Simon Allen puts these high-powered active speakers to the test…

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I’d heard the Pro Audio division of Pioneer had started venturing back into loudspeaker design and manufacturing via some colleagues of mine. Developments started a few years ago with their XY series; a passive solution aimed at high-end club installs. Now they are presenting an active solution for either fixed installs or mobile events called the XPRS range.

The XPRS range, otherwise known as the express range, consists of the; XPRS-10, XPRS-12, XPRS-15, XPRS-115S and XPRS-215S. As the model names suggest, there are three full range boxes with a 10”, 12” or 15” woofer respectively, and two subs with either a single or dual 15” driver. For the purpose of this review, I was sent the XPRS-15 and the XPRS-215S to try out. In this ever-growing market of portable active boxes, I was keen to find out what this highly-respected digital entertainment equipment manufacturer had developed.

Solid Build

Before we get into any specifications, performance or what these new speakers sound like, I have to discuss the build quality. Manufactured from 15mm birch hardwood ply and coated in an impact-resistant textured finish, these are solid cabinets. They are completed with heavy duty handles; two on the full range boxes and four on the dual 15” subs. The subs also come fitted with castors, which is a relief as you won’t be carrying them far.

There is a trade-off of course; having all this dense material does impact the weight of these boxes. While the XPRS-15’s are manageable at 28.5Kg each, they’re not the lightest solution available. Although these are a speaker designed for mobile use, they’re not the most compact either. Therefore, it’s apparent right from unboxing, that Pioneer have gone for quality over form. I’d say that’s a promising start from a brand that’s more commonly found squeezing electronics inside compact cases.

The notable build quality doesn’t stop there. While many manufacturers  are adding LCD screens on the back panel, or even networking and Bluetooth technology, the XPRS is more old school in it’s design approach. Only simple select switches and hardware level controls are present, alongside an intelligent offering of connectivity options. I think this is a smart approach that should prove reliable and easy to use in many scenarios.

Another practical feature I like is the dual 35mm mounting socket on the underneath of the full-range cabinets. This is something we’ve seen before on competing products, but very useful in the real world. It allows the speakers to be pole mounted straight-on, or with a seven degree tilt. The XPRS-215S subs sport an M20 screw socket for a spacer pole. Couple this with M10 rigging points on the full-range boxes, and these boxes are clearly ready to go straight onto the professional stage.

After excusing the weight issue, there are clearly many design features that have been considered here. While this is a new page for Pioneer, it certainly isn’t their first chapter. I would like to see one pair of handles in the subs installed in the other orientation for easier handling, but that’s a minor point. The wedge shape of the full-range cabinets is neatly delivered, sitting at a good angle when used as a floor monitor while not appearing oddly shaped when mounted upright. Depending on the usage, you will need to take off the front grill to rotate the horn, which delivers a 90 x 60 degree dispersion.

Internally, the XPRS-15 contains a 15” ferrite low-frequency cone driver and a 1.75” titanium diaphragm neodymium compression driver. The bass reflex cabinets sport what Pioneer call an AFAST acoustic tube. This is a tube inside the cabinet that has been designed to reduce standing waves.

Amplification is delivered by partner brand Powersoft. With the kudos of Powersoft being literally on-board, it’s another nod to the live world that these are professional units. Inside the XPRS-15 there is a Class D amp delivering an impressive 2400W peak / 1200W continuous of amplification. Powersoft have produced this amp so that it can handle a range of AC supplies while being very efficient. Only 175W of power consumption is quoted thanks to Powersoft’s Power Factor Correction (PFC) system.

Built in to the amplifier module are several protection features to protect the drivers and the amp. These include; thermal limiting, output overcurrent, DC offset removal, stationary high-frequency protection as well as input and output voltage limiters. The units will also protect against power surges with their AC mains over-voltage protection.

Solid Sound

I set up the pair of XPRS-15’s and the pair of XPRS-215S’ that Pioneer sent me, with standard spacer poles as a typical LR setup. Firstly however, I tried using the XPRS-15 full-range cabinets by themselves. i.e. without the subs. I set all the controls to zero, Flat EQ and left them in full-range mode.

My initial impression was consumed by the amount of low-frequency output. It wasn’t just the level of bass that was striking, but also the depth. It’s common to find a bump in point source boxes like these, somewhere around 60-100Hz. Here however, my ears were drawn immediately to the 40-60Hz region. I even had to double check I hadn’t accidentally left the subs connected. I’m not sure how this would translate to the 10” or 12” models, but users of the 15” will probably get away without needing a subwoofer more often.

Although the EQ presets do what they say, I doubt live engineers would use these boxes in anything other than Flat. The “BASS+” preset is fairly gusty, but might be useful in outdoor scenarios for example. Before connecting the subs, I listened to the XPRS-15’s in “EXT SUB MODE” as well as full-range. The built-in high-pass filter felt very high, so unless extreme output levels are required, I believe a selectable HPF would have been useful here.

With the subs connected, the low-end was very deep. Although these units sport dual 15” drivers, the result is much lower and less “note-like” than you would expect. If I had to describe the sound from this system in one word, it would be “prominent”. There is a lot of power on tap which seems to project with ease. This can be very useful but I think live sound engineers and musicians will typically soften the sound slightly with EQ. However, club installs, mobile dance events and party-style event promoters will be drawn to the solid output of these boxes.

Conclusion

There’s clearly been a conscious effort to shake any preconceptions that these speakers wouldn’t be fit for pro audio. Everything about the way these speakers have been built is aimed at the professional stage. Heading straight for the pro market, focusing on function over form, I believe will prove very smart for Pioneer. There are many aspects to this new product line that will impress even the most experienced touring engineer.

