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LaLa.com has a Slick Interface and Cool Features.

I know LaLa.com has been around for a while, but I just came across it so it I’m posting.  When I first heard about it, I thought it was probably just another music streaming service – another contender like Rhapsody or Amazon for the iTunes throne (ironically Apple just scooped up LaLa.com).

But Lala.com is actually an awesome concept executed with awesomeness. Let me layout what it basically it is.

• Music Streaming Service (You can listen to anything free once)
• Online Music Store (10 cents for online only and 90 cents for mp3 downloads)
• Remote Music Streaming Service (more on this later)
• Social network and Music Discovery Tool

So basically it’s just a music streaming service kind of like rhapsody.  It’s all browser based but has a nice simple player interface – a lot like Itunes.  You can browse music, listen to anything once all the way through for free, and then hear 30 second previews after that.

Instead of paying for a membership or subscription, you buy songs individually like on iTunes.  However, you have two reasonable options.  10 cents will get you an online version of the song added to your library. You can listen to it while logged in to LaLa.com as much as you want and from any computer you can get internet access on. Pay another 80 cents (or 90 cents from the start) and you can download the mp3 to your harddrive.

Now comes the most awesome part of this setup – you can sync your existing music library to your LaLa.com online collection.  Meaning that music you already paid someone for, can be added to your collection on LaLa.com without paying for it again.  Just use the LaLa Music Mover application.  Point it at the folder of your library and it will read the ID3 tags, and find the same songs listed in it’s own library.  Then those songs are added to your collection as “online only” tracks – you can’t re-download them, but anywhere you get internet, you can listen to your music collection.  This is especially useful if you have far more music than hard drive space on your laptop.  You can leave your music at home on an external hard drive, but still hear all your music on the go.

Oh yeah and there’s social networking – commenting, suggesting, reviewing etc.  There’s also facebook connect and twitter stuff.  All that goodness.

Lastly, I’ve heard word of a LaLa.com iphone app in the works.  I would LOVE to see this – finally I can take my music library with me without having to overload my iPhone with music – AND I don’t have to limit my music to a few machines (while still not pirating).  It’s a pretty awesome solution to a problem that has plagued digital music delivery since it started – You bought the music… so why can’t you put it on whatever computer you want?  Why can’t you play it when and where you want?

It’s just refreshing to feel like I actually OWN this music.  LaLa.com is one step closer to having real control over your digital collection.

Automap Server

Novation’s Automap protocol has been out for a while, and as most Ableton users will tell you, its solid.  For their different Midi controllers, you can map automatically to the various plugins, mixer settings and instruments that you open in real time.

One of the seemingly more gimmick-aimed versions of their automap software resides on your iphone or ipod touch.  If you’ve got this $3 app and your device on the same wifi network as your workstation – then you’ve got DAW control on your phone.  I say it “seems” gimmicky because I had assumed any iphone app for so little money couldn’t possibly be practical and useful.  Automap on the iPhone, however, immediately became one of my new favorite tools.

Short Review:

Automap Controlling Pro Tools from an iPhone.

Automap on the iPhone/iPod Touch is cheap, easy to setup, relatively quick to learn and functional. It works great with any DAW that will accept MIDI based controls – Automap lets you use CC messages OR HUI protocol to control DAWs.  I used Logic Pro 9 and Pro Tools 8 LE with great results.

There are other apps like TrixMix or ProRemote on the iPhone that claim to have better UI/feature sets, but their also more expensive.

I had trouble getting panning control to work on my DAW Mixers, but considering what I’m using this control for (basic level setting and solo/mute/arm control when away from the computer – that’s not a big drawback.  Note: I got in touch with Novation’s customer support and they explained that DAW’s like Logic and Pro Tools require a kind of feedback for pan controls that Automap for the iPhone isn’t yet equipped to handle.  They assured me that they were aware of the issue and looking to fix it with an upcoming update.

On last quick note – all the links i followed to try to purchase automap 3.3 pro led me to a message saying I couldn’t purchase it in my country (U.S.) However the Novation Support team sent me this link to where automap pro is available for purchase. http://www.focusrite-estore.com/novation/software/automappro/

Hopefully none of you had this problem, and it’s just my own stupidity, but I figured I’d post it just in case.

More Details:

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Mackie Onyx 1640i

Mackie unveiled a new set of great-looking firewire Mixers that integrate multi-channel 96k/24 bit recording into their popular Onyx mixers. We had a bit of hands-on time at AES and we were duly impressed.

If you’re familiar with the current Mackie line, then let me just hit some of he major feature upgrades.

