CARLSBAD, CA – Winners of the NAMM Technical Excellence and Creativity (TEC Awards), honoring the best in professional audio and sound production, have been announced in a virtual event on the final day of NAMM’s Believe in Music week, a global online gathering to unify and support people who bring music to the world.
More details from NAMM (www.namm.org):
Presented by NAMM on Believe TV, the annual event recognized the highest achievements in the pro audio and sound worlds of music making, live performances, video games, television and films.
Universal Audio picked up the day’s biggest collection of prizes in the Technical category for its Apollo x 4 (Computer Audio Hardware); Neve 1084 Preamp & EQ Plug-In (Signal Processing Software-Dynamics/EQ/Utilities), and the company’s LUNA Recording System (Workstation Technology/Recording Devices). Two pro audio brands who each have a long history of sound gear innovations took two awards a piece, also in the Technical category. They are JBL and AKG both recognized for professional gear in several categories including Amplification Hardware-Studio & Sound Reinforcement, Headphone/Earpiece Technology, and respectively, as well as additional categories listed below.
“Despite the global pandemic, the industry continued to innovate, creating one of the largest collectives of product Nominees in the 35-year history of the awards. And given the world engaged in virtual interaction on an unprecedented level, the products honored helped connect us all by delivering music and sound across the world,” shared Eric Geer, TEC Entries & Nominations Supervisor.
Many projects in Creative categories were recognized as well, including the Disney+ show featuring the evergreen Star Wars-theme: “The Mandalorian, Season One” (Television Sound Production). A salute to the posthumous legacy of Prince won out in Remote Production/Recording or Broadcast for “Let’s Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince, CBS.” A full list of winners in Creative Excellence is below.
For the first time, award content, including category and a 35-year retrospective videos, were streamed live to Believe in Music attendees for free. Viewers enjoyed companies and experts who were feted in 22 Technical Achievement categories and seven Creative Achievement categories.
NAMM TECnology Hall of Fame
Recently, the NAMM TEC Awards also announced the induction of five historical audio products into the NAMM TECnology Hall of Fame. The honorees were selected by a panel of audio experts, including authors, educators, engineers, and other professionals. Founded by FOH magazine editor George Petersen in 2004, the TECnology Hall of Fame honors audio products and innovations that have made a significant contribution to the advancement of audio technology and production. Joining more than 150 previous honorees, the 2021 inductees included the Western Electric 639A Ribbon Microphone (1938); RCA Mark II Sound Synthesizer (1957); 3M M56 16-Track Recorder (1968); Constant Directivity Horn, Don Keele (1975), and Near Field Monitoring, Ed Long (1977). For more details about the 2021 TECnology Hall of Fame, go to https://fohonline.com/newsroom/news/namm-tec-awards-tecnology-hall-of-fame-to-induct-don-keele-four-others/
If you missed the live TEC Awards event premiere, parts of the program are still watchable online after registering online http://attend.believeinmusic.tv.
Sponsors for today’s event supporters included The Les Paul Foundation, Antelope Audio, C.F. Martin & Co., EastWest Sounds, Electro-Voice, Retro Instruments, sE Electronics, Allen&Heath, Apogee, Austrian Audio, Broadjam, d&b audiotechnik, Genelec, Harman, Leapwing Audio, Mackie, McDSP, Meyer Sound, OWC, Pioneer DJ, Sessionwire, Shure, Tracktion, Universal Audio, WonderWonder Sound, Cinema Audio Society, EIPMA (Entertainment Industry Professionals Mentoring Alliance), G.A.N.G. (Game Audio Network Guild), GeerFab Audio, Grace Design, IsoAcoustics, iZotope, L-Acoustics, MPSE (Motion Picture Sound Editors), Shenzen Maono Technology, Softube, Sonic Scoop, Strymon, Studio Expresso, ThumbStopper, WSDG and Hotone Audio.
Congratulations to the winners of the 36th Annual NAMM TEC Awards:
TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
- Amplification Hardware – Studio & Sound Reinforcement: JBL – DSi 2.0
- Audio Apps & Hardware/Peripherals for Smartphones & Tablets: Eventide – Blackhole
- Computer Audio Hardware: Universal Audio – Apollo x4
- DJ Production Technology: Native Instruments – TRAKTOR KONTROL S3
- Headphone/Earpiece Technology: AKG – K300 Series
- Large Format Console Technology: Solid State Logic – ORIGIN
- Microphone Preamplifiers: Neve – 1073OPX
- Microphones – Recording: AKG – Lyra
- Microphones – Sound Reinforcement: sE Electronics – V Series for Drums
- Musical Instrument Amplification & Effects: Ampeg – Heritage 50th Anniversary SVT
- Musical Instrument Hardware: Moog – Matriarch
- Musical Instrument Software: Celemony – Melodyne 5
- Production Essentials: Audinate Dante AVIO Adapters
- Signal Processing Hardware: API – 2500+ Stereo Bus Compressor
- Signal Processing Hardware – 500 Series Modules: AMS Neve – RMX16
- Signal Processing Software – Dynamics/EQ/Utilities: Universal Audio – Neve 1084 Preamp & EQ Plug-In
- Signal Processing Software – Effects: Waves – Abbey Road Saturator
- Small Format Console Technology: Allen & Heath – Avantis
- Sound Reinforcement Loudspeakers: JBL – EON ONE Compact
- Studio Monitors: Genelec – W371A Adaptive Woofer System
- Wireless Technology: Shure – Axient Digital AD3 plug-on wireless transmitter
- Workstation Technology/Recording Devices: Universal Audio – LUNA Recording System
CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT
- Studio Design Project: Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, Tisch School of the Arts, NYU-FM Design
- Film Sound Production: “1917,” Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Pictures/Entertainment One
- Interactive Entertainment Sound Production: “Star Wars Jedi – Fallen Order,” Respawn Entertainment
- Record Production/Album: Hyperspace, Beck, Capitol Records
- Record Production/Single or Track: Fear Inoculum, Tool, Tool Dissectional and Volcano and RCA
- Remote Production/Recording or Broadcast: “Let’s Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince,” CBS
- Television Sound Production: “The Mandalorian (Season 1),” Disney+
