Phil O'Keefe

ESI Audio U168 XT USB Audio Interface Is orange the new black? by Phil O'Keefe Lots of people start their journey into the world of audio recording with a basic 2x2 USB audio interface - in many ways, this is the modern equivalent of the analog four track reel to reel recorder of the 1970s or the four track cassette recorder / mixer of the 1980s. It's a great place to get your feet wet and learn the fundamentals of audio recording on a computer, and for a lot of people it's as far as they'll ever need to go, since not everyone requires more than two simultaneous inputs. But when buying an audio interface, it's important to carefully consider how many inputs you will realistically need, both now and in the future, and many people will eventually run up against the limitations of a smaller interface, whether it is a lack of MIDI capabilities, or just the lack of sufficient inputs (and mic preamps) to tackle larger projects, such as recording a drum kit or a full band. Germany's ESI Audiotechnik clearly had users who need lots of inputs in mind when they developed their U168 XT audio / MIDI interface. Let's take a look at the details and see what else this cool looking orange box has to offer. What You Need To Know The ESI Audio U168 XT is a USB 2.0 audio and MIDI interface for Mac and PC computers. It's not class compliant, so PC users will need to install drivers. A driver CD is included, but ESI-Audio suggests downloading the drivers from their site instead, which insures you'll have the latest ones for your computer. ASIO 2.0, WDM, MME, and DirectSound (including EWDM and / DirectWIRE), as well as CoreAudio on the Mac, are all supported. Macs need to be running OS X 10.7 or higher, while PCs need to be running Windows Vista or later, with both 32 and 64 bit OS versions supported. Each will also need one open USB 2.0 port. Driver / control panel installation was quick and painless on a quad core 2.0 GHz i7 Mac Mini running El Capitan, and latency was nice and low when running with a 128 sample buffer. A provided "line lump" style 12V DC power adapter is included with the U168 XT, and is required for operation. The ESI-Audio U168 XT is capable of recording at up to 96 kHz, and with full 24 bit resolution. The dynamic range for the A/D converters is 107 dB (A weighted), and 112 dB for the D/A converters. In use it's quiet and neutral sounding, with good fidelity for an interface in this price range. The U168 XT is a stylish looking desktop interface with its orange tinted metal housing. It measures approximately 45 cm W x 14.5 cm D x 4.5 cm H (17.72" W x 5.71" D x 1.77" H), and has black labels for all the jacks and controls. The controls all use black knobs, keeping the orange and black motif consistent. The front panel of the U168 XT has a slightly concave shape to it, with the center slightly recessed. The ESI U168 XT is a 16 x 8 audio interface, with four built-in mic preamps. These are mounted on the front panel. Inputs 1 and 2 offer combination XLR / 1/4" TRS mic / high impedance inputs and can be used for microphones or for plugging in and recording your guitars and bass direct. ESI Audio doesn't say how much gain the mic preamps have, but I'd estimate it as about 55-60 dB. Inputs 3 and 4 have standard XLR inputs without the combo jacks, but are otherwise the same as Inputs 1 and 2. Each of the four front panel inputs has a meter with four LEDs for displaying the input levels, a Gain knob for setting input sensitivity, an On switch to turn the input on (or mute it), and a separate 48V phantom power switch. The rest of the front panel controls are for monitoring. There are two Mono switches. Mono 1 sums inputs 1 and 2 in the monitor mix, while Mono 2 does the same for inputs 3 and 4, allowing you to hear them in both the left and right ears while monitoring instead of panned hard to either side. Three knobs allow you to set the relative monitoring levels for inputs 1-8, inputs 9-16, as well as the eight outputs. These affect the headphone outputs, as well as the dedicated rear panel mix ouputs. Four LEDs are provided that show which of the inputs are being used for input channels 1-4. When illuminated, these indicate that the corresponding front panel inputs are being used, as opposed to the rear panel line inputs. The U168 XT can drive two pairs of headphones at once, and each has its own signal selection switch. These allow you to select between the main outputs 1-2, or from the built-in monitor mixer when the switch is depressed. Each headphone amp has its own 1/4" TRS stereo output jack as well as its own separate gain control. A power switch and power on LED finish off the front panel controls. On the rear panel is where you'll find the rest of the U168 XT's inputs and outputs. The ESI U168 XT has an impressive 16 line inputs on 1/4" TRS jacks. These can accept balanced or unbalanced signals. Inputs 5-16 are always available for line input use, while inputs 1-4 are only available when the front panel inputs are not being used. If you're using one of the first four line inputs on the rear panel and aren't hearing anything, make sure you have the corresponding channel On buttons (located on the front panel) turned off. You also get 8 Line Output jacks on 1/4" TRS jacks. As with the line inputs, the nominal level of these can be controlled through the ESI U168 XT's software app, and both -10dBV and +4dBu signal levels can be accommodated. The software control panel app is also where you can set the system sample rate, bit depth and clock source, as well as adjust the output mix. If you want to ignore the internal mixer, Line Outputs 1-2 can be used to connect to your stereo monitors. Otherwise, you may want to use the two 1/4" TRS dedicated Mix Output jacks instead. There are a pair of RCA jacks for stereo S/PDIF digital I/O, and the U168 XT can slave to incoming word clock from the digital input, or serve as the master clock. A pair of 5-pin MIDI DIN jacks provide 16 channels of MIDI I/O, making the U168 XT capable of serving as a basic MIDI interface too. Jacks