The Evolution of Ballpoint Pens

Ever wondered where ballpoint pens originated from? Would it surprise you that the first really working ballpoint pen came out as late as the 1940s? There were several registered patents for this product dating as far back as 1888. It was leather tanner John Loud who created the very first ballpoint pen, which he created so he could write on his leather products. His pen had a small rotating ball made of stell and held in place with a socket. While it worked on leather, it was too coarse for paper writing so it was not very viable commercially.

In came Hungarian newspaper editor, Laszlo Biro who did not like the way he needed to keep filling and re-filling his fountain pens and to constantly clean up the smudges on his pages. He sought the help of his chemist brother Gyorgy and together they invented a pen with a ball tip that rotated on its socket picking up ink from the cartridge and leaving a smooth and lasting impression on paper.

The first versions of the pen suffered from ink clogging and leaking. Biro corrected this by placing a spring that will keep pressure on the piston. Moving to Argentina in 1941, Biro filed another patent for his invention which was licensed by a British company to be sold to Royal Air Force crew. By 1945 the pen reached the United States and was launched at a New York department store in October 1945. The ballpoint pen has since become a relevant writing instrument through the years and is still very much in use today.

Author: Todd Johnson

Email: Todd@australianwebsitedevelopment.com.au

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Status Symbol: The Cross Pen

The Cross Pen has been around for quite a while now bringing prestige to people’s lives. Pens are one of the most widely used things the world over and people would not think twice about investing hard-earned money into a pen that is stylish and durable and is guaranteed to last for a long time. A high priced pen is also a status symbol for business executives, government officials and most everybody who want the best and most beautiful things in life.

The makers of this brand of pen is the A.T. Cross Company. The company designs and markets branded business and personal accessories. Their first product was silver and gold casings for pencils. The company started manufacturing and selling writing instruments in 1846. The line of pens sold under the Cross brand included fountain pens, ballpoint pens, mechanical pencils and selectip rolling ball pens.

Cross pens are sold over the world and is known for their distinct design and durability. The brand has several types of pens with varying shapes, girth, length, and made of top quality materials. The brand is diversified into different labels like the Advantage, Affinity, Classic, Contour and much more.

A major part of the reason why this is such a popular brand is the performance of the pens. The design and structure of every pen is well thought out and executed. The pen has become a luxury item that fetches a rather steep price but it has still managed to hold its own alongside competitors. People know that owning a Cross pen connotes class and good taste that is why many consumers want to be associated with it.

Author: Todd Johnson

Email: Todd@australianwebsitedevelopment.com.au

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Parker- A Symbol of Elegance

Parker pens have been around for over a century creating high brow pens made with expensive materials that guarantees an extremely long life. The Parker brand is a recognized luxury brand worldwide. The pens have earned this reputation through years of excellent craftsmanship. The Parker pen is a symbol of elegance and style, making it the preferred gift for loved ones and treasured employees.

Parker pens have three distinct product lines namely the Prestige, Performance and Essential. Under the Prestige line is the classic Parker Duofold, which is the very first pen mass produced by the company. Rounding this line are the Premier and the Sonnet. The Performance Line is where the Facet, Express and Esprit designs are. While under the Essential Line, there is the Frontier, Urban, Parker I.M., the Vector and the standard in ballpoint pens, the Jotter.

The materials that have been used in Parker pens include resin, gold, high-tech pigments, silver, vermeil, platinum, rhodium and stainless steel. The pens are desiged to last a lifetiime and beyond. It can definitely outlive its owner and so it has become something of a family heirloom, handed down from generation to generation. As for style, Parker uses several methods like diffusion bonding, plating, metal finishing, lacquring, chiselling and more. The crafstmanship is evident with every Parker pen. Indeed owning a Parker pen can be a sound investment as you get a high quality writing instrument that has the potential of becoming a collector’s item as it can last for many years.

Author: Todd Johnson

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The Skinny on Luxor Pens

Luxor pens are a relatively new entrant in the writing instruments industry but has fast become a known brand for quality pens and other writing materials. The pen is manufactured in India in a company that was founded in 1963 by D.K. Jain. It became the market leader in India and was soon being exported worldwide.

