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MIX MAGAZINE – Analog Tape Is Back!

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

Bryan Lenox: “You’d be amazed with the difference in Michael [W. Smith’s] singing because of hearing himself analog in the playback.”

BRYAN LENOX
Nashville-based Bryan Lenox has extensive engineering, production and programming credits in the enormous Christian music community, including several albums with top-selling artist Michael W. Smith. Until recently, all the albums Lenox had cut with Smith were recorded digitally, but for Smith’s next, still untitled album (due this fall), the engineer made the bold move back to tape—sort of. Actually, Lenox is one of a growing number of people who have adopted the Endless Analog CLASP (Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor) two-rackspace box that, as Mix’s technical editor Kevin Becka explained in a rave review of the product in our June 2010 issue, “offers an easy, cost-effective way to integrate analog tape into digital production workflow by literally turning any tape machine into a DAW plug-in processor.”

“This has been life-changing in terms of how I view recording,” says Lenox, who has his own mix room called the Bird House in a larger facility known as The Coop, owned by another popular Christian artist, Toby McKeehan (better known as tobyMac). “CLASP is a device that allows you to record to analog tape by taking an instant virgin transfer off the repro head [of the recorder] into your DAW, whether it’s Pro Tools or Nuendo or whatever, Mac or PC. And the way it works, your mic pre’s and your inputs come into CLASP, and it splits it—one’s a hard-wire split that goes straight to your mixing console as you’re playing, if you were on ‘input’; the other split goes to the 2-inch machine or 1-inch or whatever you’re using and it takes it off the repro head so the amount of time the sound is on the tape is very, very brief. It only stays on there as long as it goes through the record head and out the repro head because then it’s instantly transferred into whatever DAW you have. But it’s on there long enough to get the benefits of tape compression and whatever it is that sort of glues the sound together.

“Another thing that’s been remarkable,” Lenox adds, “is back in the old days, without the CLASP you had to choose either 30 inches per second or 15 inches per second, and that’s it; you’re locked in at that tape speed. Well, CLASP allows you choose to record the drums at 30 ips in the verse and 15 ips in the chorus if you want, or you can go down 7½ or 9 or 12; whatever you want. So for the first time you’re able to really use any speed you want and you can quickly compare between the speeds and choose the one you want. We’ll audition as we’re going along and it’s remarkable for the guitarist or bassist to be able hear how it sounds at different speeds.

“You’d also be amazed with the difference in Michael’s singing because of hearing himself analog in the playback. We’ve also lowered some of the keys so his voice is bigger and he’s a lot more expressive. All in all, it’s had a huge impact on the performances—we’re making a much more emotional album.”

Smith was evidently impressed, too. He bought the CLASP box after the sessions and now it can be an ongoing part of his (and Lenox’s) recording arsenal.

DAVE COBB
“I use tape every day,” says L.A. producer/engineer/musician Dave Cobb (Shooter Jennings, Brooke White, Oak Ridge Boys). “It’s funny because I was one of those people who about eight years ago slowly stopped using tape. I thought digital sounded fine, you can work faster, more conveniently. But the records that have really inspired me the last couple years have been very, very tape-centric. I think Jack White is kind of killing everybody right now—he’s the guy who is making the coolest-sounding records around, whether it’s the Dead Weather or The Raconteurs; he’s the guy to beat right now. His records sound honest and real, and in a way he’s making something that is very traditional sound modern and exciting again.

L.A.-based producer/engineer/musician Dave Cobb says he uses tape every day.

“I just did a record in Nashville by these two girl singers—the Secret Sisters [Laura and Lydia Rogers of Muscle Shoals, Ala.]—and the whole record is supposed to sound ‘period,’ like it’s from 1957 or something. So, of course, I wanted to go analog on it, but if I turned in a budget that said ‘12 grand for tape,’ people would have a heart attack. That’s the way it used to be—you would allot $10,000 or $12,000 dollars for tape. Nobody gets that anymore.”

ONLINE EXTRAS

READ:
Dave Cobb Recording Shooter Jennings’ Black Ribbons

For Cobb, too, CLASP aided his return to the sonics of analog tape. “It’s changed my work flow dramatically,” he comments. “CLASP allows me to use the same tapes—my favorites are these old [Ampex] 456 reels I use over and over—and dump each take I do immediately to Pro Tools. I like to do pre-production in the studio where tape is rolling the whole time while bands are working out the songs, and I couldn’t do that if I strictly stayed on tape unless I had a huge budget and a big pen to mark down the times between each take and what was special about them and all that. The CLASP allows me to run tape, keep creating playlists inside Pro Tools, and then when I’ve got what I need I just comp it together.”

For the Secret Sisters’ forthcoming album, which was cut at Blackbird, Cobb also enlisted ’50s Nashville players like steel player Robbie Turner and pianist Pig Robbins for that extra dose of retro authenticity, and he used “old-school” tape effects: “One thing I don’t ever go without is tape slap,” he comments. “I use a lot of slap and feedback slap and distorted slap and reverse tape stuff and flanging. I have two 2-track machines in the control room so I’m constantly messing around with those. For instance, a 15 ips slap always works with any tempo of any song for some reason. I don’t know why it is, but you can put it on the drums or it will help to tie a vocal with a track. Even if you barely hear the slap and it’s buried, it still has a way of making the vocal sit. My heroes are people like Geoff Emerick and Glyn Johns and Andy Johns, who really pushed the limit with tape effects. I think there’s nothing that beats them. There’s no digital box you can buy, no plug-in that sounds like a tape slap.”

ANALOG TAPE SUPPLIERS
ATR Magnetics
RMGI

Blair Jackson is the senior editor of Mix.

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NASHVILLE SCENE – The Innovations Issue

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

Reel Time

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click to enlarge

Aleks Sennwald

Note to all audio engineers: Hope you held onto your tape machines, because as they languished in garages around the country as digital advancements won the day, Nashville engineer, producer and musician Chris Estes was scheming to make them relevant again. Two patents issued last month are proof he may have just blown the dust off a nearly extinct breed of deteriorating gear.

His invention: the CLASP system, short for Closed Loop Analog Signal Processing, or a fancy way of saying that he figured out how to make the predictable but clinical Pro Tools and the unreliable yet thrilling vintage tape play nice. Previously, merging the two in the studio was a lot like Elizabeth Taylor and men — a big hit in theory, but incredibly time-consuming and tedious in real life, and almost always regrettable.

Many studio folk consider two-inch tape the recording medium of the gods, but when Pro Tools took hold in the early ’90s, it bewitched with its more efficient, dependable and cost-effective appeal. In short, it made analog look like your grandpa’s way of doing things. But music aficionados still mourn the loss of analog’s more honest sound, in spite of its high-maintenance reputation.

CLASP, which Estes spent some five years finessing, not only promises all the benefits of analog’s pleasing electromagnetic charm, but throws in digital’s speed and ease of use. Plus, it extends the working life of tape, now in shorter supply with only two manufacturers worldwide and a price tag of $289 a reel.

"”With CLASP, tape is no longer linear or destructive,” Estes says. “You’re not actually storing on it. It’s just used as the medium.”

With tape as the puppet and digital as the master, it’s the best of both worlds. And it couldn’t come at a better time: Artists like Jack White still champion analog’s superior sound, and vinyl sales just jumped 33 percent in 2009 from the previous year, proof that just when you thought the analog vs. digital debate had exhaled its dying breath, it’s been resurrected.

Estes already has a number of marquee clients, with the likes of Lenny Kravitz using the system in his Gregory Town Sound studio, Taylor Swift producer Nathan Chapman and Neil Young producer Niko Bolas on board, and a few dozen clients on the coasts and overseas.

It’s been adopted by a handful of Nashville producers, but CLASP has been met with skepticism and befuddlement from some locals. Perhaps Music Row — itself slow to embrace Pro Tools once — is now so devoted to digital that it isn’t sure if there’s enough room for both formats in town. Not so with engineer Brian Kolb.

"”It’s a dream,” Kolb said on a recent visit to studio The Mix Dream, owned by producer Dave Brainard, where Kolb was in the midst of recording Ray Scott, a country crooner coming off a Warner Bros. debut. Kolb’s been recording in Nashville for a decade, using Pro Tools for eight of those years, and can recently boast the mixing credit for Jerrod Neimann’s third studio album Judge Jerrod & the Hung Jury, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard last month.

