NEW PRODUCTS

Nov 1, 2004 12:00 PM, By Doug Eisengrein and Robert Hanson

APPLE LOGIC PRO 7, LOGIC EXPRESS 7

DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATIONS (MAC)

The long wait is finally over for Logic users: Apple's latest revision to the Logic line includes the new Logic Pro 7 ($999) and Logic Express 7 ($299). The applications now boast more than 100 work-flow improvements and a host of new instruments and effects. Two of the new instruments include Sculpture, a component-modeling synth, and UltraBeat, Apple's take on drum-machine-style instruments. For the guitar player, Logic Pro also ships with the new Guitar Amp Pro amp emulator. Other new effects include pitch correction, matching EQ, linear phase EQ, metering and more. And if that isn't enough, the program also allows the DSP load to be shared among an essentially limitless number of computers. The program will run on any G4-equipped Mac running Mac OS 10.3 or later, but a dual-processor system is recommended for optimal performance.
Apple; e-mail info@apple.com; Web www.apple.com/logic

TC ELECTRONIC POWERCORE COMPACT

PORTABLE DSP EXPANSION UNIT AND PLUG-IN BUNDLE (MAC/PC)

For years, adding additional DSP to a DAW always meant sacrificing portability. Even with a laptop, you still had to trudge around with a road case or a PCI expansion chassis. With the new TC Electronic PowerCore Compact ($995), however, all of that has changed. About the same size as a VHS cassette, the PowerCore Compact includes two 150MHz DSPs and a 266MHz PowerPC processor, and it is actually more powerful than the PCI and Element versions of the PowerCore. The unit will work with most FireWire-equipped Macs and PCs and supports both VST- and Audio Units — enabled host applications. The Compact ships with a healthy suite of TC plug-ins (that run independent of the host CPU) including Tubifex, Classic Verb, Vintage CL, PowerCore 01, Mega Reverb, EQSat Custom, Voice Strip, Chorus + Delay, 24/7 C Limiting Amp, Master X3, Filtroid and Character. Additionally, multiple PowerCores of any variety (FireWire, Compact, PCI and Element) can be used together at the same time. And just for laughs, the unit has a cool blue LED that moves back and forth across the front of the unit a la Knight Rider.
TC Electronic; e-mail infous@tcelectronic.com; Web www.tcelectronic.com

MACKIE ONYX 400F

FIREWIRE AUDIO INTERFACE

The audio in your workstation is only as good as the preamps that you track it through, and to that end, Mackie offers the Onyx 400F (price TBA) FireWire audio interface. The unit comes loaded with four Onyx-series preamps (with combination ¼-inch/XLR inputs), two balanced TRS send/returns for the first two preamps, four line inputs, eight line and two control-room outputs, word-clock I/O, MIDI I/O, S/PDIF I/O and two FireWire ports. Additionally, the unit includes onboard DSP for routing management independent of the host CPU. The Onyx 400F occupies a single rackspace, and it is 192kHz-capable.
Mackie; e-mail sales@mackie.com; Web www.mackie.com

SENNHEISER eH350

STUDIO HEADPHONES

Continuing a tradition of high-quality cans, Sennheiser adds the eH350 ($139.95) headphones to the pack, covering the middle price point. The new model features nonbulky, lightweight semicircumaural ear cups. They have an impedance of 32 ohms and are designed to be especially useful with low-output volume sources, such as portable devices or nonbalanced connections. The eH350s spec out with a healthy frequency response of 14 Hz to 22 kHz; they feature a maximum SPL of 112 dB at 1 kHz; and they have a low total harmonic distortion level of less than 0.2 percent. The new phones feature 10-foot-long oxygen-free copper cables. Various parts, such as the leatherette ear pads and the cable, are replaceable, and the cans feature a two-year warranty, ensuring a long life. Similar headphones recently released for the tighter-budget crowd include the eH150 ($59.95) and eH250 ($99.95).
Sennheiser; e-mail info@sennheiserusa.com; Web www.sennheiserusa.com

MOOG MUSIC MINIMOOG VOYAGER EDITOR-LIBRARIAN

SOFTWARE EDITOR FOR MINIMOOG VOYAGER (MAC/PC)

