MIX Foundation News Archive 2005-2007

2007

PRESS RELEASE—June 5, 2007

Nominees for 2007 Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards Announced by Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio >Click here for the full list...

Video Game Sound makes long-awaited debut in same year as Recording Devices category returns in wake of advances in portable technology—Audio-Technica, Digidesign, PreSonus, and Sennheiser/Neumann lead the way with most nominations

Winners to be announced at sound industry gala, Saturday October 6 in NYC

June 5, 2007—Emeryville, CA—The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio announces the nominees for the 23nd Annual Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards, to be held Saturday, October 6, 2007, at the New York Marriott Marquis, on the second night of the AES Convention. The TEC Awards, sponsored by Mix magazine, is the world’s most prominent forum honoring outstanding achievement in professional audio production and product design.

Nominations in the 16 categories of Technical Achievement (product design) and 9 categories of Creative Achievement (sound production) were made by a select panel of more than 100 audio industry professionals for products and projects released or completed during the eligibility period of April 1, 2005, to March 31, 2007. Online voting opens on August 1, with ballot guides sent with the August issue of Mix magazine, mailed to more than 42,000 BPA-qualified subscribers.

"There's a lot of excitement about the 2007 nominees, which range from classic analog designs to the latest digital technologies," notes Mix magazine executive editor George Petersen. In terms of numbers, Audio-Technica leads the pack this year with four nominations in different categories, followed by Digidesign, PreSonus and Sennheiser/Neumann-all with three technical entries. “One new development,” says Peterson, “is the return of the Recording Devices category, which had been discontinued with the demise of tape. The high-quality disk and solid-state audio recorders debuting over the past year have been well-received by the pro community, and these products deserve recognition on their own."

This year’s nominations also recognize the increasing importance of Interactive Entertainment Sound Production with Activision’s Call of Duty 3, Microsoft’s Gears of War, SCEA’s God of War II, Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2, and Eidos Interactive’s Tomb Raider: Legend.

Projects by John Mayer and the Dixie Chicks received three nominations each in the category of Creative Achievement. The John Mayer production teams received a Record Production/Single or Track nomination for Waiting on the World to Change, a nomination for Record Production/Album for Continuum and a nomination for Tour Sound Production. The Dixie Chicks’ Taking the Long Way garnered nominations in both the Single or Track and Album Record Production categories and Tour Sound Production.

"We are very excited about the upcoming show in New York," says Hillel Resner, president of the Mix Foundation. "As professional audio exerts a growing influence on the wider technology environment, we look forward to not only greater attendance but more attention paid to the people and products behind the sound of entertainment media."

The TEC Awards will be held on the second night of the 23rd AES convention, and is expected to draw more than 700 top audio professionals from around the world. Proceeds from the TEC Awards are donated to organizations working to promote safe listening practices in the music environment, including House Ear Institute’s outreach campaign to teenagers, and audio education scholarships.

For tickets and other information, contact Executive Director Karen Dunn at (925) 939-6149 or karenTEC@aol.com.

The TEC Awards is presented by the Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. In addition to Mix magazine, the professional audio industry’s leading international monthly, sponsors include Intel; Gibson Guitars; Harman Pro Group; Shure Inc; American Music and Sound; and RØDE Microphones.

Click here for the complete list of 2007 TEC Awards Creative Nominees.

Click here for the complete list of 2007 TEC Awards Technical Nominees.

PRESS RELEASE—April 26, 2007

Audio Pros Team Up for 12th Annual Mix LA Open May 14

Leading Manufacturers, Retailers, Production Facilities and Mix magazine to support this charity golf tournament

Proceeds to benefit House Ear Institute and Sound Art L.A.

April 26, 2007—Emeryville, CA—The professional audio industry’s leading production facilities, manufacturers and distributors have signed on to support the 12th Annual Mix LA Open to be held Monday, May 14 at the Malibu Country Club. Presented by the Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio, the charity golf tournament draws many of the Southern California sound community’s most avid golfers. Proceeds benefit the House Ear Institute’s Sound Partners Program and LA-based Sound Art’s educational programs for disadvantaged youth.

This year promises to be bigger and better than ever, thanks to the generous sponsorship of holes and tournament contests. These sponsorships include:

• Longest Drive: Audio-Technica
• Holes: Record Plant and Sennheiser Electronics Corporation
• Longest Putt: Mix magazine
• 19th Hole: Full Sail
• Photo: Harman Pro Group
• Hat: Shure Incorporated
• Box Lunch: The Pass Studios
• Golf Ball: Yamaha Corporation
• Golf Cart: P&E Wing/Recording Academy
• Closest to the Pin: Absolute Music
• Beverage Carts: Sound Design Corporation and Design FX Audio
• Sound: Acme Studio

Besides the traditional Longest Drive, Closest-to-the Pin and Putting contests, there will be a chipping contest alongside the various competitions managed by the ever-popular Pin-Up Golf Girls, who will also supply a Pin-Up Golf Lady Pro driver for the Long Drive ‘Eagle Hole’ par 5 contest. The day concludes with a barbecue dinner and awards presentation, along with a raffle and silent auction. Ed Cherney is back as Honorary Chairman for the event.

Some highlights of the silent auction items include: Studio Time from Sonikwire Studios; headphones from Audio-Technica, Bose and Sennheiser; microphones from BLUE and Shure; Sennheiser Audiophile Headphones; Digital Audio Eyewear from Oakley; and an EXO Studio Monitoring Solution from Blue Sky International. Also up for grabs is a Hagstrom Electric Guitar F200P provided by American Music & Sound; a Lakland bass; a baby Taylor Guitar; a three-month tuition scholarship to the Hollywood School of Rock; a two-night stay at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada; an assortment of fine wines and more.

“We’re thrilled with the pro sound community’s enthusiastic support for this event," says tournament director, Karen Dunn. “Golfers of all levels enjoy the chance to connect with industry colleagues in a beautiful setting, and raise thousands for hearing health and education.”

Sponsorships, foursomes and individual tickets are still available. For more information about these and the silent auction or raffle, please visit www.mixfoundation.org, or contact Karen Dunn at (925) 939-6149 or via e-mail at KarenTEC@aol.com.

The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio, is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, and presents the tournament in conjunction with Mix, the professional audio industry’s leading international monthly. Mix is published by Penton Media.

