Each day our team on the show floor at NAMM 2019 are on the lookout for products that catch their eye and in this Best Of NAMM 2019 roundup James Ivey, Julian Rodgers and Eli Krantzberg share their top 3 from day 1.

Tierra Audio Lava Mic Preamp

Lava Preamp from Tierra Audio is a solid-state mic pre-amp with a slow transient response rate designed to enable you to achieve a warm and smooth sound. You can choose between two sound modes: Classic and Modern.

Its an analog pre-amp that also offers offers total recall and remote control, to be able to recall all the device’s functions and settings giving you the benefit of analog audio processing and the recall of all the settings we get with digital products

You will be able to manage every feature of your Lava Preamp from a plug-in inserted in the DAW, which allows self-recognition of the hardware route and automatic latency compensation. You can also access it from your mobile app (both iOS and Android), allowing you to work remotely without running the risk of adding sound distortion to the original analog signal. 

Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2.6

Spectrasonics have announced an update of their flagship software synthesizer Omnisphere. Version 2.6 adds an enhanced Arpeggiator and expanded Hardware Synth Integration, with support for over 60 Hardware Synths!

This update adds brand new profiles for such iconic synths as the Roland Juno-106, Alesis Andromeda and the Roland D-50, through to the very latest synths like the Korg Minilogue XD and Moog One - as well as dozens of other models that users have requested. The FREE update will also include hundreds of inspiring new patches for all registered Omnisphere 2 users and should be available in March.

McDSP APB-16 16 Channel Analog Processing Box

The McDSP APB-16 is a 16 channel analogue processor which is digitally controlled and has built in A/D - D/A conversion and connects to a host computer using Thunderbolt. Multiple analogue IO connections or expensive D-SUB cables aren’t necessary. The analogue hardware isn’t just remotely controllable via a plug-in interface in Pro Tools, it is remotely configurable meaning each of the 16 channels can be set up as a different type of processor, all in analogue and all with the convenience and recallability of a plug-in. Processing options include compressors, mastering limiters, transient enhancement devices with multi-channel and multi-band applications.

PMC Dolby Atmos Demo Room

PMC has built a full Dolby Atmos demo room of the show floor and friend of the blog Steve Genewick is showing off some of the amazing mixes he is doing with the Universal Group back catalogue. The PMC Dolby Atmos rig they have got in there sounds absolutely incredible. It is clear that Dolby Atmos for music and content without pictures works really well and we are seeing a growing takeup of this immersive format in the music production sector as well as the more obvious feature film and TV productions. James is looking forward to getting hold of a Dolby Atmos soundbar so that he can enjoy the immersive benefits of Dolby Atmos without having 30 speaksa al round and over the top of his living room.

IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitors

Our friends at IK Multimedia have just announced the new iLoud MTM compact studio monitors that IK say were designed to deliver pristine sound and an unprecedented level of accuracy that redefines nearfield monitoring for the modern, computer-based, professional and home studio. What’s best about these monitors is that they include powerful DSP for hosting IK’s ARC Speaker Calibration that also provides the digital crossovers and self-calibration derived from IK's award-winning ARC™ System.

This is designed to enable iLoud MTM monitors to deliver accuracy, clarity and transparency, with a generous 100W RMS power and a 40 Hz to 24 kHz frequency response. In addition, the symmetrical MTM design has been designed to create superior imaging and precision, even at close distances, with a good sweet-spot, thanks to the included tilt-able isolation bases.

JBL 104 Reference Monitor

JBL One Series 104 monitors draw from seven decades of JBL Professional engineering. With the JBL 104 reference monitors, JBL started with the mission to give content creators the ability to hear all the details for results while mixing and editing. JBL One Series 104 monitors achieve this through newly engineered JBL 4.5” coaxial drivers, designed to provide full range performance for crystal clear highs and deep bass, without a subwoofer. This new coaxial driver has been specially contoured using the same research that led to the revolutionary waveguide also found in their M2, 7-Series, and 3-Series monitors.

JBL 104 Reference monitors offer this high level of performance, even at loud playback levels. This is accomplished through an integrated 60-watt Class D amplification that can drive One Series speakers to 104db SPL (peak), without the distortion found in other monitors in their class.

Their are other features like a front-panel volume control allows convenient level adjustments without straying from the sweet spot, the front-panel headphone jack that automatically mutes the speakers, providing isolation in one simple step, and dual 1/4-inch balanced and single 1/8-inch unbalanced TRS inputs accommodate a wide range of sources. An optional, protective carrying case will also be available, for production on the go.

Audient Sono Guitar Centric Audio Interface

Our friends at British console and interface manufacturer Audient have teamed up with leading guitar cab simulation creators two notes audio engineering to create the new Sono USB audio interface claimed to be the ultimate audio interface for guitarists.

Sono allows you to connect your guitar and effects pedals in the conventional way to the front panel 1/4 inch DI input, then use the built-in amp, cab and mic modelling to record without the hassle, or volume of a real amp. Or if you want to record with your real amp and real mics and still capture a clean DI just in case you decide to change the tonal mood and re-amp a new sound later on, you can do, with no need to buy a dedicated re-amping box.

Although Sono is very much focused on the guitar and bass players of the world, it is also a powerful interface in its own right featuring two of Audient’s console grade mic preamps for studio quality recording. Sono also includes an ADAT optical input to allow connection to external mic pres. So if drums is your thing, or you want to record the entire band, you can with Sono.

Eve Audio SC203 Monitors

When a small footprint – but a big sound! – is what you're looking for, the Eve Audio SC203 could be one of those examples where small can also mean powerful. Eve Audio are pitching the SC203 is the perfect solution for professional desktops with a limited amount of physical space, and also for discerning home and gaming users. To further extend its flexibility, each speaker is provided with the FlexiPad, a v-notch shaped orange rubberized pad that allows you to decouple the speaker from its base and angle it precisely at 0°, 7,5° or 15°.

For the bass end they have developed a 3" woofer coupled with a 1" voice coil capable of handling a longer linear excursion. With a 16 mm-height voice coil, a linear, back and forth, swing of ±5mm is easily achieved. However, this requires an appropriate multilayer paper membrane material that is capable of withstanding such rigorous use while maintaining consistency.

A passive radiator – which you could simply think of as a passive speaker that moves through the force of air – located at the backside of the SC203, reinforces the reproduction of low frequencies and allows the speaker response to go down as low as an impressive 62Hz (-3dB) with very low distortion.

When it comes to the top end Eve Audio developed a high resolution µA.M.T tweeter. The folded membrane of the µA.M.T. is only 400mm² in surface area, less than half as their RS1 tweeter,which they use, for example, in the SC204 speaker. The integrated waveguide is designed to help create “an optimal dispersion pattern over a wide frequency range. No fighting over your sweet spot with this tweeter! “

Each SC203 setup is configured as a 2-way master-slave system, and features four power amplifiers. Each woofer and tweeter gets its own dedicated 30W PWM amplifier with separate filter section for precise control.

Apogee ClipMic Digital With Blue UltraSync Timecode Unit Package

Take an Apogee ClipMic Digital microphone which can be connected to a modern iOS device, to easily record interviews, presentations or performances. The external signal converter specially developed from the Apogee reference brand delivers a high-resolution signal, which is transmitted via the Lighting conductor to iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Add to that the MetaRecorder Version 2.0 app, which is the first two-channel audio recording app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch to offer intuitive multi-take recording, tagging and file organization for any field recording scenario. The great news is that Version 2.0 adds support for the new UltraSync BLUE module by Timecode Systems with an in-app purchase along with updated compatibility with new Apogee products like the ClipMic Digital.