producers-Bad Vibrations" panel which focused more on the emotional instead of the technical side of the music making process. How sometimes unorthodox methods are used to achieve the creative goals of the artist and producer.

The creative process of many iconic producers and engineers. 

"Joe Chiccarelli pointed out on several occasions that he felt he failed in his artistic vision if he hadn’t captured 90% of the desired sound by the time tracking was done!"

"John Congleton repeatedly emphasized creativity over gear, experimenting with all kinds of available gear including inexpensive guitar pedals and exploring any possible crazy combination including running his Boss pedals through his Fairchild!"

"John admitted that it took him a very long time ((6 or 7 years!) without anyone taking any notice of his artistic work! and stressed that unless there is true creative fire underneath, music may not be worth pursuing, at least not if one is in it to make a living."

"Val Garay generously shared a wealth of details about the production techniques for James Taylor’s “JT” album and Kim Carnes “Bette Davis Eyes” single, including the exact types of microphones used for drums and vocals and their placement. To note: he loves a pair of elam251s as drum overheads and u67 for vocal, tracked through an early API console."

Many shared personal stories of artists and historic sessions such as Jack Douglas telling

the personal stories revolving around John & Yoko, such as John explaining how to write a hit song: “Speak the truth and make it rhyme!” were first-rate.

Or Jack’s stories about John’s later day habits of recording while he was in bed: ”Surrounding John’s bed were guitars and tape machines to all sides. Recording him meant I literally had to jump in bed with him!” 

(In the past I've heard that Stevie Wonder used to keep tape recorders in every room in his house so he could lay down a song idea whenever and wherever his creative muse kicked in).

Read the entire post at http://plectrumnyc.com/blog/

Freebie Fri.: MH Thump

The free MH Thump from Metric Halo is not your typical subharmonic enhancer. It can be used to enhance the low end on kicks, 808s and bass but it's capable of doing much more. Previously only available in AAX format for Protools, metric Halo has now made it available for AU and VST formats too. It runs on both Mac and Windows. All that is required is an email address.

From the website:

"Thump is a unique audio processor that allows you to synthesize low frequency audio to add low end to a track or generate another sound entirely. Thump looks at the pitch and dynamics of its audio input and uses this information to control its oscillators. You can add low end to drums, augment a bass or even create synthetic drones. Thump is ideal for beefing up a kick drum, add low end to percussive tracks, re-create classic drum synth sounds, and more."

Features:

• Two independent envelope driven oscillators
• Complete control over both pitch and amplitude envelopes
• Wet/Dry control for mixing synthesized sound with the source
• Detailed metering
• A dozen presets included to get you started
• Adjustable UI size / Disclosable Graphs
• MH Preset Manager - Provides cross-platform presets
• Cross Platform - Mac AU, Mac/Win VST & Mac/Win Pro Tools AAX (Native + DSP)
• Free!

Watch this video of the MH Thump: 






You can sign up and download Metric Halo's MH Thump here.

Also take a look at the Metric Halo Production Bundle which is a great set of plugins that I use often. It's currently on sale for $299 (regularly $699).

The Eventide H910 Harmonizer, Oxide Tape Recorder and Marshall Legends Bundle_UAD v8.4

Got an email from UAD announcing the UAD v8.4 software with 3 new plugins. I was      excited to see that they had finally released the Eventide H910 Harmonizer plugin and couldn't wait to hear the Oxide Tape Recorder and Marshall Amp plugins.

The Eventide H910 Harmonizer was one of the first effects boxes that I was introduced to early in my career and I instantly took a liking to it. The H910 was widely used for vocal and guitar doubling plus the infamous "robot voice" and "sci-fi'" glitch effects. The combination of pitch change with delay and variable feedback allowed the user to come up with some pretty "crazy" effects. You can also do standard delays, reverb, flanging etc. It works well on all types of sounds. if you like to tweak your gear/plugins in real time then the H910 definitely deserves a look.

I tried the H910 demo on a vocal track of a song I was mixing last night and it brought a smile to my lips. UAD has nailed it again.