for power in, and USB round out the rear panel. ESI Audio provides a nice little downloadable software bundle with the U168 XT, including serial numbers and download instructions for Bitwig's 8-Track recording software, Stanton's Deckadance 2 LE DJ software, ampLion Free and GK Amplification 2 LE guitar and bass amp sims, and inTone 2 ESI Edition, which is a multichannel effects processor. Limitations Since the U168 XT isn't bus-powered, it's not really suitable as a mobile interface unless you'll be using it somewhere with a AC outlet nearby. While the U168 XT is just about the right size to fit into a single rack space, there are no rack rails included, or even available as an option. Rubber feet on the bottom of the unit make it clear that it's intended as a desktop, as opposed to a rack mount interface. There are no pad switches on the U168 XT. There is no multichannel ADAT digital I/O. While classy looking, the orange and black color scheme makes reading the labels and control settings very difficult, especially in low-light situations. A bit of white paint added to the inset position indicators on the black knobs can help you see their positions a bit easier, but the panel labels can still be tough to read. Fortunately there aren't a ton controls, so you'll probably remember where everything is fairly fast, but in the meantime, keep a light handy. The rear panel, which is black with white labels, is much easier to read, although not nearly as cool looking as the front panel is. Conclusions If you need a lot of inputs and outputs on a USB 2.0 interface for your Mac or PC, you should definitely look into the ESI U168 XT. It has enough features to take it way beyond the capabilities of many entry level USB interfaces, including enough onboard mic preamps to do basic 4 mic drum recordings, and with an outboard mixer with multiple direct outputs (or several external mic preamps) you can easily expand it to handle 16 channel recordings, and that's usually plenty for tracking a full rhythm section at once, including drums, bass, guitars and even a scratch vocal. Depending on how many mics you use for the drum kit, you can even track audio from a keyboard at the same time, and with the onboard MIDI interface, you can record the raw MIDI data along with the audio too. Even better, the unit has very good sound quality at this price point, and it's logically laid out and easy to use. It's not perfect - I do wish there were pad switches on the four mic preamps, and I also wish the unit was rack mountable and had easier to read front panel labeling, but that doesn't at all detract from the plethora of inputs and outputs you get, or the high quality of the construction and sound. This is the first time I've tested out a ESI Audio interface, and it didn't disappoint! While they're well known in Europe, they're less so in North America, and they can be difficult to find. If they keep putting out products like this one, and put them into more stores, I suspect that will quickly change. -HC- Want to discuss the ESI U168XT or have questions or comments about this review? Then head over to this thread in the Studio Trenches forum right here on Harmony Central and join the discussion! Resources ESI Audio U168 XT Audio Interface ($499.95 "street") ESI Audio's product web page You can purchase the ESI U168 XT audio interface from: B&H Photo Video __________________________________________________ Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician and Guitar Player magazines.

DPA d:vice MMA-A Digital Audio Interface Taking the tiny audio interface to a whole new level by Phil O'Keefe Danish microphone manufacturer DPA is well-known for making some of the world's most respected microphones, but microphones are not the only thing that they have to offer. In this review we're going to be taking a look at another interesting product from their line - the d:vice MMA-A Digital Audio Interface. While lots of companies offer audio interfaces, this one has some rather unique features that make it substantially different from any other audio interface that I've ever encountered. Like what? Read on to find out! What You Need To Know The DPA d:vice MMA-A is an ultra-compact, bus-powered 2 in / 0 out 24 bit audio interface that is designed to work with a wide range of third party software. It supports 44.1, 48 kHz (default), 88.2 kHz and 96 kHz sample rates. Sample rates can be set by the recording program or app that you're using in partnership with the DPA d:vice.Physically, the very first thing you're bound to notice about the DPA d:vice is just how small it is. Pictures just don't do it justice. My initial thought was that, while it dwarfs a quarter, it looks to be not a heck of a lot bigger in diameter than a silver dollar, and while that's under-estimating its size somewhat (the d:vice is actually 2.2" in diameter vs a silver dollar's 1.5"), it's not really that big of an exaggeration. The d:vice is also fairly light, weighing only 1.8 ounces. Still, it feels solid, substantial and rugged - The case is made of two black, matte finished metal (zinc?) halves, with a decorative silver DPA logo badge inset into one of them.The DPA d:vice is so small that I was tempted to take it everywhere with me by tossing it into my pocket along my spare change. I wouldn't recommend that, but then again, I doubt it would suffer more than some superficial cosmetic scratches if you did.Fortunately, you don't have to just throw it in your pocket. DPA thoughtfully includes a semi-hard carrying case for the d:vice. Another thing you will quickly notice when you look at the d:vice closely is that there are no controls or switches on it at all. As in "none." All adjustments are made in software. A free app is available for iOS devices, and iOS devices (running iOS 10 or later) are really what the d:vice is designed to work with. While I didn't test it with a computer, DPA also says it will also work with Macs and PCs too, although you'll need to configure it with your computer's system tools since no app is offered for