Tech Reviews: New products (April 2022)
Kate Rounding
Friday, April 1, 2022
Kate Rounding reveals her top picks for the month
Dorico 4
Price: Dorico Pro 4 (Education): £308 (RRP) Dorico Pro 4 Competitive Crossgrade from Sibelius/Finale: £153.00
Dorico 4 from Steinberg promises to ‘supercharge your workflow’, and with an extensive overhaul and new features, it is a powerful tool. Dorico 4 looks familiar, but the layout is clearer and more vibrant. Play mode has undergone the most distinctive changes and looks and behaves more like a DAW, integrating notation with audio playback. Dorico 4 allows you to edit the piano roll MIDI alongside the notation and edit music in either mode. The Smart MIDI import feature will save time, taking care of the preparation so you can easily and correctly import MIDI files. Highlights include: full MIDI editor linked to notation; intelligently adjusts notation as you write; options for customising the look and sound of your scores; projects fully compatible between macOS, Windows and iPadOS. Full review to follow.
Minirig speakers
Price: £99.95 (RRP) to £139.96 (RRP)
Created and produced in the UK, these Bluetooth speakers are small, portable and powerful. Made from anodised aluminium and ABS/polycarbonate (durable plastic) they are robust, making them great for a lively classroom. There are three speakers in the range: the original; Minirig 2 (portable and lightweight with up to 36 hours of battery); and Minirig 3 (has a 40-watt amp and up to 100 hours of battery life). They have a simple ‘one button’ design and can be linked to create a mini sound system. Minirig offers a repair service and a trade in service for older products. Speakers come with a one-year warranty (free repair). After that, repairs cost from £10 to £40. Purchases can be made through the website or by email with a purchase order. Educational discount available – contact support@minirigs.co.uk.
Script USB Mic
Price: SRP £129.99
Warm Audio is releasing the Script USB microphone. Script is a compact ‘vintage style’ microphone that has been designed specifically for podcasting and streaming. The Script is dual-pattern (cardioid and omni) and is optimised for voice and speech. The mic also has a ‘tighter frequency response’ that rejects common and unwanted frequencies – useful for recording in rooms that are not acoustically treated and where you may have background noise. The Script has a direct USB connection, so you won't need an interface to connect with your computer; the mic also includes a headphone jack and onboard gain and mute controls. Script connects to any Mac or PC with the included USB-C to USB-A cable.
www.512audio.com/product/script
Volt audio interfaces
Price: £115 to £320
Universal Audio has introduced the Volt audio interface range. There are five models, all competitively priced and featuring a Vintage Mic Preamp mode. These USB interfaces aim to bring a ‘classic studio’ sound to Mac, PC, iPad, and iPhone users. The interfaces come with a companion app, UA Connect, from which registered users can download a suite of audio production software, instruments, and plug-in bundles. Volt 1 has a simple front panel with one-in/two out connections for a mic or an instrument. Volt 2 has two-in/two-out connections allowing for live collaboration. The Volt 476 model has four-in/four-out connections and includes a built-in ‘vintage’ compressor. Each has 48V phantom power, direct monitoring and one-in/one-out MIDI connections. A USB-C to USB-A cable is included.