The brand was recognized as an Indian Superbrand in 2004 and continues to produce millions of high quality pens that are being exported to over 75 countries. The design of the writing products is constantly being improved in state of the art facilities in India and elsewhere. The manufacturer is producing writing instruments with integration as they leverage the most advanced technologies available today. The writing instruments created by the company include writing instruments, office accessories, stationeries and more.

The pens are the first to have a fiber tip and a roller ball, two technologies that were developed in 1975. The makers have collaborated with a known Japanese pen maker to create needle point pens. Another innovation introduced by the company in 1986 are the permanent markers. This particular writing instrument uses dry safe ink. The fluorescent highlighters are another addition to the product line and caters to the diverse requirements of the company’s global clientele. The company also offers a whimsical array of children’s products for coloring, drawing and sketching. But the pens are still the star of the company’s product line. They are durable and stylish, well crafted and guaranteed to provide much satisfaction in every writing need. 

Author: Todd Johnson

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Who Hasn’t Heard of BIC?

When it comes to pens the BIC brand would have to be the most popular, particularly in the ballpoint pens category and rightly so. It was a Hungarian production manager by the name of Marcel Bich who introduced the first working ballpoint pen to the market. His business started with fountain pens and mechanical lead pencils until he discovered the great potential of the ballpoint pen.

These pens offer an easy answer to ones day to day needs. The design of the pen is simple and is easy on the grip. Its ballpoint tip glides smothly on paper. The pen is simple and reliable making it a huge product sold worldwide.

The quality of these pens are the reason why it has so many loyal consumers. The success of the pens has led to the company’s diversification into other consumer brands like razors, lighters, and more. The company’s writing products has also expanded beyond the ballpoint pen. They now have every kind of writing instruments, which can be found in book stores and office supplies stores.

Apart from the pens’ wide distribution in several retail outlets around the world, the company’s marketing strategy has even come up with pushcarts that ply the streets selling BIC products to people. The test of a really good product is how it manages to stay on people’s minds. The brand has been around for decades now and it still has the same product recall as it did when it first came out. 

Author: Todd Johnson

Email: Todd@australianwebsitedevelopment.com.au

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Heard of Ballograf Ballpoint Pens?

Ballograf pens are Swedish made and over 4 million of them are produced annually. The company sells the bulk of their pens to the Scandinavian countries, about 50 percent in all. The rest is exported worldwide but mainly in Western European countries.

The company manufacturing these pens started their business in 1945. The owners Eugen Spitzer and Victor Reich are both Austrians. They started manufacturing in a garage but demand soon necessitated a larger factory. 

The ballpoint pen is among the very first to feature a push mechanism that increased its user-freindliness. It is also early in th emarket with a ballpoint cartridge that contains light-fast ink, which will later be certified to become archival ink. This is a breakthrough for the ballpoint pens making it possible for public authorities and agencies to use it.

While the brand is the market leader in the Nordic region, sales also picked up in other European countries like Holland, Switzerland and Austria. In 1959 the company was purchased by a bigger company in the same industry but the owners regain possession of the company in 2004. It is now a leading name in the office supplies market of the Scandinavia.

Apart from the world-famous ballpoint pen, the company has also diversified into all other writing materials and is now exporting them to different parts of the world. You will probably find a Ballograf product display in your local retail store or mall. The ballpoint pen is stylish and sturdy and can offer many years of service. 

Author: Todd Johnson

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Uncomplicated Sound with the Clavia Nord Stage

The Clavia Nord Stage keyboards or the Stage as it is more popularly known to musicians, weighs all of 18.5Kg. The keys have a medium hammer action and its control panel is mounted with the traditional Nord series control wheel in grey and a wooden pitch-bender. The Stage has a total of three sections. Its piano section produces the ambient Steinway Concert Model D and the closed Yamaha C7 grands. There’s also the Svenska Pianofabriken and the Yamaha uprights, including aa Yamaha CP-80 Electric Grand, V Rhodes and a Mk I, II, a Wurlitzer 200A plus a Hohner Clavinet D6.

Musicians find the Stage an expressive and highly playable instrument with substantial effects and sounds that will never grow old. The effects and synths provide the genius in this keyboard as they enable users to play with classic sounds and reproduce it into different contexts. It has compression, amp simulation and and equalizer to create professional sound productions. The Stage can also hold itself up pretty well as a solo instrument.

