Unsigned Podcast Network

Was this a case of RSS hijacking?

2005-12-04T16:19:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to have an impromptu chat with George Lambert, creator of Podkey.com and the gentleman accused of hijacking the RSS feed belonging to Erik Marcus from Vegan.com. What I found out was very interesting to say the least.

First of all, the feed in question was actually a free service provided by Mr. Lambert at Podkey, and Mr. Marcus was using that service. It was picked up by Yahoo Podcasts and iTunes, and had amassed a decent sized listenership. Mr. Marcus decided he no longer wanted to use the services at Podkey, so he asked Mr. Lambert to discontinue them in this email:

> > On Mon, 14 Nov 2005, Erik Marcus wrote:
> >
> > > Dear George,
> > >
> > > Please remove my show from your podkeyword site. Currently
> > > cooking.podkeyword.com gives the RSS feed
> > > for my Erik's Diner show. The only authorized RSS URL for my show is on
> > > Vegan.com .
> > >
> > > Thank you.
> > >
> > > Erik Marcus

Mr. Lambert replies the same day with this:

> On 11/14/05, George Lambert wrote:
> >
> > Dear Erik.
> >
> > someone registered cooking, vegetarian, vegan, nutrition, meat, and
> > animals.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > I have removed them all.

Mr. Lambert did what he was asked of. He removed the feed and it was no longer valid. But then he gets an email again from Mr. Marcus stating this:

> Dear George,
>
> I wanted you to know that my Vegan.com podcast has taken a big chunk
> of my efforts this year. My show has now lost about 75% of its
> traffic. I was not aware that the RSS feed for my show taken by
> iTunes was pointing to podkeyword rather than to my site. When you
> honored my request to delete the pointers to my show at Podkeyword's:
> cooking, vegetarian, vegan, nutrition, meat, and animals listings, my
> show's entry at iTunes stopped working and my listenership plunged 75%
> overnight.
>
> I therefore ask you to temporarily reinstate all these keywords to point to:
>
> http://www.vegan.com/diner/eriksdiner.rss
>
> My webmaster and I are doing everything we can to get iTunes and Yahoo
> to change over to the above URL. But in the meantime, we would both
> greatly appreciate it if you temporarily reinstate those keywords.
> This debacle has taken away much of what I've worked for over the past
> year, and I'm counting on you to make things right. We will notify
> you when Yahoo and iTunes complete their switch to the show's
> Vegan.com URL, and at that point we will ask that our relationship
> with these keywords be permanently terminated. Also, we ask that your
> company makes no more submissions of the above keywords for our show
> to other directories and services while we are working to resolve our
> difficulties with iTunes and Yahoo.
>
> Please notify me when the links are reinstated. Thank you.
>
> Erik

So Mr. Marcus told Podkey to reinstate the feed because they did not realise that the majority of their listeners were from the Podkey feed. A bit short sighted on their part. My opinion of course. The problem is that Mr. Marcus has also asked that Podkey not allow the feed to be picked up by any other directories or services. I'm sorry, but is that possible? Can you just switch off the ability of other services to pick up a feed on their own without shutting off that feed? Mr Marcus seems to think it is. But Mr. Lambert wrote this back:

>>Date: Wed, 23 Nov 2005 13:30:58 -0500 (EST)
>>From: George Lambert
>>To: Erik Marcus
>>Cc: Joshua Warchol
>>Subject: Re: please reinstate erik's diner keywords on podkeyword.com
>>
>>
>>Dear Erik - apparently we have a misunderstanding.
>>
>>While it makes me happy to think that your show is doing so well, and
>>while I am sorry that you lost your traffic, I am unable to accept
>>your terms. If you would like to be in my index, you must accept MY
>>terms.
>>
>>=======================================================================
>>
>>
>>We have never made any explicit submissions on our keywords to anyone
>>but our opml directory is parsed routinely by other services.
>>
>>
>>Pointing to your rss feed for those keywords is an explicit courtesy. Our
>>index has credibility based on my work to make it highly visible, and
>>therefore credible.
>>
>>However, for some reason (that totally escapes me) it has not occured to
>>you that your show benefits from the credibility and convenience that
>>has been created as being part of MY INDEX.
>>
>>I removed your keywords per your request, but remember vividly, that
>>I went out of my way to insure that I had met your request.
>>
>>Someone on your behalf, (I presume you, but am not sure) requested use of
>>those keywords, and I have never asked you for a thing.
>>
>>You may use that same process to re-request those keywords - however using
>>my service is subject to my terms, which are very simple.
>>
>>My Terms:
>>
>>My Service Belongs to Me.
>>I can discontinue it at any time.
>>I can terminate anyone I want at any time for no reason at all.
>>You can register to request use of a keyword.
>>anyone who sees the opml index can use the keyword.
>>this is a service for making life easier for listeners.
>>this service was designed to create enough momentum to become
>>a real reveue generation mechanism.
>>
>>
>>If you would like to request something else I would be happy to consider
>>it, but only when I can actually have a reasonable chance of accomplishing
>>your goals, or if I am substantially compensated for doing so.
>>
>>You actually might take a moment to consider the following.
>>
>>You might save yourself considerable hassle by using the momentum
>>and not fighting it. There was a perfectly valid set of reasons for my
>>developing this service. It was to make it easier for podcasters to
>>evolve, and to make watercooler conversation about podcasts bring new
>>visitors. These mechanisms also create opportunities for
>>creating marketing.
>>
>>When I started this service over a year ago, I put a great deal of thought
>>into where the demand would come from, and what would be the problems that
>>come with that growth. This service is all about solving those problems.
>>
>>People who have already put links into there devices will not know about
>>your changes to the urls, and even if you convince yahoo and itunes and
>>whomever to make the changes you may not get your listenership back.
>>
>>The non-technical listener to podcasts does not understand the first thing
>>about urls, they understand they will type what they are given... So the
>>theory goes, lets make it easy to type... Lets make it easier to share.
>>
>>It occurs to me that you are trying to put the g''enie back in the
>>bottle, and fight the momentum - the thing that appears to have escaped
>>your thought process is that you might want to use this as a mechanism
>>for directing the g''enie.
>>
>>Not once have you asked why is this service here.
>>Not once have you asked why it works.
>>Not once have you asked what are the real benefits.
>>
>>Not once have you asked what are the real benefits.
>>
>>Not once have you asked how I might be able to help you.
>>
>>What you have done it told me what I will do for you.
>>You have also told me on what terms I will do that for you.
>>
>>Some things that you have not considered....
>>
>>podkeywords are a perfect advertising mechanism.
>>podkeywords are phonetic, which means spelling does not count ;)
>>
>>podkeyworks are the phonetic google of podcasting, since people
>>(myself included) can not spell.
>>
>>If you would like to use my service on my terms, please re-register
>>them at:
>>
>>http://www.podkey.com/add_keyword.php
>>
>>
>>If you would like to license the long term use of those keywords that
>>could certianly be arranged. If you have additional questions or would
>>like to discuss these topics in more detail, please feel free to call me
>>at (xxx) xxx-xxxx.
>>
>>
>>George.

Now I don't know about you, but that does not sound like a man trying to extort money. He basically says that what is asked cannot be done. It isn't part of the service. He then goes on to say what his service offers, and the benefits of using it. Anything needed past that, is extra, if he must make time to do it. He did not say out right that he would charge, he said if he had time to do it, or if he was compensated for his time. I don't know about you, but I would prefer to get paid for my work. Mr. Marcus was already getting something for nothing, now he wants more than he agreed to, all because he did not pay attention to what he was doing. I assume that Mr. Marcus was the one who submitted for a feed on Podkey, or someone in his organization.

Needless to say, Mr. Lambert is now getting accused of something he has not done. I do not know if the news organizations that are reporting on this are skewing the information, or they are getting fed the wrong details, but I encourage them to do their job and get the whole story. I also ask that Mr. Marcus contact me and at least tell me his side of the story. Either via email, or doing an interview on my podcast as Mr. Lambert has done.

