Listen Now

This year marks the 30th birthday of one of the world’s leading manufacturers of synths, samplers and hardware controllers. In this podcast, Novation Product Specialist Chris Calcutt looks back over three decades of innovation and explores the key products, technologies and partnerships behind a British music technology success story. Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:26 - 30th Anniversary 01:02 - The First Product03:24 - The Launchpad06:58 - Automap09:25 - Friendly Relations13:08 - The BassStation17:50 - Hands-On Control19:07 - Analogue Sound Modelling 21:41 - The Resurgence Of Analogue30:43 - From The Rack To The Desktop34:33 - Moving Away From Computers38:02 - The Focusrite Group45:25 - 40 Years of MIDINovation BiogIn 1992, Ian Jannaway and Mark Thompson founded Novation Electronic Music Systems and created the MM10, a keyboard controller designed to be used with the Yamaha QY10 music workstation. BassStation was launched in 1993 and was used by many top artists of the day. ASM (Analogue Sound Modelling) technology was introduced in 1995 and designer Chris Huggett joined the team full-time in 1998, with the popular Supernova synth being released that year. 30 years later, while still creating grooveboxes, controllers and synths, Novation is now part of The Focusrite Group, along with ADAM Audio, Focusrite and Sequential. https://novationmusic.com/en Chris Calcutt BiogChris Calcutt has been the Product Specialist at Novation for over a decade. Despite coming from a more traditional background of classical music composition and playing the trombone, Chris has always been heavily involved and passionate about music tech. As a kid, Chris would play with synthesizers and a four-track on the living room floor and has since gone on to work with Novation, collaborating closely with the product developers, designing and building new and innovative electronic instruments. Chris is responsible for representing multiple brands under Novation's parent company, The Focusrite Group, working with their European distribution partners to deliver training, product presentations, and live performances both online and at in-store events. Chris also produces and performs live as -CALC- and is an active member of the experimental electronic music scene in Brighton, UK. Sam Inglis BiogEditor In Chief Sam Inglis has been with Sound On Sound for more than 20 years. He is a recording engineer, producer, songwriter and folk musician who studies the traditional songs of England and Scotland, and the author of Neil Young's Harvest (Bloomsbury, 2003) and Teach Yourself Songwriting (Hodder, 2006). https://www.soundonsound.com

Bernt Malmqvist is one of the last remaining links to the golden age of microphone design. Having joined the Swedish manufacturer Pearl as a precision mechanic in 1954, he rose to become Production Manager, product designer and eventually the owner of the company. He talks to Sam Inglis about his extraordinary career and the unique design approach he learned from founder Rune Rosander. Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:39 - Joining Pearl01:58 - Rune Rosander06:05 - The Microphone Market In The 1950s07:19 - How Mics Were Made And Tested08:26 - The Rectangular Capsule11:18 - The ELM Microphone Range14:10 - Valve To Solid State And Back Again17:19 - The Milab VIP-5018:36 - Why Design Matters19:34 - Manufacturing Today20:55 - The Importance Of Good Components22:20 - Why Pearl Mics Are Never Obsolete!Pearl Milab BiogFounded in 1941, Pearl Microphones is one of the oldest continuously operating microphone manufacturers in the world. To this day, every Pearl microphone is built entirely by hand in Sweden and delivered with its own individual frequency chart. Pearl is perhaps best known for its unique rectangular microphone capsules, originally developed by the company’s founder Rune Rosander in the 1950s. Today, the brand offers a wide selection of condenser microphones based on rectangular capsules and also a range of MS-stereo and surround microphones. Pearl’s microphones have been particularly embraced by the world of classical music and can be found in opera houses and with symphony orchestras all over the world. In 2017, Pearl was acquired by its previous sister company Milab Microphones and today both Pearl and Milab microphones are built side-by-side in the same workshop in Åstorp in southern Sweden. https://www.milabmic.com/ Sam Inglis BiogEditor In Chief Sam Inglis has been with Sound On Sound for more than 20 years. He is a recording engineer, producer, songwriter and folk musician who studies the traditional songs of England and Scotland, and the author of Neil Young's Harvest (Bloomsbury, 2003) and Teach Yourself Songwriting (Hodder, 2006). https://www.soundonsound.com

McDSP founder Colin McDowell chats to Sam Inglis about his career at the cutting edge of plug-in development. Colin explains his approach to plug-in design, and talks about the revolutionary Analog Processing Box — a plug-in co-processor that employs configurable analogue circuitry rather than DSP. Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:17 - Getting Started Creating Audio Products01:08 - The Necessary Training02:01 - Algorithm Development05:40 - The User Interface07:26 - Vintage Emulation09:30 - 20 Years Of Plug-in Development11:32 - How Useful Is Machine Learning?14:10  The APB (Analog Processing Box)17:07 - Analogue Electronics18:31 - Component Tolerances20:28 - Emulating Tubes21:51 - Combining Signals23:04 - The Capabilities Of APB24:58 - Extending The Capabilities Of APB25:46 - APB For Atmos26:30 - APB For Mastering28:11 - Other Analogue Effects31:02 - Using The APB For Saturation32:02 - Future Developments At McDSPMcDSP BiogMcDSP is an innovative Emmy award-winning Silicon Valley audio software and hardware company founded in 1998 by Colin McDowell. McDSP technology can be found in pro audio plug-ins for popular digital audio workstations including Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, and Avid live sound systems. McDSP audio algorithms are also used by companies such as Audiokinetic, Bioware and Microsoft, and in consumer products like the LouderLogic iOS audio player. In 2019 McDSP introduced the world's first programmable analogue processor, the APB-16. The McDSP Analog Processing Box (APB) combines the flexibility of software plug-in control with the fidelity of premium analogue processing. Options include compressors, mastering limiters, transient enhancement devices, multi-channel and multi-band applications.https://www.mcdsp.com/ Sam Inglis BiogEditor In Chief Sam Inglis has been with Sound On Sound for more than 20 years. He is a recording engineer, producer, songwriter and folk musician who studies the traditional songs of England and Scotland, and the author of Neil Young's Harvest (Bloomsbury, 2003) and Teach Yourself Songwriting (Hodder, 2006). https://www.soundonsound.com