either computer platform.Supported iOS devices include the iPhone 5, 6/6S, 7/7S, 8, and iPhone X, iPad Air and Air 2, iPad mini 4, iPad Pro (12.9"), and iPod touch (4th generation).The dynamic range of the d:vice is rated at 114 dB (Typ.)The frequency response is rated at 20 Hz - 22 kHz, +/- 0.2 dB @ 48 kHz Fs (sample rate), 20 Hz - 40 kHz +/- 0.2 dB @ 96 kHz Fs.Total Harmonic Distortion is rated at < -100 dB, 0.001% @ 1 kHz @ -10 dBFS.There are two types of physical connectors on the DPA d:vice. One is a micro USB connector that is recessed into the side of the d:vice. Micro USB to USB and Micro USB to Apple Lightening connector cables are included with the d:vice for connection to your computer or iPhone or iPad. The second type of input that the d:vice uses are DPA MicroDot connectors. Those are used to connect DPA microphones directly to the d:vice, which functions as a mic preamp and A/D converter / audio interface.There are two MicroDot connectors, so you can connect up to two microphones at once. Each can be individually adjusted in terms of level, high pass filtering, and so forth, which is great for when you want to record two sources simultaneously with different levels.DPA's iOS app is available as a free download from the Apple App Store and provides control over several aspects of the d:vice. There are three modes of operation - mono, stereo and dual, which allows for independent control over each of the two channels.The d:vice app also offers level controls and meters, as well as control over the 80 Hz high pass filters. A Lock button prevents third-party programs from making changes to things such as level settings, and four presets are provided for saving your favorite user settings.In addition to offering the d:vice separately, DPA also offers various "kits" with the d:vice bundled with one or more DPA microphones. Limitations The setup app from DPA is currently available only for iOS devices. While the d:vice can be used with Mac and PC computers, there's no corresponding app for them, so you're largely on your own if you want to use a computer - you'll need to rely on the controls in your computer's system tools (Audio MIDI Setup on the Mac, the Control Panel and Device Manager on the PC) along with whatever controls your recording program offers in order to make even the most basic of adjustments, such as setting recording levels and sample rates - and Android users are completely out of luck.Since the d:vice is a 2 in / 0 out interface, you'll need to rely on the 1/8" mini jack headphone output of the iOS device or computer you're using along with it for monitoring and playback. Fortunately, latency was low and not a significant issue for me when doing so. For users of newer iOS devices that lack a 1/8" mini jack headphone output, wireless headphones are recommended.Since the d:vice uses MicroDot connectors for its two inputs, it's not designed for use with third-party microphones. Furthermore, the lack of any line input jacks will also limit the usefulness of the d:vice as a general purpose audio interface for some musicians. Conclusions DPA has taken the tiny audio interface to a whole new level in terms of size and audio quality. If you need to have an audio interface with you at all times, chances are you won't find one that's any smaller than this - or that sounds better. I was surprised that such good sounding recordings could be made with such a tiny interface. I had initially wondered if latency was going to be a big issue since the only way to monitor as you're recording is to use the headphone output on your iOS device itself (or wireless headphones), but I was able to track and overdub comfortably using that exact monitoring approach while multi tracking in Cubasis 2.3.1 on my iPad mini 2 - which, it should be noted, isn't even on the officially supported devices list! So thankfully, latency isn't a major concern. However, there are some limitations to be aware of. The d:vice really isn't designed to work with microphones other than DPA's own, and the lack of line inputs is another limitation that some musicians will be bummed out about. But those limitations won't be a concern for everyone. For ENG, journalists, mobile podcasters, samplers and sound effects gatherers, it's just about ideal - it's a great sounding field recorder that can fit in your pocket. With the d:vice, an iPhone and a couple of DPA d:screet 4080 lavalier mics, you have everything you need to record true independent two-channel interviews, no matter where you're at - unlike add-on iOS stereo mics, the levels for each of the two channels can be set totally independently. For similar reasons, the d:vice would also make a good traveling partner for a singer-songwriter who plays guitar - I was able to get impressive sounding results using the d:vice with a DPA d:vote 4099G to record multiple acoustic guitar parts in Cubasis - just add a separate DPA headset mic to capture your vocals and you have a terrific yet tiny high-quality, portable audio recording setup. And best of all, the sound quality is high enough that you won't have to limit its use to "scratchpad" duties - you can make recordings of fully professional broadcast quality with this unit. If you own an iPhone or iPad, and as long as its limited I/O capabilities meet your needs, the d:vice is a great portable audio interface choice due to its very small size and excellent audio quality. -HC- Want to discuss the DPA d:vice MMA Digital Audio Interface or have questions or comments about this review? Then head over to this thread in the Studio Trenches forum right here on Harmony Central and join the discussion! Resources DPA d:vice MMA-A Digital Audio Interface ($1,024.95 MSRP, $659.95 "street") DPA's product web page DPA d:vice manual (PDF file) You can purchase the DPA d:vice MMA-A Digital Audio Interface from: Sweetwater Guitar Center B&H Photo Video Musician's Friend Full Compass Systems __________________________________________________ Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician and Guitar Player magazines.