Mr. Lambert has been very forthcoming in this situation, and has had nothing to hide. In fact, the emails I received where from his blog on Podkey. And at the end of that last email, he asks Mr. Marcus to call him so that the situation can be fixed. Did he call back? Not according to Mr. Lambert. How about it Mr. Marcus, how did that phone conversation go before you decided to go to the press?

Shame on the press for lying, shame on them for reducing themselves to a half assed version of a 24 hour news network. And shame on Mr. Marcus for not wanting to take care of this properly with some civility.

For shame.

My opinion of course...........

For the other side of the story, listen to the interview with Mr. Lambert at www.unsignedpodcastnetwork.com.
For more information about podkey and their services, go to www.podkey.com.
For more information about Vegan.com, go to www.vegan.com

Is your RSS being hijacked?

2005-11-30T11:25:00.000-08:00

Over at Cyberlaw Stanford, an interesting post about RSS feeds getting hijcked. Good to know if you are a podcaster or blogger.

Article is here.

Although this is nothing new, it is good to know. Especially with all the new found fame podcasting is getting, the community should be aware of this. If you see a new podcast directory pop up, then get over to it and claim or submit your feed. Protect yourself!

A Wake Up Call for the Music Industry....

2005-11-14T19:51:00.000-08:00

My apologies for the lack of posts recently. A lot has been happening lately. Work, the new Unsigned Daily Show podcast, family, and trying to start a new business. My Father in law went to the hospital over the weekend. Not going to go into specifics. My Mother has to have an operation this week, so that has also been weighing heavy on my mind. So again, apologies, but I think you can all appreciate the logistics of where my priorities lie right now.

I will comment on the goings on with Sony however. Idiots! They really screwed up big time. Corporate sanctioned spyware? What in the H-E double hockey sticks were you thinking!? Oh right. You didn't think. Did you actually think that illegally installing a piece of software that would allow you to spy on your paying customers would be a good business decision? Did you honestly think that it would put a dent in piracy? Do you actually think that anything you do, short of going out of business, is going to prevent your "product" from being stolen? You know it is impossible to stop piracy, right?

Just think about the logic in what you are doing. You install a program that is supposed to prevent people from copying and distributing music illegally. Who is it stopping? The person who bought it!! The person who was honest enough to cough up their hard earned $15.99 so they could buy your questionable content. You think the people who buy your CD are going to be the ones who distribute it on P2P sites? All it takes is one person to rip a CD, and it is available to millions of people online. One person! And all your efforts are ruined. And that person doesn't even have to be a customer. It could be an employee or affiliate with an advanced copy. It's happened so many times that way to the movie industry, what makes you so special? No, you understand it is a losing battle. You know that everything you do will not stop it. Heck, millions of people have been illegally trading files, and you have only sued 14,000? Are you kidding me? And you don't even know if those 14,000 are even the ones responsible for what you accuse them of because they never even have a chance to come before a judge and defend themselves. Instead, you go behind closed doors and have your henchmen at a "collection agency" threaten these people into paying up. Why don't you just send someone to break their legs?

The music industry is the new mafia. They are devoid of any intelligence or business sense. They are a failing organization with the business scruples of a 10 year old with a lemonade stand. No offense to the 10 year old. You guys belong in an institution. Not the one for mentally ill, that would scare the patients. The institution I'm talking about is a museum. Where relics go so that people can pass by and say "I remember that".

I am going to announce today that I will do everything possible with the resources that I have to bring down the music business as it is today. No, I am not going to single handedly do this myself. I am going to use my show, my blog, and my voice to tell everyone in the world who listens, about how evil, antiquated, and stupid you are. But my job is actually not as difficult as you think. With all the actions you guys are taking against your customers, you are doing half the work for me. Heck, I wasn't impatient, I could wait a few more years and you'll do it for me. But I can't wait. I want you gone. You need to exist no more. Wake up music industry, your days are numbered, and I am one nail of many ready to seal your coffin.

Any thoughts? unsignedpodcast@gmail.com
Or Skype me at unsignedpodcast. You can use the Call Me button on the side bar to do this if you already have Skype.

Thanks,

Paul

Sony Resorts to Spyware!

2005-11-04T11:51:00.000-08:00

Just read a very disturbing post over at Sysinternals.com. It seems that Sony Music has resorted to installing spyware on your computer via special software that comes on certain Sony cd's you buy online or in brick and mortar stores. The article is a bit technical for some, but in a nutshell the poster says that he found some entries in his windows registry that were hidden and very hard to find. This is a scheme that spyware makers would employ.

After finding it, he then tried to figure out where it came from, Seems a company by the name of First4Internet has made the software. The process takes about 2% of cpu usage whether you are using Sony's software or not. Just imagine if every cd manufacturer had used this type of software. Have enough DRM spyware on your system, and it could render your computer useless! After trying to remove the Sony installed spyware, it actually disabled his cd drive.

I encourage you to check out the article. Again, it is rather technical, but it does get the point across. Just another reason not to buy RIAA music. Do these people understand that the more they try to "protect" their property, the more they alienate the consumer?

Musicians Friend has a podcast section!

2005-11-02T14:52:00.000-08:00

Click on the title of this post, and it will take you to Musicians Friends podcasting products. They have packages ranging in different price ranges featuring different mics, software, mixers, and peripherals.

There aren't any specific pieces of gear made for podcasters, but the packages are very podcaster friendly. The only caveat I have is that they are all entry level, and not a compressor in the lot. And of course, there is no information on what podcasting is and what you can do to start one. But of course, they only sell gear, not dreams.

Hollywood is up to their old tricks again.

2005-11-02T10:17:00.000-08:00

At BoingBoing.net, Cory Doctorow has a very scary piece of info. His post talks about how the movie industry wants to make everything with an analog output illegal to use except without permission from them. I don't have to tell you what a joke this is and how dangerous this is to technology and it's users.

Read the complete article by clicking on the title of this post.

Buy Games at 15% off on Shockwave.com
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Free Software!!!

2005-10-31T12:24:00.000-08:00

From the Unsigned Podcast Network podcast:

3 software programs that will cost you nothing, nada, zilch.

DeeSampler. From Klaatus Dee Long, this program works with drum loops so you can edit, eq, and add fx. And it is 100 percent free

http://www.deelong.com/deesampler.htm

Survey Werks has a program that integrates with your site that offers free surveys. The software can create a survey that can fit the color scheme of your site so it looks natural. It is free, but does limit you to 100 responses. They do offer paid services after that.

http://www.surveywerks.com

Rebirth, the popular software that revolutionized synth emulation software and started an entire industry, is now free. Originally selling for about $300.00, it can now be downloaded via Bit Torrent from it's new site, the Rebirth Museum.

http://www.rebirthmuseum.com

An Example of Why DRM Isn't Working

2005-10-30T09:56:00.000-08:00

J. Wynia, web consultant, writer, and geek, has a great article on his site about an issue he had with a PDF ebook drenched in DRM. An on looker may find the experience quite comical, but I know if I had to deal with it, I would be pretty steamed.

After reading his experience, it made me shrink at the thought of ever needing to purchase an ebook, and if I did, I would probably be forced to seek out some sort of crack so that I could actually find any use to it.

I have bought an ebook in the past, but it did not have the type of DRM he is describing. Hopefully I never will.

But anyway, check out his article here.

12 Ways to Promote Your Podcast

2005-10-30T09:38:00.000-08:00

One of the more important questions podcasters have after they have created a podcast, is how do I get myself made known? How do people find my podcast.

Jake Ludington has a great article on his site "Jake Ludington's MediaBlab".

It talks about utilizing the power of the internet with email, directories, search engines, tags, etc. Definately a good read in my book. And he's just a smart guy.

So if you want Jake to learn you about this stuff, go here.

