8 posts from 2007

Vovox take over !

Oct 31, 2007

VOVOX_power_HV

VOVOX direct S

The final battle has begun, ear-blood was spilled and finally peace was settled between the hi-end hi- definition competitors in my studio - the my trusted "Monster prolink studio pro 1000" and the new arrivalist, the VOVOX DIRECT S symmetrical, unshielded (for a reason!) interconnect. So now, they share the system; the MONSTERS run the complete input stage to the mixer, lines, fx, inserts. the VOVOX run the complete output stage from the mixer and the 2bus chain, interconnecting all mastering devices. A second output stage goes to the monitors, thru the BENCHMARK DAC1, all as well complete with the VOVOX. The digital interconnection is to and from the ad/da converters is done with the new VOVOX LINKPROTECT AD and the power line to the converters features the new VOVOX POWER solid core cables. Well, now cables alltogether seem to be the most expensive equipment in my setup ;) but it's worth it, try it for yourself if interested: more punch, level, clarity, transients, low bass, high end, dimension! One of the biggest wows is my last finding: with this cabling i tend to need less eq overall, it just sounds awesome ! link // edit: there's news: the VOVOX TEXTURA power cable has arrived - even more amazing OMG !

Hi-End Gear pro audio conference

Oct 24, 2007

HI_END_GEAR

I'll be there saturday 27.10.2007 from 12h to 18h ! "Hi-end is an attitude, not a device alone". The new show for professionell audio * independent * recording * mixing * mastering * analog outboard gear * microphones * monitoring * acoustics * converter * news * workshops * seminars * hands-on * cocktails * contacts * chill & coffee-lounge! link

The lab

Oct 5, 2007

THE LAB 2009

It's a bit hard to distinguish from the picture but the studio atmosphere is indeed intensely colorfull, at least in the evening when i manage to work the most - i like the light of shiny diodes blinking combined with a nice moody lightning - and yes, there's a lavalamp in the back, for sure a sign of a studio like the neonlight-tooth in the window of any dentist ;) It's often about the mood you're in how you feel the music and the sound and base your decisions on - i try to keep it constant. And beside the fun factor there are the more technical aspects as well you want to be in the mood for : recursively checking and comparing for the spectral balance, finding the right balance of mono-content and stereo-basis while looking for phase anomalies and getting the level right by using the master compressor, converting to digital and limiting for the final db. I, as well as many other responsible mastering and mixing engineers, use Bob Katz' invented K-metering system for reference but i also learned the most common standard levels for diverse music styles @ fullscale and even better: RMS, wich messures the energy inherent a signal. In my humble processing strategy lies a certain quality to get a loud sound without clipping everything to death to challenge the ultimate loudness war. It's the combination of right eq-ing, fullrange signals, gaining, channel saturation, tube and iron mix saturation, bus-compression, careful converter clipping - if necessary - and brickwall limiting - if necessary - to get you there, but recently with my 100% analog singnal chain it's all working out perfectly without clipping and limiting at all. What you can barely see in the picture is the full range frames of thick acoustic insulation on each wall as well as the 360° absorber treatment on the wall tops and ceiling and basstraps in the corners and back, thus keeping the sound real ! // making hand signs ;} // myspace

CD/DVD [re:jazz] live @ motion blue - Yokohama

Sep 20, 2007

MOTION BLUE - the subsidiary Blue Note club in Yokohama, Japan, invited the Frankfurt based jazz band [re:jazz] for a 2 week play on location. Ok, they could'nt take all the famous guest stars that appeared on the albums with them but took a ride with the soloist INGA LÜHNING as their main support! It would'nt be us if we did'nt record an event like this properly. With a little remote help on-site from Shota Inaba we managed to do exactly this. A mic-splitter, to separate the inhouse mix from the actual recording, a fat bunch of sponsored Onyx pre-amps and a Pro-tools HD system were installed for a flat-fooded assimilation of the event. The big-ass hard-drive with the recording of every single track of every single show [8 in total!] was taken serious care of during the transport from Japan to Germany. Everything safely imported, production of the live CD has started [meaning, now!] and, did i mention that we had seven cameras installed filming the shows ? Well, then it might be time to tell you that there is a DVD release lurking around the corner... 'nuff said - back to the mix 24-7 ! [re-jazz] DVD

