Welcome to the second installment of our NAMM Report. Your hard-working and tenacious inSync Team continues in its quest to bring you the first word on the coolest new music technology available. As always, the NAMM Report isn’t intended to cover every single thing unveiled at the show, nor is it guaranteed to be 100% accurate as far as technical specifics; some manufacturers are still tweaking and finalizing their new releases. We gathered all we could from the things that caught our eye. So, on with the show.
DRAWMER
Over at the Drawmer booth they were putting their new Tube Station1 through its paces. Like what you would expect from Drawmer, this is a really warm sounding preamp, designed to bring the analog flavor to your digital studio. It features a Class A preamplifier, a stereo analog tube compressor, and a 24-bit/96 kHz digital converter all in a 1U package. The device has balanced analog I/O, phantom power, an effects insert, sidechain access to the compressor, a variable highpass filter (25 Hz to 250 Hz), and a variable Tube Drive effect. There’s also an optional digital output module with S/PDIF or AES/EBU I/O. The regular model retails at $749 with an additional $250 for the digital output module.
ALESIS
Alesis continues their line of cool products with funky names with the Ion, a 49-key analog modeling synthesizer with eight voices (with three oscillators and two multimode filters per voice) and a four-part multitimbral sound engine. Of course, an analog modeling synth wouldn’t be worthy of the name if its console didn’t feature more buttons and knobs than the command center in a Japanese monster movie, and the Ion delivers. You get no less than 30 realtime control knobs, over 70 direct-access buttons, a pitch-bend wheel, and two assignable modulation wheels. There are even onboard effects, including chorus, flange, phase shifting, echo, distortion, fuzz, compression, and 40-band vocoding.
They were also showing off their ModFX Series, a line of eye-catching mini digital signal processors. There are 14 of the guys, and they all features stereo, 24-bit A/D-D/A, 28-bit internal processing; 48kHz sample rate; unbalanced 1/4″ analog I/O; and a special ModLink feature that allows cable-free connection of multiple units.
SAMSON
There was quite a lot going on at the Samson booth, including their new S500 stereo power amp ($419.99). Designed for sound reinforcement, commercial installations and PA use, the S500 delivers 250 watts per side into 4 ohms and 500 watts into 8 ohms in bridged mono mode. It features a temperature-sensitive, speed-controlled fan, and uses traditional bipolar transistors for reliable performance at a reasonable cost. The front panel has two input level controls with 42 detents for greater accuracy and 3-segment output LED metering. It’s also built like a truck.
For all the monster guitarists out there, Samson had a couple very cool multi-effects consoles on display. The 707II ($259.99) is called a “live performance” multi-effect console, but boasts a lot of great features that are just as useful off the stage during composition and practice, like an easy-to-use drum machine and guitar-intensive riff sampler with SmartMedia storage. There’s also a great selection of effects – 74 of ’em, with a variety of distortions, reverbs, delays, modulation effects and more. Other features include amp tone simulation and 120 patch memory locations (60 user and 60 preset). The system features analog edit knobs for easy adjustment of effect parameters in realtime. They can also be used for “Instant Edit” in Play mode for Distortion, Modulation and Reverb programs. A large LED display clearly shows all critical information on dark stages and other low light situations. A built-in expression pedal controls volume, wah and other effect parameters.
The other multi-effects console was the 708II, a live performance multi-effect console that does for the bass guitar what the 707II does for the “regular,” non-bass version. It also features drum machine and sampler with SmartMedia storage, and includes 69 bass guitar effects (9 simultaneously) including EQ, reverbs, delays, modulation effects and more. The 708II also features 33 amp modeling programs that emulate some of the world’s most revered bass amps and cabinets.
And speaking of bass players… the Hartke side of the Samson family rolled out their VX Series bass reflex cabinets. Featuring traditional paper cone drivers, the VX bass amps boasts specially treated cones, impregnated fabric surrounds, and matched convex dust caps all mounted in heavy steel frames. The sound? Full, thick, and punchy. There are 3 units in all. The VX410 ($399) handles 400 Watts of power driving its four 10″ speakers and horn loaded high frequency transducer. The VX115 ($349.99) handles 300 watts, features a 15″ low frequency driver and the high frequency transducer. Then there’s the VX3500 ($949.99) combo, which features Hartke’s popular 3500 amplifier combined with the VX410 cabinet, yielding 350 watts of power, tube and solid state preamps, bass, treble and contour controls, 10-band graphic EQ, compression, XLR out and an effects loop.
That’s all we have time for today. Tomorrow, we pick up where we left off with more exciting news and more great gear. Don’t miss out!