PRESS RELEASE—April 1, 2007

TEC Awards Announces Three Scholarship Winners

Supporting producers of tomorrow part of Mix Foundation mission

Annual grants to endowment funds, scholarships and student assistance programs at major university audio programs include Berklee College of Music, University of Massachusetts at Lowell, University of Miami, USC and more

April 1, 2007—San Francisco, CA—The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio has announced the winners of its 2007 TEC Awards Scholarship Grant. Now in its 15th year of giving scholarships, the foundation chooses deserving students enrolled in audio arts and science programs. This year’s recipients are Richard Chilcott, Michael Lunoe and Georgios Pesios.

Richard Chilcott is pursuing a degree in Music Production at Ohio University where he is working to bring together the School of Music and the School of Telecommunications in order to create a digital archive of performances from the past 30 years. The project allows audio students to gain experience with the basics of audio restoration and mastering while creating an historic collection of performances.

Michael Lunoe is working on a dual degree at the University of Hartford: a B.S.E. in Acoustics and Music as well as a Music degree in Percussion Performance. Lunoe plans to work as both an acoustician designing musical instruments and pro audio equipment while maintaining a profile as a performing musician.

A junior at the City College of New York, Georgios Pesios is finishing a degree in Music and Audio Technology. The Bulgarian native is certain that recording, mixing and mastering is his vocation. Future goals include “winning the AES International Student Recording Competition 2007, a TEC Award and a Grammy.”

Also receiving annual grants from the Mix Foundation were endowment funds for audio and music students at a number of the country’s most prestigious colleges and universities, including Berklee College of Music, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Middle Tennessee State University, University of Miami and University of Southern California.

In addition, grants for scholarships and student assistance programs were made to the AES Educational Foundation, Society of Professional Audio Recording Services (SPARS) and Sound Art L.A., which provide programs in music and sound production to inner-city youth.

All the contributions were made possible through monies raised by the TEC Awards and the annual Mix L.A. Open Golf Tournament. For more information on the TEC Awards Scholarship and other educational activities of the Mix Foundation, call Karen Dunn, Executive Director, at (925) 939-6149, or email karen@mixfoundation.org.

The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio, is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, and presents the tournament in conjunction with Mix, the professional audio industry’s leading international monthly. Mix is published by Penton Media.

Press Contacts:
Liam Passmore - 415-865-0860- liam@shaveandahaircut.biz
Nina Lesowitz - 510-547-8632 - nina@spinergygroup.com

PRESS RELEASE—March 5, 2007

Video Game Sound Category to Debut at 2007 TEC Awards

Finalists for Creative Achievement in Sound Production for Interactive Entertainment to be announced in June 2007

March 5, 2007—Walnut Creek, CA—The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio has announced the debut of a new category: Creative Achievement in Sound Production for Interactive Entertainment. The new category will debut at their 23rd Annual Technical Excellence and Creativity Awards to be held on Saturday, October 6, at the Marriott Marquis, on the second night of the 123rd AES Convention. Inclusion in the TEC awards is further proof that the science and creativity behind video game sound has come of age. Finalists for the award will be announced in June 2007. The TEC Awards, sponsored by Mix magazine, is the world’s most prominent forum honoring outstanding achievement in professional audio production and product design.

“The recognition of sound production for the video game genre is overdue,” says Hillel Resner, president of the Mix Foundation and executive producer of the TEC Awards. “The immense popularity of interactive entertainment and the increasing sophistication of both the sound and music components of games demand that interactive sound be accorded the same respect that other genres in the world of professional audio receive.”

Past winners of TEC Award for Lifetime Achievement include George Martin, George Lucas, Neil Young, Brian Wilson, Steve Wonder, Arif Mardin, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen of Steely Dan, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and many more.

"Interactive entertainment is no longer simply about fun and games,” points out game sound veteran Gene Semel of High Moon Studios (Carlsbad, CA), chair of the steering committee for the category. “Sound in interactive entertainment is both a legitimate big business and a huge part of the video game experience. This new award validates all of the hard work audio professionals put into bringing new worlds to life through sound, and we commend the TEC Awards for helping to give it wider recognition.”

Composed of respected professionals in the field, the steering committee has taken the lead in soliciting entries for this year’s awards. Entries will then be submitted to the TEC Awards Nominating Panel, consisting of nearly 200 audio professionals. Nominations occur in April with finalists announced in June. Subscribers to Mix magazine will vote to decide the winners in 24 categories of Technical and Creative Achievement in August.

A list of the members of the Steering Committee for the Interactive Entertainment category, go to www.mixfoundation.org/interactive.html

Monies raised by the TEC Awards support programs that educate audio professionals and the general public about hearing health, and also endow scholarship funds for students of the audio arts and sciences at major colleges and universities.

The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio is a 501(c)(3) charity headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. The TEC Awards is sponsored by Mix, the pro audio industry’s leading international monthly, published by Penton Media. For information, contact Karen Dunn at (925) 939-6149 or KarenTEC@aol.com.

Press Contacts:
Liam Passmore, 415-865-0860, liam@shaveandahaircut.biz
Nina Lesowitz, 510-547-8632, nina@spinergygroup.com

PRESS RELEASE—January 8, 2007

23rd Annual TEC Awards Set for October 6 in New York City

Video Game Production Joins Creative Achievement Categories

January 8, 2007—Walnut Creek, CA—The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio has announced that the 23rd Annual Technical Excellence and Creativity Awards will be held on Saturday, October 6 at the New York Marriott Marquis, on the second night of the 123rd AES Convention. The TEC Awards, founded in 1985 by Mix magazine, is the world’s most prominent forum honoring outstanding achievement in professional audio production and product design.

The Mix Foundation will also present its fourth-annual TECnology Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the Jacob Javits Convention Center on the first night of the AES Convention. Established in 2004, the TECnology Hall of Fame recognizes innovators, inventions and products that have made significant contributions to the development of audio and music technology.

“As always, we are looking forward to holding the TEC Awards in New York, where so much of the country’s media production takes place,” says Hillel Resner, president of the Mix Foundation. "We are also happy to return to the Marriott Marquis, which has been a wonderful venue for the TEC Awards for thirteen years."

The 2007 TEC Awards will comprise nine categories of Creative Achievement for outstanding audio projects and 15 categories of Technical Achievement for excellence in product design. Attesting to the widespread popularity and increasing sophistication of the video game field, this year will see the debut of a new category for Creative Achievement in Sound Production for Interactive Entertainment. Other highlights of the ceremony include the presentation of the Hall of Fame Award for lifetime achievement by an audio engineer or producer, and the Les Paul Award for the creative application of audio technology by a musical artist.

