MUSIC TECHNOLOGY DIRECT WINTER 2002 ISSUE … · MUSIC TECHNOLOGY DIRECT WINTER 2002 ISSUE ... Ease...

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MUSIC TECHNOLOGY DIRECT WINTER 2002 ISSUE™

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Fostex DV40

MOTOR MIX and DASHBOARDCM Labs has been creating and producingprofessional audio hardware since 1990. Theiraward winning products — like the awesomeMotor Mix and innovative Dashboard — havebeen used in many cutting edge recordingstudios, Broadway shows, touring performances,theme parks, ocean liners, churches and projectstudios. — SEE PAGE 2

YAMAHA AW2816 MultitrackYamaha calls it “The new digital workstation forpeople with more sense than dollars.” It’s the newAW2816. If you’ve dreamed of owning the TECAward-nominated AW4416, but couldn’t swing theprice, this all-in-one digital workstation offers youmost of the features, but without the price tag.Now there’s no need to compromise on an inferiormultitrack for your project studio! — SEE PAGE 3

FOSTEX DV40 Master RecorderIt took many years before the power to burncompact discs was available to both the pro andhome project studio owner. But now, in what hasto be considered an amazing leap in musictechnology, Fostex has introduced the incrediblenew DV40 Master Recorder. What’s so specialabout the DV40, you ask? It allows you to burnyour own DVDs! — SEE PAGE 4

AUDIO EASE ALTIVERBIn the past you probably read about those cuttingedge reverb processors that actually allow you toplace your music in almost any real sonicenvironment, from world famous concert halls tosmall “live” rooms — or even in your ownsampled acoustic spaces. Now, thanks to AudioEase and their AltiVerb software, thesecapabilities are within your reach — withoutbreaking the bank! — SEE PAGE 4

PLUS: TASCAM DM24, AARDSYNC II,TL AUDIO TUBETRACKER M-3, ROYER,SOUNDELUX and AKG Mics and more!

New KSP8 delivers trueKurzweil quality effects

MOTU unveils 24-bit/96kHZ896 FireWire Interface

Building on the overwhelming success of its828 FireWire interface, Mark of the Unicorn hasjust unveiled the 896, an expandable two rack-space 96kHz FireWire audio interface for Macintoshand Windows personal computers ($1,295 list). Inaddition to upping the ante to 96kHz, the 896

offers 8 high quality mic preamps, along with 8channels of 24-bit analog I/O, 8 channels of ADAToptical digital I/O, AES/EBU digital I/O, word clocksync, and sample accurate ADAT SYNC.

The 896 front panel provides three banks of10-segment level meters, eight trim knobs for theanalog inputs, and eight toggle switches forindependent 48-volt phantom power for each micpreamp. In addition, the 896 provides MOTU’sCueMix Plus no-latency monitoring, which makesoverdubbing with the system a snap. Best of all,the 896 connects to any FireWire-equipped

Windows PC or Apple Macintosh computer —there’s no PCI card or PCMCIA card required!

Each 896 offers a total of 18 channels of I/O,and up to four 896s can be daisy-chained to asingle computer for a whopping 72 channels ofanalog and digital I/O at 48kHz with no FireWire

hub required! The MOTU 896 includes a completeset of Sound Manager, ASIO and WDM drivers forfull compatibility with virtually all major audiosoftware on both computer platforms. AudioDesk,a complete digital audio workstation package forMacintosh is included.

The MOTU 896 should be shipping about thetime this issue hits your mailbox, so call yourSweetwater Sales Engineer for special low pricingand availability. Judging by the success of the 828,the 896 will be flying out of here the minute theyhit our loading dock, so don’t hesitate!

Kurzweil’s history of creating groundbreakingsynthesizers is well known around the musicindustry. From the legendary K250 series throughthe award-winning K2600,(their latest VAST seriesinstrument), Kurzweil synths have been first callkeyboards on concert stages, sound stages, and inrecording studios the world over.

That legacy now includes an extremelypowerful signal processor, spawned from the sameVAST architecture that makes the K2600 tick.Boasting more than twice the processing power of

KDFX (the world-class effects found in the K2600),the KSP8 ($2,995 list) is an 8-channel effectssystem designed for the engineer, producer ormusician who demands pristine sound quality,extreme flexibility, and unparalleled real timecontrol.

The KSP8 extends the arsenal of effectalgorithms found in KDFX, adding newly developedsurround reverbs in addition to a host of new monoand stereo algorithms. The KSP8 architecturedelivers enough power and flexibility to allow for

independent processing of up to 8 channelssimultaneously, and its extensive programmabilitymakes the KSP8 not only a must have for seriousrecordists, but an indispensable tool for sounddesigners in search of exciting new timbres.The unit offers 4 (expandable to 8) channels ofanalog I/O on 1/4” TRS jacks, as well as stereodigital I/O on XLR jacks, which can handle eitherAES/EBU or S/PDIF signals. Kurzweil offersadditional optional digital I/O in a variety offormats, including Alesis lightpipe and Tascam

TDIF, as well as offeringtrue 24 bit A/D and D/A

converters. There are 249effect algorithmsonboard (expand-able, of course), awhopping 636 effectpresets, and up to999 user presets.There are also 138

preset effect chains, with up to 999 user chainsavailable. The effects algorithms include Reverbs(booths, rooms, chambers, halls, plates, stages andmore), Delays, Choruses, Flangers, Phasers,Shapers, Enhancers, Triggered Filters, Distortions,Tube Simulators, Dynamics Processors, CabinetSimulators, Spatializers, Rotary Speaker Emula-tions, Tremolo and more. About the only thing itwon’t do is make your coffee!

For the absolute ultimate in reverb and effectsquality and versatility, nothing beats having aKurzweil KSP8 in your studio!

While Computers have made professionaldesktop recording a reality, they have alsoshifted the paradigm of control from thefamiliar fader, knob, and jog/shuttle wheel to

the point-and-click ofyour computer mouse. CM Labs, producers ofprofessional, award-winning audio hardwaresince 1990, offers a pair of products designedto put complete control back in your hands.

Motor Mix ($999 list) stands alone as theonly DAW mixer control surface to offer 8 bankswitchable motorized faders plus 8 rotary pots,a rotary encoder, 68 switches and a 40 by 2LCD. It’s a complete control surface, providingtactile control for a variety of audio needs:

• Console Automation: Use Motor Mix toenter fader moves and mutes into sequencersto provide total mixer automation.

• Digital Audio Workstations: Use toenter fader moves and mutes into theDAW to control levels, mutes and plug inparameters in real-time. By using the bankselect switches and the LCD, Motor Mix cancontrol systems with an unlimited number ofchannels and a full compliment of plug-ins oneach channel.

Dashboard ($999 list) is a compact,affordable and powerful worksurface thateliminates fatigue caused by point-and-clickediting by offering a familiar editing interface.Don’t be deceived by its small footprint; you’llbe amazed by the in-depth access to Pro Tools

Sweet Notes / Winter 2002 /

WE ACCEPT EVERY MAJOR CREDIT CARD! We make it easy to get the gear you need! Call us at (800) 222-4700

The process of surround encoding hashistorically been a very expensive one,requiring thousands of dollars worth ofproprietary hardware. What’s more, in abusy production facility, hardwareencoders are frequently in demand,creating production bottlenecks.

Now all that has changed, thanks to asuite of software-based encoders anddecoders for Digidesign’s Pro Toolssystems designed by Kind of Loud. Thecompany offers three separate AudioSuiteprograms: SmartCode Pro / Dolby ($795list), Smart Code Pro / DTS ($1495 list)and SmartCode Pro / DTS-CD ($495 list).

For less than the cost ofa single hardwareencode/decode system,a busy productionfacility can now ensurethat all of their Pro

Tools systems are capable of full surroundproduction!

All three SmartCode products allowyou to create encoded files ready for DVDproduction or CD playback directly fromPro Tools. To create an encoded file inSmartCode Pro, just select the six ProTools tracks that comprise your surroundmix and a simple press of the “Encode”button creates your new .dts or .AC3 file.

With SmartCode Pro, you can offeryour clients a preview CD that will play onany home theater CD or DVD systemequipped with the proper decoder, makingthis a valuable tool for providing a quickand cost-effective means to test yoursurround mix.

For more information and your specialpricing call your Sweetwater Sales Engineertoday or log onto www.sweetwater.com toplace your order for SmartCode Pro.

Kind of LoudSmartCode Pro editing functions! In fact, Pro Tools already has

built-in support for Dashboard, so you knowthat CM Labs and Digidesign have workedtogether to give you seamless integration.Dashboard gives you absolute finger tip controlof everything in your session: Transport andautolocator control, waveform editing, mixerand monitor control and a whole lot more, like8 endless hi-resolution rotary pots which allowyou to control: Mix fader / Send level /subgroup fader, mono pan and stereo balance,plug-in assignments and parameter control,

insert and channel I/O assignments.There are 8 channel select switches for

grouping and plug-in control, a “Burncontrol section” for record readies, auto-mation writes and plug-in bypass, 8 mute

and 8 solo switches and view and bankswitches to access up to 8 channels at a time.

• Full size transport switches plus highresolution jog / shuttle wheel and navigator /zoom controls and autolocator keypad

• Cut, copy, paste, delete switches• Autopunch controls and Window switch• 40 x 2 backlit LCD display, offering:

Track labels;Fader, sendlevel, and

pan settings;I/O assignments andAutomation modes; Plug-in parameters andassignments.

For more information and special lowpricing on these great CM Labs products,contact your Sweetwater Sales Engineer rightnow or order online at www.sweetwater.com.

CM Labs Motor Mix and Dashboard

CM LabsDashboard

CM LabsMotor Mix

First launched in 1995, VocALign from Synchro Arts massively speeds up audio synchroniza-tion tasks and increases the quality of results, working by automatically “micro-editing” the new orreplacement audio to align the timing of its modulations to match that of a guide signal. VocALignis the only plug-in to provide automatic alignment and editing for lip-syncing dialogue, foreigndialogue replacement, double-tracking vocals, tightening-up vocal and instrumental backing tracks,and matching the timing of one sound effect to another.

Mac users should consider VocALign PRO ($995 list) which includes a copy of the VocALignApplication (featuring seamless integration with Pro Tools) plus a copy of the new AudioSuite Plug-In: VocALign AS ($495 list). VocALign PROis compatible with Pro Tools 3.2 – 5.1 andDigital Performer 3. It will also work as astand-alone application with SD2 formatfiles.

