International

TECHNOLOGY AND TRENDS FOR THE PRO-AUDIO PROFESSIONAL

December 2017 www.audiomediainternational.com

GORDON RAPHAEL
...in conversation about
recording The Strokes’ first
two albums and releasing
his new solo music

GEAR OF THE YEAR

AMI looks back at some of the
best tech releases from 2017
PRODUCER PROFILE
Jolyon Thomas talks about
working on U2’s new album
REVIEWS
We test new products from
Audio-Technica and L-Acoustics
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 CONTENTS

INTERVIEWS
16 Gordon Raphael
30
The producer talks about his career,
recording techniques and new music

20 Jolyon Thomas
The 2018 MPG Awards Breakthrough
Producer Of The Year nominee on
working with U2 and Royal Blood

20 FEATURES
7 Gear Of the Year
AMI’s top tech picks from 2017

26 Prism Sound

7
A 30th anniversary special

30 Immersive Audio
The latest developments in
immersive sound design

PRODUCT FOCUS
35 Equipment for immersive
sound capture

REVIEWS
38 Audio-Technica AT 5047

December 2017 3
WELCOME www.audiomediainternational.com

Experts in the issue RETROSPECTIVE

Elsewhere in the magazine 2018 MPG Awards
Breakthrough Producer Of The Year nominee Jolyon
Thomas tells us about recording Royal Blood at ICP
Graham Boswell Studios in Belgium and working on U2’s new album
is the sales and
Songs Of Experience. We’ve also interviewed Darrell
marketing director
of respected British Thorp, the engineer behind Foo Fighters’ No.1 record
interface and converter Concrete and Gold. Also in this issue, Stephen
manufacturer Prism Bennett explores the world of immersive sound
Sound, which he co-
design on pages 30-33, which is followed by a product
founded along with
fellow electronics focus for immersive sound capture equipment on
engineer Ian Dennis. pages 35-37. You’ll also find the usual technology
reviews by our expert team of contributors towards
the back of the magazine. Finally, we know that
December is usually a time of reflection for everyone
and you might be asking questions like, how did we
Darrell Thorp hey say you should never meet your heroes. get to December so quickly? What have I achieved

T
is a seven-time Grammy
And, if you’re into recording, production this year? What can I do differently next year?
Award winning producer,
mixer and engineer (Foo and audio technology in general, you But at the AMI offices, we’ve been wondering how
Fighters, Radiohead, definitely have a few of them. You were the pro audio world has managed to release so
Switchfoot, Molotov, also probably just as keen as I was to find many fascinating products in the space of just 12
Beck) with over 20 years
out who recorded your favourite music by trawling months. So, the Audio Media International team
experience and many
multi-platinum records through the liner notes of your most-prized records. has looked back over the year to select its top
in his discography. When you found out who they were, you were also technology releases from 2017 for our Gear Of The
probably just as eager to meet these mythical figures Year feature on pages 7-13, which includes some
to find out what microphones or preamps they were fantastic products that have impressed us with
using and how, but they existed only in a nice font on their functionality, design and innovation. And on the
a record sleeve, and occupied some legendary studio note of reflection, Prism Sound’s Graham Boswell
Chris Turner somewhere you could only ever dream of visiting. We tells Colby Ramsey all about the company’s 30-year
is an award-winning
get to meet and speak to so many talented people in history in this anniversary special on pages 26-29.
sound designer who
started his career as a this industry each day, and sometimes you get to speak As always, it’s been a busy year for everyone in this
music engineer and has to one of those liner note heroes from your youth, who, business, so enjoy the December break and look out
gone on to design sound in spite of what ‘they’ say, often just turn out be really for the next issue of AMI in the new year. Oh, and
for some of the most
nice and a treasure trove of knowledge. We’re very don’t forget to scan the Spotify codes scattered
memorable ads on TV,
cinema, radio pleased to have Gordon Raphael on the cover on this around the magazine...
and online. month’s magazine, who turned out to be both of those
things. The renowned producer of The Strokes’ debut
Is This It told us all about the gear he used to achieve Murray Stassen
that signature sound, how he became a producer and Editor
what he’s up to these days in Berlin. Audio Media International

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ACCOUNT MANAGER CONTENT DIRECTOR Printed by
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rzoll-khan@nbmedia.com jmckeown@nbmedia.com Print ISSN: 2057-5165

4 December 2017
 ELEVATING THE
FESTIVAL
EXPERIENCE

ROSKILDE FESTIVAL AND MEYER SOUND

AN UNPRECEDENTED COMMITMENT TO GREAT SOUND, FOR 2018 AND BEYOND
 GEAR OF THE YEAR 2017

The pro audio world has outdone itself this year, having
presented the AMI team – and our expert roster of
reviewers – with plenty of kit to get stuck into. We’ve
put together our top picks of products that we feel have
excelled in functionality, innovation, value or all of these
things combined.

GEAR
OF THE
LOUDSPEAKERS

PIONEER PRO AUDIO

YEAR 2017 XY-3B
In the XY-3B three-way bi-amp loudspeaker, an 8-inch
cone driver delivers clean and precise mid-range
frequencies using Pioneer Pro Audio’s X-Phase
system. The unit features a 1-inch compression driver
and moulded bi-horn, which helps blend with the mids,
while two 12-inch drivers produce tight low mids.
www.pioneerproaudio.com

MEYER SOUND
LINA
The smallest and lightest in the manufacturer’s LEO
Family, LINA and its companion control element 750-
LFC boast new drivers and an updated amplifier and
signal processing package that, along with an improved
power supply, enables higher peak output.
www.meyersound.com

December 2017 7
Lovebox | UK

Power to Perform
XY-2 | XY-3B | high power speakers

Make an impression with the XY-2 & XY-3B, designed to deliver

a coherent & natural sound for large venues and outdoor events.

Pioneerproaudio | pioneerproaudio.com | #madeintheuk

Products pictured above left to right XY-2, XY-3B

 GEAR OF THE YEAR 2017

INTERFACES/PRE-AMPS

FOCUSRITE
Red8Pre
This 64x64 audio interface for Pro Tools|HD And
Thunderbolt 3 workflows features eight Red Evolution
mic pres and 32x32 Dante AoIP connectivity. Red 8Pre,
which allows the user to assign any physical input or
output to any driver/Pro Tools|HD channel, includes two
ADAT ports, for up to 16 additional inputs and outputs.
pro.focusrite.com

DPA MICROPHONES
d:vice
The d:vice MMA-A digital audio interface is a dual-
channel microphone preamplifier and A/D converter
that captures high-quality audio via recording/
broadcasting apps. The d:vice is ultra-compact at
about two inches in diameter and is controlled through
a remote application on any iOS device.
www.dpamicrophones.com

STUDIO MONITORS

GENELEC
The Ones
Genelec’s 8331 (pictured), 8341 and 8351 three-way coaxial monitors,
nicknamed ‘The Ones’, are built to deliver ‘ultimate point source’
monitoring. Using Genelec’s Minimum Diffraction Coaxial (MDC)
driver, the compact solutions are designed to eliminate limited
frequency range, low SPL and uneven dispersion issues.
www.genelec.com

ADAM AUDIO
S Series
The S Series, ADAM Audio’s third generation range of studio
monitors, is comprised of five models of increasing size, the S2V,
S3H, S3V and the largest-of-the-range S5V and S5H. The new range
features new woofer and mid-range driver designs and the debut of
the S-ART tweeter, a more precise version of ADAM’s X-ART tweeter
with accelerated ribbon design.
www.adam-audio.com

December 2017 9
C R E ATI V E M A STE R I N G. R E I N V E NTE D.
WaveLab is today’s leading mastering and audio editing platform, favored by mastering facilities, music studios,
sound designers, journalists and broadcasters. Its comprehensive set of features, customizability and outstanding
audio quality are the reasons WaveLab became the world’s most popular professional platform for audio refinement.

WaveLab Pro 9 reinvents creative mastering once again by providing a revolutionary new user interface, full
M/S mastering support including editing and processing, the superior MasterRig plug-in suite as well as direct
exchange with Steinberg DAWs, such as Cubase, among many other features.

www.steinberg.net/wavelab
 GEAR OF THE YEAR 2017

ALL ROUNDERS

ZOOM
F4 Field Recorder
Zoom’s latest multi-track field recorder, with four
XLR/TRS combo inputs, a 3.5mm stereo input, and a
Zoom mic capsule input, can record up to six discrete
tracks with an additional stereo mix track – all at
resolutions up to 24-bit/192 kHz.
www.zoom.co.jp

ALLEN & HEATH

dLive C class
Allen & Heath’s compact range of surfaces and
MixRacks opens up its dLive platform to a wider
spectrum of AV, installation and live event applications.
Each surface and rack has a 128-channel I/O port,
supported by an array of networking cards, including
Dante, Waves, MADI, fibreACE optical and more.
www.allen-heath.com

MICROPHONES

AUDIO-TECHNICA
AT5047
The AT5047 Cardioid Condenser is equipped with a transformer-
coupled output, maintaining a constant load output impedance, even
when capturing sources at extreme SPL. Four diaphragms function
together as Audio-Technica’s largest-ever element, providing combined
surface area twice that of a standard one-inch circular diaphragm.
www.audio-technica.com

TOWNSEND LABS
Sphere L22
The Sphere microphone modelling system consists of a high precision
dual channel microphone, which when paired with the included
Sphere DSP plug-in (UAD, VST, AU, AAX Native) accurately models
the response of a wide range of mics, including transient response,
harmonics, proximity effect and three-dimensional polar response.
www.townsendlabs.com

December 2017 11
NEUMANN.COM/50YEARS-U87
 GEAR OF THE YEAR 2017

WIRELESS Shure’s new digital wireless system features a receiver that is compatible with its two transmitter
offerings, the AD Series and ADX Series, which incorporate ShowLink, providing real-time control of all
transmitter parameters with interference detection and avoidance. Digital audio quality is maintained
SHURE via Dante and AES3, along with a 20Hz to 20 kHz range. The system also boasts wide dynamic range,
AES-256 encryption and 2ms latency from the mic transducer to the analogue output.
Axient Digital www.shure.co.uk

Wireless

SOFTWARE

MERGING TECHNOLOGIES
Pyramix 11
Merging’s latest Pyramix software is now linked to ANEMAN, the
company’s Audio Network Manager tool for RAVENNA and AES67
devices. The DAW’s toolkit for 3D immersive audio has expanded
with a new FX Rendering feature for multitrack and multi-effects
processing, along with the implementation of plugins.
www.merging.com

IZOTOPE
RX6
iZotope RX 6 introduces new features for post production users
such as lav mic de-rustle, dialogue isolation and low-end wind
rumble removal. It also includes technology to solve music recording
problems like microphone bleed, sibilance, mouth clicks and breaths.
www.izotope.com

