Factory Sound

A new golden age of mic preamps, priced perfectly.

2009-11-11T20:06:00.000-08:00

Vintage, new, what's best for you? If you're in the market for a preamp or two, you've already had a bit of a chew over this and other salient points. BUT, have you checked out the new Golden Age Pre 73 mic preamp yet?

Word on the street is that it is the best BFB* preamp available.

Just who is best suited to Pre 73? Basically anyone who needs an awesomely priced mic preamp. Class A circuitry, a discrete signal path with three separate transformers for the balanced mic input, the line input and the output (the two different output sockets are paralleled, just in case you need a split). Bass players and other instrumentalists can plug straight in to the front panel. And whether you're a singer, player, engineer or all of the above, we will make sure you get well hooked up with a smoking price on this one. You know it!

A very well priced rack mounting kit is available, and the incremental gain steps make it easy to set up again and again for similar recording sessions (voiceover studios take note!). We've got a big stack of these in the shop, so take advantage of the bulk buy we have done. If you need to compare this with an Avalon VT737, Universal Audio LA-610MKII, Joe Meek OneQ, Presonus StudioChannel, TL Audio 5050, or any other mono preamps in our audio world, don't be a stranger... give us a call, or shoot off an email (factorysound.com for the info)

Pre 73 - what's in a name? For those who've not picked up on the vintage bit of this post yet, here's a grab from Golden Age on the Pre 73: "The circuit is very similar to the classical preamp section of the Neve 1073 pre/eq module with a corresponding sound character that is warm, punchy, sweet and musical. This classical sound has been heard on countless recordings through the years and it is a versatile sound that works very well on most sound sources and in most genres."

*BFB: Bang For Buck

Rode Blimp for $1 - best deal around!

2009-10-28T20:08:00.000-07:00

The gurus at Rode have done it again!

How's this for a cracking good combo. For the months of November and December 2009 (unless promotional stock depleted), you can purchase a Rode Blimp (now with 10 year warranty) for JUST $1, when you purchase one of their fabulous NTG-3 shotgun microphones (also with a 10 year warranty).

So, get the NTG-3 from Factory Sound, and claim your $1 Blimp from Rode. It's simple.

The Ts & Cs are here.

See you soon for a new NTG-3.

factorysound.com

PA Speaker Sale, even cheaper with 50% tax break!

2009-10-21T19:38:00.000-07:00

After a bit of digging, we've worked out that our crazy PA speaker sale is now even better value. A small investment up front works out to be the cheapest way of improving your speaker set up for gigs and even for your venue. Not just a little bit cheap, we're talking awesome deal.
In case you've missed it, The Australian Govenernment Investment Allowance info is here (via ATO website).
So for any brand of speaker we stock, come in and make the deal. RCF - Powered Art Series, TT Series, EV - ZX Series and SX300, JBL - Eon and PRX, Dynacord, Behringer, the awesome new K Series from QSC, or the mighy Nexo range including PS8, PS10, PS15 and GEO-S12. They're all in stock, along with Quest, EAW, and a couple of leftover FBT powered speakers.
For any info we've missed in this quick list, check our last blog entry for the Crazy PA Speaker Sale.
New stock and ex-demo clearance. No rainchecks. Only while stock lasts.

www.factorysound.com

Gaffer tape or Gaffa tape? Nashua 357 questions answered!

2009-10-15T20:30:00.000-07:00

The question is should we be calling it Gaffer Tape or Gaffa Tape? It seems that Australians (keen to drop a letter at any opportunity) go for gaffa, and much of the rest of the world chooses gaffer.

Of course, we all grew up on bedtime stories of the roadies who used to eat a bowl of screwed up gaffa with beer poured over it for breakfast.

However at an early age we realised that was just a story. Roadies actually have coffee and a cigarette for breakfast.

As it turns out, our old friend 357 way actually pinched from the lighting for film industry. You'll notice in the credits at the end of films that there's always a Gaffer - not to be confused with the Theater Cat from The Muppet Show, who manages to score a page on Muppet Wiki (if you needed another distraction) - who is in charge of lighting the scenes. We can only imagine what the Best Boy gets up to with a truck full of Gaffer Tape...

So to work out if we should be calling this stuff Gaffer Tape or Gaffa Tape, we decided to construct a tower in store. Check out the clip below, and see if you can find the answer.

