Sweetwater’s AES 2000convention and show report!
page 2
AKG
The offerings from AKG include a new microphone targeted for the voice-over market, and a couple of new and inexpensive wireless choices. The C4500B-BC is a single pattern, large-diaphragm condenser microphone. The unique design of this new large-diaphragm condenser is the fact that the main axis for sound entry is in the front of the microphone, rather than the side. This design is to allow the talent to position the mic optimally without impeding their vision. The C4500B-BC has been designed with shielding against external electrostatic and magnetic fields, making it perfect for use around a video display monitor. The C4500B-BC has a cardioid pattern with a reduced proximity effect. This mic has a switchable 20db internal pad and a 6db per octave low-frequency roll-off as well. It comes with a spider shockmount and windscreen.
AKG is showing a couple of new wireless microphone products. They have introduced the WMS40 low-cost UHF wireless system. It boasts more than 30 hours of operation from the same set of batteries! It has adjustable squelch, status indicators and Surface Acoustic Wave filters for interference-free operation. The receiver has XLR and 1/4" output jacks and can be rackmounted with the optional kit. The WMS40 is available in both handheld and bodypack configurations, and may be the most affordable UHF wireless system in it’s class.
Also introduced at this year’s AES 2000 is the AKG PR81 Portable Receiver. Designed specifically for video and TV applications, this portable wireless mic receiver is built from a rugged and durable high-impact plastic. It is compatible with all of the WMS Series UHF wireless systems. The PR81 has 15 selectable channels and a 4-level diversity antenna system. It offers mini-XLR output and uses standard AA dry or rechargeable batteries.
ALESIS
One of the products that's caught everyone’s eye is the new AirFX. Alesis calls it "something from another planet." I call it a very interesting tool to add to our real-time control palette. The AirFX is a unique new audio controller and special effects processor all rolled into a device that might be seen in a sci-fi flick. It creates an invisible 3D infrared sphere that allows the user to move the hands, or any other part of the body, through the field to modify any audio signal routed through the analog I/O. The kinds of processing available range from filters to pitch based effects, and nearly everything in between. All I can say is that there is no creative tool created quite like the AirFX. You’ve gotta try one!
Alesis is also showing their new generation of reasonably priced power amplifiers. First, they look great! Second, they dramatically expand the range that has long been occupied by the RA100. They’ve bettered the performance and audio quality while maintaining a very affordable price point across the 3 new models in the line. The new line consists of the RA150 at 75 watts/channel into 4 ohms, the RA300 at 150 watts/channel into 4 ohms and the RA500 at 250 watts/channel into 4 ohms. They all have a convection-cooled design with front panel level controls and allow bridged mono operation. They offer unbalanced -10db as well as +4db balanced inputs and are ideal for many studio applications.
To go along with their new amplifier design, Alesis has re-engineered their long-standing and popular near-field reference loudspeaker, the Monitor One. The new Monitor One mkII offers a new 6.5" low-frequency driver for tighter, more accurate bass response, and a newly designed 1" silk-dome high-frequency transducer for more detailed response and a broader sound stage. They also redesigned the cabinet, adding magnetic shielding, and re-engineering the port design for more efficiency and response linearity. Overall, this new design makes for a much better performance, over the original Monitor One, and a classy new look.
GT Electronics is showing a great looking and great sounding new tube preamp called the Vipre. Vipre stands for Variable Impedance Preamplifier designed to provide a much better match to any microphone that might be used with it. This class-A all-tube design offers variable input controls for tube, FET, ribbon or dynamic microphones. It has a switch-selectable rise time control, precise detented gain setting control, precision metering and a huge (+30dBm) amount of gain. The wonderful "vintage" appearance, warm and smooth sound, and incredibly robust construction and design make this piece rise to the top of all of our wish lists. They brought an early prototype of this to Sweetwater many months ago and we were all blown away with it. This is a seriously robust preamp that sounds fabulous on many different types of microphones.
Finally, Alesis is showing their newest keyboard, the Andromeda A6. With more real-time control than is found on most any other synth, the Andromeda A6 offers a 16-voice, 16-channel multitimbral engine with full MIDI control. It offers 2 analog oscillators per voice, with 5 waveforms, suboscillators, and hard and soft sync. It has a 2-pole multimode resonating filter and 4-pole lowpass resonating filter per voice. The Andromeda A6 has portamento with nine slopes, extensive mod matrix, multiple keyboard modes and a whole lot more. It also offers 16 outputs (one for each voice) plus stereo main outputs and stereo aux outputs. It really shines with its real-time control. It offers 72 knobs, 144 buttons, 61-note keyboard, ribbon controller and an easy to see large backlit display of all values. The Andromeda A6 may be the most advanced analog synth yet!