“We were cutting at Ocean Way, and our drummer came in, who’s one of the best in the world,” Kolb recalls. “And he smiled when he saw the tape machine and said, ‘I’m gonna have to play good today, aren’t I?’ And I said, ‘Well, of course you are, but we can still punch,’ ” he says, referring to the process where the artist re-records a specific part of a take. With tape, when you punch, you lose the previous version, for better or worse. With CLASP, you can record a new take (or portion thereof) while preserving the old one, and you have the freedom to do it over and over. “He said, ‘Really?’ And the other guys were just like, ‘What?’ We still had all the benefits of tape, but we weren’t confined to it. We could still try things.”

Kolb figures Nashville’s resistance is fear of trying something new. Or maybe they just can’t understand how the thing works — Estes’ patents were initially rejected twice by the patent office; it took an in-person demonstration in D.C. for them to understand that he wasn’t just creating a new tape machine.

"”A world-class engineer at a studio took me out in the hallway and argued with me for half an hour saying it was physically impossible,” Estes recalls. “He said I must have invented the flux capacitor for this to work.”

That’s because the real trick of Estes’ innovation is time stamp manipulation of each digital audio file. Just don’t ask what that means unless you want a lesson in engineering, physics and a little time travel.

"A demonstration from Estes with an acoustic performance by Ray Scott had Scott’s voice, a mischievous baritone, go from Randy Travis to Johnny Cash with the flip of a switch. Or as Scott puts it, “All I know is he makes me sound better. Digital stuff slams, but it loses all the feeling.” Lucky for him, he’ll never have to choose between the two again.

—Tracy Moore

Tags: Analog Tape, CLASP Analog Tape Recording Pro Tools DAW Integration
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SONIC SCOOP – Endless Analog Demos Its Dream-Come-True CLASP at Avatar NYC

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

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August 5, 2010 by Janice Brown
Filed under Tech Scoop

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MIDTOWN MANHATTAN: Nashville-based producer/musician/inventor Chris Estes demonstrated his revolutionary Endless Analog CLASP system in Avatar’s Studio G on Monday. The session featured ace-of-bass and producer Jerry Barnes laying down some of his thick, low-end goodness to Pro Tools HD via 2” tape and the CLASP.

The CLASP hardware unit is installed between your mic pre’s, DAW and tape machine.

Since the CLASP is such a newfangled, first-of-its-kind product, there’s a lot to understand about what it does and how it works. There are several great reviews and testimonials on the system here and plenty of information to answer any and all questions you may have. But here’s the gist:

CLASP (Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor) consists of a hardware unit that is installed between your mic pre’s, DAW and tape machine (pictured), and the native Bridge plug-in (RTAS and VST), which you open on any track in your DAW session and use to control the tape transport.

These days, most recordings being done to tape are then dumped into the digital realm for editing and mixing. CLASP allows for a totally hybrid workflow, where analog recording and overdubs are done in real time, controlled with the speed and efficiency of digital, and all audio is stored in your DAW, minimizing tape usage. You can use one reel of tape to record an entire record, or several records for that matter.

CLASP essentially allows the tape machine to be used like a plug-in. You control the tape machine and switch between tape speeds stored in the CLASP right from your DAW. And you can monitor analog in repro mode. See the CLASP connection diagram here.

CLASP's Bridge plug-in

The elevator pitch to engineers via Endless Analog’s website: “CLASP provides sample accurate tape synchronization with zero latency analog monitoring while delivering a true analog front end recording solution for Pro Tools.”

Seeing the CLASP in action, its functionality seems instantly essential. It totally streamlines a process that needs streamlining and will allow so many more people to utilize analog tape as part of their production.

At Avatar, the CLASP hardware unit was connected via MIDI to the Pro Tools HD rig and through an Endless Analog proprietary cable to the 24-track Studer A800. Once the tape machine was aligned and synchronized to the Pro Tools session at both 15 ips and 30 ips recording speeds via CLASP, Barnes tracked a bass line and then monitored off the repro head to select his preferred speed.

During playback, Estes pointed out: “Being able to monitor in repro is a really great thing for getting drum sounds, for example, because you can make judgment calls about what tape speed you want to use for a particular song.”

Chris Estes explaining the CLASP signal/workflow

“You can have it on whatever speed and then have the drummer play, mute his headphones, and then listen off the tape in Pro Tools. And you can make decisions about levels and EQ and things like that based on what you’re hearing.

“You can have the tape rolling while the drummer’s playing and, starting with the kick drum, you can bring the level up to find the sweet spot — right where we get just the right amount of tape compression — and dial it in so when you go to do your recordings, there are no surprises.”

CLASP stores information for up to three different recording speeds. Estes relayed to the group: “In a lot of sessions we’ve done so far, people will record the drums at 30 ips, then they’ll go back and re-cut the bass at 15. Then they’ll cut electric guitars at 7½, which sounds really great if the machine is aligned properly. With this [A800] machine, you’d vari-speed it down as far as you can get it and then do an alignment for that.”

“And if you wanted to use varispeed to overdub just a Tom Fill at 15IPS and have the rest at 30?” engineer Roy Hendrickson asked.

“You’d use the sync I/O in Pro Tools and vari-speed Pro Tools up,” says Estes. “So to make the toms sound bigger you’d vari-speed Pro Tools up and do the tom fill, put it back normal, and then the toms would be huge.”

Demo group at Avatar, Jerry Barnes at right

Estes also points out you can daisy-chain up to three CLASP hardware interfaces and synchronize three 24-track tape machines for a total of 72-channels of recording. You can use CLASP with 24, 16, 8 or even 2-track machines, you can combine different machines and tape speeds for different tones. In addition to Pro Tools, CLASP also works with Nuendo and Cubase.

But there’s even more to know…here’s Estes on-the-spot rundown of CLASP’s main functions and features:

1) First of all, the CLASP is a precision measuring instrument, which functions as a sample-accurate synchronization device, so it’s able to profile the tape machine, analyze the ballistics of the machine, calculate to the sample what the latency of that machine is — taking into consideration the transport, the flutter, etc. Then, it’s telling Pro Tools to change the time stamp of the audio that’s coming into the converters.

So, while you’re recording, the meters are actually late but then when you watch the wave forms as they’re going down, Pro Tools is drawing them in relationship to the grid in the correct time. So it’s an actual time stamp, you can take the session to another studio and you don’t have to have the CLASP. You only use the CLASP when you’re cutting tracks.

2) The CLASP is seamlessly controlling the tape transport for you invisibly in the background. It works a lot like the Quick Punch mode — it looks at the track-arming status and as soon as you have tracks armed and you start the Pro Tools transport, the CLASP, analog machine and Pro Tools Quick Punch all start recording simultaneously in the background. It’s extrapolating from the Pro Tools transport and track-arming status. So even though you might have punched in late, you can peel back audio with tape now. Which is impossible otherwise.

3) You don’t have to rewind the tape until you reach the end of the reel. In this case, it’s counting down from 30 minutes (@15 IPS), so you’d only have to rewind every half-hour or so.

4) You now have latency-free analog monitoring. We’re monitoring here through the master-grade analog hardware of the CLASP, not Pro Tools.

5) CLASP compensates for the converter delay times. If you’re using Apogee 16X converters with Pro Tools, for example, that’s 62 samples of converter latency at 44.1, so you simply type in 62 samples in the offset and then everything you play is perfectly in time with where it’s supposed to be when you play it back.

After the demo at Avatar, engineer Roy Hendrickson shared his impressions with us:

“I think what Chris has done here is quite brilliant. The fact that he is getting Pro Tools to record these files into the DAW with an adjusted time stamp is genius.

“And once you’re finished using CLASP and you go back to using Pro Tools normally, there are no side effects, there’s nothing you have to change about your workflow. You don’t have to move your files and it does all those little tweaks that you’d normally have to do — like re-compensating for things like delay manually — this takes care of all that for you in a really elegant manner so you don’t have to worry. You can concentrate on the performance.”

On the Endless Analog website, Chris Estes and Endless Analog VP Amy Becker Estes ask us to: “Imagine experiencing analog tape recording as fast, effortless and timesaving as Pro Tools.” The CLASP system, which Estes started developing out of his garage in Nashville over five years ago, makes this idea – once Estes’ daydream – a reality.