My personal taste in sound is for higher fidelity, but if you’re looking for some boxes with a pronounced sound, the XPRS range might be for you. There is a lot on offer here, evident from the ground up. With significant input from Powersoft, Pioneer have managed to deliver an active PA solution that will sit boldly alongside the competition.

Key Features

– Powersoft Class D amps

– AFAST acoustic tube

– 4 EQ modes

– Flexible connectivity

SRP: XPRS–15 – £1,199
           XPRS-215S – £1,469

www.pioneerproaudio.com

The Reviewer

Simon Allen is a freelance internationally recognised sound engineer and pro audio professional with over a decade of experience. Working mostly in music, his reputation as a mix and FOH engineer continues to reach new heights.

The post Review: Pioneer Pro Audio XPRS appeared first on Audio Media International.

Pioneer DJ has unveiled its new HDJ-X5BT Bluetooth wireless headphones.

The new over-ear DJ headphones, designed for DJing in the club and monitoring tracks on the move, have a built in microphone and a three-hour charge providing around 20 hours of playback.

They are available in three colours: HDJ-X5BT-K (metallic black), HDJ-X5BT-R (metallic red) and HDJ-X5BT-W (gloss white).

High-resolution, well-balanced tuning and bass reflex chambers in the housings allow the airflow to deliver high quality bass response and sound insulation. The Qualcomm aptX audio codec is supported as well as AAC and SBC for high-quality sound, even when listening wirelessly.

Users are able to connect the included 1.2m coiled cable to automatically disable Bluetooth and all other buttons. The headphones inherit the same housing design, swivel mechanism and flexible headband from the HDJ-X series.

The HDJ-X5BT headphones will be available from early November at a MAP of $149.

The post Pioneer DJ debuts new HDJ-X5BT over-ear headphones appeared first on Audio Media International.

Recently awarded a grant as part of the Leeds Tech Hub Fund, Dukes Studios allocated some of the funds toward upgrading the sound, lighting and projection facilities in its Sheaf St venue to support the venue’s transformation from conference space by day, to music venue by night.

The Audio Group was appointed to install a high quality, flexible solution to cover the events space, cafe and the outdoor terrace or ‘Yarden’ as it is known.

Commenting on the install, Duke Studios director, James Abbott-Donnelly said: “We wanted to dramatically upgrade our existing sound systems across the three Sheaf St spaces, so that we no longer had to hire in equipment for larger events.

"Our focus was on installing a market-leading system to complement state-of-the-art projection and lighting, which would be of the highest quality and flexible enough to cater for a whole range of events but also  as unobtrusive as possible.

"We required that the three spaces could be quickly programmed for various uses and also that we could distribute sources from one area to the others. This was all to achieved with the minimum of disruption to our existing bookings and adjoining space” The main event space was equipped with 4 x Pioneer XY-122 for left and right mid-high clusters, 4 x XY-81 for rear and front fill and 4 x XY-218S delivering the low end. The DJ area is served by 2 x XPRS12 as monitors.

The system is powered by Powersoft K10, K3 and M50 amplifiers utilising Armoina  control software. The cafe space, which by night transforms into a second club room benefits from 4 x XY-81 and 1 x XY-215S as well as 2 x XPRS12 for DJ monitoring and the Yarden is served by 4 x XY-81 and 1 x XY115S.

Paul Adamson, managing director added: “I think we got to grips very quickly with interpreting the brief for the job, which was about delivering a genuinely flexible solution that met a wide range of requirements. There is no doubt that the Pioneer Pro Audio XY Series offered exactly the audio flexibility required by this multi-use venue.

"The install was pretty straightforward – it’s clear that Pioneer have given a lot of thought to XY’s flying and mounting solutions and its aesthetic works beautifully in both the main space and characterful cafe. The control software allowed us to programme the system to take care of the diversity of applications and XY works an absolute treat!”

Abbot-Donnelly added: “We’re delighted with the system. We have exactly the range and flexibility we wanted and have had super positive feedback from our audiences. The Audio Group guys were great throughout the process – nothing was ever an issue and they worked quickly and professionally under our quite specific constraints.

"Pioneer Pro Audio were equally helpful – always on hand to offer advice and we’re quite proud that we have the same system (albeit a smidge smaller) as the one in Fabric Room 2!"

The post Pioneer X-Y series system installed in Leeds’ Dukes Studios appeared first on Audio Media International.

Pioneer DJ has released a new video interview with engineer and music tech pioneer Dave Smith that explores his passion for analogue synthesis and how his early designs like the Prophet-5, as well as new technologies that have come about since the digital revolution, have led to the development of the new TORAIZ series of instruments for the studio and live stage, which include the AS-1 synth and the SP-16 sampler.

The TORAIZ AS-1 monophonic synthesizer, one of two new products to result from Pioneer DJ and Dave Smith Instruments’ recent collaboration, is driven by a fully programmable, true analogue synthesis engine based on the discrete analogue circuitry in Dave Smith Instruments’ Prophet-6 synthesizer. It promises powerful analogue audio and intuitive controls that let the user create their own personalised sound. The touchpad-style keyboard and slider can be used to manipulate sounds during performances and the seven on-board effects, which – with the addition of a brand-new digital distortion – come from the Prophet-6 synth, are designed to be easy to control.

It can also be connected to the TORAIZ SP-16 live sampler via MIDI to take advantage of the sampler’s sophisticated sequencer to create even more complex patterns with the sounds created in the synthesizer.

The SP-16 offers 16 powerful sampler engines, analogue filters based on the Prophet-6 and quantize via Pro DJ Link. It can also be used as a stand-alone unit – no need to take a laptop into the booth.

