All posts by JenThorpe

Technics Announces the SL-1200MK7 S DJ-Turntable



Technics unveiled the new SL-1200MK7-S Direct Drive Turntable. In keeping with SL-1200 tradition of past decades and in response to recent inquiries, Technics are pleased to add a silver version. The new model inherits the same features and operational comfort as the SL-1200MK7, which was introduced in January 2019 and has since gained huge success among the Pro DJ community worldwide.

In terms of technology and functionality, the new SL-1200MK7-S will offer the same feature package:

  • Coreless direct drive motor achieving stable rotation with high torque and freedom from cogging
  • Highly sensitive, yet robust tonearm accurately reads the signal stored in the record groove
  • Two-layer platter construction with improved footings for thorough elimination of acoustical and mechanical vibrations
  • Starting torque/brake speed adjustment function
  • Pitch control function enables accurate flexibility of DJ styles
  • Stylus illuminator featuring a high-brightness and long life LED
  • The SL-1200MKS-S will be available in early summer 2021.

About the Technics 1200 Series:

The SL-1200 was launched as a popular direct drive turntable in 1972, becoming a best-selling model with cumulative sales of 3,500,000 units for the series. It was supported by powerful torque, easy operation, and high durability. It became greatly admired by both audio enthusiasts and DJs who helped to unleash the DJ culture in areas such as electronic dance music. The series is still highly acclaimed by DJs worldwide today.


Fujifilm Earns iF Design Awards for 23 Products



Fujifilm Corporation announced that 23 of its products in various business fields including the instax series of instant cameras, the X series of digital cameras and endoscopic diagnosis support function CAD EYE have been awarded the iF Design Award 2021, sponsored by the IF International Forum Design (Hannover, Germany).

Fujifilm sets its highest record with 23 products winning the prestigious award in recognition of not only the products’ beautiful appearance but also their design that achieves advanced performance and excellent operability.

The iF Design Award is a prestigious international design award launched in 1953, and is considered one of the top three global design awards, alongside “Red Dot Design Award” in Germany and “the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA)” in the United States. This year, there were 9,509 entries from 52 countries and regions around the world.

In developing all of its products and services, Fujifilm not only pursues functionality and performance, but also strives to develop designs that bring out the best of the advanced functionality and performance. Fujifilm will continue to work on creating design that has beautiful appearance and reflects commitment to offering operability for ease of use and comfort, thereby creating new product values.

With attention to design excellence as one of the product values, Fujifilm will continue to develop superior products, encouraged by the honor of having many products chosen for the iF Design Award.

Some of the FujiFilm products that won the award are:

  • Mirrorless digital camera “FUJIFILM X-T4”
  • Mirrorless digital camera “FUJIFILM X-S10”
  • Mirrorless digital camera “FUJIFILM X-T200”
  • Digital camera function “Film Simulation”
  • Interchangeable lens for X series digital cameras “FUJINON Lens XC35mmF2”
  • Interchangeable lens for X series digital cameras “FUJINON Lens XF8-16mmF2.8 LM WR”
  • Interchangeable lens for X series digital cameras “FUJINON Lens XF50mmF1.0 WR”
  • Interchangeable lens for GFX series digital cameras “FUJINON Lens GFmmF3.5 WR”
  • Interchangeable lens for GFX series digital cameras “FUJINON Lens GF100-200mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR”
  • Ultra-short throw projector “FUJIFILM PROJECTOR Z8000”
  • 4K-compatible broadcast zoom lens “FUJINON UA107x8.4BESM AF”
  • 4k-compatible broadcast zoom lens “FUJINON UA24x7.8BERD S6B”
  • Focus position demand unit “FUJINON EPD-51A-D02/F02”
  • Zoom lens for cinema cameras “FUJINON Premista19-45mmT2.9”

Fender Unveils 3rd Annual “Fender Next” Class



Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) today announced the 2021 class of artists joining Fender Next, an artist development program designed to elevate rising musicians that are pushing guitar forward in music and culture. Each Fender Next artist will receive Fender’s industry-leading guitars, amps, and more, alongside holistic, 360-marketing support across the company’s multi-channel platform to share their story and connect them with millions of music fans worldwide.

