Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Thursday, March 25th, 2010
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After a sneak peak at this years NAMM show, Hercules officially announced the release date and price of their new Mk4 controller at the Musikmesse fair in Germany. This slim sized controller is designed to interface with whatever input you can dream up. There certainly is something to be said for portability. I’m just not sure this is where it belongs. The design seems to focus on being able to mix multiple audio sources with this single platform, iPod, turntables , laptops, etc. But if the controller is the only thing that’s super-portable, it kinda defeats the purpose. Not to mention having decent speakers you have to haul around. List of features: 2-deck mixer: mix digital audio files on PC and Mac®. Includes a built-in, high-performance audio interface 2 stereo outputs to play the mix on active speakers, a PA system, a hi-fi system or a mixer. 2 stereo inputs (with 4 levels: Phono / standard line level / professional line level / boosted line level) to connect any external audio sources: MP3 players, CD mixing decks, vinyl turntables and more. Headphone output (for previewing tracks). Microphone input (with talk-over function). Well-spaced controls for precise mixing: 2 jog wheels, one cross fader, 2 volume faders, 2 pitch encoder knobs, 6 EQ knobs and 36 buttons. Intuitive to use: includes functions for synchronizing tracks, automatic loops, adding multiple effects, and recording mixes. Includes the VirtualDJ® DJC Edition mixing software. Look for it in June of this year, at $199.99.
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Wednesday, March 24th, 2010
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What was once applauded as the smallest synthesizer in the world , was stripped of that title this week at the Musikmesse show in Germany. All hail the rightful heir, Korg’s Monotron . With just over 1 full octave on a ribbon keyboard, the Monotron can almost fit into your pocket. It also manages to fit a VLO, VCF, and LFO under its tiny little hood. The VCF circuit is the same Korg put in the classic MS-10 and MS-20 models. An auxiliary audio input allows you to run any sound, any sound at all, through the Monotron’s filters. We’re expecting these things on the shelves sometime in May at just under $70. [ SlashGear ]
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Friday, March 19th, 2010
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There’s been so much push for digital, downloadable content lately that we’ve almost forgotten about our old friend, the compact disc. Even though CD sales are plummeting each time our little planet makes another obit around that bright, flaming thing in the sky, the big boys don’t seem to be willing to throw in the towel just quite yet . In fact, UMG is working to implement a new pricing structure that will hopefully bring CD prices down to a maximum of $10 a pop. UMG plans to make up the difference with more units moved, and with a push for “deluxe” versions of albums that will cost a bit more, but come with all sorts of fun and exciting extras. “We think [the new pricing program] will really bring new life into the physical format,” Universal Music Group Distribution president/CEO Jim Urie The new structure plans to keep a 25% wholesale profit margin. So an album you pay $10 for, wholesellers will get for $7.50. We’ll see if that’s enough to get everyone on board with the move. People already behind it include Newbury Comics CEO Mike Dreese and Trans World Entertainment CEO Bob Higgins. The rest of the music industry doesn’t seem too excited though. But they’d better do something if they want to get CD sales out of their current nosedive. 2008 saw 360.6 million units, barely over half of the numbers in 2000. iTunes and other retailers seem to have set 10 bucks as the magic number people will buy albums at. Granted, if people are willing to shell out $10 for a digital album, a little more isn’t so unreasonable for a physical copy. With art, liner notes, and all the rest. Universal’s move here seems to show the music industry is finally starting to look into some longer term solutions that just suing everybody left and right . We’ll have to wait and see if any of the other big labels make similar moves. [ Billboard ]
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Friday, March 19th, 2010
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The 5D mk II 2.0.3 firmware was supposed to be the end-all solution for the Canon super camera. But it wasn’t. It caused more issues not worth the enhanced movie mode it added. Canon of course of pulled the firmware from its site cause many 5D mk II owners to cry a little. Because, as everyone knows, Canon owners are notoriously emotional unlike the cool and collected Nikon crowd. But chin up 5D mk II owners, the proper firmware is now available. Canon In the Version 2.0.4 firmware, the following phenomena that occurred with the Version 2.0.3 firmware (which was to enhance the movie functions) have been corrected. There was a phenomenon in which the manual recording settings made in C1/C2/C3 were changed and sound could not be recorded if manual sound recording was used in the C1/C2/C3 settings and the camera was subsequently turned off (or if Auto Power Off was activated). This does not occur in modes other than C1/C2/C3. The Version 2.0.4 firmware includes the movie function enhancements listed in items 1 through 5 below, and also incorporates the correction listed in item 6. Adds or changes the following movie frame rates. NTSC: 1920×1080 : 30 fps (changed – actual 29.97 