MEET THE WHOLE FAMILY
ICOA® SERIES
COAXIAL LOUDSPEAKERS AND BASS-REFLEX SUBWOOFERS
EDITOR
Lewis Noke Edwards
PUBLISHING DIRECTOR
Patrick Carr
DESIGNER
Kelly Lim
CONTRIBUTORS
Rob Gee, Paul Blomfield, Greg Long, Andy Lloyd-Russell, Christopher Hockey, Lewis Noke Edwards, Jake Fitzpatrick, Jamie Colic
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PUBLISHER Furst Media Pty Ltd
FOUNDER
Rob Furst
editor's Note
Making music is full of risks. We’ll be inspired by an idea and begin building and sculpting a song. While we shape sound, we never really know how it’ll land, or how close to our imagination it’ll come to fruition, the results can surprise us at either end of the spectrum. We can nail our idea, or we can be shocked by how the sounds sum and mesh together, both in good ways and in ways that leave us feeling underwhelmed.
What’s most important of all is to forge ahead with your vision. As you build, often starting with a rhythm and adding melody, low end, counter melodies and leads, we’re really just hoping for the
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best along the way, and hoping the sounds we’re recording all work together.
It’s not until we add a bass guitar to big loud rock guitars that we realise the guitar tone was in fact just boisterous enough, the same as backing vocals help us to finally acknowledge how good our lead vocal is. Sparkly synths can be pretty, but thin, and that final low drone can fill them out. Adding one element at a time in production can often sound lacklustre until we’re close to the finish line. If I can offer one piece of advice as a fellow music maker, it’s this: trust the process and see it through. You might be surprised by the results.
Photo credit: Jake Zammit
GIVEAWAYS WIN A BREEDLOVE ECO-COLLECTION GUITAR!
Want to win your own Breedlove guitar? Made from sustainably-sourced exotic and native tonewoods. No clear-cut trees are used in these instruments. Breedlove uses salvaged and individually harvested timber and has deep relationships with responsible suppliers around the globe.
The Breedlove ECO Collection Discovery Series is a concert-sized body with African Mahogany back and sides and a Sitka Spruce top. Featuring 20 frets, Breedlove’s iconic asymmetrical headstock and a comfortable 25.3” scale length, this guitar would be a welcome addition to anyone’s collection!
Competition open to Australian residents only. Winner will be contacted via email and has 7 days to respond or the competition will be re-drawn. Please note: all giveaways are only available to our Australian readers. By entering, you agree to receive marketing collateral from Mixdown and competition partners. For more info, check out our privacy policy.
Entries close midnight Tuesday 26th November, 2024. Winner randomly drawn Wednesday 27th November.
Product News
AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU
Renowned international funk guitar maestro and 63rd Grammy nominee Cory Wong is celebrated for his unique playing style and unmistakable crisp tone. Known for his expressive technique, he’s been acclaimed across the globe by all audiences for his unique blend of energy and soul.
In 2022, Cory discovered the multi-functional Soul Press II pedal from Hotone and instantly fell in love. Since then, it has become his go-to pedal for live performances.
Now, two years later, the Hotone team has meticulously crafted the Wong Press, a pedal tailored specifically for Cory Wong. Building on the multi-functional design philosophy of the Soul Press series, this new pedal includes Cory’s custom requests: a signature blue and white color scheme, a customized volume pedal curve, an adjustable wah Q value range, and travel lights that indicate both pedal position and working mode.
Markbass shipping Little
Mark Rocker 58R
CMC MUSIC AUSTRALIA | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU
The success of Markbass’ Little Mark is driven by its versatile sound suitable for all styles of music.
The Little Mark is also an amp chosen by ROCK bassists, so Markbass decided to make a more aggressive version – adding custom designed and footswitchable drive circuitry for a wide range of onboard overdrive and distortion sounds – The Little Mark Rocker 58R.
Just like other heads in the 58R series, the LITTLE MARK ROCKER 58R’s new design features all the connections and controls on the front panel, keeping a clean rear panel with only power and speaker connectors – this offers optimal ergonomics making everything more practical, all in an ultralight, high build quality chassis for a super portable package.
Ernie Ball ships Flex Patch cable series
CMC MUSIC AUSTRALIA | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU
Following on the popularity of their Flex range of instrument cables Ernie Ball has launched Flex series patch cables.
Ernie Ball flex patch cables feature a highquality design made with superior components that are built to last. The single-conductor design provides crystal-clear tone, while the low-profile connectors and supreme flexibility allow for optimized pedalboard layout. Flex patch cables utilize 95% shielding to reject unwanted noise and preserve your signal, and the durable PVC jacket exterior ensures lasting performance.
Flex patch cables are available in 5 lengths from 3” to 24”, in singles,3-packs and multipacks, and in 3 colours – black, blue and purple.
• Optimized low-profile connector ideal for pedal boards
• 95% shielding for low noise
• Reliably clear signal with natural frequency response
• Roadworthy construction
• Flexible construction
• Limited Lifetime Warranty
Solid State Logic launches SSL 2 MKII and SSL 2+ MKII Audio Interfaces
AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU
Solid State Logic (SSL) proudly announces the launch of its MKII USB audio interfaces, the SSL 2 MKII and SSL 2+ MKII. Building on the success of their predecessors, the new MKIIs elevate USB-powered interface performance to new heights whilst adding features which help both professionals and those just starting their creative journey. Solid State Logic has remained at the forefront of music and audio production technology for over 50 years, and the new MKII USB audio interfaces are a testament to their heritage and understanding of what matters in music production.
The original SSL 2 / 2+ interfaces changed the music creation game, and the MKII promises to do the same with elevated performance and enhanced features, catering for both professionals and those just starting their creative journey.
Audio-Technica releases the AT-LP8X Semi-Automatic Direct Drive Turntable
TECHNICAL AUDIO GROUP | TAG.COM.AU
The Audio-Technica AT-LP8X’s semiautomatic operation raises the tonearm off the record and stops the motor at the end of a side, protecting the stylus from damage.
The highly anticipated new flagship turntable is its first-ever semi-automatic model. Representing Audio-Technica and their top-level record players, the AT-LP8x delivers exceptional sound, with features such as a VM95 Series cartridge (included), adjustable VTA (vertical tracking angle), a newly designed motor, and additional refinements.
The AT-LP8X features the already installed fan-favourite AT-VM95E Dual Magnet phono cartridge with an elliptical stylus for exceptional resolution, vivid stereo imaging, and flawless tracking. The cartridge is pre-mounted on AudioTechnica’s new AT-L10 removable headshell (also available separately for $99.95 AU RRP) for easy installation. The AT-VM95E is compatible with any VM95 Series replacement stylus.
Zaor range expands with the Maestro Tela
KOALA AUDIO | KOALAAUDIO.COM.AU/
Zaor are happy to announce the latest addition to the lineup of studio furniture: the Zaor Maestro Tela—an expandable AV Edit/Podcast Desk which comes with the new ZaorBit Triad Orbit accessory solution. Maestro Tela combines perfectly with Maestro Solo, 24, 36 models.
The Tela is there to complete the Maestro series with a practical or necessary centre part with desktop space for controllers, mixers and screens, flanked by Maestro Solo or 24 to give home to the analog arsenal and impress with a full blown studio setup.
Of course the Tela, which comes in 3 different sizes (40″, 50″ and 60″) also stands on his own, as a podcast station, broadcast desk, creative media hub, small but versatile: its acoustic surface minimises reflections, the armrest reduces strain due to long working hours, the elegant yet evocative design tells the story of creativity, and purpose.
M-Audio announce the Forty series monitors
ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU
Whether you’re laying down heavy beats, tracking powerful lead guitar riffs, or crafting euphoric electronic adventures, the Forty Sixty monitors are clever production partners.
Mix engineers are familiar with the importance of precision and clarity, and that’s exactly where the Forty Series delivers. With professional-grade Burr-Brown analogue-todigital conversion and DSP processing, you’ll hear every detail of your mix. These monitors create a clean and accurate representation of your sound, so you can make informed decisions and craft mixes that translate perfectly from car systems to club systems.
The M-Audio Forty Eighty isn’t just about hearing your music – it’s about experiencing it the way it was meant to be heard. Whether you’re
practicing your set or making a beat, your mix will sound tight and dynamic, giving you the confidence to push your mix to the max.
Sennheiser launch the MD 421 Kompakt – with a revised clip!
SENNHEISER | SENNHEISER.COM/EN-AU
Sennheiser launches the MD 421 Kompakt – an appropriately named, compact version of legendary all-rounders, the MD 421 and MD 421-II
Sound-wise, the MD 421 Kompakt delivers the same detailed and authentic reproduction of the sound source that the MD 421 and MD 421-II have become famous for. The microphone’s frequency response of 30 Hz to 17 kHz faithfully reproduces both high and low frequencies, with a bass tube ensuring an accurate and extended low-end response. The sound is rich and fullbodied, and incredibly clear and detailed at the same time.
The MD 421 Kompakt also provides effective feedback rejection and is able to handle exceptionally high sound pressure levels even in demanding environments.
Focusrite announce the new Scarlett 16i16, 18i16, and 18i20
FOCUSRITE | FOCUSRITE.COM
A giant leap for the world's most popular audio interface range, Scarlett's fourth generation debuted in 2023 with the Solo, 2i2, 4i4, Solo Studio, and 2i2 Studio.
Today, Focusrite announces a much anticipated expansion to the world’s best-selling range of audio interfaces, Scarlett. The three new additions, Scarlett 16i16, 18i16, and 18i20, complement the existing range with greater connectivity to meet the demands of the modern
project studio. Scarlett’s fourth generation introduced several major advances that build on Focusrite’s legacy in professional audio: best-in-class audio specifications, enhanced creative capability, powerful workflow tools, and more. The three new interfaces add more analogue inputs and outputs, front-panel monitor switching and mute control, S/PDIF and ADAT connectivity, additional headphone outputs, and a built-in talkback mic on Scarlett 18i20.
The latest from Wampler: the Mofetta Overdrive/ Distortion!
AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU
The Mofetta is a smooth yet fiery overdrive/ distortion pedal with MOSFET clipping for authentic tones.
The Wampler Mofetta Overdrive/ Distortion is Brian’s tribute to the MOSFETdriven magic of a 1990s classic - the MT10 MOSTORTION. A mainstay of countless top session players, the Mofetta honours the soul of that elusive yet classic circuit while revealing its untapped potential.
The Mofetta is a supercharged MOSTORTION, reborn and amplified that delivers the classic, amp-like overdrive, massive headroom, and versatile 3-band EQ that made the original so famous. Wampler wanted “more” and added a Texture Switch that introduces actual MOSFETs into the pedal's overdrive section for a bolder, more articulate tone. The Mofetta preserves everything you love about the early '90s legend with a powerful new Wampler dimension.
Product News
Sheeran Loopers announce the Sheeran Busker
ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU
Built for musicians looking to captivate audiences in public spaces, this all-in-one powerhouse of a PA speaker will not only broadcast your performance with precision and power but does away with a clunky arsenal of equipment, giving you the ultimate mobility and flexibility when performing.
While Ed Sheeran’s career has taken him from busking in British train stations to selling out stadiums worldwide, there is a universal throughline that any impassioned performer can relate to — share your music with the world, anywhere, anytime.
Powerful and Portable – thanks to 200W of raw sonic power, the Sheeran Special Edition Busker provides the highest calibre of audio reproduction in the portable speaker space. DSP processing and a built-in 3 channel mixer allows users to fine tune their live sound with professional precision.
Announcing the LD ANNY10: a portable battery powered PA with wireless options
LINK AUDIO | LINKAUDIO.COM.AU
LD Systems asarere in the business of amplifying sound, as well as energy, enthusiasm and passion, most recently with their ANNY10 system, a battery-powered, two-way speaker system.
ANNY is your sound solution for truly anywhere: whether in the city, in the garden, at gatherings, at sports events, at school and dance events, in bars, at parties, wherever you are, with ANNY you can provide professional sound and create unforgettable moments.
With an integrated 6-channel mixer, 3-band EQ, 5 application presets (MUSIC, LIVE, VOCAL, ECO, FLAT) and effects such as reverb & delay, it combines comprehensive features and outstanding sound quality in a compact and robust design. ANNY 10 impresses with its versatile connection options: two microphone/ line combo inputs, one stereo channel with 3.5mm jack (AUX) and RCA inputs as well as Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC codec.
PRS Guitars announce new SE Series guitars for 2025!
original PRS design first introduced in 1985. This semi-hollow version adds natural resonance and a vibrant, organic tone.
The SE T60E is beautifully appointed with abalone and figured maple accents. Additional high-quality features include a solid spruce top, ebony fretboard and bridge, bone nut and saddle, as well as PRS trademark bird inlays and headstock design. Ships with a high-quality hardshell case.
New range of
NATIONAL MUSIC | NATIONALMUSIC.COM.AU
Levinson Sceptre bring decades of experience building and repairing guitars to their new range, now in stock and available at National Music. Multiple body shapes, pickup configurations and finishes are available across their Arlington and Ventana range of guitars, being single cut and double cut respectively.
ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU
The SE Series from PRS offers world-class quality at an accessible price.
PRS Guitars have today announced new models into their ever-growing SE Series of guitars. Building on the back of some classic models, here’s a few of our favourites!
The PRS SE Custom 24 Semi-Hollow Piezo is a highly sophisticated and incredibly versatile instrument. A solid body guitar with a maple top, mahogany back, dual hum- buckers, and the patented PRS tremolo, the Custom 24 is the
The Arlington models are available with roasted hard rock maple necks, in either matching maple fretboards or Indian laurel. Built with a Wilkinson bridge and Levinson pickups, the Arlington is your go-to for everything from bright country twang to warm jazz and blues.
The Ventana has similar neck and fretboard options, but with three Levinson single coils, with a five way switch famous phasey tones, the middle pickup being reverse wound/reverse polarity. Various colours, finishes and pickup options are available now!
J. Rockett and Phil X team up for the PXO!
VOLTAGE MI | VOLTAGEMI.COM
The PXO was created as a live or studio tool. When J. Rockett sent Phil X the overdrive sample he found that it saved him in backline situations and provided him a drive that plays well with others.
The Phil X PXO is an overdrive/boost where you can select pre or post giving you variety in how you want to boost, EQ and overdrive. Featuring standard controls on the overdrive side such as Volume/Gain/Overdrive and EQ but on the boost side, you have a separate Tilt EQ that allows you to EQ with simplicity. You can experiment by cascading in a pre or post situation and experiment from there. The PXO has a lush, thick feel to the bottom end and a smooth top end that begs you to dig into the note.
Introducing the LR Baggs HiFi Duet
NATIONAL MUSIC | NATIONALMUSIC.COM.AU
Multi-miking is a common technique in the studio, so why not use that technique right at the source? Introducing the LR Baggs HiFi Duet!
A high-fidelity pickup + microphone mixing system, the LR Baggs HiFi Duet embodies the pinnacle of multi-source technology, combining our award-winning HiFi pickups with the groundbreaking Silo Microphone. This marks
a new era in acoustic guitar amplification, delivering unparalleled sonic excellence.
Using multiple sources to capture your acoustic guitar tonality, colour and resonance, the HiFi Duet amplifies the natural acoustic quality of your guitar, rather than the sterile, direct sound captured by some other acoustic guitar pickup systems.
The foundation of the HiFi Duet is a pair of non-intrusive bridge plate sensors that provide exceptional tone, balance, definition, and dynamics. The lightweight pickups and simplified peel-and-stick installation preserve the integrity of your guitar’s bridge plate.
Your new amp: the Amplified Nation Ampliphonix & Gain
GLADESVILLE GUITAR FACTORY | GUITARFACTORY.NET
We’re huge fans of Amplified Nation here at Mixdown, possibly none more so than of the Ampliphonix & Gain; a 50W EL34 powered monster. Perfect for pairing with a harmonically rich and dynamic guitar, the Ampliphonix & Gain augments and shapes your tone for the best results.
Featuring two independent channels for either American or British-style sounds, the Ampliphonix & Gain can be pushed to gritty, tube-y ecstasy or dialled back for rich, balanced and crisp clean sounds. Independent gain and reverb controls on both channels, the Ampliphonix & Gain has everything on offer and nothing lost tonally with premium build, the best components and a vintage aesthetic to boot!
The preamp section features 6V6 tubes. Simple controls for EQ, gain and volume let the tubes do the talkin’, keeping the control panel simple keeps the focus on the sound of the amp itself, sparkling highs available and bolstered low-end, providing weight and heft without adding mud or mess to your carefully crafted sound!
The Amplified Nation Ampliphonix & Gain also has an effects loop, and comes with a two-button footswitch toggle a clean boost on and off, or to switch between channels.
Finneas will be in the country twice in 2025!
FRONTIER TOURING | FRONTIERTOURING.COM
GRAMMY® and Academy Award-winning songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, FINNEAS is set to perform in Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne in January 2025, his first time since February 2023 where he headlined Laneway Festival and played sideshows in Melbourne and Sydney.
The tour comes in celebration of his highly anticipated sophomore album For Cryin’ Out Loud! (Interscope Records), due out Friday 4 October.
Tickets for the upcoming Australian and New Zealand dates will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday 2 October (4pm local time). Fans can sign up for early access to tickets via the Artist Presale – head to shop. finneasofficial.com. Mastercard cardholders have special access to presale tickets, with the Mastercard Presale starting Monday 30 September (3pm local) – check out priceless. com/music for details. Live Nation and Frontier Members presale starts Tuesday 1 October (1pm local time).
FINNEAS
speaks to his new
Acoustasonic,
solving problems and the role of the guitar in pop music
WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS
Finneas is a producer who’s playing a role in changing the face and sound of modern pop.
Along with luminaries and peers like Jack Antonoff (Taylor Swift, Lana Del Ray, Florence and the Machine) and Dan Nigro (Chappell Roan, Olivia Rodrigo), Finneas is changing the sound of pop music. He has produced and engineered Grammy-winning music for his sister Billie Eilish, as well as music for Halsey, Selena Gomez and Bruno Major.