The control panel has seven sections starting with the Master Level or Rotor Section at the far left of the control panel. It holds the master controls for headphones volume plus the four outputs that musicians can assign in the system menu. You can use outputs three and four as another stereo pair as well as two separate monos. The rotary controls for the speakers are found near the organ section. There is much depth into this seemingly simple piece of instrument. It is the Stage’s simplicity is quite refreshing alongside its highly technical contemporaries.

Author: Todd Johnson

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Sennheiser MK4 Studio Microphone for the Project Studio

The advent of digital sound production and recording have given birth to several project studios run by newcomers wanting to break it big time in the music industry. The Sennheiser MK4 studio microphone is a common fixture in these studios along with a Digital Audio Workstation. It is a an affordable large diaphragm condenser mic that fits perfectly in a project studio.

A song recording using the MK4 with vocals and an acoustic guitar will be able to capture the studio’s ambiance as the mic comes with side-addressing features. You will find a good balance between the treble and bass notes of the guitar as the vocals sits on a good spot along the midrange. The bass will be nice and tight with just the right amount of richness and the treble is crisp and never harsh. Standing a few inches from the mic will reveal a more colorful track with the presence you are looking for. There is absolutely no more need to equalize any harshness from the sound as there would not be any with the MK4

Music producers praised the MK4 for having an expensive sounding output and sound engineers have used the microphone for everything. The mic works well as an overhead for drums and gives off good sound for rap vocals. It’s best performance is with acoustic instruments and it is indeed ideal for beginners in the music industry working on a fully automatic studio that is completely run by a computer. This could be a sound investment in a mid-priced brand that performs really well. 

Author: Todd Johnson

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Sleek and Smartly Designed Neumann u87

The Neumann U87 offers a variety of features that make it one of the most coveted microphones in the market today. Well recognized for its design and liked by many for its well balanced characteristics that enhaces the sound of all kinds of speech and music. The good output it provides for orchestra recordings or for single instruments make it an all around general-purpose mic for music studios, film and television broadcasting.

The U87 comes with a dual-diaphragm capsule that has three directional patterns which are, cardoid, figure-8 and omnidirectional. These selections can be made with a switch lying beneath the headgrille. At the rear, you with find a 10 dB attenuation switch that enables the mic to handle pressure levels of up to 127 dB with no distortion. You can compensate for proximity by reducing the low frequency response.

The figure-8 and cardoid directional patterns gives off a frequency response that is very flat when used in frontal sound incidence. The microphone works well when used close to a sound source without making the sound unnaturally harsh. Interferences through low frequencies and subsonic are remarkably reduced through a high-pass filter.

An elastically mounted, large headgrille protects the dual-diaphragm capsule. Modern day circuitry has increased the operational headroom for the U87 using reduced resistance to supply the bias voltages to the capsule. The sound produced is of a higher sensitivity of 10 dB. The additional switch at the back to change the mic’s cutoff frequency ensures that low frequency interference is kept low at its amplifier input.

Author: Todd Johnson

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Recording Made Easy With Zoom H2n Portable Recorders

The Zoom H2n is a handy recorder that has five microphone capsules which can be used in four recording modes. It is the company’s first recorder to have the Mid-Side stereo recording feature. This is a mid mic facing the sound source plus a bi-directional side mic that captures sound from the left and the right. It has an X/Y stereo mic array ideal for conventional stereo sound while being able to record both two-channel and four-channel in surround sound.

The easy grip design packs 20 hours of power from two AA batteries. The H2N is highly portable and user friendly with a large screen at the face to tell you what is happening. Mic gain can be set instantly through a knob. Starting to record is almost instant and your file transfer from the recorder to your computer is done through USB. The H2N can also be used as a music player with variable pitch phrase-training and speed features. In terms of sound output, the mics provide quality recordings. Its MS mode is very useful for controlling the width of the stereo field. The various recording modes of the H2N sets it apart from others, giving you high versatility for all recording needs.

The H2N stores your recordings in an SD card. The package comes with a 2GB card but the recorder can support up to 32GB SD cards. It has ports for a remote control and for headphones. You can monitor your recording as it is happening, and tweak it with adjustable mic gain, volume an recording angles. It is handy, portable and high-performing.