SP-16 users can also load samples via USB or from the internal memory, then use the 16-step sequencer to create patterns, playback loops or trigger one-shots with the multicoloured Performance Pads, and if connected to CDJs via Pro DJ Link, everything is synced to the beat of the master deck.

https://www.davesmithinstruments.com

http://www.pioneerdj.com

The post VIDEO: Dave Smith talks TORAIZ series and his love of analogue synthesis appeared first on Audio Media International.

Stephen Bennett asks three monitor manufacturers how they go about making their speakers’ most crucial components.

The first magnetic driver speakers were developed in the 1920s and by the middle of the twentieth century sophisticated full-range monitors were available that any music lover would be happy to call ‘hi-fi’.

You’d think then that innovation in driver development might have stopped at that point – we’ve had moving magnet and moving coil, electrostatic, compression, dual-concentric and ribbon drivers coupled with sophisticated enclosure designs, powerful and dynamic amplification and low-noise electronics all aided by Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Digital Signal processing (DSP).

Hasn’t the discerning engineer and listener been able to purchase monitoring systems capable of recording or reproducing the ‘best sounding album of all time’ <insert personal favourite here> for decades? So what is there left to discover about the good ol’ loudspeaker? Well, plenty, if the latest launches from some of the sector’s leading manufacturers are anything to go by. For example, the three companies questioned for this article offer quite different technologies and design philosophies with their monitors and these choices are the product of a long history of technological innovation.

A bit of background

“The historical line of development for Genelec has been to use stiff radiator diaphragms instead of ones that flex significantly and are subject to modal resonances within their intended frequency range of use,” says Aki Mäkivirta, director of research and development at the Finnish firm. “Stiff diaphragms can allow for better control and are more predictable in production. This translates to a more exact control of directivity and more even quality in production.”

Pioneer DJ has been developing speaker products for many years, operating under the sub-brand Technical Audio Devices (TAD) and Takashi Mitsuhashi, general manager, Engineering Department IV, says that the company has a strong history of designing coaxial drivers. “The Coherent Source Transducer (CST) driver, the Acoustic Filter Assisted System Tuning (AFAST) technology and noise suppression processing inside the RM range of speakers are important elements that have been based on technology developed by TAD,” he explains.

ADAM Audio is best known for its X-ART tweeter, a third generation version of the Air Motion Transformer (AMT), according to chairman David Angress. “The AMT was created and first marked in the 1970s by Dr. Oskar Heil, a German physicist who had emigrated to the US.”

One direction

Genelec has also developed two new coaxial designs, nicknamed ‘The Ones’ (see main picture), that they say overcome some of the limitations the company believed was fundamental to previous designs. “The front surface of the transducer is continuous,” says Mäkivirta. “There is no discontinuity-related diffraction colouring the audio. We have achieved controlled neutral response in the off-axis directions too. This is possible because we are building the coaxial transducers in a unique way, using flexible sections that conform to the global shape needed for the directivity waveguide.”

Though different companies may utilise many of the same kinds of physical parts for their drivers – cones, coils and magnets – and all are attempting to achieve the same sonic ends, the way they are implemented in practice can be quite different. “Controlling directivity in loudspeaker system designs has been one of the long-term goals for Genelec,” says Mäkivirta. “Using a stiff or rigid transducer diaphragm is therefore the logical choice in applying this design principle. Not only do we want to control directivity but we want to do this in a way that this enables the loudspeaker to radiate neutral audio on and off the acoustical axis in order to make sure that the audio going into the room’s reverberant field remains neutral in addition to the sound radiated directly toward the listener.”

Angress explains ADAM Audio’s approach: “The technology we use includes a ‘voice coil’ that is printed onto a substrate that is then folded into a diaphragm that looks like a [set of] bellows and is put into a magnetic field. When an audio signal is passed through that voice coil the diaphragm ‘squeezes’ the sound out rather than moving like a piston as a conventional speaker does. The result is a four-times-faster acceleration of the audio, giving the listener excellent transient response, extended high-end response – up to 50kHz – with extremely low distortion.”

Pioneer DJ chose to utilise a different – yet familiar – transducer. “The coaxial driver and the noise elimination technology inside the cabinet are the speakers’ main features,” states Mitsuhashi. “Many speakers can’t reproduce spatial information accurately, but in the RM range the sound that’s reproduced becomes wider around the speakers because the sound source includes spatial information. When the sound reproduction is accurate, the sound fields are reproduced in front of you and you don’t ‘feel’ the speaker’s physical presence. Additionally, Pioneer DJ’s AFAST technology drastically reduces standing waves that can produce a muffled response in the low to mid ranges. An acoustic tube in the cabinet absorbs only the standing waves, ensuring true reproduction of low to mid frequencies.”

Hard work pays off

Mäkivirta is also keen to mention Genelec’s philosophy of systematic improvement through better and deeper understanding of driver design over four decades of continued research and development. “Transducer engineering and system design have resulted in the unique possibility to optimise the system performance for the stringent needs of professional audio monitoring,” he explains. “While Genelec monitors are excellent for enjoying music and high quality recordings, our starting point is not to tailor the loudspeaker sound character in a certain subjectively pleasing fashion, but to offer as accurate a presentation of the electronic input signal as possible.”

And although ADAM’s ribbon tweeter is the most visible feature that defines its range of monitors, it is only one element of speaker design, as Angress notes: “It is important to create an integrated and well-balanced design that considers the other drivers in the system, the correct amplifier power, modern crossover design and properly dimensioned and constructed cabinets.”