And for the best price in town on genuine Nashua 2" Gaffer's Tape (or Gaffa357, as we call it), check out factorysound.com - we'll make sure you get looked after!

Never trust cheap or inferior brands. The genuine black gaffa from Nashua is the only one that will stick like dog poo to a picnic blanket.

Canare, Japan visits Factory Sound

2009-10-11T23:05:00.000-07:00

Continuing our recent theme of international visitors, we were lucky enough to have a session with Seiichi Yoshino from Canare recently.

He brought along the new Canare catalogue, and a bunch of samples for us to get tactile with, and dismantle where necessary. Video patchbay modules, low-profile BNC, tools and 75 ohm HDTV coaxial cable. You can see them all in detail by downloading the ‘International Edition 17A’ Canare catalogue here.

Our resident cable nerds, Hayden and Warren, spend a wide-eyed hour looking at the new offerings, firing back plenty of questions and providing feedback. After the keen discussion and a couple of Barking Flamingos, Seiichi headed off into the sunset flanked by our old comrade Mike ‘The Colonel’ Sanders and Damien Cumberworth, both from Amber Technology.

Seiichi left us not only with a lasting impression and a bunch of new catalogues for the staff, but also a lovely golden boomark to ensure we never lose our favourite spot in a Canare publication!

Needless to say, if you are in need of Canare cable, connectors, tools or patchbays - come to Factory Sound. You’ll get looked after.

factorysound.com

StudioLive and StudioOne with Presonus' Jim Odom

2009-10-05T17:17:00.000-07:00

We're lucky @ Factory Sound. Not only do we get to play with the best gear around, but we also get to meet the makers of much of this equipment. Sept 24th was another one of those golden moments for us.

Jim Odom was in town, and he dropped in for a beer and a chat. Lucky for us the camera was rolling, and we managed to get 3 episodes for Factory Sound TV. Jim's got a very laid-back manner, but he's 'right on it' which becomes evident the more he talks. Not only is Jim the founder and president of Presonus, but he also still rolls the sleeves up and designs much of this great gear.

For these episodes, we mainly focus on some of the 'new stuff' - and when we say new, we mean Released-on-Factory-Sound-TV-New. If you've got a couple of spare minutes, check out the videos below. We've popped a couple of comments above each of them, so you can skip straight to the bits that are of most interest to you.

Part 1: Getting to know Jim. He takes us through the birth of Presonus in Louisiana, including his first studio above the horses, when he was just seventeen...

Part 2: StudioOne - NEW Software! Presonus StudioOne looks to be a great software package. StudioOne Artist will be bundled with all Presonus soundcards from now on, and as a Stand-alone DAW alternative, StudioOne Pro has got all the goodies you need to make a record.

Part 3: This one is all about his awesome StudioLive digital console. We learn how to join multiple units together, and find out how powerful this puppy really is. As both designer and keen user, Jim is the perfect tourguide.

go to factorysound.com

PA Speakers - new and ex-demo clearance sale

2009-09-28T18:30:00.000-07:00

We're literally stacked to the rafters in our PA speaker demo room. With some new models coming in and some old stock still hanging around, it's definitely time for a clearance sale!

What's on sale? Everything!

Heaps of RCF ART SERIES loudspeakers. We've ordered heaps, so there are deals to be done on the whole range. This includes ART310A, ART315A, and ART322A, and their new '700' series - ART710A and ART725A. Plus their awesome subwoofer ART905A.

**Don't bother looking for the best price on our website, you'll get the best possible deal on RCF by coming in, calling up or shooting us an email.

QSC K-series loudspeakers are now in stock, as is the JBL EON range: Eon315, Eon510, Eon515 and Eon518S along with their powerful PRX series of PA speakers (powered, wooden box).

EX-DISPLAY MODELS: ALL MUST CLEAR
We've got heaps of ex-display models. These are all ONE-OFF specials for pa speakers that have been demonstrated in our speaker shoot-out room. Brands include FBT, EV, RCF, JBL, Quest, Behringer and EAW. Most of them are self-powered, but there are also a few passive boxes in there - ideal if you've already got an amp or you use a powered mixer.

Our PA Speaker Clearance lasts until the stock is gone. Don't miss out!

take me to factorysound.com

Released: Pioneer CDJ2000 & CDJ900

2009-09-17T01:37:00.000-07:00

The wait is finally over!

The official worldwide release of Pioneer's new players - CDJ2000 & CDJ900 came at 5pm (AEST) today.
No stock for Australia yet, but rest assured it's on the way!

