New Gear At Rough & Tumble
We’ve picked up a couple of great pieces of equipment in the recent weeks.
First up is this odd looking stick known as the Bose L1 Model II. The L1 is a self contained, modular PA system that has an ultra flat, 180º sound coverage. The super-wigs over at Bose really thought this one through in terms of super clean sound and extensive features in a compact, portable form. In addition to the 24 vertically arranged speakers, we also have 2 B1 subwoofers (each with 2 high-excursion 6-1/2″ speakers) to handle any kind of big bass that you can throw at it.
The icing on the cake is the T1 ToneMatch mix engine that supplies all the tools that you would need for your ultimate live performance. Compressors, EQs, reverb, delay, modulation effects (chorus/flanger/phaser) – all recallable! Bose has also developed something they call ToneMatch. The Bose sound engineers did extensive testing to find the optimum EQ settings for a boat load of things. Have a Neumann KMS105? A good old SM58? There are settings for those. Have a Taylor Grand Auditorium GA3? There’s a setting for that. Wait, you have a Martin OM-42? Yeah, there’s a setting for that one too. You get the idea. For a full list of features, presets and all of the other magical things that the T1 does, click here.
The second addition to the R&T equipment roster is a vintage Korg MS20 synthesizer, aka my most favorite thing in the world. When I recently picked this treasure up from it’s previous owner, it was in sad shape (as most MS20s are, being over 30 years old and regularly gigged). After a trip to the keyboard tech genius Tim over at Keyboard Cottage, it’s now healthy and epically awesome. From bleeps to bloops, massive square wave bass to piercing chiptune leads. You’ve more than likely heard this synth so many times without realizing – Gorillaz, Aphex Twin, Daft Punk, Depeche Mode, Goldfrapp, Ladytron, Mr. Ozio – the list goes on indefinitely. Forever.
Posted by Ben McGuinn, R&T’s resident recording engineer, on July 18th, 2011.