Teac Attack

Teac have finally brought the Portastudio multitrack cassette format to what they consider to be its ultimate, and probably final conclusion: The Model 246. It is far from being a complete departure from the stalwart 244, and at around £960 it is difficult to see precisely who this machine will appeal to. Consequently it is to run alongside the 244 and the Porta One, and that trusty bard supply-and-demand will doubtless supply the bottom line. The main difference in the mixer section as compared to the 244 is that it offers 6-inputs with full 4-track routing on each, plus two separate auxiliary sends. Eq is still 2-band sweepable. The transport is notably superior [and is] a slightly upgraded version of the smooth and relatively sophisticated Model 234. It will run at either 1⅞ ips or 3¾, offers return-to-zero plus search to cue facilities and has an LED display. The dbx noise reduction can be switched in or out with a single master control, or just channel 1 can be individually switched to allow a track of drums (for instance) to be recorded without the inherent pumping problems. If it performs as well as it looks, it may just be worth the extra spons. Look for a review next month.

Staying with machines, Tascam have also launched a new version of their 1" 16-track, the MS-16, priced at around £7,590.

It features improved tape handling, a sophisticated autolocate, a frequency response flat to 20kHz even at 0dB and a facility for dedicating track 16 to timecode: SMPTE Rules. Also of interest, the ATR60: a new high-spec 2-track mastering machine with centre timecode track intended to threaten the likes of the Studer 810 and centre track versions of the Revox PR99 and the Otari 2-track. Assuming its performance is as good as they claim, a price tag of £3,373 should make it very stiff competition in a growing timecode based market.

There are also two new ranges of mixers: the 200 series offering basic 8 and 16:4:2 formats and the 300 series including three more sophisticated 8, 16 and 24:4:2:1 models. With these consoles, it seems that Teac are finally beginning to wake up to the European/American requirements. Prices range from around £598 to £2,032.

With more new products apparently on the way, it looks like an interesting future for Teac.

Hohner, The Range

A new range has been announced by West German harmonica giants Hohner; not to be blown in, however, as they're keyboard amps. The KB55 and KB75 are rated at the number of watts you'd expect from their names and come equipped with two-way speaker systems, reverb, two input channels and lots of other goodies. For more information contact Hohner on (Contact Details).

Floppier and Floppier

If you're an avid follower of our spiffing Musical Micro column, you maybe interested to know that the music-storage-on-floppydisk system we talked about in June's edition is to be developed and manufactured over here very soon. AVM Ferrograph, the Tyneside pro audio company of much fame, have signed a licensing agreement with Stateside high-tech people Compusonics which means that the digital disk recorder will start full production, snags excepted, at the end of the year. The system allows up to 45 minutes recording time on one 5¼ inch disk and you can edit via an IBM computer, with add-on modules for music synthesis and restoration of noisy material. More information from Ferrograph on (Contact Details).

Rolandberger

Yet another new guitar from Steinberger... or is it Roland? In fact, it's a collaboration between the two, with the carbon-fibre guitar people providing the guitar, and Roland adding their control circuitry to make the machine link perfectly to their GR-700 guitar synthesizer. The Steinberger, their GL-2/GL-2T (with or without the innovative transposing tremolo unit) six-string, has had the Roland hex pickup and onboard electronics added but is otherwise unchanged — the construction of the guitar, of course, is ideal for the guitar synth system because of its solid, non-resonant construction. However, it's going to cost a fair amount of loot (US price at present is $2,450 for the tremolo model) so it's probably going to have to wait for next week's pocket money. In this country Steinberger is distributed by Musimex on (Contact Details).

Left Is Right

There's new hope for you southpaw pickers with the announcement that those Leeds lovelies John Hornby Skewes have introduced a range of left-handed guitars and basses. Hondos all, they include a Strat copy retailing at £145, a Precision bass copy at £149, a Les Paul style at £100 and a dreadnought acoustic at £69. Right price, left hand.

Simmons When You Know How

A new arm of the ever-growing Simmons enterprise has opened — or in fact, two, as Simmons Music Services has also been founded in Germany. What is it? Basically, an information and advice centre for Simmonsists of all calibres and problems. This country's version will be masterminded by ex-pro drummer Barry Watts, an old friend of Dave Simmons' whose career has encompassed the Q-Tips, Adam Ant and John Foxx. If you've got any queries on use, abuse, service or hire of the aforesaid drums, just contact him on (Contact Details). The German end of the operation, run by another professional percussion person, Sibi Siebert, is on (Contact Details).

Washburn Blaze New Trail

Just a short note to remind the people who regularly exchange pen-pal letters with Washburn UK, guitar distributors extraordinaire, that they've moved from New Barnet to the country side of Cambridgeshire. The new address is: Washburn UK, (Contact Details).

Pinched Percussion

Watch out for a Linn what's gone and got lifted. Hire company Digital Percussion lost a Linndrum (the second model Linn produced) when an itinerant engineer did a naughty and disappeared with the offending article. It's got a serial number of 0092 and it's a Rev 3 model.

There's a reward being offered for its return, so if you're in the know about the hot box give Digital Percussion's Peter Boita a ring on (Contact Details). Or, of course, notify your local cop. shop.