New Gear Alert: Heritage HA-81A Elite Channel Strip, Focusrite x Black Rooster Audio, Undulator by Eventide & More

Heritage Audio announces the HA-81A Elite channel strip.

Heritage Audio aims to deliver the classic 1073 footprint to your sound with the HA-81A Elite channel strip.

The HA-81A Elite is a channel strip that combines an all-discrete, Class A 73-style mic preamp with an extremely versatile and musical console-style equalizer—arguably the trick for obtaining instant classic sound for all recording engineers.

Featuring controls for gain, output trim, a -20dB pad, polarity reverse, and +48v phantom power, the HA-81A’s preamp section is an 80dB, all-discrete Class A design with Carnhill/St. Ives input and output transformers, exactly the same one found in the other Elite Series modules.

The HA-81A’s equalizer section is an exceptionally musical 4 band, inductor-based equalizer with high and low pass filters. Where 3 band equalizers such as the typical 73-style exceed at musicality but may get short of features, the HA-81A EQ equally excels on both. It provides extreme control over shelf or bell response curves on the high and lows, dual Q on both mid bands, with dedicated highs and lows, and a range of 40 frequency selections to choose from.

The Heritage HA-81A utilizes only rotary switches and precision, concentric potentiometers. And like all of the products in the Elite range, the HA-81A is built with the most cutting-edge methods in manufacturing and design, without ever compromising audio quality or cutting corners—all at the Heritage headquarters in Spain.

The Heritage HA-81A is available now, priced at $1,099.

Focusrite gives Plug-in Collective members Black Rooster Audio’s Magnetite for free & more.

Focusrite joins forces with Black Rooster Audio for enticing Plug-In Collective offerings.

Magnetite infuses your digital productions with the sonic texture and energy of analog tape, beefing up drums and basses, boosting vocal presence, and bringing cohesion and coloration to the master bus. Whether you’re working with live drums, guitars and vocals, or making dance and electronic music entirely in the box, it’s an effortless and instant solution for adding palpable analog vibe, weight, and character to your productions. And needless to say, it’s of particularly direct relevance to producers of lo-fi, synthwave, and other retro styles, where its evocative fluctuations and noise make it a powerful creative tool.

During the same period, Plug-in Collective members will also find a discount code in their Focusrite account to redeem against Black Rooster’s Compressor Bundle, bringing the price down to just $249—a big savings on the regular $684 price tag. A versatile collection of analog-modeled plug-ins, the Compressor Bundle comprises emulations of five classic compressors, and an all-new zero-latency design created in collaboration with multi-platinum mix engineer Koen Heldens.

This offer is available from July 9th to September 3rd, 2020. To join the Plug-in Collective, simply register any Focusrite hardware product, then look out for a new offer every couple of months.

Eventide releases the Undulator plugin & commits proceeds to social justice initiatives.

Eventide brings the Undulator algorithm from the classic H3000 Harmonizer directly to your DAW.

Undulator is a tremolo effect from Eventide’s iconic H3000 Harmonizer effects processor, providing a unique rhythmic effect by combining ethereal feedback and detuned echoes which are fed through an AM/FM modulated tremolo. Whether used for manipulating samples or adding movement to strings, pads, guitars, and keys, Undulator is a muse for creative musicians.

“Eventide Audio is committed to supporting the fight against systemic racism and violence,” the company stated. “We hope that you will join us by listening, learning, and taking action. We embrace diversity and seek equality, justice, inclusion, and dignity for all. We stand in unity with the Black community and will take action by donating to organizations that support justice and social change.” Eventide will be donating 100% of the proceeds of the Undulator desktop plugin to the Equal Justice Initiative & NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.

Check out an introductory video to Undulator here.

Undulator is available now, priced at just $19.

MXL Microphones unleashes the AC-44 boundary mic.

MXL Microphones delivers an attractive boundary mic solution with the AC-44.

With a compact footprint, MXL’s AC-44 is an ideal microphone solution for a range of applications that require pristine audio capture, including web conferencing, telemedicine, and more. It can also be incorporated into OEM applications.

MXL’s AC-44 utilizes the MXL’s signature 3-capsule boundary design to enhance direct sounds while mitigating noise and echoes in any workspace. The microphone’s wide 180° cardioid pickup pattern provides crystal-clear audio capture, focusing on sound sources in front of the microphone and eliminating unwanted noise from the back. This gives the AC-44 flexibility between working in a single-user workspace, in a medium huddle space, or even in larger spaces, such as classrooms and medical facilities.

The MXL AC-44 will be shipping worldwide, starting July 21st. For pricing and further information, click here.

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