The perennially touring Lady Gaga is at it again. The five-time Grammy winner is in the midst of the Born This Way Ball tour, a seemingly endless succession of dates that will hit virtually every corner of the globe for more than a year—or longer. The elaborately gothic-inspired production was birthed in Seoul, Korea, in April of 2012 and has received glowing reviews (“the best live show you will see this year,” per the UK Sun newspaper) and was honored as Major Tour of the Year at the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards.

Eighth Day Sound is again at the helm of the production, coordinating multiple universal stadium systems that at times are air-freighted with the stage set, leapfrogging across several continents to meet the tour.

“Each tour system is comprised of two DiGiCo SD7 Mach III systems at FOH outfitted with Waves and two Waves servers, with one running on a UPS for redundancy,” explains Eighth Day Chief Technology Officer Jason Kirschnick. “A 192kHz DiGiCo SD Rack at FOH is loaded with 32 analog ins/32 analog outs, as well as 24 AES ins/outs for local I/O. At the stage end for FOH are two more 192 SD racks loaded with 48 analog ins, eight AES ins, eight AES and eight analog outs. We are deploying an Optocore switcher so there are three fiber loops for FOH—one loop of all three racks for FOH is connected to a Route 66 Optocore fiber router device. The primary console is in a loop with the two respective engines to the Route 66 as well as the second SD7 at FOH in a loop with the Route 66. This enables us with a push of one button to move the entire rack loop between the two FOH consoles for support acts and dual redundancy. At the monitor end is another SD7 running two Waves 9 servers (with one running on a UPS). There are two more 192kHz SD Racks at monitors loaded with 48 analog, eight digital inputs, 40 analog and eight digital outputs each.”

The PA system is d&b audiotechnik, comprised of 96 d&B J Series made up of a combination of J8 and J12s (4 x hangs; 24 boxes deep), 32 d&B Flow J subs (4 x hangs of 8 deep), 48 d&B B2 subs on the ground (stacked on each side of the stage and along the front of the stage), 12 d&B Q7 front fills (spread across the front of the stage), with a stadium delay system consisting of 4 x hangs of 12 d&B V8 and V12s. [pictured: Chris Rabold FOH with Eighth Day Sound Chief Technology Officer/Project Manager, Jason Kirschnick]

“The system is all-digital at 96kHz,” adds Kirschnick, “with a complete analog backup comprised of Dolby Lakes and LM44s with wireless control of the complete system. The d&B amplifiers are all monitored and controlled remotely through the entire system as well.”

The five-piece band consists of bass, two guitars, a sizable drum kit and a lot of stereo bass and keyboard elements, plus a programmer who supplies various stems. There are 70-some inputs at FOH, including talkbacks and audience mics and Lady Gaga’s various headset and handheld mics.

“I came onboard between legs of the tour,” explains Chris Rabold, whose previous gigs include stints with Beyoncé, The Fray and Widespread Panic. “I knew I’d only have a couple days of rehearsal before the first show so I went ahead and put a plan into effect that would ensure that I’d be as close to show-ready as I could be once we hit Bulgaria, the site of the first show on the second leg of the tour. I spec’d an SD7 for me at FOH above all else for its sonic quality. It has a million and one great features but at the end of the day, it’s the sound of the desk and the sound of my mixes through the desk that matter the most. The DiGiCo consoles simply sound better than anything else out there. There are several strong platforms in the digital console realm, but this is the one. Period. [pictured: FOH Tech/Recording Engineer Wayne Bacon; FOH Engineer, Chris Rabold; Systems Engineer, Mike "Stacker" Hackman]

“I built the console offline on my computer and sent the file to the guys at Eighth Day, who prepped the desk. From there I was able to get on the console in Los Angeles for a few days, where I worked with the tour programmer on some tracks. The desk then bounced back to the Eighth Day shop in Cleveland where I worked some more on it, concentrating on some of the finer details with routing, system integration, etc. By the time we made it to load-in, I had a basic gain structure in hand, my EQs were at a decent starting point, I had a good idea of what dynamic processing I needed, snapshots written for each song, effects laid out… Basically every last detail was in place before I even saw the band—and this was on a show with a pretty sizable number of inputs. All of the work I was able to do beforehand was absolutely invaluable.”

