Winter NAMM 2001 Report
Part 8
This will be the final installment of the 2001 Winter NAMM show report. As promised, there are still some very interesting developments to talk about, so let’s get to it.
Let’s say you make what may be the most popular Windows based digital audio/sequencing software out there. Let’s say you have done updates and revisions, until you’re on version 9. Let’s say you develop a quantum leap in features, and completely rewrite that software. Do you call it version 10, or do you decide that something this revolutionary deserves its own name? The folks at Twelve Tone Systems, developers of Cakewalk, faced just this dilemma, and the result is a new software they are calling Sonar. Sonar is an integrated, multimedia-ready, audio and MIDI environment with a ton of extras, such as a new loop construction and editing engine which can alter tempo and pitch in real time, and which features automatic beat matching and can read ACID and .WAV loops. Over 300 MB of loop files are included to get you started, and several DXI (DirectX Instrument) format soft synths in the package further expand your possibilities. Supported by such developers as Roland, Bitheadz, Native Instruments, Applied Acoustics Systems, Koblo and others, the DXI format looks to be a strong contender, and the included Virtual Sound Canvas, Tassman SE, Live Synth Pro and Dreamstation soft synths are a healthy start to your collection. Sonar doesn’t skimp on effects either, with a wide range of 32-bit native plug ins, plus the Dfx bundle from Power Technology all included. Extensive MIDI effects are also present to tweak your sequences within the 960 PPQ MIDI engine. Everything gets routed through a new mixer section with 16 aux sends and 64 direct outs, and the editing features unlimited undo/redo. Using Microsoft’s highly efficient WDM (Windows Driver Model), the engine produces faster mixing, more tracks and effects and extremely low latency for the DXI soft synths. The notation side of things is covered as well, and even includes guitar tablature, chord libraries and fretboard display. Add in frame accurate SMPTE sync, the ability to input and sync AVI movies, extensive keyboard shortcuts and customizable StudioWare control panels, and you’ve got a truly professional platform. There will also be a SonarXL package, which adds the full version of Applied Acoustics System’s Tassman DXI soft synth – Electronic Musician’s soft synth of the year – and a full CD of PowerFX loops.
Universal Audio was pioneering a new concept – the Powered Plug-In. Marrying high-quality software from recently acquired sister company, Kind of Loud, with a PCI card with unbelievably powerful DSP, UA will be introducing a new set of fully realized, self-powered plug-in effects. Not satisfied with the limitations of native based processing, hampered by limited CPU cycles, the developers of the Powered Plug-Ins were looking for a better way. They are being a little tight-lipped about the origins of the ultra powerful chip at the heart of the UAD-1 card, but suffice it to say that rumors to the contrary, it is the product of another industry with orders of magnitude more development capital than ours, and not something they found in Roswell. How powerful is this chip? According to the folks at UA, a VST user could do a session with 30 EQs, 30 compressors and 6 RealVerbPro’s running simultaneously, and still have 30% of the chip’s capacity available for additional processing. First available for VST environments on Windows, with other formats such as MAS under development, the Powered Plug-In series will include Vintage Compressors (and who better to do emulations of classic processors like the LA2A than the company which painstakingly recreated the original hardware version?) and RealVerb Pro, a reverb algorithm whose code is so complex it would choke any native system. Other plug ins in the series will include EQ, amp modeling and synthesis. The bottom line is that the chip on the UAD-1 card is so powerful, it will allow designers to develop software so beyond what has been currently possible to run, that developers can now think way outside the box. Nobody knows where this technology will lead, but hats off to UA for leading the way.
Kawai had its ESX Digital Piano out for display and listening enjoyment. With 88 keys and Kawai’s wonderful feeling Advanced Hammer Action II, this compact digital piano is great for stage, studio, home and teaching environments. With a 14 Watt sound system, aimed out the back of the instrument to point toward the audience or classroom, and featuring the same sort of Harmonic Imaging sound technology used in the award winning MP9000 stage piano, the $1299 MSRP ESX brings audiophile quality sound and pro feel to a new price point.
Mark of the Unicorn announced a number of updated drivers for their audio and MIDI hardware. USB MIDI drivers for Windows 98 and ME are shipping now, and Windows 2000 drivers are expected to be completed this quarter. On the audio side, MOTU is now shipping Gigasampler compatible GSIF drivers for all their PCI-324 based audio interfaces for Win98 and ME, and have posted a public beta version of ASIO drivers for Win2000. In house beta testing is now underway for high efficiency WDM drivers for these interfaces as well. MOTU has also announced a development partnership with Rocket Network to develop RocketPower versions of Digital Performer which will give users access to Rocket’s Global Production Network, allowing them to collaborate and share work with other users around the globe at any hour of the day.
Over at the Tascam booth, folks were given another peek at the D24 Digital Console. First previewed at the AES show, the D24 will sport 16 analog inputs, 24 moving faders, 24 channels of TDIF I/O and 8 channels of ADAT I/O built in (with expansion slots for additional I/O options), dynamics, optional effects and more. While this console is still some time away from being released, at a target price of only $3000, with features like that, it should really shake things up. Tascam was also previewing some software upgrades for their popular MX2424 hard disc recorder, which will include 96kHz support and HFS+ disc formatting for support of larger drives (18 GB is the largest currently supported). In addition, version 2 of ViewNet, the cross-platform graphic user interface software which ships with the unit, will include such features as true waveform editing and the ability to edit on multiple machines at once.
Kind of Loud was showing Smart Code Pro, a new surround encoding utility for ProTools. With 3 different applications for DTS, DTS-CD and Dolby Digital, Smart Code Pro covers all the popular bases. Able to work as an AudioSuite plug in for both TDM and LE systems, and featuring one step encoding, Smart Code ushers in the final step in affordable surround mixing/mastering. The ability to burn a DTS-CD, which can play on any home theater CD or DVD player equipped with a DTS decoder, gives users the previously difficult to obtain opportunity to preview surround mixes outside the studio.
While there were certainly more new tools and toys on display at the convention, I hope I have been able to hit some of the highlights for you. For now, however, I am going to beg the inSync editors to let me out of the dungeon they keep the writers in, and get on with my regular duties here at Sweetwater. This is David Klausner, guest reporter, signing off, and saying thanks for the opportunity to give you my take on the show.