Entries for projects or products to be considered for nominations for Creative and Technical Achievement will be accepted through Wednesday, February 28th. For more information on submission procedures, visit www.mixfoundation.org/tec/07callforentries.html.

Proceeds of the TEC Awards ceremony support programs that educate both audio professionals and the general public about hearing health, and also endow scholarship funds for students of the audio arts and sciences at major colleges and universities. To date, the TEC Awards has raised close to a million dollars for these causes.

The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. The TEC Awards is sponsored by Mix, the pro audio industry’s leading international monthly. Mix is published by Prism Business Media. For information, contact Karen Dunn at (925) 939-6149 or KarenTEC@aol.com or visit www.mixfoundation.org.

2006

PRESS RELEASE—October 9, 2006

Audio Teams for Walk The Line, Cream and Donald Fagen Take Top Honors at 22nd Annual TEC Awards

Steve Miller and David Hewitt Also Honored at Sound Industry Gala; Digidesign, JBL, AMS Neve and Shure Garner Multiple Awards for Technical Achievement

October 9, 2006—San Francisco, CA—The engineers, sound editors and other talented audio professionals behind Universal’s Walk the Line, Rhino Entertainment’s Cream: Royal Albert Hall and Donald Fagen’s Morph the Cat, were among the many winners at the 22nd Annual Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards, held Saturday night at the Hilton San Francisco.

In addition to 23 awards for Technical and Creative Achievement, the sell-out crowd saw legendary rocker Steve Miller receive the prestigious Les Paul Award—sponsored by Gibson Guitar Corp.—by virtuoso guitarist Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. Remote recording engineer David Hewitt was inducted into the TEC Awards Hall of Fame by producer/engineers Ed Cherney and Elliot Scheiner. Highlighting the evening was Miller’s return to the stage to perform his platinum hit “Fly Like An Eagle” with Eric Martin, and a blues shuffle with Gibbons, backed by the 2Cold ChileBone TEC Band, led by Larry Batiste.

The TEC Award for Record Production/Single went to Gorillaz’s “Feel Good, Inc.,” and the Surround Sound Production award went to the engineers and producers of Dire Straits’ Brothers In Arms—20th Anniversary Edition. For the second year running, the production team of Fox’s “24” won the TEC Award for TV Sound Production. Other Creative winners include the live sound crew behind Allison Krauss + Union Station (Tour Sound Production) as well as the design team of Las Vegas’ beautiful Studio at the Palms (Studio Design Project).

In the category of Technical Achievement, the 15 winners included AMS Neve’s 88D (Large Format Console Technology); Digidesign’s D-Command (Small Format Console Technology); Groove Tube’s GT Convertible (Microphone Technology/SR); JBL’s VRX932LA and LSR4300 Series (SR Loudspeaker and Studio Monitor Technology awards); Yamaha’s M7CL (SR Console Technology); the Waves SSL 4000 Collection (Signal Processing Technology/Software); Shure’s UHF-R (Wireless Technology) and E4 Earphones (Ancillary Equipment); Neumann’s TLM 49 (Microphone Technology/Studio); Digidesign’s Mbox2 (Digital Converter Technology) and Pro Tools 7 (Workstation Technology); as well as the AMS Neve 1073 DPD (Mic Preamplifier Technology) and Rupert Neve Portico 5042 (Signal Processing Technology/Hardware).

The TEC Awards wishes to thank lead sponsor Intel Corporation, and the Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze Sponsors who made the event possible, as well as Wine Sponsors Cline Cellars and Korbel Champagne Cellars. For the complete list of 2006 TEC Awards winners, click here.

The TEC Awards are presented by the Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio and sponsored by Mix magazine, the leading journal for the professional audio industry. Proceeds of the ceremony go to hearing conservation programs and scholarships for students of the audio arts and sciences.

22nd Annual TEC Awards Gathers All-Star Presenter Lineup

Bassist Will Lee Returns to Host Sound Industry Gala

October 2, 2006—Walnut Creek, CA—Many of the music and sound industry’s brightest stars will converge this week in the City by the Bay to honor the achievements of their peers at the 22nd Annual Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards. Hosted by Late Show with David Letterman bassist Will Lee, the charity gala will be held at the Hilton San Francisco on Saturday, October 7, and is expected to draw more than 700 audio and music industry professionals.

Legendary rock artist, Steve Miller will be presented with the prestigious Les Paul Award (sponsored by Gibson Guitar Corp.), by ZZ Top’s blues guitarist extraordinaire, Billy Gibbons, and world-renowned remote recording engineer David Hewitt will be inducted into the TEC Awards Hall of Fame. Both The Les Paul Award and TEC Awards Hall of Fame honor artists and audio professionals whose careers exemplify the highest standards of creative excellence in audio.

Among those presenting the 23 awards for creative and technical achievement are some of the recording industry’s top producer/engineers including Platinum producer David Kershenbaum (Tracy Chapman, Duran Duran), Lenise Bent (Steely Dan, Blondie), Alan Howarth (Escape from New York, The Lost Empire), Joel Jaffe (Maria Muldaur, Mitch Woods), Steven Miller (George Winston, Manhattan Transfer) and Ryan Hewitt (Harry Connick, Jr., Red Hot Chili Peppers); as well as some of industry’s most luminous musicians, including legendary keyboardist Booker T. Jones, guitarist/vocalist Greg Kihn, former Jefferson Starship guitarist Craig Chaquico and singer/songwriter Melanie Dekker. Also gracing the stage will be Oscar-winning film sound designer/mixer Randy Thom of Skywalker Sound (Apocalypse Now, The Right Stuff), film sound designer/FX creator Frank Serafine (Star Trek II, Field of Dreams), surround sound pioneer Rory Kaplan and Intel’s director of microprocessor marketing, Chris Walker. For the 14th consecutive year vocalist and arranger Larry Batiste will lead the 2Cold Chile Bone TEC Band, composed of noted Bay Area performers and session players.

Proceeds of the awards ceremony support the Sound Partners™ campaign for hearing conservation of the House Ear Institute of Los Angeles, as well as Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers (HEAR) of San Francisco, and numerous audio scholarship programs at leading colleges and universities. To order tickets online go to http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=115215 or to order by phone, call the ticket hotline at 510.985.3214. Tickets will also be sold from the TEC Awards AES Booth #1625, Friday (10 am-4 pm) and Saturday (10 am–Noon).

