SonicScoop’s AES 2015 Preview and Highlights
This year, the Audio Engineering Society is back in New York City, bringing the 139th International AES Convention to the Big Apple from October 29th to November 1st.
Whether you’ll be there to learn, buy, sell, network, or just socialize, there’s reason to expect that the 139th will be a little extra special.
Perhaps in recognition of the rare total solar eclipse & super moon that occurred in NYC last month, AES organizers chose to place the convention right on top of Halloween. Expect mixers to come masquerading as mastering engineers, audio post pros in live sound rat costumes, and studio owners disguised as interns.
For the occasion, SonicScoop has compiled a 2015 AES Preview just for you. And if you have inside information about something we missed, don’t be shy: Add it to the comments section below.
Getting There
Crowds await entrance to the show floor at the last AES convention in NYC convention
More than anything, the simple fact that you can now take the 7 train directly to the Javits Center should transform your AES NYC experience.
That’s right, the Javits is still in the middle of Manhattan’s version of nowhere, but at least you can take a magic carpet ride there.
Simply take the 7 train to the 34th Street – Hudson Yards station, and emerge a block away. With 7 train stops in Times Square, Bryant Park and Grand Central Station, NYC hotels and night life are instantly accessible.
Complete directions can be found on the Javits Center website.
AT THE JAVITS
Depending on your mental makeup, you either go for the gear first, geek out for real with the academic program, or save your energy for the countless afterparties at great studios all around town. Here are some highlights to look out for in each of those three categories.
Eye of the storm: The AES show floor from 2013 quietly awaiting a flood of visitors.
THE SHOW FLOOR
SonicScoop will have a booth for the first time ever! Stop by and see us at #967, or BE SQUARE. And don’t forget to pick up your discount card for 15% off any tutorial from the SonicScoop content network.
Soundtoys will be debuting SoundToys 5 at booth 556.
TransAudioGroup will be re-launching the beloved Aurotone Reference Monitors at booth #935.
The iZotope booth, 819, will be your first chance to see their new RX Post Production Suite, with its flagship RX 5 Audio Editor.
Crane Song will surely be showing its new Avocet IIA monitor controller and Solaris Quantum DA, both with their just-launched 5th generation Quantum converter. Booth #937.
Slate Digital will be on hand, and the booth (#137) should be swamped once again, this time to see the affordable RAVEN MTi2, with its MSRP of $999.
Offsite, meet the revered Mick Guzauski for a Guzauski-Swist Systems GS3a System Listening Session. There are limited (free) tickets available to hear these groundbreaking monitors at The Log Cabin at Manhattan Center Studios. Talk to the co-inventor and treat your ears at one of Manhattan’s premier facilities on Friday, 10/30 from 4-6 PM. Sign up here.
Many more announcements of new software and hardware are made right at showtime, so keep your eyes peeled. There seems to be a healthy list of exhibitors in attendance at the 139th, all listed here.
PANELS AND PRESENTATIONS
The AES is going big with the brains this year: Even the Empire State Building will announce the presence of the 139th Convention, as it will be lit blue and white on Thursday, October 29 in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the FM Master Antenna. It’s a reminder that world-changing research is truly sparked by the AES.
The Technical Program of the 139th is impressive. The AES is going to admirable lengths to widen the show’s range, and appeal to engineers of all levels and age ranges. There is far too much going on from October 29th – Nov. 1st to list, so be sure to visit the program’s home page as a reference. Some of our highlight picks include:
Opening Keynote Speech by Oculus Chief Scientist Michael Abrash – “Virtual Reality, Audio, and the Future” will be laid out by a pro who should definitely know. Thursday, 10/29, 1:00 PM.
Platinum Engineers, Platinum Producers, Platinum Latin Producers & Engineers & Platinum Mastering – Real-world success is a stipulation for appearing on any of these panels. Hear the good, bad and the ugly experiences of the best and the business, and what it means for your own career moving forward. “Platinum Engineers” is hosted by SonicScoop Editor Justin Colletti on Friday, 10/30 at 1:30 PM.
Technical Tours – Wanna get away? There are 10 technical tours this year, so if you need a break from the Javits Center be sure to sign up for one. We suggest getting to Sear Sound if you haven’t already on Friday 10/30 from 10:30-1:00 PM or the Thomas Edison Museum on Saturday 10/31 from 4:00-8:00 PM, but many other key audio locations beckon from across the NYC landscape.
Tutorial T13: History and Overview of the 1073 Mic Preamplifier/EQ — The mic pre of The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Queens of the Stone Age, Jason Mraz, and millions more goes under the microscope in a panel led by BAE Audio’s Mark Loughman.
Workshop W2: Mixing Music – A mélange of live sound and studio pros, including George Massenburg, Buford Jones of Meyer Sound, and Shawn Murphy will put some expertise in your ear.
GRAMMY SoundTable: After Hours – Mixing for Late Night New York — The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing works tirelessly in the best interests of audio pros, as evidenced by this year’s annual GRAMMY SoundTables event. The crazy logistics, art and science of mixing for “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” and “Saturday Night Live” are dissected by moderator/famed bassist Will Lee and a killer panel.
Your Credits, Your Money, the New Data Standards and DDEX —What YOU Need to Know! – Also from the P&E Wing, an essential panel on capturing the metada in the studio that ensures audio pros get paid. New data standards, a metadata collection application, and information about their future impact will all be covered.
The Game Audio Intensive Workshop – While not an official AES event, this is one to get to, although seats are almost sold out. Hosted by The Essential Guide to Game Audio co-authors Steve Horowitz and Scott Looney, this is serious exposure to the audio side of a $15 billion industry. It will run from 12-7 PM on Sunday, 11/1.
Spatial Audio Demo SA4: Sounds Across the Sea, A Journey in 9.1 Immersive Audio & SA7: Immersive Audio Demos and Listening Sessions at NYU – In the former, international colleagues Morten Lindberg and Daniel Shores take attendees through a surround audio adventure at the Javits Center. In the latter sessions, SA7, the dedicated facilities at NYU’s Steinhardt school serve as the venue, hosted by NYU’s Paul Geluso and Agnieska Roginska.
W7 – The X-Factor in Audio – We’re definitely intrigued by this all-star workshop, which goes beyond the bits & bytes to discover the “magic” that makes a session special.
NIGHT LIFE & AFTERPARTIES
You’re welcome to head back home and crash after all the excellent activities at the Javits itself, but the social fabric of AES is a massive part of what makes this convention so essential. And the aforementioned new 7 train stop makes it that much easier to grab a much deserved cocktail. Social highlight include two major afterparties sponsored in part by SonicScoop:
AES Afterglow – Vintage King takes care of its friends in a different way at the famed Afterglow. This year’s event may very well may be the most memorable yet, since its being held at the spacious Dimenna Center for Classical Music at 450 West 37th Street – on Halloween no less (Saturday 10/31). Still, this party always fills up fast, so RSVP ahead of time and show up as close to the 6 PM start time as you dare!
Sinners & Saints – For pure listening pleasure and outstanding views of Times Square, Quad Studios at 723 7th Avenue will be the place. Also on Halloween, from 6 PM to midnight, live music “Sontronics Sessions” and multiple studios with advanced Augspurger monitoring systems will make your ears extremely happy. RSVP here, then pick up your pass at Professional Audio Design booth #654 at the show.
There will doubtless be many more fiestas, large and small, at studios across Manhattan and Brooklyn, so keep your phone powered up. A big part of the fun is discovering gatherings at the last minute, and letting NYC whirl you round and round – there’s no better city in America for going on adventures.
We’ll see you at the 139th AES!
-David Weiss
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