Rabold cites the flexibility of the snapshot section as one of the main features of the desk that aids in his daily workflow. “With a big pop show like this that is scripted very carefully, the goal is consistency and more or less perfection every single night. I don’t think we’ll ever get the perfection part of that equation down, but we can sure get the consistency through the use of snapshots. The SD7 is so much more configurable than other platforms. You can tweak it snapshot by snapshot, not just globally across all snapshots because automation is and isn’t recall safe. This is tremendously helpful and keeps you from being tied to an all-or-nothing kind of mindset. For example, if I know I want to handle a bass guitar input in the traditional sense and just EQ on the fly for a few numbers, I can do that. But if I also know that by snapshot 17 I want it to have a very specific sort of treatment, I can have it where the recall safe feature comes off and suddenly that input is recalling precisely what had been written previously. It really allows you to be flexible when you need to be and by-the-book-exact when you want to go that route, all on a per-song basis.”

Asked about outboard gear, he says he’s using a combination of outboard and onboard plug-ins. “I basically use some of the same analog things I’ve used on and off for years on certain inputs just because I know they work for me. Lead vocal and drums see the outboard devices. I use the console’s onboard complements of EQ, effects and dynamics for the real nuts-and-bolts work. The overwhelming majority of the inputs see nothing but onboard processing. As far as plug-ins go, I try to use the Waves server more as an effects device. I pull a lot of delays and specialty things from there and it’s definitely a crucial part of the mix structure. I use C6s on the playback stems. A lot of times tracks can be overly bright or overly boomy for what really works live. These allow me to reshape certain frequency ranges yet keep the overall feel and intent of the tracks in place. These are my go-to problem solvers for playback stems in the live pop world. I use the Super Tap delays and H Delays as well. They sound great and can be synced to a song’s BPM. Both of these are very flexible with how you can color them and how you can manipulate individual left and right sides of a stereo delay. Very cool. I use an L2 limiter on the output of a two-track mix as well. This is very handy when I know a board mix might be taken from the night and then played back by the artist right next to fully mastered album mixes. I want my mixes to sound competitively loud with anything they might be referenced to. You never know. Little stuff like that can go a long way toward keeping everyone happy.”

Rabold says he multitracks nightly, mainly just for virtual soundchecking and to tweak his mixes during downtime. “When time permits, I can play back a show and tweak things in the mix. I do rely on this ability and have for several years now. Soundchecking in an empty room can be pointless. Listening to a mix with nearfields or headphones that have a response that you’re familiar with can be way more helpful when it comes to listening critically and judging what’s needed in a mix. We go standard MADI out of the desk and convert that to optical MADI via an RME MADI Bridge. From there the signal goes into SSL Delta-Links, where it is converted to HD so that we can record to Pro Tools. Pro Tools 9 is running on a MacPro with a ridiculous amount of memory due to the staggering track count. Because there are so many tracks and because we’re recording at 96kHz, we split the audio files across three SSD drives.”

Ramon Morales, who’s mixed monitors previously for Beyoncé as well as other A-list artists including Destiny’s Child, Mariah Carey, Mary J Blige and Pitbull, handles monitors for the band members, all of whom are on Sennheiser 2000 series IEM systems (with JH Audio JH16 custom in-ears), as well as the audio techs. He oversees a total of 12 stereo mixes, flown side fills, bass and drum subs, two mono mixes (for drum subs and thumpers on bass and drums) and several stereo FX sends. [pictured: Monitor Engineer, Ramon Morales; Audio Crew, Lee-Fox-Furnel; Audio Crew Chief/Monitor, Tech Klocker]

“Everything about the console is great,” he enthuses. “Sonically, it’s one of the best consoles out there and definitely my favorite. I can have as many ins and outs as I need or want, and having the backup console mirrored—as well as all the other features it has—what else would you want? I’ve found the Macro feature to be very useful. We’ve set many of them up to do specific things for the show and no matter where I am on the console, I can access what I need on the macro section without having to scroll through aux sends or layers and banks. Our show intercom system is also routed through the monitor console, so the techs that need show comms in their mix can have it and plenty of talkback mics using the macros.

