Smooth Operator

American DJ’s DMX Operator II, an updated version of its DMX Operator 12-channel controller, offers new features like pan and tilt scroll wheels; a fog effect trigger button; and fixture setting copying (so you can copy settings from one fixture to another). This tool is designed to make it easier for you to program fixtures. The controller can automatically copy settings from one fixture to another, like “copy and paste” text in Microsoft Word, so you don’t have to re-program each unit individually. DMX Operator II’s Fog Machine Trigger button lets you add fog effects whenever you want without an external remote control. It’s designed to work with three American DJ fog machines—the Master Blaster 1000, Stallion and Vaporizer. The DMX Operator II still is equipped with 12 individual fixture channels, each capable of controlling up to 16 DMX channels per fixture, for a total of 192 DMX channels. (Fixtures with fewer than 16 DMX channels can be combined on one DMX scanner button, so it’s possible to control more than 12 fixtures.) You can record up to six programmable chases with fade time and speeds. A blind function allows users to override chases on the fly. The DMX Operator II includes eight individual faders to provide easy programmability for intelligent lighting or dimmer packs. The controller was designed to be used in conjunction with American DJ’s PP-DMX20L Power Pack or DP-DMX20L Dimmer Pack. A MIDI controllable unit, the DMX Operator II includes a built-in microphone and remote control. Lightweight and compact for portability, it weighs 5 pounds and measures 5.25 L x 19 W x 2.5 H. A 19-inch rack mount unit, it takes three rack spaces.
American DJ
4295 Charter Street
Los Angeles, CA 90058
(323) 582-2650
www.americandj.com

ALCATech Brings Home The MP3

Compatible with two of its newly-developed 19-inch remote controls, ALCATech’s new BPM Studio Version 4 has software that gives you independent choice of indication options on displays, improved loop-sampler functions, a pop-up menu, new skin “blacklight” and brake function. Its BPM print designer lets you print out complete titles and playlists, so you can print an individually-adapted playlist history, and all played titles are stored daily. The BPM Studio, with its direct cue feature, lets you start from six different cue points directly. Both controllers are equipped with 19-inch 3 HE Control unit RCP 2001 with jog-shuttle, pitch wheel and VFD displays. In addition, each player of the RCP-2001-B features a BPM pitch-wheel. There’s also automatic gain control (AGC) for real time level adjustment.
ALCATech GmbH
Otto-Bergner-Straße 30
D-96515 Sonneberg
GERMANY
+49-(0)-3675 4201-0
www.alcatech.com

Crest's LQ Seriess

Made up of the LQ-10, the LQ-12 and LQ-15, Crest’s LQ Series injection-molded enclosures are designed with both mobile and club situations in mind. The LQ-15, the line’s flagship, is a two-way system that features a 15-inch cast frame woofer with 4-inch voice coil, water-resistant treated cone and a dust cap. Designed for primary sound reinforcement, the LQ-15 has a dispersion pattern of 90-degrees horizontal x 45-degrees vertical. It’s capable of 1,000 watts of continuous (125 dB SPL) with 2,000 watts peak (134 dB SPL). High frequencies are handled by a 2-inch titanium diaphragm compression driver coupled to a 1-inch quadratic throat horn, molded to the cabinet. The LQ-15 has a frequency response of 61 kHz +\-3 dB. An internal passive crossover has a non-intrusive tweeter protection circuit and a topology crossover, which provides driver roll-off and protection as well as EQ for the woofer and tweeter. It comes standard with two ¼-inch phone jacks and two 4-pin Neutrik jacks connected in parallel for signal input and daisy-chaining. A Neutrik switching jack is provided for biamping and the speaker comes with four mounting inserts plus one built-in stand mount. The LQ-12 is a two-way system with a 12-inch cast frame woofer with a 4-inch voice coil, water resistant treated cone and a dust cap. It’s designed for primary sound reinforcement with a dispersion pattern of 90-degrees horizontal x 45-degrees vertical. The speaker can handle 1000 watts @125 dB SPL with 2000 watts @134 dB SPL @ peak. A two-inch titanium diaphragm compression driver handles the high frequencies coupled to a 1-inch quadratic throat horn. The LQ-12’s frequency response is 76 Hz to 18 kHz +\- 3 dB. It has the same crossover as the LQ-15 as well as the same mounting equipment. The LQ-10 is a trapezoidal two-way enclosure that has a 10-inch long throw woofer and a 1.4-inch titanium diaphragm compresson driver also attached to a quadratic throat horn, molded to the cabinet. It has a dispersion of 90 x 45-degrees and is capable of handling 350 watts continuous @ 117dB SPL and 700 watts peak @ 125 dB SPL. With a frequency response of 74 Hz to 18 kHz +\-3 dB, the LQ-10 has an internal passive crossover identical to the LQ-12 and LQ-15.
Crest Audio
100 Eisenhower Drive
Paramus, NJ 07652
(201) 909-8700
www.crestaudio.com