Endless Analog’s CLASP system is available now from Vintage King for $7,495.

Visit www.endlessanalog.com and www.vintageking.com/Endless-Analog-Clasp for more information!

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AES NEWS – Dave Cobb Chooses Endless Analog’s CLASP® for Secret Sisters

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

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Nashville, TN — Los Angeles-based producer, engineer and composer Dave Cobb has worked with some of the biggest names in neo-traditional country and roots music – Shooter Jennings, Oak Ridge Boys, Waylon Jennings, Jamey Johnson and Brooke White, to name a few. He recently discovered a promising young sister act, The Secret Sisters, composed of Laura and Lydia Rogers. As producer of the group’s upcoming debut album, which is being overseen by Executive Producer and GRAMMY®-winning roots music legend T-Bone Burnett, and set to be released on Universal Republic, Cobb is using the opportunity to masterfully match the Sisters’ unique vintage sound, reminiscent of classic late 1950s country-pop, with period-accurate recordings. A huge piece of that puzzle is Endless Analog’s CLASP® (Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor), the critically acclaimed pro audio product that invisibly merges real Analog Tape with Pro Tools and other DAWs.

Cobb first became aware of CLASP through online recording forums.

"It piqued my interest immediately,” notes Cobb, “because I’ve always been into tape, and matching it with Pro Tools in this seamless way makes a really convenient, fast and easy workflow. CLASP seemed like the perfect marriage of the two. It lets me just work, and not have to think! Designer Chris Estes from Endless Analog gave me a demo at my L.A. studio, and I bought it on the spot. I’ve always had two-track tape machines, but lately I wasn’t using them quite as much. But now that CLASP has come along, it has completely solidified my workflow, and I’m back to using tape machines all the time.”

The Sisters’ project provided the perfect opportunity for Cobb to put the CLASP to great use. The album’s tracking sessions are taking place in Nashville at Blackbird Studio A, and Cobb made sure to go to every length to attain the classic sounds they were seeking. “We used a bunch of Universal Audio mic pre-amps, old RCA ribbon mics, Neumann U48s – all very period-correct stuff,” he recalls.

"There’s something really pleasing and honest about records from the 50s, 60s and 70s. CLASP enables us to get that classic sound with modern convenience. We used super-minimal mic-ing, period-correct compressors, instruments and setup, and gave the studio a vintage atmosphere. Really, the only difference in the way we tracked it now versus how they would have done it 50-plus years ago is that we have computers to act as a big storage device. With CLASP, we’re able to use one roll of tape, and just constantly hit ‘tape,’ and immediately it’s transferred into Pro Tools. We even used live slap going down to the chambers, and we were able to print it all to tape just as they would have done back then. All the sounds are coming from the rooms, the performers, the mics, the vintage mic-pre’s, and the tape, just like years ago. Pro Tools for us is a storage and editing medium only.”

He points out how CLASP has made their faithfulness to the vintage sound possible. He notes,

"If we’d done it before CLASP came along, we’d have spent probably $12,000 on tape alone, but with CLASP, you only need one roll. We were able to keep every pass we did on the computer – not that we needed a ton of passes – but we were able to keep them all and easily comp between those passes with the convenience of Pro Tools. And we were able to get the classic analog tape sounds without spending a fortune on tapes.”

As Cobb continues to work on projects at his L.A.-based 1974 Studio and elsewhere, he will be sure to keep CLASP as an integral part of his signal chain. He states,

"I don’t have to use plug-ins anymore to try and get the sounds I’m looking for. CLASP opens the doors to sounds that just don’t really exist in the digital realm. Classic-sounding records with modern convenience, that’s what CLASP allows us to do.”

About CLASP
CLASP is the world’s first and only pro audio hardware that lets you record on real analog tape with digital speed. CLASP provides sample accurate tape synchronization with zero latency analog monitoring while delivering a true Analog front end recording solution for Pro Tools. Already being used by top artists, producers and engineers worldwide, CLASP is re-inventing analog for the digital age. CLASP is employed by a diverse range of artists, engineers, producers and facilities, including Lenny Kravitz (at his new Bahamas-based Gregory Town Sound recording facility); Michael W. Smith; Denis Savage, engineer for Celine Dion; producers Nathan Chapman, Dave Cobb, Chuck Ainlay, John Fields and Tom “T-Bone” Edmunds; and studio facilities such as Clearwater, Florida’s Cleartrack Productions, Los Angeles, California’s Hemispheres Recording and Austria’s Prime Studios. Analog tape manufacturers recommended by Endless Analog for use with CLASP include ATR Magnetics and RMG International.

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EQ MAGAZINE – Endless Analog CLASP Review

Saturday, July 24th, 2010

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Bridging the Gap Between Analog and Digital Recording

by Grace Larkin

On Tuesday, July 6th, San Francisco’s Studio Trilogy held a two-hour demonstration of the newly released Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor, also known as CLASP. Five years in the making, CLASP is a breakthrough way to incorporate analog tape into digital production through turning any tape machine into a DAW plug-in processor. In other words, this product reduces rewind time as well as tape cost, allowing for the same reel to be used for an entire recording, running the reel front to back before rewinding. The release of this form of hybrid analog/digital technology is overwhelmingly exciting in the production world, and I was lucky enough to experience the processor in action.

Inside the studio, CLASP inventor, Chris Estes ran the show, explaining to various recording engineers, journalists, and curious faces like myself how the thing really works. Estes sat behind the control panel, with all of us over his shoulder, and effortlessly executed a live session with Bay Area band The Trophy Fire, a three-piece group willing to lay down a track with Estes while he simultaneously explained the process as they went. The band (guitar, bass, and drums) played through the song one time instrumentally, felt they had the cut they wanted other than a 5-second guitar punch-in fix, and were on to the vocals.

Because the major part of the recording went by so smoothly, and because the equipment was equally flawless, Estes was able to show us some of CLASP’s cool secrets. One feat was CLASP’s ability to jump between tape speeds on the fly to audition and then print, even mixing speeds in the same project – something that’s impossible in a production recorded exclusively on analog tape. Why is this important? Gino Robair, former editor of Electronic Musician and now contributor to Keyboard magazine, says, “In general, the faster the tape speed, the higher the fidelity. On the other hand, the slower the tape speed, the more old-school the sound becomes—rounded transients, beefier bass frequencies, and a bit more oomph. Because everything is, ultimately, sent to disk when using CLASP, you can do a recording pass of the vocals at, say, 30 ips (inches per second), and then do the lead guitar at 15 ips to fatten the tone. During the session at Studio Trilogy, Estes demonstrated the sonic differences that changes in tape speed make and the results were remarkable. It’s the kind of sound we all want from plug-ins, but never seem to get.”

The tape machine ran throughout the session, and it was hard to believe the digital side of things was really going to be fluidly integrated with this large piece of analog equipment. Beyond our expectations, though, Estes lay on the last vocal cut, mixing the final product with a sound so pristine it had us all drooling for our own Endless Analog/CLASP. Quick, easy, and professional beyond all expectations, the CLASP setup proves to be the biggest breakthrough in recording technology we’ve seen in years. Learn more about the equipment and how it could work for you at www.endlessanalog.com.

claspp

Me with CLASP inventor Chris Estes and the CLASP.

becker estes 0710

CLASP inventor Chris Estes and Vice President Amy Becker showcasing their new CLASP product.

Tags: how to integrate analog tape with a DAW
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ELECTRONIC MUSICIAN CLASP REVIEW – The Next Big Thing Uses Yesterday’s Technology

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

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Gino Robair

Although it’s hard to resist the convenience of a digital audio workstation, nothing beats the way analog tape colors sound. It’s a format that makes guitars, bass, and drums sound huge, while smoothing out the voice like butter.

It’s common for engineers to record to multitrack tape to reap the benefits of tape compression and tone, then dump the tracks into a DAW for tweaking and mixing. Unfortunately, tape is an expensive format to use in terms of the blank media—reels can cost as much as $250 each. Considering that you get only 15 to 30 minutes of recording time per reel (depending on tape speed), if you do multiple takes of each song, it can amount to quite an investment.