Mäkivirta agrees, saying that complete systems are more important than just the drivers. “Transducers cannot and should not be designed in isolation. To truly optimise the system for the best performance it is vital to consider the three main components simultaneously: the transducers; the acoustic-mechanic system design, including the loudspeaker cabinet and the transducers; and the electronic system, including the power amplifiers and the signal processing, be it analogue or digital. Poor transducers do not turn to gold with any amount of DSP magic.”

Mitsuhashi says that the audio from the point source in Pioneer DJ’s coaxial driver is integrated with the cabinet technology, which then “suppresses noise, creating accurate unequal reproduction.” The company’s monitors feature AB class amplification in a High frequency/Low Frequency bi-amp configuration. “We optimise materials by making hybrids,” adds Mitsuhashi. “For example, in the driver diaphragms we use Aramid fibre combined with paper, which is commonly used to make helmets.”

Genelec manufactures the key transducers in-house to have, as Mäkivirta says, “the best possible grip on quality with a very rapid feedback cycle back with R&D if things are not working in production as expected.” He adds that it helps the company to design products with high endurance and a long expected lifetime. ADAM’s products are designed in-house in Berlin, Germany, while Pioneer DJ’s Research and Development arm is in Japan.

Angress says that ADAM’s new S-Series flagship range feature woofers that are a new ‘ground-up’ design that incorporate a novel symmetrical magnetic circuit, new low-mass honeycomb sandwiched cone material, and cooling technology. “These features result in woofers that have extremely light yet stiff cones for excellent transient response and low distortion, as well as the ability to move more than three times further than their predecessors, giving higher maximum SPL capability at lower frequencies. The bass and midrange components are driven by Class D amplifier modules, and the S-ART tweeter is driven by a Class A/B amplifier of ADAM’s own design that pairs particularly well with this tweeter.”

ADAM Audio’s new S-ART high frequency driver

All part of the process

Mäkivirta says that the healthy way to design high performance systems is to start with well performing transducers, a correctly optimised enclosure and to perfect the system with careful application of the signal processing. “Proper acoustical design is the healthy platform for utilising DSP to further optimise the system performance and offer tools for active compensation of the acoustical influences of the installation room to maintain the neutral system characteristics.”

Mitsuhashi explains that Pioneer DJ has applied acoustic simulation for the basic design of the monitor’s waveguide, the Harmonized Synthetic Diaphragm Optimum Method (HSDOM) diaphragm in the coaxial driver and the shape of the enclosures. “We’ve also used 3D printing for prototyping,” he continues, “which allowed us to achieve a precise design, which we fine-tuned by testing and experimenting with the technology.”

Angress says that ADAM spends a lot of time listening to customers on how their workflows are adapting as recording formats are changing. “These conversations, along with research into latest technologies, drove the decision to provide crossover and equalisation options via DSP using the latest generation of SHARC chips,” he says. “This also ‘future proofs’ these speakers by allowing new configurations to be set up as workflows continue to evolve and new networking standards emerge.”

“Driver design is still an area of innovation, since there are always new and exciting technologies being developed,” states Mitsuhashi. “This is crucial in delivering products that can be lighter in weight and possibly smaller in size. As new materials and driver configurations are designed, innovative products emerge which provide multiple application options for audio professionals.”

Trial and error

In Mäkivirta’s opinion, transducers turning electrical drive into audible pressure variations have been, and still are, in many senses, the limiting factor in loudspeaker design – and all manufacturers must face these issues. Angress then goes on to say that: “Over the past decades many different technologies have been tried and eventually abandoned. The dynamic loudspeaker is still the mainstay of our industry. How the design theory is implemented, which materials are used, and how the designer integrates all the elements are keys to their success.”

“Today, signal processing can have extreme linearity and inaudible noise level,” notes Mäkivirta. “The transducers have, relatively speaking, rather more stringent limitations on neutral and controlled frequency response, linearity at maximum output levels, long-term heat management, and long-term stability of materials and structure. While the fundamental principles of transducer design have been known for a long time, better modelling tools and new materials offer new possibilities of improvement.Mitsuhashi believes that optimum designs will be developed according to the needs of various applications. “Smaller and lighter drivers are always being developed,” he says. “This, in conjunction with the DSP technology of today, means, that driver development will always be a crucial part of speaker design philosophy."

“There has been some study on improving the efficiency of the electro-acoustic transducer during the last few years,” reports Mäkivirta. “This research may result in some radical ideas that may lead to novel designs, but not without changes in the amplifier technology as well. Loudspeaker arrays and systems for wavefield synthesis transduction are developing some very interesting solutions.”

He also says that with the development of advanced modelling methods, these trends will hopefully fuse into more innovative control designs and a better understanding of the optimisation of the variables that create high-quality wideband transducers.

In conclusion

It is clear that while the underlying technology and physics of driver design is well understood, modern design and manufacturing technologies are pushing the envelope of what is possible with transducer design. As ADAM’s David Angress concludes: “We will continue to enjoy incremental improvements in both sound quality and customer value over time. As far as new technologies go – well, we’ll see!”

http://www.adam-audio.com

http://www.genelec.com

http://www.pioneerproaudio.com

The post Feature: Comparing different approaches to driver design appeared first on Audio Media International.

With influence from foreign businesses now higher than ever, Japanese pro-audio companies will be looking to maintain the health of the domestic market now the countdown to the Tokyo Olympics has begun. But what preparations are being made in the Land of the Rising Sun? Colby Ramsey reports.

There are a lot of mixed feelings about the state of the pro-audio market in Japan at the moment. The ‘70s witnessed the golden age of the country’s audio business and a boom in its economy, however pure audio dealerships like those seen in the small town of Akiba – once thought of as an “audiophile’s dreamland” – have diminished to only a handful.