Promo Only's New Video Format
Promo Only has added Latin Video DVD to its music and music video format subscriptions. You can now receive the new format, which includes a variety of Latin music videos on one DVD. The DVD, distributed monthly, gives you a combination of tropical, regional and Latin videos including genres like salsa, bachata, Latin pop, ranchera and merengue. All of the DVDs, including the new Latin Video format, are produced in Promo-Only’s new all digital video facility in Orlando using uncompressed PCM audio and state-of-the-art video editing and DVD authoring equipment.
Promo Only, Inc.
257 S. Lake Destiny Drive
Orlando, FL 32810
(407) 331-3600
www.promoonly.com

Stow Your CD's With Case Logic

Case Logic’s Classic wallet line now can store 32, 64, 88, 120, 208 and 264 CDs. Those cases that store 88 or more CDs come with a strap system that lets the pages lay flat designed so you can access your CDs more easily. The 208- and 264-capacity wallets also have a carrying handle. Each nylon wallet has a padded outer material designed to be heat, moisture and tear resistant. Case Logic’s Koskin CD wallets can now also store 32, 64, 88, 120 and 208 discs. Like the Classic line, the cases holding 88 CDs or over feature “easy-flip” pages. These Koskin wallets also have an index-tab on their carrying handle, so you can classify your CDs by artist or genre. Color CD wallets (CDY) have also upped their capacities, and can hold 32 to 120 CDs. The CDY-120 comes with a strap, in yellow, blue and red and has a front- zippered pocket.
Case Logic
6303 Dry Creek Parkway
Longmont, CO 80503
(310) 374-6893
www.caselogic.com

JBL Goes Both Ways

Adding to the MPro400 Series of two-way speaker systems, JBL introduces the MP412 and MP415. Designed for small to medium venues as well as DJs, the speakers use the Laminar Flow Baffle, a single-piece, thermo-plastic baffle designed to reduce distortion and diffraction. A two-way, 350-watt continuous speaker system in a multi-angle, bass reflex cabinet, the MP412 is designed to be used alone or with an MPro subwoofer. The MP412 has an annular ring diaphragm (known as ARD) compression driver that gives you high-frequency extension from a design that combines high motor strength with low moving mass. It has a 50 Hz-20kHz frequency response. Incorporating all of the features of the MP412, the MP415 is a two-way, 350-watt speaker system with a 15-inch woofer that gives you a frequency range of 44Hz-20kHz. Both models have a 70-degree x 70-degree horn design and protect their drivers with SonicGuard.
JBL Professional
8500 Balboa Boulevard
Northridge, CA 91329
(818) 894-8850
www.jblpro.com

Sennheiser Gets You (un)Wired
Sennheiser brings wireless functionality to wired microphones with the SKP 30 miniature plug-on transmitter. By plugging the SKP 30 into the output jack of any passive or phantom-powered microphone and complimenting it with an appropriate RF receiver, you’re all set for wireless performance from your wired microphones. The SKP 30 uses PLL technology and the Sennheiser’s HiDyn plus™ noise reduction system designed to give you studio-quality fidelity. The SKP 30 is made from die-cast metal, and has sixteen pre-programmed, PLL-controlled frequencies chosen from 1280 user- accessible frequencies within its operating- range. Switchable 48V phantom power lets condenser microphones and balanced input maintain an signal-to-noise ratio of 114dB. The SKP 30’s sensitivity allows four 10dB increments and a 20dB pad. A battery status display on the transmitter lets you know when your battery is running low and a lock function prevents unintended parameter changes.
Sennheiser Electronic Corp.
One Enterprise Drive
Old Lyme, CT 06371
(860) 434-9190
www.sennheiserusa.com

BGW's M850 Subs

BGW’s M850 subwoofers are the latest additions to its powered subwoofer line. The BGW M850i, the install model, and M850T, the touring model, are powered subwoofers that have SPL levels of over 120dB at 40Hz. The M850 sub can go sonic down to 20Hz. Both the M850T and M850i are powered by BGW amps and feature switchable crossovers, thermostatically fan-cooled heat sinks, built-in protection circuits and a 15-inch custom driver.
BGW 13130
Yukon Avenue
Hawthorne, CA 90250
800-468-2677
310-973-8090
www.bgw.com

Native REAK-tion
Native Instrument’s REAKTOR 3, is the new version of its modular software for synthesis, sampling and effects processing. The REAKTOR 3 has a redesigned user interface, an Akai sample import, MP3 playback and is compatible with DXi plug-in interfaces and direct-to-disk recording. The REAKTOR is a complete sound design studio with signal processing algorithms and a 32-bit floating point audio engine. REAKTOR’s sound libraries are modular, so you can modify or completely redesign any instrument. REAKTOR 3’s audio engine supports the SSE and AltiVec instruction sets on PIII and G4 processors. The redesigned user interface has more flexible panel-elements and lets you pick the panel color. The new tape deck can read and write audio files and MP3s directly to and from disk, while Akai samples can be read from CD. New modules include a new granular synthesis module and an event storage module that gives you extended sequencing support and modules that support graphical editing of waveforms and shapes. There’s also support for network communication protocol (based on OSC). REAKTOR 3 requires Windows 98/ME/2000, Pentium 300 MHz and 64 MB RAM. If you’re a Mac user, you need a Mac OS 8.6 or higher, PPC 300 MHz and 64 MB RAM.
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS
Gmbh Schlesische Straße 28
D-10997 Berlin
Germany
+49-30-61 10 35-57
www.native-instruments.com