Aki Mäkivirta, R&D Director at Genelec, talks to Sam Inglis about the latest developments in immersive audio, from calibrating your system using their GLM software to personalising your headphone monitoring experience with Aural ID technology. Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:34 - Immersive Audio02:07 - Loudspeaker Density05:44 - Automating Calibration With GLM08:10 - Choosing Your Speaker System 11:27 - Mixing Immersive Music13:29 - Aural ID For Audio Professionals18:45 - Mixing For Different Surround Formats20:57 - Improving How Audio Is Received 22:19 - The Future Of Immersive AudioGenelec BiogFor over 40 years, Genelec studio monitoring solutions have delivered truthful, neutral sound reproduction — enabling engineers and creatives to make accurate and reliable mix decisions, even in challenging rooms. Founded in Finland by childhood friends Ilpo Martikainen and Topi Partanen, the company’s first monitor, the S30, instantly became the blueprint for Genelec’s future direction. Its active design delivered consistent performance, total reliability, and the ability to adapt to the acoustic environment it was operating in. Genelec’s growing range of Smart Active Monitors work closely with GLM calibration software, allowing each monitor to be completely optimised for the room, producing mixes that translate consistently to the outside world - from stereo to immersive. For headphone users, Genelec’s latest Aural ID software development delivers a more truthful, reliable and completely personalised listening experience, allowing the user to switch between monitors and headphones seamlessly. Aki Mäkivirta BiogAki Mäkivirta joined Genelec in 1995. He originally worked for the Nokia Research Centre and teamed up with Ari Varla of Genelec during a joint venture between the two companies, where Mäkivirta demonstrated how to replace analogue filters with digital processing using the 1031A nearfield monitor. As a result, Mäkivirta joined Genelec to pioneer the creation of the original 8200 series of Smart Active Monitors, before becoming R&D Director in 2013.https://www.genelec.com/ Sam Inglis BiogEditor In Chief Sam Inglis has been with Sound On Sound for more than 20 years. He is a recording engineer, producer, songwriter and folk musician who studies the traditional songs of England and Scotland, and the author of Neil Young's Harvest (Bloomsbury, 2003) and Teach Yourself Songwriting (Hodder, 2006). https://www.soundonsound.com

LEWITT Audio Founder Roman Perschon (CEO) and Moritz Lochner (COO / Head of Product Management) chat to Hugh Robjohns about their approach to developing, innovating and engineering their range of home, studio and live microphones. Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:30 - Lewitt Audio Beginnings04:42 - Creating Unique Products08:19 - Engineering Focussed09:34 - Circuit Control | Remote Control 11:37 - The LCT 1040 Microphone13:35 - Working With External Engineers14:25 - Expanding Into Other Areas15:29 - The Electronics16:28 - Industry Areas Needing Improvement18:59 - Recording Environment Acoustics19:56 - Company Expansion23:29 - An International Team 27:12 - Development and Innovation 31:15 - The 10 Year Warranty Lewitt Audio BiogDesigned and engineered in Vienna, Austria, LEWITT microphones set new standards in sound capture as a modern, innovative alternative to traditional technologies. Founded in January 2010 by entrepreneurial audio pioneer Roman Perschon, LEWITT is a dedicated and diverse team of audio experts with a passion for quality and in-house engineering capabilities to focus entirely on customers' needs. Today, LEWITT is considered one of the fastest-growing microphone brands with a diverse team of over 100 employees with offices in Europe, China, and the US. Each microphone model results from a consultative process including many of the world's most respected producers, sound engineers, and musicians – the growing worldwide community of audio enthusiasts who trust the sensational sound of LEWITT. Roman Perschon, the CEO of LEWITT, studied Electronics and has been in the audio industry for 20 years. Twelve years ago, he founded LEWITT to push microphone design forward. Today, the brand is primarily oriented towards the user's needs.    Moritz Lochner, COO and Head of Product Management at LEWITT, studied Audio Engineering and gained experience in the studio, live, and broadcast. He joined LEWITT in 2015 and quickly evolved to a leading personality within the company. https://www.lewitt-audio.com/ Hugh Robjohns BiogHugh Robjohns has been Sound On Sound´s Technical Editor since 1997. Prior to that he worked in a variety of (mostly) sound-related roles in BBC Television, ending up as a Sound Operations Lecturer at the BBC´s technical training centre. He continues to provide audio consultancy and bespoke broadcast audio training services all over the world, lectures at professional and public conventions, and occasionally records and masters acoustic and classical music too! 

