Griffin Integrated Communications

The Soundcraft® Si3 – A Marriage Of Technology And People

Posted: 02 Sep 2008 02:53 PM CDT

A Big Team Effort Delivers Soundcraft's Latest Digital Console Platform

"The launch of the Soundcraft Si3 is the culmination of a real ground-up research programme – an Engineers dream opportunity," according to Stefan Ledergerber, Vice President of R&D for Soundcraft and Studer. "The console is completely new - new DSP, new light-weight surface materials, new user interface with newly developed - distributed display technologies, all designed to meet a new lower price point, whilst providing the customer with more new features."

James Shears, Product Manager (whose track record includes the hugely successful Soundcraft GB Series and LX7ii) added, "When we started the Si3 project, our initial objective was to develop a technology platform that would provide us the flexibility to spin more models out downstream. Having secured a significant market position with the Vi Series and at the very top-end of the market, the Studer Vista 5 SR, we wanted to launch the first Si Series into the mid-low range price point but offer 'more than the rest'."

Shears continues, "Our intention is to provide engineers still using analogue consoles an easy transition to digital through simply switching to the Si3. This is a single box solution – you take your old analogue console out, and drop this one in its place – simple! The user-interface is precisely designed to align with current user interfaces and engineers' 'comfort zones'. We see it perfectly positioned for installations, touring and particularly suitable for house of worship applications. In fact we carefully selected beta test users to specifically represent these markets just to ensure we've designed into the specs what these type of customers need."

Matt Rowe is the R&D Project Manager for the Si3. Matt transferred from the BSS team to lead the engineers developing the Si.

Rowe describes in a bit more detail about what's under the bonnet (hood!). "Inside the Si3 is a totally new DSP engine – we call it EMMA which stands for 'Embedded Multi-processor Mixing Architecture'. Being custom designed and using embedded software provides us the absolute maximum processing power with minimal latency all on a single board – in other words - it's designed to mix audio, and only audio - unlike many processors that are designed for general pc activities."

He continues, "We structured the team in such a manner as to enable as much concurrent engineering as possible. Cross functional groups were given individual responsibilities for various parts of the programme; there's the EMMA team, surface design and styling (incorporating Studer frame design techniques), screen design, GUI and software writers. At various stages we went through an integration phase where we connect it all together and see how it looks and works.

All of this is managed on our web-based Product Lifecycle Management system (PLM) which ensures we're driven through review-stage-gates involving the management of every function of the company.

Production and service departments have been heavily involved from day one and at all stages of the process to ensure we're firstly following our DfM (Design for Manufacturing) rules guaranteeing that this is a product we can manufacture to high quality standards, and secondly, that we have designed in all the features to make it serviceable and simple to provide routine maintenance for our distribution partners.

Contributing to this, we pioneered a new knowledge-based tool for PCB rule checking that speeds up our time to production for new boards. The system is interfaced to Harman's Global component libraries which gave us confidence in the new designs and maximum benefits on price and supply."

Ledergerber concluded, "I'm looking forward to the team being there to see the launch and hear the customers' comments first hand. We've had a number of pre-launch visitors come to see it at the Potters Bar factory and they have left very excited. But we all have to keep focused as digital consoles enable us to develop new software features over and over, so we'll be back in the office the next morning developing even more features!"

Soundcraft is a unit of Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com).
Harman International designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets, and maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, employing more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "NYSE: HAR."

Harman Professional Opens New Asia, Intercontinental Field Sales Offices To Better Serve Channel Partners In Regional And Emerging Markets

Posted: 02 Sep 2008 02:25 PM CDT

In a move to foster closer, more communicative and ultimately more successful commercial relationships with its channel partners in Asia, Latin America and Canada, Harman Professional today announced the opening of new Field Sales Offices in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Kuala Lumpur Field Sales Office will be led by David McKinney, who is promoted to Senior Director of Sales, Asia, Harman Professional. The San Juan Field Office will serve Latin America and Canada and will be led by Jaime Albors, who is promoted to Senior Director of Sales, Intercontinental, Harman Professional. Both offices will soon add new hires in field sales and technical support.

Today's announcement was made by Michael MacDonald, Harman Professional Executive Vice President of Marketing & Sales, who identified the need for stronger ties with channel partners and the group's determination to grow its business in emerging markets as key drivers for setting up the new field offices. "Harman Professional owes much of its global success to the contribution of channel partners in Asia, Latin America and Canada. In recognition of this fact and the considerable opportunity presented by emerging markets in Latin America and Asia, we are investing in these new offices in regions that have previously been on the edge of our geographic reach. In doing so we're co-locating resources with opportunities and we're also becoming a more global organization."

