Radio in 5.1

It's a radio first! CBS Classic-Rocker WZLX in Boston fired up it's brand new 5.1 Surround Sound service. The system operates on the station's main HD channel and is provided by Fraunhofer and Telos Systems.

Since Bose and Boston Acoustics are both based in Boston, a high-quality receiver can't be far away.

Hello, FLAC. G'Bye MP3

Well, let's not read MP3 its last rights just yet. However, the Lossless compression of FLAC-formatted files is being adopted by more and more audio studios and field recording companies.

Anybody in the live concert recording and download community is familiar with the FLAC format, which allows audio files to be compressed up to 50% without losing any audio information.

Five Great Mics for under $200

I've installed Samson CO1U Condenser Mics in two of my client's home studios with remarkable results.

Firstly, it's a condenser mic which normally translates into a warm low-end and a crisp high-end output. Secondly it's a USB mic which allows you to plug it right into the USB data port of a computer or portable recorder, making it particularly handy for podcasters. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover how good this mic sounds with voice.

It has a flat, wide frequency response and delivers an uncolored reproduction of full-spectrum sounds. It features a hypercardiod pattern, making it useful for acoustically-challenged rooms prone to reflection problems. Additionally, after A/B comparisons, it closely matches the quality of my two main condenser mics. And all this for under $100. It's a steal!



If you're looking to add a little variety to your stable of mics, there are many affordable choices. www.about.com has a review of Five Great Mics for under $200 from the popular Rode to the Stereo MXL 993s.