ROLAND PORTABLE PIANOS

Roland's new FP8 Portable Digital Pianos, incorporating the same Advanced SA source as the company's HP series instruments, also feature a new key mechanism on the 88-note keyboard designed to produce an unexpectedly close simulation of a real piano action.

The instruments are 28-note polyphonic, and include four groups of sounds: piano; electric piano; mallet; strings. A Dual function allows two sounds from separate groups to be layered.

The FP8's keyboard features a newly developed hammer mechanism that does not use weights on each key, but which has characteristics that are remarkably similar to acoustic pianos in terms of the force required to move a key, moment of inertia and other specifications. Key resistance therefore feels more natural for experienced piano players. Both on-board speakers and stereo outputs are provided.

Roland UK, (Contact Details).

PASSPORT PRO 4.5 UPGRADE

Passport have announced an upgrade to version 4.5 of their Master Tracks Pro sequencer. New features include three new methods of recording, including Loop Recording and Overdub Record Mode, support for Apple's MIDI Manager, on-screen faders, and user programmable device name tables. The upgrade is available to registered users through MCM; prices start at £41.

MCMXCIX, (Contact Details).

ALLEN AND HEATH S2

Allen & Heath's new S2 mixer attracted a good deal of favourable comment at the recent APRS. The highly compact, affordable S2 is a professional recording mixer designed specifically to operate with the latest generation of multitrack tape machines and studio equipment. The S2 includes full on-board MIDI mute automation, based on the V4 system found on the company's larger desks. This provides automation of all channel, monitor and effects return mutes.

The in-line format and versatile routing facilities allow up to 24-track recording, and mixdown to 2-track mastering machines without the need for re-patching. Both 16 and 24-channel 8-bus versions are available; the smaller version can be expanded to the full 24 channels at a later date. A smaller 12-channel 4-bus version is also available for budget recording up to 12 tracks.

Four dedicated stereo effects returns and the two signal paths per channel provide a maximum of 32, 40 or 56 inputs with EQ available for mixdown.

Thatched Cottage Audio, (Contact Details).

ZOOM UNVEIL THIRD PROCESSOR

The mid-priced Zoom 9030, the company's third effects processor, should be available in the UK in the early part of August. The 9030 is a half-rack unit with unusually good looks, the very high audio quality that we've now come to expect from Zoom, excellent features, and, at just over £400, a very competitive price.

Depending on which effects sections are used, either six or eight effects can be used simultaneously. An Ext(ernal) section is also included, which addresses an external FX send/return loop. The effects sections, which include analogue as well as digital effects circuitry, are: Compression; External; Distortion; EQ; Amp; Effect 1; Effect 2; SFX (special effects); Reverb. Effect 1 and Effect 2 allow treatments such as chorus, flanging, delay, pitch change etc.

Amongst the unit's most useful features are four simultaneously active data entry dials (a unique feature), a very informative display, and an excellent MIDI spec.

Despite the fact that the unit will probably be marketed primarily as a guitar effects unit, it certainly has a lot to offer the keyboardist and home recordist.

The Synthesizer Company, (Contact Details).

THE BIG BANG

Canon are entering the audio market with a new domestic speaker system called Wide Imaging Stereo. The S50 speakers (£349.95) promise a much larger stereo area than that produced by conventional loudspeakers. Traditional designs fire sound waves in an X pattern across a room, creating a 'hot spot' where the stereo effect is most apparent. Canon's WIS speakers direct sound downwards from the driver on to an acoustic mirror, producing stereo images over a much wider listening area. Another feature of the design is that the dispersion of different frequencies is much more uniform than with conventional designs.

Sound considerations aside, the most obvious result of using such a system is how it makes the speakers look — more hi-tech curvaceous mushroom than black box. The S50s also forsake traditional materials in their construction, replacing wood with zinc diecastings and ABS plastics.

Canon Audio, (Contact Details).

MIDIMAN TO THE RESCUE

Several new MIDIman products are now available in the UK. Syncman (£169), Syncman Plus (£249) and Smartsync (£99) are all still available; Syncman Pro (£499) and SMPTE Time Window (£279) are both new.

Syncman Pro is a 1U rackmount sync box, with very comprehensive facilities. All types of tape sync are supported, including SMPTE to MTC, Direct Time Lock (for MOTU's Performer), SMPTE to Song Pointers, and Spot Lock video sync (a new proprietary system which allows Sync to a standard VCR without sacrificing an audio track). SMPTE features include a large SMPTE display, built-in generator, jam sync and flywheeling, and a 768 hit foley recorder/player.