Along with all this, Finneas is also a songwriter and musician, and now Fender signature Artist, in his own right. With a penchant for pushing the boundaries sonically, it’s no wonder Finneas was attracted to one of Fender’s more recent innovations: the Acoustasonic. The Fender Finneas Acoustasonic range is available now, in both USA and Player Series models. But as a player, producer, songwriter and more, how does Finneas define himself while switching between the hats of musician, songwriter, producer and more?
“I say I’m a musician if someone really doesn’t have any idea who I am at all,” he begins. “And then if they’re like ‘Oh what do you do in music?’, I say I’m a producer/songwriter, [they’re] probably the core to my identity.”
“If someone were so outside the realm of music that they’re like ‘What is that?’ I would say I record music for people, and I write songs with artists and I write songs for myself, so that’s the way I would explain it.”
We laugh for a moment about Finneas’ level of fame, where a lot of people would already know him, what he does, and what he’s done. My question of his definition of his own work is fleeting as he’s publicly known enough to not really have to explain that to most people.
“I’m so much less famous than Billie, it’s insane.” he jests. “She is so heavily saturated, in terms of her face on billboards and her music is so widely known that just her namesake is pretty famous. And I think by contrast if people know what I look like, they know what I do, right? People probably know my name more than my face and my work more than my name.”
Working with a huge range of artists must surely be taxing, but Finneas is savvy enough to ensure he doesn’t fall into patterns, in order to keep the music fresh. Speaking to the songwriting process, Finneas explains further.
“Totally different every time.” he begins. “I think by virtue of— to not repeat myself, to not run out of juice.”
“The most common way,” he says, explaining how he begins a song. “I think what John Mayer refers to as “ouija board songwriting”. I sit at a piano or I hold a guitar and I sing words and I see what words come out, and I see what melodies come out, and then as soon as I like something, I use the thing I like as the first foundation building block.”
“Whether that be building musically, and I can come up with different chords or rhythm, or I build from a songwriting standpoint of writing other lyrics, other melodies. But I would say that’s the number one way.” Finneas says.
He speaks further to this, saying that John [Mayer] refers to it as ‘pretending you already have a song’, and that Finneas is oftentimes
recording these ideas on a voice memo.
This workflow applies to both Finneas’ solo work, his work with sister Billie and other artists. Reading the room is a huge part of FInneas’ work, and understanding what the artist might need to get the song out. He explains that sometimes the start of the day is like a therapy session where he’s getting the artists on board with songwriting as well as their own feelings.
“The best stuff is on the other side of embarrassing yourself.” he says, having understood how vulnerable people need to sing the lyrics they really want to sing. Shifting to live performance, we discuss how important it is to translate what’s been produced and captured into a huge show.
Finneas first used the Acoustasonic live in 2019 and loved it immediately. The Acoustasonic is a huge innovation, tying together the best elements of electric guitars with acoustic guitars. While there’s been admittedly mixed reactions from players to the Acoustasonic, I want to know Finneas’ initial vibe.
“I’m always happy when someone brings up any level of controversy or negative reaction, otherwise it’s unspoken.” Finneas explains. “The reason I started using it was because it solved a problem for me, we were playing bigger and bigger shows, Billie and me.”
how versatile it is. I have played it on many recordings and I find it to be a really fun instrument to record.”
“And I play a lot of acoustic guitar in her show, and there was too much feedback. Billie sings incredibly quietly, so her mic is gained super high. She likes me to play super quietly on songs like “I Love You”, so I’m playing super soft, and a traditional acoustic guitar on stage is just humming, actually feeding back to bad.”
“You can mitigate it, but you have to mitigate it with a guitar with a type of pickup that I don’t like, or you have to put a rubber plug in the hole, so this was a problem.”
“The people at Fender were like ‘You should try this Acoustasonic’, and it solved the problem immediately.”
Finneas was won over, the guitar itself sounding great as well as eliminating a huge problem with the live show and ultimately allowing Billie and Finneas to perform how they want to perform.
From here, Finneas performed with the Acoustasonic extensively, and when the time came around to discuss a signature model, the only way was up for Finneas. Foundationally he saw no problems with the guitar at its core, but he did want to augment and add a few elements.
Finneas wanted to fill in the electric guitar component of the Acoustasonic, as well as choosing a few acoustic modelling sounds, and while they’re at it, adding emulation and “tech”, Finneas wanted to add some effects to the guitar, so he’s added a chorus emulation to the acoustic side of things, and a chorusey-flanger to the electric guitar element.
“You can roll that on, you can roll that off, and I think that accentuates, or maybe amplifies,
“When recording you should be recording something for what it is, like if you’re recording an Acoustaonic; are you recording it for its super bright, cut-through-like-a-knife high end on a song? Or if you don’t have the room for the body of an acoustic?”
Finneas finds the Acoustasonic entirely usable as an electric guitar to record, but finds the place it’s an unbeatable option is live performance. He loves the idea of it being a nobrainer regardless of size of venue, from smaller local cafes to huge arenas; the Acoustasonic can serve him equally well.
“Here’s my acoustic song, here’s my electric song, here’s my acoustic song where in the middle I switch over to the electric... you can do the whole set on this guitar, and it really sounds good.”
“Another goal of mine was that I don’t really want a signature guitar on the back of people liking my music, or what I work on, I’d love to have a signature model that if you’d never heard of me, you’re [still] like ‘This is an effective model.’”
Finneas himself has played and owned signature models of artists that were simply that; refined and augmented guitars at their core instead of selling themselves on the back of a name or brand. He speaks further to seeing instruments from the point of view of a songwriter and producer instead of a shredder, and he’s after a Swiss-army-knife more than a delicate instrument for a virtuoso.
I bring things back to one of Mixdown’s favourite features, the on-board chorus, and I ask if Finneas is using it a lot in his work.
“I actually haven’t gotten to play live with
this instrument,” Finneas begins. “But I’ve been taking it to sessions, and one of my favourite experiences, and I’ve had this several times now, because either I’m the guy at the desk or I’m the guy on the couch.” he explains with a smile.
“A couple times I’ve been the couch guy, and I’ll ask ‘Hey can I get a patch cord?’ and I just go DI straight in, and I’ve got the electric on, I’m riffing, I put the acoustic on and everytime I dial in the chorus, the person at the desk turns around. Like every time!”
“It’s such a satisfying feeling to have someone be like ‘What’s going on?’, ‘cause first of all, it sounds great, and second of all, they’ve just never seen a guitar be able to do that.”
“Also, because it’s not one of the switches, it’s a knob, so you can roll on 10% of it, or 50% of it, and it’s also really cool.”
Wrapping up, we speak to the role that the guitar plays in today’s music. While the 80s and 90s were decades of hard rock, heavy metal and punk, today’s music pulls from a wider palette, and Finneas is obviously finding a place for the Acoustasonic in his producing work.
“It’s a good question, someone was asking me earlier about where the guitar is in music, and I started to articulate this, and I’ve then thought about it all day.”
“Modern music is popular music, right? The music of its time, which is separate from genres being invented. You look at a year like we’re having now, you got Sabrina Carpenter’s big hit song that has a bunch of guitar on it, a bunch of this Billie record is full of guitar. To me that isn’t that guitar music is coming back, it’s like ‘Does the music that’s popular in this time have guitar on it?’” muses Finneas.
“Like, when you hear a band or an older artist be like ‘People just don’t like guitar anymore’, you’re like ‘I think they don't like your new songs.’” he laughs.
“I think instruments are a vehicle for your song, and then you look at what’s been happening this year with Mk.gee, and people are excited about somebody playing guitar in a way they haven’t heard ever. And that’s him melding it with amazing pedals, and he’s playing this cool modded baritone thing, and people are pretty hungry for what sounds good, right?”
“I think that’s what drew me to the Acoustasonic in the first place, I was like ‘This is a new category of thing, and if I do what I’ve done my whole career, which is re-invent the wheel, I could probably take this thing and do some real damage with it.’”
The Finneas Acoustasonic Collection is available now. Keep reading at fender.com/ en-AU/
Ion Zanca tells his untold story with the Dallas String Quartet
WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS
2024 sees the release of the Dallas String Quartet album ROMANI: The Untold Story, which, as the name suggests, is the untold story of the Romani people that Ion calls his own.
Ion Zanca is the founder of the Dallas String Quartet, with him on viola, supported by two violinists and a bass player, amongst other musicians added to the mix that augment the foundational quartet. Composed by Ion himself, the album speaks to the tragedy and oppression of his people, building soaring arrangements with dynamic, expressive and above all emotive progressions and passages.
Speaking to the initial idea for the album, Ion explains “I was visiting Germany maybe six or seven years ago, and I went to the Dachau concentration camp. They had some signs and the history and the whole process of people being bought to camps.”
Continuing, Ion says “They had a map of Romani, or gypsy people, who were bought from Romania and Hungary. And on the map, it was literally the cities where my family is from.”
‘Gypsy’ is a derogatory term that’s become a catch-all for travelling, nomadic people.
“I remember my grandfather telling me stories that were so outlandish, like being deported on a heavy, cardboard boat just to make it far enough into the water for them to drown.”
“I thought this was too crazy, I thought it was just stuff my grandfather was making up... ‘cause nobody’s that evil, y’know?” Ion laughs, despite speaking about such heavy subject matter. “Well, I was wrong about that.”
“The more I looked into it, I realised not a lot of people know about this, including myself. It’s
just a part of history that’s completely forgotten.”
“Last year my dad passed and I decided this needed to honour him and all the Romani people that have been part of this whole history, and nobody’s talking about it. I started interviews with professors from Hartford, Stanford, asking about it, the more I look into it; it’s a very difficult story to find.”
The opening track “Brewing Conflict” immediately invokes a pain, anguish and anxiety, with various harmonies and arrangement elements coming and going, and Ion speaks to this further.
“I’m a visual person, so based on my readings and seeing how people were treated during that time, I envision a Romani family being at the outskirts of the cities, because there were laws against them, that you didn’t have to serve them, didn’t have to give them jobs, so they were pushed a lot of times to the edge of the city, right?” Ion states, explaining that it put the Romani people into a cycle of struggling to integrate into society, being forced into stealing to feed their families and building a stereotype for stealing or being nomadic. “It’s the perpetuation thing.” he says.
“Brewing Conflict” speaks to the Romani family in this story knowing something bad is about to happen, but not knowing what. “That’s kind of the beginning of the conflict, the beginning of the journey.”
The melody begins solo, and as the track
builds, more and more elements begin to play the melody, speaking to the story moving from the voice of one to the voice of many.
Ion goes on to further explain that he defines himself as a performer, having never really composed per se, and he initially intended for someone else to compose the album. He quickly realised it was too personal a story, so he took on the task himself.
Recording was a worldwide affair, with the Dallas String Quartet recording in Dallas, and musicians from Romania, Spain and elsewhere to record the solo parts on the album. From there, they recorded the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) at Abbey Road Studios, London.
“I wanted to tell more of a story, I wanted a more cinematic sound?” Ion says with a questioning inflection, explaining how and why that he decided to involve the LSO. “The more we were working on the project, the more I wanted that sound to be able to tell the story, and so then the orchestra grew size-wise and we got 6 French horns and 50 strings, so it became massive.”
“The previous years before my dad passed, I took some time off in London with my wife and my kid, and I had London in my mind for some reason. It was the place I was able to take a break from all the things that were happening in my life.”
“Historically speaking, LSO is one of the best known orchestras in the world, so I wanted to have LSO on the track because I want to bring awareness to a larger group. This issue is still happening now in Europe,”
“So it’s two-fold: one is they are incredible musicians, and two is they’re all also so well known, and it will give the album a bigger reach so we can tell the story.”
Ion speaks more directly to recording, saying he always records an acoustic violin, though switches to an electric for some live shows.
The Dallas String Quartet have six albums before ROMANI: The Untold Story, though this album is the first to feature entirely original music, whereas the others feature a crossover style played by the DSQ.
As of the afternoon we’re chatting, Ion is rearranging the album to be performed by just the DSQ in Brussels, a huge undertaking, but there’s plans to perform with the LSO at some point, augmented by a show documentary.
The album was mixed in Atmos, Ion being involved in the mixing itself. A list of engineers recorded, produced and mixed, the bulk of the mixing happening at AIR Studios in London. AIR handled the stereo mix, and Eric Schilling in LA handled the Atmos end of things.
“He [Eric Schilling]’s unbelievable, he has seventeen Grammys or something insane. He’s one of the legends of Atmos. When he was mixing he invited me in the studio to listen and have my two cents.” Ion explains.
“It was really great to work with him, and then we had to master in Atmos as well. It was a lot, a lot of work.” Ion smiles.
ROMANI: The Untold Story is available now and helping to raise money for the ROMA Foundation. Give poverty the boot!
Sarah Kinsley discusses handing over the production reigns
WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS
Sarah Kinsley's debut full-length Escaper it out now.
Having produced her own music across a few single including “The King”, “Oh No Darling” and “I’m Not A Mountain”, Sarah Kinsley has been at the helm shaping and refining her sound. Her debut full-length Escaper was produced alongside John Congleton, whose credits include Angel Olsen, St. Vincent and Sharon Van Etten to name a few.
So – how did handing over the reigns go for Sarah?
Sarah, thanks for taking the time and congratulations on the upcoming release. We understand a lot of your previous music is written and produced at home – is this a creative decision or just where you’ve worked best?
Thank you! It’s definitely both. I am someone who loves to know the depths of every decision that is made within a song. A song is a wonderful world to build – I love being the person that nurtures it, decides it, colours in the edges.
Have you worked with a producer like John Congleton before? Why bring someone into your process now?
The only other person I’ve worked closely with is Jake Aron (we made “The King” together and he’s mixed many songs of mine). This process was entirely new to me. Understanding the language of expressing the desire for musical change, the how and why one pushes a collaborator. John is very peaceful, very unphased by something sounding ‘too rough’, or an idea not fully existing yet. The kind of music I make and the music I want to continue to make is bigger than me. It’s epic and grand – it needs to come alive with another person beyond me.
How heavy handed was John in the process overall? I.e. was he writing as well or just producing and shaping your ideas?
John was a great partner in that he understands very clearly when an idea needs more and when it possesses enough magic that refining and pampering it only destroys the original thing. I had written all of the material prior to our time in his studio and I’d mapped out the general structure of
the songs too. But he shaped so much of the individual textures, which sounds we used. He was very instrumental in challenging me, something that only furthered my own intuition and made the songs greater than I could’ve imagined.
How do you think Escaper might’ve been different without him?
Well for one there would be no glass bowls. And no Sean Cook who taught me how to play those also. No ondes martenot. A lot less of the beautiful and explorative sounds that I was lucky to play in his studio. It may not have been as bold. I am an overthinker, sometimes a madwoman when I create on my own. John is very bold, he wants to capture the heart of something without so much fuss. I think you would be missing that sense of raw-ness from Escaper without him.
What was the recording process like for Escaper?
We created all of the songs layer by layer from the ground up. We would begin with a sort of origin point – a piano, guitar, synth – and we’d build from there.
Was producing an album a huge departure from your workflow on your EPs?
It was not entirely different but definitely much harder. For some reason the brevity of the EPs made it feel easier to create cohesiveness. The narrative throughout the entire story complicated the production ideas: an EP is short and sweet! An album has so many twists and turns, there is so much more I have to say. But the workflow itself was still the core of how I work. Threading the layers together, imagining the world itself before a demo is even finished. I want to give my listeners a real story – that’s never changed since the beginning of making my songs.
Will the live show be similar to the sonics on the record or will you have to deviate it a little to make it work?
I think we very easily could play the record exactly as it sounds. I’m keen to venture outside of that. I’ll be bringing some fun friends along on the tour – my contact mic, a sampler pad, some new instruments maybe. We shall see.
Ableton Move
WORDS BY GREG LONG
I’m tired of looking at screens. Really tired. Music creation, screen. News reading, screen. Movie watching, screen. From discussions with friends, it’s a shared sentiment if music making isn’t your day gig, or even if it is, the last thing you feel like doing after work is starting up a computer to work on a track and... stare at a screen.
So, we see the rise of the DAW-less jammer! YouTube is now flooded with “gearfluencers” extolling the virtues of DAW-less setups, and there’s no shortage of manufacturers with impressive hardware offerings. Enter, Ableton Move. Standalone groove box, portable synth, sequencer, DAW-less jammer and Live Controller, Move will be a cat among the pigeons. Boasting an impressive feature set and super-tight workflow, will this little black box of flashing lights prove to be just what the doctor ordered, or a jack-of-alltrades, master of none? Let’s dig deeper and find out.
First Impressions
Very much informed by Ableton’s minimalist design aesthetic, Push users will find the sleek, matte-black device immediately familiar. Neither word, nor instructive graphics are printed on the sturdy black plastic chassis, which is less than half the size, and considerably lighter, than Push. Move fits nicely into a small bag and the rechargeable battery enables you to create in a park, in bed using the integrated speakers or at 30,000 feet. Once you’re ready, upload the Set to Ableton Cloud via Wi-Fi and finish it off in Live or the iOS app, Note.
At its heart, Move is a portable four track instrument and sequencer featuring two audio effects per track. One of the four tracks can be routed
to sequence external synths, via USB MIDI, and Move also operates as a dedicated controller for Live. The integrated speakers make it a true standalone instrument, but headphones or external speakers bring out its best. There are 8 x 4 velocity sensitive pads which feel great under the fingers, if perhaps a little firm. Polyphonic aftertouch enabled, the pads bring expressive control to the onboard synths. Aftertouch is “baked” into the Track Presets and offers practical, tactile parameter modulation that can be recorded as automation. However, further editing of modulation sources and destinations is not possible, and there is no MPE support. Overall, the pads are more than serviceable for playing beats, melodies and chords with aftertouch.
