There are numerous keyboard and piano manufacturers that are in business making digital pianos for home use. Many of which that actually feel like a real piano are very pricey and there is usually a trade-off, real feel for not-so-real sound. On the other hand, there 
are some digital pianos made for home use that have it all, real feel, true-to-life sound and beautiful looks. The M Audio DCP 200 Digital Home Piano is one that has it all. This incredibly loaded digi-piano features a graded hammer action key bed for the most realistic piano feel in its price range, 8 internal sounds including a grand piano based on Steinway, electric piano based on Fender Rhodes, FM electric piano, harpsichord and more. Other features include 14,000-note song memory, vinyl-clad dense wooden cabinet with modesty panel, headphone hooks, stereo sound system with dual 20-watt amps, 4 inch woofers and .5 inch silk-dome tweeters for thick, detailed sound and a beautiful dark wood grain finish. You can get all these appointments for only $899.00 or 3 payments of $299.66 using the Easy Payment Plan from AMS. If you’re a player or have a student in the house but don’t have space or money for the real deal, get yourself the next-best-thing.
-Ryan
Archive for November, 2008
The Sound of Beautiful Piano Music in Your Home
11/28/2008Happy Thanksgiving!
11/27/2008What am I thankful for? I’m thankful for life, love (my wife), my son Simon and of course, gear. Have a happy holiday with friends, family and turkey everybody! I shall return to gear blogging on Friday, November 28 2008.
-Ryan
De-Couple Your Gear for More Accurate Mixes
11/26/2008I’ve covered quite a bit about recording in the home and project studio but really haven’t talked much about the importance of using de-coupling devices that essentially isolate studio monitors or amplifiers from the surfaces upon which they are placed. Here is a little background on the concept.
Studio monitors, Guitar and bass amplifiers and Drums make sound. Well, technically drums just make sound and amplifiers/studio monitors just take sound created by an instrument and amplify it. With that being said, the surface that your amplifier is sitting on can have a dramatic effect on the sound of said amplifier. Let’s go into a little more detail. A guitar amplifier has a speaker housed within a wooden box. That wooden box or cabinet has specific dimensions and construction material which provides coloration to the tone coming out of the driver. What is an effective way of preserving that tone? For Guitar and bass amplifiers as well as sound reinforcement cabinets there is the Auralex Great Gramma Amplifier and Monitor Isolation Platform. For yoru studio monitors and other critical listening speakers, try the Auralex 
MoPADs Monitor Isolation Pads. Both of which work well to decouple the amp or speaker from the floor or des or stage which will help maintain the tone of your amplification device. For you drummers out there that don’t want the stage to suck your sustain, check out the Auralex HD 64GIG Hoverdeck Drum Set Isolation Platform.
-Ryan
Monitor or Small Format Front-Of-House Mixer
11/26/2008Versatility is always a very highly rated consideration in my book when I’m researching a gear purchase. Personally, I have to find more than one use for a piece of gear in order to justify buying it or it has to be one phenomenal unit. I’ve easily found numerous uses in the Allen and Heath Mix Wizard 16 Channel Live Mixer.
Considered a small format mixer, the Mix Wizard 16 is no way small on features. Loaded to the teeth with functional components such as 4 band semi-parametric EQ and high pass filter per mic/line channel, 6 aux sends with combinations of pre/post switching, 100mm faders, a built-in dual effects processor with parameter control using Allen & Heath PC software, dedicated mono output with separate fader and innovative operating mode for aux fed sub systems, additional AB stereo output, comprehensive metering and engineers monitoring, dual redundant backup supply input, and a lamp socket.
The features alone could easily push this mixing board into a nearly untouchable price range but it sits happily at the $999.00 or 3 payments of $333.00 using the Exclusive American Musical Supply Easy Payment plan. Whether you’re planning to use it for a monitor mix, a compact FOH mixer or any application in between, the Mix Wizard 16 easily answers the call.
-Ryan
A Revolution in Speaker Stand Technology
11/25/2008DJs and Mobile Sound guys will love this! Now you never have to lift another heavy speaker up over your head to your speaker stand post, the stands does it for you. The Ultimate Support TS100 Hydraulic Speaker Stand takes care of your grunt work! Check out this video that comes via a time machine straight out of 1993 (not really but the background graphic effects bring me back to the days of Zubaz, day-glow green and steps carved in the sides and back of your hair).
-Ryan
All-In-One Rack Case for Live Sound Guys
11/25/2008
I’ve previously covered Live Sound topics in previous posts but haven’t gone into tons of detail on how to put all your gear together into one solid rack case. The reason for not covering it was that until now we really didn’t have the case to do it with. Allow me to show you the Gator GTOURGRC12X12 ATA Console Rack 12U Over 12U. This is an incredibly durable, flexible and necessary rig rack for small to mid sized live sound setups. This case provides adequate room for all your live sound peripherals including your amplifiers, EQs, compressor/gate units, effects processors and even your mixer with the integrated 12U angled mixer rack located on the top.
The construction of this case is of incredible quality and built to easily withstand the rigors of the road. It is made using 9mm Plywood with PVC exterior and featuring 3.2mm thick front and rear rack rails along with Red Penn Elcom recessed MOL twist latches, spring-loaded rubber-gripped handles, Heavy-duty Penn Elcom zinc-plated hardware, reinforced ball corners, Tongue and groove aluminum valance and heavy duty casters, 2 of which lock for added stability. The case also features a hinged, locking rear access door and cable port making this pro level rack case the ultimate in versatility.
-Ryan
