Counting Manic Street Preachers, Goldfrapp, Hot Chip and Bat for Lashes on his resume, producer and sound engineer David Wrench has added a pair of Unity Audio Rock MkII monitors to his London studio.

‘I’m a huge Rock’s fan and bought my first pair a while ago,’ he admits. ‘They’re different to any of my existing monitors – I use three different sets of monitor in order to get a good contrast. The Rocks low mid is excellent and that’s an area where I find a lot of smaller speakers tend to struggle and it’s such an important frequency band.’

Mixing in 7.1 surround, he added a further five Rock monitors to complete a 7.1 live backing track mix for Frank Ocean: ‘I heard the mix results on a huge festival PA system and once again there were no nasty surprises, perfect translation from the studio to the stage,’ he reports.

Wrench began his career in the 1990s, after being inspired by dance music, and in 1990 released the first Welsh–language acid house 12-inch, ‘Lledrith Lliw’, as Nid Madagascar. He has since released a sporadic sequence of albums under his own name and has gone on to become a multi-award-winning producer and engineer.

Unity Audio’s Rock MkII claims ‘audiophile performance’ from a compact footprint. An active design , it is equipped with a 100W discrete bi-polar low feedback amplifier with custom-wound transformers. Drivers comprise a 50kHz folded ribbon tweeter and 180mm woofer with a 0.2mm aluminium cone, giving a frequency response of 37Hz–38kHz (±3dB).

More: www.unityaudioproducts.co.uk

DPA Microphones’ new Chinese language website delivers product information, Microphone University articles, company news and content of specific relevance to the Chinese pro audio market.

‘China is a very important market for us, but its sheer size does make it challenging,’ explains DPA APAC Office MD, Ken Kimura. ‘To be successful in this market, you need more than great products – you also need to get closer to your customers by providing them with relevant information in their own language. Our new website will help us achieve this by making it easy for Chinese audio professionals to identify the best DPA microphone for their needs. We know we have an exceptional range of high end products and we believe this new resource will significantly benefit our existing and potential customers.’

Kimura believes the website will also increase direct support to DPA’s distributor, Digital Media Technology (DMT), and its sales network.

‘DPA is known worldwide for its Microphone University, which provides educational content to its website visitors,’ says DMT MD, Clement Choi. ‘The company’s deep knowledge of pro audio applications gives it a special position in the market as its product development takes everything possible into consideration to deliver perfect microphone solutions. Having Microphone University available in Chinese will allow this knowledge to be spread to even more people, and this will greatly assist our sales efforts in China.’

Along with regular product descriptions, the site will offer landing pages dedicated to each product range, as well as segments for broadcast, music recording, live sound, installation and other disciplines. These pages will show pictures, videos and more to illustrate how DPA mics can solve the challenges of miking various sound sources, including traditional Chinese instruments.

The Gus Dudgeon Foundation and JAMES (Joint Audio Media Education Support) are to hold their joint Summer Course from 11 to 15 July at Leeds Beckett University.

The fifth Summer Course since its inauguration, this year sees producer Mark Hutchinson tutor 12 of the finest undergraduate students from JAMES accredited music technology and production courses through five days of recording on both analogue and digital systems.

The students will also benefit from the attendance of Ken Scott as ‘host’ at Leeds Beckett. Widely known for his work with The Beatles, Elton John, Pink Floyd, David Bowie and Supertramp, Scott will be ‘dropping in’ during the week and to award the student prize at the end of the course. Universities represented by students are De Montfort Leicester, Abertay, Huddersfield, Hertfordshire, Anglia Ruskin, Lincoln, New Bucks, University of South Wales, Derby, LIPA, Leeds Beckett and University of Central Lancashire.

Mark Hutchinson is an experienced producer, engineer, education practitioner and musician. He has worked extensively with acoustic music, pop, rock as well as classical, Indian and jazz. He has worked with award-winning artists and legends of the folk scene and his work has reached a Top 10 status on several occasions in the UK national charts.

‘We’re thrilled to be holding this year’s GDF Summer Course here at Leeds Beckett University as it allows our students to meet and network with those from the other JAMES accredited courses,’ says Dr Steve Parker, Principal Lecturer in Music Technology and Production at Leeds Beckett. ‘Getting to work with some of their peers from other HE institutions and professional practitioners adds to their skills and knowledge and enables them to continue to work over the summer in a creative environment. Having Ken Scott host this year’s course will give them an unique insight into how Gus worked and the opportunity to listen to some of his original multi-track recordings.’

