The Right Formula

Formula Sound’s PM-100 mixer features a universal input module configured to accept inputs from low impedance-balanced mics and stereo line and phono (RIAA) input sources. It’s switchable to two inputs from the front panel through a rapid action lever switch. You can switch from mic to phono; mic to line; line to line and phono to line and internal gain trim controls are fitted to all inputs. Phantom power and insert socket is available for the mic inputs. You can pick pre- or post-fader send from the two stereo aux busses. The mixer has three-band EQ on all inputs, +6db boost, -20db cut (you can order special EQ versions) and there’s also an internal EQ defeat selection. There’s a balance / pan control and mono switch for each channel. All stereo inputs are assignable to the crossfade function through red and green illuminated push buttons to give you a visual indication of routing and mixer status. A VCA controlled cross- fader features a punch button and variable contour control and main and zone outputs have XLR connectors and are electronically balanced. You can work the main, zone, booth, aux1 and aux2 outputs independently in mono or stereo and override voice with on/off switch, sensitivity and attenuation controls. Two pairs of record outputs, music mix and full program, are available along with auxiliary return (a stereo input which will accept balanced or unbalanced signals). You can monitor through PFL, split cue, monitor balance and cue to booth. Two headphone output stages let you internally select to provide 2nd phones output or to follow Aux2 so two operators each have independent monitoring facilities. The mixer gives you a priority input facility so you can comply with fire regulations without external equipment. Other features include a 12V socket for external working illumination, new chassis design and a new hardwearing module finish and a choice of chassis sizes 4, 8, and 12 channels.
Formula Sound
Dist. By Network Pro Audio
131 Waterview Street
Playa del Rey, CA 90293
(310) 305 8350
www.networkpromarketing.com

New Version of HALion
HALion 1.1 is Steinberg’s latest software sampler for VST-compatible host applications. This version includes new features like GIGA import, a new memory management system, zooming up to sample level in the loop editor, and “MegaTrigg,” the feature for playing samples with maximum expressiveness. User-definable rules let one key trigger different samples covering various nuances of a sound. For registered HALion users, the update is available for free download at www.steinberg.net.
Steinberg Media Technologies
AG 21354 Nordhoff Street #10
Chatswworth, CA 91311
(818) 678-5106)
www.us.steinberg.net

Maintaining the Status Cue
High End Systems’ Status Cue lighting console will add Studio Beam, Studio Spot, CMY and EC-2 software to the console’s fixture library. Status Cue is a lighting controller with a cue-list and CD-ROM feature that can be used for applications like including architectural show control and concert tours. The release of the software will be announced on the High End Systems website.
High End Systems
2217 W. Braker Lane
Austin, Texas 78758
(512) 836.2242
www.highend.com

TASCAM's New Recorder

TASCAM’s new MX-2424SE hard disk recorder and IF-AN24EH analog interface module is based on its MX-2424 24 Track 24 Bit hard disk recorder, and features a removable 18GB hard drive, located on the unit’s front panel. The removable drive is designed so you can transfer and archive audio data with external systems. TASCAM’s IF-AN24EH is a special version of its standard analog interface module for the MX-2424, which was designed to accommodate the required -20dB digital reference level commonly used in post-production. The MX-2424SE also takes advantage of recent software updates for the standard MX-2424 model, including the ability to synchronize via Sony P2 9-pin control. This lets you use the unit to interface with a wider number of high-end consoles, controllers and interfaces. The Data Express removable drive system featured in the MX-2424SE uses an 18 gigabyte SCSI disk drive format. Also, the MX-2424SE model continues to use the Sound Designer II and Broadcast Wave audio file formats, so recordings made on the MX-2424SE can be imported and exported from Digidesign Pro Tools systems and other DAWs with sample-accurate time-stamping of music, dialog and effects.
TASCAM
7733 Telegraph Road
Montebello, CA 90640
(323) 726-0303
www.tascam.com

Stanton's Ultimate Cartdridge

From Stanton to all turntablists, club DJs and remixers comes its latest, the 890 SA and 890 RM. These cartridges are designed specifically for all of you scratch and club DJs out there. The 890-SA was designed to withstand the scratching stress, but remain gentle enough on your records for daily club use. The 890 RM was designed to pick up the best frequency range possible with lighter tracking than the 680 EL II. Both cartridges, according to the company, are designed to produce the best frequency range possible at the highest output without sacrificing sound quality or your records. Both cartridges are 4-coil standard mount with a polished chrome body. The 890 SA has a clear stylus with a spherical polished jewelry grade diamond (D-8900 SA), and the 890 RM has a white stylus with an elliptical polished jewelry grade diamond (D-8900 RM). The 890 SA will be packaged and sold in Stanton’s mini-flight case, as well as sold separately. Stanton has already broken in each 890 SA MP4, so the cartridges are battle ready out of the box, and all you have to worry about is your routine.
Stanton Magnetics
2821 Evans St.
Hollywood, FL 33160
(954) 929-8999
www.stantonmagnetics.com

