New Gear Alert, AES 2017 Edition: Eventide Unleashes H9000, PreSonus’ FaderPort 16, Rubix Interfaces by Roland & More

AES New York 2017 is upon us, and there’s no shortage of new and exciting gear on display. Here are some notable new releases, with much more to come post-convention.

Eventide debuts the H9000.

Eventide’s flagship H9000 sports a wealth of new and exciting features, including a whopping eight times the processing power of the current H8000 model.

The H9000 is an all-new network-ready, 16-DSP, multi-channel, rackmount audio effects processing flagship, featuring eight times the processing power of the current-generation H8000.

With eight channels of pristine analog audio I/O, AES/EBU, ADAT, 16 USB audio channels, and, optionally, connection to standard audio networks, including MADI, Dante, Ravenna, and more, H9000 can be implemented into a wide variety of setups.

Multichannel processing makes the H9000 a suitable platform for surround sound and for processing several tracks of audio simultaneously. Additionally, the H9000 introduces the concept of “FX Chains,” allowing users to connect any set of four effects with flexible routing. Fx Chains can be created to act as a voice channel, a guitar pedalboard, or a modular synth with effects, etc.

The H9000’s remote control application, “emote,” is available for users working in-the-box or over an audio network. emote is available as a standalone app for Mac and PC, and as an AU, VST, and Pro Tools plugin.

Currently available in limited quantities, general availability of the H9000 is scheduled for March 31st, 2018. The H9000 will be available in two models: Standard, with full front panel control, priced at $6,999, and the blank front panel H9000R, priced at $4,999.

PreSonus expands control surface offerings with FaderPort 16.

Gain even greater tactile control over your productions with the FaderPort 16 by PreSonus, the newest and largest-format iteration of their growing line of popular USB-powered DAW controllers.

The FaderPort 16 Mix Production Controller connects via USB 2.0 to provide precise tactile control over your favorite DAW’s mix and automation functions, including complete transport control.

The new control surface offers full level, solo, and mute control over 16 channels at once, with 16 touch-sensitive, motorized, 100mm faders, and 89 buttons covering 102 different functions. Quickly zoom in on audio files for editing, adjust a click track tempo with a simple tap, modify plugin parameters, manage aux mixes—and, of course, control track levels with the touch of a finger.

The FaderPort 16’s unique Session Navigator provides easy access to eight mission-critical functions for maximum flexibility. Dedicated buttons are provided to instantly arm all tracks for recording; control mutes and Solo Clear; view only the tracks, buses, and VCAs you want to see; and more. You’re not limited to preset controls, either; four programmable User buttons let you quickly and easily access your favorite functions. Large, illuminated buttons make finding the function you need quick and easy. Sixteen high-definition digital scribble strips provide visual feedback.

FaderPort 16 is expected to be available at PreSonus dealers in late November 2017 for a US MAP price of $999.95.

Roland debuts Rubix line of audio interfaces.

Roland unveils the Rubix interface series, consisting of 3 units capable of recording up to 24-bit/192kHz, each suited for varying levels of demands in the recording studio.

Roland announces the availability of Rubix, a line of audio interfaces for Mac, PC, and iPad. Rubix is designed to offer a perfectly balanced combination of high-fidelity sound, solid build quality, compact size, affordable price, and crucial features for today’s musicians and producers.

The Rubix audio interface line consists of the Rubix22, Rubix24 and Rubix44. Each multi-platform interface is carefully engineered to have extremely low noise from input to output. Clean, detailed sound is the top priority, with transparent, low-noise mic preamps and support for audio resolutions up to 24-bit/192kHz. Highly visible indicators clearly show the presence of a good signal or an overloading input, even from a distance. Extensive shielding and ground lifts help ensure clean, quiet operation in a variety of venues, and the compact metal construction means Rubix can provide studio-grade performance just about anywhere.

Rubix22 is a 2-in/2-out model with dual mic preamps. When coupled with an iPad, it creates a highly portable recording or performance rig. Rubix24 adds two extra outputs and a hardware compressor/limiter for controlling highly dynamic sources. Rubix44 adds two additional mic preamps for a total of 4 inputs and 4 outputs.

Check out a video introduction to the Rubix Series here.

Rubix22 is available for $149, Rubix24 for $199, and Rubix44 for $299.

Plugin Alliance and Dear Reality release 3D audio processing plugins for VR and AR.

Place your audio tracks anywhere within the 3D universe intuitively and with ease, thanks to Plugin Alliance and Dear Reality’s collaboration on the dearVR toolkit plugins.

dearVR pro and dearVR music are two plugins providing all the tools needed to create stunning, immersive 3D audio for VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality) films, games, and video from within your DAW.

As a complete 3D audio toolkit, dearVR pro’s powerful GUI allows producers to position an audio track anywhere in a 3D soundstage—both behind or in front of the listener, above or below their head, to the left or right, closer or farther away. This is done by simply dragging an icon representing the track in the plugin’s XYZ pad, or by using separate sliders for adjusting the sound’s multiple parameters.

dearVR music is a streamlined version of dearVR pro for entry-level 3D audio applications, and perfect for those who don’t need the full firepower of dearVR pro. dearVR music outputs the highest-quality 3D audio in binaural or four-channel Ambisonics format (used for 360-degree YouTube videos). As such, it’s a great vehicle for musicians and audio engineers wishing to attract more listeners and gain more traction on social media by incorporating immersive 3D audio into their mixes.

Check out Plugin Alliance’s demonstrative dearVR video here (headphones highly recommended!).

dearVR pro and dearVR music are available for purchase exclusively from Plugin Alliance at an introductory promo price of $299 and $149, respectively, through to October 31st, 2017, rising to $349 and $199 thereafter.

Audio-Technica is now shipping the AT5047 cardioid condenser microphone.

Audio-Technica adds to their popular 50 Series with the AT5047, a new premier studio microphone featuring quality-sourced, hand-assembled components.

The AT5047 is the most recent addition to Audio-Technica’s acclaimed 50 Series, and a premier studio microphone that features the same capsule as the AT5040, but with a transformer-coupled output and optimized electronics. It is equally at home capturing instruments and vocals.

The AT5047 features four rectangular two-micron-thick diaphragms, which function together to provide a combined surface area twice than that of a standard one-inch circular diaphragm. Discrete components have been carefully selected and optimized for maximum performance and compatibility with a wide array of microphone preamps and console inputs. Advanced internal shock mounting decouples the capsule from the microphone body, and the included advanced-design AT8480 shockmount provides superior isolation.

With an elegant, durable housing of aluminum and brass, each AT5047 has been hand-assembled and inspected for 100% quality control. A custom hard-shell carrying case with die-cut foam compartments offers protection during storage and transport.

The AT5047 is now available at a US price of $3,499.

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