Physical Education T - Precision Breakbeat Research

Sep 11, 2007

PRCSN.PHYS.ED

So, you want to be an elite Precision taskforce member, or at least show some contribution to the great [R.I.P] drum'n'bass label PRECISION BREAKBEAT RESEARCH, here's your last chance : get the super-cool PRCSN PHY.ED T-SHIRT, manufactured by CARHARTT, designed by the world famous BIONIC SYSTEMS, distributed by MAINFRAME MIXMASTERS ;) The T's are grey heather cotton with a big black print on the front and a smaller print on the right arm. The print comes in light-blue as well. available sizes are : SX, S, M, L. The largest size XL is sold out, but we all wanna lose some weight anyway - hence physical education - stay in shape & style with PRCSN. For only 25€ [plus 5€ shipping] for this strictly limited edition ! email me

Jeru The Damaja - in da house!

Aug 15, 2007

during his last trip to europe my man KABUKI and myself took the chance to get JERU THE DAMAJA over here to frankfurt to realize a long planned collaboration. equipped with a deep stepping oldskool break rolling over a luscious earthshaking bassline and some nice funky 70s licks we met at our buddys studio complex FUNDEMENTAL STUDIOS for a relaxed recording session. the ORIGINAL really is ! i set up 2 mics for JERU to choose from, my rode K2 valve condenser mic and the neumann TLM103, both going straight into the DIGIDESIGN PRO-TOOLS HD3 pre-amps. after a quick vocal check we opted for the TLM because jerus voice was already big, full and round - no need for even more warmth ;)

anyway, this was by far the quickest on-spot recording session i've ever done - jeru, with all his lyrics stored in his head and ready [for real - no sheets or papers anywhere], hot-wired in his vocal booth started rappin' over the loop kabuki and me had done the days before - and i hit RECORD, even though we where still in preperation mode. first take - we kept it this way! quick chat about the chorus, where we already put a short vocal bit of one of his classic recordings in, and we found ourselves hitting the red button again. some editing with our studio mate JOCKEL MERHOLZ on the pro-tools rig and we got everything we were wishing for. then again, a short rec of introductive words and we were done. yeah, it can be quick, dirty and cool ! so, with a whole evening left we went to the UNITY CLUB later and got wasted. real wasted ;) check it out...

Summit EQP-200B passive EQ

Jan 29, 2007

SUMMIT AUDIO EQP 200b

1 comment

THAT is an amazing unit! the SUMMIT EQP 200B has got a vacuum tube solid state design with very clear sounding jensen output transformers. i had here in my studio for a week to test and i must say that i'm really impressed by what this eq does to the sound, this has some special magic that is hard to describe. first, it does what a pultec does. ok. but then it adds something to the sound, some air, some dimension, deepness, maybe some distortion, i don't know exactly, but whatever it is, it is great ! now that the unit is back at the distributor and i really miss it. i'm currently checking some other PULTEC STYLE EQs, some are very nice and adorable too, but i cannot find that thing that the summit does on any other of them. so, i think it's about time to call my local music dealer... and my accountant as well. puhhh // update: yeah, did it! it's here, it's mine - tube modified version by GUIDO APKE - pimped to the max - goes deeper, higher & smoother - my goodness !!! complete with VOVOX DIRECT S cabling ;) summit audio

How vinyl records are made

Jan 25, 2007

Vinyl

in case you're interested to watch the amazing handcraft of vinyl making, check out these links:

# how vinyl records are made PART1 + PART2
# here's an additional flick about CD+DVD manufacturing PART1 + PART2
# well, we already knew that cd is evil ... here's proof ;) : PART1 + PART2

Vovox take over !

Hi-End Gear pro audio conference

The lab

CD/DVD [re:jazz] live @ motion blue - Yokohama

Physical Education T - Precision Breakbeat Research

Jeru The Damaja - in da house!

Summit EQP-200B passive EQ

How vinyl records are made

About Me

LNX

Tags

Archives

MAINFRAMEMIXMASTERS Dropbox@SoundCloud Upload_tracks_here

8 posts from 2007

LNX

Archives

Subscribe

MAINFRAMEMIXMASTERS Dropbox@SoundCloud Upload_tracks_here