SONY ENTER MI MARKET WITH NEW PROCESSORS

Sony have unveiled two new effects processors, the DPS-D7 delay unit and the DPS-R7 reverb. Despite their formidable presence in the domestic electronic and entertainment fields — there can hardly be a home in the country without at least one item of Sony hardware — and the professional markets, where Sony DAT recorders, digital multitracks and video equipment are at the forefront of recording technology, this is the company's first move into the mainstream of the MI market.

Both units incorporate 18-bit oversampling A-to-D and 1-bit Pulse D-to-A convertors, and use 32-bit internal processing. Both allow remote control via an an-board computer interface, and of course via MIDI. The D7, reviewed this month, features seven different algorithms, a 3-band digital EQ, and a maximum delay of 2.73 seconds. See page 56 for more. The R7's internal processing architecture provides three blocks: a pre-effects block with six algorithms; a reverb block with 10 algorithms; and a post-effects block with seven algorithms.

Sony Pro Audio, (Contact Details).

DIGIDESIGN PRO TOOLS SHIPS

Digidesign are now shipping Pro Tools, the multitrack extension of their Mac-based Sound Tools hard disk recorder/editor. The basic Pro Tools system offers professional 4-track audio recording and playback, integrated with MIDI sequencing, and the addition of a system accelerator card (coming soon) allows upgrading to 8, 12 and 16-track operation. Pro Tools will be by far the cheapest such system. Digidesign anticipate around 50% of Sound Tools users will buy Pro Tools, and around 75% of those will want to go beyond the basic four tracks.

Pro Tools consists of a Pro Tools Audio Card, which fits into a NuBus slot in a Mac II, and a 4-channel Audio Interface. The interface has balanced inputs and outputs, plus digital i/o. The software component of the system consists of ProDECK and ProEDIT. ProDECK provides the basic audio and MIDI recording controls. Although you can only play back four channels of audio simultaneously, you can use an unlimited number of 'virtual channels'; just remember that only four can be heard at once. Each track has real time effects and EQ modules, and all parameter changes made to the modules can be recorded to provide full dynamic automation; channel volume and pan can also be automated. 40-memory snapshot automation is available as an alternative to dynamic automation. Although Pro Tools offers basic MIDI sequencing facilities, the system's integration with Performer, Vision and, in the near future, Cubase, will allow fully professional MIDI control alongside the audio recording.

ProEDIT offers a full range of powerful editing features to manipulate multiple tracks of audio data. All of Pro Tools' features can be controlled with the Mac keyboard and mouse, although the J.L. Cooper CS10 Control Station will offer eight real faders and transport controls which can be assigned to Pro Tools functions in order to introduce a more tactile element to the user interface.

The basic Pro Tools system is £6,122 including VAT; the system accelerator will cost around £3,000, and an extra audio interface and board to add an extra four tracks will set you back about £5,000.

Sound Technology plc, (Contact Details).

BEYER LAUNCH NEW CANS

BeyerDynamic have announced the introduction of a new range of eight headphones, offering features to accommodate a range of needs. At the top of the range are the DT911 (open) and the DT901 (closed). Both feature triple neodymium 'rare earth' magnet systems

The DT811 (open) and DT801 (closed) are the successors to the DT990. The DT801 features bass reflex technology, whilst the DT811 offers an open, spacious sound. Triple neodymium rare earth magnets provide maximum efficiency, whilst velvet covered ear pads and an adjustable headband ensure comfortable listening. A high quality audio link is ensured by oxygen free copper (OFC) cables and gold-plated connectors. The mid range models are the DT311 and the DT411 (both open), and the cheapest are the DT211 and DT211TV.

BeyerDynamic, (Contact Details).

TDK IMPROVE FERRIC RANGE

TDK have updated and improved their range of ferric tapes, the D, AD, AD, and AR-X types. All four have new or improved tape formulations, boosting MOL (maximum output level) and sensitivity across the frequency, and re-designed tape shells keep the tape itself a better housing.

TDK, (Contact Details).

