Storage Drives for Audio Production August 17^th 2018 - 11:00 AM

Audio can be edited these days on virtually any personal computer. Professionals, however, need to understand storage drives in order to get the best results. Here’s what to look for when buying drives for audio editing.

A Simple Way To Calculate Digital Recording Times August 16^th 2018 - 12:05 PM

Before we entered the world of file-based digital recording, planning storage needs for audio was simple. We’d simply buy enough audio tape to cover the recording time and then record the sound. In the world of analog, we knew a seven-inch tape reel at 7-1/2 ips lasted 33 minutes, while a…

Broadcast For IT - Part 18 - Quality Control August 14^th 2018 - 08:00 AM

Quality Control is one of the many areas where IT and broadcast use similar terms, but the meaning is quite different. Whereas IT focuses on guaranteeing bit rates and packet delivery to improve quality of service and hence quality of experience, video and audio quality is based on satisfying the…

Making a Podcast Sound Good August 13^th 2018 - 12:05 PM

Podcasts are taking the world by storm. It is hard to believe that when audio-over-internet technology was revealed at NAB, 1995, that it would grow so fast and become so profitable to such a wide range of people.

Recording iPhone Calls — It’s Trickier Than You Might Think August 8^th 2018 - 01:00 PM

A few months ago, I switched my main landline phone number to my iPhone. In doing this, I did not consider the issue of recording interviews from incoming and outgoing calls — something that’s easier said than done with an iPhone. This is how I mastered the issue.

Mono vs. Poly WAV Files: What’s the Difference? August 7^th 2018 - 10:00 AM

Certain high-end professional audio recorders have options for either WAV, WAV Mono and WAV Poly (polyphonic) files. What’s the difference and what should your choice be?

Broadcast For IT - Part 17 - Compression Formats August 6^th 2018 - 01:50 PM

The bewildering number of video and audio compression formats available is difficult for those new to the industry to come to terms with. For broadcast engineers and IT engineers to work effectively together, IT engineers must understand the formats used, the legacy systems still in place, and the reasoning behind…

Understanding Phantom Power For Microphones August 2^nd 2018 - 08:00 AM

Phantom power is normally described as electrical current running over the same cable that carries the mic’s audio signal. All non-battery powered professional microphones with active circuitry need this power to operate. But as with most pro audio topics, it’s a bit more complicated. Here is a description of …

How Hi-Fi Speakers Differ from Professional Audio Monitors August 1^st 2018 - 12:05 PM

High fidelity speakers for the home environment differ from professional audio monitors due to their sonic accuracy. In the studio, we want to hear mistakes in the audio and not have the speakers cover them up. At home, we want to enjoy music. So what are the differences?

Low-Noise Binaural Mics For Location Interview Recording July 31^st 2018 - 12:05 PM

When most of us hear the term “binaural” lavalier mics, we think of amateur location music recording. However, the term also can mean a pair of interview lavs where the audio for the subject and the questioner are sent to different tracks of a stereo recorder for easier editing.