Summer NAMM 2000 Report
Part 4
Our report on the new, the cool, the upgraded, and the funky at this year’s Summer NAMM in Nashville continues. Since we’re on our 4th installment, it seems a good time to remind readers that the NAMM Report is not intended as a complete listing of EVERY SINGLE NEW THING at NAMM. We’d be doing Summer NAMM reports until… well, Winter NAMM. Nor is all the information here guaranteed to be 100% correct. Often, manufacturers are still finalizing things like features and price as well as “fine tuning” the gear itself. That said, let’s continue…
CAKEWALK: MP3s. The Brave New World of music distribution or the end of Western civilization as we know it? If you were an artist struggling to gain some kind of recognition and exposure over all the other acts out there clamoring for the public’s attention, you might be considering pitching your tent in camp #1. If so, you’ll dig what they were showing off at the Cakewalk booth. Cakewalk’s Pyro is a complete system for recording, playing and organizing your digital music. With Pyro you cannot only create MP3s of your music, but also you can burn CDs and listen to music on your PC. Operation is easy, clear and intuitive. Of course, the sound quality of some MP3s can leave a lot to be desired, but Pyro boasts a technology called ESP – Environmental Signal Processing – which optimizes the sound quality of your CDs in any environment you choose.
They also had the new version 2 of Guitar Tracks, their complete multitrack recording and mixing system for guitarists. This newest version boasts improved editing features and an overall better sound quality than previous editions, as well as a very convenient portable studio console. You can play back up to eight simultaneous tracks of digital audio, cut, copy and paste audio clips with the click of a mouse, and mix tracks with real-time effects. Even add vintage analog warmth with amp simulation. Then you can save your music as a Wav file, burn it to CD, or put it on the Internet (yes, it’s MP3 ready). For all its sophisticated features, Guitar Tracks is incredibly easy to operate. This would be a great tool for songwriters.
KIND OF LOUD TECHNOLOGIES: Sweetwater has been banging on about the RealVerb plug-in for a while now, but it’s worth another mention since now RealVerb comes in TDM and RTAS platforms for Digidesign users and MAS for Mark of the Unicorn users. If you haven’t had a chance to hear what RealVerb can do, you really should check it out. It allows you to customize a virtual room and pan within the stereo spectrum. Beyond how easy it is to operate, one of the most impressive things about RealVerb is the stereo soundfield panning feature mentioned above. You can spread and control the signal between stereo speakers, giving your listener an impression of center and width, essentially “enveloping” your listener. The sound quality is extraordinary.
They were also showing off a new surround production tool called the SmartCode Pro. There were two versions, for both DTS and Dolby formats. Both versions are AudioSuite software programs that allow Pro Tools users to preview their 5.1 surround mixes in real time 5.1, then encode and decode the mix to create a 6-channel surround master.
Finally, Kind of Loud unveiled a suite of surround sound production tools for Pro Tools users. In addition to the SmartCode Pro software described above, the plug-in suite includes SmartPan Pro, a panning plug-in that brings true discrete 5.1 surround panning to the Pro Tools platform; the RealVerb 5.1 Surround Reverb for Pro Tools; Tweetie and Woofie, a monitoring and calibration plug-in and a bass management plug-in respectively.
APOGEE: They unveiled a great piece of hardware called the Trak2, a mic preamp/conversion system that packs practically every audio tool you need for professional digital recording into a single rack space. Listen to all these features: balanced sends and returns; auxiliary universal 1/4 in/XLR front panel inputs; pristine 24-bit/96kHz analog to digital conversion; two AMBus digital I/O slots; a built-in AES-S/PDIF digital output; word clock I/O; comprehensive peak/average/phase metering… The front panel is chimp-simple to navigate, and there’s also a communications port enabling remote operation via MIDI and/or RS-232. Then there’s firmware upgrades via the Internet, optional video synchronization, optional two channel 24-bit/96kHz D/A, optional eight channel 24-bit/96kHz D/A… See what we mean? Also getting an airing at the Apogee booth were their two 8-channel converter cards for Yamaha digital systems equipped with Yamaha General Digital Audio Interface card slots. The AP8AD (A/D) card and the AP8DA (D/A) offer full 24-bit conversion and an up to 96 kHz sample rate. The AP8AD converter card (that’s A/D) includes Apogees proprietary Soft Limit system to deliver maximum digital level without overs. These will even work with the new Yamaha AW4416 workstation.