Author: Todd Johnson

Email: Todd@australianwebsitedevelopment.com.au

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First Class Nord Electro Keyboards

The Nord Electro from Clavia has two varieties which are the Sixty One- and the Seventy Three-octave keyboards. The number of keys are the only thing differentiating the two varieties. Their sound generators come in two sections, a fully phonic virtual organ and some sampled piano.

The organ section has nine LED bar-graph meters plus nine pairs of in/out buttons that will enable you to push harmonics and and out. This system replaces the work of drawbars. It is possible simultaneously to adjust all the harmonics. Above the virtual bars are three sets of additional controls for the Manual, Vibrato and Percussion sections. You can move over to the piano section by pressing the Instrument Select switch. There is a total of five electric piano samples.

Electro’s MIDI continuous controllers enables musicians to create great performances. You can sequence all changes including live tweaks to the equalizer and the effects. Another electroacoustic instrument sample found in the Electro is the acoustic grand piano that sounds rather uninspiring, though not bad overall, lacking the dynamics of a a well simulated piano sound. Once you have picked out the piano sound you like, it is possible to tweak it using a program called Presence, which is a peaking filter that can add +18dB at the middle of the frequency you prefer within the range 200Hz to 4kHz. The keyboard is equipped with a USB interface that will let you download more piano sounds.

With the Electro, you get first class sounds, organ chorus and vibrato, rotary speaker and effects. You do not really need the manual to set it up and the MIDI control for all the parameters is a bonus. 

Author: Todd Johnson

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The Pro Studio Performance of Shure SM57 Microphone

Most professional sound studio will have one Shure SM57 microphone in their arsenal. It is the microphone of choice for professionals as it can make a decent job out of all types of recording and it is the best microphone for snare drums or so the pros claim. The SM57 is a directional cardioid  dynamic microphone that captures everything you point at it, effectively rejecting the sound coming from the sides or the rear. It is capable of handling high decibels without a snag so it is ideal for electric guitars and drums.

The SM57 will not require phantom power as it efficiently records the sound coming from snares and toms. It’s size and shape makes it quite easy to position it in the drum kit. It has become the industry standard for snare microphones and has featured in thousands of professional recordings and music releases. The microphone also works well on guitar cabs and on brass. Of course they will also work well with vocals as they come with a solid pop shield.

For loud rock guitars the SM57 can be placed on the speaker cone and moved around slightly. Perhaps the only minor drawback of this microphone is that it requires more gain at the preamp for recording softer sounds as it can capture the noise from the preamp. Otherwise it can be a good fixture in any sound studio. The SM57 has been around for over two decades now capturing great studio sound for professional record releases. Great for drums, electric guitars and vocals, who would not want this product on their studio?

Author: Todd Johnson

Email: Todd@australianwebsitedevelopment.com.au

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Capture Great Sound with Neumann TLM 102 Microphones

The Neumann TLM 102 is a cardioid condenser microphone that is big  on performance yet sports a light and compact body. It is built around a cardoid condenser and no-transformer solid-state electronics. The smaller housing means in can be placed in tight spots in the recording studio so you can definitely place it between drum cymbals or inside your piano. The mic comes in the traditional Neumann matte-nickel or in a black finish.

How does it fare with instruments? On a baritone saxophone the character of the sound is leaning towards bass sometimes. The leakage from the microphone’s back was uncolored, which is actually a good thing in situations using mutiple microphones. The model seems to work better on higher reeds. When used with the piccolo, clarinet and soprano sax gave off a hint of brightness  and the open cardoid pattern complemented the soprano saxophone well. When tested on floor tom, the mic gave off a good balance of transient attack and low-end punch. It was able to capture sharp and clear transient sounds when applied to a variety of percussions. The sound of the mic when used on an acoustic guitar produced a good balance of highs and lows about a foot away.

The Neumann probably excels most on electric quitar amps as it gives off an uncompromising in-your-face quality of sound. You will also appreciate its low-end response when applied to electric bass amps. Its sound on vocals is detailed and crisp, though it could use a little richness in the low-end. Although Neumann is forever finding ways to come up with affordable large-diaphragm condenser microphones, the TLM 102 is not one of them.

