ROLAND EXPANDERS

Roland have released rack-mounted versions of their Alpha Juno synthesizer and S-10 sampling keyboard in the form of the MKS-50 and MKS-100 expander modules. Feature-wise, the units are the same as their keyboard touting relatives only cheaper.

Whilst on the sampler theme, Roland have now introduced their sample library for the S-10 with an initial catalogue of 11 boxes of professionally recorded sounds. Each box contains 10 disks which carry the data for five primary sound sets. The collection embraces all traditional instruments and more and will retail for £95 inc VAT. Blank disks £30 inc VAT.

S-50 users will be glad to hear that the disk library is also on its way and should be in the shops for the new year. Five boxes of samples will initially be released. (£ not available.)

Price MKS-50 £560 inc VAT. MKS-100 £725 inc VAT. Details from your local dealer or Roland UK, 983 Great West Road, Brentford, Middlesex TW89DN. Tel. 01-5684578.

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AKAI EFFECTS

With the trend towards half-width rack effects well under way, Akai join the ranks with their new EX Series. This includes five units which are: the EX65D Digital Delay featuring up to one second delay time, feedback and modulation; the EX70C Comp/Gate giving a maximum of 32dB compression and simple gating functions; the EX75N Noise Reduction offering single-ended operation with variable ratios of 1:1 to 1:8 and filter frequency setting; the EX80E Enhancer which generates upper harmonics to brighten dull mixes (just like you know who!). Finally, the EX85P Parametric Equaliser which gives four bands of EQ control.

Price of all units are £139 inc VAT except for the EX65D Digital Delay at £199 inc VAT. Details from Akai UK, Haslemere Heathrow Estate, Silver Jubilee Way, Parkway, Hounslow, Middlesex TW4 6NQ. Tel. 01-8972487.

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STUDIOMASTER MIXERS

Hot on the heels of the Series II comes the Series III mixer from Studiomaster. Their latest product offers a totally modular design, comes in a basic 'off the shelf' format of 16.4.2, with a smaller 8.2 version available as well as larger formats up to a maximum of 40.8.2.

The Series III can draw from a selection of 11 different interchangeable modules which allow it to operate either as a recording or live PA mixer. Input channels with 6 auxiliary sends are available and phantom power is selectable on individual mic inputs.

Price to be announced. Details from Phil James, Studiomaster House, Chaul End Lane, Luton, Bedfordshire LU48EZ. Tel. (0582) 570370.

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AUDIO KINETICS STRIPER

From Audio Kinetics comes the Striper, a multi-standard SMPTE/EBU timecode unit for recording and reading code on and off tape.

The unit cleverly allows timecode to be recorded at high speed (to relieve the drudgery of early morning tape striping sessions) and offers x1, x2 and x4 facilities which save studio time and cut striping time down by a half or quarter.

Price to be announced. Details from Suzanne Foster, Audio Kinetics, Kinetic Centre, Theobald Street, Borehamwood, Herts WD64PJ. Tel. 01-9538118.

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DX-MAX

It's French, it fits inside a DX7 and it's called the DX-MAX. This internal expansion board offers increased RAM capacity to 256 voices and also adds a further 256 function memories for performance controls etc. The DX-MAX also adds Omni Mode receive and MIDI output channel send and allows dual 8-note layering and detuning to fatten up your DX sounds.

Price £249 inc VAT. Distributed by Argent's Keyboards, 20 Denmark Street, London WC2. Tel. 01-379 6690.

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NEW FROM YAMAHA

Several new products have just been announced by Yamaha, the most interesting of which is the phenomenal DMP7 Digital Mixer (see AES Report on page 35 for details).

The MV802 is a new rackmounted mixer suitable for keyboards and offers an 8 into 2 configuration with two auxiliaries, pan and volume per channel. Both aux sends have master level controls and come back as stereo returns. Further controls include headphone and master output level, plus a switch to select VCA footpedal control of the overall volume - useful for live performance.

The KM602 mixer is the smaller brother of Yamaha's KM802 and is ideally suited to small home recording set-ups. It features six inputs with pan and fader controls, four of which have an auxiliary send facility and stereo chorus effect.

Channel 1 also has a switchable mic/line input and all signals are routed to the master stereo output.

A real-time MIDI performance and program data recorder is now available from Yamaha in the shape of the MDR-2. Data is stored via the built-in 3.5 inch disk drive and up to 16 songs can be stored on a disk. You can record and playback MIDI information from sequencers, including channel performance data, system exclusive data, and store the entire 'set' then have the MDR-2 drive all your MIDI keyboards, drum machines etc. Songs can be copied across to other empty files, edited and overdubbed and you can change the playback order at will or loop a song.

Prices to be announced. Details from Alan Martin, Yamaha-Kemble, Mount Avenue, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK1 ME. Tel. (0908) 71771.

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TC MULTI-EFFECTS

TC Electronics are one of those well respected companies whose products creep across from their Denmark base and make odd appearances around the UK music shops. Now Audio Services have taken on the UK distribution of TC products and have launched the TC2290 Dynamic Digital Delay-Effects Control Processor onto the market.

Basically this is a true, simultaneous multi-effects unit with some very special features that boasts a better than compact disc audio quality. It uses the equivalent of an 18-bit A-D convertor with 100dB dynamic range and a full 20Hz to 20kHz bandwidth.

As a digital delay/sampler, the TC2290 comes with a basic 8 seconds of delay/sample time, which is expandable up to 32 seconds. Programs may be stored in any of 100 memories and these are manually or MIDI selectable.

As the unit's name implies, the delay features dynamic control. Two methods are available: either Trigger or Envelope. Trigger mode will allow such things as keyboard velocity to control the echo volume or feedback - ie. play hard on your MIDI keyboard and the TC2290 increases the echo repeats, play soft and it reduces them, or vice-versa.

The pan facility adds stereo movement to the echoes and by utilising the modulation parameter, stereo chorus and flanging effects are likewise possible. You can link all these together and obtain an echo which then gradually brings in chorus before panning the sound around - and all under dynamic keyboard control.

The TC2290 also features a very clever 'Learn' button which will listen to the rhythm of the incoming signal and automatically set the echo repeats to that beat.

The memory of the TC2290 can be divided into as many segments as you like, so that you could simultaneously have 4 seconds used for echo effects, a 1 second block for chorus and flanging effects, and then use the remaining 3 seconds for sampling, either as a whole block or by further dividing it into maybe six 0.5 second chunks for storing drum samples. By using further memory expansion boards you can increase the overall storage space in 4 second blocks.

As a MIDI device,the TC 2290 can act as a 'mother unit' and control a chain of TC2290s.

It can also be externally programmed from a computer, where the add-on software gives front panel emulation of all parameter settings.

Price £1,800 ex VAT. Further memory blocks £120 ex VAT each. Details from UK distributors: Audio Services, Studio House, High Lane Village, Nr Stockport, Cheshire SK6 8AA. Tel. (06632)4244, or call their London showroom on 01 -586 3167.

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MIDI SWITCH

If you're looking for a budget MIDI routing box, the 5X5 MIDI Switch from Modern Music Technology connects five inputs to any of five outputs via a bank of rotary switches. It is housed in a half-width 1U rack box.

Price £85.95 inc VAT.

(Contact Details)

More new products are featured in the AES and Hands On Show reports starting on page 34.