The million-dollar question is, How do you get the warmth that tape offers, while maintaining the convenience and lower media costs of computer recording?

Nashville-based engineer Chris Estes has an answer. His company, Endless Analog [www.endlessanalog.com], has created CLASP, which, in a nutshell, bounces audio signals off of analog tape before going to disk, but without latency issues.

Fig. 1 (Click to download a high-res PDF)

CLASP, which stands for Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor, combines a 2U hardware matrixing device with a native plug-in (VST, AU, RTAS) interface that, together, routes audio signals through your tape machine—onto and immediately off the tape itself—before sending the results to your recording software. The hardware box provides the no-latency monitoring environment, while the system time-stamps the audio files so that they are sample-accurate with the other tracks in the session, correcting for the amount of time it takes the audio to go through the entire signal path.

I attended a demonstration of CLASP at Studio Trilogy in San Francisco this week, where Estes was tracking a song by Bay Area band The Trophy Fire. It was easy to hear the difference of the tracks played before and after hitting the tape—that part wasn’t such a big deal. What really knocked me out was the efficiency of the workflow: The tape machine and the Pro Tools session were being controlled simultaneously from the computer keyboard as if they were one and the same. I was witnessing a major breakthrough in recording technology, but it was as if nothing special was happening: Everything ran smoothly. I kept thinking to myself, “This is how things should work.”

Of course, its not trivial to make something like this happen. Before I further describe CLASP, let me mention one important detail: you only need to rewind the tape when it reaches the end. The first thing you notice during a session using CLASP is that the engineer never shuttles the tape back and forth, or rewinds between takes. The engineer simply hits record on the DAW and the tape machine immediately begins rolling until the take is stopped. It doesn’t matter whether you’re recording an entire pass or doing a quick punch-in, the process is the same. The tracks you’re recording only use the tape media for a short amount of time—equal to the distance between the record and playback heads—before being sent directly to your A/D converters and onto your disk drive. (Of course, you can rewind the tape at any time by pressing the large rewind button on the CLASP Bridge plug-in in your DAW, but it’s not at all necessary.)

If you’ve used a tape deck, you know how much time is spent rewinding and how much wear that puts on the tape. With CLASP, you can play the tape from top to tail without multiple rewinds in between, so the tape lasts longer and you can reuse it for other projects. Wouldn’t you rather amortize the price of that $250 reel over several album projects?

The hardware/software integration behind CLASP is ingenious, from the signal flow to the control system. The input signals coming from your board are sent to the CLASP hardware unit where they are immediately split: one set of signals goes to the tape machine, the other set goes back to the monitoring inputs of your board (see Fig. 1). It’s these latter signals that give you the no-latency monitoring. Consequently, as you record, you’re not hearing what’s coming off the tape machine: You’re hearing the sound from the board. You can certainly audition the sound from the tape when you’re setting levels, but you’ll hear the straight analog signal as you’re tracking.

A single CLASP hardware unit handles 24 tracks, with analog I/O on D-sub connectors for input, tape send, DAW return, and monitoring. The system supports tape machines by Ampex ATR, Otari, Studer (800-827), 3M, Sony, Tascam, and MCI (JH-series), and an optical tape sensor is available for synchronizing the system with other playback machines.

From your DAW, you use the CLASP Bridge plug-in to control everything. Among other things, the plug-in keeps track of how much time you have left on the tape, and if you are not paying attention and the tape runs out, CLASP automatically rewinds the tape for you. The plug-in window and the hardware unit have countdown timers that display the amount of time remaining. Remarkably, if you change your tape speed, the counter updates automatically.

The ability to combine different tape-speeds in a single session is one of the interesting benefits of CLASP. In general, the faster the tape speed, the higher the fidelity. On the other hand, the slower the tape speed, the more old-school the sound becomes—rounded transients, beefier bass frequencies, and a bit more oomph. Because everything is, ultimately, sent to disk when using CLASP, you can do a recording pass of the vocals at, say, 30 ips (inches per second), and then do the lead guitar at 15 ips to fatten the tone. During the session at Studio Trilogy, Estes demonstrated the sonic differences that changes in tape speed make and the results were remarkable. It’s the kind of sound we all want from plug-ins, but never seem to get.

Mind you, the technology isn’t cheap. The street price for a CLASP system is $7,495, which isn’t surprising because Endless Analog is a U.S.-based, boutique pro-audio manufacturer, and CLASP systems are built by hand in short runs. “CLASP is a high-end piece of gear,” Estes explained to me. “We use the highest quality components available to support features such as our non-switching, dual-linear power supplies and our transparent audio monitoring signal-path.

“If you think about it,” he noted, “for studios or individuals who have made a substantial investment already in analog tape machines that have been in moth balls for many years, CLASP is a way to bring those machines out of retirement to recoup on the original investment, all the while getting the sonic benefits of recording on tape. Additionally, it gives commercial recording facilities something unique that people cannot get at a typical home studio.”

For less than the price of a Pro Tools TDM system, you get a device that eliminates the time you’d spend transferring everything from tape to disk, while increasing productivity and drastically reducing tape costs. Imagine telling prospective clients they can record to tape, but they’ll only need one reel.

Check out Kevin Becka’s excellent review of CLASP at mixonline.com, where he goes into greater detail about the features and takes the system for a spin at the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS) in Tempe, Arizona. But you really have to see and hear CLASP in action. Check the Endless Analog Web site for upcoming demos, which no doubt will include Mix Nashville in September and the AES convention in San Francisco this November.

Tags: how to integrate analog tape with a DAW
Posted in Press, Product Reviews

Endless Analog Appoints Vintage King Audio As Exclusive U.S. Retailer

Monday, June 28th, 2010

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Nashville-based Endless Analog, developer and manufacturer of the CLASP (Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor) system, has appointed Vintage King Audio, a leading dealer of high-end new and vintage recording equipment, as its exclusive U.S. retailer for its CLASP system. Endless Analog president Chris Estes made the announcement.

Additionally, potential purchasers will have the ability to demo the CLASP system in Vintage King’s facilities as well as in Infrasonic Sound Recording Company—Vintage King Audio’s showcase facility in Los Angeles—and Media Right Productions in New York City.

"The appointment of Vintage King Audio is part of a comprehensive business plan that positions the next stage of growth for Endless Analog,” states Estes. “Vintage King is the acknowledged leader in boutique and classic audio products, which makes them a perfect fit to carry CLASP. Their staff is exceptionally well trained and uniquely qualified to offer Endless Analog’s product line, and their contacts and reputation in the industry are second to none. We look forward to working with Vintage King to spread the word about CLASP and analog/digital hybrid recording.”

"Vintage King is reaffirming its place as an industry leader by carrying the CLASP,” states Mike Nehra, Vintage King co-owner and Sales Director. “The CLASP’s revolutionary technology bridges the gap between classic analog recording and modern digital workflow; it’s a cutting-edge innovation that our clients will undoubtedly jump at the chance to work with. Vintage King is incredibly excited to offer them the opportunity to do so.”

The CLASP is a hardware and software system that seamlessly integrates analog tape recorders with digital audio workstations using a proprietary method called SST (sample synchronization technology). CLASP delivers an analog front-end recording solution offering the character of a tape machine while eliminating the delay associated with digital AD/DA converters. Endless Analog founder Estes created the CLASP in order to address the need engineers had for using DAWs in a familiar workflow while still getting the benefits that analog circuitry and real tape have to offer.

Infrasonic Sound will integrate a CLASP system into its existing setup (including the Rupert Neve 5088 console that the studio acquired from Vintage King last year), using CLASP with its three Otari units. CLASP will be available to all those tracking at the studio as well as any Vintage King clients interested in previewing the unit.

"By integrating The CLASP into our workflow at Infrasonic, we’re able to stay completely committed to the best of analog recording while taking advantage of the speed and fluidity of digital recording," says Infrasonic co-owner and Vintage King Los Angeles sales representative, Jeffrey Ehrenberg. "The majority of the sessions we have at Infrasonic track to tape, including the recent session my partner Pete Lyman completed with No Age [Sub Pop]. With the CLASP, we’ll save our clients’ time and money by eliminating consuming tape transfers and excessive tape costs. Additionally, the CLASP enables us to preserve the larger-than-life sound that you can only achieve when tracking to tape, yet edit, comp and tweak as today’s digital productions are accustomed to. I’m looking forward to not only using it myself, but giving Vintage King clients the opportunity to experience what it’s all about firsthand."