Jump the queue and reserve yours now by going here.
In the meantime, here's a few clips to whet your appetite...

1: Dave takes us through a guided tour. Very impressive feature list.

2: Roger Sanchez cuts up the loops. You know it..."Jet-woosh" like there's not tomorrow!

3: Armin Van Buuren apologises...and gets excited, all at the same time, and he LOVES the 24-bit sound for trance

4: Eddie Halliwell diggin on needle search, quantize-able hot cues and better vinyl emulation...just like snapping records in the good old days

5: Laidback Luke is a huge fan of the rekordbox, the "heart of the machine" - software that comes with CDJ2000

back to www.factorysound.com

Dawn of a new species - Pioneer DJ

2009-09-09T19:37:00.000-07:00

Get the latest on Pioneer's exciting forthcoming release. We'll let you know when we've got pricing, stock and we'll make sure you get looked after.

UPDATE - THE RELEASE HAS HAPPENED!
CLICK HERE for our 17.09.09 update.

In true 'Gabbo is Coming' fashion, Pioneer is keeping this one under wraps. The NEW release is nearly here though.

Worldwide release is set for Sept 18th, 2009 - Australian release and stock will be shortly after.

Have you seen the clips? Do you have any ideas on exactly what it's going to be? Check them out below... and stay tuned for more info.

Part 1 - with DJ James Zabiela

Part 2 - with Armin van Buuren

Part 3 - with Eddie Halliwell

Part 4 - with Roger Sanchez

back to www.factorysound.com

Integrate 09 - the lowdown

2009-08-03T22:05:00.000-07:00

We headed off to the inaugural Integrate expo, held at the Hordern Pavillion (Sydney) in July 09. This was a terrific opportunity to get around and check out all the newly-released bits of gear for a range of applications - pro audio, lighting, audiovisual, installation.

It was also an excellent time to take a very large amount of video. We stayed in South Melbourne for day 1, so by the time we finally hit the show, all exhibitors were on fire! Perfect for turning the camera on and letting them go at it. Tone was also on fire, and we not only got to see lots of gear, but also meet a very interesting bunch of characters. Along the way we discovered more about seemingly inevitable RF (wireless) concerns for Australia - already happening in USA. And we also compared some 'street pricing' between Australia and rest-of-the-world.

Here's a quick run down of the videos... click the highlighted links to go straight to each relevant episode (all hosted via our YouTube page). There's something for everyone in this lot!

Part 1 of our QSC experience. More well-known in our circles for their amplifier prowess, QSC now makes some pretty serious speakers. In this video we get a bit of background info, then delve straight into their compact array offering, and great range of installation products - ceiling and a range of surface mount speakers (5:08 running time).

Part 2 of our QSC-athon. This one is great if you're into powered speakers, it begins with the new K Series from QSC: high power (1000w) and great features. The charismatic Tony Russo (we met him in part 1) talks us through the range, and he brings up some salient points. Episode finishes off with a bit of Martin line array. All impressive. (9:39)

OK, with QSC now done we move around the TAG (Technical Audio Group) stand and meet up with our old friend Horibe from Audio Technica in Japan. Horibe doesn't remember who we are, but does remember the beer he drank when he visited us a few years ago. Once past the re-introductions, Horibe talks us through the IR conference system from AT, and we also test AT 'consumer' mics later in the video. Horibe is great! (6:00).

And then moving right along to studio land, we run into our friend Mick Wordley from Mixmasters. He's talented, and boy can he talk! In fact, we got 30 mins of non-stop Mick...but we've managed to chop him down to 3 bite-sized chunks. In this first one, Mick runs us through some of the great new models he looks after, including some new Empirical Labs, Phoenix and FMR Audio preamps. Mick is as passionate (about audio) as he is enthusiastic. (7:36).

Here's part 2 of Mick Wordley - this time we talk at length about microphones, including his huge range of ribbon microphones, and where he's used them before. For those playing at home, you may remember Mick from way back in Episode 13 of Factory Sound TV, where he takes us through the (then) new Toft Audio ATB inline studio console. (8:01).

And part 3 of the Mick Wordley extravaganza. For this episode, Mick takes us back to the future and we take a closer look at Universal Audio UAD2 - especially for laptop. Mick talks about the high quality of these powered plug-ins, and being a big fan of old school (well...take one look at him!), Mick is able to make some interesting comparisons. He also talks about what a good deal it really can be when you purchase through the right channels in Australia. But then again...if you're reading this, you probably know how we work already! (7:04).