December 2017 13

AHEAD OF THE GAME
Charles Pateman is a sound designer at British video game developer Creative Assembly, and has previously worked on
a number of award-winning titles. Here, he discusses how working in audio for games differs from linear media
CHARLES PATEMAN
udio production in games development
A is unique amongst its older more
established peers. Whilst some parallels
can be drawn with post production, its
interactive nature turns things inside out
and upside down.
The key difference? We are developers and not a
service. Games are an iterative process and production
cycles can run for periods of three years or more,
during which the narrative and style can radically
evolve. Being in the central development team means
we’re part of that evolution and it increases our
influence on the creative process; opportunities for
collaboration are enormous and savvy sound designers
are proactive enough to exploit this.
During pre-production, we’re tasked with conducting
essential groundwork; planning field recording
excursions and developing a palette of sound, creating
previsualisations and audio concepting and devising
the tools, workflows and systems we’ll need to create
and implement the enormous volume of content each
project requires. In this industry, our early involvement
in a project becomes necessity.
Throughout production, we work alongside
programmers, designers, writers, artists and
animators and have an opportunity to influence their
work as they do ours. In games, audio touches almost
every discipline and this is especially true of narrative.
Dialogue production is our responsibility and with no
director in the traditional cinematic sense, our ability
to influence narrative can exceed that of linear media.
Working in a development environment is not
without its challenges. There’s no such thing as a
locked picture and often features you thought were
finalised are not so final after all. This is commonly
through review or iteration, but every so often it’ll
be an amendment by an eager developer with a
perfectionist streak, which will upend your work.
Communication and relationships with other
disciplines are critical to dealing with these issues.
In games, we have the opportunity to develop these
relationships and improve understanding of our craft
across the wider team.
The Roles That We Play
Team sizes and composition vary between companies
and projects, but will often scale throughout
production, and outsourcing and contracting
freelancers is common. There will always be a core
team and the Creative Assembly console team
currently comprises a lead sound designer, two
seniors, a senior audio programmer, a sound designer,
an associate sound designer and audio QA specialists.
Specialisation of roles does exist in games - evident
with the dialogue engineers and music designers on
our Total War team - but sound designers are usually
proficient generalists. We need to be able to tackle
anything thrown our way including field recording,
shooting Foley, and working to picture as well as having
some technical skills, implementing our own content
and fixing bugs.
Audio programmers are an essential component of
our team, but aren’t necessarily found at every studio.
Working on features which require code support,
bug fixes, developing tools and even plugins for
middleware; they tackle the more technical challenges
in code which sound designers cannot fix in the game
engine’s toolset and audio middleware.
While Audio QA aren’t as common in the games
industry as they arguably should be, it’s a role I’m
happy to say we have at Creative Assembly. QA
play an essential role in games and specialists who
understand the intricacies of audio as well as the
specifics of implementation are critical to creating
a mix which will stand up to the stresses the player
might put it through.
Designing Something That Mixes Itself
How games are mixed had long been a mystery to
me before entering the industry. The mix happens
in real time during gameplay, so how can it be done
competently when you yield control to the player and
the game unsupervised?
OPINION
It isn’t necessarily about what we can control
though, it’s about what we can harness. A game can
produce oodles of data during gameplay and this
is what we use to drive mix decisions. The distance
between an object and the camera will drive volume
attenuation, dynamic EQ or apply filtering. Priority
systems can dictate what sounds play and which are
culled and the number of a particular object on screen
at one time could dictate whether an individual or
group sound is played.
With content added throughout production, regular
mix passes are required and in this sense the nonlinear
nature of games is reflected in workflows.
You can find some parity with post production
workflows in content creation, but only on a micro
scale. Each game feature has its own little production
life cycle; from concept to design to art to animation
to VFX to audio and review. This isn’t to say that
everything is developed in isolation as what matters is
how features work in context with everything else, not
just creatively but technically too.
The limitations of the intended platform or
the consequences of a game mechanic may force
you to make tough decisions about your designs,
but I find that this is where some of the best
creativity happens. Maybe I’m just weird, but for
me the constraints are part of the appeal and I like
a technical challenge as much as a creative one -
especially where the two meet.
Charles Pateman
is a sound designer at Creative Assembly who
has worked on titles including Halo Wars 2 and
Total War: Warhammer II, part of the multi-award-
winning Total War franchise.
www.creative-assembly.com
December 2017 15
 INTERVIEW www.audiomediainternational.com

THE
MODERN SAGE
Gordon Raphael is the producer behind The Strokes’ iconic debut album
Is This It. Now based in Berlin, he’s gearing up for the release of his solo
album, Sleep On The Radio, out on London-based Zero Hours Records
in February 2018. Here, Raphael tells Murray Stassen about his Seattle
grunge days, recording The Strokes and what he’s up to now...

fter Is This It came out, it got really good
A reactions, but it also got a lot of press saying,
Whoever produced this didn’t know what the
hell they were doing,” says Gordon Raphael,
over the phone from his studio in Berlin.
“This is really poorly recorded, why is this music
getting any attention at all. It just sounds like garbage,”
he continues, recalling things he read about The Strokes’
seminal album, which he produced in his New York City
studio, Transporteraum.
“There was a lot of press about the quality of the
sound,” he concludes. “But I had a great sense of joy about
this, because something that I had worked on was being
discussed and I could feel more love than hate. People
were going crazy for it all over the world and the tours were
successful and the press was everywhere.”
Released in July 2001, Is This It was made at a time that
has now been lauded as New York’s rock and roll renaissance,
with The Strokes at the forefront of a rock revival following a
period of stagnation in the genre in the late ‘90s.
Raphael was the man behind the console for what is
arguably one of the most important albums of the 2000s
(No.2 on Rolling Stone’s 100 best albums of the 2000s,
conceding the No.1 spot to Radiohead’s Kid A) and its
follow up, Room On Fire.
The band’s low-fi aesthetic, distinctive driven vocal
sound (achieved with an Avalon preamp) and astute
observational lyrics about modern life in a sprawling
urban environment reverberated with a generation on the
cusp of the internet age.
“Bands that played guitar were looked upon like relics,”
says Raphael. “The least popular form of music and the
form of music that was going out of style the fastest both
in London and in New York in 1998-2000 was rock music.
“It was becoming antique. People were tired of it.
“When I saw these young guys playing guitars, I had two
thoughts. Why would kids nowadays be thinking about
this kind of music? The second thought was, These poor
guys were just born in the wrong era. Everybody knows
that if you have an electric guitar and a leather jacket, no
record label is going to take you seriously.”
In this interview, Gordon Raphael tells AMI about
releasing his new album, how he came to be one of the most
influential figures from the 2000s New York music scene
and what equipment he used to record The Strokes...
Can you tell me about when you were just starting to play
music in Seattle and learning how to record?
I had a really close affinity with rock music from the time
I was a young teenager. I worked at it for at least a decade
in the Seattle scene when there was nothing going on.
There were a lot of really cool bands but there was no
infrastructure. There were maybe two clubs in the whole
city where you could play original music one night a week
and there were like 60 people interested .They would come
to every gig and it was really fun. You couldn’t make a record
and you couldn’t tour, but there were a lot of incredible bands
and I met a lot of really great musicians. I then got to be part
of the Seattle scene in the glory days when everybody who
INTERVIEW
had an electric guitar was offered a record deal. I was in a
band and we got signed and got a publishing deal and got to
tour around the US a lot and even to Japan and Canada.
What made you move to New York after that?
I moved to New York twice. I moved there when there was
nothing much going on in Seattle. I actually had a recording
studio in a church, but it burned down one day under
mysterious circumstances in 1986. I had an opportunity
after some friends said, Oh, you lost all your equipment,
why don’t you come out to New York and we’ll let you use
our studios. I moved to NY with my girlfriend. At that time,
everybody knew that if you wanted to get something done
as a professional in the United States , you needed to be
in either New York or Los Angeles. I moved to New York
in 1986 and I thought, Ok I’m getting closer to the music
industry and when they hear my crazy songs that I’ve been
developing for all these years in Seattle, they are going to
love me and I’m going to be really popular and get a record
deal. That did not work out and eventually I had to go back
to Seattle. When I went back there, luckily it was just in
time for the grunge period so I actually got a record deal.
But when Kurt [Cobain] killed himself and Sound Garden
broke up, it really felt like, Ok this thing is over. I didn’t want
to go back to just a sleepy fishing village so I was in a band
with a really amazing singer called Anna Mercedes and our
band was called Absinthee. We decided to move to NY to
try take advantage of the momentum we had. I got a really
cool studio called Chataeu Relaxo and started accidentally
becoming a producer for other bands.
People were asking you to record them?
I got the studio in New York specifically to work on my
songs and my music with Absinthee. I was hitting a financial
[slump] and all the money made during the grunge era from
publishing deals and touring and record deals was now
gone. My expenses in Seattle were $150 for renting a whole
basement of a house and where I had my studio and that was
all. When I went to New York, I paid $900 a month to sleep
on a lady’s couch in her office in the village and then another
$700 a month to rent the day shift at a recording studio. I
went from $150 outgoing to $1,600 outgoing just by flying
across the country one day. Within a year I was like, I’m kind
of at zero and I don’t know what to do. Maybe my music run
is over and just at that time a really cool musician named
Pamela Lars had heard about me through a mutual friend
and said, I hear you know how to record stuff. I want you to
record my band, and then her band told another band and
pretty soon I had a job recording bands and producing music.
How did you end up meeting and producing The Strokes?
On January 1, 2000 I opened my second studio, which was
called Transporterraum. My band Abinsthee was still going
strong. We were having a rehearsal and I told our bass
player that I really wish that we could meet a booking agent,
because I wanted to play better shows than we were playing
at the time. He brought a young woman who was a booking
agent named Kerri Black down into our practice room and
she listened to our music and said, I can book your band, I’m
December 2017 17
 INTERVIEW
hosting a little club night at the Lunar Lounge on Ludlow
Street. We are having two bands and one of them might
need a producer. I wanted to see what she did and I wanted
to check out the scene. I always went to Lunar Lounge
anyway. It was free shows seven nights a week and you
would see three bands a night. The Strokes were the second
band on the bill and I didn’t think they were great, but at the
same time I thought they were interesting. I wanted to keep
my studio going so I gave them my business card and told
them I had a studio three blocks from there. They gave me a
call and a couple of days later they came by and we did an EP.
Actually we did a three-song demo. That was my deal. Three
songs in three days, start to finish with a mix and it was
supposed to be a demo to get them into the next level clubs
- the ones that weren’t free admission. That demo became
The Modern Age EP and it got signed by Rough Trade. They
didn’t remix it and they didn’t do any changes. It was just the
way it was after the three days.
What were you hoping to achieve with the sound of Is
This It and how did you record it?
A lot of the sound for the first album was largely based on
the sound of the EP. Even though I had a fairly good studio,
I still only had eight inputs. I had a digital interface that Pro
Tools made. So at any given time, I could only use eight
microphones. So the first EP we did was done with only
eight microphones going at the same time when I recorded
the whole band. And that was something I got used to and
it sounded fine to me. I liked that sound and they liked that
sound. Even before we got together to record the EP, I went
“The Strokes were in my studio and Julian
Casablancas said, You know what everyone
else is doing? That’s what we don’t want to do”
Ok, I’m a producer, I’m actually interested. What do you guys
want to do here? What kind of sound are you looking for?
That’s the first question I ask anybody I want to work with.
The Strokes were in my studio and Julian [Casablancas] said,
You know what everybody is doing these days? Whatever
that is, that’s what we don’t want to do. When I heard those
words it created an instant artistic direction for me. In 2000,
Pro Tools was really coming into its own and tape recorder
studios were going out of business. Pro Tools was just taking
over and the producers loved it because you could put 64
tracks of audio on a song instead of just 24. When they said
that, I thought, Ok, I’ll tell you what people aren’t doing these
days. Just go in that room and play your music. I’ll set up eight
microphones and that’s the song.
What mics did you use and how did you place them?
I had a few good microphones. I think the best microphone
was an Audio Technica. I might have had a Neumann KM 84
that someone gave me and I had a couple of ribbon mics,
Beyerdynamic stuff and some Sennheiser MD 421s and
some Shure SM57s. I would just stick two microphones
pointed at a speaker, like an SM57 or a 421. By the time
18 December 2017
www.audiomediainternational.com
I finished micing up all the guitars and the bass, I think
there were three mics left over for drums. One thing I
always insisted on, even if I only had seven mics on their
instruments, was a room mic, because I loved the way that
the room mic would just pic up general unusable chaos.
The big advancement on the album was that I
borrowed another eight-input interface, but I only used
two inputs on it. I wanted to have one more drum mic and
I wanted to have something else. I just wanted to have a
little bit more power, so we went from eight microphones
to say nine and then we would add another one for the live
vocal. And the vocal wasn’t done at the same time as the
music in those recordings.
I read that Julian’s vocals were recorded through a Peavey
practice amp, is that correct?
I had a little Peavey keyboard amp that I used and I
put Julian through that and hoped that it would go into
the room mic somehow. But after one or two takes of
that he said, Nah, this is no fun for me, I don’t want to
sing this way. I can barely hear myself. This isn’t how I
want to do my vocals. To be honest, I think on the EP
version of the Modern Age, there’s probably one line
that’s coming from the Peavey practice amp that made
the cut. But every song after that and every song on
the album was done with a Audio-Technica AT4033A
condenser microphone and an Avalon VT-737 SP
preamp and that’s all. There are hardly any plugins or What was it like around that time from your perspective
EQ [on the vocals after that. What you hear is the sound once you and The Strokes started to get so much
that we actually got. attention? Were you hoping to pursue a career as a
producer off the back of the success of that album?
I think I knew and the band knew that something was
happening while we were making that album. Not while we
were making the EP, certainly not. It was just a band making
a demo in lonely New York trying to get ahead. They didn’t
know if the demo was going to turn out any good. I didn’t
know if I would ever hear from them again. That was the
It sounds a little distorted, is that just from the gain spirit of the demo. They started getting press and had huge
on the preamp? things going on in the media even without being signed in
The percentage of distortion was an interesting topic, which the US. By the time they were in my studio, even by the time
came about during the very first vocal recording I did. Julian they started the album without a US deal, we had this feeling
said, I hope you can get me a good vocal sound. I was very that the whole world was listening and they were waiting for
sure of myself, and said, Oh I will get you a really cool sound. this record. There were journalists and record label people
What I had been working on for the past ten years was this from the UK and in New York in my basement studio. I had
form of music I lovingly called industrial music and the bands never recorded a band with a guy from the NME standing
I was listening to, like Skinny Puppy from Vancouver Canada by taking notes, or the guys from Rough Trade sitting there
had vocals that were distorted in a nuclear blast way. I got watching me. So yeah, I thought that with the success of the
this nuclear devastation sound that I wanted to show him. He album, I was probably going to get a lot of requests to work
did a few lines, and then came in to talk to me and said, That and also I could get attention for my own music. I thought
sounds like shit. I hate that sound. He said, You know how that I would get money and fame and popularity and friends.
your favourite jeans aren’t new and they don’t have holes in Those things were definitely on my mind.
it? Imagine that scenario. So I was thinking, your favourite
jeans; they’re not new, that means it’s not clean and it means How different was the recording of the second album?
they’re not ripped to shreds. They’re somewhere in the There were a lot of differences. The first album was made
middle. So I turned my knob from like 10 to four-and-a-half in a basement studio that had a modicum of good gear and
and he tested the mic and he said, Yeah, just like that. And it had a few good preamps, a few good microphones and
that is the sound that stayed on the EP and the first two some normal microphones. By the time the second album
albums to the T. I think they even bought an Avalon VT-737 SP was made I was living in London and I didn’t have a studio in
preamp and took it on tour and they might still do. New York anymore, but I had recorded a wonderful artist

