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Articles by Bob McCarthy
Standing Your Ground: Upholding The Responsibility Of Being Truthful With Clients
Lessons from front of house on Lily Tomlin's “The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe” tour in 1988. An early "pressure" design with a Paracoustic baffle to help control directionality; plus a bit of RCA history... We have to be in control of the mix. We can't become hoarders of frequencies and processors or the result is a sonic cesspool ...read more → From the October 1986 issue of RE/P magazine, insights into the effective use of compressors and limiters in the recording realm.
Time & Phase Alignment: Inside Two Principal Concepts Of System Optimization
They're related but different and have specific applications. It’s important to know which form to use to get your answers for a given application. The value of thinking about – and looking at – the mix in a graphical way.
Spotlight On Signal Processing: Part 2 In The Evolutions Of Large-Scale System Optimization
Would it be as I remembered it? Would anything have changed, for better or worse?
Loudspeaker Advancement: Part 1 In A Series On The Evolution Of Sound System Optimization
We live in the present and plan for the future. Every once in a while it can be interesting to look back at our history and see he we got here. This puts things in perspective and helps us see what’s coming. The essential challenges to tuning a sound reinforcement system, a process we now call optimization, haven’t changed in 40 years, and neither have the laws of physics. But the tools and techniques of the trade have changed dramatically, albeit incrementally, over time.
Tradeoff, TANSTAAFL And Triage: Keys In The System Design & Optimization Process
As audio engineers, we’re constantly presented with choices that involve compromise and give and take. Many of these are budgetary and/or based on realities of what’s available or possible for a given application. Tradeoff, TANSTAAFL and triage are underlying principles to my decision-making process in the design and optimization of sound systems. The concept of the tradeoff is simple: give up something to get something.
Acoustic Transmission: Part 1 In A Series On The Fundamentals Of Audio
For many of us fundamentals are like Swiss cheese: mostly solid but with intermittent but noticeable holes. This is the first in a series of articles exploring the principles and properties of audio systems and related fields. Here we focus on the properties of acoustic transmission. Perhaps you know everything on this subject already, but just maybe there are a few holes that can be filled, making the reading effort particularly worthwhile.
Horizontal & Vertical: Attaining Uniform Coverage
We have a big job with a small budget. One loudspeaker. How hard could it be? The goal is straightforward: uniform coverage over the seating area, i.e., minimum variance over the space. There are four answers required for our specification: horizontal and vertical aim, horizontal and vertical coverage. We seek to match the loudspeaker coverage shape to the audience shape. The audience shape is visible. Loudspeaker coverage, not so much.
Balcony Battles: When To Split Upper & Lower Mains?
Previously, I’ve addressed the impact of breaking and tapering a line of loudspeakers (here). Now let’s turn our attention to balconies. Everybody seems to love breaking main loudspeakers horizontally into left and right, but breaking them vertically into upper and lower? Not so much. We can be repeat offenders when it comes to multi-main horizontal breaks, such as a parade route or racetracks. Multi-mains can go vertical as well, although it’s unlikely that we’ll expand beyond two elements.
Professional Sound System Setup In 15 Minutes
Even professionals often skip sound system setup and go straight to mixing because there just isn’t enough time. Unfortunately, you can’t go directly to your artistic place without first passing through science. The good news is that even the smallest amounts of time can be put to good use. How? With a plan. Simple Sound System Goals The goal for tuning a sound system is very simple: manage interactions to reduce variance across the listening plane.
The third edition of Sound Systems: Design and Optimization is here!
Sound Systems: Design and Optimization provides an accessible and unique perspective on the behavior of sound systems in the practical world. The third edition reflects current trends in the audio field thereby providing readers with the newest methodologies and techniques. In this greatly expanded new edition, you’ll find clearer explanations, a more streamlined organization, increased coverage of current technologies and comprehensive case studies of the author’s award-winning work in the field.
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