Above the pads sit eight multifunction encoders, and beneath, 16 small, backlit buttons for step sequencing. The encoders feel great and offer enough resistance to prevent accidental tweaks. Tapping the encoders reveals the corresponding control parameter on the small, but legible, screen. Some will want a bigger screen, but I’ve made my case. The geometry of the layout is pleasing in both form and function. Each encoder sits centred above a column of pads. Underneath each column lie two step sequencer buttons, in a nice eighth note pairing. A small line under the first, and every fourth sequence button, cleanly indicates beats and sub-beat groupings. Pressing the shift button invokes further functions for 12 of the 16 sequencer buttons, indicated by a row of illuminated icons. A press to select Navigation Wheel and a Volume Encoder are present alongside various transport and modifier buttons, each identified by a backlit icon. Immediately to the left of the pads, four coloured Track buttons are used to select, mute and control the volume of Move’s four tracks.
Four physical connection ports are available on the rear panel: USB-C for power, data transfer and Live Control; USB-A to sequence and control external USB MIDI devices; and 3.5mm stereo audio input/output. Strong opinions will be expressed online about these choices, no doubt. That said, the USB-A connector provides up to 500mA of power for external devices,
so, should Ableton have opted for a five pin DIN, or, 3.5mm MIDI connector, this would not have been possible. Wi-Fi is present and can be used for software updates, upload Sets to Ableton Cloud and when Link is enabled, allows Move to sync clocks with compatible third party iOS apps, Note and Live. Move is compatible with Live 12.1 including Intro, Standard and Suite. Some functionality varies across these, so refer to Ableton’s website for exact specs.
In Deep
At first, I found Move a little daunting to decode but after an hour or so with the manual, it all came together. Several views are available: Set Overview; Session Mode and Note View. Session Mode is for clip launching, Note Mode, for sequencing and recording, and Set Overview provides access to different Sets and new Set Creation. Surprisingly, it is possible to switch between Sets seamlessly, in Set Overview, whilst playing back audio. This allows Sets to be used for sections of songs, or as separate songs. Very cool.
When working in Note View, beats, melodies and chords can be recorded in real-time or entered via the step sequencer. Once captured, individual note length, velocity and timing can be edited. Note probability and ratchets aren’t present but note repeat for live performance and recording is included. Track volumes can be adjusted by holding the Track Selector button and rotating the Volume Encoder. The Track Selector button glows brighter as audio peaks increase and turns white when the maximum is reached. Be warned, drive Move too hard, and an output limiter kicks in, protecting Move from digital clipping. Understandably, the limiter cannot be bypassed.
Two of Live’s flagship synths, Drift and Wavetable, are featured alongside Drum Racks, with the new Drum Sampler, as well as a reduced version of Simpler, called Melodic Sampler. The synths are macro-style implementations with only eight controls available. Still, the presets and templates available are beautifully curated and sound fantastic. The macro controls enable tweakers to create something unique from presets or the available templates. These cover a cross section of synthesis techniques, including virtual analog, dual oscillator FM and wavetable. Drum Racks can contain 16 samples, one per pad, and each pad/sample has its own sequencer lane. The built in mic can record a mono sample into either an individual drum pad, using the Drum Sampler device, or the Melodic Sampler. Doing so requires only two button presses. Start point and volume envelope parameters make it easy to set up start points and basic envelope contours. When working with Drum Racks, a press of both Shift and the eighth step sequencer reveals an alternate note layout. This layout will be familiar to Push users and allows samples to be played melodically according to the selected Scale Mode. Sample manipulation, using the various playback modes in Drum Sampler, is also possible. A quasi-granular sampler is achievable using the Stretch algorithm. Bitcrush, FM and Noise oscillators are also on offer. The Drum Pad/Sampler is monophonic, so this workflow would work best with one-shots, drones or atmospheres, and as each pad can be sequenced independently, you can hack your way to 64 tracks!
The Melodic Sampler is a stripped back version of Live’s Simpler, and offers basic editing and one of the following filter modes: LFP, HPF and BPF, modulated by a LFO. Looping with crossfades would be a welcome future addition. Two pad modes are available for playing chords and melodies in real-time: In-key or chromatic. Sampling (and resampling as an audio source) is possible using the mic or 3.5mm stereo audio input, which can also be used as a high-quality audio interface when connected to a computer with USB-C.
A selection of Live’s native audio devices are on offer: Channel EQ, Chorus, Delay, Dynamics, Phaser-Flanger, Redux, Reverb and Saturator. Although the devices are sonically identical to those found in Live, a reduced parameter set keeps the Move implementations serviceable, without relying on menu dives and hidden functions. The effects remain perfectly serviceable, and the sound at once familiar to Live veterans. Will more be available in the future?
Managing Move
To manage content on Move, Ableton has provided a web based app, accessible via any browser, at the address “move.local”. The app, titled Move Manager, allows recorded samples, imported samples and any saved presets to be backed up and organised. As mentioned above, Wi-Fi transfer of Sets for editing in Ableton Live and iOS Note is also available. The process is incredibly well implemented and easy to understand. Kudos to Ableton!
Move Manager provides a simple but powerful environment for managing content, on Move.
Live Control
If all of this wasn’t enough, Move can be configured via the settings menu, to function as a controller for Ableton Live. Session and Note Views allow clip and scene launching, as well as recording, step sequencing and editing of notes, velocities and lengths. The step sequencer works well in Drum Mode, and real-time recording of beats and melodies using the pads is great. Tracks can be record enabled, muted, clips deleted and duplicated. Scale Modes can be selected in Note Mode and Move’s extended functions, available using the Shift button, quantize, adjust tempo, note repeat, grid spacing, adjust metronome toggle etc. are also accounted for. The eight encoders control a single page of parameters on Live Devices and VST plugins, so careful creation of Macro Racks is prudent. Live Control, with Move, is far from an afterthought, and the features listed here are only the beginning.
In Conclusion
It’s hard to deny we are in a golden age of music making tech. Ableton has a modest number of product offerings: Live, Note, Push and now Move. The scope of features and ease of interoperability between them all is a stunning technical achievement. The ability to design drum kits and sounds in Live, for later import, is fantastic and exploits Live’s extensive sound design features, removing the need for a dedicated editor. Using Move as a controller for Live immediately feels familiar and provides a comprehensive level of control. More effects would be welcome, and while the Melodic Sampler is useful, it leaves you wanting more.
Admittedly, there’s no shortage of small factor beat boxes on the market, and they all provide attractive features and sonics. Where Move stands apart, is the ability to start DAW-less, then shift to Ableton Live to finish tracks, and there’s also the controller mode! Ableton has really created something special with Move. An incredible amount of functionality has been packed into the small enclosure, but the masterstroke is the ease of use and how it integrates into the “Ableton Ecosystem”. The reduced editability of the onboards synths can be a little frustrating at times, but it does force you to get back making music. Move represents great value but is a reasonable investment for someone looking to elevate their music making, all the same. In the end, the choice is yours but right now, I’m off to the park, on the move, to make music.
Artemas, yustyna and the funny feeling
before viral success
WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS
Probably best known for the Tik-Tok sensation “i like the way you kiss me”, Artemas is riding the wave of success, landing in Australia in November for his first tour here.
Artemas really is a diamond in the rough. In a world where everyone is trying to go viral, building a following, retain hype and maintain it all, the Oxfordshire-born artist is doing all of this, while managing to pen uniquely catchy music.
Probably best known for the Tik-Tok sensation “i like the way you kiss me”, Artemas is riding the wave of success, landing in Australia in November for his first tour here. While he waited to jump on stage at Frequency Festival in Vienna, we spoke to Artemas about his approach, style and songwriting process.
“I’ve never been here before, it’s a very beautiful city.” he begins. “My actual tour starts in like three and a half weeks, but I’m doing two weeks of festivals. Having said that though, we did go and play a headline show in Latvia, and we’re going to do Dublin, ‘cause it just kinda coincides. So technically it’s started.”
“A bit of a warm up, I guess.” I say.
Artemas is a prolific songwriter, churning out songs and mixtapes, his full-length yustyna being just a few months old to huge critical acclaim.
“Yeah! It’s been really nice, I’ve put out like 27 songs this year, and 14 very recently. So we kind of completely amped up the show, added a new player, made it much more live.”
Artemas has walked straight into my first question; he’s a solo artist and songwriter, but the way he keeps saying ‘we’ alludes to a band. So how is he performing?
“Yeah, it’s a four piece [band]. It’s a drummer, a guitarist, and then Toby, who’s my main collaborator, who’s on synths and he has a bass guitar. And then I play guitar on some songs.”
Artemas goes on to explain that he’s effectively the singer, playing guitar on two to three songs, and then the rest of the set he’s just singing. Prior to the unique fame of a few hit singles, Artemas had a totally different vibe for his set, and found that the vocal runs and high notes were difficult when focusing on guitar – so he’s alleviated his workload to focus on vocals.
“I feel like more myself, more in character when I’ve got my shades on and I’ve got just a mic in my hand,” he muses, smiling.
We turn to how important the vibe is, especially for music as vibe-y as his.
“100%, oh my God. The great shows we’ve done so far, I get the same feeling I get when I used to do GCSE drama, where you’re acting and in the moment. It’s this weird, nice pressure and you’re kind of in the flow.”
Artemas is band leader as well as songwriter, producer, singer and more. How does he define himself?
“I say, well... my dating profile says ‘recording artist’,” he laughs. “But obviously I’m trying to make it look as impressive as possible. But what would I tell a therapist? And I was being honest?” he pauses to think.
“Probably ‘recording artist’, but I like to make it clear that I produce and I write my songs. I think ‘singer songwriter’ gives the wrong impression, I think about Westlife on a talent show. I don’t want to give off that vibe either.”
“Recording artist, maker-of-horny-music” he concludes confidently.
We turn to Artemas’ self-proclaimed ‘horny music’, and I speak a bit to the influences I’m hearing in his music: industrial, post-punk, but there’s a lot happening.
“I’m pretty fluid with how I make and record music, and since I’ve really been garnering a following, I would say there’s natural calculation, ‘cause I’m going on instinct and vibe in the moment, but I’m not sat there like ‘I’m going to add a little shade of grunge guitars’ or ‘I want this to sound like this Weeknd song.’”
“I have all these influences, but at the end of the day, when I’m at my best I’m not really thinking about it. The making of “i like the way you kiss me” was such a blasé moment, that week I’d kinda been doing this dumb impression of Robert Smith-era singing, and I’d done it on a few demos that week.”
“What I liked about it was you could say the most outrageous shit and it still felt quite powerful. I kept at it, and randomly in this freestyle I just said ‘I like the way you kiss me, I can tell you miss me.’ da na nah...”
Artemas speaks further to his wide swathe on influences, from Frank Ocean and the Weeknd to Nirvana, the Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck documentary specifically, as well as his high-school years being surrounded by driven peers forging a path into finance or other more ‘normal’ professions.
This attitude to success set Artemas up with a good work ethic, studying Max Martin and other pop songwriters, obviously an influence that comes out in his music whether he intends it or not.
“I’m trying to write stuff that is infectious, but I have this subversive, alt[ernative] thing. It’s a nice balance.”
The conversation turns to Artemas’ songwriting prowess, and while the virality of his music has helped, they wouldn’t have gone viral if they weren’t a good song at their core. Does he know they’ll be successful while he’s writing?
“I do think that the three big moments, I just had this funny feeling.” he begins. “But I will say, I’ve had that feeling about other songs and they haven’t connected in the same way.”
“It can be really difficult to fight the urge to write another ‘hit’ once you’ve had one, and Artemas needs to remind himself that the successful songs didn’t come from a place of calculated-ness. You can’t force them. It was only when I came with that, after my song “if u think i’m pretty”, that I got into a really good place writing wise again.”
Artemas and Toby, the synth player in his band, produce and write the music together, even mixing while they go.
“I’ve never paid for a mixer. I need the song to sound like the record while I’m making it, to really feel it. So we’re just making sure everything’s locked in as we go.”
In Focus: M-Audio Forty Series
WORDS BY ROB GEE
Well, only days into October and we’re already seeing the release of what will be the most talked about pair of studio monitors this month, and for some time.
M-Audio have successfully kept this one under wraps in the lead-up to their release, but now the curtains are drawn, and we’ve been made privy to the all-new Forty Series of studio monitors that many of you will be super keen to get your hands on, and get your ears in front of. I know from what I’ve seen and heard so far myself, these look like they’re going to be a standout in the M-Audio product line.
So, what’s it all about? I hear you all asking. This is a full redesign of a speaker housing, driver and concept from M-Audio, presented in two different models to suit the size of your workspace. The Forty Sixty and Forty Eighty offer a 6.5” 100-watt driver and 8” 150-watt driver respectively, creating a range of options for near and midfield monitoring that will work well with music producers, DJs and mix engineers. Whether you’re working on a critical mix, writing new tracks or just listening to a final product, you’ll find these speakers deliver a quality signal response for the task at hand.
The combination of 1” tweeter matched with the 6.5” driver, and the 1.25” tweeter matched with the 8” driver creates a very balanced audio image in both models. Yes, you do get more bottom end in the Forty Eighty, but it is not overbearing, nor
is the Forty Sixty lacking in that department either. M-Audio have done well to create two speakers that really respond just about on par with each other, so you need only select the one that is better suited to the size of the room you’re working in and the volumes you’ll want to runt hem at.
Let’s quickly talk about the aesthetic elements here. M-Audio have produced what can simply be described as a very goodlooking cabinet, in my opinion. They’re a slick design, with smooth, soft curves, that still fall into a rectangular housing. The recessed mounting of the Kevlar woofer looks fantastic and allows it to operate without any unwanted cabinet resonance. This is aided by the inclusion of an isolation pad that comes in the box to keep your speaker off the hard bench surface. The gold colour of the Kevlar woofer is a bit of a lux touch, and isn’t too over the top. In short, I’d have no issues looking at these speakers all day long. And with that, I wouldn’t take issue in listening to them either.
Both models offer balanced inputs on TRS and XLR connections, as is to be expected. Plus, Bluetooth connectivity is also included with a few clever elements in it’s implementation
that will work really well with the modern producer or musician. Once the Bluetooth connection is established, the units can be stereo linked in Bluetooth mode so that you can control which speaker retains stereo left, with the option to switch this if it defaults in reverse to how your speakers are set up. Once in the Bluetooth mode. You can access the M-Audio control app and take advantage of a range of EQ settings to adjust how you use your monitors. Flat mode is ideal for mixing as it offers no colour to the audio at all. Then, you can jump over to Hype mode and get a more emphasised sound that can be likened to listening on a car stereo or through earphones. This makes it easy to quickly reference how your mix will sound when heard in different environments. Then, Custom EQ settings can also be set and recalled, with the app also allowing you to adjust the sound to work with the acoustic space you have your speakers set up in.
What’s interesting to note, and this is a really simple, yet very clever design element is how the audio works when in Bluetooth mode. You will receive audio from your par Bluetooth device whenever it is sent, yet you still receive audio from the analogue inputs too. At first, this seems like a bit of a recipe for
disaster, as you’ll no doubt end up with someone playing music from both sources and creating a ruckus, but that’s not the intended purpose. Your speakers will generally be set up for use with the analogue inputs from your DAW or mixing desk, and that’s how you’re going to work with them most of the time. However, when work stops and it’s time for a break, you can simply start streaming audio from your mobile device and the speakers continue to deliver pristine audio, without the need to unplug anything, or power off other inputs. Just stop playback on your mixer and start on your mobile device, and vice versa. This is going to be very hand when listening to comparison mixes from previous recordings on a device, then jumping right back into your current mix in the DAW.
With a lot of focus put into making these cabinets, drivers and DSP controlled crossovers sound just perfect as a collective, M-Audio have hit it out of the park with the new Forty Series powered monitors. Gone is the need for a quality set of monitors for critical mixing, and a separate set of Bluetooth speakers for easy listening. It’s all there in the one housing, with preset EQ settings to suit your different needs.
Check them out at your local M-Audio dealer in the coming weeks. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with what M-Audio have brought to the party with the Forty Series monitors. With that, only two questions remain. You just need to ask yourself is which size does your studio need to fill the space? And how soon can you get your hands on a pair?
First Look: Warm Audio
WA-C1 Chorus/Vibrato & Pedal76
All-Analog Compressor Pedal
WORDS BY PAUL BLOMFIELD
Warm Audio is a brand rooted firmly in the ‘analog sounds better’ camp.
Their mission is not only to make analog gear of a quality that rivals even the most legendary brands and models, but more importantly, to put that gear within reach of people like me: people who have been playing the guitar for 20 years and have never even attempted to make their own full spec honest-to-god pedal board with all the bells and whistles. I can barely get my head around what a compressor does, let alone take a stab in the dark at which brands or models will colour my tone the way I want. The only way I can confidently decide whether any piece of gear is worth adding to my rig is to hear how it sounds. After a week of jamming with Warm Audio’s WA-C1 chorus/vibrato pedal and Pedal76, an all-analog, transformerbalanced FET compressor pedal, I am a convert. Analog does sound better. And these pedals are an ideal start to any pedalboard journey.