called Regina Spektor at TMF Studio. I remember it being
a really fun place to work, so I told The Strokes, Hey, I don’t
have a studio, but this studio sounds good. They said, Ok,
We’ll go there, but would you decorate it to make it look
like your old studio please? Because we really like your
style of environment. So I actually hired the same people
that did design work in my studio. It’s a place called Bear
Creek Studio in Seattle. They flew out to New York and
made purple velvet curtains and all kinds of decorations so
that it had the same feeling as my studio. But TMF was a
multi-million dollar studio, with a giant SSL board and many
good microphones and a huge room. So there were some
technical differences about that record and there was also
a huge difference in the psychology and the musicianship
of the band. By the time I got them at TMF Studio they had
been touring for two years solid around the world. They
played me Room On Fire from beginning to end as a live
band in the studio, I went, Oh my god, when did you get so
good? And specifically Fab’s (Fabrizio Moretti) drumming
had stepped up and also Nick Valensi just became off the
charts as a lead guitarist on that record, in terms of the
solos, the rhythm of it and the dexterity involved in that. My
jaw just dropped. They were like this basement group last
time I saw them and now they are like Led Zeppelin junior.
Could you talk to me about the music you are making at
the moment? You’re writing and producing it yourself, but
would you ever consider working with another producer?
I certainly would not be opposed to working with
another producer. I don’t know if any other producers
would be interested in my music. I’ve had a very
strange musical career, because even though I have
INTERVIEW
Gordon Raphael in his
Berlin studio.
Photo : Hannes Bieger
been going my whole life, I have very little contacts in
the music industry. No famous musician in the whole
world or record label has ever called me to record an
album. I’ve only worked with kids who were unsigned.
Even The Strokes and Regina Spektor were that way.
No one has really called me up. It’s not like Brian Eno or
any great producer is going to go, Ah man, I really want
to work with Gordon Raphael, he makes the coolest
music. I’m in like a little island of my own.
Are you planning on releasing anything else this year
or next year?
I’ve been slowly releasing singles from my album. It is
supposed to come out in its entirety on February 9,
2018. I’m hoping to do some European tours and play
some shows around that. That’s as far as my planning
goes. Right now I have a number of bands in different
cities that want me to do everything from mixing to
recording to production, so I’m balancing my own music
and the production side so that things can keep going
harmoniously on both levels.
Are you self-releasing your album?
I am fortunate that I have a friend of mine who has
a small label in London. He’s releasing it. The label
is called Zero Hours. He’s so far gotten me onto the
BBC 6 Music with Tom Robinson for an hour, playing
my music and playing a bunch of other productions.
Three different DJs on 6 Music have played my song
a couple of times and so the label is actually doing a
good job for me right now and I am very happy to have
the outside help.
December 2017 19
 PRODUCER PROFILE www.audiomediainternational.com

JOLYON
THOMAS
...is the producer behind the likes of Royal
Blood’s No.1 second album How Did We Get
So Dark?, Slaves’ Are You Satisfied? Frank
Carter & The Rattlesnakes’ new single Spray
Paint Love and last but not least, he’s one of
the producers on U2’s new album Songs Of
Experience. Here, he tells Murray Stassen
about his approach to production and what
it’s like working with Bono and The Edge…

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
came into this through a completely musical point “I wasn’t so in tune with studio stuff at first,” he continues. December sees the release of U2’s fourteenth studio album

I of view,” says Jolyon Thomas, when I ask him how he
became a producer.
“I was a drummer originally and then I just met a lot of
musicians and started working with people and got into
loads of different types of music. I did a lot of things before
anyone called me a producer.”
Thomas studied classical music at college, and his musical
knowledge and experience of playing in bands has helped
inform his hands-on approach to producing, which often sees
him playing various instruments on sessions or co-writing.
“I’m musically aware,” he says, which is clear from his
co-writing credits with the likes of Slaves, and guitar
and keyboard credits on U2’s new single featuring
Kendrick Lamar.
“That happened later. But then it became immediately
exciting. I started recording people off the back of my
band, because people just heard that and were like, it
sounds wicked, will you do our demo? Then suddenly I was a
producer, to cut a long story short.
“Luckily I’m in the position where I now choose [what to
work on] and I’ve had a couple of good bits here and there. I’ve
had a really good run.”
A good run is probably a bit of an understatement.
Thomas has producer, co-writer, mixer and engineer credits
on Slaves’ acclaimed, Mercury Prize-nominated 2015 album
Are You Satisifed? And in June this year, Royal Blood’s
second album How Did We Get So Dark? - which he recorded
and produced at Belgiums’ ICP studios, hit No.1 in the UK.
Songs Of Experience, which Thomas helped to produce
alongside Jacknife Lee, Ryan Tedder, as well as Steve
Lillywhite and Andy Barlow. Here, ahead of the release of
that album, Thomas tells Audio Media International how to
produce a hit record…
Does being a good producer and a good
musician go hand in hand?
For me it does, but there are different kinds. You’ve got
musical producers, like myself, people who are very
musical, who can play and understand. If you play a chord
progression, I could tell you what it is. I could say, Oh why
don’t you move the third or the fifth? I could speak in that
lexicon. Then you get producers who are non-musical

20 December 2017

producers, who are much more engineer producers. For
me it is really important, because most of the time I am
pretty musically involved. If I’m not playing on it, I am
potentially writing.
How do you choose the projects you work on?
If I start talking to someone, or someone comes my way
through whatever avenue, I first of all ask, Can I benefit this
music? Can I bring something to the table? Sometimes you
think, No, I don’t really think I can. It’s not that I don’t like it.
There are many reasons why. I don’t ever assume that I know
what the artist wants. You have so many experiences with
people in the studio and some of them aren’t always positive
for many reasons. So, I hope that when I come to it, I come to
it with a positive energy and I don’t assume anything.
I’ve just heard U2’s new song, Get Out of Your
Own Way... can you talk about that?
That was one of the first songs I worked on with the band.
Bono and I did a demo of it first. It’s actually produced by
myself and Ryan Tedder and I think some other people might
have some credits on there, but essentially it’s me and Ryan
Tedder. I’m also credited with playing guitar on the track
because that melody in the chorus was something that Bono
and I came up with quite early on. That really stuck, even
though this track has gone through a few different versions
as it always does with U2 and a few different versions is
an understatement. That’s kind of how they work, always
“U2 know the amount of input that
producers have on a record. They get it.”
trying different ideas out. They might go off at a tangent and
go, Let’s make it acoustic or let’s make it electronic, or let’s
make it half time. It gets quite experimental. That’s what’s
fascinating about working with them. They are really into
production and they are really into producers. They always
credit producers for having a big input in their songs, which
after doing it, I’ve experienced. All the U2 albums are made
/
over about two years, so I would dip in and out. That was one
of the very first one I worked on at the very beginning when I
first met them. It was probably two years ago when I did the
first version. All I remember is coming up with that melody
with Bono. It was just me and him. I was playing guitar, he was
singing. The first version of it I played every instrument on it.
Just writing and demoing around the vocal he had.
How did you end up working with them?
Like I said, they are really interested in production and
producers. They know who has done what. So if they hear a
record that they really like, they will know who has produced
it. They’re not stupid. They know the amount of input
producers have on a record. They get it. They know what
they are doing. I heard a rumour that U2 had brought me up
in a conversation. I was like, Amazing, that’s a really good
compliment. A week later, Bono rang me up on my phone,
like, Hey, it’s Bono. I was like, alright mate? And he just said,
PRODUCER PROFILE
Do you want to come in and work on the album? They really
liked stuff I had worked on, like Slaves for example and the
rawness of that. They thought it was recorded in a cool way.
There are different producers on the album, as I mentioned,
so I think I bring a lot more of the youthful energy and...
Punk rock?
A little bit of that, yeah. They mentioned that before, like
Jolyon is more on the rock side. Ironically, of the songs
that they ended up using on the album, my ones have a lot
of Euphoric feeling about them. The opening of (Get Out
Of Your Own Way) I made on my iPad. It’s all just my voice
that I sampled. I made this sort of euphoric, reverb sound
and some of the other tracks on the album have this sort
of euphoric kind of situation going on. So I don’t know if
my songs are that punk rock, but the energy of them may
be, I hope. And also this song and another song both have
Kendrick Lamar on them.
What is it like working with Bono and The Edge?
Fun. They are just really nice people and really cool. They are
also quite sharp witted. So you can give a lot and they give a
lot back. And of course, they know what they are doing in the
studio. They’ve obviously made a shit load of hit records and
they know what they are talking about. So you can be very
open, because if you come up with any ideas, or play a guitar
part, they will be open to the idea. They will listen and give it
a try. So from that perspective it really gives you freedom to
express yourself. They are a great band, which goes without
saying. And going back to the boundaries thing, they don’t
have any. Of course they have a good budget, so there is no
boundary there, but that of course brings the problem that
you can end up making a record forever, which is something
they have battled with. There have been numerous times
where they say it’s being released, then it’s delayed another
year or something, but ultimately the freedom means that
you can be experimental and have a laugh and try things and
do stuff that you couldn’t necessarily do if you had three
days in the studio. And also, through all of that, they still have
the punk aesthetic. All the vocals are done with an SM58 in a
room. For The Edge’s guitar sound, you stick a mic on the cab
and you hit record. There’s nothing fancy. You just come in the
room, stick a mic on it and get on with it. So if any engineer
asks, How did you get that sound, you just stick an SM58 in
front of the source. There is no other answer.
What about outboard?
Minimal. You’re writing a song as you’re going along, so
there’s no time for that stuff, really. Of course there’s
little pieces I had going on, but nothing really worth
mentioning. Most of the sound came from the Edge
and out of his amp. I did lots of stuff with my synths and
pedals and all of that, but nothing that ‘engineer-nerdy’
December 2017 21

