KADER INFORMATIE
KADER INFORMATIE
System Requirements
On the PC platform, the 01X currently works with Windows XP (Professional or Home Edition) and requires a computer capable of running the host software, with an IEEE 1394 Firewire port. Mac users can run the 01X under Mac OS 9.2, though Classic Mode is not supported. OS X support is in development. Again, a Firewire port must be available, and in the case of laptops, Processor Cycling should be disabled.
OPTing In
OPT (Open Plug-in Technology) was announced by Yamaha at the Frankfurt Musikmesse in 2002 and was touted as a means of controlling external hardware from within the plug-in environment of the host sequencer of choice. As with all such standards, this relied for its success on the support of mainstream audio software manufacturers. Cakewalk and Sonic Foundry were early adopters of the protocol, which clearly pleased Yamaha, but the Apple Mac side took longer to get going, which meant companies such as Emagic and Steinberg were reluctant to get involved. Fortunately, with Mac OS X, it's a different story, as Yamaha's computer audio specialist Nick Howes explains.
"Now with OS X and its COM-like interface structures (COM is the Microsoft Component Object Model system, which OPT uses), Yamaha have been able to port OPT over to the Mac platform, and expect to have cross-platform OPT implementations of many products, such as Studio Manager, released this year. The integration this will provide a previously unheard-of level of hardware control from within a software sequencing environment for products like 01X, and other mLAN-based devices such as the Motif ES/mLAN16E. OPT will give us the total recall scenario with 01X that everyone wants for both the internal mixer and the remote layers, and will obviously benefit products like the 01V96 as well.
"Additionally, we have a Windows XP (and soon Macintosh) network driver due to debut at NAMM, and using this, the 01X will be able to send and return aux effects over mLAN to mLAN hardware devices, such as the Kurzweil KSP8. All four auxes can be routed in this way (the internal effects can be bypassed)."
Studio Manager
Yamaha's Studio Manager can be run as a stand-alone application or as a plug-in within any environment that supports the OPT (Open Plug-in Technology) format described in the box (facing page). Studio Manager allows routing and other mixer functions to be set up on screen, and also acts as an external library for any saveable settings. Using Studio Manager, it is also possible to copy settings from an 01X channel to its plug-in counterpart and vice versa. Studio Manager is particularly useful for setting up new patching assignments, as the 01X's long, narrow display isn't well suited to displaying the type of routing matrix we've come to expect in other Yamaha mixers. Effects may also be edited using Studio Manager.
Effects And Processors
The 01X features dynamics processing on every channel other than the stereo input, with a choice of compressor, expander, compander or ducker/gate. A dynamics library comes with the usual bewildering raft of presets, but editing is very straightforward, with full control over Threshold, Ratio, Attack, Release, Gain and Knee (in compressor mode). Parameter views can either show multiple parameters for the selected channel or a single parameter for all channels.
The effects sends are set up so that auxes 1 and 2 feed external effects, while sends 3 and 4 are, by default, reserved for feeding the internal effects, though all the sends can alternatively be routed externally via mLAN to be used as digital aux sends, as described in the box on OPT. Again, there's a whole library of effects to choose from, with a sensible number of editable parameters per effect. Both blocks have a similar repertoire of effects starting with numerous high-quality reverb algorithms, which cover all the usual room, hall plate, early reflection and non-linear varieties. There's also a good selection of mono and stereo delays and echoes, all the standard chorus/flange/phase/panner/tremolo modulation effects, plus Yamaha's own classic Symphonic Chorus. These are augmented by pitch-shifting, rotary-speaker emulation, ring modulation, filters and distortion/amp simulation. These single effects are also accompanied by a useful selection of dual effects which are mainly delay or reverb in combination with one other effect. The repertoire also includes multi-band dynamics, stereo reverb and a comprehensive stereo, three-band multi-filter. As far as I can tell, these effects are identical in structure and quality to the ones used in the 01V96 mixer and other recent Yamaha digital desks. Subjectively, all these effects are clean and clear, aside from those distortion effects that are clearly not meant to be, the pitch-shifting is as good as can be expected and the reverbs stand up very well alongside mid-price hardware units.
