FRANKFURT MUSIK MESSE

Frankfurt's Musik Messe always manages to create enormous interest for those working in the studio and pro audio business.

This is a highly selective preview designed to outline some of the products we feel will interest you. Of the companies that we mention, some may have more products on display than we draw attention to.

SOUNDCRAFT

Soundcraft will be on the AKG stand where you'll find the 24 track machines, Series 600, 500 and 2008 consoles and a selection of power amps.

YAMAHA

Four new keyboards, the DX100, DX27, PF80 and PF70, a new Latin percussion drum machine the RX21L, new software for the CX5M music computer, new guitars and effects.

On the pro front there's a new MT1X multitrack cassette recorder/mixer, a new power amp the P2075 (75w + 75w 4 ohms switchable to give 150w 8 ohms).

The company, will also be showing its PM3000 32 channel desk for the first time in Europe. Yamaha also promise a 'major breakthrough in low cost multi-effects signal processing'.

SOUNDTRACS

The full range of recording and sound reinforcement consoles will be on display, plus the new M Series monitor desk, designed to complement the M Series sound reinforcement console.

Look out for the demo of the CM4400 console linked, via a CMS2 interface, to a 24 track tape machine, automating the muting and routing against SMPTE/EBU timecode, and incorporating video synchronisation.

CASIO

Casio launches its first dedicated drum kit, the RZ-1 (PCM based with 12 preset sounds), the five octave CZ-3000 synth and the CT-6500 synth which has 48 phase distortion based digital sounds.

As with last year, though, watch out for some surprises.

AKAI

The company will have at least 12 new products on show including a new sampler, synthesiser and the computer music system first previewed at last year's show.

MCKENZIE ACOUSTIC

This company will be showing off two ranges of loudspeakers — the Studio 7 Series (10, 12 and 15 inch) and a new addition to the Professional Series, a 15 inch 200w unit.

STUDIOMASTER

A new range of mixing consoles will be on display. The Series 11 will be available in 16-16-2, 16-8-2 and 16-4-2 formats. All mixers have four band parametric EQ, 6 aux sends and a full range of input facilities.

Look out for the new Mosfet 2000 power amp. It delivers at least 1000w per channel into four ohms in two channel mode.

MUSIMEX

Watch out for Frazer Wyatt's range of passive and powered speaker systems, and Bel's digital delays including new BD 2400 and BD 320 microprocessor controlled units.

HARRISON

Four new products guaranteed to arouse interest. Digital Switchmode power amps, G.P. Series of graphic equalisers, A.C.-400 active crossover and S.P.7 stereo mixer (for commercial sound applications), should continue to maintain the company's high profile in pro-audio.

TURBOSOUND

The UK's largest exporter of sound reinforcement equipment will be showing off its T.S.E. Integrated Series (see News, December) and the new TPC-1151 phase checker system. The latter unit is designed for use in the alignment of multiple loudspeaker arrays and can be used for a variety of testing functions.

The Phase Checker represents Turbosound's first commercial venture into electronics.

SIMMONS

'New substantial gear' so the company says, plus a MIDI interface for the SDS7, and demos from Bill Bruford (drums) and T. Levitz (keyboards), ably assisted by Baz and Sibi. Look out for the Simmons combo amp.

ROLAND

Lots of new products aimed at most areas of the audio market. Most interesting would seem to be the Super JX synth (12 voice, 76 keys), and a selection of new Boss micro effects. The company will also be showing, to the trade only, two keyboard samplers that will sell for an estimated £1000 and £2000 each.

C-TAPE

Look out for its current range of C-ducer mics, and the APT system that allows drummers to trigger electronic percussion from an acoustic kit.

CONNECTRONICS

Connectronics will be showing its full range of cables and connectors, including the range of audio cables that can now be bought in pre-cut form complete with connectors.

Look out for a new range of heavy-duty cable drums.

AHB

This company will be exhibiting its CMC and System 8 ranges of mixing consoles, plus its SR Series of sound reinforcement desks, and the Inpulse One Drum Computer with its new software.

RED

The A4, A2 and P2 speakers will be exhibited along with an, as yet, unspecified new product.

KLARK TEKNIK

The full range of audio signal processing equipment will be on display including graphic equalisers, digital delays, spectrum analysers, the DN780 digital reverb/processor. The latter unit will feature new software.