“I’m also using many of the built-in effects including Waves to add different colors to the mix. My favorite has to be the SSL channel and the C4, which I mainly use for my vocal inputs, since the console itself sounds great. I just use them to enhance what is already there. The only outboard gear we’re using is a TC Electronics 6000 reverb system for a vocal verb. It’s a Gold Plate and one of my favorites for vocals; it’s very smooth and cuts through just enough to hear it and not overpower anything else going on in the mix. I also use it for a drum verb.”

The console’s ability to receive a video feed aids both Morales and Rabold in managing the spontaneous stage antics of the mercurial artist. “This is crucial when mixing monitors from under the stage,” says Morales, “and having limited sightlines. Having a program feed straight into the console really helps.”

“I barely even look at the stage now,” adds Rabold. “This especially comes in handy when I have to watch for the moments where she yanks off her headset mic and goes for the handheld. There’s no cue for that and being able to see it on a screen two feet in front of my face sure beats trying to see what she’s doing 150 feet away across a sea of fans!”

A great deal of time and planning was invested prior to launching the multiple systems in the field, to ensure the production ran as smoothly as possible with no margin of error. “I personally spent weeks researching and testing the fiber loops and to failsafe the redundancy on as many things as possible,” Kirschnick reflects. “I did this research and testing at our shop in Cleveland, and a great deal of time was spent making sure everything was running smoothly weeks before the tour embarked on its first show last spring. And now, with over six months of time logged with the systems in the field, the band and crew think the console and sound system sound incredible and unmatched.”

Eighth Day tour crew:
Chris Rabold: Foh Engineer
Ramon Morales: Monitor Engineer
Dan Klocker: Audio Crew Chief / Monitor Tech
Wayne Bacon: Audio Crew
Christopher Bellamy: Audio Crew
Bill Flugan: RF Tech
Lee Fox-Furnell: Audio Crew
Mike “Stacker” Hackman: Systems Engineer
James La Marca: Show Coms / Audio Tech
Matt Strakis: Audio Crew

The creative forces of Blue Man Group (BMG) have been working for two years to bring an all-new production to the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. This international entertainment phenomenon—one of many adaptations around the globe from Berlin to Boston—comprises a trio of blue men and an electrifying combination of music and inventive technology celebrating the more

AUSTIN, TEXAS – JANUARY 2013: A notorious musical group has chosen an API 32-channel 1608 to outfit their unique studio in Texas. The Wheeler Brothers, a five-piece band hailing from Austin, Texas, plays heartfelt, soul-bending Southern rock suffused with the welcoming twang of indie country. The band works hard, playing a show roughly two out of every three days, and it has never played a hometown gig that was not completely sold-out. Their popularity has increased with the release of their debut album, Portraits, which has been met with critical acclaim. Summoning superhuman energy, the Wheeler Brothers are busy writing and recording their sophomore album between live dates at an expansive personal studio in Tarpley, Texas. A 32-channel API 1608 analog console is at the heart of the process, providing engineer Craig Lawrence with authentic sound and the immediacy of real knobs and faders for every track.

The 32-channel API 1608 is loaded with plenty of time-tested API processing. Twenty API 550b four-band EQs, twelve API 550A three-band EQs, and four API 560 graphic EQs sweeten the band’s instruments, not the least of which are their voices. “The board has that classic API sound… it’s open and punchy,� said Lawrence. “It has a big sound that’s really appropriate for the Wheeler Brothers. The EQ is precise but not clinical, and I love the way the bandwidth narrows as I go deeper into a cut.�

The 32-channel API 1608 interfaces with a 48-channel Pro Tools HD rig and a Studer A827 two-inch tape machine. An Endless Analog CLASP system mediates their interworking by recoding to and pulling from the tape with appropriate latencies. “One of the greatest things about having thirty-two analog API channels is that everything is right there in front of me,� said Lawrence. “I can just reach over and twist an EQ knob. The guys in the band can just lean in and turn things up or down. It’s very physical and intuitive.�

ABOUT API (AUTOMATED PROCESSES, INC.) Established more than 40 years ago, Automated Processes, Inc. is the leader in analog recording gear with the Vision, Legacy Series and 1608 recording consoles, as well as its classic line of modular signal processing equipment.