2021 marks Fender’s 75th anniversary and another historical year of supporting artists who push guitar and music forward. The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically impacted how artists connect with new and existing fans due to postponed tours and performances. With heightened visibility via the Fender social channels, Fender Next artists are able to reach nine million music fans around the world and showcase their unique sound to new audiences.

This year’s Fender Next group includes 25 rising artists (10 North American, 3 Australian/New Zealand, 7 European, 3 Asian, 2 Latin American artists) across genres, generations, genders and backgrounds that are elevating guitar in music and culture. A testament to the diverse and dynamic future of guitar, this year’s group is more than 50% women with 7 countries and 5 continents represented.

Benefits include:

  • Access to guitars, amps, effects pedals, accessories and audio equipment serving artist needs across the signal chain.
  • Products will include: American Acoustasonic series models, American Professional II guitars and basses, Mustang Micro personal guitar amplifier, effects pedals, Fender swag and other soon-to-be-announced instruments.

To see the full list of the artists that are part of Fender Next 2021, visit the Fender press release. You can click on any of the artists to find out more information about them.


Fujifilm to Launch FUJINON Lens XF18mmF1.4 R LW WR



Fujifilm announces the launch of the “FUJINON Lens XF18mmF1.4 R LM WR” in late May, 2021. It will be a new addition to the lineup of interchangeable XF lenses designed for X Series of mirrorless digital cameras, known for their compact and lightweight design and outstanding image quality based on Fujifilm’s proprietary color reproduction technology.

With its wide-angle focal length of 18mm (equivalent to 27mm in the 35mm film format), the XF18mmF1.4 R LM WR can not only capture a landscape in a natural sense of perspective but also snapshots that close in on a main subject while keeping the vast background in the frame. The lens can capture even the finest details of a small subject in the background, as well as the atmosphere of the scene. The ability to shoot close-ups with the minimum working distance of just 11cm from the front lens element facilitates tabletop photography, close-up of foods set up on a table. These options make this lens truly versatile, accommodating a wide range of scenes.

Another feature is the Inner Focus system, which uses a linear motor to drive the focus lens group, to achieve quiet and highly accurate AF in a speed as fast as 0.04 seconds, ensuring that users do not miss a decisive photo opportunity.

Fujifilm will continue to add to the “large-diameter prime” series of lenses with astonishing description, including the popular large-diameter mid telephoto prime lens “FUJINON Lens XF50mmF1.0 R WR” and the latest XF18mmF1.4 R LM WR, to further broaden the enjoyment of photography using mirrorless digital cameras.

Product Features:

Advanced resolution and maximum aperture of F1.4

The lens consists of 15 lens elements, including three aspherical elements and one ED element, in nine groups to effectively control chromatic abberation and comatic aberration. The focus lens group of six elements is driven together to reduce fluctuation of aberrations to achieve edge-to-edge sharpness.

The use of large-diameter lens elements provides the maximum aperture of F1.4. The resulting light-gathering ability allows users to take high-quality pictures with minimal camera shake and digital noise even in low light conditions such as nightscape. The aperture also provides shallow depth of field to produce creamy bokeh in the background.

Wide-angle prime lens for a variety of shooting situations

With its wide-angle focal length of 18mm (equivalent to 27mm in the 35mm film format), this lens can not only capture landscape in a natural sense of perspective but also snapshots that close in on a main subject while keeping vast background in the frame. The lens can record even the finest details of a small subject in the background, as well as capturing atmosphere of the scene. The ability to shoot close-ups with the minimum working distance of just 11cm from the front lens element facilitates tabletop photography such as close-up of foods set up on a table. These options make this lens truly versatile, accommodating a wide range of scenes.