SOUND TECHNOLOGY

The company will have a wide range of outboard equipment on display, including the XTc reverb and Alesis AI digital reverb.

MTR

Look out for the MTR Series Two versions of the 12-8-2 and the 6-4-2, and a new 12-2 derived from the 12-8-2 with three auxiliaries, PFL and mute and RIAA disc inputs.

The company will also be showing the Aries 10-4-2 mixer with eight track monitoring and 19-8-2 with 16 track monitoring, plus the Madrack D7, a stereo seven tap analog delay line.

A LARGER LINK-UP

The APRS is considering opening up the Closed User Group on Studio Link-Up to non-BPI companies.

Access to Studio Link-Up's Prestel-based studio availability information has, so far, been restricted to BPI Record Companies. The APRS has realised, however, that bookings of APRS studios do not come solely from BPI companies and that many studios get more bookings from producers, production companies, television and film companies.

Konk Studios is the latest studio to join the scheme. The service is only open to APRS member studios and costs £100 per page per annum.

EDISON MEETS SSL

National Video Center/Recording Studios, New York, has completed renovation of its Edison Hall facilities in a drive to put the studio back on the map.

Edison Hall re-opens in January. National are banking on a Solid State Logic SL 6000 E Series Stereo Video System as a major attraction. The new machine has 56 mic inputs and 112 line inputs. 32 multitrack output groups are fitted, along with three stereo mix groups (each with separately trimmable mono feeds) and a main stereo programme output.

Edison Hall has been a recording studio for more than 20 years. Its clients have ranged from Duke Ellington to the Rolling Stones. The facilities have also been used for film projects such as Tootsie and Woody Allen's Zelig.

AES — THE BIGGEST

This year's AES exhibition will be the largest the Audio Engineering Society has ever organized in Europe.

The show, which will be held in Montreux, Switzerland on March 4-7 will have 179 audio manufacturers and consultants from 20 countries in attendance.

Papers chairman, Dr Ben Benfield, reported that 59 papers will be read during the four day meeting, grouped in nine different sessions. Some of the themes to be covered will be digital audio techniques, digital standards, acoustics and computer science, studio technology, measurements and instrumentation, sound reinforcement and loudspeakers, audio electronics, and audio/video interfacing.

A series of technical tours will be offered to the participants, including visits of the Nagra Kudelski and Studer factories.

TOA'S HEAD START

Toa has introduced two new headset type microphones.

The HY1 and HY2 both incorporate a mute button, and feature a range of three interchangeable mic capsules, HMVV for male vocal, HFV for female vocal and HCM for intercommunications.

The headsets include a stereo headphone monitoring system for individual mic output and line input signal monitor levels.

Also being introduced are the K4 handheld mic with newly developed condenser and the KY condenser designed for a wide variety of on-stage and studio miking.

JOIN THE PTA

Barry White and Mike Jones have graduated from Sony Broadcast's personnel department to set up a broadcast industry recruitment consultancy of their own.

White and Jones opened PTA (Professional and Technical Appointments) last month.

FROM BARD TO BARBICAN

Soundcraft has withdrawn production of the Series 400B mixing console.

The company claims that the 200B now offers comparable facilites at a lower price.

Two input lines have been developed for the Series 200B which should increase the flexibility of the console. A module with two sweepable mid-bands in the four band equaliser has been launched to provide more control over equalisation. A stereo line input module is also available to broaden the console's broadcast applications or make it a compact sub-mixer unit in larger systems.

The Barbican Centre in London has installed a Soundcraft Series 800B, 32 channel PA desk in the Barbican Hall.

Soundcraft has also won a sale to the Barbican-based operations of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC).

The RSC has bought three of the new Series 200B mixing consoles. A 24 channel version is being used as the main national touring desk. The other two consoles are 16 channel versions and are permanently installed in the Pit Theatre at the Barbican and The Other Place Theatre in Stratford, both of which cater for an audience of 200.

TURBOSOUND IN THE OUTBACK

Australian sound reinforcement hire company, Jands, has bought another 48 Turbosound TMS-3s in readiness for the Dire Straits tour of Australia this month.

Turbosound claims that this order puts it in a strong position in the growing Australian market.

Well-equipped sound reinforcement companies are in particular demand in Australia where longer distances are covered by tours and performers' equipment trucking costs can quickly mount up.

APRS NEWS

NOISE ANNOYS

APRS 86 may see the end of the rule of silence which has marked the Association's exhibition out from other pro audio shows over the years.