www.apiaudio.com

Powerful, portable speaker system with legendary Cerwin-Vega! Bass

Cerwin-Vega!® introduces its new P-Series professional PA system, which delivers a new standard in power and bass punch, suited for any sound reinforcement application, from live performances to public speeches. The P-Series family includes two active speaker products: the P1500X and the P1800SX. more

SAFETY HARBOR, FLORIDA: Sono Luminus, a Virginia-based record label dedicated to ultra-high-fidelity recordings of acoustic, classical, and early music, recently earned seven Grammy nominations. The Los Angeles Percussion Quartet’s R?pa-khandha is nominated for “Best Surround Sound Album� and Modern Mandolin Quartet’s Americana is nominated for “Best Engineered Classical Album.� R?pa-khandha and Americana were both engineered by Sono Luminus’ Managing Director and Head Engineer, Daniel Shores. The label’s in-house producer Dan Merceruio is nominated for “Classical Producer of the Year.� Jory Vinikour’s The Complete Harpsichord Works of Rameau is contending for “Best Classical Instrumental Solo.� Finally, Americana, R?pa-khandha, and ZOFO Duet’s Mind Meld: Works for One Piano, Four Hands are all nominated for “Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble.� All the work represented by these seven nominations was recorded and mixed using the ULN-8, Metric Halo’s flagship eight-channel combination preamp, converter, and DSP.

“We bring a very minimal philosophy to our recording process,� explained Shores. “While some engineers build fabulous recordings using a lot of excellent gear – much like a painter creates with a palette of vibrant colors, I prefer to track everything in a nearly complete form on the front end. I work hard to get the right setting and the correct microphone placement – much as a photographer sets the scene and gets the right lighting to faithfully capture a moment in time.�

Shores first heard the Metric Halo ULN-8 when a friend was serving as a ULN-8 beta-tester. “I immediately noticed a transparency that’s lacking in other preamps and converters,� he said. “What goes in is what comes out – without any color or degradation. Often, we record very fine instruments played by master musicians in gorgeous acoustical spaces. I don’t want to hear the microphones or the preamp or the converters in the recording. I want to hear what my ears heard when I was standing next to the microphones. The Metric Halo ULN-8 has that level of clarity and transparency.�

Shores typically uses some combination of Schoeps and DPA microphones at the front end of a Metric Halo ULN-8. Sono Luminus’ recording room, mixing room, and mastering room all possess dedicated ULN-8s, and Shores travels with an additional pair for remote recordings. He typically records to Pro Tools HD at 24-bit, 192kHz and mixes using Pro Tools and Metric Halo’s MIO Console. He also uses Metric Halo’s +DSP resources judiciously. “We sometimes have to record in rooms with slight acoustical oddities,� he said. “I’ve found that Metric Halo’s preamp modeling software, Character, can often compensate on the back end to restore the recording.� Continuing Shores’ photography analogy, the Character effectively corrects for imperfect “lighting� at the time of recording, much like a darkroom adjustment.

Ironically, Americana, R?pa-khandha, and Mind Meld: Works for One Piano, Four Hands were all recorded within six days of each other at a remote session at Skywalker Studios. The marathon engagement flip-flopped between night and day shifts, with each group coming in for a few days. Shores, of course, worked from beginning to end, and if seven Grammy nominations is any indication, somehow managed to keep his focus throughout!

Tune in to the 55th Grammy Awards ceremony, which will take place on February 10, 2013, to see the results.

ABOUT METRIC HALO Now based in the sunny city of Safety Harbor, Florida, Metric Halo provides the world with high-resolution metering, analysis, recording and processing solutions with award-winning software and future-proof hardware.

www.mhlabs.com

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – JANUARY 2013: A 48-channel 1608 console with API’s proprietary P-Mix automation has been purchased and installed at the prestigious G Martell College of Music Technology and Audio in Mexico City. The school has been teaching music-focused courses for over 130 years, and has recently expanded into music technology.

The college’s 1608 was purchased from Vari Internacional, API’s exclusive dealer in Mexico City. The console will be used to teach the art of tracking and mixing to students who are enrolled in the Audio Engineering and Production Program. The installation of this 1608 aligns with API’s dedication and support of music education through its products.