While it also appears to be a somewhat challenging time for Japanese audio manufacturers, the influx of foreign manufacturers operating there and their success working with local PA rental companies to increase awareness of their products cannot be ignored.

According to Takeshi Senoo of Audio-Technica Japan’s pro-audio division, this is the case across various areas of the market from live sound to the conference and AV sectors. He believes that times are much harder now for Japanese brands domestically even compared to five or ten years ago.

Yoshiyuki Tsugawa, director of Yamaha’s pro audio business unit, notes that the growth rate of the PA market is currently larger than that of the country’s GDP, and blames the earthquake of 2011 after which “the professional audio market slipped into stagnation as the budget shifted towards reconstruction, quakeproofing and disaster prevention”.

There are some operating in the domestic market that are more optimistic however, including Kazuya Taniguchi, system designer at sound design and studio build specialist Realsonido. He affirms the belief that many sectors, including music, live sound reinforcement, audio post and broadcast, are gradually improving now compared to five years ago.

Pro-audio product planner at Pioneer DJ, Yuji Murai, is also positive about the future, and suggests the market will grow healthier thanks to capital investment and demand for various events in the run up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Taniguchi believes that there may even be some new laws and regulations introduced in anticipation of the Games, meaning domestic companies will likely have to construct a corresponding system to adapt to the new standard as quickly as possible.

“Demand for high-quality audio venues is also increasing as the number of premium-priced live concerts and music events increases,” Murai explains. “It is because the retired baby boomers and their subsequent generation tend to spend their free time and money on such live events, while for the younger generation, the business for music festivals and events is facing an uncertain future due to a declining birth rate in Japan.”

Keeping Connected

While Pioneer DJ has seen the market for PA/SR active speakers growing in North America, it remains small in Japan albeit showing potential signs for future growth, with a strong karaoke culture holding fast.

A particular development that Yamaha has noticed is the now mandatory requirement to install voice evacuation systems – which also serve as commercial audio systems for elements like background music and paging – in every facility that accommodates more than 300 people. “As voice evacuation equipment requires the use of certificated products, the market is in an oligopoly situation by domestic manufacturers such as Panasonic, TOA and JVC,” notes Tsugawa. “This effectively becomes a barrier to entry by new manufacturers, although the price competition with low-cost products made in China is becoming more stringent.”

Despite this assertive approach to new mandatory requirements from some manufacturers, Audio-Technica’s Takeshi Senoo feels that Japanese end users can sometimes be too sensitive to developments in audio equipment, with domestic consumers caring more about the performance, aesthetics and styling of the product than the price and overall value for money.

Contrary to this, recent changes to wireless frequency bands have resulted in many Japanese manufacturers launching new UHF systems as a direct response. Senoo observes the 1.9GHz solution for conference rooms or universities becoming increasingly popular because of potential interference issues. “Our infrared wireless handheld/beltpack system is ideal for educational facilities where there are many lecture rooms close together that all need a connection,” explains Senoo. “In Japan, we only have 30 channels for UHF wireless use without any license so end users who don’t want interference tend to choose this option.”

Tsugawa at Yamaha Pro Audio also confirms a growing trend towards networking products as Dante rapidly spreads into the live sound reinforcement and venue market, while also gradually increasing in commercial installation equipment.

When it comes to installation, Taniguchi at Realsonido says he has not been installing many Japanese products, as certain sectors of the market such as music and audio post opt for foreign-made products from companies like Avid. While it may prove difficult then for firms like Realsonido to expand into other countries, Taniguchi affirms that his responsibilities lie with constructing audio systems for the domestic market.

Staying Focused

Murai at Pioneer DJ also cites the revision of the Law to Control Businesses That May Affect Public Morals as a potential influence of activity in the nightclub business, as this means they are allowed to open all night and could be a trigger for expansion. He also notes that while active speaker products are being introduced in dance studios and apparel shops more and more due to their ease of use, the markets in Europe and the USA remain bigger than that of Japan in terms of DJ equipment sales.

“As a global company, however, we think it is extremely important for us to succeed in the Japanese market where people are very demanding in product selection,” he says. “We think it is a basic of all business that you have to be an expert in both common demands around the world and different needs arising from cultural differences.”

Murai goes on to advise that for new businesses looking to enter the market, being determined to continue the business with faith is paramount, as opposed to only pursuing short-term profit. “We witnessed the world give a standing ovation for the great performance that Tokyo presented at the Rio Olympics Closing Ceremony,” he says. “That is the proof that Japan is one of the leading technology powerhouses in the world.”

Looking ahead, Tsugawa evisages an expansion of the live sound reinforcement and installation markets as well as increased demand for new construction and renovations as the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo draws closer.

Interpreting Opportunity

For Audio-Technica, the install market remains a priority, and it predicts that many Japanese companies might adopt English as an official language while the number of foreigners working for these companies could increase significantly. “In order to satisfy end users’ demands, we may need to develop the conference system with a lot of interpretation options,” Senoo explains. “And in ten years time the UHF frequency band we can use could change, so we need to be constantly developing our wireless products to pre-empt future developments.”

In defiance of these uncertainties in its pro-audio market, Japan and the companies that operate there will undoubtedly be looking to uphold its strong traditional culture, and will continue to push the boundaries when new opportunities emerge.

“In the future we believe that venues for high quality entertainment will be created – that comprehensively combine audio, video and lighting technology,” Murai concludes. “And Pioneer DJ will work to contribute to the creation of this new entertainment culture.”

http://www.audio-technica.com
http://www.pioneerdj.com
http://realsonido.co.jp
http://www.yamahaproaudio.com

The post Geo Focus: Japan appeared first on Audio Media International.