VocALign Project ($299 list) is anentry-level cross-platform version ofVocALign that works with editing systemssuch as CoolEdit Pro and Sound Forge and isfully integrated with products such asDigital Performer and Pro Tools.

Synchro Arts VocALign PRO


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Aadvark AardSync IIToday’s 16- and 24-bit converters need an extremely stable clock to

maintain the depth and clarity of analog audio as it’s converted to thedigital domain. The AardSync II from Aardvark ($1795 list) is a mastersync generator designed to provide superior clock stability and flexibilityfor a wide variety of digital audio systems. Unlike other sync systems,the Aardsync II uses a digitally synthesized clock, resulting in unparal-

leled performance. The low jitter master clock in the AardSync II achievesjitter ratings way down into the pico-seconds! This means that the unitwill not only synchronize your entire studio, but it actually enhances theprecision of your audio converters, making them sound better — nosmall feat!

The Aardsync II can also deal with video systems, quickly recogniz-ing and locking to incoming video house sync. This means that youraudio workstation and everything connected to it will remain in perfectsynchronization with the video system from beginning to end, recordingto playback. The unit can be set to generate any digital audio sample ratedesired, including not only the industry standard 44.1, 48, 88.2 and96kHz, but also all the Pull-Ups and Pull-Downs necessary to handle anyfilm and video transfer task with ease.

The AardSync II keeps perfect sync for any DAT, A/D or D/Aconverter, digital mixer or workstation and is compatible with SonicSolutions, Digidesign, Avid and the Yamaha O2R. In fact, the AardSync IIwas largely responsible for the current industry buzz on the importanceof clocking the digital studio to one low-jitter master clock generator.

What’s more, in the Audio Media Word Clock Shoot-out (April, 2001issue), the AardSync II came out on top. To quote Audio Media: “It wasamazing how a different clock source could make the converters soundand how easy it was to hear these differences. These were so dramaticthat we had other engineers who were present in the building listen andthey were also amazed . . . In general, the AardSync II consistentlyperformed the best . . . the AardSync II is an amazing unit.”

TC•PowerCore Version 1.5

If the all-in-one workstation pictured here looks familiar, it’sbecause it strongly resembles its TEC Award-nominated big brother,the AW4416. It’s the new Yamaha AW2816 ($2399 list) which thecompany calls “the new digital workstation for people with moresense than dollars.” In terms of features and performance, the twounits are remarkably similar, though the AW2816’s low list price (andeven lower Sweetwater pricing) makes excellent financial sense forproject studios that have to live within a real world budget.

The AW2816 offers you 16 + 2 channels of stunning 24-bitrecording with absolutely no data compression at either 44.1 or 48kHz

plus 28 inputchannels including a digitalstereo input and dual stereoreturns. You also get full dynamicallocation of all your mix settings,including fader movement, parameter changes and scenes.

Absolutely no corners were cut on this beauty, since it also sportstwo assignable 32-bit effects processors (with that spectacular Yamahaquality sound) and a premium onboard CD recorder for storing all ofyour critical data and audio.

Along with a large, backlit 320x640 display screen and 4-bandparametric EQ plus dynamics on all channels (available all the time),there’s an I/O expansion slot for digital interface options or the newWaves Y56K processor card. Finally, the AW2816 includes 18 bussesplus a comprehensive digital patch bay with easy routing.

Choosing a digital workstation can be scary business these days.Making the wrong decision could cost you precious time, money andneedless frustration. That’s why you need to talk to an expert. To seeif the Yamaha AW2816 is right for you and your studio, contact yourSales Engineer right now!

Yamaha AW2816

Need more power for your plug-ins? TC|Works has announced TC•PowerCore Version 1.5 ($1299 list), an open DSP hardware platformfor any VST recording application. Already available for the Mac, thenew version provides full PC compatibility and virtual instrumentsupport among other enhancements.

This PCI card acts as an integrated DSP turbocharger, enabling usersof native systems to run extremely CPU-intensive effects without havingto render them into the files prior to mixing. Using some of the latest

Motorola 56K DSPsspecifically designed foraudio, PowerCoreprovides significantperformance advantagesover sole nativeprocessing, addingroughly the equivalent

power of four Mac G4 processors on a single card!PowerCore’s DSP Tools now provides 18 high quality algorithms.

The comprehensive new VoiceStrip Channel Strip Plug-In aloneintegrates six algorithms (including Vintage Compression, DeEssing, aspecial Voice-EQ, Gate, Lo Cut EQ and TC SoftSat saturation for accurateanalog emulation)! With approximately 40% less native CPU-load perplug-in, PowerCore 1.5 optimizes host performance even further.

Want more details? Just pick up the phone and call your SweetwaterSales Engineer today or log onto www.sweetwater.com to order!

Custom Select GuitarsWhether you’re looking to purchase your very first guitar or that

once-in-a-lifetime instrument, you should know that Sweetwater can helpyou put together your ultimate guitar rig! Tell your sales engineer whatyou’re after, and they will work with you to find exactly the rightinstrument for both yourneeds and your budget.

Sweetwater carriesinstruments from themany of the best names inthe business, like Gibson,Martin, Paul Reed Smith,Epiphone, Takamine,Parker, Godin and Ovation.We also carry a completeline of amplifiers, effectsand accessories.

Call us now for furtherinformation and pricing!

PRSHollowbody II

(260) 432-8176 5335 BASS RD., FT. WAYNE, IN 46808


As we all know, DVD is nowa viable format for both pro andproject studio owners, withcapabilities that far exceed thatof ordinary recordable CDs. TheFostex DV40 Master Recorder($5995.97 list) is designed torecord and playback audio datadirectly onto a DVD-RAM disc.The unit offers high reliabilityrecording by employing a Verify/Write mode, which examines allrecording data, all the time, whilein record mode.The DV40 also employs the UDF fileformat mode that establishes filecompatibility between computer-based workstations. Users can chooseeither SDII or BWF (.WAV) as the desired audiofile format, as well as selecting either 24-bitor 16-bit resolution.

Recording track modes can be selectedfrom mono, stereo, or multi (four track) andall sampling frequencies are supported from44.1 all the way out to 192kHz (optional HDinstallation is required for 88.2 and 96kHzfour-track as well as 176.4 and 192kHzstereo). The DV40 also offers internal fileconversion between four-track and stereofiles and multitrack mono files. File editing

(800) 222-4700FAX: (260) 432-1758 [email protected] www.sweetwater.com

modes offernon-destructive edit

functions such as Copy, Paste,Insert, Cut and Erase. The DV40 also

offers a comprehensive choice of built in I/Ooptions, which include:

• Four analog XLR inputs with 24-bit/192kHz A/D conversion.

• Four analog XLR outputs plus 1/4”phone jacks with 24-bit/192kHz DA.

• Two Digital AES/EBU I/O’s.Synchronization with Word and Video

signals are included plus full Time Codegenerator functions which offer 24H RUN,REC RUN, FREE RUN and EXT RUN modes. TheTC generator is also equipped for the new23.97F HD camera mode as well.

The user-friendlyinterface offers Cuepoint write and recallfunctions based on BWFformat and Play Listgroup, list play usingstored Cue points. Youcan also choose Directlocating to internal

memory points and thenlocate functions including LAST REC

START/END points and LAST PLAY STARTpoint. The DV40 offers analog audio scrubbing byusing a high precision tracking JOG / Shuttleencoder dial. There is also a back panel portto interface to an ASCII 2 keyboard forinputting file names, TC locations and soforth. An optional Ethernet card will offer filetransfer between the DV40 and a PC viageneral purpose FTP applications. With futuresoftware revisions and the installation of anVGA I/F card, the DV40 will offer filemanagement on VGA monitors, waveformediting by P/S 2 mouse and DVD-AUDIOreproduction.

With the introduction of the DV40, Fostexbrings you the future in Post ProductionRecording! So call your Sweetwater SalesEngineer for additional information or logonto www.sweetwater.com 24 hours a day!

Audio Ease AltiverbIf you’re using MOTU’s Digital Performer on a Mac, Audio Ease has

just released Altiverb ($495 list), a plug-in that offers realistic mono,stereo and four-channel sampled acoustics of real halls, churches,forests, bathrooms — virtually any acoustic environment. But here’s theclincher: Altiverb is the first native reverb plug-in to take full advantageof Altivec, the “Velocity Engine” co-processor that brings super-computerperformance to Apple Power Macintosh G4 computers. The result is aplug-in that exceeds the performance of recently introduced outboardsampled acoustics processors that cost as much as $10,000.

Sampled acoustics processing takes an enormous amount of DSPbandwidth, and there are only a few pieces of outboard gear on the

market that can do it. If you lookinside, you’ll see dozens of DSP chips,hence their astronomical price tag.The engineers at Audio Easeingeniously employed the G4 Altivec,which is a solitary monster DSPprocessor sitting inside every G4Power Mac that’s so powerful, it canproduce up to 40 seconds of reverbdecay, while the outboard units aredoing ten seconds or even less. Andour listening tests have shown that

the audio quality is virtually identical.Altiverb includes dozens of presets ranging from the lush ambience

of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw all the way down to the back of a FordTransit van! Until recently, reverb units could only crudely approximatethe amazingly complicated nature of real-life acoustics. Now withAltiverb, all that’s changed. All of these presets can be browsed onlineand downloaded from the Audio Ease Web site.

An Altiverb preset is called an “impulse response,” which is createdby firing a starter pistol or by playing a sine wave sweep from a speakerin an auditorium, church or other acoustic space. The resulting reverb is

recorded as a digital file. Using a process called deconvolution, the drysource signal is then extracted from the audio file, leaving behind theexact acoustic fingerprint of the space. Altiverb even includes theImpulse Response software, so you can sample any acoustic space orhardware reverb to create your own Altiverb presets. In addition, you cantake photos of the venue being sampled, and place JPEG images in thesame folder. Altiverb then displays the JPEGs as a slideshow when thepreset is chosen in the plug-in. How totally cool is that?

Want to know more? Just call us at (800) 222-4700!

“My first experience won't be my last. It's very reas-suring to receive the no-hassles help.” — Ed Pettersen

“What happened?! Did ‘service’ run away from every-one else and end up at Sweetwater? You guys are the best!Don’t change!” — Jeff Diehl

Altiverb includes dozens ofpresets ranging from the

lush ambience of theAmsterdam Concertgebouw

all the way down to theback of a Ford Transit van!