David McKinney has proven to be an effective sales leader in his role as Director of Asia Sales for the Harman Music Group. Supporting David McKinney in the position of Director, Asian Sales, North is industry veteran Thomas Marcher. Marcher, formerly Crown Asian Sales Director, has over a decade of industry experience and will be instrumental in building territory momentum.

As Senior Director of Sales, Intercontinental, Jaime Albors will build on his successful track record in his previous role as Intercontinental Sales Director for Crown Audio. Albors will be joined by John Powell who assumes the position of Director, Latin America/Canada Sales, North. Powell was formerly Regional Sales Manager for the Harman Music Group and brings a wealth of experience to his new role.

"In David and Jaime and their teams, Harman Professional has proven performers with deep market experience, highly evolved technical expertise and strong relationships with our valued channel partners," MacDonald continued. "I look forward to working with both to advance the service and support we provide our channel partners and also to extend our brand reach and sales performance in the emerging markets of Latin America and Asia.

The Harman Professional Asia Field Sales Office can be reached at (60) 3 7725-0331 or via email at david.mckinney@harmanpro.com. The Harman Professional InterContinental Field Sales Office can be reached at 1-574-970-2943 or via email at jalbors@crownintl.com.

Harman International Industries, Incorporated (www.harman.com), designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment products for the automotive, consumer and professional markets. Harman International maintains a strong presence in the Americas, Europe and Asia, and employs more than 11,000 people worldwide. The Harman International family of brands includes AKG®, Audioaccess®, Becker®, BSS®, Crown®, dbx®, DigiTech®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson®, Revel®, QNX®, Soundcraft® and Studer®. Harman International's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "NYSE: HAR."

Kora Musician David Gilden Finds The Possibilities Are Endless With Eventide TimeFactor Stompbox

Posted: 02 Sep 2008 02:08 PM CDT

"Eventide has really packed a lot of features into a small box."
– David Gilden, musician

Drawn to the benefits of having rackmount effects processor capabilities in an affordable and upgradeable stompbox, accomplished kora musician David Gilden recently added an Eventide TimeFactor effects pedal to his touring rig. Since the 1980s, Gilden has toured extensively as a solo artist and with the band Cora Connection, and is one of the world's most accomplished masters of the kora, a traditional African harp-lute.

After experimenting unsuccessfully with other stompboxes and processors, Gilden discovered the TimeFactor, a twin delay stompbox that includes Eventide's 10 best delay effects integrated into a compact, upgradeable package. "I listened to the online demo, heard some of the effects and was totally blown away, because it has the sounds of bigger boxes that typically cost $2,000 or more," Gilden said.

The TimeFactor features MIDI, USB for software upgrades, and 10 time-tested stereo or dual mono delay effects, including Digital Delay, Vintage Delay, Tape Echo, Modulated Delay, Ducked Delay, Band Delay, Filter Pong, MultiTap Delay, Reverse Delay, and a 12-second Looper. Additionally, v2.0 software is now available for the TimeFactor. The software, free to registered users, downloads and installs easily by simply plugging the USB outlet into an Internet-connected computer, and provides users with an impressive set of new features and improvements.

As a successful touring musician, Gilden was attracted to the TimeFactor's compact size. "Eventide has really packed a lot of features into a small box," he said. "Most comparable pedals are 20 percent bigger and I would need three of them to get all the sounds I can get from the TimeFactor. Normally at gigs, it takes me 20 minutes to set up my equipment and another 20 minutes to break down. Now I can see myself plugging in a preamp for the kora, plugging in the TimeFactor, and I'm good to go."

Further adding to Gilden's convenience is the TimeFactor's versatility and ease of programmability. According to Gilden, "With the TimeFactor, you can pair up multiple presets in different banks. Now I have an infinite amount of possibilities stored and when I go to gigs, I can easily access all of them."

However, the benefits of the TimeFactor go far beyond convenience. With so many features enabling a limitless combination of delay effects, the TimeFactor is easily customizable to suit any musician's style. "You have to spend some time with it to make it your own," Gilden said. "I have some really dreamy washes and have done some really cool things where I can build up a couple layers of sound, hit the infinite repeat and then solo on top of it."

More information about David Gilden, including performance dates and music clips, can be found at, http://www.coraconnection.com/

About Eventide Founded in 1971 in New York City, Eventide is a leading developer and manufacturer of digital audio processing products for recording, broadcast, and live performance. Headquartered in Little Ferry, NJ, Eventide invented the H910, the first Harmonizer effects processor in 1975, and introduced the H3000 Ultra-Harmonizer effects processor in 1987. Visit Eventide online at eventide.com.

Eventide and Harmonizer are registered trademarks of Eventide Inc.

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