Read Kevin Becka’s review of Endless Analog’s CLASP system in the June 2010 issue of Mix.

For more information, visit www.endlessanalog.com, www.vintageking.com/Endless-Analog-Clasp and infrasonicsound.com. To schedule a demo, contact the Vintage King sales department at 248/591-9276.

Posted in Press

MIX – Endless Analog CLASP Signal Processor Review

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

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By Kevin Becka
Five years in the making, CLASP (Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor) represents an exponential leap forward in hybrid analog/digital technology. It offers an easy, cost-effective way to integrate analog tape into digital production workflow by literally turning any tape machine into a DAW plug-in processor. CLASP drastically cuts rewind time and tape cost because the tape is only used for momentary throughput. This lets you use the same reel for an entire project and run the reel front to back before rewinding. CLASP even pulls some new analog tricks out of its hat, offering the ability to jump between tape speeds on the fly to audition and then print, even mixing speeds in the same project—something that’s impossible in an all-analog production.

CLASP’s simple front panel provides access to essential system functions and a large countdown display.

For this review, CLASP was integrated into an existing studio comprising an SSL 4056 E/G console, a Studer 827 2-inch analog machine and Pro Tools HD2 Accel running on a Mac Pro with 6 GB of RAM, Mac OS 10.5.8 and Pro Tools Version 7.4.2cs4. Conversion was through Apogee Rosetta 800s clocked by an Apogee Big Ben.

GETTING A GRASP OF CLASP
CLASP is a well-built, two-rackspace box with a large countdown LCD and five backlit function switches for tape rewind (RTZ), sync mode (SYNC), tape speed auditioning (MON), post-stop recording (POST) and machine speed alignment (IPS). The countdown display indicates the remaining time on the reel and can be set to beep as the reel end approaches.

ONLINE EXTRAS

READ:
CLASP in Use At Lenny Kravitz’s Gregory Town Sound Studio

READ:
Signal Flow Diagram

The back of the unit carries enough D-sub connectors for 24 tracks (12 D-subs), a 15-pin machine control port, XLR sync in/outs and MIDI in/outs. There is no minimum requirement for tape tracks; CLASP will operate using analog machines capable of anything from mono up to 24 tracks and can be daisy-chained for up to 72 tracks. Add an optional optical sensor, and an older machine (without a 15-pin transport control port) can also be used.

The key to understanding CLASP (see the signal flow diagram) stems from its signal flow and how the system time-corrects audio. Analog signals from your mic preamps, console or your DAW are recorded through CLASP to tape, then immediately routed off the playback head into your workstation because the deck runs in repro. Due to the head gap delay between record and playback, CLASP cleverly uses plug-ins to time-correct and re-time stamp the audio. The system is sample-accurate: It doesn’t need SMPTE timecode for sync, so all 24 analog tracks are simultaneously available for recording.

It’s important to understand how CLASP accomplishes access to the Pro Tools software. CLASP uses a USB-MIDI interface and HUI protocol for machine control and track arming. For Pro Tools delay compensation to work with the CLASP hardware, it requires 24 mono master faders in the Pro Tools session, each carrying a CLASP plug-in. I used Apogee converters, which—among others—don’t correctly communicate with Pro Tools Delay Compensation. To fix this timing mismatch, an offset number for the Rosetta’s delay was added into the CLASP Bridge plug-in. (For more on working with Pro Tools delay compensation and third-party converters, go to mixonline.com.) These workarounds are unnecessary for users with Cubase, Nuendo or Logic systems, as CLASP can easily gain access to MIDI Machine Control.

UP AND RUNNING
Initial setup was simple. CLASP integrated via the patchbay using TT-to-D-Sub harnesses, plug-ins were loaded into the system and a CLASP-specific session template was created. The 24 master faders used for time correction were hidden via the Show/Hide list, making the session look like any other. Whether the session was from scratch or pre-existing, importing the needed CLASP session components was easy.

Apart from the 24 other plug-ins used in Pro Tools, the CLASP Bridge plug-in is a single instance that can sit on any channel. It offers access to rewind, arming and other essential functions for system operation. I ran a quick one-time setup operation, in which the hardware figures out the difference in time between the record and playback heads and stores it at different speeds. (The system holds setups for up to three machines.)

D-sub connectors give you the ability to record up to 24 tracks through CLASP.

HYBRID HEAVEN
I spent the first day with CLASP in a session recording a six-piece band. Drums were in an iso booth while the rest of the players were taken direct or miked in the large main room. Cue mixes were built from the CLASP outputs, which offer the same listening experience as hearing input on the analog machine: zero latency, before the converters. Levels were set, and the session ran from Pro Tools with CLASP running in the background. After the initial tracks were cut at 30 ips, new Pro Tools playlists were created on all tracks and another pass was run at 15 ips. The difference was remarkable. The bottom end on the kick, low toms and bass was thicker, with more saturation at the top end and, of course, more tape noise. After some discussion, the 30 ips pass was kept and the bass and vocal were auditioned and re-cut at 7.5 ips. This particular singer’s voice benefitted from the lower tape speed, and the bass took on a richness and symbiosis with the kick that was not apparent at the higher speed. Because of the mix of the speeds, the noise wasn’t as intrusive as it was when the entire track was cut at the lower speed.

Another session involved re-cutting drums on an existing track. The CLASP-specific plug-ins and master faders used in the previous session were imported into this day’s session, and I was up and running in no time. Levels were set and I put CLASP into Demo mode to audition tape speeds. As I was listening straight off the uncorrected repro feed from the machine, it necessitated killing the cue feed to the drummer. While the drummer was playing, I could drop out of Record on the analog machine, change tape speeds, engage Record and hear the difference. I can’t say enough about this feature. It lets you audition the “effect” and change levels to tape accordingly. It’s much like changing the settings on an EQ or compressor on the fly.

Once out of repro-only mode, I could sync to the track and re-cut the drums. The drums were first cut at 30 ips, then I created new playlists for the second pass and cut at 15 ips. Just for fun, I then dropped down to 7.5 and did the same. CLASP’s front panel buttons make this a simple operation: Choose the desired speed on CLASP, change the machine’s speed and you’re off.

Once the drums were cut, we started experimenting with the rest of the track—which had been cut directly to Pro Tools a year before. I created an ADT (automatic double tracking) effect on the vocal using the interface. This is similar to how it was done in the 1960s: using a secondary tape machine set at a different speed. I didn’t need a second machine because I re-recorded the vocal to a new track through CLASP at a slower speed. The difference in the head gap created a great double. I tried a few different speeds until I nailed it and moved on.

Another great trick? I took some interesting guitars that unfortunately had a nasty digital edge to them and tamed them down by re-recording them through CLASP. This corrected the edginess, giving the tracks a roundness that was easier to tuck into the mix. This particular technique was an “a ha!” moment for me, seeing the possibility of tweaking the sonics of tracks not previously recorded to analog tape.

WOW AND WONDER
The only problem with CLASP is that it’s harder to describe than to use. At first, it’s tough to grasp the concept, but once CLASP is in your session, the wow and wonder of your first encounter with pro audio is revived. During sessions with live musicians, I was easily jumping between tape speeds, auditioning and changing levels to tape based on what I heard, then printing that directly to Pro Tools. It was easy to re-record original digital tracks back through CLASP for color, create ADT, run tests at different tape speeds—all while having a blast. The system quickly reminds you about the beauty of tape’s effect on transients, low frequencies, cymbals, vocals, guitars and more, especially at slower speeds. The workflow was sonically and functionally inspiring because CLASP puts the tape machine behind the curtain, letting the session run just as it would with the DAW alone.

Like other early releases of new technology, CLASP is costly. However, the payoff for home and commercial studios with tape machines in mothballs, or those looking to put their own unique creative stamp on their work, is worth it. And the timing is perfect: The used audio gear market is rife with tape machine bargains from 2-tracks on up. Plus, the arguments that good tape is no longer available or too costly no longer hold water. I bought 10 reels of RMGI 900 2-inch and the formulation is as good or better than any BASF, Ampex or Quantegy tape I’ve used. There was a time when this wasn’t true, but the market has reset itself and there’s plenty of good tape out there from ATR and RMGI. In all my years of writing product reviews, I’ve gotten excited about great products from time to time, but this is something more: It’s a concept whose time has come. If you get a chance, try CLASP for yourself and rediscover your love of sound.
Kevin Becka is the technical editor of Mix.

