Products of Interest
Universal Audio Apollo Audio
Interface
The Apollo, from Universal Audio, is a high-resolution 18× 24 digital audio interface designed to deliver the sound of analog recordings (see Figure 1). The interface is available with two or four processors, which al-low the audio to be recorded through UAD-2 powered plug-ins with less than 2 msec latency. The user can also mix and master using these proces-sors, without drawing from the host computer processor. The microphone and pre-amplifiers are reported to give the lowest THD (110 dB) and highest dynamic range (118 dB, A-weighted) for an interface of this kind.
The Apollo has four microphone inputs, eight analog line inputs/ outputs, two monitor outputs, a stereo SPDIF input/output, optical ports for eight channels of ADAT, a FireWire 800 port, and WordClock input/output on the back panel. Two high-impedance instrument inputs are located on the front panel, as are two dedicated headphone outputs. An extension slot for an optional Thunderbolt card is provided on the rear panel. Universal Audio indicates that this reduces the audio buffer size, lowers the latency, improves performance at high sample rates, and allows more instances of UAD plug-ins than FireWire. Sampling rates up to 192 kHz, with 24-bit resolution, are supported.
Controls are provided on the front panel of the interface for pre-amplifier gain, channel selection, microphone pad, phantom power, low cut filter, monitor level, and the headphone levels. The high-contrast metering
Figure 1. The Apollo audio 18× 24 audio interface from Universal Audio.
from the company’s 2192 interface is used here and can be viewed at almost any angle. The Apollo interface supports Core Audio and ASIO drivers, and is compatible with all well-known DAWs on Macintosh and Windows operating systems. A Console application and Console Recall plug-in allow the user to control and recall the settings for the interface and plug-in for individual sessions. The Apollo has a 19-in., 1U rack space chassis.
The Apollo DUO Core model is listed for US$ 1,999 and the QUAD Core model for US$ 2,499. Contact: Universal Audio, 1700 Green Hills Rd., Scotts Valley, California 95066-4926, USA; telephone (+1) 877-698-2834; fax (+1) 831-461-1550; electronic mail [email protected]; Web www.uaudio.com/.
RME Fireface UCX Audio
Interface
The Fireface UCX from RME is a compact, half-rack size, FireWire 400 audio interface that combines features from their Fireface UFX, UC, 400, and Babyface interfaces. It has a total of 18 input and output channels, both digital and analog, and features ports on the front and back panels (see Figure 2).
All input and output channels can be used simultaneously when recording with sample rates of 44.1 or 48 kHz. Ten of the input/ output digital channels are digital and the remaining eight are analog. When the highest sample rate of 192 kHz is used, a total of twelve input and output channels are available.
The front panel of the interface features two combination balanced XLR/jack inputs; two 1
4-in. Hi-Z,
instrument/line, balanced inputs; and a stereo headphone output. A further four channels of analog inputs and six outputs, all on balanced TRS jack ports, are located on the rear panel. The microphone pre-amplifiers are taken from the UFX interface and offer 64 dB gain and overload protection. The convertors have a low latency design, with 14- and 7- sample latency reported for the A-D and D-A convertors respectively. SPDIF (coaxial or optical), ADAT, Word Clock, and two MIDI inputs/outputs are also included. The interface has both USB 2.0 (compatible with USB 3) and FireWire ports for connection to a computer. A software application, To-talMix FX, is included with purchase and features a redesigned version of the DSP engine from the Fireface UFX interface. All effects operate at up to 192 kHz sampling rate.
The company’s Basic Remote Con-trol is included. It has a single large dial wheel, a store/recall button, and a programmable button for TotalMix FX. The Advanced Remote Control, with six programmable button and LEDs is supported. Both remote con-trols have 5-m-long cables. A Class Compliant Mode allows the interface to be used with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux distributions, and with the iPad or iPad2.
The Fireface UCX is listed for US$ 1,749. Contact: Am Pfanderling 60, 85778 Haimhausen, Germany; telephone (+49) 813-3 91-8170 fax (+49) 813-391-66; electronic mail [email protected]; Web www.rme-audio.de/.
Behringer Firepower Audio
Interfaces and Digital Wireless
Microphone with USB Receiver
The Behringer Firepower FCA610 and FCA1616 are USB and FireWire
Figure 2. Front and back panels of RME’s Fireface UCX audio interface.
Figure 2
Figure 3. Behringer’s Firepower FCA610 audio interface.