Sponsors for the event are supplying a selection of equipment for use on the recording. Among them are Unity Audio, Unity Rock (close-field monitors), Source Distribution (API the Box console, API Lunch Box and Genelec 8351 monitors) and Solid State Logic ( a full set of SSL plug-ins for the Student of the Week prize).

The Electrodyne Summing Station is an active 16-channel summing mixer with stereo insert and monitoring controls.

Inspired by 1970s large-format console summing sections, the Summing Station uses Electrodyne-designed transformers that offer a choice of ‘vintage warm’ or tight and punchy modern sound characteristics. The unit also houses a comprehensive monitoring section, which includes a choice of Main and Alt monitors as well as four different input sources including Mix, Artist Cue over XLR and external players via a mini-jack connection. A Control Room listen enables artists hear control room sources for playback and rehearsal,s while a talkback microphone is included for communication between engineer and artists.

As a complement to the Electrodyne 501 and 511 500-Series preamp and EQ modules, the Summing Station extends the availability of the equipment that shapedthe sound of Motown and Stax Studios and Sound City in the 1960s and 70s.

The Electrodyne Summing Station is available to order in the UK from KMR Audio and retails at £2,249.17 ex VAT (£2,699 inc VAT).

German high-end studio processor specialist elysia has released the mpressor 500, extending its line of 500 Series hardware.

Bringing the powerful rack-mount mpressor compressor to the fashionable 500 series standard, the mpressor 500 combines punch with a full and detailed class-A sound. Its tone and flexibility make it useful in both recording and mixing, while special features take it beyond the remit of conventional compressors.

Extreme time constants, negative ratios, Anti Log release, and elysia’s proprietary gain reduction limiter provide a spectrum of unique dynamics shaping options. A new feature of the 500 series module is its switchable THD Boost, allowing on-the-fly signal coloration and saturation effects capable of delivering a different, grittier flavour.

‘It’s been a challenge to transfer such a sophisticated discrete design into the 500 series form factor,’ says elysia Head of Development, Ruben Tilgner. ‘But, after using and listening to the final version of the mpressor 500, we are truly pleased with what we have achieved.’

The mpressor 500 is made in Germany, using top-quality components, gold-plated PCBs, a rugged 4mm aluminium front panel, and solid aluminium knobs. It is available from any elysia dealer for US$749 MAP (US$805 MSRP) or €500 net (plus VAT where applicable), and is shipping now.

More: www.elysia.eu

Founded by Daniel Saiz, Alicante’s Estudio Sacramento has been operating as a commercial recording studio for 20 years, and has recently installed a 48-channel SSL Duality δelta SuperAnalogue console. ‘It is like an injection of adrenalin for my business,’ says Saiz.

The founder and ongoing owner recalls that when he first started the studio, it was rare for a high-end facility to be located so far away from Spain’s traditional centres of music production in Madrid and Barcelona. ‘I fought to keep the studio in Alicante, my home town,’ he recalls. Eventually he proved that combining the right service and equipment, and the lure of the location was a winning strategy.

Eventide’s Precision Time Align is a high-precision sub-sample delay that can slide a track forward or backwards in time for critical engineering tasks such as combining multiple tracks of a single instrument, compensating for phasing from different microphones, or aligning audio segments for a tracking-only session

Precision Time Align will help to achieve perfectly synchronised double-tracked recordings, eliminating timing anomalies and phase issues from a mix – it is especially effective on multi-miked drums, vocals and instruments. Problems incurred when recording drums, an electric guitar cabinet or vocals with more than one mic are quickly eliminated by Precision Time Align. Phase anomalies like comb filtering and low-frequency attenuation are easily eliminated using Precision Time Align.

Where DAWs allow for time-alignment on a sample level, Precision Time Align is 64x more accurate at sliding tracks forward or backwards in time.

Precision Time Align is part of the Anthology X bundle and also available as part of the Eventide Ensemble subscription package.