Fostex DV40

MOVING? MOVED? Call, fax or e-mail us your new address and don’t miss an issue of Sweet Notes!


Q: How come my Roland will not receive onmore than one MIDI channel at a time?

A: Make sure you are in “Performance” mode.“Patch” mode will only receive on one MIDI channelat a time. Try different “Performances” until you findone that is already set to receive on different MIDIchannels with different sounds on each channel.Some may have several “Parts” receiving on the sameMIDI channel to give you a thick layered sound.

Q: In Digital Performer 3, I attempt to audi-tion soundbites in the soundbites window or graphiceditor window, but the audio isn't coming out ofmy "Monitor Outputs" (chosen in Configure Hard-ware Driver). However it works fine in DP 2.7. Whyis this?

A: Designating audition outputs has changedin DP3. It now uses the “Audio Bundles” window todetermine outputs for auditioning. Clicking on theOUTPUT tab in the Audio Bundles window will dis-play all output bundles. The output bundle whichis at the TOP of the list will always be the auditionoutput. You can change which bundle is at the topby using the "MV" (move) buttons to the left of eachbundle. Simply drag the desired bundle to the topof the list. Then the output of that bundle will beyour “audition” output.

Q: How can I stop unnecessary programs fromloading up on startup on my PC?

A: Go to Start > Programs > Accessories > Sys-tem Tools > System Information > Tools > SystemConfiguration Utility > Startup. There you can dis-able unnecessary (or unwanted) programs.

Q: Do I need a SCSI CD burner to burn filesfrom WaveLab?

A: No. WaveLab works just fine with most IDEand even USB CD burners.

Q: Will Cubase, WaveLab and Nuendo workwith non-SCSI drives?

A: Yes. SCSI drives can generally be faster, butthe current crop of Ultra ATA 66 or 100 drives canrun with great performance and results.

Sweetwater ForumsThe ideal place to discuss ideas, insights and

issues with the top minds and artists in pro audio!sweetwater.com/forum

Perfect for use in the studio or on stage,Sweetwater introduces an exclusive packagewhich includes the Kurzweil SP88 keyboard,Roland KC300 keyboard amp, a double brace,heavy duty single tier keyboard stand, a piano-style sustain pedal, gig bag and two 10-footcables for just $1269.97!

The SP88 Stage Piano offers a full 88 notekeyboard with semi-weighted action withKurzweil’s critically-acclaimed sampled grandpiano plus a dual-hardness tine electric piano,FM synth electric piano, lush ensemble stringsand a versatile tone wheel organ. 32 programs

Sweetwater Keyboard Gig Pack

and 32 factory setups are provided which offera variety of splits and layered combinationswith useful controller assignments. Grand Pianooffers stretched and non-stretched tunedversions, and programs with different EQ. TheSP88 also offer many MIDI controller features:Two Ribbons (instead of traditional wheels)provide flexible control. A perfect complement,the Roland KC300 keyboard amp sounds greatand has enough power to handle all but thelargest venues. Plus the Gig Pack comes witheverything else you need to get started makingmusic, so call your Sweetwater Sales Engineernow or order online at www.sweetwater.com.

“ The staff there were awesome throughout (my) purchase. Very helpful, pa-tient and knowledgeable choosing the appropriate package so all of my needswere met at a discount price. ” — Preston Watkins

“ (My Sales Engineer was) very helpful and knowledgeable. Fast and greatdelivery. Fantastic price.” — Dom Pucciarelli

CUSTOMER QUOTES

By the time you readthis, 2001 will be historyand we’ll all be entering anew, hopeful year. Yes,2001 was certainly a yearof tremendous change andupheaval. But it also sawus finally entering aglorious new phase inmusic technology with theintroduction of many newand exciting 24-track / 24-bit hard disk recorders. Wealso saw prices droppingeverywhere on technology that, just afew short years ago, was out of reach formost musicians.

Through all the changes, I’m proud ofthe fact that Sweetwater was — and is —always there for you, with the very bestproducts, top-notch advice and qualityafter-the-sale technical support. Thanksto our new SweetCare™ program, asingle phone call is all it takes to answeryour toughest questions or get your gearserviced. With SweetCare, it’s alwaysgoing to be: Problem solved!

Our new online forums are also anunbelievably rich source of information,just waiting to be tapped. They’re also agreat place to make connections withother musicians with your specificinterests, whether they relate to digitalaudio workstations or guitars ormicrophones and so on. If you haven’tchecked it out, now is a great time to logon and see what all the excitement is

about. All you have to do is log into ourWeb site (www.sweetwater.com) and clickon the “Support and Care” button underour logo. That takes you to a page whereyou can access our easy-to-searchKnowledge Base and our convenient,archived Tech Library and much more.

Got some gear that’s not working? Allyou have to do is click on the “Sweet CareRepair Request” line and that takes youdirectly to a page where you fill out asimple form. One of our technicians willcontact you within one business day tocomplete the process and issue you aRepair Authorization (RA) number. Oftenyour unit won’t actually need to berepaired at Sweetwater, and our techs maybe able to walk you through minor issuesand save you both time and money.

Here at Sweetwater, today and well intothe future, we’ll always be looking for waysto make your music-making experience thebest it can possibly be!

NEED IT TOMORROW? We can ship FedEx for next day delivery! (800) 222-4700


Royer Labs is proud to announce that the “unthinkable-becomes-reality” with the release of the world’s first phantom powered, activeribbon microphone, the R-122 ($1,695 list)! While the idea of aphantom powered ribbon microphone was enticing enough, Royerdidn’t design their new Active Series mics simply to do somethingdifferent. This new technology addresses two major issues common toall conventional ribbon microphones:gain and impedance matching.

The Active Series ribbon mics are assensitive as traditional condenser mics,allowing you to use practically any micpreamplifier or mixing board preamp.Conventional ribbon microphones are,on average, 15 to 20 dB less sensitivethan condenser mics. The Active Seriesribbon mics, starting with the R-122,contain fully balanced, discrete headamplifier systems utilizing ultra-lownoise FETs. This system is extremelyquiet, can handle SPLs approaching 150dB, and allows the Active Series ribbonsto deliver a sensitivity of –38 dB! Goahead and plug an R-122 into anypreamplifier with average gaincharacteristics — you’ll get exceptionalperformance regardless of how quietthe sound source, and enough gain todrive any recording medium.

The electronics impose a perfectload on the ribbon element at all times, so the R-122 is able to deliverits full sonic potential regardless of the input characteristics of the micpreamp. A good impedance match is critical with ribbon microphonesbecause impedance mismatching “loads” a ribbon improperly, resultingin loss of low end, diminished body, lowered sensitivity and compro-mised performance. With the Active Series, the ribbon element lives ina perfect world; it sees an optimum impedance match at all times, soits performance will never be compromised by the effects of improperloading, and the ribbon element won’t be damaged by phantom power,electrical glitches or mis-wired cables.

The Royer SF-1 ($1,075 list) is an ultra-compact, monaural ribbonmic, exhibiting flat frequency response and a wide, well-balanced,soundfield. The SF-1 has superb transient response due to its ultralow-mass 1.8-micron ribbon assembly. Frequency response is excellentregardless of the angle of sound striking the ribbon, and off-axiscoloration is negligible. The heart of the SF-1 is its ribbon transducer

proprietary cross-field motorassembly. Comprised of four powerfulNeodymium magnets and Permenduriron pole-pieces, the cross-fielddesign assures the shortest front-to-rear ribbon path length for best highfrequency response. Looking for a superb stereoribbon mic? The Royer / SpeidenSF-12 ($2,150 list) stereo coincidentribbon microphone is one of the finestdevices of its kind, combining highquality audio with outstanding stereoseparation and imaging. It is a modernribbon design with no audiblediffraction effects or cavity reso-nance. An SF-12 is actually twomatched microphones placed oneabove the other, each aimed 45degrees from center. As with the SF-1, the frequencyresponse is impeccably, and off-axiscoloration is kept to a minimum. The

two 1.8-micron ribbons are of pure aluminum (99.99%), each weighingapproximately 1/3 milligram and producing superb transientresponse. The magnet / polepiece structure allows a wide uniformfrequency range with no significant peaks or dips. The case is ingotiron and forms part of the magnetic return circuit, an effective systemwith low leakage flux, accounting for the relatively high sensitivity ina trim package.

For more information about the full line of outstanding Royermics as well as your special pricing, contact your Sweetwater SalesEngineer right now or log onto www.sweetwater.com.

Royer Labs: Finally a ribbon mic for every studio

Imagine a database of solutions for everysignificant tech support issue resolved overmore than 20 years of the best pro audioservice in the industry. Now imagine thatdatabase a mouse click away, 24 hours a day,seven days a week. Sound too good to be true?It’s not! Announcing SweetCare™,perhaps the most comprehensiveapproach to technical support in theentire music industry. Whether on theweb, over the phone or in person, ournumber one priority is helping you get themost out of your purchase.

The online component of SweetCare™takes you beyond the realm of simpleQ&A: You have access to in-depth articles,live media and the most completedatabase of technical informationavailable anywhere. We’ve also created anew online forum, where you can discussyour ideas, insights and issues with thebest minds and top artists in pro audio.

If the topic or issue you’re confronting isn’taddressed online, you can contact us in personsix days a week. As always, you can easily get

the info you need right over the phone byspeaking with a technician well versed in all ofthe products in our warehouse! Of course, ifyou happen to find yourself in or around FortWayne, you’re always welcome to stop by andspeak with a technician in person.

Check out the new SweetCare™ Web Supportand Care Center at www.Sweetwater.com/support. Experience our dedicated approach totaking total care of you and your gear!

Are you Tough on Your Stuff? TheSweetCare™ National Service Center is gettingmore and more recognition than ever before.There’s good reason for this: First, we’ve investedan enormous amount of time and money to trainour SweetCare™ staff and equip them with the

best tools, training and informationavailable. Simply put, they’re the mostskilled team in the business! Since we’re a factory authorizedrepair center, we can work on more gear,make more difficult repairs and get morefactory fresh parts than your local solderjockey or stereo repair center (in fact, wetweak and repair more gear than moststores sell!). It also means we get priorityaccess to the latest information on serviceissues and upgrades, as well as providingfull warranty service. Because we have somuch experience with all the major lines,we know how to take care of your gear

quickly and correctly every time. And with thefastest turnaround times in the nation, you getyour gear back faster, and that lets you get backto what’s most important — your music!