Figure 3
audio and MIDI interfaces, capa-ble of recording at sample rates up to 96 kHz, with 24-bit resolution. They are both ultra-low latency in-terfaces, with XENYX microphone pre-amplifiers.
The smaller of the two interfaces, the FCA610, has six audio inputs, ten audio outputs, and an additional MIDI input/output (see Figure 3). The front panel of the interface features two combination XLR/instrument inputs, with separate input level control, in-put pad, Hi-Z switch, low-cut switch, and phantom power controls for each of the inputs. Also located here are LED matrices for the analog and digi-tal input/output activity, mix balance and main volume controls, and two stereo headphone outputs with level
control and switching. LED indicators are provided for all controls. The rear panel of the interface features a pair of balanced line inputs, eight balanced line outputs, digital input/output on RCA and SPDIF ports (coaxial and optical), MIDI input/output, USB, and FireWire ports, and a Kensington lock port. The interface can be powered by a computer, using the FireWire bus, or by an external power supply. It has a half-rack, 9.5-in. chassis.
The larger FCA 1616 is a 19-in., 1U rack-space model with 16 inputs and outputs. There are four microphone/instrument inputs on the front panel, with a set of controls for each. An ADAT port allows the user to access eight additional microphone inputs and line outputs
Figure 4. The Duet 2 audio interface from Apogee.
using the ADA8000 digital convertor. The FCA1616 also includes eight analog inserts for use with external effects. This interface is powered by external power supply. Both interfaces are compatible with Mac OS X, Windows XP, and more recent operating systems. The front panel of each is colored vibrant red.
In addition to these interfaces, Behringer has also released a wireless digital microphone with USB receiver, which allows the user to connect directly to a computer for recording. The Ultralink ULM100-USB operates in the 2.4-GHz frequency band and features automatic pairing for easy setup, an integrated volume control and mute button, and a low-battery indicator. The microphone is powered by two AA batteries and has an operating time of eight hours.
The Fireface FCA610 is listed for US$ 399.99 and the FCA1616 for US$ 499.99. Contact: Behringer, 18912 North Creek Parkway #200, Bothell, Washington 98011, USA; telephone (+1) 425-939-3200; Web www.behringer.com/.
Apogee Duet 2 Audio Interface
Duet 2 is an updated version of Apogee’s portable audio interface for Macintosh computers. It is a sleek device with an aluminum chassis measuring 102× 160 × 35 mm. The device has two inputs, four outputs, an OLED display, and is capable of recording at sampling rates up to 192 kHz, with 24-bit resolution (see Figure 4).
New components have been used in the microphone pre-amplifiers to provide ultra-low noise and click-free transitions over the 75-dB gain range available. The A-D and D-A conver-tors have also been updated. A new breakout cable has also been created for this release of the interface. Two combination XLR/1
4-in. connections
and two balanced 1
4-in. connections
for speakers combine into a single cable for connection to the interface. Ports for the breakout cable, power adapter, and USB 2.0 connection are provided on the top panel of the interface. The front panel features a
1
4-in. stereo headphone output port.
The top panel features a new OLED display, configurable touchpads, and a controller knob. The display is used for metering, input and output level values, and grouping. It also displays indicators for phase, mute, phantom power, and soft limiter. The touchpads can be configured using the supplied Maestro 2 software to provide access to output functions. The large multi-function controller knob is used to toggle through the inputs and output, and to set levels.
The Maestro 2 application also provides the user with control of the soft limiter, output assignments, dimming and muting of the output, and control of the sample rate. It has a single-window design and an improved low latency mixer. A 2-m USB cable, breakout cable, and uni-versal power adapter are bundled with the interface.
Duet 2 is listed for US$ 595. Contact: Apogee Electronics Corp., 1715 Berkeley St., Santa Monica, California 90404, USA; telephone (+1) 9394; fax (+1) 310-584-9385; Web www.apogeedigital.com/.
Tascam iOS Audio Interfaces
The iU2 is an audio interface for iOS devices (see Figure 5). Two XLR
Figure 5. Tascam’s iU2 audio interface for iPhone and iPad.
Figure 5
Figure 6. Tascam’s IXZ pocket-sized audio interface for iPhone and iPad.
Figure 6
inputs with phantom power, two bal-anced line inputs, and an instrument-level input for guitar and bass are provided. The outputs include an SPDIF digital output, two line out-puts, and a mini-jack headphone output. MIDI input/output and a mini USB port are also included. The built-in microphone pre-amplifiers and A-D convertors offer improved sound quality over those built in to iPhones and iPads, according to Tascam. The interface measures 110 × 110 × 20 mm and weighs 221 g. A USB cable, iOS connection cable, and XLR to 1
4-in. conversion cables are
included with purchase.