The response from G Martell College has been very positive. “They are so happy with the console,� says Vari Internacional’s Gustavo Martinez. “It has been a complete success for them.�

ABOUT API (AUTOMATED PROCESSES, INC.) Established more than 40 years ago, Automated Processes, Inc. is the leader in analog recording gear with the Vision, Legacy Series and 1608 recording consoles, as well as its classic line of modular signal processing equipment.

www.apiaudio.com

As Devoted RoadHog Cable and Custom Splitter Snake Users, Buckcherry will Greet Fans at the Company’s Booth during NAMM

ANAHEIM, CA, JANUARY 25, 2012 ― Hard rock group Buckcherry can jam out more than ever thanks to The RapcoHorizon Company, a leading manufacturer of audio/video interfacing and cable equipment. Whether they’re on tour or at an individual performance, Buckcherry’s band members and techs all rely on the quality of RapcoHorizon’s custom splitter snakes and RoadHog cables. The band will also be signing autographs at the company’s booth during the 2013 NAMM Show (Hall C, Booth 4558) on Sunday, January 27 at 12 p.m.

Designed for the working musician, the RoadHog cables are road ready and tour tough, employing the most rugged constructions without sacrificing sound quality. Buckcherry used the RoadHog cables most recently on its 15-stop UK tour from northern Scotland to southern England, where the cables stood up to all the abuses typical of a hard rock tour.

“Out of all the shows we played in Europe, we didn’t have one audio incident,� says Buckcherry Tour Manager, Production Manager and Front-of-House Engineer Stephen Shaw. “When it comes to the RoadHog cables, I never have a problem with something coming up. If that does happen, it’s usually the microphone, not the RapcoHorizon stuff. It just takes another potential mishap out of the equation.�

RoadHog cables are built with PVC outer jackets that are durable and thick, yet flexible, and pure copper conductors and shields. This design ensures that the RoadHog cables provide an advanced sound and reliable operation for Buckcherry and other touring bands.

“I started using RapcoHorizon cables during my previous roles with Foreigner and Selena Gomez,� says A.J. “Jukebox� Srybnik, Buckcherry guitar tech. “I had such a good experience—they were reliable, clear and had an impressive single response and durability—the best I’d seen. So, when I started with Buckcherry in 2011 and saw they were using various cabling, I knew it was time to make the call to RapcoHorizon.�

RapcoHorizon cut and labeled every cable to the band’s desired method of organization,, making for easier setup and use. This way, whether it’s running the microphone and instrument cables to the main RapcoHorizon snake behind the drums, or running the vocals to another RapcoHorizon snake down stage, the cable setup saves the band’s crew members from wasting time figuring out what goes where.

“RapcoHorizon has beyond amazing customer service,� adds Shaw. “I can’t imagine working with anyone else. They are just fantastic, going over and above the call of duty. As for the cables, they are well built and do exactly what they are supposed to do. My confidence level is so high with these products that if something goes wrong they are usually the last thing I check.�

RapcoHorizon RoadHog cables are designed to work perfectly no matter how often they are put to use. Srybnik says that employing them every night to run audio to his panel board and effects pedals has been a great improvement from the previous setup. Another benefit of the RapcoHorizon cables is their ability to coil nicely. The quality of the cables and flexible jacket ensure that they not only lay flat on stage, but also roll up easily without causing bends.

“The guys can stomp on the RoadHog cables all night with their boots, and no matter what they seem to do to the cables, I know I can always count on them to work,� concludes Srybnik. “With other brands, the connectors often have a tendency to come apart during wear-and-tear, but not the RapcoHorizon ones. They have great strain relief and are very durable. The way these cables are manufactured is just exceptional. Using an all-RapcoHorizon rig, I can hear and feel the difference in my cable response compared to the original assorted cables.�

Srybnik says that the guitar and bass players have also noticed a difference in their sound since the RapcoHorizon cables became a Buckcherry standard. He has even been able to get a little more gain and EQ from his gear now that he’s all RoadHog.

Shaw has been with Buckcherry for more than eight years. Prior to joining the group, he worked for such performers as Kid Rock, Chevelle, Drowning Pool and System of a Down, and also toured with the comedian Dane Cook. Srybnik began working with Buckcherry in late 2011. Since then, he has introduced RapcoHorizon into the audio arsenal for the rapper Jay-Z.

Buckcherry is currently promoting its new album, Confessions, set for release on February 19, 2013. Having spent the holidays at home, the band recently took off for a U.S. and Canadian tour.