CEDAR Audio has led the world in audio restoration and noise suppression for over three decades. Hugh Robjohns talks to their Managing Director, Gordon Reid about their technologies. Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:19 - CEDAR Audio Beginnings01:45 - The National Sound Archive06:15 - Cleaning Up Old Recordings08:12 - Working In Real-Time10:36 - Developing Rackmount Units11:52 - Making User-Friendly Products14:27 - Building A Team Of Developers17:06 - Introducing Machine Learning and AI21:25 - The Move Into Post Production25:34 - The Invention Of Spectral Editing And Retouch29:26 - Algorithmic Technology36:10 - Involvement In Forensics39:02 - Blind Source Separation And AudioTelligence44:04 - Future Opportunities CEDAR Audio Biog CEDAR Audio is committed to furthering the science and art of noise suppression, audio restoration and speech enhancement in all of their forms, and actively pursues research into each of them. The company pioneered real-time audio restoration, spectral editing, zero-latency dialogue noise suppression, and many other processes that are now industry standards. It has worked closely with the world’s most famous studios, record companies and bands to ensure that they obtain the highest audio quality, not just from vintage material but also from audio recorded today that suffers from some sort of noise problem. If you enjoy a trip to the cinema, you're almost certainly listening to sound that has been perfected using CEDAR and, from the newsrooms of major broadcasters to reality TV, to studio-based shows, to sporting events such as the Olympics, the World Cup and Premier League football, CEDAR is the standard for noise suppression. The company is also proud to include many of the world's archives and libraries as well as law enforcement agencies and security organisations as customers and friends.https://www.cedar-audio.com/ Gordon Reid Biog Gordon Reid is the Managing Director of CEDAR Audio and has helped guide the company to an Emmy®, an Academy Award®, two Cinema Audio Society Awards and numerous other accolades. He is widely known in the fields of audio restoration, noise suppression for post and broadcast, audio forensics and speech enhancement, and he co-founded AudioTelligence, which develops technologies for applications ranging from hearing assistance to advanced surveillance systems. Hugh Robjohns BiogHugh Robjohns has been Sound On Sound´s Technical Editor since 1997. Prior to that he worked in a variety of (mostly) sound-related roles in BBC Television, ending up as a Sound Operations Lecturer at the BBC´s technical training centre. He continues to provide audio consultancy and bespoke broadcast audio training services all over the world, lectures at professional and public conventions, and occasionally records and masters acoustic and classical music too! 

Back in 1996 Hugues Vinet of the IRCAM electronic music institute in Paris, was interviewed by Paul Tingen for an article in Sound On Sound magazine. Now the two are back together discussing the musical and technical innovations of the past 25 years. Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:43 - Hugues Vinet and IRCAM02:38 - How IRCAM Has Changed06:02 - Partners and Community09:03 - Music Styles and Technology10:56 - Working With Ableton12:56 - Musical Developments18:49 - Sound Design23:05 - Defining Sounds26:04 - Using Different Tools28:07 - AI Development Hugues Vinet BiogHugues Vinet is Director of Innovation and Research Means at IRCAM, a world-leading institution associated with the Centre Pompidou in Paris, which is dedicated to music production and research. He has managed all research, development and innovation activities at IRCAM since 1994. He co-founded and ran for several terms the STMS (Science and Technology of Music and Sound) joint lab with the French Ministry of Culture, CNRS and Sorbonne Université. Hugues previously worked at the Groupe de Recherches Musicales of National Institute of Audiovisual in Paris, where he managed the research and designed the first versions of the award-winning real-time audio processing product, GRM Tools. He has coordinated many collaborative R&D projects, including recently H2020 VERTIGO in charge of the STARTS Residencies program managing 45 residencies of artists with technological research projects throughout Europe. Hugues is currently in charge of the artistic residencies program of the MediaFutures project. He also curates the Vertigo Forum art-science yearly symposium at Centre Pompidou, and participates in various experts bodies in the fields of audio, music, multimedia, information technology and innovation. Main Ircam site - https://www.ircam.frIrcam Lab Software - https://www.ircamlab.comFree Ircam Technologies - https://forum.ircam.fr/collections/detail/technologies-ircam-free Music Credits:Répons by Pierre BoulezL'esprit des dunes by Tristan MurailCôte des Bars - by sound designer Roque Rivas for Krug Champagne Paul Tingen BiogPaul Tingen has been a contributor to Sound On Sound since 1990. In addition to his regular artist and producer interviews, he began writing the Inside Track: Secrets of the Mix Engineers series in January 2008. He is also the author of a book, Miles Beyond: the Electric Explorations of Miles Davis, 1967-1991 (Billboard Books), a producer, and a guitarist with one album to his name. Paul maintains two web sites: www.tingen.org and www.miles-beyond.com, and an Instagram page: @paultingenmusic

David Gould, Director of Audio Content Solutions at Dolby Labs, chats to Hugh Robjohns about creating content in Dolby Atmos. Although used extensively in film, Dolby Atmos is now becoming a popular format for musicians. David and Hugh discuss how you can incorporate this technology in your own studio. Chapters00:00 - Introduction 01:01 - Working With Headphones07:45 - Beds and Objects12:26 - Storing The Data 15:39 - Practical Applications20:15 - Musicians Using Atmos23:42 - Musical recommendationsDavid Gould BiogDirector, Audio Content Solutions In his role at Dolby, David is responsible for creating products and solutions that will enable and inspire the music and audio post production community to create content in the Dolby Atmos format. Prior to joining Dolby in early 2012, David was a Senior Product Manager at Avid Technology, where he was responsible for Pro Tools software.  David started his career in London as a recording engineer at Abbey Road Studios, specialising in orchestral film scoring; he joined Avid in 2005 where he held various positions in technical sales before moving into product management. Dolby AtmosDolby Atmos goes beyond the capabilities of stereo and surround sound, unlocking a richer, fuller, and more immersive experience. Artists can now place individual elements of a song, revealing details with unparalleled clarity and depth. https://professional.dolby.com/music/create-music-in-dolby-atmos/Production Suite 90-day free Trial download: https://developer.dolby.com/forms/dolby-atmos-production-suite-trial/Getting Started - Pro Tools: https://professionalsupport.dolby.com/s/article/Dolby-Atmos-Music-Getting-Started-with-Pro-Tool-UltimateGetting Started - Ableton: https://professionalsupport.dolby.com/s/article/Dolby-Atmos-Music-Getting-Started-with-Ableton-LiveGetting Started - Logic: https://professionalsupport.dolby.com/s/article/Dolby-Atmos-Music-Getting-Started-with-Logic-ProTutorial video series: https://www.dolby.com/institute/tutorials/ Hugh Robjohns BiogHugh Robjohns has been Sound On Sound´s Technical Editor since 1997. Prior to that he worked in a variety of (mostly) sound-related roles in BBC Television, ending up as a Sound Operations Lecturer at the BBC´s technical training centre. He continues to provide audio consultancy and bespoke broadcast audio training services all over the world, lectures at professional and public conventions, and occasionally records and masters acoustic and classical music too! 