SweetCare™: Setting a new standard for service


Access our 5,000+ page Web site day or night at “www.sweetwater.com”

Even when we stare at it day in and day out, it’s sometimes hardto grasp the concept that many of today’s truly great recordings werecreated, edited and mastered on a personal computer. Its power, audioquality and musical potential ranks right up there with the mostcostly recording machines and hardware processors ever built! Talkabout “state of the art” — and you already own one! Blazing fastprocessor speeds and remarkable DSP capabilities bring us bothworld-class effects and 24-bit sonic elegance.

What’s more, almost overnight software companies have takenover one area of production after the next: MIDI sequencing, audiorecording, realtime effects, even synthesizers — and there’s no end insight! The one disappointment with all this “progress” up until now,has been the lack of a suitable operating surface — kind of themissing link so far between you, the user, all that great software andyour personal computer.

Recently, a number of manufacturers have addressed this need,among them a company called Radikal Technologies with theirSAC-2K ($1,849 list), an ergonomically designed automatedworksurface which is perfectly suited to meet all the everydayrequirements of modern studio work. The SAC-2K was designed to be

fully compatible with all current software, likeDigidesign and Mark of the Unicorn

products. With its touch

sensitive faders, LEDindicator

encoders,three displays andan abundance of pushbutton controls, the SAC-2Killustrates immediately just howimperfect and tedious software operation viaa mouse and computer keyboard actually is — or maybewe should say was!

The base SAC-2K has nine 100mm ALPS touch sensitive motorizedfaders, 12 ALPS 31-segment LED encoders with integrated touchswitches, three Codeco LCD flip displays offering the finest visibilityat any angle in any light, 68 LED illuminated EAO sure touch switches,a single weighted Jog / Shuttle wheel and a large Codeco SMPTE /Time reader. All logically laid out for fast access to any data at anytime. Just one touch and you’re there.

The SAC-2K transport is simple and fluid. All switches are LEDilluminated. A weighted Jog wheel allows quick location and editingupdates. A numeric keypad allows for simple input of time andlocation data. And because the SAC-2K automatically conforms to anyaudio software package on the market, regardless of platform — fromPro Tools to Digital Performer and beyond — it presents somethingthat is very rare in today’s advancing electronic world: It will neverbecome obsolete!

The SAC-2K was designed by professional producers who havecollectively worked on hundreds of albums with artists such as BobDylan, Run DMC, Madonna and Jeff Beck, as well as numerous featurefilms and TV series involving sound design, music, foley and dialogediting. Want to join this elite group? Sure you do. So just pick up thephone and talk to your Sweetwater Sales Engineer or order a SAC-2Konline at www.sweetwater.com!

SAC-2K: The ultimate touchsensitive digital worksurface

Roland’s amazing 24-bit24-channel Studio Pack

Have you ever thought to yourself: There’s got to be an easier wayto get started making great recordings without having to spend weeksresearching options, then spending a small fortune for a system thatmay or may not suit your needs! The people at Roland understand,which is why they have put together the Studio Pack ($1,395 list, only$695.97 for our Sweetwater customers), a complete, easy-to-use systemfor musicians looking to do 24-bit / 24-track digital recording andmixing on their Mac or PC. Careful attention was paid to making sure the

system wouldn’t require an astrophys-ics degree to operate, nor cost as

much as a new BMW! The Studio Packincludes the critically-acclaimed VM-3100Pro, a20-channel digital mixerwith precision 24-bitconverters and truestudio-quality effects plusa PCI audio card (theEmagic RPC-1) and acustomized 24-bit / 24-

track version of Emagic’saward-winning recording and MIDI production

software, Logic RPC.At the heart of the Studio Pack, the incredibly powerful VM-3100Pro

V-Mixing Station is a compact tabletop digital mixer capable of routingits inputs to eight 24-bit digital audio output buses. That audio datais then routed, along with MIDI data, to virtually any Mac or PCvia Roland’s R-BUS digital audio format and the included RPC-1PCI / R-BUS card.

The VM-3100Pro also offers two dedicated onboard stereo multi-effects processors, which give you everything from studio-qualityreverb, delay and chorus to the Roland’s proprietary COSM Guitar Amp,Microphone and Speaker Modeling. And with its built-in controllertemplates for Logic and other music production software, the VM-3100Pro is not just an audio routing and processing tool, but anexcellent software control surface as well.

The other major component of the Roland Studio Pack is Emagic’sLogic RPC, a customized version of the company’s best selling LogicAudio recording and MIDI production software. Using Logic RPC, youcan record up to eight tracks of 24-bit digital audio simultaneously,while playing back up to 24 tracks right from your computer! What’smore, Logic RPC includes many of Emagic’s best plug-in effects — EQs,distortion, flanger, tape delay and more — and a suite of powerfulediting tools.

To find out more about Roland’s “no hassles” 24-bit, all-in-onestudio solution, contact your Sweetwater Sales Engineer today or orderonline at www.sweetwater.com.

“There’s no price for the courteous, professional ex-perience I have enjoyed. Please pass that on! My salesperson was the most enjoyable part of purchasing equip-ment over the phone. Experienced, knowledgeable salespeople are the most important asset to any business”

— Joseph Rumpolo“(The Sales Engineers) are wonderful, very profes-

sional & knowledgeable. Past experience with thembrought me to you instead of the competition . . . also,you beat their prices. ” — Bret Hazlerig

“. . . all Sweetwater personnel involved in my purchaseand subsequent tech support calls have been great towork with. Without a doubt, I will continue to do busi-ness with Sweetwater.” — Rayford Jones

“ My sales rep . . . was very professional and knowl-edgeable. I appreciated the time he spent helping memake the proper purchase. I'll definitely be a return cus-tomer! ” —Steve Pickett

Great Jobs! Great People! Great Pay! Careers available on the Sweetwater Team! (800) 222-4700

TL Audio Tubetracker:Finally a Class A tube-driven mixer

“(My Sales Engineer)has done a wonderful jobconsulting with me on mystudio needs. He took thetime to provide me helpfulinformation while not push-ing for a sale.”— Rob Flowers

“Your service and pricesare outstanding. I look for-ward to doing business withSweetwater in the future.” — Rich Germaine

“ I wanted to drop you anote to let you know I ap-preciate very much, thatnot just one of the folks inthe tech support depart-ment called to see if I hadmy questions answered suf-ficiently, but two! — andtracking me down to do it!— It's assuring to know thatyou folks care so muchabout the service end of thedeal. I look forward to work-ing with you more.”

— Stephen Blanton

“Just an extra note ofthanks for your flexibilityand diligence, the uncom-mon amount of time andattention you took in get-ting me what I needed thisweek . . . I recognize (you)went beyond the normalcall of duty . . . and I appre-ciate it. Your company isalso to be congratulated,for its ability to communi-cate between depart-ments.” — Mark Nielsen

Most of us agree that tube (or valve)based equipment delivers the distinctivewarmth and richness that we associatewith the very best analog recordings,helping to soften the “clinical” nature of somedigital recordings. Introducing theTubeTracker M-3 from TL Audio ($3,549 list), aunique, compact and supremely sweet soundingvalve solution for all tracking and submixingapplications.

Each of the M-3’s eight channels features a discretevalve mic preamp, four band EQ with swept mids, a pairof auxiliary sends and a post-fader direct output forstraight-to-multitrack recording. A simple yet flexible mastersection is based around a stereo valve mix buss, with a pair ofauxiliary returns, comprehensive monitoring and meteringoptions and an optional 24-bit/96kHz stereo digital output.Multiple M-3s can be linked to provide an unlimited number ofchannels, since the link facility connects each mixer’s stereo, PFL andauxiliary busses to create a true expansion of mixing capacity. Plus the M-3 is suitable for 19" rack fitting or table top mounting, complete withvintage wooden surround.

The M-3 features a Sovtek ECC83/12AX7A valve stage in each channelpreamp and the stereo mix buss, run from a stabilized power supply.

Phantom power is available on all eight mic inputssimultaneously. High quality Alps 100mm

faders control the level of signal sent tothe direct outs and stereo mix buss.

The M-3 employs an all-newvalve mic preamp stage for

superb warmth and detail,based around a discrete

transistor front endand a secondary

triode valve stage. Thepreamp delivers between

16 and 60dB of gain on themic input, and +/- 20dB of gain

on the line input. A source selectswitch allows either mic or line inputs to

be designated as the signal source, andphase reverse and 90Hz filter switches are

provided to both mic and line signal paths. It’s so sweet that the M-3 caused one user to gush:

“This is a serious tool with useful features for manyapplications, from location recording to studio mixdown. The

EQ and mic amplifier sections are excellent, suiting a wide range ofinputs. It handled everything I threw at it with ease, always sounding

responsive, exciting and dynamic . . . it is a joy to use.”Whether you need a fat front end for your digital HD recorder, a

classy submixer for your large format console, or a pristine quality mixerfor live music recording, the TubeTracker will deliver the expensivesounding results you want without breaking the bank!

AKG brings back the legendary 451You may have noticed an interesting trend:

The more advanced our modern recordingtechnology seems to get, the more we valueequipment that was designed and built decadesago. Just as a 1950s or '60s Les Paul orStratocaster is considered a true classic — andtherefore way out of reach financially for most ofus — so too are microphones released duringthose same “golden years” of audio. The reasonwe cherish such gear is because everything backthen was precision built by hand, and thus had asound unmatched by equipment built in massquantities by machines.

Those who know and love thevery best vintagemicro-

phones havealways had a special place

in their hearts for the AKG C451 withthe legendary CK1 capsule. These mics were usedas overheads, on percussion of all types andacoustic guitars for hundreds — or possiblythousands — of classic recordings engineered bysome of the very best in the music business.According to these pros, nothing sounds sweeterfor these applications.

A best seller from the day it was released inthe late 1960s, the AKG CMS Series, with itsinterchangeable capsules (in particular the CK1)and preamps quickly attained cult status. It wasdiscontinued in the early 1990s, but engineerswho owned the originals and swore by themdemanded that this precision studio microphone

be released once again. Responding to this growingdemand from recording engineers, AKG decided toproduce the C451B ($549 list) with identicalacoustical behavior to the original, but withdramatically improved specs and outstanding price-to-performance ratio. The capsule of the new versionis fixed permanently to the preamp to eliminate themechanical problems of the screw joint.