While we're in the mood for computer related gear - check out the awesome demo we got from Joshua of Native Instruments. After a quick intro from Jason Hearn, telling us how great Maschine works with Traktor, Joshua walks us through some of the key features of using Maschine as a serious tool for music production. Like Maschine, he is right on the money. (8:40).

As far as lighting goes, Integrate09 was a little (yep, we'll say it) 'light on' - but the ULA stand had some great demo action. For us it was all back room footage, and we manage to rock up at the beginning of one of their dark and cozy LED effect light demonstrations. In just a couple of years these LED effect lights have come a long way. We were very impressed at the quality of not only the lights, but also with the slick demo from Blair. He is the disco king, and even tells us so at the end of the clip. (8:29).

Back to some serious live sound - this time via our friends at Bosch. Three parts to this lot - in the first part, Bryan Davidson shows us a little of the system power you can grab hold of when using the Midas Pro6 digital console. Yes..we've already covered Pro6 back in Episode 22, but this one looks more at some serious system integration (after all, it was at Integrate09) and the real power of running IrisNet. Bryan looks at monitoring and controlling your stacks and racks via IrisNet, and also using it to control a gang of wireless channels, and even using it with SysTune, via NetMax. (5:44).

Part 2 on this stand, we welcome Phill Webb back to Factory Sound TV. He's a favourite of ours, and comes into his own when talking about microphones. For this clip though, it's all about new Klark Teknik processors, the DN540 and DN530 quad gates and comps. Also we'll see how any outboard dynamics can hook up to Midas Pro6 and how you can audition before you drop it in the chain. As usual, Phill is great value here. (4:45).

More from Phill, and this is rather interesting - in fact it should be compulsory viewing for anyone who uses RF (wireless microphones). Phill talks us through some of what the world is currently 'up against' with regard to what frequencies are potentially going to be wiped out for our purposes. Although no official ruling has been made for Australia just yet, some good speculation here anyway. (6:14).

And some new gear from Roland Systems Group here. You may remember Axel from episode 14, where he took us through the great M400 mixer and S4000 digital snake - and here's a great addition to the chain, the M48 personal monitor mixer. It's very well featured. Axel is an excellent guide, walking us through the many features of M48 and just for good measure, we get a bit of bonus Edirol action at the end. This Japanese-built gear is right on the money, and worth a quick view, too. (8:58).

Another one of our favourite performers at these kind of trade shows is Tony Hosking, whose company TRC imports K&M stands for Australia. Unfortunately he was busy for this clip. Our Tone does his best to show us through the new bits from K&M, and he does a pretty good job, too. The new broadcast boom arm looks the goods. (3:08).

Luckily Tony Hosking is able to join us for this clip. He shows us some great new gear, starting with a newer version of our old favourite K&M speaker stand. We also get a demo (featuring both Tone & Tony) on the cable winder, and also a look at the K&M lectern. All good stuff. (4:17).

And we were very excited to get our first look at Sennheiser's new G3 series evolution wireless microphones. In addition to checking out some of the new features, we also hear about their well-featured new 2000 series wireless, with a bit of bonus info about how many systems Pink is running on her huge Australian tour. (6:10)

http://www.factorysound.com/

Behringer Factory Tour & 20th Anniversary Party

2009-06-23T19:54:00.000-07:00

2009. It's the 20th Anniversary year for Behringer. Since we got on so well with Uli when he first came to Australia November last year, Tone and Artie were invited to go to China to help Uli and his team celebrate. A stop-off in Hong Kong was required for a beer and a bite first...

As usual, the video camera came out. If you want to catch any of the 'non factory tour' - sightseeing with Factory Sound, it's here (on YouTube).
But the real reason we headed over to Zhongshan was to visit Uli at home in Behringer City. It's HQ for Behringer, with a large R&D team and plenty of manufacturing taking place there. Plenty is an understatement! With over 3,000 staff on site, Behringer City cranks out over 2,000,000 products per year. Let's just take that in for a moment...

Per day that equates to around 5,500 finished products. Each individual component is checked before being ticked off as 'production-ready' then the products are manufactured, some parts by machine, many by hand assembly. At various points along the way they are checked, before passing a final inspection and packaging. There's no magic packaging machine either!