Author: Todd Johnson

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The Native Instruments Komplete Studio Software

Whether you are a accomplished disc jockey, a music engineer or an amateur you will find the Native Instruments Komplete a pretty comprehensive software for your studio. The software carries some of the most powerful drum, synthesizer and sample programs that offers an elaborate digital sound orchestra that you can use for everything from club remixes to high concept neoclassic music.

The features you may appreciate most includes the 7,500 plus preset sounds and a discrete sampler, syntheszer, bass, guitar, piano, organ and drum programs. It has compatibility with all the major file and audio types and carries a 60GB sample library. You can say it is a collection of audio products rolled into one package that can be broken down and purchased individually. For serious music producers though, the huge discount offered for the entire set is too good to pass up.

Amateurs may find the 11 program collection that is the Komplete package a little overkill. The 11 programs comprised of Guitar Rig, Kontakt 3, Absynth 4, Massive, Akoustik Piano, Reaktor 5, B4 II, Electrik Piano, Pro-53 and FM8. You will have access to two samplers plus a studio software you can use for guitar and base recording. There are 8 synthesizers, multiple pianos and organs and a drum sampler. If you noticed the excessive use of the letter “K”, that is because Native Instruments is a specialty electronic music device manufacturer from Germany.

You will find the advantage of the Komplete software in whatever you are trying to do. If you are developing a rough concept creation needing some level of attention to fidelity, it will be a straightforward and easy affair on Komplete’s PRO-53 program whole a more polished concept mix can be created on the FM8 program.

Author: Todd Johnson

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Achieve Studio Quality with M-Audio Studiophile AV40

From the Studiophile line of M-Audio comes the MAudio Studiophile AV40 desktop speaker system. Products in the studiophile line were created with the music studio in mind as well as the top recording engineers, record producers and musicians. This speaker system is not cheap but it does pack a powerful punch. The AV40 is actually a bigger version of the AV20, with the wattage being the only distinction.

Each of the speakers have a height of 8.5 inches and is 6.2 inches wide with a depth of 7.5 inches. The speakes’ enclosures are made from medium density fiberboards made from vinyl, which is a good departure from plastic housings. There are black metal grilles on the face of the speakers that protects its 1-inch tweeter and 4-inch woofer. The speaker system offers a power of 40 watts or 20 watts per channel.

The back of the left-hand speaker has two sets of left/right stereo inputs, one set is for RCA connectors while the other is for TRS  connectors. There is also a set of speaker-terminal outputs connecting it to the right hand speaker. In the right-hand speaker there’s a matching set of inputs, a replaceable fuse, a Bass Boost switch, a voltage selector, the power switch plus a connector for the power cable the comes with the package. The left-hand speaker holds the volume knob and the 1/8-inch input jack and another 1/8-inch jack for headphones. You can connect various sources to the three inputs simultaneously. Indeed a powerful set of speakers for your computer.

Author: Todd Johnson

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High Quality Vocal Effects With TC Helicon Voicelive 2

High quality vocal harmonies during live perfomances is what the TC Helicon Voicelive2  endeavors to bring to the market. Singers can create over eight voice harmonies and control them with your MIDI keyboard, guitar or mp3 player. The equipment has six effects blockks providing delay, reverb, pitch-shifting, megaphone effects and distortion. This floor-based machine comes wth a mic preamp that is digitally controled and enables users to  adjust the gain even while they’re singing. The tone algorithm intuitively adjusts equalizers, compression and de-essing.

You can now record your own vocal backup while still sounding authentic. Using a MIDI keyboard, a guitar or an aux-iinput vocal harmony algorithm having four intervals. The vocals can by recorded as eight voices or it can be unison-doubled both controlled through your MIDI keyboard. The choir algorithm lets users create a massive multi-voice  vocal sound ideal for gospel music.

The features of VoiceLive 2 si fully automated letting you focus more on your music than on the settings. You can set the mic gain with your singing voice as you stand away from the machine. When you have made the settings no more knobs will be jostled but you can still do manual adjustments if you wish to. The product has function that listens to the voice and adjusts automatically to reduce feedback, called the Auto Gate. A single push on the button of this function immediately engages the Shape EQ de-essing and compression adapting to your tonal range for a better impact and smoother dynamics and a studio quality live singing. 