Miloco has added one of New York City’s most prestigious recording facilities, Jungle City Studios (JCS), to its studio directory.

JCS studio director Ann Mincieli, long-time engineer and studio coordinator for Alicia Keys, has dedicated much time developing the studio and its catalogue of equipment, turning it into one of New York’s finest studios.The impressive four-room facility is located on the tenth floor of a mid-town building, which boasts sweeping views of the city surrounds.

One of the largest of the four rooms is the 2,400 sqft Penthouse East. Described as a ‘retro-futuristic’ room, it blends vintage and modern gear to accommodate any project and sound. With custom dual 15" Augspurger monitors, a 48-input SSL Duality desk and a vintage EMI TGI12345 Mark III console (one of only 20 built for EMI Studios in Europe) it is an ideal space for recording, mixing, video shoots or private events.

Penthouse West mirrors its Eastern counterpart with the same SSL and vintage EMI consoles. The Augspurger monitors were built specifically for the dimensions of both Penthouse rooms, and are complemented by Pioneer 1801 subwoofers powered by Bryston amplifiers.

In addition to these two larger rooms, JCS is home to two mix/overdub/production suites – the North Studio and South Studio.

The North Studio, designed with mixing in mind, is equipped with a 32-input Avid D-Control and Pro Tools HD4 with Expansion Chassis, and centred around Digidesign’s Icon D-Control. It also features gear from the likes of EMI Chandler, Antelope, Augspurger and Pioneer, making it suitable for mixing or vocal recording.

The versatile South Studio features custom work counters, perforated absorbing diffusers and acoustically-tuned walls covered in Louis Vuitton fabric. A dual functional Euphonix S5 Fusion console sits at the heart of the room, which uses Avid’s latest MADI converters. It also offers a slew of outboard gear, effects processors, up-to-date plug-ins and custom 15" Augspurger main monitors with 18" Pioneer subs.

As well as Alicia Keys, JCS is thought to be a studio favourite for artists such as Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Kanye West and Rihanna.

http://www.milocostudios.com

The post Jungle City Studios joins Miloco family appeared first on Audio Media International.

Pioneer DJ has announced a new 30-day audition promotion for its new RM Series coaxial active reference monitor speakers.

The deal allows those considering whether to purchase some new RM-05 or RM-07 monitors to try out a pair in an environment they’re used to with the option to return them later if the speakers are not a suitable fit for their studio.

To take part in the promotion, users are simply required to buy a set from a participating store, take them home and set them up in their studio, and if they decide that the speakers are not right for them, bring them back to the store with the receipt and original payment card within 30 days for a full refund.

The RM-05 (RRP €549) and RM-07 (€729) speakers promise a high SPL and a neutral sound with clear separation across the frequencies, suitable for near-field studio monitoring of high-res sounds. The RM Series’ uses a coaxial driver unit from Pioneer pro-audio brand TAD, placing the woofer and the tweeter on the same axis to ensure a truer response across the frequencies.

The aramid fibre woofers and front-loaded bass reflex system with grooved ducts promise a clean bass, while the aluminium hard domed tweeter is designed for delivery of frequencies of up to 50 kHz. The rigid die-cast aluminium cabinets are engineered for a high-quality aesthetic and sound, featuring curved contours to eliminate resonance and a proprietary acoustic tube utilising Pioneer’s AFAST technology to reduce standing waves that can produce a muffled response in the low to mid ranges. The speakers also feature a three-band EQ and multiple inputs.

Stephen Bennett reviewed the RM-07 monitors for Audio Media International in our April 2016 issue. To find out what Bennett thought of the speakers, click here.

For more information on the offer, including participating stores, head over to the Pioneer DJ website.

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Jerry Ibbotson sits down with a pair of these new monitoring headphones from the audio giant, and finds they have plenty going for them…

I’ve become a bit of a beer bore over the last couple of years. I now sup hand-crafted ales from micro-breweries that (in my imagination) are run by men with luxuriant beards and trousers that don’t reach their shoes. It’s a great hobby to have but one of the problems comes when trying to explain the difference between a three-hop IPA from a small brewery in Kent and a three-hop IPA from a small brewery in Cumbria. There are only so many times the words “citrus finish” can leave one’s lips.

It’s a similar thing with headphones. I’ve been testing the AKG K182s and it’s the third time in the last year or so that I’ve put a pair of professionals cans through their paces. It’s good to have a benchmark in my head and to have something definite to compare them to, but putting that into words does risk leading me into “mellow hoppiness” territory.

The AKGs are marketed at musicians and engineers but they are essentially compact, closed-back monitoring headphones with a moderate price tag. They have an over-ear design (with replaceable pads) and swivel and fold when not in use. They also have, as I immediately spotted, a mahoosive “L” and “R” printed in each ear-cup, just to stop you getting confused.

Their presentation is top-notch, with high-grade composite materials mixed with metal. There’s a removable cable, with 0.25in adapter in place on the plug and a comfortable headband; they feel like quality headphones. I share a house with two teenagers who go through consumer grade ‘phones at a stomach churning (and wallet scorching) rate of knots, but I can immediately tell that these are a cut-above the norm in terms of build quality and design (as anything labelled ‘pro’ should be).

The frequency response is 10Hz to 28kHz and the drivers that do all the hard work are 50mm, which AKG says “keep it loud”. I did the majority of testing with them hooked to a Focusrite I/O on my laptop but AKG says they are equally at home on mobile devices.