The RapcoHorizon Company, located in Jackson, Missouri, is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of audio, video, home theater, data and telecommunications cable in both bulk wire and assemblies. Used worldwide by concert touring sound companies, video and sound contractors, recording studios, system integrators, audiophiles and musicians, The RapcoHorizon Company’s products provide optimal flexibility and premium performance. The company’s state-of-the-art Custom Shop can modify existing products or build new devices to meet any need. For more information, please visit The RapcoHorizon Company’s Web site at www.rapcohorizon.com.

JESSUP, MARYLAND – JANUARY 2013: JDK Audio is expanding their dealer network to include Zen Pro Audio of South Carolina and Parsons Audio of Massachusetts and Florida. These dealers will provide JDK products to customers in their regions, as well as online, increasing the ever-growing JDK customer-base.

Zen Pro Audio, which joined as a dealer in November, is a boutique-style dealer owned by Warren Dent. Located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, with select products and a large portion of them online, their site proudly touts, “We serve the world, and if you’re in it we can help.â€� Zen Pro also features an in-house studio and the ability to listen to any piece of equipment on their web-tool, the “Clipalator.â€�

Also joining JDK in November as an authorized dealer is Parsons Audio. Parsons has two locations, Florida and Massachusetts and specializes in mid- to high-end product lines, as well as new, used and rented equipment.

“All of us at Parsons audio are very excited about our new relationship as a dealer for JDK Audio. The high quality and the sound of this gear is second to none and since it comes from a company who is legendary for standing behind everything they build, we couldn’t possibly be happier to offer these components to our clients,â€� says Vice President of Sales, Dave McLaughlin.

ABOUT JDK JDK Audio is a brand developed and engineered by API (Automated Processes, Inc.), a company that was established in the late 1960′s and is a leader in analog recording gear.

www.jdkaudio.com

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 2013: Piper Payne is an accomplished mastering engineer, recording engineer, and audio archivist who is currently working out of Michael Romanowski’s mastering studios in San Francisco, California. With an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, a graduate studies certificate from the University of Stavanger in Norway, a coveted position with Bob Katz at Digital Domain in Orlando, Florida, and a residency as Senior Audio Associate at the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada, Payne has not only lived throughout the country, continent, and world, but has internalized a diversity of audio technologies, philosophies, and techniques. While in Norway, she became a member of the beta team for Metric Halo’s flagship ULN-8 interface, and it has remained an irreplaceable fixture in both her recording and mastering work ever since. An audio evangelist, Payne has turned other professionals on to the Metric Halo ULN-8; Michael Romanowski’s studios are now home to seven for recording, mixing, and mastering!

“I went to work with Bob Katz after my graduate studies, and he and I held our own interface shoot-out shortly after I arrived,� Payne said. “The Metric Halo ULN-8 held its own against everything. Only one other converter [at nearly three times the price per channel] sounded as good as the ULN-8. For my mastering work, the ULN-8’s transparency is paramount. Whatever I’m doing, I never want to hurt the audio – I never want to put a sound on the sound. Other converters have a ‘digital sound’ that Metric Halo avoids.� Although Payne regularly scrutinizes all new products and technologies, including interfaces, the Metric Halo ULN-8 remains at the heart of her rig.

Payne’s mastering work relies heavily on both analog and digital technologies. Sonic Studio’s soundBlade HD is her preferred digital playback, editing, and recording software. SoundBlade integrates seamlessly with Metric Halo’s MIO Console, which provides 80-bit summing and comprehensive routing facilities between all of her virtual software inputs and outputs and the hardware inputs and outputs of the ULN-8. “I always use MIO Console for summing,� Payne said. “I prefer its sound to everything else.� The outboard gear that she regularly uses includes a Manley Langevin Mini Massive EQ, a Neve Portico II Master Bus Processor, an EAR 822 EQ, a GML 8900 compressor, a Weiss digital EQ1, and a Weiss digital DS1 dynamics unit.