The iXZ is a pocket-sixed inter-face for use with iOS devices (see Figure 6). It includes a switchable microphone/line input on an XLR port, a high-impedance guitar input, and a mini-jack headphone output. Phantom power is available on the microphone input. The microphone requires two AA batteries to operate.
The iU2 interface is listed for US$ 199.99 and the iXZ for US$ 69.99. Contact: Tascam, 1-47 Ochiai,
Tama-Figure 7. The MIDI Fighter, a three-dimensional MIDI controller.
shi, Tokyo 206-8530, Japan; telephone (+81) 569-100; fax (+81) 423-569-105; Web www.teac.co.jp; U.S. customers contact: Tascam, 5939 Wallace Street, Mississauga, Ontario L4Z 1Z8, Canada; telephone (+1) 905-890-8008; fax (+1) 905-890-9888; Web www.teac-ca.com/.
DJ Tech Tools MIDI Fighter 3D
Controller
The MIDI Fighter from DJ Tech Tools is a three-dimensional MIDI controller with 16 arcade buttons arranged in a 4× 4 grid (see Figure 7). Four banks of controls are available and six buttons on the side panel can be used for presets or other functions. Each of the buttons is surrounded by a customizable color ring. The on and off colors can be specified for each button, for all four banks, or the colors can be set in real-time through MIDI. The position of the controller in space can also be used to contol parameter values, through three-dimensional motion tracking and five degrees of movement.
A software application for con-figuring the controller is provided. A hand strap can be used for bet-ter control of the controller when using the motion tracking aspect. The controller has rubberized feet and a rubberized sleeve for grip. It is powered through the company’s
Figure 8. Mark of the Unicorn’s MicroBook II audio interface.
high-quality USB cable, which is a fully shielded USB 2.0 cable, with ferrite chokes and a right-angle con-nector.
The MIDI Fighter controller is listed for US$ 249. Contact: DJ Tech Tools, 360 Langton Street, Suite #200, San Francisco, California 94103, USA; telephone (+1) 877-246-8958; Web www.djtechtools.com/.
MOTU MicroBook II Audio
Interface and Digital Performer
8 for Windows
Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU) has released an updated version of their MicroBook audio interface. The MicroBook II is a four-input, six-output, compact, portable interface measuring 5.5× 35 × 1.25 in. It is bus-powered, has an XLR microphone input port, and can record at sample rates of 88.2 and 96 kHz (see Figure 8).
Along with the microphone input, the MicroBook II features a hi-Z guitar input on a 1
4-in. jack, stereo balanced
line inputs on 1
4-in. jacks, and an
unbalanced stereo input on a 1 8-in.
mini-jack. Audio can be recorded on all inputs simultaneously. A 20-dB pad and 48-V phantom power is available on the microphone input. A digitally controlled analog trim is separate to the input mix volume. Two1
4-in. balanced main outputs,
Figure 9. Mark of the Unicorn’s Digital Performer 8.
two 1
4-in. headphone outputs, an
unbalanced mini-jack output, and an SPDIF digital output are also provided. A digitally controlled trim is also available on all of the outputs. The digital output mirrors the analog main outputs. A single digital rotary encoder is used to control the output volume. The user can push the encoder to cycle through control of the main outputs, headphone, or both together.
MOTU’s Internal CueMix tech-nology is used for mixing and routing of live inputs and host audio tracks and allows a different stereo mix for each pair of outputs or the same mix to be sent to multiple outputs. A range of on-board effects include a seven-band parametric equalizer and compressor. A test tone and white/pink noise generator is also built in to the interface. Software audio analysis tools are available and include an FFT display, spectrogram waterfall display, an oscilloscope, and an x−y plot. Core Audio, Wave, and ASIO drivers are included and the interface is compatible with all recent Macintosh and Windows com-puters. It is bundled with AudioDesk
DAW software, a USB 2.0 cable, and a microphone cable adapter.
Digital Performer 8 is now avail-able in 32- and 64-bit versions for both Mac OS X and Windows 7 operating systems (see Figure 9). This is the first time the company’s digital audio soft-ware has been available for Windows. A new video playback engine allows the user to view 720 and 1,080 HD video on primary or secondary mon-itors. Video can also be viewed on HDMI or SDI video monitors, using a MOTU video interface. A new Punch Guard feature records four seconds of audio, before and after recording, to avoid cutting off important material. Themes are used to change the ap-pearance of the software interface and 14 new themes have been added here. Fifteen additional plug-ins are also included with this updated version of the software. VST plug-ins and the Rewire protocol are supported in the Windows version of the software.