fps) 1920×1080 : 24 fps (added – actual 23.976 fps) 640×480 : 30 fps (changed – actual 29.97 fps) PAL: 1920×1080 : 25 fps (added – actual 25.0 fps) 1920×1080 : 24 fps (added – actual 23.976 fps) 640×480 : 25 fps (added – actual 25.0 fps) Adds a function for manually adjusting the sound recording level (64 levels). Adds a histogram display (brightness or RGB) for shooting movies in manual exposure. Adds shutter-priority AE mode (Tv) and aperture-priority AE (Av) mode to the exposure modes for shooting movies. Changes the audio sampling frequency from 44.1 KHz to 48 KHz. Fixes a phenomenon where communication between the camera and the attached lens is sometimes interrupted after manual sensor cleaning. (This phenomenon only affects units with Firmware Version 1.2.4.) Caution: Firmware Version 2.0.4 is for cameras with firmware up to version 2.0.3. If the camera’s firmware is already version 2.0.4, it is not necessary to update the firmware. Movies captured using EOS 5D Mark II cameras with Firmware Version 1.1.0 to 1.2.4 can be played back on cameras updated with Firmware Version 2.0.4. However, if you try to play back movies captured with a camera with the new firmare on a camera with a previous firmare version, a message, Cannot play back image, appears on the camera’s LCD monitor. It is recommended that you use the latest Canon applications*1 to edit movies captured with EOS 5D Mark II cameras that have the latest firmare because some previous versions do not support movie-editing functions and the frame rates that are added or changed by the latest firmware. You can download the latest Canon applications from our Web site. *1 ZoomBrowser EX Version 6.5.0 or later (compatible operating systems : Windows XP/Vista/7) ImageBrowser Version 6.5.0 or later (compatible operating systems : Mac OS X v10.4/10.5/10.6) In addition to the enhancements to the movie function, the accompanying instruction manual has also been revised. Users are asked to download both the latest firmware and the latest instruction manual. You can proceed to download the instruction manual by clicking the [I Agree] button from the bottom of this page.
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Thursday, March 18th, 2010
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It has been a long time coming, but the notorious JBL MS-8 is almost here. Car audio forums have been talking up this digital signal processor system since 2007 when it debuted in a BMW demo car. It reached vaporware status in the minds of many, but JBL finally went live with its April release date and price today. Think of the device as a auto calibrator for your vehicle’s sound system. It automatically adjusts crossover settings, frequency repsonse, stereo imaging and everything else needed to maximize your audio. The process takes about 10 minutes to run through a step-by-step prcedure, but then it’s heaven on wheels – or rather heaven in something on wheels. JBL claims that the MS-8 should work with “virtually any combination of factory-installed or aftermarket components, but you might want to check with your local dealer before you order the $799 device.
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Thursday, March 18th, 2010
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Chiptune is fun to mess around with, but programming on a tiny Gameboy screen can get a little annoying. Nintendo created the Super Gameboy to allow players to plug Gameboy cartridges into their SNES, so it would stand to reason that you could run LSDJ or Nanoloop through your TV. But how to get the audio out and recordable? Kyle Robinson has a nifty little Instructable on how to add an 1/8″ audio jack to the cartridge. Only basic soldering ability required. [ Instructables via Make: Online ]
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Wednesday, March 17th, 2010
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Synthesizers? Calculators? In the same device?! If your first thought was, “I want one”, then today is your lucky day. The little brother of Casio’s VL-Tone synth, the VL-10, was spotted on eBay with 7 hours left to go. 29 buttons, 5 different sounds, and 10 drum rhythms can all be yours if you hurry. Video after the jump. [ eBay via MatrixSynth and RetroThing ]
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010
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Moshi Moshi! I’m not a huge headset fan but these are some of the coolest accessories I’ve seen in a while. All of these devices, the 04i, the 03, and the 02, connect to PCs or iPhones either via Bluetooth or 3.5mm cable. The 04i acts as a stereo Bluetooth speaker as well as a speaker phone. This model doesn’t support iPhone /Touch charging, but future models will. It costs $199 and is clad in soft touch plastic and has a front panel made of aluminium. You actually pick it up to talk and make calls. Sure it looks a little odd, but the audio is great and it’s quite fun. Probably best for the kitchen. The 03 is a Bluetooth kit that allows you to pair with a phone or connect to a PC or laptop and make a call just like you would with a regular phone. When calls come in you press a button and the audio is routed through the mic/speaker combo. It costs $129. Finally, there’s the 02 . This is direct cable connection to your iPhone or MacBook and just makes it easier to talk without keeping the phone close to your face. It costs $59. The devices will be available in May. I got to play with all of them and the 04i is really the coolest. You can pair with your iPhone to play music and when a call comes in pick up the speaker to talk. Look for our full review shortly. Product Page
