NEW PRODUCTS
Jun 1, 2005 12:00 PM, By Doug Eisengrein
ALLEN & HEATH XONE:S6
ROTARY DJ MIXER
Allen & Heath scored big-time in the past few years with its Xone range of DJ mixers, particularly the benchmark V6. The new sibling product is the Xone:S6 (price TBA), which is almost identical to the V6; it features the same quality components and sonic benchmark, yet it will shrink buyers' wallets a little less. Like the V6, the S6's feature set includes six dual stereo channels, each with a highpass filter and an insert point, top-quality Penny+Giles rotary faders, retro-style LED level meters and Class A circuitry throughout. Features from the V6 that are absent on the S6 are the valve preamps; the voltage-sensing power supply; and the blue LEDs, which have been replaced by green versions. Another key difference is the presence of three phono preamps instead of the four found on the V6. The look is still quite similar, and it is top-rackmountable, which is convenient for permanent club installations and mobile rigs.
Allen & Heath;
www.allen-heath.com
BLUE KICKBALL
PHANTOM-POWERED DYNAMIC MIC
The spherical mics from Blue just keep on coming. But the newest phantom-powered dynamic globe, the Kickball ($149), is a specialty. The Kickball is made for capturing the low end of the frequency spectrum, with intended uses being kick drums and bass guitar, among other instruments. Along with the combination of phantom power and dynamic styling, the Kickball offers a three-position bass-frequency equalization curve switch with an active RC filter that cuts sub-20Hz frequencies. The low end can be sculpted with controlled, normal or extended bottom settings without adding phase distortion. All of Blue's spherical mics feature rugged shells for studio use or live abuse, and the transducer is capable of handling a superhigh maximum of 162 dB of SPL. The mic boasts a Class A, discrete solid-state amp circuit capable of transferring a frequency range of 35 Hz to 16 kHz. The Kickball features a cardioid polar pattern, and for studio applications, Blue's optional Ringer custom shockmount can be affixed to any model within the Ball line of microphones.
Blue;
www.bluemic.com
CELEMONY MELODYNE 2.6
TIME AND PITCH AUDIO-EDITING SOFTWARE
Although not a blockbuster hit like Propellerhead Reason or Digidesign Pro Tools, Celemony Melodyne, with its simple yet accurate and powerful pitch and time tools and arrangement possibilities, has been a secret favorite of many studio cats and composers. Melodyne 2.6 ($599, Studio Edition; $369, Cre8; free upgrade from 2.0) is now available, and Celemony has added or improved on existing functions for the handling of keys and scales, as well as tools for editing diatonic and chromatic notes. Also implemented is improved pitch recognition, such as the ability to distinguish between notes that belong to a current key and those that do not, resulting in better transposition and mode changes and multipart harmony generation. Grouping of notes is a newfound function; the handling of trills and other ornaments has gotten a face-lift; and many of the enhancements are specific user requests. Along with all the new goodies are improvements in compatibility with MOTU Digital Performer 4.5 and Apple Logic Pro 7.
Celemony;
www.celemony.com
STUDIO PROJECTS SP-828
8-CHANNEL MIC PREAMP/MIXER
Studio Projects, a company that has made its mark by producing excellent-quality studio mics for really good prices, is taking its second step into signal processors with the SP-828 ($799.99). The SP-828 is a switchable 8-channel mic preamp and 852 line mixer set inside a 19-inch single-rackspace chassis. A lot of I/O and features are packed inside this small body, including 48V phantom power; phase reverse; a mic/line switch; peak and signal-present indicators; gain, level and pan controls; an XLR input; and individual balanced ¼-inch input and output jacks on every channel. A headphone output with a dedicated monitoring control is onboard, and the 48V, Phase, Mic/Line and Solo switches all have dedicated LEDs. As many as four SP-828s can be cascaded together, with all inputs bused to the main stereo outputs, and the main L/R output features an insert point for external processing.
Studio Projects;
www.studioprojectsusa.com
ALESIS FUSION 6HD, FUSION 8HD
KEYBOARD WORKSTATIONS
Alesis has been on a roll lately with hip new synths, and the latest additions are the Fusion 6HD ($2,399) and the Fusion 8HD ($2,999) keyboard workstations. Alesis' main design focus with the Fusion series is probably overdue: ease of use. This isn't meant to say that Alesis compromised power, however; the two new workstations boast the world's first 8-channel, 24-bit hard-disk recorder integrated into a workstation, along with a Coldfire processor and seven high-performance DSPs. Four synthesis types (sample playback, analog modeling, FM and physical modeling), an onboard sampler, effects and expandable RAM (64 to 192 MB) are all present, as is the choice of saving and loading programs from either the built-in hard disk or portable CompactFlash memory cards. The internal hard drive has a 40GB capacity, and eight tracks of simultaneous 24-bit, 44.1kHz direct-to-disk recording are supported, along with MIDI data. For those who don't care to stare at a computer screen or just prefer one do-it-all piece of gear, Alesis might just have the ticket.