Quiet, fast and highly accurate AF

The lens uses the Inner Focus system, which drives the focus lens group with a linear motor. The focus lens group only travels up to approx. 2.5mm, enabling silent and highly accurate AF that attains focus in as fast as 0.04 seconds. The lens can also autofocus in as fast as 0.25 seconds even when shifting focus from the minimum object distance of 20cm to infinity, ensuring that users do not miss a decisive photo opportunity.

Advanced practicality on compact and highly robust design:

The thickness of the metal lens barrel is controlled optimally to keep the lens weight to 370g, while the use of unique optical technology has reduced lens dimensions to 75.6mm in length and 62mm in filter thread size. Despite the compact design, the lens is highly robust and exceptionally portable.

The lens barrel is weather-sealed in nine points so that it is dust and weather resistant and can be used in temperatures as low as -10℃. This lens enables users to continue shooting in light rain, in a dusty place or at low temperatures such as for astrophotography in winter.

Advanced precision in detecting the rotation of the focus ring ensures the subtlest of fingertip movements is detected for precise focusing.

The A (auto) Position Lock offers reliable operation, locking the aperture ring in place to avoid any unintentional adjustment during shooting.


Roland F701 Digital Piano Wins Red Dot Award



Roland, a leading manufacturer of electronic musical instruments and professional video products, announced that the Roland F701 Digital Piano, the most compact of Roland’s upright pianos, has won a Red Dot Design Awards: Product Design 2021 for its soft, inviting design and commanding performance.

As one of the largest, oldest, and most respected design competition in the world, the Red Dot Design Award has provided a platform for designers and companies to assess and praise exceptional design for more than 60 years. The Red Dot Awards have now honored Roland with accolades for product design three times since 2017. Previous winners include LX700 series and FP-90.

As the most compact of all of Roland’s upright pianos, the F701 is an ideal piano for learning at home – especially for those who appreciate understated looks. Designed to complement modern room styles, the F701 resembles a sleek sideboard cabinet, with white or light oak color options, it blends naturally with a wide range of decor. And thanks to its compact size this is a piano that fits easily in smaller spaces.

The F701 epitomizes Roland’s soft and inviting design language. Its profile is simple, slim, and subtle, with rounded corners and a lid that slides over the keys when not in use. Even the rear-view appeals, with neatly arranged connections that allow the piano to face any direction without unsightly wires.

Although small in size, the F701’s performance is commanding. Roland’s SuperNATURAL sound and PHA-4 Standard keyboard – featuring hammer action, escapement, and ivory-feel white keys – all react to the subtlest touch, for a truly inspiring playing experience. And with an easy-to read, icon-driven display, onboard practice features, and Bluetooth connectivity for exploring an exciting world of apps, the F701 is the perfect instrument for learning to play.

The Red Dot Jury compromises 50 international experts who test, discuss, and evaluate each entry individually based on judging criteria adapted to new technical, social economic, and ecological requirements such as innovation, functionality, quality, durability, and ecological compatibility, among others.


Canon Announces Professional Full-Frame EOS R3 Mirrorless Camera



Cannon announced that its parent company, Canon Inc., is developing a new, high-performance professional camera – the Canon EOS R3, When it arrives, the EOS R3 will be an outstanding complement to the three new RF lenses the company also introduced – The Canon RF 100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM, RF 400mm F2.8 L IS USM, and RF600mm F4 L IS USM.

Under Development – The Canon EOS R3

The Canon EOS R3 will join the current lineup of EOS R full-frame mirrorless series cameras. This camera will usher in a new category to the EOS R system, positioned squarely between the EOS R5 and EOS-1D X Mark III cameras. The camera will put great emphasis on superb AF performance and speed, with fast-moving subjects. It is being designed to meet the reliability and durability demands of professionals, even when working in challenging conditions.

At the heart of the EOS R3 camera’s performance will be an EOS camera first, a Canon-developed, full-framed staked CMOS sensor with a back-illuminated design, providing substantially faster read-out speeds during still-imagining recording. This completely new sensor is designed to produce less “rolling shutter” distortion during Electronic Shutter operation and offer continuous Electronic Shutter still-image shooting at speeds up to 30-fps – with full Dual Pixel CMOS AF and auto exposure.

