New Gear Alert: Light-Touch Kronos from Korg, Arturia’s Keylab Essentials, Line 6 Helix LT & More

Korg announces Kronos LS — a lighter addition to the flagship series.

Enjoy all of the same features offered in the Kronos 2 88 with its 40-pound counterpart: The Kronos LS.

Korg’s popular Kronos is now available with a Light-Touch keyboard, packing the power of a full-sized performance synth and super responsive action into a 40-pound package. Equipped with 9 versatile sound engines, up to 16 simultaneous effects, and 16 part combinations, the Kronos LS offers everything its fully-weighted counterparts do, with a meticulously designed action that lends to any playing style. The mechanism of the keyboard has been redesigned to allow for better velocity, no matter how complex the chord or phrase is.

Kronos LS also ships with the most recent operating system, offering new Quick Layer/Split via the large, color touchscreen. Splits and Layers can also be saved on the spot into a Combination, saving players considerable editing time and providing more flexibility for live situations.

Kronos LS shares all specifications and features with Kronos 2 88 outside of keyboard type, weight and dimensions.

Kronos LS is available for $3,499.99.

Arturia announces Keylab Essential series, featuring Keylab Essential 61 and Keylab Essential 49.

Available in June 2017, the Keylab Essential series by Arturia is a fully-featured universal MIDI controller line that keeps the budget-conscious musician in mind.

Keylab Essential is an affordable, yet fully-featured range of universal MIDI controller keyboards.

Created with the budget-conscious musician in mind, KeyLab Essential provides everything they need to create and record music straight out of the box. The 49 and 61-note controllers are packed with intuitive performance controls, feature powerful DAW integration, and come with 3 incredible software titles.

The Keylab Essential series is made up of 49 and 61-note velocity-sensitive keyboards. Some notable features of this exciting new line are Pitch Bend & Modulation wheels, Transposition by semitones & octaves, MCU/HUI compliance for comprehensive DAW integration, 8 RGB back-lit, multi-purpose performance pads, 9 faders & rotary encoders, a DAW Command Center & Transport section, 6 fully-customizable user memories, “Chord play” mode, and a Twin-line LCD screen, along with many more. The Keylab Essential series also features class-compliant USB, enabling use with iOS and Android devices.

KeyLab Essential will begin shipping worldwide in June 2017. The 49-key version will retail for €199/$249; The 61-key version will retail for €249/$299.

PreSonus introduces the StudioLive® 24 digital console/recorder.

Following the 16-channel and 32-channel versions released earlier this year, the 24-channel PreSonus StudioLive® is internally identical to the larger-framed StudioLive 32.

PreSonus’ new 24-channel StudioLive® 24 digital console/recorder further extends the company’s third-generation StudioLive® Series III line, which launched earlier this year with the 16-channel StudioLive® 16 and 32-channel StudioLive® 32. Like all Series III consoles, StudioLive® 24 further improves on the line’s legendary ease of use while letting you customize workflow and operations to fit the way you work.

The new console features 24 physical input channels with touch-sensitive, motorized faders and recallable XMAX Class A preamps. The main L/R bus also has a touch-sensitive, motorized fader. Internally, the StudioLive® 24 is identical to the larger-framed StudioLive® 32; all 32 internal channels can be addressed digitally via USB and AVB.

PreSonus Capture™ multitrack recording software with virtual soundcheck is installed directly into the StudioLive® 24 console so you can leave your laptop at home. Record up to 34 tracks to the console’s onboard SD recorder.

StudioLive® 24 is expected to be available in the second quarter of 2017, with a U.S. MAP price of $2,499.95.

Line 6 announces the new Helix® LT guitar processor.

Line 6’s Helix® LT guitar processor features the same dual-DSP processing and HX Modeling technology found in the Helix® Floor and Helix® Rack guitar processors.

The Helix® LT guitar processor delivers the highest levels of performance, flexibility, and control in its class. Featuring the same powerful dual-DSP processing and award-winning HX Modeling technology found in the flagship Helix® Floor and Helix® Rack guitar processors, its streamlined I/O complement and hardware configuration make it more affordable for budget-conscious guitarists who still want to access the power of Helix®. Helix® LT also makes an ideal backup processor for Helix® Floor and Helix® Rack owners, as the presets for all three are compatible.

Check out an overview of Helix® LT here.

Helix® LT is available for $999.99.

Tracktion Corporation announces the release of Waveform, the latest in their line of innovative DAWs.

True to Tracktion’s reputation, Waveform inspires creativity with its suite of composition tools and compatibility with all VST and AU plugins, such as their popular BioTek™ Organic Synthesizer.

Transcending the award-winning T7 in look, feel and feature set, Waveform maintains the open, intuitive characteristics of its predecessor. In addition to providing a solid recording platform, the Tracktion team has developed an array of new tools designed to speed up and expand creative composition.

Waveform inspires creativity with an unprecedented suite of composition tools. Intuitive MIDI pattern generators allow even untrained musicians to quickly assemble entire musical arrangements while built-in virtual instruments such as the FM Synth and new Collective™ sampler/synthesizer provide a wealth of new sounds and blending options for a truly sophisticated sonic palette. Waveform is also compatible with all VST and AU plugins such as Tracktion’s popular BioTek™ Organic Synthesizer.

Waveform is available from the Tracktion website as well as top retailers, with prices starting at $99.

Primacoustic announces that Element panels are now shipping.

Giving users more aesthetic options, the Element series by Primacoustic features a hexagonal shape and beveled edges that allow the panels to be installed in unique patterns and clusters.

Primacoustic Element panels are a range of acoustic absorbers that are designed to give users more aesthetic options in their rooms. Rather than being limited to the typical square and rectangular panels found in most studios, the hexagonal shape and beveled edges allow the panels to be installed in unique patterns and clusters. Now primary reflections and flutter echo can be controlled with an acoustic treatment layout that is personalized to your space.

The 16″ (406mm) Element panels are 1.5″ (3.8cm) thick, and are constructed from 6lb high-density glass wool for optimal broadband absorption. As with all Primacoustic panels, Element panels have been tested to achieve stringent Class-A fire ratings, making them safe for use in installations worldwide. The Element panels are available in black, grey or beige Broadway™ acoustic fabric, or in Primacoustic’s proprietary Paintables™ white finish.

Street price for Element panels are $279.99 for a box of 12 panels.

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