Recording - January 2013 - 12

Audio-Technica (audio-technica.com) has launched its new 50 Series of microphones with the AT5040 ($2999), a cardioid condenser mic that features an array of four rectangular diaphragms that operate together as one, providing a very large effective diaphragm area without losing transient response. This gives exceptionally pure sound for vocals, piano, guitar, strings, and saxophone. Look for a review soon. Audix (audixusa.com) was on hand with the MicroBoom systems ($590–$730) for low-profile instrument miking with the well-liked M1250B and M1255B capsules.

Cascade Microphones (cascademicrophones.com) announced the Fat Head BE (for “Bare Essentials”; $129), a new packaging of the company’s genre-defining ribbon mic without the wood box, aluminum carrying case, or premium shockmount. Chandler Limited (chandlerlimited.com) was on hand with three new prototype guitar pedals (price and availability TBA): an analog signal path/digitally controlled delay, guitar boost, and octave fuzz. Also at the show: the GAV19T tube guitar amp (price “$1900-ish”). Cloud Microphones (cloudmicrophones.com) was showing the U1 Universal Mic Mount ($179) developed by Rycote, offering secure shockmounting and isolation for unusually shaped mics. Crane Song (cranesong.com) debuted the Falcon (price TBA), a 500 Series tube compressor module with hard or soft knee, two different audio path sounds with differing feedback characteristics, wet/dry mix for parallel compression, linking (up to 5.1), and more. Daking Audio (daking.com) was at the TransAudio Group booth (transaudiogroup.com), where the new gear included the EQ 500 (price TBA, around $1250), an inductor-based 500 Series module based on the eq section of the Daking Mic Pre/EQ, with four bands of bypassable eq including high and low shelving and two peaking bands.

Aural Sonic (auralsonic.com) displayed a range of highly portable and lightweight acoustic absorbers (prices vary by configuration). These panels are designed to be folded and carried easily, and can be zipped together to form temporary gobos or isolation booths with surprisingly effective sound deadening for their small size. Benchmark (benchmarkmedia.com) was showing the new DAC2 HGC ($1995), a 2-channel D/A converter with 32-bit conversion, asynchronous USB 2.0 interfacing, native DSD conversion, dual analog inputs, 5 digital sources, and three analog outputs. Bettermaker (bettermaker.eu) made its AES debut at the TransAudio Group (transaudiogroup.com) booth with a new 500 Series eq, the EQ 502P (price TBA). This Pultec-style eq can be programmed via a remote USB connection and up to 399 preset eq settings can be stored on board or in your DAW and automated remotely. Bock Audio (bockaudiodesign.com) was also at the TransAudio Group (transaudiogroup.com) booth showing the iFet ($2295), a FET condenser mic with two switchable and distinct sets of electronics: the I mode with single-FET/four-transistor Class A electronics for high SPL handling, and the V mode with Neumann KM84-inspired electronics for a more intimate tone for use on vocals. Burl Audio (burlaudio.com) premiered two new rackmount audio routing solutions, the B32 Vancouver 32-Channel Mix Bus ($2299) and the B26 Orca Control Room Monitor ($2499). The Vancouver has 8 mono and 12 stereo-pair inputs, switchable BX5 output transformers and 6 dB gain boost, and stepped output controls for its dual stereo outs. The Orca offers six different analog input sources, two stereo speaker outputs, separate control room and headphone level controls, talkback, and an external meter output. Cartec Audio (cartecaudio.com) isn’t a new company, but is now being sold by Wave Distribution in the USA (wavedistro.com). New at the show: The THC Tone Harmonic Compressor ($5725), a 2-channel hybrid tube compressor with four discrete amplifiers for independent control of dynamic range, harmonic distortion, and tone. Also new: the Compere (price TBA), a 500 Series module rack with unique routing capabilities.

DPA Microphones (dpamicrophones.com) was on hand with its many small-diaphragm condenser mics and the new d:facto Vocal ($900), a handheld supercardioid condenser mic with 157 dB SPL handling and very linear frequency response with a small bump centered at 10 kHz. elysia (elysia.com) showed the nvelope and nvelope 500 ($1499 and $975) at the Wave Distribution booth (wavedistro.com); it’s a module (1U rack or dual-width 500 Series) that offers attack and release transient shaping plus eq in stereo or dual mono modes, with auto gain control and more. Also new: the xpressor and xpressor 500 stereo compressors ($1499 and $975). Eventide (eventide.com) premiered the H3000 Factory ($349), a native plug-in for AAX, VST, and Audio Units with a modular interface for pitch, delay, modulation, and filtering algorithms from the original H3000 Harmonizer. Look for a review soon. Focusrite (focusrite.com) was on hand with the AES debuts of its iTrack Solo, Scarlett 2i4, and Forte interfaces ($159.99, $199.99, $599.99); see the November 2012 Fast Forward for details, and look for reviews soon. Fredenstein Professional Audio (fredenstein.com) was a newcomer to AES, with a striking line of audio processors finished in polished brass. The line includes the F660 ($3999), a valve limiting amplifier with a Fairchild 660/670 audio signal path controlled digitally from a touchscreen; the F676 ($1999), a similarlydesigned mic preamp with the ability to change its tube and output transformer characteristics; the Bento6 and Bento10 500-Series rack enclosures ($599 and $999); and a line of 500 Series modules, including a compressor, mic preamp, eq, and gate ($699 each). Grace Design (gracedesign.com) showed the m905 Reference Monitor Controller ($3495), which includes a wired intelligent remote, outputs for three speaker sets, two subwoofers, and headphones, 24/192 support, dedicated SPL metering in real time, and much more.

From top: Antelope Orion 32, Aphex modules and Audio Xciter app, Audio-Technica AT5040
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RECORDING January 2013

http://www.audio-technica.com http://www.cascademicrophones.com http://www.chandlerlimited.com http://www.audixusa.com http://www.cloudmicrophones.com http://www.cranesong.com http://www.daking.com http://www.transaudiogroup.com http://www.auralsonic.com http://www.dpamicrophones.com http://www.elysia.com http://www.benchmarkmedia.com http://www.tro.com http://www.bettermaker.eu http://www.eventide.com http://www.transaudiogroup.com http://www.focusrite.com http://www.bockaudiodesign.com http://www.transaudiogroup.com http://www.fredenstein.com http://www.burlaudio.com http://www.cartecaudio.com http://www.gracedesign.com http://www.wavedistro.com

Recording - January 2013

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