It's 10 years since Focusrite launched their best-selling Scarlett range of audio interfaces, now into its third generation. CEO Tim Carroll and Will Hoult, Head Of Product at Focusrite and Novation talk to Sam Inglis about what's behind the success of the Scarletts, the principles of interface design, how the company has negotiated the pandemic and the silicon shortage, and Focusrite's vision for a greener future in this Behind The Brand interview. ChaptersTim Carroll00:00 - Introduction00:31 - From Musician To Manager04:43 - Changes In The Market07:20 - The Scarlett Range10:20 - Removing Barriers To Creativity11:29 - More Home Studios15:03 - The Chip Shortage18:10 - Why There's Not A Focusrite DAW23:32 - The Family Of Brands27:24 - Sustainability In The Audio IndustryWill Hoult29:43 - Role At Focusrite30:40 - The Intimidation Factor32:58 - Driver Performance And Latency36:56 - Simplicity And Product Longevity39:47 - USB As The Dominant Protocol43:09 - The Challenges Of Designing Mic Preamps46:39 - Determining The Number Of Inputs50:19 - Rackmount Vs Desktop52:24 - The Benefits Of Upgrading Your Interface Focusrite BiogFocusrite is an award-winning recording and production equipment brand established in 1985. The initial focus was on high quality recording and production equipment for industry professionals, but in 1989 they began to broaden the range of products to serve a wider customer base of professional, commercial and hobbyist musicians. Novation Electronic Music Systems Limited was acquired in 2004 and extended the Focusrite range and customer base into the electronic dance music segment of the market. Since then Focusrite has continued to innovate, with the introduction of Launchpad in 2009 and the Scarlett USB Audio Interface range in 2010, one of the top selling product lines for home studio recording. In 2019, Focusrite acquired ADAM Audio and Martin Audio, adding professional studio monitoring and touring speaker systems to the range. Optimal Audio was launched in 2021, an initiative from Martin Audio which aims to make the world of commercial audio installation less complex. Optimal Audio manufacture high-quality loudspeakers, amplifiers and controllers for commercial audio applications. Focusrite also acquired Sequential, the respected American synthesizer manufacturer led by legendary electronic instrument designer and Grammy winner Dave Smith. The acquisition brings the total number of Focusrite Group brands to eight. https://focusrite.com/ Sam Inglis BiogEditor In Chief Sam Inglis has been with Sound On Sound for more than 20 years. He is a recording engineer, producer, songwriter and folk musician who studies the traditional songs of England and Scotland, and the author of Neil Young's Harvest (Bloomsbury, 2003) and Teach Yourself Songwriting (Hodder, 2006). https://www.soundonsound.com

Daniel Blackmer, CTO at Earthworks Audio, chats to Sam Inglis about the company's distinctive approach to microphone design — and explains how a quest to improve loudspeaker quality convinced Daniel's father, David Blackmer, of the need for mics with better phase linearity and impulse response. Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:19 - David Blackmer02:24 - The Prototypes03:31 - Phase Response06:14 - Live Vs Studio Sound 08:23 - Miniature Capsules10:26 - Back-Electret Mics12:13 - Benefit Of High Polarisation Voltage12:36 - The Electronics14:54 - Adapting The Tech For Different Uses17:18 - Manufacture In The USA19:22 - Innovation And Development22:15 - The Ethos23:37 - Aesthetics24:47 - The Rest Of The Recording Chain Earthworks Audio BiogEarthworks Audio was originally founded to design and manufacture audiophile loudspeakers by David Blackmer who had previously invented the DBX noise reduction system and was the founder of dbx. David Blackmer’s goal when starting Earthworks was to make the best sounding speakers on the planet. When the journey began, he used measurement tools that were accepted to be the world standard. After the first few steps he realised that the measurements he was getting were not as good as he believed they could be. He analyzed these tools carefully and realised that new standards would be necessary if he were to even come close to achieving the results he knew were possible. The first tool he designed to this new standard was an omnidirectional microphone. This led to the manufacture the OM1. David now thought that he could get back to designing his “dream” loudspeaker. His colleagues, however, persuaded him to design other microphones and preamplifiers. These products would soon set a new world standard for realism in the art of recording music. While the years passed and these new microphones and preamplifiers were being manufactured, David constantly worked on his goal of designing the best sounding loudspeaker for true audiophiles. He died in 2002 leaving the company in the hands of his family. While they no longer make the loudspeakers, the principles that David first envisioned when the journey began can still be seen in their microphones. Precision engineered and hand assembled, Earthworks microphones represent the pinnacle of technology and art in microphone design. Each microphone is hand-tuned and tested to ensure the purest and most realistic capture of your sound, be it live on stage, recording in the studio or out in the field. https://earthworksaudio.com/ Sam Inglis BiogEditor In Chief Sam Inglis has been with Sound On Sound for more than 20 years. He is a recording engineer, producer, songwriter and folk musician who studies the traditional songs of England and Scotland, and the author of Neil Young's Harvest (Bloomsbury, 2003) and Teach Yourself Songwriting (Hodder, 2006). https://www.soundonsound.com

