The much-anticipated next generation of StudioLive consoles has finally arrived. The new StudioLive AI line is offered in 16-, 24- and 32-channel versions. And the numbers refer to full channels with mic preamps — there’s none of that “24 input board with 16 mic inputs and four stereo line inputs” business. All are four-bus designs.
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Maybe it’s because I’m also a drummer, but whenever a company introduces a new microphone designed for kick drum, I’m all ears. So earlier this year, when Telefunken Eletroakustik announced its new M82, I was definitely interested and even more so because the M82 also has onboard tone shaping switches to tailor the response to the job at hand.
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The Si Expression comes in three models, the 16-input Si Expression 1, the 24-input Si Expression 2 and the 32-input Si Expression 3. For my review, I took the Si Expression 2, (the 24 mic pre version) for a test drive.
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Over the past few years, Point Source Audio has gained a reputation for supplying tough, good-sounding miniature microphones in headset, earworn and lavalier styles. Now, with its new flagship SERIES8 line, the company is poised to take things up a notch — or two.
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Yamaha’s had a long history of building solid analog consoles, going back to 1974’s PM1000, which brought balanced I/O’s, 3-band channel EQ, matrix mixing and tough, roadworthy construction into 16/24/32-channel packages and began a legacy of pro-quality live gear that continues to this day. As the years progressed, Yamaha evolved digital consoles, which like its analog boards, have become world standards. There’s no doubt that the future lies in digital technology, but our old pal analog still survives and thrives, particularly in certain market segments.
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Once upon a time, live recording was a real pain. In the old days, it involved dragging a recorder or rack of ADATs/DA-88s to the FOH position and connecting them via console direct outs. I can even recall shows where large reel-to-reel digital machines (typically a Sony PCM-24 or PCM-48) would be lugged up to sit next to the house console. The alternative was to call a remote recording truck/van, determine the pecking order of analog splitting and then let that crew handle the details.
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To prepare for this review, I visited Que Audio’s website and found out some interesting facts about the company and its products. First, Que Audio is owned by the Syncrotech Group, which is an Australian-owned group of professional audio companies that has been operating down under for more 30 years. When I read this info on the Que Audio site, I was quite impressed. Maybe because I happen to love Australia (and not for the shrimp), but also because 30 years is a long time to do anything in Australia, or anywhere else for that matter.
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It’s not often that anything exciting comes along in the realm of bass drum mic mounts, so when I heard about the Kelly SHU™ Microphone Mounting System, I was extremely curious. The Kelly SHU is a semi-permanent suspension mount designed specifically for kick drum mics. It comes in three flavors: the SHU Pro, the SHU Composite and the SHU Flatz. The Pro and Composite will hold just about any kick drum microphone; the Flatz is designed for use with the Shure Beta 91/91A, SM91 or Sennheiser E901 (you must specify which mic when ordering).
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Last year, when Mackie first showed its DLM series with three powered, DSP-driven speakers. I was intrigued. Here were two extremely compact two-way systems with a 12-inch or 8-inch LF driver paired with a coaxial 1-inch exit compression driver, 1,000 watts RMS of biamplification (2,000W peak), a built-in, two-input digital mixer with line/mic inputs, 3-band EQ, 16 DSP effects, multiband feedback destroyer and memory presets for storing mix configurations. Also in the line is the matching DLM12S, a powered single-12 subwoofer.
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It seems like only yesterday (well about a year ago) that DPA launched its d:facto handheld vocal microphone, with the intent of putting a studio-quality mic into a live stage package. And now, less than a year later, DPA debuts its second-generation d:facto design — the d:facto II. Clearly, there wasn’t anything inherently wrong with the original design — in fact, the mic was starting to pick up an increasing roster of users, including performers such as Sting, who seemed quite satisfied with the original design. However, the engineering team members at DPA tend to be extremely fussy about even the smallest details, and the new and improved d:facto II was born.
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Less than a year old, VUE Audiotechnik was founded and developed by two industry pioneers (Ken Berger and Jim Sides) who are noted for developing highly respected speakers for other manufacturers. And from what we’ve seen and heard so far, VUE may very well be on its way to becoming a standard in audio excellence.
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Rupert Neve is one of the greatest circuit designers in the history of pro audio, and his name is synonymous with excellence for recording engineers everywhere. So when Rupert gets involved with a live sound product, we should take notice.
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