Special Report: Musikmesse 2007
Pages: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Mawzer MIDI controller

If you like the concept of the Jazzmutant Dexter (previous page), but prefer more tactile controls, have a look at the Mawzer modular MIDI controllers by Jerash Labs. The Mawzer devices follow the same principle as Jazzmutant's, but are implemented in hardware!

Highly configurable MIDI controller, hardware-style.

Currently, five modules are available: four endless rotary encoders, four knobs, two buttons plus a 6cm fader, a 10cm fader, and four buttons with status LEDs. The modules plug into a controller box, which is available in two sizes, accepting 16 or 32 modules. The box provides the usual MIDI socket trio of In/Out/Thru and connects to a PC or Mac via USB. The sweet thing about the Mawzer controllers is that the settings for each controller module—like MIDI channel, controller number, and controller range—are stored right inside the module, so you can rearrange the modules inside the controller box without having to reconfigure any of the controller-specific settings.

eJamming AUDiiO

Back in 1994, a software project named ResRocket was the first successful attempt at live jamming over the Internet. In those days, slow Internet access was a big limiting factor, so ResRocket relied solely on exchanging MIDI signals. Today, realtime audio jamming via the Internet is becoming a reality.

At Messe, eJamming introduced its approach to Internet music collaboration: a combination of computer software and community website called AUDiiO. The software is available for both Mac OS X and Windows XP/Vista, and requires a reasonable minimum upload datarate of 300kbps. Currently, the company is running a free-of-charge beta program. Sign up at eJamming.com.

Coming to you live from Frankfurt! And from London. And Cologne. And...

Surround Sound to Go: Beyerdynamic Headzone

Yes, it looks very weird. But what a cool gadget this is. What you see in the photo is Beyerdynamic's Headzone 5.1 monitoring headphone system.

Headphone encounter of the third kind.

The system uses ultrasound to track the headphones' position. Turn your head, and the Headzone changes your apparent listening position inside the virtual 5.1 speaker setup accordingly. The Headzone unit not only simulates the position of the loudspeakers. You can also configure room size, distance from the speakers, and ambience levels. Maybe it's this complexity that leads to an ever-so-slight latency in the adjustment of the virtual speaker positions when you move your head. Nevertheless, the listening experience is stunning.

The Headzone's official target audience is sound engineers, who can now work on 5.1 mixes "in the comfort of their hotel room," but it may also be an alternative to a 5.1 loudspeaker setup in small studios. And let's not forget the appeal to gamers—if it weren't for the 2,200-Euro price tag....

ZZYZX Snap Jack Guitar Cable

Some ideas are just too good not to be copied. Obviously inspired by Apple's MagSafe power cord, Jodavi's ZZYZX Snap Jack (that's not a typo) guitar cable features two-piece jacks that are held together by magnets. Forcefully pull the cable, and it safely separates from the actual jack. No more tripping over guitar cables and no more popping or screeching when disconnecting the cable from the instrument or amp, either.

Snap goes the jack.