High Society
Dec 1, 2006 12:00 PM, Markkus Rovito
Attendees of the annual Audio Engineering Society (AES) convention are always assured of seeing the upper crust of pro-audio gear. If you're a bedroom producer, this usually means consoles bigger than that bedroom and mics that cost more than your car. This was still the case at AES San Francisco 2006 (October 5-8). One of the fancy focal points was the new Fairlight Crystal Core CC-1 PCI card audio engine for the company's state-of-the-art Dream II production system. However, this year's AES show reflected the ongoing trend of high technology trickling down to everyday budgets, or at least budgets that can fall back on a credit card.
A surprise in the hardware category, M-Audio introduced its first mixer, the NRV10 ($899), which is also a 10-channel FireWire audio interface that both sends and receives multichannel audio from a computer. Korg also shook up the audio world with its 1-bit MR-1000 and portable MR-1 digital hard-disk recorders. The appeal of 1-bit recording is high-res sound, as well as the ability to convert recordings to any digital PCM format. Universal Audio introduced the Desktop Console System (DCS) family of modular DAW “expansion and enhancement” hardware. The first components, the Remote Preamp and the Monitor Master, are slated for early 2007.
Microphone highlights included the Telefunken RM-5C cardioid ribbon mic and Ela M 260 tube mic. Red Microphones also introduced the new Type A vacuum tube mic ($1,345), which includes a flight case and other accessories.
On the soft side, Digidesign unveiled Velvet ($249), a virtual electric pianos instrument for…wait for it…RTAS systems. McDSP also announced the ML4000 ($495) limiter and multiband dynamics processing plug-in for TDM/RTAS.
The lone DJ product debut was Mackie's d.4 Pro, a 4-channel DJ mixer with pro preamps, dual-analog filters and optional FireWire expansion.
For a detailed AES report, go to remixmag.com.
| Want to use this article? Click here for options! |  |