MicroBook II is listed for US$ 269. Contact: Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU), 1280 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA; telephone (+1) 617-576-2760; fax (+1) 617-576-3609; electronic
Figure 10. Sound Devices’ 552 portable mixer with built-in recorder.
mail [email protected]; Web www .motu.com/.
Sound Devices 552 Portable
Audio Mixer
The 552 Production Mixer is a light-weight, portable mixer and recorder with timecode input (see Figure 10). It features five precision, transformer-balanced, microphone/line inputs with a high dynamic range on XLR inputs. Each has a two-stage gain control, with input trim and fader; continuously variable pan; contin-uously variable high-pass filter; a limiter; solo monitoring; and pre- or post-fader direct outputs.
A two-track digital audio recorder is built in to the mixer and saves audio as Broadcast WAV on SD/SDHC cards. Sampling rates up to 96 kHz, with 24-bit resolution are supported. A timecode input is available on a TA3 connector, and the timecode rate is automatically detected and applied. Audio can also be saved to MP3 files.
A pair of XLR output ports is provided and these can be used to output four channels of digital 24-bit AES/EBU signals. Balanced outputs on a Hirose 10-pin connector, TA3 connectors, and headphone outputs are located on the right panel.
The front panel includes 42-segment sunlight-viewable metering, which can be switched between Peak, VU, or Peak and VU modes. A joy-stick controller is used for transport
controls and a battery check button is also included. Voice prompts are output to the headphones for impor-tant operations and navigation of the setup menu. The front panel channel controls double as menu navigation buttons. A talkback function with slate microphone is also built in to the mixer. Transfer of audio files to a computer is done via the SD/SDHC card. The frequency response of the 522 is 20 Hz–30 kHz (+0.2, –0.5 dB) and the total harmonic distortion is 0.09 percent (+18 dBu line out at 50 Hz–20 kHz).
The top and bottom panels of the mixer are constructed from metalized, powder-coated, carbon fiber and the front panel is gasketed to reduce moisture problems. The mixer can be powered by four AA batteries or an external power supply. A range of video tutorials on the product Web site give additional information on the operation of the mixer.
The 552 mixer is listed for US$ 3,595. Contact: Sound Devices, E7556 State Rd. 23/33 P.O. Box 576, Reedsburg, Wisconsin 53959, USA; telephone (+1) 608-524-0625; fax (+1) 608-524-0655; Web www.sounddevices.com/.
Eowave Ribbon Synthesizer and
Controller
The Eowave Ribbon is a synthesizer and controller (USB and CV/gate) in
one. It has an eight-bit oscillator, which can be used to generate sound from noise or a choice of saw, square, triangle, or sine waves. The pitch is controlled by the finger position on a four-octave ribbon strip and finger pressure controls the volume of each note. The scale settings and range of the ribbon can be changed using a software editor provided. A pressure-sensitive tactile pad at the base of the instrument is used to trigger and control FM and AM modulation. The pressure values from the ribbon and tactile pad can be mapped to alternative MIDI messages, using the software editor.
A built-in USB port allows the Ribbon to be connected to a computer to be used as a USB controller. It is automatically recognized as a MIDI interface and is compatible with Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, and iOS devices. An audio input/output is also provided and allows the Ribbon to be used as a CV/gate controller.
The entire Ribbon is enclosed in a transparent Plexiglas enclosure which is LED-lit, making this a striking instrument for live performance. It can be powered by USB or an external power supply. The user can save up to 16 synthesizer presets. The Ribbon measures 60× 4 × 1.5 cm and weighs 480 g.
The Ribbon is listed for approx-imately US$ 299. Contact: More Electronic Sounds and Imageries, 6 rue Marceau, 94200 Ivry-sur-Seine, France; telephone (+33) 145-154-196; fax (+33) 145-150-724; Web www.eowave.com/.
Alesis iO Mix iPad Interface
and Mixer
The first iPad device released by Alesis was the iO Dock, a docking station for the iPad that featured a number of audio input and output
Figure 11. The iO Mix iPad interface and mixer from Alesis.
ports (see Products of Interest, CMJ
36(3)). Their new iO Mix is a four-track mixer and interface that enables the user to turn their iPad into a portable studio device, without the need for audio and USB cables for input and output (see Figure 11). The rear panel features four combination XLR/1
4-in. inputs with phantom
power, high-pass filter, direct input, and gain controls. Balanced stereo outputs on1
4-in. jack ports and video
outputs (RCA composite and S-video) are also provided here.
