NEW PRODUCTS
Apr 1, 2004 12:00 PM, By Doug Eisengrein
ROLAND FANTOM-X SERIES
WORKSTATION KEYBOARDS
Roland's Fantom line of keyboard workstations gets a huge overhaul with the new Fantom-X Series ($2,395-$3,395): the 61-note Fantom-X6, the 76-note Fantom-X7 and the new flagship 88-note Fantom-X8 progressive-hammer-action keyboard. The new Fantoms feature four-voice patches with 128-note polyphony, a brand-new wave ROM, capacity for almost 1 GB of wave data, four Roland SRX expansion-card slots and room for a total of 544 MB of sample RAM. Also included is a PC Card slot that allows storage of samples on cards with as much as 1 GB of capacity. An impressive new feature of the Fantom-X series is the sharp, full-color LCD screen, which uses smart color-coded schemes for easy interface navigation. Like their predecessors, the new Fantoms also feature 16 onboard velocity- and pressure-sensitive drum pads (which have been improved), Roland's Skip Back Sampling and the company's own V-Link technology for audio and video integration. The I/O section includes two sets of stereo ¼-inch outputs, a stereo ¼-inch input, S/PDIF digital I/O, MIDI In/Out/Thru and a USB port for easy AIFF- and WAV-file transfer.
Roland; Web
www.rolandus.com
AUDIO-TECHNICA MIDNIGHT BLUES
VOCAL/INSTRUMENT MICS
Audio-Technica, well-known for its top-shelf microphones, has redesigned and reissued its affordable vocal and instrument microphones with the second-generation Midnight Blues ($49-$139) series. The reincarnated MB series offers four brand-new mics with high-output and extremely low-handling noise characteristics: the MB1k and MB3k unidirectional dynamic vocal microphones, the MB2k unidirectional dynamic mic for instruments and the MB4k cardioid condenser studio mic. All four sport all-metal construction, and each is tuned for optimum cut-through in the mix. All except the MB1k have a velvety soft-touch finish, providing a nonslip gripping surface and extra insulation against handling noise — quite useful in live situations. For an extra $20, all four mics are also available with a 15-inch XLR cable, included with models MB1k/c, MB2k/c, MB3k/c and MB4k/c. A supernice feature of the MB1k, the MB2k and the MB3k is A-T's trademark Magna-Lock switch, which has been designed for silent, slip-free on-off switching.
Audio-Technica; e-mail
sales@atus.com; Web
www.audio-technica.com
STANTON FINALSCRATCH 1.5
VIRTUAL DJ SOFTWARE (MAC/PC)
Stanton sent shock waves through the DJ circuit with its first release of FinalScratch. Now, with partner Native Instruments, it unveils FinalScratch 1.5 ($49-$69 upgrade). Powered by NI's Traktor FS software, version 1.5 now runs natively on Windows XP, without using Linux, and Mac OS X Panther. FinalScratch essentially allows you to use a standard turntable and DJ mixer to control digital audio files stored in your computer inside Record Boxes. Killer updates in version 1.5 include the Key Correct function, which maintains pitch in real time while changing tempo; the ability to completely resize the user interface; and the option to choose among four font sizes (users should find that useful in dark nightclubs). The upgrade to native Windows XP compatibility includes many goodies, such as low-latency drivers, hot swapping of the Scratch Amp without a restart and support for network and FireWire drives — a must-have for working DJs with a lot of music files. The Panther update also provides enhanced drivers and performance on the Mac.
Stanton; e-mail
info@finalscratch.com; Web
www.finalscratch.com
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