Dbx Professional Products introduces two new direct injection boxes into their product line : the dB10 Passive Direct Box and dB12 Active Direct Box.

The dB10 Passive Direct Box includes all the basic features you would expect from a work horse direct box : input and parallel "thru" jacks, transformer isolation, balanced XLR output, and ground lift switch but provides additional value not found in budget direct boxes. Its 3-position pad switch easily accommodates instrument, line level and speaker level signals, while further versatility is added with its selectable polarity invert and high-cut filtering functions. Premium chrome toggle switches and a gold-plated Neutrik XLR output jack, as well as a first-class custom dbx mu-metal-shielded isolation transformer, ensure the highest-quality signal path. All switches are recessed to provide protection from accidental operation or damage.

The dB12 Active Direct Box includes all the features of the dB10, but in an active version. Driven by phantom power supplied by a mixing console's mic input, the dB12's active circuitry operates from 20V to 48V. A green power LED is included to show status of the phantom power source. The dB12's high input impedance and low-noise buffered active circuitry faithfully preserve the tone and signal characteristics of the instrument source. It also includes a custom dbx mu-metal-shielded isolation transformer, tailored to complement the active circuitry and provide a clean balanced output signal.

The dbx dB10 Passive and dB12 Active Direct Boxes are now shipping with an estimated street price of $99.95 and $129.95 respectively.

Focal Professional has announced that their new CMS Active Nearfield Monitors - the CMS 65 and CMS 50 - are now shipping.

According to Focal, their Al/Mg (Aluminium/Magnesium) inverted dome tweeter combines both, lightweight mass and damping, resulting in a tweeter that easily extends up to 28khz at -3db.

They also tell us that the Polyglass bass driver combines hollow micro-balls of glass to a pulp cellulose cone thus permitting a good rigidity versus mass ratio.

They are bi-amplified active nearfield monitors, 165 watts for the CMS65 and 130 watts for the CMS50.

Both of them also have separate HF and LF shelving adjustments, a Desktop Notch correction filter that controls first reflection when the speakers are located over the mixing board, rubber decoupling stand, spikes to tilt the speakers and adjust soundstage height.

Pricing :

- CMS 50: $695 each MSRP
- CMS 65: $995 each MSRP

Blue Microphones has announced the latest additions to their award-winning line of products; the BottleRocket Stage One Solid-State Microphone System and the Bottle Rocket Stage Two Tube Microphone System.

The Stage One BottleRocket is a transformerless solid state microphone system with the clarity and detail you've come to expect from Blue. Fully compatible with the Bottle Caps, the same interchangeable capsule system used with Blue's Bottle mic, you can add an array of tonal characteristics and pickup patterns on the fly. It's like having an entire mic cabinet in one mic.

Stage One Features :

- Class A discrete solid-state amplifier circuit delivers superb detail
- Includes Blue's versatile B8 capsule & shockmount
- Hand-tuned and tested
- Mic System allows for different ca ...

Chandler Limited has announced the release of a brand new unit : the Universal Mix Control (UMC).

Inspired by the popular Wet/Dry feature used on their Germanium Compressor, each channel of the UMC can function as either a Wet/Dry control or as a 2 x 1 summing mixer for those needing a high quality solution for combining multi mic'ed sources. Simply put, you can now add Wet/Dry to anything you want. Ever wanted some Dry signal on your EMI Limiter, 1176, Alan Smart, LA2s, 33609? How about a Fairchild 670 with a Mix Control :-)

Don't stop with just compressors. Distortion with a Culture Vulture or Sans Amp, Transient Designer, Leslie Cabinet, Guitar Pedals. The list is nearly endless. No latency, saves channels, little patching, and a very high quality, transformer balanced, low noise discrete circuit that allows you to use it anywhere without concern.

The Universal Mix Control is available now for a fee of $1450.

Universal Audio has announced the shipment of the LA-610 Mk II Classic Tube Recording Channel, a feature enhanced, 2nd generation version of UA's most popular analog product.

The preamp and compressor use the same signal path as the original LA-610 and features the 610 mic-pre and EQ section combined with an LA-2A style T4 opto-compressor. The LA-610 Mk II now offers key enhancements such as: true compressor bypass, larger metering, improved output signal performance, and the highly popular "black on black" cosmetics of the LA-610 Signature Edition.

The LA-610 Mk II will have an MSRP of US$1999 and a MAP of US$1599.