NEW PRODUCTS
Feb 1, 2005 12:00 PM, By Doug Eisengrein
TASCAM FW-1082
FIREWIRE DAW CONTROL SURFACE/AUDIO INTERFACE
A little more than a year ago, Tascam wowed project-studio owners with the release of the FW-1884, an amazingly affordable FireWire-based desktop control surface, audio I/O and multiple-MIDI I/O all wrapped up in one. The company has decided to follow up with a similar brainchild, the FW-1082 ($999). Like the first unit, the FW-1082 features eight touch-sensitive motorized channel faders and one motorized master fader. The I/O section features 10 inputs, including four combo ¼-inch TRS/XLR mic inputs with phantom power, four balanced ¼-inch TRS line inputs and a stereo S/PDIF digital input. The 1082 boasts dual MIDI I/O ports, and channels 1 and 2 have ¼-inch TRS insert jacks for connecting external processing gear. The output section includes ¼-inch TRS monitor outputs, a headphone output with a dedicated level control and a stereo S/PDIF digital out. The beauty of this package is that you can record all 10 inputs at 96 kHz, and it comes bundled with a software suite that includes, among other goodies, Steinberg Cubasis LE.
Tascam;
www.tascam.com
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS ABSYNTH 3
VIRTUAL INSTRUMENT
It seems that every month or two, Native Instruments spits out something new, and the most recent item is Absynth 3 ($339), the latest incarnation of the beloved Frankenstein soft synth. Version 3 is fully multichannel-capable and surround-sound-ready for 3.1-, 5.1-, 7.1- and even 8.0-equipped studios. Each oscillator channel — complete with new functionality, including a Real-Time Fractalize mode, frequency-shifting modulation and extra integrated effects — incorporates dedicated surround-panning capabilities. Absynth's strangely dynamic and ever-morphing atmospheres have become its trademark, and existing patches can easily be integrated to make use of the new surround tools. In addition, version 3's Live Input function — which allows users to process as many as three stereo signals simultaneously, each through a separate oscillator channel — makes Absynth into an extremely powerful sound-shaping tool. The overhauled user interface features a single window that keeps things much tidier than in previous versions. Version 3 comes packed with more than 1,000 presets, with 256 that incorporate the new features.
Native Instruments;
www.native-instruments.com
SOUND PERFORMANCE LAB GOLDMIKE MARK 2
DUAL MIC/INSTRUMENT PREAMP
If you're a bedroom producer seeking a slice of that big-studio sound but don't have a multithousand-dollar budget like the big dogs, check out Sound Performance Lab's GoldMike Mark 2 ($1,095). Like its predecessor, the GoldMike, the Mark 2's architecture is a solid-state and tube hybrid with internal servo circuitry. The new version employs a bolder power supply; a new tri-stage tube gain; and a new dual setting on the trademark Flair presence enhancement, with insert points for external processing. Another upgrade to the original is the addition of a preoutput limiter. The classic analog VU meters can be switched among three different display modes. The I/O section includes dual front-mounted instrument inputs and separate rear-mounted dual line and microphone inputs with phantom power. Each channel features a phase-reverse switch, a pad and a highpass filter at 50 Hz. The GoldMike Mark 2 is a discrete Class A unit, and all critical switching points make use of relays for quiet operation.
Sound Performance Lab;
www.spl-usa.com
EVENTIDE H3000 FACTORY
PLUG-IN FOR DIGIDESIGN PRO TOOLS TDM
Eventide brings the sound of the legendary H3000 Ultra???Harmonizer to life for the Digidesign TDM platform with H3000 Factory (price TBA). A dedicated plug-in for Pro Tools systems, H3000 Factory contains algorithms that take their blueprint from those built into the original H3000. The key to H3000 Factory is the virtual “anything-to-anything” patch bay, which provides the ability to patch a total of 18 effects — including delays, amplitude modulators, envelope followers, pitch shifters, filters, LFOs and more — together in an effect-block chain. Each individual delay effect block can be looped and features a system-tempo lock as well as a filter section. The filter section provides sweep and modulation and can be switched between bandpass, highpass and lowpass modes, each with variable Q for fine tuning. More than 200 editing and shaping parameters are packed into H3000 Factory, and all presets from the Factory family are included along with a plethora of new ones.
