PC and Music News

Some major performance venues have variable acoustics – a costly treatment system that allows the venue acoustics to be adjusted on demand to generate the best sound, whatever the type of performance.

In reality, most people will probably use the same room to record a range of instruments or voices. Although the room may have acoustic treatment, the treatment will largely focus on generally absorbing or diffusing specific frequencies, and it will be fixed. However, a room that has been treated to produce a dryish acoustic for vocal recording will not bring out the best in an acoustic guitar, which needs more ambience. Changing a room acoustic on demand has been a highly complex and expensive procedure – until now.

Vari Panel is Vicoustic's revolutionary system that combines their Flexi Panel A50 with a wood system that can be attached and removed in seconds – without glue or any other complicated fixing procedures. This gives you the option of adjusting your room acoustic to create a dry recording environment, a bright ambient space, or something in between. Based on the same ARCS research model as Wave Wood, Vari Panel's innovative design is currently the best, affordable solution in the variable acoustics market.

The MBase11 can do only one thing, but Jomox claims it does it right : Phat kick drums !

Like the XBASE 999/888, the MBase 11 has a compression parameter to vary the thickness of decaying sound. And it offers a variable gate time to to create very different sounding attacks. It also has a metalize parameter to have hundreds of variations on the attack noise.

For more intuitive editing, we have added an analog potentiometer that works alternatively to the parameter editing when scrolling the data wheel is too hard. The MBase 11 purposefully sounds a bit different to the XBASE 999/888, making it a great sounding expansion for other Jomox's drum products and other analog percussion.

The kick sets in very precisely and the attack sounds very snappy at all kinds of sound variations. The MBase 11 can also be used as a real bass with some limitations. If decay is cranked up it is long enough for tones and the pitch can be played on the keyboard in semitones over three octaves.

The MBase 11 will be available May 2009. Audio examples are already available at :

TK Audio unveils the DP-1, a new dual mic preamp.

The new DP-1 preamp is a hybrid between vintage and modern circuits. Germanium stage, silicon transistors and integrated circuits, all in the same box. DP-1's various sound-characters extends over several decades, the germanium sound from the mid 60's, British class-A from the early 70's and a more modern tone from the 80's and 90's.

The input stage is built around a Swedish Lundahl transformer and an IC that operates in class-A. The preamp section is followed by a germanium unity-gain stage for coloration. Finally the DP-1 has two different output stages that you can switch between, a transformerless IC-based outputstage or a discret transformer-balanced class-A stage, built around a heavy Carnhill output-transformer. The IC-based output stage is less colored. In the vintage class-A mode the sound has a fat, punchy low-end with more mid character, the germanium mode will add even more harmonics to the sound.

Pricing :

. 1.158:- USD
. 880:- Euro ex VAT
. 818:- GBP ex VAT

Just in time for their 10th anniversary, ADAM Professional Audio announces a new top-line of studio monitors. The new SX-Series is based on their S-Series. However, it is not a simple revision of existing models but a fundamental transformation with no details having been overlooked and every sound crucial aspect has been evaluated. All transducers, drivers and electronics have been redesigned.

All 6 models (S1X, S2X, S3X-H, S3X-V, S4X-H, S4X-V) feature the new X-ART (eXtended frequency response) tweeter. It's fundamental principle of accelerating air is the very same as the proprietary Accelerating Ribbon Technology but with a 4dB higher efficiency, a 3dB higher maximum sound pressure level, and an increase in frequency response up to 50 kHz.

Also, ADAM designed a completely new broadband amplifier to perfectly match the X-ART tweeter. The A/B amp shows ultra low distortion figures together with an excellent damping factor. An internal bandwidth of more than 1 MHz is externally limited so that the unit delivers an ultra wide response up to 300 kHz.

The HexaCone -woofer used exclusively in ADAM monitors has also been redesigned with larger and longer voice coils that deliver more linear excursion for higher SPL max. values. A stronger magnetic structure is added as well for an optimum in efficiency and accuracy.

Last but not least, ADAM has developed a new, innovative front panel with sophisticated controls. These controls allow the user to adapt the speakers to the sound room with high precision. The panel can be found on the models S2X, S3X-H and S3X-V as well as S4X-H and S4X-V.

The Rane SL 3 is a new audio interface for Serato Scratch Live.

Enhanced by studio grade preamps and 24-bit audio processing, this compact new solution produces a warm punchy sound to heighten the senses. Extra outputs allow DJs and electronic musicians to intensify the mix with the Scratch Live SP-6 Sample Player (New in Version 1.9).

The auxiliary input provides a live input feed for creative sampling or recording your set. Use any combination of audio source. Control CD, Control Vinyl or MIDI for more flexibility than ever.

Feature and performance enhancements include :

- New, Compact Hardware Design
- Higher output improves ability to easily match levels of various source types
- Improved Dynamic Range (104 dB)
- Improved audio performance (24 bit converters)
- Galvanic isolation prevents computer noise from interfering with the audio path
- USB 2.0 high speed audio interface
- Aux Input for Live Mix Recording or LiveFeed
- Aux Out channel allows use of Sample Player as a virtual deck and opens the door for future expansion and creative configurations for DJs and electronic musicians
- High-grade Phono Preamps upgrade performance of most mixers
- Software switchable Direct Thru Connections for simplified connections
- Independent Line/ Phono-level selection for each input for greater flexibility
- Includes International Power Supply to insure optimum performance and easy transfer between DJs
- Soft Carry Case Included

Open Labs presents the NeKo EX5, a new workstation based on their L-Series.

"The Gen5 E-Series studio-quality products are not a stripped-down version of the L-Series, by any means. Encased in the same high-grade aircraft aluminum chassis, they were developed with a powerful processor and the same innovative touch screen capabilities and pristine audio quality as the NeKo LX5. We've included a fully licensed version of Reaper (DAW), more than 7,500 high-quality preset sounds, our virtual instrument host RiffTM, and practically unlimited capability for third party plug-ins and applications. Both E-Series products are fully upgradeable to the L-Series standards with the upgrade package available in late 2009."

The NeKo EX5 is priced at $3,399.