IK Multimedia StompIO Upgrade
Price: $799 for previous AmpliTube users,
$1,049 for the full package
IK Multimedia’s upgrade to their popular StompIO floor processor allows all registered users of IK’s AmpliTube software products to immediately control their software live and in the studio. AmpliTube X-GEAR™ is included in this StompIO upgrade, and in combination with the “Powered by AmpliTube” software package (including AmpliTube 2, Ampeg® SVX, AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™ and AmpliTube Metal), it gives users an incredibly advanced guitar and bass multi-FX system for both live and studio usage. The revolutionary USB floor controller allows for full control of a huge software-based live setup in the same way you would with a traditional floor pedal, with more than 150 different gear models. But, with the StompIO, you no longer need to connect to a keyboard, monitor or mouse. You can plug the StompIO into your computer and be immediately presented with an incredible variety of 4,000 presets in a double series/parallel rig. With StompIO’s easy-to-use interface, these presets are easily editable through the oversized displays, six dynamic rotary knobs, 10 footswitches and up to six external expression pedals.
www.stompio.com

Yamaha MSR Series 100, 250 and 400 Powered Speakers
Price: $479, $599, $699 (respectively)
The Yamaha MSR100, MSR250 and MSR400 powered speakers can be used alone or in combination with the MSR800W powered subwoofer to create sound systems for any kind of venue or music, from humble to booming. Because they are powered speakers, setup is significantly easier without the need for extra amps and cables. The asymmetrical cabinet design on the MSR250 and MSR400 results in a crisp sound, eliminating unwanted standing waves inside the cabinet. The MSR250 delivers 250 watts of power through a 10-inch cone woofer and one-inch titanium dome compression driver that match up for a smooth response from 55Hz to 20,000Hz. The MSR400, with 400 watts of power and 12-inch cone woofer, provides an input level range from -36dB to +4dB and can accept output from a mixer as well as other instruments and mics. For smaller venues or events, the MSR100 is an all-in-one speaker with a mixer, power amp and speaker system. It also provides a link-out jack that can connect with multiple units for a larger sound, adding to its versatility.
www.yamahaproaudio.com

Direct Sound EX-29 Extreme Isolation Headphones
Price: $149.95
Direct Sound’s EX-29 headphones are great for the serious musician as well as studio engineers. The ultra-fidelity high input speakers are integrated with 29 dB of passive isolation making the EX-29s great for the studio. They have a frequency response of 20-20,000 Hz and 114 dB/mW at 1kHz/1mW sensitivity. The EX-29s will not bleed sound into live mics, and you can even record live drums next to the mixer board.
www.extremeheadphones.com

C-Thru Music AXiS-64 Professional MIDI Controller
Price: $1,700
C-Thru Music’s innovative Harmonic Table, the AXiS-64, is a MIDI controller that allows composers and songwriters to quickly and easily find and create harmonies that immediately sound good without extra guesswork. You can span four or five octaves with one hand, find harmony notes easily and play low and high notes with both hands. There are 192 keys, making it similar to buying three 64-note keyboards all in one. On the MIDI master keyboard you can find pitch bend and mod wheels, as well as two rotary controls. There are sockets for two foot controls or footswitches and it can be calibrated with a number of other external controls. AXiS can also work in conjunction with other products such as Logic and Ableton Live.
www.c-thru-music.com

DigiTech HardWire Guitar Pedals
Price: $139.95-$219.95
Digitech’s HardWire guitar pedals feature true bypass and constant 15-volt operation from a 9-volt battery or power supply. This true bypass allows the guitar’s true tone to come through naturally when in bypass mode. The HardWires’ constant high-voltage operation stops annoying distortion with the use of high-output pickups and allows effects pedals to function in amplifier effects loops. DigiTech’s HardWire lineup is made up of seven pedals including the HT-2 Chromatic Tuner, the CM-2 Tube Overdrive pedal (with Classic and Modern modes), a Valve Distortion pedal (with special modes for hard rock tones) and the DL-8 Delay/Looper with 11 delay types.
www.digitech.com

Godlyke Chunk Systems Octavius Squeezer
Analog Bass Synthesizer
Price: $599
Godlyke has released an analog/digital hybrid bass synthesizer that is the very first on the market to be housed in a compact stompbox format. It has an analog audio path that features various synth, octave, fizz and filter effects. It also has a preset system that allows constant reconfiguration of the audio signal path and lets the user store their favorite settings. A tuner and tap-tempo metronome are also included.
www.godlyke.com

