Instructions:
Leave this issue of FOH open to this page. Place it on a coffee table, nightstand, desk, (bathroom!) or other place your significant other can easily find it. This opening paragraph is printed with disappearing ink. After you read these instructions, rub them with a stage towel and they will disappear — leaving only the remainder of the page. Happy Holidays!
SoundTools Sniffer/Sender
The Sniffer and Sender may be the quickest way to test an XLR cable, and the length of the cable doesn’t matter — you’ll never have to worry about having long test leads for your multimeter. The Sender is a small tube with an XLR female at one end. It’s powered by a 12-volt A23 battery and sends out signals that test all three conductors in an XLR cable for continuity, plus any possible combination of shorted or cross-wired pins. The Sniffer can detect a short between pins 2 and 3 while using phantom power as the test source. Attach the Sender to one end of a cable (or snake) and the Sniffer to the other end. Turn on the Sender, and if all three LEDs glow green, the cable is OK. Other combinations (unlit or red LEDs) indicate a lack of continuity or crossed pins. At $45, can you afford to be without one?
www.ratsoundsales.com/soundtools.html
Kelly SHU Flatz
Anyone who’s used a boundary microphone inside a kick drum knows it’s a challenge to position the mic and get it to stay in place throughout a show. The Kelly SHU Flatz solves both issues. It’s a small platform to hold Shure SM91/Beta 91 or Sennheiser E901 boundary mics and is suspended by rubber support rings that mount to the drum’s existing hardware screws (no drilling required). The rings isolate the mic from vibration and ensure consistent positioning — you can even leave the mic inside the drum while traveling. For a full review of the Kelly SHU Flatz, see FOH, April 2013, page 37. Retail is $44.
Studio Six Digital iTestMic
The iTestMic plugs turns any iOS device with a 30-pin connector into a calibrated test/measurement system. Onboard A/D conversion lets the iTestMic bypass the iOS device’s electronics, reducing noise and increasing headroom. Plugged into a device running Studio Six Digital’s AudioTools software, the mic’s factory calibration values are read and applied, providing an accurate SPL measurement tool calibrated to +/-0.1 dB, regardless of the iOS device being used. iTestMic works with iPhone 4, the iPod Touch 4, and any iPad, and is $229. AudioTools software: $19.99
Radial Engineering StageBug SB-5 Laptop DI
The question isn’t if you’ll need this, it’s when you’ll need it. This stereo direct box is designed for use with a laptop computer or consumer audio device with a stereo audio output, and has a 5-foot cable with 1/8-inch stereo plug so you won’t have to search for a cable to connect to the laptop’s headphone jack. The SB-5 input routes through two custom transformers for impedance matching, balancing and isolation from the PA system; a ground-lift switch is also provided. Output is a pair of stereo TRS jacks or a single XLR that automatically sums the two input channels to mono. A -15 dB pad reduces sensitivity for high output sources. $99/street.
www.radialeng.com/r2011/stagebugsb5.php
American Recorder Technologies Outlet Receptacle Tester
This handy little gadget plugs into any grounded AC outlet and displays if you have an open ground, neutral or hot connection. It also indicates when hot and ground have been reversed, or if the hot and neutral connections have been reversed. Detect faulty grounds before they damage your audio! For five bucks, it’s a no-brainer.
On-Stage Stands QK-2B Quik Release Mic Adapter
Maybe not quite innovative, but valuable nevertheless. This classic pushbutton mic clip/stand attachment makes installing any mic onto any stand quick and painless. In black (or chrome) finish, it’s about $12/street.
www.onstagestands.com/products/view/117219
And if you’ve been really good all year…
Sony PCMD100 Portable High Resolution Audio Recorder
This handheld marvel from Sony takes the portable audio recorder to an entirely new level. The PCMD100 records audio to internal flash memory (32 GB) and is expandable via SD-XC card slot. What sets this unit apart from the average bear is that the PCMD100 can record a variety of audio formats, including linear PCM up to 192 kHz, DSD (2.8224 MHz) and MP3 (320/128 kbps). Two built-in condenser mics handle SPLs up to 128 dB, either in XY or wide stereo configurations. A USB port facilitates file transfers to/from your computer. MSRP: $999.
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/cat-audio/cat-recorders
Cymatic Audio Live Recorder LR•16
The LR•16 may indeed be the most easy to use 16-track recorder. Housed in a small desktop chassis, the LR•16 is a stand-alone unit (no computer necessary) that records audio to an external hard drive or USB thumb drive. Its 16 jacks connect into your mixer’s analog inserts; inputs are hard-patched to the 16 tracks so there’s no any routing or assignment set ups. Audio is stored as WAV files at 44.1/48 kHz, 16/24-bit and there’s a zero-latency monitor mixer with pan, solo, mute and level controls, and a headphone output. It’s compatible with Core Audio (Mac OS 10.5 or higher), WDM and ASIO drivers (Windows XP, Vista, 7&8 32/64) and iPad without need for a powered hub. Street: $499.
Shure SE215 Sound Isolating Earphones
Traveling sucks on the best of days. There’s nothing worse than being on a plane where the passengers think they’re in their living room. However, earphones or headphones that block ambient sound might keep you out of jail. Shure’s SE215 Sound Isolating Earphones reduce the external din up to 37 dB and feature a “Fit Kit” with multiple sleeves to accommodate your golden audio receptors. A detachable cable terminates in gold-plated ends; the earpieces have a lock-snap mechanism that rotates 360 degrees for a comfortable fit. Street is $99.
www.shure.com/americas/products/earphones-headphones/se-earphones
FRONT of HOUSE T-Shirt
You thought you didn’t need another tee, but then you saw this. A must-have, in basic black at $25 ($20 for smaller sizes).