Equipment demonstrations have only been permitted via headphones at previous APRS exhibitions. Everyone kept to the rule (arguably hardest on loudspeaker manufacturers) with good or less-than-good grace. It seemed that most people accepted the APRS's reasoning that this show attracts professionals who want to do business and to talk to other professionals on the stands; demonstrations could be done elsewhere after specifications were discussed at the show.

The demand for demonstration facilities, however, has been growing and things came to a head at APRS 85 when — in order to make their point — several companies clashed with the Association by breaking exhibition rules.

The 1986 exhibition is to be staged at Olympia 2 which will allow for the construction of soundproof cabins for those exhibitors who want them. It will also allow for mobiles to be part of the show for the first time, since there is plenty of room and access for trucks.

If all goes according to plan, APRS 86 will be able to offer everyone the best of both worlds — a 'silent' show for the most part and a fully audible one wherever necessary.


• This could also be the year in which the Association reshapes its own constitution.

As a trade body, it has been notable for the way in which it embraced and served the interests of both studios/facilities and manufacturers/agents. But in the wake of the 1985 annual general meeting there has clearly been considerable speculation and discussion about the relationship between the two sides of the recording industry within the APRS.

The Association's title seems to indicate that its primary concern is for studios but, until recently, it was never necessary even to consider whose interests were paramount since all seemed calmly and harmoniously balanced.

APRS chairman, Mike Deville, as a manufacturing member, found himself, for a short period, in a minority of one on the Executive Committee. He argued that 'when an association reaches 30 years old, it is just feasible that the original intentions of its founders, as expressed in the rule book, might now be slightly at odds with the way it has actually evolved.' He added: 'We need a mechanism to ensure that each section of the membership maintains adequate representation on the committee.'

Beville has invited membership to comment on the question of representation of studio and manufacturer members on the committee; upon the definition of the correct role for the chairman (the executive has recently set a limit to the term of chairmanship to ensure 'refreshing change at regular intervals'); and upon the APRS rule book in general.

Meanwhile, a special sub-committee comprising of Phil Dudderidge of Soundcraft, Tony Shields of Ampex, Les Lewis of Neve and Brian Whittaker of FWO Bauch, has been set up.

APRS members should expect some firm proposals from their executive before the next ACM.


• 1986 could also see the development of the Producers' Guild. The Guild was formed at the invitation and instigation of the APRS. It has been a runaway success in some ways and a bit of a maverick in others.

Will it broaden its membership? Will it act totally independently of the APRS executive or will it give itself a more formal position within the Association's structure? Will it prove to be a really effective creative and technical pressure group in the record industry — and, if so, on whose behalf will the pressure be effectively applied.

MUSIC INDUSTRY

BPI BROADSIDE

The BPI has finally decided to launch an advertising campaign for recorded music having mooted the idea for several years.

The campaign is the first attempt in the UK to promote the idea of buying recorded music. The objective is to change the behaviour of one large section of the potential market for recorded music — lapsed record buyers and those who still buy, but do so very infrequently.

The decision was spurred by the opportunity of launching a television-led advertising campaign on the back of the 1986 British Record Industry Awards show.

A test in one television area is planned to start from the weekend after the Awards. Since any generic campaign must, of its nature, be a long term project, any positive results from the test will pose more questions about funding a long-running campaign over months or years.

The effect of the first phase of the campaign in the test area will be studied for the BPI and its chosen agency, Yellowhammer, by the British Market Research Bureau.

The Awards show will be televised live by BBC1 with a Radio 1 stereo simulcast and distributed worldwide through TEN, The Entertainment Network of Los Angeles. This, in itself, should provide 90 minutes of spectacular self-advertisement for the UK record industry.

The decision to go ahead with the advertising campaign was announced within three weeks of the Awards Show by Maurice Oberstein, BPI chairman, John Deacon, director general and Rob Dickins, WEA UK chairman and BPI council member.

A logo for the campaign has been devised coupled with the line 'life sounds better to music'. It will be appearing in animated form in television commercials, on print advertisements and in-store promotional display material, and in three-dimensional form as the new British Record Industry Award.

MIDEM

First reactions from JIM EVANS in Cannes.

• Midem's promotional publicity suggested that the festival would be very strong on music video this year. This was not the case. Video appeared to play a minor role to music and compact disc.

