ProAudio Review - November 2008 - (Page D1)

studio mini-reviews Korg nanoKEY Many laptop musicians have probably wished for something like this—a half-pint electric piano, handy for on-thego programming or impromptu jams. They require a two-octave USB keyboard, one that fits nicely into a laptop bag and is always available to control music software. The Korg nanoKEY ($62) moderately fulfills this niche, but qualifies as more of a “cool gadget” than the idealized musical instrument I might have envisioned. The 25-key slim keyboard fits neatly in the few inches of space in front of a 13-inch laptop. The nanoKEY is so small it can be used on consoles, on top of larger controllers, or in other situations previously unheard of. It has one single output, a miniUSB for connecting directly to a computer or powered hub. The nanoKEY is part of a series of three miniature USB controllers from Korg, the other two being the nanoPAD and nanoKONTROL. The nanoKEY is available in white or black to match your laptop. The layout and feel of this keyboard controller is a hybrid. It is set by Davis White up as a miniature two-octave musical keyboard, although the delicate spring-loaded keys feel more like a typing keyboard. Still, they manage to send velocity information in addition to the note values. Through the downloadable Korg Kontrol Editor software, the velocity curve can be customized between three settings to fit one’s playing style. A constant velocity setting is also available for an organ-like response. The black keys are not raised as one would expect. Rather, they lie flat, in correct position behind the white keys. Six square controller buttons are to the right of the keys. These buttons either move the keyboard’s octave up and down, function as a twobutton pitch wheel, a single-button mod wheel, or a CC Mode button. In the CC Mode the nanoKEY can transmit 25 user-programmed control change commands (again via the Korg Kontrol Editor software) of either the “momentary” or “toggle” variety. Despite my drawbacks about playability, early use of the nanoKEY confirmed my reasons for wanting one. It’s just so convenient and handy when inspiration hits or unexpected composing time becomes available. Check out this “cool gadget” if you get the chance. I don’t see anything similar on the market, and the nanoKEY probably is worth its price for the CC Mode alone. Contact: Korg USA, Inc. | www.korg.com Electro-Harmonix Stereo Memory Man with Hazari Consider the original E l e c t r o - Ha r m o n i x Memory Man pedal ($286)—a thick, gritty, analog delay that is still prized by many guitarists for its smooth delay overtones. Due to the march of time, its bucket-brigade analog delay chip is sometimes in short supply from the manufacturer. For this reason EH has come up with a new model, the Stereo Memory Man with Hazari (SMMH). First and most importantly, this is not a digital re-creation of the original Memory Man; this is an entirely new animal. Secondly, Hazari is just a fancy word for “different delay modes.” There are six knobs and two foot switches—no menus or scrolling, so we’re off to a good start! The Hazari knob switches between three banks of different algorithms. The Delay knob sets the delay time, which can also be set by the tap-tempo foot switch. The Decay and Repeat knobs do different (and interesting) things, depending upon which mode is active. The SMMH has a built-in filter, a nice feature. It functions as a low pass filter when the knob is turned to the left. Use this setting to reduce brightness for analog delay emulation. When turned to the right, it becomes a high-pass filter, for crystal echoes and space delays. Unlike most delay pedals, there are two inputs, designed for a left and right stereo source. There is no input gain on the SMMH, but I found it accommodated a wide variety of inputs. This Hazari model still greatly impressed me, especially once I found its extreme settings and mastered the less-obvious knob functions. It really opened up in stereo, too; the delays literally sounding “twice as good.” The instruction manual is 20 pages, a big improvement over the folded-in-half card EH usually gives out. It’s bit expensive, but extremely well built and made in NYC, USA. Contact: Electro-Harmonix | www.ehx.com D1 ProAudioReview | November 2008 www.proaudioreview.com http://www.korg.com http://www.ehx.com http://www.proaudioreview.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ProAudio Review - November 2008

ProAudio Review - November 2008 Contents Technically Speaking First Look 2008 PAR Excellence Awards New Studio Products Studio Sense Review: Solid State Logic Matrix Review: Arsenal Audio by API R24, V14, and R20 Mini-Review Review, Second Opinion, and Benchtest Review: A-Designs HM2EQ HAMMER Review: Sontronics Sigma Phantom Powered Ribbon Microphone Analog In The Studio: Nostalgia Ain’t What It Used To Be New Live Products Worship Audio Review: Community VERIS Series Loudspeakers Installation Profile Single Slice

ProAudio Review - November 2008

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