Paul

New Show On Unsigned Podcast Network

2005-10-27T15:23:00.000-07:00

A new show on the podcasting site. Unsigned Daily Show. A show that talks about news pertaining to podcasters, musicians, and artists in the independant world.

We talk about the RIAA, Clear Channel, Google, Yahoo, iTunes, and all the regular well know players in the media world.

But I also talk about Ninjam, free software, DIY, Podsafe Music Network, Youth Media Council, Skype, independant artists, and more.

Check it out at http://unsignedpodcastnetwork.com/

We are also on iTunes now if you would like to subscribe there. Just do a search under unsigned podcast in the podcast directory.

Propellerhead Software Announces Reason Drum Kits 2.0 ReFill

2005-10-24T13:23:00.000-07:00

Stockholm - October 21st 2005Propellerhead Software today announced the release of the Reason Drum Kits 2.0 ReFill, an extraordinary collection of pristine drum kits for Reason 3.0 that goes far beyond traditional professionally sampled drum libraries.

Utilizing Reason 3.0's new Combinator device, RDK 2 captures in single patches the sound, the room, EQ, effects, signal routing, the player's feel and multiple output console levels of professionally engineered drum sessions. The ReFill includes Producer Kits that emulate famous Producers' signature drums sounds by recreating their signal flow and effects chains along with Hypersampled libraries within Reason Combinator patches. An entire session can be loaded or swapped with a single click. Producers who have worked with such artists as The Hives, Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue and Mary J. Blige personally constructed Producer Kits for Propellerheads.

Reason Drum Kits 2.0 ReFill was recorded at Stockholm's world famous Atlantis Studio using Propellerhead Software's Hypersampling method. Hypersampling includes:
Multiple velocity levels for capturing each instrument's full dynamic range. For an example a single drum note can consist of over 80 samples.

Multiple microphones for capturing and controlling distance, ambience and character. Each microphone has it's own channel in the Reason mixer for full flexibility.
Multiple same velocity samples. The NN-XT automatically alternates between sets of similar sounding samples, for a more realistic performance.

Multiple variation sampling for capturing the human input and the different techniques, grips and playing styles that bring life to an instrument.The Reason Drum Kits package comes with 17 preset kits created from more than 10000 samples. The kits are divided into genres with styles covering pop/indie, funk/soul and rock/metal. Style templates for each genre will help users get the sound they are looking for. Musician's who use ReWire-enabled audio recording software such as ProTools, Logic or Live can use Reason as a dedicated standalone drum studio and drummer.

The product comes on a DVD ROM disc that includes two versions of the ReFill: one 16-bit and one 24 bit. Also included are demo songs, MIDI categorized files and kits for Reason's ReDrum Drum Computer module.

To promote the release of Reason Drum Kits 2.0, a video is available at www.propellerheads.se that explains how Reason Drum Kits 2.0 works and how it is different from other drum libraries out there.

Pricing and Availability:

The Reason Drum Kit ReFill is now available at Propellerheads' Dealers worldwide or directly from Propellerhead Software at http://www.propellerheads.se for a MSRP of USD129/EUR120. Upgrades from Reason Drum Kits 1.0 are available for USD36/ER29 from Propellerheads directly

About Reason:

Reason is an enormously successful software title for both Windows and Mac OS platforms that emulates a rack of electronic synthesizers, samplers, drum machines and mixing equipment. Reason has been awarded Editor's Choice Awards from Electronic Musician, MacWorld, Remix, Computer Music magazines, cnet.com, the mipa award for Best Software Instrument and the highly coveted TEC award

About Propellerhead Software:

Propellerhead Software is a privately owned company based in Stockholm, Sweden. Formed in 1994, Propellerhead has created some of the most innovative new music software (ReBirth, ReCycle and Reason) and technology standards, including ReWire and the REX file format, which are used extensively in all kinds of music production. Propellerheads' ReBirth program was the first virtual emulation of vintage analog gear - a trend that now dominates the music software arena.

Unmask Clear Channel

2005-10-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

Something interesting happening in the SF bay area.

From the Youth Media Council site:

Friday October 28, 2005

Friday, October 28, 2005, 4:30-6pm
Clear Channel HQ, 340 Townsend Street, San Francisco
Bart to Embarcadero, N-Judah to Caltrain

Unplug Racist Radio * Art * Hip Hop * Street Theater * On October 28, join the Youth Media Council and a coalition of community groups to unmask Clear Channel's agenda. Station KNEW refers to immigrants as “vermin,” people of color as “criminals,” and promotes physical violence against our communities. KNEW is Clear Channel's true face unmasked — it's home to almost every well-known hate radio host, including Michael Savage and Bill Bennett.

After being fired from MSNBC for homophobic comments that directed gay people to "Get AIDS and die," host Michael Savage was quickly hired by Clear Channel in the Bay and syndicated nationally.

And last week, on his morning show, Bill Bennett said that, "If you wanted to reduce crime, you could, if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down."

While Savage and Bennett have a right to free speech, no radio station is legally obligated to broadcast their bigoted views. The Bay Area says NO to racist, homophobic radio! JOIN US October 28!

For more information call 510-444-0640 x381.

EVENTIDE UNVEILS THE H8000FW FEATURING FIREWIRE INTERCONNECTIVITY

2005-10-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

Reaffirming its 34-year history of industry leadership with the most advanced and powerful digital audio effects processors, Eventide unveiled today the H8000FW Ultra-Harmonizer multichannel effects processor. The H8000FW, a mammoth effects processor, offers nearly 1,600 classic Eventide presets with FireWire and expanded analog and digital I/O. Audio engineers now have the ability to easily utilize the sheer processing power of the H8000 with any computer-based recording platform using a direct, high-speed FireWire connection. The H8000FW is Eventide's new flagship processor and is also available as an upgrade for current H8000, H8000A, and Orville™ owners.

"The H8000FW combines the analog I/O of the H8000A with digital I/O of the H8000 and adds FireWire too," said Eventide vice president of sales and marketing, Ray Maxwell. "Our customers have lauded the H8000 and the H8000A for the sheer width and breadth of their great effects. Now, with FireWire, our customers can use the H8000FW's massive processing power with one easy connection to the computer workstation of their choice."

The H8000FW builds upon the tremendous success of the Ultra-Harmonizer effects processor platform by uniting all the prized features and functions into one definitive unit that is capable of interfacing directly with a computer-based recording system. With direct access to 24-bit dynamic processing and the 1,588 built-in Eventide preset algorithms, users can rely on the H8000FW to deliver an entire spectrum of effects without taxing any processing power from their CPU. The H8000FW features Monolithic Tandem™, which allows both processors to operate together, facilitating large complex algorithms, including 5.1 reverb and effects or up to eight channels of discreet processing.

The H8000FW features eight channels of digital audio I/O via AES/EBU, ADAT, and FireWire, all 24-bit up to 96kHz. In addition, the H8000FW incorporates the expanded analog I/O featured in the H8000A, which consists of four channels of pristine analog I/O with a dynamic range of >110dB. With Eventide's exclusive Building Block Architecture, users can create their own unique preset-algorithms with the library of 230 effects blocks. The H8000FW also includes PC and OS X graphic preset development tools.

Eventide offers an exclusive upgrade program for existing owners of the H8000, H8000A, or Orville™. Starting in December, users can upgrade their existing units to add FireWire functionality. Customers who purchase an H8000 or H8000A from October 7, 2005 on will be eligible for a free FireWire upgrade from Eventide. The H8000FW will be available in December through Eventide dealers worldwide.

About Eventide:

Founded in 1971 in New York City, Eventide is a leading developer and manufacturer of digital audio processing products for recording, broadcast, and live performance. Headquartered in Little Ferry, NJ, Eventide invented the H949, the first Harmonizer® effects processor in 1975, and introduced the H3000 Ultra-Harmonizer effects processor in 1988. Visit Eventide on the Web at www.eventide.com.