It was without a doubt an eye-opening tour of 'Team Behringer' and one that we were able to video along the way. Later that night we attended Behringer's 20th Anniversary Party. Amazing.

To see how excited all those individuals were, being able to show off their entertaining talents and getting to put into practice the English they'd been learning was simply awesome. We were given a generous dose of Chinese culture, and have tried our best to capture that on video also.

So...here is both Part 1 and Part 2 of our trip to Zhongshan, China.
Each episode goes for about 8 mins. The first one begins at the party (yes, it was a pretty crazy entrance we had!), and an impromptu interview with the man of the moment, before moving toBehringer City for the tour. We get some good running commentary along the way, courtesy Michael Jago who recently left his post as GM of Behringer Australia to go and sink his teeth into Behringer Europe.
In the second episode we leave most of the talking up to the experts - Michael Deeb (CEO, Behringer) tells starts us off, and then Uli lets us in on some of the secrets of his factory. We swap a couple of times back to the party.
Hope you enjoy, we certainly did!
Part 1

Part 2

www.factorysound.com

Stupid pricing - JUNE SALE starts Monday 1st June

2009-05-27T18:23:00.000-07:00

Can't believe it's that time already! Doesn't seem so long ago that the skies were brighter, the days were warmer, and we'd never heard of a Stimulus Package. Well, we're doing out bit to take us back there. It's time for our Stupid Sale - the Famous Factory Sound June Clearance.
1 week only, Monday June 1st - Saturday June 6th 2009.
or until stock depletes, whichever comes first.

Now, if you've had any experience with Factory Sound, you'll already know that we pride ourselves on giving the best possible pricing all year round. BUT the first week of June is when we just go plain stupid. We've got the stock, we've got the knowledge - it's time to make the deal happen. If you need to get something done, we're going to make it work.

There are hundereds of microphone in stock, ready for clearance. Wired or wireless. Studio, live and special application. Whatever you need, we've got it.

This gear is priced so low that we simply cannot publish the prices. No exceptions. Don't call. Don't email. Just come in, or send a friend. It's the only way to get the most serious deals in Australia.

Our range of mixing consoles is huge - live or studio, big or small, digital or analogue, all with one thing in common - stupidly cheap for the 1st week of June.

The great wall of speakers is ready to go as well. Factory Sound is well-known around town as the specialists in live sound. We've got a huge range of speakers, and they don't stop at PA speakers. Studio monitors are also a specialty.

And DJ - we are home to Pioneer, Denon, Numark, Technics, Allen & Heath Xone:Series, Native Instruments...you get the picture.

Home studio - Digidesign, RME, MOTU, Presonus, Apple and more.

Signal Modifiers for PA use, installation or studio...

Plus lighting, stands, leads, cases. The list is huge.

Headphones, connectors, cable, DI boxes, every single item in the shop.

And just to prove that ~~we really are~~ this sale is stupid...here's last year's promo video. Just in case you didn't have enough to do with your day.

www.factorysound.com

StudioLive now in stock!

2009-05-24T21:43:00.001-07:00

10 outta 15 ain't bad! To us it has felt like a long wait...but the highly anticipated StudioLive16.4.2 has finally arrived. And it's a perfect 10.

15 have landed in Australia, and we're rapt to know that 10 of those are (as at lunchtime today) sitting in stock ready for action. You can see more on the product here, or our orignal blog post here, or if you'd like to delve deeper - check out the Presonus StudioLive blog here.
Actually, that Presonus blog is pretty cool - you'll see both articles and youtube clips on how to use StudioLive for monitor mixing, FOH, and in the studio with Apple Logic.

and for a late-breaking news flash on expandability and connectivity, go here.

May 21st - Rode University
We had a great night. Here are some pics, and we've also put a highlights reel together for Factory Sound TV.

Above is the view from inside the fishbowl...where we had Event Opal monitors cranking. And below looking from the outside at the great spread of Rode microphones.

We had a terrific turnout, and all who came were rewarded with beer, nibblies, a free Rode PopShield, and the chance to ask as many questions to the experts as they needed.

Here's to the next chance for a gathering - any excuse will do.

Anyway, here's our YouTube clip from the night...

www.factorysound.com

Rode University on Tour

2009-05-12T20:53:00.001-07:00

The Rode University Tour bus is just about to land at Factory Sound.
We're eagarly awaiting Thursday 21st May 2009, with the welcome mat rolled out from 5.30 - 7.00pm, at Factory Sound.