The top panel of the iO Mix fea-tures the iPad dock, which has a hinged door to secure the iPad in place, and the mixer controls. The iO Mix power supply also recharges the iPad when it is in place. The individual channel controls provided are individual trim, channel gain, pan, and low and high equalization. A separate volume control is pro-vided for the outputs, along with a direct monitor switch that allows for latency-free input monitoring, and a switchable limiter. The video output allows the user to incorporate video playback into performance and presentations. An optional Module
Mount can be used to attach the iO Mix to a microphone stand. The iO Mix supports Core Audio, making it compatible with iTune App Store software applications.
Contact: Alesis, 200 Scenic View Drive, Suite 201, Cumberland, Rhode Island 02864, USA; telephone (+1) 401-658-5760; Web www.alesis.com/.
PreSonus Qmix and StudioLive
Remote 1818VSL Software
The SL Remote was an iPad app that gave the user wireless control over PreSonus’s StudioLive hardware mixers, using Virtual StudioLive (VSL) software (see Products of Interest, CMJ 35(4)). It allowed mixer channels, auxiliaries, effects, and processors to be controlled remotely from any location in a venue. Two new iOS apps, Qmix and StudioLive Remote 1818VSL, are based on the SL Remote software and extend its functionality.
Qmix is designed to allow up to ten musicians control monitor mixes from StudioLive hardware mixers,
using iPhones or iPod Touch devices. The iOS devices communicate wire-lessly with a Macintosh or Windows computer to control the Virtual Stu-dioLive software, which controls one or more StudioLive mixers. When an iPhone or iPod Touch connects to the network, all StudioLive mixers on the network are visible to it. A thumb-wheel control in the Qmix software provides users with individual con-trol of their own volume within the mix. The levels of the other mix channels are automatically reduced if the user tries to increase the volume past the unity gain level. Rotating the iPhone to landscape view gives the user access to the auxiliary micro-phone send levels and pan position for each channel and auxiliary. Soft-ware controls allow an engineer to set permissions for the mixes each device has access to, so that each user only has control over their own mix.
The StudioLive Remote 1818VSL software is an iPad app for wireless control of the AudioBox 1818VSL 26 × 18 channel audio/MIDI interface (see Products of Interest, CMJ 36(1)). The hardware interface is controlled by AudioBox VSL software, which in turn can now be wirelessly con-trolled from an iPad. Multiple views of the AudioBox VSL mixer and pro-cessing controls are provided. The Overview display shows the most frequently used parameters, such as channel levels, mute, pan, and equalization curves. In microview mode, the user can easily navigate between processors with a finger swipe.
Qmix and StudioLive Remote 1818VSL are free downloads from the Apple App Store. Contact: PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc., 7257 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70806, USA; telephone (+1) 225-216-7887; fax (+1) 225-926-8347; Web www.presonus.com/.
Figure 12. Yamaha’s MGP12X mixing console with iPad/iPhone control.
Yamaha MGP Analog Mixing
Consoles with iOS Control
The MGP12X and MGP16X are the first in Yamaha’s new MGP series of analog mixing consoles, which can be controlled from an iPad or iPhone (see Figure 12). They feature new D-PRE, studio-grade, discrete class-A microphone pre-amplifiers. An inverted Darlington circuit, with a multi-layered design, has been used to give higher power with lower impedance. Phantom power is available in all channels. The company’s Virtual Circuit Modeling is used in the equalization section of the console. This technology models the original circuitry of vintage equalizers to provide the response and shelving of the originals.
One-knob compression with LED indicators, dual studio-grade digital effects processors, and Stereo Hybrid Channels are also included. Yamaha’s REV-X offers the user three natural high-resolution reverberation effects, and the SPX processor provides 16
digital effects with editable param-eters. The Stereo Hybrid Channel aims to combine the feel of analog controls with digital functionality through the use of a priority ducker, leveler, and stereo image function. The ducker allows a microphone input to automatically be prioritized over other sound sources, without the need for a console operator. As soon as the microphone is used, the levels of other sound sources is reduced and they automatically return to their original level again once the micro-phone is no longer in use. The user can adjust the level the sound source is reduced by. The leveler is an intel-ligent compressor that automatically adjusts sound levels from various sources so that they no longer vary in volume. The Hybrid Channel also has a stereo image function, which provides a mixed sound an audience that may be spread over a large space, by narrowing the pan balance of the stereo sound source.