The TEC Awards is presented by the Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio, a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, and sponsored by Mix, the professional audio industry's leading international monthly, published by PRISM Business Media.

Mix Foundation to Honor 2006 TECnology Hall of Fame Inductees

San Francisco Ceremony Celebrates 130 Years of Audio Innovations

September 26, 2006—Walnut Creek, CA—The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio, presenters of the Technical Excellence and Creativity (TEC) Awards, will induct 15 innovations and products into the 2006 TECnology Hall of Fame. The awards will be presented on Friday, October 6, at the 121st Audio Engineering Society Convention at Moscone Center in San Francisco.

Established in 2004, the TECnology Hall of Fame recognizes the innovators and inventions that have made a significant contribution to the advancement of audio technology. Inductees are chosen by a panel of more than 50 recognized audio experts, including authors, educators, product designers, production professionals and others. To be considered for induction, products or innovations must be at least 10 years old.

"The 2006 TECnology Hall of Fame inductees exemplify major changes in the way audio has been recorded, reproduced and perceived, from the first condenser microphone in 1916 to digital restoration systems that were first made available 70 years later,” says Mix editorial director George Petersen. “We’ll also be honoring some of the most important people in acoustic research, including pioneers such as Fletcher/Munson, Neville Thiele, Richard Small and the late Richard Heyser.”

The TECnology Hall of Fame ceremony will begin at 5:30pm in Room 220 of the South Hall of Moscone Center. In addition to inductees and their guests, seating will be available for AES attendees. A champagne reception for the inductees will conclude the event, hosted by the Audio Engineering Society, and sponsored by Universal Audio, The Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences (Tempe, AZ), Disc Makers and Quantegy Recording Solutions.

Copies of “130 Years of Audio History,” a just-released DVD highlighting the contributions of TECnology Hall of Fame Inductees to date, will be distributed at the reception, as well as from the TEC Awards AES Booth, #1625. Besides the new DVD, videos of past TEC Awards ceremonies will also be shown at the booth. The 22nd Annual TEC Awards will be held Saturday, October 7, at the Hilton San Francisco.

TEC Awards Ceremony to be Broadcast on Broadjam TV

Videos of Past and Upcoming October 7th TEC Awards Accessible On Demand

September 18, 2006—Walnut Creek, CA—The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio has announced that the 22nd Annual Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards, to be held in San Francisco on October 7, will be webcast by Broadjam.com. The TEC Awards will have its own channel on BroadjamTV, where visitors will also be able to download portions of last year’s show. Founded by Mix magazine, The TEC Awards is the world’s most prominent forum for honoring achievement in professional audio production and product design. Broadjam.com is one of the largest global Internet communities for musicians, record companies and music publishers.

Created by Broadjam Inc., an Internet marketing services agency for the music industry, Broadjam.com is a music marketplace where independent artists sell and distribute original music among more than sixty thousand members and six-hundred thousand monthly visitors. BroadjamTV is the site’s menu of channels offering top-ranking music and live performance videos in a variety of genres.

The TEC Awards channel will be the first on Broadjam to feature an industry awards ceremony, and will be available on the site by the end of the month. The first ceremony presented will feature highlights from the 2005 TEC Awards, taped in New York City, including the TEC Hall of Fame induction of legendary producer Arif Mardin and the presentation of the Les Paul Award (by Les Paul himself) to artist David Byrne. The 2006 TEC Awards video webcast will begin 3 days after the event on Tuesday, October 10th, 2006. Besides numerous awards for Technical and Creative Achievement, the ceremony will include the presentation of the Les Paul Award to rock legend Steve Miller and the Hall of Fame induction of renowned remote recording engineer David Hewitt. Both the 2005 and 2006 shows will be edited to facilitate navigation among awards category segments, and will remain on the site for the next year.

“We’re thrilled to be working with The TEC Awards and hosting the ceremonies on Broadjam.com,” says Broadjam Inc.’s founder and CEO, Roy Elkins. “I’ve been attending the show for years, and appreciate what this event means not only to the organizations it supports, but to the entire pro sound industry. We share the same love for music and desire to see its innovators rewarded.” Broadjam is a Gold Sponsor of the 2006 TEC Awards.

Access to the TEC Awards channel on BroadjamTV will be navigable from links on the TEC Awards site, or directly from www.broadjam.com, where more information about Broadjam and its services can also be found. To learn more about the TEC Awards or order tickets online or by phone, please click here, or call the ticket hotline at 510.985.3214.

The TEC Awards is sponsored by Mix, Intel Corporation, Gibson Guitar Corp., Harman Pro Group, American Music and Sound, Digidesign, Sennheiser, Shure Inc,. and other leading companies in the professional audio and technology industries. The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. Mix is published by Prism Business Media, headquartered in Overland Park, KS.

Walnut Creek, CA—August 31, 2006—The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio has announced that the Third Annual TEC Awards Music and Sound Auction will run on eBay from September 28th to October 11th, 2006. The charity auction will coincide with the 22nd Annual Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards, to be held on Saturday, October 7 at the Hilton San Francisco.

Managed by Insight Media Group, an online marketing services agency for the professional audio industry, the auction will feature pro audio equipment, musical instruments, software, and various items for music enthusiasts. Proceeds will benefit Sound Partners™, a hearing conservation program of the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles, and H.E.A.R.® (Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers) in San Francisco—nonprofit organizations dedicated to informing audio professionals and others about the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss.

Auction organizers are encouraging donations of microphones, loudspeakers, mixing consoles, amplifiers, production software, guitars and other musical instruments, studio time, concert memorabilia, art, photography, gift items and cash contributions to the 14-day online event. Already-donated items include microphones from AEA and Shure; software from Minnetonka and Waves; assorted gear from Antares Audio Technologies, Lavry Engineering and Quantegy; and free passes to a 2-day SynAudCon seminar. An updated list of auction items will be posted next month on the auction’s eBay store: www.tecmusicandsoundauction.com.

”Thanks to the generosity of the pro sound and music community, our first two auctions have each raised almost $50,000 for charity,“ says Mix Foundation president, Hillel Resner. ”We hope that the Third Annual TEC Awards Music and Sound Auction will be just as popular and even more successful for the cause of hearing health awareness.“

To donate musical instruments or audio equipment. please contact John Pledger at 415-453-8618 / jpledger@comcast.net, or Julie Clark at 269.687.8848 / jclark@insight-media-group.com To donate music memorabilia, artwork, gift packages or cash, contact Karen Dunn at 925.939.6149 / karen@tecawards.org. To purchase TEC Awards tickets, call the ticket hotline at 510.985.3214, or order online here.

