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Numark NS7 II Serato DJ controller hands-on (video)

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Numark NS7 II Serato DJ controller hands-on

Like buttons? Numark at NAMM evidently thinks they are this season's DJ must have. The latest bit of kit to get the manual-input makeover? Its NS7 II Serato DJ controller. The second iteration of its motorized-platter DJ tool lands augmented with 16 "MPC-style" pads. Of course, when you are part of the same corporation that also makes the MPC, swinging these sort of add-ons must be a little easier. Those pads will be assignable to a host of features (cues, loop, roll, sampler, and slicer) in the Serato DJ software (sadly not ready for a demo with the hardware at this time). Of course, the NS7 II is all MIDI compatible, so if your software of choice is something else, then you are free to map and a buse as you wish. That's not all, you might notice in the picture above that the pads have some jazzy colors going on. They are have RGB illumination which can be set and customized to your choice by MIDI data. It's not all about the pads though. Numark has also added touch functionality to a lot of the rotaries. So, if you have one set to control a filter, you can just tap the tip of the control to trigger it on / off. The last of the big news is that with the NS7 II, you can also control four virtual decks. A nice addition for the fast-fingered DJs out there. We ran into the device on the show floor and spent some time with it. Head past the break for more.

Gallery: Numark NS7 II hands-on

If you ever got your hands on the original NS7, you'll know that it is quite the machine. Big, heavy, covered in controls, and most famously, sporting fully motorized 7-inch platters. It's this curious mix of new and old methodology that pretty much sums up the Serato DJ software it is designed to work with. With the NS7 II, it's basically more of the same. The hardware is built like a tank, the platters feel authentic enough to bring back nostalgia (even if it's in smaller, 7-inch form). The MPC buttons look and feel great too. Intense mashing and finger / thumb abuse? These look more than capable at taking it by the bucket load. The color effect is pleasing to the eye. We're not sure how important it will be in real world application, but if you like to mark out your triggers and samples, this will let you do that. And what the heck, it just looks pretty sweet -- never a bad thing. As for the touch-enabled rotaries? Well, sadly we'll just have to imagine how they work, as there was no connected software for us to test them out. We're imagining it to be a handy feature, none the less. The same applies to the four deck functionality. We were unable to test it, but it's utilitarian enough that we welcome the addition. Each of the two hardware platters has a pair of buttons beneath it letting you switch between decks easily. These buttons are again, solid and firm, letting you get carried away without damaging your new pride and joy.

Prospective buyers will be pleased to know that as Numark has done before, the unit also contains a full independent mixer. This means you can plug in CDJs, turntables and more and bring them into your set without problem. That mixer is also somewhat larger this time around, thanks to the extra two channels it sports for the four decks. This also serves to enhance its chunky, no messin' look and feel. We'd love to have spent some time actually using it, but alas it wasn't to be. We did manage to grab some video of the hardware though, so head south to take a look of that, while we patiently wait for price and availability information.

Billy Steele contributed to this report.

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IK Multimedia iRig BlueBoard and iRig HD hands-on (video)

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Last year at CES, IK Multimedia unveiled its iRig Stomp as a foot switch controller for wrangling the outfit's Amplitube software for iOS. Here at NAMM though, the company has cast off the wired connection for the Bluetooth-sporting iRig BlueBoard MIDI foot pedal. In addition to managing presets sans cables, the device can access four effects / amp modeling combos via backlit selectors without the need to swipe the screen of your iPhone or iPad. The gadget is AAA battery powered and there's no power adapter or in-built power pack. It's a bit of a bummer that the BlueBoard isn't rechargeable, but then again, a lot of guitar pedals and stompboxes are either battery or adapter powered. Two 1/4-inch jacks fare along for the ride in case you need to add on volume or expression pedals to the $99 rig that's set to arrive in Q2.

During our visit, we also took a look at the recently announced iRig HD guitar connector. The next-gen version of the original iRig touts higher quality sound (as the moniker suggests) and now connects via 30-pin or Lightning port for use with a mobile device or via USB for laptops and such. There's also a input level adjustment on the side in a form factor that resembles the Apogee Jam -- albeit with different connectors. Even with the help of headphones it was hard to tell just how good the captures were thanks to the painfully noisy show floor. However, in our brief time with the setup it worked like a charm for handling our feeble attempts at a few Taking Back Sunday riffs. Hop down past the break for a quick tour of the duo.

Gallery: IK Multimedia BlueBoard and iRig HD hands-on

James Trew contributed to this report.