In this Behind The Brand interview, René Mørch of DPA Microphones chats to Sam Inglis about DPA's involvement in the NASA Mars 2020 mission and the challenges involved in capturing audio on another planet for the first time. Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:15 - Working With NASA02:20 - The Mars 2020 Mission05:20 - Preparing Equipment For Space Travel07:53 - The Seven Minutes Of Terror11:45 - The Surface Of Mars17:08 - Atmospheric Pressure19:33 - Building Robust Microphones DPA Microphones BiogDPA Microphones draw on more than six decades of world-class microphone design experience, starting back in the 1950s, when their predecessor, Brüel & Kjær, developed the first, precisely accurate measurement microphones. In 1992, Ole Brøsted Sørensen & Morten Støve left Brüel & Kjær and developed their first product, the 4006 Omnidirectional Microphone. DPA mics became popular across a number of sectors, including the theatre market, who needed a solution that, while still capturing clear sound, was flexible and easily concealable. DPA also collaborated with the Danish hearing aid manufacturer Muphone, who were looking to create better sound in smaller units. DPA minimised the capsule size into a miniature package that was so clear sounding and yet unobtrusive, it could support creative expression on the stage and work began on creating headset versions of the miniature mics. After years of shared success, DPA and Muphone merged in 2005. Since 2015, DPA has intensified its focus on new product development and has increased its investment into research, creating concealable miniatures, flexible headsets and top-of-the line vocal microphones. CORE by DPA was introduced in 2017 in the miniature lavalier and headset capsules. This preamplifier technology minimises distortion and expands dynamic range. Each microphone is assembled by hand at DPA's factory in Denmark. During the process, which can take up to 200 steps, each one is calibrated up to 15 times before final approval. https://www.dpamicrophones.com/https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/ Sam Inglis BiogEditor In Chief Sam Inglis has been with Sound On Sound for more than 20 years. He is a recording engineer, producer, songwriter and folk musician who studies the traditional songs of England and Scotland, and the author of Neil Young's Harvest (Bloomsbury, 2003) and Teach Yourself Songwriting (Hodder, 2006). https://www.soundonsound.com

In the 20 years since its introduction, AMS Neve’s 88R has proved that there is still a market for top-flight, large-format analogue consoles. In this episode, Robin Porter tells Sam Inglis how Neve built upon their design heritage to create what might be the ultimate analogue mixer and how they’ve adapted its state-of-the-art technology to bring to market a range of desirable project-studio equipment. Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:19 - Robin Porter Background02:50 - Working With Rupert Neve 06:19 - The 88R Console Design 09:04 - How The 88R Differed From Other Consoles 14:46 - Voltage Mixing vs Current Mixing 20:18 - Improving Dynamic Range 23:24 - Benefits Of Analogue Over Digital 25:01 - The Role Of The 88R In Immersive Mixing 28:00 - Other AMS Neve Products Using 88R Tech  32:00 - Expandable Products 33:00 - UK Manufacture35:24 - The Next Generation Of Engineers AMS Neve BiogEngineering led and dedicated to advancing the art and science of recording, AMS Neve is a privately owned, British manufacturer that focuses on providing the best possible audio tools for creative professionals, in both the analogue and digital domains. Historically, AMS Neve is the fusion of two distinct companies – Neve, which was founded in 1961 by British electronics design engineer Rupert Neve, and AMS, which was founded in 1976 by electronics engineer Mark Crabtree. After undergoing various ownership and management changes, it became wholly owned by Double Oscar® winner Mark, who has run the combined company since 1992. With a reputation for innovation, attention to detail and for creating the world’s finest sounding, longest-lasting analogue and digital consoles, AMS Neve stands at the pinnacle of professional audio design and engineering. Its products consistently top the desirability list among discerning artists, producers and facility owners and for more than 50 years it has driven significant technological advancements in the audio field. https://www.ams-neve.com/ Robin Porter BiogRobin Porter was 18 when he joined Neve in 1973 and, apart from a brief sabbatical to study engineering and acoustics at university, he has been with the company ever since. During his career he has held a number of different positions – from working in the Test department to engineering in the custom engineering department and eventually moving into Analogue R&D. He has been instrumental in the design of many of Neve’s most iconic products including the 88 Series of consoles, the Genesys and Genesys Black consoles and the recently released 8424 summing mixer. The projects he is most proud of include designing the Aux module for Sir George Martin’s Air Monserrat console, on which he was also Test engineer, and the design of the 88R console and SP2 scoring system, which is used on 80% of all film music recorded today. Sam Inglis BiogEditor In Chief Sam Inglis has been with Sound On Sound for more than 20 years. He is a recording engineer, producer, songwriter and folk musician who studies the traditional songs of England and Scotland, and the author of Neil Young's Harvest (Bloomsbury, 2003) and Teach Yourself Songwriting (Hodder, 2006). https://www.soundonsound.com