In Use

I actually hot-swapped between these and a pair of Pioneer headphones, to do a direct comparison. I hadn’t expected there to be a great deal of difference between the two pairs, particularly as I began by listening to some recorded speech files, played through Adobe Audition at 44.1kHz. But what I heard surprised me. The AKGs had more bass to them, while the Pioneers were a touch lighter. The voices in the AKGs sounded a little more ‘roomy’ (they were recorded on location), which may have been a true reflection of the acoustics but might also have been the way the K182s reproduced the audio. It was noticeable without being a problem.

I switched to some music, starting with a bit of Billy Bragg. The AKGs had a slightly narrower stereo field than my other headphones and that extra bass was present again. But the sound quality was excellent overall and I flicked through a wide selection of other tracks of differing styles – all were faithfully reproduced by the K182.
My eldest daughter (one of the destroyers-of-cheap-headphones) had asked for help editing a video project for college. She’d interviewed her grandmother using a DSLR and a Røde Videomic and needed to cut it up. After overseeing her doing the initial edit in Premiere, I slipped on the AKGs and listened to the audio. Oh, DSLR audio how I loathe you. Even with a half-decent mic in place, it’s still the noisiest thing this side of the National Museum of Hum and Hiss.

I fired up Izotope RX4 from within Adobe Audition and did a bit of clean-up (it’s always good being a sixth former when your boring old Dad is a semi-lapsed sound designer). That’s when decent headphones come to the fore – not when listening to pristine, mastered material but dirty, noisy raw audio that needs a good scrub. I wanted to hear what I was trying to get rid of and the AKGs dutifully obliged, reproducing the hum and fuzz left behind by the DSLR and replacing it with silence when RX4 had done its work.

Overall, these are excellent headphones. They are well made and robust and should stand up to the rigours of life both in the studio or out on the road. I would happily fold these away and stash them in a gear bag. They are quite bassy but it’s not intrusive and I could listen to audio through them for long periods without fatigue creeping in.

One thing I have learned is that two models of headphones may appear similar on paper – in this case offerings from AKG and Pioneer – but differ in use. In fact the level of ‘difference’ took me by surprise. In the same way that buying studio monitors is often down to a matter of taste, so it is with headphones. Most of us would not go that far, but think of it as craft beer. You need to know which one has the echoes of mellow fruit, don’t you?

Jerry Ibbotson has worked in pro-audio for more than 20 years, first as a BBC radio journalist and then as a sound designer in the games industry. He’s now a freelance audio producer and writer.

Key Features

• High-sensitivity 50mm transducers
• 10Hz-28kHz frequency range
• 3D-axis professional folding system
• Detachable cable and screw-on adapter
• Replaceable ear pads

RRP: £94.80

http://www.akg.com

The post Review: AKG K182 appeared first on Audio Media International.

Stephen Bennett finds out whether these new speakers from the DJ gear specialist are a match for some of the well-established names in professional monitoring.

The wonderful thing about speakers is that speakers are wonderful things. Their cones are made out of – well, most anything really. Since the first primordial stirrings of the electromagnetic speaker, they have appeared in many varieties.

One question that is always asked by the audio engineering novice is the difference between studio monitors and their brethren destined for a domestic setting. Although we seasoned engineers may mumble something about ‘ruggedness’ and ‘flat frequency response’ the truth is, especially when we are talking about near-field monitors, that there is very little difference between these speaker types. More than often it all boils down to the cosmetic – speakers destined for the home tend to be veneered in woods or other materials that are acceptable in a domestic environment, while studio-bound speakers are usually more functional in physical design.

Pioneer DJ may not be the first company that springs to mind when considering professional studio monitors. The company has a long and excellent reputation regarding the production of audio gear of course – in fact, my first turntable was the company’s PL112d and its headphones and cassette decks have graced my home over the years. However, its DJ series of equipment is well respected among those who spin the real or virtual decks. The S-DJs are perfectly conventional monitors – biamped and ported, with a separate tweeter and mid-range drivers of various sizes to suit different applications. Pioneer DJ, however, has thrown something of a curve ball with its latest speakers.

The RM series of professional studio monitors eschew the traditional multi-driver approach for a design that found its most memorable and mature development under the auspices one of the most famous speaker manufacture in the world: Tannoy. All speaker designs have positive and negative attributes and I’ve always thought that choosing a pair is like a relationship – select the ones who annoy you the least and learn to live with the problems. I’ve had a sort of Tinder-like relationship with speakers, never being entirely happy with any of my choices. Early in my career, I came to the conclusion that I mostly preferred certain speaker designs such as sealed box and transmission lines, so I’ve spent a large proportion of my professional life – and my income – on trying to find that always-elusive ‘perfect’ monitor.

One of my other favourite designs is the one employed by both Tannoy and the speakers under review – the dual concentric or point-source speaker. In an ideal world, you’d be able to reproduce the whole of the useful frequency range with a single driver and, while this would solve many of the problems that beset speaker design, it is, of course, impossible. Having two or more speakers in a cabinet introduces quite a few problems into the complex speaker equation – the crossover itself, the effect of the cabinet on the drivers mounted in different, separate, locations and the phase differences between those drivers – something to which those of us who record drums become extremely sensitive.

A compromise employed by the point-source speaker is to place the tweeter – the high frequency driver – within the second (low or mid-frequency) driver, usually, though not always, smack bang in the centre. This addresses several of the problems mentioned above, but unless the combined driver is extremely well engineered, the point-source design can introduce other sonic issues. Currently there are two monitors in this new series, the RM-07 and RM-05. The RM-07 is the larger of the two, sporting a 6.5in aramid fibre ‘woofer’ mid/bass unit, while the RM-05 has the smaller 5in unit. Consequently the former is some 40mm taller (337mm) and 3kg heftier (12.3kg) than the latter.

