Canadian Musician - January / February 2020 | Page 72

HOT GEAR Waldorf Kyra Virtual-Analog Synthesizer Waldorf Music has released the Kyra, a 128-voice FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) processing-powered virtual-analog (VA) synthesizer. The Kyra features 32-times oversampled hardware sound generation and 96 kHz floating-point sound processing, providing 128 voice channels. As a truly multitimbral in- strument, it features eight independent “parts” with up to 32 notes per part, each effectively being a complete synthesizer with sound sources, filters, modulators (EGs, LFOs, and MOD Matrix), a multi-effects unit, and a USB 2.0 connection. It can exchange MIDI information, as well as send the audio from each stereo part to a computer as eight stereo 24-bit streams at 96 kHz (with 48 kHz down sample mode available) and one stereo audio return from the computer supporting a single 24-bit stereo audio stream from the host DAW. The only other resource they share are the four balanced, stereo output pairs using 32-bit DAC run- ning at 96 kHz sampling rate connected to four internal stereo busses and the pool of 128 hardware voices. Each part has a dedicated multi-effects unit comprising nine stereo effects modules with dedicated audio stream via USB. For more information, contact Intellimix Corp.: 514-457-9663, [email protected], www.intellimix.com. Danelectro Eisenhower Fuzz & The Breakdown Gain/Boost Pedals Danelectro has introduced the Eisenhower Fuzz and The Breakdown Gain/Boost, part of a new line of vintage-inspired stand-alone pedals that are made to look like they’ve been on a pedalboard for decades with their aged cases and road-worn controls. The Eisenhower Fuzz is based on a classic octave fuzz pedal, but with amped up gain and simple Volume, Fuzz, Bass, and Treble controls, with a dynamic range that extends from a mild crunch and subtle grind to over-the-top compressed “splatty fuzz.” Like The Breakdown, the Eisenhower Fuzz has silent switching, true bypass, and a large status LED. Controls are again kept to a minimum and with just a two-band EQ. The Breakdown is an effective gain/ boost pedal with a large status orange LED and a simple off-set, two-control layout. The Volume control is also a master for the six-position Break-Up rotary control, which ups the output from subtle to mild grit from positions 1-3 and intensifies from 4-6, push- ing the amp’s front end with high output without colouring the tone of the guitar. For more information, contact D’Addario Canada: 905-947-9595, info@daddariocanada. com, www.daddariocanada.com. 72 CANADIAN MUSICIAN