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PDJ Portable Disc Jockey is a complete DJ system that fits in your pocket, we go hands-on (video)

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PDJ Portable Disc Jockey is a complete DJ system that fits in your pocket, we go hands-on (video)

We'll forgive the extremely nice folk behind the PDJ when they claim to have the first fully self-contained portable DJ set-up. But that's not to say that there is nothing new here -- in fact there's plenty. The PDJ is a rectangular slab of refreshing creative optimism. On each end is a touchscreen display that shows a virtual turntable, and in the middle is a small mixing and FX section. So, already the PDJ will be familiar in set-up to any DJ who picks it up (something the Pacemaker couldn't claim with its proprietary interface). The mixer section has rotaries for volume, FX and additional functions (more on this later). The most important thing, however, is the onboard audio interface which crucially means you can monitor in headphones before unleashing your mix onto the world. This sets it apart from pretty much every other mobile app out there that, at best, requires you to use an audio splitter (to the detriment of your sound). Of course, you're going to need some music to play, and there's 2GB of internal storage to let you do just that. If that's not enough, or you want to load up your latest jams right away, there's an SD card slot to let you do just that (up to 32GB). Beyond headphones, there's a line out for connecting it to a sound system, and a line in and microphone jack for adding external sound to the set. The brochure claims it offers 12 hours of battery life too -- rechargeable by mini USB. On the software side, the two virtual turntables respond to touch, and button controls (for cue / play / pause). In addition to the virtual turntable, there are also sample player and one-shot screens. We got out paws on the PDJ here at NAMM, so fade past the break for our impressions.

Gallery: PDJ Portable DJ system hands-on

At about 286 grams, the PDJ is light to hold, but sits in the hand comfortably. Your thumbs naturally find their place hovering above the virtual decks, but the unit it plenty light enough that you can hold it with one hand, while using the other for more dexterous performance manoeuvres. The rotaries and crossfader in the middle section are plastic, but feel solid enough. This is, after all, a lightweight portable device. The LCD touchscreens let you get hands on with your music, as DJs are wont to do, and it's responsive and intuitive enough. Thankfully, most of the key functions (cue, volume, fade, loops etc) have hardware controls too. To reach the extra functionality (more in depth EQ, sample player and so on) you swipe the screen to the left or right accordingly to bring up the relevant screen. It's in these cases when the dual-mode (rotate and click) Function A/B rotaries come in handy, and the interface for controlling these extra tricks is surprisingly natural / responsive.

The PDJ makes the usual claims about being able to scratch and so on. And you can. But as with all these smaller, touch-digital devices, it's more of a party trick than anything else. No biggie though, as the meatier features are the beat sequence and music-pad sections. These let you bring your own audio into your set, trigger samples and build beats and jams on the fly -- much more suitable to a digital device such as this. While we only spent a short time with the PDJ, it's easily one of the most fun devices that we've seen here at NAMM. Purists might malign the constant attempts to shrink and gameify DJing, but we say you're thinking about it too much. Throw one of these in your bag, and the next time you're on the train and want to mix in headphones, or find yourself at a party, the PDJ will suddenly make a lot more sense. How much and when you say? Well expect to pay about $600 for the privilege sometime around late spring or summer.

Billy Steele contributed to this report.

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Apogee One for iOS and Mac hands-on

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Apogee One for iOS and Mac handson

Apogee strolled into NAMM with a trio of audio interfaces newly outfitted for both iOS and Mac. While the Duet and Quartet are certainly formidable pieces of recording kit, the more compact Apogee One caught our eye for its dual capture ability without adding too much heft to the ol' backpack. The unit accepts input from a built-in mic and either a XLR or 1/4-inch analog input -- both of which connect via a two-headed Y-cable. From there, the One connects to a power supply and either your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch or Apple computer of choice for that dual-tracking capture. After seeing the device up close and spending a few minutes handling it, our main gripe remains the lack of a Lightning connection. Sure it's great that we can outfit our iDevices, but we'd love to see an included cable for the latest port to come out of Cupertino rather having to locate an adapter.

Without being able to capture a solid vocal track on the bustling show floor here at NAMM, we unfortunately can't speak to the quality of that on-board condenser microphone. However, the One seemed to handle guitar licks quite well when recorded with GarageBand on an iPad mini. As we've mentioned before, the outfit has also outed its Maestro app for low-latency monitoring and a bit more control over how matters progress. Aside from all of that, the gadget sports a similar dial knob to that of the original release for selecting functions and controlling input / output levels with dual LED stacks for a visual indicator of said signals. The One wields the same solid build quality that we've come to expect from Apogee based on a few of the other products we've spent extended time with. For a quick walkthrough, take a look at the video that lies beyond the break.

Gallery: Apogee One for iOS and Mac hands-on

Update: Apogee has passed along the info via the comments below that a Lightning cable is on the way in Q2 and that users shouldn't experience any difference in performance with the adapter that they'll need in the meantime.

James Trew contributed to this report.