More: www.eventideaudio.com

Eventide has announced Quadravox, a four-voice, diatonic pitch shifting plug-in for VST/AU/AAX.

Developed using technology from Eventide’s flagship H8000FW studio processor, Quadravox includes per-voice controls for delay, detuning, panning and feedback to create everything from harmonies to sequences.

A fully functional 30-day demo version is available, and Quadravox is included in the Anthology X bundle or with the Ensemble subscription package.

Quadravox requires Mac OS-X 10.7+, Windows 7 & 8 or AAX, AU, VST platform. No iLok dongle.

More: http://eventideaudio.com

Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, has made a Rupert Neve Designs 5088 mixing console the centrepiece of its largest recording studio.

Evergreen operates four music technology media labs fitted with a wide range of equipment new and old. ‘We still teach students analogue recording practices with tape, which really complements the digital production structure,’ says the college’s Head of Electronic Media, Peter Randlette.

The school also has a number of large, acoustically complex production spaces, a band room with an iso booth, a recital hall with raked seating, and a THX video theatre space. The 32-channel 5088 is equipped with six Shelford 5052 mic preamp/EQs, eight Shelford 5051 EQ/compressors, eight Portico 5033 EQs, four Portico 5032 mic preamp/EQs, six Portico 5015 mic preamp/compressors, and Rupert Neve Designs’ proprietary SwiftMix moving fader automation.

‘The biggest consideration was ergonomics,’ Randlette says. ‘You can’t sit at the front of some consoles and reach the EQs. And I love the clarity of the [5088’s] signal flow, in terms of teaching students fundamental principles of recording and production. It’s really straightforward – that doesn’t mean it isn’t potentially complex, but it “feels” really good – and the sound has been wonderful.

‘The quality of the physical fader control is outstanding – and the Portico modules all sound really good,’ he continues. ‘Coming from a synthesiser background, I love an EQ where over a certain level you start to “hear” the filter. These sound really good; not ringy or nasal. They don’t stick out.’

As well as mixing, the 5088 is also used to educate the students on the sonic differences that analogue summing can make: ‘My students have been experimenting with bouncing from “the box” with Digital Performer, Logic and Pro Tools vs. the 5088 as summing… and oh my God! It’s hard to explain something so clear, but I think the high-frequency transients are not as coloured, so the stereo imaging is just clearer – it’s something I don’t think I’ve experienced with other consoles.’

Located in Tempe, Arizona, FiveThirteen was built in 2006 by Catherine Vericolli and Jeff Harris to support the Phoenix independent music scene. The studio’s initial ambition was to provide a professional and affordable space for local bands and musicians in what is now it's a Room. The B Room mixing suite was added in 2010 to accommodate session overflow.

Still the facility’s flagship, the A Room has recently seen the installation of a 32-channel Rupert Neve Designs 5088 analogue mixing console, loaded with Portico 5012, 5033, 5043 and Shelford 5051 modules.

It seems to have become a common misconception that guitar fuzz boxes and distortion pedals predate more eloquent effects, such as phasing and flanging.

OK, tremolo and spring reverb were originally guitar amp features, and fuzz and distortion evolved from damaged loudspeakers, impedance mismatches and voltage sag. But effects that were developed in the recording studio are the result of earlier experimentation, exploration and serendipity.

Focal has released the Listen Professional headphone model for music production.

Listen Professional are over-ear closed back headphones with a head-band boasting comfort and durability – it’s curve remains consistent, regardless of the shape or size of the user’s head. Combined with the layer of silicone underneath the headband, this ensures that the weight is spread evenly over the head, preventing pressure in any specific area.

Focal drew inspiration from the research carried out when developing Elear and Utopia headphones on a real miniature full-range speaker driver. This time, the speaker driver has been given a 100% Mylar suspension, whereas the central dome is composed of a Mylar/Titanium alloy to provide more rigidity and extended frequency response in the upper end of the spectrum. Thus, the moving part is extremely light, enabling the transducer to exceed 40kHz on a flat baffle. The reproduction of the bass and sub-bass registers combines a tuning frequency which is as low as possible, with extremely low distortion (0.3% at 1kHz – 100dB).