Anyone who registers prior to coming will be able to claim a free Rode PopShield. In case you haven't registered yet, send an email off to us (to the infopool address) and we'll pop you on the list. We are closing registrations at 5pm on Wed 20th May - that'll give us the day to organise some nibblies and drinks for all!

Apart from having every Rode microphone, Event Opal studio monitors, Presonus studio gear - including soundcards and their all-new StudioLive digital console on show, we're also hosting Craig and James from Rode. Craig has been the Australian representative for Rode Microphones for as long as we can remember, and James represents both Event and Presonus in Australia. They'll be ready for all your questions.

And, it almost goes without saying, there will be cracking specials for anyone who buys up on the night. We'll have lots of stock - so take advantage!

www.factorysound.com

Dean's head in a box - Round 7 tipping video

2009-05-05T22:04:00.000-07:00

Terrible, really. Our latest footy tipping video is without doubt our dodgiest - but don't let us convince you, see them all here (via YouTube).

On a side note - shame these YouTube embedded videos don't fit onto the blog page anymore. We'll have to stop shooting in HD.

www.factorysound.com

Whatta Mann!

2009-04-30T22:04:00.000-07:00

OK, this was the most fun we've had doing a footy tipping video so far...

Click here to see Whatta Mann, for our Round 6 tipping video

If you haven't been keeping up-to-speed, here's the whole playlist (via YouTube).

www.factorysound.com

Behringer XL Series Mixers have landed

2009-04-20T22:57:00.000-07:00

The eagarly awaited Behringer XL series live sound mixers have made it, and they're in stock now at Factory Sound. We saw the first batch getting put together on our recent visit to Behringer's factory in China...and this is what they look like in our showroom now!

We'll pop some video footage up soon, so stay tuned to Factory Sound TV.
See the XL Series product detail here, or just come on in!
Special pricing will apply for existing Factory Sound customers. Sign on here if you're not already 'on the list'.

www.factorysound.com

Round 3 prize for $2009 Footy Tipping

2009-04-06T17:32:00.000-07:00

Just because we had a spare 5 mins yesterday...here's the short video for our Round 3 prize, available to all our footy tippers. If you haven't signed on, you've got until Round 5 to do it.

Round 2 prize for $2009 Footy Tipping

2009-03-31T23:19:00.000-07:00

We can't help ourselves, here's another footy tipping video. Our 'normal' talk page will resume shortly, but while the comp is still open...we'll keep pushing it!

Round 1 prize for $2009 Footy Tipping

2009-03-23T18:58:00.000-07:00

Ok... it's up and running. Get your tips in by going here.
In the meantime, check out our promo for this week's prize:

$2009 Footy Tipping

2009-03-10T23:08:00.000-07:00

This year looks to be the biggest one ever, so if you're ready for a bit of weekly escape from the usual, come in and join the family for our favourite 22 weeks of the year.
As always, you'll need to be a Factory Sound customer or supplier to enter.

Carl Cox: NI Traktor demo for the masses

2009-01-27T20:42:00.000-08:00

Favourite friend of Factory Sound - and legendary DJ to boot - Carl Cox (the original 3 deck wizard) always brings a smile to our face when he's in town. Seems he was rather busy this time around. Carl was interviewed by HeraldSun entertainment writer Nui Te Koha, with the focus on digital technology for DJing.

Read the interview here. For those who'd prefer to see Carl using Traktor at his home studio, go here for the HeraldSun multimedia presentation. You'll soon see why Carl has been at the top of the DJ tree since first being named number 1 DJ in the world in 1997.

You can see some of Carl's work from last year on an old Factory Sound TV episode here. Sure, you'll see Dean getting a little messy...

Of course, if you want to see the gear in question...
Native Instruments Traktor Pro & Tracktor Scratch Pro

pic via CarlCox.com

Pioneer BigWigs fly in to Factory

2009-01-21T17:42:00.000-08:00

Well here's something that doesn't happen every day...
Factory Sound hosted Pioneer dignitaries from Japan and a new Managing Director of Pioneer Australia today, with a tour of our shop and informal discussion on the agenda.

As usual, with Dean having not only his finger on the pulse, but every tentacle wrapped around where Pioneer Pro DJ is headed, he cut short a holiday to make sure he gave the word on the street. In return he got exciting new product whispers, and a big discussion about all things Pioneer Pro DJ.