A software application, MGP Editor, is available for controlling
the mixer and DSP settings with an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. It allows the user to control the REV-X and SPREV-X parameters, the Hybrid Channel’s ducker and leveler, and playback settings. The device can be connected and charged using a dedicated USB port on the top of the front panel.
The MGP12X is a twelve-channel mixing console, with six microphone inputs, four monophonic line inputs, four stereo line inputs, two additional inputs for use with analog devices or an iPod/iPhone, two auxiliary sends, two effects sends, four group buses, and a stereo bus. The 16-channel MGP16X model features four additional microphone and mono-phonic line inputs. The chassis of the consoles are constructed of impact-resistant, powder-coated metal and they have rack-ears for mounting. A universal power supply is included.
The MGP12X is listed for US$ 829 and the MGP16X for US$ 999. Contact: Yamaha Corporation of America, 6600 Orangethorpe Ave., Buena Park, California 90620, USA; Web www.yamaha.com/.
Alto MasterLink Live Mixers
with iPad Dock
The MasterLink Live mixers from Alto combine an analog mixing con-sole with DSP technology and control via an integrated dock for iPad (see Figure 13). Available in 12-channel and 16-channel formats, the Master-Link Live mixers feature a three-band equalizer, with mid-frequency sweep, on all monophonic channels; four auxiliary send and group buses; built-in digital reverberator, chorus, and delay; independent channel com-pressors; and dedicated talkback microphone input. Real-time audio analysis, a twelve-band parametric
Figure 13. The MasterLink Live 16 mixer with iPad dock.
equalizer, compressor/limiter, two-channel audio recording, and a built-in programmable SPL meter, as well as recording and playback, are available via the Live Drive iPad app, which can be downloaded for free.
The MasterLink Live 16 has ten monophonic and three stereo in-puts, ten low-noise, high-headroom microphone pre-amplifiers, and ten channel compressors. The larger Mas-terLink Live 24 has an additional six monophonic inputs, microphone pre-amplifiers, and channel compressors. The MasterLink Live 16 is listed for US$ 769.99 and the Live 24 for US$ 1,059.99. Contact: Alto Professional, 866 NE 20th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33304, USA; telephone (+1) 401-659-8135; fax (+1) 401-658-3640; Web www.altoproaudio.com/.
Neyrinck V-Control Pro
for the iPad
The V-Control Pro is an iPad con-troller, for use with Pro Tools,
Logic 9, Cubase and Nuendo, Reason, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Sonar, Reaper, and Studio One. It allows the user to remotely control their DAW via the multi-touch control surface of the iPad.
Multiple faders can be adjusted simultaneously and banking and scrolling features are provided for ses-sion navigation. Pan, mute, solo, aux-iliary sends, and arming of each track is possible from the iPad/iPhone. Track metering, automation, and transport controls with a large counter are also provided. Buttons are available for switching between edit and mix windows, for record-enabling all tracks simultaneously, for input monitoring, group suspend, and auto-suspend. A command sec-tion of the edit window gives the user access to editing functions such as cut, copy, and paste. Memory loca-tions and presets are also accessed in the edit window. A demonstration version of the software is available. The GUI is available in a number of different formats, to match Pro Tools, Logic etc.
Figure 14. Royer Labs’ Sling-Shock microphone shock mount.
The V-Control is listed for US$ 49.99. Contact: Neyrinck, Web www.neyrinck.com/.
Royer Labs Sling-Shock
Microphone Mount
The Sling-Shock from Royer Labs is a microphone shock mount that uses damped steel springs and non-resonant nylon cable to isolate the microphone from vibrations and re-duce self-resonance (see Figure 14). It is designed for the company’s 1-in. ribbon microphones but will work with any cylindrical microphones of the same size. The microphone cham-ber is felt-lined to avoid scratching the microphone surface. The mount does not use rubber parts that might degrade or stretch and it is flexible for microphone positioning.
A stand adapter is included for use with European microphone stands. A two-foot long vibration suppression cable, which features cloth-covered wire to reduce the vibrations trans-mitted from the cable to microphone, is available as an optional additional purchase. The company will release a universal mount and further mounts for large-bodied microphones at a future date.
The Sling-Shock is listed for US$ 295. Contact: Royer Labs, 2711
Figure 15. A screenshot from Celemony’s Capstan pitch restoration software.
