1
Grundorf
ABS Series
Amp racks
$209.95–$379.95
HIGHLIGHTS Designed to house
amps, processors, patchbays,
etc. • manufactured from ABS
material, with 3mm-thick, high-density
ABS shell and heavy-duty
aluminum extrusion •
high impact resistance and light
weight for easy transportation •
available in 2-, 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, and
12-space configurations • gasket-fitted
front and rear lids with
2.25-inch inside depth
TARGET AUDIENCE Those who need
to protect their electronics—
musicians, DJs, houses of
worship, corporate AV centers,
schools, etc.
ANALYSIS Rack equipment
represents a considerable
investment; the ABS Series
provides a cost-effective way to
provide protection.
grundorf.com
2
Future Retro
db Mastering Processor
Analog routing/monitoring
$2,500
HIGHLIGHTS Quick selection of
tracking, playback, summing, and
mastering modes • 16 channels
of balanced passive summing • 8
channels individually selectable
between mono/stereo • stepped
monitor control • 8 stereo insert
channels with hard bypass
switching • monitor section
for 3 speaker pairs • mid/side
processing with width control
TARGET MARKET Studios that need a
multifunction device for routing,
monitoring, and passive summing
ANALYSIS You can’t do everything
inside the box; dB provides the
missing link to the rest of your
studio.
future-retro.com
3
ESI
MAYA44 USB+
Audio interface
€99 (about $123) street
HIGHLIGHTS Aluminum case • 4
analog input and 4 analog output
channels with RCA connectors •
combined optical S/PDIF digital
output with miniplug connector
and 1/8" stereo headphone
output • extremely compact—
approximately 4.75" x 2.75" x
0.75" • DJ-friendly headphone
out provides a separate stereo
output signal
TARGET MARKET Portable, mobile
audio interface that’s also
suitable for DJs
ANALYSIS New interfaces keep
hitting the market, but the
MAYA44 USB+ distinguishes itself
by cramming a lot of I/O into a
very small package.
esi-audio.com
4
PreSonus
PRM1
Reference mic
$79.95 street
HIGHLIGHTS 1/4" pre-polarized
electret-condenser capsule
condenser mic designed for use
with audio-analysis tools • linear
frequency response between 20Hz
and 20kHz • omnidirectional
polar pattern • all-metal chassis
TARGET MARKET Those who
need a reference mic for audio
analysis, but particularly,
StudioLive 24.4.2 and 16.4.2
owners who need a mic for use
with the Smaart Measurement
Technology built into PreSonus’s
Virtual StudioLive mixer-control
software
ANALYSIS A greater awareness of
the importance of acoustics is
spurring developments in testing,
which often require a reference
mic.
presonus.com
5
TC Electronic
Ditto Looper
Looper for guitarists
$129
HIGHLIGHTS Made by guitarists,
specifically for guitarists, with
an accent on live use • extremely
compact, pedalboard-friendly
size • true bypass • five minutes
of total looping time • undo/
redo function to help build songs
• unlimited overdubs • 24-bit
uncompressed audio • analog-dry-
through
TARGET MARKET Guitar players
who don’t want loopers that are
also intended to accommodate
singers, drummers, keyboard
players, etc.
ANALYSIS Loopers continue to
increase in popularity with
guitarists, thanks to their ability
to create massive textures and
sound-on-sound capabilities in live
performance.
tcelectronic.com
6
Bettermaker
EQ232P
Analog equalizer
$4,950 street
HIGHLIGHTS Two-channel analog
equalizer • each channel has a
12dB/octave highpass filter, two
active parametric filters, and twostage,
Pultec-style PEQ section
• digital recall of all parameter
controls and automation via a
DAW plug-in • saves up to 399
presets internally
TARGET MARKET Studios who want
analog hardware, but the option
for digital control via DAWs
ANALYSIS It’s now pretty accepted
that the studio solution isn’t
analog vs. digital, but analog and
digital. The EQ232P combines
both technologies to provide
analog sound with digital control.
transaudiogroup.com
7
On-Stage Stands
KS7190 Quantum Core
Column keyboard stand
$299
HIGHLIGHTS Two-tier stand, with
independent per-tier height
adjustment, supports 125 lbs.
per tier • adjustable stand tilt •
integrated cable management •
fold-away captive support arms
• built around rigid extruded
aluminum core • combination 3/8"
and 5/8" threaded adapter at the
apex accommodates any gooseneck
or boom arm to eliminate the need
for a mic boom stand
TARGET MARKET Performing
keyboard players
ANALYSIS X- and Z-type keyboard
stands are stable, but a column
type has a smaller footprint, often
resulting in a neater stage setup.
onstagestands.com
8
Waves
Element
Virtual instrument
$200
HIGHLIGHTS Analog-style
polyphonic instrument • intended
to combine the fat, gritty
sound of classic synths with the
flexibility and control of digital
synths • integrated effects •
16-step arpeggiator/sequencer
• MIDI Learn for all controls •
massive preset library • unified,
single-page interface lays all
parameters in front of the user •
modulation matrix
TARGET MARKET Those who
desire a highly editable, yet
straightforward synthesizer
so they can create their own
signature sounds easily and
efficiently
ANALYSIS This is bound to attract
a lot of attention, as it’s the first
virtual instrument from plug-in
wizards Waves.
waves.com