Here's UA's intro video of the Eventide H910 Harmonizer plugin:

The Oxide Tape Recorder plugin is also included in the UAD v8.4 update. I use the Studer 800 and ATR-102 plugins regularly so I was curious to see what UAD was offering with the Oxide Tape and it has some serious mojo going on. I found it very easy to get textures that worked well with different sounds. If you're not sure where to start there are presets that make great starting points. I like the Oxide Tape plugin a lot.

Here's a great video from UA showing how the Oxide Tape Recorder plugin can be used on drums:

Last but definitely not least we have the Marshall Legends Bundle which consists of the 
Plexi Super Lead 1959 and the new Bluesbreaker 1962 and Silver Jubilee 2555. The plugins work with UA's Unison Technology when used with the Apollo interfaces.

Protools Expert posted a video review of the Bluesbreaker 1962:

Ocean Way Audio HR4 Studio Monitors

Ocean Way Audio introduced 2 new monitors at AES 2015 but the one that caught my attention is the HR4 Studio Monitor. I've heard their bigger brother the HR2 at Noisematch Studios in Miami and they sound amazing. 

They have a very wide sweet spot, excellent imaging and exceptional transient response.


From the press release:

"Based on the legendary sonic performance of the Ocean Way HR2 speaker, the HR4 is a two-way, self-powered monitor that is at home on a consoles meter bridge or free-standing speaker stands. “We’ve captured the sonic performance of our large horn-based wave guide design, which delivers 100 degree dispersion, and have released this unique speaker in a 24-inch mixing-board-friendly design!” states Allen Sides, OWA Founder and CEO." 

Here's a video by Sound on Sound at AES 2015 with Allen Sides himself explaining the design features and sound of the HR4:



For more details visit Ocean Way Audio.

AES NY 2015 starts today!

The 139th International Audio Engineering Society Convention starts today Thursday, October 29th and runs through Sunday, November 1st. There are sure to be many new products announced at the AES show plus all the great seminars and presentations regarding all aspects of the audio industry. For this post I'm only posting the links and pics. I will do a more in-depth post next week with more info and products.

A few of the items already mentioned are:

1. NEVE BCM10/2 MK2 - 10 Channel Recording Console (also available in 16,24 & 32 channels) via Vintage King.

2. BarefootSound MicroMain26

3. New products from Little Labs. A company that makes great sounding unique gear:

4. SSL βeta 500 format module Hardware Development Kit

5. SSL's Sigma Delta:

6. Focusrite RedNet AM2 via GearJunkies

7. NTP Technology's DAD AX32 with new MADI and AES3 cards with enhanced Cue and Mix Monitoring:

8. PSI Audio A14-M Studio Monitors:

The Brainworx bx_console plugin featuring Tolerance Modeling Technology

Plugin Alliance's newest plugin is The Brainworx bx_console which is modeled after Brainworx' own Neve VXS console. I did some mixes in the 90's on the Neve VR in Studio A of Soundtracks Studios NYC, ( I think they've since sold the console) but was only vaguely familiar with the Neve VXS so I was very curious to hear what Brainworx did with the bx_control channelstrip.

 "The VXS was something of a bridge between vintage consoles like the 80 and VR series and the modern 88RS. Loaded with features like a comprehensive EQ and dynamics section, it still delivers that classic English punch and vibe."

Brainworx modeled the Neve VXS channelstrips with their new TMT technology.

"The bx_console is the first plugin from Brainworx to utilize its revolutionary new Tolerance Modeling Technology, which sets a new standard for analog realism inside the box. While all other current analog modeling systems concentrate on emulating a specific “golden” unit, Tolerance Modeling Technology, or TMT, meticulously models the variation of individual components used in an analog circuit to capture the natural unit to unit variations found in prized analog gear."

The bx_console plugin is cpu friendly and allows you to easily apply multiple instances in your DAW. Then by assigning different channel numbers in the plugin (it offers up to 72) Brainworx says you are able to replicate the sound of an actual Neve VXS console and the subtle variations that occur from channel to channel.

