The annual NAMM convention is coming to a close in Anaheim, California, and as expected the manufacturers did not disappoint. It was another exciting year at NAMM with all brands showcasing their arsenal for the upcoming year, and we took on the task of visiting as many booths as possible to get the inside scoop.
Throughout this week make sure to stay up to date with us on our website as we roll out new product videos, gear reviews, company profiles, and a very special artist interview that went down Saturday afternoon. Here are our initial thoughts on NAMM 2015.
During our time at NAMM we were able to visit a wide variety of booths, and received great insight relating to what the general theme of the year will be. Many companies such as Novation, Roland, and Akai all leaned towards a theme of creative intuition in a very straightforward product interface. Whether for live performance or production, many new products at NAMM had this theme in common. It seems each year the products are getting better, and this is fantastic for the seasoned veteran and bedroom producer alike. Products such as the new Launchpad and AIRA MX 1 are generating a lot of buzz, and will be expected to gain widespread popularity once released.
Other noteworthy announcements included Arturia’s intention to enter the audio interface market with their new Audiofuse Interface. The company already offers a wide range of products from synths to sequencers, and with the Audiofuse it is clear that their goal is complete their market offering as a one stop shop for some producers. The interface is loaded with a wide variety of inputs to accommodate any situation, and sets up very nicely for a swift and interactive workflow.
Audiofuse Expected Release: May 2015
Retail Price: $549
In addition to showcasing the new AIRA MX1, Roland also announced a new hybrid synth the JD-Xi. The JD-Xi includes 2 digital synths with a preset bank included, a drum synth with an expansive library of Roland drums, an analog synth and signal path, a vocoder, and a 16 step sequencer to tie things up nicely. As well as other standard synth parameters like a dedicated filter, effects, and envelope section. The JD-Xi is expected to be available in March for $500.
Overall, there was no shortage of interest when going between the four expansive halls and floors at the Anaheim Convention Center, with each brand bringing something unique to the table. This brief overview doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface, so make sure to keep checking our website this week for more reviews and content from NAMM 2015.
