I wanted to add some components to my home listening system, so a switcher was needed. I’ve decided to use a POD 2 switcher…
the POD-2 is a (6) Stereo input – stereo switcher that has the ability to sum all inputs. The output of the switcher feeds a Stereo Penny and Giles fader then directly to the Mackie HR824 speakers.
I’ve got to find a panel… but as far as home friendly user interface goes this is as simple as it gets.
1 Turn Table
2 Radio
3 Mac Mini
4 Cassette
5
6 Airport Express out

Category Archives: Awesome
Jeff Wolpert dolling out the wisdom
Jeff and Sydney did some fantastic work while I was at Revolution Recording. They’ve setup a killer room downtown and have Wizard Services to offer. Here is a great lesson from a very learned man.
A Social Experiment
I’ve been thinking about a social experiment.
I often take calls from people looking for services, I’ve met a lot of great people in this industry and I do stand by their great work and contributions. So instead of fielding calls and answering the questions I’ve created a Wizard Services section at http://audioaholics.com/wizard_services
I am asking you my friends to use it to work, get work share work and do work together. I would like to consider it my rolodex
I’ve got the permission to post a few contacts and will be doing so this week.
To Avoid Injury…
A Major upgrade
Hauling equipment around on public transit has taken its tole on my body. Elizabeth and I have “levelled up” by getting a fancy 2010 VW Golf. Now visiting clients, collecting debts, doing service calls, moving gear, going to the shop, and visiting family will be so much easier!
very exciting happenings this summer!
Billie Jean… turns out is his son
From: http://www.cinemablend.com/pop/DNA-Results-Allegedly-Show-Michael-Jackson-Has-31-Year-Son-62653.html?fb
Go grab a cold glass of water and take a seat. It’s about to get really weird up in here. Apparently, Michael Jackson impregnated longtime Jackson family friend Miki Howard during the early 1980s. Who is she, you ask? She had a string of R&B hits in the late 80s and early 90s and, wait for it, just so happened to sometimes go by the name Billie. That would make the song “Billie Jean” an honest to God emotional response to what was actually happening in MJ’s life. It would also make it one of the biggest bombshells we’ve gotten about the singer who unleashed plenty of bombshells during his life, but at this point, everything is still one gigantic if.
Here’s what happened…
Apparently, singer Brandon Howard, 31, agreed to appear in a documentary for FilmOn.TV. During the course of that documentary, they asked him for a DNA swab. Later on, the producers of the documentary allegedly acquired a dental impression MJ gave to a Beverly Hills doctor, as per TMZ. A DNA comparison was run, and it allegedly showed paternity, and today, those results were released during a live broadcast that included Corey Feldman.
You would think B. Howard himself would be stoked about the findings, but according to the local news in Miami, he’s not. He allegedly never asked them to run the DNA test, has never publically acknowledged being MJ’s son and has no interest in going after the estate for money. Or he’s the puppet master behind this whole thing and doesn’t want to admit it.
If you trust these DNA results, it would seem Jackson has a child, but at this point, none of us have any reason to trust DNA results from some random company made public by a website most of us have never heard of. So, for the time being, it’s probably best if you don’t get too excited.
That being said, I highly encourage you to listen to “Billie Jean” with a totally new perspective…
The audio mixer as a creative tool in musical composition and performance
An interesting read
http://iem.kug.ac.at/fileadmin/media/iem/projects/2011/bem13.pdf
Moved
A project I’ve been working on has come… full circle ;-)
Congrats to Kevin Park and the Lacquer channel team for getting the Neumann VMS70 back in the game. A fantastic project to have been a part of! We recapped the entire audio electronics for Kevin before he had lathe aficionado Chris Muth calibrate it. It’s a fine precision piece of audio electronics and Kevin is one HELL of a lathe mechanic and cutting engineer! It, and he, are in good hands over at Toronto’s Lacquer Channel. I’m excited to cut a few plates myself!
Photo and story here: http://www.thegridto.com/culture/music/play-it-as-it-lathes/