The AF system will leverage technology and performance from the well-received EOS R5 and EOS R6 cameras, using Deep Learning technology to further enhance eye and body detection for even better performance during portrait and action-type shooting. In addition, the EOS R3’s subject detection AF will offer new recognizable subjects for its AF system, bolstering its focusing capabilities during challenging shooting conditions.

The Electronic Viewfinder of the EOS R3 will offer photographers the ability to select the initial area for AF tracking by simply looking directly at the viewfinder location where they want to begin AF. With Eye Control, AF2 and Servo AF activated, the camera will focus on and track moving subjects at that location in the frame. When Face Detect + Tracking is active, the camera will continue to follow moving subjects around the entire active AF area.

To follow along with more news on the Canon EOS R3 camera, please visit: www.usa.canon.com/eosr3


Eventide Introduced the UltraTap Pedal



Eventide introduced the UltraTap pedal. It was originally announced on a Live Stream Event on April 13, 2021. The UltraTap pedal provides “a multiverse of tone.”

UltraTap is a unique multi-tap effect pedal capable of rhythmic delays, glitchy reverbs, huge pad-like volume swells, and extraordinary modulation. It’s the perfect tool for staccato leads, swelling chords, and other evolving effects – everything from reversed reverbs to the sound of ripping it up in the Grand Canyon!

Think of UltraTap as the mother of all Echoplexes and you won’t be too far off. That’s basically how it operates but with the flexibility to add as many ‘tape heads’ as you want and expressively control their positions and levels.

UltraTap’s controls make possible new and unexpected effects. The controls that you would expect in a multi-tap delay pedal – Number of Taps, Delay and Feedback – are just the basics. Controls for Spread, Slurm, and Chop open up a new world of possibilities.

Features:

  • Control the stereo image of taps to alternate between hard-panned and mono.
  • Five presets loaded at your feet with dozens more available with Eventide Device Manager (EDM) software.
  • Dual-action Active Footswitch is latching or momentary.
  • Onboard LFOs and envelopes to chop the sound source into stuttered rhythms.
  • Real panel Guitar/Line Level switch for matching levels of guitars, synths, FX loops, or DAW interface.
  • Map any combination of parameters to an Expression Pedal.
  • Use a single Aux switch Tap Tempo or a triple Aux switch for easy preset changing (up/down/load).
  • MIDI capability over TRS (use with a MIDI to TRS cable or converter box) or USB.
  • Multiple Bypass options: Buffered, Relay, DSP+FX, or Kill dry.
  • Catch-up mode helps dial in your sound when toggling between presets/parameters.
  • Eventide Device Manger PC or Mac application for software updates, system settings, and creating/saving presets.

iZotope has a Spring Into Savings Sale



iZotope announced a Spring Into Savings Sale. It includes savings on RX Standard Upgrade, RX 8 Advanced Upgrade, and RX Post Production Suite 5 Upgrade.

Join thousands of industry professionals who are restoring their audio with the intelligent, time-saving tools in RX 8, and save up to 26% on the latest in audio-repair technology when you upgrade to RX Post Production Suite 5 today.

RX Post Production Suite 5 is the flagship of the RX line and features iZotope’s most powerful tools for audio post production – RX 8 Advanced, Dialogue Match, Neutron 3, Nectar 3, and more. RX Post Production Suite 5 is currently on sale at $1,399 (was $1,870.00)

It includes:

RX 8 Advanced
Nector Elements
Tonal Balance Control 2
RX Loudness Control
Dialogue Match
Neutron Elements
Stratus 3D by Exponential Audio
Insight 2

RX 8 Standard Upgrade is the audio repair toolkit used on countless albums, movies, and TV shows to restore damaged, noisy audio to pristine condition. RX 8 Standard Upgrade is currently $299 (was $399.00).

