mtech blog

I’ve recently gotten word that SM Pro Audio will soon be shipping the first of their highly anticipated VST players. This first one is called the VMachine and is a compact module that can be loaded up with your favorite VST instruments and effects and used anywhere, anytime without a computer. Great for live gigs or a fast set-up for recording.

Here are some photos of the VMachine team working tirelessly to ship in October:

The line will eventually include several models, including a pedal-board style VST player for guitarists. Here are some prototype photos of the first player:

And the best part about it, it’s projected to sell for $599 and be bundled with some VSTs! SM Pro Audio has more pictures and info on their website at www.smproaudio.com. While it’s not the first VST player on the market, the price and promise of a complete line make this one to watch!

Brian McConnon

Blue Microphones recently mingled with the world’s sports elite and Hollywood’s A-List at ESPN THE MAGAZINE’S “ESPY STYLE STUDIO” during the 2008 ESPY Awards hosted by Justin Timberlake. For three days, guests flowed through gifting suites hosted by Blue Microphones, AXE, Under Armour, Lagerfeld, Skull Candy, Bedhead, and more.

(Eli Manning, Terrell Owens, Questlove)

Blue was on hand with a spread of microphones from their flagship Bottle Mic to their popular USB microphones, which were hooked up to laptops for quick demonstrations of how to use them for podcasts, Skype, or recording music. Lucky visitors to the Blue suite were presented with a Snowflake USB Mic, Blue’s newest introduction to the market.

Among the celebs that passed through the Blue suite were Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress of the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants, Ray Allen and Sam Cassell of the NBA Champion Boston Celtics, Terrell Owens of the Dallas Cowboys, Matt Leinart of the Arizona Cardinals, Greg Oden of the Portland Trailblazers, R&B artist Jesse McCartney, drummer/DJ/producer Questlove and actor Mario Lopez.

(Ray Allen, Mat Leinart, Jesse McCartney, Greg Oden)

It’s great to see Blue get involved with an event like this as there are a ton of musicians-at-heart in the world of professional sports. Judging by visitors’ the reaction to the Snowflake, they were glad to see a music company among the sea of clothing, sunglasses, and fragrances as well!

- Brian McConnon

The new A5 powered monitor from ADAM has just arrived at mtech! My first impression out of the box is that they are bigger than I expected (these are ADAMs smallest speakers). Although named the A5, the woofer is actually 5.5 inches, which is a different nomenclature than on their A7, which is a 6.5 inch woofer.

(Notice the XLR and RCA inputs on the back, plus room EQ controls - very versatile for home or pro use.)

Powered by two 25W amplifiers, the A5 uses ADAM’s ART (Accelerated Ribbon Technology) folded ribbon tweeter known for a wide sweetspot, high power handling, and smooth, non-fatiguing sound. The bass ports (2) are on the front and this model also has metal grills for added durability (nice for surrounds that may get bumped around). The rear panel includes balanced XLR jacks, unbalanced RCA jacks, and a new development by ADAM called Stereolink, which allows volume control from one speaker’s front panel for easy level matching. That’s cool!

(Here the A5 is shown next to the A7 and on the desktop for size comparison - the laptop is a 14″ screen.)

In addition to the ADAM traditional “flat” black (shown here), they also come in “gloss” black and “gloss” white (the ultimate iPod speaker). I have seen these finishes on ADAM Home Theater lines and they are gorgeous!

First listen? They sound great - as ADAMs generally do! Probably the best low end I’ve heard out of a speaker this size - tight and focused. I’m used to listening to ADAM’s folded ribbon tweeter on my A7s - detailed and crisp. While I wouldn’t use them as my only mix monitor, they are great for checking mixes on smaller speakers, for surrounds, or in a mobile truck for recording or broadcast. Using them for your computer audio or iPod would rock, especially in white. And I can only imagine gaming or home theater with these little monsters!

The 2008 Summer NAMM show returned to Nashville on June 20-22 after a few years in Indianapolis and Austin. It was great to be back in Nashville as the show took on it’s old vibe once again. mtech clients Yamaha Music Production, Steinberg North America, and NOTION Music were on-hand exhibiting near gear.

Yamaha and Steinberg shared a demo room and has a lot of new hardware shown for the first time in the US. Yamaha unveiled the Audiogram Series compact audio interfaces, the Motif Rack-XS, and the MM8 synthesizer while Steinberg showed their new MR816 rack-mount audio interfaces and the CC121 controller for Cubase.

Steinberg also teamed up with Nashville’s own Chuck Ainlay at Backstage Studios for a live recording session using the MR816 and CC121. Press, local retailers, and industry professionals turned out to see the new hardware in action. This was preceded by a local Clue Cubase meeting at SAE Institute of technology on Friday evening at which Steinberg’s Greg Ondo gave local users a taste of the new technology with special guests from the Yamaha Japan design team. It was great to see such a great turnout!

Back on the trade show floor, NOTION Music was showcasing their flagship NOTION Composition and Performance software with special performances by Roy Wooten and a live string ensemble and computer orchestra. Crowds gathered quickly in the isle to see these unique performance demos!

We are looking forward to coming back to Nashville next year!

Hello and welcome to the mtech blog. My name is Brian McConnon and I run a marketing agency called mtech marketing communications. We specialize in music technology and consumer electronics markets and have worked with large and small clients from all over the world - USA, Canada, Australia, China, Germany, Sweden, Greece, France and the UK.

I will use this page as an update for our clients news, events, and people as well as thoughts on technology, products, and the general state of technology. I look forward to constructive feedback and interaction.

Thanks,
Brian McConnon
mtech marketing communications