MARKDRUM YES1 ELECTRONIC DRUMKIT
TC HELICON MIC MECHANIC
sleeve. You get to choose from Room, Club and Hall
reverbs as well as Slap and Echo delay effects or
three combinations of reverb and delays to give your
voice the added body that can make a performance
come to life.
INCREDIBLY EASY
Setting up the Mic Mechanic is a breeze. You run it
in line with you microphone signal, like a guitarist
would with their effects pedals. An XLR input is fed
from the microphone and an XLR output runs to
the desk. Once plugged in, you simply choose the
desired reverb, delay or combination and adjust the
Wet/Dry mix to suit the room. Then you can turn it
on and off as you please. If that wasn’t enough, you
can also wind in an auto-detecting pitch correction
function that keeps your voice as close to pitch as
possible without ripping your vocals apart and
making you sound like a computerised experiment.
This can be added in to the desired amount for very
subtle assistance in taming any notes that may just
wander slightly out of pitch.
The new Mic Mechanic from TC Helicon is giving
vocalists the ease of effects that guitarists have too
long enjoyed all to themselves. This simple stomp
box style effects unit allows vocalists to bring some
extra magic into their performance quickly and easily
without losing any quality in tone or signal. For too
long the guitarists have had it good with a wide
range of effects pedals to suit all their needs, now,
it seems, is the age of the voice and TC Helicon a
determined to help out.
VOICETONE TONE
Coming from the Voicetone series of vocal effects,
the Mic Mechanic is a simple, one button stomp box
to bring some extra life to your vocal performance
without relying on the engineer to set your effects
for you. It’s even handier for smaller gigs where
there simply is no engineer and you want to get the
most from your voice. Essentially the Mic Mechanic
is a reverb pedal, but it has a few extra tricks up its
THE FINISHED PRODUCT
If this little unit hasn’t already given enough reasons
to run out and buy one, there is a further feature that
really puts the icing on the cake. Engaging the tone
button initiates a gentle EQ and compression circuit
that almost acts like a gentle polish for you vocals.
It is hard to explain exactly how it sounds, it almost
sounds like it does nothing, in fact. You can barely
notice any difference when you engage the Tone
switch. But, if you turn it off, you will quickly notice
how flat and lifeless your vocal was to begin with.
This is the essence of a great effect. It isn’t enough
to be noticeable when engaged, but it is enough to
stand out when it is removed. The Mic Mechanic is
not a vocal coach, but it is going to get your voice
running smoothly every time.
By Rob Gee
RRP: $269
Distributor : Amber Technology
Phone: 1800 251 367
Website: www.ambertech.com.au
PEAVEY XPORT USB GUITAR INTERFACE
things simple, so you can spend more time playing
guitar and less time setting up interfaces and cables.
It’s a small device, about the size of many popular
smart phones and connects to the computer via
USB, thus requiring no external power source. There
is a 6.5mm Hi-Z guitar input for going directly into
the computer from your instrument, a headphone
out, on a 3.5mm jack socket for monitoring and a
stereo output, also on a 3.5mm jack socket. That
is about it, except for two buttons on the side for
raising or lowering the volume. Plug it in, let the
computer detect the device and you are ready to go.
The drivers are included on a CD in the packet along
with ReValver HP SE virtual tube amplifier software
and Reaper audio recording software. These are
easy to install and allow you to use the computer as
an amp simulator, recording device or both.
For those of you who are wanting to record your
guitar tracks into a computer but do not want to
bother with overly complex setups or interfaces
that offer all sorts of extra options that you won’t
use, you are often faced with a bit of a dilemma. So
often the magic of recording is taken away by the
technology that gets in the way. What Peavey have
done with the XPort is to try to simplify the process
so you don’t feel like you are running a computer
system and can focus more on playing your guitar.
BACK TO BASICS
Remember when you used to use a four-track to
record your guitar to cassette tapes? You might be
showing you age, but you will also remember the
ease and how that disappeared with the advent of
computer recording. Now, it couldn’t be simpler
and the computer can be used as a helpful tool,
a medium for recording you music, and not a
hindrance. The XPort has been designed to keep
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DIGITAL EMULATION
The ReValver software allows you to get classic
Peavey guitar amplifier tones from the clean guitar
signal you send into your computer. So, you can
run this as a standalone platform and allow your
computer to become you amplifier. This makes
practise at home simple and easy when you can’t
turn your amp stack up to full volumes and need
to play with headphones, whilst still getting a
great tone. You can use this software with many
DAWs if you already have a recording platform of
choice, or you can record with the included Reaper
software, meaning that there isn’t anything else
you need to buy to get your guitar tracks recorded
once you have the XPort. It is a simple, compact
and no fuss alternative to some of the recording
rigs that are available today. Get one home and
get recording now.
By Rob Gee
RRP: $89
Distributor: Audio Products Group
Phone: (02) 9669 3477
Website: www.audioproducts.com.au
AUGUST 2012
MarkDrum may sound unfamiliar for a drum manufacture
but the Mark name is actually very well known among
musicians, having been responsible for the very popular
ranges of MarkBass amplification in recent years. The Italian
company have branched out and have released their brand
new electronic drumkit – the YES1 – a kit they say is capable
of taking on the acoustic benchmarks for sound and feel.