The SMPTE Time Window is a dedicated SMPTE display, reader, writer and regenerator for the home and professional studio.

MIDIman also produce a rather neat 8-input line mixer, the MiniMixer (£85), and a high-spec 24-channel line mixer, the FineLine (£279). The highly compact battery powered MiniMixer can be used as an 8-in mono line mixer, or a dual 4-in/2-out mixer.

The 1U rackmount FineLine has two groups of 10 line inputs and two pairs of XLR mic inputs which can be configured in a number of ways. The line inputs can be configured as a 10-channel stereo mixer, or as a 20-input mono mixer. The mic inputs and outputs can also be independently configured as a stereo or mono mixer — there are separate outputs for the line and mic sections. Two of each of the groups of 10 line channels are sent to a single Send output, with front panel send level pots for all four channels. The mixer's frequency response is quoted as 10Hz-40kHz, with a S/N ratio of better than 90dB.

Finally, MIDIman have also produced a quick release rack support system, Rack Release. Standard rack strips and units are used; the trick is in the Rack Release screw-in bolts (£4.99 for a set of four) which can be fitted and released in seconds, without the need for any tools.

Zone Distribution, (Contact Details).

GETTING STARTED WITH DR T

Dr T's Music Software are now offering a PC or Mac MIDI starter pack, Intro +, containing all the hardware and software — apart from MIDI instruments, that is — to get a music system up and running on your computer. The Mac pack includes Dr T's Beyond sequencer, Music Writer notation software (baby brother of ConcertWare MIDI), a 3-in 1-out Altech MIDI interface, and two MIDI cables. The pack retails for £279. The PC pack (£199) includes Prism, Copyist Apprentice, a Model-1 MPU401-compatible interface, and two MIDI cables. Dr T have also dropped some of their UK prices: Beyond now retails at £199, and Prism at £69.

Zone Distribution, (Contact Details).

HYBRID ARTS GO FOR GOLD

Hybrid Arts, who now have full UK distribution again, have introduced SMPTETrack Gold, the latest version of their ST sequencer. New features on the 60-track sequencer include 192 ppqn resolution, swing quantise, group editing, tempo track enhancements, notepad tracks, and an improved user interface. A non-SMPTE version of the program is also available (EditTrack).

Atlantic Audio, (Contact Details).

POOLSIDE DRUMS ON CD

The Poolside Drums, from The London Sample Workshop, are now available on CD. The CD (£59) contains hundreds of naturally ambient drum samples — the sample recording session involved digitally recording a monster drum kit at an indoor swimming complex (White City Swimming Baths, London) to take advantage of the huge, sparkling reverberation of the location. The collection includes full length hits of: kicks, snares, hi-hats, toms, rototoms, octobans, boobams, temple blocks, claps, cowbell, sticks, cymbals, and even a leather bull whip.

The London Sample Workshop, (Contact Details).

OLD GOLD AND GUITARS FROM HITSOUND

Hit Music Productions have released two more CDs in their HitSound sampling series, containing guitar and classic synth sounds. The Guitar CD includes a range of guitar types and playing styles, including: Fender; Les Paul; acoustic; 12-string; wah-wah; rhythm guitar; chords; licks; riffs; bends; effects; divebombs; and power fifths. The Old Gold Synth CD features a wide selection of classic synths, from such seminal instruments as the MiniMoog and ARP2600, through monsters like the Xpander, to the "as played by Rolf Harris" Stylophone (go on, admit it - you always wanted one).

Both CDs cost £35, or they can be bought together with the Pure Gold Synth CD for £90.

The Advanced Media Group, (Contact Details).

HAMMOND LAUNCH KEYBOARD FOR THE 90s

Hammond have unveiled a new digital organ for the pro and semi-pro keyboard player, which promises a classic organ sound with all the advantages of a modern MIDI keyboard. The XB2 (£1399) uses contemporary digital sound generation, but features traditional Hammond draw bars on the front panel, and a rather attractive wooden case. The draw bars can be used to alter sounds in real time, and you can create and store 128 user patches containing different 'registrations' (draw bar settings). Eight of these can be assigned as Presets for instant recall. The keyboard also features vibrato, attack and sustain parameters, a Leslie simulator, and digital reverb. The MIDI spec incorporates two keyboard zones, velocity sensitivity, and transmission and reception of pitch bend and modulation.

Hammond UK, (Contact Details).