Many Thanks to Dave, Jose, and Tyler for their help and enthusiasm about the project!
RUPERT NEVE!!!!
you know… I love this man and am forever in his debt. He’s made laboratory grade audio equipment available to music / broadcast industry for many years and his standards and interests have grown since his beginning. Truly a childlike interest in pushing the boundaries of the craft he practices. He applies raw physics to sound and you should watch this as a whole to appreciate the brilliance of his passion and dedication.
I’m glad someone as enthusiastic as Hutch Hutchison is at his side absorbing it all. (though he left RND)
Long live limitless analog technology!
Long live the passionate, curious and boundary pushing!
Long live Rupert Neve
Sound guy xmas idea #28 – contact cleaner
20060723 – HVR ceiling fixture
In 2006 we (Myself and Andrew Waters) built a ceiling diffuser for the studio. I’ve been doing some data backups and thought I’d share some pictures and info on the build. The whole thing was made out of 2 X 4s and 3/4″ MDF. I had a carpenter friend cut all the pieces
This was the proposed layout. Using a “herringbone diffuser” design, a frame would hang from the ceiling with some turnbuckles. Continue reading
Sound guy xmas idea #22 – Microphone Shaped Sponge
Sound guy xmas idea #20 – New Leatherman
I try to keep one on myself at all times… it’s an Every Day Carry. I think I can build an entire studio with one of these tools, and there hasn’t been a day in a good long time I’ve not put this tool to work. I’m partial to the Leatherman Wave and I know there is MUCH debate about these types of tools so to each their own. They just released a black one with interchangeable bits. Though I love my “classic one” I can see the bit set coming in very handy!


Sound guy xmas idea #18 – TOUGH GAFF tape dispenser
Either tape inner diameters are shrinking or my hands are getting fatter… Could have put one of these to good use this weekend
http://www.sourceshop.com/product.asp?pid=568

Engraving curved text – Old School
I’m not a foley artist but…
Sound guy xmas idea #11 – Book: Audio Systems Design and Installation
This is indeed a classic reference anyone who is building a studio should have. A mentor, Neil Muncy, spoke of this as the be all end all of doing studios right. it is available directly from the publisher so all the proceeds go to the people who believe in spreading the message. I got my copy the other day and I’ve thumbed through every page and know I will be referencing it soon! Check out the Table of contents!
Go to http://posttoronto.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=59 to buy it (they will ship it to your someone special) . 
And while you’re at it: The Bottomless Money Pit by Roger Ginsley is fantastic.

Sound guy xmas idea #10 – Dan Dugan E-1A
The DD E-1A is the ultimate tool in not caring. It does all the mixing for you and truthfully can do a better job than most seasoned mixers. It’s fast… I mean SUPER fast and accurate. There is a certain Dugan sound and it’s catching on. Automatic mixing/ducking/ muting etc is becoming the norm in Television, churches, public forums, boardrooms etc etc I’ve actually seen “Dan Dugan” receive mixing credits on a tv show. This tool is not going away and the idea is catching on through VST and DSP processing.
I think they’re about $3400 – but think about how much money you’ll save paying attention.
http://www.dandugan.com/Assets/brochures/Model%20E-1A%20Brochure.pdf
Sound Guy Xmas idea #7 – Ward-Beck Systems SLM Meter
One of my favourite pieces of hardware on the market. Shocked that this product isn’t in every studio in the world.
Super accurate, easy to read, unique overlaid PPM/VU ballistics, correlation between channels is instantly evident, phase meter, tilts, small foot print, can be placed anywhere, impresses the girls (big knobs)
This is a precision scientific tool, how can you be engineering something if there’s not lab equipment around? You should have one.
http://ward-beck.com/products/metering_monitoring/slm1a
For special pricing, email Kevin@Ward-Beck.com and tell him APK sent you
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