New Gear

Soundcraft previewed a new range of low-cost digital consoles called Si Compact at Musikmesse in Frankfurt, Germany. The line will include 16, 24 and 32 motorized fader models, all equipped with Lexicon and BSS processing and connectable to a stagebox, as well as having all the I/O on the rear panel. The range is reported to be under $10,000 list price.

Westone Music Products announced a new removable cable option with the Westone UM2 and UM3X, set for release in May 2010. The new development will give users the quick option of replacing cables as necessary.

DiGiCo unveiled their new SD9, also called the "Red Snapper." Made from rolled and anodized aluminium rather than steel, it is strong and light – the whole desk weighs less than 110 lbs. It has a D-Rack digital stage interface and CAT5E digital multicore, and has the capability to record up to 56 channels direct onto a multitrack recorder or DAW.

The S-0808 Digital Snake is an 8in/8out compact, lightweight digital snake that supports multiple power options including battery-power, embedded-powered over REAC and power over Ethernet (PoE). The inputs offer remote controllable preamps, phantom-power, 24-bit 96kHz A/D conversion as well as choices of XLR, TRS line and even Hi-Z capability to reduce the need for direct boxes.

Waves Audio is now shipping WavesLive MultiRack Native, the first-ever software application designed to run Waves plug-ins with live analog and digital mixing consoles. MultiRack Native is a software host that lets FOH and Monitor engineers run multiple simultaneous instances of the same Native Waves plug-ins used in recording studios and mixing rooms the world over.

Crest Audio E-Lite Series amps are available in both DSP and non-DSP versions and are built on a class D design with a switch-mode power supply that reduces weight while increasing reliability, thermal efficiency and output power.

The en•CORE 300 is built upon Blue's heritage of crafting studio microphones, which begins with a custom-tuned condenser capsule. This capsule is mounted on a rubber suspension system and coupled with a matched, phantom powered preamp circuit.

Behringer introduced some 50 new products at the NAMM show, including some new "double duty" mixers appropriate for smaller gigs and installs. Building on the feature set of the X1622USB, the X1832USB comes with two additional mic strips (including channel inserts), for a total of six Xenyx mic preamps.

The MCB4 simplifies a PM configuration by combining signals of up to four of A-T's M3 Wireless PM stereo transmitters onto a single antenna, reducing rack clutter.

Meyer Sound's MINA, the smallest member of the MILO family of self-powered line array loudspeakers that includes MILO, MICA, and M'elodie, is designed for live sound and installation applications facing size and weight limitations, including theatres, ballrooms, and houses of worship.