"All analog components have manufacturing tolerances that state an acceptable range of differences between them. These tolerances vary from 1% on some parts up to 20% in many standard electronic components.These changes absolutely do make an audible difference in how one console channel sounds compared to another.
This variation, when taken across many channels in a mix, is part of what makes an analog console sound the way it does. Especially the tolerances between each of two channels in multiple stereo setups (stereo-signals, busses and sub-groups) of a bigger mix session introduce small phase differences, unbalanced center frequencies and center-offsets."

I downloaded and installed the 14 day demo. I was able to open and audition the bx_control in Logic Pro X, Protools 10 and Studio One v2.6 without any issues. The sound is more like the Neve 88R than the older Neve consoles and could be described as transparent but warm and punchy. It's very similar to the UAD Neve 88r channelstrip but I'll have to do some more in-depth mixing to tell. I think Brainworx is on to something with the TMT technology because I can hear subtle differences as I change the channel numbers. You can also bypass this feature by changing the stereo mode from analog to digital.

Take a look at this video by Plugin Alliance on their new bx_control Plugin:




and here's a review of the bx_control by our good friend Russ at Protools Expert:

Tech Tues.: ITB Re-Amping Tips with UAD Plugins

Softube Bass Amp Room

If you don't have access to real amp stacks in a great sounding studio then ITB re-amping is an alternative way to enhance and liven tracks. I use this method often when mixing if I feel it's necessary for the mix to reach its full potential. The video below shows 3 excellent UAD plugins that can be used to re-amp bass tracks. This method works great with samples and VSTis too. In addition you can setup a microphone in front of your monitors and record to a new track. Make sure to mute the return of the new track to avoid feedback and hit record while playing the track in solo through your monitors at a reasonably loud level. The combination of the amp plugins combined with the speakers moving air in your room can really bring a track to life.

Ampeg SVT-VR

Ampeg SVT-3 PRO

Here's the re-amping video tutorial by Michael ( Thanks Michael) of Studio One Expert showing how to use the Universal Audio’s Ampeg SVT-VR, Ampeg SVT-3 PRO and Softube Bass Amp Room on a bass track in PreSonus Studio One 3.

I usually use the Softube Bass Amp Room but have started experimenting with the others. The combination of all 3 offers so many sonic possibilities. I like to use busses instead of copying the tracks and send them all to the same aux master then mix and match to taste. 

The UAD Pultec Passive Eq Collection that's currently on sale for $99 works great to further enhance the sound of the tracks. 

UAD Pultec Passive Eq Collection

This method is not just for bass and works really well on all types of sounds using any plugins you choose. For example I used The Chandler Limited GAV19T Amplifier Plug-In to add grit and presence to a live organ track that was well recorded but wasn't sitting properly in the mix. Worked like a charm.

The Chandler Limited GAV19T Amplifier Plug-In

Mix Monday: Jazmine Sullivan - Let It Burn

I'm a huge fan of Jazmine Sullivan so when I got the call from Salaam Remi to mix several songs on her latest album "Reality Show" I was very happy to do it. (The album debuted at No.1 on the R&B Albums Chart earlier this year).
 One of the songs I mixed is "Let It Burn". The song has a late 80's R&B feel infused with the sultry soulfulness of Jazmine's vocals. Salaam insisted the song not lose it's original vibe so I started the mix with the vocals first then introduced the keys then bass and drums. All the tracks were well recorded and arranged. On this mix I relied more on balance and effects more so than compression and eq.

Here are snapshots of some of the effects that were used on "Let It Burn":

UAD Lexicon 224

PSP Stereo Enhancer

UAD EMT 140

The PSP Stereo Enhancer was placed on the channel inserts after each reverb to give the illusion of a bigger/wider soundstage.

UAD Dimension D

   
The Dimension D was used on the vocals and some of the keys for added depth and space. The delays heard on the song are just stock plugins provided in Protools that were set to 1/4 and 1/8 note delay time.

