By Jerry Vigil
Though the comprehensive manual is 200 plus pages long, it begins with the sentence, “Since some VoxPro users will not read any part of this manual, Audion Labs has designed an interface that makes it possible to accomplish most editing tasks without memorizing command keys or looking anything up in the manual.” They weren’t exaggerating. The VoxPro takes digital editing to its simplest level, eliminating multiple screens, seldom-used functions, and special effects. The result is a very straightforward and very intuitive 2-track digital editor that your favorite salesperson might even figure out in a few minutes. The unit was designed primarily for recording and editing phone calls in the on-air studio as well as news preparation, but VoxPro serves as a great tool in production as well.
VoxPro is software developed by Audion, a company headed by legendary boss jock Charlie Brown who recently retired from KJR-FM in Seattle after 30+ years in the biz. VoxPro has been around for a few years and has found a home in hundreds of stations. It is distributed exclusively by Harris Broadcast as a completely configured system. The unit shipped for this Test Drive included a PowerMac 200mHz computer with 16 megs of RAM, a 1.9GB drive, a 14-inch monitor, keyboard/mouse, and the well designed remote control panel with dedicated controls for the VoxPro software. VoxPro’s I/O is stereo in and stereo out using the Mac’s mini-plug I/O ports. A Henry Engineering MatchBox was supplied for interfacing with pro audio environments. After the basic tasks of installing a computer and connecting the I/O, the Mac was turned on and VoxPro was up and ready to go.