The speakers specify a similar frequency range – 40Hz to 50kHz for the RM-07 and 45Hz to 50kHz for the RM-05 – but the Class A/B amplifiers in the speakers differ more greatly, with a 100W into 4 Ohm amp driving the low frequency unit and a 50W unit driving the tweeter in the RM-07, and a 50W unit driving the low frequency driver in the RM-05. As you would expect, the crossover frequencies also vary, as does the maximum SPL: 109dB in the RM-07 and 104dB in the RM-05 – both measured at one metre.

Apart from these few areas the two monitors are otherwise identical. The 1.5in hard dome aluminium tweeter is the same for both units and mounted centrally in the low frequency driver. This HSDOM (Harmonised Synthetic Diaphragm Optimised Method) tweeter was developed using technology from Pioneer subsidiary TAD Labs, which drew on the company’s expertise in the AV sector and is what gives the monitor its ultra-high frequency response. The cabinet is made of an extremely stiff die-cast aluminium with an integrated heat sink on the rear panel to channel away the heat generated by the two internal amplifiers. The speakers are forward-ported and the front is a smooth surface that flows back from the effectively single driver in a way that multi-driver designs cannot match. The grooved port employs the Japanese manufacturer’s Acoustic Filter Assisted System Tuning (AFAST), an acoustic tube that is designed to reduce the effect of internal standing waves and improve the port’s output. There’s an LED on the front panel that displays any overload and if the speaker has gone into a power saving standby mode – this can be disabled using the rear panel Auto standby switch.

The rear panel itself sports screw mountings for wall fitting, unbalanced RCA input and a balanced XLR inputs alongside the expected IEC mains socket, power switch and fuse holder. A comprehensive EQ section is also available, with low mid and high rotary dials alongside an overall level control (-40dB to +6dB). The hi-fi geek in me balks at a speaker with tone controls, but I have found that even a small tweak of the bass output of an active speaker in challenging conditions can bring you closer to that mythical ‘flat frequency response’ – but how effective that is does depend on the quality of the tonal control design.

The low and high controls are shelving filters that offer attenuation or boost from -4dB to +2dB at 50Hz and 10kHz respectively, while the mid control is a dipping notch filter set at 140Hz, with a variable Q that gets narrower at extreme settings. The supplied rubber legs and soft cushions offer various table and stand mounting options – although, as I’m a believer in using rigid stands, I opted not to use these in testing.

In Use

So far, so good, but as we know, specifications are not everything in the audio world. I was kindly supplied with a pair of RM-07s for review, so I set these alongside my current near-field monitor of choice: the active ATC SCM16. The ATC retails at over four times the cost of the RM’s, so I also set up a pair of Focal Alpha 80 active monitors and an ancient pair of Tannoy Little Red concentric dual speakers powered by a Quad 45 amplifier for a fairer comparison. I’m always surprised by how different speakers of similar size and design can sound so the difference between this rag-bag of speaker technology was quite marked.

I auditioned the RM-07’s via a Metric Halo UL-N 2 in a reasonably well-treated studio. The first impressions were positive. They appeared a little brighter than the ATC’s but a judicious tweak of the high frequency knob brought them under control with little apparent loss of detail. Buoyed up by this, I moved the RM-07’s to a part of the studio where I knew there were bass issues and had a play with the low frequency control. Again, this helped enormously with flattening out the bass response. I’d still prefer to place the speakers optimally in a room, but if I were restricted in this aim, I’d be glad of the tonal correction offered by the Pioneers.

Back on the stands, they offered a reasonably detailed high frequency and midrange, with none of the ‘smearing’ that can occur with inexpensive two-way designs. I could hear subtle changes in a mix I’d recently undertaken and the speakers were not obviously fatiguing over extended periods.

The amount of bass delivered by both the Alpha 80 and RM-07’s was impressive for their size – but when I switched back to the sealed-box ATC’s it became obvious that the low frequencies were slightly over-hyped and ‘one note’. This is common with ported designs, but the RM-07’s give enough real low frequency information to make sensible mix decisions and, if I was mixing dance music for clubs, I’d probably appreciate the extra heft and weight. I’ve often noticed that some ported speakers appear to add bass to everything, but the RM-07’s seemed reasonably well-balanced overall.

Stereo imaging was excellent and they did not exhibit any obvious frequency changes when I moved my head around. Comparing them to the Tannoys, I detected something of the benefits of concentric speaker design: accurate positioning of instruments in a mix and mid range clarity with no obvious phase issues, alongside a little of the restriction of treble dispersion that the Little Reds are also prone to.

These new studio monitors are up against some well-established competitors in this price range and it remains to be seen if the company can make waves beyond its DJ and home-audio reputation and into the professional studio market. The manufacturer has used the benefit of its experience to create a speaker that employs a relatively rare design that might just make them stand out from the crowd. If you are looking for a robust, flexible, decent sounding near-field monitor, the list of those you need to audition just got slightly longer.

Key Features

• HD-Coaxial driver unit for ‘accurate point-source monitoring’
• 40Hz-50kHz frequency range
• AFAST acoustic tube to reduce standing waves
• Front-loaded bass reflex system with grooves
• Low/Mid/High EQ settings

RRP: €729 (RM-07), €549 (RM-05)

http://www.pioneerdj.com

Stephen Bennett has been involved in music production for over 30 years. Based in Norwich he splits his time between writing books and articles on music technology, recording and touring, and lecturing at the University of East Anglia.

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