Audio Engineering Society
Chicago SectionMeeting Recap - March 20, 2013
AES
Chicago Section Meeting Notice
Meeting Date: March
20,
2013
TOPIC:
Tales
from the Transition – A Console on the Edge
PRESENTER:
Frank
Wells
LOCATION:
Shure
Incorporated
5800 W. Touhy Ave, Niles, IL 60714 -
Directions below
ABOUT
THE PRESENTATION:
As
an early adopter of sample accurate digital editing, digital
processing chains in mastering, full-spectrum monitoring, digital
multi-tracks, and in-house customization of gear, Masterfonics
Studios in Nashville championed quality audio and helped lead the
digital revolution. Using the facility as a case study, the
discussion will cover lessons learned on analog audio paths,
digital conversion, timing, latency and delay compensation. A lead
character in the tale will be a particular SSL 4000E console that
bore the brunt of the studio’s pursuit of audio excellence, from
replacement of many thousand components to being relegated to the
role of controller through a marriage with the ATT DisQ digital
mixer core.
ABOUT
THIS MONTH’S SPEAKER:
Frank
Wells is the current president of the Audio Engineering Society,
and editor of the professional audio news monthly, Pro
Sound News.
An
AES member for over 20 years, Wells has had stints as Chair, Vice
Chair and Secretary of the Nashville section and as VP, Central
Region, USA and Canada. He is also a founding board member of the
industry self-help non-profit corporation, the Nashville Engineer
Relief Fund and helps oversee its annual funding event, the Audio
Masters Benefit Golf Tournament.
His technical career began in the USAF where he worked as a radio technician. In 1982, he received a BS degree from Middle Tennessee State University in Mass Communications, graduating Suma Cum Laude with a Radio/TV/Film emphasis. He worked as Chief Engineer of MTSU’s public FM radio station for six years, also working part time as Chief Operator for other area stations.
In 1988, Wells became Chief of Technical Services for Glenn Meadows’ Masterfonics Studios. For the next decade, he oversaw all technical aspects of what grew to be a seven room, two building recording and mastering facility. His duties included equipment installation, maintenance and operational training, and management of the technical staff. Studio Six was added to the main location during Wells’ tenure at Masterfonics. He also oversaw the construction of, and developed the technical infrastructure of, the 3.5 million dollar Tracking Room studio for Masterfonics. On the side, Wells also built and maintained real-time cassette copy systems for Nashville record labels and publishing houses, and designed and implemented custom circuitry, modifications and other solutions for various studios, engineers and recording artists.
In 1997 Wells became the founding editor of *Audio Media, USA*. In 2000, he joined the staff of *Pro Sound News*, also overseeing the *AES Daily* for the US conventions and developing and overseeing seminar programs like the SPARS/UEM BizTech conferences, the Surround conferences and Surround Music Awards and AES workshops including the 2009/2010 AES Nashville Recording Workshop + Expo. He is also now Editorial Director of *Pro Audio Review* magazine.