The WA-C1 is built like a bricksized tank. Opening the box, your eye is immediately drawn to the reptile-skin textured, army-green metal casing and the aluminium plates beneath the controls. The controls are so clearly labelled I’m confident I could train my dog to use it. Across the top you’ve got a switch that toggles the input sensitivity. High mode gives a boost before the built-in analog preamp, clipping the signal and driving a bit of harmonic distortion earlier. Moving along, you’ve got your Level dial, followed by two sets of depth and rate dials for the chorus and vibrato functions respectively. Beneath the “LEVEL” dial is a “peak level“ LED which lights up when the signal starts to clip. Along the bottom you’ve got two foot switches: a bypass toggle and a “chorus / vibrato” toggle. Two LEDs sit above the function toggle footswitch, indicating which function you’ve got selected: the chorus LED being red and
at the LED for too long in this mode.
vibrato blue. These LEDs pulse in accordance with the corresponding “rate” dial position. Along the back of the pedal is your 9V input, a switch labelled “HI-Z” which changes between vintage 50k Ohm impedance and a 1.1m Hi-Z setting which, according to the incredibly helpful user manual, benefits passive instruments. Then you’ve got one ¼” input, and two outputs for mono and stereo out. That’s it. Dead simple. Personally, chorus is one of my favourite effects to mess around with. There’s so much nostalgia you can get out of a good chorus, and paired with the rich colour you get from the analog preamp in this pedal, I was transported back to a time when everything was cosy and chill. Flipping up the sensitivity switch gave me an extremely satisfying growl, thickening up the low-mids and coating the whole sound in a thick layer of chewy taffy. I found the vibrato to be more subtle until you dialled the depth up past halfway, which added a really nice layering effect reminiscent of a flanger, a phaser or a chorus. The rate goes all the way up to hummingbird-wing speed and I recommend not staring
The Pedal76 is much less military in its construction: a simple, sleek black box with silver knobs and the cutest, most demure miniature analog VU peak metre I’ve ever seen. A lightbulb flickers on in my brain when I recognise the number 76 in the context of compression. I become that meme of Leo DiCaprio pointing at the TV... but I don’t know what I’m pointing at or why it’s caught my attention, I just know it’s something important in the content of compression! Nevertheless, I know it’s important. The task that now befalls me is to figure out why. Lo and behold, the kind folks at Warm Audio have made this task infinitely easier by providing (both in the manual and on their website) a handful of diagrams showing the ideal settings required to achieve a variety of sounds. For example, if I was in the market for a “funky-munks” kind of compression I’d want my ratio sitting at 10, fast attack, medium release, and my output and input/ compression at about halfway. Aside from those controls and a bypass footswitch, that’s about all this bad boy needs to do its business. Until, that is, you stand it on its nose and take a peek at the back panel. Now here’s where the Pedal76 proves its worth as a tool for both gigging and recording. You’ve got balanced and unbalanced ¼” inputs, amp output, an FX bypass that switches between true and buffered bypass, input sensitivity controls, ground/lift, pad engagement, and two drive modes (high or low). My favourite setting was a ratio of 12, fast attack and max speed release, input at half way and output/comp at about 9 o’clock. My tone felt ballsier thanks to a smooth mid boost. My pick attack felt more pronounced. The high-mids were clearer. My chords were more sustained and articulate. My palm mutes felt more punchy. With the bypass on, I was just sitting in my room playing the guitar. But when the Pedal76 was engaged, I was in a renowned studio somewhere in L.A., laying down the tracks for what would be the next Best-Produced Album of the Year. I still can’t explain exactly what this thing does, but I might just go out and grab one so I can invest some time in learning.
The two newest offerings from Warm Audio are expertly crafted and meticulously specced. They are simple, fun, accessible, unpretentious ways to enhance your sound. I think I might start building that road case pedalboard I’ve always wanted. What a place to start.
In Focus: Tech 21 30th Anniversary Bass Driver
WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS
There’s a handful of pieces of equipment that you’ll always find on stages and in recording studios all over the world.
This is for two reasons, this list of gear could probably withstand an apocalypse; they’re built like tanks. Secondly, sonically and physically they also perform a cut above the rest. One bit of kit that reigns supreme on this list is the Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI.
For 30 years now, the Tech 21 Bass Driver has been the go-to, the nobrainer and a safe-bet for bass tone. Clean DI? Check. Powerful EQ and tone shaping controls? Check, check. Practical routing? You betcha—check!
To celebrate 30 years of the Tech 21 Bass Driver, Tech 21 have announced the aptly named 30th Anniversary Limited Edition model, featuring everything we’ve known, loved and trusted about the Bass Driver, all encased in an anodized precision-machined aluminium billet housing with all metal knobs.
The beauty of the Tech 21 Bass Driver is in its versatility, the Bass Driver is equally well-suited to extreme metal or smooth jazz, with as much or as little tube-like sound as you might need. Grit, attack and distortion are available in droves, as is weight, heft and low-end smoothness.
The first of its kind, this pedal allowed bass players to get great sound without an amp, the SansAmp (gettit?!) was born in 1994. Tech 21 was launched by B. Andrew Barta in the late 80s, and while a musician himself, he devised the circuit with the intention of selling the tech to a larger manufacturer. Surprisingly, no one had the foresight that Barta did, so after setting out on his own design and manufacturing path, his designs were quickly adopted by bass players after hearing and experiencing the new technology. It’s difficult to imagine a time where the SansAmp wasn’t that stalwart of music creation that it is today, but the mid-90s were just that, and this fresh, new idea ended up on the pedalboards of players everywhere.
The Bass Driver DI, as its name suggests, can be used as a DI thanks to the XLR output. This can also provide phantom power to the unit when connected to a mixing desk. The direct signal is commonly used for bass guitar, particularly when trying to keep the low end clean and clear. This is easily done with the Bass Driver DI’s three outputs: the aforementioned XLR, a ¼” out as well as a parallel (unaffected) ¼” as well.
Plugging into the Bass Driver DI allows you to toggle on and off Tech 21’s Tube Amplifier Emulation circuit with the single footswitch, disengaging the circuit leaves you with the Bass Driver as a “standard” active, supremely transparent direct box. However, “standard” the Bass Driver is not. The EQ options are technically three-band, however the ‘Mid’ is switchable between 500/1000 Hz and the ‘Low’ is switchable between 40/80 Hz. The addition of a ‘Presence’ knob shapes, shifts and refines the upper harmonic EQ curve overall.
Sonically, the sound of the Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI is difficult to describe in 2024. For a lot of players, it’s just “that SansAmp sound” that is usually met with nods of understanding. The SansAmp is balanced, clear, weighty and consistent without being compressed per se, all virtues we now hold high in bass tone circles, and all thanks to the SansAmp. The ‘Drive’ of the SansAmp can be pushed quite hard and doesn’t get overly noisy or abrasive, even when nestled into a busy mix or arrangement. Your bass tone just gets bigger, fatter and more present, a favourite of metal, punk and hardcore players. The flexibility to route signal around to three different places simultaneously makes for the best possible bass sound regardless of venue or recording situation. Take a clean split of your direct signal via the parallel output, while sending an isolated signal straight to the mixing desk, the SansAmp’s main output continuing onto other pedals and your amp!
Loading into a venue with a staircase too steep for your 810 cabinet? Leave it at home and engage the Tube Amplifier Emulation on the SansAmp for as much amp-tone as you’d need anyway!
30 years of SansAmp means 30 years of balanced, consistent bass. Heck, I’m sure there’s players with a SansAmp on their boards that haven’t missed a gig for close to 30 years, and the little pedal, with its enclosure built to withstand the rigours of the road, will last at least 30 more. 30 years is a tremendous occasion, especially when thinking about all the pedals that’ve come and gone, and so the 30th Anniversary Limited Edition, with its cleancut good looks, honours a pedal that should be celebrated like the SansAmp Bass Driver DI should be.
The SansAmp changed the game in the 90s, and while innovation comes and goes, it’s a product that has been left largely untouched. B. Andrew Barta really did get it right, and he should have; he was a musician himself, and he knew the needs of bass players, both physically from lugging heavy amplifiers around, but sonically with great tone and routing options for different rigs.
The SansAmp is a pedal that we all need in our arsenal, and if you don’t have one yet, there’s no better time than now with the Tech 21 Bass Driver 30th Anniversary Limited Edition SansAmp.
Arriving in Australia November. Limited production run. Only 30 available Australia-wide.
In Focus: Keeley OCTA Psi Transfigurating Fuzz
WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS
Amongst pedal enthusiasts, the name Keeley isn’t thrown around lightly.
They’re often seen as the holy grail of pedals, something to have on your board forever. Begun by Robert Keeley, an electrical engineer, in 2001, Keeley have gone on to produce pedals that appear time and time again on the pedalboards of both the world’s best players, and local legends the world over. Supremely accessible for the quality of sound, Keeley’s compressors took the world by storm for their ability to really wrangle your tone into place without the unpleasant artefacts of other compressors. Heavy, audible, blown-out compression is still available on the Keeley compressors, but still provide entirely balanced, enjoyable above all musical, compression.
Keeley’s pedals overall are equal parts workhorse and specialty sound, performing both utility tasks as well as having the flexibility to create unique, ear-catching sounds, and the Octa Psi (pronounced “Octa-Sy”)
Transfigurating Fuzz fits right into all this logic.
Transfiguring is the art of changing form or appearance, while transfigurating is the art of transforming your tone taught to us by Robert Keeley.
The Octa Psi Transfigurating Fuzz is a stompbox, with routing and switching options for order of the onboard octave and fuzz, as well as expression, and also allowing you to switch the fuzz or octave off separately. With five knobs and couple o’ switches, the Octa Psi Transfigurating Fuzz is ready to be your one-stop-shop for fuzzed-out tones.
The Octa Psi is a transistor-based fuzz, so while your tone is hard-clipped and flattened, you’ll maintain clarity and presence without the tone devolving into a muddy, blown-out mess. Transistor fuzzes retain the mid-forward character of modern guitar tones and sit well within an arrangement without overwhelming the mix; unless you want it to!
The top of the pedal allows you to plug in and out of the pedal, as well as having a remote switching input for toggling off the fuzz or octave independently. Another jack allows for either a TRS expression pedal, or for a TS switch to adjust the effect order from octave > fuzz or fuzz > octave. While I’m reasonably devout in my choice to almost always choose octave first, so my game-esque, flattened and attenuated tone can then be squashed and fuzzed to my liking, it’s nice to have the option! When the studio calls, we never really know what will work best until we’re in the thick of it. The top panel also features a 9V DC power input.
The main face of the fuzz is where the fun begins, with simple ‘Fuzz’, ‘Level’ and ‘Tone’ controls to adjust the fuzz to your liking. The ‘Pitch’ control is stepped and allows you to adjust the pitch bending, octave and harmoniser elements of the pedal. You can add the selected harmony above, below or both! The Octa Psi features a momentary mode for things like dive-bombs and multi-octave bends, or anything else your imagination and creativity can conjure up. This is a great time to use that expression pedal input! The Blend knobs also allows you to adjust the higher and lower pitch-shifted sounds, when in Dual mode, i.e. allowing you to mix between more or less high and lower harmonies are you please!
Some additional, transfiguration tone controls are available on the fuzz side of things with a three way switch to jumbo between Scoop, Punch, or Psi, these shape and refine your tone overall. Built like a tank, the Octa Psi can be used as your go-to fuzz, as well as offering more expansive effects for those unique moments of crescendo in songs and solos.
The Octa Psi is more than a pitch shifting and/or fuzz pedal. It can be a great solution for more classic octave fuzz sounds, but the capabilities available allow it to be a glitchy, spacey and gritty sound design tool. The ‘Bend’ and ‘Pitch’ controls can quickly transform your guitar or bass into sounding like a soothing, spacious and lush pad, or alternatively like a grating, uncomfortable tension builder as well if need be! Best of all, the Keeley Octa Psi tracks exceptionally well, some pitch shifting designs adding latency. This, plus the dive bomb capabilities, allow you to replace any pitch or whammystyle effects in your chain, and couple them with an all around great sounding transistor based fuzz!
The Octa Psi is much more powerful than its subdued, polite enclosure might let you believe. This is the result of years of innovation, design, and reinvention, effectively providing two world class pedals in one box, albeit two effects often used side by side. The pitch-shifting is so good, in fact, that the conventional signal chain of octave into fuzz provides a more useable sound than ever, whereas in the past this mightn’t have been such a defined, in-fourface and harmonically rich tone option.
Robert Keeley has stated himself this is the pedal to be his legacy piece, and he’s only gone and done it! The Octa Psi serves as both the reliable utility, small format stompbox that Keeley is known for, as well as a tech-filled, inspired pedal that’s bursting with creativity. The pitch shifting tracks perfectly, the fuzz is transfigurative, and the pedal was worth every minute of work that led Keeley to the finished product we’re exploring today. It’ll transform your approach to pitch and fuzz.
THE ALL NEW PLAYER II SERIES
A NEW KIND OF PLAYER
MODERN “C” NECKS WITH ROLLED EDGES ROSEWOOD FINGERBOARDS
NEW VINTAGE COLORS
NOW AVAILABLE IN CHAMBERED ASH AND MAHOGANY
In Focus: AlpaTheta's Omnis-Duo and Wave-Eight SonicLink
WORDS BY ROB GEE
It never ceases to amaze me just how far audio technology has come in the past ten, twenty and thirty years.
Considering what we had to work with as DJs in the mid-90’s, today’s class of beat pushers really is spoilt, with a range of options we never would have imagined back then. Who would have thought an all-in-one DJ console and powered speaker system that was completely battery operated would ever be a possibility. Well, it is now, thanks to AlphaTheta’s Omnis-Duo portable DJ system and Wave-Eight portable speakers. But wait, as with any great reveal, there’s always more: these two devices work seamlessly and completely wirelessly.
So, let's start with the question that some of you may be asking as you read on: who are AlphaTheta? Well, you may be surprised to find out that you’ve probably been using AlphaTheta products for some time now, under a different guise. The brand started out as a division of Pioneer DJ back in the 90’s when they worked on the early developments of the infamous CDJ-500. These days, AlphaTheta operates as a separate company,
bringing products to market that encapsulate the technology that was founded with Pioneer DJ. Their goal is to continue to bring new experiences to musicians and DJs alike. I think it can be said that they’ve certainly achieved that with this winning combination.
So, let’s take a look at the two parts first, before the sum of all combined. Starting with the OmnisDuo, which has redefined portability in DJ performance. It’s a two-deck system with a centralised mixer and a large colour touchscreen. Well, large in proportion to the entire system, which is only 50cm x 30cm, and weighs in at just 4kg. It’s compact, robust and portable, with some serious mix effects and features. But of course, the real kicker is that it operates on an inbuilt lithium battery that can power the unit for up to four hours of continuous play. With Bluetooth transmission, you don’t have to worry about a single cable going in or out of the unit for it to be fully functional. Pop it in your backpack
8-inch driver and horn, it only weighs 12kg. Yet still, AlphaTheta had the forethought to include a retractable handle and wheel, so you can roll into any event. They even built it to be waterproof, so the Wave-Eight offers a very real solution for outdoor performances. And of course, it operates on a Bluetooth connection that allows multiple speakers to be linked for stereo, mono or subwoofer crossover modes.
There’s a storage compartment built into the Wave-Eight speaker housing that keeps a wireless transmitter ready for use when needed. This can be connected to just about any DJ console you want to use, and then transmits to the Wave-Eight via the SonicLink technology. That means you can bring an entire CDJ and mixer rig if you want to plug all that in, or you can simply match it up with the Omnis-Duo and have the ultimate portable party.
when you’re on the go, sit it on your lap on the train, turn a house party around, or bring the controller you know best to the club.
A little-known fact is that AlphaTheta acquired Serato midway through last year, and has been able to harness the incredible software technology that has become a stalwart of the DJ community over the past 25 years. Just about every DJ is working with Stems these days, and Serato are at the forefront of this concept, allowing for more creative and intricate mixing possibilities. With this merger of big names, AlphaTheta has developed the Omnis-Duo to work seamlessly with Serato DJ Lite and Serato DJ Pro, allowing you to further advance the possibilities in the mix with the inclusion of a laptop to your setup. The screen on the Omnis-Duo then offers a range of functions from within the software, so you need not look at, or touch, your computer for most functions.
The other part of this formidable duo is the Wave-Eight powered speaker. It truly is the definition of a portable powered speaker. No cables are required, as it can operate on its internal lithium battery for up to eight hours. With a Class-D amplifier powering the
So, let’s look at how the SonicLink technology is going to set this system apart from the crowd. AlphaTheta have developed a true ultra-low latency Bluetooth transmission in SonicLink, specifically for DJ use. That means, you’re going to get a perfect response from the movement of your crossfader, to the sound you hear, without any lag, and without any cables to trip over! The power that SonicLink offers allows you to connect up to eight individual speakers with stereo assignment, and not have any impact on the real-time delivery of the signal. So, a full sound system with big results can be assembled, with not a power lead or audio cable in use. This is a gamechanger!
Just think, a completely cable-free, battery operated, portable DJ system that works without noticeable latency or signal degradation. And it’s a reality. Yes, we are DJing in the future, today. With decades of experience under the Pioneer DJ umbrella, AlphaTheta have set a new standard in what today’s DJ is going to expect from their equipment. So, don’t just take my word for it, I encourage you all to get into your local DJ store and ask them about the Omnis-Duo and the Wave-Eight. Once you experience it for yourself, you’ll want to go portable too. The future's looking bright, loud and wireless!
LD Systems: your sound is their mission
WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS
LD Systems are, for lack of a better term, in the business of designing and manufacturing solutions for both sound and visual.
While their range of products extend from loudspeakers, in-ear-monitoring and other audio tools, the aesthetic of their speakers can be both complementary to a space as well as integrated into the design and eye-catching visual elements of a room, space or venue. Arrays of speakers can be unsightly, but LD Systems do it with class, this initiative being spread across their entire range of products.
Touring & Event
Touring and event sound can be gruelling. There’s load in and loud out requirements, with a seamless show for a screaming crowd in between. LD Systems provide a range of tools and audio sources, all built for the rigours of touring, like the HPA 6 six-channel headphone amplifier, MS-28 8-Channel Splitter and various active crossovers. Tools with a smaller footprint, like DI Boxes, are available as well, LD Systems also manufacturing stompbox style pedals for effects.Whether you're affecting a vocal, guitar or otherwise, the FX 300 has you covered!
Their range of loudspeakers for touring cater to events of varying sizes, with both individual PA Loudspeakers, Systems and even the ultra-
portable column systems available for whatever your needs may be. LD Systems also offer subwoofers and line arrays, with subs ranging from 12” to 18” speakers, and their line arrays offering everything from the Maila XXL system to the smaller, more compact Maila S. LD Systems supply a huge range of accessories for mounting, installing, protecting and operating their systems, ensuring you get the best out of every product.