Antelope Audio founder Igor Levin chats to Sam Inglis about their distinctive approach to audio interface design. We find out how Antelope’s innovative use of FPGA technology has enabled them to deliver impressive signal processing power, providing a platform for an ambitious catalogue of vintage studio hardware emulations and virtual microphones. Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:22 - History08:42 - Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA)11:29 - AFX Technology13:14 - Creating Emulations Using FPGA17:40 - Recruiting Programmers18:43 - Synergy Core20:30 - The Product Range23:06 - Using FPGA in Your DAW26:56 - Different Applications 31:29 - Ethernet Audio33:41 - AFX2DAW34:56 - Modelling A Vintage Processor42:05 - The Most Difficult Item To Model45:24 - Modelling Vintage Microphones50:46 - Future Of Audio Interfaces55:48 - Ending Antelope Audio BiogAntelope Audio is an award-winning company founded by Igor Levin, that delivers high-resolution sound to acclaimed recording studios worldwide. The company’s rise to fame can be traced back to their innovative master clocks and multi-channel audio interfaces. With real hardware-modelled effects running on the advanced Synergy Core processing platform and the most renowned clocking technology in the audio industry, the company is pushing the limits of detailed digital audio and signal processing. Sam Inglis BiogEditor In Chief Sam Inglis has been with Sound On Sound for more than 20 years. He is a recording engineer, producer, songwriter and folk musician who studies the traditional songs of England and Scotland, and the author of Neil Young's Harvest (Bloomsbury, 2003) and Teach Yourself Songwriting (Hodder, 2006).https://www.soundonsound.com

The career of LA producer and engineer Mark Linett spans everything from live mixing for Frank Zappa to engineering for the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Randy Newman. We talked to him about his studio, the gear of past and present, and his extensive work remixing and remastering classic Beach Boys records. Chapters00:00 - Introduction 00:30 - Mark's studio 06:29 - Beginning work with the Beach Boys 08:09 - Making the early Beach Boys records12:17 - Making stereo from mono16:00 - Copyright releases18:49 - The tapes we have, and those we don't...22:44 - Good Vibrations - remixing without all the tapes 24:56 - AudioSourceRE Mark Linett BiogGrammy award winner Mark Linett began his career creating psychedelic lighting shows while in college and went on to run his own PA hire company, Nightshade and Dark. In the early 70s he spent a couple of years in L.A. working at a range of studios, including Artist Recording, Paramount and Mystic, before returning to New York, where he worked for Ed Chalpin. Mark's big break came when he was asked to fill in for the sound engineer on a Frank Zappa tour, which led to a further two years of work touring Frank Zappa, ELO, Earth Wind & Fire and Journey. Returning to studio work in L.A., Mark was able to build some good connections at Amigo Studios, working with Paul Simon, Rickie Lee Jones, Michael McDonald and Eric Clapton. When Amigo closed, Mark went freelance, working out of his own home studio which he named Your Place Or Mine. While Mark has worked with artists such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, his most well-known collaboration is with Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. He has spent two decades remixing their back catalogue and working on previously unreleased material. The Smile Sessions won a Grammy Award for Best Historical Album.

Paul White chats to Nate Baglyos and Charles Sprinkle of California-based speaker manufacturers Kali Audio, on their debut product range and the introduction of their 3-way studio monitors. Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:18 - Why Studio Monitors01:39 - Development Process02:53 - Technology Choices 06:49 - The Use Of DSP09:32 - Debut Product11:24 - Using Simulations12:32 - Three Way Monitor13:31 - Design Challenges14:41 - Designing The Box 16:06 - New Design Woofer and Amplifier17:26 - Future Plans19:31 - Sub Speaker Positioning20:25 - Ending https://www.kaliaudio.com/ Kali Audio BiogA new startup in 2018, Kali Audio was launched by Nate Baglyos (Director Of Marketing) and Charles Sprinkle (Head Of Acoustics), who had both previously held senior positions at JBL. Based in California with each of their product ranges being named after a town or city in the region, Kali Audio brings together a wealth of engineering experience and a passion for creating high quality studio monitors at a lower price point. The debut range, Lone Pine, was released in May 2018 and consists of the LP-6 and LP-8 powered monitors. Since then, Kali Audio have introduced their IN Series 3-way monitors, the WS-12 sub-woofer and the Mountain View bluetooth receiver module. Paul White BiogPaul White initially trained in electronics at The Royal Radar Establishment in Malvern then went on to work with Malvern Instruments, a company specialising in laser analysis equipment, before moving into technical writing.  He joined the Sound On Sound team in 1991 where he became Editor In Chief, a position he held for many years before recently becoming Executive Editor. Paul has written more than 20 recording and music technology textbooks, the latest being The Producer’s Manual. Having established his own multitrack home studio in the 1980s he’s worked with many notable names including Bert Jansch and Gordon Giltrap. He’s played in various bands over the years and currently collaborates with Malvern musician Mark Soden, under the name of Cydonia Collective. Paul still performs live claiming that as he has suffered for his music he doesn’t see why everyone else shouldn’t too!http://www.cydoniacollective.co.uk/

