New Web Hosting server for Sound Evolution

I've recently moved Sound Evolution's web site to web hosting server: BlueHost.

Here's a short list of the main reasons for the move:

1. Email problems with my existing web server.
2. Price.
3. SSH access.

Now my email works reliably. I've got a great service for a great price. And I get SSH access which means I can do secure mail, rsync, and ftp to my web server.

That also means I can use it as a secure web proxy when I'm on the road and I don't particularly trust the network I'm using.

I've even installed trac and subversion, allowing me to do secure collaboration of development projects. This is a great feature.

I'm happy to recommend Blue Host, as I'm happy with the ease of use and powerful and flexible service, and support forums.

M-Audio Microtrack 2496 review

After testing out the Edirol R-09, (see previous blog review) I decided to go ahead and get an M-Audio Microtrack 2496 recorder.

Here's my quick positives list:
- supports 24bit 96kHz recording
- has 1/4" jack line inputs
- records to Compact Flash cards, which can be really BIG.
- can operate bus powered.
- can record uncompressed WAV and MP3
- microphone is not physically attached to body - less handling noise.
- has a phantom power mode.

And the negatives:
- you can't change the batteries
- can only charge via the USB cable
- boot time is quite slow
- supports only older slower CF memory cards.
- phantom power mode is only for electret / ENG style mics. Forget about using a Neumann.

Because it can only charge via the USB cable, I found that I needed to carry a iPod power adapter or something when travelling.

I've since tried it out in MP3 mode recording a few live gigs and ambiences, and it gets the job done quite well, given the price tag. Of course, it's not a truely professional box - no real phantom power for really nice mics.

Testing
With this box, I did some serious testing of the input quality. Thanks to Vic Kaspar at DSV we used a Neumann U87 connected to a Summit valve mic pre. This particular mic pre has a balanced output (+4dBu), which was connected to a Yamaha O2R and recorded via AES/EBU into Pro Tools; and an unbalanced output (-10dBV) which was connected directly to the Microtrack recorder.

The result was astounding. At first, the Yamaha O2R achieved a much cleaner and more natural sound. It turns out that even with the level coming out of the mic pre at -10dBV reference, it was too hot for the Microtrack recorder. Once we turned down the output of the mic pre, we achieved very similar results between the O2R and the Microtrack. Still, the O2R had a bit more of a natural quality and clarity to the sound, even with the volume turned down and leaving about 20dB unused headroom in the Pro Tools session.

We did this test to find out what the converters are really like, without the bias of the toy microphone that comes with it.

The toy mic, does have a surprising amount of stereo width in recordings. For example: recording traffic - sit the box on the side of the road and listen to the recordings and you get quite a realistic stereo impression of the cars going past. BUT the effect is much more noticeable on headphones, and less noticeable on speakers - I guess due to the fact that the capsules are only about 4cm apart.

All in all, its a good box for its price, but its worth knowing its limitations.

Edirol R-09 Review

I just had the opportunity to try out an Edirol R-09 from my friends at music lab.

In summary, my favourite features (positives):
- small size
- light weight
- AA batteries
- records to standard (and cheap) SD cards
- standard mini USB connector
- internal microphones actually sound quite nice
- good stereo image from internal microphones
- intuitive menu system
- you can disable AGC (automatic gain control)
- has Low Cut filters!

And negative features:
- internal microphones very susceptible to handling noise
- internal microphones very susceptible to wind noise
- recordings are a little bit "hissy"
- cannot be USB bus powered (need to have charged batteries to use USB to computer mode)

The unit is impressively small, and I like the fact that it runs on standard AA batteries, records to standard SD cards and connects to a computer via a standard mini-USB connector.

The menu interface is quite simple and easy to use. I read the manual, which is quite well written, but didn't really need to - navigating the menus is very intuitive.

I only tested the unit with its built-in stereo microphones - I didn't get a chance to test the unit's mic or line inputs, but it's good that it has them.

The internal microphones are not too bad for what they are. I have listened to a whole load of small MP3 style recorders that are aimed to replace micro-cassette dictaphone recorders, but don't really sound any better. The R-09 at least works quite well. The microphones create an impressively accurate stereo image, but I found that the stereo image translated better on headphones than it did on speakers. Perhaps some of the stereo imaging is created by some configuration of the microphones emulating a binaural configuration, resulting in a great stereo image on headphones, but not on speakers..?

The sound of the microphones is a little bit hissy. I feel like recording in 24 bit would be a waste of time with the internal microphones, just like a camera capturing 10 Megapixels from a 10mm lens.

The microphones are quite bass heavy in their response, and are also extremely susceptible to wind noise. I noticed that even air pressure differentials from big air conditioning systems (like in shopping centres) cause the microphone capsules to crap out. (I think that's the technical term.)