Microfibre provides a more linear bass register and favors acoustic output, whereas the acoustic tissue, which is closer to the speaker driver, offers great absorption and linearity in the 3-9kHz register. The bass and also the lower mid-range registers claim tonal balance and articulation where compression and frequency response generally suffer on closed-back headphones. The upper mid-range has great precision and high definition in order to emphasize any imperfections in the equalization or the adjustment of the levels of the various tracks in relation to one another.

Listen Professional headphones come in a rigid carrying case is supplied with the headphones. Relatively compact, it ensures a high level of protection against impacts. There’s also room for a cable and an iLok key. Two low impedance OFC cables are also supplied – a 16ft (5m) coiled cable with 3.5mm jack plugs at each end for professional use, with a 3.5mm to 6.35mm jack adapter provided for using the headphones on a mixing console or audio interface. A second, straight cable (4.5ft/1.4m) equipped with a multi-function remote control and an omni-directional microphone is supplied for using Listen Professional with a smartphone. Both of these cables feature a locking mechanism to prevent the cables from accidentally becoming disconnected.

Listen Professional headphones are now shipping, US street price of US$299.

More: www.focal.com/en/headphones-0/headphones

Focusrite has launched the Clarett OctoPre, an eight-channel mic preamp with A/D and D/A conversion, joining the company’s Clarett range of audio interfaces, and other interfaces that include Adat optical I/O.



The Clarett OctoPre offers eight of the Clarett range’s Air-enabled mic preamps – the Air effect emulates the transformer-coloured sound of Focusrite’s ISA range of heritage mic preamps. The preamps include extensive headroom for drums and other high-level signals. The rear panel inputs switch automatically between mic and line in and there are also two DI inputs on the front panel. The Air effect can be switched in or out on a per-channel basis and phantom power is also provided, switchable in two groups of four channels.



Each channel features a balanced path from input to output plus a front-panel switchable electronically-balanced relay-bypassed insert point allowing EQ, compression or other analogue processing to be left connected and brought into play with the push of a button. In addition to being fed to the A/D converter, the input channels are also available at the analogue outputs, from where they can, for example, be routed to a live mixing console while at the same time capturing the inputs digitally. The analogue outputs, which appear on a rear-panel DB25 wired to the AES59 standard, can alternatively be switched to pick up the Adat inputs via the D/A converters.

Precision digital conversion offers 24-bit operation at sample rates up to 192kHz. Both A/D and D/A converters measure a dynamic range of 118dB.Two Adat input and two output ports are provided, allowing the Clarett OctoPre to carry eight channels of I/O at sample rates of up to 96kHz and four channels at 176.4/192kHz. The Clarett OctoPre syncs either to external Adat or Word Clock, or may be clocked internally, and features JetPLL jitter elimination. Word Clock out is also provided.

Metering is via a group of six–segment LED bar meters plus per-channel clip indicators next to the channel level controls. Function buttons select Insert and Air and are used in conjunction with assign buttons under the channel level controls, plus two buttons selecting the front panel instrument inputs on Channels 1 & 2.

The Clarett OctoPre will ship in Q3 2016 at a recommended retail price of £649.99 (inc VAT)/US$699.99 (ex Tax).

More: www.focusrite.com

Focusrite has announced the first version of a new Windows driver for its Clarett range of recording interfaces. Promising sub-3ms round-trip latency, the driver/interface package supports real time recording and monitoring while using plug-ins.

The first release of the driver will support Thunderbolt connectivity via Display Port for all Clarett interfaces. The driver will be compatible with the latest 64-bit updates of Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. Further details of the driver specification and compatibility will folllow. Future iterations will add support for Thunderbolt 3 Type C connectivity and the range of Red interfaces.

The driver also supports Focusrite Control, Focusrite's included software mixer designed for easy configuration of monitoring and routing setups, which is now available in a Windows version, again with identical functionality to the Mac version, including support for Focusrite iOS Control.

Focusrite’s 192kHz, 24-bit Clarett audio interfaces feature high-performance, low-noise, low-distortion mic preamps, which include the analogue Air effect, emulating the sound of Focusrite’s heritage transformer-based mic preamps.

More: www.focusrite.com

Focusrite’s Control desktop app has been joined by Focusrite iOS Control – a new, free app that enables adjustment of cue mixes and preamp settings remotely from iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. 