Empire Ave, Burbank, Cali-fornia 91504, USA; telephone (+1) 818-847-0121; electronic mail [email protected]; Web www.royerlabs.com/.
Celemony Capstan Pitch
Restoration Software for Old
Recordings
Celemony’s Capstan is designed to repair pitch problems on recordings and is particularly aimed at restoring recordings on tape, cassette, vinyl, and older media (see Figure 15). Instances of wow and flutter, as well as continuous speed variations, can be detected using intelligent analysis of the music based on the Direct Note Access technology first used in the company’s Melodyne software. The Capstan analysis is displayed as a curve, below the audio waveform of the file in the main window of the software. This curve displays the changes in tape speed over time and the analysis is carried out automatically when an audio file is loaded. Capstan then uses varispeed to repair the recording,
changing the speed up and down according to the analysis curve. The user can easily switch between the original and processed recording. The analysis can be adjusted by the user before the audio is repaired, using detailed editing tools. In this way intentional effects that might result in pitch fluctuations, such as vibrato, can be treated appropriately and not simply removed from a recording.
The overall pitch and duration of the recording can also be altered, according to a fixed pitch, average pitch, or set duration. Capstan sup-ports sample rates up to 192 kHz and 16- to 32-bit resolution. It is a standalone application that operates on 64-bit Windows or Macintosh plat-forms. It can read all common audio file formats. The analysis data for a monophonic or stereo audio file can be used on an unlimited number of additional file, enabling multi-track and multi-channel recordings to be repaired. A demonstration version of the software that is only limited in save, export, and play functions (7-sec playback only) is available to download from the Web site. Addi-tionally, Celemony offers users the
option of renting a five-day time-limited iLok license for use of the software on specific projects. The product manual contains tutori-als for which corresponding audio files are included in the software installation.
The full version of Capstan is listed for US$ 4,458 and the five-day rental for US$ 199. Contact: Cele-mony Software GmbH, Valleystrasse 25, 81371 Munich, Germany; elec-tronic mail [email protected]; Web www.celemony.com/.
Steim junXion
Steim’s junXion for Mac OS X is a routing application that takes input from a range of devices and sensors and outputs MIDI or OSC events. The input to the application can be MIDI, OSC, audio, Arduino, video, or WiiRemote, or can come from input devices such as joysticks, mice, and touchscreens. Input data up to 16-bit resolution is supported and the input data can be scaled. MIDI data that is input can be merged with the appli-cation’s MIDI data. Response curves are available in edited tables, to trans-late gestures into MIDI controller data.
In junXion, the user sets up a patch that defines the connection between each sensor and the resulting action that should take place. The action can be set to only take place if certain conditions are met and the user also controls the type or MIDI or OSC data that is output. A single input can be connected to multiple actions and similarly, multiple inputs can be connected to a single action. User-defined patches and configurations can be saved and recalled.
The software is currently at version 5. Among the new features are re-written OSC input/output handling to support iPad apps, a
remote mouse control action, Wii infrared and vibration support, and an improved GUI, with help tags for all elements. A save-restricted demonstration version is available to download. Video tutorials and an online manual are also avail-able. Mac OS X 10.5 or higher is required to run junXion. JunXion Lite, a version of the application that only outputs MIDI events, is also available.
JunXion is listed for€ 75. Contact: STEIM, Achtergracht 19, 1017 WL Amsterdam, The Netherlands; (+31) 206-228-690; fax (+31) 206-264-262; electronic mail [email protected]; Web steim.org/.
SoundRadix SurferEQ Pitch
Tracking Equalizer
The SurferEQ equalizer is designed for use with instrument and vocal tracks in which the fundamental frequencies or harmonics may change over time. Rather than being set to a fixed frequency range, this equalizer uses real-time pitch detection to lock the frequency to the selected harmonic. Seven equalizer bands are provided. These include high-pass and low-pass filters and five asymmetrical bell-shaped bands, two of which can be switched to shelf mode, with the center band switchable to harmonic filter mode. A slope selector control toggles between 6 dB, 12 dB, 18 dB, and 24 dB per octave. The surf mode of the equalizer can be switched on and off and unused bands can also be switched off. The pitch and fundamental frequency detected are displayed when the surf mode is in use. A curve display shows the equalization curve of each band and the combined equalization curve. The user can control the noise floor level and the pitch sensitivity of the pitch detection engine. SurferEQ
Figure 16. Miselu’s neiro, a portable social music device with integrated keyboard.
supports VST, RTAS, and Audio Units formats, on Windows and Macintosh computers.
