AES 2014 recently took place in Los Angeles, California, so we decided to round up all of the news from this important pro audio extravaganza and share it with you. Read on to get up to date on all of the latest gear from Tascam, Chandler, Avid, M-Audio, and Neumann.
Tascam DR-10C Series Linear PCM Recorders
Do you wish you had a failsafe for recording your lavalier wireless audio before transmission? These new PCM recorders from Tascam provide just that function, allowing you to connect your lavalier microphone directly to the bodypack recorder before your wireless transmitter, giving you a copy of your audio in up to 24-bit, 48 kHz, and free from wireless drop outs. They record to SD or microSD cards and are powered by a single AAA battery for up to 10 hours, and they are available in versions compatible with Lectronics or Sennheiser microphones. Also available is the DR-10X recorder, which connects directly to your handheld XLR dynamic microphone, geared toward ENG applications. —Reported by Jaime Traba
Tascam US-16x08 USB Audio/MIDI Interface
If you need an interface hub capable of tracking drums while serving as a MIDI interface, check out this new offering from Tascam. Boasting 8 XLR inputs with the company’s Ultra-HDDA microphone preamps and 8 TRS line level inputs, two of which can be switched to accept instrument level, this desktop or rack-mountable interface can track 16 channels simultaneously in up to 24-bit/96 kHz. An integrated DSP mixer allows you to apply 4-band EQ or compression to each channel for creating monitor mixes, while its 5-pin DIN MIDI I/O lets it serve as a MIDI interface. —Reported by Jaime Traba
Chandler REDD.47 Microphone Preamplifier
Continuing their partnership with Abbey Road Studios and EMI, Chandler Limited announced at 2014’s AES Convention the release of their REDD.47 Microphone Preamplifier, a recreation of the tube preamp found in the EMI REDD.51 recording consoles that can be heard on various recordings from Abbey Road Studios between 1964 and 1968, notably those of the Beatles. It provides you with inputs for microphone, line, and instrument level sources, and ranges from pristine and clean to the distortion made famous on the Beatle’s classic “Revolution.” —Reported by Jaime Traba
Avid Pro Tools S3
Two things have come together to make the Avid Pro Tools S3 sixteen-channel desktop control surface an attractive and professional solution for space-compromised situations, whether they be in small or large studios, or for use in live situations. The first was the company’s ability to provide a faster and a more robust communication protocol when compared to the older MIDI standard by using Ethernet connectivity. EUCON delivers many benefits, including much higher controller resolution, along with the ability to switch almost immediately between different audio applications that utilize the same protocol. The second was the benefit of trickle-down technology from the company’s large format Pro Tools S6 modular control surface that itself leveraged the best of the ICON and System 5 product families. Each channel strip features touch-sensitive motorized faders, touch-sensitive rotary controls, ten-segment signal level meters and thirty-two high-resolution OLED displays for viewing track names/numbers, along with dozens of dedicated buttons and switches, and a 4 x 6 audio interface. Taken together, the feature set allows the Pro Tools S3 control surface to provide the performance needed to complete projects faster, while making it easier to deliver the best-sounding mixes possible. —Reported by Jurek Ugarow
M-Audio MTRACK
M-Audio has announced a brand-new, entirely redesigned MTRACK audio interface, based on its popular M-Track interface. The two-channel portable USB audio and MIDI interface is designed to work with virtually any DAW or music-production software, and offers a versatile set of options for beginner and veteran musicians alike. Dual XLR/TRS combo inputs can deliver 48V phantom power for use with condenser microphones, while two balanced 1/4" TRS outputs provide connectivity to monitors. A separate headphone output with volume control provides additional monitoring. The interface ships with Ableton Live Lite music-production software and also includes a selection of Waves plug-ins, namely AudioTrack, Eddie Kramer Effect Channel, and TrueVerb. —Reported by Jurek Ugarow
Neumann KH 420
The KH420 three-way active speaker from Neumann brings the mid-field/main monitor solution to its line of studio monitors. Usable free-standing or soffit-mounted, the speaker contains numerous enhancements for optimizing playback in various environments, along with protection circuitry for the individual voice coils. Separate analog class AB amplifiers with large headroom and overheat limiting drive the 10" woofer, 3" fabric dome neodymium magnet midrange driver, and 1" alloy-fabric dome tweeter with a combined 555 watts of continuous power. Computer-mechanically modeled three-way cabinet design using Low Resonance Integral Molding (LRIM) materials add to the accuracy of playback, making the speaker well-suited for use in music, broadcast, and post-production studios for tracking, mixing, and mastering. —Reported by Jurek Ugarow
Antelope Satori Analog Monitoring and Summing System
Intended for professional engineers and enthusiasts who are serious about their audio, this new analog monitoring and summing solution will allow you mix "in the box," and sum your signals in the analog domain for more natural blending of instruments. Featuring relay-controlled stepped attenuation for recalling analog settings, versatile connectivity options, and mastering-grade features such as mid-side monitoring, the Satori Analog Monitoring and Summing System from Antelope is equally at home in both commercial and project studios. The piece features eight stereo inputs, four stereo outputs, and four independent headphone outs that allow for individual source selection and volume control, enabling separate feeds for musicians or vocalists. —Reported by Jason Tables
MAY Internal Miking System
If you’re a professional gigging drummer, or even an avid enthusiast making recordings at home, the MAY Internal Miking System may be exactly what you’ve always been looking for. Internal miking allows you to capture the sound from inside the drum, the origin of the tone, and this system provides a way to permanently mount your mics in the sweet spot, while also giving you the flexibility to adjust mic positioning if needed.
Bundled with popular drum mics from AKG, Audix, Electro-Voice, Sennheiser, and Shure, the mounts can be permanently drilled into the shell of your drum, or mounted using an optional non-drill audio vent connector kit. This patented system provides maximum presence and isolation from ambient sound, and better control over your sound, both in the studio and on the stage. —Reported by Jason Tables
0 Comments