EQUIPMENT NEWS
ORBAN is now offering DSE users an upgrade path to the company’s next generation DAW, the Audicy. Audicy brings a significant improvement on the DSE’s legendary speed and ease-of-use as well as entirely new sets of features with a new control surface and graphics engine. “...an upgrade path for existing DSE workstation users was always among our principal design goals with Audicy,” notes Geoff Steadman, Orban’s Product Manager for editing systems. “We also wanted to engineer a machine that could co-exist in the same facility with its predecessor, sharing production and library sounds.” The first upgrade kits, available with a DSE 7000FX controller trade-in, are shipping now. Included are Audicy software, Audicy console, standard length cables, console power supply, retrofit mounting kit and plate for revision 2 DSE workstand, documentation, and a one-year warranty. (Older, non-FX DSE systems must first be upgraded to FX before they can be upgraded to Audicy.) Upgrade kits may be ordered from any Orban dealer. Orban reports over 75 Audicy units already shipped, putting sales ahead of projections. The largest orders have come from Radio Free Asia which ordered eight systems, and KMJ/KSKS in Fresno, CA which bought five. For more information contact Amy Huson at (510) 351 3500, fax (510) 351-0500, or e-mail
EARTHWORKS, INC. introduces the Z30X cardioid microphone. The Z30X has smooth response to 30kHz and very accurate impulse response. This results in a very smooth and accurate sound. Its bass proximity effect is not as boomy as most directional mics, and its polar pattern shows unusually cohesive and flat response to about 75 degrees off axis. Designed for stage, studio, and broadcast, the Z30X will be available in January ’98 with a retail price of $750. (603) 654-6427, fax (603) 654-6107, www.earthwks.com.
TASCAM introduces the DA-302 Dual DAT Recorder. The unit features two DAT decks for dual recording or DAT to DAT dubs. Features include high speed dubbing and S/PDIF I/O on each deck for independent recording and playback. List price is $1,999. (213) 726-0303, fax (213) 727-7656.
HHB COMMUNICATIONS, distributor for the Genex product line, announces new file interchange capabilities of the Genex GX8000 hi-bit, multi-track MO disk recorder and SADiE digital audio workstation. (310) 319-1111, fax (310) 319-1311.
FURMAN SOUND, INC. is extending the warranty on all its products from one to three years. The new warranty provisions, which include parts, labor, and return shipping, cover all products bearing the Furman name, a spectrum of over sixty products. (707) 763-1010, fax (707) 763-1310.
Get the scoop on DVD! SONIC SOLUTIONS has launched a 14-city seminar series entitled DVD Now - A Seminar on DVD Production Tools and Technology. Running through February, the seminar is designed to help creative professionals learn about the latest developments in DVD technology as well as the specifics of producing their own DVDs. The series will introduce attendees to all the steps involved in DVD production, from MPEG-2 variable bit rate (VBR) video compression, to audio preparation and encoding, and DVD authoring and formatting, to title proofing and final disc layout. For registration information call (888) SONIC-4U, ext. 8006 or check Sonic’s Web site at www.sonic.com.
TC ELECTRONIC announces the release of the Finalizer Plus Studio Mastering Processor as the next generation of Finalizer mastering products. The Finalizer Plus is shipping now and features 24-bit resolution A/D and D/A converters, real-time sample rate conversion that supports sample rates from 32kHz to 48kHz, Word Clock Input via BNC for post-production users, an ADAT port for direct analog to Lightpipe stereo conversion, and more. Existing Finalizer owners can upgrade to Finalizer Plus for $600 by sending your Finalizer to the company. For more information, contact TC Electronic at (805) 373-1828, e-mail
DIGITECH’s new VCS-1 ($999) is a dual-channel vacuum tube dynamics processor featuring a compressor, limiter, noise gate, and de-esser. The unit can be operated as two independent processors, or both channels can be linked for stereo operation. Front panel controls include threshold, ratio, attack, and release for the compressor, threshold controls for the gate, large VU meters for each channel, and an Auto switch for automatic setting of attack and release times dependant upon the source audio. (801) 566-8919, fax (801) 566-7005, www.digitech.com.