About the TEC Awards Presented by the Mix Foundation and sponsored by Mix magazine, the TEC Awards is the world's foremost event recognizing the achievements of technical professionals in recording and sound. In addition to awarding winners in 23 categories of audio expertise, the 2006 TEC Awards will also honor musician Steve Miller with the Les Paul Award, sponsored by Gibson Guitar Corp., and induct remote recording engineer David Hewitt into the TEC Hall of Fame.

About HEI House Ear Institute (HEI) has provided free hearing screenings and hearing health education to well over 10,000 music and sound industry professionals around the country. Through its Sound Partners™ hearing conservation program, it continues to educate musicians, recording pros, and the general public about hearing health. This year, HEI launched It’s How You Listen That Counts, a mass media campaign educating young music consumers about the effects of sustained exposure to loud music and video. Based in Los Angeles since 1946, House Ear Institute is dedicated to advancing hearing science through research and education to improve quality of life. For more information please visit www.hei.org.

Intel, Gibson Guitar Corp., American Music & Sound, Digidesign, Harman Pro Group, Mix, Sennheiser and Shure Head Sponsor Lineup

Walnut Creek, CA—August 18, 2006—The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio has announced that as of today, 35 leading companies in the professional audio and technology industries are lending their support as sponsors of the 22nd Annual TEC Awards. The awards, honoring outstanding achievement in professional audio production and product design, will be presented at the Hilton San Francisco on October 7, 2006 on the third night of the 121st Audio Engineering Society Convention. Besides the presentation of awards in 23 categories of technical and creative achievement, guitarist Steve Miller will be honored with the Les Paul Award and remote recording pioneer David Hewitt will be inducted into the TEC Hall of Fame.

Intel, the world’s leading microprocessor manufacturer and digital technology leader, will sponsor the 15 categories of Technical awards; and Gibson Guitar Corporation, one of the world's premiere manufacturers of guitars and other instruments, is sponsoring the Les Paul Award for the eighth consecutive year. Other Platinum sponsors include: American Music and Sound, comprising console manufacturer Allen & Heath and signal processing innovator Focusrite; Digidesign, manufacturer of perhaps the best known digital audio systems including ProTools|HD; Harman Pro Group, encompassing many of the industry's most respected brands including JBL, AKG Acoustics and Crown International; founding sponsor Mix magazine, the leading trade publication covering professional recording and sound production; Sennheiser, a world leader in microphone technology, RF wireless and infrared sound transmission; and Shure Inc., one of the world's largest manufacturers of microphones and audio electronics.

Gold sponsors include Audio-Technica, Broadjam, Dolby, GC Pro, Meyer Sound, the Producers & Engineers Wing of the Recording Academy, RØDE Microphones, Solid State Logic, TASCAM, TC Group and Universal Audio. Completing this year's lineup are Silver sponsors Adamson Systems Engineering, Cakewalk, Clair Brothers/Showco, Fairlight, Holophone, Loud Technologies, Trident-Oram Pro Audio, Sony Pro Audio and Yamaha; and Bronze sponsors, Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences, DPA Microphones, Eventide, Quantegy Recording Solutions, Renkus-Heinz, Skywalker Sound and Telefunken USA.

For more information on TEC Awards sponsorship opportunities, please contact Eric Geer at 925-287-1657, or e-mail eric@mixfoundation.org.

Funds derived from the TEC Awards are donated to organizations working for the prevention of hearing loss in the music environment, and to scholarships for students of audio and other media communications arts. To date, the Mix Foundation has contributed more than a half-million dollars to these worthwhile causes. For more information contact executive director Karen Dunn at (925) 939-6149, karen@tecawards.org.

The TEC Awards is presented by the Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, and sponsored by Mix, the professional audio industry’s leading international monthly, published by Prism Business Media.

Steve Miller to Receive Les Paul Award at 22nd Annual TEC Awards in San Francisco

Legendary Artist Will Be Given Award Named for His Musical Mentor

July 7, 2006—Walnut Creek, CA—Musician/composer Steve Miller will be presented with the prestigious Les Paul Award, sponsored by Gibson Guitar Corp., at the 22nd Annual Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards, to be held Saturday, October 7, at the Hilton San Francisco. Presented by the Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio, the TEC Awards recognizes outstanding achievement in professional audio production and product design.

Steve Miller’s 40-year career since forming the Steve Miller Band at the height of San Francisco’s psychedelic ’60s, boasts a wealth of compositions that have consistently outrun familiar genres with fresh and enduring sounds, becoming the new classics of American popular music. Incorporating jazz and blues styles with riveting pop melodies, Miller has produced a host of Top 40 hits such as The Joker, Fly Like an Eagle, Take the Money and Run, Jet Airliner, Rockin’ Me and Abracadabra, as well as a number of Gold and Platinum albums. His innovative stage techniques such as quad sound, rear-screen projection and laser shows became standard practice of large arena concerts in the late ’70s. With a ready embrace of a variety of musical traditions and a unique artistic vision, Miller’s work exemplifies the creative application of audio technology honored and celebrated with the Les Paul Award.

“Steve Miller is one of the most recognized and profound musicians of our time,” says Henry Juszkiewicz, chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar Corp. "We are honored and thrilled that he is the recipient of this year’s Les Paul Award.” For the eighth consecutive year, the Les Paul Award is sponsored by Gibson Guitar Corp. of Nashville.

The TEC Awards will be held on the third night of the 121st AES Convention, and is expected to attract more than 700 audio professionals from around the world. Proceeds of the ceremony are donated to organizations working for the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss in the music environment, and to scholarships for students of the audio arts and sciences. To purchase tickets for the Awards click here. For complete information, contact executive director Karen Dunn at (925) 939-6149, or karen@tecawards.org.

David Hewitt to be Inducted into TEC Awards Hall of Fame

Remote Recording Engineer to be Honored at 22nd Annual TEC Awards

July 7, 2006—Walnut Creek, CA—Recording Engineer David Hewitt will be inducted into the TEC Awards Hall of Fame at the 22nd Annual Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards, to be held Saturday, October 7, at the Hilton San Francisco. Presented by the Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio, the TEC Awards recognizes outstanding achievement in professional audio production and product design.

