January 1998 In This Issue
To open articles, click title links
Reviews Valve Capacitor Microphone Paul White tests AKG's new budget studio valve mic to see whether it's really possible to build a quality tube capacitor mic for under £1000. 8-buss Mixer You might think you can't afford 32 inputs and eight busses — but a look at this cost-effective console might just change your mind. Derek Johnson goes on the busses... DJ Looping Sampler Boss's popular 'Doctor' range of inexpensive and useful studio gear is now over 15 years old, but remains very much alive, and the Dr Sample SP202 is the latest newcomer, offering quick and easy sampling for DJs or beginners in the field. Chris Carter gives it a full physical... Compressor/Limiter Is the dbx 160s pure technology, a work of art, or a little of both? Paul White puts it to the test. Tube Mic Preamp Can an expensive valve microphone preamp like this one really make that much diference to the quality of your recordings? David Mellor finds out. Digital Recording & Editing Environment (Preview) Pro Tools moves up a bit (or eight) and Mackie's dedicated hardware controller for the system finally arrives. Mike Collins gets an advanced viewing. Digidesign Universal Slave Driver Synchroniser Digital devices need synchronisation just as much as analogue ones, and this new offering from Digidesign aims to be a one-box solution for most audio and visual sync requirements. Mike Collins says it's about time... Software Plug-ins Paul White tries out a new range of European software plug-ins with stylish interfaces and innovative features. MIDI + Audio Sequencer The latest version of this popular audio sequencer sees Emagic's answer to competitor Steinberg's VST built-in effects. But there's rather more to this significant upgrade than that, as Paul White reports. 64-note Polyphonic Sampler Emu's latest sampler release is a new budget module to replace the ESI32. But with recent price drops from Akai, and Yamaha's return to the sampling fold, have the company done enough to fend off the competition? Simon Trask spends some quality time with the ESI4000 and finds out... PCI Hard Disk Recording System when it comes to computer audio editing, the user interface is extremely important. Having physical controls to grab hold of has already give Ensoniq a lot of advance publicity for their Paris hard disk recording system. Martin Walker plugs in, turns on and, for once, slides up and down as well. Digital Multitap Delay The world of multi-effects might be generally interdisciplinary, but Derek Johnson finds that there'll always be room for a specialist. Analogue Synth Module (Retro) Not all analogue classics have keys. Simon Lowther goes all gooey over an early module that packed in more features than its moderate size would lead you to expect, and left a legacy still discernible in modern synth design. CD-writing Upgrade If you own a VS880, you can already record, edit and produce a stereo mix of your masterworks, all with out leaving the 880's tape-like hard disk recording environment, but now Roland have added the ability to make a CD master in the same way. Paul Nagle goes for the burn. Sonic Foundry Acoustic Modeler DirectX Plug-in If you want to recreate the sound of a particular hall or studio live room, why not capture its essence and then use this to treat your music? Sonic Foundry's new software makes it all possible. Martin Walker samples the results. Sounds OK Dreamwaves Korg; Atacama Pro 10; BCK Footpedals Wavestation Sound Cards; Speaker Stands; Footpedals Three more products reviewed by the SOS team. Quantum Mix Compact MIxer We all know there are lots of compact mixers on the market — but then lots of people need a compact mixer, and SoundTech's 16-channel Quantum Mix is priced for mass appeal. Mike Crofts looks before he leaps. Multi-effects Processor Viscount were there from the very beginning of the budget effects revolution, and with the EFX100 they hope to give the cash-starved masses a further option. Christopher Holder finds out whether the EFX100 holds its own in the bustling budget marketplace. | People + Opinion OLA ONABULE: Recording Soul At Home Interview | Artist Sometimes it's easy to forget that home studios packed with synth and samplers aren't solely the preserve of the dance fraternity. British soul artist Ola Onabule does all his recording and the managing of his own label from his Brixton home. Christopher Holder finds himself at the end of the (Victoria) line. PAUL FARRER: Unlikely Recording Set-up In Contact Sounding Off Did you spot the rather unlikely recording setup in a recent sci-fi blockbuster? Paul Farrer did... Feature | Tips & Tricks Your recording's complete, packaged and ready to shake the world. So what do you do about it? Big George looks at step one in the promotion merry-go-round. Recoil: Alan Wilder Anyone in any doubt as to the popularity of Depeche Mode should see this man's studio. Alan Wilder, formerly the programming powerhouse of the group, and now striking out on his own, has poured the profits of his years with the Mode into this astonishing home setup. Here he talks to Bill Bruce about the studio, his new album, and his days with Depeche. Technique Apple Notes Martin Russ indulges in some post-Expo analysis after a visit to the Apple event of the year, and takes a look at a new Mac-compatible operating system, BeOS. PC Musician Hardware Update If you thought the MMX processor was still the last word in new technology, prepare to boldly go where your PC has never gone before. Martin Walker looks at the many new families of PC chips, and explains their relevance to the musician. Compact Disc Formats Explained Exploration Many of us can now afford the once-unthinkable luxury of making our own CDs, for one-off music demos, mass CD duplication or general data storage. But a few of us know the full story behind the numerous 'Book' standards governing the kind of data that can be stored on a CD. Mike Collins colours by numbers... Customise Your PC; Yamaha Software PC Notes Martin Walker customises his display, makes more noises with soundcards, and gets a bit physical with Yamaha. Atari Notes Homebrew software comes to the fore this month, as a Manchester studio decide to make the most of their vintage Atari — by producing their own programs. Derek Johnson gives them a big hand... Playback Readers' Music Reviewed Jon Turner & Cathy Crowe * Shunt * Sub Rosa * Mike Hopkins * De Souza * Calum Hammond * Liquid Air * Empire Monkey * Bubblewrap * James Wyness * A Deluxe Breed * Sih Daryl * Cheryl Partington * Greg Palmer Practical Drum Kit Miking, Part 2 Tips & Techniques Last month, Benedick Grant explained how to properly mic an acoustic drum kit. In the concluding part of this short series, he turns his attention to committing kit sounds to multitrack. Feature | Tips & Tricks A job helping to provide the sounds and recording the music for an animated Christmas special has SOS contributor Paul Ward hastily upgrading his studio and exploring the deepest recesses of his synth collection, in search of sleigh bells and singing reindeer patches... Tips & Tricks Have you ever been faced with recreating a mix that you haven't worked on for weeks? Martin Walker explaines how he manages to do just that, without the benefit of expensive automated mixers or a tape-op with a notebook! Where To Use Processors & Why, Part 4 Tips & Techniques Chorus, phasing and flanging are very common processes, but they don't always achieve the effect you hoped for. Paul White offers a few tips. |
All Issues
Home |
Search |
News |
Current Issue |
Digital Editions |
Articles |
Forum |
Subscribe |
Shop |
Readers Ads
Advertise |
Information |
Links |
Privacy Policy |
Support
Sound On Sound : Est. 1985