Recording - January 2014 - 11

by modules with color-assignable touchsensitive knobs, moving faders, or
flatscreen displays.
Benchmark
(benchmarkmedia.com)
announced the AHB2 (price TBA, under
$3000), a stereo power amplifier intended for high-resolution audio listening. The
AHB2 is 10 to 30 dB quieter than other
amps, offering the 130 dB dynamic range

needed to properly audition 24-bit audio.
Its frequency response extends from 0.1
Hz to beyond 200 kHz and it features
new technology from THX to eliminate
crossover distortion.
Cascade Microphones (cascademicro
phones.com) was on hand with the Iso-Panel
($199), the highly configurable mic isolation
system first shown at Winter NAMM.
CharterOak
Acoustics
(charteroak
acoustics.com) is perhaps best known for
its microphones, but this AES saw a
Coles Electroacoustics (coleselectro
acoustics.com, distributed by
Independent Audio, independent
audio.com) was showing the brandnew 4030L ribbon mic ($1099), an
entry-level ribbon with a 50 Hz-20
kHz frequency response and a compact body that allows for easy
Blumlein mounting. We have one of
the first units in the USA in hand;
look for a review soon.
Crane Song (cranesong.com,
distributed by TransAudio
Group, transaudiogroup.com)
premiered the SYREN (price TBA),
a 500 Series tube preamp with a
dual triode circuit and a choice of tube signal paths for a more "open" or "colored"
sound. The unit includes 25 dB pad, phase
reverse, phantom power, 24 dB/octave
highpass filter, and a DI input.
prominent display of the company's powerful signal processors, including the new
K500 ($899), a 3-band parametric
equalizer in 500 Series format. The K500
features 3 bands of EQ reaching from 20
Hz to 20 kHz, with the top and bottom
bands optionally shelving, plus a highpass filter and bandwidth control from
1
/10 to 2 octaves on each band.
Cloud Microphones (cloudmicrophones.com)
premiered a new mic, the 44-A ($1899), an
active ribbon mic based on the original RCA
Type 44 design from the 1930s but updated
with modern electronics and materials. It features a Voice/Music switch, with the Voice
setting taming low end and plosives. Also
new: the CL4 ($499), a rackmount 4-channel
Cloudlifter phantom-powered gain booster
for ribbon and dynamic mics.

Dangerous
Music
(dangerous
music.com) previewed the new
Dangerous Compressor ($2799), a
2U rack unit featuring true stereo
operation, a dual slope detection circuit that allows peaks and sustained
material to be compressed differently, soft knee option, manual or automatic attack and release control, and
more.
DPA
Microphones
(dpamicro
phones.com)
announced
the
d:dicate Recording Microphones
(prices vary by configuration), a
new range of recording mic capsules and bodies for a variety of studio applications. The d:dicate line
includes all of the mic capsules and

bodies in the formerly-named
Reference Standard Series (reviewed
February 2013) plus the new
MMC4018 Supercardioid Capsule
and MMC4007 Omnidirectional
Capsule. DPA's rebranding efforts
also include the grouping of its
miniature mics into the d:screet line,
and its surround products into the
d:mension line.
Earthworks (earthworks
audio.com) is now shipping the 521 ZDT 500
Series preamp module
($999) first shown at NAMM.
Look for a review soon.
Ecstatic Electric (ecstaticelectric.com) is a
small dealer in boutique audio lines. At its
booth, among others, were Retrospec
Audio (retrospecaudio.com) with its Juice
Box tube DI and Squeeze Box tube compressor pedal, and Electronaut
(electronaut.info), showing the
M97 (price TBA), a variable-mu
compressor with unusual refinements, including a circular multifunction LED meter created in cooperation with Dorrough Electronics.

From far left: ADK
Z-Mod mics; AEA NUVO
N22 mic; AKG K812
headphones; API The
Box; CharterOak
Acoustics K500 module;
Cloud 44-A mic; Crane
Song SYREN module
RECORDING January 2014

http://www.benchmarkmedia.com http://cascademicrophones.com http://cascademicrophones.com http://www.charterOakacoustics.com http://www.charterOakacoustics.com http://www.coleselectroacoustics.com http://www.coleselectroacoustics.com http://www.earthworksaudio.com http://www.cranesong.com http://www.earthworksaudio.com http://www.transaudiogroup.com http://www.ecstaticelectric.com http://www.retrospecaudio.com http://www.dangerousmusic.com http://www.dangerousmusic.com http://www.electronaut.info http://www.cloudmicrophones.com http://www.dpamicrophones.com http://www.dpamicrophones.com

Recording - January 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - January 2014