Smelly Fog
From Tracoman comes two new fog kits designed to make your fog smell like fruit, mountain breezes or hemp, whichever (ahem) fogs your fancy. The ZQK Z Fuel quart kit includes five quarts of Z-Fuel regular-octane scented fog liquid. A quart of Turbo Cleaner comes with it to keep your fogger clean so you don’t mix your fruit scents with hemp. For those of you who can’t get enough of the flavored fog, The ZSK Z-Fuel Scent Additive Kit gives you vanilla, strawberry, blueberry, mountain breeze, tropical blend and hemp in four-ounce bottles. Add one bottle per gallon of unscented fog liquid and you’re all set to take your party to new olfactory heights.
Tracoman
3000 NW 42nd Street
Hollywood, FL 33312
(954) 689-8833
www.tracoman.com

Let Them Eat Cake
Cakewalk’s Home Studio 2002 is designed for those of you who can’t exactly call yourselves experts on PC-based recording. Based on Cakewalk’s SONAR audio and MIDI technology, the Home Studio lets you record audio from any sound source. It supports audio loop creation and editing and lets you modify and create loops to match the pitch of your music project. Home Studio can load and read Sonic Foundry ACID wave files and lets you create loops by importing audio wave or MP3 files, adjusting the pitch and tempo to match. It includes PowerFX loops and Image-line’s FruityLoops Express for loop creation. Also included is Audio Simulation’s Dreamstation DXi—which lets you add software-based synthesizers into Home Studio 2002 and play them as virtual instruments—and Virtual Sound Canvas DXi. You can get additional DXi Soft Synths from developers including Alien Connections, Applied Acoustics Systems, Expansion Audio, Image-Line, Koblo A/S, Live Update, Native Instruments, RBC Audio, STL and others.
Cakewalk
5 Cambridge Center
Cambridge, MA 02142
888-CAKEWALK
www.cakewalk.com

A Modern Proteus
The Proteus 2500 Command Module from E-MU is its new 4 rack space flagship sound module designed to give you three times the processing power of the Proteus 2000, a host of real-time editing controls, a full-featured MIDI sequencer and USB connectivity to a host computer. The new processor, combined with new 24-bit analog and digital audio outputs, ships with a 32 MB soundset and can be expanded to 128 MB using any of the eleven Proteus Expansion ROMs currently on the market. It also comes with over 100 MIDI sequences, so you can play and modify existing sequences as well as create your own. The Proteus 2500 Command Module offers you a new sound module platform and compatibility with the entire library of Proteus 2000 expansion ROMs, including custom flash ROMs. The Proteus 2500 offers over 100 syncable synthesis parameters per preset, as well as E-MU filters. Over 40 programmable knobs and buttons let you tweak any parameter, as well as mix volumes and pans for 32 MIDI channels in real time without having to hunt through multiple screens. An integrated 16-track MIDI sequencer (with up to 16 MIDI channels per track), is designed to give you an intuitive, flexible, rackmounted sequencer that can be used in either linear or pattern oriented modes. You can select sounds, toggle between real-time, grid, and step record modes, edit parameters, and mix without ever stopping the recording process. The Proteus 2500 ships with a USB port, so you can import and export standard MIDI Files to and from the computer without needing a MIDI interface.
E-MU/ENSONIQ
1600 Green Hills Road
P.O. Box 660015
Scotts Valley, CA
95067-0015 (831)
438-1921
www.emu.com

Sampled
IK Multimedia is back again with the latest version of SampleTank, Sampletank 1.1. The new version features G4 Altivec optimization (Mac). On a G4 533, SampleTank can give you 128 polyphony notes and 90 notes in the High Quality mode. Its dual processor supports a dual processor architecture, both in Windows 2000 (and NT) and Mac OS and gives you advanced MP (multiprocessor) modes in both Cubase VST and Logic. The DJ and L version can play all SampleTank sounds and gives you a selectable resampling/repitching engine. The new version also has two selectable play modes for its sampling engine: The 1.1 has a new algorithm that provides a very flat frequency response at the high end. A, B, C, D parameters are implemented in the Akai conversion utility and the new v1.1 ST converter automatically creates a set of user controllers for the converted instruments. If you’re already a registered SampleTank user, you can download this version for free at www.sampletank.com.
IK Multimedia
Via dell’Industria no. 46
Modena, Italy
561-466-9763
www.ikmultimedia.com