Hardware synth, virtual instrument upgrade & new interfaces on their way
Hardware > Audio Interface, Synthesizer
Software > Synthesizer, Virtual Instrument
Arturias experimental Microfreak hardware synth, a hybrid featuring a digital multimode oscillator and an analogue filter.
French manufacturer Arturia advanced on all fronts at NAMM, announcing another new hardware synth, a free v1.1 upgrade (already?) to their not-long-released Pigments wavetable/virtual analogue synth software, and two new fully-featured additions to their Audiofuse range of audio interfaces.
The Microfreak is an experimental digital monosynth, a collaboration with Mutable Instruments that combines a firmware-upgradable multimode digital oscillator (offering 11 types at launch; more are in development) with an analogue filter based on the one in Oberheim's classic SEM. When you press the keys' on the keyboard, you're actually playing' the PCB directly, an interface that is both pressure-sensitive and transmits polyphonic aftertouch - which makes it interesting as a potential controller as well as a sound source. There's also a multi-point modulation matrix and a built-in unique sequencer/arpeggiator with some interesting controlled randomness' parameters. Due to arrive in April, Microfreak will cost a very reasonable $349£279. SOS Features Editor Sam Inglis was introduced to the Microfreak on the Arturia booth at NAMM, as you can see in the video below.
Video of Arturia MicroFreak - NAMM 2019
The Audiofuse 8Pre (below) is a wordclockable 1U rackmount USB-C audio interface with eight built-in mic/line analogue inputs (each featuring switchable 48V phantom power and Arturias Discrete Pro preamps). The 8Pre is thoughtfully laid out with the front panel featuring discrete controls and LED metering for each analogue input channel, along with stereo eighth- and quarter-inch headphone jacks and an independent front-panel headphone level control.
Arturias new Audiofuse 8Pre interface.
Of the analogue input channels, the first two can be used for instrument-level signals from bass or guitars and have also been made handily accessible from the front panel on combined quarter-inch/XLR connectors. Insert points are also available via quarter-inch jacks on the rear panel for these first two channels, so other processing or pedals can be patched in pre-conversion. Last but not least, as well as the eight analogue ins, there are an additional eight channels of digital I/O on ADAT optical connectors.
Going from the digital to the analogue domain, eight channels are available on discrete line-level quarter-inch jacks, and theres a further dedicated pair of quarter-inch jacks to connect to monitors. Of course, another eight outputs can be sent via the ADAT optical out, raising the possibility of daisy-chaining two 8Pres together via the ADAT optical ports to create a 16-channel system. The 8Pre looks pretty versatile and, at $799£659, seems good value for the flexibility it offers.
The new Audiofuse Studio interface.
The other new interface, the Audiofuse Studio (above), is also a wordclockable USB-C audio interface with ADAT interfacing, but is a console/desktop unit with with a rather different set of features to the 8Pre, including some handy monitor switching/controller capabilities. There are four mic/line analogue inputs with independent Gain controls, neatly accessible via the front edge of the unit, again with phantom power and Discrete Pro preamps; this time all four feature (rear-panel) insert points and are capable of accepting instrument inputs from electric guitars and basses.
There are also a further four line-level-only inputs on rear-panel jacks, two of which are optionally accessible via phonos (so this is where you could connect, for example, a set of decks). Output signals can be routed to monitors via two independent balanced jack pairs; users can then select which output pair is driven from handy buttons on the top panel, and set the respective output level of each pair using the large, friendly top-panel output level encoder. Headphone monitoring is more flexible than on the 8Pre, with two independent headphone outs, each one with its own level control and set of eighth- and quarter-inch connectors.
Other extras on the Studio interface compared to the 8Pre include a further pair of instrument-level outputs on quarter-inch jacks (designed with re-amping in mind), S/PDIF I/O, and, interestingly, a Bluetooth audio receiver, so that audio captured on smartphones can be played into the interface directly. As on the 8Pre, the optical ADAT I/O means that units can be daisy-chained together to give users more simultaneously accessible input channels if required. The Audiofuse Studio is expected to ship in Summer, and will retail for $999£839.
Both new AudioFuse interfaces will ship with the AudioFuse Creative Suite, a collection of modelled hardware in plug-in form, including classic vintage preamps, filters and instruments.
Once again, Sam Inglis was on the Arturia booth at NAMM to receive a detailed rundown on both new interfaces - see the video below.
Video of Arturia AudioFuse 8 Pre & Studio - NAMM 2109
https://www.arturia.com
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
30/04/2024
By Adam Piron
In anticipation of this edition of the Indigenous Program's Native Lab, it actually dawned on me that this will be our lab's tenth year i...
30/04/2024
Launch of SBS South Asian channel and SBS Spice, a new English language offering...
30/04/2024
LOS ANGELES (April 30, 2024) Light Iron, the post-production creative-services division of Panavision, is excited to announce that lodie Ichter has joined th...
30/04/2024
Now streaming on Netflix, Good Grief marks the feature-film directorial debut of Daniel Levy, well known as the co-creator and costar of the series Schitt's...
30/04/2024
The Forsyte Saga, John Galsworthy's sweeping portrait of a wealthy British family in 1880s London, is getting its third TV adaptation in less than 60 years....
30/04/2024
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({...
30/04/2024
CAMPBELL, Calif. Streaming media company Plex and T-Mobile will work together to expand T-Mobile's connected TV (CTV) inventory and advance the connection b...
30/04/2024
SAN JOSE, Calif. & BELLEVUE, Wash. Roku, Inc. has announced an expanded measurement partnership with iSpot.tv, the cross-platform TV measurement company....
30/04/2024
NEW YORK As Paramount Global wrestled with management turmoil and ongoing negotiations for a proposed merger with Skydance, the company managed to report improv...