LD Systems’ range of power amplifiers have a multitude of needs covered, available with or without DSP processing for tuning and correction, digital crossover and delays, as well as various connection methods like Dante, XLR, ¼” and Speakon connection.
DJ & Musician
LD Systems have DJs and Musicians sorted as well, really speaking to their motto “Your Sound. Our Mission.”
The Maui series of portable column PA systems offer crystal clear mids and highs via a column system, and balanced, accurate low end via a sub, conveniently used to mount the column speakers. Their U300 and U500 range of wireless systems are available for either those stepping
into wireless for the first time (the U300), or for more experienced performers with the huge array of options from the U500 range. The U500 Series offers conference systems, wireless headsets for you Phil Collins fans, as well as more conventional handheld microphones, available with either condenser or dynamic microphones depending on your preferences and need!
For solo musicians, buskers and giggers, there’s a multitude of battery-powered options available, like the ANNY10, the Maui range of column speakers and the Roadbuddy, available in various packages and accessories!
There’s multiple in-ear-monitoring (IEM) solutions available from LD, an increasingly popular option for musicians of any level. Historically, this has been reserved for top-tier touring artists, but as the tech advances, so do manufacturers like LD Systems to ensure you can hear yourself clearly on stage, allowing you to perform at your best.
The range of IEM options extend from simple bundles with receivers and transmitters to accessories like carry cases, rack mounting kits for the transmitters, the receivers also being available separately if needed. You know the rule; you won’t need a spare until you don’t have one!
Integrated
Mobile and music systems aside, LD Systems also offer a huge range of integrated systems for more permanent install for worship, performance venues and conference spaces. Their install loudspeakers and subwoofers can be installed and mounted easily with LD Systems accessories, including options for ceiling mounted speakers. Their range of wall speakers also helps to alleviate and clear clutter from the floor!
The range of integrated systems also extend to mixing amplifiers, preamplifiers and mixing consoles; their VIBZ consoles extending from 24 channels down to the smaller six channel mixers, available either with effects in the VIBZ 6 DFX or without effects in the simpler VIBZ 6. A rack mounting kit is available for us with the IMA 30 or 60 mixing amplifiers.
At their core, LD Systems are a supremely reliable company, built on the promise of performance, cutting-edge tech and aesthetic design and integration into your venue. Sonically, LD Systems products all share one value: iconically great sound for every stage. Whether you’re using their mobile products for musicians on the go, or installing speakers for permanent use and integration into the space, LD Systems won’t let you down, and they’ll look good while doing it! Their products are built to be userfocused so they’re easy to install, move, set-up and use, keeping your focus on the sound and not the tech.
From portable line arrays to permanently installed ceiling speakers, LD Systems have you covered. There’s a product for everything, and an accessory for every way you want to do it. After all, your sound is their mission.
In Focus: Thalia Capos
WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS
For a decade now, Thalia capos have been matching our style to a utility piece like the capo. Until they came along, the capo was a very plain-looking tool to fret strings on a guitar and shift the pitch around. The father-daughter team at Thalia strive to provide guitarists the chance to express themselves a little, or to augment the beautiful inlays, rosettes or wood choices with an equally beautiful capo.
Born from an idea from inventor and guitar player Chris’ daughter Thalia, Chris went on to redesign the capo, as well as add the aesthetic design principles and additions that Thalia wanted. Applying the right pressure to a guitar’s strings is incredibly important, and some 70 prototypes later, Chris had built a capo design to work with the radius of your guitar’s fretboard for more even tension across all strings.
While the brand has since expanded into more boutique products like picks, straps and accessories, the spirit remains the same. Thalia Capos make solutions to musical problems that are as beautiful as the music we use them to make. There’s a few new products we’re really excited about!
The Tennessee Whiskey Wing Capo is Thalia’s own design for easy fretting and removal, all intended to be done with your fretting hand. Inlaid is a beautiful “Tennessee Whiskey” inlay, with different coloured metal options for you to match to your guitar’s hardware, or offset it!
The Whiskey Wing is just one part of the expansive Exotic Series of capos, tying together exotic shells and woods for some of the most eye-
catching capos available. Choose from finishes like abalone and shell!
After something a little more refined and subtle? The Exotic range extends to woods as well, with Thalia’s world-class capos available with Rosewood, Hawaiian Koa and more all available to match the beautiful woods used for your guitar itself.
The Deluxe Series of capos are where things get really special, with custom designs like the Moon Phases on Pearl e or Hawaiian Koa Celtic Knot designs. Constructed with pearl, the Moon Phases design shines and sparkles through the phases of the moon across the width of the capo itself. A subtle design, but a classy and aweinspiring one.
The Celtic Cross, while a bit more traditional, uses the grain of the beautiful Hawaiian Koa to make for a dynamic and familiar design, with warm tones throughout the wood complementing your choice of metal finish.
Looking for something even more special? The Deluxe series of capos might be the choice, with deluxe woodwork and design, these capos, aesthetically, are really something special.
Thalia’s ‘Save The Bees’ design again harness the beautiful curly grain of Hawaiian Koa for a subtle, honeycomb inspired-design, complete with a little bee design and a commitment from Thalia Capos to help fund research by Washington State University, looking to understand how important the bees are to our environment and ecosystem of flora and fauna. The Save The Bees design is also available in a Vintage Pearl finish.
Beyond capos, Thalia Capos also provide solutions to plectrums, and some beautifully designed guitar straps. Made from imported leather and built to be 2.5” wide, a comfortable width and size, the Thalia Guitar Strap Collection features familiar materials like pearl to add some flair to your straps, with options like a Pearl Cross, Vintage Pearl Bee, Pearl Stargazer and more! Thalia’s straps are also compatible with their Pick Pucks. What’s a Pick Puck? Well
The Thalia Pick Puck is another design built from the mind of a player and guitar lover. The Pick Puck is a small, circular puck-shaped pick holder. Where this gets interesting is that they can be stuck onto just about anything safely, like your guitar! Thalia’s proprietary GuitarSafe Micro-Suction Pads are modelled after a gecko’s foot, and allow the Pick Puck to be stuck to fragile or sensitive surfaces, like your guitar’s finish, with the strength to stay put, as well as being close enough for you to grab a pick at any point during a gig! Super handy for fingers pickers who need a pick handy for a different sound, or vice versa, and the Pick Puck will hold picks of varying thicknesses and retains a low profile design to stay out of the way. Multiple designs are available, again, to suit your own style!
Thalia Capos are a company built on the back of innovating designs that we, as guitar players, have accepted for a long time. Beautiful designs aside, the Thalia Capos range functions exceptionally well, made to be as easy to place or remove from your guitar, all the while looking better than the traditional powder coated metal we’ve accepted in the past! A subtle addition like pearl inlays or wood engraving can add a little sparkle to your already beautiful guitar, the capos functioning exceptionally well all the while. Choose from multiple ranges depending on the level of bling you’re after!
There’s more than just capos available though, with the innovative Pick Puck to keep the gig moving, as well as some beautifully crafted and high quality guitar straps as well. Thalia Capos provide well designed products to guitar players, all the while looking great while doing it.
GEAR ICONS
PULTEC EQ
WORDS BY JAMIE COLIC
The two famous Pultec EQ units are the EQP-1A Program Equaliser and MEQ-5 Mid band Equaliser.
EQP-1A Program Equaliser
As the model names may indicate, the EQP-1A gives the user control over the low and high frequencies of any program material whilst the MEQ-5 gives control over the midrange. The intention was for users to combine both hardware units to give full-range control over the entire frequency spectrum. However, it isn’t uncommon to see only an EQP-1A in the rack of many professional audio engineers.
The EQP-1A was initially introduced in 1951, it saw a variety of iterations over the course of its lifespan. Despite this, the EQP1 remained Pultecs flagship product until the company folded in the early 1980s.
Pultec “initially Pulse Technologies” was founded by Ollie Summerland and Genel Shank who remained as the sole product developers, marketers and production workers for the entirety of the company’s existence!
Every Pultec product was hand-wired on-site in Pultec’s New Jersey storefront. The fact that Summerland and Shank were so hands-on with their company meant that Pultec EQ products exhibited an unparalleled level of quality. This commitment to the craft is probably why so many original Pultec EQ units are still in use today!
Despite being rather secretive about their designs, it is known that Summerland and Shank initially licensed the passive EQ designs from Western Electric. Pultec tweaked this design, opting to implement a tube makeup gain circuit that would compensate for the 16dB insertion loss associated with passive EQs.
This design tweak made the EQP-1A appear
to be lossless, just one of the characteristics that made it appeal to working engineers worldwide right off the bat.
The EQP-1A is able to control three frequency bands simultaneously. All parameters are adjusted by three groupings of interactive controls on the unit’s faceplate.
The control layout may be confusing to some first-time users but is easily understood once viewed in triangular groupings.
Starting on the left side of EQP-1A is a shelving eq. The controls in this section consist of Boost, Attenuation and Frequency Select, all controlling the low-end frequencies.
The next section is a parametric boost eq, the controls include Boost, Bandwidth, and Frequency Select. This section of the EQP-1A works to shape the high frequencies of the program material.
Lastly, the right of the unit’s faceplate features another section that controls highs. This time working as an attenuation-only shelving EQ. Here you will only find two controls, Attenuation Selection “Frequency Selection” and Attenuation which will dial in the desired amount of cut to this band.
However, some users will simply run audio through a Pultec without implementing any EQ tweaks.
This is due to the fact that the unit’s tube makeup gain circuit will still impart a certain level of “colour” to the source signal, a sonic characteristic that many users find to be highly desirable.
Perhaps most famous of all is the classic “Pultec Trick”, which entails the user boosting and attenuating low frequencies simultaneously.
Whilst the original Pultec manual advises against doing this as in theory both parameters would essentially cancel each other out, in the real world the effect is to the contrary.
This is due to the fact that the boost circuit has slightly more gain, while the attenuation
circuit implements a slightly more relaxed cut. Additionally, both controls affect slightly different target frequencies.
This results in what some users liken to a midrange scoop, which can be great for adding punch and definition to kick drums or bass.
It is worth mentioning that you do not need a Pultec hardware unit or similar to experiment with the classic Pultec trick.
Essentially any plugin emulation should exhibit some of the same characteristics when the technique is utilised, with a variety of Pultec plugins available online “some at no cost”.
MEQ-5 Mid band Equaliser
The MEQ-5 is a somewhat simpler unit at first glance. Its control section is divided into only three groups, two offering midrange boosts at 2 different frequencies and one offering attention. Each section is fixed Q with total boost or attenuation maxing out at 10db.
The first section of the MEQ-5 “Peak” enables the user to boost low mids at either 200Hz, 300Hz, 500Hz, 700Hz or 1kHz.
The middle section of the MEQ-5 “Dip” enables the user to attenuate at 11 set frequency points between 200Hz and 7kHz.
Lastly, the last section of the MEQ-5 “Peak” enables the user to boost high mids at the set frequencies of 1.5kHz, 2kHz, 3kHz, 4kHz, and 5kHz.
Despite its simpler layout, many users find the MEQ-5 to be a valuable companion to the famous EQP-1A. Finding it essential as a means of midrange control within the studio environment.
Lastly, it is worth mentioning that Pultec offered both units in solid-state versions.
Often these were distinguishable by their silver faceplates and provide their own unique sound, making them yet another cornerstone within the essence of Pultec lore.
GEAR ICONS 1176 LIMITER/ COMPRESSOR
WORDS BY ANDY LLOYD-RUSSELL
In an era where vacuum tube designs reigned supreme, Bill Putnam of Universal Audio was just starting to use new solid-state technology - the year was 1966.
Replacing the tube tech of old in his preamplifiers, his famed 108 tube preamp became the new 1108 preamp, which housed the newly invented Field Effect Transistor or FET. But it wasn’t his new preamp design that gained such esteem, but rather the changes he made to his already popular 175B/176 tube compressors. Modifying these designs to incorporate these new FETs into the topology, in 1967 Universal Audio’s most iconic outboard piece was born – the 1176 peak limiter. At the time this sleek new 19” 2U rack unit was marketed as a “true peak limiter with all transistor circuitry and superior performance on all types of program material,”. No word of a lie, the 1176 has, since its inception, found itself being used on pretty much every type of sound source you can imagine. Things just magically sound better when they go through it.
Its simple layout with large knobs for input and output gave the 1176 that familiar tactility that engineers of the 1960 were accustomed to, with the majority of outboard gear at the time being bulky tube driven designs, which were both built like and felt like driving a tank.
The 1176’s continually variable attack and release controls were novel for the time, which interestingly react counterintuitively. Turned fully clockwise dials in the fastest attack/release times – with a near instantaneous 20 microsecond (µS) attack and 50 milliseconds release and turned fully counterclockwise dialled in the slowest times – a slumber (by comparison) 800µS attack and 1.1 second release. The selectable ratio buttons
were also quite unique for a compressor built in this era, with 4:1 and 8:1 ratios for compression and 12:1 and 20:1 for limiting. These ratios varied quite dramatically from very subtle almost transparent compression at 4:1 through to the never heard before bombastic settings with all buttons depressed simultaneously – affectionally known as “All Buttons In” or “British” mode. This unleashed more harmonic distortion and artefacts which could be used in incredibly musical and creative ways.
Similar to its older tube sibling the 176, the 1176 doesn’t feature a dedicated threshold control, but instead its input knob essentially acts as a fixed threshold control where in which the hotter the input signal detected, the more gain reduction occurs. But depending on the ratio selected the threshold will be higher or lower, with higher ratios making for a higher threshold. This paired with the output knob to dial in just the right amount of gain compensation required makes dialling in settings incredibly quick and easy – something engineers have become very accustomed to in fast paced studio environments over the years and one of the reasons the 1176 is a go to for so many.
I briefly mentioned harmonic distortion when referring to the “All Buttons In” mode, but harmonics and character are certainly an inherent part of the 1176 as a whole, even with no compression occurring (achieved when the attack knob is turned to the off position) as just being used as a line amp.
The OG (Original Gain reduction) revision A and AB models (silver faceplate with a blue stripe over the VU meter) typically omitted the most characterful and aggressive sound of all the 1176s. Using FETs for a voltage variable resistor to control gain as well as the signal preamp in a voltage divider configuration for gain reduction is likely where these distinctive harmonics came from in these early models before circuit modifications were introduced by Brad Plunkett in Rev C models in 1970.
These new 1176LN (low noise) models (Rev C, D and E) were mounted to Rev B circuit boards (which has already replaced FETs in the signal preamp with bipolar transistors) and incorporated low noise circuitry which would reduce the DS voltage on the gain reduction FET helping keep it within its linear range. A Q-bias pot was also added to fine tune for the most minimal distortion possible. Easy to forget that engineers in this era of record making weren’t obsessed with harmonics like we are today but instead were desperately trying to reduce inherent distortion and artefacts of their equipment to achieve the cleanest possible recording they could with the tools they had.
1176 Revisions
Although widely debated amongst pro audio veterans and alike, the Golden era of 1176’s are generally considered the black front faceplate units of Rev C,D and E, with many hailing the UREI units as supreme. Although many engineers love the intrinsic vibe and grit of the early Blue stripe models, favouring this vintage-y characters over the later more lower noise revisions. Each very much to their own.
Aside from trying to hunt down a genuine vintage model for an incredibly heft price I might add, Universal Audio did indeed reissue the1176LN back in 2000, which are still hand built in Santa Cruz, California today – although these too carry a pretty serious price tag. If the real deal isn’t quite within reach, fear not! As there are a fair amount of pretty great recreations from numerous manufactures, a quick online search will point you in the right direction here. But if a bit of soldering and electronics knowhow is your wheelhouse, there’s a handful of really great DIY kits available too which have become increasingly popular over the years.
Whether you’re a studio veteran or modern day producer, the 1176 is most certainly the compressor you’ve either heard about, used on countless sessions or pulled up on countless mix sessions in your chosen DAW. Iconic doesn’t really seem to do this unit justice, but suffice to say, if you haven’t used one (hardware or plugin), you’ve most certainly heard one, whether you know it or not. Nuff said.
Seth Baccus guitars: Guitar-building adventures with the Argonaut
WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS
Seth Baccus is a huge fan of the guitar. A musician and guitar player with a penchant for building and refining designs, he approaches guitar design with a unique sense of endless possibility.
While certain designs have their limitations, shortfalls and problems, most of us accept these at face value, while Seth sees them as a chance to refine and improve something. These improvements have culminated in Baccus Guitars, more recently in the Argonaut; a new design from Seth and Baccus.
“It [the Argonaut] pushed me on to knuckle down and finish the design work. I was trying to create both original and classic as well, and trying to capture that balance of familiarity and ‘Oh, wow, I’ve never seen that before.’” Seth explains.
“It’s a really interesting format, the offset body, because it has so many potential options for pickups and different bridge configurations and versatility and all that sort of thing.”
Baccus has come a long way since the first design, the Nautilus, and now, with the more recent Argonaut.
“The Nautilus was essentially conceived as my own perfect guitar,” says Seth. “When I first started playing guitar. I learnt to play on a Fender Strat-style guitar, and all my favourite guitar players were playing Gibson Les Paul-style guitars. They’re quite different, visually obviously very different, but fundamentally how they’re built and the materials chosen is very different also.”
Seth goes on to explain that the feel is different as well, the scale length and neck feel
led him to feeling very unfamiliar when he finally played the Gibson-style guitar that his heroes used. The Nautilus was born from this feeling, he wanted it to look and sound like a Les Paul, but feel and balance much more like a Fender.
We speak a bit about the introduction of the Argonaut after all this, Seth laughing that he’s “5’ 8” on a good day” so the larger offset bodies always looked and felt big on him. The Argonaut is offset, but in a way that’s both more measured and more extreme at once. It’s a smaller body, but the angles are more... angular?
