1. IsoVox IsoMic
After causing a minor storm with the launch of their innovative IsoVox Vocal Booth, Swedish audio innovators IsoVox have debuted the IsoMic: a dedicated condenser microphone to pair with their Vocal Booth. With a whopping frequency range of 7 Hz – 87 kHz, a cardioid polar pattern and a triangular Erhlund capsule to deliver ultra-fast membane recovery movement, the IsoMic is scarily precise, and aims to offer broadcast-ready audio with minimal processing – add a touch of compression, and you’re good to go.
The IsoMic also makes use of a 115 dB dynamic range and a floor noise under 7dB, and comes with a dedicated shock mount and pop filter. Designed and manufactured in Sweden, the IsoMic really is a work of art, and if you’ve got – or are planning to get – an IsoVox Vocal Booth, it’s a no-brainer really.
2. Telefunken TF11 FET Condenser
There’s nothing that sounds quite as good as a quality FET condenser, and no brand knows this better than Telefunken, who today have launched a single-membrane carioid condenser named the TF11 FET. Crafted with discrete components, a JFET amplifier based on Telefunken’s M60 amp and a custom-wound transformer from Carnhill, the specs of the TF11 definitely help it to jump off paper, and the fact that it’s developed and made in the USA just puts the icing on the cake.
Elsewhere, the TF11 boasts a maximum SPL of 135dB and a relatively sweet frequency response, making it suitable for recording drums, guitars and vocals alike. It also ships with a shock-mount, stand, sleeve and case – check it out below.
3. Red Witch Fuzz God IV
Kiwi pedal wizards Red Witch have unveiled their Fuzz God IV, combining a thick fuzz tone with a searing octave effect and a wobbling oscillator to top it all off. There’s three footswitches to engage the Fuzz, Octavia and Wrath Oscillation effects, with additional controls for Volume, Fuzz, Wrath and Sputter, with the latter being used to control the bias of the transistor to shape the overall characteristic of your fuzz.
A myriad of coloured LEDs indicates the mode of the Fuzz God IV, and there’s also an eight-way dip switch to further hone in on your preferred tone – however, the top mounted toggle switches are still able to bypass the pedal’s internal settings, making for a useful way to rotate between tones mid-set. Hear how it sounds in action below.
4. Ernie Ball Pickholder Straps
Gone are the days of blu-tacking picks to your mic stand, or clumsily squeezing them beneath your pickguard! Ernie Ball have unleashed a new run of guitar straps with three slots on top to place your plectrums in. It’s a simple idea, but it’s one that I’m sure guitarists will snap up all the same: there’s three slits on the leather connector of the polypro strap, letting you easily unsheath one between strums should you drop a pick while playing.
There’s not much more to say about these ones – think of the Ernie Ball nylon straps you know and love, and picture them being just a bit more convenient, and you’re somewhere in the ball park. These straps are available in a bright variety of colours, and should be available for purchase very, very soon.
5. Elektron’s Analog Upgrade
No, unfortunately it’s not a MkIII. Elektron have given their Analog Four and Rytm MkII a bit of a spruce up to ensure their aesthetic is consistent with that of their Digitakt and Digitone groove boxes, with a back-lit colour palate and a glossy black finish now making the brand’s killer hardware units look just as good as they sound.
If that’s not enough, Elektron have also added a bunch of new sounds, patterns and samples to the Analog Four and Rytm MkII’s factory sounds. These guys truly are wizards!
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