Zildjian Pitch Black Cymbal Series
Price: $336 (ride), $305 (crash ride), $344 (14” hihats), $225 (China), $255 (18” crash), $153 (splash), $225 (16” crash) , $396 (15” Mastersound hihats)
Zildjian’s first-ever color-coated cymbal series, “Pitch Black,” is available in a full range of sizes and models specifically designed for rock and metal drummers. The coating process lends durability to the cymbal but doesn’t interfere with the sound in any way. In fact, the heavier weight and larger sizes help deliver the brightness and presence often required by heavy drumming. The Pitch Black series features a 22” ride, 20” crash ride, 18” and 16” crashes, 13” splash, 15” Mastersound hihats, 14” hihats and an 18” China.
www.zildjian.com

Samson StudioDock 3i
and 4i USB Studio Monitors
with Built-in iPod Dock
Price: $149/$259 per pair, respectively
Samson Technologies has reformed the music production process with its iPod-ready StudioDock 3i and 4i USB Studio Monitors. With the new monitors you can stream data, digitally play back your music, sync to iTunes and charge your iPod all in one place. In addition to this incredible “all-in-one” functionality, the monitors are professional quality. The StudioDock offers a 3.25” magnetically-shielded copolymer woofer (4.25” with the 4i model) with a Santoprene surround for high excursion. Both models have a 25-mm silk dome high frequency driver, and 15 watts (20 watts with the 4i model) of internal power per side (30 or 40 watts in total). They each provide a 3.5 mm stereo aux input jack, headphone output jack and volume control on the front/rear panel RCA inputs.
www.samsontech.com

Korg Pa588
Price: $3,200
Korg’s new Pa588 keyboard is the perfect instrument for both accomplished and amateur songwriters. While it provides an extensive array of songwriting tools in its “Style Engine,” the Pa588 can switch instantly to a traditional digital piano. The “Style Engine” provides percussion and up to five other musical parts, including drums, percussion and bass, and a style from the engine library of 320 styles and 882 editable sounds. Single Touch Settings (STS) allow four sounds to be edited at the same time and saved under one style. The new “Guitar Mode” transforms the keyboard into the fretted strings of a guitar for the sound of real picking patterns, slides and strums. The keyboard comes with a USB connection and supports USB/MIDI and features 10 cm bass speakers and high-resolution tweeters powered by dual 15-Watt amplifiers. The Pa588 is also perfect for performing; the XDS twin, multi-mode sequencer allows you to play multiple saved sequences and simultaneously use the DJ-style crossfader for transitioning.
www.korg.com

Line 6 Digital Wireless X2™ XDS Plus
Price: $599
Line 6, Inc.’s X2™ XDS Plus digital wireless system was designed for the “working musician.” It is completely portable and has the incredible sonic clarity of a high-quality cable, along with the superior RF performance of Line 6’s X2™ XDR95 rackmount system. The X2™ XDS Plus features a proprietary compression-free digital format that sounds and feels like a direct wire connection. Its dual diversity (anti-jamming) technology always provides a clear signal even with harsh RF interference. The 24-bit A/D converter at the bodypack transmitter relays the full range of the instrument or mic in digital format on two RF carrier frequencies. The XDS Plus offers a frequency response from 10 Hz to 20 kHz, a dynamic range of greater than 118dB, and a THD of less than .03%
www.line6.com

Neumann TLM 67
Price: $3,858
TLM 67 is based on the “workhorse” of the 1960s, the legendary U 67. Like the U 67, the TLM 67 incorporates the K 67 capsule. The special new circuit design closely reproduces the sound characteristics of the classic U 67, without the use of tubes. Similar Neumann circuit technology has already proved very successful in the TLM 49. The TLM 67 works for many different recording scenarios. Its three switchable directional characteristics (omnidirectional, cardioid and figure 8), selectable 10dB pre-attenuation and high-pass filter permit detailed adjustments to be made depending upon the needs of the engineer.
www.neumann.com

Abbey Road Studio Brilliance Pack Plug-In
Price: $199
London’s Abbey Road Studios has released the new Brilliance Pack plug-ins, which provide authentic emulations of vintage EMI presence EQs for both Mac and PC-based DAW systems. Modeled after modules built in the 1960s, the plug-ins let engineers replicate classic EQs. The original RS127 and RS135 EQ boxes were custom-built by EMI technicians in the early ‘60s and were used on many famous recordings, including almost every album made by The Beatles.
The plug-ins reproduce the operation and characteristics of the original hardware and essentially provide the complete range of presence EQs that were used at Abbey Road in the ‘60s.
www.abbeyroadplugins.com