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Visionary Instruments intros the Robocaster MIDI hybrid guitar, we go ears-on (video)

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Visionary Instruments intros the Robocaster MIDI hybrid guitar, we go ears-on (video)

Visionary instruments has been tinkering with the not-so-humble guitar for a long time now. The latest offering is the Robocaster MIDI guitar. As you can see from the picture above (or gallery below) the Robocaster offers some features you might not find on your average axe. Those arcade style buttons, the MPC style pad faders, touch-strips and digital whammy-bar send out MIDI data to the software of your choice. The set-up at NAMM had the Robocaster routing through Ableton Live, meaning that effects such as gating, filters -- or essentially anything -- can be lavished on your playing in real-time. The guitar is customized by hand, and make use of our good friend arduino. As Visionary Instruments has been modding guitars for a while, it's no surprise that the finish and build quality looked and felt excellent. The additional controls sit snug in the body, and are designed to be easily accessible while playing. The Robocaster, despite being hand-made, will be ready for ordering within a week or so with an estimated price somewhere around $2,799. That said, if orders or interest are sufficient, the could be scope for a full production run, coming in at a lower price. Want to make this happen? Check out the firm's website and get your order in. Just want to know how it sounds? Better get on the video after the break.

Gallery: Visionary Guitars Robocaster hands-on

Billy Steele contributed to this report.

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Roland Cube Lite mini amplifier allows you to control guitar licks, aux input independently (video)

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Roland Cube Lite mini amplifier allows you to control guitar licks, aux input independently video

At the start of NAMM 2013, Roland announced two new models in its Cube line and an iOS app to complete the trio. Both the Cube Lite and Cube Lite Monitor are on display in all of their dual-connecting glory, but we're far more interested in the former for its guitar amp wares. The 10W compact unit touts built-in JC Clean, Crunch and Extreme tones alongside Chorus and Reverb controls. We were pleasantly surprised with how well these on-board sounds came across at the strings of a Stratocaster during the booth demos we witnessed. Usually included presets can be really hit or miss, but these are quite serviceable -- especially in a portable unit. As you might expect, all of the usual controls are here including volume, treble, bass and drive and the requisite 1/4-inch input graces the backside. That's all quite nice, but the real story here is the iOS software and aux connectivity.

That iOS app, Cube Jam, allows you to record and play along with tunes from your iDevice and connects via the i-Cube Link stereo auxiliary input from the headphone jack of a slate or handset. We were a bit disappointed that the connection didn't come at the hands of a 30-pin jack or Lightning port, but overall the unit worked quite nicely in our limited time with it. The separate volume control for the aux port is quite nice and allows the user to adjust levels of the amp and the accompanying track independently to keep things just so. We'd surmize that you'd be able to connect an Android, BB10 or WP8 device for playback, if you're willing give up the Cube Jam software. Cube Lite also requires a tethered power supply and doesn't support Bluetooth connectivity like we saw on the iLoud from IK Multimedia. If you don't have a need for the guitar functionality, the Cube Lite Monitor wields the same 1/8-inch input, but offers stereo 1/4-inch jacks instead and tosses the in-built tones. Head on past the break for a quick tour and a closer look awaits in the gallery just below.

Gallery: Roland Cube Lite hands-on

James Trew contributed to this report.

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Source: Roland, iTunes

MIDI spans 30 years at NAMM with Commodore 64 and Animoog (video)

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MIDI spans 30 years at NAMM with Commodore 64 and Animoog (video)

You may have heard that the Musical Instrument Digital Interface protocol (aka MIDI) celebrates its 30th birthday this year. And where better than NAMM would the MIDI Manufacturer Association be able to fully demonstrate (and celebrate) the persevering protocol's coming of age? Part of the MMA's installation was a set-up destined to get geek hearts racing. A 1983 Commodore 64 connected to a Sequential Circuits Model 64 sequencer cartridge (with MIDI interface). From these vintage parts, the regular 5-pin MIDI cable heads out through the decades and into an IK Multimedia iRig MIDI, into an iPad, finally feeding its information into the Animoog app from equally longevous Moog. Watch old meet new in the gallery and video below.

Gallery: Commodore 64 and Animoog spans 30 years of MIDI (hands-on)

Billy Steele contributed to this report.

