The last few months have seen a spate of investment in new consoles from some of the major UK facilities. Anvil at Denham has placed orders for two of SSL's new Avant digital film dubbing console, the first of which is due to be delivered in January. The consoles will be installed in newly built theatres. An SSL Audio Preparation Station has also been ordered to enable projects to be prepared off-line. Twickenham Film Studios have ordered a Harrison MPC for Theatre 1 to compliment the existing MPC in Theatre 2. The new console will be configured for two man operation. DB Post in Soho has installed an AMS Neve Logic DFC digital film console in their new Studio 5. They have also added a ninth AudioFile to the facility. Videosonics have also ordered a DFC console for installation in their new film mixing facility at their Delancy Street premises which will be renamed Videosonics Cinema Sound to concentrate on audio post for features and longform TV drama. Meanwhile Videosonics have installed an AMS Neve Libra in Studio One at their Hawley Crescent base to handle both music recording and mixing sound to picture. The Sound Works in Cardiff is just completing a move into a new media complex where it's facilities will offer three dubbing suites, two tracklaying suites and a large transfer bay. Studio One will have a new SSL Axiom digital console - the first UK installation outside of London. The London Studios have added a AMS Neve Logic 1 in the refurbished Sound Dub Three studio.It will work in conjunction with a Logic 3 used for track laying with the final dubbing being completed on the Logic 1. Granada TV has installed a Calrec S Series analogue console on Stage One solely for the recording Coronation Street's fixed sets. The console outputs go direct to Avid and Digi Beta. Angel Studios in Islington has installed a AMS Neve VXS production console in Studio Three, the large orchestral studio, to be used for primarily for film and TV scoring. Angel's recent scoring credits include Goldeneye, The Full Monty and One Night Stand.
Anyone who uses a ProTools system may be interested in a new software plug-in from Waves by the name of MaxxBass. This is a 'virtual sub-woofer that utilises proprietary algorithms based on psychoacoustic research'. Apparently MaxxBass analyses the audio signal and then adds a series of harmonics to the signal which stimulate a psychoacoustic effect that enhances bass perception. It doesn't boost bass at all, use traditional EQ or compression but modifies the frequency region above the defined area. This apparently conveys an enhanced low frequency experience to the ears and they claim even works if the original bass signal is completely removed - the ear will still 'capture' the fundamental from the added harmonics. One intended application is to extend the 'LF performance' of poor speaker systems by up to two octaves but another application could be to create the effect of LF sound without adding to the amount of low frequency energy in a mix.
Marantz professional is to launch two new portable digital recorders employing PCMCIA flash ROM cards or PCMCIA hard drives. They include the mono PMD680 and the stereo PMD690, both having a projected price of under 1000. The operator can chose between MPEG 1. MPEG layer II or linear PCM formats. The machines feature basic editing functions with possibilities for instant file exchange with an external computer. No timecode but they may have location applications.
Rycote has appointed Sennheiser UK as the sole distributor for its microphone windshields and suspension systems. The agreement took place as from 1st October.
Tascam have cut prices heavily across a wide range of their digital recording products. The DA-88 has now been reduced by 1600 to 2382 ex VAT. The new DA-98 is introduced at the previous price of the DA-88. The DA-38 is now 900 cheaper. The DA-P1 portable DAT recorder is now 1105, while the DA-60 timecode DAT, the Mini Disk products and the CD-301/CD-401 CD players are also reduced.
SSL have announced the appointment of John Andrews as Marketing Director. He has a background that includes the BBC, EMI, Alice and Neve Electronics.
The recent V&A'97 exhibition saw the first public outing for Syence, a new company that describes itself as a 'one-stop audio-post shop' a distribution, sales, service and consultancy service. Headed by Keith Sherry they will be handling WaveFrame, the V-Mod100 MO-based non-linear video recorder, Tascam's MMR-8 multichannel hard disk recorder, Black Box's Q-Stream soft interface for Colin Broad's Video Streamer, plus a selection of further products including some from Interact Systems. For further information call 0181 392 1001.
Unusually named China Blue is a new post facility on the edge of Soho, located in Wedgwood Mews within the 300 year-old show room and warehouse of Josiah Wedgwood pottery fame. China Blue offers both offline picture editing and online audio post. Initially there will be two audio studios with a third under construction. According to MD David Hamilton-Smith, the AudioFile-equipped studios first three projects are feature films.