JBL PROFESSIONAL introduces the LSR 32 three-way mid field monitor. Incorporating JBL’s most recent development, Linear Spatial Reference (LSR) technology, the LSR 32 features the same Dual Coil Drive technology (DCD) first introduced in JBL’s HLA Series Tour Sound System. DCD utilizes two voice coils in each driver, with their magnetic gaps set 180 degrees out of phase with each other. The net effect is to double the power handling capability of each driver, allowing the DCD drivers to deliver virtually distortion-free audio at higher power levels than ever before. The high-frequency device is a 1-inch composite diaphragm. The midrange is a Neodymium 5-inch driver with a woven Kevlar cone whose powerful motor structure was chosen to support the intentionally low crossover point (250 Hz) to the 12-inch Neodymium woofer. (818) 894-8850, (818) 830-7802, www.jblpro. com.
SONY ELECTRONICS Recording Media and Energy Group (RMEG) has begun shipping Compact Disc ReWritable (CD-RW) media, bringing writing, erasing and re-writing capabilities to CD technology. The new addition to the writable CD family will complement the Sony line-up of optical products while bridging existing applications for DVD technology. The 650 megabyte, 74-minute disc looks the same as conventional CD discs. Sony CD-RW discs, which operate in the new CD-RW drives, offer read compatibility with MultiRead DVD-ROM and MultiRead CD-ROM drives.
POWER TECHNOLOGY, makers of the DSP/FX PC-based effects processing system, introduces the DSP/FX Monolith and Monolith, Jr., multi-channel sound I/O and effects processing systems based on the DSP/FX-SC Sound and Effects Processing Card. Monolith is a compact desktop box that connects to any PC or laptop computer without requiring any slots. It can be configured with from one to four DSP/FX-SC Sound Cards. Each card contains two channels of signal I/O in both analog and AES/EBU digital audio formats and a dedicated 32-bit floating point DSP engine. A fully loaded system provides eight simultaneous ins and outs and up to 8 channels of studio quality effects processing. Monolith, Jr. is an economical compact desktop box similar to it’s bigger brother, containing a single DSP/FX-SC card unit for use as an analog or digital, 2-in and out effects processing system. Monolith, Jr. connects to PC desktops or laptops using a serial port interface. Monolith, Jr.’s DSP/FX-SC card can be moved into a full Monolith system as the user’s needs grow. Prices for the Monolith start at $1299 for single card systems. Monolith, Jr. has a suggested retail price of $1099. (415) 467-7886, fax (415) 467-7386, www.dspfx.com.
MUSIC/SFX LIBRARIES
PROMUSIC has assembled a collection called Broadcast Plus, a set of 75 CDs from the Promusic library specifically chosen for the radio and television fields. Discs contain a wide variety of full, commercial, and tag-length edits. Broadcast Plus is available on an annual license basis. (800) 322-7879, fax (561) 995-8434, email promuse @aol.com.
HOLLYWOOD EDGE announces the arrival of two new collections of sound effects. The Worldwide Sports Edition features 10 CDs of sports sound effects. Sounds of Speed comes on 15 discs and features racing sound effects from NASCAR to Off Road, to Drag Boats, to Motocross. (800) 292-3755, fax (213) 466-5861, www.hollywoodedge.com.
MICROSOFT CORP. and LIQUID AUDIO, the pioneering developer of secure Internet music-delivery systems, announced a strategic relationship to collaborate on technology, marketing and industry standards initiatives for online music commerce. The alliance will lead to improved distribution of music on the World Wide Web for preview and purchase. The strategic alliance enables the music industry to host streaming media previews of music titles on the Web more easily and efficiently. In addition, it offers consumers the ability to preview music titles in the highest-quality stereo available for a given bandwidth connection, then to buy the titles of their choice easily and securely. Founded in 1996, Liquid Audio is the first and only Internet company focusing exclusively on the needs of the music industry. Liquid Audio’s technology allows consumers to preview and purchase CD-quality music over the Internet, while ensuring copyright protection and tracking royalties. Liquid Audio’s Liquifier Pro audio mastering tool enables creation of files that can be downloaded from the Internet and played on the Liquid Music Player. Check Liquid Audio’s Web site for more at www.liquidaudio.com.
THE MIX
Rob Schuller leaves the CSD slot at WHJY to become the new Production Director at WEEI/Boston.
An entry form for the upcoming Radio And Production Awards was enclosed with this issue of Radio And Production. If you enter multiple entries, you can photocopy the enclosed entry form. If you lost the entry form, we’ll be happy to mail you another. Fax (972) 259-1912, or email
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