Author: Todd Johnson

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Zoom H4n - A Review

The handheld Zoon H4n digital recorder feels comfortable in the hand. With dimensions of  2.6" x 6.1" x 1.9", you can easily slip into your coat pocket, briefcase or backpack. The housing of the microphone is metal while plastic is used for the front plate. The body is enclosed in a rubberized coating. Despite the solid feel, the microphones move slightly when switching the angle settings giving you the impression that the mic could snap off with improper handling.

There is a backlit LCD screen that indicates what is going on and it is bright and clear so that it is easily readable. There are crisp buttons that are clearly labeled. The H4n package comes with a 1GB SD card, a windscreen, a mic clip adapter, an AC adaptor, USB cable, protective case, a CD-Rom with Cubase LE recording software and the owner’s manual. A remote control is an optional accessory.

The H4n is quite easy to use and you would not need to read the manual to be able to operate it. It has a built-in mounting hole for a tripod or a mic stand at the back. There is a speaker monitor where you can hear your recording. There is a Menu button that will help you navigate through its menu tree plus a Jog Dial on the unit’s right side. If you work with a computer’s file menu system then you will figure out the H4n fast. The features of the H4n are well received, a stereo recorder, a USB microphone and a 4-track multi-track recorder, it is just the gadget to have for those quick recording needs. 

Author: Todd Johnson

Email: Todd@australianwebsitedevelopment.com.au

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Control Your Sound with Native Instruments Maschine

The Native Instruments Maschine can be used both as an instrument and a controller. This audio device combines pattern-based sequencer, multi-effect unit, professional sampler and a VST/AU plug-in host. Maschine works well on both a live stage and the studio. It carries the qualities of a dedicated instrument and the editing capability of an advanced software system so that you can make it the creative nucleus of your sound studio.

Incorporate your Maschine onto your Digital Audio Workstation or use it as a unit on its own. It can even be used to control an external MIDI software and hardware program. The software system of the Maschine is segregated into five areas. At the top is the Header that holds the main controls including transport, output volume and display. Beneath it to the left is a Browser area for the storing, locating and managing tools as well as the plug-ins, FX, samples and others.

Beneath the header to the right, you find the Arranger section where you can create your musical piece. You can stack the clips you have created into scenes, up to 64 scenes to use for building your arrangements. Under the Arranger section you have the Control section that will allow you to control settings and set parameters for the four modules you have at each project level. The control area holds settings for sounds, samples, plug-ins, MIDI, FX, and routing. At the bottom you can find the Pattern Editor that enables you to do step programming and real-time recording. You can use the edits as your basis for each scene and you can also fully automate your creation here. The Maschine controller can be a great addition to your studio.

Author: Todd Johnson

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A Look Into the Tannoy Reveal 601a

The Tannoy Revea l601a nearfield monitor measures 341 x 210 x 273mm and weighs 8.3kg. The outer appearance is conventional with contoured cabinet features and curved edges that help minimize edge difffractio,n or that effect where sharp corners disperse the sound back to the listener, resulting to phase issues at high frequencies. The baffle is very rigid and made of solid MDF. There is a 10mm-thick panel enclosing the top, sides and bottom of the cabinet and a metal backplate housing the controls and acting as the heat-sink for the amps. Part of the moulding for the baffle is an elliptical waveguide feeding the soft-dome tweeter, a design that can control directivity horizontally and vertically in high frequencies.

Tannoy decided to place the bass port in the front to avoid interaction with the wall that usually happens with speakers whose ports are at the back. The port entrance of the 601a is flared to prevent wind noise. At the heart of the design is the pairing of the 30mm soft-dome tweeter and the 130mm bass and mid driver. The bass driver has been enhanced to provide greater linearity and is built with a silver paper-pulp cone. The response of the tweeter has been expanded to 30kHz allowing the monitor to deliver a frequency response of 60Hz-30kHz.

The monitor’s woofer is flushed back into the baffle and a blue-colored power LED is set into the mounting ring’s edge. The woofer runs on 90watts of amplifer power. While there is a volume control, the monitor lacks a low-frequency control. The 601a is ideal for small rooms and for desktop computers.