I’m afraid. There was no time. You’d literally walk in
the room and be like, We’re recording a guitar, OK fine,
SM58, let’s go. That’s it. DI, go. Mic, in hand. There’s not
a mic stand around so chuck it on the sofa, and Bono
pick it up. I think that’s still cool that they are doing
that stuff now. It gives quite a fresh approach. We
weren’t recording things in a sterile way. That’s not the
sound ultimately.
You worked with Royal Blood on their second
album. How did it feel when IT went to No.1?
Amazing. It’s definitely good to get that under your belt.
It’s a nice feeling. I was just happy to be honest. They had
a successful first album, so there was definitely a lot of
pressure to deliver.
How do you normally start an album project?
I’d normally start by hearing [a band] play, whether that’s
pre production or a gig, or both. I might go see them live
to understand how they play together, because often a
band is the sum of it’s parts, which is obvious to say, but
it’s quite easy to extrapolate it. For example, if you were
to multi-track a band, like do the drums first, then the
bass next and so on, it’s a completely different experience
from them playing together. So many people are used
to doing it that way, but you can actually destroy some
elements of the music in the context of a band. So I’d
identify those things, like, How does this song sound live
and how do they play together?
PRODUCER PROFILE
can you talk us through the recording process?
With Royal Blood it was a lot of arrangement, so
again musically going through things. What’s the
chorus saying and what’s the riff saying? As soon as
they add something there is no going back. If you add
that extra note in the riff, you’ve filled up that space.
You can’t undo it. So you really have to work on the
arrangements. Then recording, gear wise with Royal
Blood there are lots of tonal things going on. There
are shit loads of different sends and effects, although
it sounds really simple. There are pretty much no
overdubs on the record, as in the guitar. It’s just one
bass the whole time, which people don’t believe, but it’s
true. We wanted it to be just that riff, or that part. Like,
that is the part, commit to it.
But in doing that, we had multiple amps. I also had
DIs set up. I had a clean DI, a dirty DI. I had a smashed
through the desk DI, like a mic amp distorting. I think by
the end of it we had about seven DIs for the guitar which
all did different things. Like the verse would have one
sort of sound and the chorus another and so on. It wasn’t
all DI, there are amps as well. There were two guitar
amps and two bass amps, so four amps and seven DIs
and a couple of room mics. So, I wouldn’t necessarily be
EQing very much. It would be more colour coming in, so
we would be using the amps, DIs, effects etc. as colour.
So if there’s a bright guitar, it’s not been EQd that way,
that’s just the way it is pretty much. When it came to the
mix, it was the same as the tracking.
Could you talk to us about the rooms you
recorded in and your choice of microphones?
I did it at ICP Studios and I ended up putting all the
guitar amps in a room, which is next to the control
room and arguably the smallest room, but it’s actually
got quite a high ceiling and it has parquet floors. It’s
the piano room, so it’s kind of reverberant. It’s not a
dead room. I think there was a Neumann U87 in there,
which was used for backing vocals. It wouldn’t have
been that worked out, it was just there. I don’t really
use condenser mics very often, which I’ve discovered
recently. But I think it would have been a Neumann U87
for Royal Blood. We might have changed stuff around
though. I normally set stuff up in zones, so that mic
might be the room mic, but then I’ll use it for backing
vocals and I’d use it for tambourines and handclaps
etc. I wouldn’t use ten different mics for different
things. I prefer to just say, Ok, that mic is going to do
loads of things, rather than having too many options.
Options are great, but sometimes they’re a bit too
distracting. Also, all the amps were gated. So I would
run gates before the guitar, in between the pedals and
the amp and gates in between the DIs. So every time he
stopped playing, they’re not edits in Pro Tools, so there
is still a bit of amp hum in there. It was all being done in
real time. I don’t know how many gate pedals we used,
but it was a lot.
What is your own studio set up like?
I have two studios now. One in Wandsworth and it’s just
a mix room - a production room essentially. It’s just one
room with a booth. It has an amp in it. It’s more for like
mixing and writing sessions and listening, or whatever.
there are so many things you need to do before and
after the production that it all adds up. I’ve got a fair
amount of gear in there considering. I’ve got a Pro Tools
HD rig, I’ve got an Avid interface, the new one. I’ve got a
couple of channel strips, an Avalon VT-737 SP , I’ve got a
Universal Audio 6 176. I quite like valve stuff and ribbons
and dynamics. I gravitate to them quite a lot. I’ve got
an SSL G bus. I’ve got a couple of Chandler mic amps,
which are really good on guitars. I’ve got a Shadow Hills
Equinox. I’ve got various speakers, but the ones I’ve got
set up are NS10s (Yamaha) and The Rocks from Unity
Audio. I’ve done a lot of mixing and I’ve moved towards
those because of mixing really. I wouldn’t say they’re like
vibe speakers but they are amazing for accuracy. In my
line of work, you need good monitors.
My studio in Margate is where I live and I have a
completely different set up here. I’ve basically got two
floating rigs, which can move. So I’ve got Pro Tools HD
set up in London and then I’ve got a Universal Audio
Apollo set up as well, as a kind of B rig. But I have
plugins everywhere so I can move between studios
really easily. I also have a lot of things like synths and
guitars.,not just mic amps. I’ve got something to put in
them. I’ve got a bunch of nice guitars and pedals and
synths. I guess that’s more the creative stuff, which is
where I’m coming from.
December 2017 23
 ENGINEER PROFILE www.audiomediainternational.com

ow did you first get into the industry?

H I always wanted to pursue a career in the

recording industry, and started by looking
around at four-year universitys and trade
schools. Finally I came to the decision
to attend the Conservatory of Recording Arts and
Sciences, which is based in Tempe in Phoenix. I am from
Tucson AZ so it was an easy choice to move to Phoenix
and attend school there.
After the course I moved to LA, and the first job I was
offered was an internship at Track Record. I ran and
interned for a month and then they hired me full time.
I was fortunate to only run for six months total before
becoming a full-time assistant. From there I was hired
at Conway and I worked there for a year, then finally to
Ocean Way Recording. Ocean Way to me is my home,
and the studio where I really learned engineering.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to get

into the industry?
I was lucky to have a good career path working at
different studios, and learned so much from working at all
of them. If you are smart it’s a good thing to pick up tips
and tricks from your clients, and it’s not a bad thing to ask
the engineer after the session why he or she likes to work
a certain way, or put a particular mic inside the kick drum.
It’s also a good thing to study hard, learn your craft, and be
ready for when the opportunity comes your way.

How did you get involved with the Foo Fighters and
was there anything you did specifically with your
recording setup on their album?
I was asked by the producer Greg Kurstin to come help
record the Foo’s album. Greg and I had worked together
on previous projects and I was really excited to get the
call. For the Foo’s the idea was to have several drum
stations going on. I had to think of a way to set up five
drum kits, with two bass stations, about 20 guitar amps,
keyboard station, vocal station, etc. And to fit all this on

GOING
an 80-input Neve while running 24 track tape for basic
recording then dumping into Pro Tools and comp.
Ultimately I came up with the idea to have two drum
recording chains and patch all the kits across to the
particular chain we wanted to use. Then a bass chain,

FOR GOLD
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Seven-time Grammy award-winning Darrell Thorp (OutKast, Radiohead, Paul
McCartney, Beck) is an American record producer, mixer, and engineer with
over 18 years experience and many multi-platinum records to his name. Here,
Colby Ramsey speaks to the man who helped record the Foo Fighters’ ninth
studio album Concrete and Gold, which hit No. 1 in the US and UK.
24 December 2017
 ENGINEER PROFILE

and then a guitar chain for each player, a couple of
vocal chains, one for lead and one for backing vocals.
Then, using the busses for tape input, then to Pro Tools,
worked out really well.
What is your favourite piece of gear in the studio?
The console. A good console goes a long way in a
recording session. Give me a Neve 8028 or 8056. I
really love to use the same mic pre-amps and EQ’s
for every instrument to record. I find that using a
Neve on this, an API on that, and Telefunken on this
makes everything feel not quite as powerful.
What has been your greatest personal achievement?
Working in the business for 20 years with all the downs
we have encountered is a personal achievement. I don’t
know how but the phone keeps ringing and the emails
keep pinging with more work. When someone wants to
make a record with me, I’m honoured, and it’s amazing
to say that I do this for a living and have been very
successful at it.
I still feel like there is more out there for me to
accomplish and I keep learning things – that is the
best part of my job, I am always learning the craft.
Mostly I am learning while getting paid to mix a song

“The Foo Fighters is by far the most fun I

have had in the studio”
My thought is that by using different pre-amps
that have different electronics causes parts
to react faster than others. The overall band
or drums doesn’t feel like its working together.
I might change a bit of EQ with an API 550a
on drums, but I’m a big fan of compressing
as I record. I usually hit things hard with the
compression, -10 to -15db on the bass amp
and -10 or more on the lead vocal. If it sounds
good, why not!
or track a song. It’s great when I do something I have
never thought of before, or something that I have been
struggling with as an engineer.
Do you have a favourite studio or artist you’ve
worked with?
I have had the pleasure and the honour of working at
some amazing studios. I would say my favourite rooms
are Studio 2 at East West and Studio B at United (then
Ocean Way). Both rooms have great consoles and the
rooms themselves are effortless to record in. Put up a
good mic from the locker, turn up the pre-amp a bit, push
the fader up and check your level to tape or Pro Tools;
sounds amazing.
In terms of artists, there’s too many great ones to
name. Bands like Lake Street Dive are insane musicians
and great to hang out with. The Foo Fighters is by far the
most fun I have had in the studio, plus all the guys are just
bad-ass musicians. Sir Paul McCartney is the kindest man
on planet earth, and probably one of the most talented all
around musicians, while Beck is my favourite songwriter/
lyricist. Switchfoot are great people to be with all day, and
are also amazing performers and musicians.

Foo Fighters: Darrell Thorp recorded the

band’s No. 1 album, Conrete and Gold.

December 2017 25
 COMPANY PROFILE www.audiomediainternational.com

Prism Sound founder

Graham Boswell
presenting Re-mixer
of the Year at the
2016 MPG Awards

LIGHTING
THE WAY
Prism Sound is a manufacturer of professional grade digital audio
converters and interfaces for recording studios, broadcast studios
and voice logging recorders. Here, AMI discovers how the company
has evolved with the times as it celebrates its 30th anniversary.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
t’s been an interesting year for Prism Sound. It’s “In the early 90’s we started making products, and we and by that I mean the most transparent,” reveals

I not often that a manufacturer gets the chance to
reflect on three decades in the pro audio business,
a privilege usually reserved for those with the most
respected, reliable offerings.
Since Graham Boswell founded the company in
1987, teaming up with Ian Dennis two years later
following a stint in digital product development
at Neve, Prism Sound audio interfaces have been
used by countless professional artists and studios
worldwide, continually evolving alongside the audio
industry in truly eclectic fashion.
“I never in my wildest dreams thought we’d be going
for 30 years and it’s been quite a journey,” says Boswell.
found that to be something we enjoy doing that was
also commercially quite successful.”
Prism Sound nowadays, as many may be
aware, is very much focused on two main areas:
professional recording products, and tools for test
and measurement. Yet, the company has dabbled in
many different areas over the years, providing mobile
recording systems to the military and supplying
recorders for intelligence and police purposes to
various governments around the world.
“We’ve actually slimmed down the business a bit,
and it’s been a year of focusing on the things we’re best
at – making the very best audio interfaces in the world,
Boswell. “We’ve always been utterly anal about quality
with our interfaces, and the customer base for them
has hugely expanded with the changes in the music
industry in recent years.”
The company certainly seems to be renewing its
efforts to bring new products to the market, the next
announcement of which will be made early next year
regarding its existing product line-up, along with
developments in other areas of the business. This past
year on the other hand has seen the introduction of
Callia, Prism Sound’s first hi-fi product for the home
audio market based on the same technology as its Lyra
and Titan interfaces.