Fender American Original '50s Stratocaster A '50s era American original makes (another) comeback by Phil O'Keefe There are very few electric guitars that are as iconic as the Fender Stratocaster. First released by Fender in 1954, this shapely guitar was groundbreaking and futuristic back then, and still looks modern and sleek today. Fender has offered this guitar in various different versions over the years, including the long-running "American Vintage" series of reissue models that was first introduced in the early 1980s, and which was recently discontinued. But don't worry - that doesn't mean that vintage-inspired versions of this legendary Fender guitar are going away. In the place of the American Vintage series, Fender has released a new line of American-built, vintage-inspired guitars called the American Original series, and they recently sent me a 50s Stratocaster from this series to check out. Let's dig in and see what it has to offer, and how it differs from its predecessor. What You Need To Know Like all of the models in Fender's new American Original series, the Fender American Original '50s Stratocaster is made in Fender's Corona California USA factory.If you're familiar with the previous, long-running "American Vintage" series, you may have already noticed that this new line doesn't have a specific year associated with each model like the earlier guitars did. Instead of basing the design off of a 1957 Stratocaster, Fender is now taking a bit different approach. Each guitar is based on an era or decade instead of slavishly adhering to the specific details from a single year. Fender says this allows them a bit more freedom to pick their favorite components in order to create a guitar with all the vintage character of each decade, but with the best features from various model years.The 25.5" scale length one-piece maple neck is finished in un-tinted gloss nitrocellulose lacquer and has a thick, soft V-shaped profile - it has a feel that is sort of in between a U shape and a harder V shape. It's unapologetically big and beefy. It comes equipped with black dot position markers on both the fingerboard and the side of the neck. A modern touch is the 9.5" fingerboard radius, which is a bit flatter than the vintage-correct 7.25" radius. This makes it a bit more comfortable to play and allows for easier string bends without worry of fretting out. The truss rod is installed from the rear, so the guitar has a "skunk stripe" on the back of the neck. You also get the expected body contours on the front and back that help give the Strat its distinctive shape and fantastic comfort. Truss rod adjustments are performed at the body of the guitar, just as on the vintage originals. It's a bit more of a hassle to do than when it's located at the headstock end, but this is more historically accurate. The American Original '50s Stratocaster is equipped with a bone nut. The neck measures 1.65" wide at the nut and is 0.920" thick at the first fret, and an even 1.00" thick at the 12th fret according to my digital calipers.There are 21 "vintage tall" frets. These are narrow like vintage frets, but with a bit more height than you might find on a classic Fender from the 1950s. The front of the headstock features a classic Fender "spaghetti logo" along with a single string tree to keep sufficient downward pressure on the B and high E strings. The American Original '50s Strat is equipped with Fender-branded Kluson-style tuners. These have slotted tops and a 14:1 gear ratio; they turn smoothly and hold their tuning well. The neck is attached to the body with the vintage-correct four bolt arrangement, and the seven-digit V-series serial number is stamped into the chrome bolt plate. The body is beautifully and flawlessly finished in gloss nitrocellulose lacquer and comes in your choice of three vintage colors - the review unit I was sent to try out is finished in the classic two-tone sunburst that was standard on Strats in the 1950s. You can also get this guitar in Aztec Gold or in a semi-translucent White Blonde; this allows a bit of the wood grain to pop through and be seen through the finish, similar to the classic Mary Kaye Strats from the 1950s.Fender opted for alder for the bodies of the sunburst and Aztec Gold models, while the White Blonde models use ash. The review unit has a two-piece alder body that is seamed very well; you can see where the two pieces join, but it takes fairly careful inspection. The pickguard is single-ply white plastic, which is held in place with the standard 8 screws of a '50s era Strat.The electronics are classic Strat, with three Pure Vintage '59 single-coil pickups that are based on units from 1959. They use AlNiCo V magnets, and these are staggered as you would expect. The pickups also use vintage style fiber bobbins, and are wrapped with Formvar wire and are wax potted. Fender has also stuck with vintage-approved cloth covered wiring too. There is a master volume control, as well as two tone controls - one for the neck pickup, as well as one dedicated to the bridge pickup. This isn't quite in keeping with the original vintage design, which had no tone control for the bridge pickup, but one assigned to the middle pickup instead. While not quite vintage-correct, I found this arrangement to be a bit more practical since it allows you to adjust the tone of the bridge pickup - something I think is more useful in a lot of situations. For the controls, Fender has stuck with tried-and-true 250k CTS pots. The tone capacitor is a vintage looking .1 MFD Fender-branded part. Another place where Fender has bowed to modern tastes is the pickup selector. The original Strats from the '50s had three-way switches, but Fender has opted for a much more versatile five-way blade switch, saving owners the trouble of having to install one themselves. The only shielding is on the back of the pickguard near the controls and switch - the rest of the pickguard, as well as the body routing, is unshielded. The bridge features vintage-style Fender-stamped bent steel saddles and the classic six screw "Synchronized Tremolo" (sic) vibrato system. A bridge cover "ashtray" is included along with the case candy but isn't installed on the guitar as it arrives from the factory. The tremolo block is steel, and the guitar comes with three springs installed, with no extras in the case accessory compartment. With three springs, the factory setup allows the bridge to "float", giving you the ability to bend notes sharp or drop them flat with the tremolo arm.The