Pioneering remote recording engineer/mixer David Hewitt's 35-plus-year career recording live broadcasts, records, and audio for film and video, has earned him multiple TEC Awards, Grammys, Emmys and Cinema Audio Society awards, as well as the respect of the entire pro audio industry. As director of remote services for New York's Record Plant and founder of Remote Recording Services, Hewitt was one of the first to develop the mobile truck into a top-tier studio environment, integrating sonic isolation, top-level equipment, and technological adaptability fit to record a vast array of projects.

Among Hewitt's many credits are: Pink Floyd's The Delicate Sound of Thunder, Live Aid, the Academy Awards, PBS's Live from the Met series; The Three Tenors, The Complete Last Concert of the Modern Jazz Quartet, Havana Jam, The Metropolitan Opera's Gala for Joseph Volpe, Eagles Live from Melbourne, the classic Neil Young film, Rust Never Sleeps, and the newly-released Neil Young: Heart of Gold. Hewitt continues to produce the highest standard of recording excellence, with projects covering a wide spectrum of musical genres, well reflecting the creative spirit celebrated by the TEC Awards Hall of Fame.

"David Hewitt is one of most accomplished remote recording engineers in the world," says Hillel Resner, president of the Mix Foundation. "He is universally respected and admired by his peers and clients, both for his skill and his easy-going manner. It will be a privilege to bestow on David this much-deserved honor."

The TEC Awards will be held on the third night of the 121st AES Convention, and is expected to attract more than 700 audio professional from around the world. Proceeds of the ceremony are donated by the Mix Foundation to organizations working for the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss, and to scholarships for students of the audio arts and sciences. To purchase tickets for the Awards click here. For complete information, please contact Executive Director Karen Dunn at (925) 939-6149, karen@tecawards.org.

TECnology HALL OF FAME 2006 INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED

Mix Foundation Honors 15 Innovations That Have Shaped Audio History

June 16, 2006—Walnut Creek, CA—The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio, presenters of the Technical Excellence and Creativity (TEC) Awards, has announced the 2006 inductees to the TECnology Hall of Fame. Established in 2004, the TECnology Hall of Fame recognizes products and innovations that have made a significant, lasting contribution to the advancement of audio technology. Inductees are chosen by a panel of more than 50 audio experts, including authors, educators, engineers, facility owners and other professionals. Products or innovations must be at least 10 years old to be eligible for induction.

"As in past years, the 2006 inductees mark some real revolutions in the way sound has been recorded, processed and reproduced," says Hillel Resner, president of the Mix Foundation. “To the present day, many of these products and their underlying technologies remain the standard throughout the pro audio industry.”

The 2006 TECnology Hall of Fame inductees include:

The 2006 inductees will be honored on Friday evening, October 6, at San Francisco’s Moscone Center during the Audio Engineering Society Convention. The ceremony will be hosted by the A.E.S. and sponsored for the third consecutive year by the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences of Gilbert, AZ. The 22nd Annual TEC Awards will be held the following night, October 7, at the Hilton San Francisco.

The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. The TEC Awards is sponsored by Mix, the pro audio industry’s leading international monthly, published by Prism Business Media. For more information, contact Karen Dunn at (925) 939-6149 or karenTEC@aol.com

PRESS RELEASE—June 5, 2006

2006 TEC Awards Nominees Announced by the Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio

June 5, 2006—Emeryville, CA—The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio has announced the nominees for the 22nd Annual Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards, to be held Saturday, October 7, 2006, at the Hilton San Francisco. The TEC Awards is the foremost event honoring outstanding technical and creative achievement in professional audio production and product design.

Nominations in 15 categories of Technical Achievement (product design) and eight categories of Creative Achievement (production) were made by a select panel of more than 100 audio industry professionals for products and projects released or completed during the eligibility period of April 1, 2005, to March 31, 2006. The winners will be chosen by a ballot in the August issue of Mix magazine, mailed to more than 42,000 BPA-qualified subscribers.

Among the nominees for Technical Achievement, nine represent first-time TEC-nominated companies. Leading manufacturers with multiple nominations this year include AMS Neve, Digidesign and TC Electronic, each having three apiece; and Solid Stage Logic, with four products nominated. In the categories of Creative Achievement, Kanye West has two Record Production nominations for Late Registration, and a third nomination for Tour Sound Production. Sergio Mendes’s Timeless also garnered nominations in both the Single or Track and Album Record Production categories. Also notable this year is the nomination of a classical music recording, Mussorgsky/Stokowski: Pictures at an Exhibition/Boris Godunov/Night on Bare Mountain, performed by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, conducted by José Serebrier, and nominated for Surround Sound Production.

"Once again, this year's TEC Awards nominees reflect outstanding achievement from across the spectrum of sound and music," says Hillel Resner, president of the Mix Foundation. "No matter who gets the most votes, all these nominees represent the best in audio production and technical innovation."

The TEC Awards will be held on the second night of the 121st AES convention, and is expected to draw more than 700 top audio professionals from around the world. Proceeds of the TEC Awards are donated to organizations working for the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss in the music environment, and to scholarships for students of the audio arts and sciences. To purchase tickets for the Awards click here. For other information, contact Executive Director Karen Dunn at (925) 939-6149 or karenTEC@aol.com.

May 23, 2006—Emeryville, CA—The professional audio industry’s leading production facilities, manufacturers and distributors are coming out in force to support the 11th Annual Mix Annual Open, to be held Monday, June 12, at the Malibu Country Club. Presented by the Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio, the charity golf tournament draws many of the Southern California sound community’s most avid golfers. Proceeds benefit the House Ear Institute’s, “It’s How You Listen That Counts” campaign, the music education programs of SoundArt, and scholarships for students of the audio arts and sciences.

Manufacturers and retailers sponsoring holes and tournament contests include: Absolute Music, Acme Audio, Audio-Technica U.S., CE Pickup/IAC, Harman Pro/JBL Professional, Quantegy Recording Solutions, Shure, Sound Design Corp. and Yamaha Corp. Production facilities and industry organizations including Document Room, P&E Wing/Recording Academy, The Pass, Record Plant, Warner Brothers Studios, and Mix Magazine, are also contributing generously with sponsorships.

A 2006 Mustang convertible provided by Vista Ford of Woodland Hills, CA, will go to the golfer who hits a hole-in-one. New this year will be a chipping contest, in addition to the various competitions managed by Pin-Up Golf Girls. Following the tournament, there will be a barbecue dinner with acoustic entertainment by music producer and singer/songwriter Alder, and jazz vocalist Sarah Schweppe.