Kush Audio UBK-1

After getting a rough balance going on the mix I placed the Kush Audio UBK-1 on the master buss to give it the overall texture and glue I felt was needed for this particular song. I made some minor adjustments to the UBK-1 as the mix progressed. The above pic is the final setting.

Here's the video of "Let It Burn":




Buy/download the "Reality Show" album here.

3 new products from Fredenstein Professional Audio.

Fredenstein Professional Audio (FPA) recently announced 3 new and interesting additions to their product line that caught my eye. The MixCube, the Bento 6 I/O and the HD REFERENCE Professional Stereo Microphone Preamplifier with COMMANDER Remote Control. 

I like the features of all the units especially the BENTO 6 I/O which would make a great addition to a mix rig. The built-in 14 channel mixer with AD/DA converters enable the full integration of your 500 series modules with access and routing setup recall via a USB or AVB connection to your DAW. There's also the compressor LINK feature which allows you to link up to 3 pairs of compressor modules.

From FPA's Facebook page:

The MixCube:

The Fredenstein MIX CUBE is a compact answer to the question of mixing in the box or mixing out of the box with a solution born of thinking outside of the box.

The MIX CUBE is a high quality digital controlled analog mixer that can be configured as 8X2, 16X2, 24X2 or 32X2 while only needing about 6.3” (16cm) by 6”3 by 6.3” inches of desk space.

It features a front to back balanced audio path with a fully discrete output stage. The MIX CUBE can be thought of a remarkably compact, extreme performance, purist analog mixer for the digital age.

Each of the channels has gain control in ½ dB steps, pan, cut and solo. Any set of channels can be controlled by one of four fader groups. The master mix also has gain control, balance and cut. Presets can be easily saved and recalled.

The 4 Fader Groups provide a convenient way of controlling multiple channels. For example, one could assign 10 drum channels to Group 1, (indicated numerically below the channel and with a color change) and adjust the level or mute or solo just the drums. Also, in the Audio Menu, all channels can be increased or reduced by 3 dB or 10 dB steps. One can easily find the optimal level to drive the mix buss and outboard processors.

The MIX CUBE also has MIDI ports and a USB port to allow full remote control. For example, a low cost moving fader MIDI controller can provide a traditional tactile interface for the MIX CUBE. Alternatively, A DAW can control the MIX CUBE via MIDI or USB and provide a fully automated mix in the analog domain while the digital to analog converters operate at their optimum levels.

The MIX CUBE has a 4.3” 480x272 pixel full color TFT graphics display that clearly shows levels, pans, groups, etc. 3 Encoders and 3 buttons give the engineer quick access to any control.

The Mix Cube also has a built in peak output meter, with 64 segments from -44 to +20 dB. Naturally it is referenced to the professional +4 dBm standard, so the range is actually -40 to +24 dBu with an additional clip indicator at +28dBu.

Specifications:

• Inputs are industry standard DSub 25's and the outputs are XLR3.
• Maximum Input / Output +28 dBu
• Frequency Response -0.5 dB 10 Hz – 80 kHz
• THD & N .006%
• S/N Ratio (8 channels installed, all unity gain) 110 dB
• S/N Ratio (32 channels installed, all unity gain) 104 dB
• Crosstalk (adjacent channels panned L & R) 100 dB @ 1kHz, 83 dB @ 10kHz

The Bento 6 I/O:

The Fredenstein Bento 6 I/0 adds digital IO, a 14 channel mixer and a high resolution color TFT display to the successful Bento line of 500 Series carriers. Now one can plug in a DAW with a USB cable and access any chain of analog modules that may be in the Bento rack. Alternatively, with MAC or Unix based systems the Bento 6 I/O also has AVB connectivity which uses ethernet 100BaseT wiring and is suitable for longer distances than USB.

New for the Bento 6 I/O are multi-channel analog to digital and digital to analog converters. There a 6 AtoD converters corresponding to the 6 slots plus 8 DtoA converters corresponding to the 6 slots plus 2 extra that can be used as a mix output or for any other purpose. The new color display is 360 by 240 pixel and is 2.6 inch in size.