Posted in Press, Product Reviews

MICHAEL W. SMITH RECORDS NEW ALBUM ENTIRELY WITH ENDLESS ANALOG’S CLASP SYSTEM

Sunday, May 16th, 2010

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by Clyne Media

Nashville, TN (May 14, 2010)–Working on material for his next album, contemporary Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith was introduced to the CLASP Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor system.

CLASP was developed, manufactured, and is exclusively distributed by Nashville-based Endless Analog, and Smith has reportedly become an ardent fan of the system. Grammy-winning producer/engineer Bryan Lenox has also been using the system, and together Smith and Lenox are integrating CLASP into the way they track and mix, aiming to make Smith’s next album a landmark album sonically.

“If there’s a downside to the digital revolution, it’s that we lost the warmness of what tape did. It makes a huge difference on some of the old records,” notes Smith. “But CLASP bridges both worlds, getting that big warmness of tape and being able to operate that in Pro Tools or another DAW. You have the brightness and fatness of two-inch tape, which you can run at 30, 15 or 7.5 ips – and the streamlined workflow of digital. I’m in the middle of making a new record, and we are using this piece of technology, and it’s pretty much blowing my mind. I’m so glad I didn’t sell my tape machine 20 years ago–it’s back in my studio and operating along with the CLASP, and it’s rocking.”

Smith notes that the CLASP has been useful for him as he tracks vocals. He adds,
“Every time we use CLASP, I am impressed, because it brings out the right sounds and colors. I’ve got a love song on the new record for my incredible wife called ‘Forever Yours,’ and obviously I’m recording all the vocals with CLASP. The tone is wonderfully warm, and it perfectly complements the song’s melody and lyrics in a special way. The vocal is so present that there’s no denying what you’re hearing, because you feel like you can almost touch it, it’s that present.”

Tags: analog recording, Analog Tape, Analog Tape recording DAW Pro Tools Integration CLASP, CLASP Analog Tape Recording Pro Tools DAW Integration, Michael W. Smith, Pro Tools
Posted in Press

BROADCAST ENGINEERING – Endless Analog Founder/President Chris Estes Addresses the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Arizona

Friday, May 7th, 2010

— Inventor-manufacturer of CLASP® (Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor) provides unique insights into analog recording and the use of CLASP, effectively bridging the worlds of digital and analog —

NASHVILLE, TN, May 7, 2010 — The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS) recently hosted two days of workshops and seminars with Chris Estes, Founder/President of Endless Analog, the Nashville-based manufacturer and distributor of the revolutionary, critically acclaimed CLASP® (Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor). Estes led four in-studio sessions at CRAS, where students and faculty were given the unique hands-on opportunity to experience CLASP and learn Estes’ insights on analog recording, ranging from tracking methods right through the final mix. Drawing upon his vast experience on both sides of the glass and as an inventor, Estes discussed analog recording and worked closely with the Conservatory’s Director of Education Kevin Becka and Conservatory Technician Jeff Harris for the sessions. Estes used CLASP to merge Studio A’s Studer A 827 analog recorder and the Pro Tools HD system into a singular system.

“Our time with Chris and CLASP was a mind blower for both faculty and students,” commented Kevin Becka. “CLASP is an inspirational piece of gear. It gives artists, engineers and producers an incredible array of tools for cutting great sounding tracks. We were easily able to audition and record tracks at different tape speeds during a session, giving us the ability to do overdubs with more or less tape saturation depending on the instrument. Students could easily hear the quality difference between straight digital recordings and tracks cut through CLASP.”

CLASP is a hardware and software system that integrates Analog Tape Recorders with Digital Audio Workstations using a proprietary method called SST® (sample synchronization technology). CLASP delivers a true analog front end recording solution with the sonic character of the user’s tape machine. No other product comes close to approximating what CLASP effectively accomplishes. CLASP is employed by a diverse range of artists, engineers, producers and facilities, including Lenny Kravitz (at his new Bahamas-based Gregory Town Sound recording facility); Michael W. Smith; producers Nathan Chapman, Dave Cobb, Chuck Ainlay, John Fields and Tom “T-Bone” Edmunds; and studio facilities such as Austin, Texas’ Yellow Dog Studios, Los Angeles, California’s Hemispheres Recording and Austria’s Prime Studios. Analog tape manufacturers recommended by Endless Analog for use with CLASP include ATR Magnetics and RMG International.

“I am very impressed with the Conservatory’s faculty, students and curriculum,” stated Chris Estes. “CRAS has a vibrant, dedicated pool of students and renowned instructors with a passion for recording. The school offers an excellent way for these talented individuals to get their start and education in the recording industry. I am proud to have been able to address them, and I am thrilled with the support they have shown for the CLASP system.”

Based in Tempe, Arizona, with a satellite campus in Gilbert, Arizona, The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences is a premier audio recording, sound engineering and music production school teaching both analog and digital recording concepts from day 1 of their 30-week program. Every Conservatory student learns tape alignment on Otari and Studer 24-track tape machines, and the Conservatory has eight studios running both 24-track analog tape and Pro Tools HD 2 TDM systems. Over 800 students a year go through the Conservatory’s program, and in 2010, the Conservatory had 27 students credited on 55 GRAMMY®-nominated records with six GRAMMY winners on albums from Green Day, Booker T. Jones, Beyoncé and more.
For more information, please visit http://www.endlessanalog.com.

Posted in Press

MIX BLOG – The Future Is Analog

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

By Kevin Becka
I spent two days this week with CLASP cutting tracks with live musicians in the SSL room at the Conservatory of Recording Arts. The system allows you to record through analog tape, coming off the repro head and immediately into your DAW. It was a mind-blower and more fun I’ve had in the studio in a long time. It made me realize how one-dimensional digital recording has become and how I’ve gotten into the habit of settling for poor results.

In my career, I’ve seen the pendulum of our business swing from analog to digital, and now back to an analog/digital hybrid that marries the best of both worlds. I record on a regular basis using a lot of great mics, preamps, plug-ins and monitors. And while excellent audio gear can shape a track in many positive ways, the weakest link is digital conversion and what the digital mix engine does inside the box. Using tape again brought that ear-friendly component back, even after conversion, making the tracks mix easier and offering a palette of sonic color that is lost in conversion straight from the mic.

CLASP turns your conception of analog workflow upside down. There’s no rewind time and tape cost is cut dramatically because you’re not using it as a format but instead, as a medium. You can monitor off the repro head at different tape speeds on the same take so you can make judgements on how hard to hit the tape, what speed is best and then mix and match speeds and saturation over a series of overdubs, on the same song. The end result is dramatic and discernible, even to the untrained ear.

During two days of sessions, I invited enginers whose ears I respect, students, even non-audio folks and to the last person, they “got it”. They could hear the difference in the bottom end, the musicality of tape and how it effected their perception of the music. The musicians also loved it, urging on the experimentation. It became a shared peak musical experience: the best part of music production.

To read more about how CLASP can be integrated into a studio’s workflow, check out my interview with Lenny Kravitz and his audio team. He owns two systems and uses it across a range of tape machines. Since October, inventor Chris Estes has sold 21 systems, about one a week, and sales are strong. With all the bad news in our industry including studio closings, plunging budgets not to mention crappy music, CLASP is a bit of good news for audio pros who got into this business because of the sound of music.

Tags: CLASP Analog Tape Recording Pro Tools DAW Integration
Posted in Press

PRO SOUND NEWS – Chapman Adopts CLASP

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

Nathan Chapman Adopts CLASP 03.31.2010
by Clyne Media

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Nashville, TN (March 31, 2010)–Award-winning producer and multi-instrumentalist Nathan Chapman recently purchased the CLASP (Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor) system.

Chapman recently garnered an Album of the Year Grammy for his work on Taylor Swift’s album, Fearless, and has twice won nominations for Producer of the Year by the ACM. He has recorded as a multi-instrumentalist for artists, including Trisha Yearwood and John Oates, written songs recorded by Martina McBride and other hit country artists, and produced artists ranging from Jewel to Point of Grace.