1) Discrete Firewire Sends on every input channel. You can also switch the send pre or post the EQ – allowing you to record your EQ or use it just on monitors or headphones.

2) The ability to send the Master Mix as a Stereo Send over Firewire.

3) Phantom Power Switches are on individual channels instead of as an all-on or off switch.

4)Aux Sends that can be routed to firewire – allowing you to add DAW FX to channels while you mix!

5) And the BIG one – Compatible with Pro Tools M-powered!!!! Actually compatible with just about any DAW!

Needless to say – these mixers will be a GREAT addition to any project or home studio that’s looking for great pres, EQ’s, and even analog summing on a tighter budget.  Plus the ability to use these interfaces with practically any DAW is a great plus.

Keep an eye on these mixers, because they’re set to take “pro-sumer” gear to a whole different level.

Check out more about the mixers here.

Avenson Audio IsoDI

A if you’re looking for small scale DI solutions then check out Avenson Audio’s line of compact DI’s. The IsoDI is the newer of the two, with it’s basical DI circuit based on the minimalist Small DI.  The difference is metal chassis, Iso/Parallel out quarter-inch jack and transformer isolated power supply which allows for a ground lift button.  I haven’t gotten a chance to hear the IsoDI, but the build quality inspires confidence, and if it maintains the clean sound of the Small DI then it’s a great DI for the size and buck.

Avenson DI Small DI

The Small DI is perfect for your gig bag or toolbox.  Just the size of a thumb, this DI can be a life saver when you’re at your show and the sound guy hasn’t got one or has you experience DI failure mid-show.  It consists of a quarter-inch input on one side, and XLR mic level output on the other, and just about nothing else.  But for a simple emergency DI, it’s perfect.  The other use that strikes me right off the bat (these DI’s sound great by the way) is using the Small DI as an affordable replacement for the cheapie DI’s built into some lower-end audio interfaces and mixers.  As and Mbox user, I’ve been consistently frustrated by the tone quality of the built-in DI’s.  They tend to add a color to bass guitars that I can only describe as “fartiness.” Basically mid-range exaggeration and even a bit of distortion.  Putting a Small DI inline with your bass and using the Mic Pre’s on my interface would offer much cleaner results.

Small DI retails for $80 and the IsoDI retails for $160.

David Frangioni, Ed Cherny, Tony Maserati, Frank Filipetti, and Noel Lee

Ben handled the setup for this article HERE. So I’m just going to add my first impression of the Turbine Pro Copper Earbuds.

As Ben mentioned, the Copper Turbine Earbuds are aimed at audio professionals while the Gold are more pro-sumer or audiophile.

Here are some first thoughts:

• No hype.  The first thing I noticed was the total lack of exaggerate Bass or Treble.  It might seem “less present” than some other earbuds or headphones, but the reality is, most consumer headphones boost the low and hi ends creating this hyped up sound. Unfortunately what usually seems to suffer for this is mid-range clarity.
• Much much lower noise floor than cheapie ear buds.  I got a chance throw in my ten dollar Skull candy ear buds and compare.  I’m tempted now to toss the Skull Candy buds and upgrade – the noise floor was at least 10dB louder.
• Last Transient and Sustain definition seemed crisp and clear.  The real caveat here is that I’m comparing that to cheap earbuds that I’ve never really listened critically too before.

Long story short, they’re really much nicer earbuds than anything I’ve used before – and I’ve used shure, sennheiser and m-audio earbuds before.  However I haven’t really gotten to compare these in depth, which is what is really required to tell if I’d use these in a reference situation.

The announcement of the Turbine Pro Earbuds was accompanied by a panel of Audio Industry movers and shakers including Tony Maserati, Frank Filipetti, Ed Cherny, and David Frangioni.  They gave their general impressions of the Turbine Earbuds – all of them impressed with the sound.  But then I also went on to discuss ways in which we music industry might be able to encourage the average consumer to listen to higher-fi audio.  I’ll spare you most of the details, but they made one REALLY great point.

So many people listen to headphones so often – it’s almost become it’s own delivery format.  So it makes sense for audio professionals to at least reference mixes and tracks on earbuds and headphones of some sort, if only to get into your audience’s head.  But in order to make real mix decisions we’ll need a better generation of earbuds and headphones.  Hopefully the Turbine Pro Earbuds are a sign of good things to come.

AES 2009: Monster Turbine Pro Impressions Part 1

Oh, and here’s a short clip of Noel Lee introducing  the Turbine Pro Earbuds to the Press.