Headphone Amplifiers – New Technical Article Added

Visit the Technical Articles section for an article about the various flavors of headphone amplifier. A lot of them look alike, but there are important differences in the number of actual inputs and outputs and how the inputs are mixed to the individual headphone outputs. Check it out if you’re in a quandary or can’t figure out how to get what you want out of the headphone amplifier that you have.

Direct link

Sony Creative Software Releases Sound Forge Pro for Mac

Sound Forge has long been my personal go-to program for stereo editing, fine tuning (some call it “mastering”) and program assembly. Initially designed as a sample editor back in the dark ages, it’s grown to be a very versatile and stable editor that’s intuitive and easy to use. It’s always been a PC program, but now there’s a Mac version. It’s not just an OS-X makeover, but Sony has customized it in a few ways to be more favorable to the Mac interface and workflow. It’s still not a DAW, but it’s capable of handling multi-channel audio projects such as surround mixes.

Highlights include:

• A new editing user interface designed specifically for OS X, with dedicated viewing panels for the ideal workflow experience when recording, monitoring, editing, applying plug-in processing, and browsing for content.

• Mastering and restoration tools including Mastering Effects Bundle by iZotope™ — a suite of six essential audio mastering plug-ins: EQ, Multiband Compressor, Exciter, Imager, Limiter, and Reverb, Denoiser, Declicker and Declipper-an iZotope exclusive.

• Records and processes audio files up to 192 kHz sample rate. 64-bit internal processing, handles up to 32-channel files

Price is $300 for the packaged version, a download will save you $30, and there’s a free trial version available for downloading.

For further details, visit the Sony Creative Software Sound Forge Mac web page.

Alva Nanoface Review Added

Alva Nanoface Review  – This is a new multichannel USB audio interface with an elegant industrial design and good sound, too. Check it out on the Product Reviews page

New Technical Artcle Added – Using a Stereo Microphone

Actually, this is an old article which I thought I had posted here some time ago, but when I wanted to point someone to it, I discovered that I had never added it to the list of Technical Articles. It’s here now. It was originally written for Studio Projects as an application note for their LSD-2 stereo mic and it covers X-Y and M-S setups and manipulations.

CES Registration Now Open

CES (formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show) is a fun show. I’ve posted a few full reports and some informal daily observations of thing of interest. The high end audio section is a hoot, and it pays to keep up with what the high tech consumers will be buying next.

In recent years, it’s been the week before the NAMM show, so I’d hit both with one trip. This year, they’re two weeks apart and I can’t afford to make two trips or hang out for an extra week, so I’ll probably not attend CES this year. But you can. Registration is free until August 31, and nearly anyone interested enough to visit this web page can qualify for a badge.

It’s in Las Vegas, January 8-11. If you’re near there or want to go there, give it some thought. Maybe this will be YOUR year to write a report. Get further details and fill out the registration form on line here. If you’re a big time blogger yourself, you can register as press (you need to show them that you have more than 1000 independent visitors a month) and get a free lunch if you get to the press room at the right time.

New Old Moog Analog Delay

I don’t usually plug new products, but I don’t mind plugging the introduction of a recreation by the original maker (OK, you can argue that Bob Moog is no longer alive but his company lives on) of an old product that’s become a hard to find classic,

Today  Moog Music Inc. announced the release of its newest Moogerfooger Analog Effects Module, the MF-104M Analog Delay. It’s an update of a classic Moog pedal that retains all of the characteristics of the original plus significant feature and function upgrades not found in other analog delay units.

The Classic MF-104, released in 2000, was designed by synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog. It utilized a special “Bucket Brigade” analog delay chip that allowed the delay pedal to remain completely analog. Unfortunately, the supply of these chips was limited and the final MF-104 was sold in 2001. In 2005 Moog offered two limited reissues of the Classic MF-104; the MF-104Z and the extremely rare MF-104SD, of which only 250 were made.

The new MF-104M features an all-analog signal path with 800ms of all analog delay time, 6 Waveshape LFO, Dedicated Tap Tempo switch assignable to Delay Time or LFO Rate, MIDI control and recall of every function, and Spillover Mode which has been the most popular modification to the MF-104. It uses the same vintage Bucket Brigade chips found in the Classic MF-104 and faithfully recreates the sound of its coveted predecessors. In addition, the MF-104M includes a number of customer requested feature and function upgrades.

This is probably going ot be the end of production for this effect processor once their stock of bucket brigade chips is exhausted. Get ‘em while you can.

How The Ear Works – A recommended read

Every now and then, I run across an article worth sharing. This comes from Sound on Sound author Emmanuel Deruty which I received via he Universal Audio newsletter. It’s a clear and easy to read explanation of how we hear and how our ears mangle audio worse than any studio processor and we still manage to get it right – or at least we accept what our brain tells us is what’s out there. Check it out here. And thanks to Universal Audio, too, for their informative blog/newsletter..