The unit has four small rubber/plastic feet on its base. After a first glance at the unit and its construction, I thought that it would sound best standing up on the small end (where the battery cover is) so that the capsules would be facing forwards. However, doing a test recording at a meeting in a board room style environment, the unit actually recorded a more even balance of sound in the room (from different people speaking, at close and distant proximity to the unit) and a more "intelligible" sound when it was lying on its back (on the four rubber feet). Perhaps having the microphone capsules very close to the table achieves a better sound by some acoustic coupling with the table's surface. Whatever it is, the recorde3d sound is better when the unit is lying on the table the capsules pointing upwards.

Overall, I like the unit. I think for the price, compact size and features, it's a great unit for recording anything from meetings to sound effects (so long as there is no wind).

Enjoy.

XCode - copying Dynamic Libraries into Applications

I'm working on a Mac OS X application which uses a dynamic library (dylib) I'm building. I'd been having a problem where the application would launch perfectly if I launched it from the XCode, but it would never launch from the Finder.

I had the dylib in a Copy Phase copying the .dylib file into the './Contents/MacOS' directory in the application package.

I was trying all sorts of things, including copying the built dynamic library into '/usr/local/lib' which worked, but then I realised that the library was not within the application package so it would not be transportable.

So ultimately I wanted the dynamic library (dylib) copied into the application package, resulting in a completely transportable application.

I then figured out why it wasn't working. It has all to do with the search paths that 'dyld' uses when the application is launched. When XCode launched the application, it launches it from the common build directory (which I had manually set), and consequently the dynamic library (dylib) was in the current directory. dyld found it easily.

When my application was launched from the Finder, the working directory was set to something else... i don't know what.. but it's different, and 'dyld' couldn't find my dynamic library (dylib). I could prove this by opening a Terminal window, and launching the application from different working directories. When i 'cd' to the build directory where the .dylib is built, it works, but from any other directory, it fails.

Then i discovered, an interesting article http://developer.apple.com/releasenotes/DeveloperTools/dyld.html and the little gem "@executable_path/". So here's the solution:

Go to the XCode project for the dynamic library (dylib) and set the "Installation Directory" to "@executable_path/". Then rebuild it. In the main application XCode project, make a "Copy Files" build phase which copies the dynamic library (dylib) into the "Executables" directory. Now regardless of what the current directory is, 'dyld' will always find the dylib because it looks in the same directory as the application's executable file.

I hope this saves someone a little bit of time. It bugged me for hours.

Making Websites with PHP and Mozilla / SeaMonkey

I have a web site (www.soundevolution.com.au) that runs on PHP. I use PHP for templates (common page headers, etc) and a bit of dynamic content here and there.

In search for a decent open source HTML/PHP editor, I tried Mozilla and SeaMonkey (Mac OS X builds). However, I discovered that they COMPLETELY CORRUPT php files. All the "" tags were gone. Sometimes even the PHP code between them was gone too!!!!

Painful. So here it is again. DO NOT USE Mozilla or SeaMonkey for editing PHP files - they corrupt the files!!!

I wish I knew that.

Sending Email with Postfix and PostfixEnabler on Mac OS X

I use my laptop in a number of different locations (work, studio, home, etc). Every place has a different network, and everything automatically works (auto-detects network settings) except Email. I have to *know* what the local SMTP server is so I can send mail from that specific network connection.

I was beginning to get frustrated at constantly changing my SMTP settings in Mail every time I connect to a different network. So I looked for a send mail solution. It turns out that Mac OS X has a sendmail server bult in, but it is not configured or running.

After a bit of a search around the 'net, I found PostfixEnabler. I downloaded it, ran it, paid for it, and hey presto! I can now send mails from anywhere because my laptop itself is my sendmail server!

I did have one small problem, and that was with the ADSL connection at home. For some strange reason, postfix would not recognise the auto DNS from the ADSL modem/router, like every other application did. Once I entered the DNS manually into the Network Settings, it started to work fine.

So now I have "postfix" running which accepts sending mail from the local machine regardless of what network I'm on. I can even send mail when I'm not on a network, and it sits in a queue until there is a network. Nice.

Brissy to Bay Bike Ride

Just went on the 55km Brissy to Bay bike ride, a fundraiser for Multiple Sclerosis.

A cold start to the day, and sore legs for a few days afterwards - but a good ride, and for a good cause.

Ideas 2 Market workshop

I've just attended the "Ideas2Market" workshop, run by the Australian Institute for Commercialisation.

In addition to three days of presentations by some excellent industry experts, the workshop was also a great networking event and discussion forum for issues relating to Commercialisation.

Expert presentations and interaction between the participants were both extremely valuable

Farm Kids

Amongst other things, I'm working on a cartoon TV series called Farm Kids.

My role is involved in all aspects of sound for the show. This includes music recording, sound effects design and editing, and final mix for the show.

Sound Post Production is happening at Jumpstart Productions, located in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane.

Check out the Farm Kids website for more details, and stay tuned!

Teaching at Queensland Conservatorium

First semester 2006 I am teaching a course "Principles of Digital Sound and Synchronisation" to second year and post-graduate students at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University.

For more information about the Music Technology department, click here.

Hi to all my students in the Music Technology department!

Matt