recessed and angled output jack is in the traditional location. The American Original '50s Stratocaster comes with a beautiful red velour-lined G&G tweed case. The case has a long center support for the guitar's neck, as well as a large accessory compartment. Inside the accessory compartment, you'll find a zippered vinyl pouch which contains the manual, a certificate of authenticity, the bridge cover, tremolo arm, allen wrench for saddle height adjustment, a lacquer finishes care guide and a Fender sticker. Limitations As with most single coil pickups, these are susceptible to hum and noise interference.Unlike some more modern versions of the Strat, the middle pickup is not reverse wound / reverse magnetic polarity, so you get similar amounts of noise, even in switch positions 2 and 4.The beefiness of the neck, while not inappropriate or uncommon for guitars from the era being replicated, will be a turn-off for many players with smaller hands.If you prefer using five springs and having the tremolo set up so it will only drop in pitch instead of the stock "floating" arrangement, you'll need to buy another pair of springs and adjust the factory setup to your preferences. Conclusions I think there's a lot to be said for the approach Fender took with the new American Original Series. By taking their favorite bits from several vintage 1950s era Stratocasters and combining them, you get the best that each has to offer. The resulting guitar will be loved by many, but not by everyone. In particular, players with smaller sized hands may be disappointed by the chunky, vintage-correct neck profile, but those who want something substantial to grab ahold of will feel right at home with it. Thickness and profile choices aside, most players will appreciate Fender's decision to go with a slightly flatter fingerboard radius, as well as the use of slightly taller frets - both of which make for noticeable improvements in playability - especially when it comes to string bends. This guitar will hold a lot of appeal for anyone who loves the unmistakable sound of a vintage Strat. The tone is straight-ahead, classic Stratocaster in all of its spanky, glassy, quacky goodness. Since the pickups all have the same winding and magnetic polarity, there's some noise there too, but that's to be expected with a vintage-style Strat. The inclusion of the five-way pickup selector and the bridge tone control (in place of the vintage three-way switch and middle pickup tone control) provide more tonal flexibility than if Fender had stuck with the traditional vintage wiring, but at the same time, the great sounding Pure Vintage '59 pickups with their fiber bobbins and the cloth covered wiring used throughout the guitar will make purists happy. You may not be able to travel back in time to the 1950s and play a bunch of new Strats to find your personal favorite, but Fender's latest offering is the next best thing to being able to do that. It's got the classic visual appeal, it's well built, and sounds great. They've picked the best bits for you and put it all together in one very impressive vintage-inspired guitar. -HC- Want to discuss the Fender American Original '50's Stratocaster or have questions or comments about this review? Then head over to this thread in the Electric Guitar forum right here on Harmony Central and join the discussion! Resources Fender American Original '50s Stratocaster ($1,899.99 "street" for Aztec Gold and 2-color Sunburst, $1,949.99 "street" for the ash-bodied White Blonde model) Fender's product web page You can purchase the Fender American Original '50s Stratocaster from: Sweetwater Guitar Center Musician's Friend Full Compass Systems __________________________________________________ Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician, and Guitar Player magazines.

Samson G-Track Pro USB Microphone and Audio Interface A USB mic with a little something extra for musicians by Phil O'Keefe USB microphones are one of the simplest ways to add audio recording capabilities to your computer, and they're close to ideal for a lot of users - gamers, video narrators and video streamers, podcasters and voiceover artists - but many USB mics run at lower bit depth and sample rates, have only a single polar pattern, and/or lack other features that would make them more useful for musicians. With tons of features, Samson bucks this trend with their latest USB mic offering - the G-Track Pro. Let's see what it has that makes it more appealing from a musician's point of view. What You Need To Know The G-Track Pro is an updated version of Samson's earlier G-Track USB microphone. While some features are similar on the two microphones, the G-Track Pro has some significant differences and offers much better audio quality. The Samson G-Track Pro is compatible with Mac and PC computers, and it's class compliant, so you don't need to worry about installing any drivers. At the heart of the G-Track Pro is a large diaphragm (25mm) dual backplate, multi-pattern electret condenser capsule with 3 micron diaphragms. Frequency response is rated at 50Hz - 20kHz, with no tolerance listed. The maximum SPL rating is 120 dB, so it's capable of handling fairly loud sound sources without distorting. With cardioid, bi-directional and omnidirectional polar patterns available, the G-Track Pro offers a lot of pattern flexibility. Unlike the original G-Track, you're not just limited to 16 bit recordings. While you can record at 16 bit if you want to, the G-Track Pro is capable of recording at 24 bit resolution for better fidelity. Not only that, but you can also record at up to 96 kHz - which is double the 48 kHz maximum sample rate of the previous model. The G-Track Pro has a two-input audio interface built-in. In addition to the signal from the microphone, you can also simultaneously record a second signal from the built-in 1/4" mono instrument input. Physically the Samson G-Track Pro is a pretty large microphone, measuring 10.5" high (when mounted on the included heavy duty metal desktop stand) and 4.5" in diameter. It has all-metal construction for durability, and weighs in at just a touch over three and a half pounds. On the front side of the microphone you'll find switches for pattern selection and a Recording Select switch. This selects between two different recording modes - Mono and 2-Track. In Mono mode the signal from the mic and 1/4" instrument input are mixed together. This is ideal for streaming applications. For multitrack recording, you can select the 2-Track option on the