PAR Daily E-Reviewsletter featuring Apple iTunes Aggregators plus Focusrite & Mackie

New Products - September 5, 2012 The 2012 PAR Excellence Awards: Vote Now! » Focusrite Forte Portable Audio Interface » Focusrite iTrack Solo 2-Channel Audio Interface for Apple iPad » Mackie DLM Series Loudspeakers » Today's Product Review Mackie ProFX22 Analog Mixer with USB By Strother Bullins "The Mackie ProFX22 -- a 4-bus analog live mixer with lots of features -- is one of those products that musicians congratulate you on after the gig ... and especially after they hear what it costs (approximately $650 street). During my time with it, the most descriptive quote I’ve heard from a band member surely must be “man -- that is all you need! Anyone from aspiring self-mixing bands to smart, old school live sound dudes would be happy with this mixer, as it eliminates carrying around a lot of things you’d rather not: outboard comps and reverb hardware, for starters. Then add in its USB capabilities: DAW returns on channels 21/22 and subgroup 1/2 or main L/R recording features: good, straightforward stereo DAW I/O in a totally for-live, amazingly compact mixer. Its four channel ‘one knob’ compressors work well and simply, and its simple array of 16 digital effects (reverbs, choruses and delays) are most likely enough for your gigging needs." More » Today's Blog Apple iTunes Plus: Can I Get An Aggregator? By Rob Tavaglione "Any attempt to deliver better audio to consumers (making our work more effective to buyers) is welcomed with open arms by this quality-minded audio engineer. While I'm not entirely convinced that Apple is as concerned with audio as I am, I found iTunes' new section “Mastered For iTunes” (along with the audio tools, encoders and guidelines that accompany it) to be a step in the right direction.  However, my hopes of easy data submission, improved file standards and better music quality for all are being dashed by the “aggregators,” the digital gatekeepers of the new music biz." More »

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