The Complete NAMM 2012 Report

Written by on January 27, 2012 in Keeping Track - 2 Comments
NAMM 2012

NAMM was last weekend and I enjoyed every minute of it. Except maybe the last day when my mind was enthusiastic but my back and legs were shutting down from all the walking.

It was a great show but also absolutely nuts. Like Ryan Canestro said in his NAMM recap on The Home Recording Show, saying that people are busy on the floor is an understatement.

Trying to see everything and talk to everyone gets crazy after a while. That’s why it’s always good to unwind after the show with some good friends. Thanks to Ryan and Matt McGlynn for a great night of laughs and great conversation.

NAMM 2012 Highlights

Here are just some of the few highlights from my aimless wandering around the convention center over the weekend.

Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP with VRMFocusrite Saffire Pro Firewire interface

I’m currently looking to upgrade my home studio interface and I’m leaning towards the Saffire series.

I like the Scarletts but I don’t have a USB port to spare. This particular model comes with their VRM technology which models different speakers.

This means that you can actually check your mix on different speaker models on your own monitors, without the hassle involved with checking your mix on different speakers.

The Scarlett 2i2 mini USB interface also caught my eye. It’s just a really pretty design, but also simple and easy for somebody who’s on the go and wants a portable interface.

 

PreSonus Audiobox

Speaking of interfaces, PreSonus were showing off their Audioboxes, and Jon Breaux gave me a nice presentation of how it works together with their Studio One software.

IsoAcoustics L8R155 Monitor Decouplers

IsoAcoustics have a different type of monitor decoupler that was really interesting. It balances your monitors, creating a better listening experience and sweet spot.

Dave Morrison, the president of IsoAcoustics, took the time to explain the concept and design of their product for me in the video below.


Stay tuned for more news from IsoAcoustics.

Zoom H2N portable recorder NAMM 2012Zoom H2N Portable Recorder

Everybody who’s read this site for a while knows that I really love my portable recorder.

Zoom just upgraded their H2 model with some cool new features which you can see in the video below.

Blue Microphones Tiki at NAMM 2012Blue Microphones TIKI and Spark Digital

The TIKI is an interesting USB microphone from Blue Microphones. It’s very suitable for Skype and simple voice-overs. It basically has ears and a brain that recognizes your voice and filters out things such as your fingers typing and other background noise.

The Spark Digital is another USB microphone that’s basically an alternative version of their Spark model. Hillary Money at Blue Microphones took the time to explain the concept behind Spark Digital in the video below.

Lampifier Microphones and Direct Box

Lampifier Company Lampifier microphones

This product was on the lower floor and caught my interest. The product they already have out is the microphone that has a built-in processing such as compression.

Maybe not the best fit for us engineers that want to tweak every knob, but certainly for a musician that doesn’t know the first thing about compression but still wants a “processed” or compressed sound.

Their other product that’s coming out soon is the same concept in a DI box. It has a few more switches than the microphone, fortunately, so it might be worth to check out.

Check out their website for more information about their products.

SPL

Neos 120 Volts Summing and Monitoring Console NAMM 2012

SPL had a new extra intense, ridiculously expensive analog summing mixer for those who have an extra $11,000 lying around…

It’s called the Neos and probably sounds amazing for those with the resources to get one.

Lauten Audio

Lauten Audio Atlantic FC-387

Lauten were showcasing their new solid-state large diaphragm condenser, The Atlantis.

Lauten microphones are very high-end microphones but they sound amazing.

I recently tracked a drum kit with their Oceanus as a room/distance kick microphone and it sounded awesome.

Other Microphones

Audix Drumpacks BP5 ProAudix Microphones were showcasing some of their new drum-pack bundles.

I got a great tour of the MXL microphone line, with Ruben from MXL showing me everything that they have to offer.

MXL Revelation stereo NAMM 2012

I particularly liked the stylish look of their stereo microphone, Revelation, as well as their Black Widow.

MXL Black Widow at NAMM 2012

Conclusion

These things weren’t the only things I saw over the weekend, but one can only take so many pictures! When every company that you like is offering some new product or service, your brain overloads fairly quickly. My back is still sore but I’m looking forward to next year!

Did you go to NAMM? What did you see that was interesting?

About the Author

Björgvin Benediktsson is an Icelandic born musician, audio engineer and writer. He has worked in the audio industry since 2006 and is an SAE Alumni from the SAE Institute. He is the man behind Audio Issues. His latest ebook Mixing Strategies tackles the all important aspects of mixing music. Learn more about him and Audio Issues here

  • Navarre

    Thanks for the report! My Saffire 24 is coming in today. I got it because I actually need to track real vocals for a real track next week, and read this saffire vs. apogee duet shootout post on gearslutz:

    http://www.gearslutz.com/board/gear-shoot-outs-sound-file-comparisons-audio-tests/469949-focusrite-saffire-pro-24-vs-apogee-duet-converters-shoot-out-2.html

    after someone normalized the samples, half of the people were preferring the sound of the focusrite over the duet. I pulled the trigger immediately after, lol. 

  • Alex Winter

    Thanks for posting such an extensive recap!  I love NAMM because it’s a great place to geek out on all the equipment and see all my favorite musicians in once place (and get face time).  I was there this year unofficially scoping things out for a company that I’m working with called Portable Sound Labs.  They make amazing portable speakers for mp3 players and iPad, and recently launched the mLABS Music Initiative where they are partnering with musicians.  The first partnership is with Alex Band (former lead singer of The Calling).  Check it out:  http://portablesoundlabs.com/my-psl/mlabs-artist/. 

    Also, it’s worth noting that the iMainGo XP is the speaker that works with the iPad (it’s also a case/stand) and it really has amazing sound.  We’ve been using it with GarageBand and other music apps and have found it’s really effective for musicians because the sound quality and clarity is so great.  A lot of bands and DJ’s have been using them while on the road.  I thought you might be interested in checking it out.  You can see the products at Amazon here:  http://amzn.to/ritvtj.  Also, here is a YouTube review that shows the difference in the sound quality:  http://youtu.be/dgR2tmkMdUc. 

    Thanks again for the great NAMM coverage!