Eventide and Harmonizer are registered trademarks; Monolithic Tandem, VSIG and Orville are trademarks of Eventide Inc.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Core Sound Announces New Products

2005-10-18T18:49:00.000-07:00

Core Sound, LLC, manufacturer of the PDAudio handheld, high-resolution digital audio recorder system and the world’s leading manufacturer of binaural microphone sets, today announced three new products at AES-2005 in New York City: 4Mic, HeadLine, and 2Phant.

JR.com is featuring the new iPod Video starting at $299. Pre-order yours today at JR.com!

4Mic is a revolutionary, portable, handheld, battery-powered, four-channel, 24/192 microphone pre-amp/A-D converter. It offers true 24-bit noise, distortion and crosstalk specifications. With both coaxial and optical S/PDIF interfaces, it provides four discrete output channels. It can also multiplex the four microphone channels into two recorder channels, turning a two-channel 24/192 recorder into a four-channel 24/96 recorder. When paired with Core Sound’s PDAudio handheld portable digital audio recorder, it turns a PDA like HP’s iPAQ or Dell’s Axim into a four-channel, high-resolution digital audio recorder. And by providing professional-class microphone pre-amps and A-D converters, it turns any two-channel 24/96 recorder with an S/PDIF input into a truly professional, high-resolution four-channel recorder. It also includes a few important features that allow it to be used for Ambisonics-type surround-sound recordings, creating for the first time the possiblity of a handheld, high-resolution, surround sound recording system. It is the only handheld, battery-powered microphone pre-amp that can provide a full ten milliamps of 48 Volt phantom power per channel, allowing it to be used with Earthworks, Schoeps and other high current requirement microphones. It will run on primary and rechargeable batteries for more than four hours and accepts external battery packs and AC power supplies. 4Mic is expected to ship in November 2005 and will carry an MSRP of $750.

HeadLine is a handheld, portable, combined DAC and headphone amplifier, offering both headphone and Line-level outputs. Now you can listen to your digital audio sources in the field over headphones or speakers with high-end sound quality. Noise is down 135 dB. HeadLine also can add a live monitoring function to the Core Sound Mic2496 dual microphone pre-amp/A-D. Using only the finest components and powered by two nine-Volt batteries, it accepts digital audio data from coaxial and optical S/PDIF inputs, analog audio from Line-level inputs, and feeds its very high quality analog signal to headphone and Line-level outputs. It is expected to ship in November 2005 and will carry an MSRP of $350.

2Phant is a portable, battery-powered, two channel 48 Volt (P48V) Phantom Power supply. Unlike almost all battery-powered phantom power supplies, it can provide 10 milliamps of current to both microphones simultaneously. This allows it to power Earthworks, Schoeps, Neumann, AKG and other high current requirement microphones. It’s perfect for your 24-bit recordings, as its noise levels are down over 150 dB, considerably better than other phantom supplies currently on the market. It will run on two nine-Volt batteries for more than four hours, and the batteries can be hot-swapped during operation for extended continuous operating times. It is expected to ship in November 2005 and will carry an MSRP of $275.

Core Sound http://www.core-sound.com
201-801-0812, 888-937-6832

© 2005 Core Sound, LLC. All rights reserved. Product features, specifications, system requirements and availability are subject to change without notice. All prices are MSRP for U.S. only and are subject to change without notice. PDAudio is a registered trademark of Core Sound, LLC. Mic2496, 4Mic, Head-DAC and 2Phant are trademarks of Core Sound, LLC.

Shure Unveils I Series Product Family

2005-10-17T17:33:00.000-07:00

Integrated Earphones + Mobile Headset Merge Listening and Communication Devices

Shure Incorporated today unveiled the I Series Integrated Sound Isolating™ Earphones + Mobile Headset, a family of headset and earphone hybrids that eliminate the need to carry two accessories for a portable audio player and cellular phone. The I Series, which will begin shipping in November, marry the company's acclaimed E Series Sound Isolating Earphones and QuietSpot Mobile Headsets to provide the industry's first premium attachment to work with a cell phone, digital music player, or convergence device.

Offered in three different models, the i2c, i3c and i4c, the I Series complements popular portable listening devices such as the iPod®, as well as leading mobile communication systems including the PalmOne Treo™. The family of earphones will be available in two versions, giving consumers the option to choose between a dual connector for convenient attachment to an MP3 player and cellular phone, or a single connector for use with the PalmOne Treo. In either version, Shure's I Series enables consumers to alternate between total audio immersion and complete voice connection with one compact accessory.

The three distinct I Series models provide rich sound quality and increasingly detailed audio as you move up the line, and all incorporate the following:
Sound Isolation Technology: Shure's I Series Sound Isolating Earphones use a variety of sleeves that create a secure "sound isolating" seal within the ear. This naturally blocks out more background noise than active noise-cancellation technology, an approach that often introduces added sound artifacts into the listening experience.

High-Quality VoicePort Inline Microphone An inline microphone is acoustically tuned to filter out background clamor and minimize wind noise, ensuring that the user is heard in all situations.
Multi-Function Control Switch An easy-to-use switch allows users to adjust earphone volume and mute the inline microphone. The dual connector I Series models also have a source selector switch for maximum control and flexibility, allowing users to alternate between total audio immersion and complete voice connection.

Personal "Fit Kit" Each earphone comes with a "Fit Kit" designed to ensure maximum sound isolation and the most secure and comfortable sleeves for your ear. The kit includes a pair of disposable foam sleeves, three sizes of flex sleeves, and three sizes of ultra-soft flex. In addition, the i4c "Fit Kit" includes a pair of triple-flange sleeves.

"Convergence is no longer something for the future, and consumers expect their accessories to keep pace with the high quality, multi-functional devices that are being launched in the market," said Steve Doering, Director of Global Product Planning at Shure, Inc. "Building upon a legacy of innovation both in the professional microphone and consumer earphone industries, the I Series is a natural step for Shure, and one that will help us to lead this new and increasingly important category."

Pricing and AvailabilityEach I Series model combines Shure's unique earphone driver technology with an acoustically tuned VoicePort Inline microphone to filter background noise and minimize wind interference. The models are available in two versions: one single connection version designed for seamless operation with the Treo 650 smartphone, and a dual connector version which offers the convenience of one accessory for your digital music player and cell phone.

The I Series Integrated Sound Isolating Earphones, which will begin shipping in November, will come with a two-year warranty and will be available for purchase on the Shure Web site as well as through select retail partners including Amazon and InMotion Pictures.

IK Releases More Information on Classik Studio Reverb™

2005-10-17T08:22:00.000-07:00

A suite of 4 high-quality digital reverbs displayed online.

First announced at Musik Messe 2005, Classik Studio Reverb has gained media attention and inquiries worldwide. Musicians, engineers, producers and anyone looking for a plug-in that offers the trusted studio sound of signature digital outboard gear are invited to take an online tour of Classik Studio Reverb to view the suite of plug-ins and features offered in this upcoming release. CSR offers a suite of 4 high quality reverbs, HALL, ROOM, AMBIENCE and INVERSE that are modeled after popular classic reverbs found in sought-after outboard gear. With these four classic studio reverb choices, Classik Studio Reverb offers a superior and trusted sound for any type of mix situation.CSR is able to accommodate the many kinds of situations for sounds/mixes typically encountered in studios with the advantage of full editing control to adapt seamlessly for any musical need. It is extremely flexible compared to the current generation of impulse-based reverbs.

CSR will be available within the end of the year and have an introductory MSRP of $399/Euro329. CSR will support all the most popular plug-in platforms in both Windows®XP and Mac® OSX including VST, RTAS, AU and DX. A TDM version for Pro Tools® systems is also under development.

To take the online tour of Classik Studio reverb, click here.

Podcasting in the Classroom?

2005-10-15T16:22:00.000-07:00

You betcha!