26 December 2017

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
The company has also stepped up a gear in terms
of its testing and measurement offerings with the
introduction of 17025 calibration, which is especially
important in industries like automotive. “We’ve got an
extremely competitive product which is full of clever
“I like to think we’re one of the pro audio
industry’s best kept secrets”
features and capabilities which is used by many of our
big tech and pro audio clients worldwide,” says Boswell.
“We now provide this very high level of confidence in the
accuracy of our measurements with this certificate.”
COMPANY PROFILE
Prism Sound’s sales and marketing manager, Jody
Thorne, believes that the industry is currently going
through a renaissance period, whereby many high
profile clients are coming on board with so-called
‘legacy’ products.
“ADA-8XR has been around for ten years and
that’s a testament to the build quality and design
infrastructure of that particular unit,” states Thorne.
“The likes of Eminem have bought them in the last
12 months for his new studio, and people still say it’s
one of the best sounding and flexible products on
the market.”
The company is considering delving further into
markets like the US, where there is significant room
for growth and an opportunity to take the business
to the next level. “People trust our integrity and
professionalism and that’s why we’ve been around
for 30 years. I like to think we’re one of the pro audio
industry’s best kept secrets,” says Thorne. “We’ve
gained that respect from people in the industry,
whether it be students or professionals working in
major recording facilities and organisations.
“We try to align ourselves with people that have our
values and ethos at heart, like the Music Producers Guild
(MPG). We’ve been headline sponsors of the awards for
many years and have had a great partnership with them,
which will undoubtedly continue.”
Meanwhile, the company has now been running its Mic
to Monitor tour for a total of eight years, an event that
gives attendees a deep insight into the technology and
performance of the essential components in a recording
setup. “From our point of view, it’s about getting the
message out there that it’s worth doing the job right,” says
Boswell, also reflecting the company’s strong presence at
the recent AES Convention in New York, where it marked
its 30th anniversary by showing its full range of audio
interfaces and converters. “It’s a very important forum for
the industry and for us to be associated with.”
Three decades in pro audio has not been without
its hurdles however. With the industry flipped on its
head by the ‘gig economy’ and the analogue to digital
revolution, Prism Sound has had a lot to contend with,
and it has done so lucratively. The company’s most
popular product, the ADA-8XR, bridged a time when
people were first using Pro Tools as a tape machine
replacement, to the point when it became an audio
interface with an AES option.
“We’ve now supported three generations of Pro
Tools on the same product line, moving away from
FireWire and towards USB as a solid, ubiquitous
interface choice that’s not going anywhere,”
explains Boswell. “There’s no other company that
makes high-performance audio gear and sells
measurement gear to its peers and competitors at
the same time, which we will continue to do. We’re
also keeping an eye on networked audio as there’s
some interesting developments going on there in
terms of AES67 and Dante.”
“One of the things we’re looking to do is a full-day Mic
to Monitor event at Strongroom Studios in December
as a culmination of our year, so we’ll have done two
tours in America and numerous Mic to Monitor dates
throughout Europe,” concludes Thorne. “Getting the
Prism Sound name out there and educating people on
who we are and what we do is our priority.”
www.prismsound.com
December 2017 27
 COMPANY PROFILE

Prism Sound at 30: Audio pros tell us how and why they use the company’s products to enhance their workflows...

David Stewart
Eric Boulanger British Grove Studios
The Bakery, LA “The primary device that we have is the ADA-8XR and we have a total of 24 of them,
“Being a mastering studio – particularly in vinyl mastering – we employ the Lyra 2 for our which we’ve been using for at least ten years, if not more.
vinyl QC/measurement rig, which is of paramount importance to our competitive edge. “At the time when we were starting the studio, we decided the ADA was a superior
With the Lyra 2, we can directly interface with SADiE and the first generation masters converter in terms of its transparency, along with the quality of the unit itself. They’ve
feeding our vinyl lathe. With Lyra’s low noise and high quality preamps, we can measure been very reliable – our units are spread over six recording rigs, and quite often we have
both flat, and with RIAA de-emphasis in order to calibrate our lathe to perfection. The very large sessions. Our main rig is 88 I/O, so if we’re printing multiple stems as we may
thing I like best about Lyra is its seamless integration with SADiE 6, our primary DAW do on a film project, we may have to produce seven or eight different surround sound
for masters. stems. The ADA’s are very easy to set up, particularly on our multiple I/O rig.
“Congratulations Prism “You can tell that Prism Sound are passionate about their products and want them
for 30 years of pioneering to be the best available. The proof in this is in the operation; we’ve had many successful
and the passionate albums come out of this studio and the majority have been using the Prism converters.”
pursuit of excellence.
I’m proud to have been a
beneficiary of this pursuit
for the last 10 years, of
which I’ve been an avid
SADiE user.”

Ian Wallman
Pro7ect
“I’m currently using the Prism Sound Atlas. My production work with Pro7ect
takes me to a variety of ‘non studio’ environments, and the core concept of
Pro7ect is to have ‘creative spaces in amazing places’.
“The Atlas offers both fantastic conversion and flexibility from a larger
number of inputs all in a compact and sturdy unit. I love the ubiquitous USB
connectivity and powerful software, which has been 100% stable, and critical for
the type of work that we do.”
Indi Brodley
Pro7ect
“The number of inputs (two line and two mic) on Prism Sound’s Lyra 2 interface is
great for the work that I do as I’m often tracking vocals or a stereo piano, while the
aesthetic of the interface is also great for monitoring levels easily.
“I personally think the best part of the product is the downloadable Prism Sound
USB audio software. It is very user friendly and all the functions for changing the
input/output or gains are very easy to find.”

December 2017 29
 FEATURE: IMMERSIVE AUDIO www.audiomediainternational.com

SPATIAL
AWARENESS
Steven Boardman, sound designer at Jungle.

Although the term Immersive Audio (or spatial audio) might at first glance appear to be a cutting-edge technology,
the engineering challenge of trying to place an audience in a three-dimensional acoustic space has a long history
and several methods have been used over the years with various amounts of success. Stephen Bennett reports…

inaural recording is one early technique, effect - a problem than has resolved itself somewhat UK. Tom Parnell has worked in the studio and on

B where small omnidirectional microphones
are placed in the ‘ears’ of a dummy
head that has a similar mass and shape
as a human bonce. Multi-microphone
techniques, including what has come to be known
as Ambisonics, has a long tradition amongst
experimenters in sound, as has the use of the
many-capsuled SoundField microphone. Various
combinations of psychoacoustic and Digital Signal
Processing (DSP) effects have been used to simulate
‘surround sound’ from stereo sources, such as the
QSound system - which was used on Madonna’s 1990
album, The Immaculate Collection - and Roland’s
RSS processor system. The disadvantage of the
multi-microphone technique is obvious - you need
multi-speaker setups to play back the audio, which
is inconvenient for most listeners. Until recently, the
limitation of binaural playback was that the listener
is forced into using headphones to experience the full
with the rise in the use of smartphones and earbud
headphones. Whatever technology is used, immersive
audio is a growing field and some major players are
experimenting with various techniques to enhance the
listener experience. The potential for computer-based
gameplay, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality
(AR) and 3D/360-degree video has spurred on the
expansion of creative practices in immersive sound.
The BBC has a unique place in British audio
with a long history of technical innovation, and
the corporation has experimented with binaural
recording in the past. I recall my first experience of
the technique while listening to a binaurally-recorded
Sherlock Holmes dramatisation in the 1970s. I was
lying on my bed with headphones on when a horse
and cab appeared to run right over me. The BBC has
continued to work with binaural sound in both radio
and visual formats, culminating in a live immersive
sound broadcast from the 2016 Proms in London,
outside broadcasts for BBC Radio for fifteen years,
balancing classical music for Radio 3, band sessions
for Radio 2 and 6Music, and mixing documentary
and speech programmes for Radio 4 and sport
for Five Live. More recently he has been working
closely with BBC Research & Development, helping
to develop tools for producing high quality spatial
audio content, creating binaural radio programmes
and creating dynamic audio mixes for VR. The Proms
are part of a long British broadcasting tradition and
you meddle with these production formats at your
peril, so why did Parnell feel the time was right for
an ‘Immersive Proms’?
“BBC R&D and BBC Radio 3 were keen to offer a live
binaural stream from the Royal Albert Hall, optimising
the production process and basing it on the music mix
crafted by Radio 3’s dedicated sound engineers,” he
says. According to Parnell, in the past recordings were
only possible using in-ear or dummy head microphones

