New Products
Dec 1, 2006 12:00 PM, By Asher Fulero
CAKEWALK SONAR 6
DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATION
Those who know Sonar know the extent of its power and the massive amount of technologies contained within. Cakewalk's new Sonar 6 Producer Edition ($619; www.cakewalk.com) is jam-packed with even more new features, bringing some popular new ideas to Sonar and giving users a mass of ways to personalize their experience.
Cakewalk's new Active Controller Technology (ACT) dynamically remaps software devices to connected hardware controllers as you work, and the new time-stretching technology called AudioSnap allows multitrack nondestructive audio quantizing for speedy alignment. The entire program now supports VST plug-ins natively without the need for an adapter. The new VC-64 Vintage Channel effect provides analog-modeled dual-stage compression and EQ, and the new Session Drummer 2 instrument gets drum tracks going quickly with hundreds of live recorded patterns and grooves ready for hyper customization. Crash recovery and file versioning help secure your session files, customizable plug-in menus and definable color schemes help with session organization and a rearrangeable user interface allows you to set up whatever type of workspace you like. The new Synth Rack can save complex virtual instrument and effect arrangements (including assigned knob settings) as simple patches for easy management of mixes and presets. Also available is Sonar 6 Studio Edition ($369), which does not include the high-end plug-ins or surround-sound compatibility.
FRONTIER DESIGNS ALPHATRACK
USB CONTROL SURFACE
The new AlphaTrack ($200; www.frontierdesign.com) from Frontier Designs is a compact USB control surface meant to streamline and accelerate the editing process in all major DAWs. It could live on your desktop or travel with you just about anywhere. The single 100 mm motorized fader operates at high-resolution 10-bit precision, and the three endless rotary knobs are touch-sensitive — meaning you can simply touch one, and information about the parameter it controls appears on the display. The 21 other buttons (for track-specific navigation and global settings) each have LEDs for easy use even in dim environments. The cool, touch-sensitive control strip lets you shuttle forward or backward at regular speed with a single finger or at a faster speed with two fingers; tapping on either end will jump between location points. The AlphaTrack is currently compatible with Pro Tools, Cubase, Sonar, Reason, Digital Performer and Nuendo, and Frontier Designs says more are on the way. USB bus power makes it extra portable, and a footswitch input could make an interesting recording or performance tool.
ECLER AC-6
6-CHANNEL DJ CLUB MIXER
Known across Europe and elsewhere for carefully crafted DJ mixers, Ecler has reintroduced its classic AC line of club/installation mixers with the new Ecler AC-6 ($TBA; www.eclerdjdivision.com) club mixer. With a classic layout and vintage look, Ecler's commitment to the highest quality in build and parts should be evident. Six stereo channels, each with 3-band full-kill EQ, gain, pre/post aux send, cueing, 20 total stereo inputs and a multitude of outputs make the AC-6 ready for even the most complicated setups while maintaining fidelity. The assignable crossfader is reversible, and separate LED bars for the two mix outputs and the monitor outputs deliver an easy visual reference. Clubs looking for flexibility and quality or DJs looking to stand apart need look no further.
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS MASSIVE
WAVE-SCANNING SOFTWARE SYNTHESIZER
Fully integrated with its Kore system, Native Instruments' new full-service software synthesizer Massive ($339; www.native-instruments.com) is packed with powerful new features. Massive's central driving force is its newly developed audio engine with Native Instruments' Wave Scanning oscillators. Smooth, formant-optimized wavetables, creative filter types (such as Daft, a special nonlinear lowpass filter that can make talking noises) and newly designed effect algorithms deliver top-of-the-line fidelity. The flexible signal-routing system makes it easy to build incredibly complicated modular designs, and the eight assignable Macro Controls make it easy to create customized physical knob assignments with multiple targets. The new step sequencer titled The Performer uses an intuitive envelope design for creative and powerful modulation sequences, and the innovative drag-and-drop assignment scheme allows you to simply drag a modulator onto a target parameter for superfast, on-the-fly modulation changes. All 420 patches are precategorized as KoreSounds for painless use within the Kore system.
DIGIDESIGN MBOX 2 PRO
MULTITRACK RECORDING INTERFACE WITH PRO TOOLS 7 LE
Although Digidesign's original Mbox was the first device to deliver true Pro Tools in a portable format, it lacked several key features and was limited by the speed of its USB connection. Even the second version, the Mbox 2, was still just a slightly updated version of the original. For the new Mbox 2 Pro ($799; www.digidesign.com), Digidesign has finally created a portable interface that is as powerful as Pro Tools.