M-Audio has a package available for teachers and students alike. Street price is about $300.00.

From their website:

Regardless of curriculum, class size, or instrumentation, students’ learning experiences improve when they can hear their efforts played back to them. M-Audio’s Classroom Studio gives you the same tools used by the pros to aid and document students’ lessons, performances and progress. You get two studio-quality microphones, USB computer audio interface/preamp, and powerful recording software. Now you can easily record accompaniment for your class to play along with—and optionally document students’ progress as well. You can even change keys and tempo independently according to students’ needs. And, of course, the results are ready to burn to CDs for students to take home to practice with. M-Audio’s Classroom Studio is the perfect recording aid for today’s music education.

Ableton Live Lite 4Live Lite 4 software brings much of the flexibility of traditional MIDI sequencing to acoustic recordings:
• record simple tracks or complete overdubbed productions• easy looping allows repetition of passages during practice• record multiple takes so students hear improvements• let students practice at slower tempos without changing pitch• transpose key without affecting tempo• extremely easy to use—even simpler than MIDI sequencing
MobilePre USBMobilePre USB doubles as a high-quality stereo microphone preamp and professional audio interface for your computer:
• 2 x 2 16-bit/48kHz analog I/O w/ preamps • 2 mic inputs (XLR) with phantom power• stereo microphone input (1/8” TRS)• 2 high-impedance line inputs for guitar, bass, etc. (1/4”)• 2 line outputs (1/4” @ -10dBV)• stereo headphone output with level control• zero-latency hardware direct monitoring• USB bus-powered for total mobility
NovaTwo large-capsule condensers bring professional features and quality to your stereo recordings:
• professional large-capsule cardioid condenser • 1.1” evaporated gold diaphragm• solid brass body and capsule• 20Hz-18kHz frequency response
Also includes:
• 2 Nova hard mounts • 2 XLR cables• 2 zippered cases• USB cable• QuickStart guide• Driver CD

EVENTIDE EXTENDS $200 REBATE ON ANTHOLOGY PLUG-IN BUNDLE

2005-10-15T16:16:00.000-07:00

After overwhelmingly positive customer response, Eventide extends the cash rebate on its comprehensive, all-in-one plug-in bundle for Pro Tools HD users: Eventide Anthology.

In an announcement that underscores the popularity of the most comprehensive plug-ins bundle for Pro Tools users, Eventide announced today that it will extend the $200 cash rebate on the Anthology plug-ins bundle for TDM platforms through the end of the year. The extension provides Pro Tools users even more incentive to significantly increase the capabilities of their HD rigs with one powerful, effects-laden package.
"Christmas just came early for Pro Tools users, thanks to Eventide," said Ray Maxwell, Eventide vice president of sales and marketing. "With over 30 years of legendary Eventide effects wrapped up in one bundle, customers are flocking to Anthology. We're extending this rebate to allow even more users to come on board and cash in on the Eventide spectrum of effects.

"The Anthology bundle includes every Eventide plug-in available to-date for one affordable price. Purchased separately, these plug-ins would cost $2,875. Anthology lists for $1,195. The rebate, which runs through year's end, takes a great deal and makes it impossible to resist.

Included in the Anthology bundle are H3000 Band Delays™ and the recently released H3000 Factory™ plug-ins. Factory offers the ability to patch together any combination of 18 effects blocks; creating your own complex multi-effects has never been so easy. Factory includes some of Eventide's most asked-for post production presets from the H3000 such as Dragway Ad, Locker Room, Megaphone, Steambath, Telephone, and TV in the Next Room. Band Delays offers eight voices of tempo-based parametric filtered delays, each with pan, delay, and level controls. Factory and Band Delays are based on Eventide's best-selling H3000 and both offer its unique Function Generator featuring 19 wave shapes, MIDI control, and all delays lock to system tempo.

All five plug-ins from Clockworks Legacy™ are included. H910: the original Harmonizer® pitch changer with delay; great for micro pitch shifting. H949: the Harmonizer® pitch changer featuring flanging, delay, and a randomizer; great for guitar. Omnipressor®: a double-knee compressor/expander with an attitude. Instant Phaser™: the software version of the world's first swept filter bank. Instant Flanger™: a dedicated flanger featuring input level, LFO, or manual sweep for modulation sources.

Also included are two plug-ins taken from Eventide's top-of-the-line processor, Orville™. Eventide Reverb is truly a multi-effect plug-in featuring nine room types with pre or post compression, pre and post parametric EQ, and twin delays. Octavox™ features eight voices of diatonic Harmonizer® pitch shifting, each voice with individual delay, level, and pan controls, and the unique Notation Grid™, where musical notation meets step sequencing.

To claim the rebate, you must be a registered Pro Tools HD owner, have purchased any Digidesign MassivePack or any other Eventide plug-in, and have purchased the Eventide Anthology bundle from an authorized Eventide dealer between July 1 and December 31, 2005. The purchaser must submit to Eventide a completed rebate form, the original Eventide UPC barcode label, and original sales receipts for both the Anthology bundle and the Digidesign MassivePack or other Eventide plug-in. For all official rules and information, please visit www.eventide.com/rebate. The new Anthology bundle is available through Eventide, authorized Eventide dealers throughout Canada and the United States, and through all Digidesign Pro Tools retailers internationally.
About Eventide

http://www.eventide.com/rebate

Founded in 1971 in New York City, Eventide is a leading developer and manufacturer of digital audio processing products for recording, broadcast, and live performance. Headquartered in Little Ferry, NJ, Eventide invented the H949, the first Harmonizer® effects processor in 1975, and introduced the H3000 Ultra-Harmonizer effects processor in 1988. Visit Eventide on the Web at www.eventide.com.

Eventide, Omnipressor, and Harmonizer are registered trademarks; H3000 Factory, H3000 Band Delays, Clockworks Legacy, Instant Phaser, Instant Flanger, Orville, Octavox, and Notation Grid are trademarks of Eventide Inc.

Digidesign and Pro Tools are trademarks of Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, names and logos are used with permission.

BIAS ANNOUNCES MASTER PERFECTION SUITE

2005-10-15T12:40:00.000-07:00

SIX STATE-OF-THE-ART AUDIO PLUG-INS FOR MAC OS X and WINDOWS XP

New York, New York • October 7, 2005 • Audio Engineering Society Expo • Booth #364 • BIAS, Inc. today announced that the Master Perfection Suite, a powerful collection of six plug-ins for mastering and sound design, will be available in Q1 of 2006 for Audio Units, DirectX, RTAS, and VST host applications on Mac OS X and Windows XP. BIAS first released the Master Perfection Suite last month as part of Peak Pro XT 5, an extended technology edition of Peak Pro 5 that also includes the acclaimed SoundSoap and SoundSoap Pro audio restoration tools. While currently compatible within Peak Pro 5, the Master Perfection Suite will soon be offered as a separate product with universal plug-in host compatibility on Mac OS X and Windows XP. The Master Perfection Suite includes: Repli-Q (spectral/EQ matching), PitchCraft (pitch correction/manipulation), Reveal (seven tool analysis suite), Sqweez-3 & -5 (linear phase multi-band compressor/limiter/expander), SuperFreq (new edition of the 4,6,8, and 10-band parametric equalizer suite), and GateEx (gate/downward expander). The plug-ins were designed from the ground up by carefully listening to professional user feedback and they offer more features and many user interface improvements over other plug-ins in their class. While excellent for use within Peak Pro 5, they will be equally useful in third party DAWs for their high quality, ease of use, and relative affordability.

Titus 2 Web Studios for Full Service Web Design and Hosting

"Following the release last month of Peak Pro XT 5, customers have inquired about our offering broader host and platform compatibility with respect to the included Master Perfection Suite," said Jason E. Davies, VP Worldwide Sales for BIAS, Inc. "Today, we're excited to announce that compatibility with Mac OS X and WinXP for Audio Units, Direct X, RTAS, and third party VST host applications will be available early next year. In addition, existing and new Peak Pro XT 5 customers will be able to upgrade their existing Master Perfection Suite to include multiple host and platform compatibility free of charge".