I interject here, laughing at Seth’s ingenuity. I myself am a Les Paul player, and while I love that single-cut shape, I’ve also accepted and acknowledged the shortfalls of the heavy body, shorter scale length and sometimes unbalanced feel of the body vs. the neck. I’ve learnt to live with them, while Seth simply decided to re-think the guitar and build the Nautilus.
“I’ve started a whole business trying to solve the problem!” Seth laughs.
Seth Baccus guitars are in the business of innovation. Seth himself finds shortfalls of instruments and designs and refines them, building guitars for people all over the planet who’ve experienced the same issues. If the Argonaut is Seth Baccus’ most recent designwhere does he see Baccus in the future?
“The next model, I’ve just built and delivered
the first prototype, is my first first into a more S-type double cutaway body shape. Generally when I design a body shape, I like to design a whole range of models within that body shape all at the same time.”
“More like high performance, like a metal guitar?” I ask.
“Yeah, exactly. Much more modern, more contemporary sounding and feeling guitar. But simultaneously, I designed a 22-fret, vintagevibed version of the same body shape, so I’m going to start building those orders towards the end of this year. They’ll be more traditional pickup configurations, scratchplate, vintage style trem, Nitro finishes, all that kind of stuff.”
Seth goes on to say that when he’s beginning a design, referencing a classic shape, he’ll often begin with the original and build on it. Interestingly enough, when building the single-cut Nautilus, there were a lot of obvious improvements.
The S-style guitar, now in his Abyss, made him realise just how right Leo Fender got the original Stratocaster design when he did it. It’s difficult to deviate too much without compromising rather than improving.
Seth explains that the majority of his solidbody design, particularly the bolt-ons, use a West-African hardwood called obeche, which is incredibly similar to korina.
“Y’know like Gibson used in the late 50s?” Seth asks, referring to the famous Explorers and Flying Vs that Gibson built for a golden period. Obeche came about when a customer with a shoulder injury asked Seth to build a guitar within a weight parameter to alleviate pain. Upon finding obeche, Seth made the custom guitar as well as a few others, quickly realising that it had an inherent liveliness thanks to both the light weight and hardness of the wood.
All of this is to say that Seth is after a guitar that resonates and sings, and obeche pairs up well with roasted maple necks, that results in such a naturally resonant and musical body that whatever electronics you throw into it are going to work.
“When I choose pickups or hardware, I’m always looking for the same basic principles,” Seth begins. “Ultimately, you want to capture as much energy as is in the string, and you wanna get it out there.”
Aesthetically, sonically, harmonically and physically Seth Baccus Guitars built to sing, resonate and harness every ounce of sonic energy that the player imparts into the strings. Seth Baccus guitars are built for the players, with experimentation and a wholehearted focus on making every piece of the puzzle sound the best it can sound.
The new Yamaha Pacifica: Standard Plus & Professional
WORDS BY PAUL BLOMFIELD
The Yamaha Pacifica has served both demanding professionals as well as guitarists finding their feet and a voice.
Yamaha is a name synonymous with precision, performance, reliability and innovation. The new line of Yamaha Pacifica guitars brings those tenets within reach of guitar players of all ages and disciplines, from fledgling fretboardists to the most eloquently elite.
With roots in the manufacture of classical instruments, Yamaha began making guitars in the swinging ‘60s, when the world was first gifted with the FG180 acoustic and SG-3 & SG-2 electric guitars. Two decades later, the company established a custom guitar shop in Hollywood, California. It was hugely successful. So what did they do? They did what any blue-skythinking company would do: they brought that winning formula back home to Japan and turned it into something they could mass-produce. As a result, in the year 1990, the stalwart Pacifica line was born.
In order to find out exactly what 137 years of Japanese audio brilliance feels and sounds like, I checked out two of the latest offerings from the Pacifica range, unveiled at NAMM 2024: the Standard Plus (PACS+12M) and the Professional (PACP12).
I was particularly impressed by the resonance of the Professional model in particular. Now I know why: the bodies of both the Standard Plus and Professional are alder, featuring a smooth neck-heel and what Yamaha refers to as ‘Acoustic Design’. This is a form of chambering, and is the result of 3D modelling carried out by scientists with the goal of maximising body resonance. Before I’d even opened the Yamaha website to read up on these
specs, I pulled both guitars out of their case and gave them a little strum unplugged.
Both models are fitted with a slim C-shaped maple bolt-on neck finished in satin, with 22 medium stainless steel frets. The fretboard is 42mm at the nut and 57mm at the 22nd fret, at a scale length of 25.5”. The tuning machines are Japanese-made Gotoh 410T FE-1 locking tuners (praise be). You also get a quick-access truss-rod wheel at the base of the fretboard, a 2-point tremolo bridge, and ‘Reflectone’ pickups created in collaboration with the legendary Rupert Neve Designs. The pickups are in HSS configuration: humbucker at the bridge, single coil at the neck, and another single coil in the middle. You’ve got a 5-way selector switch, a high-pass circuit master volume knob, and a master tone knob with a push/pull function that splits the bridge humbucker into a single coil, arming you with the widest possible tonal variety you could ever want from a guitar of this style.
The pickups feel precise, nuanced and articulate, complimenting dynamics in playing style and encouraging creativity and expression. One thing that stood out to me in comparison with other guitars of this style was the feel and quality of the hardware. The tone selector switch and pots didn’t feel cheap or flimsy, and the pots in particular had a very satisfying level of resistance to them, ensuring consistent adjustments to volume and tone while playing. The locking tuners are also a great modern, discreet qualityof-life improvement at a time where many other instruments of this ilk are opting for vintage purism.
Standard Plus
The foundational Indonesian manufactured Standard Plus comes with the choice of either rosewood or maple fretboard with a radius of 13.75”, and the new Pacifica Standard Plus is available in four colourways: Black; Shell White; Sparkle Blue; and Ash Pink, inspired by the sun-drenched Californian beach culture. The model I tested was finished in the latter colourway, with the maple fretboard option (exactly the options I would’ve chosen if I had the choice), immediately transporting me to the beaches of SoCal when I unzipped the foam-lined gig bag. The quality on offer here is top notch for such an accessible guitar. I desperately wish I could go back in time and replace the first electric guitar I ever owned with one of these. In fact, I’ve got this guitar up in about six different browser tabs right now and I’m really struggling with the urge to ‘add to cart’.
Professional
The premium Japanese-made Professional model builds on the features offered by the Standard Plus, adding a 10-14” compound radius fingerboard (also in either maple or rosewood), a custom tinted satin neck finish, and even more resonance thanks to Yamaha’s IRA treatment for that “played-in” feeling. The rosewood option comes in four colourways: Sparkle Blue, Black Metallic, Desert Burst and Shell White (the last two options being fitted with a tortoiseshell pickguard). If you prefer the maple, you’ve got choices of Sparkle Blue, Black Metallic, or the very kawaii Beach Blue Burst, which transitions from almost transparent in the centre — subtly exposing the alder wood grain beneath — to baby blue around the edges. This time around the colours are inspired by Japanese City Pop album covers of the ’80s.
This model also comes with a very classy black hardshell case, lined with black crushed velvet and fitted with gold hardware. Finally, to celebrate the premium quality of the Japanese craftsmanship, you will find within your hardshell case a certificate of authenticity autographed by the luthier who assembled your guitar at the Yamaha factory in Hamamatsu, Japan.
For a company just as renowned for making precision motorbike engines as they are pianos, you can rest assured that their guitars are designed, refined and built to the highest quality. Yamaha don’t miss. And they sure as hell didn’t miss with these latest additions to the Pacifica range. Neither should you. Miss out, I mean. As soon as you’re done reading this edition of Mixdown magazine, do yourself a favour and pick up a Pacifica.
Striking out onto the scene back in 2018, the Meteora made its debut as part of Fender’s Parallel Universe collection.
A creation birthed from the mind of Fender’s own in-house designer Josh Hurst, the bold new design was quick to capture the hearts of Fender fans worldwide.
In particular, the Meteora seems to have struck a chord with those who have an immediate affinity for Fender’s offset-style guitars. For example, guitars like the Jazzmaster, Mustang and Jaguar.
As a result of its newly established charm, the Meteora was quickly adopted by a plethora of pro players, including the likes of Weezer’s River Cuomo, Ghostmane, and YouTube sensation Mary Spender.
2024 has seen Fender take a massive step forward in relation to the Meteora’s lineage, with the industry stalwarts now offering a Meteora built in Fender’s US-based plant in Corona California.
Considering that there is a considerable price jump between the Ultra and the current Mexicanmade Player Plus Meteora, let's see how the American Ultra II stacks up!
American Ultra II is intended to be Fender's most advanced line of instruments, tying together the latest in design and technology with Fender’s 70+ year legacy. This means contemporary spec that will generally appeal to the modern player. Premium craftsmanship, build materials and design are the
Brand: Fender
Product: American Ultra II Meteora
Distributed by: Fender Music Australia
RRP: $3899
Reviewed by: Jamie
Colic
backbone of every Ultra guitar, and the Meteora certainly embodies this notion.
The first thing I noticed when brandishing the Ultra II Meteora was its sculpted body contours. Set in all the right places, the Meteora feels just right regardless of whether you are sitting down practising or rocking out on stage.
In the true Fender tradition, the Ultra II Meteora is made from primeselected Alder tonewood.
This gives the Meteora a nice balanced tone, the upper midrange really shines through when it comes to this instrument and it has a lovely attack that is sure to get you cutting through any mix.
The Meteora also boasts a fantastic sculpted neck heel, which provides excellent upper fret access.
This is certainly a Fender geared towards the modern player and features like these are sure to please even the most stringent of guitarists.
The Ultra II Meteora features a lovely quartersawn maple neck with an Ultra satin finish. The Modern “D” profile strikes a nice balance between being substantial but still fast, filling the hand but never leaving me feeling over-encumbered or uncomfortable.
This comfort is certainly aided by the Meteora's super tidy compound radius. 10-14” is absolutely perfect for even the most intricate of chord voicings down by the nut, yet still retaining pristine playability higher up the neck for leads.
Fender has opted to give buyers the option of either rosewood or maple fingerboards on the Ultra II Meteora. As many players will have a specific preference, this is a fantastic move on Fender's behalf.
What will be much less divisive are the Ultra’s rolled fretboard edges, which are present regardless of which fretboard option you select with your Meteora. Though a subtle detail, the rolled edges really impart an essence of prestige when it comes to the Ultra II Meteora, making it a joy to play for long periods.
A well-crowned set of medium jumbo frets, Graph Tech TUSQ nut, and glow-in-the-dark Luminlay side dots round out the neck specs of this model. All premium features that make playing the Ultra II Meteora a deluxe experience from the moment you pick it up.
In terms of electronics, the Ultra II Meteora houses two Fender Haymaker humbuckers under the hood. These pickups do much to impress, providing everything from crystalline cleans to bone crunching heavy tones.
The Meteora's versatility is further emphasised by Fender's inclusion of their classic S1 switching system. With the push of a button, you can split the Haymaker humbuckers, giving you instant access to the classic single coil tones that we all associate with the Fender legacy.
If this wasn’t enough, further tone sculpting is possible via the
Meteoras standard master volume and tone controls. However, more unconventional is the inclusion of a bass cut knob.
This handy control gives you the ability to roll off the bass frequencies without losing those spanky highs, an affliction that can sometimes result from more traditional methods such as rolling back the volume pot to clean up your sound.
The six-saddle string-throughhardtail bridge ensures that the Ultra II Meteora has rock-solid tuning stability no matter how hard you play. The stainless steel block saddles feel great under the palm and are sure to endure years of even the sweatiest of gigging abuse without rusting or seizing up.
Tuning stability and easy string changes are further aided by the inclusion of Fender's own deluxe brand locking tuners. Knurled alloy knobs and a single-ply anodized aluminium pickguard round out this Meteora’s hardware package, providing the perfect marriage between versatility and aesthetics.
A modern sensation that is perhaps destined to become a future classic? Regardless of your playing style, the Fender American Ultra II Meteora is sure to tick all of your boxes.
Brand: Shure
Product: MoveMic Two Receiver Kit
Distributed by: Jands
RRP: $1079
Reviewed by: Andy
Lloyd-Russell
Good quality content in 2024 is pretty much reliant on two main things, great ideas and quality gear to capture it. Whilst there are some specialised pieces of equipment geared towards content creators from some relatively new names in audio, having an industry stalwart such as Shure in the content creator game is kind of a big deal and with it a sense of legitimacy, especially when it comes to the requirements of audio equipment in this particular corner of the market.
Having released some pretty exciting gear over the past few years such as the MV7+podcasting mic and the MV6 USB gaming mic, Shure have been making serious strides in the content creator world with these products being quickly adopted by many, but the pro audio veterans aren’t stopping there. Having been established in broadcast for decades, namely with the iconic SM7B being a mainstay in this sphere, it’s no surprise with the epic rise of podcasting and other varieties of online content that these mics alone can be spotted in the studio spaces of some of the biggest names in podcasting. Whilst this has secured the brand’s name in this space, for the countless creatives who don’t have the luxury of a dedicated studio space, let alone the budget for one let alone a handful of these microphones, the
SM7B may not be the most suitable option. With so much content being created in various locations and audiences still expecting “studio quality” production value, more compact, elegant and quality audio solutions have become a priority for those creating on the move. Shure have certainly recognised this and their new line of MoveMic solutions speaks to this directly.
Far from being a compact lavalier mic, the new MoveMic is a compact clip-on mic system which boasts high fidelity audio transmitted wirelessly, direct to a connected device. Coming in three options being the MoveMic One, MoveMic Two and MoveMic Two Receiver Kit, each option caters to a variety of users from the solo creator/instructor, through to interviewers/journalists or the full kit for videographers and higher production needs. Designed by the same team of engineers behind Shure’s legendary wireless microphone systems which are used day-in day-out by some of the world's bigger touring artists, festivals, production houses and venues, these petite little microphones mean business.
Providing the ability to capture 2-channels of audio at 48kHz via Bluetooth is pretty wild and being spec’d with a 30m range is particularly impressive for field
recordings and on location shoots where the capture device, be it a connected phone, computer or the MoveMic receiver (which is cold shoe mountable for easy attachment to cameras) is set up a distance away from the mics. What’s more, MoveMic transmits via Bluetooth, making setup for an interview or video shoot incredibly fast, alleviating the need to work with and attach cumbersome transmitters, a massive plus.
Capturing audio from the MoveMic is equally as convenient as it seems the Shure team have gone to lengths to make this system as streamlined and user friendly as possible being able to near instantly start recording directing to your phone via one of the ShurePlus MOTIV apps. But for those with existing gear, setups and associated apps, simply connecting the MoveMic receiver via the included 3.5mm cable to a camera or via USB-C to a phone or computer is equally as easy and simple to set up.
In practice, the MoveMic Two Receiver Kit really is dead simple to use. Wanting to see the differences between the ShurePlus MOTIV apps, I downloaded both the audio and video apps. Both were a breeze to set up and use immediately, pairing with the mics straight away I was recording in no time. The presets available for speech and singers I found were a solid starting point, with the ability to quickly tweak settings further with convenient control over gain, high pass filter, EQ and compression. Having the mics connected to my phone to BlueTooth via the app there was some latency, as to be expected when monitoring with headphones, but this wasn’t a big deal and in reality when using these
mics for the intended scenarios you’d typically just be checking monitoring for levels and tweaking a couple of settings before hitting record anyway. Both apps are well laid out, intuitive and incredibly easy to use, with clear indications for input level, metering, input monitoring and muting of the mics. The ability to custom name the connected mics both within the app and on the MoveMic receiver as well as the captured media is super useful too, helping keep track of things in editing and post. The noise reduction feature works really well, and as for the audio quality, it’s pretty damn impressive. Voice was incredibly clear and I didn’t find it was overly hyped or brittle sounding, but rather nicely isolated, crisp, detailed and polished, with little or no need for further processing.
This neat mic kit is a game changer for content creators and for those needing an affordable high quality solution for their audio needs particularly for those creating content on the move need not look further. The convenient carry pouch makes the MoveMic Receiver Kit ideal for throwing in the backpack or production kit with all the included accessories being practical, well thought out and never feeling overdone. With a total of 24 hours record time available (8 hours per mic with 2 charges from the charging case) there’s very little the MoveMic Receiver Kit doesn’t cover, if only it could take care of editing your content too.
Breedlove Guitars are something special. As a company, they’re very in touch with the effects of using a natural material like wood, European Spruce and African Mahogany in this case, and you can feel it in their builds as well as their energy as a guitar manufacturer.
This is especially obvious in their ECO Collection, where guitars are built with sustainably-sourced exotic and native tonewoods, with no clear-cut trees. No clear-cut wood is used in any new Breedlove guitar Breedlove EcoTonewood in their commitment to respect and appreciate the materials they’re using. It’s where music meets the trees after all!
Being concert-sized, the Breedlove Discovery S Concert Edgeburst CE offers a crisp, balanced response. It’s a big enough body to project, with presence and weight, but without the mud sometimes present in a largerbodied acoustic guitar.
The Discovery is comprised of a European Spruce top and an African Mahogany back and sides, the neck also being constructed from African Mahogany. The fretboard and bridge are Ovangkol, providing a nice, natural wood grain to the Edgeburst finish on the top. This is an amber, three-tone burst, warm yellow hues bursting from the soundhole that evolve to dark brown around the body’s edge, which is capped off with crisp binding for a refined look overall. The Ovangkol bridge is Breedlove’s own pinless bridge design, alleviating both the need to wrestle with bridge pins to hold the strings in place, as well as allowing the strings to resonate more directly into the guitar’s woods, rather than all that beautiful acoustic energy fizzling out into the pins.