MIDI VIOLINS FROM ZETA

The Zeta MIDI guitar, recently reviewed in these pages, has a range of sister products aimed at string players who want to interface with the world of MIDI. Zeta offer several MIDI violins, violas and a cello, and a bridge/tailpiece combination which can be retrofitted to any traditional or solid-bodied violin. The VC225 MIDI Violin Controller provides the interface between all 4 and 5-stringed instruments and a MIDI setup. Each string can be assigned to a different channel, and the unit can generate modulation and continuous controller data in response to the dynamics of your playing, so you could swell a filter as you bow more strongly.

A range of styles for the violin is available: you can choose the Classic, which resembles a typical electric violin, the hi-tech Jazz, or the traditional-look Journeyman. All come in 4 and 5-string versions, and a wireless option for audio transmission is available. The viola and cello follow the style of the Jazz violin in choosing modern over traditional lines.

Harbourtown Records, (Contact Details).

HHB LAUNCH OWN-BRAND DAT CASSETTES

HHB Communications, the UK's leading supplier of DAT equipment, have launched their own brand DAT cassettes, in six lengths from 15 to 122 minutes. MD Ian Jones said that the DAT Report (which detailed the findings of an in-depth studies of DAT users' experiences), published by HHB last year, highlighted concern about the quality of available tapes; the new PQ-series cassettes are designed to meet the most exacting demands of professional users. The cassettes are manufactured to HHB's design and specifications by a major Far Eastern tape company.

Having chosen the best tape formulation from a wide range of types tested, a good deal of attention was paid to the cassette shells. The shells are constructed of anti-static plastic — static attracts dust, and can also cause problems with some sensitive logic-controlled tape transports — and include an internal lubricating mat for the tape spools. A slightly concave tape profile ensures optimum tape-to-head contact, and all cassettes feature a calibrated window to give a rough indication of time remaining. For professional users, each box of 10 cassettes comes with a set of colour-coded self-adhesive labels that conform to the APRS' tape labelling protocol.

The six lengths available offer 15, 30, 48, 62, 92 and 122 minutes recording time. The shorter lengths are ideal for both music recording applications, where you don't need a 1-hour tape just to master a single track, or film sound recording applications, where a single roll of film rarely lasts more than a few minutes. The extra two minutes on the longer cassettes is intended to allow the recording of test tones etc. And the price for all this? Surprisingly competitive. Prices for single cassettes (there are discounts for bulk buys) range from £3.88 for the PQ15 to £6.99 for the PQ122 (prices include VAT).

HHB Communications, (Contact Details).

IMPROVE YOUR VISION

Opcode have announced version 1.3 of both Vision and Studio Vision, their professional sequencing software packages for the Macintosh. The new update for both programs includes new features and several major enhancements, including OMS (the Opcode MIDI System) compatibility with access to hundreds of MIDI channels, and compatibility with Digidesign's Pro Tools multi-track digital audio system.

Vision and Studio Vision have won "Software Innovation of the Year" consecutively for the last two years in the US Keyboard Magazine's reader's poll. Studio Vision adds to Vision's MIDI sequencing facilities the ability to record, edit, and playback digital audio tracks direct from disk, so you can sequence MIDI tracks and then add guitar or vocals within the same program.

Opcode also announced several new features to be included in the forthcoming update to its Galaxy Plus Editors software (reviewed SOS October 1991). New features and additions to the universal librarian/editor program include: a Yamaha SY77/TG77 Editor, which includes DX/TX to SY77/TG77 patch conversion; a new Find command with a greatly enhanced Patch Info box (you can now attach keywords to patches and perform extensive searches of any or all banks and libraries on the hard drive); a facility to export to the clipboard allows you to copy a bundle, bank, or single patch to the clipboard and paste it into a sequence for simplified patch archiving and setup; a fully integrated Matrix 6/1000 Editor.

MCMXCIX. (Contact Details).

BEYER STEREO MIC

The MC833 is a general purpose stereo condensor microphone from BeyerDynamic. It offers true MS recording, true XY recording, and mono recording — all without the need for an additional matrix. The mic is equipped with three true condensor systems (no electret). The polar pattern of each cartridge is cardioid and almost independent of the frequency. The middle system supplies the mono signal or the Mid signal when used for MS stereo recording. The left and right systems are switched together to form a figure-of-eight polar pattern and supply the Side signal. With XY stereo recording, only the two side systems are used and these may be mechanically adjusted, thus varying the recording angle over a large range.