Power and Precision of Linear PhaseSeveral plug-ins included in The Master Perfection Suite utilize advanced linear phase equalization algorithms. By retaining the relative phase of the frequency components (partials), waveforms are preserved with high precision — resulting in a much more transparent, and faithful reproduction of the original material. Linear Phase filtering is especially important for preserving the sharpness of attacks — typically present in percussive content — but all material benefits dramatically.

EQ Matching with Repli-QAs the name implies, Repli-Q's primary function is to match the spectral characteristics of one source to another target signal, but the flexibility offered in the plug-in allows even more. By learning the spectral profiles of the source and target signal, Repli-Q allows the degree of matching and smoothing to be manipulated. In addition, EQ profiles may be easily edited, allowing greater customization and flexibility. Repli-Q not only provides a spectral matching function, but also the ability to improve an improperly equalized track. Users can also rely on Repli-Q to assist with mastering for different delivery targets. With a stereo mix equalized for delivery in a compressed file format such as MP4 (AAC), Repli-Q can help repurpose it for CD or DVD and can also help ensure equally optimized playback in multiple listening environments. Other applications include voice-over matching where an original take recorded in one environment and an overdub recorded in a different environment need to match. Repli-Q employs a linear phase equalization algorithm to ensure optimum results. A gain compensation feature compensates for loudness variations through equalization, and a soft clip button offers limiting to avoid signal clipping.

Multi-band Compression with Sqweez-3 and Sqweez-5The Master Perfection Suite includes two powerful multi-band compressor/limiter/expander plug-ins — Sqweez-3 (3 band) and Sqweez-5 (5 band). Like Repli-Q, both Sqweez-3 and Sqweez-5 incorporate advanced new linear phase equalization algorithms from BIAS. Sqweez-3 and Sqweez-5 both offer graphic per-band viewing/editing of threshold and EQ. Each band may be soloed and/or bypassed individually, and a convenient "auto gain" button compensates for loudness variations due to compression. Additionally, a variable "digital ceiling" slider controls the clipping headroom of the integrated soft clip function.

Advanced Pitch Correction and More with PitchCraftPitchCraft is a real-time pitch correction/transposition plug-in that also offers the ability to manipulate the signal to achieve creative effects. Professionals can rely on PitchCraft to fix out-of-tune vocals or other single voice instruments easily and with minimal artifacts, thanks to a powerful new pitch-shifting algorithm. The user interface offers intuitive controls with a useful graph that displays the original pitch over time against the corrected signal. Tuning, scale, and key can be tailored for specific needs. Custom scales may be entered directly or via a MIDI controller keyboard, and a handy tuning meter helps provide feedback during parameter adjustment. Transposition can be made independently of correction, and an independent formant shifting slider is also included. Using a combination of transposition and pitch correction by scale type, users can create harmony parts from a single melody line, and independent formant shifting is offered to transform voice genders with or without pitch shifting. Using other combinations of controls, humorous, eerie, and even supernatural effects can be obtained, making PitchCraft a great sound design tool as well.

Professional Audio Analysis with RevealBIAS has significantly advanced the paradigm of audio analysis tools with Reveal, another new plug-in included with the Master Perfection Suite. Reveal combines seven powerful tools in a single plug-in interface - Oscilloscope, Peak and RMS Power History, Spectrogram, Pan Power, Spectral Analysis, Lissajous Phase Scope and Peak and RMS Level Meters. An "all" view displays every tool in a single window. Additionally, users can select any tool as desired via a tab style interface, or simply click on a tool to expand its view. Users can enable or disable individual tools as desired, and a global freeze display feature is also included.

Gate and Downward Expand with GateExThere is no denying the plethora of power offered in the Master Perfection Suite, but the package wouldn't be complete without a dedicated noise gate. Enter GateEx, a new professional quality Gate/Expander plug-in. Featuring waveform and graph displays and a suite of advanced parameter controls, GateEx effectively removes signals below an assignable threshold while the integrated downward expander helps reduce residual unwanted content. For anything from gating snare drum hits, or areas of near silence between vocal or instrument passages, GateEx is an excellent compliment to the high-end Master Perfection Suite.

Pricing & AvailabilityPeak Pro XT 5, which includes Peak Pro 5, the Master Perfection Suite plus SoundSoap and SoundSoap Pro, is available now through authorized BIAS dealers and distributors worldwide for $1199 US list. The Master Perfection Suite will be available separately in Q1 2006 and pricing will be announced upon release. Upgrades from Peak Pro XT 5 to the Master Perfection Suite with AU, DirectX, RTAS, and third party VST host compatibility will be free of charge when available. Cross-grades to Peak Pro XT 5 from other editions of Peak are also available — visit the BIAS web site for additional details: http://www.bias-inc.com/

About BIASBIAS, Inc., a privately held corporation based in Petaluma, California, is an established leader in cutting-edge audio software technology. BIAS' award-winning product line — which currently includes Peak Pro XT, Peak Pro, Peak LE, Deck, Deck LE, SuperFreq, Sqweez, SoundSoap, and SoundSoap Pro — can be heard on numerous hit recordings, Hollywood and independent feature films, television productions, websites, video games, and other productions. BIAS, founded in 1994 as Berkley Integrated Audio Software Inc, is dedicated to crafting powerful, innovative tools for audio, video, and film professionals, as well as musicians, composers, multimedia developers, and Internet authors.

Visit the BIAS Web site at: http://www.bias-inc.com/

Why Does Big Media disappoint?

2005-10-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

You all know how I feel about radio. Most of the stations in my area, AM or FM, all have the same recycled junk that makes me feel like pulling my radio out of my car and smashing it with a hammer. Actually close to doing this since my cd player stopped working. Well, I have similar misgivings about TV as well.

I used to love testify. Yes, I am a geek. Deal with it. But than it merged with G4 and became G4Techtv. I thought, great! Now I can have the best of both channels. But then all my favorite shows started changing or disappearing. Then it just became G4. Now it looks like what happened if MTV married Microsoft. Kiddy content sprinkled with some content. What happened?

Comcast. A big media conglomerate bought it up and said "let's demographicise it!". Now it just plain sucks. Some of the same people are still there, but the shows are now unrecognizable to the old Techtv crowd. At least Leo Laporte is back. The only breath of fresh air on that god forsaken channel.

I am safe to say that Big Media has become too big for it's own good. But it doesn't just stop at your favorite channel, station, or show. Things are happening at the government level. Evil things. Things that would make you cry and want to hide your children. No, I'm not talking about another series with Paris Hilton, I'm talking about the coming hearings and the future of media and the level of control the people will not have.

I will not go into too many details here, but I will want you to go over to http://www.hearusnow.org/.

Did you know that congress is about to sell the public airwaves to the highest bidders? Did you know that you may not be able to watch tv soon without buying an HD box or having a subscription to cable or satellite? Have you ever heard about the broadcast flag? If you haven't, you better do your homework girlfriend, cause all these things are about to happen if people don't speak up for what they believe the public airwaves should be used for. So again, go to http://www.hearusnow.org/, and see what they have to say. And then do something about it.

Now personally, I think all the actions that big media are taking will eventually alienate them from the people, and we will have no choice but to find alternative sources. That is what the interweb is for. But I would like to have what little control I have left, until that day comes.

Let me know what you think............

Paul

TASCAM DEBUTS HD-P2 PORTABLE STEREO RECORDER

2005-10-11T15:33:00.000-07:00

Professional Recorder Captures Audio at High-Resolution to Compact Flash Media with Built-In Timecode
Montebello, CA (October 7, 2005): Answering the call of remote recording engineers, the TASCAM HD-P2 Portable High-Definition Stereo Audio Recorder is the professional solution for the challenging requirements of live and on-location applications. It records at up to 192kHz/24-bit resolution for audiophile quality to Compact Flash media, locked to the built-in SMPTE timecode input. The Broadcast WAVE audio files are instantly available through the built-in high-speed FireWire computer connection.

