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DEPARTMENTS      IK Multimedia is getting ready for MusikMesse at Frankfurt 12-16 April, 2000. The software developer will show at Hall 9 booth E92 and announces the following: T-RacKS updated as 24bit version announced! GrooveMaker 2.0 now available! New Sound Loops for GrooveMaker 2.0 announced!
SampleTank, the first VST sound module announced!. © 1998-00, MacRocks - All Rights Reserved |
h | At long last our report: Hot, Blue and Righteous audio mastering software known as T-RackS By Cris Dunnam There are many great choices in audio mastering software for the Mac. But then, it seems like it's always been that way! The best two-channel audio applications all have very similar feature sets, yet each offers certain features unique and apart from the others. It is for this reason it's often advantageous to utilize more than just one audio application, given the criteria of your project. A word to the wise: caution should be used when combining, or re processing audio masters with two or more mastering applications. Any process in any audio app that ‘dithers’ the waveform should be avoided until the very last stage of mastering. That little bit of advice comes from and leads us to IK MultiMedia’s T-RackS. Before I dig into features, etc., I have to say the manual for this software package though brief, is incredibly concise while containing volumes of useful general audio mastering advice. A good read, even for the seasoned audio pro. The first thing you need to know about T-RackS is the dongle. In order to make this application boot and run, an old style ADB (Apple Desktop Bus) encryption key must be plugged into your Mac’s ADB port. “ADB port?!? My iMac (or B&W, or . . .) doesn’t have an ADB port!” Fear not, in our tests with T-RackS on a stock Rev. C iMac with a Griffin iMate ADB - to - USB adapter and drivers showed no problems in allowing the installation, load or operation of the application. We also tested the application / dongle combo on various oddball Apple & clone PowerMacs that have built in ADB and also found no problems. We tested T-RackS under system software versions 8.0 - 8.6, so we don’t yet know how this behaves under whatever OS 9 variant. On with the program. The outstanding graphical interface Applying the “simpler is better” principle to our project, we avoided any third party audio converters. Staying with each Mac’s built in audio. I suppose this is a diplomatic way of saying there were no AD/DA converters for iMac at the time of our testing. Reaching way back in the dusty corners of MacRocks’ Test Lab / Studio rests a “tape” from a period of time called “the eighties.” The artist, Hotel & The Heathens. The songs, “So What That Mean?” and “Waiting For The Keg.” The format, 1/4” two-track tape on a 7” reel. We knew our mission. After listening to both the master and the 45 RPM record it produced . . . yes, that's right, a 45 RPM record . . . it was clear that the bass frequencies were less than adequate. Knowing it is nearly impossible to put back what isn't there in the frequency spectrum, our task became more complicated than the hack and slash cable we had to manufacture to get the two-track into the iMac. We tried a number of software representations of old studio hardware tricks using a number of applications with some success. No matter the success rate, it proved to be time consuming and not suitable for new users or for those who are mastering “in the zone.” We considered dropping a sampled bass on a separate track and then attempt to remaster; but this was not the focus of the project. We were there to remaster from the master, not remix. T-RackS’ tube-like EQ, compressor and multiband limiter were very friendly to our old tape. Any one who's used an EQ, compressor or limiter should have no trouble figuring out the controls for T-RackS. We were able to very well re-EQ the master to give a harder hit and mucho bass boost. As I said before, there is very little you can do when there are frequencies missing on a master. This is why we say to always stay as ‘flat’ as possible in both your tracking and mixdown. Working in the digital domain makes it easy to try several different settings to achieve the right balance and power on your recording. T-Racks offers a variety of preset curves and settings giving one a great starting point while also allowing for saving custom set ups. MacRocks gives T-Racks and A+ for interface, an A- for user friendliness (points shaved for the ADB dongle) and an A+ for overall sound. Unlike other mastering software apps, T-RackS is standalone with no plug in architecture or waveform editing. We are sure what we did with this master tape could be done in any number of applications; but T-RackS offers simplistic operation with an elegant interface and we suspect when at this stage of recording production, the fewer gizmos and plug-ins the better.
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only enhances the audio performance. I gotta say, I love it when old funky things collide with the bleeding edge. The GUI in T-RackS nails this with it’s hot blue tube motif. Ah, art and science; anyone (who’s brilliant & talented) can write some algorithms to manipulate sound, but it takes an artist to capture the intent for the user.