It includes:
Music Rebalance [Improved]
De-bleed
Breath Control
Repair Assistant
De-reverb
Guitar de-noise [New]
Loudness Control [Improved]
Batch Processor [Improved]

RX 8 Advanced Upgrade is designed specifically for the demanding needs of post production professionals. RX 8 Advanced continues to be the industry standard audio repair tool used on movies and TV show to restore damaged, noisy audio to pristine condition. It is currently $799 (was $1,070.00)

It includes:
Dialogue Contour
Dialogue Isolate
De-rustle
Dialogue De-reverb
Variable Time & Variable Pitch
Ambience Match
Spectral Recovery [New]
Wow & Flutter [New]
Loudness Control [Improved]
Batch Processor [Improved]


iZotope Announced Spire Studio Second Generation



iZotope announced Spire Studio (2nd generation.) It is priced at $499 USD, and a free trial is available.

Spire Studio is back…and better than ever. Now is your chance to change the way you capture audio so you can record anywhere, whenever inspiration strikes. Don’t waste time learning complicated DAW workflows or booking expensive studio time to bring your vision to reality.

Spire Studio wirelessly connects you to a full array of recording, mixing, and sharing tools with built-in intelligent audio processing and connection to the cloud-based Spire ecosystem.

What’s new in Spire Studio’s 2nd generation?

Includes a 6-month free trial to Spire Pro for iOS: As a member of Spire Pro, you’ll unlock full access to exclusive features and content to help you record pro-quality, release-ready music. Evolve your tracks with post-recording vocal effects powered by iZotope Nectar, noise removal tools born from iZotope RZ, and more.

New preamps offer a smoother, whisper-quiet sound: Better interference rejection and more volume with less distortion make your recordings sound crisp, clear, and professional.

Increased storage means more music: Never lose an idea again, with 8+ hours of recording time built right into Spire Studio’s onboard storage. Stand-alone recording with the Spire app and Spire Pro is exclusively for iOS.

Spire Studio includes:

Intuitive control: Record with simple controls if your smartphone is out of reach.

Soundcheck: Press then start playing or singing to auto-set your levels and tone.

Onboard studio mic: Worry free placement with a 360° omnidirectional condenser mic.

Headphone out: 1/8” output to monitor while you record.

4+ hour battery life: Rechargeable battery lets you capture ideas anywhere.

Custom preamps: Pristine clarity from custom preamps, upgraded for better performance.

XLR & 1/4” instrument inputs: Plug in your mics and instruments to build songs with ease.

Phantom power: 48V to power your favorite condenser mics.

The Spire app for iOS and Spire Studio are compatible with 64-bit devices running iOS 13 or higher, including the following (and any newer iPad/iPhone models): iPhone 6s and newer, iPad Pro, iPad 5th generation and newer, iPad mini 4 and newer, iPad Air 2 and newer.

The Spire Studio Controller app for Android and Spire Studio are officially tested and supported on Samsung Galaxy S series phones from the S7 and above. At this time, iZotope is unaware of any issues on any devices running Android 8.0 or higher.


RØDE Announced New Beta Firmware for RØDECaster Pro



RØDE announced the public beta of the new RØDECaster Pro firmware is now available to download. It features MIDI control and more! The firmware update can be downloaded on the RØDECaster Pro website.

What’s New in Firmware Beta Version 2.1.2?

MIDI Control

The RØDECaster Pro can now be used as a USB MIDI controller, opening up a wide range of creative possibilities for podcasting and streaming, including DAW synchronization in multitrack recording sessions, vision switching capabilities, and much more.

New Sound Pad Modes

In addition to the Latch, Pause, Replay, Play and Loop modes, two new sound pad modes have been added – a “Swear Button” for bleeping out audio on the fly and a “Trash Talk” mode for muting the output to remote callers on the USB, smartphone, and Bluetooth channels.

ASIO Driver for Windows

This update includes an ASIO driver for ensuring a stable connection when using the RØDECaster Pro with DAWs such as Cubase and Adobe Audition on Windows computers. This can be downloaded separately from the RØDECaster Pro firmware page.

New Language Options

The RØDECaster Pro now offers a selection of languages for the LED touchscreen display, including Chinese, Spanish, German, Italian, French, Japanese, and Korean.