"The HD-P2 includes the features that professionals rely upon, such as timecode sync, built-in analog limiting and dependable performance," says Rick McClendon, Division Manager for TASCAM. "We prepared the HD-P2 for grueling professional use while keeping it affordable and simple enough for anyone to use. It's the least-expensive recorder to ever feature timecode lock for recording and playback, and the 192kHz/24-bit audio specs are nothing short of phenomenal. The HD-P2 records to Compact Flash media - constantly saving the audio to prevent against data loss - and the time-stamped Broadcast WAVE files are available for instant use in any DAW."
Unlike consumer MP3 sketchpads, the professional HD-P2 incorporates high-end features like a SMPTE timecode input for synchronization to external devices while in record or playback. When recording, the HD-P2 writes time-stamped Broadcast WAVE audio files that can be loaded into your DAW projects with sample accuracy. Its XLR microphone inputs include phantom power and a limiter to curb distortion during unpredictable live events. The user interface has been designed for fast and intuitive use under stressful one-take-only situations, and its large, angled LCD is perfect for any application from over-the-shoulder location recording to concert recording and commercial use.

HD-P2 Recording features:
Stereo recording to Compact Flash media
44.1kHz to 192kHz recording resolution at 16- or 24-bit
Time-stamped Broadcast WAVE file format is easily imported into DAW software and spotted into projects with sample accuracy
Retake button allows user to re-do last recording with a single button press
Audio files continually re-saved to safeguard against data loss
Comprehensive system and transport control from the front panel or a PS/2 keyboard

HD-P2 I/O features:
XLR mic inputs with phantom power and analog peak limiter
Unbalanced stereo RCA I/O
S/PDIF digital I/O
Headphone output
Built-in mono microphone and speaker for desktop interview applications
Analog level controls allow easy operation without the need to look at the unit
FireWire interface for fast data transfer to a computer
HD-P2 Synchronization features:
SMPTE/LTC timecode input on locking XLR balanced jack
Timestamps Broadcast WAVE recordings from SMPTE input
Chase locks to incoming SMPTE timecode to Video clock input resolves to house clock
Tri-level sync support for HDTV applications
Includes Frame Lock, Lock and Release and flexible Freewheel settings for unpredictable timecode sources
Pull-up and Pull-down sample rates included for video format compatibility
HD-P2 Convenience Features:
Familiar tape machine-style layout and function
Angled screen for table-top or shoulder strap use
Large, uncluttered LCD display
Shortcut keys and LED indicators for frequently-accessed functions
Recessed Compact Flash slot
Runs on (8) readily available AA batteries or DC power adapter
Approximately 5.5 hours of operating time on battery power
TASCAM is the professional audio division of TEAC Corporation and produces the most comprehensive line of audio recorders, mixers and related equipment in the pro audio industry. TASCAM has offices in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Mexico. For additional information, contact:
TASCAM • 7733 Telegraph Road • Montebello, CA 90640(323) 726-0303 • www.tascam.com

New Windows XP Systems Built for Pro Tools

2005-10-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

Digidesign has collaborated with Terra Digital Audio to design and fully qualify a line of Windows XP–based computers for Pro Tools® systems. Terra is offering rack-mount and desktop computers built for Pro ToolsHD® systems, plus both desktop and laptop computers for Pro Tools LE™ systems. Until now, only workstation-class computers were fully qualified for use with Pro ToolsHD systems on Windows XP. Terra’s initial products are the first desktop-class Windows-based computers to be fully qualified by Digidesign for Pro ToolsHD. And because the Terra computers are designed specifically for Pro Tools systems, they offer Digidesign customers a powerful, reliable “out of the box” experience — at a more affordable price.For more information about Terra Digital Audio systems, visit http://www.terradigitalaudio.com/index.htm.

Pro Tools M-Powered 7 Software Adds New Features

2005-10-11T13:07:00.000-07:00

Pro Tools M-Powered 7 Software Adds New Features and Extends Support to Select M-Audio USB Peripherals
Release grants compatibility to five popular M-Audio USB products, bringing the total number of supported M-Audio devices to 16
Los Angeles and Daly City, CA (October 7, 2005) M-Audio and Digidesign are proud to announce Pro Tools M-Powered™ 7, an upcoming software release that represents an evolutionary leap in the creative power of the industry-standard digital audio workstation software. This exciting new version extends support to five M-Audio® USB peripherals—Black Box, M-Audio Ozone®, MobilePre USB, Fast Track™ USB, and Transit®—while delivering significantly expanded MIDI, audio recording and editing capabilities; greater mixing power and flexibility; enhanced efficiency; and improved ease of use.
Compatibility with select M-Audio USB products brings users a variety of new music production options. For Pro Tools® recording on the go, the Transit, MobilePre USB, and Fast Track USB all offer compact size and bus-powered operation. Specialized production hardware like the Black Box now gives guitarists access to the industry standard in music production, in addition to killer amp modeling, unique beat-synced effects and inspiring drum patterns. Keyboardists and electronic music producers benefit from support of the M-Audio Ozone, which integrates a keyboard, MIDI control surface, audio/MIDI interface, mic/instrument preamp and headphone monitors. These five peripherals join M-Audio’s complete line of FireWire audio and Delta™ PCI interfaces, which are already compatible with Pro Tools M-Powered software.
“The release of Pro Tools M-Powered 7 software enables us to bring the power of Pro Tools to even more users than ever before,” says Adam Castillo, M-Audio Director of Marketing. “The added support of five M-Audio USB peripherals gives our customers the option of creating music in virtually any environment while maintaining session compatibility with the industry standard in audio production. The pocket-sized Transit is now the most cost-effective and portable entry point into the world of Pro Tools, bringing professional production to even the most cramped spaces so that not a moment of inspiration or productivity is lost.”
“With the Pro Tools 7 software release, we are most thrilled about all the new features it brings to music composers,” states Dave Lebolt, Digidesign General Manager. “We’ve added new tools such as Instrument Tracks for improved integration with virtual instruments and MIDI sound modules; real-time MIDI processing features; and the ability to group any combination of audio and/or MIDI regions together to quickly build alternate arrangements. We are also excited to offer Pro Tools users the new ability to work with REX and ACID files and many other features that generally improve processing and efficiency. Everything in this release allows composers and mixers to be more creative and work faster within the Pro Tools environment.”
Pro Tools 7 software is a cross-platform release, supporting Windows XP and Mac OS X computers. Current registered Pro Tools M-Powered software customers are eligible for a free update to Pro Tools M-Powered 7 software, which will run with their existing Pro Tools M-Powered 6.8 software iLok authorizations. M-Audio currently anticipates that Pro Tools M-Powered 7 software will be available on October 28, 2005.
Pro Tools M-Powered software requires a supported M-Audio hardware peripheral to function. Please visit http://www.digidesign.com/ or http://www.m-audio.com/ for a current list of compatible M-Audio hardware peripherals, current system requirements, compatibility information, and online support.
About M-Audio
M-Audio, a part of Avid Technology, Inc., is a leading provider of creative tools for today’s electronic musicians and audio professionals. Founded in 1988, M-Audio now has independent offices in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France and Japan, as well as independent distribution in most of the rest of the world. M-Audio’s ability to parlay advanced technology into affordable products has led the Company to win some of the international audio community’s highest praise and awards. M-Audio’s mission of “Redefining the Studio” delivers new levels of control, virtualization and mobility that transform the way computer-centric musicians compose, perform and live their creative lives. In addition to manufacturing its own product lines like the popular Delta audio cards, Studiophile™ reference monitors and USB MIDI controllers, M-Audio also wholly owns Evolution Electronics, LTD., and distributes other best-of-class products such as Ableton Live, Wizoo virtual instruments, Glaresoft iDrum, iZotope processing solutions, GForce virtual vintage instruments and Way Out Ware TimewARP. In 2002, the Company successfully launched a product line that brings professional-quality audio to the consumer electronics market.