CLASP was developed, invented, manufactured and is exclusively distributed by Nashville-based Endless Analog. Chapman says that CLASP gives him the ability to tap into analog warmth on his classic MCI 24-track deck and still have all the speed and convenience of his Pro Tools DAW.

"The thing that put me over the edge would be the direct monitoring,” he explains. “When you hook up the CLASP system, the singer is hearing their vocal instantaneously. You’re not dealing with converting in and out of Pro Tools and the latency you get from that. It’s miniscule latency, but it’s significant enough to make a singer uncomfortable. This totally eliminates that; it’s just easier to sing, it’s easier to play, and that’s a really good thing.”

He continues, “The vintage microphones, pre amps, compressors that we love [were] designed to hit tape and have that color added to it. You have to hit tape [or else] you take away one [critical] ingredient that the original designer intended. I find that my preamps and my compressors open up and they sound better when they’re getting the tape ‘love.’ The really important thing that CLASP is bringing to modern recording is helping vintage gear sound like it’s supposed to.”

Tags: how to integrate analog tape with your DAW with CLASP
Posted in Press

ENDLESS ANALOG APPOINTS CLYNE MEDIA TO LEAD MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS INITIATIVES

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

ENDLESS ANALOG APPOINTS CLYNE MEDIA TO LEAD MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS INITIATIVES Clyne Media, Inc. March 10th, 2010 — Inventor-manufacturers of CLASP® (Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor) look to increase media exposure and market share —

NASHVILLE, TN, March 10, 2010 — Endless Analog, the Nashville-based inventor, manufacturer and exclusive distributor of the revolutionary, critically-acclaimed CLASP® (Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor), announces the appointment of Nashville- and New York-based firm Clyne Media, Inc. to handle its directed marketing and public relations. The announcement was made by Chris Estes, Endless Analog Founder and President, and underscores Endless Analog’s commitment to its marketplace.

CLASP is a hardware and software system that integrates Analog Tape Recorders with Digital Audio Workstations using a proprietary method called SST® (sample synchronization technology). CLASP delivers a true analog front end recording solution with the sonic character of the user’s tape machine. Currently, no other product comes close to approximating what CLASP effectively accomplishes. CLASP is employed by a diverse range of artists, engineers, producers and facilities, including Lenny Kravitz (at his new Bahamas-based Gregory Town Sound recording facility); Michael W. Smith; producers Nathan Chapman, Dave Cobb, Chuck Ainlay, John Fields and Tom “T-Bone” Edmunds; and studio facilities such as Austin, Texas’ Yellow Dog Studios, Los Angeles, California’s Hemispheres Recording and Austria’s Prime Studios.

“We are thrilled to have Clyne Media on board as our PR team,” stated Estes. “Robbie and his group have a great reputation throughout the industry, with the right experience and expertise to greatly assist us in our ongoing media and sales efforts. Clyne Media will be a key element to help us increase brand awareness and capitalize on high-profile installations of CLASP by leading artists, producers and engineers — they will undoubtedly be an enormous asset for our company and end users. We are certainly on the same wavelength, and Endless Analog is looking forward to this partnership.”

Clyne Media is one of the nation’s premier specialized marketing communications/media relations agencies, serving the needs of leaders in the high-technology electronics and entertainment market sector and related industries. The company will pursue new editorial opportunities on behalf of Endless Analog and help focus public relations efforts with industry editors and independent journalists worldwide.

Agency President/CEO Robert Clyne will handle the account management, while dedicated company staff will cover media relations, technical writing, editing and other marketing communications initiatives.

“We are very excited to be working with Endless Analog,” Robert Clyne commented. “Their CLASP product is one-of-a-kind, and their principals are clear innovators with a revolutionary vision for the future of audio and the integration of digital and analog recording. They are the type of client with whom we are proud to do business, and an excellent addition to our current client roster.”

For more information, please visit http://www.endlessanalog.com.

Posted in Press

MIX MAGAZINE – Lenny Kravitz’ Gregory Town Sound & CLASP – Cover Story

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Lenny Kravitz’s personal studio is built 100 feet from the beach on eleuthera Island in the Bahamas, a 110-mile- long sliver of land 50 miles east of nassau. “I’ve always loved my roots,” says Kravitz. “My grandfather was born on an island called Ingua, the most southern Bahamian island closest to cuba. My parents used to send me down here for summers;we’d come here for christmas and holidays.” as if locating the studio in a caribbean para- dise wasn’t enough, Kravitz stocked it with a dream collection of gear collected throughout his career. From the start, Kravitz always knew the sound he was going for, which started his analog love affair. “I started recording at [henry hirsch’s] waterfront in 1985 or ’86, and I knew I wanted to make a certain kind of record,” Krav- itz remembers. “I saw the way technology was going in the late ’80s. records were sounding very processed—it was all about those big gated drums and everything sounding unnatural; in some cases, it was cool for different artists, but it didn’t work for me. I knew I wanted an intimate- sounding album.” Through his association with hirsch over a number of albums, Kravitz would be introduced to and then buy the gear that cre- ated his desired sounds. Gregory Town Sound started as a garage built by Kravitz to protect some of his belongings dur- ing hurricane season. It is a ranch-style concrete structure poured in place with a cantilevered roof. “It’s the most amazing studio that I’ve worked in, and it has the gear I’ve been collecting for 20 years,” says Kravitz. “It’s an incredible place to be creative.” also being an interior and furni- ture designer, Kravitz started with an aesthetic in mind and then brought in Miami-based acousti- cian and designer ross alexander, who has been doing studio integration and design since 1981. “what I do is put on paper what I want: wood here, cork there, do this and that,” says Kravitz. “Then ross does his mathematical measurements and tells me what I can and cannot do. From there, I can go forward with that design or change out a specific material so I’ll get the sound I want.” It’s the gear that shines at Gregory Town Sound, where vintage signal flow is king. It starts with an all-star array of mics from Schoeps, neu- mann, coles, aea, Sennheiser, Telefunken, Shure, aKG and more. all can be recorded through the studio’s wrap-around helios console or an eMI- designed reDD 37 once owned by abbey road and used in Studio 1. “The helios was henry’s choice,” says studio manager, gear and guitar tech alex alvarez about hirsch’s positive influ- ence in Kravitz’s gear-buying decisions. “[Kravitz] purchased a helios and was trying to go after more of a Stones and Zeppelin sound. That started off around the Circus album when we went that route.” after the Circus album, Kravitz sold the console and bought a strawberry-red he- lios from 10cc, which had some key components missing and ended up being racked for optimal use. Kravitz bought the current helios at Gregory Town Sound from leon russell about seven years ago. It sat for two years in a locker and then was refitted by tech Dave amels before it came to the Bahamas. The reDD 37 was purchased 18 years ago by Kravitz, who was urged to make the leap by hirsch. “Lenny had to take every dime he just made,” says alvarez. “he hadn’t sold a million al- bums yet and he took a chance at it.” other vintage gear is housed in the racks and includes eQ and dynamics processors from API, Fairchild, eMI, rca, Universal audio and retro. (For a complete list of lenny’s gear, visit mixonline.com.) Speakers are ATC ScM200 aSl and B&w nautilus 805 monitors, among others. The studio also has a collection of analog multitrack machines including a Studer c37 2-track, a J37 4-track once owned by abbey road, an 827a 24-track and an a-80 2-track, as well as a 3M M79 with 16-track headstack. There is also a Pro Tools system with apogee converters clocked by antelope audio.
The newest piece of gear is endless analog’s closed loop analog Processor (CLASP), which ties the analog recorders and Pro Tools together. “we have five machines now in the studio,” notes alvarez. “Three machines are dedicated to CLASP, the other two are for delay ef- fects.” Kravitz likes CLASP because he can use his tape machines as he would an ef- fect, jumping between tape speeds and machines. “I can say I’m going to record the drums through the 3M, or take my vo- cal and go through the Studer or the eMI. I get to pick and choose track by track, and then I’m in Pro Tools through my converters. I’ve finally got the best of both worlds.” CLASP stores setups for three machines, and CLASP creator Chris Estes is custom-designing an accessory for Kravitz that relay switches between his three machines with the click of the mouse. apart from alvarez (who wears many hats at the studio and on the road), the rest of the team at the studio includes engineer T-Bone edmonds and guitarist and Pro Tools operator craig ross. when asked about workflow, edmonds says, “we mix as we go. as it comes in, lenny will say I love that or this needs a little bit more top or bottom. once it’s gone through CLASP through whichever tape ma- chine we use and into Pro Tools, craig does what- ever editing and manipulation has to happen. we’ll add a plug-in here or a plug-in there, but normally if we want to change something, we’ll take it back out of Pro Tools and run it through what I call the ‘Juke Box,’ which is my playback system in the helios. I’ll eQ it, maybe run it through a Fairchild depending on what it is I’m trying to do and then send it back to Pro Tools. It’s really a team effort between, Craig, Alex, myself and Lenny.”
As for what’s ahead, Kravitz spoke about going to the oscars and upcoming projects, including a world tour to support his current album in prog- ress, Negrophilia. “I did this movie called Precious, I’m doing another film this spring with lee Daniels and I’m doing a photography show in europe this year.” For now, Kravitz couldn’t be more at home in the Bahamas. “I’m finding that I’m able to get all the sounds I’m looking for. I owe that to ross alexander who did an amazing job on the room. The flow of the writing is going well out here: Be- ing in the middle of nowhere, living a simple life is conducive to writing.” Click here to read the entire article @ Mix Magazine Online