• News that more compact disc plants would be opening in Sweden, Canada and France dominated conversation amongst Midem's exhibitors, especially those with digital interests. Barry Ainsworth, director of Tape One Studios commented that 'this will be beneficial for our business'.

• Tape One Studios used Midem to launch a digital mastering suite.

• The Studio Timeline stand represented 13 UK studios including Eden, Brittania Row, Farmyard, Konk and Genetic.

Director Tim Thompson said that 'while we're not actually doing business, it has been beneficial to be seen here!' He added that he would be using information gained at Midem to follow up with a major sales drive.

• Odyssey director, Wayne Bickerton, said that 'we will shortly be reforming all our various companies under the Odyssey group banner.'

Future plans for Odyssey include the building of another broadcast studio which will incorporate tie lines from satellite and cable broadcast.

SOUNDCRAFT SETS THE SCENE

Amsterdam's new theatre for opera, music and ballet, the Muziektheater, is now complete.

The theatre will be the home of the Netherlands Opera and the Dutch National Ballet. It also hopes to attract prestigious performances from overseas.

The sound system is based around a computer controlled Soundcraft Series 2400 mixing desk. The desk is fitted with a new scene setting automation which Soundcraft claimed is the first of its kind in the world for theatrical use.

The console has 24 inputs and 16 outputs and will eventually be controllable from the auditorium using a remote console.

The computer helps the complete range of complex loudspeaker arrays to be used efficiently. It also makes it possible to store scene changes for several productions at the same time.

SONY DASHES IN

Sony has hit back at the advance of the PD digital recording standard with claims of a growing European market for DASH-based products.

Sony has sold seven more PCM-3324 multi-track recorders and a further four orders are claimed to be in the pipe line.

Three of the seven sales were in the UK. One to Feldon Audio which now has four units, including a machine at Advision Studios. The other two to Audio FX which now owns a total of five 3324s.

Sony has also delivered a PCM-3324 to the Opus recording complex in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia. The company claims that this is the first digital stationary head recorder in an Eastern Block country.

Studio + 30 in Paris and the Werner Studio in Copenhagen have also added PCM-3324s to their facilities. Studio + 30 bought two machines, which, when linked together will provide a 48 track recorder.

Sony claims that world wide sales of the PCM-3324 is approaching the 200 mark. Chris Hollebone, Sony's pro audio sales manager, reckons that more manufacturers will soon be making products to the DASH format.

The digital format fight has also been taken into the broadcasting arena. Broadcast companies WDR in West Germany, NOS in Holland and Radio France have adopted the DASH format.

LONG DISTANCE MIDI

An addition to Quark's MIDI-LINK range can transmit MIDI signals over distances up to 200 metres using the standard five pin DIN lead.

The LRM-2 therefore allows remote control of MIDI equipment which could be a useful feature in situations such as live sets.

The unit is capable of sending and receiving two independent sets of MIDI information.

Quark are aiming to launch other MIDI and LRM-2 compatible units later in the year. These should include a DI and a studio MIDI ring-main version of the LRM-2 and a modular MIDI patchfield.

The LRM-2 costs £249.00 including VAT.

PROCESSING SOUND

Audio Logic, the US sound processor manufacturer, has launched a stereo crossover and a stereo compressor-limiter.

The X324 stereo crossover can be used in either a stereo 3-way or mono 4-way capacity. Audio Logic claim that this provides precise frequency splitting and simplifies setting up.

The X324 has balanced inputs and outputs with phase inversion on all six outputs. This gives an additional summed output of low frequencies from both channels which allows for a mono sub-woofer connection in stereo installations.

18dB/octave Butterworth filters in a state variable configuration roll off the frequencies at the crossover point. Flat passband frequency response eliminates peaks and dips in the output. An electronic switch on the front panel adds a 2-pole high pass filter at 40Hz.

All connections are made internally so no patching is required for mono operation.

The X324 stereo crossover costs £363.81 including VAT.

The MT 66 stereo compressor-limiter gives dynamic range compression from 1:1 or infinity:1. It has its own noise gate to reduce noise when no signal is present.

A link switch on the front panel joins both compressors for stereo tracking and a 5 LED bar graph indicates gain reduction, gate, threshold, ratio, attack and release controls.

The MT 66 has both balanced and unbalanced inputs and outputs along with side chain inputs and outputs that can be used to change the compression characteristic or as a de-esser.

The MT 66 stereo compressor-limiter costs £289.00 including VAT.