GEAR OF THE YEAR 2015
IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR… We look back at the past 12 months and compile our product highlights of 2015.
T
hanks to another busy year of trade shows, product launches, studio visits, live events and kit demos, the Audio Media International team has been lucky enough to get hands-on with a wide range of gear in the past 12 months. That experience, along with the continued advice and support of our highly experienced reviewers, has
enabled us to come up with a list of 15 products that we believe are worthy of the prestigious Audio Media International Gear of the Year 2015 accolade. These are products that have stood out for their innovation, functionality, looks, value, or even a combination of all of these factors. Take a look at the winners and tell us what you think on Twitter using
#GearoftheYear.
EASY ON THE EAR
KLANG:TECHNOLOGIES KLANG:fabrik
‘THE NEXT GENERATION’
ALLEN & HEATH dLive The KLANG:fabrik 3D in-ear monitoring interface is designed to deliver a sound as natural as hearing without in ears. KLANG:fabrik is at the core of the monitoring solution. It combines the latest HD audio algorithms with a multitude of flexible audio interfaces (i.e. Dante, compatible to ADAT) in order to work with professional mixing desks and stage boxes of any kind. Up to eight musicians receive their individual 3D mixes with one KLANG:fabrik, but for those working with bigger bands there is the option to daisy-chain multiple KLANG:fabriks. The 3D monitoring mixes are sent from
20
KLANG:fabrik to radio transmitters or headphone amps via XLR, back to the ears of the musicians. Thanks to high-performance processors, this can happen without any noticeable latency. KLANG:fabric can be controlled via app on any device (iOS, Android, WindowsPhone, PC and Mac), or the faders of your mixing desk. The bottom line: “Praised for providing clarity and a more natural sound, could KLANG:fabrik turn out to represent the next stage of evolution for the IEM market?” Audio Media International
The dLive digital mixing system provides an ultra-flexible architecture, FPGA processing core, a comprehensive array of expansion, control and networking options, plus the Harmony user interface with gesture control. It is geared to applications from rigorous touring and festivals to installation in live venues.
The bottom line: “Not only does this system look great, its intuitive workflow, capacitive touchscreen that supports gestures, and backwards compatibility with 48k ACE will satisfy the most demanding engineers.” Audio Media International
December 2015
20-23 AMI Dec 2015 GOTY_Final.indd 1
03/12/2015 16:59