HEY GOOD LOOKIN’
Initial looks at the new kit are positive. It looks good. I
actually wasn’t surprised at this as the range of MarkBass
amps are aimed to be aesthetically pleasing as well as
producing a good sound. The kit features the same black
and orange trademark colour scheme and has bucketloads
of presence. Some of the features on this kit, on paper, are
quite extraordinary. Where most of the effort has gone is
in getting the most realistic feel and usability to effectively
replicate an acoustic drumkit. The ‘smart’ mesh pads do the
all signal processing digitally inside each unit rather than
merely conveying the signal to the module for processing
via a conventional style two channels coaxial cable. The
pads can therefore have multiple microprocessors, process
the trigger (however sensitive) and send that to the sound
module to apply the required sound as assigned. This also
means the YES1 can boast a hot spot removal feature that
eliminates any spikes in volume when the player hits close
or directly above the trigger location because each pad has
multiple locations.
FEATURE PACKED
The YES1 in standard form offers 4 redesigned 10” mesh
heads for snare and three rack toms and Hi-Hat, Crash and
Ride choke-able pads plus a rubber bass drum pad with
provided beater. You can expand your YES1 with addition
pads, which can be assigned a sound via the module. The
mounting rack itself has an internal bus system (this is
actually really cool). There are effectively stacks of Ethernet
type inputs, all critically positioned on the rack – i.e. near
where a pad will be and at the end of each section of rack.
Using mini RJ11 cables, you connect all parts of the kit to
the nearest input on the rack. This minimises the traditional
long ‘guitar lead’ type cabling. It’s neat, cool and very
effective.
The YES1 module gives you 8 standard inputs and 4
additional inputs, Midi in/Midi out, USB, headphone and
AUX connectivity, 24 drumkit presets made from over
10,000 recorded samples to cover a bunch of different
styles straight out of the box, a 4GB CF card (included),
standard effects such as reverb, EQ and compression, a
metronome with tap tempo and loop record/playback.
Let’s be honest now – the main criticism that drummers will
make with any electronic kit is the way is sounds and the
way it feels. The pads on the YES1 feel good but seemingly
familiar. I didn’t find that they were necessarily revolutionary
at all but they are tuneable for the required tension that you
would like – a good thing – and can be then calibrated to
optimum performance. I couldn’t get the calibration to be
perfect for me but it wasn’t bad at all, just a little insensitive
at times. This said, electronic kits take time to get perfect.
They’re designed that way and you would expect to spend
more time with an electronic kit than I was able to. Overall,
though, the kit feels good and the sensitivity is also good.
Cymbal pads are the standard rubber affair but the hi-hat
has a good pedal feel and great response.
KEEPING IT REAL
The YES1 is probably one of the best I’ve heard. The
sampling is extensive, accounting for right hand and left
hand hits and up to 512 levels of velocity. All sounds and
especially the bass drum sound great and… wait for it… are
very realistic. Some of the things that also go into this great
sound are the patented Creative effects.
It’s a great professional electric drumkit. It also costs
substantially less than some of its competitors and that’ll
be enough for some. Get the calibration right and you’ll be
very happy with the result. Just like anything, it might take
some time to get used to.
By Adrian Violi
RRP: $3495
Distributor: CMC Music
Phone: (02) 9905 2511
Website: www.cmcmusic.com.au
ROCKTRON HUSH ULTRA
Rocktron’s Hush technology has been one of the most used
noise reduction units for guitar gear and recording setups
for years. From their original Hush units in rack form to the
ever evolving II, Pro, IICX, Super C models and stomp box
sized offerings they’ve continued to be implemented where
noise is an issue be it big rigs, recordings or pedal board
guitar setups. Now their latest incarnation is the digital
stereo Hush Ultra - building on Rocktron’s existing noise
reducing units with some modern upgrades and features.
SILENT SHOUT
A digital stereo single space rack unit the Hush Ultra
features true bypass, LCD display, 128 programmable
presets with MIDI control, a combination of both jack and
xlr input/output and a heap of tweaking possibilities. The
front panel then has controls for Preset select, in/out, store/
edit, parameter adjust, parameter select and a push button
for guitar level (-10) or audio (+4).
REDUCTION TECHNIQUE
Noise reduction is a balancing act. Aiming for the
eradication of unwanted noise can often be compromised
by losing some of the actual sound – be it milliseconds of
note decay or delay repeats. Therefore you need to work
with both the Hush and Gate threshold levels to find the
sweet spot where your guitar sound is full and how you want
it to sound but then free from extra unwanted noise. There
is plenty of explanation in the manual and the fact that you
have plenty of programmable presets means you won’t
have to settle for just one setting for all your varying tones.
And whilst the Hush Ultra can clean up your overall tone it
really needs to be tweaked to match all your various tones
for you to get the maximum out of this unit.
Rocktron’s improved Midi capabilities will really appeal to
some players now having the ability to program multitudes
of Hush settings to go with each patch rather than working
on broad brush one suits all type settings. Just whack it in
your chain and get programming!
ROCK ON
Sure most people try and get their existing rig as quiet as
possible in the first place with isolated power supplies, high
quality cabling, buffers, true bypass pedals, but sometimes
there is just going to be some noise. And if that’s above an
acceptable level for you it’s going to affect your playing.
And remember - you don’t have to be playing huge rigs
or huge gigs to use the Hush Ultra. If you’ve got unwanted
noise why not try and clean it up? A slick new offering
from Rocktron.
By Nick Brown
RRP: $449.99
Distributor: Music Link
Phone: (03) 9765 6565
Website: www.musiclink.com.au