The EM Poll

This is not a scientific poll but a tabulation of readers responses and is purely just for fun!

See Past Poll Results

2006 Winter NAMM: One for the Record Books

Feb 8, 2006 5:30 PM, By Mike Levine

HOT NEW HARDWARE

Despite the trend towards more and more software-based music production, there were plenty of new hardware products on display.

Akai was showing the MPC2500 ($2,999), the latest incarnation of its classic sampling instrument. The new model succeeds the MPC2000XL. The unit, which is shipping now, sports 16 velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads, 128 MB of RAM, 10 analog outputs, a S/PDIF digital out, a pair of digital effects processors and more. The "Chop Shop" feature lets users create pad-triggered drum kits from drum-loop audio. Akai also showed the EWI4000S ($999) a new wind controller that features an onboard analog modeling synthesizer, MIDI In and Out ports, and controls for breath, vibrato, glide time, and bend width. The unit is due to ship sometime this quarter.

One of the new products released by Alesis was the aggressively priced DM5 Electronic Drum Kit ($699). The kit includes Alesis' DM5 drum module, as well as a full MIDI drum kit comprised of five drum pads (snare, kick, two toms, hi-hat controller pedal), two cymbal pads, and kick and hi-hat pedals. The kit is due for release sometime in the first quarter. The company also was showing off the IO26 ($599) a new FireWire audio/MIDI interface that offers up to 192 kHz sampling rates, 2 FireWire ports, 8 analog mic/line combo jacks, up to 16 channels of ADAT Lightpipe output, and more. Alesis says the unit will ship in the second quarter of this year.

Apogee made a big impression with Ensemble ($1,999), a new 24-bit, 192 kHz interface that was built in collaboration with Apple and designed especially for the Mac, You get 8 channels of Apogee A/D/A conversion; 4 mic preamps; and 8 channels of ADAT I/O; and S/PDIF, coaxial, and optical I/O. The unit incorporates Apogee's SoftLimit, UV22HR, and Intelliclock technologies. You also get the Maestro software application, which offers numerous features including a routing matrix, mic pre and headphone-level controls, and much more. Ensemble is scheduled to ship in February.

A.R.T., which is now distributed by Yorkville, announced that it has upgraded its Tube MP Project Series ($169) preamp by adding a USB output. In addition, you get such features as XLR and 1/4-inch I/O, a 12AX7A tube, an FET limiter, and selectable input impedance. The unit is due to ship in April.

Boss released a number of new products, but none more cool than the BR-600 ($449), an amazingly small (approximately 10" x 7" x 1") and very lightweight 8-track recorder. The unit records to CompactFlash memory (a 128-MB card is included); and features 64 virtual tracks, an effects processor with COSM amp models, pitch correction, and more. It records compressed audio, but can import and export WAV and AIFF files. Boss was also showing the RC-50 Loop Station ($689). It features three independent Phrase Tracks, which can each be separately manipulated and overdubbed onto. The RC-50 is scheduled to ship in March and the BR-600 in April.

You've heard of a software version of a hardware instrument, but what about a hardware version of a software instrument? Creamware announced the B4000 ASB ($TBA), which takes the company's B2003 organ plug-in (a physically modeled Hammond B3) and turns it into a MIDI organ module, with a built-in Leslie simulation, a USB port, 2-channels of audio I/O and more.

Edirol had a number of impressive new products on display. Of particular note was the R-09 ($450), a new portable stereo recorder. The unit, which runs on two AA batteries, is capable of recording 24-bit uncompressed WAV files (44.1 or 48 kHz) as well as to MP3, and uses SD memory cards as its media (a 64 MB card is included). A stereo condenser mic is built in, and there's an input for an external mic. You also get a headphone output, and a USB port for easily downloading recordings to a computer. The R-09 is due to ship in April. Edirol also showed the UA-4FX USB Audio/MIDI Interface ($229), which includes built-in effects, and an array of I/O including analog (XLR with phantom power, 1/4-inch), and S/PDIF connections. The R-09 is available now.

Electro-Harmonix debuted a number of new effects pedals including the Hog (Harmonic Octave Generator and Guitar Synthesizer) pedal ($718). The Hog offers multiple pitch shifts, envelope and filter controls, and plenty of other controllable parameters for making some very unusual guitar sounds. The Little Big Muff ($99) is a small, but still potent version of the company's classic Big Muff Pi fuzz pedal. Both pedals are expected to ship in March. Also new was the 2880 Super Multitrack Looper ($698), a 4-track loop pedal that can be controlled by an optional remote footswitch.

In addition to showing it's recently released ALP-5 ($349/pair) monitors, Event Electronics was debuting the ALP-5 Wireless Speakers ($599/pair), which are expected to be used, among other applications, as rear channel surrounds. The company was also showing the ESP7100 ($TBA) and the ESP5100 ($TBA), two surround preamps for active monitors. They're expected to be available later in the year. Also on display was the very affordable S100 ($249) subwoofer, which is slated to ship in May.

In addition to a couple of major software upgrades (see "Software and Sounds") E-mu also introduced the PS-12 ($699.99), a subwoofer that's designed to work with the company's PM5 monitors, which were announced at AES. E-mu says that all the new products will be shipping later this spring.

DigiTech displayed a number of new guitar effects products including the EX-7 Expression Factory pedal ($299). Shipping now, the pedal looks like a wah but has four dual knobs for precise control of its seven different modeled expression effects including Cry Baby Wah, Clyde McCoy Wah, XP300 Space Station, Whammy, Uni-Vibe, Leslie 147, and A/DA Flanger. It lets you choose from one of these sounds and blend them, if you wish, with one of seven distortions sounds from the company's recent DF-7 Distortion Factory pedal.