But it wasn't all business and information think-tank...we had time for a group hug, huddled around the DigitalForce7000 pack.

Pioneer is definitely a company that knows where they've come from, where they're headed and how they're going to get there. We know that by keeping our nose to the grindstone, instead of in the food trough...and by keeping a foot in the door instead of in our mouth, we're going all the way with them!
If you'd like to keep up with Pioneer, keep an eye on factorysound.com - or just come on in.

We'll make sure you get looked after.

PreSonus StudioLive

2009-01-14T20:20:00.000-08:00

We had an entertaining visit this week from the brand new (soon-to-be released) PreSonus StudioLive16.4.2 digital console. After a quick introduction, we took it for a tour around the shop.

With a couple of firewire ports on board, StudioLive was looking comfortable, lounging on the couch in our monitor listening room. Being rackmountable and weighing in at just 10 kg, we figured StudioLive would be well suited to life on the road also.

Yep, we were right.

Then for the bench testing...we did some side-by-side (and back panel to back panel) comparisons against other 16 channel consoles we have in stock. StudioLive16.4.2 has all the ins and outs you'd normally see: 16x XLR inputs, 16x 1/4" Line inputs, 16x channel insert points. You also get direct outputs for channels 1-16 (via 2 x DB25).

Of course, the undeniable benefit of a digital mixer is the processing power on board, and StudioLive16.4.2 has got plenty for every in and out point of your mix, which leads us to...

Fat Channel
The control section of the mixer is very easy to get hands on. There's enough faders to do what you need quickly, and it's also super-simple to select the 'fat channel' control section for any of the inputs, aux sends, sub groups or master outputs. Fat Channel is the bright blue heart of the console., giving you instant access to all the controls you'd need.

Here's what Presonus have to say about their Fat Channel:
"...engaged by pressing any 'select' button, features extensive equalisation and dynamics available to every input channel, every aux output, every subgroup output, and main output. High pass filter, and four-band semi-parametric equalization algorithms are based on PreSonus’ custom-designed digital EyeQ™ equaliser, delivering extremely musical results. Also included in the Fat Channel are compressors, limiters and gates modeled after PreSonus’ award-winning ACP88 for complete dynamics control."

Did we mention 2 x dedicated internal effects...

Our new friend StudioLive16.4.2 even managed to time the visit to coincide with customers who ask all the right questions. Take John Hall for example... he's a regular user of Midas analogue and DiGiCo digital consoles, working as house engineer at Melbourne venues. No doubt he gets plenty of experience with other boards while touring Australia and US. For him, StudioLive was appealing as it offered a quick, portable (and well-priced) way of controlling a bunch of in-ear monitors for tours - especially doing festival shows where want to just patch in and get your ears going in next to no time.

It's settled then. Looks like StudioLive16.4.2 has got it's own spot at Factory Sound.

Stay tuned for further updates. If you simply can't wait, go here to download the brochure, or here to download the manual. Nice one PreSonus.

www.factorysound.com

3-day bargain-fest to finish 2008 in style!

2008-12-22T16:32:00.000-08:00

December 29-31. It's our end of year bonanza!
By the end of today (assuming the planets align for us) you should have received an email with a hint of the stupid pricing we'll be putting on for the last 3 days of 2008. If you're not currently a Factory Sound InfoPool member, you'll just have to come in after Boxing Day and get stuck into the bargains!

As a little tease, here's a couple of prices:
Mann M21 Studio Condenser just $195 (RRP $695) - 45 only in stock, NO rainchecks.
JBL PRX518S Powered Subwoofer $1750 (RRP $3899) - 3 only in stock, NO rainchecks.
TC Electronic M350 Dual Engine Effects $299 (RRP $575) - 3 only in stock, NO rainchecks.

OK, you get the picture.
Get in quick, or the boat will set sail without you.
The usual disclaimers apply (see below).

And if we don't see you before the New Year arrives - warmest wishes for a lovely Christmas and New Year period.

RRP is the Recommended Retail Price, as suggested by the respective importer/wholesaler of each product. RRP does not reflect what price these models have been sold for in the past, or what price they will be sold for in the future at Factory Sound. RRP is listed here as guide. All other prices listed are the 3-day-sale special prices (valid until 31^st December 2008, or until stock items sold out - whichever comes first). No rainchecks available. Please note that whilst every effort has been made to ensure all information is correct, Factory Sound will not be held accountable for any errors within this post. No exceptions.