30/04/2024
Cobalt Digital Receives Trifecta of Awards at NAB 2024
Company adds two 2024 NAB Show Product of the Year awards and one Best of Show from TV Tech to long list...
30/04/2024
arkona technologies GmbH, provider of IP core infrastructure solutions for top-tier broadcast productions, has announced that its BLADE//runner IP Audio Engine ...
30/04/2024
OpenDrives, Inc., the global provider of software-defined media workflow solutions and data management capabilities, announced today that it has joined the glob...
30/04/2024
The first norm conform sustainability service dedicated to the needs of the events industry
Easy-to-use, intuitive platform for venues, event organisers and su...
30/04/2024
Dejero GateWay enables Stream7 to create independent internet connectivity at any venue or location, including UK teaching hospital for live streaming of surgic...
30/04/2024
Excitement is building as farmerswife, a leading software provider for resource scheduling, project management, and team collaboration in the media industry, ha...
30/04/2024
XL8, a leading deep-tech startup specializing in AI-powered machine translation technology, proudly announces the successful completion of a System and Organiza...
30/04/2024
Test & measurement innovator, Leader Electronics of Europe, has announced that it will exhibit at CABSAT, which takes place this year from 21-23 May 2024 at the...
30/04/2024
MRMC Debuts Cinebot Max Camera Robot at NAB 2024
Brie Clayton April 30, 2024
0 Comments
Expands its range of live-action, motion-control camera robots...
30/04/2024
Next Jazz Legacy Announces 2024 Cohort of Women and Nonbinary Awardees The program was created by New Music USA and the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender J...
30/04/2024
European telecom satellite company SES announced today that it is acquiring rival Intelsat for $3.1 billion. The deal, unanimously approved by both companies...
30/04/2024
Bob Bakish, chief executive of Paramount stepped down on Monday, effective immediately. Bakish, who was a staunch ally of Shari Redstone, controlling shareholde...
30/04/2024
Hotspring said the breakthrough had been achieved through the acceleration of machine learning technology
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: April 30, 2024
Ho...
30/04/2024
Speaking about the deal, Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES, said: it will bring value-added, efficient, and reliable offerings for both companies media customers
By Je...
30/04/2024
Paramount said the Office of the CEO is working with its board to develop a comp...
30/04/2024
LOUISVILLE, Ky. In another sign that broadcasters are finally using NextGen TV broadcasts to offer viewers new features instead of simply simulcasting existing ...
30/04/2024
OKLAHOMA CITY The Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame will induct Blaise Labbe, a group news director for Sinclair Broadcast Group, May 2 at the 54th Anniversary I...
30/04/2024
ATLANTA and ENGLEWOOD, Colo. Cox Media Group and Dish have ended a dispute over retransmission fees that lasted nearly a year and a half with a new multi-year ...
30/04/2024
Video transport solution provider LTN has announced that it is working with TelevisaUnivision to help the Spanish-language media giant migrate to IP-based video...
30/04/2024
ALAMEDA, Calif. Clear-Com has released details about how it played a pivotal role in the seamless coverage of the recent solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 by NBC K...
30/04/2024
CINCINNATI The E.W. Scripps Company is adding Seth Walters to its sales leadership team as head of CTV sales, effective April 29....
30/04/2024
The force was strong at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Saturday night, April 27, 2024, as the night netted the ballpark's first official sellout crowd of...
30/04/2024
Revry, a network celebrating queer culture. said its second annual NewFront presentation will be a cabaret-type spectacle showcasing the spirit of the LGBTQ+ co...
30/04/2024
Family Entertainment Television (FETV) said that the Western series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp will be joining the network's afternoon lineup startin...
30/04/2024
Bob Bakish, president and CEO of Paramount Global, will depart the company as Paramount explores a merger, according to numerous published reports. The reports ...
30/04/2024
6 minute read
Share
alt=Alternative descriptive text class=lazyload main main-lazyloaded responsive-image data-v-1a5ebb10>
Telenor showed good momentum...
30/04/2024
SES Acquiring Intelsat to Create New Satellite Giant; Will Offer Improved Reach ...
30/04/2024
Wuppertal April 30, 2024
WDR Filmhaus to Implement Riedel Infrastructure Award-Winning MediorNet HorizoN Hybrid Processing Platform Serves as Bridge to IP
Ri...
30/04/2024
Back to All News
Tilda Swinton Joins Colin Farrell in Edward Bergers The Ballad...
30/04/2024
Back to All News
Netflix Reveals First Look Images and Teaser from Senna, Inspi...
30/04/2024
Back to All News
Top 10 Week of Apr. 22: Baby Reindeer' and Rebel Moon - ...
30/04/2024
Dr. Nicola Hodson, Chief Executive, IBM UK & Ireland introduces the UK findings of an IBM study on female leadership in the age of AI
Advances in Artificial In...
30/04/2024
Channel Expansion, and New Codecs, Compression and Transport Technology Among Latest Updates...
30/04/2024
Accel-KKR Credit Partners today announced that it has provided debt financing to support Dalet in its next chapter of innovation and growth. Accel-KKR Credit Pa...
30/04/2024
Skeem Saam: Monday's episode, 29 April 2024 [video]Missed an episode of Skeem Saam? No problem! Watch the latest episode of your favourite South African soa...
30/04/2024
Tonight on Skeem Saam: Lewatle witnesses an explosive fight between Sthoko and B...
30/04/2024
RT News is pleased to announce the appointment of David Murphy as its new Economics & Public Affairs Correspondent. David is currently RT 's Political Cove...
30/04/2024
Concerts in Limerick, Dublin, Carlow and Cork, including Marty in the Evening, Morricone and May the Fourth Be With You, celebrating the remarkable decade of th...
Hardware synth, virtual instrument upgrade & new interfaces on their way 