Fostex showed off its latest multitracker, the MR-8 Mk II ($349). Due out in February, this 8-track machine records to CompactFlash media and comes with a 128 MB card. Features include an Analog Guitar Distortion effect, a USB port for transferring WAV files between the recorder and a PC or Mac (free WavManager software is provided), bouncing of all 8 tracks onto tracks 7 and 8, mastering effects, AC and battery operation, and more.

Focusrite announced the Saffire Pro 26 i/o ($999), a new 1U rackmount FireWire interface that includes 8 Focusrite mic preamps on XLR jacks, 8 balanced 1/4-inch line inputs, 16 channels of ADAT I/O, and S/PDIF I/O. You also get MIDI In and Out, a free suite of Saffire VST/AU plug-ins, word clock in and out and much more. The unit records at sampling rates up to 192 kHz, and is expected to be shipping around the middle of April.

In addition to its software offerings (see "Software and Sounds"), IK Multimedia was previewing the Stealth Plug ($99), a USB audio card in the form of a USB-to-1/4-inch cable. Its designed to let guitarists easily plug into a DAW system. It also features an 1/8-inch headphone out and volume buttons. The company expects it to be on the market by midyear.

In addition to releasing a number of keyboards (see "Cool Keyboards"), Korg debuted a promising pad controller that's aptly named PadKontrol ($249). It's a USB/MIDI pad controller featuring 16 velocity-sensitive trigger pads, an X-Y touch pad for manipulating two different MIDI controllers, editor software, and more. It's due to ship in April.

At the Lexicon booth, the big news was the introduction of the MX400 ($TBA), a multieffects processor with a plug-in front end that's similar to the company's MX200, but with quite a bit more power. It has double the processing power of the MX200, and includes an internal power supply rather than an external one. It's completely controllable through its plug-in interface (Mac/Win). The unit features SPDIF and 1/4-inch I/O, and a USB port for connecting to the computer. Lexicon is also offering the MX400XL ($TBA), which features XLR I/O. Both products are due to ship in the late spring.

One of the highlights of the new products at the Mackie booth was the new Satellite ($TBA) FireWire recording system. It's comprised of two detachable hardware units: the Satellite Pod and the Satellite Base Station. The former is a 2in/2out 24-bit, 96kHz FireWire interface that can be bus powered, and includes two Onyx preamps. The Base Station provides the Satellite Pod with AC power, more I/O, talkback, and monitor switching. Together, the units become a 2-input, 6-output interface. The Satellite is due to ship in the second quarter of this year.

There were always crowds at the M-Audio booth, due in part to the slew of new products the company released (see also "Cool Keyboards" and "Mics" sections) There was lots of buzz about the company's new studio monitor, the EX66 ($699/each). The speakers sport two 6-inch woofers and a tweeter, and have both analog and digital inputs. Listening tests revealed that the EX66s put out a very full bottom end and crisp highs. They're due out in February.

One of the clear hits of the show was the Miko from Open Labs. The Miko is a self-contained, Windows XP-based DAW workstation with a built-in 37-key keyboard, a QWERTY keyboard, a 15-inch high-resolution touch screen, a 4in/6out (24-bit, 96 kHz) audio interface, the ability to run 200 plug-ins at once, 4 PCI slots, a DVD burner, an 80 GB hard drive, and much more. The basic model, equipped with an AMD Athlon 64-bit single processor retails for $1,999. A model with a 64-bit dual processor is also available for $2500.

Presonus launched three major new products. The Firestudio ($1,199) is an 18x18 FireWire interface that offers a 56-input digital mixer, 8 mic pres; talkback facilities; Track, Mix, and Surround modes; a remote control; and more. The DigiMax FS ($799) is an 8-channel mic pre with an ADAT digital I/O. The FaderPort USB ($229) is a wired MIDI remote control box with one fader, transport controls, pan and mute controls, HUI emulation, and more. All three products are scheduled to ship in March.

Radial introduced a redesigned version of its 8-channel mic splitter, the 8ox ($800). Its well-suited for live performance applications in which you want to take individual multitrack feeds from the P.A. snake. Features include 8 XLR mic inputs, outputs for the main P.A., and phantom power returns.

The news at the Radikal booth was that the Spectralis ($2500), it's analog synth/beatmatrix/filterbank module had begun shipping. The unit sports 4 oscillators, 2 analog filters, a fixed fillterbank, a step sequencer, a pattern sequencer, a sampling section, and more.

Roland will be releasing a new, less-expensive version of its Handsonic percussion controller, the Handsonic 10 ($699). The unit contains 10 percussion pads, and a new soundest with over 350 percussion instrument sounds. If you'd rather trigger your drum sounds from your own acoustic kit, Roland has released three new drum triggers: the RT10-S ($89) snare trigger, the RT10-T ($79) tom trigger, and the RT10-K ($89) kick trigger.

SM Pro Audio announced that it's now shipping the PR8E ($199) a value-priced, 8-channel mic preamp. The unit offers eight discrete mic preamps featuring balanced XLR-1/4-inch combo jacks, individual 48V phantom-power and phase reversal switches, and more. Outputs are on balanced TRS connectors.

Tech 21 has revamped its 1U rackmount Sans Amp PSA 1 processor. The unit had been off the market for a year, but now returns as the SansAmp PSA 1.1 ($795). The new model, which is available now, has the same analog signal path as its predecessor, but adds a front-panel on-off switch, a MIDI input, a master volume control. It also has more program memory locations-it now has 128-including 49 factory presets of popular tube-amp emulations for guitar and bass.