Tags: Lenny Kravitz, The Beatles
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LENNY KRAVITZ KEEPS ANALOG RECORDING ALIVE WITH CLASP

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

" I love the CLASP. It has made it possible to finally use my entire collection of tape machines from the Abbey Road J37 to my 3M M79 and the Studer 827 all at different ips settings. I really like the way I can hit the tape machines as I normally do and instantly be able to edit in Pro Tools, without having to do syncing or bouncing back and forth between the two mediums. I’m happy someone finally figured out how combine tape and Pro Tools and now it is an integral part of my studio setup. Thanks Chris and Amy for preserving analog.”

Lenny Kravitz…

P.S. Tell Grandma I miss her brownies.
( photo credit Mathieu Bitton )
CLASP inventor Chris Estes with Lenny Kravitz in Lenny's new studio Gregory Town Sound.

Tags: Analog Tape, CLASP, Endless Analog, Gregory Town Sound, Lenny Kravitz, Pro Tools, The Beatles
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Beatles 4 track Studer J37 now supported by CLASP

Sunday, November 8th, 2009

It’s official. If you are one of the lucky owners of the classic Studer J-37, you can now use it as your ultimate vintage analog overdub front end solution with CLASP and Pro Tools HD.
“We have had requests from a few high level users who have asked us to support integration of the J37 with CLASP. This is something very special that only a few of the worlds best studios can offer to their clients. Overdubbing with the J37 and CLASP is a unique experience that has never before been possible in the world of Pro Tools. Imagine hearing your Pro Tools overdubs from such a heavy sounding machine. It’s absolutely amazing!”,
says Endless Analog President Chris Estes. The J37 made history as the first studio-quality, multi-track recorder to be produced. The Beatles used the J-37 in the recording of the Beatles’ historic Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album. Beatles enthusiasts and recording artists will now have the opportunity to perform lighting speed overdubs using CLASP with this incredible sounding machine.
Click for more information

Click for more information

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Endless Analog warms up AES New York

Friday, October 30th, 2009

– One of the big hits of last years AES is now shipping–

AES Convention San Francisco
By Nicole Cochran
October 5, 2008

New York – What a difference a year makes! During last year’s convention new manufacturer Endless Analog, Inc. of Nashville showed a prototype of their inaugural product, “CLASP”.

CLASP (Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor) integrates an analog tape machine with a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) for seamless analog recording in the digital domain. Endless Analog is pleased to announce that CLASP is finally shipping to the US market. The product has already been met with rave reviews and various industry awards.

Previously, CLASP had only been shown to a select group of AES members at Ocean Way Nashville. “We know we have a great product, it was good to have that affirmed by others in the industry and share their enthusiasm,” said Chris Estes, president of Endless Analog and inventor of CLASP.
The innovative new product from Endless Analog brought praise from analog lovers throughout the Javits Center including Chuck Ainlay, David Hampton (Prince, Herbie Hancock), Jeff Matulich (Digidesign/Avid Audio), and Denis Savage (Celine Dion). “People are so excited that they can now effortlessly record on analog tape while using Pro Tools because of the seamless integration that CLASP provides,”Estes said. “AES was a great experience for us because we were finally able to demonstrate CLASP working with Pro Tools HD. We overdubbed electric guitar tracks, with CLASP and Pro Tools HD, live on the show floor throughout AES.”

If you would like to arrange a demonstration in your studio call 866-929-4446. The company comes armed with a 2008 Mix Hit award, a PAR Excellence Award and most importantly a licensing agreement with Avid One for use with Pro Tools HD.

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SONIC SCOOP – “Best of AES 2009″ List

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

Best of AES 2009

By David

Endless Analog CLASP – Holy CLASP! What the heck is that? It’s the Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor (CLASP) from Endless Analog. Invented down in Nashville by Chris Estes, CLASP seamlessly integrates tape machines with Pro Tools. It’s that simple, y’all. Yes, it really works. Yes, Pro Tools and tape are now one.

We’re actually afraid this could have unintended consequences, like when the guys in Ghostbusters cross streams on their laser gun thingies, but it may be worth it if we can finally get that real analog sound down on our hard drives.

Click here for the Sonic Scoop Online Link

Tags: Analog Tape, CLASP, DAW, Pro Tools, SYNC
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MIX MAGAZINE – The Well-Accessorized DAW

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

50 COOL ADD-ONS THAT TAKE YOUR WORKSTATION TO THE NEXT STEP

Aug 1, 2009 12:00 PM, By George Petersen

STUDIO ESSENTIALS

“The CLASP (Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor) from Endless Analog (www.endlessanalog.com) turns your 2-inch analog deck into a tape-flavored “plug-in” for your DAW. The system comprises a hardware interface, VST plug-in (one for every channel) and a sync cable. Just run the session from your DAW as usual and CLASP performs real-time, synched transfers from the repro head of your deck.”

Click here for the Mix Magazine Online Link

Tags: analog recording, Analog Tape, CLASP, DAW, SYNC, tape
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Digidesign Grants Full Developer License to Endless Analog

Monday, April 6th, 2009

Endless Analog’s CLASP hardware interface Nashville-based Endless Analog, which manufactures the CLASP (Closed Loop Analog Signal Processor) system, announces that Digidesign has granted the company a full developer license. Endless Analog can now develop and release a certified Pro Tools version of CLASP, heralded by many as a product able to preserve the future of analog recording.
“CLASP is very cool,” says Jeff Matulich, head of Digidesign Developer Partnerships. “We think it will add value to Pro Tools.”
Producer/engineer Chris Estes, the president of Endless Analog, is excited to begin demonstrating how to use CLASP with Pro Tools. “We have performed all of our demos of the product with Nuendo and Logic because we were waiting for full access to the Pro Tools SDK,” Estes says. “Now that we are developing a certified Pro Tools version of CLASP, I hope that audio pros will be assured it does work with all formats.” Estes says he looks forward to working closely with Digidesign as the company rolls out CLASP during this quarter. CLASP is designed to successfully bridge the gap between analog tape and digital recording. Alvin Speights, a Grammy Award-winning mix engineer for artists such as India Arie, Outkast, TLC, Madonna, and Michael Jackson, attended a demonstration of the product. “CLASP is hot,” Speights says. “It makes me want go back to tape. The function of the CLASP makes the tape experience as easy as Pro Tools. I love it!”
Jim “Z” Zumpano, a producer and mixer who owns Zac Recording and Rentals in Atlanta agrees. “CLASP has given my lonely tape decks new ‘reason to live.’ As a studio and equipment owner, I am thrilled that I have regained my $100,000-plus dollar investments in analog.”
Endless Analog states that “with the use of CLASP, analog tape recording can once again become the norm but now can be experienced easily and effortlessly with the use of any Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). Endless Analog’s product allows you to achieve the warm and expressive sound of real analog tape while recording and editing with the speed of your DAW.” For more information, visit www.endlessanalog.com. LINK TO MIX MAGAZINE ARTICLE >

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