Using an extremely light diaphragm, the newC451B is almost totally insensitiveto handling noise. Anall-

metalbody provides

excellent protection from RFinterference and the microphone is

rugged enough to handle the harshest of condi-tions. Just like its predecessor, the C451B is anexcellent tool for accurately capturing signals rich intransients such as drums, overhead miking, or otherinstruments with a percussive sound. The airysound, high overload limit of the capsule andimproved engineering details of the C451B are asolid foundation for creating another legend.

The C451B features a near ruler-flat on-axisfrequency response along with a precise, nearlyfrequency independent cardioid pattern. It employs atransformerless output stage for minimum distortionat low frequencies and includes switch selectable 10-dB and 20-dB preattenuation pads plus a switchablehighpass filter (75 Hz or 150 Hz, 12dB/octave). TheC451B operates on phantom power and comescomplete with SA 40 stand adapter and W 90windscreen. Unquestionably, the C451B is a greataddition to any studio’s mic collection!



We have all the hottest products from all major manufacturers — IN STOCK!

Today’s software is amazing! Using your computer and the rightsoftware, you have the equivalent of what would have been considereda world class recording facility just a few years ago. But today’ssoftware is so complex, just reading the manuals can’t possiblyprepare you for every real world situation (not to mention how boringit can be to read manuals when you’d rather be recording). Wouldn’t itbe great if you had a friend that would sit down explain everything youneed to know about your specific softwarein a way that’s, well, dare we say . . . fun?

Well, now you do! The people at CoolBreeze have put together the Cool SchoolInteractus line of CD-ROMs, which willteach you everything you need to knowabout your software — even about the entireconcept of digital audio production — in away that makes learning dangerouslyaddictive. You get amazing interactivemovie tutorials, pictures and flow charts, anextensive online glossary of related terms,plus custom quizzes and exercises to makesure you’re actually “getting it.” No specialhardware is needed, just a compatible Macor Windows machine.

Their newest CD-ROM, CSi v6 coversMOTU’s Digital Performer and highlightsthe awesome new features in version 3.Everyone from the sequencing newbie through the DP guru will findgreat benefit in using CSi, vol. 6. You’ll sit down with a digital audioworkstation pro and learn concepts, production techniques and all thefeatures available in Digital Performer 3. This CD-ROM includes screenelement definitions with click-state pop-up simulations for theTransport, Mixer, Sequence Editor, MIDI Graphic Editor and Menus.

The 40+ CSi movie tutorials include not only basic functionality,but production techniques, special short cuts, key commands, andbefore and after audio examples. If you own a Digital Performer rig, CSican be open at the same time. View a movie tutorial in CSi then

instantly go to Digital Performer and try it yourself. As a specialbonus, CSi vol. 6 includes the “CSi AutoPlayer” which launches CSiinto an “autopilot” mode. Sit back, relax, drive with no hands andimpress your friends as you soak in the info.

The latest in Cool Breeze’s series of outstanding Pro Toolstraining CD-ROMs, CSi vol.5 covers the new features in Digidesign’sPro Tools 5 (including version 5.1) software. Whether you’re working

with Pro Tools FREE, Digi001, or thebiggest, baddest TDM rig, this multimediaCD-ROM will help you get the most out ofyour Pro Tools system. If you own Emagic’s Logic Audio 4,CSi v4 is what you’ve been waiting for!Whether you’re driving the Silver, Gold orPlatinum versions of Logic, this multimediaCD-ROM demystifies Logic Audio, openingup the vast capabilities, power andflexibility of the program. Get hip to thebasic concepts, operational ins and outs,and all the new features Logic offers. CSi v4combines the Cool Breeze vibe with thepractical expertise of Logic Audio pros, andCSi’s tutorials are designed to include notjust basic functionality, but real-worldproduction techniques as well. CSi v3 is a very cool — and very

powerful — guide covering all the basics of digital audio productionon any personal computer. Whether you’re into music, post-production or multimedia, this CD-ROM will give you the backgroundto talk the talk and walk the walk in the complex, multi-level world ofdesktop audio. You’ll get hip to the many concepts, elements,products and possibilities out there for recording with a personalcomputer. Gain the knowledge to put together the system that’sexactly right for you!

For other Cool School Interactus Series titles and additionalinformation, contact your Sweetwater Sales Engineer right now.

Cool School Interactus: Digital audio made easy

Sweet PRS/Vox Package DealIt used to be that a “beginner’s” guitar and amp was more or less a joke. Everyone knew that as

soon as they learned how to play (and their fingers finally healed up) they would get a “real” guitarand a “real” amplifier — ones like “real” musicians might play. Friends, the days of the plasticguitar and cardboard amplifier are gone. Let’s all wave goodbye . . .

Today, for about the same money that you used to spend on what really was beginner’s gear,you can get an electric guitar that bears one of the most prestigious names in all of rock musichistory and an amplifier that traces its heritage back to the days of the “British Invasion” (you mayrecall a little band back in the ’60s that called themselves The Beatles).

The guitar is the Santana SE, an instrument designed by the same people that makethose incredible Paul Reed Smith guitars like the Custom 22, McCarty and the $8,000special order Santana II. It features a solid mahogany body and set neck (glued in, notbolted on) with a 22-fret rosewood fingerboard. The amp is the Vox Pathfinder,a 15-watt combo amp that comes from the samecompany that gave the world the classic Vox AC-30 Top Boost. Like all other Vox amps, it’scovered in basketweave vinyl with thatunmistakable diamondgrill cloth.

Now for the mostincredible part: Thisamazing package isjust $689.97! No,this is not a misprint.And this is a rig youcan actually live withand groove with formany years to come, onstage or in the studio!

PRICED TOO LOW FORUS TO ADVERTISE!

As you look through this issue of SweetNotes, you can’t help but notice that in mostcases we only print list prices. Here’s why:Many manufacturers require all retailers thatare carrying their products to agree to what’scalled a “MAP” policy. MAP simply meansMinimum Advertised Price, and it restricts uslegally from publishing a price that's lower thanthe manufacturer sets. In most cases, that’s allour prices!

What’s more, prices can change (even themanufacturer’s MAP), so we might just finishmailing your copy of Sweet Notes, then getnotified of a price drop or make a specialpurchase from a specific manufacturer atoutrageous savings which we pass along to you.

All of which is why we ask that you give usa call at (800) 222-4700 or e-mail us [email protected] for the very latest —and lowest — pricing on any item we stock, andwe have all of the newest, best and hottestequipment right here in our gigantic ware-house, ready to ship right to your door.

Hey, it’s a free call or a couple minutesonline, so why wait? Get in touch now for thelowest prices on the gear you want and need!

FRUSTRATED? NEED HELP? Our Tech Support Team is just a phone call away: (800) 222-4700


Soundelux: Perfect replicas of top vintage mics While you may not often hear the nameSoundelux, you’ve heard their award-winningmics on recordings from top artists like HerbieHancock, Kid Rock, Destiny’s Child, BackstreetBoys, Steely Dan, Bonnie Raitt and ChristinaAguilera. The reason we here at Sweetwater holdSoundelux mics in such high esteem is the factthat the company is totally dedicated to buildingcomplete replicas of the top vintage mics on theplanet. Soundelux has succeeded where othershave compromised: They’ve reproducedexactly what made the originals sohighly desirable and they’ve done it at aprice that’s about half what you’d payfor one of the originals. What’s more,while vintage mics can vary consider-ably in quality, with some soundingbetter than others, all Soundelux micsare incredibly consistent across theboard. Studio pros who really know theirmics know the legendary TelefunkenELAM 251 is one of the most sought-after mics of all time. The SoundeluxELUX 251 Tube Mic ($5000 list)recreates the sonics of that awesomevintage mic down to the last detail. Itsstrong, powerful bottom and airy,nonabrasive top end puts it light years

ahead of others; using this mic you getthe sense that its response actually extends

well beyond the normal range of a studio microphone. The ELUX 251 offers “no compromise” construction — handbuilt, hand tuned, strictly tested European capsules, timeproven tube and transformer circuitry, all point-to-point wired.Excellent bass response along with a superbly transparent topend fulfills the quest for high frequency response that hasnatural presence, allowing vocals to sound dominant withoutbeing overbearing. There is no midrange overemphasis orbuildup when stacking vocal tracks, no honkyness or grunge.Patterns are switchable between Cardioid, Figure 8 and Omni and

the mic features a dynamic range of 115dB with a maximum SPL of 132dB(more than your ears could handle in the real world)!

The 1960s vintage U67 tube mic is another favorite of seasonedengineers because of its high-end sparkle andbeefy low mids for vocals. The Soundelux U99($2500 list) excels in the same applications asthe original U67, but with a lower noise floor. Itssmooth overall response also features animproved top end. These days, U67s can cost abundle and no two sound alike. The U99

delivers the same performance, aswell as superior sound quality thatdoesn’t vary from unit to unit. If you’re looking for a reason-ably priced microphone that deliversall the warmth and personality of avintage mic at a fraction of the price,consider the Soundelux U195 ($1250list), an improved version of the47FET with the same tight bassresponse, but without the rolloffabove 10kHz. The original 47FET wasintroduced in the 1960s and was thefirst of the quality solid state, largediaphragm mics to offer bigimprovements in overall headroomand didn’t require a dedicated powersupply. The 47FET found its way infront of those high SPL sourceswhere you wanted a 47 tube mic, butcouldn’t, like on brass instrumentsor kick drums. Unique to the U195 is the “Fat/Norm” switch. The Norm position providesan extended flat response with slightlyelevated highs typical of FET condensers, while Fat creates alow-end boost between 10Hz and 400Hz for the distinctivesound of many classic cardioid condensers. To find out more about the extraordinary studio micsfrom Soundelux, just give your Sweetwater Sales Engineer acall or order 24/7 at www.sweetwater.com.

The 2002 edition of our hot new Pro GearDirectory has been shipped to all customers.If you haven’t received a copy or know some-one who would like one, call us at (800) 222-4700 or e-mail [email protected].

GOT YOURS?GOT YOURS?

