Audiophile Naija

Preamp / Pre (short for preamplifier). Preamps are a big deal! I had to establish that first seeing that a lot of audio heads are firm believers that a great recording starts with a good preamp; this in turn has resulted in the success of some audio interfaces or mixer consoles over others. Some companies like Behringer even go as far as using preamp designs from other manufacturers more renowned for making quality preamps on their own devices, like the X32 line that features Midas preamps. So how much should one spend to get a good preamp? Do “follow come” preamplifiers that ship with audio interfaces and mixers fare well when compared to separate single unit pres or channel strips? Is a $4000 preamp significantly better than the cheaper ones? Can a preamp help a bad performance made in poor acoustic conditions sound better? Are preamps just over hyped? This two-part write up is designed to give you a more accurate understanding of preamps so as to help you make a ...

Okay, I promised myself I wont quote the notoriously famous “jack of all trades, pro at none” line in this post – I just did that didn’t I? Damn! Anyway, this is a dicey topic as the key factors to be considered such as mental ability, opportunity and financial income vary amongst individuals and greatly influence ones decision to either specialize or do all. Clearing The Myths Before we start talking about specialization, we have to look at what people can actually specialize in from a realistic stand point. I’m not saying you cannot go into sound design for games or movies or even be an audio software engineer in Nigeria, all I’m saying is have a spare car for Uber, you’ll be needing it to make ends meet. My point is, from a lucrative point of view and assuming all your clients are going to be from Nigeria; music production, audio engineering , mixing and mastering  are the most realistic areas of specialization as long as audio production is concerned. Sound design, film ...

S/PDIF, ADAT, AES/EBU - do these names ring any bells or do they sound like the gibberish of an infant? Even a passive observer might have seen these names on the rear panels of pro audio gears; but one thing's for sure, digital audio formats have been around for quite a while. That said, this post will take a look at their history, functionality and relevance in today's world of bedroom studios and online sensations to see if indeed they are of any use. HISTORY Many years ago, the Audio Engineering Society (AES) and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) came together to develop a standard for digital audio exchange between audio devices. This standard known as the AES3 was first published in 1985 and it allows two channels of digital audio data to be streamed via one single XLR cable. Prior to AES3, commercial electronics giants Sony and Phillips had come up with a similar exchange protocol for consumer audio devices called S/PDIF (Sony Phillips Digital InterFace). Phy...

So I did a little research on the Nigerian slang "awoof" and guess what? I still wasn't able to find its origin (hehee), but I luckily stumbled upon this phrase "awoof dey run belle", cool. But there's one awoof I know of that has no purging side-effects, shall we? Solace House Media is an audio production outfit that has consistently made concerted efforts over the years to diversify the Nigerian audio industry. You will see their footprints in popular music, movies, video games and even audio e-commerce in the likes of  SHM Pro Audio . Apparently, they still want more diversity and have taken the bold step of creating their own  Audio Sample Pack , something hardly seen in the Nigerian audio realm. They went as far as sampling a vintage drum machine of the early 90's to capture it's rich and retro sounds so that today's producers can add that feel to their recent works. The  Yamaha RY10  is a highly praised rhythm programmer, deliver...

Growth is key to every establishment, like a parent expects his or her kids to advance in stature and maturity so are the expectations for any forward thinking enterprise. Humour me on this, a child with kwashiorkor grows too right? Right, but this kind of growth is seen as a condition because it's not holistic in nature, some parts are enlarged while others shrunken. That may not be the most graphically pleasing example to cite, but one thing is for sure, healthy growth is all encompassing. The Nigerian Entertainment industry is a fast growing one, from artists being treated as riff-raffs, to commandeering huge crowd turn ups and becoming idols for a teeming youth desperately in search of hope. As practitioners in this industry, it is our duty to ensure this growth is "all encompassing" so everyone is carried along. We love our stars, but is there a place for the star makers? Is there a community where they can share ideas? Can they help each other ensure longevity ...