|
We also featured special appearances by TEC award nominee John Oram and RPG CEO Dr. Peter D'Antonio, had a live hook-up to our 1,800-page Web site, and gave away three Oram Octasonic 8-channel microphone preamps. To say that we were busy is an understatement! Sweetwater's e-zine inSync also set a new standard for timeliness by transmitting live reports and photos of the show to our Web site each day (Check out the results at www.sweetwater.com/reports/103rd-AES/). But, enough of that, let's get to the main reason for the show (and this report!) - the new gear! Big news was the latest addition to the Digidesign family, Pro Tools|24, which supports 24-bit audio, up to 32 tracks per card (with free software upgrade), and up to 72 tracks total. The new PT|24 core will be listing for $7995, and its companion 24-bit 888 digital interface will run $3495. Pro Tools III will remain available, but Digidesign will be dropping its price. Plug-ins were a hot item: TDM format releases included offerings from Line 6 (Amp Farm), Aphex (Aural Exciter), Drawmer (Dynamics), Lexicon (Lexiverb), Focusrite (D3 compressor/limiter), Mark Of The Unicorn (Pure DSP pitch shift/time compression) and Liquid Audio (Internet delivery of Pro Tools audio). In other plug-in formats: Mark Of The Unicorn
Several microphones of interest to project studio owners were presented at the show this year: Neumann's TLM103 ($995) combines the capsule from the legendary U87 with transformerless electronics, while AKG's Solid Tube mic offers the warm fat sound of tubes combined with clean modern electronics. Beyerdynamic didn't have their upcoming Digital Microphone (yes, we said digital!) on display, but they told us that it is in the warehouses waiting on patent approvals to start shipping. Mixers are always a big deal at AES, and this year was no different! Oram's new digitally controlled 48-bus console turned a LOT of heads with an amazing new take on architecture (a dedicated CPU for each channel!) and automation. The new board features Oram's legendary analog sonics, an easy learning curve, and lots of cool flashing lights (your clients will love it!). Mackie was showing their soon-to-be-released Digital 8-bus, as well as their HUI (Human User Interface) for Pro Tools. Panasonic/Ramsa introduced their DA7 digital mixer (32 inputs, 8 buses, 24-bit operation, under $5,000!). TASCAM showed their also soon-to-be-released TM-D8000 Digital Mixer (under $10,000 as promised!). Digidesign had their Pro Control Surface for Pro Tools on display. They say it should ship early next year. Ensoniq was giving extensive demos on their hot new Paris system, which it says should ship very soon now. TASCAM was showing a new modular hard disk recorder developed in conjunction with Timeline, the MMR-8. The 8-channel unit can read files in Pro Tools, Waveframe, and OMF formats (more formats to come). We think you'll see a lot of these in workstation-based post houses. Mark Of The Unicorn had Digital Performer v2.11 at the show. This version already supports Pro Tools 24! It also
Event Electronics had the PC triplets on display. Gina and Darla are available now, Layla is expected in November. Event is shooting to have Mac compatibility for all three early next year. In signal processors, Digitech was showing their S100 processor. Priced under $200, it features true stereo processing, S-Disc algorithms and more in a single rackspace. Sabine unveiled their Power Q, which incorporates seven functions: Feedback exterminator, 12-band stereo parametric EQ, 31-band graphic EQ, real-time analyzer, compressor/limiter, digital delay and noise gating, all of which can operate concurrently in the digital domain. TC Electronic applied the technology found in the company's successful G-Force processor to the new Fireworx studio multi-effects. 20-bit processing, 8 effects at once, AES, S/PDIF in/out, ADAT optical I/O, and new algorithms. In monitors, Mackie's HR824s were just about everywhere you looked, while JBL introduced their new LSR32 3-way mid-field monitors which feature a revolutionary triple coil design, along with a newly-designed cabinet. We had a chance to give them a listen in JBL's private suite, and we were quite impressed. The editor is frantically passing me the "we're out of space sign," so that's it for this report. Needless to say, we've barely scratched the surface of the flood of new products introduced at the show. For more information, call your Sales Engineer, check out our Web site, and be sure to sign up to receive our daily inSync column, the most up-to-date source of information on new products on the face of the earth! Master Index | Sweet Notes Index | Home | Back Page | Next Page |
This year's AES Convention and Exhibit Show, which took place in New York City on September 26th � 29th, was again a rousing success, presenting more than 350 exhibitors, hundreds of technical papers and seminars, and a whole lot more in just four days. Naturally, Sweetwater was there in a really big way. We had a huge booth literally crammed with cool new equipment, most notably a full selection of Oram consoles and rack gear (including the premier showing of the incredible new Series 48 digitally controlled analog console which you'll be hearing a lot more about in the near future), as well as a Digidesign Pro Tools|24 system, an Ensoniq Paris system, Roland's V-Drums, Event's Gina and tons more!
