Pro audio

Why should you purchase studio monitors for audio production when you already own speakers? Working at B&H I’ve met a lot of photographers and videographers who understand the need for using a calibrated graphics monitor instead of their TV sets to establish accurate color values when making correction decisions. They get it. They know that audio engineers also need special-purpose gear to evaluate how loud material is when mixing. Meet the studio monitor.

Is it Grimace? Is it the Grim Reaper? Nope. It's a prepared location audio professional who is protecting their investment and getting the job done.  This morning on my 10 minute walk from the train to the office, I witnessed a weather anomaly that I'd never experienced before. This is my 18th year as a resident of the Northeastern United States, and I don't know the official stats, but this winter sure seems like one of the worst.

Your initiation to the world of DJ mixing may be a click of the DJ Mouse away. The included Deckadance LE software puts almost every professional DJ tool within reach. I had just sprained my ankle before opening the box, yet I was able to create elaborate remixes even with one leg elevated! I'm not sure they would've "moved me" as easily if I were struggling to stand behind a more elaborate DJ rig.

With tons of microphones available, how do you choose the right one? Some are all-purpose; others are meant for vocals and musical instruments; still others are designed for specific applications such as picking up the tones of a harmonica. We'll be focusing here on broadcasting microphones and what makes them ideal for capturing speech. Broadcast mics are widely used in radio studios. They're ideal for voiceovers and announcing.

One of the best reasons to visit the B&H SuperStore in New York City is to physically examine the latest equipment for photography, video, personal and home entertainment, and pro audio. Getting to hold the latest DSLR camera in your hands and take a few test shots is the best way to determine if it's the right one for you. But where do singers, producers, and voice over artists go when they need to test out studio microphones and preamplifiers?

We've all experienced audio that's out of sync. When audio doesn't match up with video, it feels like we're watching a poorly dubbed movie. When your studio hardware isn't synced to a good clock, it creates an odd echoey scenario that can be so subtle you may not realize your overall sound is being degraded. So what can be done in order to keep audio in perfect sync? In a word, a word clock. A word clock is a nifty bit of technology that has the sole purpose of keeping perfect time and preventing data errors with digital audio.