Radial Q3 review

Affordable 500 Series Modules

Alta Moda Audio recently announced their successor to the am-20, the am-25, which is a four band parametric EQ. It seems like every time you turn around there is a new 500 series module announced, but this one is listed at only $499. And has a special introductory price of $299! A few posts ago I did a write up on Lindell audio who is releasing three 500 series modules at $299. I know a lot of people complain that 500 series gear is too expensive. If a few more companies can come in at this $299-499 price point things can get interesting. Chameleon Labs is already there with the 581 mic pre for $399. And you can add Radial to this group with their Power Pre ($499) and their Komit compressor ($499). If you go $100 up you can get modules $599 like the Radial Q3 (which I own and love) and JDK audio V14. JDK audio also just announced  their 500 series pre based off the R20, and a compressor based off the R22, the V10 and V12. Likely these will both be priced $599 to match the V14. Black Lion audio is gearing up to ship their auteur pre in the 500 series format for $349. Looks like some really cool units are coming at an affordable price tag.

Sweetwater Gearfest 2012

Gearfest 2012 was another great experience for me, once attended with my friend D. Lyles. This was my third time attending the event and I had just as much fun as the last two years. I got to see a lot of familiar faces, chat with some important people, and drool at sale prices at every tent. I noticed some products weren’t on sale for as low as they were the previous year. Sales were still were still good and you’d have to be a fool to come and not buy anything. I always put together a wishlist of what I want but after seeing other products on sale it makes it hard to make a final decision. Though I’m not in the market for a new mic the Miktek C7 was on sale for $749! Thats $150 off regular price. Another great sale was the Radial Q3 for $529, down from the regular price of $599 (which I actually ordered last night). The workshops last year I think were “ok” but this year they were good. Though I spent most my time in the tents with manufactures, I got to check out seminars from George Massenburg, Fab Dupont, Mike Wells, and one from Mojave showing off their mics in different configurations on acoustic guitars. Gearfest isn’t a place where new products are introduced, but It caught me off guard to see the new Daking Hybird compressor for the 500 series in Geoffe Daking’s lunchbox. Geoffe told me last year he was working on it but I didn’t expect to see until NAMM or maybe AES later this year. He said its called a hybird compressor because its VCA that acts like a FET. He said it was shipping now (though I haven’t seen on it any sites yet, including Daking’s) and he actually offered to sell me the one right out of his lunchbox. Dave HIll gave us a demo of his Europa mic pre and Titan compressor. I was blown away at what the Europa could do. You really could hear a difference with each knob twist. I ended up leaving gearfest with a API 6 slot lunchbox, Chandler Little Devil Pre, and tascam pr-10. People I noticed I didn’t see this year were Waves, Slate audio (and digital), and McDSP. Overall though another successful event for Sweetwater and I look forward to next year. Gearfest, unlike other similar events, is completely free. All you need to do is get there. With events like NAMM in LA and AES in NY out of reach for me, Fort Wayne is a tolerable 6 hour drive for me from Nashville. If you're like me and can get to Indiana faster than NY or LA I highly recommend checking out Gearfest next year. I forgot my digital camera so I had to take pics with my galaxy nexus, but here is a link to some photos I took. https://plus.google.com/b/113269535296910365369/113269535296910365369/posts/FLbNQUfxLGG