Stewart Tavener from Extinct Audio and Xaudia chats to Drew Stephenson about the origins of his companies and how he became a ribbon microphone specialist with his own range of products. Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:27 - A Background in Chemistry03:26 - Setting Up A Repair Service 04:55 - Specialising In Ribbon Microphones07:58 - Dispelling Ribbon Microphone Myths 10:48 - The Extinct Audio BM911:52 - Launching The Business14:34 - A General Purpose Microphone 15:57 - Stories Behind The Scenes17:05 - Future Plans19:21 - Ending Stewart Tavener BiogStewart Tavener first became interested in audio equipment in his teens, recording with a four track tape recorder and a couple of borrowed microphones, which included an old Reslo PR and a Shure dynamic. It wasn’t long before he broke the Reslo but he held on to it with the aim of repairing it one day. As the internet grew in popularity in the mid 90s, a few groups dedicated to old audio equipment appeared and Stewart received good advice from a number of fellow enthusiasts, including Dave Royer and Mark ‘Marik’ of Samar audio. On learning the basics, Stewart started to look for other microphones to fix. Up until the 1970s the UK had some excellent audio manufacturers including Reslo, Grampian, Film Industries, STC and Lustraphone, but these companies had not been able to compete with new products from AKG and Shure. With no spare parts available these old ribbon mics were available for little cost and Stewart purchased as many as he could. This hobby eventually became a full time job in 2007, when he set up Xaudia to repair microphones for other owners. Over the next few years, he repaired and upgraded ribbon mics every day and estimates having worked on 400 to 500 microphones each year for ten years. In 2017, Adam Watson came on board and together they launched their own range of microphones under the Extinct Audio brand. These new microphones would be redesigned from scratch and manufactured locally. Most of the parts are made in the workshop in York, or by an engineering partner in Manchester, while the packaging is created by another UK company. All of the assembly for Extinct Audio microphones is carried out in-house. https://www.extinctaudio.co.uk/http://xaudia.com/ Drew Stephenson BiogDrew Stephenson is a singer-songwriter, home recording enthusiast and occasional SOS contributor. He also looks after digital communications for one of the largest UK building societies, specialising in corporate podcasts, animations and video content.http://www.drewstephenson.com/

Siamäk Naghian and Andy Bensley of Genelec chat to Sam Inglis about the 43 year history of the company, the development of new technology and future sustainability. Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:21 - Company History02:57 - Focusing On The Pro Audio Market04:15 - Technology As The Foundation05:00 - In-House Design And Production09:44 - Exploring Different Technologies12:52 - Coaxial (MDC™) Drivers14:22 - Directivity Control Waveguide (DCW™)20:31 - Consistency Across The Range22:36 - DSP And Calibration 26:34 - Aural ID And Immersive Audio32:00 - Tech In Development33:25 - Sustainability In Music Tech38:25 - Equipment Built To Last39:53 - The Right To Repair42:05 - Ending Genelec BiogFor over 40 years, Genelec active studio monitors and subwoofers have delivered truthful, neutral sound reproduction — enabling engineers and creatives to make accurate and reliable mix decisions, even in challenging rooms. Founded in Finland by childhood friends Ilpo Martikainen and Topi Partanen, the company’s first monitor, the S30, instantly became the blueprint for Genelec’s future direction. Its active design delivered consistent performance, total reliability, and the ability to adapt to the acoustic environment it was operating in. The following decades have seen a string of technically innovative Genelec releases, from the now-legendary 1031A nearfield model to the latest coaxial point source models from The Ones family. Genelec’s growing range of Smart Active Monitors work closely with GLM calibration software, allowing each monitor to be completely optimised for the room, producing mixes that translate consistently to the outside world. Siamäk Naghian travelled from his native Iran to settle in Finland in the 1980s and continue his studies. After graduating, he went on to hold senior positions at telecommunications giant Nokia before joining Genelec in 2005 as R&D Director. Siamäk has been Genelec’s Managing Director since 2011. Andy Bensley joined Genelec as Regional Business Development Manager in 2019. Based in the UK, Andy has huge experience in analysing and tuning the in-room performance of loudspeaker systems in a wide range of studios – from the smallest bedroom to the largest post production studio. https://www.genelec.com/ Sam Inglis BiogEditor In Chief Sam Inglis has been with Sound On Sound for more than 20 years. He is a recording engineer, producer, songwriter and folk musician who studies the traditional songs of England and Scotland, and the author of Neil Young's Harvest (Bloomsbury, 2003) and Teach Yourself Songwriting (Hodder, 2006).https://www.soundonsound.com

Tony Agnello and Richard Factor chat to Sam Inglis about the 50 year history of Eventide, from their groundbreaking use of digital technology in the early ’70s to the modern challenges of adapting their algorithms for plug-ins and stompboxes. Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:27 - 50 Years Of Eventide01:04 - The Early Days02:52 - Introducing Digital Technology To The Studio04:20 - H910 Harmonizer07:49 - The Birth Of The Effects Unit09:23 - Eventide Everywhere!10:58 - The Strangest Use For A Harmonizer11:33 - Auto-Tune Before Auto-Tune12:50 - SP2016 Array Processor15:21 - Eventide's Weirdest Product16:51 - Rare Items / The S1066 Effects Unit18:52 - Adapting Algorithms22:35 - Physion / Structural Effects24:21 - The Use Of Software In All Tech26:12 - Audio Networking27:30 - Ending Eventide BiogEventide have spent the past 50 years creating technical solutions for various industries. Richard Factor initially founded the business in 1971 to create custom-made solutions for studio engineers. The first product was a tape search unit for the Ampex MM1000, built for New York Producer Steve Katz to assist his workflow in the studio. This led to Ampex themselves requesting units and a range of small electronic projects followed. One of those projects became the 1745 Digital Delay Line with the introduction of RAM and later, pitch change. In 1972 Tony Agnello joined the company and developed the H910 Harmonizer® which became a huge success and was followed by the H949 with ‘deglitch’ feature, allowing for cleaner pitch control. At this time they started to develop products for the broadcast market, including the Monstermat and the Mono Stereo Matrix unit. This led on to them developing HP compatible RAM boards, HPIB buffers and ethernet cards. In the 80s they returned to their original idea of developing a general purpose digital audio processor utilising DSP and the Eventide SP2016 was created. Following a move to larger premises, Eventide became involved in developing moving maps for aviation use. They also solved another problem for the broadcast and customer service industry by creating the Logging Recorder, a DVD-RAM storage media. Today their tech is used extensively within the broadcast, music, aviation and customer service industries.https://www.eventideaudio.com/ Sam Inglis BiogEditor In Chief Sam Inglis has been with Sound On Sound for more than 20 years. He is a recording engineer, producer, songwriter and folk musician who studies the traditional songs of England and Scotland, and the author of Neil Young's Harvest (Bloomsbury, 2003) and Teach Yourself Songwriting (Hodder, 2006).https://www.soundonsound.com