Each 500 series module can be fed by the normal XLR analog input, the Aux XLR analog input, or the output of the module directly to the left or from the corresponding DAC channel. Each module's analog output goes to its XLR output like a conventional carrier and also goes to its own AtoD channel. This suggests that it is easy to use the BENTO 6 I/O fully analog, fully digital, or anything in between, plus being able to chain several modules to create your own custom channel path. All analog routing is done with high reliability relays.

Additionally there is a 14 channel digital mixer that can mix any combination of the 6 AtoD and 8 DtoA channels. You could think of them as 6 processed analog inputs and 8 channels from the DAW and still have the mixer output feed DAC #7 & #8 for headphones. Each of the 14 channels has level, pan, mute and solo control plus the mix buss has level and mute controls.

The converters are 24 bit and capable of 44.1K, 48K, 88.2K, 96K, 176.4K and 192K sample rates. The Bento 6 I/O utilizes asynchronous data transfer for low jitter. It accepts word clock IO on BNCs and provides user select-able 75 ohm termination. The Bento 6 I/O also runs a self test routine to confirm all power rails are fine at power up.

As with other Bento racks, there is a flexible LINK feature that can be set up for 3 different pairs of compressors, anticipating that “link” circuits from different companies probably won't be compatible. One can link up to 6 compressors from one company for surround. And in common with the Bento 6D, the Bento 6 I/0 can display control settings numerically of various compatible Fredenstein modules like the F604, F605, F606 and F607. Presets can saved and recalled, which is a nice bonus.

The Fredenstein Bento 500 Series Carriers have earned a reputation for frankly being a bargain considering how solidly constructed and well engineered they are. The power supplies are over specified, clean and proven winners for low radiated hum and noise. The Bento 6 I/O carries on this tradition of offering great price plus adds another huge set of useful features and modern high tech functionality.

HD REFERENCE Professional Stereo Microphone Preamplifier and COMMANDER Remote Control:

The HD REFERENCE Microphone Preamplifier can be described as unique, revolutionary, and among the best performing mic pre's of all time.

Well almost unique. The internal topology was first introduced in the 500 Series Fredenstein HD PRE which features the new current mode, true class A, zero negative feedback, 100% balanced circuit that uses 54 discrete premium transistors for gain. The HD REFERENCE goes a step further with 72 transistors and a +/- 24 volt power supply. The HD REFERENCE is also designed to be remote controlled (or not) and offers 1 dB gain steps shown clearly on the front panel.


Technical performance can only be described as extreme or exceptional. Extreme low noise (EIN - XX dB), exceptional low distortion (.XX% at 60 dB of gain), extreme bandwidth (-3dB down at 900kHz) and is can deliver +30 dbu at the outputs. And while it sports the holy grail, grand combination of high end specifications, The HD REFERENCE also out-performs typical tube pre-amplifiers in the area of smooth transition into saturation, due to the absence of negative feedback and the fast recovery inherent in the topology. In other words, it goes from pristene to 3 dimensional through rich and then power house depending on how hard one drives it.

Features include 1 dB stepped gain from 0 dB to +64 dB (using high reliability relays) indicated with a large 7 segment LED display. 3 high pass filter frequencies, 3 impedance settings, phantom power and polarity switching. Details like, automatic muting while phantom power is changing, to prevent thumps and damage to monitors is built in. There are also a pair of Direct Inputs for instruments with low noise discrete JFET inputs (2 meg ohm) and 0 to 40 dB of gain.

And then by adding the COMMANDER remote control we can reap the benefit of keeping the mic pre close to the mic, while still keeping control of all the features the HD REFERENCE provides. By keeping the cable between the mic and the REFERENCE HD short, we can preserve the fragile mic level signals and send a robust line level signal any reasonable distance to the converter, console or compressor. The Commander and REFERENCE HD connect with a standard mic cable. The COMMANDER additionally has a “LOCK” button that can prevent tampering at the remote preamp.

I will update this post with pricing etc. when more info is available (probably after AES this coming weekend). 

In the meantime visit their Facebook page, website and their North American Distributor Studiologicsound.