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010
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There’s a disturbing trend in music technology. Although home studios are rising, music is generally still recorded in specially designed environments and at high fidelity. Then for distribution, we compress the hell out of each track and do all sorts of terrible MP3-related things to them. And now, in order to repair the damage, we’re seeing a rise in after-market software designed to make the bad sound good. The Digital Power Station is one such plug-in, and just for you guys, we took it for a test run. This plug-in is for Mac OS and iTunes only. There are different algorithms based on your input and output medium. The input is pretty limited since you can only use this thing with iTunes, but apparently the transients in music and movies are that drastically different. The real differences come out in the output profiles. Pick whether you’re using your computer’s built-in speakers, externals, or listening on headphones. There are various output presets based on your hardware. All the different Mac laptop and desktop models are available, along with various “universal” settings for other brands of speakers and headphones. I found that this plug-in only really shines when you’re using either the built-in speakers, or low-quality peripherals. When listening on my Sony MDR-7506s, I didn’t notice any change from the enhancer. I could see this being a piece of pre-installed software, but I would be hard pressed to drop $30 on it. Especially for only one license. They’ve got a free trial available, so you guys can go listen for yourself. They’ve even got endorsements from at least three members of Boston. Or you could encode your audio into a decent file format. Yeah, do that.
Posted by Kevin Huffman
Tech
Sunday, March 14th, 2010
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Short Version: Fresh from the box, Creative’s World of Warcraft, is here! They were designed for WoW players and their performance definitely reflects that. While a tad bulky, they don’t feel heavy. Pros • Very Comfortable • Hard to hear outside the headphones • Wireless Mic works well. Does not get in the way. • Driver allows deep customization of audio to serve your needs. Cons • No way to determine battery power. • Volume buttons feel a little flimsy. • Microphone can adjust but not very well. • In order to download drivers, you must register the product. • Reasonable but not impressive range. • Not compatible with consoles (at least the PS3) The headset packs a serious punch. Immediately, when you first put them on you’ll notice they muffle out sound very well. Despite the size they feel comfortable and even after prolonged periods of play your ears won’t ache. Windows has no trouble finding the skeleton drivers once I plugged in the USB device. I sought out to download the drivers and was surprised that they required me to register the product in order to install the drivers. Once that way squared away, I played around with the Audio Control Panel. They allow you to customize the Glyph illumination (change color, pulsation, etc). There’s a panel that allows you to customize 5 audio options that massively enhance the audio quality. There are also voice filters that allow you to mask your voice into various characters from WoW including XT-002 Deconstructor. Finally, you can bind your keys to various actions like mute to your keyboard. There’s no way to tell how much battery life you have on the wireless headset. Eventually they will simply go off. They can be charged by a simple mini-usb cable. They also work while plugged in so you can play while charging – granted – this technically defeats the purpose of a wireless headset. All the audio options make a huge improvement to the game. The surround sound works surprisingly well. Better than previous simulated surround sound devices I’ve ever used. Quick note: all sounds are based on the character’s perspective (not camera) so be wary if you’re in a PVP zone and you hear fire off in the distance. I only have 3 significant complaints. They probably placed the microphone far from the mouth to prevent pop but you can only bend it so far. This can also be troublesome if you raid late at night and loved ones are in the room: you can’t mumble effectively. Other than that, the microphone works very well. The volume buttons are flimsy and often don’t feel like they work. They are sensitive but don’t increase the volume more than 2 percent making it quicker to adjust volume via the slider. You may also hit the volume (or even microphone mute) buttons while taking off/putting on the headphones. My last major gripe is the lack of compatibility of with the consoles. The PS3 can recognize some USB headsets and the WoW headphones would have made an excellent headset but alas; the PS3 could not detect the wireless USB key. I haven’t checked for the 360 yet. You can walk around your room with the headphones on, but they won’t last a bathroom trip. This is mildly disappointing but considering you’re not meant to be roaming your household with them on, it can be forgiven. On that note, I discourage roaming around with the glyphs pulsating. Sure they may look cool to you, but to anyone else, you will be confused with a tool. Creative’s World of Warcraft wireless headset sells at $159.99. While not completely necessary, the audio improvements they make are incredible and the headset does serve as a status symbol. There’s nothing quite like going to the kitchen with your headset on listening to music of Dalaran. Gabriel Deleon, Nicholas’ younger brother who has like 10 level 80s, wrote these fine words.