KADER INFORMATIE
System Requirements
On the PC platform, the 01X currently works with Windows XP (Professional or Home Edition) and requires a computer capable of running the host software, with an IEEE 1394 Firewire port. Mac users can run the 01X under Mac OS 9.2, though Classic Mode is not supported. OS X support is in development. Again, a Firewire port must be available, and in the case of laptops, Processor Cycling should be disabled.
OPTing In
OPT (Open Plug-in Technology) was announced by Yamaha at the Frankfurt Musikmesse in 2002 and was touted as a means of controlling external hardware from within the plug-in environment of the host sequencer of choice. As with all such standards, this relied for its success on the support of mainstream audio software manufacturers. Cakewalk and Sonic Foundry were early adopters of the protocol, which clearly pleased Yamaha, but the Apple Mac side took longer to get going, which meant companies such as Emagic and Steinberg were reluctant to get involved. Fortunately, with Mac OS X, it's a different story, as Yamaha's computer audio specialist Nick Howes explains.
"Now with OS X and its COM-like interface structures (COM is the Microsoft Component Object Model system, which OPT uses), Yamaha have been able to port OPT over to the Mac platform, and expect to have cross-platform OPT implementations of many products, such as Studio Manager, released this year. The integration this will provide a previously unheard-of level of hardware control from within a software sequencing environment for products like 01X, and other mLAN-based devices such as the Motif ES/mLAN16E. OPT will give us the total recall scenario with 01X that everyone wants for both the internal mixer and the remote layers, and will obviously benefit products like the 01V96 as well.
"Additionally, we have a Windows XP (and soon Macintosh) network driver due to debut at NAMM, and using this, the 01X will be able to send and return aux effects over mLAN to mLAN hardware devices, such as the Kurzweil KSP8. All four auxes can be routed in this way (the internal effects can be bypassed)."
Studio Manager
Yamaha's Studio Manager can be run as a stand-alone application or as a plug-in within any environment that supports the OPT (Open Plug-in Technology) format described in the box (facing page). Studio Manager allows routing and other mixer functions to be set up on screen, and also acts as an external library for any saveable settings. Using Studio Manager, it is also possible to copy settings from an 01X channel to its plug-in counterpart and vice versa. Studio Manager is particularly useful for setting up new patching assignments, as the 01X's long, narrow display isn't well suited to displaying the type of routing matrix we've come to expect in other Yamaha mixers. Effects may also be edited using Studio Manager.
Effects And Processors
The 01X features dynamics processing on every channel other than the stereo input, with a choice of compressor, expander, compander or ducker/gate. A dynamics library comes with the usual bewildering raft of presets, but editing is very straightforward, with full control over Threshold, Ratio, Attack, Release, Gain and Knee (in compressor mode). Parameter views can either show multiple parameters for the selected channel or a single parameter for all channels.
The effects sends are set up so that auxes 1 and 2 feed external effects, while sends 3 and 4 are, by default, reserved for feeding the internal effects, though all the sends can alternatively be routed externally via mLAN to be used as digital aux sends, as described in the box on OPT. Again, there's a whole library of effects to choose from, with a sensible number of editable parameters per effect. Both blocks have a similar repertoire of effects starting with numerous high-quality reverb algorithms, which cover all the usual room, hall plate, early reflection and non-linear varieties. There's also a good selection of mono and stereo delays and echoes, all the standard chorus/flange/phase/panner/tremolo modulation effects, plus Yamaha's own classic Symphonic Chorus. These are augmented by pitch-shifting, rotary-speaker emulation, ring modulation, filters and distortion/amp simulation. These single effects are also accompanied by a useful selection of dual effects which are mainly delay or reverb in combination with one other effect. The repertoire also includes multi-band dynamics, stereo reverb and a comprehensive stereo, three-band multi-filter. As far as I can tell, these effects are identical in structure and quality to the ones used in the 01V96 mixer and other recent Yamaha digital desks. Subjectively, all these effects are clean and clear, aside from those distortion effects that are clearly not meant to be, the pitch-shifting is as good as can be expected and the reverbs stand up very well alongside mid-price hardware units.