Focusrite iOS Control works with the Focusrite Control desktop application that comes with all Focusrite audio interfaces from the Scarlett 6i6 (second generation) onward, including the Clarett and Red interface ranges. It gives complete control of hardware inputs, software playback, panning, solo and mute, as well as the preamp settings on the interface from an iOS device (controllable features vary depending on the Focusrite interface model).



Focusrite iOS Control is a free app download, available now.

More: https://uk.focusrite.com

The Focusrite iTrack One Pre is a compact mic preamp and guitar input that enables high-resolution audio recording directly onto iPhone or iPad without the need for external power.

Focusrite’s iTrack One Pre generates phantom power from iPhones and iPads, so that professional condenser microphones can be used to make mobile recordings. With a micro-suction base, it can be attached to any flat surface without moving.

The preamp in iTrack One Pre enables recording of vocals and acoustic instruments directly to a preferred aps, including Garageband. The optimum recording level is set via an illuminated gain halo – technology taken from Focusrite's larger recording interfaces. The iTrack One Pre can also handle exceptionally hot guitar pickups, by virtue of its high headroom.

Officially Apple certified, iTrack One Pre works with iOS devices up to and including iPhone 6s, and music making apps including Novation's iOS app Blocs Wave – powerful and designed for making and recording new music, combining new ideas and real-time loop recording.

More: www.focusrite.com

Focusrite’s new Red 8Pre recording interface offers 64 inputs and 64 outputs and eight Focusrite digitally-controlled mic preamps.

In common with the Red 4Pre, the Red 8Pre sports two front-panel, high-headroom instrument inputs, dual Thunderbolt 2, dual Pro Tools HD DigiLink and Dante network audio connectivity. The eight Red Evolution mic preamps claim 129dB EIN and 63dB of gain. Software control allows recall of settings and stereo linking, plus configuration of HPF, polarity invert and individual phantom power. In addition, the preamps and other parameters can be adjusted from the front panel’s multifunction controls and colour LCDs. The preamps include Focusrite’s ‘Air’ effect, recreating in the analogue domain the sound of the transformer-based mic preamps in the classic ISA range.

The Red 8Pre’s high-performance conversion system features what Focusrite calls ‘parallel path summing’, where two matched converters are run in parallel to increase the signal to noise ratio. They operate at up to 192kHz, 24-bit sampling with a dynamic range of 118dB (AD)/121dB (DA). The Red 8Pre delivers ≤0.0009% THD+Noise and has a frequency response flat from 20Hz to 35kHz ±0.25 dB or better. Levels at the Red 8Pre’s monitor outputs are adjusted via a Digitally-Controlled analogue Attenuator. This allows them to deliver full dynamic range at all signal levels, rather than using digital attenuation on the DA.

Dual Thunderbolt 2 ports connect to a DAW while allowing daisy-chaining of drives and displays. Round-trip latency as low as 1.67ms permits recording with preferred plug-ins in real-time and simplifies workflow – no need for cue mix utilities or outboard DSP – while dual DigiLink ports connect the Red 8Pre directly to any Pro Tools HD system.

In addition, the Red 8Pre features built-in Dante network audio connectivity. The dual Ethernet ports connect any Dante-compatible product, such as units from Focusrite’s RedNet range, adding up to 32 channels I/O via Ethernet wherever there’s an Ethernet network – with low latency and cost. Focusrite Control the user assignment of any physical input or output to any driver/Pro Tools HD channel making it easy to customise the interface layout and integrate hardware inserts.

The Focusrite Red 8Pre will be available from dealers for US$3499.99.

More: www.focusrite.com

Producer, mixer and engineer Simon Hanhart recently took a Focusrite Red 8Pre and two RedNet MP8R audio interfaces to London’s Air Studios complex. Working in Studio 1 – home to Focusrite’s original Rupert Neve-designed recording console modules – he explored the benefits of Audio-over-IP and a additional input channels while recording.

With credits including Marillion, David Bowie, the LSO and Yngwie Malmsteen, he set to work on a track called ‘Made of Paper’, written by Tim Harbour and featuring vocalist John Mitchell. Conductor Richard Cottle had arranged the piece for The London String Group and pianist Dominic Ferris.
’In a situation like this, you’re working with natural instruments that need to sound like they would sound if you were standing eight feet away from them,’ Hanhart says. ’You’ve got to capture that, so you don’t want anything in the way of that signal path.’


