NAMM 2024

What a show! The energy hit differently this year; The LA sun was shining, vibes were high, music filled the air and NAMM Show once again delivered the goods, both literally and proverbially-speaking. From brand-firsts such as Soyuz Microphones’ first ever outboard offering to Barefoot’s most affordable 3-way compact monitors yet, there was a lot to be excited about. Most products are available now, and if not will be soon. As always, get in touch for further details!

Lakeside Preamp | 011 Series Microphones | 023 Wax Bomblet | Ambisphere Microphone

Soyuz introduced four exciting new products this NAMM. Kickstarting a new venture into the outboard market, their new Lakeside Pre offers a simple but effective control-set with Soyuz’ signature sound (including a new proprietary transformer) in a beautifully designed 1u rack. Also launched is a new Wax-Brass Bomblet complete with a piece of meteorite embedded in the circuitry for “added mojo”. Interestingly, this version has been coated in a unique finish which ages naturally over time for an authentic vintage aesthetic. Two new 011 Series mics complete the small diaphragm family, featuring a new tranformerless design for tight and detailed sound reproduction. Lastly, Soyuz new ambisonic microphone packs no less than seven 013 capsules into a single body, offering an immersive soundstage with the same clarity and warmth found across the Soyuz’ family of mics.

Genesys G3D Integrated Analogue Mixing 

Genesys 3D is the world’s first object-based hardware and software platform, allowing for three-dimensional analogue mixing directly from the console surface. Neve’s Engineers have worked closely with the team at Dolby to devise and approve a unique and intuitive control system, allowing Dolby Atmos mixing directly from the Genesys G3D console surface. The new I/O mapping method allows the Genesys analogue channel strips (including EQ dynamics processing, outboard insert paths and analogue fader motions), to be utilised to mix analogue audio in three-dimensions – the first time this has been possible on a Neve analogue console!

AMS Neve Starnet Converters 

AMS Neve unveiled its new StarNet Range product series during the 2024 NAMM Show. The series includes two new cutting-edge products: the StarNet DM256 I/O system and the StarNet ADA16 converter. The StarNet DM256 I/O system was designed as a powerful digital audio format converter, capable of handling up to 256 channels of Dante transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) over a single Ethernet connection. The DM256 offers one of the largest digital I/O capabilities on the market, providing 256 channels of MADI input and output through four MADI ports. These ports include duplex optical MADI SC connections and dual-BNC coaxial connections, meeting and exceeding professional MADI standards set by the Audio Engineering Society. To ensure greater resiliency, the DM256 offers dual Ethernet connections for Dante networks, as well as ports for Word Clock Sync In/Out.

The StarNet ADA16 converter is the other key component of the StarNet Range series. This analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converter guarantees exceptional sound quality, offering 16 conversion channels with a resolution of 24-bit/192 kHz. The ADA16 ensures optimal audio fidelity thanks to advanced conversion technology high-performance components.

Barefoot FP-03 Active Studio Monitors

Barefoot Sound have announced the Footprint03, the next evolution of Barefoot Sound’s acclaimed Footprint series. This new generation studio monitor maintains the exceptional audio quality and design features of its predecessors in the Footprint series in a more compact form and at an extremely affordable price, adapting even to small environments and “on the move” solutions. It is a powerful 3-way active monitoring system, featuring a tri-amplified design, ported enclosure and excellent audio quality. Compared to its predecessors, the Footprint FP-01 and Footprint FP-02 , the Footprint FP-03 offers a more compact design and a more affordable price.

Harrison 32Classic

The Harrison 32Classic offers a no-compromise modular design, flexible workflows and hybrid features create a classic recording console that’s ready for the modern studio. Whether it’s the transformer-coupled mic preamp design, super-smooth and musical EQ’s, legendary filters, or premium quality components used throughout, the 32Classic creates the vibe to inspire artists and the confidence for producers and engineers to excel. 32 Mono Mic/Line Channels are included in each standard configuration (custom configurations available upon request) offering a high-performance Harrison mic-preamplifier, and Harrison’s acclaimed 32C four band parametric EQ with variable HP and LP filters.

Elysia Channex|Studio Channel Strip

Class-A recall channel strip for sessions, recoding and mixing. According to Elysia, the Channex provides users with “the ultimate recording front-end”. It features a high-end, high-gain preamp, a dynamic equalizer, an easy-to-use compressor and a zero-latency monitor section, all in one device. Add colour to your processing with the flavour option and choose and mix up to five different colouring options. Its truly analogue sound coupled with full recall capability both on the hardware unit and via the plugin in your DAW session, makes the Channex an incredibly versatile studio toolkit.

Professional audio interface with 1073-style preamps

Heritage enter the interface market with the i73 Pro audio interface range. Three configurations are on offer with the first being the 2-in/4-out Pro One which has a single integrated 73-style preamp. The Pro 2 has the same 2-in/4-out configuration, but features dual integrated 73-style preamps. The Pro Edge then has the same dual preamps as the Pro 2, but increases the i/o with a 12-in/16- out configuration, which includes eight channels over ADAT. The key USP here are the preamps, however, which are modelled around the classic 1073-style preamps and offer both plenty of gain with vintage “mojo” direct to computer, according to Heritage.

API TCS-II Channel Strip

API 550A Special Edition

Anniversary design version of the classic 500 series API 550A module. Distinguished by a 5-band frequency response, it offers broad compatibility with a wide spectrum of input signals. Whether it’s guitars, basses, drums or keyboards, with the 550A you will have an extremely versatile equalizer at your disposal, which will enhance your sound experience.

API 560 Special Edition

Anniversary design version of the classic API 560 graphic EQ. API 560 has 10 bands of graphic equalization offering unique versatility. Suitable for use on both instruments and mixes, enriching the sound with a distinctive quality of API products.

Telegrapher Gorilla Active Studio Monitors

Whilst strictly not a new product, Istanbul-based pro audio manufacturer Telegrapher featured a refresh on their line of acclaimed monitors at NAMM ’24, including the Gorilla Active 3-Way Midfield (originally released in 2021), compact 2-Way Fox and Elephant Subwoofer. The Telegrapher lineup offer excellent neutrality across the frequency spectrum, with a typically warm and well-rounded sound that packs a serious low-end punch, in particular.

Fairchild USA 660 Mono Compressor

Following off the back of their emphatic announcement of the reborn Fairchild 670, Toni Fishman and his team have returned, this time with the famous mono variant, the 660. The same no-compromise approach has been taken, with completely hand-wired point-to point circuitry and specially selected valves ensuring faithful reproduction of all the sonic characteristics and visual aesthetic of the original. Not cheap, but a work of art inside and out, as well as an appreciating investment that will turn more than a few heads in the studio!

Eventide Omnipressor

Starting this month, January 2024, the re-release of a milestone product originally produced by Eventide in the first half of the 1970s has begun shipping and distribution.

Eventide announced last October the imminent launch of the re-edition of the classic Eventide Omnipressor, created to mark its 50th anniversary. The new version, called Eventide Omnipressor 2830Au, is a faithful reproduction of that iconic compressor which, first, made use of dynamics processing technology for the creation of special effects.