Mirek Stiles is head of Audio Products at Abbey Road Studios and is on the board of the Abbey Road Red incubator project. Here he chats to Hugh Robjohns about his side project, the Spatial Audio Forum and how everyone can get involved in creating 3D audio environments using basic recording equipment. Chapters00:00 - Introduction00:59 - How Did You Get Involved With The Spatial Audio Forum? 02:51 - Why 3D Can Work With Modern Tech 05:26 - How To Make Binaural Work For Everyone07:47 - Immersion or Accurate Representation 08:17 - The Practicalities Of Recording in Surround 10:09 - Recording An Orchestra in 3D 13:56 - The Tools For Rendering 3D Sound 16:40 - Music Artists Using 3D17:15 - The Audio Mix Can Change Depending On Where You're Positioned 19:09 - Abbey Road and Dolby Atmos20:36 - How To Get Started Mixing For Spatial Audio22:42 - Get Started Using Standard Recording Equipment 25:22 - The Spatial Audio Forum26:19 - A Timescale For Spatial Audio Becoming Standard27:17 - EndingMirek Stiles - Head of Audio Products, Abbey Road Studios Mirek Stiles started working at Abbey Road Studios as a recording engineer in 1998, working on a diverse range of projects including The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Beatles Anthology, Muse, Kanye West, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Paul McCartney. Mirek also worked as a Digital Producer in the Abbey Road Interactive department on a range of Blu-ray titles including Roxy Music, Ringo Starr and Reservoir Dogs.  Today, Mirek runs the studio’s Audio Products department leading development of a range of software and hardware releases based on Abbey Road’s historic recording IP with partners Waves Audio and Chandler Limited. Mirek also sits on the board and acts as an advisor on the Abbey Road Red incubation programme and is currently exploring and experimenting with Spatial Audio over headphones, ambisonics, spatial microphone arrays and game engine workflow. Recent projects include collaborations with film and video game composer Stephen Barton (Jedi: Fallen Order), joint research with the University of York and University of Huddersfield and chairing the Abbey Road Spatial Audio Forum, bringing together members from gaming, broadcast, VR, music production and film.  Mirek’s expertise spans over 20 years within the studios, from analogue and vintage recording workflows through to the latest immersive medias including 6 Degrees of Freedom Virtual Reality and Dolby ATMOS capturing and rendering options. https://www.abbeyroad.com/spatial-audiohttps://unity.com/https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/https://www.matthewball.vc/all/themetaversehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_degrees_of_freedomhttps://www.universityxp.com/blog/2020/8/20/what-is-player-agency Hugh Robjohns BiogHugh Robjohns has been Sound On Sound´s Technical Editor since 1997. Prior to that he worked in a variety of (mostly) sound-related roles in BBC Television, ending up as a Sound Operations Lecturer at the BBC´s technical training centre. He continues to provide audio consultancy and bespoke broadcast audio training services all over the world, lectures at professional and public conventions, and occasionally records and masters acoustic and classical music too! 

Richard Wear of Interfacio talks about the opportunities that exist within the pro-audio industry and how to improve your chances at finding a career within this field. Chapters00:00 - Introduction01:34 - Industry Growth Areas03:12 - Job Candidate Qualities06:13 - Academic Training vs Practical Experience09:59 - A General Interest in Sound12:39 - The Usefulness of Music Production Courses14:47 - The Three Routes Into The Industry17:21 - Alternative Career Paths For Musicians20:09 - Developing Networking Skills21:31 - Ending *This interview was recorded pre-covid and therefore the answers are reflective of this. Richard Wear BiogRichard is Managing Director and founder of global executive search firm Interfacio, who specialize in the media technology sector, based in London and founded in 2002. Richard held previous roles as Director and General Manager of English Professional Audio OEM and finished product business, Celestion, part of the Hong Kong based Gold Peak organization, and was global product lead for Fostex Corporation of Japan where he spearheaded the development and introduction of a number of ground breaking digital audio products for the location sound, broadcast and post-production markets.   Richard graduated from Warwick University, England in 1986 with a BSc Hons in Engineering Science. But as a musician with a strong interest in music recording and production he was drawn naturally into a career in sales and marketing in the professional audio business, initially selling high value and bleeding edge audio and production technology to recording and post-production studios, broadcasters and the location sound industry. During this time Richard worked closely in a product management role with engineering teams in Japan, the United States and United Kingdom and lead sales, marketing and distribution activities worldwide with a particular focus on North America, Europe and APAC.   Through his work building and managing the Interfacio business Richard is continuously engaged with a wide variety of industry leading brands, manufacturers and partner companies across the broadcast, music, lighting, professional and consumer audio sectors as they progress their strategic product development, marketing and global sales objectives. https://interfacio.com/ Paul Mac BiogPaul Mac is a journalist, technical author, and marketing / content professional who started out in audio engineering and acoustics working in some of the most prestigious studios around the UK. He was the Editor of Audio Media magazine for 14 years and now writes and produces content across a wide range of entertainment and production technology subject areas.