The Mackie “Live” PackIf playing live is your thing, you know there can be nothing more vexing than having to choose a

suitable sound system. How much power do you really need? How many channels? And mostimportantly, after you spend all that money, how will it sound? We know that your sound is important, but we also know that most of you likely don’t have the

unlimited budget or dedicated road crew of today’s supergroups, whichis why we put together this special package specially

designed for the gigging musician. We call it the Mackie“Live” Pack, and it’s just $2379.97. First you get two of Mackie’s self-powered SRM450PA Monitors, a two-way biamped system (no power amp

required) that brings the precision of a studio monitor intoa live environment. The 12-inch woofer pumps out plenty of

bass, while the wide-dispersion horn tweeter delivers crystal clearvocals. The high impact composite cabinet makes it

lightweight yet durable. Next we add the criticallyacclaimed Mackie 1402VLZ Pro, a true two-bus

design with six high quality mic preampsand versatile EQ, all in a package that’s

compact, but rugged enough tohandle the rigors of the road. Finally,we include the AKG D880mkII Super

Cardioid Vocal mic, two speaker stands andall necessary cables. Don’t sweat your sound any

more: Order the Mackie “Live” Pack today!


SWEETWATER PROTECTS YOU WITH THE INDUSTRY’S FIRST AND ONLY 100% BEST VALUE GUARANTEE!

TASCAM DM-24: Today’s best buy in digital mixers

Hot Alesis HD24 is now shipping!

Okay, you’ve finally decided to make themove and upgrade your studio to include apremium 24-bit digital multitrack. Congratula-tions are certainly in order. But wait! Does yourcurrent mixer allow you to get the pristinesound quality you crave — and the newrecorder is capable of delivering — or is it theweak link in your audio chain? Hmm, maybenow is exactly the right time to upgrade thatancient mixer, as well.

The new TASCAM DM-24 ($2,999 list) isthe very first affordable 32-channel / 8 busdigital mixing console that combines thatlegendary TASCAM performance with 24-bit /96kHz audio quality right out of the box, notto mention highly flexible routing, extremelypowerful built-in automation, built-in

professional-qualityeffects, dynamicsprocessing andparametric EQ. To make the DM-24the ideal companionfor serious recorderslike the MX-2424 (orany of the new 24-bitmachines), TASCAMengineers employed acustom 32-bit floating-

point processor to ensure that you get true 24-bit performance throughout the digital signalpath. Whether you’re mixing for standard CDmastering or more advanced applications suchas surround encoding or DVD authoring, theDM-24’s superb audio quality blows away theexisting standards in affordable digital mixing.

The DM-24’s comprehensive automation isseamlessly integrated into the mixer’s operatingsystem, and up to eight entire mixes can bestored in the DM-24 at any time. Once a newmix is opened, the DM-24 automatically

switches to its automation mode so that anystatic changes you make are instantly saved.You can also easily offload all automation datavia MIDI, so you’ll never run out of availablespace – a new mix is a MIDI dump away!

The DM-24 offers 16 pristine mic preamps(on XLR jacks, of course), plus a TRS line input,as well as an insert point (no compromiseshere!). In addition, the mixer is fitted with 24

channels of TDIF interfacing plus eightchannels of ADAT Optical I/O, two stereo AES/EBU and two stereo S/PDIF interfaces. Twooption slots are also provided for additional 8-channel analog and digital interface modules or a

cascade module (yes, you can link two DM24sfor a full 64 channels of digital mixing bliss).

The DM-24 also features highly program-mable gates, fully-parametric 4-band EQ andcompression on every channel. What’s more,for its dual built-in effects processors,TASCAM enlisted the aid of cutting edgecompanies like TC Works and Antares tooffer the highest quality reverb, spatialenhancers, mic modeling and even speakermodeling. Fully adjustable to your personaltastes, the DM-24’s effects are of the finestquality for crucial tracks like lead vocals orsolos, but with the convenience of being anintegral part of the mixer itself. No need for arackload of outboard processors any more.

The comprehensive user interface centersaround a large LCD screen and LED ringencoder along with 17 premium quality100mm touch-sensitive moving faders.Phantom power is switchable in groups offour and there are also four assignable sends

and returns, also configurable as inserts fortape return path.

Those of you who have owned a TASCAMproduct in the past know that everything theybuild is going to stand up to even the toughestprofessional use, day in and day out. The DM-24 is a dream machine that’s perfect forvirtually every studio on the planet. Doesn’tyour studio deserve the best?

You’ll Never Miss AnotherGreat Deal . . . Ever!

Want to know immediately when there’sa price drop on a particular item you’relooking for? Or an exclusive low Sweetwaterprice on the latest technical marvel? Howabout news of special offers and updates onthe newest product releases?

Sign up now to receive SweetNews™—Sweetwater’s instant Email Sale Bulletin.SweetNews lets you know about specialdeals, amazing offers, price drops and morethe minute they go into effect.

This is a great opportunity to see “at-a-glance” what Sweetwater — the world’slargest, most experienced pro audio retailer— has to offer to help make your music thebest that it can be, while also saving youvaluable time and money.

To sign up for SweetNews, just visit usonline at www.sweetwater.com/sweetnews.What could possibly be easier? Don’t missthose once in a lifetime deals — log on andsign up today!

Brace yourselves. There’s another entry into the premium 24-track hard disk recorder race. Butthis isn’t just another 24-bit dream machine — this is the first 24-track hard disk recorder withADAT’s legendary ease of use, quality and affordability. Introducing the ADAT HD24 from Alesis

($2,499 list), the next stepin the evolution ofADAT and the futureof recordingtechnology. For those ofyou who missed the1990s, the ADATwas the recorderthat started it all,

putting digital recording where it belongs: Right in the hands of every serious musician! The HD24continues the Alesis tradition of providing the tools we need at prices we can actually afford.While the HD24’s price may be less than you’d expect, its performance is stellar. It comes with 24channels of ADAT Optical digital I/O and ADAT 9-pin sync to fit smoothly into any existing ADATsystem. And thanks to the familiar ADAT interface, you’ll be able to get around on the HD24straight out of the box.

Editing can be done from the front panel, via remote (like an Alesis BRC) or with a PC-basedDAW by transferring audio via the HD24’s ethernet port. Exported tracks can even be e-mailedacross town — or even around the world — for further editing or recording. Thanks to new high-speed data access, such collaborations are now possible! Many other hard disk systems use thesame technology meant for simple data transfers — like word processing — without addressing theunique demands of audio. The new Alesis proprietary method of sequentially writing to the harddrive eliminates the tracking errors and random access delay that plagues many other hard disksystems, which mean greater stability and almost instantaneous response and seek time.

The best news of all is that we have your HD24 in stock and ready to ship right to your door ata terrific low Sweetwater price. Call now and you could be recording with an HD24 tomorrow!

SWEETNEWS™

The first affordable32-channel digital

console to combineTASCAM quality with

24-bit/96kHz audioright out of the box

Stay informed and inSync with our Web daily. Go to “insync.sweetwater.com”


Power Mac G4/867MHz

In the “old days,” digital audio was confined to the studio. Not any more.Now you can truly go mobile with your powerful new laptop computer – allyou need is a FireWire port and the Mobile I/O Series of Modular ProcessingAudio Interfaces from Metric Halo. The first in the series, Mobile I/O2882 ($1495 list), is a portable, high-quality, modular FireWire basedmulti-format audio I/O for professional and multimedia applications.

Mobile I/O 2882 supports all of the standard sound driver API’s forboth Mac and Windows (including ASIO, Sound Manager, and Wave Drivers).

And unlike other emerging FireWire audiosolutions, Mobile I/O is based on a fullyfield-upgradable, programmable audioengine, which future-proofs usersagainst changes to the FireWire specand provides a low-cost path to futureenhancements (and who isn’t in favorof that?). Mobile I/O is about the same size

as a laptop computer and lessthan 2” high, and is right at

home in the studio, aswell as the first

choice for thefield. Mobile I/O2882 provideson-board low-

latency signalprocessing and

supports simultaneous inputand output of all the major audio

standards: Analog balanced andunbalanced (mic, line, or instrument), S/PDIF,

AES/EBU and ADAT Optical.In addition to 8 line-level outputs, each Mobile I/O 2882 provides an

independent stereo headphone mix and output. Analog inputs and outputsare all 24-bit, 96kHz compatible. The Mobile I/O Series provides wordclockinput and output allowing transparent professional interfacing of multipleunits for larger systems. Mobile I/O is fully modular and inter-operable. Allunits support 400Mbs operation, allowing for up to 256 total channels of48k audio (or 128 total channels of 96k audio)! Units may be mixed and

matched for optimal I/Oand processing configura-tions. The 2882+DSP($2195 list) is alsomodular, and also comeswith 8 channels ofpremium grade mic-pre-amplification, each with48V of phantom power,but it includes an extraDSP chip for added

processing power. It’s an incredible piece of computing hardware in itsown right. Third party processing opens up a whole new world, allowingyou to perform more operations on board Mobile I/O than you would onyour host system, and more accurately too! Native OS and ASIO2 driversmeans it can work with virtually every DAW, even on Powerbooks.

Mobile I/O was designed to match the size of a laptop computer,making it easier to carry out on location. Mobile I/O is one rack unit highand ships with a free rackmount kit included, so studio installations arejust as easy, and it will only take up a fraction of your rack space. Shippingweight is less than ten pounds. Naturally, Mobile I/O will interface withany computer that will accept the IEEE 1394 standard. This includesFireWire and iLink equipped laptops, as well as machines that have thirdparty CardBus PC Cards with an IEEE 1394 connector.

If you’re looking to “get mobile,” get to your phone and call yourSweetwater Sales Engineer for additional information and special pricingon the Mobile I/O or order 24/7 at www.sweetwater.com.

Metric Halo Mobile I/O

This feature (if you happen to be new to Sweet Notes) keepsyou posted on items that have been featured in past issues thathave gone on to become hot ticket items — literally blowing off theshelves of our giant warehouse as fast as we can get them from themanufacturers.

One such product (or line of products, actually) is the AvalonDesign AD2000 Series: The AD2022 Dual Mono Mic Preamp,AD2044 Dual Mono/Stereo Compressor and AD2055 Dual MonoParametric EQ. These and other Avalon modules have always beenbig with studio pros, but since our article in the Late Spring 2001issue of Sweet Notes, we’re hard pressed to keep them in stock.Also in high demand is the distinctively retro M5 Pure Class AHigh Voltage Preamplifier. Every time we think sales have toppedout, those customers “in the know” order even more.

The same is true with PreSonus gear: The MP20 (shownabove), Digimax and Blue Tube are all just blowing out of here.And MOTU’s 828 FireWire interface and the Digidesign Digi 001s(shown below) are like french fries at McDonalds — It seems likethey’re going out with virtually every order! This just proves twothings: First, these manufacturers know what people want andsecond, that Sweetwater has them in stock at prices that make iteasy to own one!