Eventide;
www.eventide.com
MINDPRINT T.R.I.O.
CHANNEL STRIP/AUDIO INTERFACE
MindPrint — a German manufacturer of esoteric, quality products — brings its latest innovation to light with the T.R.I.O. ($499), an all-in-one project studio front end that combines a channel strip with analog vocal EQ and compression, stereo line inputs with EQ, dual headphone amps with discrete volume controls, and aux and DAW inputs. The idea behind T.R.I.O. is to combine all of the most important front-end aspects of a basic computerized project studio under one high-quality roof. The channel-strip section takes its cue from one of MindPrint's trademark pieces, the DTC. It features an instrument and phantom-powered Class A mic input with an impedance of 10 kilohms, along with a lowcut filter, a 2-band EQ and a single-control Adaptive Response compressor. All mix controls — including the mic/instrument, stereo line, aux and DAW return — operate simultaneously. A complete consolelike monitoring section includes talkback, mono, dim and mute controls as well as a tripod of monitor outputs and a dedicated master volume knob.
MindPrint;
www.mindprint.com
CIRCULAR LOGIC INTIME
TEMPO-TRACKING SOFTWARE
Circular Logic has an innovative little software product up its sleeve, InTime ($159). InTime is a real-time tempo-tracking application for Windows and Mac OS X. It provides an engine for musicians such as drummers and guitarists to jam freely with the computer while the computer follows the musician's natural tempo fluctuations — including broad, sudden changes — in real time. In effect, it turns a computer sequencer into a backing “band” without the stiffness of traditional sequencers. It can be used equally for live performance, composition and recording. InTime can be a sync master for other software or MIDI sequencers, directing them to slave to live playing. New features in version 1.2 for Windows include a more efficient engine to reduce CPU load, presets and playlists, a mini controls window, relative tempo limits and increased tracking bias range. The just-released version 1.0 is for Mac OS X.
Circular Logic;
www.circular-logic.com
GEMINI PMX-01, PMX-02, PMX-03
DJ MIXERS
Gemini mixes it up with three new inexpensive DJ toys: the PMX-01 ($89.95), the PMX-02 ($119.95) and the PMX-03 ($159.95). The supercompact PMX-01 is a mere 6.5-inch-long, 2-stereo-channel mixer that can accept either two turntables or two CD players via its level-adjustable RCA inputs. Just the basics are included: a 2-band EQ and gain controls for each channel, a cue crossfader on the top face and a ¼-inch headphone output with a rotary volume control on the front panel. The slightly larger yet still compact PMX-02 and PMX-03 share many common features, including a 10-inch chassis with a curved faceplate, two stereo channels with four total RCA inputs, one mic input and a stepped-up 3-band EQ and gain control on each channel. Both units feature twin ground screws and a height size made to match most standard turntables. The PMX-03 adds three EQ kill switches that are capable of rendering complete silence in the high, mid and low frequency ranges.
Gemini;
www.geminidj.com
UNIVERSAL AUDIO 2-1176
DUAL-CHANNEL FET COMPRESSOR
The legendary Universal Audio company has again reintroduced one of the benchmark compressors from the '60s — this time, the 1176 model. The next-generation 2-1176 ($2,795) is a dual-channel limiting amplifier, as opposed to the single-channel original, and incorporates the same FETs and output transformers as its famous older sibling. UA has improved upon the original 1176's carbon-film resistors with metal-film replacements that result in a lower noise floor than with the vintage units. Other notable upgrades to the 2-1176 are the rotary switches for Ratio and Meter, which replace the push-button equivalents found on all models of the 1176, including the 2000 reissue. Attack, release, input level and output level are all continuously variable controls, with a maximum of 40 dB of total gain on the levels. Each channel features a six-position rotary switch that provides compression ratios of 1:1, 4:1, 8:1, 12:1, 20:1 and All. The All setting simulates the compression/distortion produced by a vintage 1176 with all Ratio buttons pressed in simultaneously. The 2-1176 can be switched between dual-mono and stereo-linked operation.
Universal Audio;
www.uaudio.com
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