Brand: Breedlove
Product: Discovery S Concert Edgeburst CE
Distributed by: Amber Technology
RRP: $1049
Reviewed by: Lewis Noke Edwards
The Discovery S Concert Edgeburst CE features 20 frets, the cutaway providing unique access to the tippity-top frets, the scale length of 25.3” feeling familiar to both electric and acoustic players, as well as providing good tension across multiple alternate tunings. The Discovery S Concert Edgeburst CE features a Fishman Presys I pickup system featuring an on board tuner and some simple tone controls. A bright, backlit tuner will have you able to tune both inside on a dark stage, or outside in the sun. A phase switch allows you to flip the polarity of the pickup system at the guitar stage itself, rather than leaving it up to an FOH engineer or at the preamp stage when recording. This is especially handy for self recording, as once you’re set up you don’t want to be jumping up to toggle a preamp’s polarity switch on and off! A single ‘Contour’ control allows you to leave the guitar reasonably natural and open, while dialling in more contour scooped the guitar’s output, super handy for fitting into a dense mix or making way for your own vocal!
Straight out of the case, the Discovery is a pleasure to play. Well set up from the factory, in tune and comfortable, the tonality of the choice of tonewoods and body shape really make this guitar sing! While I’d love to spruik how much I took note of all the specs, additions and build quality while playing, the truth is that what I loved most about the Discovery S Concert Edgeburst CE is that nothing got
in my way at all. The cutaway is so well built that I could easily access every fret without thinking about its design, the neck shape, scale length and finish had me easily fretting both chords and more articulate leads. The body shape, while conventionally concert-shaped, also felt comfortable and entirely out of my way, the body resonating into me and summing to a beautiful sound overall.
The Fishman Presys I pickup is so good in fact, that in general it simply feels like the acoustic sound of the guitar is amplified. While this might seem like it should be the standard for acoustic guitar pickups; guitar players and the sound engineers that mix them will agree; it’s not always par for the course. Acoustic guitar pickups can generally sound lifeless, or brittle, or a bit of both, and they lack the resonance and liveliness of the acoustic sound of the guitar itself. The Presys manages to capture all of this, with options to shape it as much or little as you’d like, and amplify the Discovery S Concert Edgeburst CE as much as you might need.
The Breedlove Discovery S Concert Edgeburst CE is, at its core, a great guitar. Not only is it well constructed with carefully chosen tonewoods that sound great, but it’s all sustainably sourced as part of Breedlove’s commitment to leaving as little impact on the Earth and environment as they can, and the proof is in the pudding. While the concert shape is a
standard amongst acoustic guitars, Breedlove’s Discovery S Concert takes this a step further, pairing a refined design of the best woods to specific targets to make an overall balanced, lively and present acoustic guitar. Aesthetically, the finish of the Discover S Concert borrows from both nature and famous designs, the Edgeburst reminding us of vintage parlour guitars and early electric designs, while the natural wood grain of the Ovangkol fretboard and bridge remind us that the guitar is built from natural materials.
Build aside, the Fishman pickup system is a great addition, capturing nuance that a lot of acoustic guitars swing for and miss, the Presys 1 however, is absolutely a home run. Every part of the Discover S Concert is built to be played, to allow the player to focus on the great sound, without any hurdles or design elements that get in the way. The Discovery S Concert is about removing obstacles, and they’ve done it remarkably well. It’s inspiring, refreshing and a relief that I’m playing something that’s sourced, built and produced in a sustainable way, both for me and the environment.
Brand: Fender
Product: FINNEAS Acoustasonic Player Telecaster
Distributed by: Fender Music Australia
RRP: $2399
Reviewed by: Christopher Hockey
Combining the purity of an acoustic guitar with the freedom of an electric, the Fender Acoustasonic series has taken the world by storm in recent years. Now, FINNEAS, the Grammy-award winning producer, singer, songwriter and performer who ascended to stardom alongside his sister Billie Eilish, has partnered with Fender to create his very own Acoustasonic Telecaster. Designed specifically by FINNEAS to be the smoothest possible conduit for turning ideas into hits, the FINNEAS Acoustasonic Player Telecaster is a powerful songwriting tool with a myriad of exciting features.
To begin with, straight out of the box this guitar was bang in tune and felt absolutely incredible. The neck is smooth and incredibly fast, feeling far more like the neck of a great Telecaster than a cumbersome acoustic. The unplugged sound however, is far closer to that of a traditional acoustic guitar, just with a bit less volume and bass response.
The guitar features a beautiful Cappuccino Fade satin finish upon its solid spruce top that looks truly original, perfectly balancing organic and modern vibes that really compliment the natural wood of the instrument. Unusually for a Fender, the neck and body of this guitar are made of Mahogany, not only a deluxe tonewood known for its richness and full bodied sound, but a perfect colour match for the Cappuccino finish.
The neck is also made of mahogany, capped off with a
beautiful rosewood fretboard. Thanks to its satin finish and modern C shape, it feels very smooth and is extremely comfortable. Featuring a 25.5” scale length, 12” radius and 22 narrow tall frets, this neck will feel very familiar to Fender fans and plays like a dream. The matching mahogany headstock bears a classic Tele shape, loaded with a graph tech TUSQ nut and chrome cast/sealed staggered tuning pegs.
As streamlined as it is versatile, the magic of the Acoustasonic Player Telecaster lies within its dual pickup system. Effortlessly transitioning between acoustic and electric sounds, this FINNEAS signature model includes both a revolutionary magnetic Shawbucker pickup for electric tones and an undersaddle Fishman piezo pickup for acoustic tones, accompanied by a master volume knob, a multifunctional tone knob and a three way switch. This evolution of the Acoustasonic Player Telecaster offers a set of six voices chosen by FINNEAS to range from clean electric to small-body and dreadnought acoustic, and includes a hand-selected onboard chorus effect in two positions for a versatile array of studio-worthy sounds. In the bridge position, the guitar is in full electric mode. Utilising the magnetic Shawbucker pickup to deliver clean, traditional Telecaster bridge pickup sounds, in this position, the tone knob acts like it would on a normal electric guitar, except when totally rolled off, it engages the onboard chorus effect
(which also features a blend control, allowing you to be as subtle or overt as you like!)
In this position one can attain a variety of electric guitar sounds as one would with any Telecaster, from sparkling jazzy cleans to dirty overdriven tones depending on the rig in question. It handles distortion very well, with impressive sustain for an essentially acoustic instrument. The onboard chorus sounds great in this position, with a warm, swirling tone that sits just right in the mix.
In the middle position, the signal is now a blend of both pickups, layering the electric and acoustic sounds together in a way that has to be heard to be believed. In this position, the chorus effect is not available, as the tone control takes on the function of a blend knob, allowing the player to dial in as much or as little of each sound as they wish. This opens up the possibility of having a strong electric sound with a little acoustic in the background, or visa-versa, a great tool for rhythm playing either on stage or in the studio if personnel is limited.
In the neck position, the guitar is solely drawing upon the piezo pickup, exhibiting a full blown acoustic sound. This produces a crisp, full organic tone that really drives home the versatility of this instrument. In this position, the tone knob can now be used to gradually cycle through everything from a small-bodied acoustic tone to a robust, bass heavy dreadnought sound and when fully rolled off, once again engages the chorus effect.
The chorus effect works equally well if not better for the acoustic tones, creating a lovely thickening modulation effect that adds a shimmering studio-quality sheen to your arsenal. All in all this amounts to roughly six discrete sounds all built into one guitar, making this FINNEAS signature model one of the most versatile Fender has ever produced.
A collaboration between one of the most beloved and renowned legacy brands in the world of guitars and one of modern music’s greatest and most innovative minds, the FINNEAS Acoustasonic Player Telecaster is crafted to deliver an organic sonic nuance that truly resonates. Subtle features like a natural wood finish on the control knobs, a modern asymmetrical wooden bridge and FINNEAS’s own signature on the back of the headstock help to make this a truly special offering. Arriving in a deluxe padded gig bag that provides premium protection and portability, this guitar comes loaded with a lively set of Fender Dura-Tone 860CL Coated Phosphor Bronze strings that accentuate the sound of the instrument perfectly.
Mirroring his genre-defying, multi-faceted career, FINNEAS has delivered a truly versatile guitar that delivers endless inspiration and new sonic expressions for the next generation of modern music makers. If the idea of having high quality electric and acoustic tones at your disposal in one guitar appeals to you, this instrument is your best bet. Taking an idea that easily could have rested on its laurels as an endearing gimmick and elevating it to a truly practical, playable, versatile and great sounding tool is quite the achievement by Fender and once again reinforces the fact that after over seventy years, this is a brand that is still willing to push the envelope. When it comes to breaking new sonic ground, it would seem that FINNEAS has found the perfect collaborator.
Guitar manufacturers have often struggled to facilitate their pursuit of great sounding tonewoods for their instruments in a way that is environmentally sustainable. However, where others have failed, Breedlove, operating out of Bend, Oregon, have succeeded. Two core values drive everything that Breedlove does: protecting the world’s forests and maximising the sound of their acoustic guitars. Never have they been more successful in demonstrating this than with the newest addition to their ECO collection, the Pursuit Exotic S Concert Amber CE.
Breedlove’s ECO Collection addresses these two core values with renewed vigour and exceptional execution. In a stunning feat of engineering, Breedlove has invented a process to integrate three different layers of tonewood, all sustainably harvested from forests personally visited by Breedlove owner Tom Bedell. This process avoids the soft centre core that dampens sound on other laminates, giving these guitars an exceptional tone. With the Breedlove ECO Collection, you can play environmentally friendly, solid top guitars with vibrant, renewable, sound enhancing EcoTonewoods approved by Mother Nature.
Crafted with these Eco Tonewoods, which provide an optimised and natural sound, the Pursuit Exotic S Concert Amber CE is a thing of beauty. Featuring a shimmering Amber Burst finish that perfectly highlights the natural beauty of its myrtlewood construction, this is a fantastic sounding guitar that environmentally conscious musicians can feel great about owning. Myrtle’s superb blend of rosewood’s bottom, mahogany’s mids and maple’s clear, ringing treble gives a full, resonant voice to this guitar’s Concert body, resulting in a versatile instrument like no other.
The Concert body shape is favoured by many players for its well-balanced, compact size and articulate sound. With plenty of volume and bottom end, though not straying into the boomy territory of a dreadnought, the Pursuit Exotic
Brand: Breedlove
Product: Pursuit Exotic S Concert Amber CE
Distributed by: Amber Technology
RRP: $1399
Reviewed by: Christopher Hockey
S Concert is perfectly suited to both fingerstyle and flatpicking. Incredibly comfortable to play, this guitar’s sleek, satin finished neck is complemented by a very generous soft cutaway that allows full access to every one of its twenty frets. Featuring scalloped ‘cascade’ Sitka spruce bracing, the Exotic S has exceptional projection and is a joy to play, filling any room with full, rich lows, a lively midrange and a vibrant, sparkling top end. Other appointments on this guitar include premium Breedlove copper machine heads, a beautiful tortoiseshell binding, a stained black Ovangkol bridge and classy copper coloured fret inlays. These choices combined with the guitar’s beautiful Amber finish give the instrument an organic, natural but upmarket appearance that is extremely easy on the eyes and reminiscent of its state of origin.
The Pursuit Exotic S Concert Amber CE comes stock equipped with a Fishman Presys I pickup system, making this an Acoustic Electric instrument suitable for any live performance situation. The Fishman Presys I features a volume control to ensure a clean signal, an onboard digital tuner and a contour control that adjusts your tone in a linear fashion from a natural tone to a more mid-scooped sound. It also features a phase switch that enhances bass response and can help to reduce unwanted feedback. This pickup is very effective at maintaining the Pursuit’s lively natural timbre, ensuring that this guitar sounds as good amplified as it
does acoustically.
I found the Pursuit to be exceptionally resonant, articulate and effortless to play. It has excellent sustain even when played with a gentle fingerstyle and when strummed, every note of each chord rings out distinctly and clearly in a very musical way. Pleasantly lightweight and well-balanced, its very generous sloped cutaway provides effortless fret access all the way up the neck and it sits very comfortably on the knee. Small details like the tortoiseshell design that binds its body, neck and rosette are a nice touch, blending in well with the singularly pretty Amber burst finish. The copper detailing gives this guitar a unique look that very much belongs to Breedlove, assisting in providing it with its own identity.
Another great selling point for all of Breedlove’s products is of course their commitment to environmentally sustainable practices. The bottom line is, Breedlove uses no clear-cut woods. They either salvage dead trees or individually harvest to minimise the impact on forests. They achieve this while maintaining a very reasonable price point with their ECO collection, which for this model currently sits at an accessible $1399. When compared to instruments of similar quality and timbre, this is a steal. Particularly considering the environmentally sustainable practices that go into its construction.
Sustainability aside, this guitar’s beautiful Myrtlewood build gives it a
unique look and sound that are truly delightful. Its neck is smooth and comfortable and it came out of the box with a low, fast action and very solid intonation. This is a very high quality guitar for its price range, making it a great investment for players across all experience levels. Details like a unique asymmetrical headstock design give it the unique Breedlove flair that sets them apart from their competition, but nothing in its design feels too flashy, out of place or overdone. It retains a lovely, organic and natural aesthetic that is nicely accentuated by its Amber finish and copper appointments. All in all, this is a fantastic mid-sized acoustic-electric guitar that has a great balanced sound, a comfortable body and a very effective and natural sounding pickup system. The pickup controls like the contour knob and phase button provide flexibility for live performances and allows players to tailor their tone to suit individual spaces and mixes. So if you’re an environmentally conscious picker who wants a guitar that sounds great anywhere and makes a statement, this is a great choice for you.
You won’t find another brand new, ethically made guitar you can feel this good about buying in this price range and you certainly won't find one that feels and sounds as good as this one. Breedlove have finally reconciled the great pursuit of tonewoods with our need to protect the beautiful forests in which they are found. It’s a lovely guitar for the tree hugging hippie within us all.
Brand: Sennheiser
Product: MD 421 Kompakt
Distributed by: Sennheiser Australia
RRP: MD 421 Kompakt $499 / with drum clamp $549
Reviewed by: Lewis Noke Edwards
The Sennheiser MD 421 is a remarkably famous microphone. It would be a heavy task to find a studio without a handful of them, both the older, vintage models with a cream coloured body and silver grille, as well as the all-black models more commonly found, and still available, in 2024.
The MD 421 is not a small microphone, and while not as boisterous as a huge tube microphone, the MD 421’s body is filled with additional circuitry to switch between ‘M’ and ‘S’ settings, being ‘Music’ and ‘Speech’ respectively. The ‘M’ setting has a more full sound, while the ‘S’ setting rolls off some mud for better sound for broadcast applications. So how can you improve on something so widely accepted as a great choice for a variety of applications? Well, by making it more compact of course!
2024 sees the introduction of the Sennheiser MD 421 Kompakt. For all intents and purposes, this is the classic sound and design of the famed MD 421.
The MD 421 Kompakt is a multipurpose dynamic cardioid microphone. Designed for exceptionally high sound levels, the Kompakt makes a great choice for blistering rock guitars, drums and horns, all sources with high SPL and/or a lot of transient information. The cardioid pickup pattern and feedback rejection reduce unwanted bleed and noise, being supremely focused on the source that it’s pointed at.
While the Kompakt is physically more compact than its predecessors, the addition of an internal bass tube allows for full-bodied sound and accurate low end. Doing away with the aforementioned ‘M’ and ‘S’ switch helps to reduce body size as well, advances in technology allowing us to do more digital processing in the box, so it’s not always necessary to filter out that sound on the way in. The switching on the mic, while helpful, hails from a time where broadcast was live and analogue, and recording was to tape.
The MD 421 Kompakt also features a newly designed mic clip, with two options. There’s a standard mic stand clip that allows you to screw the mic onto a stand, while Sennheiser also offer a drum clip intended to clip onto the hoops of a drum shell, making it a perfect option for recording things like toms
and snare drums. The full range sound of the MD 421 Kompakt will help you to capture all the nuance you need from fills, ghost notes and snare wire snuffle.
Featuring a three-pin, gold XLR connection, the MD 421 Kompakt is built for long term, consistent use, and you’ll find yourself going back to it time and again. It features a frequency response from 30Hz to 17kHz, the diaphragm being protected by a stainless-steel basket, the internals protected by an internal chassis to prevent dust and humidity. All of this to say that the MD 421 Kompakt is built for the studio, the stage and road. In use, it’s difficult not to compare the MD 421 Kompakt to the original MD 421, but here I am doing it! The MD 421 has consistently been relegated to the go-to option for capturing crucial mid range in sources like guitars, bass and drums. It can also help you record horns, woodwind and brass that’ll sit comfortably in an arrangement, with full-range sound to be mixed and refined to your heart’s content.
All of this is to say that the MD 421 Kompakt is no exception to any of this, and it can absolutely fulfil any role you might’ve chosen a MD 421 for. Better yet, the compact size of the Kompakt allows you to get closer to things like drums where hardware and cymbals can be inconvenient, removing a few things: worry that the drummer will snare roll onto the mic itself, or that you’ll be left with compromised sound because of the distance and space that the larger MD 421 demands. The Kompakt nestled nicely next to a snare on a session this past week, and it was also comfortably set up amongst other guitar cabinet microphones. Multi-miking a speaker cab is no mean feat, the tiniest adjustments altering the recorded sound in a huge way, and the smaller mic enclosure helped me really dial in the tones. The band were chuffed! Sonically, the Kompakt retains the same mid-forward, balanced sound of the MD 421, and I’ll happily be reaching for it session after session.
The Sennheiser MD 421 Kompakt is the next in a line of profoundly practical and widely-used range of microphones. Intended for broadcast as well as music recording, the original MD 421 found its way into the studio because of how accurately it captured sources. With allowances for very high SPL, the MD 421 remained in favour as music got louder and louder, with higher transient information. The MD 421 Kompakt takes all this and packs it into a more practically sized enclosure, with the same rugged design that makes it a mainstay of the studio. Reliability is the name of the game, the MD 421 Kompakt has this in droves.
