Europe’s version of the NAMM Show is MusikMesse, which opened its doors on Wednesday, March 28th in Frankfurt, Germany. Here’s part two of our coverage of the newest products from all the top manufacturers.
Roland: The hugely popular V-Compact drum series includes two new configurations. The TD-3SW kit features the PDX-8 snare mesh V-pad with expanded 10-inch rim and separate head and rim triggering, plus the CY-5 hi-hat cymbal pad with 12-inch playing zone and swing movement for more realistic triggering. The new TD-6SW kit also comes with the PDX-8 snare and CY-5 hi-hat pads along with the new MDS-6C drum stand for improved stability. The core of the TD-6KW kit is the 64-voice TD-6V Percussion Sound Module with over 1,000 of Roland’s best drum and percussion sounds, along with large, luminous buttons and a cool, blue display.
RME: The Fireface 400 isn’t just another FireWire interface, but according to RME, it’s the only device in its class with active jitter suppression, stand-alone functionality, complete controllability from the front panel, 42-bit internal resolution, flexible I/O, and an unsurpassed 648-channel matrix router, all at sample rates up to 192 kHz. Also onboard are two digitally controlled, high-end mic preamps and two balanced universal inputs for line or instrument signals. Fully compatible with Mac or PC system, you can “go mobile” with the Fireface 400 thanks to the unit’s reliable bus power support.
Celemony Software: The company is showing a new Melodyne Sound Library for the multitrack versions of Melodyne, cre8, and studio. The sounds are derived from Ueberschall’s ‘Liquid Instruments’ and will be available to Melodyne owners at the end of April. Celemony is also showing a new Version 3.1 of Melodyne cre8/studio which runs native on Macs with Intel processors, supports (as an option) the iLok dongle, and is compatible with the new sound library. The upgrade to Version 3.1 is slated to be available at the end of April and will be free for all registered users of Melodyne cre8/studio.
Alesis: Want to get started podcasting? Well, Alesis has unveiled two new podcasting kits. There’s the USB Podcasting Kit, which includes the MultiMix 8 USB two-channel mixer and the FireWire Podcasting Kit, which comes with the MultiMix 8 FireWire 8-channel mixer. Both kits feature a dynamic microphone, a desktop stand, mic cable, headphones, Steinberg’s Cubase LE, and a comprehensive podcasting application. The company also unveiled an updated operating system and more new sounds for the Fusion 8HD and 6HD.
ADAM: The A7 is a compact, affordable active monitor that features the acclaimed A.R.T. tweeter and a 6.5-inch Rohacell/Kevlar cone powered by dedicated 50-watt amps. Frequency response is quoted as 46Hz-35kHz with high and low shelving filters in the back and both XLR and unbalanced 1/4-inch connectors. The company is also showing the Sub8 and Sub10 mkII subwoofers. The 160-watt Sub8 features motorized controls (via remote control) for level and crossover frequency while the Sub10 can be chained and features level and crossover frequency adjustments on the back. Both have coated paper cones along with XLR and unbalanced RCA inputs.
Genelec: The new DSP Series comprises two bi-amplified, magnetically shielded active monitors. The 8240A has a 6.5-inch woofer and 3/4-inch tweeter set into Genelec’s Advanced Directivity Controlled Waveguide (DCW) and a pair of 90-watt amplifiers. The 8250A has an 8-inch woofer and 1-inch tweeter set into the DCW powered by dual 150-watt amplifiers. The 7200 Series Active Subwoofers include the 7260A (10-inch driver and 120-watt amp), the 7270A (12-inch driver and 250-watt amp) and the 7271A (dual 12-inch drivers and 500-watt amplifier). All models are designed for precise monitoring of 24-bit/192kHz AES/EBU digital audio signals.
TC Electronic: The company is showing a lot of new productsincluding the C300 and M350 rackmount processors. The C300 is a dual engine 24-bit dynamics processor (compressor/limiter/gate/expander). Both engines are independent but can be linked either in series or parallel, and a stereo link mode enables you to treat a composite stereo signal thru both engines simultaneously. The M350 is a dual engine, 24-bit effect processor that combines 15 new reverbs and 15 effects (including delay, modulation, compression) in a simple user-friendly interface for live use. There’s also an AU/VST editor so you can integrate the unit into your favorite DAW application.
Numark: Virtual Vinyl is a hardware and software solution that lets you scratch, mix, sampled digital audio and video files using any analog turntable or CD player. Features include master tempo, seamless looping, instant pitch-matching, automatic beat-matching, BPM-aware effects, hot-cues, sampling and more. Integration with a computer is ensured by the USB audio interface. The software has a very dynamic interface with two independent zero-latency virtual decks, controlled by traditional 12″ records that DJs are accustomed to. Virtual Vinyl can handle all audio formats including MP3, MP3Pro, WAV, AIFF, direct CD, WMA, MP4, iTunes ACC, and more.