DiGiCo SD9

We demo'd the new DiGiCo SD9. And while I know it is a great console, with of lots of nice features, I am obsessed with the 'fire' button, and want it to do something more...

when i hit 'recall' instead of 'store' :

My new favorite button on the Yamaha PM5D console : Undo.

That is all.

Yamaha DME Version 3.5

DME firmware version 3.5 takes Yamaha DME series performance to a higher level of refinement. In addition to a new component for installations and broadcast applications, this firmware update improves overall operation speed and efficiency in....

Yamaha PM5D Card Reader and Bubble Wrap

Do not. I repeat, DO NOT, ever let someone insert a mangled card reader into the PM5D...

You will have bent pins...

Irate road managers...

Overworked service staff, with no time to fix it...

Other techs wondering why you let them put it in, in the first place....

And the number one reason why you DO NOT ever let someone insert a mangled card reader into the PM5D...

It f%!*$#% breaks It !!!!!!

Luckily, you can transfer files from the card, to a laptop, to the console.... just don't hit your head on the scaffolding !

From Ichthus 2009

New Digidesign Console

A new Live Sound console from Digidesign - I want.

"VENUE SC48 is a fully integrated live sound system that combines all I/O, digital signal processing, and tactile control into a single console..."  more

Wasabi spray to warn the hearing impaired

Manufacturer donates alarms releasing wasabi spray to warn the hearing impaired

"The developer of a fire alarm that can wake people with hearing difficulties by releasing the smell of wasabi horseradishes in addition to the usual noise has donated nine of the devices to a school" ....more from The Mainichi Daily News

Unity Gain : Yamaha Consoles

From the Yamaha guys (Trainers on The Road) who do the the  PM5D/M7 Classes :

" So where is the unity point on my digital meters? "
" The unity point on your digital console will vary by manufacturer. However, on almost all of the newer Yamaha digital consoles, the unity point is found at -20dBFS. The only exceptions are the DM2000, and 02R. On these units, the unity point is found at -14dBFS. 

The unity point we are talking here is the internal signal level of consoles when the consoles output +4dBu (0VU). This is the reference level of most equipment we use. Which means, when you see -20dBFS on your output meter of your M7CL, the console outputs signal of +4dBu."

Trainers on The Road - PM5D Tips

Trainers on The Road - M7 Tips

cables: good and bad...(mostly bad)

"... perplexing photos from all over the world, showing unceasing struggle of sysadmins, electricians and sound technicians against the sinister Doom of Second Law of Thermodynamics - the one of increasing entropy" 

more at Dark Roasted Blend : Cables Blues : Tangled & Crazy Wiring

M7 update, 'this summer'

The Yamaha M7CL is getting a major update to Version 2.0, some  of the the new features :

Channel Library	A new memory area for whole channel information
Matrix Send on Sends on Faders	Access 24 mix busses in Sends on Fader mode
Relative Level Channel Link	Channels can share parameter links with offsets between levels
Direct access to Sends on Fader from Mix Send knobs	A more efficient use of User Defined Keys by activating the Mix Send knobs to move between Sends on Fader mixes
Post Fader insert for input/output	A new insert position
Post Fader direct out	A new pick-off point for direct out
Monitor/Cue level control on Stereo/Mono faders	Control monitor level with fader

How tall does it weigh ?

This Crown Power Amp weighs 77 lbs.

(I'm just sayin') 

The word pound comes from the Latin word pondus meaning "weight". The abbreviation lb comes from the Latin word libra, meaning "scales, balances", which also described a Roman unit similar to the pound.

Digital Vertical Array

we had a rep come in to demo the DVA T4,  a small line-array system, and at 31 pounds (w/built-in amplification) per nice sounding cabinet, I'm sold...

  

     "Since the 90’s the Line-Array technology has changed soundreinforcement drastically. The vertical arrangement of speakers in an enclosure offers a high influence to soundspreading and reduces in comparison to ordinary soundsystems the loss of signal in relation to distance combined with a slim structure and broad sound distribution." more 

JBL EON

We recently had a demo of the new EON by JBL.