switch, which routes the mic and line input to individual tracks. Also on the front of the mic, just below the grille, is a tri-color LED Status Indicator that glows green when the mic is powered up over the USB connection, flashes red when the input is clipping, and turns amber when the mic is muted. The Mute button is directly below the Status Indicator LED, and it mutes the G-Track pro's USB and headphone output signals. Right below the Mute button on the front of the mic are three rotary controls. The first one sets the Mic level, while the second adjusts the input level for the Instrument input. These also allow you to mix their relative levels when combining them together and using the Mono setting on the Recording Select switch for streaming purposes. The third rotary control knob sets the output Volume level for the G-Track Pro's built-in 1/8" stereo Headphone output jack. The Headphone output, along with the 1/4" Instrument input jack, are mounted on the opposite side of the microphone's body. The stereo headphone output can be used with headphones or to drive external powered studio monitors. Also on the back side is a Direct Monitor switch. When set to the On position, this monitors the input signals directly, before they pass through the computer system, giving you near zero latency monitoring when recording. The Type B USB output jack is mounted to the bottom of the mic, in the place where you'd expect to find the XLR output jack on a similar looking side-address studio microphone. Samson includes a well written and easy to understand user manual in the box, with lots of step-by-step instructions for setting the G-Track Pro up with your Mac or PC, as well as helpful information on setting levels and polar patterns that will help new users get up to speed quickly. They also include a USB cable and a card with info on how to download a complimentary copy of Mark Of The Unicorn's AudioDesk Mac / PC multitrack audio recording program too. The G-Track Pro is compatible with Samson's optional SP04 spider shockmount. ($39.99 "street") Limitations While Samson's site shows that the G-Track Pro comes with a mic clip that allows you to use it with a standard mic stand, there was no clip in the review unit's box. This is a fairly serious omission since it limits you to using the included desktop stand (or buying the optional shockmount), which is fine for many purposes, but far less flexible when micing up musical instruments. The size and weight of the Samson G-Track Pro make it far from the most ideal choice for mobile users who want a USB mic that they can take with them wherever they go. While you can certainly move it around, it's probably better suited for more stationary, home-based use. Since the Instrument input is mono only, the G-Track Pro isn't ideally suited to serve as your only audio interface if you want to record the outputs from stereo hardware, including media players, keyboards and drum machines. Conclusions The Samson G-Track Pro is easy to set up and simple to configure and use, making it a good choice for recording neophytes. With the ability to record the signal from both the built-in mic and a mono instrument input simultaneously, the G-Track Pro is well suited for recording vocals and an instrument at the same time, or recording a miked and direct signal from the same instrument at once. It's nice that Samson gives you the ability to route those signals to either individual tracks (for multitrack recording) or to sum them together for streaming purposes. The G-Track Pro is also a classy looking, if somewhat large desktop mic for voiceover artists, gamers and podcasters. It's not a good choice if you need to record stereo line or instrument sources, but if that's what you're trying to do, a USB mic probably isn't your best option anyway. While I really like the quality of the included desktop stand, I was disappointed that a regular mic clip wasn't included - I would have rather used the mic with a studio boom stand when recording some sources, such as acoustic guitars. The Samson G-Track Pro did well when I used it to record a variety of different types of signals that would typically be encountered in a home studio, including vocals, acoustic guitars, guitar amps and hand percussion. The multiple polar patterns make it easy to record one person (while reducing room ambience), two speakers / singers at once (using the figure 8 pattern), or even a small group of singers simultaneously using the omni polar pattern. It also handled direct recording of things like acoustic guitar pickups and electric bass through the Instrument input with ease. With better bit resolution and higher sample rate capabilities, multiple polar patterns and a true 1" large diaphragm, the Samson G-Track Pro is a substantial upgrade over the previous G-Track USB microphone, and is capable of very clean and quiet sounding recordings. If a USB mic is what you're in the market for, this is one you should definitely consider, especially if you're a musician who would like to be able to record a second Instrument source direct at the same time. -HC- Want to discuss the Samson G-Track Pro or have questions or comments about this review? Then head over to this thread in the Studio Trenches forum right here on Harmony Central and join the discussion! Resources Samson G-Track Pro USB Microphone and Audio Interface ($194.99 MSRP, $149.99 "street") Samson's product web page You can purchase the Samson G-Track Pro from: B&H Photo Video American Musical Supply Zzounds __________________________________________________ Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician and Guitar Player magazines.