Alesis;
www.alesis.com
DYNAUDIO BM 9S
POWERED SUBWOOFER
Dynaudio recently released its BM 5A compact monitors, and to complement those as well as the company's entire BM line of monitors, it has followed up with the unveiling of the BM 9S ($1,245) subwoofer. The BM 9S pushes a generous 200W of woof power and sports a frequency response of 29 to 387 Hz, which it ports through a 10-inch cone. The box itself is compact, making it a good 2.1 or multichannel base for cramped listening quarters. The unit includes a user-adjustable crossover and an onboard highpass filter that eliminates sub-60 or sub-80Hz frequencies from the signal chain to the satellite speakers. Separate low-frequency input and output jacks are onboard, allowing for connections with external bass-management systems and for multiple sub daisy-chaining. The cabinet is a closed type, and according to Dynaudio, this makes for enhanced precision in the reproduction of low frequencies.
Dynaudio;
www.dynaudioacoustics.com
NOVATION X-STATION 49, X-STATION 61
SYNTHESIZERS/AUDIO-MIDI INTERFACES
Novation's multipurpose X-Station 25 is now officially eclipsed by two beefier models: the X-Station 49 ($799) and the X-Station 61 ($999). The newest additions to the X-Station party are synthesizers and audio/MIDI interfaces with 49 and 61 keys, respectively. The keys feature a semiweighted mechanism and aftertouch. Building on the X-Station 25, the 49 and 61 models each boast an assignable x-y track pad and joystick as well as three encoders, 16 potentiometers, nine linear sliders and 22 buttons for a tremendous amount of remote-control possibilities. Both units can draw power from a USB bus, batteries or an external power supply. As audio interfaces, the X-Station 49 and 61 feature a pair of Neutrik combo XLR/phone jacks that include phantom power, separately mixable headphone and monitor outputs, S/PDIF out and USB; MIDI I/O are onboard, as well. But wait — the X-Station models are also three-oscillator, eight-voice polyphonic virtual-analog synthesizers, and their sound engines are based on Novation's popular KS-series synths.
Novation;
www.novationmusic.com
GENELEC 8130A
DIGITAL STUDIO MONITOR
With its ears to the high-sample-rate digital audio street, Genelec has pulled the curtain on the new 8130A ($995 each) digital monitoring system. The 8130A features a 192kHz, 24-bit digital audio interface and AES/EBU input with automatic detection of word length and sampling frequency. Traditional analog input is onboard, too. Small yet high-end monitors suitable for home-studio near-field monitoring, mobile vans, cramped control rooms and the like seem to be all the rage lately, and such is the case with the 8130A, which is housed in a tiny cabinet. Despite the sizes of its 5-inch woofer and ¾-inch tweeter, the frequency response of the 8130A is 58 Hz to 20 kHz, and the peak SPL per pair is rated at 108 dB. The units include internal dual 40W amplifiers. The enclosures feature rounded sides and corners to decrease cabinet diffraction, and each 8130A is magnetically shielded for placement near computer monitors.
Genelec;
www.genelec.com
BUCHLA SERIES 200E
MODULAR ANALOG SYNTHESIZER
Serious analog enthusiasts, listen up! The highly regarded Buchla 200 Series modular system, released in 1970 and produced until the mid-'80s, is back. Don Buchla and Associates' Series 200e ($9,450-$19,850) modular system comprises a series of three different models, and individual modular components are sold separately for you Radio Shack dwellers. For anyone who might be lucky enough to actually own an original, the good news is that the new 200e system components are completely interchangeable with the original 1970s modules. Although these beasts are the real analog McCoy, the big upgrades with the 200e systems are the implementation of MIDI and patch memory. MIDI comes in the form of module 225e, which allows for the routing of standard MIDI messages to any point on the 200e. Modules that are new or upgraded are a triple-morphing filter, dual arbitrary-function generator and a duo-phonic pitch-class generator. Like any good old-school modular synth, the 200e uses banana plugs and signal jacks, and insert points are color-coded for easy patching.
Buchla;
www.buchla.com
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