Author: Todd Johnson

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Classic Sound and Design with the Moog Little Phatty

The Moog little phatty is one more synthesizer from the Moog Music family, which is a notch below the Voyager but is quite a powerful machine on its own. The Little Phatty uses 100 percent analog signal path with over 100 editable presets in a 37-note keyboard. It is a monophonic synthesizer that comes with two oscillators. The waveform selector is variable between the waveforms and the oscillatory sync provides more sound integrity. You will have the classic ladder design that Moog is known for in the filter. Both filter and volume each has an ADSR envelope generator. Things will definitely be moving with its LFO that has six waveshapes with four directions and controls for rate and depth. The keyboard’s Master section holds the controls for Tuning, Glide, Octave Transpose, Pitch and Mod wheels and other data entry controls.

You will have a really simple interface that has no hidden sub-layers of functions. Apart from the Stage model Mood also released a special limited edition Little Phatty for a limited run. The design has Moog side panels with the Bob Moog signature plates on the front and rear. It also comes with a CD-ROM that features the Bob Moog Memorial Celebration Service plus a poster.

The Little Phatty is more on the high end and is not cheap and they are not really filled with features compared to its competitors. But Moog has always been the brand of choice for music professionals and musicians when it comes to synthesizers. The company has been around long enough to command a high price.

Author: Todd Johnson

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The Right Key with M-Audio Prokeys 88

The MAudio proKeys 88 is a digital stage piano that can double as a MIDI controller. This keyboard gives users a huge sound bank memory. It yields more realistic and larger samples with 14 instruments in all having split or layer capabilities. The sound is accompanies by an 88-key hammer action keyboard that delivers a realistic feel that will satisfy even the most demanding keyboardist.

The ProKeys 88 from M-Audio can be used as a master controller keyboard and is equipped with a USB MIDI interface for quick connection to personal computers. There are MIDI in and out jacks that will communicate with your MIDI gear. You have modulation and pitch wheels plus sequencer controls and more capabilities to create top quality sound. There grand piano sample have three velocity layers. You get a 64MB sound bank carrying the 14-instrument samples.

You would not need more gear to pump up the effects of the ProKeys 88 as its on-board equalizer lets you tweak the tone as you play them. It also has three reverb spaces that can simulate varied acoustic environment. Apart from the sustain pedal, the keyboard also has the sostenuto pedal, which is the middle pedal of acoustic pianos that not many keyboard brands have. You also have n expression pedal to control the volume with you feet. The three pedals of the ProKeys 88 can be used as MIDI controllers for your outboard gear. This could just be what you need for your stage music performances.

Author: Todd Johnson

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Better Sound Monitoring with Mackie MR5

The Mackie mr5 monitor speakers are less costly that the other products on Mackie’s line of audio monitors. These speakers are intended for compact situations like a home studio or computer speakers. Its magnetic shielding makes it possible to stand beside CRT monitors. This two-way speakers have a tweeter waveguide built into it to control sound dispersion and an array of acoustic controls located on the rear panel that lets you tweak the response according to your location. There is a slide switch to adjust the +/-2dB where you can set the low end to flat, +2dB or +4dB.

To minimize diffraction, the baffle elements that surround the drivers are smooth. The drivers are powered by Class-A/B MOSFET amplifiers that include active protection circuits delivering 55W to the woofer and 30W to the tweeter. You also get over 50 percent of extra power for short peaks. There is a 24dB-per-octave crossover that operates at 4kHz plus an overall frequency response of 60Hz to 20kHz (+/-3dB). You also have adequate level for listening in nearfield environments.

The rear panels are made of steel offering both balanced and unbalanced inputs. It holds the rear port that helps shield users from vent noise when bass power is coming out heavily. This model uses an L-shaped port that has a slotted mouth with a slight flare to minimize port noise. If you tuck the port round the back though, you cant push the monitors up the wall. The monitors are fitted with balanced XLR, TRS as well as unbalanced RCA inputs. There is a rotary level cotrol and the mains comes in through and IEC socket that is adjacent to the power switch. 

