New Gear Alert: Dual-Channel Preamp by Neumann, Daking’s Comp II, ZENOLOGY Expansions from Roland & More

Neumann introduces the V 402 preamp.

Though having built preamps for consoles, the V 402 marks Neumann’s first-ever standalone preamp.

The V 402 is a state-of-the-art microphone preamplifier with integrated headphone monitoring. The V 402 is Neumann’s first-ever standalone microphone preamp—although the company has created several generations of top-quality preamp modules for its mixing consoles, such as the V 476 B of the 1980s. Like its predecessors, the V 402 preamplifier is conceived as the perfect complement to all Neumann and other high-class studio microphones.

This dual-channel microphone preamplifier is carefully designed to maintain the sonic integrity of the original signal. Its unique transformerless circuitry amplifies the microphone signal without unwanted coloration or sonic artifacts, such as noise and distortion. While this is also often claimed for simple preamps such as those in audio interfaces, the V 402 is built to much higher standards.

The V 402 is equipped with a studio-grade headphone amplifier, ensuring uncompromised monitoring quality at the recording stage. Independent volume controls for each channel allow you to dial in a latency-free monitoring mix without affecting the recorded signal.

The V 402 will begin shipping this month, with an MSRP of $2,899.

Daking releases the Comp II compressor.

The Daking Comp II can function in either dual-mono, or stereo linked modes.

With an analog sound that is unmistakably Daking, the Comp II is purpose-built to sound fantastic on a wide range of musical inputs using a minimum of parameters. Seasoned engineers working on tight deadlines will appreciate this new compressor’s reliably awesome results with a minimum of tweaks, and self-recording musicians will love those same awesome results without having to delve into the minutia of esoteric compression theory.

The compressor offers-dual mono or stereo linked operation and is basically plug-and-play, with just a few controls to cover a million recording and mixing scenarios. Like all Daking gear, the Comp II is built in the USA using high-quality analog hardware, and TransAudio Group has Daking Comp II stock available and ready to ship.

The Daking Comp II is available now, priced at $1,399.

Roland announces “Model Expansions” for ZENOLOGY.

Roland launches their “Model Expansions” for ZENOLOGY with the release of the JX-8P.

Roland introduces Model Expansions, the latest additions to Roland Cloud and the ZEN-Core Synthesis System. Each Model Expansion transforms the ZENOLOGY Software Synthesizer into an entirely different instrument with its own sonic personality, features, and preset tones. From rare and sought-after classics to the designs of tomorrow, Model Expansions give musicians and producers unprecedented access to the historic and ever-evolving world of Roland synthesizers.

The first Model Expansion titles represent four of Roland’s most influential analog synthesizers from the 1980s: The JX-8P Model Expansion, SH-101 Model Expansion (available July 16, 2020), JUNO-106 Model Expansion (available August 8, 2020), and JUPITER-8 Model Expansion (available August 31, 2020).

Model Expansions for ZENOLOGY are included with the Pro and Ultimate membership levels of Roland Cloud. All paid levels—including Core—start with a free 30-day trial of Ultimate, allowing you to try out software-based Model Expansions and other Ultimate features. In addition, any Roland account holder can purchase Lifetime Keys for individual Model Expansion titles. This provides unlimited access for as long as their account is active, even if they don’t have a Roland Cloud membership.

To learn more about the JX-8P Model Expansion, click here.

Marshall launches their smallest-ever portable speaker, Emberton.

Meet Emberton, Marshall’s most compact portable Bluetooth speaker to date.

Emberton is a compact portable speaker with the loud and vibrant sound only Marshall can deliver. Emberton utilizes True Stereophonic, a unique form of multi-directional sound from Marshall. Experience absolute 360° sound where every spot is a sweet spot. Emberton combines signature Marshall sound with IPX7 water-resistance and 20+ hours of portable playtime, making it ideal to take with you.

Emberton is tough and resilient. With its silicone exterior and solid metal grille, it boasts an extremely durable and easy-to-use design. It weighs just 0.7kg and can fit in the palm of your hand. Plus, its IPX7 water-resistance rating means you can submerge Emberton in 1m of water for a period of up to 30 minutes. It’s “park-certified” and good to go.

The Marshall Emberton is available now, priced at $149.99

Waves adds MOTU support to their BR1 AVB-to-SoundGrid Bridge.

Waves introduces MOTU compatibility for their BR1 AVB bridging solution.

The Waves SoundGrid BR1 is an AVB-to-SoundGrid bridge that adds real-time audio processing capabilities to AVB networks and improved sound quality in AVB setups. Now, BR1 is compatible with MOTU AVB systems.

Waves SoundGrid BR1 allows you to integrate the power of Waves’ award-winning plugins into your AVB network. This rack-mountable unit enables you to stream up to 64 audio channels between Waves SoundGrid and AVB protocols. It provides improved synchronization, audio processing at ultra-low latency, and reliability for switched Ethernet networks.

To learn more about this crucial update, click here.

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