Kosmos Rocks Your World

Peavey Electronics’ Kosmos is a low-frequency energy and stereo image enhancement system that’s designed to give you lots of bass while simultaneously causing the vocals to stand out in a mix. It has enhanced separation and wider stereo images. Kosmos’ sub-harmonic (QUAKE) processor watches the source material, analyzes the bass, and then generates additional low frequencies an octave below the source material while tracking the original bass. In addition to the QUAKE process, there’s a bass-boost circuit (THUD) tuned an octave above the sub-harmonic range, which can be used to fill in and fatten out the low end. You can use the XPANSE control to intensify the left-right stereo image. All inputs and outputs are balanced with an input gain control. A 0dBu green signal LED and a +10dBu red signal LED let you know where your levels are. The subwoofer output has its own crossover and level control, which supplies an equalized bass signal for systems with subs. The effects (including the added QUAKE and THUD signals sent to the subwoofer) can be bypassed for the occasional reality check.
Peavey Electronics
711 A Street
Meridian, MS 39301
(601) 483-5365
www.peavey.com

Gemini's New Stars

Bright Star is a new white moonflower effect from Gemini. This rotating mirror reflector offers three-way switchable action: static, and rotation with or without sound activation. Offering superior optics, Bright Star also includes one 12v/100W (EVA) bulb. Available in 115v or 230v. The Moon Star is another slow-turning white moonflower effect from Gemini. Moon Star’s rotating mirror reflector includes one 12v/100W (EVA) bulb, available in 115v or 230v. Replacing the LQ-123 is Gemini’s fan-cooled Tornado. This Gemini light is a 38-beam effect that moves to the beat, courtesy of an adjustable sound activation with sensitivity control. Recommended as a solo unit in a mobile application, or as part of a lighting array in larger rooms, the lightweight Tornado, which comes in a blue gloss finish, is supplied with two 300-watt bulbs and an adjustable mounting bracket.
Gemini Sound Products Corp.
8 Germak Drive
Carteret, NJ 07008
(732) 969 9000
www.geminidj.com

Ridin on the Freeway
The Freeway Professional UHF Wireless system is, like its name suggests, Audio-Technica’s new range of UHF wireless systems designed to give you interference-free audio quality for whenever you need to make yourself heard. Available in handheld, headworn, lavalier, guitar and body-pack configurations, the Freeway systems feature ten selectable UHF channels, a removable docking power supply and a dipole antenna design. Two independent frequency bands let you operate for up to eight channels at once: Band A: 470-480 MHz (TV channels 14-15) and Band B: 482-492 MHz (TV channels 16-17). Each Freeway system includes the ATW-R600 receiver and either a body-pack transmitter or a handheld microphone/transmitter. The ATW-R600 is a 10-channel frequency-agile receiver with a dipole antenna design and a removable docking power supply that slides into the receiver. The power adapter can be removed from the receiver case and used as a conventional in-line AC adapter. The ATW-R600 also includes squelch and volume controls, along with AF Peak, RF and Power indicator lights. The ATW-T601 UniPak transmitter, included with all Freeway body-pack systems, gives you a locking HRS connector and a dual impedance input for instruments and microphones. Four body-pack system configurations are available: the ATW-601/G guitar system with AT-GCW guitar cable, the ATW-601/ H headworn system with PRO 8HecW microphone and the ATW-601/L lavalier system with AT829cW microphone. The ATW-T602 handheld dynamic microphone/transmitter is included with the ATW-602 system. Both the handheld and body-pack transmitters operate on a 9-volt battery and feature a battery-condition indicator light, a three position Off/Standby/On switch, an internal channel selector and a variable trim control.
Audio-Technica
1221 Commerce Drive
Stow, OH 44224
(330) 686-2600
www.audio-technica.com

Cubasis VST 2.0 for Macs

Cubasis VST 2.0, from Steinberg Media Technologies AG, is an entry-level, software-based digital recording studio for the Mac. Previously available in a PC version, Cubasis lets you compose, arrange, record, press and distribute your work on any Power PC-equipped Mac. Based on the Cubase MIDI engine, Cubasis VST 2.0 gives you 48 tracks of digital audio recording and 64 tracks of MIDI recording. Additional creative tools include the Universal Sound Module (USM), the Neon Synth, a virtual synthesizer, VB-1 Bass Synth that gives you bass and the LM-9 Virtual Drum Machine. So you can share your piece de resistance with everyone you know, Cubasis VST 2.0 includes software to create and distribute MP3 files and to master and burn compact discs.
Steinberg Media Technologies
21354 Nordhoff Street #10
Chatsworth, CA 91311
(818) 678-5106
www.us.steinberg.net