Recording - January 2010 - 12

Grace Design (www.gracedesign.com) entered the 500-Series arena with the m501 ($625), essentially an m101 transformerless preamp in module form, complete with Ribbon Mic Mode. Also new from Grace: the m103 channel strip (price and availability TBA), with an m101 preamp, 3-band eq, and linkable optical compressor with flexible routing. Great River Electronics (www.greatriver electronics.com), in cooperation with Harrison, debuted the 32EQ ($775), a 500-Series module with the eq from the Harrison 32 Series console used on hit records like Thriller. It’s a 4-band semi-parametric unit with switchable/sweepable low- and highpass filters and “peaking” switches for two bands. The John Hardy Company (www.johnhardyco.com) premiered a new 500-Series module, the Jensen Twin Servo 500 ($895). The preamp offers the design of the original Jensen Twin Servo 990 mic pre with added features like switchable one/twostage gain structure for better distortion specs at low gain settings and a transformer bypass option. iZotope (www.izotope.com) premiered Alloy ($249), an integrated plug-in with six tracking/mixing tools— eq, dynamics, exciter, de-esser, transient shaper and limiter with sidechaining and crosschaining. Custom chains and MacroPresets can be saved, the latter with customized user interfaces to show only essential controls and metering. JBL (www.jblpro.com) is now shipping the MSC1 ($375), which combines the functions of a monitor system controller with JBL’s RMC room-correction system. The tabletop unit offers three stereo inputs, two stereo speaker outputs (one with RMC) and a subwoofer output. It comes with a measurement mic and calibration software. Josephson Engineering (www.josephson.com) showed the C715 ($3950), a Class A FET condenser mic with Lundahl output transformer. It uses a singlesided capsule with an adjustable backplate vent that adjusts the mic’s polar pattern from cardioid to omni. JZ Microphones (www.jzmic.com) added to its Black Hole mic series with the BH-1s ($3999), a dualdiaphragm 3-pattern large-diaphragm condenser mic with 10 or 20 dB pad. Korg (www.korg.com) attracted a lot of attention with its new instruments (see Fast Forward, November 2009) but also premiered a new version of its AudioGate software for the MR Series of DSD recorders, with a new dither algorithm, expanded formats for import and/or export including FLAC, WMA, AAC, and Apple Lossless, and standard audio and DSD audio disc burning. It’s free to all owners of the MR recorders. Kush Audio (www.kushaudio.com) showed the UBK Fatso ($2499), a modified version of the Empirical Labs Fatso with easy-to-use yet musical Character Compression in a one-knob interface. Lauten Audio (www.lautenaudio.com) was on hand with its line of condenser mics, including the Torch (reviewed October 2009) and Oceanus (review forthcoming). Lexicon (www.lexiconpro.com) has announced the PCM92 ($2699), a single-rackspace stereo processor with I/O on balanced XLR or 1/4" or AES/EBU, with 28 different effects algorithms and over 700 presets. On the software side, Lexicon debuted the PCM Native Reverb Plug-in Bundle ($1899), a VST/AU/RTAS collection of seven mono/stereo reverb algorithms with built-in metering and eq. Little Labs (www.littlelabs.com) showed a 500-Series module called the VOG analog bass resonance tool ($420). It’s a highpass resonant filter that lets the user greatly enhance a particular fundamental or subharmonic while rolling off muddying frequencies below it. The effect on kick drum and bass is remarkable, and we can’t wait to do a review. Lynx Studio Technology (www.lynxstudio.com) premiered the AES16e-50 ($995), a PCIe card with 16 channels of AES/EBU plus an AES50 port. AES50 is a networking standard that allows up to 32 channels at 24/48 or 12 channels at 24/192 with clock and control data, all over a single CAT5e cable. Mackie (www.mackie.com) showed the Onyx-i Series of FireWire mixers (see December 2009’s Fast Forward), with emphasis on their Mackie-created Pro Tools M-Powered 8 driver ($49.99). Mojave Audio (www.mojaveaudio.com) gave us a sneak peek at the MA-101fet (price TBA), a pencil condenser mic that’s a solid-state version of the tube MA-100. RECORDING JANUARY 2010

http://www.gracedesign.com http://www.kushaudio.com http://www.lautenaudio.com http://www.greatriverelectronics.com http://www.greatriverelectronics.com http://www.lexiconpro.com http://www.johnhardyco.com http://www.izotope.com http://www.jblpro.com http://www.littlelabs.com http://www.josephson.com http://www.lynxstudio.com http://www.jzmic.com http://www.mackie.com http://www.korg.com http://www.mojaveaudio.com

Recording - January 2010

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