Don't Forget Your Passport

Fender Music Instruments has expanded its Passport Series with the P-250 Powered Expander/Sub Bass System and the Extension Speaker System. The Powered Expander, when combined with an outboard mixer, gives users the benefits of a full Passport 250 minus the mixing section. When combined with the master Passport System, the Expander can double the output power and speaker coverage. The system includes a 250-watt stereo power amplifier, switchable sub bass processor electronics and two full-range speaker enclosures each with four drivers. The Expander has ¼-inch jack inputs for line level input from the Passport Portable System or line output from the mixing console. The Passport Extension Speaker System, used with the 250 or 150 system, provides additional acoustic output power, coverage and throw for larger applications. The system includes two Passport full range speaker systems, a central transport/storage tower and speaker cables.
Fender Musical Instruments Corp.
7975 N. Hayden Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
(602) 596-9690

And That's No BS…

Music Industries Corp has introduced the Quik-Lok BS-336 and BS-342 Studio Near-Field Monitor Stands for home and pro studios. The stands measure 36-inch and 42-inch high, respectively. Three vertical steel support bars, spaced at equal distances from each other, protect the 11-by-11-inch monitor platform from tilts, wobbles and vibrations. Self-adhesive, non-slip rubber padding further reduces vibrational resonance. A large format, 17.7-inch-per-side triangular base provides a sturdy foundation for heavy, self-powered monitors, while retractable carpet spikes and rubber feet add even more support on any surface. A wire management system channels cable through one of the vertical support bars for a clean look. All Quik-Lok stands are manufactured of solid steel-welded construction and are easily assembled with the included Allen wrench, according to the company.

Yamaha's RM1x sequence remix workstation provides real-time performance and music production capabilities. Performance DJs can switch between 16 sections included in each pattern (there are 50 preset styles, 960 preset patterns and 7,726 phrases) with the RM1x's keyboard or eight realtime controller knobs. A 16-track sequencer with 110,000-note memory allows the user to record original material using a variety of record modes—real-time replace, real-time overdub, punch-in, step and grid. The unit combines with other MIDI-compatible gear for greater versatility. The company recommends the grid mode for a programmer interface familiar to DJs.

Yamaha Corporation
PO Box 6600
Buena Park, CA 90622
(714) 522-9011

On the Beat

Gemini Sound Products' BPM-500 stereo preamp mixer includes LED beat monitors to show users when two tacks are in sync. The 19-inch unit is a four-channel, stereo rack-mounting mixer with three phono, eight line and three mic inputs, and includes a DJ mic Neutrik combo XLR/¼-inch jack. The _32dB Extreme Cut feature for low, mid and high lets users create special effects while the removable, assignable crossfader is recessed for more comfortable mixing. The unit offers talkover, loop inputs and outputs, balanced and unbalanced master outputs, booth and record outputs, DJ booth output level control and peak hold dual mode display.
Gemini Sound Products
8 Germak Drive
Carteret, NJ 07008
(800) 476-8633

Lighting FX for Mr. Spock

The LQ-215 Vulcan, a single Derby, multi-colored beam effect, is one of two new lighting effects from LyteQuest Pro. The Vulcan, which is sound-activated with sensitivity control, includes a 120V/300W bulb at 110 volts. Also from LyteQuest, the portable, lightweight Wildlyte 3 provides a dichroic Moonflower effect with three-way switchable sound activation. The LQ-153 Wildlyte 3 includes a 12V/100W bulb.

Back in Black

The Vestax CDX-12M dual CD player is now available in a black metallic finish. The updated unit includes the same functions as the original player, including the dual-suspension system for a shock-proof CD player. The CDX-12M’s mixer section includes two-line and two-phono inputs, two-band EQ on each channel, a mic input and a user replaceable crossfader. The dual CDs offer instant start, 100-mm pitch-control faders and pitch-bend joysticks.
Tracoman, Inc.
2821 Evans St. Hollywood,
FL 33020 (954) 929-8999

GC's Synchroloops Sampler

Synchroloops is a new loop-based sample CD tool kit developed and marketed exclusively for national music retailer Guitar Center. Synchroloops allows users to create a combination of pop, funk and rhythm without hours of editing. Synchroloops is meant to run with MIDI sequencers and digital audio programs but, once it's loaded into a sampler, can be triggered or played like any other MIDI instrument. The ½- to 4-second loops were designed to be shorter than those on most sample CDs, to give users close to 1,000 loops for longer, custom loop patterns.
Guitar Center
5155 Clareton Drive
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
(818) 735-8888

Don't Forget Your Passport

BitHeadz has released the Unity DS-1 Digital Sampler for Mac and Windows, an application that turns your computer into a real-time sampling sound module. Unity DS-1 gives you all the features of dedicated hardware samplers, plus a complete integrated Digital Audio Editor. Unity features pro-quality 48 kHz 24-bit stereo sound and is easy to use. With Unity DS-1 you can recreate the sounds of acoustic instruments, or any other audio source. Extensive MIDI implementation allows real-time control of all parameters. Unity DS-1 is designed to play live on stage or use in the studio. With layers, splits, and full MIDI continuous control, it works as a 64-voice multi-timbral sound module, running in conjunction with your chosen MIDI applications. Other features include: True phase-locked stereo signal path throughout, two stereo oscillators (multi-samples) per voice, two assignable filters per voice with 13 filter types, six-stage envelope modulators with extensive routing choices, six LFO waveform shapes that can be synced to MIDI clock, two stereo effects processors per voice, two stereo global effects processors, and "drag-&-drop" sample handling. Supported sample formats include: Sound Designer I & II, AIFF, CD-Audio, and WAV files, plus Unity imports and maps Akai S1000, DLS, SoundFont 2.0 and SampleCell I & II instruments automatically. You can also sample live from microphone or line inputs. The full-featured arpeggiator allows you to generate analog-style "sequences." You can even write the sampler's complete multi-timbral stereo output to disk as an 8-, 16-, or 24-bit audio file for use in your favorite digital audio applications. It's fully polyphonic and multi-timbral and includes a complete 16-channel mixer and 250 MB of sounds.