Featured Equipment Of The Week: RME Fireface UCX USB/Firewire interface

RME Fireface UCX USB/Firewire interface
The Fireface UCX is a highly integrated pro audio solution in an ultra-compact format for studio and live recordings. It continues RME's long tradition of designing compact high-end interfaces, packing into a half-rack size unit what usually would be spread out over two or three 19 inch panels.
Find out more: RME Fireface UCX

FEATURES
With the Fireface UCX RME reinvented an already perfect product, by improving existing features and characteristics plus adding sophisticated new ones:

• Low Latency mastering grade converters with outstanding specifications.
• Two mic preamps with the premium technology from RME's high-end recording bestsellers Micstasy and UFX, including the AutoSet overload protection.
• A newly developed Hammerfall audio core, supporting USB and FireWire with the maximum performance and ultra-low latency operation, combined with the legendary RME driver stability and maintenance, on both bus protocols.
• TotalMix FX with the complete Fireface UFX DSP engine, including all effects up to 192 kHz.
• Monitoring Controller: combining the impressive flexibility of the TotalMix FX monitoring tool set and the included RME Remote Control.
• RME's unique DIGICheck metering and analysis toolbox for Windows PC and Mac.
• Plus support for RME's Advanced Remote Control, active jitter suppression technology, professional reference level support, advanced stand-alone functionality, full 192 kHz operation, and last but not least two high speed MIDI I/Os.
• On top of it: The Fireface UCX is the first professional audio interface with Class Compliant mode to work with Apple's iPad, for perfect stereo up to 8 channel recording and playback, and the addition of truly professional I/Os.

All in all the Fireface UCX is the new compact-sized dream interface, created with care for every detail, and a new premium solution for any desktop and live usage, without compromises in sound, stability and ultra-low latency operation.

Buy RME Fireface UCX at Revolution Audio

Featured Equipment Of The Week: AKG K702 Premium Open-back Headphones

AKG K702 Premium Open-back Headphones
The K 702 are the new reference for open-back dynamic AKG headphones. They combine an extremely accurate response with yet unseen agility and spaciousness. This is achieved by using revolutionary flat-wire voice coils and a patented Varimotion™ two-layer diaphragm. A totally open design and a high performance cable complete these reference headphones.
Their comfortable, specially shaped “3D-form” ear pads and a padded genuine-leather headband ensure a perfect fit. They are individually tested and numbered.
Find out more: AKG K702 Premium Open Back Headphones

 
TOP FEATURES
 • Revolutionary flat wire technology
• High performance neodymium magnets
• Patented Varimotion 2-layer diaphragm
• Detachable professional cable
• Unique and replaceable heavy duty 3-D cut ear pads
• New soft cushioned genuine leather headband
• Pre-selected transducers
• Individually tested and numbered
• Made in Austria

AKG K702 studio headphones are available at Revolution Audio

Using Guitar Pedals For Mixing

Today I have a quick tip that can make mixing a lot of fun.
Use guitar pedals for mixing

Plugins are great but its just not the same as running sounds through real analog circuits. You can send sounds out of your audio interface, tweak the pedal settings and even 'play' the pedal to do realtime automation. It can be a lot of fun to work this way.

For the demonstration I've recorded an electric guitar directly into my DAW with Amplitube for amp and cabinet simulation. I'm going to then run the signal through an Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy analog delay pedal.

Here is the sound of the direct guitar.
Direct Guitar
Here is the guitar with the Amplitube plugin added (stereo, amp+speaker+mic)
Guitar + Amplitube

Now I'm going to run the sound through the pedal. To do this in your home studio you need an audio interface with a couple spare analog outputs, if your interface has 4 analog outputs, that's perfect.
Connect a guitar cable from output 3 of the interface to the input of the pedal. Connect the ouput of the pedal to one of the instrument inputs of your interface (usually in 1 or 2). In this case, I'm going from output 5 through the Memory Boy and into input 1 of my Profire 2626.

In the DAW you need to tell the signal where to go. Most DAWs will have a plugin for hardware inserts. In this next example I have the hardware insert before the amp, just like if I had the pedal before the amp. When you do this remember to keep the mix control of the pedal to about 50% or less, you still want to have the clean guitar get through.
Hear how it sounds with the delay before the amp
Guitar + analog delay insert

There's another way to use pedals and that's as a separate FX track. Add a new mono track to your project. You can either use the the hardware insert plugin again and have the other tracks send to this track, or set the track to monitor the analog input and have the other tracks send to the analog output.