For owners of Moog's Minimoog Voyager comes the Minimoog Voyager Editor-Librarian ($79), available for both major computer platforms. The new editor allows quick and easy in-depth control of the Voyager's presets, banks, patches and edit-mode parameters — all via MIDI. The editor allows you to build, arrange and save preset patches, as well as control the many different parameters of the Voyager from the computer interface in real time. A max of 16-bit resolution allows for precise, smooth editing of the continuous controllers, and the hardware's response is immediate. You can get deep into the guts of the Minimoog, remotely controlling Pitch Bend, PGM Mod Bus Source, Destination, Shaping, Keyboard Modes, Trigger Modes, Filter Poles, Envelope Gate Sources, Touch Surface Destinations, Pot Mapping, Clock Divider and Preset Names. The software editor will be available directly as a download from Moog Music's Website in exchange for a small dent in your wallet.
Moog Music; e-mail info@moogmusic.com; Web www.moogmusic.com

BIAS PEAK 4.1

MASTERING AND RESTORATION SOFTWARE SUITE (MAC)

BIAS Peak, one of the long-standing audio editors for Macintosh, is being offered as the special bundled edition Peak 4.1 ($899). The upgraded package includes SoundSoap Pro, BIAS' high-end audio-restoration plug-in, and SuperFreq, a 10-band mastering EQ. By itself, SoundSoap Pro normally rings the retail register at $599, and SuperFreq comes in at $79. With Peak normally tapping your wallet for $499, the bundle is a good deal for a complete mastering, editing and restoration suite. The new version 4.1 features support for VST and Audio Units plug-in formats; it boasts a large arsenal of its own top-notch processing plug-ins, including the Vbox effects matrix; and it includes Roxio Jam 6, professional Red Book CD-mastering software. SoundSoap Pro provides 512 frequency bands of noise reduction via 12 threshold and reduction sliders, which can be group-locked. SuperFreq includes 10 frequency bands, each sweepable from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Each band includes a discrete bypass button, and included are peak, notch, high-shelf, low-shelf, high-cut and low-cut filters.
BIAS; e-mail sales@bias-inc.com; Web www.bias-inc.com

SAMSON RUBICON 5a, RUBICON 6a

ACTIVE RIBBON STUDIO MONITORS

Traditionally, ribbon transducers (such as microphones) have been extremely expensive, which is why ribbon monitors have been extremely rare. Samson is going against that grain with its new Rubicon 5a ($329, pair) and Rubicon 6a ($429, pair) active ribbon studio monitors. The inexpensive new Rubicons feature 2-inch velocity ribbon transducers for high frequencies, embodied in a biamped active design. Ribbon drivers are supposed to possess no resonant color at all. The Rubicon 5a features 50W amps driving the low end with 5-inch inverted cones, with 25W amps going to the high frequencies. The 6a units push 75W through 6.5-inch cones, with the same 25W going to the ribbon. The cabinets for both models are made of shelf-ported wood, and analog inputs are provided on balanced ¼-inch and XLR jacks. The Rubicons are also equipped with four-segment high-frequency lift controls for custom dialing-in for the highs.
Samson; e-mail info@samsontech.com; Web www.samsontech.com

ALESIS CD TWIN

STAND-ALONE AUDIO AND DATA CD DUPLICATOR

Alesis has answered the call of many studios for simple, affordable CD duplicating and audio and data archiving with the CD Twin (price TBA). The unit boasts a superfast 525 burn speed for CD-to-CD copies, requiring just a single button-press. Compilations from audio CDs are also a cinch to create. The CD Twin operates as an external CD-RW drive for Macs and PCs via its built-in USB 2.0 interface and included software. The CD Twin is compatible with both CD-R and CD-RW media. A raw copy function makes mirror images of discs. Audio outputs include a rear ⅛-inch stereo line jack and a front-mounted ⅛-inch stereo headphone out with a dedicated volume control; an RCA adapter is also included. A 2516 LCD displays the unit's status, and four keys (Start, Cancel, Fast Forward and Rewind) control the whole affair.
Alesis; e-mail info@alesis.com; Web www.alesis.com