A raffle and silent auction will also round out the day, featuring an assortment of donated audio equipment, musical instruments and gift packages. Audio gear includes: a Mackie 800r pre and a set of HR624 monitors; microphones from Audio-Technica, BLUE, Shure and Neumann; and a Lexicon Desktop Recording System. Also up for grabs is a Gibson Les Paul Standard model guitar, donated by the Gibson Foundation; as well as a Hagstrom Deluxe D2H provided by American Music & Sound; an Apple iPod-60 GB; a BOSE Companion 2 multimedia speaker system; and, a two-night stay at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“We’re thrilled with the pro sound community’s growing support for this event," says tournament director, Karen Dunn. “Word has gotten around that this is a great chance to connect with industry colleagues, lose that studio tan, and raise thousands for hearing health and education.”

Sponsorships, foursomes and individual tickets are still available. For more information about these and the silent auction or raffle, please contact Karen Dunn at (925) 939-6149, or send email to KarenTEC@aol.com.

The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio, is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, and presents the tournament in conjunction with Mix, the professional audio industry’s leading international monthly. Mix is published by Prism Business Media.

PRESS RELEASE—April 10, 2006

Eleventh Annual Mix LA Open Set For June 12 in Malibu

Sound & Music Industry Elite Tee Off for Hearing Conservation Charitiest

April 10 , 2006—Walnut Creek, CA—Many of the recording and sound industry’s top engineers and music producers will golf for charity at the 11th Annual Mix LA Open, scheduled for Monday, June 12, 2006, at the Malibu Country Club. Presented by the Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio and Mix magazine, the tournament benefits the hearing conservation efforts of the House Ear Institute’s Sound PartnersTM program, music education programs of L.A.’s Sound Art, and scholarships for students of the audio arts and sciences.

The “best ball” tournament held deep in the Malibu canyon, attracting musicians, audio engineers, record producers and other audio pros will offer a day of friendly competition with a variety of contests and prize giveaways. Following the tournament will be a silent auction where musical instruments, audio gear, art, sports memorabilia, wine/food baskets and audio industry mementos will go to the highest bidders. The day will conclude with a “19th Hole” barbecue dinner, live musical entertainment, and the presentation of awards.

"This event is one of the nicest things we get to do each year,” says Tournament Director, Karen Dunn. “Folks get a chance to get out of the studio and into the sun for some good-natured sports rivalry and fun, while making a generous contribution to educating professionals and music listeners about hearing health issues, and creating educational opportunities for those just starting out.”

Sponsors who have confirmed to date include Absolute Music, Audio-Technica, C.E. Pickup Co./IAC, Harman Pro Group, Mix, The Pass, Record Plant, Shure, Inc., Vista Automotive, Warner Bros. Studio Facilities and Yamaha Corp. Remaining sponsorship slots can be checked online here, or by contacting Karen Dunn at (925) 939-6149, or karenTEC@aol.com.

PRESS RELEASE—February 27, 2006

Mix Foundation Announces Donations to Hearing Health and Audio Education

Scholarships, Hearing Awareness Programs for Youth Benefit from Industry Support

February 27, 2006—Walnut Creek, CA—With appreciation for the support of more than 40 sponsors and numerous attendees of the 21st Annual Technical Excellence and Creativity Awards, the Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio has announced that more than $40,000 has been contributed to hearing health organizations and audio education scholarships. In addition, $28,000 was raised by the 2nd Annual TEC Awards Music and Sound Auction, which ran on eBay concurrent with the awards ceremony.

Held on October 8, 2005, the TEC Awards was attended by nearly 700 sound and music professionals who gathered to honor outstanding achievements in professional audio production and product design. Unprecedented sponsor support enabled the Mix Foundation to donate $28,000 to the House Ear Institute for their “It’s How You Listen That Counts” campaign aimed at teens and young adults.

An additional $12,000 was donated to scholarships and student assistance programs of the AES Educational Foundation, SPARS, six existing endowment funds at colleges and universities and Los Angeles-based Sound Art, an innovative program bringing audio education to disadvantaged youth. Also in support of hearing health, $14.000 of the net proceeds from the TEC Awards Music and Sound Auction went to San Francisco-based H.E.A.R. (Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers), which managed the online auction of donated audio equipment, software and music memorabilia.

“We are again deeply grateful for the support the TEC Awards has received by the sound production and audio technology communities,” said Hillel Resner, president of the Mix Foundation. “Their contributions have not only helped us continue to shine the spotlight on the greatest achievements in our industry, but have provided the means to keep hearing conservation efforts going strong, along with much-needed assistance for students of the audio arts.”

For a complete wrap-up of the 21st Annual TEC Awards, including photos of the event and a full list of TEC Awards sponsors, visit this page.

The 22nd Annual TEC Awards will be held on Saturday, October 7, 2006, in San Francisco. For information on tickets and sponsorships, contact Karen Dunn at (925) 939-6149 or email info@tecawards.org. The Mix Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization headquartered in Walnut Creek, California.

PRESS RELEASE—February 2, 2006

2006 TEC Awards Set for October 7 in San Francisco
Sound Industry’s Most Respected Awards Gala Returns to Bay Area

February 2, 2006—Walnut Creek, CA—The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio has announced that the 22nd Annual Technical Excellence and Creativity Awards will be held on Saturday, October 7, at the Hilton San Francisco, on the second night of the 121st AES Convention. The TEC Awards, founded in 1985 by Mix magazine, is the world’s most prominent forum honoring outstanding achievement in professional audio production and product design.

The Mix Foundation will also present its third annual TECnology Hall of Fame ceremony in San Francisco on the first night of the AES Convention to honor its 2006 inductees. Established in 2004, the TECnology Hall of Fame honors innovators and products that have made significant contributions to the development of audio and music technology.

“We’re delighted to be back in San Francisco for the 22nd TEC Awards,” says Hillel Resner, president of the Mix Foundation. “The Bay Area is where it all began for us and for Mix. We’re excited to prepare for another sold-out show in our hometown.”

The TEC Awards comprises eight categories of Creative Achievement for outstanding audio projects (record production, tour sound, film sound, etc.) and 16 categories of Technical Achievement for excellence in product design. Highlights of the event include the presentation of the Hall of Fame Award for lifetime achievement and the Les Paul Award for the creative application of audio technology. Past recipients of these awards have included such luminaries as George Lucas, Quincy Jones, Sir Paul McCartney, David Byrne, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Brian Wilson and Sting.