30 December 2017

Chris Turner, sound designer
and creative director at Jungle.
which offered limited creative potential. But now, DSP
techniques exist which can ‘binauralise’ any mono,
stereo or multi-channel audio recording. “This allows
us to pan audio in any position around the listener’s
head when they are listening on headphones,” he adds.
“This approach offers much more freedom when
recording and more creative control when crafting
immersive audio mixes in post-production.”
In Soho, London, Jungle Studios, who specialise in
sound design and music for advertising, promotion
and broadcast have also been bitten by the immersive
audio bug, with clients including Standard Chartered
and Liverpool FC. “Immersive sound is, for us,
sound that’s perceived to be all around the listener,
including above and below,” says Steven Boardman,
part of the Jungle Studios tech team, specialising
in R&D for immersive sound. Jungle have delivered
their immersive audio technology for some unique
applications. “After ten years of research, I’ve designed
a room that houses a full sphere 31 speaker array
with four subs which create the perfect environment
for immersive audio,” says Boardman. He says that
one example of the use of this technology is via
speaker array that allows video-based discussions
to take place inside an immersive soundfield. When
the video is rotated the soundfield rotates too. As
you can imagine, this type of remote networked
FEATURE: IMMERSIVE AUDIO
communication system has the potential to improve
the quality of engagement for attendees at virtual
meetings and, consequently the environment too.
Contemporary immersive audio techniques build
on past developments, as Boardman explains: “The
techniques we use are not proprietary and as they are
based on sound physics and psychoacoustics, they
will continue to work way into the future. They are also
format exclusive, non-dependent on playback system,
and totally down mix / up mix compatible. This means
all past and future formats are catered for within
one system. It is open ended and allows audio to be
upgraded to any future resolutions easily, with very
little re-mixing.”
Parnell says that the cutting edge in immersive
audio is combining binaural technology with tracking
data, so that as one moves ones head the sound field
seems to stay in position. “This works by rendering in
real-time the source material into the headphones in
order to compensate for the head movements as the
listener ‘explores’ the sound world around them, much
like looking around a 360-degree video,” he adds.
Ambisonic recording has been in use since the
1970s, and Jungle say they have improved on the
techniques used in the past. “We cater for Ambisonics
at high resolutions,” says Boardman. “This is a bit
of a buzzword right now, with Facebook, YouTube/
Google, HTML5 and every HMD jumping on the
bandwagon.” Boardman’s colleague Chris Turner,
senior sound designer at Jungle, adds that the rise of
immersive audio has been driven by VR, AR and 360
video applications and the need to match audio to
the visual. “If you have a beautiful full sphere of visual
objects that respond to head movements, then the
audio needs to match this too. When all of the senses
are aligned, then we are truly immersed in the scene,
and only then does it become believable.” Jungle are
also experimenting with a technology called Spatial
PCM Sampling (SPS). “This has the ability to carry
more spatial resolution per channel than Ambisonics,”
says Boardman. “Its point source rendering is more
accurate and it has the ability to’ beam in’ on specific
points in space without much bleed. Turner says
that Jungle use specialist microphones to capture
360-audio to capture the best immersive sound at
source. “We recently recorded A Day In The Life, the
story of a fan going to Anfield football ground to watch
Liverpool play,” he says. “You hear the entire day as he
heard it, and it climaxes with the sound of thousands
of fans singing You’ll Never Walk Alone. The experience
is incredible and something you could never get with a
cheat in post.”
Parnell says that a third of BBC Radio audiences
now listen using headphones, so it is timely that the
December 2017 31
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Neumann’s KU 100 dummy
head binaural stereo
microphone was used to
record A Day In The Life,
the story of a fan going to
Anfield football ground.
BBC are producing content that is especially suited
for this mode of listening. “The main benefit is a more
immersive experience - the sense that the sounds are
coming from all around you, perceived as coming from
outside your head, and with better localisation,” he
says. Parnell explains that these attributes all combine
to produce a more realistic listening experience - and
that preliminary research suggests that binaural sound
can even be used to improve speech intelligibility for
hearing-impaired audiences. “This new technology is
becoming more popular with BBC Radio producers,
with binaural radio dramas and live music recordings
now regularly in production.” Binaural sound was
used for Radio 3’s coverage of the 2017 Cut and
Splice festival in Manchester, while the BBC Radio 4
programme Quake presented a series of binaural audio
“When all the senses are aligned, then we
are truly immersed in a scene”
dramas exploring modern responses to environmental
disaster, with one produced in ‘cinematic VR’. The short
series Pod Plays have also been specially written to
showcase the potential of immersive audio.
Parnell says that the BBC R&D audio team has
developed an object-based approach to immersive
audio, where each sound source is treated as an ‘object’
and manipulated into a 3D position and rendered
in a binaural mix with the relevant Head-Related
Transfer Function (HRTF) filter depending where a
source is positioned. “This is a very fast-moving area,
particularly with regard to audio tools for VR, and
there are multiple DAWs and plugins that support 3D
panning and/or binaural rendering,” he adds. “For the
Proms I used IRCAM’s Panoramix console, which is
designed for live 3D music production mixing and can
render simultaneous outputs in stereo, Ambisonics,
FEATURE: IMMERSIVE AUDIO
multiple loudspeaker, and binaural formats, enabling
your choice of SOFA file (Spatially Oriented Format
for Acoustics is an industry standard file format for
HRTF sets) to be used in binaural.” Parnell says that
the binaural Proms trial has highlighted the benefit
that immersive audio can bring to listening to acoustic
music, particularly where there is a spatial element to
the performance. Concert hall venues are particularly
suitable venues for immersive audio, the acoustics
being architecturally designed to fill the hall with
sound. Using immersive audio technology brings this
experience right into the home (or pockets) of the
listener. The BBC have gathered some statistics from
those who accessed the live binaural stream on BBC
Taste where a majority felt that the results were “like
being there in person” while a similar majority believed
that Radio 3 should broadcast more binaural sound.
“I worked on a project called Cinime a few years
ago with Chris,” says Jungle’s Boardman. “This was an
interactive advert portal/platform for cinema that
allowed users to interact with content on the big
screen via the small screen on their smart phones.”
Turner says that Jungle are currently working on a
project that highlights the lasting effects on children
when a parent commits suicide. “It’s a difficult piece to
get right and less is proving to be more but even subtle
immersive movement within the music and recording
the narrators in binaural audio is proving incredibly
powerful.” Although immersive audio has long been
a feature of both audio and video applications, its
use in the field of recorded music has been limited
and sporadic - however, Jungle think that is about to
change. “We’re extremely excited about the prospect
of the music industry getting on board the spatial
bandwagon,” says Boardman. “At the moment music
presented as immersive audio isn’t common. Its use is
generally driven by game engines interactively in real-
time and according to game play, while music and non-
diegetic audio is usually replayed in plain old stereo”.
Boardman feels that music, most of all, can benefit
from immersive audio techniques and if presented
in this format, will ultimately allow the listener to
better connect with the performance. “This is how we
hear music live,” he says. “Immersive audio will enable
the end-user to customise how they listen to music.
In actual fact it will allow them inside the music and
allow their ears and brains to choose what and how to
listen.” Universal Music Group (UMG) appears to agree
and are working with the company Within to create an
app that can deliver immersive audio to consumers.
Chris Milk, co-founder and CEO of Within believes
that music is one of the most uniquely transformative
mediums of human expression and that combining it
with immersive AR and VR experiences will create a
new art form that is more powerful than the sum of
its parts. “This partnership with Universal allows us
the incredible opportunity to work with top artists at
UMG to create ever more meaningful and expressive
immersive music experiences,” he says.
We’ve come a long way from the early
experiments in immersive audio and new
technological developments have allowed
the audio engineer to obtain great control
over placement of sound, the overall acoustic
environment and where a listener is placed therein.
As VR headsets and the likes of Google Glass
become more common, it will present content
creators with new creative opportunities and
challenges and thus immersive audio is more likely
to become more and more a major part of the
audience’s everyday audio experience.
December 2017 33
 PRODUCT FOCUS
IMMERSIVE AUDIO

FULLY IMMERSED
As virtual reality and mobile technology continue to lead the way for immersive sound experiences, pro audio
manufacturer’s are stepping up their efforts to bring 3D audio functionality to users’ fingertips. Here, we look
at a selection of the most innovative products on the market designed to put users inside the music…

Allen & Heath dLive Key Features

The dLive series of mixing consoles from Allen & Heath offers both ease
of use and flexibility in system design and operation for live 3D audio Advanced immersive audio controls
„
experiences. With advanced immersive audio controls built into the FPGA technology delivers DEEP processing power
„
system, users can easily fine-tune the precise position of each audio Comprehensive panning options
„
Fully transparent workflow
„
source within the 3D soundscape.
dLive excels in low overall system latency, a must-have when
creating a phase coherent 3D mix in a large or acoustically complex
space. Utilising FPGA technology, dLive’s 96kHz FPGA XCVI processing
core contains enough power to deliver 128 full processing inputs and
16 Stereo effects returns, a configurable 64 bus architecture, ‘virtually
infinite’ mix headroom (thanks to a 96bit accumulator) and ultra-low
latency of 0.7ms.
Native surround mixing controls provide comprehensive panning
options, including divergence control to isolate main Left and Right from
Centre (LCR+). Low frequency effects can be easily controlled via dLive
with on-board LFE attenuation and options to fully bypass the main 5.0
mix and feed only to LFE on a per-channel basis when needed.
www.allen-heath.com

KLANG:fabrik MADI
Key Features
KLANG’s 3D in-ear mixing technology is used by world famous performers,
monitor engineers and houses of worship to create natural sounding
64x64 MADI
„
individual headphone mixes. Its binaural algorithm is optimised for various 64x64 Dante/AES67
„
live sound applications and accompanied by powerful snapshot and scene Flexible audio conversion between all I/Os
„
management. Latest software updates provide easy to use equalisers, 44.1–96kHz
„
while additional remote tools for high end mixing consoles and 3D
loudspeaker rendering processors allow for flexible workflows.
With an intuitive user interface for PCs, tablets and smartphones,
KLANG:fabrik can be used by up to 16 musicians for personal monitoring.
For higher processing needs, several units can be controlled simultaneously
by the KLANG:app, which provides different views and specific features for
musicians and engineers to mix side by side.
As well as mixing monitors, the outputs can be used for immersive
headphone concerts, live streaming or studio production. In addition to
mixing, the unit provides flexible audio routing between ADAT, Dante/
AES67 and MADI. The second MADI port can function as either a second
input or as an output.
www.klang.com

December 2017 35
 Save the
Date
Conference 13 – 17
September 2018
Exhibition 14 – 18
September 2018
RAI, Amsterdam

IBC2018
Where the media, entertainment and
technology industry does business
Join over 1,700 exhibitors showcasing the latest technological
innovations, 400+ speakers delivering the latest industry insights
and over 57,000 attendees providing unlimited networking
opportunities at IBC’s annual conference and exhibition.

Add dates to your diary

show.ibc.org/savethedate
Follow us on social media for the latest news and updates
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show.ibc.org
 PRODUCT FOCUS
IMMERSIVE AUDIO

Amadeus PMX D Series speakers

Key Features
PMX D Series incorporates a newly refined Dante I/O
section, offering options for full integration with leading
third-party networking. Audio signals are selectable from 24/96 kHz DSP
„
Class-D Bi-amplification
„
one channel of analogue, two channels of AES3 digital, and
Analogue, AES3 and Dante I/O
„
two dual redundant Dante networked digital inputs, while
input signals are individually selectable for each channel.
Amadeus is the first company to include Audinate’s
Dante technology in a high-end active coaxial speaker
range. Each Dante Ethernet RJ-45 network input allows
remote control of the PMX D processor for an optimal
adjustment via dedicated software to the acoustical
properties of the listening space. The software is an app for
Mac, Apple iPad and Windows. a module dedicated to managing core system parameters
Each PMX D speaker channel is under control by a including system EQ, time alignment between sections,
powerful, 64-bit digital processing unit capable of a 118 dB limiting, and transducer thermal protection. Sennheiser AMBEO
dynamic range. Each of these on-board DSP units include www.amadeus-audio.com
VR Microphone

Neumann KU 100 dummy head The AMBEO VR Mic is an ambisonic microphone fitted with four
matched KE 14 capsules in a tetrahedral arrangement, which
allows capture of the surrounding sound from a single point. As a
The Neumann KU 100 dummy head is a unique result, users get fully spherical Ambisonics sound to match their
binaural stereo microphone. The design implements VR video/spherical 360 content, bringing a whole new emotional
two condenser microphones built into the experience to listeners.
ears of the head in order to replicate human The handheld microphone comes complete with a split cable
hearing and achieve authentic, true-to-life with four colour-coded and labelled XLR connectors according
stereo imagery and field perception. This is to the capsule position, a Rycote suspension mount and a foam
called binaural sound; when you listen to windshield. The elegantly designed AMBEO VR Mic has been
a binaural recording through headphones, developed in cooperation with VR content producers and fine-
you perceive distinct and genuine tuned through an extensive creators’ program with participants
360-degree sound. from across the audio and VR communities.
The dummy head is also used in many The product package includes all the necessary accessories
industrial applications as a measuring that allow for a smooth workflow – not least the A-B encoder
device, in acoustic research for example. software that works as a plugin, which can be embedded in the
The KU 100 can be operated with typical post-production process.
48 V phantom powering, or from an external en-uk.sennheiser.com
power supply unit, or from the built-in battery.
www.neumann.com
Key Features
Key Features Four matched KE 14 capsules in a tetrahedral arrangement
„
Raw output is converted into Ambisonics B-format
„
Proprietary A-B format encoder, available in VST and AAX plugins
„
Dummy head for head-related stereophony
„ Rycote suspension and new 1.5m extension cable included
„
Pressure transducer with flat diffuse-field frequency response
„
Loudspeaker compatible
„
Transformerless circuitry
„
Switchable 10 dB preattenuation
„
Balanced and unbalanced outputs (XLR and BNC)
„

December 2017 37
PRODUCT REVIEW www.audiomediainternational.com

AUDIO-
MICROPHONES TECHNICA
AT5047
Following a high-profile launch event at Real
World Studios in Bath, here is AMI’s review of
the company’s new condenser microphone

Key Features
Custom hard-shell carrying case
„
Frequency response: 20 – 20,000 Hz
„
Maximum input sound level: 148 dB SPL, 1 kHz at 1% T.H.D
„
Advanced internal shock mounting
„