A re-designed clip secures it to whatever means you have of pointing it at something, that source coming through with the crystal-clear clarity that the whole MD 421 range is so widely loved for.
Brand: Sterling By Musicman
Product: Intro Series StingRay bass
Distributed by: CMC Music
RRP: $849
Reviewed by: Christopher Hockey
Sterling by Musicman has introduced a fabulous new model to its highly anticipated and incredibly affordable Intro series, an array of new instruments designed to offer professional quality at a very accessible price. The Intro Series StingRay enables players at any experience level or budget to own their very own StingRay bass, a model that has been beloved by bassists for generations. With this stripped back, entry-level model, Sterling have distilled the essence of what makes the StingRay so beloved and unique in a simple bass that welcomes new players to their brand.
Music Man is a legendary American guitar and bass guitar manufacturer. Originally formed in 1971 by Forrest White and Tom Walker, along with Leo Fender as a silent partner, the company started manufacturing electric and bass guitars under the Music Man name in 1974. In 1984 it was acquired by Ernie Ball and renamed Ernie Ball Music Man. Sterling is Music Man’s more accessible series, featuring high-quality guitars & basses designed by the legendary Ernie Ball at an affordable price point. Their range provides players with retro and modern designs that anyone can enjoy.
The Intro Series takes this philosophy to the max, focusing on affordability and simplicity of design to entice up and coming players to take the opportunity to fall in love with their instruments. This new StingRay model for one, is well worth falling in love with. The Intro Series StingRay has a great sound, exceptionally comfortable feel and very simple controls, amounting to an excellent entry level bass that really packs a punch.
The StingRay model was first introduced in 1976 and was designed by Leo Fender, Tom Walker, and Sterling Ball. Though somewhat similar to Leo’s designs, it had a number of distinctive features. These included a single humbucking pickup, a generous double cutaway design and a distinctive "3+1" headstock on which three tuning machines are situated on the top and one on the bottom. Players who have favoured the StingRay over the years include Flea, Tim Commerford, John Deacon, Mark Hoppus and Louis Johnson.
The Intro Series StingRay features a Poplar body and a Hard Maple neck, giving it a bright tone and solid attack. Its vibrant and cheerful Misty Green finish is eye-catching and feels appropriate for a beginner model designed to inspire and invigorate. The neck is extremely comfortable, with an ultra smooth satin finish that provides ultimate playability. Its rich brown Rosewood fretboard looks great against the Misty Green finish and carries 21 medium frets. Featuring a 34” scale length, 9.5” radius and a pleasantly narrow 1.57” nut width, this bass feels modern, comfortable and balanced.
The StingRay’s contoured shape has always been a head turner, but it's also very comfortable against the body in either a sitting or standing position, another reason why this model is a great choice for beginners. For the Intro Series model, Sterling have kept the controls very simple, loading up this bass with a single pickup, a volume control and a tone control only. Open gear, clover shaped tuners and a sturdy fixed bridge round off the design in classic Music Man style.
At the heart of the Intro Series StingRay lies a H-1 Ceramic Humbucker, featuring passive electronics for a familiar yet versatile tone. With plenty of thumping low end, aggressive zingy mids and a present treble-y attack, this bass is extremely versatile and suited to many playing styles. Players have long chosen the StingRay for its increased treble response, but it's a far more versatile sounding bass than many realise. Whilst it certainly packs a lot of punch in the high end, making it very useful for genres in which more traditional tones aren’t going to cut it, the StingRay and indeed this iteration of it, contains multitudes within its simple design.
With a simple rolling off of the tone knob on this bass, there are many warmer sounds to be found. John Deacon is a great example of a player who utilised a darker sound from his StingRay and the Intro Series has done well at capturing that tone. Given that it carries passive electronics which is new for a StingRay, this bass leans away from the more aggressive edge that the bass is known for in a pleasantly musical way.
Sonic versatility is a key feature for a beginner bass, giving new players a chance to find their own sound through experimentation. Not only does the Intro Series nail that but it also provides a very comfortable, playable instrument that is perfect for fresh hands. In saying that, experienced players looking to expand their arsenal will find this bass to be of decidedly gig worthy quality, a great choice for any bassist curious to try their first StingRay variety.
Sterling have done a great job of late providing affordable versions of beloved Music Man models, allowing players of all budgets and experience levels to be welcomed to the legendary brand’s collection. The Intro Series StingRay is no exception, boasting excellent build quality and tone at a very accessible price point.
From its versatile, powerful sound provided by its humbucking pickup to its silky smooth neck feel and fun Misty Green finish, this is an instrument that would make an excellent first bass for any new player. The StingRay has always made a bold statement with its timeless body shape and aggressive tone and this is a great entry level version to introduce players to this legendary model.
The excellent price point of this model combined with its adaptable, balanced timbre makes it a powerful creative tool and an exciting instrument to play. So if you’re looking for your first bass or to expand your collection to include a great, affordable StingRay model, Sterling has provided what you need with the Intro Series. Featuring all the things that have made this model a classic, without the intimidating price tag, this bass is a real gem.
Brand:
Paul Reed Smith
Product: PRS SE NF3
Distributed by: Electric Factory
RRP: $1599
Reviewed by: Paul
Blomfield
Paul Reed Smith’s reputation for quality is second to none. The PRS SE NF3 is a ride-or-die guitar; a reliable performer. It’s also an onion, much like an ogre, and it has layers. Out of the case it presents as a sleek, unpretentious Silver Sky-esque strat, but the eye is quickly drawn to its tasteful array of subtle enhancements. It’s the kind of workhorse you take on tour year after year, and after every show there’s guaranteed to be a handful of eagle-eyed enthusiasts waiting side-of-stage to quiz you: ‘What are those fret inlays all about?’ ‘Are those pickups actually humbuckers or are they something else?’ ‘Surely they’ve got to be, right?’. You can just about hang your hat on it being set up and ready to go the second you open the box. If the SE range is the kind of gear Paul Reed Smith wants his students to use, please take my money and school me.
The SE (Student Edition) line of PRS guitars was launched in 2001 thanks to a brainwave by legendary brand ambassador Carlos Santana, who wanted to give a larger proportion of their shared fanbase access to PRS quality instruments. The SE line was originally produced out of World Music in South Korea, but in 2018 PRS teamed up with PT. Cort Indonesia and shifted the SE production line five thousand kilometres south. Four years later, they built a completely separate 90,000 sq ft factory exclusively for the production of PRS SE guitars. On the PRS Guitars YouTube channel
you’ll find a 20 minute documentary tour of this factory, which I highly recommend watching. In the documentary, PRS Chief Operating Officer Jack Higginbotham explains that “to make a PRS guitar is a pretty singular thing you have to have our processes, you have to have our parts, you have to use our design elements to make a neck feel the way we want a neck to feel.” This gives you an idea of the rigid quality controls the SE guitars are held to on the production line.
The NF3 is the latest addition to the SE family, bringing with it a key upgrade: a trio of PRS Narrowfield Deep Dish “S” pickups. To the uninitiated naked eye, it resembles a kind of low profile humbucker with post-modern rectangular magnets that sort of look like morse code. According to the PRS website, these pickups “are made with taller bobbins to fit more winds and extra metal pieces in between the magnets for a more focused, powerful tone.” I tried out a PRS SE NF3 in a luxurious metallic Gunmetal Gray finish that reminded me of a video taken from a weather balloon as it crossed the beautiful, stratospheric threshold between blue sky and the black void of space.
First I need to talk about the electronics, starting with those Narrowfield pickups. The absence of a battery box in the back of the guitar came as a bit of a surprise. According to Mr. Paul Reed Smith himself, “it’s not kind of like a single-coil [pickup], it is [a single coil
pickup].” Tonally, this revolutionary technology effortlessly treads the line between single-coil and humbucking pickups, giving you the best of both worlds: shimmer and twang, dynamic response and character in the upper register, plus punchy bottom-end girth and a warm, driven sustain. The thing I found most rewarding here was the value of that middle pickup. It perfectly splits the difference between a neck and a bridge humbucker: tamer highmids than bridge, a little more bite and a little less warmth than neck.
And because it’s a 5-way switch, you’ve got the spaces between to explore as well, which I found to be remarkably shimmery and throaty. I invariably ended up using the tone pot significantly more than I would on other strat style guitars, just to flatten out some of the tonal variance between switch positions. This is definitely a guitar that benefits from fiddling with the pots to nail your sound, so it’s a good thing the pots feel great beneath your fingers and are easy to manipulate mid-lick.
In terms of construction, I found the flat top poplar body very aerodynamic and ergonomic. The deep contour in the back was extremely comfortable against my beer belly and the rounded neck heel granted me a frictionless ascension to the 22nd fret. The bolt-on maple neck is a slightly shorter 25” scale length with a Wide Thin profile. The fretboard has a radius of 10”, measuring 42.9mm at the nut and 57.2mm at the 22nd fret and featuring
the whimsical and omnipotent signature PRS bird inlays. I personally found that the string spacing felt a little wider than what I was used to, but a reliable source tells me PRS devotees should find it comfortably familiar. Those same die-hard brand followers will quickly notice the PRS logo design (Paul Reed Smith’s autograph) in the headstock, along with the smaller ‘SE’ logo and ‘NF3’ truss-rod cover, all new designs for this latest SE offering. They decided not to opt for locking tuners in this model, instead sticking with the classic PRS designed lightweight nickel tuners. At the opposite end of the guitar you’ve got a PRS patented tremolo system which keeps everything reliably in tune while offering a nice range of motion for whammy bends and flourishes.
You can pick up a PRS SE NF3 in four finishes: the aforementioned Gunmetal Gray; an equally spacey Ice Blue Metallic; a bold and provocative Metallic Orange; and classically elegant Pearl White. Each comes with maple and rosewood options and all are fitted with a black pickguard (save for the pickguard on the Gunmetal Gray model which comes in white).
You’ve heard the name. You know its reputation. Owning a PRS guitar is easier than ever. The PRS SE NF3 is the perfect springboard from which to launch oneself into a world of unrivalled quality that will last a lifetime.
With EVH Guitars name ringing profoundly throughout the upper echelons of guitar-playing circles, it was only natural that a more budget-minded Wolfgang model would make itself known amongst its contemporaries.
Boasting all the tone, playability and style of its big brothers, the EVH Wolfgang Standard is an uncompromised vision come to life.
Clearly the mission statement is to put a pro-level Wolfgang into the hands of the working player, but retailing at around half the price of the next-tier Wolfgang Special, where exactly have the costs been cut?
Straight out of the box, the Wolfgang Standard oozes classic EVH style. Harkening back to the 1990s Soldano-driven aesthetic of Van Halen’s For Unlawful Carnal Knowlege era, the Wolfgang’s transparent red finish with masked-off natural binding looks absolutely fantastic.
By this point, the Wolfgang shape has become all too familiar, enduring a variety of renditions across various companies. However, I feel that it really has come into its own with the more recent EVH varieties.
The special “Comfort Cut” forearm contour makes for an easy playing experience regardless of whether you are seated or standing. Additionally, upper fret access is never hampered with the Wolfgang’s stylish double cutaway design.
Brand: Fender
Product: EVH WG Wolfgang Standard
Distributed by: Fender Music Australia
RRP: $1299
Reviewed by: Jamie Colic
The basswood body is both light and resonant, offering plenty of punch with a nicely balanced tonality, well-suited for modern playing styles and setups. EVH are also offering quilt maple versions for those who prefer a bit of added bling when it comes to their axe.
The gloss urethane finish feels great to the touch, never getting sticky or unpleasant to play on through even the most demanding of rehearsals.
Another feature that really hits home when it comes to the EVH Wolfgang Standard WG is the baked maple neck. Its oiled finish feels fantastic with the patented Wolfgang Backshape profile that will appease even the most arduous shredder, without promoting the hand cramps associated with some skinnier neck carves.
Additionally, the Wolfgang Standard WG is spec’d with a nifty 12”-16” compound radius fretboard. This, in combination with the instrument's 25.5” scale length, makes for a phenomenal playing experience regardless of playing style or genre.
Boasting 22 jumbo frets, I found that the Wolfgang was a pleasure to play. Due in no small part to the excellent fret job provided by EVH’s Indonesian factory supplier.
If this wasn't enough, the neck's titanium reinforcement with heel mount truss rod adjustment wheel ensures that the Wolfgang WG Standard will remain stable in even the most demanding of conditions.
The heel-mounted truss rod wheel makes for easy adjustments on the fly if you do need to make them, meaning that you will never be scampering around looking for the right wrench before soundcheck.
The EVH Wolfgang WG Standard is equipped for war with a dual set of OEM EVH Wolfgang humbucking pickups.
EVH opting to use their own brand pickups instead of opting for brand name aftermarket options is a very clever way to keep the cost of the Wolfgang WG Standard down at retail without compromising on quality or tone.
As per the specification of the late Eddie Van Halen, these pickups are direct mounted to the guitar body without the use of more traditional mounting methods such as pickup rings or a pickguard.
According to many, this method of pickup mounting encourages the transference of sympathetic vibrations providing numerous tonal benefits, including but not limited to the increase of sustain, harmonics and other subtle nuances.
As for the pickups themselves, I personally found them to be up to the task of most playing styles, with a slight lean towards highoctane rock and metal. Despite this, they do clean up rather nicely for both crunch and clean tones even with the absence of any coilsplitting functionality.
The Wolfgang WG Standards electronics are further rounded
out with standard master tone and volume controls. EVH have opted to ship this model with low friction 500k pots, enabling the player to easily engage in Eddie-inspired techniques such as his signature volume swells.
The Wolfgang WG Standard is packed with a quality mid-tier hardware package centred around an EVH-branded Floyd Rose Special bridge.
This model has few changes from the upmarket 1500 series that aid in reducing the cost of the bridge. For example the Floyd Special features a different sustain block and saddle parts to the aforementioned 1000 series, utilising a different, more cost efficient metal compound in its design.
Rest assured that the EVH Floyd works just as it should, with even the most harrowing of deep divebombs returning to perfect pitch over the duration of time I spent with the instrument with no troubles in sight.
When it comes down to the crunch the EVH WG Wolfgang Standard represents fantastic value for the aspiring rocker.
Providing all the features one needs to bust through from the bedroom to the stage without breaking the bank, or skimping out on the things that matter.
MY RIG: JEFF LANG
WORDS BY JAMIE
COLIC
The three-time ARIA award winner Jeff Lang is gearing up for the release of his 18th studio album More Life this month. A collaborative effort featuring the likes of John Butler, Liz Stringer, Fred Leone, and Don Walker amongst many more.
Melbournians will be pleased to hear that a good chunk of More Life was recorded at Preston's illustrious Headgap studios with head engineer Finn Keane. “A great sounding space. It's always great to have a singer like Fred Leone and say ‘Let's put a longbody U47 on him’. It's really deluxe.”
Jeff further reveals that the recording of More Life wasn't strictly a Melbourne affair.
“About half of the record was recorded and mixed here at my home studio, with a few contributions being recorded remotely.”
“I remember reading an interview with [producer] Daniel Lanois (U2, Peter Gabriel, Bob Dylan etc.) in Guitar Player back in the early 90s. He said that you can absolutely make a great-sounding record at home with a pair of SM57’s and a Cassette Portastudio. I remember thinking even back then how cool that was!”
A significant ingredient in Jeff’s rootsy concoction has been his long-term use of unorthodox acoustic amplification methods. Often running in-built microphones in parallel with Sunrise pickups, Jeff will also run the output of the Sunrise pickup through a variety of gear closely associated with electric guitar rigs to blend both acoustic and distorted guitar tones.
When asked to elaborate on his penchant for blending in distorted acoustic guitar sounds he goes on to divulge “There's a lot of outright electric guitar on More Life but “Goodbye Amsterdam” is a good example of an overdriven acoustic.”
“I like sounds that could go either way, like an electric that might sound like an acoustic or vice versa. For over 30 years now I've been focused on getting big rich acoustic guitar sounds through the PA system and then morphing them into full-blown electric sounds just by using a volume pedal.”
From this point, the conversation steers into a direct appreciation for the smorgasbord of sonic delicacies caught in the runtime of More Life.
I prod Jeff about some mesmerising Sitarlike sounds put smack bang in the middle of the heavily world-influenced cut Calling Me Back Home.
“On Calling Me Back Home I'm playing alongside Debashish Bhattacharya who is playing Hindustani Slide guitar” Jeff explains \with adoration.
“He has a number of instruments he invented to play Indian Classical music on slide guitar. A couple of them actually have sympathetic strings that do sound very sitar-esque. It's very much his style of playing and he's an absolute monster!”
“Alongside that, you are also hearing Asin Khan Langa playing the Sindhi Sarangi, which is the Indian version of a violin. It’s played quite differently to a Western violin but it's with a bow. It again has a lot of sympathetic strings and all the wonderful Indian inflection, which paired up great with Danny Mckenna's feel on the western drum kit.”
Before closing up our Wednesday morning chat Jeff is eager to spill the beans on some of
the gear that remains victorious for his work both live and in the studio. Starting off by giving much creedence to his Ross Coole made Fry Pan Lap Steel Guitar.
“That's a fantastic instrument, Ross is just one of those guys, he just has to know how things work when he sees them”.
Jeff goes on to further detail “Ross saw someone playing a Rickenbacker Fry Pan at a gig in Western Australia and was just taken by the sound. This led to him making moulds and melting down aluminium, he wanted to make an exact copy and he just nailed it!”
Another piece of gear Jeff is quick to sing praises for are his Almach amplifiers, built by Allan Kelley back in Geelong.
“The Fry Pan I did on the track with John Butler called Seek High, that is just the Ross Coole Fry Pan, into a spring reverb unit and my 20 watt Almach amp.”
“It's a special amp that one, class A, 6l6s, and Octal preamp tubes. I ran it into a JBL 10” speaker and a JBL 15” off of two cabinets. It just makes that glorious sound when it's up full!”
Jeff Lang's new album More Life is available now. You can keep up with Jeff at @jefflangmusic
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