Stats :

• 450 watt Crown® Class-D Amp
  
• weighs 32.5 lb
• 15" Differential Drive® low-frequency driver
  
• 1" throat diameter JBL neodymium compression driver
  
• Built-in 3 Channel Mixer
  
• 100° H x 60° V asymmetrical 
  
• Line level and direct microphone input capability
  

Conclusion : It sounds good, light weight, can be flown, 

can be used as a monitor wedge... and did i mention....

it only weighs 32 pounds ?

more info here

Podiums in the news...

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi accidentally bumped the podium during a toast to President Bush at Monday night's White House state dinner -- and the podium fell apart.

The Story Of The Podium, The Microphone and The Light

Once upon a time I was doing a corporate show, where we had about 10,000 watts of PA, moving lights, 2000 people in the audience, and a podium.

Now, first understand that our podiums have two microphones, typically something like the EV PC18-XLR (pictured on the right), and our podiums all have a gooseneck light made by Littlite (pictured on the left)..

So the event begins with a speaker who has a wireless lavalier microphone. The theory being he will be walking around the stage, and with the wireless mic he won't be tethered to the podium. Great theory, right ? Not quite, because the first thing he does is walk up the podium and push the microphones down, and then proceeds to give his speech standing at the podium. This is not a problem, he has a wireless lav, I turn it up...everything's great...
This is the problem : first speaker now intros the next speaker (who does not have a wireless mic)...next speaker walks up to the podium..looks at the mics that are pushed down...pauses... pulls up the light...and begins his speech speaking into the light...needless to say there are now 2000 people, plus myself who can not hear a thing this guy is saying...the next speaker (who must have realized that the light was not a mic) walks up to podium...pauses...pulls the light closer, and begins speaking...meanwhile I am too far away from the stage to do anything except bang my head on the console...

Now, these are all CEO types, who I KNOW have given speeches, and you know.. talked into MICROPHONES!!!!!!!..

Anyway, I guess the moral of the story is : if it emits light IT IS NOT a freakin' MICROPHONE.

The End.

phantom power

Two ways of assigning phantom power on the Yamaha M7 :

1. Select channel
-tap on Head Amp
-tap on "+48V"
repeat for each channel that needs phantom power....

or (the more better way)

2. go to User Defined Keys
- scroll to "SET BY SEL"
- go to "SET +48V"
.....now, holding the user defined key and hitting the Select key on on any channel turns phantom power off/on....

White Spaces

From Shure

"the white spaces proposal creates a potential for interference to wireless microphones from unlicensed devices"....

continue reading at Shure.com

From FOH online:

"NILES, Ill. – Prototype White Spaces devices were tested by FCC engineers on Saturday, Aug. 9, at FedExField just outside of Washington, D.C., at a preseason exhibition game between the National Football League’s Washington Redskins and Buffalo Bills. Starting at 10:00 a.m. and continuing through 8:00 p.m. ET, the period of observation and analysis assessed the ability of the proposed devices to detect the presence of television signals, wireless microphones and other existing wireless technologies."

continue reading at FOH online

Q and Octave Bandwidth

• 0.1 = 6 2/3
• 0.2 = 4 3/4
• 0.3 = 3 2/3
• 0.4 = 3
• .67 = 2
• 1.04 = 1 1/3
• 1.4 = 1
• 2.1 = 2/3
• 5.8 = 1/4
• 8.7 = 1/6
• 11.5 = 1/8

So, a 'Q' of 8.7 is 1/6 of an octave....

Microphone

Recently mixed a jazz trio and used a Shure KSM27 on the grand piano. A great microphone for studio or live sound applications. It is a large diaphragm cardioid with a 15db pad and a three position bass roll-off..great sounding mic...

Digital Console 101-the power of Recall

If, in the middle of soundcheck, one were to accidentally recall a scene that had nothing to do with the current scene (that one had not even saved) one would abruptly end said soundcheck.
I'm just sayin'....