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Korg announces MS-20 mini, we go hands and ears-on (video)

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Korg announces MS-20 mini, we go hands and ears-on (video)

Korg has a string of classic sound-making machines that bear its name. One of the most well regarded would be the MS-20 analog synth that first landed in 1978. But that's no good to you right here in 2013 is it? Well, funnily enough, the kind folk at Korg realised this, and decided to relaunch it, updated for the modern musician. The MS-20 mini is, as you might surmise, a smaller version of the classic, measuring in at 86 percent the size of the original. It also looks like as much of the character that made the MS-20 sing to people's hearts has been carried over as possible. The mini was developed by the same engineers, has the same synthesis set up (two oscillators, ring modulation, VCA design etc) complete with manual cable-patching system (which is now 3.5mm rather than 1/4-inch). There is one modern addition, and that is a USB-MIDI jack around the back, letting you plug in to your favorite DAW / sequencing software through the more contemporary connection -- should you prefer that over the good old 5-pin MIDI (which is still an option). As we're right here at NAMM, we took a stroll over to the Korg booth to take a look for ourselves. Head past the break to see / hear more.

Undoubtedly, the MS-20 mini looks like the real deal. Although smaller second time around, it's still a good size, and big enough for competent keyboard players to do their thing. The knobs and pots felt surprisingly plasticky, but the rest of the machine seems robust and well made. It's hard not to get sucked in to the whole vintage detail, especially the patch bay on the right hand side. The action on the keys feels good and responsive, and those dials should be able to take some vigorous use -- ideal for live performances. The sound it generates will definitely please fans of analog synths, and we even caught Deadmau5 making an appearance at the booth to check it out. So, if you'd like to upgrade from that iPad app version, to the real deal, you should be able to do so in spring, for an expected $599. Want to hear how it sounds? Jump on the video below for the quick demo. Full press release comes after that.

Show full PR text

Korg USA Announces MS-20 mini - Korg's classic MS-20 is recreated in mini size -

WINTER NAMM, ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA, January 24th, 2013 - Korg's MS-20 monophonic synthesizer, first introduced in 1978, is still coveted to this day for its thick, robust sound, powerful, iconic analog filter, and versatile patching options. It has now been reborn in hardware, as the new MS-20 mini. The same engineers who developed the original MS-20 have perfectly reproduced it in a body that's been shrunk to 86% of the original size, yet retains the distinctive look of the original.

The MS-20 Mini offers the same distinctive synthesis that made the original MS-20 popular: two oscillators with ring modulation, and envelope generators with delay and hold. The VCA (Voltage Controlled Amp) maintains the original basic design, but it's been modified to produce less noise. Particular attention has also been paid to delivering smooth parameter adjustments, which are a distinctive feature of analog synthesizers. Special care was also taken to completely reproduce the original specifications of the MS-20, to deliver the same powerful sound, from deep, growling basses to crisp, rounded leads.

One of the most well-known - and still most sought after - characteristics of the original MS-20 was its powerful filters, which provided both high-pass and low-pass with peak/resonance. Maximizing the peak/resonance would cause the filter to self-oscillate; producing a distinctive and dramatic tonal change that was acclaimed as inimitable, and was used many years later on Korg's monotron and monotribe. The filter circuit was changed mid-way through the production lifecycle of the MS-20; the MS-20 mini uses the earlier filter, which was felt to be superior due to its more radical sound.
The ESP (External Signal Processor) functionality carries on the experimental spirit of MS-20, allowing users to utilize the pitch or volume of an external audio source to control the synthesizer. For example, an electric guitar can be used as an input signal, and the MS-20 mini can be used as a guitar synthesizer, or the mic input can allow it to be used it as a vocal synthesizer.

The patching system enables the creation of complex sounds by allowing the rerouting of both modulation and audio (both the internal oscillators and external audio). Different combinations of the modulation input/output and trigger, sample and hold, and noise generator can produce an incredible variety of sounds. By patching according to the MS-20 flow chart printed on the panel, musicians of all levels can take advantage of these possibilities right away.

To make it even more approachable, the MS-20 mini has been shrunk to 86% of the size of the original, with meticulous care taken to accurately reproduce the knob design and the printing. The patch cables have been changed from 1/4" phone plugs to mini-plugs, and the newly- designed keyboard is also 86% of the original size.

The MS-20 mini is equipped with a MIDI IN jack for receiving note messages, and a USB-MIDI connector that can transmit and receive note messages. Users can also connect the MS20 mini to a computer and play it from an external sequencer.

For added authenticity, the MS-20 mini packaging replicates much of the original. Also included are the original MS-20 owner's manual and settings chart.

Billy Steele contributed to this report.

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We’re live from NAMM 2013 in Anaheim, California!

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We're live from NAMM 2013 in Anaheim, California!

It's been just over a week since we departed chilly Las Vegas, and now we've descended on the much warmer Golden State for the music industry's annual winter gathering. That's right, we're here in Anaheim, California for NAMM 2013 to fondle all the latest musical gadgets and attempt to make it through the week with our eardrums still intact. For keeping up with all of the happenings, be sure to take a gander here for all of the latest newsy bits and hands-ons that we'll encounter over the next few days.

Check out our full coverage of NAMM 2013 at our event hub!

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