Last issue we did a feature on the BLUE microphones (whichstands for Baltic Latvian Universal Electronics . . . no kidding).These are mics that have been honored two years in a row, winningthe prestigious Editors Choice Award from Electronic Musicianmagazine. The 2000winner, the sleekBlueberry ($1295 list)and the 2001 winner,the aptly namedDragonfly ($1095 —see photo at right)have both gone on toastound us with theirpopularity. Don’t getus wrong: We knewwhen we took on theline that these (and allthe other BLUE mics) were very special, both in appearance andaudio quality. It’s just that we never expected to see them catchfire with studio owners around the world as quickly as they have.Just proves that superior products and great Sweetwater prices area great combination!

Finally, we don’t have room to give you specifics, but guitarsales have skyrocketed recently. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that wecarry the very best instruments from the biggest and best namesin the business like Gibson, Paul Reed Smith, Martin, Epiphone,Brian Moore, Parker and Takamine, just to name a few. And forevery guitar there has to be the perfect amp — and we’ve got yourshere from companies like Marshall, Vox, Gibson, Line 6,Johnson, Roland and Hartke.

Mobile I/O2882

TALK TO AN EXPERT! Our Sales Engineers know their stuff and can help you select exactly the right gear!


Almost any club, church, school or activities group needs a good PAsystem. For years, that meant spending lots of money to put together abulky system that required a “volunteer” that would maintain it. But allthat’s changing. The innovative Passport Sound System from Fender is thedefinition of a truly portable PA system. Designed with simplicity,flexibility, versatility, reliability, ease-of-use and efficiency in mind, eachPassport system is ideal for working musicians, acoustic groups, club andlounge performers, school and day-care teachers, coaches, auctioneers,religious organizations, aerobics and fitness instructors, corporateeducational presenters (pause to catch breath), anyone or any applicationthat requires a portable audio sound system that sets up easily and

quickly (under 5 minutes!). Yet for all its cuttingedge technology, you don’thave to be a sound engineerto get professional qualitysound with the Passportsystem. Each custom cabinetcontains specially designed,full-range speakers positionedat critical angles to maximizeprojection and clarity withoutfeedback. Each system features

flexible in and out connections,tone control on each channel, digital

reverb, recording outputs and inputs (for CD, tape, etc.), all cables, andFender’s dynamic P-51 mic. The entire system is packaged into a unique,weather-resistant, portable case utilizing a patented latching system.

Weighing in at only 26 pounds, the P150 system includes a powerfulstereo mixer with digital reverb and two full range speaker cabinets. The P-150 operates on either AC or DC (battery) power and delivers a solid 150watts of stereo power. The FenderP-51 dynamic cardioid mic(included) is the perfect matchfor this system. Power it up andnobody will believe that you gotthis kind of sound quality at abudget price.

Weighing in at a mere 6.5pounds, the ultra compact P10 is ahighly portable, personal sound systemideal for paging, tour guides, classroom and publicaddress applications. In short, any situation where you need to amplify thevolume of your voice to communicate effectively with a crowd or smallaudience. What’s more, the P10 has a built-in rechargeable battery whichdelivers 27 watts of power to the specially-designed speaker for up to 8hours. There’s even a shoulder strap for easy transportation.

You can finally stop shouting (or dealing with an outdated PA). Grabthe Fender Passport system that’s right for your specific application today!

Fender Passport PA System

While the incredible Sony DMX-R100 isactually one of the most expensive items westock, we still sell as many as Sony can ship us.Why? Because most commercial studios cannotafford to cut costs by installing mixing consolesthat just can’t do the job — Roger Nichols ofSteely Dan fame owns two. Now, with theintroduction of the Version 2.0 operatingsystem, this awesome console is even morepowerful, with the addition of provisions forsurround sound production!

Version 2.0 software permits high rate (upto 96kHz) processing in full surround mode byintegrating the processing required for twonormal input channels to operate as one doublesample rate channel. The busses of the DMX-

R100 are software reconfigured to handle thedouble sample rate signals in surround mode.

5.1 surround sound features:• 24 input channels• 5.1 MTR bus • 2 Aux busses• 4 Aux returns • 5.1 CR monitorThe Channel Link Control function allows

linked control of parameters such as Trim,Delay, EQ and Filter, Dynamics, Channel Cut,Channel Fader, MTR Fader, and Solo Mode. Thenewly added Audition function allows FaderTrim updates to be rehearsed before overwrit-ing a previous mix. New Trim movements overprevious fader settings are stored from themoment the faders are touched.

What else can the DMX-R100 do? Well, a

betterquestion is:what can’t it do? This isa professional mixing consolewith a feature set that’s so deep it wouldrequire many pages to detail, so pick up thephone and call your Sweetwater Sales Engineerright now or log onto www.sweetwater.com formore information and your special pricing.

Sony DMX-R100 Console Version 2.0

As you’d expect from a company with a history of producingterrific equipment at prices that are actually affordable, value andquality are inherent in every aspect of the design and engineeringof the new 2U rackmountable HHB CDR830 BurnIT CD Recorder($699 list). Featuring high precision 24-bit A-D converters with 24-bit multi-level Delta Sigma D-A converters, the CDR830 BurnITdelivers recordings of the highest possible audio quality.

The precise design of the CDR830’s CD laser assembly meansthat every single CD-R and CD-RW disc written by the BurnIT isexceptionally accurate, providing greater compatibility with otherCD players and recorders. Solidly built for studio use, the BurnITrecords on readily available, low cost discs and features an SCMS-free digital input with three easy to use synchro record modes anda built-in sample rate converter.

The BurnIT’s CD Text feature enables the user to store disc,track and artist names with every recording. This information isthen displayed whenever the disc is played on a CD Textcompatible CD player or recorder — perfect for demos, soundlibraries, DJs, CD juke boxes, archiving, etc. It’s easy to recordfrom CD, DAT, MD or hard disk — even direct from your PC usingthe digital input. A built-in sample rate convertor accepts ratesfrom 32kHz to 48kHz and there are three synchro modes: 1 Track,All Tracks and All Tracks with Finalize. When recording from adigital source, the BurnIT’s digital record gain control can adjustthe signal input level, enabling gain adjustment for individualtracks (a real plus). This is perfect when recording a compilationCD from many different sources, since some tracks may be at ahigher or lower volume level.

Each digital input, both coaxial and optical, has its own levelcontrol. All signal levels can be monitored during recording orplayback using the LCD meters, with an input monitor facility alsoprovided. The BurnIT also has a left/right digital balance control,enabling the balance of digital and analogue sources to beadjusted before they are recorded.

The CDR830 is a rock solid workhorse and might just be ourbest selling CD recorder ever. We’ve just made a special purchaseand have plenty in stock right now at a great Sweetwater price,ready to ship right to your door. So call your Sales Engineerimmediately for more information or order online 24/7 atwww.sweetwater.com.

HHB CDR830 BurnIT


Our huge warehouse is home to thousands of the hottest new products. Call us at (800) 222-4700

Way back in the beginning of the year,we incorporated some pretty significantchanges to further improve not only ourability to bring high quality Sales Engineersonline more rapidly, but to take our awardwinning sales staff to even higher levels ofperformance in terms of overall customersatisfaction.

In January of 2001, we made some keymoves in Sales management, bringing DavidStewart and Troy Hartman on board asmanagers. Both of these guys have manyyears of experience at Sweetwater and in management and are flat outgood at what they do. As our sales team grew, I saw a need for somestrong, hands-on managers with real world experience.

David started out in Sales here over nine years ago and hasmanaged both our Service and Marketing Departments since then. Troystarted out in our Service Department almost eight years ago andsubsequently ran our Purchasing Department for several years beforeultimately joining the Sales team. Both are accomplished musicians

with extensive home studios sothey totally understand thegear we sell.

With this new managementteam, we designed andimplemented a 13-weekintensive training program forall new Sales employees. Thereare basically two tracks to thistraining: Technical and

Business. The technical track can be divided into three sections:Analog Audio, Digital Audio, and Keyboards / MIDI / Synthesis. Thegoal here is to provide a thorough technical knowledge base for everyone of the audio professionals we hire. Since we only bring highly

technical people on board in the first place,we can focus on advanced applications andtechnologies instead of having to explainMIDI 101.

Though almost all of the folks we hirecome from a technical or musical back-ground (they might be recording engineers,professional musicians, teachers, etc.), theymay not have a strong business background,so what we work on in the business trackare things like time management, under-standing the sales process (I'm not talking

about secret Ninja sales tricks here, our training is on building solid,long-term relationships with customers) and being goal oriented.

Every new hire must pass every exam on technical and businesscontent before becoming a Sales Engineer. To say this is a challenginggig would be a huge understatement — these folks have worked hardto earn a position on the staff, so you can be confident that they "knowtheir stuff".

Being well into the process and having graduated a good number ofSales Engineers from our upgraded "Sweetwater University," we nowhave a good baseline upon which we can judge the effectiveness of thenew program. Obviously, the quality of the hire has a lot to do withhow effective the training can appear. To that end, we've had someextraordinary folks join the team this year. The proof is ultimately inthe performance.

To date, even considering the slower economy and the horrifyingterrorist attacks, which disrupted lives and businesses everywhere inthe U.S., the results have been terrific. They've hit the ground runningand customer satisfaction is at an all time high.

I just wanted to let you know that we're working harder than everto make sure that you are nothing short of delighted with yourSweetwater experience anytime you contact us. Keep making music!

Rock and Roll! — J.R., V.P. of Sales

With our new management team,we designed and implemented an

intensive training program for allnew Sales employees in two

areas: Technical and Business

In most cases, today’s music depends ona superior lead vocal (hmm, when was thelast time an instrumental made it onto thecharts?). From TC Helicon comes theVoicePrism Vocal Workstation ($1299 list), aone-of-a-kind vocal processor for the seriousvocal professional and engineer. Its presetscan instantly take you from a ’50s style,highly compressed, double-tracked, slap-backlead vocal to a lush, chorused vocal sextet ina large room setting.

VoicePrism is designed to be a breeze touse in live applications. Full MIDI implemen-tation, footswitch control (optional), directaccess user interface, rugged design, andbuilt-in MIDI chord recognition algorithms –all these features work together to makeVoicePrism your reliable gig partner.