“Metric Halo’s MIO Console is tremendously flexible,� Payne added. “Not only can I easily reroute my mastering chain, but I can check and calibrate each piece of gear as I go. And of course the fidelity of the ULN-8 is critical. I’m using the analog components at line level and the converters in both directions. It’s a lot of sound and conversion all going through one box, and the ULN-8 introduces no noise and no artifacts.� Payne always uses the highest possible resolution, and the ULN-8 accommodates that preference with up to 24-bit/192kHz performance and a flat 3Hz to 64kHz frequency response.

Payne views each project with fresh eyes, taking the open-ended goal of best serving the project in whatever way is needed. “If the mix comes to me perfectly balanced, then I’m happy to simply do some level matching and sequencing,� she said. “But the truth is, that rarely happens. On the other end, if a project arrives with so many problems that I can’t fix them without messing up other aspects of the work, then I’ll send it back to the mix engineer to request a remix. If I can’t help the project, I try not to hurt it. Ultimately, communication is key. It’s important that everybody involved is on board with exactly how far a project can go – no one can turn a ‘C-grade’ mix into an ‘A+’ master.�

Payne also regularly records on location throughout the Bay Area, using a collection of Metric Halo ULN-8s for a compact, high-fidelity front end. In addition to classical concerts, she records rock acts, which have included Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Death Cab for Cutie, Mumford & Sons, Matt Nathanson, and The Airborne Toxic Event. “Ultimately, what amazes me about the ULN-8 is that it does so many things, and it does them all so well,� she said. “There are great preamps, converters, and signal processors out there. But to have all of that inside a single box that’s rock-solid reliable,� she concluded, “that’s amazing!�

ABOUT METRIC HALO Now based in the sunny city of Safety Harbor, Florida, Metric Halo provides the world with high-resolution metering, analysis, recording and processing solutions with award-winning software and future-proof hardware.

www.mhlabs.com

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA – JANUARY 2013: A successful Argentinean businessman and a splendid trumpet player, Jorge Fort recognized the need for a high-end recording studio in Argentina that successfully leveraged the strengths of both digital and analog technology. With the help of well-known Buenos Aires recording engineer Oscar Gimenez, he built and developed Fort Music over the last seven years to become one of the premier recording destinations in Argentina. Advised by SL Audio, API’s distributor in Argentina, Fort Music upgraded its existing 16-channel API 1608 to thirty-two channels with full automation. The new arrangement helped propel trumpet legend Arturo Sandoval’s recent release, Tango, Como Yo Te Siento, to popular success and a Latin Grammy win for “Best Tango Album.�

“Lots of now-famous Argentinean records in the Jazz, Pop, Rock, and Tango traditions have been recorded on Fort Music’s API 1608,� said Daniel Paracha, who, together with Sergio Levinsonas, are on staff at SL Audio and assisted with the original purchase, as well as the more recent purchase of the 16-channel expander. “But it was in the hands of Arturo Sandoval that Fort Music received well-deserved recognition in the form of a Latin Grammy. Sandoval and Fort produced and engineered Tango, Como Yo Te Siento.�

The album title translates to “Tango, As I Feel You,� which is an apt description for its heartfelt contents. Sandoval collected the world’s greatest tangos, all of which were composed by “true artists… true musicians� in Sandoval’s words. The great compositions are elevated by Sandoval’s masterful vision and the skills of a vast ensemble of world-renowned musicians. Many of the recording sessions involved huge, multi-mic setups that were made possible by the 32-channel API 1608. Its 500-series expansion slots are loaded with API processors and other VPR-approved units. Outboard gear includes an API 2500 Stereo Buss Compressor, and Pro Tools HD serves as the recording and editing platform.

“The recording sessions for Sandoval’s Grammy-winner consisted of renowned artists from many different genres,� expanded Paracha. “Indeed, there were as many as sixty-four musicians on any given song. Some moments feature fifty string players! The location is huge, and this is a recording without precedent in Argentina. A-list vocalists, such as Valeria Lynch, Patricia Sosa, and Raul Lavie, among others, also contributed to the project.� Fort Music’s upgrade to thirty-two channels makes it the owner of Argentina’s largest API console and is a decisive factor in attracting new artists and producers to work at the studio.

ABOUT API (AUTOMATED PROCESSES, INC.) Established more than 40 years ago, Automated Processes, Inc. is the leader in analog recording gear with the Vision, Legacy Series and 1608 recording consoles, as well as its classic line of modular signal processing equipment.

www.apiaudio.com