This Day In EAR History
EAR’s Total Technology Catalog Released – June 1st 1987
Information is changing with the blink of an eye. Products come and go and features evolve almost daily. But in 1987 the professional audio and video world was very different, change came at a predictably slow pace. The Total Technology Catalog (TTC) was bold and different for the late 1980’s. With most companies identifying themselves as either audio or video, EAR printed a catalog with both audio AND video.
Late Generation Audio MultiTrack (click to see more)
While a lot has changed in the decades since the TTC was released, our customers and markets have remained constant. Many of the people that helped us create this unique publication are still with EAR today. With literally hundreds of years of professional audio, video and systems expertise under one roof, we’ve decided to explain some of our history as a regular feature of our website.
ABOUT THE TTC
click for larger image
Why was showing audio and video equipment in the same catalog different? 30 years ago audio and video products were entirely separate parts of the workflow – separate equipment and operators, even on the same project. As products became faster and smarter, the need to synchronize audio and video tape became fundamental. We don’t think much about it today – but locking to mechanical transports together and “syncing them up” was quite a trick!
Working with different film, video and audio transports during playback and record became a challenging new art. EAR was among the first companies nationally to specialize in helping people program this new generation of products and the synchronizing computers that controlled them. Some of our clients included Robert Altman, Paul McCartney, Lindsay Buckingham and many other artists pushing the technology envelope for that day.
As tape based workflows became replaced by file based computer systems, EAR moved from tape transport companies (Otari, Tascam and Fostex) to file based editing companies (apple, Avid, AJA, Adobe). Our goal has always been to deliver the most sophisticated and cost effective professional products. We are considered by many to be the go-to people in the Southwest for audio and video workflow design and product support. We can help provide the best value for individual parts – or turnkey systems that deliver the most for your investment.
Sony BVU950 U-matic Editing Video Deck (click to see more)
We invite you to check in with our experienced staff of audio and video professionals for help finding the best products for your creative projects.
ASU Chooses EAR for Katzin Hall
Arizona State University Chooses EAR for Katzin Hall Upgrade
When Arizona State University decided to upgrade the audio recording system in prestigious Katzin Concert Hall to meet latest standards for digital recording, they turned to EAR Professional Audio/Video. It was necessary for the installation to occur on a tight schedule,since Katzin is one of the most used performance halls in the complex.
This 350-seat theater opens into a beautiful fountain courtyard and houses a nine-foot a Hamburg Steinway, an American Steinway, and a Bösendorfer Imperial grand piano. Primarily used for solo and chamber music recitals, the hall provides a warm acoustical atmosphere with a maple-paneled stage, multi-faceted walls, and an acoustically engineered billowed ceiling. This environment required a high performance, unobtrusive, yet flexible state of the art microphone solution. ASU turned to John Gibson at EAR to design the new system realizing they needed professional results and flexibility for future plans.
Schoeps CMXY Compact Stereo Microphone
EAR installed a Schoeps CM X/Y series stereo microphone in addition to a pair of Schoeps CCM compact sub-cardioid microphones to achieve the results. These microphones are compact in size, and provide highly precise sound reproduction with very balanced off axis response characteristics that will help recreate the live performance experience of Katzin hall on recordings.
Plans are in the works to upgrade the hall’s acoustics and possibly add automated broadcast quality HD camera systems . The ASU Music building complex has ongoing demands for video and audio recordings in all four performance venues. Media management is a strong part of their future and EAR looks forward to the opportunity to help provide an integrated solution that further compliments this first phase of production quality enhancement at ASU.
EAR is proud to help Arizona State and many other national and local professional audio and video venues with new systems and upgrades to existing facilities.
Pro Tools|HD Native Upgrades
Trade in your legacy hardware – Pro Tools|HD Native Upgrades
If this seems like a special offer out of the way-back machine, you are correct. This special originally ran at the first of this year (2011) and has been extended through June. It’s a great chance to trade in your aging Pro Tools hardware for cash credit! This may be the last chance to get some trade in bucks out of your old Digidesign gear. NOTE: See the new products as the factory road show May 12th, register now.
Pro Tools|HD Native Exchange
With this two-part promotion, customers who own any legacy PCI-based system, including Pro Tools 3, Pro 
Tools|24, Pro Tools|24 Mix family, or Pro Tools|HD PCI systems, now have a money-saving opportunity to work on today’s high-performance PCIe-based desktop computers by exchanging their existing system to a Pro Tools|HD Native PCIe core system at 54% off. Owners of legacy Pro Tools PCI-based systems also have the option of using their existing PCI cards with a supported Magma PCIe-to-PCIx chassis. Alternatively, owners of Mbox (any) and 00x family products can upgrade to Pro Tools|HD Native and HD OMNI or HD I/O and save up to 16%. – Call an EAR product specialist for special pro pricing and save on sales tax too!
Gain Savings and Control with the Pro Tools+Mbox Pro and Artist Control Bundle
With the Pro Tools + Mbox Pro and Artist Control bundle promotion, customers get the best-sounding 
FireWire interface on the market, the industry’s leading music and audio production software, and the hottest small-format control surface—all bundled together at savings of $266 (USD, versus cost of purchasing separately). For customers looking to get better sound and control of their mixes, there’s never been a better time to act!
Call an EAR product specialist for special pro pricing and save on sales tax too! EAR has been the Southwests most experienced Avid/Digidesign reseller since 1990. Great advice, pricing and people.
Support and Financial Services
More than equipment… EAR provides confidence
Quality after the sale support makes your investment work for you and your clients to it’s full potential. With over 150 years of combined industry experience we can get you up and running quickly, making money and getting work done instead of wrestling with software and hardware issues. Whether your business plans require traditional or new media formats like DVD, streaming or web content, EAR can help make you operational fast and reliably.
Many of our manufacturers offer special terms for products purchased through their funding sources. EAR has several financing options.
- Minimum lease starts at $5,000
- 1-5 business days to qualify
Contact an EAR products specialist for complete details at 800-473-6914. This form will help start the process. One of our leasing specialists will contact you soon. Get started now! Complete this on quick form for easy financing with EAR.
PARTS or SYSTEMS
EAR offers many different ways to keep your maintenance costs in check and your systems running reliably. Certified or custom professional training is available with new system purchase or after the sale to keep you or your staff current, all certified by the industry’s best training and support programs.
EAR supports over 80% of the production facilities in the Southwestern United States with the very best post and broadcast digital production products. We can customize training for individuals and groups or certified training classes.
Design and Consulting Services
EAR has designed and built over 300 facilities in Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and nationally. System integration involving professional audio and video production environments is our specialty. We know audio and video like no other company.
Financial Services
EAR offers a variety of financing options for professional, industrial and government leasing. We can customize terms for your purchase and protect your investment with upgrades and trade in credit.
EAR Now Bricasti Design Dealer!
EAR is proud to be chosen as a new reseller for Bricasti reverb products.
Bricasti provides the highest level of musicality and ease of control imaginable in a processor dedicated to the task of reverberation. A modern high resolution digital design, utilizing a stunning array of the latest DSP processors, provides a platform for the long overdue next step in reverb processing algorithms. A separate fully differential analog section and dedicated transformer based linear power supply provide the finest analog specifications of any product of it’s kind.
An exceptionally strong stainless steel chassis, and a tooled aluminum front panel, combine with a classic high visibility display and straight forward human interface, to complete an enduring design that is intended to fulfill its role, now and into the future.
Bricasti Design Official Website
For more information including special professional pricing, contact an EAR product specialist at 800-473-6914!