During the day, he explored the Red 8Pre’s performance: ‘It just works; it sounds great,’ he says. ‘You’re not even aware of it because it’s just translating what’s happening in the room straight into the machine,’ he says.

The unit was racked in the machine room, connected to a Mac-based Pro Tools HDX rig via DigiLink. Out in the live room were the RedNet MP8R interfaces, which were controlled by software in the control room. All the microphones for the 12-piece string section, piano and vocal went into the Focusrite mic pres, and were monitored through the vintage Neve console in the control room.

Having Dante in the recording was particularly useful: ‘It makes complete sense that you can network a number of different units together, particularly in a multi-studio facility like Air,’ Hanhart says. ’You want to make sure that you have one great set-up that can be accessed from a number of different production rooms or studio areas. It’s the next generation really.’

Hanhart owns a Red 8Pre, so everything was compatible when mixing the track at home: ‘I’m always aware that it would be nice to have a little mobile set-up, and of course I could take the Red 8Pre with me – and that would be a Thunderbolt situation,’ he said. ‘Having the options on connectivity is absolutely fantastic. It’s a unit that covers so many bases.’

More: www.focusrite.com

Focusrite has released the Scarlett OctoPre and Scarlett OctoPre Dynamic. Scarlett OctoPre and Scarlett OctoPre Dynamic are intended for expanding any high-quality, multichannel recording system. With their high-headroom mic, line and dual instrument inputs, they’re suited to tracking drums as well as guitars, keyboards, vocals – and other sources.

With eight channels of second-generation Focusrite Scarlett preamps and built-in Focusrite precision 24-bit, 192kHz conversion, these units offer a means of adding eight extra mic/line inputs to a DAW or digital console. Eight analogue line outputs also make them useful for standalone use in a live sound environment. The Scarlett OctoPre Dynamic adds analogue compression and D/A conversion to the standard Scarlett OctoPre.

The preamps feed precision 24-bit Focusrite A/D converters that operate at up to 192kHz sampling with 109dB dynamic range for hi-resolution audio recording. Dual Adat ports enable eight channels to be used at sample rates up to 96kHz, while four channels can be transferred at 176.4/192kHz sampling. The Scarlett OctoPre Dynamic adds eight channels of 24/192kHz D-A conversion, with 108dB dynamic range, fed from dual Adat inputs. A button switches the eight line outputs to be sourced from the Adat inputs, via the D/A.

The eight second-generation Scarlett preamps include newly-designed high-headroom instrument inputs. Both models provide phantom power throughout and accurate five-segment LED metering. The OctoPre offers a pad on every channel and front panel, high-headroom instrument inputs. The OctoPre Dynamic comes with optimised headroom, capable of handling the same input levels as the standard OctoPre, plus analogue, soft-knee compression on every channel for natural and transparent control of dynamics, up to more aggressive compression effects.

More: www.focusrite.com

The second generation of Focusrite Scarlett USB audio interfaces maintains the I/O count, adding improvements and delivering USB performance with roundtrip latency as low as 2.74ms.

There are six interfaces in the range, as well as two studio pack bundles, from the Scarlett Solo (2-input/2-output, single-mic preamp), up to the Scarlett 18i20 (rack-mounted 18-input/20-output). The improvements include new metal gain controls and a sleeker metal chassis. The latest Scarlett mic preamp now features a more even gain structure, and the instrument input has also been redesigned with increased headroom to handle hot guitar pickups. Focusrite has provided analogue protection circuitry across both the inputs and the outputs, guarding the interfaces against power surges. The Scarlett range also now operates at sample rates up to 192kHz.

Following the announcement of an alliance between Focusrite and Avid, Scarlett second-generation interfaces will ship with Avid Pro Tools First. Named Focusrite Creative Pack, this features a free version of Pro Tools digital audio software, and 12 additional plug-ins, including the Eleven Lite for guitar amp emulations and Tape Echo. Focusrite and Avid will ensure that all new Scarlett interfaces are compatible with new versions of Pro Tools.

The bus-powered range of Scarlett second-generation interfaces is available immediately, with the Scarlett 6i6, 18i8 and 18i20 following.

More: www.focusrite.com