RRP: £3,479 ($3,499)

www.audio-technica.com

38 December 2017

hile some of the major microphone
W manufacturers constantly relive
and revise their past glories,
Audio-Technica have often sought
to innovate, and the AT5047 under
review is a perfect example of this approach. The
immediately obvious difference between the AT5047
and almost all other large-diaphragm condenser
microphones is the shape of the capsule. Non-circular
transducers are not new and I have looked at those
produced by Pearl and Milab in the past - the Swedes
appear to be inordinately fond of this rectilinear format
- but this is the first I’ve looked at from a major player in
the microphone industry. Audio-Technica has previous
in this regard with their AT5040 model and so the latest
microphone is a member of a growing family.
There are some advantages to this transducer format
that you can easily work out with a bit of geometric
arithmetic - you can stick a bit more capsule surface
area in your basket and this has a practical impact on
the capabilities of the microphone. The AT5047 capsule
actually consists of four 2-micron rectangular capsules
which, according to Audio-Technica, gives it a combined
surface area twice that of a standard one-inch circular
diaphragm. This gives the microphone some advantages
overcoming troublesome diaphragm resonances and
with improved low noise performance.
The AT5047 is a transformer-based phantom
powered design, something that gives it quite a
different ‘sound’ to the sibling AT5040. This means
that the AT5047’s self-noise level is slightly higher - but
at 6dBSPL I’m not complaining. It has a fixed pattern
with no pad or low cut filters - the latter I rarely use
these days, preferring to cut rumble in the DAW after
the event. The microphone appears immune to entirely
loud noises pointed at it - the maximum SPL is 148 dB
at 1 kHz with 1% T.H.D. It’s a beautifully built thing of
aluminium and brass that weighs in at almost 600g and
feels like it will take the slings and arrows of outrageous
studio usage with ease.
The polar pattern presented by the permanently-
polarised squarial diaphragm is cardioid and like
other designs becomes more omnidirectional at lower
frequencies. This, of course, makes it very useful for
capturing vocals but perhaps less so on more diffuse
sources. In fact, the AT5047 behaves a little like a
shotgun mic in some respects, with a small ‘sweet
spot’ and with much lower levels of audio ingress from
the back and sides than most cardioid devices. This
meant that it was excellent for vocals in my not-so
treated space without the use of a rear absorber. The
downside of this directivity does mean that this is
not a multi-purpose use microphone. You couldn’t use
it for X/Y coincident or any spaced stereo recording
techniques - though it is fine as the centre microphone
for mid-side use, in this case with an AKG 414 in
figure of eight mode. However, this is not a criticism;
many microphones are designed for vocal or single
instrument use and here the AT5040 shows its mettle.
The specification sheet contains a handy polar pattern
graph showing how the AT5047’s cardioid nature
changes with frequency and my testing demonstrated
that it was a good indicator of how it behaves in the so-
called ‘real world’. In fact, the polar dispersion has more
in common with the 414’s hyper-cardioid pattern, albeit
with better off axis-rejection. It comes in a nice ABS
case with the unusual yet useable and robust AT8480
shock mount that provides excellent support and
allows the weighty microphone to be easily mounted
and removed. Audio-Technica say that the microphone
is hand assembled and the discrete component filled
circuit board is neat and well-constructed.
Comparison to my eighties and noughties Neumann
U87 and mid-nineties AKG 414 demonstrates that the
quality of the microphone extends from its build and
looks to its sonic abilities. It leans towards the more
clinical AKG sound than the Neumanns do, but the
lack of any particularly annoying resonances, peaks
or intrusive off axis reflections means that it takes
compression and equalisation better than most. A
brace of these microphones would be wonderful when
“On vocals, the AT5047 captures delicate
noises perfectly”
recording a string quartet - as long as the performers
stay relativity still that is! On vocals it captures delicate
noises perfectly - which works better for some singers
than others, of course - and, like the AKG 414 is possibly
more suited to female voices.
The microphone’s ability to withstand a Brünnhilde in
full Wagnerian vibrating sonic flight proving invaluable
during the review period session as did its low noise
when capturing a wispy singer-songwriter - the
directionality meant that her guitar spill into the vocal
microphone was well controlled. Again, like the AKG414,
the AT5047 in general leans towards the bright side
of neutral, making it perfect for capturing the natural
tone of instruments or environments. The microphone
excelled on spoken word, delivering all of the qualities
of a good ‘radio’ voice without emphasising undesirable
sibilance or nasality in the speaker. In fact, I’d go so far
to say that this is the best large-capsule condenser I’ve
used in this application and one that can retain these
qualities in a less than perfect acoustic environment.
I use an Audio-Technica AT4033 as an-outside-the
skin-bass-drum microphone which is, if I’m honest,
as good as a Neumann U47 FET, so I was keen to see
how the AT5047 shaped up to the task. The laser-like
directionality was a benefit here as I could point the
microphone right where I felt was the best sound from
the drum, while the ability to handle high SPL and the
extended frequency range also meant that I quickly
achieved a decent sound. The natural side and rear
acoustic suppression of the microphone meant that
pickup from the rest of the kit was reduced. These
advantages were also apparent when recording hi
PRODUCT REVIEW
hats, toms and snare - the microphone being especially
suited to capture delicate and dynamic brush drumming
without too much ingress from the cymbals, hats or
bass drum. Two AKG 414s and two AT5047s would suit
me just fine to record the sound of a natural drum kit.
The same qualities made the AT5047 also useful when
recording brass instruments, though woodwind did
present a few problems.
While the sound of the flute captured by the AT5047
was excellent, the natural movement of the player
meant that level variations were readily apparent -
though they were quite mobile! You don’t realise how
much musicians move around until you try and record
them with a microphone like the AT5047 - and don’t even
get me started on what Trombonists do. I even tried the
AT5047 as an ad-hoc boom mic and it proved a better
bet than my AKG414 in hyper cardioid mode. So the
AT5047 is actually quite a versatile microphone - just
not always in the applications you’d expect!
The microphone is specified to have a frequency
range of 20Hz to 20kHz with the inevitable fall off at the
high end, but the plot supplied gives a decent indication
where any troublesome frequencies may lie. The
AT5040’s internal shock mounting design is also present
in the AT5047 which, Audio-Technica say, decouples
the capsule from the microphone body, making the
microphone itself pretty immune to footfall, especially
when loaded into the neat shock mount. The AT5047 has
a 4dB drop in output sensitivity compared to its sister
microphone - which is probably a good thing as some
preamplifiers apparently struggled with the AT5040. I
threw the AT5047’s signal into the microphone inputs of
several audio interfaces and mixers without issue during
the testing period.
Audio-Technica are not always the first name that
comes to mind when choosing microphones, yet the
company have a strong reputation of innovation and
quality, with some of their models outperforming
competitors at many times the price. The AT5047
continues this tradition and, if you need to isolate or
record low-level audio or just want something that’s
different in the vocal, instrument or drum mic cupboard,
the AT5047 could be the microphone for you.
The Reviewer
Stephen Bennett
has been involved in music production for over 30
years. Based in Norwich, he splits his time between
writing books and articles on music technology,
recording and touring, and lecturing at the
University of East Anglia.
December 2017 39
 PRODUCT REVIEW
WAVEFORM
Alistair McGhee tests out this music production software from Tracktion
aveform is the latest incarnation of
W the software formerly known as
Tracktion - if you are an old hand
think of Waveform as Tracktion
8. The Tracktion Corporation has
a unique vision when it comes to their DAW and in
a word that is focus. The aim is to produce a digital
workstation totally focused on music production. So
out of the box we can say if you are looking for live
performance software or film scoring features then
Waveform is probably not right for you.
Musicians and music producers on the other hand
- step right in. Focus is also the word that describes
Tracktion’s vision for Waveform’s interface, which is
a serious attempt to find innovative solutions to the
challenge of presenting comprehensive control options
without overwhelming the user with feature bloat and
menu madness. And focus on the code means Waveform
runs on Windows, MacOS and Linux and even allegedly a
Raspberry Pi - seriously lean and nimble code.
I first came across Tracktion as a giveaway with a
Mackie interface back in version 2 so stepping into
version 8 is a radical shakeup for me. While for those who
have followed the Tracktion journey Waveform will seem
more like evolution. New in Waveform is the mixer panel
- previously Tracktion offered mixing at the track ends
i.e. in a vertical view but now we have a more conventional
mix panel which can be resized or even detached and
dragged onto another monitor. I like the fact that you
don’t have faders as such but click anywhere under the
fader ‘line’ and you effectively grab the control, nice.
Alongside the mixer panel - the midi editor is now
able to be popped out and dragged to a second screen
- which will be a boon to those who have struggled
to make precise midi edits in previous versions of
Tracktion. In fact Waveform comes loaded with
features that aim to make music making easier,
more flexible and more musical! Probably the best
example is the pattern generator - with four basic
patterns available: Arpeggio, Chords, Bassline and
Melody. Pattern generation isn’t going to write you a
hit record but it is going to save you a load of time and
make things like transposition a damn sight easier.
The pattern generator even offers statistical help
in offering the most popular options to go with your
chord progression so far.
It’s like having Benny from Axis of Awesome giving
you chord advice every step of the way, it’s awesome.
40 December 2017
Talking of steps, Waveform has a comprehensive
step sequencer with loads of options and you can
programme it directly in the timeline for instant
feedback and control. For a musical struggler like me
Waveform helps me find a place to start and holds my
hand from there - for you musical geniuses the start is
all you might need.
I love the multiple synced browsers - if you have a
collection of loops, homemade or otherwise, then you
can open multiple browse windows which preview in sync
with each other. And if you find say three or four separate
loops that you want to add then a simple drag-and-drop
delivers the whole batch to the time line in one operation.
This is one of the features that prompts a ‘why didn’t I
think of that before’ kind of response. It is obvious and
simultaneously very clever and a big time saver.
If your vocals need a little help with tuning - and mine
certainly do then you can take advantage of Waveform’s
built in access to Melodyne Essential. For time
stretching and warping you also get a big name process,
in this case Zplane’s Elastique Pro. So there is plenty of
the good stuff on board.
One feature that really marks out the ambition of
Waveform is scripting. This isn’t a new feature but is one
that sets Waveform aside as a power tool. In use scripting
can be as simple or as complex as you like. Open the
Keyboard Shortcuts editor in Settings and you can see
every keyboard shortcut the system has to offer.
In this short review there’s a tonne of stuff I haven’t
covered - comping, freezing, clip-based effects, ghost
www.audiomediainternational.com
SOFTWARE
Key Features
Multi-browser to preview multiple audio samples at once
„
New MIDI composition tools
„
Supports all major plugin and loop varieties
„
RRP: £99,00 ($99,00)
www.tracktion.com
tracks and more. All in all Waveform is a bargain for
music composition, it’s not trying to do everything - it
is doing music-based stuff really well. With the widest
platform availability and updates like this that add
heavy weight features added to a ground breaking
front end and a very very attractive price, I’d say
Waveform should be gaining ‘tracktion’ in the DAW
market in a big way.
The Reviewer
Alistair McGhee
began audio life in Hi-Fi before joining the BBC as
an audio engineer. After 10 years in radio and TV, he
moved to production. When BBC Choice started, he
pioneered personal digital production in television.
Most recently, Alistair was assistant editor, BBC Radio
Wales and has been helping the UN with broadcast
operations in Juba.
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PRODUCT REVIEW www.audiomediainternational.com

L-ACOUSTICS
SYVA Andy Coules reviews this brand new
medium throw colinear source system

-Acoustics have expanded their range of

Key Features
L loudspeaker systems to include a new medium
142 dB max SPL down to 35 Hz
„
35 m throw capability
„
L-Acoustics line source heritage
„
Plug-and-play package
„
RRP: SYVA: £5,105 ($6,686)
SYVA LOW: £2,290 ($2,999)
SYVA BASE: £240 ($314)
SYVA SUB: £1,670 ($2,187)
LA4X Amplifier: £4,455 ($5,835)
www.l-acoustics.com
LOUDSPEAKERS
throw colinear source system known as Syva.
It slots neatly between the X and P series short
throw point source systems and the ARCS
series medium throw line source systems while borrowing
some technology from their top of the range K series long
throw line source systems.
The Syva system currently comprises three elements,
the Syva, Syva Low and Syva Sub. In its standard
configuration the Syva slots into the Syva Low, which can
then be supplemented by the Syva Sub for extended low
end coverage. The usual mounting options are available
including a rigging bar (for hanging), pole mounting, wall
mounting and a base plate for floor mounting.
At first glance it looks much like any other column
loudspeaker system but closer inspection reveals a
unique and rather pleasing curve to the middle of the
column which mimics the J curve utilised by line source
systems. What they’ve essentially done is place the
individual LF, MF and HF elements of a single line array
box into a neat floor standing package that doesn’t
require any tricky configuration of individual speaker
elements to get it up and running.
The Sub contains one 12” transducer whereas the Low
has two (vertically mounted), both are 84.9cm tall and
have an AutoConnect socket on the top surrounded by
four neodymium magnets into which the Syva column
neatly slots (and is held firmly in place). The audio
connection comes via a single NL4 speakon connector at
the base which provides signal to both units from an LA4X,
LA8 or LA12X amplifier. The Low goes down to 40Hz and
is capable of delivering levels up to 137 while the Sub goes
down to 37Hz with levels up to 128dB.
The Syva is 130.1cm tall and sports four 5” MF
transducers above which are three 1.75” compression
drivers arranged in the J curved section of the column
topped off by two more 5” MF units. This configuration
of drivers forms the colinear source which focuses
the energy towards the back of the audience while
providing down-fill coverage to the front. The
directivity pattern is tightly controlled in the vertical
plane at just 26° (+5/-21°) with ultra wide horizontal
coverage of 140°and an extended throw up to 35
metres. It has a usable bandwidth of 87Hz to 20kHz and

