Anaheim, CA (January 17, 2020)—Every year, the MI field—and now increasingly the pro-audio industry—descends on the NAMM Show 2020 in Anaheim, CA. Day One of the show was an eye-popping, ear-opening, foot-busting trek through a whirlwind of new product introductions and updates. Here’s just some of what we saw!
James Gordon, CEO of Audiotonix, with the DiGiCo Quantum 338 console, which sports 128 inputs, 64 outputs, 64 nodal processors, 35 mustard processing, 8 spice rack, 6 MADI ports, 2 DMI ports, and more.
The L-Acoustics Kara II loudspeaker, on display at NAMM.
EVO by Audient is the company’s new interface brand aimed at podcasters, musicians and gamers. USB-powered, they both feature SmartGain—that green button, which sets gain with a tap. EVO 4 (4 channels) is $129, due Q1; EVO 8 (8 channels) is $199, due Q2.
Focusrite Pro is unveiling the Focusrite ISA ADN8 is an optional A-D card for the ISA 828 MkII and ISA 428 MkII. It provides ADAT Optical, AES3 and Dante connectivity at rates up to 24-bit/192kHz.
Brad Divens, FOH engineer for everyone from Enrique Iglesias to Motley Crue, is holding one of his trademark FixinToGetMixin educational sessions here at NAMM—and it’s a packed house!
Matt McGlynn, founder of Roswell Pro Audio, is showing the new Mini k87 (left), a partner to the popular Mini k47. It keeps the form factor & price of the k47 while offering a more neutral, uncolored sound—sort of a mini U87, if you will.
Rob D’Amico, director of Product Marketing, Audio/Video for Avid, pauses with the new Pro Tools | MTRX Studio, an all-in-one I/O, routing and monitoring solution coming soon.
At NAMM, Electro-Voice is launching its new Evolve 30M portable PA, which has an 8-ch digital mixer, onboard effects, and remote control of all of it via phone app. It’s filling this cavernous demo room easily.
Audio-Technica has added a network port to its 3000 Series UHF Wireless Systems, making them compatible with its proprietary Wireless Manager software, which allows remote configuration, control, monitoring, spectrum management and frequency coordination of compatible A-T devices.
Top mastering engineer Piper Payne is sharing insights at the Waves booth here at the NAMM Show.
Ashly Audio has gone into the speaker business, with its AW Series on-wall speakers (top of photo) and IS Series Column Speakers and SP Subwoofer. The AW Series is intended for indoor/outdoor use in restaurants, poolside and so on, while the IS Series is aimed at corporate events and the like. If installed, 32 IS speakers can be powered by a single Ashly nXp amplifier.
Focusrite CEO Tim Carroll discussed the company’s history and philosophy and what’s happening with all its brands, from its recent acquisition of Martin Audio, to new Focusrite Pro products to Novation launching Launchpad Pro MK3.
Legendary recording engineer Elliot Scheiner (right) was presented with a dCS Legends Award by Jesse Luna, dCS sales manager, Americas, at the AES Academy here at the NAMM Show.
Cloud Microphones has been showing off its recently released Cloudlifter ZX2, which aims to add console character and presence to a microphone’s signal before processing.
Auralex Acoustics’ Vintage Series VTD-4A Vacuum Tube DI isn’t quite official yet, but it is quietly on display at the company’s booth, so you do the math. Intended for recording and live sound, the hand-assembled unit offers buffered ¼” output and Jensen JT-DB-E driven XLR output.
Spotted outside the massive JBL/AKG Mobile Studio is pro industry veteran Brian Divine, who earlier this week, was promoted to become the division president of Harman Professional Solutions.
Speaking of JBL, KLOS radio personality Christian James Hand (at table in green) and producer Evil Joe Barresi (at table in brown) packed the JBL booth as they took apart Avenged Sevenfold stems. Hand will be at it again on Friday and Saturday, exploring everything from Neil Peart drum parts to the Doors’ “LA Woman” with Robbie Krieger and engineer Bruce Botnick.
The SSL booth has been busy throughout the show, with crowds coming to see the recently released Origin desk.