Yamaha Pacifica 611VFMX Impressive playability meets sonic versatility by Phil O'Keefe Yamaha says their motto is "never standing still" and the latest Pacifica model is testament to that philosophy. First introduced in 1990, their Pacifica line has long been a player favorite, with a design that developed from the needs of studio players for a reliable and sonically versatile instrument. The latest version of the Pacifica, the PAC611VFMX, refines the basic concept and offers it in a new limited production version. Let's see what this S-style double-cutaway guitar has to offer. What You Need To Know Built in Indonesia, the Pacifica 611VFMX comes with a matte finish in translucent blue, translucent black or root beer, the color of the review unit I was sent to check out. The review 611VFMX has a three-piece alder body that is capped with maple, and a flame maple veneer adds a bit of flash to the top's appearance, although the satin finish and dark colors that the model is offered in don't particularly highlight the flame; making it somewhat subtle, depending on the viewing angle. The rear of the body has black plastic covers over the control cavity and tremolo spring routes, as well as a tummy contour for playing comfort. The top of the body also has a forearm contour. According to my digital calipers, the yellow-tinted, satin-finished maple neck is 41.27 mm (1.624") wide at the nut and .825" thick at the first fret. It feels smoth, sleek, thin and fast, and it's very comfortable to play. It's capped with a rosewood fingerboard with a 13.75" radius and 22 frets, and it has simple pearloid dot position indicators, as well as white dot position indicators on the side of the fretboard. The face of the headstock is finished in flat black, with a Pacifica decal as well as a raised Yamaha "tuning fork" badge. The nut is a Graph Tech graphite nut, and the twin string trees are also Graph Tech graphite units. The nut slots were well-cut. The six tuners are made by Grover, and they lock from the top. Tuning stability of the Pacifica 611VFMX is excellent. The neck is attached to the body with four bolts and a Yamaha-stamped neck plate. The neck pocket / neck joint is nice and tight, without any visible gaps. The 611VFMX has a cool looking black anodized aluminum pickguard. The pickups are from Seymour Duncan, with a SP90-2N in the neck, and a hot Custom 5 humbucker in the bridge. A three-position blade style switch allows for pickup selection, while master volume and tone controls, complete with chrome dome style knobs, round out the electronics. The tone control has a push / pull pot - pulling it out splits the bridge humbucker, allowing you to get single coil tones from the bridge pickup too. The output jack is side mounted using a small metal plate. The Yamaha Pacifica 611VMFX comes equipped with a Wilkinson V550 tremolo bridge that has six adjustable saddles. Yamaha includes a set of allen wrenches to allow you to do your own intonation and string height adjustments, but the factory setup was quite good right out of the box. The tremolo arm doesn't screw in like with some vibrato bars - you just push it straight in, making it faster to set up. The tremolo bridge on the review unit was adjusted flat to the body of the guitar, which means you can only lower pitch with it, and not raise it - which I personally prefer since it also tends to stay in tune better when you're bending one string while holding other unbent notes than a floating tremolo setup would. If you prefer the later, a good tech can adjust it to suit your preferences. Return to pitch after using the bar is quite good, in no small part due to the straight string path, locking Grover tuners and the Graph Tech graphite nut and string retainers. This is a limited edition model and it may be harder to track one down. Yamaha said that there's only 200 examples being made for the USA, although I'm not sure if that's 200 for each color, or 200 total. Limitations There was a small dark blemish (approximately 5-6 mm long) on the back of the neck near the headstock on the review unit. While one shouldn't really be expected to be thrown in at this price point, no case or gig bag is included with the Pacifica 611VFMX, so you'll need to plan and budget accordingly. The tremolo arm tends to droop and doesn't really stay where you last left it - this can be fixed by tightening an adjustment screw, which is located under the bridge plate near the tremolo shaft. Doing so requires you to depress the bar a bit to reach it, and it can be a bit tricky to do both simultaneously. The good news is that Yamaha does include the allen wrench that you need along with the guitar. Conclusions What I like most about the Pacifica 611VFMX is the easy playability - with both tummy and forearm contours it's not only a very comfortable guitar to wear, but the neck is also smooth, fast, and effortless to play. Plus, the double cutaway design provides perfect balance when it's hanging from a strap, and excellent upper fret access. The other thing that really impressed me is the tonal versatility, which is really quite good for a two-pickup guitar. The humbucker is on the hot side and sounds really good, and even when pulling up on the tone control and using it as a single coil, the sound doesn't get anemic or drop way down in volume. In fact, I liked the single coil sound quite a bit. The neck pickup is also a winner, with a thick tone that works well by itself for more rootsy sounding parts, and the combination tones utilizing both pickups are well worth exploring too. The factory setup was flawless, and the guitar played great right out of the box with no adjustments needed. Once I tuned it up, it tended to stay that way, even when doing fairly heavy bends and tremolo bar workouts. My complaints were minor. The mystery blemish on the neck is impossible to feel and really not a huge concern, although as with any finish flaw, it needed to be pointed out. The slightly tricky to reach adjustment screw to tighten up the vibrato bar only has to be tightened occasionally, so that's not a big issue either. As a whole, this is really a fun, well-built guitar. While there's an obvious Fullerton influence to the Pacifica, it's far from just another clone. Yamaha has taken the basic S-style guitar design and have done their own thing with it; both in the way it looks and sounds - and the end result is very cool. If you want something a little different than what everyone else uses but you still need a great playing, cool looking guitar with a lot of sonic versatility, you should definitely check out what the Yamaha Pacifica 611VFMX has to offer. Give one a try for yourself. At $650 bucks "street", this is a lot of guitar for not very much money. -HC- Want to discuss the Yamaha Pacifica 611VFMX or have questions or comments about this review? Then head over to this thread in the Electric Guitar forum right here on Harmony Central and join the discussion! Resources Yamaha Pacifica 611VFMX electric guitar ($1,050.00 MSRP, $649.99 "street") Yamaha's product web page Yamaha's Pacifica line web page You can purchase the Yamaha Pacifica 611VFMX from: Sam Ash Washington Music Center __________________________________________________ Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer/producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician, and Guitar Player magazines.

Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter Zi Instrument DI and Mic Activator A variable impedance Mic Activator to DI for... by Phil O'Keefe A few years back, Cloud Microphones released the Cloudlifter CL-Z, a phantom powered variable impedance "mic activator" that made a considerable impression on me (click here to check out my full review of the Cloudlifter Z). Why? Because it not only provides a healthy gain boost to low output dynamic moving coil and passive ribbon microphones while lowering the noise floor of your recordings, but because it also allows the user to adjust the impedance load, and thereby make subtle (or drastic) adjustments to the sound. Fast forward to today, and the new Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter Zi. While similar to the previous Cloudlifter Z, it has some exciting new features that make it an even more flexible recording tool. Like what? Let's dig in and find out. What You Need To Know The Cloudlifter Zi is a very versatile box with multiple uses. Part mic preamp, part direct box, part variable impedance tone-shaping device, it brings a lot of capabilities to any studio. The circuitry in the Cloudlifter Zi itself is powered by phantom power, but it doesn't pass any phantom power on to any connected microphone, keeping your ribbon mics safe from potential damage. With up to 25 dB of clean, quiet gain available for microphones connected to the XLR input, the Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter Zi is a great way to give your low output ribbon and moving coil dynamic mics the boost they need, allowing them to be used with mic preamps that might otherwise lack sufficient clean gain for optimal use with those mics. Don't overlook the importance of that extra "clean gain" - while some inexpensive mic preamps might just barely give you enough gain to work with your low-output dynamic and ribbon mics, it's often only at the extreme limits of their gain range, where they frequently sound noisier than when used at lower gain settings. With a Cloudlifter in front of the preamp, you'll have a much hotter (up to 25dB) signal from the source to work with, and will be able to run your preamps at more modest (and quieter) settings. The Cloudlifter Zi has all the same mic-related features and capabilities as the Cloudlifter Z, which I reviewed previously. Be sure to check out the Cloudlifter Z review for more details, usage tips and audio examples. The Cloudlifter Zi goes beyond the Cloudlifter Z by adding some seriously cool active direct box capabilities. You can use it as a regular active direct box, with up to 15 dB of gain available on the 1/4" high impedance input. There is also a new recessed ground lift switch that lifts the audio ground from the Cloudlifter's chassis. You'll find it next to the Cloudlifter Zi's XLR output jack. But that's not all. The same type of variable impedance adjustments that you can apply to microphones using the large "Z" knob is also available on the direct input, giving you a level of tonal control that other direct boxes simply can not match. A CineMag transformer is used to convert the high impedance input source to low impedance so that it can be adjusted using the same variable impedance circuit the Cloudlifter Zi uses to process microphones - so don't let the markings on the housing throw you - the impedance marked on the top is correct for both microphones and the post-transformer direct input signal. The Cloudlifter Zi is built into the same heavy-duty all-metal housing as the Cloudlifter Z. It measures 5.25" W x 3.25" D x 2.25" H, including the rubber feet and knobs. In addition to rubber feet for tabletop or floor use, on the bottom you'll also find a padded bracket for mounting the unit to a mic stand with the included velcro strap. Other than the new combination XLR mic / 1/4" high impedance input jack and ground lift switch, the only other things that are different on the Cloudlifter Zi compared to the original Cloudlifter Z are the switches. Where the original used toggle switches, the new model uses lower-profile slide switches, which are less likely to accidentally break. The high pass filter switch works in conjunction with the variable impedance Z knob to adjust the rolloff frequency just as it does on the Cloudlifter Z, with the same 70Hz - 4kHz range. The original More / Max gain switch has been replaced with a three position Min / More / Max switch, giving you a choice of three different gain settings instead of the original two. The amount of gain depends on whether you're using it with an instrument or mic, with 25dB, 12dB and 6dB (max / more / min.) available when using the Cloudlifter Zi with microphones, and 15dB, 6dB or 3dB of gain when using it with instruments. Limitations There's no 1/4" instrument thru jack for simultaneously connecting your instrument to an amplifier or other secondary signal path while running direct like you'll find on most direct boxes. You can not use it as a DI box and a Mic Activator simultaneously - it's single-channel, so you can only use it for one or the other at any given time. You'll want to pick up two, three, or maybe even four of these very useful boxes - that way, you can use one as a bass DI while using another on your guitar mic or as a guitar DI, and the other two for stereo recording your drum overheads using your ribbon mics. Conclusions I didn't think it was possible but Cloud Microphones took a box that I consider to be an essential studio tool and made it even more indispensable. They even improved the switches and gave the user an additional gain setting too, which are nice refinements, but they're not the Big News. The Cloudlifter Zi retains all of the tonal flexibility and features that impressed me so much on the original Cloudlifter Z while adding the ability to do the same variable impedance manipulation for bass, guitar, keyboards, or any other instrument that you want to record direct. The only real omission is the lack of a thru jack so you can feed your amp and go direct at the same time. Still, it's a very powerful studio tool. It's a box you'll find yourself reaching for regularly, whether you're using it with a ribbon or low output dynamic moving coil mic to goose the levels and dial in just the right timbral balance, or as a direct box for recording instruments. No matter how you use it, you'll appreciate how quietly it does its job, the improved fidelity, and the amount of timbral flexibility it brings to the task. I said it before and I'll say it again - if you use ribbon mics, you may not know it yet, but you want this box! Scratch that - if you use ribbon mics or record direct, you need this box! Yeah, it's really that good - I highly recommend it. -HC- Want to discuss the Cloudlifter Zi or have questions or comments about this review? Then head over to this thread in the Studio Trenches forum right here on Harmony Central and join the discussion! Resources Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter Zi Microphone Activator and DI ($449.00 MSRP, $379.00 "street") Cloud Microphone's product web page You can purchase the Cloud Microphones Cloudlifter Zi from: Sweetwater Guitar Center B&H Photo Video Musician's Friend __________________________________________________ Phil O'Keefe is a multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer / producer and the Senior Editor of Harmony Central. He has engineered, produced and performed on countless recording sessions in a diverse range of styles, with artists such as Alien Ant Farm, Jules Day, Voodoo Glow Skulls, John McGill, Michael Knott and Alexa's Wish. He is a former featured monthly columnist for EQ magazine, and his articles and product reviews have also appeared in Keyboard, Electronic Musician and Guitar Player magazines.