Canadian Musician - May / June 2020 | Page 65

HOME RECORDING ROUNDUP PreSonus StudioLive ARc Mixers PreSonus has introduced the StudioLive ARc series of mixers, which combine a multi-channel 24-bit, 96 kHz, USB-C compatible, USB 2.0 audio interface with an analog mixer front-end to create a hybrid design that simplifies recording and mixing using one intuitive console. The three StudioLive ARc models feature newly designed, high- headroom analog circuits, along with the company’s high-gain XMAX Class-A mic preamps. The StudioLive AR8c, ideal for small home- recording projects, has four mic preamps and six balanced line inputs for 8x4 recording/playback; the StudioLive AR12c, ideal for full-band recording in a project studio, has eight mic preamps and 12 balanced line inputs for 14x4 recording/playback; and the StudioLive AR16c, ideal for bigger recording projects and performances, boasts 12 mic preamps and 16 balanced line inputs for 18x4 recording/playback. All models support: recording every channel, plus the main mix over USB and feature a musical, three-band analog EQ on every channel; mic/line boost for low-level vintage synths, broadcast microphones, and consumer electronics; and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity. A new digital effects processor with 16 presets supplies reverbs, delays, and chorusing and includes a dedicated send and return, as well as a bypass footswitch jack. For more information, contact Erikson Audio: 514-457-2555, [email protected], www.eriksonaudio.com. Waves Abbey Road Saturator Plug-In Waves Audio has released the Abbey Road Saturator plug-in. The Abbey Road Saturator is a saturation and distortion plug-in analog-modeled directly from saturation chains at the iconic studio. Abbey Road engineers were known to experiment with the wealth of original EMI gear at their disposal and push the equipment to its limits, yielding some “happy accidents”; Waves says this plug-in captures some of those very specific and unique sounds. The plug-in models the original and ultra-rare EMI TG12321 “compander” used at Abbey Road in the 1960s and gives flexible control over its crossover frequencies, allowing it to focus in on different ranges depending on the source material. The added phase knob causes the saturation to work in parallel, altering the personality of the distortion harmonics. The plug-in also sports M/S processing options, letting the distortion apply either in stereo or to the mid or sides separately. For more information, contact Waves Audio: 865-909-9200, [email protected], www.waves.com. Apogee Symphony Desktop Audio Interface Apogee has introduced the Symphony Desktop audio interface for Mac, iPad Pro, and Windows. It puts the sound quality of Apogee’s rack- mount Symphony I/O Mk II into a 10 x 14 desktop audio interface. The Symphony Desktop boasts Apogee’s flagship AD/DA conversion, along with hyper-realistic preamp emulations and powerful DSP. It has digital sound quality at up to 24-bit/192 kHz, while analog components ensure clean, low-distortion results. Users can track through Apogee’s Alloy Mic Preamp emulations to add grit and character at the source. It also offers Apogee FX plug-ins, powered either by the interface’s built-in DSP or natively within the DAW, in a myriad of flexible, low-latency workflows. An array of analog and digital I/O options makes integrating this interface with a studio easy, while a touchscreen display supplies intuitive operation from the desktop. For more information, contact Hal Leonard: 414-774-3630, [email protected], www.halleonard.com. @ CANADIAN MUSICIAN 65