42 December 2017

is capable of delivering levels up to 137dB.
Various configurations of the three units are possible,
for instance one LA4X amplifier could power two columns
each comprising a Syva and Syva Low or one column
augmented by two Subs or four Syvas. The system that
was demonstrated to me was powered by two LA4X
amplifiers which drove two columns comprising Syva
and Syva Low elements complimented by four Subs.
(You can power a column/sub combo from one channel so
“It sounded great straight out the box and was
smooth and even across the whole spectrum”
essentially this would be one column plus three subs.)
We started by listening to pre-recorded music with the
subs turned off and I was instantly impressed with a
sound that was clear, crisp and punchy. It sounded great
straight out of the box and was smooth and even across
the whole spectrum, handling various different styles of
music equally well. We then turned on the subs and my
first impression was that they were a bit superfluous to
requirements, adding a modicum of infra sound to bolster
the bottom end. But I soon realised they were capable of
delivering the kind of deep sub particularly favoured in
dance music and the kind of rock that likes to impart the
visceral experience of feeling the thud of the kick drum in
your chest and thus is able to provide the kind of bottom
end not normally heard on a system of this size. The
volume of the system was also impressive considering
the size, the clarity remained consistent as the level
increased as did the coverage. The pattern control was
pleasantly even down to about 300Hz and while the room
I was in wasn’t large enough to test the throw capabilities,
it was quite clear it was capable of delivering wide and
even coverage over a relatively large area. In terms of
practicality the units are all relatively light, the Low, Sub
and Syva are 29, 27 and 21 Kg respectively.
I also tested the stability of the units and found that
when fitted with base plates they could be pushed to
about 20° before they felt like they would topple, which
is quite a serious nudge under any circumstances. The
magnets holding the Syva in place on the Syva Low are
surprisingly strong, when trying to prise them apart I had
to stand on the base plate because it felt like I was going
to lift the whole lot up. I would be very wary of placing
them on the floor because once you get a few bodies in
even the brilliant colinear dispersion is going to struggle
to get over the head of the crowd, L-Acoustics themselves
recommend that the system be stage mounted.
The additional mounting options coupled with the
PRODUCT REVIEW
scalability of the system means you can cover an
extremely wide range of applications and the simplicity
of connection makes it easy to deploy just about
anywhere, I particularly like the idea of using the Syva
units as quick and easy balcony fills. L-Acoustics are
also keen to stress the elegant and sleek design, back
in July they deployed 22 units into various levels of the
Louvre in Paris for the Louis Vuitton fashion show. The
norm at such events is that you’re asked to hide the
speakers but the organisers liked the look of Syva so
much they chose to feature the distinctive columns
among the white statues and elegant hallways.
When trying to place them in the context of other
speaker systems it’s hard to resist the temptation to
compare them to the many column systems out there
but I don’t feel that’s a fair comparison. L-Acoustics have
succeeded in squeezing the capabilities of a compact
line array into a column sized package while somehow
managing to deliver clarity, volume and dispersion
characteristics way beyond its humble size.
The Reviewer
Andy Coules
is a sound engineer and audio educator who has
toured the world with a diverse array of acts in a
wide range of genres.
December 2017 43
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UNIVERSAL AUDIO PLUG INS
Stephen Bennett reviews a quintet of Universal Audio plugins...
niversal Audio (UA)’s soft ware/plugin
U combo UAD has come a long way since
the early PCI-based add-on cards that
were designed to add some Digital
Signal Processing (DSP) grunt to the
underpowered computer of the day. Now on version 9.3,
the hardware choice available consists of devices with
PCIe or Thunderbolt, Firewire and USB connectivity as
well as UA’s excellent Apollo interfaces that allow you
to use UAD plugins in real time.
The UAD suite under review adds four of what UA call
its ‘direct developer’ plugins (which are designed by their
direct developer partners), and one from UA themselves.
The first of the new quintet is the UAD version of
Sonnox’s Oxford Dynamic EQ. This was reviewed in
its ‘native’ format in AMI’s September 2017 edition, so
have a look there for a more detailed description of its
features. I can confirm that it works in precisely the same
fashion as the ‘native’ version and sounds identical - as a
phase-reversal comparison demonstrated. One of UA’s
claims regarding the accuracy of their emulation is the
close working relationship they have with the original
manufacturers and having access to their “golden units”
and algorithms must pay dividends with those plugins
based on digital technology. But when the emulation is
a mixture of analogue and digital the situation becomes
more complex. Many people like the ‘sound’ of digital
processors because of the ‘colour’ imparted by the
analogue input and output chain, so to emulate such
devices effectively, both sides of the audio coin must
be addressed.
The revered AMS RMX16 was an early digital reverb
whose processing power seems laughable against that of
a typical smartphone. Yet they were used on countless hit
records by many respected engineers and represented
an excellent use of limited processing power, clever
algorithms and high end analogue circuitry. Developed by
Mark Crabtree, the original designer, one might expect
the emulation to be pretty close to the original. I was
never lucky enough to own an AMS unit, but I do have a
lot of recordings that were processed by one and still
have the original instruments used. Listening back to
these the similarities with the original unit are uncanny,
the room, plate and nonlinear I used most (hey! It was the
‘80s) capturing the ‘vibe’ of the AMS perfectly. AMS-Neve
throws in presets created by the likes of Steve Levine, but
to be honest, the AMS is so simple to use you don’t really
need the guiding hands of audio giants to build useful
programmes. The 1982 KORG SDD-3000 13-bit Digital
Delay was a key component to U2’s guitar sound made
famous by The Edge and UA claim that the UAD version
is an end-to-end emulation. If you’re after a versatile, yet
sonically interesting delay, then you may just have found
what you’re looking for. The SDD-3000 features the then-
amazing one second delay time and modulation effects,
both syncable to the DAW’s tempo.
The Dytronics Cyclosonic Panner is something I’ve
never come across before. It’s an emulation of a 1984
vintage analogue modulation and panning processor
that features autopanning, ‘3D’ panning and a gate for
trigger panning. That’s a lot of panning. Usefully it can also
synchronise to the DAW tempo. Comparing the sound to
PRODUCT REVIEW
PLUGINS
Key Features
Sonnox Oxford Dynamic EQ
„
„
AMS RMX16
„
SDD-3000
„
Dytronics Cyclosonic Panner
„
ENGL Savage 120
RRP: £115 - £249 ($151 - $327)
www.uaudio.com
the bog-standard autopan in my DAW makes it apparent
that the plugin definitely adds a certain mojo to the sound
and when you were one of the few people in the world
using the original hardware, it’s sonic idiosyncrasies were
probably worth the price of entry. But now everyone with a
UAD DSP processer can have one, it’s probably not so cool.
However, kudos to Universal Audio for digging out these
relatively obscure processors - I would not be without my
UAD Cooper Time Cube now.
One of the challenges of reviewing UAD’s plugins is
trying to track down the original of the hardware being
emulated. Luckily one of my colleagues has an ENGL
Savage 120 Amplifier so I was able to do some direct
recorded comparisons of the plugin version versus the
amplifier itself. We’ve come a long way since I strapped
Rockman on to my belt for a simulation of that Delta Blues
sound and, if you are turning the volume up to 11, the ‘real
thing’ still definitely has the edge - but I’d challenge all but
the most geeky listeners to try and distinguish a recording
of the ENGL Savage 120 emulation from the amplifier
mic’d up in a decent sounding room. You’d ideally need a
near-zero latency UAD Apollo interface to use these in
real-time, but I managed to record useable guitar parts
using my usual interface. Until quantum computing offers
a significant increase in real-time audio processing (or
doing it in the past - the quantum world is like that) add-on
DSP hardware is here to stay and UAD are demonstrating
that they are still at the top of that particular game.
The Reviewer
Stephen Bennett
has been involved in music production for over 30
years. Based in Norwich, he splits his time between
writing books and articles on music technology,
recording and touring, and lecturing at the
University of East Anglia.
December 2017 45
 BACKBEAT www.audiomediainternational.com

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FROM THE PRO AUDIO WORLD

Here are some of the best tweets from the month of November. Keep tweeting if you want to be featured in the next issue...
WEAREROBOTS @WEAREROBOTSOTB . Nov 6 PRS Foundation @PRSFoundation . Nov 2 Katie Tavini @KatieTavini . Nov 18
A HUGE thank you to everyone involved for a great )DVFLQDWLQJGLVFXVVLRQRQWKH)XWXUHRI:RPHQ *X\V,·PREVHVVHGZLWKP\QHZ,'WKDQN\RXVR
few days at :($5(52%276ɕ# ɓ WUXPDQEUHZHU\ɕ - we LQWKH0XVLF,QGXVWU\DWɓ@WEAREROBOTSOTBɕ PXFK@AudientWorld
FRXOGQ·WKDYHGRQHLWZLWKRXW\RX IHDWXULQJ6WHIDQLD3DYORXRIɓ@PRSforMusicɕZKR
discusses the UK Music Diversity Report - she says
WKHUHDUHDODFNRIUROHPRGHOVLQVHQLRUSRVLWLRQV

1 6 22 1 17 38

Genelec @Genelec . Nov 16 RAVENNA_Network @RAVENNA_Network . Nov 23 21

6WDURIWKHɓ#,QWHUB%((ɕVKRZLVDMDZGURSSLQJ 2Q1RYHPEHUWK#PHUJLQJBWHFK and @AESorg

V\VWHPEDVHGRQ7KH2QHVɓJHQHOHFɕ )UDQFHFDPHWRJHWKHUWRKRVWDFRQIHUHQFHRQ
Synthax Audio @Synthax Audio . Nov 17

ɓ JHQHOHFɕɓ JHQHOHFɕ
ɓ *HQHOHFB-DSDQ #AudioOnIP at the @SAE_France
Very pleased to report that the @LautenAudio Eden
LT-386 won the #PLORFRVWXGLRVVKRZFDVHPLF
shootout last night.

3 5 2 3

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

PRO SPOTLIGHT
Each month AMI features a pro audio professional from a range of disciplines
to find out how they got their start in the industry and what they’ve worked on...
What do you do? produced, recorded and mixed at The Park Studio over
I’m a recording and mix engineer, producer and a month last year.
studio owner.
What is your favourite item of audio gear and why?
How did you get into the industry? My 1950s Silvertone 1336 Amp. It has an incredibly
I was an apprentice furniture maker with a passion for warm vintage tone, and gives character to whatever
music production. I started helping out a local live sound goes through it.
company in the evenings after work and the owner of
the company had a little studio at the back of his house What industry professional inspired you the most to
where I would help out from time to time. do what you do?
The engineer who’s creative philosophy I find most
What are some of your credits? inspirational is Sylvia Massy.
Powell, Sport (mix engineer).
The Pearl Harts, Glitter and Spit (producer and engineer).

What was your favourite project and why?

TOBIN JONES One of my recent favourites was the Swedish Death
Candy album (pictured and scannable, right), which I

46 December 2017
 Reaching beyond,
obtaining new heights,
achieving a higher level of listening.
This is what drives Audio-Technica in the creation
of our transducers and audio solutions.
It is a perpetual quest to produce a sound experience that

transcends
expectations and gives listeners the deeper connection
to their music.