BeyerDynamic, (Contact Details).

JAM TOMORROW FOR AMIGA MUSOS

Blue Ribbon Soundworks have announced the imminent release of an Amiga music program that allows you to create complete musical backing on the Amiga alone. Jam! will be aimed mostly at users in the multimedia field who want to use music but are not musicians themselves, although it does have points of interest that could make it attractive to some musos. Jam!'s TurboSound technology allows the computer to play back more than four samples at a time, making the construction of complex backings possible. A TurboSound editor allows users to modulate and filter IFF samples for use in Jam!. Because of the program's target market, Jam! lets you create songs through 'improvising' rhythmic patterns and chord progressions based on preset styles. Blue Ribbon suggest that Jam! could be a handy tool for sketching out musical ideas before developing them in, for example, Bars And Pipes, Blue Ribbon's full-blown MIDI sequencer program.

Bars And Pipes has itself been updated. The program now supports the SunRize AD1012 and AD1016 12 and 16-bit sampling cards, which allow direct-to-disk recording. The following Bars And Pipes tools and accessories are now included as standard with the SunRize cards: SunSet Accessory, which allows SunRize Studio 16 software to run within Bars And Pipes Professional; SunSMPTE Accessory, which synchronises Bars And Pipes with the SMPTE timecode from the SunRize cards; the SunRize Out Tool, which sets up a hit list to map notes to samples, synchronises recorded samples to other music tracks, and records samples within Bars And Pipes Professional; the SunRize Track Tool, which defines a sample as a virtual track, allowing you to record audio as a Bars And Pipes track.

(Contact Details)

DENNY JAEGER MASTER VIOLIN LIBRARY COMES TO UK

AMG have announced the release in the UK of Optical Media International's Denny Jaeger Master Violin Library. The library, which has acquired quite a name both for the extraordinary quality of the sounds and the enormous cost of compiling it, comes on three CD-ROMs (about 1.5 gigabytes) and is currently available for the Emulator 3. An S1000/1100 version is due in the next couple of weeks, and further formats will be released over the coming months. The entire library costs £999 plus VAT — but you can try out a sample CD for only £6.

The Advanced Media Group, (Contact Details).

NEW HIGH-OUTPUT MASTERING TAPE FROM 3M

A new high-output mastering tape, 996, is to be introduced by 3M before the end of the year. The new tape will operate at the unusually high level of +9dB (520nWb/m), and boasts a signal-to-noise ratio of 79.5dB. The tape is bias-compatible with its major competitors, allowing 996 to be used with minimal re-alignment of recorders. The tape's performance has been made possible by a newly developed oxide, and following its US launch has already been used on projects by Michael Jackson, Tom Petty and Elton John.

3M Professional Audio/Video Group. (Contact Details).

STEINBERG UTILITY DISK

Evenlode Soundworks, UK distributors of Steinberg software, have announced the release of a disk containing a selection of handy files and utilities for users of Steinberg software. Among the goodies on Utilities Disk 1 are: an M-ROS arpeggiator, using traditional and not-so-traditional algorithms; Fostex Link, for direct control of Fostex tape machines from your computer; Chorder; Mapper, for synchronising sequences to music already on tape; Tempo Calculator; Big Ben (a large counter/SMPTE display); a print spooler; and many new IPS, Micro Groove and Mixer Map files.

Evenlode Soundworks, (Contact Details).

THE LYRICIST'S SILICON FRIEND

On-line help for lyricists is available through a new ST program called Rhyme King, which finds rhymes for any word you enter. The program runs in all resolutions, and will run on a 520ST. Rhyme King goes beyond seeking out merely 'simple' rhymes (ie. last syllables that sound the same). If you want, the program will look for alliteration, consonance (same final consonant sound but a different vowel, like 'people' and 'ripple') or assonance (same final vowel sound but different consonants, eg. 'meet' and 'seen'). A nice touch is the provision of a MIDI thru function, so that if you are running the program in place of your sequencer, you can still play a melody from your master keyboard as you work on lyrics.

BSA Dataware, (Contact Details).