Author: Todd Johnson

Email: Todd@australianwebsitedevelopment.com.au

Mobile: 0449 041 815

Genelec 8030a Multi-Featured Monitor

The Genelec 8030a is a compact but quite powerful and bi-amplified nearfield monitor system. It is recommended for use in home studios, project studios, surround sound monitoring, workstations and installations. It comes with the Minimum Diffraction Enclosure design that is rounded at the edges and curved on the front or sides achieving a smooth frequency response plus great imaging qualities that minimizes diffraction.

The speakers featured the proprietary Genelec Directivity Control Waveguide. This flow-optimized port design and die-cast aluminum structure has a semi-matt finish with metal grilles that nave been acoustically optimized. Dedicated amplifiers with sophisticated filtering ensure low distortion. The model also has versatile room response controls, magnetic shielding and overall protection circuitry. The mounting features include rear support spots for floor stands or the wall, and a thread if the user chooses to mount them on the base of the cabinet.

The monitor also comes with an Isolation Positioner or Decoupler, or the Iso-Pod as with other products in the line. This is an ingenius mounting stand that allows the monitor to perform in the horizontal and the vertical position. The Iso-Pad also aims  the acoustic axis to the listener, while mechanically and acoustically decoupling the speakers front where it is located.

Sound engineers who would like to mix in a tight space will be well served by this product. Music enthusiast who can use a 2.1 or a 5.1 sound system in their room will find a good foundation with the 8030A. Price- and performance-wise, this product looks like a really good buy.

Author: Todd Johnson

Email: Todd@australianwebsitedevelopment.com.au

Mobile: 0449 041 815

The Fostex PM0.4 Near Field Monitors

The Fostex PM0.4 near field monitors complete the array of the company’s well regarded PM series that ranges from four-inch to eight-inch woofers. This product is ideal for desk-tops but its audio performance and its compact size has elevated its applications into professional console studio monitoring, portable monitoring and audio installation.

The PM0.4 boasts of an exclusively designed woofer and soft dome tweeter. It comes with an efficient 18-watt bi-amp drive for both high and low fidelity. Independent amplifiers are mounted to its left and right speakers and a black front baffle that is glossy and elegant –looking. The unit is magnetically shielded to enable proximate setting to a video monitor.

The sound produced by the units are crisp and clear with a thumping bass, which is just a tad too thumpy that it can reveal the less than perfect sound in the mixer. The clarity and detail of the sound produced is comparable to more expensive studio speakers. The higher frequencies were slightly over-pronounced. The combination of a bright treble and a rather thumpy bass may cause musicians to make mistakes as they compensate during mixing.

The unit can produce powerful sound despite its four inch driver. For the quality of the sound these monitors produce, it is reasonably priced and quite ideal for the budget-conscious. The PM0.4 is also perfect for home recording and for small rooms. The plain design and glossy finish may seem tacky for some but the speaker cones look pricey. The tweeter is recessed to protect from accidental knocking down and the power switches for each speaker is at the lower back portion. 

Author: Todd Johnson

Email: Todd@australianwebsitedevelopment.com.au

Mobile: 0449 041 815

The Steinberge Cubase Sound Studio

There are many audio recording software products in the market and each of these compete by coming up with new capabilities and feature updates. The Steinberge Cubase recording software is a significant player in the field coming up with exciting updates with every version, that cater to the evolving demands of the market. The software has proprietary functions such as the VariAudio and the VST Expressions. A workflow-oriented feature is its Export Audio window that allows sound engineers to perform a number of track exports or mixer channels using a single command.

A minor quirk found in the software is an instability when there are multiple controller lanes running in the key editor. The on top windows may sometimes fail to minimize correctly on in the parent window when used with some operating systems. The software offers many preferences that looking for a certain option can be a little confusing. The software do not just focus on the user interface and on adding frivolous features, the manufacturers seem to genuinely consider functionality.

Cubase offers a flexible and intuitive recording environment with virtual synth support and a comprehensve editing function. Intuitive, flexible recording environment. Comprehensive editing and virtual synth support. The software is compatible with some of the leading plug-ins in the market and the comping tool appears to mix in well during a group editing of several audio tracks. Some users reported issues with the USB copy protection feature. The Cubase has retained its role as the cross-platform standard for creating and recording music. 

Author: Todd Johnson

Email: Todd@australianwebsitedevelopment.com.au

Mobile: 0449 041 815