About Digidesign
Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc., is the world’s leading manufacturer of digital audio production systems and the winner of the 2001 Technical Grammy® Award and 2003 Academy Award® of Merit (Oscar® statuette) for the design, development, and implementation of the Pro Tools digital audio workstation. Digidesign provides the professional music, film, video, multimedia, and radio broadcast industries with tools for digital recording, MIDI sequencing, editing, signal processing, and surround mixing. Digidesign products are marketed in more than 40 countries worldwide through a distribution network of value-added dealers, distributors, and OEM relationships. M-Audio, a leading provider of digital audio and MIDI solutions for electronic musicians and audio professionals, is a business unit of Digidesign.

M-Audio Announces ProjectMix I/O

2005-10-11T13:05:00.000-07:00

Combination control surface, audio interface and mic preamp delivers total tactile control for most popular recording software programs

Los Angeles, CA, October 7, 2005 — M-Audio, a leading provider of creative tools for today’s computer-centric musicians, is proud to announce the release of the ProjectMix I/O™ combination motorized control surface and multi-channel audio interface. ProjectMix I/O is designed to simplify system configuration and streamline production by integrating everything needed to give project studios many of the workflow advantages of pro studios.

Connecting via a simple FireWire (IEEE 1394) connection, this exciting new device brings the integration of total tactile control, 18 x 14 audio I/O and professional preamps to all of the industry’s major software applications. The unit boots into dedicated modes for Pro Tools®, Ableton Live 5^, Logic*, Digital Performer*^, Cubase* and SONAR*^. In addition to supporting the aforementioned DAWs, ProjectMix I/O is the only universal integrated control surface that allows users to record directly into industry-standard Pro Tools sessions in Pro Tools M-Powered™.

Each of the ProjectMix I/O control surface’s eight channel strips and master strip feature a moving fader for hands-on mixing and seamless automation. The moving faders are touch-sensitive to galvanic skin current, providing for fluid operation and the elimination of motor burnout prevalent in older technologies. The ProjectMix I/O control surface’s faders also have true 10-bit resolution for smoother control compared to 7-bit components on other similarly priced systems that can cause zipper noises and sloppy automation.

The ProjectMix I/O control surface’s eight channel strips can map to all the channels in a larger project by simply pressing the bank +/- and channel +/- controls. In addition to a touch-sensitive motorized fader, each channel strip features buttons for record enable, mute, solo, and select. Each strip has an endless rotary encoder knob, the function of which is assigned by one of 15 dedicated buttons for EQ, aux send and more. Related information is displayed in the LCD display directly above the encoders. The encoders and LCD display double to control assigned plug-in parameters as well.

Dedicated transport controls also makes doing sessions with ProjectMix I/O a breeze. Users get illuminated controls for record, play, stop, fast forward, and rewind, plus a jog/scrub wheel and locate buttons for easy project navigation. There are also sets of keys for in/out points, zoom, region nudge, looping and more designed to optimize session efficiency.

ProjectMix I/O integrates just about every kind of I/O that might be needed for a session—and at the same price as many control surfaces lacking audio altogether. Eight analog input channels all feature high-quality preamps with individual mic/line switches and ¼” TRS balanced and XLR inputs. Phantom power is provided for up to eight condenser mics. Input 1 also features a front-panel instrument input for easy direct connection of a guitar or bass during a session. ADAT Lightpipe I/O brings the simultaneous input total to 16, allowing users to expand their system with devices like M-Audio’s award-winning Octane eight-channel preamp. S/PDIF accommodates other standard digital connectivity, and word clock synchronizes ProjectMix I/O with other digital devices.

ProjectMix I/O also serves as a 1 x 1 MIDI interface, allowing the connected computer to communicate with MIDI hardware. The ProjectMix I/O ships with M-Audio’s ProjectMix Control software application for Mac and Windows. This application allows users to assign special MIDI commands to the control surface faders, encoders and buttons for control of outboard sound modules, effects processors or virtual instruments in the computer. This MIDI mode, which is separate from the DAW control mode, can be accessed at any time with the press of a button.

The ProjectMix I/O control surface’s monitoring options include two ¼” headphone outputs with separate volume controls for working with a partner, as well as two stereo output pairs for routing to monitors, processors and mixdown devices. There’s also an A/B headphone source-monitoring switch for DJ-style cueing.

ProjectMix I/O is compatible with Mac and PC computers. In addition to supporting Mackie Control, Logic Control and HUI protocols, the unit is compatible with WDM, ASIO 2, Core Audio and GSIF 2.

“An increasing number of music projects today are produced in personal and project studios—and that means users are demanding more professional standards from their gear,” says Adam Castillo, marketing director at M-Audio. “Today’s software DAWs are capable of doing just about anything—except being hardware. The ProjectMix I/O brings computer-based studios the simplicity and reliability of a dedicated studio-in-a-box while remaining expandable, updatable and filled with creative options."

Predicting Speech to Background Noise Ratio

2005-10-02T19:21:00.000-07:00

Part of the Podcast Audio Series, Shure Inc. was generous enough to let me use some of there excellant educational materials in order to lighten my load. So read, learn, enjoy!From Shure Incorporated.

http://shure.com/

A microphone is the first component in any speech recording or transmission system. Its function is to convert acoustic sound waves into an equivalent electrical signal. This signal can then be recorded, transmitted, amplified, or modified. However, a microphone cannot effectively sort out desired "noise" (speech) from undesired background noise. Also, a microphone cannot improve the acoustic environment in which it is placed.

What are acceptable speech to noise ratios?

Fundamental psycho-acoustic research states that intelligibility is a function of speech to background noise ratio.

If speech level is 0dB to 10dB above background noise level, intelligibility will be unacceptable to poor.
If speech level is 10dB to 20dB above background noise level, intelligibility will be poor to fair.
If speech level is 20dB to 30dB above background noise level, intelligibility will be fair to good.
If speech level is 30dB to 50dB above background noise level, intelligibility will be good to excellent.

How to predict if speech will be intelligible at the microphone location.

1. the desired mic location, measure the Sound Pressure Level (SPL) A weighted. Make certain all background noise sources are operating, e.g. air conditioning, fluorescent lights, equipment cooling fans.
Example: Background noise measures 46dB SPL A weighted

2.measure the distance (in feet) from the farthest talker location to the mic location. Assuming that the talker produces 68dB SPL at 1 foot, use this formula: 68 - [(Distance in feet) log x 20] This provides the SPL of the talker at the mic location.
Example: Farthest talker is 8 feet from microphone. Working out the formula gives:
log of 8 = 0.9
0.9 x 20 = 18
68 - 18 = 50dB SPL

3.Subtract the background noise SPL from the talker SPL at the mic location. Compare the result with the speech to noise ratios listed above.
Example: 50dB SPL(talker) - 46dB SPL (room noise) = 4dB This is unacceptable to poor intelligibility.

Sound level meter for a great price

What to do if the predicted intelligibility needs to be improved?

1.Move the microphone closer to the talker
2.Make the room quieter via acoustical solutions
3.Both of the above
4.Accept the predicted level of intelligibility

THERE ARE NO OTHER SOLUTIONS!

Important Note

This bulletin does not address the intelligibility problems that can be caused by a reverberant room. Echoes and reflections from hard surfaces (glass, marble, hardwood floors, etc.) can ruin speech intelligibility even if the speech to background noise ratio is acceptable. Intelligibility problems caused by reverberation must be solved by adding acoustical treatment to the room or by moving the microphone closer to the talker.

© 2005 Shure Incorporated, All Rights Reserved.