SurferEQ is listed for US$ 179. Contact: SoundRadix; electronic mail [email protected]; www.soundradix.com/.
Misule Neiro Android-Based
Social Media Device and
Keyboard
The neiro from U.S. company Miselu is a portable social music device with an integrated keyboard and audio and MIDI ports (see Figure 16). It features a multi-touch display, uses a Yamaha sound chip, is Internet-enabled, and provides a range of musical applications and cloud services to the user.
The device has a 25-key touch-sensitive MIDI keyboard. Two MIDI ports, two USB ports, an HDMI port, an RCA audio input/output, and an SD card slot are provided for connection to external devices and computers. A Yamaha AudioEngine Series Sound Chip NSX-1 is used as the synthesizer engine and provides a range of sound effects that include re-verberation, chorus, and equalization. WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity are supported and the device also has
Figure 17. Cyberstep’s KDJ-ONE hand-held synthesizer, sequencer, and multi-track editor.
a built-in webcam. The battery pro-vides five to six hours operating time. Digital speakers are built in. neiro has an Android-based open platform environment that allows users and developers to create customized ap-plications. It will be released to the public in spring 2013.
Contact: Miselu Inc., 148 Castro Street, Mountain View, California 94101, USA; Web www.miselu.com/.
Cyberstep KDJ-ONE
The KDJ-ONE is a compact, Gameboy-like device that features a synthesizer, sequencer, and multi-track audio editor (see Figure 17). It uses the handset edition of the Linux-based MeeGo operating sys-tem, which along with wireless connectivity allows KDJ-ONE to run Firefox and Skype. The front panel features a 5-in. multi-touch screen, with 800× 480 pixel resolution, a keyboard, job dial, an arrow pad, six control buttons, a sampling button, and 15 LED-lit buttons arranged as a musical keyboard, with an up/down octave switch.
The built-in synthesizer has 10 algorithms, 20 effects, 7 filters, 4 modulation units and comes with 200 preset voices, 100 drum kits, and 100 audio clips. Time-stretching and pitch shifting functions are also
available. A six-pattern sequencer supports motion sequencing, loop recording, step recording, and piano roll display and input. Four patterns can be combined into songs to give 24 patterns altogether.
A microphone and 0.5-W speakers are built in, and a microphone/line input and line output are also included. Audio files in ACID WAV and Ogg Vorbis formats can be input and the device can output audio files and standard MIDI files. It can operate as a VST plug-in when connected to a computer. A software development kit will be made available for the development of new applications. The KDJ-ONE is powered by a 1-GHz Intel ATOM processor, uses 512 RAM, and has 4 GB storage. It features two USB ports and a slot for Micro SD cards. It weighs 380 g and measures 126× 150 × 27 mm.
The KDJ-ONE is listed for US$ 830. Contact: Cyberstep, 4th Fl. Asahiseimei Daitabashi Bldg., 1-22-19 Izumi, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 168-0063,
Japan; telephone (+81) 353-552-08; fax (+81) 353-552-086; electronic mail [email protected]; Web www .kdj-one.com/.
New Releases
Publications
Tim Crook: The Sound Handbook (hardcover, 2012, ISBN 978-0-415-55150-2, New York and London: Routledge, www.routledge.com/). Thom Holmes: Electronic and
Exper-imental Music: Technology, Music, and Culture (hardcover, 2012, fourth edition, ISBN 978-0-415-89646-7, New York and London: Routledge, www.routledge.com/). Dan Hosken: Music Technology
and the Project Studio: Synthesis and Sampling (hardcover, 2011, ISBN 978-0-415-87828-9, New York and London: Routledge, www.routledge.com/).
Mark Katz: Groove Music: The Art
and Culture of the Hip-Hop DJ
(hardcover, 2012, ISBN 978-0-19-533112-7, Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, www.oup .com/).
Deniz Peters, Gerhard Eckel, and Andreas Dorschel (Eds.): Bodily
Expression in Electronic Mu-sic: Perspectives on Reclaiming Performativity (hardcover, 2012, ISBN 978-0-415-89080-9, New York and London: Routledge, www.routledge.com/).
Recordings
Zack Browning: Secret Pulse (CD, 2012, innova 817, www.innova.mu/).
Erdem Helvacioglu: Resonating
Universes(CD, 2012, innova 245, www.innova.mu/).
Ergo: If Not Inertia (CD, 2012, Rune 339, Cuneiform Records, www.cuneiformrecords.com/).