Here I have the guitar track sending to my delay track, which has the hardware insert plugin set the same as before. The direct guitar signal goes into amp plugin, then to the master output. The signal from this track is also going to the delay track. It then goes into the insert plugin, out the interface, into the delay, (set to 100% wet, no clean sound) and then into the interface and to the same track. I hope this makes sense. The benefit of doing it this way is you can blend in as much of this signal as you want. You can also use plugins before and after to shape the sound independently of the original tracks. Also, you can send multiple tracks in at the same time.

Here is the guitar through the delay as a send. (delay after the amp in the chain)
Guitar + Delay Send

And finally, here is what the delay track sounds like soloed.
Delay Return Soloed

I hope this has been helpful.

Featured Equipment Of The Week: Propellerhead Balance with Reason Essential

Propellerhead Balance with Reason Essential
The music production package that has everything you need to create anything you want.
2-in 2-out audio interface
Sounds as good as it looks. Works as great as it feels. We've taken care of all the tedious stuff — installation, setup, the works. You can concentrate on having fun instead: making music. With two channels of pristine audio recording, and with inputs for all your gear, your instruments are always connected and you are always ready to record. Integrated music recording environment
Balance is perfectly integrated with Reason and Reason Essentials. With Clip Safe you'll never lose a good take to distortion again. Big Meter lets you tune your guitar and set the levels from across the room. Use it with our software, other pro audio apps, or even iTunes™ — Balance works with everything.
Reason Essentials
Reason Essentials packs all the recording, editing, effects, instruments, and mixing tools you need to sound great. With its generous sound bank and familiar creative flow, it's the software that lets you focus on the music and finish that song. Find out more about Reason Essentials
Need more? Upgrade to Reason for even more instruments, sounds, and effects.
Find out more about Propellerhead Balance

TECH SPECS

• 2-in by 2-out audio interface
• USB 2.0 – bus powered
• Hi-end pre-amplifiers
• Hi-end 24-bit ADC/DACs, 44.1 to 96kHz
• Low latency design
• Clip Safe — Never again a lost take because of inadequate level settings. The “built-in recording engineer” watches over your session and automatically heals any clipped recordings.
• Mac OS class compliant (no driver on Mac OS). ASIO drivers for Windows installed with the software.
• Built-in Propellerhead Ignition Key
• Direct monitoring (for stand-alone or DAW use)
• Two XLR microphone inputs w. 48V phantom power
• Two 1/4" guitar inputs with padding
• Four 1/4" balanced line inputs (two stereo pairs)
• One 1/4” headphone output
• Two 1/4" TRS balanced main outputs
• Hardware input source selection
• Input level control
• Separate output and headphone level control
• Output muting

Find out more about Propellerhead Balance

Featured Equipment Of The Week: IK Multimedia iRig MIDI

 IK Multimedia iRig MIDI
iRig MIDI is an ultra-compact standard Core MIDI interface for iOS that connects any MIDI compatible device to the iPhone®, iPod touch® and iPad®.
iRig MIDI connects MIDI keyboards, drum machines, drum pads, pedal boards and more to an iOS device to control not only the included SampleTank FREE but also a world of MIDI-compatible apps such as GarageBand®. You can also use iOS apps to control external MIDI equipment such as sound modules, DAWs or lighting systems right from the mobile device.
Find out more: IK Multimedia iRig MIDI $79

Features

• Standard Core MIDI interface connects any MIDI hardware device to Core MIDI-compatible apps like SampleTank FREE and GarageBand
• Directly connect MIDI keyboards, synthesizers, drum machines, drum pads, pedal boards and more using the included 2 x 5.2’ (1.6 m) MIDI 5-pin DIN cables
• 3 MIDI ports: IN/OUT/THRU
• 2 LEDs for MIDI IN/OUT activity display
• Micro USB port can charge the iOS device while in use
• Free apps included*: SampleTank FREE the powerful sample-based sound module app and iRig MIDI Recorder FREE

More Info and purchase: IK Multimedia iRig MIDI $79