The first difference you'll notice is that the USB connection has been replaced with FireWire for better daisy-chaining, bigger track count, higher fidelity and generally more stability. The six simultaneously available inputs include two combo XLR/¼-inch jacks on the back and two ¼-inch DI jacks on the front. Inputs 5 and 6 are switchable between ¼-inch instrument inputs and RCA phono jacks for easy use with turntables. The eight outputs are also simultaneously available: four ¼-inch analog outputs, a stereo TRS ¼-inch output (5/6) and a dedicated pair of ¼-inch Monitor outputs. Stereo S/PDIF I/O is available on RCA jacks; MIDI I/O and Word Clock on BNC jacks round out the syncing options for flexibility in a variety of settings. It comes packaged with ProTools 7 LE for Mac and Windows and the Pro Tools Ignition Pack plug-in collection.
ELIOSOUND AIREQ
ANALOG-STYLED EQ PLUG-IN
The new AirEQ ($269; www.eliosound.com) from Eliosound is a VST, Audio Units and RTAS plug-in equalizer that is designed from a uniquely musical mold. Based on brand-new algorithms designed after real analog curves, the AirEQ uses Eliosound's own AMLT (Analog Matched Linear Transform) technology for its musical filtering. Hyper-optimized to be extremely light on the processor, AirEQ can nevertheless operate at zero latency even with multiple instances, making it a great tool for tracking into a DAW or performing onstage. A special Air knob injects a general brightness into the signal, and the clearly laid out interface is packed with keyboard shortcuts to speed up the workflow. Eliosound provides a free demo version on its Website.
KLEIN & HUMMEL O 300
TRIAMPLIFIED NEAR-FIELD STUDIO MONITORS
Designed to deliver ultraclear imaging for near-field work, Klein & Hummel's new triamplified O 300 Studio Monitors ($TBA; www.klein-hummel.com) are packed with creative ways to clarify the stereo field, addressing a real problem in smaller rooms when working closer to the speakers. Just like the popular O 300 D but without the digital inputs and control hardware, the O 300s are built using a dense and low-resonance material called LRIM, which is used to help direct the low end through the baffle for better alignment; the high-end output is also narrowed, which both clears up the comb filter — like field disruption from resonant reflections and widens the stereo field to give engineers more freedom of movement. Drivers for all three amplifiers are well-shielded for use near computers and other high-tech equipment.
PRIMERA BRAVO SE DISC PUBLISHER
AUTOMATED CD/DVD BURNER AND PRINTER
Nothing says professionalism like a slick-looking demo; conversely, nothing says amateur like a crappy one. To keep up with a changing world, it's good to keep your demo changing as well, so rather than print another 1,000 discs of your newest and greatest, consider Primera's technologically-charged Bravo SE Disc Publisher ($1,495; www.primera.com). Primera's sixth-generation robotics include a state-of-the-art robot arm that grabs blank discs from the modest 20-disc hopper, drops them into a top-of-the-line Pioneer CD/DVD burner, moves them again to the 4,800 dpi Z-Color matching inkjet disc printer and then moves them a third time to the “finished” spindle. Using a speedy USB 2.0 connection, the Bravo SE includes software for Windows and Mac OS X that transmits audio and artwork to the printer. Get great-looking, attractively priced demo discs you'll be proud of without the duplication-house middleman.
ROGUE AMOEBA FISSION
STREAMLINED AUDIO EDITOR
Fission ($32; www.rogueamoeba.com), Rogue Amoeba's new 2-channel audio editor for Mac OS 10.4 only, is a simple and streamlined way to perform quick and painless editing to any of the usual types of Mac audio files. Making simple edits of MP3, AAC, Apple Lossless and AIFF files is intuitive and graphically pleasing. Best of all, Fission natively manipulates the audio files rather than doing messy format switching, so edits are 100-percent lossless. You can easily split up long files into multiple songs, remove commercials or voice-overs, make mobile-phone ringtones or pair Fission with Rogue Amoeba's other popular software, Audio Hijack Pro. Use Audio Hijack to grab audio from any computer program, including Internet radio, DVDs, iChat, Skype, etc. Then use Fission to edit it to the perfect length. A full Fission demo is available online, and owners of Audio Hijack Pro receive $14 off of Fission.
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