Recording - May 2014 - 10

Focal Professional Launches New Line Of Affordable Monitors
The Alpha line is a new series of professional studio monitors from Focal Professional. These monitors
feature an all-new design with 1" aluminum inverted dome tweeters for very low directivity (for fatiguefree highs with improved imaging), Polyglass cone woofers (microscopic glass spheres coating a cellulose pulp cone for a combination of low distortion and improved damping), internally reinforced MDF cabinets,
Class AB biamplification, dual mixable audio inputs, adjustable bass and treble filters, and more.
There are three models in the Alpha line: The Alpha 50 with a 5" woofer and 20W/35W amplification, the Alpha 65 with a 6.5" woofer and 35W/70W amplification, and the Alpha 80 with an 8"
woofer and 40W/100W amplification. All three models are rated up to 22 kHz ±3 dB, with low end
(±3 dB) at 45 Hz for the Alpha 50, 40 Hz for the Alpha 65, and 35 Hz for the Alpha 80. Units will
ship in the late spring; look for a review soon.
Prices (street): Alpha 50, $299; Alpha 65, $399; Alpha 80, $549 (each)
More from: Focal Professional, www.focal.com

Positive Grid Brings Full-Featured Mastering
Tools To The iPad
The latest iPad-based audio app from Positive Grid is Final
Touch, a complete mastering system for iOS. The app combines seven mastering tools into an integrated system for
audio processing on any iPad running iOS 7.
The modules include Pre and Post linear phase EQ modules with up to eight independent bands, each with a
choice of high and low shelving, highpass and lowpass
filtering, and peak EQ; a Dynamics module with a
stereo/Mid-Side multiband compressor/limiter; a Stereo
Imaging module for channel balancing, width adjustment,
and mono compatibility checking; a Reverb module with
tweakable room, hall, and plate reverbs; a Maximizer
module with peak limiting; and Dither with noise-shaping
for producing completed tracks from high-bit-rate audio.
Other tools include an accurate metering suite, independent bypass controls for each module and for
individual EQ bands, independent solo and bypass for Left, Right, Mid, and Side channels, 100 factory presets plus unlimited user presets, module ordering in the signal path via drag and drop, and easy
sharing of completed work via email, FTP, iTunes, Dropbox, or SoundCloud. Audio can even be routed
into the app via Audiobus and Inter-App Audio if desired.
Price: $19.99 * More from: Positive Grid, www.positivegrid.com

Toontrack Announces EZdrummer 2-Launches May 6
Toontrack has announced EZdrummer 2, a completely new version of the
popular EZdrummer drum performance plug-in that is scheduled to ship on
May 6. Our Nick Rothwell attended a preview of the new version at Mark
Knopfler's studio in London in February, where a remarkable A/B comparison took place-between a drummer in the studio playing tracks, and the
software playing back from a DAW, the audience found it difficult if not impossible to tell which was which
when listening back on the monitors.
The list of improvements in EZdrummer 2 is too long to mention in full. The new program sports an entirely
revamped and much improved audio engine, a brand-new mixer with built-in effects chains to make drum treatment easy, an intuitive user interface, two all-new sound libraries and a selection of percussion instruments.
Along with the launch of EZdrummer 2, all of Toontracks' EZX audio and MIDI expansion packs for the original version-20 titles to date-will be modernized with new
graphics and effects chains for compatibility with the new version. The original content
of EZdrummer itself will also be made available as an EZX expansion, so users of the
original won't lose the sounds they've come to rely upon in their existing projects.
EZdrummer 2 will be available as a free upgrade to anyone who purchases and
registers the current version of EZdrummer between now and the official product
launch on May 6. Look for a full review of the new version very soon.
Price: $179; upgrade from EZdrummer, $99
More from: Toontrack, www.toontrack.com
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RECORDING May 2014
http://www.focal.com http://www.positivegrid.com http://www.toontrack.com
Recording - May 2014

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