UNIVERSAL AUDIO 710 TWIN-FINITY
Like it or not, most of us get pretty much ignored by engineers in the studio. Basses are so easily recorded with a DI, we become the set-it-and-forget kids in the corner. But cool high-end DIs like the new UA 710 ($799 list) let us reclaim a little bit of participation in the process. The Twin-Finity has unique dual signal paths built around a phase-aligned “tone-blending” knob. It allows for a continuously variable ratio of tube and solid-state signal paths, and the tube circuit is designed to move into the crunch zone easily. www.uaudio.com
-JONATHAN HERRERA
SWR SPELLBINDER BLUE COMBO
Just when you were wondering what you might plug one of Stanley Clarke’s new basses into, SWR announced the Spellbinder Blue combo amplifier, created in collaboration with Spellbinder. The 27- pound Spellbinder Blue features the iconic Baby Blue tube preamp, an 160-watt Class D amplifier with a switch-mode power supply, and an SWR-designed 10" neodymium speaker with an Eminence super-tweeter. Created by SWR but included in the Spellbinder line, the Blue combo is aimed at studio work and small- to medium-sized gigs. The Spellbinder Blue has several features suitable for use with an electric or acoustic, including a Neutrik combo input jack for XLR or q" inputs, phantom power, phase and mute switches, and a 10dB pad. There’s also an effects loop with blend control and bypass, XLR and q" balanced line outs with level control, and SWR’s Aural Enhancer. www.swrsound.com
-BILL LEIGH