ART: A whole mess of cool stuff from ART! Their HPFX Headphone Monitoring System ($359) has been out for just a little while, and it was getting a great response from the people checking it out. Designed for a computer-based audio recording system, the HPFX lets you monitor yourself via digital effects without hearing the latency delay caused by a computer’s soundcard. Anyone who has worked with computer-based audio recording knows that latency can make it impossible to listen to yourself while you play. The HPFX system gets rid of that problem. It also gives you the power and control to sound any way they want in your headphones when recording. The performer can change the monitoring level of the mic, the level and type of effects applied, and overall level of the backing tracks. The whole system consists of 4 independent adjustable headphone outputs, 2 high-quality monitor microphone preamps, built-in stereo and dual digital effects with a 24-bit DSP and 20-bit D/A and A/D converters, as well as monitor level, mix and effects adjustment controls.
Two new EQs – the Model 342 ($389) and the Model 352 ($389) – were also making their appearance. The Model 342 is a dual channel 15-band EQ with constant Q circuitry, 70mm center detent sliders with a selectable boost range of 6dB or 12dB, high and low pass filters, new analog level meters, and more. The Model 352 is a single channel 31-Band EQ with constant Q circuitry, 70mm center detent sliders with selectable boost or cut range of 6dB or 12dB, balanced XLR, and unbalanced RCA input and output connections, high and low pass filters, new analog level meters, and more. The Model 342 and the Model 352 take up 2 rack spaces apiece and come in rugged, all-steel chassis.
AUDIO-TECHNICA: Their exciting new UHF hand held wireless microphone system is called the ATW-7373 ($1149). Features include true diversity operation that selects the best signal from the system’s two independent receiver selections, reducing dropouts and minimizing multipath distortion. It also provides operation in the 700 MHz frequency band and a choice of over 100 PLL-synthesized channels. But beyond the technical stuff, what you really should pay attention to is how amazing ATW-7373 sounds. The capsule is the same as their legendary 4033 studio microphone giving you phenomenal, studio-quality sound! It’s already being used in some pretty big tours, and getting great reports. The Backstreet Boys are using the ATW-7373 on their tour. Millions of screaming 14-year-old girls can’t be wrong, can they? But seriously, check this one out…
PARKER: Two new guitars were garnering a lot of attention at the Parker booth. The first was the latest model to join the lightweight and innovative Fly Series, the Fly Deluxe Single-2 ($3050). The Fly Deluxe Single-2 boasts all the qualities that have made the Parker Flys “must have” instruments for serious guitarists, but features a humbucker and two single coil magnetic pickups. The Fly Deluxe Single-2 comes equipped with three custom-wound DiMarzio magnetic pickups and a Fishman active piezo pickup system producing both electric and full-frequency acoustic sounds, as well as any blend of the two. This ability to blend magnetic and piezo signals, along with a 5-way magnetic pickup switch, allows guitarists the ultimate in flexibility for creating their own unique sonic pallets. But perhaps most exciting to the budget-minded musician is the release of the new P-38 ($849). The Parker P-38 features a select ash body, chosen specifically for its classic look and mid-range growl. The neck is constructed of Maple with a Rosewood fingerboard and features 22 jumbo nickel frets. A custom Wilkinson vibrato bridge, featuring Fishman piezo pickups, provides smooth vibrato action while maintaining excellent intonation. The P-38 offers custom wound Parker Alnico pickups (Hum, Single, Single) which are mounted to a Pearloid pickguard. Each string also drives a custom Fishman piezo pickup, providing the complex full-range tones of an acoustic without the typical feedback problems. This piezo signal is routed through a Fishman-designed active preamp with a “Smart Switching” output jack that can blend the magnetic and piezo signals together or split them to two separate amplifiers for added sonic flexibility. The P-38 guitar is available in Sunburst, Black, and Transparent Red or Blue finishes.
We’ll pick up where we left off tomorrow…