Entries for projects or products to be considered for nominations for Creative and Technical Achievement will be accepted through Friday, February 26th. For information about the submission process, please visit 2006 TEC Awards • Call for Entries.

Proceeds of the TEC Awards ceremony support programs that educate both audio professionals and the general public about hearing health, and also endow scholarship funds for students of the audio arts and sciences at major colleges and universities. To date, the TEC Awards has raised more than a half-million dollars for these causes.

The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. The TEC Awards is sponsored by Mix, the pro audio industry’s leading international monthly. Mix is published by Prism Business Media. For information, contact Karen Dunn at (925) 939-6149 or KarenTEC@aol.com.

PRESS RELEASE—January 16, 2006

TEC Awards Music and Sound Auction Raises Thousands for Hearing Conservation
Industry Donors and Music Enthusiasts Make Charity Fundraiser a Big Success

January 16, 2006—Walnut Creek, CA—The Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio has announced that the 2005 TEC Awards Music and Sound Auction raised more than $22,000 for hearing health awareness programs. Auction proceeds will be distributed to H.E.A.R. (Hearing Education and Awareness for Rockers) and the Sound Partners™ program of the House Ear Institute. Both nonprofit organizations educate sound and music professionals, as well as music listeners, about the causes and prevention of noise-induced hearing loss.

Held in conjunction with the 21st Annual Technical Excellence & Creativity (TEC) Awards, the eBay auction ran from October 3rd through the 26th, 2005, and featured donated audio gear and musical instruments from over 40 leading manufacturers; studio time and services from top audio facilities; and art, photos and tour memorabilia from celebrated musicians. Among the hot-ticket items were a Gibson Les Paul Guitar autographed by Les Paul; an Alvarez acoustic guitar signed by Bob Weir; software from Mackie, MOTU and Cycling ’74; Meyer Sound UPA-1P monitors signed by John Meyer; speaker systems from Genelec, JBL, KRK, Loud Technologies and Renkus-Heinz; microphones from AKG, Audio-Technica, Audix, Neumann, Sennheiser and Shure; artwork by Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh; and a CD collection signed by Melissa Etheridge. Over 200 items in all were sold.

“For the second year in a row, the TEC Awards Music and Sound Auction was a resounding success,” says Mix Foundation president, Hillel Resner. “We’re grateful for the generosity of the pro audio companies who donated equipment and software, and also to all the bidders who helped us raise substantial funds for the cause of hearing health.” Resner’s comments were echoed by auction manager and H.E.A.R. co-founder, Kathy Peck. “We were given so much amazing gear and high-value items for devoted rock fans,” says Peck, “that it blew everyone away.”

The 2006 TEC Awards Music and Sound Auction is planned to coincide with the 22nd Annual TEC Awards—the premier awards event honoring achievement in professional audio production and product design—scheduled to take place October 7, 2006, at the Hilton San Francisco. Additional auction details will be announced at a later date.

The auction was presented by the Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio and managed by H.E.A.R., a nonprofit organization dedicated to informing musicians and the public about the prevention of hearing impairment in the music environment. For more information about H.E.A.R., please visit www.hearnet.com . Information about the House Ear Institute and its Sound Partners™ program can be found at www.hei.org.

PRESS RELEASE—October 8, 2005

Production Teams for Clapton’s Crossroads Festival, Ray, and Green Day Take Top Honors at 21st Annual TEC Awards
David Byrne and Arif Mardin Also Honored at Audio Industry Gala; Harman Pro Group, Mackie Garner Multiple Awards for Technical Achievement

October 8, 2005—New York, NY—The engineers, sound editors and other audio professionals behind Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival, Ray Charles’s Genius Loves Company album and Universal Pictures’ Ray, were among the many winners at the 21st Annual Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards, held this evening at the New York Marriott Marquis.

In addition to 24 awards for Technical and Creative Achievement, a sell-out crowd comprising the pro audio industry's finest creative talents witnessed the induction of legendary producer/engineer Arif Marden into the TEC Awards Hall of Fame, and the presentation of the prestigious Les Paul Award, sponsored by Gibson Guitar, to David Byrne. Atlantic Records founder, Ahmet Eregun presented the Hall of Fame Award to Mardin, who produced chart-topping hits for artists such as Aretha Franklin, the Bee Gees, Bette Midler and many others. Highlighting the presentation was a surprise performance of “Through the Fire,” by Chaka Khan, in tribute to Mardin. The Les Paul Award was presented by the much-loved recording innovator and guitarist Les Paul, and was accepted by Byrne’s friend and fellow Nonesuch recording artist, Laurie Anderson. Byrne, currently in Europe for another project, sent a “thank you” video which was screened at the show.

Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival came away with two TEC Awards, with the WNET/Sirius radio broadcast winning for Remote Production, and the DVD taking honors for the newly-created Surround Sound Production category. The team behind Ray Charles's "Genius Loves Company" won the TEC Award for Record Production/Album; as the film sound crew of Ray won in the category of Film Sound. Other winners for Creative Achievement were the production crew of Green Day’s “American Idiot” (Record Production/Single or Track); the sound crew for U2’s :Vertigo” tour (Tour Sound Production); 24 (Television Sound Production); as well as the design team behind New York City's Jazz at Lincoln Center Studio (Studio Design Project).

In the category of Technical Achievement, the 16 winners included the Solid State Logic AWS 900 (Large Format Consoles); Mackie Design’s Onyx 1640 (Small Format Consoles) and Big Knob (Ancillary Equipment); the Yamaha PM5D (Sound Reinforcement Consoles); Digidesign’s Pro Tools 6.7 (Workstation Technology); the Waves L3 Maximizer (Signal Processing Technology/Software); Apogee Electronics’ Rosetta 200 (Digital Converter Technology); Shure’s SLX Series Wireless (Wireless Technology); and Harman Pro Group’s Crown Commercial Audio Series (Amplifier Technology), AKG C414B-XLS/C414B-XLII (Microphone Technology/ Studio) and JBL VerTec VT4888DP (Sound Reinforcement Loudspeakers).

Click here for the complete list of winners.

The TEC Awards are presented by the Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio and sponsored by Mix magazine, the leading journal for the professional audio industry. Proceeds of the ceremony go to hearing