Though the annual NAMM show gets a bit more attention here in the US, Musikmesse, which takes place in Frankfurt, Germany, is where many of the year’s important and interesting new audio products are announced and showcased, and 2015 was no exception. From new interfaces to new microphones and synths, this year’s show gave us a lot to talk about and look forward. Here are just some of the standouts from this crop of new audio gear.
PreSonus Studio 192 26x32 USB 3.0 Audio Interface and Studio Command Center
New from PreSonus is the Studio 192, and whether you’re a producer, an audio engineer, an independent band or a sound designer, the Studio 192 was built for you to create. It is a 26 x 32 USB 3.0 combination Audio Interface and Studio Command Center in one rack space. The Studio 192 has been designed to integrate tightly within your recording environment with up to 192 kHz, zero-latency effects, eight remote controllable preamps, 16 ADAT inputs, monitor mixing, speaker switching, and headphone amps. In addition to being the central hub for any project, the onboard talkback mic can be routed to any mix. Listen to any mix from either headphone amp. Use the ten balanced outputs for monitor mixing, speaker switching, or both, depending on how you work. Get your hands on the PreSonus Studio 192 soon—it is compatible with Mac and Windows PC platforms. Studio One Artist DAW software is also included. — Greg Johnson
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sE Electronics Rupert Neve Collection RNT Tube Microphone
sE Electronics has continued its collaboration with the legendary Rupert Neve, with the announcement of the RNT tube condenser microphone. As Neve is synonymous with discrete class A designs from his preamps, EQs, and consoles, a tube design is a bit of a departure from his norm, making the RNT all the more exciting. The mic’s first amplification stage is based on a 12AU7 tube within the mic. The floor box high-voltage power supply provides you with a 9-position polar pattern rotary switch, adjustable gain selector (flat, +12 dB, or -12 dB), and a high-pass filter at 40 or 80 Hz. The box’s op-amps are the same ones found in Neve’s 5088 console. Boasting an SPL handling of up to 153 dB, the mic was designed to handle both loud sources, and thanks to its high headroom, intimate ones as well. — Jaime Traba
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The MP8d 8-Channel Mic Preamp and A/D
Antelope Audio has announced the new MP8d, an 8-channel class-A microphone preamp with integrated world-class 24-bit/192 kHz analog-to-digital conversion. The precision mic pres are optimized to sound smooth and natural with no coloration and enough gain to drive ribbon microphones. Antelope employed its acoustically-focused clocking jitter management algorithm with an oven-controlled crystal oscillator, an advanced analog and digital circuit board, and a proprietary power supply to achieve the company’s signature sound. The 1U rack space enclosure features 8 XLR/TRS combo inputs with dedicated ergonomic aluminum knobs on the front panel to provide precise mic gain adjustment in real time. A D-Sub-25 connection offers direct outputs for each of the 8 channels. Additionally, two Hi-Z instrument inputs and dedicated insert “send-&-returns” connect to channels 1 and 2. Digital connectivity includes S/PDIF, AES/EBU, TOSLINK, ADAT, and MADI to ensure a broad range of options for integrating outboard gear, DAW, or cascading multiple MP8ds. The sophisticated, yet easy-to-use software control offers color-coded, drag-and-drop signal routing with multiple mixers and onboard effects. Programmable presets allow for easy and fast recall of preferred configurations. The dedicated headphone amplifier provides convenient integrated monitoring, while an optimized analog drive stage is designed to gently handle overloads when recording hot signal levels. — Andrew Eisele
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RME Announces Babyface Pro at Musikmesse
German audio technology manufacturer RME showed the new Babyface Pro USB 2.0 Portable Interface this week at Musikmesse 2015, in Frankfurt. Featuring an impressive 12 input and 12 output channels, XLR and ¼" connectivity, ADAT/SPDIF digital, plus MIDI I/O in a sleek, compact aluminum chassis, the Babyface Pro offers a formidable arsenal that is sure to entice musicians and engineers who are in need of a feature-rich, take-along recording solution.
The bus-powered Babyface Pro also features two headphone outputs, conveniently offering TRS and mini-jack sockets that have separate driver stages to match low- and high-impedance headphones. Two digitally controlled preamps provide individually switchable 48V phantom power and gain of up to 70 dB, adjustable in steps of 3 dB.
Dual XLR and dual ¼" inputs support dynamic and condenser microphones, and any instrument including keyboards, drum machines, plus high-impedance sources such as electric guitar and bass. Optical TOSLINK ports, which can be used for either ADAT or SPDIF standards, allow up to 8 channels of digital I/O. Last, but not least, MIDI I/O is provided via an included breakout cable. — Jason Tables
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