AMEK
Rupert Neve has designed another legendary product for Amek. This year it is the Channel in A Box. This 1U rack unit is essentially a single channel strip from a very high caliber "in-line" console. It incorporates a precision switched gain microphone preamplifier, a transformer-coupled line input amplifier, high and low pass filters, 4-band equalization, and a full-featured compressor. The mic preamp offers a stepped-gain control and a continuously variable trim. The EQ section is similar to the "9098i Console" with familiar features like "Glow" and Sheen." The compressor is an all-analog design with a musicality known in all of Rupert Neve’s designs. It allows two or more Channel in A Box units to be linked for multichannel operation. It features all XLR connections and a character that we’ve come to expect from Rupert Neve and from Amek.
ART
ART has announced a new companion to the successful Tube MP. It is called the Tube MP Studio and it offers ART’s OPL Output Protection Limiter, an analog VU meter, and a hand-selected 12AX7 tube. It provides over 70db of gain with variable input and output controls. The Tube MP Studio has 48v phantom power, XLR and 1/4" inputs and outputs, and a price suitable for any budget.
ART has also announced the release of the new DI/O. It is a 2-channel, 24-bit/96kHz AD/DA converter. It offers switchable sample rates from 44.1kHz to 96kHz and automatically syncs to outboard equipment at sample rates from 22kHz to 100kHz. It has 24-bit s/pdif digital I/O and 1/4" analog inputs and outputs. The DI/O has a dual triode tube before the A/D converter that has variable "tube character" and gain to provide just the right amount of analog warmth prior to digitizing.
Two new graphic EQ’s have been added to the ART line as well. The 342 EQ is a dual channel, 15-band, 2/3 octave graphic EQ, and the 352 EQ is a single channel, 31 band, 1/3 octave graphic EQ. Both units are 2U rack design with balanced XLR, active balanced 1/4" and unbalanced RCA inputs and outputs. They both use constant-Q filtering and offer variable high-pass and low-pass filters. They have 70mm center detented sliders, selectable +/- 6db or +/- 12db adjustments, and independent level and bypass controls. They also both offer analog VU output level metering, per channel, signal level clip indicators, ground-lift switch and internal power supply.
AVALON
Avalon is showing their new 2-channel, symmetrical Class-A discrete mic preamp, the AD2022. This preamp also has selectable input impedance control for proper mic and cable matching, high-voltage Class-A regulated power supplies, and Teflon/silver point-to-point hand wiring. The features include balanced and unbalanced inputs and outputs, variable-passive high pass filter, and 2 high impedance inputs on the front. It fits into Avalon’s line as a more versatile dual channel preamp with the same sonic capabilities and transparency of the famous Avalon M5. In typical Avalon fashion, this piece sounds tremendous!
The offerings from AKG include a new microphone targeted for the voice-over market, and a couple of new and inexpensive wireless choices. The C4500B-BC is a single pattern, large-diaphragm condenser microphone. The unique design of this new large-diaphragm condenser is the fact that the main axis for sound entry is in the front of the microphone, rather than the side. This design is to allow the talent to position the mic optimally without impeding their vision. The C4500B-BC has been designed with shielding against external electrostatic and magnetic fields, making it perfect for use around a video display monitor. The C4500B-BC has a cardioid pattern with a reduced proximity effect. This mic has a switchable 20db internal pad and a 6db per octave low-frequency roll-off as well. It comes with a spider shockmount and windscreen.
AKG is showing a couple of new wireless microphone products. They have introduced the WMS40 low-cost UHF wireless system. It boasts more than 30 hours of operation from the same set of batteries! It has adjustable squelch, status indicators and Surface Acoustic Wave filters for interference-free operation. The receiver has XLR and 1/4" output jacks and can be rackmounted with the optional kit. The WMS40 is available in both handheld and bodypack configurations, and may be the most affordable UHF wireless system in it’s class.
Also introduced at this year’s AES 2000 is the AKG PR81 Portable Receiver. Designed specifically for video and TV applications, this portable wireless mic receiver is built from a rugged and durable high-impact plastic. It is compatible with all of the WMS Series UHF wireless systems. The PR81 has 15 selectable channels and a 4-level diversity antenna system. It offers mini-XLR output and uses standard AA dry or rechargeable batteries.
ALESISOne of the products that's caught everyone’s eye is the new AirFX. Alesis calls it "something from another planet." I call it a very interesting tool to add to our real-time control palette. The AirFX is a unique new audio controller and special effects processor all rolled into a device that might be seen in a sci-fi flick. It creates an invisible 3D infrared sphere that allows the user to move the hands, or any other part of the body, through the field to modify any audio signal routed through the analog I/O. The kinds of processing available range from filters to pitch based effects, and nearly everything in between. All I can say is that there is no creative tool created quite like the AirFX. You’ve gotta try one!