KORG TP-2

DUAL-CHANNEL TUBE PREAMP

Korg feeds its newfound penchant for tube warmth with its new dual tube preamp with optical compression and digital output, the TP-2 (price TBA). The TP-2 is a 2-channel 12AX7 vacuum-tube preamp, with a unique chassis design, that sits on your desktop. The tube circuitry is an enhanced version of that found in Korg's Triton Extreme and Electribe SX and MX boxes, and the TP-2 includes fast-responding individual optical compressors, which can be stereo-linked, per channel. In addition, the channels feature analog VU meters, independent phantom-power switches, 26dB pads, phase-reverse switches, and Low Cut and Hi-Z buttons. Basic Compression Sensitivity knobs are coupled with Fast/Slow switches for release-time control. Inputs and outputs are on both XLR and balanced TRS jacks. Digital outputs are provided on optical and coaxial connectors and offer a choice of sample rates among 44.1, 48 and 96 kHz. Console-style linear faders are used for output-level control.
Korg; Web www.korg.com

YAMAHA MG8/2FX, MG12/4FX

SMALL-FORMAT ANALOG CONSOLES

Yamaha has made two additions to its MG series of analog consoles: the MG8/2FX ($199) and the MG12/4FX ($319). The MG8/2FX offers eight channels, comprising four mono input channels and three stereo, with 3-band EQ on both channel types and a single aux/effect send/return. Dual stereo main outputs are onboard. The mono channels include inputs on both XLR and unbalanced ¼-inch jacks, and the stereo channels provide inputs on both unbalanced phone and RCA phono jacks. The MG12/4FX includes six mono channels and four stereo input channels, also with 3-band EQ on each. The stereo channel section has a different layout, featuring eight unbalanced phone jacks and two sets of dedicated RCA jacks. The output section is expanded to encompass four stereo outs and a group bus, as well as an additional aux/effect send/return. The icing on the MG12 is the stereo effects bus, which features a variety of Yamaha's classic SPX-type effects. The MG8/2FX can be mounted with an optional microphone-stand adapter whereas rack ears are provided with the MG12/4FX.
Yamaha; Web www.yamaha.com

ALLEN & HEATH XONE VF-1

STEREO ANALOG FILTER

Following on the successful heels of its acclaimed Xone-series DJ mixers, Allen & Heath releases the Xone VF-1 (price TBA). The VF-1 is a single-rackspace stereo analog filter designed for both live and studio use. Taking design tips from the company's own Xone:V6 valve rotary-style club mixer, the VF-1's circuitry is a stepped-up version of the filters found inside A&H's Xone mixers. Three filter types — highpass, bandpass and lowpass — are the basis for VF-1. The three filters can be combined to form custom filters. Also built into the VF-1's arsenal are an envelope follower, resonance with an automatic limiter to protect from decibel overload, and an LFO that features selectable triangle or square-wave outputs. The VF-1 also boasts control for valve overdrive, allowing adjustable amounts of valve warmth without boosting or cutting the output level.
Allen & Heath; e-mail marketing@allen-heath.com; Web www.allen-heath.com

FURMAN RL-I, RL-LED

RACK LIGHTS

The studio-rack-gear wizards at Furman Sound do it again with their new Rack Light — series units, the RL-I ($49) and RL-LED ($99). Built for use in either the front or rear of your rack, the RL-series rack lights feature twin incandescent bulbs (RL-I) or twin LED bulbs (RL-LED) on 12-inch flexible goosenecks, mounted on a single-rackspace 19-inch plate. Like their rack power conditioners, the RL-I and the RL-LED each feature a front-mounted dimmer switch to adjust lamp intensity. The units draw their power from detachable 6-foot 12 VAC wall-wart power supplies. Both units feature replaceable heads and bulbs, and the lights in the RL-LED are cool and energy-efficient, with an extra-long life span. For that ultrabright illumination needed for either side of the rack in dark spaces, the bright lamps of the RL-I are the ticket.
Furman; e-mail info@furmansound.com; Web www.furmansound.com

Want to use this article?
Click here for options!