But it’s in the studio that VoicePrismreally struts its stuff: Wondering what your

song would sound like with backing vocalson the chorus section? Dial up a wide rangeof possibilities and demo them in seconds.Want to construct your own? Along with all ofthe quick editing, MIDI and automationfeatures described above, VoicePrism has aunique step-edit mode designed for studiousers. You can quickly and intuitivelyadvance through your song and edit tracks inrealtime.

Backing vocals can even be constructedin realtime by using a MIDI keyboard. Playvocal lines that can’t be sung and add specialeffects to take your vocals to the limit, andbeyond!

TC Helicon’s Voice Modeling Technologyallows realtime vocal resynthesis. It can beapplied to both live and recorded vocals,with amazing results. The world’s mostbeautiful instrument — the human voice —now has crafting tools that were previously

only available to instrumentalists.The most advanced vocal channel available

anywhere, VoicePrism in conjunction with theVoice Craft vocal modeling card is both a lead-voice and harmony processor under presetcontrol. It includes lead-voice modeling, fourfully adjustable harmony voices, compression,EQ, delay, chorus, flange and reverbs. The unitoffers both AES/EBU and S/PDIF digital I/O.VoicePrism routes your stage, studio or pre-recorded vocals directly from a high quality48V phantom powered mic or line Inputthrough all manner of effects to analog anddigital outputs.

Voice Modeling is essentially realtimeresynthesis and reshaping of the human voice.It offers a variety of ways in which to processthe vocal input, including the ability to addbreath, growl, rasp, head and chest resonance,inflection or vibrato. Voice Modeling is arevolutionary new tool which offers detailedcreative control over vocals far beyondanything anyone has ever heard or been able toaccomplish before. From simple vocalenhancement to radical transformation of thesinging voice into an entirely different timbralcharacter, the technology in these productsrepresents a momentous breakthrough for theaudio industry worldwide.

Call your Sweetwater Sales Engineer todayto find out more about these incredible audioprocessing tools!

TC Helicon VoicePrism w/Voice Craft


Our huge warehouse is home to thousands of the hottest new products. Call us at (800) 222-470024-Hour Convenience! Same great Sweetwater prices! “www.sweetwater.com/store”

It seems that as I’ve gotten older, every fewyears I have some new health problem todeal with. Not too long ago, it was a boutwith kidney stones. Two years ago it was abroken wrist and this year it has been somenasty spinal surgery for a condition calledspinal lumbar stenosis.

It may be easy to feel sorry for yourselfif you can’t afford that hot new digitalrecorder, guitar (or whatever) when you’rehealthy, but when nearly every minute ofthe day is spent just hoping for some relieffrom pain, it sure puts “gear lust” intoperspective. I hope I have learned profoundlessons about what is actually important in my life. Things like trying tobe a better person and sharing whatever good fortune may come my way.Clearly, I will be thrilled if and when I get my next new “toy,” but it’s goodto know I’ve learned that life is not about how much cool gear I happen toown. I’d much rather feel that my music — or even my words — have insome way inspired another person or given them hope or just made theirday a little brighter.

Okay, enough of the mushy stuff — let’s talk gear, our favorite subject!Hey, you’re probably like me and are knocked out when you spend yourmoney on a product that not only performs exactly as advertised, butactually goes to the next level and delivers performance beyond anythingyou had expected. The last two issues I’ve mentioned the new 828 FireWireInterface and Digital Performer 3.0 software fromMOTU, both of which absolutelyblew me away (geez, Iactually gushed over thesetwo products so much thatyou might think I own stockin the company — I don’t). Afew issues back I also wasalso knocked out by Line 6’sPOD 2.0 and their StompboxModelers, as well as thelatest version of BIAS Peak. And naturally, I’malways impressed by (and I’m not ashamed to admit, lust after) almost anyguitar that comes from the Paul Reed Smith factory. A while back, Alesis introduced their MasterLink ML9600 Hard DiskRecorder and CD Burner and I was quite intrigued — I even mentioned myinterest in this column. Well I’m thrilled to at last be the proud owner of aMasterLink, which now occupies the spot in my portable recording rackwhich once held my DAT machine (which of late was starting to show itsage). This is another product that sounds absolutely wonderful on paper,

but it’s not until you actually have one in yourhands that you can truly appreciate both itsversatility and absolutely pristine sound quality. If you have been considering a MasterLink,you have my unqualified thumbs up on the unit.What’s more, Sweetwater has made a specialpurchase on a truckload of ML9600s from Alesisand the company is passing along the savings toyou, so there’s never been a better time than rightnow to get your hands on one. Frankly, I’m rathersurprised that more companies haven’t intro-duced competing units. I suppose that many havebeen concentrating on the burgeoning 16- and 24-track market, leaving little R&D money to developa hard disk recorder / CD burner of their own. In any case, that’s hardly an issue as it wouldtake quite an engineering feat to top the

MasterLink. For those of you who have been away studying the lichens ofthe Arctic tundra for the last year or so, the ML9600 is a standalonemastering device that combines a stereo hard disk recorder (with internalhigh capacity hard drive), powerful DSP processing and a built-in CDburner. The onboard DSP includes compression, a peak limiter / normal-izer, parametric EQ and more. You can add fades, organize tracks into

multiple playlists and burn CDs at anyresolution up to 24-bit and any sample rateup to 96kHz. All of which means you canproduce a 24-bit / 96kHz CD that holdsabout 19 minutes of the most pristineaudio possible. What’s more, you can alsoburn standard red book 16-bit / 44.1kHzCDs that will play on any home, car orportable CD player. Knowing all this, it’s nowonder that Electronic Musician bestowedits prestigious 2001 Editors Choice Awardon the unit.

I’m also totally awed by some newsoftware I received from Waves which they

call the Restoration Toolkit. It’s designed to eliminate noise from vinylrecordings or cassettes so you can create great sounding CDs of materialthat isn’t commercially available any more. You can use it for removinganything from AC hum or tape hiss to that nasty rumble you can get whenrecording in a room that’s too close to the air conditioning or heatingsystem. I received the software a bit too late to do any in-depth work withit, so I’ll be back with a full report next issue. The sheer volume ofamazing software out there these days is a bit mind boggling, which iswhy you need someone who can sort through it all with you and help youmake sense of it all. That person is (of course) your friendly, knowledge-able Sweetwater Sales Engineer.

There are times that I wish I would have pursued a career in sales withSweetwater. I’ve done sales in the past with some success, but

my career just ended upgoing in another direction. Still, I have to think abouthow rewarding it must be for the Sales Engineers to go home after puttingin one of their long days, knowing that they have made people smilesimply by being consummate professionals at what they do. To know thatdozens of people had a better day because he or she sold them — orhelped them select — exactly the right equipment for their specific needsmust be a terrific feeling. Better still, solving a seemingly insurmountableproblem or getting the answer to some totally baffling question must be alittle slice of heaven for them.

I don’t want to turn this into a “hug your sales guy” thing, but since Iconsider a number of them to be my friends and know how hard theywork, I just thought it might be worth repeating here what most of youalready know: Jeff Radke and his sales team really put in the extra effort tobe the best in the business. They truly do “know their stuff!”

Let me close by thanking all of you for your recent e-mail and inparticular thanks go to those of you who extended your sympathy over theloss of my dog (and best friend), Sam. See you back here next issue.

“If you have beenconsidering a

MasterLink, youhave my unqualified

thumbs up on the unit...and there’s never

been a better timethan right now to getyour hands on one!”

“Great Website. I find myself reading it almost every-day. There's so much great stuff out there and Sweetwateris by far the best company I've dealt with. I've had noth-ing but good experiences in dealing with you.” — Glenn Quirk

“The exact product I needed was recommended. Itworked exactly as needed — no hit and miss.” — Eddy LaBarr

“. . . you are easy to talk to, intelligent, kind andknowledgeable . . . I treasure the time you take to an-swer all of our questions and I appreciate the respectyou send our way.” — Amadaes Baj

• SONY DMX-R100 Digital Mixer 2.0• YAMAHA AW2416 Workstation• FOSTEX DV40 Master Recorder

•AUDIO EASE ALTIVERB• TASCAM DM24

• TLA TUBETRACKER M-3and much more!

®

Address Service Requested

5335 BASS RD, FORT WAYNE, IN 46808

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EMPLOYEE PROFILEName: John A. RobinsonPosition at SSI: Sales EngineerStart Date: October 21, 1997Education: BFA Theatre Arts fromSouthwest Texas State University inSan Marcos, TexasWhat was your occupation beforecoming to Sweetwater? I was houseengineer and composer at a post pro-duction facility in Texas.Foreign Languages: Bad Tex-MexTechnical Strengths: Post, Analogand Digital recording, Foley sound ef-fects engineering, studio and locationrecording, live sound.Instruments you play: Guitar, key-boards, drums.Gear you own: Kurzweil K2000, KorgTriton, Epiphone Shereton II, ParkerNitefly.Family Info: Wife (Terri) and threekids (Matthew, Philip and Jonathon)Other stuff we should know aboutyou (hobbies, interests, etc.): Cars, guitars, masonic trivia and cookingPersonal Motto: "No matter where you go. . . there you are!"Favorite Magazine: Guitar PlayerReal Life Hero: Mohammad Ali, because I feel he actually lives up to theideal of a “true champion.” For cryin’ out loud, the man has Parkinson’s Dis-ease and he was still out there pounding the pavement for relief for the Sep-

tember 11th disaster victims’ families.Guilty pleasure of choice (ex.Gilligan’s Island reruns, Hot Wheelscollection, etc.): I do have a HotWheels collection, but also dig grade-B sci-fi movies, pop music, HO-scaleslot cars and Oreo cookies.How would your boss describeyou? Witty, passionate about music,not boring.What did you dream about doingfor a living when you were grow-ing up? That I would be the drummeron the Tonight Show. Then I woke up.What best prepared you for thework you do here at Sweetwater?The 20+ years I devoted to being aworking musician / engineer.What do you enjoy most about be-ing part of the Sweetwater Team?Being around like-minded individuals.What is the most important thingyou’ve learned at Sweetwater?

That after you strip away all the technology, what matters most is the music!Describe the most dramatic situation in which you provided the"Sweetwater Difference" for a customer or the most unusual / cre-ative solution to a problem: One of the senior technicians and I did an all-night, multiple system Pro Tools installation for a customer whose facilitywas wiped out by lightning.

All contents © 2002 Sweetwater, Inc.

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