Alesis is also showing their new generation of reasonably priced power amplifiers. First, they look great! Second, they dramatically expand the range that has long been occupied by the RA100. They’ve bettered the performance and audio quality while maintaining a very affordable price point across the 3 new models in the line. The new line consists of the RA150 at 75 watts/channel into 4 ohms, the RA300 at 150 watts/channel into 4 ohms and the RA500 at 250 watts/channel into 4 ohms. They all have a convection-cooled design with front panel level controls and allow bridged mono operation. They offer unbalanced -10db as well as +4db balanced inputs and are ideal for many studio applications.To go along with their new amplifier design, Alesis has re-engineered their long-standing and popular near-field reference loudspeaker, the Monitor One. The new Monitor One mkII offers a new 6.5" low-frequency driver for tighter, more accurate bass response, and a newly designed 1" silk-dome high-frequency transducer for more detailed response and a broader sound stage. They also redesigned the cabinet, adding magnetic shielding, and re-engineering the port design for more efficiency and response linearity. Overall, this new design makes for a much better performance, over the original Monitor One, and a classy new look.
GT Electronics is showing a great looking and great sounding new tube preamp called the Vipre. Vipre stands for Variable Impedance Preamplifier designed to provide a much better match to any microphone that might be used with it. This class-A all-tube design offers variable input controls for tube, FET, ribbon or dynamic microphones. It has a switch-selectable rise time control, precise detented gain setting control, precision metering and a huge (+30dBm) amount of gain. The wonderful "vintage" appearance, warm and smooth sound, and incredibly robust construction and design make this piece rise to the top of all of our wish lists. They brought an early prototype of this to Sweetwater many months ago and we were all blown away with it. This is a seriously robust preamp that sounds fabulous on many different types of microphones.
Finally, Alesis is showing their newest keyboard, the Andromeda A6. With more real-time control than is found on most any other synth, the Andromeda A6 offers a 16-voice, 16-channel multitimbral engine with full MIDI control. It offers 2 analog oscillators per voice, with 5 waveforms, suboscillators, and hard and soft sync. It has a 2-pole multimode resonating filter and 4-pole lowpass resonating filter per voice. The Andromeda A6 has portamento with nine slopes, extensive mod matrix, multiple keyboard modes and a whole lot more. It also offers 16 outputs (one for each voice) plus stereo main outputs and stereo aux outputs. It really shines with its real-time control. It offers 72 knobs, 144 buttons, 61-note keyboard, ribbon controller and an easy to see large backlit display of all values. The Andromeda A6 may be the most advanced analog synth yet!AMEK
Rupert Neve has designed another legendary product for Amek. This year it is the Channel in A Box. This 1U rack unit is essentially a single channel strip from a very high caliber "in-line" console. It incorporates a precision switched gain microphone preamplifier, a transformer-coupled line input amplifier, high and low pass filters, 4-band equalization, and a full-featured compressor. The mic preamp offers a stepped-gain control and a continuously variable trim. The EQ section is similar to the "9098i Console" with familiar features like "Glow" and Sheen." The compressor is an all-analog design with a musicality known in all of Rupert Neve’s designs. It allows two or more Channel in A Box units to be linked for multichannel operation. It features all XLR connections and a character that we’ve come to expect from Rupert Neve and from Amek.
ART
ART has announced a new companion to the successful Tube MP. It is called the Tube MP Studio and it offers ART’s OPL Output Protection Limiter, an analog VU meter, and a hand-selected 12AX7 tube. It provides over 70db of gain with variable input and output controls. The Tube MP Studio has 48v phantom power, XLR and 1/4" inputs and outputs, and a price suitable for any budget.
ART has also announced the release of the new DI/O. It is a 2-channel, 24-bit/96kHz AD/DA converter. It offers switchable sample rates from 44.1kHz to 96kHz and automatically syncs to outboard equipment at sample rates from 22kHz to 100kHz. It has 24-bit s/pdif digital I/O and 1/4" analog inputs and outputs. The DI/O has a dual triode tube before the A/D converter that has variable "tube character" and gain to provide just the right amount of analog warmth prior to digitizing.
Two new graphic EQ’s have been added to the ART line as well. The 342 EQ is a dual channel, 15-band, 2/3 octave graphic EQ, and the 352 EQ is a single channel, 31 band, 1/3 octave graphic EQ. Both units are 2U rack design with balanced XLR, active balanced 1/4" and unbalanced RCA inputs and outputs. They both use constant-Q filtering and offer variable high-pass and low-pass filters. They have 70mm center detented sliders, selectable +/- 6db or +/- 12db adjustments, and independent level and bypass controls. They also both offer analog VU output level metering, per channel, signal level clip indicators, ground-lift switch and internal power supply.
AVALON
Avalon is showing their new 2-channel, symmetrical Class-A discrete mic preamp, the AD2022. This preamp also has selectable input impedance control for proper mic and cable matching, high-voltage Class-A regulated power supplies, and Teflon/silver point-to-point hand wiring. The features include balanced and unbalanced inputs and outputs, variable-passive high pass filter, and 2 high impedance inputs on the front. It fits into Avalon’s line as a more versatile dual channel preamp with the same sonic capabilities and transparency of the famous Avalon M5. In typical Avalon fashion, this piece sounds tremendous!